Only in Japan, Where Weird and Gross Can Turn Cute

Japan is already known around the world for cute and weird things thus it’s not surprising when the country manages to combine those elements, creating a different breed of bizarre, yet adorable stuff.

You can see a lot of this in stationary, food, game/anime characters, books, mascots, and many more items.

Instagramable Poop

Excrement, without a doubt, repulses most people, but in Japan they find a way to make it adorable.

A perfect example of this is the Poop Museum (or Unko Museum) in Odaiba, Tokyo.

This museum started out as a temporary exhibition in Yokohama but, because of its popularity, it got a permanent spot in Diver City Tokyo Plaza, a well-known shopping mall in Odaiba.

Before entering , visitors are asked to take a seat on some toilet seats that are lined up at the hallway of the entrance. After a couple of seconds, a colorful poop pops out!  Visitors can take this poop home as a souvenir.  For me, that was one of the most memorable aspects of Unko Museum. It was very weird, yet still a funny experience.

Aside from popping colorful excrement, the museum also features colorful installations and games about poop.  Moreover, there is a section where you can see different kinds of materials, books, and toys that have a connection with poo, as well as an area where you can doodle on a toilet seat.

The Unko Museum is very instagramable and cute, so it was little wonder it became very popular. When my husband and I went here, we had a blast playing around with the colorful poop and taking pictures.

So, if you are into weird and adorable stuff, I highly recommend paying this place a visit!

A Strange or Cute Sea Creature?

One of the weirdest mascots I’ve seen in Japan is Araippe--- the mascot of Oarai, a town in Ibaraki Prefecture. When I first saw it in Ibaraki, I was perplexed and tried to figured out what it was made of. It kind of reminded me of the Pokémon, Tangela, because of its vine-like body.

However, Araippe’s body is made of shirasu (whitebait), its mouth is a clam, and its tail is shaped like a rake.

Although the features of this creature are weird, the more I look at it, the more I find it adorable, LOL. On top of that, I liked that the people of Oarai added a little backstory to Araippe, which made it more charming.

If you want to know more, head to this site.

https://www.oarai-info.jp/page/page000494.html

Conclusion

During my first year working in Japan I’ve saw my students have stationary with weird designs and that would usually help to start our conversation. I ask them what it was and why they liked it. They’d tell me that it’s weird and cute. I’d then comment that it looks strange. They would find my reaction amusing and laugh.

As times go by, I’ve also become like my students--- buying stuff with odd but adorable designs. Whenever I look at those things, I just smile because they are just funny and at the same time have that “awwww” factor.

A cat-sushi I got from a gashapon. Isn't it cute!