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I love Japan.

I love it because it is so unlike anywhere else I have been.

It is one of my favourite places because the people are courteous and the streets are clean but most of all I love its weirdness. You know, the stuff that makes the rest of us roll our eyes with a smile and say “only in Japan!”.

I’ve already written a post where I discover some surprising things about Japan but I also felt compelled to share some of the weird Japanese stuff I found while exploring the shops there. This goes way beyond the 300+ KitKat flavours you can find in the country and more into the unusual things to buy in Japan.

Things to buy in Japan

Wrinkle Smoother and Happy Face Trainer

I spotted these bizarre little gadgets – ‘Wrinkle Smoother’ and ‘Happy Face Trainer’ (what I can only presume to be the cure for ‘Bitchy Resting Face’) at Tokyu Hands, Ikebukuro. I was going to say, I’m not sure why they used such an obviously young and cheerful looking person on the packaging but then I thought perhaps this lady is actually about 95 and these products actually work?!

With 12 step Korean skincare regimes becoming all the rage and ridiculous TikTok trends of anti-wrinkle straws now, it wouldn’t surprise me if these were popular items these days.

Cat Paw Massager

If all that Happy Face Trainer smiling has taken it out of you, then perhaps you could do with a little massage “To the place which got tired”. These strange plastic cat paws actually vibrate when pressed against your skin. I don’t really know what the health benefits are and I also don’t know why they were on sale in a children’s toy shop along with some other questionable items.

Smorkin Labbit

Apparently Smorkin Labbit was supposed to be Smoking Rabbit but due to a misprint, Smorkin Labbit was born and they just rolled with it!

These two are the Bondage Labbit and Sexy Time editions. Yes, they were with the collectable vinyl toys but also, they were for sale in a shop called Kiddyland (which is in Harajuku if you are interested).

Samurai Sword Umbrella

At home in the UK, most arcade machines contain things such as cuddly toys which you can win by inserting roughly half a weeks wage into one of these crappy grabber machines. In Japan, however, the prize is much cooler – umbrellas that look like samurai swords! I actually would have quite liked one of these. I could have gone all Uma Thurman in Kill Bill every time it rained. But I’d never have got it in my over-stuffed suitcase or on the plane back home.

Surprise Knife

We found this toy in a 100 Yen store. “Give someone a great surprise”. I have been informed in the comments that the Japanese text says “Give (someone) a surprise when you stab (them)! The blade retracts!”. 

It’s a bit like a not very funny practical joke. But the packaging did amuse me.

F Cup Cookies

Another wildly inappropriate toy shop item. I found these (again) at Kiddyland. F Cup cookies supposedly help to increase your bra size when consumed. I first heard about them on Scott Mills UK radio show so thought I would see if I could find them.

Did I buy them? Yes.
What do F Cup Cookies taste like? Pretty plain. Not bad but not exactly more-ish.
And do F Cup Cookies work? Well… I’m certainly not an F Cup but they may have?! The jury’s out I’m afraid!

Condomania

I didn’t actually go in here because it looks tiny, but yes Condomania is a shop dedicated to selling condoms. Not so much things to buy in Japan but more weird Japanese stuff I found.

Yes, condoms are sold everywhere but I have never before seen a shop that sells nothing else!

Japan never fails to surprise me. Just when you think you’ve seen it all, you stumble across something that makes you laugh, scratch your head, or get your wallet out. Even if you aren’t looking for souvenirs to buy in Japan, just browsing all the weird Japanese stuff makes shopping so much fun here.

So next time you’re wandering through Tokyo’s shops, keep your eyes peeled. Tou never know what bizarre little treasure you’ll find.

If you liked this post you might also like:

• Visiting a Japanese Maid Cafe: What to expect
• 10 foods to try in Japan
• Where to see Sumo Wrestling in Tokyo