Weird & Interesting Photos from Japan
Have you ever visited friends or family in a foreign country and had them tease you because you were taking photos of things that seemed very normal to them? What seemed unique, original or strange to you didn’t even register for them.
Keep that in mind when we say “weird” photos.
Having never visited Japan before, we were on sensory overload. From impressive architecture and ancient temples to bright lights and oversized shopping malls, Japan is a delight for the curious photographer.
But sometimes the most memorable photos are the ones of ordinary things that aren’t so ordinary to the foreign tourist. What’s normal in one culture can be fascinating to another; it’s what makes travel so interesting and rewarding!
Here’s are 17 Weird and Funny travel photos from our trip to Japan.
Statue located outside a restaurant in Kyoto.
Now is it really necessary to have the boy’s penis on display?
These signs are great! Don’t smoke and walk. Can you imagine trying to enforce this policy anywhere else in the world?
Seriously. Do you think this would fly in China or India? How about the US or Europe?
The best part is that the Japanese obey this rule!
Interesting sport. Think skateboard meets roller skates.
This sign was posted on several subway train windows.
Okay, let’s decipher this message together: Men with mobile phones are evil, and when the phone rings it terrifies young women and makes old ladies cry?
Arm rest controls for public toilets – the graphics are quite funny. Who doesn’t require multiple blow drying settings on their toilet?
This sign was located at the entrance to a bowling alley in Kyoto. I know I like hot communication when I bowl – don’t you?
Irony? Careful. Deer crossing!
Instructions on how to use the public toilet.
Necessary? You decide
The sign reads: “Please do not give a dove bait”
We assume this must be one of those “lost in translation” moments. I want to know who’s using bait to catch doves?
I think this sign is meant for drivers to watch for children playing. But why do these kids appear to be thrilled to be hit by a car?
Double Decker Car Park. You must first understand that coming from Canada, we had never seen these before. The Japanese are so innovative and practical!
It’s no surprise that we love sampling foreign beer.
The question is, “Why would anyone want a beer so small?”
Car Park Locking Systems. At first, we thought these locks were for regular people wanting to lock there cars at night (which is a great idea). We later learned that it’s used to enforce pay parking.
Now why aren’t we doing this in Canada?
This is the “double occupancy” suite that cost around US$75 per night.
Living in Japan can get quite “cozy”
Yes – you are seeing correctly. It reads: Hot Menu, Casual Frozen Foods. One can purchase fried chicken, hot dogs and french fries from this vending machine.
Needless to say, we decided to pass on the delicacy!
When taxi’s are waiting for customers the rear doors are left open. Drivers are fully uniformed and wear spotless white gloves.
Now that’s service!
Tokyo Subway Map – enough said!
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Do you have a unique, strange or funny story from Japan?
Share your experiences in the comments section below!
Great shots. I loved the toilets in Japan, there was so much variety. Some of them played me music, some of them automatically raised and lowered the seat… it made the whole thing into a real “experience”. Although sometimes the array of buttons on offer did make you slightly nervous about what was likely to happen….
The toilets were quite different from what we’re used to in Canada. There was even a button to make the “flushing” sound? I guess if you want a diversion while your doing your business…?
Love your post.
About the toilet instructions. I’m guessing it’s for people in Japan (mostly from the country) who haven’t used or aren’t used to using a sitting toilet. Squat toilets are more prevalent in areas outside of big cities. Some people even attempt to stand on the toilet seat since that’s what their used to.
I love the toilet functions. They’re even installed in my parent’s house in California, haha.
I think you’re probably right about the reasoning behind the toilet instructions.
These photos are great. I’ve never been to Japan, but I love the don’t walk and smoke sign. I wonder if this is because of some sort of health concern. Have there been a lot of accidents of people walking and smoking, like someone getting hit on the shoe with ash? And getting hot communication is the only way I like to do bowling.
Isn’t it great?! The first time we saw them we thought, “that’s a great idea, but it’ll never fly”. Sure enough, 10 meters away is a section of sidewalk that has a big square painted on the concrete. There was about 50 people huddled together on this patch of sidewalk. No police, no enforcement. Just obedient citizens smoking outdoors in the “smoking section”. Priceless!
Wow so impressed with all of your travles and great pics. I have always believed that no classroom can teach you about a place like traveling and exploring can!!
As someone who dreams of traveling if you don’t mind me asking …how do you guys afford traveling so much?? Do you have a secret I don’t know about??
Love the blog and keep it up:)
You’re right Samantha, no classroom can teach you about the world and its many cultures!
As for funding travel, we’ve just made travel a priority. It’s important to both of us and we sacrifice a lot to achieve our goals. If it’s important enough, anyone can hit their goals, no matter what they are. We just save our pennies and look for deals!
Travel really isn’t as expensive as many think, you just need to be prepared to cut corners – we sleep in sketchy hostels, eat cheap street food, limit our purchases and walk instead of taxi. We spend less on the road then we do at home! 😉
Japan is so interesting but it really does border on weird, doesn’t it.
It does indeed!
Japan is so interesting but it really does border on weird, doesn’t it.
Japan really does have some weird things there, but you’re right about the pay parking and the double decker car park. Those are some innovative ideas. I love the toilet instructions by the way.
We’ve got a video of a car park that has a revolving door. Think about having cars parked in a rotating vending machine! When we first saw it in Hiroshima we couldn’t believe it. It’s so smart and simple, yet no one in Canada’s doing it. I’ll post the video soon
Hilarious!!! These pictures are too funny. I also love taking pictures of things abroad like that. You’re right, to them it’s probably so normal, but to us, it’s just bizarre! I thought the toilet signs were all very weird as well, but that comment makes sense, that it is needed for people used to squat toilets.
I LOVE Japan! These pictures crack me up. I especially like the sign of the kids getting hit by the car. We saw one like that with a cat getting hit. We should have signs like this in the States. It would make things much more interesting. Their toilet technology is pretty amazing too! 🙂 Thanks for the laughs!
Ya, there are some funny ones. We missed a lot of them too!
Hi there,
I’ve lived in Japan for 17 years and I think I can clear up some of the questions you may have.
While it wasn’t particularly “necessary” to show the boy’s penis in the top picture, Japanese don’t really have many of the hangups we westerners attach to sex, so it isn’t really necessary to hide it either.
The flushing sound in the toilets only appears in the ladies toilets and it is to save water. Otherwise the women would flush to hide the sound of their tinkling.
Louisa in the comments said that perhaps some people stand and squat on western toilets because that is the way they are used to (very much better for the body than sitting btw), while that might have something to do with it, I would venture that it is also because they don7t want to put their but on a public toilet seat.
As for who would want those small beers, well they are for children of course!! 😉
I was surprised that you didn’t mention under the last photo that taxi doors open and close automatically.
Nice blog, I’ll be back.
Hi Aaron, thanks for contributing! I was wondering about those small cans of beer 😉
Love these! They just remind me of how I really, really, really need to get myself to Japan.
Japan’s a really cool country! We’d love to go back… but our list is still pretty long… 😉
Funny pictures! I think i would love to see Japan for the sole purpose of seeing weird stuff=)
Japan will definitely cause you to do a double take and scratch your head. It’s a fun place
These are awesome photos! Cam, that can of beer would never work for you and I love the photo of the deer crossing! Definitely some funny and interesting stuff here!
What a cool little blog, certainly glad I discovered it. I will let all my buddies know about this one & I reckon I’ll return again.
This makes me miss Japan, especially the subway map. We took the Tokyo Den-en Toshi line which turned into the Cuo-Rinkan line as you got away from the Tokyo Loop. I got pretty good at figuring it out.
Since you noticed all those stuffs, you must have had a great time in Japan! I’m really curious as to how the double-deck carpark work! Cute!!!
Haha, this is hilarious! I especially love the “hot communication” while bowling ;-D
Thanks for sharing!
I loves me some hot communication when I go bowling!
Also, I think the toilet instructions are more for the elderly members of the population. You occasionally see similar signs in South Korea, because the older generation are used to squat toilets, which are still used in a lot of places.
Oh, and that subway map – did they have the station names in English anywhere?
It is interesting!
The one about the cell phone, the girl’s thought bubble says that she has a pacemaker. So…. >.>
There are a lot of things about Japan that can’t be explained. The country is steeped in bizarre tradition and unusual ancient practices that have somehow translated to modern day.