Japan is the epicenter of innovation. Aside from trying hundreds of different types of sushi and buying a truckload of Hello Kitty merchandise, there are a lot more reasons why you shouldn’t die without even visiting the land of the rising sun. Home to the wackiest, most off-beat and exciting things, activities, toys and food on earth, Japan continues to be Earth’s funhouse headquarters. We came across some interesting things and places that might entice you to board on a plane to Japan:

Tsukiji Market, Tokyo

If New York has the stock market for cutthroat brokers and executives, Japan has the world-famous Tsukiji Market, where hundreds of restaurateurs, cooks, kitchen wholesalers and everyone who has an appetite for fresh seafood run and scream around like deranged brokers in hopes of getting the freshest, heaviest and most valuable seafood in Japan. Though seeing the crazed crowd fight over tentacles and fish tails might be a thrill, the prices are not that cheap. The best fish are laid in front of the people, and you might be surprised how much a sashimi enthusiast is willing to cash out for a nice slab of raw seafood. They call it the “tuna auctions” and each day, the bidding starts at 5am sharp and the highest bidders get to take home the catch of the day. In 2008, the best tuna fish was sold for six million yen, about $60,000.

The Sub Marine Catcher, Osaka

Cute and cuddly stuffed animals don’t quite cut it for Japanese kids anymore, so those super genius Japanese folks created a claw game that’s too weird to be true. This $14,950 machine presents an out-of-this world claw game, where for $2, anyone gets a chance to have his/her very own lobster or giant prawns. Yes, angry sea creatures that might snip your fingers the moment you get it from the drop box. In Osaka’s futuristic and trendy district of Namba, the game is already in most arcade halls. The makers of this game assures the claws are gentle and soft-moving, so patrons got nothing to worry about crushing the shrimp to death. A restaurant owner in the same district even offers cooking service for guests who played the game and won prizes.

Crazy Pizza

Japan has the most outrageous, unlikely pizzas that make the Italians go and fetch for ideas. Pizza Hut Japan is famous for their Whole Shrimp Cheese Bite Pizza, where a ring of shrimp swaddled in creamy cheese makes its stuffed crust a taste to discover. Another one is the Shrimp and Mayo Roll Crust Pizza, its stuffed crust holds mayonnaise-injected fat shrimps for a scrumptious bite of heart attack.

Unbelivable and Scary Ice Cream Flavors

You might want to hold dessert for a couple more hours, because you might be surprised to see Japan’s buffet of wild ice cream flavors. Fancy some Eel ice cream? What about some Squid and Ox Tongue ice cream? The cute cartoon logos on its containers hold no promise of a tasty dessert, but if you’re up for a challenge, I suggest you make your own Japanese banana  split with these uncommon flavors and you might just be surprised. I have a feeling the Cactus and Charcoal Ice Cream aren’t so refreshing, I wouldn’t want every bite to feel like push pins poking my mouth or a trip down the mines. If your little kids are annoying you for some ice cream after a trip to Disneyland, take them to an ice cream store and see if they still want some.

Meguro’s Parasite Museum, Tokyo

Known as the “only” parasite museum in the world, its centerpiece is a 8.8 meter tapeworm. Selected from a collection of thousands, three hundred or so specimens fill the two stories of Meguro`s Parasite Museum - in Tokyo, next to the Otori-Jinga shrine. The second story includes an interactive world map: press a button for a specific disease, and it will light up wherever the disease is present.The museum was founded in 1953 from the private funds of general practitioner, Satoru Kamegai - and with parasites from his private collection. Born in 1909, the doctor was still finding parsites up until his death in 2002. He found, and exhibited, some rare parasites he found in the body of a coelacanth - when he was 92. The museum is free - and they’ve had some financial trouble - but they do have a gift shop. T-shirts are available, as well as some keyrings with tiny, encased parasites.

Tags: japan weird, off-beat, places, Travel   Posted Travel |