10 things you can ONLY find in Japan

Japan offers some very cool things that can only be found in Japan. Here is a list of my top 10 favourite things that I have so far only managed to find in Japan!

1. Many different flavours of Kit Kats

Even before my trip to Japan I had heard about these Kit Kats. The flavours are endless – strawberry, matcha, green tea – any flavour you like, there is likely to be a Kit Kat flavour for it. These are great to buy for friends, to show off that you have been to Japan.

Great tip: there are plenty available to buy in the airport! Don’t go around the whole of Tokyo trying to find them, because most likely you won’t. I learnt that the hard way…

2. Fluffy pancakes

If you read my last blog post about Japan, you already know about these incredibly fluffy Japanese pancakes. They are different from the traditional pancakes which we are used to, and are a lot more difficult to make!

They come with many different topping, such as nutella, maple syrup, ice cream and a choice of many others. The best place to try these when visiting Japan is called “A Happy Pancake”, where you can also observe the pancakes being made right in front of you.

3. The coolest digital art musem

TeamLab Borderless is a dream in every way. It is more than a museum – it is an experience more than anything. Stepping in here is like stepping into a different world, as you wander around from one dimension to another.

This is why I think this museum is special and there is no other like it in the world!

4. Robots which act like humans

The one thing that I was shocked by when visiting Japan was how realistic and human-like their robots were. Looking at these robots, it is easy to tell that Japan is so ahead of the world in terms of technologies.

You will find these robots everywhere – in shopping malls, hotels and many other places. I had the impression that in Japan, robots are closer to taking over the human jobs that anywhere else in the world.

The robot pictured above we found in a mall – you can ask her questions, and she will direct you in the right direction. The facial movements and hand gestures were so detailed and subtle that it was almost disturbing to watch, but incredibly fascinating!

5. Bigger Udon than you

Udon is a traditional Japanese noodle soup dish with thick udon noodles, and it is a must try when visiting Japan.

However, it is important to check the size before you order. The first udon restaurant we went to, we ended up ordering one udon dish for each of us. Little did we now that the portions would come in bowls we could barely lift!

6. Coffee with your face on it

I had heard about coffee with small powder decorations, but I never before had coffee with my own face printed onto it before visiting Japan!

The cafe that does this is located in Ginza, called the Nissan Crossing cafe. They use AI technology and after taking your picture with an iPad, they somehow manage to print it onto your coffee. It is a cool experience which I would recommend.

7. Bullet trains

One of the most exciting experiences I had in Japan was travelling from Tokyo to Kyoto via the bullet train. It goes at the unimaginable speed of 199 miles an hour and is called the “Shinkansen”.

You only notice the speed as the train accelerates, and it feels like you are flying. The train glides on the rails so smoothly that you barely feel the movement, unlike normal trains which shake and move you around. All you want to do here is sit back and watch the beautiful Japanese countryside rushing by your window.

8. The busiest crossing in the world

There are approximately 2,500 people estimated to cross the Shibuya Crossing at a time, with a daily average of 2.4 million.

It is the busiest crossing in the whole world, and the best way to take it in is by going to the top of the McDonald’s building and look out of the window from above. As the lights turn green, flocks of people rush from each side as the crossing floods with people. Then the lights turn red again and the crowd is dispersed. It is a amazing spectacle which you can watch for hours!

9. Deer that thank you when you feed them

Nara is a magical place. When the tour guides that you that you might see some deer and you can feed them, you may be reluctant. Maybe they are dangerous? You will try your best to avoid them.

But these are not the traditional deer. They are kind and they love humans who feed them cookies – they even thank you for it! I have never seen so much deer acting in exactly the same way, nodding their head when they are given a treat. It is almost as if they have all been trained individually to say thank you to every kind stranger.

Some of them are afraid of humans. They will hide from you, but you can bait them out with food. Just be careful to not get all your biscuits out at the same time: someone in our group got swarmed by 15 deer because he took out all his cookies at once!

10. The coolest vending machines

Lastly, I think the vending machines in Japan are very cool. They all have an amazing variety of food and drink – it is not your standard Coke and water only options.

Fun fact: Japan has the highest density of vending machines worldwide. In fact, there are more vending machines than humans. That comes to be 1 vending machine per every 23 people!

What do you think? Is there anything else you would add to this list? let me know below!