57 Things Proving Japan Is Living In The Future

We’ve always known that Japan is ahead of the curve. They are often the first to discover new technologies and release them to the public. These inventions and ways of life show just how ahead of the rest of the world this beautiful country has been!

1) Customize Your Bedding

This simple hotel offers custom bedding to those staying there. The bedding and pajamas are arranged by softness, size, and more. Get exactly what you want instead of the cheap set offered at most hotels in America.

2) Better Than A Towelette

You can buy compressed tees that you stick in your car or purse in Japan. Get whatever color you want and always have a backup on hand in case of emergency. This is a wonderful idea for people with dirty jobs.

3) Don’t Condone It

Although most people don’t condone smoking, it is going to happen. The best that we can do is offer a safer way to dispose of cigarettes and keep the streets clean. Japan does that by selling disposable ashtrays that fit in your pocket.

4) Breathe It All In

This building is covered in plants to help clean the air. They keep them watered and fresh at all times. I would love to walk through this alley and take a break from the fumes and the smell of the city air.

5) Singe Serve Coffee

Even if you make your own coffee, you can get single serve filters. All you have to do is pour hot water through the filter like it’s tea. Japan knows all about tea, but who knew they were such coffee geniuses too?

6) Such A Gentleman

Busdrivers and attendants will stand outside the bus with an umbrella so you can transition to yours easily without getting wet. That’s not only smart, it’s courtesy that should be practiced everywhere.

7) Now That’s Rice Art

Rice fields are often seen as canvases in Japan. You can see the art from far away or from aircraft above. This piece is particularly gorgeous with so much detail involved in the Grecian piece.

8) Not Any Slower

This fire engine saves on gas without wasting any time getting to its emergency. It’s compact, so it doesn’t take up much room and is better for the environment. Plus, it still holds the same amount of firefighters.

9) Vending Machines For Everything

Japan is known for its vending machines. You can get almost anything you can think of out of one, from alcohol during the day to face masks at all times. And that was before the pandemic. Yep, way ahead of their time.

10) Count More Than Steps

This store in Tokyo tells you how many calories you’ve burned if you start at the bottom. This is the perfect place to take a walk during your break as you can tell exactly how many steps you’ve taken.

11) Give Me A Break

You’ve seen Match KitKat, but did you know there are over 300 flavors of KitKat in Japan? You can get cheesecake, cherry blossom, and even potato-flavored KitKat. You’d never be able to try them all!

12) Meet Another Cat Person

Cat cafes are super popular in Japan. But they’re not just for letting your cat play or chill. They are designed to let people with cats meet other people with cats. It’s like a dating site for cat people.

13) Throw Away The Cloth

This paper is for cleaning off your phone after you use the toilet or when you just need to clean it off. They are flushable and come on a roll for easy access. What have they not thought of?

14) Keep Your Umbrella Safe

Although Japan is known for its trustworthy citizens and having one of the lowest crime rates in the world, some people still like to lock up. These umbrella stands let you take the key to stash that precious umrbella.

15) Look At That Selection

These lunch selections can be found at stations all over Japan. The food is fresh and delicious! If only you could find this quality in lunch boxes all over the world. They don’t seem to be too unhealthy either.

16) Fastest Shoes Ever

The bullet train is one of the fastest machines on earth. So of course toddler shoes can be found designed to look like one. Kids love light up shoes, and they love “fast shoes” so this is perfect for any kid that loves to run.

17) Don’t Be Afraid Of The Char

These fries are burned, they are made to be black. We’re not sure if these fries were dyed or if they come from a natural ingredient that fries well, but one thing is for sure. They don’t belong in our time.

18) Every Restaurant Needs One

Restaurants aren’t usually stingy with the bread, but they never give you a basket for your belongings. When you carry a purse, you keep that thing as close as you can. So eating out can be a struggle. Unless you’re offered one of these!

19) Only Appears At Night

Someone in Japan figured out how to ink someone in a way that it only shows up in the dark. This is great for tattoos like this where you only want part of it showing at certain times. Or go all the way with it if your job doesn’t allow tattoos.

20) That Looks Yummy

Japan is the capital of Instagram-ready food. This icre cream treat is served with edible straws and a fish cone. These fish cakes are usually served with bean paste in a sweet and savory combination.

21) Bird’s Eye View

This plane in Japan has monitors to let you see what the pilot sees during the entire flight. It not only gives you something to do but makes it feel like you can trust the pilot who so openly shares his viewpoint.

22) Safe Even Off The Bus

These streets have line that represent school zones and give kids a safe place to walk home. Buses are usually the only place you feel your kids will be semi-safe, but in Japan, they want to make it even safer.

23) Customize Your Fruit

You can get character or custom-designed cantelopes and other fruits in Japan. We all know how popular Hello Kitty is over there, but did you know you can find Hello Kitty on fruit like this?

24) When The Switch Up The Layout

Most grocery stores in Japan change their layout once every season. When they do, they attach a blueprint to the carts so everyone can navigate through the store with ease. This should be implemented everywhere, especially during the holidays.

25) Sleeping On The Job

I’m not even sure what’s going on here but it’s hilarious. It’s like some sort of plunger and hard hat hybrid. If only we could read the sign perhaps we’d understand this futuristic invention better.

26) The Politest Country

Many people agree that Japan is the most respectful country in the world. It’s part of their culture! When a flight is delayed, they simultaneously bow to apologize to those waiting on the flight.

27) Check Before You Drink

There’s not really a great way to make sure the drink you grabbed at a party is alcohol-free if you’re blind. Unless you live in Japan because all alcoholic drinks are labeled in braille on top. That’s so considerate!

28) The Handy Handle

Shopping in Japan is as easy as can be. They even hand out special handles for hard to carry items. There are custom handles and other accessories depending on what your needs are. That’s better than a bag boy!

29) Just Be Careful

This store has a dry ice machine so you can keep your items cold on the way home without the mess or hassle. Just be careful because dry ice can be dangerous if not handled correctly.

30) Is This A Joke?

To be fair, this one looks like a joke, like a “futuristic” tool that would have been on The Jetsons. I mean, Japan knows what they are doing, but this one is more of a fun thing to think about because it would be a lot of work.

31) Forget Your Umrbella?

There are stands in entrances of subways and malls in Japan that have umbrellas at a very affordable price. They are practically vending machines. The only reason they don’t use vending machines is because umbrellas won’t fit.

32) No Worries When Napping

In Japan, people leave their purse and phone laying besides them while they nap at the airport or subway. They know no one would dare touch someone else’s belongings. If they did, someone would catch them.

33) Such Order In The Court

Have you ever seen a baggage claim that is this orderly? These bags are all lined up on the conveyor, ready to claim. The people in charge of the claims in Japan have high standards and treat other people’s luggage the way they’d treat their own.

34) Just A Little Fun

The people in Japan love anecdotes, and they also love sending little gifts with your orders. These pens came with a sweet note that was folded to look like a Hawaiian shirt. The effort must have been worth it to imagine the smile of the recipient.

35) Police Who Care

With so many corrupt police officers hitting the headlines, we forget about lovely individuals like this. This police officer drew a personalized map to give this person directions to a place three blocks away.

36) If You Don’t Speak Japanese

Although Japanese people love it when you learn to speak Japanese, they try to make it easy on anyone who hasn’t learned yet. These priority seats lets everyone know who they are reserved for.

37) Trash Into Treasure

Manhole covers are not pretty things, unless you are in Japan. These covers are works of art and it makes you forget that there is a sewer underneath it. I could stare at this cover in Osaka forever.

38) Run By Robots

There are multiple establishments that are all but run by robots in Japan. This is exactly how we pictures the future not too long ago and we’ve come a long way since then, but Japan has come even further.

39) When You Have Two Kids

When you only have one kid, the bike with a single seat at the back is great. But a lot of people have two kids close together, so having a bike that seats three is a lifesaver for people who love biking.

40) For Picky Eaters

Picky eaters love eating in Japan because you can get specialized good like bread without the crust. Add some Japanese peanut butter and fresh-made jam and you can satisfy any picky eater.

41) Playing In The Winter

These playgrounds have heaters that turn on in the winter so that moms and kids can warm up while the kids play. Who said that winter meant no more playgrounds? This is the perfect solution to that problem.

42) Avatar Pod

These pods are in a hotel for people who just want to sleep and nothing else. They have everything you need and are perfect for when you just need a nap but can’t find anywhere dark and quiet to sleep.

43) Trust Is Important

Stops in Japan rely heavily on trust. These platforms have ticket gates. You insert your ticket and you’re on your way. Almost everyone does it right without even questioning whether they should or not.

44) Mobile Fast Food?

This might just be the smallest operating McDonald’s in the world. It has everything you need but can fit practically anywhere it would be useful. They could visit food truck festivals or be stationed at the carnival.

45) After Hours Noise

All construction sites in Japan are required to monitor their own sound. After dark, they’re not allowed to go over a certain noise level so that people around them can get some much-needed sleep.

46) Forget Something?

If you forgot your reading glasses, don’t worry. These stands where you have to sign something or read flight times, make sure to offer glasses for anyone who needs them. They have a variety to fit most needs.

47) Again, It’s Not Burned!

This is charcoal bread and no, it is not burned. In fact, it’s not even crispy. This bread is as soft as any other bread, it’s just darker than pumperknickle and a staple for many Japanese hipsters.

48) High Tech Toilets

We know that Japan loves bedays, but did you know they also have lighted toilets and sinks on top of them? The sinks save space and recycle the water while the lighted toilets help keep it looking clean.

49) Just Like The Picture

The people of Japan take pride in making sure their food looks as good as, 0r better than, the picture. That’s why their bento boxes are so popular. They are made to look so cute that you almost don’t want to mess it up!

50) Wow, It’s Me!

This cute bunny went on a ride in a bullet train that has a picture of him on the front. I believe the illustrator’s name is Kanahei, a man whose art is similar to the designer of Hello Kitty and

51) Height Of A Bridge

It’s hilarious how they use Godzilla as a unit of measurement when showing you how big these bridges are in Japan. They use other monuments as well, but what better to scale an bridge to than Godzilla?

52) Keeping It Straight

In Japan, very few people push and shove. They usually stay at least a foot or two apart and have tape on the ground to show you where to stand. Yep, they were social distancing before it was cool.

53) Much Better Seating

Some bathrooms in the States have seats for babies but they are usually fold down and have straps so moms are consistently touching them. Ew! These seats require no touching from adults.

54) Keeping It Clean

You know you’re in Japan with all of the seats in a taxi are covered in white. They do this so you can see whether the seats are clean or not and they can wash the covers every day to prevent bacteria and germs from being spread.

55) The Tastiest Ramen

In Japan, Pringles has their own ramen and some people swear by it. How tasty can Pringles ramen be? Well, Pringles are delicious so we can only hope their ramen follows in their footsteps.

56) No Thieves Here

When waiting for their flight or tour, kids can leave their bags in the lobby without worrying about someone stealing them. Now if that happened in other countries, like America, ther wouldn’t be a bag left!

57) The Bellboy Of Japan

Most bigger stores in Japan have elevator attendants to help you with your things or direct you. Although the concept isn’t new, it’s just one more thing that Japan is doing to make the lives of those around them easier.

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Article Sources:

Brightside

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