Although you may know Japan for its incredible artwork, beautiful pottery, and mouthwatering cuisine, there may be a few other things about Japan that you may not have known about. 

While there are many unique and interesting qualities about Japan and Japanese culture that the world has come to love and adopt, Japan practices some unusual customs. 

Here are five unusual things about Japan:

An island vacation is a goal for many people when planning to get away, but what if that island was full of rabbits? Would you still want to go? Well, that’s what Rabbit Island is; an island off the coast of Japan that is entirely full of rabbits. This island can be reached by ferry and attracts tons of visitors every year. The rabbits are friendly and have become a great tourist spot for foreigners and locals to visit.  

Sleeping in public may be frowned upon where you’re from, or it may mean a person is homeless and has nowhere to go. It could also mean a person was too intoxicated to make it all the way home. In Japan, this is not the case. People can be seen sleeping in public parks, on buses, trains, benches, and no one will bat an eye. Why? It’s a simple answer, at least to the Japanese.

Japan has a very strong work ethic. Most people are dedicated to their jobs, and wherein other countries sleeping on the job could mean the loss of your job, it is respected in Japan. To the Japanese, sleeping on the job means you are working so hard you were overcome with fatigue and fell asleep. That’s why most people asleep in public places are dressed professionally; they are getting a few winks before heading back to the grind. 

 The method of hand-molding pottery and using a low-heat process was passed down through generations.

Where you typically find candy and beverages in a vending machine, Japan’s vending services provide a wider range of products available to their consumers. You can buy groceries, clothing, books, or anything else you can think of. The reasoning behind the vending machines is that, due to overcrowding in most Japanese cities, vending machines are a way to supply people with everyday goods when there may not be room for a store nearby that would typically sell those items.  

When do you pick up KFC? Maybe on the way home after work, you pick up a bucket of chicken when you don’t feel like cooking dinner? Usually, that’s what KFC is for; a quick option when you don’t feel like cooking. In Japan, they think a little differently.

A tradition started in the 1970s, people now line up around the block to get their KFC for Christmas Dinner. Some even wait for hours in line for their meal.

When was the last time you had a watermelon? Do you remember what shape it was? It probably wasn’t a square, right? In Japan, you might answer that question a little differently.

Our last unusual thing about Japan is square watermelons. These watermelons are specifically grown into a square shape to help them fit more compactly in your kitchen. But these watermelons don’t come cheap; you could spend over $100 on one square watermelon. Still curious to try one?