Everybody loves going on vacation, right? Annoyingly, your holiday can turn from amazing to terrible, all because of a bad destination. But, with so many different recommendations and Instagram influencers making everywhere look like paradise, how can you ever tell if a place is worth visiting? Just for you, we’ve compiled a list of all the places to avoid, according to what people posted online. So, where are you not going to travel to this year?

The London Eye

The ultra-modern, massive eyesore that is the London Eye Ferris wheel claims to be the best viewpoint of the city of London. But, the truth is, it isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Only after paying for your overpriced ticket and standing in line for ages do you actually get to go up.

The London Eye

And once you do, other than the ride being very long and boring, there are also no guarantees that the weather will be in your favor, so you can end up only seeing gray clouds. In other words, save your money and go somewhere else.

The Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China is famously the only man-made structure that can be seen from space. But, turns out, that’s a myth — just like the fact that it’s a place worth visiting. Or, at the very least, skip the section near Beijing.

The Great Wall of China

While it might be the more easily accessible section, the Great Wall is over 13,000 miles long, so it shouldn’t be any trouble finding a less tourist-filled place to enjoy the unique architecture and take crowd-free selfies.

Egypt

While, yes, there are many overcrowded and unsightly places in Egypt — especially around famous landmarks like the Abu Simbel temple, and the Great Pyramids of Giza — we have to completely disagree with this poster.

Egypt

It seemed that they were expecting Egypt to remain a perfect time capsule of the ancient world of 5,000 years ago, and decided to completely disregard the rich history of Modern Egypt, where actual humans are living their lives. They should have done their research.

Naples

Italy is one of the world’s favorite tourist destinations and for good reason — it’s rich with fascinating history, breathtaking architecture (both ancient and modern), vibrant culture, and undeniably delicious food. Because who could possibly say no to gelato?

Naples

But, it looks like it might be a good idea to at least skip the birthplace of pizza, as Naples has sadly become known as dirty and gross. Thankfully, Italy still has a million great places to visit. And if you ask us, Roman pizza is better anyway.

The Mona Lisa

Probably the most famous painting in the world (so much so that even non-art-lovers know of it), Leonardo da Vinci’s magnificent portrait, “The Mona Lisa” is one thing you should probably skip on seeing the next time you’re in Paris.

The Mona Lisa

While the Louvre itself is definitely worth a visit, we’d hold up on going into the chamber where the smiling lady is hanging. The painting itself is about the size of regular printer paper and is held behind glass and a barrier. Plus, there are always a million people there.

Machu Picchu

When you think about it for more than five seconds, it’s kind of weird how fascinated we humans are by ancient architecture. It’s just some ruins of buildings where people lived centuries ago. And yet, we can’t seem to stop looking at them.

Machu Picchu

But, Machu Picchu has become such a tourist trap that there’s hardly any enjoyment left in the experience. As this poster later suggested, it’s better to go to Cusco — the Inca capital — where they actually lived. Better views with way fewer selfie sticks!

The Grand Canyon Skywalk

The Grand Canyon’s Skywalk is certainly an impressive feat of architecture, but that’s hardly why so many tourists visit it every year. It’s supposed to give you unparalleled views of the natural wonder of the grand canyon, along with the thrill of standing in mid-air.

The Grand Canyon Skywalk

But, the experience has been blown way out of proportion and the attraction is really more of a tourist trap than a place of interest. A better use of your time and money is to hike around the national park and enjoy a private look at the canyon.

Las Vegas

What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas, as the movies like to say. But, what shouldn’t remain a secret is how completely disappointing Sin City can be. In a city so focused on making and losing money by the luck of the dice, it’s no wonder that it feels completely soulless.

Las Vegas

So, yes, some of the grand hotels and casinos on the strip are impressive, and they come with all sorts of mindless distractions, but the touristic area of Vegas really isn’t all that interesting. Especially if you’re not actually into card games, slot machines, or Elvis impersonators.

Dubai

Dubai, the capital city of Dubai, had humble beginnings. From a small and simple farming and fishing village, it grew into a concrete, metal, and glass monstrosity of opulent skyscrapers. The city is a popular destination as it has a ton of five-star hotels, plus the world’s highest building, the Burj Khalifa.

Dubai

But, that’s mostly what it is — visually impressive. Beneath the surface of all those fancy buildings, it often feels soulless and boring, especially when so many of its attractions are shopping malls with the same overpriced luxury shops in all of them.

Casablanca

Casablanca is, funnily enough, wildly popular — thanks to the film named after the city (fun fact: the movie wasn’t even filmed in Morocco). But while it has become the financial center of Morroco and the economic capital of Africa, for tourists, it leaves much to be desired.

Casablanca

Nowadays, it’s much more popular with businesses and companies than with tourists and travelers, who should definitely give it a pass. Instead, go and visit all the other amazing and fascinating places that Morocco has to offer.

Calanque de Sormiou

Situated in the beautiful and pastoral Provance, the city of Marseille is an absolute gem. Originally built by Greek settlers, it’s one of the oldest cities in Europe to have been continuously lived in. But, not everywhere around it is worth a visit.

Calanque de Sormiou

Calanque de Sormiou beach — despite looking like a pristine paradise on the water in every Instagram post — is really just an overcrowded tourist trap. Luckily, the area has tons of truly beautiful and secluded beaches to see and enjoy. Perhaps you should skip this one, though.

Disney Parks

It’s every little kid’s dream to go to Disneyland to enjoy the amazing theme rides and meet their favorite animated characters in real life. But, the “Happiest Place on Earth” might not be quite as magical as it’s made out to be.

Disney Parks

Having to deal with insanely long lines, overcrowded attractions, and outrageously overpriced meals and souvenirs can make the experience of visiting one of Disney’s many parks uncomfortable and disappointing. So, next time, if you must, maybe try visiting in the off-season?

Niagara Falls

While nature can be serene and comforting, it can also be powerful and awe-inspiring. And one of the best examples of the force of nature is waterfalls, especially the famed Niagra Falls. Situated between Ontario, Canada, and the state of New York, the majestic falls see millions of tourists each year.

Niagara Falls

But, if you were expecting a pristine nature reserve, think again — because Niagra Falls is one of the most industrialized natural attractions in the world. Not only is it surrounded by a full-fledged city, but it’s filled with tourist traps and artificial lights. Not quite so natural.

Plitvice National Park

Look, we’re not going to lie, Plitvice really is a very beautiful nature reserve. It’s filled to the brim with lush green trees, majestic waterfalls, and quaint log bridges. The main issue is, just about everyone knows that!

Plitvice National Park

That means it’s nearly impossible to find a quiet spot away from all the other tourists. Even in the off-season, when the trees aren’t as green (though still beautiful), it’s still very busy. A commentator on this post suggested Krka National Park as a beautiful and secluded alternative.

Paris

Oh, Paris! The City of Love is definitely one of those places that everyone says you just have to see, especially if you’re a massive fan of cheesy rom-coms. The cobblestone streets, the chic vendors, the Eiffel tower, and all those baguettes have been incredibly romanticized.

Paris

But, the truth is that the City of Lights isn’t really all that fantastic. It’s filled with trash, crime, and very rude people — which all come together to completely crush all your romantic dreams. But, as the locals say, c’est la vie… such is life.

Ha Long Bay

Claimed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ha Long Bay — with its countless wondrous limestone islets (mini islands) and naturally-formed caves — is undoubtedly a natural wonder. And the natural parts of it are undeniably beautiful and worth the trip.

Ha Long Bay

Still, tourist traps and attractions have overtaken almost every inch of the surrounding bay with grand hotels and resorts that sit empty most of the time, plus overpriced souvenir and tour shops. You’ll end up spending a ton on junk instead of just enjoying the view in peace.

The Blue Lagoon

Who wouldn’t want to enjoy a natural spa above a lava pool? A dip into that would sound like paradise to any weary traveler. Except every traveler has heard of it, which means it’s always jam-packed with people, all looking to enjoy the unique natural pool.

The Blue Lagoon

Sadly, with Iceland having such a small population, there just aren’t enough facilities and infrastructure to manage all those tourists. That means that the Blue Lagoon is often overrun with piles of man-made trash that absolutely take away from the beauty of the place.

Lake Bled

Many places end up disappointing tourists mainly because people have set their expectations way too high so that the reality of a place can never compare. Lake Bled in Slovenia is definitely one of those places where, if you only took a few minutes to really research what it’s like, you wouldn’t be so heartbroken by it.

Lake Bled

Lake Bled is a truly beautiful place. But, those who expect it to be a secluded treasure will be very disappointed to find that it’s actually surrounded by a thriving (and somewhat loud) city. But, if you get past that, both the city and its surroundings have a ton of fun and beautiful things to offer.

Pisa

Once again, we return to Italy — this time to the famed Pisa and its weirdly leaning tower. While the city itself has quite a few pretty buildings to tour and visit, everyone only ever seems to talk about the tower, as it was a favorite photo spot long before social media.

Pisa

But, the province of Tuscany, where Pisa sits, is so much more interesting than an overcrowded square. It’s definitely worth skipping out on this tourist trap to travel the countryside and visit the vineyards and little Tuscan villages instead. Also, you’d get way better Insta photos between those grape vines.

Mount Rushmore

Mount Rushmore is a pretty weird travel destination, even before we get to all the negatives of the actual visit there. Instead of just keeping the natural beauty of the Black Hills as a nature reserve, it was decided to destroy it by carving the faces of four old dudes on them.

Mount Rushmore

So, yes, they’re the founding fathers, and it’s an impressive project. Still, it’s really not worth the drive and crowds, only to see the surprisingly small carvings from quite a distance. Just look at a photo, or open a history book. Either way, you’d be better off.

The Palace of Versailles

If there’s one thing you can say about French nobility — at least before they were forcibly removed — is that they knew how to decorate a palace. And Versailles showcases that opulence and grandeur perfectly. Except for all those other pesky tourists…

The Palace of Versailles

It really does ruin our fantasies of living in such glamour when all we can see are people holding up their phones to take pictures of things none of us can afford. Truthfully, it’s much better to visit some lesser-known palaces and gardens for a much better experience.

Glass Beach

Nothing is more relaxing and fun than spending a sunny day at the beach with your loved ones. And it’s especially wonderful when it’s a beautiful strip of natural beauty like Glass Beach in California is claiming to be.

Glass Beach

Sadly, the truth is that the natural wonder of colorful glass pebbles that used to exist in the place has now been completely ruined by greedy people taking home with them a pebble or 20. They’ve taken so much that it’s now as bland as any other rocky beach.

The Atlantis Paradise Resort

The Atlantis Resort is a massive, castle-like, ocean-themed monstrosity of a resort on Paradise Island in the Bahamas. While it certainly looks very grand and luxurious, it’s also a tourist trap and a bit of an eyesore.

The Atlantis Paradise Resort

It’s also clearly built to swindle every last cent out of tourists. While it does have a large marine and water park on the prosperity, that too is extremely overpriced. We recommend you skip it and go spend your money on a more authentic experience.

Venice

Built on top of over 100 small islands and literally floating between them, Venice is a very popular tourist destination — and for lots of good reasons. As the international financial center of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, the city is filled to the brim with immense history and culture.

Venice

But, it also means that even during the supposed “off-season,” it’s filled with tourists and the street vendors that try to prey on them. While it definitely a sight to behold, plan your trip there carefully and manage your expectations so that you don’t end up too disappointed.

Split

Split, the second-largest city in Croatia, has all the ingredients to make it a perfect travel destination. It lies on the shores of the Adriatic Sea, it was first founded as a Greek colony and so has a rich history, and it’s been claimed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Split

Sadly, all that means is that it’s constantly filled with loud and annoying tourists and the trash that they make. It’s still an interesting place to visit, even if this poster hated it, but it’s probably better to make sure that you come in the off-season.

Palawan

Palawan, known as the Philippines’ best island, certainly looks like the perfect Instagram-worthy vacation spot thanks to its ideal tropical climate, its coral reefs, and its mesmerizing fauna and flora. Who wouldn’t want to go there?

Palawan

But, that’s definitely part of the problem — now that so many people have heard it’s such a gem and want to visit it, it has become an overcrowded touristic nightmare that’s really not worth all the hype anymore.

India

So, we have a bone to pick with this poster. While, yes — there are many areas in India that are rundown, gross, and uninviting, it would be a terrible misrepresentation to claim that the entire half-continent is just all bad.

India

There are plenty of lovely and interesting locations that are absolutely worth the trip as they’re beautiful, culturally unique, and surprisingly cheap. But, yes, we do agree that you should probably skip Delhi on your next visit there.

Milan

As the second-largest city in Italy, it feels like Milan would be a prime tourist destination, and it sort of is, but not in the same way as Rome or Florence. While most people visit Italy for the history, the culture, and the food, Milan is somewhat different.

Milan

Milan is considered one of the business capitals of Europe, which means that most of its visitors are there for work, rather than pleasure. That also means that it’s super expensive and not really worth the visit for anyone looking for a bit more entertainment.

Tegallalang Rice Terrace

Just about every person who finds themselves enjoying a vacation in Tegallalang district in Bali in recent years just had to get that perfect Instagram-worthy pic with the view of the beautifully-aesthetic rice fields behind them. Or, so it seems from social media.

Tegallalang Rice Terrace

But, because it has become such a desired influencer destination, the place has been turned into one of the biggest tourist traps in the world, with just about every pic-worthy inch monetized and filled to the brim with people. While it does look pretty, we think we might skip this photo opp.

Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik, Croatia has had an impressive and interesting history long before young fans of the mega-popular Game of Thrones found out about it. The city has long been praised for its old, walled city that still looks like a medieval capital (hence why it was used on the show).

Dubrovnik

Unfortunately, its overabundance of tourists and the fact that it spends most of its municipal funds on tourist attractions in the old city means that it has lost much of its original charm. Here’s a tip for city planners — maybe don’t stick a souvenir shop on every single street.

Antelope Canyon

Okay, we’re not gonna lie — the Navajo Upper Antelope Canyo in Arizona is absolutely mesmerizing. The five slot canyons in the area were formed by thousands of years of erosion of Navajo Sandstone during flash flooding and similar phenomena.

Antelope Canyon

But, the endless line of camera-happy tourists makes the walk through the beautiful land absolutely excruciating. The people who run what has become just a tourist attraction even have specialized photography tours! We just wanted to see the pretty rock formations…

Frankfurt

Frankfurt, Germany was actually a city-state for about 500 years before being annexed to what was at the time Prussia in 1866. So, clearly, the city has some really interesting history — including being one of the most important places to the Holy Roman Empire.

Frankfurt

Sadly, it looks like some tourists are very disappointed to find out that it’s just a regular city at the end of the day, with some parts older and others very modern. It’s a global business center, which means there really isn’t all that much regular sightseeing to be found if that’s what you want.

Shanghai

Nestled on the Yangtze River, Shanghai is one of China’s biggest cities. It’s also the most populous city in the world! Though it began as a fishing town, thanks to its central spot for commerce, it quickly grew into a metropolis.

Shanghai

But really, if you’re visiting China and want to experience some less urban culture, Shanghai is definitely not for you. If you want more landscapes and agricultural cultures and less impressive buildings, we suggest leaving the city and going on an adventure into rural China.

Jamaica

Jamaica is one of those Caribbean countries that might be a fantastic tourist destination for those who just want to chill out, but actually has a long and difficult history that can spoil a trip there for any who considers themselves an ethical tourist.

Jamaica

To cater to rich tourists, many workers on the island aren’t paid a fair wage so many are poor and living in terrible conditions. That also means that cleaning beyond the tourist areas isn’t considered that important. Keep that in mind the next time you think of visiting there.

Multnomah Falls

Multnomah Falls in the Columbia River Gorge, Oregon, are undoubtedly a sight to behold. These massive forces of nature are truly some of the most impressive waterfalls you can visit fairly easily. That means, of course, the site is stuffed with tourists.

Multnomah Falls

This poster is definitely correct to point out that you’d get a much better view with way less annoying human distractions at any one of the different waterfalls that are in the area. So, why not just visit one of those instead?

Terracotta Army

The Terracotta Army in Xi’an, China is certainly one of the more interesting archeological finds of the past decade, and as the name suggests, it includes a full army of terracotta soldiers that were buried along with the First Qin Emperor sometime in the third century BCE.

Terracotta Army

That’s undeniably impressive! But, the site itself really doesn’t live up to the hype according to this poster. Like most other big attractions, it’s become just another old tourist trap. We’d save the money from the trip and invest in a subscription to National Geographic.

Masaya Volcano

As Nicaragua’s largest national park, Masaya Volcano draws countless tourists to it every year to watch the impressive and mind-blowing active volcanos. Looking at social media pictures and videos, the place certainly looks like it’s worth a visit.

Masaya Volcano

But, the internet isn’t real, and the reality can be quite disappointing — especially if you make your way all the way to the park, only to not see any impressive displays of lava eruptions. The moral of the story is? Don’t set your expectations too high.

Zanzibar

Zanzibar has been trying (and fairly succeeding) to grow its tourist industry for many years — publicizing itself as the ultimate chill, tropical beach paradise vacation spot. And while it does deliver on some of those promises, not all is as it seems.

Zanzibar

Being that one of Zanzibar’s main industries is spices, it’s kind of surprising that this poster was so underwhelmed by the local cuisine. But, considering the prominent culture there, we’re not surprised to hear that it isn’t the most LGBTQ-friendly place.

Havana

The capital city of Cuba is often advertised as a retro gem of a bygone era where people lived simply. But, the truth is that Havana really isn’t like that — instead of being a nostalgic getaway, it’s an out-of-date city with lousy sewage.

Havana

The truth is, there are much better ways to relive the past than visiting an overcrowded and dirty city. We recommend visiting a few museums or attending a history lecture somewhere. We guarantee that sanitation won’t be a problem there.

Mount Everest

Known throughout the world as the tallest mountain on Earth (above sea level), climbing Mount Everest has always been considered a feat only the strongest and best climbers could possibly achieve. And those who made it to the top were celebrated as heroes.

Mount Everest

Sadly, that’s far from the case nowadays. Mount Everest’s peak has become a tourist trap like any other for those who can afford to hire the services of a sherpa to do all the hard work for them. There’s actually a photo line at the top! How crazy is that?!

Sydney Opera House

Few buildings in the world can you recognize just from a photo, but the Sydney Opera House is absolutely one of them. The outside of the performing arts center is instantly recognizable thanks to its truly impressive architectural design.

Sydney Opera House

But, that’s where the interest ends. The inside is a completely normal and generic performance hall, which really isn’t worth the overly-expensive tour. Better to just relax at the harbor and look at the amazing view.

Costa Rica

As you can probably tell, we find it difficult to cross out an entire country off our list — while a city might be disappointing to visit, we can’t help but feel that there must be some good reasons to still visit the country.

Costa Rica

So, despite this poster being highly disappointed by Costa Rica, we do think they might be generalizing a bit. While not every attraction is worth it, there are still plenty of beautiful views that deserve a second look. Plus, for those that seek it out, there’s plenty of history and culture to be found.

Prague

Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, has been an important urban center of the area for hundreds of years. The city’s many historical attractions (like Prague Castle, for example), along with its many museums, make it a popular destination for tourists from all over the world.

Prague

But, after the grandeur and beauty of some other European capitals, the city can definitely come across as drab and boring. So, those with travel fatigue, keep that in mind on your next trip and maybe only reserve a couple of days to tour Prague.

The Dead Sea

The Dead Sea isn’t just a salty puddle. The famous “lowest place on earth” was also the first health resort recorded (for Herod the Great), and to this day, visit it to enjoy the healing natural properties of the salts and minerals in its waters.

The Dead Sea

But, it can also leave a bitter taste if you don’t come prepared. Being in the middle of the desert means that it’s a terrible place to visit during the warmer months (so steer clear of it after early May and before late October). It’s also very different from dipping in a normal lake. Keep all that in mind and hopefully you’ll have a better trip.

The Taj Mahal

While it might look like a palace straight out of a Disney movie, the Taj Mahal is actually the final resting place of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan and his favorite wife, Mumtaz. And while it is beautiful and impressive, it’s also overpriced and overcrowded.

The Taj Mahal

It also has countless charlatans just waiting to take advantage of unsuspecting tourists. We recommend seeing the Taj Mahal from a distance and saving your money to visit a different Agra attraction — the Red Fort. Just as interesting, with a fraction of the faults.

35 Brilliant Things From Japan that the World Should Adopt

By Emily Hawthorne – August 11, 2020

Most people who visit Japan almost immediately fall in love with the country and its unique style. It’s hard to pick what exactly about that place is so magical: the food, the culture, the politeness. For us, there was one particular thing that stood out that we just had to write about – the amazing Japanese items that for us were so foreign, but are completely normal to the people there – and they’re pretty genius.

Compressed and Comfortable Cotton T-Shirts

One amazing thing about this product is its ability to maximize the use of space in such an ingenious way.

Compressed and Comfortable Cotton T-Shirts

Rather than having rows of clothing racks that one has to sort through in order to find their next shirt, this compressed t-shirt makes clothes shopping as easy as just picking up a cube from a bin. It’s not like these are scratchy, or low-quality shirts either, one such unique shirt can sell for as much as nearly $20.

Packs of Single Coffee Filters

Most coffee snobs out there tend to agree that the best way to enjoy this caffeinated beverage is by making it with something called the pour-over method.

Packs of Single Coffee Filters

The pour-over method essentially involves having a filter, taking a kettle of boiling hot water, and slowly pouring it over the top of the ground coffee beans. This helps the coffee release its natural flavors, but it can be a pain to do. Thankfully, the Japanese have a solution here.

Tiny and Private Hotel Capsules

When it comes to convenience and space, no other country in the world is able to do it like the Japanese. Whereas here in the United States we’re used to having lots of open space, and big hotel rooms to stay the night, the Japanese had to get a little creative.

Tiny and Private Hotel Capsules

So, they invented the private pod capsule, which comes complete with television and Wi-Fi for all stays. The best part is, it’s incredibly cheap, something travelers on a budget will enjoy.

Drivers Who Care About Passengers

The Japanese have a deep culture of respect and service which they extend to both locals and visitors alike. As can be seen here, this driver made sure to step out of the bus and open his umbrella so that passengers wouldn’t get wet while they left the bus and opened their umbrellas.

Drivers Who Care About Passengers

Meanwhile, in most places throughout the world, many bus drivers will just yell at you for not getting off fast enough or leave you in the cold.

Toilet Paper to Clean Smartphones

It’s only called toilet paper because it comes in rolls similar to the toilet paper that we see in the bathroom, only this one has a much different use.

Toilet Paper to Clean Smartphones

This toilet paper was specifically designed to clean cell phones, so you don’t have to worry about smudges and other bits of dirt on your screen while you’re scrolling the web or texting your friends. The best part is that it even offers instructions on how to connect to local Wi-Fi.

Customize Your Perfect Pillow

Whereas in most hotels there’s a big “you get what you get” mentality, in Japan it’s anything but. There, they offer you a wide selection of pillows that you can select based on your personal preferences.

Customize Your Perfect Pillow

That means something as important as how tall, dense, bouncy, or filled your pillow is all the way down to what color you want it to be. Like we said, the Japanese are big into customer service, so you know you’re getting a good night’s sleep.

Noodles That Taste Like Pringles

One delicious dietary item that’s big in Japan is noodles. There’s no doubt that no matter where you are in this massive country that you’re likely not going to find a cafe or restaurant that doesn’t offer you a bowl of delicious noodles.

Noodles That Taste Like Pringles

This particular item is great because it’s almost like Japan and the US meet in the middle. Pringles, an American company, decided to partner up with a local Japanese company to give us delicious Pringles flavored noodles.

Comparing Bridge Heights to Godzilla

When Godzilla first came out, it was a big hit in both Japan and the United States. People lined up outside of movie theaters to watch this giant monster emerge from the depths and tear down some of Japan’s most beloved landmarks.

Comparing Bridge Heights to Godzilla

Even though the original movie is almost 60 years old, people in Japan still love it, and here we can see a bridge height that is being referenced by the height of this iconic national movie monster.

Glasses For Anyone Needing Them

Anyone who wears glasses can attest that it’s a huge problem to realize that you’ve left the house without them. Thankfully, there is a solution in Japan – leaving out extra pairs to help people cope with their all too common mistake.

Glasses For Anyone Needing Them

This is such a small and easy gesture that the Japanese are probably completely used to but would completely blow most Americans out of the water. That mentality of helping one another is definitely something we should all adopt.

Bread With Crusts Already Cut

It’s hard to say how many people would prefer their sandwiches with the crust vs without. That might be an interesting poll to do to see where exactly people’s preferences lie. In Japan, it looks like they felt that there were enough people who would rather be eating their sandwiches without the crust.

Bread With Crusts Already Cut

Rather than the Japanese shrugging and saying “too bad” to those people who like their sandwiches sans crust, the Japanese decided to sell them for their convenience.

Beautiful Manhole Covers

There are many people who would say that attention to detail is a very important quality. In Japan, rather than have just an ordinary manhole cover on the ground that doesn’t look particularly appealing, the Japanese would prefer to carve into them a beautiful design for people to enjoy.

Beautiful Manhole Covers

If you think that this is impressive, you should see how the cities themselves look. Immaculate and clean, it’s sometimes hard to remember that you’re walking through a regular busy city.

Strollers For Anyone to Use

There are many times that parents are walking around with their children when they suddenly run into a problem – they still have a few errands to run, but their kids are absolutely exhausted.

Strollers For Anyone to Use

Rather than make everybody uncomfortable by dragging their exhausted children from store to store while they’re crying and begging to go home, Japanese malls have strollers that people walking throughout the mall can use. That means that there must be a lot less crying babies over there.

Little Surprises for Their Customers

This is a cool little service that companies do for their beloved clients. Sometimes, during orders, companies will include a small, yet thoughtful, gift to make the person feel like they truly matter.

Little Surprises for Their Customers

When looking at this photo it’s clear that this is a great idea and one that probably accomplishes what it sets out to do. This lovely origami shirt was gifted to someone who ordered something as small and simple as a small box of cheap plastic pens.

Dry Ice for Cold Foods

This is such a simple and genius idea that we can’t believe that this hasn’t been brought back to not only the United States, but to the rest of the world. There have been too many times in our lives when we’ve purchased some cold products only to get home and see that they’ve already melted.

Dry Ice for Cold Foods

Well, in Japan, you can always go to the dry ice dispenser and get a few dry ice balls to make sure everything stays cold and nothing melts.

Airline Employees Bow to Passengers

It can’t be overstated the amount of respect that the people in Japan have towards their customers. We may think that “the customer is always right” in the States, but in Japan, that mentality is taken to a whole different level.

Airline Employees Bow to Passengers

Here, the crew of an airplane got out of their chairs and bowed to their customers as a way of apology for a flight that got delayed. The most remarkable part – the late plane probably wasn’t even their fault.

Carts to Move Heavy Objects

Imagine seeing something like this in the United States. It would probably take four or five people to move all these boxes up those flights of stairs. By the end of that difficult task, they would likely all be sweaty and tired.

Carts to Move Heavy Objects

Well, if there’s one thing Japan is known for, it’s their love for technology and innovation. In this case, they have a pretty ingenious cart that can help just one person carry heavy objects up flights of stairs.

Flights Show What the Pilot Sees

By now we’re probably used to screens that show us where we are as we fly over the globe. But have you ever wondered what it must look like from the pilot’s perspective to be able to have that incredible view as they fly a plane?

Flights Show What the Pilot Sees

Well, on this Japanese airline you can actually share in their experience as you watch them soar over the Earth. Those incredible scenes almost make us wish that we had gone to flight school.

Not Your Normal Train Lunch

If there’s one thing that many people tend to agree on when visiting Japan it’s that the food is varied and delicious. Much of it can be summed up in this picture, it’s bright and colorful and is given to you in very appealing boxes.

Not Your Normal Train Lunch

The best part about the food there – this is the cheapest that you can buy. Literally, this is food that you would get at a train station, so imagine food at a five star restaurant.

Single-Use Strawberry Lip Balm

One of the worst things about lip balm is how the more you use it, the dirtier it gets. There are lots of other things to complain about with the classic lip balm that we use as well – it is slowly whittled down to a nub the longer it’s kept in use and sharing it with your friends is like playing a game of germ roulette.

Single-Use Strawberry Lip Balm

Thankfully, the Japanese invented a much more convenient replacement for that: packets of single-use balm.

Learn While You Eat

This lunch isn’t only just delicious and actually quite healthy, it’s also educational as well. The map on the box in front of the food actually shows where in Japan all the food in your tray came from.

Learn While You Eat

This probably helps people to appreciate what they’re eating, knowing that all their food came from different areas all over the country only to end up in a tray for them to enjoy. It also reminds us to be more mindful, too.

That’s One Very Advanced Toilet

This toilet has quite a few features that we would like to go in on, but the one thing we’d like to focus on is the fact that you can actually have music playing while sitting there.

That’s One Very Advanced Toilet

For us in America, that sounds quite bizarre that there would be a toilet that plays music on demand, but if we stop and think about it there’s actually some sense to it. After all, how many bathrooms in restaurants play us music?

A Child Sized Toilet

This is both adorable and ingenious. Rather than make parents have to deal with their child struggling to use a public bathroom that was made for adults, the Japanese made sure to install toilets that children can use as well.

A Child Sized Toilet

This probably keeps the bathroom from getting too messy as children would likely have trouble using a normal sized toilet. It’s also adorable to look at and we think the picture is completed by the duck feet on the ground.

Actual Liquid Toilet Seat Cleaner

There’s no doubt that most bathrooms could use some serious improvements when it comes to cleanliness and hygiene.

Actual Liquid Toilet Seat Cleaner

The Japanese decided to take a step in the right direction by installing a toilet seat soap that, combined with a little toilet paper, makes using a public bathroom a much less gross experience. This consideration for other people is one of the hallmarks of Japanese culture, and something that we would be very grateful if the rest of the world adopted.

Tiny Fire Trucks in Hokkaido

These conveniently small fire trucks ensure that water is being delivered to wherever it needs to go at breakneck speeds. A problem with many fire trucks in most of the world is that they’re quite big and heavy.

Tiny Fire Trucks in Hokkaido

This means they travel slowly while heading down roads and highways, and lose precious minutes when it comes to fighting a blaze. These small fire trucks, while not carrying as much water, are able to get on the scene much more quickly.

The High Tech Parking Structures

Ever forgotten where you parked your car in the parking structure and been forced to wander around for awhile until you happen to stumble across it? Well, if you lived in Japan you wouldn’t have had to live in fear of that scenario happening to you.

The High Tech Parking Structures

In Japan, they use a high tech parking structure system that actually puts your car on a conveyor belt and parks it and brings it back for you so you can shop without stress.

Beauty and Appreciation for Nature

Imagine if outside every apartment building we had our own beautiful plant that was provided to us by the city. It might make us feel closer to the place where we live, knowing that not only are we caring for a plant, but for the beauty of our city as well.

Beauty and Appreciation for Nature

Unlike big grassy lawns that you might see in suburban areas, these plants don’t require nearly as much water or upkeep, making them much more environmentally friendly as well.

Keep Track of Your Fitness

Ever debated between using the stairs and using the elevator? Well, in Japan they try to encourage their citizens to do the small things that can help someone burn a few calories here and there.

Keep Track of Your Fitness

As a result, on stairs, they actually paint how many calories you’re burning per stair! While it’s not a lot per step, around 0.1 calories per step, if you do that every day you will have burned quite a few calories just from that.

Super High Tech Restaurants

This restaurant has used a lot of technology to make ordering food as easy and convenient as possible. Rather than have to flip through menus offering vague descriptions of dishes, you can now choose simply and easily on a touch screen that will not only describe to you the food, but show you pictures as well.

Super High Tech Restaurants

After you’ve decided, the food will come out of the door on the left and slide along the conveyor belt right up to you.

Priority Seating That’s Made Obvious

It’s well known that some people need a seat more than others. Pregnant women, people who have young children with them, disabled people, those who have sustained some sort of injury, or our beloved senior citizens could probably use a seat a bit more than someone who is young and healthy.

Priority Seating That’s Made Obvious

In order to make this point more obvious, Japan has pictures on their train seats showing who gets the priority seating. Talk about making a good and conscious effort!

Family Name Plates on Houses

People in Japan seem to be proud of their environment, and that extends to their houses as well. One thing that has become commonplace in Japan is families putting nameplates on the front of their houses.

Family Name Plates on Houses

This tradition is believed to have begun after the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923. After many people sadly lost their homes, they had to rebuild. Since it took cities a long time to mark homes with numbers, people put nameplates instead.

Kiddy Seat While Parents Have to Go

Going to a public restroom with your child can be awkward, to say the very least. Where do you put your kid when you have to do your business? You can’t leave them outside for obvious reasons.

Kiddy Seat While Parents Have to Go

But can you just expect them to stand still while you “go”? In Japan, many bathrooms have specific seats that you can put your kids in to ensure that they sit still. Talk about being a control freak!

Rain Warning Light in Elevator

For most people in the world, there is enough time to prepare to open up your umbrella in order to shelter yourself from the rain after exiting an elevator. For some strange reason though, there are elevators in Japan that specifically have light indicators that prepare users for this eventuality.

Rain Warning Light in Elevator

If it’s raining outside, a light will flash of an umbrella, warning people to get their umbrellas ready at the helm. We guess this is useful.

Small Pads of Paper in Gum Box

At first, the following “surprise” simply looks like a bunch of post-it notes, which would seem like such a random thing to show up inside a tub of chewing gum. However, there is a really practical reason why some chewing gum brands in Japan include this.

Small Pads of Paper in Gum Box

The reason is as follows: each piece of paper in the pad can be used to put the finished piece of chewing gum into and to dispose of easily.

Taxi Slow Down Button

Wherever we are in the world, there are bound to be annoying taxi drivers who drive a little too quickly for our liking or make us feel on edge. Thankfully, the people of Japan have responded to this concern in a pretty constructive way.

Taxi Slow Down Button

In some taxis, there is actually a button that allows passengers to press if they feel like the driver is going too fast. In theory, though, you could just ask the driver to slow down.

Bathroom Stall Digital Maps

It can be really annoying walking around a bathroom and trying to work out which stalls are vacant and which are occupied. You don’t want to have to knock on the door, look at the gap below, or ask a stranger. That’s where the following digital map comes in handy.

Bathroom Stall Digital Maps

Outside the bathroom, potential users can see exactly which stalls are free before they even enter. No more awkward searching, you can just get straight to the point.

Color Coordinated Luggage Lines

Don’t you just hate it when you have to stand at the conveyor belt at the airport for what seems like hours and wait for ages until your luggage arrives? Moreover, it’s so annoying when 90% of the luggage is the exact same color. At the very least, there might be a handful of bags that are the same color as yours.

Color Coordinated Luggage Lines

In Japan though, airlines will line up the luggage in order of what color they are so they can be picked out quicker by passengers.

Steamless Bathroom Mirrors

Steamed-up mirrors are a real problem for people all over the world. Unless you have the window open or some kind of vent, you’re going to struggle to see your reflection. However, it turns out that in Japan, many people can still look into the mirror clearly without having to crack a window open.

Steamless Bathroom Mirrors

This is because certain mirrors have a heated facility in its center than won’t steam up after one has had a shower. That’s genius!

Toilet “Privacy” Buttons

While we have already established that toilets in Japan are generally pretty high tech in comparison to other toilets around the world, we couldn’t help but shed some light on the following facility. In some public restrooms, there is a specific button that plays either random noise or some music.

Toilet “Privacy” Buttons

This is to drown out any awkward sounds you might be making while doing your business. While it’s hilarious when you think about it, it’s actually a pretty useful facility.

Umbrellas Show Patterns When Wet

For some strange reason, some umbrellas in Japan show funky patterns when they are wet enough. These include silhouettes of cats and flowers, amongst other things. We don’t know how essential this feature is or if people in other parts of the world need it, but for aesthetic purposes, it’s kind of cool.

Umbrellas Show Patterns When Wet

Maybe it is important to know if your umbrella is wet at any given time. We haven’t put too much thought into it, to be honest.

Cheesecake Claw Machines

We are used to seeing claw machines at arcades that allow kids to search for toys and games. You know, kid stuff. However, it seems like the people of Japan are very much in touch with their inner child and will happily use claw machines for all sorts of things.

Cheesecake Claw Machines

Take this machine, for example, which allows users to try and collect cheesecakes. While a vending machine would be a much more simple alternative, we can imagine this being kind of fun!

Keep the Feet Dry

This is a great invention that is quite popular in Japan – it is a tiny umbrella for your shoes when it is raining. This tiny umbrella for your shoes will help keep your feet dry while you are walking in the rain.

Keep the Feet Dry

It easily attaches to the shoes, and you can easily remove it when the rain stops and you do not need them anymore. Sometimes, a little innovation will help your dry feet travel quite a distance.

A Completely Dry Journey

We all know that the umbrella was one of the great inventions in the history of mankind. But what if the wind picks up? This umbrella, with the added plastic curtain to keep you dry all around, is an even better invention.

A Completely Dry Journey

This is great to use while in an open space if the wind throws the rain against you. Plus, you do not need to take up a lot of space around you to stay dry all the time.

Slip on the Dust Brush

With this invention, you can easily use the brush and dustpan slippers to pick up those annoying pieces of dirt. This is especially great for people with back problems who can’t bend to sweep up the dust from the floor.

Slip on the Dust Brush

When you are done, you simply put on your normal slippers or shoes and merrily go on your way. These shoes should be brought to the West so that we can also enjoy a new way of cleaning the floor.

The Handbag’s Groove

With a groove cut into the back of the chair, you can easily hang your handbag on the back to keep it from sliding down. This is great if you are in a hurry and need to quickly put your handbag out of the way.

The Handbag’s Groove

However, it is not always good to put it on a table or on the chair seat where somebody can accidentally sit on your handbag. Just hook it in the groove and worry no more! This also makes it more difficult for someone to try and grab it while you’re sitting back!

For Perfect Lip Painting

This little piece of gear will help you put on lipstick without messing up too much. It will also help prevent smudging when putting the lipstick on while you are in a moving vehicle.

For Perfect Lip Painting

The little mask can be fitted easily around your mouth, and you can apply the lipstick without worry. With this mouth mask in your purse or handbag, there will be no more awkward lipstick smudges for you.

Water On the Go

If you do not trust the water in the area you are commuting or just walking around in, this is a way to bring your own water. It can even be done on a rainy day without costing you anything for a cool drink.

Water On the Go

This upside-down umbrella will catch the water in the bottle and keep you dry while you are walking in the rain. It would have been great if the water bottle was strapped on your back for better convenience and comfort, though.

Easy Peasy

If you are one of those people who just cannot put eye drops in your eyes, this device will help you get it done. It will drop those drops exactly where you want them without any mess at all.

Easy Peasy

The great thing about these glasses with the little funnels is that it will feel as if someone else is doing it for you. You just need to drop the eye drops in the funnels, and the rest will be done quickly and easily.

Wear Your Umbrella

This is another invention to keep you prepared when you most need it to stay dry on an unexpected, wet, rainy day. Just use the umbrella as a tie when there is no rain in sight… And then quickly remove it when the rain comes!

Wear Your Umbrella

Many commuters will be envious of you when you are the only one not getting wet in a sudden downfall. You can also be the knight who saves the damsel in distress when your wife or girlfriend forgets their umbrella.

If You Could Use a Hand

This is especially the case when you are preparing food and need to make those delicate cuts without cutting the fingers. Why worry if you can just use a fake hand to hold the food and cut without the stress of cutting yourself.

If You Could Use a Hand

With this hand in the way, you will be able to cut your food like a professional chef without drawing blood with that overly sharp knife.

Keep on Wiping Your Hands

How many times have you been caught without a way to wipe your hands after washing your hands? What do you do then? You simply wipe them on the back of your pants the teenage way.

Keep On Wiping Your Hands

With this invention, you can go ahead and keep on wiping them on your backside. But maybe it would be better if you had some velcro. Then, you can just tear them off and put the towels in your pocket when you are done!

Tissues Are Handed Out Freely

When walking down the street in Japan, it’s not so uncommon to see people handing out tissues to passersby for free. While this may seem odd, it actually makes a lot of sense for a couple of reasons.

Tissues Are Handed Out Freely

The first is having a tissue is always handy, wiping away the sweat on a hot day or covering your nose when you sneeze are just a couple uses for them. Another is that many companies actually advertise their products on these free and handy tissues.

A Single-Use Pocket Warmer

In Japan they call it a kairo, but what it really is is a chemical compound that is put inside of these plastic packets. What you do is, if you’re feeling cold, you are able to activate the chemicals inside by shaking the bag.

A Single Use Pocket Warmer

After that, you just put it in your pocket or hold the packet in your hand and it will warm you up. After you’re done, just feel free to throw out this quite useful pocket warmer.

Unbelievable Art in Rice Paddies

Rice paddy art isn’t just painting the tops of your rice while a helicopter flies overhead and tells you where to go, it’s actually a lot more complicated than that.

Unbelievable Art in Rice Patties

The Japanese have learned to farm many different types of rice, and many of them have different colors as part of their features. So, as a way of bringing pride to farms and entertaining the masses, farmers will take different types of rice and plant them into these lovely images.

Dekotora, or Decorated Trucks

Dekotora is the cultural practice of decorating trucks, something that many truck drivers in Japan are quite fond of doing. This stems from a movie in the 1970s which, when translated into English, is called Truck Yarou.

Dekotora, or Decorated Trucks

In that film, the trucks were covered in paintings, lights, decorations, bright colors, and all sorts of other accessories to make them really stand out. That movie then led to other truck drivers decorating their vehicles, a practice continuing up to today.

Taxis Have Automatic Doors

One of the most surprising things that people see when they come to Japan is the automatic doors that nearly all taxis have. While this seems like such a technological advancement to us, it has actually been in place in Japan since 1964, when Japan hosted the Tokyo Olympics.

Taxis Have Automatic Doors

Think about that! For almost 60 years, the Japanese have had doors that open automatically. It’s another one of those simple things that shows how much the Japanese care about service.