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Over the years we’ve seen some weird things pop up on Japan’s Yahoo! Auctions, but we’ve probably just found the top prize for the foulest item ever. We, along with the rest of Japan, are shocked that someone actually bought it, and even more so that the seller made bank.

On Yahoo! Auctions we’ve seen everything from memories of ex-girlfriends to the Earth being auctioned off, so you wouldn’t think that anything could surprise us anymore. Neither did we until we came upon this filthy item: a high school boy’s sumo mawashi (loin cloth), used for three years.

▼ The loin clothes are used to not only cover the groin, but can also be grabbed in the fight in attempt to topple the opponent.

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Okay, it doesn’t sound that weird really. Surely it was only lightly used and then thoroughly sanitized killing any remnants of sweaty butt and groin cooties that could still be lurking on it, right? Ha, if only!

▼ It’s clearly not in very good condition…

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The original description reads:

“Black sumo mawashi-used.
Length: About six meters (20 feet)
Condition: Wear and tear, filthy, smelly, but could still be used.
Was used in boys’ sumo club for three years.
No complaints, no returns.
Will be shipped through Japan Post.”

Thanks to one very curious potential bidder, we learned many more grimy details about this product:

“I’d like to ask a few questions. I understand that this is a high school boy’s item and was used for three years. This is correct, right? What is the physique of the user and how frequently was it washed? When was the last time it was washed? I would be happy to know the degree to which the item smells. Sorry for asking so many questions.”

To which the seller answered back in grisly detail:

“The item was used by a high school boy in the sumo club for three years. At the time he was 175 centimeters (5 feet, seven inches) tall and weighed 100 kilograms (220 pounds). As for washing, it was washed once in September both the first and second years of use. The last time it was washed was September of last year. The degree of the smell is kind of subjective, but there’s definitely an odor. If you took it into an enclosed room, you would be able to smell it instantly.”

We have a few questions of our own now:

  • It was only washed twice, ever?! (That’s really gross, knowing that it was probably used six times a week for three years.)
  • Where was he keeping it that it retained such a rank smell?

▼ ….and the big one, Why is he selling this?!

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The guy is probably taking preventative measures before becoming a broke college student, trying to squeeze money out of anything he can. He probably also took note of the popularity of girls’ panties. If there are guys who violently attack girls’ for their underwear  and videos dedicated to peeking up girls’ skirts, there has to be at least some market for sweaty, smelly men’s wear, right?

Right. Believe it or not this filthy mawashi had 36 bids, raising the price from the suggested 3,000 yen (US$25), to the final sale price of a whopping 44,000 yen (US$370). To put this into perspective, brand new mawashi designed for high school boys are valued between about 6,000 to 11,000 yen (US$50-100) and are easily available in stores and on the Internet.

▼ There it is folks, sold for US$370.

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Unsurprisingly, the winner of the item was the creepy person who asked all of the questions. We do not even want to think about what they’re going to use it for.

Needless to say, Japanese netizens are as surprised as we are. Comments have been flowing in, as well as ideas for possible new business ventures.

“Just reading about it stinks.”
“This is worthless crap.”
“Why would someone buy this?”
“I knew it, there are a lot of perverts in Japan…”
“I can’t stop laughing lol”
“This kind of thing feels better after it’s been used and broken in a lot.”
“Maybe I should try selling my judo gi [uniform].”
“If there is a demand for this kind of thing, should I try to sell my soccer socks?

▼ How much do you think these bad boys would go for?

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The Yahoo! Auction find has been quite enlightening regarding some high school boys’ lack of hygiene and the possible fetishes of some Japanese people. This could be the big break that the weird fetish underworld has been waiting for, perhaps ushering in more nasty items to the Internet. Boy, we just can’t wait to see what else is lingering out there…

Sources: Yahoo! Auctions Japan via Kinisoku, Rakuten
Images:Yahoo! Auctions Japan, RocketNews24, Flickr (Christopher Koppes)