You may have noticed that Japanese product packaging tends to be completely covered with text in a variety of fonts and styles. If you’ve ever taken the time to read any of it, you’ve probably realised that quite a bit of it seems to be particularly chatty, going beyond the usual product description in order to occasionally impart some philosophical wisdom or advice.
Some companies even go as far as to include hidden messages to communicate directly with the consumer. Check out this gallery of some of the best.
McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
All-you-can-drink Starbucks and amazing views part of Tokyo’s new 170 meter-high sky lounge
Studio Ghibli glasses cases let anime characters keep an eye on your spectacles
Kyoto’s 100 Demons yokai monster parade returns!
Super Nintendo World expansion gets delayed for several months at Universal Studios Japan
Starbucks reopens at Shibuya Scramble Crossing with new look and design concept
Beautiful Sailor Moon manhole cover coasters being given out for free by Tokyo tourist center
Hamster abandoned at Tokyo ramen restaurant gets new home
More foreign tourists than ever before in history visited Japan last month
The oldest tunnel in Japan is believed to be haunted, and strange things happen when we go there
Disney princesses get official manga makeovers for Manga Princess Cafe opening in Tokyo
Beautiful new Final Fantasy T-shirt collection on the way from Uniqlo【Photos】
Is the new Shinkansen Train Desk ticket worth it?
Foreign English teachers in Japan pick their favorite Japanese-language phrases【Survey】
Japanese convenience store packs a whole bento into an onigiri rice ball
We try out “Chan Ramen”, an underground type of ramen popular in the ramen community
Studio Ghibli releases Kiki’s Delivery Service chocolate cake pouches in Japan
Japan’s bone-breaking and record-breaking roller coaster is permanently shutting down
New definition of “Japanese whiskey” goes into effect to prevent fakes from fooling overseas buyers
Our Japanese reporter visits Costco in the U.S., finds super American and very Japanese things
Studio Ghibli unveils Mother’s Day gift set that captures the love in My Neighbour Totoro
Foreign passenger shoves conductor on one of the last full runs for Japan’s Thunderbird train
Domino’s Japan now sells…pizza ears?
New Japanese KitKat flavour stars Sanrio characters, including Hello Kitty
Kyoto creates new for-tourist buses to address overtourism with higher prices, faster rides
Sales of Japan’s most convenient train ticket/shopping payment cards suspended indefinitely
Sold-out Studio Ghibli desktop humidifiers are back so Totoro can help you through the dry season
Japanese government to make first change to romanization spelling rules since the 1950s
Ghibli founders Toshio Suzuki and Hayao Miyazaki contribute to Japanese whisky Totoro label design
Doraemon found buried at sea as scene from 1993 anime becomes real life【Photos】
Tokyo’s most famous Starbucks is closed
One Piece characters’ nationalities revealed, but fans have mixed opinions
We asked a Uniqlo employee what four things we should buy and their suggestions didn’t disappoint
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Starbucks reopens at Shibuya Scramble Crossing with new look and design concept
Beautiful Sailor Moon manhole cover coasters being given out for free by Tokyo tourist center
Hamster abandoned at Tokyo ramen restaurant gets new home
More foreign tourists than ever before in history visited Japan last month
The oldest tunnel in Japan is believed to be haunted, and strange things happen when we go there
Our reporter takes her 71-year-old mother to a visual kei concert for the first time
Disney princesses get official manga makeovers for Manga Princess Cafe opening in Tokyo
Japan’s cutest bird becomes a Krispy Kreme sakura doughnut for cherry blossom season
Is Japan’s massive Shizuoka steak sandwich really as delicious as it looks in promo photos?
We visit the full-scale Evangelion statue in Kyoto and particularly delight in the food tie-ins
Sumikkogurashi cafes coming to five cities, may be so cute/cozy you’ll never want to leave【Pics】
We visit Oshima, an island in Japan where walking counterclockwise means death【Haunted Japan】