Sure, America is full of strange, quirky things that make very little sense, even to natives (I'm looking at you Carhenge and the Collinsville Ketchup Bottle). But, with a cadre of ex-pat pals living in Japan, I've had enough contact with Japanese culture to safely say that I think Japan is a little bit weirder. True or not, it's a stereotype that was reinforced today, when I pulled a box of Japanese cookies out of my lunch bag today, as I continue to work my way through the stash of exotic treats Abel brought me back in June.
According to Abel, they are supposed to be shaped like bamboo shoots, only chocolate-covered. Like all of the (admittedly limited) range of Japanese snack foods I've encountered, there was an excessively abundant amount of packaging. At least they weren't individually wrapped. What really caught my eye, however, was the upper right hand corner of the inside of the tab.
I have no idea what that says, but really, what would be the appropriate dialogue for a tiny, levitating, guitar-playing bamboo shoot? It's just fantastically bizarre. Oh, Japan, you're such a card...
Just thought I'd pop in with a quick translation. Under "Don't forget!!" it says "kinoko no yama," which means "mushroom mountain." It's another very similar candy made by the same company. Imagine the little bamboo shoot chocolates except shaped like mushrooms. Dunno why he's got that guitar, though!
ReplyDeleteAh, yes. I guess that makes him a tiny guitar-playing mushroom. He is a different shape than the bamboo shoots -- he has a stem. Abel brought Katie the mushroom ones. Thanks for the translation!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad the translation bit is cleared up. But the Ketchup bottle water tower (or catsup if you will) makes perfect sense. It is right over an old manufacturing plant for Brooks ketchup (catsup). :)
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