Friday, January 12, 2007

Japanese Supermarkets: Rather Superb

One of the things I like best about this country is that my best source of nutrients and my best source of entertainment happen to be the same store. What store, you ask? Why... the humble grocery store, of course.

I've ranted many times about the comic A-list, with our usual comic culprits like Creap and Deepresso.

Sometimes, though, the joyfulness of shopping comes from a more subtle eye. Take these people, who are drastically lacking in confidence. I wouldn't buy "Dirty Pee Flavoured Ice", but these people really ought to do more than wash the stuff.




Some other companies dispense with any sort of modesty or limitation of their claims. Here is a wall of curry... some of them have opted for names like "Indian Curry" or "Dinner Curry", but check out the company selling "THE CURRY". That's it. The only curry that exists and the only one you need. It's kind of like "The Hoff", but in delicious curry form.



You can even find comedy in areas other than packaging, if you know where to shop. Check out this chunk of pre-cooked tuna neck for 800 yen.



If you don't think a kilogram of pre-cooked tuna neck is funny, try declaring it your lunch!

Sometimes you can see clearly what they were going for, but through some seemingly meaningless coincidences, you can end up connecting someone's lunch with, say.... dirt.




Best of all is when you get two or even three products lined up to deliver a punch line. I love the canned coffees. For some reason, the cute size and tough metal exterior seem to make the designers feel that they are well defended from dangerous things like innuendo and grammar.

Are you inspired? I am. I'm inspired to take a shot in the morning and then slurp up some hot sixty nine. Black or creamy... my choice.



Who knew that being lactose intolerant would stop me from enjoying a hot sixty nine every morning.

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