Ghost Money – Currency of the Afterlife
If there is indeed such a thing as afterlife, the Chinese and Vietnamese might just be the richest people there. And that’s because their living relatives make sure they are well provided for – by throwing money into flames. Well, not real money. Only fake notes. This fake money is commonly known as ghost money, […]
Vietnam Festival Is Dedicated to Meeting Ex-Lovers
Most people cannot stand the thought of their partners even talking to their exes, let alone socializing with them. But things are different in a small community of Vietnam. A yearly ‘love market’ of sorts is held in the hillside village of Khau Vai, 500km north of Hanoi, near the border with China. It takes […]
South Korea’s Toilet Theme Park
We’ve seen our share of bizarre theme parks here on OC. Ranging from Hello Kitty to Atomic Reactors, we thought we’d seen it all. Until we heard of this extremely strange and slightly disturbing theme park in South Korea, based on the last place in the world you’d want to be stuck in – the […]
Lighting Up Christmas – The Giant Lantern Festival of San Fernando
The Philippines is home to a variety of Christmas traditions, but particularly famous is the Giant Lantern Festival of San Fernando, the capital of the province of Pampanga, a 1.5 hour ride from Manila. Locally, the festival is known as the Ligligan Parul. It showcases the most popular product of Pampanga – the ‘parol’, or […]
Style Oddities – Fake Braces Worn as Fashion Accessories
It’s at times like this that I simply don’t understand fashion trends. I mean, what would prompt otherwise normal teenagers to consider something as horrendous as braces to be a fashionable accessories? Don’t get me wrong, I think braces are an extremely useful dental tool and I used to wear them as well, but I […]
Indian Believers Roll in Food Scraps of Higher Caste to Cure Their Illnesses
A century old ritual in India dictates that those considered low-caste Hindus must roll in the remains of food eaten by members of a higher caste. But it’s not the ritual itself that’s strange. The strange part is that while social activists are actually seeking to outlaw the practice, the ‘low-caste’ Hindus don’t want to […]
Coffee Won’t Keep You Awake at Tokyo’s Hypnosis Cafe Colors
Apart from a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, the menu at the Tokyo Hypnosis Cafe Colors, in Shinjuku Golden Gai, also features some offbeat items, such as Trauma Erasure or Past Life Regression. Tokyo is known for its unique cafes, many of which have been featured on Oddity Central (Cuddle Cafe, Vampire Cafe, Hammock Cafe, etc.), […]
Japanese Rent-a-Boyfriend Service Caters to Lonely Women in Need of Cuddling
Yes, Japanese women get lonely too, but luckily for them, there’s Soine-ya Prime, a dispatch service where women can hire a handsome young man to lay with her in bed for a night. Believe it or not there’s nothing sexual about it. Two months ago, we posted about Tokyo’s popular Cuddle Cafe, where everyone could lay down […]
Thailand’s Cobra Village – Where Men and Snakes Live in Harmony
Sixty years ago, a doctor from Thailand had a vision for his small, dusty old village – to convert it into a major tourist attraction. And in an attempt to do so, he actually convinced his fellow villagers to raise pet snakes in their homes, putting them in shows for tourists. Surprisingly the ploy worked, […]
In Thailand People Change Their Names to Improve Their Fortunes
You might have heard of people changing their names because they didn’t like the ones their parents gave them. Or in an attempt to change their identity and escape their past. But in Thailand, name changes are common for a different reason altogether – to bring good luck. A case-in-point is 46-year-old Baramee Thammabandan, formerly […]
Thai “Sorcerer” Gives Disciples Bulletproof Tattoos, They Decide to Try Them Out
Boonyong Luangjumpol, also known as Ajarn Ton, was recently arrested in Thailand’s Yanglad district after he allegedly gave local teens magic tattoos and told them they made them invincible. Unsurprisingly, they wanted to try out their ink armor and engaged in a series of brawls. Sak Yant is an ancient type of Thai tattoo said to bestow the […]
Indonesian Villages Use Piles of Sand Instead of Mattresses
The residents of three small fishing villages in the Batang region of Indonesia prefer to sleep on piles of sand than on modern mattresses. This ancient tradition that’s still practiced today for its supposed health benefits. Taking a nap on a sandy beach is pretty relaxing, but can you imagine going to sleep on a […]
Bar Devoted to Female Self-Pleasuring Opens in Tokyo
If you’re a woman looking for a girls-only bar where you can talk about love and sex without any inhibitions, the Love Joule female self-pleasuring bar in Tokyo’s Shibuya entertainment district might be the perfect place. Japan is known for its wide array of weird bars and restaurants, so it should come as no surprise it now has […]
Chinese Festival Organizers Create Human Zoo for Beggars
Beggars at a religious festival in Nanchang, southern China, have been ordered to either stay in specially-built metal cages or risk being removed from the city, in an attempt to stop them from harassing visitors. Living in a country where begging is a very lucrative business, I know what it’s like to constantly be disturbed by […]
Japanese Divorce Newspaper Lets Your Loved-Ones Know You’re Happily Divorced
Created by Japanese divorce guru Hiroki Terai, Divorce Newspapers are gaining popularity as a quick and painless way to let family, friends and acquaintances know your marriage is over. This saves couples the embarrassment of having to tell each one of them their marriage has failed and explain how it happened. You know those awkward moments when you bump into […]