Weird Statue at Kobe Station

Japan is popular with its weirdness culture and arts. One of them is a weird statue that resembles a human butt, only if you look at it closely. Located right beside Sannomiya train station in the heart of Kobe, the butt statue is a popular meeting place for Kobe kids, or place to hang out and chat on your mobile phones.

For most people, several questions will come to mind. Why the torsos and butts? Why in front of the Häagen-Dazs? Why the giant Meg Ryan advertisement? (At least, it was there for the whole year I lived there. I don’t know what’s there now. Anyone care to update me?) And, the Phenomenon: To a Kobe native, the butt statue is “invisible”. You can always spot an outsider as someone who walks by the butt statue and notices its existence (and usually stares inquisitively for quite a while). This is Japan.