Poop is super cute at the Unko Museum on Okinawa

A giant glowing lit-up pile of pink, yellow and white sits in the middle of a room with people around it.

A giant poop in the Unko Volcano will welcome you to Unko Museum Okinawa. (Keishi Koja/Stars and Stripes)

Did you know that unko, or poop, is a symbol in Japan’s kawaii culture?

In Japan, poop isn’t always seen as something gross — it’s often portrayed as cute and funny, especially in manga and pop culture.

One of the earliest examples is “Dr. Slump,” a manga from the 1980s by “Dragon Ball” author Akira Toriyama, in which poop appears as a cheerful, iconic character.

In 2017, a study book called “Unko Kanji Drill” was released and went viral. Kids loved it because they could learn kanji while having fun with a cute poop character.

A wall of bright neon signs advertises the Unko Museum in Okinawa.

You can experience kawaii poop culture at Unko Museum Okinawa, which opened in September 2025 at Aeon Mall Okinawa Rycom. (Keishi Koja/Stars and Stripes)

If this sounds hard to believe, you can experience the kawaii poop culture at the Unko Museum Okinawa, which opened in September at Aeon Mall Okinawa Rycom following successful launches in Tokyo and Nagoya.

From the start, staff encourage you to let go of embarrassment and shout “Unkooooo!” to get into this kawaii world.

The first room features the Unko Maker, a colorful lineup of potties where you choose your favorite color and receive your own kawaii unko. I picked a light blue potty and got a green unko.

Inside, you’ll be greeted by a giant poop at the Unko Volcano, and you can play creepy games like Unko Bazooka and Unko Lifting.

Different colored playful piles are held aloft in a bright pink room with invisible wires.

You can experience kawaii poop culture at Unko Museum Okinawa, which opened in September 2025 at Aeon Mall Okinawa Rycom. (Keishi Koja/Stars and Stripes)

My personal favorite is Unko Catch, where you test your reflexes by catching a falling poop.

There are also plenty of spots to get some cool and kawaii photos featuring unko, including the Neon Poop Signs, Unko Graffiti Art and the Sticky Poop Wall, where you can leave your own poop-themed message.

While the museum is designed for kids, it offers a great chance for anyone to explore a different side of Japanese culture and see how even poop can be turned into something “kawaii.”

A rainbow-colored row of toilets is lined up along a black wall with a sign above them that says My Unko Maker.

Make your own kawaii poop after choosing a colorful potty at Unko Museum Okinawa. (Keishi Koja/Stars and Stripes)

On the QT

Directions: Aeon Mall Okinawa Rycom, 5F, Kitanakagusuku, Okinawa

Times: Open daily, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Costs: Depending on which day of the week you visit, adult tickets cost between 2,200 yen and 2,600 yen; 1,500 yen to 1,600 yen for junior high and high school students; 1,100 yen to 1,200 yen for ages 4 and older; free for 3 and younger.

Information: Online: www.unkomuseum.com/en/okinawa