Weed.

Weed. Japan loves it. Not smoking it, growing it, or possessing it mind you; just the idea of it. Marijuana is one of Japanese people's favorite decorative items. My teachers and students' mothers have pot-leaf air fresheners in their car. My students have weed-themed pencil boxes. In a country where getting caught with trace amounts of pot lands you in jail for a minimum of 5 years and smoking the stuff is paramount to social suicide, it's kind of hard to understand how the theme became so popular or widely accepted. The leading gaijin (foreigner) theory on the subject is this: Japanese people love Jamaica. They love reggae music, Bob Marley, Jamaican flags, everything. Apparently somewhere along the way some Japanese person saw the aforementioned Jamaican stuff associated with a funny looking leaf. They then started putting said funny looking leaf on t-shirts, baby bottles, etc. According to those who have lived here a while, no Japanese people even realize that it's a marijuana leaf! They just think it's some kind of Jamaican icon (which I guess it is...) Hilarious.

Here are some example pictures for y'all:

Here are some "decorative bongs" from our local Jamaican restaurant on the left, and their sign with prominent weed leaves on the right.

Here is a CHILD SIZED pot leaf t-shirt! Notice the sign above the shirt that says "KID's".

Last but not least, no poser Japanese Rasta's collection would be complete without a "Leealise It" sign from the local weed clothing store.