Whoohoo, party’s on tonight! Happy, happy, joy, party rock is in the house tonight!! Drinking parties (nomikai) in Japan go off. Can’t wait!!!
But hold on… there’s a catch. It’s still common for smoking to be permitted in bars in Japan. You might not notice it, but as soon as you get home it hits you like a karate chop to the nose—the stink of cigarette smoke. Even if you weren’t smoking yourself, the second-hand smoke will make your clothes reek, right down to your stinky underwear. Yes, even if you didn’t expose your underwear. Yuck.
Could this simple trick be the solution?
Is there any way to quickly and easily remove the stench from your clothes? Obviously, the best way is to wash them straight away, but who has time for that? You know, you might have better things to do. But a search online tells us that… hey, there is an easy way!
Here’s how you do it in two easy steps!
1. Grab your tobacco-smelly clothes.
2. Shake them up and down as hard as you can.
That’s all??? Really, no way!!!
The theory goes that if you shake the clothes hard enough, the smoke particles will fall out. Hmmm, it seems too easy…
Keen to find out if it would actually work, we put it to the test.
With great timing, RocketNews24 Japan‘s Yoshio was enjoying his cigarette break, and kindly agreed to blow smoke all over a cardigan for us.
▼Smoooooke!
▼One more for good measure, eh?
▼Nothing if not thorough!
Yoshio did such a thorough job, the cardigan reeked to high heaven. Sniffing it was like sticking my nose in an ashtray. So now to shake it up and down and make it all better!
▼Shake it like a polaroid! Shake what your mama gave you!
Shake it, shake it, shake it… I shook it up and down with all my strength. And as a result… *unh* …!!! Well… it’s a bit less smelly.
The smell isn’t totally gone, but it’s certainly much better. Still, if anyone tells you that you can clean the smoke from your clothes just by shaking them, don’t believe it—that would be a miracle. Remember this lesson, so that I didn’t shake in vain.
Original article by Usagi Yumeno
Photos: RocketNews24
[ Read in Japanese ]
How to make your own sold-out Uniqlo Airism mask in less than two minutes
Japanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping list
Cherry blossoms begin blooming in Japan with record-early starts for sakura season
The next time you’re feeling stressed out, you could relax on a Pokémon Psyduck chair from Japan
We asked our Japanese team of writers how they deal with seasonal allergies in Japan
Universal Studios’ Sailor Moon theme park attraction is finally coming to America
Are Japanese convenience store sandwiches scamming us with their fillings?
Studio Ghibli releases giant Totoro plushies in Japan
Japan’s budget chain restaurant Saizeriya might just be the perfect first date location
Godzilla-shaped ice cream on sale in Tokyo near the sight his most adorable rampage
Five things that keep Japanese people chained to their jobs
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
Studio Ghibli adds new Mother’s Day gift sets to its anime collection in Japan
Virtual idol Hatsune Miku redesigned with look that adds new elements and brings back old ones
Komachi Shokudo: Japanese mum’s-style cooking for breakfast, lunch and dinner in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan opens new cafe and art gallery in top Tokyo tourist neighbourhood
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
The top 10 graduation songs in Japan as chosen by current Japanese high school students
7-Eleven Japan’s giant fried chicken skewer would be too big to eat, so it’s really for cuddling
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura cherry blossom collection for hanami season 2026
The 10 most annoying things foreign tourists do on Japanese trains, according to locals
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Nine great places to see spring flowers in Japan, as chosen by travelers (with almost no sakura)
Naruto and Converse team up for new line of shinobi sneakers[Photos]
Starbucks Japan releases first-ever Hinamatsuri Girls’ Day Frappuccino
Japan’s cherry blossom season predicted to start earlier than we’d thought, especially in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases a new Cream Puff Frappuccino for a limited time
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says