Engrish, the comedic results when non-native speakers utilize English, is hilarious and when used on products and signs, the results are shared far and wide with great enjoyment. But sometimes it’s not just incorrect English that is really funny, sometimes it’s just the seemingly awkward usage of perfectly normal English. What do we mean exactly? Take apartment building, for example, which are notorious for sporting some of the most ridiculous names. Perhaps it’s for the best though, because sometimes it turns your modest accommodations into a luxurious palace! Would you like to live like British superstar Phil Collins? Would you like to live IN Phil Collins?!?
In Musashino ward in Tokyo, you will find the Phil Collins/Genesis fan’s greatest tribute, an entire apartment building called “Phil Collins Musashino”! This masterpiece even sports an apartment sign modeled after Phil Collins’ actual signature.
Image: sumaity via Kotaku
According to the Japanese site, Genesis Tribute, this building is actually quite well-known. Erected back in 1988 at the height of Phil Collins’ popularity in Japan, nowadays it just seems to perfectly blend into every other oddly named apartment building in Japan.
▼Perfect on your mantle! Or actually your mantle…
Image: Genesis Tribute
Japan is never one to shy away from using cool sounding English and apartment buildings go to great nonsensical lengths to make their apartments hip.
▼You have to become good friends with your neighbor if you live here, it’s part of the lease.
Image: RocketNews24
▼What is a T-Box anyway? Where is T-Box 1st? Why is “private space” written underneath?!?
Image: RocketNews24
Another popular trend is to name buildings after foods. Things like “Carrot”, “Spinach” and “Raspberry” are probably found in every city. It’s certainly an upgrade when you live in not just “Raspberry” but “Strawberry Heights” “Banana Heights” and the ultimate “Cake Heights”.
Emotions also make a fantastic building name, “Smile”, “Happiness” and the ubiquitous “Happiness II”. Other buildings are subject to unfortunate katakana conventions as “City Heights” turns into “shiti haitsu”, read exactly as you think it does.
▼At least the “shiti” is high off the ground
Image: Tokyo Apartments
The list goes on and on, “Moulin Rouge”, “Full House”, “Woody Royale”, “Rabbit House”, you never know if you are going to hit the apartment name jackpot, or toil away into obscurity in the “Castle Four Seasons”
▼”Sunny Court II”, “Celeb 21”, “Celeb Future”, this is where the “up and coming” starlets live in Japan
Image: Google Maps
If you have ever lived in Japan, odds are you’ve come across some fantastic apartment names yourself! Let us know your favorite ones in the comments!
Source: Kotaku
Top Image: Google Maps
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