
Our northern reporter dares to dream of a banana that can drive a nail through wood.
Like many parts of the world, Japan’s northern island prefecture of Hokkaido has been gripped with especially low temperatures. Normally, this would bum people out, but our Hokkaido-based writer K. Nagahashi saw it as an opportunity to have some fun.
First, he left a pair of wet jeans outside and made some ghost pants that stood up by themselves.
That was all well and good, but what Nagahashi really wanted was to make a banana hard enough to be able to hammer nails into wood, like he saw people do in other parts of the world. The temperature in his area at the time was hovering between -6 and -13℃ (21 and 9℉) which according to the internet was below the -3℃ (26℉) needed to freeze produce.
So he took a nanner and left it out in the snow for a while. However, after six hours it was still noticeably soft, probably because of the sunshine. So he decided to keep it out there a little longer — two days to be exact.
Feeling that the fruit had sufficiently hardened, Nagahashi walked out of his home, whistling a happy tune and carrying a small piece of lumber and box of nails. He dug the banana out of the snow, lined up a nail, and uh… oh….
This was unexpected.
The nail easily pierced through the frozen food, immediately dashing Nagahashi’s dream of a banana hammer.
This was nowhere near as easy as it looked on TV, but he didn’t come this far to give up. Where mother nature had failed him, modern technology would take over.
Leaving his now-thoroughly-abused banana in the freezer overnight, Nagahashi dreamt of building a kick-ass entertainment unit out of banana-driven nails and wood. The next morning, he tried again, starting with a few little taps to confirm the integrity of the fruit.
It appeared to hold, so he decided to put his elbow into it and give it a good drive…
▼ Success!!!
It took some trial and error, but Nagahashi can now say he lives somewhere that’s cold enough to hammer a nail with a banana. Sure, that isn’t exactly true since he used his freezer, but we can’t bring ourselves to break his heart and tell him that.
I mean, look at how happy he is.
By the way, at our organization there is no greater sin that wasting food. This banana is no exception, as our writer decided to make a nanner hammer milkshake.
▼ Before
▼ After
By the way, the US Department of Agriculture strongly advises against consuming foods that have been “frozen” in the snow, as the sun and fluctuating temperatures can keep it warm enough for harmful bacteria to still form within it.
So please don’t try this at home. We’d tell Nagahashi the same, but he just looks so darn happy. How can you say no to that face?
With climate change ushering in a new ice-age, the potential for frozen bananas to be useful as tools has never been greater. So this information could be valuable someday, and if any scientific committee out there wants to bestow an award on our brave investigative reporter, we’ll let you know what hospital he’s getting his stomach pumped in.
Images: SoraNews24
[ Read in Japanese ]















Japan now has a banana hammer made from a real banana…that’s not frozen
Japanese media finds out if it’s cold enough to “fry” an egg on the street in Hokkaido
Tokyo juice vending machine also gives you…a hammer?!?
Family Mart serves up Japanese nostalgia with new frozen choco banana that’s a sell-out hit
Hot sandwich maker becomes hot dessert maker with super-easy choco banana pie recipe【SoraKitchen】
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan launches first overnight Shinkansen bullet train between Tokyo and Osaka this summer
Starbucks Japan creates special drink bottle bags, adorable stickers for all 47 prefectures[Pics]
Nearly half of Pokémon hot spring’s statues have been damaged less than two months after opening
Japanese sweets brand creates new drinkable Cigare and we’re totally here for it
Studio Ghibli store Donguri Republic announces opening of first-ever store in America
Japanese sweets shop sells an ohagi so exquisite it sells out by noon
Forget Tokyo go-karts – there’s a new way to sightsee on four wheels in Japan
Hatsune Miku successfully wraps Miku Expo 2026 North America tour with 100,000 attendees
Japan opens shrine for plush toys in Kyoto, offering memorial rites and a resting place for remains
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
7-Eleven Japan to start selling Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches this summer
Starbucks Japan releases new Frappuccino, tea and soda drinks for summer
“Phantom Egg Shop” opens in Japan, with a dozen rare Japanese varieties
New Japanese overnight train coming to connect Tokyo with Tohoku in sleep-travel style
Uniqlo reveals third round of massive 100-year-anniversary manga T-shirts for Jump’s Shueisha
Even at twice regular Daiso price, this handy item is still great for summer travel in Japan
New official Ghibli anime food cookbook will teach you how to make Ponyo’s ramen and more
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
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
Japanese monaka ice cream looks very different in Hokkaido