Lurve Bug

Danny Choo is a guestblogger on Boing Boing. Danny resides in Tokyo, and blogs about life in Japan and Japanese subculture - he also works part time for the empire.

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Still thinking about what sort of chocolates to get for your loved for Valentines day? How about something really special, really different - chocolates in the shape of beetles...

Celebrate Valentines Day the Japanese way: with chocolates shaped like kabuto-mushi beetles! Dating an entomologist? Trying to introduce a little entomophagy into your relationship? Namco's Namja Land in Ikebukuro has your back. 4,500 yen (49 USD) for a set of four: one Hercules beetle, one stag beetle, one male rhinocerous beetle, and one female rhinocerous beetle.

Text and photo from Matt Alt.

japan, valentines

[#1 posted by EscapingTheTrunk , February 12, 2009 10:12 PM]

...But will they wrestle?

[#2 posted by bugmaker , February 12, 2009 10:48 PM]

As somebody who regularly lectures about entomophagy, I adore these.

[#3 posted by Anonymous , February 12, 2009 10:50 PM]

If Coraline didn't want these, then neither do I.

[#4 posted by a_user , February 13, 2009 1:44 AM]

Danny didn't explain that Valentines Day in Japan means women give men chocolate, and stag beetles are very popular with Japanese boys, and during their economic peak prime live specimens of these large beetles changed hands for 100,000 yen upwards.

[#5 posted by technogeek , February 13, 2009 5:10 AM]

Want! (And my lady would want too.) Best I've been able to do locally has been chocolate mice.

[#6 posted by funkfunkfunction , February 13, 2009 5:16 AM]

i thought valentines day the japanese way involved simulated rape

[#7 posted by AAndy , February 13, 2009 6:33 AM]

So how do I contact these people to buy some????

[#8 posted by imipak , February 13, 2009 6:53 AM]

Tomorrow I think I'm gonna buy myself an early easter egg, for the briefly satisfying but ultimately hollow and meaningless void nestled inside it.

[#9 posted by clatko , February 13, 2009 7:00 AM]

I love Japan. It's all about the beetles. Too bad there aren't any kuwagata's. Danny Choo rocks, he needs to be full time here.

[#10 posted by Bender , February 13, 2009 7:14 AM]

How 'bout Dung Beetles rollin a big truffle ball?

[#11 posted by blueelm , February 13, 2009 8:42 AM]

These are so freaking cute.

[#12 posted by Marshall , February 13, 2009 9:33 AM]

How did you not mention giri choco in this post? That is, everyone should feel obligated to send me delicious chocolate insects.

[#13 posted by Axx , February 13, 2009 10:02 AM]

>>How 'bout Dung Beetles rollin a big truffle ball?

If you don't make that, I am going to scoop you on it and be rich. RICH.

[#14 posted by Anonymous , February 13, 2009 6:57 PM]

Oh, YES!

I've long given chocolates and such to encourage software testers. Especially when those people in a position to test, are not otherwise encouraged/incentivized/motivated to do so. Works wonders. Often one chocolate for each bug found.

I'd love to give bug-shaped chocolates.

Any suggestions on actually obtaining these?