If you’re in the mood for a good laugh and some light-hearted mischief, it’s time to discover the world of Japanese prank shows. Japan has been known for producing some of the most creative pranks that turns everyday situations into moments of fun and mayhem, bringing laughter across the globe.
Buckle up and prepare to be entertained as we delve into the crazy world of funny Japan jokes and pranks, which are sure to leave you in stitches!
The Humor of ‘Owarai’
“Owarai” is a Japanese word that refers to Japanese comedy, which is made up of the word “warai,” meaning “have a laugh.” It’s no secret that funny Japanese videos have made their way to people all over the globe, bringing laughter to the most unassuming audiences.
These funny videos are typically derived from pranks culturally performed in variety shows, which gained popularity in the ’60s. Initially performed by individual comedians, variety shows eventually expanded their comedic repertoire, showcasing skits, sketch comedy, and improvised challenges to attract a broader audience. The pranks that we know now follow a format primarily derived from a popular game show called “Takeshi’s Castle,” which was so popular that it even broadcasted in the UK and USA.
Over time, variety shows continued to expand their reach by inviting idols and popular names to perform in challenges that keep getting crazier. They’re typically aired during the primetime hours after work, offering relief to salarymen and office ladies after work. While TV remains a popular medium in Japan, comedy shows have expanded to online platforms like YouTube, where comedy groups like Tokai On Air gained traction. Casual prank channels like UpTown PRANK and Samurai PRANK also opened a new genre for content creators to showcase creative pranks to a global audience.
Japanese Pranks That Will Make You Laugh Out Loud
From harmless gags to crazy challenges and theatrical productions, we’ve found some of the greatest Japanese prank clips that we have enjoyed over the years. Warning: do not eat while watching these funny videos – you might laugh so hard that you’ll choke!
- SHIBUYA HALLOWEEN PALANQUIN PRANK
- WHITE NINJA ON CEILING PRANK
- MOVING SAMURAI IN KYOTO PRANK
- ELEVATOR SLIME SLIDE PRANK
- HIDDEN GRASS TRAP WITH MUDDY WATER PRANK
- ELECTRIC SEAT PRANK
- JAPANESE HORROR INN PRANK
- GHOST CHILD PAPER CRANE PRANK
- APPROACHED BY A FISH-HEADED MAN PRANK
- ICONIC DINOSAUR ATTACK PRANK
- SPIDERMAN BEHIND YOU PRANK
- IDOL VS TOY DOG PRANK
- MOVING SUITCASE PRANK
- MAN CREEPS UP BEHIND YOU PRANK
- DOWNTOWN NO GAKI NO TSUKAI YA ARAHENDE! – NO LAUGHING PRANK
SHIBUYA HALLOWEEN PALANQUIN PRANK
While some Halloween festivities have been banned in Shibuya, people still manage to find ways to bring joy into the much-loved holiday. A palanquin is a portable carriage carried by workers, and usually ridden by nobles during the Edo period. On Halloween, a harmless-looking palanquin was set up by a busy street in Shibuya, offering onlookers a ride. But upon opening the door to the cabin or peering into its window, they were greeted by the scary sight of a kimono-wearing “zombie” with the head of a cursed-looking fish. Watch how this simple jumpscare by content creator UpTown PRANK managed to break even the toughest facades!
WHITE NINJA ON CEILING PRANK
This endearing prank by creator SUSHI RAMEN involves a prankster grandson, who dressed up in a creepy all-white suit and taped himself onto the ceiling, hoping to scare his grandma. But grandma seemed to be preoccupied, and was doing her own thing for an hour without noticing him! Finally, he made a whistling sound that prompted grandma to slowly look up at the ceiling, scaring her in the process. This harmless prank touched the hearts of many for the amazing relationship between the family. Grandpa was even supportive throughout!
The prank was so popular that the creator made a second version. Like before, grandma seemed unaware of the creepy being behind her for a long time and concluded with an endearing exchange between the family members.
MOVING SAMURAI IN KYOTO PRANK
While frequent news about over-tourism has put tension between locals and tourists in Kyoto, some people have found a lighthearted means to bridge the gap between the two, bringing laughter across Japan’s cultural hub through pranks. A popular prank that has recently circulated on social media involves what is seemingly a Samurai statue on display to the public. Unassuming passersby would touch and admire the statue, catching the former off-guard when it suddenly starts to move. Watch the amazing reactions in this video by content creator SAMURAI PRANK!
ELEVATOR SLIME SLIDE PRANK
The elevator prank is a famous staple in Japanese variety TV, often reappearing with various renditions of the well-loved gag. In this sticky version of the elevator prank, a young woman enters the elevator, only for the floor to collapse, plunging her down a slide filled with gooey slime! At the end of the ride, she’s splatted by what looks like dark mud. Catch her funny reactions captured in slo-mo!
HIDDEN GRASS TRAP WITH MUDDY WATER PRANK
This hidden grass trap is brutal! In a large green expanse, hidden traps were strategically placed to conceal a hole leading to muddy water. People unknowingly fell into the traps, either by walking into them, tripping on obstacles, or in a particularly brutal instance, falling backward from a car seat down into the trap. Watch this compilation of instances that will leave you laughing and feeling a little sorry.
ELECTRIC SEAT PRANK
In this funny electric seat prank, a group of men and women are randomly seated in similar-looking chairs. The host then pressed a magic button, which is used to electrocute one unlucky victim. The prank goes on for multiple rounds, so you can watch the incredible reactions of the participants as their butts get mercilessly zapped by chairs. It must be fun to have the opportunity to use the magic button to zap butts one day!
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♬ เสียงต้นฉบับ – โซเดสเน่ วากะตะ – Lonely, come together here.
JAPANESE HORROR INN PRANK
Japan is known not only for funny variety shows full of pranks but also for horror movies with particularly notable imagery. Think Sadako with black hair covering her face while wearing a pure white dress and traditional screen panels getting broken down by whatever creature is on the opposite side. This brutal prank combines the best of both worlds.
Two women were brought into what looks like a traditional Japanese inn, when unbeknownst to them, people were working behind the scenes to give them the biggest fright of their lives. Shortly after entering the inn, the lights turned off and the TV started flickering. Suddenly, a bunch of hands pierced through the screen panel, and a Sadako began approaching them. The participants were so scared that even commenters felt sorry for them! Watch the crazy prank unfold below.
GHOST CHILD PAPER CRANE PRANK
In this lighthearted prank featured in a variety show, a tough-looking guy is at his sister’s house, where she is looking after three of her neighbors’ children. One child handed him a paper crane before heading home. At dinner time, the tough guy starts experiencing supernatural events that the rest of the family claims to be unaware of. He starts hearing voices, sees the curtains suddenly open, and watches as the PC displays a cryptic message that translates to “let’s play.” He seems to be the only one bothered by all this.
After dinner, the family starts cleaning up and tries to throw away the paper crane he received, but he stops them out of fear. Later, the doorbell rings, and the child returns to the house. The tough guy asked the entire family to shield him as he was extremely afraid, only to realize that she wasn’t a ghost and that they had been playing a prank on him the whole time!
APPROACHED BY A FISH-HEADED MAN PRANK
What will you do when a fish-headed man starts walking toward you? This was the scary situation faced by the Japanese idol group NMB48, who seemed to be on their way to an event. As they casually talked amongst themselves while walking, a fish-headed man casually strolled toward them, scaring the girls and prompting them to run. Later, the fish-headed man casually sat down in a staff meeting, scaring the woman directly across him.
The best part about this prank is how casually it was executed. Sometimes even the simplest jokes can be the funniest!
ICONIC DINOSAUR ATTACK PRANK
The dinosaur attack prank is an oldie but a goodie. It’s so unforgettable that we often find ourselves going back to it for a quick laugh! In this simple yet effective prank, targets are surprised by what looks like a dinosaur but is just a person in a lifelike dinosaur suit paired with realistic sound effects. The funniest part is how far these office workers run from the dinosaur without realizing that they’re fake.
Catch a laugh at how each target reacts to the dinosaur. Some fall, some cry, and some even have their wigs taken off! At the end, each target laughs along with how silly the prank is.
SPIDERMAN BEHIND YOU PRANK
Even TV hosts are not immune to getting pranked. In this simple scenario, a person in a Spiderman costume is slowly lowered behind a group of hosts in a popular Japanese television show. At first, they’re focused on delivering information, but when one female host makes a sideways glance, she screams as Spiderman comes into her line of sight. Get a quick laugh out of this lighthearted prank!
IDOL VS TOY DOG PRANK
Japanese idol groups provide fan service and promote themselves by participating in variety shows, which sometimes involve them getting pranked. In this cute challenge, an idol must put her hand inside a box with an item unknown to her, but the audience that clearly see that it houses a harmless moving toy dog. Her groupmates make faces and say “gross,” making her think that there could be something scary inside it. Her fears increase as the toy dog starts to move, but soon she realizes that it isn’t as scary as it seems. The best part about this video is her incredible reactions!
MOVING SUITCASE PRANK
In this simple prank, participants enter their hotel room only to find a suitcase that doesn’t belong to them. They begin by wondering if they had entered the wrong room, or if the suitcase had been incorrectly delivered. All of a sudden, the suitcase sprouts arms and legs, scaring the participants and causing them to run away. It’s like Monster House had come to life!
Check this video here.
MAN CREEPS UP BEHIND YOU PRANK
This easy but effective prank was performed on a famous Japanese announcer, Inoue Seika. She is seen casually walking when a suspicious man in a top hat and suit suddenly starts walking behind her. As she doesn’t notice his presence, he suddenly creeps up to her and yells, scaring Inoue Seika so much that she screams so loudly.
DOWNTOWN NO GAKI NO TSUKAI YA ARAHENDE! – NO LAUGHING PRANK
A Japanese game show called “Downtown no gaki no tsukai ya arahende” translates to “Can’t use the kids from Down Town”. This show has been running since the 1980s and is a very popular variety comedy show hosted by an Owarai duo Hosei Tsukitei and Cocorico.
It features a popular section called a “Batsu Game” or a punishment game! The hosts and guests are in a high school classroom situation, where they have to perform acts of punishment on themselves, and the aim is not to laugh! If they do laugh, they’ll have to be whacked on their ‘rear posterior’ with a bat.
As the “class” proceeds, hilarious scenarios are played out, often which are impossible not to laugh at. In this clip, a man tries to wash himself with buckets full of what seems to be wax. It’s silly and nonsensical, which drives the audience to fits of laughter.
Enjoy Top-Tier Japanese Comedy!
In the world of humor and hijinks, Japanese pranks stand out the most for their originality and sheer entertainment value. Whether it’s a harmless gag or a masterfully orchestrated setup, these pranks offer a delightful glimpse into the world of Japanese prank shows.
So go ahead, share these Japanese prank show videos with friends, and let the laughter—and perhaps a few happy tears—begin!
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