Quick, tell me, which one is the Shampoo and which the Conditioner in the picture below?

Not that easy without speaking Japanese, isn’t it?

Of course you will also find bottles were at least the words “Shampoo” and “Conditioner” are in English, but like those in the picture, there are also bottles, that only have Japanese.

After coming to Japan I noticed, that more often than not, Shampoo and Conditioner are sold in pairs and usually in absolutely identical pump-bottles. This might probably be also true for other countries, but in Germany never had a problem, because the Shampoo came in a bottle and the Conditioner in a tube.

For Visitors in Japan it can be especially challenging, because they often don’t speak Japanese and are suddenly confronted with “Japanese only” bottles.

But what if I told you it takes only a second to know which one is the Shampoo when you are standing in front of it? And you don’t even have to read anything!

This is actually one of those simple and clever Designs, that I find so often here in Japan. The answer to the problem becomes very clear, once you see the bottles from above.

Do you see the three little bumps on the bottle head on the left? That’s the Shampoo. Those three little lines, that you can immediately feel when touching the head of the bottle, are not a particular design for just one brand or one company. You will find them on every Shampoo bottle in Japan and they will make your life easier.

But they are not only helpful for people who can’t read Japanese. Maybe you are in the shower, all lathered up, and can’t open your eyes to find the Shampoo or maybe reading without your glasses is just not that easy. Either way it’s no problem – thanks to the three little bumps!

So, the next time you are visiting Japan, look out for this simple but effective design.