Weird food you'll only find in Japan

Most countries have food favourites that seem a tad bizarre - or worse, disgusting - to visitors from other nations.

And Japan comes pretty much top of the list when it comes to unique local fare (aka really weird food) that other nationalities might not find appetising.

See also: Japan opens a restaurant offering poo-flavoured curry

Here are some of the odd and wonderful things you can eat: 10 bizarre foods you'll only see in Japan.

10. Square watermelon
This fruit is carefully grown in cubes, forcing the melon to conform to the shape of the container. Despite the fact the process compromises their flavour, it doesn't stop people from shelling out big money to grab one for decorating or gifting purposes.

See also: Foods that can kill you: The world's most dangerous dinners

9. Canned bread
Yep. Really. Vending machines are wildly popular in Japan, and bread-in-a-can is one of the many items on offer in them. Flavour options vary, but historically have included raisin and orange.

8. Tamagogani
Can't decide between shellfish and a crisp, salty snack? Reach for a bag of these dried little hermit crabs. Some makers even throw in a bit of sugar, resulting in a treat that is both sweet and savoury.

See also: These are the world's weirdest restaurants

7. Wasp crackers
Insects are high in nutritional value and wasps nibbles are a delicacy in some parts. The airborne nuisances are captured, boiled, and dried. Then they are thrown in to the batter and baked to a crisp golden brown.

6. Mountain Dew Cheetos
Of course, they have the beloved beverage's sweet, citrus flavor, but they also carry a kick few first-timers likely expect. The puffs are carbonated, giving the surprising simultaneous sensations of both fizz and crunch.

5. Basashi ice cream
The base flavour is plain old vanilla, but the chewy inclusions are something decidedly less mainstream-raw horse meat. One upside is that equine flesh is very lean, making it a fairly health-conscious option.

4. Shirako
While that translates as 'white children,' what it really means is sperm sac. The material is extracted from cod and, depending upon the cook, served up raw or cooked. Some describe the texture as 'creamy' while others have less favourable words for the dish.

3. Spaghetti popsicles
A big, frozen chunk of blended pasta and red sauce sounds yucky, but these icy treats are more of a take on the idea of spaghetti. There is tomato involved, however it's sweetened up considerably.

2. Mayonnaise milkshake
Japan is clearly not a nation to hold back when it comes to experimenting with frozen puds. So why not take mayonnaise, one of the nation's most popular condiments, and blend it up with some ice cream? It makes for one very creamy drink... Mmm...

1. Dancing squid
If you like your seafood fresh, this could be the dish for you. The creature is presented shortly after being rendered dead, and as such still has active muscle cells. When soy sauce is poured over the squid, those cells respond to the salt, and the legs begin to flail about.

Has that made you hungry?
Then see our photos of weird food from all over the world in the slideshow below...