Worried about your exams? Try an octopus or a Kit Kat!

A couple of little Japanese plays on words for those of you who are a bit superstitious.

The official word for "octopus" in Japanese is たこ (tako), but the transliteration into katakana makes it オクトパス (okutopasu). This can also be written as 置くとパス ("put it and pass"), which has turned our friend into a bit of a good luck charm for Japanese students wanting to pass their exams. Put a little octopus doll on your desk and you can't go wrong!

Green tea flavoured Kit Kat - a must-try if you come over here

Similarly, the Japanese word for Kit Kat (キットカツ - kitto katsu) can be written as きっと勝つ ("win for sure"). The next time you have an exam to pass or a game to win, keep it in mind!