DAILY DIRT: Strange museum exhibition in Japan allows visitors to experience the smell of various animals’ rear ends

Daily Dirt for Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Just when you think you had heard of everything, right? … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 1,343 of The Daily Dirt.

1. Well, this stinks. I mean it really, really stinks.

A museum in Japan is gaining worldwide attention for an unusual and rather eyebrow-raising exhibition. Kobe’s Atoa Aquarium is allowing visitors to sniff how different animals smell — specifically, their butts. It just might be the the strangest museum exhibition on the globe.

Japan is renowned for its diverse cultural offerings, unconventional furniture, technology, cinema literature, and artistry. But this?

This interactive museum challenges the traditional idea of what a museum should be by appealing to an unexpected sense: smell.

It may look like a typical animal photo gallery, but as you lean in a little closer, you will discover a fascinating display — framed photos of animals, each with a small opening near the portrait.

“Through these small holes, visitors can take a whiff, offering one of the strangest olfactory experiences they are likely to encounter,” writes Giselle Soo for thestar.com. “The scents, claimed to be artificially enhanced, aim to mimic the natural musk of each animal.”

People can approach their nose and smell the photographs. Among the animals exhibited are: penguins, tigers, orangutans and numerous others. A video recently shared on social media platforms has attracted more than 13 million views.

2. Did you know (Part 426)

• That instant noodles are the most consumed food in the world.
• That the last MLB pitcher to throw 100 strikes in a game was Randy Johnson in 2002. That’s 100 STRIKES, not 100 pitches.
• That Lay’s is releasing yet another new chip flavor: Argentinian Style Steak.
• That Tic-Tac sour apple flavors are now available in stores.
• That Coffee Mate will soon have two new Harry Potter-based flavors: “Cauldron Cake” and “Peppermint Toad”.
• That for Twinkie lovers, the Orange Creme Pop flavor is returning soon.

3. The Baseball History site on Facebook has released its all all quarter-century team (2000-25):

First base: Albert Pujols.

Second base: Jose Altuve.

Shortstop: Derek Jeter.

Third base: Adrian Beltre.

Catcher: Buster Posey.

Left field: Barry Bonds.

Center field: Mike Trout.

Right field: Aaron Judge.

DH: David Ortiz.

Utility: Mookie Betts.

Starting pitchers: Clayton Kershaw, Justin Verlander, Roy Halladay, Max Scherzer.

Relievers: Trevor Hoffman, Mariano Rivera.

Steve Thought O’ The Day — Catcher may be the position on that all-quarter century team that stirs the most debate. I’m sure Cardinals fans would push for Yadier Molina. And what about first-ballot Hall of Famer Joe Mauer? (And maybe, just maybe, a place needs to be found for Shohei Ohtani? Ichiro Suzuki would also be a good conversation piece.)

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. Ichiro not being listed is criminal. Bonds retired in 2007, so why is he on a 2001-2025 list? You could also consider A-Rod in place of Beltre.