Japan is Serious about Pest Control

Though they can be found all year round, summer in Tokyo is prime time for cockroaches. After spotting a big one, chasing it into my shower room with cockroach spray and then discovering two more that I had to bravely combat with the effective (if not super fast) pesticide, I decided it was time to bring in the big guns of Japanese cockroach control: the mother of all roach motels, "Gokiburi Hoi-Hoi," or "Cockroach, Shoo-Shoo."


As you can see from this adorably illustrated explanation, the happy-go-lucky cockroach is entranced by the smell of the bait (which recreates the scents of beef, shrimp, vegetables, etc) and cannot help but be drawn into the trap. After wiping its feet on the door mat (which removes any oil or water that could reduce the trap's effectiveness) like a polite little cockroach, it soon finds itself stuck to the super sticky floor inside. It then apparently proceeds to do a comedic "Oh no, my leg is stuck, now my other leg is stuck, now I'm even more stuck!" routine similar to when someone accidentally superglues something to their hand on TV.


The aforementioned "foot-wiping mat," complete with adorable, drunk-looking, cartoon cockroach.


The supposedly delicious-smelling bait placed in the center of the sticky floor.

After a surprising amount of construction on my part, I ended up with the finished product:
They really spared no expense in the design of this roach house...notice the snoozing cat on the roof and the weather vane (which serves as a handy tab to pick up when it is time to throw the trap and its inhabitants away). And of course, they made sure to include the healthy, happy, cartoon cockroach looking out the window to trick the real cockroaches into believing there is nothing suspicious going on inside.
"Don't be a pussy, this looks legit."--The last words of every cockroach to see this house, ever.