Source: shimizu (@shiroiinu432) - image used with permission

A bear in a hot pot? The Japanese picture puzzle that has netizens stumped

You've probably seen hidden picture puzzles before. Where's Wally? (Where's Waldo? in the US) is a famous example that comes to mind.

Japanese Twitter user shimizu (@shiroiinu432), known for his illustrations and picture books, posted such a hidden picture puzzle, and it has many netizens stumped!

In what seems to be a delicious-looking Japanese hot pot dish, complete with strips of pork, fish balls, tofu, shirataki noodles, flower-cut carrot slices, Napa cabbage leaves, Chrysanthemum greens, Welsh onions, king oyster mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, and enoki mushrooms, he tells us that "a bear is hiding."

Can you find it?

Reproduced with permission from shimizu (@shiroiinu432)

Some of you may not have been able to spot it no matter how hard you tried.

If you're ready for the answer, scroll down

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Among the white stalks of Welsh onion behind the shiitake mushrooms at the top right of the pot, look closely at the concentric circles of the left-most stalk. You should find a cute little white bear inside! (If it's hard to make out, click here to see the image in its original size.)

The post was widely viewed and elicited comments such as:

  • "I couldn't find it at all. The whole time, I was thinking: 'Is it really here?' Sorry for doubting you."
  • "I couldn't find it, so I was thinking: 'the meat is bear meat' or 'the pattern of the fish balls is a bear" or something like that. But yes, there is actually a bear!"
  • "I managed to find it on my own! I'm so glad!"
  • "It's a great feeling when you find it because it's so difficult!"
  • "It's fun to play like this once in a while. Takes me back to when I was a kid!"

In addition to providing a challenging puzzle, maybe the illustration also made some netizens hungry for Japanese hot pot!

Speaking of bears in a hot pot, such a thing actually exists in Japan. No actual bears are involved, but if you're curious, see our review of the "Teddy Bear Hot Spring" hot pot restaurant.

By - grape Japan editorial staff.

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