February is always so cold in Japan. This winter has seen record snowfall across the country. Akihabara, Tokyo's geek mecca, has a way to warm up: hot underpants.

Earlier this month and for a limited time only, sex toy shop M's Akihabara sold piping hot stripped underpants. Priced at ¥800 (US$10.44), the hot panties came in three colors: pink, green, and blue.

The young lady staffing the stand even served up each "hot shima pan" as if were a meat bun, picking up the rolled garments with tongs, and putting it in wrapping paper. Puns abound as "pan" here refers to "pantsu" or underpants; "pan" (パン) is also Japanese for bread.

The stripped drawers were kept warm under heat lamps—the kind you usually see at Japanese convenience stores housing meat buns—which boasted that they underpants were fresh (from the oven), tongue planted firmly in cheek.

ついに出た。人肌に温めた「ホット縞パン」。冬はHOTで [Akiba Blog]