SINGAPORE — With the exchange rate increasingly in our favour, there’s never a better time to head for the Land of the Rising Sun. As you load up on shopping and sushi, don’t forget to soak in a bit of culture, too. Paris’ Cluny Museum’s tapestries are currently on show at the National Art Centre in Tokyo till July 15, before heading to the National Museum of Art in Osaka from July 26. If history or art museums are too serious or ahem, boring, for you, have fun instead at these unusual ones. SERENE LIM

1. Be a pest at Meguro Parasitological Museum

Leave it to the Japanese to be so fascinated by bugs that they’ve created the world’s only museum dedicated to critters. They’ve even got an 8.8m tapeworm taken from the body of a 40-year-old man. It gets more than 50,000 visitors every year — which could also be because entrance is free. And of course there’s a souvenir stall to bring back something creepy and crawly for your loved ones.

2. Slurp it up at the

Cup Noodle Museum

The first Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum in Osaka proved to be such a hit that in 2011, a second, grander one called the Cup Noodle Museum opened in Yokohama in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of that humble late night staple. Drool over 3,000 different packages and be sure to make your own cup noodle flavour.

3. Get googly-eyed at

Kyoto International

Manga Museum

The home of the world’s largest manga-related materials, this is a must-visit for fans. Besides the astounding Wall of Manga stocked with 50,000 manga publications (including 5,500 translated volumes) you can read, visit the experts at work at the Manga Studio Editor’s Desk and take your creations along to seek their opinions.