Japanese apps tend to have a cool factor that other apps can’t touch. Sometimes the apps coming out of Japan aren’t necessarily productive or useful apps, but they’re a great deal of fun all the same. If you’re tired of Tweeting and you don’t have any more birds to sling, it’s time to explore the world of useless apps from Japan.

Don’t get me wrong, the word “useless” used here is used endearingly. These apps will have you spending those idle hours creatively in no time. Not to mention the fact that these apps are also filled with vibrant colors and great noises. Without further adieu, I bring you three apps from Japan that have no use, but are lots of fun.

Broadway CafГ© -- $4.99

Ever wondered what it’s like to work in a cafГ©? Have you had dreams of becoming a chef? Well, Broad CafГ© lets you fulfill those dreams. In a highly developed, really nice to look at, app sort of way, Broadway CafГ© is a game that puts you in the midst of a busy cafГ©.

Work tables, cook, organize the books, and create your cafГ© dГ©cor with this app. You can also connect the app to Facebook, so that you can share your cafГ© duties with your Facebook friends (you can recruit).

Samurai Chess -- $2.99

Does this one really need an explanation? If you love chess and you’ve always dreamed about becoming a samurai, this app’s for you. This 3D game allows you to play with people from all over the world. You can challenge other samurais to a game of chess or you can dress up as a samurai and play chess at home – the choice is yours.

GottaDo2 -- $2.99

This app is a bit more productive (and perhaps not as useless) as the other apps mentioned above. GottaDo2 is a checklist app of sorts. You add items to your “To Do” list using the provided checklist. Once items have been checked off, the checked items “feed” tiny monsters who are waiting to devour your productivity. As you feed them, the monsters included in this app will grow. You’ll also be encouraged to do stuff if you feed your monsters regularly. If you love monsters and checklists, this is an app not to be missed.

Quick Pigeon – Free

Sometimes a “yes” or “no” answer will do. This push app allows you to reply to a friend’s question by sending a carrier pigeon to your friend. The virtual pigeon delivers a yes or no answer. Again, not a necessary app, but a really fun one!

Apps That You Need

The word “need” and the word “app” don’t necessarily need to go together. Apps are meant to be fun, and productivity is just a bonus. If you have to do a task (such as keep a “to do” list), why not have some fun with it? These apps from Japan turn mundane tasks into tasks that you’ll actually want to do. So what if you’ve never run a cafГ©? You can always pretend – that is, after all, what imagination is for!