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Enjoy bath, Japanese style images

Enjoy bath, Japanese style

Enjoy taking bath with Babu(Bub), a popular Japanese bath tablet to Relax after Exploring Japan on Foot.All travelers know how sight seeing can be exhausting. Especially walking around on foot, taking trains and metro etc with lots of stairs before and after the ride in metropolitan areas i…(394 words)

mimichan image

mimichan

Massage and Japan images

Massage and Japan

Massage therapy is omnipresent everywhere in big cities: Temomin, Global Sports, Raffine, Queensway... and many others.For a very reasonable amount of time you can reload up, without killing your travel budget. Going to a massage therapy place is a real treat to yourself. Your menu goes l…(340 words)

Claire image

Claire

Buying Protein and Sports Supplements in Japan images

Buying Protein and Sports Supplements in Japan

To maintain muscle mass and optimal athletic performance, it’s important to adhere to a strict training and diet regimen. That’s why it’s essential that gym-goers and athletes always be able to access the supplements that they need. Unfortunately, buying protein and sports supplements in Japan hasn…(481 words)

Alexandrine image

Alexandrine

LOOK application makes you to understand Japanese product by your native language images

LOOK application makes you to understand Japanese product by your native language

▼ Download “LOOK”https://look-goods.com/en“LOOK” is an application that allows foreign tourists in Japan to understand information about Japanese products in their own native language, and share the information with friends and family back in their home country. It aims to clear up the awkwar…(293 words)

R2C8 image

R2C8

Parking in Japan images

Parking in Japan

Parking in Japan is actually quite complicated. You don't need to be in Japan very long to notice that there is not much street parking. There are some parking metered areas, but there are way more cars in commercial car parks than there are on the streets.In fact, it is basically illegal to park…(675 words)

StevieB image

StevieB

What does the kiosk on the train platform offer? images

What does the kiosk on the train platform offer?

A convenience store on the train platform where you can buy very basic stuffs! Kiosk offers best possible basic needs with a minimum space on the train platform. We had Kiosk even before all the convenience stores did not exist. As each Kiosk store has only one staff, they use a lot of full…(221 words)

totowatanabe image

totowatanabe

Must Have Japanese Souvenirs: Tenugui images

Must Have Japanese Souvenirs: Tenugui

If you're looking for a souvenir that is truly Japanese, look no further than "tenugui" - a thin hand towel made of cotton. Although the idea of a hand towel as a gift sounds simple, and it well may be, tenugui also happen to be one of the most popular souvenirs you can buy in Japan - popular even …(280 words)

Former Deep Japan Writer image

Former Deep Japan Writer

Cheap, Used Books at Japanese Store Book Off images

Cheap, Used Books at Japanese Store Book Off

I used to be an avid manga reader and I would always buy my manga at bookoff. Buying a manga brand new will cost you about 400 yen while one at bookoff will only be 105yen. The books are usually in good condition and buying second hand is more ecological. Bookoff has other things you can buy. The b…(84 words)

GenS image

GenS

We do negotiate prices sometimes in appropriate situations! images

We do negotiate prices sometimes in appropriate situations!

In most B2C cases, Japanese consumers don't negotiate prices and most shop clerks don't have the power to lower them, but in some situations we do! When we go buy electronic appliances, PC's, tablets, etc. at some mass merchandise stores/outlets such as Yamada Denki (LABI), BIC Camera, Yodobash…(348 words)

maxnino image

maxnino

Japanese sweets : “Yatsuhashi” images

Japanese sweets : “Yatsuhashi”

When you visit one of Japanese historic city, Kyoto, I would like to recommend its famous sweets “Yatsuhashi” for souvenir. It’s hard baked cracker having a cinnamon flavor. The name comes from Kengyo Yatsuhashi, a good “koto”(a long Japanese zither) player. Therefore Yatsuhashi cracker looks like …(57 words)

OKAKI-sun image

OKAKI-sun

Origami Shop & Exhibition at Narita Airport images

Origami Shop & Exhibition at Narita Airport

Flying is not always fun, but this origami paper and book store can help make waiting at Narita a little better. When you fly out of Tokyo´s Narita airport, go to Nippon Origami Museum. It has books about origami, origami papers, and a selection of paper art on display. Check out the origami p…(204 words)

David image

David

Kamata: The Most Beautiful Knives in Tokyo images

Kamata: The Most Beautiful Knives in Tokyo

Kappabashi, Tokyo's kitchenware wholesaler's district, is a treasure trove of gorgeous ceramics, unusual spices, pots and pans of all sizes and, of course, Japan's world-class knives.No place glitters more than Kamata Hakensha, a bustling shop where every surface is covered with perfect, sharp …(303 words)

Chiara image

Chiara

Must Have Japanese Souvenirs: Gachapon images

Must Have Japanese Souvenirs: Gachapon

Spend any amount of time in Japan and you'll inevitably run into one. Whether it's at your local supermarket, drug store, or Yodabashi Camera, gachapon machines are practically everywhere."Gachapon" or "gashapon" are vending machine-dispensed capsule toys that are extremely popular in Japan.The…(181 words)

Former Deep Japan Writer image

Former Deep Japan Writer

Monozukuri products, made in Japan with skill and craftmanship images

Monozukuri products, made in Japan with skill and craftmanship

Tenugui towels, mini works of art“If you're looking for a souvenir that is truly Japanese, look no further than "tenugui" - a thin hand towel made of cotton. Although the idea of a hand towel as a gift sounds simple, and it well may be, tenugui also happen to be one of the most popular souveni…(456 words)

DeepJapan image

DeepJapan

Tenugui - Printed Textiles with Japanese Patterns images

Tenugui - Printed Textiles with Japanese Patterns

Tenugui are small pieces of cloth for everyday use. They make perfect gifts and souvenirs. Now many Japanese carry small towels in their bags, but before the more fluffy towels became popular tenugui was widely used.A tenugui is a thin piece of cloth made from cotton. It dries very quickly, is …(334 words)

David image

David

Mandarake images

Mandarake

Buying manga and anime anywhere in Japan is easy. It is available pretty much anywhere. After all, nearly every convenience store and station kiosk has a pretty broad selection of manga, for children and adults. And since there are Tsutaya and Geo shops all over Japan, you can almost as easily f…(487 words)

mikekato image

mikekato

How do parking lots in Japan work? images

How do parking lots in Japan work?

I think today’s multi-story car parking lot systems are the fruit of many years' labor to utilize the limited area we have in Japan. Some popular parking lots in Tokyo cost 50,000 yen per month. You think this is outrageous? Yep, I agree it’s very expensive. But, without multi-story car park sy…(127 words)

totowatanabe image

totowatanabe

Tips on Japanese 100 Yen shops (Top 3 Best Buy & Worst Buy) images

Tips on Japanese 100 Yen shops (Top 3 Best Buy & Worst Buy)

100 yen shops are a type of store that sells a variety of products for 100 yen (100 yen plus 5 percent consumption tax). They sell processed foods, cosmetic accessories, tableware, cookware, commodities such as batteries and stationary.My recommended Top 3 Best Buys are cosmetics, ceramic tablewa…(318 words)

Eddie image

Eddie

Tomsung&Co: Outstanding Tailor in Yokohama Chinatown images

Tomsung&Co: Outstanding Tailor in Yokohama Chinatown

If you are looking for a high-quality tailor in Japan, you should definitely check out Tomsung&Co. in Yokohama Chinatown. This Chinese tailor has been operating in Yokohama since the end of the Meiji era. They have a living heritage of the history!The port of Yokohama was officially opened in 1…(371 words)

Suetsumuhana image

Suetsumuhana

Must Have Japanese Souvenirs: BUNBOGU images

Must Have Japanese Souvenirs: BUNBOGU

Let me introduce Japanese Stationary as the 2nd must have Japanese souvenirs*. In Japan, girls are energetic to have cute stationary and businessmen are interested in using cool gadgets and writing materials. One of the most popular shops is LOFT. The one in Shibuya is the main store, but there a…(159 words)

Keiko, OTT image

Keiko, OTT

How to Negotiate Cheaper Prices for Japanese Products? images

How to Negotiate Cheaper Prices for Japanese Products?

Well, to be honest, I've been in Japan some 25 years and never negotiated a price. Well, maybe okay, at the electronics store in Akihabara or when buying real estate. I've noticed a big hint that negotiating is possible is when the clerk pulls out a calculator. So, if you sort of hesitate in front …(179 words)

5@example.com image

5@example.com

What Japan is proud of - Craftsmanship! : Japanese Watches II images

What Japan is proud of - Craftsmanship! : Japanese Watches II

Part 1 - Evolution of the "Timepieces"1st Floor mainly focuses on the evolution of the timepieces.(1) The Start of Time MeasurementEquatorial Sundial made in Qing Dynasty, China (see photo)Chomon points the Polaris, and it casts the shadow on the dial parallel to the equator. Hour ma…(527 words)

KIH image

KIH

How about making your own original wagashi at this warm-hearted Japanese confectionery? images

How about making your own original wagashi at this warm-hearted Japanese confectionery?

The sweet-maker “Japanese Confectionery Mirakuan”, famous for their “Mikan Monaka” sweets, offers visitors the chance to experience making wagashi, traditional Japanese sweets.The company founder and chairman Noboru Murofushi came to greet me (photo 1). In his smart, cool white confectioner’s apr…(1109 words)

Kanagawa P.G.T.D. image

Kanagawa P.G.T.D.

Bringing Japanese Tabi to the World images

Bringing Japanese Tabi to the World

Japanese people typically wear tabi when they dress up in Japanese clothes, such as kimono.These resemble socks apart from the fact that the big toe is separated out from the other toes. These days most people wear western clothes and few Japanese wear tabi on a daily basis.Musashino Uniform Co…(346 words)

HiraganaTimes image

HiraganaTimes

Where to Gyaru images

Where to Gyaru

The area between Shibuya and Harajuku is Mecca for Japanese "Gyaru," cool young girls. The two places where these girls converge in each location is at 109 in Shibuya and Takeshita Street in Harajuku. 109 is a department store, where many of the most popular Gyaru brands have their prestige shops…(190 words)

mikekato image

mikekato

Best Tourist Souvenir-- Samurai Umbrella! images

Best Tourist Souvenir-- Samurai Umbrella!

Purchasing a real samurai sword in Japan is very difficult, especially after they enforced the laws against the possession of knives a couple years ago. I also assume that taking a samurai sword out of Japan will definitely be a hassle at the airport. A better option might be purchasing the samurai…(112 words)

GenS image

GenS

The World's Largest Uniqlo Store in Japan images

The World's Largest Uniqlo Store in Japan

The world's largest Uniqlo (Japan's largest and most popular clothing brand) store opened recently in Ginza on the main shopping street. I happened to pass by the other day and could not stop myself from stepping in, stupefied by the sheer size. The store has 12 floors and sells pretty much every p…(196 words)

GenS image

GenS

Weird Japanese Devices: Vegetabrella images

Weird Japanese Devices: Vegetabrella

I found this site Japan Ichiban that is an online shop for cool things from Japan. I particularly like this vegetable umbrella and will probably by this for my mom to take back to her for Christmas this year. It is fun to browse through the different items since they have sourced them from around t…(102 words)

5@example.com image

5@example.com

Japanese candy will offer great packaging and unique flavors images

Japanese candy will offer great packaging and unique flavors

You can't go wrong buying Japanese candy. You will see some of the most creative packaging that will make the person receiving the candy wonder whether to open the candy or display it. It can look traditional or futuristic. But you are probably wondering what does it taste like and that is the mo…(169 words)

JudithMikami image

JudithMikami

A Few of the Best Stationery Shops in Japan images

A Few of the Best Stationery Shops in Japan

If you want to find some amazing stationery in Tokyo or Kyoto, here are some of the best shops:* Ito-Ya: This is a famous chain in Tokyo, with multiple locations. Definitely visit the one in Ginza, which is right near the main intersection in central Ginza, and has an incredible selection of ca…(157 words)

Andres image

Andres

Hand-made Camping Knife and where to buy and sharpen knives. images

Hand-made Camping Knife and where to buy and sharpen knives.

Snow Peak is a famous camping equipment manufacturer from the Tsubame Sanjo area of Niigata Prefecture. It was started by the father of the current president as a manufacturer of carpentry and work tools. But Yukio Yamai, the founder, was an experienced mountaineer, so he decided that he should m…(431 words)

mikekato image

mikekato

Funny English (Sexy) images

Funny English (Sexy)

There are many examples of strange English in japan, as well as the rest of Asia. Strange English is found, in fact, on signs throughout the world. But some of the most strange English is found on t-shirts. I wonder who writes the copy? Many of these provide the foreign visitor with a great lau…(200 words)

mikekato image

mikekato

Japanese Vending Machines: Food Tickets images

Japanese Vending Machines: Food Tickets

Many shops and restaurants have ticket vending machines at the entrance or outside. Ramen, soba, or udon noodle stores often have them. Some gyudon restaurants like Matsuya also use the ticket machines.To pay and order put in money and then select what you want to eat or drink. If you want to o…(156 words)

David image

David

Shoes Fit for a King images

Shoes Fit for a King

I like shoes. Not enough to have 3000 pairs, like the wife of a former Asian dictator, but I think good shoes are a very important thing. A good pair of shoes keeps our feet on the ground, after all.Atsushi Inoue is a Shoe Creator. Not just any shoemaker. His shoes are, no doubt, a mixture …(294 words)

mikekato image

mikekato

Flee markets: an alternative to shop souvenirs images

Flee markets: an alternative to shop souvenirs

There are so many things you can bring back home as souvenir from Japan that sometimes, choice and possibilities are overwhelming. It's so difficult to decide which souvenir will please the best to who...And, everyone does not always enjoy "shopping" per se. So you rush to some kind of souvenir…(476 words)

Claire image

Claire

Shopping in Sogo! images

Shopping in Sogo!

My favorite department store is Sogo, which can be found near major stations and city areas. I go to Sogo for different errands. The second floor of the basement (B2) is a great place to buy food on the go, go grocery shopping and purchase Japanese sweets and cakes as souvenirs for your family. I l…(262 words)

RieS image

RieS

Kendama images

Kendama

A kendama is a Japanese traditional toy. It can be played anywhere and popular among many people regardless of age. There are different tricks for the toy and you are required to master them if you are to join special competitions. I think Kendama can be used as an unique and effective tool when yo…(80 words)

OKAKI-sun image

OKAKI-sun

What Japan is proud of - Craftsmanship! : Japanese Watches images

What Japan is proud of - Craftsmanship! : Japanese Watches

I had an opportunity to visit the Museum and as a SEIKO watch fan, had a very good time there. Here is the highlights of the Exhibit for those who cannot make it here. Those who visit Tokyo and have time, I highly recommend to visit this place. Note also that it is close to other popular tourist…(188 words)

KIH image

KIH

Japanese Souvenirs @ Can Do, Meguro Tokyo images

Japanese Souvenirs @ Can Do, Meguro Tokyo

Tokyu Store Super Market is located on the first floor of our multi-tenant building, and on the 2nd floor, there is a 100 Yen Shop, Can Do. So it is very convenient for us to buy anything. Can Do now has many kinds of Japanese souvenirs for foreign travelers, and I found good ones.Sushi magnets…(257 words)

skymaho image

skymaho

TIROL Chocolate 20 yen each images

TIROL Chocolate 20 yen each

You should go to a Japanese convenience store and buy TIROL chocolate for your friends! TIROL chocolate is very famous and I bet almost everybody knows. Originally they were introduced to the market 40 years ago and for the time being, they were sold at 10 yen each so that even little childre…(117 words)

EmiOnishi image

EmiOnishi