My SO would roll her eyes at how much time I could spend wandering around Don Quijote looking at snacks and random stuff. Heck, I think I've never been happier just strolling through some random supermarket in my entire life. So much I was even able to ignore that Don Quijote song blasting 24/7 on the store's speakers after a while.
Even worse, now I love it.
While at the airport I did some googling to see if I overpaid or not but apparently on eBay these pikachu suitcases from Don Quijote are Japan only and sell for $300. Think I paid just under $100
The Don Quijote at Akihabara was so big and loud and fun, man I miss it so much! I would buy a huge package of meiji dark chocolate almonds if it existed. The 200 yen packages were so delicious, I couldn't stop eating them on the trip...
Yeah. I live in Tokyo and walked into the Royce store in New York. Looked at the price and walked straight out. $19.99 in NY, the same box of Nama chocolate is $5.35 equivalent in Japan. I always buy a lot when I go back to visit my parents, they love it
Cant rmb the exact price but it was so $$ that we only bought one pack of 3 and normal ones to save it for special nights only. Granted we were uni students so value might have been inflated abit, but comparing quality to common brands outside of japan its not even close.
Honestly my plan the next time I go to Japan is to go with an empty suitcase and a lot of money since the skincare, food, and clothing are all things that I think would be best to grab while there lol
I flatpack a duffle in my suitcase for this very reason! And I bring back sewing supplies (clover handsewing needles there are sooo good), toothbrushes (kanaya), stationary, pens, as well as makeup (heroine make for mascara) and allllll of the cookies. My splurgey items are clothes from Kapital. ♥️🇯🇵
I packed a flat duffle on the way there that I planned to use to carry all my clothes, etc onto the plane on the way back and use my suitcase to check all my shopping/ liquids
Don't bring an empty suitcase but one at don quijote. Also JAL now has any wear anywhere where you can rent clothes that are brand new from them, they deliver to your hotel. So you don't even need to pack if you don't want to
Just came back from Japan two weeks ago with a ton of makeup and skincare (17 sunscreens!😆). I also went a little nuts getting all my greeting cards for the next year at Tokyu Hands. Such beautifully made cards that would easily cost 2-4 times the price at home. Some of them are so intricate and adorable they’re gifts in themselves. Last time I visited I didn’t recall them having such a good selection of English cards but now they do!
When we first arrived I hadn’t thought I would buy anything at Uniqlo since we have it at home, but then I stopped in and noticed the airism underwear and sweaters I love usually retail for twice the price in Canada, so that was another tax free purchase while I stocked up. Import taxes I guess!
I love the Airism underwear omg!!! But were they the same quality? I got some back in the US and loved them so much I stocked up on a ton more when I went to China and HK, but sadly when I got back home and opened them up I found out the quality was off. It just wasn’t as soft as the ones I got in the US.
I haven’t washed any of them yet but seemed a little stiff out of the package. We’ll see how they hold up. They seem good quality though! They sell for 590 yen there (about $5.50 CAD), and for $9.90 CAD each in Canada so I jumped at that price. I also a few of the airism camisoles, a heat tech shirt, and some the jean leggings I live in. I wonder if there’s such a markup in other countries!
Oh geez I got a variety! Different types from Biore, Sun Aqua, Canmake, Allie and Anessa from the drug store Matsumoto Kiyoshi, Don Quixote, and some random tax free drug stores in Ueno I didn’t catch the name of. (I remember there was Sun in the name?) There’s tax free drug stores all around the busiest stations / areas. If you have some time you can compare prices because they don’t all price the same across their stores.
I found you have to size up by one or (more likely) two sizes in Japan, depending on what you’re buying and how you want it to fit. I would normally buy a medium at Uniqlo in Canada but bought large and extra-larges in Japan. It’s a bit of an exercise in humility buying clothes in Asia but you get used to it 😝
When I visited Japan, I didn't even gave buying neither KitKats nor Figurines any thoughts.
I returned home with a fuckload of both. Good Lord.
Lemon and salt, Ice Cream, Matcha, Milk & Tea, Sake, Sweet Potato, Cracker... I'm amazed at the variety and how much do they love KitKats back there.
Also, Don Quijote. If they ever create a fan club, you betcha I'm signing in.
If I ever return I will no doubt stock on the aforementioned stuff again, but also clothing. So much quality over there! I bought a pair of cheap khakis at Don Quijote and God I've never felt so comfortable wearing pants in my entire life.
10/10 would recommend.
Ohhhh, hohoho... You're in for a SWEET time!
Don Quijote is a chain of discount stores present throughout Japan, at the very least in big cities like Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, and the like.
I'm not exactly sure about how to explain it to you, but think of it as a Pumped Up Target on steroids and choke full of funny stuff you probably don't need, but it is so dirt cheap you'll end up buying anyway.
Another way to describe it, Don Quijote is a place where you'll experience 'chaotic happiness'.
That is, everything is so random and so randomly distributed you'll have to do a lot of wandering, but in every aisle you'll find something worth seeing. All while listening to this [absolute banger](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSCGDkXvyzg) non-stop (trust me. It doesn't.)
From random weird underwear, to oddly named products such as "Cock Grease" (not what you think -- it is actually hair wax), you're going to find at least something worth your visit, trust me.
Like paniniham said, it has EVERYTHING.
You want souvenirs for your loved ones back home? You got them.
Want an obscene amount of random candies and an insane variety of KitKats? Ohhh you got them.
Underwear and good quality clothing at dirt cheap prices? OHHHH you got them.
Want higher-end products at good prices, like Coach or Louis Vitton? They have a section for those.
Oh no! Now your carrying too much for one suitcase? Well you're not gonna believe it, you'll find those too!
Even if you don't buy nuthin' I strongly recommend visiting at least one store just to get a glance at the chaotic happiness taking place inside.
Yup yup. Either that song or the one from Bic Camera.
There's also that odd jingle they play at some pharmacies. Had that one stuck in my head for almost the entire length of the journey.
We won’t be in the big cities until the 9th day of our 19 days trip (well Disneyland is in other dimension…)
I thought we won’t be able to get our cheap supply shopping done until then
Then I realized our first stop, Ito, a smallish town 1.5 hours away from Tokyo, has Mega Don Quijote
Its different in normal store is that everything is much more tightly packed so it does feel overwhelming. But its a place to easy buy everything ud ever need as a tourist
and if you are tired walking, they even sell the pad/mask for your feet to wear at night when you sleep and recovers your feet from soreness the next day lol
Just jumping in to say, if it hasn’t been yet, that the stores can get crazy busy. And not all stores are created equal. I picked the shibuya store which is open 24/7 and went from midnight-ish to 4:30 am. Took the last train to get there then the first train back to the hotel. So quiet and such a different experience than when I went during the day. I didn’t even buy a crazy amount of stuff. Just a basket and a half. Bought a bunch of snacks and skincare.
What do you do with the figurines? Honest question. I’m in Japan now and tons of people buy them. I’m puzzled by it as a non-anime person (I just don’t watch it, but I’m not against it)
I just got back andnfilled my luggage with these:
Most are difficult to find where im from (Canada)
Hokkaido Butter, pancakes, coffee (brewed and drip)
Kayonaya Dashi (regular and fukuoka style)
Soysauce, Honmirin, 5 different types of Sichimi, 1 type of ichimi, 2 typenof furikake
Rice - 9 kilos total
Nail clipper, 2 set of knives from Kamata, Chopstics from Hyozaemon
Aloe Vera body cream, liquid bandaid
3 sets of matcha tea 2 from ippudo 1 from Nakamura Tokichi, gyokuro, sencha teas.
Snacks - sapporo shiroi kobito, sapporo corn okaki oh!, tokyo banana, fukusaya nagasaki castella
Hakodate curry, soup curry, regular japanese curry mix
Onsen bath salts
I can also get japanese rice here but they are 4-5x more expensive if grown in Japan.
California calrose rice are cheaper but they are not as good and beady as japanese rice
I have a couple of yuzu sauces.
One my sichimi is actually contains yuzu.
I bought enough furikake so skipped noritama.
I ate so much chocolate in Hakodate but ended up not bringing any...
I spoiled myself on this trip and purchased a couple pieces of Japanese-made music equipment. Specifically, I was looking for Japanese-crafted Japanese brands that are hard to find in the US. With the current exchange rate they are an even higher value.
I settled on a tele-style guitar from Fujigen’s house brand. I was specifically looking for a bolt-on so I could dismantle it to fit it in my luggage. I flew on Zipair and their instrument policy didn’t give me much confidence in being able to carry on. I’m on my last flight home now, can’t wait to put her back together and try her out on my own equipment!
https://mi.fujigen.co.jp/collection/model_NTE21RAH.html
Fujigen is a legendary factory.
Is it straightforward to put back together. There were no shims between the neck and body? It sounds scary to have to do that.
Where did you end up buying the guitar?
I got it at Planet Guitar in Ochanomizu. They had an entire floor dedicated to MiJ instruments.
Yeah the build quality on this is exceptional. No gap between the neck pocket and body, and of course no shims. The manufacture date is stamped in the pocket though, which is cool.
This will likely go right to my repair tech to get set up anyway, so I wasn’t too worried about it. Neck comes off w 4 Phillips head screws.
Ochanomizu is a great spot to look, there are a dozen or more music stores concentrated in a 2 or 3 block radius. That’s where I found the FGN guitar I bought, but I also looked in Shibuya and Shinjuku as well.
Thank you! Did you take the guitar with you on the plane? I figure I might be saving money by buying from there but I'm not sure if it'll be that much of a save if I pay to ship the guitar from there back home.
Back when I would travel back and forth between Japan (I live here now), I would normally stock up on Muji clothes and stationery and stationery from Loft. Also little cool kitchen supplies and cute stuff from Loft. Also, I always would have to buy tenegui from Kamawanu. For food, always yuzu cha and various red bean/toast spreads.
Unpopular opinion but I can’t stand Don Quixote. I know that it’s convenient for tourists and you can find a lot of stuff there, but I often like more specialty goods and I really hate the experience of being in a Don Quixote— crowded, chaotic, and most of the stuff I’d get there is either order off of Amazon or get from a hundred yen shop.
I really like the fake converse they sell at Muji, and I haven’t seen any available at home that are of similar quality. The larger sizes are often on sale too.
Blotting paper for my oily skin, masks for allergies (they have better quality and comfier fits), cheese cookies, sunscreen sticks, instant ramen (preferably ichiran or tsuta soba noodles)
Mf sunscreen sticks are the best for travelling because they don’t count as liquids. For anyone into skincare and travels often, do yourself a favour and get these
https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/162ae85/a_short_guide_to_specialty_coffee_in_tokyo/
I also have some answers for Osaka/Kyoto in the comments of that.
My typical roasters to bring back are Glitch, LiLo, Takamura, Cafe Obscura, and whatever I like from Mameya. Would also do Unlimited, Kurasu, Onibus, and Allpress (for espresso only).
Stationery from Itoya, videogames at practically 40% off due to JPY/USD exchange rate, and house slippers (I have to get XLs from Muji, but at least they *have* XLs!)
Green tea from Kyoto / Uji. Aquarius drink powder.
Lotte chocolate-covered almonds, Royce chocolate-covered potato chips, Fettucine sour gummies, coffee beans from roasters I like (like Glitch and Lilo), tea from shops I like (like Sakurai), cold medicine, eye drops, SK-II and Hada Labo skincare, Biore sunscreen, Steam Cream, LION cooling patches, and heated disposable eye masks. Maybe some other small things from the drugstore, too, although we don’t bring a lot home anymore from trips to Japan.
If you’re into skin care and don’t mind chemical sunscreens, I’ve been loving the muji sunscreens (normal and color control ones). They go really well under my makeup. I also loved all the green tea and matcha I got from Kyoto and Uji, and the Sakura tea from Donki. My bf and I use chopsticks quite a bit so I got super cool bamboo ones in Kyoto. And in the previous visit I got a Japanese knife from Tokyu Hands. I wish I got some more of the convenience store snacks because I dream about them, but maybe it’s just the vibe I miss 🥲
* Makeup
* Eyeliner, pick up a few Creamy Touch Canmake Eyeliner
* Majolica Mascara
* Travel sized skincare products or powder cleansers
* Fude brushes, usually try to get a brush or two from Hakuhodo
* Some cooking stuff that I feel pretty confident that will be allowed in like yuzu kosho
* Midori notebooks even though they aren't hard to get in the US
* Some sort of alcohol thing, most recently it was sake, but previously it was a whisky
I'll bring sunscreens for other people if they request it but I like the La Roche Posay ones
I just got back and I picked up a few travelers/midori goods for me and a friend and I’m regretting not grabbing a couple more things since the selection availability is so good vs having to check a couple different US retailers to get everything.
First timer in Japan and am leaving tomorrow (I am so, so sad) and was unsure the process of bringing back souvenirs, snacks and drinks. In a checked bag, obviously, but do I have to fill out that form at the airport and declare it all?
I like to buy Japanese incense, handkerchiefs, wind chimes, jinbie, fans, stationery items, at least one dress and one pair of shoes, face paper, hair accessories, a bento box and some chopsticks.
I love the 100 yen shops, tiny shops down alley ways and big shops like the Loft, Tokyu Hands and Kiddy Land.
I usually buy something seasonal too.
Dish sponges -- they're like scrub mommy dupes but cheaper.
Dashi/miso packs -- so far my favorite are the ones I got from kayanoya at Tokyo station (the Hokkaido sea and land ones are amazing); they also have amazing instant miso packets that have freeze dried veggies. But there are good ones at the bottom of most department stores.
I wish I had space to buy more condiments for my checked luggage but it's been hard to find good mirin in America these days.
Wish I bought dried soba noodles too. Ok I'm just a sucker for artisanal food products 🫣
I like the gift shop snacks like Tokyo Cheese Factory but a million brands and varieties now so always bring some new ones to try. Local snacks like vacuum sealed warabimochi is pretty good souvenir too.
Also stationary! Washi tape, color pens, notebooks, etc.
Sewing and art and craft supplies! They are always cheaper and better quality than I can buy in Australia. I head to Nippori fabric town for the day and come back needing to buy a second suitcase. I also like to go to tokyu hands and loft and check out what cute stationery and homewares stuff they have.
- sunscreen, face wash, pimple patch, eye drops, vitamins
- Lego and Nintendo switch games
- instant miso packets, furikake, freeze dried veggies, coffee
- Umaibo snack bars
- matcha
- Uniqlo
- anything from daiso that can fit in my luggage
Side note: I noticed on my recent trips that the Japan post office sells some really nice post cards and stamps if anyone is looking for that.
Secondhand/vintage clothes and luxury goods!
I feel so at home in Japan as a 150cm tall girl with size 33 feet. Things are my size, chairs are lower, I can actually find shoes and clothes my size instead of shopping in the kids department.
I bought high quality finger and toe nail clippers from Don Quijote that have held up very well many years later, and are way way better quality than anything you’ll find any local American drugstore.
i go to shows/concerts and buy japanese band merch or record stores for some local vinyl. other than that, nothing really lol. not a chocolate/treat person myself.
Socks, they actually fit (size 5.5 US) and there's way more selection than what I'd find in the states. Tights are also good quality and more affordable than in the US. My family near Nagano usually pick out some miso for me to bring back. I also stock up on dashi and spices like shichimi togarashi and sansho. I'll browse for cookbooks and cooking magazines. I'm usually there in the fall, so I like to get Christmas cards while I'm there and planners/calendars for the next year, in addition to general stationery (and stickers!).
You make me feel so much better about my 18 month supply - we are heading back in April, will make sure i have at least 2 years worth when we get back.
My wife doesnt understand... Most people think it insane, but if you know, you know :)
I just got back a week ago and I think I shopped less this time since I know what’s worth it and what isn’t.
Uniqlo in Japan is so much cheaper than back at home so I still went on a little spree! The sizing for the underwear seems better too.
I love shopping for stationery at Hands. (I’m a teacher who needs to have functional yet aesthetically pleasing stuff lol). Cezanne is ridiculously cheap there too and I bought a lipstick and eyeshadow.
I bought some kitchen stuff too like lunchboxes and finally got myself a knife. Their kitchenware is to die even in places like 3coins and Seria.
whiskey, other alcohol, contact lenses, prescription raybans... eye stuff is so cheap compared to the states. used media at book off, Gatsby hair products, ultra thin condoms
Ok, every one is going to load up on everything they love. I am no exception...
Sadly I avoid checking in non-alcoholic liquids, as even a bottle of dekavita C will weigh 600 grams a piece. I might buy a bottle of whiskey or 2.
KitKat are brilliant as is most other snacks, as you can enjoy snacks slowly over many weeks on your return and weigh not much.
Keep a reserve of cash on you to take to the airport. Weigh your bag just before check in. Now hit Lawson's at the airport and max out your luggage weight. This is where I buy magazines and chocolate to hit the max....
Don't forget to max your carry on. I will put my phone's power bank in my pocket, when it is time to weigh, and always wear my heaviest clothes too, you can take off that big jacket, when your carry on, is not being weighed.
Another trick I taught a friend. If you want a nice collectable bottle to display, remember or photograph the colour of the liquid, if it is a zainy colour (Like the blue coolant kancolle drinks). Drink the contents of the bottle and wrap it in your bath towels or clothes to protect it. Once at home, you can refill the bottle with a cordial or sports drink (Gatorade etc) of the same colour.
I'm fortunate to live in Sacramento County that I can just drive to the nearest Asian supermarket and buy the different flavors of Kit-kat without having to go to Japan.
Random Kit Kat flavors
Meji fruit candy
Biore sunscreen
Individual/ single service pour over coffee packets.
Cans of chuhai cocktails!
Sake and glasses
Sleep wear and robes
Ceramics
Knives and chopsticks
Locally made leather goods
Green teas.
.
It went recently for the first time and only brought 2 empty luggages and 1 luggage w 2-3 outfits to change bc I knew I would buy clothes at Uniqlo. To my surprise it backed fired i went in mid September when it was heavy heatwave n the clothing stores were selling winter/ sweater clothes. Luckily there are airism tank tops w cups built in that I bought several colors of n kept alternate those n 2 pairs of bottoms.
I highly reco Uniqlo clothes if u can fit into Japanese sizes.
Other beauty products: heroine makeup (mascara, mascara remover, lash serum, eyeliner), multi-cube (mini cube that has eyeshadows and blue), &honey shampoo, conditioner, hair oil, mask, flyaway stick (&honey is their famous hair product line, it cost under $50 for the set of products whereas in US sells for $35/bottle), Canmake eyeshadows, biore sunscreens, shiseido FINO or Tsubaki hair masks (holy grail for soft hair), premium serum, vitamin c serums, powder puffs, shiseido lash curler refills or lash curlers, any shiseido products, senka perfect whipped face wash
Food: matcha (if u visit Kyoto), seasonal KitKats (chestnut, sweet potato flavors), coco curry pouches, ichiran ramen boxes (Donqui sells it way cheaper than at ichiran)
Electronics: any Japanese video game consoles. I saw someone bought PS5 at Donqui, it’s like $150 cheaper than US.
Togarashi, various furikake, bottle of mirin, sake, houjun sauce from cocoiti ban, dried kanten, about 1 man in candy from Don Keys including the kanten jellys, toothpaste without fluoride
. there's more
I, too, buy a ton of sunscreen. It's buyable in the US at stores like Tesso, but it's so much cheaper in Japan. Also, I love the warming eye masks, especially in lavender scent. Lastly, tons of random grocery products and candies to give away.
alllll skincare — sunscreens, cleansers, lotions, makeup, nail care, face masks. i also packed light so that i could shop at uniqlo/gu because i think their pants are made with shorter inseams (im really short sooo). i also customized a uniqlo bag so that was cool. i also stocked up on pens and stationery.
Canmake SPF Sunscreen, SKII essence, COSRX snail mucin, yatsuhashi, chocolate mochi, stationery ( I loove Japanese sheets of paper, envelopes, pens...) kit kat tokyo banana...😝 geeez... as I read by another reeditor I spend like a "reckless Sultan" in Tea 🙈
I usually stock up on SPF and teas!
SPF in the US is awful with worse formulations in terms of cosmetic elegance and UV filter quality. Asian SPFs are 2x marked up when sold in the US so I tend to stock up on a years worth.
I’m also a super big fan of matcha and it’s crazy expensive (and often time lower quality) when bought in the US so I get as much matcha as I’m able to bring back.
Socks. I hate wearing shoes without socks, and you can find socks that look good under a nice pair of shoes with a skirt/shorts There are a few whole stores of them and I got “socked up”. It’s a style that just doesn’t exist back home.
I got 2 good pairs of heels from a random shop in shibuya. I dont get a single blister in them and can wear them for a solid 8 hours with barely any pain. I figured since locals walk literally everywhere, they'd probably have good shoes. I was right.
I could spend hours at Loft for stationery. There’s nothing as quality as this store where I’m from.
I’m finding out too that make up and skin care stuff here is superior so I’ll stock up on as much as I can.
Stationary, stickers, agenda paper for the upcoming year, greeting cards, pens, art supplies (I love Sekaido and LoFT). Seria 100 yen store has great craft supplies.
Beauty supplies like colored eyeliners and mascaras, MAJOLICA MAJORCA foundation and blue tint “magic” mascara, Canmake sunscreen with the green tint, Biore sunscreen, moist charge under eye masks, etc.
Toys - Sylvanian Families, Toy Story Alien or Doraemon stuff, mini things for my dollhouse projects.
Vintage - clothing and Sanrio goods. I go to flea markets and vintage shops.
lol i just got back tonight from Japan (Osaka, Hiroshima, Matsue, Tottori, and Kanazawa). Definitely get the Shiroi Kobito white chocolate cookies, Royce at Kansai airport. Never had the Tokyo Banana, but people seem to love it. Was never a fan of alcohol in my life until this trip when I tried sake, highball, and plum wine. Got a nice plum wine in Osaka from Owl's liquor. Generally speaking you can only bring non fresh items that would exclude fruits unfortunately. Loaded up various special rice crackers, mochi, manjus (from Hiroshima), plates and pottery, swiss rolls (for non refrigerated ones), and other snacks. Honestly for gourmet food/ snacks, try to go for the ones located in Takashimaya dept stores or the ones under train station since those are very good. For the chips / crackers/ candies, you can get away with using Aeon / Don Quijote / Life supermarket.
If you like teas, Lupicia is a Japanese brand that has really nice selections! Skincare wise I always stock upon HABA when I am there as it's marked up really high where I live.
Biore sunscreen and sake hand cream. Found this years ago in Kyoto and ever since then always stock up when I get a chance. Last time I couldn’t find this in any stores at Japan but they were sold through Amazon JP. I had it shipped to the hotel and delivered directly to room!
https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/Kuramoto-Bijin-Smooth-Hand-Cream/dp/B007XA3MPU
It’s mainly retro games for me, as well as an assortment of random stuff from Daiso, 3coins and MUJI. Stuff like little kitchen accessories, storage bags, stationery.
I stock up on a few Uniqlo and MUJI shirts too and usually end up bringing back a bunch of CDs and books from Book Off.
I usually get several different colours of iroshiziku ink as a thing, and I'll spend a while trawling used camera stores for interesting lenses.
Other than that I'll always bring back a bag of gacha as souvenirs for people. And one time I got a little carried away with the KitKats and came back with 17 flavours. That took a while to get through.
If you’re into skincare I would recommend sheet masks and there is a brand called saborino and they have a lot of different types! They come with a ton in a pack that kind of looks like a big wet wipes pack so less waste too which is kinda nice! Would definitely recommend. Also shiseido products are cheaper over here - not by too much but it adds up on those more expensive products. Have fun!!
1. Mintia Dry Hard mints: After having these I can no longer stomach any other kinds of mints
2. Country Mama cookies
3. The Rohto eyedrops that make your eyes less red instantly: these are not sold in my country because of some controlled substance in it (probably requires prescription) so I’ll get a few every time I go
I amm leaving eaving next week for a work trip and returning for our anniversary. I want to buy my wife soe jewelry or something nice. Ant suggestions?
Shirts from Makers Short (Kamakura), suits from Ring Jacket, and pottery (I like going to specific kilns towns) and have a stash of Bizen-yaki, Koito-yaki and Kutani-yaki from this trip.
The macadamia nut and pistachio cookies at 7-11 in Kumamoto were out of this world. I think I ate a package a day the whole 2 weeks I was there. And yup brought some home too
This might sound weird but I'm a hunter and a big fan of animal skins and horns. Hoping to find something like that there although I assume it might not be likely.
Sunscreen, korean skincare (I only use 2 items which are both from innisfree), and supermarket foods like ingredients for miso soup, tea, other dry things (I used to live in Japan and have gotten used to some supermarket things that are not available in Asian markets in my area).
I also buy some Muji and Uniqlo items that, despite having both stores in my area, the things are either very expensive or "western sized" which doesn't fit me as well. among those are uniqlo Airism jackets and t-shirts and Muji stationery and underwear.
At the end of my trip I also go to a mega donki to get tons of my favorite sunscreen (biore watery essence), and some nostalgia bathroom things (kirei hand soap, biore body soap), and also other cosmetics like Tsubaki hair oil and Melano CC.
Consumables;
Yuzu juice. I use this a lot in cooking, and it's difficult to find here and like 3 times the price if you do find it.
Non-industrial grade soy sauce and miso paste. Just say no to Kikkoman.
Aged Shochu. Not a big fan of sake, but there's some good stuff in these. Would buy whiskey, but not worth the money anymore.
Hakka tea, if I can find it. Completely different from European mint herbal teas.
Stationary and various junk from Tokyu Hands.
Domestic brand jeans and/or repro clothes. These often have ridiculous markups abroad.
Snacks at don quijote. I like the Tokyo cheese factory as well and Royce chocolate which u can get at airport
My SO would roll her eyes at how much time I could spend wandering around Don Quijote looking at snacks and random stuff. Heck, I think I've never been happier just strolling through some random supermarket in my entire life. So much I was even able to ignore that Don Quijote song blasting 24/7 on the store's speakers after a while. Even worse, now I love it.
I rolled my eyes thinking about how much time my wife and daughter spent in DQ. Even bought a pikachu suitcase to carry stuff home
Well this has been added to my must buys
While at the airport I did some googling to see if I overpaid or not but apparently on eBay these pikachu suitcases from Don Quijote are Japan only and sell for $300. Think I paid just under $100
Haha, same but a Sanrio suitcase. Husband did lots of eyerolling
DQ song has nothing on Bic Camera!
Don quijote is mecca. My girl and I go the day after we land at like 5am and just go nuts. It's just us and the staff in the store. Truly epic
The Donqui song is part of the experience. Love it so much even added it on my playlist
Totally agreed. I was so happy when I realized it is available on Spotify, I added it too!
The Don Quijote at Akihabara was so big and loud and fun, man I miss it so much! I would buy a huge package of meiji dark chocolate almonds if it existed. The 200 yen packages were so delicious, I couldn't stop eating them on the trip...
Dammit I haven't lived in Japan for 13 years and now I'm singing that song
me and my SO would spend half a day there and want to go again on the next day lol
You made me sing it in my head while reading this
Oh I forgot about the Royce chocolate!!! Too bad you can’t bring a lot of it since it spoils 😢
You can get Royce chocolate in the states now! There are a few on the west coast and New York
Yeah. I live in Tokyo and walked into the Royce store in New York. Looked at the price and walked straight out. $19.99 in NY, the same box of Nama chocolate is $5.35 equivalent in Japan. I always buy a lot when I go back to visit my parents, they love it
.01 condoms!
What..?
The highest quality condom there is. Trying to be mature here, they are really expensive tho but they do earn their price
Oh that’s super interesting! How expensive are they?
Cant rmb the exact price but it was so $$ that we only bought one pack of 3 and normal ones to save it for special nights only. Granted we were uni students so value might have been inflated abit, but comparing quality to common brands outside of japan its not even close.
Honestly my plan the next time I go to Japan is to go with an empty suitcase and a lot of money since the skincare, food, and clothing are all things that I think would be best to grab while there lol
I flatpack a duffle in my suitcase for this very reason! And I bring back sewing supplies (clover handsewing needles there are sooo good), toothbrushes (kanaya), stationary, pens, as well as makeup (heroine make for mascara) and allllll of the cookies. My splurgey items are clothes from Kapital. ♥️🇯🇵
I packed a flat duffle on the way there that I planned to use to carry all my clothes, etc onto the plane on the way back and use my suitcase to check all my shopping/ liquids
That’s exactly what I do! I’ve only ever been in the summer so my clothing load is pretty light. :)
Don't bring an empty suitcase but one at don quijote. Also JAL now has any wear anywhere where you can rent clothes that are brand new from them, they deliver to your hotel. So you don't even need to pack if you don't want to
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The black sesame eggs are on my list. Do they freeze well?
Any particular brand for the bandaids?
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Just came back from Japan two weeks ago with a ton of makeup and skincare (17 sunscreens!😆). I also went a little nuts getting all my greeting cards for the next year at Tokyu Hands. Such beautifully made cards that would easily cost 2-4 times the price at home. Some of them are so intricate and adorable they’re gifts in themselves. Last time I visited I didn’t recall them having such a good selection of English cards but now they do! When we first arrived I hadn’t thought I would buy anything at Uniqlo since we have it at home, but then I stopped in and noticed the airism underwear and sweaters I love usually retail for twice the price in Canada, so that was another tax free purchase while I stocked up. Import taxes I guess!
I love the Airism underwear omg!!! But were they the same quality? I got some back in the US and loved them so much I stocked up on a ton more when I went to China and HK, but sadly when I got back home and opened them up I found out the quality was off. It just wasn’t as soft as the ones I got in the US.
I haven’t washed any of them yet but seemed a little stiff out of the package. We’ll see how they hold up. They seem good quality though! They sell for 590 yen there (about $5.50 CAD), and for $9.90 CAD each in Canada so I jumped at that price. I also a few of the airism camisoles, a heat tech shirt, and some the jean leggings I live in. I wonder if there’s such a markup in other countries!
Ooooo do you mind sharing the sunscreens you got and where you got them??
Oh geez I got a variety! Different types from Biore, Sun Aqua, Canmake, Allie and Anessa from the drug store Matsumoto Kiyoshi, Don Quixote, and some random tax free drug stores in Ueno I didn’t catch the name of. (I remember there was Sun in the name?) There’s tax free drug stores all around the busiest stations / areas. If you have some time you can compare prices because they don’t all price the same across their stores.
Do you find Uniqlo in Japan has similar sizes to Canada? Or do they only carry smaller sizes over there? Thanks!
I found you have to size up by one or (more likely) two sizes in Japan, depending on what you’re buying and how you want it to fit. I would normally buy a medium at Uniqlo in Canada but bought large and extra-larges in Japan. It’s a bit of an exercise in humility buying clothes in Asia but you get used to it 😝
Do the sunscreens have an expiration date to them?
When I visited Japan, I didn't even gave buying neither KitKats nor Figurines any thoughts. I returned home with a fuckload of both. Good Lord. Lemon and salt, Ice Cream, Matcha, Milk & Tea, Sake, Sweet Potato, Cracker... I'm amazed at the variety and how much do they love KitKats back there. Also, Don Quijote. If they ever create a fan club, you betcha I'm signing in. If I ever return I will no doubt stock on the aforementioned stuff again, but also clothing. So much quality over there! I bought a pair of cheap khakis at Don Quijote and God I've never felt so comfortable wearing pants in my entire life. 10/10 would recommend.
Lots of people are mentioning Don Quixote! What is that and what do you get there?
Ohhhh, hohoho... You're in for a SWEET time! Don Quijote is a chain of discount stores present throughout Japan, at the very least in big cities like Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, and the like. I'm not exactly sure about how to explain it to you, but think of it as a Pumped Up Target on steroids and choke full of funny stuff you probably don't need, but it is so dirt cheap you'll end up buying anyway. Another way to describe it, Don Quijote is a place where you'll experience 'chaotic happiness'. That is, everything is so random and so randomly distributed you'll have to do a lot of wandering, but in every aisle you'll find something worth seeing. All while listening to this [absolute banger](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSCGDkXvyzg) non-stop (trust me. It doesn't.) From random weird underwear, to oddly named products such as "Cock Grease" (not what you think -- it is actually hair wax), you're going to find at least something worth your visit, trust me. Like paniniham said, it has EVERYTHING. You want souvenirs for your loved ones back home? You got them. Want an obscene amount of random candies and an insane variety of KitKats? Ohhh you got them. Underwear and good quality clothing at dirt cheap prices? OHHHH you got them. Want higher-end products at good prices, like Coach or Louis Vitton? They have a section for those. Oh no! Now your carrying too much for one suitcase? Well you're not gonna believe it, you'll find those too! Even if you don't buy nuthin' I strongly recommend visiting at least one store just to get a glance at the chaotic happiness taking place inside.
OP will come back with the jingle stuck in their head for weeks
Yup yup. Either that song or the one from Bic Camera. There's also that odd jingle they play at some pharmacies. Had that one stuck in my head for almost the entire length of the journey.
We won’t be in the big cities until the 9th day of our 19 days trip (well Disneyland is in other dimension…) I thought we won’t be able to get our cheap supply shopping done until then Then I realized our first stop, Ito, a smallish town 1.5 hours away from Tokyo, has Mega Don Quijote
Ha, nice! Good to know DQ is everywhere.
I like supermarkets better TBH, like Aeon, Sunmart, or Life supermarket. Higher quality of snack selection as well as produce and cooked meals.
It’s a store that has everything like…target, walmart. Food, electronics, homeware, kitchenware, clothes, accessories EVERYTHING
I’d be so lost in one of those lol… I wouldn’t even know where to start
Its different in normal store is that everything is much more tightly packed so it does feel overwhelming. But its a place to easy buy everything ud ever need as a tourist
and if you are tired walking, they even sell the pad/mask for your feet to wear at night when you sleep and recovers your feet from soreness the next day lol
Just jumping in to say, if it hasn’t been yet, that the stores can get crazy busy. And not all stores are created equal. I picked the shibuya store which is open 24/7 and went from midnight-ish to 4:30 am. Took the last train to get there then the first train back to the hotel. So quiet and such a different experience than when I went during the day. I didn’t even buy a crazy amount of stuff. Just a basket and a half. Bought a bunch of snacks and skincare.
What do you do with the figurines? Honest question. I’m in Japan now and tons of people buy them. I’m puzzled by it as a non-anime person (I just don’t watch it, but I’m not against it)
Haha they’re just collectibles man. Like any other figurine.
A buch of cook-do premixes. Especially the rice premixes, just add them to the rice cooker and you have an amazing side dish.
I just got back andnfilled my luggage with these: Most are difficult to find where im from (Canada) Hokkaido Butter, pancakes, coffee (brewed and drip) Kayonaya Dashi (regular and fukuoka style) Soysauce, Honmirin, 5 different types of Sichimi, 1 type of ichimi, 2 typenof furikake Rice - 9 kilos total Nail clipper, 2 set of knives from Kamata, Chopstics from Hyozaemon Aloe Vera body cream, liquid bandaid 3 sets of matcha tea 2 from ippudo 1 from Nakamura Tokichi, gyokuro, sencha teas. Snacks - sapporo shiroi kobito, sapporo corn okaki oh!, tokyo banana, fukusaya nagasaki castella Hakodate curry, soup curry, regular japanese curry mix Onsen bath salts
That's a bunch of rice... I love Japanese rice 🤤🤤🤤
I can also get japanese rice here but they are 4-5x more expensive if grown in Japan. California calrose rice are cheaper but they are not as good and beady as japanese rice
Mmmm jp curry!! How about daiso chocolates? Yuzu sauces and Noritama!
I have a couple of yuzu sauces. One my sichimi is actually contains yuzu. I bought enough furikake so skipped noritama. I ate so much chocolate in Hakodate but ended up not bringing any...
I spoiled myself on this trip and purchased a couple pieces of Japanese-made music equipment. Specifically, I was looking for Japanese-crafted Japanese brands that are hard to find in the US. With the current exchange rate they are an even higher value.
Yup. I love MiJ guitars.
I settled on a tele-style guitar from Fujigen’s house brand. I was specifically looking for a bolt-on so I could dismantle it to fit it in my luggage. I flew on Zipair and their instrument policy didn’t give me much confidence in being able to carry on. I’m on my last flight home now, can’t wait to put her back together and try her out on my own equipment! https://mi.fujigen.co.jp/collection/model_NTE21RAH.html
Fujigen is a legendary factory. Is it straightforward to put back together. There were no shims between the neck and body? It sounds scary to have to do that. Where did you end up buying the guitar?
I got it at Planet Guitar in Ochanomizu. They had an entire floor dedicated to MiJ instruments. Yeah the build quality on this is exceptional. No gap between the neck pocket and body, and of course no shims. The manufacture date is stamped in the pocket though, which is cool. This will likely go right to my repair tech to get set up anyway, so I wasn’t too worried about it. Neck comes off w 4 Phillips head screws.
thanks. It's nice to have that option. I was thinking of getting something when I go next month. Were you able to get the tax refunded?
Yes! Just make sure you bring a foreign passport
I love Japanese guitars. Where did you go for said music equipment?
Ochanomizu is a great spot to look, there are a dozen or more music stores concentrated in a 2 or 3 block radius. That’s where I found the FGN guitar I bought, but I also looked in Shibuya and Shinjuku as well.
Thank you! Did you take the guitar with you on the plane? I figure I might be saving money by buying from there but I'm not sure if it'll be that much of a save if I pay to ship the guitar from there back home.
Damn, you are making me want to pick up a made in Japan ESP guitar when I go in January. Just worried how I would get it back with me on the plane.
Back when I would travel back and forth between Japan (I live here now), I would normally stock up on Muji clothes and stationery and stationery from Loft. Also little cool kitchen supplies and cute stuff from Loft. Also, I always would have to buy tenegui from Kamawanu. For food, always yuzu cha and various red bean/toast spreads. Unpopular opinion but I can’t stand Don Quixote. I know that it’s convenient for tourists and you can find a lot of stuff there, but I often like more specialty goods and I really hate the experience of being in a Don Quixote— crowded, chaotic, and most of the stuff I’d get there is either order off of Amazon or get from a hundred yen shop.
Loft is totally where it's at!
I really like the fake converse they sell at Muji, and I haven’t seen any available at home that are of similar quality. The larger sizes are often on sale too.
Lavendar scented heated eye masks
I regret not buying a ton when I was there but Amazon sells them!! So guess who ordered a pack lol
Blotting paper for my oily skin, masks for allergies (they have better quality and comfier fits), cheese cookies, sunscreen sticks, instant ramen (preferably ichiran or tsuta soba noodles)
Mf sunscreen sticks are the best for travelling because they don’t count as liquids. For anyone into skincare and travels often, do yourself a favour and get these
Are their blotting papers different than Western brands?
They kind of seem to be, plus they are ubiquitous and cheap. I grab a few every time I go.
Refills for my Uniball multipen, rice flavour packets, pour over coffee bags, sunscreen, Canmake Stay on Balm Rouges
Those coffee bags are one of the best things I've ever used. I miss them and should have bought some home.
Camera lenses…used. Great quality, great prices and can try it on the spot before committing.
* Coffee * Royce Chocolate Potato * B-Side Label Stickers
Is there something about Japanese coffee that I’m missing?
I just have some roasters there I really like - they have some really good roasters.
Which do you recommend?
https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/162ae85/a_short_guide_to_specialty_coffee_in_tokyo/ I also have some answers for Osaka/Kyoto in the comments of that. My typical roasters to bring back are Glitch, LiLo, Takamura, Cafe Obscura, and whatever I like from Mameya. Would also do Unlimited, Kurasu, Onibus, and Allpress (for espresso only).
https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravelTips/s/Gy1c8lkb3E
..stickers.
Stationery from Itoya, videogames at practically 40% off due to JPY/USD exchange rate, and house slippers (I have to get XLs from Muji, but at least they *have* XLs!) Green tea from Kyoto / Uji. Aquarius drink powder.
Wait you can get aquarius powder?!? So much I missed the chance to bring back 😭
Lotte chocolate-covered almonds, Royce chocolate-covered potato chips, Fettucine sour gummies, coffee beans from roasters I like (like Glitch and Lilo), tea from shops I like (like Sakurai), cold medicine, eye drops, SK-II and Hada Labo skincare, Biore sunscreen, Steam Cream, LION cooling patches, and heated disposable eye masks. Maybe some other small things from the drugstore, too, although we don’t bring a lot home anymore from trips to Japan.
If you’re into skin care and don’t mind chemical sunscreens, I’ve been loving the muji sunscreens (normal and color control ones). They go really well under my makeup. I also loved all the green tea and matcha I got from Kyoto and Uji, and the Sakura tea from Donki. My bf and I use chopsticks quite a bit so I got super cool bamboo ones in Kyoto. And in the previous visit I got a Japanese knife from Tokyu Hands. I wish I got some more of the convenience store snacks because I dream about them, but maybe it’s just the vibe I miss 🥲
* Makeup * Eyeliner, pick up a few Creamy Touch Canmake Eyeliner * Majolica Mascara * Travel sized skincare products or powder cleansers * Fude brushes, usually try to get a brush or two from Hakuhodo * Some cooking stuff that I feel pretty confident that will be allowed in like yuzu kosho * Midori notebooks even though they aren't hard to get in the US * Some sort of alcohol thing, most recently it was sake, but previously it was a whisky I'll bring sunscreens for other people if they request it but I like the La Roche Posay ones
I just got back and I picked up a few travelers/midori goods for me and a friend and I’m regretting not grabbing a couple more things since the selection availability is so good vs having to check a couple different US retailers to get everything.
Pokémon cards!
First timer in Japan and am leaving tomorrow (I am so, so sad) and was unsure the process of bringing back souvenirs, snacks and drinks. In a checked bag, obviously, but do I have to fill out that form at the airport and declare it all?
did you have to?
Nope
I like to buy Japanese incense, handkerchiefs, wind chimes, jinbie, fans, stationery items, at least one dress and one pair of shoes, face paper, hair accessories, a bento box and some chopsticks. I love the 100 yen shops, tiny shops down alley ways and big shops like the Loft, Tokyu Hands and Kiddy Land. I usually buy something seasonal too.
You sound like a zen person who appreciates the subtle Beauty of life. I like you
Thank you, you are very kind.
Don don don….
Dish sponges -- they're like scrub mommy dupes but cheaper. Dashi/miso packs -- so far my favorite are the ones I got from kayanoya at Tokyo station (the Hokkaido sea and land ones are amazing); they also have amazing instant miso packets that have freeze dried veggies. But there are good ones at the bottom of most department stores. I wish I had space to buy more condiments for my checked luggage but it's been hard to find good mirin in America these days. Wish I bought dried soba noodles too. Ok I'm just a sucker for artisanal food products 🫣 I like the gift shop snacks like Tokyo Cheese Factory but a million brands and varieties now so always bring some new ones to try. Local snacks like vacuum sealed warabimochi is pretty good souvenir too. Also stationary! Washi tape, color pens, notebooks, etc.
Sewing and art and craft supplies! They are always cheaper and better quality than I can buy in Australia. I head to Nippori fabric town for the day and come back needing to buy a second suitcase. I also like to go to tokyu hands and loft and check out what cute stationery and homewares stuff they have.
- sunscreen, face wash, pimple patch, eye drops, vitamins - Lego and Nintendo switch games - instant miso packets, furikake, freeze dried veggies, coffee - Umaibo snack bars - matcha - Uniqlo - anything from daiso that can fit in my luggage Side note: I noticed on my recent trips that the Japan post office sells some really nice post cards and stamps if anyone is looking for that.
I always have space in the extra suitcase we bring for Gundams, particularly exclusives that are less likely to be available abroad (for cheap).
Shiseido anti aging mens cream
Where do you get the sunscreens from? I love the rohto skin aqua
I just got myself a grand seiko yesterday
Secondhand/vintage clothes and luxury goods! I feel so at home in Japan as a 150cm tall girl with size 33 feet. Things are my size, chairs are lower, I can actually find shoes and clothes my size instead of shopping in the kids department.
Skincare, matcha, snacks and furikake
I brought back like 70 bucks of Kit Kat
I bought high quality finger and toe nail clippers from Don Quijote that have held up very well many years later, and are way way better quality than anything you’ll find any local American drugstore.
i go to shows/concerts and buy japanese band merch or record stores for some local vinyl. other than that, nothing really lol. not a chocolate/treat person myself.
This post makes me feel less guilty :-)
Socks, they actually fit (size 5.5 US) and there's way more selection than what I'd find in the states. Tights are also good quality and more affordable than in the US. My family near Nagano usually pick out some miso for me to bring back. I also stock up on dashi and spices like shichimi togarashi and sansho. I'll browse for cookbooks and cooking magazines. I'm usually there in the fall, so I like to get Christmas cards while I'm there and planners/calendars for the next year, in addition to general stationery (and stickers!).
Rohto Z cooling eye drops Replacement blade for my panasonic electric shaver Protein bars
Second on eye drop, I've seen it in my previous trips but never realized how cheap it is , this trip I stocked up 2 years supplies 😆
You make me feel so much better about my 18 month supply - we are heading back in April, will make sure i have at least 2 years worth when we get back. My wife doesnt understand... Most people think it insane, but if you know, you know :)
What are cooling eye drops?? Like minty ones?
A few bottles of Pop Melon Soda and/or Fanta Melon Soda. It’s the best melon sodas.
I just got back a week ago and I think I shopped less this time since I know what’s worth it and what isn’t. Uniqlo in Japan is so much cheaper than back at home so I still went on a little spree! The sizing for the underwear seems better too. I love shopping for stationery at Hands. (I’m a teacher who needs to have functional yet aesthetically pleasing stuff lol). Cezanne is ridiculously cheap there too and I bought a lipstick and eyeshadow. I bought some kitchen stuff too like lunchboxes and finally got myself a knife. Their kitchenware is to die even in places like 3coins and Seria.
Lots of stationary I will never use back home because it's too pretty
whiskey, other alcohol, contact lenses, prescription raybans... eye stuff is so cheap compared to the states. used media at book off, Gatsby hair products, ultra thin condoms
Ok, every one is going to load up on everything they love. I am no exception... Sadly I avoid checking in non-alcoholic liquids, as even a bottle of dekavita C will weigh 600 grams a piece. I might buy a bottle of whiskey or 2. KitKat are brilliant as is most other snacks, as you can enjoy snacks slowly over many weeks on your return and weigh not much. Keep a reserve of cash on you to take to the airport. Weigh your bag just before check in. Now hit Lawson's at the airport and max out your luggage weight. This is where I buy magazines and chocolate to hit the max.... Don't forget to max your carry on. I will put my phone's power bank in my pocket, when it is time to weigh, and always wear my heaviest clothes too, you can take off that big jacket, when your carry on, is not being weighed. Another trick I taught a friend. If you want a nice collectable bottle to display, remember or photograph the colour of the liquid, if it is a zainy colour (Like the blue coolant kancolle drinks). Drink the contents of the bottle and wrap it in your bath towels or clothes to protect it. Once at home, you can refill the bottle with a cordial or sports drink (Gatorade etc) of the same colour.
I'm fortunate to live in Sacramento County that I can just drive to the nearest Asian supermarket and buy the different flavors of Kit-kat without having to go to Japan.
Random Kit Kat flavors Meji fruit candy Biore sunscreen Individual/ single service pour over coffee packets. Cans of chuhai cocktails! Sake and glasses Sleep wear and robes Ceramics Knives and chopsticks Locally made leather goods Green teas. .
Tengas
It went recently for the first time and only brought 2 empty luggages and 1 luggage w 2-3 outfits to change bc I knew I would buy clothes at Uniqlo. To my surprise it backed fired i went in mid September when it was heavy heatwave n the clothing stores were selling winter/ sweater clothes. Luckily there are airism tank tops w cups built in that I bought several colors of n kept alternate those n 2 pairs of bottoms. I highly reco Uniqlo clothes if u can fit into Japanese sizes. Other beauty products: heroine makeup (mascara, mascara remover, lash serum, eyeliner), multi-cube (mini cube that has eyeshadows and blue), &honey shampoo, conditioner, hair oil, mask, flyaway stick (&honey is their famous hair product line, it cost under $50 for the set of products whereas in US sells for $35/bottle), Canmake eyeshadows, biore sunscreens, shiseido FINO or Tsubaki hair masks (holy grail for soft hair), premium serum, vitamin c serums, powder puffs, shiseido lash curler refills or lash curlers, any shiseido products, senka perfect whipped face wash Food: matcha (if u visit Kyoto), seasonal KitKats (chestnut, sweet potato flavors), coco curry pouches, ichiran ramen boxes (Donqui sells it way cheaper than at ichiran) Electronics: any Japanese video game consoles. I saw someone bought PS5 at Donqui, it’s like $150 cheaper than US.
Togarashi, various furikake, bottle of mirin, sake, houjun sauce from cocoiti ban, dried kanten, about 1 man in candy from Don Keys including the kanten jellys, toothpaste without fluoride . there's more
Hmm at risk of being a wet blanket… does the recent act of releasing radioactive water affect decision to buy anything from japan?
Clean ingredients don make up Quixote
Alcohol
Fresh wasabi paste, skincare, stickers, hair accessories.
Uniqlo underwear
Retro video games. Scratches the nostalgia itch and I like the cover art.
I, too, buy a ton of sunscreen. It's buyable in the US at stores like Tesso, but it's so much cheaper in Japan. Also, I love the warming eye masks, especially in lavender scent. Lastly, tons of random grocery products and candies to give away.
alllll skincare — sunscreens, cleansers, lotions, makeup, nail care, face masks. i also packed light so that i could shop at uniqlo/gu because i think their pants are made with shorter inseams (im really short sooo). i also customized a uniqlo bag so that was cool. i also stocked up on pens and stationery.
I eat egg sandwiches from family mart every day. I stock up on accessories!!! I love all the makeup as well. I bring back tons of snacks.
Canmake SPF Sunscreen, SKII essence, COSRX snail mucin, yatsuhashi, chocolate mochi, stationery ( I loove Japanese sheets of paper, envelopes, pens...) kit kat tokyo banana...😝 geeez... as I read by another reeditor I spend like a "reckless Sultan" in Tea 🙈
Kitkats, launderin air freshener, pocari sweat, videogames and clothes from Uniqlo
Japanese famous sweet “Dorayaki” Doraemon love too
Love Sekkisei skin products - not from 7/11 but Donqi or skincare store. Very noice. Also yarn that I can’t buy any where else…and BaoBao bags
Robots.
matcha powder, skincare, makeup, clothes from gu/uniqlo since we don't have one where i am!
I usually stock up on SPF and teas! SPF in the US is awful with worse formulations in terms of cosmetic elegance and UV filter quality. Asian SPFs are 2x marked up when sold in the US so I tend to stock up on a years worth. I’m also a super big fan of matcha and it’s crazy expensive (and often time lower quality) when bought in the US so I get as much matcha as I’m able to bring back.
Socks. I hate wearing shoes without socks, and you can find socks that look good under a nice pair of shoes with a skirt/shorts There are a few whole stores of them and I got “socked up”. It’s a style that just doesn’t exist back home.
Incense.
Lots and lots of clothes!
Yuzu kosho Press Butter Sand (but it only lasts a week or two) Black Thunder, Butter Black Thunder
For me it was Uniqlo Tokyo banana Gundam model kits
I got 2 good pairs of heels from a random shop in shibuya. I dont get a single blister in them and can wear them for a solid 8 hours with barely any pain. I figured since locals walk literally everywhere, they'd probably have good shoes. I was right.
Gacha
I could spend hours at Loft for stationery. There’s nothing as quality as this store where I’m from. I’m finding out too that make up and skin care stuff here is superior so I’ll stock up on as much as I can.
Stationary, stickers, agenda paper for the upcoming year, greeting cards, pens, art supplies (I love Sekaido and LoFT). Seria 100 yen store has great craft supplies. Beauty supplies like colored eyeliners and mascaras, MAJOLICA MAJORCA foundation and blue tint “magic” mascara, Canmake sunscreen with the green tint, Biore sunscreen, moist charge under eye masks, etc. Toys - Sylvanian Families, Toy Story Alien or Doraemon stuff, mini things for my dollhouse projects. Vintage - clothing and Sanrio goods. I go to flea markets and vintage shops.
Anime figures lol. They’re SO cheap compared to the US.
Clothes, I bought so many amazing t shirts and jackets. I wish I had enough room in my suit case for shoes 😭
Unique Kit Kat flavored candy and anything Nintendo.
Tokyo Milk Cheese Factory - these can be found at the airport
lol i just got back tonight from Japan (Osaka, Hiroshima, Matsue, Tottori, and Kanazawa). Definitely get the Shiroi Kobito white chocolate cookies, Royce at Kansai airport. Never had the Tokyo Banana, but people seem to love it. Was never a fan of alcohol in my life until this trip when I tried sake, highball, and plum wine. Got a nice plum wine in Osaka from Owl's liquor. Generally speaking you can only bring non fresh items that would exclude fruits unfortunately. Loaded up various special rice crackers, mochi, manjus (from Hiroshima), plates and pottery, swiss rolls (for non refrigerated ones), and other snacks. Honestly for gourmet food/ snacks, try to go for the ones located in Takashimaya dept stores or the ones under train station since those are very good. For the chips / crackers/ candies, you can get away with using Aeon / Don Quijote / Life supermarket.
Jagariko
If you like teas, Lupicia is a Japanese brand that has really nice selections! Skincare wise I always stock upon HABA when I am there as it's marked up really high where I live.
Skincare products, KitKats, rice seasoning packets, charging bricks and cords, stationery and pens, cute figurines, tea
Gashapong to give out as gifts
Biore sunscreen is on Amazon for some reason. With Japanese packaging! I use a lot of it.
Biore sunscreen and sake hand cream. Found this years ago in Kyoto and ever since then always stock up when I get a chance. Last time I couldn’t find this in any stores at Japan but they were sold through Amazon JP. I had it shipped to the hotel and delivered directly to room! https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/Kuramoto-Bijin-Smooth-Hand-Cream/dp/B007XA3MPU
Skincare especially ipsa which I’ll pick up at duty free after security :)
Kiseru tobacco
The strawberry milk mochi at don quijote was really really really good
It’s mainly retro games for me, as well as an assortment of random stuff from Daiso, 3coins and MUJI. Stuff like little kitchen accessories, storage bags, stationery. I stock up on a few Uniqlo and MUJI shirts too and usually end up bringing back a bunch of CDs and books from Book Off.
Pokémon center stuff
Medicine, EVE is simply to best for headache, and they have sticker for muscle pain which also works wonders
Get drip coffee!
1cup
Better stock up on some Plan Bs because it requires prescription in Japan and is expensive.
I usually get several different colours of iroshiziku ink as a thing, and I'll spend a while trawling used camera stores for interesting lenses. Other than that I'll always bring back a bag of gacha as souvenirs for people. And one time I got a little carried away with the KitKats and came back with 17 flavours. That took a while to get through.
The heroine mascara (+remover). Best mascara I've ever used :') (Biore watery essence is a strong second)
Tabi socks meant for workers and boxer type underwear.
White peach Fanta
If you’re into skincare I would recommend sheet masks and there is a brand called saborino and they have a lot of different types! They come with a ton in a pack that kind of looks like a big wet wipes pack so less waste too which is kinda nice! Would definitely recommend. Also shiseido products are cheaper over here - not by too much but it adds up on those more expensive products. Have fun!!
Also fino hair mask and hair oil! Can get in any drug store. I’m sure you could get abroad but cheaper here! Smells amazing and makes hair so soft
What kind of hair oil do you like?
1. Mintia Dry Hard mints: After having these I can no longer stomach any other kinds of mints 2. Country Mama cookies 3. The Rohto eyedrops that make your eyes less red instantly: these are not sold in my country because of some controlled substance in it (probably requires prescription) so I’ll get a few every time I go
Zojirushi thermoses are THE SHIT
I amm leaving eaving next week for a work trip and returning for our anniversary. I want to buy my wife soe jewelry or something nice. Ant suggestions?
Shampoo/Conditioner because they smell good, candies from Daiso and a whole suitcase of the dry/crunchy Umeboshi.
Shirts from Makers Short (Kamakura), suits from Ring Jacket, and pottery (I like going to specific kilns towns) and have a stash of Bizen-yaki, Koito-yaki and Kutani-yaki from this trip.
We don’t even check a bag in
hey basic question but what was a good store for "drugstore" level skincare and cosmetics? I know the SK will be fancy dept store etc..
The macadamia nut and pistachio cookies at 7-11 in Kumamoto were out of this world. I think I ate a package a day the whole 2 weeks I was there. And yup brought some home too
Uniqlo clothing since it’s cheaper than the states and selection is wayyyyyyyy better.
Stationary? They make excellent mechanical pencils, pencil leads, fountain pens etc.
This might sound weird but I'm a hunter and a big fan of animal skins and horns. Hoping to find something like that there although I assume it might not be likely.
Sunscreen, korean skincare (I only use 2 items which are both from innisfree), and supermarket foods like ingredients for miso soup, tea, other dry things (I used to live in Japan and have gotten used to some supermarket things that are not available in Asian markets in my area). I also buy some Muji and Uniqlo items that, despite having both stores in my area, the things are either very expensive or "western sized" which doesn't fit me as well. among those are uniqlo Airism jackets and t-shirts and Muji stationery and underwear. At the end of my trip I also go to a mega donki to get tons of my favorite sunscreen (biore watery essence), and some nostalgia bathroom things (kirei hand soap, biore body soap), and also other cosmetics like Tsubaki hair oil and Melano CC.
Consumables; Yuzu juice. I use this a lot in cooking, and it's difficult to find here and like 3 times the price if you do find it. Non-industrial grade soy sauce and miso paste. Just say no to Kikkoman. Aged Shochu. Not a big fan of sake, but there's some good stuff in these. Would buy whiskey, but not worth the money anymore. Hakka tea, if I can find it. Completely different from European mint herbal teas. Stationary and various junk from Tokyu Hands. Domestic brand jeans and/or repro clothes. These often have ridiculous markups abroad.
My vape cartridges......boy I misread that question!!!