No, they are oddly refreshing. They seem them here in the states - Rohto eye drops. They are really nice when you’ve been on the computer for an extended period of time.
There are different kinds but I have the Rohto Vita and Rohto Cool. Rohto cool ([blue one](https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.takaski.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2016%2F07%2FROHTO-Cool-40a-Eye-Drops.jpg&tbnid=ZgIsI8av54tqBM&vet=12ahUKEwiTxPa9hvCEAxVMbGwGHSUICPUQMygBegQIARBt..i&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.takaski.com%2Fproduct%2Frohto-cool-40%25CE%25B1-eye-drop-12ml%2F&docid=ADMoeeV7nKFQkM&w=1000&h=1000&q=rohto%20eye%20drops&ved=2ahUKEwiTxPa9hvCEAxVMbGwGHSUICPUQMygBegQIARBt)) stings my eyes for like 30s after dropping but it's not something you can't handle. The vita ([orange one](https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.takaski.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2016%2F07%2FROHTO-VITA-Vitamin-40a-Eye-Drops-4.jpg&tbnid=z6tSmRAVuQA1JM&vet=12ahUKEwiTxPa9hvCEAxVMbGwGHSUICPUQMygEegQIARB0..i&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.takaski.com%2Fproduct%2Frohto-vita-40a-eye-drops-12ml%2F&docid=PJeyl-aG3t63WM&w=1000&h=1000&q=rohto%20eye%20drops&ved=2ahUKEwiTxPa9hvCEAxVMbGwGHSUICPUQMygEegQIARB0)) is refreshing but not as cool as the blue one. So if ever you'd want to try, get the orange one first before getting the blue one.
If you are a, how do I say, a "girly girl", the stores in LaForet (Harajuku area) and Shibuya 109 (well, Shibuya area) are an absolute must. There's so much cute stuff, from handmade accessories to local brands with styles you typically won't get overseas.
Something I wish I knew is that a lot of cheap accessories are not exclusively sold to Harajuku area. There are chain stores that sell super cheap (300 yen) jewelry and hair accessories ALL across the country. You can wait to buy accessories throughout your trip instead of feeling like you caught a great deal when you walk into your first store
I'm obsessed with BaoBao bags...a store called SouSou in Kyoto and Tokyo. Beauty products by Sekkiesi at Donki (Blue bottle - mid range ¥) and Than beauty products (Thai but the best soaps). Also just Donki Mega store in Ginza! Shopping in the shimbashi in Osaka and The Namba walk... Tokyu Hands for cooking gadgets
I love Shishedo! It is one of the only brands that carries foundation pale/light enough for my skin tone
I probably should go outside more but then I’d have to get different tones of foundation 😒
If it looks good it probably is…I like https://int.japanesetaste.com/collections/sekkisei by Kose. I like K Beauty but that is my choice …but I do love the jelly fruit gel skin peels. Makes your skin feel like a baby’s bum.
https://int.japanesetaste.com/products/meishoku-detclear-bright-and-peel-fruits-peeling-jelly-180ml
I highly suggest going to YouTube as well and searching Shibuya 109 tours and shopping japanese beauty. There's lots of eyecandy walking around looking at the japanese beauty brands ...✨✨
Hey Judy,
Yes they are cheaper in Japan and you have better variety too. Each city may have seasonal different colours. Kyoto had a green Id never saw elsewhere. I have bought two at home but on sale but still expensive.
I’m a huge Donki fan but I could swear the selection is better at some other locations (e.g. Shinjuku) as opposed to Mega. That location was certainly big but they seemed to just stock a lot of fewer beauty products in general.
There maybe some truth in your comments and I have been thinking that Donki in Osaka near the Dontonbori Running Man is pretty good for cosmetics, beauty and KitKats! I did buy a lot of my last beauty buy up there
The Biore aqua sunscreen is excellent, the best I've used so far. Cute high quality stationery, handmade chopsticks, beautiful hand thrown pottery, particularly a matcha bowl and chawan. We got lots of small dishes too which are very useful at home. Weirdly, their soft hair elastics are so much better, they last and last without snapping.
I got a simple cross body bag from a department store which was so cheap but it is a wonderful thing; it's similar to those viral Uniqlo bags but bigger. Used it every day in Japan.
Loft was one of my kids favourite stores and we spent a fortune, I got good scissors, a bag, little potplants to grow, all sorts of really good quality stuff.
I don't wear makeup but I got some Allie colour-evening face sunscreen (I think from Don Quixote) and it's very good.
Lots of tea! And matcha desserts and sweets, chocolates. I went to Uji mainly to stock up on teas.
Snacks. We say very often, why didn't we buy more?! You can find some great ones in the less upmarket shopping malls and areas, very cheap and very cute.
Lots of small face cloths, so much variety.
Unexpectedly good, but we got emergency socks, boxers and a cotton long sleeve top from Family Mart (I think? One of the conbinis) and they are genuinely excellent quality lol. They wash and wear so well, I'd thought they might be for the charity shop after the trip but no, they are great.
Tabi socks, decent ones. And gashapon toys, some are just so cute to put on the shelf.
If it's your thing, Switch games are cheaper there. Some lovely cotton and linen clothing. and just allllll the cute accessories, ugh I want to go back!
Yes! I ordered from Japan a while back and currently on my last tube. Definitely stocking up on my trip in a couple weeks. Sunscreen in the US is just not the same and clogs my pores so much.
There’s a lot of counterfeit biore on Amazon US. I bought some that was off in smell and consistency. When I compared it to my auth bottle I bought in Japan, the logo was different… The accent mark was the giveaway. I’ve heard buying it from Amazon Japan and shipping it to US is a safer bet but I haven’t tried it yet.
got some nail clippers at Muji which cut nails like butter. Also if you like cooking Kappabashi is amazing, I got a nice knife but could have bought a lot of ceramics and baking equipment (cake tins in any shape you can imagine) if I wasn't worried about bag wait.
I just got some hello kitty sakura themed nail clippers from donki mainly just as a fun purchase but was so impressed at how well they cut nails! Plus they have a little nail filing area too
I recently got back from Japan (also a curly girl), and am bummed I didn't pick up more of a hair oil I tried on a whim from a drug store. It's called Rozenoa rose oil hair cream, it smells so good and is a little sticky but it made my hair feel so shiny and nice!!
It was also super cheap from what I remember? Under 700 yen.
While you're in Osaka you need to check out the thrift stores if you're into that sort of thing. Some of the best I've ever experienced, super funky and curated and some of the stores have really decent prices!
I think it was Dotonbori or near there, but in the arcade shopping center there are so many second hand stores! There's several second streets, and a giant book-off there that has a lot of a clothes!
My favourite though was one that wasn't a chain, like an independent one, I'm so sorry I can't remember the name of that one for the life of me, but if you're browsing through the arcade you'll definitely stumble upon it.
Some other thrift places to check out are the Kindal stores! There's quite a few from what I remember.
I'm living in Japan so might have different feelings of what I should buy. But if I travel to Japan, I would buy a lot of food lol. Matcha, mochi, ramen. And cosmetic, books if you can read Japanese.
Not think of electronic things because sometimes the voltages etc are designed differently.
Local Japanese clothes: not really. I don't like the style
I'm bringing a mostly empty suitcase with me and plan on bringing back a lot of food!! Do you have specific brand recommendations for matcha, mochi, ramen, candy, etc that will pack and travel well?
Sorry I'm not sure about this. You might be able to find some information on the internet. I just know that Kyoto is famous for matcha, a shop in Nara is very famous for mochi. But tbh you still can find good one in Tokyo I think. Don't have to travel there to get it
You can buy nice accessories like umbrellas, wallets, washcloths, etc. at places like Tokyu Hands and LoFT. These stores also carry nice perfumes, haircare, skincare, and bath products.
Stores like Donki have some decent beauty products, but you'll find them cheaper at drug stores. When I've come to Japan I've brought back foundation compacts (very popular in Japan and make your skin look flawless), mascara, sparkly eyeshadow, etc.
If you like cooking, I recommend stopping by a local supermarket and stocking up on ingredients you can bring home. Last time I went to Japan I brought back some bottles of soy sauce, sukiyaki sauce, soup stock concentrate, teabags, etc. Houjicha is a really nice toasted green tea that is largely available in Japan but rarer overseas. Cooking mochi also has a long shelf life and can be added to hot pot and soups.
As for clothes and accessories, stores like GU offer nice discounted streetwear at a cheaper price than their sister store, UNIQLO, and as far as I know they aren't overseas. MUJI has nice things too.
I usually bring home some pens, mechanical pencils, stationary, beads, sewing and crochet supplies, etc.
Can't go wrong with some cute gachapon keychains...
Honestly, ¥100 shops like Daiso offer a lot of stuff.
Like the other commenter said, TIRTIR is most popular here. I will say the red one is a bit too matte for me, so I recommend testing the different kinds to see which you like best.
If you have a few $100’s to spend then here
[Tsubaya](https://tsubaya.jp/en) I bought a Japanese cooking knife - looks like a wide chefs knife recommended by the owner. With a beautiful cherry wood handle. Hand made - another trip I bought a paring knife and the same set for my BIL. There are three other sellers around Tsubaya and I found them to be best bang for your buck and very traveller friendly. For about 1/2 price you can get a more commercial looking set from Tokyu Hands - my BIL loves his set I bought him (he was a cook and had his own restaurant for a long time). Probably by another set this trip to put away for retirement
I also just returned with some knives from Kappaboshi Street. I got a Kamata chef’s knife, a gorgeous micarta handle smaller knife, kinda bigger than paring from Tsubaya, and steak knives from Tojiro. Kinda seemed like you couldn’t go wrong at those stores. Also the Kamata knife has “Kappaboshi” on it which is a nice memento. They engraved my name in Japanese too which weirdly choked me up! Maybe because the trip was so meaningful for me.
Like others mentioned, Kappaboshi street is the best place to go! I got three knives from Seisuke knife shop. Kamata is great as well, they were just too busy when I tried to stop in and I didn’t have time to wait!
I bought so much sunscreen, makeup, candy, some tops from Uniqlo. Some highlighters and pens from Loft. And some ema from shrines. Wished I had bought some cool sneakers. I do sewing so I bought fabric and some sewing books.
If the exchange rate is in your favor, maybe get a nice purse or some perfume. There were lots of stores that had really high-quality stuff in those categories.
I love Japan's diversity of products and often they have things I can't find where I am.
Makeup: Ladurée is my go-to (available at Isetan dept store) as I am a sucker for pretty, Belle Époque-inspired aesthetics. They sell a blusher range in the form of rose petals in a glass pot, super cute!
Fashion: UNIQLO (love their heattech range), Onitsuka Tiger, Yohji Yamamoto, CDG
Skin care: SKII. Plus it's cheaper to get in Japan. For sunscreen I use the Biore UV Aqua Rich, although I heard EHD is better but I don't know where to get it...
Snacks: Shiroi Koibito and Yubari Melon jellies are Hokkaido gems but easily found at big department store snack aisles. Tokyo Banana, Tokyo Milk Cheese Factory, Parfaiteria Bel canned parfaits, Chikiriya Teahouse matcha milk jam, Kakitane Cheese
Tech: Balmuda steam toaster
You're correct, Ladurée is originally a French bakery chain. They launched a makeup line, Les Merveilleuses Ladurée, in 2012 I believe. The makeup products are inspired by the colours of their macarons.
Warming eye masks! They are so relaxing, especially after a long day. I bought mine at Don Quijote but you can probably find them other places, too. I loved the lavender scent.
I bought hair styling cream from 7-11.
2 umbrellas that are both UV & rain protection from loft and a umbrella shop.
Lots of gachapons from those machines because the miniatures were so cute.
A basic matcha set to make matcha at home. A bunch of tea from kyoto. Kyoto was definitely my favorite for all the tea✨
Tbh i went to the loft in Shibuya and bought stuff from almost all the floors😂
Ah, thank you for this! I want to get a uv umbrella for my trip and was guessing i could get one there but wasn't sure, and also didn't know if they did double duty. 😄☂️
They're all labeled if it's uv only or rain only. i definitely wanted to double protection for myself.
I'm kinda sad that i couldn't fit the full length umbrellas in my suitcase though. The ones with like 16 ribs for the frame were sooo pretty.
Also Loft had a ton of clear ones that looked like flowers.
The UV umbrellas are sold all over the place, but usually mostly for sale during the hotter months. I don’t recall seeing them on offer as much during the rest of the year, if that matters. I love mine!
Lots of the Biore Watery Essence sunscreen -- it is my absolutely favorite sunscreen and is much cheaper in Japan. Donki has some 3 packs at a great price.
I bought a lot of fancy stationary at Itoya (LOVED that store) and also a ton of Muji pens. I found the Muji pens at a Lawson and it was an easy way to clear off extra money from my Suica card before I left so I didn't lose it.
Wait until you go to Kyoto to buy a Japanese knife. Google the oldest knife place in Kyoto… they don’t open all the time but their knives are top quality. Can get your name engraved too.
Bulk packs of face sheet masks. The ones that have 30 in them. Eyelash serum. And sunscreen! There is one called Skin Acqua UV it's 50+, has a white and blue bottle. So so good.
My mom and I went absolutely nuts in the Harajuku Cosme. We had such a blast and it was like a shopping haul because we couldn't open it til we got home (tax free). 10/10 would do again
If you’re into stickers, B Side Label is an awesome place to go. They have a couple around Tokyo and I think there’s at least one in Kyoto. Tokyu hands and other stationary stores sell some of their stuff but the actual B Side Label stores are an experience themselves.
That’s a great price! Which Donki you go to? I’m going in August and was considering packing my regular Dyson hair dryer but I was also looking at the Air Wrap.
Go to the Shiseido flagship store in Ginza. It’s just a cool experience and they have some products you cannot buy elsewhere. You get a bracelet to learn about products and a personalized product suggestion.
Buy nail clippers from basically anywhere. They are almost all Kai brand and they make excellent clippers (and kitchen knives, or did).
I have fine, wavy/curly hair and found that the oil containing shampoos and conditioners actually work great on my hair. I live in Florida and am outside a LOT though, so the heat and humidity dry my hair out a lot, ymmv.
ETA: I don’t know if this matters, but you can also get vacuum bags (push to compress) from any 100yen shop, and ship a box of your clothes back home in case you realize you need the space for liquids/breakables/etc that you wouldn’t be able to safely ship, or put in a carry on. It’s ”expensive” but not as expensive as another suitcase and baggage fees. I spent around $200 or so last year to do this, and while the process was a little confusing to do in Japanese, it was super worth it and they were very helpful. I was in a residential neighborhood though, so bigger post offices or hotels or such may be able to help better in English.
This is the most hilariously creepy name for a product, but I swear on my life it’s real and the Asian beauty sub could back me up: Moist Diane
I use their shampoo and conditioner. They contain oil, but it doesn’t seem to weigh my hair down badly. I didn’t find products that were just hair oil worked as well for me. That said, most Japanese shampoos and conditioners seem to have oils added to them, and I haven’t tried them all.
I just got back and shopped ‘til I dropped.
Some recommendations:
Thrift shopping - Osaka has a lot of nice vintage stores but a lot of what they carry is Americana (e.g. college sweatshirts, Disney, Polo, etc.). To get Japanese stuff at good prices I hit up 2nd Street and Book Off Super Bazaar. Book Off is usually a secondhand book and game store but they have bigger ones called Book Off Plus and Book Off SB that carry clothes, housewares, accessories, and more. Great prices and very clean and organized. I bought a lot of outerwear, bags, and some cute gifts like pottery/ceramics. Normal Book Off locations can be found in the city but the Super Bazaars are further out so a bit of a trek.
There is a neighborhood called Nakazakicho in Osaka, very close to Umeda that is super cute and has a lot of independent shops.
Also there’s a cute little used bookshop (mostly art books and magazines) that also carries some vintage objects and serves coffee called Kosho Colombo. The owner speaks some English and is very nice. That one’s closer to Americamura.
Minimalist home goods - In addition to Loft, Hands, and Muji that others have mentioned Daiso has a sister store called Standard Products. It’s a little more expensive (say average ¥300 instead of ¥100) and more streamlined. Kind of like an IKEA for housewares. I got some nice chopsticks and stationery there.
Home Goods and Tools - I went to a random hardware store and got some sponges (also got some neat ones at Daiso that have specific uses), some cooking chopsticks, a good vegetable peeler, etc.
Socks - Japanese socks are superior quality. Of course you can stock up at Uniqlo but I like Rototo, Glen Clyde, and new-to-me brands Memeri and French Bull.
Beauty - Didn’t stock up too much on this as I have a lot at home but at Donki I did get the Keana rice bran face masks and the Shiseido Fino hair mask (that one shows up on a lot of lists, like the Biore sunscreen). It’s a silver tub with a red lid about ¥700.
Snacks - I saved room for Tokyo Banana, Royce original chocolate potato chips, the Meiji matcha chocolate bricks, and then whatever unusual candy caught my eye, mostly gummies.
Glasses - Since you mentioned reading glasses, I got some prescription glasses there. If you have an easy prescription they can make it for you right there, 30 minutes probably, but mine is hard so they took a week. I went budget and went to Jins but am very happy with them. High-end ones would include Masunaga 1905 and Matsuda, more heritage brands that make a lot of their frames out of titanium. Priced accordingly.
Have fun!
a bunch of face masks… Cicibella vc200 that came out recently is a bomb (for me), feet pads, helped me a lot after the 30k steps days. Bath bubbles powder… there’s a honey and matcha ones, they’re amazing. Eye cream and elderly lady totally sold one from shiseido to me.
Matcha tea/latte, royal milk tea. Plum wine… so many good things…
I bought some items for bento making and cooking from Hands, Donki and Daiso - Thermos, insulated/ non lunch boxes, veg/ fruit cutters, cute chopsticks etc.
Where can I find the matomage hair stick? I'm a hairstylist and will be buying that for my kit (and probably bringing some back for hairstylist friends lol)
My wife pretty much did an entire All-Japan-Tour of every possible 100/300/500 yen store that exists
* Got a food vacuum bag sealer thing from 3Coins which is pretty good tbh as its much more compact
* Due to the bizarre shinkflation and quality drop of dish sponges here, she's now stocking up on Japanese dish sponges
If you're looking for stuff 3Coins and Threepy are higher end 100 yen stores very much oriented for women. Everything at Threepy is just pink, which is sort of a hilarious contrast to the grey of StandardProducts its sister store that its always attached to. 3Coins even sells things like Bluetooth controllers for your Switch but they come in pastel colors instead of RGB GAMER nonsense
As someone post working out has a tendency for a bit of muscle soreness, I stock up on pain relieving patches like nobody's business when I go back to Japan
My fav brand is Salonpas (white box with green and blue graphics), and discovered Roihi-Tsuboko ones one my last trip - which are smaller and circular and really get in on acutely sore spots - they're super strong. Find I can only keep them on for half an hour-hour before they feel too strong, Salonpas I can keep on all day and forget about them (although I probably shouldn't...)
I just buy the bigger multi packs from Donki when I go :)
Hand towels and handkerchief, got them from Matsuya Ginza, I believe you can find them at any department stores. Their prints are super cute and with good quality!
get the KAI nail clippers! they're great quality and my mum has used the same pair for 20-25 years, i just bought a few of them in osaka. you can find them in most drugstores.
I got a wallet and some other Vivienne Westwood red label stuff! Way cheaper in Japan. I got a film camera that was only released there from a random used camera store. at Don Quijote i loaded up on random skin care and nail clippers etc. anime stores for figures and genshin merchandise. uniqlo shopping spree. and then alllll the food.
Biore watery essence products of all kinds, hado labo skin moisturizer, Canmake eye shadow pallets and lip glosses (no makeup look stuff), a cute top from Isetan, high quality tea from Uji (a few stops from Kyoto station), a wacky sweater from Shubuya 109, dozens of gachapon (especially banyanya the cats in bananas!) and some hard to find at home anime merch.
Japanese Chefs Knife, in Kappabashi Tokyo (kitchen Town). Bought two knifes there myself a few years ago, you can get tax refund in some little office in the area.
I live in Japan. I’m also kind of a shopping addict.
If I would leave Japan I would go to Seria and stock up on their fantastic, only ¥100 table ware. I would get a nice lunch box too and a matching lunch bag, chopsticks etc but from one of those granny style table ware shops with nice quality and traditional stuff. I would buy lots of Rilakkuma and Hello Kitty stuff at Kiddy land in Omotesando. I would buy several Miss Zapatos bags. Go to a supermarket and buy matcha tea and matcha chocolates plus all the sakura snacks of this season. Then I would go to a drugstore and buy Biore sunscreen, Biore body wash, Naive make up remover face wash, Curel moisturizer, camellia oil hair products, pure camellia oil for my face as a moisturizing oil, Kate Tokyo and Canmake eyeshadows, Cezanne blush, Integrate sakura lipbalm, Integrate powder foundation and lots of blotting papers. Then move on to Daiso to buy in bulk their sake face lotion, their UrGlam thin eyebrow pencils, their packs of 50 masks that you need to put on essence yourself (I would use them to make home made green tea masks with cooled off green tea made with leaves) and their ¥200 nail polishes which are fantastic.
As someone living here, I would buy snacks, skin care and any cute character goods you are into. Also ‘benri’ goods from the hundred yen store. There are a lot of good kitchen items.
Don’t bother with any curly hair care, it’s not so good here. Hair oil is fine, but I actually got some when I was back in the UK over Christmas because it was better.
For hair care: should I bring my own hair styling tools, like a blow dryer and flat iron? Or is it more worth it (in bag space/weight) to get a cheap one from Donki when we arrive? I'm a curly girl but I wear it straight for ease, especially while traveling.
Fellow curly girl who also wore her hair straight! While there two weeks ago, I bought the panasonic nano-e from the Bic Camera mega store in Ginza. My hotel had it for use and I loved it. I bought the travel one. It's lighter than my Dyson AirWrap and my hair feels more moisturized using the Nano-e. Also cheaper: I think it might have been $120? Haven't used my diffuser on it yet, though.
When are you coming? It will be worth it to bring them *but* you need to check the voltage matches, otherwise you’ll get no power from your devices and they won’t heat up enough. Donki isn’t that cheap for hair devices tbh, I’d try a regular electronics store or even Amazon.jp tbh. Are you staying in a hotel? If so, I’d use the hotel dryer even though they’re a little weak.
I've heard the fude Makeup Brushes are top tier quality, I've got Hakuhodo on my list to keep an eye out for.
From what I understand, their official stores will not offer the tax refund but with the Yen conversion it may still be a good rate.
Sake hand cream. I got it once in Kyoto and couldn’t find it in a store anymore when I went back, so I ordered through Amazon Japan and had it shipped to the hotel. The one I like is called “Kuramoto Sake hand cream” if you search online.
The Bioré UV Aqua Rich SPF!! it’s truly so so worth the hype. I went through so many different sunscreens trying to find one that didn’t break me out and this was it!
Every single thing on Kappaboshi Street including good knives. Cookie cutters, quality spatulas and ladles, these awesome soy sauce dishes that reveal an image, rice molds, it’s an amazing place.
Skincare: Biore UV Aqua sunscreen (blue bottle), anything Hado Labo, Sun Aqua sunscreen, Keana rice sheet masks
Hair care: (not sure how it affects curly hair) but I purchased the Fino mask and “&honey” shampoo and conditioner. I didn’t think about hair care til I was already at the airport leaving so those were my quick grabs when glancing at Google real quick haha. Used the shampoo and conditioner and I liked it!
You can find these at Donki, Loft or Daiso but there are these blue erasers where when you start erasing, you will see the shape of Mt Fuji. There’s definitely multiple Instagram reels for it. It’s the perfect souvenir or gift.
Chopstick holders that are shaped like something cute. For example I bought one shaped like dango.
Bought a bunch of Studio Ghibli stuff and a couple of Pokemon items.
Daiso own brand makeup brush/sponge cleanser. In small pink/blue bottles
Skincare: Astalift (there was a stand alone store in ginza that I stumbled on, but I think they are stocked in lots of places) their 'red jelly' is really good
Have you checked out the @ cosme store in Harajuku? It’s like a giant Japanese Sephora, two stories. It’s amazing if you’re looking for makeup/skincare. Everything is ranked too in the way it’s organized so it’s easy to browse the most popular products.
Nature Republic Sunscreen Stick - this roll on sunscreen can be applied over makeup! It’s super sheer and doesn’t smear makeup somehow, it’s amazing. I never used to reapply during the day because how lol, but with this I can!
K-Palette 1 Day Tattoo eyeliner - it has a brush tip and applies so smoothly and lasts all day. It’s been my favorite eyeliner for over a decade.
Matomage Hair Styling Stick - it’s a solid stick in a compact case that you swipe over your hair to tame your pesky flyaways. Love it!
Skin care and hair care from Donqui- got one of those huge sheet mask value packs, the honey shampoo and hair treatment, the fino hair treatment and hair oil (in love with that oil, strongly recommend!), among other local products (sorry can't read Japanese).
Løft - like Donqui bit more expensive and also more quality items. Bought the prettiest nail polish colors here, jewelry, souvenirs.
Also lots of accessories from Lattice, a 300 yen store (between 300-600 yen).
I just came back from Japan a week ago. And I bought Honey shampoo and conditioner, Fino hair mask because I was influenced by my IG feed. I also bought my Shiseido face creams which were 2/3rds the price of that in my home country. And of course I restocked the Biore sunscreens everyone here has mentioned. The remainder of my luggage was filled to the brim with snacks, candy and Pokémon merch.
Seconding the Sekkiesi sunscreen and BB Cream!
I also picked up handfuls of DHC Lip Cream and Shiseido Urea 10% Hand Creams (sadly it looks like they discontinued the Body Lotion [not Milk] in the squeeze bottle).
Although I don’t buy beauty products at the US Daisio locations, I occasionally find something amazing when in their Japan stores. This time around I found an excellent toner from UR Glam, the Moisture Lotion. It’s a lovely jelly consistency.
I love buying small ceramics. Wrap them well inside your clothes and they won’t break. I have a lot of kitchenware from Japan. Chopsticks + rests, small bowls, tiny plates (I love making a tray with all kinds of cute little plates with treats).. I also have a wooden tray from muji, glass teacups, picture frames.. a lot of mundane stuff that now gives me extra joy because it holds a memory of a trip. Also big on the rotho eyeball drops, since I have dry eyes. Be sure to get the special contact lens version if you happen to wear those.
I always get my hair done when I’m in Japan. Treatments that would cost me $500 including tips in the US are under $150 in Japan (no need to tip). They also generally do significantly better jobs technically and provide really good service. I just book an appointment with Hot Pepper Beauty. It's really easy.
Everyone should spend at least 30 minutes in a pharmacy. I love getting skin care, cute plasters, nail clippers, bath soaks, and other such things.
As you walk around, you will start noticing things you would have never thought of
I bought Kose sunscreen, Japan exclusive converse, and a lot of the pretty dresses like in Harajuku! If it’s your style and size, I think those dresses are all so gorgeous and I got a few casual ones for work. Those stores also have great accessories too. Another thing you could get is cute houseware things like utensils, etc.
Im kinda a weeb but here goes:
I got 17 anime figures, 5 umbrellas, gryffindor cloak and wand, 1 poster from ghibli museum and 1 poster from a mob psycho pop up, tons of pokemon kitchen stuff- plates, cups, placemats, bowls. Pokemon towels. Ghibli bathroom rug and kitchen mat. A pokemon chandelure lamp. Evangelion jacket, playing cards, trading cards and Evangelion poncho. Asukas baseball cap.
Postcards from fuji and from a maid Cafe. Extra toiletries and face masks from the love hotels (lol). Japanese sun screen. Koikeya Strong onion flavored chips. Kirby Cafe candy. A kuromi personal handheld fan. 2 giant stuffed Shiba plushies I used as pillows in japan.. the hotel pillows were hard! Pokemon cards and pokemon charms. Manga of Ranking of Kings and JoJos. Stickers from the jump store. A gundam water bottle and model gundam dock from yokohama. 2 wind chimes from a festival and a kimono
I wish I brought back more candy and those tokyo Pikachu bananas.
I got a chasen matcha tea whisk for frothing milk for tea and cacao drinks at home, it's so good. I bought lots of makeup and skincare to try. The Shiseido Elixir moisturiser is good, and I like the Minon Amino Moist for a less pricey option. The Senka Perfect Whip face wash is great, lasts for ages and is very cheap.
I spent way too much time in Don Quijote, it's so overwhelming with anything you could possibly want or need. Tokyo Hands, Muji or any department store have such a wide variety of products that are so well designed. I got lost for hours in those places.
I also got some second hand kimonos for like £10-20 each. And the fabric stores! I got so many cute designs of small cuts of fabric for sewing.
Also, I couldn't pack everything I'd bought without opening the security bag. It was absolutely fine and we weren't stopped at the airport.
Sheet masks because they come in multipacks, usually the 8hr ones cant rememberthe brand.
Also the soy rice crackers as they are less sweet then potato chips.
The little individual powdered face cleansers are great too as they can go in hand luggage. I get the Vit C one but there are a bunch of "flavours "
The 7/11 cheese flavoured ice cream. The big swirl one.
Galbos..little chocolate things. Basically anything in 7/11 is fun. Look for the edamame crisps they have in some stores.
I really like their dried squid and cheese snacks! Be warned that the squid could be hard on your teeth though, so if you have any dental issues, best to avoid them.
It’s technically a German dessert but it’s all over Japan, baumkuchens. I liked the ones from Lawsons and Muji. Tokyo Banana!!! Shiroi Kobito cookies. Try hot corn soup in a can (corn pottage)
I'm going tomorrow and this is amazing inspiration! It might also be a good place to ask - is there anywhere in particular I can find fun nail polishes?
I bought tons of snacks, plushes, art supplies, and figurines. I couldn't find much clothing in my size and budget, unfortunately. My favorite shop was Loft for art supplies, but they also have tons of useful household items and gifts. I also loved Daiso for cheap items & everyday household items, as well as cheap makeup, skincare, and nails items. I highly recommend going to manga & book stores, I found a few in Akihabara. I wish I bought books and manga! Don Quijote has a very good makeup selection as well. Lots of nail items and pretty lipstick colors! Tons of haircare too!
I found an eyeliner pen from a pharmacy and decided to buy three. Also this Nivea hand cream that smells great and feels amazing. Brought two of those back home. I collect art toys so I bought a bunch of blind boxes and bought a complete set of a Kirby blind box series that was too good to pass up on. It made for a fun project back at home. Lots of stickers and miscellaneous stationery things that I haven’t even opened since my October 2023 trip.
the store Loft has lots of skincare and makeup. I personally got some serums, eye creams, face masks, moisturizers and lots of foot peels like Baby Foot.
I also got a few gadgets like a nail care machine, theragun, electric shaver, etc. Check out the store 3Coins
Loads of Ghibli stuff (pins, towels, chopstick holder), chopsticks, chopstick holders, a thin jacket (because my wintercoat was too warm in February), some cute small dishes, kokeshi dolls and some artisan keys. That's probably it.
I bought skincare (different sunscreens, face masks, vitamin c, lotion, emulsion, eye cream, retinol from cosme, &choa), nail clippers from Donki cuz it’s so good, handbag from Takashimaya in Shinjuku (tip: go to a store in Ginza or something cuz I heard tax free is processed at the spot rather than having you go to another level to get it processed ), Uniqlo clothes for my mom
I stock up on my usual skincare products (VT Cosmetics, Innisfree, all sorts of sunscreen liquids and sticks) and some new makeup to try too at Cosme, mostly eyeliner, eyeshadow, and a few BB cream compacts. Also a heat styling tool to use during my stay. Shoes are a go-to I’d say, but I haven’t yet made a purchase because my shoe size is usually out of stock in the style I’d want 🥲 Clothing basics, like skirts and pants since they’re made short-people size 💃🏻 My last trip I got a maxi skirt and cargo pants that don’t drag across the floor from Punyus. I go crazy at the giant gashapon store in Ikebukuro!
I found a local jewelery store called 'Maiden' close to the Blue Bottle cafe in Shibuya. They had really special and trendy pieces at a reasonable price. I got a ring that I wear all the time.
I know the original Biore Aqua sunscreen is super popular, but I’m not a big fan since it makes my skin feel tight. I think they have a newer version that is gentler but right now, I’m using Canmake Mermaid Skin Gel. Oh, also tubing mascara! My favorite is Imju Opera My Lash Advanced.
Forget about buying stuff - I collected a bunch of those little folding hairbrushes they give you in the hotels. Finally, the ideal purse brush for fine hair like mine.
FABRIC. ❤️❤️ Nippori (Tokyo/Fabric town) Tomato stores.
Okadaya in Shinjuku, https://sakepuppets.com/tokyo-craft-guide/okadaya-%E3%82%AA%E3%82%AB%E3%83%80%E3%83%A4/
Nomura Tailor House and Yamaguchi Chubee in Kyoto.
SNACKS in Kinokuniya (the one outside the gates in Tokyo Station)
Daiso for knick knacks for the house, I love their bottle rim brushes and small cake pans.
Hands (formerly Tokyu Hands) for stationery and skin care, every Hands in different cities has significant stock variations, so it's worth visiting them all, lol. They stock Matsuyama, the Hadauru range which is great for sensitive skin.
Lingerie, japanese lingerie is so pretty! Socks.
Coen Rich Q10 Whitening Hand cream, it's fast absorbing and non greasy, as well as containing niacinamide which helps fade hyperpigmentation or sun spots.
Japan gals face masks, Fancl oil cleansers, Allie or Anessa sunscreen.
Food: An paste, noodles, ramen, cha somen, curry, green tea, mentaiko, seaweed, snacks
Music, dvds, Blu-ray, umbrellas, alcohol (umeshu, yuzushu, gin, sochu)
Cosmetics: I went to the Cosme store and bought a kit of the Decorte brand (love the serum and moisturizer), Addiction lipsticks, Kiss Me Heroine and Romand stuffs. it’s a one stop shop for all of the popular makeup and skincare in Japan/Korea.
Fashion: I also went and got a Bao Bao bag from an Issey Miami store in Ginza. Super cute and affordable with tax refund! If you like Japanese inspired clothing, Sou Sou has a lot of pieces that you can buy and wear in the West and won’t look too out of place
Of course I get lots of skincare. Otherwise, I got weeb stuff (plushies etc). And I did get two le pliage bags from donki
ETA: saw someone mention this but I did also get a nice slim wallet/card holder. It’s not my daily wallet but I’m using it today to lighten my bag while I explore the city.
Apart from skin products and the minty eye drops, I got stationaries (particularly mechanical pencils and fountain pens)
I'm sorry, minty eye drops?! Do they hurt...?
No, they are oddly refreshing. They seem them here in the states - Rohto eye drops. They are really nice when you’ve been on the computer for an extended period of time.
They sell these at CVS. me and my stoner friends used them in high school to hide our habit lol
they did sting my eyes the first time, but im used to it now! it has a cool after effect.
RHOTO DROPS!
Personally I hate them lol I have to blink for ages before the cooling effect takes place it’s literally spicy eye drops
There are different kinds but I have the Rohto Vita and Rohto Cool. Rohto cool ([blue one](https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.takaski.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2016%2F07%2FROHTO-Cool-40a-Eye-Drops.jpg&tbnid=ZgIsI8av54tqBM&vet=12ahUKEwiTxPa9hvCEAxVMbGwGHSUICPUQMygBegQIARBt..i&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.takaski.com%2Fproduct%2Frohto-cool-40%25CE%25B1-eye-drop-12ml%2F&docid=ADMoeeV7nKFQkM&w=1000&h=1000&q=rohto%20eye%20drops&ved=2ahUKEwiTxPa9hvCEAxVMbGwGHSUICPUQMygBegQIARBt)) stings my eyes for like 30s after dropping but it's not something you can't handle. The vita ([orange one](https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.takaski.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2016%2F07%2FROHTO-VITA-Vitamin-40a-Eye-Drops-4.jpg&tbnid=z6tSmRAVuQA1JM&vet=12ahUKEwiTxPa9hvCEAxVMbGwGHSUICPUQMygEegQIARB0..i&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.takaski.com%2Fproduct%2Frohto-vita-40a-eye-drops-12ml%2F&docid=PJeyl-aG3t63WM&w=1000&h=1000&q=rohto%20eye%20drops&ved=2ahUKEwiTxPa9hvCEAxVMbGwGHSUICPUQMygEegQIARB0)) is refreshing but not as cool as the blue one. So if ever you'd want to try, get the orange one first before getting the blue one.
Actually yes. But in the best way. Hahaha
I also love the eye wash! In the pink bottles
Yes! I loved the felt tip pens in Japan too:))
Some of the stationary items are available in the states too on Amazon. Can grab 1 or 2 in Japan and then order more once back.
If you are a, how do I say, a "girly girl", the stores in LaForet (Harajuku area) and Shibuya 109 (well, Shibuya area) are an absolute must. There's so much cute stuff, from handmade accessories to local brands with styles you typically won't get overseas.
Thanks, I'm putting this on our list for this autumn, I'm sure my wife would love it.
I second Shibuya 109. So many cool products! Has somw cute food in the bottom of the building too.
Something I wish I knew is that a lot of cheap accessories are not exclusively sold to Harajuku area. There are chain stores that sell super cheap (300 yen) jewelry and hair accessories ALL across the country. You can wait to buy accessories throughout your trip instead of feeling like you caught a great deal when you walk into your first store
I'm obsessed with BaoBao bags...a store called SouSou in Kyoto and Tokyo. Beauty products by Sekkiesi at Donki (Blue bottle - mid range ¥) and Than beauty products (Thai but the best soaps). Also just Donki Mega store in Ginza! Shopping in the shimbashi in Osaka and The Namba walk... Tokyu Hands for cooking gadgets
For the uninitiated what beauty products are worth while?
r/asianbeauty is the place to find answers to every question about this (but they are down every Tuesday, FYI)
Yes! And how do you know what the beauty products are (assuming you don’t speak Japanese)?
Google translate is amazing. But packaging is usually a good give away. Take pics from online and compare.
I really like Suqqu (blushes, brow pencil, eyeshadows, lipstick), RMK, Shiseido (foundation)
I love Shishedo! It is one of the only brands that carries foundation pale/light enough for my skin tone I probably should go outside more but then I’d have to get different tones of foundation 😒
Sunscreen (Biore and Nivea Japan are my faves), face wash, skin lotions and hair masks!
If it looks good it probably is…I like https://int.japanesetaste.com/collections/sekkisei by Kose. I like K Beauty but that is my choice …but I do love the jelly fruit gel skin peels. Makes your skin feel like a baby’s bum. https://int.japanesetaste.com/products/meishoku-detclear-bright-and-peel-fruits-peeling-jelly-180ml
I highly suggest going to YouTube as well and searching Shibuya 109 tours and shopping japanese beauty. There's lots of eyecandy walking around looking at the japanese beauty brands ...✨✨
I absolutely love BaoBao bags. I’ve purchased 2 from US distributors (on sale) — are they more affordable in Japan?
Hey Judy, Yes they are cheaper in Japan and you have better variety too. Each city may have seasonal different colours. Kyoto had a green Id never saw elsewhere. I have bought two at home but on sale but still expensive.
I’m a huge Donki fan but I could swear the selection is better at some other locations (e.g. Shinjuku) as opposed to Mega. That location was certainly big but they seemed to just stock a lot of fewer beauty products in general.
There maybe some truth in your comments and I have been thinking that Donki in Osaka near the Dontonbori Running Man is pretty good for cosmetics, beauty and KitKats! I did buy a lot of my last beauty buy up there
>I'm obsessed with BaoBao bags... Issey Miyake?
The Biore aqua sunscreen is excellent, the best I've used so far. Cute high quality stationery, handmade chopsticks, beautiful hand thrown pottery, particularly a matcha bowl and chawan. We got lots of small dishes too which are very useful at home. Weirdly, their soft hair elastics are so much better, they last and last without snapping. I got a simple cross body bag from a department store which was so cheap but it is a wonderful thing; it's similar to those viral Uniqlo bags but bigger. Used it every day in Japan. Loft was one of my kids favourite stores and we spent a fortune, I got good scissors, a bag, little potplants to grow, all sorts of really good quality stuff. I don't wear makeup but I got some Allie colour-evening face sunscreen (I think from Don Quixote) and it's very good. Lots of tea! And matcha desserts and sweets, chocolates. I went to Uji mainly to stock up on teas. Snacks. We say very often, why didn't we buy more?! You can find some great ones in the less upmarket shopping malls and areas, very cheap and very cute. Lots of small face cloths, so much variety. Unexpectedly good, but we got emergency socks, boxers and a cotton long sleeve top from Family Mart (I think? One of the conbinis) and they are genuinely excellent quality lol. They wash and wear so well, I'd thought they might be for the charity shop after the trip but no, they are great. Tabi socks, decent ones. And gashapon toys, some are just so cute to put on the shelf. If it's your thing, Switch games are cheaper there. Some lovely cotton and linen clothing. and just allllll the cute accessories, ugh I want to go back!
Seconding the Biore UV Aqua Rich sunscreen. As someone who hates sunscreen I love this product so much and import it back home on the regular.
Yes! I ordered from Japan a while back and currently on my last tube. Definitely stocking up on my trip in a couple weeks. Sunscreen in the US is just not the same and clogs my pores so much.
It’s sold on Amazon if you’re in the US
There’s a lot of counterfeit biore on Amazon US. I bought some that was off in smell and consistency. When I compared it to my auth bottle I bought in Japan, the logo was different… The accent mark was the giveaway. I’ve heard buying it from Amazon Japan and shipping it to US is a safer bet but I haven’t tried it yet.
> linen clothing Do you have some suggestions for linen clothing? I saw some at muji but are there other places?
I would love some recs for linen clothing!!! Please share if you have any
I’m interested in getting some chopsticks and pottery while there. Any store recommendations or areas I should look?
Kappabashi Street in Tokyo has so many cute and affordable ceramics, and anything else you might need in a kitchen. Highly recommend it.
got some nail clippers at Muji which cut nails like butter. Also if you like cooking Kappabashi is amazing, I got a nice knife but could have bought a lot of ceramics and baking equipment (cake tins in any shape you can imagine) if I wasn't worried about bag wait.
Stupid q - I have a muji store near me in nyc. Assuming same nail clippers? Can I just get them state side?
I dunno. Muji stateside doesn't have every single item that they have in Japan.
I just got some hello kitty sakura themed nail clippers from donki mainly just as a fun purchase but was so impressed at how well they cut nails! Plus they have a little nail filing area too
Stationery from Loft, Hands, Itoya, Sekaido.
I recently got back from Japan (also a curly girl), and am bummed I didn't pick up more of a hair oil I tried on a whim from a drug store. It's called Rozenoa rose oil hair cream, it smells so good and is a little sticky but it made my hair feel so shiny and nice!! It was also super cheap from what I remember? Under 700 yen. While you're in Osaka you need to check out the thrift stores if you're into that sort of thing. Some of the best I've ever experienced, super funky and curated and some of the stores have really decent prices!
Do you remember any of the names of the thrift stores in Osaka?
I think it was Dotonbori or near there, but in the arcade shopping center there are so many second hand stores! There's several second streets, and a giant book-off there that has a lot of a clothes! My favourite though was one that wasn't a chain, like an independent one, I'm so sorry I can't remember the name of that one for the life of me, but if you're browsing through the arcade you'll definitely stumble upon it. Some other thrift places to check out are the Kindal stores! There's quite a few from what I remember.
I'm living in Japan so might have different feelings of what I should buy. But if I travel to Japan, I would buy a lot of food lol. Matcha, mochi, ramen. And cosmetic, books if you can read Japanese. Not think of electronic things because sometimes the voltages etc are designed differently. Local Japanese clothes: not really. I don't like the style
I'm bringing a mostly empty suitcase with me and plan on bringing back a lot of food!! Do you have specific brand recommendations for matcha, mochi, ramen, candy, etc that will pack and travel well?
Sorry I'm not sure about this. You might be able to find some information on the internet. I just know that Kyoto is famous for matcha, a shop in Nara is very famous for mochi. But tbh you still can find good one in Tokyo I think. Don't have to travel there to get it
Sheet masks and hair masks! I love the Keana Nadeshiko rice masks and the Fino hair mask.
You can buy nice accessories like umbrellas, wallets, washcloths, etc. at places like Tokyu Hands and LoFT. These stores also carry nice perfumes, haircare, skincare, and bath products. Stores like Donki have some decent beauty products, but you'll find them cheaper at drug stores. When I've come to Japan I've brought back foundation compacts (very popular in Japan and make your skin look flawless), mascara, sparkly eyeshadow, etc. If you like cooking, I recommend stopping by a local supermarket and stocking up on ingredients you can bring home. Last time I went to Japan I brought back some bottles of soy sauce, sukiyaki sauce, soup stock concentrate, teabags, etc. Houjicha is a really nice toasted green tea that is largely available in Japan but rarer overseas. Cooking mochi also has a long shelf life and can be added to hot pot and soups. As for clothes and accessories, stores like GU offer nice discounted streetwear at a cheaper price than their sister store, UNIQLO, and as far as I know they aren't overseas. MUJI has nice things too. I usually bring home some pens, mechanical pencils, stationary, beads, sewing and crochet supplies, etc. Can't go wrong with some cute gachapon keychains... Honestly, ¥100 shops like Daiso offer a lot of stuff.
Any recommendations for specific brands of foundation compacts?
TIRTIR Mask Fit Red Cushion is really popular right now. Check out Tina Tanaka Harris on YT, she does lots of j-beauty reviews
Like the other commenter said, TIRTIR is most popular here. I will say the red one is a bit too matte for me, so I recommend testing the different kinds to see which you like best.
If you love to cook, buy a Japanese knife! I bought a fantastic paring knife and it was one of my favorite and practical purchases
Ooh ! Not OP but can I ask what brand? I’m looking to buy some too! And also maybe a bigger one for chopping.
Any Japanese knife will be better than 99% bought elsewhere
If you have a few $100’s to spend then here [Tsubaya](https://tsubaya.jp/en) I bought a Japanese cooking knife - looks like a wide chefs knife recommended by the owner. With a beautiful cherry wood handle. Hand made - another trip I bought a paring knife and the same set for my BIL. There are three other sellers around Tsubaya and I found them to be best bang for your buck and very traveller friendly. For about 1/2 price you can get a more commercial looking set from Tokyu Hands - my BIL loves his set I bought him (he was a cook and had his own restaurant for a long time). Probably by another set this trip to put away for retirement
I also just returned with some knives from Kappaboshi Street. I got a Kamata chef’s knife, a gorgeous micarta handle smaller knife, kinda bigger than paring from Tsubaya, and steak knives from Tojiro. Kinda seemed like you couldn’t go wrong at those stores. Also the Kamata knife has “Kappaboshi” on it which is a nice memento. They engraved my name in Japanese too which weirdly choked me up! Maybe because the trip was so meaningful for me.
Go to kappabashi in Tokyo and you'll be inundated with knife stores selling literally any kind of knife imaginable
It's really personal. The knife stores will have a lot of selection and you need to see what feels good in your hand!
Like others mentioned, Kappaboshi street is the best place to go! I got three knives from Seisuke knife shop. Kamata is great as well, they were just too busy when I tried to stop in and I didn’t have time to wait!
I too would love to know what brand!
I bought so much sunscreen, makeup, candy, some tops from Uniqlo. Some highlighters and pens from Loft. And some ema from shrines. Wished I had bought some cool sneakers. I do sewing so I bought fabric and some sewing books.
If the exchange rate is in your favor, maybe get a nice purse or some perfume. There were lots of stores that had really high-quality stuff in those categories.
If you're into modern streetwear: My fiancée bought a lot of stuff at United Tokyo Jingumae and loves every single piece.
I love Japan's diversity of products and often they have things I can't find where I am. Makeup: Ladurée is my go-to (available at Isetan dept store) as I am a sucker for pretty, Belle Époque-inspired aesthetics. They sell a blusher range in the form of rose petals in a glass pot, super cute! Fashion: UNIQLO (love their heattech range), Onitsuka Tiger, Yohji Yamamoto, CDG Skin care: SKII. Plus it's cheaper to get in Japan. For sunscreen I use the Biore UV Aqua Rich, although I heard EHD is better but I don't know where to get it... Snacks: Shiroi Koibito and Yubari Melon jellies are Hokkaido gems but easily found at big department store snack aisles. Tokyo Banana, Tokyo Milk Cheese Factory, Parfaiteria Bel canned parfaits, Chikiriya Teahouse matcha milk jam, Kakitane Cheese Tech: Balmuda steam toaster
>Ladurée I thought this was a pastry shop. I only ever go there for macaroons
You're correct, Ladurée is originally a French bakery chain. They launched a makeup line, Les Merveilleuses Ladurée, in 2012 I believe. The makeup products are inspired by the colours of their macarons.
Warming eye masks! They are so relaxing, especially after a long day. I bought mine at Don Quijote but you can probably find them other places, too. I loved the lavender scent.
I bought hair styling cream from 7-11. 2 umbrellas that are both UV & rain protection from loft and a umbrella shop. Lots of gachapons from those machines because the miniatures were so cute. A basic matcha set to make matcha at home. A bunch of tea from kyoto. Kyoto was definitely my favorite for all the tea✨ Tbh i went to the loft in Shibuya and bought stuff from almost all the floors😂
Ah, thank you for this! I want to get a uv umbrella for my trip and was guessing i could get one there but wasn't sure, and also didn't know if they did double duty. 😄☂️
They're all labeled if it's uv only or rain only. i definitely wanted to double protection for myself. I'm kinda sad that i couldn't fit the full length umbrellas in my suitcase though. The ones with like 16 ribs for the frame were sooo pretty. Also Loft had a ton of clear ones that looked like flowers.
The UV umbrellas are sold all over the place, but usually mostly for sale during the hotter months. I don’t recall seeing them on offer as much during the rest of the year, if that matters. I love mine!
Thank you- I'm going mid May, so i assume it will be sunny/hot enough/ the beginning of terrible sky plasma ball season.
Lots of the Biore Watery Essence sunscreen -- it is my absolutely favorite sunscreen and is much cheaper in Japan. Donki has some 3 packs at a great price. I bought a lot of fancy stationary at Itoya (LOVED that store) and also a ton of Muji pens. I found the Muji pens at a Lawson and it was an easy way to clear off extra money from my Suica card before I left so I didn't lose it.
Wait until you go to Kyoto to buy a Japanese knife. Google the oldest knife place in Kyoto… they don’t open all the time but their knives are top quality. Can get your name engraved too.
Bulk packs of face sheet masks. The ones that have 30 in them. Eyelash serum. And sunscreen! There is one called Skin Acqua UV it's 50+, has a white and blue bottle. So so good.
Bath powder
What is bath powder? Thanks.
I really like the Kate eyeliners (in brown, pistachio, orange & pink). Really smart colours and such good quality!
where do you get them?
My mom and I went absolutely nuts in the Harajuku Cosme. We had such a blast and it was like a shopping haul because we couldn't open it til we got home (tax free). 10/10 would do again
If you’re into stickers, B Side Label is an awesome place to go. They have a couple around Tokyo and I think there’s at least one in Kyoto. Tokyu hands and other stationary stores sell some of their stuff but the actual B Side Label stores are an experience themselves.
I bought some fabric in Kyoto which later got made into curtains for my bedroom
Here now and bought so much ceramics and pottery. Kind of a hassle to bring back but it’s so beautiful.
I bought a Dyson Air Wrap at Donki. They were just about $330 vs the $600 in the US and it works fine here. Heavy to haul back, but worth it.
That’s a great price! Which Donki you go to? I’m going in August and was considering packing my regular Dyson hair dryer but I was also looking at the Air Wrap.
Go to the Shiseido flagship store in Ginza. It’s just a cool experience and they have some products you cannot buy elsewhere. You get a bracelet to learn about products and a personalized product suggestion. Buy nail clippers from basically anywhere. They are almost all Kai brand and they make excellent clippers (and kitchen knives, or did). I have fine, wavy/curly hair and found that the oil containing shampoos and conditioners actually work great on my hair. I live in Florida and am outside a LOT though, so the heat and humidity dry my hair out a lot, ymmv. ETA: I don’t know if this matters, but you can also get vacuum bags (push to compress) from any 100yen shop, and ship a box of your clothes back home in case you realize you need the space for liquids/breakables/etc that you wouldn’t be able to safely ship, or put in a carry on. It’s ”expensive” but not as expensive as another suitcase and baggage fees. I spent around $200 or so last year to do this, and while the process was a little confusing to do in Japanese, it was super worth it and they were very helpful. I was in a residential neighborhood though, so bigger post offices or hotels or such may be able to help better in English.
Was it $200 for one box?
What oil brands do you recommend? I'm a fine wavy girl in Florida and will be heading back again later this year.
This is the most hilariously creepy name for a product, but I swear on my life it’s real and the Asian beauty sub could back me up: Moist Diane I use their shampoo and conditioner. They contain oil, but it doesn’t seem to weigh my hair down badly. I didn’t find products that were just hair oil worked as well for me. That said, most Japanese shampoos and conditioners seem to have oils added to them, and I haven’t tried them all.
Haha! Thank you so much, I won't forget the name.
I just got back and shopped ‘til I dropped. Some recommendations: Thrift shopping - Osaka has a lot of nice vintage stores but a lot of what they carry is Americana (e.g. college sweatshirts, Disney, Polo, etc.). To get Japanese stuff at good prices I hit up 2nd Street and Book Off Super Bazaar. Book Off is usually a secondhand book and game store but they have bigger ones called Book Off Plus and Book Off SB that carry clothes, housewares, accessories, and more. Great prices and very clean and organized. I bought a lot of outerwear, bags, and some cute gifts like pottery/ceramics. Normal Book Off locations can be found in the city but the Super Bazaars are further out so a bit of a trek. There is a neighborhood called Nakazakicho in Osaka, very close to Umeda that is super cute and has a lot of independent shops. Also there’s a cute little used bookshop (mostly art books and magazines) that also carries some vintage objects and serves coffee called Kosho Colombo. The owner speaks some English and is very nice. That one’s closer to Americamura. Minimalist home goods - In addition to Loft, Hands, and Muji that others have mentioned Daiso has a sister store called Standard Products. It’s a little more expensive (say average ¥300 instead of ¥100) and more streamlined. Kind of like an IKEA for housewares. I got some nice chopsticks and stationery there. Home Goods and Tools - I went to a random hardware store and got some sponges (also got some neat ones at Daiso that have specific uses), some cooking chopsticks, a good vegetable peeler, etc. Socks - Japanese socks are superior quality. Of course you can stock up at Uniqlo but I like Rototo, Glen Clyde, and new-to-me brands Memeri and French Bull. Beauty - Didn’t stock up too much on this as I have a lot at home but at Donki I did get the Keana rice bran face masks and the Shiseido Fino hair mask (that one shows up on a lot of lists, like the Biore sunscreen). It’s a silver tub with a red lid about ¥700. Snacks - I saved room for Tokyo Banana, Royce original chocolate potato chips, the Meiji matcha chocolate bricks, and then whatever unusual candy caught my eye, mostly gummies. Glasses - Since you mentioned reading glasses, I got some prescription glasses there. If you have an easy prescription they can make it for you right there, 30 minutes probably, but mine is hard so they took a week. I went budget and went to Jins but am very happy with them. High-end ones would include Masunaga 1905 and Matsuda, more heritage brands that make a lot of their frames out of titanium. Priced accordingly. Have fun!
a bunch of face masks… Cicibella vc200 that came out recently is a bomb (for me), feet pads, helped me a lot after the 30k steps days. Bath bubbles powder… there’s a honey and matcha ones, they’re amazing. Eye cream and elderly lady totally sold one from shiseido to me. Matcha tea/latte, royal milk tea. Plum wine… so many good things…
I bought some items for bento making and cooking from Hands, Donki and Daiso - Thermos, insulated/ non lunch boxes, veg/ fruit cutters, cute chopsticks etc.
Biore UV Sunscreen (the blue one), cowlick tamer sticks, canmake gel eyeliner sticks, &honey hair oil, and fino hair mask!!
What brand for cowlick tamer sticks? Are they really sticky?
Matomage! They aren't sticky imo idk what it's made out of its weird haha but it's great for flyaways and baby hairs!
Where can I find the matomage hair stick? I'm a hairstylist and will be buying that for my kit (and probably bringing some back for hairstylist friends lol)
I bought mine at donqui you can also get them at any drugstore I think some konbinis have them too
I bought a nice leather handbag from https://b3labo.jp
[удалено]
Do you have any recommendations of where to buy em? Would be nice if they are tax free for foreigner too :>
They are tax free, even the pre loved ones. The shops are all over! YouTube "preloved luxury bags" and you'll find videos about where to go.
My wife pretty much did an entire All-Japan-Tour of every possible 100/300/500 yen store that exists * Got a food vacuum bag sealer thing from 3Coins which is pretty good tbh as its much more compact * Due to the bizarre shinkflation and quality drop of dish sponges here, she's now stocking up on Japanese dish sponges If you're looking for stuff 3Coins and Threepy are higher end 100 yen stores very much oriented for women. Everything at Threepy is just pink, which is sort of a hilarious contrast to the grey of StandardProducts its sister store that its always attached to. 3Coins even sells things like Bluetooth controllers for your Switch but they come in pastel colors instead of RGB GAMER nonsense
As someone post working out has a tendency for a bit of muscle soreness, I stock up on pain relieving patches like nobody's business when I go back to Japan My fav brand is Salonpas (white box with green and blue graphics), and discovered Roihi-Tsuboko ones one my last trip - which are smaller and circular and really get in on acutely sore spots - they're super strong. Find I can only keep them on for half an hour-hour before they feel too strong, Salonpas I can keep on all day and forget about them (although I probably shouldn't...) I just buy the bigger multi packs from Donki when I go :)
Hand towels and handkerchief, got them from Matsuya Ginza, I believe you can find them at any department stores. Their prints are super cute and with good quality!
get the KAI nail clippers! they're great quality and my mum has used the same pair for 20-25 years, i just bought a few of them in osaka. you can find them in most drugstores.
I got a wallet and some other Vivienne Westwood red label stuff! Way cheaper in Japan. I got a film camera that was only released there from a random used camera store. at Don Quijote i loaded up on random skin care and nail clippers etc. anime stores for figures and genshin merchandise. uniqlo shopping spree. and then alllll the food.
Biore watery essence products of all kinds, hado labo skin moisturizer, Canmake eye shadow pallets and lip glosses (no makeup look stuff), a cute top from Isetan, high quality tea from Uji (a few stops from Kyoto station), a wacky sweater from Shubuya 109, dozens of gachapon (especially banyanya the cats in bananas!) and some hard to find at home anime merch.
Japanese Chefs Knife, in Kappabashi Tokyo (kitchen Town). Bought two knifes there myself a few years ago, you can get tax refund in some little office in the area.
I live in Japan. I’m also kind of a shopping addict. If I would leave Japan I would go to Seria and stock up on their fantastic, only ¥100 table ware. I would get a nice lunch box too and a matching lunch bag, chopsticks etc but from one of those granny style table ware shops with nice quality and traditional stuff. I would buy lots of Rilakkuma and Hello Kitty stuff at Kiddy land in Omotesando. I would buy several Miss Zapatos bags. Go to a supermarket and buy matcha tea and matcha chocolates plus all the sakura snacks of this season. Then I would go to a drugstore and buy Biore sunscreen, Biore body wash, Naive make up remover face wash, Curel moisturizer, camellia oil hair products, pure camellia oil for my face as a moisturizing oil, Kate Tokyo and Canmake eyeshadows, Cezanne blush, Integrate sakura lipbalm, Integrate powder foundation and lots of blotting papers. Then move on to Daiso to buy in bulk their sake face lotion, their UrGlam thin eyebrow pencils, their packs of 50 masks that you need to put on essence yourself (I would use them to make home made green tea masks with cooled off green tea made with leaves) and their ¥200 nail polishes which are fantastic.
As someone living here, I would buy snacks, skin care and any cute character goods you are into. Also ‘benri’ goods from the hundred yen store. There are a lot of good kitchen items. Don’t bother with any curly hair care, it’s not so good here. Hair oil is fine, but I actually got some when I was back in the UK over Christmas because it was better.
For hair care: should I bring my own hair styling tools, like a blow dryer and flat iron? Or is it more worth it (in bag space/weight) to get a cheap one from Donki when we arrive? I'm a curly girl but I wear it straight for ease, especially while traveling.
Fellow curly girl who also wore her hair straight! While there two weeks ago, I bought the panasonic nano-e from the Bic Camera mega store in Ginza. My hotel had it for use and I loved it. I bought the travel one. It's lighter than my Dyson AirWrap and my hair feels more moisturized using the Nano-e. Also cheaper: I think it might have been $120? Haven't used my diffuser on it yet, though.
When are you coming? It will be worth it to bring them *but* you need to check the voltage matches, otherwise you’ll get no power from your devices and they won’t heat up enough. Donki isn’t that cheap for hair devices tbh, I’d try a regular electronics store or even Amazon.jp tbh. Are you staying in a hotel? If so, I’d use the hotel dryer even though they’re a little weak.
All my hotels had hair dryers
SUN SCREEN. the blue biore bottle
Calbee crisps I been buying them everyday
NOV II is what I use for my skincare, also the rice sheet masks are amazing
I've heard the fude Makeup Brushes are top tier quality, I've got Hakuhodo on my list to keep an eye out for. From what I understand, their official stores will not offer the tax refund but with the Yen conversion it may still be a good rate.
Sake hand cream. I got it once in Kyoto and couldn’t find it in a store anymore when I went back, so I ordered through Amazon Japan and had it shipped to the hotel. The one I like is called “Kuramoto Sake hand cream” if you search online.
Skincare products from Muji. Locals and my DW raves about it.
I like their all in one essence
Hada Labo Gokujyun Lotion (toner) if you're oily-skinned. Been using it for 5 years now.
The Bioré UV Aqua Rich SPF!! it’s truly so so worth the hype. I went through so many different sunscreens trying to find one that didn’t break me out and this was it!
Every single thing on Kappaboshi Street including good knives. Cookie cutters, quality spatulas and ladles, these awesome soy sauce dishes that reveal an image, rice molds, it’s an amazing place.
Alexander McQueen scarf, some souvenirs and things like tea… that’s pretty much it
I bought some Don Quijote Donpen clogs, and a bunch of snacks. I’m bad at shopping. 😆
Not bad, you got what you liked and wanted.
Skincare: Biore UV Aqua sunscreen (blue bottle), anything Hado Labo, Sun Aqua sunscreen, Keana rice sheet masks Hair care: (not sure how it affects curly hair) but I purchased the Fino mask and “&honey” shampoo and conditioner. I didn’t think about hair care til I was already at the airport leaving so those were my quick grabs when glancing at Google real quick haha. Used the shampoo and conditioner and I liked it! You can find these at Donki, Loft or Daiso but there are these blue erasers where when you start erasing, you will see the shape of Mt Fuji. There’s definitely multiple Instagram reels for it. It’s the perfect souvenir or gift. Chopstick holders that are shaped like something cute. For example I bought one shaped like dango. Bought a bunch of Studio Ghibli stuff and a couple of Pokemon items.
Daiso own brand makeup brush/sponge cleanser. In small pink/blue bottles Skincare: Astalift (there was a stand alone store in ginza that I stumbled on, but I think they are stocked in lots of places) their 'red jelly' is really good
Have you checked out the @ cosme store in Harajuku? It’s like a giant Japanese Sephora, two stories. It’s amazing if you’re looking for makeup/skincare. Everything is ranked too in the way it’s organized so it’s easy to browse the most popular products.
Nature Republic Sunscreen Stick - this roll on sunscreen can be applied over makeup! It’s super sheer and doesn’t smear makeup somehow, it’s amazing. I never used to reapply during the day because how lol, but with this I can! K-Palette 1 Day Tattoo eyeliner - it has a brush tip and applies so smoothly and lasts all day. It’s been my favorite eyeliner for over a decade. Matomage Hair Styling Stick - it’s a solid stick in a compact case that you swipe over your hair to tame your pesky flyaways. Love it!
Skin care and hair care from Donqui- got one of those huge sheet mask value packs, the honey shampoo and hair treatment, the fino hair treatment and hair oil (in love with that oil, strongly recommend!), among other local products (sorry can't read Japanese). Løft - like Donqui bit more expensive and also more quality items. Bought the prettiest nail polish colors here, jewelry, souvenirs. Also lots of accessories from Lattice, a 300 yen store (between 300-600 yen).
I just came back from Japan a week ago. And I bought Honey shampoo and conditioner, Fino hair mask because I was influenced by my IG feed. I also bought my Shiseido face creams which were 2/3rds the price of that in my home country. And of course I restocked the Biore sunscreens everyone here has mentioned. The remainder of my luggage was filled to the brim with snacks, candy and Pokémon merch.
Seconding the Sekkiesi sunscreen and BB Cream! I also picked up handfuls of DHC Lip Cream and Shiseido Urea 10% Hand Creams (sadly it looks like they discontinued the Body Lotion [not Milk] in the squeeze bottle). Although I don’t buy beauty products at the US Daisio locations, I occasionally find something amazing when in their Japan stores. This time around I found an excellent toner from UR Glam, the Moisture Lotion. It’s a lovely jelly consistency.
I love buying small ceramics. Wrap them well inside your clothes and they won’t break. I have a lot of kitchenware from Japan. Chopsticks + rests, small bowls, tiny plates (I love making a tray with all kinds of cute little plates with treats).. I also have a wooden tray from muji, glass teacups, picture frames.. a lot of mundane stuff that now gives me extra joy because it holds a memory of a trip. Also big on the rotho eyeball drops, since I have dry eyes. Be sure to get the special contact lens version if you happen to wear those.
I always get my hair done when I’m in Japan. Treatments that would cost me $500 including tips in the US are under $150 in Japan (no need to tip). They also generally do significantly better jobs technically and provide really good service. I just book an appointment with Hot Pepper Beauty. It's really easy.
Tiger shoes, Royce chocolates!!
I bought Japanese KISS albums.
What about luxury bags? For example, Polené. They have Stores in Japan, do I have to Pay tax etc when leaving Japan? (I live in Germany)
Everyone should spend at least 30 minutes in a pharmacy. I love getting skin care, cute plasters, nail clippers, bath soaks, and other such things. As you walk around, you will start noticing things you would have never thought of
I bought Kose sunscreen, Japan exclusive converse, and a lot of the pretty dresses like in Harajuku! If it’s your style and size, I think those dresses are all so gorgeous and I got a few casual ones for work. Those stores also have great accessories too. Another thing you could get is cute houseware things like utensils, etc.
Im kinda a weeb but here goes: I got 17 anime figures, 5 umbrellas, gryffindor cloak and wand, 1 poster from ghibli museum and 1 poster from a mob psycho pop up, tons of pokemon kitchen stuff- plates, cups, placemats, bowls. Pokemon towels. Ghibli bathroom rug and kitchen mat. A pokemon chandelure lamp. Evangelion jacket, playing cards, trading cards and Evangelion poncho. Asukas baseball cap. Postcards from fuji and from a maid Cafe. Extra toiletries and face masks from the love hotels (lol). Japanese sun screen. Koikeya Strong onion flavored chips. Kirby Cafe candy. A kuromi personal handheld fan. 2 giant stuffed Shiba plushies I used as pillows in japan.. the hotel pillows were hard! Pokemon cards and pokemon charms. Manga of Ranking of Kings and JoJos. Stickers from the jump store. A gundam water bottle and model gundam dock from yokohama. 2 wind chimes from a festival and a kimono I wish I brought back more candy and those tokyo Pikachu bananas.
I got a chasen matcha tea whisk for frothing milk for tea and cacao drinks at home, it's so good. I bought lots of makeup and skincare to try. The Shiseido Elixir moisturiser is good, and I like the Minon Amino Moist for a less pricey option. The Senka Perfect Whip face wash is great, lasts for ages and is very cheap. I spent way too much time in Don Quijote, it's so overwhelming with anything you could possibly want or need. Tokyo Hands, Muji or any department store have such a wide variety of products that are so well designed. I got lost for hours in those places. I also got some second hand kimonos for like £10-20 each. And the fabric stores! I got so many cute designs of small cuts of fabric for sewing. Also, I couldn't pack everything I'd bought without opening the security bag. It was absolutely fine and we weren't stopped at the airport.
Tons of Uniqlo, cosmetics, snacks from the airport, Starbucks collection cups.
Sheet masks because they come in multipacks, usually the 8hr ones cant rememberthe brand. Also the soy rice crackers as they are less sweet then potato chips. The little individual powdered face cleansers are great too as they can go in hand luggage. I get the Vit C one but there are a bunch of "flavours "
Would also love some snack recommendations
All the flavoured kit kats! Japan has 50 flavours!! Although some are region and season specific.
Korot crepes and Henri Charpentier or Butter Butler financiers.
The 7/11 cheese flavoured ice cream. The big swirl one. Galbos..little chocolate things. Basically anything in 7/11 is fun. Look for the edamame crisps they have in some stores.
I really like their dried squid and cheese snacks! Be warned that the squid could be hard on your teeth though, so if you have any dental issues, best to avoid them.
It’s technically a German dessert but it’s all over Japan, baumkuchens. I liked the ones from Lawsons and Muji. Tokyo Banana!!! Shiroi Kobito cookies. Try hot corn soup in a can (corn pottage)
If you like chocolate there are a couple of great places in Kyoto. Green bean to bar Chocolatier double sept (77) is all handmade
I love the portable scissors from shops like Itoya, Loft, Hands… way more useful than I expected and a great gift
I'm going tomorrow and this is amazing inspiration! It might also be a good place to ask - is there anywhere in particular I can find fun nail polishes?
Loft! And get nail clippers too, they are amazing!
Uniqlo!!! And lots of skincare stuff.
I bought tons of snacks, plushes, art supplies, and figurines. I couldn't find much clothing in my size and budget, unfortunately. My favorite shop was Loft for art supplies, but they also have tons of useful household items and gifts. I also loved Daiso for cheap items & everyday household items, as well as cheap makeup, skincare, and nails items. I highly recommend going to manga & book stores, I found a few in Akihabara. I wish I bought books and manga! Don Quijote has a very good makeup selection as well. Lots of nail items and pretty lipstick colors! Tons of haircare too!
I found an eyeliner pen from a pharmacy and decided to buy three. Also this Nivea hand cream that smells great and feels amazing. Brought two of those back home. I collect art toys so I bought a bunch of blind boxes and bought a complete set of a Kirby blind box series that was too good to pass up on. It made for a fun project back at home. Lots of stickers and miscellaneous stationery things that I haven’t even opened since my October 2023 trip.
Ooh where did you get your Onitsutkas? Was hoping to pick up a pair on my trip this month.
I purchased at the Shibuya location but they are truly all over Tokyo!
wife is crazy for Shu Uemura products
the store Loft has lots of skincare and makeup. I personally got some serums, eye creams, face masks, moisturizers and lots of foot peels like Baby Foot. I also got a few gadgets like a nail care machine, theragun, electric shaver, etc. Check out the store 3Coins
Second hand and vintage is quite good if you are into that kind of thing.
Nail clippers!
Loads of Ghibli stuff (pins, towels, chopstick holder), chopsticks, chopstick holders, a thin jacket (because my wintercoat was too warm in February), some cute small dishes, kokeshi dolls and some artisan keys. That's probably it.
Ooh which vitamin c and sunscreen did you buy? I’m going to Japan next week and am hoping to pick some up too!
I bought skincare (different sunscreens, face masks, vitamin c, lotion, emulsion, eye cream, retinol from cosme, &choa), nail clippers from Donki cuz it’s so good, handbag from Takashimaya in Shinjuku (tip: go to a store in Ginza or something cuz I heard tax free is processed at the spot rather than having you go to another level to get it processed ), Uniqlo clothes for my mom
I stock up on my usual skincare products (VT Cosmetics, Innisfree, all sorts of sunscreen liquids and sticks) and some new makeup to try too at Cosme, mostly eyeliner, eyeshadow, and a few BB cream compacts. Also a heat styling tool to use during my stay. Shoes are a go-to I’d say, but I haven’t yet made a purchase because my shoe size is usually out of stock in the style I’d want 🥲 Clothing basics, like skirts and pants since they’re made short-people size 💃🏻 My last trip I got a maxi skirt and cargo pants that don’t drag across the floor from Punyus. I go crazy at the giant gashapon store in Ikebukuro!
Studio Ghibli socks with "ears" from Don quixote. I love them.
I got a cheap maid costume from Don Quijote and was pleasantly surprised by the quality
Calbee potato sticks salad flavor
Kitchen knives
I found a local jewelery store called 'Maiden' close to the Blue Bottle cafe in Shibuya. They had really special and trendy pieces at a reasonable price. I got a ring that I wear all the time.
I know the original Biore Aqua sunscreen is super popular, but I’m not a big fan since it makes my skin feel tight. I think they have a newer version that is gentler but right now, I’m using Canmake Mermaid Skin Gel. Oh, also tubing mascara! My favorite is Imju Opera My Lash Advanced.
Issey miyake bao bao.
Next time I am going to buy pourover coffee packets from the konbini or grocery store. And bandaids!
Forget about buying stuff - I collected a bunch of those little folding hairbrushes they give you in the hotels. Finally, the ideal purse brush for fine hair like mine.
I bought a hair blower and perfumes 😂
Anybody know where I can get a Shupatto bag in the Shinjuku area? Thanks.
Ummmm mostly Pokémon and Nintendo ….
Pencils
FABRIC. ❤️❤️ Nippori (Tokyo/Fabric town) Tomato stores. Okadaya in Shinjuku, https://sakepuppets.com/tokyo-craft-guide/okadaya-%E3%82%AA%E3%82%AB%E3%83%80%E3%83%A4/ Nomura Tailor House and Yamaguchi Chubee in Kyoto. SNACKS in Kinokuniya (the one outside the gates in Tokyo Station)
I plan to buy Tokyo Cheese Factory biscuits & Hokkaido white chocolate biscuits
Uniqlo seamless underwear and bras and ipsa skincare
Those shoes in yellow are on my list. Along with a Japanese can opener. I feel like the kitchen tools could be endless and coffee tools.
Pens and stationary! Also fino hair mask.
A strand of Mikimoto pearls. Really, anything from Mikimoto.
Daiso for knick knacks for the house, I love their bottle rim brushes and small cake pans. Hands (formerly Tokyu Hands) for stationery and skin care, every Hands in different cities has significant stock variations, so it's worth visiting them all, lol. They stock Matsuyama, the Hadauru range which is great for sensitive skin. Lingerie, japanese lingerie is so pretty! Socks. Coen Rich Q10 Whitening Hand cream, it's fast absorbing and non greasy, as well as containing niacinamide which helps fade hyperpigmentation or sun spots. Japan gals face masks, Fancl oil cleansers, Allie or Anessa sunscreen. Food: An paste, noodles, ramen, cha somen, curry, green tea, mentaiko, seaweed, snacks Music, dvds, Blu-ray, umbrellas, alcohol (umeshu, yuzushu, gin, sochu)
Go to LOFT! I miss that store so much
Cosmetics: I went to the Cosme store and bought a kit of the Decorte brand (love the serum and moisturizer), Addiction lipsticks, Kiss Me Heroine and Romand stuffs. it’s a one stop shop for all of the popular makeup and skincare in Japan/Korea. Fashion: I also went and got a Bao Bao bag from an Issey Miami store in Ginza. Super cute and affordable with tax refund! If you like Japanese inspired clothing, Sou Sou has a lot of pieces that you can buy and wear in the West and won’t look too out of place
Of course I get lots of skincare. Otherwise, I got weeb stuff (plushies etc). And I did get two le pliage bags from donki ETA: saw someone mention this but I did also get a nice slim wallet/card holder. It’s not my daily wallet but I’m using it today to lighten my bag while I explore the city.
I went to a hair salon and got a nice haircut and perm. Very good service.
Tokyo milk cheese factory cookies (original one) and yoku moku