Japanese Souvenirs from Can Do 100Yen Shop @ Meguro, Tokyo

Tokyu Store Super Market is located on the first floor of our multi-tenant building, and on the 2nd floor, there is a 100 Yen Shop, Can Do. So it is very convenient for us to buy anything.

私たちのスタジオのビルの1階は東急ストア（スーパー）なので便利なのですが、その2階は100円ショップの Can Do があるのでさらに便利で必要なものは大体なんでも揃います。

Can Do now has many  kinds of Japanese souvenirs for foreign travelers, and I found good ones.

最近、海外からのお客さん向けにお土産も増えてきて100円で買えるものをいっぱい見つけました！

Sushi magnets. I am sure that my host mother in my school days in the U.S. would love them because she was putting many magnets on the refrigerator.

まずは寿司マグネット。冷蔵庫にマグネットベタベタ貼ってた私のアメリカのホストマザーには多分どストライクです。

"Tenugui" is hand towels made from cotton, which can be used not only as a towel, but also for decoration, wrapping... They are very pretty with colors and patterns such as Mt. Fuji, gold fish, etc. It is hard to choose.

1年中何にでも使える手ぬぐい。富士山、金魚などなどかわいい絵柄がたくさんあって選ぶのに迷います。

Speaking of summer, Japanese fans and wind bells. I am surprised that these are only 100 yen, too! If you present a fan to your friend, show her/him how to open it because some foreign people do not know how to do it.

夏と言えば扇子と風鈴。これも100円で買えてしまうのだからすごい。扇子は海外の人は開け方を知らない人も多いのでプレゼントするときは教えてあげて下さいね。

For hand made lovers, Washi tape is recommended, maybe? The Japanese word "Washi" is used as English, very nice to know it (^-^)/

ハンドメイド好きの人にはマスキングテープ。英語では和紙テープって言うそうです。日本語がそのまま使われているなんてうれしいー。

And this should be great for mens, right? Ninja stickers... actually I do not know how to and where I use this... but funny, I think? Probably I will buy this for my friend oversea even though I know this is not so useful, LOL!

そしてこれ、男子にもウケそうな忍者ステッカー。正直何に使うか迷いそうですがなんとなく海外の友達に1枚買っておきたくなります。

All of them are only 100 yen each. Please check them out after you enjoyed the photo session at KIMONO PHOTO STUDIO WA!

ぜーんぶ100円です。KIMONO PHOTO STUDIO和の帰りに見てみて下さいね！

Experience Japan!

Komachidori Shopping Street @ Kamakura

Between Kamakura station and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, there are 2 main streets, Wakamiyaoji and Komachidori which have various shops for your appetite and entertainment.  Please enjoy both streets for your round trip!  Here are some shops at Komachidori Shopping Street. The street is full of people, especially on the weekends.

 

 

Kamakura Croquettes Torigoya can serve you just fried croquettes both for eating in the shop or to go. The flavors are beef, sweet potato, chocolate and so on. The price is JPY200 per piece.

 

 

There are many shops for your souvenirs, too, such as Japanese craft, Japanese paper, chopsticks, bags, and hair accessories. Please find your favorite shops.

 

The shops are not only traditional Japanese ones.  Imbiss Kamakura serves you real German sausages and ham. The hot dogs look so delicious.

 

 

 

 

If you get tired, let's take a rest for a while and taste Japanese sweets. This time, I went to Oimo (meaning potato in Japanese) Cafe Canary Bird.

I chose the one which has green tea and sweet potato ice cream, sweetened chestnut, rice-flour dumplings, and sweet beans with brown sugar syrup. Very tasty! The price is about JPY800, depends on the toppings.

 

 

 

 

Kamakura has not only temples and shrines, but also fancy shops. Please have a nice time.

 

  

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Experience Japan!

Japanese Cool Stationery

Have you ever looked into a Japanese stationery shop? I think Japan has a lot of cool stationery with neat devices to make them more convenient.  I am not sure if you have the same ones in your country, but I would like to show you my favorite ones. They were also in Japanese TV show and popular ones in Japan.

PLUS Stationery, Deco Rush, JPY294.  This is just like a correction tape, but you can decorate letter paper and envelopes or I think almost everything made from paper. The tape inside can be replaced and there are variety of tapes. For girls!

KOKUYO, Harinacs compact, JPY550.  This is the stapler withOUT staples.  No need to buy staples any more. No need to take out staples when you put documents through the shredder any more. The paper will have a small hole instead though. This compact type can hold up to 5 sheets of paper.

Kanmido, coco fusen, JPY525.  This is Post-it notes in a card-type case.  You can put in your wallet and your business card holder.  The Post-it notes can be refilled, too. 

NICHIBAN, tenori Hankonori, JPY420.  This is sticky tape or glue tape in English, I think? You can use this as a glue stamp or glue tape like this photo.  600 times can be used as a stamp.  No need to wait till the envelope gets dry. The paper can be adhered instantly. I always use this when I seal an envelope.

And this is the one I want to recommend you the most!  PILOT, Frixion Ball, JPY598 for 3 colors, or JPY210 for one color. Frixion Ink is used for this ballpoint pen, and the ink can be eased by the heat of friction. No eraser dusts are left. No big mark after erased.  It took 30 years to invent this product for PILOT company.  Now they are sold in about 100 countries, you might have seen them? This is sooo convenient for me because I do not like using a pencil, but sometimes need to correct my writings. Just be careful the writing will be disappeared when outside temperature gets 60 degree Celsius (140 degree Fahrenheit).

You can buy the stationery in this blog at a stationery shop in a department store or a mall, or try visit Loft which is Japanese retailing for all kinds of items for home, garden, and office.  Loft is found most of big cities.

Please buy one for your souvenir.

Experience Japan!

Omtesando, the town of top brand stores

Do you like shopping of foreign luxury brands?  Maybe Ginza is the most famous place for shopping, but Omotesando is also a popular place for international brand stores. Just window shopping or watching the building architecture is interesting, too.  I hope you find your favorite brand.

Let's walk from west side of Omotesando, Harauku or Meijijingumae stations are closer.

Ralph Lauren is on the left and CHANEL & BVLGARI is on the right.

 

BURBERRY on the right side.

Omotesando Hills is a big shopping complex, DOLCE & GABBANA, HARRY WINSTON, BOTTEGA VENETA, STAR JEWELRY are here.  STAR JEWELRY is a famous Japanese Jewelry shop, please check if you are interested.

LOUIS VUITTON, ARMANI, and TOD'S 

On the big intersection, Samantha Thavasa is there. Samantha Thavasa is a famous Japanese bag store, check it out.

 After passing Omotesando station, you will see Cartier and Chloe

 And PRADA.

 

PRADA's building is covered by all grass wall.



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Tokyo Skytree Town, SOLAMACHI

If you go to Tokyo Skytree tower, please stop by Tokyo Skytree Town, SOLAMACHI.  Sola means Sky and Machi means town in Japan.  You can buy neat souvenirs here.

Ganso Shokuhin Sampleya has all kinds of food samples.  The price of this hamburger dome is JPY189,000! Expensive, but very very real. 

Look, these toasts are all food samples.  You can also buy self-making food sampling kits.  

Traditional Japanese sweet shop, Gacchara-ya.

Samurai goods and sweets for Japanese history lovers, Sengoku Damashii Tenshoki.  

Chopstick shop, Ginza Natsuno. More than 1000 kinds of chopsticks.

nanoblock store.  nanoblock is the smallest building block in the world.  The smallest part size is 4 x 4mm.  This is the hobby for adults, not for children. The store has various kinds of block building kits including Skytree's  as well.  For your brain...

http://www.diablock.co.jp/kawada/en/nanoblock/about.html

Open Hours for Tokyo Solamachi is from 10:00 to 21:00. (Restaurant floors are open from 11:00 to 23:00.)  The shops in this blog are at Japan Souvenir area on the 4th floor. 

http://www.tokyo-solamachi.jp/english/

Experience Japan!

Diver City Tokyo in Odaiba

Diver City Tokyo shopping complex opened on April 19 in 2012 in Odaiba, Tokyo. There are not only shopping stores and restaurants, but also entertainment facilities such as bowling and karaoke, and a live concert hall.

One of the restaurants is maidreamin, that is a made cafe. Cute maids will serve for you with cute foods. 

There are many restaurants and also a food court (Tokyo Gourmet Stadium) so that you can choose anything you want!

You can buy Japanese snacks and confectionery, at Glico, Morinaga Candy Shop, and Calbee Plus.  At Calbee Plus, you can eat freshly-fried potato chips. 

At WABI x SABI, you can buy Japanese cultural products, good for souvenirs.

 

And do NOT forget to go back side of the complex.  The most famous robot in Japanese animation, 18m-high Gundam statue is standing there in real size!

  

Open Hours

Shopping/Services 10:00 - 21:00

Food Court  10:00 - 22:00

Restaurants  11:00 - 23:00

http://www.divercity-tokyo.com/en/

Experience Japan!

Ninen-zaka and Sannen-zaka in Gion

In Gion area, a little to the north part of Kiyomizu Temple, there are Ninen-zaka and Sannen-zaka, the paths in very traditional Japanese style.  Ninen-zaka and Sannen-zaka literally mean "Two year slopes" and "Three year slopes."  (It is said that Two year and Three year were referred to the Imperial years when they were constructed. (The years are actually 807 and 808 in the Christian era.)  

 








On these two lovely streets, you can see Japanese old houses, traditional shops, and Japanese sweets cafes and restaurants. 

Sometimes you can see girls wearing kimono and walking through.

















An Umbrella Shop.

 

A folding fans Shop.

 

Good ambience, isn't it?

 
Find fancy goods here, and take to your country!











Experience Japan!

 

 

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Japanese ryokan, Ohanabo

If you travel Japan, try staying at a ryokan, which is traditional Japanese style accommodation with tatami-mat rooms and futons instead of beds. 

In Kyoto, we stayed at a small but neat ryokan, Ohanabo.  This ryokan is just 7 minutes walk away from Kyoto station. 

Entrance. Take your shoes off here and check in the ryokan.

Lounge at the 2nd floor.  You can hang out here before dinner time, after bath time, or anytime. Wear yukata (Japanese robe) and relax.

We arrived at the ryokan in the morning before check in time, so we checked our bags here first.  The landlady was so kind to show us how to look around Kyoto city and asked us to time to go back.  You might be asked the time to come back for your dinner preparation or for you to notify the curfew. (Some ryokans have the curfew.)

By the way, you can see Higashi Honganji temple across the street of this ryokan. 

Here is the candle shop near the ryokan, it is about 3 minute walk away.  The Shop name is Tanjirenshodo.  This shop is the only shop which sells Japanese traditional candles in Kyoto.  The candles are mainly used for temples in Kyoto, but they are too cute to be used only for temples. 

The candles made here are all handmade and natural made.  The flame is not so light, but warm flame, and not much soot is out from.  Also, the shape of the candle is to hold the wax not to drip out from it.  The candle price is from JPY420, Sundays  and holidays are closed. 

So beautiful, aren't they?

When we came back to the ryokan after Kyoto sightseeing and ate outside (we chose not to eat at the inn this time), the futons are set up already in our room.  Usually, ryokan has the personal maids for each room and take care of you during stay.  And the next entertainment is taking bath.  Go to the big bath room and enjoy Japanese style bathing. 

In the morning, Japanese style breakfast is waiting for you.

At this ryokan, all staff are so kind to help you with their best hospitality from your arrival till you leaving.  Some ryokans are small but warm, some are huge and have lots of entertainments, some have hot springs, and some have private baths.  Find your favorite ryokan in Japan.

Ryokan Ohanabo

Check in 16:00 and check out 10:00.

http://www.ohanabo.com/index.html

Experience Japan!

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