What Longtime Japan Residents Buy When Traveling in Japan
These are some things that I frequently buy in Japan and recommend after living there for a long time.
One of the issues many travelers have in Japan is fitting everything in their suitcases to return home. Japan has so many amazing things to buy, from snacks to cosmetics, clothes to knick knacks and more.
As someone who has over 13 years of experience living in Japan and frequently spends time there, my Japan trip shopping list is probably a bit different from most tourists’.
Here, I’ll share a few items that I often buy to take back to the US with me and continue updating it, so check back before your next trip!
I also made a video as well:
Food
Kijoan sanuki udon
Once you really dive into Japan’s various noodle dishes, you’ll realize that there’s a lot of different levels of noodle quality, and you’ll likely develop your favorites. Kijoan makes delicious udon and is based in one of the country’s udon capitals, Kagawa Prefecture. Their noodles are packed for delivery and are shiny and almost translucent at times, and also have a delicious chew to them.
Brand site: https://www.kijoan.com/ [J]
Find at: Kijoan
Good nori
As with noodles, there are many grades of nori. Especially if you’re a fan of sushi, you probably have begun to care about the quality of the nori. While nori is sold in markets overseas that carry Asian foods, they usually don’t have a large range to choose from, which is why we buy some while in Japan. This one here is a packet of 20 sheets and is from the Ariake Sea in Kumamoto Prefecture, waters that many say create the best nori in Japan.
Brand site: https://seijoishii.com/ [J]
Find at: Seijo Ishii, other higher-end markets like Kinokuniya, specialty shops, etc.
Kakepon ponzu
Known for producing shoyu (soy sauce) and miso after 29 of Nagasaki Prefecture’s breweries came together, Choko became a single brand in 1975. Adding to their shoyu and miso product line, they also make ponzu, the citrus sauce great for dipping meat and for using in salad dressing. Their tasty Kakepon is a fave, and it comes in both glass bottles as well as a squeezable bottle that helps keep freshness.
Brand site: https://choko.co.jp/ [J]
Find at: Supermarkets
Rayu chili oil
There are many different types of rayu chili oil toppings, but ones made by S&B are some of my favorites. Referred to as “okazu rayu” in Japanese meaning something like “side dish chili oil”, these rayu have ingredients like fried garlic, roasted almonds and other crunchy items in it. They may not be as spicy or deep as Chinese chili oils, but these go along great with meals, especially on white rice.
Brand site: https://www.sbfoods.co.jp/ [J]
Find at: Supermarkets
Snacks & sweets
Yuzukosho senbei
Rice cracker snacks such as arare or senbei are delicious and of course, there’s just way more variety in Japan. One that I like is this one with shoyu (soy sauce) and yuzu kosho flavoring. The yuzu kosho gives it a slightly citrus flavor with a bit of a kick.
Brand site: https://seijoishii.com/ [J]
Find at: Seijo Ishii supermarket (Tokyo)
Minimal chocolate
Minimal is a bean-to-bar brand that’s all about the craft of chocolate. They handle everything from bean selection and purchasing to processing, manufacturing, and sales. Being all about the craft, they carefully select cacao beans from Asia, Africa, and Central and South America, and pay close attention to the process as they say even a 1/1000 of a millimeter (1 micrometer) difference while crushing the beans changes the texture, aroma, and taste of the finished product.
Their main shop is in Tomigaya, one of Tokyo’s “coolest neighborhoods” and where we have an apartment, and they serve a range of chocolate treats from bars and tablets to drinks.
Brand site: https://mini-mal.tokyo/ [J]
Find at: Minimal
Shigekix
If you’re a fan of really sour candies such as Warheads or Super Lemon and like Haribo gummy bears because of their extreme chewiness, you just may love Shigekix. Extremely hard in texture, these tough gummies come in either circular tablets or rounded pyramids, and are available in several flavors. The packs are small and are resealable, so they’re easy to take with you. These are one of my favorite candies I’ve come across while living in Japan.
Brand site: https://shigekix.com/ [J]
Find at: Convenience stores, Daiso (Japan)
Fettuccine gummi
Alightly chewy gummy coated with a sour sugary layer similar to Sour Patch Kids or Sour Punch. These Fettuccine gummi packs are small and have a resealable bag so you don’t have to eat all at once or deal with trying to fold the package so they don’t spill.
Brand site: https://www.bourbon.co.jp/ [J]
Find at: Convenience stores, supermarkets
Azuma arare - Truffle salt flavor
A light rice cracker snack, arare has been among the favorites for Japanese to snack on from long ago. This particular one combines the traditional snack with Italian truffles to create a tasty and addictive cracker treat.
Brand site: https://www.azuma-arare.co.jp/ [J]
Find at: Seijo Ishii
Cosmetics
Deuxer hair wax
Japanese hair wax for men and women by a company called Number Three. There’s about 9 different types of Deuxer hair wax, each numbered from 1-6 and in different colored containers. There’s about 80g of the vegan and PeTA-certified wax in each container. I began using them after noticing a couple hair salons that I went to in Japan were using this brand. I usually get the 5 and it works pretty well for me.
Brand site: https://www.no3.co.jp/ [J]
Find at: Don Quijote, Loft
Rosa Rugosa milky lotion
Lotion from Machinaka Farm in Urahoro, Hokkaido. This lotion is made from essence from a Japanese-native shrub, Hamanasu, which mainly grows in Hokkaido, and aromatic distilled water. While I don’t have experience with this lotion personally, my friend grew to love it while traveling in Hokkaido and claims that this is the best lotion that he’s ever used.
Brand site: https://www.alexcious.com/
Find at: Online
Medicine & personal care
Botchan sekken soap
Known as a really basic soap, Botchan sekken soap can be found at drugstores throughout Japan. They’re a simple white bar-style of soap, and contains no lotions or scents. I have limited experience with them, however, the first time I used it I was surprised at how smooth my skin felt when I washed my face.
Brand site: https://botchan-sekken.jp/ [J]
Find at: Drugstores (Japan)
Ryukakusan
Find at: A soothing solution for itchy, scratchy and irritated throats. Ryukakusan is a powder that comes in small foil packets. If your throat is bothering you, tear one open, pour it in your mouth and swallow. The powder will turn into an easy-to-swallow cream-like substance and your throat will feel soothed. It was a hot item during Covid as many Chinese residents in Japan who knew about Ryukakusan’s benefits would buy them and ship them home to friends and family. I usually get the pink one which is a peach-mint flavor.
Brand site: https://www.ryukakusan.co.jp/ [J]
Find at: Drugstores (Japan)
Ugai
When going out each day, we tend to breath in all sorts of things. One cleanliness habit that many in Japan have is gargling after returning home. This helps with that and contains an alcohol to help get rid of germs in your mouth and throat. Just pour some in water and gargle.
Brand site: https://hc.kowa.co.jp/ [J]
Find at: Drugstores (Japan)
Nonio toothbrush
While I use an electronic toothbrush normally, I usually don’t pack it when traveling. Japan has great dental products and at reasonable prices. My U.S. dentist even said to look to Japan for items or treatment first as many things are first developed there and they also cost a lot in the U.S. Nonio has simple toothbrushes with small heads so they get around the mouth better, and they’re only a couple dollars at most.
Brand site: https://www.lion.co.jp/ [J]
Find at: Drugstores (Japan)
GUM unwaxed dental floss
Another great dental product in Japan is dental floss. They seem to have a better variety, this unwaxed dental floss by GUM, for example. Many of the items I find in the U.S. are waxed or are the type to glide a bit too smoothly. Another GUM floss in Japan is the type that slightly expands while you use it so that it creates more surface area in order to clean better. While these items likely can be found in some stores overseas, they’re probably a little cheaper and more common in Japan, which is why we buy them to take back.
Brand site: https://jp.sunstargum.com/ [J]
Find at: Drugstores (Japan)
Alcohol
Akabu nihonshu (sake)
Dating back to 1896, Akabu is a nihonshu (sake) brewery in Morioka, Iwate Prefecture. Their bottles are designed with various samurai motifs and they’re smooth yet reasonably priced. While alcohol preference is subjective, I and those of around me who have drank nihonshu by Akabu found it to be really good.
Brand site: https://www.akabu1.com/ [J]
Find at: Select liquor shops (Japan)
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New Year’s Differences: Japanese vs Japanese-American
Here’s how Japanese in Japan and Japanese-Americans in Hawaii celebrate Japanese New Year’s differently.
I’ve spent many Holiday seasons in Japan while living there for 13 years. There are a lot of differences during that time compared to the US. For one, Christmas is more family focused in the US while it’s more like a Valentine’s Day in Japan. There’s also way more gift giving in the US than there is in Japan.
New Year’s is quiet and family focused in Japan and more of a party and celebration in the US. New Year’s is also more of the focus in Japan as there’s a long holiday during this time.
I’m Japanese-American and grew up celebrating New Year’s with some Japanese traditions which is common amongst Japanese-Americans in Hawaii. There are probably some differences between Japanese-Americans in Hawaii vs the U.S. Mainland and even between families, just as there are differences between regions in Japan, but I’ll share some observations I’ve had from my personal experiences.
1. There’s not much mochi pounding in Japan
One of the big things that I’ve noticed is that there’s more focus on making mochi in Hawaii than in Japan.
Mochi is a food made of rice that’s been pounded and made into a sticky texture. For New Year’s, it’s used in a traditional Japanese soup called ozoni, and when I was growing up, we pounded the rice with a machine and relatives would come over and shape the mochi with our hands.
My uncle and his family host an annual mochitsuki, or mochi pounding, event to bring people together and teach kids Japanese traditions. I’ve also noticed that many other Japanese-American families and groups in Hawaii doing the same.
In my 13 years in Japan, I only saw mochi pounding twice.
Once was part of a City Hall activity and once was for a school activity for students. I’ve lived both in Tokyo and in a smaller locale, and I’ve seen a family do it.
The principal at the school that held the activity said it’s a dying culture which is why he decided to have it for the students. While many in the neighborhood use to gather to take part in the tradition when he was younger, nowadays, most Japanese just buy mochi at the store.
2. There’s no kadomatsu in homes
Kadomatsu is a Japanese New Year decoration mainly made with bamboo, leaves, and rope.
In Hawaii, they’re sold even at places like Costco and Whole Foods. Family friends also made them and gifted them to us during the season. It might be that we were doing it wrong as a family, but we put them on display in our house.
It’s not as common for people in Japan to decorate with kadomatsu, it’s more common for businesses and shrines.
What I learned however, is that it’s supposed to be displayed outside because it’s meant to guide Gods and spirits. I’ve also never seen a kadomatsu at my wife’s home or any other Japanese friend’s home around this time of year.
3. Hawaii Japanese New Year’s food is different from Japanese New Year’s food
In Japan, New Year’s has a lot of cultural traditions and that includes food. There’s traditional dishes like osechi ryori where basically each item has a meaning.
In Hawaii, food is more representative of the mixed backgrounds of families, so you can have Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Filipino - basically all sorts of foods mixed together.
It may be that some dishes are localized from a part of Japan I’m not familiar with, but even New Year’s dishes labeled as “Japanese” in Hawaii are different.
“Namasu” in Hawaii is more commonly called “sunomono” in Japan
In Hawaii, namasu is mainly vinegered cucumber slices and wakame seaweed. In Japan, it’s mostly thinly sliced and vinegered carrots and daikon.
Seeing how culture changes as time passes or situations change due to immigration or relocation is interesting. I’m glad I could experience both Japanese New Year’s culture and Hawaii Japanese-American New Year’s cultures.
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The Japanese Versions of Hawaii Snacks
There are many Japanese-influenced snacks in Hawaii. Here are the Japanese versions of them and their histories.
Hawaii and Japan are tied culturally due to the mass immigration of Japanese pre-World War II. It’s still close today. For Japanese, Hawaii is considered a top travel destination and many locals in Hawaii also enjoy visiting Japan.
It should be of no surprise that some foods and snacks have ties to Japan as well. Here are a few.
Tomoe Ame (Bontan Ame)
Tomoe Ame is a brand of “bontan ame” is a candy found in crack seed and drug stores in Hawaii. They may appear in Japanese shops on the US mainland as well.
It’s soft, chewy, slightly fruity candy wrapped in rice paper. It’s fun for kids because they put a sticker inside the box. It’s made in Nagoya, Japan and is imported but I haven’t seen the brand or box being sold in Japan.
In Japan, it’s more commonly known simply as Bontan Ame, and tastes almost exactly the same as the one in Hawaii.
It originated in Kagoshima and was derived from a mochi-like snack from nearby Kumamoto. The candy was created by adding bontan, or a Pomelo citrus fruit.
Found at: Daiso
Price: ~100 JPY (1 box)
https://www.seikafoods.jp [J]
Butter mochi
Japanese butter mochi
Butter mochi is actually a local, Hawaii snack and was not imported from Japan. However, it does use Japanese ingredients and it’s reasonable to say that there’s at least some influence.
Japanese butter mochi is very different. While the Hawaii version is a dense, caky, dessert treat, butter mochi in Japan resembles typical mochi more.
Butter mochi in Japan originated in Akita, and is a simple, delicious, butter-flavored soft mochi snack.
Found at: Supermarkets
Price: ~180 JPY (1 pc)
Hawaii version recipe: https://kirbiecravings.com
Chi chi dango
Chichi dango is one of the more well known Japanese snacks in Hawaii. It’s a soft, sticky mochi that’s often made with mochiko powder, coconut milk and so on.
The truth is, chichi dango is not well known in Japan.
Chichi dango originated in a small city called Shōbara-shi (庄原市) in Hiroshima prefecture. In 1900, a national dairy farm was established in the area and got big. The founder of Izumi Kouwadou, a nearby shop, wanted to make a nutritious snack with the milk, and that’s how his shop became the origin of chichi dango, selling it in 1934.
The ingredients differ from the common recipes found in Hawaii. They use no water or coconut milk. It’s simply mochiko powder in milk, sugar, glucose syrup and honey.
Food coloring also isn’t used for the pink and green colors. The pink is made from rosé wine from Miyoshi-shi, a city next to the Shōbara-shi area. The green is made from yomogi, a sagebrush.
While it may be known in the eastern parts of Hiroshima prefecture, it’s not known throughout Japan.
Found at: Online, shops in Hiroshima
http://chichidango.co.jp [J]
Price: ~ 810 JPY (15 pc.)
Habutae mochi
Habutae mochi is similar to chichi dango. The reason why I’m adding this in is because it’s more well known in Japan than chichi dango.
It’s made in many places in the country but originated in Fukui prefecture. It’s called “habutae” in reference to Japanese silk. Fukui prefecture is known for making a lot of textiles, including the silk, and the mochi has a texture that is smooth and silk-like.
Habutae mochi is made from steamed mochi powder, sugar and corn syrup. No milk.
It is very soft, and is somewhat similar to gyuhi, or the mochi-like topping that’s found in frozen yogurt parlors.
Found at: Department stores, supermarkets
Price: ~ 800 JPY (8 pcs)
Li hing mui
Li hing mui is not from Japan, but there is something similar. If you don’t know, li hing mui is dried plums that began being imported from China in the early 1900s.
Probably the most common snack condiment in Hawaii, li hing mui can be found everywhere. If not in seed form, it’s used as a powder or syrup on anything from gummies and Sour Patch Kids to apples and pineapples, popcorn and shave ice to margaritas and desserts.
It is an acquired taste, however, as it’s very salty.
In Japan, dried, salty plums are most common in Okinawa. These were from Gifu prefecture though, and they were a lot saltier. They also had a sakura-like flower, which is different from Hawaii’s, which are either red or grey.
Found at: Convenience stores, Japanese ingredient shops
Price: ~200-500 JPY (1 pkg)
http://www.plumnature.com [J]
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Making Sukiyaki with Real Wagyu
Making Kansai-style sukiyaki, different from typical sukiyaki, with delicious Japanese Wagyu beef.
Japanese Wagyu beef needs no introduction to anyone who has been lucky enough to have a taste of the real thing. It is perhaps the best beef around.
So when we were gifted a box of sliced Wagyu from Ningyocho Imahan, a highly rated restaurant/butcher in the Ningyocho area of Tokyo [MAP], we knew we had to put it to good use.
Kansai-style Sukiyaki
We decided to make Kansai-style sukiyaki, slightly different from the more common Kanto-style sukiyaki found in most places in Japan and overseas.
The two styles refer to different areas. The Kanto area consists of Tokyo and surrounding prefectures such as Kanagawa (Yokohama, Kamakura, Hakone), Saitama, Chiba, Ibaraki, Tochigi (Nikko) and Gunma. The Kansai area consists of Osaka, Kyoto, Nara and Hyogo (Kobe).
The main difference in styles is the cooking of the meat.
In the Kanto style, the meat is put in the pot together with the vegetables and other ingredients and simmered before eating.
In the Kansai style, the meat is cooked separately and eaten before the vegetables and other ingredients are put into the pot.
Because we had some good beef and wanted to enjoy some of it on its own, we followed the Kansai style.
Watch the video to see how it’s made.
The vendors that we used for our Hawaii wedding party and our experiences with them.