Baby Shopping In Japan

My friend who just had her baby not too long ago, shopped for most of her baby stuff in Japan – because they are ohhh – so cute!  as she puts it.  But because she jogs a lot and walks everywhere in Japan for her daily shopping and groceries – she needed a good stroller but can’t find one that is tough enough for daily walks and jobs.  So she ordered it online – the UPPAbaby Cruz was what I had recommended her – because I’ve seen everyone using it in my neighborhood and they are for the on-the-go parents.  My girlfriend is constantly on the go – so this would be an ideal product for her and her baby.   Lucky for us – we have the internet to buy whatever we need even if we are not in the same country.  90% of her baby stuff were bought in Japan – but the stroller and car seat I know she chose to get it from home.

Shopping In Downtown Shinjuku

If you hear anyone tell you that shopping at downtown Shinjuku is a blast – they are not wrong – there is just so much to pick from – you don’t know where to begin and don’t know where to stop.  I used to be so addicted to shopping in Shinjuku – that I had to put my credit card on freeze for a week to stop my addition.  I would look for those discount ray bans and handbags and the most funkiest looking dresses or shoes.   If you walk in the downtown Japan, you will see that you are surrounded by the most fashionable kids and you just envy them for being able to wear what they do.

How I wished I was young and rich – that way I can buy anything and wear just about anything instead of being confined to work clothes since we spend a lot of time in the office.  But on can’t resist those discounted ray bans for they were so popular once upon a time.  If I can go back to Japan – I would spend a few days just shopping at downtown Shinjuku.

Japanese Wives Club

When I was living in Japan for 6 months – I’ve had the privileged to meet some wonderful wives of my engineers stationed in Japan – and they taught me many things about shopping in Japan.  A lot of people thinks that shopping in Japan is expensive but they are just like us in the West – and only buy quality things and things that are on sale – and using wet seal coupons as well – to get the best deals.  One very important lesson I learned from these Japanese wives is that they never buy things that are not of good quality and of a good deal.  Even when it comes to groceries and marketing – they buy the freshest but the cheapest and make the best dish for their husbands when they come home from work.  So yes!  the Japanese wives club had ladies ranging from the age of 25 – right up to 45 of age.  And for every thing they buy for themselves and for their family – they take care in getting the right things for them.

Nail Art In Japan

Nail art from Japan has gotta be one of the most amazing art work that I’ve seen and they really make you feel like yo8u are so outdated.  This is a halloween nail art – so it looks kinda horror but there are so many cute ones that one can choose to wear.   i don’t know how one works with nails like that but when you are shopping in Tokyo – you will see lots of younger girls having nail art on their hands.   I hear they are pretty expensive – but I do like them and will try them out when I do visit Japan again.

Living In Japan

Houses may be small in Japan – and most people only lived in cubicle houses or apartments – but the Japanese living is by far the most innovative – because they have all sorts of gadgets to make living easier and so much more pleasant.  One would think you cannot entertain in such a small place – but it’s far from the truth – because the Japanese uses the electric grill to BBQ and entertain so much – just like us in the west.   They also have this tako machine that I wished I had bought one back from japan – and they make this yummy tako and have tako parties.  The Japanese loved grilling everything and anything they can lay their hands on – and entertaining whether family or friends is second nature to them.

Gadget Shopping

So the girlfriend from her migrated to Japan in the name of love – and had emailed me to get her a list  laptop computers because hers has broken down and was getting too old and needs to retire.  Being in Japan – you would think she could get one there – with  no trouble right?  but apparently, everything was in Japanese – as you can see above and it’s really expensive to get someone to put in the English version of anything in Japan.  So yes I’m out hunting for a  laptop computers list to compile for her – and let her make some comparison – when it comes to what is inside the laptop.  We are definitely more fortunate here when it comes to shopping for a new laptop or computer – everything is written out and they tell you what the operating system is – and how much hard drive and what kind of video card  – and for someone in Japan who don’t know too much Japanese – to shop for a computer – I can understand why she prefers to shop from here in Canada.  Mailing might be a bit costly – but she said it was worth it.

Avid Japanese Golf Players

For those of you who are not aware of this – the Japanese are avid golf players – but there are not many golf course in Japan and it is very expensive – to play golf – therefore when Japanese friends comes to Canada to visit me in Canada – they ask to play golf all the time and some even go to golf resort around Canada.  Here in Nova Scotia – we have many golf resort – and most of them supply the garmin gps for golf – and that’s what the Japanese golf players loved.   A dear friend of mine – who is coming home from Japan asked me to look for a golf resort for his family – that provide this garmin gps for golf – and I’ve found a few that have this gps for golf.   You can sell just about anything to a Japanese golf player – when they are in town – I know that this Japanese friend of mine – will even buy a whole range of golf clubs to bring home to Japan – the yen is so strong – they shop like lords here.  So if you are playing golf with a Japanese – don’t under-estimate them.

Japanese Popsicle

The next time you are in Japan – I urge you to try the Japanese Popsicle – they are really unique and quite colorful and they don’t taste bad either.

They make the ice cream the way the Japanese liked them of course – from red beans to milky white milk outside from Meiji.

Or the watermelon shaped Popsicle are refreshing too – kids loved this one.

The blue one tasted like mountain dew.

And of course the creamy type of soft ice cream is to die for when you are in Japan – from Lavender to roasted coffee and green tea – are the few common ones.  But i loved the strawberry ones – and the yam ones too.  They do have some really exquisite food in Japan – even the ice cream and popsicle.

Outdoors In Japan

If you think that Japan is all about sushi and shopping – boy ! are you wrong.  My girlfriend who is in Japan permanently is doing more outdoor stuff than when she was in the West – and she had photos of her going for white water rafting, atv rides, snowshoeing and hiking and camping outdoors as well.  Just the other day – she wrote to me asking me to look for atv winches for her – as well as hiking stuff.  So if you are heading to Japan – you may want to try doing one of these sports if you haven’t – they are quite fun.   As for myself – I haven’t done any of it in Japan – like most people we go shopping and eating in Japan – and enjoying the scenery – but I would love to go for an atv ride – or white water rafting sometime.

Missing Japan’s Food

I have been missing real japanese food for months now – and been thinking of visiting Japan again.  But as you all know – going to Japan is going to be really expensive – so some savings need to be done.  And after checking on my insurance quote on  Wholesaleinsurance.net and saving some on my insurance this year – I might just have enough to go – for a week.

I would definitely  not mind eating all these again.

A visit to my favorite sushi bar is a must – and like I said – it’s not going to be cheap – so I’m glad I’m paying less for insurance and have more money for food hunting in Japan for my Japan vacation.

And of course – a visit to the longest sushi bar in Japan is a must – Kaitan I think that was the name.  You see what I mean by needing to spend more money than most places I’ve been to?  The spouse told me – you can do whatever you want – but make sure our insurance is intact and that it is paid before you go anywheres.  So yes!  I luck in – by finding Wholesale insurance – I get to compare rates before buying my insurance – that way I can get the cheapest – why pay for more when you don’t have to right?