Great suggestions! A parasol or umbrella would be a nice addition to your list. It will continue to be used after a trip and it's very useful during a Summer Japan trip! We too love dishes, chopsticks, clothes, and small towels.
This is not something you buy but during in my recent trip to Japan, we came across some fellow travelers with the bright idea to use their old passports as stamp books!
I really like your quiet and calm voice and character. As a couple, who lives several years now in Japan, we have been looking for souvenirs bringing back home and your ideas were inspiring for us. Thank you for your recommendations and all the best for the future to you and your family.
Love the purchases you make, practical and not too big or heavy. I also want to mention that both of you make excellent videos. You must be teachers because you express yourselves very clearly, no fluff, just concise and practical info. Thank you.
You guys provide such great insight and tips for Japan travels. I've watched many of your videos and feel much better prepared for our upcoming trip in a month. You've got yourselves a new subscriber!
@@KenshoQuest much appreciated. We will be visiting probably too many cities in 3 weeks 😅 Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Fukuoka, Kobe, Himeji, Mt. Fuji and Hakone.
My family and I have enjoyed your videos - super helpful for our upcoming trip across Japan. Thank you - and huge congratulations on such a successful channel- it is obvious how much work you put in . ❤
Love your purchases! Japan has so many cool stuff and it makes you want to get everything. You have calmed my thoughts to check out what to look for next time we go back. Thank you, great job and informative videos! Aloha🙂
Oh no, I was just there in July and wish I knew about the leather wallets!!! I did pick up many of the little “blessing” pouches and some keychains for gifts. ❤ I also bought several of the Shippato bags (saw those on one of ur previous videos). I just love them. Got some as gifts also. ❤
I love buying Maneki neko key chain souvenirs which I then hand out to friends. I will also lookout for the Himeji Castle stamp books when I visit it in 2025 too, so thanks for the tip.
I've bought several handmade leather wallets/business card holders/coin holders from a local craftsman in Sapporo (in the underground shopping arcade). I also have a collection of onsen bath towels with names of the onsens stamped on them. These items don't take up any room in my backpack.
Great suggestions! We intend to be in Japan in September and, although we hope not to need it, we would like some tips on health. What medicines can we buy in pharmacies, how does the health system work, emergency room, etc. Could you make a video about it, please?
Thanks for the suggestion! This is the only somewhat related video we have at the moment: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-pObCQ4JoNfQ.htmlsi=Oh2sUFxFHS2JNcTS
Hi Heidi. As 1st time Japan travelers I have any to say that your videos were instrumental in our planning and visit. We’ve incorporated your endless tips & all proved wise and spot on! I’m presently in Kanazawa Hotel Mystays & can’t find Shupatto bags, nor the special reflective umbrellas. Also, I bought tax free items, now sealed in a bag. Can you tell me what I do with the receipt and the item next?
Hi. I hope you had a wonderful time in Japan! I'm just now seeing that my response didn't show up. I hope you were able to find what you were looking for. I tried recommending visiting a department store for the umbrella/ parasol and Don Quijote or Bic Camera for Shupatto bags. And to keep all the duty free items sealed and hold onto receipts in case asked for them at the airport. Just putting these responses here, in case anyone else is wondering. 🌸 Heidi
Very interesting video! Thank you for sharing it with your viewers. How do you prevent glass and other fragile items from breaking on return trips home?
The drinking glass and vase were wrapped in bubble wrap and packaged in a cardboard box. The plates also came in small cardboard boxes. For other fragile items, I wrap them in small hand towels. All fragile items I pack in a carry on bag, not a checked suitcase. So far so good! 🌸 Heidi
Love your videos! Where are some places in Kyoto or Tokyo to purchase the hand towels? Do you store them in a waterproof bag after use, and where could I get that? Thanks for taking time to explain Japan traveling. Your kids are growing up with such wonderful experiences.
Thanks! You will probably see hand towels for sale all over the place. Train stations, gift shops, Don Quijote, Daiso. I keep one in a waterproof bag, since it gets damp from drying our hands. I have fancy wet bags by Kekoa Cloth Nappies. If you're in the US, Thirsties Mini Wet Bag or something similar might be easier to find.
You'll find the hand towels everywhere in Japan. Once you see a pattern or fabric you like, I suggest buying it immediately as they're different everywhere.. Worst case scenario, they also sell them at Haneda airport gift shops.
I've been looking up Earl's Favourite so that I can save it in my maps. The address on their website doesn't take me to the shop I think. I'm not sure if I'm doing something wrong. The address I'm using is the below: 1F Showa Building, 2-5 Kanda Izumicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Hi. Here’s the location from Google Maps. It’s a short walk from Akihabara Station. maps.app.goo.gl/mHKu3W7htupEv4VPA?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy
Aloha, i was wondering about bring things back from Japan. How is it to go through customs in Hawaii. Is there a limit on things to bring back. Is there a post office in tokyo that i can mail somethings back to hawaii?
Aloha, you can certainly mail back items to Hawai'i from Japan. Just visit any post office, there are many. We've done this and the service is very good, check out this page for more info and sign up online as that is where you will fill out your customs forms. www.post.japanpost.jp/int/howto/index_en.html And, We've never had any issues bringing items back to Hawai'i or the mainland. Just be sure to not carry and produce or fresh fruits... You know that Hawai'i is very strict.
Souvenirs are great in Japan! Sadly is sad to see that is not that easy to bring home all you buy... If you could make a video of how to send parcels from Japan to overseas (US for instance) that would be superb!!!
Thank you for the suggestion! We used Japan Post to mail an entire suitcase from Japan to Malaysia during our 3 month trip. It took a couple months to arrive, but arrived in great shape. We normally just buy a small carry on suitcase in Japan or pack an empty weekender bag for the return flight and check the suitcases we brought with us. 🌸 Heidi
If I buy electronics in Japan, will they be compatible to use in the US since the voltage is different here than in Japan? I was considering buying electronics when we're in Japan but not sure if we can use them here in the US
Hi Heidi. As 1st time Japan travelers I have any to say that your videos were instrumental in our planning and visit. We’ve incorporated your endless tips & all proved wise and spot on! I’m presently in Kanazawa Hotel Mystays & can’t find Shupatto bags, nor the special reflective umbrellas. Also, I bought tax free items, which are sealed in a bag. Can you tell me what I do with the receipt and the item next?
Hi! I’ve been wondering how you guys are doing. I hope you’re enjoying Kanazawa. I’m not sure where to find Shupatto bags there. I purchased them in other cities at Don Quijote and Bic Camera. For the umbrella parasol, have you tried a department store in a shopping mall? ☂️ For the duty free items, keep them sealed and hold onto the receipts. There’s a chance you’ll need to show the receipts to Customs at the airport, but I’ve never had to. Enjoy the rest of your trip!
