In A Land Without Target

Since we've been living in Japan, there have been many occasions when we needed to purchase something and we had no idea where to find it. It usually is something simple like cleaning supplies, or miscellaneous household goods. Nothing too bizarre. Yet, we are often stymied when it came to where to look.
I would ask myself, "If I needed "X" in the states, where would I go to find it?"
The answer is always the same: "Target"

But of course, there is no Target in Japan. :(

Don't get me wrong, we've managed okay and been able to find most everything we've looked for. It just took extra thought to do so.

Most recently I was looking for a picture frame for a gift and thought, I can't be the only gaijin to have no idea where to find stuff. So incase there are any fellow confused gaijin reading this blog, I bring to you

"Where to find stuff in a land without Target."

Nitori
Nitori is great for furniture and miscellaneous household goods. Its pretty much a one stop shop for things to get your apartment set up. They even have example rooms, like Ikea, to give you ideas.  The prices are very reasonable too. Unfortunately for us, we didn't realize going to Nitori was more economical than going to the secondhand stores. And unlike the secondhand stores, when you were done shopping at Nitori, all your stuff matched! We've even found for things like hangers, its cheaper to shop here than the 100 Yen shop.

Go to Nitori to find:
Furniture, household organization stuff, laundry accessories, bedding, curtains, rugs, hangers, picture frames, decorations, dishes, etc...


any denki (electric) store
Last winter we quickly realized not having neighbors on the floor below us meant our apartment was much colder at night than the previous year. We needed an electric blanket and we needed it NOW! Only, we were at a loss about where to find one. I searched Nitori since they had become my new go to place for home goods. Unfortunately, out of the many blankets they carried, none were electric. I was so happy when I stumbled across them while wandering the local denki store. I probably should have guessed I'd find it there. After all, denki mofu (Electric blanket), denki ya (electric store).

Here are some other things you can find at a denki store like Yodobashi Camera, Kojima, or K's Denki:
light bulbs
appliances
computers and accessories
cameras and accessories
printers, printer paper, and ink
blow dryers, curling irons, flat irons
headphones, speakers, music players
etc...



100 Yen Shop
I like the Dollar store in America, but I LOVE 100 yen shops like Seria, Daiso, and Can-do. Our local 100 shop has become an invaluable resource for kids' English class, craft parties, and other odds and ends. It's hard not to come away with a basket of stuff when you walk through a 100 shop. My favorite 100 Yen purchase has been my dishes. 18 months and still going strong.

I can't even begin to list all the awesome stuff you can find at a 100 Yen shop.


Shimamura, GU, & Uniqlo
Clothes, clothes, and more clothes. If I need clothes at a reasonable price I head to one of these 3 stores. Now, given, I'm much bigger than the Japanese these clothes are designed for, but for the most part I'm able to find stuff that fits for not too much yen. I've even managed to find shoes that fit my big ol' American feet at Shimamura. It was a happy day indeed!




I should probably add that I'm in no way being paid to advertise for these stores and my opinions are my own, and do not necessarily reflect other A2 missionaries.  Although I'm sure one or two share my love of 100 Yen shops. :)

Japanniversary week: pictures from day 1 & contest winners!

What a year it has been! We have been blessed beyond measure, and are anxiously anticipating all that is in store for us in the future. Thank you for sharing in our lives and ministry!

Through reflecting this week, I realized I've never posted any of the pictures we took from our trip and first few days last year. (that can easily happen with no internet and lots of jet lag)

What better time than now. Better late than never, right? Here are a few pictures from traveling, arriving, and our first full day in Japan.

Enjoying a meal on a VERY long flight.

First shot of Hokkaido, our new home.

since we arrived late on the 30th,we crashed at the airport hotel before our first full day of paperwork and getting the lay of the land.

Taking a break from paperwork at the ward office to get some coffee. Our first Japanese vending machine.

Our first in-person-glimpse of our church.

Now on to the contest winners.

Congratulations to Dan and Denise!

Dan correctly answered the 3 questions in record time.

Q #1: What is the name of the traditional, yet disgusting, Japanese food Stephen had the misfortune of trying his first day in Japan? A #1: Natto Q #2: Learning Japanese is hard. Learning English words in Japanese is even harder. Kathryn spent a week or two guessing at the meaning of an English word pronounced in Japanese. What was the word in English, and how was it pronounced in Japanese? A #2: Volunteer & Borantia Q #3: After making Mexican Rice-Bowls for church, what did the church members do with the extra black beans? A #3: They used them as an ice cream topping.

Denise's comment was chosen at random. Both can be expecting a surprise in the mail in the next week or two.

We look forward to sharing more with you in the coming year!