Wednesday, February 28, 2018

How to Order Gyudon, Japanese Beef Bowl, at Matsuya - New Year's Japan Travel Day 3

      My husband and I traveled Japan during this New Year's holidays. As I mentioned in my previous entry, he purchased new eyeglasses at JINS. Until his eyeglasses were ready, we had gyudon, a Japanese beef bowl, at Matsuya because gyudon is one of my favorite Japanese foods. You can check out my previous entry, My Top 15 Must Eat Foods in Japan - My Favorite Japanese Foods.

      In Japan, there are some gyudon restaurant chains such as Yoshinoya (吉野家), Matsuya (松屋), Sukiya (すき家) and Nakau (なか卯). They serve affordable and delicious gyudon for around 300 yen. You might think, "Which gyudon restaurant should I try?" If you want to try original gyudon, go to Yoshinoya, which was established in Japan in 1899. However, I always choose a restaurant near me because all gyudon restaurants serve pretty good gyudon. ;)  

The 4 Major Japanese Gyudon Restaurant Chains
  *They have been engaged in a price war for many years. The price of gyudon sometimes goes up and down.

Yoshinoya (吉野家)
・380 yen for regular size gyudon
・original gyudon restaurant (since 1899)

Matsuya (松屋)  
・290 yen for regular size gyudon
・free miso soup
・Their curry is also popular.

Sukiya (すき家) 
・350 yen for regular size gyudon
・a wide selection of gyudon

Nakau (なか卯)  
・380 yen for regular size gyudon
・high quality    




How to Get Your Meal in Matsuya
      Anyway, I'm going to share how to get your meal in Matsuya with you.



1. Buy meal tickets with a ticket vending machine.
You can select a language preference from Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean at Matsuya, but if you want to try to order it in Japanese, you should understand these vocabularies.  
  
店内 (For Here)
お持ち帰り (To Go)
 
牛めし (Gyudon, Japanese Beef Bowl)
カレー(Curry with White Rice)
定食 (Combo Meals)
丼 (Bowl Meals)
サイドメニュー (Side Dishes)
生ビール (Beer)

ミニ盛 (Small Size)
並盛 (Regular Size)
大盛 (Large Size)
特盛 (Extra Large Size)

とりけし, 全取消 (Restart)
戻る (Back)



2. Have a seat. A staff will take your tickets.
 



3. Your meals will be served. Enjoy!
Gyudon + Miso Soup, Raw Egg and Salad
       I ordered a regular size gyudon (牛めし 並盛), salad and a raw egg. What I liked about Matsuya is that when you order gyudon (and many other meals), they also serve a cup of miso soup for free of charge (in-store only). My order was 450 yen in total.


Matsuya Gyudon
     I topped gyudon with beaten egg (with a little soy sauce), red ginger pickles (benishoga, 紅ショウガ) and shichimi peppers (七味コショウ). You might think eating raw egg is insane! Yes, it's a bizarre food culture in Japan, but I really love raw egg on rice and I think it's perfect with gyudon. You can check out my previous entry, How to Make Tamago Kake Gohan - Raw Egg on Rice.



 Matsuya Curry Gyu + Miso Soup
      My husband ordered a large size curry gyu (カレーギュウ 大盛) for 600 yen. Their beef curry is also popular in Japan. A regular size of curry (オリジナル カレー 並盛) is only 380 yen. ;)




      After having lunch at Matsuya, we received his new eyeglasses at JINS. Then we went shopping in Ikebukuro, Tokyo. I'll write about it next time. :)





     These are my entries you might like.
Top 10 Most Popular Japanese Foods  

14 Best Japanese Beauty Products I Purchased in Japan - Drugstore, Discount Store, Daiso and Loft Haul

13 Best Japanese Products I Purchased on Amazon Japan! - Beauty, Kitchen and Stationery Items  

2 Convenience Store Skincare Products I Got in Japan - Japan Haul

13 Muji Products I Purchased in Japan - Muji Haul 

What You Should Take to Japan - Japan Travel Tips

My Shopping List for Japanese Beauty Products - What I Want to Get in Japan

My Shopping List for Japanese Groceries (Ramen, Sweets, Snack and More) - What I Want to Get in Japan  


My Shopping List for Japanese Products (Stationery, Kitchen Items, Starbucks and More) - What I Want to Get in Japan

Top 3 Japanese Powder Sunscreens  

3 Best Japanese Sunscreen Products to Try This Summer

3 Best Japanese Eye Creams Won Beauty Award This Year

3 Best Facial Sheet Masks Loved in Japan This Year

7 Most Popular Japanese Facial Cleansing Wipes for Removing Makeup  


7 Best Japanese Beauty Products Hall of Fame 

Top 5 Life-Changing Japanese Beauty Products  

10 Best Japanese Beauty Products on Amazon Japan, You Can Also Purchase Them at Drugstores in Japan



     My entries related to Tokyo can be seen here

     My entries related to Best Japanese Beauty Products can be seen here.
 

     My entries related to Japan can be seen here.

     My entries related to beauty can be seen here.

     My entries related to Japan Haul can be seen here.

     You can find my beauty entries by categories from here.







Tuesday, February 27, 2018

How to Purchase Japanese Affordable Eyeglasses at JINS - New Year's Japan Travel Day 3

      My husband and I traveled Japan during this New Year's holidays. As I mentioned in my previous entry, after getting coffee at 7-Eleven, we went to JINS to purchase his eyeglasses. As I mentioned in my previous entry, Must Go to Place in Japan - Affordable Eyeglass Stores, JINS and Zoff, if you wear eyeglasses and are planning on visiting Japan, you should check eyeglasses stores there.  It's because some stores sell very affordable stylish eyeglasses. Unlike the U.S., buying eyeglasses doesn't need prescriptions in Japan, so you don't need to see an ophthalmologist nor an optometrist to make new eyeglasses there. (If you want to buy contact lenses, you are probably required to see an ophthalmologist though.) 

       Just keep in mind that not all Japanese eyeglass stores sell affordable ones (3,500 yen or more for one pair of eyeglasses). Many stores sell medium and high end eyeglasses (15,000 yen or more for one pair of eyeglasses). If you want to try affordable ones, I recommend you to check JINS and Zoff, which have so many branches in Japan. For instance, in Japan, JINS has 307 branches including 61 branches in Tokyo. (There are more of excellent eyeglass stores sell affordable ones in Japan, so you can find one yourself.)

      Anyway, we visited JINS, J!NS, located in Ikebukuro Parco near JR Ikebukuro station. They had a wide selection of affordable stylish eyeglasses (5,000 yen or more for one pair of eyeglasses).

JINS
4F P'Parco
1 Chome-50-35 Higashiikebukuro, 
Toshima-ku Tokyo, Japan 

      They had blue light cut lenses (+5000yen), which are perfect for someone who uses a PC and smartphones for long hours.

     These eyeglasses were so cool!


     Anyway, I'm going to share how to purchase eyeglasses at JINS with you. :)

How to Purchase Eyeglasses at JINS

1. Choose your favorite eyeglass frame. There are so many stylish ones you can choose from.

2. Take the frame to the register.

3. A staff asks you about the lenses. There is no charge for regular lenses. If you want special lenses such as blue cut lenses and lenses with UV protection, there is an additional charge.

4. Take an eye exam in order to make the accurate lenses.


5. Wait until your eyeglasses are ready. It usually takes for 30 minutes. If there is no stock in the store, you need to wait for several days.

6. The staff will adjust your eyeglass arms for you.

7. Make a payment, and you can receive your new eyeglasses, an eyeglass case and a lens cleaning cloth.







 Tax Free Service
      We found that this store was offering Tax Free Service (8% off)!  As I mentioned in my previous entry, Bic Camera at Haneda Airport Tax Free Service, in Japan, some stores especially ones located in Tokyo offer Tax Free Service. You need to show your passport with a valid entry stamp at the store where you want to apply for a tax refund.



 How Much Did It Cost to Make His New Eyeglasses?
     My husband purchased two pairs of eyeglasses because there was a buy one get one 10% off sale. By the way, these look the same but are slightly different designs. ;) One pair of eyeglasses was 5,000 yen, and the second one was 4500 yen. Our stay in Japan was eligible for tax free program because we have been living abroad for many years. That's why it cost 9500 yen for two pairs of eyeglasses, two eyeglass cases and lens cleaning clothes. :)




Quality of Affordable Eyeglasses
       I don't think their eyeglasses are the highest quality, but they are pretty good actually. They are light and steady. They never brake until he accidentally steps on the eyeglasses. You know it could happen to anyone!     





      While waiting for his eyeglasses, we had gyudon, a Japanese beef bowl, at Matsuya. I'll write about it next time.




      These are my entries you might like.
Must Go to Place in Japan - Affordable Eyeglass Stores, JINS and Zoff 

14 Best Japanese Beauty Products I Purchased in Japan - Drugstore and Discount Store Haul

13 Best Japanese Products I Purchased on Amazon Japan! - Beauty, Kitchen and Stationery Items  

2 Convenience Store Skincare Products I Got in Japan - Japan Haul

13 Muji Products I Purchased in Japan - Muji Haul 

What You Should Take to Japan - Japan Travel Tips

My Shopping List for Japanese Beauty Products - What I Want to Get in Japan

My Shopping List for Japanese Groceries (Ramen, Sweets, Snack and More) - What I Want to Get in Japan  


My Shopping List for Japanese Products (Stationery, Kitchen Items, Starbucks and More) - What I Want to Get in Japan

Top 3 Japanese Powder Sunscreens  

3 Best Japanese Sunscreen Products to Try This Summer

3 Best Japanese Eye Creams Won Beauty Award This Year

3 Best Facial Sheet Masks Loved in Japan This Year

7 Most Popular Japanese Facial Cleansing Wipes for Removing Makeup  


7 Best Japanese Beauty Products Hall of Fame 

Top 5 Life-Changing Japanese Beauty Products  

10 Best Japanese Beauty Products on Amazon Japan, You Can Also Purchase Them at Drugstores in Japan



     My entries related to Tokyo can be seen here

     My entries related to Best Japanese Beauty Products can be seen here.
 

     My entries related to Japan can be seen here.

     My entries related to beauty can be seen here.

     My entries related to Japan Haul can be seen here.

     You can find my beauty entries by categories from here.





Monday, February 26, 2018

How to Purchase Fresh Coffee at 7-Eleven Convenience Store in Japan - New Year's Japan Travel Day 3

      My husband and I traveled Japan during this New Year's holidays. As I mentioned in my previous entry, we took a complete medical checkup, ningen doc (人間ドック), at a hospital located in Ikebukuro, Tokyo. After that, we went to 7-Eleven convenience store and had small bread and fresh iced coffee. That coffee was so good! :)

      Did you know that fresh coffee from convenience stores has been very popular in Japan? Their fresh coffee is affordable and tastes actually better than coffee from Starbucks! If you have ever had coffee from a 7-Eleven in the U.S., you know how cheap the quality of convenience store's fresh coffee is (Sorry, but it's true!), but Japanese 7-Eleven's coffee isn't like that. If you are in Japan and haven't had 7-Eleven's fresh coffee, you really should try one! Today, I'm going to share how to get fresh coffee at 7-Eleven in Japan with you. :)


How to Get Fresh Coffee at 7-Eleven in Japan

1. Pay it first

 For Hot Coffee or Hot Cafe Latte     
      If you would like to have hot coffee or hot cafe latte, you can tell a cashier that you want hot coffee (or hot cafe latte) and its size. The cashier will give you an empty paper cup.

・If you would like to have regular size hot coffee, you can say, "Hot coffee no regular size kudasai (ホットコーヒーのレギュラーサイズください。)".
 ・If you would like to have large size hot coffee, you can say, "Hot coffee no large size kudasai (ホットコーヒーのラージサイズください。)".
・If you would like to have regular size hot cafe latte, you can say, "Hot cafe latte no regular size kudasai (ホットカフェラテのレギュラーサイズください。)".



For Iced Coffee or Iced Cafe Latte
     If you would like to have iced coffee or iced cafe latte, you can take out a plastic cup which contains plenty of ice cubes from a freezer, and take it to the register.
アイスコーヒー: Iced Coffee
アイスカフェラテ: Iced Cafe Latte
アイスカフェラテ (ビーズ): Iced Cafe Latte : The cup contains micro beads of rich milk for superior taste.
       When we visited 7-Eleven, they also had Iced Caramel Latte (アイスキャラメルラテ), which contains micro beads of caramel. I think Iced Caramel Latte is only available locally for now. 
     The cups for iced coffee are next to an ice cream freezer.



2. Brew Your Coffee
Then, go to a 7-Eleven's coffee maker.





    Open the clear plastic door of the coffee maker, and place the cup in it. (Before placing the plastic cup, remove the plastic cover of the cup.)

    If you purchased hot cafe latte or iced cafe latte (a clear iced cafe latte cup), place the cup in the left area. If you purchased hot coffee or iced coffee, place the cup in the right area. If you purchased iced cafe latte with micro beads (a black plastic cup), place the cup in the right area.


    Press the button. If you purchased a regular cup, press "R" button. If you purchased a large cup, press "L" button.  The machine will start grinding coffee beans and brew fresh coffee for you.

      Take out your coffee from the machine.

     Straws, lids, syrup and cream are located next to the machine.  Enjoy!





      After getting coffee at 7-Eleven, we went to JINS to purchase his eyeglasses. As I mentioned in my previous entry, Must Go to Place in Japan - Affordable Eyeglass Stores, JINS and Zoff, if you wear eyeglasses and are planning on visiting Japan, you should check eyeglasses stores there. I'll write about it next time. :)


      These are my entries you might like.
Japanese Drip Coffee Bags - UCC & KEY COFFEE

14 Best Japanese Beauty Products I Purchased in Japan - Drugstore and Discount Store Haul

13 Best Japanese Products I Purchased on Amazon Japan! - Beauty, Kitchen and Stationery Items  

2 Convenience Store Skincare Products I Got in Japan - Japan Haul

13 Muji Products I Purchased in Japan - Muji Haul 

What You Should Take to Japan - Japan Travel Tips

My Shopping List for Japanese Beauty Products - What I Want to Get in Japan

My Shopping List for Japanese Groceries (Ramen, Sweets, Snack and More) - What I Want to Get in Japan  


My Shopping List for Japanese Products (Stationery, Kitchen Items, Starbucks and More) - What I Want to Get in Japan

Top 3 Japanese Powder Sunscreens  

3 Best Japanese Sunscreen Products to Try This Summer

3 Best Japanese Eye Creams Won Beauty Award This Year

3 Best Facial Sheet Masks Loved in Japan This Year

7 Most Popular Japanese Facial Cleansing Wipes for Removing Makeup  


7 Best Japanese Beauty Products Hall of Fame 

Top 5 Life-Changing Japanese Beauty Products  

10 Best Japanese Beauty Products on Amazon Japan, You Can Also Purchase Them at Drugstores in Japan



     My entries related to Tokyo can be seen here

     My entries related to Best Japanese Beauty Products can be seen here.
 

     My entries related to Japan can be seen here.

     My entries related to beauty can be seen here.

     My entries related to Japan Haul can be seen here.

     You can find my beauty entries by categories from here.



Friday, February 23, 2018

What I Got Loft and Tokyu Hands in Japan - Japan Haul

      Loft (ロフト) and Tokyu Hands (東急ハンズ) are Japanese department stores which carry a wide selection of stationary, home goods, beauty items and so on.

     When I lived in Osaka, I sometimes went to Umeda Loft (梅田ロフト) and Tokyu Hands Shinsaibashi branch (東急ハンズ 心斎橋店), and I remember that I purchased some unique kitchen items, window treatments and more there. I also purchased beautiful wedding stationary such as our wedding invitation cards and wedding program cards. :) My husband and I also attended their weekend Do-It-Yourself workshop at Tokyu Hands and made lavender aroma eye pillows which I really loved. Anyway, Loft and Tokyu Hands were my favorite stores when I lived in Japan because they have a massive selection of high quality items! If you are planning on visiting Japan, you should check these stores. I think you can find useful and high quality Japanese products there. If you are a girl, I also recommend you to go these stores because they have numerous beauty items, and many of them cannot be found at drugstores in Japan.

      Anyway, I purchased some items at Loft and Tokyu Hands during traveling in Tokyo this winter. Today, I'm going to share what I purchased there with you.      


1. Dishwasher Safe Chopsticks 食器洗浄機対応 素材まるごと木のお箸
5 pairs of chopsticks for 1200 yen at Loft
Dishwasher Safe Chopsticks
      I wanted to purchase some chopsticks made in Japan during our travel. These are made of natural bamboos and have wafu komon pattern (小紋), traditional Japanese small prints. Actually, I also purchased some Japanese chopsticks at other stores, but these ones I purchased at Loft were the highest quality. :) These chopsticks were made by Kawai Kabushikigaisha (カワイ株式会社), which is a Japanese company has been making chopsticks since in 1943.    
Dishwasher Safe Chopsticks

Dishwasher Safe Chopsticks





2. Kokuyo SAXA Scissors コクヨ サクサ グルーレス刃 ハサミ
486 yen at Tokyu Hands
Kokuyo Scissors Saxa Glueless Blade Hasa-P280Y
       At Tokyu Hands, there were many Japanese scissors we could choose from. I finally chose these scissors, Kokuyo SAXA Glueless Blade Scissors, because it read that the blades won't be sticky even after cutting tapes. By the way, Kokuyo is the largest Japanese stationary company and they have been making stationary products in Japan since 1905.
Kokuyo Scissors Saxa Glueless Blade Hasa-P280Y
     The scissors were very affordable and look nothing special, but when I first used them, I was impressed at how easy it was to cut papers with these scissors. :)
Kokuyo Scissors Saxa Glueless Blade Hasa-P280Y



3. Marna Osakana Sponge for Bathroom Cleaning マーナおさかなスポンジお風呂用
371 yen at Loft
Marna Osakana Sponge for Bathroom Cleaning
     I love products of Marna very much, so when I went to Loft and Tokyu Hands, I looked for Marna cleaning products. This is Marna Osakana Sponge for cleaning bathroom. As I mentioned in my previous entry, I also have Marana Osakana Sponge Long for cleaning dishes, but this one is larger in order to scrub a bathtub easily.
Marna Osakana Sponge for Bathroom Cleaning
    By the way, Osakana means fish in Japanese.
Marna Osakana Sponge for Bathroom Cleaning



4. Marna Faucet Cleaning Wipes マーナ蛇口まわりの水垢落とし
Two wipes for 400 yen at Loft
Marna Wipes for Cleaning Faucet
      I purchased Marna Faucet Cleaning Wipes at Loft. You can remove hard water stains with it easily.
Marna Wipes for Cleaning Faucet




5. Marna Squeegee for Bathroom マーナ お風呂のスキージー
980 yen at Loft
Marna Squeegee for Bathroom
      This is Marna Squeegee for bathroom. After taking shower, I use this squeegee to get rid of water and quickly wipe up walls with towels. I think it's the easiest way to keep shower room clean.  



6. Saborino サボリーノ
Facial Sheet Mask
Mixed Berry Scent (Extra Moist)
5 Sheets
420 yen at Loft
Saborino
        As I mentioned in my previous entry, I purchased this Saborino Mix Berry Scent (5-Sheet Pack) at Loft, and I used it up while I was traveling Japan. It's an all-in-one facial sheet mask (cleanser + moisturizer + makeup primer) for busy morning. Actually, I loved it so much. I loved that I could finish my morning skincare in 60 seconds, and it kept my skin well hydrated all day long. I eventually purchased the full size of Saborino (32-Sheet Pack) after coming back to the U.S. from Japan. (Yes, I should have purchased it in Japan because it's less expensive there!)




       These are also my entries you might like.
14 Best Japanese Beauty Products I Purchased in Japan - Drugstore, Discount Store, Daiso and Loft Haul

13 Best Japanese Products I Purchased on Amazon Japan! - Beauty, Kitchen and Stationery Items 

13 Muji Products I Purchased in Japan - Muji Haul

8 Japanese Snacks and Candies I Purchased in Japan - Japan Haul

10 Best Japanese Beauty Products on Amazon Japan, You Can Also Purchase Them at Drugstores in Japan  

2 Convenience Store Skincare Products I Got in Japan - Japan Haul

3 Best Japanese Sunscreens Won Beauty Award This Year

3 Best Japanese Eye Creams Won Beauty Award This Year

7 Best Japanese Beauty Products Hall of Fame 

Top 5 Life-Changing Japanese Beauty Products  

Top 5 Most Popular Japanese Charcoal Soap

5 Best Japanese Facial Lotion (Toner), Kesyou-sui

The Best Japanese Shampoo And Conditioner Won Beauty Awards in Japan - Kao Asience Meguri

5 Best Japanese Microwavable Warming Pillows - They Are Reusable Warmers!

Starbucks Japan Geography Series City Mug - Tokyo



     My entries related to Tokyo can be seen here

     My entries related to Best Japanese Beauty Products can be seen here.
 

     My entries related to Japan can be seen here.

     My entries related to beauty can be seen here.

     My entries related to Japan Haul can be seen here.

     You can find my beauty entries by categories from here.





Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Having A Complete Medical Checkup, Ningen Doc, in Japan - New Year's Japan Travel Day 3

       My husband and I traveled Japan during this New Year's holidays. One of the main reasons why we wanted to visit Tokyo was to have a complete medical checkup, a preventive medical checkup.

       In Japan, a complete medical checkup is called ningen doc, ningen dock (人間ドック). It can discover various diseases such as lifestyle diseases like type II diabetes, but one major objective is the early detection of cancer. It makes people more aware of their physical condition, so they can maintain their health, prevent lifestyle diseases and start getting medical treatments earlier.  In Japan, many companies also offer employees to take a free annual general medical checkup, which is called kenshin (健診). While I was working in Japan, I needed to take kenshin annually (It was mandatory.). I took some blood tests, vision test and chest X-ray and more annually. (As you get older, your kenshin includes more examinations such as mammography, abdominal ultrasound and electrocardiography.)  

      It's been many years since we moved to the U.S. from Japan, so we decided to take a complete medical checkup in Japan. As you might know, US healthcare is incredibly expensive, so even if you pay expensive airplane tickets, accommodation fee and etc to travel to Japan, it's still a good idea to take a complete medical checkup in Japan because Japanese healthcare is very affordable and advanced. (If you buy business class or first class airplane tickets and stay extravagant hotel rooms, you should think twice about its cost though.) Just keep in mind that most Japanese medical staffs only speak Japanese, so if you cannot read and speak Japanese, I don't really recommend you to fly to Japan for a medical tourism, or you might need to arrange for an interpreter, which costs much money. (These years, medical tourism in Japan has been popular for wealthy Chinese people though.)
  
     Anyway, we made appointments for ningen doc well in advance. :)  On December 29, we finally headed toward the hospital located in Ikebukuro (池袋), Tokyo in the early morning. We got on the train of the JR Yamanote line (山手線).
JR East Yamanote Line


    We arrived at the hospital at 8:50 a.m. and finished our medical checkup by 11:30 a.m. :)


Our medical checkup cost about 48,000 yen per person, which is equivalent to $450 (One US dollar is 107 Japanese yen today.), and included these.

・height, weight, BMI and abdominal girth
・blood pressure
・vision test and ophthalmoscopy
・audiometry
・EKG (electrocardiography)
・abdominal ultrasonography
・gastroendoscopy
・chest X-ray
・urine test (protein, glucose, blood, specific gravity and urobilinogen )
・stool test (fecal occult blood test)
・blood test (blood type, RBC, WBC, Hb, Ht, PLT, differential blood count,
total protein, bilirubin, protein fraction, AST, ALT, Γ-GTP, ALP, LDH, CHE, AMY,
total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, TG,
glucose, HbA1c,
UA, BUN, Creatinine,
HBsAg, HCVAb, TPHA,
CRP and ASLO)
・Helicobacter pylori test
・breast ultrasonography (female)
・PSA (male)


Barium Swallow Test vs Gastroendoscopy
    When I lived in Japan, I worked as a RN at a large and busy hospital six days a week for many years, and at the same time I also worked at kenshin unit in the hospital several days a month. Some people asked medical staffs, "It's difficult to choose between barium swallow test and gastroendoscopy, so which one should I choose?" It actually depends on you, but I choose gastroendoscopy.  In Japan, gastroendoscopy is usually done without sedation, so during the procedure, you can also see the inside of your stomach through a display monitor. After your endoscopy, you can walk as usual. (If you had a sedative, after your endoscopy, you would feel very drowsy and couldn't walk alone for hours. )  However, many people find it difficult to take gastroendoscopy without sedation. An endoscope, which is a long, flexible tube with a tiny light and video camera, is pushed through your esophagus and stomach. When the endoscope is put into your throat, you might have gag reflex, but after the endoscope goes through your throat, you won't have gag reflex.
   Because having gastroendoscopy isn't easy, some people choose barium swallow test instead of gastroendoscopy. However, I prefer gastroendoscopy because during procedure, a doctor can view your stomach for irregularities and remove tissue samples for biopsy and culture if needed. In contrast, if barium swallow test shows tumors or polyps, you will be probably recommended to take gastroendoscopy then, so you will need to take both tests if you have irregularities in your upper digestive tract. That's why we took gastroendoscopy rather than barium swallow test.


      The result of our medical checkup was sent to my mother-in-law's home by mail because we don't live in Japan now. Then, she sent it to us from Japan last week. I think that we will receive it next week or so. When we visit Japan next time, we would like to take medical checkup again. :)


      When we finished out medical checkup, we were very hungry because we didin't have breakfast. We decided to have some foods around JR Ikebukuro station. I'll write about it next time.

   

      These are my entries you might like.
14 Best Japanese Beauty Products I Purchased in Japan - Drugstore and Discount Store Haul

13 Best Japanese Products I Purchased on Amazon Japan! - Beauty, Kitchen and Stationery Items  

2 Convenience Store Skincare Products I Got in Japan - Japan Haul

13 Muji Products I Purchased in Japan - Muji Haul 

What You Should Take to Japan - Japan Travel Tips

My Shopping List for Japanese Beauty Products - What I Want to Get in Japan

My Shopping List for Japanese Groceries (Ramen, Sweets, Snack and More) - What I Want to Get in Japan  


My Shopping List for Japanese Products (Stationery, Kitchen Items, Starbucks and More) - What I Want to Get in Japan

Top 3 Japanese Powder Sunscreens  

3 Best Japanese Sunscreen Products to Try This Summer

3 Best Japanese Eye Creams Won Beauty Award This Year

3 Best Facial Sheet Masks Loved in Japan This Year

7 Most Popular Japanese Facial Cleansing Wipes for Removing Makeup  


7 Best Japanese Beauty Products Hall of Fame 

Top 5 Life-Changing Japanese Beauty Products  

10 Best Japanese Beauty Products on Amazon Japan, You Can Also Purchase Them at Drugstores in Japan



     My entries related to Tokyo can be seen here

     My entries related to Best Japanese Beauty Products can be seen here.
 

     My entries related to Japan can be seen here.

     My entries related to beauty can be seen here.

     My entries related to Japan Haul can be seen here.

     You can find my beauty entries by categories from here.





Saturday, February 17, 2018

What Naomi Watanabe Is Using in Vogue Video - Best Makeup Products Japanese Celebrity Loves

     Naomi Watanabe (渡辺直美) is a Japanese comedian and actress. In 2007, she made her debut as a solo comedian in Japan. Since then, she has been one of the most popular celebrities in Japan.

     Now, she is also one of the most well-known Japanese women in the world. As you might know, many Japanese women (I think most Asian women) are thin and skinny. In order to look more beautiful, people try to lose weight.  However, Naomi Watanabe has gained 30kg (66 pounds) in 10 years and is a beautiful and cute big girl now. She got more than 7 million followers on her Instagram, and more and more people have been inspired by her makeups and fashion. Last year, Vogue released Naomi Watanabe's makeup video on YouTube, and it has over 3 million views! Many Japanese women became interested in what makeups she wears on a daily basis. Naomi Watanabe uses some pretty affordable ones, so many of her favorite makeup products became very popular in Japan.  Today, I'm going to share what she is using in Vogue video with you. (By the way, on Japanese TV show, she said her weight was around 50kg, 110 pounds, when she was 14! Now, she weights over 100kg, 220 pounds.)



Moisturizer
■Estée Lauder Micro Essence Aquaceutical Mist
Estee Lauder Micro Essence Aquaceutical Mist


Foundation
■Cefine Silk Wet Powder Foundation Refill OC110 (セフィーヌ シルクウェットパウダー)
・Refill for 4000yen
・Its Case (Case + Makeup Sponge) for 1000yen
    Since she shared this her favorite foundation on YouTube, it's been very popular in Japan. However, it's very hard to find this foundation which can be only found in some hair salons and beauty salons in Japan. That's why some Japanese people purchase it online.  By the way, she is using a refill without its case.   
Cefine Silk Wet Powder Foundation Refill


Eyeshadow
■Shu Uemura Pressed Eyeshadow ME270
Shu Uemura Pressed Eyeshadow ME270


■Shu Uemura Palette Cosmikawaii (シュウウエムラ コスミカワイイ 限定パレット)
・Holiday Collection
     This is one of Shu Uemura 2016 Holiday Collections.

■Glitter Injections X-Ray Palette

■Kanebo Lunasol Star Shower Eyes 05 Close of Night (ルナソル スターシャワーアイズ 05)
・5000 yen
     You can find Lunasol products at many department stores in Japan.
Lunasol Star Shower Eyes



Eyeliner :
■Love Liner Liquid Rich Black (ラブライナー リキッド)
・1600 yen
  You can find Love Liner products at Tokyu Hands and some drugstores in Japan.
Love Liner Liquid Black



Eyebrow Makeup :
■Shiseido Integrate Eyebrow & Nose Shadow (インテグレート アイブロー&ノーズシャドウ)
・Included two color of eyebrow powder and one color of nose shadow
・Discontinued
    You cannot find this Integrate Eyebrow & Nose Shadow anymore, but Shiseido has released Integrate Beauty Trick Eyebrow (1000 yen), which has highlighter, two colors of eyebrow powder and nose shadow. Shiseido Integrate products can be found at many drugstores in Japan.
Integrate Eyebrow &Nose Shadow (Discontinued)

Integrate Beauty Trick Eyebrow


■Kiss Me Heavy Rotation Coloring Eyebrow (キスミー ヘビーローテーション カラーリングアイブロウ)
・800 yen
     You can find this one at many drugstores in Japan.
Kiss Me Heavy Rotation Coloring Eyebrow


Blush :
■MAC Powder Blush Modern Mandarin
MAC Powder Blush Modern Mandarin


Mascara :
■Dejavu Fiberwig Ultra Long Mascara (デジャブ ファイバーウィッグ ウルトラロング)
・1500 yen
    You can find Dejavu products at many drugstores in Japan.
Dejavu Fiberwig Ultra Long Mascara Black



Fake Eyelashes :
■Dolly Wink Eyelashes No.2 Sweet Girly (ドーリーウインク アイラッシュ No.2 スイートガーリー)
・1200 yen
    You can find this one at some drugstores in Japan.
Dolly Wink Eyelashes No.2 Sweet Girly



■D.U.P Eyelashes Fixer EX (D.U.P アイラッシュフィクサー EX)
・Glue for fake eyelashes
・900 yen
 This glue is currently ranked number one as the best fake eyelash makeup product on @cosme, a Japanese cosmetic review site. This one can be found at many drugstores in Japan. 
D.U.P Eyelashes Fixer EX



Lip Makeup :
■Kylie Cosmetics Gloss




      By the way, she is in this Gap's latest campaign video!




     These are my entries you might like.
5 Best Japanese Eyebrow Makeup Products

3 Best Japanese Eyeliners 

Top 3 Best Heroine Make Products - Japanese Makeups  

Top 3 Best Japanese Double Eyelid Glue/Tape Products 

Top 3 Most Popular Japanese Eyelash Curlers

7 Best Japanese Beauty Products Hall of Fame  

5 Best Japanese Facial Lotion (Toner), Kesyou-sui

3 Best Japanese Nyueki, Japanese Facial Lotion 


14 Best Japanese Beauty Products I Purchased in Japan - Drugstore, Discount Store Loft Haul
 

10 Best Japanese Beauty Products on Amazon Japan, You Can Also Purchase Them at Drugstores in Japan  

3 Best Japanese Sunscreens Won Beauty Award This Year

3 Best Japanese Eye Creams Won Beauty Award This Year
 

The Best Japanese Shampoo And Conditioner Won Beauty Awards in Japan - Kao Asience Meguri



     My entries related to Best Japanese Beauty Products can be seen here.
 

     My entries related to Japan can be seen here.

     My entries related to beauty can be seen here.

     My entries related to Japan Haul can be seen here.

     You can find my beauty entries by categories from here.