It has grown on me!: 10/2018

Monday, October 29, 2018

Japan Haul - Kitchen Gadgets and Snacks I Purchased on Amazon Japan

Amazon Japan Haul

In my previous entry, 7 Best Japanese Beauty Products I Purchased on Amazon Japan - You Can Also Purchase Them at Drugstores in Japan, I wrote about Japanese beauty products I purchased on Amazon Japan. Before my husband flew to Japan from Los Angeles for his business trip, I ordered some Japanese products on Amazon Japan. Then, he picked up my items at a convenience store near his hotel in Japan. Today, I'm going to share some kitchen gadgets and snacks I purchased on Amazon Japan with you. ;)

Amazon Japan Haul

1. Japanese Non-Stick Taiyaki Pan by Pearl Metal (パール金属ふっそ加工たい焼器)
Aluminum Alloy Taiyaki Pan
2,041 yen on Amazon Japan
Can be perhaps found at Tokyu Hands in Japan

Japanese Non-Stick Taiyaki Pan by Pearl Metal

This time, I wanted to purchase a Taiyaki pan! In Japan, it's very easy to purchase freshly made taiyaki at very affordable prices. You can find freshly made taiyaki at small taiyaki stores, department stores (depachika) and food stalls in Japan, and one freshly made taiyaki is usually 60 yen to 200 yen there. In contrast, it's very hard to find one in the U.S. That's why I sometimes purchased frozen taiyaki at Japanese supermarkets and toasted it at home. It's actually pretty good. However, I purchased frozen taiyaki only when it was on sale because I feel that its regular price is pretty expensive compared to Japan. That's why I wanted to get a Japanese Taiyaki pan! I can enjoy it whenever I want to have taiyaki. :)

Japanese Non-Stick Taiyaki Pan by Pearl Metal

I decided to purchase this non-stick taiyaki pan which was made by Pearl Metal because this one was the most popular taiyaki pan on Amazon Japan. According to the reviews, many people successfully made taiyaki with this pan. They review that the ingredients are simple and easy to make taiyaki with it. If the ingredients are cooking at the right heat, anyone can successfully make delicious taiyaki. :)

Japanese Non-Stick Taiyaki Pan by Pearl Metal

Ingredients for 8 Pieces of Taiyaki
150g (5.2 oz) of All Purpose Flour
1 Egg
40g (1.4 oz) of Sugar
2/3 Tablespoon of Baking Powder
180 ml (6 fl oz) of Milk
250g (8.8 oz) of Anko

The package has the taiyaki recipe! After my husband came back from Japan, he made a lot of taiyaki with this taiyaki pan. They tasted so good! He put his favorite anko, sweetened red bean paste, in them. Next time, I want to make custard cream taiyaki. Someday, I will share how to make taiyaki with you through my blog. :)

Taiyaki My Husband Made with the Taiyaki Pan

Actually, I was also thinking about purchasing Pearl Metal Obanyaki Pan instead of a taiyaki pan because making obanyaki (大判焼), which is also called imagawayaki (今川焼), looks easier, but making taiyaki was also a piece of cake, and taiyaki is prettier. :)

2. Sheepy Sponge by OH:E (オーエキッチンスポンジひつじ)
Kitchen Sponge
153 yen on Amazon Japan
Can be possibly found at Tokyu Hands and some drugstores in Japan

Sheepy Sponge by Ohe

As I mentioned in my previous entry, 5 Japanese Products I Purchased From Amazon Japan - Beauty, Kitchen Items and More, Ohe kitchen sponges have so many positive reviews on Amazon Japan, and I purchased Ohe Bunny Sponge last year. Indeed, I really loved it! It was so cute and durable! That's why this time, I purchased Ohe Sheepy Sponge. This sheep one is softer than bunny one.

Sheepy Sponge by Ohe

If you are in Japan, you might also find one at drugstores or large supermarkets. :) Ohe has some kinds of animal shaped sponges such as Bunny (regular), Sheep (soft), Pig (easy to grab) and Dog (for a cleaning kitchen sink).

Sheepy Sponge by Ohe

3. Marna Kitchen Brush for Bento Box (マーナお弁当箱洗いブラシ)
Cleaning Brush for Bento Box
173 yen on Amazon Japan
Can be possibly found at Tokyu Hands and Loft in Japan

Marna Kitchen Brush for Bento Box

Yes, I purchased this one again! :) As I mentioned in my previous entry, Japan Haul - 6 Best Japanese Products I Purchased on Amazon Japan, I also purchased this brush on Amazon Japan last month. Actually, I gave it away to my friend because I love it very much. :) I have been using Marna Kitchen Brush every day for over 10 years. It's a cute brush for a bento box, but I use it to wash dirty dishes and pans. It also helps me to wash a fine strainer and tumbler lids perfectly. Seriously, I cannot live without it! :)

Marna Kitchen Brush for Bento Box

It's just a brush but is very well made. The firmness of the bristles is perfect, and it lasts years and years! The only downside is that it's very hard to find one in-store in Japan now. Last time I visited Tokyo, I checked Tokyu Hands, Loft and Francfranc, but I couldn't find one. That's why when I found that it was on sale (Add-On Item) on Amazon Japan, I couldn't resist buying an extra one. ;) It was only 173 yen with purchasing 2,000 yen more products!

These are my entries related to this product.
■My Shopping List for Japanese Products (Stationery, Kitchen Items, Starbucks and More) - What I Want to Get in Japan

■Japan Haul - 6 Best Japanese Products I Purchased on Amazon Japan

4. Glico Pocky Chocolate (江崎グリコポッキー)
Chocolate Snacks
998 yen each on Amazon Japan
These are the rarest Glico Pocky and can be only found on Amazon Japan.

Glico Pocky Chocolate

I purchased these Glico Pocky Chocolate. Ezaki Glico (江崎グリコ) is one of the largest Japanese confectionery companies and was founded in Osaka in 1921. (If you travel in Osaka, you should go to Dotonbori and see famous Glico man, which is the giant electronic display of a runner crossing the finish line. You can check my previous entry, Must Go to Places in Namba - Our Traveling in Osaka, Japan.) Ezaki Glico started selling Pocky in 1966. They have been selling so many kinds of Pocky. They also make limited edition ones. By the way, according to Ezaki Glico, November 11th (11/11) is the day of Pocky!

Glico Pocky Chocolate Megami No Ruby

This time, I purchased Glico Pocky Chocolate Megami No Ruby (グリコポッキー女神のルビー) for my first time. This Megamino No Rubby was first released in 2017 and can be only purchased on Amazon Japan. Unlike regular Pocky, you cannot find this one at grocery stores. It's originally 998 yen, which is pretty expensive. It's not for children's chocolate snack, and it's more for adults who want to have superior ones. (Of course, children can also enjoy it.)

Glico Pocky Chocolate Megami No Ruby

Ezaki Glico says, Megami No Rbby was created with a senior sommelier, Ryo Yanagihara (柳原亮), of Suntory (サントリー), a Japanese brewing and distilling company. According to the package, this Pocky is perfect with red wine. The pretzels sticks contains Cheddar cheese, black peppers and cloves for rich taste, and are coated with dark chocolate which contains three kinds of berries for scents. When I had this Pocky, I was surprised that these tasted so good! If you live in Japan, you might want to try one!

Glico Pocky Chocolate Megami No Ruby

Glico Pocky Chocolate Otona No Kohaku

I also purchased this Glico Pocky Chocolate Otona No Kohaku (グリコポッキー大人の琥珀). This one is also only available on Amazon Japan and is 998 yen. Otona No Kohaku was first released on Amazon Japan in 2015 and was quickly sold out in 4 days! That's why it was called "maboroshi no Pocky" (幻のポッキー), which means super rare Pocky. Then, they also sold a limited number of Otona No Kohaku in October in 2016 and 2017, and they started selling Otona No Kohaku 2018 this month.

Glico Pocky Chocolate Otona No Kohaku

Ezaki Glico says, Otona No Kohaku was created with a whiskey ambassador, Taichi Sasaki (佐々木太一), of Suntory. According to Ezaki Glico, Otona No Kohaku is perfect for people who love whiskey. The pretzels sticks contains malt extract for superior flavor, and the dark chocolate has whiskey scent and fits into whiskey. Many people review that they love its whiskey scent, and it tasted good with whiskey indeed. I also loved this Pocky!

Glico Pocky Chocolate Otona No Kohaku

Monday, October 22, 2018

7 Best Japanese Beauty Products I Purchased on Amazon Japan - You Can Also Purchase Them at Drugstores in Japan

Amazon Japan Haul

My husband went on his business trip to Yokohama (横浜), Japan this month. Before he flew to Japan, I ordered some Japanese products on Amazon Japan. Then, he picked up my items at a convenience store near his hotel in Yokohama during his business trip. We really love Amazon Japan convenience store pickup service! You can also check my previous entry, Is It Good or Bad? - Amazon Japan Convenience Store Pickup. Today, I'm going to share seven Japanese beauty products I purchased on Amazon Japan with you. These beauty products I listed below can be also purchased at most drugstores in Japan. I also got some Japanese kitchen gadgets and snacks, so I will write about those next time. By the way, he also went to Tokyo last month, so you can also check my previous Amazon Japan haul in my previous entry.

1. Lululun Precious Red (ルルルンプレシャス RED 濃密保湿タイプ)
Facial Sheet Masks
450 yen for 7 Sheets
Can be also purchased at drugstores in Japan

Lululun Precious Red

As you might know Lululun is popular Japanese facial sheet masks. It has won so many beauty awards in Japan. Lululun has many kinds of facial sheet masks, and Lululun Precious is their popular anti-aging products. They have three kinds of Lululun Precious masks, Red (extra moisturizing), White (whitening) and Green (skin maintenance). As I mentioned in my previous entry, 10 Best Affordable Japanese Facial Sheet Masks You Want to Use Every Day, Lululun Precious Red is affordable and highly-rated by Japanese women. :)

Lululun Precious Red

・Apply on dry skin, after cleansing.
・Leave on for 5 to 10 minutes.
・Use daily.

        Last night, I used this facial sheet mask for my first time, and I really loved it. It moisturized my skin very well. It contains some rice extract, tsubaki seed oil and etc. I thought it works as well as Keana Nadeshiko Rice Mask I purchased in Tokyo during last New Year's days. :)

        Usually Japanese skin care products are gentle to your skin, but people who have very sensitive skins review that Lululun Precious slightly irritates their skin, so if you have sensitive skins and are planning on purchasing Lululun Precious, I recommend you to try a 7-sheet pack first rather than a 32-sheet pack.

        You can also check my previous entry related to this product.
■10 Best Affordable Japanese Facial Sheet Masks You Want to Use Every Day

2. BCL Tsururi Nose Pore Cleansing Brush (BCL 毛穴ツルリ筆)
Cleansing Brush for Nose Pores
773 yen
Can be also purchased at drugstores in Japan

BCL Tsururi Nose Pore Cleansing Brush

This summer, I read an article about how to minimize nose pores in Japanese beauty magazine, and one Japanese beauty expert recommends this Tsururi Brush to clean nose pores. When I read the article, I thought that I should try one!

BCL Tsururi Nose Pore Cleansing Brush

This brush has so many reviews on @cosme, a huge Japanese cosmetic review site. Many people love this bursh, but also so many people doesn't like it. However, I really like this brush. It worked for me! :) When I soaked in a tub, I used this brush to clean my nose pores. I used my handmade soap, which is the gentlest soap I've ever used. (Some Japanese people also reviewed that it worked better with Kanebo Suisai Powder.) While you are using this brush, I recommend you to check a hand mirror to make sure if you use the brush properly.

BCL Tsururi Nose Pore Cleansing Brush

How To Use Tsururi Nose Pore Cleansing Brush
・Wet the brush and put a small amount of facial cleanser onto the bristles. Using small circular motions, gently work the brush around your nose area. Then, rinse thoroughly.
・Use twice a week

BCL Tsururi Nose Pore Cleansing Brush

3. Bathclin Nihon No Meito (バスクリン日本の名湯)
Bath Salt
487 yen for 10 Packs
Can be also purchased at drugstores in Japan

Bathclin Nihon No Meito

As I mentioned in my previous entry, 2 Popular Japanese Onsen Bath Salt Products, onsen bath salt such as Niho No Meito (日本の名湯) and Tabinoyado (旅の宿) are popular in Japan. When you don't have time to go to natural hot springs, you can choose your favorite Japanese hot spring every night and enjoy onsen-like hot bath at home.

Bathclin Nihon No Meito

I purchased this box of Nihon No Meito (日本の名湯), which is one of bath salt brands of Bathclin. It was first released in Japan in 1986. The company developed Nihon No Meito together with 13 Japanese onsen organizations in order to reproduce natural hot springs faithfully.

Bathclin Nihon No Meito

Nihon No Meito (日本の名湯) means "Japanese famous natural hot springs" in Japanese. This box of Nihon No Meito contains 10 kinds of onsen bath salt.

Bathclin Nihon No Meito

Nihon No Meito Noboribetsu (Hot Spring in Hokkaido, Japan)

This is Nihon No Meito Noboribetsu (日本の名湯登別). Noboribetsu Onsen (登別温泉) is famous natural hot springs in Hokkaido, Japan. When my husband and I traveled Hokkaido, we enjoyed real Noboribetsu Onsen there! :)

Nihon No Meito Nyutou

This is Nihon No Meito Nyutou (日本の名湯乳頭). Nyutou Onsen (乳頭温泉) is famous natural hot springs in Akita, Japan. I already enjoyed this one several days ago. It made my skin smooth. I really would like to travel Akita and enjoy real Nyutou Onsen some day!

You can also check my previous entry related to this product.
■2 Popular Japanese Onsen Bath Salt Products

4. Nivea Sun Protect Water Gel for Kids SPF28 PA++
Sunscreen
522 yen
Can be also purchased at drugstores in Japan

Nivea Sun Protect Water Gel for Kids SPF28 PA++

Nivea Sun Protect Water Gel is popular Japanese sunscreen which is gentle to your skin because it is made for small children who have very sensitive skins. This sunscreen is many positive reviews that it is very gentle but very effective. My husband and I usually choose sunscreen with SPF 30 or so. It's effective enough for daily use.

Nivea Sun Protect Water Gel for Kids SPF28 PA++

You can also check my previous entry related to this product.
■10 Best Japanese Beauty Products on Amazon Japan, You Can Also Purchase Them at Drugstores in Japan

5. Kao Laurier Slim Guard (花王ロリエスリムガード)
Sanitary Pads for Heavy Night
Length 300 mm (12 inches)
3 Packs (15 Pads x 3 Packs) for 1,083 yen
Can be also purchased at many drugstores in Japan

Kao Laurier Slim Guard

This time, I also purchased some sanitary pads. Japanese sanitary pads are the best quality and low price! This Kao Laurier Slim Guard 300 is 30 cm (12 inches) long and is for heavy night. It was only 24 yen per pad!

Kao Laurier Slim Guard

6. Unicharm Center In (ユニ・チャームソフィセンターイン)
Sanitary Pads for Heavy Night
Length 29 mm (11 inches)
2 Packs (14 Pads x 2 Packs) for 642 yen
Can be also purchased at many drugstores in Japan

Unicharm Center In

This Unicharm Center In is 29 cm (11 inches) long and is also for heavy night. It was only 26 yen per pad.

Unicharm Center In

7. Elis (エリス新・素肌感)
Sanitary Pads for Daytime
Length 20.5 mm (8 inches)
4 Packs (28 Pads x 4 Packs) for 530 yen
Can be also purchased at many drugstores in Japan

Elis

This Elis is 20.5 cm (8 inches) long and is for day time. It was only 5 yen per pad!

Elis

        Next time, I will write about Japanese kitchen gadgets and snacks I purchased on Amazon Japan.

      These are my entries you might like.
♥10 Best Japanese Beauty Products on Amazon Japan, You Can Also Purchase Them at Drugstores in Japan

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

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

♥3 Best Facial Sheet Masks Loved in Japan This Year

♥3 Best Japanese Sunscreens Won Beauty Award This Year

♥7 Best Japanese Beauty Products Hall of Fame

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

♥4 Best Japanese Anti-Aging Creams And Serums

♥3 Best Japanese Nyueki, Japanese Facial Lotion

♥Top 7 Japanese Facial Sheet Masks That Rescue Your Dry Skin

♥3 Best New Facial Sheet Masks in Japan

♥Top 5 Life-Changing Japanese Beauty Products

♥Top 5 Most Popular Japanese Charcoal Soap

     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, October 16, 2018

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - English and Japanese Books (Japanese Manga Edition!)

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - English and Japanese Books

This year, I've read these books. All of them are Stephen R. Covey's best selling books, The 7 Habit of Highly Effective People. One of them is the English one, and the others are Japanese books. At first, I just wanted to read the English one, but I ended up reading Japanese ones too. ;D I try to read English articles or an English book on daily basis to improve my English. If you are trying to learn Japanese, I think that it might be also a good idea to read these. :)

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (English)

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey (English)

I first read this book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey, written in English. I guess that most of my readers have already read this book before, right? It’s been translated into 52 languages and sold more than 25 million copies worldwide. I really enjoyed reading this book and learned a lot from it. I also became interested in its Japanese edition because this book has many advanced vocabularies, so I wanted to make sure if my understanding of this book was correct.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (７つの習慣) by Stephen R. Covey (スティーブン・R・コヴィー著) - Japanese Edition

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey (Japanese Edition)

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (７つの習慣) by Stephen R. Covey (スティーブン・R・コヴィー著)

That's why I ordered this book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (７つの習慣) by Stephen R. Covey (スティーブン・R・コヴィー著), translated into Japanese. I ordered this book from Amazon US, but it was shipped from Germany somehow. ;D I also enjoyed this book. If you are a beginner in Japanese, it might be too difficult though. I read its reviews that some Japanese people also find it difficult to finish reading it.

Handmade Book Cover

By the way, I made its book cover with Shiseido Parlour's gift wrap, which was from Shiseido Parlour La Ganache I purchased at Haneda Airport. ;)

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (まんがでわかる7つの習慣) - Japanese Manga Edition

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey (Japanese Manga)

Before my husband went on his business trip to Tokyo last month, I decided to order these Japanese comic books. Isn't it surprising? The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People has Japanese manga edition! I don't usually buy nor read Japanese comic books, but when I found that these comic books have so many positive reviews on Amazon Japan, I couldn't resist buying them. It's very easy to read these manga for anyone, so even if you are a beginner in Japanese, I think that you can enjoy reading them.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Vol.1 (Japanese Manga Edition)

It's a story about young woman working as a bartender. As the story goes forward, she learns the 7 Habits and gradually grows as a person.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Vol.2 (Japanese Manga Edition)

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Vol.3 (Japanese Manga Edition)

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Vol.4 (Japanese Manga Edition)

      If you are in Japan, you can probably find these comic books at bookstores. You can order them from Amazon Japan as well.
      If truth be told I ordered one of the comic books from Amazon Japan, and my husband picked it up at a convenience store in Tokyo like always he does, but the others are the ones I purchased on Japanese Yahoo Auction (ヤフオク), and he picked them up at a post office nearby his hotel in Tokyo. Some post offices (Yuyu Madoguchi, ゆうゆう窓口) in Japan open 24/7. I asked sellers to ship them to the post office. It's called Yuubin Kyokudome (郵便局留め). Since we don't live in Japan now, picking them up at the post office was very convenient for us! Obviously, I was able to purchase them with lower prices on Japanese Auction. ;) However, if you cannot read and write Japanese and are not familiar with Japanese Auction, I don't really recommend you to purchase from it though. It might be too difficult for you. Purchasing them from bookstores is perhaps so much easier for some people.

This month, he also went on his business trip to Japan. I'll write about it next time. :)

      These are my entries you might like.
♥Is It Good or Bad? - Amazon Japan Convenience Store Pickup

♥How to Order from Amazon Japan for Convenience Store Pickup

♥ Japan Haul - 6 Best Japanese Products I Purchased on Amazon Japan

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

♥7 Best Japanese Beauty Products Hall of Fame

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

♥4 Best Japanese Anti-Aging Creams And Serums

♥3 Best Japanese Nyueki, Japanese Facial Lotion

♥Top 7 Japanese Facial Sheet Masks That Rescue Your Dry Skin

♥3 Best New Facial Sheet Masks in Japan

♥7 Most Popular Japanese Facial Cleansing Wipes for Removing Makeup

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

♥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.