What I Got a 300yen Shop in Japan - 3COINS Haul

     While I was in Japan this month, I went to the 3COINS, which is a Japanese 300yen shop. It's because it was located in just front of Muji store, which I always go to when I go to Japan. As you may know that all products are 300yen each at 3COINS, and the quality of their products are much better than 100yen shop. I'm going to share what I got at the 3COINS with you.

     At the store, many colorful plate wares caught my eye. Those were so adorable!

     I decided to purchase these bowls for my husband and myself. These are perfect size to serve many kinds of Japanese foods, such as ramen and seafood bowl.

      These were obviously pretty heavy and fragile because of pottery. These needed special care to bring to the U.S., but it was worth it. I love new our adorable bowls. :)


     These are my previous entries related to 300yen shop in Japan. 

What I Got at a 300yen Shop in Japan - 3COINS Haul

Must Go to Place in Japan - Lattice



     My entries related to Japan can be seen here.
http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/Japan

     3 Coins Website
http://www.3coins.jp/item.php

     This is also my entry you might like.
Top 10 Products You Should Buy at Japanese Supermarkets (for Beginners!)

What I Got at a 100yen Shop in Japan - Daiso Haul

     While I was in Japan this month, I purchased some products at Daiso. If truth be told, I went there several times with my mother for 4 weeks of my staying in Japan. :) I'm going to share what I got there with you.

     1. Daiso Detergent for Puff and Sponge
     When I go to Japan, I buy this cleanser for my makeup brushes because it really works well! There are many positive reviews on this product on Japanese cosmetic review site. In addition, it also has some positive reviews on Amazon USA! I didn't know that the package has changed recently. If you go to Daiso in Japan, you should buy it. The cleansers are only available at Daiso in Japan as far as I know.


Detergent for Puff and Sponge

     2. Foaming Net
     This foaming net is also must buy item for me. Since I was in high school, I have been using it everyday to wash my face.

Foaming Net

     3. Crystal Ponytail Holder
     I got my hair cut short in Japan and really like my new hair style. I will use this accessory when I have bad hair days. With this hair accessory, I hope I can turn bad hair days into stylish days easily. :)


Crystal Ponytail Holder

     4. Small Hanger
     I bought this drying hanger to dry up my thin makeup brushes. I have been using my old hanger for five years, so it's about time to change it.


Daiso Drying Hanger

     5. Plastic Zipper Bags
     I couldn't resist buying it. The reason why I bought it was that it's just because panda print was so cute. :) The 20 plastic bags for 100yen was pretty good deal, wasn't it?

Plastic Zipper Bag

Plastic Zipper Bag

     6. Straw Cleaning Brush
     Last month, I bought the Starbucks Tumbler, which has reusable plastic straw. Prior to use the reusable straw, I needed to get brushes for it.

Straw Cleaning Brush



Straw Cleaning Brush

     7. Sesame Seed Grinder
     This can be a container for sesame seed, and is also used to make ground sesame seed.

Sesame Seed Grinder

     8. Cooking String
     I will use it for making a roast turkey this year. :)


Cooking String

      9. Japanese Radish Grater
     I have been using my radish grater for 5 years and wanted to get new one.

Japanese Radish Grater

     10. Five-function Slicer
     I will use it to make very thin shredded cabbage. While I was in Japan, I made shredded cabbage with my parents' one and decided to purchase mine. I was able to make very thin shredded cabbage, and it turned out good salad. It can be used as peeler, grater, slicer, spice grater, cutter.

Five-function Slicer

     11. Insulated Bag
     I wanted an insulated bag for making new video, which will be shown how to keep bananas fresh longer. I think it will work. There were some different size of bags, and I think this will be perfect size for bananas. This contained three insulated bags.

Insulated Bag

Insulated Bag

      My Daiso entries can be seen here.
http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/Daiso

     My entries related to Japan can be seen here.
http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/Japan


      These are also my entries you might like.

♥Top 3 Daiso Beauty Products

♥Top 3 Most Popular Daiso Hair Products

♥Top 10 Products You Should Buy at Daiso

Sukiya - Beef Bowl Restaurant in Japan

      The day before I left from Japan, my mother and I went to outpatient hospital for applying her wheel chair subsidy. It's difficult for her to walk for a long distance because of rheumatoid arthritis. After that we went Sukiya, which is a beef bowl restaurant in Japan, for our lunch. Beef bowl is called gyudon in Japanese.

     In Japan, there are three major Japanese beef bowl chain restaurants, which are Sukiya, Yoshinoya, and Matsuya. They have been engaged in a price war for many years. At the Sukiya, the middle size of the beef bowl was only 250 yen! I also ordered pork miso soup and a raw egg for 200yen. This soup was served with a huge soup bowl and tasted good! Even though I consider myself a big eater, these were pretty big for me.


Beef Bowl with Pork Miso Soup & a Raw Egg for 450yen

     My mother ordered the beef bowl with grated radish for 370yen. In addition, she ordered the healthy set, which included cold tofu, simmered seaweed, and miso soup with pork and vegetable for 250yen.

Beef Bowl with Healthy Set for 620yen

     Beef bowl was one I wanted to eat in Japan, so I was very pleased that I was able to go there with my mother. You may think that there are many beef bowl restaurants in the U.S. too, such as Yoshinoya. However, they don't serve a raw egg in the U.S. obviously, and beef bowl in Japan tastes better for me. Specifically, I like Sukiya, which has a lot of menus, and they never disappoint me.

I uploaded my Youtube video which I recorded that day.

Sukiya - Beef Bowl Restaurant in Japan

Sukiya
http://www.sukiya.jp/


     My Must Go to Place in Japan entries can been seen here.



     My entries related to Japan can be seen here.
http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/Japan


     These are also my entries you might like.
Top 10 Products You Should Buy at Japanese Supermarkets (for Beginners!)

Top 10 Most Popular Japanese Foods

What I Got at Muji Store in Japan - Muji Haul

     Because I love Muji products so much, Muji store is one of the must go to places in Japan for me. However, I was very busy to do many things with my family this month. Two days before leaving from Japan, I was finally able to go to Muji store with my mother. :) I'm going to share what I got at Muji store with you.

     I purchased this four-package mini ramen with soy sauce flavor, which was 120 yen. This was one of my favorite Muji snacks. :)

Mini Ramen Soy Sauce 120 yen

     I got this White Chocolate Strawberry, which was 294 yen. There were 7 pieces in my package. I have never tried it before, but this was labeled as one of their hot-selling products, so I became interested in it. This was white chocolate covered dried strawberry. I just tried it now, and was surprised that it was so good! White chocolate was sweet, and the dried strawberry was crisp and sour. The combination of the taste of chocolate and strawberry was just perfect! I just read reviews on this product, and many people leave many positive reviews on it. Some people always buy some packages to keep them in stock at home.

White Chocolate Strawberry 294 yen

      I bought two kinds of Baumkuchen. These were 158 yen each. Baumkuchen Cafe Au Lait had coffee taste and smelled coffee. Because I am coffee lover, I loved it. :) Baumkuchen Sweet Potato tasted just like sweet potato cake, which is famous Japanese cake which is made of mashed sweet potato, milk, butter, sugar, and egg. Because Sweet potato cake is one of my favorite sweets in Japan, I loved this Muji cake too. :)

Baumkuchen Cafe Au Lait & Baumkuchen Sweet Potato 158 yen each

     However, this cake had 500kilocalories. I should share it with my husband!

Baumkuchen Sweet Potato 158 yen

     When I go to Muji store in Japan, I always buy Muji toner.

Muji Toning Water

     I use Muji Light Toning Water daily. I apply it on my face right after washing my face and before apply Clinique lotion. It keeps moisturizing my face well all day long in this step. This toner was 980 yen for a 400ml bottle.

Muji Light Toning Water 400ml / 980 yen

      I found this toner with lavender aroma which was 1000yen for a 200ml bottle. I used its sample at Muji store and loved its aroma. I love lavender aroma so much because it makes me relax and happy, so I decided to purchase it.


Muji Light Toning Water Lavender 200ml / 1000 yen

     I also bought two bottles of  konuaku drink for my mother and me. Before drinking it, you need to shake it several times because its texture is like jelly.

Mikan & Konuaku Drink 137yen

     I uploaded my Youtube video which I recorded that day.

     This is my entries related to Muji.
http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/MUJI

     My entries related to Japan can be seen here.
http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/Japan

     These are my entries you might like.
Must Go to Place in Japan - Muji Part 1

Must Go to Place in Japan - Muji Part 2

Must Go to Place in Japan - Muji Part 3



      Muji Japanese Online Store
http://www.muji.net/store/

      Muji USA Online Store
http://www.muji.us/store/


     This is also my entry you might like.
Top 10 Products You Should Buy at Japanese Supermarkets (for Beginners!)

I Came Back from Japan

     I arrived at LAX airport at 11 p.m. tonight. I was very tired and sleepy from long traveling time. I just unpacked my suitcases and was surprised at how much I brought from Japan. I'll going to show those with you from tomorrow.

My Suitcases Are Still Empty

     I'm going back to U.S. tomorrow. I will leave from my parents' home at 5 p.m. but haven't packed any of my belongings yet. I was very tired because of busyness. I'm super sleepy but have to watch ER DVD because I decided to do that until today.

Otokomae Tofuten - My Favorite Japanese Tofu

     As I mentioned in my previous entry, I tried tofu which was made by Otokomae Tofuten in Japan a few days ago and loved it so much! Their tofu has the best taste ever! Today, my mother and I went to supermarket, so I couldn't resist checking their products. :)

      Like picture below, there were many kinds of Otokomae Tofu there, and the packages of their tofu looked very interesting!

    

     I bought some of them, so I will share my review on their tofu with you through my blog next time. :)

     As you may know that the tofu package in Japan is not as amusing as Otokomae Tofuten. Usually, tofu packages are like the pictures below.

       I updated my Youtube video which I recorded today.

     This is my previous entry related to Otokomae Tofu.
Otokomae Tofuten - The Best Japanese Tofu Ever


    Here is Otokomae Tofuten Official Website.
http://otokomae.jp/


     My entries about Otokomae Tofuten can be seen here.
http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/Otokomae%20Tofuten


     These are also my entries you might like.
Top 10 Products You Should Buy at Japanese Supermarkets (for Beginners!)

Top 10 Most Popular Japanese Foods

Chateraise - The Best Pastry Store in Japan

     Yesterday, my sister brought some pieces of cake for my family. These cakes were made by Chateraise, which is one of the biggest franchising pastry companies in Japan. Chateraise owns some farms, ranches, and pastry factories, and they sell their sweets at their own pastry stores. That's why they can establish quality control and sell their sweets at very reasonable price. They sell variety of sweets, such as cakes, chocolate, rice cookies, ice cream, cream puff, and so on.

     When I was living in Nara and Osaka for 11 years, my sister's family and my mother visited me from Fukuoka, which is my hometown. I took them to Chateraise pastry store because there were no their branches in Fukuoka back then, and I really liked their sweets.

     Chateraise has been able to expand their branch stores, and one of their branches has opened close to my hometown. :) My sister and I were glad about that.

       It had been more than six years since I had their sweets last time. As I expected, these were so good! My sister gave some other sweets for my husband and me. If truth be told, my husband and I gave away their sweets to our guests of our wedding reception party 9 years ago, and my sister remembered about that. :)

     My entries related to Japan can be seen here.
http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/Japan


     Chateraise Official Website
http://www.chateraise.co.jp/




     This is also my entry you might like.
Top 10 Products You Should Buy at Japanese Supermarkets (for Beginners!)

Kurogi Ofuji Festival in Yame Fukuoka, Japan - Beautiful Japanese Wisteria of Kurogi

     Yesterday, my parents and I went to Kurogi-machi to see Japanese wisteria of Kurogi. Because now is the perfect season of blooming of Japanese wisteria, the Kurogi Ofuji Festival is held there April 19th through beginning of May this year.

      Parking fee is usually 300 yen, but we were able to park there for free because my mother presented her physical disability certificate. There were some parking spaces for people with disabilities, and they were also offering wheelchair rental for free. :)

     As soon as we got out of our car, we were able to see beautiful pink carpet of flower, phlox subulata, which is called shibazakura in Japanese.

Phlox Subulata

Phlox Subulata

Phlox Subulata

     I didn't know that the steam locomotive was run from 1945 through 1974 there. According to official website of Yame Traditional Arts & Crafts, after the train route was cut in 1985, people planted so many Japanese wisteria to retain something and not to forget memory of the train. The steam locomotive was displayed there.

Steam Locomotive

Steam Locomotive

     We walked down the street to go to the Ofuji Festival.


       On the street, Yame green tea leaves were selling. Kurogi is also famous for Yame green tea because water is very clear and climate is just right for growing tea trees. My mother bought some because my family drinks green tea every single day year-round.

Yame Green Tea Leaves

     We were able to see beautiful Japanese wisteria while walking down the street.

Japanese Wisteria

Japanese Wisteria

Japanese Wisteria

Japanese Wisteria

Japanese Wisteria

Japanese Wisteria

Japanese Wisteria

Shrine Gate / Torii

Japanese Wisteria

Candy Store

      At the main area of the festival, there was even more beautiful Japanese wisteria. The blossoms of the Japanese wisteria were very long!

Japanese Wisteria

Japanese Wisteria & Azaleas

       I was amazed at how beautiful those flowers were. The Japanese Wisteria was blooming like beautiful purple curtains around there.

Japanese Wisteria

Japanese Wisteria

Japanese Wisteria

Japanese Wisteria

Shrine

Komainu

Komainu

Japanese Wisteria



Japanese Wisteria

 

       While we were going back to the parking lot, I found the pastry shop which was selling Yame Green Matcha Juice. Matcha is powder of green tea and is usually very expensive. This matcha juice was made of Yame green tea leaves, so I really wanted to try it. A cup of matcha juice was 200 yen.


Orange Juice & Yame Matcha Juice

     It was bitter but had slightly sweet taste. I really liked it. The woman who works for the store told me that this matcha juice was only served through the season of this Kurogi Ofuji Festival.


Yame Matcha Juice

      Then, I bought some steamed buns with red bean paste at traditional Japanese steam bun store.

Traditional Japanese Steamed Bun Store

Steamed Buns with Red Bean Paste

      This steamed bun was made of Japanese mugwort, which is called yomogi in Japanese. When I was little my grandmother made yomogi mochi in spring, and I really liked it. It had a little yomogi aroma and taste. :)

Steamed Yomogi Bun

     After going back home, we savored the tea of new Yame green tea leaves, which my mother bought at the store on the street. This tea leaves was just made this month.

Yame Green Tea Leaves

     The green tea aroma was so good. I thought Yame green tea is the best of the best in Japan.

Yame Green Tea Leaves

     I uploaded my Youtube video which I recorded yesterday.

     

八女黒木大藤まつり
福岡県八女市黒木町黒木5-2

Kurogi Ofuji Festival
5-2 Kurogi Kurogi-machi Yame, Fukuoka Japan





     This is also my entry you might like.
Top 10 Products You Should Buy at Japanese Supermarkets (for Beginners!)