Japan Shopping Guide: Home Goods, Kitchen, Souvenir
Here’s my Japan Shopping Guide for where to get the best home goods, kitchen, health, and beauty products, plus Japan’s viral souvenirs! Shopping while traveling overseas can get overwhelming very quickly. Here’s my guide to all the must-visit big brand shops whenever I’m in Japan that are high quality, well loved by locals, and pretty affordable too. A lot of these stores have branches all over the country, so you definitely won’t miss them! If you’re planning a trip to Japan, you have to check out these stores!
My Full Shopping Haul in Osaka
My 5 days in Osaka with my mom and Dom were AMAZING! Not only did we get to compare and rank Dotonbori’s famous takoyaki shops, we also had the best sushi omakase experience! Of course, tons of shopping! I did a quick little haul on Instagram and a lot of people wanted a detailed full Osaka haul. So, I filmed a full updated Japan haul for you guys that you can check out below!
A lot of people want to know my go-to big brand stores when it comes to shopping in Japan. So, I decided to share with you guys some of the best places to buy Japan’s favorite lifestyle, kitchen, and food products in Japan! A lot of these are well loved by the locals!
Must-Shop Stores In Japan You Have To Visit
Muji
The first store that I HAVE to mention is one of my favorite brands to shop in Japan: Muji. They are a global brand, but Muji Japan is actually MORE affordable and have unique Japan-only items!
I shared some shopping tips at Muji and home, kitchen, and instant food must-buys in my Full Muji Must-Buy haul I got from this trip! Click to read more!
3Coins
Another shop that I love is 3Coins, a trendy lifestyle store known for their affordable pricing and modern designs. They’re named “3 Coins” because their original picing used to start at 300 yen, which is 3 coins! In Japan, 3Coin is well known for their storage solutions and kitchen tools. There’s often adorable limited collaboration products with brands like Disney, Pokémon, and Sanrio as well.
Standing LED Mirror
The first item I picked up is a standing LED mirror. It is charged by USB and also has a light. On top of that, you can actually raise it all the way up to your eye level. So, it’s going to be really easy to do your makeup.
Sometimes, there’s not that much mirror space in hotels or Airbnbs. I find that this is going to be really convenient! That way, Dom can get ready and I can get ready outside. We won’t have to be fighting for the washroom all the time.
Apron
When I was checking out, I did see that they had two really cute aprons with pockets and front ties. So I picked them up as well. I got one with a floral design and one in the striped design.
Nitori
Another store you have to check out is called Nitori. In Taiwan, we call it 宜得利. It’s a very popular kitchen houseware brand in Japan. Think of it as a more affordable version of Muji. I actually have a lot of my plates and bowls from Notori when I was in Taiwan. But they have similar stock in Japan, if not more, at a cheaper price. So, if you’re looking for plates, pots, and stuff, I highly recommend checking them out. This time, I grabbed a few items from there that I think are super helpful for the kitchen.
Splatter Guard
The first thing I grabbed are these two splatter guards. This is going to be so good when I’m pampering salmon or chicken, anything that splatters. You put the splatter guard on top of the pot. The net prevents the splatter from going everywhere.
These two are also self-standing. You can put them down when you’re cooking without them touching the counter. There’s two different sizes, 26 cm and 30 cm. This is fully stainless steel, so it will not burn or have any plastic smell.
Miso Mixer
Next, I got these miso mixer. You may be thinking, what is a miso mixer? I think anyone who’s made miso soup before or worked with miso knows that it is really really hard to dissolve it into the water. This will be a game changer to help you scoop up your miso paste and mix it into your pot without scrubbing it. That way, the miso can dissolve a lot easier.
I grabbed two of them. I want to gift one for Dom’s mom. It is also dishwasher friendly, very durable, easy to use.
Anti slip Tray
I also got their Anti Slip Tray, another famous item at Nitori. You can put your cups and bowls on it. When you move or lift the tray around, the things inside won’t slip around and fall. It’s a great item for keeping things safe around the house, especially with you’re carrying hot soup or tea.
Easy dry Hangers
I also got these easy dry hangers. What’s really cool about these hangers is the two different configurations of using it. You can use it as a regular hanger, or you can actually turn the ends for a flattened base that are really good for thicker sweaters or jackets without leaving a dent or damaging it.
They also have extra hoops to hang other pouches, whether it was the dehydrator or scented pouches we got from Korea. It keeps our clothes stored very nicely while smelling clean!
Sugi Pharmacy
I stocked up on some of my Japan Pharmacy Favorites this time at SUGI Pharmacy (スギ薬局). This is one of Japan’s largest pharmacy chains, and has tax-free options as well! Here is where I find some of the best pharmacy and beauty products, as well as cheap snacks in bulk like KitKats!
I shared my full Osaka Pharmacy Haul earlier this month! Click below to read my full Pharmacy Must Buy Haul!
Souvenirs At Osaka Kansai Airport
If you’re thinking of going to Japan and grabbing your friends and family some snacks, alcohol, or tea, I highly recommend grabbing them inside the Osaka Kansai Airport on the way home. The airport terminal stores have some of the most iconic Japanese souvenirs in one place. There isn’t just one store, but around three to four stores within one terminal. So, go to the airport early, then take your time and shop around. The pricing is actually not that big of a difference when it comes to in-store versus at the airport. One thing that I do want to note, when shopping in Japan for food and drinks, make sure to look at the expiration date!
How To Buy Souvenirs At the Osaka Airport
The Osaka airport has a really, really good system for buying souvenirs to keep everything packaged properly. You don’t have to worry about any of your gifts being squished! Here’s how to buy : at the Osaka Airport.
- Taste test everything that they have.
- When you’re ready to purchase, they bring you to a kiosk where you place your order.
- Head to the cashier to pay.
- After you pay, you take your receipt, you wait on the side where you’re not crowding with everyone.
- Once your number is called, you pick up your purchase. Everything should already be packaged up already for you.
Tokyo Banana
This time around, we did also grab the Viral Tokyo Banana. These banana-shaped cakes are filled with banana custard cream and have been an iconic souvenir. I’ve already gifted those to my friends and family in Taiwan.
They’re only good for 7 days, so make sure you know when you’re going to see your friends and family before giving them as gifts. By the time you travel back, if you buy them earlier in store, you probably only have two to three days left to share with everyone.
Ishiya shiroi koibito White Chocolate Cookies
I also grabbed Ishiya shiroi koibito White Chocolate Cookies. This one is my favorite snack when it comes to white chocolate in Japan. It’s a thin layer of creamy white chocolate sandwiched between butter cookies. They are able to last a little bit longer too!
Must Buy Shopping Guides For Your Next Japan Trip
Planning An Japan Trip? Check Out My Itineraries
