The ultimate shopping paradise for girls – Japanese drugstores and 100-yen shops are unbeatable

Text & photos byMIKA’s Foodie Adventures

Our April Kyoto-Osaka cherry blossom trip coincided with a drop in the yen, so we all prepared some spending money and were ready to shop seriously. With four of us, we were full of energy—aside from visiting attractions, shopping was our top priority!! We even ended up buying so much that our suitcases couldn’t fit everything, so we went to Universal Studios to buy huge bags to pack all our loot. Thankfully, we didn’t exceed the weight limit, or Jetstar would’ve made a fortune off our excess baggage fees!!!

The souvenir group photos in this post are all for four people.

Every time I go to Japan, the place I shop at the most is definitely the drugstores!! We actually treat drugstores like convenience stores—we pop in whenever we pass by, compare prices everywhere, and buy things when they’re on sale. We don’t stock up all at once because every drugstore has discounts. My advice is to compare different stores and buy in batches—don’t rush to clear your entire shopping list at one place.

The once super-popular floral toner in Japanese drugstores has now been surpassed by this Z product!! Everyone’s switched to buying this one—I heard it’s more refreshing. I haven’t tried it myself, but you guys can give it a shot.

 

I usually use the Special Care toner. Even though it’s available in Taiwan, I still couldn’t resist and bought a refill pack to take home.

I happened to catch a cosmetics sale, so I picked up some eyeshadow and foundation. I found this brand pretty good… so it really pays off to visit multiple drugstores—some discounts are insanely good. Next to it is a fan I bought for a friend.

Bubble hair dye is also a must-buy in Japan… even though it’s available in Taiwan, it’s cheaper here.

Why does everyone ask me to bring back gastrointestinal medicine? Is it really that effective?

This was also something a friend asked me to buy. I opened a box to try it—it’s just a warm pad you wear to bed, and it feels really soothing and has a unique fragrance that helps with sleep… anyway, it’s not expensive and totally worth it.

This insect repellent is super effective. It stops itching and reduces inflammation instantly. I rely heavily on this bottle—whether it’s allergies or bug bites, as long as it itches, I just apply this, and the itch goes away immediately. It feels cool and has anti-inflammatory effects. Extremely useful.

For fevers, just peel off a patch and place it on your forehead—it cools down and reduces the fever. These fever patches are very practical and a must-have at home.

This powder compact is super effective, cheap, and finely milled. The powder is smooth, applies well, looks natural, and is affordable. A must-buy every time I come to Japan!!!

Foot patches—I always buy these in Japan too, but I’m allergic to them. My skin is super sensitive, so even though my feet ache terribly, I can’t use them T T. But everyone who’s used them says they’re really effective, so I still buy some to give to friends whenever I come to Japan. They’re very practical drugstore items.

The floral eye drops and KISS ME mascara—the mascara really gives a thick, lush look, and it’s cheap too. A definite must-buy!!

The floral eye drops speak for themselves—they’re practically an essential everyday carry item.

The beige-colored bottles are my personal favorite hair mists. They have a fresh scent and also condition your hair. Spritzing some on before going out keeps you smelling nice all day. Next to it is a spray-on muscle relief solution. Since I can’t use the foot patches (I’m allergic), I use the spray instead. Does it work? Hmm… I guess it does!! Though I feel like the patches might be more effective. Next to the muscle spray is a retro-style wallet I bought while shopping… only cost about 600 TWD!!

A must-buy beauty brand in Kyoto—YoJiYa, a century-old cosmetics store. Their oil-absorbing sheets are super famous, but since my skin is dry, I don’t need them. However, their facial soap is cheap, effective, and lasts half a year per bar. It’s refreshing, lightweight, and has a subtle fragrance. Highly recommended—great for gifting or personal use. This store is truly a Kyoto must-buy gem.

The second part features the shopping spoils of the four of us—mostly shoes, clothes, and cute boxes and other miscellaneous items.

We found this literary-style box at a Japanese 100-yen shop and bought it to pack Japanese snacks for friends.

No matter which country I visit, I always buy bags for Wen Dao A Mu—she loves collecting bags. This one has a Japanese-patterned design, which is quite meaningful as a keepsake. It was on sale and cheap, so I got it.

The omamori (good luck charms) from Kyoto’s Hirano Shrine are cheap and pretty—just 500 yen each. Giving them to friends brings both safety and decoration value. What a thoughtful souvenir!!

A huge collection of four-person snack and instant noodle spoils.

A Kyoto specialty—these star-shaped candies are so cute!! But I don’t like sweets, so I bought them all to give away.

Fruit-flavored candies—they’re sold at many stores in Kyoto, with a variety of flavors.

Ippudo instant noodles—only available at Japanese 7-Elevens, a must-buy!!

Although not cheap—one pack costs nearly 100 TWD—they’re really delicious. After bringing them back to Taiwan, whenever I miss Japanese ramen, I just make some. Absolutely amazing.

There's actually a piece of char siu (barbecued pork) in here!!!

The noodles are very thin and closely resemble real ramen. The broth is rich, savory, and salty—go easy on the seasoning packet if you're sensitive to strong flavors.
 

Japanese candies and biscuits are easy to find, especially the plum-flavored ones—they're incredibly delicious and my personal favorite!!

Meiji chocolate is very affordable in Japan—it’s a great deal and perfect for giving to kids too!!

The Breathing Chocolate from Kitashinchi is truly delicious, smooth and mellow—you can find it at Nishiki Market.

Traveling is about returning to where you came from with a deeper understanding.
MIKA’s Travel & Food Diary
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