Shopping in Japan (Part 2-local hangouts)

Part 2

Jiyuugaoka (自由が丘）

This is originally a residential area but has gradually turned into a popular place for the young people to stroll around. The government has restricted the buildings of this area so that there are no tall buildings here but only 3-4 storeys high buildings. Because of this, this place is especially nice to walk around during sunny days with mild breeze and scents of floweres and trees lining up on the streets. There are numerous cafes (with excellent cakes), bars, restaurants scattered in this suburb. This is also a great place for designed home goods/decorations/furnitures and of course fashion. Jiyuugaoka is also a suburb full of esthetic salons, massage places, beauty salons and hair dressers. Many of the shops here are very famous in Tokyo.

For those who has a sweet tongue, you can go for the Sweets Forest where the most famous cake shops and patisseries have a store here. Trust me, it is worth a visit. The cakes are much much better than many cakes shops in France or Italy or in any Asian country.

Also, if you walk pass a second hand shop in this suburb, I suggest that you go in for a look since these shops not only sell second hand items but also many brand new items but at a very attractive discount. (E.g. 90% off retail price)

Sangenchaya (三軒茶屋）

Sangenchaya is also a residential place but with lots and lots of Izakayas (居酒屋） - meaning drinking places with a wide variety of snacks. This place is crowded with local university students, fresh graduates, and high-school students due to the cheaper Izakayas here.

Other than Izakayas, there are also some very good Italian restaurants in this suburb.

This is a very good place to have a feel of where local Japanese hang out.

Shopping in Japan (Part 1)

I have been asked numerous times about shopping in Japan, especially Tokyo.

Yes, Tokyo is a very very good place for serious shoppers. You can find anything here. In general, super-brands are more expensive here than in Europe or U.S. For example, LV is around 30% more expensive than buying from HK and Loewe is around 20-30% more expensive than Paris and so it goes on. However, many people still comes here to buy these branded items. Why? The reason is that Japan is a huge market for branded items and so, branded shops tend to stock a lot more varieties, special editions etc in Japan. I know that many people come to Tokyo to buy very rare special editions even at a premium.

Below is a list of shopping places that you can go to without a car. Just hop on to a train!!

In Tokyo

1. Omotesando 表参道 - this area is a one of the most prestigious residential area in Tokyo and is also the home of many Japanese designers. The number of shops that you can find in this area is indefinite. This area usually sell high-end fashion and are expensive. But, you get what you pay for. The quality and design of these items are really good and rare.

2. Harajuku 原宿　- this is just right next to Omotesando. This area mainly focuses on young people's fashion. They range from Hard Core to Lolita to Sailor uniforms etc. You can also find the popular Bathing Ape here and many Japan only edition of Converse etc.

3. Shinjuku 新宿　- This station is on the famous Yamanote-line 山手線. This area focuses on Department Stores. Takashimaya Shinjuku is targeting at career related clothes and items such as suits, business bags, high heels etc. Isetan is targeting at high-end luxurious items including famous brands such as Chloe, Issey Miyake, Salvatore Ferragamo etc. 0101 (pronounced as "Marui") is targeting at young people and therefore are at the cheaper end of the scale.

4. Shibuya 渋谷 - This has been named the most important area for ALL commercial marketing. As soon as you step out of the train station, you will see neon lights, huge (and I really mean huge) TV screens, big signs. Thousands of people walk around this area in any single day. This is the home for many young people hangouts such as Karaoke, discos, clubs, love hotels, and of course, more shops! A must see for those who want to feel the real Tokyo!

Train manners in Japan

I think no other country has the same strict rules as Japan in terms of the "usage" of trains. The followings are some suggestions on DOs and DON'Ts when riding trains in Japan. Of course, noone will kick you out of the train if you don't follow the following guidelines but if you really want to adapt to the Japanese culture, I think that the following is the first step to follow:

DOs

1. When using the escalator, stand on the left hand side of the escalator since right hand side is the fast lane.
2. When going up the staircases to go to the platforms or getting out of the platforms, always following the "UP" or "DOWN" arrows marked on the ground.
3. Each platform has some kind of digital signs hanging down from the roof. Make sure you read them carefully becoz the Japanese train system is overly developed that in many cases, you will find that there are Express trains, Rapid trains, Super Express trains etc and some trains may not stop at the place you intend to go.
4. Always line up - Japanese follows rules very strictly and don't like those who don't follow them.
5. Adjust your phone ringing to "manner mode".
6. During rush hours (i.e. 8-9:30am and 17-19pm), if there are a lot of people on the train, you can still jump in and push your way in. If you try to be polite and being a gentlemen, you will never ever get in!!
7. Different to some other countries, Japan Rail allows eating and drinking inside the train as long as you manage your old garbage.


DON'Ts

1. Never talk on the phone in trains.
2. Don't sit in the priority seats if you are not old, pregnant or with disabilities.
3. Don't talk loudly with your friends. Japanese believe that public transportation is a public place that is SHARED by many and that everyone should respect other people by being quiet.
4. Don't push in.
5. Don't smoke

If you remember to manage the above, you are on your way to being adapting to Japanese culture.

1616 days in Japan

Maybe this blog should have been started ages ago. Yeah, maybe 1616 days ago. I have lived in Japan for 4.5 years now and am starting to feel that I should really put my thoughts, experience, feelings, interesting encounters together and share with everyone.

I hope this will help those others that are either already in Japan or will be coming to Japan.

Many of you is probably wondering why I came to Japan. Well, my husband is Japanese so that's why I came. Some of the people that I meet thinks that I had an easy adaptation to Japanese culture becoz of my husband. But the fact is, no. As many other Japanese サラりマン "Salarymen" (a term used by Japanese to mean males who work in a company) do, my husband had very long working hours. yes, i mean, long long working hours - from 9am to around 11-12pm everyday. My work didn't require me to work too much. So, I ended up finishing work at 6-7pm, grocery-shop, cook, and sit in front of a TV and ate by myself. What's worse is that there is absolutely NO english tv channels in Japan. So, what did I do? just watch the facial expressions and guess the meaning. That kind of life lasted for around 1 year.

Japanese people are in general very very shy. They don't like to "look different" which is very very different to those of us who used to live in Western countries. If you ever come to Japan for a visit, try to get onto a train (especially 田園都市線、東横線) you will notice that every salarymen wears exactly the same suits and ties and the most funniest thing is they have the same expression. They don't like to be stared at and they won't stare at other people in return.

Becoz of this, I had a lot of difficulties during the first year in Japan. With an asian appearance, I was always treated as local Japanese and therefore made my life a lot harder. For example, in HK or in Australia, it is totally fine to talk on cell phones in trains, bus or other public transports but in Japan, that's a big NO NO. I didn't know and therefore, was talking to my friends in trains and there was once, i was told by a Japanese old man that I should not talk on the phone in trains. Everyone was staring at me with their "what do you think you are doing" eyes.