Cereal is the big thing I miss. They have some basic stuff in supermarkets and a few expensive foreign options in import shops, but it is seriously lacking here
Deodorant and medicine are the only things that I found that were different in Japan. The deodorant in Japan doesn’t work nearly as well as the deodorant I used in America. Also, you can only buy Tylenol/Ibuprofen in small packs, so I had family send in huge bottles.
Hot sauce is almost non-existent
Guns
My personal list from my last trip home and some things I had a visitor bring – yours would likely vary significantly:
– Allergy meds (cetirizine)
– ibuprofen
– NyQuil and DayQuil (EDIT: don’t do this, I found out through the comments here that this is illegal)
– toothbrushes (I just don’t like what I’ve bought here)
– toothpaste (I have a specific brand I like)
– blade for my razor (less expensive brand that I like and I stocked up with a sale in the states)
– chili pepper seeds to grow this spring
– smoked paprika
– kosher salt
– old bay seasoning
– 12US/30JP shoes
Alka-Seltzer, Pepto-Bismol.
That said, in the age of Amazon and online services, there’s not much you can’t get.
Some things are more expensive, but the fact that a big jar of peanut butter is $11 instead of $4 is probably not actually going to ruin your life.
cheetos
Peanut butter and Nutella are pretty tough to find. The only thing I’ve found is organic peanut butter which was 500 yen for a small jar.
Peanut butter cups and hot Cheetos
TV dinners, Rice-a-Roni, inexpensive produce. I actually cried over some frozen ravioli on my last visit.
Honestly, just give yourself a week of last meals before you leave. American food is so cheap that I get depressed every time I visit my local “discount supermarket.”
If you’re a guy, bulk condoms. It’s 3 for ~$10 in Tokyo.
I’ve trekked back and forth, and had friends visit. A lot of the foods on this list are absolutely not things I need to exist, but things I find comforting once in a while. Or things that I *can* find here, but are just absurdly expensive or low quality compared to what I want. I don’t live in a major city, so uh, a lot of ‘finding’ these things involves long trips/passing through Tokyo. Dried organic beans (pinto, black, chickpea, black eyed peas). Now I just buy the more expensive nonorganic ones at a brazilian mart. But from my first trip home, I hauled thirteen bags of beans back. Spices. Nutritional yeast, sumac, zataar, harissa paste, asafoetida, whole nutmeg, cloves, cardamon, old bay, adobo, achiote rojo, big ol’ bag of morita peppers, large quantities of cumin and paprika and cinnamon and turmeric. Seeds. Parsnip, brussels sprouts, lacinato kale, tomatillos. I’ve found kale and brussels starts sometimes, though. Teas. Organic yerba mate. Throat coat, too, but I can get it through iherb easily when needed. It’s just cheaper to have people bring it. Chocolate. Stacks of dark chocolate, usually tonymoly bars. Pudding. Fucking jello pudding. I have an arsenal now. Pistachio, french vanilla, dark chocolate. Heinz malt vinegar. Finally on amazon pantry now, though. Thank christ. M&M minis. Last visitor brought me two 3lb bags, so I’m good for the next uhhh decade. Medicine. Mostly just 200mg ibuprofen liquigels. That shit is expensive as fuck here, and my cramps are so bad, I need it. Depending on your body shape: shoes (my husband’s US10.5 and burns through Vans skating like no tomorrow), bras (everything here is frilly and padded and awful, doubly so if you have larger tits and can’t do the flimsy uniqlo shit), if you have larger hips pants here can totally suck to shop for, too. Tampons. The ones here are a bit harder to find and not that great. There is no selection, usually just one brand/absorbency. Any fond local things. I moved from Portland, so that was some specialty chocolate bars, caramels, soy curls, etc.
Lots of good recommendations here for medicine. Personally the only other things I really look for when I go to the base is drink mix. Levi’s are pretty pricey here also
Jalapeños, and proper British biscuits that don’t taste delicate and French.
If I were just starting out, I’d invest in a breadmaker, too. Can’t stand Japanese bakeries.
If you have ethnic hair like me, DEFINITELY bring over your own hair care products! Also… tampons, and Cheezits.
Large jars of Jif peanut butter. Everywhere I’ve looked I’ve only been able to find peanut cream and peter pan crunchy peanut butter. It devastated me.
Cheese
Your favorite toothpaste. If you have big feet, buy socks.
Pop tarts. (I dunno, just currently craving them)
Ranch dressing…
I’ve heard root beer is hard to find
Neosporin
Add on Q – Will I be able to find collagen powder or pills? The brand I use in the US is Vital Proteins. Is there a Japanese equivalent? Thank you!
24 comments
Cereal is the big thing I miss. They have some basic stuff in supermarkets and a few expensive foreign options in import shops, but it is seriously lacking here
Deodorant and medicine are the only things that I found that were different in Japan. The deodorant in Japan doesn’t work nearly as well as the deodorant I used in America. Also, you can only buy Tylenol/Ibuprofen in small packs, so I had family send in huge bottles.
Hot sauce is almost non-existent
Guns
My personal list from my last trip home and some things I had a visitor bring – yours would likely vary significantly:
– Allergy meds (cetirizine)
– ibuprofen
– NyQuil and DayQuil (EDIT: don’t do this, I found out through the comments here that this is illegal)
– toothbrushes (I just don’t like what I’ve bought here)
– toothpaste (I have a specific brand I like)
– blade for my razor (less expensive brand that I like and I stocked up with a sale in the states)
– chili pepper seeds to grow this spring
– smoked paprika
– kosher salt
– old bay seasoning
– 12US/30JP shoes
Alka-Seltzer, Pepto-Bismol.
That said, in the age of Amazon and online services, there’s not much you can’t get.
Some things are more expensive, but the fact that a big jar of peanut butter is $11 instead of $4 is probably not actually going to ruin your life.
cheetos
Peanut butter and Nutella are pretty tough to find. The only thing I’ve found is organic peanut butter which was 500 yen for a small jar.
Peanut butter cups and hot Cheetos
TV dinners, Rice-a-Roni, inexpensive produce. I actually cried over some frozen ravioli on my last visit.
Honestly, just give yourself a week of last meals before you leave. American food is so cheap that I get depressed every time I visit my local “discount supermarket.”
If you’re a guy, bulk condoms. It’s 3 for ~$10 in Tokyo.
I’ve trekked back and forth, and had friends visit. A lot of the foods on this list are absolutely not things I need to exist, but things I find comforting once in a while. Or things that I *can* find here, but are just absurdly expensive or low quality compared to what I want. I don’t live in a major city, so uh, a lot of ‘finding’ these things involves long trips/passing through Tokyo.
Dried organic beans (pinto, black, chickpea, black eyed peas). Now I just buy the more expensive nonorganic ones at a brazilian mart. But from my first trip home, I hauled thirteen bags of beans back.
Spices. Nutritional yeast, sumac, zataar, harissa paste, asafoetida, whole nutmeg, cloves, cardamon, old bay, adobo, achiote rojo, big ol’ bag of morita peppers, large quantities of cumin and paprika and cinnamon and turmeric.
Seeds. Parsnip, brussels sprouts, lacinato kale, tomatillos. I’ve found kale and brussels starts sometimes, though.
Teas. Organic yerba mate. Throat coat, too, but I can get it through iherb easily when needed. It’s just cheaper to have people bring it.
Chocolate. Stacks of dark chocolate, usually tonymoly bars.
Pudding. Fucking jello pudding. I have an arsenal now. Pistachio, french vanilla, dark chocolate.
Heinz malt vinegar. Finally on amazon pantry now, though. Thank christ.
M&M minis. Last visitor brought me two 3lb bags, so I’m good for the next uhhh decade.
Medicine. Mostly just 200mg ibuprofen liquigels. That shit is expensive as fuck here, and my cramps are so bad, I need it.
Depending on your body shape: shoes (my husband’s US10.5 and burns through Vans skating like no tomorrow), bras (everything here is frilly and padded and awful, doubly so if you have larger tits and can’t do the flimsy uniqlo shit), if you have larger hips pants here can totally suck to shop for, too.
Tampons. The ones here are a bit harder to find and not that great. There is no selection, usually just one brand/absorbency.
Any fond local things. I moved from Portland, so that was some specialty chocolate bars, caramels, soy curls, etc.
Lots of good recommendations here for medicine. Personally the only other things I really look for when I go to the base is drink mix. Levi’s are pretty pricey here also
Jalapeños, and proper British biscuits that don’t taste delicate and French.
If I were just starting out, I’d invest in a breadmaker, too. Can’t stand Japanese bakeries.
If you have ethnic hair like me, DEFINITELY bring over your own hair care products! Also… tampons, and Cheezits.
Large jars of Jif peanut butter. Everywhere I’ve looked I’ve only been able to find peanut cream and peter pan crunchy peanut butter. It devastated me.
Cheese
Your favorite toothpaste. If you have big feet, buy socks.
Pop tarts. (I dunno, just currently craving them)
Ranch dressing…
I’ve heard root beer is hard to find
Neosporin
Add on Q – Will I be able to find collagen powder or pills? The brand I use in the US is Vital Proteins. Is there a Japanese equivalent? Thank you!
Root Beer =D