Stay home orders have been lifted! Hooray!

Let me grab my wallet! I’m ready to blow all of my cash on some ¥100 goods! Let it rain, baby!

Just kidding.

Well, I’m only half-joking.

I’m still trying to be careful to not get infected by the coronavirus. I still feel like I have a duty to try to stay healthy and not burden the hospital system by adding another patient to the list.

So this leads me to shopping at Daiso, just to pick up some stuff for the house. I love Daiso. It also helps that it’s in the same building as our grocery store, as these ¥100 shops are.

It’s also good that they allow you to take photos at Daiso.

So for your viewing pleasure, some souvenir ideas on your next trip to Japan:

1. Matcha-flavored chocolate and candy

The one featured above is made by Chirol, which is really good. It’s supposed to be like matcha mochi, which I love. The good things is that there are lots of different types of matcha chocolate to choose from. They’re also individually wrapped so they’re easy to give away.

2. Hello Kitty goods

Well, duh. This is Japan. Of course this is on the list. But again, lots of things to choose one, especially if you’ve got a friend who loves Hello Kitty and friends.

3. Japanese-patterned pouches and small bags

These are cute, and most likely to be given away to women. They come in various sizes and colors so you should be able to find one that fits the taste of someone you know. They may be cheap, but they don’t look cheap. I think it would be a good memento of your trip or something to give away.

The one below is a makeup mirror that comes with a pouch. I got one a long time ago from a friend, and I still use mine to this day. They’re very sturdy.

4. Sushi-shaped keychains

So I love these. I think they’re pretty cute and also fun to give away. I mean, if you carry your keys around and you see a piece of sushi hanging next to them, wouldn’t that make you smile?

But you don’t have to get the sushi ones in particular if you don’t like sushi. There are lots of other options to get, some might be cuter or a different kind of Japanese good. Plus, they’re cheaper when you get them at the 100-yen shop than in the regular souvenir shops.

5. Hair accessories

Specifically, you can get Japanese-themed ones. The one on the right on the above picture is something you put in a chignon or an updo. They’re typically worn with a yukata in the summertime. The one on the left side is a clip that you can wear everyday for any type of hairstyle. Again, though, these goods are mostly for the ladies.

6. Stationery

That’s one of the good things about living here in Japan. They always have stationery readily available everywhere you go. The above ones are erasers. There are all kinds of cute ones, of course, but some are regular ones to be used for daily life. I’ve had requests from friends and family who live back home to get pencils, pens, erasers, and all types of things you can’t get anywhere else in Japan.

7. Kitchenware

With aisles and aisles of goods like these, there are so many to choose from. You can have the typical Japanese lacquer ware or the heavier ceramics. The only thing is you have to worry about packing it in suitcases. Again, check them out if you’re interested.

And lastly:

Poop! Or a giant poop cushion. I just thought this was really cute. Why so angry, poop? But if you look at the price tag, it’s ¥300. It would be a nice gag gift to give away, though.