In the 1960s, people used to say, “You can find everything at La Samaritaine.” In Japan, not only can you find almost anything, but also in an astonishing variety.
Whether in a specialist shop, a supermarket, or a department store, the range of products on offer is remarkably broad. It can be unsettling to feel immersed in an ultra-consumerist society, but it is also difficult not to admire such creativity.
This diversity is not reserved for an elite or for higher-income consumers. Even the local supermarket, for example, often offers an impressive selection of soy sauces—an essential ingredient in Japanese cuisine and in many other Asian cuisines.
At the other end of the spectrum, department store displays are refined, but not always unaffordable. The okaki shown below, for example, are still very reasonably priced at 400 yen per pack—less than €3.
You may already know that Japanese people sign official documents using personal seals called hanko. Once again, step into a stationery shop to order one and you may be surprised by the originality of their designs.
Venture beyond the big cities and stop by the shop at your favorite onsen. The one we visited in Gero offered a wide range of yu no hana to suit every taste.
These are traditional bath salts known for their soothing and relaxing qualities. After all, sometimes you simply have to treat yourself!
A Wide Variety of Choices
In the 1960s, people used to say, “You can find everything at La Samaritaine.” In Japan, not only can you find almost anything, but also in an astonishing variety.
Whether in a specialist shop, a supermarket, or a department store, the range of products on offer is remarkably broad. It can be unsettling to feel immersed in an ultra-consumerist society, but it is also difficult not to admire such creativity.
This diversity is not reserved for an elite or for higher-income consumers. Even the local supermarket, for example, often offers an impressive selection of soy sauces—an essential ingredient in Japanese cuisine and in many other Asian cuisines.
At the other end of the spectrum, department store displays are refined, but not always unaffordable. The okaki shown below, for example, are still very reasonably priced at 400 yen per pack—less than €3.
You may already know that Japanese people sign official documents using personal seals called hanko. Once again, step into a stationery shop to order one and you may be surprised by the originality of their designs.
Venture beyond the big cities and stop by the shop at your favorite onsen. The one we visited in Gero offered a wide range of yu no hana to suit every taste. These are traditional bath salts known for their soothing and relaxing qualities. After all, sometimes you simply have to treat yourself!