How to get contacts in Japan

Buying contact lenses in Japan is not as complicated as you think, but when you don't speak Japanese, it would be a disaster. There are some tips you could use when you try to get some.

Things you need:
NHI card or any health insurance card
Contacts (if you have made in your country)






Step 1: Go to the nearest contact lense store
Ask at the counter about making contact lenses (コンタクトレンズ). You will have to have a doctor check your eyes if you are able to wear contacts. You might have to move to a different counter to get checked. Then, you will be asked to show your health insurance card.



Step 2: Getting checked
You will have several eye checks besides doctor's examination by staff. They will test your eyesight by some machine, and then they will try to find the best level for you by an eye chart. 
・Up (ue)
・Down (shita)
・Right (migi)
・Left (hidari)



Step 3: Trial
Upon choosing your contacts, you will get to try several brands. There are One-day, Two-week, One-month and regular contacts. Consider well, and if you can, ask for the recommendation.



Step 4: Payment and Receiving
Pay for the eye examination which is usually no higher than 500 yen. Then,  you will pay for the contact lenses, and you will receive them. Note; sometimes they have to order for your contacts in case they don't have them in stock.

Deodorant in Japan

Not a huge selection

It seems like finding deodorant is not easy in Japan. Maybe for girls, it's not that hard, but for guys there are few selections you can get. I want to make a list of deodorant that you can buy at Japanese pharmacies.

For Girls:

・ Stick (スティック) / Roll-on (ロールオン)

Deonatulle -- Softstone W
8×4 -- Roll-on / Roll-on Mild Type
Ban -- nano ion Deodorant Roll-on
Ag+ -- Deodorant Stick
Rexena -- Dry Shield Powder Stick

・ Spray (スプレー) / Mist (ミスト)
8×4 -- Powder Spray 
8×4 -- Deodorant Essence 
Ban -- nano ion Deodorant Powder Spray
Ag+ -- Powder Spray D

Rexena -- Dry Shield Powder Spray

・ Water/Liquid (リキッド)
8×4 -- Deo Water
SEA BREEZE -- Deo&Water
 


For Guys:

・ Stick (スティック) / Roll-on (ロールオン)

Deonatulle -- Otoko Soft Stone w

8×4 MEN -- Roll-on

GATSBY -- Powder Deodorant Solid

GATSBY -- Biocore Deodorant Roll-on

・ Spray (スプレー) / Mist (ミスト)

8×4 MEN -- Deodorant Spray

AXE -- Fragrance Bodyspray
GATSBY -- Powder Deodorant Spray

・ Water/Liquid (リキッド)
GATSBY -- Deodorant Aqua

Alternative:

・Sheet (シート)

AXE -- Premium Black Sheet

Ban -- Sappari Shower Sheet

Biore -- Sarasara Powder Sheet

GATSBY -- Deodorant Paper

Ag+ -- Clear Shower Sheet

Cereal

Unfortunately, when it comes to cereal, we have such a poor selection of it. Why? Well, first of all, cereal is not a widely loved breakfast food in Japan -- we usually prefer toast or rice. Although it is getting popular, still regular supermarkets don't sell many unlike western countries where they have a whole aisle of cereal. 

Kellogg's seems to be the most famous cereal company in Japan as it is possibly the only company you would be familiar with here. Regarding Japanese brands, Calbee is the biggest. Also, there are some store brands.

What you may find at a regular supermarket:

Normal

・Kellogg's Corn Flakes (sugar free)

・Kellogg's  Frosted Corn Flakes

・Kellogg's Honey Nuts Crunch

・Kellogg's Chocowa

・Kellogg's Choco Crispy

・Kellogg's Pooh-san no Hachimitsu Daisuki

・Calbee Corn Flakes (Normal, Brown Sugar and Chocolate type available)

・Calbee Choco Puffy

Granola

・Kellogg's Granola  (Fruits and Chocolate types available)

・Calbee Fruit Granola
 

Diet
・Kellogg's Genmai Flakes
・Kellogg's All-Bran
・Kellogg's All-Bran Flakes (Normal and Fruits-mix)
・Kellogg's Special K (Red Berries)


Also, there are bar and sandwich type cereal.
Ex: Asahi BALANCEUP series
       Kellogg's Special K series


 

Marugoto Banana

Today, I want to introduce my favourite sweet called "Marugoto Banana" made by Yamazaki Pan. This is a simple sweet, a whole banana covered with whipped cream and rolled by a sponge cake. Surely, it sounds so plain, but it is addictive and tasty for the price which is usually no more than 200 yen. You can get this at convenience stores, super markets and so on.

Conveyor Belt Sushi (Sushi-Go-Round)

We call conveyor belt sushi "kaiten-zushi 回転寿司" meaning rounding sushi. In this type of sushi restaurant, literary, sushi on the plates go around on the conveyor belt by each seat. You can simply pick whatever you want to eat from the conveyor belt. Alternatively, you may make an special order, for example without wasabi or when you can not find what you want, by pushing the button and tell the order to the speaker phone usually above your seat.

The bill is decided by how many plates you ate, and each plate has the fixed price differed by shapes, colours or patterns. Generally, plates are no more than 500 yen, however, there are restaurants where you can have any plates by 100 yen.

What you can find at a conveyor belt sushi restaurant:

Green Tea

 You can put green tea powder to your cup, and pour hot water by
 pressing against the tap. See the picture left.










Pickled Ginger
We call it "Gari", and you might eat it before you eat another sushi
to clean the taste. Originally, it was eaten to sterilize food poisoning.

Soy Sauce

Typical Sushi:

                                                                                                    

Salmon

Tuna

                                                         

Sea urchin

Salmon roe

                                                             

Octopus

Unique sushi and dessert:

Uncured ham

Cheese cake

Mister Donut

Mister Donut, the most popular donuts franchise in Japan, actually, has its origin in Boston, USA. Now, their main market is Japan having more than 1300 shops, on the other hand, USA has only a few shops open under the name Mister Donut, since most of them became Dunkin' Donuts due to acquisition.

We call it "misudo" in Japan, and they sell not only doughnuts but also some Chinese noodles and dumplings. Often, they have all donuts 100 yen and pies 120 yen campaign. Also, they frequently have new doughnuts seasonally, but it seems like people have their own personal favourites, because of their variety of doughnuts.

・Choco Fashion: 136 yen
A crispy cake doughnut partially covered with chocolate.

・Angel Cream: 136 yen
 A Cream-filled doughnut.

・Pon de Ring: 126 yen
An original glazed doughnut with a unique doughy and sticky texture.

・D-Pop: 210 yen
 6 different kinds of doughnuts in a box.

You can find the rest of the menu here.

Green Tea Desserts

Green tea, a Japanese traditional tea, is often used for desserts, like cakes, ice cream, cookies and so on. Usually, "matcha" is used to express green tea, for example matcha ice cream. Here is a list of Green tea flavoured sweets I recommend.

1. Matcha  Crème Frappuccino at Starbucks Coffee

Frappuccino with green tea powder and whipped cream on top. This is the best green tea flavoured milkshake I have ever had. Even though, USA has Tazo Green Tea Crème Frappuccino, but it is said that tastes different from the Japanese one.

S 430yen T 470yen G 510yen V 550yen

2. Häagen-Dazs' Green Tea Ice Cream
Häagen-Dazs is loved in Japan, despite the relatively high price (A mini cup is usually 270 yen or so at a convenient store). Besides, this is a Japan exclusive, but I personally think this would be popular in other countries. Häagen-Dazs' Green Tea has a rich and sweet taste with a bit of bitterness. It is worth trying once! Limitedly, Green Tea Cookies & Cream is available from April 25th, 2011.

3.  Saryo Tsujiri's Matcha Parfait

Saryo Tsujiri is a Kyoto based Japanese Tea & Sweets café. They have 3 branches in Kyoto and 2 in Tokyo. This café is really popular, so you might have to queue, but it is worth it. I highly reccomend you to try "Tokusen Tsujiri Pafe (1231 yen~1401 yen)". It consists of matcha ice cream, matcha jelly, macha sponge cakes, matcha whipped cream, chestnuts, satsuma, sweet bean paste and rice-flour dumplings. This parfait is actually filling! so that it makes your stomach satisfied. Though it's kind of pricey, but tastes truly lovely.

Wafu Chicken Katsu Sando at KFC

I want to recommend "Wafu chicken katsu sand" from KFC in Japan. This is a Japan only item, and actually, "wafu" means "Japanese style". It consists of a sweet and sour flavoured chicken, freshly shredded cabbage and mayonnaise, so it's simple but tastes absolutely awesome.

The set comes with a drink and small fries for 640 yen. 380 yen for a sandwich itself.

Akihabara

If you want to see Tokyo, I'm sure Akihabara (秋葉原) is on your list. This is an area where you can enjoy Japanese sub-culture (otaku). Also, if you are looking for some electric devices, gadgets, or PC parts, this is the place for you. In addition, anime, video games or maid cafés might particularly interest you too. 

Chuo-dori , Akihabara's main street, and Denki-gai have everything I have mentioned above. For electric devices, big chains like Yodobashi-Akiba, Sofmap, LaOX, Ishimaru denki would be easier to find. Besides, there are used electric device shops, duty-free shops too. Sofmap has used and duty-free buildings and LaOX has a duty-free building. Because of the popularity among foreigners, a lot of shops in Akihabara have bilingual staff (mainly English, Chinese and Korean). Even some shops carry English operated electronic devices.

The word "otaku" (means someone who likes anime , manga, video games or idols) originated in Akihabara. You will get to experience "otaku culture" which is really intriguing by so many means for someone who is not really familiar with anime and such. On the other hand, it will be definitely a dream-come-true experience for someone who loves this culture. 

For past 5 years or so, maid cafés have become sharply popular. This is a kind of café where you will be served by waitresses wearing a maid costume in a unique atomosphere. This costume may differ by cafés, but generally, this would be cutely laced French maid style dress. It seems like black, white or pink are common. Customers will be called "Goshujinsama" meaning master for guys, and " Ojosama" meaning mistress for girls. The typical menu would include spaghetti, omelette rice, ice cream, cakes as well as drinks including coffee, tea and soft drinks. Optionally, you can take a picture or play game with them, so you will interact more with staff compared to a normal café. 

Famous shops & spots :

Yodobashi-Akiba  
Sofmap (Duty-Free)
LaOX (Duty-Free)

Tokyo Animation Center: An information center of Japanese anime

Animate: Comics, character goods
Comic Toranoana: Dojinshi

Denny's

If you are American, surely you know Denny's, and yes we have Denny's in Japan too. However, Denny's in Japan has a different menu from its American counterpart. Japanese Denny's offers a variety of food, even from Japanese to Italian, as well as American food. This so called "a family restaurant" has pretty much anything, so you might find it quite surprising, but I'd say it doesn't mean always bad. Actually, Denny's offers great foods in decent prices. Not to mention, they have "a drink bar" which allows you to select a different drink as much as you want each time you visit it. Generally, typical sodas, fruit juice, hot/iced coffee and tea are available at a drink bar. 

Hamburger stake (Mexican style)

In my opinion, Denny's recommendation is a hamburger stake. They have many kinds of it including seasonal hamburger stakes. Usually, they come with corns, fries and spinach. Also, you can make it a set meal (youfu set 220 yen) which you will get a plate of rice or bread and corn soup. Oh and don't forget to add a drink bar :) which will be only 180 yen with food order.


Here is a small list of food which you might want to try.

・Hamburger stake (Mexican style)
・Cheese omelette rice 
・Tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese and eggplant spaghetti
・American clubhouse sandwiches
・Denny's chef salad
・Stake rice bowl with mini ramen noodles

・Denny's brownie sundae 
・Caramel honey pancakes

MEGA MAC

McDonald's in Japan has its own unique menu. Mega series would be particularly interesting, if you notice how small general Japanese food is. So, you may think bigger food wouldn't be popular in Japan. On the contrary, it is so popular. As you can see that Mega series has been a huge hit in Japan. I'm not only talking about McDonald's, even normal restaurants, nowadays, have "Mega portions", and they have been broadcast on so many TV programmes.

Ariel view of the box

Anyways, I would like to introduce MEGA MAC from McDonald's today. Basically, it's a bigger Bic Mac containing 3 buns, 4 meat patties, onion, lettuce, pickles, 1 slice of cheese and sauce.  It's got 775 kcal using 100% Australian and New Zealand beef.

Taste wise, it's exactly same as Bic Mac but it's definitely thicker. MEGA MAC will surely make your stomach satisfied. 

MEGA MAC

Limited time only

How To Get Married In Japan As An American

Are you interested in marrying a Japanese national in Japan? Do you have a Japanese fiancée or fiancé? There are a few steps to complete this process for American nationals to get married to Japanese nationals in Japan.

First of all, you cannot get married in the embassy, so you can only get married at a ward office. However, since you are not a Japanese national, you have to get a single affidavit for marriage (婚姻用件宣誓書 koninyouken senseisyo) which proves that you are eligible to get married, in other words, you are single. You need to fill out the form which you can download from your embassy's website. You will need to fill both English and Japanese. Also, you need to make an appointment in advance that you can make online.

The day of your appointment, you will need to bring your valid U.S. passport and $50 cash for the notarial fee (they also accept JPY and major credit cards). After that, you will vow that everything you presented in is true in front of the staff. Then, you will get a stamp (notified) on your documents.

Now you should have everything you need to marry, so now you can fill the registration of your marriage (婚姻届 Konin todoke) which is needed to register your marriage. You can get this document at a ward office (free). You need two witnesses who are over 20 years old and they need their seals (印鑑 Inkan) if possible, and if not the signature should be fine. In addition, your Japanese partner is required his/her ID and also would need to bring copy of their full or extract family register (戸籍謄本 Koseki Tohon)(戸籍抄本 Koseki Shohon). On the other hand, in case some offices require, you should prepare your birth certificate and its Japanese translation, as well as your ARC.

On the D day, be sure you have everything aforementioned. Once they examine your "Konintodoke", and accept it, now you are MARRIED!! Many couples ask for a Japanese Certificate of Acceptance of Notification of Marriage (婚姻届受理証明書 Konin Todoke Juri Shomeisho) for 350 yen and its large version for 1500 yen (more like gorgeous version). That is your only legal proof of your marriage.

Furthermore, if you translate your Japanese-language Certificate of Acceptance of Notification of Marriage to English, that will be so handy when you apply for your spouse's immigrant visa etc. You can use fill-in-the-blanks forms from U.S. embassy's website, and again, make an appointment, and then have it notarized.

Congratulations!!!! :)

Izakaya

Izakaya(居酒屋) is a Japanese style bar which you can enjoy both food and drinks. Compared to normal bars, Izakaya has quite distinctive characteristics.

First of all, Izakaya tends to be reasonably priced and normally has coupons you can use, like Hot Pepper. You can order à la carte, or they also have course meals with "Nomihoudai (飲み放題)" meaning as much as you can drink. That is usually allows you to drink within certain drinks for 2 hours at a fixed cost, for example 3000 yen Nomihoudai for 2 hours including  a course meal. If you feel like drinking a lot, I'd recommend you to use this system. 

How things work at Izakaya is quite simple. You enter one and tell the staff how many there are in your group, and they will show your table. Note, a lot of Izakaya have booths where you can get a private space, and so you are not going to be bothered by people sitting next you. Then, you will receive "Oshibori (おしぼり)" which is a damp towel and you clean hands with it. Whenever you are ready to order your food or drink, just push the button on your table, and they will come and take your order. While you are waiting for your drink to come, they will give you "Otoshi (お通し)" which is a kind of small appetizer, and you have to pay for it even though you didn't ask for, because this is sort of in lieu of paying a table charge, usually costing 300 yen or so.

Food at Izakaya can vary, since there are so many Izakaya out there, e.g. Asian Izakaya, Western Izakaya. However, there are some items that they always have, and they are typical Izakaya food. Edamame (boiled green soybeans)  is one of them, and which is also a traditional beer side for Japanese. Also, Karage (deep fried chicken) is a regular item too. In addition, Izakaya has fries, pizza, salad and even dessert. 

How To Save Money In Japan

Tokyo is now the most expensive city in the world. That, in conjunction with the exchange rate, makes it imperative that you manage your money wisely whilst you are in Japan. I will give you some money saving tips to get by in Japan.


Tip 1: Refrain From Eating Out Excessively
Eating out in Japan can be really expensive, especially when you dine-in at a restaurant. The average meal for lunch at a mid-priced restaurant could cost around  1500 yen, and meal for dinner could be upwards of 3000 yen. Although most Japanese apartments are equipped with a tiny kitchen, your best bet will be using it often rather than dining out. Shop around local supermarkets and compare the prices to get the best bargains. I'd recommend you to make point cards with each store in order to be reimbursed for the money you spend. Also, you should make yourself aware of what days have special promotions, such as double or triple point day.



Tip 2: Use Special Days
For example, usually cinemas offer discounted rates on the first of every month, in which you can watch movies for 1000 yen. If you are a lady, they also offer "a lady's day" on every Wednesday, in which your ticket will only cost 1000 yen too. There are many places which have a lady's day on Wednesday, so you should use it to your advantage.


Tip 3: Try To Use Coupons 
Using coupons in Japan is really helpful to reduce your expenses, especially since a lot of places have this system. Hot Pepper, a free coupon magazine, is absolutely useful, because it has so many coupons from restaurants to hair salons. If you have a mobile phone in Japan, you can use Internet coupons too.


Tip 4: Buy Electronics From Outlets
I recommend buying your electronic devices from outlets, such as Yodobashi outlet or Softmap. You might get a better deal than you would buying things new.

How To Order Fast Food In Japan

Ordering from fast food restaurants in Japan can be a complicating and confusing process if you don't speak or understand Japanese. The following steps I provide will help you if you find yourself in this situation.
 
Step 1: 
Get in a queue, when your turn comes, firstly they would say to you "Kochirade omeshiagaridesuka?" (For here?), if you want it here you can say "Hai" (Yes) or if you don't "Mochikaeride onegaishimasu" (To go please). Next, they would say "Gochumon o douzo" (What is your order?), in which you can point out what you want to order. Some fast food chains have an English menu, so you can ask "Eigo no menu arimasuka?" (Do you have an English menu?). 


Step 2: 
You will be asked "Setto ni shimasuka?" (Do you want a meal set?), in which usually you will pick fries and a drink (generally M size), so if you want the set, you can say "Hai" (Yes) or if you want it singly, you can say "Tampin de onegaishimasu" (I want it by itself). Also, if you want to make it L size, you can say "L saizu ni shitekudasai" (Can I make it L size?).


Step 3:
When you pay for your order, one of two things can happen. Either they will say "Kochirade omachikudasai" (Please wait here) or "Achirade omachikudasai" (Please wait over there), in which you would have to step aside and wait for your order.


Step 4:
After getting your food, you can request the following things: 
・ "Kechappu onegaishimasu" (Ketchup, please)
・ "Fukuro o onegaishimasu" (A bag, please)


Enjoy!!!!

Mobile Phones

There are 3 major mobile phone carriers in Japan: SoftBank, Docomo and au. Out of the three mentioned, SoftBank is the only one who offers a prepaid service. An ARC is required to make a contract with any of these carriers. All 3 have unlimited Internet access.



As I mentioned, SoftBank has a 3G prepaid service. There are several phones you can pick for this service which are available at SoftBank shop. The price for this plan is 3000 yen minimum for 60 days, and for an additional 300 yen, you can have an unlimited messaging for 30 days. To recharge your account, there are 3000 yen and 5000 yen cards can be purchased online or at a local SoftBank retail store. Also, you can make international calls. 


SoftBank is the only carrier to offer the iPhone and iPad.


Information on additional plans can be found here.
 



In my opinion, Docomo has strongest and most reliable service available in Japan. Their phone inventory consists of several smart phones including BlackBerry and Xperia.


Information on additional plans can be found here.






I think au offers uniquely styled phones including smart phones. Their phones are well designed and popular among young people.


Information on additional plans can be found here.

How to get an "Alien Registration Card"

An Alien Registration Card a.k.a. ARC (in Japanese, 外国人登録証 gaikokujin tourokusyou)  is the photo ID required for all foreigners staying over 90 days in Japan. Japan requires you to carry this with you at all time in lieu of your passport. Unless you have a valid re-entry permit stamped in your passport, you must give up this card upon your exit of Japan. 


To obtain this card, you can visit the nearest city council and fill out the needed paperwork and hand it in to the staff. Generally it takes 2 weeks to receive your ARC, although the staff would give you a receipt indicating the time frame in which your card would be available to pick up. There is no fee for an ARC, however your passport is required to apply.

Information included on the card is your name, date of birth, gender, nationality, address, visa status, date of landing, passport number and date of issuance, and occupation

First Kitchen

If you are curious about trying Japanese fast food, First Kitchen would be the one for you. 

Burgers: Bacon Egg Burger, their main burger, consists of buns, a single meat patty, two crispy strips of bacon, a fried egg, sliced onion bits, tartar sauce and ketchup. Adding cheese is optional (Cheese Bacon Egg Burger).  The burger's size is comparable to McDonald's Cheese Burger, so you don't have to worry about becoming too full. Taste wise, you will enjoy a strong sensation of tartar sauce and a fried egg, followed by a 100% Aussie beef patty. Additionally, you can order double meat version of these burgers if you feel extra hungry. Though, I recommend this burger to try out, there are a variety of other burgers offered.

Fries: As a fry lover, I highly recommend their flavoured fries. Flavoures currently offered are tomato, maple butter, butter soy sauce, triple cheese, baked potato, cod roe, consommé and plain. 

Condiments: Their condiments are housed together in a unique "sauce bar". Selections consist of barbecue, cheese, cod roe, spicy ketchup and garlic mayonnaise. NO LIMIT. 




Drinks: Drinks include your typical selections of sodas, coffees and teas. Floats are available too.


Others: They also have several pastas, hot dogs,  soups and salads.