Japan is dangerous for your wallet. This is everything on my shopping list, the drugstore things I grabbed to get through the day, and the stores I’d actually send you to.
We did compare prices on a few things between Don Quijote and Matsukiyo. There wasn’t a huge difference, so I decided to just buy things as I found them (which meant a bunch of mini shopping trips every day picking up a few things). I will be updating this post as I try the products (whether they were worth it or not), and with photos for the missing ones as I use them.
How to read this post
Food
- KALDI green garlic chili oil: It's so delicious, and so popular that they limit it to 2 per person. Purchased from Kaldi Coffee Farm. [Tried: buy]
- Sweet potato butter: Turns your toast into dessert. Purchased from Donki. [Tried: buy]
- Kewpie roasted sesame dressing: I love sesame dressing, so I needed this. Purchased from a normal grocery store. [Tried: buy]
- Yuzu kosho: a small tube of yuzu-chili paste. Since I love all things yuzu, I had to grab this. Purchased from a normal grocery store. [Not yet]
- Matcha from Ippodo: We didn't have too much time to stop at various matcha shops, so we just went to this one. Purchased from Ippodo Osaka. [Not yet]
- Sugi Bee Garden honey: The unique flavors are the point. You can mix the syrups with water for a drink, and the yuzu was my favorite. Bought from the Sugi Bee Garden store in Yokohama (they have stores all around Japan). [Tried: buy]
- Dried Sweet Potato: Think chestnut texture, but tastes like Japanese sweet potato. Amazing. Purchased from the food hall of a department store. [Tried: Buy]
- Kewpie Mayo: One of our staples, so we took the opportunity to grab one from Japan. Purchased at a normal grocery store. [Tried: buy]
- Wasabi: Real wasabi is so much better than the stuff we get in the US. Purchased at a normal grocery store. [Not yet]
- Miso: Got miso from Kanazawa since the region has its own unique miso. Purchased at a normal grocery store. [Not yet]
- Noto Salt: Sea salt from the Noto Peninsula, near Kanazawa, where they still make it the traditional way. Bought at a grocery store in Kanazawa. [Not yet]
- Yuzu Miso: All things yuzu, need I say more? Purchased at a normal grocery store. [Not yet]
- Shio Koji: A marinade for basically everything. Purchased at a normal grocery store. [Not yet]
- Yuzu Chili: See Yuzu Miso above. Purchased at a small store in Koyasan. [Tried: buy]
Kitchen Stuff
Kappabashi
- I bought two SG2 santoku knives from Koku on Kappabashi Street. [Tried: buy]
- Chopsticks and chopstick holders: we bought one each at a cute store on Kappabashi Street. [Tried: buy]
Otaru: glassware
- Kitaichi glass set: I bought a set of glasses from Kitaichi on the main street in Otaru. These are gorgeous 'kaleidoscope' glasses, very fun and trippy. [Tried: buy]
Laundry
- FLAIR fragrance fabric softener: I heard fabric softener was better in Japan, so why not? Bought from Don Quijote. [Not yet]
- Kao wrinkle-release clothes mist: Supposedly, you can spray your clothes and the wrinkles disappear. Bought from Don Quijote. [Not yet]
- Febreze w Deodorize + Sterilize: We actually got this recommendation from an employee at a clothing store where we were trying on a suede jacket. He basically recommended this for anything you can't wash since it both sanitizes and refreshes the smell. Bought from Don Quijote. [Not yet]
- Lion Stain Remover: We ended up getting this 'viral' stain remover because we slurped ramen too hard one night and needed to spot-treat our shirts. It kind of worked for me, but didn't work at all for my boyfriend. Overall, it's good to get while you're traveling in Japan and need a quick fix, but our stain removers back in the US are way better. Bought from Don Quijote. [Tried: skip]
- Laurier Lingerie Detergent: A foaming detergent for handwashing your unmentionables. Bought from Matsumoto Kiyoshi. [Not yet]
Skincare
Face and body
- Biore UV Aqua Protect Mist: One of the many sunscreens that was recommended, supposed to be good over makeup. Bought from Don Quijote. [Not yet]
- Biore Clay Face Wash: Was sold out almost everywhere, grabbed the last one at a Matsumoto Kiyoshi. I liked it as a deep face wash. [Tried: buy]
- Anessa UV Milk and powder brush: The other sunscreens I was recommended; the powder is also meant to go on top of makeup. Bought at Matsumoto Kiyoshi. [Not yet]
- Keana Nadeshiko rice mask: The famous facemask everyone gets. Bought at Don Quijote. [Not yet]
- Keana Nadeshiko Goodbye Pores Primer: This was sold out in literally every shop I popped into asking for it, so I HAD to get one (it has to be good if it's sold out everywhere, right? right?). Anyway, I ended up ordering this from Rakuten to one of our hotels to get my hands on it. [Not yet]
- Sekkisei Emulsion: I was also recommended this one; I think it's on the higher-ish end. [Not yet]
- Hada Labo Gokujyun Premium: Was recommended this as a lesser-known product locals love. Bought at Matsumoto Kiyoshi. [Not yet]
- Melano CC serum: Was recommended this as a lesser-known product locals love. Bought at Matsumoto Kiyoshi. [Not yet]
- Cow Beauty Cream: A face cream from Cow Brand, the company behind the classic milk soap. Bought from Hands. [Not yet]
- Quality 1st Super VC100 sheet masks: Was recommended the Quality 1st facemasks in general, so I picked up a bunch. Bought at Don Quijote. [Not yet]
- Suisai powder wash and paste wash: I tried the powder and loved that it's individually packaged, and it makes my face feel very fresh. Bought at Matsumoto Kiyoshi. [Tried: buy]
- Club Suppin powder: A finishing powder that's supposed to give you the perfect no-makeup look/glow. Bought at Matsumoto Kiyoshi. [Not yet]
- Naturie Hatomugi lotion: Was recommended this as a lesser-known product locals love. Bought at Matsumoto Kiyoshi. [Not yet]
- AQUALABEL special gel cream: A 5-in-1 hydrating gel cream from Shiseido. Bought at a Matsumoto Kiyoshi. [Not yet]
- Sofina iP peeling mousse serum: A foaming serum from Kao's Sofina line that goes on first, before the rest of your skincare, and apparently exfoliates really well. Bought from Matsumoto Kiyoshi. [Not yet]
- Cezanne highlighter: I stocked up on Cezanne highlighters (shade 01). Bought at Matsumoto Kiyoshi. [Tried: buy]
- Heroine Make eyeliner, mascara and mascara remover: I love the Heroine mascara and eyeliners, so I grabbed a few different shades of those, as well as their mascara remover that's supposed to be phenomenal. Bought at a Matsumoto Kiyoshi. [Tried: buy]
- Pair Acne Cream: An over-the-counter acne spot treatment from Lion. Bought from Don Quijote. [Not yet]
- Pelican hip-care soap: A cute heart-shaped soap that went viral. I think it's kind of gimmicky, but I just thought it was very cute. Bought at Don Quijote. [Not yet]
- W/M lip balm: Was recommended this lip balm. Bought at Matsumoto Kiyoshi. [Not yet]
- Retinotime Lip Essence: Was recommended this in store while buying the W/M lip balm. Bought at Matsumoto Kiyoshi. [Not yet]
- Lavender Water Cream: Bought in Herb Hill, Furano, Hokkaido. People were raving about this cream in the reviews, so I decided to try it. [Not yet]
- Hakuza Gold Leaf & Lotion: Bought in Kanazawa's Higashi Chaya district. The gold leaves you massage directly onto your face (not sure how much it does, just thought it was cool so I grabbed the smallest ones), and the lotion has little gold flakes in it that are supposed to brighten your skin. [Not yet]
Hair and scalp
- Curel scalp treatment: Bought from Don Quijote. [Not yet]
- &honey hair care (shampoo): The viral shampoo everyone loves. Bought from Don Quijote. [Not yet]
- Fino Premium Touch hair mask: Made my hair super soft, great product for the price. Bought from Don Quijote. [Tried: buy]
- NOV scalp lotion: I think this one is meant for more sensitive skin; I tried it and didn't feel a huge difference. Bought from Don Quijote. [Tried: skip]
- Hojiya Hair Mist: Accidentally bought this instead of the hair oil I was looking for. Bought from Hojiya in Kyoto. [Not yet]
- Refa Hairbrush: I thought it looked very cute and loved how compact it was; it also helped tame my frizzy flyaways and made my hair look more polished. Bought from Refa in Don Quijote. [Tried: buy]
Drugstore
Drugstores (Matsumoto Kiyoshi, aka Matsukiyo) and Don Quijote (aka Donki) became a daily stop. These are the things I picked up to get through the trip.
- Ryukakusan Direct throat powder: Was recommended this by other travelers so I picked up a few. Bought at Matsumoto Kiyoshi. [Not yet]
- Colgen Kowa cold medicine: Was recommended this as well, bought it to have on hand for colds. Bought from Matsumoto Kiyoshi. I also grabbed a pack of Lulu Attack IB Ace cold medicine. [Not yet]
- Liquid Muhi: I am supremely allergic to bug bites, so I picked up this anti-itch liquid. Bought at Matsumoto Kiyoshi. [Not yet]
- Gaster 10: Picked this up for heartburn partway through our trip; it was a lifesaver. Bought at a pharmacy. [Tried: buy]
- Kyusoku Jikan foot sheets: I found a few and loved these, so I stocked up on more. Bought on Amazon in Japan. [Tried: buy]
- Roihi-Tsuboko warming patches: I'd tried these on a previous trip. I love these patches and how small they are. Bought at Don Quijote. [Tried: buy]
- Ryukakusan mango lozenges: Was recommended this by other travelers so I picked up a few. Bought at Matsumoto Kiyoshi. [Not yet]
- Rohto eye drops / Soft Santear: It's minty and it burns, but I want more. Bought at Matsumoto Kiyoshi. [Tried: buy]
- Okuchi lemon mouthwash pouches: Conveniently packaged mouthwash you can carry with you. Bought at Don Quijote.[Not yet]
- Nightmin warming earplugs: Another fun product to make your sleep better. Bought at Matsumoto Kiyoshi. [Not yet]
- Nodonuru wet mask: Supposed to be great for planes since the mask holds water to keep your throat hydrated. Bought at Don Quijote. [Not yet]
- MegRhythm steam eye mask: A great treat for nights when you're especially tired. You can buy them almost anywhere (Don Quijote, 7-Eleven, Matsumoto Kiyoshi, etc.). [Tried: buy]
- Medi Qtto sleep socks: Compression socks for sleep. Bought at Matsumoto Kiyoshi. [Not yet]
- Rakuru leg cooling patches: I was given these on my flight and loved them, and used them pretty much every night. Bought from Matsumoto Kiyoshi. [Tried: buy]
- KomureCare leg-cramp roll-on: A roll-on leg cramp gel. Bought at Matsumoto Kiyoshi. [Not yet]
- Ihada allergy spray: A spray that coats your nostrils and throat to stop pollen allergies. Bought from Amazon. [Not yet]
- UHA Gumi Sapuri vitamin gummies: UHA gummy vitamins (rose hip polyphenol, iron & folic acid, multivitamin) and DHC Collagen. One of these is supposed to support you during your period. I also picked up Bulgarian Rose Capsules, which make all your outward odors smell like rose? I guess we'll see if that's true. Bought at Matsumoto Kiyoshi.[Not yet]
- Boba Baby Powder: You may wonder why I got baby powder. I actually ended up getting a lot of heat rashes from all the walking and the heat and the friction or whatever, so this saved my life. It's conveniently packaged to be easily carried and applied. Bought at Don Quijote. [Tried: buy]
- Saborino Morning Mask: Was recommended this as a quick refresh. We tried it a few times on our trip when our skin needed a pick-me-up, and I actually loved it: my skin felt hydrated and glowy the entire day after applying it. Bought at Matsumoto Kiyoshi. [Tried: buy]
- GABA for Sleep chocolates: I realized that I was waking up a lot throughout the night, so I picked up these chocolates, and I don't know if it was placebo or they actually worked, but I've been sleeping a lot better since. I actually brought a bunch of packs home. Bought at a large supermarket. [Tried: buy]
Clothes
Issey Miyake
I've always loved Issey Miyake, so I grabbed a pair of cute pleated pants from the Pleats Please store in Harajuku. There were so many beautiful pieces; I highly recommend browsing. [Tried: buy]
Uniqlo Ginza
The flagship was amazing: so many cool basics at very reasonable prices. I got so many different things: some soft sweaters, barrel pants, loose-fitting slacks, a blazer, a knit vest, a few t-shirts, a cute bag for travel, socks, and a wool coat. Budget at least an hour. [Tried: buy]
Denim
I got a very cool denim jacket from Kapital in Ebisu and would highly recommend this store. They had so many unique items. [Tried: buy]
I also picked up some jeans from Studio d'Artisan; they were the best bang for your buck for denim that I found on my trip. [Tried: buy]
Shoes
- Onitsuka Tiger Nippon Made line: I've always loved Onitsuka Tigers, so I wanted a Japan-only pair. I found a really cool red pair that I've never seen before. Bought at Onitsuka Tiger Omotesando (tip: you can't get them engraved but they have the Nippon Made line and it's way less crowded than the flagship). [Tried: buy]
- Salomons: I've had my eye on Salomons for almost 2 years now, so when I saw these iridescent ones I just fell in love. I picked this up in a store called Application in Kanazawa. [Tried: buy]
Miscellaneous
Itoya
Super cool, and full of cute knickknacks and stationery. I picked up so many. Budget at least an hour.
Firekids and Nakano Broadway
Firekids has a lot of cool watches at reasonable prices. At Nakano Broadway I bought a rare 1972 Citizen in new condition. I was looking for a small watch and loved this one, and bonus points for it being a Citizen. [Tried: buy]
Otaru: music boxes
At the shop around the corner from the music box museum you pick your own song, then customize the box. You can do it there, or buy the glue and decoration pieces and take it home. I bought a Harry Potter song and a Spirited Away song, two boxes of each, four in total. We have yet to finish decorating them but I will post a pic when we do! [Tried: buy]
Kyoto and the rest
- Wargo (Nishiki Market): hair pins. [Tried: buy]
- Imabari towel: Everyone kept telling me how Imabari towels are superior, so I grabbed a set to try them out. [Not yet]
- Goshuincho (stamp book) from Sensō-ji: Probably one of my favorite purchases. I loved collecting all the Goshuin from the temples and the book is the perfect souvenir and looks gorgeous. [Tried: buy]
- Kai tweezers: [Tried: buy]
- Seki nail clippers: [Tried: buy]
- Boba: Fuzzy bear we bought from Noboribetsu Bear Park as a souvenir. [Tried: buy]
- Starbucks: We bought Sho, and some assorted cute region-specific cups/mugs from here. [Tried: buy]
- Aroma Stones: We bought these aroma stone and essential oil kits from Brick in Otaru. They make my place smell heavenly. [Tried: buy]
- Melody: We got this cute bag charm from United Arrows. [Tried: buy]
- Floofy: The softest thing I've ever touched. We got her from Maison Clannie and all the accessories and color of the fur are completely customizable. [Tried: buy]
- Nishikawa custom pillow: We got a pillow custom-fitted at Nishikawa. They can customize the material for softness, the height of the pillow, and they make sure it's comfortable for when you sleep on your back and on your side. Highly recommend. [Tried: buy]
My honest shopping tips
- Budget an hour each for Uniqlo Ginza and Itoya.
- Many shops close at 18:00 (Otaru especially), so shop early.
- Liquids and heavy items (knives, dressing, music boxes) go in your checked bag, so plan your luggage before you shop.
- Most of our hotels had laundry, so pack light and leave room to bring things home.
- Tax free: always carry your passport. As of Nov 1, 2026, you pay full price in store and claim the tax back at the airport when you leave.
- Packing: !!! If you, like me, buy more than would fit into your suitcase, I would HIGHLY recommend buying this bag from Muji: Muji Water Repellent Boston Bag L (fits 63L). It folds small enough to fit in your palm, but when unpacked can fit SO MUCH. We carried it on on our domestic flights, but for our flight back home, we had it shrink-wrapped at Haneda Airport and then checked it in without any issue.