Job Discussion Forums

jezebel · Joined: 18 May 2005 Posts: 53

What are some things you're glad you brought, wish you brought, or which you stock up on any time you're "back home" or in a country that stocks it more readily? This could be foodstuffs, hygiene products, entertainments, or other favorite things you miss from back home.

In contrast, what are some things you wasted precious luggage space bringing along?

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Mapleblondie · Joined: 29 May 2008 Posts: 93 Location: Canada

I've read all those posts you mentioned, and a lot of them seem to say the same things over and over again, but there are a big number of things that are not mentioned, which I definitely wished I had brought with me last time I lived in Japan. I would definitely recommend bringing some peanut butter or toast spreads that you love. Though Japan DOES have different things such as pb "spread", it's nothing like pb and if you buy real pb at a foreigner's store, you'll ay through the roof rpices and you won't be able to find low fat versions. Speaking of low-fat versions of things, if you are a dieter or a person who watches their caloric intake, a lot of products you'll find in Japan will be full-fat versions of foreign items. Japanese people really are getting into the diet trend now, but if you want things like low cal protein bars or protein powders for shakes, etc. definitely bring your own. I was very happy that I brought my low cal protein powder last time.

Also, if you have fine hair that breaks and knots very easily, bring lots of hair conditioner. Japanese people have different hair needs and typically don't use or have conditioner available like you would find in North America. I learned the hard way then I ran out of my supply last time and had to wait nearly a month for my parents to send me more...my hair looked like a mop. LOL.

Ummm.what else...

Oh, if you are a fan of articifial sweetener in your breakfast items, coffee or tea, etc. definitely bring a supply of that. I always bring 4-5 boxes of the single packets, since they are much more expensive in Japan.

Diet pills in Japan are really really expensive (i.e.:nearly $100 CAD for one bottle of Hydroxycut)...SO, if you like to use those, bring your own.

I also bring my own low cal hot chocolate, as the hot "coca" in Japan tastes different and is NOT low cal at all. It's nice to have that sense of "home" in the winter months, when I start to get into my Canadian Christmas mode. Hehe.

On another note, if you like to workout and want to save some money, bring your own workout videos so you can do them in your apartment rather than joining a gym (which can be quite expensive). Of course, on nice days ,you can always enjoy the outdoors and go for a walk or a bike ride.

I'd also suggest you bring a surge protector power bar. I know some people who had their computers fried by plugging them directly into the wall socket...I always use a surge protector so I don't have to worry in storms, etc. Also, since a lot of plugs in Canada have 3 pegs, you might also want to get an adapter so that you can plug you 3 peg plugged electronic items into a 2 plug socket in your apartment.

A few other items you might want to bring are a really really strong bike lock, as a lot of the ones you can buy in Japan are flimsy and the theives know how to break into them to steal bikes. I would recommend the snake cord type that you can wrap around the parts of your bike, rather than a u-lock or otherwise.

And finally, if you like to cook or bake, keep in mind that the kichen utilities in your apartment will differ from in your home country, most likely. Forexample, Japanese people don't have ovens like we do in North America. Most things are cooked in the microwave, on a gas stovetop, or in a tiny broiler oven. I love to bake, so I always bring my fave spices (like pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, and cinnamon) with me. And I love my Mrs. Dash seasoning, so I bring that too for a quick flavour addition to chicken, etc. when I feel like I need a taste of home. Spices are quite expensive in Japan, apart from the shichimi Japanese spice, and typical items like soy sauce, mirin, etc. used regularly in Japanese cooking.

You CAN go to foreign buyers club-type places, but they typically sell things in huge quantities, and the selection of items is limited to one or two options for each type of product, so make sure you stock up on your fave things to bring with you. I personally would not be able to live without having some low-sugar oatmeal in my diet, so I always bring some of that with me.

Ok, maybe I have a lot of specialty eating habits, but I purposely save an entire large suitcase for my food and living items. I bring far fewer clothes than most people might from home normally, since I am only 112lb. and don't have a hard time shopping in Japan. If you are a bigger size though, definitely bring a fair bit of clothes and larger shoes with you, as it will be harder to get in Japan, or much more expensive.

There are so many suggestions that I'm sure most people who have lived in Japan could give you, but they are often quite personal beyond the basics mentioned in the previous thread postings. Do a lot of reading on things you can and cannot easily get in Japan, and try your best to pack accordingly. Keep in mind, though, that Japan is pretty westernized...You'll not be stuck in the backwaters of some middle-of-nowhere country (unless of course you are in a really rural place). And no matter what, you will always have the option of having family or friends send you things if you DO get to Japan and realise you forgot something important. Best of luck!

Apsara · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan

mapleblondie, I'm not sure how you missed the conditioner, but in my ten years in Japan I have never had any trouble finding any. There is usually a huge range to choose from at any drugstore, including Pantene, Lux, Dove, Vidal Sassoon and Herbal Essences- it is sometimes called "rinse", but these days is usually called conditioner, although it may be written only in katakana. I have incredibly fine, flyaway hair and have no problems with the Japanese versions of Lux, Pantene etc. I don't think it is worth bringing it over when it is actually very widely available.

As for oatmeal, what is low sugar oatmeal? I thought plain oatmeal was sugar-free- I buy Quaker's plain oatmeal or an Irish brand at my local import store, there's no sugar in the ingredients.

Low cal versions of cocoa are available at many supermarkets here- the Morinaga one I have right now has the symbol for half on the package, and is 30 cal for one serving- are the North American ones lower cal than that?

Mapleblondie · Joined: 29 May 2008 Posts: 93 Location: Canada

Aspara,

Wow, thanks for the input about the conditioner! I tried out a couple of different brands while I lived there before and I found that nothing seemed to do that job, and I couldn't even get my hands through my hair. I will definitely bring some of my own stuff as a backup, but maybe not as much as I intended to originally, now that you've pointed out a few brands to keep in mind. Thanks!

Oh, and as for the hot chocolate, I get Diet Swiss Miss, which is 25 calories per serving and is really rich. It tastes a lot creamier than the stuff that was sort of similar in terms of calorie count in Japan...but maybe I just didn't try the best brands? Hmmm...Well, it's not like I drink it every day anyways, so I will just bring a couple little boxes of my fave stuff...It will be enough to get me through the winter and will save me having to add that into my budget once I get to Japan.

Apsara · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan

You're right about the Swiss Miss being much creamier than the Japanese versions, but I grew up in NZ where Milo is the main hot chocolate and it is even less sweet and creamy than the Japanese coco-a, so I'm quite happy with Morinaga et al!

I remember when I was a teenager and my dad brought back some Swiss Miss from a trip to the US- that was quite a taste sensation for me! You're right that you will only find the full-fat versions here. I occasionally get it if it's on sale, but feel like it's a bit too sugary and unhealthy to drink much of.

It's interesting the experience you had with the conditioner- maybe it was because of the relative hardness of the water here? I'm also very picky with hair products because my hair tangles so easily, but I actually find the opposite, I have to be very sparing with the Japanese conditioners because they can over-condition. Last time I went to the hairdresser though he said that my hair was in really good condition, so I'm quite pleased with the one I'm using now (Pantene I think).

Mapleblondie · Joined: 29 May 2008 Posts: 93 Location: Canada

Ya, I think that the hair weirdness I experienced last time was probably partially due to the water change. Mind you, my skin was sooooo much better with Japanese water than when I am in Canada. It's funny how small environmental changes can cause such huge differences in our lives.

And you know, I feel the same way about the Swiss Miss. We don't have it in Canada, but I like to take trips to the US to get some "goodies" every few months, and I stock up. Hehe. I just made a trip down to Seattle a few weeks ago to pick up a few things to bring with me. Yay Smile

GIR · Joined: 12 Apr 2007 Posts: 64

MB, you forgot to mention bringing a sherpa to carry all of that stuff for you. Laughing

Personally, I think a lot of that stuff is overkill. Especially the bike lock. You can find decent bike locks pretty easily, and I don't really think it's worth squeezing it into your suitcase when you don't even know if you'll need it or not.

Peanut butter can actually be found pretty easily in most regular grocery stores. You don't have any choice of brands, though (it's Skippy), and it is 350-450 for a small jar. They have both chunky and creamy, though! Very Happy

I really wouldn't waste space on things like food and excess toiletries (except deodorant). These are the kinds of things that your friends and family can send you in care packages. Of course, that's mostly personal choice, and there's no reason not to bring something if it's relatively small and it's going to really make you happy. I really didn't have that much room after essentials, though.

I will back up the usefulness of the surge protector, though. I brought one for my computer/hard drive, and its' really handy. I can plug my chargers in as well without needing to scout for extra outlets.

The things that I really wish I had brought are pictures of my home/family/friends. I find myself wanting to show these things to my students. Particularly images of the countryside where I grew up, as it's so different from Japan. I even wish I'd brought a map of my homestate, to give an idea of how we think of distance differently.

Mapleblondie · Joined: 29 May 2008 Posts: 93 Location: Canada

Haha...a sherpa! LOL. Amazingly, I always manage to fit everything I want and "need" into my suitcases....no sherpa needed. Hehe.

And as for pb, I DID see some in foreign stores (and some normal, higer-priced grocery stores) but the full fat versions always made me feel more guilty while I ate it than any sense of satisfaction. I am bringing something called PB2 wth me. It's actually powder form until you mix some water with it when you use it, so it's really light in comparison with normal pb jars. Plus, 2 tbsp. is only 25 cal and 3 grams of fat, compared to about 185-200 calories and about 14-18 grams of fat in normal pb. Huge difference. It's really worth a try, in my opinion.

But you are right about the personal pics and country maps and whatnot from home. I brought a book about Canada with me last time (one of collector ones for tourists) and it was so invaluable! My Japanese friends loved looking at it and asking me questions, and the few Japanese students I had conversation private lessons with also liked it. Some maps would be great though!

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Peanut butter, it's here. (Skippy mostly, but go to Costco or to the international section of department stores for a few other brands)

Hair conditioner, here. In abundance.

Diet pills? Perhaps laying off the cocoa...? jk

Surge protector? In the land of electronics? Talk about coals to Newcastle.

Nutmeg, cinnamon, etc. are also widely available. So is Crazy Mixed Up Salt. Bring your own spices if you like, but gauge how much you bring carefully, and if you are a heavy user of them, you have to risk a smelly suitcase (and belongings) which may also offend or tip off dogs, or you may have too much stuff on hand for its expiration date. Depends on how picky you are.

Bring recipes, pics of friends and family, antiperspirant, prescriptions, spare eyeglasses, clothes that may be too large for regular Japanese fit, and enough money for an emergency flight home.

Anything else is gravy. (oh, yeah. gravy mix!)

parrothead · Joined: 02 Nov 2003 Posts: 342 Location: Japan

It's tempting not to stock up on food stuffs when I visit my native home, but I am never able to ration it properly when I return to Japan. On my last visit I brought back flavored coffee, licorice, real American BBQ sauce, and Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. I still have the flavored coffee, but the licorice, BBQ sauce and Mac N Cheese were gone in a week.

anne_o · Joined: 30 Nov 2005 Posts: 172 Location: Tokyo

There might be hair rinse here and it is exactly that rinse, not conditioner. The shampoo and 'conditioner' here, while they might be the same brand names, are not the same as overseas. The stuff they sell here is made for the Japanese market and the Japanese have totally different hair and hair needs than us.....Europeans or Americans that is.
The only things I miss or can't find is are: ob tampons, deodorant, an oven, and hair dye......the tampons, deodorant and dye I have sent.
It is a pain to have to go out of the way for natural food products here.....but they can be found, as can most foreign foods.....in Tokyo anyway.

Apsara · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan

Well, it says conditioner on the pack, appears very similar, and does pretty much the same job as any conditioner I ever bought in New Zealand- I really don't think it is that different.

Bottom line, a product so strongly resembling conditioner as to be almost indistinguishable is available in Japan.

anne_o · Joined: 30 Nov 2005 Posts: 172 Location: Tokyo

well...i'm really not interested in arguing about hair conditioner, but i do have a friend who is a hair stylist here and the shampoo and rinse here are different from what i've bought in other parts of asia and the us.
the japanese use different stuff on their hair.....good for you if you find no difference, but i certainly do and know others who feel the same.
also, i'm a bit of a snob about my hair so i like good products and the stuff on the shelf here doesn't do it for me......but now that i'm jobless......hmmmmm!

Mapleblondie · Joined: 29 May 2008 Posts: 93 Location: Canada

Parrothead,
I know that it's definitely easy to overindulge in the things we miss eating. I did that with my Special K Vanilla cereal that I had my parents end to me about halfway through my time in Japan last time. I had 3 boxes that arrived in the mail, and I went through all 3 boxes in 2 days FLAT! Haha. It was all I ate...and I just sat there with the box in my lap all evening. LOL. I learned my lesson though when I realised that I had finished it all and more wouldn't be coming for a good long while. It's definitely a matter of rationing those types of products Smile

Anne_o,
Based on my experience in Japan, I came to that conclusion about the conditioners as well. I am always open to giving something else a try, but definitely don't want to waste my money on something that won't work for me. I remember when I went toget my haircut and highlighted in Nishinomiya, I was referred to the owner of the salon who would be able to do my hair "correctly", since all the employees were scared to death that they would make my hair fall out or turn green or something. LOL. It cost me an arm and a leg, but at least I got a decent job done. Too funny.