We've talked about the difficulties of finding tall and plus size clothes in Japan before, but today we have a couple questions from readers regarding trying to find specific stores, so I'm hoping those of you in the know in those locations will have some advice (or at the very least, please share this post around so someone who does know might see it and share). I know are individual stores in certain areas offering plus or tall size clothes, but these vary by city and region. I'd like to compile of list of any known stores for future reference.
Of course, we all know ordering online is an option and many stores ship to Japan nowadays, but in this post we're referring specifically to stores in Japan.
Q:
"I'm a 6 foot (around 182cm) guy with 30+cm feet. Where can I buy suits in Tokyo that are light enough for Japanese summer weather and large enough for me, and shoes that fit me without, (pardon the pun) losing my shirt?"
- Kerry
"I'm going to Japan this fall to study abroad for a year and I'm desperately looking for advice from anyone in Japan who might know where I can find plus sized clothing. I'm a size 22 US so I know it's quite a stretch, and I am planning to bring a good supply of clothes with me, but... if the need arises, I'd really like to know where I can find clothes in Japan. Thanks so much! PS: I'll be in Nagoya."
- Victoria
A: All right, let us know, what stores do you know about in Tokyo, Nagoya, or anywhere else in Japan that offer tall and/or plus sized clothing and larger size shoes? I've listed several clothing stores I found below.
(Most of the stores I've listed below are online sites only available in Japanese - you can use a browser translation tool or something like Rikaichan or Rikaikun to help you navigate.)
5.26.2012
A new twice-monthly veggie box option from now through November
Finding safe, pesticide-free, low or no additive, organic and/or radiation-free produce in Japan can be a challenge at times, especially if your Japanese isn't up to par. Not everyone is interested in this, or cares, I understand, but if this is something that concerns you or if you just want the convenience of a vegetable box, rest assured there are options.
I previously wrote about various places in Japan you can order veggie boxes from, some in English, but most in Japanese. Note that most of these places don't just carry vegetables and fruit, but most also offer meat, fish, dairy, eggs, and/or dry goods. I also explained how to sign up for one of the companies, Oisix, online.
If you've already done that and it's working out for you, yay!
If not, but you're still interested in signing up for a veggie box, you might be interested in the service that Wa Navi is providing this year. They're calling it the "Harvest of Hope 2012 Project" and will deliver fresh, low-agrochemical vegetables from Hokkaido Hopeland Farm twice a month starting in May and ending after the harvest season in November. The May order is going out tomorrow so it's too late for that one, but you can start in June. Delivery dates are preset, and you can either sign up for the entire season, or choose when you want to receive a box, as often or as little as you'd like.
The items for each month's box are also set (as an example), but they may vary month to month depending on the weather, market, among other factors.
Here are some examples:
June asparagus (green and white), leafy vegetables (mustard leaf, lettuce, etc), mini tomatoes
July lettuce, broccoli, snap beans, cabbage, green pepper
August tomato, bell peppers, green pepper, eggplant, cucumber, zucchini, goya, shishito peppers
September corn, edamame, kabocha, broccoli, cabbage, tomato, eggplant, green peppers
October potatoes, kabocha, carrots, onions, broccoli, cabbage, daikon
November same as October
I previously wrote about various places in Japan you can order veggie boxes from, some in English, but most in Japanese. Note that most of these places don't just carry vegetables and fruit, but most also offer meat, fish, dairy, eggs, and/or dry goods. I also explained how to sign up for one of the companies, Oisix, online.
If you've already done that and it's working out for you, yay!
If not, but you're still interested in signing up for a veggie box, you might be interested in the service that Wa Navi is providing this year. They're calling it the "Harvest of Hope 2012 Project" and will deliver fresh, low-agrochemical vegetables from Hokkaido Hopeland Farm twice a month starting in May and ending after the harvest season in November. The May order is going out tomorrow so it's too late for that one, but you can start in June. Delivery dates are preset, and you can either sign up for the entire season, or choose when you want to receive a box, as often or as little as you'd like.
The items for each month's box are also set (as an example), but they may vary month to month depending on the weather, market, among other factors.
Here are some examples:
June asparagus (green and white), leafy vegetables (mustard leaf, lettuce, etc), mini tomatoes
July lettuce, broccoli, snap beans, cabbage, green pepper
August tomato, bell peppers, green pepper, eggplant, cucumber, zucchini, goya, shishito peppers
September corn, edamame, kabocha, broccoli, cabbage, tomato, eggplant, green peppers
October potatoes, kabocha, carrots, onions, broccoli, cabbage, daikon
November same as October
5.23.2012
HOW TO: Find Shinkansen and Express Train Seating Charts and Train Layouts
If you're like me, you may have issues getting a seat on the train in an area you'd like to be in, such as, near a bathroom, or away -- far away -- from a smoking car. Of course, most express trains in Japan now are completely smoke-free (it wasn't that way when I first arrived, and oh how I had problems then...), but some shinkansen do still have smoking cars.
That aside, what if you're curious about the basic layout, or perhaps where you're reserved seat might be, or which cars have the unreserved or reserved seats?
Some of you might think, "why would I care? I'll sit anywhere, no problem." If that's the case, don't even worry about checking out the link, but for those of you who might be like me, even a little, you might want to read a recent post I wrote on The Japan Daily Press on how to find JR express train layout charts.
Knowing how to do this comes in handy on most trips I plan that involve JR express trains. And the websites I found are pretty cool, too (mentioned in the post).
That aside, what if you're curious about the basic layout, or perhaps where you're reserved seat might be, or which cars have the unreserved or reserved seats?
Some of you might think, "why would I care? I'll sit anywhere, no problem." If that's the case, don't even worry about checking out the link, but for those of you who might be like me, even a little, you might want to read a recent post I wrote on The Japan Daily Press on how to find JR express train layout charts.
Knowing how to do this comes in handy on most trips I plan that involve JR express trains. And the websites I found are pretty cool, too (mentioned in the post).
5.20.2012
45 Japan Links and Tips to Check Out From the Past 2 Weeks - May 20
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| Wisteria and a bee at the Wisteria Festival in Fujieda, Shizuoka |
There has been a lot of information the past two weeks, so much so that I've hardly been able to share everything via Twitter or Facebook worth sharing. So today we've got 45(!) links, tips, and news about Japan. Everything from where Japan ranks as a place to be a mom; to where to find Reese's peanut butter cups in Japan; J.Crew offering free shipping to JAPAN; how to prepare to leave Japan; a guide to those crazy icons (kaomoji) that are sometimes difficult to understand; a fabulous self-cleaning, tankless toilet; Tokyu Hands now has a cafe; rainy season activities in Japan; and relevant, informative news.
Enjoy!
Living in Japan
The Lord Of Umbrellas. One かさ to rule them all. 晴雨兼用傘 (Dual Use Umbrellas A Must For The Rainy Season) (Japan Subculture Research Center) - Sun or rain, an umbrella comes in very handy.
Among developed countries, Japan ranks 30 out of the best places to be a mom, but third for the children's index, according to Save the Children.
You may have heard, already, but Reese's peanut butter cups can be found at Seiyu. They also have an online store, but you have to register to use it, and it seems that you can only register if you live in certain areas. For some reason, my neighborhood isn't on their list, so I can't register with my real address. You can also find Reese's pieces here.
Nishimatsuya (西松屋), a popular baby store chain, carries the Cherokee brand (USA) as of January this year. (Americans, you might know Cherokee from Target, etc.) Some cute, extremely cheap baby clothes.
Attention J.Crew fans! Free shipping to Japan, free returns and duty-free shopping through May 30 - no code required.
'Population clock' forecasts no children after year 3011 (Japan Times) - If things continue at the rate they've been going, that is. Hopefully policy (and systemic) changes will be made in the coming years to address this.
Declining Birthrate Changing Japan’s Schools (Nippon.com) - Did you know that, because of the birthrate, schools are closing at a rate of 400-500 a year?
Steep rise in expressway tolls likely as funds run out ahead of schedule (Japan Times) - If you enjoy the current discounts, you might want to know that it's possible they could disappear in the future.
Softbank develops blimps for floating emergency cell towers (The Japan Daily Press)
If you're planning to leave Japan anytime soon, you might want to check out The Stress Free Guide to Leaving Japan - updated for 2012-2013 - for some useful information and checklists as you prepare to leave.
Japanese Font With Stroke Order (Asiajin) - This particular font lists small numbers next to each stroke so you can see the stroke order.
Remember that tornado that spun its way through Ibaraki earlier this month, causing a lot of damage and actually injuring several, killing one? @BleuDressNJapan shared this video of it:
And speaking of tornadoes, the accuracy rate for tornado predictions lower than 10% (Japan Times)
Smartphones
SoftBank And PayPal Join Forces In Japan For Smartphone Payment Solution (Asiajin)
If you've ever wondered what exactly all those faces mean, you might want to check out this Visual guide to Japanese kaomoji (emoticons) (JapanSugoi)
KDDI offers movie and TV show streaming to smartphones (The Japan Daily Press)
Fujitsu phone tool to scan skin tone (Japan Times) - I'm wondering just how effective this might be...
Setsuden
This Automatic Door Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Electricity! (RocketNews24)
Toto Unveils Tankless Toilet that Saves Water, Power and Cleans Itself (Japan for Sustainability) - I want this toilet.
Power-saving looms again for this summer (Japan Times)
Aeon supermarkets to open earlier (Japan Times) - Aeon stores are taking advantage of the early morning hours to save electricity and allow folks to get their shopping done while it's cooler outside.
High-tech
Toyama to plant first pollen-free cedar in fall (Japan Times)
AOKI Releases Business Suits for Bicycle Commuters (Japan for Sustainability) - Seems like a cool idea to me; would you wear something like this?
Pioneer reveals new windshield display navigation system (The Japan Daily Press) - Like something out of a video game...
Food
Nikujaga Recipe (No Recipes) - One of my favorites!
Did you know that Tokyu Hands now has a cafe? Only in two stores (Shibuya and Umeda), but it looks pretty good! (Tokyo Eats)
Small fry spawn big dreams (Japan Times) - A fascinating history of salmon in Japan.
Breeding Bluefin Tuna in captivity: A recipe for success? (Ethical Nippon) - Given that Japan could very well eat the Bluefin Tuna to extinction, what do you think?
Travel and Recreation
Luxury restrooms – you’ll want to visit Shibuya Hikarie just to use the ladies’ room! (RocketNews24) - I love me a nice restroom.
JAL builds a social media campaign, one block at a time (Japan Pulse) - If you're looking for a chance to win air miles or a pair of tickets between Tokyo and Boston, check this out.
Lots of airlines launching new services: Peach is now connected to South Korea via Osaka (Japan Times); Hawaiian Airlines will start flying to Sapporo (Japan Today); and China Airlines introduces three new services from Taipei to Kagoshima, Shizuoka and Toyama (Japan Daily Press). On top of that, ANA is now more popular than JAL when counting passengers, and a new runway has been approved for Naha (Okinawa).
Also, you might want to check out The Best and Worst Airlines for Redeeming Rewards Miles (Lifehacker).
Universal Studios Japan to get Harry Potter attraction (The Japan Daily Press) - I'm sure kiddies, and adults, are excited about this one.
This presentation goes into some pretty average, run-of-the-mill Japan travel tips, but aside that, it's surprisingly fun and well-designed:
Travel Tips Learned from Japan! - EP
Here are some things to consider when riding a long-distance bus in Japan, after the awful tour bus crash that occurred during Golden Week. (Japan Times)
Will you be in Japan during the rainy season this year, and not sure what to do, especially if the weather refuses to cooperate? Check out Exploring Japan: Rainy Season Activities for some ideas (by yours truly). (Japan Daily Press)Here are some things to consider when riding a long-distance bus in Japan, after the awful tour bus crash that occurred during Golden Week. (Japan Times)
Fukushima Nuclear Crisis/Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami
Japan nuke-free for first time since '70 (Japan Times)
'Hot spots' detected at 20 schools [in Fukushima] (Japan Times)
Most willing to accept disaster debris (Japan Times)
Cesium spikes in Tokyo Bay samples (Japan Times)
NISA, Tepco knew in '06 of Fukushima tsunami threat (Japan Times)
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