Japanese products you didn’t know you needed

Last month, I wrote a column to recommend the best places to visit in Tokyo, but you don’t have to travel all the way to Japan to experience some of what my country has to offer. 

Japan is also known for its unique manufacturing. Here’s a short list of some of the Japanese products I would recommend checking out. 

• Clothes

Japanese clothing brands are getting more and more attention from people around the world because of their high-quality production and unique style. From fast fashion to high fashion, there are various popular brands. 

UNIQLO is one of Japan’s most famous clothing brands that has been loved for a long time by many people regardless of age and gender, and it has become globally recognized lately. The main reason why people like this brand is that their products are high-quality and reasonable. You can get all the well-designed clothes for an affordable price – a top for $10 to $30  and bottoms for $20 to $60. They have 45 physical stores and an online store in the U.S. so you can easily access them. 

• Snacks

Japanese snacks are amazing! American snacks have never disappointed me, but it is true that they can be bad for your body. The portion sizes are huge! 

Japanese snacks would be the best option for those of you, like myself, who want to enjoy tasty snacks while staying healthy. 

To mention a few of the famous ones, I am sure you will like Pocky – a biscuit stick with chocolate on it. Or try Pie no Mi – a mini pie with chocolate in it. 

These would be a perfect quick snack as they are sweet, crunchy, and sold in a box that is small enough to keep in your bag. 

Sadly, Japanese snacks are hard to get here in Helena, but you might be able to see any of them when you get a chance to go to the Asian supermarkets. 

• Stationery

One more Japanese product you must try is stationery. I guarantee your quality of college student life would improve so much if you had some Japanese stationery in your pen case or on your desk. 

The reason why people love Japanese stationery is because of its quality and well-designed production. A brand called Muji has especially unique stationery even compared to the famous brands. 

Their brand name came from the Japanese word ‘mujirushi ryouhin’ which means “no brand, good quality.” Its products are all simple and high-quality, and so are the stationeries they have. Like UNIQLO, Muji also has 18 physical stores and an online store.

Japan and the U.S. are not really close enough for a quick visit, but you can easily access the products I mentioned while living stateside. If you are interested, go check it out and try some!

Rin Yanase was raised in Tokyo, Japan. She attends Seikei University in Musashino, Japan, where she studies cross-cultural studies. She is spending the 2022-2023 school year at Carroll to study languages, communications, and sociology. She dreams of a career where she writes articles and columns about cultures, music, fashion, or art.