Shopping trip from Shijiazhuang to Japan

The long-awaited trip to Japan has finally begun. I signed up and set off from Beijing. This time I went to Japan mainly for shopping, haha, and it was during the discount season. This is really a very satisfying purchase. So I wrote down this shopping trip from Shijiazhuang to Japan. I signed up and got my visa in half a month. Everything went smoothly. Let’s talk about my itinerary in detail below. Endless waiting is painful, but endless waiting is also the beginning of happiness! The trip was booked a month ago, but as time went by and the last few days of departure, the initial excitement had completely disappeared. The shopping list has not been made, and the itinerary has not been changed. I had to get up at 5 o'clock to catch the airport line. I couldn't sleep for long, so I had to make up for it in the car and on the plane. I set three alarms to wake myself up. Due to errors, they were not spoken at the same time. The busy one got dressed and took a shower. He brought a printed itinerary and a shopping list map, dragging a big empty suitcase with an empty head. Waving and trotting, we caught up with the airport line that had started. The driver was very nice and stopped to let us get in the car. It is estimated that he will not do this during the day. I couldn't sleep even while sitting in the car. On the way to the car, several stewardesses were waiting. They seem to have work passes and can take the airport line for free. In the instructions sent to the tour group, the name of the tour leader seemed to be male, but it turned out to be female, and I didn’t know if it was her. Anyway, it doesn’t make much difference whether there is a leader or not. This leader is great, especially for such a free trip. A leader’s job is to play along. Later, I learned that the leader was going to Hokkaido next, and I was really envious. I checked my luggage and then the tour guide asked us to line up to go to the customs entrance. Strange eyes came to me. I haven't done anything like this in many years. At the customs entrance, the tour guide gave me a 50% off coupon for the day. I didn't see anything during the day. Many people went out to buy cosmetics. Maybe there are not too many people on the morning flight, and there are few people buying cigarettes. Some people say that cigarettes are cheap here and no one wants to give them away. This time, there is one. The 55 yuan low-foot double happiness that my friend wanted to bring has been sold out. I wonder if there will be any left when I get back. From this time until the day I came back, I was impressed by the spending power of the Chinese people every day. Not long after I sat in my seat, the China Eastern Airlines flight took off on time! Check the itinerary and eat something on the plane. There is nothing good to eat on the plane. During this period, I fell into a deep sleep, even though I was sitting in the noisiest place closest to the wing because I got up too early. From the plane, you can see the sea, farmland, highways, and the airport right in front of you. On the plane, my friend and I discussed that the farmland in Japan looks cleaner and tidier than that in China. The sky in Japan is very blue, the air quality is very good, and the visibility from the plane is very high. Finally, I set foot on the ground! After getting off the plane, you don't have to walk far to go through customs. You wait in line to go through customs. As mentioned on the Internet, there are many people from Taiwan Province who have green Republic of China passports. Based on the fingerprints, I took a photo and passed quickly. When we arrived at the luggage area, we took the luggage cart and walked around. My friend actually had to go to the bathroom. God, this time. I went to the toilet with him. I left the car behind to pee while he went to the bathroom. After I came out, I found a place to put the cosmetics I bought in Japan into a box. I bought a bottle of Colbis for 147 yen at a convenience store, and when I entered Japan I couldn’t help but start spending money! This is my friend's favorite drink and tastes better than at home. When we arrived in the downtown area, we actually realized that unlike us, things at our airport and train station are 50% more expensive than in the downtown area, and the same goods sold in all convenience stores have the same price. When I boarded the land agency bus, I couldn't believe I had arrived in Japan. Only the occasional passing of other cars reminds me that this is true.

As soon as the tour guide got on the bus, he distributed mineral springs to everyone, saying that they were sent by a Japanese travel agency. After waiting for a while, the tour guide picked up the microphone and said that the team member had forgotten the ring in the airplane bathroom. It was an interesting experience and the group was really troubled. Today, I arrived in Tokyo. It's very warm in winter, so comfortable. But it looks like there will be light rain on Monday. Along the way, the tour guide introduced Japan's national conditions, geography, weather conditions, why the sun flag is needed, etc. What I particularly agree with is the difference in group consciousness between Japanese and Chinese: Japanese and Chinese alone are definitely stronger; but as a group, the Chinese cannot compete with the Japanese. Narita Airport is about an hour away from Tokyo. Seeing that many independent Taiwanese people spent a lot of money on this trip, I think it is worth signing up for this tour.

Because this group is a self-guided tour, the tour guide asked everyone if they wanted to go at their own expense. One day, they went to the discount store of Mount Fuji and Imperial Palace, and the discount was less than 1,000 yuan. When the tour guide said they were going, they raised their hands. A woman raised her hand and said that it was not that cheap to go by herself. Then her whole family raised their hands and a few more were added. In the end, however, there was only one adult. She and the tour guide suggested that two children with different original charges be considered adults. "He turns out to be a rich man!" I thought to myself. The car was going very fast. At about 2:30 in the afternoon, the tour guide said that Ginza was coming soon. We can arrange 2 hours of shopping time here so that we can eat or shop by ourselves. Fortunately, I didn’t feel hungry, I mainly went shopping. Ginza will not be passed by in the next few days. I have to buy MIKIMOTO and Burberry handkerchiefs quickly. The tour guide took us to the prominent Burberry flagship store in Ginza, the entire building. Although the entire street is filled with independent shops or shopping malls, there are no gaps, one is placed one next to the other. It's the Swarovski store opposite. The appearance is really beautiful, but I didn’t go without thinking about buying this. BURBERRY has a small storefront, and there are no other conspicuous shops nearby, so it looks very cold. Pushing open the heavy door, I remembered that there was a travel report on the Internet saying that the Black Label was on the B1 floor, so I went straight downstairs. They were all girls' bags. I thought the eye-catching handkerchief souvenir was also on this floor, so I didn’t even look at the handkerchief. Downstairs, there are Burberry London, Burberry Blue Label, and Burberry Black Label. The black label bag costs about 2,000 yuan. There is a classic plaid black one that looks great, but I originally bought it as a bag. Just think about it, there are a lot of packages. Anyway, there are still a few days left for shopping. Walk along the left and plan on the other side when you come back. Along the way, I passed by Good People’s Bread. This shop is not big and full of people. There were many people standing at the door, just selling bread and cakes. I didn't expect the business to be so good, and this store is said to be an old one. Think about it, the business of 85 Degrees C store was booming when it opened, but it became deserted after a long time. I saw a sign at the door advertising a donut-like tangzhong bun. I don’t know if it’s a special offer or a sale. The price is not cheap. I bought two red beans and two cherry blossoms, one for each bite. He left not long ago. When I saw the newly opened AF flagship store in the United States, I could hear high-decibel music at the door. Someone said this store looks like a nightclub rather than a clothing store, so I had to check it out. When he opened the door, he saw a shirtless male model with a good figure dangling in the doorway wearing jeans. With this attitude, if the store were to be opened in the mainland, it would be really terrible. The store is not big, but it has 45 floors and is surrounded by religious murals. The lights are dim and the music is high. Although the employees in the store were all dressed in uniform, they were swaying to the music, and it didn't feel like a serious commercial store. MIKOMOTO is Ginza's top priority. The facade is not big, but there is a Japanese garden bonsai at the door, and many people take pictures inside. I wasted no time and went straight into the store. I don’t know why that store looks so intimidating.

The first level is a series of precious metals, diamonds and pearls. When I ran to the third floor, I didn't see any pearls. They were all big pearl necklaces, and the prices were astonishingly high. The clerk took us down to the first floor again. When entering the elevator, the saleswoman had to let us go first. When she got to the counter, she picked one, which cost about 30,000 yen. She turned around and grabbed a few more, showed us the price list, and then pointed to another number on the price list. She also said they were pink, white, and gray, so she picked a medium pink one and asked me to sit at the door and wait. Here, you can claim your tax refund directly with your passport. Next, I walked forward and saw the SHISEDO building, Mitsukoshi and Lu, which is diagonally opposite. Then, the most lively place is Shidingmu, which is the annex of Mitsukoshi and Matsuzaka. During this time I also saw Muji which is a must visit in Japan but it is across the road so I will visit later. After four out of ten, the front is relatively deserted, and like eight out of ten, the front is elevated. After crossing the road, I turned back to the other side and went there for the third time. As soon as you walk in, you feel like New World has a special offer. I just jumped in. It took me a long time to select, mainly handwritten letters, not much. I also bought Celine’s for myself. At first, I had no idea how to get my tax refund. After it turned out to be 10,500 yen including tax, some netizens did not say that they bought it for 10,000 yen. Maybe they were talking about the price excluding tax. The clerk saw that the time was wrong when he was packing. When the meeting time came, he ran to the second floor to get his tax refund. When he saw the black label of COMME DES GARCONS at the elevator entrance on the second floor, he got his tax refund. When he arrived at the meeting point, it was exactly 4:30, and he met the group leader and tour guide.

The traffic was jammed on the elevated road, passing the subway Ginza Station and the Imperial Palace. The tour guide probably introduced something in the car, and I killed two buns at Kimura’s house. It's dark, and it feels like shopping malls in Japan are all neon lights, and the lights in other non-commercial streets are all yellow, which feels very comfortable. Not long after, the tour guide started talking about the hotel. The hotel's facade is very hidden, under a row of ceilings, and it's not very grand. Drivers helped move boxes. When the hotel attendant saw the travel agency's car, he pushed a platform car and agreed to meet at 9:30 a.m. on the last day. I took the room key and breakfast coupon and it was gone. I thought I had to take care of breakfast myself to save money. The room is super small and the bed is super small. This is a true single bed. I remember sleeping alone in a king-size bed with an identical single bed that was empty in Hong Kong. That's when I realized how wasteful I was. The bathroom is still intact, but it is said to be a shelter in case of an earthquake. Just sleep anyway. After a little preparation, I went looking for food near Ikebukuro. In the car, the tour guide roughly told me how to get to Ikebukuro Station, but in fact he had no idea at all. Passing by the Sunshine City Shopping Mall nearby, I don’t know if it’s because it matches the Japanese atmosphere. I passed by a Lawson and FamilyMart, and passed by an elevated, enclosed area of ??snack bars and izakayas. I followed the direction where there were many pedestrians and saw a Tokyo store, KITTY store, and people queuing up. Very lively. I remember the tour guide said that the next few days will be three consecutive holidays, but I forgot what they were. Walking out of this commercial center, you can see Ikebukuro Seibu Department Store and Proco, as well as large cameras 5 or 6 stories high. Anyway, I just walk around alone and don’t know what to eat. I started visiting Seibu Department Store. If others are not good, I can go wherever I want. The Seibu is quite large and has a straight floor, so I just walk back and forth from left to right without missing anything. Burberry Black Label is also available here, as well as some popular Japanese brands, and many BIGI Baba Baba. When I saw the word LOFT near the stairs, I remembered seeing that this was a highly recommended large grocery store. , I discovered the signature yellow background LOGO. As expected, there were many varieties, so I didn’t buy anything. Unexpectedly, I went downstairs and found the Muji store here, so I found it quickly. Maybe I didn’t notice the pattern when I first came here, and I didn’t find it on the shopping guide map in the mall. The inexplicable MUJI product is right in front of you.

Take the basket and start picking immediately. Food is a must. I only buy what I want to eat now because I will definitely go to Muji in the next few days and then I will start looking at clothes. Clothes are on sale. I can’t believe it’s 30% off. After all, it’s less than 200 yuan. Unfortunately, it only came in size M, so I worked up the courage to ask the clerk if it came in size S, which turned out to be the smallest. I know I've never been able to visit this store since then, and other stores only offer this dress at 50% off. Aren’t the discounts different in every store? Suddenly, I remembered the Muji cosmetics my friend had been dragging me with, so I took out my shopping list and went to the cosmetics counter. It was easy to find, and I also found a scented humidifier sold in Japan. It is an upgraded version I bought last year and can be used continuously for 3 hours. Until then, I had never seen this popular CD player. Before I knew it, I walked to the B1 food floor of Seibu Department Store, which was very popular. There is still a queue for a certain brand of cakes, and I have been on the B1 floor for a long time not knowing what to buy. There are more choices than at home, and I accidentally saw a long line of cakes at the counter, as well as my favorite strawberries. When the customer checks out, the clerk will run out from the counter, hand the paper bag with both hands, and bow slightly to say goodbye, making people 100% satisfied with the service. It's already past 9 o'clock, and the B1 floor is still packed with people. On the way from the B1 floor to the ground, I was a little surprised to find a LOUIS VUITTON UNDERGRAND store with LV written on it in the subway. The floor is not big. I thought there were some special limited edition products, but when I went in I saw the new 2010 special animal coin purse and the neverfull white checkerboard. But this decoration is very unique. Or a bit crude. They are both counters made of wooden slats. They're so simple and so fun to pair with luxury items. I don’t know if this is a pop-store, but it seems to be the only big-name specialty store I’ve seen in Ikebukuro! The journey back to the hotel is almost the same. I went back to the hotel, took a shower, and pretty much walked throughout the afternoon and into the evening. I specially bought bath salts for bathing in the MUJI store and enjoyed them very much. I also eliminated sushi and cakes beautifully. The sushi is really delicious, it tastes sweet and delicious.

Because conger eels are expensive, we don’t see so many in Shanghai. It’s really satisfying to be able to enjoy such delicious food on my first day in Japan! The two cakes taste average, but the strawberries are huge and the chocolate tastes quite mellow. I don't think it's anything special. Today's schedule is full, so I don't get up until about 9 o'clock. I walked slowly to the restaurant in the corner of the first floor. The restaurant was not very big, but because there were not many people, I took fried sausages, scrambled eggs, cold ham, porridge, and added some plum meat. Then I saw a large bowl of yogurt with sugar and fruit added by myself. As a result, my friends laughed at me because I had never drank yogurt. After dinner, I went back to my room, gave my friend today’s gift and important shopping list, and set off. Last night, I walked to the subway in the opposite direction to me, and my friend turned on the GPS positioning. As I was crossing the road, I heard a crow cawing. In many shows, I can learn that Japan has a special affection for crows. I asked my friend, this seems to be a cock crow. Although my friend also knew about the crows in Tokyo, his answer still surprised me. He said: "This is a reminder to change the traffic light." I believe it. Japan's subways are so developed that there is no need for a car in Tokyo. Take the Yamanote Line to Harajuku Station, passing by Shinjuku, next to Tokyo Station. There are probably 5 to 6 lines gathered here. From the open door, you can see the vastness of this station, and it feels like there are so many tracks that it almost catches up with Shanghai Station. The first stop today is Meiji Jingu Shrine, where many people come to worship. Get off at the special Japanese retro station in Harajuku. There is an obvious sign to Meiji Jingu Shrine after exiting the station, which is easy to find.

After leaving the station, opposite is the largest gap in Harajuku. At the corner is Meiji Jingu Shrine, with a large torii gate at the entrance. The origin of the torii gate also comes from a Japanese fairy tale, with a golden sign on it and a small house next to it. I saw that many people would prepare some prayer props and throw them in. There was a bow and arrow with a lot of paper ribbons tied to it, as well as special icons. You can't throw anything in there. The Japanese are very careful in what they do. Stepping into the torii gate, the dividing line between the divine world and the human world, many people bow to the torii gate when entering or exiting. From time to time you can see couples wearing traditional wedding kimonos walking around the shrine. I don’t know exactly why I left or how, but as soon as a new person comes out, the cameras around me start to flash. That beautiful kimono was so dazzling that the kimonos of the female wedding guests competed with each other. Japan’s national customs are really well preserved! After coming out of the shrine, a friend happened to ask me to bring him some Japanese GF gifts, such as beef jerky, clothes, etc. I met him at Harajuku Station. I have been in Japan for half a year and I don’t even know about Bazun. Alas~ A child from a rich family. There is a newly opened GAP flagship store opposite Harajuku Station. Unexpectedly, a super cheap velvet jacket costs more than 300 yuan after discount. The original price was 1,000 yuan, so I immediately asked my friends to grab it. The styles of GAP and Uniqlo are quite similar, but more American. The next stop is Takeshita Pass, which is actually diagonally opposite Harajuku Station and on the same side as GAP. There is a small road with a Yoshinoya at the entrance. My friend and I didn't go directly to the road, but walked a little further. In fact, we are not sure whether this is the one from Takeshita. My friend took out the GPS and tortured me every day. I was guided to the second floor by a Japanese man wearing an orange bib at the door, and I saw everyone inside looking at us. I'm wondering if I have to enter the restaurant from the first floor to go up to the second floor. We took the opportunity to enter the store and found that we needed to press a button on the door to open it. This automatic door is really embarrassing. After arriving, the clerk brought two plastic menu cards, which were similar to the dishes here, and ordered the most famous beef set meal. Because we still have a long way to go, we can’t delay eating for too long. Zhuxiatong is a long path with shops of various colors on both sides. There is a 100-yen store in front of Harajuku, with a lot of miscellaneous items. I picked out some toothbrushes and my friend picked out dental floss. Hey~ I bought some snacks and drinks by the way. In fact, the products in 100 yen stores are not necessarily 100 yen or the cheapest place, because I also found the same drink for 97 yen when I was in a drug store. After visiting these attractions, it’s time to return. The renminbi in your pocket and the numbers in your card cannot withstand the torment. Shopping in Japan is just like Taobao, it really feels like shopping. I bought a lot of things and spent a lot of money without realizing it. This shopping trip was even better than going to Hong Kong, and I admire myself very much. I ended my free trip to Japan and returned to Shijiazhuang with a full load of goods. It’s really not easy to check back!