A must-buy for Japan travel and shopping

Going to Japan is definitely indispensable for shopping. Today, as a small New Year greeting, I will talk to you about some shopping strategies. You can pay attention to it when you go and see where and what to buy. Now Let's just go and see. Visa

The visa is located in Beijing. The principle of daily visa is that if you have a house and a car in your name, the approval rate will be very high. When applying, the more real estate licenses and driving licenses, the better. If you don’t have these two, at least you will have a fixed When applying for a job, each applicant also needs to submit bank statements within one year, which is the so-called proof of annual income of more than 100,000 yuan. The above are the procedures required under normal circumstances (to ensure the pass rate and for insurance purposes) It is recommended to apply for a single visa first), and the standards in each consular district may not be exactly the same. Prepare two more 45x45mm white-background visa photos. Just go to the photo studio and ask them to take photos of the date stamp. Because the photo of the date stamp is special and is square, you must explain it to the photo studio. Finally, fill out the application form and you're done. You only need to find a qualified travel agency to apply for a daily visa. Under normal circumstances, a single visa will cost three to five hundred yuan per person, and the visa will be issued within ten days, which is very convenient. Phone card

I bought it on Taobao before I left. The 4G card has no traffic limit and you can choose short-term packages ranging from 5 to 16 days. Since the tourist visa can only stay for 15 days at a time, it is enough. Since phone cards in Japan must be registered with real names to make calls, this card can only access the Internet (in fact, it is more appropriately called an Internet card). After installation, you can simply turn on the phone in Japan and set it up to use it. The signal covers all of Japan, including Okinawa and Hokkaido. Internet speed is average. Personally, I think it is more convenient than renting WiFi. After all, WiFi also needs to be charged.

Regarding accommodation, because we only went to Tokyo and Osaka this time, and we stayed at my brother’s house in Tokyo, we only booked hotels in Osaka, and we booked them from Taobao Fliggy. There is no technical content in this, so we generally skipped it.

As for transportation, my brother helped us buy a pasmo card before we went there. Of course, we can also buy more cost-effective ones such as watermelon cards on Taobao. Transportation in Japan is very convenient, especially the subway. There are many lines but there are no signs. It’s very clear and it’s not easy to make mistakes. For apps, you can download Google

maps and NAVITIME. It’s basically no problem to check routes and rides. It should be noted that NAVITIME only reads Traditional Chinese. When typing, Remember to enable Traditional Chinese input on your keyboard. Shopping

First of all, it is well known that domestic consumption in Japan is subject to a consumption tax of 8%. Anyone with a tourist visa can enjoy tax refund. However, in many large department stores, a tax refund fee of 1.1% is charged, so only 1.1% is actually refunded. 6.9. Another thing to note is that tax refunds are not available for items consumed in Japan, such as food and hotels. Other items such as cosmetics and electrical appliances cannot be unpacked and taken out of Japan according to regulations. If they are dismantled in Japan, they will be Pay consumption tax back (actually it’s okay to dismantle it, haha, don’t ask me how I know), and the amount of tax refund or direct tax exemption is usually more than 5,000 yen, and cosmetics and general commodities are calculated separately, such as CPB If the case and core are sold separately, you need to spend 5,000 yen or more each to get tax refunds separately. If the core is full, only the part of the core will be refunded. In addition, the service industry in Japan is very developed. In order to ensure customers' shopping experience, counter ladies basically provide one-on-one service. Therefore, many counters require queuing up to get a number. When there are many people, it will be a bit slow, so you need to grasp the time reasonably. In addition to the discounts in the mall, holders of UnionPay platinum or diamond cards can also enjoy an additional 93% off, but they must be the same person as the passport holder. Friends with platinum cards can bring them with them. Payment methods: Almost all large shopping malls support bank cards and Alipay. WeChat payment is only available in a few shopping malls and stores. Bank cards mainly include UnionPay

visamaster. Except for UnionPay, you can directly settle RMB against Japanese yen. In addition, visa and master both need to be converted into US dollars and then exchanged against Japanese yen according to the exchange rate, so in comparison, UnionPay is the most cost-effective. For insurance, in addition to UnionPay, I also brought Master

.

It is best to change cash in China, because many Japanese restaurants require payment in Japanese yen and cannot use UnionPay. If you don't have enough cash, you can withdraw Japanese yen using domestic bank cards at 7-11 stores everywhere in Japan, but I actually encountered one that couldn't because it didn't support UnionPay. It is recommended to carry a coin purse with you, one that can hold coins, because the minimum denomination of Japanese yen banknotes is 1,000 yen, so you will get back a lot of small coins, and it is really inconvenient if you don't have one. We didn't bring one, but my brother gave one to me. What I want to say is that it is not cost-effective to exchange Japanese yen in Japan. I exchanged it once in Namba. The handling fee and exchange rate were one level higher than in China. Then when I go shopping, be sure to remember to get the tax refund. I forgot to get the tax refund several times. I just walked out because my mind was so confused when I bought it. Fortunately, the man reminded me that each department store has a dedicated area at the tax refund counter. It is usually easy to find it, but there are exceptions. For example, we were in Shinsaibashi, Osaka. Daimaru Department Store does not handle tax refunds in the north building. You need to go through a pedestrian street some distance away to go to the south building to handle tax refunds, so you must keep the receipts. When I checked in on my return trip, I met a lone female tourist. After chatting with her, she discovered that tax refunds were not available on all her items. The reason was that she thought she needed to go to the airport to apply for tax refunds after purchasing them. This is possible in many countries, including Europe. Yes, but it seems not possible in Japan, so this is worth noting. After purchasing something, be sure to remember to go to the mall or store where you are to get a tax refund to avoid losses.

There are too many department stores in Japan and the brands are so full that many people who have gone shopping can’t tell them apart, so they can only pick out the most important ones to share.

Shinjuku Isetan

After shopping at Ginza Mitsukoshi and Ikebukuro Seibu, I found that Isetan has the lowest price for many things, but this is only true for some products. absolute. Moreover, Isetan has the most Chinese-speaking shopping guides. In Seibu, in addition to the cosmetics counter on the first floor, we also went to Gucci and CHANEL upstairs. We found that there were no Chinese-speaking shopping guides. However, with my English, which I have not passed CET-4, communication seemed to be smooth. No big deal. . . But as the legend says, Japanese people’s English is really difficult to understand. Many times when they speak English, I think they are speaking Japanese. Secondly, Isetan’s tax refund is very convenient. There are tax refund counters on the sixth floor and the first negative floor. , you won’t have to queue for a long time. Because shopping malls in Japan close very early, at 20:00 every day, the tax refund counter will also close at this time, but tax refunds can only be made on the same day, so speed is crucial, especially for those who shop in the afternoon. We experienced a very long queue at the tax refund counter of Daimaru Department Store in Osaka. There were too many people, so if you go to the mall in the afternoon, you must move quickly. If you need to make bulk purchases, you can visit department stores during the day and stay at drugstores at night, because drugstores do not close so early. They are usually available until 21:00 or even 22:00 in the evening. This is purely personal experience.

Gotemba Outlets

We went there the day after we arrived in Tokyo. For the subway, take the JR Gotemba Line. There is a free shuttle bus directly to the outlet when you arrive at the station, so it is convenient. The prices are pretty good. Brands like coach

MK are almost 50% off and then 60 to 30% off. Other than that, some other brands’ styles are very average, because they are outlets and you can’t expect that. There will be new products of the season. But you can still find a lot of classic styles. For example, Celine’s catfish bag, Gucci’s bamboo bag, BV’s woven wallet, etc., all in a wide range of colors. All the shopping guides are very nice, especially at Gucci I met a Japanese SA who speaks Chinese level 10 and has super good skin. After chatting for a few words, she really shocked me when she said that her daughter is about the same age as me

Ikebukuro Seibu

You will see it when you get off the subway at Ikebukuro Station and walk a short distance away. It is easy to find. Because my brother accompanied us when we were in Isetan before, there was no problem with language communication. But on the day he went to Ikebukuro, he went to class (￣_￣)/So as mentioned before, English had no choice but to come online.

Although some cosmetics counters do not have Chinese shopping guides, they do a good job of informing foreign customers. Basically, each counter will have its own brand brochure, indicating the products and prices. Of course, this only works if the goal is clear. Buyers are more useful. If you want to get more product introductions, it is better to do your homework in advance or go to a department store with a Chinese shopping guide.

Ginza Mitsukoshi

In a prime location in Tokyo's Chuo District, it is one of Japan's oldest and most high-end department stores and one of the three world-famous shopping destinations. Its reputation is so great that it doesn't matter whether you buy it or not. This is a landmark department store that you have to visit when shopping (actually a lot). The shopping experience is the same as above. Almost all shopping malls in Japan will allow you to enjoy shopping and feel like God. Ginza is very big, even if you spend a whole day shopping, you may not be able to finish it all. However, many Japanese brands are much more expensive than domestic ones. As we all know, the same things are made in Japan and exported abroad. The ingredients are different, even in duty-free shops. Because duty-free shops are also for foreign tourists, so if you want to buy high-end cosmetics or skin care, it is recommended to go to department stores. Although it is expensive, it is expensive for its own sake. The same is true for me. Said.

Other ones that are out of stock are fine. The only two things that drive me crazy are Shiseido’s pk107. I’ve been to almost every department store and they are sold out

There was also Pola's whitening pills and anti-sugar pills, but they were not available. Later, I ran into a big Pola store on Ginza 1-chome and found out they were in stock. Each person with a tourist visa is limited to purchasing two boxes. It was difficult to buy. If you have babies who want to buy these two kinds of pola, you can go to this store.

The highlight of the fifth day is Odaiba, known as the coastal sub-city of Japan. Our goal is Venus Castle, and we come here entirely because we want to buy something for Ergou. Take the subway Rinkai Line and get off at Tokyo Telecom Station. It's a few minutes' walk away. When you get out of the subway, there's a super big Ferris wheel. The big shopping mall on the right is Venus Castle. A large shopping mall similar to the Venetian, with a theme of medieval European classical street style. The giant sky screen above the head can change the scenery from day to dusk to night. I bought two skirts for my male mother in a bohemian fashion store. After discounts, they were less than 2,000 yuan, which was not very expensive. But cosmetics are much more expensive than those in drug stores, so you need to consider this carefully. There are many pet shops on the first and second floors, with a full range of pet supplies, including LeFon Xi Shi, limited edition Flexi, various pet strollers and travel bags, pet toothbrushes, toothpaste, snacks and toys. The Japanese people's love and importance for pets has really reached a certain level. It's simply a paradise for parents. There are more dazzling dog clothes than there are for people. Unfortunately, many styles are not suitable for Corgis. But I still bought schoolbags, hats, raincoats, various small toys, dog bowls, Flexi, Lefang Xishi and small snacks for Ergou. The third floor is all restaurants. You can go to eat when you are tired of shopping. The funny thing is that we missed the taste of chili and vinegar so much that we went to the Chinese restaurant on the second floor to eat dandan noodles. After shopping for a day, it was already dark when we came out, so we went to sit down. The big observation car next to it (the name is really straightforward and cute) is the Ferris wheel you saw when you left the station. It has a diameter of 100m and has a fully transparent cabin and an ordinary rainbow cabin. In addition to sensory stimulation, the fully transparent cabin has a limited time limit, but the rainbow cabin does not. For a limited time, you can sit for as long as you want. We chose the fully transparent cabin with only four seats. After slowly rising, the entire brightly lit Tokyo is right in front of your eyes. It's super shocking. Haha, you can still see the sea view during the day. Unfortunately, it was already very late and we couldn't see the sea. We only saw a big one on the other side far away. The Ferris wheel, I don’t know if it’s from Disney. . In short, as one of the most famous Ferris wheel and date spots in Japan, and it has also been filmed in many beautiful Japanese dramas, it is recommended.

DisneySea

The world’s first sea-themed Disneyland, which is also available on land in China, so the ocean is well worth a visit. Divided into seven themed harbor areas, the weather was very good on the day we arrived.

It was exhausting to do ten items non-stop all day long, because many FASTPASS tickets were sold out as soon as the park opened, so you had to wait in line for one to two hours for each popular item. Fortunately, I grabbed the FASTPASS for the Ancient Tower of Terror, which is also the jumping machine. It was at seven o'clock in the evening, but it also gave us a big surprise. If you want to play this, I suggest you play it at night. The feeling of having the entire Tokyo night view appear before your eyes in an instant is absolutely shocking. Others like Exploration to the Center of the Earth, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Toy Story, and The Wrathful Gods are all very fun. Some small projects and mermaid performances in the Mermaid Lagoon are more suitable for children to play. (I would say that we two adults almost played it all) The night view at night is very dreamy, there is a fireworks show at 7:30, and the huge "active volcano" in the distance will erupt from time to time. Another interesting thing is to look for popcorn buckets. The popcorn sales points will be marked on the map. Depending on the taste and location, the buckets will also be different Disney cartoon characters. I found my favorite Stitch, who is so cute that I look back. The popularity was so high that when walking on the road, including later on the Shinkansen to Osaka, people kept asking where they bought it, haha.

Osaka, we took the Shinkansen from Shinagawa to Osaka. In fact, travel passes or flights will be cheaper, but the main thing is to experience the Shinkansen, but we are worried about whether we will encounter the Dark Army, haha. (Here should be the Iron Man Train Man.) Osaka lives near Shinsaibashi. There are more drugstores in Shinsaibashi, and the most common ones are still Matsumoto Kiyoshi and Okuni. The overall price will be lower than in Tokyo, but my experience over the past few days tells me that there will be a lot of price difference between each store. I have seen a difference of more than 300 yen for the same sunscreen. . Because the intensity of activities and discounts vary from store to store, you need enough energy to shop around slowly and compare. When you come to Osaka, you must try Crab Doraku. A restaurant that specializes in crab dishes is simply good news for crab lovers. We went to the Dotonbori restaurant in the evening. There are different price ranges available. Dinner is about 6,000-8,000 yen, which is equivalent to about 400 to 500 yuan per person. It includes grilled crab roe, raw crab, cooked crab that can be boiled, and carbonated. Grilled or fried, it tastes great.

What’s interesting is that unlike Tokyo and most other places in Japan, which stand on the left and drive on the right, Osaka, like China, walks on the right and on the left. It is said to be related to the rules left behind by the Osaka Expo that year.

Another unavoidable goal when coming to Japan is electrical appliances. This time, because there were many beauty devices and the like that I wanted to buy for myself and bring to my friends, I also visited many electrical appliance stores, the most important of which was BIC

CAMERA and Yodobashi. In addition to being equipped with a Chinese shopping guide, there will also be a dedicated tax-free bank counter that supports multiple payment methods such as UnionPay and Alipay. Individual products will also have additional discounts. Of course, there will still be a large price difference between each store for the same product. The difference can be as much as RMB 100 or 200. If you want to get the lowest price, you have to go shopping.

Drug and cosmetics store

There are so many products in the drugstore, I just buy every one I see, haha, so I also found a lot of price differences. However, I still want to recommend a few good products to everyone.

The Versailles Mask is a patch-type mask that is really easy to use. It is also the one I buy the most besides Hades and Youtenlan.

Towering rose eye drops are very effective in removing redness and relieving eye fatigue.

Kao steam eye mask can be used in the office, on the plane, before going to bed at night, anytime and anywhere, after applying eye cream The hot steam can help speed up the absorption of nutrients and relieve dark circles and eye bags.

DHC lip balm, an absolute good product that I have been using since school, does not contain any fragrance or coloring, is moisturizing and not greasy

Unicharm 1/2 super water-saving cotton pad, one piece can be divided into two pieces, it is really super water-saving when used on the face, and it is not easy to get lint

Janebo Sunscreen/ Ansun, these two sunscreens have very good reputations. In a sunscreen review post I read recently, these two ranked first and second respectively. They are very effective. Sunscreen is a must-have in summer.

Lion Anti-Acne Cream and Lion Toothpaste, both of which were planted after using them at my brother’s house in Tokyo, I immediately went to a drug store to buy them.

Janebo Enzyme Cleansing Powder is a heavyweight product that ranks No. 1 in the cosme awards. I bought a lot myself and brought a few to my friends. The independent small packaging is very convenient to carry and has strong cleaning power. My face feels smooth after washing~

Shiseido Hair Beauty Serum is a small red jar with light pink paste inside. It can be used in the same way as a hair mask. Every time you use it, your hair will be smooth and smooth. Definitely fall in love the first time. If it weren't for the heavy weight, I would probably carry a dozen back.

The return trip departs from Osaka Kansai Airport in the afternoon. Since the hotel we stayed in checked out at 10:00 am (early enough), we checked out Afterwards, I took the subway to the Rinku City Outlet next to the airport to kill time and eat. I didn’t have much time to go shopping, so I didn’t go shopping seriously. I picked a Coach satchel to take home to my mother. After the discount, it cost more than 3,000 RMB. I bought four genuine Marvel authorized T-shirts for less than 40 RMB each, which was a great deal. Then there is the Kansai Airport duty-free shop before boarding. I made a reservation on the official website of the Kansai Airport Duty Free Shop two days before I left and picked it up at the store. I got an additional 5% discount for booking in advance, and I went to pick it up directly without queuing. However, many things are more expensive than in the city. Mainly If your luggage is overweight and liquids brought by duty-free shops on the plane do not count as weight, you can choose to buy some liquid products at duty-free shops. Others, such as facial masks and cosmeceuticals, are honestly much more expensive than drug stores. It is not recommended to buy them in duty-free shops, and there are so many people queuing up. It only takes about two hours from check-in to boarding. Really Very nervous.