Shop & Serve

Hamley`s entertainment toy store is a fantastic spot to spend a couple hours. Hamleys is the oldest and largest toy shop in the world. It is named after William Hamley, who founded a toy shop called “Noah’s Ark” in London in 1760. Currently, Hamleys operates over 110 stores all over the …

domodomo Japan has launched a line of iconic graphic t-shirts that show what we as moms love about Japan. domodomo is an exclusive collaborative between Best Living Japan and graphic designer Ilana Dashe. No more tacky t-shirts from Japan – these make great gifts for family and friends in Japan …

Fukubukuro Lucky Bags in Japan – 10 Tips for Smooth Shopping What are Fukubukuro? Since its inception in the early 20th century, fukubukuro have become synonymous with New Year’s in Japan. Originally intended as a means for shops to sell off excess inventory, these lucky bags typically contain merchandise sold …

Here are our top 10 gifts from Japan to give your friends and family. Although I love Japanese senbei (rice crackers), wagashi (Japanese sweets), Matcha and Origami I know my family and friends do not want to receive those items for their holiday gifts anymore. The gifts below are all …

If you are looking for a birthday present, holiday gift or a fun travel memorabilia check out our recommended Top 10 Tokyo Toy Stores. Although you can buy almost all of the toys on the market from Amazon.co.jp, there is still something fun about checking out the latest and greatest …

Avoid the long lines at the department store fitting room and cashier, out of stock sizes and colors, kids tantrums, etc with Prime Wardrobe Japan. Prime Wardrobe is a Prime-exclusive program where you can try before you buy “at home”. HOW IT WORKS Fill your Prime Wardrobe Cart with 3 or more …

Sharing our top 10+ Tokyo shops for Japanese gifts! If you are looking for that something special for friends in town or overseas? Some of my favourite gifts to bring overseas are hanging fabrics (tengui), calendars, chopsticks, items made from metal or washi paper. Local gift favorites are pottery, glass and …

As moms of six kids, we often get asked about great gifts for Baby. Zero to nine-month babies are typically non-mobile but are highly stimulated by high-contrast colours, sound and motion. Also by nine months many become solid sitters and crawlers. You do not need to invest in a lot …

10 Best Hand Creams for Winter in Japan In case you haven’t noticed, winter is coming. You’re probably already taken out your coats, hats, gloves, and other accessories to protect yourself from the harsh weather, but what about your skin? Dropping temperatures create the perfect environment for one of winter’s …

Squishies スクイーズ are the trend right now in Japan for kids! You can’t walk anywhere in Shibuya or Harajuku and not see Squishies for sale in all the Tokyo kids and teen shops. Squishies can run anywhere from a few hundred yen to thousands of yen. So was so psyched …

Journal Standard Square located between Meiji Jingu and Shibuya stations is one of the best Tokyo one-stop shopping locations for Japanese home accessories and kitchenware.  If you are trying to minimize your belongings, do not step in this store!! Every item for sale is beautiful and a “must have” from …

Dirty Dishes is well known amongst the Tokyo & Yokohama expat community as the “Best” place to stock up on Japanese tableware. Dirty Dishes is a family owned dish trading company actually called Okuno Shokai located in a  sleepy residential area of Kawasaki, Kanagawa-ken. If you have a car and …

Another great spot for Pokemon lovers in Tokyo – The Pokemon Cafe and Center Store. Pokemon Center Tokyo DX opened their cafe and center store earlier this year on the 5th floor of the Takashimaya Department store in Nihonbashi. They offer adorable Pokemon character themed drinks and dishes, exclusive merchandise and …

F&F is a natural food store with 15 locations in Tokyo and 2 in Kanagawa. They carry fresh, pesticide-free vegetables, quality Japanese rice, super foods like Hemp & Chia seeds, additive-free seasonings, homemade lunch boxes and breads, household items and organic baby food, snacks and rice cereal. F&F receives their produce direct …

Tomica (トミカ) is the line of die-cast toy vehicles produced since 1970 by Takara Tomy Co. of Japan. It`s a favorite in our home and among boys in Japan two to seven years of age. You can find Tomica products in toys stores around Japan but if you`re looking for limited …

The 10 Best Gifts From Japan For Babies And Toddlers Holiday season nearly always means travel. Whether you’re traveling to catch up with friends and family or heading home after your Japan adventure, you probably have a souvenir list that needs to be completed. In today’s post, we’ll take a …

*** 2019 UPDATE: The Pokemon Center Mega moved to the 8th Floor in the Marui next to Sogo at Yokohama Station.*** If your child is a Pokemon fan we recommend a quick trip to Landmark Tower in Yokohama. Although the store is a smaller version of the Pokemon Center Mega …

10 Best Baby And Toddler Items For 100 Yen When you have little ones, it’s strange how things just seem to disappear!  Sure, you can get baby and toddler goods online or at retailers like Akachan Honpo, but not to be overlooked is the 100 yen shop. Japan’s 100 yen …

So if you have been in Tokyo for more than a few seasons and love clothes than you are probably ready and wondering how to donate or sell used clothes in Tokyo.  Watch my video on youtube to see how my clothes purge went. To get motivated, I read the …

Looking for some great deals on adult and kids clothing and other home items in Tokyo? Then do not miss the annual Nearly New Sale happening tomorrow at the Tokyo American Club.  This popular event is open to the public. The Nearly New Sale (flea market) is Tuesday, May 22nd …

10 Best Japanese Items For A Toddler My daughter just turned 15 months old not too long ago, and it’s still a shock having a “toddler” in my care. Luckily for me, my sister-in-law, who is a mom of 2, has been there to help me on my journey. She’s …

Buying a First Balance Bike for Your Child? Is your child ready for his or her first bicycle? Get your child riding confidently and safely with the right two-wheeler. There are a number of different features on balance bikes to consider; weight, size, tire type, and brakes. We listed the top 5 bikes foreign mothers purchased, …

10 Baby Proofing Items You Need In Your Japanese Home We love to watch our babies grow and explore their surroundings, but we don’t often realize what’s dangerous until they’ve gotten their little hands and months on something! Baby proofing items are called itazura boushi guzzu (イタズラ防止グッズ) and you can …

If you have curious kids who love bugs then tell them to stay away from this one, the hairy caterpillar/kemushi. Take care to avoid these “hairy” caterpillars as they have developed hairs or sharp spines that are capable of transmitting various toxins causing inflammation and hives on the skin. In most cases direct …

D2 Home Center is one of my favorite places to shop in Tokyo. Everything you need for apartment living. Great if you are spring cleaning and need boxes, cleaning products or organizational plastic storage boxes. If you are ready to start a flower or vegetable veranda garden D2 home center …