Japanese 100-yen shop items are popular among foreigners because they offer high-quality products at reasonable prices. In famous tourist spots in Japan such as Osaka and Kyoto in Kansai, there are various 100-yen shops like Daiso and Can★Do, catering to both domestic and international visitors.
Foreigners often look for cute Japanese souvenirs at affordable prices to enjoy their sightseeing and gourmet experiences in Osaka and Kyoto.
When purchasing souvenirs at Japanese 100-yen shops, you can choose from a variety of inexpensive and cute accessories. In this article, we will introduce recommended 100-yen shop items for foreigners.
If you are planning a trip to Kyoto or Osaka, be sure to check out the nearby 100-yen shops for some great finds.
Introducing Recommended 100-Yen Shop Items for Foreigners
Food (Snacks)
Recommended snacks at Japanese 100-yen shops for foreigners include snacks made in Japan and unique Japanese products such as:
・Peeled Sweet Chestnuts
・Matcha-flavored snacks
・Wasabi
・Furikake (rice seasoning)
Peeled sweet chestnuts are slightly sweet and are roasted with their skins peeled off. They are known for their cost-effectiveness in bulk sizes. Some products use chestnuts from organic cultivation and are free from preservatives, colorings, and sweeteners.
Matcha-flavored snacks like Matcha Latte Oreo Bits Sandwiches and Matcha Collon are popular choices. Matcha Latte Oreo Bits Sand features a smaller, slightly bitter Oreo with milky matcha cream sandwiched inside. Matcha Colon contains a fluffy and sweet matcha cream filling.
Additionally, wasabi sold in tube packaging and furikake, which can be sprinkled over cooked rice to enhance its flavor, are also recommended for their convenience in seasoning dishes.
Note: Product names like “Oreo Bits Sand” and “Matcha Colon” are transliterated from Japanese and may differ in actual English marketing.
Japanese Miscellaneous Goods
100-yen shops have a section dedicated to Japanese miscellaneous goods, featuring items with Japanese patterns, as well as products with themes like ninjas or traditional kimono-clad dolls, which are popular among foreigners.
Among them, five items are particularly popular with foreigners:
・Ballpoint pens
・Drawstring pouches (Kinchaku-bukuro)
・Paper lanterns (Chochin)
・Folding fans (Sensu)
・Chiyogami paper (Chiyogami)
Ballpoint pens with motifs such as smiling kokeshi dolls or sushi are especially popular, offering more than just a regular pen. Some pens are available in four different colors, and they are often purchased as souvenirs.
Drawstring pouches (Kinchaku-bukuro) with designs emphasizing goldfish or traditional Japanese patterns are recommended. Additionally, not only drawstring pouches but also clasp purses (Gamaguchi) with Japanese patterns are popular among women.
Paper lanterns (Chochin) are items made of Japanese paper and are sold with LED lights. Also, folding fans (Sensu) featuring modern Ukiyo-e designs from the Edo period are popular choices.
Chiyogami paper (Chiyogami) comes in an assortment of traditional Japanese patterns, known as Yuzen Chiyogami Assortment, which are square papers with rare designs that are appealing to foreigners.
Kitchen Utensils and Tableware
Japan-original convenient kitchen utensils and tableware sold at 100-yen shops are also recommended for foreigners.
Three particularly popular kitchen utensils are:
・Onsen Tamago Maker (Hot Spring Egg Maker)
・Daikon Oroshi Nyan (Grated Daikon Cat)
・Tokitama Master (Egg-Beater Expert)
The Onsen Tamago Maker, which easily creates hot spring eggs, is popular among foreigners. With its transparent container, you can see the boiling level, and it’s easy to make hot spring eggs by simply pouring hot water. Additionally, items from 100-yen shops for boiling pasta or cooking rice are also recommended.
The Daikon Oroshi Nyan creates a cat-shaped grated daikon when you fill it with grated daikon and squeeze.
The Tokitama Master is an item that creates smooth beaten eggs. It features four holes at the tip, allowing you to easily mix egg yolks and whites smoothly just by shaking lightly.
Regarding tableware, items made of wood or ceramic with traditional Japanese patterns are popular souvenirs among foreigners due to their high quality.
Cosmetic Products
Cosmetic products at 100-yen shops are popular among foreigners because they are affordable and convenient. Two particularly recommended cosmetic products are:
・Foundation Sponge
・Dedicated Puff/Sponge Cleanser
The foundation sponge comes in variations for both liquid foundation and powder foundation.
There is a wide range of shapes available, from the usual round shape to oval and fluffy-feeling puffs. Some shops even offer 3D puffs that are designed to apply foundation whether wet or dry.
Additionally, the dedicated puff/sponge cleanser is popular not only in Japan but also overseas. It helps keep the puffs and sponges used for applying foundation clean and hygienic.
Character Goods
Character goods are popular items at 100-yen shops both domestically and internationally. Here are three representative character types featured on items at 100-yen shops:
・Sanrio
・Disney
・Others (such as Doraemon, Pixar characters, Marvel, SpongeBob, etc.)
For Sanrio characters featured on 100-yen shop items, you can find characters like Cinnamoroll, Pompompurin, Pochacco, Kuromi, and My Melody. The items available for sale include keychains, mascots, clips, plastic cups, stickers, pouches, tote bags, and more.
As for Disney characters, besides Mickey and Minnie, items featuring characters from Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Winnie the Pooh, Alice in Wonderland, and Rapunzel are also sold.
Disney character products include various interior accessories such as tissue covers, storage boxes, room shoes, fabric sprays, and more.
Daily Necessities and Stationery
Finally, I would like to recommend some items from the 100-yen shop, such as daily necessities and stationery. The following items are popular among foreigners as they are used in daily life:
・Laundry hangers
・Towel hangers
・Unique erasers
The popular laundry hanger is the type that comes with many laundry clips. Laundry clips are relatively rare for foreigners, and they allow for hanging a considerable amount of laundry.
The benefit is that even small items like handkerchiefs or socks can be hung. Additionally, towel hangers available at 100-yen shops are also recommended.
There are various types of towel hangers available, including those that allow you to adjust the length of the rod depending on the size of the towel, and those that can be removed from the washing machine with suction cups.
Furthermore, unique erasers are also popular.Erasers shaped like sushi, Japanese sweets, eel rice bowls, cup noodles, and other interesting shapes are lined up as products.
Summary
In this article, we introduced recommended 100-yen shop items for foreigners.
100-yen shops offer not only Japan-original snacks and miscellaneous goods but also cosmetic products, kitchen utensils, character goods, daily necessities, and more, all of which are popular among foreigners.
If you’re looking for affordable and cute souvenirs or convenient goods not found in your home country and want to save on souvenir costs, be sure to stop by the 100-yen shops in Kyoto or Osaka during your Kansai trip and enjoy your visit to the fullest.
