On my 4th day (15th) I went on some quick shopping trips for some key items!
A group of people from Amy's and Zoe's dorm lead by a Japanese student assistant went to go on a shopping trip as many of us still had some important things to buy.
We first went to Picaso to pick up some food.
At Picaso I bought some rice, soy sauce flavoured instant ramen, a frozen pasta meal, some corn soup, corn stew blocks and two other rather interesting items.
One of the interesting items I bought was the cheese curry instant ramen pictured at the top, I had passed up a previous opportunity to buy it at a convenience store and regretted it so I immediately snapped it up and put it in my basket.
One of the interesting items I bought was the cheese curry instant ramen pictured at the top, I had passed up a previous opportunity to buy it at a convenience store and regretted it so I immediately snapped it up and put it in my basket.
The other interesting item is the carton pictured to the right. I was looking for something to drink in the morning and this was in the dairy section and had one of the characters for milk on the box. It was only around 90 yen (about 57p) so I thought I would give the mystery dairy product a go. When I later tried the drink I found out it was a probiotic dairy product that tasted very similar to Yakult, and liking Yakult, I was not disappointed.
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| receipt from Picaso |
Overall the Picaso shop was 2029 yen (just over £12). Which seems expensive for the number of items but given the price of Japanese rice and the amount that I bought I feel that it was a reasonable shop. I'm glad I could get some food necessities in!
Next we went to a Daiso (100 yen store) for some practical goods.
Next we went to a Daiso (100 yen store) for some practical goods.
At Daiso I bought some note books for the impending lessons (I like how even the things at 100 yen stores are cute), some much needed clothes washing powder, spaghetti and sauce, storage boxes for leftovers and a plastic bowl.
The plastic bowl was half necessity and half luxury, I talked myself into thinking that I would need it for hand washing when really I just wanted to use it to soak my poor feet after long days of walking. I have a perfectly good sink in my room with which to wash clothes in but I guess with the bowl I could rinse one and soap one at the same time - so not totally silly!
The plastic bowl was half necessity and half luxury, I talked myself into thinking that I would need it for hand washing when really I just wanted to use it to soak my poor feet after long days of walking. I have a perfectly good sink in my room with which to wash clothes in but I guess with the bowl I could rinse one and soap one at the same time - so not totally silly!
I also bought an umbrella! I haven't had an umbrella since I was a child as I have always felt that they are more trouble than they are worth and that the rain can be endured. However on hearing that a typhoon was coming decided that it might be worth investing in one given Japan's heavier bouts of rain. I still, however, maintain that in most cases an umbrella is unnecessary!
The first day I used the it I put it in the communal umbrella area to dry off next to another girl's one, but when I came back later it was gone! I was rather miffed but got more annoyed when I came back the next morning to find it was still missing. Luckily it had been returned later that day so I quickly rushed it up to my room and vowed to never leave it there again!
The first day I used the it I put it in the communal umbrella area to dry off next to another girl's one, but when I came back later it was gone! I was rather miffed but got more annoyed when I came back the next morning to find it was still missing. Luckily it had been returned later that day so I quickly rushed it up to my room and vowed to never leave it there again!
After the shopping trips I got hungry and couldn't resist trying the cheese curry cup noodle. I LOVE instant ramen - as I hope you will find out for yourselves in later blog posts - and thought that this flavour sounded so exciting!
Unfortunately I was too eager to try it so I forgot to take photos! Sorry! But no doubt I will try it again so I can cover it in a later blog post.
However I can tell you that it exceeded my expectations, the sauce was nice and thick and really tasted like curry and there were small cubes of cheese that melted into the sauce that I really enjoyed!
Unfortunately I was too eager to try it so I forgot to take photos! Sorry! But no doubt I will try it again so I can cover it in a later blog post.
However I can tell you that it exceeded my expectations, the sauce was nice and thick and really tasted like curry and there were small cubes of cheese that melted into the sauce that I really enjoyed!
Well, see you next time!
Totally agree about umbrellas, although I did use one in Singapore because when it rains there, well, you know what that's like. Guess Japan might be similar. Your cheese curry thing sounds like an utter abomination to me, but hey, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Now eat some vegetables!!! Would love to know how you're getting on with speaking Japanese, do the natives understand you? Helen xxx
ReplyDeleteI'm glad someone agrees with me :) ... so many people use them when there is almost no rain and I always find that they try to go for my eyes with those things, too dangerous!
DeleteHaha I'm sure most would consider the cheese curry an abominations but I enjoy seeing how far modern science can take us!
Ohhh as for the Japanese speaking I'm not the best person to ask, but I think I can mostly continue a conversation mostly understanding enough of what they say and hopefully just about getting my message across albeit in broken Japanese.