100 Yen Store - Tokyo Intro: Experience #1 of 55

 

A 100 yen store is basically a dollar store as a 100 yen is roughly one US dollar.  "This price is considered attractive to Japanese consumers because it can be paid for with a single 100-yen coin. However, the current Japanese sales tax of 8% is also added, making a 100-yen purchase actually cost 108 yen. Larger items, like furniture and tools, may also cost more yet are still relatively affordable, usually costing less than 1000 yen." Wikipedia.

These stores in Japan are way more amazing in the type and variety of goods they sell and the quality provided at that price point.  You will be surprised.  Visiting a larger 100 yen store is worthwhile to pick up stationary, craft supplies, cleaning supplies, housewares, clothes, snacks, tools, and cheap Japanese souvenirs.  You can browse for a long time in one of these stores and many people purchase souvenirs here as there are special souvenir sections.

The first modern 100 yen store in Japan dates back to 1985.  Now there are many 100 yen stores chains in operation with Daiso being the largest.  CanDo,and Seria are a few of the other big players.  A well known and large Daiso is in Harajuku on Takeshita Dori, the main street through the neighbourhood.

If you have forgotten or need something for your travels, these are good places to go to find many items. You will find videos and blogs devoted to these stores, but many are in Japanese. A very large Daiso is described here in this other news site.

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