The best thing about taking a suitcase half full of omiyage to Japan is that on the way back I have a half of a suitcase to fill up with fun things to take home. For me that means going on a mini shopping spree at a Hyaku-en Shop.
A Hyaku-en Shop (百円ショップ ) is a 100 Japanese Yen Shop and is roughly equivalent to a Dollar Store back home. Hyaku-en Shops are always full of just about anything you can want from gardening supplies to dishes to food. The quality of things that I have purchased at them have always been surprisingly good. When I lived in Japan I did a lot of shopping at the two Hyaku-en Shops in Toyota City, Seria and Daiso.
Although both are good, Seria is my favorite and I had fun picking up some items there on this trip. There were all sorts of cute things in the craft area and I picked up a set of adorable little number plates.
The sewing section always has a nice selection of things and I bought a skein of black cotton yarn. There was also an adorable macaroon felting kit that I was tempted to buy just because it was so cute, but I have no idea what I would do with it.
There was a great selection of washi tapes and I couldn't resist getting a handful of them.
Moving into the kitchen wares, don't you think these glasses are cute? Too bad I had no room to take a set home!
I managed to pick up a few more of my favorite kitchen storage jars with red lids which was what really filled up my luggage. Seria also has a nice selection of chopsticks, but I already have a ton so didn't get any more.
I love all the food picks that they have. They look so much nicer than toothpicks so I always like to stock up when I am back in Japan.
I wanted to bring the whole food section home but settled for two packages of Japanese curry. Yum!
The baking section is full of cute little things like patterned cupcake liners and food molds.
I always find a few random things that make me laugh. I like the creative English on the bag and the muscle breastplate just cracks me up. It reads "Macho Apron" in Japanese. Ha!
Well, there you have my shopping spree at the Hyaku-en Shop. I ended up spending about $25 and have my suitcase to go home completely stuffed. At least I got it all in!
Off to catch my flight home!