What I Bought in Japan (One Year Later): The Things I Still Use and the Things I Regret

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If you're planning a trip to Japan and wondering what's actually worth bringing home, here's my honest review after living with these purchases for more than a year.

Every year I visit Japan because my family still lives there. And every year, I somehow come home with another suitcase full of beauty products, travel accessories, kitchen gadgets, snacks, and plenty of cute impulse purchases.

Now that it's been over a year, I thought it would be fun to look back and see which purchases actually became part of my daily routine and which ones have been sitting untouched in a drawer ever since.

Some of these items completely surprised me, while others taught me that just because something is adorable doesn't mean I'll actually use it.

Japan Purchases I Still Use After One Year

Shin Biofermin S Plus Probiotic

The most useful thing I bought wasn't a beauty product or a snack.

It was actually Shin Biofermin S Plus, a probiotic my sister recommended after hearing me complain about my stomach yet again.

Shin Biofermin S Plus

I have a sensitive stomach, especially when I'm traveling, and she told me this is what her doctor recommends whenever she has digestive issues. Since then, I've kept a bottle at home and use it whenever my stomach needs a little extra help.

There are countless probiotics available in the United States, but this one works well for me. Now it's become one of the first things I buy every time I return to Japan.

Japanese Beauty Products

Heroine Make Mascara Remover

This has completely changed how I remove waterproof mascara.

Before finding this product, I used makeup remover on a cotton pad and spent several minutes gently rubbing my eyes, followed by Q-tips to remove whatever mascara was left behind.

Heroine Make Mascara Remover

Heroine Make Mascara Remover Wand

This mascara remover looks like a tube of mascara. You simply brush it onto your lashes, let it sit briefly, then wipe everything away with a cotton pad.

Most of my mascara comes off in one swipe, making my nighttime routine much easier. Since I wear waterproof mascara almost every time I wear makeup, this has become a permanent part of my beauty routine.

&honey Hair Mascara

I discovered this thanks to my younger sister while we were traveling together in Japan.

At first I thought she was putting mascara on her hair.

Turns out that's exactly what it looks like (different ingredients obviously), but it's actually designed to smooth flyaways and baby hairs.

Hair Mascara

Now I keep one in my purse all the time. Whenever I pull my hair into a ponytail, I use it to tame those little hairs that never seem to cooperate.

I also use it on my eyebrows to keep them brushed into place, even though that's not its intended purpose.

There are dozens of versions at Japanese drugstores, with different scents and formulas.

Kitchen Products Worth Bringing Home

Japanese Cabbage Slicer

If you've eaten tonkatsu in Japan, you've probably noticed how incredibly thin and crisp the shredded cabbage is. I've always wanted to recreate that texture at home.

Instead of buying a bulky electric slicer, I found this simple cabbage slicer while shopping in Japan. It produces incredibly thin slices in just a few seconds.

Cabbage Slicer

Now I eat cabbage much more often because I can finally make it the way I enjoy it most: thin, crisp, and topped with a little fresh lemon juice.

This is easily one of my favorite kitchen purchases from Japan.

Roasted Salt (Yaki Shio)

This was one of those random grocery store purchases that turned out to be a winner.

Roasted salt has a deeper, richer flavor than regular table salt.

Roasted Salt

Yaki Salt (Top) Grain is Larger than the Table Salt (Bottom)

I especially love using it on rice balls, grilled fish, and vegetables.

You don't need very much, but somehow it adds so much more flavor than ordinary salt.

I'll definitely be bringing home several bags the next time I'm in Japan.

Cute Things That Turned Out to Be Surprisingly Useful

Decorative Tin Cans

Japan has some of the cutest snack tins and most of the time I don't even care what's inside the tin. I just want the container.

I have purchased several over the years, and my recent favorite tin finds were from Ladurée. They released special edition tins made especially for Japan, so of course the designs drew me in.

I now use one to store my watches, while another holds small miscellaneous items around the house.

They're functional, beautifully designed, and make organizing a little more fun.

Cute Tin cans

A new home for my watches

Travel Accessories I Use Constantly

MUJI Travel Bottles

I've tried countless travel bottles over the years. Most leaked, cracked, or were impossible to squeeze.

MUJI's bottles have held up better than anything else I've owned. They're lightweight, durable, inexpensive, and don't leak. They're now the only travel bottles I pack.

MUJI Plastic Travel Bottles

Afternoon Tea Jewelry Case

This tiny jewelry case lives inside my purse.

Whenever I need to remove a ring or earrings, I have a safe place to store them instead of tossing them into my bag or pocket.

It's one of those purchases that isn't exciting, but I end up using it constantly.

Afternoon Tea Mini Jewelry Case

Adorable design with a Velvet exterior

Compact UV & Rain Umbrella

One of my favorite travel purchases is a lightweight umbrella I found at Loft.

It works as both a rain umbrella and a sun umbrella, folds down incredibly small, and weighs almost nothing. I've carried it throughout Japan, and now it stays in my purse here at home too.

It's one of those items that doesn't take up much space, but I'm always glad I packed it.

Compact UV Rain Umbrella

Mini Massage Gun

After walking 20,000 to 30,000 steps sightseeing around Japan, my feet are usually exhausted.

This mini massage gun has become one of my favorite travel companions. It's rechargeable, compact enough to fit inside my luggage, and provides just the right amount of pressure without feeling overwhelming. I also use it at home on my shoulders after long days at my computer.

Doctor Air Mini Massage Gun

Travel Size Massage Gun

Portable Straightening Iron

I originally bought this for travel touch-ups. Instead, I ended up using it almost every day at home.

It's the perfect size for styling my bangs, heats up quickly, and doesn't get nearly as hot as my full-size flat iron. The fact that it's rechargeable makes it even more convenient.

Portable Straightening Iron

Easily fits into a purse

Afternoon Tea Insulated Mug

Another Afternoon Tea purchase that gets daily use is my insulated mug. Despite being marketed more for tea, I use it for both coffee and tea every morning.

It keeps drinks hot for longer, has handy measurement markings inside, and I absolutely love the lid that comes with it. The spout is perfectly shaped, making drinking from it comfortable and secure so I never have an accidental spill.

It has quickly become my favorite mug in the whole house.

My morning Coffee in my insulated mug from Afternoon Tea

Japanese Accessories I Love

One thing I do enjoy buying in Japan is enamel pins. They're easy to pack, inexpensive, and make great souvenirs.

I started collecting enamel pins a few years ago after a cross-country road trip to Magnolia Market. Not too long later I bought my second pin in London which was a special edition Corgi pin to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. When we visited Osaka, I couldn’t resist picking up a Kiki's Delivery Service pin.

I like to wear a different pin on each of my winter coats. It’s become an unexpected conversation starter, and it’s the first time I’ve actually started to collect a specific type of souvenir on my travels.

Kiki’s Delivery Service Pin

Japan Purchases I Regret Buying

Not everything was a success. Some purchases looked like a great idea while I was shopping but haven't been used once since I got home.

Handheld Fan

I was convinced I'd use this constantly during the summer. I've taken it on trips. I've packed it in my purse. And somehow I never actually reach for it.

Even after more than a year, it still feels basically new. I think we’re spoiled by air conditioning everywhere in the States, so that’s probably a big reason I haven’t had a chance to use it yet.

Front of Fan

Back of Fan

Cute Keychains and Small Accessories

This is where Japan gets me every single trip.

I'll see an adorable Studio Ghibli keychain or a Sanrio accessory and immediately convince myself I'll find the perfect place for it. Most of them end up sitting in a drawer.

The same goes for little accessories like bottle clips or novelty organizers. They're inexpensive, well-made, and incredibly cute, but they rarely become part of my everyday life.

Accessories purchased in Japan

My Biggest Shopping Lesson After a Year

Looking back, the purchases that were truly worth buying all had one thing in common.

They solved a problem.

Whether it was a probiotic that helped my sensitive stomach, a mascara remover that made my nighttime routine easier, travel bottles that never leak, or a compact umbrella that always fits in my bag, these items naturally became part of my everyday life.

The things I regret buying were mostly impulse purchases. They were inexpensive, cute, and easy to justify in the moment, but once I got home, I realized I didn't really have a use for them.

That's probably the biggest lesson I've learned from shopping in Japan.

my Japan Haul

Before buying something, I now try to ask myself:

• Will I actually use this?

• Where will I store it?

• Will it become part of my routine?

• Or am I simply buying it because it's adorable?

Knowing me, I'll probably still come home with a few cute impulse purchases every trip. After all, that's part of the fun of shopping in Japan. But hopefully, each year I'll get a little better at separating the things I'll truly use from the things that will simply collect dust.

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