Google Translate in the Grocery Store
August 21, 2023
The supermarket is the size of a large Walgreens. I don’t know where anything is located. The products look like things I recognize from a dream but have never seen before in real life. I walk around with a basket in one hand and my phone in the other. The basket always gets too heavy but I never grab a cart from the front because I’m always convinced I won’t need one. I always need one. The carts are smaller and they look like the ones from Wegmans but with only one place for the items. I find items on my list like spinach, bread, and garlic. I lament the loss of niche (or not) food items I love like nutritional yeast, plant based butter, peanut butter that isn’t peanut flavored cream, and maple brown sugar oatmeal. I try to replace this with a feeling of gratitude for the improved access to locally grown rice, miso soup, pickled ginger in large amounts, bread that tastes savory like pastry dough, red bean flavored anything, and 9% alcohol in a can for like barely $2.
The picture above is part of the alcoholic drink section in the grocery store. I can get these at my local convenience store for slightly more yen but it’s not a huge difference. The drinks range in alcohol content- the light pink peach drink in the upper right corner is 3%. The grapefruit vodka soda I picked up from the front of the aisle is 5%. My favorites are ‘Strong Zero’ and Chu-Hi both in lemon flavor. These are 9% and they make me the closest I’ve ever gotten to drunk on one drink. They taste so good it is easy to forget they’re so strong- similar to the Soju effect.
This is all of the miso soup options. I wanted to buy the paste because it seems more cost effective but one time I did that I forgot to use dashi (fish stock that gives the salty flavor) and the result was awful. I was so paranoid that I just got the packets that come with the seaweed, green onions, and tofu, etc. with it. I must have stood in this aisle for so long trying to google translate the differences between all of the miso soups. I don’t usually get stared at too much in the grocery store but I think this warranted a few glances as to what on Earth I was doing.
In a lot of stores, including the grocery store, there are sections for omiyage (souvenirs) or items that can be given as gifts. It’s an extremely common cultural practice. When people go away on trips it's customary to bring back small gifts for family, friends, and/ or coworkers. Usually, it’s small items special to the place you’ve visited or sweets that are local to the area. For example, Chiba prefecture is known for peanuts (among other things), so if I went to visit friends in Kobe I would bring some peanut based sweets to give to people. Also, most prefectures and sometimes cities and towns have mascots. So, often in train stations you can find small memorabilia of the mascot of the area. Example: Osaka is known for takoyaki so they sell octopus plushies and keychains (and I have a large plushie of him). Even my small town has omiyage in the local train station!
2 notes
·
View notes
Omiyage for The Mouse
The Cat and The Mouse picked up from Haneda Airport while waiting for flight home.
Japanese Pancakes filled with Red Bean Paste
Royce Chocolates
Milk and dark.
The Mouse’s Breakfast
Coffee and pancake. Mmm.
Be well, eat well.
The Mouse
Lahaina/Maui Strong.
View On WordPress
0 notes
7 Insider Tips from Lonely Planet to Make the Most of Your Trip to Japan with the Aussie Dollar at a 10-Year High
If you’ve always wanted to travel to Japan, now’s the time to say konichiwa to this super-hot travel destination with the exchange rate at its best.
These insider tips from Lonely Planet’s “Experience Japan” and “Experience Tokyo” make it even more kawaii (or cool):
Crazy Commute
For Tokyoites, the morning commute is a contact sport. On weekdays from 7.30am to 9am, millions squeeze into trains…
View On WordPress
0 notes
Got this custom Dojang stamp as a souvenir from my South Korea trip~
I also got one for my bf because I couldn't think of a cool souvenir to bring :))
0 notes
Arigato for the Matcha Azuki Mochi from Japan! 🇯🇵 #omiyage #travel #japan #matcha #azuki #mochi https://www.instagram.com/p/CqLvU4SvB1N/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
0 notes
Bring an omiyage (gift) to your love one when you visit Japan. We got one today from our co-worker.
When you visit Tokyo, book your stay with us here ⬇️ https://www.airbnb.jp/rooms/21581868
日本語
日本を訪れた際には、大切な人におみやげを持参しましょう。本日も同僚からいただきました。東京にお越しの際は、こちらからご予約ください⬇️
https://www.airbnb.jp/rooms/21581868
1 note
·
View note
Omiyage At A Glance
It’s been years since we’ve traveled to Japan (despite previously going every summer) thanks to the Pandemic, but we’re heading out soon, and so my wife has been super busy preparing omiyagé (お土産) for all the friends and relatives at home.
Just some of the bags of stuff my wife has collected for bringing back to Japan
Tofugu has an excellent article on omiyage, especially from the standpoint of…
View On WordPress
0 notes
Look how excellently my bag is packed..
6 notes
·
View notes