Hyaku-en Shop

Anyone that visits Japan should visit a "hyaku-en shoppu", translated to 100 yen shop. They are the Japanese equivalent to the dollar store and they are fantastic! They are full of good quality products and they put the US dollar store to absolute shame! (Bad U.S. dollar store ... baaaaaaaad...)

*Hyaku-en shop in Harajuku*

I heard there was a 3-floor hyaku-en shop in Harajuku, so of course I had to check it out! Please note that apparently you can't take pictures at the hyaku-en shop, so I really could not see through the lens and these are taken by having me just move the camera in the general direction some of these items and just hoping for the best!!!

 There is a section full of cute accesories for keitai (cell phone). Most Japanese, male and female decorate their keitai with little hanging straps full of cute little characters. So of course it makes sense that you can "deck out" your phone for 100 yen.

 *Some food-themed and plush animals to hang from the Keitai*

 *These cure little apple doubles up as cute accessory and phone screen cleaner*

Another cool section of the shop is the food department. By far the funniest item for me was this banana cutter, followed by a banana plastic case where you can put a banana so it does not get squeezed in you bag, or something like that. I am sorry I have no picture of the banana case, the guard would not step away and I could not take a picture!!!.

It is so funny for me to see this but then again bananas are so expensive here that I guess people feel like they need to protect them.

 

 *Cute little paper holders that moms in Japan use to create bento boxes*

 * Large-sized noodles make a filling 100 yen meal*

And of course, even though we are in the hyaku-en shop, the attention to detail is fantastic.  Look at these kawaii sponges for dish-washing. Even such a common daily  item is cute and beautiful in Japan.

  *Kawaii!!!*