So, here's another one of those posts that I promised to help people who might want to study in Japan.
Firstly, I earlier said you'd want to get a phone plan. I was wrong. The best way to go is Softbank's prepaid, I believe. You can get unlimited texting with it, and the calls actually give you more options than the plan offers! But even unlimited texting from the Softbank plan costs extra money if you're texting outside of Softbank...it's not such a good deal, after all.
Secondly, there's a bunch of things you'll probably miss that you just don't think about before you leave! There's the obvious hamburgers (I don't count McDonald's), Mexican Food, etc, but here are a few less obvious things that you'll want to get out of your system before you go. So, here's a list of some food that's expensive to buy in Japan:
1) Cheese. Cheese exists in Japan, but if you want to pay $10 for a slice of Parmesan the size of your thumb, be my guest. The cheapest cheese I've found is at Santoku for about 400 yen ($5), but even that's pretty expensive for the quality cheese you get....
2) Strawberries and other fruit. They exist here, sure, but again are ridiculously expensive. Really, the only affordable fruits here are bananas, apples, and mandarin oranges. If you're trying to save money, you won't want to buy anything else.
3) Dried Fruits. Again, they exist, but are quite expensive.
4) Baking. Anything. No one in Japan seems to have an oven! The closest we have in the dorm are toaster ovens, and they burn the outside while the inside is still raw. If you cut things small enough, it could be possible (I heard of someone baking a turkey successfully that way, using tiny turkey bits in 4 toaster ovens), but baked goods are harder. There are apparently some recipes that can be used in a rice cooker, though! If you do decide to give it a go, be aware that you can't find baking soda in a grocery store. Look in a pharmacy (apparently, since the Japanese don't bake often, it's in the pharmacy since it can help with stomach aches).
5) Decent bread. They sell not-so-tasty (it's not bad, just not gourmet) bread at the Hyaku En Shop (Hundred Yen Shop), though. But 8 slices for a over a dollar seems a little pricey to most Americans.
6) Breakfast food. A traditional Japanese breakfast consists usually of rice, nato, fish, and noodles. As such, they're inexpensive here. Bagels and cereal, on the other hand, are very expensive. I still have cereal in the morning, but I'll mix different kinds together (a cheaper one and a more expensive one) so I enjoy the taste and spend less money. Cheapish toast with 100 yen jam is a good option, as well. Some apples/bananas in the morning aren't a bad idea, either, if you like fruit with breakfast.
7) Meat. Don't get me wrong, the Japanese love their meat. Most of them (with some exceptions when they're under 25 years old) don't actually know what a vegetarian is; the villagers in Ten'ei thought it meant they could ONLY eat veggies (so, they didn't serve them rice)! But, Japan is a tiny country, and everything has to be imported. So, meat is expensive most of the time. Find your local supermarket and check it at least a couple of times a week for sales. There are apparently some meat shops that have super-cheap meat that you can stock up on. For meat, buy cheap and store it in your freezer. One nice thing is that the Japanese like their meat fatty, so the nice, fat-less ones are actually less expensive most of the time!
Now, there are some things that are incredibly cheap. Surprisingly, rice is not one of them (although you can find specials where it is). Here is a short list!
1) Milk and yogurt--but only at the Hyaku En (Hundred Yen) Shops! There are actually a bunch of good deals at these shops, but don't get carried away! The reason they stay in business is because, while some things (like milk) are sold for quite cheap, other things are sold for far too much. Just make sure you check out other markets, as well. And since it's not like the states (with 3 major ones in a few miles radius), there are little markets all over. You'll have plenty of options.
2) Noodles, noodles, noodles. Don't bother with expensive ones like penne; they all pretty much taste the same. Spaghetti is very cheap, as are Japanese noodles such as ramen, soba, and udon. Always a good choice.
3) Various types of soups/curries. You can make a bunch of different soups/noodle soup dishes with dashi (fish stock), soy sauce, etc. Throw in whatever veggies are cheapest at the moment (cabbage is always a good bet), and you're fed for several meals. Curry is also cheap, and again, use that meat you got on sale earlier with whatever cheap veggies you found, and you're good for another few meals (mine lasted me over a week!).
4) Cabbage, potato, onion. Just know where to look, frankly, and you can find most veggies for decent prices. There's a nice little veggie shop near where I live, and they always have excellent deals.
5) Find your local Don Quixote (they really are everywhere; ours is called Picaso) if you want good deals on alcohol! I don't think I've found it cheaper elsewhere.
For the most part, traditional Japanese foods will be cheap, while imported things are more expensive. While this sounds obvious, it can be hard for foreigners to determine what came from what. After you've spent a little time in Japan, it will become more clear, but in the meantime, I hope this helps! Just remember to search your neighborhood to know your options before you spend too much money at an expensive store, and you'll be fine. :)
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