Japan trip Summer 2015 part 9 - Other shopping

These are all of the non-Liz Lisa purchases that I made (that I feel like are worth sharing and that weren't meals). I actually did a little bit better than last time in terms of buying non-Liz Lisa items...I think. Or did I lol? I have a really bad habit of thinking about what I could be missing out on from Liz Lisa by spending my money elsewhere which inevitably results in me missing out on amazing items from other fantastic brands. But I really attempted to branch out a little more this time, and I wasn't as successful as I could have been, but I'll give myself a little pat on the back for this effort lol.

mon Lily Logo embroidered princess OP (purchased on Day 6)
ロゴ刺繍お嬢様ワンピース

The only mon Lily store that I know of is in P'Parco in Ikebukuro. I didn't get to check it out during my last trip, but we had some time during this one, so I insisted we stop. I like the general theming/aesthetic of mon Lily, but haven't felt compelled enough to purchase anything from the brand online yet. The store itself isn't very big, but there was still a good amount of selection. I ended up picking this dress because the shop staff was wearing it and it looked really cute on her. Plus, this dress seemed reasonably tame (like not all over the place and kooky which isn't really me) and not unreasonable in design which was good because it was too hot for me to want to try it on lol. The dress actually comes in two sizes - M and L. I purchased it in M (which is the closest equivalent to free size). It's simple but still cute!

  with Flag J pumps and hair barrette from Daiso -

  with Liz Lisa ribbon belt, Tralala pearl gladiator wedge sandals, bow headband & Samantha Thavasa ruffle ribbon purse with Liz Lisa champouf charm -

  with Liz Lisa floral lace peek cardigan, Liz Lisa ribbon pumps in pink & Liz Lisa flower applique beret -

Spinns Ruffle sleeve embroidered collar blouse (purchased on Day 8)
フリル　エリ刺繍ブラウス

Lol I had such an ordeal deciding about this top. In the grand scheme of things, it's really not a big deal, but in the moment, I was sweating bullets trying to figure out how to ask the shop staff if this top was the same sale price as the other colors of the same top haha. I'm really glad I sucked it up and purchased it though. It's such a great basic, and I happily wore it on Day 11, the last day of the trip, with my Liz Lisa sukapan and I thought they went very well together. The material is really light and therefore a bit sheer, but that's not really something I care too much about. I'd rather have it thin and add layers situationally than have it be too thick and ...not be able to wear it because it's too hot lol. I wore it without a cami underneath (just a beige/nude bra), and I thought it was fine/not too exposing and really good in the hot weather.

  with Liz Lisa pleated bow shorts and Liz Lisa floral wedge sandals -

  with Liz Lisa floral jumper skirt, Liz Lisa flower lace up back wedge sandals & Samantha Thavasa 2-way bow handbag -

  with Liz Lisa floral dot skirt, Liz Lisa clear pearl sandals, hair clip from Daiso & Samantha Thavasa ruffle ribbon purse with bunny charm -

Spinns COOLMOON V neck cardigan (purchased on Day 8)
COOLMOON Vネックカーディガン

This was actually the first thing I picked up in Spinns while I was browsing. It's really just a basic white cardigan. I figure I can never have too many of those and the ones I have are constantly getting trashed because I wear them so much lol.  This one looked like it would fit really well, so why not? The material is quite thin and flimsy (not in a bad way), but it will perfect for a casual cover up when I'm not actually trying to find warmth lol.

  with Liz Lisa floral collar OP and Liz Lisa knot wedge sandals -

  with Spinns ruffle sleeve embroidered collar blouse, Liz Lisa check skirt, Tralala pearl gladiator wedge sandals & Ank Rouge quilted heart handbag -  

  with Liz Lisa x Yui Kanno stripe flower OP, Liz Lisa heart suede pumps in pink and hair bow from Daiso -

Cecil McBee bijou pearl strap blouse
ビジューストラップ付きオフショルカットソー
 and
Gradation big flower tight skirt (purchased on Day 9) 
ぼかしBIGフラワータイトスカート

(I didn't even bother trying to get these on my mannequin because I knew they weren't going to fit well, if at all, on it lol)
I bought these two items full intending on wearing them together. The shop staff was essentially wearing the same outfit in a slightly different skirt (I think it was a different material but the exact same cut) and it was also on a mannequin. For once, I decided to try this on in store lol. I super love it! Cecil McBee was my first love when I started becoming interested in Japanese fashion, but for some reason I don't own many pieces from them! I think it's because by the time I actually started buying Japanese clothes, I was already into Liz Lisa and chose to funnel my money there instead, but in the background of my mind, I still really love Cecil McBee's items and aesthetic. I think these two pieces have refueled/bumped up my interest in the brand, and I would definitely look forward to buying more. I love that it's cute with the details and colors but still a little flirty/sexy with the fit!

  (both) with Flag J pumps & Samantha Thavasa ruffle ribbon purse -

  (both) with Flag J sandals & Michael Kors handbag -

  (top, straps removed) with offbrand skirt/shorts and Hollister skirt, Flag J pumps and Betsey Johnson necklace -

  (skirt only) with Cecil McBee off shoulder bow top, Flag J pumps & Samantha Thavasa ruffle ribbon purse -

Ank Rouge Lace frill high top sneakers (purchased on Day 1)
レースフリルハイカットスニーカー

I bought these from the Ank Rouge store in Hep Five on the first day because my feet were absolutely dying in the Liz Lisa sandals that I brought with me wtf. These were definitely not shoes I was planning to buy and actually I wanted Liz Lisa sneakers but Hep Five's Liz Lisa didn't have them, so I found my way to the Ank Rouge store and bought these because they were the first things I saw LOL. They're not so bad looking from the side, I think, but personally these are not shoes that I really prefer despite how much I wore them on the trip. I think they look really odd from the top (the image of bushy bearded man immediately comes to mind) and also make my feet look super big/long and my legs look super chubby and short! These are size M btw. I'm usually a size L for Japanese shoes but I tried L on in the store and they were HUGE. Even M leaves me a little extra room - not too much but not too little either (but there's no way I could be size S for shoes so I didn't bother trying). They definitely served their purpose and I'm not unhappy I got them because my feet were in desperate need of a change of shoe, but I definitely don't see myself wearing them much, if at all, back at home lol.

Tralala Pearl gladiator wedge sandals (purchased on Day 5)
パールグラディエーターサンダル

I bought these from the Tralala Harajuku store which is located on the second floor, above Liz Lisa. I didn't go in intending to buy anything, but knowing I needed another pair of shoes (preferably heels) for the trip, these jumped out at me! The shop was staff was wearing them in another color and the design looked cute but still sturdy with all the straps. When I plan on doing a lot of walking, I prefer for the shoe I'm wearing to be really secure on my foot. Thankfully, these fit really well. I got them in size L, and I think the size is just about perfect. They're also really light which is a huge plus for me. After I tried them on, it was a no brainer to purchase them. And I'm glad I did because they were a great option for me when I didn't want to wear the sneakers (and I was experiencing problems with the other pairs of heels).

Samantha Thavasa ruffle ribbon purse (purchased on Day 7)

I think this purse is from a few seasons ago. I found a stock image of it (I think?) from a different retailer lol. It was on pretty decent sale and it was the last one in store lol. I hadn't really seen any other similar shape purses in the other stores I briefly looked at in passing, so I was happy to see it in Sendai! There were a couple of things I was able to find in Sendai, that I didn't see anywhere else I had been actually lol. After trying to dig up photos of it, I got a little concerned because most of the photos of similar bags actually have the front and back buckle/strap details going all the way down to the base of the purse instead of stopping halfway which is a common Samantha Thavasa design from that year (see picture on the left of the stock photo). But I literally purchased it from a Samantha Thavasa store and have the little Samantha Thavasa care card so I don't think it can be a replica or something. I'm really not sure lol. When I look up the item number, the only results are from Chinese online stores lol. Regardless, I feel confident that my money actually went to the brand unless it's possible to have an entire crooked store in a major train station o__o. The bag itself is quite plain imo, so I think I'm going to have a good time accessorizing it a bit with purse charms/pass case, etc! But being on the simple side means it will easily match with coordinates. This is my first all white purse, and I think it'll be really useful! It's a good size and also comes with a shoulder strap. The shoulder strap is not adjustable which is another reason I questioned the validity a bit because I found that a bit odd, but maybe they purposefully designed/manufactured a few more cheaply? I have no idea. Regardless, it's purchased direct from a Samantha Thavasa store, and I do like it, so I'm going to just take it for what it is lol.

Kaiyukan (Osaka Aquarium) whale shark stuffed animal (purchased on Day 11)

Awwww I love this thing so much lol. If you haven't seen my room tour, I have a lot of stuffed animals. For years and years, I actually had a lot more than what's shown but I got rid of what seems like 3/4 of them because...no reason to keep them, right? I've just always been given things like that as gifts and my parents have never made me throw them away, so I've just kept them lol. But anyway, I guess I have a soft spot for plush animals because I was surrounded by them growing up lol. And I especially love fish/sea life because my dad likes fish, and we visit a lot of aquariums. It's never felt right to get a big(ger) whale shark plush in the past because when I've visited Kaiyukan, there was no whale shark. I think the stuffed version is really cute though so in the past I've compromised with myself and just got a tiny stuffed whale shark charm and a tiny stuffed whale shark magnet lol. BUT THIS TIME I FINALLY GOT TO SEE A WHALE SHARK and I was like, NOW IS THE TIME and I was determined to get a regular size stuffed whale shark lol. They have a lot more options now that they have the whale sharks back, but I ended up choosing this one but I really liked the color and the face and also it was the cheapest one for its size. I think it's because it's not as complex (the mouth doesn't open or anything and the dots don't match up) but it was the last day of the trip and I didn't want to spend 3000yen on something like this, so this one was my obvious choice! And I'm really happy with it. I don't know why, but I find it so cute lol. He didn't fit that well into my carry on but we made it home okay, so that's all that matters haha.

Also related to this "Other Shopping" topic - 
A mess of snacks and things (purchased through the length of the trip)

This is mostly omiyage and things that my mother wanted me to bring back. I kept maybe like 10 things for myself lol. In Hawaii (and probably other places too, but as it relates to me, I'm just going to go with Hawaii), you will typically bring back items from your trip for all of your friends and family. My mom is usually the one who handles bringing back most of the omiyage because I spend more time and money shopping for myself, but since she wasn't coming on this trip, I had to step up lol. I don't think this is as big as her haul last time, but she also had more space since my dad hardly buys anything and she could use his suitcase weight/space as well lol. A number of these things are for her specifically anyway lol.
Unfortunately I don't have good close ups or reviews for most of these things because as soon as I got back and laid everything out, I had to start portioning it off for the recipients and I don't really get to try most of it myself lol.
But a few notable mentions (going clockwise, if that helps) -

• In the top middle-left in the green and yellow packaging: Butter corn candy from Daiso that my mom loves. I bought 12 packages for her lol. I haven't tried it myself, but apparently it tastes exactly as it sounds lol.
• In the upper middle in the green packaging: Zunda omiyage from Sendai. There are four different items that are zunda flavored. Apparently it tastes a little like grass to some people lol.
• Just to the right of the Zunda items in a clear, circular plastic container with a red label: Black garlic from Tsukiji Fish Market. You may be able to buy it elsewhere, but a particular stand in Tsukiji is what we've familiar with which is why I went back to buy it. It's essentially just straight up garlic lol. Purchased for my dad because he liked it during the last trip.
• In the bottom third on the right side: The three staple removers that my coworker's gf requested I look for from Daiso. I couldn't find them in any of the Daisos I went to until Sendai lol. I don't know if it's not a common item and they don't stock it anymore/discontinued it or if it's SO popular that none of the stocks can keep it on the shelves lol. But thank goodness we went to Sendai otherwise I wouldn't have been able to get them.
• If you look left of the staple removers and stop in the center for the long pink rectangles before the KitKats start, you'll see the salmon flavored Puccho. I specifically hunted them down in convenience stores after my host mom's son mentioned them when we had met up for dinner on Day 2. They literally look and taste like salmon. It's not just a gimmick for the packaging. The flavor is real. And I think there might also be little bits of salmon in it too lol. Some people who tried it thought it was strange but okay but a lot of other people tried it and just spit it out lol. If it's still in stores the next time I go back, I would probably buy more just for the odd factor lol. 
• Also, on the Puccho note, the one photo I did manage to arrange and organize before things got snatched up: all of the Hi Chew and Puccho (except not the ones in the individual loose multi-flavor packages, only the ones in these single flavor bar things & the minis in the boxes lol) -

  

  Mini Hi Chew (grape, strawberry, apple, pineapple), Hokkaido Cantaloupe Hi Chew, Sendai Zunda Puccho, Kumamoto Lemon Puccho, Okinawa Sheqwasa シークヮーサー Hi Chew, Tohoku Apple Hi Chew, Okinawa Mango Hi Chew, Kyushu Decopan/Mandarin Orange Hi Chew, Acerola Hi Chew, Peach Hi Chew, Strawberry Hi Chew, Soda Puccho, Muschat Puccho, Grape Puccho, Cola Puccho, Sour lemon Hi Chew, Pineapple Hi Chew, Cola Hi Chew, Orange Hi Chew, Salmon Puccho

I got most of the food items from either Daisos/100yen shops, Don Quixotes, drug stores or convenience stores like 7-Eleven or Lawsons. The major exceptions were already mentioned in the bullet points besides the various mochi which I got from Shinagawa station, Hankyu Umeda station and Kyoto station, and the konbu my mom requested from JR Osaka station. If there's any place that's good for omiyage, it's a major train station lol. But of course, the cheaper candy/snack food items are probably easiest and most cheaply found in a convenience store. Unfortunately, I'm probably unable to answer too many specifics about how they taste, but I will do my best to answer what I can if there are questions lol. I usually like to bring back Tokyo Banana as well but we just brought that back in March, and I don't know anyone who really loves it...and we also didn't have enough room for it.

Deserving their own section if only due to their cost, these are the expensive KitKats that I bought from the Chocolatory in Tokyo station on Day 8 -

The individual Sublime bars I think cost around 358yen each (over 300yen but under 400yen). It's just one stick in there lol. The flavors are Dark Chocolate, White Chocolate and Framboise. We've only tried the Dark Chocolate one so far, and it was good as far as I can tell, but I'm not sure if it's much different than the regular dark chocolate KitKat since I'm not much of a foodie lol. That was the only one I tried myself. (Actually my mom just tried the white chocolate one last night and said it was good but not $3.50 good lol.)
In the white box with I ♡ Fruits on it are 2 each of strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, something and something lol. We haven't opened it yet to read the description of the last two and I can't immediately discern what they are by the picture. If I had to guess, I'd say maybe lemon and grape, but I'm really not sure. This pack cost around 2268yen I think (over 2200 yen but under 2800yen if I had to guess).
In the red boxes, we got Orange Cocktail (2x), Sakura Matcha, Strawberry Maple, Ume and Butter. S took one of the Orange Cocktail ones and we gave the other one away so I don't have a solid conclusion on that one except S saying it was "good" lol. My grandparents were give the Sakura Matcha and didn't have anything special to say about it lol. (Matcha KitKat is easy to get here so idk if it just tasted similar maybe.) My mom said Strawberry Maple just tasted like strawberry lol. Ume has not been tasted yet. Butter is by far the favorite that I can tell lol. Inside each box are 4 small packets of 2 mini KitKat bars.
Would I buy these again? Ummmmm for the price, probably not lol. If anything, I would probably buy Butter again since it's kind of unusual and people seemed to like that one the most, but I am unlikely to go to Tokyo Station specifically for this. It was interesting to try, and I was most looking forward to giving these "fancy" KitKats to people who had given me money for the trip as a thank you. I think most people probably wouldn't realize how much you paid for them though so it might seem like a weenie gift because it's so small lol.

And that's about it! I was initially planning to put a few scans from the magazines I purchased in this post as well, but I don't want to make it any more picture heavy, so I'll have some scans in a supplement post on the side like I did last time. Sorry there's some clothes/fashion items squished together with the general omiyage which is not totally related, but this is basically everything else I bought that I brought home that's not covered in Part 8 - Liz Lisa purchases lol. If you have any questions about anything specific, I'll do my best to answer!

  Japan trip Summer 2015 posts:
Part 1 - Osaka & Kobe: Day 1 - 2
Part 2 - Kyoto & Namba: Day 3
Part 3 - Tokyo-based: Day 4 - 6
Part 4 - Sendai: Day 7
Part 5 - Tokyo-based: Day 8 -9
Part 6 - Osaka: Day 10 - 11
Part 7 - Airbnb & accommodations
Part 8 - Liz Lisa purchases
Part 9 - Other shopping
Part 10 - Travel notes

  Japan trip Spring 2015 posts
  Japan trip Summer 2014 posts