What to buy in Japan: Pasalubong Ideas for souvenirs, snacks and more

Heading to Japan soon and already planning what to buy in Japan? With the variety of souvenirs available, it’s hard to pick out which are the best things to bring back for friends and family - especially when you’re spoilt for choices.

This guide covers the best Japan pasalubong ideas and things to bring back, from matcha products to skincare and snacks. We’ll also talk about the Wise card and how it can help you to stretch every peso when paying while travelling.

What souvenirs to buy in Japan

There are plenty of great souvenirs and must-buy products in Japan, and we’ll share more about some of the most popular and hyped up things that you can get to bring a little piece of Japan back to the Philippines.

Matcha and matcha products

If you’re been on social media, you probably would have noticed the matcha craze going around. Whether it’s strawberry matcha lattes, matcha cakes and biscuits or the actual matcha drink, you’ll be spoilt for choice in Japan.

If you’re travelling to Kyoto, that’s one of the best areas to search for matcha products since it’s close to Uji, the small city that’s famous for tea. You’ll be able to find proper tea sets for matcha making, ceremonial grade matcha powder and more.

For snacks, there’s the beloved Kit Kat chocolate bar in matcha flavour, but you’ll also be able to easily find matcha-flavoured sweets, matcha chocolates, matcha cheesecake chocopies and more. A Japan pasalubong idea that’s bound to be popular among friends and family.

Anime and manga merchandise

If you’re thinking about what to buy in Japan that’s non-perishable, how can we miss out on anime and manga merchandise? Whether you’re a fan of Evangelion, Jujutsu Kaisen, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Attack on Titan or any others, you’ll be able to find keychains, acrylic stands, figurines and more at specialised stores in areas like Tokyo’s Akihabara district or Osaka’s Den Den Town.

If you’re headed even further out to the Kyushu area, there’s AruAruCity in Kitakyushu, which is a shopping mall dedicated to anime and manga. You’ll be able to find figurines, cosplay materials and equipment, games and more here.

Japan skincare must buys

Everybody knows that Japanese cosmetics have some of the latest technology and unique ingredients. Whether it’s for yourself or a gift for someone else, here are some of the best skincare products to buy in Japan, from cleansers to sunscreens.

Cleansers

A popular Japanese cleanser is Shiseido’s Senka Perfect Whip, and if you’re a fan of this cleanser, you’ll probably want to stock up when heading to Japan. A single 120g tube that typically goes for 289 PHP in the Philippines¹ is just 448 JPY² (approx. 174 PHP) without tax. Stores require a minimum spend in a single receipt to get a tax refund, but that most likely won’t pose an issue when there are so many great things to buy in the drugstores - even more savings on your souvenirs!

Another fantastic option is Kanebo’s Suisai Beauty Clear Powder Wash. This enzyme-infused powder cleanser comes in individually-packed capsules, which makes it perfect for bringing on short trips overseas or just for hygiene purposes. There are five different types for different skin types, so there’s bound to be something for everyone. A pack of 32 capsules costs around 1,200 PHP in the Philippines³ but you’ll be able to get the same pack for just 1,980 JPY (approx. 770 PHP) in Japan⁴.

Sunscreen

Sunscreen is extremely important, with the high UV levels in the Philippines that can cause damage to our skin. But if you’re too lazy to rub sunscreen on religiously each time you head out, there are some convenient sunscreen sprays that can be easily found in Japan.

First, there’s the Clear UV Spray from Shigaisen Yohou, which is a spray-type canister that can be applied from head to toe. True to its name, the sunscreen mist is able to provide SPF50+ PA++++ protection and even if you accidentally spray some over your clothes and shoes, it won’t be an issue.

There’s also Biore’s UV Aqua Rich Aqua Protect Mist SPF50 PA++++. This mist version won’t feel too heavy, and application is easy since it just needs to be sprayed over the skin. This also comes with Biore’s Aqua Micro Capsule technology which helps provide moisture to the skin for extra hydration. A 60ml bottle in the Philippines would cost around 698 PHP⁵ while you can get it for just 980 JPY in Japan before tax⁶ (approx. 380.67 PHP).

What snacks to buy in Japan

There’s no way anybody would leave without a bunch of Japan delicacies for pasalubong to share with family and friends, so here are some great options that can be found easily. There’s lots to choose from so here are some options to consider what snacks to buy.

Chocolates

Chocolates and chocolate snacks are fantastic, and one option that’s always welcome is a nice bag of Kit Kats. While we’re all familiar with common flavours like matcha, strawberry or even the seasonal sakura flavour, there are so many more that can be found.

How about the summer limited Salt Lychee flavour? Or perhaps the Sweet Potato flavour that can only be found in autumn? There are even special flavours that can only be found in certain provinces of Japan, like Hokkaido’s melon-flavoured Kit Kats or Aomori’s Apple Kit Kat. If you’re looking for a funky flavour to surprise your friends with, try to find the Wasabi Kit Kats from Shizuoka!

For a more sophisticated pasalubong, there are boxes of fancy chocolates from brands like Royce. However, if you do choose Royce’s Nama Chocolate, keep in mind that it has to be refrigerated so you’ll want to buy them at the airport and immediately gift them away once you reach home. A gift that doesn’t require refrigeration would be Royce’s Potato Chip Chocolate, which are crunchy potato chips coated in chocolate for a delicious sweet-salty combination.

Cup noodles

If you have enough space in your luggage, why not bring home some unique cup noodles? With options from famous ramen shops like Afuri and Tsuta, and even odd combinations like taco ramen or takoyaki ramen, you’ll certainly be able to find interesting flavours that are near impossible to find in the Philippines.

Cup noodles are generally affordable as well and can be found in convenience stores like FamilyMart, and also larger supermarkets and Don Quixote. No matter where you are, you’ll be bound to find a unique flavour as the perfect Japan pasalubong to bring home.

Save more and stretch your PHP conversions when you shop in Japan using the Wise card

Now that you’ve got your eye on a couple of things to buy from Japan, save more when you spend with the Wise card.

With the Wise card, makaka gastos ka ng 40+ currencies sa mid-market rate, kasama ang USD, SGD, GBP at JPY. Kaya, siguradong makakakuha ka ng sulit na deal sa mahigit 150+ countries. Para makapagsimula, gumawa ka lang ng libreng Wise account, mag-order ng card, at mag-top-up ng PHP.

Maaari kang mag-order ng physical card ng Wise sa halagang 369.90 PHP. Kung mayroon kang physical na card, makakagawa ka ng chip and PIN payments, at may 2 libreng ATM withdrawals na aabot sa 12,000 PHP bawat buwan.

Kapag nasa abroad ka, puwede mong piliing gumastos ng direct as PHP at hayaan mag auto-convert, o i-convert sa gusto mong currency gamit ang iyong Wise account. Kahit ano piliin mo, makukuha mo ang rate na nakikita mo sa Google, na may kasamang low, transparent fees mula 0.57%.

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