The Adventure of Shopping

Shopping in Japan can be highly challenging at times, not to mention highly entertaining. Obviously the language barrier can be a massive problem - especially for a vegetarian like me. Many's the time I've bought a tin of something that looked vaguely meat free, only to discover that what looked like broccoli on the picture was actually dog brains. Well, maybe not dog brains, but something meaty anyway.

Restaurants too, are hard on the vegetarian. I'd say about half of the restaurants I've been to in Japan literally have nothing I could eat on the menu. On the other hand, once I've managed to explain my predicament, the restaurant staff are usually more than happy to at least try and accommodate my "bizarre" dietary needs. Although with varying degrees of success... it seems that fish has been reclassified as a vegetable in many parts of Japan.

Shopping can be a lot of fun though, especially when you come across such brilliant products as "Asse chocolate" and "Melty Kiss". It's always interesting to have a good peek in the fridges too, just to see what starnge monsters from the deep are being served up for Japan's dinner this evening. Check out the photo of octopus tentacles below if you don't believe me...


Mmmmmmmm, delicious!

The price of fruit and veg is a constant grumble among the JET community too. This tiny lettuce costs 378 yen - nearly two pounds. The price of lettuce (which was expensive to begin with) has gone through the roof over the past few months, thanks to the record number of typhoons this year (ten at the last count). The typhoons destroyed most of the lettuce crop, so prices are astronomical. 


And of course, there's the daikons (The Funniest Vegetable In The WorldTM).