Frugal Japan » Gifts

FJ Friends: Two Paper Cranes

Frugal Japan — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 21:00:20 +0000

While not a direct introduction, I thought I’d feature a unique online e-commerce site devoted to Japanese paper products – Two Paper Cranes. Started by Nicky Biwaki, a resident of Japan since 1987. Two Paper Cranes offers a unique and attractive range of Japanese paper products at affordable prices. As Nicky’s website elaborates:

“Nicky became interested in Japanese paper, particularly yuzen washi when she started to make greeting cards with a Japanese theme.

“On trips to Europe and the UK Nicky found a significant lack of Japanese paper products at reasonable prices and in appropriate sizes and packaging. This prompted Nicky to take her card-making business one step further, exporting Japanese paper and embellishments direct from Japan, and leading to the birth of Two Paper Cranes in 2004.”

Two Paper Cranes offers shipping of Japanese paper, mizuhiki cords, embellishments, ephemera, collage sheets, books, and gift certificates in a safe, fully-automated online environment. The items, while useful in card making, would also be attractive gifts for scrapbookers.

“FJ Friends” are foreign-owned or foreign-friendly businesses and services around Japan. If you know of a worthy business, or would like to introduce your own business to our readers, contact us!!

The Holidays: How to Survive the Last Minute Crush

Frugal Japan — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 21:00:10 +0000

This frugalite has been too busy with work and other pursuits to be much of a saver recently. Oh – the taxi rides! The convenience food! The pile of receipts waiting to be entered into my household accounts (probably won’t happen)! My wallet weeps.

Yet, at the same time, I couldn’t let another week go by without commenting on the year end holidays of Christmas and Japanese New Year’s – a bank buster if I ever saw one. What with presents, cards, shipping expenses, holiday meals, decorations, parties, and events, it can be an expensive time of year. Especially now that there are only a few weeks left! So, below please enjoy my Top Three Frugal Holiday Tips – guaranteed to save you a few minutes (or yen) this season.

1) Buy (and Send) Christmas Cards Cheaply!

One of the funnest parts (or biggest chores) of the holiday season is preparing Christmas cards. If you’re sending to a number of people overseas, just purchasing the cards can be a real headache: most cards in Japanese stores are sold as singles, not as sets, and can run Y200 or Y300 at least per card. I’ve found some good deals on Christmas cards at Y100 store chains like Daiso before, with some adorable ‘pop up cards,’ musical cards, or ornament cards for only 100 yen each with envelopes. You’ve got to get there early though: their limited selection runs out quickly. Shimojima, the wholesale stationary supplier, is also a good bet (http://www.shimojima.co.jp).

If you’ve got a digital camera, the online photo shop Shutterfly is also a good option. Last year I was able to both create, and mail, my cards online – Shutterfly even took care of the postage. Just go to the website’s store, choose ‘Cards,’ and have fun. For those of you sending cards to recipients within the US, creating and mailing your cards using this service is much cheaper than doing it from Japan. Each personalized photo card I sent, which included a personal message, cost less than $2.00, including a 55 cent stamp. It was quick too! Also, note that the Japanese Post Office can also send your Christmas cards at a reduced rate if asked.

2) Budget your Christmas presents.

This is the best way to make sure you don’t end up with “overruns.” I start every November with an Excel chart, including the name of the person to be bought for and how much I can spend. This helps keep you on budget, and helps avoid buying ‘double’ presents or forgetting about that present you had tucked away in the closet at the last moment. Don’t forget to factor shipping expenses (if there are any) into your estimates.

3) Give less.

Man, do I sound like a Scrooge now. But I do mean this in the best possible way. Especially if you’ll be in Japan for the holidays, you have a perfect excuse to cut back on the excess a little bit. Can your extended family agree to have a name drawing for present purchases among adults? Can adult siblings agree not to exchange presents, especially if both of them are trying to save money? Can you make a donation in someone’s name for a Christmas gift, instead of adding to the global landfill? Some of these ideas might seem revolutionary (there certainly were to me, an American steeped in our tradition of Christmas plenty), but the longer I’m here – the more I tend to feel that it is possible to keep the “feeling” of holiday present exchange (through cards, letters, phone calls, or even a small present) without the stuff attached.

Some else, apparently, agrees with me

Happy Holiday, Frugal Ones!

Frugal Father’s Day?

Frugal Japan — Sat, 12 Jun 2004 21:00:08 +0000

As the third week in June approaches, the thoughts of many women (and some men, perhaps) turn to that most frustrating of shopping holidays, Father’s Day. Just for a reminder, Father’s Day is Sunday, June 20th in Japan, the same as in the United States. Despite the fact that Japanese stores are filled with Father’s Day ties, handkerchief sets, jimbei-style Japanese pajamas and beer-and-nut party sets, Father’s Day remains a tough holiday to successfully (and frugally) weather.

If like most ex-pats you are shopping for a father outside of Japan this Father’s Day, you will probably find your potential gift selection a bit slim. Family members tire of traditional Japanese gifts after a few years, as I’ve found to my dismay. What are some frugal gift ideas, then?

Handmade presents are always a favorite. A handmade card or photo album created out of old photographs (which can easily be digitized these days for more creative applications) is always a good idea. Ask your mother or grandmother for some photos of Dad when he was a kid and get creative with your word processor. A collection of funny or inspirational quotations can be effective, especially if written by hand in a new daily planner, sketchbook, or nicely-bound spiral notebook.

Does the Dad in your life have any quirky hobbies or collections? My father loves toothpicks and was extremely happy to recieve several packs of unique Japanese toothpicks with the ‘carved’ ends. A rare book or video about his favorite sports team can often be found on eBay or Amazon.com’s used bookstore listings, and can be delivered overseas. A several-month subscription to your father’s hometown newspaper is both nostalgic and fairly reasonably priced. These can usually be ordered over the Internet as well. For the truly frugal, nothing can top a book of handmade coupons.

Finally, the Y100 shop has yielded some treasured Father’s Day gifts. My father is also fairly frugal in his tastes, and greatly enjoys Y100 shop ties. He loves receiving complements on them, and telling people he found them at the Japanese version of the “Dollar Store.” Dad also likes the small, bound notebooks sold at the Y100 shop — they fit perfectly in his shirt pocket. These and a few pens usually round out the annual “Y100 shop sampler” part of his present.

Just remember: In the end, it’s the thought that counts. A simple card, phone call or expression of love is often enough for the man who has “too much” already.

International Furusato Parcels

Frugal Japan — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 21:00:20 +0000

Ever stumped for “Japanese-y” items to send home to family and friends? Or, do you have Japanese friends or relatives living outside of Japan that might enjoy a familiar taste of home? Well, Japan Post has started a unique new service that might solve some of your worries. It’s called “Kaigai Furusato Kotsuzumi,” or “International Furusato Parcels.” It’s essentially a 24-page, completely bilingual catalog that offers a selection of Japanese foods and gift items that can be sent to countries around the world, postage included. A few yummy looking favorites included packets of Sapporo famous ramen shop noodles, soba gift sets, “brand name” rice, Japanese miso packs, deserts, and giftware such as dishes, decorative fans and lacquerware. You can order and pay for the gift parcels at any Japanese Post Office, and they will be shipped directly to the recipient abroad. Even better, the vendor or the Postal Service Center notify the US FDA for you regarding the shipments to be sent (in light of new anti-terrorism restrictions on sending food to the US).

The prices include postage and postal insurance for different classes of international mail. While the cost of the items themselves are not so cheap (usually around 3000 or 4000 yen), the postage and insurance inclusion makes it a fair bargain, plus the elimination of the filing hassle. The catalogs can be found at most Post Offices, or just ask if you don’t see them. The following Web site shows a picture of the catalogs, and offers some initial information: https://www.postal-jp.com/kaigai/index-e.html.

(Ed’s note: The International Furusato Parcel service was terminated by Japan Post on March 31, 2006.)