JAPANESE LUCKY BAGS FOREVER21 2018

Hey guys!!
I am back and trucking along with my new years resolution which is…. WRITING IN THIS BLOG!!!! I have severely neglected this blog and honestly, I have zero excuse. Expect more content from my on this platform 😀

Onto the post!!!

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Ariana (my hometown bestie) is up visiting Tokyo for the new year and we decided to buy Japanese lucky bags. What is a lucky bag? Well, basically shops around Japan will put their last year or last season clothing into one huge bag and sell it for cheap! They are called fukubukuro 福袋 in Japanese. Every store have their own rules regarding their lucky bags. For example, some stores you can actually see a sample of what is in the bag before you buy, other stores have many clothing on display and there will be a random set of those clothing in your lucky bag, OR you have the 100% i don’t know what the f*ck is in here bag.. it’s 100% a mystery!!!! Japanese people line up before stores open just to buy these lucky bags. Usually stores open on January 1st or 2nd (every stores is different) so i would recommend checking ahead of time the stores you want to venture too! Also, if i had to compare the buying experience to something in Canada… I would say it is a lot like Black Friday or Boxing Day sales but WAY more manageable. Not like those Walmart world star fights you see on the news (or with your own eyes) on black friday or boxing day.

Ariana and I bought a forever21 lucky bag this year and is was 5000円 for a bag of 9 items. The only thing we were able to choose was the sizes. Ariana chose a S/M bag and i chose a M/L bag.We were so excited so we decided to head home as soon as possible to open the lucky bags on camera and see what we got!! I made a video of us showing what we got and what it looks like on here → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8jW0w4PAW8 … I will warn you, ONE of US got played!!!!!!

Now, I will say BUY AT YOUR OWN RISK when it comes to the 100% mystery bag because you’re essentially taking a 50/50 chance on good items.. I would NEVER spend more than 5000円 on a bag that I don’t know what is inside. For example, i spent 10,000円 on an adidas lucky bag because i seen the preview of everything inside and was really happy with it. But i repeat… NEVER buy a bag over 5000円 that you don’t know what is inside UNLESS you LOVE that brand.

Half of the fun of lucky bags is not knowing what to expect though.. It is the closest i can get to that childhood feeling on christmas day.. tearing open your gifts not knowing what “santa” bought for you.

Also, there are more than just fashion lucky bags. You can also buy lucky bags from technology type stores (places that sell gadgets and so on), animation stores (things that sell anime, manga, figurines, etc), food stores (convenience stores, grocery stores, foreign import stores), AND makeup/beauty stores!

Where would you buy your lucky bags from???

 

 

Sayonara for now,
Jennifer Ann
osharegirl

💜 Get to Know Me | OSHAREGIRL 💜

Sooooooooooo I had a request to do a get to know me tag from a YouTube subscriber (thank you （＾ω＾）) which I jumped at to make.

Why?

Because i am asking people to subscribe to me not actually knowing anything about me so, I thought it was a good chance to kind of get to know me through random questions I collected from the Internet (strayed a little from the regular questions). I answered them strictly from the top of my head so my answers are real and unplanned, the best way to get to know me, don’t you think 😉 ?

Here is the link to that video! 

Also, I finally figured out how to make thumbnails, the correct sizing, etcccccc to attach them to my YouTube videos~ horaay for that since I am doing this YouTube thing alone without help… (T^T)

Anywho, support your girl out by clicking, commenting, liking, or subscribing to my channel 💜

Ta-ta for now,
Jennifer
XOXO

  

Japan’s New Plus Size Magazine!

Hey guys!

I decided to postpone my fashion post this Sunday (japan time) to talk about something trending right now around the Internet courtesy of buzzfeed!

It’s in the title but just to say it again, Japan has finally taken a step in the right direction in my opinion and released its first plus size magazine! I have just finished my 2nd year here in Japan and had no idea that this magazine was published 1 year ago!!!!!!!!!!! I am always creeping the fashion magazines at the 7/11’s here and haven’t come across the plus size magazine yet but, not I will keep my eyes open for it!

The magazine “la Farfa” is breaking with tradition here in Japan and is now making headlines around the world! Maybe to people in Canada and America, it is not so different but over here in Japan, it is major!

In Japan the first thing I noticed upon arrival was that calories are literally listed everywhere you go… Unless it is a restaurant that is viewed as a “manly” restaurant, the calories won’t be listed. I have even been to restaurants in Japan that have special female menus that are smaller portioned and fewer calories. I also felt like every time there was an informertial on tv it was about weight loss something blah blah. You can even buy special sleep wear to wrap your body into so help you lose weight etc. Needless to say, the pressure to be thin here in Japan is high.

Bigger women here have a lot of pressure and judging eyes upon them here. Because I am a foreigner I feel like I have a slight pass due to perception of us being “fat” is normal… But I still get called fat by my students.

Sorry about that ramble… I could literally go on for days but, I am just trying to keep it short and sweet and make some kind of point. Maybe the pressure over here to be thin can only really be felt if you’re actively living here.

Anyways I am just so happy to wake up this morning and see on vuzzfeed this article ( http://www.buzzfeed.com/cathyngo/japans-first-plus-sized-fashion-magazine-is-breaking-traditi?bffb&utm_term=4ldqpj6#4ldqpj6  ) trending on Facebook! It’s never too late to take a step in the right direction and that is exactly what japan is doing. This magazine is trying to promote plus size bodies in Japan instead of fat-shaming like they do in other magazines.

Even better news, this magazine recently just celebrated their one year anniversary ☆*:.｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆
Rejoice!!!!!
Ta-Ta for now,

Jennifer

XOXO

      

Gaijin Life: Yakiniku

In Japan, meat is usually so expensive. One of the more expensive meats here is beef and one of the cheaper meats is chicken. I thought this to be strange when I first arrived here because back home in Canada, it is quite the opposite. Chicken is expensive and pork or beef are cheaper. I grew up eating red meat almost everyday and that has to be one of the things I miss the most about Canada. How cheap the beef is compared to Japan!

However I will share with you one of my best kept secrets! Japan has restaurants where there are Tabehoudai and Nomihoudai which basically means all you can eat and all you can drink. This style of buffets usually come with a time limit of 2 hours. When I am feeling slightly sad about my red meat intake, I will go to a restaurant with tabehodai (all you can eat) and chow down. BUT, the most important factor is what style of food you choose to eat. Have you ever heard of Yakiniku ? The Japanese word yakiniku literally means grilled meat. The idea of barbequing red meat on a grill in the middle of the table probably originated from the western idea of barbeques. So yes, my guilty pleasure here in Japan is going to a yakiniku restaurant and eating plates of meat sometimes resulting in meat sweats..

There are many different styles of meat you can choose from along with different cuts and marinates. They also offer more than just red meat. Also offered on menus are: chicken, cheese filled sausages, vegetables, and other sides like salad, French fries, potato salad, etc. I will warn you that these types of restaurant are usually not cheap and range anywhere from 1800円 and up but they are well worth satisfying your homesickness! Another tip, these places usually get pretty smoky even though they have vents above the grill to try and suck up the smoke. They will leave your clothing smelling like you sat in front of a barbeque for two hours (like you probably were). In Japan, they actually make a spray especially for people who eat yakiniku. It is in an aerosol can that sprays on your clothing and breaks down the smoke particles in your clothing to take away the smell. If you`re going to eat yakiniku, wear something you don’t mind getting smelly unless you are going to be laundry relatively soon. Also, you will eat until you’re probably have a food baby or fall into a food coma, wear comfortable pants! Something with an elastic waist, sweatpants, or loose fitting jeans, and a loose fitting shirt is the best.

Recently I went myself to a yakiniku restaurant that is a small, old, and cute place. It is called CAMP. It has the cheapest and coolest nomihoudai in Yokohama. It is 600円 for all you can drink for one hour. The best part is, you make your own drinks. They have a huge open bar where you can make a classic drink or you can get creative and mix yourself up something unique. I do recommend reading Japanese. Hiragana or katakana should be okay since a lot of the bottles without labels have a sticker with Japanese writing on it. A lot of locals go to camo to drink, smoke, chat, and eat yakiniku. The place is quite tiny so it does get pretty smoky the later into the night it gets but the atmosphere is unlike anything else in Yokohama.

bathroom wall scribbles

bathroom wall scribbles

These are some photos from my night filled with eating meat, meat, and more meat. Enjoy! If you are hungry, I am sorry you have to suffer staring at this delicious food.

 

Ta-ta for now,

Jennifer

XOXO

Travel Japan: Mie Prefecture

Looking for a more quiet area of Japan to go sightseeing? Why not try Mie, Japan. Quite honestly, before moving to Japan I have never heard of this prefecture before. I ended up living in a tiny area in the Mie prefecture that not so many people know. But that one year living in the center area of japan allowed me to travel to places I might not have necessarily have went to. Mie is a quite beautiful prefecture in Japan facing the Pacific Ocean. It is about 2 hours by limited express train to two big cities in Japan: Osaka and Nagoya. I will list some areas that I travelled to in Mie and why I went there or what I thought was worth seeing.

I think I should add that, I have a Japanese driver’s license and had my own company car so, I didn’t have any problems getting around. BUT, Mie is quite limited in its means of transportation so I high recommend renting a car.

Here we go:

SHIMA– Of course I would recommend the city I lived in for one year. Shima is on the very bottom tip of the prefecture. It is said that the seafood here is used to feed the royal family. (not sure, just a saying)　Oysters, pearls, and blowfish are very famous in this area of Mie. There is also quite a big theme park named “Spain Mura” (Spain village) which has Brazilians and Spanish people working there. The theme park is quite expensive but not like Disney. As well as, the Kashigojima area has some ritzy hotels and gold courses you can enjoy for a nice quite relaxing weekend.

TOBA- Toba is a quiet little city on the coast. Although Toba may be small, there are still many things to visit. Toba has their famous aquarium which can be found on the YouTube channel VICE: JAPAN. Around the aquarium, there is also Yamazaki Pearl Island. Toba also has big resort hotels that are quite expensive but the scenery and view is breathtakingly beautiful.

ISE – Ise is next to SHIMA or TOBA depending on the highway route you take. Ise is most famous for their Ise-jingu shrine. It is the most holy Shinto shrine here in Japan. The royal family come yearly around the New Year to pay their respects to their religion. Around that time, everything is closed and people cannot go inside. If you are all about photography, the small city around the shrine is extremely beautiful in the spring with the cherry blossoms and the fall with the coloured leaves. Both seasons are busy. If you plan on taking photos of the shine, don’t get too excited. Photography is not allowed of the main shrines. Something that you HAVE to try when in ISE is AKAFUKU MOCHI!!!!! It is the most delicious and smooth red bean mocha you might ever eat in your life. If you are planning to buy it for OMIYAGE (presents) beware, it goes bad quite fast and cannot store for a long time. Usually in the fall, people take bus tours through the mountain pass that leads to SHIMA or TOBA so they can view the leaves.

IGA- If you are into the martial arts scene or even Japanese history, a great place for you to visit in Mie in Iga. This mountainous area is the land where NINJAS originated. That’s right, ninjas. Even if you’re not practicing martial arts, there must be some small part of you that thinks ninjas are bad-ass and cool. I remember when driving through a random mountain, I started thinking about the ninjas and I could totally imagine them living there. There is just something about the forest there that seems mysterious and magical. There aren’t too many tourist attraction in Iga apart from their castle. There is however, a ninja festival. You read right, a NINJA FESTIVAL!!!! Ueno Ninja Fiesta takes place from April 1^st to May 6^th. People come to there to compete in ninja games. Also, during that time, if you dress as a ninja and ride the train, your fair is free.

KUWANA – There are many things to see in Kuwana and for anyone visiting, it is next to Nagoya. Easy to kill two birds with one stone if you visit around here. I would say Kuwana is most famous for its illuminations in the autumn/winter and its huge theme/hot springs park. Nabana no Sato are the illuminations in Nabano Park. I highly recommend viewing these if you are around this area in the colder seasons. Every year, the theme of the illuminations change so every year, people keep going back. The time I went it was a Mt. Fuji theme. Extremely beautiful and the tunnel of lights were to die for. I would recommend going to there on a non-busy day. I went during the weekend since it was my time off and, I found it a little difficult to move and enjoy as much because I was too preoccupied with people pushing me. If you go, please eat a yaki-imo (it is like a baked sweet potatoe, amainzly sweet and warm and refreshing to eat on a cold day/night)

Another attraction I highly recommend is Nagashima Spa Land. It is quite pricy but you can enjoy an amusement park and a visit to the hot springs. In Japan, you have to at least once try an onsen (hot springs) and experience true Japanese culture. Although, I am not too sure how tattoo friendly they are. Usually hot springs are pretty strict to people with tattoos and will not let them enter a public bath. (Tattoos in japan are linked to the yakuza, Japanese mafia) But some places are tattoo friendly because they get enough foreign clients so they can’t discriminate as much.

There you have it. My top 5 cities to visit in the prefecture of Mie, Japan. Have you been to any of these places before? Please enjoy if you make a trip to any of these places.

 

Ta-ta for now,

Jennifer

XOXO

Being Blonde in Japan

from one blonde to another

I finally took the plunge at the end of December and went back to the colour that I feel the most comfortable with, blonde. As a child I had blonde hair, started to colour my hair in junior high school, and all throughout university I stayed blonde. Only before I moved to Japan I decided to change up my look and colour my hair darker.

When I moved to Japan, my hair was close to its natural colour with blonde streaks. I didn’t speak Japanese well enough upon moving here, so for almost two years I had let my hair grow out. My hair took on the ombre look and thankfully for me, everyone was all about ombre at the time.

Having natural hair and not having to worry about the monthly root touch-ups and applying purple shampoo was very refreshing. I was able to have a relationship with my hair that I don’t ever remember having. The best part was that fact that I didn’t have to worry about poodle (frizzy) hair as much during the rainy season.

Around the end of August, I started to feel bored with my hair so I chopped it all off to a “lob” (long bob). After a couple of months, I still felt like I was missing something so I talked to my best friend of 18 years and came to the conclusion of “just do it”.. and do it I did…

I went to a salon in Tokyo that caters to “gaijin” (foreigner) hair with English speaking staff. I showed to the photo of what I would like to achieve. To make an extremely long story short, the bleach was left on my scalp for way too long under a heater and I received massive chemical burns. I told the staff while under the heater I was in extreme pain and eventually they let me wash it out of my hair. I noticed my hair was steaming… I had the chemical burns for about two weeks. Every time I washed my hair, the burns would puss and my hair would stick to the back of my head. The results of this salon = chemical burns and overpriced.

The second time around, I chose a different salon in Yokohama that the owner and stylist was in Los Angeles for about 10 years working with Americans. I expressed what happened last time and that I would like to not have not many chemical burns and I walked out of the salon an extremely happy customer. Platinum blonde, toned hair, without a chemical burn, and an appointment books for the following month.

The high end, overpriced salon in Tokyo cannot even compare to the quality and service I received in the small personally owned hair salon in Yokohama. The lesson I ended up learning the hard way was that not all the glitters is gold. Sometimes we tend to think that bigger brands and companies are better. The price tag is more expensive because it is high quality etc… This was not the case with these two hair salons.

I do have to state though, if you are a foreigner living in Japan and already feel uncomfortable with the stares you most likely receive on a regular basis, don`t change your hair to blonde or red. These hair colours are not naturally the norm here in Japan so： 1.) You are bound to standout even more and 2.) Your company may ask you to change your hair. Luckily for me, FROZEN is a big hit here in Japan and my students love the Disney movie. Instead of them reacting badly and giving me negative attention, coined me “Elsa 先生 (sensei/teacher)” for about a week and a half. After the week and a half of buzzing, I went back to being just regular old “Jennifer 先生 (sensei/teacher)”.

BEFORE

 

AFTER

If you plan on taking the plunge to a dramatic hair colour in an Asian country, I suggest you be careful, possibly ask your boss if the colour or cut is alright, and good luck with the language barrier!!　頑張って！！

Ta-ta for now,

Jennifer    XOXO

Valentine’s Day in Japan

Can you feel it? That ever so sweet twinge in the air that starts in the beginning of February every year and abruptly ends after February 15^th. Have you guessed yet as to what I was referring too? You got it, VALENTINES DAY.

Every year, thousands of people begin to scan their brains for ideas on how to make this Valentine’s Day more memorable for their long-time partner or trying to impress their new love as it is their magical first valentine’s day together. Valentine’s Day for couples that are without children and/or young children tend to be more focused on one another while people with older children flock to the idea of a family Valentine’s Day celebration. And last but certainly not least, we have our singles out there that are celebrating by getting drunk with friends bashing exes or those who don’t participate in this commercial holiday whether single or not. I wonder which category some of my readers fall into??? Nevertheless, we all somehow get sucked into some kind of opinion about valentines, good or bad.

Valentine’s Day from where I am from (Canada) is a couple’s holiday where you exchange something on the day of February 14^th and that’s the end of it. In Japan, it is a completely different ritual. Here, girls and women of all ages flock to their local grocery and confectionary stores to buy packaging, chocolate, and decorations in preparation for their big day.

February 14^th is the day that females will either make homemade chocolates or buy chocolates and give to their male counterparts. This is a chance for some of the more shy Japanese women to have an excuse to direct a subtle hint towards someone they may fancy. But on the other hand, it is also common for female co-workers to give their male co-workers chocolates without any meaning attached. Therefore, if you have an office crush, I suggest that you make a more special chocolate for that secret someone.

Now the real interesting and tricky part is March 14^th, also known as “White Day”, men are supposed to return the favor and give chocolates back. Now, this is how you can really tell if the person you fancy is interested because if you receive something back, the saying goes they are also interested in you! These days though in 2015, I never read into it too much the return of chocolates because 1.) Japanese people are all about being polite so I always tend to think I am getting chocolate because I gave chocolate and 2.) They assume that possibly I don’t understand the concept of White Day so I can’t think too deeply like possibly other women.

Either way, I don’t mind! Who is going to turn down chocolate… not me, that’s for sure. I am already anticipating February 14^th because some of my students told me they are giving me chocolates!!!!!

How will you be spending your valentines and what traditions do you follow back at home in your country?　I will be spending my Valentines day attempting to make these:

Ta-Ta for now

Jennifer

XOXO