How To Get Stuff Directly From Japan

To tell the truth, I am slightly obsessed with cute Japanese accessories, plush toys and cartoon figures dangling from mobile phones. Unfortunately, most of the items are either not available in my home country or absurdly overpriced. The reason is quite simple: the vast majority of Japanese websites do not offer shipping to foreign countries. I have been trying to purchase goods several times but it’s been mostly miss. Even after I managed to translate merchant’s page using Google Translator, I tend to get stuck on the payment stage and could not get my credit card accepted. Some people even suggested me to make Japanese penpal friend online and ask him to help shipping my order. What a sick option…

If you think that I was ready to say goodbye to my dream, you are wrong! After days of surfing blogs and researching for forwarding services I found a couple of useful websites that ship goods to customers overseas without having to go through the nuances of Japanese payment system and dozens of 3rd parties. Hooray! I was so tired of fruitless navigating Japanese online stores, so I felt like I won the lottery. Seriously. When I decided to try the first service called Equinox Japan, I discovered that no Japanese language skills needed. However, I was little bit skeptical about it after so many failed attempts to order items and get them shipped overseas. But you know…no guts, no glory! Therefore, I decided to share my experience of shopping with Equinox for those who wish to get cool stuff from Japan. Hope it will be useful for all Japan lovers and kawaii fans!

How It Works

Step First: Choose Item
Along with a shipping service, Equinox offers a wide range of high-quality goods made in Japan. They have video games, cellphone cases, beauty products, plush toys, manga and even Japanese condoms. Waaaaait, do not throw eggs on me, I was just surfing through the website while looking for plastic models! You know, I go through them as sweet tooth goes through a bag of freshly made donuts. Every time I clicked ‘next page’ I literally felt like floating on the cloud. So many figures I wished to get since I was a child! Seems like Equinox staff is pretty busy with uploading new items days and nights.

Step Second: Checkout 
Finally, I found what I was desperately looking for *drums beating*. Incredibly cool 25-cm model of Shinya Kogami from Psycho-Pass! I could not even imagine that someday I will be lucky to get it. As I discovered the ordering process is quite standard - you should add chosen item to the cart and proceed to checkout. To make it faster, you can to register using social account in Facebook, Twitter or Google. Or simply enter you billing and shipping address like I did.

Step Third: Pay Online
I think it would be interesting for you to know that international shipping is absolutely free. Comparing to other Japanese stores that charge customers various fees, you get the item delivered to you at no cost. Getting used to be mercifully fleeced by all sorts of commissions, I was surprised to find out I have to pay fair price. In addition, Equinox works with PayPal that makes payment a hell of a lot easier. Actually, PayPal is not that widespread in Japan and it is a miracle they have it here.

What is Next?
Everything went smoothly, so I am waiting for my package to be delivered soon. In addition, I made my mind to try Equinox unique service called EJ Concierge next time. Only god knows how many nights I spent surfing through the Japanese Amazon website and drooling over the stylish dresses. Despite Amazon’s revised policy that made overseas shipping charges slightly cheaper, many retailers still do not have their profiles translated into English. Here at Equinox you can choose some items on Japanese online stores such as Amazon and send your request to ship it via EJ Concierge. No matter how far you reside from Japan, they will deliver it at no charge.

So…What Can I Say?
Let me expressing my humble opinion considering the subject. Honestly to say, I am really glad I found such a useful service for online shopping and international shipping. Variety of items, easy interface and absence of shipping charges are likely to make the life of Japan-obsessed shopaholics much easier. You can get some really cool articles from Japan for a decent price, and the process does not take much time. Hope, my experience was helpful for you! Please, do not hesitate to drop a line in the comments and let me know your precious opinion.
 

Longing for

I can smell savory odour from street outside crowded with small shops, can hear mooing of holy cows and shrill cries of sellers fighting for customers, can wait with impatience looking for incredible and mysterious world beyond thin walls.

Do I need to make one breath to find out that I'm still in this room, stupidly watching monitor? No, I don't want. Delusion it became, delusion that ruins my established life.

Cooking

I'm not a great cooker and fried eggs which I made in mum's absent really looked like hanful of charcoal. When I started to live along I first felt great feeling not only to satisfy hunger but to experiment with food and create something delicious. To tell the truth partly it was caused by desire to impress my boyfriend and obscure his mum's cooking masterpieces.

I started not from the Ukrainian borsch and vareniki but from the Chinese and Japanese meal. Rice was a part of my diet from the beginning, vegetables seemed something trivial, so I found vegshop in Kiev and buy food which is usually hard to find on the market shelves - tofu, chick-pea and some spicies. If somebody is interested, it is "Nash magazinchik" 5 min from Nivki subway station.

This is what I've made: fried tofu with Bolgar pepper.

1.Cut tofu for pieces 2 sm in diameter
2. Soak tofu with soy sause and squashed garlic for 15 min
3. Fry Bolgar pepper and onion till the golden hint
4. Fry tofu
5. Mix it with pepper/onion, sprinkle with sesame oil, add some salad

Yami  yami! ^_^

P.S. To the right - side dish from tomato, onion, sweet corn and mayonnaise, upward  - sea cabbage with mushrooms, to the left - boiled rice
Next will be Indian meal - dal soup and sabji.

It has begun

After sleepless night and morning skype interview I was hired by an indian company for a position listed as a content manager. Truthfully, before talking with chief director in Kolkata I firmly set a goal to win this vacancy and started to behave like a professional spy - I've read all pages of company's website and found my interviewer's twitter. That's the real proof of my SMM skills, I guess:)

Less than one month I'll be in Kolkata. D'you remember cartoon "Around the World with Willy Fog" with animals starring? One of episodes takes place in Kolkata so I have very sweet memories about this city.

Now it's time fighting against bureaucracy. Getting visa for 200$, buying airticket and making all necessary arrangements. Hardest is that I haven't told my roommate and boss yet about leaving. Dear mushi, give me power to do my best!

Konnichiwa!

Whoooah. I finally got it - my first blog about adventures, travellings and other stuff in my life. To be continued...