Clothes
- Women - Men - Shoes
for Men & Women - Electronica - Documentation
Gift from Home - "Omiyage"
Sendai is a fairly large city, so you can find almost anything you want. However there are some things which are difficult or impossible to find here.
Clothing for work and for your free time should indeed be different. Because you are sort of a citizen-level ambassador, you will be expected to wear semi-professional clothing to work, including nice dresses, skirts or slacks with nylons, and blouses for women, and casual-to-dress slacks, shirts and ties for men. Occasionally you will be asked to wear a dark colored suit for meetings, ceremonies, graduations and funerals. You needn’t go out a buy an Armani or clothing appropriate for executives of a Fortune 500 company. However, please prepare to bring clothing that is at least above that which you wore to lectures in university.
In Sendai, the newly opened malls have several foreign shops such as Eddie Bauer, LL Bean, NEXT, Laura Ashley, and sporting goods stores, with a variety of sizes in stock. Prices are more than at home, but are sometimes reasonable when you figure you would have to pay for shipping and handling if you were to order it from home. However, bringing catalogues from home or having them sent would not be a bad idea. It may be easier and cheaper to shop with a company you are familiar with, even if it is long distance.
Clothes that fit western women in width and length are often very hard to find in Japan. Sports wear shops are plentiful, but again, length and waist sizes may be a problem.
Bras are usually padded and difficult to find, even for average bust size women.
Nylons come in limited colors and average and small sizes only. Be sure to bring these types of items with you.
Feminine Protection items are available in small to regular sizes ONLY. It would be a good idea to bring or have some sent from home.
Family Planning devices/prescriptions are not easily available. In Japan, the pill is highly regulated, and therefore difficult to prescribe for individual women’s needs.
Make-up, perfume and toiletries are expensive here. Anti-perspirants are almost non-existent. You will want to bring your own.
Clothes to fit average western men are difficult to find. If you are tall or have long limbs, bring everything you think you are going to need.
“Smell good” products are rarely used by Japanese men. Bring deodorant! Anti-perspirant for men is virtually non-existent, and colognes are very expensive.
Family Planning devices should also be on your “to bring list.” Condoms are readily available here, but the size may be an issue! If comfort and safety are your “passions” then bringing your own supply is highly recommended.
You may have heard already that Japanese take off their shoes when they enter the home. Well, not only is this true for homes, it’s also true for the workplace, public gyms and even hospitals. A change of shoes for wearing inside school is a must. Rubber soled slippers, sandals, i.e. (Birkenstocks type) or sport shoes are typically worn. If your shoe size is larger than 24 cm/ size 7 (women) or 27cm / size 9 1/2 (men), you will not be able to find shoes in Japan. Indoor shoes for sports will come in handy, when asked to play with the students, or if you’re interested in joining a gym. Whatever you pack, think comfortable and multi-purposeful, and you’ll be fine.
First off, a warning. The power supply in Japan is different to that of most of your home countries, and many of the electric goodies from home won't work here. The power runs at 100 volts, 50 cycles per second, and although power adaptors can be purchased here, don't expect 100% compliance. Those of you with notebook computers (and I can't live without mine – Tony), may already have multi-power sources (i.e. adaptors that can cope with 100-240 volts) that came with your notebook. Other computer equipment (printers, zip-drives etc) may have to be re-purchased here.
Those of you from NTSC-system areas, such North America, are in luck as Japan uses the same system. You can have your loved ones send you the latest episodes of Friends or South Park to wile away those quiet hours at home. Those of us (like me – Tony) from PAL or SEACAM zones will suffer. However, multi-system video players are available in the export section of the LAOX store in Sendai which will allow such videos to be played on the NTSC TVs here.
Please bring along the material that both CLAIR and Sendai City have sent you. Certified copies of official academic documents (degrees, certificates, transcripts etc) can come in handy as well. Don’t forget addresses and phone numbers from home, and any PIN numbers and passwords to get you access to bank accounts, Internet sites and calling cards. You will also need to bring two passport-sized photographs (4.5 X 3.5 cm) taken no more than 6 months ago for your Foreigners’ Identification card. These photos will be used the day you arrive in Sendai.
The tradition of omiyage in Japan literally baffles most westerners. After consulting with the Japanese staff here in the Board of Education about what is expected in Sendai, the consensus was that the best gift you could ever bring, is a smiling face and enthusiasm towards your work and life in Japan. Our collective experiences have proven that the gift itself really doesn’t matter. Those who received a box of chocolates from home countries were just as excited and grateful as the ones who received personalized items and souvenirs, if not more so. So don’t worry about omiyage. If you really want to bring something, it should be small. Post cards from your home country or food items are always a big hit.
Note: Gift wrap is something you can buy here after you arrive. It would be appropriate to give the gift on the day you are introduced to the entire staff. Handing out omiyage is not necessary the first day you arrive.