5 days ago
What's the best way to spend 1,000 yen at the Seria 100-yen chainstore in Japan?
Find out what US$6.70 gets you at this super popular 100-yen store.
With rising prices giving us less for our yen these days, there's never been a better time to hunt for a bargain. So when our team of Japanese-language reporters set out for a new instalment of their popular 'Best Way to Spend 1,000 Yen' series, they decided to check out Seria, one of the most popular 100-yen (US$0.67) chainstores in the country.
This is one of the best places to shop for a bargain, so how far would 1,000 yen get you at the chain? To find out, 11 of our reporters put together their best suggestions, with the following caveats: First, none of them would be allowed to exceed the budget by even a single yen, and secondly, food selections were off limits, seeing as food items aren't typically found at most Seria branches.
So let's get right to it and see what each of our reporters found for us, starting with…
▼ Yoshio's 'Ultimate Medaka (Killifish) Set'
Cleaning dropper: 110 yen
Feeding spoon & tweezers: 110 yen
Aquarium ornament (cat): 110 yen
Zeolite: 110 yen
Plant weights: 110 yen
Water thermometer: 110 yen
Artificial aquatic plant: 110 yen
Aqua Friend Moai (decoration): 110 yen
Luminous stones: 110 yen
Small plastic bags: 3 yen
Total: 993 yen
'For me, Seria is a treasure trove for Medaka goods. When you keep Medaka, your aquarium can start to look the same and lose its artistic appeal. That's why I add Seria products to elevate the style.
Of course, practical items like droppers and thermometers are also essential. I couldn't fit everything in my tank this time, so please check out a previous tank I styled with Seria goodies.'
▼ Takamichi Furusawa's 'Summer Faux Flower Set'
Faux sunflowers: 110 yen ×5
Faux hydrangeas: 110 yen ×3
Faux alstroemeria: 110 yen ×1
Total: 990 yen
'I wanted to bring the beauty of summer indoors so I headed to the faux flower section at Seria. There's a huge variety of faux sunflowers, not just in classic yellow, but also in pink and emerald—so colourful.
I love sunflowers the most. Even though these are artificial, their bright flowers really lift my spirits, and I snagged some in-season hydrangeas to complete this summer set.
Nine stems for 990 yen made for a pretty substantial bouquet. I'll put them in a vase right away. It might be nice to collect cute interior goods from Seria every once in a while.'
▼ Takashi Harada's 'Water Area Must-Haves Set'
Kitchen sponge: 110 yen
Bath sponge: 110 yen
Drain strainer net: 110 yen
Cleaning sheets: 110 yen
Kitchen cleaner: 110 yen
Washable kitchen towel: 110 yen
Toilet cleaner: 110 yen
Drainpipe cleaner: 110 yen
Washing machine cleaner: 110 yen
Total: 990 yen
'Once you start buying water-related cleaning stuff, the list never ends but at 100 yen each, you can stock up without worry.
Every item at Seria is 100 yen so getting all this for under a thousand yen is truly amazing — it's the best!'
▼ Ahiruneko's 'Making My Kid's Dream Come True Set'
Build-it-yourself dinosaur model: 110 yen
Excavation dinosaur figure: 110 yen
Soft push dinosaur: 110 yen
Block dinosaur toy: 110 yen
Fossil dinosaur egg: 110 yen
MOVE Dinosaur Bath Bomb ×2: 220 yen
Golden dinosaur egg ×2: 220 yen
Total: 990 yen
'Whenever I go to a 100-yen shop with my 4-year-old daughter she always begs for toys s o I was finally able to make her dreams come true by saying: 'Pick any nine toys you like!'
It was like a dream for her, and because Seria doesn't have toys priced over 500 yen like its rivals Daiso or Can Do, parents don't have to worry.
She went bouncing around, picking out what she liked. Since she loves dinosaurs, all nine ended up being dinosaur-themed. Parks are too hot, and taking her to fun facilities costs thousands, so 100-yen stores like Seria are a real help.'
▼ Go Hatori's 'Work Supplies to Help Me Get Stuff Done Set'
Dehumidifier ×2: 110 yen each
Large disinfectant wet wipes: 110 yen
Thermo-hygrometer (temp/humidity meter) ×2: 110 yen each
Toothpicks (850): 110 yen
Clear pushpins: 110 yen
Paper towels: 110 yen
11-pocket clear file: 110 yen
Total: 990 yen
'Whenever our team has an idea for a project, the first place we run to is the 100-yen shop. Why? Because we're broke… I mean, because we want to keep costs down!
Seria, the nearest shop to our office, is the only one in the industry where every item is actually 100 yen. It's the samurai of 100-yen stores.
All these are tools for work. We use so many of these in the office so if you read our site, you'll probably start to notice them here and there.'
▼ Masanuki Sunakoma 's 'The Squeeze Ball Set'
Mysterious Ball Luminous MAX (3): 110 yen
Color-changing soft mochi: 110 yen
Soft squishy bunny (2): 110 yen
Soft squishy bear: 110 yen
Sparkly water ball: 110 yen
Soft, stretchy mysterious ball: 110 yen
Total: 990 yen
'After much debate, I went with soft squeeze balls! There are so many at Seria — tonnes of squishy balls and animal characters.
Judging by this lineup, my bundle might not be as practical as some of my colleagues' suggestions, but I'm just hoping to share some info!'
▼ Yuuichiro Wasai's: 'Treasure Set for Kids'
Bath bomb ×3: 330 yen
Sticker book ×2: 220 yen
Water gun: 110 yen
Swimming turtle: 110 yen
Playing water: 110 yen
Magnet flag set for learning: 110 yen
Total: 990 yen
'No matter how great a 100-yen item is, from an adult's view it's just a convenient product. But for kids, it's a treasure, so my advice is to pick things that'll make your children happy.
When I gave one of the sticker books to my three-year-old daughter, she was overjoyed. That smile alone made this lot worth well over 1,000 yen.
And if your child is absorbed in toys, adults get some free time too. What does 1,000 yen's worth of toys buy in terms of freedom for adults? Just imagining it makes me want to cry tears of joy.'
▼ Mr Sato's 'The Only-at-Seria MU Set'
MU pass case: 110 yen
MU A5 clear file: 110 yen
MU B5 notebook (B ruled): 110 yen
MU sticky notes (40 sheets), ×2: 110 yen each
MU fan: 110 yen
MU triangle pouch: 110 yen
MU acrylic key holder: 110 yen
MU aurora multipurpose pouch: 110 yen
Total: 990 yen
'Did you know? The monthly paranormal magazine 'MU' is invading Seria! Twenty-nine MU-themed items are available, mostly small goods and accessories — it's wild.
A regular collab might offer five or six items, and even 10 would be a lot, but here there are 29! Is this not an invasion? I doubt Seria's usual customers and MU fans overlap much, but that's exactly why I had to buy them.
Actually, the designs are really good, and there are plenty of cute items. I recommend checking them out.'
▼ Seiji Nakazawa's 'A Pipe Cleaner for 110 Yen Is Unbelievably Cheap Set'
Pipe cleaner 500 grams: 110 yen
Pipe cleaner 500 grams: 110 yen
Herbal Sleep pipe cleaner 400 millilitres: 110 yen
Herbal Sleep pipe cleaner 400 millilitres: 110 yen
Herbal Sleep pipe cleaner 400 millilitres: 110 yen
Fresh 600 grams: 110 yen
Kaneyo laundry soap 'Aokaku': 110 yen
Insect cap for air conditioner drain hose: 110 yen
Vent fan cover: 110 yen
Total: 990 yen
'I had never shopped at Seria before. As someone who lives a simple life, Seria's slight stylishness, compared to other 100-yen stores, actually felt unnecessary so I found myself wandering around the store thinking, what would I even use?
That's when a bottle of Pipe Cleaner caught my eye. Looking closer, the 500-gram ones were low in stock — a sign of popularity. At 110 yen for 500 grams, it's super cheap. When you use pipe cleaner you use it liberally, so you can never have too much.
So, by focusing on Pipe Cleaner products and a few insect-repellent items, I was able to boost my summer defenses.'
▼ P.K. Sanjun's 'Supplies You'll Never Regret Buying Set'
Disinfectant wet wipes ×3: 330 yen
Portable disinfectant wet wipes ×2: 220 yen
Smartphone glass screen protector ×2: 220 yen
Glasses cleaner: 110 yen
Toothbrush for gaps: 110 yen
Small plastic bags: 3 yen
Total: 993 yen
'All I know about Seria is it has cute water bottles and wrapping paper, but I don't actually go there much. Even at Daiso, I mostly buy snacks.
So this time, I went for stuff you'll never regret having on hand. Disinfectant wipes, smartphone glass, specialty toothbrushes — no regrets here, right? When in doubt, I always buy disinfectant wipes.'
▼ Mariko Ohanabatake's 'Perfectly Cute Picnic Set, Chosen by a Picnic Pro'
Aluminum picnic sheet: 110 yen
Paper cups (lemon & olive design), 15: 110 yen
Paper bowls, set of 4: 110 yen
Paper plates, set of 10: 110 yen
Spoons & forks, 4 sets: 110 yen
Craft-wrapped bamboo chopsticks, set of 25: 110 yen
Mini pocket tissue, set of 6: 110 yen
Nonwoven disposable wipes, set of 8: 110 yen
Freestanding desktop trash bin, set of 12: 110 yen
Total: 990 yen
'What makes Seria stand out among 100-yen shops is definitely its design. They're especially good at cute 'sometimes-you-need-it' items targeted at young women.
As a picnic lover, I recommend Seria's disposable paperware for its wide range of designs and sizes. They're cheaper and cuter than convenience store options, and you can easily put together a complete and adorable picnic set.
Pocket tissues, wipes, and trash bags are must-haves. Please try this set for cherry blossom picnics, beach trips, or BBQs!'
So there you have it — 11 ways to spend 1,000 yen at Seria. Which one would you spend your money on? Let us know in the comments below and don't forget to check out the cheap finds at Daiso as well!
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