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SoraNews24
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- SoraNews24
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! Photos ©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! [ Read in Japanese ]
SoraNews24
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- SoraNews24
What's the best way to spend 1,000 yen at Kura Sushi?【Japan Super Budget Dining】
Fish, noodles, and heresy are all on the table as our panel of hngry reporters puts together 10 different meals for 1,000 yen or less. Our Japan Super Budget Dining panel is coming off two straight meaty meals, having made recent visits to the Mos Burger and Matsuya chains for hamburgers and gyudon (beef bowls), respectively. So today we're giving beef a break and instead heading to Kura Sushi, or Kurazushi, as it's pronounced by locals in Japan. Kura Sushi is one of Japan's most popular kaiten sushi/conveyor belt sushi chains, and among that section of the dining scene it's known as an especially budget-friendly tasty place. So, as we do in this series, we gave each of our panel members a budge ot 1,000 yen (US$6.90) and told them to put together the best meal they could from Kura Sushi's menu. ▼ Takamichi Furusawa's 'Kura Sushi Beginner' set (920 yen) ● Salted matured tuna (115 yen) ● Marinated matured tuna (115 yen) ● Salmon (115 yen) ● Umadare sauce salmon (115 yen) ● Kisslip squid (115 yen) ● Pacific flying squid (115 yen) ● Natural dashi udon noodles (230 yen) 'This is actually my first time to eat at Kura Sushi. Since I don't have any experience with their menu, I went with things I saw being promoted on their website and in-restaurant signs and posters, plus a few things I always order at kaiten sushi restaurants. But when I broke up rotation between tuna, salmon, and squid, I was shocked by how good the udon's dashi bonito stock broth. The combo of sushi and udon is like a revelation, and I can't believe I found noodles that taste this good at a sushi restaurant.' ▼ Go Hatori's 'Shrimp All the Way' set (945 yen) ● Shrimp (115 yen) ● Shirim with avocado (150 yen) ● Seared gratin-style shrimp with mayo (170 yen) ● Seard shrimp with cheese (170 yen) ● Tempura shrimp nigiri sushi (170 yen) ● Tempura shrimp sushi roll (170 yen) 'I regularly make whole kaiten sushi meals out of nothing but cooked shrimp sushi, so I went down that path again, grabbing both some conventional and some unorthodox plates. But even this isn't all the cooked shrimp options Kura Sushi has!' ▼ Masanuki Sunakoma's 'Super Honor Roll' set (995 yen) ● Kaisen mixed seafood gunkan (115 yen) ● Salted matured tuna (115 yen) ● Salmon (115 yen) ● Squid with oba (Japanese basil) (115 yen) ● Special of the day tuna with green onion gunkan (115 yen) ● Seared bonito without rice (190 yen) ● Natural dashi udon noodles (230 yen) 'You've got to keep your eyes on the conveyor while you're at Kura Sushi, since the daily specials, like the three-piece tuna with green onion plate, might not be on the menu. Picking that up made my stomach and my soul feel very happy.' ▼ Yuichiro Wasai's 'Drawing Out the Full Potential of Inexpensive Sushi' set (990 yen) ● Salted matured tuna (115 yen) ● Matured tuna (115 yen) ● Salted marinated yellowtail (115 yen) ● Sered bonito with yuzu citrus salt (115 yen) ● Yuzu citrus flounder (115 yen) ● Kisslip squid (115 yen) ● Iberian pork (130 yen) ● Corn fritters (170 yen) 'There's no getting around it: a lot of my favorite types of sushi are expensive. There're exceptions, though, with less expensive ingredients with a little extra effort put in to maximize their potential in how they're prepared or seasoned. Basically, cheap ingredients made to taste better than they otherwise would. My selection is kind of heavy on salty flavors overall, but there're some sweet notes too in the pork and corn, making every plate great. ▼ Yoshio's 'Cheap but Ultimate' set (920 yen) ● Salted matured tuna (115 yen) ● Salted marinated yellowtail ( yen) ● Large-serving scallop sushi (115 yen) ● Yuzu citrus salt bonito (115 yen) ● Salmon (115 yen) ● Pangasius (115 yen) ● Mackerel (115 yen) ● Sardine (115 yen) 'When I go to kaiten sushi, I'm all about maxing out on the affordably priced stuff. The bonito and sardine in particular were super thick and fresh, especially for the low price, so I totally recommend getting some of those.' ▼ Ahiruneko's 'Ultimate Kura Sushi Alcoholic Drink Side Order' set (930 yen) ● Maguro yukke (tuna with egg) (130 yen) ● Chanja (spicy cod innards) (115 yen) ● Marinated salmon (115 yen) ● Small-size goro chicken fried chicken (150 yen) ● Gin lemon soda (420 yen) 'Gunkan (battleship-shape) sushi is a little more expensive that regular nigiri sushi, but it makes for a great side order snack to have with alcoholic drinks, and since gin with lemon and soda water is something you don't often see at chain kaiten sushi restaurants, I wasn't going to pass that up. The fried chicken is the finishing touch that gives the whole thing just the right balance of flavors.' ▼ Takashi Harada's 'Orthodox Chawanmushi and Sushi' set (995 yen) ● Chawanmushi savory egg custard (230 yen) ● Salted matured tuna (115 yen) ● Matured marinated tuna (115 yen) ● Salmon (115 yen) ● Shrimp (115 yen) ● Large-serving scallop sushi (115 yen) ● Aji (horse mackerel) (190 yen) 'Obviously I wanted to focus on sushi, but the chawanmushi looked to good not to order. Even with that, I still had a little extra room left over in the budget, so I splurged on a plate of aji.' ▼ Mr. Sato's 'Weekdays-only Set Meal' (980 yen) ● Kaisen mixed seafood bowl (600 yen) ● Miso soup (150 yen yen) ● Chawanmushi savory egg custard (230 yen) 'On weekdays only, until 5 p.m. Kura Sushi has a special lunch kaisen bowl, so I used that as the foundation to build my meal on. It's tasty, filling, and more convenient than having to order a bunch of different things.' ▼ Mariko Ohanabatake's 'Entertaining Heresy' set (990 yen) ● Sukiyaki-style gunkan (115 yen) ● Squid with okura gunkan (115 yen) ● Salted tuna (115 yen) ● Pangasius with lime salt (115 yen) ● Natural dashi udon noodles (230 yen) ● Corn fritters (170 yen) ● Warabi mochi (130 yen) 'Kaiten sushi is supposed to be fun. They've got all sorts of things on the menu thatd be considered heresy at more traditional sushi restaurants, things like 'sukiyaki sushi' and sushi seasoned with lime salt. So I got creative, and also treated myself to some jiggly warabi mochi for dessert.' ▼ Seiji Nakazawa's 'Actually Kura Sushi has Crazy Good Dandan Noodles' set (910 yen) ● Dandan noodles (490 yen) ● Two orders of beef kalbi short rib (230 yen each) ● Chashu pork croquette (190 yen) 'I see a lot of other people choosing udon to be part of their meal, and yeah, Kura Sushi does a great job with it. But I'd pass on the udon and get their tantanmen/dandan noodles instead. Kura Sushi makes their own broth for this in-house too, and it's nt just spicy, but nice and rich too, and I powered it up to the limit by adding extra beef and pork to my bowl.' And with that, the Japan Super Budget Dining panel is off to bask in their food comas. We'll see you all again next time, and in the meantime, if you're craving Kura Sushi but have a little more money to spend, the chain now has a high-end sister restaurant open in Tokyo too. Photos ©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! [ Read in Japanese ]
