What did you shop for in China and Japan and how did you get it home?

I don't really want or need anything, but would like to bring a few things home for friends from Japan and/or China. I am thinking silk scarfs and tea in China, but what else am I likely to see that is easy to fly home with. And is there anything that I can't buy here and should consider sending home?

If you tour a silk factory, they normally sell silk comforters for your bed. They use the double cocoons and stretch them to make a multi layer comforter. It's light but warm in the winter. You can either carry them home or have them shipped. If your not going to a silk factory, we saw them at the Silk Market in Beijing (I think on the top floor) It's very interesting to see how they stretch the cocoons. This is something unique, not sure they sell them any place else.

In Japan, go to a 100 yen store, they have some unique items to give as gifts.

I would not buy anything from places where the tour takes you. They are overpriced and many times not the real thing. We have heard so many stories about people buying fake jewelry and sometimes even double-charge for their items and credit card companies can't/won't do a thing about them. Have been on many tours there and learned the lesson.

If you tour a silk factory, they normally sell silk comforters for your bed. They use the double cocoons and stretch them to make a multi layer comforter. It's light but warm in the winter. You can either carry them home or have them shipped. If your not going to a silk factory, we saw them at the Silk Market in Beijing (I think on the top floor) It's very interesting to see how they stretch the cocoons. This is something unique, not sure they sell them any place else.

 

 

In Japan, go to a 100 yen store, they have some unique items to give as gifts.

A silk comforter is probably the best thing we have ever purchased...bought a few more for family when we did a 2nd trip to China....everyone loves them.

I agree with a previous poster, never buy anything in those "factory" visits where tours take you. You can usually buy the same thing in other places for 10% of what they are asking and the quality is far from guaranteed.

Understand that the reason why the tours take you to a specific shop is because they are getting a 40% kickback. And if they tell you that the factory or shop is government owned, don't believe that for a second.

Unless you are a truly dedicated into the fine art as a tea lover and can tell, smell & taste the subtle differences among the leaves, nicely packaged - and prepared to spend $50, $100, $200, and often exceed $500 per pound - based on vintage (production batches) while taken to some of these shops and "farms" with the "retail" store next to the bus depot with restrooms - and, that is in USD (and, odds are you that you wouldn't be asking the question here) - you are better off buying them here in the U.S. from established shops.

Ti Kuan Yin are available online as well as from retail stores in major U.S. & Canadian Chinatowns - SFO, LAX, HOU, ORD, JFK, BOS and even DCA/IAD and ATL. The ones offered in Tin Cans come to around $100 a pound shipped - and, they are variety of organic tea and ones with health claims, along with your white tea, black tea and red tea. Dragon Well tea is around $300 a pound and considered among the best & highly treasured. Link is here for your reference, should you still wish to shop in China.

This is NOT an endorsement nor do we have any affiliations with them, just price guide to look at - Google is one of your best friend around; and, then - there are teas from the Alishan's high mountain region in TW and they also ship worldwide, priced $$$ accordingly (and, of course - tea from Japan)

Silk scarf, like other silk products are best if you shop near Shanghai, as it is close to its birthplace near the West Lake, Hangzhou. For the average visitors and gift recipients, the difference can be challenging to tell, regardless - as are prices, ranging from easily just a few USD at sidewalk or roadside stands to exclusive shops & authorized outlets, at prices that will leave you shock-n-awe (jaws & eyes wide open)

You will be amazed at the sky-high markups for items sold, often "reserved" or exclusive and claims of being made available only to laowei's (foreigneers visiting) :eek: :eek: - Shop & buy carefully while enjoying your day tour.

Shops can wrap, package & ship them home for you - for extra fees & for your convenience - but, insurance is often extra & even if tracking is included at no extra charge, filing a claim 2 or 3 months later can prove to be a serious challenge at home from abroad. Always take them with you and be mindful of bait-n-switch until it's too late and your tour/ship is already at the next port of call.

Bits and pieces

We bought a lot of stuff during our 2014 two weeks in tokyo and last year's month travelling around by cruise and land. Both times we packaged the stuff up and posted it home to Australia by sea mail. You may need a translator in the post office (I downloaded one onto my phone) but with a lot of smiles you will get through. Sea mail taks about three months but have never lost anything. We sent about six - eight large boxes home over the last two years.

We were in Beijing several days a couple years ago. Do not shop anywhere til you have gone to Liulichang Street. We had our guide take us there. She said she'd never been asked to take anyone there, that they usually want the Pearl Market (which she hated). We bought silk scarves for $1; wonderful tea from a store specializing it it; lidded mugs with strainers for less than $2; ink and brushes-- very cheap. Shadow puppets, all kinds of things. Do walk around a big as prices do differ. I was about to purchase a lidded mug for $4 when my guide said to wait. I said, "Cheaper than $4?" She nodded. This is a beautiful street with really pretty buildings and nice goods. Take a cab and be the only Americans there!

These are great suggestions and warnings. If time allows we will go to the right street in Beijing.

Also, does anyone have a photo of these silk comforters? How puffy are they? Would one fit on one side of a big suitcase? Do they come in masculine colors that a man would like?

I was going to pick up a few boxes of tea thinking they would be inexpensive and light. Thanks for the warning about cost.

We leave in two months so there is still time for more shopping suggestions:)

On silk products - if you plan to spend money on one, you should think about buying a nice one - the "store" that we visited in Hangzhou probably had 50+ designs in all sizes, solid colors but many like the classical dragon, phoenix or imperial and emperor's gold design, hand-made & hand-sewn $$$ plus the duvet cover & pillow cases as a set. Different grades of silk, density & warmth (index #'s) also factor into the asking prices - you definitely feel & see the difference in workmanship and material used.

The popular ones sold are usually vacuum wrapped & packed in space-saving clear plastic "bag" in carry-on sizes for flying home with you - just beware that international flights are often very strict about more than 1 pc. of carry-on per passenger, unless you are flying J or F and issued a waiver tag for boarding/clearing airport security. Or, make room in your checked luggage.

To give you an idea - here's a link to one of the USA-based ones with stores on the West Coast, I know we have several of them here but I don't have a link nor sure if they are an online option. Disclaimer as above, not affiliated with them nor endorsing - strictly as FYI to read, learn & for price points only - http://www.summitsilkbedding.com/silk-comforters

I bought a double cocoon duvet and absolutely LOVE It...cool in the summer, warm in the winter, I even bought a cover, a very nice taupe tone on tone design of bamboo leaves that is very subtle.

Wish I had bought another one for the spare bedroom.....

It has stood up very well - it's been 9 years and it looks like the day I bought it!

Carol

Love all the suggestions. Funnily enough, the New York Times today (Friday, July 22) has huge piece on shopping in Beijing away from malls.

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Thanks to all who made the posts above. We are going to a silk factory near one of the water villages outside of Shanghai. I was thinking silk scarves, never thought about silk bedding!

Is silk also available in Japan? If not silk, what are the major souvenirs from Japan these days?

Appreciating any and all suggestions.

Silk is available in Japan, but I think very expensive compared to China.

Pottery / ceramics is something that you might consider, but it can be heavy. We bought some unique items / designs as gifts. We also bought a lot of nick nacks at the 100 yen store. If you get a chance, try Tokyo Hands, they have many unique items and have stores in most of the major cities.

I bought a king sized comforter in China, it is on my bed right now. I did not buy the duvet cover for it as I found them to be very expensive. I also bought an embroidered silk picture from a street vendor. I probably is not made of silk but it is very, very pretty so I didn't care. I also bought a hand painted fan. It is on the wall above my king sized bed instead of a headboard. I paid $150 for the comforter, $20 for the picture and $75 for the fan. The comforter was in plastic that had the air removed so fit in a suitcases so did the picture. The fan was packaged in a square "tube like" box about 3 ft (1 meter) long.