Discussion Forum

#1

• mii
• mail
• Yesterday 03:35

Hello. I’m a woman in my late 20s.
I’ve been staying in Los Angeles for a few months for work, but I’ll be returning to Japan soon.
Since I’m here in the U.S. anyway, I want to buy things now that I might regret not buying later, thinking,
“I wish I’d bought this ！ ”
once I’m back in Japan.
In particular, I’d like to know if there are any items that aren’t sold in Japan, items that are quite expensive in Japan, or items that Japanese people living in the U.S. actually use and say, “I recommend this ！ ” , please let me know ！
Food ・ Snacks ・ Seasonings ・ Cosmetics ・ Daily necessities ・ Kitchenware ・ Clothing ・ miscellaneous goods—any category is welcome.
I’d also love to hear about “things you unexpectedly missed after returning to Japan” or “items you stocked up on before returning home.”
I’d be thrilled if you could share your recommendations ☺ ️

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183 days until expiration

#2

• ken
• Yesterday 03:38
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Tapatio Sauce ！ Recommended as an accompaniment to tacos ！

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#3

• あき
• Today 02:42
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I highly recommend Trader Joe's seasonings ！
There are many flavors you don't often see in Japan, and since they're lightweight and don't take up much space, I think it's a good idea to pick some up—whether as souvenirs or for yourself ！

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#4

• ジョー
• Today 11:49
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Personally, I really like tahini on cut fruit.

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#1

• きりぞう
• mail
• Yesterday 16:20

My mother has dementia. It’s quite severe, and she can’t remember anything for even a minute.
I’m posting this in the hope that anyone with experience living with a mother who has dementia might be able to offer advice or insights. Thank you in advance.

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#1

• 一心太助
• mail
• 2026/06/09 01:51

I think the ramen shop in Pacific Square was "Daisuke".
The portions were American size and I was full.
I remember there was also an udon shop somewhere with the same name.

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#4

• 中村主水
• 2026/06/10 (Wed) 08:54
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I don't want to know where they were open, I want to know
when they were open.

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#5

• ロングトーン
• mail
• 2026/07/17 (Fri) 11:03
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Takebon
The udon shop opened in 1975, and the ramen shop opened about five years later. I remember it closed after about five years, so it must have been around 1985, right? ？

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#6

• ロングトーン
• 2026/07/17 (Fri) 11:07
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DAISUKE is not Daisuke, but Daisuke.
There are still a few of them in Uwajima City, Ehime Prefecture.

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#8

• @倍金萬
• 2026/07/18 (Sat) 19:07
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Everyone, have you ever heard of a restaurant called “Kyushu Ramen”?

I think only people who lived here in the Valley\ (San Fernando Valley), but back then, the only Japanese restaurant in the Valley was “Benihana,” famous for its teppanyaki. That restaurant catered primarily to long-time American residents, mostly white people.

I was initially sent to this Valley as an expatriate employee of a Japanese company, and but the Japanese restaurants back then were filled almost exclusively with white and Latino customers. The menus focused on tempura ・, teriyaki ・, and sushi, and to me, the taste was so bad I’d think, “What is this?”—it was simply inedible.

So whenever I wanted to eat authentic Japanese food, I had to drive down the freeway all the way to Little Tokyo downtown.

A few years later, “Kyushu Ramen,” the first ramen shop in the Valley run by Japanese people, opened. Well, the taste wasn’t quite what I’d expected, but since there were no other ramen shops that “really” served ramen, I went there about once a week.

Also around that time, there was a Japanese celebrity’s U.S. office （—just a single-family home ）—in this valley, and it seems that celebrities who were frequently seen on Japanese TV at the time would often come by. Then, one time while I was slurping ramen at the aforementioned “Kyushu Ramen,” Namie Amuro—who was popular at the time—walked in with her local agent and sat down at the table next to mine, with her back to me. Well, I’m not a fan of hers or anything; I just wanted to mention that it happened.

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#9

• Almond
• 2026/09/16 (Wed) 10:02
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My favorite ramen shop was a place called Menbei in Torrance.
The ingredients and flavor were great, and I could tell they took great care in preparing the food.
I especially liked the gyoza; they were fried to a golden brown without being burnt.
The filling, which had plenty of vegetables, was also right up my alley.

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#1

• 30代木高生　C
• mail
• 2026/09/14 22:22

I want to connect with people who graduated from Kisarazu High School ！
When it comes to high school days, the Kisarazu High Festival is definitely the highlight.

Why don't we share our memories of the Kisarazu High Festival?

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#1

• ほし
• mail
• 2026/09/13 16:21

A very elderly, single Japanese-American male colleague gave me some natto to put on my pasta—the packages had expired one and two years ago. I suspect he had absolutely no idea they were past their expiration dates. Since he knows my daughter likes natto, I think he just happened to find them in his kitchen and brought them over. Without realizing it, I ended up eating the one that had expired a year ago. It didn’t taste strange, but I suppose I should thank him, right? ？ Of course, it’s probably safer not to mention that it was past its expiration date. ？ Even if I told him it was expired, I think he’d just say something like, “Oh, is that so? Sorry,” and that would be the end of it. But since he’s an older Japanese-American, he’s the type who might hold a grudge if I don’t thank him properly.

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179 days until expiration

#2

• なな
• 2026/09/13 (Sun) 18:45
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If it were me, after thanking them, I’d mention that the expiration date had passed by a year or two.

It might depend on how close Hoshisan and her colleague are.

If he’s married, it might be better to tell his wife.

If you tell someone with dementia or Alzheimer’s, they’ll probably forget right away.

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#3

• ほし
• 2026/09/14 (Mon) 10:39
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Nana, thank you.
It would be one thing if they were just a little past their expiration date, but one and two years is way too long.
I’ll let them know and thank them.
I’ve been feeling a bit uneasy about this, but now I think I can clear things up. ！

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#1

• 倍金萬
• mail
• 2018/02/14 11:44

Those of you who have crossed the ocean to come here to Los Angeles and Japan
are always concerned about something related to your travel between Los Angeles and Japan.

If you have anything to say or questions, please feel free to write.
I'll try to write "something" as well.

Example ：
What means do you use to call when you return to Japan?

Which seat on the plane do you prefer, Aisle or Window, front, back,

Which airline do you think has the best food?

Which mode of transportation do you use to get to the local area?

and so on and so on

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#4611

• 倍金萬じゃー
• mail
• 2026/08/21 (Fri) 20:54
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＞ I’ve walked this section about twice myself.

This means I’ve completed the pilgrimage route around Shikoku twice; walking the entire circuit is about 1,200 km. If you divide that by four, it works out to walking 300 km once a year.

Once you get hooked on this “walking pilgrimage,” you’ll want to return to Japan—and to Shikoku—over and over again.

Well, here in LA, the weather is warm year-round and it rains only a handful of times, so it’s very comfortable to live here—but on the other hand, I sometimes find myself missing Japan with its distinct four seasons. That’s why I’ve started traveling to Japan primarily to do the “Shikoku Pilgrimage.”

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#4612

• じじちゃん
• 2026/08/25 (Tue) 18:22
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Cosmos flowers are blooming Along the pilgrimage path I was walking alone
The autumn sun is shining
Now gone is the image of Kobo Daishi
The pilgrim continues on his way
Cosmos flowers are blooming Along the pilgrimage path I walk all alone

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#4617

• 玄奘
• 2026/08/31 (Mon) 09:01
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The pilgrimage route is endlessly long

Yet why do I grit my teeth

and go to such lengths to make the journey?

As the sun rises ,

once again, I begin walking the pilgrimage path

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#4618

• 倍金萬君
• 2026/09/09 (Wed) 21:08
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#4612 Jijichan,

#4617 Genjo-san,

Thank you both so much for the wonderful songs （ and poems ）.

Listening to this makes me want to set out on foot across Shikoku right now, but

my wife tells me, “Come on, you’re over 80—it’s just not possible for you anymore,” and

I’ve reached a point where I can no longer walk the roads of Shikoku.

Lately, the more I realize I can’t go, the more I want to go...

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#4619

• zoi
• mail
• 2026/09/13 (Sun) 15:03
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I have a simple question.
I think middle age starts in one’s 40s, but are people in their 60s or older—the age of retirement—considered elderly?
Are people in their 70s considered elderly? Or is there another way to describe them?

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#1

• 伊東
• mail
• 2023/03/01 09:15

We are seeing price increases here and there, and I hear that Hirakata Park is also going to raise its prices.

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#1

• シニア65
• 2023/09/23 09:56

How many elderly people of Japanese descent are living in LA? We would be happy to be a place of rest and relaxation for the elderly who use the Koryu Hiroba. We think the eligibility is from 65 years old and up.

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#1104

• 倍金萬君
• 2026/08/25 (Tue) 19:06
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Today, here in the San Fernando Valley, where I live, the

high temperature hit the 100°F/38°C mark.

I simply can't stand outside for even 15 minutes.

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#1105

• 倍金萬君
• 2026/08/30 (Sun) 15:58
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Even now, it's 98°F/37°C in the shade of my backyard. It's just so hot.

The other day, I had the chance to meet up with some Japanese friends who live in Gardena and Torrance, and

I was surprised to hear everyone talking about the temperature in “Celsius.”

Until then, I had believed that Japanese people here in the U.S. also talked about temperatures in “Fahrenheit.”

The reason for this is that for over 50 years, I’ve been following local events through the news on the major TV networks (CBS, NBC, ABC ）), so I’ve been getting my weather forecasts from those same channels.

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#1106

• 倍金萬君
• 2026/09/01 (Tue) 10:49
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This brings back memories, too.

It was back when I hadn’t even been here for many years yet

When I translate the lyrics, I start to feel an overwhelming sense of nostalgia for my hometown

Though it’s not quite the kind of hometown described in this poem...

Linda Ronstadt

On Blue Bayou

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/SWvRm5TzmcQ

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#1111

• 倍金萬君
• 2026/09/11 (Fri) 17:39
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The term “Bayou” in #1106 refers to the following location:

https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%90%E3%82%A4% E3%83%A6%E3%83%BC_(%E5%9C%B0%E5%BD%A2)

It also sounds like a song in which someone who has moved to the city longs for their hometown.

I was born and raised on the eastern outskirts of Tokyo. I was born about a year before the （ End of the War ） Commemoration Day.

Back when I was a child, the eastern side was a residential area, but toward the city center, fields and farmland stretched as far as the eye could see.

So, on sunny evenings, I used to see a small silhouette of Mount Fuji in the direction of true west.

When I hear this song, it somehow reminds me of my hometown—back when I used to catch medaka and crayfish in the irrigation ditches among the fields and farmland.

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#1112

• 倍金萬君
• 2026/09/11 (Fri) 18:01
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Lately, here in the San Fernando Valley where I live,

we’ve been having a string of days where the temperature is approaching 100°F (38°C). It’s extremely hot.

As a result, if I go for a walk around the neighborhood for about an hour, I end up completely drenched.

I wonder what it’s like in the Gardena/Torrance area, where many Japanese people live.

Since it’s an area where sea breezes blow in, the temperature is probably about 10 ～ to 20°F lower.

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#1

• Mido
• mail
• 2026/09/03 19:37

I still have a child in preschool, and my mother-in-law bought him a tablet, saying he might use it at school, but When do students typically start using tablets at school? ？ I assumed that even if they do start using them, they’d be using ones provided by the school—is that correct? ？
Since time spent on a tablet counts as screen time, I’d prefer to avoid it as much as possible for now.

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#2

• とめ
• 2026/09/04 (Fri) 11:32
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My daughter is currently in 11th grade, so things may have changed in elementary school by now, but I think students start having opportunities to use computers around kindergarten.
Furthermore, if either parent is Japanese, even if the child is fluent in English, there’s a high probability they’ll be encouraged to participate in ESL classes, and computers were used in those classes as well. Computers and tablets were provided by the school; students weren’t allowed to take them home.
She’s in private school now, and while the cost is technically included in tuition, the devices are provided by the school. Of course, since she uses them for homework, she’s now been given one to manage on her own.
I completely understand the concern about not wanting children to use them from too young an age.
However, since I can’t very well tell the school, “I’m worried about screen time, so I don’t want them to use it much,” and then have them stop using it altogether, I think the only option is to manage screen time at home and make adjustments there.

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#3

• Mido
• 2026/09/04 (Fri) 20:20
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Thank you for your post, Tome-san. ！
You mentioned you’re not familiar with the current elementary school system, but I understand that students use tablets in ESL classes at school. I believe my daughter’s first language is English, but since I’m Japanese, I’m worried she might end up in an ESL class.
Since tablets are so easy to use with just one finger, I’d prefer it if they recommended using computers instead. I’m worried that if she starts with the easier option, she might have trouble transitioning to a computer with a keyboard later on. It’s fine if she only uses the tablet for studying, but I’m worried she might get addicted if she finds out she can use it for YouTube or games.
If we end up using a tablet at home, I’ll have to make sure to monitor it closely so she doesn’t use it for anything other than her studies.

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#4

• 魚屋さん
• 2026/09/09 (Wed) 07:24
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Hello
My son is currently in first grade, but he’s been using an iPad since kindergarten.
Since they use the ones provided by the school, he never brings one home. It’s not like he uses it every day, though—it’s just that he sometimes uses it for math or writing.
Each student has their own iPad, which is managed by the teacher, so it seems the students aren’t allowed to touch them except when they’re being used in class.

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#5

• Mido
• 2026/09/10 (Thu) 17:00
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Thank you for your post, Fish Shop ！
So they really do start using them in kindergarten, don't they?
I don't want them to find out that they can watch YouTube and play games on the tablet, but they'll probably start talking about that with their friends at school anyway.
I'm worried.

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#1

• YAHOO
• mail
• 2026/09/09 23:36

Today, when I tried to check my email, I saw a message saying, “You may no longer be able to use this service with your current login method,” and was instructed to complete registration via social media authentication or similar methods. It seems that overseas cell phone numbers can’t be registered, so I wonder if they’re planning to make it unusable for people living abroad. ？ My AI says Yahoo Japan is already unusable in Europe.
The other day, when I got a flu shot at Longs, I was told that I could no longer register a Yahoo Japan email address.
If you don’t use Yahoo Japan, what email service do you use? ？ I also have a Gmail account, but it has limited storage, so I can’t use it as my primary email unless I free up some space.

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