photo by nimame
Surprisingly, there are so many goods offered for free on streets in Japan. People giving out pocket tissues on the streets is just a common sight of Japan. For most of foreigners, a pocket tissue is something you have to purchase, not a freebie you can get on the street. This is a list of items you can get just by walking the streets in Japan.
Vouchers
So many vouchers available from streets! Vouchers of a fast food shop, discount in a hair salon, contact lenses, diners and restaurants, free lessons etc. In overseas, most common way to get vouchers is to get one from newspapers or flyers. One of the most useful ones is discount voucher of fast food shops. They offer so many benefits such as a free drink, size up on fried potatoes, 50yen off, free dessert and more. Such tempting offers definitely make you want to call in for lunch.
Pocket Tissues
This seems to be most surprising freebies for foreign travelers. Despite that tissues are not cheap, free pocket tissues are offered everywhere in Japan. You might wonder “How wealthy Japan is”. Some foreign travelers might feel pity for those young girls on the streets in a cold winter days, just giving out tissues. Many foreigners have said that they would love to have free pocket tissues whenever they have a chance. Also, it could be a souvenir for someone.
Hand Fans (Uchiwa)
In hot summer season in Japan, you would have many occasions to get a hand fan with corporate ads on front and back from the streets. A hand fan itself is something really Japanese and would be a great gift for friends and family. What is more, it is free. How good is that! Printing ads on a seasonal item like a hand fan (uchiwa) and giving it away in the public is the unique marketing culture of Japan.
Food Samples
Candies, chewing gums and lollies are the most common food samples you would get from the streets. Candies don’t take much room in your bag and getting an unexpected treat always makes you a little happier. Sometimes, you would get even a bottle of energy drink or juice for free. This can be a quick thirst quencher especially during summer time. No need to rush to a convenience store. This might make foreigners think “How generous Japan is!”
Beauty Items
Girls would love this. Little sachets of skin lotion and moisturizer are very useful for travelers. Also, shampoo and conditioner are good for boys too. If you are staying in a budget accommodation, there are no shampoo and conditioner prepared in your guest room. In such occasion, these items would be a great help.
Cigarettes
The number of smokers keeps diminishing in Japan lately. However, you would still encounter new merchandise cigarette sample given away at tobacconists. Cigarettes are quite expensive in many overseas countries, so this would be a nice surprise for smokers.
Surgical Masks
People wearing surgical masks is now quite a common sight in Japan. But this mob of masked faces seems to still surprise first timers. It is common in Japan to wear a surgical mask to prevent getting a disease. So more companies use face masks as a marketing tool. Why don’t you put a sample surgical mask when you visit Japan just for an experience. It is free anyway.
Too Good To Be True? Yes, It’s True!
The varieties of free samples in Japan are definitely close to the best in the world. You might wish if you had the same sampling culture in your own country. Perhaps, this freebies culture will spread from Japan worldwide in some future.
