Down Memory Lane: Diary of a packaging collector’s travels across Japan

Let’s rewind back to 2018 when I arrived in Japan with wide-eyed wonder and the zest to document my days, certain that my journals would come in handy when my memories were to fade someday. 

 

It’s 2024—and I am flipping through these pages, feeling nostalgic and amazed at the sheer amount of stuff I have journalled and scrapbooked over the two years of my life there. 

 

It’s a combination of train tickets, station stamps from the places I have travelled to and visited, and guess what… food packaging of the food items I have bought and eaten. Yes, I collect the most random of things. Behold, here are my (re)collections of my two wonderful years journalling and travelling across Japan.

 

Train tickets and station stamps

An all-time fan of train travel and collecting tickets. (Image credit: Qiu Ting)

 

I still remember the lengths I would go to in order to keep the physical train tickets—before they get eaten up by the electronic gantry and are gone forever. 

 

I would replay this phrase in my head over and over again so that I could say it to the station master without tripping over my words:

 

「切符はお持ち帰りでいいですか？」

(Kippu wa omochikaeri de ii desu ka?) 

“Can I keep this ticket?”

 

Instead of going through the gantry like most commuters would, I would join the line where the station master is seated to make that request. Then, they will typically stamp the ticket to indicate that it has been utilised, and cannot be used again. Some would punch a tiny hole.

 

I believe that many railway enthusiasts and travellers have done this before, so such a request wouldn’t surprise anyone since Japan is really a collector’s heaven for all kinds of hobbyists interested in different things.

 

Ekiben, train bentos

I have this need to have an ekiben (駅弁 train bento) with me whenever I travel on a shinkansen (新幹線 bullet train), or when I am on a long train ride.

 

I personally think that it’s also because most train journeys would take up to at least 2 hours, so the bentos would certainly come in handy when passengers are hungry. Besides, there is a wider selection of food options at the train stations.

 

In addition, seasonal ingredients, specialty products, and recommendations by region are usually marketed and sold to domestic travellers within Japan. 

 

Savoured a train bento from Osaka Station en route to Tokyo! (Image credit: Qiu Ting)

 

For example, this naniwa (なにわ・難波 former name for Osaka) bento consists of an assortment of meat like sweet simmered beef (すき焼き sukiyaki) from Osaka and Kobe, miso-flavoured pork cutlets (みそとんかつ miso tonkatsu) from Nagoya, and grilled chicken on skewers (焼き鳥 yakitori) from Tokyo. 

 

Since I was on the Tokaido Shinkansen (東海道・山陽新幹線) that traverses through major cities like Nagoya, Osaka, Kyoto, and Tokyo, I could also taste the food coming from these places and learn a wee bit about the culinary history from these areas all at the same time.

 

The random things that go into my journal pages. (Image credit: Qiu Ting)

 

When I was travelling in the Tohoku Region in the summer of 2020, I had a 30-minute stopover at Akita Station en-route to Aomori, and was feeling peckish. This ekiben was the last one left lying on the shelf. The spread comprised of sansai (山菜 wild mountain vegetables) and assorted meat decked with Japanese pepper miso sauce (山椒味噌). 

 

I have never tasted anything like that, leading me to discover that the tastes and flavours commonly found in one region may differ in various regions of Japan. 

 

But what I have also realised—and that truly amazes me till date is the way food packaging is designed and marketed in different prefectures!

 

When in Hiroshima...

Eat okonomiyaki and watch baseball

Dining at Okonomiyaki Carp. Yum! (Image credit: Qiu Ting)

 

I was at Okonomiyaki Carp (お好み焼 カープ), an okonomiyaki restaurant serving hiroshima-yaki (広島焼き) Japanese-style savoury pancake, when a baseball match was playing on TV. 

 

For someone who wasn’t familiar with the sport, I learnt that Hiroshima Carp is Hiroshima’s pride. The baseball team, Hiroshima Carp (officially the “Hiroshima Toyo Carp” 広島東洋カープ), was named the Hiroshima “Carp” because many koi (carp) were caught in the Ota River in Hiroshima. In addition, carps are believed to bring good fortune and success. 

 

Baseball was first introduced to Japan in 1872 after the Meiji Restoration, but it was not until the end of World War II that the sport flourished to become one of the most popular sports in Japan. When I was living in Japan, I saw many high school boys who were part of baseball teams.  I would see them train at the diamonds around Sanda City on weekends. Although I have never watched an actual baseball match, I know that many of my students, peers, and colleagues are fans of baseball. 

 

Hiroshima-yaki, Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki. Bring on the noodles. (Image credit: Qiu Ting)

 

I am used to eating Osaka-style okonomiyaki (お好み焼) in which all of the ingredients—shredded cabbage, shrimp, squid, pork belly slices are mixed and cooked together. 

 

Once cooked, the pancake is topped with a variety of condiments such as okonomiyaki sauce, Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise, dried seaweed, and dried bonito flakes—depending on how we like it!

 

In Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, all of the ingredients are layered almost like a cake, with soba or udon noodles added to it. Having it for the first time, the additional layer of noodles certainly elevated the textures dancing in my mouth. 

 

Okonomiyaki Carp (お好み焼 カープ)
Address: 1-3-11 Sakaimachi, Naka Ward, Hiroshima, 730-0853
Access: 5-minute walk from Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park

 

A rare Milky candy treat spotted—only in Hiroshima

Spot Peko-chan donning Hiroshima Carp’s baseball attire! (Image credit: Qiu Ting)

 

After dinner, I decided to pick up some groceries at Spark before returning to my hostel to rest my weary legs from being out all day. 

 

While walking along the aisles, I spotted Peko-chan ペコちゃん—the mascot of Fujiya since 1950—who was getting ready to pitch a baseball. 

 

Fujiya is a major confectionery producer in Japan, offering a variety of sweets and candies. One such popular brand is Milky, which has become a household name. 

 

Combined with the popularity of Hiroshima Carp, this was clearly a strategic collaboration. It’s interesting to see how various kinds of products are designed and lined up for sale in different prefectures.

 

When in Shimonoseki...

Visit the puffer fish market

Karato Market is known for its assorted puffer fish offerings. (Image credit: Qiu Ting)

 

In December 2019, I embarked on a long day trip to Shimonoseki (下関), a port town in Yamaguchi Prefecture (山口県) famous for its puffer fish (blowfish) haul. It is said that more than 80% of the country’s puffer fish supply is sourced from here.

 

I missed out on the auction because it was way too early in the morning, so we could only snake through the stalls dishing out elaborate platters of fugu sashimi (ふぐ刺身 raw slices of puffer fish) and all its associated body parts wrapped neatly on styrofoam trays.

 

They were pieces of artwork brought together by skillful artisans—chefs licensed in the cutting and preparation of puffer fish.

 

Fugu furikake: Eat me instead, please?

Bagged home a pack of fugu furikake! (Image credit: Qiu Ting)

 

While exploring the market, I walked past a provision shop selling food items from beans to dried seafood products when I stumbled upon this adorable puffer fish packaging that was staring back at me. 

 

I took a closer look at it and saw that it was fugu furikake (ふぐふりかけ puffer fish seasoning).

 

Furikake is a dry Japanese condiment typically sprinkled on top of cooked rice, vegetables, and fish, or used as an ingredient in onigiri (おにぎり rice balls). It typically consists of a mixture of dried fish flakes, sesame seeds, chopped seaweed, sugar, salt, and monosodium glutamate. 

 

It’s the perfect seasoning to have when you just want to have a simple meal of rice and soup on a cold winter night.

 

Since I wasn’t a fan of sashimi, I thought that fugu furikake would be a good alternative to have while visiting one of West Japan's most popular markets! Besides, I needed to replenish my stash of furikake seasonings at home. 

 

Pieces of fugu art on display. (Image credit: Qiu Ting)

 

On my way out of the market, I saw lorries loaded with polystyrene boxes of puffer fish that had been auctioned off in the morning and several vendors preparing order lists for those who had arrived to make their orders in preparation for the New Year's period. 

 

It’s no wonder because the puffer fish are at the peak of their growth in the cold winter months from December to February, making it a popular delicacy when savoured in hotpot dishes at family gatherings.

 

Karato Market (唐戸市場)
Address: 5-50 Karato-cho, Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, 750-0005
Access: 7-minute bus ride from JR Shimonoseki Station. Alight at Karato bus stop and walk 4 minutes to the market.

 

Who on earth collects milk carton packaging?

Carp-inspired in Hiroshima. (Image credit: Qiu Ting)

 

Brands compete for consumers’ attention but for everyday groceries like milk and bread, it is more function than variety. 

 

The thought of collecting milk carton packaging never crossed my mind because they all looked the same. But that changed when I arrived in Japan.

 

Illustrations of Tottori’s landscapes—Tottori Sand Dunes and Mount Daisen. (Image credit: Qiu Ting)

 

When I was in Tottori Prefecture, this brand, Shirobara (白バラ white rose) was a common sight in convenience stores and supermarkets. Made in the town of Kotoura (琴浦), this beverage is the prefecture’s drink of choice. 70% of the drink is high-quality milk produced in the prefecture without any flavourings added. 

 

But what seized my attention was the fact that the designs on the cartons were limited edition (期間限定 kikan gentei), so of course I grabbed them right away with no regrets!

 

As I pore over my journal pages again—almost 5 years later, I wonder how these brands and their marketing strategies have evolved since then. Are they still the same or have they changed? If so, how?

 

Header image credit: Qiu Ting