Look out, Muji and Ikea — this 100-yen store chain is coming to steal your customers.
With locations throughout Japan and overseas, Daiso is one of Japan’s largest 100-yen (US$0.92) store chains, and if you’ve been following us for a while now, you’ll know our Japanese-language reporter Go Hattori is an expert in the brand.
For years now, Go has been trying everything he can from Daiso, including their wax strips, boxer briefs, and light-up poop sticks, so when he heard that the company was stepping up in the world with a new store called Standard Products, he knew he had to check it out.
Unlike Daiso’s usual 100-yen stores, Standard Products sells most of its items from 300 yen, and is more along the lines of a Muji or Ikea, with the design focus placed on stylish, no-frills simplicity.
When the new store opened, Go was one of the first to arrive, crossing over from Shibuya Station to the West Mall at Shibuya Mark City, where the shop is located, on the other side.
As Go waited in line for the store to open at 9:30 a.m., he felt a flutter of excitement in his belly. He’d heard that there were about 1,300 new products in the store and he couldn’t wait to find out what sort of items he’d be able to buy.
When he finally set foot inside the store, he was immediately impressed by how large it was. The exposed ceilings, concrete floor, and wooden shelving really made him feel like he was inside a Muji.
▼ From the inside, you’d never be able to tell this was a Daiso-run store.
Go felt like an excited child as he inspected all the shelves and walked through the different sections, snapping photos of the best buys as he went. There were loads of fantastic products, all at terrific prices, including tableware, priced from 100 yen…
▼ …glasses from 300 yen…
▼ …and acacia wood products, also priced from 300 yen.
Some of the collections in the kitchen goods area, like these glass bakeware items, really resembled something you’d see at Ikea.
The quality of everything was outstanding, and Go was seriously tempted to purchase an apron for those times when he cooks in his kitchen.
Moving into the homewares section, Go felt as if he’d stepped into Muji again, with browns, blues and greys set out before him on slippers, stools, and cushions.
▼ There were also some stylish storage options…
▼ …frames and clocks…
▼ …and lots of fluffy towels.
Another nod to Muji hit Go in the face when he arrived at the storage section, where a wall of plain white products greeted him.
▼ Then he discovered some watches…
▼ …earphones…
▼ …and beautiful wooden AC adapters and portable batteries.
▼ The store even has a camping section dedicated to tents and outdoor accessories.
▼ Some of the bigger Daisos sell tents like this, but you never see them in orange.
▼ These backpacks are a steal at 1,000 yen.
Everything in the store was far more stylish than what you’d see at Daiso, which is to be expected given the more expensive price point, but the quality and on-trend designs really surprised our reporter.
▼ Even mundane items in the bathroom, laundry and cleaning sections have a stylish feel to them.
Another surprise for Go was the fact that the store sells pet products, and at these prices, you won’t be mad at all when your cat scratches through them.
▼ Other products that caught Go’s eye included plants and outdoor lights…
▼ …and home fragrances!
Go was tempted to buy so many things at Standard Products, but as we all know he lives in a tiny Tokyo apartment, which really puts a limit on the amount of new things he can add to his home.
▼ So, what did you get, Go?
▼ Ta daaaaa!
As always, Go has practicality in mind with his purchases, so he chose to purchase a face towel and a pack of 20 masks, priced at 300 yen each.
▼ As well as a set of earphones and a solar light for his roof balcony, also priced at 300 yen each.
▼ Breaking the bank at 500 yen was this antibacterial cutting sheet, which Go is keen to use in upcoming cooking adventures.
So there you have it, some of Go’s top picks for what to buy at Standard Products in Tokyo. Now they just need to add some more niche items like a VR headset to their lineup to really blow everyone’s minds.
The new store opened to rave reviews from customers, so here’s hoping this is just the start of a nationwide rollout for the upmarket Daiso. With deals this great, we could all do with a few more Standard Products in our lives!
Photos: ©SoraNews24
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