Whitening products:
These are very popular in Japan. Whitening products can come as creams or sunblock, but they can also be incorporated into face washes, toners, and other skin products. So, you’ll want to be careful when checking the labels!
Now, contrary to popular belief, these do NOT hold bleaching properties to make your skin lighter (although bleaching of the skin is popular in some places). Whitening products are designed to essentially stop the production of melanin in your skin so that you don’t get darker. Which, like, nobody needs to do. Your skin is just fine, so be careful what you put on it!
What to look for when shopping:
美白コスメ or 美白化粧品 (bihaku kosume or bihaku keshouhin)
The kanji for white, which is 白
The English words white/whitening/brightening on any product
See the link below for more detail about Japanese whitening products:
http://thewagamamadiaries.com/the-truth-about-japanese-whitening-cosmetics/
MSG:
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) which is also known as ajinomoto in Japan, is a flavor enhancer commonly added to Chinese food, canned vegetables, soups and processed meats. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified MSG as a food ingredient that’s “generally recognized as safe,” but its use remains controversial. Some foods in Japan may use MSG. You can read about it in the link below:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/msg-good-or-bad#dietary-impact
What to look for when shopping:
“Aji-no-moto” (味の素)
調味料(アミノ酸) / (アミノ酸等)
MSG
Diet and Weight Loss Pills:
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. These pills are widely advertised in Japan, and you’ll see them all throughout the shelves at your local markets and drug stores. Dieting pills can be found anywhere, but diet pills in Japan are designed for the average JAPANESE body. Diet and weight loss pills are already controversial because of the ingredients and their potentially harmful effects, so PLEASE be EXTRA CAUTIOUS with Japanese diet or weight loss pills.
No matter your weight or body type, over-the-counter oral medication should not be your way of losing weight. If you or your doctor have serious health concerns surrounding your weight, make a safe weight loss plan with a professional instead of self-prescribing.
Please be careful that you understand what a pill does before you take it!!!!
Cleaning Supplies that REQUIRE Ventilation:
A lot of our living quarters are small and don’t have much ventilation. Sometimes you’ll have a window or sliding door, but even that can prove to not be enough!
The way showers usually work here is that they’ll be a whole separate room. This is often the same with toilets! Usually, neither bathroom will have windows. Be careful what products you use in enclosed spaces when there is little to no ventilation.
Kerosene Heaters and Others:
Central heating isn’t common in Japan, especially since your placement is Nagasaki. We don’t experience freezing winters, and we have hot summers, so there’s little to no insulation in most homes or apartments. It’s common to have a small portable heater or something like that in your house. Sometimes they’re kerosene heaters, so you need to make sure to allow some type of ventilation through your home as fumes can become dangerous. Regardless of what it is (stove, heater, kotatsu) make sure it’s TURNED OFF before you leave your home at any point.
Helpful Resources about Heaters:
https://morethanrelo.com/en/using-kerosene-heaters-in-japan/
http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2010/11/guide-to-heaters-in-japan.html
Laundry Clearer vs. Softener:
It might seem obvious, but if you don’t translate labels correctly, it’s easy to mix things up. They come in similar packaging and the labels can be deceiving. Your clothes may not get as clean as you want them to if you’ve only been using softener. Take caution when reading labels!
In conclusion, make sure you know what’s in a product before you use it