This is just a happy post and will not include pictures.
When I have more time I will be posting about my trip to Ise to see the holiest temple in Japan.
Anyways, yesterday I was really bored at work and was planning to go shopping for some clothes for school afterwards. Since I was bored, I decided to check out the internet once again for fair trade coffee. . .and to my surprise I found places not just to find fair trade coffee, but also fair trade clothes and entire fair trade shops! I was extremely skeptical of the availability of these in Japan before I left but now my faith has been restored. I went to a shop in Ozone with my friend (after we got a little lost on the train)and it was amazing. The lady the worked there was uber nice and reminded me of other people I've met through work and going to these shops in Canada. I bought coffee and also 3 shirts for work and I think she nearly had a heart attack. When she punched up the items into the cash she said the amount very hesitantly. . .but of course, I'm used to buying these kinds of things and knew that it would be expensive so I was just like. . .yep yep.
Anyways, point is, I really needed that to happen. Not only did I find a place where I can shop in Japan without a guilty conscience (I also found another of other shops through a catalogue the lady gave me. . .one about a 10 min bike from my house), but I also know that at least some Japanese people care and support the fair trade effort although it's a fairly new phenomenon. The lady I talked to said her store had been open for 6 years now and her's isn't the oldest. It's catching on :) I guess there is hope for me in this country after all ^^
1 comment:
I'm glad you found your fair trade store(s)! I felt kind of awful buying individual yogurt cups for camping. And stuff like that.
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