Do not compare these shops to dollar shops in America or pound shops in the UK because they are a cut above. Japanese hundred-yen shops are a veritable treasure trove. I can happily spend an hour wandering around, just looking at things.

Japan doesn’t really do Christmas. This is not a Christian country, and whilst I always somehow have managed to wrangle a day off on Christmas Day down the years, Christmas never has been, and most likely never will be a recognized national holiday. However, whilst Japanese people don’t do Christmas vacations, they certainly do Christmas presents!