Digging up my design hat...

The year has rolled over. I have made so many twists and turns in my path. The most visible for me is my merchandise. I haven't been able to make and sell anything since coming here. I mean I made some things but getting into gear has taken long for me and I'm afraid it will take a little more time.

Omiyage(food bought from a trip usually for family/friends/collegues)

The things I have noticed as a crafter in Japan:

1. Japanese people usually prefer buying well-known high-end brands. People actually prefer buying organic products because of the brand name and not because it is really organic or not(in most cases). A lot of brands can get away with using "organic" on their labels because hey...its just an English word for a kind of status. When I realized this, I really had to think about my nskin products here.

Ideally I want to get my skin products out like they are take-always, I don't want them to sit on the shelf for long...which is often the problem. I believe 100% organic and vegan products should be used and bought within days of being made.

2. Most people prefer buying something that resembles the original. Okay, I did say people love high-end brands...but when it comes to African products like my jewellery, people here would rather buy it at a ridiculous amount from another Japanese person who gets the product from Africa than actually buy the product from the African person living in Japan.

3. The African products here may costs three times as much even when the quality is poor. Most people here don't know the difference anyway.

With all this...I decided to take a small break while I figure out how I will get my suppliers to ship my raw material here.

It really is tough to break into this market because as much as Japanese people like things, they like their own version of other people's things better. I am pretty sure that if I reopen my shop, I will need to target a different market...one that is more clued up on somethings and are conscious-spenders.

On the flipside, as a designer, Japan has taught me a lot about branding and packaging. There are a lot of beautiful products here but the packaging may contain tertiary plastic packaging for pure aesthetic beauty. There is a lot of waste from a country that is known for its zen design.
I would totally recommend Japan as a stop for designers that want to take notes in design, especially product design. There is a great design juxtaposition that you can only understand living here.

B.D