shopping Japan

My trip was about seeing my people, not an exhausting sight seeing tour. I wanted to see some of the local life, so B & B took me shopping. We went to the grocery stores, a really neat craft store, the train station basement food plaza, a beautiful souvenir shop, and a campy one. Oh, and Daiso, the equivalent to a $1.00 shop. I also ventured out on my own several times, once to the World Liquor System, to the mall, on a bicycle no less! I was REALLY surprised by one thing I saw several times: whale meat. Such a taboo in the US, but I saw at least 2 varieties, fresh at one location, and canned at another. The other amazing thing I saw was gift fruit. Mostly melons, beautiful and good sized and round, with a little bit of the vine still attached. They are in gift boxes and cost around $20.00 USD. They really are spectacular.