Fukuoka is a compact city bursting with trendy boutiques, big department stores and everything in between; it’s a shopper’s paradise. We gave a foreigner a budget and a number of items to buy. What will he select? What would you select? Fukuoka Shopping Challenge START! 福岡は流行のショップや百貨店がコンパクトな街中にひしめく、ショッピング好きにとっての楽園。NOWの新企画Fukuoka Kau Kauでは、そんな楽園を訪れた外国人が予算内で何を買うか、をレポートします！
Target: Don Quijote Nakasu 3-7-24 Nakasu, Hakata / Tel.: 092-283-9711 / Open: 24 hours
Kyushu’s first 24 hour Don Quijote store opened in 2011 in Nakasu and is a hit with foreign tourists and residents of Fukuoka. Located on the second floor of the gate’s building, this large branch of the nationwide discount chain store is full of weird and wonderful finds – from food items and electronics to cosplay items, novelties and more!
Shopper: Ali Khan, Manchester (UK), Student
アリ・カーン（学生 / 英国マンチェスター出身）
Budget: ¥10,000
Goal: 4 “Only in Japan” items
LET’S GO!
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Item #1 : Banana Mogu Pillow ¥2,940
Comment: I began my Don Quijote experience by adopting a new baby, my adorable baby banana pillow! Yes, there were cuter pillows, there were bigger ones, but none hug me back like my banana mogu.
僕のドンキホーテデビューは、この可愛いバナナ君枕に決定！他にも可愛いヤツや大きいのもあったけど、やっぱりコレ。
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Item #2: Kumamon Alarm Clock ¥2,847
Comment: Who better to awaken you to life in Japan than its most famous mascot? Our friend from the south has become a national sensation, everyone in Japan knows him! Get in my basket, Kumamon!
朝起きてくまもんが隣りにいたらいいね。日本で知らない人はいない、みんなの人気者だし、もちろん僕もお持ち帰り。
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Item #3: One Piece Hat ¥1,886
Comment: I don’t watch One Piece but I feel like Genghis Khan when I put this hat on! Finally, I can live up to my surname!! I can definitely get my ¥1,900 worth by wearing this to parties and karaoke!
ワンピースは見たことないけど、この帽子をかぶったらアリ・カーンでなくって、チンギス・ハンになった気分だね。
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Item #4: Softbank Hawks Cap ¥1,410
Comment: While I’m here, I can’t not get the cap of the best baseball team in the world, our very own HAWKS!!! I’ll wear this to a game and participate in the coordinated cheering like a true Fukuoka-ite!
福岡にいる限り、これ以上の野球帽はないはず。Go Goホークス！
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Shopper’s final verdict? “Don Quijote is a trove of wacky and unique stuff. As soon as you walk in, the weird items you can only find in Donki are screaming to you from the corner of every shelf. Some will find this stimulating, some overwhelming, but you don’t need something in mind when going to Don Quijote. At Donki, the products find you!!” ドン・キホーテ最高！奇天烈グッズの寄せ鍋みたい。一歩踏み出す度に何か目新しいものが飛び込んでくるから、中々店から出られないね。
Total: ¥ 9,083
CHALLENGE: PASS!
Originally published in Fukuoka Now Magazine (fn184, Apr. 2014)
