Reuse/Recycle in Japan

On the average, the Japanese are not interested in used goods.  This idea may go along with the Shinto focus on cleanliness.  There are a few used things stores, but very few.

So, for leaving Japan, I did not want to see the things that we had purchased, but no longer needed, thrown out.  We posted ads for our Sayonara sale, but had no takers (probably not a convenient address). 

Clothes.  I took the used clothes to the one store that had bins for used clothes (Uni-qlo)

Kimono.  Yes, too many kimono.  Yes, it is even possible for me to have too many kimono!  So I took them back to the shop that I had bought some from , and he gave me a little money.

Towels.  I brought a bag of used towels on the ship.  Here in Vietnam, I led an orphanage visit, and took the towels to them.

Art supplies.  There were left over art supplies from grandchildren visits (including crayons from the US) and from my projects.  I gave a bag of those things to a family on the ship with a 5- and an 8-year-old, and they are going to share them with other kids.

Toys and books.  Some books were sent back to the US, but others and the toys were brought onto the ship.   I gave the bag of toys to a family with 3 kids, 2 ½-year old, 4- year-old, and 6-year-old.

That is reuse.  For recycle, we referred to the THIRYTY--page recycling handbook.  This included careful instructions about how to cut apart your milk and juice cartons, wash them, dry them on the line, and return them to the store where they were purchased……….  So I made a trip to the store with the cleaned cartons.

Paper and cardboard.  Will finally figured out, after I left, where to put the paper and cardboard down in the basement for recycling.