Trying to care for my face, I have often gone to various super markets to look for facial products. By doing so, I noticed a slight trend in the products most of the stores hold.

Let's start by saying there is a lot of choices. For example, within the same brand, we have a moisturizer, facial cleanser, acne care cream, nano million scrub (don't ask me what that is), and white clear foam (still no idea). Each of them have a slightly different purpose. There's something for almost all your needs. Now that being said, all of these come from the same brand. This is where I believe the Japanese system fails. Only the big companies' products are sold in all the stores. Now having studied business, this create a monopoly, allowing no chance for competitors (companies) to enter and possibly provide a better product. The big companies offer soo many products, and are so well known that most consumers don't even think twice about their products. The products are most likely very good, but still I find it slightly disturbing.

This isn't just limited to facial products. The judo guys all have Under Armour sports clothes. I thought it was just because they wanted to look cool and had lots of money, but when I went to get myself a few shirts, I noticed that half the store offered just that same brand.

This probably has a link with the people and culture. Since most students receive money from their parents or work a part time job, they can afford these expensive products. In Canada, I always felt that image was important, but not every piece of clothing I owned had to be from an expensive brand. But here in Japan, image is considered of utmost importance, so they tend to buy expensive clothes. Which leads to smaller companies to fade out.

When I was at the camp, I heard a funny expression: "Mitami janakute, nakami." It's meaning is :"It's not the outside that matters, but the inside." Now trying to compare that mentality with how Japanese value their own image, I still don't quite understand.