Costco Hiroshima!

We were so excited to find out a Costco was built in Hiroshima! We went out on the first day it was open to check out the store and see how it was different from our beloved Costco back in the states. 

I was surprised to find out that it was incredibly similar. The layout was the same and the products were similar too. There were a number of special Japanese products but great prices and American products with English labels. It was amazing to shop at a store where we could read!

The highlight of the trip to Costco, however, was meeting a new friend! I used to attend and work at Lawrence Tech University and had a work-study program as a lab proctor. I worked long hours with some great guys and we would share crazy videos with each other. One of the favorites was "Will it Blend?" where the demonstrator would blend electronics, a broom, just about anything that would fit with this industrial BlendTec blender!

This is similar to one of the phones I had in college:

Imagine my surprise when I saw Tom Dickson himself doing a demonstration in our fair city of Hiroshima, Japan! I watched the demonstration and was surprised it was in English. 

I had a chat with Mr. Dickson after I tried a sample and he was incredibly friendly! He told me to try the blender but I explained that it was a big purchase and I'd have to think about it. The more I thought about it, it seemed like a good idea because it could destroy ice and make baby food really easily. After giving me a sales pitch, we chatted all about Japan and our new baby on the way. Mr. Dickson eventually told me that he would give us a blender!

We love it and use it all the time now. If you're in the market for a serious blender, I would definitely recommend it! We make smoothies, almond butter, soups, or whatever else sounds good. 

Here are some pictures from our first Costco trip: 

Costco is right next to the baseball stadium in Hiroshima. You can't miss it if you're in the area.

Real estate is at a premium in Japan, so there is a parking garage next to Costco. Parking is about $40 if you don't have a receipt! They have this cool escalator that the shopping carts lock into. Isn't Joe a handsome escalator model?

The entrance is just like back in the states.

The specials were similar to the states too!

Japanese diapers are great!

EVOO at a great price!

I wonder who in Japan has a yard big enough for these outdoor toys?

Oh good, a special on octopus! (Eek!)

Good prices on detergent.

We bought a five pack of lint rollers. This is clearly a necessity with a super furry dog.

My new friend, Tom Dickson!

We got home and made a super tasty smoothie with spinach and frozen fruit!

If you're wondering about how to get to Costco and the details about the place, head over to Iwakuni Explorer! The article is here: Costco in Hiroshima.