So this is what's in my handbag right now. Let's see... there's a purse, two eco bags (one for food items, one for non-food stuff), a hanko purse (more about that below), a lemon-lime lip balm, key case, my mobile phone (which I never answer because it's always in my bag and I never hear it), a pen, hand cream, my new sunglasses case, chopsticks and my Japanese bank book (you stick it in the ATM and it prints out your statements).
This is a closer image on my hanko. In Japan, you don't sign for things, but rather use your name stamp. When getting mine made I didn't want to have my name written in katakana (the script used for foreign words), so instead, I had "Gray", as in the colour, written in Japanese kanji. It always gets a laugh when I use it.
One of my pet hates in Japan is disposable chopsticks. Japanese use about 24 billion pairs of disposable wooden chopsticks (waribashi) every year which is a huge hunk of forest! The waribashi are given out at restaurants and then simply thrown out and burnt, it's a huge waste, so rather than contribute to the problem, I carry my own, red for my self and blue for my husband.
The little koinobori (carp banner) phone strap is getting rather shabby.... I think I need to buy a new one!
And lastly, I wanted to show off my new sunglasses case. It is of course, covered in vintage kimono fabric.
Thanks for the theme Sharon! I can't wait to see what's in everyone else's bags!
