From food to miscellaneous goods, there’s something here for everyone.

For the past year, our Japanese-language reporters have been visiting some of the country’s most popular restaurants and cafes to see what they can buy for 1,000 yen (US$6.78), but today they’re branching out into new territory with a visit to Muji.

Being a chain that sells both food and everyday items, this is the first time our team will have the option to spend their money on something that isn’t edible.

As the above photo shows, there’s still plenty to eat at Muji, so what will our team spend their money on? Will they be tempted by the food or seize this opportunity to try something new? Let’s get right to it by taking a look at the results, starting with…

▼ …”Muji’s Strongest Set“, as chosen by Yoshio.

Clothes Brush: 790 yen
Soy Milk Biscuits: 120 yen
Total: 910 yen

Yoshio chose the best of both worlds, with one everyday item and one food item. The soy milk biscuits were really deliious, and the brush he chose has actually become a hot topic on social media, with its boar bristles said to be incredibly effective at removing fluff from clothes.

When Yoshio tried the brush out on a coat, he couldn’t see much of a difference, but he’s sure it’ll come in useful, especially during winter.

▼ Takashi Harada’s “Muji’s Sure Bet Set”

Toning Water Deep Moisture: 990 yen
Total: 990 yen

As far as Takashi is concerned, Muji is strictly a skincare store, so when it came to spending his money, lotion was the only choice for him. He knows many people who rave about Muji skincare so he’s sure he’s not alone in this thinking, and he was happy to add this product to his collection.

▼ Yuuichiro Wasai’s “Best Frozen Rice Ball & Discount Dessert Set”

Chicken & Vegetable Steamed Rice Balls: 550 yen
Sweet Potato Buns (discounted) x 2: 450 yen
Total: 1,000 yen

Yuuichiro hit the jackpot with a special discount on two items that helped him get to a perfect total of 1,000 yen. He highly recommends the frozen rice balls, which he’s tried numerous times before, and he also recommends checking the products near the cash registers, as that’s where you can find bargains on food with short expiration dates, just as he did on this occasion.

▼ Seiji Nakazawa’s “Woven Basket Set”

Large Basket: 990 yen
Total: 990 yen

For Seiji, Muji is all about stylish interior design, and as he’d been looking for a woven basket to both use and act as an interior decoration, he was thrilled to come across this product, which was much more affordable than other varieties he’d seen. It was the perfect colour and size, and great value for money, so Seiji was a very happy customer.

▼ Go Hatori’s “My Favourite Two-Piece Set”

Set of 12 Dish Towels: 499 yen
Set of 5 Wooden Hangers: 499 yen
Total: 998 yen

The first thing Go went for was the set of 12 dish towels, which he already uses on the regular, to wipe down the kitchen, assist with cooking, and clean furniture in the living room. Not only are they great quality, but they come with coloured edges so you can categorise them into different uses around the house and easily distinguish between them.

He already owns a set of the wooden hangers as well, which he uses for his good clothes, and he highly recommends them, as they’re cheaper than the hangers you get at a 100-yen store, and better quality to boot.

▼ Masanuki Sunakoma’s “The perfect travel companion!”

Gusset Case (small): 990 yen
Total: 990 yen

These little foldable sorting cases are handy for one or two day business trips, and this size is perfect for holding socks, underwear and a small towel. The mesh is highly breathable and allows you to easily see what’s inside, and the case comes in a choice of four colours, black, grey, orange, and green, so you can use different colours for different items or family members, making them the perfect travel companion.

▼ Ahiruneko’s “Strongest Best Value Right Angle Sock Set”

Right Angle Socks x 3: 990 yen
Total: 990 yen

Muji’s Right Angle Socks were inspired by “a Czech grandmother’s hand-knit socks”, which were knit at a 90-degree angle, helping the heel to fit perfectly and keep the socks in place. Regular socks are said to have an angle of 120 degrees, so these socks are a unique item worth trying, and Ahiruneko highly recommends them.

▼ Mr Sato’s “When You Think of Muji, You Think of This Set”

Big Baumkuchen: 999 yen
Total: 999 yen

According to Mr Sato, if you’re looking for a Muji product that costs less than 1,000 yen, this is the only thing you should go for. He loves his sweets big, and this extra large baumkuchen definitely satisfies his cravings, and he reckons it makes a great gift for friends and family as well.

▼ P.K. Sanjun’s “The Strongest Sweets Set That’ll Keep You Going For Four Hours”

Okoge Rice Crackers: 190 yen
Baumkuchen Banana: 180 yen
Dried Squid Sheet: 290 yen
Chocolate Raisins: 220 yen
Green Pea Snack: 120 yen
Total: 1,000 yen

For P.K., Muji is an okoge rice cracker shop. Though he has high praise for the chain’s skincare and socks, he can never look past the rice crackers, which are amongst his all-time favourites, and along with the saltiness of the dried squid and the sweetness of the chocolate raisins, this set is something that can keep him munching happily for four hours.

▼ Mariko Ohanabatake’s “Muji Chocolate and Banana Cafe-Feel Set”

Chocolate Mini Croissants: 290 yen
Banana & Walnut Cake: 180 yen
Instant Caffe Mocha: 390 yen
Marshmallows: 120 yen
Total: 980 yen

Mariko’s favourite thing about Muji is their range of unusual sweets, and she says this selection is perfect for an afternoon pick-me-up. She recommends popping the marshmallows in the hot mocha and serving the cakes on plates for a real cafe-feel at a fraction of the price.

So in the end, the split between food and everyday products was almost evenly divided, with the edible products just coming out on top as the most popular choices. It just goes to show that our team can’t resist buying food, even when shopping at Muji! Which set was your personal favourite? Let us know in the comments section below!

Photos ©SoraNews24
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