I find them to be mostly very well made, long-lasting and would rank Japan on the same level as many European countries across most metrics
They make some of the best pens out there.
Japan is an advanced democratic country that supports human rights and the rule of law. They’re cool in my book.
Japanese stuff is just really high quality. From cars to batteries.
Made in Japan became a sign of quality for a reason. I don’t own much Japanese products, but they’re usually good
Good Japanese tools are pretty much unparalleled
Came in here to mention hand tools. Japanese tools are outrageously durable.
Ah yes: Makita of course!
I actually like to buy specifically Japanese, especially audio gear :)
- Technics for Turntables
- Pioneer for DJ Players & Mixers
- Yamaha for other Audio Gear and Instruments
- Rakuten for streaming and buying movies / shows
- Don’t own a car but if I had one it would be Japanese
- Sony for TVs, Gaming Consoles
- Nintendo: also gaming
- Muji for home stuff
- Uniqlo for clothing
- also: kitchen knifes!
Etc.
Yamaha acoustics and electric guitars are VERY good.
The majority of my audio gear is not American. Not for political reasons but because outside of guitars, amps, and effects, American music gear isn’t that amazing.
- Native Instruments - Germany
- Audio Technica - Japan
- Yamaha - Japana
- Ibanez - Japan
- Synthstrom - New Zealand
- Polyend - Poland
- Focusrite - UK
EDIT
The best DAWs also tend to be European.
- Renoise - Germany
- Abelton - Germany
- Bitwig - Germany
To mention the payment processor JCB. They need to expand to Europe and North America though 😊
Audio Technica is also good for audio / production gear
Japanese, Korean and even some Taiwanese products are very good. They also make tat but in general it’s still better than the chinesium stuff.
I have a Japanese rice cooker (neuro fuzzy rice cooker by zojirushi) and goddamn it is good.
I know Panasonic was a Japanese company and my microwave is by them as well. (I admittedly splurged and got a fancy model second hand but it is the most ridiculously impressive microwave I’ve ever owned and I can’t go back.)
That’s a BIG question! I mean, traditional arts and related products (like silicone or acrylic bentos) are generally really good, clothes are, as everywhere, from fabulously made and expensive to crap that falls apart if you sneeze at it from across the road, and there is WAY too much kawaii in everything, just – ewwww! Stationary and office supplies tend to be better quality, but personal stationary, like fashion and interior design, suffers from terminal cutes. Anime and manga have become, imho, really repetitive and derivative,and if I see one more tourist souvenir featuring Hokusai’s Great Wave, I will, so help me Daikini Shinten, invoke every tanuki pretending to be a tea pot to come tear every last copy to tiny bits of random fluff.
Now, where was I… Oh, yeah. Good ceramics in Kappabashi.
A lot of products sold in Japan are made in China. But if you’re specifically talking about made in Japan products, it really really depends the industry.
A lot of products sold anywhere are made in China. That doesn’t necessarily mean much.
It’s more important where the product has been designed (I think this is what the OP meant), and Japanese designed products are generally very good.
I’m just saying. My partner has lived in japan and when i visited her there, it was basically impossible to go day to day without buying anything made in China. Literally I’d say 75% of all non-food products on shelves are made in China there, way more than I’m used to in Europe.
Varying quality like any other country’s products
