I Got New Glasses In Japan And So Can You

I’m a contact lens wearer for a couple of reasons. One reason is that I am very vain, and don’t like how I look in my glasses. The other reason is that I got my glasses in 2010 and my prescription has changed since then. Lately I had begun noticing that even my contacts weren’t allowing me to see with perfect vision anymore- my eyes had changed in the two years I’d lived in Japan. All signs pointed to one conclusion: I needed to get new glasses.

I knew exactly what I’d wanted, too. Big, round, gold frames. Like the ones on the snap chat filter with bear eyes. (You know the one, don’t lie). I’d been seeing big round classes around a lot lately, but as I started browsing I came to a horrifying realization: I have a very big head. Hats rarely fit me, and glasses that are big and cute on most are neither big nor cute on me.

I’d looked through all the glasses stores I passed looking for frames I liked. It took a long while, but I found the perfect pair in Harajuku, at the location of a chain store called Jins.

The store location, it seemed, was celebrating it’s Grand Reopening that day. It was 11:03 when I strolled by and they had grandly re-opened at 11:00. An employee stood outside the door welcoming passerbys in, and inside about eight staff members stood around formally to greet the first customers, which turned out to be yours truly.

It was a little awkward to be the center of so much attention, but I began casually browsing. Soon one of the employees approached me and began speaking in rapid formal Japanese at me. I politely broke in to tell her in crappy Japanese that my Japanese is crappy. She responded brightly with “Oh, hello! We speak English.” One obstacle down.

I looked around for a while longer. A different lady came up and recommended some glasses to me, since she’d noticed I was looking at a particular style. Before long I had picked out my dream pair, and moved to the front desk.

Now, the second dreaded obstacle. They asked me if I knew my prescription. I admitted I did not. “That’s fine! We’ll do a test.” they said. I was given a case and solution for my contacts and was immediately sat down to have an eye test. I looked at a screen and recognized the blurry shape of the Japanese symbol と. “Is that ‘tō’?” I said. “My Japanese isn’t great. “Yes, it is.” The lady responded. “Would you rather we use the English alphabet?” Yes please, was my response.

After that I had a very average, very smooth eye test for about 10 minutes. Once finished the employee told me about different lenses they offered, like UV protection and such. I requested the very normal and basic lenses.

I was then given the option to go about my day and come back for my glasses later, or wait a grand total of ten minutes for them to be put together. I opted to wait in the lobby and read. Ten minutes later the staff lady came out to check if the glasses sat properly on my face and make final adjustments. Three minutes after that, I was at the checkout.

I was given my choice of pretty classes case, a lense wipe, and a year of insurance, as well as some coupons and discount codes. All this, ladies and gentlemen, glasses, lenses, eye test, and swag, came to 8900 yen. That’s less than $90.

And I’ve never loved a pair of glasses more.

So if you’re ever in Japan, I implore you, get some new frames. You won’t regret it.