Unbeknownst to most people, I actually have terrible eyesight and used to wear glasses on a regular basis. Even though I tend to reach for contacts these days I’ve been meaning to replace my old specs, but in all honestly? Glasses shopping is usually an experience I try to avoid at all costs. Being born with Asian features and a lack of a tall nose bridge, the fact remains – glasses that fit me are really hard to find in Australia! Most of the trendier styles have lenses that are way too big, and tend to hit my cheeks when they shouldn’t at all. And after all that narrowing down, there’s the problem of finding a pair that actually suits your style. It’s frustrating, to say the least!
I always knew that I wanted to buy glasses in Japan, and after much dawdling I finally went for it. I settled for this half-rimmed pair from Jins, which I had been eyeing ever since I tried them on a few months ago. I absolutely love the retro vibe they give off and they kinda remind me of Ray-Bans, except a lot more subtle. Obviously everyone here has similar features to my own, so it was awesome being able to choose from a range of glasses that actually fit me 99% of the time!
Interested in getting glasses here? Above all, I would definitely recommend bringing your optical prescription with you. It saves you the hassle of getting an eye test, even if I did have to get my pupils measured with a fancy machine. Also if you’re worried about the language barrier, don’t be! Tourist-friendly cities like Tokyo will often have shop assistants that speak English.
After a grand total of thirty minutes, my glasses were done and ready to be worn! Super easy. These were about $110AUD with thin lenses included, a far cry from the eye watering amount I would’ve paid back home. I actually don’t feel uncomfortable wearing my glasses out and about, now that these ones aren’t all scratched up in the lenses. In fact, now I’m super tempted to reorder this exact pair but in black!
