Hyakuen shops are Japanese discount dry goods stores that sell everything from kitchenwares and household goods to stationery and gifts, all at one price: 100 yen (hence the name, hyakuen). In Japan the largest chain is run by Daiso, and they have had many copycats here and abroad — the one in Metro Manila even laid claim to the name “Daiso”.
Fortunately, they have just opened their first genuine store in the Philippines, thanks in part to the Robinsons family of stores. Their new store is called Saizen, and it can be found on the third floor of the Ortigas wing of Robinsons Galleria.
Saizen is an authentic hyakuen, offering the same wares available in their Harajuku store and elsewhere in Japan. They also stuck to the Japanese principle of offering all merchandise at just one price. Everything in the store no matter how miniscule or how large, is just PhP 85.
It’s definitely a steal if you were in the market for, say — a padded laptop case (available at the travel section) or a large plastic closet organizer (available at the housewares section). There are also tonnes of Japanese stationery, cosmetic products, and gardening supplies, as well as kitchen gadgets, craft supplies, and pet accessories.
My favorite part of the store has to be the Japanese souvenirs section, where you can purchase Japanese knick-knacks such as porcelain manekineko cats, folding paper fans, and old-style wooden toys. Whenever I was in Japan for trips, I used to stockpile souvenirs from these cheap but high quality outlets.
The products at Saizen are made well — unlike items that you may find in other stores, and at just PhP 85 it really is money well-spent. The only problem with the whole Saizen experience is that you might buy too many things than you know what to do with! Shopping at hyakuen shops is so addicting!
Saizen can be found on the third floor of Robinsons Galleria, in the Ortigas Avenue side close to the West Wing. If you have trouble finding it from the main EDSA entrance, just make your way to the other side to the exit for ADB Avenue until you reach the second bank of escalators, and then take that all the way to the third floor. The store should be to your left.
Saizen accepts cash, charge cards, and debit cards with the Visa and Mastercard logos. If you have purchased anything from the store and were not satisfied with it, they have a seven-day return policy, provided that you still have the receipt and that the item has been unused and in its original packaging.
JPOP Manila 
I had visited Saizen last May 2. I saw the ads along the elevators and got curious, so I went to see. It’s such a delight to see this here locally. The interior, pottery, and humor sections were amazing. I’ll recommend this to everyone as well. Thanks for featuring such a great store~ Everyone should see it. 🙂
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lol that place is a mad, mad, mad money pit, and i love it ❤
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ooh! I wanna go there!!!!!!!! >3<
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Wow, awesome! Thanks for this. I might visit it this coming week. 😀
Stationery, keshigomu…cool stuff await! *w*
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Ah! Garandee, my Japanese wife heard about Daiso coming to Manila a couple of days ago, but we didn’t know where it was. Thanks for the info.
Hopefully they have those long chopsticks for cooking that we’ve been needing for the longest time!
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hi there garando — i don’t remember seeing cooking chopsticks in the housewares section, but i hope they have them since they’re indispensable for dishes like tempura and ika-fry ^^v say hi to garandee for me 🙂
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its so good to know that we have daiso version there in philippines. people here in malaysia are very fond of japanese products. i just love their printed felts.
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hi there tintin — i’m very pleased to inform you that their craft section is pretty extensive 🙂 do drop by the next time your back in manila 😀
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galing! akalain mo un?! this is just what i was looking for…i was searching for clay stores here in manila eh..sana may polymer clay dito..makapunta nga..thanks! rak on! ;D
-kazwalukab
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it’s so far from the south. i hope they will have a branch somewhere in makati or something :l
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HI KAZ 😀 loka ka anong ginagawa mo dito 😀
anyway, merong store sa greenhills na nags-specialize sa polymer clays (SCULPEY) at SITKFAS figures 😀 try mo:
http://thesculpeyman.multiply.com/
have fun! 😀
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hi william — this is just the first of what could be many stores in manila and other major cities; we’ll just have to wait and see where they decide to expand next.
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manekineko! that is enuff reason for me to go there. so ah.. do they have wind chimes in stock?
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if you mean the glass wind chimes with the paper tails, then yes they do stock those 🙂
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hu-wow! thank you! i’ll waste no time, saizen here i come!
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no worries, hun — have fun
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^_^ Saizen is the real Daiso!!!
It is Love!
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Thank you very much!:)
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This shop is wonderful… I’ve bought here once.. and I’m planning to buy again.
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it’s a great place, isn’t it 😀 i could easily spend hours just browsing the shelves!
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This is paradise. 8D
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im hoping there’s a dog section here. like in japan.
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yup — there is a pet section; quite small though, only about an aisle long. hope you find what you need there!
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wow this a really big help for us Filipino pen spinners…thx to chobi and yanos for finding this store for us hehehe
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will definitely go. thanks for the info >.<
btw, do you know the japanese/tokyo grocery store here?
i saw one when we were on our way back home from greenhills. i wanna go there too. (=.=)
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Hi there, magnetic rose!
I’ve been to Saizen with my friends and I should say that it is a really great store. but I would just like to ask if you know any other store that offers printed origami papers?
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printed origami paper is also available at NEW HATCHIN (a japanese grocery store); here is a street map. good luck!
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do they sell bento box there??
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yup — in the kitchenwares section.
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tnx.can i ask if u saw how much a 2 tier bento box cost? a complete pack?w/chopsticks..arigato.!
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oh lol uhm all single items are PhP 85 regardless of size ^^;;
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Thank you!
I will go there as soon as I can…
___so busy___(sigh)
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meron ba kayong bento lunchbox na ibinebenta? ung color black?
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sorry but i do not own the store — i just reviewed them. you’ll have to go check the store out yourself to see what’s in stock. thanks.
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my thigh high socks ba dito???? i need it kasi for cosplay.
thanks!!!
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yup — they’re available; but you’ll have to check if they’re in stock as i believe they run out of those pretty quickly. happy hunting!
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The last time I went to Saizen was first week of August and I can’t believe I’ve purchased over 100 items and the receipt was so long. I tried to find a black laquer type two tier bento, unfortunately all they have were transparent tupperware like microwavable bentos. I don’t know if it’s already sold out.
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lol that’s quite a haul, sean 😀
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wow…meron kayang samurai sword key chain?
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hmm no idea about that — you’ll have to drop by the store and check for yourself 🙂
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Hmm… This is the first authentic Hyakuen Shop in the country? I guess that Daiso at St.Francis Square’s fake.
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Oh yeah, do you guys think they sell Japanese bamboo umbrellas there? I kinda want one, coz Ryoga-kun no Kasa wa Kakkoi desu! I wanna be kakkoi too ~_^
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ah sorry — no bamboo umbrellas at the store, i’m afraid.
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~_~; guess I have to wait till I get the chance to go to Japan before I could own a bamboo umbrella.
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i collect owls and i found about 12 pieces in Saizen. sayang nga lang that the teapot and the plates were already sold-out. i love japan because of its reverence for owls (fukuro). I hope Saizen brings in a new supply of owl collectibles.
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Hi there! I SUPER LOVE YOUR SITE! 🙂
thanks for featuring saizen, the moment the webpage was loaded, my heart started thumping and screaming that I have to go there! haha I am so going there this payday and will probably get broke, but what the heck. Haha
arigato!! ^^
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@malu i’m delighted your collection has become larger thanks to saizen 😀
@vicky — only too glad to help 😀 have fun shopping!
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hi magnetic_rose! thanks for posting about saizen.. i love anything japanese..XD i know you replied to Mickey’s post that they don’t have a bamboo umbrella there. is there any way you know where to buy them?.. 😀 thanks again for the posts! 😀
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@grape i saw a couple of those in 168 MALL in DIVISORIA once, but the problem with that is the tenants of the stalls there change so often it is difficult to keep track of which one sold what 😦 perhaps you can just give it a long shot and search there? sorry i can’t be more helpful, and good luck!
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Hi, do they also carry craft kits like the small cabinet (don’t know how it is called) or the chiyogami papers?
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if you mean those storage boxes with small drawers — yes, they have those. as for chiyogami it depends if it’s in stock or not. they have origami paper in kids patterns or modern patterns in stock all the time, but the chiyogami ones are hit or miss.
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I remember this shop. I almost run out of money buying this and that. xD
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wow…
thanks so much for this info!!
I didn’t know daiso is not genuine…I often shop there..
by the way, does saizen also sell circle lenses???
I want one badly…
can you inform me if they sell one? if not, can you tell me where can I buy circle lenses here in the philippines???
thanks a lot! 🙂
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your best bet for circle lenses would be MULTIPLY — just browse around for sellers of contact lenses and wigs for cosplay. good luck!
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A new Saizen branch will open soon (or maybe it has already opened… last time I checked, it was still closed) at 2F Marquee Mall, Angeles City Pampanga~! I can’t wait to make my purchases there~! ^_^
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LOL! WHEN I WENT TO JAPAN, I WENT TO THIS 99 YEN SHOP AND THEY ARE EXACTLY THE SAME ONES THAT THEY ARE SELLING HERE IN SAIZEN HEHE. THE THING IS, THEY BUY ALL THE STUFF IN JAPAN FOR P50 (Y1=P0.55). THIS IS A PRETTY GOOD IDEA
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@nekomancer fyi, Saizen opened their temporary store (near the lacoste outlet store) at the Ground Flr Marquee Mall, Angeles City Pampanga last friday Dec. 18, 2009 and their space at the 3rd level is still under construction. drop-by there you might find interesting stuffs for you, ciao!
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I love saizen! It’s where I buy my origami papers x3 but I only visited the temporary store there in marquee. are there any origami books in the other branches?
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hi — cheap oriami books are available in NATIONAL BOOKSTORE for about PhP 85 each — however, stocks are varied (not all branches carry them) and the books are in japanese 🙂 however if you can understand origami step-by-step illustrations then not being able to understand japanese should pose very little problem.
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do they have japanese hair color like palty and prettia??..please..please..i want to know..
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i don’t recall if they sell brand-name hair-dye — just the house brand, and only in basic colors like black and brown; it’ll be best if you check out their cosmetics aisle yourself. happy hunting!
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Went there with friends and have a look around, bought same paper accessories and laptop sleeves. Friends bought lots of kitchen stuffs. Nice store.
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I think it is quite expensive since they can self stuff here in Japan only for 105 yen (around 50 pesos). They should sell it cheaper in the Philippines since most stuff from Daiso are made in China.
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yes, but that figure does not take into consideration local taxes and customs fees, their overhead for their space in the mall, and their profit margin. they also hired more staff for the local branch compared to the japanese branches to stock shelves, assist shoppers, and clean up the store. i mean i’ve been to the daiso store in harajuku, and many times it’s a complete mess with stuff spilling into the aisle and boxes and paper all over the wrapping counter.
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just came home from saizen galleria, bought some give aways to some friends.. the erasers were really good but i guess not worth buying @ 85 bucks.. both some cute cellphone holders and keychains and stuffed magnetic animals.. lotsa cool magic trick set as well.. spent almost 2 hours searching for stuffs to buy..
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wow! i’m getting excited about stopping by a Saizen, but doesn’t it have any branch here in the south??? i mean, alabang-paranaque area? pppweeez keep me posted if their opening up a branch here. Thanks!
p.s. do they have an official website?
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their multiply page is at: http://saizenph.multiply.com/
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I love this store! But i was wondering if there’s a cheaper place to buy felt? P85 for 3 small squares of felt is a little steep in my opinion.
Also, do any of you know where to buy japanese craft books (specifically felt books)? I cant seem to find any here in Manila and buying online is super expensive.
Thanks!
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i guess you didn’t see the related thread on felt crafting; in any case, here’s a link to the post. you may be able to pick up some ideas there.
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I keep buying in this place.I hope they restock their blue transparent underlay sheets.Saw two hot japanese girls twice.I must learn Japanese!eigoga wakarimaska
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