Saizen (Daiso) Authentic Japanese Hyakuen Shop Opens in Robinsons Galleria
May 4th, 2009 | Published in Guides and How-To's, Travel and Living | 93 Comments
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.
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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!
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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.
May 4th, 2009at 04:28(#)
[...] a line outside has already formed. The line was long enough that it even reached the newly opened Saizen store down the [...]
May 5th, 2009at 18:31(#)
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. :)
May 5th, 2009at 21:45(#)
lol that place is a mad, mad, mad money pit, and i love it <3
May 7th, 2009at 13:31(#)
ooh! I wanna go there!!!!!!!! >3<
May 10th, 2009at 11:49(#)
Wow, awesome! Thanks for this. I might visit it this coming week. :D
Stationery, keshigomu…cool stuff await! *w*
May 16th, 2009at 15:43(#)
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!
May 16th, 2009at 22:05(#)
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.
May 17th, 2009at 00:33(#)
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 :)
May 17th, 2009at 00:35(#)
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 :D
May 25th, 2009at 22:42(#)
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
May 25th, 2009at 23:07(#)
it’s so far from the south. i hope they will have a branch somewhere in makati or something :l
May 25th, 2009at 23:50(#)
HI KAZ :D loka ka anong ginagawa mo dito :D
anyway, merong store sa greenhills na nags-specialize sa polymer clays (SCULPEY) at SITKFAS figures :D try mo:
http://thesculpeyman.multiply.com/
have fun! :D
May 25th, 2009at 23:51(#)
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.
June 7th, 2009at 21:04(#)
manekineko! that is enuff reason for me to go there. so ah.. do they have wind chimes in stock?
June 7th, 2009at 21:11(#)
if you mean the glass wind chimes with the paper tails, then yes they do stock those :)
June 8th, 2009at 17:01(#)
hu-wow! thank you! i’ll waste no time, saizen here i come!
June 8th, 2009at 18:17(#)
no worries, hun — have fun >:D
June 10th, 2009at 10:19(#)
^_^ Saizen is the real Daiso!!!
It is Love!
June 18th, 2009at 08:12(#)
Thank you very much!:)
June 29th, 2009at 17:50(#)
This shop is wonderful… I’ve bought here once.. and I’m planning to buy again.
June 29th, 2009at 20:16(#)
it’s a great place, isn’t it :D i could easily spend hours just browsing the shelves!
July 2nd, 2009at 23:01(#)
This is paradise. 8D
July 4th, 2009at 09:08(#)
im hoping there’s a dog section here. like in japan.
July 4th, 2009at 13:44(#)
yup — there is a pet section; quite small though, only about an aisle long. hope you find what you need there!
July 7th, 2009at 17:07(#)
[...] Giveaway, where the winner will receive a fun traditional Japanese prize pack filled with great Saizen stuff! • one pack origami paper; • one origami instruction book; • one pair of decorated [...]
July 17th, 2009at 20:47(#)
wow this a really big help for us Filipino pen spinners…thx to chobi and yanos for finding this store for us hehehe
July 19th, 2009at 13:52(#)
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. (=.=)
July 20th, 2009at 13:27(#)
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?
July 20th, 2009at 13:38(#)
printed origami paper is also available at NEW HATCHIN (a japanese grocery store); here is the complete address while here is a street map. good luck!
July 28th, 2009at 20:37(#)
do they sell bento box there??
August 7th, 2009at 02:58(#)
yup — in the kitchenwares section.
August 9th, 2009at 10:58(#)
tnx.can i ask if u saw how much a 2 tier bento box cost? a complete pack?w/chopsticks..arigato.!
August 9th, 2009at 12:19(#)
oh lol uhm all single items are PhP 85 regardless of size ^^;;
August 16th, 2009at 21:18(#)
Thank you!
I will go there as soon as I can…
___so busy___(sigh)
August 23rd, 2009at 18:41(#)
meron ba kayong bento lunchbox na ibinebenta? ung color black?
August 23rd, 2009at 18:44(#)
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.
August 24th, 2009at 17:01(#)
my thigh high socks ba dito???? i need it kasi for cosplay.
thanks!!!
August 24th, 2009at 17:12(#)
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!
August 25th, 2009at 12:39(#)
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.
August 25th, 2009at 15:26(#)
lol that’s quite a haul, sean :D
August 30th, 2009at 13:52(#)
[...] SAIZEN is a Japanese household goods store located in the third floor of Robinsons Galeria. It is a great place for bento supplies and cute Japanese stationery, but did you know the store is also a good place to pick up cosplay supplies? Here are our top five picks for cosplay-related items from SAIZEN. [...]
August 31st, 2009at 17:51(#)
wow…meron kayang samurai sword key chain?
August 31st, 2009at 18:56(#)
hmm no idea about that — you’ll have to drop by the store and check for yourself :)
September 9th, 2009at 23:04(#)
Hmm… This is the first authentic Hyakuen Shop in the country? I guess that Daiso at St.Francis Square’s fake.
September 12th, 2009at 15:13(#)
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 ~_^
September 12th, 2009at 15:31(#)
ah sorry — no bamboo umbrellas at the store, i’m afraid.
September 12th, 2009at 23:33(#)
~_~; guess I have to wait till I get the chance to go to Japan before I could own a bamboo umbrella.
September 16th, 2009at 12:54(#)
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.
October 9th, 2009at 16:16(#)
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!! ^^
October 10th, 2009at 01:24(#)
@malu i’m delighted your collection has become larger thanks to saizen :D
@vicky — only too glad to help :D have fun shopping!
October 12th, 2009at 19:47(#)
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?.. :D thanks again for the posts! :D
October 12th, 2009at 20:56(#)
@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!
October 18th, 2009at 07:16(#)
Hi, do they also carry craft kits like the small cabinet (don’t know how it is called) or the chiyogami papers?
October 18th, 2009at 23:42(#)
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.
October 26th, 2009at 20:16(#)
[...] Saizen, my favorite place in Manila to accidentally-on-purpose lose money in, has three entire aisles dedicated to crafting supplies, including sewing, crochet, and felt craft. They have not only precut felt squares in a variety of colors and nifty gadgets to make your craft life easier and more organized, they also have pre-cut lace rolls and iron-on felt appliques that you can use to accessorize your felt projects like small bags, billfolds, and notebook covers. [...]
October 29th, 2009at 14:45(#)
I remember this shop. I almost run out of money buying this and that. xD
November 10th, 2009at 15:34(#)
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! :)
November 10th, 2009at 16:54(#)
your best bet for circle lenses would be MULTIPLY — just browse around for sellers of contact lenses and wigs for cosplay. good luck!
November 26th, 2009at 18:15(#)
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~! ^_^
November 30th, 2009at 15:49(#)
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
December 21st, 2009at 11:14(#)
@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!
December 27th, 2009at 12:49(#)
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?
December 28th, 2009at 01:23(#)
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.
December 30th, 2009at 13:26(#)
do they have japanese hair color like palty and prettia??..please..please..i want to know..
December 30th, 2009at 14:27(#)
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!
January 4th, 2010at 20:31(#)
Went there with friends and have a look around, bought same paper accessories and laptop sleeves. Friends bought lots of kitchen stuffs. Nice store.
January 9th, 2010at 20:28(#)
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.
January 10th, 2010at 00:18(#)
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.
January 17th, 2010at 00:01(#)
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..
February 18th, 2010at 21:31(#)
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?
February 18th, 2010at 23:26(#)
their multiply page is at: http://saizenph.multiply.com/
February 19th, 2010at 14:05(#)
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!
February 19th, 2010at 14:41(#)
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.
February 22nd, 2010at 14:46(#)
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
March 5th, 2010at 17:19(#)
uhm meron poh ba ditong glue sock? kasi nung pumunta ko di ko po makita. para sa mga loose socks po.
March 5th, 2010at 17:37(#)
sock glue is discussed in this post.
April 21st, 2010at 13:33(#)
do they sell parasols too? i need 3 pcs. thanks!
April 21st, 2010at 15:15(#)
if you mean the ones made of bamboo i’m afraid they don’t — they just have regular umbrellas.
April 21st, 2010at 17:33(#)
ah ok. thanks! =)
April 24th, 2010at 20:50(#)
so this is saizen… i think this is the new store to open at trinoma beside crossing… cool
May 5th, 2010at 23:32(#)
saizen? try the ion bracelet and i can feel it is real ion chuva….for only 85..the saleslady says it lessens your stress and it works….also try the black soap.
May 30th, 2010at 15:41(#)
Hi just wanna ask if there are other branches of saizen in metro manila aside from galleria. i know there’s one in angeles pampanga, in marquee mall. but are there others in the metro? thanks in advance! my friend is also interested in franchising saizen here in mindanao, was wondering if you could give us a contact person/number, thanks again :D
May 30th, 2010at 18:49(#)
there’s a new store being put together in TRINOMA.
for franchising inquiries, please contact the store directly — thanks!
June 1st, 2010at 19:37(#)
hi.. when will they open their Trinoma branch? thanks :)
June 4th, 2010at 15:35(#)
it won’t be open for a few more weeks. i’m sure they’ll announce the opening on their multiply site so you guys are updated.
June 5th, 2010at 12:38(#)
meron po ba silang binebentang loose socks?…
June 5th, 2010at 21:49(#)
yes they sell loose socks, but whether or not they have it in stock when you visit is a different thing altogether.
June 15th, 2010at 01:00(#)
[...] from a post made one year ago by Magnetic-Rose, I was overly curious at the experience this Hyakuen shop would give to a self-proclaimed otaku [...]
June 18th, 2010at 22:50(#)
haha..i bought a couple of neckties here..and its really practical at 85!!
June 20th, 2010at 16:19(#)
Do they have tatami mats and Noren curtains? Thanks
June 20th, 2010at 16:24(#)
no tatami mats nor noren curtains, unfortunately.
if you’re looking for tatami mats, there is a store in libis that advertises tatami mats for sale — but i personally have never been there so i can’t be absolutely sure.
July 9th, 2010at 18:03(#)
Saizen opened another branch in Alimall, Cubao recently. They will open another branch in TriNoma on July 16, 2010. サイゼンのかいものはだいすきですよ。:D
July 13th, 2010at 02:46(#)
thanks for the heads-up, kasui! こっちも サイゼンが 大好きなので 行くなら すぐ財布を 空っぽになっちゃう～