The Shopping List

None of these will break the bank and are definitely more pocket-friendly than actually picnicking in Japan. Since travelling must wait, it’s the closest we can get!

Kaisen Maki Tray (Top), Salmon & Assorted Sushi Platter (Bottom)

Elemental to any Japanese-themed picnic, this is what we’re here for! DON DON DONKI is full of options if you’d like to DIY your own sushi (another fun idea). But take it from us — the fresh sushi section is irresistible. We went for a Kaisen Maki Tray and a Salmon & Assorted Sushi Platter. The latter is particularly great for sharing with its mix of Salmon Nigiri and cooked selects, including Tamago Nigiri and Shrimp Nigiri!

Psst: We also found some superbly convenient tubed condiments from Jonetsu Kakaku. If you’re perpetually bursting condiment sachets and wasting everything, this is a must-buy. Pair your sushi platters with Jonetsu Kakaku’s Wasabi Paste Tube — this ingenious toothpaste-like packaging is a guaranteed picnic hack! (For wasabi fans, it’s also going to unlock new possibilities.)

(L-R) Jonetsu Kakaku Organic Cracked Sweet Chestnut, Jonetsu Kakaku Tomato Pasta Sauce,
Jonetsu Kakaku Salad Curl Pasta

I love the versatility of pasta dishes and how quickly they go from simple to fancy. Pastas make simple, no-frills, but filling mains for picnics. They’re easy to make in volume, relatively straightforward to store, and uncomplicated to serve. We like our pasta dishes more classic, so we got the Jonetsu Kakaku Tomato Pasta Sauce and Jonetsu Kakaku Salad Curl Pasta. Jonetsu Kakaku’s Tomato Pasta Sauce is a great option for picnicking, or if you need to fix a meal fast. The sauce comes in a foil packet and in just the right amount for two, likewise for the Salad Curl Pasta — what an excellent match!

(L-R) Jonetsu Kakaku Mustard Paste Tube and Wasabi Paste Tube

(L-R) Butaniku Soy Sauce, Bulldog Organic Tonkatsu Sauce

If you’re a condiment enthusiast, the sauces and dressings aisle in DON DON DONKI will be heaven. The selection leaves little to the imagination; there’s pretty much every kind of dressing you’d want (and will want) on the shelves. Pick up more tubed pastes like the Jonetsu Kakaku Mustard Paste Tube, or try something more fun like the Bulldog Organic Tonkatsu Sauce. Bottled tonkatsu sauce hits all the glorious spots — there are just so many ways to use this sweet, spicy and tangy dressing (with meats, salads, sandwiches, as a dip…you name it). We also managed to grab Japan’s iconic Kewpie Mayonnaise in its half calorie version, which tastes exactly like the original but is less sinful — another gem!

DON DON DONKI’s Japanese Mille Crepe (Milk)

DON DON DONKI’s Cream Puffs

Located in the same space as the fresh sushi section, you’ll also want to swing by DON DON DONKI’s Japanese desserts corner for freshly made sweets at a steal. If desserts are your kryptonite… let’s just say you’ll have a tough time making sensible choices at this point. While we’re all for just going big on this if you have a sweet tooth, try the Mille Crepe Cakes or Cream Puffs for some more indulgent treats. Both were filled with fresh, delicate Japanese cream, and were nothing short of top-notch — definitely some of the most affordable and authentic Japanese desserts around!

KitKat Hojicha, KitKat Matcha Green Tea

Hoarding bags after bags of tea KitKats from Japan may not be possible yet, but you can find a selection of Japan’s iconic KitKats at DON DON DONKI. Pre-global pandemic, Andrea brought back some seriously good matcha biscuits from Japan and we were hooked! The KitKat Hojicha and KitKat Matcha Green Tea are a must for fans of Japanese KitKats.

For stick biscuit lovers, DON DON DONKI also has an impressive range of Pocky-like varieties in exclusively-Japanese flavours. We haven’t seen most of them anywhere else, so our advice? Take them all! Our biscuit haul included Lotte’s Toppo Strawberry Chocolate Straws, Dark Chocolate Pretzel Straws, Pocky in Matcha Green Tea (the OG!), and Glico’s Smoky Cheese Pretzel Sticks. Another of our favourite finds was the Tenkei Sweet Select Baked Wheat Cakes. This nifty bag of individually-packed petite Japanese cakes has everything from orange cakes, sponge cupcakes, to Dorayakis — great for bringing around and even better for sharing. How neat!

(L-R) Yaokin Umaibo Rice Stick in Bar Steak and Mentaiko

Don’t forget to balance out your palate with something savoury! This is another corner of DON DON DONKI that you’ll either spend a long time being spoilt for choice in, or be done in a flash if you let your stomach take the lead. I’m going to be a bit biased here, if you haven’t tried the Yaokin Umaibo Rice Sticks — you’re missing out! These rice sticks are so well-seasoned (without “bald spots”, as I’d like to call them), rather light (at under 60 kcal per stick) and oh so addictive. We got the Yaokin Umaibo Rice Stick in Mentaiko and Bar Steak. Bar Steak comes with a surprising wasabi twist for all you wasabi fans too!

In retrospect… I wouldn’t even bank on these being light snacks, because it’s tough not to gobble a couple at one go.

(L-R) Jonetsu Kakaku Lemon Sodawater and Green Tea

Enough said! DON DON DONKI has one of the most extensive (bottled) tea selections we’ve ever seen. Aside from being one of the hallmarks of Japan, tea makes a great accompaniment to any picnic. It’s guilt-free, a proven way to relax and helps to wash everything down (particularly all the sugar). Besides, there’s something inexplicably picturesque and soothing about laying back with a cup of tea in the middle of flowering greens. We went with the Jonetsu Kakaku Green Tea and also grabbed some Jonetsu Kakaku Lemon Sodawater for a pop.

(L-R) Biore Cool Body Sheets, Biore Guard Hand Sanitiser Spray

It wouldn’t be us if we didn’t cart out something from the beauty department. And DON DON DONKI’s one is stocked with best-selling Japanese cult favourites, new finds and occasionally, bizarre inventions that actually work. Keep your picnic look together with Biore’s Cool Body Sheets — these innovative body wipes help to refresh and remove perspiration, while lowering your body temperature by 3 degrees! Now if that doesn’t sound like a saver for picnicking in Singapore’s humid weather…

You might also want to add Saborina’s Morning UV Spray to your basket. This micro-fine cooling UV mist can be used all over the face and body (including hair), is water-resistant and dries non-tacky. The aerosol packaging also makes touch-ups so much easier!

(L-R) Biore Cool Body Sheets, Kirei Kirei Pocket Anti-Bacterial Hand Sanitiser, Saborina Morning UV Spray (Cool),
Purier Outdoor Guard Pro Insect Repellant, Biore Guard Hand Sanitiser Spray

All things aside, it’s important to keep safe while heading out! Staying true to our Japanese theme, we made sure to check out some sanitisers, including Kirei Kirei’s Pocket Anti-Bacterial Hand Sanitiser. This compact gel-based sanitiser is gentle on the skin, child-safe and kills 99.99% of bacteria! Also, we’ve never seen this anywhere else, so if you’re in DON DON DONKI, consider checking out Biore’s Guard Hand Sanitiser Spray — a spray-on hand sanitiser that will make disinfecting your hands more effortless and contact-free! (Plus, no more dirty nozzles from squeezing out too much sanitiser.)

You might have noticed we bagged quite a number of goodies from JONETSU KAKAKU, and for good reason! If you’re in DON DON DONKI, you’ll want to keep an eye out for JONETSU KAKAKU, which is the original brand of the Don Quijote group. Products of JONETSU KAKAKU are developed and manufactured under the strict supervision of the Don Quijote Group in Japan and are only sold by Don Quijote in Japan and in DON DON DONKI overseas.

There’s something romantic about picnics. Whether you’re kicking back with your partner, reconnecting with friends, spending quality family time…or taking solo time out. Assembling a picnic also gives you space to have fun, including dreaming up a vacay-inspired get-together. And who says you can’t steal a travel experience on a budget and on homeland (quite literally)? DON DON DONKI’s Japanese selections make curating a themed picnic breezy, now with exclusive rewards on the side too!

From now to 15 April 2021, enjoy Sashimi Moriwawase 9pcs at S$25.80 (U.P. S$28.80) and Japanese Strawberries at S$13.80 (U.P. S$15.80)! Limited redemptions via the DON DON DONKI mobile app. T&Cs apply, click here to find out more.