Grocery Shopping

Living in Japan means many things—temples, trains, and vending machines that sell everything from hot coffee to cold beer.

But sooner or later, you have to do the real work of being an adult abroad. Go to the grocery store.

Shopping bags?

Phone fully charged for Google Translate?

Confidence? …Misguided but present.

There we were, standing in front of a wall of identical milk cartons.

Elegant. White. Mysterious.

Just calligraphy, numbers printed sideways, and the occasional yellow discount sticker that might as well say, “Good luck.”

We pulled out Google Translate and aimed it at the first carton.

One label read, “Evening milk. Only from three chosen cows. Please shake before drinking. Fat floats.

Another one offered: Milk. 100% raw. Pressed. From Hokkaido. Enlightenment optional.

At this point, we weren’t sure if we were shopping or being initiated into a dairy temple.

Then we spotted it:

“ノンホモ” — non-homogenized milk.

We grabbed it. Took it home. Opened it.

A blob came out.

I gasped, “It’s gone bad!” But then we saw it—printed calmly on the carton like a gentle rebuke, “Please shake.”

We shook it like a maraca. Poured again. Tasted.

Silky. Rich. Life-changing.

And just like that, we were no longer milk novices.

We had crossed over.