Today is Sunday, and it was a very cold morning. It may be the coldest morning so far this winter. The lowest temperature was around minus three degrees. I am glad that today is Sunday…haha (but I will go to my workshop in the afternoon). Because of this, tourist areas around here are said to be relatively quiet in January. It depends on the region, but in Japan, the quietest months for tourism are January and June. As mentioned above, January is cold, and it also comes after the long year-end and New Year holidays. June is the rainy season, and it comes after the big holiday period in May called Golden Week. Because of this, travel costs are usually cheaper during these times. In the past, I often chose these seasons to go on trips. It is very comfortable to travel when there are fewer people and places are not crowded 😁
Sometime later this month, I am thinking about going out to do a little shopping. There is nothing in particular that I really need, but I would like to look for a new wallet. In Japan, people often say that buying a wallet at the beginning of the year brings good luck, so I often see advertisements saying that. This is not exactly the main reason, but I have started to feel that my wallet is a little too small. Of course, it is not because I want to put a lot of money in it🤣
Since last year in Japan, a government-issued personal ID card called the My Number Card can also be linked with health insurance information. It has been decided that this card will be used instead of the traditional health insurance card when visiting medical institutions, with some exceptions. This system allows medical visit information to be shared between hospitals. In short, it is part of the move toward making everything more online. Because of this change, I have started carrying my My Number Card with me, even though I usually kept it at home. In Japan, many people were not used to carrying a personal ID card all the time. The card is placed in a small vinyl sleeve, and it does not fit into the card pocket of my wallet. That is why I would like to change to a wallet with slightly larger pockets. For now, I am carrying the card in a separate card case. MY wallet has become quite old as well (photo). It is from Hush Puppies, an American casual brand. Japanese banknotes are a little larger compared to those of other countries, so wallets from overseas brands often feel slightly small for Japanese bills. Business cards in Japan are also a bit larger, so it can be hard to find the right size.
I can’t really tell how a wallet feels until I hold it in my hand, so I am also thinking about going to my usual outlet mall while taking a walk 🛍️
