Won't Miss #423 - non-deodorant wearers

I realize there are people who stink everywhere in the world, but I encounter far more people with intense B.O. in Tokyo than I have anywhere else. The reason for this is that most Japanese assume they don't stink when they sweat and therefore do not need deodorant. In fact, many believe that only foreigners are capable of smelling bad when they sweat. There was once a sign near deodorant in a drug store which said essentially, "don't smell bad like a foreigner." Well, it's not only foreigners who can smell bad, especially in the hot humid summer, but even year-round. One of the workers at a local convenience store seems especially oblivious and I hate shopping there when he's on duty.

Men in particular seem to be unaware of the putrid funk they are subjecting bystanders to and I definitely won't miss the frequency with which I encounter these clueless stinky Petes.

Won't Miss #156 - Japanese deodorant

Body chemistry does differ based on your biological history, and many Japanese people either do not use deodorant or don't need it. My husband is not Japanese (or of Asian descent) and he also does not need deodorant, so some Europeans also do not require it. Some people are just lucky, but not me...and not some Japanese people who really need it but seem clueless. One of the things I learned quickly is that the market for deodorant is too small for a lot of variety or low prices. You can buy tiny sticks or small cans of spray for high prices. Easily, deodorant in Japan is twice the price for half the quantity that I can buy back home, and it's not always easy to find. I've bought deodorant through import services since coming to Japan to avoid paying $5-$8 for a small amount.

I won't miss having to either fork out a lot of money or special order something as mundane as deodorant.