Hello, this is Kimura from Northern Tokyo!

Tokyo had a rare snowfall recently. Since the region isn’t accustomed to snow, even a little can disrupt transportation, sometimes leading to expressway closures. If you’re planning to drive in Tokyo, be sure to check the latest weather updates.

In a previous blog post, I praised the FamilyMart sweatpants I purchased, which were perfect for lounging at home. The main reason I liked them was their thick fabric, which made them incredibly warm.

However, as the title suggests, after just a few washes, holes started appearing in the fabric. I had high expectations for FamilyMart’s clothing, so this was disappointing. That being said, I still love FamilyMart’s T-shirts—I’ve bought around 15 of them for summer and plan to buy more next year!

Because their T-shirts are great, I had high hopes for the sweatpants, making this experience even more disappointing. Let’s take a closer look at the damage.

I had only washed them about three times before noticing two holes. Here’s a look at them in the photos:

First hole: This one is located next to the pocket. The pants are upside-down in the photo, which may make it a bit difficult to understand.

Second hole: This one appeared around the thigh area.

Both holes appeared suddenly after maybe three wash, and they resulted from the stitching unraveling. The thick fabric might have made the seams more prone to coming undone.

Since I only wear them indoors, I can still use them, but the unraveling will likely continue. The sweatpants cost around 3,000 yen. Whether that’s cheap or expensive depends on the individual, but I personally won’t be repurchasing them.

That said, I don’t dislike FamilyMart products! Their T-shirts, which I wore in rotation all summer, never had any issues with unraveling. The only issue with the black T-shirts is that the color fades over time, but that’s expected. My main dilemma with them is that they’re still wearable, so I don’t know when to stop using them—resulting in an unintentional “vintage-style” FamilyMart T-shirt collection! 😂

While writing this, I thought about what FamilyMart products might be useful for travelers visiting Tokyo.

T-Shirts: These are easy to buy when you need a quick change of clothes or if you get sweaty from walking around. They’re a convenient option. Sweatpants: Not so much. While they are thick and warm, they add unnecessary bulk to your luggage. If you find Tokyo colder than expected, a better option would be… Tights! Instead of buying sweatpants, you can get thin thermal tights to wear under your pants. They provide warmth without taking up much space in your luggage. I’ve written about these in a previous blog, so check it out!

Many people in Tokyo wear tights under their pants in winter. While Tokyo is cold, it might not be as cold as your home country. In fact, some tourists walk around wearing just a T-shirt while I’m bundled up in a down jacket! It seems like some visitors handle the cold much better than locals do.

That’s all for today’s post! Have you tried FamilyMart’s clothing? Let me know your thoughts!
f there’s anything you’d like me to cover, feel free to send me a message on Instagram!