Cloth Diapering in Japan

[jasminegrl]

I'm in Japan as well, but we have dryers in base housing, definitely get a clothing rack and just put it in front of a door or window that gets sunlight or on a balcony or patio if you have one. We don't use our dryer for alot of clothing because of shrinkage

[rebecca.s]

I absolutely LOVE the Japanese flats. And it makes even more sense to use them when you are in Japan because of the drying issue. They are available really cheap at nishimatsuya or akachan honpo. They are a birds-eye sort of material sewn into a big loop.

They absorb really quickly, fold really trim into a cover, and dry very quickly - even in the rainy season and inside.

I invested in some really nice and cushy prefolds but completely abandoned them because I just couldn't get them to dry inside.

Another product I LOVE are the gauze hankerchiefs (sold in the same aisle as the diapers). I use them as wipes. They are fantastic. I also use them for by bigger kids too. There is a large drawer full of them in the bathroom and that is what they use to wash up in the mornings instead of taking a shower - my kids don't like to shower but will wash up with the towels. They dry super fast. I have a mini drying rack (100yen store) hanging in the bathroom where the big kids put their dirty wash cloths so they don't get thrown into the regular laundry and get moldy!

I like the wool covers they sell at akachan honpo. Besides the wool covers I found the bummis super whisper wraps to be really good and quick drying covers. Of course I couldn't get them in japan so I had to have someone mail them to me.

I also found that they sell some GREAT simple and natural soap (laundry and other) at regular grocery stores like Daiei (or Gourmet City as they changed the name). I cannot for the life of me remember the brand, but it is sold in large wax paper-y bags that are mostly green and white in the laundry soap aisle. Sometimes I added some tea tree oil to a load. But other than that, the laundry soap was wonderful.

I don't live in japan anymore and I wish I could still get this soap!