Tokyo Shopping

Coolest Tokyo shopping areas for Tokyo Fashion, Japanese souvenirs, Electronic Gadgets and Traditional Japanese Foods to take home.

Tokyo Fashion

Tokyo shopping is a dazzling experience.

It's no secret that Japanese love to shop, a fact not lost on international designers - Chanel, Prada, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and various other high end designer labels have opened boutiques in Tokyo.

Every Tokyo Shopping center has been taken to another level here - in some cases, up to 20 levels.

The Where And When Of Shopping In Tokyo

Shopping in Tokyo is very convenient thanks to the Shopping hours (10:00 am to 8:00 pm at most stores, including national holidays and Sundays) and the outstanding customer service.

Shopping in Tokyo is considered by many to be very expensive. I would like to correct that misconception – Tokyo can suit any shopping budget.

In order to back my statement I've prepared a Tokyo shopping guide – a list of the different Tokyo shopping areas.

Each district targets a different crowd and budget. My Tokyo shopping guide covers them all. Have fun !!

Tokyo Shopping Guide

A walk down Omotesando is like a compressed tour in contemporary architecture. It seems that the flagship stores for the big designer labels compete whose store is the most lavish, and up to date.

Omotesando hills is the most elegant Tokyo shopping centre.

Omotesando ends at one end by Harajuku - Tokyo teens fashion center, and on the other side by chic Aoyama, home to famous Japanese designer shops like Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto, and Rei Kawakubo's Comme des Garçons.

Ginza is home to Tokyo's oldest and most prestigious department stores.
The most exclusive is probably Wako, which is the central landmark for the district, it has a clock tower.
Mitsukoshi Department Store, Matsuzakaya Department Store, Seibu, Hankyu and Opaque are Other excellent Department Stores (fashion and accessories).
Nearly all department stores have excellent basement food courts. Great if you want to take home some Traditional Japanese Foods.

Most fashion brands you can think of - Louis Vuitton, Dior, Chanel, Prada Gucci and Coach - have stores in Ginza.

On Sundays, cars are not allowed to enter the main streets, so shopping is more relaxed.

While in Ginza don't miss Sony Building – 8 floors of high-tech gadgets.
Mikimoto pearls, the inventors of cultured pearls, have their shop located right next to Wako.
Hakuhinkan Toy Park (South end of Ginza-dori by the elevated highway), is one of the oldest and largest toy stores in Japan (first opened in 1899).

Shibuya - Mid Range shopping. Trendy fashion stores crowded by Tokyo teens wearing the latest and most extreme Tokyo fashion.

Shibuya 109 Building is a famous Tokyo shopping center composed of trendy clothing boutiques. It's very popular among Tokyo teens, and it is the center of the kogal subculture. Kogals are Harajuku girls who alter their skin (artificial suntans) and hair (blond), wear platform boots, miniskirts and very loud makeup.

Harajuku - Home of the unique Harajuku style.
Takeshita-dori - a narrow street packed with young fashionable people and lined with fashion boutiques and cafes. Worth visiting even if you've passed that age.
100 yen shops – A phenomena worth looking into – huge shops offering everything – really everything – for 100 Yen. There is one in Takeshita-dori.

Sunday flea markets - A great way to find hidden gems or antiques. Tokyo has many markets that are worth a visit.
Famous Markets include:

• Togo Shrin - Shibuya-ku, Tokyo.3 min. walk from Harajuku Sta. or Meiji-jingu-mae Sta. on Subway Chiyoda Line. Every 1st Sun. of each month, 5 am - 3 pm.




• Arai Yakushi Temple - Nakano-ku, Tokyo. 5 min. walk from Araiyakushi-mae Sta. on Seibu-Shinjuku Line or 15 min. walk from Nakano Sta.1st Sun. of Feb. - Dec., and 2nd Sun. of Jan. dawn to dusk.




• Nogi Shrine - Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo.1 min. walk from Nogizaka Sta. on Subway Chiyoda Line.2nd Sun. of each month except Nov., dawn to dusk.




• Yasukuni Shrine - Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo3 min. walk from Kudanshita Sta. on Subway-Tozai Line or Toei Shinjuku Line.Every Sun. of each month, dawn to dusk.




• Hanazono Shrine - Shinjuku, Tokyo.5 min, walk from Shinjuku Sta. Every Sun., dawn to dusk (but not every Sun. in May or November because of festivals).




• Oedo Antiques Fair - Tokyo International Forum, Marunouchi, Tokyo. Around 250 dealers. One of the largest open-air markets in Japan.1 min. walk from D5 Exit of Yurakucho Sta. on JR Yamanote Line or Subway Yurakucho Line.Every 1st & 3rd Sun. of each month, 9 am - 4 pm.

Nakameguro is a recent hot spot for shopping in Tokyo. Here you can find all things retro and vintage in small shops under train tracks, next to art galleries.

Daikanyama - local Tokyo shoppers are often found in the slightly less crowded streets of Daikanyama. Stores include top designers, Japanese and international, next to 'sock only' shops, vintage jewelry stores, museums and cafés.

Roppongi district houses Roppongi Hills complex, for high end shopping.

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