Shopping
If you can’t find what you are looking for in Tokyo, it doesn’t exist. Affordable electronic appliances, wild designer fashion, traditional kimonos and antiquities, Hello Kitty merchandise, and anime and manga are just a few examples of the things you can buy.
Choose a shopping destination to your liking
The different areas in Tokyo specialize in certain things. Here are some examples of the goods to look for in different areas.
Akihabara
Whether or not you want to buy electronics, there is plenty to see and touch in Akihabara. The district is also known as Electric Town.
Aoyama
Aoyama is home to the flagship stores of international and Japanese high fashion. The high standards are maintained by the dress codes of some of the shops, for instance.
Asakusa
Popular souvenirs, such as samurai swords or kimonos, can be bought here. If you are looking for Japanese dishes for souvenirs, this is the right place to visit. Plastic dishes, as seen in the Japanese restaurants, are also available here.
Ginza
Here you can find the most expensive department stores and exclusive boutiques. The area is popular among the wealthy locals.
Harajuku
The Tokyo Elvises and other quaintly dressed youngsters can be spotted here, where they also shop for clothes.
Odaiba
Odaiba, built on an artificial island, is one big shopping center. The futuristic island, with its miniature Statue of Liberty, is a sight in itself.
Shibuya
The center of Tokyo street fashion and trends. Several department stores, shopping centers and streets are filled with clothes and other fashionable articles.
What to buy
Visitors to Japan are not short of shopping opportunities. The country’s many shops are filled with incredible products that you’ll never see in your home country. In brief, Japan is full of all things exotic and electronic.
Local and international fashion
Designer clothes, bags and shoes are easy to buy in Japan, as there is plenty of choice. Both international and local brands are represented. The Japanese brands are surprisingly affordable, and certainly rarer back home.
The Japanese love electronic appliances
If you really want to save money, electronics, especially cameras, are very cheap in Japan. In small shops, haggling over the price is expected, and often worth it. Please note, however, that the voltage or the picture format of Japanese TVs may be different to those in your home country. You can find appliances that are compatible with European standards in shops with the tax-free sign in the window.
Spot tomorrow’s trends today on the streets of Japan
Japan is the center of street fashion, dictating trends for the rest of the world. Japanese design is imaginative and unique, which explains its worldwide appeal. And to top it all, Japanese street fashion brands are not always that expensive.