I have to admit — I’m a shopaholic. But who doesn’t like shopping? There’s always that part of us that wants to get the new collection’s pair of trousers, or for some of us, it’s anything that’s made and designed in Japan. Whether you’re in Japan or overseas, it’s kind of hard to shop in-store — especially during this COVID-19 pandemic. A lot of stores go online, and recently Japan has been following suit. Hooray for us! So if you’re looking to get your hands on some Japanese-made or Japanese-designed fashion products, here are top 10 Japanese online stores — some even offer international shipping!

1. Uniqlo

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First off, we have the famous Japanese lifestyle fashion brand that offers casual clothing pieces, Uniqlo. They offer everything from basics to new collections, but everything is timeless — you can wear right now as well as ten years from now. That’s the beauty of this brand. They’re not stagnant, though. It is constantly expanding its categories as well as partnerships. The past few collaborations include Walt Disney, famous artists as well as local talents like anime illustrators to produce every piece of clothing on the rack including graphic tees. Not to mention their top-notch quality — Uniqlo is dedicated to providing only the best of products. You won’t see a slip up in quality in any aspect; the fabrics are always soft on the skin; designs are constantly innovating; comfort has always been the key. Uniqlo ships domestically in Japan and, depending on where you are in the world, Uniqlo does ship internationally too.

2. GU

Under the same company as Uniqlo, GU is considered like the discounted version without compromising quality. It’s an extremely popular clothing brand that offers both basic pieces as well as modern and trendy ones — all at affordable and, dare I say, cheap prices! Not only are there modern designs but also collections to include traditional Japanese pieces like yukata and kimono. What’s more, GU does occasionally feature quirky ones that reflect Tokyo’s fashion scene — from eye-catching prints to funky embellishments, you’ll be taken aback by what this classic brand comes up with. This brand is also extremely supportive of collaborations, especially with local artists and brands. One notable one is their collaboration with a popular anime series, Sailor Moon, offering graphic tees and other exclusive pieces. GU, unfortunately, doesn’t offer international shipping — but you can find ways around that.

3. Rakuten

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This online Japanese marketplace is much like a combination of Amazon and eBay — This e-commerce website is the largest one in all of Japan. From brands and manufacturers to normal consumers, you get sellers that offer not only clothing products but also Japanese cosmetics, household appliances, electronics and much more. Prices of products can have a huge range, giving you the choice without compromising the quality. Rakuten also has an international website that includes Japanese resellers who are willing to ship their products outside of Japan. While it’s not as big of a marketplace as Rakuten Japan, you’ll still be able to access Japanese products when you’re out of the country.

4. Zozotown

Since 2004, This online Japanese clothing store provides an online platform for brands to sell their products online. Zozotown is the largest online fashion retail website in all of Japan and has various offshoots including ZOZO, a custom-fit clothing brand, and ZOZOSUIT, an at-home measurement system. Zozotown has a huge selection of not only Japanese brands but also international brands including Adidas and Nike with exclusive pieces. They act as the middleman for Japanese customers to get their hands on international brands, and the same for the other way round — for international customers to get their hands on Japanese brands. Zozotown offers international shipping — they have two separate shopping pages: a Japanese one and a US one. The Japanese one only supports domestic shipping but the US website ships to the US as well as other countries in the world.

5. WEGO

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Harajuku is the most iconic place to be when it comes to Japanese fashion — multiple subcultures were born in this neighbourhood. WEGO is a Japanese clothing company that is famous for its combo of casual and Harajuku-style designs. This Osaka-based local brand aims to cater to a fashion-forward audience of their mid-20s, and is famous for its exclusive collaborations with other major brands like Kappa and Disney. Now that WEGO has an online store, there’s no need to run down to the nearest WEGO outlet when the next collection drops. Simply go onto their website to browse through their designs. Unfortunately, WEGO doesn’t support international shipping just yet — but there are platforms that act as the middleman for it.

6. Salz Kimono

Salz Kimono offers the chance for people — regardless of whether or not you’ve been to Japan — to get a taste of Japanese souvenirs. This online store offers authentic Japanese products including vintage kimono and yukata, as well as original designs like graphic tees, dresses and unique accessories. Alternatively, you can even make use of their customization services where you can custom-make your own kimono and even zori sandals! The best part about Salz Kimono is that this online Japanese clothing store ships internationally — and fast!

7. Mercari

Mercari is an online customer-to-customer marketplace, one I use quite often. What’s great about Mercari is that you can find one-of-a-kind pieces of impeccable condition at stellar prices — even though they’re mostly second-hand, you won’t even notice it! There are two Mercari shopping pages: the Japanese one and the US one. If you want Japan-exclusive items, it’s on the Japanese Mercari.

8. Punyus

One of the most famous Japanese fashion brands is Punyus, founded by Naomi Watanabe. Naomi Watanabe is a famous Japanese comedian — her aim for this brand is to challenge the sizing standards of the Japanese fashion industry. Japan is known to offer extremely petite sizing, but Punyus offers sizes up to US 16, proudly showing off their body inclusive factor. Punyus aims to spread the word of body positivity through every piece of clothing and new designs. In fact, even the brand name loosely translates to the Japanese word for “chubby”. Punyus designs are a refreshing take of the Japanese fashion scene, bringing in modern styles of streetwear, hip hop and even “kawaii”. Many big-name celebrities including Lena Dunham publicly support Punyus’ movement.

9. BAPE

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If you’re a fashion enthusiast like me, you probably have heard of BAPE — also known as A Bathing Ape. It’s popular for its modern lifestyle and streetwear aesthetics, started in 1993. BAPE has become such a successful clothing brand that it has successfully landed collaborations with big names such as Kanye West, A$AP Rocky and Kid Cudi. The brand doesn’t forget its Japanese roots, though — local collaborations like the one with Hello Kitty still takes the Japanese fashion scene by storm! Sadly, BAPE Japan website doesn’t ship outside of the country — but there are other BAPE shopping platforms that potentially do ship to yours.

10. Amazon Japan

Amazon Japan is like Rakuten. The Japanese version of Amazon is one of the most famous e-commerce sites in the country and offers products that are only available here. It’s also great for getting unique clothing pieces from resellers and manufacturers at affordable prices. Not all Amazon Japan sellers offer international shipping — but most of them do. So don’t be bummed out just yet; make sure you set the filter on Amazon Japan for “international shipping” before you start your browsing.

Conclusion

Well...what are you waiting for? What’s stopping you from going on to one, or all, of these sites and get a head start on your monthly shopping spree? Even if we’re quarantining at home, we still have to look fab — why not be fab in Japanese brands?