We all have a soft spot for a good ol’ shopping trip. There’s this buzzing feeling we get looking at all the fresh buys at the end of the day. Japan will bring out even the smallest and deeply burrowed shopaholic out to play. The Land of the Rising Sun is not only reputable in quality and range of products in all categories but it also produces quite a substantial amount of Japan-exclusive ones that you can’t get anywhere else in the world. The key is to know where to look. However, the country is huge and for travellers with only a limited amount of time in the country, it’s impossible to cover every inch of land for the best goods. For that very reason, a shopping guide like this one exists, highlighting certain areas in the main cities Osaka and Tokyo as well as tips and tricks to fully benefit what Japan has to offer shopping-wise.

Shopping in Tokyo

The main fashion city itself, Tokyo, is obviously the best place in the country to get your fashion buys and rare finds. Everything you can ever imagine is right here in this city — exclusive local brands including local designer ones that went global to international brands with Japan-only items you can’t get anywhere else. Tokyo has the best mix of old and new fashion finds one can ever ask for. Looking for the latest collection of a local brand? Tokyo has it. Have a thrill for the vintage stuff? Stop your search — Tokyo’s your treasure chest. The various areas of Tokyo are better at certain types of shopping than others. Depending on what you’re looking for, you should head to the one that has the biggest range of them. Let’s find out which ones are for what!

Local Brands Shopping in Shinjuku & Shibuya

Japan is full of successful brands and designers — some are even ventured internationally and are globally-recognised. Even if you can get them in your home country, there’s no better place than to get Japanese brands and designer goods than in Japan itself! Shibuya and Shinjuku house these local brands — you won’t see anywhere else in Tokyo full of local brands, both commercial and luxury. Lumine is probably the best place in Shinjuku to get your shopping fix — trust me, there are 3 different shopping malls you’ll get confused as to which to head to first! There’s also the Keio Mall if you fancy. Shibuya has Takashimaya and also Shibuya109 which is the top choice for locals when it comes to shopping. In Shibuya, it’s more shops on the streets than there are shopping malls. You’ll find a 7-storey building of Loft and huge outlets for brands like Uniqlo, Zara and Bershka — can anyone ask for anything more than that? You might think, why should anyone get these brands in Japan when they have retail stores all around the world? You see, there are quite a few reasons for it — the first being arguably the most important one: price. If you take into consideration the currency exchange, importation and other related matters, it’s only reasonable that the prices overseas for these Japanese brands are higher than in their home country. Don’t be surprised if you find the same one you saw back home in Japan that’s for half the price! Why wouldn’t anyone want to save that cash for the same items? The other important reason is that some of these internationally-known Japanese brands have Japan-exclusive designs and collections that you can only find in-stores in Japan! Not even the online store has them listed — talk about exclusivity! Can you imagine being the only few special ones in your country to own the design — your friends would die to get their hands on one but they can't, unless they travel to Japan themselves — specifically to Shibuya and Shinjuku!

Trendy Shopping in Harajuku

If you’re looking to skip the big-name brands but still be in the loop with the latest fashion trends, you’re best off at the most fashionable part of town and that is Harajuku. There’s no better place than here for the trendiest and most innovative designs. Most of the shops you find here will be locally born and raised, with a mixture of those you’ve heard before and the ones that you wish you had. Depending on what style you’re looking for, even in Harajuku itself, there are various places for that — but rest assured that you’re going to stumble upon those that you cannot find anywhere else, even in other cities in Japan! For the more commercial stuff, Takeshita Street is probably what everyone will recommend you to go for — fair enough, that is the most popular bit of the area. However, if you walk further down a bit and explore a bit more, you’ll probably come across Laforet, one of my most favourite shopping malls in the whole country! Here, you’ll be able to get a range of fashion styles — from the extreme Japanese subcultures like Lolita and goth to the cutesy, feminine aesthetics and the streetwear. Jewelry, fashion accessories and body care products — you name it, they got it! If you’re keen for a bit more adventure, Cat Street just a bit down from Harajuku Station in Omotesando is swarming with local boutiques and shops. This bit of town is known for its cute, aesthetic cafes so pop by some of them for a shopping break!

Luxury Shopping in Ginza

Local brands are exciting but you’re looking to spend a bit extra on a purse or shoes — maybe even investing in a few coats — head down to Ginza for the best luxury shopping experience one can ask for! Local or international, name any big brand or designer and you’ll see a tall building with their name on it. Not to mention complete with impressive architecture and fancy interior designing. While some brands have the whole building to themselves, there are also shopping malls that house a wide variety of brands, making browsing easier for you so you don’t have to walk down the whole street for window shopping! Ginza is also one of the more distinctive areas for the fanciest restaurants in all of Japan! Bet your wallet wouldn’t be the only one starving after all that shopping, so book your seatings in advance to make a proper, treat-yourself day out!

Shopping in Osaka

Don’t get too down if your Japan itinerary doesn’t have Tokyo in it — that doesn’t mean it’s the end for your shopping adventure. The second-largest shopping city is none other than Osaka! Trust that the City of Takoyaki is booming with their own wonderful shopping scenes that are unique to the Kansai region. Just like Tokyo, Osaka has various areas that are best for various things. Don’t be too worried about missing out on Tokyo shopping — Osaka is just as good, if not better! Some local brands are based in Osaka and don’t have shops in Tokyo, so you’re getting the exclusive! A slightly local touch is infused in the shopping scene in Osaka and the items as well are more “Japanese”.

Trendy & Bargain Shopping in Namba

The Namba area is arguably the best area in all of Osaka for your shopping fix. More specifically, your trendy and bargain shopping fix. This is where both locals and tourists alike come to get their doses of shopping spree every so often. The stuff you get here, they’re not just affordable — they are of quality as well. Tokyo has Harajuku, Osaka has Amerikamura. It’s called Amerikamura because of its American influence, but rest assured the neighbourhood has its unique Japanese touch to it, too. This area is basically where all the creative and hip kids hang out. No doubt a hot spot, you’ll see crowds of the younger Japanese generation over the weekends, chit-chatting, busting out the speakers and blasting their hip music. Not to mention that the neighbourhood is full of both international and local hip brands, selling inexpensive clothing and accessories. What’s a visit to Osaka without dropping by the Dotonbori area in Namba? Not only is the neighbourhood home to the giant Glico Man sign, but it’s also where you can find the Shinsaibashi-suji Shopping Arcade. This shopping street is extremely long, consisting of hundreds, if not thousands, of named and unnamed brand shops. You’ll no doubt shop till you literally drop here!

Branded Shopping in Umeda

Image Credit: jpellgen (@1179_jp)

You can’t conclude a shopping spree without at least some branded shopping. Head down to the Umeda area of Osaka for your branded shopping fix. The northern area of the city is full of the best shopping malls like LUKUA which is just right in front of the JR Osaka Station to Grand Front Osaka. There’s even a connecting passage to link these two huge shopping malls together, making your shopping experience more convenient! Everything from Daimaru Department Store to the famous Tokyu Hands can be found here — even Japan’s lifestyle clothing brand Uniqlo. It’s a one-stop shopping mall for all! You cannot miss HEP FIVE, especially since it’s the shopping mall with the iconic Ferris wheel on the rooftop. This one has over 300 shops, a mixture of Japanese chain stores to unique local boutiques. It might look like there are only female clothing stores found here, but there are in fact clothing stores for men as well as accessories like shoes, jewelry and even bags! HEP FIVE even has a cinema in it, so you can pop by for a movie break in between your hefty shopping.

Nostalgic Shopping in Tennoji

Like mentioned previously, Japan is one of the best places for vintage and thrift shopping. Tokyo has its own areas for this kind of shopping, and so does Osaka. The nostalgic and historical Tennoji is perfect for such shopping. While there are quite a few newly built shopping malls like Avetica Underground Mall and Kitetsu Abeno Department Store — you’ll be able to browse through your favourite local brands like Uniqlo and Tokyu Hands — trust that there’s quite an abundance of quaint, decades-old specialty shops lying around. The ambiance of Tsutenkaku and Shinsekai is full of nostalgia, so expect their stores to have the same kind of goods. They’re affordably priced as well, and based on my experience, what you get here, you cannot get in Tokyo. Believe me, I wanted a bomber jacket that I saw from a store in Shinsekai once but didn’t get it, thinking I could get it in Tokyo. I couldn’t.

Conclusion

You’ve got the shopping spots down and the tips and tricks to shopping in Japan in general, so what else are you waiting for? The Land of the Rising Sun has no shortage of shopping — it might even be the exact opposite, especially with the fast-paced turnover rate! So grab a couple of your shopping bags and shove them in your suitcase for your Japan trip, you don’t want to not have space for your new buys and rare finds, do you?