From cutting edge electronics to colorful anime goods, traditional crafts, trendy fashion and branded goods, Tokyo shopping provides it all. The city has a shop for practically anything one could ever desire to purchase, although not necessarily in a modest price range.
Tokyo's sightseeing districts serve as shopping districts too, many of them with their own character and specialties. Whether you prefer department store browsing or just want to rummage for secondhand treasures, there will be a Tokyo neighborhood that is able to meet your shopping needs.
Quick Facts
- Ginza is Tokyo's most famous upmarket shopping, dining and entertainment district.
- Shibuya is one of Tokyo's most colorful and busy districts, packed with shopping, dining and nightclubs.
- Harajuku is the center of Japan's most extreme teenage cultures and fashion styles.
- Akihabara is a district in central Tokyo, famous for its many electronics shops.
- Shinjuku is one of the most vibrant "nodes" of Tokyo.
Tokyo Shopping Districts
It's no secret that Tokyo is a shopping mecca. One of the reasons people visit Tokyo is for its shopping culture. From high-end department stores to chic boutiques, the city has something for just about anyone.
With each shopping district, you will experience a different shopping scene. Here are the shopping districts and what to expect when visiting them.
Ginza
This is Tokyo's premier upmarket shopping district. It features high-end department stores, boutiques, art galleries and designer brand stores. Nearly every leading Japanese and international brand name fashion and cosmetics company make its presence there, as well as major electronics brands such as Sony and Apple.
Ginza shopping is centered on Chuo-Dori, the main street stretching approximately 1 km long, and is home to luxury stores such as Bvlgari, Chanel, and Prada. Between them are immense department stores like Ginza SIX, Ginza Mitsukoshi, Matsuya Ginza, Ginza Wako, Tokyu Plaza Ginza, Barneys New York, and Marronnier Gate Ginza, where you can shop for fashionable items.
Shinjuku
Shinjuku is one of Tokyo's largest shopping and entertainment districts. Centered outside Shinjuku Station, a major transportation hub and the busiest train station in the world, this district is home to half a dozen major department stores, including several companies' flagship stores. You may get confused whilst navigating this area.
Whether you're looking to buy fashion goods, cosmetics, or electronic gadgets, Shinjuku has everything you would ever need.
Shibuya
Shibuya is Tokyo's liveliest shopping neighborhood and the fountain of teen trendiness in Japan. It is home to some well-known, trend-setting clothing stores. Music shops and cheap, outrageous apparel are everywhere, as are the hip kids who come to primp and pose.
Many of the department stores in this area target young female shoppers in their early 20s. One of them is the world famous Shibuya 109, a Japanese fashion institution that has been around since 1979.
Other department stores and shopping complexes are ShinQs, Tokyu, Shibuya Mark City, Seibu, Loft, Parco, and quite a few Marui locations.
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Alisa Liu is a star to work makes Asia Highlights even better
Alisa Liu was my contact person for Asia Highlights. She was remarkably punctual, she was thoughtful, and she handle an emergency on my end, with grace and patience. She recommended great hotels in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka Japan that put us in the center of the action. The guides she choose were personable, punctual a knowledgeable about their cities. More
Brent Zadorozny,
Oct 2023
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Excellent service
Started using Asia Highlights to plan my trip to Japan. Sharon was very helpful, giving me all the information I would need for the tour. I would definitely use Asia Highlights again, when planning another trip to Asia. More
Rachel Nelson,
Oct 2023
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Japan tour
Our airport pick-up went very smoothly. Our guide, Vivian, on the second day was very nice, very accommodating, took into account our preferences. In Osaka, our trip to the castle was a very long walk with lots of steps to climb and quite honestly wasn’t very interesting. But Dotonburi is a must-see and we enjoyed that very much.Our trip to Hiroshima was very memorable. I highly recommend it. Our guide, Etsuko, was very knowledgeable and kind. The trip to Miyajima island, on the other hand, wasn’t too memorable. Our next city, Kyoto, is a truly wonderful place to visit. All the temples we went to were very interesting and very distinctive from each other (Kinkakuji temple, Nijo castle, Sanjusangendo temple,Kiyumizo temple, Fushimi Inari shrine, Kasuga Taisha shrine, Tojaidi temple). The sake tour was a downer and wouldn’t recommend it.Our guide, Ritsuko, was a darling. She was very knowledgeable too and kind and warm and easy to talk to. Our last tour in Tokyo was a rainy day and Sue, our guide, was able to change our tour to the next day. She was so efficient and so accommodating and so kind and very knowledgeable too. More
Mrs Cristina Hidalgo Loris,
Oct 2023
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Very good tour of Japan
Very good tour around Japan for 10 days, including Tokyo, Hakone and Kyoto. Excellent guides and experiences. Albee, the tour organiser, was always available to sort out changes to itinerary or extra requests. More
Guy Slimmon,
Oct 2023
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Everything is good
All of the hotels were wonderful and our guides were super friendly, knowledgeable and flexible. We had a 10 day trip that included multiple cities and lots of different sights, we squeezed in as much as we could, including a 2 day hiking trip to Mt. Fuji (our guide Sun Nan was awesome!). Our guide in Tokyo, Jennifer, was lovely and our guide for 2 days in Kyoto, Dennis, was also super great. We did a food tour in Osaka with Vivian which was nice Sallie Fujimoto-Swun More
Ideale Tran,
Oct 2023
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Thank you for the wonderful experience…
Thank you for the wonderful experience we all truely enjoyed. From the beginning (making first contact with Sharon from Asia Highlights) to the end (Saying good bye to our amazing guide Lilly) the experience was top notch. Great communication while preparing the trip and excellent local knowledge of our tour guide. I can highly recommend Asia Highlights and would not hesitate to use them again for our next trip. More
Dany Gruosso,
Oct 2023
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Vacations in Japan
The guides Jessie and Vivian were very kind and professionals and the drivers as well. In a future vacation we will get in touch with Asia Highlights without a doubt. More
Hilda Andrade,
Oct 2023
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Experience with Asia Highlights
This was my first time working with a travel agent to plan an international trip and because of the seamless experience I had, I have decided to always work with an agent when booking international trips. Asia Highlights did an amazing job in ensuring we found a trip that worked well for our budget and provided us with special experiences in Japan that exceeded our expectations. From travel logistics in Japan to lodging and activities, we felt taken care of. If I had known that travel agents were this helpful, I would have worked with them in my prior travels. I definitely plan to book my next trip to Asia with this agent. More
Adie Ballantyne,
Oct 2023
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Jason and Cathy from Asia Highlights…
Jason and Kathy from Asia Highlights did a great job for us. They were very responsive and professional. Hotel choices and attractions made for a wonderful first time trip to Japan. More
Norman and Mary Van Zante,
Sep 2023
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This was one of the best experiences in…
This was one of the best experiences in Travel that I have ever had... and I have traveled extensively. The reliability of the the driver and guide, the kindness each displayed (different people in different cities same result) and the flexibility to work with my family's requests was outstanding. I now wish for this experience where ever I may travel next! More
Donna Huck,
Sep 2023
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Prompt response!
First and foremost, this review is based strictly on prompt response from Asia Highlights.I was browsing Asia Highlights website on the night of September 17th 2023 and really impressed of the positive reviews. So I decided to send an e-mail for an estimate of a private tour guide in Tokyo Japan for 6 days/7 nights including hotel accommodation for my 90-year-old father and I. I provided as much information as I can what areas of interest we would like to visit. I was really expecting a 72-hour delay response from Asia Highlights given time difference in California and Japan. The following day, I received an e-mail from Kate Long. Impressive! Kate provided a very detailed suggested itinerary with great consideration for my 90-year-old father. I truly appreciated her thoughtfulness! I will definitely reach out to Asia Highlights on our next trip! Thank you Kate! More
F K,
Sep 2023
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Perfectly planned and organized
Albee at Asia Highlights created a diverse, fun-filled itinerary for our trip. She listened carefully to our interests and made sure that we made the best use of our time in Japan. Our local guides, drivers and vehicles were excellent. Albee was always available to answer all my questions with a lightening fast response time. A very memorable experience and I would definitely book with Asia Highlights again. More
Carol Ann Paget Brown,
Sep 2023
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Sharon provided great service while…
Sharon provided great service while planning and booking our Japan trip! Unfortunately, we had to cancel due to family medical reasons. Sharon was very understanding of this and helped process the cancellation and refund in a very timely manner. When we are ready to book our trip again, I will certainly be reaching out to Sharon and Asia Highlights! More
Ali Tahir,
Sep 2023
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I just wanted to tell you how pleased…
I just wanted to tell you how pleased we were planning and coordinating our recent Japan trip with Alisa Liu. Alisa was responsive, answered questions in a timely manner despite our 15 hour time difference, and coordinated a trip for a 6 person multi-generational tour to everyone's satisfaction. (ages7-70!)We were particularly thankful for her help as 2 typhoons bore down on Japan during our stay. She helped us rearrange train and hotel reservations, and was able to get us a refund from a hotel that would not typically offer that. I have referred other friends to her with confidence. More
Berdine Bender,
Sep 2023
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Leah Stine
Not only Albee was great! Each of our guides and drivers were also a joy. Daniel was our first knowledgeable guide who spoke excellent English and was so much fun throughout the day. Jeremy was our guide for the next few days and he also was fun, flexible, and had so many interesting tidbits to share with us throughout the day. Kiko was our guide on the next leg of our journey. She had such a joyful sense of adventure and curiosity that was such a hoot. Vivian was also professional and very aware to what our needs were in the moment. Tian was incredibly flexible and when our plans literally changed when he picked us up, he showed great flexibility and took us to some really fun places at the last minute that were some of our best experiences. And finally Charlie was our last guide and he was so thoughtful and consistently anticipated our needs. By the time we realized we might need something, he would already have it taken care of. All of our guides were so thoughtful and conscious of either making sure we got time to ourselves or of being available right when we needed them. They were each fun and had their own personal flavor that they brought to the experience. We are so grateful for the consideration and flexibility that Asia Highlights showed us consistently and would highly recommend them for anyone interested in visiting Asia. Thank you so much! It was an amazing trip! More
Leah Stine,
Aug 2023
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Alisa is awesome!
We have been looking to go to Japan for a long time. The food, the culture, and the rich history have always intrigued us. We tried many times to set up pieces of the trip on our own, but couldn’t put together a sensible vacation. Then we found Asia Highlights and Alisa! She helped us tailor a remarkable adventure to Japan! She answered our many questions and shifted our itinerary to maximize our time in each city. I highly recommend Alisa to help you put together the trip of a lifetime. We are looking forward to our journey! More
Mark Linn,
Aug 2023
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Sharon has been very helpful since the…
Sharon has been very helpful since the beginning coordinating our itinerary in order to accommodate everything we want to see, it been great working with her More
May,
Jul 2023
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When I first book I was scared of what…
When I first book I was scared of what to expect, but oh my God! What an amazing experience this has been, from Sharon to all the guides Shawn and Mr. Ho, such amazing people! Their work is excellent More
Saul Velez,
Jul 2023
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Albee was very helpful and responsive…
Albee was very helpful and responsive in helping me make plans for their 10 day Japanese tour. More
Bhavini Patel,
Jul 2023
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Alisa was a perfect tour consultant
Alisa responded to my numerous questions with efficiency and accuracy. She was constantly suggesting options to make the trip more enjoyable More
Matha Goram,
Jul 2023
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Harajuku
Tokyo's Harajuku district is always on the forefront of the next big trend in fashion. It has a long history and is the center of Tokyo's most extreme youth cultures and home to the famed Harajuku girls and boys.
Takeshita-Dori, aka Takeshita Street, is Harajuku's main retail pathway and the busiest shopping street in Tokyo. This popular street is loaded with clothing stores, boutiques, and shopping malls, all catering to fashion-conscious teens and quirky subcultures.
Omotesando, also recognizable as Tokyo's Champs-Elysees, is a tree lined avenue with upscale boutiques, cafes and several leading designer brand shops. It consists of several floors of fashion boutiques and shops, which are also mainly targeted at young, female shoppers.
Ikebukuro
Although the area is not hugely known to foreigners compared to the other famous areas, but Ikebukuro has been one of the most popular shopping areas in Tokyo for Japanese for many years. It is a battleground between large department store groups, including Sunshine City, Tokyo's first city within a city.
There are also numbers of electronic retail stores, such as BIC CAMERA and Yamada Denki LABI, offering a huge selection of products at very competitive rates. Ikebukuro also houses some great places to shop fashion items such as the Seibu Ikebukuro and Tobu Department Store Ikenukuro.
Akihabara
This district is your little piece of heaven to shop for anything that is animation and videogame-related, and a gateway to all sorts of weird things in Tokyo. Akihabara is Tokyo's prime area to get a glimpse into the otaku culture. It goes without saying that shopping in Akihabara centers around anime and gaming goods.
Because of that, you can find many electronics retailers such as Yodobashi Camera, Yamada Denki, Laox and Sofmap as well as hundreds of small discount electronics shops that are jammed along the district's streets and back alleys.
Roppongi
Roppongi is simultaneously one of the most loved and hated neighborhoods in Tokyo. While it is home to the Japanese head offices of foreign companies like Google, Credit Suisse and Goldman Sach, it also has a seedy reputation with an abundance of hostess bars, strip clubs and nightclubs.
However, it had a facelift with the opening of the Roppongi Hills and Tokyo Midtown complexes which brought in hundreds of new upscale shopping and dining choices. Most shops there specialize in fashion, accessories, household goods and interior design.
Marunouchi
Located between the Imperial Palace and Tokyo Station, Marunouchi is one of Japan's most prestigious business districts. It is also where many of Japan's largest companies have their headquarters.
Over the last decade, Marunouchi has been receiving a major makeover, led by the Mitsubishi Estate Company, which owns a lot of the land in the district.
Many older office buildings were traded for new skyscrapers with offices on their upper floors and with a selection of shops and restaurants on their lower floors. These newly opened shopping and dining complexes have revived the formerly unexciting business district and are drawing an increasing number of non-business visitors in recent years.
Tokyo Department Stores, Shopping Arcades and Markets
Along with Matsuya, Mitsukoshi is recognized as Japan's oldest department store and is also one of the nation's largest. The main store is in Nihonbashi, with branches in Ikebukuro, Shinjuku, and Ebisu. Their first class selections of merchandise and service have been attracting many customers, and have made it the hallmark of department stores in Japan.
Takashimaya is another renowned Japanese department store chain. It serves a more upmarket clientele and offers a wide selection of luxury goods. You can find menswear on the first and second floors, womenswear on the third and fourth, children's clothing on the fifth, furniture on the sixth, and kimonos on the seventh.
Isetan is also a successful department store chain and brand with their home base in Shinjuku. Arguably the trendiest department store in Japan, it is renowned for having its window displays created by leading artists and offers only the finest in food, clothing and homeware.
Shopping Arcades
In Tokyo, there are not only large department stores, but you will also find shopping malls and smaller stores. A huge number of shops in a retro passageway holds a range of goods, including cameras, electronics, pearls, and kimonos. The shops are duty-free, and most of the sales staff speaks decent English.
Shinjuku Subnade is one of the popular, very spacious, shopping arcades. It is a popular underground mall, right by Shinjuku Station in Tokyo with approximately 100 stores, offering apparel, cosmetics, food, and souvenirs, lined up inside. It is fun to have a leisurely stroll there.
Odaiba's Decks Tokyo Beach is another shopping arcade. It is a ship themed mall filled with attractions, theme parks, and it boasts impressive views of Tokyo Bay. Holding around 90 specialty stores in total, Decks Tokyo Beach stocks everything from high-end designer names to more wallet-friendly gift stores.
Shopping Markets
When we think of Tokyo, one of the first things that come to mind is shopping. With so many eye-popping goods at every corner, it is easy to get lost in an abyss of shopping centers and marketplaces.
Ameya-Yokoch, abbreviated Ameyoko, is one of the more famous markets in Tokyo. This is a vibrant, colorful market, located in the Ueno area of Tokyo market and is good for cheap clothes and accessories, fresh fish and vegetables, electronics, comic books and much more, all sold from the street-side stalls and small stores.
However, the ultimate market experience goes to the Tsukiji Fish Market. It is the largest seafood market in the city, internationally renowned for the range and quality of its fish. A visit to Tsukiji Outer Market is usually combined with a fresh sushi breakfast or lunch at one of the local restaurants.
Tokyo Souvenirs
Traveling to Japan is an amazing experience where you can see breathtaking nature, experience thrilling festivals, sample delicious local food, and ultimately, do shopping. Aside from clothing and cosmetics, souvenirs are also an important part of shopping.
Here are some omiyage you can bring back for your friends and for yourself to help remember the amazing experiences.
Traditional Arts and Crafts
Japan is the kingdom of traditional craft-works which can make a perfect souvenir. Some examples that you can find in Tokyo include lacquerware, glassware, and dolls. There are several places where you can find these items.
Bingoya is a place which offers modest, but high-quality traditional crafts made in Japan, including pottery, fabric, lacquerware, glassware, dolls and folk art. G.Itoya is another good place which sells everyday stationery and Japanese calligraphy goods, plus fancy fountain pens, art tools, globes and other stuff.
Japanese-Style Accessories
Although it can be seen as a very simple gift, accessories make great gifts too. Japanese-inspired fashion accessories are cute, innovative, stylish, and also a little unique. Many Japanese designs, concepts, and even the culture have become very popular all over the world. This can even be seen in the fashion and products from Japan.
Some of these that you can buy include sushi socks, slippers, Hello Kitty necklaces, keychains, and also folding fans.
Clothing and Textiles
Since ancient times, the Japanese have refined their dyeing and weaving techniques, shaping and coloring their culture along the way to a bright future. Clothing has become an important aspect in Japanese culture. When visiting Japan, buying traditional Japanese clothing makes a perfect gift or souvenir.
The best known Japanese clothing is probably the kimono. The kimono is a huge part of how the world sees Japan, and to this day, it's synonymous with the ideals of this island nation. You can find many stores all around Tokyo, selling kimonos at a moderate price.
Health Care Products
Japanese skincare and beauty products are renowned all over the world for their efficacy, inventiveness and extensive range, as well as their cool design. With a wide range of health and beauty products and cosmetics, there are many specialist stores in Tokyo offering them.
These products include face creams, face masks, and also sunscreen.
Sweets and Candy
When visiting a country, the best way to experience its culture is through tasting its food, especially its snacks. Japan boasts an abundant collection of sweets and goodies.
Perhaps the most famous confectionary coming from Japan is KitKat. With over 200 different flavors, you will most likely get confused as to which flavor you want to buy as a souvenir. Another popular item is Pocky. Just like KitKat, it boasts a massive variety of fun and creative flavors and has gained so much fame. You can find them easily all around Tokyo.
Electronic Goods and Camera Equipment
Japan is one of the world's leading tech innovation countries, and there is nothing foreign tourists love more than to shop for those items. Japanese high-quality electric products such as cameras, audio, and rice cookers are popular choices for them.
Tokyo has two electric towns, Ikebukuro and Akihabara, where competitive electronics stores gather. There is no electric product you can't find in the two places, and the electronics stores provide well-stocked merchandises at discounted prices.
Prices, Tax and Payment
In department stores and boutiques, and in inner-city areas, prices are nearly always marked in Arabic numerals. When shopkeepers are unable to communicate verbally to foreign visitors, they may type the price on a calculator, or write it down.
The consumption tax is the tax charged by the Consumption Tax Law which is the municipal law in Japan. This system can be considered similar to the VAT, GST or sales tax. In Japan, consumption tax is a flat 8% on all items.
There are a variety of payment methods that are the standard way of life in Japan. Hard cash is still the order of the day in the Land of the Rising Sun. While innovative in almost all areas of technology, the Japanese have been reluctant to give up the use of cash.
Paying with credit or debit cards is generally possible at an extensive variety of businesses and services. Department stores, restaurants, malls, hotels, convenience stores, and some taxis are able to accept payment via card, with more vendors accepting credit or debit every year.
Shopping Hours and Tax-Free Shopping
The business hours of banks, post offices, department stores, as well as museums, parks and other public services and spaces in Japan may differ from that of your home country. These business hours will also vary throughout the country.
In general, large shops and department stores are open daily from 10:00 to 20:00. Smaller stores and shops around tourist attractions may have shorter hours. Most stores are open on weekends and most national holidays. Large chain stores open every day, however smaller independent stores may close one day a week or one day a month.
Tax-free shopping is available to foreign tourists only at licensed stores such as department stores, home appliance stores, and discount stores, when making purchases of over 5000 yen.
A passport is required when shopping tax-free. Note that at many shops and malls, it is necessary to first pay the full price including the consumption tax at the cashier and then obtain a refund at a customer service desk.
Be aware that any items you purchase in Japan may be subject to import duties in your home country.
Explore Tokyo with Asia Highlights
Shopping in Tokyo is usually a pleasant experience. The sales staff are generally polite, friendly and attentive, and great care is taken to provide a high level of customer service. Travel with Asia Highlights, and make your shopping experience in Tokyo the best experience you will ever have.
Why Travel with Asia Highlights (98.8% positive customer reviews among 10,000+)
- Unique experiences tailored to your interests: Enjoy a premium trip that goes beyond the typical tourist attractions.
- Hassle-free travel and peace of mind: Every aspect of your trip will be carefully planned and organized by your 1:1 travel consultant.
- Experienced and knowledgeable guides: Your guides will be local and love to work for travelers' smiles.
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