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Cover photo credit: Kisa Toyoshima / Timeout
Tokyo is the city where we receive the most requests for shop recommendations, and also most regularly. This article is therefore dedicated to all those who have asked me this unanswered question: what stores are there to see in Tokyo?
It's not an exhaustive guide, because Tokyo is a sprawling city, with a sense of infinity that I've rarely felt elsewhere.
I think you could easily spend a week or two, full-time, doing nothing but shopping.
The offer is both of a very high quality, and with an enormous quantity: there are lots of beautiful shops everywhere, and I wasn't able to visit them all.
Here is a selection of shops that I liked. This list is subjective and personal, reflecting my tastes and my world.
Disclaimer: although Japan is a fascinating country, flying to Tokyo is still an extremely polluting trip (around 3 tons of carbon per passenger for a round trip flight), so it has to be made with full awareness and knowledge of the facts. This article is aimed primarily at future expats or those who will be living in Tokyo for several months.
First thing's first: I've noted quite a few addresses on my mapstr.
Beware: retail can change very quickly in Tokyo, so be sure to double-check if the store still exists and what the opening hours are, which can sometimes be exotic.
I've chosen to do this content in writing rather than on video, as I want to be able to update it according to your personal feedback and recommendations, so don't hesitate to post your favorite addresses in comments!
My favorite stores in Tokyo
Bryceland's
A brand with very loyal customers, and for good reasons: its universe, the embodiment of the brand by its founders, and its offer make it a brand with a very solid proposition, acclaimed by Permanent Style in particular.
Overall, it's a mix of Italian tailoring and good old-fashioned thick workwear.
They have a great sense of fits, with their own particular bias (really high waist, shirts with fitted shoulders but straight body, etc.).
In terms of price, we're at the top end of the made-in-Japan market, and you can expect to pay between 200 and 250€ for jeans and shirts, but the quality of the cut and fabrics is there for all to see. And it's an unique opportunity to pick up their famous denim western shirt, one of the best in my collection, with significant savings, as it's over 350€ in their London shop...
It's clearly a store I'll be returning to without hesitation if I ever come back to Tokyo.
Batoner
This is a high-quality, easy-to-wear knitwear brand, with beautiful sweaters. The store is very pretty, with a small machine that continuously knits the laces used to close shopping bags...
A must if you're looking for a nice sweater.
Note: not far from Batoner, you'll find :
- Masunaga, a beautiful eyewear brand, made in Japan
- Vivobarefoot, a minimalist barefoot shoe shop. They don't have any stores in France, so...
- Bailey Stockman, if you want to buy cowboy boots, this the real thing, made in the USA by Rios of Mercedes or Olathe.
Department stores: Beams, United Arrows and Isetan
In Tokyo, department stores offer a fine selection of Japanese brands, and are well worth a visit. You'll sometimes find more Italian brands than in any European store!
There are three notable department stores:
- Beams, the most famous, with its very sartorial Beams F line (and jackets made by Ring Jacket, another well-known Japanese brand) and Beams +, a more casual line with Americana/workwear inspirations. This is also where you can find Orslow jeans at Japanese prices: around 180€ for a pair of jeans vs 260-300€ if distributed in France
- United Arrows, whose eponymous brand presents casual chic in all its glory, with lots of gems, at very reasonable prices. And for more tailored, high-end pieces, you'll find the brand Camoshita ("Camoshita by United Arrows")
- and Isetan, which is a bit like Bon Marché, with a magnificent, cutting-edge selection. Japanese style.
Native American jewelry brands
If you didn't know, the Japanese have developed a real expertise in Native American-inspired silver jewelry, thanks in particular to the legendary jeweler Goro. Having passed away a few years ago, his store has been taken over by his family in Harajuku, but the entry system is rather exotic.
It's much easier to go to First Arrow's or Arizona Freedom next door, which also offer some very fine pieces. If you really want to buy Goro without going to the store, Delta One is the place to go.
If you'd like to learn more about this topic, please watch my video on Native American jewelry:
Sunhouse
There are several shops in Tokyo, this is a multi-brand store with a solid selection of Japanese workwear/denim brands.
A little detail I'd like to see more often: on some pieces, there's a photo hanging of the piece in question in an outfit, to get an idea of the fit and how to wear it.
Hummingbirds'hill
In the heart of Harajuku, another beautiful store with lovely merchandising that explores an americana/denim selection with a ton of little-known Japanese brands and gems, or even made in Japan Converse, which are quite rare. The "brands" section of the website will give you a good idea of the quality of their selection.
Kapital
In the microcosm of Japanese brands, Kapital holds a special place, thanks to its unique (high-end) positioning on the border between workwear/americana and great creativity.
If you like Japanese denim/heritage brands but fancy a piece with a little more creativity, this is typically the brand you'll love. Personally, I love their fleeces, with their very creative patterns, and their shoes, very expensive but with undeniable creativity, including the adorable smiley face on the heel.
Beware, even with Japanese prices much lower than in Europe, we're still talking about pretty hefty prices.
Rag Tag
Although it's less my thing, Tokyo is full of high-quality second-hand boutiques. Forget the old-fashioned, run-down thrift shops we're used to seeing in France, and make way for second-hand "à la japonaise" at Rag Tag, i.e. with an incredible selection of clothes from the top designer brands, from Visvim à Arc'Teryx as well as Comme Des Garçons and Issey Miyake.
If you love second-hand luxury and designer goods, this is the place for you.
Wild Life Tailor
A small shop with a casual chic spirit, selling Alden, and not the conventional ones... They offer two very hard-to-find shapes: the "Commando" and the "Modified" version, which are extremely comfortable thanks to a well-supported arch and room for the toes.
When it comes to clothing, this store offers small, niche Japanese brands such as A.PRESSE, Heugn, or their eponymous brand, W.L.T. Their instagram will give you a good idea of their universe.
Meanswhile
This is one of my "darling" brands, as its wardrobe mixes nothing less than workwear, tailoring, outdoor and military!
I've already written about them in a review of a jacket I really like, and Meanswhile continues to explore this unique style. A must-see if you want to try a brand with Japanese creativity.
Japanese outdoor brands
Japan's love affair with outdoor brands goes back decades!
So all the world's top brands are in Tokyo, in beautiful shops and often with exclusive capsules for the Japanese market: I'm thinking of The North Face Purple Label of course, but also Columbia Black Label or the Beams x Arc'teryx collaboration.
So you're in for a treat!
Montbell
One of the best deals is Montbell, that old Japanese outdoor brand, and its famous Plasma 1000 down jacket, which uses 1000 FP down (hence the name), one of the best qualities available. In terms of price, I got mine for around 180€, and it's over 350€ on the European eshop... But don't hesitate to check out the whole collection, there's lots of great stuff.
Mystery Ranch
If you like the brand, the Mystery Ranch on Cat Street is a must, with a whole pack of X-Pac exclusives bags unique to the store. Although it's an American brand that supplies hikers, firefighters, hunters and the US military, the only shop in the world is in Tokyo!
What's even rarer: this must be the only place in the world where outdoor, hunting and military lines (made in the USA, it's the most prestigious) can be found side by side:
Almost opposite the shop, have a drink at Iyoshi Cola, a delicious "craft cola", even if you never drink Coke.
And wander
And wander was one of the first Japanese outdoor brands to really break out of the outdoor arena to be worn in the city. With influences from the ultralight movement, they pioneered the use of Dyneema for city bags.
In short, it's a very attractive outdoor brand, with designs that are both modern and contemporary.
Nanga
Nanga is an iconic Japanese brand of down clothing, like a Pyrenex that has stayed true to its roots.
If you're looking for a thicker or thinner down jacket or pants, Nanga is where you'll find it, with their pretty color sensibilities. The Harajuku boutique also has a cold room at -2°c, allowing you to test a sleeping bag "in real conditions", which I was quick to try out:
Descente
And last but not least, Descente, the flagship of high-end Japanese urban techwear/sportswear, is the realm of urban stretch pants with a smart cut, the famous Mizusawa down jacket and other waterproof jackets with welded seams.
Snow Peak
An iconic Japanese outdoor brand, Snow Peak isn't the hardest to find in Europe, but the Harajuku boutique is well worth a visit if you're at all fond of technical clothing, with a color palette that I've always loved, reminiscent of the hues of nature.
A&F and Alpen
I visited two multi-brand outdoor boutiques:
- A&F in Shibuya, with a huge choice and a selection that would make "Le Vieux Campeur" (a shop in France) swoon
- and Alpen in Shinjuku, also well-stocked. You'll have to search a little, but don't miss the Finetrack brand sold on site, all made in Japan, which isn't the most flamboyant in terms of design, but has a very elaborate layering system.
I couldn't believe my eyes, but a special mention goes to A&F, where you can buy Dyneema cut to size to make your own accessories, thanks in particular to the do it yourself area right next door:
Yamatomichi
Outside Tokyo, an hour's train ride away, you'll find a "gem brand": Yamatomichi (be sure to check opening days and times!).
It's an outdoor brand specializing in ultralight gear, all made in Japan, well known for its backpacks and clothing. Check out their website, they have some of the most exciting product pages to read, even if you're not particularly into outdoor brands.
Stores I didn't have time to visit
Despite all the stores described above, I didn't get to do everything, and here are the ones I'll visit if I come back to Tokyo:
- Kaptain Sunshine and Auralee: two brands (and shops) on the forefront of the scene that epitomize current Japanese design, with beautiful outerwear in particular,
- Hiker's Depot : Tokyo's benchmark store for ultra-light hiking gear,
- Bears: one of the few retailers of the denim brand Oni denim brand, famous for its highly grainy fabrics
- Anatomica: a Franco-Japanese brand of comfortable clothing (hence the name), with a shop in Paris, but whose selection seems to be more extensive in Japan, and also more affordable in terms of price.
- And more recommendations from Simon Crompton.
A final word
As you've seen, Tokyo is a real fashion capital, much more so than Paris for example, and despite this guide... it's still not over! I'm going to quote Matthieu, a friend with a passion for Japan and clothes, advising a member of our Discord on his first visit to Tokyo:
"In Tokyo you can do Harajuku + Denkayama, and there you'll have Batoner, Pure Blue Japan, Fullcount, Momotaro, Beams+, Blue Blue Japan, Margaret Howell Japan, Markaware, Good On and Jackman shops within a "reasonable" one-hour walk.
I'm forgetting Auralee in this corner, Ring Jacket, and no doubt plenty of others, so dense is it. Ah The Real McCoy is there, Studio d'Artisan, Tss (but be sure to check opening hours). So quite a few flagship Japanese brands."
If you have any other suggestions, feel free to add them in the comments section!
