Shopping in Tokyo

Tokyo Shopping Spots

Shopping in Tokyo is a fun thing to do. You can easily find Japanese traditional items and the latest goods in Tokyo. The cost of living in Tokyo can be expensive, but there are many places you can shop inexpensively. Stop by a 100yen shop near you. Daiso is a popular 100 shop chain.

Shopping hours in Japan is usually from 10 or 11 a.m. to 7 or 8 p.m. Most stores are open weekends and holidays except some specialty stores. In Japan, you need to pay 5% consumption tax in addition to the price. Japanese department stores are fun places to shop. They carry many kinds of traditional Japanese goods as well as the latest fashions. Check out the store sales, which are usually held in July, August, December, and January. Food floors in department stores are called "depachika" and are filled with world gourmet food and Japanese regional specialties. Also visiting flea markets in Tokyo might be fun.

Tokyo Shopping Districts:

• Great Places for Shopping in Ginza Area
  (Tokyo Subway Ginza Station / JR Yurakucho Station)
  Ginza is the high-scale shopping district in Tokyo with lots of well-known department stores.

• Great Places for Shopping in Shinjuku Area
  (JR Shinjuku Station)
  Shinjuku is a great area with large discount electric shops and famous department stores. Check out the underground shopping area at the Shinjuku Station as well.

• Great Places for Shopping in Harajuku/Aoyama Area
  (JR Harajuku Station / Tokyo Subway Meiji Jingu-mae / Omotesando Station)
  Harajuku is a fun shopping area for young people. Especially, lots of small shops which sell inexpensive fashion items are located in the Takeshitadori Street. High-scale stores are located in Omotesando Street.

• Great Places for Shopping in Shibuya Area
  (JR or Tokyo Subway Shibuya Station)
  Shibuya is a busy shopping and entertainment district which is popular for Japanese young people.

• Akihabara
  (JR Akihabara Station)
  Akihabara is known as Japan's electric town. There are over 500 shops that sell electronics. The prices are about 30% lower than the regular prices, and you can bargain too. Even if you are not shopping here, it's a fun place to visit. Check out the latest Japanese electronic products.

• Ueno Ameyoko
  (JR Ueno Station/ Okachimachi Station)
  There are over 300 small shops selling fish, vegetables, bags, shoes, watches, clothes, and more. This narrow street gets very crowded with people in the evening. If you shop here, you can save lots of money.

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