Takeya Discount Store: Tokyo's Well-Kept Shopping Secret

It's not far-fetched to say that Okachimachi Station, next to Ueno Station, is not well-known among visitors to Japan.

However, next to the "not-so-famous" Okachimachi Station is a store that is curiously jam-packed with overseas customers. The shop is housed in a distinct purple building called Takeya.

There are several Takeya shops concentrated around Okachimachi Station. In fact, there are a whopping nine stores in total. Each shop building is separated by genres, including one exclusively for female customers, interior design, and household goods. Takeya is not just well-known by the locals, though. It is also popular with visitors from overseas, and that's where this shop's secrets lie.

Secret No.1: You Can Find Everything Here for Cheap

The most alluring part of Takeya is the wide variety of good-quality products at low prices. You can find everything from kitchen goods, bags, suits, watches, electrical appliances, televisions, and computers. Basically, visitors can find pretty much anything. Now, we'll show you around the main building.

The first floor of the main building sells food items. There are scores of ingredients you can only buy in Japan lining the shelves. This includes Japanese sweets, tea, snacks, and other food that make great souvenirs in large quantities.

The second and third floor is where you'll find business bags, shoes, brandname bags, and other goods.

Large electronic appliances, TVs, and digital appliances are sold on the fourth and fifth floors.

Household electrical appliances can be found on the sixth and seventh floors. On the eighth floor, they have home improvement goods and seasonal appliances, such as fans.

The main building sells almost anything you could ask for. By heading to the other Takeya shops, you will find more specialized items, such as household goods and furniture.

Secret No.2: The Duty-Free Counter

There are even duty-free counters inside Takeya. The counter pictured above is the first-floor counter exclusively for food products. The duty-free counters in the main building can be found on the second, third, and fifth floors in Building A and on the third and fifth floors in Building B. You can pay using cash (Japanese yen) or credit card (including China's Union Pay card).

Inside the store, there are signs that'll lead you to the duty-free counter. You shouldn't have any trouble making your way there.

Secret No. 3: Free Wi-Fi Available

You are invited to use the store's free Wi-Fi when visiting Takeya. This is a much-welcomed service for travelers who may be worried about accessing the Internet in Tokyo.

If You're Shopping in Tokyo, Takeya is the Place to Go!

Takeya is a shopping building with plenty of low-priced, good quality products. Additionally, there are services that will make any traveler happy. How about stopping by this purple building for some shopping the next time you're in Ueno?

Takeya Select Ueno Store