Japan Shopping Guide: Where to Find the Items You Need

Shopping in Japan

While many people visit Japan for its beautiful scenery and cuisine, shopping is another popular attraction. This article explores the different types of stores, such as department stores and home electronics retailers, highlighting their features and price ranges.

Knowing where to shop for specific items can make your shopping experience much easier. Below is a list of shopping venues along with a rough budget estimate for each.

Shopping Facilities in Japan

1. Department Stores
2. Fashion Buildings
3. Shopping Malls
4. Outlets
5. Shotengai
6. Supermarkets
7. Convenience Stores
8. General Discount Stores
9. Home Electronics Retail Stores
10. Antenna Sops

Department Stores

Photo by Pixta

Large-scale retail stores in Japan are members of the Japan Department Stores Association. With spacious layouts, department stores display items in clearly defined categories.

Many of these facilities are conveniently located near major train stations and are easily accessible by public transportation.

These stores offer a wide range of products, including high-end brands, jewelry, groceries, clothing, and general merchandise. Due to their high quality, the items can be quite expensive.

Budget estimates for shopping can vary significantly, ranging from ten thousand yen to several hundred thousand yen, depending on the products. Notable department stores include Mitsukoshi, Isetan, and Takashimaya.

Nihombashi Mitsukoshi
Address: Tokyo, Chuo, Nihombashi, Muromachi 1-4-1
Business Hours: 10:00 - 19:00 (The grocery section and the 1st floor closes at 19:30.)
Official Site: https://www.mistore.jp.e.az.hp.transer.com/store/nihombashi.html

Fashion Buildings

Photo by Pixta

Fashion buildings primarily focus on clothing and general merchandise. Most are situated in urban areas, featuring a variety of brands and attracting many young women.

These venues are ideal for discovering the latest trends and accessories. You can expect to spend a budget of a few thousand yen up to about 15,000 yen.

Notable examples of these fashion buildings include the PARCO chain and Shibuya 109.

Shibuya PARCO
Address: Tokyo, Shibuya, Udagawa-cho 15-1
Business Hours: 11:00 - 21:00
Restaurants 11:30 - 23:00
Official Site: https://en.shibuya.parco.jp/

Shopping Malls

Picture from AEON MALL Makuhari New City Reopened! Excellent Shopping in Chiba

Shopping malls feature a variety of retail stores.

Inside, you can find clothing outlets like Uniqlo, restaurants, beauty salons, and movie theaters. Aeon Mall is one of the major players in this sector.

Shoppers have access to a wide range of items, including clothing, groceries, and general merchandise. The budget typically ranges from a few thousand yen to around 10,000 yen.

Aeon Mall Makuhari New City
Address: Chiba, Chiba, Mihama, Toyosuna 1-1
Business Hours: 10:00 - 21:00
Restaurants 11:00 - 22:00
Official Site: https://en.aeonmall.global/mall/makuharishintoshin-aeonmall/

Outlets

Outlets are large-scale facilities that offer products from previous seasons or overstocked items at bargain prices. They typically carry clothing, electronics, and IT products, with prices ranging from a few thousand yen to tens of thousands of yen.

Notable outlet chains include Mitsui Outlet Park and Premium Outlets.

Many of these outlets are conveniently located near Tokyo, including Mitsui Outlet Park Yokohama Bayside (Kanagawa), Aeon Laketown Outlet (Saitama), and Gotemba Premium Outlets (Shizuoka).

Mitsui Outlet Park Yokohama Bayside
Address: Kanagawa, Yokohama, Kanazawa, Shiraho 5-2
Business Hours: 10:00 - 20:00
Restaurants 11:00 - 21:00 (The time varies by the eatery.)
Food Court 10:30 - 21:00 (Last call at 20:30.)
Official Site: https://mitsui-shopping-park.com.e.act.hp.transer.com/mop/yokohama/index.html

Aeon Laketown Outlet
Address: Saitama, Koshigaya, Laketown 4-1-1
Business Hours: 10:00 - 20:00 (The time varies by the store.)
Official Site: https://en.aeonmall.global/mall/laketown-outlet/

Gotemba Premium Outlets
Address: Shizuoka, Gotemba, Fukazawa 1312
Business Hours: Varies by the month.
November 10:00 - 20:00
From December to January
Weekdays 10:00 - 19:00
Weekends and National Holidays 10:00 - 20:00
Closed on the third Thursday in February.
Official Site: https://www.premiumoutlets.co.jp/en/gotemba/

Shotengai: Traditional Shopping Streets

The term shotengai is commonly used to describe a district where many stores are clustered together.

Typically, the shops are located on both sides of the street and offer daily necessities, groceries, clothing, and general merchandise. In many cases, the street is covered, resulting in an arcade shopping street.

Since most of the stores cater to local residents, a shotengai is often named after its district. Prices generally range from a few hundred yen to about 3,000 yen.

In Tokyo, famous shotengai include Ueno Ameyoko and Yanaka Ginza, while in Osaka, notable shopping streets are Tenjinbashi-suji and Shinsaibashi-suji.

Ueno Ameyoko Shotengai
Address: Tokyo, Taito, Ueno 6-10-7, Ameyoko Plaza
Business Hours: Varies by the store.
Closed Days: Varies by the store.
Official Site: https://www.ameyoko.net/

Yanaka Ginza Shotengai
Address: Tokyo, Taito, Yanaka 3-9-15
Business Hours: Varies by the store.
Closed Days: Varies by the store.
Official Site: https://www.yanakaginza.com/

Tenjinbashi-suji Shotengai
Address: Osaka, Osaka, Kita, Tenjin Itchome to Roku-chome
Business Hours: Varies by the store.
Closed Days: Varies by the store.
Official Site:
https://www.tenjin123.com/

Shinsaibashi-suji Shotengai
Address: Osaka, Osaka, Chuo, Shinsaibashi-suji 2-2-22
Business Hours: Varies by the store.
Closed Days: Varies by the store.
Official Site: https://global.shinsaibashi.or.jp/en

Supermarkets

Supermarkets primarily focus on groceries and daily necessities. As they play a vital role in supporting local communities, most offer low-priced items. Prices typically range from a few hundred yen to about 5,000 yen.

Major Japanese supermarket chains include Life, Seiyu, and Aeon, all of which have a nationwide presence.

Convenience Stores

Convenience stores are small-scale retail shops that remain open every day, with many operating 24 hours to provide easy access to shopping, even at night.

These stores mainly sell onigiri (rice balls), sandwiches, and snacks, along with daily necessities, cosmetics, and magazines. Prices generally range from a few hundred yen to about 1,500 yen.

The three major convenience store chains are 7-Eleven, Lawson, and FamilyMart. In Hokkaido, Seicomart stands out as the leading chain with the most locations.

General Discount Stores

General discount stores buy large quantities of goods and sell them at low prices. Notable chains include Don Quijote and MrMax.

They offer a wide range of products, including daily necessities, clothing, groceries, and electronics. Prices typically range from about one thousand yen to ten thousand yen.

Mega Don Quijote Shibuya Main Store
Address: Tokyo, Shibuya, Udagawa-cho 28-6
Open 24 hours a day.
Official Site: https://www.donki.com/en/store/shop_detail.php?shop_id=442

Home Electronics Retail Stores

If you are looking for electric appliances such as televisions, washing machines, or refrigerators, as well as beauty devices, smartphones, or tablets, you should visit a home electronics retail store. The three major chains in this sector are Yamada Denki, Bic Camera, and Yodobashi Camera.

While these stores primarily focus on electric appliances, Bic and Yodobashi also offer stationery, souvenirs, and groceries. Price ranges typically start from tens of thousands of yen and can go up to a few hundred thousand yen.

Yamada-Denki Labi 1 Life Select Ikebukuro
Address: Tokyo, Toshima, Higashi-Ikebukuro 1-5-7
Business Hours: 10:00 - 22:00
Official Site: https://www.yamada-denki.jp/store/contents/?d=7

Bic Camera Yurakucho
Address: Tokyo, Chiyoda, Yurakucho 1-11-1
Business Hours: 10:00 - 22:00
Official Site: https://www.biccamera.com.e.lj.hp.transer.com/bc/i/shop/shoplist/shop014.jsp

Yodobashi Camera Shinjuku West Main Store
Address: Tokyo, Shinjuku, Nishi-Shinjuku 1-11-1
Business Hours: 9:30 - 22:00
Official Site: https://www.yodobashi.com/ec/store/en/0011/

Antenna Shop

Antenna shops are operated by manufacturers and local governments to showcase their products and traditional crafts, helping to explore sales trends.

These shops specialize in unique local products, making them an ideal place to find souvenirs. For example, Hokkaido Dosanko Plaza specializes in Hokkaido items, Marugoto Kochi features special products from Kochi, and Gamall Marche offers items from all over Japan.

Prices typically range from one thousand to three thousand yen.

Hokkaido Dosanko Plaza Yurakucho Store
Address: Tokyo, Chiyoda, Yurakucho 2-10-1, Tokyo Kotsu Kaikan 1st Floor
Business Hours: 10:00 - 22:00
Closed during the New Year Holiday Season.
Official Site: https://www.maruiimai.mistore.jp/common/dosanko.html

Marugoto Kochi
Address: Tokyo, Chiyoda, Ginza 1-3-13, The Orb Premiere
Business Hours: 10:30 - 19:00
Official Site: https://www.marugotokochi.com/

Gamall Marche
Address: Tokyo, Toshima, Sugamo 3-20-14
Business Hours: 10:30 - 17:30
Closed on Wednesdays. If it happens to be a national holiday, the store will be closed on Thursday.
Official Site: https://thegamall.shop/index.html

Find a Store That Fits Your Needs

Choosing the right store within your budget is key to enjoying your shopping experience in Japan. Use this article as a guide and be sure to plan ahead for the best results.