Where are the best shopping districts in Tokyo? Whether you hit up every duty-free shop you see or you just want to pick up omiyage (souvenirs), you are going to shop at some point during your trip.
Should you go shopping in Ginza or Harajuku, buy Anime goods in Akihabara or the big malls of Makuhari, and can you really buy authentic souvenirs in Asakusa?
With the right guide, shopping in Tokyo can be really enjoyable. That's why we've rounded up the top 10 shopping districts in Tokyo for an unbeatable time! Language barriers, cash-only shops, these things cannot stop you from enjoying one of Tokyo's most exciting attractions, shopping!
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1. Ginza (For Fashion and Luxury)
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If you enjoy the finer things in life—lovely bags, fancy cars, shiny accessories—Ginza is for you. Being Tokyo's high-end fashion district, Ginza is a popular destination for luxury shoppers, and many tour groups have buses that take visitors to the major department stores for the day.
You can find the flagship stores of CHANEL, BVLGARI, ROLEX, and more, as well as high-end department stores like Mitsukoshi Ginza. This oldest department store in Japan features an entire floor (8F) for duty-free shopping. It is an excellent place to sample Japanese cuisine due to its gigantic Depachika, a food shopping center in a basement. There is a rooftop terrace on the 9th floor where they can take a break and enjoy a pretty lunchbox from the café there.
Marking a sharp contrast from historical Mitsukoshi Ginza, is the new shopping center Ginza Six (GSIX). It is a marriage of cutting-edge Japanese design by architect Yoshio Taniguchi and luxury brands like Valentino and Fendi. Ginza Six is also known for its variety of elegant restaurants on the 13th floor.
Visitors will find that Ginza is not only department stores, as it is also an excellent place to check out some of Japan's unique brands. Like MUJI GINZA, with its focus on an organic and natural aesthetic, or Yamano Music Instruments, where visitors can enjoy browsing through CDs, DVDs, and charts. YAMAHA is a renowned musical instrument brand, and their shop in Ginza is the luxury showcase of their products as well as their philosophy. You can even try some of their finest grand pianos or brass horns.
Is your trip to Japan short and limited to Tokyo? You can still experience the variety of Japanese crafts, foods, and wines by visiting an "Antenna" store. These stores are …
