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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!
Main image credit: beersonic / Shutterstock.com
1. Ginza (For Fashion and Luxury)
image:PIXTA
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 visito..

Whether video games, manga, fashion or food, you can find it all in Japan’s second-largest metropolitan area, Osaka.
Osaka has a long history of trade and shopkeeping, the spirit of which is alive in large districts like Umeda and Tennoji as much as in smaller ones like Nakazakicho and Honmachi. Rest assured that you’re getting the inside scoop on what Osaka has to offer, as our author resides in the Osaka area.
We’ve rounded up the 8 Best Areas for Shopping in Osaka: Where to Shop & What to Buy for your consuming enjoyment!
1. Umeda – For all-in-one shopping & entertainment
Umeda area. Photo: PIXTA
Welcome to Umeda! Enter all things glitz and glamor. From skyscraper-tall shopping malls to luxuriously clad vixens and hot shots, you’re sure to find it all here.
Located in Osaka’s northern Kita Ward, Grand Front Osaka, LUCUA Osaka and Yodobashi Camera are the three shopping centers that make Umeda famous.
While Grand Front houses high-end fashion stores like Armani Exchange and Unite..

Found in central Tokyo, Shibuya is one of the first places so many travelers want to visit. But after seeing Shibuya Scramble Crossing, the overwhelming number of shops and restaurants might have you wondering where to start. Let's take a look at what awaits you in Shibuya.
Shibuya Overview
Tokyo is often seen as a city made up of many smaller cities, and Shibuya is one of the liveliest. It's a place to go shopping for the latest trends, and to visit tasty restaurants and cute cafes round every corner.
The main draw for travelers is usually Shibuya Scramble Crossing, famous as the busiest crossing in the world, but Tokyoites know that it is so much more than that.
Historically, Shibuya was home to a castle built by the Shibuya clan, but during the warring states period between 1467–1615, the castle was abandoned. Flash forward to the opening of the Yamanote Line and Shibuya Station in 1885, and Shibuya was on its way to becoming the tourist hotspot it is today. It wasn&#039..

Right in front of JR Kyoto Station is Kyoto Tower. Standing at 131 meters tall, Kyoto Tower is not just for you to admire from the outside – there's so much you can do inside too! From the beautiful scenery from the observation deck, to gourmet food and shopping, there's even a hotel and public bath!
Kyoto conjures up images of temples and shrines, but it's recommended to start your trip from here instead. While mingling with both tourists and locals, enjoy a fulfilling day here at this Kyoto icon, with ample measures in place against Covid-19.
Fifth-Floor Observation Deck: Enjoy the panoramic view from Kyoto Tower's observatory deck first!
JR Kyoto Station, which is also a stop along the Tokaido Shinkansen. Once you exit from the Central Exit (Karasuma Exit) that is thronged with people, right before your eyes will be Kyoto Tower. As it's just a two-minute walk away from the station, there is excellent access there without any risk of getting lost.
The elegant..

Osaka is one of Japan’s biggest cities, rich in culture and history, great for sightseeing, and for shopping in some interesting malls! There are many shopping malls in Osaka’s various districts, all of them offering something unique.
No matter where your Osaka journey takes you or what you want to buy, there is certain to be a mall in Osaka that will fit right into your travel itinerary.
Here we will introduce a ranking of 15 shopping malls that were popular among our readers through various social networks. Among all of the shopping facilities in Osaka that we have introduced on Live Japan, these are the ones that have made the most impact. Read on to find out where to shop in Osaka!
1. Yodobashi Umeda Tower / LINKS UMEDA: Everything from Electronics to Fashion
Yodobashi Umeda Tower is a commercial complex that opened in 2019 on the north side of JR Osaka Station.
This mall includes Yodobashi Multimedia Umeda, LINKS UMEDA, a collection of around 200 commercial facilities, and Hote..

So you’ve made the decision to tie the knot, congratulations! But getting the perfect ring in Japan can be quite a daunting task. With all the different jewelry shops and the overwhelming selection, it’s understandable if you’re feeling a bit lost.

Hopefully, here we’ll demystify the process a bit and help you find a great ring you’ll be proud to wear every day.

How to start
Photo: iStock/nycshooterThey all look the same to me!
Before you consider visiting a ring shop, you should have the basics figured out first.

Some good things to think about before going ring shopping are:

Budget (factoring in costs per ring)
Who’s paying
By when do you want the rings
How do you want to propose

You don’t have to have specific answers for each, but it’s good to at least have an idea. There’s no use heading to an expensive shop if your budget won’t allow it, or if you’ve suddenly realized you didn’t budget for the engagement ring, only the wedding rings.

It’s also good to know roughly when you’..

Does my lady desire assistance in coordinating an outfit?
Swallowtail, located in the Ikebukuro neighborhood, is one of Tokyo’s most popular butler cafes, where handsome, smartly dressed men offer suave service to customers as they sip their herbal tea and dine on finger sandwiches and delicate pastries.
▼ Swallowtail butler cafe
However, a truly cultured lady knows that a butler’s role is not just to provide attentive assistance during high tea, but also while putting together an outfit of appropriate elegance for excursions to the theater, symphony, or doujinshi fan event. It’s for that purpose that Swallowtail has partnered with apparel brand Axes Femme, so that it can offer not only a butler cafe, but a butler shopping service as well.
The collaborative partners call these events “Secret Shopping.” Held at Axes Femme retail stores, participants are accompanied by a butler who offers advice and feedback in coordinating an outfit that suits her personal style and lets her shine her b..