This is a guest post by David Shackelford.
Editor’s Note: My own stint in Tokyo was years ago and lasted just a month, so my personal knowledge of the Japanese retail scene is distant and scant. Luckily, longtime Short Shrifted reader David Shackelford is an expert guide. Besides being 5′3″/130 lbs, David spent last year studying at Tokyo’s Waseda University and writes for Japan Trend Shop (full bio at end of post). I’m honored to present his advice here in Short Shrifted’s first-ever guest post.
The legends are true. Japan is a clothes-shopping mecca for men under 5′9″. If you’re headed there for business or pleasure, make sure to work in some serious shopping time around your visits to shrines, palaces, onsens, izakayas, love hotels — whatever floats your boat. You’re bound to find clothes that fit you.
Check out my advice below for the best stores to hit, hip fashion districts, a map to Japanese denim spots, and general tips on shopping in Japan.
STORES & LABELS:
Uniqlo: I’m not going to say anything more about this chain — you know what it’s about [past blog coverage here, here, and here]. It would be my first stop in Japan for any short guy, though. And at over 700 locations, it’s hard to miss. [Uniqlo]
Muji: Limited clothing options, but generally high quality and pretty good fits. More conservative in styling and fit than Uniqlo. [Muji]
Green Arrow: Simple designs, nice fabrics. The fit is different than Uniqlo — generally a little roomier and longer. Might be good for people with western chests.
WEGO: A cross between Urban Outfitters and a hipster thrift store. This is where you go for funky Harajuku fashion, very “Japanese-looking” clothing at low prices, and novelty wear. Many of the brands only go down to Medium, but they often fit me at 5′3″ and 130 lbs. [WEGO]
Daily Taste: Hipster bicyclist fashion. Kind of pricey ($50 shirts, $100-$300 jackets), but excellent quality and very unique style. This label is usually found in department stores.
Shibuya 109: There are two 109 stores, one for women and one for men. The men’s is across the street from the station. There are a variety of boutiques inside, and while they vary significantly in quality and pricing, they’re generally more expensive than Harajuku or other shopping districts. There’s a lot of gothwear, jewelry, and pleather, but if you do a little hunting, there’s plenty of well-made, stylish streetwear. [Shibuya 109]
Aoki: They have a wide variety of suits, shirts, and other businesswear. Japanese chests are smaller than ours, so muscular guys may have some trouble, but the prices are good. Be warned: Many of the suits, especially the cheap ones, are wool/polyester blends. They’re pretty well made, and great in the summer months, but not designed to be as long-lasting as wool suits. [Aoki]
JAPANESE DENIM:
Note for denimheads: A lot of Japanese denim is cut a little too loose and repro to flatter short guys, but the Skull 5010 and Pure Blue Japan XX-005 are both excellent, fairly low-rise cuts that work on smaller frames. On the other hand, if you don’t want to drop $150+ on a pair of jeans, Uniqlo, H&M, and Edwin all have nice ones between $30 and $100.
Refer to this Google map to get your fix.
SHOPPING DISTRICTS:
Harajuku: Young, cheap, fashion-forward. [WikiTravel]
Shimo-kitazawa: Cute shopping district with lots of little boutiques, restaurants, and even a hookah bar. Strikes me as slightly hippie. [WikiTravel]
Asakusa: Free-for-all bazaar. Lots of denim, designer bags, and other brand-name items sold out of tiny shops. [WikiTravel]
TOKYO SHOPPING ITINERARY:
For an ideal shopping day, I’d start at Shibuya station, then walk across the street to the 109 Building and explore the newest fashions in pointy boots, faux leather, and ostentatious jewelry. Afterward, walk down Inokashira-dori toward Harajuku. The street will make a right at some point and go under the train tracks; follow it as it turns into Meiji-dori. There are some awesome little boutiques along this walk, so take your time and explore. Here’s a Google map link.
You’ll run into a big intersection. This is the Harajuku neighborhood. Keep walking along Meiji-dori. To your left, you’ll see Takeshita-dori, a long, narrow street filled with young people, cosplayers, and all sorts of outrageous fashion. Because it serves a younger population than most other shopping districts, a lot of the clothes are reasonably priced. If trying to navigate 30 different boutiques seems overwhelming, hang a left shortly after beginning your walk up Takeshita-dori, and go down the stairs into WEGO. It’s got a fairly cheap selection that surveys most of the current adolescent fashions.
Takeshita-dori runs both ways; take it southeast (to the right of Meiji-dori, coming from Shibuya) for a less crowded shopping district with slightly higher-end boutiques (including Tokyo’s APC store). You can get lost in all the side streets, but when you’re done, go south (a right turn if you’re walking down Takeshita-dori) until you get spit out onto Omotesando-dori. Omotesando is a little rich for my blood, but if you’re into designer labels, you’ll find Prada, LV, Dior, and other stuff up in that price range. It’s also a dangerous place to eat — this is where I saw my first $10 cup of coffee!
From here, your next stop is up to you. For souvenirs, traditional Japanese goods, and denim, take the train to Asakusa, and then walk to Ueno. If small, funky boutiques are your thing, your next stop should be Shimo-Kitazawa (you’ll need to transfer at Shibuya) or Meguro (just hop the Yamanote line from Harajuku station). If you’re looking for name brands and larger stores, try Shinjuku (also off the Yamanote line).
GENERAL SHOPPING TIPS FOR JAPAN:
- Buy a Suica or Pasmo train card. You can do this at the airport or any train station. Don’t think; just do it. Do it. Put 10,000 yen on it for every week you plan on being in Tokyo. This saves you the hassle of calculating the fare on every train hop, plus lets you buy goods in stations and many larger stores by simply touching your wallet to a contact pad. Don’t load it up too much if you’re traveling around the country, because cards only work in the areas they’re issued.
- Shopkeepers will shout “Irasshaimase!” at you. Usually when you’re entering a store, but occasionally at random, too. It essentially means “welcome,” and there is no mandatory response.
- Service is top-notch. Employees will hold your things for you, give you advice if asked, and generally flatter the hell out of you.
- Japan is primarily a cash economy. Credit cards will usually work, but not always, especially in smaller stores. It is not at all unusual to see someone pulling out hundreds of dollars cash for a purchase.
- No shoes in the dressing room.
USEFUL VOCABULARY:
“Kitsui (KEE-TSU-EE)” – too tight
“Ookii (OH-KEY)” – too big
“Kaimasu (KAI-MOSS)” – I will buy it
“Hoka no saizu, arimasu ka (HO-KAH NO SIZE-OO, AREE-MOSS KA)” – do you have this in other sizes?
Author bio: David Shackelford spent last year at Waseda University in Tokyo. He’s a graduating senior at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, OR, a copywriter for Japan Trend Shop, and also writes a personal blog. David is 5′3″, and mostly shops at Uniqlo, American Apparel, Sierra Trading Post, and Patagonia when he’s stateside.
