This list is based on places I have visited. If there is a spot that I missed, do add your recommendation in the comments section.

 

Akihabara

As an anime fan, there's no doubt that I would put this spot first on my list. Probably one of the best places to shop for electronics in Japan with large department stores such as Yodobashi Camera and the UDX building, almost all forms of electronics are sold here at great prices. Most visitors to Japan would love shopping there due to the tax-free policy for tourists. If you show your passport at most large department stores in Japan, most of your items will be tax free. 

Akihabara is the largest place to buy Otaku-related merchandise.(Shutterstock/Takamex) Akihabara is also the largest place to buy Otaku-related merchandise. There are lines and lines of shops that sell anime figures, toys, books, DVDs, etc. The two largest would probably be Mandarake, which is a secondhand store that sells things for lower than retail prices, but be wary, due to its secondhand nature a customer must always be cautious. But if you have a good eye for these kind of things, you will probably get a bargain. The second is called Animate, an eight-floor building that splits all forms of merchandise from different categories into different floors.

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Harajuku and Aoyama

Harajuku and its twin neighborhood of Aoyama can be considered one of the best teen shopping areas in Japan. If you are a hipster who likes drinking coffee and cares about how their Instagram feed looks, then this is the place for you. 

Crepe vendor at Takeshita street, Harajuku.(Shutterstock/StockStudio) My experience in this area included a visit to a café called Good Town doughnuts, which probably serves the best doughnuts I have ever tasted. I also looked around the area’s thrift stores. Rather than going for affordability, many of the secondhand merchandise at these stores are split into price range. The bottom floors usually have clothes ranging in price from as low as 750 yen (US$7) to 20,000 yen. The top floors have secondhand clothes that are made in places such as Italy and France. Although these are secondhand, they range in price from 30,000 to 150,000 yen.

In all, I had lots of fun in this area, and there are tons of places that sell cheap clothes. I personally got a pair of Timberland sneakers for 7,000 yen in really great condition.

Nakano Broadway

This is another place that sells great anime-related merchandise. Nakano Broadway is a long street with lots of intersections that eventually leads to the main building called Nakano Sun Mall that basically takes the shape of the street. It consists of three floors and also has a chain of the Mandarake stores here. It is also a great place to eat, buy clothes, shoes and little tidbits to remember your trip to Japan. 

 

A photo posted by Gary Powell (@garyjpowell) on Jul 9, 2016 at 9:18pm PDT

On the side streets of the mall and the shopping area are small shops called izakaya; these are traditional Japanese pubs/eateries. Most times I go to these small pubs just for the atmosphere and the homey feeling, since most of these shops are family-run businesses.

Asakusa

A district of Japan that contains traditional tourist attractions and various shopping areas. When I went to this area, the main attraction was visiting Sensoji, a large Buddhist temple. 

Japanese mask at a souvenir shop.(Shutterstock/Tooykrub)With this being a shopping guide, why would this be important? It is because a friend and I decided to split from the tour and explore the temple on our own, and found a long street filled with food and souvenir shops. The food was amazing and the souvenirs were also unique and very traditional. 

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Shibuya

Home to the large Shibuya intersection, it is probably where most teens would feel at home. Large department stores, music shops and everyone around you dressing like they’re out of a Tumblr blog. 

 

A photo posted by Ivy #ivyslife (@ivys_life) on Jul 11, 2016 at 4:19am PDT

One of the best places to shop for clothes is called Shibuya 109; most of the great shopping spots can be found in Center Gai, a pedestrian zone that is the birthplace of many fashion trends in Tokyo that is always busy, especially at night. The large department stores also provide shopping options other than clothes such as appliances, electronics and even stationary. The three main department stores are Seibu, Loft and Parco. Another shopping spot a bit farther away is the Marui building found north of Koen Dori Station. It sells men’s and women’s fashion. 

 

 

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Kenneth is a 17-year-old high school student who loves comic books, Dota 2, movies, political science and history. He is currently living in Jakarta and working toward his IB diploma. You can reach him at @kenneth2098 on Twitter.

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