department stores Archives

Without the high prices of Ginza or the rough and ready areas of Shibuya, Shinjuku is a one-stop shop of department stores and megastores, with every name you've heard of and plenty more you haven't. If you need souvenirs, tomorrow's lunch or just want a classic Tokyo experience, Shinjuku is a fantastic place to start, with everything from luxury brands to discount shoes. As the busiest train station in the world, it's no surprise that there are multiple department stores attached to it, with an entire underground maze as well as countless big-name brands just around the corner. Whether you wander into the overwhelming world of Don Quijote or stroll through the aisles of a tempting depachika, you won't leave empty handed - here's our guide to the best shopping in Shinjuku. Department stores Great places to shop around for luxury brand names both international and domestic. Can't forget about all the fancy food (especially fruit). Department stores can really vary from old-fashioned to completely modern buildings - you really can't go shopping in Shinjuku without stepping inside one. High-end department stores Isetan (East) Founded in 1886, the Isetan department store is easily spotted for its grandeur both inside and out. As the flagship store for the brand, here you can vast arrays of high-end items, from perfume to suits, with a dusting of class liberally sprinkled (probably by the elevator attendants). Known for its eye-catching window displays, especially at Christmas (a funny time in Japan), it is host to plenty of the top name brands you may be familiar with. There is an English support desk on the 6th floor and the depachika (food floor) in the basement (pictured above) is considered to be the best in Tokyo, so treat yourself! Address:3-14-1 Shinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo Odakyu (West) Another old-fashioned department store, Odakyu has big names like Chanel and an entire attached store called HALC for sportswear and electronics. With 16 floors and two basement levels dedicated to food, the department store has everything you could ever need, like expensive perfume, clothes and Sanrio souvenirs. It is aimed at an older demographic and is more aligned with Isetan, but delicious food has no age limit at all! An excellent spot to pick up a treat or gaze at the incredibly expensive foods (individual grape anyone? or a bunch for ?) you can easily work up an appetite. Address:1-1-3 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo Keio (West) Just a stone's throw away from Odakyu is Keio department store. While it doesn't have as many floors it does boast of a floor filled with traditional Japanese goods like kimonos and kitchenware which may be worth checking out. During summer the rooftop of the department store is used as a beer garden so if you ever need to cool down after shopping make sure to stop by. Address:1-1-4 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo Takashimaya Times Square (South) With 15 floors and popular names like Tokyu Hands, Disney and Kinokuniya Books, Takashimaya is a great place to go if you don't know what exactly you're looking for. The open layout is a refreshing change to stuffy reputation of your grandmother's department store, and you'll be able to while away hours (if you have them) wandering from store to store. The top three floors are restaurants, you'll find a good depachika in the basement and an information booth offering support in English and Chinese on the second floor. Address:5-24-2 Sendagaya, Shibuya City, Tokyo NEWoMan (South) A newly built hub for female fashion (like the name didn't give it away), NEWoMan has a collection of high-end brands, salons, clinics and restaurants across 7 floors with a rooftop garden and mezzanine. Attached to the bus station, it's handy if you have time to kill but is aimed predominantly at a mature audience fashion wise. With cafes like Dean and Deluca as well as an Oyster Bar and Rosemary's, there's plenty of places to eat if you're looking to be a bit fancy. Address:4-1-6 Shinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo Mid-range department stores Shinjuku Marui (East) A few minutes from Shinjuku station's east exit is Shinjuku Marui. Considerably a bit smaller than most department stores in the area, Shinjuku Marui is another department store aimed at the younger female crowd. The ground floor features a sizeable Apple store while the higher floors are filled with an assortment of makeup stalls and accessory boutiques. Address:3-30-13 Shinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo Lumine (South and East) Lumine is a great set of three department stores focused on street fashion and younger styles. Lumine 1 and 2 focus a little more on clothing and accessories while Lumine Est is larger and has a wider array of stores, including HMV and Beams which includes an outlet section. All three have floors for restaurants and are great places for gifts with stationery and beauty products aplenty. MyLord (South West) Great for street fashion and Japanese clothing, MyLord is popular with half of Tokyo's youth thanks to its 7 floors of young women's fashion and higher restaurant floors. Inside you'll find trendy brands such as Jins and Mercibeaucoup as well as smaller names too. There are plenty of subculture clothing stores here, many unknown outside of Japan, so if your tastes are a little more unusual this is a great place for a browse (as is Shibuya 109). MyLord is also home to the outdoor alley of Mosaic Street, a small collection of high end and cute souvenir shops found between Keio and Odakyu. If you're looking for some alternative, ethical souvenirs we have just the list for you! Address:1-1-3 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo Megastores Lifestyle goods Don Quijote (East) One of the biggest in Tokyo, the Shinjuku branch is considered the most intense—with a wider range of goods and plenty more insane offers than usual. Located on the corner of the recently renamed Godzilla Street, this branch is open 24 hours a day and sells everything from sex toys to snacks to socks, as well as a few million other things on the side. If you like variety, want some crazy gifts for home or need something unusual, this is your best bet—and it's a great place to kill some time if you're waiting for the first train after a night out in Kabukicho. They do have another branch much closer to the station although significantly much smaller. Address:1-16-5 Kabukicho, Shinjuku City, Tokyo Kinokuniya (East) This multi-floor bookstore has one of the most generous language learning sections in the city (which spans half an entire floor). If you're planning on studying Japanese this is definitely the place to pick up a book or two. While most of floors are filled with books that are written in Japanese, they have a satelite branch near the south exit of Shinjuku station with a dedicated foreign language selection. Address:3-17-7 Shinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo Sekaido (East) Sekaido is a 5 floor art supply store filled with all sorts of tools and resources to help hone your craft. Whether you're here to pick up a few paint brushes or an entire canvas you can easily spend an afternoon just going through each floor. Address:3-1-1 Shinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo Muji (East) One of the largest stores in Tokyo, you may be familiar with the minimalist brand already—and if not, then what are you waiting for? Known for quality and simplicity, Muji is great for those hipster friends (or your hipster self) as it has everything from notebooks to clothing and household items including some great travel accessories. They offer styling consultation, have a food area, and a Cafe that which offers hot lunches and dinners at reasonable prices. Address:3-15-15 Shinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo Tech Yodobashi Camera (East and West) With two large stores in Shinjuku, one east and one west, you're never far from one of these electronics megastores. The west side is their flagship, with 13 smaller shops called pavilions that sell much more than the odd Sony or Panasonic. A bit of a sign overkill when you enter the main Multimedia Pavilion, be prepared to have your eyes (and soul) die a little from the pure amount of information hurled at you from each of the 9 floors. If you're after tech or electronic items then this is where you need to be, with the tax desks heavily signposted. One Pavilion which is especially fun to explore is the Game and Hobby Pavilion - with a myriad of toys and models which will melt the heart of any otaku visitor. Yodobashi also has a great price on Instant cameras if you're after one, so check out their Repair and Film Pavilion. For more camera ideas in Shinjuku - check our specialist guide. BIC Camera (East and West) Spread across Shinjuku with a branch right across from the east exit, BIC Camera has at least 5 levels for each store. Aside from selling the latest gadgets from gaming laptops to washing machines they also have a variety of other products like alcohol, sports gear, and wellness goods. Unfortunately their megastore collaboration with Uniqlo (which they called BICQLO) closed down in June of 2022. Yamada Denki LABI (West) If you can't find what you're looking for at any of the other stores above you might just find it at Yamada Denki LABI. Unlike the other stores though, its just a standalone building with 11 floors found on the west side of Shinjuku. It might make things easier to find, although the selection isn't as broad as Yodobashi or BIC Camera. Address: 1-18-8 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo High Street shops With familiar names like H&M and Zara being a worldwide presence, if you're after Western sizes or cheap basics these are great places to go, and each has a large store in Shinjuku. For shoes try ABC Mart on the east side of the station or have a look at our shoe article for more names to look out for. If it's souvenirs you're after and Don Quijote doesn't quite float your boat, head to a Tokyu Hands or a Loft for a wide range of choices. If you're after traditional, check out Koiki on Mosaic Street—they have a classier style with cute sumo bath salt, chopsticks and a wide range of beautiful tenugui, the fabric pieces often carrying seasonal designs and perfect for a small lightweight gift. For sheet masks and all things beauty related, head straight for Matsumoto Kiyoshi, a tax-free beauty store with bargain bins and deals galore. Japanese beauty care is known around the world - here are some DIY tricks to make it afforable. While we do our best to ensure it's correct, information is subject to change. This article was originally written in October, 2017. Last updated in June, 2022.

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