Top 3 Thrifting Havens in Tokyo
Shane | May 18, 2023 | 0
In recent times, the trend of thrifting for garments and footwear has gained momentum, offering individuals a more economical alternative to conventional shopping while contributing to environmental sustainability by reducing waste in landfills. Besides the cost savings, thrifting brings the excitement of unearthing unique finds amidst a sea of apparel and accessories. If you’re venturing into Tokyo and are keen on exploring some of the city’s renowned thrifting spots, here are the prime locations for uncovering hidden treasures.
Harajuku
Situated in the heart of Tokyo, Harajuku is a hotspot accessible via the JR Yamanote loop line nestled between Shibuya and Shinjuku. This area is celebrated for its eclectic and vibrant street fashion, along with a variety of thrift shops offering everything from affordable finds to high-end vintage pieces. Look out for RagTag Harajuku, a famous destination for designer thrift items, including rare pieces from lesser-known designers.
Thrifting in Harajuku is an adventure filled with more than just shopping. The district is alive with art exhibitions, such as Nanzuka Underground, and numerous cafes and eateries where you can take a break and indulge in the local culinary scene. Once you’ve had your fill of shopping, these spots offer a perfect retreat to unwind and recharge.
Shimokitazawa
Nestled in Setagaya Ward to the west of Shibuya, Shimokitazawa exudes a cool, laid-back atmosphere, setting it apart as one of Tokyo’s most charming neighborhoods. Known for its vintage boutiques, bookstores, quirky cafes, and music shops, the area cultivates a distinct bohemian flair. It’s particularly popular among students for its fashionable and relaxed vibe.
For those looking to blend shopping with entertainment, the local cinema near the station is a must-visit, offering a chance to catch a film in between browsing the eclectic mix of stores.
Kichijoji
For a harmonious blend of urban energy and natural tranquility, Kichijoji is the ideal destination. Located in Musashino City to the northwest of central Tokyo, this area offers a delightful thrifting experience amid scenic surroundings, including tree-lined streets, a charming boat ride, and even a cinema. Just a stone’s throw from Inokashira Park, the neighborhood is dotted with restaurants, bars, and vintage shops, offering a plethora of activities for visitors.
The locale is a treasure trove of shops offering a wide array of items, from daily necessities to unique second-hand clothes and souvenirs. After a day of exploring and shopping, enjoy the local cuisine at numerous cafes, bakeries, and casual dining spots, or cap off the evening with a drink at one of the standing bars in Harmonica Alley.
Harajuku Style That Certainly Will Blow Your Mind
Shane | December 6, 2019 | 242
What is actually Harajuku? Certainly not the day of thanksgiving. During this time, we can assume that Harajuku is a style of strange dress, eccentric, and all-out. But actually, Harajuku is a popular designation for the area around JR Harajuku Station, Shibuya District, Tokyo.
This area is famous as a place for young people to gather. Its locations include around Meiji Jingu, Yoyogi Park, the Takeshita Street (Takeshita-Dori) shopping center, the Laforet department store, and the Yoyogi National Gymnasium. It is said that this all-round style in Harajuku is already widely adopted by young teenagers, as part of an effort to sell looks and sell sensations.
So there is no need to be surprised if there is a friend of ours who suddenly has his hair dyed yellow like gold bars. And also, don’t be shocked if there are female friends of yours who like black clothes, black accessories, or black lipstick.
Moreover, the Harajuku model that emerged from a classy country like Japan, surely can hooked many foreigners. Especially, if you have ever found the local cute casino store or pachinko slot machine dressed with Harajuku style, you will be addicted to the gameplay that mostly have cute figures that based from the culture. Don’t worry about losing your money because they’ll give you an experience you’ve never seen before!
Harajuku Culture
By its history, this eccentric fashion began with the style of clothing displayed in Anan and Non-No magazines. Then many young Japanese people who like to walk in Harajuku, copying the pattern of clothes in the magazine. They don’t feel uncomfortable wearing weird shirt patterns in Harajuku.
Well, here we can draw a common thread if the role of the media is enormous in spreading opinion, whatever it is. Clothing styles, makeup patterns, hair accessories, and Harajuku-style trinkets, become a trendsetter when the media sell them out in the headlines and coverage in them. Harajuku style is not just cutting irregular hair and wearing body armor that is entirely absurd. But apparently, there are several streams of how to dress. So, don’t get confused when you have heard terms below:
- Gothic lolita, which is mostly written with romaji, with elegant, gothic, feminine clothing patterns and makes the wearer like a Victorian doll.
- Japanese punks, inspired by the punk movement in the early 70s.
- Cosplay, make yourself and your clothes as similar as possible to anime characters or game characters, such as Naruto or One Piece. Luckily until now, no one was dressed in Hamtaro.
- Decora, with bright, flamboyant and eccentric colors.
- Kawaii, which means cute or cute. Of course, clothes are worn must also be cute and chubby. Like dressed in Pikachu costume or maybe
- Wamono, which is a combination of Japanese and western clothing. Yes, it’s easy for kimono and jeans.
5 Famous Japanese Fashion Brands in The World…
Shane | November 22, 2019 | 412
Fashion is one of the industries that has made Japan a cultural superpower in the last few decades. The Japanese fashion world might be too complicated if you want to cover in one article like we have made several articles concerning Japanese Fashion, we don’t cover everything, the Japanese fashion world is so broad and unique. Because they tend to take many segments of each price and style in the fashion world, it is quite practically that almost all of the fashion world is explored in the fashion world, but it is undeniable that it can still give birth to a variety of fashion styles that are new and certainly eccentric.
In this article, we want to provide a brand or Japanese fashion brand that is recommended for those of you who want to look cool and elegant. After you try these fashion brands that were born in the land of sakura, you can only learn the subculture fashions of these Japanese concoctions. Of the many brands or Japanese fashion brands that you can try, we chose among them 10 Japanese Fashion Brands that are quite well-known today in the World, there are some that you might find out about, but out there their names are already very thick eccentrically and uniquely styles , Any 10 10 Famous Japanese Brand or Fashion Brands in the World, let’s see together.
Michiko Koshino
Designer Michiko Koshino (小 篠 美智子, Koshino Michiko) headquartered in London is a legend of the fashion club scene in the 80s and 90s. Coming from a family that produces Kimonono, Michiko Koshino set her heart to move to London to get new inspiration for her business. He found this inspiration from contemporary clubs, and in a relatively short time, his brand began producing iconic inflatable jackets and coats, as well as cargo pants, and much more.
Even though he has been out of the Japanese fashion scene for a decade, he works in most casual collections, Koshino had relaunched his legendary inflatable apparel production in 2017, and you can get it by buying online or at the nearest retail.
Kenzo
A Japanese designer named Kenzo Takada founded a luxury French fashion house in 1970 and was given the name Kenzo (KENZO). The brand is indeed from France, but Kenzo Takada originated and was born in Japan, and in 1964, he moved to France to start his career in the field of fashion. He then made his knowledge of Asian and Japanese fashion styles combined with European high-class fashion styles. He began with the boutique ‘Jungle Jap’ located in Paris and decorated using the concept of the forest.
Before designing men’s clothing in 2983, he began his career by making handmade women’s clothing, and then gradually, he also made children’s clothing in 1987. Until now, it has become an international luxury brand owned by the parent company LVMH, which had bought a label in 1993.
However, Humberto Leon and Carol Lim have been creative directors and chief designers of the brand since 2011. Their tiger-style clothing has been worn by several fashion bloggers and celebrities such as Zooey Deschanel, Swizz Beatz, Beyoncé, Selena Gomez, Joan Smalls, Lorde, Rihanna, and Spike Jonz.
Issey Miyake
Issey Miyake 三 宅 一生 (Miyake Issei) was born on April 22, 1938, and he was an original fashion designer from Japan, he was known for his clothing designs using technology, exhibitions and also fragrance products, such as L’eau d’Issey, which became the most popular product.
When you think that Issey Miyake, making clothing with very complicated folds, and also combining various textures and patterns that blend into a perfect fashion style, you know the clothes that are often worn by Steve Jobs in black turtlenecks, they are products from Issey, showing that some parts of Issey’s fashion style are easy to wear and practical.
Comme des Garcons
Comme des Garcons Kom ム ・ デ ・ ギ ル ソ ン (Komu de Gyaruson) is an international phenomenon, in the field of fashion, its founder Rei Kawakubo along with other designers, Junya Watanabe, Tao Kurihara, Fumito Ganryu, and Designer and CEO Adrian Joffe. With their Heart-shaped logo giving their iconic impression in making a masterpiece hash a fashion design that is suitable for use on the runway or into a street-style fashion that is certainly iconic in the eyes of Fashion lovers.
Even if you wear a T-shirt, with sneakers or a jeans jacket but it is marked with the red heart brand, making a difference from other fashion styles, because it has become a world-famous fashion icon.
This brand was famous in Japan in the 1970s, they added clothing for men in 1978, in 1981 their first debut appeared in Paris, they featured a dominant black fashion with distressed fabrics. Throughout the 1980s, Comme des Garcons clothing was often associated with “moody” and “punk” oriented styles.
This original Japanese brand not only released clothing products, but they made perfume, the first time they released their perfume products in 1994.
Yohji Yamamoto
Yohji Yamamoto (山 本 耀 司 Yamamoto Yōji) If from one of the Japanese designers or brands that everyone and their mother knows to date, the designer is Yohji Yamamoto. The fashion style is created entirely from asymmetrical cuts, black color, and minimalist aesthetics. As the fashion designer himself said, his clothes are designed to look and feel like armor because it protects you from unwanted eyes. Some Yohji Yamamoto products can bring a fresh breath to your wardrobe whose contents may be the usual fashion style.
You can also try the street fashion style by wearing clothes from Yohji Yamamoto, many choices, if you want to look more sporty, you can choose Yohji Yamamoto collaboration with Adidas, who has a product icon with the name Y-3. The price is more affordable than direct design clothing from Yohji Yamamoto, and it may be easier to fit into your everyday clothing style.