Fashion, Tokyo

Brand new sprawling complex with more than 200 stores. It also includes a Hyatt hotel, a private club, residences in the tower, a arena, a Virgin Cinema, an art center and even a TV studio.

The complex is 11.6 hectares and includes tons of trees. The numerous towers blends well in the environment and the architecture is great.

A must see.

See my travelogue on sculptures at the site

What to buy: Fashion Clothes, and much more

What to pay: All range

306 is opposite Harajuku station and is typical of where all the cool kids buy their clothes. Bright and funky. Some of the tshirts had weird slogans that didn't make sense on them though.

What to buy: I bought a cute blue Cookie Monster umbrella because it was raining :)

What to pay: Everyone says Japan is expensive but my umbrella wasn't, although maybe thats because everybody in Tokyo has an umbrella.

Many stores hold huge sales on July and January, then you can get a 30-70% discount!
It's because companies offer bonus in the seasons.
Some travelers look for outlet stores, but mostly they are located in the countryside. Most stores in Tokyo has this sales, so it's the chance to buy clothes in Tokyo in very cheap price!!!

What to buy: clothes, accessories, shoes...

What to pay: depends

this is a must if your with your girlfriend and you want her dressed in the latest fashion. there must be about 6 floors and on each floor, 10 shops. its a girls dream and some of the most beautiful women can be spotted here. ;o) hehe

What to buy: as my bags were all ready way over the weight limit, i didnt buy anything... sniff

What to pay: a fortune

Behind the Mori Tower runs the Roppongi Keyakizaka Street which is lined by cafes and luxury brand shops such as Louis Vuitton. From here you can view the Tokyo Tower at the end of the street.

What to buy: I think the Louis Vuitton is what people looking for.

What to buy: There are an endless number of things you can buy in Tokyo. Ladies will be endlessly fascinated by the fashion, and it's not just the crazy rags that you see in Harajuku on tweens. You can find very good quality and extremely fashionable tops, pants and shoes in the boutiques and department stores. Sizes are cut for the petite Japanese woman, so Asian girls should find the cutting just right. However, prices can be daunting, and if you find something below 12000 yen (USD 120), it's considered cheap.

If you're looking for gifts for folks back home, I recommend that you pick up the tasty Japanese snacks that are commonly available. These come in very pretty packaging (you feel almost sad to open the beautiful wrapping!), and can vary from season to season. These snacks can be savoury (e.g. scallop chips, rice crackers etc) to sweet delicacies made from flour and various fillings.

There are also lots of regional specialities imported from other parts of Japan into Tokyo. Kyoho grapes are a specialty of Nagano, which you can find in the food halls of major department stores. They are my personal favourite, because they are immensely huge and juicy, and guaranteed to be sweet. Bad thing is that they don't store well, so make sure you eat them within a day or two after purchase, and also take care not to squash them.

There are also plenty of cultural souvenirs that you can pick up. If you've got friends who run businesses, you can get them a "Maneki Neko", which is the Japanese lucky cat. It is usually pictured sitting up, with one paw upraised as if to usher in fortune and prosperity, hence you find it commonly in shops. Very cute toy, particularly if you like cats.

If you visit the Odaiba / Tokyo Bay area, do drop in to Palette Town, which has a pseudo Italian Renaissance shopping mall, called Venus Fort. It is also home to a large Game Station that will be a hit with young boys called Joypolis (or something like that...).

As its name implies, this mall is dedicated to fashion for women, and also some teen fashions. The lower floor contains a large sporting apparel outlet (quite reasonable prices and they really do have a good variety of merchandise), a large toy shop and a nice home furnishing outlet. There are also many food outlets here, where you could enjoy pizza, spaghetti and cheesecake & cafe latte, pretty much as you might in Italy! There are also sushi, tempura and ramen outlets here.

What to buy: I bought a couple of Mogu Dogs at the home furnishing store called In the Room. Made of a special silky soft material, they were a big hit with my kids. I paid Yen3,675 for each (USD34). Comes in Brown, Black and White.

Marui is where the Tokyo youth goes for choice !

In February and July of every year, they have huge sales that are very popular.

Just be careful if you shop for someone else...you might underestimate your friend "size" and end up bringing back stuff wayyyyyyyy to small !

Japanese girls are so thin !!!

What to buy: Depends where you're from....

But their fashion beats any typical american store in my eyes.

What to pay: more than average