With so many eye-popping goods for sale at every corner, it’s easy to get lost in a mass of glitzy shopping centres and flashy stores in Tokyo – but the city also has an array of markets that are well worth checking out.
* Nakamise Shopping StreetLeading up to Sensoji Temple lies, perhaps surprisingly, one of the oldest shopping centres in Japan, Nakamise Shopping Street. From 1688 to 1735, special permission was granted for locals to open shops in the surroundings of the temple in service to its visitors. Today, Nakamise Shopping Street has around 90 shops that sell various Japanese souvenirs, some dating as far back as the Edo era. Look out for some good bargains on clothes and shoes, too. It’s also a great place to buy traditional snacks and dishes, particularly those that are popular during festivals.
* Mottainai Flea MarketFlea markets have become increasingly popular in Japan in recent years, and many of the country’s second-hand markets are organised by locals, recycling councils or civil organisations. At the popular Mottainai Flea Market, organisers aim to reduce waste by peddling second-hand clothing as well as books, CDs, DVDs and more, all of which tend to be in perfectly good condition.
* Takeshita-dori
Gwen Stefani made Harajuku a household name, but the birthplace of this playful fashion centres on a shopping street in the heart of the neighbourhood. Takeshita-dori (Takeshita Street) runs past Harajuku Station and through Meiji-dori, and is a crossroads for street-style culture. Along the pedestrian-only road, shops specialise in unique clothing, such as punk fashion or costumes. Though the market may be more crowded on the weekends, it is still well worth visiting for the people watching alone.
* Boro-Ichi Street MarketDating back some 430 years, Boro-Ichi Street Market is the best place in Tokyo to shop for antique kimonos, toys and clocks, as well as a variety of other items. In its early beginnings in the 1570s, Boro-Ichi was established as a ‘free market’ where taxes were removed to boost the economy. Now it has grown into a biannual two-day event set on the 15 and 16 December and January each year, attracting over 700 sellers. The history of the market is so integral to Tokyo that it has been deemed an Intangible Folk Cultural Asset.
* Ueno's Ameya-YokochōAmeya-Yokochō, which is also referred to as Ameyoko, translates as ‘Candy Sellers’ Alley’. The vibrant, colourful market is located in the Ueno area of Tokyo, but its origins are rather different to its standing today. Ameyoko Market started out as a black market that was known for selling sweet potatoes and sugar after World War II. Today, almost anything can be purchased at Ameyoko, and visitors will find bargains on clothes, shoes, fish, meat, Anime DVDs and more. There are also plenty of restaurants and bars around for a mid-shopping pick-me-up.