Japan has emerged as the premier global destination for value menswear shopping in 2025. This article delves into three distinct shopping experiences for value-conscious consumers: outlet malls, curated vintage shops, and traditional thrift stores.
Having recently returned from a shopping-intensive trip to Japan at the end of 2024, I can attest to the exceptional menswear scene. As a long-time enthusiast of Japanese fashion, I had high expectations for my visit, which were not only met but exceeded. My purchases included items from brands such as Beams, United Arrows, North Face Purple Label, and Kapital. While this article doesn’t aim to provide an exhaustive list of the best places to find deals, it offers a guide based on my personal shopping experiences in Japan.
Why Japan is the Best Place for Menswear Shopping Right Now
Japan currently stands as THE destination for menswear shopping worldwide. While inflation has driven up prices globally in recent years, the currency exchange rate has never been more favorable for most tourists visiting Japan. In 2024, the Yen hit a 38-year low against the American dollar. Additionally, Japan offers tax-free shopping, allowing tourists to deduct 10% from the listed price of most items.
Beyond cost considerations, Japan is at the forefront of innovation in menswear. From streetwear to high fashion, Japanese brands are making a significant impact on the global fashion scene and gaining popularity. According to the wholesale platform Joor, there was an 8% increase in Japanese orders on their platform in 2023 compared to the previous year, with over 60% of that volume in menswear and unisex fashion.
Whether you’re price-conscious or fashion-forward, Japan offers compelling reasons to shop for menswear right now.
Three Types of Shops Worth Visiting in Japan for Value Menswear Shoppers
During my trip, I explored three types of stores when seeking menswear deals: outlet malls, curated vintage shops, and traditional thrift shops. While you may not find the latest fashion at these locations, you can discover high-quality pieces, whether new or pre-loved. Let’s examine each category in detail.
Outlet Menswear Shopping in Yokohama
Outlet stores are well-known as destinations where brands send unsold items from past seasons. Many brands also sell specially made, lower-priced (and generally lower-quality) sub-brands at their outlet stores.
In Japan, I visited the Mitsui Outlet Park in Yokohama, which is easily accessible from Tokyo. Japanese brands here included Beams, United Arrows, HealthKnit, Asics, Seiko, and Montbell. They also had major Western brands like Adidas, On Running, and Nike.
The United Arrows store was particularly impressive, featuring pieces from various United Arrows sub-brands, including Beauty and Youth. Prices ranged from very affordable to more expensive. I bought a cardigan for about ¥13,000, which was reduced to ¥11,800 (~£60) with tax-free shopping.
The Beams store offered a mixed experience. My main criticism is that the majority of their stock comes from Beams Heart, their more affordable sublabel primarily sold through outlet stores. This means the styles are generally younger, and the quality is slightly lower. However, the store had a discount rack near the front featuring products from various Beams sublabels, including collaborations, at 30%-70% off. While sizing might be an issue for some shoppers, there were certainly deals to be found. I found a Beams Heart x Kangol long sleeve T shirt for ¥2000 (~£10) and a Beams x Grammicci x Taion jacket for ¥11,000 (~£56).
My friends also made big purchases from Montbell and Healthknit. Montbell offered excellent deals on snow gear, with large racks of jackets and other clothing at around 50% off. Healthknit is worth checking out for those interested in basics. One of my friends bought a stylish knit cardigan from their collection.
To be candid, the Western brand stores were somewhat underwhelming. I’ve seen better Nike, New Balance, and Adidas outlets in France, Canada, America, and even Taiwan. Additionally, this particular outlet lacked higher-end or luxury stores like Issey Miyake, Gucci, or Acne Studios. For those seeking such brands, the Gotemba Premium outlet near Mt. Fuji might be a better option.
Pre-owned Menswear in Japan
Moving on to pre-owned clothing, I’ve categorized these shops into curated vintage and pre-owned thrift shops. While the definitions can be debated, I consider a curated vintage shop as one where significant effort has been invested in finding clothing that fits specific aesthetics or carries particular brands. On the other hand, a thrift shop carries a variety of brands and offers a more eclectic shopping experience when it comes to finding specific looks. This category can include things like charity shops or op shops, depending on where you are reading this from. However, in Japan, even these stores often carry luxury goods, and almost everything is in pristine condition. This is due to the deeply rooted Japanese principle of “cherishing your belongings,” which means that the average person takes great care in maintaining their clothing. Consequently, when they sell their clothes, the items are still in excellent condition.
Curated Vintage in Shimokitazawa
When discussing second-hand shopping in Japan, particularly in Tokyo, Shimokitazawa is often the first place mentioned. This area is a mecca for second-hand goods, with blocks of vintage shops, many specializing in specific styles or eras. If you’re a fan of the “city boy” aesthetic, a term coined by the Japanese magazine Popeye to describe the popular Japanese Americana clothing style, you’ll find numerous shops here catering to that look. Some of these shops specialize in Japanese brands that produce Americana-inspired clothing, while others source their goods directly from America. Think vintage Levi’s or Carhartt. One particularly noteworthy curated vintage shop I can recommend is Ragla Magla, which has a very cool aesthetic and executes it exceptionally well.
You’ll also find popular vintage store chains here, such as Ragtag and Second Street. These can be found across Japan, but their specialty tends to be in the affordable luxury price range. If you’re looking for specific Japanese brands, these are good places to start your search.
For those interested in higher-end curated vintage shops, you can find some closer to the city center in areas like Shibuya or Ginza. Some of these shops are by appointment only (and beyond my budget). You can check some out here.
Thrift Shops in the Outskirts of Tokyo (Book Off Super Bazaar)
Let me share my favorite discovery from this trip: thrift shops in the outskirts of cities. Before my trip, I delved deep into YouTube to learn about the best places for menswear deals in Japan. While most vloggers focused on the well-curated vintage shops in the city, a few ventured off the beaten path, digging for gold outside the city center. The reasoning is that many shops in the cities have been picked clean due to the constant flow of traffic. If you want to find the best deals, you need to head out to the suburbs. If you don’t care about the shopping experience and are purely after the best deals, this is where you need to look.
During my research, one chain of shops kept appearing was Book Off Super Bazaar. Book Off is a chain of used book shops with locations across Japan. Some Book Offs specialize solely in books, while others include items like clothing, accessories, gadgets, and toys. In the city, you’ll find various types of Book Off stores. However, outside the city, they have these amazing shops called Super Bazaar, which are their all-in-one locations housing all the types of things they sell. This means books, clothing, handbags, computers, toys, records – you name it, they’ll have it. A quick Youtube search of “Book Off Super Bazaar” will lead you to dozens of videos of people walking through the shops and showcasing prices, which I recommend watching if you’re curious about how inexpensive items can actually be. This includes everything from low-end brands to luxury labels like Louis Vuitton and Supreme.
Initially, we planned to visit only one of these stores, but the deals were so good that we ended up rearranging our plans to visit another. We went to the Book Off locations in Kawasaki and Omori, both in the outskirts of Tokyo. Pro-tip: food in these areas is usually high quality and far less crowded than in the city, so I recommend dining out here as well.
The Super Bazaars we visited had racks of United Arrows and Beams items at very low prices. I purchased a corduroy Beams jacket for about ¥7,000(£35). I also found a North Face Purple Label backpack for ¥6,500(£33). They also had small Porter Yoshida bags for around ¥10,000(£50). Remember that cardigan I bought at United Arrows for ¥11,800? My friend found the same one in a different color and size for ¥2,000.
As a general thrift shop, you really had to dig to find gems, but my friends and I all discovered items we loved. One brand I searched for across Japan was Kapital Denim, the trendy brand with a cult following. I found a long Kapital Denim coat for ¥15,000(£75). My friend found a North Face Purple Label patchwork shirt for about ¥12,000, and another friend found seemingly unworn, made-in-Italy dress shoes for around the same price.
They also had an abundance of hard and soft luxury goods behind glass cases. This ranged from Grand Seiko and Rolex watches to luxury bags. I found a Louis Vuitton Monogram duffle bag for about ¥50,000(£250). Some of the really good deals had tiny defects, but most were barely noticeable.
I will say that, in general, the Kawasaki location had more deals than the Omori location. My hypothesis is that it’s because it’s further from Tokyo, but we’re talking about a sample size of two, so it could have just been luck. But if you have the choice, maybe go a bit further out.
Where You Should Go for Menswear Deals
To summarize, I believe that depending on what you’re looking for, there are reasons to choose either the outlet route or the pre-owned route when shopping in Japan.
If the thought of wearing pre-owned clothing doesn’t appeal to you, then outlets could be an excellent option. I think the outlet prices in Japan are comparable to those in the rest of the world, but you can find Japanese brands that are hard to come by elsewhere. Also, with the currency exchange and tax discount, it will still be more economical to shop here.
If you’re interested in vintage shopping and want something very specific or are after a particular look, the curated vintage shops are really good. These shops offered amazing shopping experiences, and you can tell how much care was put into curating their collections. Go to Shimokitazawa and spend a whole day going from shop to shop.
If you’re purely looking for deals, head to the giant thrift shops. The further away from the city, the better. Book Off Super Bazaar had some unbelievable prices, and I’m sure there are more chains like this in Japan that I haven’t discovered yet.
Lastly, don’t discount regular shopping in Japan either. I bought a MacBook Air, and it ended up being about £400 less than what I would have paid for something equivalent in London after tax discount and currency exchange. My friend went to the Issey Miyake Homme Plissé store and bought the popular pleated trousers in black for half the price it would have cost in London. These were both at full retail price; it just happened to be significantly cheaper than overseas.
Interested in reading more? Read more insights on the experience of Asians abroad on my Instagram or read my article on Using Working Models to Understand Relationship Conflict.
