Japan: Style, Fashion & Shopping

Part III

This was the part I was dreading to post. My style hunt was a bit of a disaster. I really wanted to look for things you can't get here in the UK. I wanted to find harajuku girls sitting on steps like the steps of gossip girl. I might have to go back and find a new map or guide of some sorts. That and have more time, or is my perception of Japanese style not the reality? 

Harajuku

Okay so I found the street. Saw the odd "harajuku" style girl. Not as many as I hoped. I was left disappointed :( I didn't feel any different to Camden. The street is like a narrow no cars paved Camden high street with stalls showing glasses, bright neon, futuristic, goth, narita, stripes, kitch, crepes, you name it they've got it.

 

Maybe I should have gone to the high end labels side of town, but I didn't see the point. I wanted street style not designers that are mostly European and over priced for my budget.

Shibuya

Shops, malls, book stores. Japan is tall. I mean look up as there are probably 3 shops or restaurants etc in 1 building different floor. 

Here I searched for fashion items, make up, and gifts.

109 mall is well known for being at the forefront of fashion. I've been trying to find a way to describe their malls and have been lost without pictures, so let me try... 

Its not like going into westfield where u have 1 huge building and inside are little shops. It's a building with stalls? Not like Harrods open counter stalls. It's not open air. More like shops with no doors?! 

I found every shop had almost the same item but a different version. That you would have to visit every shop just to see which one was the best. I bought me a fur lined parker. Funny thing was I ended up buying it back in Chiba, where I was staying. I checked almost every shop in 109. There was short ones, shearling lined, military, long ones, hood no hood, buttons, zips, all the same style jacket but with different bits and boobs I had to check each one.

I visited book shops looking for one with Japanese art for my tattoo clad now ex boyfriend. Now the tattoo books were on the top shelves like its naughty, and it didn't really contain the art that was authentic. So ended up trying to find historic art books. Which again most are in Japanese. I don't think he realised the hardship that was trying to find this book. Something that was a. In English b. Had lots of great art and c. Cultural.

¥100 (£1) shops

These shops to me was fab. Okay so it was cheap. But the things a tourist like me wanted where here. Little wooden carved out kimono dolls, paper lanterns, key rings, magnets, kids kites, origami paper, the 1toe socks for the wooden flip flops, bento pack lunch boxes, chop sticks. Not saying I bought all of that here, but you can if you wanted too.

Kyoto street shopping

This was fun on the small side roads of Kyoto. You will find your typical shops for tourist but don't expect to find typical I love Kyoto type artifacts. You can buy kimono's and candle holders and food. There is a lot of food! Typical sweets from this area are in abundance. You would think you can buy it back in Tokyo before you leave. Tell you now.. buy it in Kyoto! Next place you will find it is the airport where at this point it will be expensive.

On that note.. 

Kimono

Us westerners would want a kimono type bathrobe. This I searched the whole of Japan; ok over exaggerating but you get my drift. 

 

Kimonos are a traditional and still worn item for the Japanese. Bathrobes to them are our typical cotton, waffle, furry soft bathrobes. The other version we all think of is actually Chinese, with dragon design. So the one place I could find a Japanese print bathrobe was again the airport, and here it is not cheap. I think I spent over £50 - £100 on each.

Miscellaneous

Other things you can look out for are sock shops. They have lots of these, with different lengths, patterns and styles.

Pets clothes.. need I say more?

 

Toy capsule vending machines. I had to get some for the kids. Question was which one? You can find these machines with different toys inside almost anywhere for ¥100-¥300. They are like kinder egg toys dispensers.

Style

I feel like I haven't even touched on Japanese style with all the shopping I did.

So lets try sum it up. Japanese style I think is in around 5 groups. The out there goths, lolitas, and eccentric anime. The cute vintage dolls and romantic pastels. The plane suites of every day life. The traditional wear, which I'm not sure if it is for special occasions, as I see a few people walking around their business. Finally the hip hop retro 80s movement with the touch of geek. 

I wish I had more street style pictures for you. I guess I would just have to go back.