Kinki Shopping¶
Local shops¶
Whenever you can, go local. It might cost you more money, but a good relationship with local merchants can be invaluable.
Shopping in Kinki hardly compares with shopping in other parts of the world, but don’t dismay. When shopping out of necessity, you can find almost anything you need to survive, even if you have to pay dearly for it. For those recreational shoppers, Kinki does offer some excellent locales to get a quick fix.
In the older parts of some of the smaller towns you can still find many “mom & pop” stores operated from the ground floor of traditional Japanese homes. As the worldwide economic problems slowly take effect in Japan, these smaller shops will sadly continue to be replaced by large department stores whose economies of scale enable them to offer a wider selection of goods at lower prices (volume, volume, volume!). Unfortunately, these prices still aren’t as low as back home.
Department stores¶
Japanese department stores are museums of modern culture. Whole days can be spent in gigantic shopping complexes like Kintetsu’s Nara Family in Saidaiji, Harbourland in Kobe, IMP Building at Osaka-jo-koen station or GARE-Great Outdoors and Loft in Umeda.
In addition to typical Japanese items, many department stores will have popular shops from the West under their roofs. For example, Kintetsu-Yagi has a Benneton and Kintetsu-Saidaiji has MCM, Laura Ashley and The Body Shop. Again, you will be completely insulted by the prices, but sometimes a little bit of home can help sustain your sanity.
Better yet, Japanese department stores serve as full-service centers. You can have a watch battery replaced, have film developed, swing by the 6th-floor post office and still pick up that cashmere sweater you’ve been eyeing. Furthermore, in the basement of most department stores you will find huge and tasty displays of foreign and domestic foods, often accompanied by free samples (which you will embrace, having spent all your money shopping!).
Department Store Schedule¶
StoreClosedLocationDaieiWedNara, Yagi, Takada, Kanmaki Nara Area Department Stores closed city/town Daiei Wed. Nara, Yagi, Takada Jusco Thurs. Nara, Saidaiji,
Koriyama, Tawaramoto
Kintetsu Thurs. Saidaiji, Yagi Nichii Tues. Yagi, Yuzaki Saty Tues. Gakuenmae, Sakurai, Takada, Kawai Seiyu Wed. Koriyama Sogo Tues. Shinomiya Vivre Tues Nara Paradis —- Gakuenmae Sun Town —- Takanohara Nara Family Thurs. Saidaiji
Osaka Department Stores¶
ClosedTelephoneOsaka Department Stores closed telephone Shinsaibashi Daimaru Wed. 06-271-1231 Umeda Daimaru Tues. 06-343-1231 Hanshin Wed. 06-345-1201 Hankyu Thurs. 06-361-1381 Abeno Kintetsu Thurs. 06-624-1111 Uehommachi Kintetsu Thurs. 06-779-1231 Umeda Loft Wed. 06-359-0111 Matsuzakaya Wed. 06-943-1111 Mitsukoshi Mon. 06-203-1331 Sogo Thurs. 06-281-3111 Takashimaya Wed. 06-631-1101 OPA
Kyoto Department Stores closed telephone Kintetsu Thurs. 075-361-1111 Takashimaya Wed. 075-221-8811 Daimaru Wed. 075-211-8111 Fujii Daimaru Thurs. 075-221-8181 Kyoto Eki Kanka never 075-371-2131
Kobe Department Stores closed telephone Daimaru Wed. 078-331-8121 Hankyu Thurs. 078-321-3521 Tokyu Hands —- 078-321-6161 Harbourland never 078-360-3333 Mitsukoshi —- 078-341-3333 OPA never 078-262-2121 Printemps Wed. 078-291-0077 Sogo Tues. 078-221-4181 Price Club Supermarket Tues. 078-857-0321
Catalog Shopping¶
Another option is ordering internationally from familiar catalogues. The following companies will ship to Japan, but to avoid any customs tax you might want them first shipped to a friend or relative, repacked as old clothes, then sent to you. To avoid that hassle, try to get a large group order together to reduce all additional charges and you will get your stuff sooner. Hopefully more will ship to Japan in the near future.
LL BeanUSA 207-865-3111 or USA 207-865-3161Early WintersUSA 800-426-4840Eddie BauerUSA 206-641-2564Land’s EndUSA 608-935-9341REIUSA 800-458-4438 The Foreign Buyers’ Club is a co-op sort of business which features bulk food ordering at U.S. prices. They also have a book ordering service, so that you don’t have to pay Japanese bookstores’ inflated prices.
Foreign Buyers’ Club Tel 078-857-7944
Other shopping areas¶
In addition to department stores, you’ll find that Japan is blessed with miles of arcades and underground shopping centers. While the “mall thing” has not caught on, the convenience of these complexes is remarkable, especially since most of us don’t have a car. Arcades are funky places to shop—miles of specialty shops, one after the other. Covered, but not enclosed, they provide some protection from the elements, while affording great opportunities for people-watching (yeah, that’s it—justify your shopping habit as anthropological field work!). Underground centers in Kyoto (under station), Kobe (Santica) and Osaka (Namba Walk and Umeda) are experiences that are not to be missed. Expect two things: you will get lost and it will be crowded.
Nara city shopping¶
The shopping area around Sanjo-dori has a variety of stores from traditional Japanese antique shops to sock stores (this is true!). You can find calligraphy sets, origami paper, o-cha, prints and even Nara pickles. On the way to Raku and Cafe Nelson you’ll find Dai-chu, which is an import store of sorts. Please refer to the Nara section for more info.
