Summer Sales Kick Off: Tokyo’s Hot Shopping Destinations

Every year from early July to late August is Japan’s discount season. During this time, not only are great value items available, but you can also find astonishing clearance prices. Even those who don’t often go shopping shouldn’t miss this shopping bonanza. Versatile Tokyo is definitely the top destination for shopping, and since 2013, many new shopping malls have sprung up in Tokyo, offering visitors even more retail choices.

 

Since the opening of Tokyo Skytree in 2012, Tokyo has continuously been a hot topic. In addition to the main structure of Tokyo Skytree, the shopping mall called Tokyo Solamachi encompasses both Tokyo’s classic traditions and latest trends, spanning floors 1 to 10, plus observation restaurants on the high-altitude floors 30 and 31, covering a total area of 52,000 square meters. Solamachi combines dining, entertainment, shopping, and fun, with the main shopping area concentrated in the East Building. Notably, the fifth floor features a Japan Experience Zone, and the fourth floor houses Japan Souvenir, showcasing major Japanese brands and souvenirs found only in Japan.

In April of the same year, Shibuya also opened “Shibuya Hikarie.” Built on the site of the former Tokyu Culture Hall, its name phonetically resembles the Japanese word for “toward light,” symbolizing a path leading toward brightness. It integrates offices, cultural facilities, and commercial spaces, making it Shibuya’s newest and most comprehensive mixed-use commercial building. On the same month, April 18th, at the Omotesando intersection in front of Meiji Shrine, a building enveloped in greenery organically emerged — Tokyu Plaza Omotesando Harajuku (Tokyu Plaza Omotesando Harajuku), replacing the former GAP store and becoming the new landmark of the area. Tokyu Plaza Omotesando Harajuku hosts over 25 stores, featuring either fresh brands making their first appearance in Japan or Tokyo, or popular brands presented in new formats — all top-tier selections. The next day (April 19th), the currently popular DiverCity Tokyo Plaza in Odaiba opened, designed around the theme of a “theater-type urban space,” creating a large department store in Tokyo’s waterfront sub-center area that offers visitors a comfortable space integrating shopping, entertainment, and dining.

Tokyo’s transformation didn’t stop there. By March 2013, KITTE, rebuilt from the former Tokyo Central Post Office, grandly opened. The exterior retained the modern white façade and sleek design originally planned by architect Tetsuro Yoshida, while the interior was designed by renowned architect Kengo Kuma, using natural materials and traditional textiles from across Japan to create a distinct character for each floor. Every detail reflects a unique atmosphere formed by the blend of old and new. Additionally, there are distinctive malls like Bashamichi and Mitsui Main Building’s Mitsukoshi.

Located between Kanda and Ochanomizu on the Chuo Line, the Bashamichi bridge is a railway viaduct completed in 1912. A century later, the abandoned red-brick viaduct ruins were transformed by combining the concept of railways and European arcade malls, bringing Bashamichi back to life as mAAch ecute. The shops mainly offer lifestyle goods and coffee with light meals. This combination of sundries and café-style dining has been highly praised locally. There are also bookstores, model train shops, izakayas, and other small shops of varying styles nestled among the red-brick arches. The boundaries between shops are subtle, seemingly divided casually by the archways. mAAch ecute has used the historic building to create a fashionable yet nostalgic commercial space, attracting many young people back to this old district to rediscover the history beneath their feet.