Summer Sales Kick Off: Tokyo’s Hot Shopping Destinations

From early July to late August every year is Japan’s discount season. During this time, not only are there excellent deals on offer, but also astonishing clearance prices—so even if you’re not a frequent shopper, don’t miss out on this shopping spree. Tokyo, with its endless variety, is definitely your first stop for shopping. Since 2013, many new shopping malls have sprung up in Tokyo, offering visitors even more retail therapy options.

 

Since the opening of the Tokyo Skytree in 2012, Tokyo has continuously been a hot topic. Beyond the main structure of the Tokyo Skytree, the shopping mall called Tokyo Solamachi encompasses both Tokyo’s traditional staples and latest trends. It spans floors 1 through 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 more, with the main shopping area concentrated in the East Building. Notably, the fifth floor features a Japan Experience Zone, and the fourth floor has a Japan Souvenir section, showcasing various uniquely Japanese brands and souvenirs.

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 direction toward brightness. It integrates offices, cultural facilities, and commercial spaces into one, making it the newest and most comprehensive multi-use commercial building in Shibuya. On the same month, the 18th, right at the Omotesando intersection in front of Meiji Shrine, a new building embraced by greenery organically emerged — Tokyu Plaza Omotesando Harajuku (Tokyu Plaza Omotesando Harajuku), replacing the previous GAP store and becoming the new landmark here. Tokyu Plaza Omotesando Harajuku houses over 25 stores, featuring either brand-new brands making their first appearance in Japan or Tokyo, or popular brands with innovative retail formats—all top-tier selections. The next day (19th), the currently popular DiverCity Tokyo Plaza in Odaiba opened, designed around the concept of a “theatrical urban space,” creating a large-scale 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 old Tokyo Central Post Office, grandly opened. Its 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 give each floor a unique character—every detail reveals the distinctive atmosphere formed by the blend of old and new. In addition, there are also unique shopping spots such as Manseibashi and Mitsui-kan.

Located between Kanda and Ochanomizu on the Chuo Line, Manseibashi is a railway viaduct completed in 1912. A century later, the abandoned red-brick viaduct ruins were transformed by combining the concepts of railways and European arcade malls, giving Manseibashi a new life as mAAch ecute. The shops mainly offer lifestyle goods and coffee with light meals, and the business model combining the two has been highly praised locally. There are also a bookstore, a model train shop, an izakaya, and other small shops of varying styles nestled between the red-brick archways. There are no clear boundaries between the stores, which are casually separated by the arches. mAAch ecute uses the old building to create a commercial space that is both stylish and nostalgic, attracting many young people back to this historic district to rediscover the history beneath their feet.