Expand your wardrobe with Japanese streetwear, a mix of high fashion, skateboarding culture, and traditional elements from kimono fabric, to wagara patterns.
Musician and designer Hiroshi Fujiwara is one of the pioneers responsible for creating modern Japanese streetwear by fusing high fashion, music, skateboarding culture, and art. Having spent a few years in New York City, he developed a deep admiration for American music and street fashion culture. Upon returning to Tokyo, he played a key role in shaping Japanese streetwear by blending Western aesthetics and Japanese design sensibilities. Today, Japanese streetwear shops and budding designers often experiment with elements like kimono fabric, woodblock prints, kanji letters, anime characters, and traditional patterns (wagara). Our mini guide to Japanese streetwear will give you an insider’s view of casual urban wear,
Types of Japanese streetwear clothing
Japanese streetwear clothing blends modern trends and traditional aesthetics. Graphic tees with ornamental English words and phrases are in vogue. These vibrant tees are often layered with oversized hoodies or cardigans.
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Denim jeans and jackets with patchwork, metal studs, and enamel pins are also popular among the youth. A minimalist sling bag is a stylish alternative to bulky backpacks. Although Japan does not have a strong piercing culture, it is common to see people wearing clip-on earrings and imitation jewellery.
Discovering Japan’s streetwear style and culture begins with a knowledge of Japanese brands. Explore our picks below and look out for these iconic Japanese streetwear shops in Japan.
High-end Japanese streetwear brands
A Bathing Ape
Known for its bold designs, vibrant hues, camo patterns, and shark hoodies, BAPE was founded by Tomoaki Nagao, aka NIGO, in 1993 in Ura-Harajuku in Tokyo. The brand’s designs and styles are inspired by American pop culture. It collaborates internationally with Nike, Supreme, Kanye West, and Adidas.
Shop for A Bathing Ape on Ssense.com
Visvim
Founded by Hiroki Nakamura in 2000, Visvim is a high-end Japanese fashion brand known for using high-quality materials, contemporary aesthetics, and durability features. The brand seeks inspiration from Japanese and American cultures to create one-of-a-kind vintage pieces.
Shop for Visvi on Mytheresa.com
Explore our guide to thrift shopping in Japan.
Neighbourhood
This Japanese streetwear brand caters to customers idolising military aesthetics, punk, and motorcycle culture. Founded by Shinsuke Takizawa, the brand focuses on raw designs, rugged aesthetics, and patchwork details. In addition to military-style fashion and biker wear, they sell denim, graphic T-shirts, outerwear, caps, home goods and fashion accessories.
Shop for Neighbourhood on Ssense.com
Sacai
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Sacai’s brand philosophy combines contrasting fabrics and layers and melding patterns into a single garment. This Japanese streetwear brand is not afraid to experiment with textures and silhouettes. Established by Chitose Abe in 1999 in Tokyo, Sacai creates timeless and functional clothing pieces perfect for everyday wear. It has stores in Tokyo, Beijing, Seoul, and Hong Kong.
Kapital
The Japanese streetwear brand Kapital was founded in the early 1980s in Kojima, Okayama. Initially, the brand specialised in high-quality denim, but now it also sells bags, jewellery, scarves, and other clothing. If you’re looking for durable denim that will last a decade, you can’t go wrong with Kapital.
Shop for Kapital on Mrporter.com
Undercover
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When it comes to influential Japanese streetwear fashion, Undercover tops the list. Founded by designer Jun Takahashi in 1990, the brand is praised for its avant-garde approach and punk aesthetics. The brand’s motto is “We Make Noise, Not Clothes,” which means fashion that tells stories, has powerful messages, and evokes strong emotions. You can identify an Undercover piece of clothing by its edgy graphics, subversive themes, and detailed embroidery.
Shop for Undercover on Chinesean
Affordable Japanese streetwear brands
If you want to look stylish without breaking the bank, shop at these budget-friendly Japanese streetwear shops.
Wego
Wego is known for its trendy and affordable streetwear. It has an online store and stores across Japan. It caters to young customers between the ages of 15 and 35 and specialises in playful accessories and Harajuku-inspired fashion.
Spinns
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Established in 1993, Spinns is another playful and affordable Japanese streetwear brand. The store offers clothing and accessory options for both men and women. Designed for teenagers and young adults, Spinns’ signature style blends art, music, and pop culture. The brand often collaborates with other pop culture brands and music artists to create limited-edition pieces.
Explore our comprehensive guide to the skincare products to buy in Japan.
Atmos
Founded by Hidefumi Hommyo, this Japanese streetwear brand makes statement clothing. Atmos also collaborates with Nike, Puma, Adidas, and Crocs to create limited-edition shoes and sneakers. Fashion enthusiasts and collectors will be spoiled for choice here.
GU
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GU, Uniqlo’s sister brand, sells trendy, affordable clothing. It focuses on making fashion accessible to all budgets while maintaining product quality and durability. Each season brings new launches and collaborations to create themed, exclusive fashion items.
Places to shop for Japanese streetwear
The Japanese streetwear scene is big in Osaka, Kyoto, and Tokyo. While you can shop for them online via Mercari, Rakuten, and Zozotown, you can find a wider variety at stores.
Tokyo’s best Japanese streetwear shops are in Harajuku, Shibuya, Koenji, and Shimokitazawa. For Japanese streetwear in Osaka, visit Amerikamura and Shinsaibashi. Finally, shop for Japanese streetwear in Kyoto at Kawaramachi Street.
Best time to shop streetwear in Japan
The best time to shop for streetwear in Japan depends on collaboration drops, sale seasons, and new releases. There are two big sales every year: one in the summer (June-July) and one in the winter (December-January). Also, check social media for updates on limited-edition collaboration releases. Finally, watch for Japan’s Black Friday sale in November to get the most bang for your buck.
Things to remember while shopping for streetwear in Japan
When shopping for streetwear in Japan, keep these pointers in mind:
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- The season and region heavily influence Japanese streetwear trends.
- The sizes of clothes in Japan tend to be smaller than Western brands. If possible, try on the items before purchasing.
- Limited-edition and collaboration items sell out on the spot. You might want to line up at the store on the launch date to get yours.
- If you’re looking for designer labels but don’t want to spend a lot, visit second-hand stores or thrift shops like Book Off, Tampopo House, 2nd Street, Vintage Qoo, and Amore Vintage.
- Some stores do not accept cards or digital payments. Hence, it’s always safer to carry cash.
- For a smooth shopping experience, use Google Translate if you do not know Japanese.
- You can also shop for Japanese streetwear online via Rakuten, Zozotown, and Mercari.
- Japan does not encourage bargaining. Each product has a price tag, and you must pay according to it.
- Most local Japanese streetwear shops have a no-exchange policy. Before purchasing a product, check the size and condition.
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(Feature image credit: undercover_lab/Instagram)
This article originally appeared on Travel + Leisure Asia.
Frequently Asked Questions
Japanese footwear brands are renowned for their craftsmanship, attention to detail, and use of premium materials. Some of the most iconic ones to look for in Japan are Onitsuka Tiger, Asics, Suicoke, Mizuno, Hender Scheme, Moonstar and Visvim.
The best places to shop for Japanese streetwear in Tokyo are Koenji Paru Shopping Street in Koenji, Takeshita Street in Harajuku, Shimokitazawa Ichibangai Shotengai in Shimokitazawa, Shibuya PARCO, Dogenzaka Street in Shibuya and Ameyoko Shopping Street in Ueno.
The best vintage Japanese streetwear shops are in Kichijoji, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Koenji, and Shimokitazawa. Streets are dedicated to clothes, accessories, and miscellaneous items.
Horie District, Shinsaibashi, Amerikamura (American Village), Umeda, Tennoji, and Namba are popular areas for Japanese streetwear.
You can find exclusive Japanese merch and streetwear collaborations at the Freak's Store, Beams, Neighborhood, A Bathing Ape and Glamb.
Considering international shipping costs and other international taxes, buying Japanese streetwear in Japan is a more affordable option.
Yes, there are plenty of department stores in Japan that sell streetwear. Especially in Tokyo, visit Lumine and Isetan in Shinjuku, Mitsukoshi in Nihonbashi, and Shibuya 109 in Shibuya.
Urahara are the back streets of Harajuku. It is the birthplace of Japanese streetwear culture and brands like A Bathing Ape, Undercover, and Neighbour. It's less crowded than Takeshita Street and has plenty of cosy cafes, galleries, and boutique stops.
The best Japanese streetwear shops for limited-edition sneakers are the VANS Store, Kicks Lab Tokyo, SneakersnStuff, Sneaker Alley, Styles Daikanyama, Atmos Pink, and the Sneaker Shop Skit.
Yes, there are. Check out Kapital, South2West8, Nanamica, WTAPS, Needles, Public Space, and more.
Of course! Check out Atmos Kyoto in Kyoto, Beams in Fukuoka, Bape Store in Sapporo, Waltz in Kobe, and Pineapple Square in Okinawa.
It depends from store to store, but most shops in Japan offer tax-free shopping. To be eligible for it, purchase products worth a certain amount and show your passport at the store.
There are plenty of streetwear-related events in Japan. In Tokyo, there is the Streetwear Week Tokyo in Harajuku every April and the Tokyo Street Culture Festival in Shibuya, Odaiba, and Harajuku every October/November. Now that you are familiar with Japanese streetwear brands, you will have a pleasant shopping experience in Japan.
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Sharon is from Mumbai and currently lives in Tokyo with her Japanese husband. Before moving to Japan, she worked with POPxo, Grazia and MTV India. She now writes for several English magazines in Japan, including Savvy Tokyo, Tokyo Weekender, and GoConnect Japan. Her favourite way to unwind is to listen to lo-fi music while reading a book and sipping on a matcha latte.
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