For lovers of vintage fashion, shopping in Japan is unlike anywhere in the world. A treasure trove of designer thrift and consignment stores, the island country is a haven for shoppers with a penchant for labels.
From major vintage chain stores like Ragtag and Bookoff to local secrets, the sheer scale of Japan’s vintage store offering can feel overwhelming.
So, we turned to one of our favourite shopping and travel creators, Sam Todd, whose Japan thrifting videos we simply can’t get enough of, to share all her tips…
To begin, Sam recommends carving out enough time to shop to your heart’s content. For us, that time limit doesn’t exist, but she does note that finding your dream bag, watch, or accessory won’t be a matter of walking into the first thrift shop you come across.
“You’re going to need time! The reason I find so many bags is because I comb through so many stores. And the truth is, 90% of the time I don’t find anything,” she tells marie claire Australia.
“Set aside a couple of days on your trip dedicated solely to digging through second hand designer stores and hopefully you’ll hit the jackpot.”
She also recommends starting your vintage shopping further out of the city.
“The further you go out from central Tokyo, the cheaper the bags are going to be.
“I suggest starting shopping in the outer cities and making your way in towards Shibuya/Shinjuku. That way, when you get into the city centre, you’ll know if you can get a better price elsewhere,” she explains.
Finally, if you have your heart set on a specific item, you can and should reach out to consignment stores in advance.
“If you’re chasing a particular bag, your best bet is to message a store ahead of time – I recommend Atlantis Vintage – and have them secure the bag for you in advance,” Sam suggests.
Where To Go Designer Vintage Shopping In Japan, According To Sam Todd
Atlantis Vintage (Koenji, Tokyo)
“If you follow me on social media, you’ll know this is my all time favourite store in Japan. Atlantis Vintage (Koenji) is a modest store just a few train stops out of central Tokyo (Shibuya/Shinjuku area) which means that they don’t have to compete with the inflated pricing in those areas,” Sam says.
“You’re guaranteed to find the bag you’re looking for much cheaper at Atlantis, and if they don’t have it, Yuji will do his best to source it for you. You can DM him on Instagram ahead of your trip with your bag wish list & he will work his magic to find it! Yuji has a fun, eclectic style & they always keep an amazing curation of bags in store that reflects that – think vintage Louis Vuitton x Murakami, rare colourful Chanel flap bags & lots of Balenciaga City/Town bags!”
Vintage QOO (Omotesando, Tokyo)
“Rather than shop here, I more so treat this store like a museum. They keep an expansive range of archival designer pieces, most notably Chanel. There is a wall with an entire rainbow of vintage Chanel bags, cabinets upon cabinets of costume jewellery and even ready to wear pieces – though you’re looking at $10k AUD for a T-shirt,” she explains.
“It’s a rite of passage to visit here when you come to Tokyo, and just across the street is Amore Vintage which is also a shrine to vintage Chanel!”
BOOKOFF PLUS (Namba Ebisubashi, Osaka)
“Historically, this particular store is where I have had the most luck finding second hand Coach bags! A lot of the higher end stores don’t carry Coach, so your best bet is a Bookoff or 2nd Street,” Sam tells us.
“This Bookoff is located on a really popular shopping street in Osaka (which is full of second hand designer stores!), but this store is my favourite. I’ve found Coach Pillow Tabbys & Coach novelty shaped bags here, all for a few hundred dollars each. Plan a shopping day in Osaka & start here, then wander your way down Shinsaibashi Shotengai perusing all of the other secondhand designer stores.”
2nd Street (Japan-wide)
“Similar to Bookoff, 2nd Street is known to sell low-mid tier brands & here is where you can find some serious bargains. This is a fabulous chain that you can find ALL over Japan, wherever you’re at just type in 2nd Street on Google Maps & I have no doubt at least one will pop up,” she says.
“They carry a lot of indie brands, handmade pieces & Coach, of course. You might have to do some digging through all the racks, but you can definitely find gems here. My best find at 2nd Street was a hand beaded Susan Alexandra bag that retails for almost $800 – I got it for $150.”
Rag Tag (Ginza, Tokyo)
“I’d like to give an honourable mention to where potentially my greatest secondhand designer find of all time occurred. Ginza is a very affluent area in Tokyo, so naturally the secondhand designer bags that are available here are very premium,” Sam details.
‘They often carry super current & elusive pieces. Imagine my surprise when I walked in one day and found a brand new Prada Crystal Re-Edition for just 40% of the RRP! Of course I immediately snatched it up and have treasured it ever since! This Rag Tag has multiple floors sorted by brand & is always fun to look through.”
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