Satisfy your inner shopaholic amongst the hustle and bustle of Shinjuku
From towering music shops and well-loved bookstores to high fashion boutiques and things you can only find in Japan, there's a lot to be discovered within the streets of Shinjuku. Shop your way through the neighbourhood with our picks of its best shops; whether you're in need of a brand new outfit or some memorable souvenirs to take home with you, you'll be sure to find it here.
The name, in case you hadn't already worked it out, is a contraction of two of Japan's major retail giants: home electronics behemoth Bic Camera and fast fashion pioneer Uniqlo. Opened to great fanfare in September 2012, Bicqlo offers the opportunity to buy underwear and iPhones under the same roof...
Although floors one to five were unfortunately closed in August 2016, Kinokuniya's other Shinjuku outpost is still one of the best bookstores in Tokyo for foreign-language publications. Head to the sixth floor for books, magazines and more in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and many other languages...
The Beams Japan flagship was re-opened in bigger and better form in April 2016, and now spreads out over a total of six floors. You'll find a dizzying collection of clothing, crafts and art, plus a gallery hosting an eclectic array of events and exhibitions, a rather serious yoshoku restaurant in the basement...
Fans of the visual kei music genre – and wider subculture – flock to this store that deals in both new and secondhand CDs while also stocking a wide range of band paraphernalia and collectibles. The walls are plastered with signed posters for many of the genre's biggest names, and the shop even sells Polaroid-like 'fan service' photos...
This massive eight-floor music treasure trove will surely have any music geek drooling over their stock of secondhand CDs and vinyl. Each floor is categorised with a different music genre where you'll find the likes of punk and hardcore on the top seventh floor down to Japanese rock and indie music on the basement level. In-between you can sift through floors dedicated to Latin, reggae and world music...
If you're a music enthusiast who still swears by vinyl and enjoys digging through piles of secondhand records, then this shop will feel like a small slice of heaven. Following the 2014 opening of a Shibuya location, the record-focused arm of the now Lawson-owned HMV empire expanded to the iconic Alta building in October 2016...
Arguably the trendiest department stores in Japan, the flagship Isetan Shinjuku is renowned for having its window displays created by leading artists and offers only the finest in food, clothing and homeware. It recently underwent a massive refurbishment – got to keep up with the times, of course...
Turning out exquisite handmade furniture since 1940, Karimoku 60 is an institution. The company’s creations are all made from domestic wood and designed to suit Japan’s smaller homes. Their iconic K Chair’s design has stayed the same since 1963 and remains the company’s flagship product...
Founded in 1962, Kagaya is one of the city's longest-running smoke shops and deals in everything from standard cigarettes to cigars, pipes and lighters. Brands from around the world are represented, with the cigar lineup being particularly impressive: you'll find fine Cubans alongside product from places like Dominica, Honduras...
San Francisco’s book and design store operates this location inside Lumine Est’s Destination Tokyo. Press was established in 2011 by Paulina Nassar and Nick Sarno, and stocks speciality books about art, fashion, design, crafts and counterculture, as well as stationery products from around the world...
Established in 1940, this store specialises in art materials, providing everything from paints and brushes to frames. The flagship store towers over the Koshu Kaido, near Shinjuku-Sanchome Station, and boasts the best selection of products, with an overwhelming range of reasonably priced arty items spread over six floors...
At this museum-like used camera store, most products are brought in by customers and if they aren't sold within two months, the price drops. You'll find new and vintage models, as well as 'junk' items sold for parts...
An offshoot of the nationwide Tansuya chain, Tokyo135's Shinjuku Alta branch attracts a diverse crowd looking for slightly funkier kimono for all occasions. Their colour scheme and style is decidedly more pop art-y and modern than traditional, and they also sell a large selection of vibrant hair adornments and other accessories, alongside some cool remade items...
Shinjuku's premier coffee specialist draws you in with the aromatic beans (both roasted and fresh) sold at the entrance, while the shop interior is littered with countless coffee-related contraptions – from hand-driven coffee grinders to espresso machines and roasters, plus spare parts for all of the above...
3Coins is a ¥300 shop, stocked with colourful home accessories designed to inject a bit of joy into an otherwise mundane day. High on novelty, low on functionality, 3Coins is not the hyaku-en shop you run to when your drain is clogged or you’re low on toilet paper. Rather, pop into this one for a pink polka-dot pick-me-up.
The name speaks for itself. Barney's New York is renowned for its original aesthetic sense and its high-end, quality clothing from around the world as well as dining ware, stationery and home furnishings.
Pile ’em high, sell ’em cheap gets taken to the extreme at Don Quijote. It's cluttered, disorganised and disorientating, but you’ll find everything from snacks to washing machines, 24 hours a day. This latest branch – the sixth in Shinjuku ward – is perfect for anyone taking a highway bus and in need of last-minute souvenirs, travel bags and more, considering its proximity to the Busta terminal.
Keio has womenswear and accessories on the first four floors; menswear on the fifth; kimonos, jewellery and furniture on the sixth; children’s clothes and sporting goods on the seventh; and office supplies on the eighth. The store also offers a range of clothing in Westerner-friendly larger sizes called Lilac. The tax-exemption counter is on the sixth floor.
Shopping mall connected to Shinjuku Station, targeting mainly 20-something women with plenty of disposable income.
Lumine 1 and Lumine 2 feature over 200 shops and restaurants, and thanks to frequent remodels and introduction of new stores, they always offer the newest and most popular brands. Shop till you drop at 10pm.
This eight-floor shopping complex is aimed squarely at the girly fashion crowd, but it's perhaps more famous as being a popular meeting spot in Shinjuku. See you at Alta? Yeah, you and half the rest of Tokyo.
Shibuya covers such a large expanse of Tokyo that it's almost impossible to shop through the entire area in a single day. Filled with cafés, restaurants, souvenir shops and fashion boutiques, you can literally find anything your heart desires here. To help you filter through the craziness, we've picked out the best stores you must visit next time you enter this shopping oasis.
Discover Time Out original video
