Shopping malls and complexes
Ao - Shopping complex: Omotesando
With its striking silhouette, this shopping and office complex stands out against the Aoyama skyline. The building was completed in 2009, designed by the architectural firm of Sakakura Associates.
Omotesando Hills - Shopping complex: Harajuku
This very stylish seven-story shopping and restaurant complex features mostly small boutiques and luxury brands. The structure was designed by architect Tadao Ando and completed in 2006.
Tokyu Plaza Omotesando Harajuku - Shopping complex: Harajuku
[Open 8am-11:30pm daily.]
Yes, Tokyu Plaza is yet another multi-story shopping center in a city full of them, but this one is worth knowing about for the lovely sixth-floor rooftop terrace area that looks out over Harajuku. The spacious terrace area, the sixth-floor coffee...
Aeon Laketown - Shopping complex: Koshigaya Laketown
[Open 9am-10pm daily.]
In terms of sheer size, Aeon Laketown is awe-inspiring - it's basically made up of three very large shopping malls lined up next to each other, with over 700 shops and restaurants plus a cinema complex, department store and supermarket. You can...
Aeon Mall Makuhari New City - Shopping complex: Kaihin Makuhari
[Open 7am-11pm daily.]
Located near Aeon's Makuhari corporate offices, this massive shopping complex contains some 350 retails shops and restaurants, along with movie theaters and sports facilities. It's made up of four separate parts - the main mall (which includes a...
Akasaka Sacas - Shopping complex: Akasaka
Built by TV and radio network TBS, this sprawling complex includes TBS Broadcast Center, a theater, a concert venue, gallery spaces, office and residential towers, and a restaurant-shopping area called Akasaka Biz Tower.
Atre Kichijoji - Shopping complex: Kichijoji
[Open 10am-9pm daily.]
This branch of JR's Atre shopping complex offers a sprawling, rather impressive food hall, on a par with Shinjuku department-store food floors.
Bay Quarter - Shopping complex: Yokohama Sta.
[Open 11am-11pm daily.]
This five-story shopping mall overlooking the bay offers a diverse and affordable range of shops and restaurants, including several that cater to dog-owners. There's also a docking area for water buses running along the bay.
Daiba Itchome Shotengai - Attraction: Daiba
[Open 11am-9pm daily.]
This nostalgic recreation of an urban Tokyo neighborhood from the 1960s includes shops selling toys and novelty items of the era. An old-fashioned game arcade offers minature bowling and vintage games, and brave visitors can explore the miniature...
Daikanyama T-Site - Shopping complex: Daikanyama
[Open 7am-2am daily.]
This tasteful, low-rise specialty shopping complex is anchored by a large branch of Tsutaya bookstore, and it also features boutique-style shops specializing in cameras, bicycles, toys and pet supplies. The Ivy Place restaurant offers all-day cafe...
Harumi Triton Square - Shopping complex: Harumi
[Open 10am-11pm daily.]
Although it's somewhat off the beaten track, this neighborhood shopping mall boasts an attractive waterfront setting and a pleasant multi-story outdoor terrace. There are 18 shops, 14 restaurants and a lively food-court area, plus office and...
Hikarie - Shopping complex: Shibuya
[Open 10am-11pm daily.]
Anchoring the east side of Shibuya station, this massive shopping, entertainment and office complex includes eight floors of shopping (including two floors of food halls); more than two dozen restaurants and cafes; a concert hall; Theatre Orb; a...
LaForet - Shopping complex: Harajuku
[Open 11am-8pm daily.]
One of Harajuku's most famous shopping destinations, this six-story building is crammed with tiny boutiques representing various current fashion trends. The top-floor museum hosts regular exhibitions of contemporary art.
Lalaport Tokyo Bay - Shopping complex: Minami-Funabashi
[Open 10am-11pm daily.]
Japan's first mega shopping mall, Lalaport opened in 1981 and has grown steadily over the decades to its present size. It currently has 540 stores, plus several movie theaters and dozens of restaurants.
Lalaport Toyosu - Shopping complex: Toyosu
[Open 10am-9pm (restaurants -11pm) daily.]
A massive shopping and restaurant complex with more than 185 retail stores, "Urban Dock Lalaport Toyosu" is located right on the Tokyo Bay waterfront, offering lovely nighttime views of central Tokyo. The complex is especially friendly to dog...
Nakano Broadway - Shopping complex: Nakano
[Open noon-8pm daily.]
The ground floor of Nakano Broadway looks like a typical neighborhood arcade - dozens of shops selling handbags, sneakers, pet supplies and so on. But step onto the escalator and prepare to enter a different world - a warren of tiny,...
Queen's Square Yokohama - Shopping complex: Yokohama Minato-mirai
[Open 11am-10pm daily.]
This huge complex anchoring the redeveloped Minato-Mirai area includes several office buildings, a concert hall, a hotel, more than 100 retail shops spread over two separate shopping malls (called at! and Queen's East), and dozens of restaurants.
Sunshine City Alpa - Shopping complex: Ikebukuro
One of central Tokyo's oldest shopping malls, Alpa anchors the Sunshine City complex, which also contains the Sky Circus sixtieth-floor observation deck, the World Import Mart (where Sunshine Aquarium and Planetarium Manten are located), the tiny...
Outlet malls
Grandberry Park - Shopping complex: Machida
[Open 10am-8pm daily.]
With more than 230 shops and restaurants, this is one of the biggest and fanciest outlet malls in the Tokyo area. The "park" portion of the name comes from Tsuruma Park, a newly developed facility right next to the mall. The park is laid out with...
Laketown Outlet - Shopping complex: Koshigaya Laketown
[Open 10am-8pm daily.]
One of the three components of Japan's largest mall (Aeon Laketown), Laketown Outlet is one of the country's best outlet malls in its own right, with some 140 stores spread out over three different wings. It's easy to get to by public transit, and...
Mitsui Outlet Park - Shopping complex: Kaihin Makuhari
[Open 10am-8pm daily.]
Conveniently located next to Kaihin Makuhari station, this large outlet mall offers dozens of name-brand stores like Adidas and United Arrows.
Mitsui Outlet Park - Shopping complex: Yokohama Bayside Marina
[Open 10am-9pm daily.]
This massive outlet mall reopened in Spring 2020 after expansion and remodeling, and it now houses more than 150 outlet shops and restaurants. Sportswear and fashion brands like Armani, Ralph Lauren, Timberland, Eddie Bauer, Puma, New Balance, Gap...
Mitsui Outlet Park Iruma - Shopping complex: Saitama-ken
[Open 10am-8pm daily.]
One of the biggest outlet malls in Kanto, Iruma Mitsui Outlet Mall has more than 200 shops selling clothing, housewares and specialty goods, spread out over two levels and organized in a ring configuration. There are several stand-alone restaurants...
Mitsui Outlet Park Tama Minami-Osawa - Shopping complex: Hachioji
[Open 10am-8pm daily.]
Over one hundred outlet shops are collected in this two-story outdoor mall. National and global brands include Adidas, Nike, Levi's, Lacoste, Zoff, Franc Franc and many more. There's also a supermarket, shops specializing in gardening and pet...
Big-box stores
Costco - Retail: Kawasaki City
[Open 10am-8pm daily.]
The American-based big box store is set up warehouse-style, with towering stacks of consumer goods stretching off to the horizon. Fresh produce, meats and seafood are significantly cheaper than in Tokyo supermarkets, and they also do a brisk...
Costco Iruma - Retail: Saitama-ken
[Open 10am-8pm daily.]
Fifteen minutes by bus from Iruma station, this suburban branch of the US retailer is located next to a huge Mitsui Outlet Mall.
Costco Kanazawa Seaside - Retail: Yokohama Bayside Marina
[Open 10am-8pm daily.]
The American-based big box store is set up warehouse-style, with towering stacks of consumer goods stretching off to the horizon. You'll find everything from frozen pizzas and disposable contact lenses to gasoline-powered lawn mowers. Exercise...
Costco Makuhari - Retail: Kaihin Makuhari
[Open 10am-8pm daily.]
This suburban branch of the US mega-retailer is even larger than average, spread out over two massive floors. Shopping is for members only, and an individual membership is Y4200 per year, covering an entire household.
Costco Shinmisato - Retail: Saitama-ken
[Open 10am-8pm daily.]
This Saitama branch of the big-box retailer is located next to the Lalacity shopping mall at Shin-Misato station.
Costco Tamasakai - Retail: Machida
[Open 10am-8pm daily.]
The American-based big box store is set up warehouse-style, with towering stacks of consumer goods stretching off to the horizon. You'll find everything from frozen pizzas and disposable contact lenses to gasoline-powered lawn mowers. Exercise...
Ikea - Retail: Minami-Funabashi
[Open 11am-7:30pm daily.]
This branch of the giant Swedish retailer is convenient to the train station and located nearby the huge Lalaport shopping mall.
Ikea - Retail: Saitama-ken
[Open 10am-9pm daily.]
This branch of Ikea is located next to the Lalacity shopping mall at Shin-Misato station; there's also a branch of Costco at the other end of the mall. A shuttle bus links Costco, Ikea, the mall and the train station, although it's not that far to...
Ikea - Retail: Tachikawa
[Open 10am-9pm (Sat, Sun 9am-) daily.]
The first Tokyo branch of Swedish housewares shop Ikea is convenient to JR Tachikawa station - about a twelve-minute walk, or just five minutes from Takamatsu station on the Tachikawa monorail line. The restaurant is more popular than average for...
Ikea - Retail: Yokohama
[Open 10am-9pm daily.]
One of four Tokyo-area branches of the Swedish retailer, Ikea Yokohama is spread out over two levels and offers the usual selection of housewares. Free shuttle buses run from JR Shin-Yokohama every thirty minutes on weekdays and every twenty...