tokyo & kyoto shops

[Lucky Strike]

The subway system's not bad. It's just complicated. The advantage is if you literally walk 15 minutes in any direction in central tokyo you'll find some kind of mass transit: bus, subway or rail. The disadvantage is that it can be confusing, especially if you don't speak japanese. For beginners, I recommend sticking primarily to the JR line. It hits most of the places you would be interested in and for the most part makes things easier. You could probably stick to the yamanote line (the big circle around central tokyo) and the chuo line (which goes through the middle of the yamanote line). Of course, you still have to take other trains to get to places like daikanyama and shimokitazawa, but if you plan out the route in advance it should be okay.

Complicated yes. And tiresome because it's complicated. That's why I found it frustrating. Maybe Im too much used to the sub in Seoul where you just buy a t-money card (2 bucks) and then use it when you enter and exit. No need to use it for transfers etc, it all registers automatically.

[ikomas]

What dates during Christmas and New Years do retail places shut up shop in Tokyo? And was it a vast majority or minority that closed down? And did stores start up sales after Christmas or New Years?

I'm wondering whether I should just shop at the start of my trip or wait till the end since I'll be leaving Japan early Jan. Any help would be appreciated guys.

99% of boutiques / department stores are closed on New Year's day.
Sale starts on January 2 at most shops.
In addition, a good number of shops are closed on NYE.
There are several exceptions. Most of the "select" shops e.g. beams and UA are open on NYE.
Since there are very few people who go clothes shopping on NYE, there are some stores that secretly start sales on that day.
One notable exception is Midwest.

I've copped some ridiculous stuff from their early sales.

[ikomas]

Complicated yes. And tiresome because it's complicated. That's why I found it frustrating. Maybe Im too much used to the sub in Seoul where you just buy a t-money card (2 bucks) and then use it when you enter and exit. No need to use it for transfers etc, it all registers automatically.

Just buy a suica / pasmo card from a machine.
It only costs 500 yen and eliminates the need to calculate fare and etc.

[ikomas]

sorry to bump this up again. anyone heard of/visited a store called Bedrock? think its at omotesando hills. worth visiting?

It's in Omotesando Hills. There's one juice bar (?) facing omotesando called Forbidden Fruit. There's a secret entrance in there. Jane (from sea of shoes) was talking about the store. They carry le gran bleu? I've never been personally.

Only one Attachment/KKA store in Daikanyama.

Beams International Gallery in Harajuku has some RO, ma+...small buy though.

http://www.beams.co.jp/en/shop/east/harajuku/international-gallery-beams.html

B'2nd in Shibuya carrries some BBS, Yohan Serfaty, Isaac Sellam...

Isetan Men's in Shinjuku carries a crap load of KKA. They usually go on sale too.

[cuddly]

isiten men's carries everything, a good go-to spot.

[kuugaia]

ikomas - Thanks for all that information man, really appreciate it and you just made my holiday planning all that much easier!

[ikomas]

lift position is having an epic sale
all 70-80% off

yohan, ccp, margiela, philip lim, giogio brato, rick owens, VA, MA+, KVA, balenciaga, KKA (i think) and all kinds of crazy jawnz

sizes 46 - 50. a crap load of stuff left.

you must cop

i bought a sweater

[swych]

yeah, I went by yesterday!

Damir Doma charcoal short sleeve tshirt size 46 9000 yen! (i'm 44). go cop!

You should also know that Lift Etage is closed temporarily. They are expanding next doors and are in the middle of renovation. Reopening 19th August I think. Current location is next to Daikanyama station, in their installation space next to the offices.

There's a fantastic exhibition on at Mori Art Museum right now, one of the best I've been to in a long while. Really immersive. If any of you are into architecture, this is pretty relevant.

http://www.mori.art.museum/english/contents/sensing_nature/index.html

one of the pieces:

http://www.dezeen.com/2010/07/26/the-snow-by-tokujin-yoshioka/

The David Adjaye exhibition at Gallery MA (Toto gallery) is also pretty good, as his projects are so much better portrayed in the exhibition's photos and models than his published works.

[the breaks]

yeah, I went by yesterday!
There's a fantastic exhibition on at Mori Art Museum right now, one of the best I've been to in a long while. Really immersive. If any of you are into architecture, this is pretty relevant.

http://www.mori.art.museum/english/contents/sensing_nature/index.html

one of the pieces:
http://www.dezeen.com/2010/07/26/the...ujin-yoshioka/

That sounds interesting. When I was in Tokyo, Mori had an exhibition on dinosaurs or something

[stadsvandringar]

Mori is actually still doing the dinosaur exhibit. They've got both going at the same time.

Went by the lift position sale today. I actually wasn't too impressed. Their largest selection is in damir doma, with maybe 20 pieces at most. They have a random assortment of the other brands mentioned (I didn't see any CCP though), but most of it not too impressive in my opinion. There are some deals to be had though, I suppose.

[Acid, Bitter and Sad]

Sales

Personally, I never really bother with the Sales in Tokyo/Japan, not that I'd rather pay full retail, just that the popular sizes of the popular items are usually long sold out before the sales even began. Sure, you might luck out and find a gem or two, but I've resigned to the fact I do not possess such type of luck.

[nictan]

i went to Midwest in June. There was a crazy 50% sales on the last level. One day only. Lots of size 1s and 2s though. But didnt see anything i really fancied. But among them were blazers and pants and knitwear. None i needed. So i would say, popular sizes sales does exist.

[kuugaia]

Sales are a bit of an expectation thing. If you don't expect to get anything, or find anything in your size, it's easier on the mind. Then when you actually do kop something crazily reduced...it makes it all worth it. I normally go in thinking about what kind of garment I 'should' kop, so that stops me from kopping anything unnecessary just because it's cheap.

[Acid, Bitter and Sad]

i went to Midwest in June. There was a crazy 50% sales on the last level. One day only. Lots of size 1s and 2s though. But didnt see anything i really fancied. But among them were blazers and pants and knitwear. None i needed. So i would say, popular sizes sales does exist.

Yes..size 1s/2s of things not many people really fancy/fancied.
That's why they're in that basement
Seriously though, my routine at Midwest Tokyo, without fail....elevator straight to 3rd floor, steps down to 2nd, steps down to 1st and out the door

[nictan]

hahaha there were things worth kopping. but like i said, none suitable for the weather here. jackets and knitwear and L/S tees. would kop if i werent from singapore hahaha