I have been to 68 countries to date and Japan is a top favourite. Food, entertainment, accomodation, safety, cleanliness, photo opportunities etc, Japan tops it all. Japan is one of the world’s great consumerist meccas. My favourites are the ones around the Shibuya, Harajuku and Omotesando Hills area.
The best things about some of these shops are their sleek architecture, interesting window displays and very fashionable items. I actually do 95% of all my shopping in Japan.
On one rare occasion, I actually brought my camera out along one of my shopping walks so I can do some fine art prints of the shops. Naturally, I didn't manage to buy anything on this photo day, so I have to make a separate trip the next day to buy stuff. But I did get some nice photographs of some of my favourite shops...
Founded in 2014, #FR2 (aka Fxxking Rabbits) has become one of Tokyo's iconic streetwear brands.
In 2010, as bookstores were disappearing from the global landscape Marc Jacobs opened its first Bookmarc store on Bleecker Street in New York's West Village. Shortly thereafter the concept expanded to Paris, London, and Tokyo, stocking photography, fine art, fiction, music, pop culture and rare titles. I can spend hours in this store...
Yohji Yamamoto....I am wondering if the Y-shaped tree right in front of the shop is pure coincidence...
All my camera bags and backpacks are from Prada...
Stella Nina McCartney is an English fashion designer. She is a daughter of British singer-songwriter Paul McCartney and the late American photographer and animals rights activist Linda McCartney.
HiPanda flagship store...
A Bathing Ape (or BAPE) is a Japanese fashion brand founded by Nigo (Tomoaki Nagao) in Ura-Harajuku in 1993. Nigo, a fan of 20th century pop culture, channelled his love for the 1968 film Planet of the Apes in the name and iconic BAPE logo, as well as referring to the Japanese idiom 'A bathing ape in lukewarm water. ' The phrase is used to describe somebody who overindulges.
The quiet back streets of Omotesando Hills...
Somsoc Gallery is a conceptual art gallery and creators' unit...some pretty cool artworks inside here...
Nerdy flagship store at Harajuku..alas, people tell me the store is now permanently closed. I tried accessing their webpage and instagram but they dun seem to be working...
Marimekko is a Finnish textiles, clothing, and home furnishings company.
Louis Vuitton...they have a huge statue of one of my favourite artists Yayoi Kusama inside.
Tiffany & Co.
White shirt guys in black ties actually make for very good street photos...
Tsutaya Books...Daikanyama Tsutaya Books, the Tsutaya for grownups, is tied to the theme of "A Library in the Woods." A beautiful bookstore comprising of 3 buildings with lots of eating areas and reading areas within.
The permanent store of "miffy café tokyo" had its grand opening on November 11, 2023, in front of Daikanyama station in Tokyo.
Agnes B Cafe...apparently it is frequently full with a queue outside...looks empty today but a pity I just had a full meal elsewhere...maybe next time...and maybe next time I do a blog on some of these very fashionable street people in Tokyo, because after all, portraits rather than street photography is what I am supposed to be best known for...