If you enjoy thrift shopping and are planning a trip to Tokyo, Shimokitazawa will probably come up sooner or later.
The neighborhood is known for its second-hand and vintage shops, and that was exactly why we wanted to visit. We thrift quite a bit at home, so we were curious to see what second-hand shopping would be like in Japan.
We ended up spending several hours there, and both of my kids found clothes they wanted to bring home.
Not Every Second-Hand Shop Is a Bargain
The first thing to know is that “second-hand” and “cheap” aren’t necessarily the same thing in Shimokitazawa.
Some stores had very reasonable prices. Others were more like curated vintage boutiques, with prices to match. There isn’t really one answer to “Is Shimokitazawa expensive?” It depends on the store and what you’re looking for.
If price matters to you, it can be worth checking a few stores before buying. Unless you find something you absolutely love, you’ll have plenty of other opportunities nearby.
What Is Shopping There Actually Like?
Rather than one or two large second-hand stores, Shimokitazawa has many smaller shops you can discover as you walk around. Their styles and selections vary, which makes the neighborhood especially good for people who enjoy the hunt.
We didn’t go with a list of specific things we wanted to buy. Both kids eventually found clothes they liked, but finding a particular item wasn’t really the point of the afternoon.
When we visited, there was also a flea market happening outside, and Kid 1 found some cute brooches there. You obviously can’t count on a flea market being there during your visit, but it’s worth keeping an eye out for temporary markets and other sellers while you’re exploring.
How Much Time Should You Allow?
If thrifting is one of your reasons for visiting Shimokitazawa, I would give yourself a few hours.
You don’t need to research and plan every store beforehand either. Second-hand inventory changes constantly, so photos or recommendations you find online won’t necessarily reflect what will be available when you get there.
Instead, choose a shop or shopping street as your starting point and see where you end up. This gives you somewhere specific to head when you arrive without turning the afternoon into a strict itinerary.
Who Is Shimokitazawa Thrifting Best For?
Shimokitazawa makes the most sense for people who genuinely enjoy second-hand or vintage shopping. If you don’t normally enjoy looking through racks of clothes, its reputation alone probably isn’t a reason to add it to a packed Tokyo itinerary.
For someone who does enjoy thrifting, though, having so many shops in one neighborhood makes it easy to dedicate part of a day to it. Teenagers interested in clothes or vintage fashion may enjoy it too; both of my kids did.
For us, it was worth including in our Tokyo plans. We got to do something we already enjoy at home while seeing what the second-hand and vintage shopping scene was like in Japan.
If you want to see what we actually did during our visit to Shimokitazawa, you can read our Japan Day 12 post here.
