Frugal shopping in tokyo, the most expensive city on Earth!

M O S T E X P E N S I V E C I T Y I N T H E W O R L D ?

Yes it's true, Tokyo was again voted the "most expensive city in the world" according to the Mercer HR Consulting cost of living survey, as reported on CNN.com, June 18, 2003. Tokyo has lost this title to Hong Kong once or twice in the past, but has never taken anything less than second place!

However, if you know "where" to shop in Tokyo the city will feel far less expensive ... you might even say, "inexpensive!" The following recommendations, again, come from personal experience and represent literally thousands of dollars of "savings" over main stream department stores and random shopping malls and outlets.

# Pay only in cash & save up to 50%! - Takeya is a series of 8 "bright purple" buildings that comprise a huge discount store complex in the Okachimachi district. Takeya sells virtually "everything" and at significantly lower prices than you can buy them elsewhere! The only catch is that you must pay all in cash and no returns allowed [but all products do come with manufacturer's warranties and service/support where applicable]. Here are the highlights:


* Home furnishings * Office furniture * Appliances * Rugs / Curtains	* Electronics * Audio / Video * Sports supplies * Sports equipment	* Clothes / Suits * Ties / Belts / Wallets * Jewelry * Purses / Hand bags

They even sell designer names like Louis Vuitton, Prada, etc., both men's & women's designer accessories, for 30% to 40% off retail.

To get to Takeya, you have two options:
(1) Take the Hibiya Subway line to the Naka-Okachimachi station. Exit this station, A3, and you are right in front of Takeya.
(2) Take the Yamanote JR Train line to the Okachimachi station [note exit station name is different from Subway] and exit via the North exit. Look for the "Kasuga Dori Avenue" and head East (right). After walking for about 2 minutes you will see the "purple buildings." See a mini-map << Here >>

Unfortunately, the Takeya web site is only in Japanese However, the link will take you to their map page which also provides details of the different products sold by building [in Katakana Should you choose not to go by train yourself, a taxi driver will certainly understand the map page, which clearly shows the train exit stations right in from of it. Go >>

# Electronics, appliances & gadgets "Superstore" - Kojima is a wonderful electronics, audio/ video and appliances specialty superstore! Their selection is large and their prices are unbeatable -- except maybe by Takeya. The advantages of Kojima over Takeya [for electronics and appliances only] is the larger selection and the ability to use credit cards. They also carry specialty items like satellite dishes for SKY PerfectTV and WowWow. They are located all around Tokyo [and outside] so you can find one near you. Go >>

# Tailor made Men's suits, shirts & pants - Big Vision is a men's "tailor made" clothing store that will make dress pants, shirts and complete suits to your specifications at exceptional prices. How about 3 dress shirts, custom fit, pockets, # of buttons and cuf design all yours for around $100?! Or complete tailored suits, summer or winter material, for around $250?! The material choices are good, the construction quality excellent and the service is superior. Big Vision has several stores, but the larger ones are in Akihabara and Shinjuku. Go >>

Big Vision

# Discount clothing & accessories - Uniqlo can best be described as a cross between GAP and K-Mart. The designs and styles are fairly trendy and "wearable", but the prices are discount all the way! After the collapse of the Japanese "bubble economy" [when money flowed like water and the freefall into recession, the market and need for Uniqlo was born. Although great for everyday active wear and under garments, Uniqlo products will not be durable, long-life solutions to your wardrobe. But hey, what do you expect for $10! Uniqlo stores are everywhere now, so you can easily find one near you. Go >>

# Buy used DVDs, CDs & Books - Book-Off is a wonderful chain store selling used DVDs, music CDs, VHS videos and books. All their products are in excellent shape, and of course the DVD and CD technology means what you pay $5 for will look and sound just like what others are paying $15 - $25 to purchase. Their inventory is naturally heavily populated with Japanese titles but they also carry international titles in movies and music as well. The staff are eager and friendly and always willing to help you find a title. New inventory comes in daily so it's not surprising to find a CD title that was released just two months prior. Again, Book-Off's web site is only in Japanese ... but you can print the page or remember the name to ask someone if they know of a nearby store [there are many]. Go >>

# Finally, Japanese movies w/English subtitles - CDJapan is an "Online" store offering hard to find Japanese movies with English subtitles. The major music and video stores DO NOT carry English subtitled movies, so this site is your best bet to purchase popular Japanese movies and TV dramas with English translation. Simply visit this site and click on the "Japanese movies with English subtitles" link under "Special Features" navigation on the left. Go >>

# Everything under $1! - The 100 Yen Shop is another chain store that, like Uniqlo, found tremendous demand in the last few years due to the ongoing Japanese recession. Everything in these stores is 100 Yen [between $0.80 and $1.00, depending on exchange rate] and unlike the 99 cent stores of America, the quality of the products sold at 100 Yen shops is very good. Products are obtained from closing or bankrupted sellers so the items are not "manufactured" for a cheap outlet. Everything from tools, stationary & writing supplies, house wares and snack foods to all the cookware and tableware you will ever need. The goods sold at the 100 Yen shops vary widely by the shop and its size and even the day, so frequent visits to several are recommended to cover the bases. Go >>

Continually looking for deals ...

The suggestions above address where to shop for "major" large item purchases and many everyday items, but Tokyojin is always on the lookout for undiscovered stores and shops that offer great prices or convenience. And don't forget, always check Amazon.co.jp before you buy as described in the Need to Knows page.