Big Sale in Shopping Paradise JapanThe best opportunity to find the best deal lies in the year-end and the New Year holiday season. – Department stores2011.12.

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Index

• Tokyo Area
• Yokohama Area
• Osaka Area
• Kyoto Area
• Nagoya Area
• Fukuoka Area

A clearance sale to sell items to zero inventories is held in summer and winter in Japan. The winter sale is mainly held during the year-end and the New Year holiday season and the autumn and winter items of that year are sold at a bargain price. Both the big department stores and the small shops start discounting all at once and all the shopping districts across the nation attract crowds just like a festival.
Also, Fukubukuro (lucky bag) is a popular item to try one’s luck in the New Year. Fukubukuro is a paper bag filled with articles and to be purchased without knowing what are in the bag. And the total price of the articles contained in the bag is more than what Fukubukuro is sold at. Some Fukubukuro contain the articles worth tens of times as much as the sales price of Fukubukuro. As the feeling of receiving higher value than what you pay is especially higher for the Fukubukuro prepared by the famous department stores and luxurious brand stores, they are so popular that people stand in a long line from early in the morning.
Now, we present you with the information on sales at major department stores. In this period of time, there should be a variety of sales and events being held in the city. Please come to the shopping paradise Japan in this sales season.

Tokyo Area

Tons of good deals! – Ginza MITSUKOSHI

 

Ginza Mitsukoshi is one of the Ginza’s leading department stores. A wide range of brand stores from luxurious foreign brands to popular Japanese brands are found there. The terrace with some greens on the upper floor is a perfect place to rest your feet tired from shopping. Also, its basement food floor has brilliant looking food including sweets that are also popular as souvenirs and prepared dishes that adds colors to the meal. And it boasts an enormous popularity. The clearance sale starts on January 2. In addition to Otoshidama-bukuro (Fukubukuro), this season’s items are to be sold at a bargain price on each floor. At Ginza MITSUKOSHI, different sales are held for a limited period of time at the event hall and the terrace room on the 8th floor and the 9th floor respectively. Don’t forget to check it out!

 

Rich in functional and beautiful sundry wares – MATSUYA GINZA

 

The clear white exterior wall facing the main street, Chuo-dori Street, is the trademark of MATSUYA GINZA. The wall is brightly lit up with LED after sunset adding colors to the evening in Ginza. MATSUYA has an established reputation in dealing art crafts and sundry wares in addition to the fashion brand products. The Design Collection, for example, is where the selected functional and beautiful household wares and tools from home and abroad are promoted. Having started as the Japan’s first place to promote excellence in design, the Design Collection is full of originality. The clearance sale in this winter is to start on January 2. Prior to the clearance sale, Christmas Cosmetic Fair 2011 is held from November 16 through December 25 on the cosmetics floor (interpreting service in Chinese is available at all times at some stores) and the women’s and men’s special sale is to be held from December 26 through 31 and you will find some of the women’s and men’s items at a discounted price.

Centering on Shinjuku Station which is known as one of the world’s busiest station in terms of the number of passengers getting on and off, Shinjuku is a district crowded with all kinds of stores including clothing, electric appliances, books and discount stores. There are also many large-scaled department stores such as Isetan and Odakyu.

 

Enjoyable together with the popular tenants – Shinjuku Takashimaya

 

Takashimaya Times Square is a shopping center directly connected to the south exit of Shinjuku Station. Centering on Shinjuku Takashimaya, the tenants that are popular also among foreigners such as TOKYU HANDS and UNIQLO occupy the building. You will be able to enjoy shopping for a wide range of items within one building. Shinjuku Takashimaya will hold a sale from January 2. The brand stores for women’s, men’s and kid’s clothing offer great discounts and many of the brand stores have Fukubukuro. In addition to the famous foreign brands, the domestic brand stores including YOSHIDA & CO. and Comme des Garçons, the cosmetics floor and the basement food floor are also satisfying. If you want to enjoy shopping in Shinjuku, this is the place you cannot miss. There is a money-saving discount for foreign tourists. Please go to the tax refund counter on the 2nd floor prior to the shopping.
 

Check on the items available only on the opening day! – Tokyu Toyoko Store

 

Located in front of the Hachiko-mae pedestrian scrambles in Shibuya, Tokyu Toyoko Store is a shopping place crowded with women who are on their way home from work. In addition to clothing and cosmetics floors, the theme parks of food Tokyu Food Show and Toyoko Noren-gai, which have ignited the basement food floor boom of the department stores, enjoy the overwhelming support of the customers. The winter clearance sale starts from January 2. The prices of a wide variety of items from clothing to cosmetics, sundries and household wares are all cut down. Have an eye also to the special offer items that are sold only on the opening day. Both Tokyu Shibuya main store and Toyoko store have student staff from China making it easier for the Chinese customers to enjoy shopping.
 

Yokohama Area

Items with 20 to 50% discount are everywhere! – SOGO Yokohama Store

SOGO Yokohama Store is a large department store that boasts a wide selection of items. Not only stores of clothing but also stores of sundries and specialty stores occupy the building. Traditional art crafts, fans, etc. are found in the Japan Shop (Japanese sundries shop) on the 6th floor and it is popular among foreigners. More than 160 stores from well-established stores to new stores are found on the popular depa-chika (the basement food floor). The floor is perfect for the souvenir shopping. The winter clearance sale “SOGO Fuyu-ichi” will be held from January 2. Items from men’s and women’s clothing to sundries and interior products with 20 to 50% discount are found everywhere in SOGO Yokohama.
The Minato Mirai area where the Red Brick Warehouses with the history of about 100 years were made into a shopping and food complex is the area you can enjoy the ocean view and the scenery of the streets with atmosphere. Motomoachi is a town on upland with lush greenery where there are many sophisticated shops though small. You can enjoy the Trad style which is typical of Yokohama.

 

Osaka Area

Unique selection of this season’s items, prices are all cut down! – JR Osaka Mitsukoshi Isetan

 

In May 2011, Osaka Station made its grand opening of Osaka Station City and JR Osaka Mitsukoshi Isetan was opened at the same time in the Station City. This department store has strong individuality which is derived from Isetan’s planning ability and Mitsukoshi’s culture (for details please see the featured article on newly opened stores). The pre-clearance sale starts on December 26 on each floor. You will find good deals centering on women’s and men’s clothing. And finally the semiannual clearance sale starts on January 2. The prices of this season’s items of popular brands are all cut down. Prior to these sales, the accessories and winter items sale is to be held at the event hall on the 10th floor. And from January 3, Mitsukoshi Isetan Food Fair will be held to promote the food floor’s best-selling items found on the basement food floors of MITSUKOSHI Nihonbashi Main Store and Isetan Shinjuku Store.

 

Satisfying selection of items from the world’s famous brands to Japanese cosmetics – Hankyu Umeda Flagship Store

Hankyu Umeda Flagship Store consists of three buildings: the Flagship Store for women’s clothing, household wares and food; the Men’s Store for men’s items and the Children’s and Sports Store “ings.” The latest fashion clothing for women is found on 8 different floors. The world’s famous brand such as Hermès and Cartier are gathered. And the selection of cosmetics brands is also satisfying including ecologically friendly natural cosmetics and, needless to say, the Japan’s leading brand SHISEIDO. A wide selection of items from the world’s first-class products to Japanese designer’s brand products are found in the Men’s Store. The clearance sale of this winter starts on January 2 (open at 9:30 a.m.). About 130 brands of women’s clothing and about 100 brands of the Men’s Store start the clearance sale all at once. Prior to this, the well-known lingerie brand Wacoal holds a big sale from December 14 through 20. Centering on the Shinsaibashisuji Shopping Center, the trend setting shops in their prime are gathered in the Minami area.
 

The Kansai’s longest-established department store – DAIMARU Shinsaibashi

 

Situated closely to Shinsaibashi Station, DAIMARU Shinsaibashi is the longest-established and one of the largest department store consisted of three buildings: the Main Building, the South Building and the North Building. It offers a good selection of products including domestic and international brand cosmetics such as SHISEIDO and KOSE and the products of famous clothing brands as well as souvenir goods such as women’s accessories and food. MUJI and many popular “select shops” (a Japanese term for a shop that handles selected items reflecting the concept and the taste of the shop) such as United Arrows are found in the North Building. The winter clearance sale starts usually from early in the new year. The items of much-loved brands will be available at a bargain price.
 

Kyoto Area

The price will go down further after mid-January! – Kyoto Takashimaya

 

Situated very closely to the commercial and entertainment districts such as Gion and Ponto-cho, Kyoto Takashimaya is convenient to stop by in your spare time while visiting temples and shrines. It is a recommended spot for the tourists visiting Japan who want to enjoy sightseeing and also shopping. The winter clearance sale starts on January 2 (some stores start at the end of the year). The products of well-known brands will be sold at a bargain price. Especially, the brands that are not available much overseas attract a great deal of attention from the tourists visiting Japan. The prices go down further starting usually from mid-January to end of January. You can enjoy shopping with greater prices.
 

A wide selection of items from clothing to traditional Japanese sundry wares – JR Kyoto Isetan

 

JR Kyoto Isetan is directly connected to Kyoto Station and it is a perfect place to stop by for shopping on your way to and from sightseeing. It offers a satisfying wide selection of products from clothing, of course, to food such as Japanese sweets and pickles, and traditional Japanese sundry wares. The clearance sale starts on January 2. It is the biggest semiannual sale held on each floor. Prior to this, the Japanese artisans fair to be held at the event hall on the 10th floor and the winter special sale start on December 27. Fukubukuro are to be sold on January 2 and the extremely popular Hokkaido fair starts on January 3.
 

Nagoya Area

What are appealing are the good location and a variety of product lineups – JR Nagoya Takashimaya

 

JR Nagoya Takashimaya is situated in the terminal building of JR Nagoya Station. Offering a perfect selection of goods from apparel and foreign brand products to Japanese tableware such as kiriko (Japanese cut glass) and lacquer ware, kimono and depa-chika (the basement food floor). JR Nagoya Takashimaya is one of the largest department store in the Nagoya region. It is situated in the terminal building of Nagoya Station at which Shinkansen stops. The café and restaurants on the 51st floor where you can have a panoramic view of the city enjoy great popularity as a place to relax during a break time while visiting sightseeing spots or working. The sale in this winter starts on January 2. As the prices get lower in mid-January, you can enjoy greater deals. The yearly event of selling Fukubukuro as the first business of the year is so popular that a line is formed from early in the morning. Many brand stores offer Fukubukuro again this winter.
 

About 100 shops with full of originality offers good deals! – LACHIC

 

A 5-minute train ride from Nagoya Station takes you to the Sakae area which is the trendsetting place of Nagoya. Above all, LACHIC is a department store with full of originality where the stores found nowhere else in Nagoya such as FIGARO Paris, ROSE BUD and United Arrows are gathered. On the restaurant floor, there are many restaurants where you can enjoy unique food culture of Nagoya. You will be able to have a great experience as a part of your tour in Nagoya. The “Jurassic Sale” in winter starts on January 2 (open at 9:30 a.m.). You will get 10 to 50% discount on the autumn and winter items. The “LACHIC Brand Fukubkuro” is also to be sold on January 2. About 100 stores will have Fukubukuro.
Osu, the town for used clothes and subcultures, is within a walking distance of Sakae. If you like unique items, please take a walk in Sakae while visiting LACHIC.

 

Fukuoka Area

The number of brands found here is one of the largest in Kyushu! – IWATAYA Main Store

 

IWATAYA Main Store was established in 1745 and it is the leading long-established department store in Fukuoka. Offering a variety of products such as food, clothing and gift items, it enjoys support from a wide range of customers from children to adults. It boasts having the large number of brands, one of the largest in Kyushu, and promotes the latest fashion. It also has an established reputation for a good selection of local specialty food found on the basement food floor. The winter clearance sale starts on January 2. It is the one of the biggest sale in Kyushu bringing together its brand strength as “IWATAYA of fashion items.” The IWATAYA original Fukubukuro will be sold on January 2 also.
In the Hakata area, centering on JR Hakata Station, the new shopping places are appearing one after another attracting much attention, for example a large commercial facility CANAL CITY was renewed and amplified and the Hankyu department store was newly opened in the Hakata station building (for details please see the page for newly opened stores).

 

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