Store Fronts [Japan] w/ pics

[CityHunter]

(I'm not sure if this is in the right area, so please move if needed)

I've been to Japan 3 times, once in '05, In April of '07 and about 2 months ago. Before this, I have always been curious of what stores look like in other countries, especially Japan....even just a shot of the outside so I get a feel of what shoppers over the pond experience, even if it is to the smallest extent. I mean, I always found it cool that I could see how Collete in Paris was set up through their website, but sites like these were few and far between. For instance, I remember a website had an interview with the people at Union and aNYthing in NY and included pics of the store...and I was like, "Huh. So that's what Union looks like. Cool."

I was looking through my hard drive and I came across a bunch of pics that I took of shops during my travels. I decided to post them to hook up anyone who has the same desire as myself to see what the stores look like in Japan. Unfortunately, many of the stores do not allow pictures to be taken inside the store so many of them are from the outside, and I apologize. The inside shots had to be taken in a sneak attack fashion. Enjoy!

And please feel free to contribute if you have any pics!

Supreme [Osaka]

X-Large [Osaka]

A.P.C. [Osaka]

[CityHunter]

A Bathing Ape [Osaka]

(I know this brand doesn't get love....and I don't personally like it, but you have to admit, the store is NICE )...Oh, and the pics are mostly of the 2nd floor (shoes) because at the time there were no employees up there so I could snap away!

Nike [Osaka]

Beams [Osaka]

Beams [Harajuku, Tokyo]

[CityHunter]

Beams Beams T [Harajuku, Tokyo]

Ralph Lauren [Harajuku, Tokyo]

Base Control/Base Station [Harajuku, Tokyo]

WESC [Harajuku, Tokyo]

Whiz/Rebirth or Whiz/bal (I forgot!) [Harajuku, Japan]

[CityHunter]

Head Porter Plus [Harajuku, Tokyo]

[FYI, the Head Porter Store (with the wallets and bags and shit) is right across!]

Bounty Hunter [bxH] [Harajuku, Tokyo]

(bike parked outside the BxH shop)

Stussy [Harajuku, Tokyo]

Stussy/UNDFTD [Harajuku, Tokyo]

(FYI, UNDFTD is situated right above Stussy)

X-Large [Harajuku, Tokyo]

Gravis [Harajuku, Tokyo]

(FYI, those stairs to the left lead you right down to Real Mad Hectic)

Real Mad Hectic [Harajuku, Tokyo]

[CityHunter]

BBC [Harajuku, Tokyo]

(Terrible label, but I have to say without a doubt, the most visually stunning stores I have ever seen! This is a horrid shot of the outside...the inside is like an ice cream shop (shoes) and deeper in is this tunnel with lights and music shit and you end up where the clothes are and it's all tech'ed out. Hard to explain, but I tried anyways)

(FYI, the BAPE store is right under the BBC store)

Neighborhood [NBHD] [Harajuku, Tokyo]

Supreme [Harajuku, Tokyo]

(FYI, the Supreme shop is right above NBHD)

Atmos [Harajuku, Tokyo]

A Bathing Ape [Harajuku, Tokyo]

Fred Perry [Harajuku, Tokyo]

[artificialsky]

dude with nike sbs on with a supreme bag while inside bathing ape does it for me.

[CityHunter]

Stussy [Nagoya]

Levi's [Nagoya]

(btw...they stocked Fenom, Fragment, FLU editions...crazy)

Kapital [Nagoya]

A.P.C. [Nagoya]

A Bathing Ape [Nagoya]

(After hours)

[thomas_highstreet]

cool posts. but could you fix the image sizes.. max width 630 i think is the sufu standard!

[CityHunter]

cool posts. but could you fix the image sizes.. max width 630 i think is the sufu standard!

Sorry! I didn't know...is there anyway to fix it besides me taking down the pics and posting them up again (because it took me forever )? Thanks!

[LanceP]

I miss JP. I wish I got to walk around Osaka more when I was there.

How could you not take a pic of the A.P.C. store in Harajuku? That shop probably had one of the coolest presentations I've seen out of all the stores I went to when I was in Japan. Well, that and F.I.L.

[poly800rock]

great post!!!!!!!

[xcoldricex]

great post but please resize!

[herpsky]

It's okay to take pictures inside those stores...?

That's interesting. I thought they never allowed people to take pics.

Maybe I'll snap a few pics when i go back in a couple of months.

[ProfMonnitoff]

You missed out on many of the amazing non-streetwear stores that tokyo has to offer. A few examples would be A.P.C. (the best APC store, steezy as fuck), N(N), Dior Homme (hate on them as much as you want, the store is great), the gigantic Prada monstrosity, Julius, etc.

[CityHunter]

Resized pics! That's a cool size, right? I chose the "message board" size

I miss JP. I wish I got to walk around Osaka more when I was there.

How could you not take a pic of the A.P.C. store in Harajuku? That shop probably had one of the coolest presentations I've seen out of all the stores I went to when I was in Japan. Well, that and F.I.L.

Was the APC store under Head Porter Plus? I was looking all over for it! I think I saw a glimpse of an APC banner but I wasn't too sure. And that's a bad thing about Harajuku...no signage/hidden stores! I mean, it's kinda cool that they have this whole low key vibe (very unlike the States) but it makes it hard for a bumbling tourist like myself to find anything! Although when you find a store you are looking for you feel all good and shit like you are Link and you just found a hidden entrance to Death Mountain or something. And I gave up on looking for FIL in Shibuya...too cheap for a taxi, too tired to walk.

It's okay to take pictures inside those stores...?

That's interesting. I thought they never allowed people to take pics.

Maybe I'll snap a few pics when i go back in a couple of months.

Yeah, be careful. The [bad] interior shots I was able to get [i.e. Supreme Osaka and HPP] was when the attendant went in the back stockroom to get stuff for us. I think the general rule is that they don't allow pics to be taken inside.

You missed out on many of the amazing non-streetwear stores that tokyo has to offer. A few examples would be A.P.C. (the best APC store, steezy as fuck), N(N), Dior Homme (hate on them as much as you want, the store is great), the gigantic Prada monstrosity, Julius, etc.

Unfortunately, the group that I travelled with were more into the streetwear-type places, which wasn't a totally bad thing, but I wish I could have seen more. Yes, I am a coward. I don't wear Prada or am able to afford (N)umber Nine, but I would LOVE to see how their stores were set up. Next time, I hope.

Speaking of other great shops, United Arrows is not one to miss out on! Nano Universe and Tomorrow Land were nice too. Department stores on each block that stocked Paul Smith to Ferragamo...how I miss it. But I would have to say my favorite store in Japan was Beams. I wish I would share some interior shots, but that place has employees everywhere you turn (willing to help you out with your shopping needs, no doubt). The layout and products were amazing.

If you guys are interested, I also have some street pics of Harajuku, Shibuya, Shinjuku, etc to give the people who haven't been how effing busy it is over there.

[herpsky]

beams

which one? plus, boy, B-yoshida, IG, and etc...

the one below HPP is APC underground. their interior / presentation iss SICKKKK as fuck but their stock is ehhhhhhhhhh.

APC surplus in naka-me = APC outlet that carries shit from previous seasons; it's right across the river from general research.

there's APC homme = near alfredo bannister; recently renovated by wonderwall

near VIA BUS STOP is magazin general APC. i forgot what they sell in that store

[herpsky]

i think tokyo has the highest concentration of APC retail stores per unit area than any other city in the world incl. france

[poly800rock]

i thought the lad store was pretty cool..minus the staff..

[herpsky]

lad in daikanyama is super dope.

they purposely have their employees act "bland"

no facial expressions, no talking

they sorta look like robots

the folks who work there are insanely skinny ie 25 inch waist femme boys

id rather buy lad at yellow ruby

the SAs there are rad

[vee]

If you guys are interested, I also have some street pics of Harajuku, Shibuya, Shinjuku, etc to give the people who haven't been how effing busy it is over there.

CityHunter, awesome post! I'd love to see more of your pics. U got a Flickr account or sumthin to post up all your pics??? I'm planning my first trip to Japan either end of 2007 or beginning of 2008 & these photos may be helpful. Thanks

[5-4=Unity]

Awesome thread. Would love to see more of your pics.

[Ichigo100%]

Great pics man!

I plan on actually moving to japan to pursue business marketing in the game industry in a few years.. These help out tremendously!!

[bonjin]

For awesomeness, the obvious choices for me would be Comme des Garcons and Yohji in Aoyama. Especially the latter I went to all the time to just to touch the stuff. I n Aoyama, I also like Cabane de Zucca store not far from CdG.

Then, Margiela in Ebisu is awesome.

Of course, people could maybe use a picture or two of N. Hoolywood/Mr Hollywood to just be able to find it.

[cd1]

great pics, hopefully some others can post more up

Great pics man!

I plan on actually moving to japan to pursue business marketing in the game industry in a few years.. These help out tremendously!!

help out with what? your japanophilia?

your plan is the seriously the most ultrageneric japan obsessed geek dream out there

[Ichigo100%]

uhh yea?..

its called doing business.. It has nothing to do with me liking japan..These stores would be a good place to check out when i go there..is that a problem? like stfu already..

pure hate up on this board for no reason..its annoying

[bonjin]

I had a few pictures on my computer so I might as well post them

Comme des Garcons (Aoyama)

Alexandre Herchcovitch (Daikanyama)

Paul Smith Space (Aoyama)

Hidden store I can't remember the name of (Aoyama)

United Arrows (Shin-Marunouchi)

and while these two aren't clothing stores (one isn't even a store) they're two favourites of mine so I thought I'd post them

Cow Books (Naka-Meguro)

(everything for the freedom)

Café Madeleine (Naka-Meguro)

[Guest jmatsu]

It's okay to take pictures inside those stores...?

That's interesting. I thought they never allowed people to take pics.

Maybe I'll snap a few pics when i go back in a couple of months.

you can't even use a fuckin mobile phone in supreme... maybe they let gaijin take certain liberties...

[ProfMonnitoff]

the one below HPP is APC underground. their interior / presentation iss SICKKKK as fuck but their stock is ehhhhhhhhhh.

this one. i just went in, nodded and pretended i knew what the SAs were saying, enjoyed the music and the interior design, looked at stuff like i actually wanted to buy something, and then when i had sort of taken in the atmosphere, i crossed the road and bought a head porter bag.

[herpsky]

cafe madeleline is so fucking awesome.

i always hit it up when i check out P3DAL, waingman wassa, ELT, and others.

[LanceP]

Was the APC store under Head Porter Plus? I was looking all over for it! I think I saw a glimpse of an APC banner but I wasn't too sure. And that's a bad thing about Harajuku...no signage/hidden stores! I mean, it's kinda cool that they have this whole low key vibe (very unlike the States) but it makes it hard for a bumbling tourist like myself to find anything! Although when you find a store you are looking for you feel all good and shit like you are Link and you just found a hidden entrance to Death Mountain or something. And I gave up on looking for FIL in Shibuya...too cheap for a taxi, too tired to walk.

As herpsky said, the A.P.C. I'm referring to beneath HPP is A.P.C. Underground...

... I wanted to take a pic of the storefront, but by the time I thought about it, it was already night-time (as you can see) and too dark. And F.I.L. in Omotesando isn't too far from that area. You just keep walking down Harajuku St. towards Omotesando Hills, and it's right behind the huge Dior store.

It's okay to take pictures inside those stores...?

That's interesting. I thought they never allowed people to take pics.

Maybe I'll snap a few pics when i go back in a couple of months.

The only city I had trouble taking pictures of stores was Tokyo. Every shop I went to in Fukuoka and Sendai was cool with it. I forgot to bring my camera when walking around Osaka, so I don't know about there.

Looking back and at this thread, I wish I took more pics of store fronts, i.e. Black Flag and F.I.L. in Tokyo, etc. Here are my contributions though...

FUKUOKA

Futura Laboratories

Hoods... only took a pic downstairs where the Taps gear was. Wish I took one upstairs where all the NBHD shit was.

-------------------------------------------

SENDAI

F.I.L.

Revolution A-2 Building: Bape / Hoods / wjk / Undercover

--------------------------------------------

HARAJUKU

Real Mad Hectic / Gravis / HF's studio offices

Neighborhood / Supreme