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May 30, 2017

The growing joys of second hand shopping in Japan

The growing joys of second hand shopping in Japan photo


I clearly remembered hearing from friends that Japanese are not fond of acquiring used items, believing that a used item will retain the karma of its previous owner. So it felt rather strange initially when I realized that Japan has a very good second hand market. 

 

According to some research, the growth of this resale market started with the major economic downturn in 2008 and has seen growth spurts with every subsequent sign of recession. There is a definite sense of awakening then among Japanese consumers, a sense of mottainai (such a waste) and a, perhaps, harsh realization that a used commodity can work just as well as a new one. Economic realities aside, the resale market actually makes perfect sense, particularly in Japan for the following 3 reasons:

 


Limited finances and space



I mean, you see the most fashionable people on the street of Japan, all donning the latest threads.  I've often wondered where they find so much money and space for all those clothes and bags. 


 

High cost of disposal




The other reality is, it is so hard to dispose of sizeable items in Japan, so if you want to upgrade your furniture or electronics at home, perhaps the smarter solution is to sell it at the second hand store.  As a result, you win by not having to pay for disposal, instead, you get paid in return!



Floods of gifts


A social phenomenon that contributes to the growing second hand market in Japan is the tradition of gift giving. Now, instead of housing or trying to re-gift the unsuitable gifts you have received, you can go sell them for some extra pocket money!

  



When you realize how much sense the second hand market makes, this buy / sell cycle can become quite addictive. As more people start selling to refinance their new purchases, the market becomes flooded with nearly new items at a great discount!

 

 

 

Second hand stores in Japan



The growing joys of second hand shopping in Japan photo



Clothes

Japan being something of a fashion capital, it almost feels compelling that you have a closet of nice clothes.  However, many of us will understand very well that it is not possible to catch up with the trends without feeling very poor (financially, that is). If there is a place you can trade in your unwanted clothes and find more ideal pieces, the result can be quite rewarding. Actually with a bit of time and creativity, it is possible to assemble an outfit that is fashion forward but also friendly to the wallet. A good example is the kid fashionista Yoshi, who gained a huge following on Instagram, fascinating many with outfits he gathered from the different second hand stores in town.


A list of these used clothing stores would be too much for this article, so here is a few popular ones you can try out.

 

Mode-Off: Accessories, clothes and shoes (Nationwide)

Rag Tag: Used clothes,shoes, bags and jewellery (Stores in Tokyo and locations across west Japan)

Kinji: Used Clothing (Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto)

Bingo: Used clothes (Shibuya, Tokyo)

Fool’s Judge: Men’s recycle store (Shibuya, Tokyo)

Pass the Baton: Used clothes and accessories from local celebrities, used furniture and antiques (Tokyo, Kyoto)

  


Luxury items

The market for second hand luxury items is huge in Japan. Unlike other countries, luxury items are quite ubiquitous here, more as a fashion item than a symbol of success and status. The need to upgrade according to trends and vanity necessitates an outlet where you can refinance your next big ticket purchase. Similarly for the not so rich buyers, the resale market becomes the first place you go hunt for that prized bag, watch, jewellery or shoe you have been dreaming of. 

 


Komehyo: High-end luxury items (Tokyo, Nagoya, Kansai)

Daikokuya: Used bags, watches and jewellery (Nationwide)

Barney’s: Used Hermes (Tokyo, Yokohama, Kobe, Fukuoka, Gotemba)

Plus one: Second hand watches (Tokyo)

Roko Shira: Buy-Sell for most major brands (Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka)

Solakzade: Eyewear and gold jewellery specialty store that carries hard to find items from Japan and Europe, dating back to as far as the 1800s (Shibuya, Tokyo)

 


The growing joys of second hand shopping in Japan photo

 


Home 

Japan's resale market is not only for clothes it seems. With the bleak economic outlook, Japanese consumers have learnt the virtue of frugality and have adopted ways to cut down their cost of living.   All the second hand stores below have locations nationwide in Japan.

 

Off-House: Home/kitchen appliances, baby goods, clothes, purses, shoes, fine China, yukata/kimono and toys. 

Garage-Off: Anything that fits in a garage, including large appliances, lawn appliances and some small furniture.

Hard-Off: Audio-Visual appliances, electronics, homeware and parts. 

Treasure Factory: Electronic, cooking, furniture and anything related to the home.  

 

The growing joys of second hand shopping in Japan photo



Hobbies

Second hand hobby shops actually make the most sense. When your investments of toy and game collections fall out of favor, it is natural that one would prefer to sell them on and recoup a fraction of the fortune spent on them. On the other hand, this market becomes the best place for collectors to find that rare missing piece in their collection. At the end of the day, why spend so much money on something so itinerant?  The '-Off' stores have locations nationwide.

  

Hobby-Off: Stuffed animals, figurines, collectibles, collectible cards, anime paraphernalia and stickers. 

Book-Off: Books, manga, movies, CDs. 

Liquor-Off: Believe it or not, it’s that expensive drink you have been craving

Super Potato: Used video games in Akihabara  (Also locations in Osaka and Nagoya)

Mandarake: Used comics and hard to find toys  (Largely in Tokyo but a smattering of stores throughout Japan)

Camera and photography equipment: Miyama CameraAkasaka CameraNisshin Camera, Kitamura and Shimbashi Camera.

Instruments: 'Instrument Street', Ochanomizu, Tokyo

  



Online

With perhaps the stigma of buying and selling used items, the online resale market becomes the less conspicuous place for such transactions. In fact according to statistics, the search for second hand goods and transactions in the online market has skyrocketed in the recent years. It's also more appealing when you are reluctant to haul your used items around town trying to find the buyer with the best price.

 

Zozo sell 

Sayonarasales.com 

Craig’s List

Rakuten 

 




Have any favorite second hand / recycle stores in Japan?  Any tips for negotiating the buy-sell market in Japan?  Let us know in the comments.





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