I am 4′11” and weigh in the upper 80’s, pound-wise. I used to be a size 0, but with all the size changes that have been happening I’ve been cast off to a petite 00. In Japan, most stores stock only mediums and larges, and I fit the medium. My pant size is 58cm. Beware–the pants are cut very slim, so curvier ladies will have a problem getting a good fit. I am located on Kyushu Island, the third largest island in Japan. I mainly shop in Fukuoka City, the largest city on the island and a half-hour train ride from my apartment. The city has all the traditional Japanese brands, plus an area with hundreds of boutique stores that sell everything from $1,000 vintage dresses to $3 Superman t-shirts. This area is also famous for its second hand stores. And while the prices aren’t as competitive as their USA counterparts, I’ve still found all kinds of goodies.
Uniqlo and Muji are my two favorite two chain stores in Japan. Uniqlo stands for “unique clothing” but they mainly cater to fashion trends in neutral colors. Right now the rage is shorts with suspenders and you can find them at Uniqlo in varying shades of tan, black, and cream. They also stock jeans, well-priced cashmere, button-down shirts, lingerie, and run a t-shirt contest in the summer.
If you’re shopping at Muji you will find Gap-style pieces in navy, black, and white. Muji is great for basics — leggings, shirts, skirts — and everything purchased goes well with everything else. Both stored are well-priced (shirts for $25 and under) and, literally, on every street corner. It’s much cheaper than buying Gap in Japan (although they are sized down over here).
Hanjiro, Super Spins and WeGo are the most popular second-hand chains, and they’re found in most of the major cities. My favorite recent purchase is a dress I bought from Hanjiro that has giraffes and flowers in a graphic pattern. I also bought a pair of sandals from Mare Mare Global Market, a Japanese shoe store that sells funky well-priced sandals (mine cost around $45). Some of my favorite shopping in Japan is looking for “Engrish” t-shirts at these stores. These are shirts that have either badly translated Japanese, or are just meant to be funny.
