Takashimaya Shinjuku: More Than Souvenirs and Branded Goods! Japanese Homewares, Baby Goods, and More

*This article was sponsored by Takashimaya.

About Takashimaya's Shinjuku Store

Takashimaya, founded in 1831, is a leading luxury department store chain with locations not only in Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Kyoto, and other cities around Japan, but also internationally. Takashimaya’s Shinjuku store is in the Main Building of Takashimaya Times Square, a commercial complex which consists of the Main Building and South Building.

The B1 floor of the Main Building has a supermarket as well as a variety of shops selling deli items, confectionery, snacks from around the country, and all kinds of spirits. The 1st floor has cosmetic counters and a Louis Vuitton store. The 2nd and 3rd floors have outlets of a variety of international brands such as CHANEL, Hermès, Celine, and BAO BAO ISSEY MIYAKE. The 4th floor has jewelry counters. On the upper floors, the 5th to 8th floors have stores selling women’s and men’s clothing; the 8th and 9th floors, sports and outdoor gear, including golfing goods, as well as children and baby products; the 10th floor, household goods; the 11th floor, eyeglasses, exhibition halls, and a tax refund counter; and the 12 to 14th floors, restaurants.

With Tokyu Hands - the “creative life store” selling all kinds of lifestyle goods - on the 2nd to 8th floors of the Main Building, as well as the furniture and home accessories store, Nitori, and Books Kinokuniya Tokyo (specializing in imported books) in the South Building, Takashimaya Times Square stands out as one of Shinjuku’s leading retail complexes.

More Than Just Food, Branded Goods, and Souvenirs

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Meika Hyakusen: Famous Confectionery from Around Japan All in One Place

This area has a wide selection of popular confections from around Japan all in one location, including the famous and classic Tokyo souvenir Hiyoko, the recently popular Kurumicco by Kamakura Beniya, and Kanazawa Bunchou, a traditional sweet known for its cute packaging. Don’t miss them if you enjoy new flavors or have more space for gifts to fill in your suitcase! Some items are sold individually, so if you’re not sure whether you’ll like them, try one first before purchasing a whole box.

When we visited the Meika Hyakusen area, we saw a lot of locals lined up at the register. Apparently, some items are stocked on specific days of the week and when they sell out, do not become available till the next shipment, so people line up early to make sure they can purchase their favorite treats.

Kayanoya: Adding Flavor to the Dining Table

Kayanoya from Fukuoka Prefecture specializes in “dashi” stock packets and seasonings. Its famous dashi stock packets are all made by grinding natural ingredients, such as flying fish, bonito flakes, and kombu seaweed, into powder, with no artificial flavors or preservatives added. Dashi stock, which is indispensable to Japanese cooking, can be made simply by boiling one of these packets in water for 2-3 minutes. The packets can also be used to add flavor to simmered dishes, rice, and even stir fries. Many of the Japanese staff at tsunagu Japan use these packets regularly at home - a testament to their popularity in Japan!

There is a Kayanoya shop on the B1 floor of Takashimaya Shinjuku where you can purchase not only the standard Kayanoya Dashi, the Vegetable Dashi that is suitable for vegetarians, and the Prawn Dashi packed with the umami of prawns, but also a limited-edition bonito-heavy dashi only available in Tokyo and seasonal varieties. They also sell other seasonings such a dashi soy sauce with a strong bonito flavor and sukiyaki sauce, so it is like a candy store for anyone who loves to cook!

Ogura Sanso: The Place to Buy the Perfect Rice Crackers as Gifts or for Yourself

Ogura Sanso, based in Nagaokakyo in Kyoto, specializes in “senbei” rice crackers themed around the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu, an anthology of 100 poems by 100 poets compiled around the end of the Heian Period (794 – 1185) and the beginning of the Kamakura Period (1185 – 1333). Its products represent the poems and Japan’s four seasons through their flavors, colors, and shapes. Small in size, the rice crackers come in a variety of colors and shapes and are presented in retro Japanese packaging, so you can enjoy uniquely Japanese designs through both the crackers themselves and the packaging.

Ogura Sanso is dedicated to making its products with quality ingredients, to the point that it grows its own rice with no pesticides or chemical fertilizers for the rice crackers and okaki (mochi cut thin, dried, and baked or fried).

Ogura Sanso’s signature product is Ogura Yamashunju, packets that include eight different types of crackers. You can buy boxes with varying quantities of these packets and give the box as is or separate the packets and give them out individually.

In addition to its long-selling classics, Ogura Sanso has seasonal varieties of rice crackers and okaki that are available for a limited time. Since they’re only available for a certain time, they are the perfect gifts to represent the experiences you had on your trip to Japan.

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MIKI HOUSE: Trustworthy Japanese Children’s Products

MIKI HOUSE is one of Japan’s leading brands for children’s and baby products, operating under the motto of “Filling kids’ and their family’s faces with smiles.” Many of these products are made in Japan, with thorough quality control of everything from the material selection to the design and cutting patterns for sewing so that children can feel comfortable using them.

Its affiliated brands, such as MIKI HOUSE DOUBLE_B and CHIECO SAKU, feature bears and rabbits on many of their clothes and shoes, and look absolutely adorable on both boys and girls!

In addition to children’s clothes, MIKI HOUSE sells cute shoes for toddlers, picture books, toys, bibs, and baby lotions. Though our editors didn't have children, they found plenty of products that their friends' children would love.

CS case study kids: Nurturing Fashion sense From a Young Age

“CS case study” is the name for shops produced by Takashimaya that stock select products from a variety of brands. They are on several floors, with each one focusing on different types of products, such as men’s clothing, women’s clothing, and on the 9th floor, children’s clothing. 

CS case study kids offers children’s clothes—primarily for those between the ages of 6 and 14—from designer brands from around the world, such as Moncler and Stella McCartney. With a wide range of clothes with cute patterns and designs, it is a great place for children to enjoy fashion for themselves.

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KIYA: The Fascinating World of Cutlery

With increasing interest in healthy eating, more and more people are paying attention to the food they purchase and how they prepare it—and good knives are indispensable for preparing food well.

At KIYA on the 10th floor of Takashimaya, you can find a wide selection of cutlery not only from Japan, but from around the world. There are several hundred types of knives available, ranging from santoku knives that can be used on meat, fish, and vegetables, to sashimi knives, Chinese cleavers, bread knives, and even ceramic knives. They arguably have one of the largest selections of knives you can find in a department store.

Many Japanese knives are so light and sharp, once you’ve tried them, there is no turning back. Some of them have beautiful, eye-catching wave patterns on the blades that are created during the forging process.

The store also has a variety of other cutting tools, such as nail clippers, hair scissors, and nose hair scissors. Some of them are extremely popular and in short supply, so consider yourself lucky if you are able to get them!

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Eyeglasses Salon: Quality Frames to Add Style to Your Daily Life

Glasses are not just functional items to correct your vision, but are fashion accessories. Takashimaya’s Eyeglasses Salon has a wide selection of quality frames from international brands and Japanese designers, such as KEN OKUYAMA and 999.9 (Four Nines). They’re a great place to buy chic and light Japanese eyewear that you won’t see anyone else wearing.

If they have the lens in stock, you may even be able to take home your glasses on the day you choose the frames and lenses. You’ll have to wait a few days otherwise, so be sure to confirm this with the staff! We recommend checking as soon as you can after your arrival to Japan.

The store has English and Chinese pamphlets on phrases related to eyewear, so there’s no need to worry about any language barriers.

Useful Services for International Customers

5% Off Shopper’s Card

Takashimaya offers a Takashimaya Shopper’s Card for international tourists. Pick up a Takashimaya Shopper’s Card by showing your passport at the designated counter to receive 5% off from nearly any purchase over 3,000 yen (excl. tax). The card for each Takashimaya store has a different design, with Hello Kitty in front of a background depicting the store’s location, so why not collect them all?

Tax Refunds

To get your tax refund at Takashimaya Shinjuku, go to the Tax Refund Counter on the 11th floor with your passport, the purchased items, receipts, and the credit card you used to make the purchases.

There is an automated tax refund machine and a manned counter. The machine is quite easy to operate. You can arrange for your refund just by scanning your passport and selecting the dates you entered Japan and plan to leave the country. It’s a time saver compared to the manned counter!

*Some steps on the automated machine can only be completed by the department store staff, so be sure to ask if you have any questions.

Foreign Currency Exchange Machines and International ATMs

What to do when you suddenly need cash or are short on Japanese yen? Not to worry, there is a Seven Bank ATM on the 2nd floor of Takashimaya Shinjuku. If your bank card can be used internationally, you should be able to withdraw Japanese yen from it. There is also a foreign currency exchange machine on the 11th floor if you wish to exchange your foreign currency.

*Exchange rates and fees vary by bank, so be sure to check with your bank.

How to Get to Takashimaya's Shinjuku Store

Now that you know what Takashimaya Shinjuku has to offer, why not actually pay it a visit? Here’s how to get there.

The closest train station exit is the New South Gate / Miraina Tower Gate of JR Shinjuku Station. You’ll be at the 2nd floor entrance of Takashimaya in just 2 minutes! Takashimaya is also easy to get to from Shinjuku’s Tokyo Metro, Toei Subway, and Keio Line stations.

Please take a look at the videos below for more details.

 

Not only is Takashimaya Shinjuku easy to get to, but it has a wide selection of products, from everyday items to delicious food and souvenirs, including many high-quality Japanese products sold at very reasonable prices. It is a great one-stop shopping destination where you can get everything you want without having to walk all across the city. Be sure to visit!

*Prices, product designs, and other info are accurate as of December 10, 2022.

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