12 Best Shopping in Shibuya, Tokyo

This oasis within the metropolis is a calming respite with a leafy garden, trendy terrace eatery, gallery, and, of course, the main business, a shop selling books, music, and videos with a focus on art and design. Almost all 30,000 books here can be taken to the lounge to read, as can a large selection of foreign magazines. Many locals come here to be seen, bringing along their lapdogs dressed in designer duds from the store's pet boutique.

You might not expect to find classic crafts in the vicinity of trendy Harajuku, but this charming boutique specializes in traditional furoshiki cloths, which are beautifully decorated squares of cloth used to wrap anything and everything (but they also just make great gifts in themselves). You'll find up to 500 different cloth options here made from a variety of fabrics and featuring traditional, seasonal, and modern designs. They even offer workshops on how to use the cloths in different ways.

This chain carries a wide and varied assortment of goods, including hobby and crafts materials, art supplies, and knitting and sewing materials, as well as jewelry, household goods, stationery, even cosmetics. There's a café and exhibit space on the seventh floor with an ever-changing selection of small goods from local artisans for sale. It's not unusual to see Japanese hobbyists spending an entire afternoon browsing in here.

With a spacious, airy layout and lovely lacquerware goods, this fashionable shop is a must for souvenir hunters—and anyone else who appreciates fine design. Rice bowls, sushi trays, bento lunch boxes, hashioki (chopstick rests), and jewelry cases come in traditional blacks and reds, as well as patterns both subtle and bold. Prices are fair—many items cost less than ¥10,000—but these are the kinds of goods for which devotees of Japanese craftsmanship would be willing to pay a lot.

This Beams boutique's main draw is the limited-edition Porter bag for men and women, plus other collaborations of savvy daily goods, including brands such as Monocle, Wonderwall, and Wacko Maria.

If you're looking for vintage fashion and don't feel like making the trek to Shimokitazawa, Bingo is your place. It is on the third floor of the Modi building just north of Shibuya Crossing. You can't miss the greenery-covered corner entrance. The Modi building also houses a variety of other stores and just might be worth a visit even if you aren't looking for vintage clothing.

Hip-hop, reggae, house, and R&B vinyl can be found here, and a DJ booth pumps out the jams from the center of the room.

These vertical malls filled with small retail shops and boutiques are all within walking distance of one another in the commercial heart of Shibuya. Shops range from a collections of designer brands to an entire floor focused on game and anime goods. The rooftop food garden offers a break from shopping and views over Shibuya.

This nine-floor outlet is a teenage girl's dream, especially if they follow the gyaru tribe, a particularly gaudy and brash fashion genre born in Shibuya. The place is filled with small stores whose merchandise screams kitsch and trend. Here, the fashionable sales assistants are the stars, and their popularity in this mall can make them media superstars. On weekends, dance concerts and fashion shows are often staged at the front entrance.

This huge emporium carries one of the most diverse selections of CDs and DVDs in the world. Take a rest at the café after visiting the second floor, which houses books, with a large selection of English-language publications.

Kyu-Yamate-dori at Daikanyama is a well-known hub of interior goods stores, and this one is full of unique and modern pieces from both local and international designers.