Do you have any plans to move to Japan with your children? Small children outgrow clothes faster, so when you come to Japan, you may need new clothes for them before the grown-ups do.
Here are three popular stores for Japanese parents to buy children’s clothes at reasonable prices. All of these stores are located in most of Japan’s prefectures, so check out the stores near you.
UNIQLO
UNIQLO (Japanese website)
UNIQLO (US / English website)
UNIQLO is the most famous clothing store in Japan.
In 2017, it began selling baby and maternity items, making them even more convenient. It sells children’s clothing for newborns, toddlers, and elementary school children. You’ll also find pajamas, underwear, outerwear, and socks.
(I personally think that)some of UNIQLO’s children’s clothes are made a little smaller than the standard size, so it is recommended to try them on. (I always buy one size larger for my son.)
UNIQLO offers special discounts on certain items from every Friday to the following Thursday. In the store, items with red price tags are discounted items. If the item you want is not discounted, you can wait until next Friday. (Some items are discounted by 1,000 yen!)
Akachan Honpo
Akachan Honpo (Japanese website)
Akachan Honpo is a store where you can find everything you need from when you are pregnant to when your child is in kindergarten. It’s a little more expensive than the Nishimatsuya store I’m going to introduce next, but it’s useful because you can ask the staff for advice. There are also toys, baby food, tableware, strollers, and baby carriers.
The best thing about this store (for me) is their formal wear for kids! You can find kimonos, tuxedo-style onesies, and dresses for babies. They also sell shoes here.
Nishimatsuya
Nishimatsuya (Japanese website)
It’s like a lower-price version of Akachan Honpo. This store also has everything you need from maternity items to items for kindergarteners. The store has a larger selection than Akachan Honpo, with various items displayed almost to the ceiling.
Because of the low prices, some of the items are made of thin fabrics and get pilling easily, but I recommend it because toddlers will soon outgrow their clothes anyway and get their clothes dirty.
This is a great place to buy items for kindergarten. You can find everything from kindergarten shoes and bags to carry them in, to pool items in the summer.
If you have both Akachan Honpo and Nishimatsuya in your neighborhood, it would be wise to compare the prices and quality of items at both stores and buy the one that best suits your needs.
If you have any questions like, “Where do I go to buy this stuff in Japan?”, please feel free to ask us!