I may never shop in North America again

5 stores in Japan that changed my perception of the in-person shopping experience.

Ok, that’s not entirely true. I love shopping back home, but just a week in Japan completely shifted my perception of what in-person shopping can be like. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of stores in North America that have been pushing for a new and refined shopping experience—especially after the pandemic. I’ve noticed a massive shift in people being over online shopping and instead wanting to go out and shop in person. But we have a lot more work to do to really level up the customer experience.

In today’s newsletter I wanted to highlight 5 stores that you must have on your list next time you’re in Japan—I’ve also updated the Google Maps list to all of the stores I’ve visited, which is available to view here. These stores take the shopping experience to a completely different level I didn’t know was possible, and it’s something that every fashion enjoyer should experience at least once.

Visvim General Store — 1 Chome-22-11 Aobadai, Meguro City, Tokyo

My first real wow moment started at the Visvim General Store in Meguro. Gardens and quaint pathways connect several standalone buildings that makeup the full store. It’s something I’ve never really experienced before so at times it almost felt like I wasn’t supposed to walk through certain areas, but after taking the plunge I was greeted by employees and a small coffee shop where you can hangout and shop their newest collection.

Where to shop in Tokyo

Like in most stores in Japan, Visvim’s employees welcome to you shop, discover and learn more about the brand. Although language might be a small barrier, they will start do their best to make you feel at home. There’s also this energy of care in the air that you can feel as soon as you walk into one of their stores. Everything is laid and displayed precisely and consistently. It might just be a retail job, but these people really care and take pride in their work, and you can really feel that.

I also went to another Visvim location in Shibuya, which is located in GYRE mall. At first I was a bit confused because there were no signs of Visvim anywhere. Instead you pull up to a large opening covered by drapes—I honestly thought it was closed at first, but when you walk through you enter this open space that has even more apparel and footwear in comparison to the Meguro location. It seems as though different stores carry different stock, so I highly recommend going to all of the locations if you can.

Visvim Shibuya — 〒150-0001 Tokyo, Shibuya, Jingumae, 5 Chome−10−1 GYRE 2F.

One thing that I found absolutely wild in this location, and something that Visvim has in others around the world, are the wooden display cases for the items. These displays open up and can be pulled out and rotated to display the rest of the items in the case. I wish I had a video, but it’s something you should just see for yourself. Everything is thought out and accounted for, and that’s something like a fashion nerd like myself really enjoys. It’s not just about the clothing. Honestly, this type of vibe makes me pull out my wallet faster.