Yuna Yabe and MIOCHIN are known for their unique fashion sense. The two of them have decided to bring their special YouTube features to MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON in the form of articles.

 

In this first entry, the two fashion gurus headed to six unique second hand shops both of them are personal fans of.

 

“3 Biki no Koneko” – Reasonably priced with a diverse line-up

The first spot on today’s list is 3 Biki no Koneko which can be found on the second floor of Harajuku ALTA, a shopping mall located partway down Takeshita Street, making it a very accessible and easy-to-find shop.

The second hand items here are very reasonably priced. The customer ratio is diverse, from middle school children to foreigners, further showing the shop’s affordable line-up. They have so many different things on display, even patterned cloth, character merchandise and a trove of accessories, so you’re sure to find something you like.

Yuna and MIOCHIN take no time at all to find something for themselves. Although it’s still only the first stop on the list, they’re prone to loosening their purse strings!

 

 

 

“Panama Boy” – A 39 year old second hand shop

The next stop is Panama Boy which is distinguishable by its brick wall. It’s an old shop that has stayed in the same location since 1979. They also operate outside Harajuku, with two branches in Sapporo and one branch each in Nagoya, Kyoto and Sendai.

If you’re someone who finds the hurdle too high when it comes to used clothes shops, then fret not. This shop is stocked with many different selections including plenty of casual designs that are easy to pick up.

There’s also vintage items on the second floor. Pick up one of the headdresses or lace robes for when you’re dressing up for a special day.

And don’t miss the shop’s original remade clothes. Panama Boy truly overflows with originality you won’t find anywhere else.

 

 

 

“Kilo Shop” – Unique & Reasonable!

The Kilo Shop flagship store is situated in Paris, France. Their best quality is their unique way of selling items by weight. Standing in the shop can be overwhelming due to the large quantity of items that pack it. Most second hand things in there are from Europe.

MIOCHIN went straight to weighing something out! You press the button on the scale that is the same colour as the tag on the item you pick up and it will weigh it for you.

This one’s just ¥558! MIOCHIN could not contain her excitement at the cheap prices. It’s very possible to find bargains for yourself here.

Kilo Shop is full of clothes you won’t find anywhere else – you’ll have to make the trip there. Try finding some vintage treasures for yourself.

 

 

“KINJI” – The number of items is irresistible!

The next stop is KINJI. It’s in a favourable location opposite Laforet Harajuku along Meiji-dori. It’s on floor B1F of the building. Once you enter, the spectacle will roll out before you and you’ll gaze around wondering just how long it will take to make a round trip. It’s that big. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that it has the biggest number of items and styles in Harajuku. Of course, they have everyday items too. You’d never get bored of going here even if you went every day.

 

A particularly popular part of the shop is the retro and fairy corner. This might be a good place to start looking if you’re feeling a little lost.

Yuna and MIOCHIN once again were quick to discover some second hand items they liked, and of course they bought them!

Do you know the origin of the shop’s name “KINJI”? It actually comes from the name of the company president’s grandfather. Knowing a bit of history about somewhere can make you love it even more, right?

 

 

 

“thrift-tokyo” – ½ price when buying 10+ items!

thrift-tokyo is located at the back of Cat Street. They sell both men’s and women’s items. The racks outside the shop are lined with colourful items too. You’ll get excited before even entering.

The thrill of thrift-tokyo is the cheap prices. But other second hand shops have cheap prices too. What’s more surprising about this place is that you can get half the price when buying 10 or more items. This counts if it’s two people buying at the same time too. It also needs to be over ¥1,900.

Our two fashion icons are picking things in a calculated manner. All of the item prices are already reasonable, and you can get them even cheaper with the discount. How about visiting with a friend?

 

 

“G2?” – Unique girly retro

The last stop of the day is G2?, a second hand shop with a girly-retro vibe. Their line-up is centred around vintage clothing from the 1950s-1970s in Europe and the US. Items here aren’t just cute, they have a spiciness to them too.

The interior displays make it feel as if you’ve been sucked into the room of a very stylish girl. Even just gazing around is fun. The vintage toy corner is apparently popular with foreign customers.

You should definitely check out the record-shape bags. The shop is filled with designs you won’t find anywhere else so you can stand out from the crowd.

 

 

Did you like this list? If you’re in or going to Japan this summer be sure to visit Harajuku and shop to your heart’s content at one of their many second hand stores.

 

And be sure to check out Yuna Yabe and MIOCHIN’s YouTube channels below.

I assume some of you might have no idea which shop to go to even though you want to buy some second-hand clothes. In this article, I will introduce to you some recommended second-hand clothing stores in Harajuku!

 

 

Lots of original/remake products at “Santamonica”

Harajuku – the town that has come to be the Mecca for second-hand clothing for many years. Santa Monica is a store located away from the hustle and bustle of the busy streets that opened as the very first ladies only shop. 37 years on, it’s still the newest place to be so.

The main color of the store and the big signboard is white. It’s a store where you can enjoy second-hand clothing to a whole new level, a place that sells original items, remade items, and more. This store is recommended for the beginners of second-hand clothes

 

Detailed information：http://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/28279

 

 

A second-hand clothing store which has many trendy items “FUNKTIQUE”

“FUNKTIQUE” is a second-hand clothing store located beside Tonchan Street. They sell trendy, modern items based on the street cultures of 90’s to 00’s. They collect various items from vintage sport brands, artistic small items and new items and the condition of each item is very good.

 Many models and stylists visit this store and therefore I am sure that you can become the expert in fashion.

Detailed information：http://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/42681

 

 

“flower” where many “girly” items can be found

flower’s Harajuku store reached its 17^th anniversary this year. The store has been offering selected-items that cannot be purchased at other stores and supporting girls who want to buy “girly” items. The clean and white/wood brown colored store has a comfy atmosphere which makes you want to stay for a long period of time! The space inside the store is wide and the clothes are not racked messily so you can find your favorite item easily.

The motto of the store is to sell simple/elegant and unique clothes. They also sell orthodox items such as denims and race blouses.

 

 

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ZIG is located on Chazawa Street that connects Sangenjaya and Shimokitazawa/Higashikitazawa and it takes 7 minutes on foot from Sangenjaya Station to get to the shop. The interior of the shop is made of wood. The shop has a moody atmosphere like an old folk house.

The items for men are placed at the right side of the shop and items for women are placed at the left side. Small racks are installed in the center of the shop.

ZIG was opened in 2015. Mao Taniguchi, the owner of the shop selects the men’s items and his wife Mai selects the women’s items.

She comments on her selections: “I am particular about details, the design and the sizes of the clothes. You have to be a woman to find just the right item.”

 

Items with wide sleeves and tight waists, lace items which are firmly made, and jersey tops which look good to be coordinated with girly skirts… The selection is superb! I couldn’t meet with Mai but I thought she must be a person who has a good sense while looking at the clothes.

ZIG is a made-up word but they realized after that the word is an adjective meaning “drowsy.”

“The three of us working in this shop are kinda “drowsy” so I like this word.”

 

The shop is owned by the Taniguchi couple and Matsuo.

“I think the name of our shop is very catchy. ZIG. I like this name very much!”

Nighttime is a mysterious time that makes us feel free and innocent. The shop which is open until late night has items such as sexy dresses and oversized clothes for men. Let’s visit the shop and encounter their special clothes!

Dress 16,000 yen ＋ tax, belt 73,000 yen ＋ tax

Vintage tunic 23,000 yen ＋ tax

Tops 7,500 yen ＋ tax, Jacket 12,000 yen ＋ tax

 

 Just a 10-minute walk from Omotesando station to Kotto-dori, Minami-Aoyama reaches you to a unisex clothing store, climbing the rankings with its high reputation. Light enters the room through a big window, filling it with a calm atmosphere. Clothes and accessories are lined up in the spacious room. Surprisingly, the clothes all look as beautiful as brand new.

The simple, basic style of this second hand clothing is perfect for a masculine look and will suit women too. Not just modern fashion, but fashion items that have been loved for a long time are also available here. This shop is overflowing with a calming and cool atmosphere. It cannot be denied that this well and truly is your one and only stop for adult second hand clothing.

I was greeted by manager Naoya Okamoto, who spent four years working at LOVE VEGAS in Oozu, Nagoya before moving to Tokyo . “Nagoya also has a second hand clothing culture that is booming in the city” he said. “This special culture has hit Tokyo too, however, the impact doesn’t seem so large here”. Despite not having a starting point, Okamoto begun building up from square one, knowing that there was no easy road to success.

Okamoto explained; “There are many people in the business world of Aoyama and so it is hard to make the clear distinction of your own personal style in the market and make it understood to many.” He then added; “above all else, I want to make this a place to satisfy every single person that walks into our shop – that is the most important thing”.

The colour hues and the size of the exquisite military shirt and snow camouflage parka somehow reminded me of the irresistibly cute silhouette of a Chinese model.

“Wherever you are, your clothes stand out. This is our key concept. Some of our clothes have a hint of playfulness.”

Okamoto continued in a low-key and polite tone. Out of a large number of items the ones in store were specially selected. You can feel the passionate hard work in every item of clothing. For the past four years, this is what Okamoto and his team of staff have used as the foundation of verandah aoyama style.

Upon asking about the origin of the name of the shop, Okamoto replied: “When I came to see the shop, it was a fine day. From the large window, the sunshine poured in and the word “veranda” came to mind.

 It’s raining today, but nevertheless whether it is sunny or not are two completely different things. The veranda carries the breeze and light to our lives. The scenery experienced at this shop cannot be understood by merely being inside your house. That is why the shop has been named Verandah.”

 

■Information

Verandah aoyama

Address：Serene 201, 6-3-10 Minami-aoyama, Minato, Tokyo
TEL：03-6450-6572
Business hours: 11:00〜20:00
There are no scheduled non-business days

If you’re someone that says “I love second-hand clothes,” then you might also think the following. That you’re knowledgeable when it comes to fashion. You’re serious about it. You like things that are out there and different. But really, it shouldn’t be like that. It doesn’t matter if you’re not well-informed about fashion, it doesn’t matter if you’re not sure what you want, and there’s nothing wrong with seeking out some normal looking clothes. And of course, if it’s your first time buying second-hand clothes, that’s fine too.

 

Any kind of second-hand clothing can be picked up by anyone. And that’s the kind of message “Santa Monica” embrace, the long-running second-hand clothing shop in Harajuku.

Harajuku – the town that has come to be the Mecca for second-hand clothing for many years. Santa Monica is a store located away from the hustle and bustle of the busy streets that opened as the very first ladies only shop. 37 years on, it’s still the newest place to be so.

 

The main colour of the store and the signboard is white. The concept behind this is “second-hand clothing that you can wear finely and beautifully.” About 30% of their stock contains new items, something rare among second-hand clothing shops. It’s a store where you can enjoy second-hand clothing to a whole new level, a place that sells original items, remade items, and more.

When I caught a glimpse inside the store from outside, I felt the girly motive behind the store. “So cute!”

It’s something close to me, so I picked it up on it straight away. She was wearing jodhpurs with a black, Mexican style tunic. She is a cool and wonderful person that looks like a painting of someone dressed stylishly in mature second-hand clothing.

 

“I feel that even if girls choose darker colours they are intuitively choosing a gorgeous colour, a pretty colour. If you said it in terms of food, it’s like their appetite has expanded. That’s the feeling I get.” This is what the stylish Taketa said, and what she said was very convincing. It’s something we girls possess eternally. And it’s an incentive to find happiness and be cute.

I asked Taketa, who has worked at Santa Monica for 10 years, “Have you always liked second-hand clothing?” She replied, “I got into it all around the time I realised that I liked different things than other people. But it was later that I became more knowledgeable about second-hand clothing, and I came to understand the true meaning behind how great it is. Even the designs of the new clothing we have in store came from second-hand clothes.”

 

I saw the face of second-hand clothing in Taketa’s words. Second-hand clothes are clothes of “today” from yesterday. They have that kind of value too. The “now” becomes the past, which simultaneously is the “present” today. If you take the ages of fashion to be something that comes and goes, then it may certainly be good to wear it as the originator.

 I can’t help but talk about the abundant accessory corner which gives off a notable presence. I recommend people to take a look at the line-up, especially people who have the image in their minds that all second-hand clothing stores stock expensive and vintage accessories. These ones start from just a few hundred yen and range from adult-like accessories to more pop accessories.

“We have lots of different kinds, from vintage, to things we selected and bought, to accessories which we bought different parts for and made ourselves. I’d be really happy if someone came and really liked one of them, whichever it may be. For someone to think ‘I bought this thing from this place before.’ To leave that kind of little memory with people.”

Second-hand clothing doesn’t choose people. That’s why I want people who don’t know about it to take a look for themselves. If you want to hear a bit about the story behind what you’ve chosen, then ask. It’s not just about the design; this piece of clothing you have chosen has a destiny and a long history from a faraway place you didn’t know about, and the you now is wearing it. Second-hand clothing has a sense of romance that dwells inside it which you cannot see with your eyes. And it’s up to you to continue that romantic tale.

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