Shopping your street style in Shibuya, Tokyo
Shibuya in central Tokyo is no stranger to foreign travelers. Many would have heard of Shibuya for its scramble crossing, a popular four way crossing beside Shibuya Station, and Hachiko, the most famous loyal dog, whose statue sits outside the station as well.
As one of the places in central Tokyo to see the latest in youth fashion and subculture, Shibuya offers plenty of shopping for visitors as well. From mainstream brand stores to vintage shops to quirky boutiques, visitors can be sure to find all they need and more in Shibuya. In this article, I spent a day at various stores in Shibuya shopping an eclectic range of sports apparel to lifestyle, home and interior furnishings to game merchandise. There's something for everyone in Shibuya.
Little know by many, the street formerly known as Shibuya Center-gai, which runs through the middle of central Shibuya, was renamed "Basketball Street" in 2011. One of the reasons for the name change was a nod to its proximity to the Yoyogi National Gymnasium, which was constructed to host the Aquatic and Basketball events in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, and now still hosts basketball games.
It is apt, then, that the Jordan World of Flight Shibuya store is located less than ten minutes on foot from Yoyogi National Gymnasium. Open since March 2023, Jordan World of Flight Shibuya is the second of its kind in the world and the only one in all of Japan. The store, dedicated to Basketball Culture, celebrates the legacy and future of basketball culture, and acts as a hub where communities can connect and hang out. Jordan, of course, refers Michael Jordan, the iconic basketball legend who changed the game forever.
Fun fact: the Jordan World of Flight Shibuya store is Japan's first Jordan store and also the first Jordan World of Flight destination in the world that contains the full range of services and experiences like having the latest in product releases, customization of footwear and apparel, exclusive SNKRS pick up experience, a dedicated studio for making content and more.
The Jordan store experience starts at the entrance, where one walks through the so-called Portal, a mirrored corridor with images projected on the walls, which leads to the main display showcasing the latest in apparel and footwear. Eye-catching artwork depicting Jordan-related motifs and basketball athletes adorn the walls of the store. I learned later that the Jordan World of Flight Shibuya also functions as a destination for the Jordan fans and basketball community - bringing people together and creating an experience accessible to everyone regardless of athletic performance, gender and lifestyle.
Exclusive to the Jordan World of Flight Shibuya is the "Lounge", where visitors are free to relax, view posters and Jordan memorabilia, the "Content Studio", a studio where visitors are free to create a movie or take pictures against a green screen and download the resulting data to their smartphones, and the "SNKRS Pick Up", a pick up counter for shoes ordered via the SNKRS app. Many of the shoes on the SNKRS app are hot items and/or limited edition items, so be sure to check often to cop the latest drops and not miss out on the SNKRS pick up experience.
Available at the Jordan World of Flight Shibuya, is the "Workshop", where one can customize (selected) footwear and apparel purchased at the store with items like patches and shoelaces; some designs are limited to the store. After browsing through the apparel and footwear, I decided to go for a customized hoodie. The professional Workshop staff walked me through the process of creating my one-of-a-kind hoodie and gave me advice for placement and how the item would turn out. It should also be noted that most of the staff at the store are at least bilingual, an impressive achievement on the brand's part to ensure smooth communication with its customers.
I had such a great time at the Jordan World of Flight Shibuya that parting was a little sad. However, I have been diligent in browsing the SNKRS app, which updates me on the upcoming shoe drops and shoes in stock, so perhaps I will go back sooner than expected :P
From the Jordan store, I left for Miyashita Park, which is made up of the Shibuyakuritsu Miyashita Park, the rooftop park that used to occupy the land on street level, the Rayard Miyashita Park, a 3-story shopping mall, and sequence Miyashita Park, a lifestyle hotel. The 330-meter long shopping mall contains a mix of high fashion and street fashion brands, and also has a diverse restaurant selection.
While it was nice to walk through the mall and window shop, the biggest draw for me, though, was the rooftop Miyashita Park, which contains ample lawn space, a skateboard park, a bouldering wall and a multi-purpose sand court. The park was a comfortable place to spend some time in the sun and enjoy a touch of greenery in the otherwise built up district, and I also had a nice view of the train tracks below.
After a break at Miyashita Park, I continued on my walk to Shibuya Parco, the second Parco shopping complex in Japan, which opened in 1973. The building was, however, rebuilt in 2019 and now sports a sleek and modern facade. Shibuya Parco bills itself as a next generation retail hub, where one can find products that express one's personality and individuality. As a result, visitors will be able to find brands relating to art and design, as well as specialty shops carrying niche products.
Of interest to many travelers, perhaps, would be the Nintendo and Pokemon stores in Shibuya Parco, which were considerably more crowded compared to other shops when I was there.
To round my day up, I visited Shibuya Loft, the first and original Loft shop in Japan, and the biggest of all the branches. This 7-story department store carries a multitude of lifestyle products useful for the home, office and travel or as quirky souvenirs from Japan. I started from the top checking out the temporary exhibitions, outdoor and travel goods, then made my way down to the household items, cosmetics and beauty floors, and finally the stationery and gift floors.
I personally got caught up in the household item floors, where I saw one too many kitchen and household items that I thought would be cute as souvenirs or presents to friends. Just when I thought I was in the clear and ready to part with the department store, I ended in the stationery floor - my Achilles' heel - and had to see what was new and kawaii in the stationery section.
Despite not being a big shopper, I enjoyed my day out in Shibuya shopping and browsing at the different spots, which offered distinct experiences and cultural insights. The Jordan World of Flight Shibuya store, took me back to the heyday of NBA legend Michael Jordan, while Miyashita Park showed that it was possible to maintain greenery in urban redevelopment, then Shibuya Parco opened my eyes to niche brands, anime and game culture, and finally, Shibuya Loft showed me that despite being in the digital age, traditional stationery and household items will never lose their place in society.
Access
The Jordan World of Flight Shibuya store is less than ten minutes on foot from Shibuya Station, and its detailed location can be seen via this map link.
Approximate walking times between the locations
- Jordan World of Flight Shibuya to Miyashita Park: about 5 minutes
- Miyashita Park to Shibuya Parco: about 5 minutes
- Shibuya Parco to Shibuya Loft: about 3 minutes