Store Visit: Koreatown (Shin-Okubo) in Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town-COVER copy

You read that right. There’s a K-town in Tokyo and it’s just like visiting Korea. Everything from the food, shopping and atmosphere – it’s just like walking over the border into Korea if you’re ever sick of ramen or sushi (God forbid). Japan’s Koreatown has K-Pop idol merchandise and K-Beauty galore. My idol merchandise buying days ended with the Backstreet Boys’ Black and Blue album so I had no interest in buying any more items with young boys embossed on them but I definitely wanted to check out the Korean beauty items and see how “Hallyu” has made its way into Japan’s city streets. I stuck to buying mostly Japanese beauty items on two week stay but that didn’t mean that I wasn’t curious about K-Beauty’s appearance on Japanese shelves.

Japan’s Koreatown is about a 15 minute walk from Shinjuku’s popular Robot Restaurant. Google maps will take you through local streets (you’ll see the back of local houses) but it’s the fastest way to get there on foot! The JR Shin-Okubo train stop is where you want to get off and you will need to walk under the bridge where there are murals along the wall. Once you see the first K-Pop store, IDOL PARK, you can keep walking along Okubo Dori.

There were two stand-out stores worth visiting, Mask Diary and Skin Garden! Mask Diary had Kakao items as well as a lot of recognizable road shop brands and on-trend products. Skin Garden is a two story behemoth and stocks OH-SO-MANY items. In general the mark-up is high so I didn’t buy anything except for a Korean “Hotteok”, or hot cake filled with savory cheese filling. Buying and shipping items via eBay or other online retailers like Jolse, RoseRoseShop or Vuty Design would have been cheaper than buying Korean beauty items in Japan and schlepping it back via luggage. This makes sense because there are Korean import taxes in Japan. When in Japan, stick to buying Japanese beauty products but this was a great little escape to see Koreatown in Tokyo! Let me know down in the comments how you liked seeing Japan’s Ktown!

Japan Koreatown Shin-Okubo Capture1

Walk underneath this bridge with mural after getting out of the JR station. Photo credit: Google Maps

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

Once you see IDOL PARK, you’re in the right area! Keep walking down Okubo Dori if you can keep your ovaries in your pants!

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

My view when I emerged from the back streets walking from Shinjuku’s Robot Restaurant.

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

Korean Idol merch, K-BBQ, K-Beauty. I’m so happy.

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

Hoards of teens with palpitating hearts.

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

I was looking for circle lenses but these little shops don’t carry astigmatism versions.

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

The Saem franchise shop.

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

Inside The Saem.

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

Im pretty sure that sign says “No Pictures” lol.

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

Japan is a little old-school in that there are still stores that sell CD copies.

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

Missha Magic BB Cushions

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

A shop with miscellaneous brands.

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

Nature Republic x EXO hand cream sets.

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

Recognizable road shop brands like Etude House and Innisfree on shelves but also a bunch I dontkn

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

Esthemed? Ctom? or Gtom?

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

Popular Skinfood tubs and some knock-off “egg” products. Brand

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

April Skin’s Magic Stone Soap

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

Labiotte’s Wine Lip Tints at a reasonable price, about $12 USD

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

I spy Missha color correcting loose powder trio in the back?

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

Yessss, my favorite Peripera lip products.

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

KAKAO FRIENDS!!!!!!

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

A lot of APEACH items were sold out. Grrrrr.

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

Never heard of Suaviss.

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

Little boys!!!

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

Mask Diary and Skin Garden next door were gigantic.

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

This Skin Garden store was 2 stories of amazing! You can find Kakao items too.

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

K-Beauty playground.

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

SUM:37, History of Whoo, The Saem…

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

I believe this is the Berrisom Oops! Tint Star Eyeshadow pots.

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

K-pop idols in mirrors…

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

…and me in a mirror.

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

Hope Girl cosmetics.

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

There’s more…

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

A Nature Republic section on the upper level.

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

The Saem products.

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

Hmmm. San Da Wah brand.

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

Elizavecca and 3CE cosmetics.

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

Level 2 looking down on Level 1

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

Berrisom Placenta Hydrogel Eye Patches.

Tokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-TownTokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-TownTokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-TownTokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-TownTokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-TownTokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-TownTokyo-Japan-Shopping-Guide_Korea-Town

%d bloggers like this: