Read my Japan Shopping Guide to the best shops in the city here — currently being updated this entire month with new spots.
5 stores in Japan that changed my perception of the in-person shopping experience.
Beautiful clothes that make me feel something usually tend to come at a serious price. Often, these clothes are made in Japan because their fabric development is just on another level, and that means that by the time they land here in North America they are given prices that feel exorbitant to the average consumer — at least to me because buying anything premium clothing in CAD is simply a joke.
Traveling directly to the source where these brands are based is the best way to experience these clothes at a much more cheaper price point. You could argue that traveling there ends up costing you the same as it would if you just bought the clothes here at home, but at least you get the experience of travel.
I like to think of this as a 2-for-1 deal. Call it menswear math.
One of my missions this trip was to visit YOKE, a brand I originally put on my list of brands to watch earlier this year.
During my visit last year I tried to visit their flagship in Aoyama, but to my surprise the store was closed with no clear explanation. I had to walk away feeling disappointed because I was looking forward to experience YOKE’s vision all under one roof but I couldn’t.
So, I had no choice but to come back a year later.
Tucked away on a sidestreet is a building that has several businesses like a beef restaurant, a golf simulator, and YOKE, which is located on the second floor with little to no signage.
Before walking in through the door a window shows you no real signs of a potential clothing shop, instead you see a white wall that seems to lead to nowhere. Upon entering you’ll be greeted with an exquisite aroma that’s paired with smooth jazz music that’s playing faintly across the room that lets you know you’re stepping foot in a place that is going to require your wallet to get hurt.
Walk through the hallway to turn a corner and you’ll hit the open brutalist architecture of YOKE’s interior that’s filled with rare designer furniture and clothing sections that almost make it feel like a maze.
The store itself has a very calming atmosphere. A single employee on the floor during my experience that left me alone to explore the brand in full, ready to help you when you need it.
I personally don’t love when retailer workers bombard you as soon as you walk in, so having that space was nice, which allowed me to take my time and enjoy the shopping that much more.
Finding a wide selection of YOKE in person in North America, let alone in Canada, is basically not happening unless you go to Ven. Space, Assembly, or HAVEN. And if I’m about to spend proper money on clothes of this caliber, I better be able to see and try it on in person.
Overwhelmed by the selection, I started asking for the largest sizes available for the items that jumped out at me first. No luck. Screw it I said, I’ll try the Size 2 and 3 and see what happens.
Fashion is pain and sometimes I’m willing to make the sacrifice on the fit if the item is that good. In this case though, it wasn’t really working for me, so I kept going back looking for anything that would be in my size because I really wanted to walk away with something.
My eyes were set on the Calf Leather Sports Jacket in black but they didn’t have my size. It was just slightly too small in a way that didn’t make sense to spend all that money on something that didn’t really fit me the way I wanted to.
This jacket is insane though. The cow leather is so soft it stands in a league of its own when it comes to the rest of my outerwear in my closet. I wanted something elite, something that looks and feels premium, something that captured what YOKE was about, and I felt like investing in high quality leather was going to scratch that itch for me.
After numerous failed attempts trying on stuff that didn’t end up fitting me, the employee that was helping me ran out to tell me that he found the brown version of this jacket in my size in the back. Finally, something that’s going to fit me! After throwing it on and seeing how it looked, I knew I was going to be taking it home with me.
It wasn’t the black, but the brown is so subtle that in some lighting in basically looks black. That was good enough for me.
I also picked up a pair of black jeans that I can’t seem to find online, but I’ll save that for a new edition of recent pick-ups in the coming weeks.
If you’re traveling to Japan in the near future, I highly recommend stopping by YOKE to experience a truly unique shopping experience. The store is conveniently located near Batoner, and A.Presse which are obvious targets you should hit right after.
Check out the YOKE selection online here.
