Girls' Day Out
20 Sep 2006
Today my friends Val and Satsuki invited me out for a day of shopping and fun in Yokohama. This turned out to be a very valuable experience because Satsuki grew up in Yokohama and knows all of the good details about shopping there. There are many big malls in Yokohama with every possible fashion trend from around the world. You can buy gothic clothing or look like a cute little porcelain doll. Be French or look like a surf bum. The possibilities in Japanese shopping malls are limited only by your imagination. However, shopping in these malls is not as simple as shopping in the United States. First of all, depending on where you are in the giant labyrinth, prices can be in the $200-$300 range for a dress or outfit or can be in the $10 for a shirt or skirt. Take your time and look for places with sales. Also, it's very easy to get lost in these shopping malls because they are a series of zig-zags with escalators somewhere near the middle of the floor. The most important thing is that Japanese sizes are very different. Please have a look at the Shoe Sizing chart below for example.
| American | 5 | 5.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | 21 | 21.5 | 22 | 22.5 | 23 | 23.5 | 24 | 24.5 | 25 | 25.5 | 26 | 27 | 27.5 | 28 |
Also, clothing sizes are slightly different from conversion. Because of the natural small sizes of the Japanese, you should consider all clothing to be marked as one size larger than it actually is. For example, if you are a size Medium in the US, you should buy a Large in Japan. However, most Japanese clothing does not have sufficient material in certain areas which are curvy to Americans and Europeans, such as the breast and the butt. I have a very difficult time finding clothing in Japan, especially while pregnant. My suggestion would be to try World Porters at the Yokohama waterfront. There are a lot of stores with European and American sizing. However, do not expect low prices at big malls such as these. Just like Europe, the best prices on clothing can usually be found at Bazaars in Japan, if you're lucky enough to find one. Otherwise, due to the high fashion consciousness in Japan, expect to pay for your new look.
Just like in the States, Japanese malls are filled with many kinds of food, but they are scattered throughout instead of in a giant Food Court. You'll almost always find a Starbucks (a familiar mall site), and usually some French pastry places, a tea cafe, and a variety of sit-down restaurants. There is some fast-food, but each is an individual restaurant with its own seating. Don't worry, seating and restrooms are free in Japanese malls and the restrooms tend to have western-style toilets in the big, modern malls. Japanese malls are an all-day experience, so take your time, have fun, and try to enjoy the local styles and culture.