Times Of TIU

Writer: Jonathan S.
Editor: Samantha P.

As a student who is most likely to be living alone, it can be tough to budget your allowance for buying extra goods like clothing and furniture. However, if you are new to Japan, you may be surprised to find the quality of second-hand goods there, and thrifting can be an excellent way to save up money while living alone. Many thrift stores here put a lot of effort into maintaining their goods, making the market have better quality second-hand goods than most other countries. Today, Campus Globalization (CG) is happy to present a list of stores where you can thrift in Japan, especially near TIU campuses, including their pros and cons. Aside from saving you a lot of money, these stores could be lifesavers for students who are in the process of moving and need appliances.

Around Japan, you’ll often find stores that end with the word “Off,” such as Book-off, Hard-off, etc. These shops are all owned by the same group but vary in the types of goods that they offer. Firstly, there is Hard-Off, a thrifting chain that offers various goods, from cheap clothes to appliances. Out of all the “Off-stores,” this is probably the most versatile and helpful. In addition to the chain being accessible all over Japan, there is also a website where you can order goods to be delivered to a nearby Hard-Off or even your place of residence (although this may come with a shipping fee). One highlight of the website is that it also comes with an “item-ranking” system, assigning a rank from S to D, depending on how damaged an item may be.

In addition to living essentials like appliances, when living alone, there is also a need to have a comfortable and cozy living space that you can come back to. For this, I’d like to introduce Hobby-Off and Off-House. Hobby-Off provides a huge selection of second-hand products, from outdoor toys to instruments. This could serve as a great and cheap stress reliever for students, as it allows the exploration of new activities. On the other hand, Off-House is a store mainly concerned with furniture and house planning. Their stores are usually bigger, and they even offer delivery services if your living area is further away.

My personal favorite Off-store in Japan would have to be Book-Off, a chain that primarily focuses on books (and sometimes other collectibles). The Book-Off series offers a large selection, from textbooks to manga to contemporary novels. Of course, these books are all sold in Japanese, however, it is a haven for those who wish to learn Japanese through immersion, since there are countless types of books ranging in difficulty. Additionally, Book-Off tends to keep their reading materials in good condition, essentially brand new in some cases. Similar to Hard-Off, Book-Off has a website that allows you to order goods to be delivered to a nearby store or your place of residence. 

Lastly, there is the more popular form of thrifting, which is garment thrifting. Within Japan, thrifting for clothes has become a large part of youth culture, to the point where some destinations, such as Shimokitazawa, are known solely for their thrift stores. When it comes to clothing, three main thrifting chains can help you save money and look good doing it. Firstly, there is 2nd Street, which offers a lot of options in addition to having cheap Western-style clothes compared to other stores. Then there is Bazzstore, which offers the cheapest clothing, with hoodies going as low as 500 yen. Finally, there is Treasure Factory or called TreFac, a store that is on the higher end in terms of price but is most aesthetically pleasing and flexible.

Thrifting in Japan can get you a lot of good-quality items and save you a lot of money. With some of the thrifting chains this article has talked about, hopefully you can get a bargain for all your living necessities and more. One key point to keep in mind is that the prices of goods may vary depending on store locations, so buying goods in rural areas may help you save more money. However, keep in mind that extra services like delivery fees may rack up the price, so use your judgment wisely!