Shopping Guide
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By onemall 
TL;DR
Japan has no LVMH. Its luxury — premium, high-end, designer, whatever the search word — is spread across designer houses (Comme des Garçons, Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto, then Sacai, Undercover, Junya Watanabe, Visvim, Kapital and the quiet-luxury labels Auralee and Hyke), craft companies that supply the Imperial Household (Mikimoto pearls, Fukagawa Seiji porcelain, Yamada Heiando lacquer, Maehara umbrellas), engineering houses (Grand Seiko and Credor watches, Masunaga and 999.9 eyewear, Honma and Miura golf, Maruni furniture) and leather and pen makers that barely export (Tsuchiya Kaban, Ganzo, Cypris, Somes Saddle; Nakaya, Namiki, Sailor, Platinum). Lexus, Acura and Infiniti are Japanese luxury too, and the cruise trains, but they do not fit in a proxy box.
- Cheapest way in: a Comme des Garçons Wallet coin case ¥9,980 new (¥4,990 used), a Pleats Please tote ¥8,800, a Bao Bao Lucent tote ¥10,000, a Y’s jacket ¥10,000, a Platinum #3776 ¥10,000, a Cypris bifold ¥20,900, a Masunaga frame ¥8,980 — all on sale in Japan today.
- The pieces people import: Grand Seiko Spring Drive from ¥320,000, a Ganzo Thin Bridle long wallet ¥46,200, a Mikimoto baby-pearl necklace ¥53,000, a Sailor King Profit ¥84,800, a Maruni Hiroshima chair ¥67,100 new.
- Why buy in Japan: Japanese brands are a third to a half cheaper at home than at export retail, most of the craft houses are not exported at all, and the second-hand market (Komehyo, Daikokuya, Brand Off, Ragtag on Rakuten; private sellers on Mercari) is graded, authenticated and deep.
- Sibling guides: watches, jewelry, makeup, skincare, knives, denim, streetwear and handbags each get their own page; this one is the map.
What “luxury” means in Japan
Luxury brands that originated in Japan — Japan-based houses, not the European labels popular in Japan — are what this page lists. Japanese luxury did not grow out of court dressmakers and trunk makers the way French luxury did; it grew out of three things. The first is the Paris generation of 1981–82, when Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto showed black, torn, asymmetrical clothes and Issey Miyake was already there, and Japanese fashion became a category. The second is the department store and its kunaicho goyotashi (Imperial Household purveyor) craft houses — Mikimoto, Fukagawa Seiji, Yamada Heiando, Chiso — which is where a Japanese customer buys luxury as gifts. The third is engineering pride: Grand Seiko was created in 1960 to beat the Swiss, Sabae makes titanium frames for half the world’s designer labels, and Honma and Miura forge golf clubs for tour players. Streetwear from Ura-Harajuku (Bape, Undercover, Neighborhood) became the fourth stream in the 2010s once its prices reached luxury levels. The tables follow that order.
Japanese luxury fashion houses and designers
| House | Founder, city, since | Lines to search | Note and live prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comme des Garçons (コムデギャルソン) | Rei Kawakubo, Tokyo, 1969 (company 1973; Paris from 1981) | Comme des Garçons, Homme, Homme Plus, Shirt, PLAY (the heart), Wallet, Parfums, Junya Watanabe and Noir Kei Ninomiya under the same roof; Dover Street Market | The most influential Japanese fashion house[1] and the cheapest to enter: an SA3100 leather coin case is ¥9,980 new on Rakuten today, ¥4,990 used on Mercari, the black classic-leather version ¥13,000. |
| Issey Miyake (イッセイミヤケ) | Issey Miyake, Tokyo, 1970 (Miyake Design Studio) | Issey Miyake, Pleats Please (1993), Homme Plissé, Bao Bao (the triangle bags), Issey Miyake Men, me, A-POC, the L’Eau d’Issey fragrances | Pleats Please and Bao Bao[2] are the two Japanese luxury lines with the deepest second-hand market: a Pleats Please tote is ¥8,800 on Mercari today, a mesh sheer top ¥9,925 used on Rakuten, a Bao Bao Lucent tote ¥10,000, a Bao Bao card case ¥20,800 new on Amazon Japan; Issey Miyake Men wide trousers ¥14,800, a tailored jacket ¥14,860. |
| Yohji Yamamoto (ヨウジヤマモト) | Yohji Yamamoto, Tokyo, 1972 (Y’s; Paris from 1981) | Yohji Yamamoto Pour Homme and Femme, Y’s, Y’s for men, Ground Y, S’YTE, Regulation, Y-3 with adidas (2002), Yohji Yamamoto +Noir | The black, draped, oversized third of the “big three”.[3] Y’s is the affordable line: a Y’s tailored jacket is ¥10,000 on Mercari today, a 2006 mainline wool jacket ¥11,880 used on Rakuten, a +Noir tassel card case ¥8,875. |
| Junya Watanabe, Kenzo, Hanae Mori | Junya Watanabe (own label under CDG, 1992); Kenzo Takada (Paris, 1970, now LVMH); Hanae Mori (Tokyo 1951, Paris couture 1977–2004) | Watanabe’s patchwork and technical tailoring; Kenzo is a French house with a Japanese founder; Hanae Mori was the first Japanese couturier | The rest of the Paris generation. Kenzo is not a Japanese brand in the sense of this page, but every “Japanese luxury brands” list includes it. |
| Sacai (サカイ) | Chitose Abe, Tokyo, 1999 | Hybrid “docking” garments, the Nike and Carhartt WIP collaborations, Sacai Luck (the older diffusion line) | The Japanese house with the most collaborations in the 2020s. A Sacai denim jacket is ¥25,000 on Mercari today, a lace-docking hooded jacket ¥20,889 used on Rakuten. |
| Undercover (アンダーカバー) | Jun Takahashi, Tokyo, 1990 | Undercover, Undercoverism, the Nike GYAKUSOU running line, the GU and Uniqlo collaborations | Punk-to-Paris; the GU collaborations are why the Mercari search is full of ¥2,000 coach jackets. Mainline: a Noise Maker coach jacket ¥13,200 and a 2025 tailored jacket ¥37,180 used on Rakuten today. |
| Visvim (ビズビム) | Hiroki Nakamura, Tokyo, 2000 | FBT moccasin sneakers, Virgil boots, kimono-dyed and Native American-inspired outerwear, ICT and the Contrary Dept lines | Japan’s most expensive casual brand at retail and the best Japanese brand for down jackets and raw-denim-adjacent outerwear; the FBT is the entry point, ¥12,900 used on Mercari today. |
| Kapital (キャピタル) | Toshikiyo Hirata, Kojima (Okayama), 1984 | Century denim, patchwork and boro, the Kountry line, the smiley and bone motifs | The Kojima denim house that became a luxury label abroad; see the Japanese denim brands guide. Kapital denim from ¥5,000 on Mercari today, a 14 oz OKABILLY tapered pair ¥9,570 used on Rakuten. |
| Auralee, Comoli, Graphpaper, Hyke (the quiet-luxury labels) | Ryota Iwai (Auralee, 2015); Keijiro Komori (Comoli, 2011); Hyke (Hideaki Yoshihara and Yukiko Ode, 2013) | Plain, perfect-fabric knitwear, shirting and coats; Auralee’s Uniqlo U and Hyke’s Uniqlo and The North Face collaborations | The Japanese answer to “quiet luxury” searches. An Auralee rib-knit crew is ¥8,000 on Mercari today, a French merino aran turtleneck ¥16,500 used on Rakuten; a Hyke lined trench ¥2,940. |
| Mame Kurogouchi, Toga, Kolor, N.Hoolywood, Anrealage | Maiko Kurogouchi (2010); Yasuko Furuta (Toga, 1997); Junichi Abe (Kolor, 2004); Daisuke Obana (N.Hoolywood, 2000); Kunihiko Morinaga (Anrealage, 2003) | Mame’s embroidery and the Uniqlo underwear line; Toga’s western hardware; Kolor’s colour-blocked tailoring; N.Hoolywood’s workwear tailoring; Anrealage’s photochromic and patchwork experiments | The current Tokyo and Paris runway generation. A Mame Kurogouchi classic cotton dress is ¥10,758 used on Rakuten today, her curved-line slip-ons ¥16,088; a Kolor tailored jacket ¥8,360; a Toga Virilis shoulder bag ¥12,760; an N.Hoolywood cotton suit ¥3,850; an Anrealage hemp-wool shirt coat ¥1,995. |
| Luxury streetwear: A Bathing Ape, Neighborhood, WTAPS, Human Made | Nigo (Bape 1993, Human Made 2010); Shinsuke Takizawa (Neighborhood, 1994); Tetsu Nishiyama (WTAPS, 1996) | Shark hoodies and Bapestas, Neighborhood’s motorcycle workwear, WTAPS military, Human Made’s heart logo | Ura-Harajuku became luxury pricing in the 2010s; the full list is in the Japanese streetwear brands guide. A Bape shark full-zip is ¥23,000 on Mercari today (¥12,800 used on Rakuten), a Neighborhood N-1 deck jacket ¥13,860, a WTAPS Parasmock jacket ¥13,000, a Human Made heart-logo hoodie ¥18,000. |
Six pieces on sale in Japan today
The entry points to six of the houses, read from the shop page this morning.
Japanese luxury leather, bag and wallet brands
| Brand | Where / since | What to search | Live prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tsuchiya Kaban (土屋鞄製造所) | Tokyo, 1965 | Started as a randoseru (school satchel) maker[6]; now the leather goods house of Japanese department stores: Urbano, Clarte, Natura, Tone Oil Nume lines | A Clarte petite purse is ¥14,080 new on Rakuten today, an Urbano jacket purse ¥18,174 used, a Natura nume-leather L-zip wallet ¥4,300 on Mercari. |
| Ganzo (ガンゾ) | Tokyo (Ajioka, founded 1917) | Thin Bridle (English bridle leather), Cordovan (Shell Cordovan and Cordovan R.C.), GH5, Minerva Box, GUD2 | Japan’s reference men’s wallet: the Thin Bridle long wallet ¥46,200 new on Rakuten today, the Thin Bridle box coin purse ¥24,200, the Cordovan R.C. vertical billfold ¥47,300. |
| Cypris (キプリス) | Tokyo (Mollis, 1995) | Shirasagi leather, Shell Cordovan, Cirasagi kip; the “wallet of the year” winners | The wallet Japanese magazines rank first for value: a Shirasagi bifold with box coin purse ¥20,900 today, the award-winning flap long wallet ¥24,200. |
| Somes Saddle (ソメスサドル) | Utashinai, Hokkaido, 1964 | Japan’s only saddle maker; bridle-leather bags, belts, Jotter memo pads, the stirrup charm | A Somes 35 mm belt is ¥13,200 new today, a leather shoulder bag ¥7,260 used on Rakuten. |
| Porter / Yoshida & Co. (吉田カバン) | Tokyo, 1935 (Porter 1962, Tanker 1983) | Tanker (the MA-1 nylon), Smoky, Flash, Heat, Porter Classic (Katsuyuki Yoshida’s separate label, 2007), the Kura Chika shops | Not leather but the bag every Japanese man owns, and the answer to “Japanese luxury backpack brands” (backpacks for adults, not school): the Tanker rucksack ¥17,600 new on Rakuten today, a Tanker body bag ¥5,980 on Mercari. |
| Master-piece, Herz, Yuhaku, Kichizo | Osaka (Master-piece, 1994); Tokyo (Herz, 1973); Yokohama (Yuhaku) | Master-piece’s made-in-Osaka nylon and leather; Herz’s thick hand-stitched cowhide; Yuhaku’s hand-dyed gradient leather | The second tier of “japanese luxury bag brands” searches; all sold through Rakuten and department stores. For women’s bags see the Japanese handbag brands guide. |
Japanese luxury watch and jewelry brands
| Brand | Where / since | What to search | Live prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Seiko (グランドセイコー) | Seiko, 1960; Shizukuishi (mechanical) and Shinshu (Spring Drive and quartz) studios | Spring Drive SBGA (the Snowflake SBGA211), Hi-Beat SBGH, 9F quartz SBGX, the Evolution 9 and White Birch; see the Japanese watch brands guide | The Japanese luxury watch.[4] An SBGA101 Spring Drive is ¥320,000 on Mercari today, an SBGA349 ¥349,800 and an SBGA241 ¥450,000 used on Rakuten. |
| Credor (クレドール) | Seiko, 1974 | Eichi II, Fugaku, the Micro Artist Studio pieces; vintage Credor quartz dress watches | Seiko’s above-Grand-Seiko line; the vintage quartz pieces are the bargain of Japanese luxury: an 8J86 ¥37,810 and an octagon ¥43,890 used on Rakuten today. |
| Mikimoto (ミキモト) | Kokichi Mikimoto, 1893 (first cultured pearl); Ginza | Akoya strands, baby-pearl and single-pearl necklaces, the M collection; see the Japanese jewelry brands guide | A Mikimoto[5] baby-pearl necklace is ¥53,000 on Rakuten today, a 6.0–6.4 mm strand ¥79,800, a silver pearl pendant ¥7,480 on Mercari. |
| Tasaki (タサキ) | Kobe, 1954 | Balance (the pearls-on-a-bar line), Danger, Refined Rebellion; South Sea and Akoya | The modern Japanese pearl house: a Balance ring in K18 with diamonds ¥198,450 today, Balance Class earrings ¥239,980 on Rakuten. |
| Niwaka, Star Jewelry, 4°C, Ginza Tanaka, Kurono Tokyo, Minase, Naoya Hida | Kyoto (Niwaka); Yokohama (Star Jewelry, 1946); Akita (Minase); Tokyo (Kurono, Hida) | Niwaka’s Kyoto bridal rings; Star Jewelry and 4°C for gifts; Ginza Tanaka for gold; the independent watchmakers Kurono Tokyo (Hajime Asaoka), Minase and Naoya Hida | The rest of the “japanese luxury jewelry (jewellery) / watch” searches; the independents sell out at release and resell above retail. Below Grand Seiko, the best Japanese automatic watch brands under $1,000 are Seiko Presage and Prospex, Orient Star and Citizen; the ultra-luxury end is Credor’s Eichi II; Casio’s MR-G (the MRG-B5000 titanium) is the luxury G-Shock. |
Japanese luxury pen brands
| Brand | Where / since | What to search | Live prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nakaya (中屋万年筆) | Tokyo, 1999 (retired Platinum craftsmen) | Urushi-lacquered Portable, Piccolo, Neo-Standard, Decapod; hand-adjusted 14K nibs; three-month to one-year waiting list | The Japanese luxury pen people search by name; almost nothing on the second-hand market, which is why the listing search returns magazines about them. Order direct or through a Tokyo pen shop. |
| Pilot / Namiki (パイロット) | Tokyo, 1918 (Namiki maki-e from the 1920s; Dunhill-Namiki 1930) | Namiki Emperor, Yukari and Nippon Art maki-e pens by the Kokkokai artists; Custom 823, 845 and Urushi; the Iroshizuku inks | A Kokkokai maki-e crane pen with 18K nib is ¥21,880 used on Mercari today; new Namiki pieces are hundreds of thousands of yen. |
| Sailor (セーラー万年筆) | Kure, Hiroshima, 1911 | King of Pen (KOP) and King Profit, Pro Gear, 1911, the 21K nibs, Naginata-togi specialty nibs, Manyo and Shikiori inks | A King Profit ST[8], medium, near-unused, is ¥84,800 on Mercari today; a Profit gold-trim ¥66,000 new on Rakuten. |
| Platinum (プラチナ萬年筆) | Tokyo, 1919 | #3776 Century (1978; the Mt Fuji height), Izumo (urushi and briar), President, the Preppy at the other end | The #3776 Century[9] is the standard Japanese 14K pen: ¥10,000 used on Mercari today with the soft-fine nib. |
| Ohashido, Eboya, and the stationery houses | Sendai (Ohashido, 1912); Tokyo (Eboya ebonite) | Hand-turned ebonite pens; for notebooks and paper (Midori MD, Tomoe River, Life, Kokuyo) see the Japanese stationery brands guide | Small-batch makers sold through Itoya and Maruzen; expect a wait. |
Japanese luxury eyewear brands: Sabae and Tokyo
Sabae in Fukui prefecture makes most of the eyeglasses frames produced in Japan and pioneered titanium frames; the luxury labels below are either Sabae factories with their own brands or Tokyo designers who have Sabae make them.
| Brand | Where / since | What to search | Live prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masunaga Optical (増永眼鏡) | Fukui, 1905 | Masunaga since 1905, GMS, the Kazuo Kawasaki line, Masunaga × Kenzo Takada | The founder of the Sabae eyewear industry.[7] A used Masunaga 051 Wellington is ¥8,980 on Rakuten today, a 1960s deadstock Koki teardrop ¥9,350. |
| Kaneko Optical (金子眼鏡) | Sabae, 1958 | Kaneko Optical, Spivvy, Rem, the celluloid and titanium lines; own shops in every Japanese city | The luxury-retail face of Sabae: used Kaneko frames from ¥11,000 today, a Spivvy SP-1097 ¥13,200. |
| 999.9 Four Nines (フォーナインズ) | Tokyo, 1995 | The S-series titanium with the flex hinge, the NP plastic series; sold in its own shops | The Japanese “engineer’s” frame: an S-916T ¥13,200 and an S-122T ¥18,600 used on Rakuten today. |
| Matsuda, Eyevan 7285, Ayame, Yuichi Toyama, Yellows Plus, Boston Club | Tokyo (Matsuda, 1967; Eyevan, 1972; Ayame; Yuichi Toyama); Sabae (Yellows Plus, Boston Club) | Matsuda’s engraved titanium and the Terminator 2 sunglasses; Eyevan 7285’s reissued 1970s designs; Ayame’s acetate; Yuichi Toyama’s wire frames | The designer tier: a vintage Matsuda M2004 ¥25,000 new-old-stock on Rakuten today, an early Ayame 901 ¥15,800 used. Jins and Zoff are the ¥5,000 chains at the other end of Sabae. |
Japanese luxury craft, food, golf, furniture, cars and beauty
| Category and brands | Where / since | What to search | Live prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Porcelain: Fukagawa Seiji, Koransha, Noritake, Okura | Arita (Fukagawa Seiji 1894, Koransha 1879); Nagoya (Noritake 1904); Tokyo (Okura Art China 1919) | Imperial Household purveyor Arita porcelain; Noritake’s bone china; Okura’s white; see the Japanese ceramics guide | A Fukagawa Seiji five-plate set is ¥3,322 used on Rakuten today, a Koransha vase ¥4,203, a Noritake Orchard Garden cup and saucer ¥3,300. |
| Lacquer and iron: Yamada Heiando, Wajima-nuri, Iwachu | Tokyo (Yamada Heiando, 1919, Imperial Household purveyor); Wajima (Ishikawa); Morioka (Iwachu, 1902) | Heiando’s lacquer boxes and chopsticks; Wajima soup bowls; Iwachu’s Nambu cast-iron kettles | A pair of Yamada Heiando lacquered couple’s chopsticks ¥5,500 today, an Iwachu Nambu iron pan ¥2,993. |
| Glass: Edo Kiriko (Tajima Glass, Kagami Crystal) | Tokyo (Tajima Glass); Ryugasaki (Kagami Crystal, 1934) | Cut-crystal old-fashioned glasses in ruri blue and red; Kagami’s Imperial Household glassware | A Tajima Glass Edo Kiriko old-fashioned in ruri is ¥9,900 new on Rakuten today. |
| Kimono, textiles and knives: Chiso, Kawashima Selkon, the Sakai and Seki knife houses | Kyoto (Chiso, 1555; Kawashima, 1843) | Yuzen kimono from the oldest luxury house in Japan; for knives (Masamoto, Aritsugu, Shigefusa, Takamura, Yoshihiro) see the Japanese knife brands guide; for silk the silk guide | Chiso kimono are commissioned; second-hand kimono are a Yahoo! Auctions category of their own. |
| Umbrellas: Maehara Koei Shoten, Komiya Shoten | Tokyo (Maehara, 1948; Komiya, 1930) | Sixteen-rib and ten-rib silk and polyester umbrellas with bamboo and lacquer handles; Maehara supplies the Imperial Household | A Maehara ladies’ rain-or-shine folding umbrella is ¥14,300 new on Rakuten today, a used Maehara folding umbrella ¥6,500 on Mercari. |
| Golf: Honma, Miura, Epon, Mizuno, XXIO, PRGR, Bridgestone, Yamaha | Sakata (Honma, 1959); Himeji (Miura Giken); Tsubame-Sanjo (Epon / Endo); Hiroshima (Mizuno forged) | Honma Beres five-star, Miura forged irons, Epon AF, Mizuno Pro and MP, XXIO drivers (Dunlop) | A Honma Tour World TW757 driver is ¥14,800 new on Rakuten today, a Miura MB-5003 six-iron set ¥67,100 used. |
| Furniture: Karimoku, Maruni, Tendo Mokko, Conde House, Hida Sangyo | Aichi (Karimoku, 1940); Hiroshima (Maruni, 1928); Yamagata (Tendo Mokko, 1940); Asahikawa (Conde House, 1968); Takayama (Hida, 1920) | Maruni’s Hiroshima chair (Naoto Fukasawa), Tendo’s Butterfly Stool (Sori Yanagi, 1956), Karimoku 60 and Karimoku New Standard | A Maruni Hiroshima dining chair is ¥67,100 new on Rakuten today, ¥38,000 as a used showroom piece and ¥30,000 on Mercari; a Karimoku Colonial dining chair ¥35,200. |
| Luggage: Proteca (Ace), Zero Halliburton Japan | Tokyo (Ace, 1940) | Proteca is Ace’s made-in-Hokkaido line; Ace also owns Zero Halliburton | A Proteca carry-on is ¥37,125 new on Rakuten today. |
| Luxury food: Sembikiya, Takano, Royce’, Mary’s, Morozoff, Goncharoff, Minimal | Tokyo (Sembikiya, 1834; Takano, 1885; Mary’s, 1950; Minimal, 2014); Sapporo (Royce’, 1983); Kobe (Morozoff, 1931; Goncharoff, 1923) | The ¥20,000 muskmelon and Ruby Roman grapes; Royce’ nama chocolate; Kobe’s chocolate houses; bean-to-bar Minimal | Fresh fruit and chilled chocolate do not travel by proxy; the boxes and gift tins do. Shelf-stable Japanese sweets are in the Japanese tea brands guide. |
| Beauty and body: Clé de Peau Beauté, Decorté, SK-II, Pola B.A, Suqqu, Sensai, Shu Uemura, Hakuhodo, Wacoal | Shiseido (Clé de Peau, 1982); Kosé (Decorté, 1970); P&G (SK-II, from Max Factor Japan 1980); Pola (B.A, 1985); Kumano (Hakuhodo, 1974); Kyoto (Wacoal, 1949) | The department-store skincare and cosmetic counters (the high-end Japanese cosmetics brands); Hakuhodo brushes; Wacoal’s Salute line. Details in the Japanese makeup brands guide and the skincare brands guide | Decorté AQ hair care is ¥4,400 on Amazon Japan today; most SK-II and Clé de Peau listings on Mercari are part-used and worth skipping. |
| Cars and trains: Lexus, Acura, Infiniti, Toyota Century, Seven Stars, Shiki-shima, Mizukaze | Toyota (Lexus, 1989; Century, 1967); Honda (Acura, 1986); Nissan (Infiniti, 1989); JR Kyushu (Seven Stars, 2013); JR East (Train Suite Shiki-shima, 2017); JR West (Twilight Express Mizukaze, 2017) | The three luxury car marques were created for the US market; the Century is Japan-only; the sleeper trains sell by lottery | Nothing here ships in a proxy box — listed because half the “japanese luxury brands” searches are about cars. Lexus and Century merchandise (Noritake mugs, model cars) does turn up on Mercari. |
The rest of the map: shoes, perfume, incense, towels and bedding, ballpoints, whisky, bridal and lolita
The searches that follow “japanese luxury brands” go everywhere — shoes, perfume, incense, jeans, towels, pens, whiskey — so here is the rest of the map in one table. Jeans and selvedge denim have their own page (the Japanese denim brands guide: Momotaro, Samurai, Pure Blue Japan, Full Count, Kapital, Evisu, the premium and most expensive Japanese jeans brands); so do knives, cameras and audio (the high-end Japanese hi-fi brands are in the audio brands guide).
| Category and brands | Where / since | What to search | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shoes: Hender Scheme, Otsuka, Miyagi Kogyo, Scotch Grain, Union Imperial, Haruta, Moonstar, Onitsuka Tiger Nippon Made, Visvim | Tokyo (Hender Scheme, 2010; Otsuka, 1872; Scotch Grain / Hiromura, 1978; Haruta, 1917); Yamagata (Miyagi Kogyo, 1941); Kurume (Moonstar, 1873) | Hender Scheme’s natural-leather “manual industrial products” sneakers; Otsuka and Miyagi Kogyo Goodyear-welted dress shoes; Scotch Grain and Union Imperial for suits; Haruta loafers (the school loafer); Moonstar’s vulcanised sneakers; Onitsuka’s made-in-Japan line | The “japanese luxury shoe brands” answer is split between dress shoes (Otsuka, Miyagi Kogyo, Scotch Grain, Union Imperial), designer footwear (Visvim FBT ¥12,900 used, Hender Scheme) and premium sneakers (Onitsuka Tiger Nippon Made Mexico 66 NM ¥16,800 used on Rakuten, the Deluxe ¥4,300 on Mercari). Loafers: Haruta at the cheap end, Miyagi Kogyo at the top. Women’s luxury shoes are mostly the designer houses (Mame Kurogouchi slip-ons ¥16,088). |
| Perfume: Parfum Satori, J-Scent, Di Ser, Shiseido, Comme des Garçons Parfums, L’Eau d’Issey | Tokyo (Parfum Satori; J-Scent); Sapporo (Di Ser); Shiseido (Zen, first 1964); CDG Parfums (1994); Issey Miyake (L’Eau d’Issey, 1992, made in France under licence) | Satori Osawa’s Japanese-material perfumes (yuzu, hinoki, matcha), J-Scent’s sumo-wrestler and hanabi scents, Di Ser’s all-natural Hokkaido perfumes; the designer fragrances are French-made | Japanese luxury perfume for men and women is a niche-perfume category, not a department-store one: Parfum Satori and Di Ser sell through their own shops and a few Isetan counters; expect ¥15,000–30,000 for 50 ml. |
| Incense: Shoyeido, Baieido, Kungyokudo, Nippon Kodo | Kyoto (Shoyeido, 1705; Kungyokudo, 1594); Sakai (Baieido, 1657); Tokyo (Nippon Kodo, roots in 1575) | Kyara and jinko (agarwood) sticks, Shoyeido’s premium series, the kodo (incense ceremony) sets, Nippon Kodo’s Kayuragi and Morning Star at the affordable end | Luxury Japanese incense is priced by the agarwood: a box of kyara sticks can cost more than a Grand Seiko strap; the everyday boxes are a few hundred yen and ship light. |
| Towels, bedding and loungewear: Imabari towel makers, Hotman, Nishikawa, Airweave, Wacoal | Imabari (Ehime; the regional Imabari brand); Tokyo (Hotman, 1868); Nishikawa (1566); Airweave (2007); Kyoto (Wacoal, 1949) | Imabari-certified towels (Kontex, Ikeuchi Organic), Hotman’s Tokyo towels, Nishikawa futon and pillows, Airweave mattress toppers, Wacoal’s Salute lingerie and loungewear | The “luxury Japanese towels / futon / pillow / mattress / bedding” searches all land here; towels and pillows ship, mattresses and futon are freight. For tableware and plates see the ceramics guide; for teapots and luxury green tea the tea brands guide; for kitchen knives and cutlery the knife brands guide. |
| Ballpoint, rollerball and pencils: Pilot, Sailor, Platinum, Mitsubishi Uni, Ohto | Tokyo (Mitsubishi Pencil, 1887; Pilot, 1918; Platinum, 1919; Ohto, 1929) | Uni Jetstream Prime and Kuru Toga Dive (the luxury mechanical pencil), Pilot Custom and Timeline ballpoints, Sailor and Platinum rollerballs, Ohto’s brass pens; see the stationery brands guide | Japanese luxury ballpoint and rollerball pens are the same houses as the fountain pens; the Jetstream Prime and Kuru Toga Dive are the two pencils people import. |
| Whisky and liquor: Suntory (Yamazaki, Hakushu, Hibiki), Nikka (Yoichi, Miyagikyo, Taketsuru), Chichibu, Mars, Dassai sake | Osaka (Suntory, Yamazaki distillery 1923); Yoichi (Nikka, 1934); Chichibu (2008); Nagano (Mars); Yamaguchi (Dassai) | Age-statement Yamazaki and Hibiki 21 and 30, Hakushu, the Chichibu limited casks, Nikka Taketsuru; Dassai Beyond sake | The most expensive Japanese whiskey brands are a search this page cannot serve: alcohol cannot be shipped by proxy (what you cannot ship from Japan). Whisky glasses can: Edo Kiriko old-fashioneds are in the craft table. |
| Lolita, bridal and evening: Baby the Stars Shine Bright, Angelic Pretty, Innocent World, Yumi Katsura, Hanae Mori | Tokyo (Baby, 1988; Angelic Pretty; Yumi Katsura, 1965) | The Harajuku lolita houses; Yumi Katsura’s wedding dresses; Hanae Mori’s evening gowns (archive); Niwaka and I-Primo for engagement rings | The “japanese wedding dress designers / engagement ring designers / lolita brands” corner of the map; lolita dresses are the deepest second-hand category on Mercari after streetwear. |
Japanese fashion designers by generation: famous, popular, emerging
| Generation | Designers | Note |
|---|---|---|
| The big three (Paris, 1981–82) | Rei Kawakubo (Comme des Garçons), Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto; Kenzo Takada and Hanae Mori (haute couture) before them | The 1980s Japanese fashion designers who made “Japanese designer” a category; every list of the biggest, greatest, coolest or most well-known Japanese designers, male or female, starts here. Miyake’s origami pleating and Kawakubo’s deconstruction are what “traditional Japanese fashion designers” searches actually mean; the contemporary and 20th-century furniture designers (Sori Yanagi, Naoto Fukasawa) are in the craft table. |
| The 1990s generation | Junya Watanabe, Jun Takahashi (Undercover), Nigo (Bape, Human Made), Hiroshi Fujiwara (Fragment), Hiroki Nakamura (Visvim), Chitose Abe (Sacai), Yasuko Furuta (Toga) | Streetwear and the Paris-runway second wave; the most popular Japanese designer brands on resale sites today. |
| The 2000s–2010s | Junichi Abe (Kolor), Daisuke Obana (N.Hoolywood), Kunihiko Morinaga (Anrealage), Maiko Kurogouchi (Mame), Ryota Iwai (Auralee), Keijiro Komori (Comoli), Hyke, Kei Ninomiya (Noir), Yoshikazu Yamagata (Writtenafterwards) | Minimalist, quiet-luxury and avant-garde Japanese designers; Auralee and Comoli are the answer to “Japanese designers like Issey Miyake but wearable”. |
| Emerging and young (2018–) | Masayuki Ino (Doublet, LVMH Prize 2018), Tomo Koizumi, Teppei Fujita (Sulvam), Hiroaki Sueyasu (Kidill), Fumito Ganryu, Dairiku, Children of the Discordance, Sayori Tanaka (Tanaka), Yoke, Ssstein | The underground and upcoming Japanese designer brands stocked by SSENSE, Dover Street Market and GR8; most are menswear-led. |
| Where to see them in Japan | Dover Street Market Ginza, Isetan Shinjuku (men’s and women’s designer floors), GR8 in Laforet Harajuku, the Comme des Garçons Aoyama store, Beams and United Arrows; Osaka: Hankyu Men’s; Gotemba Premium Outlet for the outlet stores | The concept stores of Shibuya, Harajuku and Osaka are where the Japanese designer brands are stocked together. |
What Japanese luxury brands cost in Japan today: live listings
Every row is a listing on sale on 21 September 2026, read from the shop page the morning this article went live; asking prices in yen before proxy fees and shipping. Rakuten rows marked used are from the graded resale shops; Mercari rows are private sellers; a few new items are from brand or department-store shops on Rakuten and Amazon Japan.
The Japanese second-hand luxury market
- The graders: Komehyo (Nagoya), Daikokuya, Brand Off, Ragtag (designer clothing), 2nd Street and the pawn-shop chains (質屋) buy, authenticate, grade (S, A, B, C) and resell, and most of them run Rakuten shops, which is why the used rows above have condition grades and “鑑定済” in the title.
- Mercari Japan is the private-seller layer beneath that: cheaper, no authentication, so the term table below matters — look for box, dust bag and receipt photos and for the shop-style sellers with hundreds of ratings.
- Yahoo! Japan Auctions is where the dealers and pawn shops clear stock and where vintage Credor, Matsuda and 1990s Comme des Garçons live.
- Why it is cheap: Japanese owners keep boxes and receipts, wear things lightly and sell often; the yen has been weak; and the domestic brands (Ganzo, Cypris, Tsuchiya, Kaneko, Sailor) have no export price to anchor to, so their used price is a discount from a Japanese list price that was already low.
Buying at the source works through a proxy service (the best ones compared, the cheapest fees); the brand guides for watches, jewelry, knives, denim, workwear and cameras go category by category.
Shipping luxury goods from Japan
- Weight and value: a wallet or a pair of frames is under 300 g; a chair is a freight question (ask before you buy); a watch or a pearl strand should go with insurance and tracking (payment, refunds and insurance).
- Customs: luxury goods are where duty and VAT actually bite; the thresholds by country are in the import-tax guide, and the declared value is the price you paid.
- What does not go: whisky and sake, perishable food, and anything with a lithium battery in bulk; the prohibited-items guide has the list.
Japanese luxury listing terms
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 中古 / 未使用 / 新品 / 美品 / 極美品 | chuko / mishiyo / shinpin / bihin / gokubihin | used / unused / new / good condition / excellent — the five condition words; ranks S, A, B, C are the shop grades |
| 鑑定済 / 正規品 / 本物保証 | kantei-zumi / seikihin / honmono hosho | authenticated / genuine article / authenticity guaranteed (Rakuten resale shops; Mercari has no guarantee unless the seller is a shop) |
| 質屋 / ブランド買取 / リユース | shichiya / brand kaitori / reuse | pawn shop / brand buy-back / resale — Komehyo, Daikokuya, Brand Off, Ragtag, 2nd Street |
| 付属品 / 箱 / 保存袋 / ギャランティ / 保証書 | fuzokuhin / hako / hozon-bukuro / guarantee / hoshosho | accessories / box / dust bag / warranty card / certificate — “付属品完備” means all present |
| 展示品 / 訳あり / B級品 / アウトレット | tenjihin / wake-ari / B-kyu / outlet | showroom piece / with a stated flaw / seconds / outlet — the new-but-cheaper listings |
| サイズ 1 / 2 / 3 | size 1, 2, 3 | Japanese designer sizing (roughly S, M, L; Sacai and Comme run small) — see the denim guide and the Japanese size charts |
| 宮内庁御用達 | kunaicho goyotashi | Imperial Household purveyor — used by Fukagawa Seiji, Yamada Heiando, Maehara and others |
| 限定 / コラボ / 別注 | gentei / collab / betchu | limited / collaboration / retailer-exclusive edition |
| 定価 / 参考価格 | teika / sanko kakaku | list price / reference price — the number a used listing compares itself to |
| 免税 | menzei | tax-free (the 10% consumption tax refund for tourists in Japan; not available on proxy purchases) |
Quick answers: the Japanese luxury brand questions people search
| Question people search | Answer |
|---|---|
| What are the most famous Japanese luxury brands? Top Japanese luxury brands list? | Fashion: Comme des Garçons, Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto, Sacai, Undercover, Junya Watanabe, Visvim, Kapital. Watches: Grand Seiko, Credor. Jewelry: Mikimoto, Tasaki. Leather: Tsuchiya Kaban, Ganzo, Porter. Pens: Nakaya, Namiki, Sailor, Platinum. Eyewear: Masunaga, Kaneko, 999.9, Matsuda. Beauty: Clé de Peau, Decorté, SK-II, Pola. Cars: Lexus, Acura, Infiniti. The tables above have about eighty. |
| Who are the big three Japanese designers? Famous Japanese fashion designers? 90s Japanese designers? | Rei Kawakubo (Comme des Garçons), Issey Miyake and Yohji Yamamoto, who all showed in Paris from 1981–82. The 90s generation is Jun Takahashi (Undercover), Nigo (Bape), Junya Watanabe, Hiroki Nakamura (Visvim) and Chitose Abe (Sacai, 1999). Famous women: Kawakubo, Abe, Hanae Mori, Maiko Kurogouchi, Yasuko Furuta (Toga), Limi Feu. |
| Japanese luxury clothing brands for men? For women? | Men (the Japanese luxury menswear brands): Comme des Garçons Homme Plus, Yohji Yamamoto Pour Homme, Issey Miyake Men and Homme Plissé, Sacai, Undercover, Visvim, Kapital, Auralee, N.Hoolywood, Kolor; for pants and jackets the same houses plus the denim and workwear makers. Women: Comme des Garçons, Pleats Please, Sacai, Mame Kurogouchi, Toga, Hyke, Anrealage, Y’s. |
| Japanese luxury bag brands? Japanese luxury handbags? Luxury wallet brands? | Bags: Bao Bao Issey Miyake, Porter, Tsuchiya Kaban, Master-piece, Somes Saddle, Herz, Toga. Wallets: Ganzo, Cypris, Comme des Garçons Wallet, Yuhaku, Tsuchiya Kaban. Japan has no Hermès-scale leather house; the luxury is in the craft brands and the resale shops full of European bags. |
| Japanese luxury watch brands? Japanese luxury jewelry brands? | Watches: Grand Seiko, Credor, Citizen’s The Citizen and Campanola, Casio MR-G, and the independents Kurono Tokyo, Minase and Naoya Hida. Jewelry: Mikimoto, Tasaki, Niwaka, Star Jewelry, Ginza Tanaka, 4°C. Full guides linked above. |
| Japanese luxury skincare brands? Luxury makeup brands? | Clé de Peau Beauté (Shiseido), Decorté (Kosé), SK-II, Pola B.A, Suqqu, Sensai (Kanebo), Shu Uemura, Shiseido’s Future Solution LX; the brush maker is Hakuhodo. See the makeup and skincare guides linked above. |
| Japanese luxury eyewear brands? Japanese titanium glasses brands? Sunglasses? | Masunaga (1905), Kaneko Optical, 999.9 Four Nines, Matsuda, Eyevan 7285, Ayame, Yuichi Toyama, Yellows Plus, Boston Club — nearly all made in Sabae, Fukui, which produces most Japanese frames. Titanium is the Sabae specialty; Matsuda and Eyevan for sunglasses. |
| Japanese luxury pen brands? Japanese fountain pen brands? | Nakaya, Pilot Namiki (maki-e), Sailor King of Pen, Platinum #3776 and Izumo, Ohashido, Eboya. Japanese nibs run finer than Western ones; a Japanese M is a Western F. |
| Japanese luxury cars? Best Japanese luxury car brand? Lexus vs Acura vs Infiniti? | Lexus (Toyota, 1989), Acura (Honda, 1986) and Infiniti (Nissan, 1989) were all created for the United States; Lexus is the only one sold as a luxury marque in Japan itself, alongside the Toyota Century. None of that ships through a proxy; the merchandise does. |
| Japanese luxury train? Seven Stars price? Shiki-shima? | Seven Stars in Kyushu (2013), Train Suite Shiki-shima (JR East, 2017) and Twilight Express Mizukaze (JR West, 2017) are two-to-four-night cruise trains sold by lottery at roughly ¥700,000–1,500,000 per person and up; not something to buy on this site, but the most-searched “Japanese luxury” item. |
| Japanese luxury chocolate? Luxury fruit? Luxury food brands? | Chocolate: Royce’, Mary’s, Morozoff, Goncharoff, Minimal. Fruit: Sembikiya (1834) and Takano, the ¥20,000 melon shops. Perishables do not ship abroad by proxy; tins, boxed sweets and tea do. |
| Japanese luxury golf brands? Furniture brands? Luggage brands? Umbrella brands? | Golf: Honma, Miura, Epon, Mizuno, XXIO, PRGR, Bridgestone, Yamaha. Furniture: Karimoku, Maruni, Tendo Mokko, Conde House, Hida Sangyo. Luggage: Proteca (Ace). Umbrellas: Maehara Koei Shoten, Komiya Shoten. All in the craft table with live prices. |
| Japanese luxury whisky brands? | Suntory (Yamazaki, Hakushu, Hibiki), Nikka (Yoichi, Miyagikyo, Taketsuru), Chichibu, Mars. OneMall does not ship alcohol — see what you cannot ship from Japan — so this page stops at naming them. |
| Are luxury brands cheaper in Japan? Japanese luxury brands second hand? Japanese luxury resale sites? Japanese luxury eBay sellers? | Japanese brands are cheapest in Japan, by a third to a half against export retail, and the domestic houses (Ganzo, Cypris, Tsuchiya, Kaneko, Nakaya) are barely exported at all. The second-hand market is the real bargain: Komehyo, Daikokuya, Brand Off and Ragtag grade and authenticate, and sell through Rakuten; private sellers on Mercari and Yahoo! Auctions are cheaper again. The “Japanese eBay sellers” people search for are these same shops with a margin added; buy at the source through a proxy. |
| Japanese quiet luxury brands? Japanese avant-garde designers? | Quiet: Auralee, Comoli, Graphpaper, Hyke, Beauty & Youth’s upper lines, the Sabae eyewear houses. Avant-garde: Comme des Garçons, Yohji Yamamoto, Junya Watanabe, Anrealage, Noir Kei Ninomiya. |
| Japanese luxury brands in India / Australia / UK / US? Where to buy Japanese designer brands online? | Comme des Garçons, Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto, Sacai and Grand Seiko have boutiques and stockists in London, New York, Sydney and Mumbai at export prices; almost everything else on this page is Japan-only, which is what proxy buying is for. |
FAQ
What is the most expensive Japanese brand?
By retail price, Credor’s Micro Artist Studio watches (Eichi II, Fugaku) and Namiki’s Emperor maki-e pens reach the price of a car; by fashion retail, Visvim and the Comme des Garçons mainline are the most expensive Japanese clothing; by jewelry, Mikimoto’s South Sea strands and Tasaki’s high jewelry. The trains and the Toyota Century sit outside shopping altogether.
Is Comme des Garçons a luxury brand?
Yes, and the broadest one: the mainline and Homme Plus are Paris-runway prices, PLAY and the Wallet line are where most people buy it. A coin case or a bifold from the Wallet line is the cheapest new item from any Japanese luxury house.
Is Uniqlo a luxury brand? Is Onitsuka Tiger?
No and no, but both are where Japanese luxury reaches the high street: Uniqlo’s collaborations with Undercover, Mame Kurogouchi, Auralee (Uniqlo U), Hyke and Jil Sander, and Onitsuka Tiger’s made-in-Japan Nippon Made line (¥4,300 used on Mercari today for a Mexico 66 Deluxe).
Which Japanese brands are cheaper in Japan?
All of them; the difference is largest for the ones with an export distributor (Comme des Garçons, Issey Miyake, Grand Seiko, Mikimoto, Sailor, Porter) because the export price includes duty, distribution and a margin, and total for the ones without one, which are simply unavailable abroad.
How do I know a Japanese luxury item on Mercari is real?
Prefer listings with the box, dust bag, receipt or warranty card photographed; check the seller’s rating count; for watches and pearls prefer the graded Rakuten shops with “鑑定済”; and remember that the domestic craft brands (Ganzo, Tsuchiya, Kaneko, Cypris) are almost never faked because there is no export market to fake them for.
Related reading
- Japanese watch brands · Japanese jewelry brands · Japanese makeup brands · Japanese skincare brands
- Japanese denim brands · Japanese streetwear brands · Japanese workwear brands · Japanese handbag brands
- Japanese knife brands · Japanese stationery brands · Japanese camera brands · Japanese audio brands · Japanese ceramics
- Import tax and customs when buying from Japan · Shipping times and tracking from Japan · How to buy from Mercari Japan
Last updated: 21 September 2026. Listing prices read from live Japanese listings on 21 September 2026; founding dates and locations from the companies’ own pages.
References
- Comme des Garçons — official site. comme-des-garcons.com
- Issey Miyake Inc. — official site. isseymiyake.com
- Yohji Yamamoto Inc. — official site. yohjiyamamoto.co.jp
- Grand Seiko — official site. grand-seiko.com
- Mikimoto — official site. mikimoto.com
- Tsuchiya Kaban — official site. tsuchiya-kaban.jp
- Masunaga Optical — official site (Fukui). masunaga1905.com
- Sailor Pen — official site (Kure). sailor.co.jp
- Platinum Pen — official site (Tokyo). platinum-pen.co.jp