Shopping in Okayama - authentic goods, best outlets, malls and boutiques

Okayama offers more than a thousand shops and malls, so shopping enthusiasts will not be bored here for sure. It's a good idea to start exploring local stores with a walk through the city's main shopping street - Omotecho Street. This street is completely covered, and walking along it, one may get the impression that it is not Japan but one of the European cities. The shopping street is beautifully designed and decorated with stained-glass windows and art installations. Okayama's main street concentrates numerous clothing and shoe stores, as well as shopping galleries selling souvenirs and fashion accessories.

Many travelers are attracted to local bookstores where they can find literature on local attractions or the latest travel guides. It is worthy of note that books in English are also available here. Among all the shops located in this street, Hare is of special interest. This one offers wonderful handicrafts, not to mention a rich selection of popular regional products and delicacies.

The legendary department store Tenmaya, which has long become a kind of historical symbol of the city, is located in the same street. Its building has preserved its unique architecture dating back over 200 years. Currently, it presents all kinds of shops and boutiques where you can buy clothes of famous global brands or high-end regional products. Tenmaya shopping center offers its customers a lot of benefits and privileges. They can get significant discounts for other stores in Omotecho Street. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Okayama AEON is another shopping center located near Okayama Train Station. It is one of the most modern malls in town. Since its opening in 2014, it has been one of the largest shopping complexes not only in Japan but in the world. Within its walls are more than 350 stores, the exploration of which would take days. Apart from shopping pavilions, you can enjoy a cinema, several entertainment centers, numerous restaurants and cafes.

People go to Okayama AEON in search of high-quality clothes and shoes, accessories and toys for children, as well as cosmetics and perfumes. Ladies should pay special attention to the stores offering Japanese cosmetics, which is always attractively priced here. The mall also has some pretty unusual shops like Haremachi Tokku located on the fifth floor. Here you can buy beautiful Japanese-style clothes or choose handicrafts made by local artisans.

No less attractive is Sun Station Terrace Okayama whose visitors can also enjoy shopping along with the best dishes of regional cuisine. The shopping center houses Suit Select, a large men's and women's clothing store that will especially appeal to fans of elegant and classic style. Those who prefer a more modern style will probably be interested in Ships and Majestic Legion stores offering bright trendy clothes.

Apart from numerous shopping centers, the city has excellent markets, and Kyobashi Market is among the largest ones. It opens early in the morning and is available to visitors all year round. Here they sell fresh vegetables and fruits, there are also stalls serving popular street food. At several clothing rows, you can find affordable clothes and shoes. Go a little further to find interesting souvenir products.

In Omiyage Kaido Momotaro, you can buy sweet gifts for loved ones. The store's specialization is the most popular regional sweets. A huge selection of colorful boxes and bags of sweets is always available for customers here. The most unusual and popular among tourists are sweets made from rice and rice flour. An incredibly interesting store is FRUIT HOUSE that is sure to please all fans of healthy sweets. The store is combined with a cafe, and as is clear from its name, it serves original fruit desserts. Visitors can try various types of fruit ice cream and cakes or buy fruit jams and marmalade as gifts for loved ones. All the sweets are prepared exclusively from natural regional fruits, so they are always fresh and incredibly tasty.