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Find the latest Japanese fashion in Ginza! BEAMS offers a selection of casual fashion and lifestyle goods to match Japan’s unique style, including products from their own original brands, unique collaborations, and other curated items to match. Shop the latest international and Japanese trends in Tokyo with a visit to BEAMS JAPAN!
Setting the Trends for the Japanese “Select Shop”
From clothing, shoes, and accessories to homewares, lifestyle goods, and other miscellany, the Japanese term "select shop" refers to a retailer with a distinct sense of style, offering a carefully selected variety of products to match that aesthetic. These days select shops are common in Japan, with independent retailers and chain stores popping up all over the place to cater to different styles and demographics, but fashion lovers in Japan will tell you that BEAMS has been there from the beginning.
The Beginning of BEAMS
BEAMS' history as a brand dates back to the year 1976, when Japan's fashion scene looked a little different from how it does today. Throughout the '60s, Japan was alive with economic and societal developments, and a new, younger generation quickly caught on to the changes in style and lifestyle occurring overseas. Japan's youth saw the evolution in American culture take place before their eyes, and they noticed the flow of fashion and music flying back and forth all around the world. Of course, they wanted a piece of the action too.
By the 1970s, the latest trends from America and Europe had begun to show up on the streets of Japan, with foreign fashion magazines influencing the choices of a new generation of Japanese shoppers. Tokyo businessman Etsuzo Shitara was inspired by the daily fashion show seen on the streets of Harajuku, and he decided to start by opening a small boutique in the neighborhood under the name "American Life Shop: BEAMS." In its early years, the shop stocked a variety of imported American products, and the thrifted college sweatshirts matched with old, lived-in blue jeans were an immediate hit. BEAMS became a pioneer, discovering a new frontier of "ame-kaji" (AKA "American casual") style for the Japanese public, and helping to set the tone for decades of Japanese fashion to come.
In the years since BEAMS' foundation, the brand has been intrinsic to the evolution of casual Japanese fashion, infusing ame-kaji inspiration into the jumble of influences that make up local tastes, and helping to create Japanese style as we see it today. BEAMS has expanded as a retailer as well, with shops now found all over the country, with their carefully chosen "select shop" offerings still helping to shape the fashion trends seen today on the streets of Japan.
Tokyo Shopping Recommendation: BEAMS GINZA
Located a little way south of Tokyo Station, the Ginza neighborhood is known as a gathering places for fashion lovers in Tokyo, and BEAMS GINZA has a particularly impressive selection. The shop stocks a variety of BEAMS' original sub-brands, like BEAMS PLUS, Ray BEAMS, BEAMS BOY, and BEAMS F, alongside other Japanese brands and imports, resulting in shelves lined with fashion and apparel for adults and children, plus accessories, cosmetics, interior goods, and other odds and ends.
BEAMS GINZA (ビームズ銀座店)
2~3F, 4-4-1 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 11:00 – 20:00
Official Website (jp)
A sweatshirt emblazoned with a college-style logo is a staple of ame-kaji style, and this one comes with the BEAMS name front and center. With a hoodie like this, the slouchy-casual fit is a part of the look, fitting in with the loose-fitting outfits currently popular in Japan – but the Japanese fit of this BEAMS hoodie offers a little breath of fresh air!
The BEAMS PLUS label, launched in 1999, is a concentrated vision of the BEAMS ame-kaji style that the brand has cultivated over the years. To create their unique aesthetic, BEAMS uses a mix of imports, vintage pieces, and local items made in Japan.
Contrary to expectations, BEAMS BOY is not actually a line for kids or even for men – the designs are inspired by menswear, but made for women! The items take inspiration from traditionally masculine apparel, often incorporating military style or a little bit of tomboy roughness, and turns it all into a look that combines feminine and masculine appeal. For 2024, one of BEAMS BOY's most eye-catching motifs is an embroidered dragon that looks straight from the back of a Japanese "sukajan" embroidered bomber jacket, a celebration of the Year of the Dragon!
Shop Japan’s Most Timeless Trends at BEAMS
Committed fashion fanatics will probably have a few shopping streets and outlet malls already added to their itinerary in Japan, but even casual shoppers can enjoy a quick trip to BEAMS to add a little Japanese fashion to their wardrobe. And Tokyo's Ginza neighborhood is worth a visit just to see the eclectic mix of high-end brands, fancy sushi, and everyday Japanese shops that line the busy streets. Next time you're in the city, check out the latest Japanese trends at BEAMS GINZA.
Coupon: Don’t Miss the First-Ever BEAMS’ Coupon for Foreigners!
This February, the Japankuru team has partnered with BEAMS to offer this special coupon for foreign customers!
Show the coupon image above at BEAMS shops across Japan* during the month of February to receive a 5% discount, which can be used on top of the 10% tax-free discount at shops offering tax-free shopping. (Some products may be ineligible for discount.)
*All stores except BEAMS JAPAN Izumo and BEAMS JAPAN Nikko.
Find BEAMS coupon details here!
(And find more coupons for foreign shoppers in Japan here.)
For more info and updates from Japan, check Japankuru for new articles, and don't forget to follow us on X (Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook!
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Japankuru Coupon: BEAMS fashion, accessories, lifestyle goods, and more! BEAMS 5% Discount Coupon ▶︎ Validity Dates: February 1 ~ February 29, 2024 ▶︎ Discount: 5% off all products in-store ▶︎ Usable At: BEAMS stores throughout Japan (all stores except BEAMS JAPAN Izumo and BEAMS JAPAN Nikko) ▶︎ Details: Please present this coupon page before payment to receive your discount! This coupon is also valid in combination with tax-free discounts/refunds for foreign tourists. (Tax-free shopping is only available at some BEAMS locations.) Some products may not be eligible for discount. ・ ・ ・ BEAMS - JAPANKURU優惠折扣券 BEAMS 2024年2月限定特別優惠券 店內全部商品95折 ▶︎使用期間:2024/2/1到2024/2/29 ▶︎使用範圍:日本全國店舖 ▶︎使用方法:結帳時請務必事先向店員出示本優惠券,若未出示本優惠券恕無法享有本優惠。本優惠券可搭配免稅優惠一併使用,但不排除特定門市無法使用本優惠券。此外,不排除特定商品不適用本優惠券。 ・ ・ ・ 「빔즈(BEAMS) x 재팬쿠루(JAPANKURU)」스페셜 할인 쿠폰 빔즈(BEAMS) 5% 할인 쿠폰 ▶유효기간: 2024년 2월 1일 ~ 2월 29일(한 달 동안) ▶︎할인율: 매장 내 전 상품 “5% 할인" ▶︎해당 매장: 일본 전국 빔즈 (BEAMS) 매장 (BEAMS JAPAN이즈모、BEAMS JAPAN닛코는 쿠폰 할인 대상 제외 점포입니다) ▶︎상세 내용: 결제 전 본 쿠폰 페이지를 제시하면 정가대비 5% 할인된 금액에 구매하실 수 있습니다! 본 쿠폰은 외국인 관광객들을 대상으로 하고 있으므로 면세 혜택(빔즈 일부 매장)과 별도로 추가 할인이 가능합니다. (일부 매장 및 제품은 대상에서 제외될 수 있습니다.) #japankuru #beams #beamsjapan #beamsginza #coupon #재팬쿠루 #빔즈재팬 #빔즈 #일본여행 #일본쇼핑 #일본쇼핑리스트 #銀座 #東京 #tokyoshopping #japankurucoupon