If you’re planning a trip to Japan, you might have some idea where you want to shop for souvenirs, or even fun Japanese fashion for yourself. But if you’re traveling with children, or looking for gifts to bring for all the little ones back home, some of the best places to shop aren’t necessarily found in Japan’s most famous shopping districts. When it comes to children’s clothing stores, one name familiar to most Japanese families with young kids is Birthday, a baby and kids’ store offering clothing, shoes, accessories, and other everyday essentials for a wide range of ages.

So what should you be looking for at Birthday? Which brands are worth checking out? And if you want to fit a shopping stop into your Japan itinerary, where should you start? We’ve put together all the info you need to plan your visit, so you’ll be ready to go when you get to Japan!

Kids’ Clothing Shopping in Japan: What Is Birthday?

Fans of Japanese fashion shopping may already be familiar with Shimamura, but this time we’re introducing Birthday, a children’s clothing store from the same retail group. Birthday specializes in products for children and families.

Birthday has locations throughout Japan, but the branch we recommend in this article is the Saitama Shintoshin store. Saitama-Shintoshin is a major station served by the Keihin-Tohoku, Takasaki, and Utsunomiya lines, with convenient access from Tokyo Station and direct connections from the Yokohama area as well. That makes it an easy shopping stop to add to a Japan travel itinerary.

Inside the store, you’ll find everything from clothing for babies and toddlers to outfits for school-age children, along with shoes, bags, children’s essentials, toys, and all kinds of other products for raising little ones. With so much in one place, it’s easy to see why Birthday is popular with Japanese families. When the Japankuru team visited, families were already lining up before the store had even opened—a pretty clear sign of just how popular it is with local parents and kids.

Birthday Saitama Shintoshin
1-602-1 Kitabukurocho, Omiya Ward, Saitama
Hours: 10:00 – 19:00
Access: 4 min from Saitama-Shintoshin Station
Official Website

What Can You Find at Birthday?

As mentioned above, Birthday carries a huge range of products, so let’s take a closer look at each section!

Kids’ Clothing from Baby Sizes to School Age

Let’s start with what takes up the biggest part of the store: children’s clothing. Birthday offers a wide range of sizes for different age groups, from newborns all the way up to elementary school children. There are styles for boys and girls, as well as plenty of unisex designs. Each hanger clearly lists the recommended height, which makes finding the right size especially convenient.

Some of Birthday’s newborn clothing lines are made in Japan, with “Made in Japan” clearly marked on the label. These pieces are popular with shoppers who appreciate the reassurance that comes with Japanese manufacturing standards.

In addition to clothing, the store is lined with children’s shoes, bags, hats, socks, and accessories, giving families plenty of fun ways to add a little extra color and personality to everyday outfits.

Baby and Maternity Essentials

Birthday is more than just a clothing store. It also works as a one-stop shop for families, offering everything from toys and everyday necessities to feeding items and baby products.

And of course, if there are products for babies, there have to be some for moms too! Birthday carries maternity and nursing wear, along with useful items such as nursing pillows, nursing covers, and postpartum essentials. In other words, you can shop for both mom and baby in one stop.

Popular Characters and Cute Collaboration Items

One thing Shimamura and Birthday have in common is their frequent collaborations with popular characters. Collections rotate regularly and may feature Disney, Sanrio, Pokémon, and other characters and franchises depending on the season.

And it’s not just clothing. You’ll also find accessories, everyday goods, toys, and plenty of small miscellaneous items. If your child has a favorite character, it’s worth taking a good look around—you may stumble across something you didn’t expect to find.

Outfit Ideas for Kids Using Clothes from Birthday

Birthday stores are packed with so many items that it can be hard to know where to start. One easy approach is to shop by age, since the designs and practical features of children’s clothing naturally change as kids grow.

This time, we put together looks for four different ages—1, 3, 5, and 9 years old—to show what kinds of clothes Birthday offers for each stage, along with the brands featured in each outfit.

1-Year-Olds: Soft, Comfortable, and Adorable

For one-year-olds, who are busy crawling, walking, and exploring everything around them, clothing needs to be soft, easy to put on, and comfortable to move around in. Birthday carries plenty of options for this age group, including loose-fitting tops, elastic-waist pants, and easy everyday outfits.

The look we chose this time was almost too cute to resist! It’s a red shrimp sushi-themed outfit from HUGCHUM Friends, turning one of Japan’s most familiar foods into an adorable kids’ fashion design. Put it on, and it almost feels like you’ve got a tiny piece of walking sushi by your side.

3-Year-Olds: Have Fun with Colors and Prints

By around age three, children are running around more confidently and taking part in all kinds of activities. They may also start developing clear preferences for colors and styles. When we asked our little model what color she wanted to wear, she immediately chose “pink!”

At this age, there’s even more room to have fun with clothing choices, including T-shirts, pants, skirts, and matching sets, while still keeping comfort and freedom of movement front and center.

For this look, we chose a top from mamaraku, a children’s brand with a French-inspired style and soft, gentle colors, and paired it with easy-to-move-in pants. The result is a light, cheerful summer outfit that lets kids run around and play without feeling restricted.

5-Year-Olds: Try a Japanese-Style Jinbei

If you visit Japan in summer, yukata aren’t the only traditional outfits you’ll often see children wearing. Jinbei (甚平), a casual Japanese summer outfit, are also popular with kids thanks to their comfortable fit and easy movement in hot weather.

Our five-year-old model chose a jinbei look, and the moment she put it on, it instantly brought to mind the atmosphere of a Japanese summer festival.

If you’re visiting Japan during the summer, bringing home a jinbei for a child can make a particularly cute souvenir with a distinctly Japanese feel. Better yet, it’s something they can actually wear again for festivals and summer activities—and of course, it works just as well back home in Thailand.

9-Year-Olds: A Slightly More Grown-Up Style

As children get older, they often begin developing stronger personal preferences when it comes to fashion. Clothing is no longer just about being easy to move in—they may also start enjoying different designs and experimenting with how pieces are styled together.

For this look, we went with a style that’s popular among Japanese kids: a T-shirt with a bow detail in the center, paired with shorts and knee-high socks. It’s casual, cute, and just playful enough for elementary school kids who are beginning to have more fun with fashion.

And those are the four mix-and-match looks we put together this time. As you can see, Japanese kids’ fashion comes in all kinds of styles, from soft and sweet looks for little ones to more casual, slightly grown-up outfits as children get older.

Children’s Shopping Tips for Japan: Making Birthday Even Better

Tax-Free Shopping

Japan still offers tax-free shopping before the system changes to airport-based tax refunds this November. For now, eligible visitors can still purchase qualifying items tax-free under the current rules. It’s one simple way to make shopping for cute Birthday items a little more affordable, especially if you’re planning to pick up several gifts for children back home.

Choose Clothes Based on Each Brand’s Style

One thing many shoppers may not realize is that Birthday has its own original brands, and each one has a different look and design identity.

If you like sweet, soft looks, start with Cottoli. The brand often uses light colors and charming little details that make each outfit feel a bit more special, creating an almost storybook-like little-lady look.

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If you prefer something a little brighter and more playful, take a look at DAILY LINE. The brand uses cheerful colors, patterns, and cute graphics that feel almost like characters from a children’s picture book. The prices are also budget-friendly, making these pieces easy choices for everyday wear.

If you want something slightly more fashion-forward, MY LITTLE WONDER may catch your eye. Its designs feel a little more modern—almost like miniature versions of adult fashion.

Another brand, & mignon, is a good choice for children who suit natural colors and earthy tones. The designs are simple, but little patterns and details add just enough cuteness. They’re also easy to mix and match with other pieces, whether you want a simple everyday outfit or something with a few more playful touches.

As you can see, a single Birthday store offers everything from sweet and gentle styles to bright, playful looks and slightly more fashion-conscious designs. So when you find something you like, don’t just look at the color or design—check the brand name on the tag too. You may discover a label that fits the child you’re shopping for even better than expected.

One more useful tip: both Birthday and Shimamura also have online stores, so you can keep shopping even after returning to Thailand. You can order online from the link below.

Adorable Shopping Carts for Kids

Shopping with children can sometimes mean dealing with a little boredom along the way, so Birthday has child-friendly shopping carts where kids can sit while parents browse the store. They make shopping easier without having to constantly chase after little ones or carry them around.

If you’re visiting Birthday with a young child, look for one of these carts when you first enter the store. Letting your child ride along may make the whole shopping trip a little more comfortable—and a little more fun—for everyone.

Traveling in Japan with Kids or Shopping for Children’s Gifts? Don’t Miss Birthday

Whether you’re traveling in Japan with children or looking for cute gifts to bring home for little ones, Birthday is a store worth checking out. You’ll find a wide range of clothing, everyday essentials, and items for babies and children, along with original brands covering everything from sweet and delicate looks to fun, fashion-forward styles.

If you get the chance to stop by, take your time exploring the whole store. You may just head home with a new favorite that everyone in the family loves.

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