Ginza Shopping | Try Japanese Style on for Size in Tokyo with Japanese Fashion & Lifestyle Brand BEAMS (Coupon Included!)

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.)


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