The Best Shops in Ameyoko Shopping Street
Visiting a street market is a must-do when traveling to Asian countries, and that includes Japan as well! There are hundreds of amazing street markets in Japan, but one of the most famous is Tokyo’s Ameyoko Shopping Street. Located in the vibrant Ueno district, this street contains more than 500 stores packed into a few streets.
If you have a JR Pass, it's easily accessible from either Ueno or Okachimachi station, as the street follows the tracks of the JR Yamanote Line and JR Keihin-Tohoku Line.
You’ll find practically everything at Ameyoko, including trendy clothes, delicious snacks, electronics, souvenirs, cosmetics, and more. If you get hungry, there are also dozens of street stalls to eat at.
If you’re excited to explore Ameyoko Shopping Street, this guide has everything you need to know, including travel tips, the best stores to see on Ameyoko Street, and much more.
What to Know About Ameyoko
Ameyoko has quite the history: it was actually a black market selling imported American goods after World War II, but over time, it transformed into the vibrant and bustling market of today.
Ameyoko (アメ横) is short for Ameya-Yokochō, and the name has two interpretations — either referencing candy shops ("Ameya") that were prevalent in the area or as a nod to America ("Ame"), the origin of many goods in the former black market.
Helpful travel tips for Ameyoko:
- It’s best to visit around noon when all of the shops are already open, and restaurants are getting ready to serve lunch. If you’re coming around the holidays or the New Year, keep in mind that it’ll be very crowded!
- Most stores close around 8 pm.
- Just like many markets around the world, bring plenty of cash. If you need to get more paper bills, there are plenty of Family Marts with ATMs nearby.
- Ameyoko is very central — after shopping, you can visit interesting nearby places like Ueno Royal Museum, Ueno Park, and Shinobazu no Ike Pond. Uneo is a very popular district for foodies, and there are many food tours that explore the area!
The Best Stores on Ameyoko Street
Niki no Kashi
Need to satisfy a sweet tooth? Look no further than Niki no Kashi! This sprawling candy store is popular for its budget-friendly sweets — you can find some brands up to 50% off regular market prices.
If you want to try Japan’s famous flavored KitKats, then be sure to stock up here. There are dozens of flavors, including the matcha (green tea) KitKats. Of course, you’ll also find tons of delicious candies, chocolates, traditional Japanese sweets, and even instant ramen and other snacks sold here.
Besides its amazing selection of candies and snacks, Niki no Kashi also stands out as one of the oldest stores on the street. It was founded in 1951, when its first store was just a few meters in size (no bigger than a cupboard closet!). Of course, the store has expanded in the years since, and now there are actually two stores on Ameyoko Street — and about a dozen others all around Tokyo.
Cha no Kiminoen
Right in the heart of the Ameyoko Shopping Street is Cha no Kiminoen (茶の君野園), a popular stop for tea enthusiasts. The store’s history is steeped in tradition, as it has functioned as a tea distributor for more than 90 years!
The store is especially known for its matcha, which is sourced from some of the best tea plantations across Japan. There are dozens of different varieties and flavors, and the employees will be happy to explain their products and help you find what you need. On the second floor, there are tea accessories like teapots, cups, matcha ceremony whisks, and much more.
Before you leave, be sure to try their legendary matcha soft serve ice cream.
Yamashiroya
Located further down Ameyoko is Yamashiroya, a sprawling six-story toy store full of all sorts of anime and manga goods. Each floor is dedicated to one central theme — for example, the second floor has Western/foreign franchises (i.e. Star Wars, Marvel, etc), the fourth floor is dedicated to children’s toys, the fifth floor is anime figurines, and so on.
As a nice bonus, you can also get a tax refund if you spend more than 5,500 JPY here.
Freak Market
Despite its very interesting name, Freak Market is a colorful store that sells interesting clothes with Japanese motifs, especially sukajan (a type of basketball jacket embroidered with silk).
The store also stocks local designers and anime- and manga-themed clothes.
Ameyoko Center Building
If you don’t have much time but still want to shop on Ameyoko Street, then head over to the Ameyoko Center building instead!
This five-story building has dozens of smaller shops packed inside, including a stall that sells international food (Korean, Chinese, Thai, etc), fashion boutiques, shoe stores (Tokyo Shoes is a popular stop for locals), a vintage record store, camera boutique, and much more.
Author Bio:
Susan Noel is an experienced content writer. She is associated with many renowned travel blogs as a guest author where she shares her valuable travel tips with the audience.
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