Page 343 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide: Japan

SHOPPING IN JAP AN  341

The same applies to antiques
such as tansu (chests) and
screens. There are also a large
number of moving companies
that specialize in handling
large-size items; shop around in
English-language newspapers
and listings publications.

Compatibilty of
Electrical Goods
Great care should be taken when
buying electrical or electronic
Inside Mikimoto Pearl shop in Ginza, Tokyo’s premier shopping district products. Make absolutely
sure that circuits are either
you should place money on specialty and discount stores, compatible with, or can be easily
it, and your change will be as the latter may work out adjusted to, a home country’s
returned without hand-to- the same or even cheaper. power system (see p363). Also,
hand contact. International In some shops, particularly the FM radio band is different
credit cards are still surprisingly department stores, you may (from 76 to 90) from that used
unpopular in smaller shops. have to pay the full price for an elsewhere in the world.
In general, the larger the item, then obtain a refund and Japan uses the NTSC system
emporium, the wider the range customs document from a for video and DVD, which is
of international cards taken. tax-exemption counter. This compatible with Canada, the
VISA, American Express, Diners document is retained by US, and much of South and
Club, and MasterCard are the customs as you leave Japan. Central America. PAL video
most widely accepted. systems, used in other parts
of Asia, Australia, and Europe,
Exporting Large Items
Rights and Refunds Most specialty duty-free outlets among other places, are avai-
lable at electronic specialists
Refunds are not encouraged will arrange packaging of bulky such as those in the Akihabara
but are legal if the sales slip goods for export if required. district of Tokyo (see p77).
can be produced, and the
item in question has not been Clothing Sizes
tampered with. Some stores
give redeemable coupons Buying clothing in Japan can be a problem. Young people are
rather than money, so that they growing to Western sizes now, but a lot of clothing is still cut for
do not lose out. Without a older-style Japanese physiques – that means smaller overall and with
receipt, return is impossible. shorter sleeves in particular. The range of sizes available tends toward
small to medium with a few large (but not as large as Western large).
Remember to take your shoes off when entering a fitting room.
Tax-Free Shopping
Japan tax-free shops Men’s Suits and Coats
offer a good range of
domestic ally made and Japanese S M L XL
imported brand items all free US 34 36 38 42
of the five per cent sales tax British 34 36 38 42
added elsewhere. You will Continental 44 46 48 52
need to show your passport.
Authorized outlets are mainly Women’s Clothes
located in shopping districts Japanese 9 11 13 15 17 19 21
and urban areas frequented US 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
by tourists, as well as the British 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
international airports. The best- Continental 36 38 40 42 44 46 48
known in the capital are the
Tokyo International Arcade Shoes
(near the Imperial Hotel) and
Laox (see p111) for electronic Japanese 23.5 24 24.5 25 25.5 26 26.5
goods; and in Kansai, the Kyoto US men’s – – – – 7.5 8 8.5
Handicraft Center (see pp186–7). US women’s 7 7.5 8 8.5 9 9.5 10
It is a good idea, however, to British 4.5 5 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5
compare the prices of goods Continental 37.5 38 38.5 39 40 40.5 41
in these shops with those in

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