The Exciting Things I Bought in Japan + the Vintage Shopping Situation

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Estimated read time: 6 minutes

When I posted about my very brief vintage shopping adventures in Japan over on my Instagram stories, my DMs blew up with so many of you wanting details. I’m sorry if I’ve left you on read but I was genuinely overwhelmed with the influx and couldn’t respond to every message. I also need to stress (in case the bold and italics wasn’t enough) that my shopping time was VERY LIMITED. This trip was a family holiday – so the fact that I got any time to browse was a win, let alone actually buying stuff, as I really wasn’t expecting to get meaningful time. I collectively had around two hours to myself (dedicated to vintage and secondhand designer bag shopping), and there were a couple of other times where my husband encouraged me to run off on my own while he kept the boys entertained (read: Loewe, without kids! Huzzah!).

Loewe Puzzle Edge bag (tan shade linked), Loewe khaki tote bag, Arket t-shirt (sz S), Foemina dress* (sz AU 8), Bared sandals*, Francesca earrings*

If you want to read about what we did, where we stayed and what we ate, check out this post where I share some of those highlights. I’ve also posted about all the nifty travel gear we used to keep us organised during the trip.

In this post, I’m going to be sharing my short (but exciting!) list of things that I bought. If I were to actually list EVERYTHING, egg sandos from Family Mart and novelty onigiri socks warrant a mention but given we’re focusing on all things farshun here, they’ve been sadly left off.

#1 – Loewe bag

Let’s kick things off with my biggest purchase – my Loewe bag. This is the bag I quite literally haven’t been able to quit! After ruling out the original Puzzle, and then trying again months later with the mini size, I ultimately ruled out the original Puzzle design due to its boxiness and not quite vibing either size (there’s a pro-con list that highlights my type A personality in this post). The Puzzle Edge on the other hand? That’s a different story. I love the curves in its shape while still maintaining the iconic and distinctive geometric lines but understandably, the opinions of OG Puzzle Lovers on the internet made me feel some shame for preferring the newer design (mainly driven by how the bag is constructed that some view as “lazy”). 

The excitement of being overseas invigorated Project Buy-A-Loewe-Bag and with the AUD to JPY conversion also encouraging said project, my heart was initially set on the Puzzle Fold Tote which I’d tried on several times during my numerous visits to the Loewe boutique in Sydney. 

My visit to the Shibuya store – Loewe Puzzle Fold Tote in Medium, lululemon top* (sz US 6), lululemon shorts* (sz S), New Balance sneakers (also available here)

My first Japanese Loewe experience was a brief 15 minute window I had in the Shibuya store (while my husband took the boys to the Nintendo store upstairs). I tried on a couple of Puzzle Fold totes during my brief visit (pictured below). 

My second (and more fruitful) Loewe adventure was at the concession in the Isetan department store in Shinjuku. My husband took the boys to the rooftop playground upstairs (highly recommend btw given the generally sub-par public playgrounds in Tokyo; you can also grab lunch in the food hall in the basement and bring it to the rooftop to eat). They had a bigger range of Puzzle Fold tote bags – I loved the Khaki and the Eucalyptus Green, but then I spotted the Puzzle Edge in the new season colour and it completely won me over. When it comes to totes, I don’t have a shortage of those in my wardrobe, so I ultimately went with my heart – the Puzzle Edge bag in Sahara. 

My visit to the Isetan concession – Loewe Puzzle Edge bag (tan shade linked), Loewe khaki tote bag, Arket t-shirt (sz S), Foemina dress* (sz AU 8), Bared sandals*, Francesca earrings*

I’ve been loving yellow lately, it’s such a happy colour and it compliments my skin tone. I’m also content with the neutral bags in my wardrobe and wanted something playful to jazz up my collection. I’ve come to learn that not all yellows are equal. I’ve previously bought the mini Loewe bag in a cooler-toned yellow but found it too bright for my liking. The sahara shade is a mustardy yellow and it’s just perfect. 

Be prepared for the spam!

#2 – Vintage Burberry coats

A vintage Burberry coat was on my wishlist after reading about the vintage shopping market in Japan. I also figured I’d have better luck finding something suited to my proportions. I’d read about how incredible the vintage shopping would be but I was honestly blown away when I was there. There are SO many amazing preloved stores in Japan, we walked past heaps but I was only afforded with proper time during the second half of our trip, when we were in Osaka. 

Not only are there a ton of secondhand stores, I was so impressed with the condition of all the pieces which reflects the way in which the Japanese take care of their belongings. Also, after questioning the authenticity of a couple of Burberry trenches I stumbled across in a bric-a-brac store, I’d come to learn of the strict prohibition against counterfeit items in Japan, so there’s a level of comfort when you’re shopping, particularly from reputable stores (that’s not to say fakes aren’t sold – it’s just a lot harder to do it). 

The stairs leading up to 2nd Street Shinsaibashi; a very happy me mid-shop

After doing a fair bit of reading, I made a beeline for 2nd Street in Shinsaibashi (Japan, 〒542-0085 Osaka, Chuo Ward, Shinsaibashisuji, 2 Chome−3−27 心央ビル 2階), a popular secondhand chain store with a few locations in Japan. The selection was big, a heap of Americana (which is huge in Japan) but importantly, two racks dedicated to Burberry coats. I was in heaven! 

Two racks of Burberry coats (ie. heaven)

Both racks were unisex, so it took some time to sort through the racks and pick out the ones I thought would fit me. The try-on process was essentially a process of elimination. And while I initially had only one coat on my list, I walked out with two mac coats – a neutral beige and a navy for a grand total of ¥45,800 (roughly $230 AUD per coat – psst, bring along your passport to take advantage of tax free shopping available from most places). I’ve got no idea what size they both are or what year they’re from (though they’re pre-1998 when Burberry went by “Burberrys”). Each of the coats has a label inside one of their pockets recording the order number and the lining on both matches up (which, according to Reddit, means they’re the real deal). 

Two of the many coats I tried!

I was cautious not to try anything else on in 2nd Street, because I didn’t want to be haunted by a vintage piece that didn’t end up coming home with me – knowing my personality, it’s best to leave these things unknown. 

Meanwhile, I’ve scoured the internet for similar vintage Burberry coats if I’ve inspired you to add your own vintage piece to your wardrobe. Check out my selection below:

And to cap it off, an image of yours truly with a couple of her new Japan acquisitions:

If you have any questions or you have your own recommendations, please pop them in the comments!

Thanks for stopping by!

P.S. You can read my other travel related posts here.