If you have a day in the stylish town of Jiyūgaoka, shopping is something that you will inevitably do. With so many boutique stores lining the sides of the streets, which ones are the most-go? If that’s your question, read on! Jiyūgaoka has several good shops scattered throughout the small town. You wouldn’t want to miss out on any of them!
Table of Contents
- Popeye Camera Flagship Store (ポパイカメラ 自由が丘本店)
- TODAY’S SPECIAL Jiyugaoka (トゥデイズスペシャル ジユウガオカ)
- People Tree Jiyugaoka (ピープルツリー 自由が丘)
- Dry Fruits Shop A La Carte (ドライフルーツのお店アラカルト)
- BROCANTE (ブロカント 自由が丘 フランスアンティーク)
- Nishikiya Kitchen Jiyugaoka (NISHIKIYA KITCHEN 自由が丘店)
- Other Shops in Jiyūgaoka That Are Worth Checking Out
Popeye Camera Flagship Store (ポパイカメラ 自由が丘本店)
While a camera shop isn’t an intuitive place to visit overseas, Popeye Camera Flagship Store, opened in 1936, is counted as an attraction in Jiyūgaoka. Different from your typical camera shop back home, this camera store resembles more of a boutique shop. The interior of Popeye Camera Flagship Store is stylish.
Toy cameras, professional cameras, stickers, stamps, albums and other camera-related items filled the shop’s shelf. Secondhand and vintage film cameras can also be found here. Whether you only use your smartphone to take photos or are a professional photographer, you will surely find Popeye Camera Flagship Store worth visiting.
Popeye Camera Flagship store offers a wide range of print options. They will print to your desired finish according to your request, including the “feel” of the photos. For example, if you want the photos to have a natural look or a soft image, the staff will create the effect exactly that way. They can also make your photos into postcards so that you can send them home while in Japan!
Popeye Camera Flagship Store’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Popeye Camera Flagship Store is open from 11:45 am to 7:15 pm from Thursday to Tuesday.
- The camera shop is a 3-minute walk from Tokyū Dentetsu’s Jiyūgaoka Station (自由が丘駅).
TODAY’S SPECIAL Jiyugaoka (トゥデイズスペシャル ジユウガオカ)
If you like to shop for daily utensils, TODAY’S SPECIAL Jiyugaoka is a shop for you. A wide selection of daily necessities, food, books, plants, tableware, kitchenware, and more from around the world are presented in a creative, market-like display. You will also find some unique souvenirs here, too. Just looking at these items that can enrich your life will make you happy!
Note that if you are a shopaholic, TODAY’S SPECIAL Jiyugaoka is a spot where you will want to take everything home (*´▽｀*).
TODAY’S SPECIAL Jiyugaoka’s Business Hours and Access Information
- TODAY’S SPECIAL Jiyugaoka is open from 11 am to 8 pm.
- The variety shop is a 4-minute walk from Tokyū Dentetsu’s Jiyūgaoka Station (自由が丘駅).
People Tree Jiyugaoka (ピープルツリー 自由が丘)
The variety store in Jiyūgaoka that we love the most is People Tree. The service provided by the friendly staff is impeccable and their products are Fair Trade certified. Plus, the service provided by the friendly staff is impeccable.
Refer to our People Tree Jiyugaoka article for what it offers and why you need to check it out!
Dry Fruits Shop A La Carte (ドライフルーツのお店アラカルト)
While Japan may not have a wide variety of fruits, the ones it produces are incredibly delicious. Although you can’t bring the fresh ones home due to quarantine protocols at airports of your country, dried fruits are usually allowed. So, if there is a fruit that you enjoy eating in Japan, visit Dry Fruits Shop A La Carte for the dried version. The shop specialises in dried fruits that are domestically produced and additive-free, which means many of the products on the shelf are vegan!
On A La Carte’s shelves, around 40 varieties of dried fruits are on display. Each bag is packed with the natural flavor and sweetness of the fruit. Dried fruits aren’t just good for snacking. They can be used in a variety of ways, including as a topping for yogurt and ice cream and as an ingredient in pastry making. As dried fruits are made from fruits harvested during their respective seasons, what is available on a given day changes depending on the season.
A La Carte’s dried fruit processing factory is in Yamagata Prefecture, a part of Japan that is blessed with an abundance of fruit in a rich natural environment. The fruit is processed there with care before arriving in Jiyūgaoka. For the fruits that Japan doesn’t produce, A La Carte imports from carefully selected suppliers overseas.
As expected, apples and strawberries are the top sellers at A La Carte. There are also rare ones, such as bananas. You can hardly find another place that makes whole bananas into dried fruits! The more you chew, the more the banana flavor spreads in your mouth! The watermelon and rockmelon dried slices are other unordinary dried fruits on the shelf!
The staff is generous about sampling, so remember to try the ones that catch your attention and find your favorite dried fruits to bring home!
Besides dry fruits, A La Carte also sells nuts.
Dry Fruits Shop A La Carte’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Dry Fruits Shop A La Carte is open from 11 am to 7 pm from Thursday to Tuesday.
- The shop is a 5-minute walk from Tokyū Dentetsu’s Jiyūgaoka Station (自由が丘駅).
BROCANTE (ブロカント 自由が丘 フランスアンティーク)
Like its name suggests in French, BROCANTE is an “antique market” shop filled with beautiful utensils and furniture from France that have been loved and treasured by people for many years. The elegantly renovated old house surrounded by plants will definitely catch your attention, even if you are at the entrance of the alley. What is unique about the shop is that it also provides outdoor space design services that incorporate French antiques, harmonising with the surrounding greenery.
As a tourist, you can treasure hunt in the store, which is filled with elegant furniture, objects with unique shapes, tableware with intricate designs, and more. Each product has its own history, and you can feel the European culture and lifestyle. What is in the shop is purchased during the shop owner’s regular trips to Europe. Although the colors can be monochrome, the selection is elegant and classic.
BROCANTE’s Business Hours and Access Information
- BROCANTE is open from 1 pm to 6 pm from Friday to Monday.
- The shop is a 5-minute walk from Tokyū Dentetsu’s Jiyūgaoka Station (自由が丘駅).
Nishikiya Kitchen Jiyugaoka (NISHIKIYA KITCHEN 自由が丘店)
We all know Japan has delicious food. If you can’t have enough of it and want to bring some home, Nishikiya Kitchen has a shop in Jiyūgaoka where you can purchase retort food. Among their 120 products, a couple of them are plant-based. Thus, even if you are a vegan, there will be food that you can enjoy. If you are lucky, there might be samplings you can try when you get there!
The manufacturer, founded in Miyagi Prefecture in 1939, specialized in making ready-made foods, including curry, soup, pasta sauce, and rice porridge. As they don’t use any artificial seasonings, colorings, or fragrances, their products are healthier than those sold elsewhere. Below is a list of plant-based products that the company has advised us.
- Curry
- Vegetable curry (野菜ゴロゴロカレー)
- North Indian mushroom curry (北インドのマッシュルームカレー)
- South Indian bean and vegetable soup curry (南インドの豆と野菜のスープカレー)
- Rich chickpea tomato curry (ひよこ豆の濃厚トマトカレー)
- Children’s curry (どもカレー)
- Soup
- Summer Hokkaido corn cold soup (夏スープ(北海道産とうもろこしの冷製スープ))
- Chilled gazpacho with three kinds of paprika (冷製 三種のパプリカ香るガスパチョ)
- Soy milk corn soup (豆乳コーンスープ)
- Rice porridge
- White porridge (ひとめぼれ白粥)
- Brown rice porridge with red beans (国産小豆玄米粥)
- Brown rice and ten-grain sweet potato porridge (玄米と十穀さつま芋粥)
There might be more, so please confirm with the staff on the day. Nishikiya Kithcen’s staff are patient. If the shop isn’t busy, they will go through the items with you to ensure what you have selected is suitable for your diet.
Nishikiya Kitchen Jiyugaoka’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Nishikiya Kitchen Jiyugaoka is open from 11 am to 7 pm.
- The shop is a 6-minute walk from Tokyū Dentetsu’s Jiyūgaoka Station (自由が丘駅).
Other Shops in Jiyūgaoka That Are Worth Checking Out
- LUPICIA (ルピシア 自由が丘本店)
- If you find the tea at TWG Tea Jiyugaoka (TWG Tea 自由が丘) too expensive or want to visit a tea shop founded in Japan, Lupicia is a good option. The shop in Jiyūgaoka is the main store and, therefore, offers the widest selection of products among all Lupicia stores in Japan. Specially selected tea utensils are also on the shelf.
- The tea specialist has several original tea blends, including those with dried fruits and seasonal blends.
- The tea leaves sold here are carefully selected from providers around the world. Of course, you will also find Japanese tea at Lupicia.
- Tea sampling service should also be available. So, check with the staff before purchasing!
- MIEUX (アンティーク雑貨ミュー)
- A store where you will find unique antiques and vintage homewares from France and England. Vintage posters and oil paintings are also available.
- quatre saisons Tokio (キャトル・セゾン トキオ)
- A miscellaneous goods store opened based on the concept of living a rich Parisian lifestyle while feeling nature.
- The store is packed with kitchen goods, tableware, and home decor designed in Paris.
- High-quality products, including handmade ceramics that highlight French craftsmanship and textiles created by Parisian designers, can also be found at quatre saisons Tokyo. Additionally, several products are crafted from natural materials.
- Watashi no Heya Jiyugaoka (私の部屋 自由が丘店)
- A miscellaneous store that sells goods to allow customers to create their irreplaceable room. You will find many cute and practical products here. Baby-related goods are also sold here.
- New products based on the Japanese seasonal calendar are added every month, so you can make new discoveries every time you visit.
- Events by handicraft artists are also held irregularly.
- tou tou(トゥー トゥー)
- An antique and miscellaneous store in Jiyūgaoka with a focus on baskets and containers made from rattan.
- Moreover, they sell a variety of garden goods, kitchen items, and stationery imported from Europe.
What Else Can You Do in Jiyūgaoka
Besides shopping, Jiyūgaoka has much more to offer. The neighborhood named Liberty Hill has many famous sweet shops and stylish cafes. From places perfect for taking a break during a date, to photogenic places, and even solemn temples and shrines to pray for relationships, Jiyūgaoka is where you can have a taste of Japan’s capital without being pushed around!
For more information, refer to our article on What to Do and Where to Eat in Jiyūgaoka!
