Follow the celebrity '10 yen' tour to the quaint and artistic Monzen-Nakacho during cherry blossom season
The Tokyo Metro station 'Monzen-Nakacho', endorsed by the Japanese celebrity '10 yen', is just a 10-minute subway ride from Tokyo Station.
This area is a true 'Shitamachi', the old downtown of Tokyo, which, compared to bustling districts like Shinjuku and Ginza, retains more of the old Tokyo charm. With the recent emergence of beautifully designed cafes and variety stores, it has become a new hotspot for Tokyo's youth.
The Narita-san Old Street in Monzen-Nakacho is lined with decades-old, and even century-old shops. Nearby is the 'Fukagawa Fudo-do', and the area known as Monzen-Nakacho was historically prosperous as the town in front of temples such as 'Tomioka Hachiman-gu' and 'Fukagawa Fudo-do'.
If you want to shop while visiting Monzen-Nakacho, you can walk to the Ito-Yokado Kiba store from the Monzen-Nakacho metro station. Although I have visited several Ito-Yokado stores in Tokyo, the Kiba store is probably the most conveniently located with the best geographical position.
Ito-Yokado is a century-old Japanese department store and, along with Japan's largest convenience store chain 7-ELEVEN, is part of the 'SEVEN & i Holdings' group founded by Ito-Yokado. Therefore, you can find a lot of local specialty foods, cost-effective private brand clothing, and SEVEN PREMIUM products at Ito-Yokado, all with great value for money.
The food section mainly offers various frozen foods, vegetable salads, ready-to-eat meals, seasonal pastries, and there's also a dedicated SEVEN PREMIUM product area. This is the most common place for locals to do their daily shopping, where you can find daily ingredients and a variety of ready-made foods. When I stayed in a serviced apartment in Kyoto, I even cooked Sukiyaki, and buying the ingredients myself turned out to be very economical!
The skincare section has counters for major brands and products that are commonly bought in drugstores, and you can also find brand collaborations with SEVEN & i and many other brands.
In the Lifestyle Store area, you can buy various types of clothing, especially the Ito-Yokado's own brand series BODY HEATER® (winter series), which I always purchase when I visit. Some series even use organic cotton, offering great value for money.
There is also a tax refund counter on the first floor. For goods purchased at Ito-Yokado, you can process the tax exemption right there, so don't forget to bring your passport!