Second Hand Himeji

You might recall the smash hit evening that was Himeji Prom-stravaganza 2011. My point of pride for the night was that my entire outfit cost me about 1200 yen.

Thrifting was an essential part of my young unprofessional life. Being broke as hell does not cultivate in a person a taste for expensive fineries, but rather an appreciation for the tacky, and a sense of adventure. And then of course, if you forget your shoes on the side of the road in Kobe, it’s not such a big deal, since they only cost you 310.

There are a lot of reasons to buy used, and price is but one of them. I also enjoy the uniqueness-to-price ratio to be found in secondhand shops. In “real” stores, if you want to pay a reasonable price, you will probably be buying something fairly standard or plain, which everyone you know will also have in a different size or color pattern. Buying used goods ensures that there’s probably only one or two available of whatever you’re getting.

The hunt is another perk, that sense of accomplishment that comes with finding something that is not only unique, and not only fits, but also flatters you, all for less than you pay for a month of internet. Buying used is also more eco-friendly, and secondhand stuff means you are not directly supporting any poor-conditions sweatshops in developing countries.

But of course I’m preaching to the choir here. You don’t need the why; all you really want to know is what, where, and how. I’ll focus on Himeji, because that’s the area I’ve personally been able to explore, but note that these stores have multiple locations!

What

• King Family – of the two stores I visited in Himeji (one near the Bantan, and one south of the station), the one south of the station was a bit larger, with more offerings. There are also locations in Kobe, Akashi, Nishiwaki, and Kakogawa. Typeキングファミリー into google maps to find the one nearest you!
• ChakuChakuChaku – affiliated with King Family, this Ishikawa store boasts a narrow price range, from 100 to 300 yen. The quality of clothing is not always on par with King Family, but jackets, suits, football (soccer) shirts, sportswear, slacks, jeans, and t-shirts are all in stock. Chaku has a point card system and are open until 8pm every evening.
• Off House – from the people who brought you Book Off and Hard Off, Off House in Himeji is the classiest of the secondhand stores. Rob Wilkinson points out that, since it just opened last September, it doesn’t quite have that “secondhand smell” to it just yet. There are also locations in Taishi, Itami, Nishinomiya, and Sanda.

But Emily, I hear you say, what of those of us who are leaving Japan soon? But of course, you’ll want to get rid of those extra clothes you don’t want to ship home or throw away! King Family accepts clothing by weight, but doesn’t pay much for them. Off House seems to have more extensive rules, but also they accept more than just clothes (furniture, for example); they also have a pick-up service option. Check out their website (http://www.hardoff.co.jp/shop_off.htm) for details, and the best thing would be to call them if you are unsure.

Getting There

• My tour of Himeji’s secondhand offerings began with King Family. My adventure was in roadtrip form, which may be the easiest way to explore these stores and haul away your booty, but I’ll attempt to give you some kind of suggestions for how to get there even if you aren’t licensed to drive.
  • King Family off the Bantan (キングファミリー姫路保城店) – Take the Bantan line to Nozato station. Head east toward Mizukami Elementary school (). Once you reach 312, turn left (north-ish) and you’ll soon see the store on your right.
    • If driving, take 2 east from the castle until you reach 312. Turn left on 312 and the store will be on you right after 3.7km.

• King Family south of the station (キングファミリー姫路飾磨店) – Go over to Sanyo Himeji and take that train to Shikama, where you’ll change to the 山陽電気鉄道網干線 (Sanyo Aboshi line), and get off at Nishi-shikama. From there, walk east til you get to Tsuda Elementary school, and turn left. If you get all the way to the big road, don’t worry, just turn left and follow that street north until you see a Lawson’s on the right side (at which time, turn left). Go straight and the store will be on your right. It’s about a 1km (15 minute?) walk.
  • If driving, take 62 south from Himeji station, and turn right on材木市場北(maybe “ZaimokuichibaKita”) onto 418. Turn left at 飾磨西中学校東 (ShikamaNishiChugakkoHigashi), then right rather quickly onto構二丁目(Kamae 2 Chome). Take your first left, and the store is on the left.
  • Off House (オフハウス姫路野里店) – take the Bantan line to Nozato Station, it’s about a four minute walk to the south and east.
  • ChakuChakuChaku (ちゃくちゃくちゃく) – With coordinates at 34.987407,134.763826, this store in Ichikawa is a ten minute walk from Amaji station. Take the Bantan to Amaji, then walk east, across the river, and hang a right at the light.

So good luck, ye knights seeking the gilt cup of crazy-cheap fashion goods. And Godspeed, ye handkerchief-waving departing maidens, leaving prizes ‘long the way.

Author’s Note: I’d like to thank Rob Wilkinson, Philip Farrell, and Jason White for their information and directions to these various shops.