Yes, you can bargain at Tokyo flea markets, where haggling is acceptable, particularly for antique items, clothing, or when purchasing multiple items. While fixed-price retail is the norm in Japan, flea market vendors often welcome polite, friendly negotiation—especially toward closing time—rather than aggressive, high-pressure tactics.
Best & largest flea-market in Tokyo - for early birds!
There are some amazing bargains to be found: from real antics to vintage toys, kimonos, books, broken 60s electronics, bags & clothes... Come with lots of change and an extra carrier bag; as it is likely you'll find something you did not expect!
The watch dealers in Japan are on top of the exchange rate and adjust their prices accordingly fairly often. Last year, when there, I was hoping to score some deals but found that the prices were on par with American prices. Haggling isn't really culturally a thing and can be seen as disrespectful.
As for how much cash to carry, it depends on what you intend to buy. A reasonable amount for most shoppers would be between $50 to $100, but bringing more is advisable if you're eyeing big-ticket items or planning on making several purchases.
A: In general, most shops won't haggle about prices. At any big name shop, at best, they have a price-matching system. In the smaller, privately owned shops you will occasionally find places willing to make a deal. If something is a bit too pricey it doesn't hurt to ask, but generally, expect to pay what's marked.
The market opens most weekends from 9 am to 2.30 pm. Arriving soon after opening gives you the best chance to find rare pieces, while late morning offers a more relaxed pace.
Most of the signs in the Tokyo Metro are also in English so navigating around in Tokyo will be the easiest and truthfully very manageable with only English. You will also find many shopkeepers, police, folks on street, tourism people who speak some English, and many who can communicate fairly well.
Don't be afraid to negotiate prices, but always be respectful. Start by asking for the vendor's best price and make counteroffers if needed. Remember, the goal is to reach a fair price for both parties. Many items at flea markets are second-hand or vintage, so it's crucial to inspect them thoroughly.
The best flea market I have been to in Tokyo is the Tokyo City Flea Market held most Sundays at Oi Racecourse. I last went in 2019 and there were about 600 stalls! It takes several hours to browse and some good bargains can be found.
How much cash to bring to Japan 2 weeks from the UK?
(You'll use cards, Suica, or QR code payments, so that 20,000 yen won't go down much.) If your cash runs low, just withdraw the amount you need from an ATM and you should be fine. Credit cards can be used in most places, so I think 100,000 yen would be enough for a two-week trip.
Is $4000 enough spending money for 2 weeks in Japan?
For me that's more than enough. I spent more or less that (the proportional part for 1 person) for a whole month, including a lot of traveling and a lot of souvenirs and great food (omakase, kaiseki). Most days, we stayed under $100 pp/per day. It's definitely doable.
The cheapest months to fly to Japan are typically January, February, and early March, especially after the New Year's rush, due to winter being the low season, with potential deals in the shoulder seasons like late May/early June and late November/early December, avoiding peak cherry blossom (late March/early April) and summer (July/August) times.
They are very picky about what is in your carry-on luggage be sure that you follow these rules: Liquids, gels and aerosols packed in carry-on must follow the 3-1-1 liquids rule:3.4 ounces or less per container 1 quart size, clear, plastic, zip top bag (all liquids must fit in bag) 1 bag per passenger ( I put most ...
In sum, the Squeeze-Out Right enables a shareholder holding (directly or through one or more wholly owned subsidiaries) at least 90% of the total voting rights (a “Special Controlling Shareholder”) to force a cash acquisition of the remaining shares held by the minority shareholders.
Not finishing one's meal is not considered impolite in Japan, but rather is taken as a signal to the host that one wishes to be served another helping. Conversely, finishing one's meal completely, especially the rice, indicates that one is satisfied and therefore does not wish to be served any more.
Budget (cheap meals, few souvenirs): 7,000-9,000 per day. Standard (good meals, decent spending money): 11,000-13,000 per day. Unrestrained (taxis, nice restaurants etc.): 20,000+ per day.
In case you're wondering, 100 yen is about 66 cents. So, in a way, these shops sell products at cheaper prices than dollar stores. Japan's 100-yen shops (hyaku-en shoppu) sell all categories of items, including stationery, instant noodles, electronic devices, cooking utensils, beverages, decorations, and clothing.
