Words Allison Reiber DiLiegroImages Lisa Knight
We went for a walk with Taro and Kasumi Kato, the couple behind sowhatvintage, a vintage shop in Shimokitazawa that exclusively sells (what else?) hats and vases, to uncover some of their secrets.
Taro Kato
We felt that concentrating deeply on just two elements was truer to who we are. This focus also allows us to establish a more distinctive and unique presence.
I believe Tokyo is such a creative city because people here tend to obsessively dive deep into a single subject—the otaku or “nerd,” mindset. At the same time, they have the ability to understand the structure of what they’ve learned and reconstruct it into something entirely new.
Flash Disc Ranch, a record store that was founded in 1982
Y2K fashion remains a strong vintage trend, but I also feel that "Japanese Y2K" is emerging as its own distinct movement.
I own around 100 to 200 hats. My favorite is a Ralph Lauren cap. It isn’t especially rare, but it has been the most important piece in shaping my personal style.
The façade of Out of Museum, filled wall-to-wall with artworks, trinkets, talismans, and books
An amazing vintage shop run by a friend of ours with a deep commitment to music culture. His collection of treasured pieces from local dealers, collectors, and people in the music industry and community is second-to-none and a trip down memory lane for many of us. He speaks good English too.
This is the clothing shop I always recommend to fashion lovers coming from overseas. Their pieces are rooted in Ura-Hara, an underground street culture that emerged in Harajuku’s backstreets in the 1990s. Expect super niche street-, sports-, and workwear and cool styling.
If you’re looking for interior inspiration or beautiful furniture while you’re in Tokyo, this is the place to go. They also sell smaller stationery items that make more travel-friendly buys and, of course, super nice gifts. We come here a lot to look around or find mid-century modern interior pieces from the 1950s.
A thrift store in a former Japanese public bath house with incredible unique pieces and designer finds at reasonable prices. We love the little details of the building’s former purpose poking through, and the name is great: The Japanese word for public bath is Nyuyokujō, so they called the shop New York Joe.
A little trip outside of the city but so worth it; this is a beautifully curated fashion shop for mens- and womenswear. The owners research every item they bring into their selection, so they have built an incredibly reliable collection for both design and craftsmanship. One of our favorite places to shop in all of Tokyo.
A vintage store that specializes exclusively in Ralph Lauren pieces, a brand that can easily be overlooked by fashion collectors but is essential to understanding vintage culture. The garments here are in beautiful condition too and span different fashion eras and aesthetics, so there’s a lot to discover.
We have our shop’s hats embroidered here, and the shop’s amazing style, sense of humor, and décor make it such a fun and inspiring place to check out. The owner is super kind and creative too, and the shop’s original pieces are really fun to style with vintage finds. So, even though it’s not a vintage shop, we had to include it here.
This record shop was founded in 1982 and houses over 30,000 records across all genres—and real rare treasures at affordable prices. The staff are amazing too. Just tell them your budget and what you’re into, and they’ll give you fantastic recommendations. A true Tokyo gem you’d never find anywhere else.
A glimpse at the vases for sale at sowhatvintage
This story appears in the latest issue of Directions magazine. Reimagined for 2026, the magazine is now in a broadsheet format, designed for you to read, fold, toss in your bag, and carry home with you. Visit one of our hotels around the world to pick up your copy.
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