Thrifting for second-hand clothing is probably a universal thing and it’s everywhere around the planet -but something’s really special about thrifting in Japan – especially Mode Off which is practically thrifting on steroids!
Mode Off is Japan’s answer to affordable, high-quality secondhand fashion. It’s a part of the same retail family as Hard Off and Book Off, but with its focus set squarely on used clothing and accessories. Walk through its doors and you’ll find rows of neatly spaced racks, each packed with a rotating mix of everyday staples, Japanese labels, and cool designer pieces that somehow slipped into the secondhand stream.
The stock changes constantly because purchases come directly from people trading in their clothes. One visit might turn up a crisp Uniqlo shirt for ¥300; another might reveal a Comme des Garçons coat at a fraction of its original price. This constant refresh is part of Mode Off’s magic – you’ll just never know what you’ll find, but you can count on the store being organized, well-stocked with cool finds, and easy to navigate.
There are also plenty of Mode Off stores especially in major cities such as Tokyo and Osaka so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to score a really nice bargain in each visit – check their store list here to see all the Mode Off stores across Japan. The bigger the store, the better, but even the small stores have great and unique inventory, too.
Tip: If you’re looking for something specific or you might want to be able to see what’s in each store’s clothing inventory before you even visit (to get some fashion inspiration or to save you some shopping time), you can check out their official mall site called OffMall (OFFモール).
Aside from the clearance racks at the front of each store, also check out the “red tag” items where items with this mark are only ¥550 (aka WakuWaku price) – these red tag items are worth checking out because they’re still well curated and in good quality even for the price.
Verdict: Is Mode Off even worth it? It’s not even a question because it’s so worth it! The amount of selections and the variety and the price alone is worth the visit especially if you’re into fashion. If you fancy some used clothes shopping while in Japan, I highly recommend a visit to one of Mode Off’s stores.
