Abercrombie & Fitch in Japan

Hi I am going to be in Japan for about 2 years. My question is does Japan have A&F? .. and if so is it as expensive as it is in the US? ... I wear only A&F so I am hoping I get a good answer.

I'll be in Kyoto BTW.

Abercrombie and Fitch has no outlets in Japan that I'm aware of. Perhaps this is a signal that you should branch out and...try another brand! Japanese designers even. Or you could order it online- watch out for the customs duty on items like shoes though, as it can get really expensive.

From what I have seen and heard from my friends in Japan, if you want A&F, expect to pay a premium for it because as Sira stated, A&F does not have an official outlet in Japan. Being a commodity, you will still find articles written about A&F in Japanese fashion magazines and may be able to find them with a mark up in individual boutiques in Japan.

There are so many better fashion lines out there. May I ask your age?

I was in Kyoto and you can see A&F at trade-clothing shops, but they are really expensive. I saw t-shirts for 6000-yen. I also saw a billboard for A&F in Tokyo (a huge one), which I can't understand if they don't have an outlet in Japan.

i'm 17 and i'm sorry but I like A&F and there's nothing wrong with A&F so i don't know why i would have to change just because i am in japan. that would be like asking someone from japan never to touch their favorite clothing like from japan again.

"better clothing lines" .. how can you base whats better? to each his own.

sorry but that's my feelings.

This really is not about if there is a "better" brand than A&F. It's about A&F being insanely expensive in Japan. If you can afford it, then more power to you. But if you don't want to pay for the boutique mark up in your 2 years in Japan, you will have to figure out some other way to get A&F. International shipping isn't exactly cheap.

When i went to Japan i saw a pair of jeans for about $100 U.S. The same pair of jeans cost between $30.00 and $35.00 a pair. You really don't know what you're doing here. If a pair jeans is three times the cost in japan compared to the cost in America, and Abercrombie jeans cost around a $100 then then Abercrombie jeans in Japan could cost between $250 or $300 dollars a pop.

I understand you may like Abercrombie and what to wear it. But, it may not be possible. Why not try something new?

Your stubberness is irritating.

Say you live in a place where they grow lots of apples. Apples are cheap, and they're really delicious. So you eat a lot of apples. And say for example, mangoes are expensive and they don't taste so good since they have to be shipped a long way, so you don't eat mangoes. You don't even like mangoes.

Then you go to a country where they grow mangoes, so mangoes are really cheap and delicious, but apples are expensive and don't taste so good. Are you going to continue to buy and eat only apples? Or are you going to try the mangoes?

It's called "openmindedness".

I understand you like A and F but if you can't be flexible with your clothing choices then how will you survive in a foreign culture? People who can not adapt have a hard time in new situations.

It is a lot like coming to Japan and refusing to eat anything but McDonalds.

As for being told I couldn't wear my favourite brand of clothes any more, I would....deal with it. Believe me there are far worse things that can happen in life. You will not suffer either physically or mentally if you have to wear a different clothing brand.

There is abercrombie in many shops in tokyo but its all very expensive and just like someone before said they mark it up by about times three. but my friend who works at the one in L.A said they are building one currently in tokyo but i'm sure t shirts will be about 50 dollars minimum

tokyo japan is known as one of the fashion capitals of the world... people in new york will go in shops in new york and pay 3 times what you would be able to buy if you lived in japan. Think after two years you could walk on street in new york and notice you are wearing a 300usd japanese shirt and you only paid 100usd... to me that would be pretty awesome. I myself wear A&F a lot but I know if i didn't branch out and look for different things I wouldn't have found diesel jeasn which i consider them some of the best jeans ever made and 7 for all mankind (which Brad Pitt wears and aren't too expensive). I'm not saying give up on A&F but I think there is better quality out there and I say if you know you're gonna need new clothes get some before you go or if you have a chance to visit your family in 2 years time go back home empty handed (with some gifts maybe for them? haha) and buy to your hearts content and bring them back... heck buy more than you need and sell them to shops in japan for a mark up... earn some extra cash but you might be wise to buy local brands cause it will be cheaper... youre just really out of luck on that. good luck!

I'm living in Taiwan now and they don't have AF either. So, how do I get my AF clothes?? Luckily my brother just visited the US and he brought some back for me. My other option is buying it online or having someone buy it at the store for me and then ship it to me. Shipping isn't cheap, but it's gotta be cheaper than paying 3 times the price. Just be sure it's marked "gift."

You can always ebay AF clothes, but be careful of counterfeiters. There are so many AF counterfeiters.

I love A and F. I know that feeling when you want something bdaly you will go to all extremes to get it.....There are a few stores near Jiyugaoka station that carries it. The T-shirts are about
10,000YEN each. I think the price is OK considering it is imported.

good luck!

Actually I recently saw a temporary A & F outlet store in my area, so maybe the OP is in luck! I still can't believe a complete insistence on wearing only one brand of clothes, come hell or high water though...

i just recently came across an article that said that they were opening an A&F store in 2009 in Tokyo.

Yes, I also heard they were coming into Japan. Hopefully the girl who asked the question originally has learned to be a bit more flexible by then though...

This isn't about A&F per se, but I have to chime in here to agree that you're going to need a flexible attitude if you're going to live in Japan for a long period of time. I've only been here 2 months, and while I am pretty flexible, it's been difficult.

If you're absolutely swimming in money, then you can do what you want. However, you're going to find that everyday life, while fairly the same, contains a lot of little things that are really different.

For example, the clothes. You're not going to be able to get exactly what you want, but with enough patience you'll probably find something you like at one of the zillions of big department stores. If there isn't an A&F store right now, you kind of have to roll with it and deal.

I am concerned that if you are this rigid about your clothes, then you are going to have problems about food. You can, as suggested, eat McDonalds every day, but it isn't a good idea. You can eat pretty well (and cheap) if you are willing to try more Japanese style foods and meals.

Also, keep in mind that Japan is really cash based, and you might not be able to use a credit card as easy as in the US. I'd recommend bring lots of cash to start up with.

If you can read Japanese or get some help to read Japanese, here's a website that sells a bunch of A&F stuff:http://www.jandmisia.com/
They deliver to everywhere in Japan. Tokyo also has a few shops that cater this brand, you just need to know where to go.
Hope this helps.

Yeah there is going to be one in Japan. BUt, not in Kyoto. There is going to be one in Tokyo in late 2009.

The question of 'better' isnt personal opinion. Mass market brands like A&F are poorer quality than more boutique and smaller run brands. Keep in mind the store makes 50% if not more of what you pay and a garments actual worth will only be about 1/4-1/5 the price you are paying.
To be dictated by a single brand at your age seems such a waste. Dont you want have a personal style and not be dictated to by A&F? Do you not wear anything but jeans and cheap knit tops?