Shopping at Ginza

Hi all,

I just came back from Japan last Sunday. My wife and I had the opportunity to stroll along the Ginza street.

My wife was shocked to see so many people splurging on jewelry (Tiffany and Co.), bags (LV, Gucci, Burberry) and basically every shops are crowded with people. Yeah, it's weekend that day but does Japanese earn that much to splurge on branded items? She is just curious how much they earn averagely a month.

By the way, when we were there, we saw a long queue in front of H&M. Believe me when I said it's a long queue. What's so special about H&M besides being new kid on the block?

We had so much fun in Japan and certainly enjoy our trip there except for extreme weather in Kyoto and Hiroshima. The locals wasn't expecting that kind of weather too.

Thanks

Yeah, it's weekend that day but does Japanese earn that much to splurge on branded items?

Ginza is Japan's most prestigious shopping district. On weekend afternoons it must have the highest concentration of rich people in the country, just like luxury shopping districts in other countries.

She is just curious how much they earn averagely a month.

I think the average Japanese person earns around 360,000 yen per month. But the luxury industries are enjoying very good times due to the widening gap between rich and poor, that is unfortunately also taking place in Japan these days. Furthermore, Tokyo has a thriving economy, while only the rest of Japan is in recession.

By the way, when we were there, we saw a long queue in front of H&M. Believe me when I said it's a long queue. What's so special about H&M besides being new kid on the block?

H&M just entered the Japanese market a few weeks ago with huge publicity.

Uji,

360k a month? That explains alot how they can splurge at Ginza.

Thanks for your input. Appreciate it.

With 360K per month, you cannot splurge in Ginza. It is the above average earners who splurge in Ginza.

Ginza is one of the places to shop in Tokyo if you are wealthy.. Tokyo is a huge city, so there is going to be alot of wealthy people...

You can get a house loan for as little as .5% per annum, and pay it off over 40 years... so unlike many people in the western world who pay off their house ASAP, alot of japanese people just pay lower per month, so they have more spending money..

360,000 yen a month doesn't allow anyone to splurge in Ginza- that is about the equivalent of $3,600 USD and there is not enough left after paying for necessities to splurge on bags or jewellery in Ginza.

As for H&M, Japanese people tend to be interested in new things. There are always queues at the opening of flagship stores and often for weeks or months afterwards until the hype dies down.