10 Must-Have Streetwear Brands from Japan

Stylized as “kotohayokozawa,” this is the eponymous brand of Kotoha Yokozawa, a Nagoya native who started the brand in 2015. The designer values uniqueness over following trends, and says she creates her cut-and-paste for girls just like her. Catch one of her pop-up shops or browse the online store.

A Bathing Ape, usually shortened to BAPE, was founded in 1993 in Harajuku. It quickly grew from a small boutique selling t-shirts and sneakers to an authority on street style and hip-hop fashion.

KIKS TYO is a Tokyo-based casual streetwear and accessories company founded in 2006. Besides basics like tees and sweatshirts, they also make accessories: hats, sunglasses, wallets, and phone cases and bags.

Jun Takahashi founded UNDERCOVER in 1990, and the brand has since become a classic on the Japanese streetwear scene. The clothes take style cues from punk rock as well as high fashion looks. Their slogan is “We make noise, not clothes.”

Mercury Duo is a light, airy, and feminine brand often featured in Sweet, the nation’s most popular women’s fashion magazine.

NEIGHBORHOOD was founded in 1994. The founder, Shinsuke Takizawa, took inspiration from countercultural movements of the time, and today the brand continues to reflect punk, biker, and military street styles.

DRWCYS is a streetwear brand aimed at women in their twenties and thirties. Their motto is “Trend. Casual. Bohemian.” The brand began in 2008, but didn’t open their first shop until 2010.

WTAPS, pronounced “double taps,” was founded in 1996 in Tokyo by Tetsu Nishiyama, who released his newest brand venture, DESCENDANT, in 2015. WTAPS is inspired by military touches and rugged, outdoorsy gear.

Fumika Uchida is fashion label that grew out of J’Antiques, one of Tokyo’s best vintage clothing stores. True to its roots, the label is a mix of modern styles and updated vintage looks.

Stylized “mastermind JAPAN,” the company celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2017. Mastermind JAPAN is recognized by its signature skull and crossbones motif, usually splashed on classic black.

ISETAN Men’s 3-14-1, Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan