I visited Japan in 2019 and watch shopping was on my list of things to do, of course. There are a few department store chains that have all kinds of electronic goods in addition to watches. BIC Camera was my favorite as they have a very good selection with good prices.
There weren’t really any real bargains but prices were lower than you would find in the USA. And as a foreign visitor, you can buy tax-free so that saves money as well. But the main draw was the very large selection of watches you often only see online. It was just fun to browse and look at all the different models I had never seen before.
Most of these pictures were taken at BIC Camera in Tokyo and Osaka, and show the tax-free prices. Other pictures are taken at Yodobashi Camera in Shinjuku, Tokyo.
Foreign visitors can buy tax-free at certain stores. They do require a passport for verification and add a stamp/receipt in your passport that will be checked and removed when you depart Japan.
Fast forward to 2023 and the Japanese yen vs the US dollar exchange rate is even better now for American visitors. It was about 100 yen = $ 0.90 in 2019 and went down to $ 0.75 in 2023.
Seiko and Grand Seiko
Rolex – Omega – Tudor
Casio
Other brands
