Don¡¯t miss out on Tokyo Fashion Week

Come March 17-22, a parade of models, fashion editors and designers will sweep through the city for the bi-annual Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. While insiders will be treated to the usual slew of glamorous parties, that doesn¡¯t mean that ¡°fashion week¡± is completely exclusive.

Try Ginza Fashion Week at some of Tokyo¡¯s most prominent department stores for off-the-rack fashion shows and other events. Want something more underground? Then head to Tokyo Creator¡¯s Park at Shibuya¡¯s Seibu department store, where you¡¯ll find goods from some of the top up-and-coming brands such as Chaolu Lab and Ventriloquist. If pop culture is more your style, then don¡¯t miss Tokyo Runway in Yoyogi National Stadium on March 21 ¡ª a day-long extravaganza of the trendiest looks sported by more than 100 popular models. Finally, March 22 sees the Shibuya Fashion Festival, where hundreds of retailers throw in-store events and provide snacks or freebies to shoppers at Miyashita Park, right by the Shibuya venue of Tokyo Fashion Week. (M.J.)