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Tag - secondhand

 
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July 24, 2026
 

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SECONDHAND

A rise in tourists on the hunt for on-the-ground deals as well as foreign-facing resellers seeking to turn a profit has Japan's secondhand fashion industry facing a crunch.
LIFE / Style & Design
Jul 12, 2026
Global demand is reshaping secondhand fashion in Japan
Shop owners in Japan are seeing a deluge of overseas customers, and buyers outside Japan say the costs to stock their stores have doubled or even tripled.
Buyers look at carts of stuffed toys as they wait to bid on them at the Hamaya wholesale auction site in Higashimatsuyama, Saitama Prefecture, on May 14.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Jul 8, 2026
Demand for used goods from Japan grows overseas
In Japan, the thriving secondhand goods market has doubled in value since 2010, according to market researchers, and multiple Japanese reuse companies are expanding across Asia.
A battery from a third-party company for an electric-assist bicycle catches fire during an experiment.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Apr 22, 2026
Caution urged in Japan when using secondhand products amid safety risks
Accidents involving secondhand products have risen alongside more people using flea market apps to save money as consumer inflation continues.
Yu Ishikawa, Mercari¡¯s head of cross-border business development, says the platform has an unmatched lineup of unique Japanese items.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jan 2, 2026
Mercari goes global with anime and manga leading the way
It wants to be the go-to marketplace for international customers seeking high-quality Japanese entertainment products.
A flea market in Kyoto. Local governments in Japan have been urged to mediate between citizens and businesses to expand secondhand markets.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society / FOCUS
Oct 20, 2025
Japan pushes reuse market as new consumption model
The Environment Ministry plans to compile a road map by the end of March 2026 outlining medium- to long-term measures to further boost growth of the sector.
A 1978 picture shows King Charles III, then the Prince of Wales, wearing a Barbour jacket as he attends a cross country hunt event in Cirencester, England. Barbour jackets can be worn for decades because one can get them rewaxed.
BUSINESS
Oct 14, 2025
This old thing? Why brands are hyping well-worn, heritage hand-me-downs
Shoppers, particularly Gen Zers, are becoming more attracted to used items, even paying top dollar for weathered jeans and jackets.
Brand-new toilet paper and other items are displayed at secondhand goods store PX in the city of Kumagaya, Saitama Prefecture, on Aug. 19.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society
Sep 2, 2025
Tokyo police ensure mountain of lost and found items don¡¯t go to waste
The Metropolitan Police Department received some 4.756 million lost items last year ¡ª a record number.
"It's not just about sales. It's about system change," said Marty Pomphrey, general manager of Patagonia Japan, on Aug. 6.
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 1, 2025
¡®Cool¡¯ Patagonia wants to take used items into the mainstream
The American outdoor brand is looking to make the offering of secondhand goods alongside new products the next step of its evolution.
Learning the ropes of Japan¡¯s online marketplaces can yield hidden treasures and also help you freshen up your home or closet from time to time.
COMMUNITY / How-tos
Mar 31, 2025
How to navigate Japan¡¯s e-commerce platforms and online flea markets
Looking to refresh your wardrobe or home with the arrival of spring? Check out our tips for how to make the most of Japan¡¯s online marketplaces.
Secondhand clothing store "Onward Reuse Park Kichijoji" in December in the city of Musashino in Tokyo
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Mar 13, 2025
Eyeing waste, Japanese apparel industry pushes sustainable fashion
About 60% of the clothes sold in Japan are thrown away, according to the Environment Ministry.
While Japan's luxury goods market remains strong, its seconhand resale market is proving just as much a draw for tourists searching for great bargains ¡ª as long as they can manage to get their hands on the real deal.
LIFE / Style & Design
Mar 1, 2025
Not even Japan is safe from counterfeit luxury goods
Despite a reliable reputation, Japan¡¯s secondhand luxury market is still vulnerable to fakes and counterfeits.
Branded bags are displayed at a secondhand store in Tokyo in December.
BUSINESS
Feb 2, 2025
Secondhand shops rush for branded goods in Japan
Some operators have partnered with department stores, while others have use AI to determine the value of vintage luxury goods.
Gifting secondhand used to have a bad rap, but it doesn¡¯t carry the taboo it once did.
BUSINESS
Dec 14, 2024
How to buy a secondhand gift someone might actually want
Gifting secondhand used to have a bad rap, but thanks to more environmentally conscious consumers, it doesn¡¯t carry the taboo it once did.
Investigators from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police raid a metal shop in Koga City, Ibaraki Prefecture, on Monday.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Crime & Legal
Nov 18, 2024
Four shops raided in Japan for allegedly buying stolen cables
By October, Tokyo¡¯s Metropolitan Police Department had arrested seven members of a Thai group for stealing copper cables from solar power plants.
People from Thailand look at used smartphones in Tokyo's Akihabara district in October 2022.
BUSINESS / Markets
Oct 23, 2024
Japan¡¯s secondhand smartphone market booms as households struggle
Sales of used goods in Japan have grown rapidly as households struggle to make ends meet.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Dec 14, 2020
As pandemic spurs a tidying frenzy, Japan¡¯s secondhand goods market booms
With prompting from Tokyo¡¯s governor, alongside decluttering icon Marie Kondo, people are getting rid of old items at a brisk rate.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE FOREIGN ELEMENT
Aug 28, 2019
Community and deals at the Oi Racecourse Flea Market
Oi Racecourse Flea Market is a mismatch of stalls and sellers that is a surprisingly exciting insight into a different side of Tokyo.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Media / Japan Pulse
Feb 24, 2011
Come all ye hoarders and swappers
Need some shoes .. or get rid of some shoes? Have we got some sites for you.
Japan scientists identify clusters of protein believed to trigger Alzheimer¡¯s disease
A team of researchers said they found a ¡°seed¡± that accelerates the amyloid beta accumulation process in the brain, naming it ¡°Peak 1 amyloid beta,¡± as seen in a mouse's brain.
Indian brothers make manga debut in Japan
Two Indian brothers made their manga debut in Japan with "Kung Fu Kung Fool" ¡ª an action-comedy series that follows the adventures of a notorious thief and a young boy.
Low-income families in Japan cut food and air conditioning during summer break
Yumiko Watanabe, the chairperson of nonprofit Kidsdoor, explains the results of a survey in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward on July 1.
Iran strikes on CIA facilities prompt questions about possible Russian role
Iranian drones are displayed in an undisclosed location in Iran, in this handout image obtained on Jan. 13, 2025.U.S. officials have acknowledged that Russia has ?provided targeting ?and other support for Iran in its drone strikes on U.S. targets in the Persian Gulf region.
Intervention is the word after yen moves beyond ?163 and sits there
The government could prop up the yen at any moment, though its signaling is hard to read.
Can Japanese comedy get laughs in English? Yoshimoto Kogyo lets the jokes rip
Wes-P has millions of followers and his viral clips made him recognizable out of Japan.
The 180-day locals: Life on Japan¡¯s digital nomad visa
Christopher Flinn works remotely from Tokyo earlier this month. Japan issued 646 digital nomad visas in 2025, but tourism officials are hoping to increase that figure in the coming years, with Japan's relatively cheap cost of living and the weak yen seen as potential draws for young professionals.
Japan reveals hint of new defense spending target in fiscal blueprint
The Self-Defense Forces' Type 16 mobile combat vehicle fires during a joint live-fire drill with U.S. Marines as part of the annual Resolute Dragon exercises in Yufu, Oita Prefecture, on June 28.
Summer has arrived in Japan and so have hot sleepless nights
Amid the heat and humidity in Japan, a good night¡¯s sleep is growing increasingly elusive without the heavy use of air conditioning.
Maya Ongaku¡¯s DIY dream is getting bigger
The members of Maya Ongaku ¡ª (from left) Tsutomu Sonoda, Shoei Ikeda and Ryota Takano ¡ª grew up on the Shonan Coast south of Tokyo and have been friends since their school days.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo¡¯s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo¡¯s ¡®stadium of desire¡¯

Longform

For many people, utility poles and power lines have become such a familiar part of Japan¡¯s landscape that they often go unnoticed.
Why Japan¡¯s utility poles won¡¯t be disappearing anytime soon
By Alex K.T. Martin

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