Shopping

Yamazawa

This is one of several popular grocery stores in Yamagata which carry an assortment of foods. Lots of what they stock will be distinctly Japanese, but you can still find western staples and most fruits and vegetables. Most stores have meat, dairy, vegetable, fruit, and bakery sections -- and often you can even find floral departments and other housing/miscellaneous goods. Other grocery chains include Max Value/Aeon and Takahashi, and there are other independent grocers to buy from, too. Once you arrive you can find the one that is best for you.

Yamaya (Foreign Imports)

This foreign import supplier carries many of the foods and drinks that westerners cherish including peanut butter and different kinds of mustard. There are several locations in Yamagata city that are a bicycle ride away. The prices may be more expensive for imported goods. Yamaya is also a great place to go when hosting parties because you can buy large quantities of certain goods.

AZ (Nanokamachi)

This department store on Nanokamachi has a variety of shops including a book store, furniture and jewelry. The book store removed it's English books section, but you can go here for Japanese comic books, magazines and children books. Hachimonjiya, which is adjacent to AZ on Nanokamachi has an English book section and a small selection of imported candies and snacks. It has a nice stationary section as well and a place for purchasing cards and gifts for birthday presents.

Onuma Department Store

Onuma is a little pricey but they have a huge selection of clothes and home ware stuff. You
might be more interested in the grocery store located in the basement of Onuma. There you can find plenty of gourmet foods and spices. Their bakery is also very delicious.

 

Minami Jusco

Located in south of Yamagata City, Jusco is a shopping mall where you can find all sorts of things from bicycles to groceries to clothes to toys and sporting goods. Jusco also has a location to the north of Yamagata city called Kita Jusco. It is the smaller of the two, but you can find a similar selection of goods.

 

K's Denki

This is a large electronics and appliance store. You can go here to pick up items for you apartment or buy things like computers, cameras, and phones.

There are several locations around Yamagata City, with perhaps the most accessible location being the one near Minami Jusco.

Uniqlo

This is a clothing chain similar to H &M or the Gap. They have stylish lines of clothing that change with the seasons. Uniqlo is a great place to pick up clothes for work. From button-down shirts to sweater vests to belts and socks, everything is pretty reasonably priced.



 

Second Hand Stores 

Hard Off, Maruka, Don Don Down, Odin.

Japanese second hand and recycle stores are big business, with numerous regional and national chains. Your employers at city hall will help you buy when necessities when you arrive, but beyond these you should consider buying second hand goods for household use. You’ll save money on furniture, domestic items, accessories, clothes and even bikes, appliances and hi-fi systems.

Hard Off is part of a Japan-wide second-hand chain that includes Bookoff (pre-owned books and games) and Off House (Household Appliances and Goods).

Yamagata has two Hard-Offs, a large one beside North Aeon Shopping Mall and another smaller one on the Eastern Bypass Road in South Yamagata.  Both have second hand tech goods such as TVs, speakers and computers, game consoles, musical instruments, old CDs and vinyl records and clothes, ski goods.

Book Off stores are in separate locations, one near 6^th Junior High School and the City Police Station, and Maruka has a similar range, but the stores are tucked away in residential areas and are a little harder to find.  Maruka, unlike Hardoff stocks antiques and ceramics.

Don Don Down is a second hand clothes store on the second floor of the Yamako building near Yamagata Station.  It’s quite reasonable (if unglamorous) and you can get rid of old, unwanted clothing and earn a little karaoke change.

Odin has branches in Yamagata city and Yonezawa is particularly good for sporting goods - one for the skiers and the snowboarders.