Gotokuji Temple (The Lucky Cat Temple of Tokyo)

One of my favorite places to visit in Tokyo is the Gotokuji Temple. Many people might know this as the ‘Lucky Cat Temple’ for all the beckoning cat statues. There is lots of folklore and history behind the beckoning cat aka Maneki Neko and I highly recommend reading about it - its so interesting!
To get to this Temple it’s an easy subway train ride. We left from Asakusa station and it was a $3.00 in total cost and about 50 minutes. We planned visiting here first in the morning and then hop back onto the subway line and spending the day in Shibuya.
But more about Gotokuji Temple. Instagram and TikTok has made this area quite a tourist spot when in reality its tucked away into a quiet neighborhood in a residential part of Tokyo. With that being said, if you plan to visit this shrine please be mindful of the locals and the homes around here. Its a very quiet area and to be honest, if I ever moved to Tokyo its a spot I would consider living at. There’s also a cemetery but for respect we didn’t walk into it (some people did which is fine but once again be very respectful to the graves). 

After we made our blessings we went into the shop where you can purchase a Neko. PLEASE NOTE - due to the over tourism of the area you’re only allowed to purchase one Neko. There was many signs asking people to take their Neko home with them since the Temple is flooded with statues already. We decided each time we visit Japan we will stop by here to purchase a new Neko for our home. Reading online the Neko will bring good fortune for shop keepers which is why a lot of small businesses in Japan has one of these Neko’s at the entryway of their shops. 

Below is a few photos from our visit and I highly recommend checking out my Instagram page for a video tour of what the area is like! 

If you’d want to see more about Japan we’ll be returning October/November 2024. My Instagram will feature LIVE and in the moment posts so please follow along! There’s also highlights from my previous trips. 

*Please note this is free to enter. There are many tour groups that will take you here but if you have google maps and carve out some time to learn the subway lines - you can visit here with no tour guide needed! :D

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Where to Shop (Tokyo Edition)

The big ‘it’ thing is raving about shopping in Japan and how it’s supreme over anywhere else in this world - from luxury, electronics, pre-owned luxury, and basic thrifting. Why is this? There’s a few reasons: value of the yen at the moment, the quality Japan puts into their products, and how impeccable people are when taking care of their goods.
Bryce and I went secondhand shopping and the quality and how well the items were; you’d assume the items were brand new (not used). When purchasing new items they’re almost always wrapped or boxed for protection. If you love shopping, you’ll definitely need to devote a suitcase (or two).

Below is a list of retailers/stores we highly recommend in Tokyo (I’ll create one for Osaka too)! From video games, fashion, stationary, pre-loved goods, and more! 

Electronics/Video Games:
- Bic Camera is throughout all of Japan and they had everything from Tv’s, laptops, cameras, home appliances, bikes, electronic accessories and more. When we were here Bryce grabbed up this cool switch video game that isn’t sold in the US. 

- Akihabara is known for electronics. This is also a wonderful place to grab up any used video games or electronics too. Shops like Bic Camera, Super Potato, Book-Off and more are located here. You can find new and used.

- Nagano Broadway Mandarake is also a very well known area for finding used and vintage goods along the lines of video games, books, electronics, vintage toys, and vintage home items. When we were there we seen some vintage clothing but there’s another area I recommend for vintage/thrifting fashion.

Fashion:
*Fashion in Japan is amazing but please keep in mind a lot of Japanese retailers have very limited sizing. Citizens/locals are primarily the same heights and around the same weight. There are some plus size stores that you’ll find in large shopping malls which I’ll include. Stores like Uniqlo, Abercrombie, and American Eagle will still have a larger size range too if you cant find your size in some of the boutique shops.

- Shibuya 109 is an ultra popular shopping mall where you can find many trendy Japanese retail boutiques.

- Tokyo Skytree is a shopping area that I really enjoyed. There’s a Pokemon center and Uniqlo here too. My favorite store here was Earth Music and Ecology. 

- Sunshine City Mall is where you’ll find a huge pop culture area including the Pokemon Sweets cafe and Sanrio Cafe. There’s countless shops here including a Toysrus! 

- Ginza is where I seen many luxury retailers at along with a 7 story Abercrombie & Fitch!There’s also a big shopping mall here with the Pokemon Center DX. 

Secondhand Fashion/Thrifting:
Japan has some of the best thrifting. The quality of the items are so incredible and you can find some amazing deals too. Here’s a list of the secondhand shopping districts in Tokyo. The best way to shop here is to take a few hours and just wonder around.
Luxury
-Vintage Q00, Allu and Amore Tokyo (both in Omotesando)
- Gallery Rare (Ginza)
- Brand Collect (harajuku)

Vintage Fashion (non luxury and luxury goods)
- Shimokitazawa
- Koenji
- Kichijoji
- Harajuku
- Book Off Bazaar (luxury and non-luxury goods) in Saitama 

Stationary:
Japan still heavily relies on pen and paper for a lot of their day to day which means you’ll find the best quality stationary goods here! This is my list of Stationary shops to visit but keep in mind there’s so many lovely boutiques that specialize in unique stationary goods. I highly recommend just opening google maps and search for stationary and let the app guide you!
- Daiso
- Don Quixote
- Muji
-Itoya
-Kyukyodo (in Ginza)
- LOFT at Skytree
- Tag Stationary (in Asakusa)

Random Retail/Specialty Shops:
These are random spots that we enjoyed in Tokyo and places we think you will enjoy too.

- Ghibli store in Skytree area or Tokyo Station
- Pokemon Center (these are in all the major locations and I’ll have a blog post devoted just to the different centers)
- Nintendo Store
- Kirby Store at Skytree (next to Kirby Café)
- One Piece Store at Sunshine City (where you can get your Luffy hat!)
- Sylvanian Families at Sunshine City
- Flower Miffy Cafe/Shop at Asakusa (you can build your own bouquets and they have cafe items to enjoy!)
- Miffy Style at Tokyo Station
- Gelato Pique at Skytree or Sunshine City
- Sanrio Store at Asakusa Orange Street (this store even has a popcorn machine!)
- Uniqlo flagship at Ginza
- Muji at Ginza (its like Ikea but Japanese)
-Mega Don Quixote in Shibuya or Asakusa (best place to grab up beauty goods)

 

Be on the look out for my Osaka Shopping post soon!
Also we’ll be back in Japan during the Months of October and November. I’ll create an updated list of shops and new areas we visit. Don’t for get to follow my social pages to see in the moment content of our Autumn trip!