Where to Buy Kids’ Shoes in Japan (Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto)
Last Updated on September 7, 2024 by Kay
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If you’re a parent living in Japan or traveling here, you might be wondering where to buy kids’ shoes. This was something I was wondering myself when my daughter started to walk.
In this article, I’ll share the best stores in Japan where you can buy shoes for babies, toddlers, and kids. These stores can be found throughout the country, especially in cities like Tokyo and Osaka. I’ll also cover where you can buy traditional Japanese shoes for kids.
Table of Contents
Kids’ Shoe Sizes in Japan
Before I cover where you can buy shoes for kids in Japan, I thought I would share how to figure out what shoe size is best for your child.
In Japan, shoe sizes are in centimeters. To figure out your kid’s shoe size, measure the length of their foot from heel to toe. You’ll want to get them a size slightly larger than that.
For example, my daughter’s foot measures 15.3 cm, so she’s wearing size 16 shoes right now. Sometimes you can find half-sizes, such as 15.5 cm, but I’ve found that my daughter’s feet grow so fast that it’s not worth buying them. (Unless you’re buying really cheap shoes, but I’ve found that the cheaper ones are uncomfortable for my daughter.)
Below is a kids’ shoe conversion guide, but keep in mind that sometimes the sizes differ depending on the shoe brand:
You can also try on shoes at any of the stores listed below, and don’t feel afraid to ask the staff for help if you need it! This way you can find the perfect pair of shoes for your child.
The Best Stores to Buy Kids’ Shoes in Japan
Babies R Us
If you need shoes for your baby or toddler, this is the store to visit. I found that they carry the smallest size shoes for babies, which was perfect for my daughter when she started walking at 10 months old.
They carry brand-name shoes such as New Balance, ASICS, Converse, and Japanese shoe brands. Their shoes are on the smaller size so don’t expect to find anything for elementary-aged children here.
Akachan Honpo
I’m not the biggest fan of Akachan Honpo shoes because although they are cute and affordable, the quality isn’t the best.
They also mainly carry shoes for babies and toddlers.
Nishimatsuya
This is probably the most affordable place to find shoes for kids in Japan. Sometimes their shoes are marked down to 200 yen! They come in super cute designs and carry shoes that squeak when your kid walks.
I don’t think the quality of their sneakers is great but I love getting my daughter’s rainboots from here. I also get her indoor shoes for preschool from here as well as sandals (the croc-like ones are great for summer).
Genki Kids
This is probably my favorite place to get shoes for my daughter. Their shoes are high quality and they often have sales with shoes up to 50% off. I’m a big fan of their MOONSTAR shoes, which feature popular kids’ characters from Disney, Marvel, and Sanrio.
This store primarily carries shoes for babies, toddlers, and younger children.
ABC Mart
ABC Mart is one of the best shoe stores in Japan for all ages. They have popular brand names like Nike, Adidas, Converse, and Disney.
You can find ABC Mart almost anywhere, so this is probably the first place you should look if you’re searching for shoes for kids in Japan.
ASBEE Kids
Similar to ABC Mart, ASBEE carries shoes for all ages and they have a smaller store just for kids, aptly named ASBEE Kids. Here you can find rain boots, indoor shoes for school, sandals, and of course a range of high-quality sneakers.
AEON STYLE
AEON STYLE is a great one-stop store for all your needs. Think of it like K-Mart, Target, or Zellers.
They have a lot of products for kids, including clothes and shoes. Their shoes are quite high quality and feature characters from Pretty Cure and Disney. I especially like their Shinkansen shoes, which are made by Plarail!
Amazon Japan
This is another one of my favorite places to get shoes for my daughter. Amazon Japan carries popular shoe brands for kids like MOONSTAR and New Balance.
Sometimes Amazon Japan has cheaper prices than other stores, so my suggestion is to try out shoes in the store and then see if Amazon Japan carries them.
Japanese Kids Shoe Brands
As mentioned earlier, Japanese shoe stores for kids carry international brands that you might be familiar with, like New Balance and ASICS. But you might be wondering about Japanese kids’ shoe brands.
MOONSTAR (ムーンスター)
I love MOONSTAR shoes. The quality is great and they look really nice. They have lots of shoes featuring characters such as Disney, Sanrio, Marvel, and Anpanman.
These shoes keep children’s growing feet in mind and therefore have a structure that supports the heel and flexes naturally in line with children’s bare feet. They’re wide and roomy, and easy to clean as well.
Their shoes have won multiple Good Design Awards in Japan and can be found at most shoe stores for kids in Japan. The best place to shop for these shoes is Genki Kids as they’re owned by MOONSTAR.
Carrot
This is MOONSTAR’s shoe brand for babies and toddlers. Their shoes are designed to help with arch development in the foot.
IFME
This is a cute children’s shoe brand that creates its shoes alongside Waseda University while keeping children’s physical development in mind. They sometimes have character shoes such as Sumikko Gurashi or train-themed ones.
Where to Buy Japanese Shoes for Kids
If you’re looking to buy traditional Japanese shoes called geta for kids, your best bet is to check out AEON Style or go to a traditional kimono store. Amazon Japan carries geta for kids as well.
However, it can be challenging to walk in geta, so I don’t recommend it for young children. This might be why it’s hard to find geta in sizes for young kids. It’s just not in demand. My daughter tried wearing geta for her Shichi-go-san photos when she turned three, and she disliked them so much when she had to walk that she insisted on wearing her sneakers. So the professional photos we got taken of her have her in a kimono with Paw Patrol shoes!
If you’re wondering what kind of shoes your child should wear with yukata or other traditional Japanese clothing for kids, simple sandals or sneakers are perfectly fine.