How to buy clothes in Japan? (Take UNIQLO as an example)

For foreigners who have just arrived in Japan for the first time, it is a challenge for us to buy clothes. But it is very simple to some extent.

You just only need to learn a few sentences.

(Caution: The following content is based on the fact that you can basically understand what the Japanese say.)

I recommend you go to UNIQLO to buy clothes because you can check out there yourself. And the clothes there are cheap.

This blog is based on UNIQLO in West Shinjuku. You can take this as an example. And please don't forget to download UNIQLO's mobile app because there are coupons. (Such as coupons of over 5000 yen minus 500yen)

1. What should you say?

1.1 「すみません。（外国人です。）服を買いたいですが、サイズがちょっとわかりません。どうすればいいですか。」"Excuse me,（I'm a foreigner. ）I want to buy clothes, but I don't know the size. What should I do?"

Why tell others that you are a foreigner is because if your face is East Asian, it is not easy to be recognized as a foreigner. Moreover, when you say you are a foreigner, the Japanese will speak slower to you, which makes it easier for you to understand.

どうすればいいですか ⇒ どうすればいいでしょうか

This will make you sound more polite.

In fact, you can use ellipsis, such as:

「すみません。外国人ですが、服を買いたいです。サイズをちょっとわかりませんが、……」

The Japanese will automatically understand the omitted part.

1.2 「すみません、試着できますか」"Excuse me, can I try it?"

Generally, the clerk will tell you that there is a fitting room. You can try it on. When you are not sure whether you can try it on, you can say:

「すみません、試着できますか」"Excuse me, can I try it?"

More polite:「試着してもいいですか」

The most polite way:「試着してもよろしいでしょうか」

My most recommended statement:「試着できませんか」

Because you are a foreigner, you don't need to use particular polite words. Being too polite will make people feel strange.

1.3 「全部でxつです。」There are x clothes in total.

Before trying on, tell the service staff how many pieces you have brought to try on.

(The staff near the fitting room will check the clothes you bring and tell you to go to which fitting room.)

Although there are many kinds of expressions used, here I will only say the simplest:

「〇〇です。」

〇〇 the contents that can be replaced are:

「１つ（ひとつ）」「一枚です」「一点です」One

「２つ（ふたつ）」「二枚です」「二点です」Two

「３つ（みっつ）」「三枚です」「三点です」Three

「４つ（よっつ）」「四枚です」「四点です」Four

「５つ（いつつ）」「五枚です」「五点です」Five

……

The reason is that the staff needs to check the clothes you take away (or the clothes you want to buy).

1.4「この服がちょっと大きい／小さいですが、もっと小さい／大きいサイズがありませんか」This cloth is too big/small. Do you have a smaller / larger size?

You can use this sentence to tell the staff whether you have found suitable cloth or ask the team to help you find clothes of other sizes.

1.5  「これ、要りません。」「お願いします」I don't need this. Please take it away.

Generally, when you finish trying on, there will be some clothes that don't fit. At this time, you need to tell staff what you need and don't need.

When the process is over, you enter the last step.

1.6 「すみません、お会計はどうすればいいですか。」"Sorry, how do I check out?"

If you are in UNIQLO, they will tell you where to check out, and it's the self-checkout.

And if you don't know how to use that self-checkout machine, you can ask the staff:

「すみません、お会計がちょっとわかりませんが、助けてくれませんか。」

Sorry, I don't know how to check out. Can you help me?

The clerk will undoubtedly help you finish check-out-out smoothly.

2. What you need to pay attention to:

2.1 Men's and women's clothes may be separate.

Please note that they may be on different floors. Please don't go wrong; otherwise, it will be very embarrassing.

2.2 UNIQLO may not sell sports shoes, or there are no wide varieties of sports shoes.

I mean, the shoes in UNIQLO are less likely than those in Adidas. If you want shoes like those in Adidas, you may be disappointed in UNIQLO.

2.3 You must take off your shoes before trying on clothes.

Before entering the fitting room, you will be told to take off your shoes. And in fact, you will find that the fitting room is a step higher than the ground. This design is actually anti-dust.

2.4 You must let the staff know how many clothes you have taken.

In fact, this is not important. But you should do it. If you want to steal the clothes, it is impossible because there is some kind of metal material in the tag of the clothes, which will generate induction and send out an alarm. Only can you take the clothes when you have paid.

3. How to check out?

OK, as I said, UNIQLO is a self-checkout because there will be machines dedicated to checkout.

But first, you'd better download UNIQLO's mobile app. Although you can pay by cash and leave without using the UNIQLO app, I suggest you use UNIQLO pay. Just bind a credit card, and there are coupons.

After you complete the registration of the UNIQLO mobile app and bind your credit card, you only need to show your QR code to the machine for scanning, and then you can complete the payment. How about it? It's convenient. I like this way of checking out very much.

Online shopping on UNIQLO mobile app is still the same, not different from you shopping on Amazon, and you can choose to pick it up in the store after online shopping. This way can save transportation costs, and you can also use coupons. (Please don't worry. UNIQLO will provide you with the opportunity to return the goods within 30 days if your clothes are not suitable.)

4. Words

Here are all the clothes words you need:

https://www.livinginjapanasaforeigner.com/2022/07/japanese-words-for-clothes.html