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I've been in Tokyo for 3 days now and I find that the Japanese aren't so interested in fragrances. The stores are all awesome. The Renzo Piano Hermes boutique and Herzog and de Meuron Prada shop are mind-blowing. All the designer stores have their own brands, but so far, no mega-Sephora or even mini-Sephora. I haven't found a Shisiedo store, yet.
The big department stores have lots and lots of make-up - the in-store Guerlain boutiques had more beauty products than fragrances on offer. Yesterday, a cab driver rolled down his window when I got in - I was wearing a rather discreet spraying of Mitsouko.

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Originally Posted by Ruggles I've been in Tokyo for 3 days now and I find that the Japanese aren't so interested in fragrances. Chandler Burr did this article for the New York Times about 2 years ago, which seems to reflect on what you said well.

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The Japanese are supposedly the least smelly ethnic group (have less acropine glands). Perhaps there's a direct or indirect link between that and using less fragrance.

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Originally Posted by MFfan310 Chandler Burr did this article for the New York Times about 2 years ago, which seems to reflect on what you said well. Thanks, the article was interesting and helpful. I'm going to search out Estnation and the Antianti frags today.

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From what I hear, in Japanese culture smelling "clean" and unscented is considered desirable. Supposedly, they traditionally believe fragrance is for the air, not the person. In the West, we've elevated body perfumes to an exalted art form; in the East, they've elevated incense to an art form. Anyone who has experienced traditional Japanese incense knows what I mean. It's amazing.
More and more Japanese people are buying perfumes, though. Perfume sales in the Orient have been climbing gradually.

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I read the article too, I also read somewhere else that many japanese women buy perfume bottles for the look of it and diplay them still sealed in their bedroom...hmmm I m just fantasizing about all those sealed Nombre Noir and other rarities lol

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Spent the day shopping, shopping, shopping. It is a way of life here.
I saw a lot of stores, everything from designer dog clothing to deconstructed North Face down jackets, but I did not come across one fragrance store. I went into a drug store to look for a bottle of Basara and only found a generic Shiseido for Men, which I found a little dull. I'm determined to try their Tactics from 1979, that is, if I can track it down.
Of course, my first stop was Comme des Garcons. They had the same frags they have in their NY and Paris stores. The Yohji shop had none available.

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Originally Posted by Ruggles ... The Yohji shop had none available. That's rather ironic, isn't it?

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I found the address of the Shiseido store in Ginza. Tomorrow, yes!
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Got Shiseido's Tactics Cologne Concentrate today in Ginza. It's very green and fresh. After getting used to it, it hit me - of course, the year, 1979, the begining of the "Big 80's" and Giorgio Armani's first big splash. Green and fresh started in Japan. And it was translated into the Urban Samurai look of GA's early collections. Kurosawa films, etc. The end result: Aqua di Gio!

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Hi Ruggles,
a friend of mine brought me Shiseido Men from Tokyo. It is only available in Japan. It is a very soft and conforting scent, absolutely not loud but very long lasting and calming. I'd suggest you to try it. Also Zen is very good.
Japanese don't wear heavy fragrances and don't care of top notes, just basenotes are acceptable to them, and so their scents are subtle and fleeting but very refined.
Hugs. W