TL:DR – what glasses brand / shop do you recommend?
My wife and I have been in Japan for a few years and it’s time to buy new glasses. The first time we do anything is often a challenge so I’m looking for shop/brand/stories/tips that could help make the process easier.
Like:
Are designer frames worth it?
Independent shop vs national chain (zoff/Jin’s)
Do Anitfog coatings actually work with masks?
Thanks for the help
5 comments
My suggestion is to go try on glasses.
Not sure your face shape, but lenses in Asian fit glasses are shorter, wider, and slightly tilted and have nose bridges which have been specially designed to be narrow and deeper, unlike the fit I would find in the US at most glasses/sunglasses shops.
Personally, I order frames in the “regular” fit from designer brands that are available outside Japan/Asia.
For a better explanation, look up Asian fit glasses.
I just bought some Kaneko Optical glasses. It’s one of the more expensive brands in Japan but I got like 90% off using a Furusato Nozei voucher. They’re getting delivered later this week so haven’t used them yet but the frame is really nice and comfortable.
>Like: Are designer frames worth it?
I bought mine from Gucci. Worth it or not.. that’s something that you have to decide.
Fact is that for the price of the Gucci glasses you can probably buy 8 or 9 at Zoff or Jin’s.
My wife has ¥15k glasses from Jin’s and they feel really flimsy compared to mine.
Just FYI.
Most of the brand frames are made by one company called Luxotica which is almost a monopoly power in the glass frame industry. THere was a documentary about this company on Youtube and, according to the Luxotica spokesperson in the documentary, the brands provide design concepts and Luxotica designs the frames. So, when you pay extra for a brand frame, you pay only for the name.
I bought mine from Oliver Peoples (オリバーピープルズ) and totally worth every and each yen.