[Fashion Center Shimamura Complete Guide] A General Apparel Store That Supports Everyday Life in Japan

Fashion Center Shimamura began in 1923 as a privately run shop called Shimamura Gofukuten in Ogawa-machi, Hiki-gun, Saitama.
In 1953, it became Shimamura Gofukuten Co., Ltd., and expanded into a general apparel business handling ready-to-wear clothing as well as fabrics and tailoring, in line with changes in consumer demand.
It introduced a self-service model in 1957, opened the first Shimamura chain store in Higashimatsuyama-shi, Saitama in 1961, and built a structure of centralized procurement and division of labor based on chain store theory.
In 1972, it changed its corporate name to SHIMAMURA Co., Ltd., and from the late 1970s through the 1980s it strengthened its foundation by streamlining logistics and introducing a POS system.
In 1991, it was listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange First Section, and in 2002 it completed store openings across all 47 prefectures, establishing itself as a nationwide chain. It marked the milestone of its 70th anniversary in 2023 and has continued to the present day.

One reason Fashion Center Shimamura remains loved is its “overwhelmingly wide variety of products compared to other companies.”
From everyday clothes to trend fashion, plus shoes, accessories, interior items, and bedding, it offers all of these in one store, giving you the reassurance that you can find what you want.
Its lineup is also substantial, with size ranges to suit different generations, body types, and life stages, and with items that anyone of any age or gender can wear, making it easy to find what you were looking for.
Because it rotates many product types in small lots, items turn over quickly, and another appeal is the chance to enjoy new discoveries.
Since each store reflects local needs, even within “Shimamura,” moving to a different location lets you enjoy different features and a different assortment.

Fashion Center Shimamura operates 1,416 stores nationwide (as of February 2025), with stores in all 47 prefectures.
It focuses on openings at roadside locations in regional and suburban areas, and it has stores outside major urban centers as well.
Its strength is that you can go easily, and the convenience of quickly solving needs such as suddenly replacing children’s clothes or buying seasonal items builds trust and repeat visits.
The same is true for international visitors, and it is useful for unplanned shopping, such as when you run out of underwear or T-shirts on a trip, or when it turns out to be colder or hotter than expected.
Because it is affordable and high quality, it is also nice that your purchase will not go to waste.

Fashion Center Shimamura also carries classic and buzzworthy character goods.
From famous characters like Sanrio and Pokemon to limited-time anime collaborations, the selection is broad, and it is fun even just to browse the sales floor.
Compared to character goods from other companies, some items can be purchased for less than half the price without pushing yourself, within the range of everyday shopping.
However, because these are popular items, they sell out quickly, so if something catches your eye, it is recommended to buy it without hesitation.

IKIIKI LABORATORY is a new series launched in 2025 in response to growing health and wellness awareness.
With “lively days” as its catchphrase, it supports users’ efforts to maintain their health through products developed in collaboration with phiten, which develops and sells health and body care products, and Karada Factory, a bodywork salon.
Despite being affordable, the quality is high, and it is expected to help improve posture and support movement in everyday life.
It also focuses on comfort and functionality, and it is nice that it offers both comfort and convenience.
Its main lineup centers on underwear and shaping innerwear, including items such as “pressure-point five-toe socks” and “anti-swayback girdles” that support movement in areas you are concerned about.
In particular, the “Posture Support Bra,” which sold about 140,000 units within six months of release, quickly became a signature product.

It is built around the image of “the fun of choosing today’s fashion from your closet,” and it offers products that emphasize comfort to wear, ease of use, and a pleasant feel to the touch.
Its highly functional designs, based on the concept of “everyday you can feel,” are a key feature, and its timeless designs and the enjoyment of fashion are supported by a wide range of age groups.
The product range is broad, including innerwear (underwear, camisoles, and more) and tops (cut-and-sewn items, shirts, and more), along with other everyday staples.
The “Posture Support Bra” mentioned above is also a popular item in this brand.
In addition, CLOSSHI PREMIUM, which uses higher-performance materials, serves as an upscale line.

SEASON REASON is a lifestyle original brand jointly produced by the women’s magazines Liniere and InRed from Takarajimasha.
With the concept of “a gentle life that continues,” it offers proposals from an editor’s perspective to add color to everyday living, from clothing to interior items.
Based on comfortable wear and a relaxed feel, it adds trend appeal and a more formal touch through details and silhouettes, and its fresh natural style that is “easy yet not too plain” is well regarded.
It carries a large number of products mainly for women, including casual clothing (pullovers, denim pants, and more), kitchen items, and household goods.
Its anniversary projects that leverage a publisher’s strengths and its magazine-linked promotions are also a topic of conversation, and limited items have drawn attention on social media.

This is one of IKIIKI LABORATORY’s signature products, a functional innerwear bra that naturally straightens your back when worn and guides you toward correct posture.
A cross structure on the back plus power netting and double-layered fabric tightens the back, creating a cleaner back silhouette and helping with everyday slouch prevention and style improvement.
Its stretchy and breathable materials feel good to use, and it is also appealing that it has a simple, non-underwire design that is easy to wear daily.
After launch, it became a bigger hit than expected and grew so popular that the annual production plan quantity was revised upward to 1 million units, six times the original figure.

FIBER HEAT is a high-performance product group that meets the warmth standards set by the Shimamura Group’s own criteria.
It is a popular series whose cumulative sales surpassed 190 million units in November 2025.
Using special fibers, it is designed to retain body heat efficiently just by wearing it, helping you stay comfortable even in cold seasons.
In addition to warmth, it is broadly divided into six types with functions such as heat retention, anti-static, antibacterial, and deodorizing features, and another point is that you can choose based on your use.
It has a basic look and also offers stretch and a pleasant feel that does not feel restrictive, so its practicality as winter clothing is extremely high.
It comes in a wide range of items, including heat innerwear, leggings, loungewear, and rugs.

FIBER DRY is a functional product that meets the Shimamura Group’s proprietary standards for moisture absorption and quick drying.
With the catchphrase “smooth and comfortable, feels good,” it developed its product lineup, and in July 2025 the series’ cumulative sales surpassed 120 million units.
With core functions such as moisture absorption and quick drying, cool-touch feel, and moisture absorption and release, it quickly absorbs and spreads sweat to improve separation from the skin and reduce stickiness.
Its major appeal is that it reduces discomfort from summer heat, humidity, and sports, while also addressing UV protection and odor care.
In addition to tank tops and innerwear, it also covers a wide range of products such as parasol hats and slippers.
With FIBER DRY for summer and FIBER HEAT for winter, you can cover comfort throughout the year.

Fashion Center Shimamura follows a style of procuring many product types in small lots and rotating them frequently.
While the variety of items is rich, stock per item is small, and once something sells, the next items are quickly replenished.
Because turnover is fast and assortments differ slightly by store, it is basically first come, first served, and a once-in-a-lifetime encounter is a defining feature.
In Japan, the term “shimapato (Shimamura patrol)” was also coined to describe the act of looking for cheap, stylish bargains and new items.
People mainly post and share their purchases on social media with hashtags such as #shimapato and #shimamura-senrihin, and “shimapato members (users)” enjoy exchanging information.
In between sightseeing, visit different stores and look for items that suit your taste, like a treasure hunt.

Fashion Center Shimamura sells fukubukuro (lucky bags) and happy bags at certain times of the year.
The overview is as follows.

If you spot a fukubukuro or happy bag, be sure to try buying one. It should also be fun to share the items inside with your family.

Avail is a young casual specialty store targeting women and men in their teens to 40s.
With the concept “wear the now,” it offers a wide range of tastes at reasonable prices, including dresses, skirts, hoodies, sneakers, and accessories.
It also has a strong selection of trend items (character collaborations and jointly developed brands), making it appealing for younger people to enjoy total coordination easily.
It is differentiated from Shimamura itself, and its popularity also comes from an atmosphere and high design quality that, in a good way, does not feel “Shimamura-like.”

This is a specialty store for baby and children’s products that supports every stage from preparing for childbirth through entering elementary school.
It carries a wide range of products, including baby and kids clothing, maternity items, fashion accessories, bedding, large childcare items (strollers and child seats), and toys.
With original items available only there and strong event-linked sales, it meets the bulk-buying needs of busy moms and dads.
With a high-sense, high-quality, and high-function approach, it is also appealing for its good looks that work for everyday use.
It is a reliable ally for child-rearing life, with high satisfaction and many repeat customers.

This is a specialty store for lifestyle goods and women’s fashion targeting women in their teens to 60s.
With the concept of “bringing healing and happiness to everyday life,” it proposes a lifestyle through a wide assortment including interior items, clothing, and fashion accessories.
With plenty of cute items that look great on social media, it offers a fun space where you will want to stay for a long time.
It also has a strong selection of trend items such as Korean cosmetics and the Tower series, plus clothing that emphasizes comfort, making it perfect for finding a stylish gift for someone important.

Divalo is a fashion goods specialty store mainly targeting women in their 20s to 50s.
It originally started as a shoe specialty store, and after a renewal in 2021 it was reborn into its current format.
With the concept “a store that proposes outfits including your feet,” it currently operates 16 stores nationwide.
In addition to a strong shoe lineup including brand shoes and functional shoes (waterproof and slip-on types), it also offers outerwear and apparel, letting you enjoy full-body coordination.
It also carries shoes for men and children, and another feature is its effort to create a store environment that is easy for families to visit.