I was planning to hang out in Tokyo from Shinjuku to Harajuku to buy trendy cards, but I was intercepted by Montbell on the street halfway。

Outdoor enthusiasts are definitely familiar with this Japanese outdoor brand, but the variety of categories in this store still surprises me! From basic T-shirts, sun protection clothes, hats and other everyday items, to professional hiking bags, cycling gloves, waterproof covers, and even small accessories such as locks and straps, everything is available 👍 There are Tokyo limited edition and Shinjuku limited edition t-shirts available, don't miss them

What surprised me even more was its extremely detailed segmentation of the target audience: adults/children, men's/women's, with clear demand arrangements. Take armrests as an example, there are over a dozen styles divided by men's and women's styles, fabric thickness, and color, each with different arm circumference sizes, showcasing the rigorous and thoughtful Japanese style.

What surprised me the most was that there was an "outdoor book and magazine section" in the store! In addition to Montbell's own membership magazine and founder biography, there is also an exclusive outdoor route guide booklet that is subdivided into every prefecture in Japan (Figure 5-6), which can feel the brand's sincere love for outdoor sports at its core, rather than just selling goods.

Compared to many outdoor stores in China that focus solely on sales, I truly envy the happiness index of Japanese outdoor players! 🥺

Important tax refund update

I saw some comments before saying that I couldn't get a tax refund here, but in reality, I can get a refund now! However, the process is a bit unique:

✅ You need to download the 'Pie VAT' app yourself (Figure 7). Follow the Chinese guide provided by the store to self process tax refunds (very clear, no need to worry).

❌ There is a problem with this method, which is that a handling fee will be charged (Figure 8).

Although the service attitude at the counter is relatively average, there is a Chinese guide for guidance, so the operation is not complicated. After deducting the handling fee, the tax refund is not as strong (as a reference, my shopping tax amount in the store was 1283, and I finally refunded 898), so if you pursue the ultimate cost-effectiveness, this may not be the first choice. You can consider going to Montebell Tobu Ikebukuro store.