Once upon a time, department stores were magnets for shoppers hungry for fashion and big-ticket luxury brand goods.
No longer. During the past decade of economic uncertainty, department stores have struggled with falling sales while easily accessible retail chains offering trendy clothing on the cheap have flourished.
"I used to go to department stores almost once a week, but now I only go about once a month," said a 31-year-old woman who gave only her last name, Otsuki, while shopping in Tokyo's Ginza district on a recent afternoon.