MUJI is a Japanese department store chain known for its minimalist design products. The flagship store in Sydney located at The Galeries is relatively new as it only opened last year. It is currently the largest MUJI in Australia based on store size.
This chain has been described as the IKEA of Japan, which is not that accurate. The design element is similar and the store does offer large furniture and home items. But the store offers an array of items not found at IKEA including beauty products, luggage, men's and women's clothing, stationery and travel accessories.
Though the selection is not as extensive as the stores in Asia as there isn't a food area, aside from a selection of bottled teas. I am particular fond of the snacks that MUJI sells at their airport locations at Hong Kong and Narita Airport, so it was disappointing to see that this store doesn't carry that line.
I visited the store twice on my trip to Australia. I checked out their men's clothing area and found the pricing to be reasonable. Plus the minimalist design is appealing if you don't like any logos on your clothing. The regular prices here seemed higher than Uniqlo, but they do have good markdowns on their clearance items. In fact, I picked a casual short sleeve shirt for under $10.
On the day before I was flying back to the US, I visited the store to make my return trip more comforting. I wasn't looking forward to the 14 hour flight to LA, so I returned to pick up a travel pillow here as MUJI is known for this offering. I decided to get a neck cushion. While it didn't help me to get much sleep on the plane, it provided good support and prevented neck strain. The cushion is not as bulky as other pillows, so it fits comfortably in your backpack and doesn't take up a lot of room.
If you are a fan of simply designed and well made products, MUJI is a great place to shop. And for travelers looking to make their journey a little more comfortable, it is worth checking out the travel accessories offered here. Particularly if you are taking a long-haul flight. read more