Singapore: Shopping at Sungei Road Thieves Market (Flea Market)

 Dating back to the 1930s, the flea market at Sungei Road got its start selling stolen goods, leading to its name as the Thieves Market. For over 80 years, vendors have sold their wares here, where the rent is free and there are no refunds. As such, buyer beware. But you never know what you'll find here.

 Unfortunately, there has been a lot of turmoil at the site of the flea market, It has been "torn down" but rebuilt a few times, and about five years ago half of the market was closed off to build a new MRT station. And in 2017, the entire market will most likely be closed. The peddlers have requested a new location to move the market, but so far their wish has not been granted.

 Now in the shape of a "T" with about 80 stalls (though one source in my research said there are over 300), the market still offers a wide range of guaranteed-used goods. Expect to find housewares, clothing, and knickknacks, all of which would be good souvenirs. Come to bargain and bring small bills to help the negotiations, and be aware of your surroundings just in case.

Right now, the market seems to be open daily 1:00-7:00 PM. The center of the market is at the intersection of Larut Road and Pitt Street, most easily accessible from Bugis MRT Station.

There are other flea markets in Singapore, though I didn't have the opportunity to visit any.

Hong Kong: Temple Street Night Market

While my travel tastes have changed over the years, there is one thing I seem to always like to do: shop. I don't really buy lots of clothes, but those of you who know me personally know I like to pick up tchotchkes, and I'm always out for a bargain.

Flea markets and street markets can be great places for both, and Hong Kong has plenty of markets. Most of them cater to locals, but there are some that are suitable for tourists.

I'm not sure why I didn't get more pictures of Hong Kong's markets, though I was pretty worn out by the time I got to Temple Street. Maybe my batteries were dead or dying. Anyway, Temple Street's market is a bit different from the Ladies' Market. As you can see in the picture, there are stalls selling trinkets, but I noticed a bit more focus on less-mass-manufactured goods too.

There are also electronics, tea ware, watches, menswear, jade, and antiques. And I saw a little bit of all of it. Keep in mind that prices will start higher than you should pay, even if they're already marked. Be ready to haggle and walk away from something if it's too expensive for your price range. And while it doesn't have as many knock-offs as the Ladies' Market, be aware that some things may not always be what they seem.

Nearby, you'll find a wholesale fruit market, fortune tellers, old guys playing mahjong, and the adult novelty market, too. Woo Sung Street, to the east, has plenty of restaurants.

What did I buy at this market? Two things, actually. I bought a pair of silk "kung fu" pajamas - real silk? Who knows. I got it pretty cheap though. And I got a great deal on a trekking backpack that has survived a few trips (and a very large, heavy load) intact so far. So I got my money's worth there.

With a bigger shopping list in mind - new wardrobe, for example - I could probably come out pretty good. But I'll always prefer flea markets to regular markets for the variety they bring.

You can get there via MTR: Yau Ma Tei Station, exit C, or Jordan Station, exit A (right on Jordan, then right on Temple). The best time to visit is 7PM to 10PM.

The Biggest: Setagaya Boro-ichi Flea Market

I've written before about used goods in Japan. They just aren't that common. However, the thrift shop movement has grown a bit here, and flea markets have been a part of Japanese culture for a long time. Known as the largest flea market in Japan, the Setagaya Boro flea market is held twice yearly, in mid-December and mid-January. This market dates back to the sixteenth century!

 People from all over Tokyo and Japan come to hunt for bargains. This place is packed!

 Where some flea markets are full of dealers, this one has at least a good selection of people just selling off household goods. As such, there is a lot of variety here.

 That doesn't mean you won't find dealers here. If you're looking for plants, look no further.

 Wooden bowls? There's a shop for that.

 Here's another person selling off some old wares. One booth was arranged by a school PTSA or something similar, and had tons of awesome things.

 This booth had toys. I saw some vintage items that were quite costly, while other people sold stuff at flea market prices.

 A few times, local schools marched their bands down the narrow street. An interesting concept in theory, it just made the crowds that much more crowded.

 If you need a used knife, this guy had you covered.

 Wooden bowls (kine) and pestles (usu) for making Japanese sweets (mochi).

 More wooden goods, with lots of traditional toys.

 I saw at least a dozen dealers set up selling used kimonos. Prices varied but were really inexpensive - definitely under $50 for 99% of the kimonos. Compare that to hundreds or thousands of dollars for a new one.

 One dealer had a lot of these wooden shinto altars for use in Japanese houses. Most households will have one of these (or similar) somewhere in their house.

 I saw some coats, but not much along the lines of clothing. That's a good thing - there are other flea markets packed with clothes. I enjoyed seeing all the old goods instead of clothing.

 Speaking of old goods...

 This "booth" had lots of traditional food. In the foreground is a bunch of nori, or dried seaweed.

 Uncut cards of some kind, but really overpriced.

 One great thing about large outdoor events is the collection of food stalls that accompany them. A couple had peeled boiled potatoes, which were then cut open and covered with butter and other toppings.

 Grilled meat is a common sight.

 I've seen a lot of chocolate covered bananas. Unfortunately, it seems that my body can't handle bananas anymore so I'll have to find another treat.

 Dango.

 Grilled fish of some kind.

 Yakisoba.

I probably could have bought more, but as always funds were limited. I did get quite a few things, though:

 This Tigers jersey was only about $3.

 This three-pack of curry was only $2.

 One person had a ton of Disney pins, and while I could have bought a dozen or more, I only picked out this one from one of my favorite Disney shorts.

 I wanted to find some geta (above) and zori in my size, but was unsuccessful. I did get this pair of geta for only $1.

 I'm always on the lookout for cool trading cards, and I picked up a ton of menko pretty cheap. Most of them are not baseball cards, but that's okay.

 I can't read them, but I did get a bunch of cool comics from a dealer selling them super-cheap.

 I believe I have almost the full set of this baseball-themed comic.

And this tea kettle thing finished off my purchases. As I said, I wanted more, but money doesn't grow on trees. Maybe next year?

The Setagaya Boro-ichi flea market takes place 9 AM to 9 PM on December 15-16 and January 15-16 each year. Access is best via Setagaya or Kamimachi Stations on the small Tokyu Setagaya line. Just follow the crowds south from the stations.