Japan Fashion Week 2010 A/W: You don't actually need to be there

The Tokyo Collection segment of Japan Fashion Week Autumn-Winter 2010 kicked off on Tuesday March 23 and runs until Friday March 26. In this short four-day period, 44 brands will hold runway shows demonstrating the wide range of Japanese clothing design -- from the old-school Hiroko Koshino to the free-thinking Theatre Products and onwards again to the youthful pop explosion of mercibeaucoup.

Unlike the mega fashion event Tokyo Girls Collection, where 20,000 visitors show up to cheer on the models, JFW is a relatively closed-door affair -- something like a trade show for magazine editors and boutique buyers. The good news is that the Internet allows us to get a nearly real-time sneak peek of the best looks from the show. 

Your first stop should be Fashionsnap.com, which offers reports on every major collection. Here for example is the manga-inspired fantasy fashion of Motonari Ono.

The official Japan Fashion Week web page also posts pictures from the shows a day afterwards (although only 18 total looks for each).

You can also follow CNNGo contributor Misha Janette on her FashionTubuyaki Twitter, where she gives updates from the collection floor.

While you are waiting for our final word on the week, check out our preview guide from last season for a brief review of the major designers. To learn about what you should be buying this season from the JFW brands, check out our final review of last season's collection shows. The official Japan Fashion Week website also has a useful archive of previous collections for those who want a historical perspective on each designer's work.