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109
Shibuya 109 is the department store selling the trends du jour of Shibuya's youth culture, whether it's the minidresses in blindingly saturated colours for the gyaru set or the bunched-up ankle socks the schoolgirls are so fond of pairing with their tiny skirts.
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A Bathing Ape
This exclusive outlet of the uber-hip urban and hip-hop outfitter line is more like a museum than a shop, with fab sneakers on a rotating steel conveyor belt, mirrored surfaces and lots of sparkle. You can pick up Bape plastic models and some of the coolest bags in town.
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Akihabara Radio Center
A two-storey warren of fifty electronics stalls under the elevated railway that is the original, still-beating heart of Akihabara. Strictly for old-school electronics otaku .
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Ameyoko Arcade
Ameya-yokochō, or Ameyoko, is one of the only old-fashioned outdoor markets in Tokyo. It's famous as a post-WWII black market and even now retains that throwback feel. Merchants call out to attract customers and open-air stalls display dried seafood, herbs and mushrooms. The Ameyoko Center Building contains stalls selling imported spices, produce and herbs from mainland Asia, and there are a few bargains on clothing and shoes in the area.
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Aoyama Book Center
The beautifully remodelled Roppongi-dōri branch of Aoyama Book Center is a prime spot for night owls, with a great international selection of reads and a carefully chosen collection of foreign art books. There's another branch nearby in the Roppongi Hills West Walk.
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Apple Store
This sleek retail cube takes up five floors, with the Genius Bar on the 2nd floor (some staff speak English), theatre on the 3rd and internet café on the 4th. There's another branch in Shibuya.
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Atelier Magic Theater
Run by three friends who craft jewellery in their studio, this shop sells bohemian-style work reflecting themes and patterns in nature. The jewellery lines range from plain-silver designs to sculptural work incorporating stones, wood and gold. Custom orders can also be arranged.
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Axis
Salivate over some of Japan's most innovative interior design at this Roppongi design complex. Of the 20-odd galleries and retail shops selling art books, cutting-edge furniture and other objets d'interior design, highlights are Yoshikin (3568-2356; 2nd fl) for beautifully crafted, inexpensive kitchenware.
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Axis Building
Salivate over some of Japan's most innovative interior design at this Roppongi design complex. Of the 20 or so galleries and retail shops selling fabrics, furniture and art books, one highlight is ceramics specialist Kisso associated with the kaiseki (multicourse Japanese meals) restaurant of the same name.
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Azabu-Jūban Antique Market
This flea market is held in the public square a block west of Azabu-jūban Station.
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Bapexclusive
BAPE (A Bathing Ape) is no longer the madly exclusive brand that made it so desirable - this shop is testament to how underground designer Nigo's brand isn't , but how wildly successful it's become. BAPE has a dozen or so 'secret', hard-to-find shops around Harajuku and Aoyama; this one's a good starting point for brand fans and architecture buffs.
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Beams
The Beams chain has spread across Japan and over to Hong Kong, but all the best of Beams - from basic to superstylish men's and women's clothes, accessories, cool housewares and a gallery - has been concentrated into the seven floors of this Shinjuku shop.
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Bengara
Sells noren, the curtains that hang in front of shop doors. Some noren are very artful, with the spirit of the mingei movement. It's one block east of Nakamise-dōri.
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Bic Camera
Bic Camera may or may not be, as it claims, the cheapest camera store in Japan, but its ubiquity cannot be contested. Bic has other branches in Ikebukuro (3590 1111; 1-11-7 Higashi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku), as well as in Shibuya and Shinjuku. Deals are very competitive but, as always, shop around.
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Bingoya
Richly dyed washi (handmade paper), vibrant batik textiles, regional ceramics and a quality assortment of folk crafts fill out the five floors of this wonderful shop. Find handmade glassware, cushions and Japanese tea cups for feathering your nest, or painted fans, happi (half-length coats) and washi -covered tea canisters.
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Blue & White
Amy Katoh, the expat American behind this small crafts store, sells traditional and contemporary items like indigo-dyed yukata (light cotton kimono or robe) and painted chopsticks, all in blue-and-white. Pick through tiny dishes of ceramic beads or collect bundled-up swatches of fabric for your own crafty creations.
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Blue Parrot
A fabulous resource of English books, magazines, DVDs, children's books and internet access.
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Book Off
Find a huge selection of new and gently-used, barely-bruised manga here. Budget collectors should head for the shelves of around ¥110 (!) manga. This branch is on Meiji-dōri, north of Laforet, but Book Off shops are scattered all over Tokyo.
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Chicago Thrift Store
Stuffed to the rafters with funky hats, ties and coats, Chicago is a treasure trove of vintage clothing and used duds stacked high and priced low. Of special note is the extensive collection of used kimono and yukata in the basement.
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Cisco Records
Cisco has several small shops scattered around this area, each specialising in a different genre. This one is where you'll find mostly hip-hop and R&B, but others in the neighbourhood carry electronica, trance and dub.
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Comme Des Garçons
The architectural eccentricity of Kawakubo Rei's flagship store should come as no surprise - her radical designs have been refiguring the fashion landscape for more than 20 years. Both men's and women's fashions are on display. Most available sizes are quite small, but a quick circuit of the shop is interesting in itself.
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Daikanyama Address
Just northwest of Daikanyama Station, this small retail complex is notable for its clever suspension bridges and four dozen or so designer boutiques selling clothing, eyewear and other sartorially stylish accessories. The open-air plaza is a treat on quiet afternoons, and weekends tend to be relatively free of mad throngs of shoppers.
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Decks Tokyo Beach
Decks is divided into two malls, Island and Seaside. Both house a rainy day's worth of browsing, and if you're hungering for Chinese food, the Island Mall boasts Daiba Little Hong Kong. There's also Tokyo Joypolis, a high-tech amusement park run by Sega, with virtual reality games and indoor roller-coasters.
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Disk Union
The Disk Union chain sells used and new records here at its location on Center-gai. Each floor specialises in a different genre, including punk and jazz. There's another large branch in Shinjuku and smaller outposts elsewhere in Tokyo.
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Don Quixote
The Roppongi branch of this jam-packed, bargain castle is where Japanese kids of all ages come to stock up for fun. Don Quixote sells everything from household goods to French maid costumes, usually at cut-rate prices. You'll need to hack your way through cluttered aisles, but it's possible to find funky gifts here.
