Kōrakuen & Akihabara
In business since 1939, this shop stocks an incredible selection of art and photography books, posters and prints with some very famous Japanese and…
Must-see shopping in Tokyo
Harajuku & Aoyama
Once a month Tokyo's hipster flea market comes to the Farmer's Market @UNU, bringing with it a DJ booth, live painting, young designers hoping for a break…
Ginza & Tsukiji
Shelf after shelf of ohashi (chopsticks) in wood, lacquer and even gold leaf line the walls of this intimate shop, alongside plenty of hashi-oki …
Asakusa & Sumida River
Since 1856, Kurodaya has been specialising in washi (traditional Japanese paper) and products made from paper, such as cards, kites and papier-mâché folk…
Ginza & Tsukiji
This layer cake of a ‘toy park’ is crammed with character toys, the hottest squawking video games, seas of colourful plastic, the softest plush toys ever…
Ginza & Tsukiji
Exhibits at this long-established commercial gallery include works from serious heavy hitters from Japan and abroad, such as Sugimoto Hiroshi and Marlene…
Good Design Store Tokyo by Nohara
Tokyo
A selection of highly covetable products (both domestic and international) that have won Japan's prestigious Good Design Award. Could be anything: the…
Asakusa & Sumida River
Stationery lovers flock from far and wide to this shop that allows you to custom build your own notebooks (from around ¥1000), choosing the paper, covers,…
Asakusa & Sumida River
This eccentric curio shop, with a turn of the last century atmosphere, is full of vintage dresses and kimonos, antique lamps and decorative objets. It's…
Harajuku & Aoyama
Laforet has been a beacon of Harajuku fashion for decades, where young brands cut their teeth and established ones hold court. Check out the avant-garde…
Asakusa & Sumida River
SyuRo stocks a variety of works by local artisans as well as its own in-house brand. It's especially well-known for its canisters, made of tin plate,…
Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo
Spacious branch of famed Ginza gourmet shop Akomeya, and convenient for picking up last-minute gifts and souvenirs before catching the train to the…
Shibuya & Shimo-Kitazawa
This emporium of homewares, stationery, gadgets and accessories specialises in all that is cute and covetable. The 1st floor, which stocks seasonal stuff…
Kōrakuen & Akihabara
One of several shops in Kagurazaka specialising in traditional craftwork. Here it’s hand-dyed textiles (such as scarves and tea towels), many with…
Ueno & Yanesen
Ueno's main department store, in business since 1907, stocks pretty much all you could want. If you can't find it here, it's likely to be in the connected…
Ueno & Yanesen
Dating back to 1864, this venerable stationery shop specialises in chiyogami – gorgeous, colourful paper made using woodblocks – as well as papier-mâché…
Kōrakuen & Akihabara
A changing selection of homewares made by local artisans fills two floors of this old house turned shop. It has a picture window at the front, with a…
Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo
Music chain Disc Union is doubling down on its commitment to analogue with the opening of this new record shop, with crates full of new and used,…
Tokyo
Outbound stocks beautiful homewares and objets d'art for your bohemian dream house. Works are earthy, made by contemporary artisans and displayed in…
Tokyo
This colourful crafts shop on Amazake Yokochō is a good spot to pick up souvenirs, including dolls and items decorated with patterned kimono cloth.
Roppongi, Akasaka & Around
Part-gallery and part-boutique, Savoir Vivre carries a small but beautiful selection of ceramics, glassware and textiles from contemporary artists.
Ginza & Tsukiji
Tokyo chefs and cooks seek out Hitachiya for hand-forged knives, sturdy bamboo baskets and other great kitchen and cooking tools.
Kōrakuen & Akihabara
The ever-changing selection at this compact shop includes clothes and accessories handmade in Tokyo and elsewhere around Japan.
Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo
Awkward name and unlikely location (within the Shinjuku Bus Terminal complex) aside, this newish mall is one of Tokyo's swankiest places to shop. There's…
Shibuya & Shimo-Kitazawa
Nicknamed marukyū, this cylindrical tower is a trend factory and teen institution. Inside are dozens of small boutiques, each with its own carefully…
Roppongi, Akasaka & Around
If you're after a samurai sword or weaponry, this venerable place sells the genuine article – including antique sword guards and samurai helmets dating…
Harajuku & Aoyama
This long-running souvenir shop sells a variety of goods, from inexpensive pottery and yukata (cotton kimono) to antique screens and chests. Note that not…
Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo
Japan's largest official Pokémon shop sells every piece of the series' merchandise with goods geared towards kids and grown-ups alike. Around the store…
Tokyo
While not as as big or exhaustive as the Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo, this store is a convenient place to pick up Pickachu-anything (from stuffies to mobile…
Ueno & Yanesen
If you're on the hunt for a particular craft nihonshu (sake) and shōchū (distilled liquor usually made from barley or sweet potato), zone in on this off…
Kōrakuen & Akihabara
Strictly for old-school electronics otaku (geeks), this two-storey warren of several dozen electronics stalls under the elevated railway is the original,…
Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo
This massive department store attached to Ikebukuro Station has the city's largest depachika (department store food floor), decent-sized outlets of…
Roppongi, Akasaka & Around
The Roppongi branch of this jam-packed bargain castle is where Japanese kids of all ages come to stock up for both fun and useful items.
Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo
Acos is otaku superstore Animate's cosplay speciality shop, but you don't need to be a fan to appreciate the mesmerising selection of reasonably good…
Ginza & Tsukiji
A retail landmark in Ginza since 1932, this exclusive department store with its famous clock tower was designed in the Neo-Renaissance style by Watanabe…
Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo
At this long-running market on the grounds of Hanazono-jinja, vendors deal in antiques, old prints, used kimono and more. You'd have to have a…
Kōrakuen & Akihabara
Are you on the lookout for a bipedal humanoid robot? V Stone specialises in DIY robot kits (from around ¥80,000, tax free). It also carries a range of…
Odaiba & Tokyo Bay
For fans of the anime franchise Gundam, this huge store has over a thousand different gunpura, Gundam plastic model kits, including limited-edition…
Shibuya & Shimo-Kitazawa
This branch of anime and manga megastore Mandarake has a smaller selection than sister shops in Akihabara and Nakano but a convenient location near…
