Tokyo
This is the Tokyo outpost of one of Kyoto's more esteemed creators of wagashi, traditional Japanese sweets made of rice flour, bean paste and sugar. While…
Must-see shopping in Tokyo
Kōrakuen & Akihabara
In business since 1882 (but with an active Twitter account), Ohya Shobō specialises in books, maps and ukiyo-e (woodblock prints) dating back to Japan's…
Tokyo
The shelves of this small antiques shop are stacked with ceramics from the early Shōwa period (昭和; 1926–89), through Taishō (大正; 1912–26) and Meiji (明治;…
Ginza & Tsukiji
Originally from Kyoto (and in business for 350 years), Kyūkyodō has been producing top quality washi (Japanese paper) and incense for generations (the…
Harajuku & Aoyama
Furoshiki are squares of cloth that can be folded and knotted to form shopping bags and wrap gifts – anything really. This shop sells pretty ones in both…
Roppongi, Akasaka & Around
Nuno's innovative fabrics, incorporating objects from feathers to washi (Japanese handmade paper), have appeared in exhibitions around the world,…
Ueno & Yanesen
If you have a notion to sew, or are looking for some nice fabric, this stretch of shops east of Nippori Station – selling buttons, brocade, kimono fabric…
Asakusa & Sumida River
Shibata Yoshinobu Shōten brings the craft of magewappa (an artisanal style of woodwork made with thin strips of cedar that are steamed and formed into…
Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo
Akihabara might get the most attention but Ikebukuro is a major player in the anime-manga-gamer universe. Case in point: Animate's Ikebukuro store is the…
Asakusa & Sumida River
Promoting the many artisans and craft businesses of the Sumida ward area, this showroom sells locally made items, from cosmetics and fashion to soy sauce…
Kōrakuen & Akihabara
This shop, established in 1921, is the go-to place for traditional Japanese card games such as hyakunin isshu and hanafuda, which make for unusual…
Asakusa & Sumida River
This trendy homewares and gift boutique stocks mainly Japanese design products, from mini sumo-statue paperweights to furniture, with a few pieces from…
Shibuya & Shimo-Kitazawa
You could show up in Tokyo completely empty-handed and this huge outpost of all-night, bargain retailer 'Don Quijote' would have you covered. There are…
Harajuku & Aoyama
Designer Kawakubo Rei threw a wrench in the fashion machine in the early ’80s with her dark, asymmetrical designs. That her work doesn’t appear as…
Asakusa & Sumida River
The Tokyo branch of this Osaka-based kitchen knife specialist sells stainless-steel and carbon-steel professional-quality chef's knives; some of the…
Ginza & Tsukiji
This big, beautiful bookstore inside Ginza Six has a well-curated selection of art, architecture, design and travel books. Foreign-language titles are…
Tokyo
From Doraemon to Hello Kitty and Pikachu, Japan knows kawaii (cute) and how to merchandise it. In the basement on the Yaesu side of Tokyo Station, some 15…
Ebisu, Meguro & Around
Vase is a perfect example of one of Naka-Meguro's tiny, impeccably curated boutiques: a mix of vintage and one-off pieces from designers unknown to anyone…
Ginza & Tsukiji
Tsukudani are various foods – mainly seafood and seaweed but sometimes meat and vegetables too – that have been preserved in a sweet soy sauce. This…
Tokyo
As far as vintage shops go, Sokkyō is more like a gallery of cool. The stock is impeccably edited for a look that is both dreamy and modern. That said, we…
Ginza & Tsukiji
Matsuya is one of Ginza's long established department stores (but with a shiny remake). It has all the usual international designer brands, but the…
Kōrakuen & Akihabara
Starchitect Kengo Kuma designed this slick revamp of an old book warehouse, turning it into a lifestyle boutique stocking a keenly edited range of fashion…
Tokyo
Fujiya Camera opened its doors in 1938 and has been beloved by photographers ever since. Of particular appeal is the selection of used equipment,…
Ebisu, Meguro & Around
Cow Books is a Naka-Meguro institution, a secondhand bookstore specialising in counter-culture works, rare first editions, small print runs and…
Ebisu, Meguro & Around
…research General Store sells original made-in-Japan outdoor wear and gear for the most stylish of mountain hermits (or what designer Kobayashi Setsumasa…
Harajuku & Aoyama
Kyoto brand Sou-Sou is best known for making jikatabi – the rubber-soled, split-toed shoes worn by construction workers in Japan – in fun, playful prints…
Ginza & Tsukiji
This tiny bookshop showcases a single title a week, be it a novel, a cook book or an art tome, alongside an exhibition. However, the real reason for…
Harajuku & Aoyama
Gallery Kawano's selection of vintage kimonos are in good shape and priced reasonably (from ¥10,000). If you're serious about buying, the staff will help…
Ueno & Yanesen
On the campus of Tokyo's top arts university this gallery-like space sells works in a range of media by the institute's staff, graduates and current…
Ginza & Tsukiji
At this subterranean market of antique and retro goods, you can pick up anything from old lacquerware and pottery to beautifully embroidered obi (the…
Asakusa & Sumida River
Even in a neighbourhood where old is not out of place, Yonoya Kushiho stands out: this little shop has been selling handmade boxwood combs since 1717…
Shibuya & Shimo-Kitazawa
Yes, Tower lives – in Japan at least! This eight-storey temple of music has a deep collection of Japanese and world music. Even if you're not into buying,…
Asakusa & Sumida River
Soi offers a well-edited selection of ceramics and glassware, new and vintage, plus some really cute tenugui (hand-dyed thin cotton towels) to wrap them…
Harajuku & Aoyama
Tucked away on an Ura-Hara backstreet, this bubblegum-pink store sells acid-bright accessories that are part raver, part schoolgirl and, according to the…
Tokyo
Kōenji's Kita-Colle Building is a dilapidated shack of a structure housing a handful of seriously outré boutiques (Lady Gaga was an early fan), of which…
Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo
Fluorescent-lit bargain castle 'Donki' is filled to the brink with weird loot. Chaotic piles of electronics and designer goods sit alongside sex toys,…
Shibuya & Shimo-Kitazawa
This tiny shop is a convincing example of less is more, featuring minimalist, handcrafted homewares, clothing and accessories, pop-up displays from local…
Ginza & Tsukiji
Tokyo Gallery, opened in 1950 and the city's first commercial space to focus on contemporary works, has collaborated with the Beijing–Tokyo Art Project …
Asakusa & Sumida River
Fujiya specialises in tenugui: dyed cloths of thin cotton that can be used as tea towels, handkerchiefs, gift wrapping (the list goes on – they're…
Tokyo
This high-end department store on the eastern Yaesu side of Tokyo Station is a good place to look for gifts or a fancy bentō (boxed meal) before hopping…
