Retail therapy is impossible to resist in Tokyo, a modern-day temple to consumerism in all its glory. Catering to a spectrum of tastes, shoppers are generally spoilt for choice – from high-tech gadgets, avant-garde fashion and vintage kimonos to kitchen tools, minimalist design and only-in-Japan souvenirs (anyone fancy a wasabi KitKat?). One tip: leave plenty of space in your suitcase when visiting. Or better still, simply buy some luggage when you get here to transport your new purchases home.
For further Tokyo inspiration, see our guides to the city's best hotels, restaurants, budget restaurants, nightlife, things to do and things to do for free.
Find places to shop by area
Yanaka
Sonomitsu
'Shoe making is my life'. These words appear inside each pair of bespoke shoes that the talented new generation artisan Hajime Sonoda handcrafts in his small atelier in the eastern Yanaka neighbourhood. His creations have a vintage feel and come in painterly hues – but are not for the impatient or thrifty. A bespoke pair costs from around 70,000 yen (£475) and takes up to eight months to make. However, a visit to his small and charming shop might lead to a Cinderella moment if you just happen to fit into one of the sample shoes on display.
Contact: sonomitsu.com
Prices: £££
Akihabara
Laox
Those keen to tap into futuristic Tokyo should head to Akihabara, also known as Electric Town due to the epic quantity of electrics stores (plus crowds of Japanese techno-geeks known as otaku). Laox, which has a duty-free floor, is one good place to head for gadgets, from an expansive selection of digital cameras to an eclectic array of kitchen appliances (but do make sure appliances are UK-compatible before buying). Look out for dressed up tribes of otaku – some appearing as anime characters, others in frilly maid outfits – while in the area.
Contact: laox.co.jp
Prices: ££
Nihonbashi
CLASKA Gallery & Shop 'DO'
CLASKA has long been famed as Tokyo’s original design hotel. More of a lifestyle concept than a conventional hotel, it’s perhaps little surprise that it is also behind high-quality Japanese design stores 'DO' (pronounced 'dough'). One of several outlets is located in the chic confines of the COREDO Muromachi 3 shopping centre in Nihonbashi. It’s home to a carefully curated selection of contemporary Japanese lifestyle goods, from delicate scarves and linen dresses to handmade soaps and ceramic tableware.
Contact: do.claska.com
Prices: ££
Nihonbashi Kiya
In search of the ultimate Japanese kitchen knife? This family-run business has been fine-tuning traditional Japanese knife-making since 1792. Expert in-store assistants can explain the dizzying array available, many with very specific purposes (one range is devoted to eel slicing alone). Perhaps more useful is the Nakiri vegetable knife, with its wooden handle and block of a blade, engraved with the name of the craftsman who made it. Kiya also has a small, chic gallery space and a cornucopia of Japanese kitchen tools (perfect for gifts) – from ginger graters to tofu strainers.
Contact: kiya-hamono.co.jp
Prices: ££
Aoyama
Sou Sou
Sometimes described as a Japanese take on Marimekko, Sou Sou is a gem of a Kyoto company that creates clothing with a modern take on traditional Japanese styles. Look out for tops with kimono-style sleeves in bold flower prints; rainbow-bright split-toe trainers that bring to mind a modern day ninja; and colourful, traditionally-inspired childrenswear. The Tokyo flagship store is set on a quiet backstreet in the upmarket Aoyama shopping district. It’s also excellent for souvenirs: its strong accessories line includes flower-emblazoned iPhone covers, split-toe socks, hand towels and bags.
Contact: sousou.co.jp
Prices: ££
Found MUJI
This small, narrow two-storey shop is home to a small piece of retail history: it is the location of the world’s first MUJI store, which opened in 1983. Today, the space houses a design-focused spin-off called Found MUJI. It showcases carefully curated collections of everyday household items that have caught the eye of Muji’s globe-trotting design teams. Displayed in exhibition-style formats, themed products change regularly (past examples include minimal Danish teapots and bold Basque region ceramics). It also has a good selection of Japanese crafts and household goods (look out for handwoven bamboo baskets).
Contact: muji.net
Price: £
Shibuya
Tokyu Hands
Don’t be put off by the glaring green logo: Tokyu Hands is multi-storey retail nirvana. From bicycles and soaps to drills and knitting needles, Tokyu Hands catalogues an exhaustive range of household, crafts and DIY products, some of which you may never have known existed (frying pans with holes for cooking octopus balls among them). Head to the Shibuya branch and, unless you have a very specific request (in which case, ask staff), simply wander while looking out for the Made in Japan signs for local gems – before recharging with a toastie and smoothie in the seventh floor café.
Contact: shibuya.tokyu-hands.co.jp
Prices: £
Marunouchi
Ippodo Tea
Forget ubiquitous Starbucks. It’s all about the fine art of Japanese green tea at Ippodo in Marunouchi, the Tokyo flagship of one of Kyoto’s most famous tea companies. The sleek boutique sells an array of high-quality Japanese green teas (look out for their iconic turquoise tins) plus tea ceremony utensils (from pots to whisks). There is also the Kaboku Tearoom, where customers are guided by staff in preparing their chosen tea. Those keen to learn the difference between 'matcha' and 'sencha' can also sign up for one of their green tea classes.
Contact: ippodo-tea.co.jp
Prices: £
Ginza
Itoya
Prepare to be dazzled by paper in all its glory at the flagship store of Itoya, one of Japan’s most famous stationery companies. It’s definitely a place to linger: there are 12 floors devoted to all forms of paper, from postcards and handmade washi rice paper to notepads, pens, paints, diaries plus pretty much anything else stationery-related you can think of. There’s even a Japan Post letterbox on the second floor for sending postcards. The 12th-floor café serves produce grown in the store’s high-tech 11th-floor vegetable factory (yes, really – it is a stationery store with a vegetable factory).
Contact: ito-ya.co.jp
Prices: £
Akomeya
It’s all about rice at Akomeya, a modern emporium devoted to Japan’s much-loved grain. Housed in a contemporary space in high-end Ginza, the shop showcases 6,000-plus rice-related products. In addition to an expansive selection of premium rice from across Japan, there are traditional rice boxes made from hinoki (Japanese cypress wood) and minimal canvas totes (which seem far too chic to be limited to lugging rice around – great for everyday use too). There is also a restaurant and bar – with rice and sake-based cocktails featuring prominently on the menu, of course.
Contact: akomeya.jp
Prices: ££
Daikanyama
Daikanyama Tsutaya at T-Site
One of Tokyo’s most chic bookstore complexes, Tsutaya at T-Site is housed in a contemporary trio of white cubed buildings created by the Klein Dytham architecture. It’s home to an impressive selection of Japanese and international books divided into themes ranging from design to cinema – each with their own 'concierge'. It also has an in-store Starbucks with a leafy terrace and a sultry Anjin Lounge upstairs, where daytime coffees segue smoothly into after-dark cocktails. T-Site itself is also home to a string of businesses, from Ivy Place restaurant to a dog spa (yes, really). Perhaps best of all, its long opening hours are decidedly jet lag friendly.
Contact: store.tsite.jp
Price: £
How we choose
Every shop, market and venue in this curated list has been expertly chosen by our destination expert, to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of budgets and styles – to best suit every type of traveller. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest openings and provide up to date recommendations.
About our expert
Danielle Demetriou moved from London to Japan in 2007. After 15 years in Tokyo, she now lives in the old kimono textile district of Kyoto. She writes about Japanese culture, design, architecture, hotels for newspapers, magazines and books.