The Tokyo Traveler

The Antique Mall Ginza is home to approximately 300 shops that sell European, Asian and Japanese antiques as well as antique Kimonos, fabric and Japanese furniture.  Visit the shops in the mall to find that one of a kind treasure that will always remind you of your time in Tokyo or pick up some great souvenirs for your friends and family. Conveniently located just off Ginza’s famous Chou Dori, the Antique Mall Ginza is easily accessible from a number of number of Tokyo Metro Stations and is open daily from 11AM to 7PM except on Wednesdays.
Image Credit: Flickr, Things

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The neon lights of Ginza are known worldwide, in fact, they are what draw most visitors to the area for a nighttime stroll.  The bright and abundant lights shine down upon an area that is also a center of fashion and architecture and has been since prior to World War II.
The name Ginza dates back to 1612, when a silver coin mint was relocated to the area.  Gin is the Japanese word for a silver coin and za refers to a place where coins, as well as other specially authorized goods that required the use of weights and measures, …read more

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This past weekend I accidentally attended the grand opening of Eataly, a great to place to taste and shop for Italian wines, cheese, breads, pastries and almost everything else that you can imagine in Tokyo’s Daikanyama neighborhood.  And what a great accident it was! 
Surrounding a stone paved courtyard with relaxing patio seating, near Daikanyama’s landmark green flower, Eataly is the largest Italian food & wine center in Japan.   The store is a bakery, deli and wine store all rolled into one great location and also offers prepared food that you can take home and a variety of dine-in offerings. 
La …read more

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H&M, the trendy budget conscious fashion retailer, is set to open three new stores in Tokyo over the next year and on Saturday, September 13th they will celebrate the grand opening of their first Tokyo Store in the fashionable Ginza district.  They will follow with a store in Harajuku in November and another in trendy Shibuya next fall.
In reporting on the openings, Japan Marketing News describes the various locations and talks about the challenges that H&M faces entering the fickle Japan fashion market.  H&M was established in Sweden in 1947 and has over 1,400 stores in 28 countries.  H&M has …read more

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The Oedo Antique Market is held the first and third Sunday each month in the courtyard of the Tokyo International Forum.  The event started in 2003 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the Edo Shogunate and has grown to include more than 250 licensed antique dealers in the ensuing years.
What will you find at the Oedo Antique Market?  The selection varies but you will likely find a selection of Japanese artwork, possibly some ukiyo-e (woodblock) prints and maybe some old Japanese signs that you could take home and display as a great souvenir from your trip. 
There are sure to be …read more

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New York, Milan, Paris, they all have fashion week, but so does Tokyo!  All this week, 37 brands and their designers have been showing their 2009 spring and summer collections on the catwalk at various venues throughout Tokyo.
JFW in TOKYO was set up in 2005 to create a gateway into the world’s fashion industry for up-and-coming designers and to help develop closer ties between the designers, manufacturers, and the retail industry.  While you may not recognize some the brands and designers today, they may well be household names like Issey Miyake, Hanae Mori and Rei Kawakubo (founder of Comme …read more

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Toto Norenkai is an association of shops and businesses that have been in operation in Tokyo, formerly know as Edo, for over 100 years and three generations. In Japanese the single word “Toto” captures the essence of both old Edo and modern-day Tokyo, and “noren” refers to the traditional curtain-like sign that is hung over the doorway to announce the name of the shop and that it is open for business, while “kai” means “club” or “association”.
Established in 1951, as a way to preserve the traditions of old Edo while promoting their business to an evolving clientele that was …read more

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Recently I shared 10 Tips for a Greener Trip to Tokyo and told you that the use of eco-bags by residents of the city was increasing. The furoshiki is the original eco-bag and is a simple square piece of cloth that the Japanese have been using to wrap and carry items for centuries. It is a beautiful, not to mention ‘green’, item that you can take home with you and that will serve as a lovely reminder of your time in Japan.
The Ministry of the Environment in Japan promotes the use of furoshiki and dates it’s first …read more

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On the streets of Tokyo it’s not uncommon to see people of all ages fanning themselves during the hot summer months. Men, women and children have used fans for centuries as a way to stave of the heat and humidity and one company has been crafting these highly functional, and beautiful, Japanese accessories for over 400 years.
Ibasen started business in 1590 and still operates today in the Nihonbashi area of Tokyo. At first Ibasen mostly dealt in washi (Japanese paper) and bamboo goods but in the late Edo period the company started making and selling uchiwa(fan), sensu (folding …read more

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If you have 100 Yen in your pocket and you need a shopping fix then I know the place for you! Actually you will probably want to bring more than 100 Yen with you when you head out for a Daiso shopping spree…
Daiso is a discount department store where most items can be purchased for a dollar. They have household goods, food, gardening supplies, party supplies, stationery, souvenirs items and and my favorite, dishes!
I will admit that I have a Daiso problem, and so does my husband…whenever we pass by one he has to hold onto the …read more

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