The Tokyo Traveler

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

5 Comments

It’s not a bad thing to use snail mail every now and again as everyone loves to get a postcard in the mail. If you want to send one from Japan to tell all your friends and family what a great time that you are having then you will need to locate a post office. It’s not that difficult, just look for the building bearing the logo that you see on the left.
Japan Post charges Y70 (USD $.70) to send a post card from Japan to the United States. Regular letters start at about Y100 (USD $1)and …read more

2 Comments

The Oriental Bazaar claims to be the biggest art & antiques store in Tokyo. It’s definitely a one stop shop for all of your souvenir needs so, if you are strapped for time and need a memento from your trip then this is the place for you!

In the basement you will find Kinomo, Yukata, Geta, laquerware, decorative panels and toys. The main floor has a wide selection of Japanese china, postcards and stationery and the upper floor offers a selection of antiques, screens, art prints and books. The store definitely caters to the tourist crowd but it’s enjoyable …read more

1 Comment

Did you know that there are over 1400 types of chopsticks and 1,100 different ways to hold them? There are even rules about what you should and shouldn’t do with your chopsticks. The Japanese term for chopsticks is hashi and Ginza Natsuno is a store dedicated to everything beautiful about hashi!
On a visit to the branch in Harajuku I was amazed by the variety of hashi available. The walls were covered with hashi in almost every color of the rainbow and there were sizes and styles that I had never seen before.
When you purchase hashi the correct …read more

5 Comments

Asakusa is known for it’s old town atmosphere and historic Buddhist temples. It’s a fun area to explore and the center of most of the activity is around the centuries old Asakusa Kannon Temple, or Sensoji.

The first thing that you notice when you get to Asakusa is the Kaminarimon Gate. Take a moment to wander around the gate itself to check out all of the ornamentation and then pass through it and your will be on the Nakamise, a quaint shopping area that leads to the Sensoji itself.

Make sure you take some time to explore the various shops on the …read more

8 Comments