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 change in his pocket while trying to restrain me! After all, dishes are heavy, difficult to pack and can be a tad pricey to ship back home.

Daiso operates 2,500 stores throughout Japan and 660 of them are in the Kanto region that includes Tokyo. I have been to the Harajuku Store which is located on Takeshita Dori, but my favorite is the seven floor Giga Funabashi store that can keep me entertained for a couple of hours and is the one that my husband fears most!

Did I say I like dishes? Here are some that I purchased on a recent trip to Daiso. I spent a total of Y2,400 (around US $24) and came home with six settings for sashimi and six for zaru soba, two of my favorite Japanese foods. If your budget allows you to spend a bit more than 100 Yen on each item then why not check out a new store that I have seen popping up all around Tokyo. The 3 Coins stores offer all of their products for, you guessed it, 3 coins, that’s 3, 100 yen coins! Still a bargain, the 3 Coins stores tend to be smaller and offer a more limited selection but they are definitely worth checking out if you happen to spy one while you are out and about in Tokyo (locations – Babel Fish translation).

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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 the cost is based on the size and weight of your envelope.

The selection of stamps that are offered by Japan Post is quite broad and some of them are beautiful. If you know any stamp collectors consider picking some up as they would make a great gift.

Also, did you know that envelopes in Japan are not pre-glued? You won’t be able to to lick the envelope to seal it, you will need to use tape or buy yourself a glue stick to seal a Japanese envelope. I believe that this is due to the high humidity in the summer. I have gone to use pre-glued envelopes from home only to find them stuck shut!

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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 to browse through and you would be hard pressed to find the array of goods that they offer at any other store in Tokyo.

The main branch of the Oriental Bazaar is located in the Harajuku area of Tokyo, approximately halfway between Omotesando and Harajuku/Meiji-Jingumae Stations (map -look for the salmon colored push pin). Hours of operation are 10AM – 7PM daily, except Thursdays (closed).

There is also a small branch in Terminal 1 at Narita International Airport in case you forgot someone on your list!

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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 length is estimated at 1.5 times the distance between your thumb and index fingers when extended. You should also considers the finish, thickness, shape and weight of the hashi when deciding which pair is right for you. Hashi should never be put in the dishwasher or left soaking in water. Just wipe them down with a damp sponge and dry them with a dish towel before storing them. If your chopstick are wooden they will dry out over time but a periodic rub down with rapeseed or olive oil will keep them in good shape.

Ginza Natsuno also sell hashi rests and the variety on display was mind boggling. There were turtles, samurai, fish, castles, and I even spotted a baseball glove with a ball. These little ceramic gems were so adorable that you could start a collection and the uninitiated would never suspect that they were meant to rest your chopsticks on so the table cloth wouldn’t get dirty!

The Harajuku location is actually composed of two stores. The main store holds the hashi and hashi rests and the satellite store (next door) carries dishes, toys and figurines.

What better souvenir is there than one that you can actually use that will bring back fond memories of you trip to Tokyo?

The maps of the Ginza Natsuno locations are in Japanese but I have provided you with the station name and exit number which should make the maps easy to navigate using the Tokyo Transfer Guide. Here are the links to the maps:

Harajuku location, Exit A2 from Omotesando station.

Marunouchi location, 4th floor of the Shin-Marunouchi Building near Tokyo Station.

Ginza locations, Exit B5 from Ginza station.

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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 Nakamise as you can take care of most of your souvenir shopping in one place. Everything from postcards to Japanese snacks, masks, dolls, toys and even happi coats (short Kimono style coat) and Yukata (casual Kimono, usually made of cotton) can be purchased here.

At the end of the Nakamise is the second gate (a smaller version of the Kaminarimon) which leads to the temple itself.

To get to the Asakusa area take the JR Yamanote line to Kanda from the Tokyo Station. Transfer to the TokyoMetro-Ginza line and take that train to the Asakusa station. Travel time is approximately 18 minutes and the train fair is Y290 or just under $3USD. Set aside at least half a day to wander through all the sights in Asakusa – there’s a lot to see!

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