Drinking Shopping & Style

Thanks to a constant supply of new stores, Tokyo is a shopper’s paradise. Here’s our pick of the shops breathing fresh style through the capital – and reimagining retail on the way

No trip to Tokyo would be complete without roasting your credit card a little at the shops. It is, after all, a city at the forefront of fashion, a place where trendsetting teenagers wearing out-there ensembles rub shoulders with impeccably co-ordinated office workers. So whether you prefer the quirky style of Harajuku, sleek designer gear of Omotesando or something completely different, you’ll find retail nirvana in our round-up of the sexiest new shops of 2013.

ICON Guided by the hand of creative director Eiji Hatanaka, Icon is a brand-new concept store – having just taken its place in Omotesando in September this year. The theme is ‘House’ (nothing to do with Hugh Laurie), and it stocks high-end fashion for both sexes, collaborating with influential designers and artists on a regular basis and providing them with whole ‘rooms’ in which to express their creativity. Wander through the living room, dining room, library and so on to find pieces by Krisvanassche, JW Anderson, Ann Demeulemeester, Casely-Hayford, Bless, BLK DNM, Shaun Samson and more. 5-39-1 Jingumae, Shibuya. 03 6419 7444. www.icontky.com. Meijijingumae, Omotesando and Shibuya stations. Noon8pm daily.

CAFE KITSUNE Founded in 2002 by Gildas Loaëc (former manager of Daft Punk) and architecture student Masaya Kuroki, the Kitsuné brand has fingers in several pies – fashion, music and, it seems, coffee. In 2013, Kitsuné launched Café Kitsuné, the Japanese-style café, in MinamiAoyama. Grab a well-brewed cup there and browse the label’s records and CDs,and a selection from their T-shirt lines. Don’t forget to visit Maison Kitsuné’s first standalone store next door, which opened at the same time as the café. It’s currently one of the most sought-after French brands, offering clothing for both women and men. 3-17-1 Minami-Aoyama, Minato. 03 5786 4842. www.kitsune.fr. Omotesando station. 11-8pm daily. Café open 9am-6pm daily.

Best Packing Store Julien David

Wear/house Top: Novelty homeware at Asoko. Below: Icon

BEST PACKING STORE Packing doesn’t have to be a soulsucking chore, it can be the ideal justification for a fun day of shopping. And at Best Packing Store, you can use the excuse of picking up travel essentials to get excited about your forthcoming trip. This travel-oriented concept shop, located along Meguro River in Nakameguro, sells handy staples such as bags, accessories, menswear, shoes and cosmetics, all designed with travelling in mind. You can browse popular brands including Lorinza, Postalco, Eo To To, Yoshio Kubo, Porter Classic, APC, Saint James and Barbour. It’ll make the journey so much more enjoyable. 1-23-5 Aobadai, Meguro. 03 5773 5586. www.bestpackingstore.com. Nakameguro station. Noon-9pm daily.

JULIEN DAVID JINGUMAE SHOP The unlikely combination of street style and high-end fashion has cemented Julien David’s place on the high street. The Tokyo-based French designer won the Andam Award in 2012, and just this year launched his highly anticipated flagship store in Harajuku. Filled with David’s creative sensibilities, the store stocks his men’s and women’s lines, as well as an archive collection of the label’s scarves. The interior is revamped every few months to reflect the seasonal-collection theme. 2-7-15 Jingumae, Shibuya. 03 5875 3144. www.juliendavid.com. Gaienmae and Harajuku stations. Noon-8pm daily.

ASOKO This brand-new flagship opened on Meiji Street in Harajuku in September. Pick up all manner of nick-nacks and accessories at this goods store, owned by Yu-Shin Creation. Just like its newly launched Osaka branch, this Asoko stocks roughly 1,000 items sourced from all over the world under the overenthusiastic concept of ‘Enjoy surprises!’. But it’s really a great place for souvenir shopping, or if you just want to treat yourself to something unusual. Prices range from affordable (¥21) to outlandish (¥20,000). 6-27-8 Jingumae, Shibuya. 03 6427 9965. www.asokojpn.com. Meijijingumae station. 11-8pm daily.

We ❤ Tokyo souvenirs!We ❤ Tokyo souvenirs! Find a more tasteful trinket with these ideas from team Time Out Tokyo –Find a more tasteful trinket with these ideas from team Time Out Tokyo –and not a Hello Kitty teatowel in sight…and not a Hello Kitty teatowel in sight…

Fake food keyringFake food keyring Shopping & Style Ganso Shokuhin Sample-ya A fixture on the Kappabashi ‘Kitchen Town’ circuit since 1932, Ganso Shokuhin Sample-ya produces fake food for display in restaurant windows, but in recent years has branched out into keyrings, phone straps and DIY ‘Sample Cooking’ kits. Anyone else hungry? ¥2,100 3-7-6 Nishi-Asakusa, Taito. 0120 Ganso Shokuhin Sample-ya A fixture on the Kappabashi ‘Kitchen Town’ circuit since 1932, Ganso Shokuhin Sample-ya produces fake food for display in restaurant windows, but in recent years has branched out into keyrings, phone straps and DIY ‘Sample Cooking’ kits. Anyone else hungry? ¥2,100 3-7-6 Nishi-Asakusa, Taito. 0120 171 839. www.tinyurl.com/TOTganso.171 839. www.tinyurl.com/TOTganso. 10am-5.30pm daily.10am-5.30pm daily.

‘Chigibako’ charm‘Chigibako’ charm Shiba Daijingu ShrineShiba Daijingu Shrine People have been buying these distinctive, three-tier luckyPeople have been buying these distinctive, three-tier lucky charms since the Edo era, when women bought them in thecharms since the Edo era, when women bought them in the hope of finding a good husband. The three boxes contain beanshope of finding a good husband. The three boxes contain beans that rattle when shaken. A foolproof plan. that rattle when shaken. A foolproof plan. ¥1,200¥1,200 1-12-7 Shiba-Daimon, Minato. 03 3431 4802.1-12-7 Shiba-Daimon, Minato. 03 3431 4802. www.tinyurl.com/TOTshiba. Opening hours vary. www.tinyurl.com/TOTshiba. Opening hours vary.

Origami paperOrigami paper Souvenir From TokyoSouvenir From Tokyo With a name like that, it’d be rude not to includeWith a name like that, it’d be rude not to include Souvenir From Tokyo in this list. The National ArtSouvenir From Tokyo in this list. The National Art Center’s shop lives up to its billing with a wellCenter’s shop lives up to its billing with a well chosen array of Tokyo- and Japan-themed designchosen array of Tokyo- and Japan-themed design products, including this nifty printed origamiproducts, including this nifty printed origami paper – also sold in postcard format.paper – also sold in postcard format. ¥892 ¥892 B1F National Arts Center, 7-22-2 Roppongi,B1F National Arts Center, 7-22-2 Roppongi, Minato. 03 6812 9933. www.nact.jp/english.Minato. 03 6812 9933. www.nact.jp/english. 10-6pm daily, until 8pm Fri. Closed Tue.10-6pm daily, until 8pm Fri. Closed Tue.

Tooth jewelleryTooth jewellery Aquvii TokyoAquvii Tokyo As unusual Tokyo souvenirs go, youAs unusual Tokyo souvenirs go, you could do a lot worse than Aquvii’s line could do a lot worse than Aquvii’s line of tooth earrings and necklaces. Andof tooth earrings and necklaces. And don’t worry: they’re fashioned fromdon’t worry: they’re fashioned from medical-grade resin rather than realmedical-grade resin rather than real human gnashers.human gnashers. ¥2,940 (same price for earrings ¥2,940 (same price for earrings or necklace)or necklace) 6-19-16 Jingumae, Shibuya. 03 64276-19-16 Jingumae, Shibuya. 03 6427 1219. www.tinyurl.com/TOTaquvii.1219. www.tinyurl.com/TOTaquvii. Noon-8pm daily.Noon-8pm daily.

Bamboo birdcageBamboo birdcage MidoriyaMidoriya Operating for more than a century now, the familyOperating for more than a century now, the familyrun Midoriya offers bamboo products ranging fromrun Midoriya offers bamboo products ranging from the everyday to the exquisite. Its mushikago cagesthe everyday to the exquisite. Its mushikago cages come in a range of shapes and sizes, and you cancome in a range of shapes and sizes, and you can buy bamboo birds and insects to keep inside.buy bamboo birds and insects to keep inside. ¥3,300¥3,300 3-13-3 Nishi-Nippori, Arakawa. 033838 7522. 3-13-3 Nishi-Nippori, Arakawa. 033838 7522. 11-6pm daily, closed Mon.11-6pm daily, closed Mon.

Boxwood comb Yonoya Kushiho Handmade combs may be a dying art, but the boxwood beauties on sale at this Asakusa shop (established all the way back in 1717) should last for a generation or two if taken care of. From ¥4,800 1-37-10 Asakusa, Taito. 03 3844 1755. 10.30am-6pm daily, closed Wed.

Fortune toothpicks Saruya There are toothpicks, and then there are the little marvels sold at this three-century-old business. The box set comes adorned with a kabuki motif, and its toothpicks are wrapped in fortune slips carrying traditional love songs. Tip: use toothpick before singing. ¥997 1-12-5 Muromachi, Nihonbashi, Chuo. 03 5542 1905. www.nihonbashisaruya.co.jp. 10am-6pm MonSat. Closed Sun & public hols.

Incense pouch Kyukyodo Established nearly 350 years ago, Kyukyodo supplied incense to the Imperial family during the Edo period, while also specialising in Japanese paper. We’re particularly fond of their palm-sized incense pouches, including the sandlewood-scented kinran kinchaku. ¥630 5-7-4 Ginza, Chuo. 03 3571 4429. www.tinyurl.com/TOTkyuk. 10am-7pm Mon-Sat, 11-7pm Sun.

Lacquered chopsticks Ginza Natsuno Small and portable, chopsticks make for ideal souvenirs. Mind you, some of the offerings at Natsuno – including lacquered pieces from various regions of Japan – so elegant you won’t want to taint them with your mouth. Or hands. Or eyes. Look away now. ¥4,830 6-7-4 Ginza, Chuo. 03 3569 0952. www.e-ohashi.com. 10am-8pm Mon-Sat, until 7pm Sun.

Tokyo By The Asahi Shimbun Company Published in 1961, this collection captures the dazzlingly fragmented nature of Tokyo, which it posits as being ‘a monstrosity of which no individual part is representative of the whole’. Yukuchi Watanabe, Yoshihisa Tanuma, Shigekazu Nagano, Kikuji Kawada and Eiko Hosoe are all contributors. The Asahi Shimbun Company, ¥21,000. Vintage.

Tokyo Twilight Zone By Sato Shintaro Tokyo as seen from above, in pictures taken from emergency staircases in the late evening and early hours. Shintaro expertly captures the uniquely beautiful contrast between the light escaping from buildings and the darkness outside. The images of exploding city fireworks, Tokyo Tower as well as the Sumida River are each especially noteworthy. Seigensha Art Publishing, ¥3,360. ISBN: 978-4861521553 Tokyo Portraits By Hiroh Kikai Kikai’s portraits of idiosyncratic individuals are known for overflowing with human feeling. Drawing on decades of snapping Tokyo’s Asakusa district, this collection features images taken in back alleyways and by old buildings. Crevis, ¥2,520. ISBN: 978-4-904845-14-1

Showa Style By Kyoichi Tsuzuki This collection brings together mainly pictures of businesses and public buildings from the entire 45 volumes of Kitao Harumachi’s ‘Architectural Photography Library,’ published between 1953-1970. Eschewing famous buildings, this volume showcases the structures that quietly stand throughout Tokyo. Shokokusha, ¥5,250. ISBN: 978-4-395-01241-1

Tokyo Compression Three By Michael Wolf A collection that captures the Tokyo commuter crush, consisting of shots of passengers inside the carriages (pictured below). Taken through steamed-up windows, the images explore the full gamut of human emotion, just detectable through the commuters’ body language: calm on the outside, and inwardly screaming. Peperoni Books, ¥5,624. ISBN: 978-3941825413 Words: Hiroyuki Toyama All books are available from Daikanyama Tsutaya Books. 17-5 Sarugakucho, Shibuya-ku. 03 3770 2525. www.tinyurl.com/p28ntr6. 1st floor: 7-2am daily; 2nd floor: 9-2am daily.

Total shoppingBiotop’s biomass façade (left), 1LDK Apartments (below) and the café at Today’s Special (bottom right)

The past two years have seen Japan’s top fashion brands branching out into homeware and ‘lifestyle’ products, opening new stores to supply Tokyo with everything its middle classes could possibly need. But far from being faceless department stores, the new generation of shops aims to fulfil every sense, offering gourmet food, big labels and vintage books. It’s holistic shopping as you’ve never experienced it before – and we’ve rounded up our favourite places to part with a few yen in exchange for nothing less than a new (or at least slightly enhanced) life.

Best for… Leisurely browsing 1LDK Apartments Launched in June 2012, 1LDK Apartments is the lifestyle-oriented branch of 1LDK, the popular Nakameguro clothing store that draws aesthetic comparisons with Muji. Selling clothes, homeware and food, 1LDK Apartments consists of three main sectors, convolutedly labelled 1LDK Me, Taste and Sense, and Edited/Found Store. But don’t let the names put you off, they have lots to offer. Try 1LDK Me for a highly wearable selection of women’s and men’s clothes. Meanwhile, the Taste and Sense food section is a café by morning, then a bar and restaurant from noon. With the Edited/Found Store stocking books and interior goods, this is the sort of place where you can treat yourself on any budget. 1F, 1-7-13 Kamimeguro, Meguro. 03 5728 7140. www.1ldkshop.com. Nakameguro station. Noon-9pm daily. Best for… Green living Biotop With the aim of creating a shopping space within a natural, living ecosystem, Biotop was launched in March 2010. It is one of the leading high-end stores in Tokyo, providing eco-driven fashion and lifestyle products as well as food. Its symbol, a tree house, has been built into the large oak in the courtyard. On the ground floor, you’ll find a good selection of natural cosmetics, and a nursery. The second floor stocks emerging and familiar global fashion labels such as Stella McCartney. Carven and Hyke. Above that sits the Irving Place café, offering appropriately healthy fare. 4-6-44 Shirokanedai, Minato. 03 3444 2421. www.biotop.jp. Shirokanedai station. 11am-8pm daily.

Best for… Everyday comforts Today’s Special Launched in March 2012, Today’s Special is the brainchild of popular Tokyo lifestyle brand Cïbone and stocks a wide range of household goods, food, clothes, healthcare items, interior products and furniture. On the third floor, there is an Italian café, Today’s Table, selling seasonal food. Additionally, Today’s Special has another branch at ShinQs, just in front of Shibuya station. 1-2F, 2-17-8, Jiyugaoka, Meguro. 03 5729 7131. www.todays special.jp. Jiyugaoka station. 11am-9pm daily.

Best for… Off-the-peg cool Yaeca Apartment Store Yaeca is one of the most hip and understated Japanese brands in the

SHOP FROM YOUR SOFA! www.zozotown.com Launched in 2011, Zozotown’s online outlet stocks more than 700 popular brands in Japan, and ships to 82 countries.

country today. Its Apartment Store was opened in May 2012 in order to transfer the label’s ‘logically simple’ aesthetic to non-couture products –although it does also stock their clothes. Pick up books selected by Limart and Post, and some of the one-off vintage items that have inspired Yaeca’s products. Riviera 2b, 1-21-22 Higashiyama, Meguro. 03 5708 5586. www.yaeca.com. Nakameguro station. Noon-8pm Tue-Sun, closed Mon.

For more of Tokyo’s best shops see timeout.com/tokyo

With its cutting-edge technology, trendsetting style and abundant employment of robots, Tokyo’s reputation as a city of the future is well earned. But that doesn’t mean the past isn’t worth revisiting. Here are some of the best places to buy vintage clothes, old-school furniture and beautiful traditional items.

TORO Specialising in quality vintage clothing from the US and Europe, Toro boasts carefully chosen, ontrend coutural selections that make most of its competitors look like the jumped-up thrift stores they really are. The prices are a little steep, but the staff are friendly and the clothing full of character. 4F, 6-19-17 Jingumae, Shibuya. 03 3486 8673. www.facebook.com/ torovintage. 1-8pm daily.

BARA SHOTEN SHIMOKITAZAWA You can buy and sell a variety of usedelectrical appliances, brandused electrical appliances, brandname products, jewellery, antiques and more at this Shimokitazawa store. The cheerful staff members are skilled at valuing, and offer especially good prices for designer furniture and vintage electrical wares. 5-8-10 Daizawa, Setagaya. 03 3413 7768. www.baras hoten.com (Japanese only). 10am-9pm daily.

JIMBOCHO BOOK TOWN It’s easy to lose a few hours (not to mention yen) rummaging around in Tokyo’s Jimbocho neighbourhood, a bibliophile nirvana that’s home to some 180 second-hand bookshops. Look out for the annual book festival, held in late October each year, when more than 100 local stores erect stalls on the streets. Kanda-Jimbocho, Chiyoda. www.tinyurl.com/TOTjim. Opening times vary from shop to shop.

OHI KEIBAJO FLEA MARKET A mammoth flea market, featuring around 600 stores, is held almost every weekend at a venue space set up within the Ohi Racecourse. Many professional dealers provide an assortment of merchandise, and you’ll find a range of quality goods –from everyday items to collectibles. 2-1-2 Katsushima, Shinagawa. 03 3763 2151. www.tinyurl.com/ TOTrace. 9am-3pm daily. on weekends.

OOEDO KAZUKO You’ll find antique kimonos from the Meiji, Taisho and early Showa eras,

Word search Browsing the spines at Jimbocho

as well as used post-war kimonos, obis, and accessories at this Omotesando dealer. The quality of the items is top notch, and novices will be pleased to find Ooedo also offers lessons on how to wear them. B1F Omotesando Bldg, 4-29-3 Jingumae, Shibuya. 03 5785 1045. www.ooedokazuko.ooedo-group. com (Japanese). Noon-7pm daily.

LOCAL INSIGHT

The ‘Venice of Japan’

From the Edo era to the beginning of the Showa era, Nihonbashi was a bustling waterfront city packed with maritime traffic, leading to its former nickname of 'the Venice of the East'. Keeping up the tradition, Nihonbashi now boasts Nihonbashi Hunatsukiba (Nihonbashi dock), a hub for cruise routes and Yakatabune – Japanese-style houseboats that act as floating dinner parties. Almost 3,000 vessels dock at this spot every year, including one cruise option that leads right to Haneda Airport – a little-known route, even among hardened Tokyoites. As international flights from Haneda increase, this route is becoming a more and more attractive option for those who'd prefer their trip to and from the airport to be part of their Tokyo experience. Spend a night in the Nihonbashi area – the Mandarin Oriental is one of many hotels you can choose from – then end your stay on a high by catching a cruise right to the airport (the final leg of the journey is covered by taxi). See the city glide by from the water, and let yourself be transported back to the Edo era –an experience that will guarantee fond memories of Nihonbashi.

Aplace where modern Tokyo collides with the traditional atmosphere of the Edo era, Nihonbashi shares its name with the bridge it surrounds – indeed, even those who only know basic Japanese lingo should be able to recognise it as a merging of the words Nihon (Japan) and the mutated version of hashi (bridge). The area grew around the bridge's first incarnation – a wooden structure built in 1603. A year later, the same bridge was defined as the starting point of the 'Edo Five Routes' – a cluster of roads that connected Tokyo with the outlying prefectures. As the starting point for these five roads, Nihonbashi welcomed people and goods from across the country, fostering a melting pot of cultures and establishing itself as a centre for trading. The area holds a proud position of being the birthplaces of several essential services – many of which are still relevant today, including Japan's first public company, postal system, bank and even department store (although it was likely a far cry from the sleek structures of today). Its wooden bridge now replaced with stone, this new structure marked its 100th birthday in 2011, and stands as a symbol for not just the area, but also the whole of Japan.

CENTURIES-OLD SHOPS UNITE PAST AND PRESENT Nihonbashi's vital location on the waterside, and the point where the Edo Five Routes converged, cemented its importance as a meeting place for merchants. It was a vital neighbourhood for trading during the Edo and Meiji eras, so it comes as no surprise that many shops were established here –plenty of which are still in business. The oldest have been plying their trade for more than 400 years.

Ninben One of the oldest shops in the area, Ninben's speciality is Katsuobushi (dried bonito), a vital ingredient in the making of dashi, a rich stock that adds depth to many Japanese dishes, including miso soup and noodle broth. The company name is now well known across Japan, but the flagship store is still the place to go for a real introduction to this essential Japanese staple.

Haibara It hasn't been standing quite as long as some of the shops in the area, but, having opened its doors more than 200 years ago, Haibara is still no newcomer. Specialising in washi – a type of Japanese paper that's used for crafting everything from

block of lindera umbellata – a wood that carries a light, spicy fragrance –is chopped in half, then quartered, then quartered again, and so on until slim, perfectly formed picks are all that remain. Because of the method used, they can only produce around 2,000 picks per day. Packaged in a delicately painted wooden box, they make an excellent Tokyo souvenir.

Sembikiya Another first for Japan, this fruit shop introduced exotic products to the country during the Edo era. Importing fruits from overseas – and even working to improve existing varieties at its farm – Sembikiya was an important contributor to the commoditisation of fruits in Japan.

Ninben

Haibara

origami to ukiyo-e – it's known for its Established as a cutlery store, it quality products and has made a made its name among the shoguns name for itself among those with an and daimyo of the time and slowly interest in cultural items. The began to branch out – selling smooth texture of its paper lends cosmetics, stationery and even itself well to the strokes of ivory. Nowadays it specialises in topthe calligraphy brush, quality kitchen and in the Meiji era it blades and became the provides tips on country's first caring for and exporter of cleaning the washi. knives. Haibara's paper was Saruya so admired Toothpicks stand that it was on almost even exhibited at the Vienna every table World Exposition in 1873 in Japan, and the Paris World Saruya and are not only an Exposition in 1878. after-dinner essential, but also used for securing food. This Kiya speciality store is the only shop in Perfectly presented sashimi needs Japan to focus solely on toothpicks. to be sliced by a top-notch blade and Its main product is called this knife shop boasts more than Kuromojiyouji, and is carefully 200 years in the business. created by skilled crafters. A select

Looking ahead Nihonbashi is focused on the future

THE FUTURE OF NIHONBASHI Nihonbashi is a perfect slice of old Tokyo, where those who want a glimpse of the city's rich heritage can browse long-standing shops and sample cuisine virtually unchanged from the Edo era. But preserving the old doesn't mean forgoing the new –now under construction, the Nihonbashi East Muromachi Project, covering 11,900 square metres and due to be completed in 2014, is one of the pillars of Nihonbashi's revitalisation.

Five separately owned blocks are being incorporated into an urban revitalisation area that makes up the core of the Nihonbashi Revitalisation Project. The concept – ‘Proceeding to Create While Retaining and Reviving’ – is delivered through utilising the area’s historical background and features.

Stone pavements and cherry tree-lined streets that lead to sleek, modern offices and ancient shrines make for scenes unlike anywhere else in Japan. Fukutoku Shrine, which has stood watch over the area for more than 1,000 years, will be rejuvenated – its approach cobbled to enhance the old-world feel provided by the centuries-old shops, while Nihonbashi’s former reputation as a theatre and cultural district will be restored with the introduction of a multipurpose hall and cinema complex.

Yamamoto Yama A longstanding tea shop that became famous for gyokuro – a type of green tea made from leaves that are grown in the shade. Its slightly sweet taste established it as a favourite during the Edo era, and in later years its popularity spread throughout Japan.

Benmatsu This takeaway first opened its doors more than 200 years ago –during a time when preservation methods were limited. At the time, cooking food in soy sauce and sugar was a common way for Japanese homes to keep fish, vegetables and other ingredients fresh and edible. Benmatsu was the first business to sell these cooked items (nimono) for takeaway, making it the first speciality shop dedicated to orizume ryori bento. Stop by and sample its strongly seasoned boxes for a taste of the Edo era.

Yoshinosushi Honten Before Tsukiji, there was Nihonbashi Fish Market – a lively trading point that thrived during the Meiji era. It was home to many early sushi stalls, providing some of the freshest fish to hungry traders. Fans of toro nigiri (fatty tuna) might want to stop by and thank Yoshinosushi Honten – where the snack originated. Having started life as a humble street stall, it’s now a cosy restaurant – but you can still enjoy the taste of a hundred years' experience.

Yamamoto Noriten This nori (seaweed) speciality shop is perhaps best known for inventing ajitsuke nori (toasted, flavoured seaweed). When Emperor Meiji visited Kyoto, he needed a gift to take, which inspired the creation of this seasoned seaweed dish. With a rich flavour that goes well with white rice, ajitsuke nori has become a popular breakfast food.