Page 142 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Tokyo

140  TR A VELERS ’ NEEDS

Books, Music, and Manga
Isseido, an Art Deco Jimbocho
institution, keeps used and rare
books. The biggest stock of
secondhand English titles though,
can be found at Good Day
Books in Shinagawa. Another
specialty store, Crayon House in
Omotesando, caters exclu sively
to children. The younger of the
two Shinjuku Kinokuniya stores
has the best selections of titles
in Tokyo. Maruzen has a good
An elegant display of jewelry in Omotesando choice of titles in its Marunouchi
shop. Tower Records boasts
Cosmetics, Jewelry, The Japan Traditional Craft an up­to­date collection of
and Accessories Center in Ikebukuro is an books. JET SET Records travels
Mikimoto sells its pearls and excellent place for purchasing round the world to source rare
jewelry in opulent surround ings. affordable traditional crafts. secondhand LPs, as well as
It will remain closed for reno­ producing its own records. A
vations until spring 2017. For a keystone of the Japanese indie
selection of silver and jewelry, visit Contemporary Art world, the Shinjuku branch of
and Design
Mori Silver in the Oriental Bazaar the Disk Union chain has the
and Atlier Shinji Ginza, who The Spiral Garden in Minami­ best stock. Manga fans will love
make their own silver jewelry with Aoyama’s Spiral Building (see Mandarake in the Shibuya
a focus on natural and Japanese p70) usually has something Beam building for its second­
motifs. Nakamise­dori at Senso­ji interesting by Japanese artists. hand magazines and related
temple (see pp58–9) is the place In Ginza, you can find works products. Sekaido in Shinjuku
to find Japan’s traditional jewelry. by Japanese artists at Galleria has a good range of manga.
Ginkado sells kanzashi (hairpins), Grafica, Gallery Seizan, and
costume swords, and fans. Next Yoseido Gallery. Ginza Graphic
door is Bunsendo, also selling fans. Gallery exhibits both Japanese
The last maker of handmade and foreign works. The Karakuri
wooden combs is Jusanya in Museum in Shibuya displays
Ueno. The red, stucco facade of and sells artworks based on
the Shiseido The Ginza in Ginza optical illusions. Located in the
is complemented by the Shiseido Tokyo Opera City building (see
Cosmetics Garden in Omotesando. p179) in Shinjuku, the NTT
For “cute” culture accessories, Take­ Inter Communication Center
shita­dori (see p67) is hard to beat. features exhibits and installations
using the latest technology. In
the same building is the Tokyo
Traditonal Arts and Opera City Gallery, which Boxed sweets decorated with characters
Crafts
displays Japanese painting, in a Kabuki play
Maruzen in Nihonbashi is an and graphic art. Contemporary
excellent source of traditional arts prints can be found at the Specialty Shops
and crafts including ceramics, Tolman Collection near Tokyo Head to Sanbido for religious
woodcraft, and lacquer­ Tower. For ceramics, try statues and beautiful dolls;
ware, as is Takumi in Koransha in Ginza. Good Nishijima Umbrellas has
Ginza. Itoya, also in sources of modern traditional umbrellas, while
Ginza, is packed house ware are the Tokiwado has kaminari okoshi
with crafts, depart ment stores crackers. Nakatsuka sells
especially fine Tokyu Hands candies and sweet crackers,
washi (Japanese and Matsuya. and Kappabashi­dori (see p56)
paper). Kurodaya, For cutting­edge is the place for kitchenware
at Senso­ji temple, interior design, head and plastic food. Puppet House
has been selling washi to Axis in Roppongi, is a shop, gallery, and workshop.
since the mid­19th Ironware kettle, a complex of galleries Isetatsu specializes in chiyo gami
century and stocks Japan Traditional selling kitchenware, designs taken from textiles
everything from Craft Center cera mics, furniture, worn by samurai; and
modern station ery to and more. Shibuya’s Sagemonoya sells antique
traditional kites. The Japan Folk Loft has several floors of con­ netsuke, small, ornate
Crafts Museum (see p79) has a temporary novelty housewares, accessories designed to
small, high­quality selection. jewelry, accessories, and toys. hang from kimono belts.

140-141_EW_Tokyo.indd 140 12/09/16 11:28 am