Shopping in Tokyo: Five Unique Stores to Check Out!

Tokyo is a dream destination for shopping enthusiasts worldwide. With its mix of traditional markets, high-end shops, and quirky pop culture stores, you’re in for a unique shopping experience! Shoppers will leave the city with heads full of memories and bags full of souvenirs.

Many stores are located in gorgeous spaces, making your shopping trip fun. They’re located in some of Tokyo’s best shopping districts and are a treat for shoppers and design lovers. From creative shops for kitchen items to stylish bookstores, here are some of the most unique shops in Tokyo!

PIGMENT TOKYO

The Terrada warehouse company runs this art supplies lab, which does far more than just stock Tokyoites’ leftover belongings. The iconic architect Kengo Kuma designed it, inspired by the look of bamboo. Walking into the store is like strolling through a rainbow. With more than 4,500 color pigments made with natural minerals lined up beautifully against the shop’s back wall.

The rainbow wall is just the start, as the store also stocks several top-quality traditional East Asian tools. The 200 or so sumi ink sticks are true rarities and are tough to come by. This is a fun place, even if you just visit to be amazed by the colorful display.

Kayanoya Coredo Muromachi

Kayanoya has grown into one of Japan’s most renowned producers of dashi (Japanese soup stock) and seasonings. Over nearly 130 years, It has built up a devoted following among Japanese. Kayanoya offers various seasonings, from salad dressings to condiments and freeze-dried soups. They are all made with natural ingredients and without artificial flavors or preservatives.

It’s another creation by the one and only Kengo Kuma. He has put his creative spin on this soy sauce store in Nihonbashi, giving this long-established brand a modern flair. This flagship store is a reproduction of the brand’s warehouse in Kyushu, with the highlight being the large shoyu (soy sauce) barrels hanging from the ceiling. The shop can be found inside Nihonbashi’s Coredo Muromachi 3 building and adds a refreshing traditional touch to the skyscrapers of Tokyo’s financial district.

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Majimaya Confectionery

Majimaya in Kappabashi, Asakusa, is a popular store selling desserts, pastry molds, and other baking goods. Visitors who want to buy Japanese confectionery tools will find everything on their shopping list here, and this shop is full of unique treasures.

If you love baking, you should check out their 1,000 different designs of cookie cutters. The highlight is the towering display of cookie cutters hanging at the center of the building. It even has a spiral staircase for easy browsing. Most of their products are handmade, and the place has a very traditional Japanese vibe.

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Daikanyama Tsutaya

In a perfect world, all bookshops would be like this. This ultra-stylish bookstore is known as a library in the woods. It’s easy to lose hours browsing through the selections here. Its three interlinked buildings are connected along Magazine Street, with six book departments arranged by category. It includes many English-language titles, art books, vintage titles, and magazine back issues.  

Even if you’re not interested in browsing the glorious selection of books, it’s worth visiting to admire the complex alone. Enjoy browsing the shelves and reading in the cafe spaces at this book lover’s paradise. There are also music and DVD sections and Starbucks and Family Mart branches. 

Oriental Bazaar

You can’t miss Oriental Bazaar. The storefront is a red temple replica that belongs in Disneyland rather than on Omotesando Street. Still, it’s enough to attract a steady stream of souvenir hunters through its doors. There are four floors with everything Japanese you would think of to buy for loved ones back home.

From kimonos, miso paste (traditional Japanese soup), bowls, and green tea cups to Japanese design books translated into English, this store is about having every kind of traditional Japanese souvenir under one roof. It’s perfect for those pressed for time, intimidated by language barriers, or lazy.

Why should I go shopping in Tokyo?

And there you have it—a whirlwind journey through Tokyo, a city that always amazes you with its mix of shopping experiences. From bustling markets to stylish boutiques, the shopping experience in Tokyo is a thrilling adventure that fits all tastes!

We hope this article has been helpful to you. Have you checked out any of these stores before? Do you have a favorite shop in Tokyo? Let us know in the comments below!