Japan

Akihabara Electric Town, the electronics shopping district north of Tokyo's financial sector, is so densely populated with stores, so garishly neon-lit, and so...more

If you're looking for vintage finds or just a good browse, visit one of the city's outdoor antique markets. There are good ones at Nogi Shrine in Nogizaka...more

Aoyama's Arts & Science epitomizes the Japanese approach to design, with a blend of understated elegance and functional luxury at all their stores (there...more

Hakusan, not far from the Omotesando station, has a reputation for simple, beautifully made ceramics. Dinner sets are worth buying and sending home, or if...more

What's more Japanese than a cup of green tea? This centuries-old, distinguished Kyoto institution takes its tea—all of which is grown in nearby...more

Everyone's favorite stationery store, Ito-ya fills nine floors with every pen, notebook, and folder imaginable. Stock up on Camper notebooks, the school brand...more

If you're not planning to travel outside Tokyo, a visit to this center will provide you with a whistle-stop tour of the best crafts from all over Japan. They...more

This street is filled with stores selling cutlery, crockery, and kitchenware to the restaurant trade. You might not want the vat-sized saucepans, but there are...more

The Japanese excel at functional accessories, and this shop is the last word in well-designed, good-looking bags, rucksacks, suitcases, and wallets. Some are...more

Guidebooks describe Kyuko-do as an "incense and stationery" store—which may confuse shoppers more than lure them in. This is a shame, for Kyuko-do is no...more