Kyoto Shoyeido has been making incense since 1705. The shop has a wide variety of products including non-burning sachets, that are not lit with a fire but that can be carried in a bag or used as a bookmark. I put a small sachet in my business card holder which infuses the cards. Incense culture…
Category: shops
Matsumoto Kissa Senzu Wagashi
Kissa Senzu serves modern and traditional wagashi sweets inside of the historic Kaiundo confectionary shop, opened in 1884 in Matsumoto. Monaka, a crispy wafer is served with a flight of three types of red beans (smooth, chunky, and whole). A fun way to compare the textures. Dorayaki of two small pancakes stuffed with sweet anko…
Gotta Get – Summer Fruit Saké
In the humid summers I seek relief in chilled fruit saké that are tart and mouthwatering. Here are two worth seeking out, lemon and natsumikan (imagine an orange pomelo). My favorite producer for these kajitsushu is Tsuru Ume from Wakayama. Their aromatic yuzushu is also one of the best made in Japan, in my opinion. On…
Tsuruya Supermarket in Nagano
We love visiting local supermarkets when we travel. Tsuruya is a chain of supermarkets in Nagano that has been on our Go List since it was featured on a television program. It has a strong private brand (PB) program that is very popular with their customers. These items on this blogpost are all PB products…
Tsukiji Market Nakagawaya
Pickles play an essential role on the Japanese Table. It is served at many meals. At a kaiseki meal it is included in the rice course with miso soup. Casual curry shops serve fukujin-zuke, a soy-based relish made with daikon, eggplant, and cucumbers. If you really love Japanese pickles, then be sure to have a meal at Kintame. There…
Tokyo Sky Tree Solamachi Food Shop Highlights
Tokyo Sky Tree is the city’s most popular tourist destination. The world’s tallest tower (for the time being) the communication tower replaces the landmark Tokyo Tower. Solamachi, at the base of Tokyo Sky Tree, is very exciting mall to visit with so many shops it’s hard to come up with a short list. It has…
Tokyo Sky Tree Shops – Ganso for Plastic Foods
Great news for tourists visiting the Tokyo’s hottest destination, Tokyo Sky Tree. You don’t have to go to Kappabashi to get your plastic food samples. Ganso Shokuhin Sanpuruya has a branch in the new Solamachi shopping mall. The original store is in Kappabashi and is very popular. Here you’ll find the great plastic food samples that…
Kappabashi – Okuda Shouten Shiten for Bamboo Products
Okuda Shouten Shiten is on the rightside This shop features bamboo products. Strainers, steamers, bamboo baskets for soba, tempura, or for large strainers, chopsticks,handai for making sushi rice, bento boxes, bowls for miso soup. Okuda Shouten Shiten オクダ商店支店 Taito-ku, Nishi-Asakusa 1-5-10 Phone: 03-3844-4511 http://www.kappabashi.or.jp/shops/32.html (Japanese)
Support Tohoku – Kessenuma Shop in Ginza
Antenna shops showcase food and other products from a certain area, usually a prefecture in Japan. I love to shop at antenna shops for hard-t0-find shochu, sake, regional seafood, and other items like miso. It is a good place to pick up omiyage for friends, or things for yourself. Recently in Ginza, across the street from…
Where do Tokyoites Shop for Food?
So where do Tokyoites do their grocery shopping? There are large supermarkets, like Ito Yokado, Daiei, or Seiyu (a subsidiary of Walmart) but these require a lot of space so are usually found a bit out of the city. There is an Ito Yokado a few stops from Tokyo station on the Tozai line at…
COREDO Muromachi コレド室町
Nihonbashi has a rich food history as it was the original home of the fish market before it moved to Tsukiji. The new COREDO Muromachi building is filled with restaurants and food shops, some dating back hundreds of years. Pick up Japanese knives at Nihonbashi Kiya or taste the smoky bonito stock or dashi based…
Okinawa Washita Shop in Ginza 沖縄わしたショップ
Okinawa Washita Antenna Shop 沖縄わしたショップ Chuo-ku, Ginza 1-3-9 03-3535-6991 10:00 – 19:00, no holidays http://www.washita.co.jp/info/shop/ginza/index.html (Japanese) The Okinawa Washita Shop in Ginza may be one of the most unique antenna shops in the city due to the unique food and beverage culture of Okinawa. The cuisine of the southernmost islands of Japan is very different…
Ginza Takumi 銀座たくみ
Takumi たくみ Chuo-ku, Ginza 8-4-2 03-3571-2017 11:00 – 19:00 (closed Sunday & holidays) http://www.ginza-takumi.co.jp/ (Japanese) Pottery and other crafts are showcased in this two-story shop on the outskirts of Ginza. There is daily use pottery with reasonable prices starting at 1,000 JPY. The shop features a wide variety of pottery including Mashiko, Tanba, and…
Orimine Bakers near Tsukiji Market 築地のパン屋「オリミネベーカーズ」
A great little bakery near Tsukiji has opened up and is definitely worth checking out if you are in the area. The name of the shop is printed in gold on the windows, reminds me of Balthazar Bakery in Soho. You can’t miss its green and white awning and the green exterior. The breads range…
Yubakichi in Kyoto’s Nishiki Market 京都錦市場の湯波吉
Yubakichi’s rich history dates back to 1790. The delicate yuba is made using domestic soybeans. The yuba has a light sweetness to it. You will find both dried and fresh yuba. The fresh yuba is creamy and has a nice texture. This can be served with just wasabi and soy sauce. Yubakichi 湯波吉 10:00 – 18:00,…
Aritsugu in Kyoto’s Nishiki Market 京都錦市場の有次
Aritsugu 有次 9:00 – 17:30, no holidays 075-221-1091 http://www.aritsugu.com (Japanese) Aritsugu has been in business since 1560. Famous for their knives, you will also find an enticing selection of other essential tools for the kitchen including nabe, handcrafted oroshigane (graters), and peelers. Aritsugu also has a shop in Tsukiji Market in Tokyo, but this shop in…
Dintora in Kyoto’s Nishiki Market 錦市場のぢんとら
Dintora is filled with spices, perfect for any home cook, including dried yuzu, chinpi, ichimi, shichimi, sansho, and karashi. Many of these spices are light and portable so stock up here if you are visiting from abroad. The chinpi (dried citrus peel) can be mixed with honey and hot water when you have a cold,…
Ginza Toraya 銀座とらや
Toraya is a purveyor to the Imperial Family and its rich history can be dated back to the 1600s. The signature item at Toraya is the yokan cakes wrapped in bamboo leaves. This is considered one of the top shops for wagashi, in particular, the yokan. The yokan comes in several flavors including azuki, mattcha,…
CLOSED – Fukumitsuya Sake Shop in Ginza 福光屋
Sadly, this gorgeous shop has closed. Fukumitsuya is a sake shop representing a brewery from Kanazawa that opened in 1625. Rest your feet at the small tasting bar and try a few before purchasing. The bottles are stored in small box refrigerators in the back of the shop, as all good quality sake should be….
Yamagata Antenna Shop in Ginza – Oishii Yamagata Plaza おいしい山形プラザ
The Yamagata antenna shop, Oishii Yamagata Plaza in Ginza is home to chef Masayuki Okuda’s restaurant, San-Dan-Delo (see post below). It is also one of my favorite antenna shops in the city due to the variety of products available. Yamagata has some of my favorite foods, cherries, La Furansu pears, pork, wagyu, rice, sake, and…
Food Sake Tokyo 