From gleaming luxury flagship stores to award-winning cocktail dens like Bar High Five and ultra-exclusive restaurants like the legendary Sukiyabashi Jiro, Ginza is one of the best places in the world to part with your hard-earned cash. Tokyo’s glitziest shopping district is teeming with modern, high-end boutiques, but it also has a lot of places that celebrate the artistry from bygone eras.
“There are plenty of traditional shops in Ginza and in nearby Nihonbashi, you just need to know where to look,” says Hoda Selim, Assistant Chief Concierge at The Tokyo Edition Ginza, Ian Schrager’s second property in the city.
Holding court in a quiet corner off buzzing Chuo street, the Kengo Kuma-designed hotel is an ideal base to explore the wonders of Ginza on foot—the only way to uncover this district’s true soul.
For a satisfying fix of artisan-made finds, The Tokyo Edition Ginza opens its shopping black book, which outlines craft-driven stores in Ginza and the neighbouring districts of Nihonbashi and Yurakucho.
Edoya
Established in 1718, you’re bound to get a brush with history at Edoya—the exclusive brush makers for the Shogun family. Set in a shophouse built in 1924, you’ll find an extensive selection of Japanese and Western brushes here, including handmade paint brushes, long-lasting clothes brushes designed to remove lint and static and even well-made make-up brushes.
Yubendo
Although The Tokyo Edition Ginza has a popular stationery shop just beside it called Ito-ya (also a must-stop), both amateur and professional makers make a trek to Yubendo to source colorful pigments and beautiful wood-block print postcards.
Chikusen
Open since 1842, the kimono fabric boutique Chikusen is so well-loved by Tokyoites that it is said, “For yutaka, it has to be Chikusen”. Even if you’re not in the market for a proper kimono, why not pick up a lightweight yukata? Usually worn during summer festivals in Japan, it’s an ideal piece for lounging at home.
Haibara
Dating back to the late Edo period, Haibara is heaven for Japanese stationery lovers thanks to its vast variety of washi paper items spanning elegant letter sets, notebooks and more. In business for over 200 years, the store is well-known for stocking “gampi paper”, an artisanal, silk-like paper crafted from the bark of gampi trees.
Ozu Washi
One of the most recognized Japanese crafts, the art of papermaking lies at the center of Ozu Washi. This three-story complex houses a store, museum and a studio where guests can try their hand on making their very own washi paper creations.
Shoyeido
Kōdō, the art of appreciating Japanese incense, is a practice dating back more than 1,400 years. Immerse yourself in this celebrated tradition at Shoyeido, which proposes “a good life with fragrance” through its wide array of incense products.
Ibasen
This shop has a lot of fans, literally and figuratively. Ibasen stocks traditional Japanese Edo and Kyoto fans, Ukiyo-e fans, decorative fans, as well as other pieces such as coasters, playing cards, and folding screens. An established souvenir shop with a history of 400 years, Ibasen does limited-edition collaboration and also sells its products online.
Ebiya
Antique shops are always an interesting place to get lost in time. Ebiya is no different, housing antiques and unique crafts with lovely backstories. It’s fairly easy to find: just look for an image of Kabuki actor Ebizo Ichikawa by artist Sharaku outside.