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Shopping
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Tokyo has shops to suit every taste and budget, from swanky
department stores
to ragbag
flea markets
. The city is a prime hunting ground for the latest electronic gadgets, and also for certain types of electrical equipment and cameras. CDs may be slightly less expensive than at home, and the selection of world music, jazz and techno in particular takes some beating. Foreign-language books and magazines are less well represented and very pricey, though Tokyo is the place to stock up before heading off to other regions. Though perhaps not quite up to Kyoto standards, there are some wonderful crafts shops and the regular flea markets might turn up unusual souvenirs, while the city's fashion boutiques carry the latest in post-millennial chic.
Ginza , the preserve of a more conservative elegance, is still regarded as the capital's traditional shopping centre, though Shinjuku is staging a strong challenge, with its shiny new malls offering everything under one roof. Young and funky, Shibuya and Harajuku are probably the most enjoyable places to shop: even if you don't want to buy, the passing fashion parade doesn't get much better. The haute couture boutiques of nearby Omotesando and Aoyama provide a more rarefied shopping experience, while, of the northern districts, only Asakusa figures highly for its crafts shops, while Ikebukuro is best known for its plethora of discount stores.
Tokyo also has a number of wholesale districts that can be fun to poke around. The most famous are
Tsukiji fish market
,
Kappabashi
"Kitchenware Town"
, the bookshops of
Jimbocho
and
Akihabara
's electrical emporia
. North of Asakusabashi Station,
Edo-dori
and its backstreets specialize in traditional Japanese dolls, while further north again the area called
Kuramae
is "Toy Town", where shops sell fireworks, fancy goods and decorations as well as toys of every description. Between Ueno's mainline station and the Shuto Expressway, slick-haired guys in leathers stalk the rows of sleek machines in
"Motorbike Town
". Other useful information
for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections): |
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Japan,
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