Index

• Character Goods Shops
• Bookstores & CD / DVD shops
• Local government antenna shops

Character Goods Shops - Find the best selling popular souvenirs

Character goods are a must-buy when it comes to Japanese souvenirs. Surrounded by your favorite characters, choosing this for yourself, that for a present... it's like being in a dream world. The tourism goodwill ambassador of Japan, Hello Kitty and all of her toy friends are just waiting for you!

Pokemon Centers (throughout Japan)

The specialty Pokemon shop called the "Pokemon Center" stocks a wonderful assortment of Pokemon related items and hosts incredibly popular Pokemon gaming arenas. Currently there are six centers throughout Japan located in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Yokohama, and Sapporo.

Sanrio Shops (throughout Japan)

Cute Sanrio character goods are a must when purchasing souvenirs in Japan!! The extensive collection of all kinds of Hello Kitty items will especially blow you away. Themes and product selection differ from store to store, so it's fun to check out more than one.

Kiddy Land (throughout Japan)

Popular character goods and unique toys from Japan and abroad line the shelves, including favorites such as Disney, Sanrio, Sesame Street, Snoopy, and Barbie dolls.

Bookstores & CD / DVD shops - Get original goods from artists and entertainers

The best place to easily come into contact with all genres of Japanese culture from fine art, literature, and history to anime and pop idols is the bookstore. With items such as fashion magazines displaying the most up to date fads and city maps convenient for strolling about town, these stores host a plethora of hints for unleashing an even deeper layer of fun in Japan. And CD / DVD shops are on the top of the check list for people who love music and movies. Be on the lookout for new works from your favorite artists and products difficult to purchase outside of Japan.

Bookstores

Tokyo:
Tokyo Station

Akihabara

Shinjuku

Osaka:
Umeda (Osaka Station)

CD & DVD Stores

TSUTAYA
With over 1300 shops in Japan, this store provides one stop shopping for your favorite items, including DVDs, CDs, books, and games.

TOWER RECORDS
This company has 78 stores within Japan. It puts on a variety of sales campaigns.

Local government antenna shops

These shops sell products specific to various areas in Japan and advertise for sightseeing. There are "Washita" shops carrying products from Okinawa in "Iwate Ginga Plaza" and "Ginza Kumamoto-kan" on the main street in Ginza. In other areas, there's "Kyoto-kan" at Tokyo Station, "Shinjuku Miyazaki-kan KONNE" and "Hiroshima Yumeterasu" at the south exit of Shinjuku Station and "Niigata-kan N'Espace" in Omotesando. You can make a little side trip to those shops while shopping at the others. Although not an antenna shop, the "Japan Traditional Craft Center" in Ikebukuro displays fine pottery and porcelain, dyed fabrics and gold works.

Mura-kara Machi-kara Kan ("Hall of goods from villages and cities" -- Yurakucho)

This building includes shops that sell products from Hokkaido, Shiga, Nagano, Toyama, Wakayama, and Shizuoka. This is also a prime spot for collecting tourist information.