| Destination: Japan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shop Japan Kyoto - Antiques Tokyo - Antiques Ceramics - Ceramics Imbe (Okayama) - Ceramics Kyoto - Ceramics Kyushu - Ceramics Mashiko (near Tokyo) - Ceramics Tokyo - Cloisonné Kyoto - Crafts Tokyo - Crafts Tokyo - Dolls Tokyo - Fans Tokyo - Teaware Kyoto - Woodblock Prints Tokyo - Woodblock Prints Tokyo - Books & Music Tokyo - Department Stores Osaka - Electronics & Cameras Tokyo - Electronics & Cameras Tokyo - Kimonos Kyoto - Paper Tokyo - Paper Ise Peninsula - Pearls Tokyo - Pearls Tokyo - Sake Tokyo - Toys |
Souvenirs
Shopping in Japan can be an alarmingly expensive business but there will always be something colourful and intriguing to buy
that is cheap - elaborate chopsticks, paper coasters, or wooden games and toys for example. An unusual and cheap gift, if
you can find it, would be sake in a can which heats itself automatically when the can is opened.
Art Less Don't be deterred from going into expensive art and antique shops. Many items might be impossibly expensive but there are bargains to be had, particularly in the art world - signed prints by eminent Japanese artists are often reasonably priced. Sale Time Look for big discounts during the sale seasons. The summer sales usually take place from mid-July to the end of August, whilst the winter sales last from after the New Year holiday to the middle of February. Love Tokens On St Valentine's Day (14 February) in Japan it is traditional for women to give gifts to men. To restore the balance a White Day, which takes place a month after, has been created to encourage men to give chocolates or something similar to their girlfriends. Warm Hands The Japanese are adept at finding ways to cope with life's inconveniences. For children with frozen hands in the winter, you can buy tsukaisute kairo, packs which when rubbed become warm and can be kept in the pocket. |
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