TOP 6 of Tokyo’s Coolest Souvenirs

10 Aug 2007 Category: Features, Japan, Products

TOP 6 of Tokyo’s Coolest Souvenirs

"Welcome to Harajuku!" A mermaid balloon sculpture defines new dimensions of kitsch at the entrance of Takeshita Street. Just around the corner of the PingMag headquarters!

Summer time is vacation time! Meaning, loads of people have left Tokyo - and loads of tourists have poured in instead. And don’t forget about the school breaks. For us that is: Harajuku, location of the PingMag headquarter, is crowded with tons of tourists and teenagers, and the usual dekotora, advertising trucks, blaring the latest J-Pop complete the festival-like scene. So, what could these folks buy as souvenir of their time in our beloved sprawl? Foreigners head for unique goods found at Tokyu Hands or Don Quixote while Japanese would buy typical souvenirs such as Sesame eggs or Tokyo Bananas. We know you are cool, so we gathered some stuff especially for you…

Written by Chiemi
Translated by Junko

Who didn’t see this before? The big diagonal crosswalk in front of Shibuya station. This is actually a very quiet day…

1. Say “Shibuya,” and everyone thinks of “Hachiko”

Shibuya is the place where most tourists stop by at least once during their stay. The big diagonal crosswalk in front of the station with gigantic screens like the one at the Q Front building has become a symbol of Tokyo and a favourite location for movie sets. The area around the bronze statue of Chuken, meaning ‘faithful dog,’ Hachiko is a popular meeting spot and always jammed with people waiting to meet their friends - or dates. If you say “Tokyo,” everyone instantly thinks of Shibuya, and if you say “Shibuya,” everyone thinks of Hachiko: Imagine, after hearing the touching tale of Hachiko, some tourists feel like bringing the poor dog home… Actually, there used to be a shop selling Hachiko-related souvenirs here. But it has closed down. So, head for something else:

Nishina-ya, near the post office between the Shinsen district and Dogen-zaka, is a company that manufactures and sells “Hachiko sable cookies.” Interestingly enough, they don’t operate a shop open to the public. So, if you really want this cookie, you have to buy it though a somewhat interesting method: First, call the office and tell them what you would like to buy. Then, wait outside of the office for a person who brings the cookie! Certainly it’s worth the wait! How adorable…

The loyal dog has become a symbol of Tokyo - now available in cookie form! 700 Yen for a box of five cookies.

Besides the Hachiko cookies, we did a little more digging and found more of this cute dog-related souvenirs:

A special product from Shibuya, the “Hachiko sauce.” Wonder how it tastes? Just 255 Yen for a bottle at Tsunokuniya.

Then, Tokyo metro will take you to Yoyogi-koen station on the Chiyoda Line. After a ten-minute walk you will enter “Tsunokuniya,” a liquor store in a quiet residential quarter in Tomigaya. Why did you make it here? Here, they are proudly selling their Hachiko sauce since the Pacific War - and it comes in three flavours.

Since this spot is a bit hard to find, alternatively head for the tiny cigarette shop on the first floor of a building called “Likes” to buy the sauce AND the Hachiko cookies there. How practical! It’s easy to find: Walk towards Shibuya crossing with the station in your back, and you can see “Likes” on the left corner of Dogen-zaka. How about making that the last stop of your stay in Tokyo?

2. Fashionable souvenirs from a fashionable spot

Next comes one of the most fashionable areas, Roppongi: Recently there opened the new Midtown shopping complex and several art museums, including The National Art Center Tokyo. Head to this museum and you will find lots of cool stuff in a basement shop called Souvenir from Tokyo by Cibone. For example:

The Piperoid sold by KOTO Co., Ltd is a paper craft toy you assemble by rolling paper into tubes. Cut and then assemble according to the directions. This will remind you of projects for your junior high art class… Beware, as this toy is recommended for people over 15, it’s a bit tricky to put together. But the finished product looks awesome!

What a cool gadget! Needless to say that this is a perfect gift! And that for just 500 Yen.

Tourists visiting Japan are often fairly interested in traditional Japanese toys. For sure, origami paper would be great for them. Our tip: Give this delicate folding paper art an update with graphic designs from cochae. For beginners, they illustrate the forms that will be made through folding.

The “Classics series Fukusuke” and “Classics series Tsuru (crane)” by cochae.

And these are the folded pieces! Have a little fun for 300 Yen each.

Kawaii! CARPENTER BLOCK mini is a series of a small blocks designed by Osaka-based company SOZ. This truly innovative piece has become part of the permanent collection in the Museum of Decorative Arts as part of the Louvre. This cute “Little House” is a set of six blocks in red, green and white: Make multiple shapes with it or expand it with other sets. Go on, try!

Artsy! Buy a part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Decorative Arts as souvenir: the “CARPENTER BLOCK mini” by SOZ for only 480 Yen.

Better than LEGO! Build something like this…

…or this! Some folks even made an animation with these blocks. Have a look at it here.

“Hope Forever Blossoming” is a compact vinyl flower vase designed by D-BROS, previously featured in our Designers Week piece from last year. It is based on the idea of shampoo refill packages, which are flat when empty, but take shape when filled and can stand upright on a shelf. This vase here is a flat vinyl bag. Fill it with water and it takes the shape of a vase ready to hold a flower! Much to our joy, the vases come in sets of two, each in a different colour. So you’d have the matching vase for the colour of your desired flower.

The D-BROS flower vase called “Hope Forever Blossoming”. Reasonably cheap: 800 Yen for a two-colour set.

3. A legendary souvenir

We surely won’t keep back the next one: There is one souvenir that has attained a kind of a legendary status among Tokyo souvenirs - sweets designed to look like money! Made by Tokiwa Sogo Service Ltd., Nihonbashi, this unique souvenir is funnily sold in the Ministry of Finance. Now, ordinary visitors are no longer allowed access to the building in an effort to prevent terrorism (PingMag tried and got kicked out in two seconds). The only way you can get them is to buy directly from the manufacturer - or to look for them at the Shinjuku branch of Tokyu Hands. Also, check out some other funny Japanese Yen goods from this company!

Haha, edible money! Rice crackers decorated like Japanese bills! Recently, the real currency was redesigned and the company quickly updated the edible one. You get 12 for 500 Yen, meaning you can eat 60,000 Yen after paying only 500.

“Bean-jam filled coins.” Wow, all kinds of Japanese coins are imitated as sweets! Just don’t try to shove one in a vending machine. Price: 525 Yen for 6 pieces.

4. A souvenir to symbolise Tokyo’s international status

Matryoshka dolls, a doll set of decreasing sizes placed one inside another, are famous as Russian souvenirs. But wait for the enhanced Japanese version! Tokyo Matryoshka is designed in Japan - and produced by old ladies in Russia. Since these five sisters are half Russian-half Japanese, they feature dark-brown hair and the same eye colour. But unlike their Russian counterparts, all of them are holding something, their most loved possessions: a Holga camera, a Matryoshka doll, a stuffed animal, a sheep, and a flower!? In the bottom of each doll, you can find the signature of the Russian granny who made it.

Tokyo Matryoshka by power shovel Ltd. can be found at the Aoyama Book Center, NADIFF, and AND A. Price: 4500 Yen.

The “Japan Matryoshka” of the same series. These dolls are holding the Tokyo Tower, a rice ball, Mt. Fuji, and other representations of Japan in their hands…

5. Something Kawaii

Tourists often have a strong impression of the word ‘kawaii,’ for cute, when walking around Tokyo. And Harajuku is certainly the place that best represents cuteness best. What would you choose now as souvenir of this spot where all of Japan’s wildly dressed kids gather?

In 2004, Tadaaki Wakamatsu started the accessories brand Q-pot.. In the beginning it was just a small shop in Harajuku. Since then it has grown quickly and by now you can buy their cute accessories all over Japan. The designer hopes that his souvenirs would enhance the communication - maybe he had theoretic conversations about camp and kitsch in Tokyo in mind…. At the moment, ice cream, chocolate, and macaroons are the most popular series at the shops. How about bringing “Tokyo kitsch” back home along with your cheerful memories?

Kawaii! Ice cream necklaces from “Q-pot.” Starting at 12,600 Yen.

Don’t miss out on these: macaroon cell-phone straps! Starting at 3,780 Yen.

6. Souvenirs of the Old Town

Long ago, Tokyo’s east side has been the actual centre of the city before Shinjuku Ward took over as modern social hub. But until today, the Toden Arakawa Line connects the eastern Arakawa Ward: This line is one of the last remaining streetcars in Tokyo, bearing lots of memories of the long-term residents. Now head to the Toden Monaka Honpo Akemi shop located in Kajiwara, which is one of the stops on this old streetcar line. The confectionary is known for its “Toden Monaka” treat: The sweet itself is shaped like a street car and crammed full of sweet bean paste. A sweet goes for 130 Yen, else you can get a 10-piece set that comes with a package resembling an engine shed. If you buy four-teen or more, you can even get a box printed with a sugoroku, a Japanese backgammon board.

“Toden monaka” sold by the Akemi confectionery near Kajiwara station. You can pretend you are Godzilla, picking up a Tokyo streetcar and shoving it in your mouth! 1350 Yen for a box of ten.

Did you find anything you fancy bringing home? If you happen to come pretty soon to town, don’t forget to bring something to protect yourself from the heat!

39 Comments

  1. cool stuff! next time I’m in Tokyo will have to pick up some of those origami kits! so cute! XD

    Posted by: skull one on August 10th, 2007 at 7:43 pm

  2. Lovely article however I think the best souvenirs are around the corner from you at Snoopy Town!

    Posted by: Emme on August 10th, 2007 at 8:27 pm

  3. nice list! ill be in tokyo soon so i’ll make sure to check all these places, cant wait. piperoid rocks!

    Posted by: Mac on August 10th, 2007 at 9:22 pm

  4. I picked up a whole whack of those Piperoids when I was in Kyoto last year. I thought about giving one to my 9 year old cousin, but decided it was way to fun to give up. You can mix and match them as well to make a mecha-mechanical-roid (name patent pending)

    Posted by: gnoble on August 11th, 2007 at 1:17 am

  5. Cooooool!
    How does the dog cookie taste?

    Posted by: Akai on August 11th, 2007 at 4:11 am

  6. I wanted to get qpot, but I was stingy.

    Posted by: vaneea on August 11th, 2007 at 6:05 am

  7. Awesome. Of course, still many of interesting omiyages are out there. Your (six) recommendations have really opened an easier way. Many thanks.

    Posted by: saniroy on August 11th, 2007 at 6:27 am

  8. [...] have to check out the TOP 6 of Tokyo’s Coolest Souvenirs, brought to us by PingMag. Feel free to bring some of these goodies to the Fatlace store. [...]

    Posted by: Fatlace™.. Collect Everything! on August 11th, 2007 at 9:59 am

  9. I love Japan. :D

    Posted by: HDR on August 11th, 2007 at 3:19 pm

  10. Ineed some good stuff. Both cool and classy. Next time I’m there I gotta pick up some Piperoids :)

    Posted by: Shay on August 11th, 2007 at 4:15 pm

  11. hi
    that is my visit to that site
    plz send to me all new

    Posted by: ahmed on August 11th, 2007 at 9:42 pm

  12. Posted by: oniitm55 on August 12th, 2007 at 10:39 am

  13. Woooo slow down….
    cant seem to keep up with all the Ping articles recently.

    I havnt seen the Tokyo Matryoshka before they look pretty fun… But would much rather have something to take home n eat….!

    Posted by: SHANTELL MARTIN on August 12th, 2007 at 12:04 pm

  14. [...] out this list of the top six souvenirs from Tokyo. The list includes cookies, sauces, and toys. [...]

    Posted by: Breaking Rumors, News, Truemors on August 12th, 2007 at 1:04 pm

  15. WOW I love all of them!

    Posted by: edorki on August 12th, 2007 at 5:05 pm

  16. [...] perfect gifts for friends and family back home. PingMag breaks the madness and guides us towards Tokyo’s Top 6 Souvenirs. One of the suggestions is something “kawaii,” or “cute”–easily found [...]

    Posted by: » The best souvenirs from Tokyo on August 12th, 2007 at 11:08 pm

  17. [...] Find out more about the Top 6 of Tokyo’s Coolest Souvenirs [...]

    Posted by: Top 6 of Tokyo’s Coolest Souvenirs on August 13th, 2007 at 3:44 am

  18. Nice finds. Those Carpenter block minis, though, are exactly like blocks I had in China when I was young (around 1990). They weren’t as shiny as those, but they had the same square face with square pegs and cross holes in them. I wonder where the Soz people found them.

    Posted by: kareno on August 13th, 2007 at 6:35 am

  19. I will just buy and bring everything home!

    Posted by: Clara on August 13th, 2007 at 4:03 pm

  20. Cool, especially the dolls!

    By the way, did you know that Hachiko is stuffed and in a museum in Ueno???

    Posted by: tony on August 14th, 2007 at 5:00 pm

  21. about Matreshka…
    Well, it’s laugh only)))
    http://www.superheadz.com/mato/
    index.html
    right it be “матрёшка” [matryoshka]…

    I’m surprised. This stuff… in Tokyo)))

    Всем привет из Екатеринбурга, ржунимагу)

    Posted by: gotcox on August 15th, 2007 at 5:04 pm

  22. I’ve been bringing back those flower vases from my trips to Japan for the last 3 years! I get them from a department store in Ginza which has a section for cool stuff. Think it’s Mitsukoshi… :-/

    Posted by: ir0g0 on August 16th, 2007 at 10:03 pm

  23. All those souvenirs have really amazing packagings (like almost everything I see from Japan or China)

    Posted by: Lu! on August 17th, 2007 at 7:09 am

  24. [...] dem “Beitrag Top 6 of Tokyo’s Coolest Souvenirs” des pingmag, ist mir geradezu ein Souvenir so ins Auge gestochen. Nicht aus Begeisterung, [...]

    Posted by: mas | weblog » Tokyo Souvenirs meets Sprüngli on August 17th, 2007 at 5:02 pm

  25. [...] PingMag lists their 6 Top Tokyo souvenirs.  Rather impressed with these paper robots…especially considering all the square-head paper toys we see so much of now. [...]

    Posted by: Piperoid « Dustbowl on August 18th, 2007 at 6:43 am

  26. [...] PingMag ha stilato i 6 migliori souvenirs che potete trovare in Tokyo. Io ne ho scelti 2 che personalmente preferisco: Piperoid robots by KOTO Co., Ltd e gli origami di cochae. Apparentemente sembrano facili da assemblare ma sopratutto per Piperoid, ci vuole tecnica e tanta pazienza…Japan rulez! [Via] [...]

    Posted by: Think.BigChief » Blog Archive » Tokyo’s Coolest Souvenirs on August 20th, 2007 at 9:35 pm

  27. oh, i wish i got those matreshkas on my last visit…cheaped out

    Posted by: lisenocalis on August 23rd, 2007 at 5:59 am

  28. [...] came across these origami papers over at Pingmag (along with many other souvenir ideas from Tokyo), and thought they were pretty clever: having the [...]

    Posted by: Origami Paper « Gems Sty on August 28th, 2007 at 8:03 pm

  29. i really love japan, my last trip was a waste cos didnt manage to drop by roppongi or shibuya.
    http://ayenm.com/food-photo-gallery/

    but it’s okay, there’ll always be next trip…

    Posted by: Yenny on October 25th, 2007 at 1:25 pm

  30. Those streetcars cookies are really nice…

    Posted by: Tomas Hache on November 1st, 2007 at 1:46 am

  31. I loved Tokyo when I was traveling there.

    Posted by: Travel to Okinawa on November 24th, 2007 at 5:51 am

  32. If you can find it, you need to check out the guy who sells a dancing paper doll named (Watishiwa Johnny) –I believe that just means my name is Johnny– We bought it just before entering the Harajuku area. I didn’t want to leave.

    Posted by: John Poortman on February 18th, 2008 at 2:17 am

  33. Its just looks so beautiful. When I get enough money I am definitely going there!

    Posted by: Kathrine on February 25th, 2008 at 11:45 pm

  34. awww I want to go sooo badly =3

    Posted by: Haruka-chan on April 10th, 2008 at 4:45 pm

  35. [...] 10Aug07 Top 6 Tokyo’s Best Souvenirs [...]

    Posted by: Moondoloco on June 3rd, 2008 at 6:54 am

  36. [...] [发现地：pingmag] 标签: 硬币, 钱币 [...]

    Posted by: 创意猎人（ideahunter.cn） » 能吃的日本“钱币” on May 8th, 2009 at 9:34 am

  37. No Tokyo Banana?

    Posted by: japan pictures on May 16th, 2009 at 8:45 am

  38. THANKS VERY GOOD YOUR SİTE

    Posted by: Bursa Evden Eve Nakliyat on May 25th, 2009 at 10:06 pm

  39. were can I order these flower vase called “Hope Forever Blossoming”.

    Posted by: Linda Bernal on December 30th, 2009 at 9:09 am

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