Last minute shopping in Tokyo

Various purchases made on our last couple of days.

Yummy chocolates and Kit Kats.

Our hotel gave us substantial free gift vouchers to spend at Shibuya 109. We spent the last of them at Plaza, stocking up on souvenirs to take home to family and friends.

Beautiful cards from the Meiji Jingu gift shop.

Have you heard of Marunan? It's a small family operated fabric store on Doganzaka, Shibuya, just near our hotel. I swore I wasn't going to go in there, as I had already purchased oodles of fabric, but at the eleventh hour just before going to the airport, I popped in to buy a little fabric.

A cute new bear from the Disney store.

Various books, magazines and cosmetics. I treasure everything I buy in Japan.

Ito-ya Paper Store - Ginza

Ito-ya is a really wonderful stationery and paper goods store. I think the largest branch is in Ginza. If you love paper or art supplies, then this is the store for you.

I really like this artist,  Miyuki Sugihara. She paints amazing watercolours. I have a couple of her other books also.

Her books teach how to paint with watercolour pencils.  If only it were that easy.

I love the way she illustrates everyday objects so beautifully.

 My favourite part of Ito-ya has to be the washi department. Washi is the paper equivalent of chirimen. I love the intricate designs and the crinkled texture.

 I hope to make some 3d Japanese paper dolls with these.  My problem is, I hate to cut it up.  I'm happy enough just looking at it. Some designs are so beautiful, they could simply be framed and hung on the wall as a piece of art in it's own right.

Ito-ya is also a good place to purchase gifts to take back home, or stock up on some gorgeous birthday cards.  They do offer sales tax refunds, so remember to bring your passport along.  There is a small branch in the Tokyu Department store at the Shibuya crossing area.