Rakuten has always intrigued me – a shopping site where you can buy products direct from sellers in Japan. It seemed like a great way to pick up those Japan-only kawaii items but it also seemed a little risky dealing with individual sellers. But when I got my new iPhone I couldn’t find any cute screen protectors as good as the one I bought in Japan last year, so I gave it a serious look.

Pitched as Japan’s No.1 Shopping Site, Rakuten sells everything from clothes and kitchenware to sweets and drinks, and of course lots of cute things. You can browse by category or search by keyword, but be warned there is a ton of stuff on here, and if you don’t have a brand or character in mind you could be looking for days. Remember that you’re searching Japanese listings too – kawaii will bring up more generically cute things than what we think of as kawaii and ‘usagi’ will bring up lots of different things to ‘bunny’ or ‘rabbit’. The search defaults to items available for shipping to your country, so there’s less chance of disappointment, though beware of listings that are actually out of stock.

I found a few sellers with Rilakkuma screen protectors so I threw caution to the wind and ordered one. The translations are not perfect (it uses Google Translate) so make sure you read the listings carefully to make sure you’re going to get the item you want. Once you place your order, you then wait for the seller to contact you with shipping costs and payment details. Prices are in Japanese Yen so make sure you convert them before ordering. There are only vague guides to international shipping on the site, but since my order was so light, I didn’t spend a lot of time working things out. If it was something heavier, I would check out the options more carefully so you know what to expect.

At this point, I wasn’t entirely convinced by the process, especially since the email confirmation warned me that my item might not be available, but I got a very polite email from the seller about 24 hours later with the payment information. I used PayPal for extra security in case something went wrong and got a shipping confirmation soon after. Shipping only took a week and it was a genuine Japanese product in brand new condition, along with a printed translation of the instructions.

So, I would definitely recommend Rakuten. I imagine there are some bad sellers on there though, so I’d be extra careful with expensive and oft-pirated items. I’m sure I’ll be having a browse again soon for all the things I miss from Japan.

Have you ever used Rakuten? Was it a good or bad experience for you?

So, it’s finally finished and here is the cover! I’ll be getting the actual zines printed up in the next week or two, but until they arrive you can take advantage of my special pre-order offer. Buy the printed zine for an introductory price of £2 and you’ll get a free copy of the PDF zine sent to your email, with the print zine following on as soon as they arrive here.

It’s very likely the price will rise, as I want a colour cover this time, so don’t miss out! As soon as I have the printed zines, this offer will be removed. You can buy the printed zine in my shop, or if you just want the PDF, head over to pushpin for instant delivery.

As you can see from the shop description, this new version has area guides, mini Osaka and Kyoto guides, fun things to do in Tokyo and some tips for visiting Japan (and page numbers!). Anyone who’s bought my previous guide or my Kawaii Japan book will find some duplication but the majority is all new, though of course based heavily on my free online guide.

It feels really good to have this finished – I can’t wait to get started on my next projects!

I have been working like a crazy person lately, trying to meet all my deadlines. I am determined to get the new Tokyo Shopping Guide finished this month and so far all is going well! I only have a few pages left to finish and then it will need tidying up, but I’m confident I can get it on sale next month. As well as all the new shops, it’s going to have area guides, bits on Osaka and Kyoto, other fun non-shopping places to visit and some general tips. Plus page numbers! Woo. I’m sure they’ll be extremely useful but it’s hard work keeping all the references correct.

I’m toying with a colour cover, but I don’t want to have to raise the price too much – it’s definitely going to be more expensive either way as it’s about 10 times bigger than the previous guide. I will keep you posted!

Situated in the basement of the Parco department store in Shibuya is Libro, home to a huge selection of books and magazines. If you’re already coveting many beautiful Japanese craft ‘mooks’ (magazine books), you’ll be in heaven, and if you aren’t you soon will be as they’re all so beautiful. Whether you like sewing, crochet, papercrafts, toymaking, gift wrapping or just making your house pretty, you’ll be overwhelmed by the inspiration. It’s not just for crafts though – there are books of all kinds from huge photography tomes to guide books and (Japanese language) novels.

If you don’t read Japanese, as well as the mooks (which are image heavy and full of clear diagrams), you’ll also find racks of awesome Japanese magazines – I’m a sucker for the teen fashion mags like Zipper, which are full of amazing outfits and inspiration. You can also pick up some nice postcards and stationery.

Don’t miss the little galleries and shops on the same floor – there were tiny shops of beautiful ceramics and clothing, while the gallery was showing some amazing dolls and dioramas. There’s also a little cafe if you need a break. And, um, if you leave your favourite hoodie in the bathrooms it will still be there when you come back half an hour later!

As with all Japanese bookshops, you can browse for hours without anyone telling you it isn’t a library so this is a great stop on a rainy day – it may take some time for you to pick out your perfect selection anyway. There’s lots more to find in Parco too including a branch of Muji.

Beautiful doll garden, part of an exhibition at Libro.

Display of photo books. Photo by koichi2000.

Libro sign at Parco. Photo by kenworker.

How to get there

Libro is situated in the basement of Parco 1 in Shibuya. It should be marked in any guidebook and there’s a great map here. The nearest station is Shibuya which is served by JR, private railways and subway. Leave by the Main or Hachiko exit.

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Pokemon Center entrance. Photo by dhfriar.

Pokemon (or more exactly, Pikachu) was one of my first tastes of kawaii, along with the ubiquitous Hello Kitty. Me and my sister were big Nintendo fans and while their games are generally pretty cute, Pikachu was possibly the cutest thing I had ever seen! As a fully certified Pokemon Master (of the first game anyway), I still have a lot of love for Pokemon, even if I don’t keep up with all the new games – there are far too many new characters to keep straight, unless you’re an 8 year old.

On our first trip to Japan, we hunted up the Pokemon Center, which was then situated near Tokyo Station, and it was pretty awesome to see all the Pokemon themed products and gashapon. This trip, we were faced with the sight of a giant inflatable Pikachu before we’d even got off the train from Osaka, so we had to fit in a visit. We managed it on the way back from Odaiba as it was getting dark and found the whole outside area full of kids and adults alike plugged into their DS games – I’m guessing there are either exclusive downloads at the store, or people meet up to do battle. Probably both!

Inside you’ll find walls of Pokemon products – toys, games, accessories, kitchenware and tons more. Your average Pokemon fan will go a bit nuts. Not being a crazy fan, I checked out some of the products and cool shop displays, had a good laugh at the hilarious Christmas collectible plates and then had a sit down outside to do some people watching.

If you know any Pokemon fans, then you will make their year if you bring them here, or take back a gift. Otherwise, it’s probably of as much interest as a Hello Kitty shop to non-Kitty fans.

So many Pokemon toys! Photo by wongjp.

Yay, the original Pokemon starting characters! I had Squirtle. Photo by nathan0525.

Plush toys. Photo by yangkuo.

Pokemon Center. Photo by pax60.

How to get there

Take the JR Yamanote Line to Hamamatsucho and you’ll be able to see the Pokemon Center from your train. It’s in a shopping centre opposite the station, up an escalator. There are clear signs throughout the station to take you to the correct exit.

Last updated: 14 June 2011

Great name, great socks! We spotted this display of kawaii socks in Harajuku’s Takeshita Street and soon discovered Mighty Soxer has the most awesome collection of socks you will ever see. From kawaii animal designs to thick winter warmers via odd inventions suited to any type of shoe you can imagine, you’ll really be spoiled for choice. You’re sure to be tempted by the ’3 pairs for ¥1500′ offer, so I especially recommend the foot socks, like the bear design I snapped up (2nd row right, above) with little ears that poke up above your trainers – so cute!

They also sell a range of tights, legwarmers, gloves and more, but it’s the socks you’ll come back for, and you will come back – it’s addictive, and your feet become an instant talking point. I bought two relatively normal pairs of socks in a waffle texture, one with apples and pears and one with mushrooms and toadstools, and I get so many comments on them. Can’t wait til the weather’s nice enough to break out my bears!

Mighty Soxer is a definite must-see – these socks are the perfect souvenir or gift since they’re inexpensive, very Japanese and totally useful! Plus your friends and family will no doubt get hours of amusement just out of the name Mighty Soxer. I hope this brand spreads to Europe one day soon.

Toe socks. Photo by p0lish_sausage

Sock display. Photo by kickintheheadcomic

Photo by tallynyc

How to get there

There’s a good-sized branch in Takeshita Dori, Harajuku (see my Daiso post for directions) and you’ll find them all over Japan in standalone stores and department stores.

Last updated: 13 June 2011

This weekend is the Tokyo Design Festa #33 and having attended #32, I really wish I could be there. Design Festa is billed as an international art event but it’s so much more exciting than that sounds. With 700 stalls from everyone from the amateur to the professional, it’s a riot of artistic chaos and awesome.

It takes place bi-annually (usually May and October/November) on Odaiba in a massive convention space with rooms loosely designated for art, illustration, crafts, fashion, lighting and more over two floors. There’s also a stage area for bands to play, and maybe you’ll be as lucky as me and meet a giant pink dancing bunny!

If you’ve ever been to a trade show then you’ll have an idea of how enormous and inspirational Design Festa is – you’ll definitely need to make a day of it to see everything and you’ll be exhausted by the end of it. But unlike a trade show, anyone can apply for a stall and prices are cheap so it’s much more ramshackle and exciting – a cross between a trade show, a craft fair and an impromptu art event. In one aisle you can have someone selling professionally printed books, an illustrator selling postcards and while-you-wait original sketches, a display for a new product prototype, someone sitting on a blanket on the floor selling their handmade accessories and a couple of people who are just painting on the walls. And someone dressed up as a crocodile.

It’s that mix that makes Design Festa unmissable – there’s really nothing like it in the UK and nowhere else will you get the chance to see such a range of independent art and crafts in one place. Plus, it’s all so kawaii! Most stalls have things for sale and it’s definitely a case of buy when you see as you might never find your way back again. If you’re on a budget, I recommend collecting postcards – there will be lots of free ones and artists selling them for ¥100 apiece. I’m sure you’ll be tempted into something bigger though – I came home with an amazing illustrated book of bunny sushi and a felted snowman! Most of the stallholders will only speak Japanese but everyone was really friendly and excited to sell their work.

I would definitely try and plan your trip to Tokyo to coincide with Design Festa, but if you can’t manage that, there’s also a Design Festa gallery in Harajuku which is open all year round where artists can book a space to display and sell their work.

Some of my purchases – felted snowman by fu*wa*ri, sushi bunny book by hapy corone and a Devil Cat postcard.

Stalls at Design Festa #32. Photo by tokyofashion

Stall at Design Festa #32. Photo by tokyofashion

Stalls at Design Festa #32. Photo by Design Festa

Look who I met at Design Festa #32!

How to get there

Design Festa takes place at Tokyo Big Sight on Odaiba, and can be reached by monorail, train, boat or bus. Here’s a location map with full directions. It costs ¥1000 for a day ticket or ¥1800 for a weekend ticket, with discounts for children.

The Design Festa gallery is in Harajuku, near to Omotesando subway and JR Harajuku stations. Full map and details here.

Design Festa Links

• Design Festa #31 blog post at Chickengirl Design
• Design Festa #31 blog post at Ruby Winkle
• Design Festa Harajuku blog post at Tokyo Kawaii etc.
• Things to do in Odaiba at japan-guide.com

The first time we looked around Tokyo Station in 2008 (to find something to eat), it was a building site. On our next trip, it was transformed and the downstairs shopping area now hosts a whole street of shops devoted to Japan’s favourite characters So, of course, it’s called Character Street.

If you’re a fan of Hello Kitty, Rilakkuma, Totoro, Miffy, Domokun, Doraemon etc. then you’ll love Character Street, which has shops filled with everything you can imagine. While much of their stock is available in general toy stores, there’s something exciting about a whole shop filled entirely with products featuring your favourite characters. The shop fittings are also super-cute and you’ll get special carrier bags and character gashapon.

Best of all are the exclusive items you won’t find anywhere else. Since the Shinkansen leaves from Tokyo to take people all over Japan, there’s a big emphasis on souvenirs – you’ll find special character cakes and biscuits, and even character branded KitKats!

Our favourite was the Rilakkuma Store (not technically part of Character Street but around the corner) – it had loads of things we never saw anywhere else, as well as a whole range of products with the shop logo so you can show off that you’ve been.

You’re bound to be passing through Tokyo Station at some point, so it’s definitely worth popping over to Character Street to pick up some fun souvenirs.

Some of my sister’s purchases (not all from Character Street). Photo by jiji~punch

Ghibli products at Donguri Garden. Photo by dozodomo

Rilakkuma Store. Photo by shibuya246

NHK Store. Photo by shibuya246

Character Street at Christmas. Photo by dozodomo

Photo by shibuya246

How to get there

Character Street is in a mall downstairs in Tokyo Station. The entrance is just outside the ticket barrier by the Yaesu Exit, which will be signposted inside the station if you’re arriving on a train. Once downstairs there are maps (above) showing where the shops are. Although not technically part of Character Street, the other kawaii stores (Rilakkuma, Hello Kitty, Miffy etc.) are right beside them.

More Posts about Character Street

• Rilakkuma Store Visit at shibuya246
• Character Street Visit at Moments Like Diamonds

ONE: Time Out Tokyo have a free downloadable magazine available with 50 things to do in Japan this Spring. It really makes me want to go back. It also has some great maps, travel info etc. so well worth a download if you plan to visit Japan any time soon.

TWO: I’ve started a separate Twitter account for Japan stuff so I don’t bore my friends. If you want to know when I add things to the online Tokyo Shopping Guide, be the first to know when the new zine is available and get some random tips and links then come follow me at @tokyoshopguide.

Fabric Giveaway winners tomorrow!

It seems a little unfair to class Hello Kitty’s Kawaii Paradise as a shop as I don’t think I even visited the shop part and I had a great time. It’s more like a mini indoor theme park  - a pink place of madness presided over by a Hello Kitty as Venus statue (it’s in Venus Fort mall, do you see?). As well as a Hello Kitty shop, it contains a cinema, arcade and….a Pancake Party!

Yes, like most of us, Hello Kitty’s idea of paradise is as many pancakes as you can eat, preferably with your own face stamped on them, and a side order of Melon Fanta (best drink ever). She even lets her friends in on this one – I got the plain Hello Kitty pancakes with maple syrup, but my sister got a crazy whipped cream, chocolate sauce and sprinkles affair, supposedly dreamt up by Purin. Kids will love this place, and so will you.

The rest of the place is less exciting, unless you’re a huge Hello Kitty fan – the small shop sells (obviously) Hello Kitty cuteness and there’s an arcade at the back with Taiko drum and Pokemon games, air hockey and even a mini JR train you can sit in. It’s worth having a wander though, as the decorations are crazy – as well as the enormous Kitty Venus, there are fountains and flying angel bunnies and pink bows ahoy.

We didn’t check out the cinema, as I imagine it’s in Japanese and there’s also a kids play area if you need a break from yours. And make sure you have a peek at the rest of Venus Fort too – it has painted ceilings that change throughout the day and in the winter there were lights to make it look like falling snow. Plus, there’s a small branch of Kiddyland for more kawaii.

Definitely one for the Hello Kitty fans, and anyone else should swing by if you’re in Odaiba (and like pancakes). I wouldn’t say it’s worth the trip in itself though.

Hello Kitty shop and statue. Photo by Tasty Miso

Hello Kitty’s Pancake Party

Maple pancakes and Melon Fanta.

How to get there

Hello Kitty’s Kawaii Paradise is in the Venus Fort shopping mall at Palette Town on Odaiba. Odaiba is a man-made island in Tokyo Bay, which is connected to the rest of Tokyo via the Rainbow Bridge, monorail and boat. Both the boat and monorail are quite pricey so make a day of it – there’s plenty to see and do in Odaiba.

The monorail is called Yurikamome and connects at JR Shimbashi station. You can use your Suica card or buy a day ticket. Get off at Aomi station for Palette Town and the various malls are well signposted. Hello Kitty’s Kawaii Paradise is on the lower floor.

The boat to Odaiba leaves from Hinode Pier, or you can take in some other sights on the way, including Asakusa and Hamarikyu garden. Do note that the boats only run a few times a day so check the timetables beforehand. We took the boat one way and the monorail back – the boat trip was fantastic with great views of Odaiba, Tokyo and the Rainbow Bridge. The monorail is quite cramped but runs frequently and quickly (also it’s a monorail and thus super-exciting!).

Last updated: 26 April 2011.