Aki-Oka Artisan Co-op

Ancient Japanese woodworking skills turn tech into a thing of beauty!

Each shop is filled with cool new stuff made with age-old methods, and is run by an artist. They all use traditional Japanese techniques to make very untraditional designs, and some shops have a workshop in back, where you can see the resident artists crafting their wares. The stuff you find here is often one-of-a-kind, and can’t be bought anywhere else, but the prices are surprisingly reasonable.

This leather goods shop sells wonderful regular purses as well as one that look like telephones and slices of watermelon.

The artist who runs this hat shop uses traditional felting techniques to get unusual colors, patterns and textures.

This wood store carries everything from meticulously crafted gun models to diabolical puzzles.

You can order a custom-made umbrella from this shop, in many sizes, colors and patterns.

It's hard to believe that this airy arcade was once the grimy underside of the Yamanote Line tracks! — It’s hard to believe that this airy arcade was once the grimy underside of the Yamanote Line tracks!

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Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, produces the monthly e-magazine Japanagram, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had