Tokyu Hands

It is hard to describe or categorise the Tokyu Hands department stores other than to say they sell a wonderful and sometimes weird variety of interesting products for the home. The store is part hardware store, part hobby store, part kitchen store, part gift and stationery store and part pet store. The stores are known as a “Creative Life Store” which sort of sums it up selling the practical and often “only in Japan” not so practical.

The first store opened in Tokyo’s Shibuya back in 1976 as a “do it yourself shop” and today they are found in many of the big centres around Japan and more recently in Taiwan where there are now five stores.

The stores are usually multi level and there are 3 or 4 departments on a floor. You certainly will need plenty of time to explore the extensive range it is eye-opening. The novelty and gadget floors are very popular and some of the kitchen gadgets are mind blowing there is a gadget for everything from some of the sharpest knives to things like banana covers or motorised seafood scalers.

For people interested in hardware the tool section is also very interesting with tools for just about anything. You can buy some incredible materials from timber of all types and sizes, a huge assortment of metals in various grades, shapes, sizes and types and you have never seen so many choices for door knobs, hinges and fittings.

Tokyu Hands is the perfect place to buy some interesting souvenirs and gifts for your friends back home. The giftware is sensational and and you can buy just about anything crockery, gadgets, stuffed toys, furnishings, stationery, books and fashion and travel accessories and amazing craft and educational toys that you just don’t see out of Japan.

People into dress or furniture making will spend hours in the store trying to choose from the massive choice of fabrics, textiles and what would be thousands of choices for buttons.

The Ikebukuro store near the Sunshine City complex has one of the more unusual attractions known as Nekobukuro. Also known as “Cats House” (Neko is Japanese for cat), here dozens of cats roam a room and visitors pay a small fee to pat and enjoy the cat’s company. As you would imagine it is very popular especially with teenage girls who spend yen after yen playing with the kittens for hours on end.

Many of the stores have huge pet departments where you can buy just about any type of accessory or treat for your animals. There is also a huge array of animals to purchase from the cute and cuddly kittens, puppies and rabbits to the more unusual turtles, cockroaches, exotic fish, lizards, hamsters and even salamanders and small prawns.

Any visitor to Tokyu Hands and the 100 Yen shops will soon have their suit cases busting at the sides with some amazing and often whacky items which you just wont find at home. Don’t miss either of these fantastic stores on a visit to Japan, they are simply amazing shopping and plenty of fun.

Although only in Japanese Tokyu Hands Website will give you a taste of their huge selection of products. www.tokyu-hands.co.jp