18 Japanese Items to Pick Up in Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

The list of the delights of Tokyo is long and being exposed to just some of them, at some point, can make one addicted (just as the Charles Winchester III character from the M.A.S.H. series). Still, you can always "prolong" the experience and enjoy the effects of it more, if bring home some carefully-selected, tasteful bits of the Japanese culture with you. Listed here are 18 such bits to choose from!

Kokeshi dolls are handcrafted wooden dolls made by Kokeshi artists. Traditional Kokeshi dolls are now made only in the Tohoku area in the northeastern part of Japan. There are many places in the Tohoku area where Kokeshi dolls are made as a special regional product, and Tsuchiyu is one such place. Dogwood and pear trees (mizuki and nashi in Japanese) are used to create the original design by hand. Because of the nature of the wood, the older the Kokeshi doll is, the more "mature" and "ripened" its wooden body reveals distinctive, sophisticated look. Very old Kokeshi dolls are considered antiques and some are priced as high as $1,000 or more. However, in a more traditional sense, Kokeshi dolls may be purchased for $30 or 3,000 to 3,500 Japanese Yen. The Timeline Trading Co. in Sendai-shi, Miyagi, Japan crafts and sells these unique dolls between 10AM and 7PM. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).