Five great reasons to take home traditional Tokyo treasures with a modern twist at Haneda Airport

Tokyo has long been a trend-setter when it comes to style and fashion. The local textile company Murata Dyeing Industry specialises in stylish modern clothing coloured with traditional indigo dye. Made using authentic natural fermentation techniques, this plant-based dye imbues the fabric with a deep, rich blue. Choose from their wide selection of T-shirts, jackets, cardigans, skirts, pants and dresses.

For a touch of 21st-century sophistication with a firm sense of history, check out the finely-patterned Edo Komon fabrics of Hirose Dyeworks. They appear solid in colour from a distance, but a closer inspection reveals row after row of impossibly tiny, intricate patterns – created using rice paste and Ise paper stencils. Their large, luxurious stoles are made of silk and cashmere, while their sleek neckties are pure premium silk. 

For the kids, pick up a few sets of jinbei from the yukata shop Chikusen, which was founded in 1842. Made from 100 percent breathable cotton, these traditional Japanese loungewear pieces feature playful colours and cute designs perfect for the little ones. In Japan, they are often worn to summer festivals and fireworks displays. For wrapping up loose items, traditional furoshiki cloths are a useful purchase. Chikusen also makes some of the most attractive table serviettes you have ever seen.

While Tokyo’s world-class cuisine definitely tastes delicious, its beautiful presentation makes the experience of drinking and dining in the capital that much more special. Luckily, you can bring a touch of this style into your own home with the gorgeous cut glassware of Edo Kiriko Shop Hanashyo. At Haneda, you will find tumblers, sake cups and small bowls for dipping soba noodles that combine techniques developed in the Edo period with innovative new patterns based on rice grains, bead checkering and interwoven chrysanthemums.

For tableware, look no further than the lacquered plates of Sankatsu, decorated with sea bream motifs in silver and gold inspired by yukata robe designs. Primarily known as a maker of high-grade, hand-dyed yukata, Sankatsu also makes round uchiwa fans with vibrant yukata-style patterns that work well as home decorations. Their elaborately decorated robes are of course available for perusal, too.

In addition, the pop-up store features the classic Edo folding fans of Ibasen, founded way back in 1590. These open to reveal cherry blossoms, flower carts, or Hokusai’s famous woodblock print of Mt Fuji glowing red in the early morning light – fittingly for a company whose business also includes publishing ukiyo-e prints.

For a whimsical, innovative take on traditional art, you might want to check out the playful figurines of Matsuzaki Doll. These are crafted using the kimekomi technique, which involves cutting grooves into doll bodies filled with paulownia sawdust and joining them with silk and other fabrics to create a patchwork. The colourful dolls take on a variety of guises, from elephants and rhinoceroses to mythological figures to popular animated characters like Doraemon.

Hokusai’s woodblock prints provide many of the Edo period’s most iconic images. None is more famous than The Great Wave off Kanagawa, which depicts three small boats in rough seas, threatened by a large, curling wave. This dramatic scene is featured on the folding screens of Kataoka Byoubu, along with South Wind, Clear Sky (the red Mt Fuji print mentioned above) and several other classic works.

For more classic scenes that you can put up on your wall at home, check out the woodblock prints of Tokyo Takahashi Kobo. Founded just a few years after Hokusai’s death, the company has been producing fine woodblock prints for over 160 years. At the Haneda pop-up store, you can choose a full-sized print from Utagawa Hiroshige’s One Hundred Famous Views of Edo or opt for a set of 15 postcards from the famous collection.

Many varieties of vegetables were developed in Edo, including Senju Negi spring onions. Known for their long sweet stalks, they are perfect as toppings for soba noodles, soups and hotpots. The specialty shop Negizen sells three varieties of Senju Negi at the Haneda pop-up shop: salted, dried, and mixed with miso. If you’re not sure which to choose, opt for all three and see which one works best in your kitchen.

Founded in 1782, Shinbashi Tamakiya is a historic purveyor of tsukudani, a food unique to Edo that involves simmering seafood (or other ingredients) in soy sauce, mirin, sake and sugar. The result is a rich, savoury flavour, achieved by using a specially blended sauce tailored to each ingredient. As well as a range of tsukudani and furikake rice seasonings, Shinbashi Tamakiya’s offerings at the Haneda pop-up include delicious grilled eel, preserved in the shop’s proprietary sauce.

For some traditional comfort food, turn to katsuobushi specialist Ninben, another historic Edo company that has been selling these traditional dried and fermented bonito flakes and aromatic dashi soup stock since 1699. Take your pick from their different types of dashi or opt for a variety pack designed for enjoying different flavours of miso soup.

People in Edo took great care with their appearance, from the clothes and makeup that they wore to the accessories they carried. Domyo started out in 1652 as a yarn dealer specialising in braided silk cords for sword scabbards and hilts, but transitioned into silk kimono accessories from the mid-19th century onward. At the Haneda pop-up, you will find stylish modern earrings and bracelets made from their signature twisted silk. 

Isehan is now one of Japan’s most trusted names in cosmetics, but also continues to employ traditional, artisanal production methods from the Edo period. For this special event, it has provided several varieties of its traditional makeup sets, which feature traditional Komachi-Beni rouge that can be used on lips, cheeks or eyelids. Made from safflower petals, this remarkable substance glows green when dried but transforms instantly to bright red when touched by a wet brush.

Known for its yukata robes and tenugui hand towels, Marukyu Shoten is a textile company that specializes in beautifully dyed accessories. The contribution to the pop-up is a range of Kaguya tote bags, which are fitted with wooden handles. Attractive and practical, they reflect the long-standing values of Tokyo’s hardworking residents. If you want something useful that will also make you the envy of your friends, this could be it. 

With so many wonderful items on sale at the Edo-Tokyo Kirari Project pop-up store, be sure to leave yourself plenty of time to browse after you clear security at Haneda Airport’s Terminal 3. Creatively reimagined for the modern world, a wealth of traditional Tokyo treasures await.

For more information, check out the Edo-Tokyo Kirari Project on Instagram or visit the official website (select your language from the dropdown menu).