Ginza may be the upscale shopping district of Tokyo, but hidden amongst the glitzy boutiques and luxury malls are a handful of stores catering to more humble budgets. One of them is Le Noble, which offers imported tableware from around the world at slightly lower prices than the department stores. These are not defective goods, but the actual premium stuff that has been rendered cheaper due to bulk imports.
The shop offers around 300 top brands, including Baccarat, Hermès, Meissen, Royal Copenhagen, Swarovski, Villeroy & Boch and Wedgwood. However, it is the luxury Japanese brands that you’re here for – so make a beeline for Egg Shell (Arita porcelain made in Saga), Wajima (lacquerware), Imabari (towels), Hayakawa (silverware) and Kimoto (glassware). One popular item is the Tajima glass which features Mt Fuji at its base (¥5,400). The cool part is, the mountain changes its colour based on the drink, so you’ll get a golden Fuji if you’re drinking whiskey, or a scarlet one if you’re having red wine. There you go, the perfect practical Tokyo souvenir.