Art, architecture and design - The Rough Guide to Tokyo - page 256

National Art Center, Tokyo (see p.94), all of which carry a meticulously curated range
of items, sometimes with displays highlighting the creators behind each product. If
you're in the Tokyo Midtown area, you can browse an upscale branch of homeware and
fashion emporium Muji (see p.197), as well as other contemporary Japan-focused
interior design stores such as Nippon Form (see p.197) and industry promotion board
Design Hub ( W www.designhub.jp).
Spare a moment also to admire the shopping environment itself. Some of the most
eye-catching - and globally influential - store designs come courtesy of design agency
Wonderwall ( W wonder-wall.com). These include Bapexclusive in Aoyama (see p.192),
with its sushi-inspired conveyor belt for sneakers, and recycled goods emporium Pass
the Baton (see p.197). Other designers reference traditional design in creative new ways
- witness the elegant gifts and packaging on display in the retail sections of tea and
Japanese sweet café Higashiya (see p.164) and its offshoots, which are themselves
beautifully designed spaces.
Lastly, the district of Akihabara deserves a special mention: it's an integral part of the
city's contemporary design landscape, its stores packed with the colourful output of
Japan's manga, anime, toy and computer game industries.