The editors’ selection

Charting a new path forward for the kimono is the driving force behind Y & Sons, a concept shop by long-standing kimono maker Yamato. Located alongside Kanda Myojin shrine, the shop offers bespoke tailoring: kimonos are made to order using original fabrics, while accessories range from leather zori sandals to akebi vine baskets handwoven in Miyagi prefecture. These traditional items are joined by an impressive line-up of collaborations featuring the likes of Norwegian Rain and Snow Peak. The shop examines how the kimono can be incorporated into daily life, inviting customers to explore their personal style through the combination of new and old.
yandsons.com

Tokyo is a city of murals. But few can match the scale of “Myth of Tomorrow”by Taro Okamoto, a vast 30 by 5-metre painting from 1969 depicting the moment of an atomic bomb’s explosion. Originally created for a hotel project in Mexico City, the mural was long thought lost until it turned up in storage on the outskirts of the Mexican capital in 2003. It was returned to Japan where it was restored and exhibited, attracting visitors in the millions. Since 2008, it has hung in Shibuya Station where thousands of commuters pass it daily. Art lovers shouldn’t miss the chance to see this epic work – for free – by one of the towering figures of modern Japanese art. 

Kitamura Camera has been a fixture on the Japanese photography scene for decades and today has hundreds of shops selling new and used cameras all over the country. Shutterbugs will want to make their way to its concept shop in Shinjuku. Designed by Tokyo outfit Tonerico, this unique shop is spread over six floors, with more than 5,000 cameras and lenses. There is a floor devoted to the world’s finest vintage models and another department just for the Leicas. Not to mention the services on offer: restoration of old photographs, data conversion from outdated formats and camera customisation. Smile!

Eyewear shop Globe Specs in Shibuya is a two-time winner of the Bestore Award (for the best eyewear shop) at Mido – the world’s largest optical fair in Milan. The founder Tetsuya Okada opened his store in 1998 and has been pioneering Japan’s eyewear scene ever since. The shop caters to everyone from fashion-conscious musicians and designers to corporate executives. The current selection includes handmade Japanese labels such as Masahiromaruyama and Okada’s own Globe Specs pieces, plus Jean Philippe Joly from Israel and US brand Ahelm. And the service is also impeccable, of course.