Finding Japanese - Made Around Shirokane Takanawa
Tokyo can sometimes feel overwhelming, fast, vertical, and constantly renewing itself. But if you slow down around Shirokane Takanawa, another layer begins to reveal itself.
This is a neighborhood where you can still encounter Japan through materials, through hands, through objects that carry stories of where and how they were made.
At Link Collective, our work is rooted in Japanese craftsmanship: in the belief that everyday objects can carry culture forward. So for this guide, we wanted to share a few places nearby where you can discover Japanese-made products and thoughtful design: from independent studios to carefully curated retail spaces that bridge tradition and modern life.
These are shops we return to when we want to discover new designs, be inspired, or look for unique local omiyage (souvenir）
designshop
Located in a modest building in Minami Azabu, designshop has, for over two decades, quietly built a reputation as a destination for enduring design. The selection brings together iconic pieces from Japanese and international designers, with a particular focus on objects that transcend trends.
From Sori Yanagi’s Butterfly Stool to Isamu Noguchi’s Akari lighting, the space feels like a living archive of modern design, yet everything remains available, usable, and grounded in daily life.
The philosophy is simple: objects should be long-lasting, functional, and timeless. Rather than novelty, designshop offers continuity, pieces that can be lived with for years, even generations.
Haaz
Just a short walk from Shirokanedai Station, Haaz is a small, quietly expressive space dedicated to handmade objects and custom furniture. The shop brings together original designs, from tableware to stationery, many of which are produced through intimate, small-scale processes.
There is a strong emphasis on the relationship between maker, object, and user. Some pieces are crafted by hand in collaboration with older generations, embedding a sense of continuity within each item.
Downstairs, a workshop space allows for the creation of custom furniture, where materials, dimensions, and details are shaped around individual needs. The result is not just an object, but something that carries intention, from the person who made it to the one who lives with it.
NEWoMan Takanawa
In contrast to the smaller, tucked-away spaces of the neighborhood, NEWoMan Takanawa introduces a larger, contemporary rhythm, yet in a way that feels distinctly Japanese.
Opened in September 2025 next to Takanawa Gateway Station, the complex gathers together brands from across Japan, alongside restaurants and cultural spaces. What makes it interesting is not its scale, but its curation. Japan has a particular ability to create large commercial spaces that still feel selective and intentional, where established brands sit comfortably alongside craft-driven businesses and emerging labels.
Within NEWoMan, two stores stand out for their commitment to Japanese-made culture:
At Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten, whose origins trace back to 1716, you encounter a living archive of Japanese craftsmanship. Working with hundreds of workshops across the country, the brand continues to reinterpret traditional materials and techniques for contemporary life. From textiles to everyday household goods, the store feels less like retail and more like a continuation of regional knowledge, carefully adapted for today.
AKOMEYA TOKYO, on the other hand, approaches Japanese culture through food. Built around the idea that daily meals shape our lives, it brings together rice, seasonings, kitchen tools, and tableware from producers across Japan. There is something deeply grounding about the space, a reminder that craft is not only visual, but edible, lived, and shared around the table.
Taken together, these places offer different entry points into Japanese design and making, from independent workshops to heritage brands and carefully curated retail spaces.
Around Shirokane Takanawa, you can experience how Japanese craftsmanship continues to evolve: not as nostalgia, but as something living and adaptable.
For us at Link Collective, this is the environment we are grateful to work within. Our furoshiki are made in Japan, shaped by techniques that have been passed down for generations, and it feels natural to be surrounded by others who value the same continuity.
So if you find yourself in the neighborhood, we hope you’ll take the time to explore slowly and find a special something to bring back home.
Text by Katarina Mladenovicova