10 spots to check out at Tokyo Solamachi by Tokyo Skytree

World-famous for their precision and sharpness, Japanese knives truly live up to the hype. If you're looking to elevate your kitchen, head over to Tower Knives Tokyo, a specialty store offering high-quality knives. The store has two locations: one near Tsutenkaku Tower in Osaka and another at Tokyo Skytree Tower in Tokyo.

The shop features a selection of exceptional knives crafted by skilled artisans from renowned Japanese knife-making regions. For most people, the versatile Santoku knife is a great starting point, as it can be used for slicing meat, vegetables and more. Other excellent options include the Gyuto chef's knife, the petty knife, and the Nakiri vegetable knife. If you're unsure which knife best suits your needs, don't worry—the friendly, English-speaking staff will provide detailed guidance. The store also offers tax-free shopping and staff can demonstrate how to sharpen the knives on-site.

Salt is an essential pantry item that elevates every meal, and even more so when it’s flavoured. At the recently opened Guruguru Shakashaka you can create a personalised salt blend by taking part in a fun 30-40 minute workshop. With 600 recipes to choose from with a range of salty, sweet, sour and bitter notes, you can brew up a unique salt blend that sits best with your palate. 

The name of the store refers to the Japanese onomatopoeia for ‘mix’ (guruguru) and ‘shake’ (shakashaka), concisely describing the process involved. Once you’ve selected your three favourite salts, the staff will assist you with mixing them in a glass pot. Black bean tea is also offered as a palate cleanser. Since customers often come back for seconds, the store has each unique blend saved, making it easy to reorder either online or in-store.

Embroidery tends to make just about any item that little bit more special, thanks to the delicate detailing the age-old craft allows for. Kyototo is a charming store specialising in embroidered creations that are perfect as a gift or new addition to your home. From socks to handbags and cushion covers to wall tapestries, they carry various fashion and lifestyle items adorned with cute designs inspired by Japanese culture and tradition. 

True to the shop’s name, which is a combination of ‘Kyoto’ and ‘Tokyo’, the designs at Kyototo reflect the aesthetics of both the traditional and contemporary epicentres of Japan. There are embroidered folklore creatures (or yokai) and Hokusai-inspired designs, as well as funky motifs like the ‘guitar cat’. Many of the store’s products are featured in museum gift shops, but you can find the whole range at the Tokyo Solamachi store. There’s also an in-store gallery showcasing limited-edition goods, refreshed monthly.

Tree Village is a treasure trove of popular character merchandise, including Pokémon, Chiikawa and Doraemon. You can nerd out on your favourite characters by checking out figurines, cards and other goods, or leave it up to the fate of one of Tree Village’s gacha gacha machines. 

There’s also a café hosting various pop-up events, as well as collaborations with the hottest shows and idols right now. Pop-ups appear fairly frequently and tend to involve limited-edition foods and drinks in line with the theme. Another mainstay of the store is the ‘BMSG Official Shop’, which features a wide selection of goods from artists under the popular management label BMSG formed by rapper Sky-Hi. To stay up to date with the latest events at Tree Village, check out their X account.

Hasegawa Saketen is a must-visit for sake enthusiasts. On the shelves of this tastefully designed store you’ll find over 300 varieties of liquor from across Japan, including a line of their own exclusive products. 

The staff here are well-versed in sake varieties and love to help you choose the right tipple. A standout recommendation is the ‘Utsugi - SkyTree’ sake from Miyagi prefecture, crafted by Niizawa Brewing. Celebrated for its refreshing, easy-to-drink profile with a soft sweetness, it’s a great choice for any occasion. Beyond their excellent range of sake, the ‘Ichiro’s Malt White Label’ whiskey is a fabulous, internationally acclaimed offering produced by Venture Whiskey in Chichibu, Saitama. 

Whether you're keen to explore Japanese sake or are seeking other premium liquors, Hasegawa Saketen is top shelf. Kampai to that. 

Climb up into the sky – well, onto the eighth floor of Tokyo Skytree East Tower – and get a glimpse into the future at the Chiba Institute of Technology’s Robot Gallery. Here you can learn about the university’s cutting-edge research into areas like robotics and AI. Interactive experiences include programming your own fireworks show through a live projection, racing around in a wheelchair in a futuristic VR version of Tokyo, and accessing an extensive AI database of flowers at the Hana-nona booth. 

You can also learn about the significant contributions that the Chiba Institute of Technology has made towards technological advancement, such as releasing the first disaster response robots to assist with recovery at the Fukushima Daiichi disaster site and developing scientific instruments on satellites like the Hayabusa 2, of which you can view an impressive life-size model.