Chopsticks/sweets/style

Big stores and designer faddle, but here’s an itin to get you to some lesser-known finds. Have your cab drop you at the Matsuya department store / Chuo Dori / 3-6-1 Ginza / 3567 1211. This joint is basically pants, but the compact 7/F Design Collection has the Japanese Design Committee’s pick of moddy creations from pretty wood toys to hi-tech gadgets. Exit right and pixie skip right at the corner for the flagship Ito-ya store (see Advanced Shop.) with 5 floors of stationery, handmade paper and accessories, plus good wrapping paper on the 5/F (they’ll even wrap gifts bought elsewhere, bless). Out you pop to your right, and twirling right after the Starbucks you’ll find Ginza Motoji (see Advanced Shop.) on the left with exquisite kimono. Exit left and hang a right at the corner, crossing Chuo Dori and zipping straight up 4th St., past the Apple store. When you see luxe leatherist MCM on the opp. corner, take a right to find RT (see Advanced Shop.) 50m up on your right, and the pearltastic Mikimoto Bldg at the next junction (Dazzle / 5259 0991 / is on the top floor). Double back to MCM, keep going and halfway up on the left is pooch bakery The Barkery / 3538 4117. Woof! Cont. on to the end of the street where you’ll espy Coach opp. right. Cross over and turn left on the main drag. (Note: if you are dragging an irksome hubby, turn right instead, and on the first left is the flagship Sony showroom – you can leave him playing quite happily here for several days if need be). Thirsty? Turn right past Armani, and 50m on your right is the green banner of Cha Ginza / 3571 1211 / for a dandy green tea break with complimentary sugary treats, so kind. Here the street turns into the city’s sweet tooth nirvana. First up, sinfully deelish eclairs and ice cream at Pierre Marcolini / 5537 0015 / then haute chocolatier Hirsinger / 3572 7558 / next door. Carry on along and over the cross-street on the right is dainty chopstick emporium Natsuno / 3569 0952. Exit right and a litte further up on the left is the back door of avant-garde Dover Street Market (see Standout Stores), complete with tea and cake respite Rose Bakery on the top floor. Exit via the front entrance and cross over for the world’s biggest Uniqlo / 6252 5181 / with 12 floors of cheapy-cheery basics. Exit via the same door and head right; at the corner you’ve got two options. Either turn left and left again to explore the brand-heavy side of Namiki Dori, or, if you don’t play the name game, turn right and totter up to the main road Chuo Dori, where you’ll find New Melsa department store / 3573 5511 / on the left corner for great kiddywear at B1/F Familiar. Now, either go left on Chuo Dori up to the main 4-chome junction, home to huge Mitsukoshi dept store / 3562 1111 / with awesome food hall, lawn terrace, luscious Ladurée / 3563 2120 / and a host of fab Japanese bites on 11/F-12/F. Or, turn right, cross Chuo Dori and the second block on your left is eco-chic Nicolas G. Hayek Center / 6254 7200. Ride the individual minishowroom elevators up for seven floors of watches from Swatch to Longines. Time’s up, so cross back over and head left on Chuo Dori to the Shiseido Bldg (the red one, not the cosmetics branch over the road), with gallery space on the B/F and raspberry coloured Salon de Café on the 3/F. Tiffin? Go get your smackers around their divine desserts. It’s a hard life, but someone’s got to do it.