From Buddhist temples to Shinto shrines and castles to historic homes, Japan is rich ill national treasures. It's also home to riches ranging from hand-thrown pottery and lacquerwareto ancient calligraphy scrolls and one-of-a-kind paintings depicting classical scenes of cherry blossom, koi-filled ponds, geishas and samurai culture. While you'll easily find these prized possessions on display in museums across the country, to buy them for yourself, you'll need to delve into markets and antiques shops – and you need to know where to look.
Tokyo
Tokyo has been inhabited since 300 BC, long before the first Europeans – Portuguese traders whose ship had blown off course – landed in Japan inJapan's rulers imposed a 350-yearlong' period of isolation. During this time, the economy and arts flourished, as documented in in Ueno Park, which provides comprehensive exhibitions ranging' from Palaeolithic times to the samurai period and beyond.
