Tsubame City in Niigata Prefecture has been one of the world's leading producers of crafted metal products since the Edo era. Many shops feature high-quality copperware and stainless-steel ware, making for enjoyable shopping. Tsubame cutlery is especially world-famous: it is used for the Nobel prize dinner in Sweden! Also visit a factory to see how objects are carefully crafted. Tsubame is less than two hours from Tokyo Station by Shinkansen (Bullet train); the reasonably priced 5-day unlimited JR EAST PASS (Nagano-Niigata area) includes the Tsubame trip. Why not include this old town and its unique craft tradition in your Japan trip?
JR-East Website (JR EAST PASS(Nagano, Niigata area)) http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/eastpass_n/
http://accesrail.com/products/jr-east-pass/
