Beyond scribbled shopping lists and jotted memos, putting pen to paper is increasingly rare in this age of electronic communications. But that only serves to enhance the delight of discovering a hand-addressed envelope on the doormat. While sending a signed and sealed missive is a sure way to show how much you care, it is a time-consuming endeavor. All the more reason, then, to glorify the letter-writing ritual with some slightly superior tools for the job.

Department stores invariably carry strong selections of stationery -- especially for weddings and greetings cards -- while trusty old Tokyu Hands also offers plenty of affordable epistle-crafting essentials. Japan's broadest lineup of writing-related goods, however, is to be found at hallowed stationer Ito-ya. For those unwilling to brave the bustle at its 11-story flagship in Ginza, or venture into one of its seven smaller sister stores in the Kanto area, the venerable chain has an online shopping site (in Japanese only), purveying the best of its mind-boggling stock.

The most obvious destination for Japanese-style stationery and paper accouterments is Kyukyodo, which besides its famous -- and always packed -- Ginza shop has branches in Shibuya, Shinjuku, Yokohama and Ikebukuro. But for those determined to acquire something a little less run-of-the-mill for their correspondence, Tokyo offers an abundance of highly attractive options.