Many visitors to Japan, especially their first time, understandably stick to popular destinations like Tokyo and Kyoto. And if you are only there for a week or maybe two, it's impossible see much in depth.
A great way to get a feel for different regions of Japan is to visit "antenna shops" - representing individual prefectures and showcasing local food, drink and other cultural or natural attractions. Some of Yumi's "secret" ingredients are actually available in these shops! In Tokyo, there are approximately 40 of these shops within a few blocks of each other in Yurakacho and Ginza (see "Tokyo Kotsu Kaikan" on the lower right side of this map for the general vicinity).
This seems to be the most concise listing - we haven't yet found a great map (in English) that would give a nice overview, though. Let us know if you're interested, and we can work on it for a future update.
Another place to get a feel for all around Japan is the "Japan Traditional Crafts Aoyama Square" shop, shown on the lower left side of the map above:
You can search their website by region to get descriptions of local crafts.
You can also download a map showing traditional crafts around Japan here:
In a single afternoon you can get a crash-course in local Japan, right in downtown Tokyo! Just a 20-minute ride on the Ginza line between the two:
