I love shopping. There, I said it. (Pause for surprised gasps.)

However, although I love to find treasures from my adventures the last thing I want to do when I’m overseas is waste all my time in shops.

Mr M and I spend most of our travels doing exactly that: travelling. We explore the great outdoors. We soak up life on the street. We try to live like the locals whenever we can. We avoid tourist traps, especially souvenir shops! Shudder.

So, my travel shopping challenge is always to find some beautiful pieces which remind me of the places we have visited, sourced from off the beaten path.

Here is a sneak peek at what I brought home from our recent trip to Japan.

Leather bag, Kyoto: This gorgeous teal bag was handmade in Kyoto.

Earrings, Tokyo: Oh what a coincidence, they match my new bag!

Chopsticks, Tokyo: Of course I had to bring back some chopsticks – there were so many to choose from but I settled on a brightly coloured set which reminded me of the cherry blossom season.

Kimono purse, Kyoto: This dear little purse is made from recycled kimono fabric.

Paper, Tokyo: A trip to Ito-Ya in Tokyo was a must for eight floors of gorgeous, delicate Japanese stationary.

What treasures have you found on your adventures?

Love, Mrs M xx

P.S. You can read more about our Japanese adventure here and see some of the amazing food we ate here.