Where to find omiyage?

I tried looking up older threads on omiyage, but couldn't find an answer. I would like to get some omiyage and am thinking of things like towels, handkerchiefs, or simple cloth bags, but ones that are designed with an easily identifiable traditional Japanese pattern (like I see on kimonos) or picture (like cranes). And I know I am being rather particular, but I want it to be "made in Japan." Nothing worse than getting an omiyage from Japan and finding that it says on the label, "made in China." Is there a specific place to look for these? Like at a shotengai (I think that's the word for an arcade)? Or is it going to be a hit and miss kind of search?

Where are you? Japan is a big place.

Any major train station in Japan will have multiple stores that sell omiyage. Airports too. Even convenience stores sell it. I'm not sure where you are, but you should be able to find it very easily at the tourist attractions you plan to visit.

Department stores like Isetan, Takashimaya, Daimaru, stalls in bigger train stations, shops near tourist attractions

In Tokyo, Asakusa has a lot of things like this. Narita also carries a lot of omiyage.

Imabari towels are made in Japan and might be nice.

Something like http://www.yu-nakagawa.co.jp/en/ might also work, but I'm not sure where they're made. (Seems like something that might be made in Japan.)

A shotengai (shopping arcade, as you mentioned) has a lot of good items for general Japan related shopping (if you're looking for Japanese cosmetics, shoes, clothes, specialty supplements like aoi jiru or collagen) but may not necessarily be good for omiyage.

Try the Oriental Bazaar in Harajuku (in Tokyo):

http://www.orientalbazaar.co.jp/en/

I get a lot of "bring me something from Japan" whenever I travel. A couple of years ago, I brought back a bunch of tengas. Gift request dropped sharply after that.

I was at Arashiyama(Kyoto) when i came across this shop selling handkerchief/tea towels in cute/nice japanese motifs. They will also throw in free name embroidery. The price is quite cheap too for such good material. I got 5 pieces of 8x8inch teatowels for USD5/each

Thanks for all the suggestions although Tokyo is too far for me (I'm in Kansai). The train station is a good idea I hadn't thought of. I tried to go to a department store here, Ito Yokado, but was disappointed. One store had "made in Japan" face towels but the designs didn't really look all that Japanese to me. And the other store had a really nice design and I was all set to buy it when I discovered it was made in China. I think I have to go to even bigger department stores.

Imabari towels also look good, I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for the idea!

Also thanks for the links -- I got some ideas from it. I didn't think about it, but traditional Japanese toys is a good omiyage for me to get. I wonder if there is a place like the Oriental Bazaar in Kansai? I wish I could go to the one in Harajuku! The basement floor of that is exactly what I'm looking for!

Just walk down Shinsaibashi-suji, the large shopping street that stretches from Namba to Shinsaibashi and beyond. There are several souvenir stores there, especially close to the Namba station side of the shopping street. If you venture towards Nipponbashi there are homeware stores that sell tea towels, pottery and other kitchenware. There are also stores in the Nipponbashi area that specialise in making the fake food displays for Japanese restaurants, which would make great souvenirs. If you prefer shopping in department stores the best ones in this area for souvenirs are Loft and Tokyu Hands.

On the more serious side. How open are you to other types of gifts. Depending on how many you plan to buy (size, weight, etc), what about food items or candy. Sounds cliche, but Japanese Kit-Kats are popular. If you visit Kapabashi-Dori (Kitchen Town or Kitchen Street) in Asakusa, the stores there sell just about everything. You can literally get everything you want on one street.