Where to find Kamidana?

Konnichiwa,

I'm wondering if anyone can recommend a shop or even a shopping district where one might find Kamidana, the little household Shinto altars so common in Japan. I'm going to be all over the place on this trip but Tokyo or Kyoto would seem like the most obvious places to look. I'm not looking to spend a fortune, but something fairly authentic and well-crafted would certainly be the goal.

Thanks for the help.

My sister in law got us one on the Internet. Look there.

Kamidana is handled by the shops who are selling Butsudan (family alter for Buddhism).
You can find many shops near Ueno/Asakusa.
http://www.shinbutsugu.jp/access.html

Get off at Ueno Station, and walk along the street towards Inaricho station (Tokyo Metro/Ginza line).
There's another street of those shops, the nearest station is Tawaramachi (also Ginza line).

Thanks for the information. I've actually browsed that street near Ueno Station but didn't realize it was a good spot for Kamidana. Would there by any chance of giving offense as a Westerner purchasing such an item, do you suppose?

Unless you tell them that you would use kamidana for inappropriate purpose (and I'm sure it is not the case), there's no problem for foreign people to buy kamidana. ;-)
Just remember that many shop owners may not understand English.
Even so they should understand if you say you want "kamidana".

Years ago i stopped to look at them (in the area near Ueno noted in an above post) and they weren't cheap .
the site below is from the USA and the price appear reasonable compared to Japan..

http://www.tsubakishrine.org/omamori/kamidana.html

Thanks. I have seen that site - it actually looks like a lovely shrine just outside Seattle. I just had a hard time believing everyone in Japan paid that much for household shrines, but I guess I'll find out!

Those prices are pretty much inline with what I've seen in Japan, especially if you purchase one associated with a specific sect or shrine. You can also find more generic versions at home stores or on the internet for slightly less:

http://search.rakuten.co.jp/search/mall/%E7%A5%9E%E6%A3%9A/-/