I haven't even finished blogging about my March trip to Japan but I just found out I'm flying back to Tokyo on Friday!! It's a super short trip, will be leaving there on Monday night but I just couldn't pass up the opportunity.
Now I have to work out what I "need" to buy! Any suggestions?!!
So unexpected.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
{ things I love about Japan #7.2 }
PART 3 OF FABRIC SHOPPING
TOKYO
My hotel was in Shinjuku and very conveniently located between the hotel and the train station was the wonderful Okadaya. This is a great store for linen and cotton fabrics. They also stocked Echino. Okadaya has a number of floors (maybe 4?) but the more everyday fabrics on the upper levels weren’t of the ‘crafty’ nature I was after.
In front of the fabric store is another Okadaya and this one is about 5 or 6 floors high full of all different crafts - bag making, beads, buttons, embroidery, wool, etc. The top floor has a great collection of books and magazines. I remember spending the last hours of my previous trip pouring over the books here.
Through my research, I’d come to hear of Tomato and by all accounts this is a biggie! I suspect I picked the worst time to go - Saturday morning - as it was packed and took away from the enjoyment a bit for me unfortunately. I’ve read this store only takes cash so I came prepared in that regard.
One of the challenges/enjoyments of different cultures is working out the basics, like how do I buy this? I can help you here - at Tomato you have to pay on each floor and you queue first to have your fabric cut and then proceed to another queue for the cashier!
Tomato is about 5 floors high and every one of those floors is packed with fabric! Come prepared - I suggest trying a weekday, perhaps that would be quieter, and take snacks and water as you’ll probably be there ages!
Something I hadn’t seen elsewhere was the use of the same design but on different types of fabric. So you would buy the same design in normal cotton fabric, then on an upper level you’ll come across it in a laminated version (I guess you would use it for table cloths, bags, aprons, etc) and then on another rlevel it will be in the light weight fabric used for handy shopping bags that fold down small enough to sit at the bottom of you handbag for unexpected purchase (do you know the ones I mean?). Ingenious!
Tomato is in an area of Tokyo called Fabric Town and around are lots of other fabric stores but I didn’t get time for them this visit.
So to prices. I didn’t find much variation between stores or even between Tokyo and Kyoto. From this I think I did the right thing by just buying what I liked when I saw it and not running around trying find cheaper prices - too much stress, too time consuming and ultimately not worth it, in my opinion. Prices ranged from JPY380 per metre to JPY1365 for the fabrics I was buying which were cotton, or cotton/linen blends. The JPY1365 fabrics were the Echino and at the time that was approx AUD22 per metre (AUD1 = JPY62, unfortunately a bad time for the dollar against the Yen when we were there this trip).
DIRECTIONS
OKADAYA, Shinjuku: Take the East exit of Shinjuku Station. As you exit you’ll see a massive TV screen on the Alta department store. Head to the left of this and then look down the first alley to your left and you’ll see the outside tables with discount fabrics. Head inside for more wonderful goodies!
TOMATO, Nippori: Take the Yamanote line to Nippori Station. From the platform follow the North Exit signs. At the gate you’ll then see signs for the East Exit, take this. Take the 3rd pedestrian crossing on your left and the street Nippori Chuo Dori will be on the left of the shop ahead of you. After about a block you’ll start to see banners for “’Fabric Town’ hanging from the light posts. Tomato is on the left hand side as you walk down this street.
TOKYO
My hotel was in Shinjuku and very conveniently located between the hotel and the train station was the wonderful Okadaya. This is a great store for linen and cotton fabrics. They also stocked Echino. Okadaya has a number of floors (maybe 4?) but the more everyday fabrics on the upper levels weren’t of the ‘crafty’ nature I was after.
In front of the fabric store is another Okadaya and this one is about 5 or 6 floors high full of all different crafts - bag making, beads, buttons, embroidery, wool, etc. The top floor has a great collection of books and magazines. I remember spending the last hours of my previous trip pouring over the books here.
Through my research, I’d come to hear of Tomato and by all accounts this is a biggie! I suspect I picked the worst time to go - Saturday morning - as it was packed and took away from the enjoyment a bit for me unfortunately. I’ve read this store only takes cash so I came prepared in that regard.
One of the challenges/enjoyments of different cultures is working out the basics, like how do I buy this? I can help you here - at Tomato you have to pay on each floor and you queue first to have your fabric cut and then proceed to another queue for the cashier!
Tomato is about 5 floors high and every one of those floors is packed with fabric! Come prepared - I suggest trying a weekday, perhaps that would be quieter, and take snacks and water as you’ll probably be there ages!
Something I hadn’t seen elsewhere was the use of the same design but on different types of fabric. So you would buy the same design in normal cotton fabric, then on an upper level you’ll come across it in a laminated version (I guess you would use it for table cloths, bags, aprons, etc) and then on another rlevel it will be in the light weight fabric used for handy shopping bags that fold down small enough to sit at the bottom of you handbag for unexpected purchase (do you know the ones I mean?). Ingenious!
Tomato is in an area of Tokyo called Fabric Town and around are lots of other fabric stores but I didn’t get time for them this visit.
So to prices. I didn’t find much variation between stores or even between Tokyo and Kyoto. From this I think I did the right thing by just buying what I liked when I saw it and not running around trying find cheaper prices - too much stress, too time consuming and ultimately not worth it, in my opinion. Prices ranged from JPY380 per metre to JPY1365 for the fabrics I was buying which were cotton, or cotton/linen blends. The JPY1365 fabrics were the Echino and at the time that was approx AUD22 per metre (AUD1 = JPY62, unfortunately a bad time for the dollar against the Yen when we were there this trip).
DIRECTIONS
OKADAYA, Shinjuku: Take the East exit of Shinjuku Station. As you exit you’ll see a massive TV screen on the Alta department store. Head to the left of this and then look down the first alley to your left and you’ll see the outside tables with discount fabrics. Head inside for more wonderful goodies!
TOMATO, Nippori: Take the Yamanote line to Nippori Station. From the platform follow the North Exit signs. At the gate you’ll then see signs for the East Exit, take this. Take the 3rd pedestrian crossing on your left and the street Nippori Chuo Dori will be on the left of the shop ahead of you. After about a block you’ll start to see banners for “’Fabric Town’ hanging from the light posts. Tomato is on the left hand side as you walk down this street.
Monday, May 11, 2009
{ things I love about Japan #7.1 }
PART 2 OF FABRIC SHOPPING
KYOTO
I started my fabric buying in Kyoto in a shop called Nomura Tailor. I really only hit 1 store, well 2 outlets of the same store. Walking down a shopping mall area I saw from the corner of my eye some bolts of Echino fabric - I was so excited because this fabric was top of my list so I was so excited to come across it.
The shop was a treasure trove of fantastic fabrics. I had to send my husband away for an hour so I could wander without distraction. Luckily there were some nearby CD stores so I didn’t have to twist his arm.
That hour is a bit of a blur now, just images in my mind of carrying bolt after bolt to the counter and walking away with a bag full of fabric. As it was my first store, I didn’t know if I should buy up big because I wouldn’t find the same fabrics elsewhere or if I should look around to check if prices differed. As it was I went somewhere in between that first night.
Of course the next day as we were sightseeing my mind was back at the shop wondering if I should get some more fabrics or wait until Tokyo. Decisions, decisions.
That night I found the 2nd outlet while wandering so I felt my decision was made - I better check this shop out too and it would be remiss not to come away with a little bit of fabric, right? This shop was the larger of the two with an upstairs for haberdashery, books, etc.
DIRECTIONS
NOMURA TAILOR, Kyoto: Shop 1. The Shin-kyogoku Shopping Arcade is 2 under cover streets running parallel to each other in the main shopping area of Kyoto. If you stand on Shijo dori, facing the entrances it’s on the arcade on your left. Walking up the arcade Nomura Tailor on your left hand side.
NOMURA TAILOR, Kyoto: Shop 2. Come back down the Shin-kyogoku Shopping Arcade back to Shijo dori and turn right at the end, this other outlet of Nomura Tailor will be on your right (on Shijo Dori).
KYOTO
I started my fabric buying in Kyoto in a shop called Nomura Tailor. I really only hit 1 store, well 2 outlets of the same store. Walking down a shopping mall area I saw from the corner of my eye some bolts of Echino fabric - I was so excited because this fabric was top of my list so I was so excited to come across it.
The shop was a treasure trove of fantastic fabrics. I had to send my husband away for an hour so I could wander without distraction. Luckily there were some nearby CD stores so I didn’t have to twist his arm.
That hour is a bit of a blur now, just images in my mind of carrying bolt after bolt to the counter and walking away with a bag full of fabric. As it was my first store, I didn’t know if I should buy up big because I wouldn’t find the same fabrics elsewhere or if I should look around to check if prices differed. As it was I went somewhere in between that first night.
Of course the next day as we were sightseeing my mind was back at the shop wondering if I should get some more fabrics or wait until Tokyo. Decisions, decisions.
That night I found the 2nd outlet while wandering so I felt my decision was made - I better check this shop out too and it would be remiss not to come away with a little bit of fabric, right? This shop was the larger of the two with an upstairs for haberdashery, books, etc.
DIRECTIONS
NOMURA TAILOR, Kyoto: Shop 1. The Shin-kyogoku Shopping Arcade is 2 under cover streets running parallel to each other in the main shopping area of Kyoto. If you stand on Shijo dori, facing the entrances it’s on the arcade on your left. Walking up the arcade Nomura Tailor on your left hand side.
NOMURA TAILOR, Kyoto: Shop 2. Come back down the Shin-kyogoku Shopping Arcade back to Shijo dori and turn right at the end, this other outlet of Nomura Tailor will be on your right (on Shijo Dori).
Friday, May 1, 2009
{ things I love about Japan #7 }
FABRIC SHOPPING
Fabric - a new obsession for me. I’ve always loved fabric and coming from a ex-fashion teacher/now avid quilter-mother, there has always been fabric and sewing in my life. I did study fashion until the end of school but haven’t really made much since then. And ‘then’ is suddenly a long time - as the invite this year to my 20 year school reunion testifies, yikes!
Anyway, I digress….I’ve been looking, obsessing and fantasizing about lots of the beautiful fabrics I’ve seen lately but didn’t know what I would do with it so have held off buying.
When I came across a tutorial for making fabric covers for notebooks I knew I had finally found a way to justify buying some fabric!
I knew then this trip to Japan was going to have a heavy focus on fabric buying. I did quite a bit of online research before leaving and had a list of places to visit.
I came home with 34 metres of fabric! Jetstar was as enthusiastic about my purchases in Japan as I was so I ended up carry most of the fabric as carry-on to avoid excess baggage fees. I don’t like travelling with heaps of carry-ons but making the exception this time was totally worth it.
Coming up - posts on my fabric shopping expeditions in Kyoto and Tokyo, stay tuned!
Fabric - a new obsession for me. I’ve always loved fabric and coming from a ex-fashion teacher/now avid quilter-mother, there has always been fabric and sewing in my life. I did study fashion until the end of school but haven’t really made much since then. And ‘then’ is suddenly a long time - as the invite this year to my 20 year school reunion testifies, yikes!
Anyway, I digress….I’ve been looking, obsessing and fantasizing about lots of the beautiful fabrics I’ve seen lately but didn’t know what I would do with it so have held off buying.
When I came across a tutorial for making fabric covers for notebooks I knew I had finally found a way to justify buying some fabric!
I knew then this trip to Japan was going to have a heavy focus on fabric buying. I did quite a bit of online research before leaving and had a list of places to visit.
I came home with 34 metres of fabric! Jetstar was as enthusiastic about my purchases in Japan as I was so I ended up carry most of the fabric as carry-on to avoid excess baggage fees. I don’t like travelling with heaps of carry-ons but making the exception this time was totally worth it.
Coming up - posts on my fabric shopping expeditions in Kyoto and Tokyo, stay tuned!
Sunday, April 19, 2009
{ things I love about Japan #6 }
VENDING MACHINES
They're everywhere! We tried most days to buy at least one thing were we had no idea what we were getting. Most were hits.
I'm not sure how Tommy Lee Jones fits into the picture here, but it reminds me of Bill Murray's character in Lost in Translation and also Vincent Chase on Entourage - don't worry if it doesn't make any sense, take the photos, get the cash and no one will ever see it right???
My favourite vending machine purchase was this one:
Thought we were getting a Kit Kat flavoured milk drink, but no it was the most over packaged purchase I have ever made! Four baby Kit Kat's in a glass jar:
Well the Kit Kat's were yummy of course, but the best bit is the jar - so awesome! It now holds all the loose buttons I had lying around. So, it might have been a ridiculous amount of packaging for a couple of baby Kit Kat's, but it's actually extremely handy.
The only downer to the vending machines was that Coca Cola seems to be the drink of choice - not great for a Pepsi fan, but there was thrill in the chase and each Pepsi tasted even better because I had to work for it!
They're everywhere! We tried most days to buy at least one thing were we had no idea what we were getting. Most were hits.
I'm not sure how Tommy Lee Jones fits into the picture here, but it reminds me of Bill Murray's character in Lost in Translation and also Vincent Chase on Entourage - don't worry if it doesn't make any sense, take the photos, get the cash and no one will ever see it right???
My favourite vending machine purchase was this one:
Thought we were getting a Kit Kat flavoured milk drink, but no it was the most over packaged purchase I have ever made! Four baby Kit Kat's in a glass jar:
Well the Kit Kat's were yummy of course, but the best bit is the jar - so awesome! It now holds all the loose buttons I had lying around. So, it might have been a ridiculous amount of packaging for a couple of baby Kit Kat's, but it's actually extremely handy.
The only downer to the vending machines was that Coca Cola seems to be the drink of choice - not great for a Pepsi fan, but there was thrill in the chase and each Pepsi tasted even better because I had to work for it!
Friday, April 10, 2009
{ things I love about Japan #5 }
CHERRY BLOSSOMS
The blossoming of the cherry trees in Japan is a very special time, a time for celebrating with friends and family. This trip we were a couple of weeks too early but there were already a few trees starting to blossom. If you are planning a trip to Japan I would strongly recommend trying to get there in spring to see the blossoms. They flower at different times throughout the country but I believe the peak time is normally late March to early April.
The blossoming of the cherry trees in Japan is a very special time, a time for celebrating with friends and family. This trip we were a couple of weeks too early but there were already a few trees starting to blossom. If you are planning a trip to Japan I would strongly recommend trying to get there in spring to see the blossoms. They flower at different times throughout the country but I believe the peak time is normally late March to early April.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
{ things I love about Japan #4 }
CRAFT BOOKS
They’re so beautifully styled and very inspiring. I just wish I could read Japanese or they had English versions!
Good shop for craft books is the Kinokuniya outlet in Shinjuku. Actually, there are 2 outlets there, the one I found to have the best selection was near Tokyu Hands. Go to 2F and when you alight from the escalator the craft section is to your left.
DIRECTIONS
SHINJUKU (outlet near Tokyu Hands) : The closest exit would be the New South Exit I believe however I always get lost going that way so my directions are probably the long way! Take the East Exit and at the exit turn hard right, walking along the side of the building. After the department store ends you’ll pass the Kirin Beer Pub and then Gap, both on your right. Next on your right is a large set of stairs which takes you up and into the station eventually. Ahead will be an underpass, take this and continue straight, you’ll pass a Uniqlo outlet and then the next main building is the Takashimaya department store. Walk alongside the store and at the end you’ll see Kinokuniya across the road to your left.
They’re so beautifully styled and very inspiring. I just wish I could read Japanese or they had English versions!
Good shop for craft books is the Kinokuniya outlet in Shinjuku. Actually, there are 2 outlets there, the one I found to have the best selection was near Tokyu Hands. Go to 2F and when you alight from the escalator the craft section is to your left.
DIRECTIONS
SHINJUKU (outlet near Tokyu Hands) : The closest exit would be the New South Exit I believe however I always get lost going that way so my directions are probably the long way! Take the East Exit and at the exit turn hard right, walking along the side of the building. After the department store ends you’ll pass the Kirin Beer Pub and then Gap, both on your right. Next on your right is a large set of stairs which takes you up and into the station eventually. Ahead will be an underpass, take this and continue straight, you’ll pass a Uniqlo outlet and then the next main building is the Takashimaya department store. Walk alongside the store and at the end you’ll see Kinokuniya across the road to your left.
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