If I take you to look around Tokyo, I would take you to Asakusabashi.
Well, if around the JR Akihabara station is a “town of OTAKU nerds”, then the next stop Asakusabashi is a “town of handmade”.
You can get beads and accessories materials, ribbons and other hand craft stuff at wholesale price.
Because Asakusabashi is wholesale-stores area, you can also find many other goods like commercial wrapping papers, display supplies or artificial flowers.
Of course, many stores accept a purchase for retail, so I often visit Asakusabashi for shopping.
I’d recommend “Shimojima”
Come out from the East Exit of JR Asakusabashi, walk to the left along the Edogawa Street , then next to a bakery there is 8-story shop building. That’s Shimojima’s 5th shop.. This one has the largest variety and number of goods of all Shimojima’s.
As it was close to Halloween, there were full of Halloween goods. (Google Maps)
If you are into beading accessories, then you should not miss visiting “KIWA”!
Come out from the East Exit of JR Asakusabashi, walk to the right along the Edogawa Street, then you see “KIWA” right away.
There are always so many people busy with getting their beads and accessory parts. (Google Maps)
Or if you like ribbons then check “MOKUBA”.
They have so many ravishingly gorgeous ribbons.
You can purchase from one meter. Take a roll you like to the counter and ask them to cut it to your desired length. (Google Maps)
Shimojima
KIWA
Mokuba New York
Green tea Kuromitsu(brown sugar syrup) latte and Warabi Mochi frozen Green tea form the cafe named nana’s green tea. They taste great and rich.
Kuromitsu is one of the most fundamental materials used in making Japanese sweet desserts. It serves well with Kuzu Mochi, fruits, ice cream, pan cakes.
Warabi Mochi is a Japanese dessert sweet. It is not made with rice, as other mochi is, but rather from Warabi starch. Cheaper ones may have other starch mixed in to make them more affordable. They are soft, and slightly sweet.
nana’s green tea
It was a lovely weekend for going for a stroll in Tokyo!
So there we were, went to Yoyogi Uehara for some freshly fried doughnuts and coffee.
Making one by one, homemade additive-free doughnuts and originally blended coffee are both so nice.
We tried “Bitter85” and “raspberry chocolate”.
It is said that Haritts’s started from a mobile van, and then it’s become very popular & now having this shop on the street!
While we were being cozy with coffees, people were constantly coming in.
HARRITS |coffee & donuts
From 31st of October to 4th of November, 2007, “Tokyo Designers Week” has been held at Meiji Jingu Gaien in Aoyama, Tokyo.
It was an art festival with more than 1,000 exhibitors,companies, school, embassies, & designers from over 20 countries around the world.
The “BLICKFANG” trade show, which has been held in Switzerland and Germany and “Japan Brand Exhibition” were there for the first time.
70 shops of interior, zakka and select shops in Tokyo also joined the week as “shop exhibition”, too.
Tokyo Designer’s Week 2007
JAPAN brand
Reasonable price, great quality and so pretty colors and patterns - I would definitely recommend those socks by a Japanese company called “Tabio.” for souvenirs!
Yes I was about to do that, then I just have realized that they introduce products worldwide through their online shop.
The most popular product is colored-tights! You can choose ones from over 20 different colors. In Japan, you can find a little corner box “three for 1000 yen” in front of their shops.
If you feel like trying fun-patterned socks, or unique Tabi or toe socks, that’s where you should check!
Tabio jp
Tabio uk
Green tea Parfait and Hojicha(roasted green tea) Parfait at Hayashiya-chaen in Seibu department store. They are heaven!!
Hayashiya
There was a nice looking “Levi’s” ad on the wall of Shibuya Parco.
It said “I was here when I realized” (in Japanese “being here” or “came” sounds same as another word meaning “wear”. )
There was a wonder closet behind the models, so they might have come to this wonderland through that closet?
Is this ad for Japan only or worldwide?
We passed through and tuned to the main entrance of Parco, and then there was another Levi’s ad. This one has a mirror where the upper body supposed to be!
My darling was posing in the mirror like an ad model that made me LOL!
Winter & Fall LEVI’S® LADY STYLE campaign
We’ve just started selling “lucky charm totes” at the 8tote’s brick-and-mortar shop in Tokyo!
The baby pink tote comes with a dangling English antique key arranged with lacy ribbons. Of course, each key is unique. Isn’t it romantic?
We do have a lot of our own lucky charms in Japan, too. So I did a little search around my house.
Yes, I’ve got this “MANEGI （招布）” tapestry in my bathroom. See the six, colorful calabashes? Six (Mu ) Calabashes (Hyotan) = MUBYO, and the pronunciation is same for another word that means “free from sickness” in Japanese.
Lucky charms bring us Good Luck & HAPPY SMILE ;)
