Exploring Tokyo :: Ebisu

 
These photos were taken around Ebisu on my trip last month. There are some lovely little streets to wander around in and sweet little shops to be found. A word of warning though if you’re heading to Tokyo armed with shopping directions from blogs: make sure they are current, or be prepared for the possibility that shops have closed or moved. I spent hours walking around with various maps and directions (in other parts of Tokyo too) and didn’t find a single one of the shops I’d hoped to visit… not because I’m directionally challenged, but because they weren’t there! Once I got over my frustration I did enjoy Ebisu though!

 

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Posted on June 13, 2012

Exploring Tokyo :: Kichijoji

In three trips to Tokyo I’d never made it to Kichijoji before, but this time I did, and I loved it there. There is a maze of tiny streets behind the “Shopping Street” (theres a big sign that stretches across the street, saying just that) where you’ll find a lot of fascinating little shops selling all sorts of wares from stationery to furniture, zakka, and clothing. The park with the swan paddle boats is a lovely haven on the other side of the station.

If you’re heading to Tokyo for fabric and craft shopping the well known Yazawaya store has moved from it’s previous home adjacent to the train station. Thanks to Amy for the heads up on the move, I was able to find it easily by heading out the Park (Koen) exit of the station and heading down the lane way in front of the exit. Yazawaya is in the OIOI department store which you’ll see directly ahead of you as you walk down the lane way. There are two floors of fantastic craft supplies, stationery and fabric.

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Posted on June 3, 2012

Tokyo Design Festa

I first went to Design Festa in 2008 and I was blown away, and couple of weeks ago when I was in Tokyo I went for the third time. You can read my previous posts here. Design Festa is so full of fabulous energy and thousands of exhibitors (I think there were 7,000 this time). I walked around for 6 hours non stop and still didn’t get to see any installation art or performances. It’s huge! I didn’t take any close ups of people’s work this time, but you can see some on previous posts, and I’ll show you what I bought soon. It’s not all as outlandish as these photos might lead you to believe!

Melanie and I tried to meet up at Design Festa, but it didn’t quite work out. Check out Melanie’s post on Design Festa (with great photos) and also Ebony’s.

The next Design Festa is on in Tokyo on the weekend of November 10 and 11. If you love handmade you’ll love Design Festa.

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Posted on May 28, 2012

This is Where…

I found this note from Roxy placed prominently on my desk early last week.

To add some context, this is one of the songs in high rotation in our house at the moment.

More about my trip soon.

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Posted on May 16, 2012

LOVING :: Daiso

If you’ve been to Japan you would have been to a Daiso store. They are all over the place and everything in the shop is 100 Yen, which last time I visited was about AUS$1. Daiso stores are brimming with japanese kawaii and zakka that you just can’t walk away from.

Did you know that there is a Daiso in Sydney (Chatswood) and there are 2 in Melbourne, soon be joined by one in the Melbourne CBD? With the school holidays starting in just over a week I am already being nagged about how many times we will visit Daiso. Last school holidays we seemed to be there about twice a week.

Everything in the Sydney store is priced at $2.80 and Roxy and I agree on how many things she can buy before we enter. Usually I buy her two items, but she often takes her pocket money too. The shop is big and the shelves are jammed with stock that is constantly changing. Even with 2 visits a week we found lots of new things each time.

Cute overload! Little plastic containers, purses, stationery, notebooks, drawstring bags.
A little book of what Roxy calls “tickets”, lovely fabric tape, the cutest packets of tissues you’ll ever see, and a fab on trend fluro stripy bag.
Of course Roxy always adds to her origami paper stash.
How cute are these little jars with polka dot lids?! They would be great to put little gifts in.

 

Apart from the obvious cute things, I’ve bought everything from cooking utensils (they have great kitchen scissors), to cosmetic purses, to storage boxes, to a toilet brush at Daiso… $2.80 each, I’m not kidding!

It’s a fun and inexpensive way to spend an afternoon in the school holidays. There’s also a great sushi train in the same shopping centre that has a fixed price for all plates. See you there!
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Posted on March 29, 2012

UGUiSU

Hello, would you like to visit a great online shop with me? UGUiSU is chock full of lovely Japanese goodies and I’m trying to resist a shopping spree there (they ship worldwide).

Love, love, loving these beautiful pleated and crumpled Eco-Bags. Stylish. Tick. Functional. Tick. And green. Tick.

I just have to have some of these lovely paper napkins.

Naturally UGUiSU stocks a big range of Japanese masking tape: wide and thin, patterned and plain, in packs and single rolls. And if you use your tape for gift wrapping you can also get some stunning wrapping and origami paper to compliment it.

There’s lots to love at UGUiSU. 
All images from UGUiSU

How beautiful and simple is the apple and pear card?

With the Aussie dollar so strong now it’s hard to resist shopping online…. but I must. I just bought a pair of boots and a pair of shoes! Ooops.

Enjoy your weekend. I hope you get to do something you really want to, whether it’s having a big night out or a quiet night in, being surrounded by lots of family and friends or chillaxin’ on your own. Whatever it is, enjoy! See you Monday.

x
Lisa

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Posted on May 27, 2011