I have so many craft shops that I love so usually it depends on what I'm looking for or inspired to do at the time. If I'm looking around, playing with new ideas, wanting to try new techniques or materials, I love a large department chain store called Tokyu Hands. It has so much funky stuff and that was where I first discovered silver clay.
If I am more focused on a particular project, I prefer to go to a store that specialises in those materials.
Being in Japan, I have to say that Tomato in Nippori Textile Town is one of my favourite fabric stores.
I'm blessed to live close to an old paper making town, so would usually go there for paper, but this photo was taken at a gorgeous little shop I love in Asakusa in Tokyo.
And definitely my favourite is any second-hand kimono store or market. These fabrics are truly amazing and I love to breath new life into something with a history.I know I've said it before, but I will say it again, I'm going to have a lot of trouble leaving this country next year!
Thank you to Handmaiden for this week's theme to Angela, the fabulous hostess of This is...
Thank you to Handmaiden for this week's theme to Angela, the fabulous hostess of This is...
22 comments:
I hope you had a great time in Tokyo, Melanie. The photos were wonderful! I was drooling!!!LOL
Did you buy much?
oh, oh, OH....look at all the lovliness! I just love all the patterns, colours...the tidiness of it all too...... sigh.....................fabrics and papers..... just to look at them, touch them.... it is almost good enough. I would almost rather do that than cut into them or do anything with them....just love to admire them all.
Hello!
Im, from Portugal and i love japanese fabrics:)
I'll be in Japan on vacation in October and i'll stay in a ryokan in Asakusa. So i'd love to know where this precious store is!
Would you please give some directions to it?
Thank you, thank you so much!
Ines
Drooling over that fabric!
and you have received an award from me. Please visit my blog to pick it up!
Oh WOW! How fabulous is your blog??? And why have I not discovered it until now???
ohmy!!! I could spend hours there!
Fabulous tepptations everywhere you look!!
SOmeone pass the mop. I think I've just drooled all over the floor. With shops like that around I don't think I'd ever go home, to work.... anywhere else. HEAVEN!!
Yeah..when you get back over here, you are going to go into MAJOR withdrawal!!! MAJOR!!
OMG I'm drooling on my keyboard over those photos....
This is just too fabulous! I'm not even a fabric person, yet I got excited when I saw this post - all the lovely colours and patterns!
Think I've died and gone to fabric heaven... I would be just a little bit out of control if ever let loose in a place like that.
Oh look. I'm going to have to hire you as my personal fabric shop finder when i come over to visit! What an assortment!
Ahh Tokyu Hands..it is but a memory...Thank you for another inspiring post...My partner comes home from OS today and I will be promoting the fact that another *family* holiday in Japan is in order ;-)...in my dreams...
Oh my goodness! Look at all the lovely paper! I'd be flat broke if I lived in Japan
I was thinking the same thing as Lauren! I'd be flat broke and there would be absolutely no room left in my house, my material stash is already dangerous!
What a beautiful sight! All that wonderful fabric!!! I bet you had all you could carry home! Thank you for sharing!
~Emily in Norway
Hi Inez
I didn't have any contact for you, so hope you come back here to check.
The fabric store I've photographed here is one of many in an area called Nippori Textile town. Catch the JR Yamanote line to the "Nippori" station (from Asakusa, from memory, you can take the Ginza line to Ueno, then change there to the Yamanote line). Go out the South exit and you will see a big sign (in English and in Japanese). Following the arrow, go down the stairs, cross the road and follow the street around to the left. Then just head down that road. You'll see flags along the street saying "Nippori Textile Town." In the area, Tomato is the largest but I also like some of the stores close by.
Have fun!
Hi Melanie
Thank you so much for your directions!
I'm counting the days now to go to Japan:)
Thank you!
Ines
You're welcome Ines. Have a great time!
Those fabrics look so lovely. What a wonderful place to go shopping.
My goodness those stores look like pure temptation. I have two friends who are SERIOUS textile junkies and I can imagine them writhing on the floor in on any of those shops.
I had to do a double take/click on the paper one. wow..I had no idea that there was so much patterned paper.
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