Tomigaya: All you need is a dog in Tokyo!

Posted on August 15, 2018 by Toothpicker

Dogs in strollers

When you think of dog-loving cities, most likely you are going to think of Paris, but on the other side of the world, Tokyo is now the ‘Paris of the East’ (in terms of their obessions with their pets or dogs).

Tomigaya is an area in Shibuya, located on the southwest of Yoyogi park, that has become a ‘hip’ place for locals and foreigners alike. Perhaps it is due to its low-key neighbourhood feel, and its interesting mix of independent shops and eateries, but it certainly feels less commerical and touristy than Harajuku, which is on the southeast side of the park. And you know the area must be cool when there is a Monocle shop here!

Walking around the area on a Saturday afternoon, I couldn’t help but notice that dogs have literally become the new LV bags in Tokyo (there was a time when the LV monogram bag was carried by 90% of the women here)! Some of them were even being pushed around in strollers like babies, which I thought was quite bizarre to say the least.

According to Nikkei, the market for pet products and services is growing robustly in Japan even as the number of pets falls. Over the eight years through March 2016, the market for pet products and services in Japan grew nearly 10% to 1.47 trillion yen ($13.2 billion), according to Yano Research Institute in Tokyo.

In a country where the population is aging rapidly, and birth rate falling to a record low, perhaps it is not surprising to see people here turning their focus onto pets or animals. After all, dog is man’s best friend, and you can affirm this belief in Tokyo.

The eclectic mix of independent shops here include Monocle and Norwegian Icons (bottom row)

Aside from dog-spotting and the Monocle shop, you can find a variety of shops here including Shibuya Publishing & Booksellers (which I have written about previously) and Norwegian Icons that is dedicated to mid-century (1940 to 1975) Norwegian designs and furniture. I often think that Scandinavian and Japanese furniture designs share a great deal in common, hence I believe that Norwegian designs would not look out of place in a Tokyo home.

This area is also full of cool cafes and eateries, and Camelback sandwich & expresso is probably the most popular takeout counter here. There are only a few benches outside, and usually there is a long queue here (mostly foreigners), so be prepared to wait for some artisanal sandwich and coffee. Hayato Naruse is a trained sushi chef, and his signature sushi-style tamagoyaki omelet sandwichi is the bestseller here. Was it worth the 20-minute wait? Yes, it was delicious and so was the coffee.

If you prefer to sit down while you eat and drink, you can visit the nearby Fuglen, a coffee shop and bar with vintage decor that is originally from Oslo, and now a huge hit in Tokyo.

Shibuya Cheese Stand is another popular eatery here where you can taste freshly made cheese like mozzarella and ricotta made in Hokkaido, the northmost island famous for its diary produce.

So books

The best thing about Tokyo is that often you would stumble upon some unique/wonderful shops while rambling in different neighbourhoods. And this was how I came across So books, located on a quiet street not far from Yoyogi Hachiman station. It is a small bookshop that specialises in rare photography books (new and secondhand), with also some art, design and craft books. The friendly owner Ikuo Ogasawara speaks very good English, and he was surprised to learn that I had simply stumbled upon the shop. I bought a few books that were easy to carry – I would have bought more if I didn’t have to travel further on. Luckily, the owner told me that they have an online shop and ship internationally (not many Japanese shops like to ship overseas), so it is great news for photgraphy book fans out there.

Hinine note

Hinine note was the shop that I was seeking in the area after reading about it before my trip. It took a bit of effort to find it (with the help of google map), but it paid off. This is a stationery shop where you can customise and create your own notebooks. You can choose the size you want, the paper style, cover designs and binding methods. There is a wide selection of designs/colours to choose from, and everything is made on the spot. Not only you can enjoy using your one-of-a-kind notebook, it would help to reduce waste too. Love it.

I think this is an interesting neighbourhood that is not just full of trendy and established shops (which I tend to avoid), and I definitely would want to return and explore further.

Mino – the ancient washi paper town

Posted on July 18, 2018 by Toothpicker

The preserved townscape of Minoshi

I think many people who are interested in Japanese paper would have heard of Mino washi paper, especially after it was was designated an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 2014. The origin of this paper dates back to the Nara period (710 ~ 784 CE), and is considered to be the oldest paper in Japan. Located by the Nagara River, Mino is lined with wooden buildings built from the Edo to Meiji period.

I have wanted to visit Mino (the train/bus station is called Minoshi) for years, but never quite made it somehow. On this trip, I decided to include one night in my itinerary; the bus journey was quite straightforward from Nagoya, and it took about two hours. However, I would recommend using the Nagaragawa Railway (which I took when leaving the town) if you get the chance. Aside from the cute trains, there are also some scenic routes that you can enjoy if you want to see more of the Gifu region.

Nagaragawa Railway train and Minoshi train station

I would say that Arimatsu and Mino are two of my favourite towns during my entire trip. I love the fact that both towns have preserved their traditional craftsmanship and townscape. There is rich history, beautiful merchant houses, and best of all, they are not swamped with tourists. When you walk around the two towns, you feel as if you have stepped back in time, and it is hard not to be captivated by the ambience and historical architectural details around you. The two main streets in Mino were developed by the feudal lord Nagachiku Kanamori during the Edo Period, and were designated as an “area preserving traditional architecture” in 1999.

The preserved townscape of Minoshi is full of washi paper merchant houses, shops, sake breweries and temples

One unique feature of Mino is its ‘udatsu’ streets. An udatsu was originally a firewall built at both ends of a roof, and its purpose was to prevent fires from spreading. However, during the Edo period, the designs of the udatsu became wealthy washi merchants’ status symbols because of the high costs to install them, and you can still admire them on the rooftops of many buildings in Mino.

One of the most important buildings in Mino is the Former Imai Residence and Mino Archives built in the mid-Edo period (the end of the 18th century). The gable tiles without decorations are the oldest form of udatsu; they are layered twice on the left and the right, while other houses have only one single layer.

Former Imai Residence and Mino Archives

The house was not only a residence, but it also had a reception area where the family used to conduct their wholesale paper business. One interesting feature of the house is a skylight which extends about 3 metres up from the ceiling; it was built during renovations in the Meiji Period.

In the garden, there is a suikinkutsu – a Japanese garden ornament and music device buried underground which creates sound similar to koto/Japanese zither when you pour water over it.

Aside from the beautiful traditional architecture, the shops and restaurants here all make efforts to decorate their shop fronts to attract customers in.

Not surprisingly, when you travel to smaller towns and less touristy places, prices tend to drop considerably. This was what I noticed when I traveled around Japan for weeks. I had lunch at a local soba/udon restaurant called Sansui Honten (1902-2 Motozumi-cho) recommended by the owners of my guesthouse; not only the food was tasty with huge portions, it was also a bargain.

Lunch at Sansui Honten

And for dinner, I decided to go to an Italian wine bar/restaurant nearby called Barest, and was quite pleasantly surprised by the food quality and cooking.

Barest

Yet my favourite cafe/shop in Minoshi has to be The Happy Stand. Opened in the summer of 2017 by a young friendly couple, the cafe is housed inside a building over 150-year-old. The house has been beautifully restored and converted into a shop and cafe with a focus on ocha and matcha tea. I was recommended the Organic Houjicha Latte and it was delicious. The shop area also sells a range of contemporary ceramic ware called Utsuwa that are made locally in Gifu. I particularly loved the extra-tall washi paper lantern hanging in the middle of the shop!

The cute young couple behind The Happy Stand cafe/shop

To be continued…

Hong Kong’s vintage toy & stationery museum – Silver stationery shop

Posted on April 24, 2017 by Toothpicker

Top: The entrance of an industrial building in San Po Kong

Since I started this business, I was lucky to have met and made friends with many like-minded designers and entrepreneurs in Asia and London. After working with Hong Kong’s ten Design stationery for years, I became friends with their designer Paul Lam. Paul and I met up while I was in town, and he suggested a visit to Silver Stationery shop, a quirky vintage toy and stationery shop museum located inside an industrial building in San Po Kong. Paul is friends with the owner Joel and Ryan, a product designer who works there, so he was keen to show me this one-of-a-kind museum that is not featured in the standard guidebooks.

Paul made an appointment a few days before my departure back to London (all visitors have to make an appointment before visiting), unfortunately, Joel couldn’t be there and so I missed the opportunity meet him. However, I was given a tour by Ryan, a toy designer and founder of Makeitwork Studio who is one of the few designers working there.

Graphic designer and founder of this shop museum, Joel Chung has been preserving Hong Kong’s culture for the last decade or so. Aside from preserving the works of the King of Kowloon (Hong Kong’s famous calligraphic graffiti artist), he has also been preserving and collecting toys and stationery locally for the last 30 years. In 2015, he rented a studio space inside the industrial building and recreated a shop that mimics a vintage 1960s/70s toy and stationery shop that were ubiquitous in Hong Kong at the time. The decline of these local style stationery shops started the 1980s, and now they have become rare finds in the city. The aim of this shop museum is to preserve Hong Kong’s cultural heritage; most of the products featured were donated by local shop owners before the shops’ closures. The shop museum was recreated in a precise manner, every detail was considered to create an authentic shop ambience that would transport the visitors back in time. All the products at the shop museum are for display only and they are not available for sale.

As a stationery addict, I was immensely overwhelmed and joyous by what I saw. I picked up a pink pencil case (see above), and it reminded me of the ones I collected when I was a kid. It certainly brought back a lot of childhood memories.

Aside from the shop museum, the studio is also a collaborative space that features works by local designers, as well as selling an array of vintage stationery, toys and games. I was surprised to find that another brand that we work with, Open Quote, has moved from Soho to this new premise.

After Ryan’s interesting tour of the studio, the three of us spent some time chatting and comparing Hong Kong and London’s design industries, and the possibility of collaborating in the future.

It is very encouraging to see that Joel‘s passion and efforts in the preservation and promotion of Hong Kong culture have paid off since the opening of the shop museum. Nowadays, he is frequently interviewed by magazines and newspapers, including foreign ones. The museum shop is also attracting visitors from Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, so it may not be a hidden secret soon. If you love toys, stationery and Hong kong culture, then a visit to this shop museum is unmissable!

Silver Stationary Shop (銀の文房具)
Address: Room 1B, 1/F, BLK B, Wing Chai Ind Bldg, 27 Ng Fong St., San Po Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
Tel: +852 6311 8789 (best to call and make an appointment first)

Design & craft shopping in Myanmar

Posted on April 13, 2017 by Toothpicker

Inle heritage shop, Inle Lake

When I was in Myanmar, I was genuinely surprised by its diverse craft industry. Aside from traditional crafts, we were quite delighted to have come across some contemporary craft/design brands as well. My favourite shop of the trip was an accidental find in Inle Lake… We had hired a boat and helmsman for the day, and he kept taking us to the touristy factories despite us asking him not to. Luckily, the beautiful architecture of Inle heritage captured my attention and so we demanded him to stop and let us explore; and we eventually spent hours there because of its tranquil and relaxing setting.

Inle Heritage’s architecture, restaurant and U Saung’s room

While we were there, we found out that Inle Heritage is a not-for-profit organisation that preserves the cultural and natural wealth of the Inle region. Built from reclaimed wood and modelled on the former home of Inle Heritage’s founder, Inthar Heritage House contains a traditional restaurant, an area that hosts exhibitions of local artists’ works, recreation of U Saung’s room, a gift shop, and a cat village. The compound also houses a boutique hotel comprises six bungalows, a vocational centre, and an organic garden.

The gift shop sells many wonderful and well-curated locally made products, souvenir and fashion. The revenue from the shop is split between the craft producer and funding Inle Heritage’s work. Although the products here are more expensive than the ones on sale at the markets, the quality is higher and more unique.

A souvenir and food market in Inle lake

In Yangon, there are two shops that also focus on locally made crafts and designs: Hla Day and Pomelo. Hla Day (1st Floor, 81 Pansodan Street) is a social enterprise that works with 40 producer groups including Myanmar artisans, disadvantaged groups and small local businesses to design, develop and sell quality handmade products. Every product is sourced and made locally and using local materials. Sustainability and supporting the local communities is important the organisation’s ethos.

Hla Day

Pomelo ( 89 Thein Phyu Street) is another fair trade shop that offers quality and contemporary hand-made products. They work with local disadvantaged groups to produce and sell designed crafts in order to support their families and scale up their businesses.

Pomelo shop

Another good place to buy locally made crafts and products is the Bogyoke Aung San Market. With more than 2000 shops, it is best to do a bit of research and locate the shops you are interested in before heading there, otherwise, it is easy to get lost in the maze-like market.

Bogyoke Aung San Market

If you are coffee drinker, then make sure you drop by the Mooney Moon coffee shop (Rm-210, West Wing) in between your shopping. The coffee is very good here, and you can even buy some beans to bring back home. Alternatively, there is a quieter and friendly shop upstairs called Coffee Melody that offers good organic coffee as well.

Yangoods

Yangoods (No.89 Front wing) is an accessories and souvenir brand known for its nostalgic sepia portraits and images of old Burma. Their style somewhat reminds me of vintage Bollywood posters. At the shop, you can find stationery, clocks, bags and home furnishings etc, but the prices here are higher than other local souvenir shops. The shop also has two other shop locations that can be found on their website.

Yo Ya May & Chin Chili

On the first floor of the market (facing the main road), there are two Ethnographic textiles shops that specialise in traditional chin textiles. Yo Ya May (1st fl, front block, Bogyoke Aung San Market) is a wonderful shop that sells colourful woven cushion covers, wall hangings, purses, and bags etc. The prices are reasonable and the staff are friendly. Further down is a smaller shop called Chin Chili, which sells similar products.

Dacco (13/F, Upper Front) is another traditional handicraft shop that sells high quality handmade products like plastic baskets, textiles, jewellery, sandals, candles and clothing. The shop also has a flagship store at Room 5, No.12 Parami Road, 10 Quarter, Mayangone Township.

Japanese-designed wooden crafts that are made in Myanmar

Interestingly, there is a shop on the 1st floor that sells crafted wood designs that are similar to the products that we sell from Japan. It turns out that these products are produced by a non-profit Japanese organisation called Asia Crafts link. All their products are designed in Japan but made in Myanmar using local materials, craftsmen and skills. The products are much cheaper than the Japanese made ones (I am being honest here) without compromising on the quality, hence I couldn’t resist making some items here.

Art works and products by contemporary artists from Myanmar are on sale at River Gallery (Chindwin Chambers, 33/35, 37th and 38th Street)

Souvenir from Myanmar

Other interesting shops and brands in Myanmar:

Amazing Grace (26/A Maggin St, Corner of Min Ye Kyaw Swar St., Ward 14, Yangon) – a local social enterprise making handmade jewellery and other fashion accessories using environmentally sustainable and ethical methods.

Helping Hands (92b Ngar Htat Gyi Pagoda St, Yangon) – a social business restoring old, Burmese, teak furniture. Employing over 50 people, skilled artisans work along side ex-street children, training them in the art and skill of furniture restoration.

Paloma Ya Ya – an ethical clothing brand inspired by Myanmar and its neighbouring countries. All items are made with handwoven fabrics and natural fibres in Myanmar.

Maze Hill Pottery’s open studio

Posted on December 12, 2015 by Toothpicker

Top left: The disused ticket office-turned pottery studio; Top right: Lisa Hammond’s beautiful Soda & Shino glaze pottery

London is full of hidden gems, not only they are off tourists’ radar, but many are also unknown to Londoners. Since I live north of the river, I am quite oblivious to events that take place beyond Bermondsey or the Design Museum. We Londoners rarely venture out of our comfort zones (i.e. the zones we live or work in), thus we are like tourists when we step into the unknown!

It was an invitation that brought me to Maze Hill Pottery‘s open studio in Greenwich. The 2-day annual open studio event provided a rare opportunity for visitors to purchase beautiful handmade pottery by renowned pottery artist Lisa Hammond and her apprentices at significantly reduced prices.

Top: Darren Ellis‘ pottery; Bottom left: Lisa Hammond’s Shino chawan tea bowl and sake bottles; Bottom right: The outdoor workshop area

The studio is situated in the former ticket office of Maze Hill Station, which opened in 1873. Lisa turned the disused office into a pottery studio in the mid 1990s and built the first soda glaze trolley kiln in the UK at the back of the studio.

The studio also offers pottery workshops and evening courses, where students can learn the techniques of studio pottery in a professional working studio environment.

I wonder if BBC’s “The Great Pottery Throw Down“ (the pottery version of the hugely popular TV show “The Great British Bake off”) has triggered the public’s interests in pottery?

Regardless of the TV show, the studio’s reputation and exquisite pottery pieces have gained support from locals over the years, and so all the best bargains were snapped up as soon as the kiln was opened in the morning! Luckily, I did manage to pick up noodle bowls and mug reduced to prices cheaper than the mass manufactured pieces from Habitat!

After some mulled wine and snacks, I left the studio feeling satisfied with my purchase, and the fact that I have supported a local pottery studio. London doesn’t need more chained stores run by big corporations, we need more independent stores and studios run by passionate artisans, craftsmen, designers, bakers, booksellers and even corner shop owners who truly want to make a difference in this city.

New product ranges from Japan

Posted on December 8, 2015 by Toothpicker

Katamaku – an upcycled stationery and product range

In the last 2 months, we added three new product ranges from Japan, including: upcycled stationery by KATAMAKU, textile products by Tenp, and Sola cube and Sola Zukan by Sola.

During my trip to Japan earlier this year, I met up with Japanese architect Shimon Mioke from k2m design, the designer behind the upcyled brand KATAMAKU. The idea of the range arrived after the architect saw unused parts of industrial membrane used for constructing stadiums, domes and tents being thrown away. The designer and his partners decided to use these waste materials to create a new upcycled range to reflect the beauty of these materials in the simplest way.

Since the durable but stiff materials come in large rolling sheets, the easiest way to handle them is to cut and mold them. The designers took inspirations from origami and kimono, and employed these elements in their designs. And like origami, all of the cases can be reverted back to its original state – a flat sheet of fibre. Minimalist and functional, the KATAMAKU range also reveals what can be done with waste materials, which is crucial in changing our wasteful culture and behaviour.

Left: Katamaku cases; Right: Shimon Mioke from k2m design

When I first saw the Tenp textiles range, I was instantly attracted to the unusual weaving patterns. I later learnt that these new patterns were created using the traditional sashiko weaving technique famous in the Tohoku region of Japan. I have seen Japanese textiles that feature this technique before, but I have never seen it done in a contemporary context. Last year, Japanese design studio Nendo also collaborated with Kyoto’s weaving house Hosoo to release a textiles range employing the same techinque, but in a more traditional style.

Left: Nendo & Hosoo’s collaboration that features sashiko weaving; Right: Satoshi Takiguchi from Tenp

In Tokyo, I met up with architect Satoshi Takiguchi, who is the director behind the textiles brand Tenp. In 2013, Satoshi invited his friend, Japanese illustrator Toshiyuki Fukuda to collaborate with sashiko weave artisan Kenichi Ohazama from Miwa Orimono in Fukushima to create a range of contemporary textile products.

I love Toshiyuki’s abstract geometrical patterns inspired by flora and fauna. And due to the weaving technique, a large piece of textile is first produced and then cut into smaller sizes. Hence, each piece in the collection is unique, with no two products alike. The merge of new design and traditional technique is what I love about this range, and I hope that I can add more products (like stationery) from this brand next year.

Tenp textiles range

Our last product launch of the year was Sola Cube and Sola Zukan from Japan. Since I love nature, it is no surprise that I would be drawn towards these tiny cubes that contain a preserved plant. Created by Japanese creative director Koichi Yoshimura from Kyoto who was inspired by artifacts seen at the natural history museum, the small 4 x 4 cm cube offers us a glimpse into the universe. The name ‘sola’ comes from the Chinese kanji character ‘宙’, which means ‘universe’ or ‘blue sky’.

Each cube features a preserved Japanese plant in transparent acrylic resin, and it is handmade by craftsman in Kyoto. Through trial and error over the years, the craftsmen use a vacuum kiln to force out all the air bubbles, which further enhances the beauty of the plant.

To accompany the cubes, a set of botantical learning cards was also created to inspire children and adults to understand the wonders of nature.

I think it is a shame that many people in our world today don’t appreciate and respect mother nature. We keep destroying nature for the sake of technology and profits, and these acts would ultimately bring us inreversible consequences i.e. climate change. I hope that these small cubes would remind people that nature must be preserved rather than destroyed, and we must all act in our own ways to prevent further damage to our planet.

Design & stationery shopping in Western Tokyo

Posted on June 30, 2015 by Toothpicker

d47 design travel store and Tomio Koyama Gallery at Hikarie

Shibuya

d47 design travel store (Hikarie 8F 2-21-1 Shibuya) – Muji is now an international brand that many non-Japanese are familiar with, but in Japan, d & department Project is the fastest-growing household and lifestyle brand in recent years. Established in 2000 by the famous graphic designer Kenmei Nagaoka, it started as an self-initiated project on connecting cities in Japan under the name of ‘design’. The shop name stands for ‘dream design department store’, and their shops sell a wide range of new and recycled furniture and everyday objects that are timeless and functional.

At this store, it offers a collection of traditional Japanese wares, tools, handicrafts, regional specialties and gourmet ingredients sourced from the 47 prefectures of Japan. If you are looking for souvenir with a difference to bring home, then this store is the place to visit.

Top two rows: Postalco; Bottom: Flying books

Postalco (1-6-3 3FL Dogenzaka Shibuya) Founded in New York in 2000 by Mike and Yuri Ableson, the company has since moved to Tokyo, where it creates highly practical and understated stationary and leather goods. Located on the 2nd floor of an inconspicuous building, the quaint shop in Shibuya is not easy to find. Once inside, it is hard not to be drawn towards the appealing leather products and stationery, prices are not cheap but quality and timelessness of the products are the main draws here.

Flying Books (1-6-3 2FL Dogenzaka Shibuya) – Under Postalco within the same building is a cafe and bookshop that stocks an international selection of new and used books and magazines on music, art, design, philosophy and world religions etc.

Shibuya Publishing booksellers

Since I was staying near Shibuya, I was keen to explore the area, particularly on after hours shopping. As a supporter of independent booksellers, I was thrilled when I discovered Shibuya Publishing & Booksellers (17-3 Kamiyamacho, Shibuya), an independent bookshop and publisher that opens from noon until midnight. The shop was designed by architect Hiroshi Nakamura, and there is a illusory mirror-like window that allows customers to see the office behind. This unconventional bookshop is not interested in selling bestsellers, instead it carefully curates a selection of new and used books and magazines on topics like food, culture, art, design, photography and lifestyle. Besides books, the shop also sells an interesting selection of stationery, jewellery and lifestyle products. Being able to linger and browse in a bookshop at 11pm was a luxury that I seldom experience outside of Asia, so I truly cherished my time spent here.

Daikanyama T-site

My after hours shopping continued the following evening at Daikanyama T-site (17-5 Sarugakucho, Shibuya-ku), Tokyo’s most talked-about lifestyle bookstore in recent years. Design by Klein Dytham Architecture, whose design won the World Architecture Festival, it is considered to be a dream bookstore for many. Tsutaya‘s complex comprises of three interlinked two-story buildings with a convenient store, a cafe, a lounge inside and several restaurants outside. I was particularly dazzled by its vast magazine selection, I am not sure if I had ever seen so many magazines at one place before! It is easy to spend hours here, and luckily, the store is open from 7am until 2am, so do enjoy the midnight shopping experience here!

Omotesando

Top, 2nd & 3rd left: Pass the Baton; 3rd right: MOMA design store; Bottom: Comme des Garcons’ Play Box at Gyre

I have previously written about shops in Omotesando, so I will not repeat the list again. I will only add two shops to the list, and one of them is Pass the baton (Omotesando Hills West Bldg 2F, 4-12-10 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku), a contemporary recycle/consignment store that sells not only fashion but also antiques, furniture and crafts. Designed by well-known interior designer Kasamichi Katayama of Wonderwall, the basement shop feels more like a vintage museum, and it even has a small gallery at the back. Don’t expect bargain charity shop prices here, but the quality and selections are a cut above the rest. Many items include a photograph of the previous owner and a personal anecdote from them about each item. Emotive storytelling is an effective communication tool, and the success of this shop proves exactly that.

Quico

Quico (5-16-15 Jingumae, Shibuya) – inside a white building designed by architect Kazunari Sakamoto is a split-level store filled with a well-curated collection of homewares, textiles, fashion, shoes and furniture from around the world. The store also has an exhibition space upstairs.

It excites me to see the products we carry in stores… Top left: Rocca games; Top right: Marusa balloons; 2nd & 3rd rows: stationery and books that I bought on this trip

Design & stationery shopping in Eastern/Central Tokyo

Posted on June 26, 2015 by Toothpicker

My final two Tokyo entries are on shopping, so I hope this will delight a few readers. I have written another entry under the same title 2 years ago, so this is an update/addition to the previous blog entry (click here to read). This entry will focus on Eastern and Central Tokyo:

Kuramae

On this trip, I visited a few new design shopping destinations, and my first stop was the up-and-coming Kuramae neighbourhood, which was featured in Monocle magazine last year.

Unlike the touristy Asakusa nearby, Kuramae is laid-back and relatively quiet. Kuramae means front of the warehouse, and the area was full of rice granaries for the Tokguawa Government during the Edo period. These days, specialist shops, artisan workshops and cafes are scattered around the area, so expect to spend some time wandering and discovering interesting finds.

Kakimori in Kuramae

Kakimori (4-20-12 Kuramae) – As a mega fan of stationery, Kakimori was partly why I wanted to visit this area. This small shop offers a vast array of stationery with a focus on pens, fountain pens and made-to-order (on-site) notebooks. On the day of my visit (which was a weekday), the shop was full of stationery enthusiasts. It is always comforting to see these independent specialist shops thriving in this day and age. Stationery is like comfort food, one can never have too many pens nor notebooks, right? There is a short video on this shop made for Monocle and you can watch by clicking here.

Top two rows: Maito; 3rd row: a leather workshop & showroom; Bottom left: Yuwaeru Shouka; Bottom right: M+ (Mpiu)

A few shops down the street is Maito (4-14-12 Kuramae), a family-run hand-dye specialist that uses only natural materials and dyes. Aside from fashion, accessories, the shop also sells artisan ceramics and similar lifestyle items.

M+ / M Piu ( 3-4-5 Kuramae) – There are many hand-crafted leather workshops/showroom in this area, but this one stands out for its original design, high quality Italian leather and exquisite craftsmanship. The craftsman/owner Yuichiro Murakami used to work as an architect before learning leather craft in Italy, so function and form play important roles in his creations.

Yuwaeru Shouka (2-14-14 Kuramae) – This is an organic food store with an attached restaurant, where you can enjoy a healthy and very reasonable priced set lunch (with a few options) in a relaxing and unpretentious setting.

Quaint toy shops in the area

Aside from the specialist shops, I was particularly intrigued by the quaint toy shops in the area. I have not seen these types of toy shops in other areas of Tokyo. It was only later that I found out about this area’s nick name: ‘toy town’, where you can still find many wholesale toy shops and offices of larger toy companies.

Akihabara

mAAch ecute Kanda Manseibashi Bridge

Akihabara is an area often associated with electrical goods, otaku subcullture (anime and manga) and maid cafes. Yet this area has been going through some transformations in recent years, and one major development project was the conversion of Kanda’s disused Manseibashi station (since 1943) into Maach Ecute Kanda Manseibashi (1-25-4 Kanda-Sudacho), a commercial complex with restaurants, cafés, and design-focus retailers.

N3331 Café

Aside from cool design outlets, one of the main attractions at mAAch ecute is N3331 Café, located between the rail tracks above the arcade. This cafe is ideal for trainspotters, and there were trains passing by constantly while I was there. Admittedly, my lunch set was not at all up to scratch, but I guess people come here for the experience rather than for the food. I think it would even cooler to come for a drink in the evening and watch the world/trains go by!

3331 Arts Chiyoda

3331 Arts Chiyoda (6-11-14 Sotokanda) – Opened in 2010, 3331 Arts Chiyoda is an art and creative space that occupies the site of the old Rensei Junior High School. It offers a residency program open to artists, curators and creative practitioners internationally. On the ground floor, there is a cafe, a design/craft shop, and an art gallery space with regular special exhibitions curated by the organisation. On other floors, there are various galleries and exhibition space featuring resident artists from all the over the world. On the day of my visit, only a few rooms were opened… not sure if it was the ‘wrong’ day to visit, but it was surprisingly quiet and I ended my tour sooner than expected.

2k540 Aki-Oka Artisan

A few blocks north of 3331 Arts Chiyoda is an artisan institution: 2k540 Aki-Oka Artisan (5-9-23 Ueno). This shopping arcade situated under the JR tracks offers an eclectic range of stores selling Japanese-made crafts and designs. There are several notable shops here if you are looking for quality souvenir to bring home: Nippon Hyakkuten (a Japanese design/craft department store), Hacoa (selling contemporary wooden stationery and lifestyle products), Hinomoto Hanpu (selling handmade and water-resistant canvas bags) and Nijiyura (selling hand-dye textiles, tenugui and scarves etc).

Tokyo Station

Kitte – a shopping complex converted from the post office building in Marunouchi

Although I am not a fan of traditional shopping malls, I was curious to visit Kitte (2-7-2 Marunouchi), the newly constructed Japan Post Tower which incorporates parts of the 1933 Tokyo Central Post Office building opposite the restored Tokyo station. Opened in 2013, this 7-floor shopping complex houses 100 tenants, offering an array of restaurants and shops that focus on Japanese aesthetics and manufacturing.

After spending an hour here, I felt that most of the shops here are akin and lack distinctive character. The initial feel-good factor worn off and I was eager to leave. The issue is not with the products, but like most other shopping malls or complexes, the place feels rather soulless. Aside from the facade, there is no trace of the old post office remain inside except for some old photographs being exhibited in a retro dark wood room that overlooks Tokyo Station. Disappointing.

Nihonbashi

Coredo Muromachi in Nihobashi – 3rd row: Kayanoya’s store designed Kengo Kuma

Nihobashi is one of Tokyo’s most historical and prosperous districts. The area has been undergoing redevelopment in recent years, and the latest addition to this area is the Coredo Muromachi complex, consists of three skyscrapers inspired by the Edo Period heritage of the merchant district. The shops here specialise in traditional crafts or local foods from across Japan; I applaud Mitsui group’s endeavour in creating an appealing Edo-style shopping complex targeting at 40+, but I found the layout confusing and it was difficult to navigate from one building to another.

Unlike most other shopping complexes, there is a strong emphasis on fusing traditional Japanese heritage with contemporary design. This is conspicuous in the buildings’ interior furnishings like the floor and wall tiles, which are inspired by traditional Japanese motifs and kimono design.

The shop that is not to be missed is the Fukuoka-based soy sauce company Kayanoya‘s new flagship store designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma. The interior of the shop was inspired by Kuma‘s visit to the company’s production warehouse in Kyushu. Traditional soy sauce-making barrels hang from the shop’s ceiling and special wooden trays/koji buta used in the manufacturing process act as display shelves. Like other food shops in Japan, customers are encouraged to taste and sample their sauces, condiments and other natural produce at the counter.

First to third rows: Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi department store; Last row: Nihonbashi Takashimaya department store

Nihonbashi is the home to Japan’s oldest surviving department store chain, Mitsukoshi, which dating back to 1673. The Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main store was opened in 1935, and it is considered to be the “Harrods of Japan”. Wandering around this art deco store can be an exhilarating experience, especially when you encounter the 4-storey tall wood-carved statue of goddess ‘Magokoro’ in the central hall. This statue was the creation of master craftsman Gengen Sato who spent more than 10 years in completing it. This store is undoubtedly one of the most stunning department stores that I have ever visited, and it reminds us of the heyday of department stores.

If you appreciate art deco design, then it is necessary to visit the nearby Takashimaya Department Store opened since 1933. This was the first department store to be designated as an important Japanese cultural property in 2009. I especially love the art deco interiors, furnishings and lifts/elevators (always accompanied by smiley attendants). The food section in the basement is also very popular amongst the locals.

Top right: Haibara; Others: Saruya toothpick store

There are two notable traditional specialist shops in Nihonbashi, and one of them is Haibara (2-7-1-chome Nihombashi), a washi paper specialist store founded since 1806. If you love washi paper, then this shop will not disappoint, because you can find a variety of traditional washi writing paper, tapes, envelopes, wrapping paper and other paper objects here.

I have been wanting to visit Saruya (1-12-5 Nihonbashi Muromachi) for some time, because it has been producing toothpicks by hand since 1704. Since our company name is related to this product, I felt obliged to pay this store a visit. Most of the toothpicks here are made by hand from lindera umbellata, and some would come in miniature wooden cases with traditional motifs/characters/ names. In some cases, each toothpick is wrapped in a piece of paper with a ‘love fortune’ poem written on it.

I don’t know if Westerners would consider giving toothpicks as presents, but I think they are unusual and functional. Hence, I decided to buy a box to give to my parents back home!

To be continued…

Our new retail stockist: Anthropologie

Posted on December 15, 2014 by Toothpicker

The facade of Anthropologie store on Kings Road

We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to work with Anthropologie, one of America’s most popular retailers this autumn/winter. The company is our first major retail outlet, which is a big step forward for us. It is exciting to see Gongjang‘s eco balance monthly planners in Anthropologie’s inspiring and visually appealing stores across London, and we look forward to working with them again in the near future.

I used to shop at Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters when I was living in New York, and so I was familiar with the lifestyle and fashion brand before they opened their first London store on Regent Street in 2009. I just never thought that I would do business with the company one day!

Kings Road’s Anthropologie store

Anthropolgie has four stores in central London including one in Westfield shopping mall. Their 10,000 square foot flagship store on Regent Street has three floors and an impressive 2,000 square foot vertical garden featuring 11,000 plants. The store is one of a kind on Regent Street, and I love the playful and quirky visual merchandising throughout the store. However, my favourite is their store on Kings Road located inside a beautifully restored Grade II listed former Antiquarius Antiques Centre. The 10,000 square ft space was originally a billiards hall in the 1830s offering an alternative to the pub for working men before it was turned into an antiques centre. I love exquisite original features like stained-glass windows and tile work on the facade, as well as the intricate ironwork inside the building. I think what differs Anthropologie from other high street stores are their unusual and eclectic pick of products (i.e. mixing vintage with contemporary designs and crafty products), and their efforts in creating unique shopping experiences in every store through their carefully planned layouts and highly creative visual merchandising.

Many high street stores complain about businesses being hit by shoppers buying more online, but if they are willing to invest more on visual merchandising and better services to enhance shoppers’ in-store experiences, then shoppers would still choose brick-and-mortar stores over the internet. We live in a highly competitive world today, and if stores/companies don’t step up their games and evolve with changing times, then it is inevitable that they will be pushed out of the market one day.

Regent Street’s Anthropologie store

Gongjang’s Eco Balance monthly planner (in wine and grey) is available to purchase in Anthropologie’s London stores and online via the link here. The store has just opened a new branch in Marylebone, I shall look forward to visiting it soon.

The art of letter writing

Posted on November 8, 2014 by Toothpicker

New paper stationery by Kuroyagiza from Japan

Can you remember the last time you received a handwritten letter from someone? I can’t (postcards don’t count). Have we lost the art of letter writing? Did you ever have pen pals when you were younger? In recent years, authors, designers and retailers are trying to revive this ‘ancient’ way of communications. Even pen pals are making a comeback according to a Guardian article, so perhaps this form of art is not quite ‘dead’ yet.

My love affair with writing paper began during my primary school years, and many of my school friends shared the same passion. We often exchanged cute and wonderful Japanese writing paper with each other, and this activity was one of my fondest memories of my school years. About a year ago, I accidentally discovered a large box containing writing paper that I had exchanged during those years, which certainly brought back many childhood memories.

KUROYAGIZA’s letter sets are delightful and has a nostalgic quality to it

During my secondary school years, I was sent to boarding schools by my parents who reside abroad. Apart from communal payphones, the only way for boarders to communicate with the outside world was through letters. My parents insisted that I wrote a letter to them every week, and so I did. And when I changed schools, I corresponded with friends from my previous schools weekly. Everyday, boarders anticipated letters from friends, families or loved ones, this was our ‘gateway’ to the outside world. A week without any incoming letters could make us feel neglected, we all longed for the connection with people who mattered to us.

Korean design studio Ttable Office’s letter set are heart-warming and imaginative, they evoke innocence and childlike qualities within us

I have a male school friend who has corresponded with me continuously since we left school. We would meet once every few years (because we were both constantly moving to different countries and cities), and even when his outer appearance has changed, his handwriting has not and I would recognise it as soon as I see it. When our correspondence eventually stopped, he would still send me a lovely Christmas card every year with a note attached telling me how he is doing. Last year, I received a Christmas card from him with a photograph of his new family and a note expressing his joy on his new life and future. I could ‘feel’ his happiness through the lines of his handwriting, and I was so over the moon for him. Friendship like this is hard to come by these days, and so I will always treasure it even when we no longer correspond regularly.

Korean design studio Gongjang’s eco letter sets are one of our best selling paper stationery. Many customers also use them as ‘Thank you’ notes.

Writing by hand requires more conscious effort because you don’t want to make mistakes as you can’t delete it and scribbling over it would look messy and careless. We need to think or construct more on what we want to convey before writing it down on paper. And there is no doubt that receiving handwritten love letters or poems through the post is much more romantic than receiving it through emails or text messages.

Due to my passion for letter writing, I have continued to stock writing paper designed by different Korean designers and they have sold surprisingly well. Hence, I want to continue to advocate this form of art and encourage more people to enjoy the magic of letter writing. I discovered Japanese design studio KUROYAGIZA one day, and I was drawn to their wonderful and slightly nostalgic letter paper and mini note sets. I later found out that the designer Junko used to have 30 pen pals around the world when she was younger, which subsequently inspired her to set up her own studio and share her passion through her paper stationery.

You can check out our new range of paper stationery range by KUROYAGIZA, and surprise your loved ones by a handwritten note or letter. Let’s help to revive this art form and not let it drift into obscurity!

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Category Archives: Stationery