Lines and Shapes in Kyoto.

Lines and Shapes in Kyoto.

Tuesday, 29 June 2010

This will be the last post on Kyoto (finally). Random but nicely connected shots of lines and shapes of Kyoto. This city kept me so busy with my camera everywhere. It was wonderful. The best shopping I did in Kyoto this time was the copper tea caddy (chazutsu) from the oldest chazutsu maker in Japan called Kaikado. Beautiful chazutsu I had always wanted to own one day, was brought home from their head shop and I am so pleased! I will be enjoying the changes this lovely chazutsu will create after many months and years :)

Comments: 12

INODA COFFEE イノダコーヒー本店 (Kyoto)

INODA COFFEE イノダコーヒー本店 (Kyoto)

Thursday, 24 June 2010

INODA COFFEE is one of the oldest and the most famous coffee chains based in Kyoto. And I went to their head store for a morning coffee. Going into the machiya-style Showa-ish cafe, non-smokers are taken to the smaller building at the back of the main building walking through the lovely courtyard. I really loved all what was there, the cute red coffee pot logo, the coffee cup, the very polite waitress who looked as if time travelled from 50 years ago, the air and the light and...everything. It was quite relaxing just being there, I wished there was a coffee shop like that near my house so I could visit every morning before starting work. But then I realised that I was there having coffee at 8:30 in the morning because I was on a mini holiday having so little time to spend in Kyoto, and if this was in Tokyo I would not be able to do that anyway. Ha!

INODA COFFEE HONTEN (MAIN STORE)
140 Doyu-cho, Sakaimachi Dori Sanjo Kudaru (google map)
Open: 7：00 - 20：00


P.S. Do you know that HELLO SANDWICH now lives in Tokyo? Yes she does!!! Check out what she did on her first day in Tokyo as a Tokyo resident!!

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minä perhonen in kyoto

minä perhonen in kyoto

Monday, 21 June 2010

minä perhonen shops in Kyoto are really so dreamy... Not far from the busiest intersection of the Kyoto city, there it is an old and beautiful building which I would call a minä perhonen paradise. Originally there was only one shop on the ground floor, but they opened minä perhonen arkistot on the level 3 of the same building last year where they stock their beautiful clothing from the past collections. Another shop opened earlier this year on the level 4 is "minä perhonen piece", another gorgeous space they created. There are so many little details which you would not want to miss in each shop like a cute drawings on the windows Mr Minagawa himself did, or sweet little signs hand-written on the walls etc. Wonderful, wonderful spaces!
You can see some images of "minä perhonen piece" here (text is in Japanese).

Shop info in English here.

Comments: 14

Hello Sandwich Tokyo!

Hello Sandwich Tokyo!

Thursday, 17 June 2010

I'm sorry I've been so slow updating blog lately, I still have more to share about my now-seems-like-ages-ago Kyoto trip, and there is a couple of other things I've been wanting to share here but things have been keeping me busy.

One of the things I've been definitely meaning to post about is "the" Hello Sandwich Tokyo Guide Zine. (I got an exclusive hard cover copy with my name stamped on it!) It's been talked about everywhere and I'm pretty sure most of you have already heard about this excellent piece of work of Ebony's, or many of you probably have got a copy but if you haven't this is your lucky day to find out about it!! Seriously, if you love Tokyo or if you plan to come to Tokyo you have got to have this super kawaii fantastic Tokyo Guide by a super sweet girl Ebo-chan who is about to come and move to Tokyo!! She even included some useful Japanese expressions, travel tips and the railway/subway maps too so you don't even need a lonelyplanet but a HELLO SANDWICH TOKYO GUIDE!

Believe me, YOU'VE GOT TO GET IT. And be quick, because it's selling really fast!
　

Comments: 4

Philosopher's Path & Ginkaku-ji, Kyoto

Philosopher's Path & Ginkaku-ji, Kyoto

Saturday, 12 June 2010

After spending some lovely time at Keibunsha and Prinz, I kept on cycling towards the famous Ginkaku-ji Temple and then enjoyed exploring along Tetsugaku-no-michi (Philosopher's Path) enjoying the green and imagining how beautiful it would be when sakura is full in bloom. Must be so dreamy... This part of Kyoto has always been in the list of places I want to go to in Kyoto but I had never been before. (well I did go to Ginkaku-ji when I went to Kyoto on school trips but I don't really remember much.)
I absolutely fell in love with this part of Kyoto!!!!

Have a lovely weekend to you all!
　

Comments: 11

Cycling Around Kyoto

Cycling Around Kyoto

Tuesday, 8 June 2010

Cycling around Kyoto is so much fun, I truly don't know why I never tried it before! From where I stayed near Kawaramachi, I walked to Sanjo station and hired a bike - once I hit the road suddenly felt so free and it was great! I first headed for Keibunsha, the loveliest bookstore in Ichijoji where I found it extremely hard to say good bye to and stayed for quite a long time. Then I realised prinz, another place I always wanted to go to in Kyoto, was close by so I stopped by there for a lovely cup of tea in the sun room at the back overlooking their beautiful rose garden.

(will continue..)

Comments: 19

Kurumi no ki - Nara

Kurumi no ki - Nara

Wednesday, 2 June 2010

I took a VERY quick trip to Nara and Kyoto last week, it was so rushed that I could visit only very few places. Kuruminoki is a lovely little shop & cafe that is set in sweet little cottage like buildings. Although it is not so conveniently located - a bit out from the central Nara area, it's been there since they opened it 25 years ago when all these now-very-popular natural style cafes and zakka shops weren't even seen in Tokyo. Kuruminoki had been on my list of places I want to go to for some years and I finally made it and.... I instantly LOVED it, the shop, cafe, the gardens, the whole atmosphere were just perfect!

I had a beautiful lunch in there, though I had to wait for over an hour to be seated. I know it's crazy but I had no choice other than to wait coming all the way from Tokyo for it. But actually, I could spend hours there sitting at the bench reading a book, it's just so nice being there! I don't know why there is no place like that close to me really. I will definitely go visit there again when I go to Nara next time. If you have some extra time in Nara, please do try going there.

Kuruminoki
567-1 Horen-cho Nara City (google map)
You can take a bus #13 from Nara station and get off at "Kyoiku-dai Fuzoku Chugakko", Kuruminoki is right near the railroad crossing.

Comments: 11

Winners!

Winners!

Wednesday, 2 June 2010

Sorry I said I'd announce the winners for my photo book giveaway on Sunday evening, but I hadn't the time till tonight... but finally the 2 lucky winners have been drawn! They are....

Elisabelle and Mariana!

I was really overwhelmed that so many of you entered for the chance to win and your wonderful comments warmed me up as they always do. Thank you so so so very much! I'm sorry I could only make it to 2 winners, but congratulations Elisabelle and Mariana ;)

P.S. Quite a few people have so kindly asked if they could buy my photo book. (Oh you people are so sweet!) And yes, I am trying to find the best way to sell this book (how I made this one costs more than what you would pay for just this little thing..). Please bear with me and I will let you know when I am ready! Thank you so so much for your support once again!

Comments: 3