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OH I AM SO IN LOVE WITH YANAKA!

Yanaka made me feel as if I were somewhere like Kanazawa, it didn't feel like Tokyo at all to me and that feeling was quite interesting. It has all the shitamachi (areas where we find old Tokyo*) feel everywhere, but still it felt so much different from other shitamachi areas that I have seen in Tokyo like Asakusa, Nihonbashi, Kanda etc. Not just because there are many traditional shops, but there is definitely something that is so unique about Yanaka, I don't know what it is I need to go back to get to know more about this lovely quaint neighbourhood. (I should probably say Yanesen area not just Yanaka, which stands for Yanaka, Nezu & Sendagi.)

I enjoyed strolling around every street around Yanesen Area with Ros and Kat, what a fun afternoon we had there!
There are so many traditional shops scattered around everywhere, 2 of my favourites seen in the above photos are Isetatsu - lovely washi chiyogami paper store since 1864, and Koishikawa Kintaro-ame - the. best. lolly. shop. ever!  We all loved that man at the lolly shop he was so sweet.

Matsuno-ya (top photo) was one of the shops I had always wanted to check out. Great place to find non mass-produced well crafted daily goods for home made by Japanese artisans.

More from Yanaka in the next post!


Isetatsu
2-18-9 Yanaka Taito-ku 110-0001 (google map)

Koishikawa Kintaro-ame
1-22-12 Nezu Bunkyo-ku 113-0031 (near Nezu Shrine) (google map)

Matsuno-ya
3-14-14 NishiNippori Arakawa-ku 116-0013 (google map)

22 comments

  1. oh it would be a dream to be there!!!! SO SO BEAUTIFUL!!!! thank you for sharing Hiki!!!
    Ishtar

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    1. Thank you Ishtar, I'm glad you enjoyed the pics :)

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  2. this neighborhood seems like heaven to me :)

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    1. I'm really happy that you enjoyed my Yanaka photos! Thank you for your lovely comments ;)

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  3. There is something about Yananka that's revealed in your photos. A rustic, nostalgic feel?

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    1. There is really special feel to the Yanaka area, yes rustic and nostalgic, and more...

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  4. Looks like a wonderful little area. I'd love to visit that shop in the first photo.

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    1. That shop in the first photo is so lovely. It really is a wonderful little area! :)

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  5. everything looks so delicate and fresh. i wish i could visit just one day...

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    1. I wish you could visit here even for a day too....a day would be too short though as there are so many attractive corners to be found! ;)

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  6. こんいちわ Hiki,
    seems like my earlier comment didn't come through.. Anyway I wanted to say thanks for telling about Yanaka! Next time I'll definately visit. Have a nice weekend Hiki.

    / hanna

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    1. Hannaちゃん こんにちは!!
      I really think you and Jukka would love this area, it's full of lovely shops and interesting things to be found. You can easily spend a whole day here. Hope you are having a lovely weekend Hanna!!

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  7. Reading your posts and looking at all your great photos definitely makes me want to go and visit Japan!

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    1. That is so nice if these of my photos made you want to come to visit Tokyo! I hope one day it will happen :)

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  8. Lovely place...and even more lovely pictures..

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your kind words are always welcome and appreciated! arigato :)

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