NISHI-OGIKUBO WITH ROS

Monday, 10 March 2014


There are some interesting towns along Chuo-Line but I have never really been so familiar with this area, the west side of Tokyo. Last week for the very first time in my life I finally got to set my feet on Nishi-Ogikubo a fun little town with many lovely and unique small shops for zakka and antiques. There still are so many great places I haven't been to in Tokyo although I am from here. Ros showed me some of her favourite spots in Nishi-ogikubo, like when she showed me Yanaka Ros always introduces me to a new and exciting parts of my hometown Tokyo. Ros has a very deep understanding and excellent appreciation for the Japanese culture both modern and traditional and how she sees Tokyo and Japan is always very interesting and inspiring to me. Many people think she is Japanese but she's from Singapore who manipulates Japanese and Mandarin (and Cantonese too?) on the equally high business level to her native English. Such an amazing person!

 Ros is also a great fan of Kokeshi, a Japanese folk art wooden doll, and she took me to this really cute cafe called Nishiogi Itochi Tea & Kokeshi seen in the photos above. It was a perfect spot to end our Nishi-ogi rendez-vous! Pop over to Ros's blog to see great shots and read about this place.


And here are addresses for some shops we went:

ていねいに。Teineini - cafe
1-18-1 Nishiogi-minami Suginami-ku

FALL - gallery & zakka
3-18-10 Nishiogi-Kita Suginami-ku

Poefu - selected women's clothing
3-2-3 Nishiogi-Kita Suginami-ku


There are many more to check out, Mogu-chan gave me some of her favorites too so I really need to go back again hopefully soon!





Comments: 0

Nihonbashi

Wednesday, 26 February 2014


A couple of weeks ago I had a roll of film developed finally after so long. I think it was October last year when I loaded that film, or so I thought. Negatives came out all blank and there was nothing there. There was a lot of fun things happening in autumn, I met up with many lovely people I met through my blog and took pictures here and there. I was excited to be finally sharing them here but there is nothing.....

Oh well, I hope this will not happen again. Must be more careful.

The photo is from a lovely little art supply store in Nihonbashi called Yubendo. Obviously it was closed on the day I went, I quite liked how it looked when the store is closed, looked as nice as when it's open.

p.s. Today I've been playing Priscilla Ahn's new album that has just been released, This is where we are, it's really nice and I love it. You can watch the videos on her website :)

Comments: 3

FEBRUARY SNOW

Sunday, 16 February 2014








We have had two snowy weekends in a row, heaviest snowfalls I've ever seen in Tokyo. When it first started to snow last weekend I was remembering how it used to snow so much in my childhood days in Tokyo but it's gotten quite rare to get such heavy snowfalls for many years. But then these two snow storms brought so much more snowfalls than what I can ever remember!

When it snows it's so pretty and exciting, I love how it gets all white and really quiet it's magical. We have to shovel snow and it's quite a hard work but even that can be fun, well but not so much for the second time in one season.

We are very lucky in Tokyo that we only get one or two days like this in one winter so that all or most of it can be just fun and excitement for many of us, but this time it has gotten quite serious in the Yamanashi prefecture and it is a huge worry. With this weekend's heavy snow over 1 metre trains are stopped and roads are blocked leaving many towns and villages isolated throughout Yamanashi. Some people are even locked inside their houses because snow is covering all the windows and doors and they can't get out. So many people are locked in their vehicles for almost 2 days now. How scary could that be....

I hope things will be sorted out as soon as possible and that the damages will be kept at minimum. Sending love and thoughts to people in Yamanashi and other areas that is affected with the unexpected snow storm.
Comments: 4

HAPPY 2014!

Monday, 6 January 2014

Happy New Year from Tokyo!
I hope you are all having a wonderful start to the 2014.
Apologies for abandoning this place for long, the last quarter in 2013 had been totally crazy and frustrating for not being able to find time to do what I want or need to but I finally got to relax a bit during the New Year holidays - phew!

Here is a collection of my Nenmatsu Nenshi 年末年始 (year end, year beginning) instagram pics to remind myself that I did get to enjoy my favourite time of year to spend in Japan (I forgot to take photos from the Oshogatsu お正月 but I did spend it like I have a life YES!).

Big thanks to those who came to visit me and my shop last year, it had been really wonderful to meet so many of you I got to be connected through my blog in real life! Thank you also for your love and support, all the comments and likes (on instagram, facebook etc) have always been a huge encouragement!

I hope 2014 will be a peaceful and jollyful year to everyone!

今年もよろしくお願いいたします。

P.S. Tomorrow I will be having Nanakusa-gayu!


.
Comments: 1

CATCHING UP WITH OCTOBER ON INSTAGRAM

Thursday, 21 November 2013


October seems it's far gone but I wanted to post something about it while I can still call it last month.

This October was the 12th month for my shop since I opened it last year (yes it turned 1!!). I am amazed at the number of people who come in to my shop and say "I read your blog!" and every time I get that I feel so happy (even if they have only looked at it for just a second) :) I have met so many of my blog friends and my dear customers from the web shop from all over the world and I am really happy that now I have this place where people can come visit me and my shop, and of course I'm very grateful  that everyone takes their time to visit. I really appreciate all your wonderful support and encouragements I receive through my blog here too. Arigatou gozaimasu!

There is so much I want to tell you about all the fun and beautiful people I met and things that happened around me last month but I have to leave it till later when I have a bit more time. I've been a real workaholic these days I hope to get through this mountain of  w o r k .  I hope you are all enjoying the change of the seasons.

//

instagram pics from top left: 1. rainbow spotted after a gigantic typhoon passing / 2. stopping for lunch at my very favourite cafe ikanika / 3. enjoying the autumn light / 4. shot from a quick stroll around Nihonbashi / 5. cute ceramic works by polkaros (who will be having an exhibition next month in Tokyo!) and good morning birds / 6. one of the cutest little train stations I came across in Tokyo / 7. my first primoeza sweater ♡ (check out the wonderful new collection soon to be available at elizabeth's primoeza shop) / 8. makoto kagozhima exhibition at doinel / 9. lovely rainy afternoon spent at baishinka (yakumo saryo) - so funny i picked exactly the same sweet from my last visit!!





Comments: 6
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

Instagram