We spent our last day in Tokyo shopping for fabric! For those not in the know, Japanese fabrics – particularly cotton – are absolutely wonderful but inordinately expensive in the UK. Here, there is a whole area of Tokyo which specialises in fabric:
It’s not only fabric but every sewing related thing you can think of: button, leather, braid, lace, fur:
I had done my research and decided to focus on one shop only – the best-known called Tomato. Everyone else was in on the secret as we lined up for it to open at 10.30:
My plan of action was to concentrate on one floor (of the five) and call it a day – we didn’t have much room in our suitcases so there was a limit as to how much I could buy. But the choice was wild! The quality was superb and about a quarter of what I would pay in the UK – if I could get the same stuff.
I wondered around in a daze fondling fabric while Sue took photos:
I made my choice eventually and the expert assistance cut the fabric beautifully:
I lined up to pay for my wonderful lengths:
Sue insisted on capturing my post-shopping elation as we sat with a well-deserved cup of coffee
Our lunch was yakitori in a tiny little place with a couple of tables:
Thank heavens for Google Lens which we have used continuously to read menus, electronic instructions, signs and information:
Our puzzle for the day was this machine
Thank heavens for the English notation although we still didn’t understand how it worked.
We have loved, loved, loved our trip and can recommend Japan as the calmest, most soothing, puzzling, clean, obscure and enjoyable place to visit! We are sorry to be going home but we’ll be back. Thank you for sticking with us as we made our way round Kyushu for your comments and thoughts.
What a way to finish! I’ve always thought the presentation of food in Japan is really fun and surprising. You’ll have loved Fabric Street, without doubt… temptation, temptation…
Fabric Street was indeed just one temptation after another ( well, maybe not the skins and fur) ..
Have a good journey back to UK.
Miriam, were you not tempted by some of the more flamboyant fabrics? From what I could see your choice was a bit more muted. Were they for specific garments you already had in mind?
Well, this is Miriam we’re talking about so yes, there was a plan and yes, specific fabric was sought for specific garments ( shirts in this case and some summer trousers for me). I know what you mean about the more flamboyant fabric designs but, apart from robes, it’s hard to think what you’d use them for. The Japanese palate is very muted – mostly greys and blacks. I occasionally felt quite garish in pale blue..
Oh, those fabrics! Miriam, I can imagine there frenzied delight. Sue did well with documenting. Have a safe journey back. X
Yes, a heavenly place for M to visit ! I took many more pictures of M feeling the fabrics, assessing their weight and drape ( I can now bluff my way through the early stages of a sewing conversation). And we’re safely home!
Safe journey back! Wonderful photos and comments ! Really made me want to visit Japan!
We’ll tell you more to whet your appetite when we see you!
The look of elation on Miriam’s face – post shopping expedition – is a picture. And at least you didn’t have to start queuing at the crack of dawn – although 10.30 does seem a very tardy start for the hard-working Japanese. Have a safe and pleasant – or at any rate uneventful – journey back!
Yes, 10.30 does seem a little relaxed but none of the shops or malls seem to open much before 10. The journey back was, indeed, uneventful though the very stern warnings about the consequences of bad behaviour on Air China were a bit unsettling as was the required disclaimer about the contents of our luggage ( giving the authorities the right to open and inspect the contents..). Ah well, home now.
Safe journey home and thank you so much for sharing this wonderful trip. Never having been to Japan, I’ve learnt so much from reading the blog about somewhere I really know almost nothing about. Don’t think I’ll ever make it there so it’s been great sharing your visit! Judith x
So glad you enjoyed our stories and pictures – Japan is fascinating and baffling probably in equal measures.
I’m sorry to have this mini series come to an end! I’ve so enjoyed every episode – and what a wonderful way to finish, in fabric. You can see the quality in Sue’s photos. Safe home and a big thank you to you both!
And thank you, Tara, for coming with us. I always looked forward to your questions and – apart from the still unresolved issue of dog poo disposal – did my best to give at least plausible answers..
Safe trip home, and thank you for this journey. It seemed as though you were getting further into the strange and unknown as you travelled on, so it must have been good to be grounded in shopping before you left 🙂
Oh yes, always good to be grounded in shopping – and best done at the end of the trip when the temptation to buy just a few more meters of fabric has to be resisted as no room in the suitcases.
And I have loved the blog and the replies to comments. Congratulations on making your way through this puzzling culture.
Thank you, Lian. I’m not sure how much we really managed to understand but having time with friends Maki and Sachi certainly helped – and they were amused by our observations of behaviours they thought were simply normal ( all the stuff about the right shoes for different rooms/ functions etc).
A day and indeed a holiday to remember….thank you for taking us along with you
And thank you for coming along – this really was a great trip!
Many many thanks for sharing every minute of this trip. I hadn’t thought i wanted to go back to Japan – last time was about 20 years ago! However, your experiences and wonderful photos have made me change my mind!
(Did you go to the paper shop, Itoya?, in Tokyo? 8 floors or so of paper! I couldn’t believe it and even framed some of the sheets).
Hi Hermione! Good to hear from you! We didn’t go to the paper shop you mentioned but did spend a great deal of time in the huge stationery department of one of the shops – completely gripping. I’ve never seen so many pens, erasers, notebooks, diaries and gadgets like staplers and scissors. The whole area was patrolled by a benign ( I think) robot offering some service or other…
I very much enjoyed your blogs. I can see that you had a wonderful time having researched it so well beforehand. I had a really good insight from the blogs of interesting aspects of Japan. As an armchair tourist I was rather delighted to focus on the beauty and variety of places you visited. Many thanks for sharing it all.
A belated ( very belated) response, Blaize – so very pleased you enjoyed the trip – M will be delighted you enjoyed the blog. Armchair travel – really what’s not to like? And NO JETLAG!