Jalan Jalan Japan: JR Nippori Station - Yanaka Ginza, Senbei Shop, Pickle Shop

Take a step back in time by visiting Yanaka Ginza (谷中銀座), a quaint bustling shopping street with shops that are lined next to one another like people in a crowded MRT train! The street is made up of a mix of tenants such as Grocers, Hair dressers, Souvenir Shops, Restaurants etc. There’s enough excitement here to fill a shutterbug’s wishlist! As you are walking down the street, there are two traditional shops that you might want to check out:

1) Yanaka Senbei

This shop has a demonstration section and if you are lucky you might catch the chef in action. I love to buy snacks from traditional stores, don’t you? The 4th generation has taken over the business yet nothing has changed.

The most popular flavor among the locals and foreigners is still Katamaru which is made of soy. However two other flavours that are gaining in popularity is Zarame and Goma (Sugar coated Senbei and the other with black sesame)

Senbei - Japanese Rice Cracker it can be either salty or sweet.

谷中せんべい Yanaka Senbei
Address:
〒１１0－００01
東京都台東区谷中七－十八－十八
Tel:03-3821-6421

2) When I asked the owner whether she comes up with new flavours her reply was this is a traditional shop, therefore they do not come up with new flavours. But they have seasonal specialities: For summer they have a miso dip with soya beans that can be served as a dip for cucumber or on top of rice. In October their speciality is clams with soy sauce. The young lady boss told me that pickles go hand in hand with rice. Instead of sprinkling the dried flakes from Daiso on top of your rice, why not bring back the most popular item - Unagi in soya sauce - and serve it together with rice for a change? This 88 year old shop is diagonally located from the senbei shop.

Directions to Yanaka Ginza
Take the North Exit from JR Nippori Station, and walk straight for about 10-15 mins and you will reach Yanaka Ginza.

Jalan Jalan Japan: JR Nippori Station - Nippori Textile Town

Nippori Textile Town is a haven for designers and crafters! The shops here stock different kinds of fabrics and fabric related items beyond imagination. A lesser known part of this shopping spot is that they sell really cheap clothings - the cheapest top I saw was 290 Yen = S$4.50 and it can be found in this shop.

Most of the shops along textile town sell cloth, and the most popular shop is Tomato a fabric and accessories mega mart. There are a couple of specialized shops which differ from the norm and here are some of them:

1) Select Shop-Mix: http://www.selectshop-mix.com/

Mr Toshiyuki Shimoda is an owner of a ball python farm and has about 70 snakes. He uses their skin to make leather goods, such as wallets, journals and even tissue paper pocket holders and markets it under the name of Bp. Supply Japan. He has a huge collection of exotic fabrics – ostrich, frog, seal, shark etc. In addition he sells glass figurings from Chiba, leather soft toys & silver pieces from Tokyo & bags. But the favourite souvenir piece among foreigners is still the craft parts which can be made into a key chain.

Select Shop-Mix
http://www.selectshop-mix.com/
Address: 〒１１６－００１４
東京都荒川区東日暮里５－２４－１０　メゾン小林２０１
Opening Hours: 11:00AM - 6:00PM
Closed on Sundays
It is beside Pop Girl number 45 on the “Sen-I Gai” Map

2) Tansuya caught my fancy, as the shop sells second hand kimonos for just 1050 yen, which is almost the same price as what you will pay for a kimono in the flea markets around Japan. I was not eyeing the kimonos, but the Obijime which is a thin piece of rope that is tied on top of the Obisash. I like using it as an alternative to a sash or belt. Perhaps you can consider doing so too.

Click here to learn how tie an Obijime

Tansu-Ya（たんす屋 (Kimono Shop)
http://tansuya.jp/sh_toho.html
Address: 〒１１６－００１４
東京都荒川区東日暮里５－32－1 コ一ポオギノ 1F
Tel:0120-529-829

* Down the road from Select Shop Mix

3) L. musee LTD(Bead and Button Shop)
The Unique Buttons in the candy jars are a pretty sight. Even if you have no talent in sewing & crafting, you will be extremely tempted to buy them for someone you know. But trust me you will have difficulty choosing what to buy because the buttons come in all shapes, sizes and materials. Ms Kei Honma the owner mentioned that buttons made of traditional wood are a hit among the foreigners, so hopefully this will make your selection easier :) All the buttons are imported from Europe, Italy and France. She also sells her own jewellery line and imports buckles too.

L . muse LTD (Bead and Button Shop)
http://www.l-musee.com/
Address:
東京都荒川区東日暮里５－34－1 Tel:03-5858-6722
Opening Hours: 10:00AM - 6:00PM
Closed on Sundays

Getting to the Textile Town from Nippori Station

At the Station, exit from the South Exit, and head towards the cross roads of Ogubashi-Dori and Nippori Chuo- Dori. After crossing the Momiji Hashi (もみじはし) which means maple leaves bridge you will see this arch.

On the ground, you will spot this sign. Cross the zebra crossing, turn left and follow the road.

When you see this sign you will know you are at Textile Town. Have a wonderful time exploring Nippori Chuo Dori.

You may like to pick up this map at the station.
Select Shop-Mix and Tansu-Ya is near number 45 and L . muse LTD is at number 30

Jalan Jalan Japan : JR Nippori Station - Dagashi Shop

Most of us have heard of Wagashi but have you heard of Dagashi? I read that this area used to be a famous wholesale area for Dagashi. This is one term that is familiar among Japanese children, as many of them have fond memories of visits to neighbourhood Dagashi stores to pick up candies to satisfy their sweet tooth! Now I know how Charlie felt in the chocolate factory as I shared the same sentiments when I visited Ooyashoten. There are over 100 varieties of Dagashi in the shop, with an assortment of flavours. For foreigners, this shop holds the answer to the question of what kind of sweets do Japanese children grow up with? So do drop by this shop for a taste of a Japanese child’s childhood experience and don’t forget to take some home!

Directions to the Dagashi Shop

Retrace your steps to JR Nippori Station and there is a Bus Terminal to the right of the East Exit. Look diagonally across the station and you will spot this building, with Tully’s Coffee on the ground floor. The Dagashi Shop is located on the second floor of this building. Therefore just take the escalator seen in this picture up to the second floor.

大屋商店 Ooyashoten (Dagashi Shop)
Address:
〒１１６－００１3
東京都荒川区西日暮里2－25－1－203
ステ一ションガ一デンタワ一
Tel:03-3801-2530
Opening Hours: 09:00AM - 5:00PM
Closed on Mondays