Misuyabari Handmade Needle Shop - Kyoto

If you've been to Kyoto the chance is you always want to go back. Well at least for me. There so many things to explore and it sort of easier to base in Kyoto and visiting nearby places and if you have JR Pass it will be very useful. 

From The top of Kyoto Station

This time we stayed in Smile Hotel Shijo. The hotel location is very strategic with easy access to subway and bus. The day we arrived, we took a local subway from Kyoto Station which turned out rather confusing. The next day we decided to take the bus and it was much easier because the bus stop is just a few feet away from the hotel. Well, it's always wise to explore your option.

Love this old style shop. 

Yesterday I was watching J-Dorama A Sharply Graceful Girl  and the location is based in Kyoto. In one of the scene it is mentioned that Kyoto street is rather confusing for outsider. And yes it is! Especially in and around the market. One day we wanted to go to the handmade needle shop Misuyabari. The shop is high on our list since we missed it last time. 

I think this is the market entrance to Misuyabari Shop

Thank God for the blog post from Okan Arts we finally made it there, after an hour or so walking. Okan Arts post gave photo guide how to find the shop, but it's still very tricky. Since the shopping arcades all looked very similar. 

We looked the pictures from Okan Arts very closely to find more details and finally with the help of Google map and the blog we found it! The shop was almost close by then but the owner is very nice and cheerful. We brought home a few needles too! 

Here are a few pictures 

Zen Garden in front of the Shop

shop shop shop!! 

Cute Needle Pins <3

The Handmade Needle - Price is for a single needle

More cute pins 

Needles case set

Please check more photos HERE

Thank you for stopping by

Have a nice weekends

~ Elvira ~

Tokyo International Quilt Show 2019

The Tokyo International Quilt Show held annually at Tokyo Dome. It needs no introductions. Last January, I've been very lucky to be able to go and see for the 3rd time  and it still never failed to amaze me. The quilts and the people.

We were lucky to be given free opening ceremony tickets (read in my previous post) and we were there before 9 AM on the opening day! We stayed in Mystays Hotel Higashi Ikebukuro which has easy access to Tokyo Dome. From the hotel, you can take either JR line from Otsuka Station to Suidobashi Station or Subway Marunouchi Line from Shin Otsuka Station to Korakuen Station (This is the fastest!) and great view too. 

It was really amazing experience since  we could see all the displayed quilts before the crowds entered.

look at those bags!!

Without further ado, here are few of my faves! You can see more pictures HERE

Grand Prix 1st Place

Chiyoko Takayama

Winner of Youth Category

And the crowd favorite!

The Kimono Quilt - There are 1500 of them !!

Different Colors and Different Style

Reversible Quilt

Side #1

Side #2

Main display featuring Monet's Garden - my fave!

The Monet's Garden was simply marvelous! The artist's interpretation from the real Monet's garden was simply amazing! 

2 happy girls outside the Tokyo Dome :D

Once inside the Dome, we were lost in the quilt wonderland! Before we knew it, it was dark and time to head out with a box full of fabrics & books and head full of ideas. The quilts, the shopping, the generous people! Like someone wrote on her blog, going to Tokyo Quilt Festival was like watching Olympic . Absolutely right! Quilt Olympic that is! 

Check out the rest of the photos HERE 

Thank you for stopping by and reading my blog.

Have a nice day!

- Elvira-

Tokyo Discovery Day 2

The previous day, we went to Swany and I bought a few half yard cuts mostly suitable for making wallets and bags. The shop has 3 sections in different floor, but since it was almost closing time, we only explored the 2nd floor which mainly section for bag making. And if your purchase is more than certain amount, you could get any bag pattern for free.Yes, the pattern for all those bags that are on display!

Swany Yokohama

 On Day 2, we wanted to visit Country Quilt Market fabric shop. But first, in the morning we visited Inokashira Park near Kichijoji Station. The park is huge with many recreational facilities, a shrine, zoo and pond. The area around the Kichijoji station is really worth checking out. Many antique and vintage shops, cafe shop with interesting design. I think it's called for the second visit and hopefully in different season ;)

Inokashira Park

From Kichijoji station we headed to Country Quilt Market in Nishi Ogikubo.  It's a little fabric heaven! I say, they have my kind of print and colors!! It's a 2 storey shop. On the ground floor, mainly fabrics from pre cut to yardage. On the 1st floor, they have laces, button and liberty fabrics. I had to hold on my wallet extra tight here. LOL

Country Quilt Market

They also have a small room where classes are happening. I can easily spend a day in this shop!

The owners are super nice and they even gave us a free ticket to Tokyo Quilt Show. Opening ceremony tickets! Thank you so much!!!

At Country Quilt Market

I love the Hexies Tile 

We had an appointment to meet mbak Sari from Handcraftku at lunch time, so we had to leave the shop but not without filling out small suitcase with lovely fabrics! 

Indonesian Halal Food!! at Bintang Bali 

Love the Roof at Okubo Station

After lunch, we planned to go to another Patchwork Show which according to the post we saw on Facebook was happening in Tokyo Hilton. We supposed to catch the shuttle bus from Shinjuku station but we got lost in Shinjuku LOL. Who doesn't?? We could not find the Shuttle bus stand!! Anyway, it was not meant to be, but there was an interesting story related to this when we were in Osaka. That will be in my next post!!

Alright, if you're a muslim traveller and looking for a praying room, there was one in Takashimaya Shinjuku. The room is quite spacious and we spent few mins here to read our prayers. 

Since the Hilton plan failed and we were in Shinjuku we decided might as well we go to Okadaya. The best thing about Okadaya is they have everything craft related from Quilting, embroidery, knitting, crochet, etc! and plenty of fabrics!! 

Stay tuned for next post about The Great International Tokyo Quilt Festival. 

Thank you for stopping by!

Have a nice day!

Elvira

Tokyo Discovery Day 1

Hello March!

I know it's been almost 2 months since I've written my last blog post. Life has been a bit hectic after I came back from my Japan trip. Custom orders, the boys exam, etc. Now the boys are on their way to Delhi for the Cricket Exposure trip and I guess it's good time to catch up on the blog posts and sorting out photos. 

 For those who followed me in Instagram, you must have seen a few stories and photos I shared. 

This time, we decided to be an early bird. Everyday we would go out early and explore as much as we can. We went to visit few fabric shops, parks and museum. 

Here's the summary of my Tokyo Visit (click the link under the photo to see more pictures)

Ueno Park 

 That was me and my luisa bag in Ueno Park. We went early to visit Ueno park while waiting for Amuse Boro Museum to open. 

If you're a textile enthusiast, you must visit this Amuse Boro Museum which is just outside the East Gate of Sensoji Temple in Asakusa, Tokyo

We spent more than 2 hours in the museum and it was not a big museum! The history behind each pieces that was displayed and looking at hundred years of quilts was just an amazing experience. Let the photos tell you the story. 

Vintage Boro Quilts

Vintage Boro Cloth

There are theatre showing the history of boro cloth too on the top floor and there was exhibition hall/ shop on the ground floor. We passed through the museum during our last visit, but it just didn't strike us that it was the Boro Museum. I mean, when you see sign "Amuse Museum" you will think of something futuristic, right? And on the ground floor being the shop, we thought it was just souvenir shop! 

the view from the Boro Museum terrace 

From Boro Museum we went to have lunch at Halal Naritaya which actually on the opposite gate (west gate), but somehow the google map take us for a ride and we go around from the Sensoji Temple main gate. If you're in Asakusa and looking for halal ramen, you might want to visit it. 

From Asakusa, we went all the way to Yokohama to check out Swany Fabric Store. I will write another blog about our fabric shopping adventures. So stay tuned!!

Swany Yokohama

Yokohama

That was our Day 1 in Tokyo! 

Stay Tuned for the next day! 

Thank you for stopping by,

Have a nice day!

Elvira