Kagure

I have been wanting to write about the shops I went to for my Tokyo trip in December but had to hold it back a little for an article for a local magazine. So now the magazine article is out I can elaborate more about the lovely shops I went. These are probably but a handful of lovely places to explore in Tokyo for things for your home. So we shall start off with one of my favourites. One of the shops we went to was Kagure, in Shibuya, behind the back streets of Omothesando.




Kagure has a green agenda, selling organic products including clothes made from organic cotton, soaps, tea, children's toys and handcrafted, hand beaten homewares in metal, stone, porcelain..imperfect in their handmade nature. The shop itself is so tactile...rough timber planked tables, pebbled stone floor, unpolished metallic racks...on the second floor is a little atelier space. Occassionally they hold exhibitions for artists and craftsmen.


There was a lady doing some handiwork there. We had a conversation with her - or rather she tried to understand us with her unlimited English. We told her we had come the year before when they opened and we loved the shop. She was so delighted. As we left the shop and were walking down the street, she ran after us and handed us two sand-coloured tote bags with the words 'organic' on it and told us it was a gift from the shop. We were especially touched becuse we didn't buy anything then. If I go back to Tokyo I will definately go back to the shop, and I will definately buy something. Maybe a little handbeaten copper ladle, or a trinklet.


They opened a smaller shop in Maurinouchi just about that time, so we went to visit that too. It sold the same things, but outside the pavement was lined with blooms. That and the cool wintry air made the experience so heartwarming.