Fabric Shopping in Tokyo

My Japanese fabric stash can be easily categorised: designer (including Nani Iro and Kokka), kawaii (cute), and retro. The fabrics with the retro feel are mostly - except for the ones on the hanger directly below - of American origin, and are fat quarters or half metres of quilter's fabric. But I'm a sucker for retro and they are well suited to some new products I am busy working on.


If you're going to Tokyo looking for fabric Okadaya in Shinjuku is a must, particularly as they have all sorts of craft and sewing supplies including lovely ribbons and trims and a fabulous floor of craft books. Also the famous Tomato stores in Nippori Fabric Town. There's a little shop on the corner before Tomato that has some Nani Iro fabrics cheaper, as well as some cute prints too. After spending a lot of time in Tomato I didn't have the energy (with my cold) or the finances(!) to venture to other fabric shops in Nippori - but there is a whole street of them. Good advice which I read on another blog is to take a little wheely suitcase. I stupidly ignored that advice thinking that I wouldnt buy much!


Now that I am home I wish I'd bought more fabric in Japan... there's always next year!
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