Friday, June 17, 2011

Toto, we're not in Wal-Mart anymore.

I will miss the Kyoto shotengai, or shopping streets. I think you would be amazed at how many tiny shops this city has. Most of them seem to be run by octogenarians, and in Kyoto at least, they seem rather unconcerned about making a profit.

Here is a sample of what I see on the walk up to my boys' school.
Video store.
Books/magazines/comics. Home of Koro-Koro Komiku, to which my boys are addicted.
Senbei shop...
(home of soba boru, our favorite cookies:)
Funky bag/homeware shop.
Hana ya san....
Laundry clips, bath mats, bits of rope, trash bags, bento supplies, ant traps....

Toys (and a decidedly surly toyseller).
Obaachan tops.
Obaachan pants. Some would be short on Max.
My favorite coffee shop, staffed by developmentally disabled adults.
Shisheido cosmetics store, home of these bags.
Kimono shop, and stuff made from extra bits of silk.
Yakitori takeout!
Jammies, pillows, and futons.
Fish shop. I wouldn't want to pass this while pregnant.

Fruits and veggies.
And stuff to serve it on.
Or grow your own.
New little vegetarian cafe. It smells great in here! And they have taco rice. The best.
Recycle shop with various second hand appliances...
Target, Ann Taylor, and Gap seem especially homogenizing compared to this, ne?

3 comments:

  1. morpho cafe would be for me! i like the door handle too.... margaret

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  2. I was never there and I miss it just from seeing these photos
    and congrats on being pregnant. I'll inform everyone here

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  3. You sent us some of the soba boru cookies - they're my favorite too! Do they have egg whites in them - they're so 'light'. Stuff a few in your luggage for Gramma!

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