Asakusabashi

One of my favorite places in old Tokyo is Asakusabashi.  Many places are wholesale shops.  There are so many that it would take weeks to explore them and we may not even scratch the surface.
Shimojima is right outside the Asakusabashi station on the red line.  Seven floors of all kinds of office supplies, boxes, packaging, wrapping, craft supplies, kitchen and hardware items to seasonal holiday decor.  Halloween decor was featured last week.  Yes, Halloween in Japan.

Japanese Fashion Trend? Out here?

Tokyo, known as the fashion capital of the new and innovative, home to Hello Kitty, had nothing for me.  I had accepted the fact that Japanese design trends was only for the young and thin. 

Tokyo is the hotbed of Japanese fashion design.  But after five days of fabulous shopping and eating, I had yet to find Japanese style for this body.  Alas, woe to the aging boomer body.  Or so I thought. 

Way down south, way out side of Hiroshima is Kurashiki.  No one would accuse this little town of being a fashion trend setter.  But, I found artists village going up among the traditional old wooden shop fronts.  And a clothing shop just made for me!

Yomogi is one of two shops in the old-town section of main street Kurashiki.  By now, my eye was trained to ignore clothing boutiques, so when I glanced at this one, I saw old ladies like me perusing the racks.  Hmmm...if there's something for her, I thought, maybe, just maybe, there is something for me. 

So in we went, Susan and I, just to look.  Well, we hit the jackpot among the light weight summer cottons, loose, elastic waist pants, A-line blouses, tunics and assorted T-shirts.  And so reasonably priced too.  But as suspected, not made in Japan.  However, the quality of the sewing impressed this garment-o,  French seams, bias bound seams, everything clean finished!  Techniques not seen since last century, and probably not even taught in schools. 

Let the Adventure Begin-- to Hiroshima, Japan

As I age, time does seem to fly by; maybe the earth is spinning faster???  Made it through another Legislative session at the Capitol.  This one had me working harder and learning many new things.  I even got to enjoy reading bills and began to understand the state procurement process!  How's that for crazy?

As a reward and to decompress and detox, I am traveling to Japan this month.  My good and patient traveling friend, Susan has planned a fabulous: 3 days in Tokyo, 2 days in Kyoto and 4 days in Hiroshima.  Having not been to Japan in 17 years, I have been anticipating this trip for the last month during the waning weeks of the session.  It was the 'carrot' that kept me going through those long days and nights. 

It is also another campaign year and the usual fundraiser, sign waving, brochure writing and walking the district is waiting for me when I return.  But for now, I will escape to a foreign land.

My Bow Wow micro Bistro blog is finally got a look.  The logo is finished and the "branding" will now begin.  (Watch this space)