Day 4 – Tokyo Treasure Hunting

The day was a sunny one; it’s like there were no showers the day before. A perfect day for being out in the open air and making the most of the weather. It’s a Sunday. I walked to the Tokyo International Forum, where I knew there’d be a flea market of various goods taking place, from kimonos to pottery, jewellery and decorative items.

It was, dear Reader, busy. The rumours were true, you could find yourself a kimono for as little as ¥1000, but that would mean nothing if you don’t get an obi (wide belt), and the rest of the accessories. The stall with the kimonos was like a bowl of porridge to a choir of Goldilocks, and I didn’t stand a chance, bear or not. So I decided to take a stroll around the market, collecting images, and snippets of conversations between merchants and buyers. Ultimately, a market is just as much about the people, as it is about the goods they sell or buy.

Having taken a mental note of various items of interest to compare with other flea markets I’ll hopefully attend, I headed off to my next destination, a popular place with the crowds.

Sensoji Temple

It the busiest I’ve ever seen it! Here, you truly progressed with a snail’s pace. As it was a sunny day, it felt more vibrant than last year, and way more populated. I narrowly missed out on the ceremonial parade of the white heron: Shirasagi-no mai, dating way back to the Heian period, performed on the 2nd Sunday in April and during the Culture Day Holiday (3rd November this year). I saw images of it later online, and it was a beauty, fleeting, in my case.

Meanwhile, I opted for a savoury treat from one of the stalls, and through the forest of candied strawberry and towering matcha ice creams, I paid a visit to my favourite jewellery shop. It has a wide collection of accessories in all colours, and you’re bound to find something pretty. I got me 4 pairs of earrings, and a brooch, but I I could get more.

Next, I headed to a nearby kimono shop, which I knew from several accounts to have a very knowledgeable seller and many items of good quality in decent prices. It was indeed the case, and I was out with a bargain within 30min and a desire to go back for more.

Last in the shops’ list was a pottery ware shop, a few minutes away from the temple. Advertisement and mentions on SM truly do make a difference these days. There was a long queue that seemed to occupy all the space inside the store, so much so that the ‘entrance’ and ‘exit’ signs were no longer visible. There were also locals coming in for a bargain, and having a look at what was on display outside. I opted against joining the queue, first cause it was highly risky to walk into a tight space with valuable goods on shelves, carrying big bags. I also would return to Tokyo at the end of the month, so there’s always that.

Tobacco and Salt Museum

I had spare time in my hands, and decided against further shopping and I picked a random item from my Tokyo itinerary. This day it happened to be a ‘free ticket’ day, as the ladies at the counter cheerfully informed me. Up the escalator I went to find out about these two goods, both of them monopolised at some point in their history and the importance they had in the economy of Japan (and the world). Salt occupied one floor, while tobacco the other. There was also a special exhibition on snuff boxes, pipes and paraphernalia, which also had an array of exquisite items on display.

The nicer surprise of the Museum was the smoking room. I can guarantee, dear Reader, that the T&S Museum in Tokyo, has by far the nicest Smoking Room you’ll encounter in your travels, and are able to access for free (or the Museum ticket fee, in other occasions). I’m sure there’s private clubs out there, and cafés, and restaurants and other honourable establishments that can and probably do better. But having seen the smoking areas in the stations, and a cafe, this was like a first class upgrade.

I left with the best of impressions of its staff, premises and displays. Though I may have no reason to revisit soon, it’s definitively a nice memory. The museum shop sold snuff bottles, from ¥1650 upwards, soap, salt from various regions, postcards, and tobacco among other items.

*Umbrella term for a range of attires that come in a variety of colours, fabrics, designs, and sleeve lengths, all of which indicate the sex, function, age, and status of the wearer.