Nippori Textile Street (Tokyo) discussion thread

Discussion

I just came back from Tokyo with lots of good stuff and lots of regrets. I hope that a discussion thread here will help those going to Tokyo's Nippori Textile Street (or Fabric Street or Textile/Fabric town) to get the best out of their trip. Please share your experiences and recommendations!

List of shops: https://www.nippori-senigai.com/en/shop_category/all-en/

I'll go first:

What I recommend:

Japanese designer fabrics (think Nani Iro and the like) at the Tomato Main shop 5th floor (https://www.nippori-senigai.com/en/shopno/tomato/) and the Tomato select shop (https://www.nippori-senigai.com/en/shopno/tomato-select/)
Liberty London Japan-only prints at the Pakira main shop for wovens https://www.nippori-senigai.com/en/shopno/pakira/ and the Pakira Knit-Kan shop for knits (https://www.nippori-senigai.com/en/shopno/pakira-knit/)
Edwin raw denim (https://www.nippori-senigai.com/en/shopno/edwin-shop/)
Momo for linen and cotton (https://www.nippori-senigai.com/en/shopno/momo/)
Japanese indigo dyed fabric at the Tomato select shop (https://www.nippori-senigai.com/en/shopno/tomato-select/)

Outside of Nippori:

Hobirahobire Ginza store (https://maps.app.goo.gl/z6YB2HjLccApVVH29) also carries Japanese Liberty London and a very comprehensive collection of Sashiko kits

in sewingby CrazyinFrance

96%

2mo

songbanana8

2mo

The most important thing to know about Nippori fabric town is most of the stores are closed evenings and Sundays. I definitely recommend coming between 10 and 4 on a weekday or Saturday to get the full experience!

My sewing teacher recommends Elegance for high quality. I think if you follow them on Instagram you can get a discount. https://www.nippori-senigai.com/en/shopno/elegance/

I also get my notions from Yamayo: https://www.nippori-senigai.com/en/shopno/yamayo-tyuuou/

While you’re there, you probably want something to eat. This bubble tea place is great: https://maps.app.goo.gl/e3TEjxzC48gfVZcX8?g_st=ic

The Vietnamese place right on the main street is under new management and sucks now, instead go to this one it’s amazing, gotta get the Vietnamese coffee: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Gg8JKnamjmiXYdzX6?g_st=ic

Go to Higurashi Bakery for breakfast first and make a day of it: https://maps.app.goo.gl/ZwBhbZqpnzzthQXS9?g_st=ic

Then check out Bar Doo for a drink and dinner after your shopping: https://maps.app.goo.gl/hXiQmtju6ZVTv7tG8?g_st=ic

songbanana8

2mo

Outside of Nippori, you can’t go wrong wandering around Yuzawaya. They have all kinds of arts and crafts materials including yarn, beading, cross stitch, and more. There’s one in Okachimachi near Nippori at the end of Ameyokocho, so you can shop with your travel buddies and then end up shopping for more fabric somehow 😉 It’s not as big as some other locations though.

CrazyinFrance

2mo

I fulfilled 80% of my regrets there! My trip to Nippori was cut short due to baby etc, but thankfully, there was a Yuzawaya (the Johann of Japan?!) nearby.

knockoffazula_

2mo

What was the price range like for fabrics? The liberty prints, linen, etc?

CrazyinFrance

2mo

Japan is experiencing a terrible currency crash at the moment. The liberty prints were at most 3300 yen per meter, which is about... 20 euros per meter or 21 dollars per 1.1 yards? Note that they have a narrower 45 inch width.

Converted back to the European standard of 155cm width, that's still ten euros cheaper, if I did the math right. A meter is about 36 euros here.

Sufficient-Author-96

1mo

[Image]

I couldn’t find photos before hand but I have the map from there.

Sufficient-Author-96

1mo

[Image]

Sufficient-Author-96

1mo

Craft apartment has a massive stockpile of Japanese pattern books.

Clevercapybara

1mo

This thread is such a good resource! I’ve been wanting to buy some pattern books

Sufficient-Author-96

1mo

They have a website and IG.

https://www.instagram.com/craft.apartment.nippori/

User deleted comment

2mo

lizzieduck

2mo

I also recommend second hand stores like BOOK OFF Super Bazaar. There is one in Saitama (less than an hour from Tokyo) that sells used kimono for a very reasonable price. I live nearby and often buy them to break down.

CrazyinFrance

2mo

From my internet research, "garage sales" at temples. I have no info on when, where, how.

armchairepicure

1mo

There are several Etsy stores that sell things like this, just lots of used or dead stock kimono fabric.

I also wanna shout out Sou Sou, which is a Kyoto fashion brand and textile company from which you can order fabric stateside.

Sufficient-Author-96

1mo

I second this! While I shopped fabric town my husband hit the flea market in front of the temple and scored armfuls of kimonos. Some of a lesser quality but many were higher quality vintage fabrics with damaged spots.

TamarindTextiles

1mo

I love Tomato, it's multiple floors of all sorts of sewing stuff.

On the same street, there's also a tiny shop that sells traditional textiles and prints from Myanmar if you like that. Batiks are not from Myanmar but are very popular there so they have lots of those. Can't remember the name.

Nippori as a subway stop is well-connected with the route to get to the airport (Narita), so you might be passing through there on your way into or out of Tokyo anyways and not need to make a separate trip. I think the train that runs to the airport is called the Skyliner.

aerialchevs

1mo

I went in January 2023. Two stores were my faves:

-And Leather (sometimes spelled Andorezza) has beautiful made in Japan leather tools-insanely expensive for me to buy Japanese leather tools in the US, but totally reasonably prices in Japan!

-Satoh Bin has beautiful made in Japan cotton prints. I bought some lovely ones to make gifts for people.

ponytailnoshushu

1mo

Some of these shops have online stores, but they are through Rakuten. I've ordered fabric online from tomato a few times. Always ships fast in Japan and always good quality. If your nihongo is good, you can also call them and place orders.

Personally, though, I find going in person best.

in_an_oyster

1mo

Where was this post when I was in Tokyo in December 😭😭

TamarindTextiles

1mo

100 yen stores that are everywhere, most neighbourhoods have one, have a pretty well stocked arts and craft section as well.