zakka | Tokyo Kawaii, etc.

Tiger in Osaka

Posted by: kirin on date

Jan 19th, 2013 | filed

Gosh! I needed so much time until I finally update this post since I came back from Osaka…late December! x__x

There’s a famous zakka shop (zakka means daily goods in Japanese) in Shinsaibashi, Osaka. That’s Tiger Copenhagen! This is the only store we have in Japan. Yes, the very first store in Japan isn’t located in Tokyo, but in Osaka! The store is so famous for its popularity, because people make a long long line to come into the store for shopping. Well that was the news I heard when the store opened and I didn’t think the line is still long even today!!

I was accompanied by my Osakan friend who hasn’t felt like checking this store out until that day with me because of too many people’s waiting all the time.

When we got there, we were shocked to see many people making a line, waiting to get into the store. A security guard told us, “Here’s the end of the line. I think you’d wait for 40 minutes or so.” I’d give up waiting if I were alone but having my long-time-no-see friend with me, I thought I could chat with her while we were waiting.

As it turned out, however, 40 minutes was not necessary. The line moved so quickly and I guess we only waited for 10 or 15 minutes. So this is a picture I took from inside the store. Still many people waiting, huh?

I’ve never been to Copenhagen and so I have no idea how the original shop looks like, but speaking of this store in Osaka, I have to say it’s not shopper friendly! Why? Well, it’s sort of difficult to explain this, but we, the shoppers have to go one way because the goods are displayed along with a series of arrows. So what happens there is…like there is a long line of people inside the store too that moves into only one direction. So when you want to skip a certain area because you are not interested in those goods, there’s no way you can do that. You have to wait until the people in front of you move forward.

I made a big mistake, which I noticed when I was on upper floor. I didn’t pick up a shopping basket that was only available at the entrance of the store. I only noticed that after I reached the upper floor. This is nothing serious at any other stores, but in this store, it means I had to move reversely in the flow of the people. Against the people moving forward, I had to go back, weaving my way to go back to the entrance, and after I picked up the basket, I had to take extra unnecessary time and effort to wait for the people moving forward again because there’s no shortcut, only one way to get back to where I was in the upper floor.

It’s quite useless, very inconvenient and totally nonsense to the shoppers!
As for the goods there, I’ve noticed there are too many boxes. Some are cute but some are not.

Some cute containers, too. As for stationary, I saw some black and white simple notebooks and etc. But then I’d prefer MUJI. Some had a sort of kawaii pictures on, but that was not really my taste.

Oops, this sounds like I’m complaining, but not really. I found some really cute zakka as well. I bought some as souvenirs to my friends and to myself.

I also saw something weird and funny. This is connected to an iphone or a smartphone. How would you like to use such a thing? Do we need it? lol

They sold some really cute shopping bags for 50 yen or so. I liked a few of them!

My overall experience of first time shopping at Tiger Osaka was honestly something like this: I might want to come back there one day again but not for the next few years even if I lived in Osaka. I don’t think the shopping experience and what I can get there is competitive to those of other stores. I mean, some goods are really cute there but some similar goods can be purchased at a 100 yen shop, a 300 yen shop (such as 3 coins) or a MUJI or whatever others. Being Japanese kawaii seeker, I also perceived the cuteness they had (such as a post card, notepad and etc.) was slightly different from ours. I could easily imagine I’d get cuter one at a shop like OUTLET, FrancFranc or SWIMMER for example.

Have you been to Tiger in your country or in Copenhagen? How was your shopping experience then? Was it better than mine? Did you find something kawaii there? Share with us your experience!

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Tags: Osaka, tiger copenhagen, zakka

Daichu -Asian zakka + panda goods?!-

Posted by: kirin on date

Jul 21st, 2012 | filed

Filed under: Kawaii Shop

Asian zakka shop
Daichu (大中)
store locations: several locations in Kanto, 1 shop in Niigata, 3 shops in Kinki and Tokai, and 1 shop in Kyushu.
(The pictures for this post were taken at the store in Kawasaki atre.)

The other day after work, I found such kawaii panda goods sold at Daichu. Daichu is a shop that basically sells Asian zakka. It was a bit surprising to find them selling so many panda goods there. Speaking of panda however, Shin Shin, the giant panda at Ueno zoo just got a baby sometime ago but unfortunately the baby died only on the 6th day. I have no idea if the Shin Shin’s delivering her baby had anything to do with so many panda zakka. Or, they sell panda goods all the time because panda is from China and it’s an Asican zakka store and it’s natural they have Chinese themed goods…

Whatever…I found they are so cute!

Zakka shopping in Jiyugaoka

Posted by: Apple on date

Jan 10th, 2011 | filed

Filed under: Rambling

(It’s a post from Apple)…sorry I forgot to mention it -by Kirin

I really really like 雑貨(zakka).

Do you know what is zakka? According to wiki, it is everything and anything that improves your home, life and appearance.

But to me, zakka is more than that. It’s the little things that add colour and charm to the otherwise everyday routine and ordinary life. I especially appreciate handmade zakka. Zakka can make me feel very happy inside!

Zakka that I am particularly interested in is room zakka. I squeal over pretty and cute drawers, photoframes, clocks, lamps, vases, stools, toys, bedsheets, pillows, small tables, mirrors, 2-seaters and so on. I really like to see all these inspiring room furniture and imagine how they would look in my room.

I also like zakka that can be found in the kitchen! For example, colourful chopsticks, cute spoons and forks, pretty bento boxes, dainty plates and bowls, charming glasses and cups…

Zakka is better seen than described I suppose. Haha!

Well, anyway, I had a stroll with my long-time Japanese friend one fine summer day in one of the places in Tokyo with many zakka shops – Jiyugaoka.

Let me share with you some pictures I took while in Jiyugaoka~ ^^