vol.4 Sustainable shopping at YNKs

#Sustainable shopping at YNKs (1)

The word “sustainable” is a key term of our time, but if we look back several hundred years to the Edo period, we see that it was a recycling-oriented society. In the Yaesu, Nihonbashi, and Kyobashi areas, where the culture of Edo still thrives, we might discover sustainable items from that period. With that kind of intention, we strolled around the city.

When I give someone a gift, I have started to consider the story behind the gift. We want to give our loved ones gifts that are both eco-friendly and thoughtful for the future, along with the stories behind them.

Brooms of Shirokiya Denbe

Shirokiya Denbe was founded in 1830. It is a long-established broom shop that has been in Kyobashi since the Edo period. At that time, tatami mats were becoming increasingly popular in the town of Edo (the former name of Tokyo), creating a demand for tatami cleaning tools. Brooms made from Trachycarpus, which were created before this time, were not suitable for cleaning tatami mats due to the powder that was released when they were first used. The quick-tempered people of Edo wanted a broom they could use right away, which led to the creation of brooms made from the summer cypress.

Shirokiya Denbe’s brooms are still handcrafted one by one from the summer cypress, just as they were during the Edo period. When we visited the store, we saw a craftsman weaving brooms.

In contemporary Tokyo, where many people live in apartments, brooms are experiencing a resurgence in popularity. A broom allows you to clean quietly at night after coming home from work late. Plus, it is effective on tatami mats, wooden floors, and carpets. It does not take up much storage space; you can simply hang it on the wall.

There are subtle differences in sweeping characteristics among broom types, including the firmness of the grass, the softness of the tips, and the weight. At the store, customers can test out the brooms and choose the one they like.

Robot vacuum cleaners are popular today, but unlike machines, brooms are tools that give humans full control. As you keep using the broom, it starts to fit your body and movements, really becoming part of you. No electricity is needed, and the materials come from nature. Even if the tip of the broom becomes a little frayed, you can still use it by simply trimming the end. Begin by using the broom for indoor cleaning. Once the tip becomes shorter, you can switch to using it for outdoor cleaning. He says you can continue using a single broom this way for about ten years. When the broom reaches the end of its life, it can be incinerated and returned to nature.

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Broom-making techniques from the Edo period have crossed time and space to reach Indonesia.

Today, as the summer cypress—the primary material for brooms—is rarely produced in Japan, most brooms are now made with summer cypress sourced from Indonesia. President Nakamura personally visits the production site in Indonesia to oversee the cultivation of summer cypress and to train local craftsmen. This has become an industry that engages villagers and provides substantial employment. This is the epitome of SDGs!

Shirokiya Denbe

Address: Shiroden Building 1F, 3-9-8 Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0031

Business hours:

Open Monday to Saturday and holidays (10 a.m. to 7 p.m.) Closed Sunday

POSTALCO Snap Pad

POSTALCO is a store located in the spacious galleria of Kyobashi Edogrand. Originally started in Brooklyn, NY, it is now a Tokyo-based brand offering stationery and clothing. They create everyday products that incorporate traditional Japanese craftsmanship techniques.

The items available in the store are environmentally friendly, including products made from PFAS-free materials, which do not leave permanent chemical residues.

One noteworthy stationery item in the store is the Snap Pad. This is a notebook that you can personalize and make uniquely yours. With just a two-hole punch, you can add any paper to create your own customized notebook. The original refills sold in stores are excellent, but you can also use the back of any paper, such as advertisements and leaflets. You can keep using it indefinitely by simply replacing the paper as needed.

The pressed cotton material used for the cover will gradually fade with use, much like denim, allowing the color to develop a unique character over time. The snap buttons are also said to enhance their unique textures. It reflects that the products were designed with the intention of long-term use.

POSTALCO

Address: 1F of Edogrand, 2-2-1 Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0031

Business hours:

Monday to Sunday (11 a.m. to 7 p.m.)

#Sustainable shopping at YNKs (2)

I have gone through the cycle of buying things and then discarding them.

Until now, I have repeatedly bought items I chose without any particular passion for them only to throw them away later. However, we firmly believe in selecting and purchasing high-quality products that we can continue to use for a long time while repairing them as needed. In this second session, we visited a long-established store that also offers repair services.

Nishikan-Honten

Nishikan-Honten is a long-established hardware store that has been in operation since 1854. They carefully select and sell only high-quality hardware ranging from trowels and tools used by professional craftsmen to kitchen knives and nail clippers for home use. While we were at the store, many foreign tourists were visiting. In addition to selling hardware, the store also provides knife sharpening and key-making services. In the back right corner of the store is the knife sharpening workshop. They meticulously sharpen knives by transitioning through various sharpening stones, starting with coarse grinding stones, moving to medium ones, and finishing with fine stones. A smooth sliding sound indicates that the knife is being sharpened properly.

Each knife is sharpened individually before being placed on the store shelves for sale.

When we asked for an interview with Nishikan-Honten, they told us to bring our own knives. He said, “It’s better to actually try sharpening it yourself than just hearing about it.”

My actual experience of sharpening the knife taught me that it is important to not only see with our eyes but also to listen with our ears and feel the subtle sensations with our hands. I also found that sharpening a knife for about 30 minutes was harder work than I had anticipated.

“How often should I have my knife sharpened?” This is a common question, and the response was, “It depends on the person using the knife.” Different people use knives in various ways and at different frequencies. Therefore, you should trust your instincts to know when it is time to have your knife sharpened.

Left: Nishikan-Honten’s trowel, which is used by plasterers. More craftsmen visit the store on rainy days.

Right: A photo of the original Nishikan-Honten It is still located in the same place.

Nishikan-Honten

Address: 1-1-10 Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

Business hours: [Monday to Friday] 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; [Saturdays] 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Regular holidays: Sundays and public holidays

https://nishikan-honten.com/

Kuroeya

The next stop was Kuroeya, a well-established lacquerware shop that has been in business since 1689. They offer a wide range of lacquerware, including tableware like bowls and chopsticks, as well as flower vases and hand mirrors. Lacquerware can sometimes lose its color with continuous use, but this shop provides repair services, including repainting.

*They provide repair services for wooden lacquered items, which take about three months to complete. The lacquer painter works on the repairs while also creating new products. Some repairs may not be possible and can be costly, depending on the type of repair needed. Therefore, it is best to consult the store first.

Three tips for using lacquerware for a long time

1. Use it, use it, and use it.

Both wood and lacquer are natural materials, and if not used regularly, they can deteriorate. So, it is important to use them daily.

2. Avoid pouring hot water suddenly.

Lacquerware is sensitive to sudden temperature changes, so avoid pouring hot water directly onto it. Additionally, wash gently with a soft sponge.

3. Wipe it dry before allowing it to air dry.

If allowed to air dry, the minerals in tap water can leave a residue on the surface of the lacquer, resulting in a stained appearance. Make it a habit to drain the water and wipe the lacquerware with a cloth after rinsing.

Edo lacquerware features a modern, sleek, and minimalist design.

I was surprised to discover that lacquerware is also produced in Tokyo.

Beautiful oval shape form

Lacquered lunchbox

This one is from Hida Takayama.

The store is filled with beautiful lacquerware. From classic designs to simple, stylish pieces, you could gaze at them forever. One of Kuroeya’s standout features is that they clearly indicate the place of origin and the materials used in an easy-to-understand manner.

Kuroeya

Address: 2F of Kuroeya Kokubu Building, 1-2-6 Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

Business hours: [Monday to Friday] 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Regular holidays: Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays

https://www.kuroeya.com/

#Sustainable shopping at YNKs (3)

New items are clean, beautiful, and nice. Still, aged and antique items possess a unique beauty that comes with their history.

MindBenders & Classics, located on the top floor of an old building in Kyobashi, makes you feel as though you have stepped back in time. This store offers a selection of vintage French clothing. The clothing they offer is quite old, featuring workwear from the 19th to mid-20th centuries.

Workwear is closely associated with a person’s occupation. We were shown a “biaude,” a smock-like garment that horse and cattle traders wear over their shirts and jackets to keep them clean.

It is quite distinct from the functional workwear we imagine today and is quite elaborate. First and foremost, I was struck by the shiny weave created with ultra-fine linen threads. It even featured delicate hand embroidery.

We tend to believe that modern technology is superior. Actually, however, looms of the past were slower than today’s, which enabled the creation of soft, beautiful fabrics even when weaving fine yarns at high densities.

Some of the clothes in the store had signs of having been repaired. Beautiful, high-quality clothing is crafted slowly, allowing ample time for production, and they are used over a lifetime, often being repaired along the way. A hundred years ago, people commonly practiced this, but many of us have forgotten it today.

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Maybe people like these used to wear these clothes?

The store displayed snapshots of French workers from the past. I was amazed by how stylishly they all dressed, even though they were likely peasants of that time.

MindBenders & Classics

Address: 6F of Nakadori Building, 2-6-8 Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0031

Business hours: 2 to 5 p.m. (Saturdays 2 to 6 p.m.)

Closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays with irregular holidays when the owner is away on purchasing trips.

Maruzen Nihonbashi Bookshop

Maruzen is the most well-known bookstore in Nihonbashi. Maruzen Nihonbashi has been providing and sharing knowledge in Japan since the early Meiji era. This bookstore remains a key location in the city, alongside the Takashimaya Department Store, which is located across the street. Since then, Maruzen has been introducing Western culture by importing and selling a variety of Western goods, including fountain pens, typewriters, shirts, and hats, not to mention books.

In keeping with this tradition, Maruzen Nihonbashi still boasts a well-stocked section for miscellaneous everyday goods and stationery. The watch section on the first floor is one such example. What makes this watch section particularly interesting is its focus on vintage watches.

The display features vintage Omega and Seiko watches from the 1950s and 1960s.

For women’s watches, the selection also includes Cartier and Chanel pieces from the 1990s. These are quartz watches, making them a great choice for vintage beginners as well.

It is uncommon for a bookstore’s watch section to specialize in vintage watches, but the Nihonbashi store is able to do so thanks to its knowledgeable and skilled staff. The vintage watches blended perfectly with the atmosphere of the Nihonbashi area.

Maruzen Nihonbashi Bookshop

Address: 2-3-10, Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 103-8245

Business hours: 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.