Art & Design

Taito-ku has designer's apartment along Sumida river, only creators can reside, operated by Bureau of Industrial and Labor Affairs,Tokyo Metropolitan Governmen.. Would you like to live like one of these listed? MonoKobo, north of Asakusa.

Yes, Asakusa (shi-ta-ma-chi) has various interesting individual shops for artist, architect, designer, jeweller, lapidary, painter, sculptor and more like you. As the title says, this town is the style of antique Tokyo, and you will be astonished by visiting and finding something new to color your life. Welcome to Asakusa, one of the best Tokyo's downtown, thanks to Kuma Kengo san, now we have Asakusa Bunka Kanko Center as well as Art & Culture Foundation of Taito . Are you interested in Life of Art, Art of Life, you may visit above mentioned MonoKobo as well as Taito Designers Village. Of course, other than Asakusa, Tokyo has another color of aspect like Akihabara, Daikanyama, Ginza, Harajuku, Kichijoji, Marunouchi, Odaiba, Omotesando, Roppongi, Shibuya, Meguro, Shinjuku, Ueno and more. We hope that you are enjoying various aspects of your life as well in your own country :3
All about hand-made (^^)

Creema

Rakuma

iichi

minne

Etsy(jp)


It is called Randsel ....... Nakamura and Kazama

It is called NihonGa or Japanese Painting ....... Allan West san has beautiful color and touch in his world. Nice walk in Yanaka as well.

Another iwa-enogu and natural pigment for NihonGa
KIYA south of the pond of Ueno Park has NihonGa lesson as well.
PIGMENT near Tennozu Isle station (south of Shinagawa between Asakusa and Haneda Airport) has all the materials, too!

Accessory, beads, parts, applique and more
AsakusaBashi (south of Asakusa) has whole town with creativity, one of the mecca is Kiwa.

Japanese paper dish in style
Asakusa (Kappabashi) has stylish paper dish/cup company called Wasara (Wa is Japan, Sara is Dish). Home party, company conference, catering and more in your country? Good as souvenior, too.

Sushi in plastic, Ramen in plastic, Beer in plastic
Kappabashi Dougu (tool) Gai (street) is no longer hidden place, actually became one of the hot spot along with Skytree here in Asakusa, only a minute walk from Tokyo Ryokan. You can never tell it is fake in plastic or real. There is even a kit that you can make, how about your own designed ramen in plastic? And all kitchen gadgets and utensils are found here, used be for only professional chefs and restaurant business owners but now for daily three meals to enrich our lives. Looking for Guinomi, Tokkuri, Chawan and more? DenGama (Rice field Kiln) is less than 5 minutes away from Tokyo Ryokan, actually at the very start of theKappabashikitchenstreen. You may encounter one-of-the-kind for your sake and tea.

All about Pen and Paper (notebook) of your life time friends
Kakimori (write-savior) is best known in Kuramae, south of Asakusa. Digital is not your style? Wanna live nearby letter box and post stamps? No facebook, no blog, no instagram, no X, no Tiktok, no Youtube, no GPS? We understand that you like the soft touch of PEN and PAPER. This is the shop you wanted to be, to work, to own in your town! Order-made notebook is just like your life. Order-made pen has not only ink inside but whole life of yours. Would you like to feel loved one on the white plane paper? We would like you to make your own page of your own life here in Asakusa.
To wrap yourself with innovative designer's ribbon, and dedicate for your loved one

Like or dislike, everyone knows CHANEL, LOUIS VUITTON MALLETIER, PRADA, DOLCE GABBANA, but no many people finds all of them are the primary customer of MOKUBA, the ribbon company in Kuramae, south of Asakusa.

Let's find out Tiger-Building between Asakusabashi and Tawaramachi
Taigar-Bill (phonetic sound of Tiger-Building in Japanese language) is one of the rare standing building which survived through March 10th 1945 (World War 2 Tokyo Bombing) and the March 11th 2011 (big earthquake damaged "Fukushima"), one of the oldest building in Taito-ku. Ground floor has interior design shop, carpet shop, furniture shop and more.

It is located at 2.540km post from Tokyo station, filled with creative talents
2k540 (AKI-OKA ARTISAN) has small inovative shops under the JR railway tracks. The space is used to be just a parking lot, very much dead space for human life, but just reborn to paint your canvas. Also worth to visit for something small souvenirs of Japan for your friends and families. Wonderland of Hand-Craft. Wednesday closed.

Why not tie (yuwaeru in Japanese language) you and your loved spirit at this shop
Yuwaeru (Yu-Wa-E-Ru) is the restaurant and cafe to enjoy authentic Japanese cuisine. Genmai, the brown rice, is their speciality with organic Miso soup. You may also be able to purchase Miso, Shouyu, Shio, Sansho, Tougarashi, Goma-abura, Natane-abura, Green Tea and more of their original brands.

Japan is timber islands, Tonari no Totoro loves this woodland in the far east Asia
Woodwork presents warm-touched wooden furniture which makes your day happy and content. Yasumono (cheap) or Honmono (truth) is needed in your life from today on? What plastic cannot guarantee, wood can do. Maintenance activity for the quality life is worth spending. Now you know why we say "touch wood" to hope.

Something you would like to keep using/holding/embracing for your life long time
SyuRo has an idea for you, no needs any word to explain.

Leather shop
m+piu and kanmi show you the way of life.

Are you interested in Tokyo Heritage Architecture?
Taito Ryokan is the place right center heart of Asakusa for the 1950's, renovated in 2013 (after the Fukushima earthquake) and 2023.
toco is the place in Iriya (iriya) north of Ueno or west of Asakusa where you can feel the 1920's, renovated in 2011.

And Nippori Fabric Town is perfect place to purchase your own material!
Toei Bus #08 has direct route from (Skytree and) Asakusa to Nippori. The fabric town is actually one stop before Nippori terminal, the most convenient bus stop is called Higashi-Nippori-Go(5)-Choume (Chome). The Sen-i-Gai town map can be printed out or app to your mobile for easy explore.

Shinjuku (easy access by Tokyo Metro) has this.
Sekaido (Se-Ka-I-Do) is lovely place to explore, you may find EVERYTHING about art, even big painting brush made of horse tail.

And here's the hot spring in Asakusa which is much better than LOREAL or SHISEIDO or KANEBO or DHC (^^)
Jakotsuyu closed its 100 years of management, but KotobukiYu has its own water as well, which has no secret of Japanese women who has smooth skin and who actually look younger than their real age. Ladies (and gentlemen!) too, please be aware of the truely natural skin care here in Japan. To find out the best natural mineral content water to heal (to maintain) your own skin nicely, please stop by at Onsen Hotspring page.

Already a fan of Tokyo? Looking for an apartment?
Mitsubishi Jisho has The Parkhouse all over downtown Tokyo. And KEN Ltd has good selection of house and apartment. DIYP has your future workshop. Unique one only for you is available here. Still not decided your heart, you may try weekly and monthly place or share-house and free-house at Accommodation page.

High technique wood-cut (wood-block) plus unique coloring makes U-Ki-Yo-E (U is pronounce as U in asakUsa, E is pronounce as E in Egg) a fantastic art. You may find their masterpieces in the following museums listed below. You may also hit and experience a bit of the tradition at this Adachi Hanga, as well to color your own life. Their prints, T-shirt and items are available at each museum. Syunga is popular R18 in Edo era, literally Spring Picture. Japan hit the most maximum population in 2007, then every year there has been a surplus of deaths over births. Japan is shrinking, maybe need Spring vacation (^^)

Tokyo National Museum (Toh-Ha-Ku) is located in Ueno, next town of Asakusa.

Edo Tokyo Museum in Ryogoku is such good combination with Sumo Museum (Kokugikan) as well as Ekoin and Kyu-Yasuda-Teien (free of charge, very small but very nice Japanese garden, not many people as other popular well-known garden). Sumida Hokusai Museum is also in the same area.

Mokuhan-kan in right center of Asakusa, not far from Tokyo Ryo-kan (^^)

Sakai Kokodo
Small but very good garelly located in Ginza.

Ukiyoe Ota Museum is located in a crossing of JR Harajuku Station on Yamanote Line and Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line (Meiji-Jingu-Mae Station). What a contrast of this museum (very traditional) and Takeshita-Dori (young modern Japan). Sunday afternoon has cos-play or street-dancing in south side of Yoyogi Park. Meiji Jingu (Shrine) has a few Japanese style wedding almost every Saturdays and Sundays.

Yamada-Shoten in Jimbocho has quite a selection of masterpieces that you can bring back home.

Hiroshige Museum of Art is not in Tokyo but in Yamagata, Tendo (Tendoh) city. Japanese chess shogi, Yamadera and Onsen are best interests of your Japan trip there.

Tokaido Hiroshige Museum is not in Tokyo but in Shizuoka, not far from Satta Pass, one of the best Hiroshige views.

It is true that Bonsai conquer space and time, in another words, there is no general concept of them anymore on the little pot of plant. Would you like to reach to the nirvana through this bonsai world? If you had half day free from downtown Tokyo, highly recommend to visit this unique town called Bonsai, the postal address has such name indeed! Interested in making your own garden a bit of zen style? Omiya Bonsai Village is the place for your quick wisdom. You may find better life with wearing Kimono by just walking in the neighborhood. Omiya Bonsai Village is the center of the Bonsai World along with Bonsai Art Museum.

Tokyo => Ueno => Omiya => Toro station (sounds like sushi but not)
or
Asakusa => Kasukabe => Omiya-Koen station

You may also enjoy walking through the best sacred shrine in Kanto area, Musashi Ichinomiya Hikawa Jinja.

Ikebana Lesson in English
Yes, the flower becomes me so that butterfly can find you (^^)

Omiya Bonsai Official Page
Official home page for Saitama-ken, Tokyo's satelite town, which holds Bonsai Town.

The well-known Bonsai garden
Highly recommended!

JR has Toro station on this map to get you lost in translation (^^)
Red line and orange line, next to Omiya

Not satisfied with this small area, why not visit right next to Ueno Zoo?
Sho-hin in Japanese means small (Sho) products (hin). It is true that bonsai is small and tiny but has contents of universal floating enegy in it, similar to your own heart or yourself, small perhaps at height of 150cm - 200cm, but has unlimited possibilities for your own dream!

Extra time for something else for your children?
It is all about JR (Japan Railway, including JNR, Japan National Railway). You may click train numbers to get pictures. It is easy access from both Bonsai town and Omiya station, or zero minute walk from Tetsudohakubutsukan station. Bonsai and trains have good combination to make your full day happy.

Seikouen Bonsai
Bonsai school is available while you are in Japan to study about whole life even after Japan trip.

Shunkaen by Kunio Kobayashi san
For anyone has no time to visit Omiya, here's also in downtown, Edogawa-ku, Tokyo.

Asakusa can see the Skytree over Sumida River. Ando Tadao is the advice supervisor of the tower. His masterpiece of architect buildings are listed on this page. Pro and con, hope you will be inspired. If you were looking for other/better works by another architects, we would like to recommend you
ARCHI-DEPOT.

Marufukuro in Kyoto
Nintendo + Ando

The Tokyo Toilet (#11)
Shxt in his style!

The Shinmonzen in Kyoto
Stay in his style!

Paramount Rokko Apartment
Live in his style! of 1983 and 1993 in Rokko (Rokkou) near Kobe

Kaminoge Station
Done by Kajima Corporation in 2011

Fukutake Hall
"Fortune Samurai Hall" in the University of Tokyo (Hongo Campus)

Tokyo Art Museum (TAM)
Sengawa station on Keio Line is the nearby station

21_21
Design Sight in Tokyo Midtown Roppongi

Omotesando Hills
Located between Omotesando and Harajuku

Shibuya Station
Tokyo Metro Fukutoshinsen (Fuku-Toshin-Line)

Kokusai Kodomo Toshokan
Children's Library in Ueno Park

Grand Nikko Awaji
Near Akashi Bridge, Himeji, Kobe and Osaka

Chichu Art Museum in Naoshima
Chichu Museum in the small Benesse Art Site

Chapel On The Water in Tomamu
The Chapel in Hokkaido

Hyogo Museum of Art
Also in Kobe, Hyogo

Honpukuji
Same island where Grand Nikko Awaji is located

Outside over there
Madonosotonosonomatamukou (no typo!) in Fukushima

Pabellon de Japon
Sevilla Spain (^^)

Edo Taito Traditional Crafts Center
If you have no idea what is your interests, why not visit this free museum first?

AmeZaiku (candy art)
Asakusa has many traditional culture experience, and AmeShin is the candy one.

Ozu Washi (traditional style paper)
Nihombashi is the zero-kilo-post of Edo "highway" ....... nearby MitsukoshiMae on Ginza Line.

Inkstand by Kakimori
You may find your own color to paint your wonderful life ....... just south of Asakusa.

Wanariya Dyeing
It is a traditional Japanese craft shop where you can try Kimono (Yuki Tsumugi), Aizome indigo dye (coloring) which is also called Somemono, and Hataori which is weaving (wooden traditional machine knitting).

To-an
Love creating mud in NY or in TOKYO? Mug, bowl or vase is your choice here in Ueno.

Kaminari Okoshi
Popular Asakusa sweets made with rice. Just north of Sensouji Temple.

Kappabashi Plastic Sample
Make one so that it can stay forever (because you cannot eat) :D

Edo Kiriko
First cut is the deepest in Asakusa :D

Lantern
To be enlighten in Asakusa!

Edo Fuurin
Please do not mix with Furin which is adultery immoral conduct/misbehavior!

Origami Paper
You can actually make your life wonderful (^^)

Food Sample
Not in Asakusa but in Ikebukuro. Isn't it better than plastic surgery?!

Calligraphy
Not only Arabic or Chinese (^^)

And if you would like to meet future architect (student) and real professional architect, should you be interested in finding all architects related books (free to read and relax), also how about exploring the design shops with their show-room for not only exterior and interior but bath tub, wooden floor, paper window, shikkui wall and more, we would like to strongly recommend Housing Design (ozone space) in Shinjuku Park Hyatt.

NISHIZAWA RYUE san?
Perhaps you prefer more nature-soft-touch style like Garden & House (in Hatchobori or Hacchobori, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, where is it? what's the address? middle of nowhere downtown Tokyo) like this beautiful tree house? Tokyo is the place to make it happened, we sincerely hope that you can contribute your talent to the society. Arigatou gozaimasu.

KUMA KENGO san?
Not only beautiful JR station Hoshakuji but "woodenly" designed Asakusa Bunka Kanko Center and especially 2020 (held in 2021) Olympic Stadium you may visit while in Japan. Baisoin Temple in Minami-Aoyama is also done by the architect. Shikoku the 88 temples island has his arts.

HOSAKA TAKESHI san?
Bunkyo-ku Koishikawa is not so far from Taito-ku NishiAsakusa, just past Ueno park and towards Tokyo Dome. Yes, let's talk about Love2 (love-love) minimal style of life, shall we. The architect's masterpiece, HOTO FUDO, is also recommended in Kawaguchi-ko area, north of Mt.Fuji, please do not forget to taste their local noodle dish.