Yarn in Japan

Picture taken by Miss Felt.

We spotted some yarn-bombing near Enoshima.

Mister M and I are decluttering and trying to live with not too many things, so when we were in Japan we tried to buy only souvenirs that were useful or edible. One of the things I like to do when I am in a new place is to buy some yarn and make something from it. That way I can remember my trip whilst making the thing and when using it...

So this trip was no exception, since Tokyo is huge we did have some trouble locating places that sold yarn, we where also a bit pressed for time so we needed the stores to be close to one of the places we were going to be at anyway which proved quite a challenge.

On day two of the concert we were at Nakano again and wandering about in their shopping street and randomly chose one of their small exits through sort of a back alley to get to the concert hall. And lo and behold what did I see? Yarn! I was ecstatic, although the yarn were acrylics and huge and cheap and not really what I wanted. And the store didn't seem to sell any more yarn. I sort of thought the yarn was sold at a store that seemed to sell all kinds of cheap objects, like t-shirts and socks and clutter, but then Mister M said that into a small opening there were knitted clothing so maybe there was a yarn store inside?

I was sceptical, it seemed like a private residence, but we entered anyway. Mister M is my hero, because...

.....it was a craft store, and they sold... Sewing supplies. I felt betrayed, but I did ask in my limited japanese (why don't they teach the really important vocabulary like: yarn, knitting, garter stitch, crochet, chunky yarn, thin yarn, pattern or the like in school? I know none of those were in my books at least...), luckily I know that knitting and crochet is ami (as in amigurumi) so I asked if they had any ami-mono, or knitting/crochet things... Whilst doing arm movements as if I was knitting. The lady at the counter was very pleased to tell me we could just take the lift to the fourth floor and the ami-mono would be there! Yay!

She followed us to the lift, pushed the button, made sure we were safely inside and pressed for number four. She waved smiling as the doors closed and we ascended up. I love japanese people, they are always so helpful. 

And I think they were astonished foreigners actually wanted to buy yarn and were not simply lost... As the lady at the maternity clothes store thought, she was adamant that this was a store only for pregnant people and doing the hand movement to show a huge belly and patting it... I said I understood but she still wanted to make sure I knew that store was only for pregnant people... no, I am not pregnant, although she did not know that, I could be pregnant, or I could try to get pregnant or could simply be buying for someone else or for me because I do like maternity clothes since they fit me an all the clothes in Japan were super small. Somehow I have bought several dresses and skirts here in Norway not realising I bought them at the pregnant section. But who cares? Clothes are clothes.

Just look at all that lovely yarn! Rows upon rows of thin crochet yarn in the lushest colours, and then lots of other yarns and hooks and everything you need when you are crochet-crazy.

Btw, the store was playing one of the songs that were going to be in the concert too so I felt like it was divine intervention that helped me find some yarn. ;)

The lady in this floor were trying to understand what we were looking for, now how do you say, I would like to purchase some yarn made in Japan to make a souvenir from my trip? Well, I did my best, and she showed me some yarn, sadly they didn't have Noro yarn, or Noro-san as the clerk said, apparently Noro is rather big in Japan, hence the -san part.

I showed her pictures of my homemade wedding dress, and she oohed an awwed, I told her the pattern was Japanese and that we were on our honeymoon and she said congratulations and I asked if I could take some pictures, which I could.

I loved these cute little homemade things. Maybe I need to buy a water bottle just to make one of these... I wish I could work in a crochet store. Knitting I have no idea what I am doing and since most stores here are both I have put this thought on the shelf. But if I could work on just the floor where the crochet yarn was I think I could do an ok job.

I didn't find any crochet books either, but I am thinking I could ask Miss Felt still in Japan if she can send some to me.

 I never did find any Noro yarn. But I don't care, because I got 25 x3 balls of thin crochet yarn in pink tones and two double hooks.

So that was a little more from our Japanese adventure, but there might be more coming later. I still have plenty to tell you if you are not tired of it yet?

Here are my other Japan posts, the bun-things I bought and the concert I went to and concert stuff I bought.