I just came back from Scotland last weekend due to finishing my business study there and will live in my home town of Niigata in Japan afterward.
By the way, as far as I remember, I have been to Asakusa in Tokyo once where one of the most famous tourist areas in Japan is.
After arriving in the Narita international airport late night, I stayed in Tokyo on that night then went to Asakusa for sightseeing as well as purchasing vintage kimonos at an antique market in the early morning.
Asakusa
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asakusa
Sensoji
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sens%C5%8D-ji
I suppose, surprisingly most tourists from oversees were either Chinese or Taiwanese.
It seemed that they enjoyed walking the main street so-called “Nakamachi” in Asakusa and differences between Japanese and Chinese culture.
Then,
I went to an antique market next to Sensoji.
There were over 100 stalls selling antiques inside a building. Because of the early morning, still 10am, not many shoppers were looking for what they wanted or something unique.
There were about 10 stalls selling vintage kimonos and they hold quite good conditioned kimonos and fabrics.
In kimono industry, I am almost the youngest kimono buyers in this area. Therefore, They felt weird to me and a lot of ????? on heads. Why this young man here???
At one stall, I explained what I was doing with kimonos and negotiated with a stall owner in order to get a better deal in terms of kimono purchase.
Because of Japanese economy situation at the present, many shops looked struggling from selling luxury items to customers. And I was one of customers who did not have enough budgets to purchase kimonos. So the owner gave me a lot of discount on vintage kimonos purchase and taught me kimono history as well as characteristics of kimonos that I bought.
It was very nice meeting to many owners who dealt with kimono business, and learned a lot about kimonos.I went to an antique market next to Sensoji.
There were over 100 stalls selling antiques inside a building. Because of the early morning, still 10am, not many shoppers were looking for what they wanted or something unique.
There were about 10 stalls selling vintage kimonos and they hold quite good conditioned kimonos and fabrics.
In kimono industry, I am almost the youngest kimono buyers in this area. Therefore, They felt weird to me and a lot of ????? on heads. Why this young man here???
At one stall, I explained what I was doing with kimonos and negotiated with a stall owner in order to get a better deal in terms of kimono purchase.
Because of Japanese economy situation at the present, many shops looked struggling from selling luxury items to customers. And I was one of customers who did not have enough budgets to purchase kimonos. So the owner gave me a lot of discount on vintage kimonos purchase and taught me kimono history as well as characteristics of kimonos that I bought.
It is always learning from someone and hopefully give it back to someone in the future.
