Moshi Moshi from Tokyo

Observations about Tokyo:

They really like French stuff. It starts from naming streets in French, to authentic French bakeries in the department shops. La Drougerie is from France. It's a chain of craft stores. They even write things in French for their signage. Alpaga is French for alpaca. Below, seriously chic cafe signage.



Most department stores will at least have a cafe if not a food department in it. They are really stylish. Below is the fruit cafe from Printemps (also a French dept. store). The cylinder shaped fridge is just divine.



Though fashion in Tokyo is fascinating, I find that fashion trends are very international nowadays. Shopping is not nearly exciting as the food. It is more interesting to watch the girls in the streets. The way they put their outfits together is very clever, and chic. Pictured below, seriously chic girls on the streets of Ginza



You may find many strange and interesting food combinations. This would be a dream destination for foodie tourism. Sometimes you will find bento take out boxes come with a side of spaghetti or coleslaw. Something I got to try at the many food departments, a potato salad sandwich. That's right, it's white bread with typical American pot salad. Pictured below, fried tofu, and soy based ice cream, sesame and green tea flavors.



Most restaurants display fake food in their windows to show you how each dish looks like. We normally see that for cakes here, but in Tokyo it's for all kinds of food. You find them all over the city, it's kinda funny.



Floral arrangements are taken seriously. Seriously, it's very pretty. Everything is perfectly placed.



Manners are very important in Japan. Everyone at the stores greet you, moshi moshi!! It can get very irritating in the food department when ten people are saying it at once. Even the chefs greet you. It gets very loud. Japan is a place with many extremes; it can be in one instance, extremely tradition, and in another modern and avant garde.



Knitting is a serious craft. There are so many Japanese books and magazines on the subject alone. It's very stylish. Crafts in general is taken seriously. You can go to Okadaya and pretty much buy everything you could possibly need, including materials to make these teddy bears made of kimono fabric.



Ever since I saw Lost in Translation, I wanted one of those clear umbrellas. It's a typical item in Tokyo. They even sell them at the 100 yen shop. The quality is pretty good for something for 100 yen, not to mention chic. I made my Sofia Coppola pilgrimage to the Milkfed/Heaven 27 shop. The store is sooooo Sofia, of course.



Something you might only see in a place like Tokyo is a built-in home for a squirrel inside the wall of a vintage sho called Hanjiro in Harajuku. Photo is a bit blurry, did not want to get too close to scare it. Also pictured is the country and rustic chic cafe that we dined at with Kat.