Nihon Ikimashio! Part 3

(con’td from previous post)

With empty stomachs and eagerness, Midori and I made our way to Tsukiji Fish Market. The early-rising summer sun had helped jolt me from my slumber. Since it was our stomachs we were looking forward to fill, we walked through all the shops and little restaurants which were already buzzing with activity. After a stroll through, punctuated by my “what is that?!”, “oooh that looks good!”, we settled for one of the numerous little donburi shops that dotted the area.

Delicious was personified in all the images that plastered the shop and although I desired so many items on the menu, I finally settled for one. As we sat at the counter, I watched as the chef hurried around his little space, the huge chunk of tuna that another chef was cutting (using one from his array of knives), hungry people who were enjoying their breakfast...

Mine finally arrived! Itadakimasu! Usually, my stomach is not too opened to the idea of having rice in the morning (I’m a bread person day in, day out), but to my own amazement, my bowl of donburi fast disappeared. The food was so fresh, all I needed was only a touch of soy sauce to go along with it. The Japanese really know how to appreciate food in its most natural state.

That afternoon, I made my way to Nippori in search of the much talked-about Tomato fabric store.

After exiting the train station, I got just a little lost but asked for directions and soon found myself in Fabric Town! Tomato with its huge signboard was easy to spot. And despite the crowd, I raced up to the top floor to work my way downwards level by level. Oooh, Tomato is fabric paradise! It was filled with bundles of fabric as well as pre-cut smaller swatches. In all colours and tonnes of kawaii prints!! Photography was prohibited so I managed only one shot very discreetly.

As I perused the stock, the crowd around me faded out. If you are a fellow fabric lover, you’ll know what I mean when I say this is sheer happiness. Annoying Rational Sandy kept reminding me of my already heavy luggage though.

In my next Japan trip post, I’ll take you out of Tokyo. I hope you’ll come along for the ride and fall in love with inaka (countryside) Japan too!

[click on images to enlarge]