Hello! Intern Cara here writing for the Hey Kessy blog! I went on vacation in Japan, and I got to scout for crafty destinations in Osaka and Kyoto, and here are my three favorite spots:
1. Kamogawa-jinja Shrine Handmade Arts Fair
Kamogawa, Kyoto
The Kamogawa-jinja shrine located on the outskirts of Kyoto holds a regular arts and crafts fair every month on the beautiful temple grounds. It's a lovely atmosphere where crafters from all around Japan come together and showcase all their unique works - and it's a great place to scout for some inspiration, talk to other makers, and maybe grab a couple of great buys while you're at it.
How to go: Take either the Hankyu or JR line to Kyoto and take Kyoto City Bus 4 to the last stop at Kamogawa-jinja. Only happens on the fourth Sunday of every month.
How to go: From Osaka station take the Midosuji subway line to Senri-Chuo, then take the Q’s Mall bus to get to where Richoche+ is located.
How to go: Take the Midosuji subway line to Namba station, and take the exit going to Doguyabashi.
Whenever I go to Japan, I always find new things to try. It’s where I discovered my favorite craft, needle felting, and I’m sure anyone who visits these three spots will be able find some amazing things to make as well!
1. Kamogawa-jinja Shrine Handmade Arts Fair
Kamogawa, Kyoto
The Kamogawa-jinja shrine located on the outskirts of Kyoto holds a regular arts and crafts fair every month on the beautiful temple grounds. It's a lovely atmosphere where crafters from all around Japan come together and showcase all their unique works - and it's a great place to scout for some inspiration, talk to other makers, and maybe grab a couple of great buys while you're at it.
How to go: Take either the Hankyu or JR line to Kyoto and take Kyoto City Bus 4 to the last stop at Kamogawa-jinja. Only happens on the fourth Sunday of every month.
2. Richoche+
Minoh-shi , Osaka
If you love gardening, terrarium making, and getting down and dirty with your crafts, this little shop is absolute heaven. Aside from a wide assortment of plants to take home, Ricoche+ also has a variety of upcycled materials like boat wood and antique tiles tiles that would look amazing in any home decor DIY. If you’re able to speak and understand Japanese, they also offer workshops every now and then!
How to go: From Osaka station take the Midosuji subway line to Senri-Chuo, then take the Q’s Mall bus to get to where Richoche+ is located.
3. U-Arts
Namba, Osaka
This place is a must if you love cats just as much as crafting! U-Arts offers a huge variety of cat-themed supplies, and it's also a great place to stock up on things like Copic markers, paints, and different kinds of papers for all your crafting needs. They also have a amazing collection of washi tapes, cat-inspired and otherwise.
How to go: Take the Midosuji subway line to Namba station, and take the exit going to Doguyabashi.
Whenever I go to Japan, I always find new things to try. It’s where I discovered my favorite craft, needle felting, and I’m sure anyone who visits these three spots will be able find some amazing things to make as well!
*Text and photos by Cara, Hey Kessy Intern Batch 1
This looked like such a fun trip!
ReplyDeleteI have a lot of friends who've always dreamed of going to Japan mainly because they're all big anime fans. I couldn't really get as excited as them but lately, I've realized that Japan is also one of the places to go if you're in the look for cute stationery and a wide range of art supplies. Would be nice to experience all this arts and crafts fair as well! <3
Hi Trisha, thanks for reading! It was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed finding all these crafty spots - and there are so many! Even in places like grocery stores and ¥100 chain stores you can find a lot of great materials.The arts and crafts fair was definitely my favorite part of the trip. The combination of the people, the location, and all the wonderful goodies I found made it so worthwhile! I hope you get to visit someday too. Let us know if you do! :)
Delete-Cara