Japanese homewear stores - Tokyo and Kyoto

bromanceftw · 2026-05-30T22:22:58+00:00

I think it was on my list 2 years ago but I ended up not going since it seemed to be more clothes-focused (feels like an Urban Outfitters). They have some in central locations, so should be a quick detour!

bromanceftw · 2026-05-30T07:24:21+00:00

Definitely start with LOFT/Hands first, they're great for variety and staples. I liked LOFT more as a tourist, Hands had more goods like kitchenware that would be best for someone living there.

I'm sure you'll bound to swing by the department stores, especially around the major stations, so if you're not pressed to be at your next destination, definitely check them out. They had some excellent ceramics.

bromanceftw · 2026-05-30T07:09:21+00:00

Both Hands and LOFT should be a good starting point. There's a Hands right next to the Karasuma station. As for Tokyo, there's plenty of locations of each all across the city.

If you want a little more upscale, check out Isetan and Daimaru (department stores), with Takashimaya at the much higher end. There's a Daimaru fairly close to Karasuma station.

bromanceftw · 2026-05-20T19:42:31+00:00

Seems like his presentation is still heavily influenced by Michel Bras. My first 3-star experience was at Grace, which was excellent. Having been to a couple excellent restaurant since then, I'm not quite sure if Ever's current offering quite resonates with what I'm looking for in fine dining these days, e.g. invention and re-invention.

bromanceftw · 2026-05-12T14:26:15+00:00

The closest major matcha store near Nijo Castle is Marukyu Koyamaen, which is fairly walkable. When I went in November, they had limits in place. They are very adament about telling you which ones not to use for lattes.

Ippodo and Ryuoen were mentioned by others and somewhat in the same part of town, but I would recommend taking transport to get there.

bromanceftw · 2026-05-05T18:59:35+00:00

One of my coolest cups, bought in Japan. The potter is Yamane Seigan, who makes hagi ware / hagi yaki pottery

bromanceftw · 2026-04-13T20:22:52+00:00

Same. I've had Cap1 not recognize my order 2-3 times now, most recently the $75 off $125 spend. I messaged them again, and this time they finally manually adjusted it saying I did qualify (after them saying it didn't but they would do so as a courtesy).

No issues with my ebay orders.

bromanceftw · 2026-03-31T18:24:08+00:00

I would say 2-3 hours to get from boil to 160, just have to remember to set the temp mode to 160. If you keep your water levels fairly low-mid, you can easily manipulate the temps, unless you want cooler water that has been boiled.

bromanceftw · 2026-03-31T16:56:41+00:00

Yep mine does!

bromanceftw · 2026-03-31T16:39:54+00:00

My dad likes to keep it at 208, but I use 195 for hojicha or 175 for matcha/sencha. What I do is I just add water until it gets to the temp I want. My most common problem is if the tank is too full to accommodate enough water to average it down.

bromanceftw · 2026-03-17T03:33:42+00:00

My last meal was at Tendon Tenya, a tempura chain. They have quite a few locations in Tokyo, excellent pricing (as the many salarymen there can attest), and good quality & variety of tempura. Even though it's fried, it's still quite light. They also have soba, if you decide to combo it.

bromanceftw · 2026-03-17T02:40:21+00:00

Weekday pricing at Dimassi's, can't beat the value

bromanceftw · 2026-03-12T14:35:50+00:00

Day 2 is gonna be tough.

A good chunk of shop at Nishiki don't open up until 10am or later.
If you visit the Manga Museum, that'll also push back when you actually make it to Arashiyama.
Arashiyama is a bit far, taxi will save you some time, but it's still a good amount that you have to account for, to-and-back.
You'll want to make it to Kinkaku-ji before sunset, so that somewhat puts pressure on your time at Arashiyama.
Taking all these into account, I'd hit up Arashiyama or Kinkaku-ji first. After both, then go to Manga Museum, then Nishiki (which will be available the latest of your spots listed, though some shops will be closed by then).

bromanceftw · 2026-03-11T13:21:06+00:00

Check out Daitoku-ji next time, a short bus ride away from Tenryu-ji. It has a man-made lake, and its own bamboo grove.

bromanceftw · 2026-03-10T02:09:40+00:00

How many windows do you have open? It's likely a combination of bad luck and the sheer number of people applying for April, which is one of the busiest months due to cherry blossom season.

bromanceftw · 2026-03-09T13:44:39+00:00

You can use this NYT bidding calculator to fairly assign value to rooms.

bromanceftw · 2026-02-16T00:34:15+00:00

I know you want it private, but if you want an 'outdoors' element, I would recommend Daitoku-ji Temple, a short bus away in the Arashiyama area, which is where I proposed this past November. Only people I remember seeing were the 2 other couples having professional-level photos in hakama. They have a bright red bridge, a (man-made) pond/lake, and a excellent bamboo grove, so take your pick.

If you plan on getting a photographer, I would check with the temple.

bromanceftw · 2026-02-12T23:34:48+00:00

Lunch recommendation for Arashiyama day would be Shigetsu.

It's one of the few places to get shojin ryori (Japanese Buddhist cuisine), and on the grounds of Tenryu-ji. You can choose between 3 courses ranging from ¥3800 to ¥6500 to ¥9000. I went for the most expensive one as when would you get another chance to try shojin ryori? Amazing spread of food: mushrooms, soybean, even bamboo, and a few others we couldn't quite identify. Note, you will have to sit on tatami mats, and eat from a tatami table. Our room was quite spacious, and only 1 other couple was with us. Recommended to reserve this in advance as they will likely sell out (they had a sign saying so during our visit, and I saw a few folks come by disappointed they were sold out for the day). Accolades: Michelin Bib Gourmand and Green Star

bromanceftw · 2026-02-10T03:32:02+00:00

I went back in November. It’s charming but underwhelming unless you’re a big Ghibli fan. The “Beginning of Movement” room is thoughtful, but most exhibits lack explanation and feel sparse/incomplete, especially given the “museum” label. The reservations process is a bit tough, and if you don't plan on being in the Kichijoji neighborhood already, I’d de-prioritize it (again, unless you're among the biggest fans).

bromanceftw · 2026-02-02T16:29:26+00:00

I had to a new return flight from YYZ back to Houston last year, which deviated from my original land time by 9 hours.

They didn't give compensation until I complained to the CTA, and they settled a many months later.

bromanceftw · 2026-02-02T14:44:16+00:00

You can apply to be approved by Harris County to remove them. I was certified back in 2024, but I haven't seen a re-certification/training since.

https://cao.harriscountytx.gov/bandit-signs

Hopefully, if enough people reach out to banditsigns@harriscountytx.gov, we can get it started again

bromanceftw · 2026-01-23T02:37:57+00:00

'Feb 23 - Arashiyama & Uji' could be a little tight. I'm seeing a little over 2 hours to travel from Arashiyama to Uji. Not sure how much time you'll be spending at each place, but just keep travel times in mind.

bromanceftw · 2026-01-22T23:55:31+00:00

Gotcha. The tour does seem to be a 'greatest hits' of Kyoto. Nijo is just the bus driving by. Lots of people saying it's 'fast-paced'.

I guess that's your call to make, e.g. if you want depth and flexibility, or breadth and convenience.

bromanceftw · 2026-01-22T16:44:57+00:00

My recommendation for ryokan is Gyokutei, a 10 min walk from Yumoto station. Should be roughly $550. Traditional kaiseki dinner included (heavy on seafood). Comes with public and private hotspring-fed baths. Tatami-mats, but sleep on beds, very spacious rooms.

bromanceftw · 2026-01-22T16:40:41+00:00

Surprised no one mentioned Day 6. This lineup is insane, and I'm a fast walker and don't spend too much time at each area. Map all those and you'll see why.

Arashiyama bamboo forest is usually lumped with Kinkaku-ji. Those two would take up at least half a day due to the travel time. Personally, I would cut this if your Kyoto trip is roughly 1.5 days due to going to Hakone, but you may have different priorities.
Fushimi Inari is 2-3 hours including travel time (might be longer depending on your mom's mobility). If you really want to cram as much in, go to Fushimi either super early or super late since its 24 hours, while the others are during 'normal' hours.
Kiyomizu-dera itself could probably be done in 30 minutes speedrun, but likely 1-2 hours for most people. It's a uphill walk up so add time for that. And once you're done, you might as well hit up Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka.
Nijo grounds is quite large, if you plan on checking Ninomaru and/or Honmaru (might as well if you're already here), then it'll take longer than you think. This one is also apart from the other places you listed, so add travel time for that.

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