Category: shopping
Buying Premium Matcha at Ippodo Chaho 一保堂茶舗 in Kyoto
While we were in Kyoto 京都 with our friend SK, her daughter asked her to buy some matcha from Ippodo. However, we learned at a depachika (department store basement deli) that there was a global matcha shortage, and we could only buy it at Ippodo Chaho (一保堂茶舗) flagship store on historic Teramachi-dori (寺町通). The Watanabe…
Tsutaya Books in Hangzhou, China – 杭州 蔦屋書店
When the Japanese chain – Tsutaya Books 蔦屋書店 made its grand debut in China, back in 2020 in Hangzhou 杭州, it didn’t just open a storefront—it ignited a wave of premium, aesthetic-driven, “internet-famous” (网红, wanghong) bookstores across China. While visiting Hangzhou earlier this year, we made a pilgrimage to this iconic landmark. A neat row…
Peeking into Librairie du Globe – a Russian bookstore in Paris – Part 2
Continuing from Part 1… While exploring the ground floor of Librairie du Globe in Paris, we noticed a soft green light glowing through the glass bricks beneath our feet—an intriguing hint that another hidden level of the bookstore awaited below. Enjoy some music while browsing. A narrow staircase next to the sales counter lead downstairs…
Peeking into Librairie du Globe – a Russian bookstore in Paris – Part 1
While wandering down Boulevard Beaumarchais on Le Marais side in Paris, we came across a small bookstore with a dim, inviting glow inside. It wasn’t part of any chain but clearly an independent shop with its own character and carefully chosen shelves. This is Librarire du Globe, a destination for anyone in Paris with an…