Kaminoge....have you ever been? The area is an unassuming one, probably known in the expat community as the station where there's of a multi-lingual eye doctor and a stone's throw from the Todoroki Gorge.

But one day, Kaminoge became a quite remarkable place for a stationery addict like me. On one of our regular eye doctor visits we decided to have a wander around and stumbled upon a fabulous mom and pop thrift store.
And that is where I found the holy grail of stationery items (all Japanese brands) for a whopping ¥500 a bag. The first bag I found was stuffed with Sarasa pens, Frixion erasable markers, notepads and Rollbahn journal stencils. A haul indeed. Inside the bag, I found only 5 pens that weren't working, everything else was in perfect working order. And my fave items too.

Here's exactly what was inside:
Rollbahn stencil x 3
Penco wooden Peanuts baseball pen
Peanuts Sarasa x 7
Sarasa black x1 (my go-to pen)
Sarasa Vintage x 7
Delfonics mini pad
Deflonics donut sticky notes
Animal sticky notes
Ink and pen memo
Snoopy sticky notes
Frixion markers x 12
Cherry paper clips
Snoopy pen insert

All in all, my ¥500 had saved me around ¥16,000.
The second bag was stuffed FULL of washi tapes and a special item that made me grab it straight away. More on that in the next post.

Watch the video below to see what was inside!

Tsukimi, Japan's 'Moon Viewing' festival, celebrates the autumn moon, rooted in the nation's agricultural history. It signifies gratitude and hope for a successful harvest, given the moon's perceived influence on crops.
Families gather to appreciate the moon, displaying 'susuki' (pampas grass) as a symbol of the rice harvest. They also prepare and offer 'odango', sweet rice dumplings, echoing the moon's roundness and unity. While modern Japan may be more urban, the essence of Tsukimi, emphasizing gratitude and family ties, remains timeless, bridging old traditions with present-day values.

Date: Saturday, September 9th, 2023
Time: 14:00-17:00
Place: Blink Roppongi - 3 Chome-1-6 Motoazabu, Minato City, Tokyo 106-0046
Cost per swapper: ¥3,000 - we will not be accepting payment at the door.
You must purchase and pay for your ticket in advance before swap starts (Teens/tweens welcome, ¥2000 at door, kids free)

INCLUDES SNACKS AND A BAR that takes all digital payments Let's get together and celebrate the seasons - well and truly into Autumn.
Be in community, make new connections hear from people who have something important to say. Sign up and pay on Peatix.

***************************************
Up to 40 people (Please text to let us know if you are bringing a teen/tween)

• Official kid's corner
  
• Men's clothing corner! (We are still a women-only event, but we've decided to open space for masculine wear.)
  
• Cosmetics
• Accessories

Join Sarah at the new location in Roppongi - Thank you Blink Roppongi.

Event Schedule

13:45 - registration open PLEASE DO NOT ARRIVE EARLIER

14:15 - welcome from Sarah

Please welcome conscious creator and queen of Biku Designs atelier, jewelry and gatherer of conscious creators and Nicola Vote the organisor of the newly minted Book exchange!
Swap starts

16:30 - pack up, clean up - clothes go the H&M recycling station in Shibuya - thanks for their special provision for our leftovers

17:00 - Style swap closes

Pre-registration and payment required. “Waste is a resource in the wrong place”. AND let's keep it classy lovelies.

• Clothing in excellent condition that you don't want
• Shoes in pristine condition that you don't wear
• Accessories and bags in terrific condition that smell like a fresh spring day in the alps.
• Cosmetics, creams and perfumes in fantastic, hygenic condition

Where we bring the goods we no longer want or need, and take the goods we love. Where we recycle and repurpose. Let’s see how much we can keep out of landfill, how mindfully we can consume. “One person’s trash is another’s treasure”.

All Shapes and Sizes are welcome! The more diversity the better the swapping! WE LOVE BODIES - ALL BODIES - YOUR BODY We encourage questioning stereotyping around what is good and bad and naughty and nice.

• BRING as much or as little as you want. TAKE as much or as little as you want. Bring nothing, take nothing, just join to have fun.
  
• Find a swap buddy - someone with a similar body to yours to recommend stuff to! We recommend wearing leggings and a vest for comfortable trying.
• Try on and get second opinions and styling advice! Be super discerning - take joyful lovely items that bring style or comfort. If it's not a hell yes! it's a no.
• The venue has a room off the street for trying on. You can wear shoes inside! There is a full bar from which you can purchase drinks.

Style Swaps are run and sponsored by SF Creative & Sarah Furuya Coaching and with the contribution and support of participating venues, speakers, recycle companies and the swap community itself.

Thank you to each and every person who shows up, participates and donates.
******************************************************************************************************* Please note: We will not be receiving takyubin packages ahead of the Style Swap, thank you.
Please follow all precautions on your way in and out and to and from the venue.