More jingle jangle

I'm not sure why I've developed my recent fascination for jewellery. I have loads of course, a lot with sentimental value, some with financial value and also a lot of cheap tat that has allowed me the shopping experience, to be closely followed by the 'what was I thinking' experience when I got home. But I am not known for my jewellery. For my birthday a year or so back, my dear friend Billie took me to have my ears pierced. Rather surprising to discover that they had already been done some years ago and forgotten about.

After 8 months of knowing that the clothes and shoes won't fit, I think my lustful shopping eye has moved elsewhere. And here it landed, at the rather un-Japanese but still beautiful Tribu, who have a store in Tokyo, but also sell online in London. Tribu's stock is described as 'tribal body adornment' which isn't something I normally go for, and many of the pieces I have no idea of their purpose. But the fat black, green and cream designs, fixed with rope and silver or copper are gorgeous and really unusual. They have a hint of modern Maori about them and I loved the slithery snake that, in black, looked it might move.

More Shimokitazawa shopping

I'm still talking about it, I know, but there were 2 shops I particularly wanted to mention for their gorgeousness. The first was 'Dorobou-Nikki' whose designs were eversoslightly American Indian stylee but with a utility twist. It is predominantly a man's shop but frankly, I'd have walked out with half of the stock, including furry desert boots, utility bags and sweatshirt-style cardigans with big fat butterflies all over them.

The second shop was Shuhari, a tiny handmade jewellery shop, down by the railway line. A simple washing line hung outside with a handful of landscape pictures of blue skies. On the side walls were box frames containing the jewellery. Inside the simple white and wooden interior, the stock was shown on old wooden ironing boards, mangles and old knitting bobins.

Finger on the pulse

Beautiful Sunday morning so we went over to an area called Shimokitazawa, recommended by one of M's creative department. Turns out this is THE new area in Tokyo and I loved it. Not a whiff of English anywhere and we were the only gyges to be seen. The town is about 2km square, not far from Shinjuku. There were few chains, and mostly great clothing and design shops as well as cafes and galleries. There was also a market which reminded me of Camden. There were also an extraordinary number of opticians, I have no idea why! Many of the shops had an American Indian vibe which I couldn't work out was just because its cool here or something to do with the area.

Second House, a cafe (pictured) sold big fat slabs of proper cake, including Victoria sandwich, avoiding the normal use of beancurd with everything. We'll be coming back to eat at 'Sunday Brunch' with bacon and eggs on the menu. There were also hundreds of isakayas (bars with food) and I washed down fried fish and Camembert and beans wrapped in filo with a welcome beer in one on the main street with a open area at the front. We loved 'Flower Bar' which, rather obviously, sold flowers too. M bought t'shirts at Cune with the funny bunny logo in another shop come bar and added to his collection of ugly Sonny Angel baby dolls. We found a galleries showing student work and a great bead shop called 'Toodleoo Kangaroo'. Best of all I found 'Andes', a food shop, which, having spent time in South America this year, allowed me to lust over dolce de leche and buy a pile of freshly ground coffee that tastes like the real thing. I loved their huge display of Spam but couldn't help think it was slightly out of place!