Ratings - High to Low Page 1 of 3 I  visited Kanbayashi-san's noren factory in Kyoto last week again to take photos of making process of Roketsu-zome (batik) noren curtains. The factory is producing the off-the-shelf noren curtains and also accepting individual orders from customers.  The off-the-shelf noren curtains are shipped though dealers like us. This Kanbayashi-san's factory is located 20 minutes walk from Kami-Katsura station of Hankyu Railway. When I visited Kanbayshi-san (the owner of the factory), he was sewing noren curtains by himself.  It was late afternoon, so he was hurrying to finish up the work of the day. He must be a multi-talented man and he handles every process of noren making. Kanbayshi-san's two sons are the successors of the factory and the second son showed me how the roketsu-zome (batik) noren curtains are produced. First of all, he needs to layout customers' design on noren curtains. To copy the design, he traces the paper on which the design is printed by lightening from bottom.

Then he pastes wax on the design parts for protection from being dyed in the afterward process. The protected parts will be white off. Then the pasted wax are dried naturally with air. (Sorry, I missed to ask how long it takes to dry the wax.) To make the colors for dyeing noren, he mixes base color powders (close to red, green and blue mix). He needs a precise measure for mixing colors to reach to desired color. The weight of powder is measured to the level of 0.1 gram. The factory keeps its own "knowledge base" (actually a notebook) for color creation. In this knowledge base, the various mix ratios are stored to reach many kinds of colors. They know the best color mix ratio that makes noren curtain look most beautiful. Anyway, it is an "analog" (not digital) work to create colors of customers' desire. Then he pours fixed amount of water to make dye material. This was also a hand-work. Now, he is painting with the dye material he just created.

The rest of the part where he is painting is wax protected, so it will not be dyed. The result will be a back circle design on white base color. In the left photo,  the base color of noren is dark blue and the designed parts (birds and bamboo leaves) are white off. After washing and removing wax, the final noren curtain is ready for shipping to customers.Tokyu Hands sums itself up nicely with the tagline "Creative Life Store". Even if you hate to shop, the tightest of fists will unfurl when confronted with such persuasive necessities as an electrically-warmed sheep pillow, or a teapot and teacup set shaped like a smiley-faced mushroom. But Tokyu Hands also carries inexpensive everyday items such as collapsible umbrellas and bicycles, as well as attractive souvenirs like tabi (split-toed socks) and racks of mobile-phone charms.Takashimaya Times Square, 5-24-2 Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku; +81 3 5361 3111 Enter this manga mall to get in touch with your inner geek without plunging yourself into the sensory overload of manga mecca Akihabara (which should be your next stop).

This flagship store of the manga and anime chain sells all the new and used yaoi ("boys love"), hentai (sexually, er, explicit) and dojinshi (fan fiction) your heart could possibly desire, as well as video games, character figurines and cosplay (costume play) accessories. Puppies For Sale In Roanoke VaThis, or the branch in Shibuya, are good places to start your manga or anime quest in Tokyo.Hot Tub Repair Fort Wayne Indiana+81 3 3228 0777Homes For Sale In Lake Powell Williamsburg Va Tucked away in a wonderfully non-glam residential neighbourhood just a few stops from sprawling Shinjuku, cosy Bingoya has five floors crowded with traditional handicrafts. Wares include handmade toys, bamboo tea canisters, ceramic sake sets, hand-dyed batik fabric and zabuton (floor cushions).

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Or just make the rounds of the first floor, where elegant, high-quality regional ceramics, lacquerware, wood carvings, washi (handmade paper) and fibre arts are displayed and sold. This crafts centre has what you want if your tastes tend toward crafty rather than campy.+81 3 5954 6066 Outfit a home kitchen or an entire restaurant with a stroll down Kappabashi-dori, a street supplying professional kitchens with everything from lacquer soup bowls to noren (doorway curtains). This is also the place to find those plastic food models that you see displayed enticingly in restaurant windows across the city. Be prepared to empty your pockets for these treats, however — their cost reflects skilled craftsmanship. A few pieces of nigiri sushi will cost you about Y2,500 (£11). In its new location near the Tokyo Midtown development, this museum's undulating glass surfaces catch the sun and well-deserved acclaim, while its galleries house a variegated palette of rotating exhibitions. Down in the basement lies the coolest museum store in Tokyo.