Summer in Japan 5

Nina and I visited my best friend in Tokyo. The place where my friend lives  is called "Ningyo-cho". The word "Ningyo" means a doll and "cho" means a town. This area the east side of Tokyo is the old part of the city. There are so many tall modern buildings and headquarters of big companies and banks. Between the buildings you still can see little old timbered houses. Many of those houses are probably more than 100 years old.And there are some shops of long standing established since the Edo period.

 We need to change trains three times to go to Ningyo-cho from the town where my parents' house is in. Nina likes riding trains very much. Riding train with my daughter seems getting easier every time. She has grown up enough to be patient in the train for about one and half hour trip to Tokyo. I even had fun riding trains with her. Not much stress. It was a big progress to me!

Before I visited my friend's house, I stopped at this very old cutlery store in Ningyo-cho. I have a very good pair of sewing scissors. That was my big birthday gift from my good friends. My four girlfriends and myself, a group of five women have been celebrating birthdays of all together every year. We give one gift to a birthday girl every time. The birthday girl can request something she wants every year. Then once I asked the scissors of this old cutlery store's. I have been using it for 6years and the blades have gotten a little bit dull so I wanted to sharpen these scissors.

The name of this store is "Ubuke-ya". "Ubuke" is "down (tiny fuzzy hairs on your cheeks)". This is my guess, though, they mean that their blades are so sharp so they won't miss any one of down.

A part of their products in the showcase. There I see some kitchen knives, flower scissors and nail clippers.

I hope you can see the little trademark on my scissors. It says " Tokyo Ubuke-ya".

This is the frontage of the store. It is so tiny but quaint.

It took about a week to be done. I am so happy with the result. Now it is sharp again like brand new. I am going to use these forever. 'Cause I so love them. If you had a chance to go to Tokyo (and you cut fabrics so much!), I highly recommend to get a pair for yourself : )