Shopping for yarn in Japan

No overseas trip would be complete without dragging my husband to some fabric or yarn stores to secure goods I wouldn’t be able to get at home.

Our first stop was Saori Osaka. With numerous branches across Japan, you might find one close to your location, even if you’re not visiting a major city. The studio greeted us with walls adorned with yarn and a collection of looms spaciously arranged in the centre of the room. The prices were surprisingly affordable, with wool priced at ¥5.5 per gram. Purchases were made by selecting full cones, which were then weighed to calculate the cost. After our initial purchase, I realised what a bargain it was and made a second visit to the Shibuya store in Tokyo. In total, I ended up spending about ¥10,000 for about a kilo or two of yarn. Although we didn’t have the opportunity this time, you can also book a couple of hours for weaving, which I hope to do next time!

I loved this patchwork covered tray!

Another store I explored was Yuzawaya. I visited the Umeda store, which, I must admit, was a bit challenging to locate as it was tucked away in one of the many shopping centres in the area. However, it was well worth the effort. There, I found bamboo circular knitting needles priced at about ¥1,000 each—a pretty good deal! I also couldn’t resist purchasing some beautiful Noro yarn. It’s akin to Spotlight in Australia; the store had loads of fabrics, YKK zippers, notions, etc.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have the chance to visit Avril this time, but it’s definitely on my list for next time.