TDM
-
My made-to-measure leather trunk bag / little suitcase
I’ve always had an obsession with small suitcases. When we lived in Paris, all my DIY tools were carefully kept in cardboard suitcases. I even sewed a suitcase (with a lot of difficulty, mind you) out of cotton. Since then, I’ve had huge respect for fabric suitcase makers. Last year, JB signed us up for the Journées Particulières at Vuitton , and and Moynat and we got to see how trunks and suitcases are made. It’s a tricky craft (and a dying one), still largely done by hand. While trunks don’t appeal to me, I fell for this little suitcase at Moynat. It’s tiny and looks completely useless (it holds…
-
Toiletry bag / organizer in bull leather – Custom made
Recently, seeing a huge hole in my tool bag (which I carry everywhere in case a DIY project comes up), I thought I needed a sturdier organizer that I could also use as a toiletry bag. Lots of thinking later, I have a rough idea of the bag I want. I get information from one of the Vietnamese leatherworkers I usually order custom products from. He tells me what can or cannot be done. I buy the leather directly from 3Q (a Vietnamese supplier), who ships the leather straight to the leatherworker. For the exterior, I went with Gochoki bull leather from Rémy Carriat, a French tanner. It’s nubuck with…
-
Buying a fan in Kyoto (Japan)
To easily find your way around Japan and rediscover your favorite shops, opt for a Holafly eSIM ! You’ll get unlimited data during your stay, plus the Always On benefit: 1 GB/month of backup data included to stay connected no matter what. My latest obsession is the Japanese fan. Luckily for my wallet, they’re not very expensive. I bought my fan at a specialty shop in Tokyo and I was really happy with it. But I told myself I couldn’t settle for just one fan. Last time, I lost my only Japanese fan during a heatwave in Istanbul and suffered every time it got hot; I need at least a…
-
Taking the shinkansen between Tokyo and Kyoto
This is our second trip to Japan, but last time we preferred to fly between Osaka and Tokyo because it was cheaper. This time, we need to go to Kyoto from Tokyo, so we opted for the shinkansen. The shinkansen website is incomprehensible; JB can’t even create an account because his credit card won’t go through. However, in big cities, there are automatic machines to buy your shinkansen tickets. We were in a small town when we decided to buy a ticket, so we simply bought it at the counter. They asked us “reserved seats or not?” and we said “reserved seats” since we’re leaving the day before Golden Week…
-
Shopping in Tokyo (Japan): Ozu Washi, Fans, and Tsukiji Market
We still have one day in Tokyo before leaving for Kansai. Since JB has been driving non-stop for about ten days, I do my little visits alone in the morning and we meet up later at Tsukiji Outer Market. Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal Ozu Washi I’ve always been very interested in Japanese papers, and despite my small washi workshop a few days ago, I still visit the Ozu Washi, in operation since 1653. This shop, specializing in washi (Japanese paper), now functions as a cultural center dedicated to washi, offering exhibitions and workshops on calligraphy and ink painting. Used for its exceptional durability…
-
Ashikaga Flower Park [Road trip in Japan #9]
I saw videos of Ashikaga Flower Park a long time ago and it has always been my dream to go there. Unfortunately, it’s quite far from Tokyo (a bit like Mount Fuji). Even with a train that stops right in front of the park entrance, the idea of spending 3 hours round trip on public transport doesn’t appeal to me much. So, I’m very happy to be able to go by car. This travel diary is part of a series on our road trip in Japan. If you missed the previous episodes, here are the links: the itinerary, diary #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8 Part 1: Travel…
-
Haruna Shrine, Shorinzan Daruma-ji and Daruma Talismans [Japan Road Trip #8]
Everyone leaves Kusatsu reluctantly. Not only has the whole family become too fond of onsen towns, but we’re also approaching the end of the road trip. It’s raining a little, but we’re cozy inside the car. Let’s go! This travel diary is part of a series on our road trip in Japan. If you missed the previous episodes, here are the links: the itinerary, diary #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7 Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal Day 8 of the road trip We see the cherry blossoms for the last time, and these full bloom cherry trees near a pretty bridge totally satisfy…
-
Kusatsu Onsen & Snow monkey park [Road trip in Japan #7]
We leave very early from Kanazawa to get to Kusatsu Onsen. The road is very long, so we make a few stops along the way so JB can rest a bit. This travel diary is part of a series on our road trip in Japan. If you missed the previous episodes, here are the links: the itinerary, diary #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6 Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal Day 6 of the road trip: We pick up the car after parking it for less than 48 hours. The parking lot JB chose isn’t too expensive; we pay at most 1200 yen for 24…
-
Kanazawa: Tea Ceremony & Geisha [Road Trip Japan #6]
Kanazawa is a major stop on our itinerary. That’s why we’re staying here for 2 nights. This travel diary is part of a series on our road trip in Japan. If you missed the previous episodes, here are the links: the itinerary, diary #1, #2, #3, #4, #5 Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal Day 4 of the road trip (continued) We leave the thatched-roof villages and drive non-stop to KanazawaThis city is considered a “mini-Kyoto,” and it retains traces of samurai and geisha (called geiko in Kanazawa). It’s still too early to check in at the hotel, so we first stop at the samurai…
-
Ogimachi, Suganuma, Ainokura, Thatched-Roof Villages and Washi Paper Workshop [Japan Road Trip #5]
We leave Takayama at 8 a.m. because we have a busy day of sightseeing ahead. We need to visit the villages with thatched-roof houses before arriving in Kanazawa for the afternoon. These mountain villages aren’t easy to reach, even though there are a few buses that go there. Most people go by car or on a guided tour. Even Lonely Planet thinks it’s wiser to rent a car. We followed that advice and ended up renting a car for the entire road trip, not just for these mountain villages. This travel diary is part of a series on our road trip in Japan. If you missed the previous episodes, here…
