Tokyo Finds - Amazing Moments Yanaka in East Tokyo.
Tokyo is a city of contrasts. Beyond its large avenues and constant movement, there are neighborhoods that move at a different pace. Yanaka is one of them.
Tucked into its quiet streets, Amazing Moments is a small shop shaped by time, conversation, and thoughtful selection. It is not simply a retail space, but a place where everyday encounters unfold slowly and objects are chosen with care.
On our recent visits through Yanaka, we spoke with the founder of Amazing Moments about her approach to curation, the atmosphere of the neighborhood, and how traditional craft can live naturally in contemporary Tokyo. We hope you save this address for your next walk through the city.
Can you tell us a little about Amazing Moments and what led you to open the shop in Yanaka?
For me, ‘amazing moments’ are not something fixed or extraordinary, but moments that happen naturally through everyday encounters, while browsing in the shop, choosing something as a gift, or during conversations we share with customers. These small moments of connection are what I truly value.
Before opening the shop, I spent many years working and living between different cultures. Through that experience, I became increasingly aware that objects which truly stay with us are not meant to be displayed, but are chosen, used, and needed at specific moments in life. Amazing Moments Yanaka aims to gently create or support those moments.
I chose Yanaka because it retains a rare sense of pace. It does not rush to be seen, nor does it seek efficiency. Instead, it allows people to walk slowly, look carefully, and build relationships over time.
Yanaka has a very particular atmosphere. What do you love most about the neighborhood?
Yanaka has always felt calm, warm, and closely connected to time. The streets, the houses, and even the distance between people naturally invite you to slow down. What I love most is that nothing here tries to stand out — many beautiful things reveal themselves only when you come closer and take the time to notice.
Amazing Moments Yanaka is a small space, which actually brings it closer to the scale of everyday life. I don’t expect visitors to “tour” the shop, but rather to slow their movements, to take things in their hands, put them down, and engage in conversation, gradually forming a relationship with the objects.
Your selection brings together Japanese traditional craft and contemporary design. How do you approach curation?
When I curate, I pay close attention to how well traditional craftsmanship is integrated with contemporary design language. Rather than placing “tradition” and “modernity” side by side, I look for designs that respect craftsmanship while being naturally understood and used in today’s daily life.
I often consider the production process, the choice of materials, and how the design relates to everyday living.
I hope the products in the shop are not things to be admired from a distance, but objects to be used, touched, and lived with.
How important is storytelling and dialogue with customers?
For me, conversations with customers and sharing the stories behind products is an essential part of Amazing Moments Yanaka.
Often, a product is not truly understood through written explanations alone, but through dialogue. When people learn how something is made and why it is designed the way it is, they tend to care for it more deeply.
Customers’ experiences and ways of using things often enrich my own understanding of the designs.
What makes an object special enough to be lived with or gifted?
I believe an object worth living with or gifting is one that can form a relationship with someone’s life.
It doesn’t need to be extravagant, but it should carry warmth and sincerity, and reveal its value through use over time.
When an object can hold the intention of the giver while also being naturally used in everyday life, rather than being kept aside, I feel it has truly fulfilled its role.
Finally, how do you personally like to use a furoshiki?
I love furoshiki for their sense of freedom and openness. To me, they are not simply wrapping cloths, but objects that can be continuously redefined depending on the situation.
Sometimes I use them to wrap a lunch box or personal items, and other times as a table covering or simple storage cloth.
Among Link Collective’s furoshiki, the one I use most at the moment is Arizona Midnight. I often wear it as a scarf, changing the way I tie it depending on my outfit or the occasion — these small variations bring quiet enjoyment to daily life.
I also have a friend who works as a sculptor and is currently renovating his home and studio. I plan to give him Folded Paper Black to hang on the wall as an interior piece, I feel it will resonate beautifully with his space.
Find out more about Amazing Moments Yanaka on their instagram and don’t forget to visit !
(〒110-0001 Tokyo, Taito City, Yanaka, 7 Chome−5−25 ヤナカアパートメント 102 )
Text by Katarina Mladenovicova.