Already one of my kawaii obsessions before I made it to Japan, the Aranzi Aronzo shop more than lived up to my expectations. Aranzi Aronzo was started by two Japanese women who originally handmade everything but now has a huge range of toys, homeware, stationery, accessories and craft books, all featuring their range of hilarious and adorable characters. Their catchphrase is “cute, strange, cool, silly, a little bit horrible, stupid and comfortable” What’s not to love?
I first visited the Daikanyama shop, which was tiny and crammed with wonderful things. That store is now closed with bigger stores now open in Aoyama and at the Sky Tree. I visited the latter on my most recent trip and there were so many new things to look at including some super cute Sky Tree themed items.
If you like cute character goods and want something a bit more quirky than the usual suspects, Aranzi Aronzo is a great place to start. It’s also really inspirational to visit as a kawaii designer maker – it’s a successful nationwide brand that hasn’t lost it’s charm and silliness.
How to get there
You can find Aranzi Aronzo in Tokyo at the Sky Tree Solamachi mall and in Aoyama. Their flagship store in Osaka, plus branches in Sapporo and Fukuoka.
Last updated: 24 August 2016
