3 Stores You Should Visit at Tokyo Solamachi, Shopping at Tokyo Skytree Mall - New Year's Japan Travel Day 4

Wednesday, April 4, 2018

3 Stores You Should Visit at Tokyo Solamachi, Shopping at Tokyo Skytree Mall - New Year's Japan Travel Day 4

My husband and I traveled Japan during New Year's holidays. As I mentioned in my previous entry, we went to Tokyo Skytree (東京スカイツリー), which is a famous observation tower in Sumida, Tokyo, and we enjoyed shopping at Tokyo Solamachi (東京ソラマチ), a huge shopping mall at the bottom of Tokyo Skytree.

Tokyo Solamachi

By the way, these towers of pine and bamboo placed at the entrance are called kadomatsu (門松), which is a traditional Japanese decoration for New Year. :)

Kadomatsu

Tokyo Solamachi has more than 300 retail stores, restaurants and so on. Today, I'm going to share three stores you should visit there with you.

Kaldi Coffee Farm (カルディコーヒーファーム)

Kaldi Coffee Farm

Kaldi Coffee Farm is selling coffee, wine, snacks and etc. Most of their products are very hard to find at other supermarkets in Japan. Kaldi Coffee Farm has so many branches in Japan. For instance, they have 87 stores in Tokyo.

Kaldi Coffee

As its store name, Kaldi Coffee Farm sells many kinds of coffee products.

Shio Lemon Nabe Tsuyu (塩)レモン鍋つゆ

These lemon salt liquid broth for nabe (塩レモン鍋つゆ Shio Lemon Nabe Tsuyu) was featured as the best Kaldi's product on Japanese TV show. I've also seen this product in some Japanese people's blogs. If I lived in Japan, I would definitely try one.

Potato Chips with Cilantro flavor (パクチーポテトチップス)

I also found their popular potato chips! This tastes like cilantro! If you love cilantro, you really should try one.

If you love very unique Japanese snacks, you will love this store. :) I'll write about what I purchased there in my future entry.

Kitano Ace (北野エース)

Kitano Ace sells a variety of groceries. Kitano Ace also have many branches in Japan. In Tokyo, they have 15 branches.

If you are already an expert at Japanese foods and would like to find something you don't see at regular supermarkets in Japan, I think you will love this store. For instance, they have a wide selection of Japanese instant curry.

Their agodashi (あごだし), fish based broth made from dried flying fish, was featured as one of the best products from Kitano Ace on some Japanese TV shows and Japanese magazines.

We also purchased some products at Kitano. Their foods were so high quality and tasted so good! I should have purchased more products there. I'll write about what I purchased there in my future entry.

Starbucks Japan

Starbucks Japan Geography Series - Tokyo

As I mentioned in my previous entry, Starbucks Japan has local city mugs and tumblers. These Starbucks mugs and tumblers are only released in Tokyo.

Starbucks Japan Geography Series - Tokyo Stainless Steel Water Bottle

This Starbucks has very expensive Starbucks Japan Iced Coffee Glass, Edo-Kiriko (江戸切子). This glass is a part of Starbucks Japan JIMOTO Made Series and can be only found at Starbucks branches in Sumida, Tokyo. By the way, Jimoto (地元) means local in Japanese.

Starbucks Japan Iced Coffee Glass - Edo-Kiriko

Edo-kiriko is a type of traditional cut glass originating in Edo (江戸). Edo is former name of Tokyo. (Have you ever heard, "Edokko"? Edokko 江戸っ子 is a person born and raised in Tokyo.) Starbucks Edo-Kiriko glass was made by skilled artisans in Sumida Edo Kiriko Museum (すみだ江戸切子館). This Edo-Kiriko glass was 35,000 yen!

Starbucks Japan Iced Coffee Glass - Edo-Kiriko

Because it was New Year holidays, they have Starbucks Japan 2018 New Year Mugs. (By the way, Japan don't celebrate the lunar new year unlike other Asian countries. I hadn't really known what the lunar new year was until I moved to the U.S.)