while in tokyo, hhh and i visited several different types of MUJI stores, even though there are MUJIs in new york and basically all the other cities i've visited in recent years. it was worth it: they totally save the good stuff for japan. first, we went to a fairly typical MUJI in shimokitazawa, which already had way more in the way of household goods and linens than stores in other countries. then, on our last night in the city, we were headed to rakushokushu maru (best meal we had in tokyo!) when we spotted a found MUJI.
a bright corner of the second floor.
found MUJI is a different kind of MUJI store--the first floor looks like some sort of exhibit, very curated and very sparse. the second floor is more commercial, and holds objects and goods sourced from around the world. while the items fits MUJI's general aesthetic, they don't seem to be produced exclusively for MUJI. it's reeeally quiet in found MUJI, and we tiptoed around like we were in a museum.
japanese ketchup and other edibles.
kitchen linens in shades of blue.
tiny brooms and wooden containers.
placemats in muted colors.
pantry goods and orderly containers.
the signage on the first floor, at the back of the store.
in contrast, the flagship Yurachuko MUJI Atelier is livelier than most other MUJIs i've been in. there's certainly a lot more going on: the first floor holds a MUJI lab, full of clothing i haven't seen in other branches. up the escalator, there is a large cafeteria, as well as a sizable grocery section. we actually had to visit twice, because i insisted on coming back to see all the areas i missed the first time around.
the motherlode.
oh, did i mention that there is a full-sized house inside this MUJI too?
it's a lofted one-bedroom with a porch and a balcony...i'd live there!
a view into the kitchen from the porch side. i couldn't read the japanese show sheet, but it would be amazing if MUJI was actually building prefab houses.
to enter, you had to take your shoes off and put on slippers. this is a corner of the living room.
MUJI kitchen appliances, including a rice cooker, toaster, blender, and coffee grinder. all in a beautiful bright white.
there were loads of plants for sale.
and snacks! hhh loves the apple jam mini cookies. i once had some milk tea marshmallows from MUJI. they were good.
a wider view of the store, including some furniture they don't carry in the U.S.
a living room setup--I like how the side table is level with the sofa and can sit flush in between the ottoman and the corner sectional.
it was hard to pry myself away...