Kanagawa Gallery Walk
File.6 Tsukiyama Arts & Crafts
Yamamoto Shino (Gallery Watts)
This time we will introduce Oiso. Speaking of Oiso, it's Oiso Long Beach!
Not only that, it is also home to what is said to be the largest number of tunnel tombs from the end of the Kofun period in Japan, Mount Koma, which tells the story of the Warring States period, and is the eighth post town on the Tokaido road. Not to mention, it is also the town where eight former prime ministers, including Ito Hirobumi and Yoshida Shigeru, lived, making it a perfect place for a stroll to enjoy nature, culture and history.
In addition, I heard that there was an interesting corner in Gallery Sanpo, so I went to Oiso in winter for the first time. I wondered if I was the only one who felt colder because of the strong image of summer... but it was because it was a winter day that blew briefly in the suburbs of Tokyo.
Even though my destination was only a two-minute walk from the station, it took ages to get there.
I only found out that this is the birthplace of swimming beaches thanks to a wrong turn on the road (lol).
According to the tourist information website of Oiso Town, Oiso won first place in a nationwide poll of the 100 best summer resorts in Japan conducted by the Japan Newspaper Company in 1908. The purpose of the Oiso beach, which was opened by Matsumoto Jun, the first Army Surgeon General, was to promote and restore health. It was a different leisure activity from today's.
Now, I got back on track and headed to my destination, Tsukiyama Arts & Crafts. It was right next to the station. The store's website has a "detailed route" section with detailed directions with photos, so if you're directionally challenged, just tap on it. (I wish I'd realized that sooner...)
This place, which reeks of the Showa era, is the talk of the town.
The 70-year-old building was once a bar called "Gassan," and was frequented by reporters covering former Prime Minister Yoshida Shigeru.
When you go inside, you'll find a wicker ceiling and a dirt floor. There's a counter reminiscent of a standing bar, a mirror with "Gassan San'e" written on it, a letterpress printing machine, a writing desk and a Japanese chest in the tatami room - it's a parade of retro elements. As much as possible, the interior has been left as it was in the old days.
People who have lived in the area for a long time often bring medicine boxes or tool boxes that they no longer need and give to the shop.
At first glance, Tsukiyama appears to be an antiques store, but it is actually a select shop that mainly carries crafts by artists active in the Oiso area.
At the same time, it serves as a place for disseminating design from various angles, including as a design office, gallery, and workshop. 
The store is tended by 14 people, including writers and designers, and Kazuki Sato of AUI-AO Design, who has been involved since the store's launch in 2014, is particularly dedicated to promoting the appeal of letterpress printing. If you make a reservation, you can also have your business cards made using letterpress printing.
Sato's designs are also on sale in the store. Coffee filters and rice ball-shaped cards have textured surfaces created by pressing with letterpress to give them a realistic appearance. The soft, gentle warmth you can feel when you touch them is something that only letterpress printing can provide.
In addition to the appeal of letterpress, Sato says, "I try to design things with a twist that will make people use their brains when they hold them."
They're all so funny and stylish, you'll want to give them as gifts or write them to someone.
Tsukiyama also serves as a permanent store for artists who participate in the Oiso Market, which is held at Oiso Port on the third Sunday of every month. Those who can't make it to the market can find unique works here.
In the room on the second floor that the waitress had used, there was a wide selection of handmade items, including pottery by artists and antique fabrics, all selected by the owner of Nanohana Gallery in Odawara.
A bright room with plenty of sunlight. Perhaps the waitresses were taking a break here, lying down or chatting with a rice cracker in hand.
At the back, you'll find a separate building that was once a bathroom, and is aptly named "GALLERY BATHROOM."
Apparently it is used for solo exhibitions and events, and at the time, YOMORU's felt art exhibition was being held. A tourist who happened to be in Oiso commented, "Beautiful!" It turned out to be a coincidence that he was from New Zealand, the home of wool.
Aiko Toriumi, the founder of YOMORU, is smiling in front of the work and is also a member of the Tsukiyama staff. She was born and raised in Oiso, and her three children are growing up in the local area. After this, she ran off to a nearby elementary school, saying, "It's school visit day."
If you look closely, you'll see ceramic flowers in the grass at your feet. The work of local potter Asako Okamura is perfectly suited to this courtyard!
Opposite the baths are "Chayamachi Cafe & Deli" and "Lee's Bread," a bread store that uses natural yeast and is pesticide-free. When you sit on the veranda, you can smell the delicious aroma of baking bread.
"Chayamachi Cafe & Deli" has a selection of rare black teas, so I ordered the recommended first flush Castleton tea. Castleton Tea is said to be the best Darjeeling tea. To go with it, I had a cardamom roll from "Lee's Bread".
This is a popular bread in Sweden. It was my first time to try both. The cardamom is a spice but with just the right amount, and the tea has a gentle taste, making for a relaxing tea time.
Tsukiyama originally started as an idea to utilize this property with the city of Oiso and link it to urban development.
As I watched parents and children come in one after another to buy bread, I realized that this has become a beloved corner of the local community, and I felt a warm sense of happiness as I headed home.
Gallery Information
Tsukiyama Arts & Crafts
1156 Oiso, Oiso-machi, Naka-gun, Kanagawa Prefecture, 255-0003
info.tsukiyama@gmail.com
Opening hours: 11:00-17:00 Closed: Mondays
"access"
▶︎Get off at JR Oiso Station. 2 minutes walk
https://www.facebook.com/tsukiyama
