Photos by Kat Walcott and courtesy of Tokyo Shop
If you’re a lover of everything kawaii–which is a Japanese word used to describe anything cute for those of you unfamiliar with the term–then get excited! Ottawa’s very first Japanese dollar store has recently opened up in the heart of the city. Located at 258 Elgin St., Tokyo Shop is a Japan-lover's heaven. Japanese dollar stores are known for their packed shelves of goodies and cutely-designed novelty items and Tokyo Shop definitely lives up to that.
At the entrance of the store, you can help yourself to some free, freshly-brewed tea giving the store a very friendly and welcoming feel. Then you have aisles of goodies to explore and get lost in. In true Japanese dollar store fashion, Tokyo Shop really is a one-stop shop. Whether you want some Japanese kitchen goods like chopsticks and bento boxes, beauty items and accessories such as lip gloss and Japanese-brand facial tissues, or popular Japanese snack items such as Hi-Chew gum and Pocky, this is the place for you.
A stand out aspect of the store though is definitely the office supply and stationary section. Here you can find some really unique items such as erasable highlighters, scented erasers and pastel-coloured dry-erase markers—all of which are not commonly available in North American office supply stores. If you’re a student looking for affordable, but still high quality and aesthetically pleasing, items for your book bag, you definitely want to check out the store’s selection.
With Ottawa becoming an increasingly global and diverse city, it is so great to see businesses like this popping up throughout the city–reflecting the different backgrounds, tastes and styles of those who call the National Capital their home. With items starting as low as $2 in price, Tokyo Shop makes Japanese products, and a little taste of Japanese culture itself, easily accessible to the Ottawa community.
