Lumine Ikebukuro is also a place many tourists stop by while shopping in Ikebukuro. Inside, there are plenty of trendy Japanese fashion, beauty, variety, and lifestyle brands, so anyone who enjoys shopping can take their time hunting for finds. There's also a HARBS location here. Its signature fruit mille crepe is packed with fruit, with layers of cake and fresh whipped cream that look tempting enough on their own! So when you're shopping in Ikebukuro, consider adding Lumine to your itinerary—you can shop and enjoy dessert all in one place.
Lumine Ikebukuro | Review by Linda Liao
Other Reviews by Linda Liao
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Nishijin Textile Center
This facility introduces and sells Nishijin textiles, a traditional industry of Kyoto. Nishijin Textile, a general term for Sakizome (prior dying of thread before the cloth is woven) for figured cloth produced in Kyoto (Nishijin). It is designated as a traditional national craft.
好幾年前曾經來過京都的「西陣織會館」，至今對這裡展示的傳統工藝仍印象深刻！這是一處可以免費參觀的景點，能近距離欣賞京都代表性的西陣織文化。現場有師傅示範織布過程，看著一條條繡線在熟練的雙手間穿梭，逐漸交織出精緻繁複的花紋，真的讓人由衷佩服。看似簡單的動作，背後卻需要高度專注與細膩技巧，長時間盯著密密麻麻的絲線，想必也是相當耗眼力與精神的工作。原本不起眼的線材，經過師傅巧手編織，竟能化為華麗典雅的織物，每一個細節都藏著深厚的功夫。此外，會館還會安排模特兒穿著端莊優雅的和服登台走秀，讓人有機會欣賞不同款式與織紋的美。透過現場展示，不只能看見和服之美，更能感受到京都傳統工藝代代傳承的魅力。
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Shunkado’s “Hatcho Miso Man”
Miso manju is a local sweet that has long been loved in the Enshu region of western Shizuoka Prefecture. Traditionally, this Japanese confection was made without miso, but Approx. 30 years ago, the long-established Hamamatsu confectioner Shunkado mixed miso into the dough, and it became a popular long-selling item. The miso used is Hatcho miso from Kakukyu in Okazaki City, Aichi Prefecture, naturally brewed using a method unchanged since the Edo period.
Shunkado, known for its Unagi Pie, also makes a distinctive local Japanese sweet called Hatcho Miso Manju. Traditional Hatcho miso from Okazaki City, Aichi Prefecture, is kneaded into the manju dough and paired with a smooth house-made red bean paste made from Hokkaido-grown azuki beans. It tastes sweet with a subtle savory saltiness, and the rich, mellow miso flavor blends nicely with the sweetness of the red bean paste, making it quite different from ordinary onsen manju. The dough is soft, with a slight graininess from the sugar on the surface that adds more depth to the flavor. Enjoying it with some hot tea balances the sweetness just right.
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Mojiko Retro Observation Room
One of Mojiko's premier viewpoints, the Mojiko Retro Observation Room is located atop an eye-catching high-rise condominium designed by renowned Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa. The glass-enclosed observatory sits on the building's highest floor, complete with panoramic vistas of Mojiko and its surroundings from a height of 103 meters.
If you have plenty of time in Mojiko, I highly recommend going up to the Mojiko Retro Observation Room around sunset to enjoy the captivating twilight view of the harbor from above! The observation room is located on an upper floor of a high-rise apartment building designed by renowned architect Kisho Kurokawa. Its large glass windows offer sweeping views of Mojiko and the Kanmon Strait. In the evening, the setting sun gradually turns the sky red, while the harbor lights come on one by one. Together with the historic red-brick buildings and retro streets, it feels as though you've suddenly been transported to a port city in another country. As the sky grows darker, the harbor, bustling during the day, takes on a completely different romantic atmosphere that makes you want to stop and admire it. If time allows, consider staying until after sunset to experience the enchanting transition from twilight to night in Mojiko.
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