Looking for a gift? Or maybe just something special for the home? Motomachi has long been known as the shopping district of Yokohama. Its many boutique stores offer plenty of variety and quite a range of price (though high-end goods are in no short supply). Corner’s Field is one place we recommend for both tourists and residents alike. It specializes in traditional tableware, whether ceramic, lacquer or wooden. The prices are quite affordable, too. You could set the entire table, from elegant chopsticks to hand-crafted bowls or plates, for under ¥10,000 if you browse carefully enough. And trust us: this isn’t a collection of ugly kitsch like you find so often at touristy stalls near landmarks. We even use some tea cups we purchased when clients come to our office!
Many people have probably passed this store not realizing all that it has to offer. From the outside, it looks like a clothing store for older women. But there is a staircase to the left near the entrance that leads to a showroom upstairs stacked with goods. Some items, like wooden forks and spoons, cost less than ¥500. There are many attractive rice bowls and tea bowls under ¥1000. Planning an evening of sake? You can get a tokkuri (pourer) set with four guinomi (sake cups) for under ¥2000. If you prefer tea, standard kyusu (tea pots) are just as affordable. Honestly, if you wanted to cook traditional Japanese all the time, you could probably find all your kitchenware here; they even sell an assortment of ceramic cooking pots. Other trinkets and figurines may make nice ornaments for your home or gifts for friends overseas that just want something ‘Japanese and traditional.’
Let’s be clear: these aren’t museum pieces. Certainly not the chopstick holders that look like sushi. But we think you’ll find something you like at Corner’s Field–and probably something a friend would like, too.