Hidden Travel Store along the Chuo Line - Traveling General Store Hin plus

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  This is the handkerchief that Portuguese women use to respond to a marriage proposal.

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  A rag doll in a red apron that represents "married" in Estonian tradition.

3-Minute Walk from Nishi-Ogikubo Station

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  The general store Hin plus is located at Nishi Ogikubo Station. Nishi-ogikubo is about a 13 minute train ride from Shinjuku on the JR Chuo Line and JR Sobu Line. Other main stations on the same line are Mikata, which is known for having the Ghibli Museum, along with Nakano, Koenji, which are famous for fashion and live houses, and Kichijoji which is a great nightlife drinking and eating spot.

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  "Traveling General Store Hin plus (世界の手仕事と雑貨「旅する雑貨屋 Hin plus」) is located about 3 minutes from Nishi-Ogikubo Station's North Exit. Once you leave the North Exit, you will see a shopping street alley on the right side. Walk about 50m and Hin plus will be on the left side.

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  Just look for a small store with a vibrant blue door!

Goods from All around the World

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  The owner of this store has visited several dozens of countries including Europe, Israel, the Baltics (Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia), South America, and Southeast Asia. The owner said she travels alone to these countries to communicate with the local people, learn the most traditional culture, and bring these meaningful and story items back to Japan for customers and friends to take home with them. We found ourselves intrigued by the wide range of miscellaneous goods and what sort of meaning they held that were on display in this tiny shop.

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  The show owner explained the places she has traveled to and where she has gotten some of the items sold in the shop.

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  Photographs of locals (this was in Portugal) who were taken directly by the owner.

Culture and Tradition

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  When you talk directly to the owner, you can see her attachment to every single item. Even though it seems to be ordinary goods at first glance, but after listening to the story behind everything, what was simply “beautiful”, changes into something of purpose. 

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  1. Knitting expressed the daily life of Polish people.
  The owner of this store is very curious, and he says he can make goods directly from the local area.
  
  It is said that this green work was learned and made in a small village about 5 hours away from the central part of Poland, and it expresses the daily life of the locals such as water folks, folk dances and crops. The work shown in the picture is an expression of the bee farm and the bees.

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  2. Latvian Insignia and Wrist Insulation
  The colorful items shown in the photograph are called the lavatory and wrist goods of the citizens of the Republic of Latvia.
  
  From ancient times, Latvians, who thought of neck and wrists as a precious area, made fabric that could protect the area. 

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  3. A skirt counting the days of Portugal
  This skirt was made in 7 layers. The reason is that when the wife who sent the old acquaintance waits for her husband, it is said to be a skirt that counts the days to count the date, and the skirt with the affection of the local women at that time has become a traditional tradition.

A Store of Things from around the World and a Story to Match

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  The general merchandise Hin plus is called "Handmade goods and miscellaneous goods in the world". In fact, it is not a mass-produced item at the factory, but only a hand-touched item, meaning that all of the goods in the shop are filled with rare items that are not available anywhere else.

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  At first, I thought, 'How did the owner of such a dwarf and quiet person alone go to so many countries'? But when explaining memories and knowledge about each single item, I was able. If you are interested in world travel, sundries, please come to this place and have a chance to hear about the rare items and the stories in the world.