Two Elävä Shops by Mina Perhonen Have Opened in Bakurocho

Bakurocho, a Tokyo neighborhood famous for its fabrics wholesalers, has been steadily gaining attention every time a new chic café or gallery opens. In the new Bakurocho, Mina Perhonen has opened two stops simultaneously, Elävä I and Elävä II. ‘Elävä’ has the sense of ‘lifestyle’ in Finnish. The shops also function as galleries, with a full array of things without which we cannot live well, whether clothing, food, or interior goods.

Elävä I features tableware and objects of art by popular artists Jiro Yoshida and Masanobu Ando, as well as food and beverages such as tea, miso, vegetables, and wines. The specially selected delicacies include products packaged by the designer Akira Minakawa himself. The wine deserves special attention. Beginning with the natural wines, every bottle in the line up has a story to tell about how it was made. Selected for a different sensibility than is found in a specialty shop, these wines have stories well worth repeating, which makes them perfect gifts to take along when visiting friends.

Just one street over from Evälä I is the building where Evälä II is located. Here Perhonen’s apparel, furniture, and sundries are available for purchase. Whereas Evälä I focuses on Japanese foods and tableware, Evälä II handles vintage Scandinavian furniture, including Artek items from Alvar Aalto’s famous furniture series. Furniture can also be ordered with Mina Perhornen textiles used as the upholstery. The store also accepts furniture for repair and customization, such as shortening the legs of chairs.

The Mina Perhonen ‘lifestyle’ is now available for purchase at two shops. Without a doubt, this puts a new face on Bakurocho.