Hi! I will be traveling to Japan in March-April next year. I collect all kinds of weird things, like animal skulls/bones, insects, taxidermy, macabre antiques, etc. I can’t seem to find any “oddities” stores even in Tokyo when I google it, but I would be shocked if there weren’t any as most large cities I’ve been to have several, even if they’re not super popular! If anyone has any recommendations, let me know!
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EDIT: I found one in Tokyo called Darwin Room, anything similar to this would be great!
14 comments
So probably not exactly what you’re looking for, but there’s a really interesting bar in Osaka called “Kinguu.” It is filled with a bunch of taxidermied animals and the bartenders are really cool gothic guys. They are known for their Absinthe. It was a really cool, bizarre little bar that I definitely recommend checking out!
Don’t know of anywhere specifically like what you’re looking for, but there are tons of antique stores around Kyoto, and something like Yokai Street might interest you. Also, [this store in Nara](https://goo.gl/maps/tvxKeQnzYHGFta887) sells jewelry and other things made from deer antlers.
Perhaps you’d also be interested in the Museum museum of Parasitology in Meguro?
While I’m sure you can find just about anything in Tokyo the city itself is quite prim and proper. As the other commenter mentioned Osaka I think you’ll find more in the way of “oddities” there. My favorite places in Japan were Osaka and Kanazawa as they are more punk rock/working class.
Not a store, but we really enjoyed visiting Intermediatheque right near Tokyo Station. If you’ll be nearby at any point, definitely stop in- free admission and some really great natural history and taxidermy exhibits. Has a lovely curio cabinet vibe as it’s the collections of the University of Tokyo, so a little more lo-fi than your typical natural history museum experience.
Darwin Room pretty much just sells books and stationery, it’s a cute shop but it doesn’t really have anything “weird”. If you dig around the antique shops nearby you might find something cool, though.
I think I saw a store like that on [Atlas Obscura](https://www.atlasobscura.com/things-to-do/japan/places) but I’m not sure anymore.. Even if there isn’t, checking the website out might be worth it as there are many weird (and cool!) places listed there
You might have some luck in Shimokitazawa, it’s full of vintage shops. Or Chinatown in Yokohama has a bunch of bohemian type shops with crystals and such!
If you like fossils and ancient insects in amber there’s a store under Kinokuniya near Shinjuku station east exit. Can’t vouch for authenticity but it’s fascinating.
Not quite the same but I did find a satanic store on a little side street in Osaka.
David Sedaris? Is that you?
I used to walk from Daikanyama to Meguro frequently while I lived in japan and on the way was one of the coolest little antique stores that I’ve ever seen that I think fits your desires to a T. I know the location but can’t seem to find a name or website online for it. Nonetheless please PM me and I can pass along some photos and the street location if you’re interested!
EDIT: finally figured out how to upload photos to imgur from my phone, so here are three photos I took in the store, as well as the store’s address from the photo info. https://imgur.com/a/yUSt9oT
This place was so well curated, I highly highly recommend visiting!!
[Guignol](https://shop.guignol.jp/?mode=grp&gid=1954103&sort=n) in Nakazakicho in Osaka is this exact thing! There are some bones, really beautiful handmade fabric moths made by a local artist, and a lot of stuff that has sort of an astrology or mythology theme.
They also have a sister shop, Jam Pot, which is painted all white inside and full of pretty and cute things. It’s still a trinket/oddities shop but with the opposite mood! They are walking distance from each other and that neighborhood is really nice to walk around.
(Unrelated to Japan but if you ever go to San Francisco, definitely check out Paxton Gate.)
[This one in Maruyamacho Shibuya](https://goo.gl/maps/Q6T2AyNWADDQdHSk7) always has a bunch of weird stuff in the windows. More the harlequin mask type of weird, not so much the dead animals type of weird, though.
When I was in Venus Fort, Odaiba there was a store called ‘Strange Love M’ or something along those lines. I was a little intimidated by it so I kinda just had a peak from outside it had oddities and such I believe :).
Heres an article on it with a few pictures to give you more of an idea [https://jonellepatrick.me/2014/10/31/strange-love-the-spookiest-store-in-the-world/](https://jonellepatrick.me/2014/10/31/strange-love-the-spookiest-store-in-the-world/)
I was going to have a coffee at the Darwin room last trip but for some reason I didnt end up going, I hope you enjoy it!