Tin buckets and dustpans, brooms made from broom grass, anodized aluminum trays and bowls, bamboo strainers and baskets - these are all traditional tools used in everyday life. Matsunoya, a hardware wholesaler that sells such hardware, has launched its "Matsunoya Summer Hardware and Miscellaneous Goods Market" at Bakuro-cho ART+EAT.
This year marks the 6th annual hardware and miscellaneous goods market. The household tools on display and for sale are items found by store owner Matsuno Hiroshi, who visits makers and workshops all over Japan. "If natural foods are foods that show the faces of the producers and the production process, then the tools sold by Matsunoya are natural products that allow you to see the faces of the makers and experience the process," says Matsuno. True to its name, photographs of the makers and their production sites are displayed alongside the rows of tools. The Hardware and Miscellaneous Goods Market isn't just a place to sell products; it's also a place to connect makers and users.
Panels showcasing the makers and production process of the tools on display.
Also planned for the event are talk shows and workshops themed around "ALL THAT'S 'Miscellaneous'." "Don't you think 'Miscellaneous' is a great word?" says Matsuno. The word "miscellaneous" often evokes the value created by bringing together objects and opinions, such as miscellaneous goods, magazines, trivia, and casual conversation. "It's the same with miscellaneous items. As you collect things, a kind of value is born. The 'miscellaneous' feeling of miscellaneous items, such as miscellaneous items and magazines, makes you want to evaluate them with a 'nice' rather than a 'good' or 'bad'," Matsuno says. He says he wants to reconsider the current era of 'miscellaneous', a feeling of fun and comfort that you feel, rather than a feeling of good or bad determined by others. Joining Matsuno for a 'miscellaneous' conversation will be Hasegawa Yoshitaro, owner of Bunka-ya Zakkaten, a pioneering figure in Showa-era subculture. "It was Hasegawa Yoshitaro of Bunka-ya Zakkaten who transformed the word 'miscellaneous' into a culture of its own. While the store sadly closed, I'd like to discuss how to view things with this charismatic owner of 'miscellaneous' who had a major impact on many people involved with things." Another example of 'miscellaneous' is a workshop to make handmade dustcloths and Azuma bags. "Young people these days probably don't make dust rags. More and more people don't know how to make them. In the past, it was passed down from parent to child, but that's no longer the case. That's why Matsunoya is a bit of a nosy bunch. It's okay if you're not good at it. It's fun just to get stitching together," says Kinuko, the proprietress of Matsunoya.
A scene from the "Dust Rag Workshop" held last year. Everyone stitching together!
You'll learn how to make an "Azuma bag" out of a tenugui (Japanese hand towel) at the workshop.
In addition, Bakurocho ART+EAT will be open as a bar only on Fridays and Saturdays during the event. Come enjoy the fun and cozy "Hardware and Miscellaneous Goods Market" while sipping a beer.
【Event Information】
"Matsunoya's Summer Hardware and Miscellaneous Goods Market"
Venue: Bakuro-cho ART+EAT
Address: 202 Agata Takezawa Building, 1-2-11 Higashikanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Dates: July 4th - July 29th, 2017
Times: 12:00 - 19:00 (Tuesday - Thursday), 12:00 - 22:00 (Bar time on Fridays and Saturdays only)
Closed: Sundays and Mondays
Telephone: Matsunoya / 090-8742-2996, Bakuro-cho ART+EAT / 03-6413-8049
■July 14th 19:00 onwards
"ALL THAT'S 'Miscellaneous'" Talk Show
Hiroshi Matsuno (Owner of Matsunoya) x Yoshitaro Hasegawa (Owner of Bunka-ya Miscellaneous Goods Store)は※1 drink号して仕入れられるのは～
■7月22日 19:00～
"The Master Performers Make Their Appearance!! Summer Rakugo Night" Kouta, Tsutsumi, Yosebayashi
Performers: Sanyutei Tonba
Shamisen: Morimoto Noriko
Admission: 1,000 yen (*One drink order required)
*Reservations are required for all events at Bakuro-cho ART+EAT or Matsunoya.
