Meet the shopkeeper: Nozomi from YAY! Takarazuka, Japan
We were so pleased to get to know our stockist Nozomi of YAY! a little more through this interview...let's step inside her world!
Hello Nozomi, could you tell us where your store YAY! is situated?
My shop YAY! is a small interior goods store located in Takarazuka City, Hyogo region, located in the middle western part of Japan.
What inspired you to open a store like this?
I have loved interior design and fashion for a long time. After I graduated from college, I started working at vintage shops dealing in vintage furniture and goods. I became really interested in the interior through working in the shop for most of my twenties - I felt very lucky to be able to work on something I loved at that time. Once I got married and had children, I became a little more distant from work, so I felt that it was better to open a shop myself to fit work around my family life. So I opened YAY! Of course now I cannot do it without the help of my children and my husband. I feel very lucky now.
Do you have a typical customer?
Half of my customers are local people, the other half are those who shop from afar through the webshop. All customers enjoy the interior, have a sense of humour and enjoy art. I enjoy meeting all of my customers.
Thank you for stocking our necklaces! How do you display them in your store?
I made walls to create an exhibition on a big board when it was decided that one we made earlier necklaces would come to my shop from London.
Do you have a favourite necklace from your selection?
Of course! Actually I love them so much that I cannot choose one. I have "Hablik", "Otto" and "Popova" which I wear frequently. The colours, shapes, comfort and texture of all the necklaces is really wonderful! And they are wonderful even to the detail of the wooden ball which is attached to the tip of the rope. I want you to see the shapes made of balls and resin etc and touch them. They are wearable art!
Can you tell us a little about your neighbourhood and recommend a few places for us to visit?
My shop is in Takarazuka-shi. Takarazuka has the famous Takarazuka Grand Theater in Japan. Also, the famous manga artist Osamu Tezuka lived here and there is a museum. Perhaps, if you think of Japan, you might imagine Kyoto or Tokyo? If you are looking for the most Japanese-style historical buildings and arts, you should go to Kyoto. Kyoto is an hour by train from Takarazuka. Osaka is a town located between Kyoto and Takarazuka, which is a very energetic city, where food is delicious, please visit Osaka. Osaka is 30 minutes by train from Takarazuka. You will feel that Japan is an interesting country mixed with both history and modernity. Please come to Takarazuka!
Thanks so much Nozomi - I really hope we can visit sometime!
Follow YAY! on
Instagram : @yay_zakka_
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yay.takarazuka
