If you knit or sew, then Ichinomiya is a must-visit on your Japanese travels. The side-streets surrounding Masumida Shrine are a treasure-house of locally-produced yarns and fabrics.
Particularly of note is Ishii Shoten, a small yarn store to the right of the main gate of Masumida shrine. The store stocks an extensive range of current and vintage Eisaku Noro yarns, often at a discount, and many other beautiful local yarns at reasonable prices. The owner does not speak English, but is extremely friendly without being pushy - if you just want to browse that's fine and will help you find what you want.
May or early June this year, May 11th 2008 see a large craft fair based around Masumida, with over 100 stalls selling handcrafted articles and craft materials, plus food, live music, and hands-on workshops where you can try various crafts such as leatherwork, spinning, weaving and dyeing.
