itoaware - SHOP STORY

Do you know the town called "Nakazaki-cho" which is a 10-minute walk from Umeda?

Nakazaki-co is a retro town known to only a few.

This is an area that survived air raids during the war.

There are many old houses from that time.

Therefore, there is a very unique landscape in this area where the historical Japanese

houses are lined up amongst the big city buildings.

It's a ring shop!

In February 2020, a handmade ring shop opened in Nakazaki-cho.

This shop is filled with charming items.

It is a custom-made ring shop where craftsmen can make the perfect size to fit your

finger and you can it home on the same day!

The name of this store is "itoaware"

The meaning of "itoaware"

"itoaware"is an ancient Japanese word that expresses profound beauty and the feeling of being overwhelmed by the beauty.

It is also a word which expresses the soothing emotions of being in love.

Small and adorable rings, which are handmade one by one, are truly irresistible.

A building with a history of 140 years

itoaware is operating in a building with a long history in the Nakazaki-cho neighborhood.

The building seems to have remained since the Meiji era.

Such a building undergoes a major renovation once every several decades.

We found it at such a time and I could not help but feel it was my destiny to find the 

building and decided to move in.

The renovation was completed at the end of last year and "itoaware" would like to

continue the long history with this beautifully renovated building.

Hideaway behind the alley

Just taking a walk in the Nakazaki-cho area could be exciting.

The cafes, sundries, bread & sweets shops that have been renovated from old Japanese houses are all full of unique charm.

Where you think there is nothing at the end of the alley, you suddenly come across a shop

and you can enjoy the adventure.

In fact, our shop is located in a place that is quite difficult to find at first.

To get to the shop, find the "Hakuryu Shrine" which is also a historical shrine without which

you cannot talk about the history of Nakazaki-cho.

The shrine is located at the end of a narrow alley along the main street of Nakazaki-cho.

Although it may seem like a deadend when you peep down the alley, you can continue

walking along the alley pass the shrine. You will find our shop within only a few steps

from the shrine.

It is an alleyway that local people use as a short-cut to get to various places.

Please drop in our shop while enjoying the retroric atmosphere of Nakazaki-cho.

How to make a ring

There are two ways to purchase a ring at our shop.

1.  The craftsmen handmake the ring for the full process until finalization 

2.  You can experience putting the texture on the ring surface.

     The ring base and the final polishing is done by our craftsmen.

For customers who do not want to take part in making the ring but wants a ring that is

handmade by experienced craftsmen made to your exact finger size, we recommend No.1.

For customers who want to try experiencing hitting the ring with a hammer to put in the

texture we recommend No.2.

Even for those who feel they are not confident to taking part in the ring-making process,

please rest assured as our experienced craftsmen will guide you.

It usually takes about an hour for couples.

Enjoy the encounter

It is rare for a jewelry shop to handmake a ring in the exact size for you to take home

on the same day.

At our shop, one of our charm point is that you can choose your favorite design and take home your ring on the same day.

One of our attractive feature is that the prices are affordable starting from ¥3,000 for silver.

Come and enjoy spending time with us.

We take photos to give you of your ring-making exprience which will give you fond memories. 

You can get rings that you won't find in other places.