Saturday

We'd been hearing Saturday would be a terribly hot day in Tokyo.  With this in my mind, when my alarm went off Saturday morning and my Blackberry had no new work-related messages, I pulled the black-out curtains and slept a little longer.  I woke up feeling refreshed and took care of some chores around the apartment.  When the weather cooled off in the early evening, I set off to Omotesando for a walk.

I like Omotesando for its wide sidewalks and tree-lined main street.  It was a warm, humid night, but you could hear the breeze blowing through the leaves all along the street.  There's a lot of people watching in Omotesando because of all the shopping--you can find the Louis Vuitton, Prada, Tod's and Dior flagships here.  I was admiring the Ralph Lauren building when I saw what looked like an interesting back alley with smaller shops.  I decided to do some exploring and found Kate Spade Saturday's flagship location.

Apparently, Japan is Kate Spade's largest market outside the US.  I definitely believe it based on the amount of Kate Spade I see walking the streets in central Tokyo, but also because my last eight months in Japan have shown me how local tastes align with the brand's aesthetics.  Kate Spade has a certain whimsy that leans towards kawaii and the brands clothes are a little conservative, minimalist and retro, with occasional, cutesy embellishments.  That's so Japan!

I didn't go inside because I arrived just as they were closing up shop.  While I took the above picture, a couple of Japanese women stood behind me trying to figure out how or if this store is different from the regular Kate Spade.  Saturday is meant to be a little more casual (both in terms of style and price point) and aimed at a younger consumer.

I wandered aimlessly for a while before heading back to the apartment and watching a movie I'd downloaded from iTunes.  It's great to have a work-free day like this every once and again.  14 weeks to go!