Due to the ongoing health challenges in our community, we continue to prioritize the well being & safety of both our ITSUMO team and our beloved customers. We will delay our 2022 reopening until Saturday, January 22. We apologize for any inconvenience. Please feel free to contact us via IG or email if you have any questions. We are looking forward to seeing & serving you all once again just as soon as we get past this current time of stress for our healthcare community & all of the frontline workers. Thank you kindly for your patience & understanding.

[ Shop Hours ]

Monday: Closed

Tuesday: Closed

Wednesday: 12pm – 6pm

Thursday: 12pm – 6pm

Friday: 12pm – 6pm

Saturday: 12pm – 6pm

Sunday: 12pm – 5pm

Our shop is closed until January 14th, 2022.

We will open from Saturday, January 15th  22nd, 2022. Thank you.

[ Shop Hours ]

Monday: Closed

Tuesday: By appointment only

Wednesday: 12pm – 6pm

Thursday: 12pm – 6pm

Friday: 12pm – 6pm

Saturday: 12pm – 6pm

Sunday: 12pm – 5pm

2021 was a time of resilience. Our year began with a renewed search for hope. Miraculously effective vaccines were delivered, and we began to emerge from what we hope had been the most uncertain time of the past many months. At that same time, we were reminded of the challenging new realities of climate change. In light of these difficult but not insurmountable problems, we commit that our work and responsibilities to our community must continue every day.  

2022 is the year of Tiger. Although it did not originate in Japan, the Chinese zodiac, and the 12 animals that represent it, have been embraced by Japanese traditions wholeheartedly, and it is an inherent part of daily Japanese life & culture. On New Year’s Day, we cherish and learn about the meanings of the symbolic animal, enriching ourselves with a sense of fresh prospect and possibilities for the year ahead.

The tiger was thought to be a star whose predecessor shines in the night sky due to its golden fur pattern. Seen as a powerful animal, along with the lion, the Tiger presents an image of strength and authority, and also has a is a symbol of wisdom followed by firm decision. Specifically, 2022 is the Year of the Water Tiger (壬寅, みずのえとら, mizunoetora). It is said to represent the auspiciousness of beginning anew and nurturing what has been born.

We hope that the year 2022 will be a cornerstone of revitalized growth, sprouting through the harsh winter as a new daily life begins.

We would like to thank all our valued customers and trusted community for their continued support over the past couple of challenging years. It has been an absolute pleasure to serve each and every one of you. We remain tremendously grateful for all of the kind encouragement and loving support offered to us each and every day. 

We look forward to the many good things to come in 2022, and to seeing everyone in the new year when the circumstances in our community most certainly begin to improve.

Once again, thank you so much.

From all of us at ITSUMO, we wish you & all your loved ones a safe, healthy and brilliant start to the New Year.

Gift Wrap

One of our special services we offer at ITSUMO is our complimentary gift wrapping, which is beautiful and thoughtful. If you would like your item(s) wrapped, please make sure to leave a note during checkout, or e-mail us with your order number.

Starting Tuesday November 9th, our shop in Vancouver BC will open on Tuesdays from 12 – 6pm additional to our regular operating hours till the end of the year. We look forward to assisting your seasonal shopping!
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2021 Holiday Operating Hours⁠

[ from November 9th ~ December 31st ]

12:00 ~ 18:00: Tuesday ~ Saturday

12:00 ~ 17:00: Sunday

Closed: Monday

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 Shop Location 

279 East 6th Avenue, Vancouver BC V5T 1J7

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Customer Service

Phone: 604-423-3679

e-mail: info@itsumo.ca

National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 21st, 2021)

On this During National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 21st, 2021), during National Indigenous Peoples Month (June), and at all times throughout the year, ITSUMO recognizes our shared responsibility to not only reflect on the incredible cultures, histories & traditions of the many resilient peoples, nations & communities that have endured and persevered through centuries of colonial hegemony, apartheid & spiritual decimation; but also to embrace an ongoing opportunity to continue our own introspective reckoning of the many ways that we are each personally complicit with the systems & institutions that continue to marginalize and oppress indigenous communities around the globe today.

We recognize that we are guests on unceded land, known in our local region as the traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) and kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem) Nations.
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At ITSUMO, what started as a pure enthusiasm and deep respect for indigenous arts and craftsmanship has resulted in an evolving awakening of learning and unlearning; a burgeoning awareness of the continuing oppression and devastation of indigenous communities whose people & cultures have been stifled & suppressed by our systemic institutions of post colonial power.

As we continue to discover connections between the textiles and crafts of global indigenous artists and those of ancient Japanese communities and craftspeople, we recognize the tremendous value we place on the connection ITSUMO shares with indigenous cultures, and also with the natural world and all of its precious resources.
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In an effort to try to contribute to positive change in our local communities, ITSUMO continues to support indigenous-led organizations whose mandate it is to help promote education, healing and reconciliation.⁠ A few of these groups are listed below. Each of these, and many more, can be supported through the Canadahelps charitable organization website.
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• Inuit Art Foundation⁠
• Indian Residential School Survivors Society⁠
• Legacy of Hope Foundation⁠
• Native Child and Family Services of Toronto⁠
• Yukon Arts Centre Corporation⁠
• First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada⁠

Art: Pitaloosie Saila (Cape Dorset), Tattooed Sun, 1988, Stonecut.