Tokyo isn’t the first place you’d think of for uncovering a treasure trove of antiques – especially a collection as diverse as that which can be found at the RLT Guild Lodge.
RLT – Royal Lazy Type to guild newbies – is an Aladdin’s cave of hipster bits and bobs in the bohemian neighbourhood of Kichijojo. The cave is actually more of a queer blend of fisherman’s shack, scaled with old vinyl, adorned with rusty metal, and an inflatable bouncy castle-like entrance. Inside there are hours to be spent poring through the oddments – from typewriter keys to old electronics – clothing and accessories, all put together by the designer Muneaki Kuyama, who also goes by the more western-friendly moniker Donald.
It’s the kind of stuff you might have found while exploring the shed of an eccentric old hoarding grandparent, the one who dismantled broken watches but never got around to repairing any of them. Heaven for those who prefer retro to techno.
