I’m sitting here at the living room of my new tiny apartment. It’s perfect in all its smallness. The floors are black. There are built-in shelves. It’s cool because it’s in a place way above the city. And the best of all, there is no hint of cigarette smoke anywhere.

Before we moved in, the boyfriend and I hit all known thrift shops in Cebu to score some cheap furniture and other household accessories. We hit the jackpot at this Japanese surplus store called Reyu’s. The place is teeming with all sorts of oddities. I wanted to buy more than furniture but I didn’t think that everything I wanted would have fit in Uzi’s Dad’s car.

Here are some things that you can find at Reyu’s:

Japanese dolls

Japanese dolls

1-kimono

kimono

japanese dolls and used crutches

more Japanese dolls and used crutches

ceramics in all shapes and sizes

ceramics in all shapes and sizes

frames

frames

little lanterns and other hanging thingies

little lanterns and other hanging thingies

teapots!

teapots!

other curiousities

other curiousities

We ended up buying a Japanese writing table (photo below). I will repaint it. Perhaps, install new drawer pulls, too.

writing (now coffee) table

writing (now coffee) table

Then we returned two days later to buy the bottom chest below. It now serves as our mini-pantry.

wooden chests

wooden chests

PSA: If you live in Cebu and you want to shop at Reyu’s, ride the 13C or 13B jeepney going to Tintay, Talamban.