Kakumei in Braddon

Where is Kakumei?

Kakumei is in Braddon, a suburb of Canberra. The shop is at Unit 3, 32 Lonsdale Street, Braddon ACT 2612, open Wednesday to Sunday, 10:30 to 4:30. Braddon is a compact strip just north of the city centre, so if you already know the block, Kakumei is one more stop on it rather than a special trip. It's a small shopfront, not a warehouse: the kind of place you drop into rather than plan a whole outing around.

What is in the shop?

Kakumei is a small homeware shop built around what the owner actually brings back from Japan. The main ranges on the site are homeware, kiriko glasses, ceramics, lifestyle pieces, kitchenware and knives. Much of the glass is made for drinks: whisky glasses and sake cups fill a large slice of it, including hand-cut Edo Kiriko. Our incense safety guide covers how to burn it properly. For a present, the gift shelf is stocked with sets that arrive ready to hand over: chopstick pairs, plate sets, incense giftware or sake pairs, picked as things people rarely buy for themselves but always use. None of it is picked to fill out a category. It's picked because someone went and looked at it in person and thought it was worth bringing home.

That also means what's on the shelf changes with what turned up on the last trip. That's the trade-off of a shop this size: it's smaller than a warehouse-scale importer and it won't have everything, but everything it does have was actually seen and chosen before it left Japan. Browse the full collection online to see what is in stock now.

Read a table set the Japanese way for how the pieces come together on a real table.

Who runs it?

Kakumei is owner-run and carries smaller everyday things from Japan.

James has worked in the Japanese-goods trade for years. He doesn't buy through a wholesaler here. He imports directly, and he still travels to Japan himself to choose what ends up on the shelf. If it's in Kakumei, he's the one who picked it out and decided it was worth the trip home. The shop describes itself as a premium Japanese homeware store rather than a department-store range, and the difference is the suppliers built up over years of the trade.

Can I check stock before visiting Braddon?

Most of what is on the website is on the shelves in Braddon, so you can look a piece up online, then come and hold it before you decide. Orders placed on the website ship from the shop, and standard delivery usually takes around 7 business days. To collect a specific piece in person, contact the shop first, name the item, and ask whether it is on the shelf today.

Quick answers

These are the questions people ask us most often about Kakumei in Braddon, answered briefly.

Where is Kakumei in Braddon and when is it open? The shop is at Unit 3, 32 Lonsdale Street, Braddon ACT 2612, open Wednesday to Sunday, 10:30 to 4:30.

What does Kakumei sell? Cut glass, including hand-cut kiriko, tableware, kitchen pieces, and incense, all brought back from Japan in person.

Does the owner go to Japan himself to pick the stock? Yes, he imports directly and travels to Japan to choose what goes on the shelf.

How do I check whether an item is on the Braddon shelf? Most of what is on the website is on the shelves in Braddon. The online shop ships with standard delivery around 7 business days, and contacting the shop is the way to confirm a specific piece is on the shelf before you travel.

Is Kakumei a good place for a Japanese gift in Canberra? Yes. The gift shelf is stocked with sets that arrive ready to hand over: chopstick pairs, plate sets, incense giftware or sake pairs.