Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on September 2010

© Andrew Yoon

While the organic lifestyle has been popular in Los Angeles for decades, it’s only recently caught on in Japan. Bridging the divide between the two is Multeepurpose, a concept store which opened last summer in the Little Tokyo area of LA. Founded by longtime city resident Ruriko Yamada, the cafe promises much more than an affordable cup of organic java. True to its name, it also offers vegan dining, catering, and organic cotton T-shirts with socially conscious designs, as well as supporting local farmers’ and green flea markets in the Japanese Cultural Village Plaza. What’s more, 20 percent of Multeepurpose profits go to charitable organizations as part of Effortless Activism, an organization which gives consumers an easy way to help solve big problems.

While Multeepurpose doesn’t yet have an outpost in “big Tokyo,” it’s still possible to support the brand from this side of the Pacific. Daikanyama boutique Niji has started stocking Multeepurpose tees, made from 100 percent organic California-grown cotton and printed with water-based inks. Some of the designs sport a natural, peaceful image, including the “Crane Garland” shirt (¥6,090), featuring the silhouette of a tree in which dozens of origami cranes are nesting. Others are more outspoken: the “Mother Nature” shirt (¥6,090) shows a hand giving the one-fingered salute, the middle finger being a tree that’s just about to be chopped down. In a nice touch, the hang tags are made of biodegradable paper infused with wildflower seeds, meaning you can just stick them in damp soil and wait for them to sprout.

Niji: 8-9 Uguisudanicho, Shibuya-ku. Open daily noon-8pm. Tel: 03-5728-1624. Nearest stn: Shibuya, new south exit. www.rainbowworks.jp/niji