Jonelle Patrick's Blog, page 10

Guess that flavor, J-style

Most Japanese people hate the taste of root beer (WHY?) so if it’s a hella hot day in Tokyo and you’re craving a root beer float, a soda topped with soft serve (and blasphemously adulterated with ice cubes) is about as close as you’re going to get.

But how close is it? Well…

The blue flavor is
Ramune
(Japan’s earliest take on the exotic western flavor called “lemonade”)

The yellow flavor is
Pineapple

The green flavor is
Melon
(which tastes nothing like real melons, but is one of the iconic flavors of Japanese childhood)

The red flavor is
Watermelon

And the white flavor is
White Peach

•

 The Last Tea Bowl Thief was chosen as an Editor’s Pick for Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense on Amazon

For three hundred years, a missing tea bowl passes from one fortune-seeker to the next, changing the lives of all who possess it… read more

“A fascinating mix of history and mystery.” —Booklist

Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, produces the monthly e-magazine Japanagram, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had

Japan’s borders are finally opening! When are YOU going?

After two and a half looong years, the Japanese government finally announced that from October 11, 2022, you don’t have to be on a tour or book your tickets through a Japanese travel agent or get a visa, as long as you can prove you are vaccinated and boosted!*

If you’ve been itching to go to Japan, now’s the time to get a trip in the works. The exchange rate is the best it’s been in thirty years, the tide of incoming tourist crowds won’t reach its previous peak for a year, and Japan dishes up glorious sights and events all year long.

For those of you who are ready to hop on a plane the minute the country opens…

Here are some killer events that take place in October:

The Bakeneko Ghost Cat Parade

The costumed participants in the Bakeneko Ghost Cat Parade (Bakeneko) never fail to delight and entertain. Truly an only-in-Japan experience

Tell me more!

•

Festival of 10,000 Lanterns (Oeshiki Ikegami)

This nighttime parade of golden pagoda lanterns festooned with streamers of white flowers is well worth the outing and the crowds. The revelers parade though the Ikegami neighborhood to the magnificnet Ikegami Honga-ji temple, which is lit up at night for the occasion

Tell me more!

•

Vast vistas of blooming cosmos flowers

Waves of blooming cosmos fields brighten Tokyo from late September to early October.

Tell me more!

•

If you can stand to wait until November, you can see the weird world of bonsai chrysanthemums!

Gotokuji’s wooden pagoda is the perfect backdrop for splendid red and gold maple leaves in mid-November. You’ll find them here earlier than in central Tokyo.

Tell me more!

Not to mention the other crazy chrysanthemum displays all over Tokyo during the month of November

This bizarre wagonload of chrysanthemum fox tails is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. Anywhere.

Tell me more!

•

The best leaf-viewing spots in Tokyo are predicted to be at their peak around November 29.

Gotokuji’s wooden pagoda is the perfect backdrop for splendid red and gold maple leaves in mid-November. You’ll find them here earlier than in central Tokyo.

Tell me more!

•

And some of them are lit up at night!

These are in Showa Kinen Park, but they are not alone in their night-viewing leaf glowitude!

Tell me more!

But if you’re the kind of traveler who prefers to anticipate your trip and plan ahead…

Here’s how to pick the best time to see everything you’re dying to see, with weather notes:

And here are my favorite festivals and events, by month:

Once you’ve chosen your dates, what else do you want to see while you’re in Tokyo?

And if you’d like to see all the off-the-beaten-path places I take my friends to see when they’re in town, here’s a link to The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had:

And if you’re looking for spectacular places to visit beyond Tokyo…

Every month I put out an e-magazine called Japanagram.

If you subscribe (it’s free!), every month you’ll get a spectacular Beyond Tokyo destination (with directions on how to get there), a Japan Home Cooking recipe, features on seasonal secrets, explanations of baffling Japanese stuff, and a chance to win some choice Japan swag. It’s free, and I’ll never share or sell your info (plus, of course you can always unsubscribe ) Click here to start getting it:

And finally, from me to you, safe & happy travels!

*They haven’t published the exact guidelines for incoming tourist visa travelers on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website yet (although that’s the page to check, once they do), but the prime minister announced that visitors from 70 countries will no longer have to apply for their 90-day visas before entering Japan (there will be a list on that MOFA site) as long as they are vaccinated and boosted. Until now, the only vaccines accepted for visa approval were Pfizer, Moderna, Novavax, Astra-Zeneca, Janssen, and Bharat Biotech, but it’s still unclear if this new decision will deny entry to those who are vaccinated with other brands. It has also been hinted (but not confirmed) that visitors may be able to show a certified negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of landing instead of proof of vaccination. Again, the MOFA website is where that information will be posted.

•

 The Last Tea Bowl Thief was chosen as an Editor’s Pick for Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense on Amazon

For three hundred years, a missing tea bowl passes from one fortune-seeker to the next, changing the lives of all who possess it… read more

“A fascinating mix of history and mystery.” —Booklist

Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, produces the monthly e-magazine Japanagram, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had

J-swag giveaway, the insanity of a Japanese bus tour & nutty noodles

Sep-Oct 2022 Japanagram e-magazine features

Hello, friend! It’s me, Jonelle. Here are the features that Japanagram subscribers are enjoying in September and October…

Click on photo or link to read the feature

•

First of all…say hello to an all-new Japanagram feature!

Instead of a book giveaway this month, I’m delving into my personal treasure trove of Japanese collectables for the…

Japan Swag Giveaway

From hilarious limited edition capsule toys to Japanese new year’s ornaments, each month one lucky subscriber will win something that’s uniquely Japanese and not available outside Japan. This will replace the book giveaway for a while, and all Japanagram subscribers are, of course, automatically entered to win.

Check your next Japanagram to see if you won the…

Sep-Oct 2022 Japan Swag Giveaway:
Attack Cats Limited Edition Capsule Toys

This month’s giveaway is a set of SIX limited edition Attack Cat capsule toys. I deploy mine whenever there’s a resource that needs guarding with style—as you can see, once you own a set, you won’t know how you managed without them….read more

•

Why, Japan, Why?: Haiku that capture the small embarrassments and ironies of modern life

Elderly uncle buying sake.
Do I really have to
Check his ID?

…read more

•

The Thing I Learned Today: What’s the most Japanese thing you can ever do? Go on a bus tour

Since Japan “opened” its borders again in June of 2022, the only tourists who have been allowed into Japan are those on government-approved guided tours. So perhaps you’ve been wondering…what’s it really like to go on a bus tour? Lucky for you, I took one for the team, so you don’t have to!…read more

•

Seasonal Secret: Let’s watch an epic pagoda parade light up the night!

This toro nagashi ceremony is held at the temple that sits on an island amid the nodding lotus of Shinobazu Pond in Ueno. It signals the end of annual O-bon festivities—the three days in summer when the spirits of the ancestors….read more

•

Japanese Home Cooking: Nutty Noodles

It’s the peak of summer, and the last thing you want to do is slave over a hot stove, so what kind of meal can you pull together that turns leftovers and other stuff you’ve already got in your fridge into a feast for the senses?…read more

If you enjoyed this issue, subscribe!
Get the Japanagram e-magazine’s recipes, books, travel and more delivered right to your email. And of course, it’s FREE!

•

•

 The Last Tea Bowl Thief was chosen as an Editor’s Pick for Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense on Amazon

For three hundred years, a missing tea bowl passes from one fortune-seeker to the next, changing the lives of all who possess it… read more

“A fascinating mix of history and mystery.” —Booklist

Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, produces the monthly e-magazine Japanagram, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had

Huge apologies!

The links in that last email didn’t work. I’m so sorry. Here are some that do.

J-swag giveaway, the insanity of a Japanese bus tour & nutty noodles

Sep-Oct 2022 Japanagram e-magazine features

Hello, friend! It’s me, Jonelle. Here are the features that Japanagram subscribers are enjoying in September and October…

Click on photo or link to read the feature

•

First of all…say hello to an all-new Japanagram feature!

Instead of a book giveaway this month, I’m delving into my personal treasure trove of Japanese collectables for the…

Japan Swag Giveaway

From hilarious limited edition capsule toys to Japanese new year’s ornaments, each month one lucky subscriber will win something that’s uniquely Japanese and not available outside Japan. This will replace the book giveaway for a while, and all Japanagram subscribers are, of course, automatically entered to win.

Check your next Japanagram to see if you won the…

Sep-Oct 2022 Japan Swag Giveaway:
Attack Cats Limited Edition Capsule Toys

This month’s giveaway is a set of SIX limited edition Attack Cat capsule toys. I deploy mine whenever there’s a resource that needs guarding with style—as you can see, once you own a set, you won’t know how you managed without them….read more

•

Why, Japan, Why?: Haiku that capture the small embarrassments and ironies of modern life

Elderly uncle buying sake.
Do I really have to
Check his ID?

…read more

•

The Thing I Learned Today: What’s the most Japanese thing you can ever do? Go on a bus tour

Since Japan “opened” its borders again in June of 2022, the only tourists who have been allowed into Japan are those on government-approved guided tours. So perhaps you’ve been wondering…what’s it really like to go on a bus tour? Lucky for you, I took one for the team, so you don’t have to!…read more

•

Seasonal Secret: Let’s watch an epic pagoda parade light up the night!

This toro nagashi ceremony is held at the temple that sits on an island amid the nodding lotus of Shinobazu Pond in Ueno. It signals the end of annual O-bon festivities—the three days in summer when the spirits of the ancestors….read more

•

Japanese Home Cooking: Nutty Noodles

It’s the peak of summer, and the last thing you want to do is slave over a hot stove, so what kind of meal can you pull together that turns leftovers and other stuff you’ve already got in your fridge into a feast for the senses?…read more

If you enjoyed this issue, subscribe!
Get the Japanagram e-magazine’s recipes, books, travel and more delivered right to your email. And of course, it’s FREE!

•

•

 The Last Tea Bowl Thief was chosen as an Editor’s Pick for Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense on Amazon

For three hundred years, a missing tea bowl passes from one fortune-seeker to the next, changing the lives of all who possess it… read more

“A fascinating mix of history and mystery.” —Booklist

Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, produces the monthly e-magazine Japanagram, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had

International food fails, gorgeous iris gardens & sake making on Sado Island

Sep-Oct 2022 Japanagram e-magazine features

Hello, friend! It’s me, Jonelle. Here are the features that Japanagram subscribers enjoyed in May and June…

Click on photo or link to read the feature

•

First, an all-new Japanagram feature!

Instead of a book giveaway this month, I’m delving into my personal treasure trove of Japanese collectables for the…

Japan Swag Giveaway

From hilarious limited edition capsule toys to Japanese new year’s ornaments, each month one lucky subscriber will win something that’s uniquely Japanese and not available outside Japan. This will replace the book giveaway for a while, and all Japanagram subscribers are automatically entered to win.

If you’re an Only In Japan blog subscriber but haven’t yet signed up to subscribe to the monthly Japanagram e-magazine, click here. It’s free!

Then just check your next Japanagram to see if you won the…

Sep-Oct 2022 Japan Swag Giveaway:
Attack Cats Limited Edition Capsule Toys

This month’s giveaway is a set of SIX limited edition Attack Cat capsule toys. I deploy mine whenever there’s a resource that needs guarding with style—as you can see, once you own a set, you won’t know how you managed without them….read more

•

Why, Japan, Why?: Haiku that capture the small embarrassments and ironies of modern life

Elderly uncle buying sake.
Do I really have to
Check his ID?

…read more

•

The Thing I Learned Today: What’s the most Japanese thing you can ever do? Go on a bus tour

Since Japan “opened” its borders again in June of 2022, the only tourists who have been allowed into Japan are those on government-approved guided tours. So perhaps you’ve been wondering…what’s it really like to go on a bus tour? Lucky for you, I took one for the team, so you don’t have to!…read more

•

Seasonal Secret: Let’s watch an epic pagoda parade light up the night!

This toro nagashi ceremony is held at the temple that sits on an island amid the nodding lotus of Shinobazu Pond in Ueno. It signals the end of annual O-bon festivities—the three days in summer when the spirits of the ancestors….read more

•

Japanese Home Cooking: Nutty Noodles

It’s the peak of summer, and the last thing you want to do is slave over a hot stove, so what kind of meal can you pull together that turns leftovers and other stuff you’ve already got in your fridge into a feast for the senses?…read more 

If you enjoyed this issue, subscribe!
Get the Japanagram e-magazine’s recipes, books, travel and more delivered right to your email. And of course, it’s FREE!

•

•

 The Last Tea Bowl Thief was chosen as an Editor’s Pick for Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense on Amazon

For three hundred years, a missing tea bowl passes from one fortune-seeker to the next, changing the lives of all who possess it… read more

“A fascinating mix of history and mystery.” —Booklist

Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, produces the monthly e-magazine Japanagram, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had

J-swag giveaway, the insanity of a Japanese bus tour & nutty noodles

Sep-Oct 2022 Japanagram e-magazine features

Hello, friend! It’s me, Jonelle. Here are the features that Japanagram subscribers are enjoying in September and October…

Click on photo or link to read the feature

•

First of all…say hello to an all-new Japanagram feature!

Instead of a book giveaway this month, I’m delving into my personal treasure trove of Japanese collectables for the…

Japan Swag Giveaway

From hilarious limited edition capsule toys to Japanese new year’s ornaments, each month one lucky subscriber will win something that’s uniquely Japanese and not available outside Japan. This will replace the book giveaway for a while, and all Japanagram subscribers are, of course, automatically entered to win.

Check your next Japanagram to see if you won the…

Sep-Oct 2022 Japan Swag Giveaway:
Attack Cats Limited Edition Capsule Toys

This month’s giveaway is a set of SIX limited edition Attack Cat capsule toys. I deploy mine whenever there’s a resource that needs guarding with style—as you can see, once you own a set, you won’t know how you managed without them….read more

•

Why, Japan, Why?: Haiku that capture the small embarrassments and ironies of modern life

Elderly uncle buying sake.
Do I really have to
Check his ID?

…read more

•

The Thing I Learned Today: What’s the most Japanese thing you can ever do? Go on a bus tour

Since Japan “opened” its borders again in June of 2022, the only tourists who have been allowed into Japan are those on government-approved guided tours. So perhaps you’ve been wondering…what’s it really like to go on a bus tour? Lucky for you, I took one for the team, so you don’t have to!…read more

•

Seasonal Secret: Let’s watch an epic pagoda parade light up the night!

This toro nagashi ceremony is held at the temple that sits on an island amid the nodding lotus of Shinobazu Pond in Ueno. It signals the end of annual O-bon festivities—the three days in summer when the spirits of the ancestors….read more

•

Japanese Home Cooking: Nutty Noodles

It’s the peak of summer, and the last thing you want to do is slave over a hot stove, so what kind of meal can you pull together that turns leftovers and other stuff you’ve already got in your fridge into a feast for the senses?…read more 

If you enjoyed this issue, subscribe!
Get the Japanagram e-magazine’s recipes, books, travel and more delivered right to your email. And of course, it’s FREE!

•

•

 The Last Tea Bowl Thief was chosen as an Editor’s Pick for Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense on Amazon

For three hundred years, a missing tea bowl passes from one fortune-seeker to the next, changing the lives of all who possess it… read more

“A fascinating mix of history and mystery.” —Booklist

Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, produces the monthly e-magazine Japanagram, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had

Bonsai Village, floating lanterns, and extreme lunchboxing explained

Jul-Aug 2022 Japanagram e-magazine features

Hello, friend! It’s me, Jonelle. Here are the features that Japanagram subscribers are enjoying in July and August…

Click on photo or link to read the feature

Why, Japan, Why?: Extreme lunchboxing: The what, how & why of Japanese bentō

No country has made more of an art of packing a bag lunch and no moms* put more effort into this most resented of daily chores than those in Japan. Here’s why they do it, what goes into one and the secrets of how they do it…read more

•

Seasonal Secret: Floating lanterns on a warm moonlit night? Yes, please!

This toro nagashi ceremony is held at the temple that sits on an island amid the nodding lotus of Shinobazu Pond in Ueno. It signals the end of annual O-bon festivities—the three days in summer when the spirits of the ancestors….read more

•

Japanese Home Cooking: Easy Japanese Lunchbox Supper

It’s the peak of summer, and the last thing you want to do is slave over a hot stove, so what kind of meal can you pull together that turns leftovers and other stuff you’ve already got in your fridge into a feast for the senses?…read more 

•

Beyond Tokyo: Let’s go to Bonsai Village!

The neighborhood surrounding the Bonsai Art Museum in Ōmiya is home to the biggest concentration of bonsai nurseries in Japan. If you’re as much of a tiny tree fangirl as I am, ogling the pristine specimen trees at the museum followed by a stroll through nurseries packed with works-in-progress is one of the must-see…read more

•

Book Review: Fish Swimming in Dappled Sunlight by Riku Onda

The author of The Aosawa Murders gives the psychologial thriller a brilliantly executed twist in this just-released tale—both narrators are equally unreliable, but which one is the killer? As their own relationship falls apart, Aki and Hiro each suspect the other of…read more

If you enjoyed this issue, subscribe!
Get the Japanagram e-magazine’s recipes, books, travel and more delivered right to your email. And of course, it’s FREE!

•

•

 The Last Tea Bowl Thief was chosen as an Editor’s Pick for Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense on Amazon

For three hundred years, a missing tea bowl passes from one fortune-seeker to the next, changing the lives of all who possess it… read more

“A fascinating mix of history and mystery.” —Booklist

Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, produces the monthly e-magazine Japanagram, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had

International food fails, gorgeous iris gardens & sake making on Sado Island

Links to the May-June 2022 Japanagram features

Hello, friend! It’s me, Jonelle. Here are the features that Japanagram subscribers enjoyed in May and June…

Click on photo or link to read

•

WHY, JAPAN, WHY?

International Food Fails of Japan

In a country where only 24% of the population even have a passport, the closest most Japanese have ever been to “foreign” food is the restaurant down the block. Not surprisingly, this black hole of experience plays out in some, er, entertaining ways…read more

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SEASONAL SECRET:

A sea of purple, delighting visitors for hundreds of years

In the West, it’s rare to see more than a couple of delicate butterfly-like Japanese iris artfully ringing a pond at the local botanical garden, but in Japan, they grow whole fields stuffed with every variety and color combination imaginable, to create a sea of graceful nodding purple, as far as the eye can see…read more

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THE THING I LEARNED TODAY

Why yes, that mold IS a National Living Treasure

My friend Mac of Kanpai Planet fame spent a week on Sado Island learning how to make premium sake. From tasting the mold-infused starter to heaving around mountains of wet rice in the middle of the night, he took one for the team so we don’t have to…read more

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JAPANESE HOME COOKING

A delightful summer supper from this month’s cookbook giveaway

Even if you don’t win a copy of The Breakaway Japanese Kitchen, you can enjoy these fresh summer treats: Mint-Cilantro Udon with Fresh Ginger & Meyer Lemon and Hamachi Tataki with Tomato-Ginger Sauce. Both take hardly any prep time and…read more

•

BOOK REVIEW & GIVEAWAY

The Breakaway Japanese Kitchen  by Eric Gower

Every single recipe in this cookbook is delicious and easy to make. These aren’t the traditional Japanese staples; they’re “fusion” inspirations that marry traditional Japanese flavors to ingredients we’re more familiar with in the West….read more

And right now, subscribers are enjoying the

JUL-AUG FEATURES

You can too! Scroll down and sign up to get yours—it’s FREE!

Japanese Home Cooking:
Easy Japanese Lunchbox Supper

It’s the peak of summer, and the last thing you want to do is slave over a hot stove, so what kind of meal can you pull together that turns leftovers and other stuff you’ve already got in your fridge into a feast for the senses?

•

Seasonal Secret:
Floating lanterns on a warm moonlit night? Yes, please!

This toro nagashi ceremony is held at the temple that sits on an island amid the nodding lotus heads of Shinobazu Pond. It signals the end of annual O-bon festivities—the three days in summer when the spirits of ancestors….read more

•

Beyond Tokyo:
Let’s go to Bonsai Village!

The neighborhood surrounding the Bonsai Art Museum in Ōmiya is home to the biggest concentration of bonsai nurseries in Japan. If you’re as much of a tiny tree fangirl as I am, ogling the pristine specimen trees at the museum followed by a stroll through nurseries packed with works-in-progress is one of the must-see day trips.

•

Why, Japan, Why?:
Extreme lunchboxing: Feast your eyes on these Japanese bentō

No country has made more of an art of packing a bag lunch and no moms* put more effort into this most resented of daily chores than those in Japan. Here’s why they do it, what goes into one and the secrets of how they do it

•

Book Review & Giveaway:
Fish Swimming in Dappled Sunlight by Riku Onda

The author of The Aosawa Murders gives the psychologial thriller a brilliantly executed twist in her newest bestseller—both narrators are equally unreliable, but which one is the killer?

•

If any of these look appealing (or you’d like to make that recipe for dinner tonight!) subscribe to Japanagram and get access to all of them right now. And of course, it’s always FREE!

•

Nobody is ever sorry to receive a book!

 The Last Tea Bowl Thief was chosen as an Editor’s Pick for Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense on Amazon

“A fascinating mix of history and mystery.” —Booklist

•

Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, produces the monthly newsletter Japanagram, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had

Hike through bowers of flowers, Tevye-san, and a recipe even kale-haters will love

Links to the March-April 2022 Japanagram features

Hello, friend! It’s me, Jonelle. Here are the features that Japanagram subscribers enjoyed in March and April…

Click on photo or link to read

•

JAPANESE HOME COOKING

Sweet Sesame Spinach

As a veteran vegetable hater, I have a special spot in my grinchy heart for leafy greens, but this traditional Japanese way of cooking spinach is so good I can eat a bag of green stuff as big as my head and still go back for more…read more

•

BEYOND TOKYO:

Let’s hike through a blooming wonderland

Every April, this temple’s kilometers upon kilometers of hiking trails look out on riotously blooming azaleas, as far as the eye can see. Around every bend, each view is more jaw-dropping than the last…read more

•

WHY, JAPAN, WHY?

You haven’t really seen Fiddler on the Roof until you’ve seen it in Japanese

From a thoroughly bewigged Mozart to a female Rhett Butler, Japanese musical theater adaptations never fail to— Do I really need to say more? Just click on this…

•

BOOK REVIEW & GIVEAWAY

All I Asking For Is My Body by Milton Murayama

If you don’t read this for the infuriating, hilarious and inexplicable bits of Japanese culture that thrived in the Hawaiian cane camps of the 1930s, read it for a glimpse of the old Hawaii that existed before the islands became the tourist nirvana they…read more

And right now, subscribers are enjoying the

MAY-JUN FEATURES

You can too! Scroll down and sign up to get yours—it’s FREE!

Japanese Home Cooking:
A delightful summer supper from this month’s cookbook giveaway

•

Seasonal Secret:
A sea of purple, delighting visitors for hundreds of years

•

TheThing I Learned Today:
Why yes, that mold IS a National Living Treasure

•

Why, Japan, Why?:
International Food Fails of Japan

•

Book Review & Giveaway:
The Breakaway Japanese Kitchen by Eric Gower

•

If any of these look appealing (or you’d like to make that recipe for dinner tonight!) subscribe to Japanagram and get access to all of them right now. And of course, it’s always FREE!

•

Audiobook just released!

 The Last Tea Bowl Thief was chosen as an Editor’s Pick for Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense on Amazon

“A fascinating mix of history and mystery.” —Booklist

•

Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, produces the monthly newsletter Japanagram, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had

Pre-battered suitcases, fabulous Japanese quilts & plum blossoms in the snow

Links to the January-February 2022 Japanagram features

Hello, friend! It’s me, Jonelle. Here are the features that Japanagram subscribers enjoyed in January & February…

Click on photo or link to read

•

JAPANESE HOME COOKING

Spicy Japanese Eggplant

Every holiday season I like to sneak one new cookie onto the plate of old favorites, and I can already tell these are going to be a big hit! They’re sparkly and buttery One day in Tokyo, I was at a lunch made by the women in this crazy Japanese women’s club I belong to. When I tasted the eggplant dish, I moaned with delight and said, “OMG who made this? It is SO GOOD.” It just so happened that…read more

•

SEASONAL SECRET

If you thought quilting was a Western art, think again!

There’s an international quilt show that traditionally happens every January in Tokyo, and the entries from Japanese artists not only feature only-in-Japan designs, the have surprising Japanese color palettes and stitching techniques to die for…read more

•

BEYOND TOKYO:

Let’s visit the perfect garden for how we’re feeling right now

Through snow, through sleet, through dark of night, the samurai lord’s plum garden at Kairakuen never fails to deliver! A hundred stunning varieties bloom when nothing else has awakened from winter, and they’re even more beautiful lit up at night…read more

•

WHY, JAPAN, WHY?

Travel anxiety? The Japanese have a product for that!

From pre-battered suitcases to portable bidet wands, the Japanese traveler can be prepared for every potentially embarrassing travel situation.
Read more…

•

BOOK REVIEW & GIVEAWAY

The Tattoo Murder Case   by Akimitsu Takagi

This fabulous murder mystery is set in the underground world of tattooed outcasts, where inked skin is not only a statement while living, but a collectible once dead. First published in 1948, this classic of Japanese crime fiction is a glimpse into…read more

And right now, subscribers are enjoying the

MAR-APR FEATURES

You can too! Scroll down and sign up to get yours—it’s FREE!

Japanese Home Cooking:
Sweet Sesame Spinach

•

Beyond Tokyo:
Let’s hike through a blooming wonderland

•

TheThing I Learned Today:
The Wizard of Oz is alive and well and living in Japan

•

Why, Japan, Why?:
Tevye-san: You’ve never really seen Fiddler on the Roof until you’ve seen it in Japanese

•

Book Review & Giveaway:
All I Asking For Is My Body by Milton Murayama

•

If any of these look appealing (or you’d like to make that recipe for dinner tonight!) subscribe to Japanagram and get access to all of them right now. And of course, it’s always FREE!

•

Audiobook just released!

 The Last Tea Bowl Thief was chosen as an Editor’s Pick for Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense on Amazon

“A fascinating mix of history and mystery.” —Booklist

•

Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, produces the monthly newsletter Japanagram, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had