Jonelle Patrick's Blog, page 11

Who can come to Japan now and what you have to do to get in

Japan has just announced that the borders will be opened to some new classes of foreigners as of March 1, 2022: vaccinated* business travelers and students who have already been accepted at a school (i.e. already have approved study visas).

I’m just going to give a summary of what’s new, since it doesn’t apply to most people yet (you have to have more than the usual 90-day “tourist” visa to get in) but I think it’s likely that there will be similar procedures and restrictions once 90-day visas are being issued again, so, forewarned, forearmed, etc.

I got the information from this TimeOut article, so you can head over there if you want the nitty gritty.

*You have to be fully vaccinated (two vaccines) with Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca or Johnson & Johnson, or they won’t accept you. Those who have also had booster shots are exempt from some quarantine restrictions (see below).

What we don’t know

How the heckin’ heck do you qualify as a business traveler? (There’s mention of some arcane “business visa” you have to apply for before coming, but in order to find out how to get one, you have to call the consulate.)

How do you make sure you’re one of the 5,000 travelers they’re going to let in every day? (Are ya feelin’ lucky? Do they just shut the booths and make you camp in line at Narita until 12:01 the next morning if you’re #5,001? Nobody is saying.)

What we do know

Here’s what you need before you get on the plane:

A Covid-19 test within 72 hours of departure and a certificate saying you’re negative A signed copy of the Written Pledge (available in English and Japanese) A completed digital questionnaire (available in multiple languages) 

Here’s what you need to get past Immigration at the airport:

Submit the above documents Take a PCR test Download the required health monitoring app 

How long do vaccinated visitors need to quarantine?

Fully vaccinated + boosted visitors from non-designated** countries: No quarantine

Fully vaccinated (but not boosted) visitors from non-designated** countries: Seven day self-quarantine at home, and if you test negative on the third day, you’re done

Fully vaccinated + boosted visitors from designated*** countries: Seven days self-quarantine at home

Fully vaccinated (but not boosted) visitors from designated*** countries: Three days at an airport government facility, plus four more days self-quarantine at home once you test negative

**Which countries (as of 2/25/22) are the lucky non-designated ones?

Australia
Spain
USA
Ireland
Thailand
Philippines 

***There’s a list of designated countries here.

There’s a complete list of countries and their various visa restriction statuses on Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs website here.

•

In the meantime, guess what was just released as an audiobook?
If you’d rather listen than flip pages, now you can!

Now in paperback, ebook & audiobook

 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

Japanese holiday cookies, a tunnel of golden gingko trees & so many foxes

Links to the November-December 2021 Japanagram features

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

Click on photo or link to read

•

JAPANESE HOME COOKING

Kinako Shortbread Cookies with Salted Brown Sugar Buttercream

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 (with a hint of nutty), and the filling is bursting with brown sugar goodness…read more

•

SEASONAL SECRET

Come stroll through the tunnels of golden gingko trees with me!

In Japan, gingko trees are planted in stately alleys for one reason and one reason only: the few days in late November and early December, when they become tunnels of wonder and pave the streets with gold…read more

•

BEYOND TOKYO:

So. Many. Foxes.

Come with me to the mountains of Miyagi prefecture when they’re are covered in snow, and let’s cavort with dozens and dozens of foxes at their fluffiest and furriest…read more

•

WHY, JAPAN, WHY?

One more reason why I love Japan

This. Read more…

•

BOOK REVIEW & GIVEAWAY

All She Was Worth   by Miyuki Miyabe

This excellent page-turner was the first one by bestselling Japanese mystery writer Miyuki Miyabe to become available in English, and it’s still my favorite. If you haven’t read any of hers, you’re in for a treat!…read more

And right now, subscribers are enjoying the

JAN-FEB FEATURES

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

Japanese Home Cooking:
Kinako Shortbread Cookies with Salted Brown Sugar Buttercream

•

Beyond Tokyo:
A stroll through one of the three great gardens of Japan

•

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

•

Why, Japan, Why?:
Travel anxiety? The Japanese have a product for that!

•

Book Review & Giveaway:
The Tattoo Murder Case by Akimitsu Takagi

•

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

Sake tasting how-to, the angry cat ghost parade & a voyage to Sado Island

Links to the September-October 2021 Japanagram features

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

Click on photo or link to read

•

JAPANESE HOME COOKING

How to host a great sake tasting

Sake isn’t just for Japanese food anymore—restaurants all over the world are discovering it’s the perfect pairing for all kinds of food. But how do you know what kind of sake you like? Here’s everything you need to know so you can enjoy Japan’s national drink and order like a pro!…read more

•

SEASONAL SECRET

A parade of people dressed up as angry ghost cats? Yes, please!

The Bakeneko Festival gives even those who wouldn’t usually get caught dead in a set of whiskers a chance to let loose their inner ghost cat, and—no surprise!—it’s one of the best parades all year…read more

•

BEYOND TOKYO:

Let’s go to Sado Island, a paradise of bathtub boats, taiko drummers, & spooky Jizo caves

Sado Island is just an hour offshore by hydrofoil, but it used to take a lot longer to get to the place where troublemakers got sent by the powers-that-be. This ruggedly gorgeous spot isn’t your average run-of-the-mill purgatory, though…read more

•

THE THING I LEARNED TODAY

The 47 Rōnin? The true story is so much crazier than I knew!

You can understand why the tale of the 47 masterless samurai who avenge their lord appeals—righteous grudges, extreme consequences, clever & twisted revenge. It’s definitely got the makings of a killer Netflix series. But the most amazing thing is…read more

•

BOOK REVIEW & GIVEAWAY

Pachinko  by Min Jin Lee

This National Book Award winner is not just for snobby critics—if (like me) you’re a sucker for sweeping generational tales about people who overcome hardship, bad luck and prejudice, and are sympathetic even though flawed, you’re going to love Pachinko…read more

And right now, subscribers are enjoying the

NOV-DEC FEATURES

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

Japanese Home Cooking:
Kinako Shortbread Cookies with Salted Brown Sugar Buttercream

•

Beyond Tokyo:
So. Many. Foxes. Let’s go to Fox Village!

•

Seasonal Secret:
Come stroll through the tunnels of golden gingko trees with me!

•

Why, Japan, Why?:
The real reason why I love Japan

•

Book Review & Giveaway:
All She Was Worth by Miyuki Miyabe

•

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

Japan’s funniest Mundane Halloween costumes 2021!

地味ハロウィン
「タグ付けされる人」#地味ハロウィン#DPZ #デイリーポータルZ pic.twitter.com/WLp9a7EaRK

— 駆菩圏@ (@knskk817) October 29, 2021

In Japan, “Jimi Halloween” costumes celebrate everything that nobody wants to be for Halloween because they are just too mundane and boring, like this guy from @dailyportalz Twitter feed, who’s dressed up as “a guy tagged on social media”

This year, pandemic-emergency bar, restaurant and movie theater lock-downs and working from home all came together to create the ideal conditions for an excellent crop of new Mundane Halloween costumes!

Here are my favorites, and links to much, much more…

•••

These are from @dailyportalz Twitter feed—he took these photos at a Mundane Halloween costume event called “Sober Halloween 2021”

•

ワクチン副反応に備える人#地味ハロウィン#地味ハロウィン2021#DPZ pic.twitter.com/Rnakn758bE

— オマツリジャパン (@omatsurijapan) October 28, 2021

Person preparing for vaccine side reactions

•

インターネット接続が不安定な人#地味ハロウィン #DPZ #会場より pic.twitter.com/o1AherOWMp

— デイリーポータルZ (@dailyportalz) October 31, 2021

Person with unstable internet connection

•

リングフィットの休憩中#地味ハロウィン #DPZ #会場より
食うな！！！ pic.twitter.com/V6HVnps3B8

— デイリーポータルZ (@dailyportalz) October 31, 2021

Person taking a Ring Fit break

(Ring Fit is a Nintendo Switch game that is supposed to make exercising easy because you get a workout while playing a video game)

•

会社でマスクの紐が切れた人#地味ハロウィン #DPZ #会場より pic.twitter.com/hKutMOv1nr

— デイリーポータルZ (@dailyportalz) October 31, 2021

Person whose mask broke at the office

•

足で踏むタイプの消毒液スタンド#地味ハロウィン #DPZ #会場より pic.twitter.com/2F5vMM0TGV

— デイリーポータルZ (@dailyportalz) October 31, 2021

Foot-operated disinfectant stand

•

国際線の手荷物検査に並ぶ人#地味ハロウィン #DPZ #会場より pic.twitter.com/2z6C7gdfDv

— デイリーポータルZ (@dailyportalz) October 31, 2021

Person standing in line for baggage inspection at an international airport

•

169cmの身長測定#地味ハロウィン #DPZ #会場より
カチガチに立てた髪形と、かかと浮かせ pic.twitter.com/jqoLH7OjnH

— デイリーポータルZ (@dailyportalz) October 31, 2021

Guy who claims to be 169cm tall, at his annual physical

•

…美容室で順番を待っている人#地味ハロウィン #地味ハロウィン2021 #DPZ pic.twitter.com/KjrOzpmoDP

— 映画『貞子』公式 (@sadako3d) October 31, 2021

Someone waiting their turn at a beauty salon

(This Mundane Halloween costume is actually twice as funny, because in Japan, If you dress up as a ghost, you don’t put a white sheet with eyeholes over your head, you wear a costume that looks exactly like this!)

•

ネコの足跡のついたコンクリート#地味ハロウィン #DPZ #会場より pic.twitter.com/bMjeTxceE7

— デイリーポータルZ (@dailyportalz) October 31, 2021

Concrete with cat footprints

•

エロ本のカモフラでいろいろ買う人#地味ハロウィン #DPZ #会場より pic.twitter.com/jBJnmVztAY

— デイリーポータルZ (@dailyportalz) October 31, 2021

People who make additional random purchases to disguise that they’re buying erotic magazines

•

And here are some fine ones from SoraNews24

久しぶりの出社で靴間違えた人#地味ハロウィン #DPZ pic.twitter.com/CjF6QtW3KH

— 高瀬 雄一郎 (@hentekoasobi) October 30, 2021

Person who hasn’t been to the office for so long, they wore the wrong shoes

•

いつだって平熱、ヒカリエに入るのも問題なし。#地味ハロウィン #DPZ pic.twitter.com/TI67byPiKu

— Chihoko (@makeourgardengr) October 23, 2021

Person who has no trouble entering the Hikarie shopping center because their temperature is normal

•

マスクしているのを忘れてコーヒーを飲んでしまったサラリーマン#地味ハロ#地味ハロウィン #地味ハロウィン2021 pic.twitter.com/YCIIenU5ag

— はねだ櫻華 (@hndsgr) October 27, 2021

Person who forgot they were wearing a mask and tried to drink coffee

•••

And finally, from Spoon & Tamago

From @dailyportalz

Photographer’s assistant whose job is to make children laugh

•

From @dailyportalz

Person who takes a basket but doesn’t buy much

•

From @allfortomorrow

Person who spots a cockroach right before bed and grabs whatever he can find

•

From @dailyportalz

Banksy, remote-controlling his shredder at the auction

•••

Guess what was just released as an audiobook?
If you’d rather listen than flip pages, now you can!

Now in paperback, ebook & audiobook

 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

How to read a haiku, goldfish galore & a garden of thatch-roofed farmhouses

Links to the July-August 2021 Japanagram features

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

Click on photo or link to read

•

BEYOND TOKYO:

Let’s meander through a park with twenty-three thatch-roofed farmhouses

The Nihon Minka-en Folk House Garden is a jewel of a walk, featuring houses that are thatched in the time-honored way and built without nails. These beauties were brought from all over Japan, and they’re not just fun to look at—you can go inside…read more

•

SEASONAL SECRET

The most delightful summer festival in all of Japan is all about…goldfish!

There’s nothing more traditional than ogling insanely fancy (and expensive!) goldfish and, of course, catching your own…read more

•

THE THING I LEARNED TODAY

How to read a haiku poem

Here are three things that will triple your reading pleasure…read more

•

JAPANESE HOME COOKING

Green Salad with Japanese Pickled Onions and Wafu Onion Dressing

There’s nothing more summery than a green salad made with crunchy pickled onions and flavored by a tangy Japanese onion dressing. Add chicken or grilled shrimp for a perfect summer meal…read more

•

BOOK REVIEW & GIVEAWAY

The Pillow Book by Sei Shōnagon

This collection of jottings on Hateful Things, Things Which Makes One’s Heart Beat Faster, Splendid Things, Things That Gain By Being Painted, Things Which Should Be Large, Oxen Should Have Very Small Foreheads, and much, much more is as amusing now as when it was…read more

And right now, subscribers are enjoying the

SEP-OCT FEATURES

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

Japanese Home Cooking:
How to host a great sake tasting

•

Beyond Tokyo:
Let’s go to Sado Island, a paradise of bathtub boats, taiko drummers, & spooky Jizo caves

•

Seasonal Secret:
A parade of people dressed up as angry ghost cats? Yes, please!

•

The Thing I Learned Today:
The 47 Rōnin? This story is so much crazier than I knew!

•

Book Review & Giveaway:
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

•

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!

•

 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 newsletter Japanagram, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had

Japanese wedding weirdness, how to live forever, and killer ginger-soy steak sauce

Links to the May-June 2021 Japanagram features

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

Click on photo or link to read

•

BEYOND TOKYO:

Come for the purple, stay for the lights

The Ashikaga Flower Park not only boasts insanely huge wisteria, it bursts with equally wonderful flower displays and nighttime illuminations in other seasons too. The grounds are filled with meandering paths and reflecting pools, so every photo delivers double the wow…read more

•

SEASONAL SECRET

Seven things you didn’t know about Japanese weddings

From fake priests to Barbie princess gowns, Japanese weddings are a whole different ballgame…read more

•

THE THING I LEARNED TODAY

How to live forever, Japanese style

You know those “artist names” that get passed down from one generation to the next in Japan? I always assumed those were about art. That the passing of the torch was all about choosing the most gifted artist of the next generation to take their predecessor’s place at the top of the…

•

JAPANESE HOME COOKING

Ginger-Soy Steak Sauce

Grill up your favorite meat and give it a fresh new taste by dipping it in this easy but oh-so-tasty Japanese steak sauce! Or you can eat it yakiniku style, wrapped in a lettuce leaf with a slather of tangy miso…read more

•

BOOK REVIEW & GIVEAWAY

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

The latest novel by Nobel prizewinner Kazuo Ishiguro explores what it means to be human, through the character of Klara, an artificially intelligent android bought to be a companion for a gravely ill girl…read more

And right now, subscribers are enjoying the

Jul-AUG FEATURES

Beyond Tokyo:
Let’s meander through a park with twenty-three thatch-roofed farmhouses

•

Seasonal Secret:
The most delightful summer festival in all of Japan is all about…goldfish!

•

The Thing I Learned Today:
How to read a haiku poem

•

Japanese Home Cooking:
Green Salad with Japanese Pickled Onions and Wafu Onion Dressing

•

Book Review & Giveaway:
The Pillow Book by Sei Shōnagon

•

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!

•

 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 newsletter Japanagram, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had

Treasure rice, cherry blossoms at a northern castle, and Japanese ceremonies we didn’t know we needed

Links to the March-April 2021 Japanagram features

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

Click on photo or link to read

•

BEYOND TOKYO:

Cherry blossoms to die for, long after the rest are history

Hirosaki delivers cherry blossoms season like you always imagined it would be, a month after The Season is done and dusted in other parts of Japan. I think this town in Japan’s northiest north is the most picturesque place in the whole country for grand pinkness…read more

•

SEASONAL SECRET

Japanese ceremonies we didn’t know we needed

Everybody knows about Japan’s famous tea ceremony, and of course they also mark weddings, funerals and graduations with appropriate pomp, but the Japanese have ceremonies for all kinds of great things besides the biggies…read more

•

THE THING I LEARNED TODAY

Be careful what you hang on your wall…

…because it might be something you don’t want to explain to your dinner guests!…read more

•

JAPANESE HOME COOKING

Japanese Treasure Rice

When it’s cold and wet and dark outside, people in Japan long for comfort food just as much as we do, and this chicken soup will warm you right down to your toes. It’s comforting, but a little bit exotic, all at the same time…read more

•

BOOK REVIEW & GIVEAWAY

The Aosawa Murders by Riku Onda

The yakuza are nearly as legendary as the mafia (but harder to quit, since there’s no easy undo for full-body tattoos and missing fingers). The silver screen portrays them as stylish bad boys, but the real gangsters these anti-heros are based on are no joke. From extortion to human trafficking, they protect their…read more

And right now, subscribers are enjoying the

MAY-JUN FEATURES

Beyond Tokyo:
Come for the purple, stay for the lights

•

Seasonal Secret:
Seven things you didn’t know about Japanese weddings

•

The Thing I Learned Today:
How to live forever, Japanese style

•

Japanese Home Cooking:
Ginger-Soy Steak Sauce

•

Book Review & Giveaway:
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

•

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!

•

 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 newsletter Japanagram, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had

40,000 dolls dressed in Imperial court robes, Japanese chicken soup, & strange barbers of the pleasure quarter

Links to the FEBRUARY 2021 Japanagram features

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

Click on photo or link to read

•

BEYOND TOKYO:

40,000 dolls dressed in Imperial court robes? Yes, please!

Every year, the town of Katsuura puts on a Girls’ Day Doll Festival to end all doll festivals. Nearly 40,000 magnificently attired hina-sama suddenly appear all over town, in displays that are truly jaw-dropping…read more

•

SEASONAL SECRET

The fabulous flower season that happens when nothing in its right mind would be blooming

February in Japan is not fun. Cold and gray, its only festival involves demons, dry beans and smelly sardines. There would pretty much be nothing to look forward to, if it weren’t for the…read more

•

THE THING I LEARNED TODAY

The strange barbers of Yoshiwara

This is a new feature I’m adding because I thought you might enjoy the truly odd nuggets I’ve been discovering in the stack of academic tomes I’ve been plowing through for book research! This month’s is about an emergency service catering to wayward flaneurs of the pleasure quarter…read more

•

JAPANESE HOME COOKING

Japanese Chicken Soup for the Soul

When it’s cold and wet and dark outside, people in Japan long for comfort food just as much as we do, and this chicken soup will warm you right down to your toes. It’s comforting, but a little bit exotic, all at the same time…read more

•

BOOK REVIEW & GIVEAWAY

Tokyo Vice by Jake Adelstein

The yakuza are nearly as legendary as the mafia (but harder to quit, since there’s no easy undo for full-body tattoos and missing fingers). The silver screen portrays them as stylish bad boys, but the real gangsters these anti-heros are based on are no joke. From extortion to human trafficking, they protect their…read more

And right now, subscribers are enjoying the

MAR-APR FEATURES

Beyond Tokyo:
Cherry blossoms to die for…a month after all the rest are history

•

Seasonal Secret:
Japanese ceremonies we didn’t know we needed

•

The Thing I Learned Today:
Be careful what you hang on your wall…

•

Japanese Home Cooking:
Japanese Treasure Rice

•

Book Review & Giveaway:
The Aosawa Murders by Riku Onda

•

Win a hosted Book Zoom with author Jonelle Patrick
for you and your friends

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!

•

 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 newsletter Japanagram, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had

What do you need for cherry blossom season? Your own light-up Lego cherry tree!

Remember when I ordered all those fab Lego village kits? Well, the Buildiverse folks sent me one that I missed (or I would have already bought it instantly): this light-up pinkness of pinknesses!

If you can’t be in Japan right now to see the real cherry trees put on their signature splendor, this is totally the Next Best Thing, replete with minifigs from all walks of life!

It features not just an artfully gnarled cherry tree, but also a kimono-clad beauty attended (of course) by a photographer (and here’s how you know it’s authentic) IN AN ORANGE VEST

I love how they included every type of hanami partier, from artist-y artist to host-ly host!

And naturally, because Lego just begs to be made into little stop-action gifs…

And BONUS OF BONUSES I was saving this fox cosplayer minifig…

…for just such a seasonal nighttime scenario

It’s easy to get your hands on your very own light-up cherry tree (and they’re on sale right now, because it’s getting close to The Season, so take advantage!) Just so you know, this is not a quick build—it’s got a kerbillion weird-shaped pieces and I’d say it took me a good six or seven hours. The directions were pretty good (standard diagrams-only Lego-style booklet), but it took me a while because complicated design is complicated. Also, I am super lame at all things that have batteries, so I couldn’t get the light-up thingie to work before I had to take the pix, but I didn’t actually care that much about that, because the tree+shrine torii+minifigs were so awesome. I’m sure you’ll get it in one!

•

Jonelle Patrick is the author of five novels set in Japan

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, altering 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 newsletter Japanagram, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had

The grand pooh-bah of Japanese flea markets, glowing icicles & Japan’s obsession with pets

Links to the JANUARY 2021 Japanagram features

Hello, friend! It’s me, Jonelle. Still catching up here, how about you? Here are the features that Japanagram subscribers enjoyed in January…

•

SEASONAL SECRET

The grand pooh-bah of Japanese flea markets

This treasure trove of a flea market only happens twice a year, but what a goldmine it is! Where else might you find a set of antique lacquer ozonibowls, a disgruntled workman doll, a pre-dial-era telephone, and a couple of courtesan’s tobacco pipes, all on one table!…read more

•

BEYOND TOKYO

A magical cliffside of icicles lit up at night

This secret Japanese pleasure isn’t a famous tourist destination—it’s really more of a pit stop along the way to other great places—but it’s so spectacular in an ur-illuminations kind of way, I just have to show it to you….read more

•

WHY, JAPAN, WHY?

Dogs dressed in schoolgirl uniforms are just the tip of the iceberg

In the land with the most rapidly shrinking birthrate in the world, it’s easy to see where all that energy is going. Pets have their own fashion, transportation, spas, gourmet delis and more…read more

•

BOOK REVIEW

OUT by Natsuo Kirino

A brutal murder is just the beginning of this dark thriller, where we watch an ordinary housewife and her friends cover up the crime with Ripley-esque practicality and utter absence of guilt…click here

Did you enjoy any of these? Subscribe! It’s FREE!

Every month, Japanagram subscribers get fresh features you won’t see anywhere else, and a chance to win that month’s book.

•

Jonelle Patrick is the author of five novels set in Japan

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

 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