Jonelle Patrick's Blog, page 43

Nail Queen…From Hell

Too Much Is Never Enough when it comes to depicting the epic battle between Good and Evil, using fingernails.

If Scary Nails was the theme of this year’s Nail Queen competition at the Tokyo Nail Expo, the winners definitely did not disappoint!

As you can see by the outfit that goes with the winning nails, scary goes way beyond fingernails!

Second place went to this gothalicious design, just the thing for beating a real life Street Fighter X Tekken level on the way home.

And the bronze medal for want-to-look-away-but-I-just-can’t goes to this confection of spiderwebs and butterflies.

And in the Junior Student category…

Try texting with THESE.

Swipe right at your own risk to meet our 2nd place winner.

And in 3rd, the perfect nail design to go with YOUR family tartan on the next Robert Burns Day.

Thanks go out to the always-excellent Nail Max magazine for the pix & descriptions of the 2015 Tokyo Nail Expo Nail Queen winners.

Jonelle Patrick is the author of the Only In Tokyo mystery series, published by Penguin/Intermix.

Oh No. Do I Really Want To Want To Smell Like A…?

…when you see it…

 (　ﾟдﾟ)！

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Jonelle Patrick is the author of the Only In Tokyo mystery series,  published by Penguin/Intermix.

The Best SECRET Cherry Blossom Spots In Tokyo!

Cherry blossoms and crowds go together like long bathroom lines and hanami parties, but at these secret Tokyo spots, you can enjoy the pinkness without getting trampled, even at peak season! Here are my favorite places:

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MONZEN-NAKACHO

Cherry trees bloom like crazy along this little-known canal near Monzen-Nakacho Station. You can get amazing pictures from the bridges that criss-cross the water at easily-walkable intervals!

You can walk all along the water on this lovely (and deserted!) path, lined with paper lanterns.

From 18:00 on, the lanterns are lit, and this becomes the most romantic twilight stroll in town.

The lights stay on until 21:00, so you can enjoy the reflections on the water.

Best time to go: It’s uncrowded all the time (weekend days are busiest), but I like it best when the lanterns are lit at twilight.

Admission: Free

Map

More fun stuff to do in the Monzen-Nakacho area

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ASAKUSA CHERRY TREE PROMENADE

If you’re really lucky, this lovely promenade will have water cascading down the center, but even when it’s dry, it’s a wonderful place to walk and eat your bento.

Look the other way (toward the river) and see Skytree framed by blooming cherry branches.

Best time to go: It’s always uncrowded, but because there are so few nice places to bring a lunch and eat outside in Tokyo, I like to buy take-out somewhere in Asakusa and bring my lunch here to eat it.

Admission: Free

Map

More fun stuff to do in the Asakusa area

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DENPO-IN GARDEN

This secret garden is hidden right in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Senso-ji temple and it’s only open around cherry blossom season, so most people don’t even know it’s there.

You enter the garden by buying a ticket to the museum of giant prayer plaques (also interesting and seldom open). When you emerge out the back, a path leads to this beautiful pond.

There are two famous cherry trees in this garden – you can’t miss them, and they do not disappoint!

If you go early in the morning (it opens at 9:00) you might catch some reflections in the pond before the breeze kicks up.

Best time to go: Early morning is the most uncrowded and serene time to see this garden. If you can get there at 9:00, it will just be you and the most fanatical of cameramen.

Admission: ¥300

Map

More fun stuff to do in the Asakusa area

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SUMIDA RIVER PARK

Hordes of people crowd the walkways along the Sumida River, but they often miss this park when they turn inland on their way to Skytree.

From inside the Mimeguri Shrine, the cherry-shaded walkways beckon.

And, of course, if you want cherry blossom-encrusted shots of the big Skytree thing, this is the place to whip out your camera.

Best time to go: Nice any time of day, less crowded in the mornings. People bring picnic lunches here to eat.

Admission: Free

Map

More fun stuff to do in the Asakusa area

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If you don’t mind sharing the pink fluffiness with lots of other flower aficionados, there are plenty more spectacular places to see cherry blossoms in Tokyo…

Who knew the Imperial Palace moat could put on such a jaw-dropping display?

If you’d like to check out my favorite spots for all-around  hanami glory, here are pix & maps to the best cherry blossoms in Tokyo.

Of course, true cherry blossom warriors know that viewing doesn’t need to stop when the sun goes down…

You can see why the Meguro River is no longer an undiscovered jewel of cherry blossom season, but braving the crowds is worth it when they’re lit up at night!

Here are pix & maps to the best places to see cherry blossoms lit up at night.

And for the truly intrepid who want to experience o-hanami shenanigans in all their glory…

Your guide to surviving a cherry blossom viewing party in Yoyogi Park is here.

Enjoy!（＾Ｏ＾☆♪

Jonelle Patrick is the author of the Only In Tokyo mystery series,  published by Penguin/Intermix.

New Type Kimono: Maximum Princess

So, check out one of my all-time favorite Japanese fashion trends – the Kimono Princess!

Your typical Japanese clubhussy might be happy to see kimono-wearing go the way of ballroom dancing and tea ceremony, but a growing number of hip young women are adopting the techniques of alt fashion subcultures to breathe new life into old-skool clothes. Kimono hime lovers flaunt convention with a mash-up of vintage patterns, non-trad color combos and Western accessories to spawn a style that is utterly new, yet still utterly Japanese.

First of all – just for comparison – here’s what it’s not:

Beautiful, but not stylin’

A true Kimono Princess uses every accessory – shoes, sox, purse, wrap, hat – to flaunt convention in some subtle way.

So, how do you build your very own Kimono Princess look?

First of all, you can toss seasonal designs and colors right out the window. Pink for cherry blossom season? So 10th century…unless it’s the kimono LINING!

And bring on the jewelry! The reason rings, necklaces and pins weren’t usually worn with kimono is that the fabrics were often more costly than jewels and nobody wanted to risk getting a snag or AI YI YI putting a HOLE in the precious material. But because most Princess Style kimonos are inexpensive cotton or vintage, cheap costume jewelry – and lots of it! – is totally safe to wear.

Raid your closet and layer on some frilly Western pieces & excellent hats to add a little spice.

Or go totally nouveau in a kimono made of some alt fabric like lace. (Even more radical – make it all one color!)

Uh oh, obi tied in the front? This is sure to bring a gloved hand to grandma’s lips to hide her shock at your resemblance to an oiran of the pleasure quarters!

Or really fling every convention to the wind, and change the length too.

As you’ve probably guessed, I actually love kimono in all its forms. But because I look too much like Barbie (and am not AWESOME like my fellow blogger who writes Yield For Kimono), I’d feel like a hopeless wannabe if I ever tried to un-ironically wear one. Kimono hime style, though…even someone like me might be able to rock that, don’t you think?

Thanks to Kimono Hime magazine (#12) for the gorgeous new style kimono photos, and きものサロン magazine for the modern photo.

Jonelle Patrick is the author of the Only In Tokyo mystery series,  published by Penguin/Intermix.

 

 

365 Days Of Fun Stuff To Do In Tokyo!

Hey, if you know anyone who’s planning a trip to Tokyo, I just finished putting together a new website with all the special festivals & events & secret local stuff that it’s hard to find out about unless you live here!

These are my favorite things to do when friends come to town, with links to info, directions & maps.

When you click on the month, here’s what you get:

Every date links to info and maps, so you know when it’s happening and how to get there.

There are also categories you can click to see a whole year’s worth of festivals, events, only-in-Japan experiences, and such:

The whole year’s worth of stuff, collected by category

And if you’re headed out to do something fun you found on #tokyotrip and want to see what else there is to do in the neighborhood, you can whip over to my other site, The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had, for photos, directions & maps.

Explore every corner of Tokyo with The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had.

Hope this helps you & your friends have a great time in Japan!

The address for #tokyotrip is tokyotripguide.com, and the one for The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had is jonellepatrick.com. Have fun, and I hope you fall in love with Tokyo the same way I did! *\(^o^)/*

Jonelle Patrick is the author of the Only In Tokyo mystery series,  published by Penguin/Intermix.

 

Suica Penguins For Lunch!

Yes, I admit it: the reason I have a Suica train pass rather than a PASMO is that that Suica penguin mascot is SO SO SO CUTE.

Am I right, or am I right?

And guess what? I just discovered that we penguin-o-philes don’t have to be satisfied with the occasional squee! when we go through the train turnstile – now we can have Suica Penguins for lunch too! Check out this super adorable Suica Penguin rice ball maker kit I just found in Akihabara!

Even more want-worthy than baby penguin rice balls, and I never thought I’d say that.

Admit it, you want one BADLY! ^_^

Jonelle Patrick is the author of the Only In Tokyo mystery series,  published by Penguin/Intermix.

Sexy Red Undies Opposite Day

So, there’s this street in Tokyo I’ve written about before that’s known as the “Grandma & Grandpa’s Harajuku” because it’s where all the oldsters go to stock up on the latest elderly comforts and fashions. My favorite store on Koshinzuka Street is the “Red Underpants” shop, which specializes in many, many, MANY styles of lucky red underwear (none of them remotely resembling thongs).* These powerful panties even come with special instruction for use, so you don’t find yourself kept awake by their mighty redness.

*The idea of wearing red next to your skin for good luck is so trending among the silver set that the gift of red clothing – especially red underwear – is a common 60th birthday gift.

Pink on the outside, red on the inside – with girlish ruffles to really throw them off – nobody will guess how superstitious you really are. Note that this naughty style even comes in wicked black for the secretly goth granny.

Not sure who these extra-tiny red undies are for, although babies are probably in need of good luck too (before they’re old enough to roll their eyes and categorically refuse).

There’s even a wooly pair sporting a portrait of The Honorable Duck Butt of Sugamo, the street’s inexplicable mascot.

The REAL Honorable Duck Butt Of Sugamo, for comparison.

If you’d like to visit Koshinzuka Street – I especially recommend the always-entertaining street market they have on the 4th, 14th & 24th of each month – directions & a map are on my website, The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had.

Jonelle Patrick is the author of the Only In Tokyo mystery series,  published by Penguin/Intermix.

 

Japanese Ad Banners To The Rescue!

What do you do when you have a burning need for a futon cover in a hurry? Dig up your stash of ad banners and unleash your inner Crafty Craftpern, of course!

These are usually seen flapping on sidewalk poles outside convenience stores and small restaurants in Japan, advertising shave ice (the red, white and blue one), winter stew (the yellow one says “hot oden“), various kinds of noodles (the blue one is for udon & soba), rice balls (the red one on the right) or just plain “Welcome!” (the other red one, on the left).

You can buy these in the restaurant supply district (Kappabashi Street) in Tokyo, and they’re perfect for the job because they’re made from sturdy cotton, dyed to last through many washings, and come in standard lengths, so pretty much all you have to do is stitch them together, add a little more length (I used Japanese tenugui hand towels) to match the size of your futon, and sew them to an old sheet you’ve got lying around.

Here’s the kind of place where you can buy them. This shop is on Kappabashi Street, in Tokyo.

Here’s what it looks like on a bed!

And because I’m sure you haven’t seen enough of it yet, here’s the other side.

If you’d like to make one for yourself, directions & a map to Kappabashi Street are on my website, The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had . As an added bonus, this is also the place where you can buy sushi clocks & other excellent plastic food model stuff! Special thanks to GinjaNinja for loaning his room to make my little craft project look good.

Jonelle Patrick is the author of the Only In Tokyo mystery series,  published by Penguin/Intermix.

Sleeping Bags Of Yore

At first I thought this was some kind of wacky winter kimono from prehistoric, pre-Patagonia days, but no: it’s actually a futon built for two! This fancy sleeping bag was actually used by courtesans when they entertained their customers in Yoshiwara!

The Sleeping Bag Of Yore in action!

Back in the day, plenty of men wealthy enough to buy opulent mummy bags for their paramours frequented the pleasure quarters, even though it was illegal for a samurai to pass the gates. Naturally, this didn’t stop anyone, they just wore special hats designed to cover their faces so they wouldn’t be recognized. The old joke goes that if there was a fire at the bathhouse, the customers would run outside hiding their faces, not their dangly bits!

The clever hat disguise did not quite manage to hide a samurai’s swords and pants-challenged attendant.

And if you think visiting a host club is expensive, think again: a night of eating, drinking and making merry with the Yoshiwara beauty of your dreams could set you back over $10,000 in today’s coin!

I actually saw this awesome exhibit at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco – it’s called Seduction, and is on through May 10, 2015. The bottom woodblock print photo thanks to http://ukiyo-e.org/. Both prints are by Hishikawa Moronobu.

Jonelle Patrick is the author of the Only In Tokyo mystery series,  published by Penguin/Intermix.

When Is Something More Beautiful After It’s Broken?

When it’s a shoji screen with a tear in it, of course! This is how people mend paper screens after those inevitable situations where an object in motion tends to stay in motion.

I love how something that becomes less perfect also becomes better.

Jonelle Patrick is the author of the Only In Tokyo mystery series,  published by Penguin/Intermix.