Jonelle Patrick's Blog, page 44
February 25, 2015
Even The Bar Codes Are Kawaii In Japan
Ahahahaha, Heintz Japan for the win! (Hey, so I ran out of stuff to read at dinner (>
Jonelle Patrick is the author of the Only In Tokyo mystery series, published by Penguin/Intermix.
February 21, 2015
Don’t Miss Your Big Chance To Experience A Host Club Without Traveling To Japan!
Welcome! If you’ve always wanted to spend an evening being wined & dined by hosts like these, head to Café Nocturne at Anime North 2015 in Toronto! (May 22-24)
I’ve never been so sorry to be geographically challenged! If you’re going to Anime North (May 22-24) or are lucky enough to live in Toronto, GET THEE TO CAFÉ NOCTURNE ON THE DOUBLE!
Experiencing a host club usually requires an expensive ticket to Tokyo and all kinds of special arrangements – not the least of which includes studying Japanese (>
Real hosts like these sport an androgynous look that’s hard for English-speaking Westerners to copy, so at Café Nocturne, female crossplayers who have seriously studied for their roles will play the parts of the hosts. But believe me: women who understand the dansou café scene will make you forget they’re not super-attractive guys in a hot nanosecond!
In case you don’t believe you’ll forget they’re girls beneath the stylin’ suits, here are a few pictures from actual dansou cafés in Japan.
Café Nocturne promises an evening of royal treatment and lively chat with the host of your dreams (you can choose your shimeisha from a bevy of suave entertainers), plus snacky snacks & special drinks. To help you decide which debonaire dude to choose, some of the hosts will offer special menu items and original drinks at their tables. You can even order a champagne call!
If one host isn’t enough for you: champagne call!
If you’re lucky enough to go, come here and tell me about it! I’m already DEEPLY ENVIOUS!
Kampai!
Of course, if you can’t make it to Toronto, you can always lose yourself in Fallen Angel, a murder mystery that’ll zip you to Tokyo and slip you behind Cub Nova’s closed doors…
Published by Penguin/Intermix.
…but if I’ve convinced you to head north so you don’t miss this great opportunity, there’s still time to book your tix for Anime North 2015 (May 22-24) and get yourself some Café Nocturne action.
If you want to know more about hosts & host clubs, here are answers to the top ten questions I’m often asked…
Why do women go to host clubs?
What kind of women go to host clubs?
What’s it like to visit a host club?
How expensive is it to go to a host club?
What is a host club “champagne call”?
Can foreigners get into a host club?
How do I find a good host club?
Why do hosts dress like that? Everything you always wanted to know about host fashion.
A Day In The Life: What’s it like to be a host?
Photos courtesy of the HostXHost website and the Japanese magazines, Men’s Knuckle & Men’s Spider.
Jonelle Patrick is the author of the Only In Tokyo mystery series, published by Penguin/Intermix.
February 14, 2015
The Hamburger Of Luv
Yes, it’s a heart-shaped patty of raw meat. Because what could be more romantic?
(Thanks to my friend Mad Caron of Clumsy Dandy fame for spotting this, er, treat.) Jonelle Patrick is the author of the Only In Tokyo mystery series, published by Penguin/Intermix.
February 10, 2015
Where To See The Best Plum Blossoms In Tokyo!
Suddenly, on the busy shopping street of Kappabashi-dori: these!
It shouldn’t surprise you by now that I’m a total, total sucker for plum blossoms. I mean, up close, the flowers are much more beautiful than cherry blossoms. And you gotta admire that the damn things even bloom in the snow. I mean, they famously bloom in the snow (eight kerbillion haiku can’t be wrong.)
So, here are my favorite places in Tokyo to see them, from mid-February to March!
GOTOKU-JI TEMPLE
This temple also has a boatload of lucky cat figures & an awesome wooden pagoda.
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KITANO SHRINE
This is a small shrine near Koraku-en, but it’s really glorious in plum blossom season. As a bonus, it has a cow-shaped rack for tying your unwanted fortunes to.
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YUSHIMA SHRINE
This is one of the most beautiful shrines in Tokyo, and it not only has a ton of plum trees, it has a festival to celebrate them, from Feb 6 – Mar 6.
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KORAKUEN GARDEN
The plum grove at my favorite Tokyo garden blooms early and often. Lots of different kinds, plus the rest of the garden is beautiful too.
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SHINJUKU GYOUEN GARDEN
There’s a grove of many different kinds of plum trees in the traditional Japanese garden area, by the tea house. It never disappoints.
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HAMA-RIKYU TEIEN GARDEN
Thanks to Japan Travel for the picture – this garden is famous for its plum blossoms, but I have yet to hit it at the right time for good pix! (>
I’m kicking myself for not having made it to Hama-rikyu to see the plum trees yet. But please beat me to it, because I hear it’s spectacular!
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UMEGAOKA PARK
This isn’t a very scenic garden – more of a hill planted with hundreds of plum trees – but it awes by sheer volume and variety. And it’s about a three minute walk from the train station so: no excuses
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OKURAYAMA PARK
This park is a bit of a schlep in the Yokohama direction, but it’s well worth it in plum blossom season.
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ARISUGAWA PARK
Tucked away in Hiroo, on the highest hill in this jewel of a park, is a lovely circle of plum trees. It’s a nice place to rest and enjoy.
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Jonelle Patrick is the author of the Only In Tokyo mystery series, published by Penguin/Intermix.
February 8, 2015
Forever Alone Appliances
The Solo Oven: for making those lonely – yet manly – breakfasts
Used to be – if you were a Japanese man – you had it made. Food magically appeared on the table every mealtime and you never even had to learn how to push the button on the rice cooker or face the pots & pans that became mysteriously dirtied while keeping you alive. Mom did all that for you until you got married, then your wife took over. But not anymore! With more women holding down paying jobs and more people in general delaying marriage (often permanently), suddenly guys find themselves LIVING ALONE. And that means: COOKING ALONE.
Naturally, the Loft store has stepped in to make sure these poor dudes don’t starve. Behold the Solo Cooking series of appliances!
Even the lamest noob cook can turn their fridge fodder into something edible with this single serving rice cooker, which comes with a handy insert for steaming meats & veggies. (It does not, however solve the problem of there being only beer and past-the-sell-date pickles to work with.)
The Solo Oven comes in handy for whipping up single guy staples like hot dogs (see serving suggestions on the card to the left.)
There’s even a manga to make it all seem more like a feature than a bug. The hero of this one, for example, routinely skips out on company drinking parties and ignores the flirtations of the cutest office lady to rush home and whip up a delicacy he’s been longing for all day.
This cookbook is specifically designed for guys who don’t know which end of the ketchup bottle to use. It starts out with a recipe for that childhood staple, tamago kake gohan: 1) make some rice; 2) mix in a raw egg. Guess they had to start out with a confidence-builder…
Jonelle Patrick is the author of the Only In Tokyo mystery series, published by Penguin/Intermix.
January 27, 2015
Godzilla In Legoland
Charizilla gives his big green cousin a helping hand at Tokyo Legoland.
The Grand Imperial Empire Of Lego obviously isn’t only in Japan, but an especially awesome part of it is! Welcome to Tokyo Legoland, where Godzilla is king, and Pokemons rule!
From now on, I’m only going to weigh myself in Legos.
Sprawling model Tokyo captures all the landmarks, and cycles through 24 hours every five minutes or so, so you can watch the city lights come on!
Tokyo is the only place in the world where you can summon the Big Green Guy with the push of a button!
The model of Tokyo changes with the seasons – this picture of Senso-ji temple was taken when the cherry blossoms were in bloom, outside in the wide world of Non-Lego Land.
Sumo minifigs YES.
Baseball pinball game made of Legos? Win.
Of course, there’s also a massive indoor playground with slides, ball pits and various age-group Lego construction paradises, and a café.
Be forewarned: Without one of these, you can’t come in. All adults must be accompanied by a kid, or they won’t sell you a ticket. (>_
If you’d like to go to Tokyo Legoland the next time you’re in Tokyo, directions & a map are on my website The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had.
Tokyo Legoland is open 7 days a week.
Hours: Weekdays 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m., Weekends & holidays 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Admission: ¥2300 per person, under 2 free (but if you book online, you can get as much as ¥800 off the price) Note: Adults have to be accompanied by a child to be admitted, and you can’t talk them out of it, even in Japanese. (I know, because believe me, I tried!)
Jonelle Patrick is the author of the Only In Tokyo mystery series, published by Penguin/Intermix.
January 22, 2015
Spiderman Looks Into The Old Crystal Ball
Sometimes Tokyo street art is so awesome, there’s nothing more to say.
Jonelle Patrick is the author of the Only In Tokyo mystery series, published by Penguin/Intermix.
January 17, 2015
The Octopus Treatment…For Your Face
If you’re a little short on live octopus tentacles the next time you need a beauty treatment, Tokyu Hands will happily sell you this pink plastic Vacu & Lift Roller. I’m not sure what lasting beautification this device is supposed to deliver, but if I ever see someone walking down the streets of Shibuya looking like they just face-wrestled a cephalopod, I’m going to ask them.
Jonelle Patrick is the author of the Only In Tokyo mystery series, published by Penguin/Intermix.
January 10, 2015
Popcorn Latte
I think I’d describe this as: all flavors of NO.
Jonelle Patrick is the author of the Only In Tokyo mystery series, published by Penguin/Intermix.
January 7, 2015
How To Walk Across The Rainbow Bridge!
This has to be the most gorgeous walk in Tokyo. If you start at twilight, you can see the entire Tokyo waterfront slowly light up like the best holiday light show ever!
Here’s how I do it: I get off the train at Tamachi station and go out the main exit. There’s about a five minute walk, across two canals, until the big support at the Tokyo end of the bridge comes into view. Around to the left of the pylon building is the entry to a sort of lobby, and there’s a choice of elevators that go up to the south side of the bridge or the north side. (You have to choose before you start, because there’s no place to cross over to the other side until you’re nearly all the way across.)
The north side has a view of the Tokyo skyline and Tokyo Tower. The south side looks out over the lights of Odaiba.
On the left, the view from the south side. On the right, the view from the north.
Then I go up one of the elevators and start walking! I like the south side, but my friend who blogs as Tokyobling (and takes more beautiful pictures than me) likes the other side. Take a look at both, and decide which you prefer!
Starting about fifteen minutes before sunset, here’s what you’ll see:
I like walking on the south side, because I’m a sucker for the colored lights of Odaiba and the ferris wheel and all. But first, looking back toward Tamachi, I like to check out all the shipping docks.
They’re actually kind of beautiful, as the sun sets.
But now, if I turn the other way, I can start to see the lights of Odaiba!
Once I’m over the bridge, I can’t resist taking the stairs that go down and cross underneath, to the north side. This view is pretty amazing too, looking back toward Tokyo. The orange thing is my favorite landmark, Tokyo Tower.
Back on the Odaiba side, the dinner boats are gathering for their 7:00 p.m. cruises. The ferris wheel begins to pulse with color, and at 6:00. the Fuji TV building bursts into a continuous animated light show that changes with the seasons.
It’s dark now, and the boats are beginning to bring their dinner guests on board and head back out toward the Sumida River, to cruise all the way up to Asakusa and back.
But I like being up here, looking out over it all!
Once across in Odaiba, sometimes I stroll along the waterfront to the Decks and Aqua City complexes to shop or eat dinner. And sometimes I just get on the monorail at Odaiba Kaihin-Koen station and return to Shinagawa. The walk across the bridge from Tamachi station only takes about 30 minutes (it’s about 1.7 kilometers), but it’s well worth it, don’t you think?
Walking across the bridge is free. It’s open to pedestrians and bikes from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. from April to October, and 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. for the rest of the year. It’s closed on the third Monday of every month, so don’t say I didn’t warn you. heh. Hope you like this walk as much as I do!
Um, one small caveat: if you’re hoping this might be an awesome romantic stroll, it sort of isn’t. The walkway is right next to a lane of traffic, with all the loudness and exhaust that go with it. Visually, the walk is really amazing, but sound- and smell-wise, er, not so much. (>
Jonelle Patrick is the author of the Only In Tokyo mystery series, published by Penguin/Intermix.
