Jonelle Patrick's Blog, page 56

One Japan Photo, Every Day

Here are a few of the photos I put up this spring…

As you may have noticed, I have about eight kerbillion photos of Japan, from Colonel Sanders in a samurai suit to Tokyo Tower in the rain. So, even if I wrote one blog post a day for the next few thousand millennia, I still couldn’t show you them all.

That’s why I try to burn through them by putting one of the ooh-aah snapshots up on my Facebook author page every day. I don’t troll for FB likes among my friends (and you count as a friend, if you read this blog, so ignore this post if Japanese Scenic Photos make you think meh) but if you’d enjoy getting a happy little surprise from Japan every day in your Facebook feed, nip over to Jonelle Patrick Author and push the like button. Once or twice a month, I post some book-related thing (it’s my author page, after all), but mostly it’s just little windows into the gorgeous gardens and lovely views I just can’t resist snapping.

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

The Scrub Brush Shrine

So, I’m trudging back to the bus stop after catching Sankei-en having the Japanese garden equivalent of a bad hair day,* when I spot this odd little shrine tucked between two houses. The altar is a big pitted rock, and it’s covered with…scrub brushes? What is this, the patron kami-sama of cleaning supplies?

Wrong-o! This shrine is the cure for the common cold!

When locals start getting that dreaded scratchy feeling in their throats, they hop over to the Kame-no-ko-tawashi Shrine and borrow one of these little scrubbers from the altar. They take it home, vigorously rub their necks with it, then return it to the shrine, along with a new one exactly like it.

(The reason this shrine is called Kame-no-ko-tawashi is that supposedly the rock was once a giant turtle that turned to stone after being snared in a local fisherman’s net. The scrub brushes are given as offerings because they’re known as “baby turtle scrub brushes” – kame no ko tawashi.)

But hey, the big question is, does it work? Haha, would a pile of multiplying scrub brushes lie?

*The week cherry trees bloom in splendiferous glory is followed by a week of cherry trees covered with shriveled little dishrags mixed with sprouting leaves. Not even the magic wand of Instagram can make cherry-infested parks photo-worthy until the leaves prevail again, so DUH why did I insist on going all the way to Yokohama to find out? (>_

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

Urban Assault Stroller…For Dogs

The next time you need to sneak your dog out for a stroll without the enemy suspecting, bundle it into this craftily camouflaged dog buggy and infiltrate the local park.

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

How To Be A Lolita For A Day!

Ahaha, me and Yuki in Lolita disguise!

Admit it – don’t you want to try it, just once? Well guess what? Now you can get your Lolita on for around a hundred bucks, with professional hair, makeup, and photos!

And that’s just what my friend Yuki and I did a few weeks ago! The stylistas at Maison de Julietta in the Harajuku Laforet let us choose from their closet full of the latest Lolita frocks (Angelic Pretty, Baby The Stars Shine Bright, Metamorphose temps defille), helped us accessorize with adorable socks, hair thingies and shoes, then whipped us into the dressing room for a Lolita-style makeover!

A few minutes later, this stranger with pale skin, rosy cheeks, swashes of black eyeliner and fake lashes looked at me from the mirror. Then the stylist expertly bundled my hair into an industrial-strength net (ew, glad there aren’t any photos of THAT) and let me choose from a selection of curly or straight wigs, in every shade from darkest black to platinum blonde. Voila! My friend Yuki was so transformed that her six-month-old baby didn’t recognize her!

Then it was into the photo studio for a session with the photographer, who posed us in all kinds of Lolita-like ways and snapped away. Ten days later, the array of photos was up on the website, and we used the passwords they gave us to choose the three we liked best.

This is my friend Yuki. As you can see, poor Nana was in no mood to smile for the camera. In real life, Yuki has short hair and works for a venerable financial institution, so you can imagine how Nana-chan might be confused!

The photographer poses you in dozens of ways on the cute Alice In Wonderland set, and you can choose three you like, in either digital or (for a small additional fee) print-outs.

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

If you’d like to visit Maison de Julietta, the shop is right at the bottom of the first flight of stairs as you walk into Laforet. You can check out the outfits and make a reservation, or call 03-6434-5464. Base price for clothing rental, professional makeup, and photo session (including downloads of three digital shots) is ¥9,980 plus optional wig rental (¥1,050), fake eyelashes (¥315) and proper undergarments (a tight white t-shirt) to protect the clothing and make it look nice (¥210).

I first got interested in Lolitas and Goth-Lolitas when I was writing Nightshade, the first book in my Only In Tokyo mystery series, but this was my first time actually dressing like one! If you’re curious about this Japanese fashion subcult, check out the first few chapters here.

I Think They’re Supposed To Be Arms, But…

…even the pro wrestler sox seem to be outfitted with a pair of Gravity Is Not Our Friend boobs.

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

Cherry Blossom Roundup

 

Okay, the season of all-sakura-all-the-time is officially over, and the cherryliciousness did not disappoint. From late-blooming white ones to pinker-than-pink, here are a few of this year’s faves.

At Kiyosumi-Shirakawa garden, they had exactly one blooming cherry tree, but it was worth the price of admission.

This weeping cherry at Shinjuku Gyou-en garden was mobbed by photographers, but I elbowed my way in BWAHAHAHA.

I went to Koraku-en garden on a sunny day, just as the cherry trees were starting to bloom

There are only a few cherry trees along moat near the Imperial Palace East Garden, but it’s worth a visit because they’re unusual varieties

On a rainy day at Rikugi-en garden, I had the famous weeping cherry all to myself.

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

Alt Cherry

So, during cherry blossom season, people naturally flock to places with maximum pink fluffiness. But if you don’t have any real blooming cherry trees of epic proportions, how do you avoid being the location equivalent of Forever Alone? Behold the ingenuity of even the stodgiest of institutions…

If you’re the mighty flagship Mitsukoshi department store, you light up the entire front of your building with pink spotlights.

If you’re Legoland, you change all the trees in your models to little square cherry trees.

If you’re the Fuji Television building, you program all the windows on one side to play a lightshow of cherry trees and cherry blossoms.

If you’re Tokyo Tower, you light up pink for the duration of The Season.

And even if you’re a behemoth Japanese bank, you project a lightshow of pink flowers onto your stately be-columned main branch.

And people ask me why I love Japan. Go figure.

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

Salty Dragonblood Toothpaste

But what I want to know is, how do they KNOW the dragons only ate pesticide-free virgins? Is the blood harvested from organically-certified, knight-armor-free, farm-grown dragons?

Jonelle Patrick is the author of the Only In Tokyo mystery series, published by Penguin/Intermix. You can get your very own Toothpaste Of Targaryens at your nearest Tokyu Hands.

So, What DO Cherry Blossoms Taste Like?

Around cherry blossom season in Japan, the shelves suddenly fill with “sakura”-flavored food. But what does cherry blossom-flavored food actually taste like? I investigate.

Cherry blossoms taste like…mini-shrimp potato chips.

Cherry blossoms taste like…plum-flavored whisky & soda.

Cherry blossoms taste like…pinkish berry combo gel and vanilla ice cream.

Cherry blossoms taste like…potato chips sprinkled with actual ground up bits of cherry blossoms.

And of course, cherry blossoms taste like…beer.

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

Cherry Blossoms Lit Up At Night: My Favorite Spots!

 

You can see why the Meguro River is no longer an undiscovered jewel of cherry blossom season…

Oh no, don’t think you can put your feet up and flip some channels after the sun goes down during cherry blossom season – thanks to the current craze for “illuminations,” the ogling opportunities will seriously cut into your TV time.

Here are my favorite nighttime viewing spots. Get thee to the nearest grove and give your camera a workout!

MEGURO RIVER, NAKAMEGURO

At twilight, it’s especially great. Crowds are smaller too.

Lanterns are strung in the trees all along the Meguro River.

This place is no longer undiscovered, but the upside of the crowds is that the paths are now lined with food stands and places to buy libations (mostly beer and champagne).

Entrance fee: Free

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IMPERIAL PALACE MOAT

Nice of those people to stand in line for hours and pay a ton of money so we could take pictures of them on the moat.

You can see Tokyo Tower from a spot at the Kudanshita end of the moat, if you can crane your neck past the giant scrum of photographers.

For sheer blossom tonnage, nothing beats the Imperial Palace moat. Start at Kudanshita Station and follow it around the corner to the end where they rent the boats. If you absolutely must row around with the drunken mariners down below, plan to get in line hours before you hope to be down on the water.

Entrance fee: Free

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RIKUGI-EN GARDEN, KOMAGOME

This tree never disappoints. It takes over your camera like some kid of poltergeist, and when you get home, you discover that somehow you have 612 shots of ONE TREE.

The Famous Cherry, seen across the pond from The Famous Pine.

Rikugi-en Garden stays open until 9:00 p.m. for a week during cherry blossom season, so people can get their Famous Cherry Tree fix for the year. There aren’t a ton of cherry trees at this garden, but the the ones they have are pretty choice. They light up the rest of the garden too, so you can stroll around and enjoy the shapely pines and Japanese maples. Oh, and lest I forget: even if you hate cherry trees, come for the miso dango.

Entrance fee: ¥300

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MONZEN NAKACHO

Lanterns line the path along the nicely narrow river near Monzen Nakacho station.

Further along the river, cherry trees spill over both sides of the banks.

Nobody ever goes to Monzen Nakacho. But they should. Check out how beautiful the riverside path is, all lit up with lanterns for the locals’ strolling pleasure! The lights are on from dusk to 9:00 p.m. and this obscure neighborhood is still undiscovered, so if you want to stroll far from the madding crowd and get something to eat at a nearby restaurant, this is the place to be.

Entrance fee: Free

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ROPPONGI HILLS MORI GARDEN, ROPPONGI

Okay, at the time I took this picture, I honestly didn’t register what it looked like, with those round pink trees at the base of the, er, tower.

Roppongi Hills is mostly a boring shopping mall, but it does have a small garden that can be quite nice during cherry blossom season. Well-lit, it’s a pretty place to get away from the neon and concrete drunkenness of Roppongi proper.

Entrance fee: Free

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