Jonelle Patrick's Blog, page 79

Azalea Mania

Once again, the Nezu Shrine does not disappoint – at the end of April, the hills surrounding my favorite shrine are paved with azaleas of every color. But my favorite part is the tunnel of bright orange torii gates that wends its way through the blazing balls of blooms!

Some bushes have white, pink and everything in between on them!

I discovered the Nezu Shrine while researching Nightshade , the first book in my Only In Tokyo mystery series. Beautiful by day, but spooky by night, this is the place where Yumi discovers the dark side of her best friend’s ambitions…

If you’d like to visit the Nezu Shrine next time you’re in Tokyo, directions and more pictures are on my website, The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had.

Dinosaur Head, Half Price!

Surely I must know someone who would love to receive a life-sized dinosaur head! On sale for only ¥18,900, it’s so hard to pass up! I mean, who wouldn’t want a tyrannosaur hanging over their fireplace?

This shop on Kappabashi street in Tokyo’s restaurant supply district specializes in custom-made props. In addition to Rex the Friendly Tyrannosaur, today’s stock included Mr. Menacing Lobster, the Lonesome Cowboy, Santa Claus and the Missus, and Squirty the  Cheerful Hot Dog.

If you’d like to visit Kappabashi the next time you’re in Tokyo, there are more pictures and directions on my blog, The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had.

Maid X Kimono

Stop throwing a fit because mom is insisting you wear a kimono to your cousin’s wedding instead of your usual Lolitawear, and get yourself on the express train to Marui One. This maid café X kimono is the perfect way to obey the letter of the law while still maintaining a modicum of personal style!

Marui One is the six-floor department store for all brands Goth, Lolita and everything in between. I discovered its wondrous quirkiness while researching Nightshade , the first book in my Japanese mystery series. If you want to visit Marui One the next time you’re in Tokyo, directions are on my website, The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had . From the Kabuki-chō East Exit of Shinjuku Station, turn left and cross the little street on your right to the square where everybody is hanging out. Walk through the square to the big street beyond and turn right. Walk along the big street for two blocks. You’ll pass the big OIOI store on your right, and see Marui One right ahead on the corner across the street.

Mankiller Bubble Bath

Forget having a Miracle Body. All I gotta do to snag me a man is hop into one of these kickass bubble baths from Tokyu Hands.

How To Make Poisonous Dried Snake Tea

First, you take a dried snake. A dried poisonous snake.

Then you chop it into little pieces.

Add some dried ginger and garlic and a few other secret ingredients.

Powderize it all in your industrial snake grinder and pour it in a medicine bottle.

Mix one teaspoon into a cup of hot water every morning before you eat anything, to keep your eyes sharp, your legs strong, and your skin young. Or so I was told by the traditional medicine vendor who comes three times a month to market day on Koshinzuka street, as he whipped me up a batch. I did try a sample of his snake tea first, to make sure it wasn’t killingly horrible, but it was actually a lot less awful than the miraculous OTC Chinese medicine stuff I take when I have a cold.

Apparently, making snake medicine isn’t easy. You have to grow the snakes yourself from eggs, then kill them and coil them up and dehydrate them. It’s not a business that’s very popular with the neighbors, because they’re always worried the mamushi will get out. Poisonous snakes are hard to love, it would seem. He also told me that many foreigners stop to gawk at his wares, but I am the first one to buy any. Except for a Columbian woman, but she didn’t count because she was married to a Japanese. In honor of this landmark occasion, he gave me twice as much as I paid for, as a special favor. So now I have plenty to share with my friends, bwahahahaha!

If you’d like to visit the market on Koshinzuka Street, directions and more pictures are on my website, The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had . The market is held every day that ends in a “4″: the 4th, 14th and 24th of each month.

First, You Get A Dried Snake…

Make sure it’s a poisonous snake. Then you chop it into little pieces…

…and put it in the Cuisinart. Add some dried ginger and garlic and a few other secret ingredients.

Grind it all up together and pour it in a medicine bottle.

Mix one teaspoon into a cup of hot water every morning before you eat anything, to keep your eyes sharp, your legs strong, and your skin young. Or so I was told by the traditional medicine vendor who comes three times a month to market day on Koshinzuka street, as he whipped me up a batch. I did try a sample of his snake tea first, to make sure it wasn’t killingly horrible, but it was actually a lot less awful than the miraculous OTC Chinese medicine stuff I take when I have a cold.

Apparently, making snake medicine isn’t easy. You have to grow the snakes yourself from eggs, then kill them and coil them up and dehydrate them. It’s not a business that’s very popular with the neighbors, because they’re always sure the snakes will get out. Poisonous snakes are hard to love, it would seem. He also told me that many foreigners stop to gawk at his wares, but I am the first one to buy any. Except for a Columbian woman, but she didn’t count because she was married to a Japanese. In honor of this occasion, he gave me twice as much as I paid for, as a special favor. So now I have plenty to share with my friends, bwahahahaha!

If you’d like to visit the market on Koshinzuka Street, directions and more pictures are on my website, The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had . The market is held every day that ends in a “4″: the 4th, 14th and 24th of each month.

Why Did Someone Tie Up That Rock?

Wandering around the Denpo-in garden the other day, I spied this rock. Why did it have twine tied around it like that?

It’s a biter, so it needs a muzzle?

Ancient zen bondage exercise?

A gift that got left out in the rain?

Nope, nope, and nope. According to my Japanese friend, it’s the old way of saying Do Not Enter! It was sitting in front of a teahouse that looked so inviting, I was tempted to plead ignorance, but the little bar they put up behind it was close enough to something people are familiar with all over the world, I knew I’d get caught.

Here it is, in front of the teahouse. If they’d only put up the little bar behind it, people might interpret it as some sort of mini-fence-like decoration and think it was okay to go into the teahouse. Apparently, it’s the rock that sends the message loud and clear.

The Fake Sea Slug Vending Machine

“Mommy, mommy, I want a nudibranch! All the other kids have nudibranchs! Pleeeeeze can I have ¥200? Pleeeeeze?”

“No. Last time you cried when you got the Bornella anguilla instead of the Chromodoris annai and I had to take you out of the store because everybody thought I was abusing you or something.“

“I won’t cry! Really I won’t. I promise. Even if I get another Bornella. Pleeze?“

Ahaha, we know where that one is going. Of course, I didn’t actually witness such a scene, on account of there were no mobs of kids lined up to buy rubber nudibranchs from this gachopon vending machine in the Decks mall in Odaiba. I was kind of tempted to go back and get one myself, though, since I’ve always had a soft spot for nudibranchs, but then I discovered ChromoCrochet’s patterns on Craftsy and might have to start a new hobby instead…

If I learned how to crochet, I could make a whole army of retractable sea anemones too!

How much is that doggie in the…YOU’RE KIDDING!

¥269,800? For a puppy? At first I thought I was suffering from some kind of rare double vision only affecting zeros, but nope. That little white shiba-inu pup really is selling for over 2,700 George Washingtons. Do you think maybe it can perform amazing magic tricks? Or it’s a Mozart prodigy? Maybe it’s already been recruited to replace that girl in AKB48!

But sadly, I see there’s no way I can afford a puppy. What about a nice little kitteh?

Oh no! AIEEEE!!! The Maine Coon is going for almost $2,800 and the Ragamuffin is a whopping $3,300! Of course, the store offers a convenient 30-installment payment plan – just as if I were buying a major appliance – but last time I checked, washers and dryers don’t need to be fed, and cats don’t exactly help out with the dirty socks. No wonder everybody goes to cat cafés and rents a kitteh by the hour!

Okay, let’s think again. Forget the pet store. What about a nice adopted animal from a shelter? People move, lose their jobs, get old, etc. and can’t care for a pet anymore,  just like in the rest of the world, right? So they must have a shelter full of animals just waiting to be adopted! Well, sort of. There are shelters, but not that many. The chances of an adult animal getting adopted are really slim, I understand. I was told it’s because nobody wants a “used” pet. ( ; _ ; )

Secret Garden

Behind the long, boring building mostly known for blocking views of the pagoda at Senso-ji is the secret garden of Denpo-in. Within those walls is a serene retreat used by the priests for meditation, closed to the public except for a few days each year. But if you’re in Tokyo right now, woo hoo, it’s your lucky day!

When you step through the gate, it’s like stepping into a parallel universe where the sun shines more brightly and the flowers bloom earlier – the azaleas have already burst into their full glory, and even the wisteria is starting to pop.  Be sure you scamper over there before May 7th, though, when the gates will swing closed again for another year and you’ll have to take vows in order to enjoy it!

This garden isn’t huge, but it’s amazingly designed. Every turn in the path offers a different view!

You can see the Senso-ji pagoda from across the pond.

Azaleas already blazing away!

Like I said.

Now I know why the priests keep this one for themselves.

Camellias.

On the way out, the old and new make a special guest appearance together: pagoda and Skytree.

If you want to visit Denpo-in, it costs ¥300 and will be open until May 7th. For directions to Senso-ji and more pictures, check out my website The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had.