Jonelle Patrick's Blog, page 9

TeamLab x Galaxy: Catch & release rare sea creatures without getting wet!

How do you sell a phone that will set your Japanese customers back over *cough, cough* ¥150,000 (about $1,100 USD)? Well, first, you hire TeamLab to build you a killer undersea digital environment… then you hand visitors your want-worthiest model… and set them loose to catch and release all kinds of rare sea creatures. LikeContinue reading "TeamLab x Galaxy: Catch & release rare sea creatures without getting wet!"

What ingredient do you think THIS Japanese restaurant is famous for?

Nope, not tofu. If you guessed GLUTEN, you win the prize! Wait…what? Gluten? Yes, at Fumuroya, not only is the savory, marshmallow-like goodie known as fū prepared in surprising and satisfying ways, the 9-course lunch set I ate with friends was so good, I sneaked back by myself to try it again! If this isContinue reading "What ingredient do you think THIS Japanese restaurant is famous for?"

How Big Is Tokyo?

This week I was updating The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had, and I thought you might enjoy seeing how big it is compared to your city! (Scroll down to see Tokyo’s main subway line superimposed on maps of major cities all over the world.) Anyone who wants to be somewhere on time in Tokyo takesContinue reading "How Big Is Tokyo?"

Santa Blasphemy returns

Don’t let the name of this Santa costume fool you—there’s nothing sacrosanct about Santa when it comes to dressing up like the jolly old elf in Japan! Even the most stalwart child might hesitate before climbing into the lap of a Holy Basic Santa who looks like he might demand a confession before hearing aboutContinue reading "Santa Blasphemy returns"

Let’s walk out to Miyajima’s famous floating gate!

Before now, you’d have to be able to walk on water to see Miyajima’s famous “floating torii gate” up close and personal, but thanks to a brief window of lingering construction access, the only superpower we mere mortals need is the ability to stand in line! For the past three years, this World Heritage siteContinue reading "Let’s walk out to Miyajima’s famous floating gate!"

The Giant Bag o’ Rice Vending Machine

Find yourself in dire need of ten kilos of rice late at night, when the stores are all closed? Fret not, Japan’s got you covered. •

Epic Japanese Cake Show: Part 1

No Japanese apartment comes equipped with an oven. That shocked me, until I stopped to think about it, and realized not a single traditional Japanese dish requires baking. Which doesn’t keep them from being some of the most skilled bakers in the world. Like the fiber artists of the Tokyo International Quilt Festival, the pastryContinue reading "Epic Japanese Cake Show: Part 1"

Yes, all these origami cranes were folded from ONE sheet of paper!

I don’t know about you, but I have to lie down and rest after wrestling one square of origami paper into a crane, let alone folding hundreds, none bigger than a quarter and all connected because they’re made from a single sheet of paper! The insane art of renzuru has been practiced in Japan sinceContinue reading "Yes, all these origami cranes were folded from ONE sheet of paper!"

This Does Not Make Me Want To Eat That Cheesecake

From the Tokyo bakery that has been indicted for misusing the Universal Garnish on previous occasions comes this inexplicable frippery. I had to press my nose right up against the glass to figure out that this cheesecake is decorated with… …shriveled grapes and pine needles? •

Art Aquarium Lives!

If Japan had a shrine dedicated to goldfish, the new Art Aquarium Museum would be it. It’s fitting that as you enter the new, permanent home of my favorite summer event, you really feel like you’re stepping into another dimension, a world where goldfish are elevated to art… Countless varieties of fancy fish are displayedContinue reading "Art Aquarium Lives!"