Posted November 4, 2018 by Jonelle Patrick4 Comments Awesome Stuff To Do

Chrysanthemums Like You’ve Never Seen Before

This year’s living bonsai figures at the Yushima Shrine

The fall leaves aren’t winning any awards this year in Tokyo, so thank whatever gods are in charge of making autumn insta-worthy that there are still chrysanthemums! Yes, it’s time once again for your socks to be knocked right off, with…

…bonsai chrysanthemums that look like Elvis bouffants (Yushima Shrine)…

…great balls o’ fluffblooms that are JUST ONE PLANT (Yushima Shrine)…

…award-winners all bursting into perfect bloom at the same time (Yushima Shrine)…

…a model of the reviled Skytree that’s much nicer than the original (Kameido Tenjin)…

…and attractive mini-landscapes that make perfect selfie backdrops (Kameido Tenjin)

These photos are from the 2018 displays at the Yushima Shrine and Kameido Tenjin, but there are lots more, all over Tokyo. If you’d like to check out all my favorite places to see crazy chrysanthemum displays this month, head over to Where To See The Best Chrysanthemums In Tokyo for more mindboggling pix & maps.

•

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Last Tea Bowl Thief was chosen as an Editor’s Pick for Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense on Amazon

For three hundred years, a missing tea bowl passes from one fortune-seeker to the next, altering the lives of all who possess it…*read more*

“A fascinating mix of history and mystery.” —Booklist

•

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is authorcirclesushi72.jpg

Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, produces the monthly newsletter Japanagram, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had

Jonelle Patrick View All

Writing mystery books set in Tokyo is mostly what I do, but I also blog about the odd stuff I see every day in Japan. I'm a graduate of Stanford University and the Sendagaya Japanese Institute in Tokyo, and a member of the International Thriller Writers, the Mystery Writers of America, and Sisters In Crime. When I'm not in Tokyo, I live in San Francisco. I also host a travel site called The Tokyo Guide I Wish I'd Had, so if you're headed to Japan and want to check out the places I take my friends when they're in town, take a look!

4 thoughts on “Chrysanthemums Like You’ve Never Seen Before” ›

Imagining the bee problems and hayfever

Jonelle Patrick says:

November 8, 2018 at 3:28 pm

If Tokyo had more bees than cockroaches, this might be a problem, but sadly, this is not the case. VERY sadly, in my horrifying experience (https://jonellepatrick.me/2012/08/25/hating-on-japanese-bugs/)

Reply
- Content Catnip says:
  
  November 8, 2018 at 3:50 pm
  
  Oh holy shit Jonelle…I wouldnt have been able to deal with that…it looks massive! did you invest in some heavy duty spray after this?
- Jonelle Patrick says:
  
  November 8, 2018 at 5:44 pm
  
  No, actually, ordinary bug spray DOESN’T KILL THEM (　ﾟдﾟ) You have to smash them (which is easier said than done, because those suckers are FAST) or pour boiling water on them. Which is what I did with the next one that reared its ugly antennae (https://jonellepatrick.me/2012/11/01/hating-on-japanese-bugs-round-ii/) However, if God turns out to be a cockroach, I’m screwed.