Author Archives: Jonelle Patrick

Meaningless Wastebaskets of Japan

How do you say, “Don’t even think of stuffing your snack wrappers and pet bottle empties into your room’s trash can”? With the world’s tiniest wastebasket, of course! Seriously, this waste receptacle technically checked the “wastebasket” box at a ryōkan I recently stayed at, but was barely big enough for a single used Kleenex. •

Cosplay Barbie, expert level

“Mommy, when I grow up, can I be a Furry?” If you needed further proof that anything Ken can do, Barbie can do better, look no further than the toy aisle of Yodobashi Camera! Not only can Barbie legit attend cosplay conventions without showing her face, she’s got a choice of bunny, puppy or pandaContinueContinue reading “Cosplay Barbie, expert level”

Epic Japanese Quilt Show Returns!

Artist: Hiroko Irie I’ve never mourned the demise of any event the way I mourned the Tokyo International Quilt Show that used to surprise and delight every January, but guess what? Yokohama to the rescue! There’s a new quilt show in town, and (how is this even possible?) it’s bigger and better than ever! InternationalContinueContinue reading “Epic Japanese Quilt Show Returns!”

Magical animal masks of Japan

Even Japanese people joke that Noh dramas equal no drama, but the masks worn by actors performing the world’s slowest-moving and most obscure style of theater are miracles of the carvers’ art. And not because they’re such lifelike representations of the elephants… Ahaha pretty sure this artist never saw a real one cranes… Hmm, IContinueContinue reading “Magical animal masks of Japan”

New Japanese art displayed in old Japanese houses? Yes, please!

“Lifelong Chandelier Remaster” by Kosei Komatsu The Biwako Biennale isn’t just an exhibition of the best Japanese art of 2025, it’s a masterpiece of displaying new art in historic settings, with dramatic lighting to die for. Whoever paired the winning pieces with each gorgeously restored merchant house was a genius, and this little detour onContinueContinue reading “New Japanese art displayed in old Japanese houses? Yes, please!”

Even mundane housewares are cute in Japan

Seen at Don Quihote store in Shibuya Dread those household chores no more! These cleaning supplies are almost too cute to use. Protecc your paws with these pet-friendly potholders… Seen at Don Quihote store in Shibuya Scrub those pots with these adorable sponges… Seen at Don Quihote store in Shibuya and polish those bookshelves withContinueContinue reading “Even mundane housewares are cute in Japan”

Runway of the saints

The hundreds of Jizo figures at Zojo-ji temple always turn heads… but some just have that extra fashion flare! Whether the Jizo-san’s family gives a tongue-in-cheek nod to the traditional red cap and bib… mixes it up with new colors and handmade style… accessorizes with all the latest trends in Jizo fashion… dresses their Jizo-sanContinueContinue reading “Runway of the saints”

Be a model in Japan, they said. It’ll be fun, they said.

Just think! Your face will be in every Family Mart in Japan! When your modeling agency tells you they’re sending you to Japan to be the face of a famous international brand, you probably weren’t envisioning this. But cheer up. You’re in good company. They make their own pop stars pose in headgear that’s equallyContinueContinue reading “Be a model in Japan, they said. It’ll be fun, they said.”

It’s moonburger season!

Everyone here knows that’s not melted cheese. As the harvest moon rises over Tokyo, you know it’s once again time to top all kinds of food with a raw egg to pay homage to Lady Luna. Usually this manifests as a raw egg swimming around on top of your bowl of noodles (which you loudlyContinueContinue reading “It’s moonburger season!”

In Japan, you’re never too young to…

Seen at Yodobashi Camera in Akihabara think of chickens as walking yakitori. If you’ve never had the pleasure of overhearing what Japanese people talk about at the aquarium, it may come as a surprise that when they see a chicken, the first thing they think isn’t “Ooo, colorful feathers!” but “Yum, skewered and grilled withContinueContinue reading “In Japan, you’re never too young to…”

If you think box wine is bad, wait ’til you try box whisky!

Seen at my local Aeon If you didn’t think there were new depths to be plumbed on the way to getting hammered as cheaply as possible, I’ve got two words for you: box whisky. Some beleaguered marketing exec obviously consulted their Japanese-English dictionary and tried to swank up their bottom-of-the-barrel brand by calling it “Snazz,”ContinueContinue reading “If you think box wine is bad, wait ’til you try box whisky!”

The most charming demons you’ll ever meet

Traditional Nebuta float from Aomori, representing “the rage that splits the heavens” of historical figure Sugawara no Michizane Demons have taken over the National Cultural Treasure steps at the Hotel Gajoen, where their gallery curators have whipped up a show riffing off the Japanese summertime tradition of telling ghost stories that send a chill upContinueContinue reading “The most charming demons you’ll ever meet”

Pay your respects like you’re living in 2050

Q: How do you pay your respects to the ancestors without burning down the house? A: Plug in a stick of electronic incense, of course! The fear of fire still runs strong in Japan, because within living memory, everyone still lived in houses built of wood and paper. Incense burning before the ancestral name tabletsContinueContinue reading “Pay your respects like you’re living in 2050”

Stunning woodblock prints capture the joy of Japanese festivals

Special Days in Tokyo: A Decorated City and Its People This special exhibit at the Kokugakuin Museum features rare examples of woodblock prints from the 1800s that are so perfectly preserved, the brilliant colors look like they were printed yesterday! They depict the citizenry having fun, watching impromptu skits at the Niwaka Festival in Yoshiwara…ContinueContinue reading “Stunning woodblock prints capture the joy of Japanese festivals”

Come for the wisteria, stay for the only-in-Japan sights!

Sometimes you just have to take a trip outside Tokyo to see things you can’t see in town, and these four destinations are absolutely worth the travel time during wisteria season. If you’re in Japan in late April to early May, GO! • ASHIKAGA FLOWER PARK This first one is all wisteria all the time,ContinueContinue reading “Come for the wisteria, stay for the only-in-Japan sights!”

The train station with a foot bath!

The minute you get off the train at Kamisuwa Station in Nagano, you know there’s something a little different about it… and then you see the sign! Yes, there’s a free hot spring foot bath for weary travelers, and all you have to do is take off your shoes and wait for a seat! https://youtu.be/tVTKx2GLiPAContinueContinue reading “The train station with a foot bath!”

The Tokyo Kimono Show 2025 delights and amazes

Is this me in my happy place? Why yes, yes it is One again, the Tokyo Kimono Show does not disappoint! This year’s extravaganza of style started off with a contrast between past and future, with a parade of nicely curated Edo Period clothing on the left… and futuristic manga-inspired costumes by a Taiwanese artistContinueContinue reading “The Tokyo Kimono Show 2025 delights and amazes”

Sashiko: Japan turns mending into a high art

Sashiko art by Nonoichi featured on @bluandwhite_japan’s Instagram (Photo thanks to @bluandwhite_japan) If quilting and embroidery had a child, this would be it. Sashiko isn’t the only mundane chore Japan has made into a high art (check out the everyday objects that inspired the Mingei Movement) but it’s one that anyone who lives anywhere inContinueContinue reading “Sashiko: Japan turns mending into a high art”

The Tokyo Toilets…lit up at night!

If you thought the Tokyo Toilets were beautiful in the daytime, just wait ’til you see them lit up after dark! The public restrooms that were so mindfully cleaned by the main character in Wim Wenders’ film Perfect Days were designed by sixteen famous Japanese architects, and if there’s one thing famous architects know howContinueContinue reading “The Tokyo Toilets…lit up at night!”

Places to go before everyone else discovers them

The Pink Season is coming, hand in hand with crazy crowds and high prices. But just because everyone and their cousin is heading for Japan in the next month doesn’t mean you have to sharpen your elbows to enjoy fabulous Japan goodness! Here are some only-in-Japan spots that I love (and some undiscovered gems inContinueContinue reading “Places to go before everyone else discovers them”

Frankenthirst

Obviously, the best way to boost the careers of boy band idols who are now stretching the definition of “boy” is to cast them in a stage production of…Frankenstein? Move over Rocky Horror—there’s a new monster on the block! • If you love strange Japanese stuff you’d never see anywhere else…

The artist who shows us everyday things in a deeply Japanese way

Miyawaki Ayako Retrospective: I saw, I cut, I applied Quilters and other textile artists were the first to see how arts formerly dismissed as “womanly” or “decorative” could be harnessed to convey powerful insights and messages. Ayako Miyawaki didn’t begin to use appliqué as a medium until she was forty—after raising her three children—but herContinueContinue reading “The artist who shows us everyday things in a deeply Japanese way”

Why is there corn on my…

Japan isn’t a land where it’s understood what an abomination it is to eat corn if it’s a) not the cob, b) dripping with butter, and c) being served any time of year that’s not summer. In fact, the question that arises every single time I enter a Japanese supermarket or convenience store is… WHYContinueContinue reading “Why is there corn on my…”

Tube food

A wander through any grocery store in Japan will quickly persuade you that putting something in a tube shouldn’t be confined to toothpaste, hand cream, and athlete’s foot cures. Plenty of foods are best served squeezed! If you subscribe to Japanagram (my free deeper dive into all things only-in-Japan), you’ll already have drooled over theContinueContinue reading “Tube food”

What do Japanese people crave most in the depths of winter?

A table? Photo thanks to Barklot Japan on Etsy Yes, a table. But a kotatsu isn’t just any old table. Designed to make it possible to survive winter without frostbite in Japan’s criminally underinsulated houses… the kotatsu’s secret weapon isn’t just the cozy oversized quilt held in place by a tabletop used for everything fromContinueContinue reading “What do Japanese people crave most in the depths of winter?”

Mommy, when I grow up, can I be a cat lady?

In Japan, it’s never to early to practice going to the animal shelter and agonizing over which adorable pet to save. To add that extra dose of realism, there are four adorable animals but only two carriers. And when you give in to all their doomed little faces begging not to be left behind, that’sContinueContinue reading “Mommy, when I grow up, can I be a cat lady?”

The most outrageous car show in Japan is back!

Tokyo Auto Salon: The latest, greatest car mods for 2025 This year’s show lacked some of my favorite kitchy offerings of years past, but if you’re a dude whose burning desire is to turn his car into a babe-magnet, Tokyo Auto Salon is the show for you. Manly, eye-popping paint job? Check. The latest inContinueContinue reading “The most outrageous car show in Japan is back!”

Xmas Gifts I Do Not Want To Find Under My Tree

The world’s most dreaded procedure play set When flossing looks like the most fun activity on offer, you know you’re in trouble. • The fermented soybean puzzle The only thing that would make this puzzle featuring clumps of Japan’s most notoriously unfriendly food less fun would be if it were real nattō, which is oneContinueContinue reading “Xmas Gifts I Do Not Want To Find Under My Tree”

Bonsai that have seen some stuff

Recently I was boggled by the beautiful bonsai collection at the Happoen garden, because they’re not just exquisite—dang, these trees are OLD! For example, when this bonsai started growing, the Mona Lisa had not yet been painted, surgery was still being performed by barbers, and Spanish ships had just landed in the New World. 530ContinueContinue reading “Bonsai that have seen some stuff”

Donuts filled with crazy Japanese flavors

Japan is obviously not the birthplace of fried dough, but like so many “foreign” foods that make their way to these shores, the J-take on donuts is both foreign and completely Japanese at the very same time. And these cream-filled beauties from Abebe Bakery’s Tokyo outpost come through not just one alien land, but two,ContinueContinue reading “Donuts filled with crazy Japanese flavors”

Nobuyuki Fujiwara’s explosive glass art retrospective

“Shobunma Nature Series 2024” by Nobuyuki Fujiwara Glass artist Nobuyuki Fujiwara’s delightfully organic pieces explode and bloom with energy, and a selection of his recent works is being featured in this lovely retirement retrospective at the University Art Museum’s exhibition hall right now. His willingness to push glass techniques and technology in whole new directionsContinueContinue reading “Nobuyuki Fujiwara’s explosive glass art retrospective”

I did not expect what’s beneath this strangely huge pop top…

Lemon Sours are the most classic of the fruity canned cocktails most Japanese have less-than-fond teenage memories of overindulging in, so I didn’t expect innovation to strike at the very training wheels of alcohol prowess. What stopped me at the splashy grocery store display wasn’t the snappy new package design, it was the weirdly hugeContinueContinue reading “I did not expect what’s beneath this strangely huge pop top…”

Roppongi Art Night: Banana peels, bondage & bubbles

Strange sights are a dime a dozen on the streets of Roppongi at night, but this is the first time I’ve encountered a giant inflatable banana skin. “Slapstick” by Shinji Mitsuzuka Welcome to the 2024 version of Roppongi Art Night, which was smaller than in years past, but featured some choice pieces that were worthContinueContinue reading “Roppongi Art Night: Banana peels, bondage & bubbles”

What all the cool skateboards are wearing this season

If your skateboard hates going around naked in public, in Japan you can buy it a nice outfit to preserve its modesty! Actually, it’s pretty common in Japan to put bespoke covers on belongings that might scratch or dirty the train on your way to having fun. I’ve also spotted basketball covers… and skins toContinueContinue reading “What all the cool skateboards are wearing this season”

Fabulous folk art cats

If yesterday’s “Fairy Tale” exhibit post wasn’t enough to get you to the current exhibition at the Hotel Gajoen before it closes, I’m here to push you off the edge of the table with THESE. The cat theme runs strong throughout the show, but the ones that really put a smile on my face wereContinueContinue reading “Fabulous folk art cats”

Art X Japanese Folk Tales at this deliciously creepy art exhibit

From magical births to bamboo princesses, this whimsical (and slightly spooky) folk tale exhibit at the Hotel Gajoen is well worth climbing its Hyakudan Kaidan (hundred step staircase) to see! The lavishly decorated rooms (each painted by a different famous master) are the perfect setting for the traditional arts on display, and each room hasContinueContinue reading “Art X Japanese Folk Tales at this deliciously creepy art exhibit”

Taste Test: Japanese No-Alcohol Beer Smackdown

It’s been a few years since I did a taste test on Japanese no-alcohol beers, and now that so many people are opting to get buff instead of blotto, I thought it might be time for a rematch! Last time, they were more like the food stand-ins that stylists use for photo shoots: looks likeContinueContinue reading “Taste Test: Japanese No-Alcohol Beer Smackdown”

Wingtips, with a mullet

Business in the front, beach party in the back! Summer in Japan is so hot and steamy that any hack that still looks office-worthy while cutting down on the unbearable sweatiness is fair game. • If you love to laugh at strange Japanese stuff you’d never see anywhere else…

It’s summertime at the goldfish museum!

Summertime is goldfish season in Japan, and nowhere is more spectacularly summery than the Art Aquarium Museum. The exotic fishies are surrounded by floral bounty… and there’ are none’s nothing more seasonal than the lotus blossoms that grace the tanks of these beauties… for a summertime classic twofer. Also new for summer are the bankContinueContinue reading “It’s summertime at the goldfish museum!”

Making Nuno Textiles: The best Japanese fabric art exhibition EVER

If you have even the slightest interest in all things textile, the first thing you do after you step off the plane in Japan is make a beeline for the Nuno store. It’s a treasure trove of cutting-edge fabrics designed by Reiko Sudo, the creative mastermind (and all-around warm and generous person) who has spentContinueContinue reading “Making Nuno Textiles: The best Japanese fabric art exhibition EVER”

Alt Cherry

This spring has been hella cold and rainy, so not only did the cherry blossoms bloom a week late, everyone’s selfies in front of the pinkness feature brave smiles hunched in Seattle-worthy raingear. Which is why we need to be cheered by the pink pleasures of hanami season that don’t give a fig for theContinueContinue reading “Alt Cherry”

Eye Candy from the Tokyo Kimono Show 2024

If you think that “kimono fashion” is something that went out when samurai stopped roaming the streets, think again! Not only is modern kimono dressing alive and well, the annual Tokyo Kimono Show is where designers showcase their latest innovations. This year’s special exhibit was a rare chance to see Heian period robes (from whenContinueContinue reading “Eye Candy from the Tokyo Kimono Show 2024”

Art with a side of quirk

Tokyo Art Fair checks all the Serious International Art Exhibition boxes, but this year’s artists went above and beyond in displaying that unique Japanese mix of fabulous craftsmanship and quirky worldview. Like Tetsuya Noguchi’s spoof on famous Western general statues and portraits of wealthy worthies… “Ring and Man” and “The Light of 2024” by TetsuyaContinueContinue reading “Art with a side of quirk”

These weeping plums will make you smile

There are other reasons to come to Japan in February, but basking in the goodness of weeping plum trees in full bloom is reason enough to say TAKE MY MONEY. Nowhere are they more glorious than at Soga Bairin, a plum-growing region just a short train ride from Tokyo in Odawara. If you really wantContinueContinue reading “These weeping plums will make you smile”

A flowery splash of an exhibition at Tokyo Node

The new Tokyo Node site is attempting to bring a little life and culture to the stark and soaring new office/mall complex at Toranomon Hills, and this Mika Ninagawa exhibition at first seems hellbent on going just as extreme in the other direction. The poster for her “Eternity in a Moment” exhibition suggests it’s goingContinueContinue reading “A flowery splash of an exhibition at Tokyo Node”

Weird Japanese burger sighting: The Big Mac (and Cheese)!

It’s been a while since I spotted a Japanese burger worthy of sharing, but even I had to stop and laugh when I saw THIS: And lest you be tempted to give it points for at least being plant-based, there really is a big old burger o’ beef beating at the heart of that cheesyContinueContinue reading “Weird Japanese burger sighting: The Big Mac (and Cheese)!”