The Flavor Store
Vanilla? Puh-leese! That’s so last millenium! What about mugwort? Or cherry blossom? Or essence of red bean? If you’ve got a hankering for a cocktail that tastes like violets or … Continue Reading The Flavor Store
The Cocktail & Manicure Bar
Can’t decide whether to drown your sorrows or get your nails done? Now you don’t have to! Get thee to the Bar Maria With Nail, and you can sip your … Continue Reading The Cocktail & Manicure Bar
Princess For A Day At The Foreign Butler Café!
If your life’s ambition is to be waited on hand and foot by a handsome foreign man in tie and tails, get thee to the Butlers Cafe on the double! … Continue Reading Princess For A Day At The Foreign Butler Café!
Tomb Of The Untold Stories
Here lie the funniest Japanese stories ever told. Or so they say, because when it was decided in 1941 that tales of wayward sons in the red light district, mistress … Continue Reading Tomb Of The Untold Stories
Catch Your Own Noodles
Next time you hoist a brew over the sad story of the one that got away, nobody is going to believe it was a NOODLE. But if you want to … Continue Reading Catch Your Own Noodles
Three Things They Never Tell You About The 47 Rōnin
In case you don’t live in Japan or were raised by wolves in rural Aomori, the story of the 47 rōnin goes like this: After being insulted in the castle of the … Continue Reading Three Things They Never Tell You About The 47 Rōnin
I’ll Take A Pound Of The Cricket Snacks, Please
Mmm-mmm, on market day in Koshinzuka, they still sell inago tsukudani, scoops of Jiminy Cricket’s relatives all toasted up nice and crispy in a salty-sweet marinade. And what do they … Continue Reading I’ll Take A Pound Of The Cricket Snacks, Please
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 … Continue Reading Azalea Mania
The Ultimate 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 … Continue Reading The Ultimate Secret Garden
Weirdest. Beauty. Treatment. Ever.
Wait, eww, what are those fish doing? They’re, uh, giving me a pedicure. What? A pedicure? Haha, yeah, right, they’re fluttering around beautifying your feet? With their little fishie nail … Continue Reading Weirdest. Beauty. Treatment. Ever.
Cherry Blossom-O-Rama
It’s crowded. It’s crazy. But I’ve got to admit, cherry blossom season here does not disappoint. • After scouring Tokyo for the best of the pinkness, Jonelle Patrick writes novels set … Continue Reading Cherry Blossom-O-Rama
More Heart-Stopping Thrills At The Cat Café
Yes, it would appear that all over the world, people are people, and cats are cats. I recently went to the Calico Cat Cafe in Shinjuku with two of my … Continue Reading More Heart-Stopping Thrills At The Cat Café
Tokyo Steampunk!
Alice In Wonderland X Jules Verne! Gothic Lolita X Victorian Mourning! Manga X Edwardian Gentleman! In the land where costume is king (and often queen, even if you’re not a … Continue Reading Tokyo Steampunk!
Better Than Cherry Blossom Season
At first glance, I thought I’d climbed that big hill to Okurayama Park for nothing. Hey, what’s with the bare branches? Where’s the fluffy pink and white goodness? It’s supposed to … Continue Reading Better Than Cherry Blossom Season
Magical Food At The Ninja Restaurant
I have to admit, until last week I’d never been to a restaurant where my waitress brought me an egg, set it on fire and turned it into a chicken. … Continue Reading Magical Food At The Ninja Restaurant
A Japanese Garden That Makes Music!
This garden is actually a musical instrument! All you have to do to play it is scoop up a dipper of water and pour it over the rocks. If you … Continue Reading A Japanese Garden That Makes Music!
Funeral For A Pin
In Japan, February 8th is the day that old and broken needles are laid to rest. Anyone whose work involves sewing stuff together gathers at Awashima Shrine in Asakusa for … Continue Reading Funeral For A Pin
Out, Troll, Out! Setsubun For The Modern Age
While everyone was congratulating themselves on demon possession being at an all time low…damn! The pesky oni sneaked out and rebranded themselves! But that doesn’t mean we have to just … Continue Reading Out, Troll, Out! Setsubun For The Modern Age
Holiday Lights Just Don’t Get Any Better Than This!
Forget the plastic Santas and bobbing dwarves mistaken for elves – let’s skip right to the computer-choreographed field of lights that pulses and ripples to wintry electronic music! The display … Continue Reading Holiday Lights Just Don’t Get Any Better Than This!
It’s Really All About The Sticky Rice Balls
Yeah, yeah, I know – leaves glowing in autumnal splendor, fall evening clear and crisp, moon shining bright, pond like a mirror, and the photos are sure to wow the … Continue Reading It’s Really All About The Sticky Rice Balls
King Of Tattoo Returns!
The King Of Tattoo ink-o-rama is going on all weekend here in Tokyo, and this year the artists and crowd were even more spectacular than last year’s extravaganza! Nearly all the … Continue Reading King Of Tattoo Returns!
Sit Down Stand Up
One day last fall, as I was walking through Yoyogi Park on my way to fall off the slackline, I saw this guy standing by a tree in a vaguely … Continue Reading Sit Down Stand Up
Where To Get The Most Killer Profile Pix Ever
Follow the directions posted on the wall next to each life-size, optical illusion painting at the Trick Art Museum in Odaiba, and your life will instantly look way more exciting than … Continue Reading Where To Get The Most Killer Profile Pix Ever
Suddenly…Fog!
Drooping around in the heat on the way back from the Korakuen garden recently, I cut through Tokyo Dome City and chanced upon…the Mist Playground! Kids were running in and … Continue Reading Suddenly…Fog!
How to Survive a Company Drinking Party
How hard could it be? Gallop with your co-workers to a nearby watering hole, then eat, drink & be merry until they kick you out. But like the seasonal cherry … Continue Reading How to Survive a Company Drinking Party
Smile Fight
As a lifelong 98-pound weakling, team captains had good reason to choose me last when it came to athletic contests, but at the Sony ExploraScience museum, I finally found my … Continue Reading Smile Fight
Slackline
Yoyogi Park isn’t just for the rockabillies and the aspiring idols of Japan – in a far corner, every weekend, Atsuhiko Kida sets up his slackline. 代々木公園は、ロカビリーや将来を夢見て練習しているスターの卵たちだけの場所ではありません。公園内に深く進んだある一角で、木田充彦さんは毎週末スラックラインを張っています。 From afar, you see … Continue Reading Slackline
Gateway to Kitty Nirvana
In a country where many people live in places too small for pets, cat cafés are a booming business. For about $10 an hour, anyone (over the age of 12) … Continue Reading Gateway to Kitty Nirvana
