Happy New Year! 明けましておめでとうございます

Shout out to Kain for reminding me to write!

I hope everyone has a good start to 2012 thus far. Although my plans to visit Japan has delayed until 2013, I am planning to be in Asia this April. I am very excited! I am determined to be back again soon accompanied by Mom and siblings.

Growing up in Los Angeles, I recall celebrating New Year by visiting Little Tokyo. My family and I would eat at a restaurant, shop, and then listen to singers performing various old school Japanese to modern English songs. I love the way Japanese people like to mix East and West, and turn it into something very unique, and still Japanese.

My post is courtesy of alex00slash from Youtube. The music video and other content or copyright was sourced from Billboard Japan.



In terms of music video imagery, I really liked #2 Konya wa Karasawagi by Tokyo Jihen. The artists costumes were a mix of old Japanese, British royal court, and Lolita sweetheart. If you are looking for bubblegum pop with bright visuals then check out #11 Darl:orz by Kitano Kii. #10 is a psychedelic trip sort of like Empire of the Sun style. #3 is a heartfelt song for you emo folk by Takahashi Yu.

Happy Sunday! 日曜日ハッピー！

Hey all! Today was my Monday, but for those who have Monday to Friday schedules, I know you are either excited or dreading the workweek. To bring a smile to your face, I hope these hilarious Japanese comedy and prank videos brighten things up. Japanese people are stereotyped to have a serious demeanor, but many are actually quirky and very, VERY funny. When it comes to humor, Japanese are about embarrassment and humiliation. Jokes and pranks are based on the unexpected.

My favorite is the 3D prank:


And the Old Man trick part 1:


Old Man trick part 2:

Drunk in Japan

I just got home from an exhausting work week. I decided to head to Ajisen Ramen for some boba milk tea. While others have beer, wine or gin tonics to alleviate a hard week, I typically go for boba. It's flavorful, and I don't worry about turning flush red! Ajisen Ramen does a decent job with their milk tea flavors. I go for regular milk tea and green tea (or matcha).

I am addicted to unique flavored drinks. When I visited Kyoto several years ago, my friends and I found a tiny bar in a clean alley (yes, it's possible in Japan!) no larger than most S.F. kitchens. It could only seat 6 people, and we were kindly invited in with "Irrashaimase!" This was a nice change from the welcome we received in Tokyo, which could be unfriendly at times, but more on that in another conversation. We asked the bartender for his recommendation. He began mixing vodka with liquid sugar, then poured black tea into a martini shaker. It was a sweetened barley tea cocktail, and it was SO GOOD! If I remember right, the bar name is Azure in the Gion district. Cheers to a fond memory in Japan. Kampai!

My Nihon Journey - The Beginning 私の日本の旅 - 始まり

The genesis of this blog began today during my lunch break. I was chatting with my co-workers about my travel plans. I have wanted to visit Japan with my Mom and siblings for the longest time. I struck me to begin writing and promoting the beautiful, mysterious yet orderly, and utterly quirky country of Japan. Especially after the tsunami and earthquake in March.

I hope to update this blog everyday with a bit of Japanese fashion, music, food, nightlife and culture while talking about how Japanese culture has impacted my life. Eventually I want to post stories and photos with my family's return to Japan. We have not been back since 1991!!!

Japan's positive qualities outshines all the recent tragedy. If you think about it, these people are resilient and tough. I've seen it first hand! My mom used to sit with me until 2 am finishing up my 4th grade homework until everything looked perfect. She would erase my messy writing until it looked neat, she'd review my math figures and create exercises on equations I made mistakes on, and she would help me fix up my Little Red Riding Hood diorama for a contest by ensuring there were lots of glitter, and puffy paint every outline so it would stand out. My mom is a reflection of the Japanese drive for perfection and order. They will get back on their feet in no time! Gambatte Nihon!

I feel the above photos encapsulates the Japanese spirit of persevering. You will not see them staying at home or looting/stealing because of a natural disaster! (Photos courtesy of The Economist)