Hi, it’s me, Jonelle.
Japanagram is my monthly electronic magazine, filled with features on travel, food, and entertaining things about Japan.
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Here are links to all the posts, by category:
Here are links to past issues:
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SEP 2026
Beyond Tokyo: Three unique & undiscovered Kyoto gardens • The Thing I Learned Today: What makes the Yasukuni Shrine such a magnet for outrage? • Food For Thought: Would this be just as great if it were an escalator? • Why, Japan, Why?: Tiny Appliances of Japan • Book Review & Giveaway: The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino
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JUL-AUG 2026
Beyond Tokyo: The seven hells of Beppu • The Thing I Learned Today: Why is it so hard to swear in Japanese? • Seasonal Secret: The twelve flower seasons of Japan • Why, Japan, Why?: More failed rock gardens of Japan
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JUNE 2026
Beyond Tokyo: The #1 Japanese garden in the world • The Thing I Learned Today: Garden tricked unmasked: How the Adachi Museum garden looks so big • Seasonal Secret: An iris garden so famous, it’s in all the woodblock prints • Book Review & Giveaway: Cures for your book hangover— What to read after The Samurai’s Octopus • FOMO links: Some fun things you might have missed…
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MAY 2026
Beyond Tokyo: Hayasuhime Shrine in Oita • The Thing I Learned Today: The secret messages in netsuke • Why, Japan, Why?: Oirans are alive and well and living in Tokyo, only now they’re…men? • FOMO links: Some fun things you might have missed…
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SPECIAL EDITION 2026
Beyond Tokyo: Odawara Castle & beyond • The Thing I Learned Today: You won’t believe who I ran into in the Floating World • Book Review & Giveaway: The Samurai’s Octopus by Jonelle Patrick • Why, Japan, Why?: What does a country without immigration look like? • FOMO links: Some fun things you might have missed…
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APR 2026
Beyond Tokyo: Let’s visit the quaint town of Narita! • The Thing I Learned Today: What are foreigners like? • Seasonal Secret: The Narita Taiko Drum Festival • Author Interview & Giveaway: Girl in a Box by Jean Gordon Kocienda • FOMO links: Some fun things you might have missed…
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MAR 2026
Beyond Tokyo: Miharu-no-Takizakura 1,000-year-old cherry tree • The Thing I Learned Today: Insane hairdos, weird eyebrows & black teeth • Japan Travel Question: Is it okay to wear shorts and tank tops in Japan? • Book Review & Giveaway: Six historical novels featuring resourceful women in impossible situations • FOMO links: Some fun things you might have missed…
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FEB 2026
Beyond Tokyo: Hakusan Shrine in the snow, Niigata • The Thing I Learned Today: How to outsmart the fashion police • Seasonal Secret: Exorcize your demons at the Setsubun festival Book Review & Giveaway: Discover nine of my favorite comfort read mystery authors • FOMO links: Some fun things you might have missed…
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JAN 2026
Seasonal Secret: Japan’s best-kept travel secret: Go when it snows • Japanese Home Cooking: Matcha Sours • The Thing I Learned Today: Superstitions you can use • Why, Japan, Why? Elvis Darumas & more • Book Review & Giveaway Savory and Sweet Shrubs by Michael Dietsch • FOMO links: Some fun things you might have missed…
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DEC 2025
Beyond Tokyo: Let’s go to an amazingly bookish Japanese inn • Seasonal Secret: It’s Japanese quilt season! • Japanese Home Cooking: Japanese Style Fried Rice • The Thing I Learned Today: Robert Hass reveals the secrets of translating haiku into English • FOMO links: Some fun things you might have missed…
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NOV 2025
Beyond Tokyo: Autumn leaves at Kosan-ji temple in Hiroshima • Why, Japan, Why?: Strange Sandwiches of Japan • Book Review & Giveaway: Folk Tales of Japan by Kyota Ko • FOMO links: Some fun things you might have missed…
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OCT 2025
Beyond Tokyo: Haruna Shrine & Fukinoware Falls • The Thing I Learned Today: Haunted Household Goods of Japan • Why, Japan, Why?: Why is this the most Japanese lantern festival ever? • FOMO links: Some fun things you might have missed…
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SEP 2025
Seasonal Secret: The coolest summertime cafe in Japan • The Thing I Learned Today: Weird Ice Cream Flavors of Japan • Japanese Home Cooking: Mochi-Mochi Cinnamon Buns • Book Review & Giveaway: Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet • FOMO links: Some fun things you might have missed…
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JUL-AUG 2025
Beyond Tokyo: Come with me to the northiest north! • The Thing I Learned Today: Why do cars drive on the left in Japan? • Japanese Home Cooking: J-Style No-Mayo Tuna Salad • Book Review & Giveaway: Daikon by Samuel Hawley • FOMO links: Some fun things you might have missed…
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JUNE 2025
Beyond Tokyo: Enoura Observatory: The amazing design site that turns landscape into art • Why, Japan, Why?: Pet treat or human snack? You decide. • Japan Swag Giveaway: Handpainted goldfish wind chime • FOMO links: Some fun things you might have missed…
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MAY 2025
Seasonal Secret: What makes wisteria the most Japanese flower season? • Why, Japan, Why?: Food Styling Fails of Japan • Japanese Home Cooking: Tasty Sesame Dipping Sauce • Today’s Japan Travel Question: Is it okay to go in the onsen with tattoos if nobody sees me? FOMO links: Some fun things you might have missed…
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APRIL 2025
Beyond Tokyo: The Jōnan-gu shrine and it’s plum garden • Why, Japan, Why?: Why don’t we all wear kimonos instead? • Book review & Giveaway: How to Shop for Kimonos by Anji Salz • FOMO links: Some fun things you might have missed…
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MARCH 2025
Seasonal Secret: Better cherry blossoms through science • Japanese Home Cooking: Super-Easy Salmon-Ginger Rice • The Thing I Learned Today: How a trip fail helped me recapture the joy of traveling
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FEBRUARY 2025
Seasonal Secret: Weird only-in-Japan ways to stay warm in winter • Why, Japan, Why? Kuuki Yomi politeness video game • Book Review & Giveaway: They Hang Me in Tokyo by Allan West
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JANUARY 2025
Beyond Tokyo: Ginkon-yū Onsen • Japanese Home Cooking: Sukiyaki• The Thing I Learned Today: Traditional Japanese Inns: Heaven…or Hell?
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DECEMBER 2024
Beyond Tokyo: Hokkaido’s nature wonderland • Japanese Home Cooking: Dumpling Hotpot • Book Review & Giveaway: Tokyo Noir by Jake Adelstein
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NOVEMBER 2024
Seasonal Secret: Autumn aquarium • Why, Japan, Why?: A ride on the overnight ferry • The Thing I Learned Today: Great Japanese inventions
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OCTOBER 2024
Beyond Tokyo: Undiscovered Shikoku delights • Why, Japan, Why?: Mundane Halloween • Book Review & Giveaway: The Final Curtain by Keigo Higashino
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SEPTEMBER 2024
Seasonal Secret: Japanese garden design • Why, Japan, Why?: Inexplicable toys of Japan • Japanese Home Cooking: Chilled Summer Noodles
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AUGUST 2024
Seasonal Secret: Japanese glass bells • Why, Japan, Why?: Snacks with tentacles • Book Review & Giveaway: The Emissary by Yoko Tawada
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JULY 2024
The Thing I Learned Today: The weird things you can buy in Japanese vending machines • Japanese Home Cooking: J-Style Poke Bowl • Beyond Tokyo: Chichibu-Meisen kimono silk museum
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JUNE 2024
The Thing I Learned Today: The Mingei Movement celebrates the high art of ordinary things • Seasonal Secret: Yamadera climb to Japan’s famous Mountain Temple • Book Review & Giveaway: The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai
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MAY 2024
The Thing I Learned Today: How do they make all those mind-boggling Nuno textiles? • Why, Japan, Why? Failed rock gardens of Japan • Beyond Tokyo: Come for the art island, stay for the tea garden
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APR 2024
Beyond Tokyo: Let’s stay in a traditional farmhouse in the Japanese countryside! • Why, Japan, Why? Why do so many top Japanese restaurants refuse Michelin stars? • Book Review & Giveaway: Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
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MAR 2024
Seasonal Secret: Hike the Tama Forest cherry blossom preserve • Japanese Home Cooking: She’s So Cosmo cocktail/Mocktail • The Thing I Learned Today: How to plan the best Japan trip EVER
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JAN-FEB 2024
Beyond Tokyo: Zao Onsen in winter: Hot springs, snow monsters, & more! • Why, Japan, Why? Flavors I do not want to try • Japanese Home Cooking: Bite-Sized Mont Blancs • The Thing I Learned Today: All about nihonga: A master reveals the secrets behind Japan’s ancient form of painting • Japan Book Review & Giveaway: Make It Japanese: Simple Recipes for Everyone by Sanae Lemoine
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NOV-DEC 2023
Beyond Tokyo: Hidden secrets of Miyajima Island • Why, Japan, Why? Santa gets a Japanese makeover • The Thing I Learned Today: The kamikaze didn’t just fly planes • Japan Book Review & Giveaway: The Last Yakuza by Jake Adelstein
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SEP-OCT 2023
Japanese Home Cooking: Sweet & Savory Miso Beef in Lettuce Wraps • Seasonal Secret: Halloween costumes I would regret • The Thing I Learned Today: You’ve heard of Paris Syndrome, but what about Tokyo Syndrome? • Beyond Tokyo: The Japanese garden from hell • Japan Book Review & Giveaway: Japanese Ghost Stories by Catrien Ross
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Japanese Home Cooking: Deviled Eggs with a Japanese Twist • Seasonal Secret: Tokyo Splashparks • The Thing I Learned Today: How NOT to say “Get Well Soon” in Japan • Beyond Tokyo: Kamakura’s weird, wild & wonderful shrines & temples • Japan Swag Giveaway: Set of five “Drinking Cats” gachapon
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Japanese Home Cooking: Japanese Chicken Sliders with Three Tasty Toppings • Seasonal Secret: It’s fluttering fish flg season! • The Thing I Learned Today: Seven reasons not to buy that ridiculously cheap Japanese farmhouse • Beyond Tokyo: Nikko • Japan Swag Giveaway: A set of see-no-evil, hear-no-evil, speak-no-evil gachapon cats
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Seasonal Secret: How to beat cherry blossom season peak crowds and prices • The Thing I Learned Today: Five things Japan does right when it comes to public transportation • Beyond Tokyo: Hanamiyama cherry blossom park • Book Review & Giveaway: Dead-End Memories by Banana Yoshimoto
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Seasonal Secret: Beautiful Japanese New Year’s decorations • The Thing I Learned Today: Why are used cars, beautiful old houses and vintage kimonos so cheap in Japan? • Beyond Tokyo: The odd theme park that’s amazing in the most unexpected way • Book Review & Giveaway: The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka
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Seasonal Secret: Design Festa • Japanese Home Cooking: Miso Butter Potatoes • The Thing I Learned Today: Why are those trees wearing placemats? • Beyond Tokyo: The Werewolf Shrine • Japan Swag Giveaway: Super realistic sushi fridge magnet
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Seasonal Secret: Pagoda parade • Japanese Home Cooking: Nutty Noodles • Why, Japan, Why?: Funny haiku about modern life • The Thing I Learned Today: The weirdness of going on a Japanese bus tour • Japan Swag Giveaway: Attack Cats gashapon capsule toys
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Beyond Tokyo: Bonsai Village • Japanese Home Cooking: Easy Japanese Lunchbox Supper • Why, Japan, Why?: Extreme lunchboxing: The what, how & why of Japanese bentō • Seasonal Secret: Floating lantern festival • Book Review: Fish Swimming in Dappled Sunlight by Riku Onda
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Beyond Tokyo: Beautiful Japanese Iris Gardens • Japanese Home Cooking: Mint-Cilantro Udon with Fresh Ginger and Meyer Lemon and Hamachi Tataki with Tomato-Ginger Sauce • Why, Japan, Why?: International Food Fails of Japan • The Thing I Learned Today: Making Sake on Sado Island • Book Review: The Breakaway Japanese Kitchen by Eric Gower
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Beyond Tokyo: Azalea hike at Shiofune Kannon-ji temple • Japanese Home Cooking: Sweet Sesame Spinach • Why, Japan, Why?: Japanese musical theatre weirdness • The Thing I Learned Today: The Wizard of Oz lives • Book Review: All I Asking For Is My Body by Milton Murayama
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Beyond Tokyo: Kairaku-en Plum Garden • Japanese Home Cooking: Spicy Japanese Eggplant • Seasonal Secret: Incredible Japanese quilts • Why, Japan, Why?: Strange Japanese travel products • Book Review: The Tattoo Murder Case by Akimitsu Takagi
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Beyond Tokyo: Fox Village in the Snow • Japanese Home Cooking: Kinako Shortbread Cookies with Salted Brown Sugar Buttercream • Seasonal Secret: Stroll through the tunnels of golden gingko trees • Why, Japan, Why?: One more reason why I love Japan • Book Review: All She Was Worth by Miyuki Miyabe
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Beyond Tokyo: Sado Island • Japanese Home Cooking: How to host a great sake tasting • Seasonal Secret: The angry ghost cat parade • The Thing I Learned Today: What I Never Knew About the 47 Rōnin • Book Review: Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
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Beyond Tokyo: A village of thatch-roofed farmhouses less than an hour from Tokyo • Japanese Home Cooking: Green Salad with Japanese Pickled Onions and Wafu Onion Dressing • Seasonal Secret: Edogawa Goldfish Festival • The Thing I Learned Today: How to read a haiku poem • Book Review: The Pillow Book by Sei Shonagon
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Beyond Tokyo: Ashikaga Flower Park giant wisteria • Japanese Home Cooking: Ginger-Soy Steak Sauce • Seasonal Secret: Seven things you didn’t know about Japanese weddings • The Thing I Learned Today: How to live forever, Japanese-style • Book Review: Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
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Beyond Tokyo: Cherry blossoms to die for, long after the rest are history • Japanese Home Cooking: Japanese Treasure Rice • Why, Japan, Why?: Japanese ceremonies we didn’t know we needed • The Thing I Learned Today: Be careful what you hang on your wall… • Book Review: The Aosawa Murders by Riku Onda
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Beyond Tokyo: Katsuura: 40,000 dolls dressed in Imperial court robes • Japanese Home Cooking: Japanese Chicken Soup for the Soul • Seasonal Secret: Plum Blossom Season • The Thing I Learned Today: The strange barbers of Yoshiwara • Book Review: Tokyo Vice by Jake Adelstein
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Beyond Tokyo: A magical cliffside of icicles lit up at night • Why, Japan, Why?: Japan’s Pet Obsession • Seasonal Secret: Setagaya Boroichi: The grand pooh-bah of Japanese flea markets • Book Review: OUT by Natsuo Kirino
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Beyond Tokyo: YomiuriLand Illuminations • Japanese Home Cooking: Marinated Pork Medallions with Melted Leeks • Seasonal Secret: The Japanese Art of Gift Giving • Why, Japan, Why?: There’s nothing weirder than Xmas in Japan • Book Giveaway: December 6 by Martin Cruz Smith • My picks for gift reads: There’s a book on this list for everyone on YOUR list
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Beyond Tokyo: Kenroku-en Garden lit up at night • Japanese Home Cooking: Chicken & Ginger Yakitori Meatballs • Seasonal Secret: Bonsai Chrysanthemums • Why, Japan, Why?: Are ya feelin’ lucky? How Japanese tip the hand of fate • Book Giveaway: Idoru by William Gibson • Book news you can use: Writing how-tos, killer reviews, podcasts & more
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Beyond Tokyo: Jakko-in, the convent with a secret • Japanese Home Cooking: Sesame-Miso Hotpot • Why, Japan, Why?: Why is it so much harder to get a Japanese boyfriend than a Japanese girlfriend? • Book Giveaway: The Last Tea Bowl Thief by Jonelle Patrick
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Beyond Tokyo: Suwa City, Nagano • Japanese Home Cooking: Apple-Ginger Sours Cocktail/Mocktail • Why, Japan, Why?: Tiny pants, the garbage police, and the more friends you have, the lonelier you might be • Book Giveaway: The Tale of Murasaki by Liza Dalby
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Beyond Tokyo: Shigaraki Tanuki Town • Japanese Home Cooking: Japanese Rice Bowl with Miso Salmon • Why, Japan, Why?: Strange Japanese beauty goals • Seasonal Secret: Three modest September flowers that are spectacular in numbers
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Beyond Tokyo: Shiraito-no-taki Falls • Japanese Home Cooking: Brown Sugar Dessert Sauce • Why, Japan, Why?: How Japan has perfected the honorable art of eating alone • Book Reviews: CLIMB and Claws of the Cat by Susan Spann
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Beyond Tokyo: Gyoda Ancient Lotus Park • Japanese Home Cooking: Sweet & Salty Miso Grilling Sauce • Seasonal Secret: Souvenirs NOT to buy in July • Book Review: Shinjū by Laura Joh Rowland
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Beyond Tokyo: Bunny Island • Japanese Home Cooking: Japanese Chicken Salad with Tangy Soy-Lemon Dressing• Seasonal Secret: Keep cool in the summer, the Japanese way • Book Review: The Essential Haiku, edited by Robert Hass
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Beyond Tokyo: Koya-san • Japanese Home Cooking: Yakitori Chicken Mini-Burgers• Seasonal Secret: Six things you didn’t expect to discover on a pilgrimage • Book Review: Where the Dead Pause and the Japanese Say Goodbye by Marie Mutsuki Mockett
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Beyond Tokyo: Koi Nobori at Tatebayashi • Japanese Home Cooking: Creamy Sesame Noodles • Seasonal Secret: The Other Season that Blooms in the Spring • Why, Japan, Why?: Why you should be careful what you wish for • Book Review & Giveaway: Newcomer by Keigo Higashino
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Beyond Tokyo: Firewalking at Mt. Takao • Japanese Home Cooking: Savory Japanese Beef & Vegetables + Curry Rice • Seasonal Secret: Get the best cherry blossom pix in Tokyo: Where, when & how • Why, Japan, Why?: Why Oreos are more Japanese than sumo wrestlers in Japan • Book Review: Ghosts of the Tsunami by Richard Lloyd Parry
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Beyond Tokyo: Kamakura Matsuri igloo festival • Japanese Home Cooking: Tasty Ginger Pork • Seasonal Secret: Weird Chocolate • Why, Japan, Why?: Why the most interesting thing you eat in Japan might be spaghetti • Book Review & Giveaway: Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
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