By Akimitsu Takagi Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Translation quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Entertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: A real page-turner of a police procedural that also gives a glimpse into the postwar demimonde of the tattooed Why would someone kill a beautiful tattooed woman, and steal her inked torso? That puzzle is just theContinueContinue reading “The Tattoo Murder Case”
Author Archives: Jonelle Patrick
Let’s visit the perfect garden for how we’re feeling right now
Kairaku-en Plum Garden in Mito prefecture February is the best time to see Kairaku-en, because there’s a chance a late winter storm will deliver the amazing sight of spring’s first flowers peeking out from under a blanket of snow Like cherry blossoms, which are beloved because their brief but glorious life is the perfect metaphorContinueContinue reading “Let’s visit the perfect garden for how we’re feeling right now”
If you thought quilts were a Western art, think again!
The Tokyo International Quilt Festival Late summer means awaordori dance exhibitions, and this swirl of movement captures that festival atmosphere perfectly (“Dancing in the Wind” by Masako Sakagami) You know how Japan embraces stuff from all over the world, and then turns it uniquely Japanese? Every year at the end of January, Tokyo hosts oneContinueContinue reading “If you thought quilts were a Western art, think again!”
Pre-battered suitcases and other weird travel necessities
Japanese fears, explained by travel products I used to laugh at the sheer array of disinfectant travel wipes for sale at Tokyu Hands (for planes! for trains! for public bathrooms!) but in this day and age, those aren’t so funny anymore. But there are a few Japanese travel aids whose entertainment value never grows old…ContinueContinue reading “Pre-battered suitcases and other weird travel necessities”
Did you win the Nov-Dec book giveaway?
If you recognize your email, congratulations! You just won a copy of All She Was Worth by Miyuki Miyabe! If you think this is you, shoot a message to JapanagramJonelle@gmail.com and tell me if you’d like an ebook or paperback (and if paperback, let me know a mailing address you’d like it sent to) and I’ll getContinueContinue reading “Did you win the Nov-Dec book giveaway?”
NOV-DEC 2021
Click on photo or link to read the feature Japanese Home Cooking: Kinako Shortbread Cookies with Salted Brown Sugar Buttercream Every holiday season I like to sneak one new cookie onto the plate of old favorites, and I can already tell these are going to be a big hit! They’re sparkly and buttery (with aContinueContinue reading “NOV-DEC 2021”
SEP-OCT 2021
Click on photo or link to read the feature Japanese Home Cooking: How to host a great sake tasting Sake isn’t just for Japanese food anymore—restaurants all over the world are discovering it’s the perfect pairing for all kinds of food. But how do you know what kind of sake you like? Here’s everything you needContinueContinue reading “SEP-OCT 2021”
Let’s go to Fox Village…in the snow!
Fox Village in Miyagi prefecture It’s a lot easier to get up close and personal with wild animals in Japan, because it’s the Land that Lawyers Forgot and because the Japanese public is better at following rules and being respectful of animals than people in the country where I grew up. Fox Village is aContinueContinue reading “Let’s go to Fox Village…in the snow!”
All She Was Worth
By Miyuki Miyabe Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Translation quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Entertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: A gripping mystery with a satisfying solution, set in an exceedingly genuine Tokyo filled with characters who are appealingly human, and also 100% Japanese This excellent mystery is the first one by bestselling Japanese mystery writer MiyukiContinueContinue reading “All She Was Worth”
Kinako Shortbread Cookies with Salted Black Sugar Buttercream
The classic Japanese flavor combination of roasted soybean flour and Okinawan black sugar come together in these buttery sandwich cookies that will give new sparkle to your holiday table ‘Tis the season for cozy pleasures, so how about a sweet holiday treat with a delightful Japanese twist? These buttery shortbread cookies have a satisfying nuttyContinueContinue reading “Kinako Shortbread Cookies with Salted Black Sugar Buttercream”
One more reason why I love Japan
Because the same culture that gave us this… The red bridge spanning the Hirosaki Castle moat And this The awesome five-story-tall light-up Gundam robot And this The pagoda at Sensō-ji temple and Skytree, lit up at night… Also came up with this This building If this isn’t the most butt-ugly building you’ve ever seen, wrapContinueContinue reading “One more reason why I love Japan”
Let’s stroll down avenues lined with towering gold gingko trees
Tokyo’s ichō namiki Gingko trees are beautiful in every season—there’s a reason their unique leaves have been celebrated in kimonos, pottery, lacquer, and all the traditional arts for centuries—but catching them just as they turn into towering torches and blaze away for a few days in late fall is one of my favorite sights inContinueContinue reading “Let’s stroll down avenues lined with towering gold gingko trees”
Did YOU win one of the five audiobook giveaways?
If you recognize your email, congratulations! You just won a copy of The Last Tea Bowl Thief audiobook! If you think one of these is you, shoot a message to JapanagramJonelle@gmail.com and I’ll send you the download code and instructions for getting it onto your device! I’m sorry if I didn’t pull your name from the hatContinueContinue reading “Did YOU win one of the five audiobook giveaways?”
Did you win the Sep-Oct book giveaway?
If you recognize your email, congratulations! You just won a copy of Pachinko by Min Jin Lee! If you think this is you, shoot a message to JapanagramJonelle@gmail.com and tell me if you’d like an ebook or paperback (and if paperback, let me know a mailing address you’d like it sent to) and I’ll get it toContinueContinue reading “Did you win the Sep-Oct book giveaway?”
JUL-AUG 2021
Click on photo or link to read the feature SEASONAL SECRETThe most delightful summer festival in all of Japan is all about…goldfish! There’s nothing more traditional than ogling insanely fancy (and expensive!) goldfish and, of course, catching your own…read more • BEYOND TOKYOLet’s meander through a park with twenty-three thatch-roofed farmhouses The Nihon Minka-en FolkContinueContinue reading “JUL-AUG 2021”
Did you win the July-August book giveaway?
If you recognize your email, congratulations! You just won a copy of The Pillow Book: Diary of a Courtesan in Tenth Century Japan by Sei Shōnagon! If you think this is you, shoot a message to JapanagramJonelle@gmail.com and tell me if you’d like an ebook or paperback (and if paperback, let me know a mailing address you’dContinueContinue reading “Did you win the July-August book giveaway?”
The REAL story of the 47 rōnin
…is so much crazier than I thought You can see why the tale of the forty-seven masterless samurai who avenge their lord appeals—righteous grudges, extreme consequences, clever & twisted revenge. It’s definitely got the makings of a killer Netflix series! But the most amazing thing is…it’s all true. Page from the 47 Ronin manga byContinueContinue reading “The REAL story of the 47 rōnin”
How to host a great sake tasting
Three is the classic number of sakes to compare and contrast, but you can go higher. Read on for some great category suggestions! Sake isn’t just for Japanese food anymore—it’s popping up in top restaurants all over the world as the perfect pairing for all kinds of cuisines. Crisp and clean, it’s delicious with everythingContinueContinue reading “How to host a great sake tasting”
A rugged paradise with famous drummers, bathtub boats, and a cave of spooky Jizo figures
Sado Island in Niigata prefecture Sado is everything a remote island should be—plummeting cliffs surrounded by crystal clear water—but you can also do some things here that you can’t do in any other part of Japan These days, Sado Island is an hour offshore by hydrofoil, but in olden times it would take a lotContinueContinue reading “A rugged paradise with famous drummers, bathtub boats, and a cave of spooky Jizo figures”
A parade of people dressed up as angry ghost cats? Yes, please!
Bakeneko Parade in Kagurazaka, Tokyo And this one is my all-time favorite—she was wearing an excellent traditional-style mask, but totally dressed in goth-princess style kimono, with all the bells and whistles Japan is host to the most delightful festivals ever, and even the supernaturally scary bakeneko have their day! This isn’t an official holiday—you won’tContinueContinue reading “A parade of people dressed up as angry ghost cats? Yes, please!”
Pachinko
By Min Jin Lee Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Translation quality: N/AEntertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: This multi-generation story about what it’s like to be a Korean living in Japan from the early 1900s until the new millennium is heartwarmingly painful, beautifully written, and quite an accurate window into what it’s likeContinueContinue reading “Pachinko”
Did you win the May-June book giveaway?
If you recognize your email, congratulations! You just won a copy of Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun! If you think this is you, shoot a message to JapanagramJonelle@gmail.com and tell me if you’d like an ebook or paperback (and if paperback, let me know a mailing address you’d like it sent to) and I’ll get itContinueContinue reading “Did you win the May-June book giveaway?”
Green Salad with Japanese Pickled Onions & Wafu Onion Dressing
Add cooked chicken or grilled shrimp to turn this tasty salad into a cool summer meal! Nothing tastes better with grilled everything than a crisp green salad bejeweled with tasty pickled onions and a tangy wafu dressing that’ll knock your socks off! Ingredients: Assorted mixed greens, torn into bite-sized pieces (I like a combo ofContinueContinue reading “Green Salad with Japanese Pickled Onions & Wafu Onion Dressing”
A whole park full of thatch-roofed farmhouses, just outside of central Tokyo
Nihon Minka-en Japanese Folk House Garden in Kanagawa prefecture There are twenty-three authentic structures in the park, each chosen to feature the clever ways that traditional architecture dealt with local climates and allowed their inhabitants to practice their local ways of life One of the most amazing things to see in Japan is buildings constructedContinueContinue reading “A whole park full of thatch-roofed farmhouses, just outside of central Tokyo”
How to read a haiku
Three great things to look for in a haiku poem I’m going to come right out and say it: nothing makes me want to throw my hands in the air and flee faster than coming across a page that’s filled with verses instead of nice, solid paragraphs. I automatically assume I’m not going to enjoyContinueContinue reading “How to read a haiku”
Goldfish, goldfish, everywhere
Edogawa Goldfish Festival The most delightful summer festival in all of Japan You might remember from a previous Japanagram that one traditional way of beating the Japanese summer heat is to gaze at goldfish swimming in their cool, watery world. Goldfish are so synonymous with summer in Japan that you’ll see them gracing everything fromContinueContinue reading “Goldfish, goldfish, everywhere”
The Pillow Book
The Diary of a Courtesan in Tenth Century Japan By Sei Shōnagon Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: N/ATranslation quality: N/AEntertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: This shockingly witty little volume is evidence that just because someone lived a thousand years ago doesn’t mean they weren’t a sharp commentator on human behavior that’s stillContinueContinue reading “The Pillow Book”
MAY-JUN 2021
Click on photo or link to read the feature Seasonal Secret: Seven things you didn’t know about Japanese weddings From fake priests to Barbie princess gowns, Japanese weddings are a whole different ballgame…read more • Beyond Tokyo: Come for the purple, stay for the lights The Ashikaga Flower Park not only boasts insanely huge wisteria,ContinueContinue reading “MAY-JUN 2021”
Klara and the Sun
By Kazuo Ishiguro Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: N/ATranslation quality: N/AEntertainment value: ⭐⭐My recommendation: I did not love this book, but every respected professional reviewer did, so you decide… This story takes place in a near-future dystopia, in which children’s intelligence must be genetically enhanced in order to succeed in society.ContinueContinue reading “Klara and the Sun”
Come for the purple, stay for the lights
Ashikaga Flower Park in Tochigi prefecture You may not think wisteria is as travel-worthy as cherry blossoms, but…need I say more? There’s only one reason to trek all the way out to Ashikaga at the beginning of May, and that’s to see the astoundingly huge wisteria at the Ashikaga Flower Park. But guess what? It’sContinueContinue reading “Come for the purple, stay for the lights”
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