'Tis the season to dust off the BBQ and grill up some steaks, and the only thing that will make them taste even more sublime is this yum of a dipping sauce! In Japan, bite-sized slices of steak are grilled at the table, then dipped in this savory sauce that zings with just a hintContinue reading "Japanese Ginger-Soy Steak Sauce"
Did you win the March-April book giveaway?
If you recognize your email, congratulations! You just won a copy of Riku Onda's The Aosawa Murders! 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 to youContinue reading "Did you win the March-April book giveaway?"
MAR-APR 2021
Click on photo or link to read the feature Why, Japan, Why?: Japanese ceremonies we didn't know we needed Everybody knows about Japan's famous tea ceremony, and of course they also mark weddings, funerals and graduations with appropriate pomp, but the Japanese have ceremonies for all kinds of great things besides the biggies...read more • BeyondContinue reading "MAR-APR 2021"
FEBRUARY 2021
Click on photo or link to read the feature Beyond Tokyo: 40,000 dolls dressed in Imperial court robes? Yes, please! Every year, the town of Katsuura puts on a Girls' Day Doll Festival to end all doll festivals. Nearly 40,000 magnificently attired hina-samasuddenly appear all over town, in displays that are truly jaw-dropping...read more • SeasonalContinue reading "FEBRUARY 2021"
JANUARY 2021
Click on photo or link to read the feature Seasonal Secret: The grand pooh-bah of Japanese flea markets This treasure trove of a flea market only happens twice a year, but what a goldmine it is! Where else might you find a set of antique lacquer ozonibowls, a disgruntled workman doll, a pre-dial-era telephone, and aContinue reading "JANUARY 2021"
Beyond the cherry blossoms
Pink things that only appear during The Season Sure, the cherry trees are pretty in pink, but The Season offers far more delights (and horrors) than elbowing a million other flower fanatics out of the way for that perfect shot. For example... The sublime: Things lit up in pink at night These buildings deck themselvesContinue reading "Beyond the cherry blossoms"
The cherry blossoms of your dreams…a month after all the rest are history
Hirosaki Castle in Aomori Prefecture See all the crowds? Me neither Cherry blossom season is legendary for good reason—even I have to admit that the pinkness in all its glory WILL take your breath away—but the downside of that is that everybody in the world knows it too. From the middle of March to theContinue reading "The cherry blossoms of your dreams…a month after all the rest are history"
Be careful what you hang on your wall
...because it might turn out to be something you'd rather not explain to dinner guests! Let's say you're browsing around a flea market in Japan, and you discover this jolly woodblock print of five samurai-era men having a little chin-wag. Naturally, because it's a flea market, you snag it at a bargain price! What aContinue reading "Be careful what you hang on your wall"
The Aosawa Murders
By Riku Onda Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Translation quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Entertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: This book is one of those rare Japanese mysteries that don't lose something essential in translation. It's told in such a way that the reader collects each piece of the puzzle from characters who didn't necessarily revealContinue reading "The Aosawa Murders"
Japanese Treasure Rice
If you have a rice cooker, this is the easiest made-from-scratch meal ever. All you have to do is measure the dry rice into the cooker, then toss in the raw veggies and cooking broth (plus the raw marinated chicken pieces, if you want to make a meal of it). Turn it on, and theContinue reading "Japanese Treasure Rice"
Japanese ceremonies we didn’t know we needed
In Japan, there are ceremonies for some very odd things Everybody knows about Japan's famous tea ceremony, and of course they also mark weddings, funerals and graduations with ceremonies. But one of the most interesting discussions we've been having at book zooms about The Last Tea Bowl Thief is about how the Japanese have ceremoniesContinue reading "Japanese ceremonies we didn’t know we needed"
Did you win the February book giveaway?
If you recognize your email, congratulations! You just won a copy of Jake Adelstein's Tokyo Vice! 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 to youContinue reading "Did you win the February book giveaway?"
Did you win the MAR-APR Book Zoom giveaway?
Win a book zoom for you and your friends, hosted by author Jonelle Patrick For the next few months, I'll be giving away a fully hosted The Last Tea Bowl Thief Book Zoom to one lucky Japanagram subscriber every month! If you enjoyed The Last Tea Bowl Thief and have a few friends who mightContinue reading "Did you win the MAR-APR Book Zoom giveaway?"
Did you win the January book giveaway?
If you recognize your email, congratulations! You just won a copy of Natsuo Kirino's OUT! 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 to you soonest. IfContinue reading "Did you win the January book giveaway?"
The fabulous flower season that happens when nothing else is blooming
February in Japan is not fun. Cold and gray, its only festival involves demons, dry beans and smelly sardines. There would pretty much be nothing to look forward to, if it weren't for the... Plum blossoms! And although their blooming doesn't promise no more snow, plum trees bloom while every other flower and leaf isContinue reading "The fabulous flower season that happens when nothing else is blooming"
Tokyo Vice
By Jake Adelstein Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Translation quality: N/AEntertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: Investigative reporter Jake Adelstein covered the yakuza beat for a Japanese newspaper like a boss, and his first person account will make your hair stand on end. This first-person account of how an American investigative journalist cultivatedContinue reading "Tokyo Vice"
The strange barbers of Yoshiwara
You've heard of Yoshiwara, right? The old Tokyo pleasure quarter? Well, it turns out that it wasn't just any old red light district—it was its own separate, weird society, with different laws, different social rules, and even its own language. The reigning queens of this alternate universe were the oiran—courtesans who were so exclusive thatContinue reading "The strange barbers of Yoshiwara"
Japanese Chicken Soup for the Soul
When it's cold and wet and dark outside, people in Japan long for comfort food just as much as we do, and this chicken soup will warm you right down to your toes. It's comforting, but a little bit different, all at the same time. Serves: 4-6 12 oz. (340g) marinated chicken pieces (recipe below)Continue reading "Japanese Chicken Soup for the Soul"
40,000 dolls dressed in Imperial court robes? Yes, please!
Katsuura Doll Festival in Katsuura, Chiba Every year, the town of Katsuura puts on a Girls' Day Doll Festival to end all doll festivals. Nearly 40,000 magnificently attired hina-sama suddenly appear all over town, in displays that are truly jaw-dropping. Just for comparison, here's a typical Girls' Day set, displayed on the traditional red steps.Continue reading "40,000 dolls dressed in Imperial court robes? Yes, please!"
DECEMBER 2020
Click on photo or link to read the feature Seasonal Secret: The Japanese art of gift giving If there were medals for gifting, the Japanese would own the gold and the Guinness record for owning the gold...read more • Beyond Tokyo: Millions of twinkling fairy lights, dancing fountain extravaganzas, and glowing cotton candy, all served up onContinue reading "DECEMBER 2020"
Did you win the December book giveaway?
If you recognize your email, congratulations! You just won a copy of Martin Cruz Smith's December 6! 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 to youContinue reading "Did you win the December book giveaway?"
Let’s play Jeopardy!
For your New Year's entertainment: An original round of Japan-flavored JEOPARDY Hello friends, it's me, your virtual Japan Jeopardy host! Looking for a little fresh amusement? Throughout this long, long, LONG pandemic, I've discovered (quite to my surprise) that online trivia is one of the most satisfying entertainments around (not to mention it's something toContinue reading "Let’s play Jeopardy!"
OUT
By Natsuo Kirino Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Translation quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Entertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: A fabulous thriller that skillfully conveys just how cold and ingenious ordinary Japanese people can be, when pushed over the edge. A brutal murder is just the beginning of this dark novel, where we watch an ordinaryContinue reading "OUT"
Icicles of wonder
The Misotsuchi Icicles in Saitama prefecture To get an idea how huge these are, check out the size of the people next to the river! This secret Japanese pleasure isn't a famous tourist destination—it's really more of a pit stop along the way to Suwa City or the Werewolf Shrine—but it's so spectacular in anContinue reading "Icicles of wonder"
Japan’s pet obsession
Dogs in schoolgirl uniforms are just the tip of the iceberg In the land with the most rapidly shrinking birthrate in the world, it's easy to see where all that energy is going... Now it's the dogs that are wearing schoolgirl uniforms And aspiring to work at maid cafes They've settled the issue of howContinue reading "Japan’s pet obsession"
Setagaya Boroichi: The mother of all flea markets
At first glance, this could be a typical flea-markety collection from anywhere such convos thrive. Until you look closer and see that it includes a vintage tailor's iron, a set of gorgeous antique lacquer bowls for ozoni new year's soup, a disgruntled workman doll, a pre-dial-era telephone, and a couple of courtesan's tobacco pipes. AllContinue reading "Setagaya Boroichi: The mother of all flea markets"
NOVEMBER 2020
Click on photo or link to read the feature Why, Japan, Why?: In Japan, here's how they tip the hand of fate! If someone told you they wanted to move a meeting you'd scheduled because the astrology forecast for that day is too unlucky, you'd probably be moving them right off the payroll, wouldn't you?Continue reading "NOVEMBER 2020"
My Book Gift List
This list of excellent books that I read (or re-read) this year have these three things in common: They're compelling but not harrowing.The characters are enjoyable to spend time with.They're well-written, thoroughly immersive and escapist. • If you know someone who would like to read moreentertaining books by Black authors: Blanche on the Lam byContinue reading "My Book Gift List"
Did you win the November book giveaway?
If you recognize your email, congratulations! You just won a copy of William Gibson's's Idoru! 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 to you soonest. IfContinue reading "Did you win the November book giveaway?"
December 6
By Martin Cruz Smith Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: ⭐⭐⭐⭐Translation quality: N/AEntertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: This is a fascinating snapshot of life in Japan on the brink of war, told through the eyes of one of the rare foreign residents Martin Cruz Smith isn't a Japan expert, but he's cracking goodContinue reading "December 6"
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