Patrick St. Michel - The Japan Times

November 26, 2024

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Patrick St. Michel

Patrick St. Michel is a Tokyo-based writer with a focus on Japanese music. He runs the blog Make Believe Melodies, which has focused on Japanese independent music since 2009. Besides The Japan Times, he also contributes to MTV 81 and The Atlantic.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music

Sep 12, 2018

Namie Amuro: Celebrating J-pop's first queen

For millions of Japanese music fans in the 1990s, Namie Amuro wasn't just the Heisei Era's defining pop star, she was someone they grew up with.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music

Sep 12, 2018

Revisit the biggest albums of Namie Amuro's career

From 'Sweet 19 Blues' to '_genic,' Namie Amuro covered a lot of musical ground.

Japan Times

LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH

Sep 8, 2018

Cafe Morozoff ushers in the season with a chestnut-focused menu

Get your chestnut fix at Cafe Morozoff with a chestnut parfait or Mont Blanc dessert waffle.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music / Sound Off

Sep 7, 2018

Manga artist Momoko Sakura was also a champion of Japanese music

Following manga artist Momoko Sakura's death last week, fans and media personalities celebrated her work. Most highlighted the influence her series "Chibi Maruko-chan" had on the nation's comic and animation industries. That's a fitting tribute, as her creations not only inspired a generation of artists...

Japan Times

JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse

Sep 1, 2018

Japan's celebrities are using social media to turn criticism on its head

Social media present a tightrope for celebrities in Japan. An increasing number of high-profile people are becoming savvy with platforms such as Instagram and Twitter, helping them to develop an online fan base. However, the internet also opens them up to criticism, and the past couple of weeks have...

Japan Times

LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH

Sep 1, 2018

A buzz too strong? Sangaria's Super Strong Lemon and Sapporo's Chuhai 99.99

Following the success of Suntory's venerable Strong Zero range, more and more companies are rolling out concoctions that see how far they can push the canned booze content.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music / Sound Off

Aug 30, 2018

It'll take more than Ayumi Hamasaki to help streaming services in Japan

Ayumi Hamasaki has seen better days as a J-pop superstar, but she still carries some clout. So it should have been noteworthy that her newest release, the five-song "Trouble," would arrive on streaming services a bit earlier than in stores. That's a win for fledgling in-Japan operations such as Spotify...

Japan Times

LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH

Aug 25, 2018

Sega's logo-shaped taiyaki: Classic flavor with a vanilla twist

Video game-maker Sega is offering a tasty vanilla bean-infused taiyaki shaped like its company logo.

Japan Times

JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse

Aug 25, 2018

TikTok video app has become a petri dish for youth culture

It’s a question that haunts almost everyone over the age of 30 as they grow older: What exactly are the kids into today?

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music

Aug 21, 2018

Western acts take note: Joy and enthusiasm are the key to winning over Summer Sonic crowds

British rocker Noel Gallagher has developed a reputation in recent years for delivering biting, hilarious one-liners, both in interviews and at concerts. In front of the crowd as the Saturday night headliner for Tokyo's leg of Summer Sonic, however, the former Oasis brain trust was mostly quiet.

Japan Times

LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH

Aug 18, 2018

'Koguma no Cake-ya San' hits the mainstream with cute Lawson treats

The story of a young bear operating a sweets store has earned its own real-world merchandise, pop-up cafe and limited-edition desserts.

Japan Times

JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse

Aug 18, 2018

Debate over Fukushima statue takes on a life of its own online

Few topics have proven to be more sensitive online than the present state of Fukushima Prefecture. Years after the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster wreaked havoc in the region, the topic of radiation continues to spark intense debate from all corners. A statue that was unveiled in the prefecture...

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music

Aug 16, 2018

Summer Sonic's helter-skelter lineup provides a lot of chances for younger Japanese acts

When it comes to music festivals in Japan, Fuji Rock is the pretty one, Rock in Japan is the domestic one and Summer Sonic is the crowd pleaser. Past headliners have included acts as diverse as Metallica, Beyonce, Green Day and Stevie Wonder.

Japan Times

JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse

Aug 11, 2018

Social media takes a dim view of the daylight saving proposal for the 2020 Olympics

People in Japan have been complaining about the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics since Japan’s capital was awarded the games. Netizens have railed against everything from the apparent insensitivity of hosting the two-week competition while the Tohoku region continues to recover from the Great Eastern...

Japan Times

LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH

Aug 11, 2018

Cebada: Kirin's new 'coffee-like' beverage tastes like dirt

Kirin's attempt to tap into demand for decaf coffee misses the mark.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music

Aug 9, 2018

Towa Tei goes deep on death and puns

Towa Tei has mortality on his mind.

Japan Times

JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse

Aug 4, 2018

There's nothing new about Japan's online backlash against tourists

The internet loves a clapback, so when writer Melissa Martin shared a few snappy responses from a monk named Daniel Kimura to less-than-positive reviews of a temple doubling as lodging on Mount Koya, Twitter embraced it. The tweet garnered more than 17,000 retweets and 38,000 likes, with many digitally...

Japan Times

LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH

Aug 4, 2018

Pablo teams up with Mister Donut for a cheesy collaboration

Mister Donut stores across Japan have partnered with the Osaka-based Pablo to create six rare cheese-flavored doughnuts and tarts.

Japan Times

JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse

Jul 28, 2018

Soaring temperatures force Japan to confront entrenched ideas on handling the heat

A heat wave has gripped Japan over the past week or so, peaking with the highest temperature ever recorded in the country on Monday.

Japan Times

LIFE / Food & Drink

Jul 28, 2018

Tokyo barbecue joints to get summer sizzling

Grabbing your own grill and heading out to your preferred park or public space is the traditional way to approach barbecuing but in recent years, new spaces to barbecue in Tokyo and its surrounding areas have popped up for people of all grilling levels.

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.

Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Totopa in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward was picked by consultants TTNE as the best sauna of the year.

Japan’s sauna movement: Relax, refresh, repeat

By Greg Dvorak

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