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July 16, 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
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Nov 27, 2015
Haagen-Dazs unleashes limited-run flavors on Tokyo
Convenience stores have become a little more decadent since Haagen-Daz released its new limited-run flavors.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Nov 20, 2015
Namie Amuro returned to form this year with '_genic'
Ten years ago, Namie Amuro's star appeared to be fading fast. The pop singer's massive popularity in the 1990s helped cement the rise of sleek J-pop, but by 2005, sales of her albums and singles were starting to come back to Earth. Worse still, the former "Queen of J-pop" was seemingly being lapped by...
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Nov 20, 2015
Prepare for autumn in Tokyo with Magnolia Bakery's Harvest Apple Cupcake
The transition from fall to winter may have started the day after Halloween, but you don't have to join every department store in Tokyo in embracing the Christmas spirit just yet.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Nov 15, 2015
Spangle call Lilli line returns with a new sound and a familiar vibe
'Ghost Is Dead," the 10th album from Tokyo's Spangle call Lilli line, shouldn't exist. Regular life caught up with the trio, leaving them with little time to contemplate creating new music: Lead singer Kana Otsubo had a baby and her bandmates saw their day jobs eat up more and more of their personal...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Nov 15, 2015
Acidclank knows when to look up from its shoes on 'Inner'
Acidclank "Inner" (Self-released)
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Nov 13, 2015
Coconut Popcorn is deliciously bad for you
If you buy a bag of Coconut Popcorn, don't look at the calorie count on the back before eating. Snacks from the convenience store are rarely healthy choices, but even by those low standards this snack (¥298) will make your eyes pop out a little.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Nov 6, 2015
"Star Wars" droid cakes are invading Ginza Cozy Corner
The new "Star Wars" film is being advertised with full force, and Japanese confectionery store Ginza Cozy Corner has joined in with a new series of sweets themed on the classic trilogy.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Oct 31, 2015
Turntable Films compile folksy pop vignettes for sophomore album 'Small Town Talk'
Today's music industry demands a constant churn of new content from artists, whether that be songs or videos or something else that can connect with fans immediately. Yosuke Inoue is understandably taken aback when asked what he and his band, Turntable Films, got up to in the three years since they released...
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Oct 30, 2015
Spooky snacks will soon be vanishing from Seven-Eleven
The chance to stockpile Halloween-themed snacks from your nearby convenience store will soon be over — really, you should run out now if you are serious about spooky snacks.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Oct 23, 2015
Pepsi Japan creates a new 'mystery flavor' cola for Halloween
To coincide with Halloween, Pepsi has rolled out the classic "mystery flavor" trick to promote its new limited-edition Pepsi Ghost cola (¥151).
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Oct 18, 2015
Kero Kero Bonito blend English and Japanese rap into bouncy pop tracks
Sarah Midori Perry remembers checking MixB, an online bulletin board for Japanese expats in London, almost every day ... and feeling underwhelmed.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Oct 18, 2015
'Jack' event declares: ‘Let there be J-pop!’
Over the past two years, Simon Whybray's monthly club night and online mix series “Jack” (stylized in all caps) has featured high-energy songs from around the globe, including a healthy dose of J-pop. It's surprising, then, when he reveals his gateway into Japanese music was a delicate piano number...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Oct 18, 2015
Taquwami takes familar sounds into his own distinct territory
Taquwami
 "Moyas”
 (Self-released)
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Oct 16, 2015
Harajuku is devouring Lola's Cupcakes
London bakery Lola's Cupcakes emphasizes freshness, but the sweets on offer at its recently opened Tokyo store are disappearing almost as soon as they come out of the oven.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Oct 9, 2015
An ice cream 'donut' with a hole lot of almond chocolate
Doughnuts might remain a strong seller at Japanese convenience stores, but the initial hoopla for them ended months ago. Which is why, at first, it seems that frozen-treats maker Akagi is late to the game with its new Crunch Donut. Thankfully, looks can be deceiving: This snack (¥140) is ultimately...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / LEARNING CURVE
Oct 7, 2015
Red flags and exit strategies: advice for English teachers in Japan
It's important for new instructors in Japan to know when they are being exploited, and, if so, how to improve their lot or extricate themselves from the situation as painlessly as possible.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Oct 2, 2015
Moscow Club brings back some indie greats on 'Outfit of the Day'
A ride on the subway drastically changed Tokyo band Moscow Club's fate. After the quartet used crowdfunding site Indiegogo to finance its first full-length album, the members felt it was a good point to end a project that had transformed from a hobby into something taxing.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Oct 2, 2015
Take a bite out of Miffy on her 60th birthday at this Harajuku cafe
Miffy, the rabbit character from a famous children's book, celebrates her 60th birthday this year. To mark this special occasion, Harajuku's Nicholas House cafe has produced a series of celebratory treats.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Sep 25, 2015
Fall for seasonal pumpkin, sweet potato chips at convenience stores this autumn
The weather has started getting chilly and, accordingly, konbini (convenience stores) have started packing their shelves with special seasonal items.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Sep 20, 2015
We need to talk about the 'Rhinoceros' in the room
Porno Graffitti "Rhinoceros" (SME)
Who needs AI when you have Hatsune Miku?
Over the first six months of 2024, a handful of songs using Vocaloid singer Hatsune Miku’s voice have enjoyed widespread attention, underlining a global interest in the character and the technology she represents.
Bloodied Trump survives assassination attempt at political rally
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is surrounded and evacuated by Secret Service agents at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday. Trump was rushed off stage at the rally after shots rang out.
Shooter came within inches of killing Trump, but left few clues as to why
An aerial view shows the stage where Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump had been standing during an assassination attempt the day before, and the roof of a nearby building where a gunman was shot dead by law enforcement, in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Sunday.
Yen’s woes seem too big for even a BOJ hike this month to solve
The Bank of Japan headquarters in Tokyo
How to beat Japan’s summer heat in ways better for the planet
Tenugui towels hang up to dry at a dyeing company in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, on May 8. The durable and versatile tenugui, which many people have in their homes, can be used in many ways to cool one’s body.
How to beat Japan’s summer heat in ways better for the planet
Tenugui towels hang up to dry at a dyeing company in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, on May 8. The durable and versatile tenugui, which many people have in their homes, can be used in many ways to cool one’s body.
After Trump shooting, U.S. presidential race might take a violent turn
United States Secret Service Counter Snipers stand guard on a rooftop during a campaign rally for U.S. President Donald Trump in Avoca, Pennsylvania, in 2020.
No AC this summer? No problem (for me).
Think air conditioning is a requirement for a Tokyo summer? Think again.
She’s paying ¥1 million to help behind the scenes at the Paris Olympics
Mai Tarumi, who previously volunteered at the postponed Tokyo Olympics in 2021, has a travel budget of ¥1 million for her trip to volunteer at the Paris Games.
How to tweak your diet when temperatures spike
Most people think of hydration as a strictly liquid-based concept, but eating foods with high water content is an essential part of making it through a Japanese summer unscathed.

Podcast

You can often see generations of families enjoying performances together at Fuji Rock Festival.
Japan’s summer music festivals are feeling the heat in more ways than one

Longform

Akiko Trush says her experience with the neurological disorder dystonia left her feeling like she wanted to chop her own hand off.
The neurological disorder that 'kills culture'
By Tomoko Otake

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