author

 
Menu
Search
 
July 16, 2024
 

Today's print edition

Home Delivery
Subscribe for more access

Meta

Twitter

@mbmelodies

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
Oct 3, 2020
Celebrating Japan’s sweets in ice cream form
Haagen-Dazs' Hanamochi ice cream pops up in freezers every so often, and the current autumn offerings are its best nod to traditional flavors so far.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Sep 26, 2020
Caramel-drizzled sweets hit the streets of Kichijoji
Although Caramel Ghost House has a befittingly Halloween name, the sweets store has managed to become a year-round player in Tokyo's dessert scene.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Sep 19, 2020
Seven-Eleven’s new muffin sandwich experiment is a dense, doughy eat
Debating if you should try one of Seven-Eleven's muffin sandwiches? Take our word for it and just stick to the iconic, triangle-cut sandwich.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Sep 12, 2020
Say farewell to citrus, and hello to sweet potato
Mister Donut is pumping up the potato flavor in this year's fall Satsumaimodo lineup.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Sep 5, 2020
If you can’t decide between sweet or savory, why not get both to go?
Lawson has gone cup crazy with new Cupke desserts and skewers in portable packaging.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Sep 4, 2020
‘Aggretsuko’ brings her rage to the world of idol pop
The third season of Netflix's “Aggretsuko” shifts its focus from everyday drudgery to the music industry and offers a nuanced take on idol fandoms.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Aug 29, 2020
Sweet, fruit-filled and ... vegan?! This shortcake is a dream come true
Satisfying your sweet tooth as a vegan can be a challenge in Tokyo. Hal Okada Vegan Sweets Lab is a welcome arrival.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Aug 28, 2020
Chelmico breezes through 2020 with optimistic music for somber times
The rap duo's upbeat new album, “Maze,” kicks off with a topsy-turvy track that's the opening theme of a popular anime and has inspired a dance meme.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Aug 22, 2020
Global furor over TikTok security alarms users in Japan
TikTok's rise represents something of a divide in how people use the internet in Japan.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Aug 22, 2020
Classic izakaya pub dishes, now in crunchy snack form
To cure any urges to dine out, several snack makers have come up with new flavors inspired by dishes you could order during a night on the town.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Aug 15, 2020
Stay peachy keen and cool with Starbucks’ Juicy Peach Frappuccino
Trying to enjoy an icy treat before it melts during summer can be tricky. But sometimes a little melting is actually a good thing.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Aug 13, 2020
Local Visions web label creates a digital oasis for pop
Masayuki Funo, founder of the music label Local Visions, gives burgeoning artists the freedom to explore their own sound.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Aug 11, 2020
Supersonic 2020 postponed due to COVID-19 concerns
Event company Creativeman announced that this year's replacement for Summer Sonic will be postponed until 2021.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Aug 8, 2020
Add some sparkle to your summer with Sake Tonic
The best new sake arrival of the season is FamilyMart's limited-edition Sake Tonic — smooth, citrusy and alarmingly easy to drink.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Aug 6, 2020
City Pop on Vinyl brings back the glitzed-out sounds of Japan's bubble
Soak up the sounds of city pop with five albums that highlight old-school heavyweights or showcase newer artists' takes on the bubble era genre.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Aug 1, 2020
Sweet dessert discoveries in Koenji
Kichiraku specializes in amazake (sweet, low-alcohol sake) yogurt and smoothies, which you can customize with plenty of toppings.
Japan Times
CULTURE
Jul 31, 2020
YouTube traveler John Daub faces a new online landscape
John Daub's travel-centric Only In Japan channel is finding a new path amid difficulties stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Jul 25, 2020
Reading time isn’t quiet time with ‘My Moon, Your Moon’
Aishah Levine and Nick Ashley's bilingual book encourages parents to strike up conversations with kids while reading to build self-confidence.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Jul 25, 2020
Frozen melon desserts: The best way to survive the summer?
It's peak melon season in Japan, and thanks to convenience store desserts featuring the fruit, you don't have to shell out a lot of money to enjoy it.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Jul 18, 2020
Japan's Go To Travel campaign could have been better re-imagined on social media
Criticism is mounting about the rationale behind launching a domestic tourism drive amid a pandemic.
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.
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.
The neurological disorder that 'kills culture'
Akiko Trush says her experience with the neurological disorder dystonia left her feeling like she wanted to chop her own hand off.
Amid same-sex marriage ban, LGBTQ couples opt for 'photo weddings'
A lesbian couple, consisting of a 35-year-old woman (left) and 40-year-old woman, cover their faces with bouquets as they pose for wedding photos in Yokohama on Nov. 1.
China and Russia conduct joint Pacific military patrol
The Russian corvette Gromkiy enters the Chinese port of Zhanjiang as part of a joint China-Russia naval exercise on Saturday.
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

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Omron helping firms achieve carbon neutrality
Omron helping firms achieve carbon neutrality

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTS note

Read more

SUPPLEMENTS BINDER