Shinzi goodness @ The Little Happyshop

All pictures from The Little Happyshop website

Retail therapy is a favourite mode of destressing by far and online shopping has made it even more irresistible when the craving for happiness via new possessions come a knocking. Aptly named, this local online store titled "The Little HappyShop" is the perfect avenue for some cutesome goodness when your pockets are aching to let loose some change.

Shinzi Katoh fans will no doubt be no stranger to this shop with its user friendly format and lovely presentation. Designed by founder -Ruth Tan, I must say I am quite impressed by how easy it is to navigate this whole site. http://www.thelittlehappyshop.com/

The Little Happyshop also managed to get Shinzi Katoh to make a rare appearance in early Dec while he was here on a leisure trip. To see the maestro himself in person felt a little surreal. The Q&A session hosted on the attic level of BOOKS ACTUALLY at Ann Siang Hill was simply divine. It felt as if I was back in Jiyugaoka at one of the many lovely zakka shops again.

Though it was a very short interview that lasted less than 30 minutes, the fervour of Shinzi Katoh's fans from as young as 5 years old must have been quite overwhelming for him as they snapped away furiously with handphone and digital cameras. I was happy to have bought for myself the Shinzo Katoh pin & mobile strap. I am so glad that Shinzi Katoh's dad recognised his gift for illustration and art. Should his dad have insisted him on pursuing a more lucrative career in finance or business, the zakka world would have been one artist poorer and a lot less happy souls around today. http://shinzikatoh.com/english/

Thank you for creating such wonderful illustrations to make our daily lives a little sweeter and thanks to The Little Happyshop for bringing a slice of happiness to ease the bitter moments in life.

Nihon Buyo - a splendiferous tribute to nuances in dance

I am glad to have caught tonight's performance at the Nafa Campus compliments of Japan Creative Centre's 1st anniversary celebrations. The last item - a kabuki dance really struck a chord and lifted my spirits which were dampened by a string of unpleasant events.

My friend remarked that subtitles would have been helpful to decipher what the background singer was singing in tune to the dance. But personally, the dancer on stage needed no further translation. Through his controlled and artful movements, once could sense the character's emotions and intentions. Be it a hop in gaiety or a stride of authority, the actions bring a smile to my face as my soul resonates to the joy that the performer is displaying in his subtle body language under the calculated movements of dance. The beautifully painted backdrop enveloped by the soothing sounds from the shamizen and other percussion emsemble add an air of mystique and transport one instantly into the old streets of Japan.

Do what you love and never have to work another day in your life! What bliss.

Picture courtesy of JCC main website http://www.sg.emb-japan.go.jp/JCC/event_BUYO_04112010.html

Mook-aholic

Japanese magazine books are all the rage these days. Even more so when they are laden with irresistible bag giveaways that give fashionista-wannabes an affordable channel to luxury.

Cath Kidston mook giveaways are not to be missed as they are great steals with great quality bags/pouches bundled along with pages of wishlist worthy collections for that season.

Thanks to a fellow mook-aholic's tip off, my most recent find in Kinokuniya's recent 20% members sale is a sturdy carryall made of quality heather grey felt, adorned with durable canvas straps striped in tasteful red & navy. After discount the mook with free bag was less than S$30.

Go check it out in the bookstores today before it runs out.

FLOR-ed over by Chef Yamashita

There is always room for dessert! And what better way to quench that craving than to indulge in mouthwatering cakes and pastries from FLOR PATISSERIE. Nestled in the peaceful corner of Duxton Hill, this tiny but cosy cafe (which seats up to 10 inside, and 8 outside) is home to the fluffy confections lovingly baked by Chef Yamashita and team.

My favourites are FROMAGE BLANC which is a chilled cheese mousse cake that has special blueberry sauce encased in smooth rarecheese set on a fragrant citrus almond tart base(as quoted from their website). The cheese is so mild and smooth that even lactose intolerant folks like me can't resist the lure of this delish morsel! Its so light I don't feel any tummy trouble after.

My next favourite is their new addition called THE VERT. Its a brilliant layered cake of made of a layer of green tea sponge base, followed by the harmony of vanilla cream and fragrant green tea mousse, and finally covered by a thin layer of cold, green tea jelly. Kyoto-uji matcha (green tea) powder is used for this particular green tea cake for its clear and pristine flavour and aroma. It's the perfect sweet treat for matcha fans like me!

To make the deal even sweeter, a tea time promotion is going on daily (Mon-Sun 2-4pm) where a sliced cake and drink is going for $8/9 depending on drink chosen. With the sliced cakes going at $6 onwards, this is a great deal! But go early as the cakes fly off the shelves in a flash. You might be dissapointed if you go any later than 3pm.

And before you leave the cafe, don't forget to pick up the freshly baked cookies @ $4.50 a packet. Langue de chat is a light cookie made with French butter & fine almond. Don't fret, it has none of the cheap almond taste you get in hawker centre almond jellies. This is gourmet almond on its best behaviour. My other favourite is the walnut cookie. Both are addictive and you can polish off the dozen or more pieces in a flash while enjoying a cup of tea at home with your favourite book or Ghibli film classics.

All pictures from FLOR PATISSERIE website.

#01-01, 2 Duxton HillSingapore 089588Phone: +65 6223 8628
Business hours:Monday to Saturday: 11am- 7pmSunday (Public Holidays): 11am- 6pm

http://www.cakeflor.com.sg

Baumkuchen vs Kueh Lapis

Baumkuchen is a layered cake with German origins but popularised lately in Singapore with more Japanese bakeries sprouting up in our sunny island. It is very similar to our local version known as KUEH LAPIS.

Check out this new bakery WHEATBAUMKUCHEN and the variety of flavors available. They have a variety pack which makes a good starter pack for those new to this sweet treat. http://www.wheatbaumkuchen.com/products_baumkuchen_01.htm

You can also get the the popular classi version from GLACE situated at Icon Village(behind Amara Hotel)

http://cakeglace.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=17&zenid=f8abc2d57a0be4cea5fd3056e26f2004

Try our local version from Bengawan Solo bakery outlets. A plain version and one with prunes are available.

http://www.bengawansolo.com.sg/prod_rolls.aspx?id=1 You can try out this KUEH LAPIS recipe if you are in the mood for baking. http://lovingbaking.blogspot.com/2009/01/kueh-lapis-aka-thousand-layered-cake.html

Happy sampling !!!

Veggie toons - Sachiko Suzuki

Have you ever noticed cute illustrations on your vegetable produce bought in Japanese supermarkets or on your Japan trips? I know I have but never really paid much attention to them until I spotted Sachiko Suzuki's work again in an ANA advertisement in the latest copy of WINGSPAN ( a complimentary inflight magazine of the ANA group - available at all JTB stands, eg. ION shopping mall basement or Mandarin Gallery Level 2) .

Pictures courtesy of :-

http://web-japan.org/trends/lifestyle/lif050106.html#

http://pingmag.jp/2007/10/22/vegetable-characters/

Miyako vs Momshoo

Stuffed toys are one of the most popular items sold on ETSY (the hottest online crafter's market) . These items are a great way to make use of fabric scraps. Japanese artisan - Miyako Kanamori makes these lovelies seen on her oh-so-cute website http://nuiguroom.bananawani.org/index.html. When made out of yarn via crochet and knitting techniques,they are generally referred to as "amigurumi". Personally I craft more generic items like handphone or camera pouches and wallets as I cannot make out the instructions for animal shapes.

By the way, you might like to check out this local crafter who sells her wares via the "momshoo" label in Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/momshoo/ and ETSY - http://www.etsy.com/shop/momshoo I came across her stall in the local arts bazaar held at Red Dot Museum's MAAD BAZAAR fair featuring locally handmade crafts and wares. Her hand stitched fabric badges are so soft and cute to add on to your clothing, hat, bag to suit your mood of day! SUPPORT HANDMADE !!! Go on and check out her creations here. Trust me you won't be able to stop at just one badge! Happy shopping everyone ...

Linen bird - fabulous fabrics galore

This fabulous picture caught my eye while link browsing on some of my favourite Japanese crafts websites. One might easily mistake this for a food or a photogrsphy website but turns out it is a haven that stocks and retails linen yarns and fabrics. Hmm.. this might just be next theme for my japan trip, i.e to find all the haberdashery shops in tokyo! The only shop I found in my tokyo trips so far was another fantastic button and yarn shop @ omotesando called "La Droguerie"( more about this button heaven in my next post). Meanwhile I shall think of how to avoid being overwhelmed by these luxurious linens. God knows how much fabric and balls of yarn a crafting wannabe like me will amass before the hour is up!

Look out for more posts on beautiful japanese websites and blogs I have stumbled during my late night surfin on the www.... http://www.linenbird.com/index.html

Kateigaho ho-ho-ho!

Bitten by the bookworm this month, I am somehow getting reacquainted with all my favourite books & mooks (i.e magazine books) about Japan. One of my favourites will have to be this really awesome bi-annual publication called KATEIGAHO (formely known as KIE) which has both a Japanese and International version (with English text). They also come in an eco-friendly online PDF version for digital buffs out there- http://int.kateigaho.com/index.html

The first time I laid my hands on their Spring/Summer 2009 issue, I was blown away by the exceptional photography and well researched content on the traditions and culture of Japan. The English text in the International Edition is an exceptional translation with its poetic flow and imagery captured to great effect! I can only imagine that the Japanese version would be even more beautiful in its original context.

This magazine sells out very fast at Kinokuniya Bookstores every Mar/April & Sep/Oct. Too bad they don't allow reservations for magazines that have not physically arrived in their bookstores. But fret not, you can still place a special order for the magazines if they run out. No additional admin fee nor deposit required but no cancellations also. Once your special order arrives, they will inform you via your mobile and hold the book for a month before they put it back on their shelves for sale since they can't return it to their suppliers. Each edition costs around S$25 but if you are lucky you might just catch one of their 20% member discount promotions and score yourself a rebate to get yourself a cuppa at your favourite cafe and devour the latest issue to your heart's content!

Happy reading fellow mookworms!!!

Sushi-uncovered!

Sushi has been a great source of comfort ever since my first morsel of this simple but nutritious way of eating what is simply rice and raw fish. It has been a permanent fixture in my outdoor picnics along with some plum wine (umeshu). Ordering sushi in Tokyo is still passable with my limited vocabulary of japanese fish and foods gleaned from all the sushi menus I have come across in the past decade. It's important to pick up some basic japanese food vocabulary cos you wouldn't want to be stuck in a yakitori shop in Tokyo with a chef that doesn't speak a word of English! More on yakitori in my future posts.

With the luxury of the National Library just beside my office, I picked up this little gem called "the Story of sushi" written by Trevor Corson. He weaves complex scientific information, with personal drama and takes you on a journey to sppreciate how modern sushi came about. His frequent anecdotes on the ecological drama of fish and its deep sea cousins are described with the panache of Richard & David Attenborough's nature documentaries.

I admit that I have not read a book for almost a decade after flipping through magazines of all titles with my short attention span. But the first chapter of this book caught my imagination with phrases like : -

"cows never caught on in Japan; miso is, in a sense Japan's cheese"

"finally,the yeasts join the party.
Put crudely, yeasts eat sugar and pee alcohol"

I can't wait to devour this book chapter by chapter as fast as a famished person would. And just for the record, I managed to finally finish the book on the train commute and before bedtime in just under one week, working through page after pageof gripping drama and food facts with gusto. Trevor's books will now join the ranks of Diane Ackerman on my bookshelf , her books on natural history were one of the first titles that left me wide eyed with wonder and amazement for nature and life!

Go on, pick up this book from the library or the bookstore (retailing at around S$25) . I know I am getting mine this National Day weekend with a 20% discount at Kinokuniya bookstores! What perfect timing that i finished the book just in time to enjoy this great offer! This book is just too good to be left alone on the conveyor belt of food related books! Itadakimase !!! http://www.trevorcorson.com/home.html

Trevor Corson also offers a very unique service in the USA, check out this site! I think every major city in the world should have a sushi concierge. Language should no longer be a barrier for the world to experience the exquisite world of Japanese cuisine. Everyone should treat themselves to a full course of good "omakase" at least once in their lifetime! http://www.sushiconcierge.com/home.html

Sushi-fully Yours

Ghibli-mania

Hayao Miyazaki's works have brought joy to the world with his superb illustrations. And SPIRITED AWAY as his most famous masterpiece to date has achieved worldwide acclaim. I can watch this film over and over again, and yet glean a different perspective on life no matter how many times I watch it. The soundtracks written by Joe Hisaishi also complete the miyazaki experience with his glorious symphonies, minuets and solos to further accentuate each nuanced scene in the stories. His works are the Asian equivalent of Alan Menken's works in Disney classics.

My personal favourite are the tunes from HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE. Listen to the alluring title theme on this site - http://www.howlsmovingcastlemovie.co.uk/

Ghibli museum is one definite pitstop to make whether young or old. I myself have visited it twice and still wouldn't hesitate to go back again to experience the magic and wonder that this place brings. You feel like a kid again, exploring its maze of rooms and exhibits ( in the hope of bumping into the well loved "totoro" ). Going with kids can make the visit even more exhilirating as they squeal and grin with delight at all the fun things to see and do in the musuem. www.ghibli-museum.jp/en

Situated in a lovely residential neighbourhood of Mitaka-TOKYO, you will see regular signposts pointing towards the museum. Ghibli musuem is only 20 mins walk away from MITAKA train station. The neighbourhood has lovely houses and shops so its a nice pictureque walk down to the musuem from the train station. Just don't get carried away posing for photos like I did. It took me a good half hour before we reached Ghibli musuem.

Tickets are not sold in Singapore yet unless you join a tour by JTB. But fret not, the other way is to get a friend/colleague in Japan to help you buy tickets from the LAWSON convenience stores (somewhat like a 7 eleven convenience store). The official Ghibli website gives detailed instructions on how to purchase tickets at LAWSON. Tickets are released 1 month ahead for purchase, so grab them fast if you have a a very tight schedule to work around as this musuem is highly popular. Get the 10am tickets so that you can take a leisurely stroll before grabbing a seat inside the highly popular STRAW HAT cafe before the lunch crowds come in. The cosy cafe refuses further entry when they reach full capacity so go early. After lunch, catch an exclusive screening of a 10 minute animation of Totoro in the Saturn theatre. Seats only a maximum of about 50 pax so join the queue early. Go window shopping at the retail shop. And I say window shopping coz the Ghibli merchandise don't come cheap. Exquisite jewelry, porcelainware, stationery, DVDs and soft toys of every imaginable Ghibli character are available here. You can say this is the Asian counterpart of Disney and I am proud that Miyazaki-san has created this legacy for the kids of tomorrow in this part of the world! I got myself a cute little soot ball keychain ( watch SPIRITED AWAY and see if you can spot them)

By the time my entourage of 8 ( kids & adults ) finished the day's exploration of this amazing place, it was already 3pm. Last entry into the museum is at 4pm which leaves one with less than 2 hours to skim through the whole compound. If you hold a ticket for 4pm entry, you cannot enter before 4pm even if you arrive early. This is their way of crowd control. Nightfall in Tokyo starts around 4-5pm during December so make a quick dash next door to the Inokashira Park to cha cha with cheeky squirrels in their enclosure or get to play with guinea pigs at the patting zoo..

Photography is strictly prohibited inside the museum however with quick fingers and a keen sense of strategic blindspots, you can still snap some rare momentos for your private photo collection long after returning from Japan. I have way too much photos to upload here but you can google for a preview of the museum on youtube, otherwise this website is also a great peek into what you can expect at the musuem. www.ghibliworld.com

Suggested itinnerary :

===============

1) reach mitaka station by 9am and grab some of the yummiest and freshest salads from the "QUEEN'S MITAKA" food hall located within the station after exiting. Don't miss the fluffiest potato croquettes just beside the salad bar. Candied sweet potatoes are also a big hit! Be sure to buy a pack each and share amongst your fellow travelmates.

2) take a leisurely 20-30 min walk to the museum on foot, or

3) take a bus to the musuem from the bus stop at MITAKA train station. You can pay during boarding, don't buy the tickets from the machine coz its 100 yen more expensive.

4) reach the musuem at 10am sharp.

5) acquaint yourself with the general surroundings and head on first to STRAW HAT cafe and try their signature hot

drinks and desserts. Freshen up in the washroom which is decked out beautifully with stained glass.

6) catch a short film @ Saturn theatre

7) window shop at the GHIBLI retail shop

8) see the cat bus and exhibits of the animation process within the musuem

9) head on up to the rooftop and pose with the gigantic LAPUTA robot soldier. Go behind the robot and tread on the wooden chip path to decipher Laputa cube's hidden message.

10) hop over next door to Inokashira zoo to play with squirrels & guinea pigs.

11) grab some yummy dinner from the supermarket next to MITAKA station

12) back to hotel :)

Passionate about Japan!

This blog has been created in an attempt to channel all that restless enthusiam I have for all (ok most) things Japan! Going to Japan has always been my lifelong dream and I finally got to step foot on the Land of The Rising Sun in Oct 2008. This was the start of many trips to come as I just can't get enough of the food, culture, nature in this part of the world.

I cannot recall when this fixation with all things Japanese began. Probably it was from my first japanese yukata when I was a little girl. It was made of a silky material and I think I should still have it stashed somewhere in my numerous cupboards. I think it really took off when Singapore started airing the "Japan Hour" series which made me a faithful viewer for almost more than a decade now. And not to worry if I miss an episode, coz the kind folks at Channelnews Asia have summarised every episode down in words on their website www.channelnewsasia.co/japanhour which come complete with pictures, websites of the attractions / accommodation featured and archived entries of previous episodes dating as far back as Jan 2008! If only the episodes came in DVD's but then it would defeat the purpose of the show because it is constantly updated with new places and new promotions for that season. But it would make a great pictorial keepsake of the breathtaking sights, sounds and eats of such a bountiful country blessed with (shizen)nature's great gifts.

For my Oct 2008 trip alone, I returned with well over a 1000 pictures in my digital camera just from this 8 day trip. It was partly due to the fact that I wanted to buy everything in every shop but that would have been impossible to carry back. So I took numerous pictures of lovely things to have but did not buy. Thank god for technology coz I would be broke if I had to develop that amount of film in a stack of phot albums. I collected so much paraphernalia from this trip in the hope of scrapbooking them along with the best photos into an album . But the amount of work is just daunting and I have yet to completely catalog all the photos taken. It was as if i was walking and snapping pictures every other moment of the trip. As I reluctantly packed my bags on the last day and left the bustling city of Tokyo after my virgin trip to Japan, it only fuelled me with even more determination to visit all the other parts of Japan with a vengeance. I have to express my deepest gratitude to my equally jap-crazed gal pal who planned the itinerary for this trip and made free and easy touring in Japan seem like a possible feat after all.

I will try my best to update this blog as often as possible and load up as many pictures as I can from my 2 trips. Just to share with you what has caught my eye in those heavenly days of carefree shopping and sightseeing. It will also include any Japanese events, brochures , maps, websites, restaurant reviews all things related to Japan. I hope to be able to look back at this blog as a time capsule of my wonderful memories, experiences and thoughts about Japan. I shall also include tips, websites,books,magazines,blog links that I have used to plan my free and easy itineraries. I am in no way affliated to any tour agency or japanese organisations. This is just my way of sharing the passion I hold for all things Japanese!

Nihonjifully yours
Kumo-san