japan Archives - the crafty tokyoite

5 Things to Do During Rainy Season in Tokyo

June 25, 2016

If you’ve ever lived in Japan, or happened to visit in June/early July, you know the pain in the a- that comes with rainy season. As an owner of a dog who NEEDS to be walked to do his business (he refuses to do it anywhere else…REFUSES), rainy season is the bane of my existence. It’s humid, it’s muggy, it’s hot, and it’s miserable. So, if you happen to visit during this time – you may feel defeated. What to do? Where can we go? But not all hope is lost! I’ve compiled a list of a few things you can do during your visit to Tokyo during this less-than-ideal time of year.

Epson Aqua Park Shinagawa

Photo Courtesy of Reuters

A few weeks ago, I took a few of my pre-school students to this Aquarium in the heart of Shinagawa – within the Shinagawa Prince Hotel. It’s all indoors and absolutely beautiful. It’s definitely a smaller aquarium but it’s absolutely gorgeous. The jellyfish display is probably my favorite. If you have kids, it’s definitely a winner. There’s two rides (a merry-go-round and a pirate ship), and lots of interactive displays. If you don’t have kids and you want to go for a date day/night, it’s also a winner. The aquarium has a bar. I repeat, the aquarium has a bar. Boom. Done. You can find out more about their displays at the website, but take it from me – so worth going there! There’s also a movie theater right next door so if you’re not ready to end your day of adventure, you just walk over a few steps and can delve into a movie. Win win, y’all.Continue Reading

Fuji Safari Park | 富士サファリパーク

June 18, 2016

The Crafty Tokyoite’s Guide to Japan is a weekly (or an attempt to be) feature I post about recommendations of places to visit in Japan (mostly Tokyo). I know this is a tourist heavy country and if I can help in any way with anybody wanting to take a trip out here, I would love that more than anything. Sometimes they’re lists, sometimes they’re photo logs of places I’ve been to, and sometimes they’re just a simple blog post with something I want to share about the city I love the best. I hope you enjoy and please feel free to leave any comments or feedback about places in Japan you’d like me to write about!

On Saturday, June 4th, L and I decided to drive out to Mt. Fuji area to visit Fuji Safari Park (富士サファリパーク). It’s one of my favorite places to go, and in L’s two and a half years living in Japan, he had never been so we decided to go before it got too hot. The weather was a little meh, but it was absolutely worth it! I wish one of us had brought our DSLR, but unfortunately we had a mishap: we forgot our SD card. Dun dun dunnnnn – so we had to use our iPhones. But it was just as well because we weren’t allowed to open our windows during the drive through the “safari” so we had that dreaded window glare in most of our photos. Regardless, we had an absolute blast and it’s highly, highly, recommended to anyone staying or going to Mt. Fuji area during a Japan trip.

Many of the “large” animals were viewed via your own car or by the Safari park bus. If you ride the bus, they have these caged windows that they attach raw meat to it, and the lions and tigers come RIGHT UP to the windows to eat it. It’s crazy-cool but this time we went through in our own car so none of that funky business for us. Instead, we settled for the awesome “petting-zoo” portion of the rest of the park. There is Dog House, a Cat House, and a Bunny House, where you pay ¥500 (~$4.50) to go into each of the “houses” to bond with the respective animals. We chose to go the closer-to-free route of paying ¥50 each to feed the alpaca (my favorite), the albino kangaroos (who didn’t even move, much less eat), and the regular kangaroos (THE BEST EVER, #1 BEST PART OF MY DAY). You can also go in and cuddle capybaras, and other little critters, as well as take photos with baby lions (seasonal). Unfortunately, the tickets to take photos with baby lions were all sold out (literally devastated), but it was all worth it to feed the kangaroos.

As you can tell, I couldn’t get enough of these guys. And they have little joeys (baby kangaroos) IN MAMA’S POUCHES. We were squealing (yes, even L). They’re hungry little buggers and we ran out of coins by the end of the day so I was literally picking up food off the ground that people had dropped to keep feeding these guys. I’m pretty sure I was single-handedly responsible for kangaroo obesity at the park, if they encounter that problem. As you can tell, this was such an amazing and unforgettable day for us. I cannot recommend it enough. It’s so different than a traditional zoo where your heart hurts seeing animals in tiny cages – and I know it doesn’t change that they’re in captivity, but we had such a wonderful time. Let me know if you have any questions!

Fuji Safari Park | website
Address: 〒410-1231 Shizuoka Prefecture, Susono, 須山字藤原2255−27
Phone Number: 055-998-1311
Open From Mar.16 to Sep.3 09:00 to 17:00
From Oct.1 to Oct.31 9:00 to 16:30
From Nov.1 to Mar.15 10:00 to 15:30
Admission: Adults (high school & older) ¥2,700
Children (4 to middle school): ¥1,500
Senior Discount (65+): ¥2,000
******I HIGHLY recommend you buy your tickets at a discounted rate at a convenience store******

5 Instagram-Worthy Coffee Shops in Tokyo

June 11, 2016

We all know we do it for the ‘gram a lot of the times and y’all know coffee photos get the likes coming. Tokyo has some of the cutest coffee shops in the world – so I compiled a list of some of the most photogenic coffee shops in and around Tokyo for your coffee enthusiasts. Enjoy!

1. Nem Coffee&Espresso

A photo posted by M A S A K O (@masafii) on May 23, 2016 at 12:21am PDT

One of the newest coffee shops to hit the streets is Nem in Hiroo. Built in a 50 year old home, it’s got a cute rustic and industrious feel with wooden beams and white walls. The coffee is an absolute treat – a definite must go if you’re in the area.

Address: 4-5-6 Minamiazabu, Minato-ku Tokyo
Open: 8:00 am – 6:00 pm

2. Frankie Melbourne Espresso

If you miss genuine long black(americano) in Tokyo, this is where you should go #frankieshimokita . It tastes exactly same as the nice one you used to have in #melbourne . 美味しいロングブラックが飲める店 #frankieshimokita 下北沢だよ。内装にばっか金かけてうっすいコーヒー出す北参道のおしゃカフェよりずっといいよ。 #coffee #tokyo #shimokitazawa

A photo posted by Sho Yoshida (@sho357yoshida) on May 23, 2016 at 10:19pm PDT

Frankie is a coffee shop 1 minute from Shimokitazawa Station. The vibe they’re going for is a Melbourne coffee shop – with a mix of modern and classic. They serve cold-pressed juices in the mornings as well! Winner!

Address: 2-12-16 Kitazawa, Setagaya-ku Tokyo 155-0031
Open: 10:00 am – 8:00 pm ; Closed: Mondays

3. Reissue

A photo posted by Hannah Davidson (@davidson.hannah) on May 1, 2016 at 12:41am PDT

When my friend texted me a photo of one of the 3D foam-art lattes from Reissue, I squealed. What is this cuteness?! I’m not usually a big fan of the “kawaii” culture but this blew my mind. My friend and I swung by the shop while L was getting his hair cut in Omotesando. The store is easy to miss as it’s up a narrow staircase on the side of a building. It gets super crowded so you might have to wait, but it’s well worth it.

Address: 3-25-7 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku Tokyo (2nd Floor)
Open: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm

4. Sidewalk Stand (no website)

A photo posted by LokseJay (@loksejay) on Apr 20, 2016 at 11:58pm PDT

I actually happened to stumble upon this shop last weekend when L and I went to a sunglass sample sale in Nakameguro. I have always loved this neighborhood as they have the cutest little boutiques, bars, restaurants and stores. This shop was no exception. Sandwiches, craft beers, and good coffee. L and his friends got the craft beers, while I got the coffee. Absolutely delicious. The Reuben was also super tasty! Not much space to sit but a super charming little coffee shop, just as the name states, on the corner of a sidewalk.

Address: 1-23-14 Aobadai, Meguro-ku Tokyo
Open: 9:00 am – 9:00 pm

5. Camelback

A photo posted by CAMELBACK sandwich&espresso (@camelback_tokyo) on Feb 13, 2016 at 9:08pm PST

A few blocks from Yoyogi park lies Camelback coffee. This cute little shop serves “the best egg sandwiches” with an assortment of other foods and beverages. Everything from their storefront to the paper cups they use to serve their coffee is absolutely adorable. It helps that the coffee is absolutely delicious as well. Definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area (which, if you’re visiting Tokyo, you will find yourself in the neighborhood anyway;))

Address: 42-2 Kamiya-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Open: 9:00 am – 7:00 pm ; Closed: Mondays

6. (BONUS) Pretty Things

Coffee & a walk in the park with my two favorite boys (not pictured: ? Alfieboy)

A photo posted by t i n a (@thecraftytokyoite) on Feb 11, 2016 at 12:30am PST

(Yes I totally used my own photo teehee) My personal favorite coffee shop in my neighborhood. It’s more suburb-y than the rest of the locations, but definitely an adorable little store if you’re in the neighborhood. L and I often walk our dog in the park neighboring this coffee shop on the weekends, and this shop is dog-friendly so we always swing by on a nice day. They often have pop-up shops by different stores/artists and they sell little trinkets in the store like badges and books, and if you’re lucky, you can grab one of their delicious chocolate chip cookies!

Address: 5-19-10 Komazawa, Setagaya-ku

Well, that about wraps it up. If you guys like this and/or posts like this, let me know in the comments below and I will do my best to continue posting more lists similar to to this to add to my little hand-dandy guide of Tokyo! Enjoy and stay caffeinated, my friends!

Todoroki Keikoku | 等々力渓谷

June 4, 2016

As the summer months approach, Tokyo is getting hotter and hotter every day. If you know anything about Tokyo summers, you know they are quite miserable (at least for me). Humidity + no breeze + crazy hot heat = June, July, and August in September. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t visit or that you should only stay indoors these months! In fact, L and I discovered this amazing spot last weekend, thanks to my mom. Apparently while I was living in Hawaii, she would walk Alfie here during hot summer days. Say hello to Todoroki Keikoku – a hidden gem in the ‘burbs of Tokyo. It’s literally a 5 minute drive from my house and one of the most beautiful, serene and mystical places I’ve been to.

Covered with greenery and a beautiful stream that runs through the valley, Todoroki Keikoku is a beautiful sanctuary if you want to get away for the hustle and bustle of the city. It’s so much cooler than up on the streets and in the sun, as it’s tucked away under the trees that provide shade, and it’s lower than street level – the stream definitely adds the “cooler” feeling this place gives off. If you love greenery and nature, this spot will be a haven to you. The trail is pretty long – I think one way could easily take up to an hour but we only walked about 30 minutes and turned around since our dog was pretty pooped and L is still in recovery from his broken leg. Regardless, I highly recommend making a pit stop if you have a free day during your visit to Tokyo.

Things you should bring with you:

Mosquito Repellent
Water
Comfortable, non-slippery shoes
A camera

Onwards for a picture-heavy post! Hope you guys like green because this is hella green.

Fuji Trip Short-Trip Travel Album | Day 1

September 25, 2015

September 19 – 23 was what Japan calls, Silver Week. It was a 3-day stretch of holidays that fell right after the weekend. It’s a rare occurrence that Silver Week falls during this time – you can read more about that here. Anyway, we decided this year to take a short trip somewhere in Japan during the first few days of the holiday to commemorate this rare occurrence! I searched high and low on Air BnB for a place close to the ocean but of course, I was too late and literally everything was booked during the few days we were planning on doing something. Finally, mom suggested we check out the mountains. Sure enough, we found a house in Narisawa – a neighborhood close to Mt. Fuji, known to be close to the famous Five Fuji Lakes.

I decided to do a 4×4 album for this short trip because I just felt a project life spread wasn’t enough for the amount of photos we took and stories I wanted to record. I am almost regretting a 4×4…maybe a 6×8 album would have been better but oh well. What’s done is done and so far I’m enjoying the process. 4×4’s are so easy in that you feel zero pressure to really do any embellishing. I’m focusing on the photos and stories and if I get to embellishing, go me! Anyway, onwards with the album!

Fashion’s Night Out : Tokyo

September 13, 2015

Saturday night was quite the doozy (do people ever say that in real life? I think it’s kind of hilarious). It was Fashion’s Night Out, which is a global shopping event hosted in various fashion capitals all over the world. You can read more about it here. Tokyo’s event was hosted in Omotesando/Aoyama/Harajuku area and it was an event that my friend Rio and I started going to years ago when it first started. Basically, it’s an event that encourages people to shop more and they do this by hosting stamp rallies, events, drinks and food. Naturally, I’m all over any event that serves free drinks.

This year, unfortunately Rio couldn’t make it because she was leaving that night on a flight to Spain/Ibiza (fancy, fancy), so I recruited L and my best friend, Hisaya, to come with me. I wasn’t sure what to expect with two boys but it ended up being a blast. I decided I wanted to share some photos from last night as this is definitely going to have its own spread in my album as well as possibly 12×12 page *gasp*.

Sakura : Japanese Cherry Blossoms

March 30, 2015

Spring is my absolute favorite season here in Japan (despite my killer hay fever). It’s not too cold, not too hot. The sun is shining and a light cardigan will suffice when you decide to take a stroll around the neighborhood. But, the best part is definitely the cherry blossoms. I was away from Japan for about 7 years and this was probably one of the things I missed the most. Our house is on top of a little valley that is lined by cherry blossom trees, so when you walk out of the house, you’re walking through a tunnel of pink. It’s absolutely breathtaking and there are no words to describe it. Every year, I try to capture the beauty of it via my iPhone, DSLR and my point and shoot but it never does it justice. So, so, so gorgeous. My grandma recently moved into an old peoples home a few minutes away from our home, but she’s not a huge fan of walking (she was bedridden for 5 months so she’s still rehabilitating) so she doesn’t get out much. Today, the skies were blue and gorgeous, the temperature in the 70’s (or mid 20’s if you’re a Celsius person like me) and it was the perfect day to take her out to experience the breathtaking beauty around our house.

family lamppost mamagrandma nomigawa sakuracloseup

My grandma looks good for a 90 year old, wouldn’t you say? 🙂 We ended the day with a lunch at Futakotamagawa Rise and I finally gave in and bought a Traveler’s Notebook from Loft after watching Amy Tan’s video about her trip to Kauai. I’ve decided to use it as a journal/diary for my 27th year of life 🙂 We’ll see how that goes!

L’s 1 Year in Japan Mini-Album

March 27, 2015

WARNING: SUPER PICTURE HEAVY POST.

The month of March in this household is a pretty eventful month. March 20th marked one year since my fiancé moved to Japan. As seen in my last post, March 23rd was my birthday. March 30th is a year since he proposed. So, yes, it’s a crazy month. I wanted to do something to commemerate his year in Japan so decided upon a mini-album inspired by Stephanie Bryan (one of my favorite crafters of all time). A couple of weeks before I decided to make a mini-album, she posted a blog post about a mini she made for her and her husband’s 8 year anniversary. It was so beautiful and inspiring that I decided to take a shot at my first ever actual mini-album. I was SO happy with the result and L was so, so happy – he claims it made him cry. This statement cannot be confirmed as I was asleep when he saw it… ha. I went through my stash and pulled out a bunch of patterned papers I love, journal cards, some vellum, embellishments, a date stamp, printed my pictures and went to town. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.