Fiberwig Mascara

I'm pretty low maintenance. I don't wear very much make-up, so I'm not able to blog about cosmetics very often. More's the pity, because my understanding is that Japanese cosmetics are really great quality and very popular.

I do have one Japanese product that I love however: Fiberwig Mascara by deJavu. Isn't that an amazing name? I never would have picked it up on my own, but Raku recommended it to me. You can find it at any drug store, and it is the best mascara I've ever used.

As funny as the name is, it actually makes sense. Fiberwig creates long thin fibers that extend past the ends of your eyelashes. When you wash it off, it actually comes off as little strings, not just dissolving color. This is a major bonus if you, like me, are a crier - no fear of streaky raccoon eyes or waterproof mascara that is really hard to get off. 

If you're looking for a good mascara, or a good souvenir for a make-up lover I highly recommend it!

Before: no mascara

After: fiberwig mascara

Seriously, it's the best!

In Praise of Dekopon

Have you ever heard of dekopon? They're my new obsession. Dekopon are a type of citrus fruit developed in Japan that look like oranges with a funny bump on top. I never knew what they were until I read an article about a month ago that mentioned them - in the US I think they're marketed under the name Sumo. So I got curious and picked some up. My only question now is why did I wait so long to try them?

They taste a lot like clementines, but imagine every dekonpon tastes like the best clementine you've ever eaten. They're large, and they're easy to peel. If you see them, trust me, you should buy them! Unfortunately their flavor breaks down pretty quickly, so don't let them linger in the back of your fridge or save them for a special occasion.

Obligatory Sakura Post

It's already the tail end of sakura season. It's the best time of year here, but so fleeting. A couple days ago it rained all day, knocking down a lot of the blossoms and now little green leaves are overtaking the remaining flowers. Luckily I managed to get in lots of cherry blossom viewing over the last couple weeks. There's not much more to say, being that it's my fourth sakura season (how has it been that long already?!?) so instead, I'll let my pictures do the talking.

Shinka Hair Salon Update: New Stylists and Locations

Shinka Hair Salon is one of the biggest google searches that brings traffic to my blog. I really hope it's English speakers in Japan looking for information and not Australians annoyed to be reading something about Tokyo.

It's been a few years since I wrote that post, so I thought it was time for an update. The Roppongi location is still going strong, though Miyuki hasmoved on. But since then they've opened a new location in Azabu Juban. My stylist Naomi, who I highly recommend, has recently started working at the new branch so I went there for the first time yesterday.

The Azabu Juban branch is smaller, and feels more intimate. It also has a cute, rustic vibe instead of the shiny look of the Roppongi branch. I'd happily recommend either branch. Everyone is really friendly, they speak english, and they know how to cut and dye foreigner hair. If you're going to Roppongi I think Sachi is especially sweet, and in Azabu Juban I really recommend Naomi.

The foils always make me feel like I have a lion's mane

Shinka Hair Salon

Roppongi Branch
Hours: M-F 11:00-8:30, Sat 10:30-6:30, Closed Sundays and 2nd & 4th Mondays
Phone: 03-5575-6768
Address: 2nd floor 2-18-20 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Map

Azabu Juban Branch
Hours: M-F 11:00-8:30, Sat 10:30-6:30, Closed Sundays and 2nd & 4th Mondays
Phone: 03-3455-6622
Address: 3-14-2 Azabu Juban, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Map

I Miss Thunderstorms

We had a thunderstorm last night. I can't even remember how many we used to have back home now, but they're incredibly rare in Tokyo. Probably less than once per year. 

The sakura seem to be unusually slow coming out this year. Maybe I'm imagining it, or maybe my information was less accurate this year, or maybe it's the cold snap we had last week but we haven't quite reached the flood of flowers I thought we'd have by now. 

This post is becoming more disjointed by the second, but I got some really sad news about a childhood friend this morning that makes my heart ache for her. It also makes me so grateful for my own life. The things I worry about, the daily annoyances that irritate me, the problems I'm trying to solve are trivial compared to what so many people are struggling with. I hope that on days when I vent my frustrations or mention bouts of homesickness I don't come across as ungrateful because I know how truly lucky I am.

My newest spring furoshiki

Sakura Cronuts - we may have a slight cronut addiction over here

Almost Sakura

It's almost sakura season. The very first cherry blossoms are just opening up, and by this weekend they'll be in full force. But even now there are flowers blooming everywhere and warmer days have been sneaking in here and there.

I suppose this is how it always goes, but winter seems like it has lasted forever even though time also seems to be flying. In just a month John's mom is coming out to visit us and we are so excited to show her all the things we love about Japan! And I am so looking forward to warmer sunny days and more time spent outside.

These are best smelling flowers in the world! (If only I knew their name)

I think I associate Camellias with Japan as much as I do Cherry Blossoms

The Other Fifth Anniversary

Today is the fifth anniversary of the Great Tohuku Earthquake. I suppose it will always be linked in my mind with our wedding anniversary. We didn't even know it had happened until over a day later because we were on our honeymoon. I still remember arriving in the Miami Airport and seeing the news. We were stunned. At the time we wondered if that would be the end of our Japan dreams. Would John's job offer still exist? And even if it did, we wondered in the early days how safe it would be to live here.

If you've been following my blog that long (and oh how silly and embarrassing my blog is from back in those days) you know we did come out for the summer just three months later. The city was working furiously to conserve electricity, there were aftershocks all the time, and everyone was shell shocked. A little more than a year after that we moved out here permanently. Some of the freshest wounds had healed, but the country was still reeling.

Now, five years later, having lived here for more than three myself, I don't have any idea how to speak to the tragedy and recovery Japan is going through. In some ways things seem back to normal, and in others the devastation seems just as raw and immediate. There's a lot of criticism of the recovery efforts, there is still a great deal of confusion and anger over whether or not Japan should use nuclear power, there are still people living in temporary housing five years later. My heart aches for the loss and the suffering that has been and continues to be experienced. And at the same time I am so thankful that we were still able come to this beautiful country.