Weekly Shiritori #43

October 27, 2012, 2:46 am

≫ Next: Happy Hello Kitty Halloween!

≪ Previous: Introducing the ‘Shamazing’ Hibiki Ichikawa

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Last week’s post was about jinrikisha (じんりきしゃ / 人力車), so this week I need to start with either しゃ (sha) or や (ya). A big thank you to everyone who joined in this week - JapanAustralia with shabu-shabu (しゃぶしゃぶ / a Japanese variant of a hot pot), yakitori (焼き鳥 / grilled chicken on a skewer), Yamadera (山寺 … Continue reading »

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Happy Hello Kitty Halloween!

October 31, 2012, 1:37 pm

≫ Next: Book Review: 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami

≪ Previous: Weekly Shiritori #43

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(Image source) Not only is today Halloween, tomorrow is Hello Kitty’s birthday! Yes, Miss Kitty White was born on 1st November 1974, making her 38 years old tomorrow! So, to celebrate, here’s a picture of my favourite ever Hello Kitty Halloween item I bought in Japan: Isn’t that the cutest? Halloween is celebrated in Japan … Continue reading »

Book Review: 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami

October 31, 2012, 3:25 pm

≫ Next: NaNoWriMo and The Shizuka Tea Shop

≪ Previous: Happy Hello Kitty Halloween!

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In order to review 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami all I really need to say is this: 1Q84 is one of the best stories I have ever read. Period.  The three books comprise approximately 1,250 pages in total, but at no point was it a chore to read (I would advise checking out the Kindle version if you … Continue reading »

NaNoWriMo and The Shizuka Tea Shop

October 31, 2012, 3:54 pm

≫ Next: Hyper Japan 2012 Christmas – coming soon!

≪ Previous: Book Review: 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami

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As you may have already seen if you follow me on AliMuskett.com, I’m taking part in NaNoWriMo this year. NaNoWriMo is National Novel Writing Month, and the aim of the game is to write a 50,000 word novel in the month of November. One of the keys to completing the task is to make a … Continue reading »

Hyper Japan 2012 Christmas – coming soon!

November 2, 2012, 1:25 pm

≫ Next: Weekly Shiritori #44

≪ Previous: NaNoWriMo and The Shizuka Tea Shop

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Yes, it’s November already, Christmas decorations are starting to appear, and I even heard Christmas music being played in a shop today. I can’t believe how fast this year is going, but there is one good thing about that – it’s almost time for Hyper Japan 2012 Christmas! Hyper Japan 2012 Christmas is being held … Continue reading »

Weekly Shiritori #44

November 4, 2012, 2:43 am

≫ Next: Adachi Institute of Woodcut Prints: Demonstration and Ukiyo-e Workshop

≪ Previous: Hyper Japan 2012 Christmas – coming soon!

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Last week’s post was about shakuhachi (しゃくはち / 尺八), so this week I need to start with ち (chi). A big thank you to everyone who joined in this week - JapanAustralia with Chichibu Tama Kai National Park (秩父多摩甲斐国立公園) which I’m afraid I can’t choose because it ends with ん and Chiri-hama (千里浜), a beach in Hakui famous as Japan’s … Continue reading »

Adachi Institute of Woodcut Prints: Demonstration and Ukiyo-e Workshop

November 4, 2012, 8:44 am

≫ Next: Weekly Shiritori #45

≪ Previous: Weekly Shiritori #44

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Yesterday the Adachi Institute of Woodcut Prints, in association with the ICN gallery, held an ukiyo-e live demonstration and workshop at the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation in London, and I went along to have a go. Ukiyo-e (浮世絵) is an iconic part of Japanese culture that many people will be familiar with, even if they don’t know … Continue reading »

Weekly Shiritori #45

November 9, 2012, 3:58 pm

≫ Next: Making macarons with On Cookery School

≪ Previous: Adachi Institute of Woodcut Prints: Demonstration and Ukiyo-e Workshop

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Last week’s post was about chirashizushi (ちらしずし / ちらし寿司), so this week I need to start with し (shi). A big thank you to everyone who joined in this week - JapanAustralia with Shiga (滋賀) and Shirakawa-go (白川郷), lovelycomplex with film director Sion (Shion) Sono (園 子温) and ZoomingJapan with Shingu (新宮) (I assume you mean Shingu in Wakayama and not the one in … Continue reading »

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Making macarons with On Cookery School

November 11, 2012, 2:49 am

≫ Next: Exhibition: Keiko Masumoto “motif/vessel” at the ICN gallery

≪ Previous: Weekly Shiritori #45

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As I’ve said on this blog many times before, I like cooking but I don’t claim to be particularly good at it. So, when I was invited to participate in a macaron making class at On Cafe’s On Cookery School, in South London, I was hesitant that I would fail, but hopeful that I would learn … Continue reading »

Exhibition: Keiko Masumoto “motif/vessel” at the ICN gallery

November 11, 2012, 3:51 am

≫ Next: Remembrance Sunday – 611 days later

≪ Previous: Making macarons with On Cookery School

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The current exhibition at the ICN gallery in Shoreditch features one of my favourite artists whose work I have seen at the gallery – Keiko Masumoto. My first thought on stepping into the gallery was to watch my head – there were ceramic geese flying towards me as if someone had just opened up a … Continue reading »

Remembrance Sunday – 611 days later

November 11, 2012, 11:25 am

≫ Next: Weekly Shiritori #46

≪ Previous: Exhibition: Keiko Masumoto “motif/vessel” at the ICN gallery

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It was a lucky coincidence that Tsunami, 611 days later, an event organised by TERP London and Sakura Front to remind people about the events of 11th March 2011 in Japan, fell on Remembrance Sunday. Today, instead of a poppy, I wore my white Sakura Front brooch. (Image: Sakura Front) Today’s event, held at SOAS’s … Continue reading »

Weekly Shiritori #46

November 17, 2012, 4:17 pm

≫ Next: Introducing: Akari Mochizuki

≪ Previous: Remembrance Sunday – 611 days later

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Last week’s post was about Shisa (シーサー), so this week I need to start with あ(a), which confused a lot of you playing along! Shisa is written シーサー in katakana, but that’s しいさあin hiragana (or shiisaa in romaji), so you have to count the extra あ at the end. A big thank you to everyone … Continue reading »

Introducing: Akari Mochizuki

November 17, 2012, 4:48 pm

≫ Next: Weekly Shiritori #47

≪ Previous: Weekly Shiritori #46

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Akari Mochizuki (望月あかり), formerly known as Alika Mochida, is without a doubt the most active female Japanese enka (演歌) singer in the UK. She seems to crop up at pretty much every Japanese event, often with the ‘shamazing’ Hibiki Ichikawa, and never fails to entertain. Her brand new CD contains two songs, plus the karaoke versions … Continue reading »

Weekly Shiritori #47

November 22, 2012, 1:51 pm

≫ Next: Happy December! (And what a month November was!)

≪ Previous: Introducing: Akari Mochizuki

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Last week’s post was about Amanohashidate (あまのはしだて / 天橋立), so this week I need to start with て (te). A big thank you to everyone who joined in and played the game, especially ZoomingJapan with Tenoji (天王寺) in Osaka, Tenkawa (天川) in Nara and tempura (天ぷら), JayDee also with Tennoji in Osaka (and Tennoji Park), tengu (天狗), which are supernatural creatures, and Tennou (天皇), which … Continue reading »

Happy December! (And what a month November was!)

November 30, 2012, 4:30 pm

≫ Next: Weekly Shiritori #48

≪ Previous: Weekly Shiritori #47

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Happy December everyone! (*^_^)v I’ve been a bit quiet over the last month, so I just wanted to let you all know what I’ve been up to, and say that I’m still here. November was a mad month! I did manage to squeeze a few blog posts out, but I still have so much to … Continue reading »

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Weekly Shiritori #48

December 2, 2012, 11:07 am

≫ Next: Monthly Recipe: Azuki, Kinako & Matcha Cupcakes

≪ Previous: Happy December! (And what a month November was!)

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Last week’s post was about Tengu (てんぐ / 天狗), so this week I need to start with ぐ (gu). A big thank you to everyone who joined in and played the game, especially UK Seikatsu who suggested Glico (グリコ), the Japanese confectionery company famous for Pocky and guinomi (ぐい飲み), which I think is some kind of large … Continue reading »

Monthly Recipe: Azuki, Kinako & Matcha Cupcakes

December 2, 2012, 2:04 pm

≫ Next: Weekly Shiritori #49

≪ Previous: Weekly Shiritori #48

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This was supposed to be November’s recipe but November was a bit of a crazy month, so I’m afraid it’s coming to you a little bit late. As it’s getting so cold here in London I’ve been enjoying lots of comfort food, and if you’re feeling the same you’ll love these! This month’s recipe is … Continue reading »

Weekly Shiritori #49

December 8, 2012, 9:15 am

≫ Next: My night with an Electric Samurai in London

≪ Previous: Monthly Recipe: Azuki, Kinako & Matcha Cupcakes

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Last week’s post was about Gunma (ぐんま / 群馬), so this week I need to start with ま (ma). A big thank you to everyone who joined in this week and played the game - UK Seikatsu who suggested Mario Brothers (マリオブラザース), Mameshiba (豆しば – which I wrote about in Week 10), manga (漫画), maguro (マグロ / tuna), … Continue reading »

My night with an Electric Samurai in London

December 19, 2012, 1:55 pm

≫ Next: Hello Kitty Liberty Art Fabrics

≪ Previous: Weekly Shiritori #49

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It’s my birthday tomorrow, and last night I had my present – the chance to see legendary Japanese rock guitarist Tomoyasu Hotei (布袋 寅泰) in concert at the Roundhouse in Camden! I’ve been to quite a lot of concerts in my (gulp) 31 years, but I can honestly say last night’s was one of the best ever. … Continue reading »

Hello Kitty Liberty Art Fabrics

December 19, 2012, 3:07 pm

≫ Next: Food & Drink @ Hyper Japan 2012 Christmas

≪ Previous: My night with an Electric Samurai in London

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Proving that girls are never too old for Hello Kitty, I received the most beautiful Hello Kitty dinner set from my Mum for my birthday (thanks Mum!). It’s from the Hello Kitty Liberty Art Fabrics series, which is a range I have had my eye on for a while now because the designs are just … Continue reading »