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Food and Architecture in Tokyo, Japan | Photo Diary

Food and Architecture in Tokyo, Japan

Looking through my photos from my times in Japan you will see a lot of food & architecture. Those are the two main things that I go a little crazy about when visiting another country, especially when it’s for the first time. Well these pictures were taken on my second trip to Tokyo (before I moved there), when the fiancé and I went wandering around Tokyo Tower, through back streets and temples. The food pictured above is a ‘traditional’ Japanese breakfast, with rice, miso soup, bacon, egg, salad and natto. If you ever get the chance to try natto, then do, because Japanese people love to know whether you’re a fan or not – it’s basically the Marmite of Japan. The second photo is of a bowl of ramen and gyoza, if I remember it was from a cheap-ish chain restaurant. Japanese ‘fast-food’ is similarly priced to the UK kind but doesn’t feel anywhere near as bad when you’re eating it – ramen, rice & meat and noodles are probably the most popular. I’d recommend Yoshinoya, Ichiran Ramen & Coco Ichiban Curry (my favourite!).

All these photos are making me crave Japanese food.
I think I will have to start cooking it more often…or head back soon!

 

 

bloomzy /

Photo Diary; Life in Japan

My neighbourhood in Japan

This time I wanted to show you a bit more of suburban Japan.
When I first moved to Tokyo I spent a couple of weeks exploring the neighbourhood. 
I loved the area I lived in, and the people, so I wanted to share it with you.
I think these photos really show how calm and serene a place it was, and probably still is.
It was always lovely to come home to somewhere like this, after a long day in the hustle and bustle of Tokyo. 

My favourite of these though has to be the sleeping kitten. It was a stray that suddenly turned up in a nearby park, frail and alone. The nearby residents fed and took care of it, making it a home from some polystyrene and a bathtub cover. After a few weeks, one of the old ladies took him in and gave him a collar.
To me it really helps summarise the sense of community and family I felt when staying there.
bloomzy /

My Style Evolution

Tokyo 2010/11 – Paris 2011 – England 2011/12
 
My Style Evolution is something I have been wanting to write about for a while.
I think it’s obvious from this blog, and my pictures that during the past 2 years my personal style has changed quite a bit. When I thought about it, I realised that is could easily be attributed to time, place and culture – see, I did listen in Sociology!
Tokyo 2010/11
My year7 months studying in Tokyo were a major influence on my personal style.
At that point I had been interested in Japanese fashion, mainly「ギャル」fashion for a while, so of course it seemed only fitting that my main source of inspiration during my stay in Japan was ‘Gal fashion’. During this time I only bought clothing from Japanese brands, dyed my hair often and even bleached it.
Paris 2011
When I first arrived in Paris I was still heavily influenced by ‘Gal’. I had always loved European fashion, and being somewhere as wonderfully fitting as Paris saw my style evolve a little more. I took less inspiration from Gal and began to take it from the women and city of Paris.
England 2011/12
Moving back to England meant I had some time to relax and contemplate the last few years, and my own personal style; it had really changed a lot. I no longer felt such an affinity with Gal, and it didn’t inspire me as it used to.
Instead I took inspiration from Western fashion magazines, as well as Japanese. I began shopping primarily in places such as Topshop and H&M. I finally set on a hair colour and style that I loved; which has stayed with me for the past 7 months.
 
So where am I now?
I’m in a very comfortable place. My style is my own!
Once again I look forward to putting an outfit together, or reading about the latest trends in Western and Japanese fashion. It’s true that I don’t ‘follow’ Gal anymore, but I still have a love for Japanese brands and street-style, and I think it will always be a source of inspiration to me. As it has been in the past, my style can’t really be labelled and I like it that way. It’s a bit of everything that inspires me along the way.
 
And the blog?
Well that’s changed a lot too, you will certainly be seeing a lot more personal/lifestyle posts, along with the usual beauty product (Western and Japanese) reviews, and of course outfit posts. For those who have stuck with me this long, thank you so much for being a part of my style evolution, and for my new readers I hope you will enjoy what is to come.
bloomzy /

OOTD: 90s Throwback

Crop Jumper: Off-brand from Tokyo | Velvet Dress: Topshop | Necklace: Urban Outfitters

Everything about this outfit screams 90’s throwback to me. Maybe it’s because at the time I was growing up in velvet dresses and skirts and my fascination with Ancient Egypt (that’s an Ankh on the necklace) was at its height. That aside, the red lipstick and cropped jumper also feel kinda 1990ish to me. Even though I grew up as a 90s kid I don’t often feel much of an affinity with the era, but wearing this did make me slightly nostalgic.

Making good use of the Macbook Pro and crazy positions – anything to get a photo of my outfit when no one is around to help. Please excuse my messy room.
bloomzy /

Life in Japan; Donki & Purikura

I may have had to leave Japan temporarily, but that doesn’t mean I can’t keep making the ‘Life in Japan’ picture posts. I have plenty of images stored up, especially from my travels to Hiroshima and Kyoto and I mean LOTS!! 

This picture post includes: 
– Akihabara Donki
– Purikura Advertising
Location: Tokyo & Hiroshima
Click on pictures to enlarge.

Donki are well known for their costumes.
It’s fake breasts all around with these costumes.

Men need fabulous wigs too…right?!
Donki always offer cheap but cute glue-on nails. 
I think I know why these eyelashes were in the bargain bin – nasty~ 
A new purikura booth offers a ‘moistened eyes’ effect – yay?! 
The advertising for the ‘Essence’ machines is always so gorgeous. 
Shock, horror!! Gals reading MANGA!! on their phones haha 
bloomzy /

Picture post; Life in Japan

Thank you to all who replied to the ‘Picture Post; Request‘ post!
It will stay open for all of you who wish to make more requests. 

In other news, the Japan picture posts shall now be known as ‘Life in Japan‘. I may continue to make specific picture posts like the ‘Sweets‘ and ‘Kamakura‘ ones, but all the requests and random pictures shall fall into this new category.

This picture post includes:
– 109
– EGGnam Arcade
– School Girls
– UFO Catchers
– Alpacas
– Host Club & Hosts
– Festival Sweets
Location: Tokyo
Click on pictures to enlarge.

 Kumickey promoting the new 109 branded cellphones on the front of…109
EGG Namco Arcade 

Some schoolgirls going to take purikura.
As so many of you requested it, I shall pluck up the courage to take proper photos soon!
UFO Catcher goodies 
Kaomoji plushies 

 You can even win cheesecake in UFO catchers.
Maybe you fancy another brand?
Or some giant packets of chewy sweets?! 
Some of the goodies I/my boyf won in UFO catchers recently.
Giant Alpaca ♥ ♥ ♥
The giant Alpacas can no longer taunt me! 
Champagne call~ 

Sake, water, apple juice, ginger ale…and carmex.
The glamour of Host Clubs haha 
My Host Riku #2 (right), Toni’s (left) and クリーミーちゃん the Alpaca 
I should have stolen his bow tie/shirt…and the D&G leopard print belt!!
Finally, some sweet treats to tempt you~
Hina Matsuri themed @ Daiso
Don’t forget that the picture request post is always open for your comments and requests~
bloomzy /

Meet-up; W♥C Date with Caroline~

I met with Caroline of ‘Spooning with a Schoolboy‘ on Monday, for our arranged ‘W♥C Day’. It originally started off as us deciding to meet up because of our love of W♥C but then turned into a whole day of it haha
Caroline is really sweet and so easy to get along with. We’ve already made plans to meet again and I can’t wait. Not only is she clued up on Japan but she’s so helpful and told me of lots of great places to visit. If you love reading about people’s lives in Japan then you definitely need to take a peek at her blog.
My make-up/hair for the day…
Top & bottom lashes, paired with my green Candy Magic lenses.
I wish I had taken a closer picture because I did a grey-pink shadow combo – inspired by Tsubasa’s Candydoll. I would definitely do it again, and next time I’ll take pics ;D
As you can see my hair didn’t really want to cooporate that day. I had wanted to do the big buns a lot of the shop-staff had been sporting, to finish off my outfit. However I ended up doing some back-combed bunches with a few curls.
And my outfit…
Gold studded headbow
Sex & W♥C Cardigan
‘Tiger’ tshirt
Kumatan fishnet tights
Frilly socks
Yep, I was W♥C down to my socks. However I don’t yet own any bottoms or shoes from them, so they were other brands. I really liked this outfit, and it was quite fun. It also got me quite a few compliments – something that happens a lot when I wear W♥C. It’s so popular right now and even Gals who don’t dress in it seem to have some kind of secret appreciation for it.
We didn’t just go shopping though. Caroline was kind enough to take me to a Chinese buffet she knew in Lumine EST. It wasn’t too badly priced, the restaurant was very nice and the food was delicious. It was a lot less greasier than the Chinese food back home, which I had been craving, so I was pleasantly surprised XD
The plates are small, so you can’t ‘over indulge’.

These melon buns were AMAZING!!
Caroline wanted to go just for these and I understand completely XD
We also made a stop off at my favourite arcade in Kabukicho, for purikura (of course). Whilst we were there I had a go at winning some Alpacas for Mitsu and Sami but unfortunately I didn’t have much luck.
However I did take a pic to tide them over until I can ;D
Valentine Alpaca
Let’s finish off with some more purikura~