make it easy

The Board of Trade Co.

2012-01-28T11:00:00.004-10:00

the other day, a man named David befriended me on instagram. and attached to his profile page was a clothing website which he so happens to be the owner of. upon coming across his clothing line, i was immediately drawn to this fashion forward shop.

with a simple and beautifully designed website, this mens and womens boutique is snuggled away in Vancouver, British Columbia... another thing to add to my list of reasons why i want to visit Canada!

later, David sent me one of the kindest emails i have ever received. i read it while i was at work and could not stop smiling! hahah, it totally made my day. so thank you mr. David!

The Board of Trade Co.

Jollygoo package + magazine work!

2012-01-25T12:00:00.005-10:00

Hiki-san, from Jollygoo, so kindly sent me this wonderful package in the mail! Australian Magazine, Frankie, which her and other blog friend Ebony from Hello Sandwich, are featured in! also the new issue of Brutus Casa, and a lovely postcard also made by another blog friend, Fine Little Day!

(i love how blogs bring people from all around the world together!)

and featured in Hiki-sans interview, are 3 of my very own photos i took of her during our bike adventure back in October!! i was so happy that she asked me to share my photos too, because it's so exciting for me to actually see photos of mine in an international magazine!!! :-D

ありがとう　ひきさん！！

* * *

i also wanted to share that i'm currently working on a fashion photo article that will be featured in the 2nd issue of Casual Days magazine! blog friend (Chief editor & Creative Director of the company), Rebecca Toh, kindly featured me as one of their contributor writers for their late online blog "Super Youth". and continuing to partner with them, she asked me to do an article on "comfortable fashion" for their next issue! so i am VERY excited for that as well!!! (if you're reading this Rebecca, thanks again for this opportunity!! ♥) i'll update you all on this as the magazine finishes and prints :-)

oh! and one more thing :-p

last week, i received an email from an online writer named Gemma Rasmussen who asked if she could do a little piece on my blog for Gaijin Pot. so here it is!!

(thank you Gemma!!)

handcrafted

2012-01-19T13:19:00.005-10:00

the other week i ordered these zouri from Japan and i am just so happy and appreciative of the craftsmanship put into hand making these traditional sandals! heres the website where it's from.

and the origami was also a nice surprise i found in another box shipped to me from Japan. i just love the idea of a total stranger in a whole different world, hand crafting something special just for you :-)

thank you for sharing your new years resolutions!! it was very inspiring to read!

...one more thing...

i finally gave in and got myself an iPhone 4... hahah! i really did not want to get one because i don't necessarily think they are the nicest looking phones (i think they look like remote controls for microwaves or something), and being compared to the beautiful Japanese cellphones i always get. but, i must say, as i'm still getting used to it, they are very convenient!

and so i signed up for instagram too! hahah

do you guys have instagram? i would love to see your photos from your side of the world! my user name is: iiimono (yes, 3 i's), what's yours??

2012!

2012-01-11T15:15:00.002-10:00

hello friends!

i have not updated in a while, and this is my first post of 2012! so i hope you all had a fun and safe new years celebration!! i personally don't have any new years resolutions... hahah. i did not really think of any or commit to anything in particular. i guess just to save money so i can plan my next trip. i've been already making plans in my head to go back to Japan in the fall again of this year!! so hopefully it will work out :-D

do you have any new years resolutions???

i would love to hear them, so maybe i can get some ideas for my own as well! haha

but anyway, here is another video i just made the other day! i used the song i previously had on my page, by I Am Robot and Proud, called "Good Sleep." i love this song, and hope you enjoy this video of people watching and city walking.

メリークリスマス & きんがしんねん!

2011-12-29T13:57:00.005-10:00

here's another little fun video i put together of random adventures i do in Tokyo!

also, i hope everyone had a merry christmas and lets get ready to celebrate the new year!! i wish us all luck, strength, and happiness! happy 2012!! :-D

♥ Aron

hara donuts

2011-12-20T14:24:00.004-10:00

one of my favourite adventures was finding the different Hara Donuts shops! they are all so cute and simple. also deliciously made with tofu + vegetables, with many different seasonal flavours such as carrot, pistachio, cafe mocha, as well as sakura (cherry blossom) flavour. to me, they taste just like andagi, which is an Okinawan snack popular here in Hawaii.

i was also so happy to bring home with me their adorable tote bag! i use it everyday to bring my home lunches to work. its only ¥500 and the proceeds support seeing eye dogs throughout Japan.

pixiv

2011-12-14T21:00:00.004-10:00

beautiful beautiful illustrations of Japanese girls by たえ。

Shinya's

2011-12-13T12:02:00.002-10:00

really beautiful photos by Shinya.

today is my only day off so i'm trying to rest well because i have been feeling sick lately. since i got back from Japan, i picked up a second job and have been working 7 days a week to try and make the money back, but now i am so worn out... i think i need to change my schedule to have at least one day off! (sorry for complaining. hahah)

つかれた。

Japan on Foot

2011-12-08T12:27:00.006-10:00

i would like to take this moment to say a huge thank you to my feet. i may not show my appreciation as often as i should, but i just want to express my gratitude for taking me on so many adventures throughout my life. if it wasn't for you, i might not have had the luxury of getting to see the things i've been lucky enough to see. i owe you a lot ♥

'natural days'

2011-12-05T01:25:00.003-10:00

just quickly wanted to share these pretty photos by Yukki from Natural Days.

おやすみ。

Shimokitazawa

2011-11-29T23:28:00.026-10:00

these last 4 pictures are at a great bar/cafe' called Kamera, right in the middle of Shimokitazawa. the food is so delicious and very reasonable price for the lunch set. i liked it so much, i brought my friend Koichi with me the next time i went!　

カメラカフェがおすすめです！

Shimokitazawa is well known for it's many vintage and thrift stores, ethnic and accessory shops, and also cafe's and little eateries. once you get off the train, you step into colourful streets and alleys filled with shopping and fun things to see! it's definitely a cute little town to get lost in...

here is also a little video i made of my walk through Shimokitazawa! its in HD :-)

Second Stage

2011-11-23T22:46:00.004-10:00

here's a little break from my Japan photos, and i want to share this really great mens clothing brand called Second Stage. i love their colour choices and pop of fresh prints and details. it all looks so comfortable as well.

that is one thing i miss about Japan: how everyone dresses so well! here in Hawaii, "fashion culture" is almost nonexistent (maybe because there's no seasons here... or everyone is just lazy, haha), so walking the streets of Tokyo was much better on the eyes for me ;-p

ぼくのビデオ！

2011-11-20T22:26:00.005-10:00

so here is my first mini-movie from my Japan trip! it was of the wonderful day i had with Hiki-san as we rode our bikes through Tokyo! i took much more video footage throughout my stay, so look forward to more of these mini-movies :-D

* you can turn my blog music off at the bottom of the page to listen better *

enjoy!

♥

Nekobukuro

2011-11-15T11:39:00.019-10:00

my friend Koichi took me to another cat cafe' in Ikebukuro, which was on the 8th floor of the popular Tokyo department store chain called Tokyu Hands.

munchkin cat!!

other animals in the pet store next door

after, had a beer at Kirin City

everything was gold!

ps: i just finished making my first video from my Japan trip! i decided to start with my bike riding adventure with Hiki-san! i'm uploading it right now, so check back i'll be posting it soon :-D

Ueno

2011-11-11T15:49:00.014-10:00

one day i decided to randomly get off at Ueno station, and i am so happy i did because it was a very interesting city! full of people drinking and eating at food stands, seafood markets, restaurants, buildings, parks, and many streets and alleys.

i remember i did not stay there very long because i already spent my daily budget, but it was a very memorable place full of exciting noise and happenings!

Faces of Japan

2011-11-04T13:47:00.030-10:00

throughout my stay in Japan, i met so many friendly faces and made new friends in new places! i think Japanese people are relatively shy at first, but once they get to know you, they are a total open book. i am so happy to have shared my life there with such wonderful people around me :-D

cool guys in Harajuku

this is Chika. he is the staff at a store in Jiyugaoka

i remember he had a tongue ring. haha

Ayaka, Naomi, and Mai-chan

my buddy Koichi. we went on so many random adventures together!

he is my friend from Hawaii. we studied at the same university

and he lived in Hawaii for 6 years

Mai-chan's mama! i love her so much! she is so friendly and

funny! her and the family were extremely generous to me ♥

(she's sitting on a stepping stool in the super market, haha)

Hiki-san from Jollygoo blog!

(our bike riding adventure)

this is Nao. he is the owner of Flamingo bar/restaurant

near my apartment. i also made friends with his father,

his wife, and a regular customer named Mami!

they were all so nice to me!

Taka! my new friend who lived right next to me

this is Naoko. she is the friendly staff at a Italian

cafe/restaurant named "Fablic". the owner was also

a very friendly man who also has a car business in London!

my friend Yuka and her mom, Akemi!!

her mom was also very very funny and loving!

they took me to this izakaya called Shirokiya,

and after we went to karaoke. haha

me and Koichi with "No smoking in the boys room"

this is Lil' (he likes Lil' Wayne). him and his friend,

Suke', followed me in this record store because they saw

my tattoos and liked it... so they showed me theirs! haha

cool guitar man in Inokashira park

Monica and Mighty!

Zumi-chan, Monica's friend

this is Masako. she is the staff at Hauschka cafe

that i mentioned earlier. on my last day, i left her a little gift

of my houseplant to take care of and a box of french snacks... well later

she emailed me to thank me and also tell me that day was coincidentally

her birthday! so she was happy to find a birthday present from me

even though i did not know! haha

in her cafe, i also met a very friendly woman named Sumako.

i just received an email from her too saying that she moved to Penang!

my good friend Jimmy, from Hawaii,

and his sweet wife, Satsuki! drinking in Ebisu

this is Kenji and Asako. i met them when i went to eat

at their grilled fish restaurant in my neighborhood.

they were SO friendly, and told me that they are secretly dating. haha!

Eiki Mori! the photographer i

mentioned in the previous post.

Mai-chan and her kind boyfriend, Ta-chan!

donations in Ikebukuro

Jonte! he is so fabulous...

i mentioned meeting him here.

...i wanted to save this special picture till the end.

when i was in Asakusa with Yuka and her mom, we passed these

carriage carriers on the street, and i thought that they were just

so good looking that i had to go back and take a picture with them!!

hahah, just look at those smiles!.... and muscles ;-P

and a funny bunny man.

i feel so honored to have met and shared my time with these friendly faces. i definitely think that kindness is contagious, and Japan is full of that! i will never forget these smiles :-D

"Tokyo Boy Alone"

2011-10-31T14:58:00.008-10:00

in my last last post, i mentioned that i was very excited to be meeting one of the most famous photographers throughout Tokyo... well that special person was EIKI MORI!!

if you don't already know who he is, Eiki Mori is an extremely talented photographer in Tokyo and also very well known throughout the photography world, as he has many gallery exhibitions held all over! such as Japan, Taiwan, the UK, Austria, Greece, etc! and this year, he just released his highly anticipated photo-book, called Tokyo Boy Alone.

...well, i was extremely lucky to have the honor of not only meeting him, but also having a personal photoshoot with him!!

here is a cute little picture i took of him in my apartment. he was so kind and very professional. i am definitely not a model, but he was very helpful and patient with me during the photoshoot. he even gave me a copy of his book as a gift! and also a delicious cake for us to share! i am so very happy to have met a kind hearted friend, but also a famous photographer who i am such a huge fan of!

i can't wait to see how the photos come out! and he also said he maybe even put my photographs in his future shows and next book! but that is just maybe a nice idea only, ne ;-p

throughout my stay in Japan, my experience with him is definitely one of the main highlights of everything! i am still so excited and can't believe i met him! hahah

ps: ただいま！ i am back safe in Hawaii :-)

though, i really wish i was still in Japan... i don't want to be back here! hahah, but i have no money, so back to reality and work. sometimes i wake up in the middle of the night and still think i am in my Tokyo apartment :-( it's so confusing...

also, happy halloween!

2011-10-26T22:36:00.008-10:00

tomorrow i move back home to Hawaii...

even though i've done so much with my days here in Japan, a month really does fly by when you're having the time of your life. it hasn't hit me yet that i'm leaving... i feel like i'm too comfortable to leave, so it doesn't phase me...

i'll probably still be posting my Japan pictures for many days ahead since i have so much. i also took a lot of videos, so i will be working on little mini movies of my stay here! i will make sure to post those as well in the future.

i am so happy you all came along on this journey with me too! thank you!

well, all great things must come to an end, ne? じゃ、またあとでね！

さようなら。

♥♥♥

Deer Nara

2011-10-23T16:59:00.028-10:00

i think i was a little obsessed with the deer in Nara! they were just so beautiful and cute! seeing them run through the parks and forests, and also walking around the city like everyday people was just so interesting to see. when you feed them, some deer also bow their heads down to ask for the cookie! it was so cute! but also kind of scary because once they know you have cookies, they all come running to you and surround you and also bite at your shirt and bag if you dont feed them! hahaha :-D

but overall, Nara was so beautiful! i bought so many deer gifts :-P

ps: today i am VERY excited because i will be meeting someone very special for the first time! he is actually very well-known throughout Tokyo as a famous photographer, but i will mention about this later ;-)

大阪

2011-10-21T03:56:00.036-10:00

Tower of the Sun!

たいようのとう

at Banpaku-kinen-koen

the last 2 days i've been in Osaka!! it's quite a far trip on the Shinkansen (bullet train), but well worth it. the people are friendly, the food is delicious, and the weather is great! but i did notice that people stand/walk on the opposite side of the stairs/escalators than the people in Tokyo do... in Osaka, you stand on the right side, and in Tokyo you stand on the left! hahah

i'm also VERY happy i went to the Tower of the Sun!!! a while back, i did a post on it because i really wanted to visit it one day, and i am so happy i did! it really is one of the main highlights of my stay in Japan. i just think it is such a beautiful work of art that has such an iconic and original design. it's located in this HUGE park thats the size of small city! it is one of the most beautiful parks i have ever been to... i could spend all day there, it's so relaxing.

today i went to Kyoto/Nara! i'll post about that next :-D

おどい、しずおか

2011-10-18T03:29:00.033-10:00

yesterday, i got home from a 2 night stay at Mai's grandfathers onsen in Odoi, Shizuoka!! it was so refreshing to get out of the city and into the beautiful country side! it was a 2 hour drive out of Tokyo and into Shizuoka.

it was such a blessing to spend time there, because initially, before i came to Japan, i was actually planning on staying in a hotel in a city town - a forest town - and a beach town... but Odoi perfectly fulfilled that because behind our onsen was forest and mountains, and in the front was a 3 minute walk to the beach! so it was perfect!!!

everything was so beautiful and calm there. i really think i could live in a place like that... even driving along the ocean coast, you can see Mt. Fuji!! the hot springs and the country side really refreshed me and gave me new taste of Japanese culture i can't get in the city.

i thoroughly and wholesomely enjoyed my stay in Shizuoka. it was probably one of the main highlights of my stay here in Japan :-)

ps: tomorrow i'm taking a 3 hour bullet train ride to Osaka!

nights out!

2011-10-15T04:30:00.016-10:00

the first 9 pictures are from last wednesday when i went to my friend Mai's, boyfriends hip hop performance in Shibuya!! it was sooo fun!! すごくたのしかった！！ they were so amazing live! very very talented guys!!

thats me and my friend Koichi in the front, of their rap group

"No smoking in the boys room". on the far right is Mai's

boyfriend, Ta-chan, and on the far left with the red beanie

is Sugu-chan! i kind of forgot the others names, but they

were all so kind and funny!!

my friend Mai is on the far right, with her

friend Ayaka and Naomi! also very sweet!

girlfriend and boyfriend ♥

they are the SWEETEST couple i have ever met!

the last 3 pictures are from last night when my friend Yuka,

and her friend Megumi, took me to the gay club disctrict

in Shinjuku Ni-chome. also ちょたのしかった！

i was SO starstruck and surprised when i saw JONTE!!!

he was just walking around with his other famous dancer friends!

Jonte is an AMAZING dancer!! he has his own concerts, but is

also well known for being one of Beyonce's choreographers! he is

in many many of her music videos! very famous in America,

but also more so in Japan! he was very kind and took pictures

with us and talking to us! when we saw him in the club again, he

was waving to us and came over and talked story! やさひい！！

if you don't know him, here is a video of him performing in Hiroshima!

you can't go to Japan and not go clubbing! haha, these night were so fun with a lot of happy and drunk action! it is just a bit difficult to wait till 5am until the first train starts, because back home in Hawaii, everything closes at 2am, so i am used to going home much earlier and sleeping much earlier. hahah i also don't go out too much when i am home, so my friends always tease me that i am a grandpa :-p

none the less, i am on a long stay vacation here in Japan, so might as well party hard too! haha i hope maybe me and my friends will go back to the gay club district next week too because it was so fun! i think the only main CULTURE SHOCK i have felt so far here in Japan is the gay men! because in everyday life, walking around and seeing hundreds of people, you CANNOT tell who is gay!! ほんとうにびくりしった！ last night i was SO SURPRISED at all the gay men at the clubs because they all look so straight! so many handsome business men and just normal looking fashionable guys! it was amazing ;-D

Mitaka to Kichijoji

2011-10-13T04:23:00.039-10:00

yesterday i went to the Ghibli Museum!! it was in the middle of a beautiful park as trees covered the entire sky. guests are not allowed to take pictures inside the museum, but it was the most cute and interesting museum i have ever been too!

its a 3 story building with a sky roof, stained glass windows filled with Ghibli characters, endless staircases, indoor bridges, and rooms and rooms full of drawings, mini sculptures, machines, books, set displays, and many more! but my favourite was the Neko-bus that people can walk through and sit in!! it's so soft and calming because a lit up scenery of the sunset sky (as Satsuki went to go find Mei at the end of the movie) was illuminated through the neko-bus windows. i went back twice just to sit and relax in the nekobasu!

there's also a rooftop garden with that robot statue, a huge outdoor cafe', a movie theatre (where you get to watch one exclusive Ghibli short film with the ticket they give you at the entrance), and an awesome gift shop! i ended up buying a little wooden chibi-totoro bell strap, and a little black totoro doll designed by "museo d'arte ghibli."

after, i found my way through to Inokashira park... it was absolutely beautiful! it's amazing how Japan has huge forests in the middle of cities! there was even a little zoo in there too.

...when i got back to my apartment, i had to take a long nap because last night i took the last train out to Shibuya by 11:45pm because i went to meet up with my friend Mai as we went to her boyfriends hip-hop concert till 5am. it was sooo fun!! but i'll post about that next :-)

day 13

2011-10-09T16:23:00.070-10:00

rainy day in Shibuya

(Lost in Translation みたいね？)

Akihabara

Hawaii used to have a Mos Burger too :-(

super oishii pasta bento breakfast from conbini!

ほんとうおいしかった！

Shinjuku

Harajuku

only 100 yen drink, very good orange juice with pulp!　うまい！

Hiki-san showed me this good smelling flower,

it only blooms in the fall time

but i forgot the name of it... haha

bike riding in Kakinokizaka

found another cute cafe in my neighborhood

this drink was much too sweet

little fish pets at 100 yen store!

plant sale inside Shinjuku station

Harajuku shopping

Shinjuku Koen

Koichi took me to flea market!　すごくやすい！

pikachu was super happy to see the view too :-p

this homeless man who lived under a bridge had so many cats!

found another Hara Donuts in Nakano

i love Nakano! soo many great places to eat in back alleys!

cute curtain

kaiten sushi!! ちょおいしい！

my first time trying Uni. i liked it! very creamy...

purikura in Shinjuku

omg, this damn UFO machine took 1200 yen from me!

...and i still didnt win that llama!

(but look how close i was!! ぜったいむり！ざんねん。。。)

karaoke with Monica, Mighty, and Zumi-chan!

みんなはじょうず！

(some purikura we took, thanks Monica for sending them to me!!)

270 yen izakaya!

Chinatown in Yokohama

with Mai-chan and her friend Naomi!

very pretty forest hike up to Yokohama bay view point

ほんとうにうつくしい！

so many dogs in Motomachi!

ちょかわいいね〜！

last night, i went to Karaoke again with my new friend Taka!

i actually met him on his birthday last week, we were eating at the same cafe.

coincidentally, our apartments are right next to each other!

and we also both love the band Bonobos!!

うれしい〜！ :-D

more pictures throughout my days :-)

i bought this new camera the other day, which i have been recording everything on! i love the camera, its so cute and super Japanese. hahah

i have also been recording ALOT of videos, which i will later make into mini-movies after...

yesterday i felt my first earthquake in Japan! apparently, there was one on my 2nd day here, but i didn't feel it because i was walking around i think. but yesterday i was in my apartment and everything started shaking! i was so scared, but it went away after like 3min... but it was still very surprising!

My adventure with Hiki-san!

2011-10-05T01:04:00.009-10:00

yesterday i had the delightful pleasure of finally meeting Hikisan! (the owner of famous Jollygoo blog!) she let me borrow her Muji bike (also for the rest of the month!), as she took me on a beautiful journey through Jiyugaoka! we went for a picnic at a very huge and pretty park, then bike riding along the river side.

she also sent me the map at the bottom, which recorded our entire journey. the total ride was about 10.39 miles!!! ほんとうびくりしった！すごくといですね？！

the weather was also so perfect and sunny, because today turned out to be very rainy and cold! きのうはちょたのしかった！ひきさんはほんとうにやさしい！♥

Toritsudaigaku, Yokohama, Kamakura, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Harajuku, Roppongi...

2011-10-03T23:11:00.013-10:00

a lot of pictures from my past days!!! i've only been here like 7 days, and i've already done so much! ちょっとつかれったね。。。でも everything is so fun, and i don't want to waste any time! everything is so fulfilling for me. i feel almost born again! hahah

きょうはちょたのしかった！ i hung out with Hiki-san today!!! i will post later about our fun adventure! :-)

ねころび

2011-10-03T15:11:00.004-10:00

last sunday, my friend Monica took me to a Cat Cafe' in Sunshine City, in Ikebukuro!! ちょかわいい！！

Hauschka Cafe'

2011-10-03T03:25:00.004-10:00

this is the cafe i mentioned in my last post, that's right outside my apartment. it is very relaxing in there with classical music and comfortable light and beautiful atmosphere. also the best ice-coffee i have ever had!!

so much has happened in these past days!!

-went to Yokohama to see the giant ferris wheel

-went to Kamakura to see the ocean

-met up with a lot of my friends here

-made lots of new friends in very random places!! (i will explain much more later, but i met so many new people and they gave me their emails too! i think Japanese people are very shy at first, but after they open up to you, they are some of the most friendliest people you can ever meet!!)

-went to a cat cafe'!

and tomorrow i'm very excited because i'm hanging out with blog friend Hiki-san!!!

i'll make sure to post much more pictures of all these details soon! :-D

*and thank you all for joining this adventure with me!! i'm just as excited to share everything with you all! and to answer some questions: i came here alone, and yes, i have some friends here so i'm very lucky i'm not totally alone in this wondrous city!*

Kakinokizaka

2011-09-29T02:45:00.006-10:00

arrived to my new hometown at night!

its such a great little city!

i feel so lucky to be placed here

morning view outside my apartment

love the lighting and windows in my apartment!

Kakinokizaka is such a pretty neighborhood

"smorking" haha!

went to Yurakucho today to find the giant Muji!

3 floors of goodness!

ham katsu!　ほんとうおいしかった！

this cute cafe is right outside my apartment!

i think i'm going to spend my journal writing time in here

but, it closes early at 7pm...

its my 2nd day here, and i already feel so comfortable!! Japan really is so amazing. i feel like everything so freestyle, visually. nothing is the same here. everything is beautifully different.

when i first arrived, i had a very difficult time going through the train stations in Shinjuku and Shibuya to get to the apartment office, then to my apartment. it was crazy rush hour and i had to drag around a 61 lb. luggage behind me through everything! it was extremely tiring and stressful... but when i finally got settled, i remember saying "...that was fun!" hahah

i can't explain how happy i am here. i feel so alive and almost constantly glowing! taking in every single second, i feel no time is wasted here. Japan has so much to offer me.

the jet lag is still getting to me, but for 2 days, i feel i've already done so much!!

- thoroughly explored my neighborhood. Kakinokizaka is full of beautiful homes, cafe's, schools, restaurants, parks, shops, and pretty side streets.

- already made friends at this bar down the street from my apartment. coincidentally, it's a Hawaiian decorated Izakaya! i got a little drunk with the owner and some of his regular customers! they were all very friendly to me :-)

- took the train to Ginza side and went shopping in a giant electronic department store, then to the giant Muji in Yurakucho to buy a notebook to start my daily journal!

i will try to take you all along on this ADVENTURE with me throughout my days!!! i probably won't post everyday, and of course forget some details, but hopefully my pictures can capture this journey well enough for all you friends to enjoy too! ♥

ジャネ〜！

おやすみなさい

:-D

see you in Tokyo!

2011-09-27T02:36:00.003-10:00

it's 2:36am

i leave for the airport in a couple hours... i'm so excited. i could barely contain myself these past days. i have the Lost In Translation dvd playing in the background to get me ready.

Japan, here i come!

thank you all for your kind comments. they make me smile so much :-D

last week

2011-09-20T21:34:00.004-10:00

these first 3 pictures are at my friends, Ashley and Keala's wedding! this was one of the reasons why my best friend, Malisa, came back to Hawaii. it was such a beautiful night full of love, laughs, and dancing! an outdoor wedding by the beach under the moonlight... it was perfect. i'm so happy for them as a new married couple! ♥

and the rest of the pictures are some of the last days i had with Malisa and friends...

she left yesterday... i really do miss her already. this was one of the best weeks of my life probably. my time with her is so magical. i'm not sure when is the next time we will see each other... but i don't worry about us at all. even though we may physically be apart and miss each all the time, i know nothing will ever change. we are in it together for life ♥

ps: i leave for Japan next week already!!!!!!!!

reunited ♥

2011-09-13T10:27:00.006-10:00

after not seeing each other for 6 years, we just picked up exactly where we left off. nothing has changed between us. we are one in the same. i have not felt so complete and happy with another human being in such a long time. i can't remember the last time i laughed this hard, or felt so content in anothers silence.

she makes me fall in love with life all over again...

おなかすいちゃった

2011-09-10T09:56:00.003-10:00

photos collected from samiivanity tumblr

today...

my best friend in the entire world is coming back home for a week for our friends wedding. we have not seen each other in SIX YEARS, since we graduated highschool!

this moment makes me feel like the planets are all aligned... or the lost and empty part of me is finally filled again. i can't wait to see her gorgeous face ♥

my Japan apartment!

2011-09-07T22:17:00.005-10:00

i just love this poster The Gap is using this season as one of their visual displays! not only because of this handsome guy (hehe), but also that hat! i am totally going to search for this type of hat when i get to Japan. i even asked one of the visual managers in the store if i could have the poster when they were done with it... and she, of course, said no :-p

anyway... i finally booked my apartment in Japan!!!!!!!!

i payed for the deposit last night and i just read my confirmation email for my months reservation! i can't wait, i'm so excited to live on my own in Tokyo! the apartment is in a town called Kakinokizaka, which is where Hiki-san mentioned to me that she also coincidentally grew up in! it's located somewhat below Shibuya in central Tokyo (if you look from afar on a map, haha). i'll be moving-in in basically THREE WEEKS!!! :-D

きたがわなつみ

2011-09-02T00:19:00.004-10:00

Japanese artist, Kitagawa Natsumi, creates these very cute illustrations of cats. she also draws much more, ranging from lions to human anime characters. visit her website for more!

Hello Howdy Hiya

2011-08-30T12:39:00.002-10:00

i am in love with these fashion profile illustrations created by Ji Hyun Yu! cute, simple, colourful, and very individual. you can see more at her blog here.

sweet kero

2011-08-27T12:36:00.003-10:00

some very sweet photos by Kero, that made me smile.

eating some homemade chicken and vegetable stew my mom cooked.

:-)

more Muji

2011-08-24T22:33:00.003-10:00

more Muji perfection. (see more here)

i remember the first time i shopped at Muji in Shinjuku, i didn't really buy anything for myself. i got more gifts for my dad because i guess i wasn't really into that style back then. but now that i'm (hopefully) more mature, i can't wait to shop there with fresher eyes and new aesthetics :-)

teafy tumblr

2011-08-19T13:05:00.005-10:00

another tumblr with great Japan photos.

sorry if im posting too much of these, i'm just too excited! haha

snacking on apples with peanut butter. yum!

odori-don

2011-08-17T22:57:00.001-10:00

have you guys ever seen this?! it's a Japanese delicacy that has a "dancing" squid on it, when you pour shoyu over its body! apparently, the salty shoyu activates the dead squids skin, which causes it nervous system to react!

as cool and creepy as this looks, i don't think i will be trying this on my stay in Japan :-p

streets of Japan

2011-08-14T19:56:00.005-10:00

i found this blog that is dedicated just to the streets of Japan!

when people usually ask me what my favourite things about Japan are, i always end up saying "their streets" as one of my first answers! they're is just so much adventure in every turn since nothing is repeated twice. so much features are crammed into every space: playgrounds, parks, stairs, cafes, plants, homes, stores... they all have their own place. i feel like their streets were built with no rules, as if they created themselves accordingly to what was desired and needed.

poke X fashion

2011-08-11T22:39:00.004-10:00

i think i may have stumbled across one of the BEST tumblr's i have ever seen!! this mix of high fashion, plus pokemon brings my smiling to a whole new level! hahaha all my friends know me as this huge pokemon dork, but i have never seen it done like this before. i am so in love with this blog!!!

... i will never look at fashion editorials the same ever again...

Mimi

2011-08-10T12:21:00.002-10:00

just wanted to share some pictures of one of my cats, Mimi, since she made herself so comfortable in my room and i thought it was so cute. haha

also, i forgot to thank you all for those sweet birthday wishes for my sister :-)

zozo outfits

2011-08-08T16:23:00.003-10:00

i love these colours and matching pairs. aren't those leather shoes amazing?! i can't wait to go shopping in Tokyo next month!!! i really have to budget myself though, before i go broke too fast :-p

i wish there was a giant zozo department store in Japan. i always love browsing their website for style ideas and inspirations, as you can probably tell since i'm not a name brand kinda guy, and i've done numerous zozo posts (hehe, sorry about that).

2011-08-02T21:07:00.002-10:00

more beach pictures :-)

yesterday was my sisters 27th birthday! we celebrated with a BBQ at the beach, and i also bought her some tennis rackets and pink tennis balls. tomorrow we are having a family dinner with the traditional meal we always have for someones birthday in our house: steak and crab legs! i can't wait! hahah

2011-07-30T23:06:00.002-10:00

aloha! haha, some fun in the sun :-)

hope you all are enjoying your weekend as well!

kinyoubi

2011-07-30T01:54:00.002-10:00

another nice tumblr with great photos of Japan,

called Kinyoubi.

おやすみなさい。

tsumori tumblr

2011-07-28T00:22:00.007-10:00

nice Japan pictures from a tumblr called Tsumori, to keep me excited for my trip!

i ordered my studio Ghibli museum ticket and got it in the mail!!

i've decided to rent an apartment in Kakinokizaka :-D

i got my ticket to Japan!!!

2011-07-19T00:35:00.004-10:00

super exciting news! i finally booked my ticket back to Japan!! the last time i was there, it was 6 years ago... so this whole time in college, i've been looking forward till the day i fly back since i went right after high school. i feel it's been way too long, and this trip it long over due... but its finally here again!

i will be flying out to Tokyo in late September and basically live there for a month, until i come back to Hawaii in the ending of October!!! my friends, friend, works for the airlines and got me a super cheap round trip flight for only $360!!!!! omg. i'm way to excited!!! hahahah

so i'll be seeing all my Japan friends very soon! which includes many of you fellow bloggers, such as Hiki san, Ebony, Michael, and the rest of you friends! ;-D

some polaroids i took in Tokyo back in 2005. now i have so much to plan until then! i only have 2 more months to go! woooo!

すごくひさしぶりだね〜！

こころがおどる♥

日本いきます！！！

neon tambourine

2011-07-12T01:01:00.003-10:00

Polish photographer, Lukasz Wierzbowski, takes some stunning female portraits! each photo is so strong on its own and can tell such different dialogues. check out more at his flickr.

recent adventures

2011-07-05T18:16:00.010-10:00

i've been wanting to post some of these pictures of my summer so far. the last 17 were from yesterdays BBQ party we had at the beach in celebration of the 4th of July! it's been really fun! i've gotten a little burnt from the sun, but now i have a nice tan :-)

today i started my last summer school class! even though i graduated about 2 months ago, i still have one more class to finish up my entire college career. and since i majored in art, my brain only works a certain way, so of course i had to save the dreaded MATH for last! hahah, i really can't do math. its ridiculous. so instead, im taking a philosophy class which focuses on logic (but it still counts as a math credit). i figured it might be easier since it doesn't deal with numbers so much... wish me luck!!

"In Character: Actors Acting"

2011-06-29T03:28:00.006-10:00

Jeff Goldblum

left: you're the surly 14 year old son of a single mother, steeling yourself as she awkwardly, haltingly begins a belated and unnecessary "birds and bees" talk.

center: you're at your daughters college graduation, and the pretty classmate of hers that you've been secretly ogling has just said, "Mr. Lefkowitz, you can't be 58 - you're too cool!"

right: you're the valedictorian of your high-school class, having just been introduced to give the speech of your life - and your mind has gone completely blank.

Amy Poehler

left: you are sneaking a peek, in the middle of the night, at your sweet new boyfriends computer... and discovering emails to and from his three current "other" girlfriends.

center: you are a Park Avenue matron, paying your husband a surprise visit at his office and discovering him on the couch in flagrante delicto with his secretary.

right: you are a disoriented homeless woman being arrested for loitering.

Jason Schwartzman

left: you're Adam, a five year old boy sneaking your pet rat into your seven year old sister's underwear drawer.

center: you're Lacey, the seven year old sister, having just opened the drawer.

right: you're Adam, hiding in Lacey's closet as she screams, "Adaaaam!"

i first saw these in Vanity Fair magazine and immediately fell in love with them! this is the brilliant work of Howard Schatz where he basically photographs various actors as they recreate these random and hilarious scenarios. he made this into a 264 page book which i just bought on Amazon for $8. you can see more here, here, and here!

ps: i want to THANK YOU guys for the awesome suggestions in my last post!!! there were so many new bloggers that i haven't seen before, also contribute! you guys came up with some great names that i am so excited to share with my friend! and a lot of you coincidentally suggested the name "Hanako" which was my friends first idea, and also the name "Naomi" which is actually the name of my friend having the baby!! hahah :-D

feel free to keep the suggestions coming!!!

Japanese girl names

2011-06-27T12:51:00.004-10:00

photos by Toyokazu

one of our close family friends is having a baby and she just found out it's going to be a girl! and since she is half Japanese herself, she wanted her baby girl to have a Japanese name as well as an American name. so she kindly asked me to help her pick out a cute Japanese girl name for her future daughter (since she knows i love Japan, haha)

and so, i extend the help to all you! my wonderful blog friends! please help us think of some Japanese names for her new baby girl! :-D

借りぐらしのアリエッティ

2011-06-25T16:25:00.004-10:00

just finished watching the new Studio Ghibli film "The Borrower Arrietty." its a beautiful film with whimsical music to match. with an empowering and loving story, it was hard not to cry during this movie. haha! see for yourself if you haven't already watched it :-)

watch it here!

2011-06-24T13:04:00.002-10:00

simple blue compositions.

photos by akirackr.

listening to "hideaway" by Karen O and the Kids.

sometimes melancholy feelings aren't so bad...

:-)

ilove.cat

2011-06-22T21:14:00.004-10:00

really cool cat stuff at ilove.cat

hope you all are having a nice week!!

:-)

2011-06-20T11:47:00.004-10:00

(i took these photos on my phone)

yesterday, we hung out with my friend Yuka, who is visiting from Japan. we stayed at her hotel and went out at night to party, slept over, woke up early to eat udon, then went to this nice park to take a nap. it was fun but tiring, haha!

later, we went to eat some yogurt, and after found this by my friends car!

it was a SWORD! such a random day! hahaha

ps: i hope everyone had a great fathers day yesterday!! ♥

2011-06-15T06:55:00.003-10:00

i really like these photos by 痞克斯.

i randomly woke up at 4.45am this morning,

then made my mom a turkey sandwich for lunch,

then drank green tea and ate blueberries while i watched the sun rise.

:-)

japanese cat photo contest

2011-06-11T13:11:00.005-10:00

these pictures just make me smile. i love how cats totally have their own lives, even though they live on our homes and eat our food... they still always have something going on, even if it is being absolutely lazy and doing nothing all day! hahah you can see more here.

Björk's new album

2011-06-07T15:05:00.002-10:00

"Biofilia" will be her 7th full length studio album, but it's quite different from any other music album because it will be the worlds first "app album" in collaboration with the Apple company. each song will be released in a series of apps!

visit her website to get a taste of this futurist take on music in relation to the universe, planetary systems, and atomic structures, (click and drag around on the website to see it in 3D!)

www.bjork.com

also, click here to hear a sample from the first single "Crystalline." visionary director, Michel Gondry is also behind her on this new project! i can't wait!

the future

2011-06-02T22:47:00.003-10:00

i've been waiting so long for this! Miranda July, i love you.

tee party

2011-06-02T02:00:00.006-10:00

i stumbled across this really interesting japanese t-shirt website. its basically like graniph, UT, beams t, and many more graphic shirt companies. full of funny, cute, artistic, bold, random, simple printed t-shirts created by many different artists and designers!

tee party

bike riding

2011-05-28T14:52:00.005-10:00

these first 3 instagrams were taken on my friend, Ashleys, iphone.

me and my friend Ashley, had a really nice day together. we went bike riding in Kailua! we both have not ridden a bike in so long, but it was very fun! :-D

sandbar

2011-05-23T14:11:00.003-10:00

this past weekend i went to the sandbar with some family and friends! it was my first time there, so it was very exciting. you have to take a boat to get out there, so it's like a mini sand island away from the actual island. it was a bit overcast at first, but the sun came out later and it was absolutely beautiful.

ps: i want to THANK YOU ALL for your warm wishes and congratulations!!!!!! it means a lot to me! i agree with you all, this next chapter in my life is sure to be just as wonderful! :-D

graduation!

2011-05-19T23:29:00.002-10:00

here is a picture from my graduation last saturday! i finally finished college!!! it was such a long and fun road, but all great things come to an end. i received my bachelors degree in art studio :-)

i really am going to miss college though... i think the perfect life would be to travel around the world and learn in as many universities as possible... take a couple classes in Italy, then learn some semesters in Japan, then go to a college in Thailand... wow, that would be amazing. i just love learning and meeting new people. that, i think, is what i will miss the most.

most of my friends and people i know can't wait to get out of college and they're so happy its over. but me.... i don't know, i think it's one of the most happiest events that happened in my life.

University of Hawaii, i will miss you ♥

ps: thank you all for your best wishes and luck!!! :-D

2011-05-13T11:35:00.004-10:00

just some pictures i took in my room with tanko :-)

today is my last final exam, and tomorrow i graduate.....

wish me luck!!!

make it easy

The Board of Trade Co.

Jollygoo package + magazine work!

handcrafted

2012!

メリークリスマス & きんがしんねん!

hara donuts

pixiv

Shinya's

Japan on Foot

'natural days'

Shimokitazawa

Second Stage

ぼくのビデオ！

Nekobukuro

Ueno

Faces of Japan

"Tokyo Boy Alone"

Deer Nara

大阪

おどい、しずおか

nights out!

Mitaka to Kichijoji

day 13

My adventure with Hiki-san!

Toritsudaigaku, Yokohama, Kamakura, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Harajuku, Roppongi...

ねころび

Hauschka Cafe'

Kakinokizaka

see you in Tokyo!

last week

reunited ♥

おなかすいちゃった

my Japan apartment!

きたがわ なつみ

Hello Howdy Hiya

sweet kero

more Muji

teafy tumblr

odori-don

streets of Japan

poke X fashion

Mimi

zozo outfits

kinyoubi

tsumori tumblr

i got my ticket to Japan!!!

neon tambourine

recent adventures

"In Character: Actors Acting"

Japanese girl names

借りぐらしのアリエッティ

ilove.cat

japanese cat photo contest

Björk's new album

the future

tee party

bike riding

sandbar

graduation!

きたがわなつみ