Japan Visa!

Sandwiches!!!
やった!!!
I just found out that my five year visa for Japan was approved!
OMG I can stay in this incredible country until 2018!
Love you Japan!

xoxo 

February in Tokyo

Party plate breakfast.



Mr Y has been making these incredible wholemeal rolls.



Afternoons in Shimokitazawa.



A found beer can by the fumikiri (train tracks crossing). From next month Shimokitazawa station will be underground which breaks my heart a little.



A morning of snow in Shimokitazawa as seen from my balcony.



This is my current favourite lunch in Tokyo! All of the details for this cute place and many many more are, you guessed it, in my new Hello Sandwich Tokyo Guide! This lunch + a fancy coffee was only ¥1150!

 

Popped into Aiko Fukawa-san's exhibition in Daikanyama! I seriously wanted every one of her works!



Especially this cute dark one!



How adorable is Aiko-san!



Sunny lunch dates at Hello Sandwich HQ.



When you live in a mini-me Tokyo apartment you have to get creative with your sentaku. Nowhere else to hang this table cloth to dry but off the window railings.



Just an ordinary afternoon in Shimokita. But still makes my heart giddy.



How awesome is it that it's legal to drink on the streets in Tokyo! Roadies Shinjuku style with two cool Tokyo boys.

 

Best omiyage pack from NYC!



"I'm so sorry we've sold out of curry-man"! もうしわけありません！Love you Japan! Love you Lawsons!



Instagraming coffee with Martin.



Sending out Valentines Day cards.

Love Love
Hello Sandwich
xoxo

Winter Valentines Day Picnic in Setagaya Koen

Happy Valentines Day Sandwiches!

Today I had a winter Valentines Day picnic in Setagaya koen with my friend Hiki-chan!




I packed two simple obento. Maybe the yummiest part of these obento were the quinoa, kale, chilli and hijiki patties I made. (although I burnt the tops of this batch a little oops). I used this recipe but added a few spices like mustard seed, chilli flakes, curry powder and cumin and then I added some renkon and hijiki that I had made the day before.



We set up camp on my little handmade leisure sheet (I love how they call picnic rugs leisure sheets in Japan!) It turned out to be quite a colourful and patternほうだい event! Hiki-chan took this amazing photo and a few others below - ありがとうひきちゃん！









No winter picnic is complete without one of my favourite things about winter - Mulled wine! Hiki-chan is the master of making it and packed this giant thermos full!




We took about a zillion instagram photo and spent the afternoon talking about blogging / Japanese stationery / bike riding / hot carpets and kotatsu.



After our obento it was tea time with tea from Violet and Claire and some Kagawa mini mikan that Hiki-chan bought along. How sweet that they came complete with leaf left on and in their own individual paper bag.

Violet and Claire is one of my favourite shops in Tokyo and is of course featured in my new Hello Sandwich Tokyo Guide. The guide is hard copy only (with no PDF this time) and is selling fast. The previous two zines sold out so please don't miss out on your copy here.

Today was the warmest day this week which is why we picked today for our picnic but for some reason I am freezing now. I'm back at home with the air-conditioner on, five jumpers, a scarf, leggings, winter socks and fluffy slippers and even hokkairo in my slippers but I'm still cold! Hope it's not a cold on it's way...



Happy Valenties Day Sandwiches!

Love Love
Hello Sandwich
xoxo

Sweets Exhibition

Hello Sandwiches,

Happy Long Weekend (for those living in Japan).

I'm just back from the sweets exhibition at Nidi Gallery. A handful of select artists were selling their handmade goods such as socks, tights, wrapping paper, gift tags and also a wide range of sweets perfect for Valentines day gifts. There were so many cute handmade goods on display and for sale!






I love this cute drinks bar at the counter. Have fun adding lavender, cinnamon and frombois to your hot tea!





Once you had added your select items to your tea you could name your original drink and place your 'recipe' on a note upon the gallery walls.





Amazingly cute brownie-cookies.



Visitors could even participate in an icing workshop.




I really loved the gift wrapping counter where the cutest Japanese girls were wrapping your Valentines Day sweets in clear cellophane bags embellished with folded original origami paper and pattered twist ties.

I'm a little inspired now to spend a day baking cute Valentines Day sweets for friends. I wonder if I should pop over to Loft and pick up some cookie cutters...

Love Love
Hello Sandwich
xoxo

下北沢駅前市場 (Shimokitazawa Station Market)

The historic Shimokitazawa Station Market is almost about to be pulled down to make way for the new train station and it's breaking my heart. Many of the small bars, vegetable shops and restaurants that were located in this traditional Japanese market when I first moved to Tokyo two and a half years ago have already closed down. There are only a handful of shops, one bar and a yakitori restaurant still open for business.

I took my 50mm lens out today looking for photos (is there any better way to pass a sunny afternoon?) and, with it's moody lighting and rich textures, the Shimokitazawa Station market was a perfect location.

If you get the chance, please come to Shimokitazawa and wonder through this market before it's gone forever.

Panya Cafe Curry, Shimokitazawa

Panya Cafe Curry is an awesome cafe about two minutes walk from my Shimokitazawa apartment. I love this place so much. It's a tiny ten-seater with the most lovely of atmospheres and some of the best curry I've ever tasted. Today it was a one man show run buy the cutest girl with giant odango hair, so while she prepares your curry there's enough time to play 'spot the alpaca' hidden on shelves and walls throughout the cafe. If you get sick of 'spot the alpaca' you can also make use of the provided origami paper squares located on the chopstick holder.  This place is super popular and can be very busy at times (Mr Y once waited 30 minutes for our takeaway)  but it's well worth the wait! If you're in the area pop on in!




UPDATE - I just visited tonight and the sweetest odango lady has left because she's moved away from Shimokitazawa because she will be married soon (OMEDETOU) BUT...it's nowhere as lovely as it used to be. So sad! The curry and atmosphere is completely different and unfortunately not as cute. Such a pity!!!


Love Love
Hello Sandwich
xoxo

Hello Sandwich Tokyo Guide

Hello Sandwiches!

I am very happy to announce the launch of my new  Hello Sandwich Tokyo Guide! Thank you to everyone who has emailed me about the release date for being so patient.

The Hello Sandwich Tokyo Guide reviews my favourite Tokyo suburbs including Shimokitazawa, Harajuku, Shibuya, Kichijoji, Nakameguro, Daikanyama, Shinjuku and some cool up and coming suburbs. My previous Tokyo Guide was a review of the places I loved to visit whilst holidaying in Tokyo however this new guide is a peek into all of the amazing places I've discovered since moving to Tokyo in 2010.

The Hello Sandwich Tokyo Guide is a guide for people who like travelling like a local and visiting hidden places off the beaten track. There are tips on where to rent a bike, the best bike path, the best coffee, the best craft shops, the coolest shops, the cheapest drinks, the most delicious pizza, the best izakaya, the cutest cafes, the best rooftop bar, the coolest hotels (and the cheap and cheerful hotels), the loveliest parks and even details for a girl who rides a courier bike to a local park to sell her hand-baked goods... It's a list of all of the places I frequent, making it a local insiders guide to Tokyo. Also included in the Hello Sandwich Tokyo Guide are language essentials and travel tips. It's the bloggers guide to Tokyo and if you'd like to visit the places seen on Hello Sandwich, then this guide is the zine for you.

The Hello Sandwich Tokyo Guide lists over 100 fun places to visit! The content of this zine is almost completely different to my previous Tokyo Guide with almost double the amount of listings, so, if you've already travelled to Tokyo on my previous guide, then you might fancy this updated guide, too!

To make life easier the Hello Sandwich Tokyo Guide comes complete with maps and links to the Google maps to make it just that little bit easier to get around. Load them onto your iphone or ipad and getting around Tokyo will be a breeze!


Details:
60 pages hard copy zine
Printed in Japan
Uncoated paper stock
A5 size
Saddle stitch bound
$25 AUD
Posted internationally with love from Tokyo


Important Delivery note:

The zines are currently being printed and will be posted to you with love from Tokyo in March 2013.
The printing run is limited so please be quick to get your copy as all of the previous Hello Sandwich zines and books have sold out.


Get your copy from the Hello Sandwich Shop here.


Enjoy your trip to Tokyo!

Love Love
Hello Sandwich
xoxo

(Thank you all for your comments below - it's hard copy only xoxo)
If you are a brick and mortar store looking to stock this zine please email me for details: hellosandwichblog (at) gmail (dot) com