Name Change

Well I finally took the time to make a new banner image. I'm not sure how I feel about it, I like the colors and the pictures, but it doesn't feel very punchy or has any pizzazz. Oh well I will keep thinking about it.

I have a snack review I've been meaning to do for 2 weeks now or so, I really will try to get that written up before the end of April. I feel kinda bad, I had 10+ entries for Feb. and Mar. and now in april I have only posted 4 times, with nothing entirely exciting. I must get out of this slump!

Also an update on mt next trip to Japan - I will be leaving on August 28th, returning on September 10th. I had wanted to visit Kyoto and Osaka, but I'm not sure how that will pan out, but I will be visiting Fukuoka and Kumamoto for sure.

Hotel View

This is the view from the hotel that Shouma works at. Lovely, right? And he told me last night one of the members of SMAP is staying there. Which one, I don't know because he didn't want to tell me anymore about it after I said "Who cares? It's just an old dude." haha

Strap Overload

Well I have few insatiable desires in my life, but one of them is the strong need to horde Japanese cellphone straps or keychains. Yes straps and keychains can easily purchased here in the US, but the designs... they just lack that certain something. Japanese straps and keychains are so cute, well thought out and there are just so many designs! There are straps for every conceivable character, place, product, food, or hobby. You can buy them almost everywhere, from 1$ gashapon to 25$ luxury straps.

I already had a modest collection of straps before I traveled to Japan, mostly bought from the internet or local specialty stores. Of course I never used them 1. Because I had no place to attach them to my phone and 2. I didn't want to ruin them. After I traveled to Japan my desire to keep my straps unused remained but suddenly the chance to purchase straps exploded! I bought them at the depato, on the street corner, at the DVD rental shop, and at train stations. The only thing that kept my spending spree was the constant thought in the back of my mind "What will I do with them all?"

I attached 3 straps to my Japanese cellphone. 2 were cheap but cute gashapon straps and 1 was from Hakkeijima island and was a seal encased in blue acrylic with a bell. A bell! How delightfully Japanese haha. I also bought a plush teddy bear strap that I attached to my iPod case. I have a thing against using plush items as straps simply because they get ruined more quickly. Shouma said it was weird to attach a strap to something other than a phone, but I don't care and that strap remains there to this very day!

Well just last week I ordered a strap fukubukuro from Strapya.com. It contained 100$ worth of straps for 25$, how could any strap otaku pass that up? And it arrived very quickly yesterday. It was glorious. It contained so many wonderful straps and keychains, I was initially worried there would be things I wouldn't want, but generally everything was so cute and useful.

Some of my favorite items included: A bunny shaped whistle/flashlight to keep children safe on their way home from school, a squishy foam frog, and the food shaped straps XD
Also browsing around Strapya.com I found a low volt tazer strap...I think I need it!

Pretty in pink

Well I have been in a slump of sorts, I'm just not really sure of what to write lately. My next trip to Japan keeps getting pushed back further and further. Without being able to write anything based on first hand expirence I feel kinda...like I'm not contributing much with my blog.

I have plans to change the name of this blog from Saint in Tokyo to Saint + Japan. I didn't end up staying in Tokyo, and really I'm interested in more then just Tokyo haha. Basically the only reason it's taking me a while to get to it is that I want to make a nice banner graphic and I'm being a bit lazy.

Now I will leave you with a lovely picture of the sakura in full bloom. My kind penpal sent this to me today, he's currently staying in Japan with his family. I think I should ask him for more pics of Japan hehe!