This kind of umbrella helps to lift my spirits when I know I have to brave the rain. I view it as the stylish counterpart to the cheap, uninspired black umbrellas hawked on the streets of Chinatown back in New York. Although equally as affordable (not to mention ubiquitous), this particular variety manages to possess a certain charm. First of all, transparent goes with everything.

Despite what some people may believe, bad weather is not an automatic excuse for tacky accessorization. More importantly, I can still see what is going on around me when I hurry down the sidewalk or jump over curbside puddles. The plastic allows me to look up, from side to side, or straight ahead if I so desire. This is infinitely better than having to focus my attention on the ground ahead of me and the depressing pools of water accumulating everywhere. Instead of wandering about under an opaque eggshell, I basically walk the way I would at any other time.

I especially love to be among a crowd of people carrying clear umbrellas. On hazy mornings, when I find myself surrounded by a sea of shimmering plastic, the scene evokes a kind of drizzly dreamscape. Back home, whenever it rained, I would leave the apartment and feel as though I were partaking in a massive funeral procession. Although I will always prefer balmy weather and clear skies, I have to say that rainy days no longer get me quite so down. Mondays, however, are still a problem.

• Small pores
• Even skin tone
• Sometimes I can’t even tell if they are wearing make up!

Today is a look at my two favorite Japanese cosmetics.

First off, I recently discovered a brand that has been loved by many other make up bloggers (Musings of a Muse) Kissme Heroine Make. It’s a drug store brand, but you can get it online (Webichi, SASA) or a Japanese market. I do admit, the only reason I really became interested was because of the mascot girl looking like a Rose of Versailles character. I got the volume and curl version. When I went to the store, there were no more! But after looking around the rest of the store I discovered one of those random discarded products! Thank you whoever who decided not to buy!!

I love this mascara. I have been looking for a new mascara since I really liked Maybelline Intense XXL Volume + Length Mascara, but it flaked (not good for contacts) and smudged horribly. This does not at all. I do not have to re-apply and it makes my eyes look bigger and it really does make your lashes naturally curl. Only downside is because it stays no almost too well, it is a little hard to get off. I use Neutrogena’s Oil Free Eye Make Up Remover and it works just fine.

Now I love shopping as much as the next girl but is it just me wondering why Marui need so many stores? Last time I counted there were five in Shinjuku alone! There are also two other UniQlo stores in Shinjuku that I know of, as well as a girls’ only concession in one of the Marui’s, yet you wouldn’t have known there were any other stores within a 10-minute radius had you seen the Shinjuku store opening last month. The shop was packed and queues spread down the street.

The new Marui store was certainly busy when I went at around 6pm but nowhere near as insane as the UniqQlo opening (despite the fact that they were handing out yummy little choccies around Shinjuku to entice customers in!) It just couldn’t compete with UniQlo’s special slashed prices – polo’s and T-shirts were going for less than 1000 Yen.

However, when it comes to UniQlo, I’m a little biased. Back in England, UniQlo was one of my favourite shops for reasonably priced casual wear. Now that I am in Japan, UniQlo has probably become my favourite store, mainly because it is so kind to my battered old purse. Living on a budget in one of the world’s most notoriously expensive cities is not easy and I rather enjoy the absence of cardiac arrest when I look at their price tags. UniQlo isn’t one of the most fashionable or unique stores but it sure is a lifesaver in Japan when you need work wear ASAP!

http://web.me.com/natalie.l.smith/Site/Home.html

There is also an entire storyline it around the characters. Sara, Saki, and their mother Rumiko. Each having their own spin on different products for their personalities/skin type. Hence the name I suppose, “Beautiful Skin Family” is what the brand name translates to. The mask that I chose was the Black Rose Sheet Mask. The mascot character is the rival of the main mascot, Sara. Or is the “Black Rose” Sara herself?! Who knows…Anyway, the mask contains artichoke, daisy flower, and indica leaf extract among other ingredients. This is also the only mask that claims to be fragrance free, which was the main reason I picked it up.

The actual mask is pretty cool. Just like the name, it’s black. I felt like the pretty spy on the package!….almost at least. Despite saying it has no fragrance, it smelled very nice. I am assuming it is the daisy flower extract.

I laid down and put in the new Ayaka single “Yume no Mikata/Koi Kogarete Mita Yume” while I let my mask do it’s work. It says 5-15 minutes. I did around 15. I simply took the mask off, threw it away and rubbed in the remaining serum that was left into my face. About half and hour later I really did notice a difference. My skin looked brighter, and felt well moisturized.  My only complaint is that my face was that it left my face a tad sticky. But nothing major, I was still able to put on foundation. I will definitely be using this product again! It is relatively cheap as well, 450yen that’s like around $5.00.

As the months passed, from one city to the next, we saw female feet of all ages turned in, attempting to walk around stores and catch trains using only the tiniest of inverted steps. To compound the apparent difficulty of making it from point A to point B, most of these girls and women wore towering high heels.

It is common for Westerners to be puzzled by this practice, known as uchimata, because we have been raised to view the condition only as a medical problem. Among many Japanese people, however, turning in your toes and taking small steps is seen as the most ladylike way to walk. It is considered to be infinitely more delicate than walking with your feet turned out.

After doing some research, I decided to broach this potentially awkward topic with my Japanese colleagues. At an informal interview session, they revealed their cultural conviction that uchimata is more attractive than “walking like a man”. They were referring to the way I walk, in case you were wondering. As for the ubiquitous high heels, they went on, sexy shoes are another important component of the super vulnerable and feminine appearance they aspire to cultivate. Unfortunately, they said, it is impossible to wear such shoes and walk in this manner every day. Since they have to maneuver around a workplace and get places quickly, it is not practical for them to move slowly and turn in their feet.

They do, however, like to revert to this style when dressed in traditional kimono. Kimono robes are not sealed in the front by zippers or buttons or strings. So, by walking “like a man” one runs the risk of exposing everything that is hidden underneath. Although the mystery has been somewhat solved, I still do a double take when I see a particularly painful looking young lady hobbling beside me in the mall. I have to remind myself that she is probably just as perplexed by my tendency to wear unsexy sneakers in public and take the stairs two at a time.

www.somewherethesunisrising.com

Hey, Everyone!

Did you have a great Golden Week? I sure did and the weather here in Akita was just gorgeous! And speaking of gorgeous, I want you to meet a Real-Live Akita Bijin in this blog entry!

Now, you guys all know that I am not a real person, don’t you?  You know, I am just a cartoon figment from the fertile imaginations of a couple of guys that spend too much time watching us bijins here in Akita and calling it research! So, I want to introduce you to the first of many Real-Live Akita Bijins who just might be able to enlighten us on some of the mysteries of the mystical beauties that populate these surroundings.
So, this is my friend Kanae. Born and raised here in Akita, she works as an OL (Office Lady) and sometimes models for the guy who created me!  We sat down for a chat recently and talked about being an Akita Bijin.

“Kanae, you know, I think you should be the poster girl for Akita Bijins!”

“Come on, Akie, you’re kidding, right? Me? You could be one yourself!”

“Yeah, but I’m just cartoon character!”

“You’re the real thing, a natural, a cultured beauty if I have ever seen one!”

“What does that mean, Akie?”

“Well, you know, you have the look of an Akita Bijin, Kanae. The round moon-shaped face, the white silky skin, the beautiful eyes and hair, what’s the secret to all this?”

“Nothing really. I think we are just blessed with a certain climate up here. Not much pollution, clean water, and lots of fresh veggies and fruits. And of course, natto!”

“Oh, you mean fermented soybeans?”

“Yeah, eating it everyday keeps your skin healthy and shinny.”

“I see, so the climate, clean air, clean water, fresh veggies, fruits and natto all contribute to the mystique?”

“Anything else?”

“Good posture and a sense of well-being helps too. You have to feel good to look good!”

“Well, you certainly look good and seeing you makes me feel good too!”

“Thanks for your candid views and for posing with me too. I’m beginning to see what it means to be an Akita Bijin and what it takes to preserve that beauty and mystique.”

“You’re welcome, Akie. I don’t know if I really am your Akita Bijin poster girl, but thank you for thinking so.”

“Oh, I think so! ”

“Ja mata ne!”

This brings me to the gyaru-O. A gyaru-O is the male version of what I have just described. It’s a fantastic name for a fantastic type of man. Peroxide-fresh hair, tanned skin even in the dead of winter 200 kilometres from the beach, always wearing an expensive fluro-coloured tracksuit that was made in China and often smoking menthol-flavoured marlboros or eating cheese-cake filled crepes. Educated gyaru-O’s have graduated Junior High. Uneducated gyaru-O’s have not. What does it matter, though, when you have hair like that? Besides, with the pay they make working at convenience stores and karaoke boxes they manage to buy genuine Louis Vuitton wallets and Prada sunglasses anyway. Maybe because they travel everywhere by bicycle? This makes them ECO too!! Gyaru-O’s usually travel in groups and they seem to be more commonly-spotted in Osaka than in Tokyo, but that’s just my opinion. Their main hobbies seem to be walking around doing nothing and sending text-messages.

In any case, I’m a fan, and that’s really all I have to say. Why not have a look around your neighbourhood for some Gyaru-O’s today?

http://past-the-sky.blogspot.com/

Japanese women average size is 5 – 7

This translates to 1.) You can never go shoe shopping in Japan. 2.) If you do, you’ll have to endure the giggles and “oh foreign women’s feet are so big!” lines 3.) If you are lucky, they may have a size 9 that you can try and smash your size 10 foot into.

Due the change of eating habits in Japan (good ol’ McDonalds and KFC!) Japanese women’s bodies have slightly evolved as well. This means that their feet ARE getting bigger. So if you are a size 8 to a 9 you will have more luck than, moi. An “giant” size 10 by Japanese woman’s standards. Or at least what my size 5 ½ Japanese best friend tells me. So what am I to do in a country full of such adorable shoes?! !

Shoes 101 In Japan

• Online shopping is a Godsend. Seriously, if you can afford the International shipping charges go to whatever brand you like and order from there. DesignerShoes.com offers tons of cute shoes in all price ranges. They ship internationally. The cool thing about here is that you can opt to do whatever type of shipping you want!

• Military base. If you live near one. And can get on one, this is a good place to get anything American you miss. Shoes especially. They know that getting shoes is hard in Japan, so they are well stocked.

• Men’s shoes. Yes, I said men’s shoes. If you like cute sneakers or simple sandals just head over to the men’s section. Japanese men can be more fashion forward that women sometimes. You will find something cute, trust me. Especially if  you are into sneakers.

• Brand name shoes. Brands love to keep their fans happy. Especially nowadays. Juicy Couture, and Betsey Johnson offer adorable shoes and ship overseas. Just check out your favorite brand’s website and go to their CONTACT US section or SHIPPING section to see if they ship to Japan. If they don’t specify the countries that they ship to-they will ship to Japan. The only downside to this is that it can be costly.

Happy hunting ladies~

Japan has no official PETA branches that I know of, but PETA recently got one of Japan’s top models to pose semi-nude for one of their campaign advertisements in which she is partially covered by a sign reading “Anti-Fur.” In my search for animal rights movements in Japan, I did come across an animal liberation front that did an anti-fur walk in Osaka in 2006. A more recent fur protest was held in Osaka in the summer of 2008.

Fur is a big business in Japan and they are one of the world’s biggest importers of fur. Mink seems to be a favorite, along with sable, fox, and beaver. Of course, killing just for fur is not a good thing. However, if you are going to eat the animal anyways, at least you are utilizing resources. But I haven’t seen chinchillas on any menus recently.

However, maybe a century ago, and still in some places today, animals were killed for their fur in order for people to survive in extremely cold climates. For example, Native North American tribes used fur long ago to survive the harsh winters in the North, Scandinavians in Northern Europe did the same, and people in places like Greenland, Antarctica, Russia, and Mongolia also did this. The key was survival. Archaeologists have found settlements of Scandinavian people who froze to death after arriving in Greenland and not adapting to the ways of the native people who were living there. The native people survived the harsh climate because they were wearing fur.

Of course, poaching and killing endangered species for fur is illegal in many countries. In the case of celebrity Big Brother in the U.K., house member Pete Burns stated his fur coat was made of gorilla and the coat was immediately confiscated by the police for investigation.

Warmth, not fashion, is apparently the main reason for wearing fur. Among consumers surveyed, 69% say they wear fur for warmth, 25% for fashion, according to the Fur Information Council of North America.

In Osaka, where the winter is only mildly cold, we can definitely agree that the fur is probably most likely worn for fashion.

It’s called deco and I’m joining the revolution.

Yoshっしゃ！

￥１２０００　to get my nails glitter-doughnutted

￥２０００　for whipped cream and various fruits to turn my cell-phone into a cake

￥３８０ｘ４　packets of rhinestones in pink, silver, gold and multi-colours

For those of you who have no idea what I am talking about, take a walk through Namba on any given day and keep your eye out for sparkling cookie-covered items and people. Deco refers to the art of decorating oneself and one’s accessories. Deco Sweets is an off-shoot of this fad/craze/religion and it refers specifically decorating yourself or your things with  plastic biscuits, frosting, fruit. The ingredients and tools recquired to do this can be bought at LoFt, Tokyu Hands or at various online stores.

It’s easily one of the best ideas I have ever heard of.

Deco Done List:

Mirror, Fingernails, Schedule Book, Laptop. Cell-phone

Deco to Do List:

Snowboard goggles, Every pen I own, Certain Kitchen Utensils, My Ceiling

I’m getting serious about deco.

Don’t sit on the fence. You are either with this or against it. Join the DECOLUTION today.

http://past-the-sky.blogspot.com/