REWINDING : JAPAN

As always, I had trouble sleeping last night and I suddenly had flashbacks of my trip to Japan in 2003.. So I thought, better write than just sit in bed for doing nothing. My obsession with the Japanese culture takes me back to those days where I was an anime freak. Yes, me an anime freak. All thanks to Doraemon, that magic blue cat who seemed to have every imaginable gadget to save Nobita's life. Then I had a period where I was into Cardcaptor Sakura.. then eventually moving into the gothic lolita Harajuku girls.. and so on.. I find the Japanese very unique. They are one of a kind. I like how they maintain their traditions while being open to modernism at the same time.

me, circa 2003. i cant believe that im wearing a hat that's identical to the 3 strangers in the background...



This is how their traditional vs modern works in fashion. While I was still studying in school, I had one class where I learned the typical characteristics of designers based on their locations. For the Japanese, deconstructive styles was one of them. Geniuses such as Rei Kawakubo (Comme des Garçons) are famous for turning a single piece of fabric into a work of art filled with out-of-the-world shillouettes and designs. The designs look futuristic. But, the production is mostly based on Japan's very own Origami.

Rei for Comme des Garçons piece in Vogue UK 2008. Shot by Nick Knight (img from fashionisavampire)
Rei herself admitted that her home country is most inspiring. Japan seems to be ahead not in just fashion, but also in beauty and electronics (remember Nintendo and Mario?) No wonder Hollywood A-lists such as Gwen Stefanie and Kimora have been sucked into the whimsical culture of the Nihongjins.


doraemon milk image from weheartit
Other than that, Japanese delicacies have also topped off my favorite food list. From their low calorie cup noodles to omakazes, there's not one food that I don't like (except for wasabi). To me, Japan is somewhat like Paris. In just about every little corner, you can find food stalls or kiosks that serve delicious meals even if it's only a simple bowl of udon. Until today, I still find it amuzing how the Japanese are able to concoct delicious snacks yet they maintain the nutrition facts under the healthy radar. Writing all this makes me miss Japan ALOT, especially all the snacks I encounter in their minimarkets..

PS. for those who want an ALL expense paid trip (aka FREE TRIP) to Japan, CLICK HERE ;)