Moments in Miyagi / 宮城でのひと時

November 9, 2017 by joostay

Right now I am back in Tokyo after spending a few sun-soaked Autumnal days in Miyagi prefecture. In recent months I have come to really appreciate and enjoy the contrast between urban city life and that of the Japanese inaka (田舎) rural countryside. Spending time with my girlfriend’s family who are volunteering after the tsunami, I feel incredibly lucky to have been introduced to life in Tohoku, absorbing everything around me. Above all, the last few days have reaffirmed my belief that […]

Categories: Travel: Inside Japan • Tags: asia, food, japan, japanese, justin egli, Miyagi, nature, photography, Tohoku, travel, travel writer, Writer, Zen

Amidst the pouring rain / 雨が降る中

October 29, 2017 by joostay

I’m writing this from a small cafe in Ikebukuro that I have come to like. The rain is pattering against the window, and while the setting right at this present moment in time is somewhat idyllic, the constant onslaught of rain over the last few weeks has been anything but. In Japan, typhoons are numbered rather than being given a personal name. Today is Typhoon Number 22 – the 22nd typhoon of the year and the second in as many weekends. […]

Categories: Daily Life in Tokyo • Tags: asia, blogging, daily life, japan, japanese, justin egli, photography, tokyo, travel, travel writer

IKIMASHO! x DAZED: JAPAN’S GROTESQUE MASK PROCESSION

October 24, 2017 by joostay

David Lynch vibes at Menkake Gyoretsu: a traditional festival of men wearing ancient and grotesque masks in Kamakura, a coastal city to the south of Tokyo.

Categories: Art Music & Culture, Bizarre/Unique, Daily Life in Tokyo, Traditional Festivals & Matsuris • Tags: asia, blog, festival, ikimasho, japan, japanese, justin egli, photography, travel, travel writer

I drove about in a dog today

October 4, 2017 by joostay

This was my day. How was yours?

Categories: Kindergarten Life • Tags: japan, japanese, photography, teaching, travel

A walk around: Yaho, Tokyo

September 27, 2017 by joostay

YAHO / 谷保

Categories: Daily Life in Tokyo • Tags: asia, blog, blogging, design, japan, japanese, justin egli, photography, suburbia, tokyo, travel, travel writer

Drinking Matcha in a Bamboo Forest: Hokokuji Temple, Kamakura

September 19, 2017 by joostay

1,998… 1,999… Lost in a sea of 2,000 bamboo.

Categories: Daily Life in Tokyo, Travel: Inside Japan • Tags: blogging, buddhism, design, ikimasho, japan, japanese, justin egli, Kamakura, life, photography, photos, religion, Shonan, travel, travel writer, travel writing, Zen

Reflections from Tohoku, Japan

September 3, 2017 by joostay

A region rebuilding, six years later.

Categories: Daily Life in Tokyo, Travel: Inside Japan • Tags: asia, beauty, design, earthquake, food, japan, japanese, justin egli, Miyagi, photography, regeneration, Scenic, Tohoku, travel, travel blogging, travel writer, travel writing, tsunami

Tokyo’s BIGGEST water fight: Fukagawa Hachiman Festival

August 18, 2017 by joostay

A water purification festival on a truly epic scale

Categories: Art Music & Culture, Daily Life in Tokyo, Traditional Festivals & Matsuris • Tags: asia, blogging, colour, design, festival, japan, japanese, justin egli, matsuri, photography, story, summer, travel, Travel blogger, travel writing, writing

A walk around: Tateishi, Tokyo

July 31, 2017 by joostay

The remains of Old Tokyo – but how long can they remain?

Categories: Daily Life in Tokyo • Tags: architecture, asia, beauty, blogging, design, environment, japan, justin egli, life, mono no aware, photography, photos, space, tokyo, travel, travel writer, urban, wabi-sabi, work, Zen

IKIMASHO! x DAZED: TOKYO’S CAT TEMPLE

July 23, 2017 by joostay

“Gotokuji is an area of the city obsessed with all things feline and many believe its temple to be the birthplace of ‘maneki-neko’ – the cats you’ve seen with one paw held high” I have a new article out in DAZED, exploring the area of Gotokuji in West Tokyo. Gotokuji is a quiet collection of backstreets, bakeries, and flower shops with people going about their daily life. It’s not unlike hundreds of other small stations in Tokyo – apart from one […]

Categories: Art Music & Culture, Daily Life in Tokyo • Tags: animals, blog, blogging, cats, design, japan, japanese, justin egli, photography, photos, se asia, temple, tokyo, traditional, travel, Travel blogger, travel writer

Fine Dining in Tokyo: Andaz Tavern, Toramonon Hills

July 20, 2017 by joostay

High-end cuisine, high up in the city.

Categories: Daily Life in Tokyo, Luxury Travel • Tags: 5 star, ANDAZ, asia, boutique, cuisine, five star, food, hyatt, ikimasho, japan, justin egli, luxury, photography, tokyo, travel, travel writer

A walk around: Akabane, Tokyo

July 5, 2017 by joostay

AKABANE / 赤羽 Last Friday I found myself out drinking in Koenji, an area not too far from Shinjuku that – like my own ‘hood of Shimokitazawa – is famous for its thrift stores and retro vibes. I go there once a year for the Awa Odori, but apart from that I honestly don’t really venture out that direction – despite it only being a short train ride from where I live.  (Last year I think I visited three times in total.) […]

Categories: Daily Life in Tokyo • Tags: alleyways, asia, design, food, japan, japanese, justin egli, photography, street, tokyo, travel, travel writer, urban

THIS IS TOKYO

June 29, 2017 by joostay

IKIMASHO! on Facebook

Categories: Daily Life in Tokyo • Tags: asia, design, food, japan, justin egli, photography, street, tokyo, travel, travel writer, urban

Tsuyu / 梅雨

June 21, 2017 by joostay

So rainy season (tsuyu/梅雨) has finally arrived, drowning Tokyo in a thick veil of humidity and raindrops that will last until mid-July. Yet for now, the rain has stopped: the only sound outside being the distant call of a tofu-seller wheeling his cart through the streets. As I sit here sipping on a mug of yuzu-cha/ゆず茶 (citrus tea made by mixing boiling water with marmalade) I realise that after five years of living in Japan, it is the little things […]

Categories: Daily Life in Tokyo • Tags: asia, ikimasho, japan, justin egli, photography, tokyo, travel, travel writer

Chigo-gyoretsu at Hie Shrine, Tokyo

June 13, 2017 by joostay

A colourful children’s procession with wishes for happiness and health

Categories: Daily Life in Tokyo, Traditional Festivals & Matsuris • Tags: asia, ceremony, festival, japan, japanese, justin egli, photography, shrine, temple, tokyo, travel, travel writer

Farewell Spring. Hello Summer.

June 8, 2017 by joostay

❤ A little photo essay of some wanderings from the last month or so here in Tokyo ❤ IKIMASHO on Facebook      

Categories: Daily Life in Tokyo • Tags: asia, blog, design, japan, japanese, justin egli, photography, se asia, tokyo, travel, travel writer

IKIMASHO! x DAZED: The spirit-chasing, cross-dressing men of outer Tokyo

May 29, 2017 by joostay

A report from Ikazuchi no Daihannya, a weird and wonderful ‘matsuri’ that takes place annually to ward off ancient ghosts

Categories: Bizarre/Unique, Daily Life in Tokyo, Traditional Festivals & Matsuris • Tags: blogging, buddhism, design, festival, japan, japanese, justin egli, photography, photos, random, religion, travel, travel writing, writing

Welcome to my crappy Vietnamese gym

May 25, 2017 by joostay

Working out how to do some working out in Saigon

Categories: Bizarre/Unique, Travel: Outside Japan • Tags: asia, backpacking, fitness, gym, ikimasho, japan, japanese, justin egli, Local Gym in Ho Chi Minh City, photography, Saigon, se asia, tokyo, travel, travel writer, urban, vietnam

IKIMASHO! x ACCLAIM: THE BLADE RUNNER YATAIS OF FUKUOKA

May 21, 2017 by joostay

Postcards: Justin Egli photographs Fukuoka City

Categories: Art: stuff I've drawn, Travel: Inside Japan • Tags: asia, design, food, fukuoka, japan, japanese, justin egli, kyushu, photography, photos, street, tokyo, travel, travel writer, urban

In Pictures: Tran Hung Dao Alleyways, Saigon, Vietnam

May 11, 2017 by joostay

Right now I’m back in Tokyo after a week in Saigon. I didn’t visit one tourist attraction while I was there, instead choosing to spend my time as I usually do, wandering the backstreets and eating local food. I quickly found out that the most interesting daily life happens deep in the concentrated network of alleyways that exist away from the main tourist centre. By zooming in on Google Maps, you can clearly see areas in Ho Chi Minh where […]

Categories: Travel: Outside Japan • Tags: architecture, city, daily life, design, food, Ho Chi MInh, justin egli, photography, Saigon, se asia, travel, travel writer, urban, vietnam

Happiness at Mitau, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

May 4, 2017 by joostay

Noodles, tea, and a song. All served by the nicest person you’ll ever meet.

Categories: Travel: Outside Japan • Tags: asia, blog, HCMC, ho chi minh city, justin egli, Saigon, se asia, travel, vietnam

GOOD MORNING, VIETNAM!

April 30, 2017 by joostay

6am – 8am: SAIGON / SÀI GÒN

Categories: Travel: Outside Japan • Tags: architecture, asia, design, food, ho chi minh city, justin egli, photography, Saigon, se asia, travel, Travel Photography, urban, vietnam

NRT > SGN

April 29, 2017 by joostay

Right now I’m sitting in a coffee shop at Terminal 2 in Narita Airport listening to a super cheesy sax solo playing over the radio. I have a few hours to kill before a flight to Ho Chi Minh, where I will be hanging out until Friday. Next week is Golden Week in Japan –  a string of National holidays giving people five days off this year. Looking back over my blog from the last few months, I’m aware that I’m not posting as often […]

Categories: Daily Life in Tokyo • Tags: blog, japan, japanese, justin egli, photography, se asia, travel, travel writer

Ikazuchi no Daihannya Matsuri, Tokyo

April 23, 2017 by joostay

Chasing away evil spirits with cross-dressing men in the Tokyo suburbs

Categories: Bizarre/Unique, Daily Life in Tokyo, Traditional Festivals & Matsuris • Tags: asia, design, festival, japan, japanese, justin egli, Kimono, matsuri, photography, temple, Textile, tokyo, travel, travel writing

REFLECTIONS ON NAKASU / Fukuoka City

April 9, 2017 by joostay

Nakasu (中洲) is the red-light district which exists between the neon-lit sandbank of the Naka River (那珂川) and the Hakata River (博多川) in Fukuoka City

Categories: Bizarre/Unique, Travel: Inside Japan • Tags: aesthetic, asia, design, fukuoka, japan, justin egli, neon, photography, travel, urban

A walk around: Dazaifu, Fukuoka Prefecture

April 5, 2017 by joostay

Welcome to Dazaifu (太宰府市), a small, quiet city on the outskirts of Fukuoka in southern Japan.

Categories: Travel: Inside Japan • Tags: asia, Dazaifu, food, fukuoka, japan, japanese, justin egli, kyushu, nature, photography, shinto, travel, Zen

Sanctuary in the City: Agora Fukuoka Hilltop Hotel & Spa, Fukuoka, Japan

April 1, 2017 by joostay

A peaceful retreat in one of Japan’s most vibrant, cosmopolitan cities

Categories: Luxury Travel, Travel: Inside Japan • Tags: Agora Hotsel & Spa, architecture, asia, design, food, food photography, fukuoka, hotel, interior design, japan, justin egli, photography, resort, travel, travel writer

Full Circle

March 23, 2017 by joostay

And so life goes full circle… In 2003 I touched down in Japan for the first time, living in this apartment block in Fukuoka city. Last weekend I went back to visit – a whopping 13 years later. I hadn’t been back during that time at all, but thankfully everything is exactly how I remember it, right down to my old post box, and the sign for the supermarket. It was such a strange feeling, and I experienced the ultimate sensation […]

Categories: Daily Life in Tokyo, Travel: Inside Japan, Travel: Outside Japan • Tags: asia, fukuoka, japan, journey, justin egli, life, tokyo, travel, travel writer, Zen

Fried Bananas in Bali

March 8, 2017 by joostay

Quite often when you travel a lot – and particularly when you are a travel writer – so many little moments can get lost; photos relegated to the the depths of memory cards, overlooked in favour of bigger articles that are being written at the time. As a perfect example, I was freeing up some space on a card the other day when I came across a group of photos I hadn’t looked at since the day they were taken. Cycling […]

Categories: Travel: Outside Japan • Tags: asia, asian, backpacking, bali, blog, food, indonesia, japan, japanese, justin egli, photography, sanur, se asia, travel, travel writer, travel writing, writing

Setagaya Plum Blossom Festival 2017

March 4, 2017 by joostay

Each year between mid-February and early March the Setagaya Plum Blossom Festival (Setagaya Ume Matsuri) takes place at Hanegi Park in Umegaoka. It’s a small park, with small neighbourhood vibes to match: the festival mainly attracting local people who live in the surrounding area. I live two stops from Umegaoka, and so last weekend I decided to check out a good sushi place then met some mates to hang out at the matsuri. Cute local festivals like this are what living in the […]

Categories: Daily Life in Tokyo • Tags: asia, blog, design, Flowers, food, ikimasho, japan, japanese, justin egli, nature, photography, tokyo, travel, urban, Zen

Lunch at Sushi no Midori, Umegaoka

February 27, 2017 by joostay

High-end sushi without the high-end price tag

Categories: Daily Life in Tokyo • Tags: asia, blog, design, food, ikimasho, japan, japanese, justin egli, photography, sushi, tokyo, travel, travel writer

Spring Update 2017 / IKIMASHO!

February 19, 2017 by joostay

When I first started this blog in March 2012, it was more a collection of daily photos – a diary for myself more than anything – of all the new things I was seeing and doing in Tokyo. As the years went on, these daily things of course became (somewhat) normal to me and so IKIMASHO! matured (is that the right word?) into a site with more specific articles about traditional festivals, certain neighbourhoods in the city and other stuff […]

Categories: Daily Life in Tokyo, Kindergarten Life • Tags: design, japan, justin egli, living in japan, photography, Teaching in Japan, tokyo, travel, travel writer, writing

Dumplings by the thousands at Kameido Gyoza

February 11, 2017 by joostay

“From China, a thousand years ago: tasty history!”

Categories: Daily Life in Tokyo • Tags: asia, blog, china, chinese food, cooking, design, food, food photography, ikimasho, japan, japanese, justin egli, photography, restaurant, travel

Setsubun at a Japanese Kindergarten

February 3, 2017 by joostay

Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi! / Demons out! Luck in!

Categories: Kindergarten Life • Tags: 2017, asia, blog, educatin, festival, ikimasho, japan, japanese, justin egli, photography, school, setsubun, teaching english, tradition, traditional, travel, writing

A walk around: Kagurazaka, Tokyo

January 26, 2017 by joostay

KAGURAZAKA / 神楽坂 Despite being cold, the winter months in Tokyo are often the best time of year to enjoy clear blue skies and sunshine. And so, with the sun on my back, I recently headed down to Kagurazaka for the afternoon – a neighbourhood in Tokyo not too far from Iidabashi station. (There’s a great cafe down by the canal there by the way, check it out.) Kagurazaka is perhaps most famous for its picturesque cobblestone streets, cute French restaurants […]

Categories: Daily Life in Tokyo • Tags: architecture, buddhism, design, food, graphics, ikimasho, japanese, justin egli, photography, street photography, streets, travel, urban, Zen

Setagaya Boroichi 2017

January 18, 2017 by joostay

Last Sunday – with the cold visible on my breath – I made a short trip on the dainty Setagaya train line visit to the Setagaya Boroichi Fair. Started over 400 years ago, this huge flea market is now designated as one of Tokyo’s intangible folk cultural assets and features about 700 venders selling all sorts of food, junk, toys and antiques. There was a marching band with students playing the tuba, and everyone was in good spirits. I also tried […]

Categories: Daily Life in Tokyo • Tags: asia, blog, boroichi, daily life, design, fair, festival, japan, japanese, justin egli, local life, photography, setagaya, tokyo, town, travel

THIS IS TOKYO // PORTRAIT OF A CITY

January 12, 2017 by joostay

IKIMASHO! on Facebook

Categories: Daily Life in Tokyo • Tags: aesthetic, amazing, asia, blog, city, design, ikimasho, japan, japanese, justin egli, megacity, photography, shinjuku, street, tokyo, travel, travelling, urban, visit japan

IKIMASHO! x DROPKICK MURPHYS

January 8, 2017 by joostay

Dropkick Murphys talk to IKIMASHO! about playing Japan, Asia & beyond…

Categories: Art Music & Culture, YOUTUBE SESSIONS • Tags: asia, belfast, blog, china, Dropkick Murphys, fukuoka, ireland, japan, japanese, justin egli, music, northern ireland, photography, punk, runnin riot, se asia, tokyo, travel

Cave Hill, Belfast, Northern Ireland

December 28, 2016 by joostay

I’m back in Northern Ireland for a few weeks for the holidays. Today some of my old bandmates and I climbed up Cave Hill, overlooking Belfast. Cave Hill is thought to be the inspiration for Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels, with Swift imagining that the Hill resembled the shape of a sleeping giant safeguarding the city.

Categories: Travel: Outside Japan • Tags: belfast, blog, cave hill, green, ireland, japan, justin egli, nature, northern ireland, outdoors, photography, travel

YŌICHI WADA PHOTO STUDIO

December 19, 2016 by joostay

With textures like these, it’s hard not to fall in love with the backstreets of Japan. [Taken in Kagurazaka, Tokyo.] Like IKIMASHO! on Facebook.

Categories: Daily Life in Tokyo • Tags: asia, japan, justin egli, kagurazaka, old, photo, se asia, texture, tokyo, travel

IKIMASHO! x NEW MANDALA: Indonesia’s Yadnya Kasada Festival

December 18, 2016 by joostay

“A six-centuries-old tradition, showing allegiance to the mountain gods, feels like a religious test of endurance, writes Justin Egli recounting what he witnessed atop the volcano.” In 2014 I climbed to the top of an active volcano in Indonesia at midnight to witness a very unique festival. It was an extremely intense experience, with pilgrims throwing live sacrifices into the heart of the caldera. I’m really happy to have my account of the experience published by New Mandala – an […]

Categories: Travel: Outside Japan • Tags: asia, festival, geography, indonesia, justin egli, photography, se asia, travel, travel writer, travel writing, volcano

Urban Zen: Peace Through Nothingness

December 13, 2016 by joostay

Realising you are getting old(er) and being perfectly happy about it. A few days ago I came across a piece I did for ACCLAIM magazine in 2015 featuring a bunch of old photos I took with disposable cameras back when I was living in the south of Japan in 2003. It got me thinking how I didn’t really fully appreciate being in Kyushu at the time, and exploring my immediate surroundings. At 22, all I cared about was partying, going to punk […]

Categories: Daily Life in Tokyo • Tags: advertising, asia, buddhism, CREATIVE, design, japan, justin egli, Nothingness, photography, tokyo, travel, urban, Zen

WALKING FOR RAMEN

December 5, 2016 by joostay

A sunny walk through my neighbourhood in Tokyo

Categories: Daily Life in Tokyo • Tags: asia, blog, eating, food, ikimasho, japan, japanese, photography, ramen, shimokitazawa, sun, tokyo, travel, walking

Shichi-Go-San / Seven-Five-Three

December 2, 2016 by joostay

Stumbling across a traditional rite of passage for young children way out in the ‘burbs

Categories: Art Music & Culture, Daily Life in Tokyo • Tags: architecture, blog, culture, design, fashion, festival, Hachioji, japan, japanese, justin egli, photography, shinto, tokyo, travel

WATCHING A JAPANESE ABBA TRIBUTE BAND ON THE STREETS OF KAWASAKI

November 27, 2016 by joostay

Because what else would you be doing on a Saturday morning?

Categories: Art Music & Culture, Bizarre/Unique, Daily Life in Tokyo • Tags: abba, abban, asia, bizarre, blog, culture, ikimasho, japan, japanese, justin egli, kawasaki, music, photography, tokyo, travel, weird

Autumn in Tokyo / 東京の秋

November 19, 2016 by joostay

Colorful leaves (koyo) are to the Japanese autumn what cherry blossoms are to spring. This is a time to seek out silent gardens: to sit motionless among the lonely reds and yellows of nature. Like IKIMASHO! on Facebook

Categories: Daily Life in Tokyo • Tags: asia, autumn, buddhism, change, design, gardens, japan, leaves, nature, parks, photography, tokyo, travel, Zen

Japan’s Beautiful Shirasagi-no Mai: White Heron Dance

November 6, 2016 by joostay

A millennium-old Japanese dance on the grounds of Sensoji Temple, Tokyo.

Categories: Art Music & Culture, Daily Life in Tokyo • Tags: asakusa, asia, blog, culture, dance, dancing, design, fashion, festival, japan, japanese, justin egli, matsuri, photography, se asia, sensoji, shirasagi-no mai, tokyo, traditional, travel, white heron dance

Tokyo Halloween 2016: The Growth of Halloween in Japan

November 3, 2016 by joostay

The walking dead – and the cute living – take to the streets of Tokyo

Categories: Art Music & Culture, Bizarre/Unique, Daily Life in Tokyo • Tags: anime, asia, cosplay, design, halloween, halloween 2016, japan, manga, photography, se asia, street, tokyo, travel, urban

Traditional Kusajishi Archery at Yasukuni Shrine, Tokyo.

October 26, 2016 by joostay

Those of us who work in Japan are lucky enough to get one or two national holidays a month. Health and Sports Day – also simply known Sports Day – is one such day held annually on the second Monday in October. It commemorates the opening of the 1964 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, and exists to promote sports and an active lifestyle. To coincide with the national holiday, many traditional sporting events take place throughout the city. And so a few weeks […]

Categories: Daily Life in Tokyo • Tags: archery, asia, design, fabric, fashion, japan, japanese, justin egli, photography, se asia, sports, tokyo, travel

PRO WRESTLING ON THE STREET: KAWASAKI, JAPAN.

October 23, 2016 by joostay

Another bizarre afternoon down in Kanagawa…

Categories: Art Music & Culture, Bizarre/Unique, Daily Life in Tokyo • Tags: asia, city, design, japan, japanese, justin egli, kanagawa, kawasaki, photography, se asia, street, tokyo, travel, urban, wrestlers, wrestling

UNDOKAI! DRAWINGS FROM SPORTS DAY IN A JAPANESE KINDERGARTEN

October 21, 2016 by joostay

A few weeks back was my school’s undokai, or Sports Day. It’s always a big, big deal for the parents – with families usually queuing outside the gates of the school from 6am in order to get the best viewing spot. The day consists of all the usual stuff you would expect, such as races and relays – but also lots of gymnastic and music performances that the kids have been practicing for about two months prior. As is the […]

Categories: Kindergarten Life • Tags: asia, cute, drawings, ikimasho, japan, justin egli, photography, sports day, tokyo, travel

Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum

October 15, 2016 by joostay

Step off the train and step back in time with a walk around old Japan

Categories: Art Music & Culture, Daily Life in Tokyo • Tags: architecture, asia, blog, buildings, culture, edo, fuji, history, japan, japanese, mount fuji, nature, photography, planning, se asia, stories, tokyo, travel, urban, writing

SELAMAT DATANG: THE IKIMASHO! GUIDE TO INDONESIA

October 10, 2016 by joostay

Why you should visit the world’s largest island nation

Categories: Travel: Outside Japan • Tags: asia, asian, bali, blog, design, indonesia, japan, japanese, java, justin egli, photography, se asia, sumatra, tokyo, travel, travel guide, writing

THIS IS TOKYO

October 4, 2016 by joostay

.

Categories: Daily Life in Tokyo • Tags: asia, blog, design, food, japan, japanese, justin egli, kichijoji, photography, se asia, shimokitazawa, tokyo, travel, urban, west tokyo

Inside Super Potato: Tokyo’s best retro games shop

September 29, 2016 by joostay

A nostalgia trip with SNES consoles stacked to the ceiling

Categories: Art Music & Culture, Daily Life in Tokyo • Tags: asia, consoles, culture, games, gaming, genesis, japan, japanese, megadrive, nintendo, photography, playstation, sega, snes, tokyo, travel, urban

Akasaka Hikawa Matsuri 2016

September 27, 2016 by joostay

When the spirits of mountains and forests roam the streets of Tokyo The summer matsuri season may have died down but there are still plenty of smaller cultural festivals happening all over Tokyo each weekend for those curious enough look that little bit further. For me, visiting these festivals is an integral part of living here: for as well as helping me understand more about Japan, they also satisfy my need to ‘travel’ in that I am constantly seeing something new and fresh for […]

Categories: Art Music & Culture, Daily Life in Tokyo • Tags: akasaka, asia, blog, blogger, festival, hikawa, japan, japanese, justin egli, matsuri, photography, se asia, tokyo, travel, video

IKIMASHO! x ANA

September 21, 2016 by joostay

ANA recently got it touch with me about a social media collaboration. It’s the largest airline in Japan, and has a following of over one million on Facebook. It was a good opportunity for me to gain some new followers and get some good exposure. I have been fortunate enough in the last few months to work directly with high-end brands such as Shangri-La, Hyatt and now ANA – and I sincerely hope I can continue this onward trend into 2017 […]

Categories: Daily Life in Tokyo, Travel: Outside Japan • Tags: airlines, ANA, asia, blogging, digital, flights, flying, ikimasho, japan, justin egli, marketing, photography, tokyo, travel

The Emerging Street Art Scene in Borneo

September 13, 2016 by joostay

Hanging out with a crew of graffiti artists in Kota Kinabalu

Categories: Travel: Outside Japan • Tags: art, asia, asian, blog, borneo, design, ikimasho, japan, justin egli, kota kinabalu, photography, sabah, se asia, STREET ART, tokyo, travel, writing

Inner Reflection at Inokashira Koen

September 8, 2016 by joostay

Getting lost in the sound of the Japanese summer Last weekend I took a stroll around Inokashira Koen, a park 10 minutes by train from my house. If I ever decide to move away from Shimokitazawa, it will be to here – in and around Kichijoji. Just west of Tokyo, this area is close enough to the central wards to be convenient but far enough away to have a sleepy, bohemian atmosphere. Then again, being only ten minutes away, I guess I can […]

Categories: Daily Life in Tokyo • Tags: blog, buddhism, design, japan, japanese, justin egli, photography, setagaya, suganami, tokyo, travel, Zen

Kitazawa Hachiman Shrine Reitaisai 2016

September 5, 2016 by joostay

Categories: Daily Life in Tokyo • Tags: culture, design, festival, ikimasho, japan, japanese, justin egli, matsuri, photography, shimokitazawa, tokyo, travel