Okinawa romance

Hello dear beautiful friends of mine!

I have been... doing a lot of things♡

HEHE.

I have decided to wander around the entire island of Japan over the next... year and a bit!

Let me introduce you this beautiful island Okinawa.

http://townske.com/guide/13642/without-knowing-okinawa

(I am also on Townske as your travel guide! ♡)

It was my very first time visiting Okinawa.

Simply saying... Okinawa was a huge color palette.

Started off my journey in Ikei island - East coast of Okinawa.

The sunrise and the reflection of the sun were nostalgic and I was drowning in the beauty of the morning.

Okinawa- where the water is translucently emerald green... 

How I wish I could dive! 

It was absolutely blessing to view the ocean from above.

It was the most luxurious thing I have done in a looong time...

American Village in the morning!

It loses its funkiness and full of fun! 

You can't tell how vividly gorgeous this place is at night, looking like an Easter show!

Kouri island where the romance comes true when you "desperately" wish for it...

You need to be desperate on that beach I heard.

Two heart shaped rocks and couples taking a selfie with them..

Love♡

No matter how many photos I post the picture pulls off different color, different tone and different atmosphere...

How blessing is this!

I fell in love with this sunset as the sun fell slowly behind the horizon...

Little Santorini I call it♡

Santorini is definitely on my to go list! :)

I LOVE the color white and surrounded in white,

this purely white place was absolutely stunning.

Staying there and feeling the whiteness was sheer bliss...♡

I was there super early in the morning so all I could do was walk around this beautiful open castle but

hope someday I can drop by a few of those cafes and relax on the terrace chair...♡

Okinawa has a strong sense in peace, and they are beautifully colored.

360 degrees, every where you turn, Okinawa shows you a whole different color you haven't mixed yet.

This enormous object in a kids park next to the Peace Memorial Park was my favorite!

There are wind turbines nearby and look at the colors of this object! Surrealistically beautiful♡

I tried to sneak into one piece and realized how big I was ... physically

(Mind still being a child though...)

I couldn't leave Okinawa without having these perfectly spheric ice creams at Blue Seal.

I heard that there are still Blue Seal stores in mainland Japan too, but it was extremely exciting to have those traditional ice creams in a warm, tropical weather.

I will be painting, singing with my beloved guitar and traveling this year, a lot.

I will update my blog on my journey, hope you enjoy, and find out something new...

Hope I can show you a brand new face of the world!

Wishing you a wonderful spring ahead!

Anna Kirishima

Travel guide

Hello the world!

I haven't forgetten about my blog, just that... 

(I  forget the password all the time and I cannot log into this account very often),

what a horrible blogger am I!

But I feel so insecure if I set a really easy password!

So my password usually goes like G82hlx4Rdl08DaMwU38X and there is no way I can remember all of them (true story, sometimes above plus ^#$&*;+ ...).

Anyway.

I just wanted to write about how I have joined this incredible travel website Townske to write about travel guide and tips.

I haven't even written about my Kanazawa trip on here yet, but I have summerized my trip in one article and wrote about recommendation so if you are interested in the old Japanese traditional culture and traveling to the art town Kanazawa- please check it out. 

The Must Goes In Kanazawa, Ishikawa Pref. Japan

I also simply write about the trips on wordpress

http://annakirishima.wordpress.com as well!

I post more photos on it, if you are interesed.

I personally have decided to go traveling once a month, or at least every second month on a weekend.

I will definitely update my Townske, blog or instagram so please stay tuned if you are interested in seeing my perspectives while traveling.

I shall be mostly traveling within Japan this year,

Most definitely traveling to - Kanagawa, Yamanashi, Hiroshima, Kagoshima,

Mie... and - Thailand. Hopefully USA too but not sure.

Really wanting to go to Cuba, and Singapore again.

Australia? Hm, if I go I won't be able ever leave there! *homesick*

Besides travel, I will be writing a lot about cafes in and outside of Tokyo.

Cafe - Omotesand

The first Cafe article was on Harajuku - Omotesando.

I hear a lot of people traveling to Japan again this year or sometime soon.

Hopefully my blogs will be an useful information even though I am not the master of Tokyo at all.

There are certainly beautiful places in Tokyo and I would be happy for you to find out about them.

I will do big travels too this year but also will be exploring more of the Tokyo 23 wards.

I want to explore... Tennozu Isle, Iidabashi (Suidobashi, Nihonbashi),

Zoshigaya, Sumida, Shiodome, Ginza... and writing a proper guide of Yokohama ( My home town! ) again.

Kanazawa was an incredible travel destination.

I am not sure if the entire city of Kanazawa is like that or only some part of it is but

someone who has spent a long time in Kanazawa has told me that

the local people in Kanazawa hated to fight, and they knew that if they don't fight, the enemies wouldn't be invading their castle either, so they trained to perform and produce art or craft works more than fighting, but they were still worried about someone entering the castle so they made the interior of the castle like a maze.

And that's how Kanazawa has become an interesting, art and entertainment oriented city.

It was a very peaceful and laid back city.

Everywhere we went, we saw a street full of galleries and art shops.

Small city, a lot of entertainment.

Thanks for reading my blog again, I just fixed my password today so hope I can log in easily next time!

Love

Anna

2016

Happy New Year!

Welcome 2016♡

No matter how hard the time could get,

in the end of the day, I always get to experience and feel someone's kindness.

It always makes everything I go through a day worth it.

I have been feeling this over the past number of years.

Hello!

I was back home for the New Years.

I wouldn't make this simply my diary of New Years,

I would rather want to track the color of the sky and water I have seen over the 2 days.

Hello a stretching man!

I liked his silhouette though, personally.

He might have felt really awkward having someone taking photos of him stretching for...

good 20 minutes.

First sunset of the year♡

I fell deep in love♡

Super early in the morning.

It was simply amazing.

It's like the time everything starts moving, getting back to a life.

It is the time of dawn when the sky is too bright for the stars to shine but too dark for the moon not to glow.

2nd of January 2016,

it was so warm and comfortable standing on the mountain.

The sunrise was a sheer grace and it did promise me a soft, tender year full of love and warmth.

And that got me totally determined,

to... this year, I will turn off my phone and chuck it in the drawer on the weekends.

It is written as a definition of "Day off" in the dictionary too.

I don't feel like anything has ended and started all over.

I would say... R.I.P. 2015, I needed you once, but I left you to move on.

2016 is like a stable boyfriend to me ( I know nothing about it yes ).

But I got this feeling that it will be flowing smoothly through the history

after having the most dramatic year - 2015... well it's just my feeling, though.

What a warm beginning of the year.

I might write "throw back to new years day" diary sometime later this year.

But for now, happy new year and I wish all of your 2016 be full of love and blessings.

Love, so much love.

Anna Kirishima

Ending gives me hopes

Today is New Year's Eve.

The word "New Year's Eve" reminds me of that awesome movie I've watched ... 4-5 years ago, on New Year's Eve with my single friend.

I still love that movie, I should rent it and watch it maybe over next New Year's Eve night.

2015 was HUGE. It has been so dramatic, I would say it was 4 years put together in one year.

My 2015 has started off with snow.

I got up at 5, headed straight out with a camera, found out it was snowing...

It's safe to say, it was snow storming.

Traveled down to the harbor, where I wanted to see the sunrise.

Obviously, couldn't see a thing and saw many people waiting at the ferry terminal sleeping or walking around.

Apparently, the ferries couldn't depart due to the heavy amount of snow.

When the sun shined through and the sky went all beautifully translucent, I swore to god I will benefit someone this year, I will work hardest I can ever do.

And it really did make me believe it was going to be an amazing year, and it did, end up being an amazing year.

It was snowing on the way or snow was blocking the way or something and.. we were stuck in the bus for 15 hours on the way back to Tokyo.

I love night rides, it didn't bother me at all and I rather enjoyed the view from the window as I could see - Mount Fuji, Beautiful sky and bird, snow... on every other suburbs.

I've started instagramming in April,

I almost forgot what I have done in 2015 but instagram is a great way to keep track of it.

 Instagram was the breakfast I ate to inspire myself in every morning.

It really opened my eyes wider and made me feel so comfy to be connected with incredibly inspiring people.

 As always, I was melting in summer but it's a good memory now.

I am really cold-tolerant but heat impacts me so badly.

I just can't walk outside when it's... humid.

Simply, humid, and warm.

I think I have taken photos of girls this year as well.

Properly got back to painting.

Been so workaholic that I couldn't get manythings done this year, possibly.

But really it was a great time to start/restart everything I was staying away from for a while.

So I can go accelerate harder in 2016.

Boxing day lunch with grandma♡

She looks like Christmas! Cute red overcoat.

I have been asking her about my genes.

Apparently our family has a thick artistic blood flowing.

It's really either.

Hater or Euthusiast.

My grandma is a calligrapher so looking to collaborate her calligraphy into painting next year.

None of my family members is a coffee enthusiast.

I am the only one with espresso flowing in my veins.

Now I miss coffee already.

I will pour one as soon as I wake up tomorrow morning...

First cup of coffee of the year!

Started taking photos from rooftops or high places,

"ONLY" to keep my friends away from Japan missing Tokyo.

- http://instagram.com/annakirishimaphoto

And it's been quite successful!

I have been getting "Aw, now I miss Shibuya!"

Come back~ Come back~

Anyway, 2016 will start in a few hours and it will be a wild year.

Thanks for reading my blog, staying in my life and spending time with me.

I am so happy to have lived 2015 and hoping to spend more time with you.

May your holiday and new year be filled with love and miracles!

With a lot of love

Anna Kirishima

Friendship

Hello dearies♡

I am supposed to be a blogger as well as an Instagrammer and I haven't blogged in ages...

I wanted my account to be safe and secure so I kept on changing the login password then I totally forgot what it ended up being and I couldn't log in my account... for a very long time :(

Finally!

Anyways, today I met up with friends I haven't seen for years!

Sweet autumn Omotesando♡

It has been really cold in Tokyo!

It's not yet hitting one digit degrees Celcius but it's... like... really cold.

There is a wedding happening at this cafe every time I come around♡

They have a long line of people waiting to get in the cafe every weekend...

Hoping to get in there someday ;)

Bacon and egg pancakes♡♡

Best combination to have on pancakes!

My friend is Japanese though she seemed to be experiencing a huge cultural difference in Japan!

At least she was happy to finally have a pasta in Japan! ^ ^

And we can never get enough of yummy food... :)

This place is in Ura-Aoyama ( hidden corner in Aoyama area ), I always knew they have an awesome affogato and they do, really.

As I say so many times, affogato is my SECOND favorite food in this world♡

We had heaps of fun, it was absolutely awesome to catch up with old friends and spend time like no time has gone by.

She was totally going emotional and saying to us how she's enjoying her time so much like she hasn't in a long time. How sweet of her!

Night in Omotesando was interesting.

I found this ESCADA with a man watching the display, Very Very interesting.

There were new stores I haven't seen opened on the main avenue.

Saint Laurent and other famous stores. Busy Tokyo. Changing all the time.

I am a person who adores black and white.

Not only for photography, but to be in also.

I feel the timeless beauty in black and white.

World has been changing, but black shadow and white light, can not be changed.

I love it.

Aww I wonder if they had a celebration♡

Love seeing happy people.

I was quite sick since a few days ago but today has totally brought me back to a life.

I have to write about this...

I have started a blog on Wordpress only writing about my art and photography journal (this blog being my lifestyle blog).

http://annakirishima.wordpress.com

I have been painting pointillism since 12 and I have never thought once it will be appreciated by anybody.

Because it's to me just a bunch of dots forming an image, and I didn't think it would mean anything to them.

But recently, I have been told by a number of people that it is crazy and they would like to have it.

Like not just saying, they were meaning it.

I was in doubt at first but then I felt their honesty.

It has shocked me a lot, as I said, I have never thought it would hit anybody's heart in the first place.

Art is never accurate.

My dots can never be placed accurately.

There is no definition of accuracy in my art.

I paint with dots because I can't even draw a straight line if I try to.

But then, it requires a whole lot of patience.

And I had it.

That's the whole story.

It would tickle me if (hypothetically) someone said to me I was pretty.

It would make me feel shy if they said I was smart.

But if they appreciate what I make, they would mean the world to me.

It always has.

Now people are giving me the heaven and all I want to is keep creating.

It's just a whole bunch of thank you that I would like to deliver and I want to keep creating until the moment I am gone.

And my biggest wish is to have my creations living longer than I do.

I never really believe it when people say to me

"Oh you are an artist you are different, it's fiiiiine!"

I don't think I am any different to anybody, in fact, everybody is so different from each other that you can't define the standard of "being", right?

I am so right in my own way and I am being true to myself, and I am sure everybody is.

But it is the best, most blessing thing to have people accepting me for whatever hell or heaven that I am, and giving me the slighest respect.

It is just so touching that I had to write so much about this ahaha I need to keep this blog sheerly for my lifestyle diary hehe.

Anyway, it is a big part of me being an "Artist" and it is what defines what I am.

And I would like to stay connected with the beautiful welcoming world.

Thank you again and finally,

I shall be updating this blog regularly as well!

Many thanks,

Anna Kirishima

Hopeless Romantic under the dim light

Hello, hello!

It's been so long since I've updated this blog...

I've been just too much of a workaholic over the past few... weeks... months... yes months.

Today is 31st of October and it's the birthday of the most beloved, important person of mine.

We are far apart but let me wish you a wonderful, blessed day from Tokyo, Japan♡

I have been chasing my dream, as well as working hard lately.

When you find a living purpose, living everyday becomes much more meaningful and simple.

Because you know exactly what you want, and what you don't need...♡

Anyway!

I am excited to announce that

I have been collaborating with this amazing blogger team from Italy - Not Only Mama

I write blogs in English and Japanese, and Not Only Mama makes it into Italian as well!

How wonderful! Italian - Japanese blogs :)♡　You can't find many of them!

Wine red is always my favorite in Autumn and Winter...♡

And flower print long skirts is ... my thing♡

It's everybody's thing! Of course!

It's so hard to find a perfect skirt though, need a couple of them for the winter♡

As well as I love wine red...

I am deeply in love with knit sweaters♪

Winter's necessity!

Everytime I go to Yoyogi park, I see trees in different colours.

The whole view is different. It's really romantic.

The sunlight shining through from different directions.

The leaves are sometimes thin- sometimes so heavy that sunlight doesn't come through-

Nature is wonderful.

Next month will be the businest month of this year.

Then December is a ... PARTY♡

Of course it is! It is every year. It must be.

The year is almost ending... it's surreal.

May the rest of your year be filled with wonder and joy♡

I love you all, good night for me, have a great time to all of you♡

Anna Kirishima

Aoyama Flower Market Tea House

Dear lovers♡

Terrible of me that I haven't updated my blog for centuries

My work got busy and I had to do some designs at work and...
didn't really get to use computer for personal use...

Finally got it back now♡

As I wrote on Instagram...

I am writing about this incredibly beautiful cafe in Aoyama Tokyo

Aoyama flower market -  Tea house

Flower shop... is the entrance

of the tea specialized cafe.

I have posted so many photos of this amazing cafe on my instagram and

many people liked the photos, like I do.

I will write a blog about this cafe♡

There is always a queue waiting to get in the cafe

( 60 minutes queue usually, like in Disney land! )

So I gave up on going in there though...

Last time when my friend and I dropped by

luckily we walked in without waiting for a minute!

Never look so different but

every time I go there the flowers and arrangements are different

small differences but keeps on entertaining us.

Beautiful arrangement

There are flowers everywhere in the cafe.

On the tables on the wall, on the blocks...

I've told you a couple times,

my dream is to run a flower and coffee cafe.

Visiting this place is really inspiring and

expanding my dream ideas...♡

Most photogenic cafe that I know in Tokyo.

For sure.

( So far. )

These tiny tiny roses definitely brightened our table♡

They are alive! not fake flowers.

Cutest roses I've seen.

Photographers... never stop their hands when their food arrives...♡

We spend a few hours before starting to eat our food....

Well not a few hours but we do...

Ahaha

We keep on arranging the table and taking photos

rearrange it and photograph again

again and again

until the food is cold

#Relatable

Beautiful cafe

The food was marvellous.

We were deciding between ice cream and chicken sandwich ( not sure why )

And we both somewhat chose chicken sandwich ( not sure why... )

And it was the best chicken sandwich I've had in ...

Japan.

( No, no exeggeration. Really. )

I shall drop by there when there are less people again

to have their rose ice cream♡

What a fantastical place really...

This cafe and their flowers-

never let us down♡

Love you!

Anna