This weekend has been full of illustrations. I’ve been trying a new style with really limited color sets, just trying to keep it to a few colors and their tints and shades. First I started with kitsune at an Inari shrine.
This one was so tricky, because making the kitsune faces not look too cartoony was difficult. This originally started as a lighting study on the shrine part, with…
DRAGON BALL SUPER FANS: In Japan, you can buy high quality DBS artwork from the convenience store. Because you don’t know which out of the 16 you’ll get you can’t help but grab more than one ~ I got lucky with this one!
I visited the Dragon Ball cafe in Osaka! This one wasn’t as casual as the one in Tokyo, but it still had a creative menu~ The Saibamen Tapioca Milk Tea was adorable!
I visited the Initial D Cafe in Gunma prefecture. I highly recommend their soy milk pudding! We went to the same starting line as the manga, too while blasting some Eurobeat! XD
I visited Fukui prefecture with some friends for a scavenger hunt. The JETs there are so friendly!! If you’re getting placed there, you’re in for a great time!
So you’ve finally made it to Japan, you’ve gone through customs, immigration, orientation and now you’re finally sitting in silence in your new apartment.
Don’t panic. You’ve worked hard to get where you are. You’ve also been interacting nonstop with new friends and coworkers so some silence alone will do you some good.
I think it’s important to remember that you’ll eventually find your rhythm. You may doubt yourself at times and worry you’ll never find it but, trust me, if you really want to be apart of the community, you’ll find a way. I’m not talking about work. I’m talking about your free time. What you do with those hours will determine your happiness here in Japan. Maybe back home watching tv was what relaxed you. But while you’re here temporarily, why not do something out of your comfort zone?
For example, you could join a Yoga class, try tea ceremony, do Japanese archery, take karate, do bouldering, try calligraphy, join a Japanese language circle, etc etc~ ^^
The list goes on.
I’m not saying you won’t be happy here if you don’t challenge yourself. I’m encouraging you to go out and explore opportunities here that could change your life. :)
GU is having a Golden Week sale on their Dragon Ball apparel! For only about $5 you can buy a DB shirt! I bought too much stuff~ Yes, even cute boxers!
When guests visit my elementary school, they must take off their shoes at the entrance. I’m not sure if other schools have a different system, but they can either leave their outdoor shoes on the mat or carry them in a plastic bag. Even after three years of living here it’s still strange to see haha.
What a great time to be in Japan if you’re a DBZ lover! They’re doing a DBZ stamp rally throughout Tokyo. Collect all 65 stamps from various stations and you get a prize! You can also ride on Nimbus in Ikebukuro! :)
“Roots of Natsukashi” I completed this piece at the end of last year. It sums up my experiences last year and how far I’ve come. I hope this year brings good opportunities and experiences for us all~
