author

 
Menu
Search
 
July 07, 2025
 

Today's print edition

Home Delivery
Subscribe for more access

Meta

Twitter

@mbmelodies

Patrick St. Michel
Patrick St. Michel is a Tokyo-based writer with a focus on Japanese music. He runs the blog Make Believe Melodies, which has focused on Japanese independent music since 2009. Besides The Japan Times, he also contributes to MTV 81 and The Atlantic.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
May 13, 2016
Why is Tokyo starting to taste like Portland?
Walking into PDX Taproom, a bar in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward, is like wandering into a condensed, alternate version of Portland, Oregon. Everything from the folk-pop hits playing in the background to the craft beers on tap hail from the Pacific Northwest metropolis.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
May 13, 2016
Pocky goes for the gold with Brazilian Orange-flavored snacks
Let the race for clever marketing tie-ins with the 2016 Rio Olympics begin! Pocky's newest limited-edition variety, celebrates one of Brazil's biggest crops by merging citrus flavor and chocolate. Brazilian Orange (¥162) initially tastes a bit off-putting, the chocolate coating on the outside relies...
CULTURE / Music
May 8, 2016
Homecomings craft a catchy and intricate gem with 'Sale of Broken Dreams'
Kyoto four-piece Homecomings excel at capturing the small, sad details of life.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital
May 8, 2016
Japan's pop culture movers turn out for Niconico party
You'd think nothing would be a surprise during a kabuki show starring a famous actor and a holographic pop star, but you'd be mistaken.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
May 6, 2016
Mister Donut masters the croissant-muffin hybrid
Although it hasn't nabbed the same headlines as the Cronut, the Cruffin — a croissant-muffin hybrid invented by Australian baker Kate Reid in 2013 — has achieved modest success in the U.S. Bakery chain Mister Donut has brought the fusion food to Japan (thankfully, they left the clunky "Cruffin"...
CULTURE / Music
May 1, 2016
DYGL soaks in New York's garage rock and politics
The life Nobuki Akiyama has been living since moving to the greater New York City area in March sounds like a dream come true for any young musician.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Apr 29, 2016
FamilyMart gives a healthy twist to the tiramisu
For those who want to have their cake and eat it too — without feeling guilty — FamilyMart's new soy berry tiramisu is here to help.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Apr 22, 2016
'Black truffle' potato chips aren't as decadent as they claim to be
A certain level of quality is expected when the words "black truffle" and "bistro" get thrown around — even if they appear on packets of chips in a convenience store. Calbee's Bistro Black Truffle Scented Beef flavored Poterich chips (¥152) promise a lot, but fail to deliver anything special. They...
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital
Apr 17, 2016
Breaker helps pave a new path to stardom via YouTube
In the days of Japan's bubble economy, the second-level basement of the Fiction Building in Tokyo's Harajuku neighborhood housed a decadent Italian restaurant complete with a grand stairway down to the main dining area, providing every customer the chance to make an entrance. However, the opulent eating...
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Apr 15, 2016
You can now eat Miffy's sweet little face at a cafe in Tokyo
A new themed pop-up cafe seems to open every week in Tokyo. Miffy Cafe, on the seventh floor of Shibuya's Parco department store in Tokyo, runs until May 8 and is an especially cute option for those in search of a novelty dining experience centering around the famous Dutch bunny. Dessert-wise, the Miffy...
CULTURE / Music
Apr 13, 2016
Toyomu reimagines Kanye West's 'Life of Pablo' in a creatively fun way
Toyomu — "Imagining 'The Life Of Pablo'" (Self-released)
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Apr 8, 2016
Seven-Eleven's new green-tea doughnut starts sweet but ends bitter
The latest addition to Seven-Eleven's doughnut selection mixes a classic Japanese flavor with one of the convenience store's classic styles.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Apr 3, 2016
Twice carries K-pop's flag into its debut Japanese gig
The halcyon days of Hallyu (the Korean wave) in mainstream media are long over, but the impact South Korean pop culture has had on Japan is still evident. Just look at K-pop outfit Twice, which features three Japanese members and has experienced massive success after debuting late last year.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Apr 3, 2016
Ryoma Suzuki bet on a musically diverse line-up for Unborde — and it paid off
Media attention has become a mixed blessing for Ryoma Suzuki. Unborde, the label he founded in 2010, is currently celebrating five years in the game and will hold a special show at Makuhari Messe on April 10.
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Apr 1, 2016
Mom's apple pie gets a new twist at Ringo
Ringo, which recently opened in Tokyo's Ikebukuro area, serves miniature apple pies. Each pie (¥399) is hot and features a glazed exterior that delivers a satisfying crunch.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Mar 25, 2016
Asahi's new sugar-reduced beer is nothing special
Cherry blossom season is upon us, meaning it's time to overindulge in some brews while sprawled out in a park. But who wants to deal with the health-related guilt that comes with Japan's silly season?
CULTURE / Music
Mar 20, 2016
Tominaga's suprise flourishes make repeat listens of 'Echoes of Megaliths' a must
Tominaga "Echoes of Megaliths" (Squiggle Dot)
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Mar 18, 2016
Joel Robuchon welcomes spring to Tokyo with strawberry brioches
It may not be Spring just yet, but French chef Joel Robuchon's Le Pain de Joel Robuchon in the basement of Shibuya's Hikarie shopping complex is celebrating all the same.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Mar 11, 2016
Pocky finds a romantic partner in 'teagurt'
The current cross-band promotion between Glico and Kirin puts the spotlight on romance. By placing a bottle of the latter's "teagurt" beverage next to a package of the former's new Lemon-flavored Pocky, you can make two illustrated figures smooch.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Mar 6, 2016
Japanese bands plan overseas spring offensive
TV Asahi's weekly "Music Station" program has rarely served as a staging ground for exciting young domestic acts in recent years. It has been more of an opportunity to gawk at Johnny's boy bands and test how many members of AKB48 can fit on the interview bench.
Japan braces for more quakes as authorities dismiss doomsday hype
Evacuees from Akuseki Island, located in the Tokara island chain in Kagoshima Prefecuture, arrive at Kagoshima Port on Friday.
Heatstroke alert issued for 19 prefectures as Japan enters 'once-in-a-decade' heat wave
Japan will experience a heat wave through mid-July on a “level only seen once in a decade,” the Meteorological Agency said on June 30.
Hidden AI prompts in academic papers spark concern about research integrity
Waseda University is one of 14 institutions in eight countries found to have used hidden prompts in research papers.
Tokyo and Kyoto feature among top ‘noctourism’ destinations
Tokyo ranked second after New York and ahead of Dubai and Singapore in a ranking of the top global cities for nighttime tourism.
Global matcha 'obsession' drinks Japan's tea farms dry
Matcha is added to beverages on offer at Kettl Tea in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles on May 20.
Ainu land rights in crosshairs as Hokkaido communities debate nuclear waste
A street in Suttsu, Hokkaido, with a sign put up by an anti-nuclear organization. The small community is considering hosting a facility that would hold nuclear waste.
Ghibli’s Isao Takahata exhibit shows how beloved anime is made
“The man who planted Japanese animation” exhibition includes a variety of sketches, drawings and animation cels from Isao Takahata films such as color design for characters by Michiyo Yasuda from "Grave of the Fireflies."
Flag football facing challenges and opportunities ahead
Japan’s women’s flag football team at the 2025 International Bowl in Los Angeles in June. The sport is enjoying continued growth in the country.
From Hokusai’s Great Wave, shinkansen to One Piece: a cultural treasure box for Lego Japan
Michael Ebbesen, general manager of Lego Japan, says Lego bricks based on Japanese culture have a rich global appeal and are sellable around the world.
With farmed fish, RelationFish swims against the tide in fine dining
Chef Hideaki Matsuo (middle) and the staff of Oseto Suisan Fisheries prepare to check on their sustainably farmed fish.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.
What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji
By Alex K.T. Martin

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Ishii Iron Works remakes self for workers, new energy
Ishii Iron Works remakes self for workers, new energy

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTS note

Read more

SUPPLEMENTS BINDER