in the toyko countryside

Finished my first day on set for NHK's Tokyo Eye.

Akane and I introduced different places in Akikawa, which is the countryside in Tokyo. I always imagined Tokyo to be all city life, but I was taken away by the breathtaking beauty of the Akikawa. First, we went to the hot springs and did a foot spa, which was a great way to start the day. Afterwards, we had a delicious Japanese-style meal at Kurochaya while enjoying the view of the garden. The most exciting part of the shoot was exploring the limestone cave. It was extremely narrow and cool, but the limestone was beautiful. It sort of reminded me of Disneyland's Thunder Mountain.

It was an extremely long day, but I had a great time with Akane and the crew. I'm looking forward to day 2 on set!

Love,

Samantha Mariko





girls award

(shirt & skirt: Forever 21 Japan; shoes: Suzutan)

Yesterday, I was fortunate enough to attend Girls Award, a huge fashion show in Japan. This time, it was at Yoyogi Gynmasium in Harajuku.

I've watched Japanese fashion shows on TV, but it is a whole new experience to actually watch it in person. The audience members go crazy when popular models walk down the runway. The models sometimes throw goodie bags to audience members, which is pretty fantastic. It keeps the crowd going. Apart from the runway show, there are live performances and booths where you can buy cosmetics, skin care products, and even get your nails done.

Hanging out backstage was an amazing experience in itself. I was able to see quite a few models who appear in Japanese fashion magazines, like Elli-Rose, Melody Yoko, Mary Jun Takahashi, and Natsuki Kato. They are all really gorgeous in person, too!

I didn't get to take too many pictures, but hope you enjoy them!

Until next time <3

Love,

Samantha Mariko

ghibli

 (dress: uniqlo; denim jacket, purse, &shoes: bought in Japan)

I went to the Ghibli Art Museum in Mitaka, Japan a few days ago.

Studio Ghibli is a Japanese film and animation studio that has created masterpieces such as My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, and Spirited Away. I grew up watching these movies, so it was a dream come true to finally make my way to the art museum. Words can't really describe how amazing it all was - I could tell how much work was put into creating this Ghibli-land that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. There was even a life-size Catbus with furry seats and scenes from the movie Totoro that could be seen through the windows.

The gray T-shirt dress I'm wearing is my new favorite item: the fabric is really soft and it's super comfortable. I can't wait to pair it with the jackets and blazers I left back at home.

On a different note, what flavor ice cream do you think I'm holding in the last photo? It's red pepper ice cream... I know, weird. I'm smiling in the picture, not knowing how ridiculously spicy it is... :)

Love,

Samantha Mariko

natural beauty

Went on a morning stroll outside of my friend's apartment in Hiroo.

I was blown away by the beautiful greenery all around me, I had to capture it on camera. A few minutes away, we discovered a small bakery where we purchased our breakfast of freshly baked bread. Small discoveries like these really do make me smile.

More photos to come. <3

Love,

Samantha Mariko



what a surprise

( from Sweet, June issue)

I was so lucky to have randomly picked up a magazine with so many of my favorite Japanese models! (in order) Rinka, Christina, Melody Yoko, Audrey Ayaka, and Becky. I enjoyed every single page of this issue.

Plus, a small gift!



It is definitely worth buying magazines here when they come with cute makeup bags like this. This one fits all of my makeup essentials. Perfect.

If any of you live in the States, you can purchase a copy at a Japanese bookstore :)

Thanks for reading!

Love,

Samantha Mariko