My Asian souvenirs

Maybe it was because I've visited Japan and Korea some times before, but this time I hardly
had any interest in picking up regular souvenirs. Instead I started buying art supplies...

It started with art markers. I use these for my work (drawing 'live' cartoons) and they're
quite expensive, but a bit cheaper in Asia.

Then I got craft tape... Oh, how I love the Japanese 'washi' masking tape! I also scored some
cheap fabric tape and other decorative tapes.

And then I got paper... paper.... and more paper! I still don't know what I'm going to use
these for, but I'm sure I'll find something.

The Japanese have wonderfully decorated origami paper.

But the Koreans are even more advanced in fabricating gorgeous paper (and they had an
even bigger collection of origami paper).

Socks 33

At the moment I'm in Hong Kong, but internet connection has been poor. I've drawn a lot of new
stuff and I'll upload it later! For now I still have some pages of my old Japan diary (2008) :

Socks 32

Socks 31

Socks 30

(the last note says 'please watch Korean drama freely')

Socks 29

Socks 27

Book in progress

What the 'manustript' looks like on the inside; Sketches for stories and copies of drawings that I
made while traveling. I'm going to put all my traveldiaries together and make my ultimate book
about Japan. I want to explain all the crazy things I see there, and also why Japan fascinates me
that much.
I don't know yet when this book will be published. First I'm going back to Japan to get some more
documentation and draw some more, then I to put everything together and THEN my publisher
needs to announce it and publish it (which can take up to half a year). Oh, and I want to make an
eBook version of it as well! (I want too much)

Journey to the East

Oh no, another earthquake in Japan??!?!

No, this is what happens when a wall falls down in my dollhouse! ;-)

Meanwhile I'm really happy because we just booked our next trip to Asia. This Fall I'll be going
back to Hong Kong, Japan and Korea! I'm looking forward to it so much and I hope to show you
lots of drawings and photos!
(And if anyone wonders; It's perfectly safe again to travel to Japan.)

Meri kurisumasu!

My home made Christmas dinner!

Japan at home

Around this time of the year I start to miss Japan, so here are some pics from my last trip.

This was a traditional house where we stayed for a few days.

Inside. The 'window' in the sliding door didn't leave much light in.

The friends we stayed with were so nice, they had put some snacks and fruit
on the kotatsu (low table).

So let's take a bite. Wait... what?!

He yeah, that wasn't in Japan, it's in my own bookcase! It's the latest room I built
for my dolls! ;-)
It's all built from foamboard and printed paper. The miniatures are from ReMent,
a Japanese company that produces dollsize items for collectors.

Kawaii ne?

While I was ill I've been filling my sketchbook with manga inspiration.
In the back my Yoshitomo Nara cookie jar is watching.

It was a lot of work to drag it home from Tokyo but it was worth it....
It's glow in the dark!

And something else:

Forget Lowlands... Here is ZOOLANDS!
I don't know yet what exactly is going to happen but there will be
animals and drawings, so stop by if you're at Lowlands this weekend!
(logo designed by Shamrock)

Nagasaki photos

I've made a comic for a BNS (the Union of Dutch Comicartists) project;
A newspaper filled with comics from Dutch artists, that will be distributed for free
to promote comics. Because I sent in a page from my traveldiary, I had to browse
through my Nagasaki photos of that day. This is what I saw that day as well;

This yellow 'thing' is a piece of cake! Seriously, it's called Castella and it's like a
mascot there. But I'm not sure what will happen if you let the cake eat you....

Later that night we had dinner at a restaurant that also served Hello Kitty and
Shinkansen meals!

And my favorite pic of that day:

Dried fish. I don't get the logic of this scene (it was outside!)

Oranda x Nihon

I haven't posted in a while because I've been very busy with a few Japanese
friends who visited us.
Thanks to our fascination for Japan our house has already become a mix of
Japan and Holland and this theme continued during their visits.

A fake Hello Kitty shirt that I saw in a souvenir shop.

This is how I served Dutch snacks (pickles, rolmops and cheese).

'Pressed sushi' (common in the Kansai area) made by one of our friends.
She used a rolmops for it! (sour haring, very Dutch).
To my surprise it tasted very normal, like it was a sushi classic!

I googled kimono+Holland but nothing came up. Come on people, I can't
be the first one who thinks of mixing Japan and Holland like this?!

Beesie sushi

Should've made this pic when Holland played against Japan....
Oh well.

Megane

A photo from last month, from a glasses shop in Tokyo.
I need to get back to work on my traveldiary!

Ghost girl

I love toys so I bought myself another doll. it's a Pullip named Mir.

Mir is a Korean ghost. I dressed her up in a kimono, but closed it the 'wrong' way
(for the deceased). Here she is in Zoshigaya cemetery (Tokyo).

I love the autumn trees in Japan.

Drinks for the dead!

When I die I want someone to put cups of tea on my grave.

But in the morning, I'd like some coffee.

And in the evening, bring me a beer!

This was on Zoshigaya Cemetery (Minami Ikebukuro, Tokyo)
The cans are usually opened (because the ghosts might have trouble opening
it themselves) but are left full.