Category Archive for Tokyo + Japan
Tohoku, Japan travel writing for Fodor’s & Huff Post! Appi Intercontinental resort Hachimantai, Iwate & Grand Hammer.
Welcome to 2026! After almost two months in Japan, I took a social media break for the holidays, and am back feeling refreshed. I have so much to share from my recent Tohoku and Tokyo travels — and since it’s a new year, I’ve decided to do things a bit differently on the blog from now on.
Many people have abandoned their blogs, as the heyday of travel and fashion blogging has passed and it’s all about social media these days, especially reels. I’m not going to give up on this space, but I’ll be changing it up a bit so that you’ll get more frequent blog content.
Instead of dropping long-form blogs every month or so, I’m going to try to post here more often (but less wordily) — and coordinate these articles with content on Instagram (@lacarmina).
Please add me on IG @lacarmina for videos, stories, and other short form updates, which will complement the longer-form writing and images on La Carmina Blog! I’ll cross-post on my Facebook page and Threads — find me there as well.
I also wanted to share that my La Carmina Closet Clearout is now on Poshmark Canada as well as Depop (same items, but in USD)! I need to clear everything ASAP so please take a look and make me offers. I ship worldwide, and am happy to work out discounts and bundles — no need to use the apps, you can just email me (gothiccarmina @ gmail . com) to let me know what you’d like! Please check out my fashion sale:
@LaCarmina on Poshmark: https://poshmark.ca/closet/lacarmina
@LaCarmina on Depop: Https://www.depop.com/lacarmina
After coming back from Japan, I’ve been busy with travel journalism about my trips. For Fodor’s Travel Where to Go in 2026, I spotlighted Tohoku.
“With misty mountain landscapes and a hearty food culture, this region north of Tokyo is giving old-school Japan,” I wrote. “Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi and Yamagata serve a variety of spectacular experiences without the tourist crush” — like a Godzilla / Ultraman museum, and flat-bottom boating through Geibikei gorge. Read my article on Fodor’s.
I also reviewed top Tokyo hotels for Fodor’s Travel such as Hoshinoya, Aman, Tokyo Station Hotel and The Four Seasons. Read my Tokyo travel writing here.
I also did a Tohoku feature for Huffington Post, I confess I’m “miffed” (yes, that’s a Miffy reference!) by tourists in Tokyo, which is why Iwate and Aomori are the places to be this year (it’s a throwback to chill 90s Japan). Read my recommendations on Huff Post Travel.
Another yay: USA Today interviewed me about how traveling with someone lets you suss out compatibility. I reveal how photographer Joey Wong and I met, and levelled up our friendship with a 2015 trip to Iceland. We’ve done many trips for work and pleasure since, including Nova Scotia and Japan in 2025 – more to come this year for sure. See the article here.
Photographer Joey Wong was with me on my recent press trip in Miyagi, Iwate, Fukushima and Aomori. He took these images of me channeling Lady Snowblood at ANA Intercontinental Appi Kōgen Resort in the alpine ski wonderland of Appi Kogen.
So happy to be at Appi! Our suites had views of Mount Hachimantai, in the Iwate prefecture of Tohoku Japan.
Visions of my five star stay I lounged in my enormous suite with a soaking tub, took in patio views of the snowy forest and mountains, bathed under the stars in the outdoor onsen, ate green melon and other juicy Tohoku fruits at breakfast…
Top by Michi, samurai skirt from steampunk store Reverie Emporium in Koenji, Tokyo, Japan.
The art represents the mesmerising dragon eye effect of a melting lake on Mt Hachimantai as summer approaches.
The vibe is Lady Snowblood, the 70s revenge film that also inspired Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill.
Let this be your sign to visit ANA Intercontinental Appi Kogen Resort – home to some of the best slopes in Japan! Photos Joey Wong.
I also captured tons of stories while in Tokyo, including for Halloween. I’ll be rolling these out gradually here and on IG @LaCarmina.
It’s hammer time! Rainbow cyber Neo-Tokyo vibes with Dr John Skutlin at the new Grand Hammer food/entertainment building, which opened in Shimbashi in November 2024.
I know I’ve been “miffy” about how Tokyo has gotten over-touristed and lost magic especially in the past years… buttt I love spending time in Japan with long-time friends and checking out new spots like Grand Hammer.
Feeling unsure about the future of Japan with everything going on… I guess we’ll just have to see what unfolds. I’m not sure when I will be back next, as it was very stressful with the crowds, bad vibes and other factors. Such a difference from the 90s heyday. (See this 1999 throwback Japan post to see what I mean — ah, it was the height of civilization!)
In any case, I’ll be looking ahead to new adventures in 2026 — and there will be much more Japan coverage to come here and on Instagram (@lacarmina) so please add me there! I’ll cross-post on my Facebook page and Threads as well.
And please check out my La Carmina closet sale on Poshmark and Depop – reach out if I can send you anything, make me offers and I’m glad to do reductions and ship worldwide!
@LaCarmina on Poshmark: https://poshmark.ca/closet/lacarmina
@LaCarmina on Depop: Https://www.depop.com/lacarmina
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Tokyo Japan Miffy store & cafe! Kawagoe storehouse bakery, Jpop kawaii culture & cute character mascot shops.
A quick housekeeping post, and some bits and bobs from Japan and my worldwide travels…
I’ve been busy preparing some new projects this year, which I am excited to share with you soon! To start, I’ll be in Mexico in April on a food journalism trip — Puerto Vallarta, Puebla, and Mexico City. Get ready for coverage of Mexican witchcraft (brujeria) and sugar skulls… Add me on Instagram @lacarmina to see these upcoming witchy adventures!
I’ve also been busy with travel writing assignments, mostly about Japan. This photo by Said Karlsson illustrates the feeling when National Geographic magazine publishes you — and the royalties from your last book are in!
My latest Nat Geo writing highlights 10 spectacular experiences you can have in Japan, from shopping for Harajuku fashion to sleeping in a Buddhist temple, and soaking under the stars at an onsen. Read my National Geographic Japan travel article here. I also did a primer on 11 things to know before traveling to Japan for Fodor’s Travel.
If you’re here for my Japan content, I’ve got you. Read on for a peek inside the Miffy Storehouse Bakery Cafe in Kawagoe, which is only about 40 minutes by express train from Ikebukuro, and well worth a day trip.
On that front — I’ll be back in Japan for Halloween! I confirmed a work trip and will be hitting up my favorite spots in Tokyo and other cities… once again, stay tuned for more details.
You can keep up with my travel/work updates (as well as throwbacks, such as to my red haired modeling days at Luisaviaroma in Italy) on Instagram @lacarmina.
And now, for an overload of cute Japanese pop culture… On my last trip, I had to make a pilgrimage to the Miffy Storehouse Bakery and Cafe in Kawagoe, Tokyo. (Watch my IG reel about my visit.)
Kawagoe is a quiet, old-school neighborhood about 30-45 min by train from Tokyo. Amidst the artisan kimono and craft stores, you’ll find a cafe and boutique dedicated to the cute, minimalist Dutch bunny.
Miffy is from the Netherlands, but she’s big in Japan for obvious reasons. How wonderful is this giant Miffy statue at the entrance?
At Miffy Storehouse Bakery, you can have coffee drinks and fresh baked goods shaped like the cute bunny, and shop for her kawaii merch. Everything is bakery-themed, like this plush toy of Boris the Bear as a chef.
The baked goods are fresh and scrumptious. I particularly liked the savory ones, such as a square curry-filled bread. (Watch my Instagram video to see what I had here!)
Is it cannibalism if Miffy drinks a Miffy latte?
Miffy Storehouse in Kawagoe is a terrific spot for picking up omiyage or souvenirs / gifts for friends back home.
Next door, you can browse Miffy themed merchandise of all kinds. I had to drop some yen here, as she’s my favorite character.
The bunny was created by Utrecht’s Dick Bruna in the 1950s. (Remember when I visited his Netherlands studio and the Miffy Dutch museum?)
If you can’t make it to Kawagoe, there’s also a Miffy store in Tokyo Station’s “Character Street” (see info and photos here).
For footage of the Miffy Kawagoe bakery and shop, see my IG reel @lacarmina. You can also see me rocking the Baggu x Miffy new bag collection in this video.
Try to visit Kawagoe on the 8th, 18th or 28th of every month — as these are the dates for “Kimono Day.” You’ll see people wearing gorgeous kimonos, strolling in the historic streets and visiting shrines.
I had the best time wandering around Kawagoe’s many Shinto shrines, and appreciating the kimono fashions everywhere.
These days, Miffy / Mercis has many Japanese collaborations — like this accessories line I spotted in Sunshine City Ikebukuro.
I’ll leave you with some final Jpop culture snaps. When I arrived at Narita Airport, I was greeted by Nintendo characters holding signs! (Helloooo, Luigi…)
Super Mario and friends are as popular as ever. No wonder they serve as tourism ambassadors, welcoming visitors to NRT airport.
As I rode down the escalators to customs and baggage claim, I got to enjoy these murals of Nintendo princesses and Boo shy ghosts. (Or Teresa, as she’s called in the Land of the Rising Sun.)
Hatsune Miku is another symbol of Japan — here she is in an airport promo video about things to do in different regions of the country.
Of course, you’ll find big-eyed, round and funky mascots all over Tokyo (even at Espace pachinko parlor).
Kirby is another fan favorite. I spotted these character goods and foods at a convenience store.
I stopped by the Diver City Hello Kitty Store (in Odaiba). In addition to selling cute goods, it has a dessert, donuts and ice cream parlor themed after the Sanrio character and friends. Couldn’t resist getting a cute cone with a Kitty waffle.
For an edgier and more eccentric take on kawaii, look for Sebastian Masuda’s 6% Doki Doki in Harajuku. Yukiro and I stopped by the temporary Kawaii Monster Cafe popup, which featured psychedelic pastel fashion and a monstrous cake.
Mandarake is the go-to shop for collectors of anime, manga, and collectibles. It has various locations, including this one in Nakano Broadway with a torii gate entrance.
I’m especially drawn to vintage Japanese characters like these (you can find rare and offbeat anything at Mandarake).
I leave you with the Floating Buddha of Ikebukuro. No matter how many times I return to Japan, there’s always something new and eccentric to enjoy.
Can’t wait to be back in fall 2025 to capture more Tokyo travel tales for you — including Halloween Goth and drag queen events! If you have any suggestions for weird / alternative places in Japan to check out, please let me know in the comments.
I’ve also been having fun revisiting past travels/photos, which I post regularly on Instagram @lacarmina. Here’s a red carpet moment at Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Niterói, the UFO-like museum designed by Oscar Niemeyer near Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.
Another dazzling architectural delight: El Palauet hotel in Barcelona, Spain.
In this ever-Collapsing era, isn’t it tempting to run away to a remote tropical island? Here’s a happy memory from Cebu and Lapu Lapu in the Philippines.
You can find all my past country / city travel guides on my Destination page (I’ve been to over 70 countries, so there are tons of tips from around the world).
Finally — if you dig my Goth fashion (like this dress I wore in Morocco), don’t forget I’m selling pretty much everything I own on @lacarmina Depop!
Take a browse and let me know if I can send you anything. Can do discounts and exact shipping worldwide. Google “La Carmina Depop” for my listings or visit this link to see what I have available, and please reach out. Email me: gothiccarmina attt gmail dotcomm
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