#HopelessRomantic

Thanks to Miki for being my model and photographer always!

Snow-white, is a preset I have created that I use on most photos recently. My presets are made with complex adjustments and I for sure cannot create the same tone if I had to start all over from the scratch.

Snow-white works great with strong pink and green, and it makes turquoise and tangerine stand out.

Hope you are enjoying the before-and-after photos, the fantastic illumination you see on behind is a Teamlab exhibition on Ginza Six rooftop, called “Resonating trees”.

  I am only showing you here how my preset works, not how to focus on a subject when taking a photo *inserts cry-laughing emoji*.

Snow-white is a preset that makes an orangy-tone skin color white and pale like Snow-white. For portrait photos I do use Photoshop as well but for Instagram, I mostly create a preset for a bunch of photos and adjust a little here and there.

I really enjoy creating variety of presets on Lightroom, when one works like a magic, it is so exciting. Thanks for reading and I may as well post my favourite at last.

Good night all, sweet dreams.

Anna Kirishima

As I have written on my previous post, I thought about posting some photos of my – Japanese OL (Office-Lady) inspired business attire, what I usually wear to go to the office.

I spend 1 or 2 days shopping whenever I go to Japan and check out what I can add to my work routine.

Earth Music and Ecology (Japan) one-piece dress. I really liked the shape of the dress and how it is so comfortable to be in.

I bought this beautiful cashmere scarf for 150 THB at Chatuchak market and it feels so good, so soft and fine but I could never find the same shop again.. I want several of it in different colors!

Misch Masch (Japan) is a pastel colored – frilly and lacey, beautifully feminine brand.

CIVION VIBE “SKY” necklace is my favourite piece of accessory that matches perfectly with a casual white blouse.

Use my promo code “ANNA25” for 25% off your purchase at CIVION VIBE store.

Michael Kors beige bag matches perfectly with any business attire. The skirt is from Natural Beauty Basic (Japan) and I love this killer color really. I usually prefer wearing a tight skirt for work.

TOCCO closet (Japan) is another favourite shops of mine I often drop by for business outfits. I really like the sparkles on the sleeves.

I absolutely trust shoes from RANDA (Japan). Beautiful, well-made and sophisticated. The cushion is so fine that it rarely gives me a foot pain.

I do love wearing Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Eau de toilette and it’s been a part of my attire since a decade ago.

If you are a traveler and keep moving around, I totally recommend the size of COCO MADEMOISELLE Eau de toilette twist and spray.

20ml bottle spray is easy to carry around and even in a carry-on luggage you can have it. Once you get the spray case, you can always get refills later.

My colleague often says – “I knew you walked on the corridor a while ago! I smelt you”. Yes, I love smelling mademoiselle even after wearing it for 10 years. It always feels like the first love.

This is my first time writing about fashion – I will keep you updated and I am excited to discover more. Hope you will enjoy shopping in Japan!

Anna Kirishima

Have you seen this open ceiling from the low angle? It is absolutely impressive when you walk in there.

My friend was visiting Japan from Australia and – I thought about places he wouldn’t usually go sightseeing by himself, only places locals can guide through… hm, maybe here.

Loved it!

Be forewarned, photos are allowed here, although getting up on the stairs isn’t ☺ The sign says by the door.

My friend 🙂 Looks like he’s receiving some super power from where the light comes from!

We dropped by the beautiful Chi Chi Cafe for lunch along Tamagawa river – It was my first time visiting this cafe in about 5-6 years, I was surprised to see the same cafe standing on the same spot and had the exact same decoration and interior as 6 years ago.

I am excited to visit many more swirl stairs, including those in hotel lobbies.

Sending you heaps of good wishes, bon voyage!

Anna Kirishima

Saturday vibes! Tofu pancake and eggs benedicts. Eggs benedicts here has been my favourite for so long.

As you can see from the name of the cafe, the decoration and interior of this cafe are inspired by Bondi Beach in Sydney Australia, that’s exactly where I grew up and every time it makes me miss my second home town.

I was surveying on Instagram on how we take photos of food. I found out that… Basically,

Not many people would take photos of food until their latte art becomes messy.

Not many people take photos of food for more than one hour like we do.

*Inserts crying laughing emoji*

It is ok. I can remember how amazing the food was from looking at the photos later on, too. I enjoy it as much as actually eating them. Perspective!

Anyhow, enjoy your wonderful Sunday, God bless!

Anna Kirishima

Blog update: Summer storm in Tokyo♡

Hi all, Are you sure it’s not July yet? Every day this week, as I walk out of my office, I go “huh”. I am wearing non-sleeved shirt and a thin thin thin cardigan and feeling nothing. I even feel the warm breeze blowing through. What’s going on? It was snowing last week! But who knows. I love the summer vibes. As much as – or maybe now even more than I love winter. This awesome buffet lunch was at…

Are you allowed to fly a drone in the middle of Tokyo? My point is… if we can, I want to. I will.

I remember the regulation of drone operation is not “too” strict in Japan though where a crowd of people gather or above exhibitions (sakura included) I don’t think we were… anyway, there were a few drones flying above us and I really wanted to see the cherry blossoms from up there♡

My to go places to see cherry blossoms in Tokyo are –

Nakameguro (Meguro river)

Shinjuku Gyoen

Chidorigafuchi

Roppongi

Yokohama (Not in Tokyo but close enough)

What about yours?

I often travel to Meguro river early in the morning and take photos there before people start gathering in (like 6, 7 in the morning). It certainly is a spectacular place and one day I will fly a drone when they are lighting up the cherry blossoms… the night view I have only seen on photos are just outstanding!

(We missed Chandon event… we were too early)

Roppongi only has sakura trees on Midtown side, my favorite place as you obviously know is the Keyakizaka direction (Refer to this blog), but this time – the bright, pretty Midtown side!

The sight is quite surrealistic as we have nature and tall buildings in the background in Roppongi. I like it though.

2018 is a blessed year. This is my 6th time experiencing the spring in Japan since I moved to Japan in 2012, but as far as I remember, it was always either cloudy or rainy and rain dropped the flowers before the weekend when they were just about to bloom and we went “Ahhh… we were going to watch them on the weekend…” for a few years.

We have cherry blossoms in full bloom, had a sunny weekend, and no rain mark in the forecast. Perfection.

Hope it will stay for a couple more wee…. days! Love you cherry blossoms!

Roppongi tends to be seen as a night town but I like Roppongi in the morning. Roppongi has a package of photogenic everything.

See, little river in the park in Roppongi! Yay.

Please feel free to comment on my blog if you want to see anywhere specific in Tokyo. My boyfriend or bestfriend and I will be exploring and checking out those places♡

Anna Kirishima

We gave up – and popped into BOWLS Cafe – the very famous cafe along Shinjuku Gyoen park. Luckily enough we could have a seat outside in the terrace

Do you love the lighting here? It was a beautifully sunny day.

“Today’s meal” Thai flavored rice bowl – As you all know I am a Thai food addict and I … loved it. It was a great deal!

I wanted to check out Kajitsuen – the basement fruit parlor… and saw about… 30 pairs waiting to have a seat. I gave up – I was like “No – grandma don’t worry, I will come back sometime -” then she went, “No, no. Let’s wait. We are here now anyway.” I was speechless for a couple seconds, but I assumed my legs and back are stronger than hers and there’s no way I can’t wait if she can.

She insisted. I said “Ok. We shall.”

About 30 minutes later – we had a table, and those huge desserts!

    It wasn’t something eaten by one person but we loved them! The fruit was fresh and well, photogenic, obviously.

Had a great day in the beginning of spring. Loving those fruit parlors, I will need to check out more around here!

Anna Kirishima

I would recommend and I might even bring you to this wonderful space on earth Nicolai Bergmann NOMU （ニコライバーグマン ノム）

The best and the most flowery place in Tokyo I believe – and I love the decoration on the tables too!

James Barts watch is looking great in there, too!

Aoyama Flower Market Tea House is a beautiful, beautiful place too.

I have been loving photographing those little beauties – Cherry blossoms and ranunculus♡

Can’t wait to shoot more!

Have a wonderful weekend.

Anna Kirishima

Beginning of the bloom

Hello! I am so late to greet the beginning of this glorious year… A lot has happened over the year of 2017. It’s March already and even March is ending in a few weeks. I am more determined than I was in March 2017 to travel more and watch more cherry blossoms this year. There is a variety of cherry blossoms bloom through every spring. The first one comes around usually in February – March is…

Keyakizaka / Roppongi is one of our most adored illuminations of all times, although I had never seen them in orange until this year! It was terrific.

I couldn’t defeat my cheese cake craving at Starbucks and brought out my food then… What an outstanding sight!

As always – Blue (I think I heard somebody saying the color swaps every 15minutes) One of my most favourite places in winter.

Anna Kirishima

Good morning all, Today is boxing day in Australia, normal work day in Japan. I have quit my job last week and been doing all the works I had to do but couldn’t do while I was at work since yesterday, catching up with all my friends too. Here are the photos I have taken of James Barts watches for Instagram. It’s a lot different to do instagraphing when you are a Photographer. Taking photos for…

Harench Love by Narumi Shirasaki

Narumi is one of the close friends of mine and also a model that I have been photographing for many years. Her attitude, creativity and the great efforts she puts in to achieve her goals are my favourite thing. I have been photographing her for… about 4 years and I have seen her evolving a lot over the time.   Now she has built a concept of art she likes working on which she calls “Harench Love”.…

Townske guide on Veganism in Tokyo

Thanks for checking out my blog, if you ever have, or if you are looking now, I greatly appreciate it. I have updated my Townske page and this time I have written about 7 Vegan places in Tokyo. They are my favorite places but I am looking to go for the second round! There are still many more places I want to check out. You can read more from here I really enjoy reading about veganism in other…

Cafe The 6BT is located right across the multilane wide road from Mercedes Benz cafe just outside Tokyo Midtown building, also a few minutes walk from Nogizaka Station and I have always known and been curious about this little stylish food place.

I was searching for Vegan cafes in Tokyo and I have recently discovered that Cafe The 6BT is dedicated and they strictly serve only vegan dishes, no animal source of protein is cooked in the cafe.

I was amazed to learn that and dropped by for lunch as they open at 11:30am.

I even love the look of it from outside, don’t you? I wouldn’t have guessed they were a vegan cafe!

They don’t promote vegan diet or healthy lifestyle everywhere in and outside the cafe so you wouldn’t notice until you look into the menu closely that they are a vegan place.

The cafe is so stylish inside and what surprised me most was that the types of people there. Couple, family, worker, young, old, group or by themselves… I have actually never seen a place loved by such a wide variety of customers so it was really comfortable to see it.

It was my first time trying out a proper vegan ramen. 1,490JPY for a lunch set.

Well balanced, very tasty appetiser.

Sweet potato with soy mayonnaise, soy meat and stirred veggies, miso dipped eggplant and corn soup, everything was just right!

I had a soy milk based ramen, I guessed the minced meat looking thing on top is soy meat too.

It was – probably needless to say, and you can maybe – already guess but, the lightest ramen I had. It was almost like a healthy noodle you can get with a lot of vegetables in it, but it was magically filling.

It was almost like – I have been to many great vegan places… then boom! here comes the Cafe The 6BT. It was beautiful indeed.

Cafe The 6BT

Address: 1F 9-6-26 Fonte Roppongi Akasaka Minatoku Tokyo Telephone: 03-6455-4626 Hours: Opens 11:30am Website: http://6bt.jp/