TŌHOKU TOKYO

· Culture, Illustration, Travel

I’m back on my blog today to announce the release in bookshops of TŌHOKU TOKYO, MY SUMMER DIARY IN JAPAN (only in French version) a book and travel journal I’ve been working on for two (or even three) years and which I’ve kept secret, both here and on Instagram.

I didn’t want to talk about this project until it was finished (out of superstition, but also so that I could stay fully focused on my work, without outside opinions or expectations). That’s why I didn’t mention my two trips to Japan in the summer of 2024 and late summer of 2025, which I drew on to write and illustrate my book. I hope you’ll forgive me for keeping things under wraps, but sometimes I think it’s better to wait before revealing everything. So that’s what I’m doing today.

 

HOW DID THE IDEA FOR THE TRAVEL DIARY COME ABOUT? 

I was contacted by the publishing house FIRST ÉDITIONS in 2022 regarding a proposal to illustrate a ramen recipe book. I had a look through the draft of the book but didn’t really feel inspired by the idea of working on it, so I turned down the offer. The editorial manager who had contacted me was sorry that we wouldn’t be able to work together and asked me to get in touch if I ever fancied having something published.

Some time has passed, and I wasn’t particularly keen on diving back into writing a book, knowing the energy, time and isolation it requires, but whilst rereading my travel diaries here on the blog, and with the idea of embarking on another trip to Japan in the summer of 2023 in mind, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to get back into it. Since I’d managed to write detailed posts on the blog, why not do the same on paper, to keep a more tangible and precious record of it? So I got back in touch with the editorial manager in early 2023 and the project was able to get underway.

I had a clear vision of the book I wanted to produce: a beautiful hardback (beautiful enough to leave casually on your coffee table, hehe) but also useful (to help you plan a potential trip to Japan) and interesting and enjoyable to read, even if you haven’t planned a trip. All that was left to do was get on with it.

 

WHY TŌHOKU?

I’ve already explained this in my book, so it will be a bit repetitive for those who are going to buy it, and I’m sorry about that.

I chose to explore this region because, during my travels (as mentioned here in 2014, 2015, 2018 and 2019), I realised that I really appreciated the rural, traditional and remote side of Japan, and that my last road trip to Shikoku had truly enchanted me in every way.

Tōhoku is a region sadly known for the earthquakes and tsunami that struck it in 2011 (particularly the city of Sendai). So I was keen to explore this region, which isn’t a major tourist destination (the name ‘Fukushima’ doesn’t exactly make you dream about it, does it?), to discover it at my own pace and to support it in my own way. The itinerary was chosen based on our tastes and what we thought might interest us. I didn’t enter into any partnerships with any tourism organization or hotels, as I wanted this trip to take place under normal conditions, completely independently, and without being influenced by any recommendations or other privileges. Everything you’ll read in my book was therefore experienced 100 per cent without any sponsorship.

MY MEMOIR

You know how much I love beautiful things that we keep over the years, especially in this age of digital technology and artificial intelligence. I find myself increasingly needing to hold on to memories on paper, which is why I love travel journals, Polaroids stuck into a notebook, and books to leaf through. Selfishly speaking, this notebook contains everything I’ve experienced with my partner over those two summers in Japan, but if it helps you plan a future trip or inspires you, that’ll really be the icing on the cake.

For years, you’ve told me that my blog is a source of advice and inspiration for your travels, and that makes me really happy. This time, the fact that a book can offer you a different, more sensory and unhurried experience, whilst still helping and inspiring you just as much, will make me even happier.

 

MY BOOK MAKING OFF

As I briefly mentioned in my book announcement post on Instagram, designing and finalising my book was no easy task. Of course, I loved delving back into my photos and memories whilst putting it together, and I enjoyed illustrating it, but first I had to deal with life’s ups and downs.

Originally, my story was to be based on a trip to Japan planned for the summer of 2023, but I had to cancel it at the last minute to help and support a loved one at the end of his life. So the summer of 2023 was not an easy time, either mentally or physically (even though everything always looks idyllic on social media), but I don’t regret postponing this project, as the trip would have been meaningless had I gone ahead with it anyway. The person we were caring for then passed away peacefully at the end of August 2023. I was then able to ease myself back into this book project, planning another trip for the summer of 2024 whilst laying the groundwork for the book with the editorial team.

A (unpublished) photograph of the Blue Cave in Miyako, which I mention in the book 

I then made the most of that summer trip to Tōhoku in 2024 by not sharing anything on social media and simply enjoying the experience. I obviously made notes and took photographs along the way so that I could work on them when I got back. I also wanted to expand on the section about Tokyo, which prompted another trip to Tokyo in the summer of 2025, again in secret.

Over the course of those two years, I worked with the editorial team at FIRST ÉDITIONS on and off, sending them my artwork and trying to convey my visual and narrative ideas whilst taking their feedback on board. I worked in watercolour in a sketchbook (as evidenced by the scanned ‘diary’ double-pages), but also used my digital pen on Procreate for digital drawings. I carefully drafted my texts and edited the photographs. I didn’t follow any particular order, as I really enjoy jumping from one task to another to keep things interesting.

During this creative process, I also discovered the frustration of being unable to get across my vision for the book I had imagined, the unanswered messages (I am well aware that I wasn’t their only project, but the frequent lack of communication made it very difficult to make proper progress), and the resistance from « professionals » who wanted to impose their own vision of who I am and what my world is like without really knowing me.

Another photo I would have loved to see in the book… 🙁 So I’m posting it here 

Above all, I wanted a book that reflected who I am 100 per cent, and I had to fight tirelessly for it, particularly this summer whilst it was being finalised (in early July, there was still a lot of dithering over the cover – it was never quite this or too much of that – but there was no way I was going to give in to their suggestions, which didn’t reflect who I am at all).

I had a chaotic summer with a very small technical team, but I stood my ground to ensure my priorities were met and to correct the many errors that had been kept from me for the past two years (can you believe they wanted me to remove half the maps I’d drawn and some illustrations that were very dear to me? For a travel journal that’s supposed to be personal, I must admit that I still find this incomprehensible to this day) and I had to turn a blind eye to other things. I’m not going to paint the whole experience in a completely negative light, as several people did help me with various aspects despite everything, but I can tell you that the Monica Geller control freak in me was really put to the test throughout this whole process.

 

THE RESULT

TŌHOKU TOKYO JOURNAL DE MON ÉTÉ AU JAPON available here 

 

So it is in a mood that is somewhat bittersweet yet enthusiastic (because I managed to see my struggle through to the end, fighting as best I could) that I am today sharing this little gem, which is 99 per cent like me (I could go on for hours about what I’d have liked to improve and the mistakes that were beyond my control, but I’ll leave it at that : let’s just say my book is an ode to wabi-sabi : seeing perfection in imperfection, haha)

I am still proud of the result, given all the energy and determination I put in to achieve a satisfactory outcome, but today, 22 October 2026, the day of the launch, I find myself feeling rather ambivalent. The initial feedback from my loved ones (perhaps not entirely objective ;-)) has been incredibly heartening, but today I’m looking forward to hearing from you, as, having followed my work online and/or through my previous books for almost 20 years, you know my work well, how I’ve developed, and what matters most to me.

 

IT’S NOW YOURS !

I sincerely hope to take you with me as you turn the pages, sharing my discoveries and finds from Japan throughout this journey through Tōhoku and Tokyo. Resilience is an integral part of Tōhoku, which has managed to rebuild itself following the 2011 disaster, and I believe that this journey and the process of creating this book have also taught me the profound meaning of that word.

That is why this book means so much to me, and I hope it will mean just as much to you, and that (despite the difficulties I’ve mentioned) it will succeed in conveying to you the pleasure, the unhurried pace and the care I’ve put into this work, as well as my love for this country, which has always filled me with wonder. Thank you so very much, and enjoy your journey! <3

The books I read in 2025

· Culture

My usual reading round-up is a bit late – I’ve been putting it off – but better late than never: I’ve finally managed to post it in May… It might give you some inspiration for the warmer weather!

If you’ve been following my reading reviews over the past few years, you’ll know that reading became part of my daily routine again in 2021 and that, even though my reading pace is rather inconsistent, I always enjoy picking up a novel and, through it, switching off from screens, escaping reality and giving my imagination a workout. You can find my previous reading reviews ( 2024 here, 2023 here et 2022 there) si vous cherchez des idées.

 

READING AT MY OWN PACE

As with many things, I don’t like setting myself targets. The same goes for reading. This year I’ve continued to read at my own pace, sometimes reading one book after another or spending several weeks on a single one. I still managed to get through 19 books, a mix of essays and novels. There are still quite a few novels related to Japan, but not exclusively, and two books read in English. So, I’ll leave you to discover my 2025 reading list… perhaps we have a few in common!

 

MY FAVORITES 

LETTRES D’AMOUR DE KAMAKURA by OGAWA ITO
 I’m still just as big a fan of Ogawa Ito’s writing as ever, and this third instalment follows on from « The Tsubaki Stationery Store » and « The Republic of Happiness », which I’ve already talked about before. We meet Hatoko again, a few years on, with a growing family, who, after a break of several years, decides to resume her work as a public writer at her famous stationery shop in Kamakura. The warm sentiments are as well-balanced as ever and conveyed without being too cheesy. Gentle, sensitive and as comforting as ever. (My more detailed review here)

THE MARRIAGE PORTRAIT by MAGGIE O’FARRELL
 A novel I would never have read if I had not followed the glowing recommendation of Dan Smith, from my favourite band Bastille. The author of « Hamnet » (a novel I haven’t read, but I’ve seen and enjoyed the film adaptation) draws inspiration from the story of Lucrezia during the Italian Renaissance, who was married at the age of 15 to Duke Alfonso. I enjoyed the visual and sensory details, the narrative style (this time I opted for the translated version rather than the original) and the plot, which at times verges on the chilling atmosphere of a thriller.

HUNGER GAMES : SUNRISE ON THE REAPING by SUZANNE COLLINS
 I absolutely loved this prequel to the Hunger Games series, set 24 years before Katniss Everdeen’s Hunger Games and 40 years after the games in « The Ballad of the Snake and the Singing Bird ». I was really intrigued by the story of the 50th Hunger Games, in which the famous mentor Haymitch Abernathy took part when he was younger. I’ve set out in detail everything I loved about this Instagram post, if you’d like to hear my full thoughts. But I can already tell you that I can’t wait to see the film adaptation of this novel in November!

HOPES & FEARS, LYRICS AND HISTORY by KEANE
 A collection of archive documents, photos and interviews with members of my favourite band, KEANE, about their debut album *HOPES & FEARS*. A collector’s item and a real treat for a fan like me.

 

MY FAVORITE READING MOMENTS

YELLOW FACE by REBECCA F.KUANG
 I read it in the original language and don’t regret it, as the pace (along with the first-person narration) was fluid and dynamic. It offers a deep dive into the world of publishing and explores the issue of cultural appropriation in a thoroughly gripping way.

TOKYO EXPRESS by SEICHŌ MATSUMOTO
I really got caught up in this story of a double suicide by lovers set against the backdrop of Japanese trains. A short, easy-to-read crime novel.

WABI-SABI, À L’USAGE DES ARTISTES DESIGNERS, POÈTES ET PHILOSOPHES de LEONARD KOREN
 It’s always very inspiring to read about minimalism and the beauty of imperfection, even if it didn’t really teach me anything new.

INSTANTANÉS D’AMBRE by YŌKO OGAWA
Having read « The Memory Police »  in 2022, I was drawn to this novel by Yōko Ogawa, who remains true to her strange and poetic world. The story of these children cut off from the outside world is at once mysterious, contemplative and unsettling. Although it took me a while to get through it, I enjoyed reading it.

VU À HARAJUKU by VANESSA MONTALBANO
An analysis of dress codes in Japan, highlighting what they reveal about Japanese social norms and pressures

TOKYO CRUSH by VANESSA MONTALBANO
 I really enjoyed this diary of the author’s ‘dates’ – she’s an expat in Japan – and this insight into romantic relationships in the Land of the Rising Sun.

ÉLOGE DU PEU by KOIKE RYUNOSUKE
 Just a gentle reminder of the need to let go of material things in order to focus on what really matters. Not everything is crystal clear or easy to put into practice, but it’s still inspiring.

 

Y RETOURNERAI-JE ? by FRANÇOIS SIMON
 A guide to top spots by food critic François Simon, interwoven with poetic reflections, quotes and other musings on the virtues of taking one’s time, the joys of good food, and good (or bad) taste, in the style of the videos on his Instagram account.

RÉSISTER by SALOMÉ SAQUÉ
 A well-researched and concise essay (I read the first edition, but a second, updated edition has since been published) offering practical and interesting ideas for combating the rise of the far right. An accessible and essential book.

SLENDEUR ET MISÈRES DES GROUPIES by SOPHIE BENARD
 I really enjoyed this essay, which restores the groupie’s reputation, examines the meaning of the term and the misogynistic stereotypes associated with it. As I am a groupie myself to varying degrees, I found it particularly interesting.

A ROOM OF ONE’S OWN by VIRGINIA WOOLF
 A feminist classic I’ve wanted to read for a long time. I really appreciated the substantive reflections (on the financial independence necessary for creativity, and on confronting the male gaze and misogyny), but I was less taken with the somewhat disjointed style, which reads like a stream of consciousness.

 

BOOKS I MODERATLY ENJOYED


LA MAISON NOIRE by YUSUKE KISHI
 I really enjoyed *Lesson of the Evil* by the same author, a thriller set in a school. Here, we’re plunged into the world of insurance. I was really drawn into the plot right up until the ‘plot twist’. After that, I found the escalation into horror a bit over the top. (Not for the faint-hearted, mind you)

BEAUTÉ FATALE by MONA CHOLLET
 This is the first book by Mona Chollet that I’ve read, and although I appreciated her incisive analysis of the alienating aspects of physical appearance for women, I must admit I was a little disappointed by the slightly moralising and condescending tone. It’s still worth reading, though, to reflect on your own relationship with fashion and beauty.

PETITES BOÎTES by YŌKO OGAWA
 Although I’m starting to get used to Yōko Ogawa’s fantastical world, I found this novel a little too contemplative and slow-paced. Despite its metaphorical nature, I was left feeling a bit unsatisfied, as I would have liked more answers on certain topics.

BOOKS I DIDN’T LIKE

Henrik Ibsen’s original play vs the stage adaptation in London in May 2025, starring Ewan McGregor (Hello François ;-))


THE MASTER BUILDER by HENRIK IBSEN
 I read this Norwegian play (in English) solely to prepare myself for the production of « My Master Builder » in London, which I saw in May 2025 because my dear Ewan McGregor was starring in it. I preferred the adaptation to the original play (a fine performance and clever staging really lifted the whole thing). Several themes are explored, such as ambition, grief and the clash between different generations, but I really struggled to connect with the characters or find them interesting, which left me rather underwhelmed.

Magic 2026!

· Illustration

This is already the ninth year that I have kept up this tradition of sending greeting cards!

Even though I don’t post very often on the blog, which has mainly served as an archive since I started in 2007, I enjoy coming back here at the beginning of each year to wish you all the best in the traditional way and run this little contest to thank you for your loyalty on Instagram and here, the place that will always be my home.

 

MAY 2026 BE MAGICAL !  

The years are passing by faster and faster (even more so as we get older!), but if we can take a moment to wish each other well for the coming year, it is always very meaningful and valuable.

I therefore wish you a new year full of good times to share with those who are most dear to you, to be able to juggle the eventual ups and downs of life thanks to the bright and sparkling moments that will dot your path, while managing to prioritize your well-being and energy to achieve everything you want, at your own pace.

 

MY 2026 GREETING CARDS

It’s difficult to come up with a new visual every year, but for 2026, I wanted to celebrate the different moods that can make up a year! Calm, slow-paced moments, but also more energetic ones, depending on the time and mood! With one constant: live life to the fullest and enjoy yourself as much as possible. (You’ll also notice that I’m eagerly awaiting the film adaptation of the “Sunrise on the reaping” prequel to The Hunger Games saga thanks to the book you see in Tokyobibi’s hands on this greeting card (a book I read and loved in 2025).

 

MAIL FOR YOU!

As is tradition, I invite you to receive one of these rainbow-colored cards directly in your mailbox.

To try to receive one, you must :

  • Leave me a comment below
  • Tell me which card color you would like to receive from the 6 available
  • Tell me about your wishes for 2026 (My cards may be magical and help make your wishes come true!)
  • You have until midnight on THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 2026 to do so.

I will then choose the 20 people to whom I will send my greetings. I look forward to reading your messages and writing to you! May this year be sweet and sparkling! Happy 2026!

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