PHOTOGRAPHY BY
KERRY RAFTIS (WWW.KEYSHOTS.COM)

MAKEUP BY
ELENA OKADA

Full name: Angela Salisbury
Age: 30
Nationality: American
Grew up in: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Time in Japan: Almost two years
Japanese level: Working on it…

Works at: Saké Puppets, my small business where I design, create, and sell handmade goods and craft kits with a Japanese influence. Since moving to Tokyo, I’ve started learning sashiko, a traditional form of Japanese needlework, so I like to incorporate that style into my work. I also write a blog where I offer tips on sashiko, and share my craft, travel, and sometimes food-related escapades. I hope to include sashiko and craft how-to videos in the near future.

Recently I began hosting English language and craft classes, 英語でCRAFT. Each class focuses on a different craft activity and is paired with a related conversation topic and language lesson. 英語でCRAFT is a place for Japanese women to learn and practice English while also trying fun, hands-on craft activities, such as how to embroider a dish towel, quilt, or make jewellery. We also cover topics that are useful but perhaps not covered in a traditional English class setting, such as how to navigate a hair salon or gynecologist’s office when traveling abroad, or how to set up a Facebook account. It’s my opinion that when you learn a language through a hobby or something that really interests you, it is much easier to engage and be motivated to keep learning.

Why did you come to Japan?
My husband is an editor and needs to be in the Eastern hemisphere. We decided Tokyo was the place to be.

Why do you stay in Japan?
I love it here. So many things in Japan make me happy, it’s easy to stay. I find inspiration everywhere I turn–from the clean lines of a shoji screen, to misty mountaintop cedars, to a café cake set, to navigating Shinjuku at 4 am–I love the way things coexist and the incredible attention to detail. Japan gets me.

How do you manage to balance everything in your life?
Actually, I’m not sure that I do. I’m always busy, with school and a handful of big projects going at the same time. The great thing is that I love what I’m doing, so it is easy to be busy.

What do you do to relax?
I love to wander Tokyo looking for new cafes, crafts, or interesting neighbourhood curiosities. I often stitch for fun or spend far too much time at Tsutaya thumbing through craft books. I love to travel, and riding the Shinkansen with a beer and obento is probably the best thing ever.

Best thing about being a foreign woman in Japan?
I used to be a bit shy, but in Japan I stick out no matter what I do, so it has actually become easier for me to open up and be myself. I’ve met many amazing people here who have encouraged me to follow my interests and not be afraid to be creative. They’ve helped me to break out of the 9-to-5 workday mold, and I’m loving it.

A Day in the Life:
I start my day with a giant cup of coffee and get right to work filling orders, writing for my blog, checking email, working on custom orders, studying Japanese, or whatever else is on my plate for the day. Occasionally I head to Nippori in search of sewing supplies or fabric for custom orders. After lunch I head to language class. Sometimes I teach a few English lessons in the evening or meet friends for dinner, but usually I head home to finish stitching, writing, or to cram for tomorrow’s kanji test, most often accompanied with a glass of wine.