where`s - Metropolis Magazine

Transcription

Japan’s Nº1 English Magazine
#938 Mar 16~29, 2012
FREE!
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TRAVEL Apres ski in Niseko DINING OUT California wine and Japanese kushiyaki—we
double down in Yokohama THE LAST WORD Japan overcomes class consciousness
AKAI MEDICAL CLINIC
Cosmetic Surgery
Laser Treatment
Skin Care
www.akaiclinic.com
Board Certified
Plastic Surgeon
and Dermatologist
Other cosmetic procedures available. For fees and detailed
information services, please refer to our homepage.
SEARCH AKAI CLINIC
DR. HIDEMI AKAI
Is a board-certified plastic surgeon and
an associate professor of the Plastic and
Reconstructive department of Showa
University in Tokyo. Trained at Harvard
Medical School, Akai has over twenty
years of experience.
DR. KEIKO AKAI
Is also a board-certified plastic surgeon
and skin care specialist, and the Akai
Medical Clinic offers a range of
cosmetic surgery and laser treatments,
including the latest techniques and
state-of-the-art technology.
NON-SURGICAL TREATMENT
Eyelid surgery (technically called blepharoplasty)
Is a procedure to remove mostly fat from
the upper and lower eyelids to correct
drooping upper lids and puffy bags below
your eyes - features that make you look
older or even interfere with your vision.
While it can add an upper eyelid crease to
Asian eyes, it will not erase evidence of
your ethnic or racial heritage. Blepharo-
AccuSculpt
plasty can enhance your appearance and
your self-confidence, but it won't
necessarily meet your ideal. As with all
surgery, think carefully about your
expectations and discuss them with me.
A detached retina or glaucoma gives
reason for caution; check with your
ophthalmologist before you have surgery.
(laser-assisted lypolysis)
The AccuSculpt is a
state-of-the-art piece of
equipment that can help you
secure a trim, sexy body
without putting in hours at the gym. The new kind of
laser-assisted lypolysis it effects, known as
Laser-Lipo, removes excess fat deposits in typical
areas such as chest, jowls and hips. This innovation
uses a specific wavelength to
eliminate fat with a minimum of
collateral tissue damage. Stop in
at AMC to be one of the first in
this country to try the
AccuSculpt, already a hit
AccuSculpt, already a hit in the
US market.
Breast Procedures
Take care of your breasts with a range of procedures at
AMC. Augmentation can increase bustline by one or
more cup size, at a cost of ¥700,000-900,000. Reduction
can reduce back and neck pain, skin irritation and bra
strap grooving. And the breast lift can raise them or firm
them up nicely. Get in touch for more info.
Omotesando
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• Portrait Plasma (Plasma Skin Regeneration)
• Photo Dynamic Therapy
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• AccuSculpt (laser-assisted lypolysis) NEW!
• EndyMed Pro: 3D RF Body Contouring
• Vela Smooth, MesoTherapy
→ LASER HAIR REMOVAL Under Arms
→ BOTOX (ALLERGAN)
• Glabeller Lines, Crow’s Feet, Hyperhydrosis, etc.
→ COLLAGEN & HYARULONIC ACID for Tear Trough,
• Laugh Line, Lip Augmentation, Nasal Reshaping
→ TATTOO REMOVAL with Q-YAG Laser
→ PRFM(GROWTH FACTOR) & STEM CELL THERAPY NEW!
for Skin Rejuvenation and Breast Reconstruction
→ LEG VEINS
SURGICAL TREATMENT
→ EYELID SURGERY
• Upper Eyelid, Lower Eyelid, Baggy Eye
→ NASAL RESHAPING
→ FACE LIFT
→ SILHOUETTE SUTURE FOR THREAD’S LIFT
• Minimal Invasive Lifting Surgery with
Special Thread
→ BREAST SURGERY
• Breast Augmentation, Lift, Reduction,
Nipple Reduction
→ FAT & STEM CELL INJECTION THERAPY
for Breast Augmentation or Facial Contouring
→ LIPOSUCTION with the Latest Ultrasonic Device
→ TUMMY TUCK
→ HAIR TRANSPLANTATION
→ SKIN SURGERY
• Mole / Cyst / Wart / Skin Cancer
• Biopsy, Excision, Laser Surgery
→ FEMALE / MALE GENITAL SURGERY
Yokohama
KNK Bldg. 3F 3-5-17,
Kita-Aoyama, Minato-ku,
Tokyo. 1 min. walk from
Omotesando stn, A3 exit.
Katsukou Bldg. 4F 1-2-8,
Houraicho, Naka-ku,
Yokohama-shi. 3 mins.
walk from JR Kannai stn.
Tel: 03-5771-4114
Clinic hours:
11AM~8PM (Mon~Sun)
Tel: 045-252-9455
Clinic hours:
11AM~7PM (Tue~Fri)
& 11AM~5PM (Sat)
We welcome email and phone inquiries | amc@akaiclinic.com
www.akaiclinic.com
Metropolis Members Club
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who won a ¥10,000
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#938
Mar 16-29, 2012
Photo of the week
Send your snaps to metropolis.co.jp/photo for our online Photo of the Day. The best entries will be chosen for
Photo of the Week.
Courtesy of The Container
The Tokyo Metpod: If it’s going on in Tokyo,
it’s going on at metpod.com
10 FEATURE
A Place in my art
Finding space with
Tokyo’s independent art
entrepreneurs
By David Labi
04 THE SMALL PRINT
05 Upfront
08 Travel
12 Arts & Entertainment
Art, Music, Stage
17 AGENDA
23 REAL ESTATE
24 MOVIES
27 Dining out
Bites, Izakaya Review,
Bar Review
31 ClassifiedS & JOBS
37 horoscope & mediabox
38 the last word
cover design: kohji shiiki; Photo: Vanessa Franklin; models:
Ines Kljakovic, Julien Sato, artwork: Amano Takeru
Chillin' porcine-style at Naha’s Makishi Public Market, by Daniela Brockmann
METROPOLIS is Japan's No.1 English magazine, founded
by Mark and Mary Devlin in 1994 and published for Japan’s
international community by Metropolis KK, a subsidiary of
Japan Inc Holdings.
METROPOLIS is the only English-language magazine
in Japan certified by ABC, Audit Bureau of Circulations.
30,000 copies per printed issue guaranteed
CEO/PUBLISHER Terrie Lloyd CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Neil Butler EDITORIAL Jeff W. Richards (Editor-inchief) David Labi (Editor) Akane “Margarita” Ichikawa, Lisa Wallin (editorial assistants) Anna Cock Gibson
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(Music & performing arts) Don Morton (Movies) C.B. Liddell (ART & architecture) Fred Varcoe (SPORTS) DESIGN
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Tel 03-4550-2929 Fax 03-4550-2859 web www.metropolis.co.jp
The Small Print This week’s required reading, by Reg Dunlap
“
Miwa Kaneoya
I want to… create
French dishes that
cannot be made by the
French”
—Nagano native Kei Kobayashi, whose Paris restaurant
Sola earned a Michelin less than a year after opening
last March
SUFFER THE CHICKENS
ćć It was reported that 4.37 million chickens in
northeastern Japan died following the March
11 earthquake due to disruptions in the supply
of feed from overseas.
ćć A court in Aichi found that a municipal worker
who committed suicide in 2002 was the victim
of “power harassment.” Apparently, the guy’s
boss would openly harangue his subordinates,
and the poor fella couldn’t cope.
ćć A 37-year-old woman in Machida killed her
65-year-old mother “following an argument
over nutritional breakfasts.”
ćć A research team at Tokyo University has found
that people who are “surrounded by more
acquaintances and tools” benefit from elevated
brain functioning compared to their lonely,
tool-less counterparts.
SNOW GO
ćć The roof of a n art museum in Yubari, Hokkaido
was crushed by a massive accumulation of
snow. The museum was closed at the time, and
the fate of several Picassos is unknown.
ćć Five teenagers who were caught throwing firecrackers at monkeys in a zoo in Kyoto made
amends by cleaning the monkeys’ living area
and apologizing to the animals.
ćć An American manga called I Kill Giants beat out
145 comics from 30 countries to snag the gold
prize at the Fifth International Manga Award in
Tokyo.
ćć A female junior high school teacher in Osaka
was arrested for sending four letters to an
acquaintance urging her “to commit suicide by
jumping.”
COMING & GOING
ćć A Gifu-based import company has donated 1
million packages of tofu from Paraguay to victims of the March 11 disaster.
ćć Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba said it would
be no big deal if Iran carried through with
its threat to close off the Strait of Hormuz, as
Japan has 200 days worth of oil reserves and a
70-day supply of liquefied natural gas.
ćć It was reported that interest in car-sharing services in Japan has surged in the past two years,
with the number of users increasing 10-fold, to
about 167,700.
stats
ćć Talk about tough times: bus drivers in Osaka
are faced with having their annual salary cut
from an average of ¥7.39 million to ¥4.41 million. Ouch!
Flyjin by the numbers
ćć The justice ministry says the number of foreign residents in Japan decreased by 55,000
in 2011.
ćć The prefectures that saw the biggest drops
were, unsurprisingly, the ones hit hardest
by the Great East Japan Earthquake: Iwate,
which lost 15.5 percent of its gaijin, Fukushima (15.1) and Miyagi (13.2).
ćć The average flyjin attrition rate in prefectures
nationwide was 2.6 percent.
ćć The ministry also said that the three largest
expat groups currently in Japan are Chinese
(674,871), Koreans (545,397) and Brazilians
(210,032).
ćć Overall, there are 2,078,480 registered foreigners in the country.
BOOK SMARTS
ćć The Mathematical Society of Japan reported—
w ith great sadness, one assumes—that 24
percent of college students who were tested
on basic math skills “gave incorrect answers
to a question on the concept of averages that is
taught to sixth graders.”
ćć Scholars hope that the recent discovery of the
earliest known published work by 20th-century literary giant Yasunari Kawabata—an
account of a funeral that appeared in a magazine in 1917—will help shed light on “the way in
which [he] created novels.”
ćć A study panel with the infrastructure ministry advised officials in Tokyo to make sure the
city can defend itself against “a huge tsunami
[that’s] expected every 1,000 years or so.”
ćć The University of Tokyo became the first public
Japanese university to set up a student recruitment office in India.
DUMPLING DIPLOMACY
ćć A group of students from the University of
Shanghai for Science and Technology traveled
to Fukushima and cooked up a bunch of potstickers for evacuees using local ingredients.
ćć An unknown perpetrator hacked the website of
the Nagoya Zoo and posted a message that said,
“Please acknowledge the Nanjing Massacre!”
ćć A 22-year-old female exchange student in Beijing suffered cuts to her face in what police
believe was a random slashing.
ćć The Cabinet approved boosting the coast guard’s
law enforcement abilities in territorial waters.
Among the new powers is the ability “to investigate cases of illegal entry and destruction of
lighthouses.”
STRANGE BEDFELLOWS
ćć The municipality of Nagaoka in Niigata has
entered into a sister-city partnership with the
Hawaiian capital of Honolulu. Which is interesting, because Nagaoka’s most famous son is Isoroku
Yamamoto—commander-in-chief of the fleet
that attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.
ćć The mot her of AK B48 performer Minami
Takahashi—one of the group’s most popular
members—was arrested for having sex with a
15-year-old boy.
ćć The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Consumer Agency will distribute
500,000 leaflets urging people to get rid of nonchildproof cigarette lighters.
ćć Bottom Story of the Week: “Researchers have
discovered that a wooden strip unearthed at an
ancient ruins site in Ibaraki Prefecture bore a
‘kanji’ Chinese character meaning the unit for
a length of cloth, which had been in use in an
ancient capital in western Japan.” (via Mainichi
Daily News)
Compiled from reports by AP, Japan
Today, The Japan Times, The Asahi
Shimbun, The Tokyo Reporter, Japan
Probe, The Mainichi Daily News, Daily
Yomiuri, AFP, Reuters and Kyodo.
� 580,000 Construction workers involved in the building of Tokyo Sky Tree, which was officially
completed on March 4 � >60 Number of Japanese headed to North Korea next month to celebrate
the 100th anniversary of the birth of Kim Il Sung � 325 Eggs consumed by an average Japanese
person in a year � 1 Countries whose per capita egg consumption exceeds Japan’s. Only Mexicans
love their huevos more
04 • download our podcast at • podcast.metropolis.co.jp
Coutesy of Andrew Loader
people, trends & miscellany
q&a
Andrew Loader
Area Director of Sales & Marketing, ANA
InterContinental Tokyo
Why did you come to Japan
and when? I have been in
Japan for six months now, for
my work with InterContinental
Hotels Group. How’s your
Japanese? I realized I was
making progress when I was
recently in a store. I was able
to understand when the sales
attendant told someone on
the phone she had a crazy
foreigner in the store trying to
get his order early—and that he
would not be getting it... How
long have you worked with
the ANA InterContinental
Tokyo? I was appointed
Area Director of Sales and
Marketing—Tokyo, based at
the ANA InterContinental
Tokyo six months ago, but
I have worked at IHG for
a total of six years. I am
responsible for the sales and
marketing operations at ANA
InterContinental Tokyo, The
Strings by InterContinental
Tokyo, and ANA Crowne Plaza
Narita. Any sticky situations
in the marketing department
since you got here? Anything
to do with mistaken use of
auto translation. Can you tell
us one of the celebrities and
VIPs you’ve met at the hotel.
One of the most interesting
personalities I met in the last
six months was the President
of Costa Rica, Laura Chinchilla.
Some people make such a
striking first impression that
you never forget the moment
you met them. Where is your
favorite spot at the ANA
InterContinental Tokyo?
Without a doubt, our Club
movie news
If you were planning a new film festival, what
ingredients would you want to stir into the mix?
Put it in a tropical paradise? Give it a thematic
twist like making it a comedy festival? Even add
a marketplace (or “Contents Bazaar”) where international and Japanese producers can meet to
talk about co-productions? That’s pretty much
the formula that major entertainment agency
Yoshimoto Kogyo has hit upon for their Okinawa International Movie Festival (www.oimf.
jp/en), now in its fourth year. Held in Naha, the
film fest will run March 24-31 and feature world
premieres, including Japanese political satire
Ah! Minister, and Signal, starring popular actor
Kengo Kora. It will also showcase the flick that
InterContinental. It is located
on the 35th floor of the hotel,
and because of the triangular
design of our building, has the
most incredible vistas from
three different perspectives.
Any recommendations for
readers? Our Michelin-starred
Pierre Gagnaire restaurant
on level 36 is a very special
restaurant indeed. For a
magnificent nighttime
perspective of the beautiful
Tokyo skyline with a dry
martini in hand, our cocktail
bar MIXX also on level 36, is
perfect. Spring is on its way,
what kind of events will be
on offer at the hotel? Some of
the highlights include special
accommodation packages
for weekend getaways for
both couples and families,
our Sakura lunch and dinner
menus in restaurants Unkai
and Karin, and a range of new
pastries and breads based
on spring seasonal produce
in Pierre Gagnaire Pains et
Gateaux, located in our lobby.
What’s your favorite Tokyo
spot to unwind when you’re
off duty? High on my list of
interests are architecture, and
interior and landscape design.
So Tokyo is a neverending feast
for me. I’m crazy for examples
of contemporary Japanese
gardens based on traditional
design principles. I love the
rock terraces at the Imperial
Palace Gardens. What’s the
best and worst thing about
living in Tokyo? The best?
I always feel I’ll find a new
brilliant discovery around
the next corner, and I nearly
always do. The worst? People
might not agree, but to me this
is a silent city, and silence can
be deafening. Jeff W. Richards
Upfront
cinematic underground
© Channel Four Films
In what is sure to be a surreal evening, an all-night marathon
of works by Jan Švankmajer, the wizard of Czech animation,
will be held at Shin-Bungeiza in Ikebukuro (3F, 1-43-5 HigashiIkebukuro Toshima-ku; www.shin-bungeiza.com), March 24
from 10:30pm. Švankmajer developed his trademark, dreamlike style by combining live actors, illustrations and props in
stop-frame animation, and has applied his time-consuming
brand of filmmaking to numerous shorts and features such
as Alice (1988; pictured), based on Alice in Wonderland. ShinBungeiza will also pay tribute to the late Takeo Kimura, the
most-esteemed art director of Japanese cinema, with a
retrospective March 19-24. Kimura created the lush, futuristic
sets that characterized Nikkatsu films of the ’50s and ’60s, and
debuted as a director at the ripe old age of 90 before passing
away in 2010… Momo Matsuri, a showcase of works by young
female directors working in Japan, will be held at Shibuya’s
Eurospace (1-5 Maruyamacho, Shibuya-ku; www.eurospace.
co.jp), March 17-30. The fest started in 2006, and this year’s
installment features nine shorts on the theme of suki (which
translates as “like” or “love,” depending on who you ask). www.
momomatsuri.com Kevin Mcgue
scene around town
©CHENMAN
Courtesy of Okinawa International Movie Festival
swept the Academy Awards, The Artist, and feature the Japan premiere of the Oscar-nominated
comedy Bridesmaids. The fest always runs retrospectives and this year we’ll be able to see the
film of respected actor Yoshio Harada and muchheralded director Yoshimitsu Morita, both of
whom passed away since the last fest was held.
All screenings will have English subtitles and, in
all, over 80 films will unspool in this meeting of
tropical paradise and celluloid. Rob Schwartz
Young Pioneer with the Three Gorges (2009)
What? Paintings blending febrile imagination with fashion genius
Who? Hot Beijing photographer Chen Man
Where? Diesel Art Gallery
How much? Free
See exhibition listings (Shibuya/Ebisu) for details.
#938 • wWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP • 05
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people, Trends & MIscellany
Upfront
Hanami Happenings
Life is a bowl of cherry blossoms
Courtesy of Kamakura Jinrikisha Yufutei
Courtesy of Fukagawa Kanko Kyokai
Strange Artifact www.strangeartifact.jp
1
2
Join international and Japanese fans of everyone’s
favorite Victorian sci-fi fashion mode for a trendy
moshpit amongst the cherry blossoms, aka Sakura
Steampunk. Bring food, musical instruments and
yourself—dressing up not mandatory, but you
might feel dumb if you’re the only one not wearing
a steel girdle. Apr 1, free. Yoyogi Park. Nearest
stn: Harajuku. Tel: 03-3469-6081. http://meturl.
com/21
Courtesy of Chichibu-Railway
A Moving Sight
Punk
Ambulant alternatives to the
traditional hanami party
1
Boat Take to the water during the Edo Fukagawa
Sakura Matsuri in a variety of different boating
experiences offered by the local tourist board. The night
cruise among the illuminated trees has to be a winner.
• Foyboat: ¥500. From 9:30am, Mar 31, Apr 1, 7-8 &
14-15. Kurofunebashi. Nearest stn: Monzennakacho.
• Motorboat (day): ¥600. 9am-2:30pm, Mar 31, Apr 1,
7-8. Nihonbashi. Nearest stn: Nihonbashi.
• Motorboat for up to 30 people: ¥1,500 per person
(inc. tea/sweets and guide). 9:30am-5:20pm.
Kurofunebashi. Nearest stn: Monsennakacho.
• Night cruise: ¥1,200 (tea & sweets). 4:30-8pm (every
30 min), Mar 31, Apr 1 & 14-15. Kurofunebashi. Nearest
stn: Monzennakacho.
Koto-ku no Mizube ni Shitashimu Kai. Tel: 03-56392818. www.mon-naka.com/sakura
Tidbits
Topped with delicate cherry blossoms, the Sakura
Mont Blanc Roll Cake (¥1,900, http://meturl.com/
sakcake) is the perfect dessert to round off your
hanami party and make you the envy of all the
expat wives. Match your booze to the views with
Sakura Wine (¥1,200/500ml bottle, http://meturl.
com/sakwine) a light rosé with floating blossoms
making for a delicate, fruity flavor.
App
2
Horse Get equine with the Japan Racing
Association Sakura Festival where you can grab
a free ride on their horses around the sakura-filled
Baji Koen, JRA’s 180,000m2 equestrian park. Firstcome, first-served. Mar 30 & Apr 1, 2-1-1 Kamiyoga,
Setagaya-ku. Nearest stn: Sakura Shinmachi. Tel:
03-3429-5101. www.jra.go.jp/bajikouen
3
© Metropolis
If your phone is smarter than the average bear, grab
the free app Yahoo O-hanami Navi 2012 (http://
sakura.yahoo.co.jp/app). Contains all the best
hanami spots countrywide, an up-to-the-minute
blooming schedule/
calendar, as well as
recipes and a photo
gallery. Set the tarp on
fire with Joysound
Karaoke (http://meturl.
com/appkaraoke). Free
to download, ¥250 per
month for unlimited
song downloads. (Both
apps in Japanese).
3
Rickshaw Sit back while someone else gets really
good exercise. A man-powered rickshaw will take
you on a tour of the most popular hanami spots in
Kamakura. Grab 13 minutes for ¥2,000, half an hour for
¥5,000 and a full hour for ¥9,000, for you and a partner.
Available 9am-5pm while the flowers last. Kamakura
Jinrikisha Yufutei. Tel: 090-3137-6384. Nearest
station: Kamakura.
4
4
Train Board the 1944 retro steam locomotive
Paleo Express for an adventure across the
Arakawa River, and gaze on the blushing blossoms
from Kumagaya station all the way to Mitsumineguchi
station. Unreserved seating is ¥500, but reserving is
recommended for just ¥200 more. Chichibu-Railway.
Tel: 048-523-3317. www.chichibu-railway.co.jp
Rides To soar over the cherry blossoms like a drunk
pigeon, Yomiuri Land offers a variety of options.
The Sky Shuttle (¥300 one way/¥500 return) and
ferris wheel afford you a bird’s eye glimpse of their
270-meter-long colonnade of 1,000 trees. If that
ain’t enough, rush through the trees on a 110km/h
rollercoaster ride. ¥1,200 (adults)/¥600 (children and
seniors). 4051-1 Yanoguchi, Inagi-shi. Tel: 044-9661111. www.yomiuriland.co.jp.
Travel
Ski
Niseko
Japan’s St. Moritz
is an international
winter playground
Text & photos by Brandi Goode
T
his winter I discovered t he mea n i ng
of champagne powder, a ph rase t hat
conjures bright
eyes and ear-to-ear
grins for skiers and snowboarders
alike. Interestingly enough, a hefty
daily dumping of snow plus a lack of
sunshine conspire to produce this
magical snow, but no one seems to
mind grey skies and persistent snow
flurries when it’s a trade-off for this
soft, cotton-like snowfall.
Niseko, Hok kaido earned its
stripes on the international ski scene
roughly 50 years ago when Australians started f locking to the area.
Hirafu is the central village where
most restaurants and bars are also
located. Purchase an all-mountain lift pass and you gain further
access to Niseko Village and Annupuri, which are home to some nice
accommodation choices, including
the Hilton and Greenleaf properties. Rates start at around ¥15,000 on
weekdays and can double on weekends. Annupuri is also quite popular
for beginning ski bunnies and families because of its w ide, gent le
slopes. Local buses run between all
ski areas between 8am and 8pm for a
small fee, but with the all-mountain
pass there’s no charge.
The less costly Grand Hirafu
lift pass includes the Hanazono
runs, which can be reached via free
shuttle buses that ply the mountain
route and include convenient pickup
points around Hirafu. The Terrain
Park and backcountry zones Blueberry and Strawberry Fields draw
a fair crowd of snowboarders to the
area. Try the 308 Café to enjoy the
finest slope-side food in Niseko; their
¥1,400 bowl of steaming kani (crab)
ramen (pictured, top right) is legendary. For lunches near the Hirafu lifts,
Downtown Cafe and J-Sekka Deli,
located across from The Vale Niseko,
are top picks. J-Sekka wins the prize
for best coffee in town (amazing cappucino for ¥450)and also sells fresh
Hokkaido meats and cheeses.
Man cannot live on
snow alone
Unlike Niseko’s sister city St. Moritz,
Ni seko’s après-sk i opt ion s a re
rather tame, but fear not, as there
are plenty of places around Hirafu
to enjoy some mulled w ine and
regale your companions with tales
of your conquests (or fiascos) on the
slopes. Unfortunately the turnover
is high within the food and beverage
industry and you’ll likely find that
last year’s hot spots have either shut
down or changed ownership, name
or concept. Some of the region’s
stalwarts are Blo Blo Bar, located on
Aleisha Riboldi
Getaways
Cape Soya
W
it h coordinates of 45
deg rees, 31 m i nutes,
and 14 seconds North,
Cape Soya in Hokkaido is the northernmost point of Japan. and the
journey to the top is a long one: an
Advertorial
© Vuk Vukmirovic - Fotolia.com
Crash
Course
Niseko
the main road, Hirafu-Zaka Street.
Its signature ¥600 flaming cocktail
ensures a steady stream of customers late into the evening (1am in
these parts).
There are also some novelty bars
worth checking out, including Gyu,
or “Fridge Door.” Look for a miniature, bright red freezer door in a
snowpile (pictured, top left) midway
down Yotei-Zaka Street to find the
entrance to this drinking institution.
The Ice Bar, rebuilt in a new location
every year, is also not to be missed.
This year’s venue featured a snow
slide in the rear, an ice luge, and ice
glasses with colorful, albeit pricey,
¥1,000 cocktails.
Hiraf u has an abunda nce of
restaurants, but if you want a table
around prime dinner hour (7-9
pm), it’s wise to book ahead. Rin is
a noteworthy izakaya in the Lower
Village while Kakashi has a convenient location on Koen Avenue just
off the slopes. The latter is a friendly,
family-run establishment with a
mama-chan who loves to drink with
her guests. For affordable upscale
dining, we recommend Lupicia
in Hirafu South Village with fourcourse dinner sets priced at ¥6,500.
Lupicia’s concept is European-Asian
fusion prepared with local Hokkaido
ingredients. Book ahead and they
will send a van for pick up.
Finally, what ski holiday would
be complete without an onsen trip?
If you plan to visit at least two, consider buy ing a Yumeg uri Onsen
Pass. There is also a Yumeguri bus
that will take you to all 12 participating onsens. Most facilities charge
a towel fee in addition to the average ¥600 entrance fee, so be sure to
bring your own or be prepared to
pay ¥300 extra. There are typically
a couple vending machines outside
the main bathing area, so you’ll
want to buy any drinks before heading in to change.
In Hirafu my favorite onsen is
Yukoro on Yukemuri Avenue. It’s
tiny, but they have an indoor and
outdoor pool (rotenburo, pictured
center) framed with snow-covered
boulders. Venture a little further out
past Annupuri to Grand Hotel to find
a scenic mixed-gender rotenburo, a
rare find in Japan. For something
truly special, Yukichichibu Onsen
boasts over 10 different pools set
amidst a mountain backdrop. Their
red and yellow-hued pools have a
strong mineral content and ladies
can enjoy a mud bath. Yuk ichichibu is 25 minutes from Hirafu by
car or the last stop on the Yumeguri
shuttle bus.
early flight from Tokyo to Sapporo,
and from there an eight-hour drive
to Wakkanai. Make that 10 hours if
you make a wrong turn or two. It’s
a long, scenic road trip across Hokkaido. Endless green pastures and
blue skies. Fresh air, cool breeze, the
sea on one side and rice paddies on
the other. Stretches on endlessly.
It’s dark by the time we arrive at
the port town of Wakkanai. Here we
find road signs not only in Japanese
and English, but also Russian, for we
are only a stone’s throw away from
Sakhalin, across the water. Wakkanai is the last major town before you
reach the tip of Japan. From here you
can get a ferry to nearby Japanese
islands Rishiri and Rebun. You can
even catch a boat to Russia.
A f ter a long day of d r iv i ng
through the Hokkaido countryside,
we stop over in Wakkanai for the
night. Wakkania Youth Hostel turns
out to a surprise bargain. Despite
the rundown exterior, we are pleasantly surprised. For around ¥2,000 a
private room, we eschew the shared
dorm for the run of a large furnished
mini-apartment. There’s our own
washing machine, stove, fridge, TV,
bathroom, and a separate tatami
room that comfortably sleeps four,
though we are only three. Hotel
trimmings at hostel prices.
Early the next morning we are
on the road again, for Soya Misaki
(Cape Soya). From Wak kanai it’s
just a 30-m i nute d r ive, a nd a l l
roads head north. No getting lost
this time around.
We take the obligatory photo at
the monument informing us of
the fact that we stand at “the most
northern point in Japan.” Lucky for
us, it’s a clear September morning,
and the faint shoreline of Russia
can be seen glowering darkly in the
distance. An icy chill runs down
our spines.
A shrine offers some northerly
prayertime and a souvenir store
allows the buying of a multitude
of trinkets. Across the road can be
found the Peace Park, up on higher
ground. From there, you can score
a higher vantage point onto the
convergence point of the Sea of
Okhotsk and the Sea of Japan. You
might even spot the odd fox or two.
It feels great to be on top. It’s just
a shame that it’s a long, long way
back down from here. Aleisha Riboldi
Tokyo
Trip Tips
● From Tokyo, fly to Sapporo’s
Chitose airport. Air Do operates
budget flights from Haneda.
● From Chitose, you can take either a
JR train or shuttle bus to Kutchan, the
next major town to Niseko’s central
Hirafu Village. You can then catch the
free shuttle bus on to Hirafu.
● Both the train and bus take around
2.5 hours with the Niseko Express
train that operates during peak
season, Dec-Feb. The bus is more
direct, cheaper and simpler for those
with heavy bags, but the train stops
in Sapporo if you want to schedule a
stopover in Hokkaido’s capital.
Attorney Kei Sumikawa
gives Metropolis readers
fender bender advice
W
hen involved in a car accident in Japan, and keen to
claim damage against the
insurance company, it is advisable to
consult an attorney-at-law (bengoshi).
To receive appropriate compensation, you’ll first need to assess how
much you are entitled to. This is where
you need someone with the technical
knowledge to do the complicated calculations required for assessment.
Of course, the insurance company
might assess the damage themselves
and offer you a settlement, but insurance companies are likely to restrain
their spending—so they might not pay
you the desired amount. In that case,
you’ll have to calculate the damage
yourself and negotiate with the company to receive the appropriate sum.
Other problems can crop up. For
example, insurance companies can
demand you terminate medical treatment so they can save on costs. You’d
then have to convince them the treatment is still necessary.
Negotiations with an insurance
company are very difficult—even for
native Japanese. Obviously it will
be even worse if you’re not a native
speaker, and not used to negotiating
such things in Japanese.
If you’re not satisfied with the insurance company’s offer, you’ll then have to
bring the problem to court. You might
also have to file a lawsuit. If you appoint
an attorney, he or she can represent
you through the whole process.
So, it’s recommended to seek a
specialist’s advice for assessing your
damage, and negotiating with the
insurance—the sooner, the better.
Contact for more info. Sumikawa Law
Office. 2-690-9 Saiwai-cho, Saiwai-ku,
Kawasaki. Email: web@sumikawa.
net. Nearest stn: Kawasaki. http://
sumikawa.net
Feature
The first art gallery space as we know
it is said to be the Palais du Louvre,
opened as a museum in 1793 by the
French Revolutionary government.
By 1863, sufficient opposition to the
narrow views of the artistic establishment led to the opening of the
Salon des Refusés featuring work
by “rejected” artists. This process
occurred in Japan, too, with the
Meiji government’s first westernstyle exhibition, the Bunten, quickly
garnering criticism as being élitist and conservative. Since then,
Japan’s artistic reactions against the
establishment have taken different
forms, like the mass production of
socially critical art magazines in the
early 20th century, and avant-garde
movements such as the Hi-Red Center in the ’60s, who responded to the
government’s pre-Olympics cleanup of the city by heading out in white
suits to “clean” it themselves.
Today, the élitist and conservative tags have given way to a charge
that the main galleries in Tokyo only
pander to big names from overseas—
or Japanese artists who have proven
t hemselves i n ot her cou nt r ies.
Emerging and mid-career artists can
rent gallery spaces for their exhibitions, but this is pricy, and they will
probably only reach a limited audience of friends and contacts.
Those familiar with the thriving
independent art projects of London
or New York might be surprised to
come across fewer such ventures
here in Tokyo. A common refrain
from new artistic entrepreneurs is
that the Tokyo scene is “too clean.”
So at least, says Julien Sato, cofounder of M (Event Space & Bar), a
combined arts space in Daikanyama.
Sato points at the graffiti on the bar
by Japanese artist Must. “That kind of
thing is street art in other countries,”
he says. “Here in Japan there is very
little space for that kind of expression.” M, he hopes, can offer one.
Canadian maverick curator Shai
Ohayon began running his successful ArtGig event in Tokyo for much
the same reason. During his time
working in London, among other
things using Heritage Lottery funds
to develop historic mansion Fulham
Palace as an open gallery space, he
didn’t feel the need to organize any
of his notorious art installation and
music marathons. “London is dirty
enough already—they don’t need my
dirt on top of it,” he laughs. “But Tokyo
really needs it.”
During his time working with
bureaucracy and red-tape in London,
Ohayon “realized that restrictions
can make you more creative.” Putting this to the test he began to
curate The Container, a gallery that
a
place
in my
art
Finding space with
Tokyo’s independent art
entrepreneurs
By David Labi
is literally a shipping container inside
Bross Hair Salon in Daikanyama.
There, he runs four exhibitions a year,
of which the creative part is working
out how to integrate them into the
limited space.
This issue of art and space in
Tokyo is, of course, inf luenced by
the restrictions imposed by one
of the most expensive cities in the
world. Tamura Masamichi took
the notion to the extreme by opening Tana Gallery Bookshelf on the
bookshelf of Bigakko art workshop
in Jimbocho, renting the space for
¥2,000 a month—a symbolic rental
agreement that he only ever paid
once. “People might say it’s small,
but I don’t think it’s small,” says
Masamichi. “It’s an adequate space
if you want to have an independent
art space in Tokyo—in terms of the
financial conditions.”
T he ga l ler y has had va r ious
experimental exhibitions that are
interesting precisely because they
have to deal with such a limited area.
The current work is “Klangstube” by
German artist Florian Haupt, which
is a moving contraption that makes
a variety of noises, and which visitors are encouraged to push and pull
the buttons of to alter the sound and
movement.
Brad Bennett, an American photographer, cyclist, and tour guide
amid many other passions, hopes
his new arts space in Sasazuka, Studio C—home of live music events,
art and photography exhibits, art
classes for kids, artisanal workshops
and more—can provide a platform
for collaboration. Bennett funds the
space, for example, by hiring it out as
a studio, or allowing teachers to rent
the space or pay a percentage. This
allows for Studio C’s free monthly
art events, and regular exhibitions
such as experimental photo exhibit
“Sparks” by Ken Iwai.
Wel l-k now n a r t s a nd music
space SuperDeluxe in Nishi-Azabu
was founded ten years ago, and they
also host corporate events to allow
for ot her more ar t ist ic happenings that would probably not reap
financial rewards. “People always
say to me that in any other country
we would benefit from some kind of
governmental support for all we do
for the arts,” points out co-founder
Mike Kubeck. By providing spaces
for lesser-known artists, without the
resources, contacts or know-how to
make it big, are spaces like SuperDeluxe confronting the startling lack of
institutional arts funding in Japan?
“We’re not consciously doing that,”
replies Kubeck. “We are primarily motivated by what interests us.
If that has the effect of plugging the
gap then that is great.”
M employs a similar system. Set
up by 30-year-old Japanese-French
twins Julien and Kenji Sato, along
with Japanese associate Yoneda Norifumi, it was a natural follow-on from
the brothers’ work running arty PR
events for companies such as Perrier.
“Our idea was to take underground
artists from Japan and overseas and
bring them out.” In December 2009,
they founded M Space to separate
the artistic side from the PR event
organizing side, using one to fund the
other.
The idea of M is a neutral platform. “Even the name “M” can mean
whatever you want it to mean,” says
Sato. The layout is minimal with
comfortable furniture that makes
people feel at home, while being easily rearrangeable for different events.
The space has a rotating gallery of
works by international and Japanese
artists, and has brought DJs, musicians, live painters, dancers and
more within its walls to reach new
vistas through collaboration. As in
Studio C, where Bennett says, “I don’t
consider myself a qualified curator
but I do know something good happens when people get together.”
That is the thinking behind SuperDeluxe, too. Kubeck refers to the
“cross-pollination” that takes place
when creative people get together—
no matter their favored medium. This
is something the founders learned
working in a shared office space—formerly a taxi garage—in Azabu-Juban,
where they would host monthly
experimental music events under the
name “Deluxe.” “In a shared office
you can get stuck on your own stuff,
only to find the solution by spending
time with people engaged in something totally different,” says Kubeck.
“The energy and buzz make everyone
more than the sum of their parts.”
But t he space needs to ex ist
for these disparate forces to come
together. “Artists could be doing
something vital and significant in
their own world but never get outside
that,” explains Kubeck. As “curator,”
SuperDeluxe has brought many of
these people outside their worlds
to create somet hing ma r velous
together. A prime example is slated
for May 10-13, when a performance
and exhibition will bring together
underground manga artist Toyo
Kataoka with experimental theatre
troupe Crack Iron Albatrossket.
Funk y artist collective Shibu
House push this collaborative ideal
to the extreme by living together.
Their house in Shibuya where 17 residents currently lay their head (most
of them in the same room), boasts
painters, musicians and a theater
director among its gang. There, they
live and breathe art among a stupendous manga, DVD and game
collection, and host various events
such as monthly parties with DJs
in the basement and live painting
on the roof. Like the Sato brothers,
Shibu House founder Keita Saito
was working in art PR when he had
1
Other alternative
art spaces...
2
4
the idea. “The Tokyo art scene is not
interesting,” he says. “The problem
is the Edo Period was too good, we
can’t compete.”
According to Saito, Shibu House
is the only place of its kind in Tokyo,
and the lack of this kind of artistrun residence here is what surprises
Ohayon, who is planning to host
an ex hibition of Shibu House in
The Container next year. The current exhibition is a haunting video
installation by UK artist Ami Clarke,
“Be Seeing You,” which makes use
of footage from cult TV series The
Prisoner. The black and cramped
shipping container focuses attention
on the flashing images, while noises
3
5
and smells wafting in from the surrounding hair salon serve to further
increase one’s disorientation.
So by experimenting with how
art should be produced, displayed
and experienced, are these initiatives changing the face of Tokyo art?
Masamichi believes that these kinds
of spaces were always there, though he
concedes that Tana Gallery Bookshelf
and The Container are two of very few
spaces of their kind right now. Shibu
House’s uniqueness, on the other
hand, could influence other artist-run
residences of this kind. Ohayon, for
his part, believes a change might be
nigh, owing in part to the tragic disasters of March 11, 2011. “3/11 facilitated
SCAI the Bathhouse This Yanaka
gallery in a 200-year-old bathhouse
supports avant-garde and emerging
artists. Closed for installation. www.
scaithebathhouse.com
3331 Chiyoda Based in a done-up
high school, 3331 blends cutting
edge and day-to-day in a free-to-enter
gallery and arts center. www.3331.jp
Tokyo Wondersite In three central
Tokyo locations, TWS nurtures
young talent in various fields through
residences and other programs. www.
tokyo-ws.org
Kid Ailack
Hall With
a name
meaning
joy, anger,
sorrow and
humor,
Kid Ailack
offers live
painting, poetry, performance,
buyo dance, etc. to stimulate these
emotions. Founded in 1964, it is one
of the oldest shared arts spaces in
Tokyo. www.kidailack.co.jp.
something,” he says. “People became
more aware of political matters, started
organizing things themselves.”
In the end it is that reliance on
6
one’s own projects that is essential
for this breed of Tokyo artistic pioneers. This is what Kubeck calls the
“punk esthetic,” the DIY nature of an
art that people do themselves, without worr ying about institutional
support or any other considerations.
This keys into the purpose of art itself,
according to Masamichi. “Art can do
something independent of the dominant logic in the market.” And if you
are keen on stepping outside of that
dominant logic, these spaces might
be a good place to start.
See highlighted listings for details
of upcoming events at these venues, and check their homepages
for more info:
• M (Event Space & Bar) www.mevent-bar.com
• Shibuhouse, www.shibuhouse.
com
• Studio C http://studioctokyo.
core.ne.jp
• The Container, http://the-container.com
• Tana Gallery Bookshelf http://
rad-commons.main.jp/tana
1 M (EVENT BAR & Space), Photo by Vanessa Franklin; models: Ines Kljakovic, Julien Sato; 2 superdeluxe, Photo
by beermike, Tensui-ren vs DH Rosen 3 Shibuhouse; 4 Studio C tokyo, Photo by Brad bennett 5 Tana Gallery
Bookshelf: Photo by Masaru Kaido, Klangstube by Florian Haupt, at Tana Gallery Bookshelf 6 The Container
Arts & Entertainment All the best in arts & culture across the metropolis
art
Art Fair Tokyo
Find your own way at
this feast of variety
By C. B. Liddell
E
very year Art Fair Tokyo comes
around and every year it tries to
find a big idea to tie everything
together and sell the event. Last
year, it was all about pick ing
up the pieces following the big
earthquake, a natural enough storyline and certainly a compelling one for the event. This year,
it’s time to move on and find a new narrative for
the weekend of art.
With Deutsche Bank Group serving as the
main sponsor and the President of Art Fair Tokyo
a former trader in the financial industry, not
surprisingly they’ve gone for the idea of internationalizing the Japanese art world by reaching out
to the rest of Asia.
This year’s slogan is “Tokyo as a city within
Asia,” and there is a new section called “Discover
Asia,” where prominent galleries from major Asian
cities will be showcased along with Japanese galleries that have been receiving international acclaim.
But this is all fanfare, hullabaloo, and design
by committee. The real story, as it is every year,
is the individual story of each visitor. With more
than 160 participating galleries, what Tokyo Art
Fair does best is to present a great deal of real variety, simply because it is impossible to get so many
galleries toeing the same line.
This is not like, say, going to a Jackson Pollock
exhibit, deciding halfway through you don’t really
care for the pissed-off guy with a paint can, and
then having to endure the rest of the exhibition.
With AFT, there’s always something completely
different in the next booth.
In such an environment, subjective taste is
king and each visitor will put together his or her
own unique “exhibition” simply by following his
or her artistic nose. With this in mind, here are
some of my picks from the forthcoming fair.
Art Fair Tokyo, Mar 30-Apr 1 at Tokyo International Forum. See other events listings for
details.
1. A Year (2012) by Kumi Machida
With an elegant feel for line, neoNihonga artist Machida creates
images suffused with a strange
sentience and mystique.
2. Sparkling Port (2011) by
Chisato Tanaka Tanaka uses an
updated chiaroscuro style to set off
her bright acrylic colors, creating
a work that evokes the precarious
nature of life on Japan’s tsunamiprone seacoast.
3. Pagoda Pot (2008) by Keiko
Matsumoto Matsumoto’s keen
sense of humor throws together
unlikely objects in odd ceramic
works. Sometimes it fails, but this
time it definitely works.
4. Taito-ku Brain Music Street
(2010) by John Hathaway Gaijin
otaku artist Hathaway’s fine art
inkjet prints evoke a rich world of
sensation and desire, putting the
kawaii into our Blade
Runner city.
1
5. Blood, Natsuko
(2012) by Yasunari
Ikenaga Using a mix of
Japanese and western
painting techniques,
Ikenaga creates a sumptuous and
stylish work that evokes a mood of
intimacy and pleasure.
6. In a Dream (2011) by Yoko
Shimizu With a clear debt to the rich
decoration of Austrian symbolist
Gustav Klimt, Shimizu evokes the
polymorphous world of dreams.
7. Tomorrow (2012) by Hiroki
Yamamoto Like a Dutch master
transported to 21st-century Tokyo,
Yamamoto’s realist oil painting
combines modernity with a classic
feel to create timeless beauty.
8. Sushi with Balan (2011) by
Shoji Miyamoto Miyamoto’s
6
2
7
3
4
5
8
woodcuts on
Japanese paper create
caricatures of food
that actually make the
mouth water.
9
9. Looking for Good Things
(2011) by Toru Kamei Kamei’s
oil painting combines a mood of
memento mori with a tacky sense
of humor to create an odd feeling
of optimism.
Promoted by IGR
The Hiatus
Courtesy of FOR LIFE MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
W
hen the Tohoku earthquake struck,
Takeshi Hosomi was in the studio
recording with his band The Hiatus.
“It was a hard experience because
we had to face the real meaning of being a musician,” the singer says about halting work on their
new album A World Of Pandemonium.
“All I could do was go up north and help as a
volunteer,” continues the frontman for alt-rock
juggernaut Ellegarden,who are currently taking a
break from activity. Hosomi helped out in Ishinomaki, Kesennuma and other locations. “I always
want to say to people, ‘Hey wake up, do you think
it’s going to last forever?’ I thought 3/11 might provide that moment, but nobody wants to listen.”
Despite appearances, the album title doesn’t
refer to the disaster. “This record is all about my
perspective on the world,” explains Hosomi in
English learned in a brief stint as a Silicon Valley
software engineer. “To me chaos is kind of a good
thing—it also means chance… opportunity.”
Hosomi still hopes 3/11 can provide the
impetus for change. “Japanese society always
wants stability, like the smooth surface of water,
but perfect stability is to me almost like death,”
he says. “For example, the education system
doesn’t encourage people to be unique. It’s good
to be different from everybody else—but if you
go that direction the teacher or boss won’t like
you. This seems wrong to me.”
Hosomi should know. The soft-spoken frontman for two of Japan’s most successful bands
dropped out of high school. His goal wasn’t to
become a rock star, but to race motorcycles. “My
life became twisted, but in a good way,” he laughs.
Leaving high school, Hosomi worked in a factory to pay for his motorcycle, and then ended up
piling up debts playing pachinko before turning
to the computer industry as a source of cash. “It
was good money, but I felt like doing music,” says
Hosomi, who had long played music as a hobby.
“Then I had a chance to get a production
deal. My intention was not to be a professional
musician—I just wanted to have fun—it was a lot
more fun than wearing a tie.”
Not only did Hosomi get a production deal, he
ended up leading one of Japan’s most successful rock
acts of the ’00s. Between 1998 and 2008 alt-rockers
Ellegarden played Fuji Rock, backed the Foo Fighters, and had a number one album in the form of
2006’s Eleven Firecrackers.
But then it was time to, um, go out with a bang.
“Everyone wants to think that the name The Hiatus
[not to be confused with Iranian-English producer
“Hiatus”] comes from Ellegarden’s taking a hiatus,”
Hosomi comments. “But I just took that word from
the drawer. It captured my imagination.”
The Hiatus is something of an all-star outfit,
bringing together Hosomi with fellow rock royalty
bassist Koji Ueno formerly of leather-clad garage
group Thee Michelle Gun Elephant and drummer
Takashi Kashikura of math-rock outfit Toe.
Filling out the lineup with keyboardist Hirohisa
Horie and guitarist “masasucks,” the group takes
Hosomi’s vocals in an artier, more progressive direction. The first song of the album “Deerhounds” opens
with acoustic guitars before building to a head on the
strengths of Kashikura’s protean drumming.
Hosomi sings, “My empty soul is screaming
out/Just starting out in the world of pandemonium,” in the fluent—if sometimes inscrutable
English—that offered the title for the album.
“I don’t know where my lyrics come from—they
just seem to be there,” he says. “But it’s not like I write
my songs alone and then bring them to the studio.
It’s a group effort. In Ellegarden I was writing all the
songs, but now just the melodies.”
The Hiatus recently finished an extensive nationwide tour that wrapped up at Tokyo’s Studio Coast.
Next month they tour overseas for the first time to
Seoul, Korea, where they’ll headline the V-Hall. The
gigs should make for plenty of pandemonium—but
of the good kind.
Takeshi Hosomi performs solo at Studio
Coast on Mar 18. See concert listings
(popular) for details.
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Arts & Entertainment
music
Orbital
The Hartnoll bros’
second coming
By Dan Grunebaum
O
stage
Gabez
Silent comedy
gets the Tokyo
treatment
Japanese samurai.’ We choose topics
people can relate to easily.”
Influenced by Charlie Chaplin’s
silent comedy, and Japanese humorists The Drifters, Gabez blends mime
and physical gags with alarmingly
Courtesy of Beatink
rbital’s Paul and Phil Hartnoll may
be the landed gentry of electronic
music, but that doesn’t mean they’re
stuck in their old analog foxhunting ways. When I reach younger
brother Paul he’s reveling in the rare English sun,
programming a live set for their new album on his
laptop.
“We didn't find a computer approach that was
good enough until Ableton software came along,”
Hartnoll explains about their move to computers. “These days everyone’s spoiled. We've got too
much technology. You have to be disciplined—
there is no end to the recording process now.”
Orbital’s first disc since their 2009 reunion,
Wonky excels at the kind of hooky, melody-driven
techno that made them giants of ’90s electronic
music. “In the old days you could hear the simplicity of music that was made with only a few synths,”
Hartnoll says. “There was a kind of raw joy to it that
we’ve tried to maintain.”
A band that’s headlined Glastonbur y and
Woodstock presumably has all the gear time and
money can provide. How do they stay focused?
“I'm not entirely sure… it’s something you
instinctively feel over the years,” he muses. “The
first few hours of a song are going to be the heart
and soul—the rest of the time is wrestling that into
shape. The discipline is knowing when to stop.”
Exposure to Detroit techno was an ear-opening experience for the Hartnoll bros, but their
sound derives as much from pop as it does from
hardcore dance music. “If it doesn't stir me emotionally it's not working,” Paul affirms. “The stuff
that influenced me was Kraftwerk, Cabaret Voltaire—song-based electronic groups more than
my contemporaries.”
Now 43 a nd w it h t h ree k id s, Ha r t nol l
approaches music from a different perspective
than two decades ago, when he and his brother
named their group “Orbital” after the London ring
road near which many raves were held in the late
’80s and early ’90s.
“It feels totally refreshed,” he says breathlessly.
“We had to go away and have a break. We were fed
up with each other and what we were doing. We
had to appreciate what we’d given up. We came
back to it wiser, and with knowledge to resurrect
creatively, which is an amazing thing to do—to
find that it is still very full of life.”
Invited to play England’s Big Chill in 2009, the
Hartnolls were so enthused at being back on stage
together that they decided to get to work on a new
album. The resulting collection of tracks takes
its name from the second to last outing, the zany
“Wonky” featuring the wind-up raps of voluble
23-year-old Brit-hopper Lady Leshurr.
Other tracks bear the distinct imprint of the
currently inescapable subterranean bass lines of
dubstep. “For me, music is a cultural group experience,” Paul explains. “We play music to people, we
listen, it's like one big circulated idea, a big melting pot. You take your influences and do it your
way. We've got modern dubsteppy sounds because
we enjoy some of the great stuff going on, but then
there’s also a lot of contemporary modern folk
music I listen to which influenced it. Influences
are unavoidable because music is one big thing we
all experience together.”
Orbital returns in May to reprise an appearance at Metamorphose, which was canceled last
September amid a typhoon. First on these shores
20 years ago, they’ve headlined all the big events
in Japan, including some of the formative ’90s
raves on the slopes of Mt. Fuji.
Where will they be another two decades down
the road? “Sitting on this bench, talking to people
like you,” Hartnoll affirms. “Stopping and starting
again was the best thing we ever did. We are really
fired up and wouldn't have been as inspired as we
are now. Retiring once was great, but I'm not doing
that again.”
Metamorphose @Makuhari Messe, May 12.
Wonky is available on Beat Records Mar 28.
explains Masa ruefully. “We felt
worthless. So we decided to call ourselves ‘garbage.’ But we changed the
spelling to make it cooler.”
With his movie star looks, Masa
plays the straightman to Hitoshi’s
Dan Grunebaum
by Dan Grunebaum
Y
oyog i pa rk sees its
f a i r s h a r e of s t r e e t
entertainers. But
comedy duo Gabez’s
lud ic rous sendup of
samurai swordsmen seems to catch
more attention than most. No matter
how many times they slice and dice
each other they just refuse to die,
making a mockery of mortality.
“It’s easy to make people laugh
because everybody has played at
sword fighting as kids,” says Hitoshi
(right) in an interview with partner
Masa at park headquarters, after
engaging an international crowd on
a blustery winter’s day. While the
Japanese love for swords is no news,
the skit strikes a chord with foreigners, too. “They think, ‘Of course,
dexterous dance moves honed by
many years of practice.
A n increasing ly hig h prof i le
hasn’t helped their opinion of themselves. “We did street performances
for a few years, TV auditions, everything… but no one responded,”
irrepressible buf foon. “For him
everything’s a joke,” Masa says about
Hitoshi, whom he met years back in
a theater troupe. “At first it pissed me
off, but now I’m amazed at his ability
to keep it up.”
Gabez were recently taken under
the wing by Gamarjobat, the silent
comedy duo that has been Japan’s
most successful comedic export. At
the end of the month, the two pairs
will join others as the Gamarjobat
Project.
“We don’t know exactly what’s
going to happen,” admits Hiroshi.
“Basically it will be the four of us
plus a few more. We haven’t begun
rehearsing yet, although apparently
Gamarjobat already has a plan.”
Comedy is ha rd to t ra nslate
—despite centuries of tradition,
Japa nese com ics a ren’t k now n
abroad. Gabez uses body language
to sidestep linguistic barriers.
“We Japanese respond to comedy because we’re so serious in daily
life,” Hiroshi says, pointing to forms
from 600-year-old kyogen to contemporary owarai. “But Gabez jokes
around all the time.”
“It’s our sheer idiocy that makes
people laugh,” says Masa, drawing
the inescapable conclusion. “From
k ids to the elderly—anyone can
understand it.”
Kinokuniya Hall, Mar 27-28. See
stage listings for details. www.
gabez.jp
AGENDA
Metpod
By Dan Grunebaum
Courtesy of Makyo
© Pascal Victor / ArtComArt
nightlife
dance
opera
� Blending Indian music, bellydance and dub,
Tokyo musician Makyo has forged new ground as
a producer. Of late he’s turned in a more acoustic
direction, adding Indian hammer dulcimer player
Jimi Miyashita, oud virtuoso Madoka, percussionist Tateiwa and belly dancer Hayati to his band.
Makyo himself provides beats and electronics to
the delicate and vibrant mix. He notes this is about
“real live music, not just pressing play on a laptop.
Electronic music gear these days has the flexibility
to do a lot of stuff in real-time.” Rob Schwartz
Tsukimiru, Mar 29, see concert listings (jazz/
world) for details.
� English Royal Ballet director/choreographer
Will Tuckett turns his hand to an ancient Japanese folk tale in a ballet world premier starring
Japanese dance phenom Yasuyuki Shuto. The
Crane Maiden tells the tale of a poor old couple
whose wish for a child is answered in the form of
a beautiful girl after they rescue a wounded crane.
The girl secretly weaves them a beautiful cloth of
unimaginable value, but when the couple reveals
her clandestine handiwork she reverts to a crane
and flies away.
Kanagawa Arts Theater, Mar 16-18. See stage
listings for details.
� Renowned English theater director Peter Brook
takes his final bow as head of Paris’s Théâtre des
Bouffes du Nord with a highly acclaimed, stripped
down version of the Mozart opera. In the 86-yearold Brook’s hands, the two-act opera is culled to a
no-intermission 90-minute romp, with only a cast
of seven singers, two actors and virtuoso pianist
Remi Atasay to occupy the stage. Composed in
1791, Mozart’s beloved The Magic Flute follows the
handsome Tamino as he overcomes trials to win
the hand of the lovely Pamina.
Saitama Arts Theater, Mar 22-25. See stage
listings for details.
Takehiro Goto (Yukai)
Courtesy of Creativeman
©2010 六本木アートナイト実行委員会
Makyo album Release The Crane Maiden
A Magic Flute
festival
gig
event
� One hundred cheerleaders in cute Sumida
River-themed minisk irts w ill be on hand to
encourage participants in next weekend’s Sumidagawa Parade. With the Tokyo Sky Tree due to
open in May, the event is part of efforts to highlight
the rejuvenation of the old downtown shitamachi
neighborhoods along the river. Side attractions
include a market featuring goods representative
of the district’s monozukuri traditional crafts culture, a Designeast Mobile Workshop highlighting
the area’s cutting-edge designers and a curiously
titled Light x Fashion Workshop.
Azumabashi to Sakurabashi, Mar 24. See festival listings for details.
� The bands that launched a million moshpits
are back in Japan for the seventh annual Punkspring festival. In a dream bill for local melocore
heads, SoCal warhorse Offspring head up the bill
along with Canada’s Sum 41. Bringing the funk
to the punk will be Suicidal Tendencies, while
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas take punk to
the darkside. Rounding out the bill are LA hardcore icons the Descendents and younger bands
like New Found Glory. One-off gigs in town are
also scheduled for Suicidal Tendencies and the
Descendents.
Makuhari Messe, Mar 31. See concert listings
(popular) for details.
� Canceled last year in the wake of the quake,
Roppongi’s annual all-night art fest returns to the
districts museums and galleries. Major works—
including a new installation by Japanese modern
art doyenne Yayoi Kusama—will be on display at
the Roppongi Hills Arena, while major museums
and galleries will open their doors to punters till
6am. Among the shows underway is an exhibition
of leading Chinese woman artist Lee Bul at the
Mori, while special screenings of works by young
animators will be shown at the NACT.
Mori Art Museum, The National Art Center,
Tokyo and other venues, March 24-25. See
other events listings for details.
Sumidagawa Parade
Punkspring
Roppongi Art Night
Agenda Listings
hot list
18 Concerts
19 Stage
19 Dance
20Clubbing
21 Exhibitions
22 Sports
22 Festivals
22 Forums & Expos
22 Bazaars &
Markets
22 Learning
22 Film
22 Other Events
Concerts
Popular
Every Little Thing
J-pop, soft-rock duo. Mar
16, 7pm, ¥6,800. Tokyo
International Forum Hall A.
Nearest stn: Yurakucho. Tel:
03-5221-9038.
Zeebra
Japanese hip-hop DJ and
MC. Mar 16, 7pm, ¥4,500+1d.
Akasaka Blitz. Nearest stn:
Akasaka. Tel: 03-5720-9999.
Amzarashi
J-rock. Mar 16, 7pm,
¥4,000+1d. Shibuya-AX.
Nearest stn: Harajuku. Tel:
03-5720-999.
Pygmy Monster presents
Monster Parade
Okinawan rock band with a
female vocalist, etc. Mar 16,
5:30pm, ¥2,000 (adv)/¥2,500
(door) +1d. Milkyway.
Nearest stn: Shibuya. Tel:
03-6416-3227.
Voices for Nature
Email your event information to listings@metropolis.co.jp
18, 3pm, ¥4,800+1d. Duo
Music Exchange. Nearest stn:
Shibuya. Tel: 03-5458-4681.
Live Dragon Vol.7
Feat. Special Others and
Zainichi Funk. Mar 19, 7pm,
¥3,800-4,200+1d. Shibuya-AX.
03-5720-9999.
Warp-D-Vision
Feat. Masterlink, Kiyoshi Sugo,
Atom on Sphere, and Chrovio.
Mar 19, 7pm, ¥2,500+1d. Duo
Shibuya. Tel: 03-5459-8716.
Beni
“Kiss, Kiss, Kiss” J-pop singer.
Mar 20, 5:30pm, ¥4,200/¥5,250.
NHK Hall. Nearest stn: Shibuya.
Tel: 03-3465-1751.
Screw Up
Event featuring hardcore
bands Dolls Realize, Artema,
Another Story, etc. Mar 20,
6:15pm, ¥1,800 (adv)/2,000
(door) +1d. Milkyway. Nearest
stn: Shibuya. Tel: 03-64163227.
Doremidan
Visual-kei. Mar 20, 4:30pm,
¥4,500+1d. Akasaka Blitz.
Nearest stn: Akasaka. Tel:
03-3584-8811.
Urbangarde
Japanese technopop band.
Mar 20, 6pm, ¥4,000+1d.
Shibuya-AX. Nearest stn:
Harajuku. Tel: 050-5533-0888.
Boycott Rhythm Machine
Versus
Ryuichi Sakamoto heads up a
musical Celebrity Death Match.
Mar 21, 7:30pm, ¥5,500(door).
Korakuen Hall. Nearest stn:
Suidobashi. Tel: 03-5800-9999.
www.vinylsoyuz.net
A Cappella Graduation
Live
Feat Grazioso, Signal, Gents
to Prank, etc. Mar 21, 6pm,
¥2,500. Duo Music Exchange.
03-5459-8711.
Roach No Reason in the Pit
Release Tour
Charity concert from
Hawaii. Nathan Aweau,
Chino Montero, etc. Mar
17-18. ¥7,000. Theater 1010.
Nearest stn: Kitasenju. Tel:
03-5244-1011.
Roach (hardcore from
Okinawa) accompanied by
C.B.S. A Barking Dog Never
Bites, etc. Mar 22, 6:30pm,
¥2,500 (adv)/¥3,000 (door) +1d.
F.A.D. Yokohama. Nearest stn:
Ishikawa. Tel: 045-663-3842.
Red Line Beginning Tour
Gardening Song
Japanese rock band Fat Prop,
etc. Mar 17, 7pm, ¥2,500
(adv) +1d. O-West. Nearest
stn: Shibuya. Tel: 03-57847088. www.redlinetour.jp
My Morning Jacket
Psychedelic rock band from
Kentucky. Mar 17, 7:30pm,
¥6,500. Shibuya-AX. Nearest
stn: Harajuku. Tel: 03-57382020.
Guitar Wolf/Zainichi
Funk
J-rock and funk
collaboration. Mar 17,
6:30pm, ¥3,000 (adv)/¥4,000
(door) +1d. Fever. Nearest
stn: Shindaita. Tel: 03-63047899.
Sound Shooter
Feat. Frontier Backyard, The
Pillows, Takeshi Hosomi
(The Hiatus), etc. Mar 18,
5pm, ¥3,500. Studio Coast.
Nearest stn: Shin-Kiba. Tel:
03-5534-2525.
Exit Tunes Academy
Another Infinity feat.
Mayumi Morinaga,
Underbar, Gurutamin,
etc. Mar 18, 4pm, ¥4,000.
Akasaka. Tel: 0570-064-708.
Hige
J-rock band. Mar 18, 6pm,
¥3,800+1d. Shibuya-AX.
03-5720-9999.
Synchronicity
Feat. Kimonos, Cro-magnon,
Regda Jabberloop, etc. Mar
J-pop performers Otsukarez,
Masashiro Oochi, etc. Mar 22,
6:30pm, ¥2,300 (adv)/2,800
(door) +1d. Garden. Nearest stn:
Shimokitazawa. Tel: 03-37951069.
Makichangu
Japanese singer songwriter.
Mar 22, 7:30pm, ¥3,800+1d.
Duo Music Exchange. Nearest
Shakalabbits
J-pop band. Mar 23, 7pm,
¥4,500 +1d. Liquidroom.
Nearest stn: Ebisu. Tel:
03-5464-0800.
Ziyoou-vachi
Androgynous rock quartet.
Mar 23, 7pm, ¥3,150+1d.
Akasaka. Tel: 050-5533-0888.
Kylee
J-pop. Mar 23, 7pm, ¥3,800+1d.
Duo Music Exchange. Nearest
Punkloid: Caught in the
Mosh!
Moi dix Mois
Visual-kei band's 10th
anniversary concert. Mar 24,
6pm, ¥5,250 +1d. Liquidroom.
03-5464-0800.
Brilla X
Final stage of live vocalist
audition. Mar 24, 6:30pm,
free+1d. Duo Music Exchange.
03-5459-8716. www.fontz.jp/b/
index.html
Shibuya Live Rally
Feat. Man with a Mission, SiM,
and other J-rock bands. Apr 1,
6pm, ¥2,800 +1d. Club Quattro.
03-3477-8750.
Pop Attack Tour
J pop-rock bands Human
Hybrid Ideology, BxAxG,
hunch, etc. Apr 2, 6pm, ¥2,000
(adv)/¥2,500 (door) +1d. Ruido
K2. Nearest stn: Shibuya. Tel:
03-3462-5310.
Alvino, Imalu, Gari, Canta, etc.
Mar 25, noon, ¥5,250+1d. Duo
Shibuya. Tel: 03-5459-8711.
www.shibuya-liverally.jp
Suicidal Tendencies
Dark Tranquillity
Lenny Kravitz
Hardcore punk band from
California. Apr 2, 7pm, ¥5,800
+1d. O-East. Nearest stn:
Shibuya. Tel: 03-5458-4681.
Dome City Hall. Nearest stn:
Avenged Sevenfold
Metalcore band from the USA.
Apr 16, 7pm, ¥6,500-7,500
+1d. Zepp Tokyo. Nearest stn:
Tokyo Teleport. Tel: 03-34626969.
Yes
Progressive, artsy, and
symphonic rock. Apr 18-19.
7pm, ¥8,000/¥9,000. Shibuya
Koukaido. Nearest stn:
Shibuya. Tel: 03-3402-5999.
Flogging Molly
Seven-piece celtic punk band
from L.A. Apr 18, 7pm, ¥5,800.
O-East. Nearest stn: Shibuya.
Tel: 03-3444-6751.
Lulu Gainsbourg
Singer-songwriter Lulu's
tribute to Serge Gainsbourg.
Mar 15-16,7&9:30pm, ¥5,8007,800. Billboard Live. Nearest
stn: Roppongi. Tel: 03-34051133.
Great East Japan
Earthquake Charity
Concert
Jazz, modern, and traditional
music. Mar 17, 1:30pm,
¥2,000. Franciscan Chapel
Center. Tel: 03-3423-2067.
www.cwaj.org/Cultural/
Images/201202ConcertFlyer.
pdf
Shuichi Hidano
Taiko drum performance. Mar
18, 3:20pm, free. Enoshima
Kitaryoku Hiroba. Nearest
stn: Fujisawa. www.fujisawakanko.jp/event/spring_f.html,
Apr 7, 7:15pm, ¥4,500(door).
Musicasa. Nearest stn: YoyogiUehara. Tel: 03-5464-7531.
Rock/funk legend returns
to Japan after a 14 year
absence. Apr 4&6, 7pm; Apr
7, 6pm, ¥9,000-9,800. Tokyo
Dome City Hall. Nearest stn:
Suidobashi. Tel: 03-58009999.
The Birthday
773Four records “Four
Seasons”
Feat. hardcore J-rock bands
locofrank, Pay Money to My
Pain etc. Apr 5, midnight, . TBA
Famous veggie and former
The Smiths’ frontman. Apr 21,
6pm, ¥8,000+1d. Club Citta.
Nearest stn: Kawasaki. Tel:
044-246-8888.
Spanish guitarist mixes
modern and traditional
styles. Mar 18, 6pm, ¥8,400.
Blue Note. Nearest stn:
Omotesando. Tel: 03-54850088.
The Pillows
Stardust Revue
Kazumi Watanabe
Vote for your favorite artist.
Mar 28, 3pm, ¥2,000+1d.
Akasaka. Tel: 03-3470-1970.
www.road-to-major.com
8otto
Roger Daltrey
Unite
Totalfat 12th Anniversary
Haru Live
Bump of Chicken
Swedish melodic death metal
band. Mar 27, 7pm, ¥6,000
(adv) +1d. Club Quattro.
03-3477-8750.
J-Wave “Tokyo Real Eyes”
Feat. Man with a Mission,
Okamoto's, and other J-rock
bands. Mar 27, 7pm, ¥3,200
+1d. Shibuya-AX. Nearest stn:
Harajuku. Tel: 050-5533-0888.
The Pogues
Celtic punk band from London.
Mar 28, 7pm, ¥7,000 (adv).
Studio Coast. Nearest stn:
Shin-Kiba. Tel: 03-3444-6751.
Road to Major 2
Visual-kei. Mar 29, 6:30pm,
044-276-8841.
Feat. Yumi Uchimura, Under
Graph, Nikiie, and Loop Child.
Mar 29, 7pm, ¥2,500+1d. Duo
Shibuya. Tel: 03-5459-8716.
Fountains of Wayne
NY-based power pop band.
Mar 30-31. 7pm, ¥6,000.
Liquidroom. Nearest stn: Ebisu.
Tel: 03-3444-6751.
Keytalk
Young J-rock group. Mar 30,
6:30pm, ¥2,500 (adv) +1d. Unit.
Nearest stn: Daikanyama. Tel:
03-3444-6751.
Girl Next Door
Avex J-pop trio. Mar 30, 7pm,
¥5,000. O-East. Nearest stn:
Shibuya. Tel: 03-5458-4681.
De De Mouse + his
drummer
Japanese electronic musician.
Mar 30, 7:30pm, ¥2,800
(adv)/¥3,300 +1d. Fever.
Nearest stn: Shindaita. Tel:
03-6304-7899.
Neu
Visual-kei. Mar 30, 7pm,
050-5533.
Punkspring 2012
Feat. The Offspring, Sum 41,
Totalfat, etc. Mar 31, 12:30pm,
¥8,900. Makuhari Messe.
Nearest stn: Kaihin-Makuhari.
Tel: 04-3296-0001. www.
punkspring.com
Kaori Kishitani
Japanese singer songwriter.
Mar 31, 6pm, ¥6,500+1d.
Shibuya-AX. Nearest stn:
Harajuku. Tel: 050-5533-0888.
Feat. But By Fall, The Trust
Blast and other J-rock
bands. Mar 23, 6pm, ¥2,000
(adv)/¥2,400 (door) +1d.
Shibuya the Game. Tel:
03-3409-1336.
Golden Bomber
K-Pop Good Friends
Music festival with David
Guetta, LMFAO, Big Bang,
etc. Apr 1, 1pm, ¥9,500 +1d.
Makuhari Messe. Nearest stn:
Kaihin-Makuhari. Tel: 03-34626969. www.springroove.com
K-pop artists 2am, Block B,
X-5, etc. Mar 24, 7pm, ¥9,000.
Ryogoku Kokugikan. Nearest
stn: Ryogoku. Tel: 03-36235111.
Space Shower Biographies:
Monster Rock
Go to www.meturl.com/listings
Visual-kei parody band. Apr 1,
5:30pm, ¥5,000. Olympus Hall
Hachioji. Nearest stn: Hachioji.
Tel: 042-655-0802.
Springroove
Japanese pop rock band. Apr 6,
7pm, ¥4,200 +1d. Club Quattro.
03-5436-9600.
Rock band from Osaka. Apr 6,
7pm, ¥2,800 (adv) +1d. Unit.
Nearest stn: Daikanyama. Tel:
03-5459-8630.
Japanese punk rock band.
Apr 6, 7pm, ¥3,000. ACB Hall.
Nearest stn: Shinjuku. Tel:
03-3205-0901.
Flightless J-rock band. Apr 7,
6pm, ¥6,500. Makuhari Messe.
Nearest stn: Kaihin-Makuhari.
Tel: 04-3296-0001.
Veteran J-rock band with
husky vocals. Apr 18, 7pm,
¥4,500 +1d. Club Quattro.
03-3444-6751.
Morrissey
Veteran J-rock band. Apr 21,
5:30pm; Apr 22, 5pm, ¥6,500.
Nakano Sun Plaza. Nearest stn:
Nakano. Tel: 03-3388-2893.
Iconic rock singer from
The Who. Apr 23-24, 7pm,
¥9,000/¥10,000. Tokyo
International Forum.
03-3402-5999. Apr 27, 7pm,
¥9,000/¥10,000. Kanagawa
Kenmin Hall. Nearest stn:
Nihonodori. Tel: 04-5662-8866.
Asami Chiyuki
Japanese singer-songwriter.
Apr 23, 7pm, ¥5,250. Shibuya
Kokaido. Nearest stn: Shibuya.
Tel: 03-5561-9001.
K-Pop Dance in Nihonbashi
The Hitch Lowke: The Rock
Theater Vol 2.0
Sissy
Bad Food Stuff
K-pop artists Seed, SOS, etc. Apr
8, 5:30pm, ¥3,000. Nihonbashi
Mitsui Hall. Nearest stn:
Nihonbashi. Tel: 0570-064-708.
J-pop/rock band. Apr 8, 5pm,
¥3,500. Akasaka Blitz. Nearest
stn: Akasaka. Tel: 03-35848811.
Geki Rock Tour vol.1
Hip-hop artist Manafest
(Canada) performing with
Uzumaki, Underland, Dolls
Realize, etc. Apr 8, 5:30pm,
¥3,000 (adv)/3,500 (door) +1d.
Aube. Nearest stn: Shibuya. Tel:
03-5459-2896.
Steve Lukather
Guitarist and vocalist from
soft-rock band Toto. Until-Apr
11. 7pm, ¥7,500/¥8,500 +1d.
Akasaka. Tel: 03-3402-5999.
August Burns Red
American metal-core band
with Roach and Her Name in
Blood. Apr 11, 7pm, ¥5,800
(adv). Club Quattro. Nearest stn:
Shibuya. Tel: 03-3477-8750.
Masafumi Isobe Band
J-rock band. Apr 14, 7pm,
¥3,000 (adv). Fever. Nearest stn:
Shindaita. Tel: 03-3444-6751.
Jaweye Album Release
Tour Final
Japanese alt rock electronic
band. Apr 14, 6pm, ¥2,500
(adv)/¥2,800 (door) +1d. Star
Lounge. Nearest stn: Shibuya.
Tel: 03-6277-5373.
Earth X Heart Live 2012
Music festival with Fishmans,
Sakana Cushion etc. Apr 15,
5pm, ¥5,422. Saitama Super
Arena. Nearest stn: SaitamaShintoshin. Tel: 04-8601-1122.
www.tfm.co.jp/ehl2012
Extreme
American rock band. Apr 16-17.
7pm, ¥7,800/¥8,800. Tokyo
J-rock band's solo show. Apr
27, 7pm, ¥2,500 (adv)/¥3,000
(door) +1d. Deseo. Nearest stn:
Shibuya. Tel: 03-3405-9999.
Back Drop Bomb, Brahman
and other J-rock bands. Apr
28, 3:30pm, ¥3,980 (adv) +1d.
Studio Coast. Nearest stn:
Shin-Kiba. Tel: 03-3444-6751.
www.badfoodstuff.com
Lady Gaga
The Born This Way Ball. May
10, 7pm, ¥9,000-32,000.
Saitama Super Arena. Nearest
stn: Saitama-Shintoshin.
Tel: 04-8601-1122. www.
ladygagajapan2012.com
Metamorphose
The Flaming Lips, Orbital,
Galaxy 2 Galaxy, Derrick May,
Adrian Sherwood,
EboTaylor and Afrobeat
Academy, etc. May 12,
10am-9pm, ¥12,000+1d(door).
Makuhari Messe. Nearest stn:
Kaihin-Makuhari. Tel: 04-32960001. www.metamo.info/
news/020122206.php
Noel Gallagher's High
Flying Birds
The slightly less bad boy of
the Manchester brothers. May
23, 7pm, ¥7,500-8,500 (adv).
Nippon Budokan. Nearest stn:
Kudanshita. Tel: 03-5720-9999.
Rocks Tokyo 2012
Rock festival in its 3rd year
running with One Ok Rock,
Big Mama, Totalfat, etc. May
26-27, noon, ¥8,500 (one
day)/¥15,000 (two days) +1d.
Wakasu Park. Nearest stn:
Shin-kiba.
Jazz/World
Il Divo
Multinational operatic pop
vocal group. Mar 12-13 &
15-16, 7pm, ¥10,000-12,000.
Nippon Budokan. Nearest stn:
Vincente Amigo
World-class jazz guitarist with
Janek Gwizdala and Obed
Calvaire. Mar 20, 5:30&8:30pm,
¥6,300. Blue Note. Nearest stn:
Mamiko Bird with the Mike
Price Jazz Quartet
Performance of vocal jazz with
scatting plus instrumental jazz.
Mar 21, 7pm, ¥2,500. Roppongi
Satin Doll. www.leglant.com/
satindoll
Hiromitsu Agatsuma
Tsugaru-jamisen player. Mar
22, 7pm, ¥5500. Nihonbashi
Kokaido. Nearest stn:
Nihonbashi
Clementine
French jazz singer now based
in Japan. Mar 27-28, 7&9:30pm,
¥7,500. Blue Note. Nearest stn:
Makyo
Album release party. Mar 29,
7:30pm, ¥4,000. Tsukimiru.
4-9-1 Minami Aoyama, Minatoku. Nearest stn: Gaienmae.
Tel: 03-3948-1662. www.
moonromantic.com
Hanggai
A blend of Mongolian folk
music and punk. Apr 7, 7pm,
¥5,500 (adv) +1d. Club Quattro.
03-3477-8750.
Chie Ayado
Japanese jazz singer. Apr 7,
3:30pm, ¥6,500. Olympus Hall
Hachioji. Nearest stn: Hachioji.
Tel: 0570-00-3337.
Classical
Spring Festival in Tokyo
80+ classical concerts held
at various places in Ueno.
Mar 16-Apr 8. various times.
Tokyo Bunka Kaikan,
National Museum of Nature
and Science, etc. www.
tokyo-harusai.com.
Concert in Memory of
Vladmir Horowitz
Concert by winners of the
International Competition
for Young Pianists. Mar
16, 7pm, ¥3,500(general),
¥1,500(students). Yamaha
Ginza Hall. Nearest stn: Ginza.
Tel: 03-3572-3171. www.
yuna-japan.jp/en/content/113.
htm
Vive
Saxophone quartet. Mar 16,
11-11:20am; Apr 7, various
times, free. Tokyo National
Museum. Nearest stn: Ueno.
Tel: 03-5777-8600. Saxophone
quartet. Apr 1, 1 & 3pm, free.
Kyu-Iwasaki Garden. Nearest
stn: Yushima. Tel: 03-38238340.
for complete listings
Piano Etoile Vol. 17
Piano recital by Kaneko Miyuji.
Mar 18, 3pm, ¥2,500-3,000.
Saitama Arts Theater. Nearest
stn: Yonohonmachi. Tel:
048-858-5500.
The Festival of Visiting
Japanese Orchestras
Orchestra band from Osaka.
Mar 18-27. 3pm, ¥1,000-4,000.
Mar 27, 7pm, ¥2,500-4,500.
Sumida Triphony Hall.
Nearest stn: Kinshicho. Tel:
03-5608-1212. Orchestra from
Hiroshima.
The 813rd Subscription
Concert
Kazuki Yamada conducts
the Tokyo Philharmonic
Orchestra. Mar 18, 3pm,
¥4,500-7,500. Bunkamura
Orchard Hall. Nearest stn:
Shibuya. Tel: 03-3477-911.
La Fête Resonante
Takahiro Yasuda's viola and
violin recital feat. Emiko
Maeda etc. Mar 19, 6:30pm,
¥2,500-3,000. Tokyo Opera
City. Nearest stn: Hatsudai. Tel:
0120-936-649.
Vienna Radio Symphony
Orchestra
Feat. Cornelius Meister
(Cond) and Lidia Baich (Vn)
performing Brahms and
Mendelssohn. Mar 20, 2pm,
¥5,000-15,000. Tokyo Opera
050-3776-6184.
Lunch Time Concert
Feat.Mutsumi Tsuuzaki on
xylophone and Chika Nishiwaki
on piano. Mar 22, 1pm, ¥1,000.
048-858-5500.
Bee
Piano, cello and violin,
arranged by Kohji Oikawa. Mar
23, 7pm, ¥3,500-5,500. Suntory
Hall. Nearest stn: Roppongiitchome. Tel: 03-3234-9999.
66th Tokyo Opera City
Series
Performances of Bach, Haydn
and Mozart. Mar 24, 2pm,
¥3,000-¥7,000. Tokyo Opera
City Concert Hall. Nearest stn:
Hatsudai. Tel: 03-5353-0788.
Japan Philharmonic
Orchestra
Feat. Alexsander Lazarev
(conductor) and Hisako
Kawamura (piano). Mar 24,
6pm, ¥1,500-7,500. Yokohama
Minato Mirai Hall. Nearest stn:
Minatomirai. Tel: 045-6822020.
Zerosai Maenotameno
Charity Concert
Help tsunami disaster-stricken
pregnant women and babies.
Mar 25, 3pm, ¥2500. Hakuju
Hall. Nearest stn: Yoyogi
Hachiman. Tel: 03-3261-9933.
Tokyo Opera City Weekday
Teatime Concert 14
Norichika Iimori (cond)
with the Tokyo Symphony
Orchestra. Mar 28, 2pm,
¥3,000-4,000. Tokyo Opera
03-5353-9999.
Heirs of Russian Pianism
Feat. Sergei Edelmann, and
Lilya Zilberstein. Mar 29 & Apr
3, 7pm; Apr 30, 3pm, ¥5,0006,000. Sumida Triphony Hall.
Nearest stn: Kinshicho. Tel:
03-5608-5404.
Kenichi Furube
Oboe player of New Japan
Philharmonic. Mar 29,
11am, ¥2000. Tokyo Bunka
Kaikan. Nearest stn: Ueno.
Tel: 03-5685-0650. www.
tokyo-harusai.com
Tokyo Metropolitan
Symhony Orchestra
Special
Feat. Eliahu Inbal (cond), Iris
Vermillion (ms) and Robert
Gambill (t) performing Mahler.
Mar 30, 7pm, ¥3,500-7,500.
Suntory Hall. Nearest stn:
Roppongi-itchome. Tel:
03-3584-9999.
Special Day of Orchestra
Joint performance by 12
orchestras in Tokyo. Mar 31,
6pm, ¥1,000-3,000. Tokyo
Bunka Kaikan. Nearest stn:
Ueno. Tel: 03-5610-7275.
Gogo no Uruoi
Piano duo. Mar 31, 3pm,
¥1000. Green Hall. Nearest
stn: Sagami-Ono. Tel: 042-7492205.
Taro Hakase
Japanese musician and
violinist. Apr 3, 7pm, ¥6,800.
Suntory Hall. Nearest stn:
Roppongi-itchome. Tel:
03-3584-9999. Apr 18, 7pm,
¥6,800. Tokyo Bunka Kaikan.
Nearest stn: Ueno. Tel: 03-38282111.
The 60th Anniversary
Nikikai Gala Concert
Tokyo Symphony Orchestra
performing Mozart, Puccini etc.
Apr 3, 6:30pm, ¥5,000-8,000.
Tokyo Opera City. Nearest stn:
Hatsudai. Tel: 03-3796-1831.
Afternoon Concert Series
Feat. Yoshikazu Mela (Vo) and
Junji Nagamachi (Pf). Apr 17,
1:30pm, ¥4,800. Tokyo Opera
03-5774-3040.
Tokyo Bunka Kaikan
Morning Concert Vol. 58
Schuman's Liederkreis Op.39
etc. Apr 19, 11am, ¥500. Tokyo
Ueno. Tel: 03-3828-2111.
Stage
7 Doors
A staging of Bartok's
Bluebeard’s Castle feat. Sugizo
from X Japan. Mar 16 & Apr 1,
various times; ¥ 8,000-9,500.
The Globe Tokyo. Nearest stn:
Shinokubo. Tel: 03-3779-2681.
Yokoso Kyogen
Japanese traditional comedy
for English speakers. Feat.
Thane Camus and Manzo
Nomura IX. Mar 16, 7pm,
¥3,000(general). Cerulean
Tower Noh Theater. Nearest
A Magic Flute
Mozart opera directed by
Peter Brook. Mar 22-23,
7:30pm; Mar 24-25, 3pm,
¥5,000/¥8,000/¥3,000 (student).
048-858-5500.
Kofuku on the Doro
Suspense drama by
Mikuniyanai Project. Mar
22-24, various times, ¥2,800
(adv)/¥3,200 (door). Yokohama
Red Brick Warehouse. Nearest
stn: Minatomirai. Tel: 04-52111555. www.nibroll.com
Tannhäuser
Richard Wagner’s opera based
on Germanic legends. Mar
24-25, 2pm, ¥2000-15000.
Kanagawa Kenmin Hall.
Nearest stn: Nihonodori. Tel:
045-662-8866.
Shoujo no Yamai Shishu
¥3,000-12,000. Nissay
Theater. Nearest stn: Hibiya.
Tel: 03-3201-7777.
Kaito Lupin Yumeji
Takehisa no Sokyokusen
L'opera de l'eclipse lunaire’s
interpretation of Arsene
Lupin. Mar 28 & 30, 7:30pm;
Mar 29 & 31, 2:30 & 7:30pm;
Apr 1, 2pm, ¥3,900(adv),
¥4,100(door), ¥2,400(HS).
Theater Samsa. Nearest stn:
Asagaya. Tel: 03-6657-3889.
Yoimachi Gusa wo
Mitsumete
Verse drama by Gesshoku
Kagekidan. Music by J.A.
Caesar. Mar 31, 5:15pm;
Apr 1, 4:45pm, ¥2,700(adv),
¥3,100(door). Theater
Samsa. Nearest stn: Asagaya.
Tel: 03-5327-7640.
Verdi does Shakespeare.
Apr 1-13, various times,
¥5,250-26,250. New National
Theater. Nearest stn:
Hatsudai. Tel: 03-5352-9999.
The Glass Menagerie
Four-character play by
Tennessee Williams.
Until Apr 3, various times,
¥5,000-9,000. Bunkamura
Theater Cocoon. Nearest stn:
Shibuya. Tel: 03-5423-5906.
Blue Man Group in Tokyo
A unique theatrical
performance of music,
comedy and multimedia.
Ongoing, various times,
¥7,500/¥8,500/¥6,500
(student), Roppongi Blue
Man Theater. Nearest stn:
Roppongi. http://blueman.jp
Musical based on the novella
by Robert Louis Stevenson.
Until Mar 28, various times,
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Evita
Musical on the life of
Argentine political leader
Eva Perón. Ongoing, various
times, ¥4,000-9,800/¥3,0004,000(student). Jiyu Theater.
Nearest stn: Hamamatsucho.
Tel: 03-5776-6730. www.
shiki.gr.jp/applause/evita
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Anna Karenina
Remake of Leo Tolstoy’s
novel. Mar 16-20, various
times, ¥3,150-10,500. New
National Theater. Nearest
stn: Hatsudai. Tel: 03-53529999.
The Crane Maiden
Will Tuckett's adaptation
of Japanese folklore feat.
Yasuyuki Shuto. Mar 16-18,
various times, ¥6,500-8,500.
Kanagawa Arts Theater.
Tel: 045-633-6500. www.
tsuru-ukjp.com
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Japanese version of the
hit Broadway musical,
produced by Gekidan Shiki.
Ongoing, various times,
¥3,000-9,800. Cannon
Cats Theater. Nearest
stn: Shin-takashima. Tel:
03-5776-6730. www.shiki.
gr.jp/applause/cats
Perm-ya Sumire
Silent comedy feat. Masa
(Gabez), Hiro-pon, etc. Mar
27-28, 7pm, ¥4,500. Kinokuniya
Hall. Nearest stn: Shinjuku. Tel:
0570-00-3337.
ODANGO HOMES
Cats
Choreographed by Akiko
Kitamura. Mar 16-17, 7pm;
Mar 18, 4pm, ¥2,000.
Morishita Studio B. Nearest
stn: Morishita. Tel: 03-56245951. www.akikokitamura.
com/tobelong
A Go Go II
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Othello
Verse drama by all-women
theatrical group. Mar
24-25, 5:15pm, ¥2,700(adv),
¥3,100(door). Theater Samsa.
Nearest stn: Asagaya. Tel:
03-6657-3889.
Based on famous case of
discriminiation against
zainichi Koreans in the 60s.
Until 25, various times, ¥3,1505,250. New National Theater.
Nearest stn: Hatsudai. Tel:
03-5352-9999.
REAL PEOPLE.
REAL INFO.
REAL TOKYO.
The venerable butoh troupe
Dairakudakan Kochiten
feat. Akijo Takakuwa, under
the direction of Maro Akaji.
Mar 15-20, various times,
¥2,500(adv)/¥3,000(door).
Dairakudakan Kochuten.
Nearest stn: Kichijoji.
Tel: 0422-21-4984. www.
dairakudakan.com
Hungry Like a Wolf
Dances based on fairy
tales. Mar 23 & 26-27, 7pm,
7pm; Mar 24-25, 2pm,
¥3,000-4,500. Setagaya
Public Theater. Nearest stn:
Sangenjaya. Tel: 03-54321526. www.condors.jp
No.
Second-hand Bookstore!
40,000 International books
available from ¥200
Café
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10:00~22:00 03-5475-5696
Cafe Corner
8:00~20:00 L.O.
4-3-19 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku
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Metro Namboku line
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Agenda Listings
Yoshi2 Tahito Dance
Studio
Exotic dance showcase. Mar
31, various times, ¥4,200+1d.
Duo Music Exchange.
080-2258-2171.
Dance to the Future
The National Ballet of
Japan dancers perform
in a contemporary dance
production. Apr 21-22, 3pm,
¥3,150-6,300. New National
Theater. Nearest stn:
Hatsudai. Tel: 03-5352-9999.
Vienna State Ballet
Program A: Vienna Gala.
April 24-25, 6:30pm, ¥2,00017,000. Program B: The Bat.
Apr 28-30, various times,
¥3,000-18,000. Tokyo Bunka
Tel: 03-3791-8888.
Japanese Lesson
The Taming of the Shrew
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Saturday 10am~1pm or 2~5pm
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Course Fee ¥39,800~
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10:00 AM~12:00 PM
Course Fee ¥19,800 (First 4 weeks)
Call to ask about our full range of courses
ALPHA Japanese Institute www.alpha.ac.jp
Toranomon
Yokohama
Tel: 03-3504-8080
Tel: 045-316-8282
1min from Toranomon stn • 5min from Yokohama stn
Ballet based on
Shakespeare's comedy.
Jun 1-2, various times,
¥5,000-18,000. Tokyo Bunka
Tel: 03-3791-8888.
Swan Lake
Performed by Stuttgart
Ballet. Jun 5-6, 6:30pm,
¥5,000-¥18,000. Tokyo
Ueno. Tel: 03-3791-8888.
Les Ballets de Monte
Carlo
Scheherazade, Daphnis and
Chloe, and Altro Canto Part 1.
Mar 6-7, 7pm, ¥1,500-13,000.
Tokyo Bunka Kaikan.
Nearest stn: Ueno. Tel:
03-3791-8888.
Clubbing
Friday 16
Ageha
Fever. Hip-hop: DJs
Hazime, Koya, etc. From
11pm, ¥3,500. Nearest stn:
Shin-Kiba. Tel: 03-55342525. www.ageha.com
Air
Tight. Abstract hip-hop: DJs
Vadim, Yas, etc. From 10pm,
¥3,000 w/1d. Nearest stn:
Shibuya. Tel: 03-5784-3384.
www.air-tokyo.com
Club Asia
Vivivi. Electro, pop: DJs
Uchida, Nishimura, etc. Live:
Tenga16, etc. From 11pm,
Shibuya. Tel: 03-5458-2551.
www.clubasia.co.jp
Eleven
Reboot. Techno: DJs
Qhey, Mayuri, etc. From
Roppongi. Tel: 03-5775-6206.
www.go-to-eleven.com
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Sound Museum Vision
Dfa Night. House: DJs Juan
Maclean, Kza, etc. From
10pm, ¥3,000 w/1d. Nearest
stn: Shibuya. Tel: 03-57282824. www.vision-tokyo.
com
The New Matrix Bar
Azabu-Juban School
Private & Course lesson
• Excellent English-speaking
instructors with plenty of experience.
• No registration fee
• Private lesson: NIC school, your office
or home. Free trial lesson
System. House, techno: DJs
Sakurai, Lamb, etc. From
stn: Shibuya. Tel: 03-34648432. www.module-tokyo.
com
30 sec walk
from AzabuJuban stn.
Tully’s Coffee
Darjeeling
Drug store Nanboku/Oedo Line
Contact us for details. Metropolitan Area.
Hotel the Glanz
NIC
Azabujuban Stn exit 1
Nanboku/Oedo Line
Tel 03-3454-5002 • Email info@nicjapanese.com • www.nicjapanese.com
Matrix Friday. Old school
hip-hop, west side, south
side, all mix: DJ Ykk, etc.
From 6pm, ¥1,000 (after
11:30pm). Nearest stn:
Roppongi. Tel: 03-34051066. www.matrixbar.jp
The Room
Wah Wah. Rare groove: DJs
Kuroda, Ryuhei, etc. From
stn: Shibuya. Tel: 03-34617167. www.theroom.jp
Warehouse702
Fire. House: DJs Hokuto,
Ryuzo, etc. From 10pm,
¥2,500 w/1d(f), ¥3,500
Go to www.meturl.com/l
w/1d(m). Nearest stn:
Azabu-Juban. Tel: 03-62300343. www.warehouse702.com
Womb
Trouble House. House: DJ
Emma. From 11pm, ¥3,500.
03-5459-1383. www.womb.
co.jp
Saturday 17
Ageha
House Dream. House:
DJs Sander Kleinenberg,
Sugiurumn, etc. From 11pm,
¥3,500. Nearest stn: Shin-Kiba.
Tel: 03-5534-2525. www.
ageha.com
Bar Jam
Discoteca Tokyo. DJs Nob,
Flower, Elik. From 10pm,
free. Nearest stn: Ebisu. www.
discotecatokyo.blogspot.com
Eleven
Strength Music Recordings
Showcase. House: DJs Qu, Joey
Anderson, etc. From 10pm,
¥3,500. Nearest stn: Roppongi.
Tel: 03-5775-6206. www.
go-to-eleven.com
Club Asia
In Business. Funk, soul
DJs Jin, Kuroda, etc: Live:
Osaka Monaurail. From 11pm,
Shibuya. Tel: 03-5458-2551.
www.clubasia.co.jp
Eleven
Strength Music Recording
Showcase. House: DJs Qu,
Joey, etc. From 10pm, ¥3,500.
Strength Music Recordings
Showcase. House: DJs Qu, Joey
Anderson, etc. From 10pm,
Tel: 03-5775-6206. www.
go-to-eleven.com
Le Baron de Paris
Black Out. DJs Beert, Dai Light,
etc. From 9pm, ¥3,000 w/1d.
03-5728-2655. www.under-dl.jp
Sound Museum Vision
The Star Festival. House, techno
DJs Xavierl Morel, Kunimitsu,
etc: Live: A Mochi. From
11:30pm, ¥3,000. Nearest stn:
Shibuya. Tel: 03-5728-2824.
www.vision-tokyo.com
SuperDeluxe
Timeless. From 7pm, ¥1,500.
Nearest stn: Roppongi.
Tel: 03-5412-0515. www.
super-deluxe.com/2012/03/
The New Matrix Bar
Saturday Night Fever. Hip-hop,
R&B, reggae: DJ Ykk and more.
From 6pm, ¥1,000 (after
10pm). Nearest stn: Roppongi.
Tel: 03-3405-1066. www.
matrixbar.jp
The Room
Magic. Disco, house: DJs
Kawasaki, Endo. From 9pm,
Shibuya. Tel: 03-3461-7167.
www.theroom.jp
Warehouse702
Over the Tech. Techno DJs
Ishino, Premiere, etc: Live:
Nzm. From 11pm, ¥3,500.
Nearest stn: Azabu-Juban.
Tel: 03-6230-0343. www.
warehouse702.com
Womb
Crosstown Rebels. Disco, house
DJs Damian Lazarus, Maya
Jane Coles, etc. From 11pm,
¥3,500. Nearest stn: Shibuya.
Tel: 03-5459-1383. www.
womb.co.jp
Sunday 18
Module
Dem. House, techno: DJs Hellth,
Yoshikawa, etc. From 4pm,
Shibuya. Tel: 03-3464-8432.
www.module-tokyo.com
Saloon
Resonance. DJs Iwaki, Magara,
etc. From midnight, ¥1,500.
Nearest stn: Daikanyama.
Tel: 03-5459-8633. www.
unit-tokyo.com/saloon/
The Room
Groovy Rock Caravan. Rock,
ska: DJs Onuki, Fujii, etc. From
midnight, ¥2,000 w/1d. Nearest
stn: Shibuya. Tel: 03-3461-7167.
www.theroom.jp
Warehouse702
High Up. Hip-hop: DJs Tatsu,
Maa, etc. From 11pm, ¥2,500
w/1d. Nearest stn: Azabu-Juban.
Tel: 03-6230-0343. www.
warehouse702.com
Womb
Space Cruisin’. Techno, house:
DJs Gonno, Shitaro, etc. From
midnight, ¥2,500. Nearest stn:
Shibuya. Tel: 03-5459-1383.
www.womb.co.jp
Thursday 22
Air
Donutz. House: DJs Sugiurumn,
Yummy, etc. From 10pm,
Shibuya. Tel: 03-5784-3384.
www.air-tokyo.com
Club Asia
Bcd. Drumnbass: DJs Asamoto,
Velocity, etc. From 11pm,
Shibuya. Tel: 03-5458-2551.
www.clubasia.co.jp
Eleven
Monkey Mountain. House: DJs
Dazzle Drums, Kenta, etc. From
stn: Roppongi. Tel: 03-57756206. www.go-to-eleven.com
Warehouse702
About Returns. House, funk:
DJs Hayakawaz, Kiri, etc. From
stn: Azabu-Juban. Tel: 03-62300343. www.warehouse702.
com
Womb
Sensual. House, techno: DJs
Fumi, Oo-Kazu, etc. From
Shibuya. Tel: 03-5459-1383.
www.womb.co.jp
Friday 23
Ageha
Goa Trance Party. Trance DJs
Masa, @raki, etc: Live: Goasia
and more. From 11pm, ¥3,500.
03-5534-2525. www.ageha.
com
Air
House Around. House, techno:
DJs Tigerskin, Yuyama, etc.
From 10pm, ¥3,000 w/1d.
03-5784-3384. www.air-tokyo.
com
Eleven
Space Time Garage. Techno,
electro: DJs Kawanabe,
Ishino, etc. From 10pm,
Tel: 03-5775-6206. www.
go-to-eleven.com
Micro Cosmos
The Sky. Hip-hop: DJs Hisaki,
Saat, etc. From midnight,
Shibuya. Tel: 03-5784-5496.
www.microcosmos-tokyo.
com
Module
Inner Space. Trance, techno:
DJs Singular, K-Go, etc. From
stn: Shibuya. Tel: 03-34648432. www.module-tokyo.com
Sound Museum Vision
Shibuya Fashion Festival After
Party. House, hip-hop
DJs Inoue, Nobu, etc: Live:
Kakato. From 11pm, ¥4,000
w/1d(adv). Nearest stn:
Shibuya. Tel: 03-5728-2824.
www.vision-tokyo.com
The Room
Champ. Funky, jazzy music: DJs
Tominaga, Oibon, etc. From
stn: Shibuya. Tel: 03-3461-7167.
www.theroom.jp
Unit
Cabaret. Barbara Preisinger,
Masda, etc. From 11pm,
¥3,000(adv)/¥3,000(w/
listings for complete listings
f)/¥3,500(door). Nearest stn:
Daikanyama. Tel: 03-54598630. www.unit-tokyo.com/
schedule/2012/03/23/120323_
cabaret.php
& Sat-Sun 10am-5pm, Fri
10am-8pm. 3-7-6 Kyobashi.
Nearest stn: Kyobashi. Tel:
03-5777-8600. www.momat.
go.jp
Womb
National Museum of
Modern Art Tokyo
Cross Mountain Night. House,
techno: DJs Daniel Stefanik,
Dr Shingo, etc. From 11pm,
¥3,500. Nearest stn: Shibuya.
Tel: 03-5459-1383. www.
womb.co.jp
Upcoming
Ageha
Black Ball. Men only: various
DJs. Mar 24, from 11pm, ¥4,000.
03-5534-2525. www.ageha.com
Unit
Dubstep Warz. Massive, Miyu,
Takaki, Tetsuji Tanaka.
Mar 24, from 11:30pm,
¥3,500(adv)/¥4,000(door).
Nearest stn: Daikanyama.
Tel: 03-5459-8630. www.
unit-tokyo.com
M (Event Space & Bar)
Lost 2nd Anniversary, Yarigasaki
free session. Feat. Takkyu
Ishino and Kaoru Inoue. Mar 28,
9pm, free. http://m-event-bar.
com
Exhibitions
Akasaka/
Roppongi
21_21 Design Sight
Irving Penn and Issey Miyake.
Visual Dialogue. Until Apr
8, ¥1,000/¥800 (univ). Open
Mon & Wed-Sun 11am-8pm,
closed Tue. 9-7-6 Akasaka,
Minato-ku. Nearest stn:
Nogizaka. Tel: 03-3475-2121.
www.2121designsight.jp
Gallery Side 2
Rirkrit Tiravanija. Various
media. Until Apr 20, free. Open
Tue-Sat 11am-7pm, closed Sun
& Mon. 2-6-5 Higashiazabu.
Nearest stn: Akabanebashi.
Tel: 03-6229-3669. www.
galleryside2.net/gallery/
current/index.php
Mori Art Museum
Ho Tzu Nyen. Video. Until May
27, ¥1,500/¥1,000 (univ, HS).
Lee Bul. Asia’s leading female
artist. Until May 27, ¥1500. Arab
Express. The latest art from the
Arab world. Until Oct 28, ¥1,500
(general). Open Mon & Wed-Sun
10am-10pm, Tue 10am-5pm.
6-10-1 Roppongi. Nearest stn:
Roppongi. Tel: 03-5777-8600.
www.mori.art.museum
Mori Arts Center Gallery
One Piece. Experience
the world of Eiichiro Oda.
Mar 20-Jun 17, ¥2,000
(general)/¥1,500 (HS,
MS)/¥800 (elem and under).
52F Roppongi Hills Tower,
6-10-1 Roppongi. Nearest stn:
Roppongi. Tel: 03-5777-8600.
Ginza/Kyobashi/
Tokyo
Idemitsu Museum of Arts
Eternal Beauty. From karamono
tea ceramics to bronzeware.
Apr 3-Jun 10, ¥1,000(general),
¥700(HS&univ). Kohitsu
Tekagami. Calligraphy. Until
Mar 25, ¥1,000 (general)/¥700
(univ,HS). Open Tue-Thur
10am-5pm, Fri 10am-7pm,
closed Mon. 9F Teigeki Bldg,
3-1-1 Marunouchi. Nearest
stn: Tokyo. Tel: 03-3213-9402.
www.idemitsu.co.jp/museum
Mitsubishi Ichigokan
Museum
Katagami Style. Japanese
pattern paper from turn of the
20th century. Apr 6-May 27,
¥1,400(general), ¥1,000(HS
& univ). Wed-Fri 10am-8pm,
Tue, Sat & Sun/hols 10am-6pm,
closed Mon. 2-6-2 Marunouchi.
Nearest stn: Tokyo. Tel:
03-5405-8686. www.mimt.jp
National Film Center
Nihon no Eiga Poster. Retro
Japanese movie posters. Until
Mar 31, ¥200. Open Tue-Thu
Hara Hiromu and The National
Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo.
The artist’s posters designed
for exhibitions held by the
museum. Until May 6, ¥420
(general). Jackson Pollock.
Painting. Until May 6, ¥1,500.
Open Tue-Thu & Sat-Sun
10am-5pm, Fri 10am-8pm.
3-7-6 Kyobashi. Nearest stn:
Takebashi. Tel: 03-5777-8600.
www.momat.go.jp
Nichido Contemporary Art
NCA Collection. Various
media. Until May 5, free. 4-3-3
Hatchobori. Nearest stn:
Hatchobori. Tel: 03-3555-2140.
www.nca-g.com/en/
Shiodome Museum
KON Wajiro Retrospective.
Painting. Until Mar 25, ¥500
(general)/¥300 (univ, HS).
Open Tue-Sun 10am-6pm,
closed Mon. 4F, 1-5-1 HigashiShimbashi. Nearest stn:
Shimbashi. Tel: 03-57778600. www.mew.co.jp/corp/
museum
Span Art Gallery
Kenichi Koyama. Illustrations.
Until Mar 17, free. Jet-black
Labyrinthus. Illustrations.
Until Apr 7, free. Trevor Brown.
Mixture of innocence, violence
and J-pop culture. Until Apr 22,
free. Open Mon-Sat 11am-7pm,
closed Sun. 2-2-18 Ginza.
03-5524-3060. www.span-art.
co.jp
Vanilla Gallery
Hiroaki Samura & Kaoru Mori.
Sensual works by a manga
artist and a doll artist . Until
Mar 24, free. Hikari Shimoda.
Images depicting dystopian
worldview in the aftermath
of 311. Mar 26-31, free. Open
Mon-Fri noon-7pm, Sat
noon-5pm, closed Sun. 4F
Daini Kamata Bldg, 6-10-10
Ginza. Nearest stn: Ginza. Tel:
03-5568-1233.
Harajuku/Aoyama
Nezu Museum
Splendid Hina Miniatures.
Masterpieces of Hina Festival
dolls from the Toraya
Collection. Until Apr 8, ¥1,200.
Korin. Paintings of irises and
eight bridges. Apr 21-May
20, ¥1,200(general). 6-5-1
Minami-Aoyama. Nearest stn:
Omotesando. Tel: 03-34002536. www.nezu-muse.or.jp/en
Tokyo Wonder Site
Aoyama
New Community Design.
Works with the theme of art
and environment. Mar 17-24,
free. 3F Cosmos Aoyama,
5-53-67 Jingumae. Nearest
stn: Omotesando. Tel: 03-57663732. www.tokyo-ws.org
Ukiyo-e Ota Memorial
Museum of Art
Sakura Sakura Coming of Spring.
Ukiyo-e of cherry blossoms.
Until Mar 25, ¥700 (general).
Harunobu, Kiyonaga, Utamaro.
Works of 3 ukiyo-e masters.
Apr 1-26, ¥700 (general)/¥500
(univ, HS)/free (MS and under).
Open Tue-Sun 10:30am5:30pm, closed Mon. 1-10-10
Jingumae. Nearest stn:
Harajuku. Tel: 03-5777-8600.
www.ukiyoe-ota-muse.jp
Shibuya/Ebisu
Nadiff Gallery
Mirror, Music, Multimedia with
Coffee Party. Various media
by Shimon Minamikawa.
Until Apr 1, free. Open daily
noon-8pm. 1-18-4 Ebisu.
03-3446-4977. www.nadiff.
com
Space O
Asami Kiyokawa. Embroidery
on photos. Apr 27-May
6, 11am-9pm, free. B3
Omotesando Hills, 4-12-10
Jingumae. Nearest stn:
Meiji-Jingumae. Tel:
03-3497-0310. www.
omotesandohills.com/
english/index.html
Spiral Hall
SICF13. Spiral Independent
Creators Festival. May 3-6,
11am-7pm, ¥700(general).
Open daily 10am-8pm.
5-6-23 Minami-Aoyama.
Nearest stn: Omotesando.
Tokyo Wonder Site
Shibuya
Tokyo Story. Works of
hundred artists on display.
Until Apr 29, 11am-7pm,
free. 1-19-8 Jinnan. Nearest
stn: Aoyama and Hongo.
Tel: 03-3463-0603. www.
tokyo-ws.org
Diesel Art Gallery
Glamorous Futurist.
Photographic imagination by
Beijing fashion photographer
Chen Man. Until May 11, free.
Open daily 11:30am-9pm.
1-23-16 Shibuya. Nearest stn:
Shibuya. Tel: 03-6427-5955.
www.diesel.co.jp/art
Shinjuku/
Ikebukuro
Eitoeiko Gallery
Junta Egawa. Colorful
and mysterious abstract
paintings. Mar 31-Apr 28,
12-7pm, free. Slap, Stick
and Mark by Ichiro Irie.
Various media. The LA
artist's first solo exhibition
in his birthplace. Mar 17-26,
noon-7pm, free. Open
Wed-Sun noon-7pm, closed
Mon-Tue. 32-2 Yaraicho.
Nearest stn: Kagurazaka.
Tel: 03-6479-6923. www.
eitoeiko.com
The Watari-Um Museum
of Contemporary Art
Mirei Shigemori 1896-1975.
Japanese style garden
designs. Until Mar 25,
¥1,000 (general)/¥800
(student). Open Tue &
Thu-Sun 11am-7pm,
Wed 11am-9pm, closed
Mon. 3-7-6 Jingumae.
Tel: 03-3402-3001. www.
watarium.co.jp
Sompo Japan Museum
of Art
Outstanding Rising Artists.
2D and 3D works. Until Apr
1, ¥500. Henri Le Sidaner.
Painting. Apr 14-Jul 1,
¥1,000 (general). 42F
Sompo Japan Bldg, 1-26-1
Nishi-Shinjuku. Nearest
stn: Shinjuku. Tel: 03-54058686. www.sompo-japan.
co.jp/museum
Tokyo Opera City Art
Gallery
Nambata Fumio: Works
1960 - 1974. Painting.
Until Mar 25, ¥1,000
(general)/¥800 (univ, HS).
Open Tue-Thu 11am-7pm,
Fri-Sat 11am-8pm. 3-20-2
Nishi-Shinjuku. Nearest stn:
Hatsudai. Tel: 03-5353-0756.
www.operacity.jp/en/ag
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Ueno
Edo-Tokyo Museum
The Tower. Artwork of
towers in Paris, Osaka, and
Tokyo in celebration of the
completion of the Sky Tree.
Until May 6, ¥1,300(general).
Open Tue-Fri & Sun 9:30am5:30pm, Sat 9:30am-7:30pm,
closed Mon & hols. 1-4-1
Yokoami. Nearest stn:
Ryogoku. Tel: 03-3626-9974.
www.edo-tokyo-museum.
or.jp
National Museum of
Nature and Science
Inka Teikoku Ten. The Inca
empire revealed. Until Jun
24, ¥1,400. Open Tue-Thu
& Sat-Sun 9am-5pm, Fri
9am-8pm, closed Mon. 7-20
Ueno Park. Nearest stn:
Ueno. Tel: 03-3822-0111.
www.kahaku.go.jp
Agenda Listings
Other Areas
3331 Arts Chiyoda
Yoshiaki Kuribara. Drawing.
Until Mar 25, free. Open
Wed-Mon noon-7pm. 6-11-14
Soto-Kanda, Chiyoda-ku.
Nearest Station: Suehirocho.
Tel: 03-6803-2441.
www.3331.jp
Actual Proof
Postcard Ranking. 50
postcards on display. Until
Mar 27, free. 2F, 2-10-8
Kitazawa. Nearest stn:
Shimokitazawa. Tel: 03-64262461. www.actual-proof.com
Hara Museum of
Contemporary Art
Hiroshi Sugimoto: From
Naked to Clothed. Various
media. Mar 31-Jul 1,
¥1,000(general). Open
Tue-Sun 11am-5pm, closed
Mon. 4-7-25 Kita-Shinagawa.
Nearest stn: Kita-Shinagawa.
Tel: 03-3445-0651. www.
haramuseum.or.jp
Hoki Museum
The Aesthetics of Life:
Gazing, Smiling, Feeling.
Figure paintings. Until
May 20, ¥1,500/¥1,000
(senior)/¥750 (MS)/free
(elem & under). Open Mon
& Wed-Thu 10am-6pm,
Fri, Sat 10am-7pm, Sun
10am-5pm, closed Tue. 3-15
Asumigaokahigashi, Midoriku, Chiba. Nearest stn: Toke.
Tel: 043-205-1500. www.
hoki-museum.jp/en
Kawamura Memorial
Museum of Art
The Unseen Relationship:
Form and Abstraction.
Painting by Tomoo Gokita.
Until Apr 15, ¥1,200 (general).
Open Tue-Sun 9:30am-5pm,
closed Mon. 631 Sakado,
Sakura-shi. Nearest stn:
Sakura. Tel: 04-3498-2131.
kawamura-museum.dic.co.jp
Kawasaki City Museum
Mukashi no Kurashi Ima
no Kurashi. Historical
reflection through display
of everyday tools and
goods. Until Apr 1, free.
Open Tue-Sun 9:30am-5pm,
closed Mon. 1-2 Todoroki,
Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki.
Nearest stn: Musashi-Kosugi.
Tel: 04-4754-4500. www.
kawasaki-museum.jp
Makuhari Messe
Dino Kingdom. Jurassic
showcase. Jul 21-Sep 23,
9am-5pm, ¥2,500(general),
¥1,200 (elem&MS). Nakase
2-1, Mihama-ku. Nearest
stn: Kaihin-Makuhari.
Tel: 04-3296-0001.
www.m-messe.co.jp
Meguro Museum of Art,
Tokyo
Meguro Address. Creative
works by six groups of
artists from Meguro. Until
Apr 1, ¥700 (general). Open
Tue-Sun 10am-6pm, closed
Mon. 2-4-36 Meguro. Nearest
stn: Meguro. Tel: 03-37141201. www.mmat.jp
Museum of
Contemporary Art Tokyo
Bloomberg Pavilion Project.
Akihisa Hirata’s paper
building stages exhibitions
and performances. Until
Oct 5, free. The Art of
Connecting. Painting by
Atsuko Tanaka. Until May 6,
¥1,000 (general)/¥800 (univ,
65 and over)/¥500 (MS,
HS). Ay-O: Over the Rainbow
Once More. Large-scale,
participation installation
and painting. Until May 6,
¥1,100 (general)/¥850 (univ,
65 and over)/¥550 (HS, MS).
4-1-1 Miyoshi. Nearest stn:
Kiyosumi-shirakawa. Tel:
03-5245-4111. www.mot-artmuseum.jp
National Museum of
Emerging Science and
Innovation
Design a Letter Yourself,
with Algorithmic Thinking.
Various typography using
Go to www.meturl.com/listings for complete listings
the latest IT. Until Jun 25,
¥600. 2-3-6 Aomi. Nearest
stn: Telecom Center. www.
miraikan.jst.go.jp/index_e.html
Pola Museum of Art
The Development of
Impressionism: Monet, Renoir
and the Next Generations.
Painting. Until Jul 8, ¥1,800
(general)/¥1,300 (univ,
HS)/¥700 (MS. elem). 1285
Kozukayama, Sengokuhara,
Hakone-machi. Nearest stn:
Gora. Tel: 04-6084-2111. www.
polamuseum.or.jp
Sogo Museum of Art
Basketball
Japan Basketball League
Brave Thunders vs Levange
Hokkaido. Mar 16-17, 7pm,
¥1,000-3,000. Todoroki
Arena. Nearest stn: Musashi
Nakahara. Tel: 044-798-5000.
Boxing
Dangan48
Mar 31, 5:50pm, ¥4,000-10,000.
Figure Skating
Miyako no Asobi, Ocho no Bi.
Hosomi Museum Collection of
Kyoto artifacts. Until Mar 20.
Open daily 10am-8pm. 2-18-1
Takashima, Nishi-ku. Nearest
stn: Yokohama. Tel: 04-54655515. www2.sogo-gogo.com/
common/museum/
Prince Ice World
Tana Gallery Bookshelf
Ice Ribbon March
Klangstube. Sound machine
installation by Florian Haupt.
Until Mar 31. 3F Dai 2 Fuji-Bldg,
2-20 Kanda, Jinbocho,
Chiyoda-ku. Tel: 03-3262-6708.
http://rad-commons.main.
jp/tana
Tokyu Tama Plaza
Arty Punchi: Handmade in
Korea. S. Korean artists and
craftspeople exhibit ceramics,
jewelry, paintings, and interior
goods. Tokyu Department
Store. Nearest stn: Tama Plaza.
Mar 29-Apr 4, 10am-7pm, free.
www.artypunchi.com/about
The Container
Be Seeing You. Video art by
Ami Clarke. Until Apr 9, free.
Mon–Fri 11am-9pm, Sat–Sun
& hols 10am-8pm, closed Tue.
1F Hills Daikanyama, 1-8-30
Kami-Meguro. Nearest stn:
Naka-Meguro. Tel: 03-37707750. www.the-container.com
Sports
Baseball
Central League
Tokyo Yakult Swallows
vs. Hanshin Tigers. Mar 17,
¥500-2,000. Jingu Stadium.
Nearest stn: Shinanomachi.
Tel: 03-3404-8999.
Yomiuri Giants vs. Tokyo
Yakult Swallows. Mar 21, 6pm,
¥500-4,500. Tokyo Dome.
Nearest stn: Suidobashi. Tel:
03-5800-9999.
Interleague
Tokyo Yakult Swallows vs.
Saitama Seibu Lions. Mar
23-24, 1pm, ¥500-2,000.
Jingu Stadium. Nearest stn:
Shinanomachi. Tel: 03-34048999.
MLB Season Opener
Seattle Mariners vs. Hanshin
Tigers. Mar 25, noon, ¥1,80010,000. Tokyo Dome. Nearest
stn: Suidobashi. Tel: 03-58009999.
Yomiuri Giants vs. Oakland
Athletics. Mar 25, 7pm,
¥800-6,000. Tokyo Dome.
03-5800-9999.
Oakland Athletics vs.
Hanshin Tigers. Mar 26, noon,
¥800-6,000. Tokyo Dome.
03-5800-9999.
Yomiuri Giants vs. Seattle
Mariners. Mar 26, 7pm,
¥1,800-10,000. Tokyo Dome.
03-5800-9999.
Oakland Athletics vs. Seattle
Mariners Day 1. Mar 28, 7pm,
¥1,500-18,000. Tokyo Dome.
03-5800-9999.
Oakland Athletics vs.
Seattle Mariners. Mar 29, 6pm,
¥1,500-18,000. Tokyo Dome.
03-5800-9999.
Pacific League
Chiba Lotte Marines vs.
Tohoku Rakuten Golden
Eagles. Mar 21, 1pm,
¥300-2,500. Chiba Marine
Stadium. Nearest stn: KaihinMakuhari. Tel: 043-296-1227.
Apr 28-May 4, 11am & 3:30pm,
¥2,500-15,000. Shin-Yokohama
Skate Center. Nearest stn:
Shin-Yokohama. Tel: 045-4741112.
Pro Wrestling
Mar 20, noon, ¥2,500-8,000.
www.ice-ribbon.ne07.jp
Rugby
HSBC Tokyo Sevens
Mar 31-Apr 1, 10am,
¥900-8,000. Chichibunomiya
Rugby Stadium. Nearest stn:
Gaienmae. Tel: 03-3401-3290.
Japan Rugby
Championships
Finals. Mar 18, 2pm,
¥300-4,000. National Olympic
Stadium. Nearest stn:
Gaienmae. Tel: 042-342-8950.
03-3401-3290
Soccer
J. League, Division 1
FC Tokyo vs. Nagoya
Grampus. Mar 17, 7pm,
¥500-6,000. Ajinomoto
Tobitakyu. Tel: 04-2440-0555.
Kashima Antlers vs.
Kawasaki Frontale. Mar 17,
2pm, ¥1,400-7,500. Kashima
Stadium. Nearest stn: Kashima
Soccer Stadium. Tel: 02-99846622.
Kashiwa Reysol vs
Urawa Reds. Mar 17, 2pm,
¥1,000-4,500. Saitama
Urawamisono. Tel: 048-8122002.
Yokohama F Marinos vs.
Vegalta Sendai. Mar 17, 2pm,
¥1,100-5,000. Nissan Stadium.
Nearest stn: Kozuke. Tel:
04-5477-5000.
Kawasaki Frontale vs.
Cerezo Osaka. Mar 24, 2pm,
¥800-4,500. Todoroki Stadium.
Nearest stn: Musashikosugi.
Tel: 044-722-0303.
FC Tokyo vs. Sanfrecce
Hiroshima. Mar 31, 2pm,
Urawa Reds vs. Kawasaki
Frontale. Mar 31, 3pm,
¥1,000-4,500. Saitama
Urawamisono. Tel: 048-8122002.
Yokohama F Marinos vs.
Kashima Antlers. Mar 31, 7pm,
¥900-5,000. Nissan Stadium.
Nearest stn: Kozuke. Tel:
04-5477-5000.
Kawasaki Frontale vs FC
Tokyo. Apr 8, 4pm, ¥800-4,500.
Todoroki Stadium. Nearest stn:
Musashikosugi. Tel: 044-7220303.
FC Tokyo vs Kashima
Antlers. Apr 14, 1pm,
Kashiwa Reysol vs
Vegalta Sendai. Apr 14, 1pm,
¥1,000-4,000. Hitachi Stadium.
Tel: 047-162-2250.
Urawa Reds vs Vissel Kobe.
Apr 14, 3pm, ¥1,000-4,500.
Saitama Stadium. Nearest
stn: Urawamisono. Tel:
048-812-2002. FC Tokyo
vs Shimizu S-Pulse. Apr 28,
1pm, ¥500-6,000. Ajinomoto
FC Tokyo vs. Sagan Tosu.
May 20, 3pm, ¥500-5,000.
Ajinomoto Stadium. Nearest
stn: Tobitakyu. Tel: 04-2440-
Swimming
Japan Synchronized
Swimming Championships
2012
May 2-5, 1pm, ¥2,000. Tatsumi
International Swimming
Center. Nearest stn: Shin-Kiba.
Tel: 03-3547-0900.
Taekwondo
All-Japan Championships
Mar 17-18, 9pm, Yoyogi
National Gymnasium. Nearest
stn: Meiji-Jingumae. Tel:
03-3468-1171.
Volleyball
V Premier League Men and
Women's Final
Mar 24-25, noon, ¥1,0009,900. Yoyogi National
Gymnasium. Nearest stn:
Meiji-Jingumae. Tel: 03-34681171.
Festivals
Kin Ryu no Mai
Golden dragon dance. Mar 18,
11am & 2 & 3pm, free. Sensoji.
Nearest stn: Asakusa. Tel:
03-3842-0181.
Takaosan Hiwatari Matsuri
Buddhist monks walk on
flaming cypress for good luck.
Mar 18, 1-2pm, free. Takaosan
Jidosha Kitoden Hiroba.
Nearest stn: Takaosanguchi.
Tel: 042-661-1115.
Saint Patrick's Day Parade
Meetup
Get a free bacon sandwich, cup
of tea and a Hobgoblin T-shirt
to wear at the parade. Mar 18,
noon, free. Hobgoblin Shibuya.
03-6415-4244. http://meturl.
com/hobstp
Ogose Bairin Ume Matsuri
Anime Contents Expo
Major anime producers’
showcase. Mar 31-Apr 1,
9am-6pm, ¥1,500. Makuhari
Messe. Nearest stn: KaihinMakuhari. Tel: 04-3296-0001.
www.animecontentsexpo.jp
Bazaars & Markets
Arab Charity Bazaar
Arabic culture, food,
calligraphy, henna tattoo and
raffle organized by SWAAJ
(The Society of Wives of
Arab Ambassadors). Apr 8,
11am-5pm, ¥1,000. Ark Hills
Karajn Place. Nearest stn:
Roppongi-itchome. www.
morocco-emba.jp
Oedo Antique Fair
Japan’s largest outdoor
antique market. Every first
and third Sun, 8am-4:30pm,
Tokyo International Forum
Hall C. Nearest stn: Tokyo. Tel:
03-5805-1093.
Aoyama Marche Farmer's
Market
Farmers from around the nation
gather to sell their organic fruits
and vegetables. Every weekend.
United Nations University.
Nearest stn: Omotesando. Tel:
03-3456-0960.
Yasukuni Shrine Antique
Market
Every Sun, sunrise-sunset.
Yasukuni Shrine. Nearest stn:
Fudaten Jinja Market
Every second Sun, Fudaten
Jinja. Nearest stn: Chofu. Tel:
04-2489-0022.
Tokyo International Forum
Flea Market
Every second Sun. Handmade
crafts. Mar 3-Jan 1, 10am-4pm,
free. TBA
Learning
Light-fashion and furniture
workshop, cheerleader's parade,
and market. Feat Pyuupiru,
Fantasista Utamaro etc. Mar
24, all day.
Koedo Kawagoe Haru
Matsuri
90th anniversary spring
festival. Mar 31, 10am-4pm,
free. Main street, Kawagoe City.
Nearest stn: Kawagoe.
Kanamara Matsuri
Shinto-style penis festival. Apr
1, 11am-5pm, free. Kanayama
Jinja. Nearest stn: Kawasaki.
Tel: 044-222-3206. www.
tomuraya.co.jp/wakamiya-10.
htm
Midtown Beer Night 2012
International beer tasting
party in Roppongi Midtown.
Apr 20, midnight, ¥3,200 (adv).
Tokyo Midtown Hall. Nearest
stn: Roppongi. Tel: 03-34753100.
Forums & Expos
Tokyo Motorcycle Show
Get your bike on. Mar 23-25,
various times, ¥1,200. Tokyo
Big Sight. Nearest stn: KokusaiTenjijo-Seimon. Tel: 03-55301111.
Pet Fair
Asia's largest pet paraphernalia
expo. Mar 31-Apr 1, 10am,
¥1,000(general). Makuhari
Messe. Nearest stn: KaihinMakuhari. Tel: 04-3296-0001.
Shibuya-wide clothing
design event. Mar 17-23,
various times, free. www.
shibuyafashionfestival.com
Marunouchi Ekiden
Relay race around the
Imperial Palace, to support
3/11 disaster relief. Mar 18,
9:30am, ¥10,000 per team (of
four). Kokyogaien National
Gardens. Nearest stn: Tokyo.
Tel: 03-5218-5100. www.
tokyo-event.jp/ekiden
Journées de la
Francophonie
Movies, rakugo in French,
Senegalese hip-hop by
Daara-J Family, chanson by
Constance Verluca, DJ Gypsy
Sound System, etc. Until Mar
22, various times, free. The
French Institute. Nearest
stn: Iidabashi. Tel: 03-52062500. www.institut.jp/ja/
evenements/11529
Roppongi Art Night
All-night art extravaganza
across numerous Roppongi
venues. Mar 24-25, free. www.
roppongiartnight.com
Chant Down Babylon
As part of Roppongi Art Night.
Live: Die Kosmisch Loops,
etc. DJs Violet Fizz, etc. VJ:
Onnacodomo, animation,
poetry reading, live painting.
March 24, 8pm, ¥1,000.
SuperDeluxe. B1, 3-1-25
Nishi-Azabu, Minato-ku.
www.super-deluxe.com/
room/194
Various performances and
fashion shows of students
from 60 high schools. Mar 28,
3pm, ¥500+1d. Akasaka Blitz.
090-1778-6773.
Tsukubasan Ume Matsuri
Sumidagawa Parade
Other Events
Shibuya Fashion Festival
Aonisai
Plum blossom viewing and
other events. Until Mar 20,
8:30am-5pm, ¥200. Ogose
Bairin. Nearest stn: Ogose. Tel:
049-292-3121. www.town.
ogose.saitama.jp/umematsuri
Plum blossom viewing festival
in Ibaraki. Until Mar 20, Free.
Tsukubasan Bairin. Nearest
stn: Tsukubasan Jinja Iriguchi
or Miyawaki. Tel: 029-8698333.
women directors. Feat. Mia
Hansen-Løve, etc. Until Mar
18, various times, ¥1,000
(general). The French
Institute, Shinjuku-ku.
Nearest stn: Iidabashi. Tel:
03-5206-2500. www.institut.
jp/ja/evenements/11541
Art Fair Tokyo
MAR 21, 6:30-9:30pm
TELL Suicide
Prevention Workshop
Anyone can save a life if
you know what to look for
and are willing to reach
out. Wesley Center 2F,
Minami Aoyama. Visit
www.telljp.com for more
information
Transpacific Field of
Dreams
The history of US-Japanese
baseball exchange. Mar 23,
midnight, free. International
House of Japan. Nearest
stn: Roppongi. Tel: 03-34704611. www.i-house.or.jp/en/
ProgramActivities/japan_ihj
Film
Films in the Gallery
Selected film suitable for all
ages. Movies start from 2pm.
Bring snacks to share. Mar 18,
noon-6pm, free. Studio C Tokyo,
3-36-10 Sasazuka, Shibuya-ku.
Nearest stn: Sasazuka. http://
studioctokyo.core.ne.jp
I Am Happy
Screening of Brazilian
documentary, with Q&A, and
live samba/capoiera.
Mar 18 & 24, 4 & 7pm,
¥1,500 (adv)/¥2,000 (door).
Uplink Cinema, Shibuya-ku.
03-6825-5503. www.
streetwitnessproductions.com
Women, Women, Women
Screenings devoted to
new generation of French
Domestic and international
galleries covering wide range
of genres, periods and media.
Mar 30-Apr 1, ¥2,000. Tokyo
International Forum. Nearest
stn: Yurakucho. Tel: 03-57714520. www.artfairtokyo.
com/en
Paracup
Charity marathon aimed to
support children around the
world. Apr 8, ¥4,800(general),
¥2,400(MS& HS), free(elem).
Furuichiba Rikugyo Kyogijo.
www.paracup.info
ACKid
A week full of performance,
music, screening, fine arts,
etc. From Apr 22-29, 7pm,
¥2,000 (adv)/¥2,500 (door). Kid
Ailack Hall. 2-43-11 Matsubara,
Meidaimae, Setagaya-ku. Tel:
03-3322-5564. http://blog.
livedoor.jp/kidailack
Shibuhouse Party
All-night house party on
22th of every month. Contact
shibuhouseinfo@gmail.com
for address/directions . Mar
22-Dec 22, 7pm-7am, ¥1,000
w/food & drink. Shibuhouse.
Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.
shibuhouse.com
TTT
Table Tennis Tuesday. Every
Tue, 8:30pm. M (Event Space &
Bar). Nearest stn: Daikanyama.
Tel: 03-3416-1739. http://mevent-bar.com
Movie ReviewS
& cinemas P. 24
Metrohomes selected listings
All english-language services!
MetroHomes.jp
Just a few examples from Japan’s biggest
English-language real estate database...
Veneo Minami-Azabu
Minato-ku. Nearest Stn: Hiroo
(12 min) • 324.54m2
• 4LDK • ¥1,800,000
• No key money
Denenchofu House
Ota-ku. Nearest stn:
Tamagawa (5 min)
• 186.18m2 • 4 bedroom
house • ¥500,000 • No
key money
Hiroo House
Shibuya-ku. Nearest Stn:
Hiroo (10 min) • 184.3m2
• 3LDK Wooden House
• ¥950,000 • No key money
Akasaka K Tower Residence
Akasaka-Mitsuke (1 min)
• 51.03-98.05m2 • Studio-2LDK
• ¥285,000-¥560,000
Green Court Azabujuban
Minato-ku. Nearest Stn:
Azabu-Juban (3 min) • 64m2
• 1LDK • ¥300,000
Saigo Compound
Meguro-ku. Ikejiri-Ohashi
(7 min) • 212.54m2 • 4LDK
• ¥730,000
Uehara 2 chome House
Shibuya-ku. Nearest Stn:
Yoyogi-Uehara (9 min)
• 444m2 • 4BR • ¥1,400,000
Forest Form Komaba
Meguro-ku. Nearest stn:
Yoyogi-Uehara (12 min)
• 145m2 • 3BR • ¥580,000
La Tour Mita
Minato-ku • Nearest stn: Mita
(4 min) • 55.00-224.26m2
• 1R-4LDK • ¥300,000¥1.400,000 • No agency fee/
key money
Central Park Tower LaTour Shinjuku
Shinjuku-ku • Nearest stn: Tochomae
(5 min) • 49.62-289.57m2, 1R-5LDK,
¥248,000-¥1,580,000 • No agency fee/
key money
Uno Mansion
Nakano-ku. Nearest stn: ShinNakano (4 min) • 19m2
1R • ¥85,000 • No agency fee/
key money
New Life Azabu
Minato-ku. Nearest Stn:
Roppongi-1-chome (3 min)
• 12m2 • 1R • ¥90,000
• No agency fee/key money
JAPT. Toritsudaigaku A
Meguro-ku. Nearest stn:
Toritsudaigaku (10 min)
• 21.38m2 • 1K • ¥120,000
• No deposit/agency fee/
key money
JAPT. Roppongi 2
Roppongi (2 min) • 27.56m2
• 1DK • ¥160,000 • No deposit/
agency fee/key money
No.2 Fujitomo Bldg.
Edogawa-ku • Nearest stn:
Kasai (5 min) • 64.41m2 • 2LDK
• ¥130,000 • No agency fee/
key money
Sangenjaya Casa Alegre A
Setagaya-ku • Nearest stn:
Sangenjaya (10 min) • 20.3m2
• 1K • ¥128,000 • No agency
fee/key money
No.1 Fujitomo Bldg.
Edogawa-ku • Nearest stn: Kasai (5
min) • 13.32m2 • 1R, ¥53,000
Itabashi-ku Motohasunuma
Itabashi-ku. Nearest stn:
Motohasunuma (3 min)
29.7m2 • 1DK • ¥118,000
Property information accurate at time of printing. Please check Metrohomes.jp for up-to-date listings
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#938 ● wWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP ● 23
Agenda Movies By Don Morton
Carnage
Two sets of parents (Jodie Foster,
John C. Reilly, Kate Winslet and
Christoph Waltz) gather in a NYC
apartment to discuss a schoolyard
altercation between their sons.
They’re initially civil and polite,
but gradually become contentious,
allegiances shift, and cracks begin to appear. Then the scotch
comes out and the gloves come off, and someone pukes on a pile
of art books. It’s wicked funny. Roman Polanski has made no effort
to “cinematize” this comedy of manners in adapting Yasmina
Reza’s award-wining stage play, and its obvious contrivances
are best enjoyed if you imagine yourself at the play. (79 min)
Japanese title: Otona no Kenka.
Cinemas 7 86 91
The People vs. George
Lucas
Metpod
Puss in Boots
T
he swashbuckling title kitty in the
big boots and plumed hat (flawlessly
voiced by Antonio Banderas) virtually
stole the show in Shrek 2, making a
spinoff inevitable. Thus this fun origin story about
how a lowly gato burglar becomes involved with
shady childhood friend Humpty Dumpty (Zack
Galifinakis) in an ill-fated scheme to steal magic
beans or golden geese or something from the
avaricious thugs Jack and Jill (Billy Bob Thornton
and Amy Sedaris). This doesn’t go well, but in the
process he meets feisty fellow feline felon Kitty
Softpaws (a purring, equally flawless Salma Hayek)
Bloodrayne: The
Third Reich
NEW
Children of the
Corn: Genesis
NEW
The second sequel to one of
t h e wo r s t va mp i re m ov ie s
ever made by one of the worst
directors who ever made them
(Uwe Boll—House of the Dead,
Postal) takes the action to Nazi
Germany, where the large-breasted “good” vampire/human
heroine accidentally infects/turns an already vicious SS officer.
If you thought Michael Pare was a bad actor when he was young
and good-looking, wait’ll you get a load of him as a middle-aged
Nazi vampire. Adapted from a video game. Gratuitous gore and
nudity, a little pointless lesbian sex, and even a vampire Hitler!
This would be a good bad movie if it weren’t so… just…bad. (79
min)
Cinema 27
This is the eighth in a string of TV
or DVD movies (and thankfully
the first I’ve had to watch) that
started in 1984, spawned from a
Stephen King short story about a
band of murderous, demonically
possessed Nebraska kiddies who kill. This time a couple’s car
breaks down in a California desert and they have to spend the
night with a mad preacher, his Ukrainian bride, and, oh yes, the
evil kid chained up in the shed. Snore. Good production values,
and Billy Drago is always creepy, but it plays like a TV episode,
which I guess is what it is, and goes nowhere. The only corn is in
the script. (80 min) Japanese title: The Child: Akuma no Kigen.
Cinema 27
Also Showing
Young Adult
Charlize Theron brilliantly portrays another
detestable character, but the film lacks the edge
and humor of the filmmakers’ Juno. (94 min)
Cinemas 7 20 40 81 82 85 91 95 97
and falls for her like a sack of catnip. We then learn
how he earned the boots and the funny hat. There’s
little depth to the plot or even continuity, and it feels
improvised because it is. But it’s clever, colorful,
kinetic, and cute as hell. (In an early saloon scene,
Puss breaks his macho character to primly lap up
his milk. Hilarious.) And, somewhat amazingly,
considering its Shrek roots, it eschews gross-out
gags and pop-culture riffs. Kids will dig the pure
silliness of this theme park ride, and parents
will enjoy the nudge-nudge, wink-wink humor.
Japanese title: Nagagutsu wo Haita Neko. (90 min)
Cinemas 45 61 62 63 79 80 84 85 88 92 93
The Iron Lady
A direct-to-DVD crime thriller
for people who believe rap star
Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson’s talents
extend to acting. One member of a
trio of hoods shoots the other two
and absconds with the five mil in
diamonds they have just stolen. But
one survives and has to wade through a sea of tough-guy clichés
and riffs on better movies to get even. Bruce Willis inexplicably
appears as a mob boss, but it’s little more than a cameo. Predictable, repetitive and dull as dirt. I don’t know, but it’s a pretty
good bet that the fabulously wealthy but charisma-free Fiddy
bankrolled this. Dood’s a black Steven Seagal. (85 min)
Cinema 13
The Bang Bang Club
The Bang Bang Club was a quartet
of daredevil photojournalists
who covered the bloody violence
in South Africa in the last days of
apartheid. Their photos brought
t h i s l it t le -ack nowle d ge d wa r
to the world’s attention, and for
this they deserve commendation. This movie, however, from
a memoir by the two that survived and made by a documentarian, is disappointingly light, muddled and comes close to
trivializing their efforts as well as the suffering of their subjects.
While the excellent recreations of street battles are real-world
and immediate, the characters remain two-dimensional and
the narrative thin. (106 min)
Cinema 27
Shame
Sex addiction can be every bit as
debilitating and life-destroying as
drugs or drink. The joylessness of
sex is examined with clarity and
power in this grim yet compelling character study. M ichael
Fassbender puts in a flawless,
ferocious portrayal of the central character, a Manhattan highroller whose life is an endless hunt for the next compulsive,
unsatisfying climax. He’s driven and miserable, but carefully
copes until the arrival of his needy sister (Carey Mulligan)
exposes his intense self-loathing. It’s harrowing and heartrending and hard to watch, but it will stay with you. (101 min)
Cinemas 21 36 84 97
A retired CIA agent is called back to find a
vicious Soviet assassin in this slack, outdated
Cold War potboiler. Japanese title: Kaononai
Spy. (98 min)
Cinemas 43 62 76 80 81 84 91 92 94 97
Setup
NEW
An Oscar-winning Meryl Streep
p e r for m a nce s u r rou nde d by
movie-like substances. Margaret
Thatcher busted Britain’s unions,
divided the nation, stayed in office
for 13 years, and fought a needless
war. Not many people are without
strong opinions on the woman. Yet I left this maddeningly
conventional, rise-to-power biopic feeling disappointed, knowing
nothing about her I didn’t already know. The most effective (and
affecting) parts are the present-day sequences showing Lady T
mildly delusional, talking to her deceased husband Denis about
her career. Focusing on that might have made a better movie.
Japanese title: Margaret Thatcher. (105 min)
Cinemas 43 45 50 60 61 62 63 80 84 85 88 92 93 96 97
The Double
The title defendant, of course,
made, starting in 1977, the original
three Star Wars movies (episodes
4-6), for which legions of fanboys
referred to him as “The Creator.”
This pop-deification, however,
was shaken with the release of the three subpar prequels (1-3),
and Lucas’s downright sacrilegious re-mastering of the first
film made them howl like wounded Wookiees. Complainers,
they were. This is an exhaustive airing of these grating geek
gripes and grievances, some of them quite hilarious. (Could The
Phantom Menace actually suck? Impossible!). Did you know that
the French actually like Jar Jar Binks? (93 min)
Cinemas 21 89
Melancholia
Sherlock Holmes: A
Game of Shadows
Elementary (-school level), my
dear Watson. If you go to movies to
see car (buggy) chases, elaborate
fisticuffs and stuff getting blown
up, you’ll find it here. But, as with
the 2009 “original,” if you subtract
the star power of Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law (whose clever
interactions have become a bit twee), what’s left is overproduced,
off-the-shelf and repetitive action-movie dazzle. And compared
to what Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote more than a century ago,
there’s zero suspense, mystery or intrigue. Chuckle: Stephen Fry
baring it all as Holmes’s oddball brother Mycroft. (129 min)
Cinemas 3 16 35 43 52 53 60 61 62 63 66 77 78 79 80 81 82 84 85
86 87 88 90 91 92 93 94 95 96
Lars von Trier turns his singular talents to the
disaster genre. Laughable science and cheap
SFX, but this one will stay with you. (135 min)
Cinemas 8 40 63 86 91 92
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
David Fincher’s taut and kinetic adaptation is
cinema-digestible while remaining evocative
and compelling. Japanese title: Dragon Tattoo
no Onna. (158 min)
Cinemas 1 35 43 45 50 53 61 62 63 77 78 79 80
81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 90 91 92 93 94 96 97
(inside Mullion)
8
7
10
4
Ginza
Imperial
Hotel
(subway)
Printemps Ginza
Dept Store
Matsuya
Dept Store
11
13
Higashi-Ginza
Tobu Hotel
(subway)
Ikiteiru Mono wa
Inai no ka
War Horse
A misguided but well-meaning
English farmer buys a thoroughbred racehorse when what he
needed was a plow horse. In order
to keep it, his young son Albert
trains it to accept a harness. But
when WWI breaks out, the animal
is sold and begins an arduous odyssey, pressed into hauling
everything from ambulances to cannon. But he never forgets
Albert, now older and a soldier. This painterly epic from Steven
Spielberg is an unabashedly sentimental homage to John Ford
and the kind of uplifting, Technicolor-saturated, dramatic crowdpleasers that Hollywood made in the 40s. Good, old-fashioned
movie magic. Japanese title: Senka no Uma. (146 min)
Cinemas 2 19 50 76 79 96 97
The Dead and the
Damned
And the dreadful and the dopey
and the decidedly disastrous. A
bounty hunter circa 1849 must
team up with a renegade Injun to
battle the townspeople, who have
all been turned to zombies by a
mysterious green rock. Not a second take in the entire flaccid
effort (Ed Wood lives!). I know actors are paid to pretend, but these
guys are pretending to be actors. All the zombies look different.
Once in a while a big-breasted woman takes off her top. Anachronistic rock soundtrack. The only reason I’m writing about this is
that it will make a pretty good Bad Movie if you see it with friends
and drink a lot. Japanese title: Cowboy & Zombie. (82 min)
Cinema 27
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
Too soon for movies about 9/11? In the case of this cathartic,
illuminating and honestly (mostly) moving film, I think it’s
okay. Japanese title: Monosugoku Urusakute Arienaihodo
Chikai. (129 min)
Cinemas 2 19 43 50 61 62 76 78 80 81 83 84 85 86 88 90 91
92 93 94 95 96 97
24
Bunkamura
25
Shibuya Tokyu Inn
Hachiko Shibuya
Shibuya
Yamaha
Tokyu Plaza
ag
aw
aD
Keio Inokashira
line
Ta
m
29, 30
Meiji
Dori
JR Yamanote line
& subway
15
Shibuya
1. Toho Cinemas Nichigeki (033574-1131) www.tohotheater.jp
2. Marunouchi Piccadilly
(03-3201-2881) www.
shochiku-eigakan.com
3. Marunouchi Louvre (03-32147761) www.tokyucinemas.net
4. Toho Cinemas Yurakuza (033571-1946) www.tohotheater.jp
5. Human Trust Cinema
Yurakucho (03-6259-8608)
www.ht-cinema.com
6. Yurakucho Subaruza
(03-3212-2816) http://subarukougyou.jp/movies
7. Toho Cinemas Chanter (033591-1511) www.tohotheater.jp
8. Toho Cinemas Scala-za/
Miyuki-za (03-3591-5358)
www.tohotheater.jp
10. Marunouchi Toei (03-35354741) http://theaters.toei.co.jp
11. Cine Switch Ginza (03-35610707) www.cineswitch.com
12. Ginza Theatre Cinema (033535-6000) www.ttcg.jp
13. Ginza Cine Pathos
(03-3561-4660)
www.humax-cinema.co.jp
14. Togeki (03-3541-2711) www.
shochiku-eigakan.com
Shibuya
15. Shibuto Cine Tower (03-54894210) www.tohotheater.jp
16. Shibuya Tokyu (03-3407-7219)
www.tokyucinemas.net
17. Shibuya Toei (03-54675773/5774) http://theaters.
toei.co.jp/theaters
19. Shibuya Cine Palace (03-34613534) www.mitsuba-inc.
co.jp/scp/
20.Shibuya Humax Cinema
(03-3462-2539)
www.humax-cinema.co.jp
21. Cine Quinto (03-3477-5905)
www.cinequinto.com/
22.Cinema Rise (03-3464-0051)
www.cinemarise.com
24.Uplink X (03-6825-5503)
www.uplink.co.jp/x/
25. Le Cinema (03-3477-9264)
www.bunkamura.co.jp/
cinema
ori
inj
Ave
Shinjuku
Gyoen
47
Toshima Ward Office
Ikebukuro
48
(subway)
Marui
Dept Store
Ikebukuro
JR Yamanote line
Tobu
Dept
Store
Tokyo
Met Art Space
52
50 49
46
Seibu
Dept
Store
Ikebukuro
Metropolitan
Hotel
Shinjuku-
uk Gyoenmae
u D (subway)
or
i
Amlux
Tokyu
Hands
Prince
Hotel
Sunshine 60,
Sunshine City
Seibu Ikebukuro line
JR Saikyo line
Cerulean Tower
Higashi-Ikebukuro
33
(subway)
other areas
(no map)
Cinema Key
Ginza/Yurakucho/
Hibiya
(subway)
Sh
43
51
16
17
19
109
Aoyama Dori
22
or
i
Shibuya
S
ince he won the Grand Prize at Tokyo International Film
Festival in 2003 for Vibrator, Ryuichi Hiroki has been
consistently one of the best filmmakers in Japan. He’s
put his distinctive touch on both documentaries and fiction
pieces, which generally examine the alienating nature of
modern society and the strategies people use to break through
that loneliness. His 2005 piece Yawarakai Seikatsu (It’s Only
Talk) received plaudits from the critics (including this one)
while snatching the Grand Prix at the Singapore International
Film Festival that year. The present work delves even deeper
into alienation and depression, perhaps too deep, but this is
not surprising in light of the disasters of a year ago.
River focuses on Hikari (Misako Renbutsu), a woman in
her early twenties whose boyfriend was murdered in the
Akihabara massacre of 2008. Clearly unable to function
due to grief, the film follows Hikari as she wanders the Akiba
streets, aimlessly. She runs across a photographer and is even
recruited to work in a maid café (though she quits immediately). Finally, she meets a young man whose seems to be as
damaged as she. His horrible break from his parents has left
him bitter but now he must deal with the fact his town has
been destroyed by the 3/11 tsunami.
Meditative, touching and rather meandering, River is not
for everyone; but for those who like quiet, contemplative
work this will be food for thought. (89 min)
Cinema 30
Marui
Parco
Store
20
41 Shinjuku
42 Sanchome
Marui
34
ori
iji D
Me
By Rob Schwartz
do
Kai
40Mitsukoshi
East
Exit
South
Exit
Marui
42
Isetan
Takashimaya
27
Parco
Part 3
Tokyu
Hands 21
Shinjuku
West
Exit
hu
Kos
14
Ginza Daiichi Hotel
i Do
ri
45
Chuo Dori
Higashi
Kabukiza
Theater
Shimbashi
44
Studio Yas
uku
Alta
n
(subway)
Matsuzakaya
Dept Store
Nikko Hotel
Koma Theater
Shinjuku
Prince Hotel
(subway)
1, 2, 3, 5
36
Seibu Shinjuku Line 35
Ginza Itchome
JR line
(subway)
Seibu Shinjuku
12
Yurakucho
Meiji
D
Bic Camera
6
Shinjuku
Hibiya
M
ei
ji D
or
i
eiga
Hibiya
Park
Ikebukuro
Ginza • Hibiya • Yurakucho
Puss in Boots: PUSS IN BOOTS © 2011 DreamWorks Animation LLC. All Rights Reserved.; Bloodrayne The Third Reich: © 2010 BLR3 Filmproductions GmbH & Co.KG; Shame: © 2011 New Amsterdam Film Limited, Channel Four Television Corporation and The
British Film Institute; The People vs. George Lucas: © 2010, Exhibit A Pictures, LLC, All Rights Reserved; Setup: © 2011 GEORGIA FILM FUND; The Bang Bang Club: Credit: Marcus Cruz; Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows: ©2011 VILLAGE ROADSHOW FILMS
(BVI) LIMITED; War Horse: © Dream Works Distribution Co., LLC. All Rights Reserved.; The Dead and the Damned: © 2010,Mattia Borrani Productions. All Rights Reserved; River: © 2011 ギャンビット
27. Human Trust Cinema Shibuya
(03-5468-5551)
www.ttcg.jp
29.Cinemavera Shibuya
(03-3461-7703) www.
cinemavera.com
30.Eurospace (03-3461-0211)
www.eurospace.co.jp
33. Theater N Shibuya (03-54892592) www.theater-n.com
34. Theatre Image Forum
(03-5766-0114) www.
imageforum.co.jp/theatre
Shinjuku
35. Shinjuku Tokyu Milano
Building (03-3202-1189)
36. Shinjuku Cinema Square
Tokyu (03-3202-1189)
40.Shinjuku Musashinokan
(03-3354-5670) http://
shinjuku.musashino-k.jp
41. Kadokawa Cinema Shinjuku
(03-5361-7878) www.
kadokawa-cinema.jp
42.Cinemart Shinjuku
(03-5369-2831)
www.cinemart.co.jp
43. Shinjuku Wald 9
(03-5369-4955)
www.wald9.com
44.Theatre Shinjuku
(03-3352-1846)
www.ttcg.jp
45. Shinjuku Piccadilly
(03-5367-1144) www.
shinjukupiccadilly.com
Ikebukuro
46.Ikebukuro Humax Cinemas
(03-5979-1662)
http://e-ticket.hmxede.com
47. Shin Bungeiza (03-3971-9422)
www.shin-bungeiza.com
48.Ikebukuro Tokyu
(03-3971-2727)
49.Ikebukuro Theatre Dia
(03-3983-9793) www.ttcg.jp
50.Cinema Sunshine Ikebukuro
(03-3982-6388)
www.cinemasunshine.co.jp
51. Ikebukuro Cinema Rosa
(03-3986-3713)
www.cinemarosa.net
52. Cine Libre Ikebukuro
(03-3590-2126) www.ttcg.jp
53. Toho Cinemas Roppongi Hills
(03-5775-6090)
www.tohotheater.jp
54. Cinemart Roppongi
(03-5413-7711)
www.cinemart.co.jp
57. Iwanami Hall (03-3262-5252)
www.iwanami-hall.com
58.Jimbocho Theater (03-52815132) www.shogakukan.co.jp
60.Ueno Tokyu (03-3831-6620)
61. Shinagawa Prince Cinema
(03-5421-1113)
http://princecinema.
smartreserv.jp
62. United Cinema Toyosu
(03-6219-3000)
www.unitedcinemas.jp
63. Cinema Mediage Odaiba
(03-5531-7878)
www.tohotheater.jp
64.Pole-Pole Higashi-Nakano
(03-3371-0088)
www.mmjp.or.jp
65. Kichijoji Toa Kogyo
(0422-48-6521)
www.toakogyo.com
66.Kichijoji Baus Theater
(0422-22-3555)
www.baustheater.com
67. Kichijoji Plaza
(04-2222-5336) http://movie.
walkerplus.com
68.Kineka Omori
(03-3762-6000) www.ttcg.jp
69.Waseda Shochiku
(03-3200-8968)
www.wasedashochiku.co.jp
70.Ginrei Hall (03-3269-3852)
www.ginreihall.com
71. Shinbashi Bunka
(03-3431-4920) http://movie.
walkerplus.com
77. Toho Cinemas Kinshicho
(03-5637-1040)
www.tohotheater.jp
72. Meguro Cinema (03-34912557) www.okura-movie.co.jp
73. Sangenjaya Cinema
(03-3421-3322) http://movie.
walkerplus.com
74. Sangenjaya Chuo
(03-3421-4610) http://movie.
walkerplus.com
76. Rakutenchi Cinemas
Kinshicho
(03-3631-7020)
www.rakutenchi.co.jp
78.Heiwajima Cinema Sunshine
(03-5764-8801)
www.cinemasunshine.co.jp
79. 109 Cinemas Kiba
(03-5683-0109)
109cinemas.net
80.United Cinema Toshimaen
(03-5912-9800)
81. Warner Mycal Cinemas
Itabashi (03-3937-1551)
www.warnermycal.com
82.Toho Cinemas Minami-Osawa
(042-679-6180)
www.tohotheater.jp
83.Warner Mycal Cinemas ShinYurigaoka (044-965-1122)
www.warnermycal.com
84.Cinecitta Kawasaki
(044-223-3190)
www.cinecitta.co.jp/theater
85.109 Cinemas Kawasaki
(0570-007-109) 109cinemas.
net
86.Toho Cinemas Kawasaki
(044-230-1122)
www.tohotheater.jp
87. Movil (045-311-0330)
109cinemas.net
88.109 MM Yokohama
(045-664-0109)
www.109cinemas.net
89.Yokohama New Theatre
(045-261-2995) http://
yokohamanewtheatre.web.
fc2.com
90.Warner Mycal Cinemas
Minato Mirai (045-222-2525)
www.warnermycal.com
91. Toho Cinemas Lalaport
Yokohama (045-929-1040)
www.tohotheater.jp
92.Movix Saitama
(048-600-6300)
www.movix.co.jp
93. United Cinema Iruma
(04-2965-9999)
94.Toho Cinemas Ichikawa
Colton Plaza (047-314-0055)
www.tohotheater.jp
95.Cinema Ikspiari
(047-305-3855)
www.ikspiari.com
96.Kyosei Roza
(043-225-6355)
www.keiseikog.co.jp
97. YokohamaBurg 13
(045-222-6222)
www.burg13.com
NEW
EVENT
NEW
EVENT
the latest dish on food & drink in the big city
B i t e s
network
Dining Out
drams
Courtesy of Tokyo International Bar Show
veg
Courtesy of Connect Tokyo
Courtesy of Creme de la Creme
C
Y
A
opening
ice
order in
onnect Tokyo, a shared office space
in Shirokanedai (5F LB Bldg, 3-14-4
Shirokanedai, Minato-ku) opens its doors
once a week for people to experience
its trendy working environment. From 1-9pm on
Wednesdays, pay a crisp ¥1,000 note to gain entry to
the Drop-in & Jelly Drinks, where you can connect
to the wi-fi, study, work and network. After 6pm,
everyone pitches in ¥500, and drinks are brought in
to further lubricate the mingling action. This casual
event welcomes people to bring snacks and drinks to
share, too.
our mother always told you to eat your
vegetables, but she never said how you
had to do it. Kyoto cream-puff specialists
Crème de la Crème have brought their
patisserial knowledge to the manufacturing of a chou
cream from local vegetables to fill their tasty pastries.
Kyo Vegetable Chou comes in a veritable buffet of
flavors such as burdock, wild mustard, turnip and
more, enabling you to indulge and keep mum happy
at the same time. Could make a nice spring gift for
vegetable gourmets. From ¥1,050 for a box of 5;
http://cremedelacreme.jp
fter 7,700 thirsty aficionados gathered last
year, Whisky Live 2012 is back for more
at Roppongi Midtown, May 5-6, with the
Tokyo International BarShow. Started
in Tokyo in 2000, the event is now decidedly trendy
with the move to Midtown. Tickets are ¥5,000 and get
you access to single malt heaven and blends aplenty.
Beer and more is around for a fee, but this affair is all
about kicking out the drams. Masterclass seminars
(¥3,000) by distillers, blenders and whisky writers
let you try some damn rare bottlings, learn some
perfect food pairings, and probably go blind. www.
whiskylivejapan.com
Courtesy of Yoyo Market
F
ill yourself with the strength of a sumo
wrestler and the sexual capacity of a
rutting rhino—while narrowly avoiding a
fatal poisoning—at the powerfully named
Wolf (2F Atago Green Hills Plaza, 3-21-5 Toranomon,
Minato-ku; www.wolf.jpn.com). Specialities include
chankonabe, the famed proteinous broth that gives
sumo stars their stamina, along with the aphrodisiac
soft-shelled turtle and the notorious fugu (pufferfish),
too—all dishes bound to inject some exhilaration into
your dining experience.
T
he chunky ice cream with the
unconventional image, Ben & Jerry’s, is
coming back to Japan for the first time in 15
years. Started in 1978 by two guys (guess
their names), armed with knowledge obtained from
a correspondence course in ice-cream making, the
brand now has 815 outlets in 27 countries. The branch
hits Omotesando Hills on April 14, and will offer ice
cream, chocolate and banana sundaes, milkshakes
and some original varieties for Japan. Stop in to chomp
on a Chubby Hubby. Or just eat some ice cream.
S
urely not much more needs to be said than
“Costco, Ikea and more delivered to your door—
anywhere in Japan,” the tagline emblazoned
across the website of Yoyo Market (http://
yoyomarket.jp). Their easy-to-read English-language
info clearly explains all the details, such as the ¥950
shipping fee per box (no matter what’s in it), free delivery
over ¥30,000, how to access their friendly, accessible
support and other features likely to make the western
consumer weep with joy. Proper baking powder, 3D
paint sets, lightbulbs, pillows, it goes on…
We
welcome
all kinds
of parties.
Please
contact us.
Each
branch
has
different
hours.
www.dubliners.jp
ST. PATRICK’S DAY EVENT
Pints of Beer at all branches:
¥500
ALL
(except Akasaka) DAY!
March 17th
Guinness, Murphy’s,
Kilkenny, Ebisu
Irish Live Music
March 17-18
Akasaka closed on March 17 & 18
Toranomon closed on March 18
(Apologies for the inconvenience)
Visit our website for more information
Pub Crawl
March 1 - March 16
Collect stamps at all six Dubliners
branches to get your VIP card! Cardholders can get ¥800 pints, ¥500
half-pints and enter a draw to win
Tokyo Sevens rugby tickets
NEXT METROPOLIS PARTY:
(expires March 16th, 2013)
Ask staff for more details
17 March
Shibuya branch
open late!!!
@
FREE ENTRY
ONE COIN
DRINK
MAR 30 (FRI)
Shibuya brunch show: Rugby Union
Six Nations game: Ireland vs England
Shinjuku
03-3352-6606
Ikebukuro
03-5951-3614
Akasaka
03-3539-3615
Shibuya
03-5459-1736
Shinagawa
03-6718-2834
Toranomon
03-5501-1536
MORE INFO AT: http://metropolis.co.jp/events
the latest dish on food & drink in the big city by JEff W. Richards
Dining Out
Photos by Jeff w. Richards
izakaya review
Gaburiya
Grapefruit
cocktails and
tuna skewers in
Yokohama
W
hen I f i rst entered
Gaburiya ten years
ago I didn’t even know
what an izakaya was,
but a memorable cocktail and delicious grilled skewers have kept me
coming back despite its tiny smokefilled space. It’s time you tried it, too.
Once inside (difficult on Friday
and Saturday nights) it’s always
the same drill. First off, no matter
your drink of choice—the Gaburiya
opener is the vodka nama grapef r u it (¥6 8 0). T he g r ap ef r u it i s
freshly squeezed for each drink
right t here at t he bar (turns out
the reddish cheaper fruit make for
better juice). Trust me, you’ll want
to order another round as soon as
your first arrives.
Next, the maguro no satoyaki in
olive sauce (¥300 each). Be quick on
this one as they run out most nights.
This is their signature dish, and
what keeps me coming back. The
tuna—squared and skewered on a
stick—is lightly seared on the outside, delightfully raw on the inside
and drizzled with a near perfect
olive sauce. I’ve been trying to figure
out the recipe for a decade now and I
know this much: diced olives, garlic,
sardine, lemon, and pepper in virgin
olive oil. Order two per person. Better yet, order three because you’ll
order more once you try it.
W hile you’re at it, order from
over 60 different kinds of yakitori,
(from ¥180). Get the sasami (chicken
slightly grilled outside, practically
raw inside, ser ved with wasabi),
and the tsukune (grilled minced
chicken)—one shio kosho (salt and
pepper) and one tare (sauce).
Always a good sign for quality
restaurants in Japan, it’s packed with
young, upwardly mobile, trendy
young women. This ain’t your aging
salaryman izakaya (despite being
filled with smoke). The soft-lit dark
wooden counter and seating area
is scarred from scrapes with Louis
Vuitton handbags and f lashy baubles. A sunken private table near the
entrance is available for groups, but
you don't want that. This is one of
those places where it’s better to sit in
the thick of it all.
Rou nd out t he ch ic ken a nd
tuna with yaki onigiri (grilled rice
ball, ¥380) done yakitori st yle on
a wooden skewer and served with
soup for dipping.
Now you’re on your ow n. Be
adventurous. Ask the long-serving
tencho (the manager—who doesn’t
speak much English, but loves the
practice) for an osusume (recommended) menu item. You can’t go
wrong with the deep-fried Camembert or your straight-shooting
negima (grilled chicken and green
onion). Or try the hotate (scallop):
grilled open-faced and in their shell
with a little white wine sauce.
Collect some points to use on
your next visit at the cash desk when
you head out. Just don’t wait ten
years to tell anyone about it.
J Menu in Japanese only
Drinks from ¥500, skewers from
¥180
No nonsmoking seats
Intimate main space for the action
The maguro skewers, hip crowd,
great service
Fills fast, gets smoky
2-6-1 Minami-Saiwai, Nishi-ku,
Yokohama. Tel: 050-5816-3404.
Nearest stn: Yokohama
Open daily 5:30pm-4am
http://meturl.com/gaburiya
bar review
Tomei’s
Wine Bar
California grapes
on the Motomachi
side streets
Y
okoha ma’s Motomach i
might have lost some luster in the last few years,
with big names heading to
trendier areas like Minato Mirai, but
its eating and drinking spots haven’t
lost their charm. While the main
shopping avenue is geared towards
weddings, jewelry and brand-name
shops—the real allure has always
been Motomachi’s side streets.
Among various bars catering to
the usual tastes, Tomei’s Wine Bar,
caters to just one: the wine lover.
More specifically, the lover of wine
from California.
Native Michael Scott opened the
original Tomei’s in April 2004 across
the street. Easy to talk to and passionate about his bottles, he’s happy to
help satisfy your palate. He’s guided
many through the tasting experience—newbies and oenophiles alike.
“I also have a high conversion rate for
beer drinkers,” he says, with a laugh.
We sampled a Ferrari Carano 2008
Cabernet Sauvignon from the Alexander Valley in Sonoma. Smooth and
velvety soft, it brought back childhood aromas of Mom’s baking: hints
of molasses and maple syrup on a
messy, flour-covered counter. Drinkable and not too complex—just how I
like things.
Glasses of wine at Tomei’s average about ¥1,000—but these are big,
healthy pours for grown-ups. Pours
that make you want to wrap your
hand around the glass—rather than
pinch the stem daintily— and talk
about the day as you work through
full-bodied Merlots, Cabernet Sauvignons and summer-fruit-tinged
Sauvignon Blancs.
Prime example: the 2006 MacRostie Syrah (¥1,500) from Wildcat
Mou nta i n V i neya rd i n Sonoma
County. A little harder than the Cabernet, this was more upfront and
cool, with a bite of black pepper and
a tail of bramble fruits. While we
sampled, Scott waxed poetic about
vitis vinifera grapes and his search
for quality vintners. “We only offer
wines we like to drink ourselves,”
he says.
While most “wine bars” offer draft
and spirits with a just few wines,
Tomei's offers around 20 wines by the
glass each night, no spirits and just a
few craft beers. To sample even more
wines from The Golden State, Tomei’s
does a happy hour Tues-Fri, 5-7pm,
with 100ml glasses for ¥300, ¥600 bottled beers and ¥500 tapas dishes.
Glass wines change weekly, as
Scott doesn’t buy in volume. He
deals directly with wineries and
heads back regularly on tasting and
buying missions. As a registered
importer and wholesaler, he can
charge less for higher quality wines,
and you’ll find bottles you won’t find
anywhere else in Japan. Ensconced
on t he scenic Motomachi backstreets, Tomei’s Wine Bar could
have the same motto as California
itself—“Find yourself here.”
J/E Menu in English and Japanese
Glass wines from ¥500, bottles
¥3,000 upward
Entirely nonsmoking
One counter, an alcove for tastings
and dinners
Friendly, affordable and only from
California
Low capacity, not much seating
4-167 Motomachi, Naka-ku. Tel:
045-212-5446. Nearest stn:
Motomachi Chukagai
Open Tue-Thu, 5-11pm, Fri
5pm-midnight, Sat noon-midnight,
Sun noon-11pm, closed Mon
www.tomeis.co.jp
Teach English
One-to-One
April is the start of the new school year.
Considering a change?
Thinking to supplement your income? Look no further!
Choose your own schedule
Fit Gaba around other work or study commitments
29 convenient Kanto locations
Akabane Akasaka-Tameike Aobadai Chiba Ebisu Fujisawa-Shonan Futakotamagawa
Ginza Hachioji Ikebukuro Jiyugaoka Kashiwa Kawasaki Kichijoji Kitasenju Machida
Meguro Omiya Omotesando Otemachi Seijo Shibuya Shimokitazawa Shinbashi-Shiodome
Shinagawa Shinjuku Tachikawa Tokyo Yokohama
gaba One-to-One English
teaching-in-japan.gaba.co.jp
Application and Visa inquiries /
Apply now !
03 - 5790 -7054（ Monday - Friday 10am to 7pm ）
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To place Job ads please visit http://classifieds.
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1 AT YOUR SERVICE
1.1 Health
Acupuncture in Tokyo/
Aoyama/Shibuya area .
Non-invasive, gentle
treatment. Soothing &
relaxing. Only disposable
needles used. Fluent/nativeleve l En gli s h . In dividual
assessment, personalized
therapy program. Nurturing
and supportive atmosphere.
Fully integrated w/
conventional practices
and medication. Covered
by most foreign insurance.
Te l : 03 - 5 4 69 - 0 810
www.acuraclinic.com
MORE IN S UR A NCE F OR
LESS! Medical insurance to
fit your needs, with 3-, 6- and
12-month plans available.
Low-cost, quality coverage
wit h few exc l u s i o n s a n d
no deductibles for fast,
dependable claim payments
in Yen. Japan-licensed, with
over 60 years of experience.
Easy premium payment
by credit card or at any
convenience store. Get more
for less - with MedOne! info@
medone.jp www.medone.jp
06-6263-8688
SPORTS PHYSIOTHERAPY
( p h y s i c a l t h e r a p y) c a r e
in Hiroo. Native Engli sh speaking therapists,
specializing in sports
i n j u r i e s , p o s t- o p e ra t ive
rehabilitation, back/neck
pain, running-related,
headaches, orthotics,
ergonomic consultations,
and women’s health. www.
tokyophysio.com 03-34436769
Os t e o p a t h y
by a UK-trained, qualified
osteopath, providing safe
and effective treatment for
headaches, back/neck pains,
arthritis, nerve-compression
syndromes such as
sciatica, TMJ problems, etc.
AOP -Aoyama Osteopathy
Practice-. Visit the English
page at www. aoyamaosteopathy.com/english/
1.2 Hair & Beauty
1.8 General Services
Sophisticated Private
Hair Salon. Bondz Salon’s
owne r ha s expe rie nce in
NY. H i g h q u a l i t y s e r vi c e
and natural products.
Cut: ¥5000. Color:
¥5000~. All menu 20% off
on first visit. 1min from
A z a b u -J u b a n s t n . w w w.
bondzsalon.jp/index_.html
Reservation: 03-64265562
1.3 Moving
MOVING OVERSEAS? Call
ECONOSHIP! With over 30
years’ experience, you can
c o u n t o n Ec o n o s h i p fo r
courteous, efficient, reliable
s e r vi c e a n d r e a s o n a b l e
prices. Call, email, or see our
new website. Ask how you
can receive 10 boxes free of
charge. info@econoship.
n e t w w w. e c o n o s h i p . n e t
0120-222-111
1.7 Business Services
H o n e y Cl o v e r
Ba b y s i t t i n g a n d
Housekeeping Services.
We specialize in Englishspeaking and foreign
babysitters. We will provide
qualified babysitters who
are best suited to you and
your child. LAST MINUTE
calls ok! Reasonable
prices. Tel: 03-6431-9647
M o b i l e : 0 8 0 - 4 2 74 - 3 2 3 7
w w w. h o n e yc l ove r. c o . j p
info@honeyclover.co.jp
Lovi n g Baby Massag e .
Teaching mothers, fathers
and other family members
professional baby massage
and child yoga techniques
from internationally
acclaimed Peter Walker’s
“Developmental Baby
Massage” and “YogaGym”.
E/J. ¥3000/session. Foursession discount: ¥10,000.
Call Shino at 080-3362-0429
or email babymassage123@
gmail.com
2 FIND A PLACE
2.1 Guesthouse
Day Bar & Spa in AzabuJuban. 2min from AzabuJ u b a n s t n . Ly m p h a t i c
massage and aroma oil
treatment by professional
therapists at a stylish spa
salon. Available for both
men and women. Special
d i s c o u n t fo r M e t r o p o l i s
readers! Aroma body
treatment ¥6900/60min,
or facial treatment
with Chinese massage
plate ¥6900/60min.
Reservations: info@dayspagrace .com www.dayspa g r a c e . c o m /e n g l i s h . p d f
03-3455-0935
O n ly C u t Z o n e s a l o n
provides a hair cut
service for only ¥1000. 5min
walk from Kita se nju stn .
Friendly English-speaking
staff is available. Contact
us at 03-3882-1550. Open
from 10am until 7pm, 7 days
a week. http://meturl.com/
onlycutzone.
ARE YOU READY FOR YOUR
INDIVIDUAL TAX RETURN
F OR 2 0 1 1 ? W e a r e t a x
consultants who do income
tax for foreigners. Please
l e ave yo u r c o m p l i c a t e d
Japanese individual
t ax re tu rn to u s! S p e c i a l
cam paign on n ow! w w w.
kaori-fuchi.com/en/index.
htm l Te l : 81 -3 - 6 3 27-7 113 .
Em a il : t axreturn @ ka o ri fuchi.com
To Adverti se in Japan’s
No. 1 English magazine,
log on at www.metropolis.
co.jp/classifieds or email
your commercial ads to
TA X CON S U LTATION IN
ENGLISH! If you are anxious
about your tax return, we can
handle your problem for a
reasonable price. Please call
03-5843-6511 or email us at
is@meisei-audit.jp. Check
our website for more info:
http://takedatax.jp/
Next to Azabu-Juban and
Minami-Shinagawa stn.
Private furnished room s
in Akasaka(2min), AzabuJuban, Minami-Shinagawa,
very close to the station.
Cleaning every week. First
two months special offer
¥46,000~¥56,000/m,
utilities included. No key
money, free Internet. 日本
人向けのシェアハウスもあり、全室
インターネット・家具付個室。敷・
礼金、仲介料、水道光熱費及び保
証人不要！0 9 0 - 2 4 0 5 - 0 0 2 2
mail@bauhousetokyo.com
www.bauhousetokyo.com
2.2 Rent Under 200,000
yen
¥55,000~/
M ONT H IN
ROPPONGI .
Roppongi
¥63,000~.
Hanzomon
¥48,000~.
Ikejiri-Ohashi
¥48,000~.
Ginza ¥53,000~. Gotanda
¥48,000 ~. Kachidoki
¥48,000~. Utilities
¥7000/m. Fully furnished, w/
f r e e I n t e r n e t . Yo t s u y a
¥68,000 (utilities ¥10,000).
Dormitory ¥45,000 (utilities
¥ 5 0 0 0). N o key m o n ey,
classifieds.metropolis.co.jp
Issue
940 Issue
942
Fri, Mar 30
Fri, Apr 13
Deadline:
Deadline:
Mar 22, 3pm
Apr 5, 3pm
¥10,000 refundable deposit.
03-3560-7405 / 080-5436-1777
w w w . r o p p o n g i mayflowerhouse.com
AFFORDAB LE
APARTMENTS &
GUESTHOUSES
IN TO K YO ’ S
POPULAR
AREAS: Azabu, Roppongi,
Asakusa, Kichijoji, Yokohama
¥49,000~/m. No key money/
guarantor/brokerage fee.
O ve r 1 0 0 g u e s t h o u s e s
(Internet, utilities included)
and apartments. Call
Oakridge : 03-3 502-23 51
oakridgehousing@gmail.com
www.oakridge-housing.com
Find short or long term stays in furnished/
unfurnished apar tments
for singles and families in
the Kasai and Nishi-Kasai
area. Urban Renaissance
p ro p e r t i e s i n Ro p p o n g i ,
N i n g y o c h o , Ts u k i s h i m a
and Nishi-Ojima available.
Buy condominiums and
i nve s t m e n t p ro p e r t y.
info2@fujitomo-fh.co.jp www.
fujitomo-fh.com03-5696-2341
F ONTA N A , e s t a b l i s h e d
over 30 years ago. With a
wide range of locations
at competitive prices,
our apartments and
guesthouses are some of
the best. Let our
international team
find you the perfect
p l a c e t o l i v e i n To k y o .
fo n t a n a @ g o l . c o m w w w.
TokyoCityApartments.net
03-3382-0151
ICHII CORPOR A TION .
Over 600 affordable,
quality-furnished
apartments in central
To k yo l o c a t i o n s . N o key
m o n ey/g u a ra nto r/a g e nt
fe e re quire d . New, clean
apartments, simple contract
system, full English support.
Call us today 03-5437-5233
www.japt.co.jp
PRI V A TE F URNI S HE D
A P A RTMENT S . O d a k y u
l i n e , M u k o g a o k a -Yu e n /
Yomiuri-Land-Mae, 20/30
min from Shinjuku. Keikyu
line, Haccho-Nawate, 15min
from Shinagawa. 1K～2LDK,
¥58,000/m ～ ¥120,000/m.
Tel: 044-933-7000 Email:
mh@minowagroup.jp
w w w. minowagroup. jp/
minowahomes
S ERVICE D A PA RTMENT S
in a quiet residential area
of Hiroo. Studios and
s u i te s . 4 m i n f r o m H i r o o
s t n . R a te s : D a i ly ¥ 78 0 0.
Weekly ¥68 50 -/day.
Monthly ¥5900-/day. Over
three months ¥4950-/
day. Tax, utilities included.
f r o n t d e s k@ a z a b u c o u r t .
com w w w. azabucour t .
com/ 03-3446-8610
Toshimaya Apartments.
We have furnished
apartments in the Itabashi
area of Tokyo. Nice, sunny
2 D K a n d o n e - stu d io a re
available now. No agent
fe e , n o r e n e wa l fe e , n o
key money, no insurance
fee: all included in rent .
C h e c k h t t p : // t - h a l . c o m
t-hal-e@jcom.home.ne.jp
03-3972-6411.
YOKOHAMA APARTMENT. ONE
MONTH FREE RENT! Clean studio
apartment, w/loft, in Yokohama,
near Yayoidai stn, Sotetsu line, and
JR Totsuka stn. NO key money, one
month FREE RENT. Unit bath, flooring,
new aircon. Pets ok. ¥45,000/m.
cluboneseven2@i.softbank.jp
2.3 Rent Over 200,000 yen
TO K YO APART M ENT S .
Bilingual real-estate agency,
o f fe ri n g fu rn i s h e d a n d
unfurnished apartments
throughout central Tokyo.
Also providing shortstay serviced apartments,
relocation service, furniture
rental and property
management services.
Please call 0120-957-520
www.tokyoapartments.jp
Metropolis reserves the right to refuse, cancel or edit any ad without notice. Metropolis takes no responsibility for the quality of items or services advertised. Please carefully examine vendors or
items offered before commitment. Please be careful when contacting and arranging to meet people.
Visit classifieds.metropolis.co.jp for complete listings.
Many more Classified ads online! Please visit classifieds.metropolis.co.jp
N2 and N3. Reserve now at
our website. JLPT ACADEMY,
special school for JLPT.
www.jlpt-academy.com jlpt.
tokyo@gmail.com
3.2 Japanese Teachers
P L A Z A HOME S , L T D .
We h a v e b e e n a t r u s t e d
English-friendly real estate
agency since 1969. We
guarantee to cater to the
needs of expatriates with
our experience and
enormous database of
properties for sale or
r e n t i n To k y o . C o n t a c t
us at 03-3583- 6941 or
info@plazahomes.co.jp
h t t p : // w w w. r e a l e s t a t e tokyo.com
2.4 House Share
VILLA SARANDA.
Furn i s h e d s in gl e ro o m s ,
8min from Odakyu YomiuriLand-Mae stn ¥54,000 ¥58,500/m. ¥30,000 deposit,
plus monthly utilities. Wi-Fi,
kitchen, laundry, garden,
bathrooms part of common
area. fleetofdreams@
gmail.com 080-1672-7210
Facebook@”Villa Saranda”
http://villasaranda.blogspot.
com
ROOMM A TE W A NTE D .
Native English - speaking
roommate wanted to share
a 2DK room on the Toyoko/
To k y u l i n e . R e n t u p t o
¥ 50,000/m . Non smoker.
Contact for more details.
kanaemochizuki@yahoo.
co.jp
Housemate for Nishi Azabu/
Roppongi. Seeking a new
housemate for my bright, sunny flat
in Nishi-Azabu. 2min from Roppongi
Hills. Two floors, balcony, fully
furnished, available now. ¥90,000/m,
plus shared utilities. na_ka_to@
hotmail.com
3 EDUCATION
3.1 Japanese Schools
J APANE S E LANGUAGE
PROFICIENCY TEST: FREE
MOCK EXAM. Sun, Apr 1, JLPT
ASSOCIATION OF JAPANESE
TEACHERS. Highly qualified,
experienced in structors
offer individual/small group
lessons at your home/office/
instructor’s home. Business/
daily conversation/JLPT
available. Lesson fee from
¥2200/h at instructor’s home,
from ¥2700/h + transportation
fee at other places. Discount
n e g o t i a b l e f o r l o n g e r/
frequent /group lessons.
03-3918-0876, 044-855-5039
ajtkyokai@yahoo.co.jp http://
ajt.rakurakuhp.net/
JAPANESE LESSONS. Would
you like to study intensively in
our JLPT N2/N3 prep class? Or
would you like to study at your
own pace in a private class?
Qualified instructors welcome
you at the Nihonbashi
classroom. http://n-bridge.
net info@n-bridge.net
COSMOS CLUB JAPANESE LESSONS.
Group of volunteers offer basic
Japanese lessons for foreigners.
Every Wed, 10am-12pm. Kudan
Shogai Gakushuukan, Kudan. Nearest
stn: Kudanshita. Tel: 03-6379-6898.
kuranot@mb5.suisui.ne.jp
3.4 English Teachers
Free English Lessons. I am a new
arrival in Japan, planning to do private
lessons as a job eventually. I have no
teaching experience, so I’m offering
free lessons as practice! All I ask in
return is your feedback. fr3yjaa@
gmail.com
3.5 Language Exchange
English and Japanese. Do you want to
become a translator or interpreter? Let
me help. I’m a Canadian, 40s, seeking
someone who is a translator or who
wants to be a translator or interpreter.
Let’s meet over tea. tarry2@hotmail.
com
English and Japanese. Hi, I’m a JM, 30,
living in Tokyo. For business and personal
reasons, I’m trying to totally devote
myself to English. So, if you do not mind,
let’s do an exchange! mikankt1333@
gmail.com
English and Japanese. Canadian male,
30s, have lived in Japan 14 years, seeking
language exchange partner on Tobu-Tojo
line. I’m hoping to improve my keigo.
treblekicking@yahoo.com
English and Japanese. Foreign man
seeks language exchange. Am 55,
professional English teacher. Relaxed
and friendly person. Saitama or Tokyo.
erua2ruatiti@gmail.com
English and Japanese. I’m a Japanese
office worker, 27. I’m studying English,
but am still a beginner. For this reason,
I’m seeking an exchange partner. I’m very
interested in other cultures and people.
kasakasa.hikasa@gmail.com
English and Japanese. I am a 26-yearold Japanese man who lives in Tokyo.
Could someone teach me English?
Japanese will be taught in return.
u171082@yahoo.co.jp
English and Japanese. Hi, I’m a JF, 20.
I can help you with your Japanese. I seek
a native English speaker, M/F ok, 20-29.
mamiringorin@yahoo.co.jp
English and Japanese. JF, 30s, seeks
English speaker for exchange in AzabuOji, Namboku line. M/F, professional,
any level, with the desire to improve
Japanese, who can enjoy helping my
English. Sense of humor a plus. ejle11map@yahoo.co.jp
English and Japanese. Hi, I’m
seriously seeking someone to teach me
English, no romance. I’d be glad to help
your Japanese in return. I’m female, 23,
living in Yokohama, but my office is near
Shinjuku. kaolu711@yahoo.co.jp
English and Japanese. JF, 25, seeks
a native English speaker to exchange
language, culture, hobbies. Not really
seeking business-like lessons: more
interested in having fun hanging out.
moonstones17@gmail.com
English, Chinese, Japanese. Japanese
man seeking language exchange,
weekdays and weekends ok. Shinjuku
is convenient for me. Let’s meet up and
talk about culture, art, sports, politics,
economics. swatchskinswiss1@yahoo.
co.jp
English , French , Japanese.
European man seeking a language
exchange partner to improve his
Japanese. I can teach you Fr or E. Let’s
enjoy sharing our cultures and interests.
West of Tokyo preferable, but Yokohama
or central Tokyo are ok. understanding_
life@hotmail.com
English, French, Mandarin, Japanese.
Konnichiwa. I’m a Japanese seeking
an E, Fr, or Mand speaker. I’d be glad to
help your Japanese. I hope to hear from
you soon. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.
spherefriends7@hotmail.co.jp
German and Japanese. JF seeks Ger/J
language exchange partner. Seit Sechs
Monaten lerne ich Deutsch aber ich
spreche Englisch. F/M ok. If interested,
drop me a line. gardenstate2005@
hotmail.com
German and Japanese. Recently
back to Tokyo from Zurich. I went to a
language school for two months there
and am hoping to continue learning
German. Is anyone willing to help me?
happytown110@yahoo.co.jp
Korean and Japanese. Japanese
male, 30s, seeks a native Korean
speaker for Kor/J exchange. I like music,
reading, cooking. I hope we can learn
from each other and have some fun.
deepgreenforest@mail.goo.ne.jp
3.8 Other Languages
N ATI V E S PA NI S H - S PE A KIN G
BABYSITTER WANTED. Buscamos
un canguro de lengua materna
española para cuidar de nuestras dos
hijas (9 años, 11 años). Los miércoles
de 1-4pm. A 5mn de la estación de
Iidabashi. Pagamos ¥4000/tres
horas. laurence@sakata-cret.com
3.9 Teach Me!
TUTOR FOR FIRST GRADER. Our
son, a native English speaker, is
entering Japanese elementary
school. After-school tutor sought
one-two days/week to maintain and
develop his English reading and
writing skills. Bright, enthusiastic,
well-mannered boy. Near Meguro stn.
markandrewfritz@yahoo.com
URGENT! PART-TIME LANGUAGE
TEACHERS NEEDED. Are you tired
of absurd Japanese school/office
policies and dress codes? Pick your
own lesson fee, schedule and location,
and then students will directly contact
you! http://hello-sensei.com/en/
sensei info@hello-sensei.com
good condition; small, round, white
coffee table. Pick up Hirai, Edogawa-ku.
winniethepooh501@hotmail.com
Stand, for appliances, two shelves, all
metal, wheels available ¥500. Pick up
Nakamurabashi, Seibu-Ikebukuro line;
Saginomiya, Seibu-Shinjuku line; Koenji/
Asagaya, JR Chuo line. ohpopshop@
gmail.com
Stool, Deluxe, sturdy, adjustable height
handle, black, w/casters, fabric-covered,
rectangular-shaped seat, w/rounded
corners ¥2500. Pick up Meguro.
feetokyo@aol.com 090-8301-4489
Table, Balinese, wooden (H74xL
107xD51cm). New ¥30,000. Sell ¥4000/
obo. Pick up Moto-Azabu. Photo available.
azabusale@yahoo.com
Table, side (HDW50cm), wooden,
Balinese, w/drawer, in perfect condition.
New ¥20,000. Sell ¥3000/obo. Pick up
Moto-Azabu or pay for delivery. Photos
available. azabusale@yahoo.com
4.2 Appliances
Aircon, Mitsubishi MSZ-GM220-W,
in excellent condition, less than one
y/o. New ¥52,000. Sell ¥29,000.
Pick up Sakuragicho, Yokohama. lin_nrt@
hotmail.com
Clock, Seiko, alarm, digital, w/
electric wave correction, temperature
reading, date, am/pm, LED and alarm
functionality, in perfect condition ¥2300.
iphonecando@yahoo.co.jp
Coffee mill, Kalita CM-50, electric,
hardly used. New ¥3500. Sell ¥1500.
mbekiares@gmail.com
Fridge, Sanyo, 109L, works well, clean,
quiet ¥3000. Arrange own delivery.
matthew197b@gmail.com
Classical guitar. I am seeking
reasonably priced classical guitar
lessons. Prefer two one-hour lessons/
month. I am a beginner. Serious only.
cafeprieto@live.com
Heater, oil, w/three settings (600W,
900W, 1500W), 24-hour adjustable
timer, thermostat, used one year, in
perfect condition, w/original box ¥6000.
japanjohan@yahoo.co.jp
French lessons for piano lessons.
Hi! Female French teacher, 26, native
French speaker, seeking piano lessons
in exchange for French lessons or
conversational English. Nezu, Tokyo.
vanessango9@gmail.com
Heater, panel, electric, Uniola, DeLonghi
type (W93xH58cm), 1000W ¥12,000.
Pick up Himonya, Meguro-ku. feetokyo@
aol.com 090-8301-4489
4 HOUSEHOLD GOODS
4.1 Furniture & Fittings
Chair, Western-style Chinese, wooden
(seat: H46cm; back: H105cm). New
¥12,000. Sell ¥3000/obo. Pick up MotoAzabu or pay for delivery. Photo available.
azabusale@yahoo.com
Chair. N av y b l u e a r m c h a i r
(W68xD54xH39), in perfect condition
¥3000. Pick up near Shimokitazawa.
mixtanpopo@hotmail.com
Sofabeds, two available, beige, in
Light, ceiling, in great condition ¥1000.
Pick up Sakuragicho, Yokohama. lin_nrt@
hotmail.com
4.3 Sayonara Sale
Sayonara sale! Double bed, w/mattress,
sheet cover ¥15,000. Single Ikea bed/
mattress ¥9000. Dining table, w/two
chairs ¥5000. Aircon, mirrors, drawers,
desk, etc. take_easy328@hotmail.com
Sayonara sale! Dining table; wooden
TV stand, from FrancFranc; wooden
selves, beehive style; wooden kids’ bed;
white Ikea table; Xtreamer; five Dome
surround speakers; microwave; toaster
oven; iron; electric heater; etc. Photos
available. limor.sagi@hotmail.com 0803318-2123
Sayonara sale! Large fridge, washer,
microwave/oven, sofabeds, TV and stand,
table and chairs, stove, kotatsu, lights and
shades, storage drawers, heater, fan. Pick
up Tsurumi, Yokohama. Available in May.
rebeccalyons23@hotmail.com
Sayonara sale! Fridge (150cm), in good
condition ¥15,000/obo. Sony Vaio laptop
¥17,000/obo. Bookshelves, coffeemaker,
Muji chair, etc. Pick up Shonandai.
spiritjest@hotmail.com 09085007598
4.6 For Kids
Saitama English Playgroup. We’re an
English-speaking playgroup for families
with kids aged 0-12. We meet regularly
for birthdays, play dates and holidays.
Call/email Amy for information. long@
sta.att.ne.jp or 048-883-2536.
Trike, Ides Cargo ¥6000. Toy Story
scooter, new ¥2700. Nursery goods,
male toddlers’ clothes, etc. Pick up Ebisu.
meryamsaied2108@gmail.com
4.7 For Free
Audio-visual equipment. Sony DVD
player, Marantz amp and speakers,
in working condition. sergeimagic@
hotmail.com
Humidifier, small. Chakubarai. Photo
available. rosenbauer70@gmail.com
Mobile, jungle-themed, attaches to side
of crib, in good condition. Pick up only
Moto-Azabu. azabusale@yahoo.com
Table, coffee, dark wood and glass,
in good condition. Pick up Shibuya/
Omotesando area or takkyubin.
cnrbond@live.com
Various items. Washer; sofa, seats three;
two mattresses. Koenji. Details available.
k_mccourt@lycos.com
5 HOBBIES & INTERESTS
5.2 Sports Equipment
Shoes, golf, Footjoy Softjoy, white,
waterproof, US size 5W/23cm, w/hard
spikes, new, in original box ¥5500.
Pick up Meguro-ku. feetokyo@aol.com
090-8301-4489
Ski equipment. Skis, 172cm ¥2700.
Poles: 105-120cm ¥1000. 62cm ¥500.
Ski boots: Raichle, 22cm ¥3500.
Dachstein, 23cm ¥2000. Pick up
Meguro. feetokyo@aol.com 0908301-4489
Treadmill, in perfect condition
¥15,000/obo. Pick up Nishi-Koyama.
agusplastra@gmail.com
5.3 Musical Equipment
Guitar, USA Fender Strat, vintage
‘79, w/Boss ME-8 multi-effects pedal,
Piano, Yamaha P-140, digital, built-in
loudspeakers, w/stand and pedal,
in perfect condition, bought in ‘09
¥55,000. Pick up Kagurazaka. cjriach@
hotmail.com
problems and also offer a data
recovery service in Tokyo. We
provide a range of computer
services to corporate, small
and medium-sized businesses,
and individual PC and Mac
users as well. Onsite call and
English computers for sale.
Rentals also available. 1min
walk from JR Yamanote line,
Hamamatsucho stn S5 exit,
3min from Daimon subway
B4 exit. 10am-6:30pm.
Call 03-3437-2312.
www.tokyoit.jp/english
5.4 Books/CD/DVD
8.2 Hardware
gig bag, strap, two packs of strings,
well-used, in good working condition
¥149,000/obo. Pick up Shirokanedai.
geoff.wooden@gmail.com 090-24845146
in English. Call 03-5573-8776
or email mac@autodirect.
jp www. autodire ct . jp/
Keyboard, Casio CTK-230, in excellent
condition, w/adapter and metal stand
¥6500. Pick up Komaba-Todaimae.
hala__87@hotmail.com
Books, English, topics include
Japan, business, reference, finance,
marketing, MBA, etc., in very good
condition: cheap. allanjardine9@
gmail.com
Books, around 50, fiction and
nonfiction ¥300/each. Cheaper if you
take a few. Pick up Nishi-Ogikubo.
cjriach@hotmail.com
Dictionary, English, Pocket Oxford
¥500 firm. Pick up Azabu-Juban stn.
max_815@yahoo.com
English teaching materials. Eight
books available: Side by Side 1; New
Headway: Pre-intermediate Student’s
Book; New Headway: Beginner
Student’s Book; Techniques and
Principles in Language Teaching; etc.
¥3000. euniceinjapan@gmail.com
Japanese learning materials. Seven
books available: Minna no Nihongo I,
Minna no Nihongo I: Translation and
Grammatical Notes, Minna no Nihongo
II, Basic Kanji Book: Volume 1, etc.
¥3000. euniceinjapan@gmail.com
Kurosawa, 16 -volume limited
edition, out-of-print, complete works,
in Japanese, unmarked condition,
in “book boxes” ¥10,000/all.
allanjardine9@gmail.com
Pregnancy/parenting books. The
Baby Book, Sears; Womanly Art of
Breastfeeding, LLLI; The Sleepeasy
Solution, Waldburger; Solve Your
Child’s Sleep Problems, Ferber; in great
condition ¥300/each. Discount for all.
Pick up Azabu area or chakubarai.
azabusale@yahoo.com
5.5 Gaming
Gamepad, ThrustMaster Ferrari
Motors F430 Challenge, limited edition
¥2500. Pick up Azabu-Juban stn.
Details, photos available. max_815@
yahoo.com
Motorbike, Ducati, remote-controlled,
roughly the size of a large house cat
¥3000. mbekiares@gmail.com
5.7 Pets
JCEAUTOS-THEAUTOMOBILE
PRO F E S S ION A L S .
Specializing in car sales,
buy-backs, door-to - door
s h i p p i n g , l o n g - te r m c a r
storage and any other carrelated matters. If you need
assistance with your car, we
are here to help. Tel: 03-68683 3 6 6 o r 0 9 0 - 93 6 2- 5 0 9 8
inquiries@jce-autos.jp www.
jce-autos.jp
6.2 Motorbikes, Parts,
& Accessories
HONDA CB400, ‘93, new shaken,
13,000km, in perfect condition, full
maintenance, new tires, shaken
until Dec ‘13, reliable, fun, easy to
drive ¥290,000. Tel: 090-1702-7860.
artemyev@i.softbank.jp
6.3 Bicycles, Parts, &
Accessories
2010 LADY’S BIKE, almost new,
21-speed, in superb condition,
l ig ht ye ll ow, w/b a s ket i n th e
front , night lights , lock . New
¥40,000. Sell ¥12,000/obo. Pick up
Akasaka. mchensan@gmail.com
080-3753-6807
Bike trainer, Minoura VFS150, indoor,
works perfectly ¥6000. Pick up NishiOgikubo. cjriach@hotmail.com
Bike, Bridgestone Angelino, light blue,
used two years, w/wind cover. New
¥70,000. Sell ¥29,000. Pick up Ebisu.
meryamsaied2108@gmail.com
Bike, 20”, foldable, white, in working
condition, six-gear, rear disc brake,
automatic light ¥10,000/obo. Pick up
Nishi-Koyama or Gakugei-Daigaku.
agusplastra@gmail.com
Road bike, Devinci Millennium Optimum
Carbon C-T, 61cm, suits rider around
187cm, Ultegra 9-speed shifters, derailleur,
105 cranks, brakes, XSR-2 rims, Schwalbe
tires, Serfas saddle, Cateye computer,
Sachs bottle holder, Shimano SPD pedals
¥100,000. cjriach@hotmail.com
iPad 1 16GB, Wi-Fi, in good condition, w/
many covers ¥25,000. maryryu2002@i.
softbank.jp
Keyboard, Mac, Japanese, aluminum,
full-sized ¥4000. mbekiares@gmail.
com
New year,
new you.
Try Yuri: our new junior stylist
cut ¥5,500!
colour 30% off your first time!
SIN DEN
Hair Makeup & Nails
03.3405.4409 www.sinden.com
Printer/scanner/copier, HP C4480,
three y/o ¥1000. Pick up Kichijoji.
alininja1@yahoo.co.uk
Scanner, IRISPen Executive 6,
digitizes text, w/drivers and character
recognition software, Win/Mac ¥4000.
mbekiares@gmail.com
To Advertise In Japan’s No.1 English
magazine, log on at www.metropolis.
co.jp/classifieds or email your
commercial ads to commercial@
metropolis.co.jp
10 HELP!
10.2 Support
NEE D TO TA LK ?
We’re here to listen.
TE L L ( T o k y o
English Life Line)
provides free,
anonymous
telephone counseling everyday,
9am to 11pm, by trained volunteers:
03-5774-0992 . Affordable and
professional face-to-face counseling
in Tokyo and Yokohama in multiple
languages, a preferred CIGNA and
I n t e r n a t i o n a l S O S / TRIC A RE
provider: 03-4550-1146. Information
on resources, Adult Talk lectures,
Exceptional Parenting workshops,
and other events available on the
TELL website: www.telljp.com
Alcoholics Anonymous Tokyo. If
you have a problem with drinking, we
can help. English-speaking meetings
daily. 03-3971-1471 inquiries@
aatokyo.org http://aatokyo.org
12 SOCIAL SCENE
12.1 Let’s Party
7 GENERAL
NEXT WEB SENSATION? Fun-loving
8-year-old tuxedo kitty needs a new
home. Kocha is playful, talkative
and loves people and their shoes!
Free to a loving home. Please
contact Sadia at 090-1806-4739 or
sadiadancer@yahoo.com
Litter box, Littermaid Elite, selfcleaning, new, w/24 extra receptacles
¥10,000. mbekiares@gmail.com
6 VEHICLES
6.1 Cars, Parts, &
Accessories
7.2 Fashion
Jacket, Savile Row, men’s, leather,
brown, size M, neck-sleeve end 89cm,
in excellent condition, hardly worn
¥6000. exlen@hotmail.com
Jersey, Boston Red Sox, #18, XL. New
¥29,000. Sell ¥12,000. Pick up Hiroo.
togoshiblue@yahoo.com
Wallet, Prada, black, enamel, in good
condition ¥6000. mercedio@gmail.com
Wig, deluxe, full bob, black, w/slight
brownish tinge, w/storage box ¥3000.
Pick up Meguro. Photos available.
feetokyo@aol.com 090-8301-4489
8 COMPUTERS
8.1 Services
AUTO DIRECT is a one-stop
shop for all your motor
equipment and services
in English. Buying cars in
Japan? Rent/sell/lease cars,
import your favorite car from
outside Japan, and insurance
GINZA WORLD FRIEND S
PARTY - SPRING SPECIAL.
Sat, Mar 17, 6-8:30pm, at Cafe
de Centro. Ginza’s only
full-scale and the biggest
international party. Meet
200 people. All-you-cand ri n k a n d fre e s n a c k s .
¥3000. party@goover.co.jp
www.worldfriends-party.com
T o k y o IT S e r v i c e s .
We fix all kinds of computer
JAPAN INTERNATIONAL
Sat, Mar 24, 6:30-9pm, Devi
Fusion (Roppongi). Japan’s
biggest international party.
Meet 250 new people. Allyo u - c a n - d ri n k a n d fre e
snacks. ¥3000-3500 (JM).
Mobile: getyourfriend.com/
mobile/. jiparty@hotmail.
com 090-1735-5405 www.
getyourfriend.com
SPECIAL INTERNATIONAL
Sat, Mar 31, 6-8:30pm,
Po lyg o n (O m ote s a n d o).
Held by Japan’s biggest
international friendship
site and English portal site.
2 5 0 p e o p l e . Eve r yb o dy
welcome! All-you- can drink and snacks. ¥3000.
sip@toeiclesson.com www.
toeiclesson.com/sip/
JR HARAJUKU Sta.
2
3
OTA MEMORIAL
HARAJUKU MUSEUM OF ART
QUEST
SOFT
BANK
NIKE
MUJI
1
LAFORET
HARAJUKU
ZARA
5
6
Tokyo Metro
MEIJI-JINGUMAE
‘Harajuku’ Sta.
4
7
Aesthetic
Dentistry
FREE
COUNSELING
FOR
METROPOLIS
READERS
Ceramics
Implants
Orthodontics
Closed Wed. & Hols.
1F Osakabe Bldg, 5-46-12
Jingumae, Shibuya-ku.
Tel: 03-3486-4484.
info@aoyama-omotesando.jp
www.aoyama-omotesando.jp
GAITOMO INTERNATIONAL
PARTY, TOKYO. Gaitomo
International Party is held
every weekend. Sat, Mar
10, 7:30-10:30pm, @Spoon
Bread Jiyugaoka. Mar 24,
7:30-10:30pm, @Nishi-Azabu
Lounge CADENAS. Cash bar.
¥1500. info@gaitomo.com
http://gaitomo.ninja-web.net
“EDES Event” - Learn and
enjoy. Mar 18, 3-5pm, Aurra
S h i b uya . ¥2 5 0 0/p e r s o n ,
includes food and drinks.
Information on Fukushima
animals, tsunami debris, w/
film, photo exhibit of Tohoku
area. Location: http://hwsa8.
gyao.ne.jp/aurra/. Contact:
www.facebook.com/
events/386422788035724/
or canada_water05@
yahoo.ca
TOKYO INT’L FRIENDSHIP
PARTY. Best int’l party every
w e e k e n d i n M a r c h ! Fr i ,
16: TGIF party at Velours,
M inami -Aoyam a! Sat , 17:
Ebisu! Fri, 23: TGIF party,
Roppongi Quest! Sat, 24:
Kanda! Also, Tokyo speed
dating: Mar 18 and Apr 1.
Please check website!
www.internationalparty.
com/index _e.html best@
internationalparty.com
still on
the hunt?
more ads online:
classifieds.
metropolis.co.jp
13 CLUBS & INTERESTS
13.1 Sports
Strong, beautiful, flexible
Transform your body & soul at
BASI PILATES!
Offering you “Authentic Pilates”
Metropolis Campaign
Admission Fee: ¥15,750 ¥0
Trial Machine Private Lesson: ¥10,000 ¥8,400
Package 3 Machine
Private Lessons
¥30,000 ¥18,000
Machine Private Lessons available at our Roppongi studio
Lessons in English available
Studios in Roppongi, Ginza, Nakameguro and more
03-6425-7054 • roppongi@basipilates.jp
www.basipilates.jp/english/
A M ERI C AN F OOT B ALL .
Nihon Unisys Bulls, X league
Central Division, seeks fit
players w/ US college football
experience for all positions.
Practice every Sat/Sun from
10am-3pm (including meeting)
in Tokyo/Saitama (time & venue
subject to change). Attendance
at practice must be over 60%.
Please contact for tryout info
and send your profile to team
admin. bullsxleague@gmail.
com http://www.unisys.co.jp/
football/
Kal
i
Majapah it –
S o u t h e as t
Asian Martial
Arts Seminar.
Sun, Mar 25,
9:30am-5:30pm, Mita. Fee:
¥8000. Master Fred Evrard,
founder, will hold a special
seminar in Japan. 080-4173-
7544 or japan@kalimajapahit.com to reserve.
www.kali-majapahit.com
ages, shapes and sizes welcome.
ycacrugby@hotmail.com http://
ycacrugby.com
ALL-NATIONALITY TOUCH
FOOTBALL . N o n - co nt a c t
t a g r u g b y ( OZ t a g ) a n d
Rugby League players. We
play every Sat from 10am in
Tatsumi. M/F and beginners
welcome! Good exercise and
fun! Many other activities
such as BBQs and drinking
parties! Email for details.
tokyorugbyleague@
hotmail.com http://ameblo.
jp/tokyo13warriors
Volleyball Club Intervoll. Japanese
and foreign volleyball players gather in
Takadanobaba to enjoy playing. Have
at least a basic level and want to play
volleyball in a friendly atmosphere?
intervollclub@yahoo.co.jp http://
intervoll.sakura.ne.jp/
AMATEUR RUGBY LEAGUE
PLAYERS . Japan ANZAC S
rugby league team is looking
for rugby league players for
J a pa n e s e Ru g by Le a g u e
official games from Apr to
S e p. Eve r yo n e we lco m e .
For more details, contact
japananzacs@gmail.com
FENCIN G IN TOKYO. Th e
YMC A F e n c i n g Te a m i s
looking for new members!
Fencing is both a mental and
physical sport that is fun and
challenging! Both Japanese
and foreigners, beginners
and advanced fencers
welcome! ymzk@king.odn.
ne.jp for more information!
English inquiries welcome.
h t t p : // m e m b e r s 3 . j c o m .
home.ne.jp/tokyo -ymcafencingteam/home.html
13.2 Leisure
Sewing Classes. Interested in
learning sewing and tailoring
te c h n i q u e s u s i n g t h e s ewi n g
machine, and patternmaking?
Various workshops and classes can
be booked at http://sewingcircle.
wordpress.com
Tokyo Extreme Weekenders. For
those who like to escape into nature
to enjoy four seasons of adventure
and activities with like-minded people,
our purpose is to have fun and fulfilling
weekends. Subscribe to mailing list
for latest details. tokyoweekenders@
yahoo.com http://tokyoweekenders.
jimdo.com/
13.3 Arts
Art model for fashion art
photography by individual
photographer. No payment, but
will provide a DVD or prints for your
time in return. Please contact for
more details. dreamforart@nifty.
com
Love Shakespeare? Amate ur
group in Tokyo, meeting once/month
to celebrate our love of the Bard.
Come to read or just to listen. All
nationalities welcome, no experience
necessary! rchrd_schwartz@yahoo.
com http://groups.yahoo.com/group/
Shakespeare-sama/
13.4 Music
Join the NAB Tokyo Goannas.
Aussie Rules Footy in Japan with
your mates. Please check out our
website or email us for training
details. Season launch: Mar
31, 2pm, Hobgoblin Roppongi.
www.tokyogoannas.com
tokyogoannas@gmail.com
TAMBOURELLI. Very unique new
s p o r t fro m S cotl a n d . U s i n g a
tambourine-like instrument as
a sports racquet, players hit a
shuttlecock! We play two or three
ti m e s/m o nth o n we e ke n d s i n
Meguro with many socials. Join us!
More details: www.tamjapan.org/
en/ info@tamjapan.org
Aikido in English. Seidokan Aikido of
Tokyo invites you to practice a modern
style of aikido in an international
environment. Sat, 1-3pm, Itabashi-ku,
Toei Mita/Saikyo line. We welcome men
and women, foreign and Japanese.
dojo@tokyoseidokan.com www.
tokyoseidokan.com 03-5994-1185
Advanced tennis! Advanced tennis
players wanted for our group. We
play in central Tokyo, Minato-ku, on
weekday evenings and weekends.
Level must be advanced/competitive,
between 4.5 and 5.5 USTA rankings.
Great people, fun workouts. tennis.
tokyo@yahoo.fr
A m e r i c a n b a s ke t b a l l c l u b
seeking foreign and local players
for competitive 5-on-5 indoor
games. Located in Minato-ku. All
levels welcome. Get fit, have fun and
make new friends! Details available.
sabatokyo@hotmail.com
Futsal players wanted by a very
friendly international team. Practice is
in Tokyo and Kanagawa on Sat. Details
available. fkkyn468@ybb.ne.jp
Interested in tai chi? Then why not
start now! Take a step to counter the
stresses of daily living. Practice is in
Toyama Park on Sun mornings, near
Takadanobaba stn. chifact@gmail.com
Rugby in Tokyo. Tokyo’s top rugby
club. Own ground, showers, jacuzzi,
bars, restaurants. Two teams, weekly
fixtures, free beers, birds, international
tours and great camaraderie. All
Bassist wanted for alternative rock
band. Must have stage and recording
experience. Influences include
U2, Evanescence, Oasis, Dido, etc.
firstdown49@yahoo.co.jp
Melodic hardcore band seeking
drummer. We play melodic hardcore
and punk. You can listen to our songs at
our Myspace page. If interested, email
us. twelvesunday@gmail.com http://
www.myspace.com/1004984417
Soul sax player sought by JM
soul vocalist (+ guitar, bass, drums,
keyboard) for originals and covers.
Favorites: Marvin Gaye, Stevie
Wonder, Sly Stone, The Isley Brothers,
Donny Hathaway, Aretha Franklin, etc.
beautifulboysean@gmail.com
13.5 Mind, Body, Spirit
BASIC BUDDHISM COURSE IN
ENGLISH. Every 3rd Tue, 10am-12pm:
Feb 21, Mar 20, Apr 17, May 15, June
19, July 17, Aug 18, Oct 16, Nov 20,
Dec 18 at Fumonkan 5F, 2-6-1 Wada,
Suginami-ku, Tokyo. Near subway
Honancho stn on Marunouchi
line. Lecture by Dr. Miriam
Levering of International Buddhist
Congregation. Free. ibc-rk@almond.
ocn.ne.jp www.ibc-buddhism.info/
basic-2012.html 03-5341-1230
Diamond Way Buddhism Tokyo.
Do you want to explore your own
mind? Guided Buddhist meditation
every Sun, 6pm, near Azabu-Juban.
International practitioners, beginners
welcome, Japanese spoken. Please call
090-3598-3072 for more information.
daginia@gmail.com http://www.
diamondway.jp/
13.9 International
Intercultural activities. JII (Japan
Intercultural Institute) is a nonprofit, member-run organization
that sponsors activities (seminars,
cultural events, conferences) for
those wanting to further develop
intercultural competencies and
meet other interculturalists. yuko.
bolick@japanintercultural.org www.
japanintercultural.org
JANZ Ladies Group. We’re a friendly
JOBS
To advertise:
03-4550-2929
GREENGRASS, an international
hostess club in Roppongi, seeks female
English speakers and international
ladies. Good salary of ¥3500/h and
good bonus. Please call 03-3401-3788
or 090-7202-9208. 日本人歓迎.
CHAT HOSTS & TEACHERS WANTED
@ LEAFCUP (Tokyo, Yokohama ,
Om iya). Se eking enthusiastic &
proficient Korean, French, Spanish,
German, and/or English speakers
who c a n te ac h a n d le a d l ive ly
conversations @ chat tables and group
lessons. ¥1000-¥1800/h. Apply online:
www.leafcup.com/job.htm
SAKURA is seeking hostesses for its
girls’ bar in Roppongi. ¥1800~¥3000/h,
plus 50% back system. Any nationality
o k . Wo r k i n g h o u r s : 8 p m - 1 a m .
Part-time ok. Please call after 10pm.
090-9990-0990
Native English teacher to teach
in Jiyugaoka, part and full-time. Base
salary is over ¥250,000/m. University
degree and teaching experience
preferred. Please send your resume
to B M C b y e m a i l . Jiyugaoka@
bmc-eikaiwa.jp or fax 03-5731-3392.
and supportive organization for women
from Australia and New Zealand living
in Japan, and Japanese women who
have lived in either Australia or New
Zealand. mloheni@gmail.com http://
www.janzladies.com 090-6560-0640
14 PERSONALS
14.1 Friends
“Risk.” I used to play the board game
“Risk,” but I’ve forgotten how to play.
Would anyone come to play and teach
us? Thanks! tanno@cup.com
Female pop/rock singer sought
by male Japanese guitarist. Perform
around Tokyo. Pop, rock! Hannah
Montana/Miley Cyrus, etc. kamikaze_
vibe@hotmail.com
From Denmark or Germany? If so,
drop me a line! JF, 30s, seeks Danes
and Germans for friendship because
she’s a huge fan of both countries
and wants to learn the languages and
cultures more. Nonsmokers, 28-37
preferred. b2jw13@hotmail.co.jp
Let’s talk in English or Italian! Hi,
I’m a friendly, gentle, serious, mature
JF, mid-30s, seeking friends for having
a chat over caffè, or beer or wine. I
love traveling, cooking, music, films,
walking, playing with dogs. Ciao!
stellina45@gmx.com
Survey Participants Wanted.
Fill out surveys based on profile details
provided by you. Payment depends
on project. Free registration. Check
website for more job opportunities.
w w w. o v e r s e a s l i n k . j p / i n f o @
comebackhouse.jp
writes of passage
Love travel? Want to help others understand Japan? Fancy
free flights, hotel stays and more? Become a JapanTourist
contributor. Writers of all levels welcome.
www.japantourist.jp/about/contributing
SALES EXECUTIVE wanted!
R - d x . co . , Ltd . N o w h i r i n g
PC- operators and net models.
Conversational Japanese speakers
preferred. Many cute Cos ready!
Dorm ready! Double-work welcome!
Trial welcome! Average ¥3000/h +
¥10,000/day bonus depending on
your potential. Open 24 hours, flexible
time (early birds, night owls welcome!).
Work at Ikebukuro, Fussa, Shin-Koiwa
office. Work from home available. Tel:
090-6256-9339
Metropolis is seeking an E/J Sales Executive to join the most successful English
language advertising team in Japan. Great opportunity to work in advertising (online
and paper) in an exciting media environment. If you have an interest in advertising
sales and have got the skill, style and confidence, we’d like to hear from you. Please
send your resume (E/J) to jobs@metropolis.co.jp
EMBASSY OF BRAZIL seeks bilingual
Portuguese/Japanese or English
full-time assistant cook, w/experience.
I n fo r m a t i o n a t www. b ra se m b.
or.jp/top_topics/editalAPO2.html.
kazumi@brasemb.or.jp
TeTeS is seeking E/J bilingual cafe staff,
M/F ok. Working location: Nishi-Azabu/
Toyosu. ¥1000~/h. http://organic.
munchiesdeli.com/ fernando@
nonpi.com 080-5896-7938
Sales Intern. Metropolis is seeking
an E/J bilingual intern to join the
most successful English-language
advertising team (Restaurants & Bars
team) in Japan. Great opportunity to
learn about advertising in an exciting
environment. No pay, but transportation
provided. Please fax your resume (E/J) to
03-4550-2859 or email: knakashima@
metropolis.co.jp
Urgent! I’m forgetting how to speak
English. I need a foreign friend to
remember it. You don’t need to be a
native English speaker, just friendly,
please. Tokyo JM seeking new friend
to hang around Tokyo, day and night.
tapness@hotmail.com
British male, 31, friendly, tall, slim,
seeking a nice girl to hang out with.
Nationalit y/race unimpor tant ,
but should be 20-35 and have a
nice personality. Interested in
music and film: you should be, too.
shiodomebye@gmail.com
14.2 Men Looking For
Women
Coffee without cigarettes. SJM,
mid-3 0 s , se eks conversation ,
coffee, drinks, lunch, dinner, your
smile and hopefully a meaningful
relationship. My interests are music,
art, photography, painting, movies,
jokes and you. No playgirls, please.
happymantarou@yahoo.com
S UBMI S S I V E S J M . C u t e
submissive SJM, 33, is seriously
seeking a woman who is into, or
interested in, dominating men.
I a m s o s u b m i s s i ve , w i t h s i x
years’ experience, that I can take
whatever and can serve you in
any way. slaveintokyo@gmail.
com
All hands on deck. Wealthy,
handsome, generous American
executive seeking attractive, discreet
sugar baby(ies) to keep my friends
and me company on our business
trips to Tokyo. Stay at five-star hotels
and wine and dine at Tokyo’s best
restaurants. You must be intelligent,
fashionable, sexy and funny. Mail/
photo to ohothello@me.com
Believe or not? Do you think
Japanese guys who place ads here are
usually not attractive? If you think so,
please write me. No regrets! tapness@
hotmail.com
Cool and unique SJM seeks cute,
sincere, interesting SWF or JF for
friendship and additional fun. Let’s
share various ideas and impressive
experiences. Will you help me reach
out and find you? dreamones@gmail.
com
Cool JM, intelligent, interesting,
seeks attractive foreign or Japanese
girl for friendship or possibly more.
Let’s share and talk about interesting
and exciting things and meet face-toface. Looking forward to hearing from
you. funfun2006@mail.goo.ne.jp
Do you like beards? Canadian,
30-something, with a full beard,
seeking a woman who likes beards
and the outdoors. treblekicking@
yahoo.com
Foreign male seeking chubby JF.
Seeking a female, 20-45, for a longterm friendship and more. I’m a kind,
sincere, single Asian male, early 40s,
living in Saitama. Serious females only,
please. kiss_nd_love@hotmail.com
through a rough time lately; need
some new people to talk, laugh, eat,
and maybe BBQ with! I’m a SWM, 30,
seeking an understanding SJF who’s
smart, fun, likes to talk, around Tokyo
or Matsudo. egao.egao@hotmail.com
Girlfriend along the Keio line
sought by JM, 182cm, 76kg. Music,
movies, Japanese and spicy foods.
pear4one@yahoo.co.jp
My Japanese girlfriend? American in
Japan seeking a Japanese girlfriend to
share a long or short-term relationship.
Travel, adventure and fun await. Join
me on this wild ride. Clothing optional.
hatsutown@yahoo.com
Good-looking and exotic JM,
33, caring, friendly, seeking a
warmhearted woman. I watch movies
and listen to classical music. I’m fluent
in J/E. Language exchange is welcome,
too! sipping_dita@hotmail.co.jp
Great, fun time. Just contact this
outgoing, international, smiley
Japanese who is seeking a sweetheart.
Books, comedy, shopping, cooking,
and more are favorites. Sounds great
if we have a chat w/beautiful cuisine,
huh? ultrachocolate2010@yahoo.
com
H and some and ge ntle SJ M
seeks well-educated, interesting,
nonsmoking Caucasian female to
share wonderful times and make a
good friendship. So let’s start our
communication and understand each
other. If no experience, just try me.
healsan@yahoo.com
Handsome single guy seeks serious
relationship with a wonderful SJF. Let’s
be friends first, then get to know each
other better. Photo of you is a must. No
gamers. tokyoilike@yahoo.co.uk
Humble gentleman. Active, attractive
gentleman, kind, generous, cultured,
well-educated. I appreciate good,
charming women with qualities. I bring
good, happy things to relationships.
I’m new to this site. I hope to find a life
partner. Email w/photo. Serious only.
rendez_vous33@hotmail.com
Interested in JMs? I’m a JM who is
very much into Western (Caucasian)
women. I’m a professional, sexy,
with good manners, and overseas
experience. Email me if you wanna
hang out! nipponish@gmail.com
Japanese girlfriend, 18-26, with
lots of free time, especially in the
afternoon, sought. I’m 178cm, have
blond hair and blue eyes - cute like a
young DiCaprio. Mail me for my photo!
togoshiblue@yahoo.com
Kiwi guy, early 30s, seeking JF for
friendship and more. I am an active
Kiwi guy into snowboarding, cooking
and keeping active. I am in Tokyo for
one month from Feb 27. Would love to
meet a cool JF for friendship and more.
lukemnicholas@gmail.com
Mature lover. Young SJM, early
30s, seeking mature girlfriend over
50. I might be unusual, but I only like
mature women. Japanese women also
welcome. shimijimi@auone.jp
Movie friend. SJM, 31, almost
bilingual, loves traveling and movies,
seeks someone to go to the movies
with, and to talk with after the movies
to get to know each other well as a
first step! rainbowaftertherain@
hotmail.co.jp
Moving on to better things! Going
Pretty woman for my love. Seeking
a cute, romantic, happy SJF, 25-35, for
friendship and hopefully a serious
relationship if the chemistry is good.
I’m a single Canadian male, 40, 184cm,
with an athletic body. I like sports,
nature, music, and traveling. Let’s
have some fun together. glowbend@
hotmail.com
14.3 Women Looking
For Men
SINGLE? Then this is for you.
Singles-only dating parties,
every Fri night, for foreign
men and Japanese women.
Leave the event with a new
date! Always more women
than men. FREE if signing up
in advance! ¥2000 otherwise.
info@exeo-international.
com
Romance with an older lady. Very
nice and sexy gentleman seeks an
older, or much older, woman to have
nice dates and a romance. feeltokyo@
yahoo.co.uk
Run away, little girl! I’m a selfish,
arrogant, rich, handsome, fit American
man, 34. I do what I want, when I want.
Seeking a cute JF, 26-34, thin, classy,
TOEIC 800+. No stalkers, please.
enigma626@gmail.com
Seeking a mature woman. American
guy, 24, needs a mature woman’s
touch. I have a great sense of humor,
lots of energy, and am extremely
good-looking. Let’s get together and
have some fun. Darbyshaw891@
hotmail.com
Seeking female friend. Hi, I am a JM
living in Tokyo. I’m 34, 176cm, 66kg.
My hobbies are movies, the outdoors,
traveling abroad, basketball, drinking.
I’d like to enrich my sensibility
through contact with other cultures.
tomdai1116@hotmail.co.jp
Are you the one? If you can respect
others and are a one-girl-only type of
person, please drop me a line. I’m an
attractive businesswoman seeking
a successful, single businessman to
share and enjoy life with. Nonsmokers
only. loveurpp@gmail.com
Seeking serious girlfriend. Kind
guy, 45, good-looking, open-minded,
talkative, loves nature, seeks serious
Japanese girlfriend. I like the gym,
good food, nice wine. Nihongo ok
desu. benjabenja14@yahoo.com
Attractive JF, 30s, in Tokyo, seeks a
Caucasian businessman, nonsmoker,
over 40, fun to be with. Let’s meet
after work and see if we click.
hanatokyoplane@yahoo.co.jp
UK lady. SJM, 30s, tall, slim, lover
of books, films, and music, seeks an
attractive British lady with the same
interests. hurryondownboy@yahoo.
co.jp
Wanted: attractive SJF. SWM,
intelligent, confident, gentle, goodlooking, sense of humor, medium
height, solid build, seeking a mature,
educated, attractive, nonsmoking
SJF for a meaningful relationship
with possibilities. Reply w/photo.
ulysses2020@live.jp
Why not? Bored? Want more
excitement? Wanna practice your
English at the same time? I’m a tall,
handsome, 29-year-old British guy
seeking a sexy JF, mature works, for
food, karaoke, dating, sex. tall.brit.
boy@gmail.com
International Japanese guy. JF seeks
an international-minded Japanese guy,
up to 40, for a serious relationship,
possibly leading to marriage. It would
be perfect if he has lived abroad or
has been with a non-Japanese female
before. soleil735@gmail.com
Best friend and boyfriend sought by
cute, fun, adventurous SJF, 39. Please
email w/photo. Intellectual SWM with
superb sense of humor and love of
traveling preferred! Serious only.
nacchi900@excite.co.jp
Classical music concerts together.
Attractive SJF, 37, hobby pianist,
seeking a man who knows how to feel
and appreciate classical music for
listening to it live together. We can do
much more if the chemistry is there.
eioj_ed_enier@yahoo.co.jp
European? I would like to meet a
European gentleman for a serious
relationship. I’m a Japanese female,
30s. red99c@hotmail.com
Fine Japanese woman. I’m a SJF,
mid-30s, tall, slim, with dark, straight
hair, seeking a single and successful
gentleman, 30s-40. Would you like to
talk over coffee with me? Nonsmokers
only! namakemono_girl@hotmail.com
Friendship first. SJF, 30, 5’4”, welleducated, funny, sociable, nonsmoking,
Romantic love with me? SF, 30s,
seeks a caring, reliable life partner,
35-45, with a good career, who deserves
all my love and beauty, to share a happy
life together. linsusany@yahoo.com
Serious only. SJF, 32, seeking special
someone to care for and settle down
with. I’m not seeking “the perfect
one.” Timing is more important to
me. You can be imperfect, but mutual
respect and attraction are important.
somewherebuthere2012@yahoo.co.jp
Sincere European male, i n /
around Yokohama, sought by
pretty, intellectual JF, 40s. Must be
nonsmoking, intelligent WM, mid-30s40s, with thoughtful/warm character
and sense of humor. Hobby (walking,
films, art)/chatting friend is fine as a
start. miccoast@yahoo.com
SJF seeks soulmate. Pretty, sweet,
smart SJF, 44, medium height, good
job, very good English, wants to meet
a tall, smart, sweet SWM, American
or Australian, in Tokyo, for a serious
relationship leading to marriage. My
interests are traveling, reading, movies.
berry_kiwi_granola@hotmail.com
Smile together. Genuine, attractive,
down-to-earth JF, soon to be 40, is
seeking a serious relationship. Would
love to meet gentlemen who are sincere,
active, successful. Let’s have coffee to
see if there’s good chemistry between
us. wordsarefewest@yahoo.co.jp
Smile with me! I’m 25, Asian, and I love
taking walks on sunny days, trying new
things, eating anything and everything,
and learning. Seeking someone fun,
friendly, respectful, interested in the
world. Under 30 and single are musts.
yuzu_ranai@yahoo.co.jp
Travel lover. Cute, fun SJF, 39, loves
traveling inside Japan and overseas,
seeking a handsome SWM boyfriend
who also loves traveling. A sense
of humor is a must for traveling
and a relationship! Email w/photo.
lowtide100@yahoo.co.jp
Lesbian friends and girlfriend
sought by nonsmoking JF, 30s. My
English isn’t great. Friendship first,
serious females only! No couples.
maplefrozen@gmail.com
14.5 Escorts
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A A A D E A R S IR S .
C A L L U S F IR S T
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To p - q ua l it y g i rl s fo r to p
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e n j oy a b l e , w o n d e r f u l l y
satisfying times with
generous, classy gentlemen.
Our best attention at all times.
www.lipsescorttokyo.com
Te l : 03 -3 5 8 8 -1 5 9 0.
Prompt referrals. Seeking
new girls. 応募歓迎.
American lesbian life partner,
fluent Japanese speaker, sought
Japan’s complete Adult
Nightlife Guide for
foreigners! Having trouble
finding a Japanese girl for
fun? Come to http://erolin.net
and check all possible clubs,
b roth e l s a n d e sco r t s fo r
foreigners! When you visit,
don’t forget to mention “Erolin
Guide”! info@erolin.net
J A P A NE S E MI L F L I V E
VIDEO CHAT! Want to talk
14.6 And Others
Role play partner wanted.
Very simple, just to spice things
up and get really hot. No special
clothes needed, just come to my
house pretending to be a Duskin
cleaning woman or perhaps an
insurance saleswoman. After a
few moments, say you are tired
and ask me to rub your shoulders.
Please imagine what happens
from there. I am a MWM, late 40s,
living alone in central Tokyo,
seeking only one SJF or MJF for
talking, dinner out, and hot, hot
times together. septeros919@
gmail.com
Kinky play. Male seeking a female,
male or couple for S&M and kinky play.
kinkyboy@live.jp
Oriental massage? Fun-loving and
creative SJM seeks SWF for erotic fun.
I’ll also give you oriental massage if you
would like. If you are interested, please
send me a message. ihi.houtoku@
gmail.com
This isn’t for everyone. Handsome,
tall, clean SBM, mid-30s, absolutely
loves to kiss and make love to an
eager woman. I’m not ashamed
of my appetite, and I want to meet
ladies who feel the same. Any takers?
mrwestlove@gmail.com
Threesome/SM fun. Couple seeking
female. No males, please! lilychan.
tokyo@gmail.com
15 JOBS
HOME HELPER. Experienced
Filipina cleaner and
babysitter. Excellent service
with a smile. References
available. ¥1500/h. Please
contact Chai at 080-4092-8923.
maryjoylaus@yahoo.com
J-STAR PATENT, TRADEMARK & IMMIGRATION OFFICE
Reasonable prices.
Free first time consultation
• Visa & Immigration Procedures
• Mixed Marriage, Naturalisation
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• Other Legal & Business Matters
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provide the fun, professional
staff provide peace of
m i n d . S eve n d ays/we e k ,
same day orders welcome.
asianmystiquejp@yahoo.
co.jp www.asianmystique.
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15.1 Job Wanted
We can help you with:
http://www.wada-lats.com/
E-mail: info@wada-lats.com
3-5-3-1402 Nishi-Shinjuku,
Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023
with mature Japanese
women? Register FREE and
send an email to inq-en@
madamu.tv saying “I saw
Metropolis ” to get ¥1000
wo r t h o f BONU S p o i n t s !
Valid once/person. www.
madamu.tv
Seeking couples for threesome.
SWM, 49, 172cm, muscular build,
company executive, strictly straight,
seeks couples for threesome fun.
First timers ok. Asakusa-Ryogoku
area preferred. 日本語もokです。 owen.
tokyo@gmail.com
14.4 Gay & Lesbian
WADA Legal & Administrative Office
For information:
Tel: (03) 3345-7977
FAX: (03) 3345-5377
by gay Japanese man for marriage.
mwktf210@ybb.ne.jp
Pretty JF seeks attractive, intelligent,
professional friends working and living
in Tokyo. I’m in my 30s, attractive, slim.
I like dining and drinking out, so let’s
have a drink after work first! ydatw@
yahoo.co.jp
Seeking submissve boyfriend. I’m a
bossy, selfish, beautiful JF, 37, seeking
a submissive white boyfriend. I’m a
single mom, but financially secure. Only
long-term and serious relationship.
ringo_sakurannbo2001@yahoo.co.jp
J A P A NE S E W OMEN
S EEK MEN f o r s e r i o u s
relationships possibly
leading to marriage.
Confidential & affordable,
since 1994. Contact TMA for
free pamphlet in English or
Japanese. tma@mxa.mesh.
ne.jp http://tma-marriage.
com 0120-937-909
Seeking you. Tall and handsome
Aussie/European male, 30, seeks nice
Japanese lady for friendship and a
good time. flighteagle@gmail.com
slim, with long hair, seeks SWM,
30-43, for a stable relationship after
a friendship. Nonsmoking and single
only, please. sports24classical@
yahoo.co.jp
Visa and immigration
Intellectual property rights
(Patent, trademark, copyrights)
Establishing a Company &
Branch office
Other Legal & Business matters
Hiroshi Oogai,
Patent attorney
Immigration lawyer
www.j-star.jp
Grand Prince
Hotel Akasaka
Exit 4,
Nagatacho stn
Supreme
Court
Aoyama Ave
Akasaka
Mitsuke
stn
Akasaka
Excel
Hotel
Tokyu
National
Diet
Library
608 Kitano Arms 16-15, Hirakawa-cho, 2-Chome, Chiyoda-ku ,Tokyo, 102-0093
Tel: 03-5216-6890 Fax: 03-5216-6891
Email: hiroshioogai@j-star.jp
Imperial
Palace
by Cathryn Moe
Horoscope
♥ Love ¥ Money ♣ Luck
ARIES
TAURUS
GEMINI
May 21~June 21 ♥♥♥♥ ¥¥¥¥ ♣♣♣♣
June 22~July 22 ♥♥ ¥¥¥ ♣♣♣
It is you, Aries, who sends your light
out to others. The Spring Equinox
heralds the Sun entering your Sign on
Tuesday. So not only do you enter your Birthday
Zone—Happy Birthday!—you also reap the benefits
of changing what no longer works, opening a new
chapter that suits who you truly are, and getting
on top of the powerful insights revealing your
intuition is working fine. Love is a few steps away.
Friends are all over the place and you’re
still trying to stay connected. Whether
you’re flying around the globe or just
trying to get across the street, love has a way of following you around this week. The Spring Equinox
Tuesday says “a new cycle is starting—time to clear
the way” but Saturn in Libra just won’t let you know
the big picture as yet. No worries. This is a time to
get yourself into balance and enjoy the perks.
Eating desserts and chocolate bars are
fun, but there’s the long-term equation
to consider. Would you like to have a
moment’s pleasure, or spend your energy seeking
out the best museum, restaurant or art show on
your block? Geminis need to be ready to travel or fly
at a moment’s notice (many of you have your bags
packed and ready, just in case!). Plan with friends
to let Tuesday’s Spring Equinox inspire you.
Hot chocolate, hot sake, being a hottie.
Cancer, get ready for one of your most
interesting weeks yet. Friends are
fun, with possible luxury nights out, or quiet get
togethers enjoying the warmth of kindred spirits.
Career matters are bursting with options as the
Spring Equinox arrives on Tuesday. You’re turning
a corner and considering what the future holds. It
holds surprises and much love for you.
LEO
VIRGO
Libra
SCORPIO
Finances may seem to move “backwards”
with Mars retrograde in your finance
sector. This is handled by its direct and
out of shadow transit late June. In the meantime,
a partnership could bring you great magic and
romance, a form of illusion, or a little of both. Let
the Spring Equinox on Tuesday help to show where
your priorities lie. Be open to experiencing your
joys daily. A new cycle is about to begin.
You, of all the Zodiac, know you have
a chance to change your life in a big
way these days (along with Pisces and
Aries, of course). Learning to trust yourself is one
aspect of Mars continuing to move “backwards”
in your Sign. The Spring Equinox on Tuesday
coincides with a sunny positive aspect to bring
revelations and a revolution in your approach to
love, partnership and personal finances.
It’s not that you’re outmatched. It’s
more that there is so much positive
energy in people and places that you
may as well sit back, relax and appreciate the line
up. (Be sure to thank them profusely. Maybe they’ll
keep it up even when it isn’t Spring Equinox with
the Sun in your sector of balance and partnership).
Tuesday starts the ball rolling. Reach out to those
who are supportive and likely to “get” you.
Wondering what it’s all about lately?
That’s a Scorpio thing. What may take
you by surprise is Tuesday’s Spring
Equinox providing a “new path in the woods.” Ok,
it may be a skyscraper or row of buildings in your
neighborhood, but your former ruler Mars is running back and forth to create balance in your life.
Even if it’s a whisper in the breeze, an increase in
happiness and security is developing for you.
SAGITTARIUS
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
Jan 20~Feb 18 ♥♥♥ ¥¥¥¥ ♣♣♣
Feb 19~Mar 20 ♥♥♥♥ ¥¥¥ ♣♣♣♣♣
You know you can leap if you want to.
Enhancing your career, changing it
entirely, renting a new place, finding
love. Or you may settle for cleaning out your closet
and wearing clothes that reveal another “you!”
Travel and feeling free are a Sagittarian trait. It’s
the finances that may have you taking a step back.
Never fear. The Spring Equinox and the Sun both
come into full romantic flame beginning Tuesday.
The Moon transits your Sign Friday
and Saturday, clearing the way for
Tuesday’s Spring Equinox. People
think of “Spring Cleaning” as new cycles begin.
Communications are direct, holding promise. The
Sun shines in your area of home and hearth. Do you
want to hold on, or take a chance and leap into the
unknown? Whatever you choose, love is waiting
for you, but you will have to be a rebel this week.
Watching those sugars and fat grams can
get in the way of fun. Luckily you’re able
to say “all rules are off” and give yourself
a break when you need it. Your chart is definitely
focused on dreams, opening to your inner mystic,
and communicating in a big way. Finances continue to be slippery but there’s magic in them, too.
Love is a karmic stage at the moment. Giving and
receiving soothes loved ones this week.
The Sun leaves Pisces, entering your
area of money and possessions on
Tuesday. Since the Spring Equinox on
this day heralds new energy, you can start fresh
and expect results. Things may be complicated
or you may feel embroiled. Wondering what your
choices are? There’s a focus now in your Sign, the
Vertex, which indicates meeting someone who
helps simplify your life while you dream big.
Mar 21~Apr 19 ♥♥♥ ¥¥¥ ♣♣♣♣
July 23~Aug 22 ♥♥♥♥ ¥¥ ♣♣♣♣
Nov 22~Dec 21 ♥♥ ¥¥¥ ♣♣♣♣♣
Apr 20~May 20 ♥♥ ¥¥¥¥ ♣♣♣♣♣
Aug 23~Sep 22 ♥♥♥ ¥¥¥¥ ♣♣♣♣
Dec 22~Jan 19 ♥♥♥♥ ¥¥ ♣♣♣♣
Metropolis Mediabox
Regarding “The Final Frontier”
(Feature, Mar 2): Great article. One
haikyo often overlooked is literally
all around us: the abandoned homes
and businesses of the Meiji and postWWII era. Often highly personable
spaces, they sit awaiting the inevitable
wrecking ball. As soon as the weather
warms up, I’ll be covering my
shitomachi area to record the final
days of these lovely abandoned sites.
You should do so, as well. Because
the replacements are not nearly as
personable.—darthmiffy
Sep 23~Oct 22 ♥♥ ¥¥¥ ♣♣♣♣
Oct 23~Nov 21 ♥♥♥ ¥¥ ♣♣♣
PISCES
facebook.com/MetropolisMagazine
metropolis.co.jp/community
twitter.com/MetropolisTokyo
metrodining.jp
DOING
LUNCH
DEMOLITION MAN
CANCER
Regarding “The
Battle of the Bento”
(The Last Word,
Mar 2): The thing
I don’t like about
this bento culture
is that appearance
has precedence
over taste and/
or quality of
ingredients. i.e
an Anpanmanshaped riceball
jammed with flavorings would be
“better” than an organic brown rice one
with an organic plum from your own
garden. Nice article, but why not show
that western lunchboxes can be just as
filling, and even as beautiful looking as
Japanese ones?—Charltzy
“Why not show that western
lunchboxes can be just as filling, and
even as beautiful looking as Japanese
ones?” Ha ha! Because they’re not. get
over it! Love this article, very cute. “It
was such a tiny sad little sandwich”—
now that’s hilarious!—johnnyrabbit
CONSUMPTION DUTIES
Regarding “Taste Tester” (Global Village,
Mar 2): Thanks for the article about a
really important topic. As someone who
helps on a local organic farm, I think it’s
great people care more about quality
and safety of food, but there remains
a responsibility to dig even deeper.
Learn when things in your region are in
season. Learn how to decipher the kanji
for various locations. Otherwise it’s not
fair to the growers and producers all
around us. There are plenty of farmers’
markets in Tokyo too, where shoppers
can learn seasonality while having a
chance to talk face-to-face with farmers.
Language isn’t a huge barrier, as most
speak a wee bit of English and will do
their utmost to honestly answer your
concerns. An English list of this month’s
markets is here: http://meturl.com/
farmers. Shameless marketing, I admit,
but it’s time for consumers to sort out
answers for themselves and stop being
afraid of their food.—joanlbailey
Japanese pop music, but your factoid
about Korean acts selling out Madison
Square Gardens, well, that’s likely the
case as there are over 200,000 expat
South Koreans living in greater NYC
and maybe 5,000 expat Japanese. The
Japanese quit migrating just before
WWII whereas most of the Koreans
living in the US went in the last 25
years or so. Japanese-Americans are
now into the fourth generation, most
don’t speak Japanese and most have
never been to Japan. This, in fact,
is a major problem with JapaneseAmerican societies around the
country—like in the “homeland,” they
are graying rapidly because their
children, grandchildren and great
grandchildren have next to no interest
in—and feel little connection to—“the
old country.” The Korean diaspora,
being more recent, looks much more
like the Chinese one—their own
businesses, churches, and even their
own schools in some places.—Jeffrey
KIMCHEE POP
Regarding “Can’t Stop the K-Pop” (The
Last Word, Feb 17): Yes, there is a tiny
fan base amongst American otaku for
Metropolis wants to hear from you. Send your comments to letters@metropolis.co.jp. Note that letters may be edited for length and clarity.
The Last Word
Want to have The Last Word? Send your article
to: editor@metropolis.co.jp
All in this Together?
Julio Shiiki
In praise of
the Japanese
community spirit
By Henry Watts
A
n i n f luent ia l piece
of research last year
would no doubt have
warmed the cock les
of t hose on t he lef t
of the political spectrum—and the
Japanese. The Spirit Level: Why More
Equal Societies Almost Always Do
Better claimed that people tend to
be healthier and happier living in
more equal societies, namely, Japan
and the Nordic nations. In these
countries, the rich-poor gap is significantly narrower than in most
developed nations. In Japan, for
example, Nikkei company CEOs take
home an average wage of 16 times the
average worker. In the UK, the figure
is 88, and in the US, 319. As a consequence, the UK and the US see more
kids dropping out of school, more
violent crime, more people in prison,
more babies dying, more mental illness, less social mobility and less
trust. Japan, on the other hand,
is represented as a haven of good
health and social development.
T he f indings a re a da m n ing
appraisal of the Anglo-American
model. Nonetheless, the UK—and
to a greater extent, the US—have
been adamant down the years in
their defense of the model, on the
grounds that “Higher incentive leads
to greater entrepreneurial drive,”
and therefore, “There is no Steve
Jobs in Japan.” The science makes
sense; there are clear advantages to
inequality. But willfully encouraging
it on such a scale is a different matter. It’s a heinous attempt at morality.
Especially when studies such as the
above show how income inequality
does not spur us on, rather it divides,
alienates, and damages us.
T he Occ upy Movement t hat
sprung up last year was indicative
of such alienation. Thousands took
to the streets as governments threw
notions of accountability and fairness
out the window to bail out financial
markets. President Barack Obama
acknowledged in his recent State of
the Union address that some sort
of correction was in order, when he
called for greater fairness and equality in the US economic system. The UK
government has likewise tried its best
to reassure its public with the catchphrase: “We’re all in this together.”
But divisions run deep in the UK. The
US might be more unequal today, but
the UK has a deeper history of class
division. Even if disgraced UK bankers were to go ahead and cut their
indulgent bonuses, few there would
ever believe a statement like “We’re
all in this together.”
I must confess to my British fixation
with class. When I look at passengers
on the London Underground, I can
easily tell a working-class man from
a middle-class one simply by looking
at his hair or how he walks down the
aisle. Particularly in times of hardship,
UK citizens seem to know where they
belong, and, when it comes down to
it, whom they would defend. On the
Tokyo Metro, by contrast, I see only
masses of impeccably dressed middle-class urbanites and a thick, black
canvas of salarymen. I used to think it
was all for show, owing to the uncanny
Japanese ability to keep up appearances, but I’m now convinced there is
a deep-seated egalitarianism here.
In Japan, statements in public
such as “We’re all in this together”
are commonplace, and there is much
greater cause to believe them. Not
only do Japanese CEOs pay themselves more modestly, some of them,
such as the former JAL CEO Haruka
Nishimatsu, commute by bus, eat in
the company cafeteria and engage
with their workers. Notions of duty
and responsibility are upheld not
just by the workers, but also by the
CEO and t he management, and
therefore have far more credence in
Japan than in the US and UK.
There is an age-old propensity for
unity over confrontation here. It’s by
no means a perfect model. The Japanese suffer from long working hours
and meager time off, and you could
say they are more docile, but, the
absence of a vitriolic “class consciousness” in Japan is perhaps the greatest
reward of all. If the findings of the The
Spirit Level are not evidence enough,
then picture the apocalyptic scenes
in the UK streets last summer, where
bands of hopelessly disillusioned socalled “under classes,” for no other
reason than because they could, tore
apart their communities, setting
buildings on fire, looting shops, and
fighting police.
Such an occurrence would be
unthinkable in Japan. Yes, Japan has
its social problems. There is a balance
to be struck somewhere between the
two models, but there is no doubting that the US and UK would stand
to benefit massively by adopting the
great humility and community spirit
that exists over here in Japan. I, for
one, will be singing the praises of
Japan—all the way home to Blighty.
The absence of a
vitriolic “class
consciousness” in
Japan is perhaps
the greatest
reward of all”
■ Henry Watts is a politics and
international relations graduate and
a freelance writer
ComingupINMETROPOLIS
FEATURE: eCommerce: A look at ordering online
from overseas DINING OUT: A roundup of Saitama
eateries Q&A: Japan Tourism Agency commissioner
Hiroshi Mizohata on Fukushima, the high yen and
other barriers to tourism
check us out
www.metropolis.co.jp
get your
next printed
copy Friday,
Mar 30

where`s - Metropolis Magazine

Transcription

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