telling moving stories

Transcription

無料 PRICELESS
May 15-28, 2015 Japan’s Nº1 English Magazine
www.metropolisjapan.com
DANCE!
TELLING
MOVING
STORIES
BACK TO BASSIST NICKELBACK’S MIKE KROEGER RIFFS RETURN OF THE JIDAI YOUTUBE GOES EDO STATION SELFIES PREPPING FOR THE YAMATHON
www.akaiclinic.com
Cosmetic Surgery
Laser Treatment
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yourself with
the best in beauty
technology
Quality of Akai Clinic
At Akai clinic, we only use products and technologies
approved by the FDA.
SURGICAL TREATMENTS
NON-SURGICAL TREATMENTS
• EYELID SURGERY rejuvenation of upper and lower eye
lid, tear trough, double eyelid surgery, blepharoptosis, etc.
• NOSE SURGERY tip plasty, hump resection, deviated
nose, ala reduction, augmentation or reduction
rhinoplasty.
• BREAST SURGERY augmentation, lift, reduction,
reconstruction.
• LIPOSUCTION WITH LASER ultra sonic assisted suction
device.
• LASER-LIPO minimal invasive facial and body
contouring device with AccuSculpt™ (1444nm laser).
• FACE LIFT forehead, brow, mid-face, neck lift, thread’s lift.
•TISSUE ENGINEERING TECHNIQUES for facial
rejuvenation, breast augmentation, AGA (PRFM, fat &
stem cell injection, growth factor.
• SKIN TUMORS skin cancer, cyst, mole, wart, scar
revision.
• GENITAL REJUVENATION SURGERY tightening of the
vagina, reduction of labia minor and augmentation of
the labia major.
• HAIR TRANSPLANTATION SURGERY
• LASER & REJUVENATION lasers, RFs, IPLs, plasma,
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• BOTOX & FILLERS allergan’s BOTOX, Juvederm,
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• ACNE & ACNE SCARS PLASMA fractional lasers (eCO2,
Affirm), INFINI (fractional RF), iClear (photo dynamic
therapy), microdermabrasion, chemical Peeling.
• LASER HAIR REMOVAL all kinds of lasers available:
Alex and long pulsed YAG, diode laser, etc.
• TATTOO REMOVAL with Spectra (Q-YAG laser) for any
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cVela Smooth and EndyMed body (FDA Approved).
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DR. HIDEMI AKAI
is a board-certified plastic
surgeon and an associate
professor of the
department of plastic,
aesthetic and
reconstructive surgery at
Tokyo’s Showa University.
Dr. Akai trained at
Harvard Medical School
and Massachusetts
General Hospital before
amassing over twenty-five
years of experience.
DR. KEIKO AKAI
is also a board-certified
plastic surgeon, and a
dermatologist.
The Akai Clinic offers a
range of
cosmetic-surgery
procedures, laser
treatments and skin care,
using state-of-the-art
equipment and the latest
techniques.
Additional fee for anesthesia is required. Please contact the clinic for more information.
Other cosmetic procedures available. For fees and detailed information services, please refer to our homepage.
We welcome email and phone inquiries.
Omotesando
KNK Bldg 3F 3-5-17, Kita-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo.
1-min walk from Omotesando stn, A3 exit.
Tel: 03-5771-4114 Email: amc@akaiclinic.com
Clinic hours: 11AM~8PM (Mon~Sun)
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and Dermatologist
Yokohama
Quadrifoglio 4F 5-14 Kinkocho, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama.
1-min walk from Yokohama stn, North East exit.
Tel: 045-620-5745 Email: amc-skincare@akaiclinic.com
Clinic hours: 11AM~7PM (Tue~Fri) & 10AM~5PM (Sat & Hol)
inside
MAY 15-28, 2015 • #1103
EDITOR’S
LETTER
The prelude to Golden Week for the Metropolis editorial department was a musical one, as we caught up with funk master Mark
Ronson on his recent trip to Japan, Nickelback bassist Mike
Kroeger—nice guy!—as the band preps for their Tokyo-Osaka
tour, and a female taiko drummer for Kodo to talk gender roles
6
in the taiko world. We also talked to GQ2015 [GABBY] dancers
about life on the move. Speaking of moving, we contemplate
joining the Tokyo Yamathon to work off the Golden Week gut,
but ultimately might end up surfing YouTube—where ACTV Japan
goes Edo on the video giants’ jidaigeki period drama project.
13
Edo Trip: Sci-fi meets history in ACTV horror flick
22
Track Treks: The Tokyo Yamathon starts up again
All About that Bass: Nickelback’s Mike Kroeger riffs
Cover design: Kohji Shiiki. Photography: PAK OK SUN (CUBE)
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03
upfront
123RF
LINGOIST
PLAYLIST SWAP
Branching out of your musical comfort zone can be awesome—and
getting recommendations from friends is a great way to do it. So let
Metropolis help you breach musical borders, and find your new jam!
JP
EN
JP
EN
JP
EN
JP
EN
Donna ongaku ga suki desu ka?
What kind of music do you like?
Ima wa Nickelback to yū bando ni hamatte masu.
Right now, I’m into a band called Nickelback.
Osusume no kyoku wa arimasu ka?
Which song do you recommend?
“How You Remind Me” wa ii desu yo.
“How You Remind Me” is good.
K
1
か
A
N
A
2
C
3
4
5
6
7
8
A
9
10
B
R
O
Down
1. Conversation
3. Squid
7. Advertising leaflet
9. Green
11. Painter or artist
12. Period drama
C
11
12
Solution:
A
B
C
Across
2. Pond
4. Mustard
5. Soil
6. Paper fortune
8. Graffitti or doodle
10. Understanding
ANSWERS AT meturl.com/kanacross
Metropolis Members Club
THIS WEEK’S WINNER!
Darwin Chang won a 50 Minute Golf
Lesson courtesy of Cool Clubs
Register for prizes & discounts
www.metropolis.co.jp/club
04
S
S
TO-DO LIST
3
TOP
animal cafes
Sakuragaoka Cafe
Pakuchee Bar 8889
Usagi Cafe Ohisama
Outfitted with antique furniture, this cozy cafe
boasts two pet goats, Sakura and Chocolat, who
keep customers company in the terrace seating
area. Open 8:30am-4am (until 12pm on Sun).
23-3 Sakuragaokacho, Shibuya-ku. Shibuya.
www.udagawacafe.com/sakuragaoka
An owl cafe by day (limited to weekends & hols)
and a pakuchee, or coriander/cilantro themed
restaurant/bar by night. Cafe open 1-5pm
(weekends & hols), restaurant open 6-12pm (from
7pm on weekends & hols), closed Tue. 3-14-23
Takada, Toshima-ku. Takadanobaba.
http://babapaku8889.wix.com/8889
Cuddle with around 20 cute bunny rabbits, and
relax in the cafe area. The bunnies are also
available for purchase! Open 12-8pm. 2F 2-18-5
Kitazawa, Setagaya-ku. Shimokitazawa.
Reservation encouraged.
Tel: 03-3410-5299. www.rabicafe.com
Photo by Eckhard Pecher
EDITOR’S PICK MAY 15-17
MAY 15-JUN 21
KI YOON KO: STIMMUNG
Hiromart Gallery’s second solo show of works
by this Hamburg-based American artist known
for his photorealistic paintings. May 15-Jun
21, 1-7pm. Closed Mon & Tue. Free. Hiromart
Gallery. Edogawabashi. Tel: 03-6233-9836.
http://hiromartgallery.com
Untitled, Oil on wood, 50x50cm
MAY 21-24
BELGIAN BEER
WEEKEND
YOKOHAMA
SANJA MATSURI
If you want to gape at yakuza letting it all hang out, the Sanja or “Three
Shrine” Festival is the place. The Shinto festival honors Hinokuma
Hamanari, Hinokuma Takenari, and Hajino Nakatomo, the three
founders of the Sensoji Buddhist temple, and as such is typical of
Japan’s Shinto-Buddhist syncretism. Jostling crowds of revelers,
drums, bells, and street stalls transform Asakusa into a giant carnival.
62 kinds of beer are to be served at this
traveling festival of all things yeasty and
Belgian. May 21, 4-9pm; May 22-24,
11am-9pm, ¥3,000 (adv)/ ¥3,100
(door). Yamashita Park. MotomachiChukagai. The event then moves to
Osaka, Hiroshima, Sendai, and Tokyo.
Tel: 03-5829-6878.
www.belgianbeerweekend.jp/en/city/
yokohama
Dan Grunebaum
May 15-17, various times, free. Asakusa Shrine. Asakusa.
Tel: 03-3844-1575. http://www.asakusajinja.jp/english
MAY 23-24
GREENROOM FESTIVAL ’15
Music and art festival with a focus on ocean and
beach preservation, featuring Lotus, Ozomatli, Little
Barrie, and others. May 23-24, 11am-9pm, ¥9,800
(one day)/ ¥17,000 (two days). Yokohama Red Brick
Warehouse. Bashamichi or Nihon-Odori.
http://greenroom.jp/english
STILL WAITING
ON PHOTO
MAY 23-24
UNTIL JUN 1
Commemorate the opening of Tokyo Port in 1941
with various events, such as a pageant of firefighting
boats held by the Tokyo Fire Department. May 23-24,
10am-5pm, free. Harumi Passenger Ship Terminal,
and the surrounding area. Hinode. Free marine
shuttle bus service available from the station.
www.tokyoport.or.jp/minato67/
Fill up to your heart’s content on an array of delicious
foods, such as ramen, desserts, gyoza, local and world
foods, and more.
Until Jun 1, 10:30am-9pm (until 6pm on final day).
¥500 (weekdays)/¥800 (weekends). Showa Kinen
Park. Tachikawa. http://manpaku.jp
TOKYO MINATO MATSURI
MANPAKU
05
feature
Return to Edo
Samurai go sci-fi in ACTV film
BY MARTIN LEROUX
T
he feudal-era land of samurai and ninja—once Japan’s profile picture to the
world—has taken a backseat to the anime and manga wave that reinvented the
nation’s reputation, making it a mecca for
the cute and the hi-tech. YouTube, however, is
determined to bring back the bygone age with
their new Jidaigeki (period drama) series, a collaborative video project with Japanese
film studio Toei.
The video giants are presenting media creators in
Japan—vloggers, internet celebrities, and the
like—with an opportunity
to shoot films in an elaborate historical Japanese
set. Erected at the YouTube
Space in Roppongi Hills, the
set includes full production support from Toei and guidance from
director Toshio Lee. Several YouTubers
are queuing up to make use of the retro space,
such as kawaii makeup expert Kumamiki, indie
musician Kobasolo, fashion/hair/makeup guru
Asahi Sasaki, and comedian Hajime Shacho.
However, John A. Lipartito, Jr., creative director for ACTV Japan, intends to put a spin
on “jidaigeki” by utilizing the vintage set as the
06
backdrop to a horror movie, telling a tale that
crosses worlds and cultures.
“It’s a sci-fi horror film set in the early Meiji
era,” says Lipartito of his contribution, Crawler
in the Dark, starring actors Bob Werley, Masahito Kawahata, and Lisa Sumiyoshi. “Basic short
pitch to it is that there are two scholars—one
foreign and one Japanese—who discover an
ancient artifact that allows them to travel
physically across the universe. But
what they learn in using it is that
it invites other entities from
other worlds to visit Earth. It
causes a little trouble.”
U n i q u e, i n n ov a t i ve
content is where ACTV Japan’s filmmaking passions
appear to be. The video
production company focuses
primarily on independent film
projects and works with big-name
television companies. But its playfulness
comes through in ACTV’s YouTube channel,
which contains everything from in-depth, behind-the-scenes features on Godzilla and Yoshihiro Nishimura’s horror-comedy Zombie TV,
to original Japan-centric skits, such as a Tokyo
Cribz (a spoof of MTV Cribs) that inspects a tiny
Tokyo apartment.
So when YouTube announced the project, it
was only natural that Lipartito would jump at the
opportunity.
“I threw my pitch of the idea of—not quite
a samurai [movie],” says the filmmaker. “I think
most people are going to do more samurai-type
of themes; I wanted to do something—I love scifi and horror, so I just had this idea of this film that
would work in this time period.”
The transitional period between Edo and
Meiji eras, which the set heralds, is also one that
attracted Lipartito to the project.
“I’m a fan of H.P. Lovecraft stories, and I’ve
always wanted to do a story that was an homage to H.P. Lovecraft,” professes Lipartito, who
adds that being in Japan makes that endeavor
difficult, given that the horror author’s stories
are primarily set in New England. So he decided
to try transporting a Lovecraftian tale to Japan.
“The idea was to see what I could do with the
same time period that H.P. Lovecraft lived and
wrote in, in Japan.
“Could I do a Lovecraftian story set in Japan,
in his time period?”
See for yourself. Crawler in the Dark debuts
in August on ACTV Japan’s YouTube channel at
www.youtube.com/GaijinCh.
INFO
For more about ACTV Japan, visit
www.actvjapan.com
Check out the other YouTubers:
Kumamiki (www.youtube.com/kumamikicraft)
Koba Solo (www.youtube.com/hujikoman)
Asahi Sasaki (www.youtube.com/sasakiasahi)
Hajime Shacho (www.youtube.com/0214mex)
cover story
A Grand
Artistic
Experiment
Dancing into the unexpected
with GQ2015 [GABBY]
Shingo
Yoshimoto
Ballet
BY C BRYAN JONES
W
hen you think of dance, you probably think of a specific style. The
structured formality of ballet, the
flowing interpretive spirit of contemporary, or the sizzling sensuality of salsa. There are many genres, each with
their own well-established characteristics. But
what happens when you combine them all?
Throw popping, jumping, and jazz together and
what do you get?
“Expecting something is going to be dangerous,” warns Joey Beni, one of the dancers
taking part in GQ2015 [GABBY], a unique show
coming to Ex Theatre Roppongi in June.
First produced in 2011 as simply GQ, or
Gentleman Quality, this unique show brings
together 17 male dancers from around the
world, hailing from diverse genres, to tell a
story through motion. Dance is the engine that
powers the creative, but the result transcends
our presuppositions.
“I’d say the biggest part is that it’s not a
dance show—it’s a legit musical,” explains
Beni, who has worked with many big
movements are just the individual’s freestyle. It
just naturally comes out of that emotion, of what
you’re feeling right now … at that moment.”
What we’ll see when this eclectic group of
dancers takes the stage at Ex Theatre Roppongi
on June 10 is uncertain. But what Beni says is for
certain is the purity and the energy we’ll feel.
“This is all emotion. This comes straight from the
heart,” he declares. Yoshimoto adds, “Everyone
can enjoy. It doesn’t matter how old you are, just
come see it. You’ll definitely enjoy it. I promise!”
After the performances in Tokyo, GQ2015
[GABBY] will travel to Fukuoka and Osaka. And
from what Joey, Aris, and Shingo have told us,
each performance may be a one-of-a-kind experience.
GQ2015 [GABBY] June 10-12 at 7pm, June 13
at 2pm & 7pm, June 14 at 2pm. Tickets ¥8,000¥12,000. Ex Theatre Roppongi. Roppongi.
For tickets call 03-5778-3431, fax 03-57783432, or email csb@csb-international.jp. For
Fukuoka and Osaka dates and times visit
www.gq-dance.com.
Joey Beni
Freestyle &
Hip-Hop
@「SARU.net」
Aris (Quest Crew)
Breakin' &
Hip-Hop
names on stage and on screen, including Mariah Carey and Missy Elliott. “It doesn’t have any
singing, doesn’t have any words. There’s no
acting. But dancing is another way of expression, so we want to tell the audience the story
with our bodies.”
Also taking part in this show for the first
time is Aris, a member of the renowned Quest
Crew hip-hop dance group in Los Angeles,
who won the third season of the TV show
America's Best Dance Crew. For Aris, this will
be his first time in Japan; and it’s something
he’s very excited about.
“All throughout my professional dance life,
I’ve always been with Quest Crew. So when I
was asked to be part of this show by myself, I
took it as a new open door. This is going to be
my first time doing a big dance gig without the
rest of the Quest members.”
Bringing a classical background to GABBY
is Shingo Yoshimoto, who studied at the Paris Opera Ballet
School at the young age of
15. At 18 he received the gold
medal at the Varuna International Ballet Competition in Bulgaria, and
then went on to perform professionally in the
United States with the San Jose and Houston
ballet companies for the next nine years.
One of the things that is the most exciting for
Yoshimoto is the way the mixture of each dancer’s style generates something unpredictable.
“Ballet is a very square thing, everything is
all set up. But this is … you never know—even
me, even the audience—never know what is
going to happen next.”
Which leads to the question: Is there an element of improvisation to GABBY?
“It’s hard to say because, it is choreographed,
but the director doesn’t know everyone’s dance
style,” Yoshimoto explains. “So he just tells us
‘this is how you’re feeling, this is how you guys
react … but how would you do it?’ Most of the
07
food&drink
There’s nothing more British than tea—
and if that’s your cup, then Mayfield
serves a good one. Located in fancy
Jiyugaoka, this English-style “tea salon” boasts a selection of top-quality
herbal, fruit, flavored, and exotic
teas, ranging from keemun, lapsang
souchon, and assam to darjeeling, lemongrass, and, of course, Earl Grey. Teas
are served by the pot (¥500-¥1,300),
and can be shared by up to three people. Tea time here can be accentuated by light snacks, including scones and cakes (try the Guinness cake).
2-19-10, Midorigaoka, Meguro-ku. www.mayfield-tani.com
If you love chai, you’ll want to visit Chai
Break, located a three-minute walk
from Kichijoji Station by Inokashira
Park. Although a spice-infused milk
tea is what probably comes to mind,
the cafe offers traditional Indian-style
chai, which simply refers to tea that
is prepared by brewing the leaves in
milk. There are several different types
of chai available (from ¥486), including a basic milk tea, spice chai, and a chai frappé. A food menu is also
on hand, including homemade desserts such as a ginger milk pudding (¥491), and kulfi (¥432), a popular frozen dairy dessert from India.
1-3-2 Gotenyama, Musashino. Kichijoji. www.chai-break.com
For tea lovers wanting to avoid sleepless, caffeine-driven nights, H&F BELX
holds the answer—specializing in herbal tea with an impressive range of rooibos tea in various flavors and blends,
including blackcurrant, chai, and vanilla. Many of the teas are available to
try in-store, and for those who want tea
on-the-go, a tumbler with a built-in tea
strainer is also available for purchase.
2-21-2 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku. Shibuya. Branches in Jiyugaoka,
Futakotamagawa, and other locations. Also available for purchase
online. http://hfbelx.co.jp/home
www.dubliners.jp
WHERE THERE ARE
NO STRANGERS,
ONLY FRIENDS
YOU HAVE YET
TO MEET!
Photos by Vesna Kevork
Tokyo offers plenty of places to try
green tea—but Mori no En offers
unique ways to enjoy the taste of
matcha and hojicha. The Ningyocho
tea shop—which has a history of over
a hundred years—ser ves cups of
original green teas that encapsulates
the taste of Japan. But they don’t
stop there. Mori has a wide array of
desserts and beverages made with
their teas, including matcha and hojicha cakes, parfaits, and shakes.
But perhaps the strangest offerings on the menu are the hojicha and
matcha beers. If you’ve ever wanted your happy hour at tea time,
this is the place to go. 2-4-9 Ningyocho, Nihonbashi. Ningyocho.
http://morinoen.jp
We
welcome
all kinds
of parties.
Please
contact us.
Each
branch
has
different
hours.
Shinjuku
2F Shinjuku Lion Hall
3-28-9 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku
03-3352-6606 | sali3292@sapporo-lion.co.jp
http://r.gnavi.co.jp/g209300/
Ikebukuro
Shibuya
2F Dogenzaka Center Bldg.
2-29-8 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku
03-5459-1736 |sali6581@sapporo-lion.co.jp
Akasaka
B1 Sun Gorou Bldg.
1-10-8 Nishi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku
B1 Sannou Park Tower
2-11-1 Nagatacho, Chiyoda-ku
r.gnavi.co.jp/g008233/
Closed: Sat., Sun., & Holidays
Shinagawa
Shinagawa Mitsubishi Bldg.
B1F Grand Passage
2-16-3 Kounan, Minato-ku
03-6718-2834 | sali6654@sapporo-lion.co
09
food&drink
TASTE
THE
LOVE
BY MUBITA MAMBWE
W
hen it comes to Southern cooking, food functions as more than a
mere source of nourishment. The hardiness and
generous helpings that are
characteristic of “soul food,”
as well as the Southern hospitality served with it, intend to
instill a sense of community—
of being home. Chefs LaTonya
Whitaker and her husband David are on a mission to bring
this experience to Tokyo with
their food service, Taste the Love, which provides catering and cooking classes.
“[Southern] food is all about making you feel
like you’ve come home,” says LaTonya, a Mississippi native.
10
Started in 2009 under the name Full Expression Cafe, Taste the Love specializes in serving
up authentic, home-cooked Southern, Cajun,
Creole, and Tex-Mex cuisine. Their food has
proven popular with Japanese foodies, having
been featured on NHK, Nihon
TV, and Fuji TV.
On the catering side, their
breakfast and lunch buffets
epitomize the term “comfort
food.” The breakfast buffet
offers options of a Southernstyle breakfast that includes
scrambled eggs, Cajun country-fried grits, and sausage
or bacon, as well as a waffle
break fast and a pancake
breakfast. The lunch buffet is
an all-star lineup of Southern
favorites, including everything from sandwiches, wraps, and soups to Southern-fried catfish,
chicken enchiladas, and gumbo.
LaTonya also regularly runs Taste the Love
cooking classes through Niki’s Kitchen, a Japanese service that provides international cooking classes in English. The classes cover different menus per lesson, and the meals are
prepared utilizing Japanese ingredients.
The cooking classes have been a hit with
Japanese students, often selling out quickly
on the Niki’s Kitchen website whenever new
time slots are announced. LaTonya says the
classes have allowed her and the students
to build relationships, and thereby a community. But she says food isn’t the only contributing factor: “I give good hugs,” LaTonya
laughs. “And sometimes people don’t get
enough hugs.”
The Whitakers presently have their sights
set on creating Soul Food House—a restaurant
where their food has a base, that also provides
customers with a homey atmosphere wherein
they can interact and build connections with the
chefs or other patrons.
LaTonya also wants to employ a “pay it forward” payment policy. “Of course, it would be
nice if people paid [for their meal],” she chuckles. “But if someone comes in and says they’re
hungry and they can’t afford a meal, I won’t let
them starve.” Instead, she hopes the customers can take that experience and do the same
for others.
While the creation of the restaurant is still
underway, LaTonya is still happy to be expanding her family through her catering and classes
with her husband.
“I want [Taste the Love] to be like a home.”
For more information on Taste the Love, visit
www.tastethelove.biz. For LaTonya’s cooking
classes, register online at www.nikikitchen.
com. ¥5,500 per person. To donate towards
building Soul Food House, visit www.gofundme.com/SoulFoodHouse.
RECIPE
GREEN TEA FURIKAKE
RESTAURANT
RECIPE AND PHOTO BY RIEKO SUZUKI
¥¥
JP
CHA CHA
NO MA
The season for the year’s first batches of green
tea is upon us, and there are many ways to enjoy
it. But did you know you can turn used green
tea leaves into rice toppings? Furikake made
with used tea leaves and other healthy ingredients lets you enjoy the wonderful fragrance of
green tea, and goes well with rice, salad, tofu,
or grilled meat and fish.
PHOTOS AND TEXT BY MOMOKO MOCHIZUKI
W
hether you consider yourself a Japanese tea connoisseur or a complete
newbie to the green-tea scene, a visit
to Cha Cha no Ma in Omotesando will
no doubt have you agreeing that the cozy tearoom’s got the nihoncha craft down—to a T.
With over 30 varieties, carefully selected
from throughout Japan, the tea really is the main
focus here—as everything revolves around enhancing the drinking experience. The tea is never a blend of different varieties from varying tea
farms, as is the current norm, but is purely from
a single farm, and of a single variety. Expertly
prepared by a Japanese tea sommelier, each
type is served not just once, but several times,
with each brew producing different variations of
flavor. The result is a truly fun and unique visit.
A savory menu (¥1,100-1,400 on weekdays)
is available during lunch hours from 11am to
2:30pm, outside of which a selection of desserts is offered. The lunch sets include rice,
soup, and two sides, with a choice of a main
vegetable, pork, or chicken dish, all prepared
using fresh, organic vegetables that are in season at the time.
The desserts (from ¥1,100) are not overly
sweet, so as not to overpower the tea they
are paired with. Choices include a Japanesestyle parfait with green tea, vanilla, or brown
sugar ice cream together with azuki (red
Servings: 4-5
Cooking time: 15 min
bean) paste, kanten (agar), shiratama (riceflour dumplings), and warabi mochi (brackenstarch dumplings); hōjicha (roasted green tea)
flavored kanten with azuki, shiratama, and ice
cream, and a cold zenzai, or azuki soup, with
a side of matcha chocolate.
Once a choice of dessert is ordered, the teadrinking commences, starting with a small cup
of dried tea leaves, which are to be munched
on and savored for their aroma and flavor. Next
comes a strong brew, followed by another,
milder one, finally to be enjoyed with the dessert—the combination of sweet and bitter a
perfect pair.
If you’re looking to transport the luxurious
break to your home, a selection of tea is available
to buy in-store, and the friendly specialists will be
happy to answer any questions you may have.
Whenever you’re feeling in need of a quality
green tea experience, visit Cha Cha no Ma—
you’re sure to be feeling Zen in no time.
Open 11am-7pm, closed Mon. 5-13-14 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku. Meiji-Jingumae. Tel: 035468-8846. www.chachanoma.com
• 4 tbsp used tea leaves
• 1 tbsp white sesame seeds
• 1 sachet (3g) dried bonito shavings (katsuobushi)
• 2 tbsp boiled, dried baby sardines (chirimenjako)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp sake
• 1 tsp salt
DIRECTIONS
1. In frying pan, fry used tea leaves without oil
on very low heat.
2.Add sesame seeds, bonito, and sardines to
pan, and keep frying on low until the ingredients dry completely.
3.Add soy sauce and sake to the mix. Stir
gently but quickly to blend ingredients well.
Continue frying to evaporate the moisture.
4.Turn off heat and add salt.
5.Store in dry, cool place with sealed container
and consume within a week.
Rieko Suzuki
Rieko blogs bilingual recipes at
http://meturl.com/ruby
11
1 DISH FROM ¥780
1 DRINK FROM ¥500
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city life
Rounding the Yamanote
Line on foot for charity
BY C BRYAN JONES
T
he Yamanote Line, with its clockwork
green and silver carriages, is one of the
Tokyo landscape’s most famous fixtures.
Stay here long enough, and you can name
all 29 stations in order. Do it on a TV game show,
and your team might win—maybe not money,
but at least plastic dolls. But while all Tokyoites
know this famous route, which loops the inner
city in a shape that more resembles a chili pepper than a circle, most know it from the vantage
point of the tracks and platforms. Getting to
know this train line from the ground level is a
true adventure in a concrete jungle. And there’s
no better way to embark on the journey than
the Tokyo Yamathon, a charity event that sends
teams on a mission to visit all 29 stations—on
foot—in one day.
First held in 2010, the Yamathon is a physical
and navigational challenge that gives teams of
three or four a chance to test endurance, have
fun in the process, and raise money for a good
cause. The event is organized by International
Volunteer Group (IVG), which was founded in
Photos by Andy Teo
TRACING
THE
TRACKS
in a stroller. Really anybody can
2007 and was originally part
do it,” adds Kazumi Nono, Head
of the worldwide development
of Strategy for IVG.
organization Oxfam. This year
While the playing field is
marks the seventh running.
the same, and a basic course is
Joe Pournovin, Events Direcestablished, teams are encourtor for IVG, explained how the
aged to get creative and have
Yamathon originally took shape.
the freedom to pick their own
“We wanted to do something in
route. As long as you get your
Tokyo, some sort of endurance
29 photos and return to home
challenge. You look at certain
base within 12 hours, the rest is
other events … they’re expenup to you.
sive, you need to take time off
Ronald Choi, Executive Diwork, you need to commit to
rector of Fixed Income Techtraining and practice. Yamathon,
you don’t need to do so much training. It’s in the nology at J.P. Morgan, recounts his experience
making the rounds of the roughly 40km course
center of Tokyo, and it’s affordable.”
Affordable it is. The entry fee is just ¥10,000 and what it’s really all about. “We reminded ourper three- or four-person team, and 100% of the selves, this is not a race … this is a fundraiser, and
revenue is donated to NADIA, the NPO that IVG we should have fun. So we stopped by to have a
has partnered with this year to help the recovery beer, have lunch. Most people do that, they stop
and eat and drink and enjoy.”
of Ishinomaki in Miyagi prefecture.
Don’t feel like walking 40km but still want to
NADIA, an international group of volunteers,
was founded just after the March 2011 earth- be part of the fun? There’s so much more going
quake and tsunami, and became a registered on back at the Tokyo Tokia Building. This year,
NPO in Japan in January 2012. Since then, NA- in addition to raising funds for Tohoku, IVG and
DIA has made regular trips to Tohoku, with vol- NADIA are working very hard to bring Tohoku
unteers spending their weekends on the ground to Tokyo with the Tohoku Market, taiko groups,
helping children. Partnering with Playground of and the Imagination Playground, in which kids
Hope, NADIA has built 13 new playgrounds in ar- can build their own playground. There will also
eas in need, with more to come. Your support of be a bar with a DJ, and even free massages.
this year’s Yamathon will help make this happen. It’s a day for Tohoku—not only for participants,
So what it is like to actually run—or walk— not only for volunteers, but for everyone who
the Yamathon? This unique affair starts—and wants to come down and see what a difference
ends—at the Tokyo Tokia Building, just three people can make when they come together.
In the end, it’s all about fun, all about sharminutes from Tokyo Station. Teams must visit
ing the experience. But beall 29 stations on the Yamanote
yond that, Pournovin sums up
Line, and take a photo in front of
the real reason 700 or more
each, in less than 12 hours. It’s an
people form teams and run the
even playing field, whether the
Yamathon: “It feels good doteams include adults, children,
Form or find a team,
ing this. It’s rewarding. Making
babies, or … “We’ve had dogs
volunteer, or just learn more:
people smile is one of the most
do the event. That’s the best
http://tokyo-yamathon.com
precious things you can do to
thing about the event—anyone
http://meturl.com/
yamathon-facebook
someone. And that’s why I got
can do it,” says Pournovin. “Two
@TheYamathon on Twitter
involved.”
groups had a toddler and a baby
WANT
TO GET
INVOLVED?
13
Brought to you by
Proudly supporting
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June 19, 2015
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city life
Photos Courtesy of Footy Japan
LUCKY NUMBER
SEVEN
Footy Japan scores goals for those in need
BY C BRYAN JONES
I
f there’s one constant in the universe—at
least the sporting one—it’s that football (or
soccer, as it’s known to some) brings people
together. One thing that many expats miss
is the chance to play the beautiful game while in
Japan, and also to share it with their kids. Thanks
to Footy Japan, there’s no need to leave that part
of you behind. Not only do they provide a place
to compete and learn, they also offer a way to
use this globally-loved game to make a difference for those who need help. In the lead-up
to this year’s Charity Soccer 7s tournament,
Metropolis sat down with Sid Lloyd, Managing Director of Footy Japan KK and NPO
Centre Circle, to find out more about the
organization and event.
Tell us a bit about Footy Japan KK.
How long has the organization
been around and who were the
founders?
Footy Japan KK has been going for ten years, founded
by myself, my wife Paco
Hanaoka-Lloyd, and good
friend Jonathan Day (who
left us five years ago). We started
the company to provide football to
both the adult expat community (Tokyo Metropolis League) and international
children wanting to play in an English-speaking
environment (British Football Academy), as there
was no real infrastructure providing these.
What are your primary goals? What initiatives
and programs do you offer?
Our goal is to create the opportunity for international friendship and fun through the world’s
most popular sport. We provide football classes
throughout the year for kids ages 3-15, coached
in English by qualified British coaches at six
locations around Tokyo and Yokohama. Also,
we run the 30-team, three-division Tokyo
Metropolis League (TML)—now in its twelfth
season—with 270 league matches played on
weekends over the nine-month season. On
top of that, we organize the Footy Japan
Knockout Cup (like the FA Cup), various
sevens tournaments like the Charity 7s,
and regular “INTERLiga” tournaments for
the kids. We have also just started a
kids league— “International Junior
League”—for U10 and U12 that we
hope to expand like the TML.
Let’s talk about Charity Soccer 7s.
How has the event evolved since
the first one was held in 2005?
We started the Charity tournament
to raise funds for UNICEF after
the Asian tsunami. We started it
as a six-a-side tournament, but
since then it has become seven-a-side to be
more in line with other tournaments held around
Asia. We have tried to make it bigger for prospective sponsors, thinking of ways to enhance the
event and raise more money. So, this year we
have also included a children’s tournament for
the first time.
This year, Charity Soccer 7s will be raising money for Refugees International Japan. How do
you select the charity that you want to support?
We have always chosen a charity close to our
hearts, with children being a major benefactor. I have had a long relationship with RIJ, and
have known the CEO for 25 years. We like the
way they help people by creating opportunities
for them to help themselves. Football is also a
tool they use for bringing people together and
bonding communities, so is also a good fit with
what we do.
If someone wants to sponsor the event, what
are their options and how do they go about
this?
We look for financial sponsors (Gold, Silver,
and Bronze) and raffle prize sponsors. Details are at http://footyjapancompetitions.
com/events/charity-soccer-7s and contact us
through the Sponsorship Request Form.
Where can people find out more about this
year’s event, sign up to participate, or get
tickets?
Both adult and kids teams wanting to join should
contact info@footyjapan.com (there are limited
spots available). The cost per team for adults is
¥25,000. For anyone just wanting to come along
and watch, it’s free (although we hope they’ll buy
raffle tickets)!
Lastly … Which team is the favorite to win the
tournament this year?
As the teams who enter each tournament vary
(as do their players) we are never quite sure
who will be strong, but you can always count on
YC&AC's own team be at or near the top!
11th Annual Charity Soccer Sevens. Saturday,
May 23. Children’s INTERLiga Tournament
9am-noon, Adult’s 7s Tournament 12:30pm5pm. Yokohama Country & Athletic Club.
http://meturl.com/footy2015
15
fashion fix
BY SAMUEL THOMAS, FASHION EDITOR
COOL BIZ QUANDARIES
T
he heat is rising, and, for the besuited men of Tokyo, that means
things are set to become stifling—even as the less stuffy companies begrudgingly allow you to shrug off your jacket. However, a
surprising number of men still haven’t twigged that, in addition to
suits in light-weight fabrics and mesh linings, which are at the core of your
defense, the big players like AOKI are now hawking shoes and bags in
summer variants. The footwear offers cooling pads built into the shoe
itself, and they have the weight of the actual bag down to 650 grams, so
you don’t work up a sweat carrying it.
STREET
FOCUS
ON POINT
Alternative fashion school Coconogacco, quite literally “school of the moment” in all senses, has taken
another progressive step with news that they are
opening a course
for international
and internationallyminded students,
taught in English.
The faculty reads
like an A-list of Tokyo fashion talent.
Not only does it feature the academics
you’d expect, but also established designers—including Steven Hall, one
half of the design team behind In-Process by Hall Ohara, a big draw at
Tokyo Fashion Week; and Shueh Jen-Fang, designer of cult label Jenny
Fax—all under the direction of Yoshikazu Yamagata, a man whose work
with his label WrittenAfterwards has him verging on cultural icon status.
Those interested can check the website (www.coconogacco.com) and,
who knows, they might be joining course alumni Keisuke Yoshida and
Ryota Murakami on the Tokyo Fashion Week schedule in the future.
The course joins the old guard of Bunka, Vantan, and Esmod in offering
fashion education in English. It’s a sign that the fashion capital is starting
to open up its doors to those who would learn from it—a crucial first step
in building the infrastructure needed if Japan wants to draw its fair share
from the international talent pool.
SHOPPING STRATEGY
16
Gwen Stefani’s now mercifully-derided song may continue to fool those on a
fashion safari to hunt for “Harajuku girls” but, while it may be true that Harajuku
is where you find the kids dipping their toes into the scene, the veterans with
years of experience under their well-selected belts are, more often than not,
long-departed to other, edgier pastures. Today’s ascending avant garde star
was found, like many of this writer’s finds, in Koenji, a bohemian borough in west
Tokyo that really ought to be on your radar by now.
pop-culture printed designs on the events and expo scene back in 2013,
but are now a real force to be reckoned with, even selling in Harajuku fastfashion hub Spinns, as well as online (http://zigg.thebase.in). The prices
and ease of access might be on the mainstream side, but the fashion
itself is anything but, with authoritative avant garde fashion produced in
collaboration with big-hitters like Balmung joining the t-shirts at around
the ¥5,000 mark.
Photos by Samuel Thomas
Getting your fix of the pop-culture-meetsfashion-mix that has been sweeping the
Tokyo underground has, up till now, been
an exercise in negotiating hashtags, erratic
opening times, and shops without signs.
Case in point: the newly opened “Zzz…
Tokyo/Bedroom,” a cute-to-the-point-ofintimidation affair that opened last month in
Koenji, packed with manga and Card Captor
Sakura anime-inspired fashion jostling for
position on the pastel-crammed racks.
While that scene is all well and good for
those who want their comfort zones compromised, there are now a number of emerging,
altogether more accessible options. Not
least of these is Zigg, who may have started
as a grassroots undertaking selling their
FASHION CALENDAR
CHECK METROPOLISJAPAN.COM FOR THE LATEST FASHION CALENDAR.
Photos courtesy of Alice Auaa. Collage by Metropolis Design Team
Alice Auaa’s
Gothic Boudoir
T
o present their latest collection, designer
Yasutaka Funakoshi’s celebrated gothic
brand Alice Auaa retreated from the official Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tokyo
to the privacy of the brand’s atelier and
flagship store in Osaka’s Shinsaibashi. The more
intimate location was appropriate for the soft
S&M undercurrent that ran through the presentation, but also reflected the gothic subculture’s
tangible absence on the streets of Japan—in
essence acknowledging that, while still popular,
it really isn’t the visual presence it was in the
days of zoku (fashion tribes), at least outside of
gatherings and events.
However, as ably demonstrated by this collection from Alice Auaa, this is not necessarily a time for mourning befitting those who go
about their daily life in a voluntary shroud, but
rather a chance for designers to rethink and
refine, so as to ensure that the next time this subculture takes center stage, it is bringing something genuinely new to the genre. In Alice Auaa’s
case, the number of committed clients has led
to them focus on quality and customization,
bringing in luxury lace, furs, and even custommolded aluminum panels. These all bring to life
the gothic dreams of youth who were once frustrated by Takeshita-dōri iterations. In essence,
this is the real deal, not a luxury fashion designer
condescendingly drawing on the sub-culture’s
creativity, nor the cheaply-made imitations sold
to fans in the absence of anything better; this is
the brand gothic fashion fans deserve.
For this, now the brand’s 41st season, Funakoshi explored a pet theme, restraining but
empowering in equal measures. The fashion
dynamic of donning one’s finery, with the added tension that it is at another’s behest, was
thoroughly explored, the designer himself appearing during the presentation as a seated
observer, as if to lay himself bare next to the
collection. Beyond the captivating, conflicting power dynamics, the collection was also a
contrast in execution, with transparent plastic
dresses being paired with organic lush furs, and
plush velvets sitting next to shiny PVC. Needless
to say, the outfits are unlikely to be produced
verbatim, except perhaps on the streets of Harajuku or Shinsaibashi for now. But give it time …
and when kawaii’s tide turns, maybe the streets
will be stained black once again.
17
movies
BY DON MORTON
RUN ALL
NIGHT
featured movie
Af te r t h ose t h re e fo r m u l aic Taken
fluff pieces, you could be forgiven for
approaching this Liam Neeson actioner
with some misgivings. But the Irish actor
does, from time to time, make grittier,
more grown-up films, especially when
he’s working with Jaume Collet-Serra,
who directed him in Unknown and NonStop. Here he plays Jimmy Conlon, a oncefeared mob assassin nearing the end of his
shelf life, and a lonely, laughable, drunk
wracked with guilt and regret. His only
true friend is Shawn Maguire (the great Ed
Harris), the boss for whom he has killed 18
men over the years. Their scenes together
are terrific, and anchor the film. When his
estranged son by chance witnesses a
double murder committed by Maguire’s
hothead son, things get out of hand, and
Jimmy has to shoot Shawn’s boy to save
his own lad—which resets all the rules and
leads to the title all-night chase (including
one unique stretch where the cop car
is the one being chased), and a rising
body count. Ex-rapper Common puts
in a fine performance as an ice-cold hit
man. There’s one clichéd, family-in-peril
scenario toward the end, but otherwise,
this one’s stylish, kinetic, believable, and
ultimately satisfying. (114 min)
NEW
THE SIGNAL
A trio of graduate
students driving
from Massachusetts
to C a l i fo r n ia s to p i n
Nevada to follow the
signal of a mysterious hacker who’s been taunting
them since they left. They find an empty shack, black
out, and wake up in a strange lab being examined by
Laurence Fishburne in a hazmat suit. This cinematic
puzzle continues to defy expectations as it genrehops from Blair Witch to alien abduction to TRON,
all the way to its inconclusive conclusion. Not great,
but it ’s thoughtprovoking and intelligent , and
director-to-watch William Eubank does a lot with a
tiny budget, so look at this as a calling card. (97 min)
THE ZERO THEOREM
A hairless, uncharacteristically uncharismatic
Christoph Waltz plays a
brilliant cubicle jockey
t a s ke d w i t h w o r k i n g
on a mathematical proof that, well, nothing really
matters. This cluttered sci-fi confection is the kind of
colorful, kinetic dystopian vision that director Terry
Gilliam (Brazil) does so well, but though this is being
sold as existential angst, it’s got a recycled feel, and
the clutter mainly serves to distract from the dullness
of the story and its take on digital alienation. The
repetitious in-jokes are not funny, the characters
are not likable, and the whole thing is too, uhm,
theoretical. Japanese title: Zero no Mirai. (106 min)
HORNS
Splat-pack film(re)maker
Alexandre Aja (Piranha,
The Hills Have Eyes) tones
down the gore in favor
of some serious genrejuggling in this—what?—darkly comedic, supernatural,
coming-of-age, romantic, demonic horror whodunit.
After his girlfriend is murdered and he blamed, Ig Perrish
(a committed Daniel Radcliffe) finds a pair of horns
growing out of his head. These apparently make people
mysteriously want to share their darkest secret impulses,
and he eventually uses these unnerving powers to seek
her real killer. It’s high-concept hooey but undeniably
original and compulsively watchable. Japanese
title: Horns: Yōgisha to Kokuhaku no Tsuno. (121 min)
BLACKHAT
Michael Mann has
given us The Last of
the Mohicans, The
Insider and Heat, so I’m
wondering w hat he’s
doing down at this level. There’s nothing particularly
wrong with this multiplex fodder, but not much of
substance either. I didn’t buy Chris Hemsworth as an
incarcerated cyber-criminal paroled by a desperate
FBI to help them find a cyber-villain. The bad guy
has already caused a reactor meltdown and upset
the f inancial markets. For a geek, Chris’s hunk y
hacker is inexplicably adept at gunplay and close
combat. This is not exactly hackwork, but neither is
it the edgy cyber-thriller we had hoped for. (134 min)
THE TRIP TO ITALY
A chat t y food travel ogue? A scenic Italian
nosh with a side of
i m p r o v ? W h a t e v e r.
Comedic actors Steve
Coogan and Rob Brydon, playing slightly fictionalized
versions of themselves, tool around Italy in a rented
Mini, sampling top restaurants for The Observer.
Director Michael Winterbottom lets his leads run with it,
resulting in some surprisingly insightful, free-form comic
riffs, and hilarious impersonations. Dueling Brandos,
anyone? A Michael Caine-off? I found it a fairly constant
chuckle. You’ll leave the theater feeling refreshed,
entertained … and probably hungry. This one’s a trip
and a half. Japanese title: Italia wa Yondeiru. (106 min)
FOCUS
Slick romantic comedy
has p rofes sio nal co n
man Will Smith taking
u n d e r h i s w i n g (a n d
bedcovers) a lovely
rookie (Margot Robbie) in whom he sees real talent.
There’s a wonderful montage early on, in which the
picking of pockets is demonstrated. But don’t be
expecting The Sting. There’s a point of diminishing
returns in a caper f lick when too many double crosses and rug-pulls turn into just jacking around
an audience, and we lose focus. Far be it for me
to dampen Smith’s shot at a long-awaited return
to box office royalty (Hitch, 2005), but while this is
amiable and diverting, we’re still waiting. (105 min)
NEW
NEW
NEW
Run All Night: © 2015 WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC.; The Signal: © 2014 Signal Film Group LLC All Rights Reserved; The Zero Theorem: © 2013 ASIA & EUROPE PRODUCTIONS S.A. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.; Horns: © 2014 The Horns
Project, Inc. All Rights Reserved.; Blackhat: © Universal Pictures; The Trip to Italy: © Trip Films Ltd 2014; Focus: © 2014 WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC. AND RATPAC-DUNE ENTERTAINMENT LLC ALL RIGHTS RESERVED; Revenge of the
Green Dragons: © 2014 ROTGD Productions, LLC. All Rights Reserved.; Magic in the Moonlight: © 2014 Gravier Productions, Inc.; Furious 7: © 2014 Universal Pictures; Cinderella: © 2015 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.; The Last Five
Years: © THE LAST FIVE YEARS THE MOTION PICTURE LLC; Whiplash: © 2013 WHIPLASH, LLC All Rights Reserved.
18
More reviews: metropolisjapan.com/movies
REVENGE OF THE
GREEN DRAGONS
Based on a 1992 article
in The New Yorker about
unchecked Chinese youth
gangs in Queens during
the 1980s and co-directed by Andrew Lau (whose
Infernal Affairs was remade by Martin Scorsese into
the award-winning The Departed ), this one starts
off strong but soon devolves into a fairly average,
clichéd gangster flick featuring Chinese thugs (and
a token Ray Liotta). Numerous twists and a chaotic
style complicate rather than enhance the plot, the
acting is uninspired, the dialogue tired, and the
execution ham-handed. Suitably, even offputtingly
brutal, but offers little novelty and less insight. (94 min)
MAGIC IN THE
MOONLIGHT
I’m a fan. I think even
mediocre Woody Allen
movies are better than
most of what’s out there—
but that doesn’t mean they’re not disappointing. This
one starts out strong. It’s 1928. Colin Firth is a stage
magician and noted paranormal debunker who’s
called upon to poke holes in the amazingly accurate
prognostications of a pret t y young clair voyant
(Emma Stone). But then he’s “converted,” falls in
love, and the movie immediately loses steam, along
with any magic it might have had. Threadbare and
predictable, this one feels off-the-rack. The script could
have used a third draft, or even a second. (97 min)
FURIOUS 7
No one needs a review
of a 14 -year franchise
f ilm with a “7 ” in the
title. You are by now
a fan or you are not.
But if you judge a film by how well the filmmakers
know what their audiences want, this one delivers.
And then it delivers again. Then it blows some stuff
up, has a brutal fistfight or two, drives off a cliff, talks
tough, and delivers some more. A plot? What for?
Chronologically hazy, but who cares? Major “wow”
factor in the stunts, but the indestructible superherowithout-the-cape thing drains any real tension. I liked
the tasteful tribute to the late Paul Walker at the end.
Japanese title: Wild Speed: Sky Mission. (137 min)
CINDERELLA
I was rather surprised to
find myself enjoying this
live-action revitalization
of the 1950 Disney
animated classic. The
cinematography, costumes, and production design
are a delight to behold. The SFX support the story.
And best of all: No songs! Downton Abbey ’s Lily
James does the title honors with guilelessness and
intelligence. Cate Blanchett’s the wicked stepmother.
Shakespearean director Kenneth Branagh (okay,
he also did Thor) has created something old yet
new, more a revitalization rather than a reimagining.
Pure of hear t, unabashedly sincere, and wildly
entertaining. Uncle Walt would approve. (105 min)
THE LAST FIVE YEARS
This is the sad but never
m a u d l i n s to r y of t h e
courtship, marriage, and
dissolution of a loving
relationship. He (Jeremy
Jordan), a young novelist f inding early success,
tells it in chronological order. She (a shining Anna
Kendrick), a singer/actress struggling with endless
auditions and a stalled career, tells it from finish to
start. Your enjoyment will hinge on your attitude
toward entirely sung films, but the songs here, by
Tony-winning lyricist and composer Jason Robert
Brown, advance the plot, and are intricate, varied,
and well worth a look/listen. A smart Off-Broadway
a d ap t a t io n by Richard L a G r ave n ese. (9 4 m in)
WHIPLASH
A talented young jazz
drumming student at a
prestigious NYC music
academy is challenged
to rise to his full potential
by a brutal, Machiavellian, perfectionist teacher/
bandleader (an Oscar-winning J.K. Simmons). This one
turns the sentimental inspirational-teacher genre on
its head and plays more like a sports movie, or even
a psychothriller. Writer/Director Damien Chazelle
never misses a beat in this tightly-paced, propulsive
film. Title refers to a difficult big-band number. It also
describes what you might feel after surviving the
intense and cathartic final scene. Big screen, please.
For the sound. Japanese title: Session. (106 min)
© NBCユニバーサル・エンターテインメント
Film still: © 2015 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
© Les Films du Fleuve
eiga
Director Hideta Takahata’s
wonderful take on the youth
district of Harajuku is both
light-hearted and thoughtprovoking. There are clever
By Rob Schwartz
set-ups and romantic
interludes, but also some serious points being made
about the seamy and exploitative side of Japanese hip
culture. Divided into five episodes which slyly double
back and interconnect, each story is complete in itself,
which almost makes it feel as if you’ve watched two
films. The cute Korean boys from the idol group Bee
Shuffle portray the male leads, involved in various
scams and legit businesses to make a living in flashy
and pop-driven Harajuku. Rina Takeda is well cast as
a strict police officer who is somehow seduced by
a pretty boy in the gang. A few of the stories center
around the touts on the street, who say they’re
scouting for modeling agencies—but that’s sometimes
not the case, as in the linchpin who explores the more
unsavory side of Tokyo’s boulevard of broken dreams.
The film also shows how not only younger people, but
also people their parents’ age can get caught up in
the web. Entertaining, clever and fresh, this flick could
be a new marker for Japanese film in 2015. (89 min)
HARAJUKU
DENIER
movie news
English actress Daisy Ridley is enjoying a career
upswing few performers dare to dream. It seems one
minute she was doing tiny parts for British telly, and
the next she was cast in the biggest film franchise
in the world. Even though Star Wars: The Force
Awakens won’t be released for a full seven months,
the 23-year-old star is already on the publicity trail,
visiting Tokyo for a recent “kickoff meeting.” J.J.
Abrams, who is taking over the director’s chair,
decided to follow the example set by George
Lucas of casting relatively unknown actors in major
parts of the first films, and offered the actress the
new role of Rey. At the press conference, Ridley
explained she got an email informing her she had
the part while she was seeing a play in London.
She read it during the intermission and had to
contain her excitement in order to go back for the
“very long” second act. “Then I raced home to tell
my family and didn’t sleep for several days,” she
recalled. She didn’t have much time to celebrate, as
she soon had to report for grueling training. Asked
for some story details by Japanese reporters, Ridley
replied “I’ve only seen the teaser trailer, so you
know just as much as I do.” Star Wars: The Force
Awakens opens in Japan December 18. Kevin Mcgue
cinematic underground
French actress Marion Cotillard has tasted Hollywood
success with big hits like Inception and The Dark Knight
Rises, but returns a little closer to home with her Frenchlanguage Oscar-nominated leading role in the Belgian
film Two Days, One Night. She plays a working mom
who spends a weekend desperately trying to convince
her workmates to reverse their votes to axe her due to
budget cuts. On from May 23 at Bunkamura’s Le Cinema
(2-24-1 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku; www.bunkamura.
co.jp) … Let’s face it, seeing a movie in Tokyo can put a
squeeze on your wallet. Luckily, there is help in the form
of Waseda Shochiku (1-5-16 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-ku;
www.wasedashochiku.co.jp), which offers not one, but
two films for the low price of ¥1,300. Upcoming double
features include Clint Eastwood’s Mystic River and
Jersey Boys, on from May 16, and The Wind That Shakes
the Barley and Jimmy’s Hall by Brit master Ken Loach
… Japan continues its love affair with the surrealistic
animation of Czech master Jan Švankmajer with encore
screenings of the most popular works of a recent touring
festival. The lineup includes Alice, which manages to outweird even Lewis Carroll, the Freudian dream Surviving
Life, and assorted short works. May 23-June 26 at Image
Forum in Shibuya (2-10-2 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku;
www.imageforum.co.jp). KM
19
arts&culture
Photo by Takashi Okamoto
JAPAN BEAT
KODO
BY DAN GRUNEBAUM
E
ri Uchida, one of a few female members
of legendary Japanese taiko drum troupe
Kodo, spoke with Metropolis on the eve
of a performance focusing on the group’s
men. Uchida told us about Kodo’s new work Mystery, its first to feature women in central roles.
How did you come to join Kodo?
I decided to attend Kodo’s apprentice center
when I saw Kodo in Vancouver, while I was at
high school in Canada. After two years of apprenticeship, we are able to perform on stage
with the other members.
Women seem relatively new to the world of
taiko: What are the challenges?
Women are not so new to taiko as a performing art, which has been around only 50 years
or so. In fact, most amateur taiko groups are
composed mainly of women. However, Kodo is
composed mostly of men, and there are lots of
challenges as professionals. First of all, the size
of the taiko; the taiko that we use are so large
that even some men can barely make a good
sound. Therefore, it is even more challenging
for female taiko players.
Taiko seems to be getting very popular worldwide. Why do you think this is?
Taiko is essentially one of the easiest instruments on which to make a sound. So it is very
easy to start. Taiko cannot be done alone; whether it is for performance, preparation, or actually
building the drum, a sense of togetherness is
required. I think as individualism becomes a
common value worldwide, people’s hearts need
this sense of community.
20
Tell us about your most special experience so
far as a member of Kodo.
It is very difficult to choose one experience. The
entire experience is special to me. Touring is lifechanging. Your views and values change a lot in
a short period of time. The sunset from the tour
bus, the freezing weather I have never experienced, communication with local staff without
TOURING IS LIFE-CHANGING.
YOUR VIEWS AND VALUES
CHANGE A LOT IN A SHORT
PERIOD OF TIME.”
language barriers, the encounter of
dangerous suburban areas … the ability to find new answers when I’m feeling stuck. These are some examples
of touring experiences that led up to
my performances. I am very thankful
to Kodo for giving me this opportunity.
Tell us about your role in the new
piece Mystery.
I think the audience will enjoy the presence of women in Mystery, because
we have created both theatrical and
comical pieces featuring women in
the production. Women are usually
not heavily featured in Kodo’s productions, so Mystery is a rare opportunity
to enjoy the female presence.
Why do you think artistic director
Tamasaburo Bando chose to feature
women strongly in Mystery? Are
women mysterious?
Bando has thought about the role of
women in Kodo since the very beginning. As he plays female roles in kabuki, he taught us how to behave and
act as women on stage. I think women
are mysterious in that they have the ability to
create a new life inside their body. However,
women are not central to the mysterious aspect
of this production. Female performers have an
important role to lighten the atmosphere on
stage, and to provide a sense of comfort and
humor with their charm. I think it was a big challenge to feature women in Kodo, which has a
strong image of male performers.
Where do you see yourself in ten years?
That’s a hard question. I feel like I am reborn
every time a tour ends. I don’t know what I will
be doing in ten years since my priorities change
quickly. All I know is, I’d like to have a child someday and want to live for others.
What does music mean to you, and why do you
think music exists?
Music for me is healing, joy, and makes my life
rich and prosperous—but also [is] the biggest
worry since my job is music. If I limit this topic to
taiko, I’d like to introduce an idea that a psychologist once offered on the subject: “Human beings
have an element of ferocity. Unlike robots, we
kill other species in order to survive. Humans
may develop mental illness when the balance
of these ferocious instincts collapses. The action of hitting the drum provides a very important influence to achieve that balance mentally.
Therefore, taiko drumming maintains wellness
for human beings.” Expanding from this idea, I
believe that music has a universal power to heal
anyone’s mind in our current society.
Kodo perform “Dadan” at Asakusa Kokaido,
Jun 10-15. Earth Celebration 2015 takes place
on Sado Island, Aug 21-23.
ART
SAYUME
TACHIBANA
The Bewitching Beauty of Japan
BY C.B. LIDDELL
T
he main inconvenience when visiting exhibitions in Japan is the crowd you often
encounter, so it’s always a pleasure to
discover a show by a great, talented artist
who’s been overlooked by the masses.
Recently, I came across an almost classic
example of this in “The Bewitching Beauty of
Japan,” an exhibition of Sayume Tachibana’s
work at the Yayoi Musuem—which also happens
to be one of the quaintest and most charming
art venues in our city.
To Western eyes, it may seem that Sayume
has something of a typical gothic sensibility. His
subject matter includes ghosts, water sprites,
shape-shifting fox ladies, “hell courtesans,” and
tragic stories of lost love, murder, and suicide.
However, his career, which spanned the Taisho
and early Showa Periods, came well before more
conventional gothic influences reached Japan;
so his art represents a truly authentic Japanese
sense of the macabre and mysterious.
Sayume is a semi-tragic figure. His introspective and otherworldly art emerged at a
time when Japan was moving towards militarism and modernism. Although this means his
art now has a poignant atmosphere of ghostly
nostalgia, at the time it meant he could not
enjoy all the success his talent merited. Also,
a great many of his works were destroyed in
the great fire that followed the Tokyo Earthquake of 1923, while others were destroyed
in the War.
Nevertheless, this exhibition manages to
bring together an excellent collection of around
200 works, including his astounding A Water
Sprite (1932), which was banned in its time from
being displayed. According to Keiko Nakamura,
a curator of the Yayoi, this was not so much because of its erotic overtones—it shows a naked
lady drowning—but because of “the ambivalent
feelings about death it represents.”
But although there’s an element of ill fortune
in Sayume’s story, it also turns out that he was
luckier than could be expected. The reason
he developed such an idiosyncratic style was
because, as a small child, he was diagnosed
with a heart condition and told he would never
reach adulthood.
“Because of his heart disease, he was obsessed with ‘the other world’ after death,” Nakamura explains. “Female nymphs and ghosts
living in another world were not only attractive but
also familiar to Sayume, who was feeling close to
death all the time. So he spent most of his time in
childhood reading literature and folklore rather
than running around like every other child does.
The Japanese folklore and tradition that he loved
are full of enchanting and bewitching beauty, and
he was strongly fascinated by these women, and
embodied them in his works of art.”
Luckily, the doctors were wrong and Sayume
grew up to become an artist as well as an il-
lustrator for books and magazines. Working on
different projects like this led to some variation
in style, but there’s a constant tone of gentle,
stoic enchantment that emanates from most
of his work.
This is because, although fascinated by the
dark side, he was not overwhelmed by it. Although sickly throughout his life, through careful
living and abstinence, he managed to lead a
relatively long and normal life, getting married
and having four kids. But you would never guess
that from the dark, mysterious, and grotesquely
beautiful world he conjured up with his brush.
Yayoi Museum, until June 28.
21
arts&culture
1 TO 1: MARK RONSON
Uptown funk in real time
BY DANIEL L. SMITH, FOX EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
L
MUSIC
BACK TO
NICKELBACK
Bassist Mike Kroeger talks
music, bass, and Japan
BY MARTIN LEROUX
N
ickelback is sounding a little different these days. The distortion
guitar-driven tunes—interwoven with frontman Chad Kroeger’s
gravelly vocals to form the band’s signature pop-rock sound—are
kept to a minimum on their latest release, No Fixed Address. Instead,
the album finds the rock outfit exploring a more eclectic array of genres.
Each track’s driving force, however, is the bass line provided by Mike
Kroeger, which packs in the punches where necessary. The bassist—and
brother to Chad—talks to Metropolis from his home in Hawaii, before
embarking on the Japanese leg of Nickelback’s No Fixed Address Tour,
which brings them back to Tokyo for the first time in nearly three years.
“The one thing that Japanese audiences do that is very impressive to
us, is they know all the words,” he laughs. “It’s unbelievable, but there are
places—especially in the U.S. and Canada—where they don’t always sing
the parts correctly; and in Japan, they always sing the parts correctly.”
For the show, Kroeger confirms the band will perform their famous
hits, alongside four songs from No Fixed Address. They go electrocountry on “Sister Sin,” disco on “She Keeps Me Up”—which sounds like
the lovechild of Maroon 5 and The Scissor Sisters—and funk in “Got Me
Runnin’ Around,” an unexpected number that features a horn section
and a rap break from Flo Rida.
Kroeger says the album’s eclecticism stems from the band’s varied
musical tastes, which allows them to switch styles with more ease.
“Our drummer [Daniel Addair] is a metal head as well. He’s also into
progressive jazz and that sort of thing. Our guitar player, Ryan [Peake], is
really into country and western music, and pop. And Chad is into classic
rock songs and things of that nature; and heavy metal as well.”
“When I first started playing the bass, I listened to only James Brown
for like five years. All I would listen to was James Brown. It was crazy; I
was kind of addicted to it. So when it came time to play something like
‘She Keeps Me Up,’ all the James Brown training came in handy.”
As they explore new ground, Kroeger looks to the future with hopes
that the band and he will be remembered for their solid musicianship.
“I would hope that it would just be recognized that we, as Nickelback,
and me also, that we served the songs. We did what the songs needed
us to do,” Kroeger professes, continuing that the music should always
be the focus. “It’s way more about giving the song what it needs to be
the strongest and best song we could create.”
Nickelback: No Fixed Address Tour. May 30, 7pm. ¥9,500. Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium. Nearest Stn: Sendagaya. Tel: 0570-00-3337.
http://meturl.com/nickelback
22
ately, it seems everything is on a
fast track for Mark Ronson. “Uptown Funk,” which Ronson released in 2014, featured Bruno Mars
on vocals and jetted to the top of the
charts, where it stayed for 14 weeks,
making it one of the biggest hits the
Billboard Hot 100 has seen in a while!
In January 2015, his fourth studio album, Uptown Special, was released and followed suit, topping
both the U.S. and U.K. album charts.
So when the musician/songwriter/
producer made a whirlwind trip to
Tokyo, he gave a crowd of delighted
fans what they came for: funk.
“Yeah, yeah, it was cool,” Ronson said of the experience. “There was a
short time when I was a DJ [at 16], coming up and playing clubs in New York.
I would love to come back to Tokyo with a proper band and do a show.”
But appearances can be deceiving, explained Ronson, who claims it
took a while before “Uptown Funk” came to fruition.
“The song really came about when I started work for my fourth album.
I had worked with Bruno on his last album. I co-produced ‘Locked Out of
Heaven,’ ‘Gorilla,’ and some songs. So we went into the studio in Bruno’s
place in L.A. one night—Bruno, me, and Jeff Bhasker, who writes with
Bruno. We just started jamming. Bruno got on the drums, Jeff was playing
synths, and I was playing bass. We got like the rough groove, but we didn’t
have a bass line yet. But we got that, and then we wrote the first lyrics.”
It was just the beginning. “So that was it [the basic song] and we just
kept working. We worked and worked … six, seven months.”
Looking back at Ronson’s origins, pressure seemed to be the least
of his issues. While his first album release, Here Comes the Fuzz, didn’t
create much buzz, both his second album, Version, and his third album,
Record Collection, peaked at #2 on the U.K. charts. He also produced
Grammy-winning albums for Amy Winehouse and Adele. His stepfather,
Mick Jones, a co-founder of Foreigner, even sought out his music advice.
Thankfully, Ronson, Mars, and Bhasker sorted things out. They still had
one issue though: they had to come up with a title for the song.
“I think what happened was, the song really started with us just playing
our instruments—because that’s the music that we love. It’s the thing we
most likely are going to start playing, you know? We love a lot of other
music, too, but it kind of evolved into funk, and I think that by the time we
got there—I don’t know when we called it “Uptown Funk”—but it certainly
felt like … ‘Can we call this a funk song?’”
Ronson continued, “It was weird because, like ‘funk’ hasn’t really been
like a cool word in songs since like Warren G and the P Funk era. But we
were making a funk song, so we thought we should just call it what it is.”
Big success has a way of speeding up the timeline. It also widens the
access circle, which Ronson said he wants to continue to expand.
“There are plenty of artists that I want to work with, that I haven't
worked with, that I love. That’s for sure. It’s so weird, but the way I have
ended up meeting the people that I have worked with—and stuff is just so
random and organic—that I'd rather just leave it to faith,” he concluded.
Apparently, a little funk doesn’t hurt, either.
Fox Backstage Pass airs Sat on Fox at 1am; Sun on Fox Movies Premium at
9am; and on Fox Sports and Entertainment at 11:30am.
agenda
WATCH LIST
hot tickets
JUN
17
Blue
English R&B group consisting of
members Antony Costa, Duncan
James, Lee Ryan, and Simon Webbe.
Jun 17, 7pm. ¥7,500. Shinkiba Studio
Coast. Shinkiba. Tel: 03-34996669. http://j.mp/bluetokyo2015
Tickets on sale now
SEP
4-20
Pippin
Tony Award-winning musical full of
extraordinary acrobatics, wondrous
magical feats, and soaring songs from
the composer of Wicked. Sep 4-20,
various times. ¥9,000-13,000. Theatre
Orb. Shibuya. Tel: 0570-550-799.
http://j.mp/pippin2015
Tickets on sale May 23
Concerts
Shin-Kiba.http://j.mp/
epik2015
POPULAR
Little Barrie
Japanese pop-rock band from
Tokyo singing in English. May
16, 7:30-8:30pm. ¥2,500 w/1d.
Club Edge. Roppongi.
www.fightingclub.net
London-based three-piece
band whose sound has drawn
from a mixture of influences
including R&B, surf, soul,
and funk. May 25, 7:30pm.
¥5,000. duo Music Exchange.
Shibuya. Tel: 03-5459-8716.
http://j.mp/littlebarrie2015
Sonata Arctica
Ozomatli
Finnish power metal band
that started as hard rock
band Tricky Beans. May 22,
7pm. ¥7,000. Club Quattro.
Shibuya. Tel: 03-3477-8750.
http://j.mp/sonataarctica2015
Seven-piece band known
both for their vocal activist
viewpoints and their wide array
of musical styles, spanning
Latin, hip hop, and rock music.
May 24, 5 & 8pm; May 25, 7
& 9:30pm. ¥7,800. Blue Note
Tokyo. Omotesando.
Tel: 03-5485-0088.
http://j.mp/ozomatli2015
Fighting Club “That Can't
Be So”
Indies Block
The best of Tokyo’s up-andcoming indie bands. May
22, 5:30pm. ¥2,500 +1d
(adv)/¥2,800 +1d (door).
Zepp DiverCity. Daiba. Tel:
03-3527-5256.
http://indiesblock.com
Human Toys Japan Tour
French duo pulse out electrobilly, hard dance music. May
22, 7pm. ¥1,500 (adv)/¥2,000
(door). Outbreak. Yotsuya.
www.hor-outbreak.com
Loud & Metal Attack
Headlined by Finnish power
metal band Sonata Arctica.
May 23, 3pm. ¥7,000. Shinkiba
Studio Coast. Shinkiba.
Tel: 03-5534-2525. http://j.mp/
loudandmetalattack2015
John Hiatt
Grammy-nominated American
rock guitarist, pianist, singer,
and songwriter who remains
one of the most respected
and influential American
singer-songwriters. May 22, 7
& 9:30pm; May 23, 6 & 9pm.
¥7,400-9,400. Billboard Live.
Roppongi. Tel: 03-34051133. http://j.mp/hiatt2015
Akira Jimbo One-Man
Orchestra
Japanese jazz fusion drummer
famous for his drumming
independence and fusion of
electronic drum technology
and acoustic drums. May 24,
3pm. ¥4,000 (adv)/¥4,500
(door). Sagami Green Hall.
Sagami-Ōno.
Tel: 042-749-2200.
http://j.mp/onemanjimbo2015
Epik High
South Korean alternative
hip-hop group known for
combining different styles of
hip hop, along with different
musical genres. May 24,
5pm. ¥6,800. Studio Coast.
JUL 2
Mika
Innovative LebaneseBritish pop artist with rock
edge, who’s going to make
audiences love today. May 26,
7pm. ¥7,500. Studio Coast.
Shin-Kiba. http://j.mp/
mika2015
Nickelback
One of Canda’s most
controversial rock bands
comes to Japan. May 30, 7pm.
¥9,500. Tokyo Taiikukan.
Kokuritsukyogijo or
Sendagaya. http://j.mp/
nickelback2015
Taicoclub ’15
Music festival with artists
Autechre, Marcel Dettmann,
Sons of Magdalene, and
others. May 30-31, 3pm.
¥13,000 (adv)/ ¥14,000 (door).
Kodama no Mori. Yabuhara.
Tel: 03-6303-3690.
http://taicoclub.com/15/tag/en
Idina Menzel
American actress and singersongwriter who rose to
prominence in the Broadway
musical Rent’s original run,
and who more recently voiced
Elsa in Frozen. Jun 4 - 5,
7pm. ¥7,500-8,500. Nippon
Budokan. Kudanshita.
http://j.mp/idina2015
Machine Head
American metal band who is one
of the pioneering bands in the New
Wave of American Heavy Metal. Jul
2, 7pm. ¥7,500. Tsutaya O-East.
Shibuya.
http://j.mp/machinehead2015
Tickets on sale May 16
Vander, who invented the
language Kobaïan, in which
most lyrics are sung. Jun 4-5,
7:30pm. ¥8,600. Tsutaya
O-East. Shibuya. Tel:
03-5458-4681. http://j.mp/
magma2015
Michelle Branch
The American singersongwriter’s heartfelt
acoustic tunes have taken
her everywhere—and now
they’re taking her to Japan.
Jun 8-9, 7 & 9:30pm. ¥6,5008,500. Billboard Live Tokyo.
Roppongi or Nogizaka. Tel:
03-3405-1133. http://j.mp/
branch2015
Pentatonix
American a cappella five-piece
group, who rose to fame on
YouTube with their all-vocal
renditions of Daft Punk hits,
now touring the world. Jun 10-11,
7pm. ¥7,500. Zepp DiverCity.
Daiba. Tel: 03-3527-5256.
http://j.mp/pentatonix2015
J.D. Souther
American musician, singersongwriter, and actor who
has written and co-written
numerous hit songs recorded
by artists such as the Eagles.
Jun 10-11, 7 & 9:30pm.
Roppongi. Tel: 03-34051133. http://j.mp/souther2015
Rumer
Pakistani-born British singersongwriter whose voice has
often been described as
being reminiscent of Karen
Carpenter. Jun 12, 7 & 9:30pm.
Roppongi. Tel: 03-34051133. http://j.mp/rumer2015
The Iron Maidens
American heavy metal band
formed as an all-female
tribute act to English heavy
metal band Iron Maiden.
Jun 12, 7pm. ¥6,000 (adv)/
¥6,500 (door). duo Music
Exchange. Shibuya. Tel:
03-5459-8716. http://j.mp/
theironmaidens2015
Moriyama Kaiji, recipient of the 63rd
Minister of Culture Art Encouragement
Prize for New Talent, creates the
world of the circus that the whole
family will enjoy. Jun 20-28, various
times. ¥1,620-5,400. The New
National Theatre, Tokyo. Hatsudai.
http://j.mp/moriyamacircus2015
Tickets on sale now
Hard Rock Cafe Roppongi.
Roppongi. Tel: 03-34087018. www.hardrock.com/
cafes/tokyo-roppongi
MAY
22
Indies Block
Twelve up-and-coming Tokyo-based
indie rock bands, including
1Eyedman, come together for a
one-night showcase. May 22, 5:30pm.
¥2,500 (adv), ¥2,800 (door). Includes
one drink. Zepp DiverCity (TOKYO).
Daiba or Tokyo Teleport.
www.indiesblock.com
Tickets on sale now
JAZZ/WORLD
following Marley’s death
in 1981. May 26-27, 5:30 &
8:45pm. ¥8,000. Blue Note
Tokyo. Omotesando. Tel:
03-5485-0088. http://j.mp/
thewailers2015
Avishai Cohen Trio
Sergio Mendez
Trio led by Israeli jazz bassist
Cohen with Daniel Dor on
drums and Nitai Hershkovits
on the piano. May 14-15, 7 &
03-5485-0088. http://j.mp/
avishaicohen2015
Brazilian musician who plays
bossa nova heavily crossed
with jazz and funk, and was
most recently nominated
for an Academy Award for
his contribution to the Rio
soundtrack. May 26-28, 6:30
& 9:30pm. ¥11,000-13,000.
Billboard Live. Roppongi.
Tel: 03-3405-1133. http://j.mp/
mendes2015
Caro Emerald
Dutch pop and jazz singer
whose debut album Deleted
Scenes from the Cutting Room
Floor set a new all-time Dutch
chart record. May 18, 7:30pm.
¥8,500-9,500. Akasaka
Blitz. Akasaka. http://j.mp/
emerald2015
Roy Haynes
American jazz drummer Haynes’
90th birthday celebration. May
16-17, 5 & 8pm; May 18, 7 &
03-5485-0088. http://j.mp/
haynes2015
Wouter Hamel
Dutch Pop singer who won the
Dutch Jazz Vocal Competition
in 2005. May 21, 7 & 9:30pm.
Roppongi. Tel: 03-34051133. http://j.mp/hamel2015
Benny Green Trio
Trio led by hard bop jazz pianist
Green, who was a member of
Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers.
May 20-22, 6:30 & 9pm.
¥7,500-9,500. Cotton Club.
Tokyo. Tel: 03-3215-1555.
http://j.mp/greentrio2015
Gregory Porter
Grammy-winning American
jazz vocalist, songwriter,
and actor who won the 2014
Grammy for best jazz vocal
album, Liquid Spirit. May 21-22,
7 & 9:30pm; May 23, 5 & 8pm.
¥8,500. Blue Note Tokyo.
Omotesando. Tel: 03-54850088. http://j.mp/porter2015
John Scofield: Uberjam
American jazz-rock guitarist
and composer who has played
and collaborated with Miles
Davis, Herbie Hancock, and
more. May 28-29, 7 & 9:30pm;
May 30, 5 & 8pm. ¥8,000. Blue
Note Tokyo. Omotesando.
Tel: 03-5485-0088. http://j.mp/
scofield2015
The Electric Guitar Quartet
With American jazz double
bass and jazz fusion electric
bass player John Patitucci and
Adam Rogers, Steve Cardenas,
and Brian Blade. May 27-29,
6:30 & 9pm; May 30, 5 & 8pm.
¥8,500-10,500. Cotton Club.
Tokyo. Tel: 03-3215-1555.
http://j.mp/electricguitar2015
Nels Cline Singers
American free jazz trio led
by guitarist and composer
Cline. Jun 2-3, 7 & 9:30pm.
Omotesando. Tel:
03-5485-0088. http://j.mp/
clinesingers2015
Led by Grammy Award-winning
American jazz pianist and
record producer. Jun 2-5, 7
& 9:30pm. ¥7,400-9,400.
Tel: 03-3405-1133.http://j.mp/
glasper2015
Bob Dorough & Nellie
McKay
Hungarian folk singer who has
toured worldwide with world
music and folk revival bands
such as Ökrös. May 24, 5 &
8pm. ¥6,000-8,000. Cotton
Club. Tokyo. Tel: 03-32151555. http://j.mp/agi2015
Esnavi: Konnichiwa Japan!
The Wailers
Mike Stern Band
Rising US R&B singer brings
her soulful style to Japan.
Jun 15, 8-10pm. Free entry.
Reggae band formed by
the remaining members of
Bob Marley and the Wailers,
Led by six-time Grammy
nominee American jazz
guitarist Stern, feat. Victor
Korean pop singer, songwriter,
and musician who made his
debut as a member of Panic.
Jun 4-5, 7pm. ¥7,500. Tokyo
Kinema Club. Uguisudani.
Tel: 03-3874-7988. http://j.mp/
leejuck2015
Magma
French progressive rock
band founded by classically
trained drummer Christian
Ági Szalóki
Wooten, Bob Franceschini,
and Will Calhoun. Jun 7, 5
& 8pm; Jun 8, 7 & 9:30pm.
Omotesando. Tel:
03-5485-0088.http://j.mp/
sternband2015
Jef Neve
Belgian jazz and classical
pianist and composer. Jun 16,
6:30 & 9pm. ¥5,000-7,000.
Cotton Club. Tokyo. Tel:
03-3215-1555. http://j.mp/
neve2015
Marc Cary Rhodes Ahead
Trio & Daniel Crawford Trio
Double bill by trios led by
post-bop jazz pianist Rhodes
and Crawford. Jun 16-18, 7
& 9:30pm. ¥7,800. Blue Note
03-5485-0088. http://j.mp/
carycrawford2015
Blue Mountain Boys
Classic country and bluegrass.
Every third Sat, 6:30 & 7:30pm.
Free. Cafe Sepia. Shibuya.
Tel: 03-3406-1300.
www.nagaremono.com/sepia
CLASSICAL
Karl-Heinz Schütz
Flautist who is Principal
Soloflute with the Vienna
State Opera Orchestra. May
17, 2pm. ¥5,000. Toppan Hall.
Iidabashi. Tel: 03-58402200. www.toppanhall.
com/en
Pinchas Zukerman
Israeli violinist who picked
up the violin at age eight and
studied at the Juilliard School.
May 19, 7pm. ¥9,000. Kioi
Hall. Yotsuya. Tel: 03-52764500. www.kioi-hall.or.jp
Robert Glasper Experiment
American bebop and cool jazz
pianist and singer Dorough
with American singersongwriter, actress, and former
stand-up comedian McKay.
Jun 5, 7 & 9:30pm; Jun 6, 5
& 8pm. ¥8,500. Blue Note
03-5485-0088.http://j.mp/
bobnellie2015
The Real Group
A cappella group from
Sweden whose members
compose or arrange most of
the songs that they perform.
Jun 13, 6 & 9pm; Jun 14, 4:30
& 7:30pm. ¥5,400-7,400.
Tel: 03-3405-1133.http://j.mp/
realgroup2015
Lee Juck
JUN
20-28
Circus
for free
Vienna Boys’ Choir
One of the best-known boys’
choirs in the world presents
the Bruckner touring choir.
May 22, 1:30pm. ¥5,800.
Tokyo Opera City Concert
Hall. Hatsudai or Shinjuku.
Tel: 03-5353-9999. www.
operacity.jp/en/index.
php. May 23, 2pm. ¥5,900.
Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall.
Minatomirai. Tel: 045-6822020. www.yaf.or.jp/mmh/
english/index-e.html
Richard Clayderman
French pianist noted by the
Guinness Book of World
Records as being “the
most successful pianist in
the world.” May 23, 3pm.
¥5,500-7,000. Katsushika
Symphony Hills. Aoto. Tel:
03-5670-2222. http://j.mp/
clayderman2015
23
Goldberg Variations
HOLIST
IC
SEMINA HE ALTH
MAY 20 R HELD
&
OR MAY MAY 22
2
AT CLU 4TH
B 360
Yasuaki Shimizu and
Saxophonette’s album launch
concert of his revolutionary
interpretation of the Goldberg
Variations for five saxophones
and four contrabasses. May
24, 2pm. ¥4,500-6,500. Tokyo
Opera City Concert Hall.
Hatsudai or Shinjuku. Tel:
03-5353-9999.
www.operacity.jp/en
Dragon Quest Concert
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Conducted by Koichi Sugiyama
and performed by the Tokyo
Metropolitan Symphony
Orchestra, with music from
Dragon Quest IV: Chapters
of the Chosen. May 24, 3pm.
¥3,500-5,500. Olympus Hall
Hachioji. Hachioji.
www.olympus.hall-info.jp
Mozarteum Orchestra
Salzburg
Conducted by Ivor Bolton with
performances of pieces by
Haydn and Mozart. May 26,
7pm. ¥4,000-10,000. Tokyo
Bunka Kaikan. Ueno.
Tel: 03-3828-2111.
http://j.mp/salzburg2015
Tchaikovsky Symphony
Orchestra
“The course was very informative and helpful. I felt that I learned a lot that
I wish I had known about much earlier in my life!” -Catherine
Conducted by Vladimir
Fedoseyev with performances
of Tchaikovsky’s Capriccio
Italien, op.45, Violin Concerto
in D major, op.35, and more
in celebration of his 175th
Jubilee. May 28, 7pm.
¥4,000-16,000. Suntory Hall.
Roppongi-itchome. Tel:
0570-55-0017. http://j.mp/
tchaikovskyorchestra2015
THE PRIMAL HEALTH SEMINAR WILL
BE HELD AT CLUB 360
Just 3 min walk from Roppongi Hills
Pristine showering facilities
Large modern facility with spacious studio & 5-star
resistance zone
Jonas Kaufmann
Register now! info@club360.jp Tel: 03-6434-9667
M
for entio
FR n M
EE
e
AD trop
MI oli
SS s
ION
German operatic tenor best
known for his performances
in roles such as Don José in
Carmen and Cavaradossi
in Tosca. May 30, 7pm.
¥14,000-26,000. Suntory
Hall. Roppongi-itchome.
Tel: 0570-55-0017. http://j.
mp/kaufmann2015. Jun 1,
7pm. ¥14,000-26,000. Muza
Kawasaki Symphony Hall.
Kawasaki. Tel: 044-5200200. www.kawasaki-symhall.jp
its students and alumni, the
concert features songs and
operas that were translated
into Japanese during the
Meiji Era. Jun 8, 7pm. ¥2,000.
Suntory Hall Blue Rose.
Roppongi-Itchome. Tel:
03-3505-1001. http://j.mp/
meijieuropean2015
Renaud Capuçon
French classical
violinist Capuçon with pianist
David Kadouch. Jun 8, 7pm.
¥3,000-6,000. Toppan Hall.
Iidabashi. Tel: 03-58402200. http://j.mp/capucon2015
War and Music: From
Darkness to Light
Produced by Ferris University
and performed by its students
and alumni, the concert
features war songs and
compositions that helped unite
people in their hope for peace.
Jun 9, 7pm. ¥2,000. Suntory
Hall Blue Rose. RoppongiItchome. Tel: 03-3505-1001.
http://j.mp/warandmusic2015
The Miró Quartet
Internationally-performing
professional classical string
quartet that was awarded
Chamber Music America’s
prestigious Cleveland Quartet
Award in 2005. Jun 7, 2pm;
Jun 11, 13, 18 & 20, 7pm.
¥1,000-5,000 (all five concerts
for ¥15,000). Suntory Hall Blue
Rose. Roppongi Itchome.
Tel: 03-3505-1001.http://j.mp/
miroquartet2015
State Symphony Capella of
Russia
Conducted by Valery
Polyansky with performances
of the Overture from Glinka’s
“Ruslan i Lyudmila,” Dvořák’s
“Cello Concerto in B minor,
op.104,” and more. Jul 9, 7pm.
¥6,000-10,000. Suntory Hall.
Roppongi-itchome. Tel:
0570-55-0017. http://j.mp/
statesymphonycapella2015
THE RACE IS ON!
Groups of 4 or more can
compete with each other
Admission
1 ticket (7 min)=¥2100, 3 tix=¥5200, 5 tix=¥7800
¥47,000
Taijiro Iimori, a specialist of
German music, will conduct
several masterpieces by
Wagner and Brahms. Jun 3,
7pm. ¥2,100-6,200. Tokyo
Bunka Kaikan. Ueno. Tel:
03-3828-2111. www.t-bunka.
jp/en
International Organ
Festival
Featuring organists Ernst
Erich Stender and Mari
Kodama. Jun 4, 7pm. ¥6,000.
Sekiguchi Catholic Church.
Edogawabashi. Tel:
03-3945-0126. http://iofj.net
The Siena Wind Orchestra
performs music from the hit
video game franchise. Jun
7, 1 & 5pm. ¥4,500-6,500.
Bunkamura. Shibuya. Tel:
03-3477-9111. http://j.mp/
brabra2015
Disney on Classic: Spring
Gala
June 2015 Membership Fee
Showcasing popular songs
from Disney movies such
as Snow White, The Little
Mermaid, Cinderella, and
more. May 29-Jun 7, various
times. ¥7,000-8,700.
Theatre Orb. Shibuya. Tel:
03-3477-9999. http://j.mp/
disneyspringgala2015
Produced by Kunitachi College
of Music and performed by
24
Club Crac. DJs Emma, Dske,
etc. From 11:30pm. ¥2,500.
Daikanyama. Tel: 03-54598630. www.unit-tokyo.com
SATURDAY 16
Microcosmos
City Hunter. Hip-hop: DJs
Alamaki, Keita, etc. From 12am.
¥2,000 w/1d. Shibuya.
Tel: 03-5784-5496. www.
microcosmos-tokyo.com
The New Matrix Bar
Saturday Night Fever. Hip-hop,
R&B, reggae: DJ Ykk and more.
From 6pm. ¥1,000 (after 10pm).
Roppongi. www.matrixbar.jp
The Room
Magic. House, disco: DJs
Kawasaki, Endo, etc. From 9pm.
¥2,500 w/1d. Shibuya. www.
theroom.jp
Air
Mariana. Techno: DJs Peter Van
Hoesen, Marco Shuttle, etc.
From 10pm. ¥3,500. Shibuya.
Tel: 03-5784-3384. www.
air-tokyo.com
Sound Museum Vision
DJ Mag. Techno, house: DJs
Mike Vale, Adam Saville, etc.
¥3,500 w/1d. Shibuya. Tel:
03-5728-2824. www.visiontokyo.com
T2
Shibuya Mixx. EDM: DJs Dantz,
Daijiro, etc. From 10pm.
(m)¥3,500 w/1d, (f)¥2,500 w/2d.
Shibuya. Tel: 03-5428-8692.
www.t2-shibuya.com
Ageha
FRIDAY 15
Club Asia
Matrix Friday. Old school
hip-hop, west side, south side,
all mix: DJ Ykk and more. From
6pm. ¥1,000 (after 11:30pm).
Ebisu Garden Hall
Squarepusher. Squarepusher’s
new album and latest live
set. From 6pm. ¥5,940 (adv).
Ebisu. Tel: 03-5423-7111.
http://j.mp/squarepusher2015
Air
Ene Records. House, disco: DJs
Tiago, Man Power, etc. From
10pm. ¥3,000. Shibuya.
Tel: 03-5784-3384.
www.air-tokyo.com
Tokyo Yugi. House, techno: DJs
Watsui, Tokyo Hack, etc. From
11pm. ¥3,500. Shibuya. Tel:
03-5458-2551. www.clubasia.
co.jp
Womb
Endless Flight. Disco, house: DJs
Koze, Axel Boman, etc. From
03-5459-0039. www.womb.
co.jp
Daikanyama Unit
Hospital Night. Drum’n‘bass:
DJs London Elektricity, Makoto,
etc. From 11:30pm. ¥3,500.
Daikanyama.
Tel: 03-5459-8630.
www.unit-tokyo.com
Liquidroom
Shibuya Mixx. EDM: DJs
Dubvision, Shu, etc. From
10pm. (m)¥3,500 w/1d,
(f)¥2,500 w/2d. Shibuya. Tel:
03-5428-8692.
www.t2-shibuya.com
Sebastian Mullaert & Ulf
Eriksson. Techno: DJ Nobu and
more. Live: Sebastian Mullaert
& Ulf Eriksson. From 11:30pm.
¥4,000. Ebisu. Tel: 03-54640800. www.liquidroom.net
SUNDAY 17
Ageha
Party Up. All mix, EDM: DJs
Fumi Yeah, Yu-Ki, etc. From
11pm. (m)¥3,000, (f)¥2,000.
Shinkiba. Tel: 03-55342525. www.ageha.com
T2
Global Allmix Party. All mix: DJs
Takashi, Rew, etc. From 10pm.
(m)¥2,500 w/2d, (f)¥1,500 w/2d.
Shibuya. Tel: 03-5428-8692.
www.t2-shibuya.com
The Room
Wah Wah. Rare groove:
DJs Kuroda, Ryuhei, etc.
From 11pm. ¥2,500 w/1d.
Shibuya. www.theroom.jp
Club Asia
The European Music that
adorned the Meiji Era
Daikanyama Unit
Clubbing
T2
Bra Bra Final Fantasy
Intension. House, techno: DJs
Arjun Vagale, Wada, etc. From
11pm. ¥3,500. Shibuya.
Tel: 03-5459-0039.
www.womb.co.jp
Saturdays. EDM, house: DJ
Ksuke and more. ¥3,500.
Shinkiba. Tel: 03-5534-2525.
www.ageha.com
The New Matrix Bar
Wagner & Brahms: The
Forest of German
Romanticism
Womb
Classics. Hip-hop: DJs Missie,
Tats, etc. From 11pm. ¥3,000
w/1d. Shibuya. Tel: 03-54582551. www.clubasia.co.jp
The Room
Groovy Rock Caravan. Rock, ska:
DJs Onuki, Fujii, etc. 5-11pm.
¥1,000. Shibuya. www.
theroom.jp
MONDAY 18
Air
Gum. Techno, house: DJs Ali&,
Fujita, etc. From 10pm. ¥2,500
w/1d. Shibuya. Tel: 03-57843384. www.air-tokyo.com
all mix: DJ Ykk and more. From
6pm. ¥1,000 (after 11:30pm).
T2
Air
T2 Monday. EDM: DJs Kenta,
Tommy, etc. From 10pm.
(m)¥2,500 w/2d, (f)¥1,500 w/2d.
Shibuya. Tel: 03-5428-8692.
www.t2-shibuya.com
Reboot. Techno: DJs Ken Ishii,
Q’hey, etc. From 10pm. ¥3,000.
Shibuya. Tel: 03-5784-3384.
www.air-tokyo.com
Sound Museum Vision
Gekiyaba Set. EDM: DJs Shoho,
Fumi, etc. From 10pm. ¥1,500
w/1d. Shibuya. Tel: 03-54590039. www.womb.co.jp
Techno Invader. Techno, house:
DJs Ishino, Sunahara, etc. From
03-5728-2824. www.visiontokyo.com
TUESDAY 19
The Room
Womb
Ruby Room
Open Mic. From 7pm. ¥1,000
w/2d. Shibuya. Tel: 03-37803022 (evenings) / 070-69694816 (daytime). www.
rubyroomtokyo.com
Air
The Choice. Techno, electronic:
DJs Tm404, Koba, etc. From
10pm. ¥2,000 w/1d. Shibuya.
Tel: 03-5784-3384. www.
air-tokyo.com
T2
Super Tuesday. EDM: DJs
Hokuto, Baby-T, etc. From 10pm.
(m)¥2,500 w/2d, (f)¥1,500 w/2d.
Shibuya.
Tel: 03-5428-8692.
www.t2-shibuya.com
Womb
Tuemix. EDM, top40: DJs Alpha
One, Ashlay, etc. From 10pm.
(m)¥1,500, (f)free. Shibuya.
Tel: 03-5459-0039.
www.womb.co.jp
WEDNESDAY 20
Champ. Funk, jazz: DJs
Tominaga, Oibon, etc. From
www.theroom.jp
T2
Shibuya Mixx. EDM: DJs
Yoshimasa, Sone, etc. From
10pm. (m)¥3,500 w/1d,
(f)¥2,500 w/2d. Shibuya.
Tel: 03-5428-8692.
www.t2-shibuya.com
Club Asia
Road to Outlook. Bass music:
Various DJs. ¥TBA. Shibuya.
Tel: 03-5458-2551.
www.clubasia.co.jp
Edm Festival. EDM, electro:
DJ Daishi Dance and more.
Live: Future Boyz. From 11pm.
¥3,500. Shibuya. Tel:
03-5459-0039. www.womb.
co.jp
Dance
La Esmeralda
Shibuya Girls Party. EDM: DJs
C’k, Matsuzaki, etc. From 10pm.
(m)¥2,500 w/2d, (f)¥1,500 w/2d.
Shibuya.
Tel: 03-5428-8692.
www.t2-shibuya.com
Womb
Swan Lake
Wedm. EDM: DJs Hiroki, Yo, etc.
From 10pm. (m)¥1,500, (f) free.
Shibuya. Tel: 03-5459-0039.
www.womb.co.jp
Long Island. Punk, rock: DJs
Tamura, Nami, etc. 7-11pm.
¥1,000. Shibuya.
www.theroom.jp
Ballet composed by
Tchaikovsky which tells the
story of Odette, a princess
turned into a swan by an evil
sorcerer’s curse. May 23, 12
& 5:30pm; May 24, 12pm.
¥4,000-14,000. Tokyo Bunka
Kaikan. Ueno. Tel: 03-38282111. www.kyodotokyo.com/
mamt
THURSDAY 21
Strawberry Fields
The Room
T2
Happiness. World mix: DJs
Shu, Igarashi, etc. From 10pm.
(m)¥2,500 w/2d, (f)¥1,500 w/2d.
Shibuya. Tel: 03-5428-8692.
www.t2-shibuya.com
Womb
Mix Juice. EDM, top40: DJs
Yamariki, Su-Pyi, etc. From
10pm. (m)¥1,500, (f)free.
Shibuya. Tel: 03-5459-0039.
www.womb.co.jp
Production by Japanese
contemporary dance company
Condors, an all-male
ensemble who perform
wearing school uniforms. May
30, 2 & 7pm; May 31, 3pm.
¥2,000-4,500. Saitama Arts
Theater. Yonohonmachi.
Tel: 0570-064-939.
http://j.mp/fields2015
Stage
La Traviata
The Room
Ryukyu Holic. Loose and hot
music: Ryukyu Holic DJs. From
www.theroom.jp
Club Asia
Brilliant. All good music: DJs Sah,
Ichi, etc. From 11pm. ¥2,500
w/1d. Shibuya. Tel: 03-54582551. www.clubasia.co.jp
FRIDAY 22
Microcosmos
Build. All good music: DJs
Kingmck, Somal, etc. From
12am. ¥2,000. Shibuya.
Tel: 03-5784-5496.
www.microcosmos-tokyo.com
The New Matrix Bar
Matrix Friday. Old school
hip-hop, west side, south side,
OPERA
DER ROSENKAVALIER
Richard Strauss’s most
popular opera, brimming
with euphoric and exquisite
music. The role of Marschallin
is sung by German soprano
Anne Schwanewilms, who
is one of the world’s finest
interpreters of Richard
Strauss. May 24 & 30, June
2 & 4 at 2pm; May 27 at
6pm. ¥7,560-¥23,760. New
National Theatre Tokyo.
Hatsudai (Keio New Line).
www.nntt.jac.go.jp/english
1960s rock ’n‘ roll group The
Four Seasons. Jun 25-Jul 5,
various times. ¥9,000-13,000.
Theatre Orb. Shibuya. Tel:
0570-550-799. http://j.mp/
jerseyboys2015
Exhibitions
ENDING SOON
Womb
A ballet inspired by Notre
Dame de Paris by Victor Hugo
with music by Cesare Pugni.
May 20, 1:30 & 6:30pm; May
21, 1:30pm. ¥4,000-14,000.
Tokyo Bunka Kaikan. Ueno.
Tel: 03-3828-2111. www.
kyodotokyo.com/mamt
T2
MAY 24, 27, 30, JUN 2 & 4
Verdi’s mid-period
masterwork which tells
the story of the pure love
of a courtesan, Violetta,
and her sad end, against
a backdrop of Parisian
splendor and sophistication.
Staging produced by Vincent
Boussard, who is famous
for his use of color and
sophisticated approaches.
May 16, 23 & 26, 2pm; May
19, 7pm. ¥5,400-27,000.
New National Theatre
Tokyo. Hatsudai. Tel:
03-5352-9999. http://j.mp/
latraviata2015
Jersey Boys
Jukebox musical presented
in a documentary-style
format that dramatizes the
formation, success, and
eventual break-up of the
Irises and Red and White
Plum Blossoms: The Secret
of Kōrin’s Design
Showcasing works by
Ogata Kōrin, a Japanese
painter of the Rinpa school.
He developed an original and
distinctive style, characterized
by a bold impressionism
with an absolute disregard
for naturalism and the usual
conventions. Until May 17,
10am-5pm, closed Mon.
¥1,000-1,200. Nezu Museum.
Omotesando. Tel: 03-34002536. http://j.mp/korin2015
Kataoka Tamako
Japanese-style painter who
uses vivid colors, boldly
deformed shapes, and
powerful brushwork. Until May
17, 10am-5pm, closed Mon.
¥300-1,200 (adv)/ ¥400-1,400
(door). The National Museum
of Modern Art, Tokyo.
Takebashi. Tel: 03-57778600. http://tamako2015.
exhn.jp
Osaka Expo ’70
Design Project
Held under the theme of
“Progress and Harmony for
Mankind,” the 1970 Osaka
Expo (Japan World Exposition)
is remembered as a national
event in Japan in the years of
spectacular economic growth.
This exhibition presents a
complete picture of the design
work for the 1970 Expo. Until
May 17, 10am-5pm (until
8pm on Fri). ¥130-430. The
National Museum of Modern
Art, Tokyo. Takebashi. Tel:
03-5777-8600. http://j.mp/
osakaexpo2015
Best of the Best
The last exhibition before the
museum closes for renovation
on May 18, showcasing
160 works of modern and
contemporary Western art.
Until May 17, 10am-6pm
(until 8pm on Fri), closed
Mon. ¥500-800. Bridgestone
Museum of Art. Tokyo. Tel:
03-5777-8600. http://meturl.
com/bestofthebest2015
Salt of the Earth
Photographer Yuichi Hibi’s
works taken over the course of
multiple visits to Amami, Japan,
dating back to 1992. Until May
23, 11am-7pm (until 5pm on
Sat), closed Sun, Mon, & hols.
Free. Tokyo Gallery + BTAP.
Shinbashi. Tel: 03-3571-1808.
http://j.mp/saltoftheearth2015
25
Since 1949
今年は"にほんごをもの"にする
EVERGREEN LANGUAGE SCHOOL
D A I LY CO N V E R S AT I O N A N D B U S I N E S S J A PA N E S E
JAPANESE PROFICIENCY TEST
N1, N2, N3, N4
ST
* One month intensive
* 2 & 3 days a week
* Private & Corporate
* Business Japanese
www.evergreen.gr.jp
YUTENJI 03-3713-4958 JIYUGAOKA 03-3723-4785
UDEN
VIS T
Registr A
ati
Oct 201 on for
5
NOW O term
PEN!
Free trial lesson
for groups
info@evergreen.gr.jp
03-3713-4958
We can help you with:
We can support you with:
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
WRITE FOR US!
✓ Feature stories ✓ “The Last Word”
✓ Food & Drink
✓ Tech
✓ Interviews & Community Profiles
Prior experience and strong industry contacts a must.
To apply, send letter of introduction, CV and relevant clips to
Due to the high volume of correspondence we regret that
we can’t respond to every query. No calls please.
26
This exhibition aims to
illustrate the types of units
that are used to measure
a variety of things and
phenomena, and to give them
a sense of familiarity that they
may not already have. Until
May 31, 10am-8pm, closed
Tue. ¥500-1,000. 21_21
Design Sight. Nogizaka. Tel:
03-3475-2121. http://j.mp/
measuring2015
Louvre Museum
Visa and immigration
Patent attorney
Immigration lawyer
Utrillo and Valadon
Showcasing pieces by
Utrillo, a French painter who
specialized in cityscapes; and
his mother Valadon, an artist
whose drawings and paintings
mostly included female nudes
and portraits, still lifes, and
landscapes. Until Jun 28,
10am-6pm, closed Mon.
¥650-1,000 (adv)/ ¥800-1,200
(door). Sompo Japan Museum
of Art. Shinjuku.
Tel: 03-5405-8686.
www.sjnk-museum.org/en
Sayoko Yamaguchi: The
Wearist, Clothed in the
Future
This exhibition will trace
Yamaguchi’s career, who, as
a top model, embodied the
mysterious beauty of the East,
and conquered the world of
fashion during the 1970s and
’80s. Until Jun 28, 10am-6pm,
closed Mon. ¥600-1,200.
Museum of Contemporary Art
Tokyo. Kiyosumi-Shirakawa.
www.mot-art-museum.jp/eng
Time of Others
Measuring: This much,
that much, how much?
Reasonable prices.
Free first time consultation
Hiroshi Oogai,
Showcasing works by
Utagawa Hiroshige, known
as the last great master of
the ukiyo-e tradition, and
Kobayashi Kiyochika, an
ukiyo-e artist of the Meiji
period in commemoration
of the 100th year since
his death. Until May 28,
10:30am-5:30pm, closed
Mon. ¥700-1,000. Ukiyo-e
Ota Memorial Museum
of Art. Harajuku. Tel:
03-3403-0880. http://j.mp/
hiroandkiyo2015
Showcasing paintings of
flowery goldfish by artist
Rika Shimasaki, which
portray artificially-bred
prize goldfish resembling
over-dressed and made-up
women. May 16-31, 12-7pm,
closed Mon. Free. Nanatasu
Gallery. Nogizaka. Tel:
03-6419-7229. http://
chocorika-shimasaki.jimdo.
com
J-STAR PATENT, TRADEMARK & IMMIGRATION OFFICE
Other Legal & Business matters
This exhibition explores
human creativity covering
two million years, from
prehistoric to modern times,
through 100 items from the
British Museum’s collection.
Until Jun 28, 9:30am-5:30pm
Mon. ¥800-1,300 (adv)/
¥1,000-1,600 (door). Tokyo
Metropolitan Art Museum.
Ueno. Tel: 03-3823-6921.
http://j.mp/100objects2015
The Prisoner of Mirrors
http://www.wada-lats.com/
E-mail: info@wada-lats.com
3-5-3-1402 Nishi-Shinjuku,
Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023
Establishing a Company &
Branch office
Works by Renoir, Manet,
Monet, and others chosen
by Ailsa Mellon, daughter of
Andrew Mellon, founder of
the National Art Gallery. Until
May 24, 10am-6pm (until
8pm on Fri), closed Mon.
¥1,400 (adv)/ ¥500-1,600
(door). Mitsubishi Ichigokan
Museum. Tokyo. Tel:
03-5405-8686.
http://mimt.jp/english
ONGOING
• Visa & Immigration Procedures
• Mixed Marriage, Naturalisation
and Refugee Status
• Establishing a Company &
Branch Office
• Accounting Services, Acquiring
Business Licences
• Preparation/Translation of
Legal & Business Documents
• Other Legal & Business Matters
Intellectual property rights
(Patent, trademark, copyrights)
The British Museum
Exhibition: A History of the
World in 100 Objects
Hiroshige and Kiyochika
WADA Legal & Administrative Office
For information:
Tel: (03) 3345-7977
FAX: (03) 3345-5377
Intimate Impressionism
from the National Gallery
of Art, Washington
Imperial
Palace
With works by Vermeer,
Rembrandt, and others.
Until Jun 1, 10am-6pm,
closed Tue. ¥800-1,600. The
National Art Center, Tokyo.
Nogizaka. www.ntv.co.jp/
louvre2015/english
The Beauty of Asian Art
Showcasing prehistoric
and ancient masterpieces
from China, Korea, and
Southeast Asia. Until Jun
14, 10am-5pm, closed
Mon. ¥700-1,000. Idemitsu
Museum of Arts. Tokyo.
www.idemitsu.com/museum/
honkan
The Great Amazon
Featuring over 400 exhibits
and a 4-K theatre experience
where you can travel to
the Amazon through a
355-inch screen. Until Jun
14, 9am-5pm (until 8pm on
Fri), closed Mon. ¥600-1,600.
National Museum of Nature
and Science. Ueno. Tel:
03-3822-0111. http://j.mp/
thegreatamazon2015
The Ceramic Works of
Rouault and the Fauvists
Introducing ceramic works
created by some of the
great French artists of
the early 20th century,
including Georges Rouault
and Henri Matisse. Until
Jun 21, 10am-6pm, closed
Wed. ¥500-1,000. Shiodome
Museum. Shimbashi. Tel:
03-5777-8600. http://meturl.
com/panasonicmuseum
Showcasing works by 18 artists
of the younger generation in
Asia/Oceania whose practices
offer keys to engaging with
the time of others. Until
Jun 28, 10am-6pm, closed
Mon. ¥600-1,100. Museum
of Contemporary Art Tokyo.
Kiyosumi-shirakawa.
http://j.mp/timeofothers2015
Mirror Neuron
A collection of modern art
collected by psychiatrist
Ryutaro Takahashi. Until Jun
28, 11am-7pm (until 8pm
on Fri & Sat), closed Mon.
¥800-1,200. Tokyo Opera City
Art Gallery. Hatsudai.
www.operacity.jp/en
Naruto Exhibition
Experience the spectacular
world of manga master
Masashi Kishimoto’s iconic
Naruto. Until Jun 28,
10am-8pm. ¥500-1,800 (adv)/
¥800-2,000 (door). Mori Arts
Center Gallery. Roppongi.
http://naruto-ten.com
Masks: Beauty of the
Spirits
By laying bare the true allure
of masks, this exhibition
explores its true essence and
what it means to us in today’s
world, through masterpieces
from the Musée du quai
Branly in Paris. Until Jun
30, 10am-6pm, closed the
second and fourth Wed of the
month. ¥600-1,200 (¥100
discount to those who come
wearing designs or patterns
inspired by masks or faces).
Tokyo Metropolitan Teien
Art Museum. Meguro. Tel:
03-3443-0201. http://j.mp/
masks2015
Simple Forms:
Contemplating Beauty
This exhibition brings together
around 130 “simple forms”
from around the world and
across the ages, found in
nature, primitive art, folk
art, and traditional cultures.
Until Jul 5, 10am-10pm (until
5pm on Tue). ¥1,500 (adv)/
¥600-1,800 (door). Mori Art
Museum. Roppongi. Tel:
03-5777-8600. http://j.mp/
simpleforms2015
The Maestro of
Conception, Kenzan is
Here
Born in a cultivated Kyoto
family, Kenzan was raised
in a context of great artistic
refinement. As a potter, he
introduced new designs based
on painting and literature to
the world of ceramics. May
27-Jul 20, 10am-6pm (until
8pm on Fri & Sat), closed Tue.
¥800-1,100 (adv)/ ¥1,0001,300 (door). Suntory Museum
of Art. Roppongi.
http://j.mp/
maestrokenzan2015
Tokyo Story 2015
Showcasing works by artists
who participated in Tokyo
Wonder Site’s Creator in
Residence program. Until
Jul 26, 11am-7pm. Free.
Tokyo Wonder Site Hongo.
Ochanomizu, Suidōbashi,
or Hongō-sanchōme. Tel:
03-5689-5331. http://j.mp/
tokyostory2015
Cy Twombly: Fifty Years of
Works on Paper
Featuring around 70 drawings,
paintings, and monotypes by
Twombly, an American painter
of large-scale, freely scribbled,
calligraphic and graffiti-like
works. May 23-Aug 30,
11am-5pm (until 8pm on Wed),
closed Mon. ¥500-1,100. Hara
Museum of Contemporary Art.
Kita-Shinagawa.
Tel: 03-3445-0651.
www.haramuseum.or.jp
Fukagawa in the Snow: The
Reappearance of an
Utamaro Masterpiece
Showcasing works by Utamaro,
one of the most highly
regarded ukiyo-e practitioners,
especially for his portraits of
beautiful women, or bijin-ga.
Until Aug 31, 9am-5pm.
¥1,800-2,800. Okada Museum
of Art. Kowakidani.
Tel: 0460-87-3931.
www.okada-museum.com/en
What is Realist Painting?
Exploring the diversity
and potential of realist
painting through 54 works of
landscapes, figures, and more.
May 21-Nov 15, 10am-5:30pm,
closed Tue. ¥900-1,800. Hoki
Museum. Toke.
www.hoki-museum.jp/en/
UPCOMING
Helene Schjerfbeck:
Reflections
Showcasing works by Finnish
painter Schjerfbeck, who’s
most widely known for her
realist works and self-portraits.
Jun 2-Jul 26, 10am-5pm,
closed Mon. ¥800-1,300
(adv)/ ¥1,000-1,500 (door).
The University Art Museum.
Ueno.
Tel: 050-5525-2200.
http://helene-fin.exhn.jp
Tanomura Chikuden
Commemorating the 180th
anniversary of the death of the
artist Tanomura, who loved the
art of calligraphy and poetry.
Jun 20-Aug 2, 10am-5pm
Mon. ¥700-1,000. Idemitsu
Museum of Arts. Tokyo.
www.idemitsu.com/museum/
honkan/index.html
Sports
BASEBALL
Yomiuri Giants vs.
Yakult Swallows
May 15-16, 6pm; May 17, 2pm.
¥300-12,400. Tokyo Dome.
Suidōbashi. Tel: 03-58009999. www.giants.jp/en
Yakult Swallows vs.
DeNA Baystars
May 19-21, 6pm. ¥500-27,500.
Meiji Jingu Baseball Stadium.
Gaienmae. Tel: 03-34048999. www.yakult-swallows.
co.jp
Yomiuri Giants vs.
Seibu Lions
May 27-28, 6pm.
¥300-12,400. Tokyo Dome.
Suidōbashi. Tel: 03-58009999.
www.giants.jp/en
Yakult Swallows vs.
Nippon-Ham Fighters
May 26-28, 6pm.
¥500-27,500. Meiji
Jingu Baseball Stadium.
co.jp
Yomiuri Giants vs. Orix
Buffaloes
Jun 2-4, 6pm. ¥300-12,400.
Tokyo Dome. Suidōbashi.
Tel: 03-5800-9999.
www.giants.jp/en
Yakult Swallows vs.
Rakuten Eagles
Jun 2-4, 6pm. ¥500-27,500.
Meiji Jingu Baseball Stadium.
co.jp
Yakult Swallows vs.
Lotte Marines
Jun 5, 6pm; Jun 6, 2pm; Jun
7, 1pm. ¥500-27,500. Meiji
Jingu Baseball Stadium.
co.jp
Tokyo Verdy vs. Tochigi SC
MAY 24
May 31, 1pm. ¥600-14,500
(adv)/ ¥800-15,000 (door).
Ajinomoto Stadium.
Tobitakyu. Tel: 04-24400555. www.verdy.co.jp/index.
html
Yokohama FC vs. FC Gifu
Jun 6, 4pm. ¥600-4,700.
Nippatsu Mitsuzawa Stadium.
Mitsuzawakamicho.
Tel: 04-5311-2016.
www.yokohamafc.com
SUMO
TELL Anti-Bullying
Charity Walk & Run
Register at www.telljp.com
or on the day of event from
8:30am. Furuichiba Track and
Field Stadium, Kawasaki-shi.
Prizes, entertainment, and
free T-shirts!
Sumo Grand Tournament
Until May 24, 8am-6pm.
¥3,800-11,700. Ryōgoku
Kokugikan. Ryōgoku.
Tel: 03-3623-5111.
www.sumo.or.jp/en/index
share ideas, eat, drink and
create. Every first and third
Tue, 7pm. Free. Cafe Respekt.
Shibuya. www.meetup.
com/TokyoStitchandBitch
Festivals
Dr. Sketchy’s
Anti-Art School
TRADITIONAL
Torikoe Jinja Matsuri
Summer festival with Tokyo’s
heaviest mikoshi. Jun 6-7,
all day. Free. Torigoe Jinja.
Kuramae or Asakusabashi.
Tel: 03-3851-5033.
Tsukiji Shishi Matsuri
Unique mikoshi parade
featuring two lion mikoshi and
one main mikoshi. Jun 10-14,
all day. Free. Tsukiji Namiyoke
Jinja. Tsukijishijo.
www.namiyoke.or.jp
Sannō Matsuri
One of the three largest
festivals in Japan. Jun 7-17,
all day. Free. Hie Jinja.
Tameikesanno. Tel: 03-35812471. www.tenkamatsuri.jp
Burlesque models pose
for artstars and sketching
newbies alike with arty
socializing. Every third
Wed, 7-10pm. ¥2,000
w/ 1d. Studio and Space
IVVA. Meiji-Jingūmae or
Harajuku. www.facebook.
com/Dr.Sketchy.Tokyo
Learning
California Wine vs. French
Wine Seminar
Learn about wines and
enjoy an American-style
dinner. May 30, 7-10:30pm.
¥11,980 + tax (adv). Stellato.
Shirokanedai. Tel: 03-34425588. http://meturl.com/
monthlywine
Other Events
INTERNATIONAL
Echoes of Light
Yomiuri Giants vs.
SoftBank Hawks
Jun 5-6, 6pm; Jun 7, 2pm.
¥300-12,400. Tokyo Dome.
Suidōbashi. Tel: 03-58009999. www.giants.jp/en
SOCCER
Tokyo Verdy vs.
Tokushima Vortis
May 17, 1pm. ¥600-14,500
(adv)/ ¥800-15,000 (door).
Ajinomoto Stadium.
Tobitakyu. Tel: 04-24400555. www.verdy.co.jp/
index.html
Yokohama FC vs. Giravanz
Kitakyushu
May 17, 4pm. ¥600-4,700.
Nippatsu Mitsuzawa Stadium.
Mitsuzawakamicho.
Tel: 04-5311-2016.
www.yokohamafc.com
FC Tokyo vs. Ventforet
Kofu
May 20, 7pm. ¥600-6,200
(adv)/ ¥800-6,500 (door).
Ajinomoto Stadium.
Tobitakyu. Tel: 04-24400555. www.fctokyo.co.jp
FC Tokyo vs. Nagoya
Grampus
May 23, 7pm. ¥600-6,200
(adv)/ ¥800-6,500 (door).
Ajinomoto Stadium.
FC Tokyo vs. Kashiwa
Reysol
May 30, 7pm. ¥600-6,200
(adv)/ ¥800-6,500 (door).
Ajinomoto Stadium.
Yokohama F. Marinos vs.
Gamba Osaka
May 30, 7pm. ¥1,000-9,800
(adv)/ ¥1,100-5,500 (door).
Nissan Stadium. Kozukue.
Tel: 04-5477-5000.
www.f-marinos.com/en
Dance of Shiva
Three-day Indian/electric
music festival. May 15-17,
doors open 5pm. ¥13,800
(adv only, 450 people max).
Auto Camp Ginga. IzukyūShimoda. http://j.mp/
shiva2015
Comedy
New Material Night
Standup, improv, and trying
out new stuff. May 19 & Jun
2, 8-10pm. Free. Double Tall
Cafe. Shibuya. Tel: 03-54674567. http://tokyocomedy.
com/new_material_night
Standup Comedy at The
Hobgoblin
Standup comedians with a
variety of styles performing in
English. May 21,9-10:30pm.
Free. Hobgoblin Shibuya.
Shibuya. http://
tokyocomedy.com/standup_
comedy_at_the_hobgoblin
Community
Charity Run & Walk: DAN
DAN RUN 2015
Charity run/walk to help
refugees who have fled to
Japan. May 17, 9am-1pm.
¥4,000 (10-km run)/¥3,000
(5-km run)/¥3,000 (3-km walk);
discounts for children/groups.
Hibiya Park. Hibiya. Tel:
03-3501-6428. http://meturl.
com/dandanrun
New comic book and CD
release event by Adam3, with
DJs LadyBeard, Hang the DJ,
and others. May 16, 6pm.
¥1,000. Gamuso Chroma,
Asagaya. http://gamuso.
com
Flower Festival 2015
Enjoy sakura, tulips, poppies
and more at Showa Kinen
Park. Until May 24, 9:30am5pm. ¥80-410. Showa Kinen
Park. Tachikawa. Tel:
042-528-1751. http://j.mp/
flowerfest2015
FRIDAY, MAY 29 7PM-11PM
Free entry - ￥500 Drinks & Food
インターナショナルパーティー･入場無料
￥500ドリンク・フードメニュー有り
Join us at the newly-opened Carat restaurant, located in Roppongi, for
our May Getsumatsu bash! Enjoy delicious high-quality crab—shipped
directly from Hokkaido—as the summer breeze flows in. Entrance is
free, as always, and drinks are ¥500.
今月の月末パーティーは六本木のCARATにて開催致します！季節が夏に変わる中、北海道
から直送されている品質の高い美味しい蟹を食べながら皆さんで楽しみましょう！入場料
はいつも通り無料、ドリンクは￥５００です。
Spring Rose Festival
Over 90 varieties of rose
plants, including “Maria
Callas” and others. Until
Jun 7, 9am-5pm. ¥70-150.
Kyu-Furukawa Gardens.
Kami-Nakasato. Tel:
03-3910-0394. http://
teien.tokyo-park.or.jp/en/
kyu-furukawa
Hotaru no Yube
Enjoy a romantic evening
lit by 2,500 fireflies. Jun
1-30, 6-9pm. Free between
6-9pm during firefly season.
Yuyake Koyake Fureai no
Sato. Yuyake Koyake. Tel:
042-652-3072. meturl.com/
yuyakekoyake
Half-Fast Cyclists
Bicyclists of all treads meet
for slideshows, lectures,
ride-planning, etc. Every
second Wed, 7pm. Free.
The Pink Cow. Roppongi.
Tel: 03-6434-5773.
www.thepinkcow.com
Stitch-n-Bitch
Meet fellow knitters,
crocheters and sewers to talk,
MORE LISTINGS
ONLINE → HTTP://
METURL.COM/
LISTINGS
CARAT
6-1-6 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Tel: 03-5413-3689 - http://carat-roppongi.com
MORE INFO»
http://meturl.com/may15
27
Metropolis and its Classifieds
section are printed every
other week. The upcoming
publication dates and
corresponding deadlines
for print are as follows. This
does not affect the online
Classifieds, where ads are
visible immediately after
they are approved.
FRI, MAY 29 ISSUE
Deadline: May 21, 3pm
FRI, JUNE 12 ISSUE
Deadline: June 4, 3pm
p r o c e d u r e s i n J a p a n . Fr e e
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28
SPORTS PHYSIOTHERAPY
(physical therapy) care in Hiroo.
Native English-speaking
therapists specializing
in sports injuries,
post-operative rehabilitation,
back /neck pain, running
related, headaches, orthotics,
ergonomic consultations
and women’s health.
www.tokyophysio.com
03-3443-6769
T H I N K I N G A B O U T
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email us at commercial@
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1.2 HAIR & BEAUTY
CURLY HAIR SPECIALIST IN
TOK YO. English-speaking
Kiyoko, highly experienced
in NY’s curly hair salons,
takes care of curly hair at
her salon, Nepenji, in Ebisu.
Reser vations: 03 -3793 2357 or info@nepenji.net
http://english.nepenji.net/
index_en.html
L AW OFFICE IN K AWA SAKI
(next to Tokyo), member of the
Yokohama Bar A ssociation.
Legal ser vice in English for
traffic accidents, divorce,
inheritance, bankruptcy,
b u s i n e s s ca s e s (co n t r a c t s ,
establishing a company,
trademarks, etc.) and other
legal problems.Email: web@
smkw.biz www.sumikawa.net
VISA COUNSELING:
female immigration lawyer
handles your visa case.
Permanent residency,
naturalization, eligibility
(inviting your spouse/
children/workers from
your country), extension/
change of visa status.
Consultation ¥5000. OFFICE
LIFE (Miho Fujibayashi).
Tel: 090 - 8330 - 0670 Email:
mailto@officelife.jp Website:
http://officelife.jp/en
CRE ATIVE SO LUTION S .
Specialists in branding, web
design, photo/video production.
Drawing A Crowd: a new approach
in design. Get in touch. info@
drawingacrowd.co
2 FIND A PLACE
2.1 GUESTHOUSE
3.4 ENGLISH TEACHERS
RENTAL APARTMENTS, HOUSES,
CONDOS AND STUDIOS in
Yokohama, Kawasaki, Tokyo,
and near US military bases.
English-speaking staff will guide
you through the renting process.
For a stress-free search, contact
Rent Life. 045-470-3214 www.
rent-yokohama.com/english
e-yokohama@r-life.co.jp
S E R V I C E D A PA R T M E N T S i n
a quiet residential area of
Hiroo. Studios and suites.
4min from Hiroo Stn. Rates:
Daily ¥7800. Weekly ¥6850-/
d a y . M o n t h l y ¥ 570 0 - /d a y .
O ver t hre e mont hs ¥ 513 0 - /
day. Tax, utilities included.
frontdesk@azabucourt.
co m w w w. a z a b u co u r t .co m
0 3 - 3 4 4 6 - 8 6 1 0
2.3 RENT OVER 200,000 YEN
SHIROKANE PENTHOUSE WITH
HUGE BALCONY AND STUNNING
VIEWS OVER TOKYO. Bright corner
1LDK penthouse (55sqm), w/private
roof-deck (65sqm), overlooking
Hiroo, Azabu, Roppongi, renovated,
fully furnished, w/garden furniture,
h o t- t u b h o o k u p, w o o d f l o o r s
¥290,000. alexbrodie@gmail.com
090-3574-0328
2.5 PLACE WANTED
Apartment needed in Tokyo for two
months. I come from Paris, France, and
I'm seeking a small apartment or room for
two months (from May 17-July 18). Around
the Yamanote Line, up to ¥75,000/m.
esteban@lesgarconsdumarais.com
3 EDUCATION
MEN’S BARBERSHOP IN
ROPPONGI WELCOMES
FOREIGNERS. Englishspeaking assistant will get
your haircut right. Haircuts
¥ 4 8 0 0. W i t h s h a ve ¥ 5 8 0 0.
Kids’ haircuts ¥4000-¥4400.
Fi r s t- t i m e d i s co u n t ¥1 0 0 0.
http://oazo.biz/top 03-55457797 oazo7797@yahoo.co.jp
1.7 BUSINESS SERVICES
I M M I G R AT I O N L A W Y E R AT
N I PPA S H I O FFI CE s u p p o r t s
visa and naturalization
applications, company
establishment and branch
office installation, including
commercial registration,
as well as inheritance
CREA-UN UENO. Furnished
private rooms, w/digital
locks, near Asakusa, Ueno,
Skytree. Safe area, femaleonly, roof top garden w/
nice view, BBQ space, free
bicycle. From ¥56,000/m.
Utilities included. No key
money/guarantor. crea-un.
sakura@ko-bo.com http://
w w w. s a k u r a - k o - b o . c o m
03-6912-0692
2.2 RENT UNDER ¥200,000
ICHII CORPORATION.
Over 600 affordable, qualityfurnished apartments in
central Tokyo locations. No
key money/guarantor/agent
fee required. New, clean
apartments, simple contract
system, full English support.
Call us today! 03-5437-5233
www.japt.co.jp
3.2 JAPANESE TEACHERS
FREE ENGLISH CONVERSATION
for Japanese ladies, anytime, in
casual surroundings, like coffee
shop/lunch. Have free time and will
help you practice your English. Any
questions, please email johnsb@jgil.
net or call 090-7015-3720.
3.5 LANGUAGE EXCHANGE
Chinese and English. British expat
male living in Tokyo. I want to speak
some basic Chinese. I know nothing, so
I need someone who can speak English
and teach me the basics. whatmakes.
udance@gmail.com
English and Japanese. Indian guy,
186cm, 38, for E/J exchange. Tsukiji,
Shintomicho or Higashi-Ginza area over
lunch. roypradip@gmail.com
English and Japanese. Japanese
female, late 20s, seeking a native English
speaker to do language exchange at
cafes. Flexibility and regularity are key.
Hoping to find a great partner not only for
language exchange, but also for long-term
friendship. mayu-318@hotmail.co.jp
English and Japanese. British man,
35, seeks language exchange partner.
I have lived in Japan for a long time,
but my Japanese level is very low.
Help. Anywhere around Tokyo is ok.
happylamp@hotmail.co.uk
English and Japanese. E from a
professional teacher in exchange for
J conversation. Use my school space
for free in Jujo, Kita-ku, Tokyo. MonFri mornings preferred. davidgolding@
hotmail.com
English and Japanese. I’m a Japanese
university student. I’m studying abroad
in Malta. I want to improve my English
skills. I’ll help your Japanese. If you study
Japanese, please send me an email. Thank
you. feikanon1026@gmail.com
English and Japanese. Asian male, late
30s, working in Tokyo, would like to have
an E/J exchange with native Japanese
speakers. Can teach E in return. Both
weekends and weekday evenings are
fine. Central Tokyo area. rockkky2k@
yahoo.co.jp
English and Japanese. Hi, I’m a
JF seeking a native English speaker
for language exchange around the
Yokohama-Kawasaki area. I can teach
you J in return. Let’s do language
exchange and have fun conversations at
a cafe! from.kaori0113@gmail.com
English and Japanese. Hi, I’m a JM,
22, living in Tokyo. I lived in the UK for a
year. I’m seeking a native English speaker
to keep my English up. Would love to teach
you practical Japanese in return. Thanks.
shunm777@gmail.com
English and Japanese. Hi, I’m a
Japanese female, 24, seeking a native
English speaker for language exchange in
the Tokyo area. I was in NY to study dance
last year. marishiina216@yahoo.co.jp
English and Japanese. JF seeks an
exchange partner in the daytime on
weekdays at Kawasaki Stn. tome.harukasoushi@ezweb.ne.jp
English and Japanese. Open-minded
Japanese female, 23-40, sought for
language exchange and socializing.
Serious only. Call Bobby at 090-55896864 or 080-8118-4073 or email
mybaby-precious@docomo.ne.jp.
ASSOCIATION OF JAPANESELANGUAGE TEACHERS, TOKYO,
JA PA N . H ighly qu al if ie d,
experienced instructors
offer individual/small group
lessons at your home/office/
instructor’s home. Business/
d a i l y c o n v e r s a t i o n /J L P T
a va i la b le. Les s o n fe e fro m
¥2200-¥2700/h. Negotiable.
03-3918-0876/044 -8555039 ajtkyokai@yahoo.co.jp
http://ajt-tokyo.jp
COS M OS C LU B JA PA N ES E
LESSONS. Group of volunteers
offers basic Japanese lessons for
foreigners, every Wed, 10am-noon,
at Kudan Shogai Gakushukan,
Kudan. Nearest stn: Kudanshita. Tel:
090-2645-5212 nihongocosmos@
yahoo.co.jp
English and Japanese. I’m a Japanese
lady. I have to improve my English. I’d
like to have lessons on weekdays around
Higashi-Ginza, Tsukiji or Shiodome over
lunch. Let’s enjoy lunch! send_you_kiss@
yahoo.co.jp
English and Japanese. 日本語の会
話力を向上したいです。手伝って
くれると嬉しい。散歩でも如何？
zertem@hotmail.com
English and Japanese. Japanese lady
seeks a native speaker of American
English for language exchange. Please
drop me a line if you are interested.
Serious only. Thanks! patricia_idaida@
yahoo.co.jp
English and Japanese. Group language
exchange through E and J dramas, 7:309pm, in Tokyo. People who like dramas
preferred, serious only. Free to join.
eigo-kouryukai@outlook.jp
English and Japanese. Arrgh! It’s hard
to learn J. Every day I study—it makes
my head spin! London guy wants to meet
someone for drinks after work/study
where we can mix J and E. Basic E ok.
whatmakes.udance@gmail.com
French and Japanese. Fr and J exchange
in Otemachi. winds_fr@hotmail.com
French and Japanese. Frenchman ready
to exchange with Japanese people and
meet them. cypresshill@outlook.fr
French and Japanese. I’m a Japanese
female seeking a French language
exchange partner in Tokyo. Please contact
me. juliemassee@yahoo.com
French and Japanese. Bonjour! I’m
a Japanese woman seeking French
speakers with whom I can practice my
French. Evenings or weekends ok. Looking
foward to hearing from you. Thank you!
mamesaibai@gmail.com
German and Japanese. German male,
late 40s, seeking a serious language
exchange during the daytime/in the
evening. gwilhelm84@yahoo.com
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
Korean, Spanish, English, Japanese.
Hi, I’m an outgoing, cheerful JF living in
Yokohama seeking a serious language
exchange partner. I can play the koto
(Japanese harp). I’m looking forward
to hearing from you. Thank you.
fukafuka0407@gmail.com
Spanish, English, Japanese. Hi, there!
I’m seeking a native English speaker or
Scandinavian who can eat dinner at Toyoda
Stn in Tokyo. Also interested in learning Sp.
Hope to hear from you. mst0330@yahoo.
co.jp
日本語と英語。僕はイギリス人.
毎日日本語を勉強してる. でも
言語交換にいつも失敗しちゃう.
juicysummer@gmail.com
3.6 LEARNING: GENERAL
IKEBANA (JAPANESE
TRADITIONAL FLORAL
ARRANGEMENT) is a powerful
means of self-expression.
Trial les son, inclu din g
all materials ¥4000. No
Japanese necessary.
C e r t i f i ca t i o n , d i p l o m a ca n
be earned. Three classroom
locations in Tokyo. Website:
w w w.atelier-soka.com/
english/index.html
Email: smile@mika-otani.com
3.9 TEACH ME!
T R A N S L AT I O N F O R E N G LI S H
LESSONS. Working towards
becoming an English-to-Japanese
translator, but need help polishing
my English. Can translate simple
documents in exchange for English
lessons. michiane256@gmail.com
English lessons. JM, 30, seeks native
English teacher for reasonably priced
lessons at a cafe in central Tokyo.
umek2002jp@yahoo.co.jp
PhD student in engineering? Tokyo
only. D2/D3 majoring in wireless
communication engineering? Need
some mentoring on how to design
simulation. Must know Monte Carlo/
Particle Filter/ Neural Network, etc.,
and be able to use Matlab/Simulink
¥4000/two hours. yatri_in_town@
yahoo.co.jp
Private English writing/editing
tutor wanted. Seeking a private tutor
for professional English writing/editing
training, American English preferred.
One two-hour session/week ¥10,000/
session. Detail s available. Send
resume and training proposal. mh_
clark@hotmail.com
The majority of classified ads have moved online! classifieds.metropolis.co.jp
Web design. I am seeking a female
web designer. Must know HTML/CSS/
PHP. Meet in Ueno/Akihabara/Shinjuku
area, two or three times/month. In
return, I’ll teach you English and pay
¥2000/two hours. jj08@drivehq.com
4 HOUSEHOLD GOODS
4.1 FURNITURE & FITTINGS
Chest of drawers, kiri, antique, mediumsized (L48xW34xH48), in good condition,
unused ¥15,000. Firm. mmcaproni2010@
yahoo.co.jp
Light. Standing floor lamp, from Yamada
Denki ¥6000. Firm. Omotesando. No
delivery, but can introduce delivery
service. mmcaproni2010@yahoo.co.jp
Lights, ceiling, two available, in good
condition ¥4000/both. Nishi-Yamato
Danchi, Wakoshi. ruma.mandal@yahoo.
com
Sofa, 15 m/o, nonsmoking home, in
excellent condition (L203xW96xH75).
New ¥180,000. Sell ¥90,000. agem715@
gmail.com
Table set, dining, wooden, for two, nine
m/o, almost as new, boxes available for
transport ¥4000. Pick up Nishi-Yamato
Danchi, Wakoshi. ruma.mandal@yahoo.
com
Table, coffee, glass top, wooden frame,
two y/o. New ¥15,000. Sell ¥5000.
teachermcteacherton80@hotmail.com
Table, Yamazen YST-5040L, folds
(H35xD 4 4xW50cm), in excellent
condition ¥1000. msa.japan@hotmail.
com 090-9109-5326
Table, wooden (surface 90x50cm),
sturdy, light, clean, w/drawer, easily
assembled ¥2000. msa.japan@hotmail.
com 090-9109-5326
4.2 APPLIANCES
Blender, Russell Hobbs 7810JP, 0.8L, w/
coffee grinder, hardly used, in excellent
condition, easy to clean ¥4000. Pick up
near Roppongi or Azabu-Juban. yara.
garoot@gmail.com
Food processor ¥800. msa.japan@
hotmail.com 090-9109-5326
Fridge, Panasonic NR-ETF433H, in excellent
condition. radiation9999@hotmail.com
Iron, Toshiba, cordless, steam.
Kettle, 1.2L, fast-boiling mode, w/airtight
lid ¥1800. msa.japan@hotmail.com
090-9109-5326
Wa s h e r, To s h i b a , 5 k g , t w o
y/o. New ¥18,000. Sell ¥8000.
4.3 SAYONARA SALE
Sayonara sale! Rinnai gas stove, w/
grill; dining table set for two; fan; Tokyo
Gas heater; wooden shelf; folding chair.
ruma.mandal@yahoo.com
Sayonara sale! Nitori sofa, seats
two, two y/o. New ¥80,000. Haier
microwave, 16L. ¥ 30,000/ both.
Sayonara sale! US Embassy sale, May
16, from 10am-2pm, at the US Embassy
Housing Compound (2-1-1 Roppongi,
Minato-ku, Tokyo). Photo ID required
for admission. Walking distance from
Roppongi, Akasaka, Tameike-Sanno Stns.
For more info, please call 03-3224-5590.
4.4 TV & HOME THEATER
LED 3D TV 40”, Sharp Quattron, full HD
(1080P), 1.5 y/o ¥55,000. Free delivery.
emeraldsae@yahoo.com
4.6 FOR KIDS
Bike, from 2-6 years old, detachable
parent steering handle, in good
condition, w/basket ¥6000. msa.
japan@hotmail.com 090-9109-5326
Chair, Stokke, wooden, designed
to grow with child, nine m/o, in very
good condition. New ¥34,000. Sell
¥17,000. Pick up Saitama-Shintoshin.
al ber tol icandro@hear t.ocn.ne.jp
08068105414
Karate gi and belt, for kids 3-12 years
old ¥300+. gnbkaijpn@gmail.com
Walker, Anpanman, different level
adjustments, six m/o. New ¥9000.
Sell ¥5000/obo. Aprica baby carrier,
used twice ¥8000. emeraldsae@
yahoo.com
4.7 FOR FREE
Ink, for HP 178 XL printers: black x three,
blue x one, pink x one, yellow x one.
Pick up Shinjuku Stn. jackiesuginaga@
gmail.com
Printer, Canon Satera MF4680, laser, no
cable, can be networked. Pick up Hiroo.
info@jgil.net 09070153720
Rack . m s a.j a p a n @ h o t m a i l .co m
090-9109-5326
Rowing machine, purple yoga mat, in
excellent condition. Pick up Fuchu Stn,
Keio Line. jackiesuginaga@gmail.com
5 HOBBIES&INTERESTS
5.2 SPORTS EQUIPMENT
In-line skates, Hypno, size UK 9.5/
Japan 28.5, hardly used, in very good
condition ¥2000. Nishi-Shinjuku.
countrylove12 12@hotmail.com
08023841924
Kiteboard, RL Board, XL (160x45cm),
for beginners or less windy days,
hardly used, very light, made of
carbon, glass fiber fins ¥20,000.
Yokohama. ron_westphal@yahoo.com
09018010735
5.3 MUSICAL EQUIPMENT
Amp, Marshall MG15CFR, carbon fiber,
15W, w/added spring reverb, fairly
light (can be carried), original box, as
new ¥8000. Pick up Yokohama Stn.
jnwells95@gmail.com 045-621-6588
Amp, Ibanez SWX20, 20W, 1x8, in great
condition, light ¥8000. Pick up Yokohama
Stn. jnwells95@gmail.com
Keyboard, Casio WK-1200, 73-key,
six-octave, touch-type, w/100 rhythms
and 200 tones, electronic drum kit
and recording features, stand, in good
condition ¥10,000. Pick up Yokohama
Stn. jnwells95@gmail.com
Piano, Yamaha Clavinova clp-535,
less than one y/o, w/adjustable stool
¥80,000. Can deliver within reasonable
distance from Itabashi. davidgolding@
hotmail.com
6 VEHICLES
6.1 CARS, PARTS, & ACCESSORIES
Benz C180 Wagon Kompressor, '05,
Avantgarde limited edition, black, ETC,
leather seats, Exon lights, aluminum
wheel, 120,000km, shaken until May
'16, all taxes paid ¥500,000. Firm.
No dealers or auction sites. alinjap@
yahoo.com
BMW 318i, '04, 14,500km, a few
bumps and bruises, still drives well
¥500,000/obo. skikopey@hotmail.com
080-6818-8877
Suzuki Jimny, turbo 4WD, 23,100km,
registration until Mar '17, in great
condition ¥890,000. Snow tires, four
available, brand-new ¥140,000.
No dealers or auction sites.
al ber tol icandro@hear t.ocn.ne.jp
08068105414
6.2 MOTORBIKES, PARTS, & ACCESSORIES
Honda Forza scooter, 250cc, new
bodywork, mirrors, plug, brake pads,
brake fluid, front disc and tire, w/large
stainless muffler, not too loud, sound
system w/front/rear speakers, some wear
and tear, looks pretty good ¥150,000/
obo. pp4d@ybb.ne.jp 09027665162
Phone line, NTT, can go to NTT office
in Shinjuku to complete necessary
procedures to pass contract to you.
english.latin@yahoo.com
7.4 ITEMS WANTED
Benz C class wagon, '08-'10 model,
black or white. No dealers or auction guys.
alinjap@yahoo.com
Bike for tall adult male, free or very cheap.
living_large@email2me.net
Broken/damaged Macbook Pro and
iMac 21". I would like to buy them to use for
parts. Thanks! gmigmar805@gmail.com
Scuba diving gear, full set, size L
(183cm tall). Looking forward to offers.
gwilhelm84@yahoo.com
8 COMPUTERS
8.2 HARDWARE
Laptop, Toshiba satellite notebook,
bought in the US, Japanese language
installed, three y/o, in good condition
¥10,000. nagareboshistars@yahoo.
co.jp
Laptops. Dell E4310, w/E/Win 7 Pro, in
excellent condition ¥25,000. Lenovo
X61, w/E/Vista, brand-new, w/battery
¥15,000. nrad_bob@hotmail.com
10 HELP!
10.1 HELP ME
FR E E E N G LI S H -TO -JA PA N E S E
TRANSLATION. Working towards
becoming a translator and need
practice with simple documents.
Have experience working in law
office, accounting, HR, advertising
and sales. michiane256@gmail.com
Climate expert needed. Need a
guest speaker to appear on a YouTube
streaming show. assassin.wolves.films@
gmail.com
Do you know RDF/XML? If you know
RDF/XML very well, I need your help to
convert CVE file to RDF/XML. You should
know ontology, RDF, XSLT, Jena, etc. Can
pay ¥4000/two hours, plus coffee. yatri_
in_town@yahoo.co.jp
Show promoting Atheism seeking
co-hosts. We are seeking atheist/agnostic
individuals who would be interested in
co-hosting Age of Reason, a livestream
show that promotes positive atheism,
knowledge and common sense. assassin.
wolves.films@gmail.com http://frozenframe.wix.com/ageofreason
Sponsorship. Ten years' experience
in cafe/bar work, including working at
international hotels. I'd like to open
a cafe/bar, but need sponsorship.
Individuals and companies are welcome.
Please, if interested, let us come to an
agreement. samueladonkor@gmail.
com 090-6152-6274
10.2 SUPPORT
N E E D T O TA L K ? W e ’ r e h e r e
to listen. TELL LIFELINE: free,
anonymous English counseling
daily from 9am-11pm by trained
v o l u n t e e r s ( 0 3 - 5 7 74 - 0 9 9 2 ) .
TELL COUNSELING: affordable
multilingual psychotherapy by
accredited Western-trained
professionals, a CIGNA International
Provider (03 - 4550 -1146). TELL
website: www.telljp.com. Follow
us on Facebook and Twitter @
TokyoLifeLine.
6.3 BICYCLES, PARTS, & ACCESSORIES
Tandem bike, Raleigh Pursuit, hardly
used, in good condition, Shimano 105
gears, light ¥60,000. ron_westphal@
yahoo.com 09018010735
7 GENERAL
7.1 PHONES
Mobile phone, SoftBank, prepaid
¥2800. gnbkaijpn@gmail.com
THE JAPAN HELPLINE, 24 hours
a d ay, f ro m a ny w h e re, a b o u t
anything. From emergency
assistance to simple questions. Visit
www.jhelp.com/ and press “help,”
or call 0570-000-911. To volunteer
or support, please contact team@
jhelp.com. www.jhelp.com
WEST PAPUA: ONE SOUL, ONE
PEOPLE . Fif t y- one years ago,
West Papua should have been an
independent country. Since 1969,
West Papua has been invaded and
the people robbed of their rights,
culture and country. Help support
West Papuans’ desire to be free.
http://tapol.gn.apc.org/ markhelp2@
gmail.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
S U B S C R I B E TO M E TR O P O LI S
AND NEVER MISS AN ISSUE.
O n e y e a r ( 24 i s s u e s) ¥ 3 6 0 0
(corporate subscribers, 7-100 copies
ok ¥22,560). Half year (12 issues)
¥1800 (corporate subscribers, 7-100
copies ok ¥12,000). Bank transfer or
credit card (Visa, Mastercard, Diners
Club). Details at http://metropolisjapan.com/subscription.
HIV Peer Support group and workshops.
Get together with people in the same
boat as you, who understand. Held in
a safe, considerate, 100% confidential
setting to discuss what’s on your mind,
ask questions and make new friends.
info@peersupporttokyo.com www.
peersupporttokyo.com
Infertility support group. TTC Tokyo is
an infertility support group that provides
informal opportunities for women and
men experiencing infertility to connect
with one another. Please visit website
for more info. admin@ttctokyo.org www.
ttctokyo.org
12 SOCIAL SCENE
12.1 LET’S PARTY
JAPAN INTERNATIONAL PARTY
- SPRING-SUMMER SPECIAL.
Sat, May 30, 6:30-9pm, Bar
Quest (Roppongi). Japan’s
biggest international party.
250 people expected. All-youcan-drink and free snacks.
Japanese men: ¥ 4000.
O t h e r s : ¥ 3 0 0 0. M o b i l e:
ht tp://get your friend.com/
mobile/ jiparty@hotmail.com
w w w. g e t y o u r f r i e n d . c o m
090-1735-5405
J O I N T H E B I G G E S T,
B E S T, M O S T P O P U L A R
I N T E R N AT I O N A L PA R T Y !
Great people, drinks and food!
Meet new friends and party
with nice people in a friendly
atmosphere. Events in Tokyo
(Ginza, Azabu, Roppongi)
and Osaka. ¥1500-¥2000.
http://english.gaitomo.com/
info@gaitomo.com
I N T E R N AT I O N A L E V E N T S .
Looking to join a variety of
i n t e r n a t i o n a l e v e n t s? T h e
Tokyo Spontaneous Hangout
Meetup Group has events
such as international parties,
picnics, live English comedy,
language exchange and
m a ny m o re. Ch e ck t h e l i n k
for fur ther detail s: w w w.
meetup.com/tokyoites
Looking forward to seeing you
at an event! japanmeetup@
gmail.com
I N T E R N AT I O N A L PA R T Y AT
LEAFCUP. Come join us and have
fun. Men: ¥3000. Foreigners/
women: ¥2000. All-you-candrink-and-eat. Iidabashi and
Yokohama: May 16 and June 6.
Shibuya: May 23 and June 13.
www.leafparty.com
13 CLUBS & INTERESTS
13.1 SPORTS
AMERICAN FOOTBALL.
N ihon Unis ys B ulls , 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
and venue subject to change).
Attendance at practice must be
ove r 6 0% . Pl e ase co nt ac t fo r
tryout info and send your profile to
team admin. bullsxleague@gmail.
co m h t t p: // w w w.u n i s y s .co. j p/
football
A L L - N AT I O N A L I T Y TO U C H
F O OT B A L L . N o n - c o n t a c t t a g
rugby (OZ tag) and Rugby
League players. We play ever y
Sat from 10am in Tatsumi. M/F
and beginners welcome! Good
exercise and fun! M any other
activities, such as BBQs and
drinking parties! Email for details.
tokyorugbyleague@hotmail.com
http://ameblo.jp/tokyo13warriors
A M AT E U R R U G B Y L E A G U E
PLAYERS. Japan ANZACS Rugby
League team is seeking Rugby
Le a g u e p l aye r s f o r J a p a n e s e
Ru g by Le a g u e of f icia l g am e s
from Apr to Sep. Everyone
welcome. Contact for more details.
japananzacs@gmail.com
FUN WITH TOUCH RUGBY! Join
us for social or competitive touch
rugby ever y Sat at 2:30pm by
Ariake Stn, Yurikamome Line. Any
age, sex, level ok. Please email
for details. funwithtouch@gmail.
c o m w w w. f u n w i t h t o u c h .c o m /
where-we-play
P L AY R U G B Y. T h e To k y o
Crusaders are a friendly but
keen international rugby club.
D evo te d to t h e g a m e a n d i t s
social side, the “Cru” welcomes
all players and supporters.
Established in 1990, the Cru plays
in the Shuto League 1st Division.
http://www.facebook.com/tokyo.
crusaders www.tokyocrusaders.
com
TA M B O U R E L L I . U n i q u e n e w
s p o r t f ro m S co t l a n d . U s i n g a
tambourine-like instrument as a
racquet, players hit a shuttlecock.
We play two or three times/month
on weekends in Meguro with many
socials. Join us! More details:
w w w.t a m j a p a n .o r g /e n / i n f o @
tamjapan.org
Baseball player. Japan Amateur
Baseball team is seeking players for
baseball games and practices. We play
every Sat and Sun in Yokohama City.
Everyone welcome. Email for details.
starbay5555@yahoo.co.jp
Don’s Half-Fast Flash-Mob Weekend
Urban Bicycle Rides. halffastcycling@
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
Ice hockey: Kanagawa Maple Leafs,
Yokohama. Join us! The Kanagawa Ice
Hockey League for working people is
a competitive league, so experience
in ice hockey is a must. A team is
joining A pool, B team is E pool. norio.
ooba@pfizer.com https://sites.google.
co m / ka n a g a w a m a p le le a f s / h o m e
03-3258-5401
Jogging Yokosuka. SJM seeking
friends to jog 8-20km in Yokosuka,
mornings preferred, but depending
on the day, other times could work,
too. ジョギング仲間募集横須賀 .
elsalvadorjapan@yahoo.es
Quality football. Interested in playing
football at the weekend and training
midweek? Want to enjoy a few beers
after a good run out? If you consider
yourself a quality player, please drop
us a note. bfcvagabonds@gmail.com
Seeking Japanese archery
companions. Let’s do kyudo near
Tokyo. Once/month for three hours,
weekends only. See website for
details. datemasamune216@yahoo.
co.jp http://jmty.jp/tokyo/com-spo/
article-qa3g
Tennis in central Tokyo. Active group
of tennis friends in central Tokyo
welcomes serious/motivated new
players. We play on weekday evenings
and weekends. Different levels (sorry,
no beginners), fun training sessions
and games with great people from all
over. tennis.tokyo@yahoo.fr
Volleyball Club Intervoll. Japanese
and foreign volleyball players gather
in Takadanobaba to enjoy playing.
Have volleyball experience and want
to play in a friendly atmosphere?
inter vollclub@yahoo.co.jp http://
intervoll.sakura.ne.jp/
Weekend futsal team in Tokyo.
Please int roduce your self (ful l
name, age, nationality, whether you
belong to another team, experience,
etc.). 都内週末フットサルチーム.
umek2002jp@yahoo.co.jp
Women’s soccer club. Five-a-side,
11-a-side, on grass fields. Two or
three practices/matches on Sun. All
nationalities, experience level s,
beginner s welcome. Happy and
friendly club! We have many socials.
djnorio@hotmail.co.jp
13.2 LEISURE
MACARTHUR HEIGHTS.
Ta ke a b r e a k w h e r e G e n e r a l
Douglas MacArthur did! One
hour from Tokyo by car or direct
train. Beautiful cabins on the
ocean, w/onsen, beach, shopping.
housinginjapan@yahoo.com
IAC Tokyo. I n t e r n a t i o n a l
Adventure Club Tokyo is an
all-volunteer group of folks
from the Tokyo area who
enjoy outdoor ac tivities
t o g e t h e r. I t p r o v i d e s
opportunities to explore the
Japanese countryside and
mountains. Join now! bep_11@
gmx.de http://iac-tokyo.org
Tokyo ET contact group. Join us
beneath the stars as we endeavor to
make contact with ET visitors and their
craft. Our next ET contact event will take
place on May 17/18 at Darumayama on
Izu Peninsula. nakanosky@gmail.com
w w w . m e e t u p . c o m /
Tokyo-ET-Contact-Group/
events/193113322/
29
Many more classified ads online! Visit classifieds.metropolis.co.jp
13.4 MUSIC
14.2 MEN LOOKING FOR WOMEN
Bassist wanted around Yokohama.
We mainly play rock music and have
rehearsals in Shin-Yokohama. Any kind
of player is welcome, so feel free to
contact us. m_a_b1998@yahoo.co.jp
Drummer seeking band. Any style
(funk, fusion, pop, etc.) is welcome,
except metal. Weekly practices and
gigs ok. Tokyo area. Please write
me back to have a try! christian.
pelissero@institutfrancais.jp
Drummer/percussionist wanted
for new lineup of E/J band playing
original songs in central Tokyo.
Plenty of opportunity to play live.
trashcity@outlook.com http://www.
reverbnation.com/thestraysjapan
Keyboardist sought by funk/fusion
band. Any nationality welcome. Come
for a tryout. christianpelissero@
yahoo.fr
Seeking guitarist. Tokyo-based hard
rock band, Stoning Crows, seeks a
skilled and easygoing guitarist to
replace our current who is moving back
to the States. Influences are vast, from
metal to funk, grunge to classic rock.
stoningcrowsjapan@gmail.com
Seeking tenor a capella singer.
We’re four a capella singers, with
great singing experience, living in
Tokyo, seeking alto, tenor parts.
Rehearsals in Shinjuku and Shibuya.
We’ll start with Pentatonix songs.
konpeiioi@yahoo.co.jp
13.5 MIND, BODY, SPIRIT
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 0903598-3072 for more information.
daginia@gmail.com w w w.
diamondway.jp
Zen meditation (Zazen). You’ve
always thought it would be interesting
to try it—why not now? Join us Fri
evenings at Tokuun-in in Ueno.
Make arrangements in advance by
email, and check our home page.
tokyozazen@jcom.home.ne.jp www.
wgthorpe.com
13.9 INTERNATIONAL
Intercultural activities. JII (Japan
Intercultural Iwnstitute) is a nonprofit, member-run organization
that sponsors activities (seminars,
cultural events, conferences) for
those wanting to further develop
intercultural competencie s and
meet other interculturalists. yuko.
bolick@japanintercultural.org www.
japanintercultural.org
Nihongo 倶楽部いんたぁなしょ
なる. Nihongo Club International is a
volunteer group to help foreign people
learn Japanese at the Tokyo Volunteer
Action Center in Iidabashi. Every Thu,
7-9pm. nci_tokyo@yahoo.co.jp
14 PERSONALS
14.1 FRIENDS
The most exciting tailor in Tokyo
- We offer classic and avant-garde garments, shoes and accessories
- We speak English, German and Japanese
- Designer who studied at GIEVES & HAWKES is of your assistance
- We accept credit cards and ship overseas. No reservation required
- Suits from ¥80,000, shirts from ¥8,900, plus tax
Jogging mate at Yokohama Stn.
English- and Spanish-speaking JM
seek s jogging mates with good
p e r s o n a l i t i e s f o r 5 -1 5 k m. A n y
nationality welcome as long as
we can speak in English/Spanish.
Mountain hiking mate. European
man, 40s, seeking mountain hiking
mate and cultural exchange over
mountain hiking on weekends. winds_
fr@hotmail.com
Seeking friends! Hello, I am a Japanese
woman seeking friends for a drink
together and a nice chat. Someone living
in the Kanto area would be good. Thank
you. special1lovesong@yahoo.co.jp
Central Aoyama 1F, 4-1-3 Minami-aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0062
Mon, Tue, Fri 12:00-20:00/Sat, Sun 11:00-20:00/Wed, Thu Closed
Tel: 03-6438-9563 Email: info@loudgarden.com
www.loudgarden.com | www.facebook.com/loudgarden.tokyo
30
Tokyo Stn. Male, English, living and
working in Tokyo, seeking easygoing
people for drinks, chats after work
around Tokyo Stn, Shimbashi, etc. This is
not for language exchange. Please tell me
about yourself when you reply. m3_3m@
outlook.com
movies and food would be a good start.
travelmanuk@hotmail.com
Secret romance. Smart, nonsmoking
JM, 53, seeking only one girlfriend
for a secret romance. I respect your
privacy. I am a businessman working in
central Tokyo. If you are interested in
my ad, please contact me. shinjuku02@
hotmail.co.jp
S E E K I N G A S U G A R DA D DY ?
Safely meet rich and elite
men while having fun and
making money. We are a
members-only dating club
with strict rules. Foreign and
Japanese executives, lawyers,
celebrities. Not an escort
clu b. N o ch ar g e fo r fe m ale
members. 0120-675-858 (E)
international@universe-club.jp
ht t p: //u ni ve r s e - clu b.j p/e n /
women
Seeking companionship. I'm Turkish,
44, 194cm, divorced, nonsmoking, social
drinker, speak Japanese, enjoy traveling,
music, books, hikes, dining out, cooking
at home. I like simplicity of life. Seeking
a long-term relationship with a likeminded foreign or Japanese woman.
pisces030771@hotmail.com
KINDNESS AND RESPECT: the
two most important qualities of
the human heart, in my opinion.
Let's be kind and respectful to
each other. Gentle Canadian in
loving but sexless marriage seeks
Japanese woman. I'm a young 52!
androgoner@gmail.com
Seeking young Western lady. I'm
a SWM, dark hair, blue eyes, 1.7m,
professional, living in Daikanyama,
seeking a pretty Western lady, 20-30,
kind, affectionate and serious about
finding a boyfriend for a long-term
relationship. deepwatersmind@yahoo.
com
French-Asian for Japanese woman.
I am a handsome and friendly FrenchAsian, 30, 172cm, traveling in Tokyo,
seeking a romantic and passionate
relationship with a Japanese woman.
kenji40japan@gmail.com
Serious relationship. Single, 30, living
and working in Tokyo, seeking sincere
girlfriend. I like movies, travel. 日本
語大丈夫です. lavillelumiere2015@
gmail.com
Friendship plus. Asian man seeking a
woman, 24-37, healthy, nonsmoking,
honest/sincere, non-drinker, for mutually
beneficial relationship based on mutual
need and trust. I am sincere and caring.
Let's meet once/week and enjoy each
other's company. jj08@drivehq.com
Handsome Italian man seeking sexy,
feminine and fun to be with! Let's go
and explore new places and enjoy life.
You must be financially independent.
I'm seeking a partner, not a daughter.
No childish girls—real women, please.
sugartokyo4@yahoo.com
Humorous and good-looking SJM.
SJM, 30s, seeks an attractive foreign
lady with the same interests, like
movies, books, music and going to cafes.
Let's meet up for coffee and maybe more.
lovehotellover@yahoo.co.jp
Japanese girlfriend wanted. JM,
mid-40s, speaks English and Spanish as
well. I like jogging, language learning,
nature, beach walks and Japanese
gardens. Only Japanese women, please.
Smoking ok if only one cigarette/day.
Seeking girlfriend. Cool guy, 40, kind,
seeks mature JF, 40s-50s, for romance
in Tokyo. Let's meet up for coffee and
talk. Serious only, please. munesan50@
yahoo.com
Single, handsome, caring and witty
Japanese male seeks a nice Western
or Japanese female for friendship and
possibly more. Nonsmokers preferred. If
you are interested in exciting and happy
times with me, please email me now!
cioinjapan@gmail.com
SJM seeking SF. SJM, financially
independent, seeking a SF for a serious
relationship. I don't drink or smoke and
am very health-conscious. Like to travel,
read, exercise. If you think you are the
right fit for me, please reply. h247ga@
gmail.com
Soft, kind, romantic and also fun,
passionate, and British. That's me.
And I'm seeking you—if you're warm,
romantic, open-minded. 日本語でも
大丈夫... たぶん. 笑. Please introduce
yourself when you write. the.only.brit@
gmail.com
Will you hold me? I want to hold you in
my arms and feel it back. I want to feel
connected and not think of anything else.
artoistk@hotmail.com
14.3 WOMEN LOOKING FOR MEN
Japanese princess. Englishman,
191cm, blue eyes, seeking my Japanese
princess to serve, spoil and worship.
wallhall1975@yahoo.co.uk
Japanese-Caucasian half from Hawaii
for serious relationship. I'm living in
Narita, but if you live in Tokyo, I can take
the train to Ueno. Mail me if interested.
Thank you. boosted_art@hotmail.com
Let happiness begin! Married, kind,
passionate, fun-loving, well-educated,
very successful, nonsmoking, welltraveled, 三高 male is looking to cherish
a Japanese woman for a long-term,
one-on-one discreet relationship. Let
me make you happy! enjoylife_321@
yahoo.com
Lonely like me? White male, mid-40s,
will share everything with you. Age has
no meaning, but inner beauty does. Let's
start today! gwilhelm84@yahoo.com
Lonely, romantic married gentleman
seeks a lonely woman. I miss romantic
moments with a sweet woman. Can
we be friends? Sweet, attractive white
gentleman, 47, hopes to meet you.
vbcfgt@hotmail.com
MWM seeks MJF in Ebisu area. I am a
sane, warm, fit MWM, early 40s, who is
happy at home, but wants passion, too.
Seeking a MJF who is in the same position
for something exciting, but comfortable
for both. bdtguy@hotmail.com
Reliable Englishman seeking an
attractive, down-to-earth English
speaker, around 40, who's seeking a
natural but adventurous lifestyle in
Kanagawa and overseas. Someone
active but relaxed, into art, music,
LAVISH DATES AND
INDULGENT NIGHTS—WE
C R E AT E O P P O R T U N I T I E S
for elite foreign males to meet
elegant Japanese females.
Start with a luxurious dinner
date, take the night where you
want it to go. Fresh, young
women join our club every day.
0120-978-649 (E)
international@universe-club.jp
http://universe-club.jp/en
Are you a SWM? I am a tall, slender, cool
SJF, early 40s, seeking a SWM for having a
good time on weekends or relaxing, and/
or fun evenings, aorund central Tokyo.
hiroko_linuma@hotmail.com
Elegant yet natural woman seeks her
love in a long-term relationship. Welleducated, healthy, charming European or
North American preferred. We all want a bit
more warmth in life. I'm mid-40s. Singles
only. nikitaeleon@yahoo.co.jp
Finding a handsome man? Classy, polite,
lovely young woman, 20s, from Germany,
seeks her male equivalent for marriage
in Tokyo. Please be dog-loving, honest,
funny, single, under 40. I don't want any
gambling with my feelings. Serious only,
please! misslyoan@gmail.com
Free daytime. JF, pretty, 30s, in Tokyo,
seeks a good-looking Caucasian,
JOBS
CHAT HOSTS AND TEACHERS WANTED BY
LEAFCUP in Tokyo, Iidabashi, Shibuya,
Yokohama. Seeking enthusiastic,
proficient English, French, Spanish and/or
German speakers who can teach and lead
lively conversations. ¥1000-¥1500/h.
A p p l y o n l i n e : h r@le a f cu p.co m
www.leafcup.com/job.php
WINE SALESPERSON sought to call on
hotels, restaurants and bars to offer
our high-quality wines at incredible
prices. Candidates should be
confident, J/E bilingual, passionate
about wine, love fine dining and travel,
have experience in sales, wine or both.
Full-time (Mon-Fri, 10:30am-7:30pm).
Position available immediately. Please
send cover letter and resume to
winejob@metropolisjapan.com.
WANT TO HELP CREATE METROPOLIS?
We’re seeking social media, web, and
editorial interns. Great opportunity
to gain experience in a multimedia
company ! To appl y, send intro
let ter, CV and relevant clips to
editor@metropolisjapan.com.
メトロポリスはバイリンガル（日英）の営業スタッフ
を募集しています。是非、私達の広告マーケティン
グチームに加わりませんか！応募条件：責任感を
もって勤勉に取り組める方、協調性があり、意欲を
持って主体的に働ける方を募集しています。営業経
験のある方は歓迎します。フルタイム (Mon-Fri,
9 : 3 0 a m - 6 : 3 0 p m) で働ける方に限りま
す。jobs@metropolisjapan.com
To advertise:
commercial@metropolisjapan.com
03-4588-2277
JOIN US IN INTRODUCING JAPAN TO
THE WORLD. S eeking energetic ,
bilingual individuals with a passion
for travel and interest in tourism.
We offer excellent career paths and
promotion prospects and are an
equal-opportunity employer. Our
workplace is conveniently located
2min from Roppongi Stn. Positions
available include account manager,
d e s i g n e r, d e v e l o p e r, p r o j e c t
manager. Visit our jobs page for
details. To apply, please send your
resume to info@japantravel.com.
http://en.japantravel.com/jobs
J A P A N T R A V E L I N T E R N S H I P.
J a p a nTr a v e l . c o m i s s e e k i n g
E/J bilingual interns to join the
largest tourism website in Japan.
Multiple opportunities in content,
sales/marketing and web/design.
Work in an exciting, global
environment in Roppongi.
Transportation and business expenses
provided. No salary, minimum three
months, chance for full-time position.
Please send your resume (E/J) to
info@japantravel.com.
SALES INTERN. Metropolis is seeking
a bilingual (E/J) intern to join the
most successful English-language
advertising team (Restaurants & Bars)
in Japan. Great opportunity to learn in
an exciting environment. No pay, but
transportation provided. Please email
knakashima@metropolis.co.jp.
single, 20-30s, living in Tokyo.
nagareboshistars@yahoo.co.jp
young businessman. Shall we go out?
Please email. lilith1188@yahoo.co.jp
Happy with my life, looks; happiest when
I am with my love. Fun, educated JF, mid40s, hopes to become your sweetest,
smartest, hottest woman who brightens
your day. You're an English-speaking
business pro, 50+ is very welcome.
brown3prettyeyes@gmail.com
Rare discovery! Warmhear ted,
attractive, positive, slim SJF, enjoys
cooking, hiking, working, art, seeks
gentle, attractive, successful Caucasian
in central Tokyo who wants to raise
a loving family. What's important is
trust, respect and stimulating each
other. Photo necessary. sorosoroaitai@
yahoo.co.jp
Humbly confident. I may not be
young and too innocent, but I'm
lovely-looking, playful, happy.
Overseas-educated SJF, mid-40s, long
shiny hair, fine skin, toned, womanly
frame and curves. You are single,
mature, gentlemanly, loving your life.
aquacream_dawn@yahoo.co.jp
I am single, almost 50, seeking
someone seriously witty, kind, not
stingy. A kind gentleman. You don't
have to be a native English speaker. I'd
prefer a well-educated person. Serious
only. hiraharahousing@yahoo.co.jp
07055591382
Let's hang out together in good
weather. Attractive SJF is seeking a
single Western male for a relationship.
Let's hang out together in good
weather! Please tell me about yourself.
Serious nonsmokers only, please.
pecoandpoco@hotmail.co.jp
Long-haired, slim JF seeks handsome
gentleman. My hobbies are watching
movies, drinking, eating. I seek a
special guy living in a nice apartment/
house in Hiroo. I would like a rich,
Real playboy in Tokyo. I heard there
are real playboys in Tokyo. They have
brains, looks and wealth. Many girls/
lovers are always around. I want to meet
a sexy guy and be one of his special girls.
nagareboshistars@yahoo.co.jp
Seeking friend and romance.
Japanese woman, 48, seeking a kind,
mature guy around my age. Serious
only. Nice chatting is definitely a plus!
solsonreir@gmail.com
Sincere Asian man, 30-43, sought by
intelligent, sincere SJF. I speak good
English, Japanese and some Korean.
Love traveling. Start as friends first.
Serious only, please. 2010mirai@
gmail.com
Sweet JF seeks single American.
Japanese female in Tokyo, educated,
well-mannered, loyal, early 40s, seeks
sincere, athletic American SBM/SWM
for a long-term relationship hopefully
leading to marriage. cjlisalisa@yahoo.
co.jp
Want a date. I am Japanese, 41, seeking
a gentle guy who can take me to nice
restaurants and cafes. If you are a WM,
tall, well-educated, working in Tokyo,
please contact me. happyjapan1974@
aol.com
Your perfect complement. You will
have a beautiful best friend, good
chef, sexy flirt and great listener
to your dreams or even problems.
Sophisticated, little wild, fit, educated
SJF, 40+, seeks a sincere single
gentleman who works and plays hard.
enfant7bythesea@yahoo.co.jp
14.4 GAY & LESBIAN
Friends and fun. Japanese guy, 27, 170,
65, good-looking, seeking friends and fun
in/around Tokyo. Please reply w/face photo
and stats. Thanks. kcv@hotmail.co.jp
14.5 ESCORTS
ESCORTS have gone online.
To f i n d a l o v e l y l a d y
companion, visit http://
classifieds.metropolis.co.jp/
category/personals/escorts.
14.6 AND OTHERS
TR ANCE PARTIES. At trac tive
couple (European/Japanese) is
seeking one or two women to join
us for dinners and trance parties.
All expenses paid—just enjoy.
tokyopleasure6@gmail.com
31
RELATIONS
BUSINESS PHONE MANNERS IN JAPAN
BY GRACE BUCHELE MINETA
One of my recent hobbies is watching my husband make business calls. I
find it fun to watch, not because of anything he says, but because of what
he does. What does he do? He bows. A lot. Especially when ending the
call. He's not the only one who does this. At the train station, you might see
a young Japanese man in a suit using copious amounts of keigo (formal
Japanese) on the phone. As the phone call nears an end, you can see him
bowing furiously while saying “arigatou gozaimasu” and “shitsureshimasu.”
Of course, the person on the other line cannot see the caller. In this situation,
bowing serves no purpose … but old habits die hard. I think it is adorable.
日本の電話マナー
最近の趣味の1つに夫が色々な会社に電話をしている姿を見る事があります。電話の
内容ではなく、彼のしぐさが私にとっては非常に面白いからです。彼が何をするのか
って？たくさんお辞儀をするんです。これに気づいたのは私だけですか？駅でスーツ
姿の若いビジネスマンがたくさん敬語（フォーマルな日本語）を使って電話をして
いる姿を見ます。電話が終わりそうになると、彼は"ありがとうございます！"や"失礼
します！"と言いながら、せわしなくお辞儀をするんです。私は微笑ましい光景だと思
います。当然ながら電話の相手にはお辞儀をしている姿は見えないので、お辞儀を
する意味はないですが、染みついた癖というものはなかなか消えないものですね。
■ Grace Buchele Mineta is an author who blogs and draws comics
about her daily life in Japan at www.HowIBecameTexan.com.
horoscope
BY CATHRYN MOE
♥ Love ¥ Money ♣ Luck
ARIES
TAURUS
GEMINI
May 22-Jun 21 ♥♥♥♥ ¥¥¥ ♣♣♣
Jun 22-Jul 23 ♥♥♥ ¥¥ ♣♣♣♣
There’s some serious intensity for
you as Uranus tears up your Aries
atmosphere. The searing condition
of your focus seals your will to get to the top. If
you have something to achieve, if you want to
make a point, this is the week to do it. You can
take on practically anyone or anything and be
just fine; surprisingly, they will be too—relieved,
in fact. Part of your latest hassle has been about
showing that you’re a no-nonsense go getter
and at this point, no one would dare doubt that.
Mars has entered your financial sector. Go for it, either with what’s on
offer, or kicking through to the next
level. You’re about to have a slowdown with a
partner during Saturn’s retrograde, so why not
enjoy yourself when you can? If you’re looking
at homes or home improvement, go for the largest and best quality you can take on. Don’t be
afraid to show your affluent spirit, even if you’re
not feeling it to the outer reaches of your current confidence.
Time to take up a new exercise
program, or step up the one you’re
in. Sign up for a class that makes
you feel like you’re flying each time you’ve
finished. Your zoom energy, boosted by Mars
transiting Gemini, only lasts seven weeks. If you
project what you’ll be doing during this time,
you can schedule in some up-up-and-away
time to enjoy the best of what life has to offer.
Call friends, take walks, organize parties, write
emails. Dance your way to your happiest level!
Think about your need to take care
of others, then look at who’s taking
care of you. If the scales are tipped
and not in your favor, it’s time to pull back.
Rethink your schedule; invest in yourself. If
you want an opening to work out, or your body
begs for healthy food, you’ll receive double the
benefits this week. Even if you’re sipping hot
chocolates and double espressos, you’ll find
ways to indulge and still stay beautiful.
LEO
VIRGO
LIBRA
SCORPIO
Sep 24-Oct 23 ♥♥♥♥ ¥¥¥ ♣♣♣
Oct 24-Nov 22 ♥♥♥♥♥ ¥¥ ♣♣♣♣
Finally, a break to slip out and do what
you want! Scorpio is passionate and
intense, but you’ve also taken on a
lot of responsibility. The word “willpower” was
made just for you. Even with all the UranusPluto squares completed, the result sums up
how you choose to use your energy. How do
you want the future to be? What can you live
with? What’s worth your time? What’s not? You
could make a career out of saving lost souls, but
your own soul needs to be nourished as well.
Mar 21-Apr 20 ♥♥♥ ¥¥ ♣♣♣♣
Jul 24-Aug 23 ♥♥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ♣♣♣
Apr 21-May 21 ♥♥ ¥¥¥ ♣♣♣♣
Aug 24-Sep 23 ♥♥♥ ¥¥ ♣♣♣
CANCER
There’s a weight, a burden on your
shoulders. Or, the stars might say,
you’ve been carrying too much. The
sloshing around of slippery variables in your
future is only a function of all that energy in your
solar ninth house. Things may feel dicey, but the
truth is, there’s an undercarriage that connects
your thoughts to what actually happens. As you
realize your power in this area, you’ll move from
playing with it to enjoying the responsibility for
the results.
This is a cutting time of walking
a tightrope. Each breath propels
you into your next moment. With
Neptune, Chiron, and Vesta opening doors,
you may flow quickly and easily to a new position. The part of you that asks, “How did this
happen?” can now accept your good fortune.
If you’re feeling this, encourage it, because,
as Dark Moon Lilith goes through your sign,
you’re going to surprise yourself. You may as
well start now.
You are right. Those feelings you
have had crossing your heart have
merit. You’d like all the facts before
you move forward, but these days you’re
choosing what you believe and acting on it
almost simultaneously. At times, you may think
you’re the only one who sees your point of view.
Librans really prefer it when you have someone
to share with. The longer you can hold out, supporting what you’ve seen and what you know,
the more compatible a partner you’ll find.
SAGITTARIUS
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
Jan 21-Feb 19 ♥♥♥ ¥¥ ♣♣♣♣
Feb 20-Mar 20 ♥♥ ¥¥¥ ♣♣♣
Saturn in your sign is exactly opposite
Mars on Friday. This is one of those
you-can’t-get-there-from-here aspects
when all the hard work you’ve done (that no one
else would even consider) looks like it could fall
apart. Take a deep breath and let that thought roll
past you. It’s an adjustment period that’s short,
with the chance to add more to your body of work.
Without this aspect, you may not have had the
opening. By midweek, you’re riding high again.
As long as you go step by step through
the mire and muck, you may as well
look up and enjoy the view. Life is
challenging for Capricorns, but few get to see the
vistas you do. Balance continues to be built in,
with Venus bringing relaxation and beauty where
there were rocks and sticks. Emotionally, you’re
waiting for the other shoe to drop, but truthfully,
it’s more like the glass slipper that fits. If you don’t
have a career, don’t worry: you will—and soon.
Ah, someone is one step ahead of you,
and it looks like it’s your partner—or
someone who has you in mind to be
their partner. While you may not be noticing the
hints and maneuvers, are you doing things that
a year ago you said you’d never do? It’s OK; you
probably need the redirection. Your life is about
to open up in ways you never guessed. In completing the Uranus-Pluto squares, you’ve actually
been preparing to create a new way forward.
Capricorns and Leos are going
through it, but Pisces may be rather
quiet these days. Surprising, as the
Moon-conjunct-Uranus aspect on Friday is akin
to having your nervous system clobbered. Building muscles, including the spiritual and emotional
ones, is a rather important task. It brings oxygen to
the surface and restores your circulation. The best
benefit of recovering from an unexpected event?
You’re even more beautiful in the aftermath.
Nov 23-Dec 22 ♥♥♥ ¥¥¥ ♣♣♣♣♣
32
Dec 23-Jan 20 ♥♥ ¥¥¥ ♣♣♣
PISCES
LINGO BOX
Kaiwa (会話) = Conversation
Officials at Mitsubishi Electric say more than
1.5 million of the company’s TV sets were hit
by a transmission glitch that caused them to
“repeatedly turn on and off every few minutes.”
Rikai (理解） = Understanding
the small print
Kekkan (欠陥) = Glitch
Rakugaki (落書き) = Graffiti
BY STEVE TRAUTLEIN
Kyōkai (協会) = Association
stats
I’LL CONTINUE MY JOB AS LONG AS I CAN USE MY
BODY.”
28,923
Number of suspected cases of
child abuse referred by police to welfare
authorities in 2013—a record
—Satoshi Onda, president of J.League Division 2 club FC Gifu, on living with
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS
BORED IN SPACE
⊲An
⊲ android called Kirobo, which in February
completed an 18-month stint on the International Space Station, was recognized by Guinness
World Records as taking part in the “highestaltitude human-robot conversation.”
⊲JAXA
⊲
launched an intelligence-gathering satellite from its space center in Kagoshima, but
don’t expect any further updates about the project—the info collected will be classified under
the government’s new state secrets law.
⊲Officials
⊲
at the science ministry have embarked
on an effort to map out “the effects of global
warming on every square kilometer of Japan.”
⊲The
⊲
education ministry says schoolkids should
study the Paralympics as a way of deepening
their “understanding of disabled people and
learn[ing] how to live alongside them.”
WELL, THAT’S EMBARRASSING
⊲A
⊲ survey by the internal affairs ministry found
that 18 of the government’s 24 most important
administrative bodies—ministries, agencies,
etc.—lack sufficient supplies to keep function-
ing in the aftermath of an emergency.
⊲One
⊲
of them is the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.
⊲An
⊲ elderly Hokkaido woman turned the tables
on an attempted fraudster by playing along with
the scam (which involved nonexistent shares in a
construction project), then notifying police when
the perp showed up to collect his money.
10,168,000 Vehicles sold worldwide in
fiscal 2014 by the world’s former No. 1
automaker, Toyota Motor Corporation
10,185,000 Vehicles sold by Volkswagen
donor organs in a transplantable state for up
to 24 hours.”
NEWS FROM THE IVORY TOWER
BUSINESS ON PARADE
⊲The
⊲
University of Tokyo revoked the PhDs of
three former members of its bioscience institute for falsifying charts in their doctoral theses.
⊲Art
⊲ students in Nakano are volunteering to
paint colorful scenes on local storefronts that
have been vandalized by graffiti.
⊲Administrators
⊲
at Toin High School in Osaka—a perennial baseball powerhouse—were
accused of keeping a ¥500 million slush fund
for “wining and dining” potential recruits and
their families.
⊲Researchers
⊲
at the Tokyo University of Science, Keio University, and a local biotech startup developed a storage system that “preserves
⊲A
⊲ newspaper investigation found many companies are unprepared for the My Number system,
in which every Japanese citizen will be assigned
a 12-digit ID code for taxation, social security,
and disaster-response purposes next January.
⊲A
⊲ government white paper says medium-sized
businesses are being shut out of the economic
recovery due to a shortage of skilled workers.
⊲Officials
⊲
at Suzuki Motor announced a recall
of 1.8 million cars and minivans because of
faulty ignition switches—the largest ever recall
in Japan.
⊲Headline
⊲
of the Week: “Yoshinoya to Try to Increase Night Sales by Luring Drinkers” (via Jiji)
AND FINALLY…
at a glance
BY ADAM GARWOOD
Check out Adam’s works at http://meturl.com/adam3
⊲Researchers
⊲
at the World Health Organization
declared Japan to be measles-free after no new
cases of the disease were reported during the
past three years.
⊲A
⊲ Cabinet Office survey found that 10 percent of all Japanese women have been stalked,
and 24 percent of married women have been
abused by their spouses.
⊲A
⊲ Gunma-based association of relatives of Imperial Army soldiers who died during the Battle
of Peleliu in 1944 says the group will disband
because its members are getting too old.
⊲Authorities
⊲
in Izunokuni, Shizuoka Prefecture,
have renamed two roads in honor of Yomiuri
Giants great Shigeo Nagashima, who spent his
off-seasons training in the hot-spring city.
Small Print Updated Weekly
→ METURL.COM/SMALLPRINT
Compiled from reports by AP, Japan Today, The Japan Times, Jiji, The Tokyo
Reporter, The Mainichi, The Japan News, AFP, Reuters and Kyodo
33
the last word
your article to:
WANT TO HAVE THE LAST WORD? Send
Illustration by Christi Rochin
Culture or
Cupcakes?
Searching for Japan’s
YouTube sweet spot
BY JENNY SILVER
I started a YouTube channel in order to
connect with my family. It was delightful
to see that others were finding and enjoying some of my videos on life in Japan,
and so I started putting out more content—even going so far as to promote it.
It’s been more than a year since I started
uploading regularly, and I’m enjoying the
growth of my little channel. Certainly it’s
not one of the big ones, but I honestly
enjoy a smaller community that allows
both viewers and myself to learn about
each other.
Every view of my channel is a gift.
Looking at stats, it’s interesting to
me that my most viewed videos are
related to pop culture and the “JVlog”
community of YouTubers here in Japan.
For example, my channel’s automati-
cally generated list of “popular videos”
shows that the most-viewed is about
DisneySea, distantly followed by those
about kaitenzushi, cupcakes in Tokyo,
and a unique Mario game. However, the
videos that I was most excited about
producing—those that hold significant
historical or cultural information—are
often swept under the rug.
Case in point: my trip to Hakone, a town
about an hour outside of Tokyo known
for its hot springs. The old Tōkaidō, the
stone path that linked Kyoto and Tokyo
in the days before we had planes, trains,
and automobiles, runs through here. The
conditions for travelers were rough back
then. Imagine hauling heavy luggage up
slick wet stones under constant threats
of thieves! My husband and I were able to
walk this same road and experience what
that was like—albeit with the sounds of
traffic not far off and our worries not so
severe.
We also visited Amazake Chaya, a
place about ten minutes off this road
that offered tea, amazake, snacks, and
rest for those traveling along Tōkaidō.
Amazake is a sweet drink made from fer-
EACH VIEW IS A VOTE
ON WHAT WE THINK
IS ENTERTAINING OR
IMPORTANT, AND CONTENT
CREATORS ACT ON THIS.”
The views expressed in “The Last Word” are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position or opinions of Japan Partnership Co. Ltd. or its partners and sponsors.
34
mented rice (sometimes the same used
for making sake), and is often served
warm, giving the ultimate comfort food
sensation—something very welcome
to the weary voyager. We were able to
experience life in the Edo Period and
were excited to share this with others. I
had the videos go up on the same day.
They garnered a fair number of views,
which I think was helped by some wellknown YouTubers sharing them.
A week after this historical excursion, I
uploaded a video on cupcakes. It quickly
surpassed the view counts of those from
the Tōkaidō and Amazake Chaya, and is
currently one of my most-viewed.
Still, the cultural angle fascinates
me; and so a friend introduced me to
a “Doll Appreciation Festival” at Meiji
Shrine. Thousands of people brought
their beloved stuffed animals and toys to
this shrine for what was essentially a doll
funeral. Hundreds of thousands of dolls
lined the perimeter of the shrine, waiting
for the “purification” ceremony during
which the spirits of the dolls would be
released. They were, essentially, set
free. What a beautiful way to say goodbye to non-living childhood friends! I
realized this was a dark subject, but it
was unique to Japan and ultimately had
an uplifting message.
But this failed to catch the attention
of even a fraction of the viewers of the
kaitenzushi video that I had uploaded
the previous week.
YouTube can be a window into Japan
and its unique culture and history, but
this failure of such content to stick discourages creators from showing more
cultural and historical topics. Many channels are monetized, and view counts are
an important part of that. Each view is
a vote on what we think is entertaining
or interesting, and content creators act
on this. Our priorities are shaping the
content that appears on the platform.
YouTube is more than just cat videos
and pranks, but I’m concerned that we’re
losing touch with what makes Japan really unique.
Do these views represent our priorities and what we really want to see from
Japan?
■ Jenny Silver is a narrator, voice artist, and
translator. Her channel is “TheJennySilver” on
YouTube, and she also co-hosts the Kimochi
Uncensored Podcast.

telling moving stories

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