GetHiroshima Mag Winter 2015

BE MORE THAN A TOURIST

Seasonal

Going Out

Visitors

Life

Festivals

Dining

Maps & Getting Around

Shopping

Oyster Culture

Nightlife

Sights

Hiking

Deep Hiroshima

Art

Futaba-no-sato

Volunteering

THE WINTER ISSUE 2015

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Streetcar lines Hiroden Line #1 (Hiroshima Station > Hiroshima Port) Hiroden Line #2 (Hiroshima Station > Miyajima-guchi) Hiroden Line #3 (Hiroden Nishi Hiroshima > Hiroshima Port) Hiroden Line #5 (Hiroshima Station > Hijiyama-shita > Hiroshima Port) Hiroden Line #6 (Hiroshima Station > Eba) Hiroden Line #7 (Yokogawa Station > Hiroden Honsha mae) Hiroden Line #8 (Yokogawa Station > Eba) Hiroden Line #9 (Hatchobori > Hakushima) Astram Line (Hondori > Koikikoenmae)

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Tomo Obara

Nakasuji

Transport Museum

Tomochuo Ozuka

¥190~480

Big Arch Stadium

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JR Train Lines

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Astram Line fares vary according to distance.

Koikikoenmae

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JR Ferry and Matsudai Ferry to Miyajima

(Chorakuji)

Peruvian, Spanish & Mexican Food & Drinks Lunches from ¥600 15:00-19:00 Happy hour drinks and tapas ¥350

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CONTENTS

WELCOME So this is winter. The world seems to be going to pot, but let’s hope it’s a good one nonetheless.

Let’s be honest, it isn’t the best time to be in Hiroshima, but it’s equally true that there is no bad time to be here. So, make the most of it. Get out from out under the kotatsu, do the rounds of the many that festivals mark the progression to spring, eat, drink and be merry. It’s a great time of year for oysters, hot pots and sake. Invigorate yourself on a walk around the the temples and shrines of Hiroshima’s “demon gate” and check out Goto Izumi’s Deep Hiroshima column to get the blood pumping.

02/ Transport Map 04 / Welcome 05 / GetHiroshima Picks 20 / City Maps 25 / Sponsors 30 / Events 31 / Art 32/ Fashion & Shopping 38 / Matt’s Moment

FEATURES 06 / Festival Focus New Year celebrations, holy arrows, demon chasing and lots of fire.

12/ Kanawa Oyster Boat A look at the story behind a Hiroshima landmark.

Paul Walsh

Cover: Hiro Kamigaki “IC4DESIGN” Photo: Junpei Ishida

14 / Exploring The Demon Gate Perfect winter stroll for for those interested in Japanese history, spirituality or just want to stretch their legs.

GetHiroshima Mag Issue 8 December, 2015 Circulation 5,000 copies Published quarterly by GetHiroshima Next issue March, 2016 Printed by Hiroshima Chuo Printing Co., Ltd. Motoaki Tahara Editor-in-chief Paul Walsh Design team NININBAORI http://nininbaori.co.jp/ Art Direction: Judith Cotelle Katsuyoshi Kunimasa Ryouta Kumagai Contributors Kismet Cordova Goto Izumi Matt Mangham Charlie Rose http://charlieroselovelove.com/ JJ Walsh Photography Judith Cotelle www.jud-hiroshima.com Jumpei Ishida Mish Vampiro Photography http://www.mishvampiro.com JJ Walsh

16 / Hiro Kamigaki Local illustrator with a love for detail on taking his on picture book around the world.

19 / Tokeisou Drop in at this neighborhood sake shop and stay for a drink.

34 / Goto Izumi’s Deep Hiroshima Jump into Hiroshima’s adult entertainment world.

37 / Peace Wanko On a mission to save Hiroshima’s abandoned pet dogs.

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All rights reserved © GetHiroshima 2015 As far as we are aware, all info correct at time of going to print. If you see something that has changed, we’d really appreciate you letting us know at info@gethiroshima.com Warning/Disclaimer GetHiroshima will not accept liability for any damages caused by the contents of GetHiroshima Mag, including, but not limited to any omissions, errors, facts or false statements. Opinions or advice expressed in GetHiroshima Mag are not necessarily those of GetHiroshima. No content published in GetHiroshima can be reproduced, republished, retransmitted or redistributed without permission.

GetHiroshima picks You’ve been to the Peace Memorial Park and Miyajima. What next?

PEACE PAGODA

FAN FANTASTIC

KAGURA

Walk up Mt Futaba from Tōshō-gū shrine along a path that takes you under 100 red torii gates through an old growth forest to great views from the Peace Pagoda at the top.

Love for the Hiroshima Carp is unequivocal.

Baseball fan or not, a home game is always memorable. Soccer lovers can enjoy the Japanese stadium experience at a Sanfrecce game.

Ancient myths and folktales performed in extravagant costumes to frenetic drum rhythms, complete with dry ice, fireworks and exploding cobwebs.

City center shows at Kenmin Bunka Center on December 2, 9, 16 and 23.

MITAKI TEMPLE

EAT!

SHIMIZU GEKIJO

Cure Kyoto “temple fatigue” and calm the soul in the gorgeous verdant grounds of Mitaki Temple, 20min walk up the hill from Mitaki station (3 stops from Hiroshima on the Kabe Line).

Okonomiyaki is both a meal and a culinary performance. Oysters and tsukemen cold noodles in spicy dipping sauce are also local specialities. Wash it down with some great local sake.

Step into the world of Japanese vaudeville performed by itinerant troupes with very loyal fans.

3hr shows at 12pm & 6pm (¥1900) or catch the 1hr finale for just ¥1000. http://bit.ly/shimizugekijo

SHUKKEI-EN GARDEN

ISLAND HOP

OUT ON THE TOWN

Wander through the miniature landscapes in this city center garden or take a seat by the lake and watch the koi carp, turtles and birds. Lovely rain or shine.

Hiroshima Port is the gateway to the islands of the Inland Sea. Sleepy Ninoshima is the nearest (20min). Don’t have great sea legs? Stroll the Ujina waterfront or walk over to Moto-ujina island.

We urge you to eat, drink, and yes, make merry with Hiroshima people. It’s only then that you can get a real appreciation of what a special place Hiroshima is and truly feel its message of peace.

GetHiroshima / Winter 2015

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winter Festivals

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new Year お正月 CHINKASAI 鎮火祭

HATSUMODE 初詣

A spectacular start to New Year celebrations on Miyajima. After a frantic battle to snatch sacred flames carried by shrine priests, bands of islanders parade huge flaming torches back and forth near Itsukushima Shrine. It can get quite hectic, and, well, fire! Keep your wits about you and any kids close. The Chinkasai starts at 6pm and is over within an hour or so. If you plan on making a night of it and staying on the island until midnight, or perhaps hiking up Mt Misen to see the sunrise, places to stay warm are few and far between, so plan accordingly.

New Year’s Eve in Japan is usually a quiet affair, hanging out, eating toshi-koshi soba noodles and watching the annual kōhaku singing contest, variety shows and the ringing of temple bells broadcast from around the country on TV. Just about everyone will make a ritual New Year shrine visit or hatsumōde at some point during the first few days of the new year and many head out soon after midnight. Many city shrines become crowded in the early hours of the morning and it can be fun to stroll among those clustered in Futaba-no-sato (see page 14) where the air is full of subdued excitement.

A good number of people do head into the city center to party. Groups of barhopping revellers tend to move from place to place in waves, until a consensus builds that it’s time to head to Gokoku Shrine next to Hiroshima Castle. Here, a sometimes motley, but always good-natured crew of clubbers, bar staff, hosts and hostesses pay their respects at the shrine and hang out at food stalls selling everything from candy apples to oysters. It’s not Times Square, but, warmed by kerosene stoves and hot sake, it’s unusually lively for Japan on New Year’s Eve. Observing the crossover between the increasingly bedraggled nite owls and worshippers arriving in their Sunday best is also entertaining.

New Year ceremonies & Bugaku Court Dances at Itsukushima Shrine

1/1: Shin-i Kenjo-shiki Ceremony (offering new clothes to deities) from midnight Saitan-sai Festival Ceremony bugaku dance 5:30am.

Well over half a million people line up at Gokoku Shrine to pay their respects in the first 3 days of the new year and the shrine does a brisk trade in votive goods, amulets and fortunes. It is also a popular time to have your car blessed for safe travel. Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima also attracts many thousands of people over the new year holiday and it is a good time to view traditional bugaku traditional court dances.

1/2: Futsuka-sai ceremony 09:00 / Noh performance 11:00 / Bugaku dance 13:00 1/3: Genshi-sai ceremony 09:00 / Bugaku dance 13:00 1/5: Chikyu-sai ceremony & bugaku dance 05:30 (includes Batō Sunrise Dance only performed once a year.)

GetHiroshima / Winter 2015

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tondo とんど

What happens to the previous year’s hamaya “demon-breaking” arrows, ornamental rakes and daruma dolls which expire with the ringing in of the new year? Around here, they go up in flames.

Dropped off on hatsumōde shrine visits when replacements are bought, they are blessed and cast, along with New Year decorations, onto spectacular tondo bonfires. The bamboo pyres range from just over head-height to giant towers as high as a house. Impressively intense, loud cracks and pops explode from the flames. Your clothes may well smell of burnt offerings and charred bamboo when you leave, but think of it as taking a bit of good luck home with you.

Once the flames die down, it is common for mochi rice cakes to be roasted over the embers. Some places pass around warm sake, others offer zenzai sweet bean soup which is a real treat with roasted mochi on a cold winter day.

Tondo matsuri are held in the grounds of many of the larger shrines and in public spaces, such as school grounds and along Hiroshima’s wide river banks where local communities gather and roast mochi rice cakes and warm sake over the flames; usually on the 2nd or 3rd weekend of January, generally on the weekend closest to January 15.

Tondo is usually a local affair, but you are unlikely to encounter any hostility if you show up at one.

Visitors blend in at Gokoku Shrine’s tondo which is always held on January 15 and the tondo in the park next to Sorasaya Shrine is also pretty accessible. In the countryside, tondo towers or shinmei are more elaborate and are often, as at the Sanba and Notohara Tondo festivals to the west, paraded before being set alight.

momote-sai 百手祭

The bow and arrow has a strong presence in Shinto ritual. The Momote-sai takes place at stately Ōmoto Shrine, about 10 minutes west of Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima. The ritual is said to symbolize a determination to live the year without conflict.

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After various rituals inside the building, a priest archer accompanied by an arrow bearer steps out into the precinct and, watched by many onlookers, “fires” arrows towards heaven, the earth, left and right. He then shoots at a target with the character oni (demon) painted on the back. Finally, he shoots towards heaven, the earth, left and right once more. After the ritual, visitors line up to receive

shrine blessings and sacred sake. A medieval warrior dish called hohan is also served. Things end on a fun note when the arrows used in the ritual are given out to lucky visitors by drawing lots.

The Momote-sai is held every year on January 20 at Ōmoto Shrine on Miyajima, starting at 11am.

setsubun 節分

On February 3, across the nation people don demon masks and scare the life out of little kids, throw beans to cast out misfortune, eat giant sushi rolls, spear stinky fish heads and fight for lucky bags of snacks.

Setsubun rites are carried out at both Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines. In Hiroshima city, ritual archery is performed at Gokoku Shrine and stinky sardines are grilled and pierced with sprigs of holly at Sumiyoshi Shrine. Large crowds also gather at Daishō-in Temple on Miyajima and at Saikoku-ji Temple in Onomichi where local notables toss out beans, snacks and small gifts. DIY setsubun kits, complete with demon masks and packs of dried soy beans can be bought at supermarkets and convenience stores. Draw straws and throw the beans at the demon shouting Oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi! (“Out with the demons and in with the luck!”). For extra good health and fortune, eat as many beans as your age plus one.

The chomping down of long ehomaki sushi rolls in one go while facing the year’s lucky direction (south-southeast in 2016) might be a Kansai import, but can be fun and makes for a cheap meal.

mihara Daruma Festival 三原神明市

This 3-day festival dates back almost 450 years to the construction of Mihara’s, then seaside, castle, the site of which is now dissected by the Sanyo shinkansen line. Conceived as way of fostering trade and business, lucky daruma dolls began to be sold in the 19th century. There are indeed many daruma for sale and the festival symbol is a giant 180kg doll. These days, the festival is also known for attracting a huge array of food hawkers, so if you like street food and big crowds, this is one for you.

GetHiroshima / Winter 2015

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|| 12/23 Tenchō-sai, Itsukushima Shrine, Miyajima || 12/31 Chinka-sai, Miyajima || 1/1-1/5 New Year rituals and bugaku court dance, Itsukushima Shrine, Miyajima || 1/5 Hiroshima City Dezomeshiki New Year Firefighters Ceremony || 1/7 Nanakusa-gayu 7 healthy herb soup, Hiroshima Tōshō-gu Shrine || 1/8 Saitōgoma Hiwatari-shiki Ritual Fire Walking, Saigoku-ji Temple, Onomichi || 1/10 Notohara tondo, Notohara Elementary School, Fukuyama || 1/11 Traditional mid-winter swim, A-bomb Dome || 1/11 Oyumi-shinji Ritual Archery, Momoshima Hachimangu Shrine, Momoshima Island || 1/14 Tondo-sai, Nigitsu-jinja Shrine || 1/14 Tondo-sai, Tsuruhane-jinja Shrine || 1/15 Tondo-sai, Hiroshima Gokoku-jinja Shrine || 1/17 Sanba-tondo (shinmei-sai), Sanba Elementary School, Onomichi || 1/20 Momote-sai, Ōmoto-jinja Shrine, Miyajima || 1/31 Ōbuku tea ceremony, Shukkeien Garden || 2/3 Setsubun-sai, Ōyama-jinja, Innoshima Island || 2/3 Setsubun-sai, Hiroshima Gokoku-jinja Shrine || 2/3 Setsubun-sai, Hiroshima Sumiyoshi-jinja Shrine || 2/3 Sorasaya-jinja Shrine, Hiroshima || 2/3 Setsubun-sai, Daishō-in Temple, Miyajima || 2/3 Setsubun-sai, Saikoko-ji Temple, Onomichi || 2/13 Futamado no shinmei-sai, Tadanoumi Elementary School, Tadanoumi, Takehara || 2/11-3/21 Hina doll displays, Takehara || 2/12-2/14 Mihara Shinmei-ichi (Daruma Festival), Mihara || 2/13-14 Miyajima Oyster Festival || 2/14 Oyumi-shinji ritual archery, Numata Shrine, Tomo-no-ura 14:00-15:30 || 2/21 Ume plum blossom viewing tea ceremony, Shukkeien Garden || 2/21-3/21 Hina doll displays, Tomo-no-ura Find more about these events and more at www.gethiroshima.com/events 1. Dezomeshiki New Year Firefighters Ceremony 2. Traditional mid-winter swim 3. Setsubun-sai, Ōyama-jinja, Innoshima Island 4. Miyajima Oyster Festival 5. Oyumi-shinji Ritual Archery, Momoshima Hachimangu Shrine, Momoshima Island

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Illuminations Large scale illuminations have become a new winter tradition in Japan. Held all over the country, they certainly brighten up the long dark nights. Here are the Hiroshima area’s most popular illuminations.

HIROSHIMA DREAMINATION

PAGEANT OF FLOWERS AND LIGHT

Peace Boulevard and around the city center Nov 17-Jan 3 17:30-22:30 1.4 million LEDs light up Hiroshima’s city center in an attempt to create a winter fairyland of peace. The main displays line Peace Boulevard and the atmosphere is quite festive. Kids giggle as they run among the sparkly creations and couples canoodle. More restrained lighting along the river next to Peace Memorial Park is very pleasant and the giant Christmas Tree in front of the Pacela shopping center is a good place for seasonal selfies..

Hiroshima City Botanical Gardens Sat, Sun & Nat Hols Nov 28-Dec 23 16:30-21:00 (Final admission 20:30) Hiroshima’s botanical gardens open late and the grounds are illuminated to great effect. The centerpiece is a giant Christmas Tree outlined on the ground by hundreds of candles. The hot houses are also a good place to escape the chilly weather.

Access: Shuttle buses leave from JR Itsukaichi Station North Exit (20min) from 15:30 and city buses from Hiroshima Bus Center (40min).

BIHOKU PARK WINTER ILLUMINATIONS

AMUSEMENT PARK UNDER THE STARS WINTER ILLUMINATIONS

Nov 14-Jan 11 (Closed New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day and January 4) 17:30-21:00 (Final admission 20:00) http://www.bihoku-park.go.jp/ This expansive park in Shobara is a favorite destination for dating couples looking for a romantic setting and families after some holiday magic. Deep in the countryside, the lack of light pollution means the lights really pop, and it is known for making the most of the natural landscape to create engaging displays.

Access: 5-10 minutes from Shobara IC on the Chugoku Expressway

Miroku-no-sato http://www.miroku-hoshizora.jp/ Sat, Sun & National Holiday Nov 7-28, Every day Nov 28-Jan6 (except New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day), Jan 11.

17:30-21:00 Night admission (from 16:30) Adults ¥800, Children ¥500 Miroku-no-sato amusement park in Fukuyama goes all out with the illuminations. 800,000 bulbs light up the 50m ferris wheel and many many displays.

There are also two light shows a night and fireworks on Sat 11/7-12/19 & 12/23.

Access: 30 minutes by bus from JR Fukuyama Station

Of course, you can always put off taking the last ferry back from Miyajima until after dark and enjoy the calmer, more traditional, and beautiful sight of Itsukushima and the floating torii gate illuminated by floodlights.

GetHiroshima / Winter 2015

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kanawa oyster-boat A new chapter begins for a Hiroshima landmark and purveyor of local oyster culture for over half a century.

Winter in Hiroshima means oysters.

Lots of oysters. A center of oyster production for hundreds of years, over two thirds of Japan’s oysters now come from Hiroshima waters. You’ll find them grilled, deep-fried, baked, steamed, smoked, marinated, fermented and, of course, raw in restaurants all around the city. However, for those who want to delve into Hiroshima’s oyster culture, Kanawa is without doubt the place to take the plunge.

The Miho family is steeped in oyster culture.

Farming oysters since 1867 and selling them over the counter since 1946, they were the first to sell Hiroshima oysters in Tokyo, serving them raw under the Kanawa name. All their Hiroshima branches serve delicious food, but for the full experience, head to the oyster boat.

During the Edo period, oyster boats (kaki-fune) would make annual journeys up the coast to markets in Osaka. In the 19th century, they also began to serve as restaurants and were a common sight by the early 20th century. Kanawa’s original oyster boat restaurant opened in 1963. Modeled on the vessels of the Edo-era, it sat on the Motoyasu River just south of Peace Memorial Park for over 50 years. The dishes that appeared on the original oyster boat menus over a century ago remain the core of oyster cuisine, but Kanawa has refined and elevated them into a fine dining experience.

to relocate. The move was not without some controversy and there were questions about development of the area around the A-bomb Dome. The relocation was, however, approved, and a new Kaki-fune Kanawa opened for business in September 2015. Although the new restaurant appears landlocked, its “foundation” is actually a boat, built in a shipyard and floated into position.

The local government recently announced that, in accordance with a new law, the two remaining oyster boats on the Motoyasu River would have

On a tour of the new restaurant by company president, Jiro Miho, and executive chef, Yutaka Toda, I was impressed by the bright and airy interior, its

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large windows looking out onto the river. On the upper floor, there are several Japanese style rooms where customers can experience Kanawa’s highest level of service, stunning omakase, kaiseki meals conjured by Chef Toda and served by staff in traditional dress. The rooms themselves are lovely too, beautiful paintings and ceramics adorn the walls and alcoves. Toda points out small design features such as the direction of the grain in the wooden ceilings. Floors are covered with tatami mats, but seating is western style.

We eat on the more casual, lower floor. Almost at water level, sunshine glints off the surface of the river. It’s very calming. We begin with some raw oysters - a selection of 3 month young, salty sentan oysters and more meaty, mature komachi oysters. I had never even considered eating oysters, never mind consuming them raw, until I arrived in Hiroshima. Slurping down my first raw oysters on the original boat a decade ago was a revelation and marked my shift from oyster-averse to oyster-lover.

I take the opportunity to raise the issue of safety.

Living in Hiroshima, you get quite used to hearing of people coming a cropper at the hands of a bad oyster. I conjecture that visitors may be wary of risking losing a day or two of their Japan vacation.

Miho-san looks me straight in the eye, and says, “If you are going to enjoy raw oysters in Hiroshima, this is where you should come. Our oysters are farmed in the cleanest offshore waters. These waters meet very strict standards for cleanliness set by the local government and we take our responsibility to ensure that we serve only the very best, safest oysters extremely seriously.” Of the recent trend of allowing customers to barbecue their own oysters, he is dismissive to say the least, viewing it as an unacceptable abrogation of responsibility.

My Oyster Zanmai course starts to arrive, and it keeps on coming. 8 dishes in total, all featuring the succulent bivalve. Each dish, prepared in its own way, is absolutely delicious in its own distinctive way. Some of the world’s finest oysters complemented by the freshest local ingredients, plus a lovely view. All for under ¥5000.

For those not quite ready to go full oyster, I’d recommend starting out with the Fried Oyster set (¥3024). The fried oysters, which explode with juiciness on biting through the crispy coating, come with sashimi, rice and several small side dishes.

Tempura and sashimi sets are also very reasonable for those whom the oyster is one mollusc too far.

For those at the other end of the spectrum, polishing off an Oyster Zukushi course (¥6480) or the Oyster Kuikiri full course (¥12,960) certifies you as a true connoisseur. These both include dote-nabe, a hearty oyster stew cooked in a clay pot lined with red miso. It’s the perfect winter warmer and is also available a la carte.

The little extra you spend on a meal on Kaki-fune Kanawa guarantees only the very best local oysters, accompanied by the highest quality ingredients, skillfully prepared and beautifully presented. A delightful experience you’ll remember for years to come.

1, Otemachi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima Map C p.23 [B-2] 13 http://www.kanawa.co.jp/

GetHiroshima / Winter 2015

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Exploring The Demon Gate Just north of the Shinkansen Station stands 139m Mt Futaba-yama, easily identified by the distinctive silver Peace Pagoda on the summit. Clustered around the base of the mountain are a string of shrines and temples. It was hoped that they would act as a kind of sacred barrier to protect the town from misfortune, traditionally thought to approach from the northeast via what is known as the kimon or “demon gate”. None are particularly famous, but all have interesting features and “The Promenade of History” connecting them makes for an interesting walk. The area is particularly lively during the first week of the New Year.

WWII Gun Battery Ruins

Access Facing the mountain with your back to Hiroshima Shinkansen Station, turn left, walk along the main road, passing the Hotel Granvia on your left, until you see sign pointing right to “Futaba-no-sato Rekishi no Sanpomichi” which will take you to Tōshō-gū Shrine. The part of the route described here is helpfully signposted. The whole route extends 10km as far as historic Fudō-in Temple.

Kinkō Inari Inner Shrine 奥の院

Download official English maps​ http://bit.ly/futabahistorymap1 http://bit.ly/futabahistorymap2

Kinkō Inari Shrine 金光稲荷神社 50m

Ushita Fudō-in Temple

Onaga Tenman 尾長天満宮

Myōjō-in Temple 明星院 100m

100m 700m Hiroshima Tōshō-gū Shrine 広島東照宮 450m

Nigitsu-jinja Shrine 饒津神社

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Tsuruhane-jinja Shrine 鶴羽根神社

LUCKY SEVEN Seven of the temples and shrines have a statue of one of the Seven Lucky Gods. Seeking them out and ticking them off as you go gives added sense of accomplishment and helps keep kids interested on a family walk.

Peace Pagoda (Bussharitō) 葉山平和塔 (仏舎利塔)

Nigitsu-jinja Shrine Ebisu, god of fishers and merchants. 恵比須天

Myōjō-in Temple

Mahogany

Bishamonten, god of warriors. 毘沙門天

Tsuruhane-jinja Shrine Benzaiten, goddess of wisdom, beauty, art and music. 弁財天

HIROSHIMA’S FUSHIMI INARI We highly recommend the walk up to the Peace Pagoda up the forested trail.

The trail begins at Kinkō Inari Shrine behind Tōshō-gū Shrine, Hiroshima’s answer to Kyoto’s Fushimi Inari, passing around 100 red torii gates and climbing up some 500 steps. It isn’t a long climb, but quite steep with uneven steps. The effort, however, is rewarded with great views over the city from the top. You can also reach the pagoda by taxi (approx ¥800 from the Shinkansen Station).

Tōshō-gu Shrine Fukurokuju, god of happiness, wealth and longevity. 福禄寿

Show this to your driver 二葉山平和塔 (仏舎利塔 / ぶっしゃりとう)へお願いします。

Onaga Tenman-gū Shrine

Please take me to Bussharitō (Peace Pagoda)

Jurōjin, god of long life. 寿老人

n-gū Shrine 宮

Kokuzen-ji Temple Daikokuten, god of wealth, commerce and trade. 大黒天

250m 250m

Kokuzen-ji Temple 國前寺

Shōkō-ji Temple 聖光寺

Shōkō-ji Temple Hotei, God of abundance and good health. 布袋尊

Saizō-ji

HIROSHIMA STATION

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iac”, n a m zed a r c aki g l i i a m t a e k f “d iro o h d l r wo l u f r e ond the w The names may not be familiar, but there is a good chance that you have come across the intricately detailed, playful artwork of Hiro Kamigaki and his design team at IC4. International travelers at Hiroshima Airport are greeted by a colorful, IC4-penned overview of the region spread across the terminal doors. In souvenir shops, their package design for Mitchan, one of the original purveyors of Hiroshima okonomiyaki, evokes the nostalgia of the city’s post war reconstruction era.

You’ll find their work on shopfronts, walls, PR materials and in stationery stores all around the city.

Their work has found favor overseas too. An IC4 cover led the launch of a redesigned New York Times Magazine in 2009. Described admiringly by Design Director, Arem Duplessis, as “incredibly detail-crazed maniacs”, IC4 provided a mind-bogglingly intricate fine line drawing that was perfect for the issue’s infrastructure theme.

A year later, they provided the look of Amtrak’s nationwide National Railway Day and more overseas print commissions followed. On the web, the emoticons in Google Hangouts are IC4 designed. You can even pick up an IC4 Burton snowboard for your kids.

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I am visiting IC4 headquarters just south of Hiroshima’s Peace Boulevard, to talk about their most ambitious project so far, Kamigaki’s gorgeous picture book, Pierre The Maze Detective. Published in Japan in 2014, the book has been translated into 17 languages and made its international debut in September 2015. Described by one parent in The Guardian as “Where’s Wally ’s posh cousin”, Pierre is now finding his way onto bookshelves and into the hearts of children (and adults) around the world. 6 weeks after its overseas publication it had already sold 75,000 copies, with the lucrative Christmas gift-buying season still ahead.

For those who haven’t been keeping up with the news from Opera City, criminal mastermind Mr X has stolen the Maze Stone which has the power to turn the whole city into a maze. Pierre the Maze Detective, a kind of young, gallic Sherlock Holmes, aided by his friend Carmen, pursues Mr X across 15 beautifully drawn double page cityscapes.

Readers make their way through the mazes, picking up clues and completing challenges along the way.

Children love it, but it is a book that appeals to the whole family, in much the same way as a board game might. Enjoying the book with my own kids, I found it quite addictive and, at times, challenging.

I am immediately struck by the size of the English version, much larger than my Japanese copy.

Kamigaki tells me that he originally envisioned an even larger book. The sizes, it turns out, are limited by the standard size of bookstore shelves.

Exceed these dimensions, and getting stores to carry your book is very tough. There are other differences too. While the Japanese book is glossy, the English version has a matt finish which gives it a retro look that more closely matches the feel of Opera City which is evocative of the interwar years.

The quality of the Japanese print, however, isn’t quite matched by that of the international versions printed in China, Kamigaki says.

Subtle changes have also been made to the illustrations to avoid possible problems in overseas markets. Notable amongst these are references to alcohol. Kamigaki says seeing guys crashed out in Peace Memorial Park was just part of growing up in Hiroshima. He didn’t think twice about drawing a cafe table covered with glasses of wine, or guys passed out in a town square surrounded by empty bottles. In the international version, the wine is replaced by milk, the bottles by crumb-covered plates and half-eaten cakes. One character downing a bottle of beer now inhales a hot dog.

Kamigaki is an incredibly affable chap and the IC4 office is relaxed and feels like a fun place to come and work. Though undoubtedly driven, it seems that this easygoing nature has attracted a good deal of karmic good fortune which has helped bring Pierre to the world.

A picture book was something that had been on Kamigaki’s mind for many years. He agreed, after some initial hesitation, to a request from a Japanese publisher to create a maze book, on condition that he would have complete artistic freedom. During the two years it took to complete Pierre, maze books underwent something of a boom and inquiries from other publishers started to come in. One was from UK creative arts publisher Laurence King. The Japanese publisher had made it clear that they planned to focus solely on the domestic market, but selling the idea of a picture book to overseas publishers was something Kamigaki definitely had his sights set on. A new book would have taken another 2 years to create, but Laurence King loved Pierre and they were keen to take it on. In stroke of good fortune, the Japanese publisher was happy to let Kamigaki sell the international rights.

GetHiroshima / Winter 2015

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Everything seemed to be going well. Then the draft contracts arrived. “Pages and pages of legalese in the Queen’s English. “We had no clue!” Kamigaki laughs. Once again serendipity struck. American illustrator, Naomi Leeman, happened to be working at the IC4 office. She offered to help with the contract negotiations and, after much to-ing and fro-ing, a deal was struck. Laurence King’s passion for creative work and an appreciation of the importance of marketing and PR, combined with a strong commitment to take Pierre around the world made it the perfect partner.

When asked about his path to Pierre, Kamigaki sheepishly admits that he wasn’t particularly interested in maze books as a kid. After giving props to ukiyo-e woodblock print masters, Katsushika Hokusai in particular, he points to two chance encounters that had a big influence on him. The first was his mother taking him to see an exhibition of work by Shusei Nagaoka (known for his record cover designs for Earth, Wind and Fire) at a department store when he was 13 or 14. He was deeply impressed by Nagaoka’s futuristic cityscapes. Then came his discovery of the Franco-Belgium Bande dessinée when he happened to pick up a copy of a Moebius comic off the floor in a friend’s bedroom.

The meticulous detail blew him away, he says.

Flicking through some pages he comments on how many of the drawings he likes are mostly devoid of people. Although much of his work is now packed with hundreds of tiny people, it’s actually the cityscapes that Kamigaki enjoys working on most.

He recalls seeing a Where’s Wally? window display on returning from college in Fukuoka. It was clear to him that readers were really responding to these

Follow Pierre on Twitter @pierre_tmd

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scenes packed with people. He shrugs and says, “That was when he realised that I needed to start populating my drawings.”

The name Opera City, the setting for Pierre, was thought up by Chihiro Maruyama who supplied the text for the book. Loosely based on his idea of Paris, it is really an amalgam of his image of European and American cities of the interwar years. This was partly practical. Flat rooftops don’t make for a fun maze, so European roofs, with their peaks and interesting design features made sense. Pierre actually started out as Peter or Pete.

From there came the idea that his friend should be Spanish, and so Carmen was born. Mr X was inspired by a villain in a Scotland Yard board game he used to play as a kid. “I’ve always been a fan of the design of the 1920s and 1930s and I have this idea that it was a time when people lived life full of passion and vitality.” Kamigaki says that his time working for a video game company also influenced the way the book turned out, something you can definitely sense when you read it. He smiles, and says, a little embarrassed, “I also absolutely love Disneyland.”

Kamigaki estimates that each of the 15 spreads took around a month of work to complete; Take a look at the video Making of Museum on the IC4 YouTube channel and you can see why. Having to pay the bills with their commercial work, much of the work on Pierre would be done working late after hours and on holidays. He gets most of the spreads about 50% done, returns to build them all up to 80-90% complete, then he adds the final finishing touches. The many sub-plots that run

through the book featuring recurring characters such as a refined polar bear, a samurai and, of course, a ninja, were all added right at the end when the book was about 99% complete. He shares a seemingly obvious, but genius tip. Over a two year project, it is inevitable that you improve as you go along. So, he makes a point of working on the first page last, to make sure the book starts with a bang.

As our conversation draws to a close Kamigaki shares a story. When he was a kid, a local school had one of the strongest baseball clubs around.

Competition to make the team was fierce. One guy who despite not being particularly gifted was consistently picked for the team. His secret? He did whatever he could to make sure that he stood out. He knew he’d only get picked if the coaches remembered who he was, so he did whatever he could to make it impossible for them not to.

Kamigaki says that this has always been his tactic as an illustrator. It is, of course, important to be skilled, but your work has to grab the attention of the viewer, whether that be a potential commercial client or a customer in a bookstore. He has always looked to set himself apart, to create a first impression strong enough to stop someone in their tracks and compel them to take a closer look. “In the bookstore, it doesn’t matter how good your book might be if no one stops to pick it up. You live and die by the first impression, you have to stand out from the crowd.”

Pierre The Maze Detective is now available worldwide in many different languages.

Come home to Tokeisou トケイソウ Words: Matt Mangham

I’ve been to Tokeisou twice now, and though it’s out of the way I’ll be back. It’s tiny, carved out of one corner of a building that’s also a liquor store and private home. From the one table (with room for four, maybe five adults), you look into the kitchen through one door and into the store through another.

The first time I went, it was to try their bishu-nabe, a kind of stew made with sake. The owner, Shinji Watanabe, has a family connection to Saijo’s Kamoizumi brewery. The quick, hearty meal whipped up by workers during the busy brewing season, is made with sliced pork and chicken, tofu, napa cabbage, carrot, garlic, green pepper and onion, all simmered in sake with salt and pepper to taste. Nothing simpler, and very tasty.

There was beer on tap, and a number of sakes to sample along with the meal. We were there at the invitation of two salarymen, and by the end of

the evening I worked out that they not only knew my wife, but that one of them had attended my wedding. It was an unexpectedly good night.

After the nabe, Watanabe-san’s mother brought out homemade chestnuts, and when my eyes rolled back into my head and I all but proposed marriage, she packed them into jars for Paul and I to bring home. My wife agreed that they were the best chestnuts she’d ever had. This may sound like a minor thing, but it was a revelation, and I live now beneath the shadow of the possibility that I will never taste their like again.

On our second visit, just this week, we didn’t call ahead. For the nabe, Watanabe-san asks that you make a reservation two or three days in advance. Tonight, we just walked in out of the rain.

Watanabe-san was out, but his mother was sitting in the shop and came through to pour us our first

beers and inquire closely into Paul’s eating habits.

I was hoping for chestnuts, but this time she gave us paper sacks of caramels she’d made that day.

When I ate one, I was scolded and told they were for my children (the shop also does a daytime trade in soft-serve ice cream). She was solicitous enough that we began to feel guilty, but she was soon rescued by the return of her son, who speaks some English. We had more beer, a couple of sakes, and for dinner ate sardines from the can and soybeans in kinako, both selected from the liquor shop’s snack shelves. Again, a relaxing, quiet sort of night. Even homey, in a way.

And that’s Tokeisou’s charm, what Japanese call an at-home atmosphere. Here, you’re actually half in the house, and made to feel like an old friend just dropping by. So drop by, if you can.

3-15-16 Kusunoki-cho, Nishi-ku, Hiroshima-shi 082-237-1432, 08:30-21:00 / Cash only map p.20 [C-2] 1 GetHiroshima / Winter 2015

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TANAKAMACHI

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FUKUYA

NISHIHIRATSUKACHO

HIGA

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8

INARIMACHI

Southern Cross YAYOICHO 16

ATAGOMAC

H

ri

KAWACHO

H

ENKOBASHICHO Hana Hostel

H

YAGENBORI Tate-machi

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Hiroshima Bank

Inari-machi

n-do

KANAYAMACHO

H

Hiroshima Station

Fukuya

Kyobashi

WAKAKUSACHO

H

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Hiroshima Bank

Momiji Bank

H

15

En

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29

H H Kanayama-cho

Mitsukoshi abi

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19

KYOBASHICHO

HASHIMOTOCHO HASHIMOTOCHO PARK

RIKAWACHO

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H

30

EBISUCHO

14

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Memorial Cathedral for World Peace

NOBORICHO PARK

Ebisu-cho

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Hotel Flex

NOBORICHO Hatchobori

ho

H

H

JR HIROSHIMA STATION

Jo

H

TOBUKAGAN RYOKUCHI PARK

3

SHINKANSEN

H

ae-d

Haku s

Noboricho Primary School

ashi

Saka

H

TEPPOCHO

ri

Hiroshima Bank

H

Noboricho Junior High School

KAMI NOBORICHO PARK

H

a-do

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Jogakuin Junior High School

kuin-mae

kakuji mple

or

Shukkeien-mae

station area

H

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17

Ekim

A

ba

KAMIOSUGACHO

SHUKKEIEN GARDEN

13

2

3

B HANOVER PARK

FORMER BASEBALL STADIUM SITE

12

H

Cinematographic and Audio-visual Library

3

Bus 1 Center (3F)

SOGO

11 Tennis courts

3

31

NAKAMACHI

/ Pe a

11

C

Legal Administration Office

ri

YMCA

n-do

Jona

Prefectural Office East Office

H

Enryuji Temple (Tokasan)

oro

er-d

met

H

H

Jogakuin-mae

7

Chokakuji Temple

H

5

Jogakuin High School

Shukkeien-mae

Jogakuin Junior High School

H

Noboricho Junior High School

KAMI NOBORICHO PARK

KAMINOBORICHO

H

hi

ebas

D

Saka

H

TOBUKAGAN RYOKUCHI PARK

3

H

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Hijiyamashita

8

3

JR

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Hirosh Ban

H

H

Mato

MATOBACH

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1

H

2

MATSUGAWA PARK

Inari-machi

KYOBASHICHO

Kam iy bas anagi hi

H

Kyobashi

shi

Inarioha

INARIMACHI

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Kyoba

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HIGASHIHIRATSUKACHO

NISHIHIRATSUKACHO

H

Hiroshima Bank

H H Kanayama-cho

HASHIMOTOCHO PARK

HASHIMOTOCHO

Noboricho Primary School Memorial Cathedral for World Peace

H

YAYOICHO

KANAYAMACHO

30

NOBORICHO

TEPPOCHO

H

ma ba

HIRATSUKA PARK

Hij iya

Takeya Primary School

TSURUMICHO

TANAKAMACHI

i or -d

Fuji Grand Shopping Center

ae

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FUJIMICHO

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27

TAKARAMACHI

Momiji Bank

NOBORICHO PARK

Ebisu-cho

Hatchobori

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HATCHOBORI

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Momiji Bank

KYUGUCHIMON PARK Chuo Police Station

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TATEMACHI

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Hiroshima Municipal Hospital

Kencho-mae Prefectural Office (Kencho)

Kamiya-cho Higashi

1

Hiroshima Bank

2

18

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HONDORI

KAMIYACHO 1

Sumitomo Mitsui Bank

H

Mitsubishi Tokyo Hondo r UFJ Bank 4F

Mizuho Bank

Sun Mall

1

Kamiya-cho Nishi Rijo

H

H

Crystal

H

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10 Plaza

1 Dormy inn

KOMACHI

H

Buts PARCO Hiroshima uda n-do Information ri Former ALICE SHINTENCHI Plaza 9 4 Bank of FUKUROMACHI GARDEN Japan Don Fukuromachi FUKUROMACHI Fukuro-machi YAGENBORI Quijotte SHINTENCHI Primary PARK PARK School H Shirakami Shrine

H

Chuden-mae

Reino Inn Peace Park

16

Hondori

35 5 Kaikan 20 OTEMACHI 1 13

9

OTEMACHI 23 PARK 1

6

H

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1

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4

Genbaku Dome-mae Hiroshima Naka Post Office

Outdoor 2 Family Pool Open July-August

Aioib ashi

9

PEACE PARK

12

a-oh ashi

Heiw

H

Kokutaiji High School

ash

PARK

TOKAICHIMACHI

HONKAWACHO

Honkawa-cho

14

Tsuchiya Hospital

H

17 33

OTEMACHI

SEIBUKAGAN RYOKUCHI PARK

OTEMACHI PARK 2

Hiroshima Chuo Post Office Naka Ward Office

Kokutaiji Junior High School

wab

A

Tokaichi-machi

21 32

Honkawa Primary School

Ho nk bas awa hi

HONKAWA PARK

HONKAWACHO

DOBASHICHO

5

22

NAKAJIMACHO

4 Iwaka Ryokan

Bunka Koryu Kaikan

Aster Plaza

KAKOMACHI

Shiyakusho mae

KOKUTAIJI PARK

Hei

HIROSEMACHI

J-Hoppers

3

NEKOYACHO

Ichiriki

NISHITOKAICHIMACHI

1

ENOMACHI

3

ENOMACHI

1 PARK

SAKAIMACHI Koami-cho Dobashi

KOAMICHO

2 KAWARAMACHI

Na Kan kajima zakib ash i

Funairi-machi

Kozaki Primary School Nakajima Primary School

Otemachi Commercial High School

Hiroshima City Hall

TAKEYACHO

C

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Shin-sum iyoshi bashi

HIGASHI SENDA PARK

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Sky Walk Escalator

HIJIYAMA

Hi

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NBARAHINODE

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UNAIRIMACHI

3 Sum iyo

A

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AMIKANIYA

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Geibi Line

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Onaga Primary School

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Junior High School

List of places CULTURE

SHOPPING 1

IACE Travel - Map C [B-1]

19

Mokuren Okonomiyaki & Teppanyaki - Map A

2

Outsider Book Nook / Global Lounge - Map C [C-1]

20

Nagataya Okonomiyaki - Map C [B-1]

3

Pokemon Center - Map C [B-1]

1

A-Bomb Dome - Map C [B-1]

21

Organ-za - Map C [A-1]

4

Travel With - Map B

2

Children’s museum - Map C [A-2]

22

Otis! - Map C [A-2]

5

Yamatoya - Map B

3

Cinetwin Hondori - Map B

23

Pasta La Vista - Map C [B-2]

4

Former Bank of Japan - Map C [B-2]

24

Plus Minus - Map B

5

Gallery G - Map A

25

Porta Porte - Map B

6

Hatchoza Cinema - Map B

26

Robatayaki Jindaiko - Map B

1

Cleo Hair International - Map C [B-1]

7

Hiroshima City International House - Map A

27

Rojiura Teppan Kotaro - Map C [C-3]

2

Family Pool - Map C [B-1] (Open July - August)

8

Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art Map C [D-3]

28

Saishoku Kenbi - p.20 [A-1]

3

Green Arena Gym & Pool - Map C [B-1]

9

Hiroshima City Tourist Information - Map C [B-2]

29

Sarii-chan Okonomiyaki - Map A

4

Higashi-ku Sports Center (Big Wave) - Map p.21 [D-1]

10

Hiroshima International Center - Map C [B-2]

30

Siete - Map A, Map C [C-1]

5

Laff Hair Design - Map C [B-1]

11

Hiroshima Museum of Art - Map C [B-1]

31

Tinto - Map C [B-2]

12

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum - Map C [B-2]

32

Tokaichi Apartment - Map C [A-1]

13

Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum - Map A

33

Viale - Map C [B-2]

14

International Exchange Lounge - Map C [A-2]

34

Warung Matahari - Map C [B-3]

15

Salon Cinema 1/2 - Map C [B-3]

35

Zucchini: bar and cucina - Map C [B-1]

1

Global Lounge - Map C [C-1]

16

Shimizu Gekijo - Map A

2

Popeye Media Cafe Ebisu-dori - Map B

17

Shukkeien Garden - Map A

3

Popeye Media Cafe Hondori - Map C [C-1]

HE ALTH & BE AUT Y

INTERNE T

NIGHTLIFE FASHION SHOPPING ACCOMMODATION

1

Barcos - Map B

2

Bar Edge - Map B

1

Chouchou Ange - Map C [B-1/2]

1

Dormy Inn - Map C [B-2]

3

Bon Voyage - Map B

2

Hana Hostel - Map A

4

Bourbon Square - Map B

3

Hotel Flex - Map A

5

Cafe Spice - Map B

4

Ikawa Ryokan - Map C [A-2]

6

Chinatown - Map B

5

J-Hoppers Hiroshima - Map C [A-2]

7

Centre Point - Map B

6

Reino Inn Peace Park Hiroshima - Map C [B-2]

8

Ekimae Chelsea Drinks - Map A

7

Washington Hotel - Map B

9

Kemby’s - Map C [B-2]

• Police 110

10

Koba - Map B

• Fire and Ambulance 119

11

La Luna - Map B

• 24 Hour Hiroshima Hospital Information in English Freedial

12

Mac - Map B

0120-169912

13

Mambos - Map B

• 24h Emergency pediatric hospital (Funairi Byoin)

RESTAUR ANT & CAFES

EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBERS

1

Artcafe ELK - Map C [B-1]

14

Molly Malone’s - Map B

082-232-6195

2

Bakudan-ya Honten - Map C [C-3]

15

New King - Map B

• Multilingual Interpreting Service (Trio-phone)

3

Cafe Cinnamon - Map C [A-2]

16

Southern Cross - Map B

082-247-9715

4

Caffe Ponte - Map C [B-1]

17

The Shack Bar and Grill - Map B

09:00-19:00 (April-September)

5

Chamonix Mont Blanc - Map B

18

Tropical Bar Revolución - Map B

09:00-18:00 (October-March)

6

Choi Choi Ya - Map B

7

Cusco Cafe - Map C [C-1]

8

Galley - Map B

9

Graffity Mexican Diner - Map C [C-2]

10

Himalaya Kitchen - Map B

11

J-Cafe & Bar Motel - Map C [C-3]

12

Kanak - Map C [B-2]

13

Kanawa (Kaki-fune) - Map C [B-2]

14

Kanawa ASSE - Map A

15

Kanawa Kaki Meian - Map A

1

Genei-gekijo - Map p.20 [B-2]

16

Karşiyaka - Map C [B-2]

2

Hiroshima Daiichi Gekijo - Map B

17

Kissui - Map C [B-2]

3

Otona no konbini Toy’s kurabu- Map B

18

Mabui Hiroshima Oyster Bar - Map C [C-2]

4

Underground Bar Dazzle - Map B

24\

• TELL English counseling service 03-5774-0992 (09:00-23:00)

PL ACES FE ATURED IN THIS ISSUE

• Resident Consultation & Interpreting Service 082-241-5010

1

Tokeisou - Map p.20 [C-2]

• Immigration Information Center 0570-013-904 • Human Rights Counseling Center for Foreign Citizens 082-228-5792

WABI-SABI SE X TERTAINMENT

Map A: p.22 Map B: p. 22 Map C: p.23

Adult:1,200 one-way , 2,000 return 11 and under 600 one-way , 1,000 return Media Cafe Popeye Hondori / Ebisu-dori So much more than Internet in 2 city centre locations Internet access (PC), Free soft drinks, Shower rooms available (additional charge), Overnight stay OK Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week Popeye Ebisu-dori map B p.22 2 Popeye Hondori map C p.23 [C-1] 3

kanak Delicious, healthy, additive-free Indian food right next to Peace Park. Excellent lunch sets. Indian pub-style atmosphere at night with many a la carte dishes to choose from as well as curry meals.

Curry lunch sets from 짜780 Free refills of rice/nan at lunch Vegetarian, vegan and Halal food.

A la carte Kids sets 짜500 ~짜590 (ex tax) Party room available

Lunch 11:00-15:00 (L.O. 14:30) Dinner 17:00-22:30 (L.O. 22:00) 082-236-7308 Map C p.23 [B-2] 12

Artcafe ELK 2nd floor cafe near Peace Park. Good sandwich lunches, drinks vegetarian menu. Ask about vegan and gluten free dishes and their vegan desserts. International exchange spot.

09:30-21:00 (Until 22:00 Fri & Sat, 18:00 Wed) 082-247-4443 map C p.23 [B-1] 1

Cafe Cinnamon

Cafe Lente

Closed Tues. Charming little blue cafe worth seeking out for great food and drinks.

11:30-15:00, 18:00-22:00 Closed Tuesdays 082- 942-3424 map C p.23 [A-2] 3

Escape the Miyajima crowds at this beautifully designed cafe. Wooden terrace. Great view of the floating torii gate, especially after dark.

11:00-21:00 Closed Tuesdays Located along the water inlet between Kiyomori Shrine & Miyajima Aquarium.

Chamonix Mont Blanc

Choi Choi Ya

Venerable kissaten since 1955, now with a British connection.

08:00-24:00 082-241-2726 map B p.22 5

Shiho serves Hiroshima tsukemen, yaki-ramen (fish stock base), side dishes and drinks in a relaxed atmosphere.

Eat, drink or both at the counter or a street-side table.

Can get quite lively late at night.

20:30-03:00 Closed Sundays & hols that fall on a weekday map B p.22 6

Galley

Graffity Mexican Diner

3F casual French bistro overlooking Namiki-dori in the center of Hiroshima’s shopping district.

Open for lunches, dinner and in between.

Homemade Mexican and US style foods in this family run-diner.

Lunch 12:00-14:00 Cafe 14:00-18:00 Dinner 18:00-24:00 (L.O. 23:30) 082-243-3669 map B p.22 8

11:30-13:20, 18:00-24:00 (L.O. 23:00) 082-243-3669 map C p.23 [C-2] 9

Karşiyaka

MABUI Hiroshima Oyster Bar

Kebabs and authentic Turkish dishes prepared by a Turkish chef near Peace Park. Vegetarian and Halal diners catered for. Belly dance shows at weekends.

11:30-14:30 (L.O. 14:00) 17:30-23:30 (L.O.22:30) 082-247-2202 map C p.23 [B-2] 16

Mokuren Okonomiyaki & Teppanyaki Traditional & creative okonomiyaki on 6F of the Full Focus Bldg in front of Hiroshima Stn. Local oysters & sake.

Ice cold draft beer. Left out of the elevator, look for the pink counter on the left near the back.

10:00-23:00 (L.O. 22:30) 082-568-7850 map A p.22 19

Fukuromachi Super fresh oysters from Hiroshima waters and overseas - raw, fried, steamed, smoked and more!

Well presented seafood, meat and Italian dishes.

11:30 - 24:00 (L.O 23:00) open everyday 082-249-2490 map C p.23 [C-2] 18

Nagataya Great okonomiyaki and plenty of space to sit, a stone’s throw away from Peace Park. Excellent understanding of vegetarian needs.

Mon-Fri 11:00-20:30 (L.O.), Sat 11:00-21:00 (L.O.), Sun, hols 10:30-20:30 082-247-0787 map C p.23 [B-1] 20

Organ-za

Otis!

Bohemian queen, Goto Izumi's avant guard center of operations. Great decor, food, drink and bizarre stage shows.

Eclectic and ethnic music. Tex Mex, vegetarian, vegan and gluten free dishes available.

Tue-Fri 17:30-01:30 (L.O.), Sat 11:30-01:30 (L.O.) Sun 11:30-23:30 (L.O.) Closed Mondays 082-295-1553 map C p.23 [A-1] 21

Mon-Sat 12:00-22:30 (L.O.) , Sun, hols 16:00-22:30 (L.O.) 082-249-3885 map C p.23 [A-2] 22

Pasta La Vista

Plus Minus

Stylish eatery near Peace Park which prides itself on its many pasta types & local ingredients.

Smoke free at lunch. Vegetarian options.

Top quality yaki-niku on the first floor in retro Japanese surroundings, and stylish, modern lounge bar upstairs. Good range of local sake.

Lunch Mon-Fri 11:00-15:00 (L.O. 14:30) / Sat, Sun, hols 11:00-16:00 (L.O. 15:30) Dinner 17:00-24:00 (L.O 23:30) map C p.23[B-2] 23

17:00-06:00, Bar 19:00-06:00 082-236-8810 map B p.22 24

Porta Porte

Robatayaki Jindaiko

Authentic Napoli style pizzeria with a view of the park out back.

Long running establishment opposite Ebisu Shrine serving grilled meat, fish and vegetables.

11:00-15:00, 17:00-22:00 (L.O.) Closed Mondays 082-249-8010 map B p.22 25

17:00-23:30 (L.O.) 082-246-4873 map B p.22 26

Rojiura Teppan Kotaro

Saishoku Kenbi

Young grill master Kotaro serves delicious seasonal dishes & drinks just off Peace Blvd.

Completely vegetarian menu (some dishes contain eggs & dairy) 1500m from Nishi Hiroshima Station. Tofu based, hearty daily set lunches and veggie ramen too!

11:00-16:00 (lunch until 14:00, L.O. 15:00) Closed on Tue 082-271-3770 map p.20 [A-1] 28

17:00-02:00 (L.O. 01:30) Closed Tuesdays 082-249-1953 map C p.23 [C-3] 2F 27

Sarii-chan Okonomiyaki

Siete

Affable, soccer-loving okonomiyaki-ist serving Hiroshima’s favorite dish and drinks near Hiroshima Station.

11:30-14:30, 17:00-23:00 Closed Saturdays 082-236-7303 map A p.22 29

Pleasant bistro with relaxed ambience. Good selection of wine & beer complements a Mediterranean menu or just drop in for a drink.

Families welcome.

11:30-14:00 / 17:30-24:00 Closed Sunday 082-227-3456 map A p.22, map C p.23 [C-1] 30

Tinto

Tokaichi Apartment

Mediterranean dining bar open all day, with some great drink deals.

Home made pizza.

Quirky smoke free cafe in Tokaichi. ÂĽ850 set lunches served 16:30.

11:30-24:00 Sun-Thurs, 11:30-01:00 Sat, Sun & hols 082-546-0007 map C p.23 [B-2] 31

11:30-23:00 (lunch L.O. 16:30) Closed Tuesdays 082-231-9865 map C p.23 [A-1] 2F 32

Warung Matahari

Zucchini: bar and cucina

Excellent Indonesian cuisine prepared by Balinese chef Surasna. Vegetarians catered for.

Lively, reasonably-priced tapas restaurant-bar next to Peace Park.

17:30-22:30 (L.O.) Closed Mondays 082-240-2082 map C p.23 [B-3] 34

11:30-15:00 (L.O 14:00) 17:00-24:00 (23:30 L.O) 082-546-0777 map C p.23 [B-1] 35

Bar Edge

Bon Voyage

Small underground club with a good sound system.

International bar with counter and 2 discount rooms in which to chill. Nice cocktails and some great food too.

082-248-8146 map B p.22 2

Mon-Thur, Sun 18:00-02:00, Fri, Sat 18:00-04:00 082-249-2380 map B p.22 3

Bourbon Square

Cafe Spice

Relaxed counter bar near Shintenchi Park. Great selection of bourbon, whiskies and fresh fruit cocktails. Plus some of the best tasting draft beer in the drinking district.

Mon-Sat 18:00-03:00, Sun 18:00-24:00 082-242-3668, map B p.22 4

Relaxed SE Asian atmosphere amid the buzz of Nagarekawa

Chinatown

Centre Point

Well worn, but large dance venue in the depths of Nagarekawa, rented out by local promoters for live and club events.

Check local listings for events 082-247-5270 map B p.22 6

Nagarekawa bar catering to a late night crowd that prides itself on its whiskey selection. DJs spinning at weekends, good source of local nightlife info.

18:00-03:00 082-246-7934 map B p.22 5

Tue-Thur 20:00-03:00, Fri, Sat 20:00-05:00, Sun 20:00-01:00 map B p.22 7

Eki-mae Chelsea Cafe

Koba

Drinks, tapas and meals. Good whiskey selection.

Carp baseball games live on big screen.

Rock loving BOM is one of Hiroshima’s most welcoming and entertaining bartenders. He whips up some very tasty food too.

Monday-Saturday 17:00-03:00, Sunday 17:00-24:00 Tel/Fax 082-263-4330 map A p.22 8

18-00-01:30 (L.O), Closed Wednesdays 082-249-6556 map B p.22 10

La Luna

Mac

International Food Bar with good music to relax, in comfortable surroundings Events every weekend

Legendary Hiroshima watering hole with massive CD collection.

22:00-late Closed Sundays 082-241-6788 map B p.22 11

18:00-late Closed Sundays 082-243-0343 map B p.22 12

Mambos The place to dance to Latin music in Hiroshima.

Salsa lessons every day and party nights every Friday and Saturday.

20:00-01:00 082-246-5809 map B p.22 13

New King Trendy and Pink, 2F bar run by the guys behind local hip men’s underwear boutique.

Molly Malone’s

21:00-05:00 082-247-4487 map B p.22 15

Tues-Thurs 17:00~01:00 / Fri 17:00~02:00 / Sat 11:30~02:00 / Sun + Nat Hol 11:30~24:00 / Closed Monday / 082-244-2554 map B p.22 14

www.facebook.com/mollymaloneshiroshima Hiroshima’s authentic Irish pub. Great beer, great food, great service. The place to watch Premier League soccer.

Southern Cross Spacious ex-pat bar particularly with an antipodean theme. Room to breathe in a smoke free atmosphere. www.facebook.com/southerncrosshiroshima 18:00-01:00 082-236-3396 map B p.22 16

Tropical Bar Revolución Nobu’s popular 8F hangout, friendly and relaxed complete with balcony.

18:00-03:00~04:00 Closed Sun, hols map B p.22 18

IACE Travel Competitive prices, regular offers, and English speaking staff make IACE a popular choice for travellers.

The Shack Bar and Grill Spacious American-style bar amd grill on the Hondori covered shopping street near PARCO Department Store. Great for groups. Import bottled beers, week night drink deals, big menu and free pool table.

Sun-Thurs 17:00-01:00, Fri & Sat 17:00-03:00 082-504-4170 map B p.22 17

Outsider Book Nook/Global Lounge Used English books to buy or exchange. Internet, cafe & meeting place. Lunches daily, bar from 19:00 Fri & Sat.

082-240-2051 map C p.23 [B-1] 1

Mon-Thurs 11:30-21:00 Fri & Sat 11:30-23:00, Closed Sun, hols 082-244-8145 map C p.23 [C-1] 2 1

Travel With

Yamatoya

A.G. Tanaka will get you a great deal for your international and domestic travel needs.

Produced in limited quantities yet reasonably priced, a bottle of Hiroshima's top quality local Japanese sake makes for a great souvenir. www.piconet.co.jp/yamatoya/

10:00-20:00 (Sat, Sun, hols until 19:00) Closed Wednesdays 082-544-7718 map B p.22 4

09:00-22:00 Closed Sundays 082-241-5660 map B p.22 5

Cleo Hair International

Laff Hair Design

Pamper yourself in this state of the art beauty salon on the 9th floor of the PACELA shopping center.

Ippei’s skills and service have made him a huge hit among Hiroshima’s international community.

10:00-20:00 082-511-2470 map C p.23 [B-1] 1

082-504-7636 (English line) map C p.23 [B-1] 5

Dormy Inn

Hana Hostel

Great location. Single ¥6000 Double/Twin ¥10,000 (tourist discount)

“Hybrid inn” with knowledgeable staff near the station.

082-240-1177 map C p.23 [B-2] 1

082-263-2980 map A p.22 2

Hotel Flex

Ikawa Ryokan

Stylish riverside hotel, rates include breakfast Singles ¥6825, Doubles ¥11,555≤

082-223-1000 map A p.22 3

Cozy, home-like atmosphere.

Japanese and Western rooms. Coin laundry.

S ¥5,940≤ / Twin ¥9,720 / Tr ¥14,580 Quad ¥17,280 / Breakfast ¥756 www.ikawaryokan.net info@ikawaryokan.net 082-231-5058 map C p.23 [A-2] 4

J-Hoppers Hiroshima

Reino Inn

(Peace Park Hiroshima)

Hiroshima’s first backpacker guesthouse.

Beds from ¥2300.

Centrally located “Art & Culture” Hotel. Families and small pets welcome. Dorms ¥2700, singles from ¥3700 (¥2800 per person for 2 ppl), family rooms.

082-233-1360 map C p.23 [A-2] 5

082-236-7003 map C p.23 [B-2] 6

Washington Hotel

Graphic design & communication

Hospitality, amenity and security right in the heart of Hiroshima.

All rooms equipped with great bathrooms and separate lavatory. WiFi in all rooms

nininbaori.co.jp www.behance.net/ nininbaori-studio

http://washington-hotels.jp/hiroshima/ 082-553-2222 map B p.22 7

Visit us online

gethiroshima.com Lose yourself in fields of light under the stars

Shobara IC Miyoshi IC

Bihoku Winter Illuminations

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HIROSHIMA PREFECTURE

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(Final park admission 20:00)

Park closed December 31 (Thurs), January 1 (Fri) and January 4 (Mon)

KOKUEI BIHOKU KYURYOKOEN

Bihoku Park Office: 4-10 Mikkaichi-cho, Shobara City, Hiroshima Pref. 727-0021 Tel: 0824-72-7000 http://www.bihoku-park.go.jp

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Hiroshima Airport 2

Sa Access: 90 min from Hiroshima to Chugoku Expressway Shobara IC then 5 min to Park North Entrance or 10 min to Park Central Entrance.

Kure Line ine

Enjoy the best al fresco dining experience in the city, on the Motoyasu riverside, opposite Peace Memorial Park.

High quality Italian cuisine made with locally sourced produce.

Sample Hiroshima's delicious oysters.

Breakfast, lunches, coffee, cocktails and fine dining.

Refresh yourself with a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice.

Why not enjoy one of our 10 kinds of delicious gelato by the river?

Weekdays 10:00-22:00 Weekends and holidays 08:00-22:00

A-BOMB DOME

PEACE PARK

su Motoya Bridge

Open from 07:30 every day in August 1-9-21 Ote-machi, Naka-ku

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082-247-7471 www.caffeponte.com

ART

Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art

Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum

Hiroshima Museum of Art

End of year holidays: 12/27 to 1/1

End of year holidays: 12/26 to 1/1

End of year holidays: 12/29 to 1/2

Well-designed building in Hijiyama hilltop park. Interesting

One of the largest art museums in Western Japan with a

Monet, Van Gogh, Picasso and many more works by great

sculptures and statues are dotted around the outside of the

large collection of Japanese nihonga painting, traditional

modern European painters on display in this small, but

Asian art crafts and 1920s and 1930s art. Map A p.22 13

perfectly formed museum, very close to Hiroshima Castle.

10:00-17:00 Admission to the collection exhibition: Adult

09:00-17:00 Admission to the permanent collection Adult

Map C p.23 11

¥370, College students ¥270, High school students, seniors

¥510, College students ¥310, High school students and

09:00-17:00 Admission to the general exhibition: Adult

¥170, Junior High School and younger free.

younger free.

¥1000, Seniors ¥500, College & high school students ¥500,

082-264-1121 http://www.hiroshima-moca.jp/

082-221-6246 http://www.hpam.jp/

Junior high school and elementary school students ¥200

museum that can be viewed for free. Map C p.23

8

082-223-2530 http://www.hiroshima-museum.jp/ Admission until 30 minutes before closing. Special exhibition charges vary and usually include admission to permanent collections. Closed Mondays (unless National Holiday when closed the following business day).Hiroshima Museum of Art and Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum open everyday during special exhibitions.

EXHIBITIONS

Gallery G Map A p.22 5 Private art space opposite the Prefectural Art Museum which holds weekly free exhibitions by local artists, designers and artisans. 082-211-3260 Hiroshima Trilogy: 70th Anniversary of the Atomic Bombing / Part III Discordant Harmony: Critical Reflection on the Imagination of Asia Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art December 19, 2015-March 6, 2016 Masterpieces of the Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art: The Allure of Kyoto, the Longing for Beauty Hiroshima Prefectural Museum of Art Fuji in a Thunderstorm (Yûdachi no Fuji) from One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku hyakkei) 1835

31 October-23 December. Adults: ¥1000, High school/ College: ¥700 Primary/Junior high ¥400

Mt.Fuji by Hokusai : Thirty-six Views of Mt.Fuji and One Hundred Views of Mt.Fuji Hiroshima Prefectural Museum of Art

Ukiyo-es for Chushingura and Japanese Modern

January 2-February 14

Paintings in Traditional Style

Adults: ¥1000, High school/College: ¥700 Primary/Junior high ¥400

Hiroshima Museum of Art

Fine Wind, Clear Morning, also known as Red Fuji, and the Great Wave off Kanagawa by Hokusai Katsushika (1760-1849) are

12 December-17 January, 2016. Adults: ¥1200, Seniors:

two of Japan’s most iconic artworks. Both are part of Hokusai’s 36 Views of Mt.Fuji series which the artist embarked upon at

¥1000, High school/College: ¥900 Primary/Junior high ¥500

the age of 70 and at the height of his powers. The series proved so popular that there ended up being 46 views to satisfy demand. Hokusai followed this series with a more affordable monochrome collection, One Hundred Views of Mt.Fuji in which he

The 62nd Japan Traditional Kogei - Art Crafts -

incorporated narrative stories into his prints.This exhibition shows 159 works related to these two great serial masterpieces

Exhibition Hiroshima Prefectural Museum of Art

and is sure to be a huge hit, a perfect dose of Japanese culture to start off the New Year.

February 24 - March 13

GetHiroshima / Winter 2015

/31

SHOPPING

hiroshima street fashion: Underground Edition

Words / Photos: Charlie Rose http://charlieroselovelove.com/

Japan is home to some of the most interesting and unique fashion in the world.

Although only worn by a small percentage of the population, to witness and enjoy the mystery of Japan’s alternative fashion makes spending time here all the more fun. So, let me bring some of my favorite underground fashion into the light <3

Name: Yamauchi Pione Management / Age: Secret ♥ / Style: Lolita What attracted you to this style? The fictional sense of the style.

What is this style based on/associated with? The Circus. I started wearing Lolita fashion after reading a Novala Takemoto novel in which he described it as “the armor of a maiden”.

Do you still currently wear this style? How often? Do your friends dress this way too?

Since it’s okay for me to dress like this at work, I wear it every day. When I worked as a store manager at ‘BABY, THE STARS SHINE BRIGHT’, I had friends that also wore this style.

Where are your favorite places to shop for this style?

As I used to work at ‘BABY, THE STARS SHINE BRIGHT’, it’s a favorite of mine. I became friends with many of our customers who are also into Lolita fashion.

Outfit: Sentimental Circus Collaboration jumper skirt / Milky Rail Train Clock Cape Cloak / Polka dot Blouse / ‘BABY Victoire’ shoes / Mr. Bear bag All purchased at ‘BABY, THE STARS SHINE BRIGHT’ for ¥100,000.

Favorite Items: Clock Cape from ‘BABY, THE STARS SHINE BRIGHT’ ¥30,000.

Mr. Bear bag from ‘BABY, THE STARS SHINE BRIGHT’ ¥15,000.

Name: Shijimi / Age: Secret ♥ / Style: Maid What attracted you to this style?: I found a lovely website selling it.

What is this style based on/associated with? It’s called ‘Maid Style’.

I think Maid fashion was influenced by the subculture of Japanese animation and games, etc. of the 1990s and therefore is different from maid costumes you find in Western countries.

Do you still currently wear this style? How often? Do your friends dress this way too?

I wear this style every day, even when I’m working. My friend once met a girl who also dresses like this, but in a different color. One day I would like to meet

her and wear the same style and color of clothing together while we hangout and talk.

Where are your favorite places to shop for this style?

CANDY FRUIT. Their maid style clothing always makes me feel happy. It’s also extremely well made with excellent tailoring. It’s my lucky item!

Outfit: Belle Fille Maid Clothes in gray. Headpiece, apron made of organza fabric, petticoat, white knee socks, and shoes by CANDY FRUIT. Heart earrings

by RoseMarie seoir.

Favorite Items: Organza fabric apron from CANDY FRUIT ¥2000. Sheer fabric is a favorite of mine and I like how it looks when tied into a cute bow.

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Name: Reikiri / Age: 24 / Style: Rock What attracted you to this style? I wanted to dress differently from those around me and not many people dress in this Visual System­ish looking style.

What is this style based on/associated with? V-­Host System Style and Rock Style.

Do you still currently wear this style? How often? Do your friends dress this way too?

I’m wearing this style today! I can’t dress like this at work, so I can only wear it

about twice a week. My friends don’t really dress like this.

Where are your favorite places to shop for this style?

I buy clothes at places like MIDAS and BAFFALO BOBS! Outfit: Accessories: Rings, bracelets, necklace, and piercings by Chrome Hearts, DEALDESIGN, BloodyMary and Justin Davis. Over-sized hat from CIVARISE. Jacket: Tornado Mart. Shirt: No Idea. Pants and Boots: Johnny Wolf Favorite Items: My over-sized hat from CIVARISE about ¥8,000.

Name: VI (Roku) / Age: 19 / Style: V-Host Style What attracted you to this style? I thought the style was cute, so I started wearing it.

What is this style based on/associated with? Japanese Visual Bands and Host culture creating the V-Host Style.

Do you still currently wear this style? How often? Do your friends dress this way too?

I wear this clothing even when I’m at work and match it to the suit I’m wearing.

My friends don’t really wear this style.

Where are your favorite places to shop for this style? SEANA Outfit: Tank top, Long sleeve T-shirt, beaded bracelets,leather braided bracelet, silver ring, silver cross necklace, earrings and studs, black skinny jeans, shoes with rubber sole.

Favorite Items: Rubber Sole Shoes. Purchased online ¥4000.

HIDDEN FASHION TREASURES The 4th Floor of Sun Mall on the Hondori covered arcade is a good place to start when looking for these alternative, fun and unique styles. Chouchou Ange, is filled to the brim with bits and bobbles fit for a princess or prince dressing their way to their own private kingdom. And it doesn’t stop there: you’ll also find brands such as, Innocent World, Emily Temple cute, Metamorphose, and many more! Be sure to drop in and enjoy this onestop fashion wonderland for yourself!

Chouchou Ange: Sun Mall 4F, 2−2−18 Kamiya-cho, Naka-ku Tel: 082-246-0408 map C p.23 [B-1/2] 1 GetHiroshima / Winter 2015

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vol.

8

g o to iz um i 's de ep hiroshima

ent

ertainm t x e S i b a s ib a Hiroshima’s W Words and photos by

Goto Izumi / translation

by Paul Walsh

広島の性のエンターテイメント！

When the end of the year draws near, the lights twinkle romantically along Hiroshima main streets. And why not?

Enjoy your stollen, I’m sure it is very tasty. But it’s so... obvious, is it not? Tacky even. So dear reader, this holiday season I present some of Hiroshima’s rarest and most piquant treats. There is no need to speak the language of these islands to avail yourself of these entertainments. The passing of coin is all that is required. So without further ado, I give you Goto Izumi’s “Wabi-sabi Underground Sextertainment Guide”.

LET’S START WITH A NICE MOVIE! Genei-gekijo 銀映劇場 2-4-26 Yokogawa-cho, Nishi-ku 082-231-2925 map p.20 [B-2] 1 11:30-18:00 English: No Admission: ¥1800, Seniors/Disabled ¥1100, Movie Day (1st of every month) ¥1100

Genei-gekijo Adult Movie Theater This venerable theater has been in business since 1961. Three 1hr films shown twice a day. Bring your own drinks and popcorn, come and go as you like, you may even spend the whole day here if you so please. Not a lick of English here, but pay your ¥1800 and you are in. The movies are all Japanese, but you can probably get the idea of what’s going on. The regular clientele are getting on a bit. If you are over 18 and have the cash, let’s porno!

A LITTLE SHOPPING?

Otona-no-konbini Toy’s Kurabu 大人のコンビニToy’s倶楽部 8-28 Nagarekawa-cho, Naka-ku 082-246-0719 map B p.22 3 http://1012club.blog6.fc2.com/ blog-category-2.html English: No Sun-Thur 12:00-27:00, Fri & Sat 12:00-29:00

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Otona no Konbini Toy’s Club Adult Goods Easy to enter as it advertises itself as a novelty goods shop!

With Cosplay goods, perfume, incense, jokes and whatnot, it’s like Don Quixote! Find the adult playthings in the back, including some pretty deep S&M gear. Lots of average folk in here though, so even a lone female will not feel uncomfortable. It’s just like browsing at Muji or Uniqlo!

NOW, LET’S SEE SOME DANCING!

BIG C HANC

Men show a copy Hiroshima Daiichi Gekijo 広島第一劇場 9-3 Yagenbori, Naka-ku 082-249-6306 map B p.22 2 http://www.hiroshima-daiichi.jp English: No Doors open: 12:00 Showtimes: Mon-Thurs (ex day before Nat Hol) 13:30-15:30, 16:00, 19:00, 21:30 Fri, Sat, day before Nat Hol 13:30, 16:00, 19:15, 21:45 Sun, Nat Hol 13:30, 16:00, 18:30, 21:00 Admission: Men ¥5000, Seniors ¥4000, Women ¥3000

E

of your magazine and get a ¥1000 off adm ission!

Hiroshima Daiichi Gekijo Strip Theater The art of Japanese strip theater is fast disappearing, so catch this while you can. 2hr shows featuring four dancers several times a day. Each dancer performs an artistic dance, a strip, an optional (but expected) ¥1000 polaroid photo call, and finishes with a full “open” show. They create their own costumes and create their own routines so there is lots of variety. Some of the moves are not just sexy, but so beautiful they bring tears to the eyes. Highly entertaining, even for ladies. My top recommendation!

Rules No touching / No photos or video / Please clap along when other people clap, refrain from speaking during quiet sections /No looking at your phone. No mailing or texting.

TIME TO TIGHTEN THE KNOT, AND DRINK! Underground Bar Dazzle アンダーグラウンドバーDazzle 2F Miya Bldg, 1-7 Yagenbori, Naka-ku 050-3135-6416 map B p.22 4 Mon-Thurs 20:00-25:00, Fri 19:00-25:00, Sat 13:00-25:00 Closed: Sunday Admission: Men ¥4000, Women ¥2000 (All you can drink!)

English: No http://ugbdazzle.wix.com/dazzle

Underground Fetish Bar Dazzle A bar where people chat about their particular predilections with like-minded people. Events held once every two months on the third Sunday of every odd numbered month (Jan, Mar, May etc) - mostly bondage shows. Follow the manager’s blog for news of other underground subculture events http://studiodazzle.blog130.fc2.com

Take on the full program and it may well dominate you. TOO MUCH! Maniac!! Herein lies an opportunity expose oneself to new emotions, to untasted experiences. This year, I, for one, will be putting my gladrags on and spending the holidays with the dancing girls! Maybe we’ll see you there...

GetHiroshima / Winter 2015

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KeMBY˙s I N T E R N A T I O N A L

Tapas, Bar & Restaurant FREE

17:30-00:30 Sunday-Thursday 17:30-01:00 Friday-Saturday

TM

Naka-ku, Otemachi 2-9-13 082-249-6201 map C p.23 [B-2] 9

facebook.com/kembyshiroshima twitter.com/KembysHiroshima Hiroshima Restaurants > KeMBY’s OK!

Happy Hou!!r 17:30-19:30 All alcohol

¥ 2 0 0 OF F

Good food, Good people, Good atmosphere Looking for high quality food in a casual atmosphere? Kemby’s has all the bases covered with a great selection of tapas, pasta and Tex Mex, as well as gourmet sausages, seafood and their famous burgers. Owner Prakash prides himself on his excellent wine selection, and is happy to help you make the right choice. Whether you are in the mood for a meal, you want to shoot some pool, or just shoot the breeze with the bilingual staff and friendly regulars, great nights start at Kemby’s.

h im a laya ki tch e n www.facebook.com/himalayakitchen

Authentic Nepalese and Indian curries and homestyle cuisine. Served in beautiful Okinawan ceramic dishes.

Only the freshest vegetables, sourced from within Japan. Vegetarians catered for.

l u n ch m e nu • Daily special curry • Spicy chicken curry • Butter chicken curry • Spinach curry • Vegetable curry

¥650~¥1000 • Keema curry • Lamb curry • Nepalese dishes • Steamed stuffed "momo" dumplings

Curry comes with salad and rice or nan bread

Lunch: 11:30-15:00 / Dinner: 18:00-23:30

4 craft beers on tap / 80 international bottled beers Appetizers, salads, curries, tandoori and grilled dishes.

lu n ch d r i n k s Soft drinks from ¥150 Asahi Super Dry beer ¥300 Japanese craft beer ¥600

Sh ow t h i s a d fo r

¥ 20 0 of f qualit y bottled craft beerS

Take out also available.

082-249-0630 / 5-15-2F Horikawa-cho, Naka-ku Map B p.22

10

peace wanko Words: Kismet Cordova

My husband and I made the move to Hiroshima from the U.S. last summer. Aside from the inevitable culture shock involved in living abroad for the first time, we also saw a shift in our household working arrangement. In Japan I would become the breadwinner while my husband would not work.

He wanted to find a meaningful cause to which he could donate some of his free time and money.

After a very long Google search and a heavy reliance on translation apps, we eventually came across Peace Wanko Japan.

We paid an exorbitant amount of money and endured seven months of bureaucratic paperwork and hoop-jumping to bring our mixed breed shelter rescue to Hiroshima from the U.S. So it goes without saying that the care of abandoned animals is a cause close to our hearts. I thought at first that the Hiroshima Prefecture Animal Protection Center would be good candidate. Then I discovered that this “Protection” Center was euthanizing thousands of dogs every year (2,342 in 2011) because they don’t have the resources to appropriately handle the number of pets that are abandoned throughout the prefecture.

It was a relief to come across the website for an organization that wants to switch to a different animal rescue model. Peace Wanko’s mission is to reduce the Hiroshima dog euthanization rate to zero, and they are well on their way.

They work towards this goal through a variety of methods. First, they opened an off-leash dog park in Jinsekikōgen in 2011, on the far outskirts of Hiroshima prefecture bordering Okayama. At this facility, they house around 200 rescued dogs, while also providing a dog park, pet hotel, and café for anyone who wants to bring their own canine companions.

Peace Wanko is a project of Peace Winds Japan, an NGO that provides humanitarian aid throughout the world following natural disasters. With this in mind, Peace Wanko trains rescued dogs to become rescue dogs at their facility in Jinsekikōgen. Several of these dogs have become famous in their own right, such as Yumenosuke who was featured in international news articles about the rescue operation in Nepal after the earthquake earlier this year.

Peace Wanko rescue dogs also contributed to the rescue effort following the Hiroshima landslides of 2014.

While many dogs will spend their remaining days at the ranch outside of town, and some helping to locate survivors in dire situations, there is still a sizable overflow of dogs that have been abandoned and need new homes. Therefore, Peace Wanko opened an adoption facility at Marina Hop in 2014. It is at this small shop, housing 6-10 dogs at a time, that my husband has found his calling as a volunteer.

Twice a week, while hoping for passerbys to drop in searching for a new companion, he walks the

dogs and cleans their cages. He also spends time trying to acclimate them to healthy relations with humans through gentle petting and treats, as many have severe anxieties from histories of abuse.

While we aren’t able to contribute as much as we would like, it has been thoroughly rewarding and motivating to see so many dogs get adopted by new families. In the meantime, we are there to support them. So if you’re ever looking for a new furry friend, or a great local cause to donate your time and/or money to, consider dropping in at the Peace Wanko adoption center at Marina Hop. If you are considering adoption, petting is free and welcome.

Address: Marina Hop, 4-14 Kannon-shin-machi, Nishi-ku, Hiroshima-shi Phone: 082-292-8525 E-mail: marina@peace-winds.org Hours: 10:00-20:00 daily URL: http://peace-wanko.jp/ For details about how to donate to Peace Wanko via postal or bank transfer visit http://peace-wanko.jp/donation Cash donations are also very welcome at the Marina Hop adoption center.

GetHiroshima / Winter 2015

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Matt’s Moment

The Out-of-Towners

We just sent my parents home after three weeks in Hiroshima. They kept busy. Picnics in the mountains, a two-day run to Kyoto, a guest appearance in an English class at their oldest grand-daughter’s junior high and a kindergarten Halloween festival.

A joint birthday party celebrating my younger daughter’s fifth birthday and my mother’s seventy-first. Lots of poking in and out of shops and restaurants, wrinkling their noses, picking things up and turning to my wife to ask, “What’s this?”

Her graciousness never flagged.

“That’s a spoon,” she’d say.

“Well, of course it is.”

Many of the things on our must-see list remained unseen. They’ve gotten old while I’ve been away, and we had to rethink how much could fit into any given day. And, they insisted, they were really here to see the girls. Dad, especially, kept one covetous eye fixed on the five-year-old for the whole of the trip. They’ve only met her in person twice since she was born. There are three more grand-daughters as well, but they’re in Ras al-Khaima. We talk in large circles around this unintended desertion.

Still, it was fun seeing things through their eyes.

My father marveled at old cabinetry and racks of hand forged tools. My mother, I think, most enjoyed being tucked into a heated kotatsu and fed local sake and chocolates at a relative’s home in the country. What else? Miyajima does indeed have a great many stone steps. An astonishing number of people wear surgical masks. The coffee is quite good, the tea surprisingly unpleasant.

Beans feature in more dishes than I’d realized,

38\

with distressing implications for travel in a closed car. The expressways are not a good way to see the country (sound barriers), nor is the Shinkansen (tunnels). Most rural roads, once you’ve left the main route, are nuts. And my daughters are growing up so quickly that, as with certain ambitious species of bamboo, you can almost sit back and watch it happen. Especially if you only see them face-to-face every two years or so.

Almost the moment my parents’ plane lifted into the air, the weather turned foul. Three seemingly unbroken days of chill November rain did nothing to temper a bleak mood. How many more times would I see them? What would my girls remember of them? And how the hell was I going to take care of them if they needed it?

Our reasons for being here are good, though. I have no hometown. The one thing my parents always shared was a deep restlessness and we moved constantly, a pattern I continued until landing here at the age of 33. My brothers have done the same, and my parents retired to a place I have no connection to at all. But my wife is pure Hiroshima. We live in the house she grew up in, with her parents downstairs. She regularly sees people she was in elementary school with, a thing I cannot and do not wish to imagine. And really, fair is fair. She would have gone off somewhere with me, but this was home. Which was a great stroke of luck, actually.

The night after my parents left I was out with a friend. It was late for me, late for a weeknight. At Yokogawa Station, I hailed a cab. Slightly drunk,

and with sadness at all the edges of things, I laid my forehead against the cold glass and watched the town slide past. The driver took an odd turn I didn’t recognize, and I was about to bark at him for trying to run up the fare (which would have been stupid; no Hiroshima driver has tried that with me once in sixteen years). Before I could embarrass both of us, though, he pulled out by the river and I saw he’d taken a shortcut. The apartment blocks north of the castle were lit up, along with the Rihga Royal Hotel and a few others, and doing their best impression of a city skyline. I smiled. This town. It tries so hard it’ll break your heart.

We passed the dark, stooping shapes of the temples in Tera-machi. The rain had lifted. With umbrellas furled, people strolled the riverbank in ones and twos. A streetcar filled with light lumbered over the Aioi Bridge, and then we turned into Peace Park. I caught my first glimpse of this year’s illuminations stretching east along Peace Boulevard. I hate them. My daughters adore them, and they’ll be a cherished childhood memory, along with my own ranting powerlessness (“Who designs this crap? What’s the goddamned theme, anyway?”) to relax and enjoy them. I hope I’m remembered fondly.

The taxi moved past the hospital where my youngest was born. Past the elementary school attended first by my wife, then by our girls. Past the convenience store where my oldest daughter shoplifted her first candy at two and offered to share it with me. Left at the light. Right along the river.

Home.

Kan awa Proud producers of Hiroshima’s delicious oysters since 1867, the next chapter in Kanawa’s history begins at their new oyster boat restaurant next to Peace Memorial Park.

Ka k i fu ne Oys te r Boat Private gourmet experience

Premium cuisine, river view

Oyster, seafood or “best of Hiroshima” omakase courses.

Lunch ¥6480~ Dinner ¥12,960~ Reserv required, 1 course / customer

Fried oyster, tempura and sashimi lunches ¥2700-¥3024 8 dish oyster selection ¥4860, full oyster banquet ¥12,960

on the Wakyu floor.

on the Seto floor.

We welcome telephone reservations in English.

Lunch: 11:00-15:00 (L.O. 14:00), Dinner: 17:00-22:00 (L.O.21:00) 5min walk from A-Bomb Dome (082-241-7416) Map C p.23 [B-2] 13

H ir os h im a’ s s fr es h es t oy st er

K ak i M ei an O ys te r B ar 広島店

Kanawa’s oysters are farmed in offshore waters that meet strict regulations.

ASSE K an aw a

K an aw a

po rt H ir os hi m a A ir 広島空港店

Enjoy raw oysters with a glass of wine.

11:00-22:00 (L.O. 21:30) 6F Hiroshima Station ASSE Building (082-263-7317) map A p.22 15 Casual setting, same great food.

11:00-22:00 (L.O. 21:30) 6F Hiroshima Station ASSE Building (082-263-3296) map A p.22 14 Compare oysters from around the world!

08:00-L.0 20:00 3F Hiroshima Airport (0848-86-8330)

English menus and ma jor credit cards accepted at all locations - www.kanawa.co.jp

Beautifully presented Japanese kaiseki cuisine and Italian fare with commanding views of Peace Memorial Park on the 15th floor of the Sunroute Hotel.

吉水 KISSUI Multi-course traditional kaiseki lunches and dinners using the freshest seasonal ingredients served in a relaxed atmosphere.

GetHiroshima Special Kaiseki Dinner ¥4500

Fantastic value!

Appetizer, sashimi, simmered dish, grilled dish, beef, rice, miso soup, pickled vegetables, wagashi dessert.

Lunch Kissui-gozen Kaiseki ¥2800 (Weekdays) Seasonal Kaiseki ¥3900 Credit cards accepted / Tables, tatami and horigotatsu seating

Lunch 11:30-15:00 (L.O. 14:00), Dinner 17:00-21:30 (L.O. 20:00)

VIALE Original interpretations of Italian standards with an excellent wine selection.

6 course dinner ¥4500 Bagna càuda, antipasto selection, pasta, meat or fish, dessert, bread & tea or coffee.

Set lunches from ¥1800 Antipasti, salad, pasta, bread, tea or coffee (dessert buffet +¥380) A la carte also available at dinner / Credit cards accepted / Non-smoking

Lunch 11:30-15:00 (L.O. 14:00), Dinner 17:00-21:30 (L.O. 20:00)

15F Sunroute Hotel, 3-3-1 Otemachi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima-shi, Map C p.23 [B-2] / Kissui 17 082-249-5657 / Viale 33 082-244-3069