Insight Issue 17 by GPlus Media

JAPANTODAYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PREMIER ENGLISH DIGITAL MAGAZINE VOLUME 01 / DEC 14 2012

TRAVEL

BUSINESS

ENTERTAINMENT

LIFESTYLE

OPINIONS

Sengakuji: The Centre of Loyalty and Revenge

Inside the world of Japanese ads

Star Power: Hollywood stars in Tokyo

Building bridges at Meiji Shrine

How to fail miserably at raising a bilingual child

FOOD The art of the Italian cake - perfected in Tokyo

INSIGHT

COMING SOON In early 2013, you will be able to enjoy Japan Today Insight on a brand new iPad App, available for free on iTunes and deployed through the Newstand platform. Insight will expand to fully utilize the amazing features the iPad offers to improve your reading experience with greater multimedia content. Each monthly issue will automatically be pushed to your iPad after your free subscription. We would also like to encourage our readers to give us feedback and comments, content ideas and even articles which will help shape the future of Insight magazine, together moving forward into the next digital stage of our development.

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INSIGHT

Editor in Chief Chris Betros Art Director/Designer Thong Van Contributors Vicki L. Beyer Glen Clancy Adam Beck

Account Managers Kieron Cashell

Schools and Family News Gymboree Play & Music Happy Days

Nishimachi International School

Saint Maur International School and Ecole française Summerhill International School SuperSitters Tokyo

Tokyo International School (TIS)

Health and Beauty Tsuruki Mita Clinic

Hotels and Japanese Inns

Peter Lackner

ANA InterContinental Tokyo

Advertising

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Outdoors and Sports Tokyo Sail and Power Squadron (TSPS) Tsutsujigaoka Country Club

Restaurants and Bars Bulldog BBQ

Hei Fung Terrace

Kimono Wine and Grill Peter

Suji’s

The Irish Times

What The Dickens!

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SENGAKUJI.

THE CENTER OF LOYALTY AND REVENGE. It was snowing in Edo on the morning of the 14th day of the 12th month of the 15th year of the Genroku era (January 30, 1703 by the Western calendar). A ronin, or masterless samurai, named Kuranosuke Oishi set out across the city to rendezvous with other ronin on a secret mission. Oishi was masterless due to unfortunate events in 1701 resulting in the death of his feudal lord, Naganori Asano, the Lord of Ako (in what is now Hyogo Prefecture). BY VICKI L BEYER PHOTOS BY VICKI L BEYER

Lord Asano had lost his temper inside Edo Castle and drawn his sword on another lord, Yoshinaka Kira, in a castle corridor known as Matsu-no-Oroka (a stone marker in the East Garden of the Imperial Palace marks the site). While Kira was only slightly injured, just by drawing a sword inside Edo Castle, Asano had committed an unforgiveable breach of protocol. He was ordered to commit ritual suicide outdoors (ordinarily a punishment reserved for base criminals). His grave is on the grounds of Sengakuji temple on the southern outskirts of Edo. Upon his death, Asano’s family estates were confiscated and his retainers, known as the Ako-gishi, became ronin. What followed is one of the most famous stories of feudal Japan, a tale that has been dramatized into kabuki and bunraku plays under the title of “Chushingura.” In English, it’s probably best known as “The 47 Ronin.” In the 20th century, at least six Japanese movies were made based on this story, and Hollywood is supposed to be working on a version featuring Keanu Reeves (the latest reports are that due to production delays, we won’t be seeing this for at least another year). The central themes of loyalty and revenge led to the

story being censored at times even during the Edo Period, and supposedly also by GHQ immediately after World War II. As the gravesite of Asano, Sengakuji features in both the beginning and the end of the story and is the best place to visit to immerse yourself in the drama of loyalty and revenge that it tells. But let’s get back to the story (greatly condensed), which will eventually lead us back to Sengakuji. At first, the Ako-gishi appealed for justice for Asano, since they felt that Kira was equally culpable in the incident, yet he went unpunished. When it became clear that this appeal was fruitless, the Ako-gishi appeared to scatter; some becoming monks, others becoming tradesmen or manual laborers. In fact, this was all a ruse. Forty-seven of Asano’s most loyal retainers, led by Oishi, were secretly planning their revenge on Kira, but knew they could only get close to Kira if they first lulled him into a false sense of security. Oishi himself went so far as to divorce his wife, sending her and their two younger children away (his teenage son

Finally, nearly two years after Asano’s death, the 47 ronin were ready to take their revenge. And in the early dawn that snowy morning, the 14th day of the 12th month, they acted. Divided into two groups, they invaded Kira’s mansion from the front and back entrances, preventing his escape. At first, they couldn’t find Kira, who heard their scuffles with his guards and hid himself in a closet. But Kira couldn’t stay hidden for long. He was found and beheaded. Sending one of their number to Ako Castle to deliver the news of the revenge, the remaining 46, carrying Kira’s head, marched 10 kilometers through Edo to Sengakuji, to lay in front of Asano’s grave both Kira’s head and the dagger that had severed it from his body. By now it was daybreak and this parade attracted quite a bit of attention. The ronin knew that the price of this act of revenge would be their own lives. They were all sentenced to death (including Oishi’s teenage son) but were permitted to commit seppuku. Their graves are also to be found on the grounds of Sengakuji. So let’s pay a little visit. As you emerge from exit A2 of Sengakuji subway station (Toei Asakusa Line), turn to the right. Although the main road bends to the right, straight ahead up a narrower lane you will see the green copper roof of the outermost gate of Sengakuji temple. Dubbed the “Middle Gate,” both it and the “Main Gate” behind it date to the 1830s. To enter the temple grounds, you pass through a small gate to the right of the Main Gate. Just outside the gate is a statue of Oishi, the principal architect of the revenge, holding a scroll listing the names of all 47 ronin. Once you have entered the temple grounds ahead of you, across the compound is the main temple, a postwar reconstruction whose predecessor was destroyed in the war. Unless you wish to worship, I recommend that you turn left upon entering the temple grounds. The graves of Asano and his

TRAVEL

chose to remain with him). He then appeared to fall apart completely, drinking and carousing. Meanwhile, others of the group, disguised as tradesmen, had infiltrated Kira’s mansion, acquainting themselves with its layout and his lifestyle, so that they could prepare their revenge attack.

47 loyal retainers are at the back of the temple ground, straight ahead of you. As you pass to the left of a fairly modern mall, you will see on the right three old plum trees and a very large boulder. Legend has it that one of these trees and the boulder were stained with Asano’s blood when he committed seppuku. Just beyond the plum trees is a small well covered with a wire grate. When the ronin brought Kira’s head to place in front of Asano’s grave, they stopped here to wash it. Continuing on, you’ll climb a few stairs and pass through another gate to enter the graveyard. This gate was relocated from Asano’s former home in the late 19th century. The graveyard contains the graves of Asano and his wife, as well as of the 46 ronin who came here after Kira’s death. There are also markers here for the 47th, who travelled to Ako after the incident and was not sentenced to death, as well as for one more who had wanted to participate in the attack but was unable to. There is a signboard in Japanese showing which grave is where. Just inside the gate is a small building where visitors can buy incense to light at the grave of their particular favorite ronin. Bundles of incense sticks are also sold for those who wish to leave one at each grave.

commemorate the 300th anniversary of the revenge attack, contains various artifacts of Asano and the ronin, as well as depictions of the incidents, a map of the route travelled by the ronin on their vendetta, and displays on the plays and movies telling the Chushingura story. Just as you enter, there is a small theatre with several videos available. Upon request, they can be played in English. They provide explanations of the protocol of Edo Castle, as well as a history of the events of the 14th day of the 12th month. When you have finished with the new museum building, be sure to visit the second floor of the building behind the plum trees. There you will find 1/3 to 1/2 sized wooden figures of each of the 47 ronin. The figures are wearing period dress, colorfully painted, and many have extremely interesting facial expressions. Although the Chushingura story has been censored over the years and is not without controversy as historians try to analyze its true significance, it is a tale that continues to resonate in Japan, as you will realize when you visit Sengakuji. It is rare to find yourself the only visitor and even if you are, you will probably see multiple sticks of incense burning in front of each grave, implying recent visitors. It is particularly popular around this time of year.

Following your visit to the graves, also take a little time to visit Akogishi Kinenkan, a new building on the right as you exit the graveyard gate. This museum (admission 500 yen), opened less than 10 years ago to 5

BUSINESS

Inside the world of Japanese ads Think about the Softbank ads. I travel around the world and I show these typical Japanese commercials and try to explain that to foreigners. “What do you mean, the dog is the father?” they ask me. One of the first things you see when you enter the office of advertising agency McCann Worldgroup Japan is a pool table over in a waiting room. It seems to fit in naturally with the company that comes across to a visitor as being a center for creativity with a bit of fun. Times are tough in the advertising industry but innovative companies like McCann are managing to weather the economic crisis by evolving new strategies for a fast-changing market. McCann Worldgroup, one of the world’s leading edge global integrated marketing communications groups, has multiple business units specializing in advertising, targeted marketing, media planning & buying, production, buzz creation, brand consultancy, brand activation, PR and healthcare communication. Among the company’s clients in Japan are L’Oreal, Seiyu, Johnson & Johnson, Nestle, MasterCard, Hitachi, Sunstar and Sony Pictures. General manager for Japan is Dave McCaughan. The affable Australian has been with the company for 25 years, having worked in Sydney, Bangkok and Hong Kong, before coming to Japan at the end of 2003. He is also one of two directors of Truth Central – McCann’s global research department.

What sort of a year was 2012? This year has seen slight growth and we had some new business wins, so it has been pretty good.

What are McCann’s strengths?

Well, first you would say that we have been here just over 50 years and we are the biggest of the foreign agencies. Over 50% of our clients are Japanese which is also different from most foreign agencies. We are very insights-driven based on a lot of research over all those years. That gives us a very strong foundation in terms of our knowledge of Japanese people’s 6

behavior, culture and what makes them consumers. We are also the only foreign agency in Japan with a license to buy media space and we are the only agency that can guarantee 100% transparency in all business practices. That means, for example, that we automatically give clients all data on all financial transactions when we buy media space on their behalf.

What about your global network?

Our global network has and does help our Japanese clients as they expand overseas. Because we are very strong in Latin America, Africa, India, the Middle East, and those are areas where Japanese companies are really trying to get into that is where we have a real advantage.

How do you work with clients in developing ad campaigns?

A lot of clients come and say they want to run a promotion for a certain product, or they want to launch a new product. Another pathway is when a client wants to build a campaign over time and create a certain brand equity. We have a process that takes clients through four stages so that we can help transform their business. The first is to find out the real truth of what is going on in the marketplace and analyze it. From that, we look for what’s true about the people we should target in order to make them consumers. What do they basically believe about the product, the category and about life in general? That’s where and why we do a lot of research in terms of understanding different types of people -- like mothers in Japan. Once we figure out the goal we have to get to and potential target, we develop an idea, then do the creative work. The fourth stage is to develop a pathway to put people on – for example, to get you interested in buying a pair of jeans, where do you go, how you make the decision and what can we do to influence

DAVE MCCAUGHAN General Manager McCann Worldgroup Japan www.mccann.co.jp

that decision, which media do we have to use. What is the right environment for the message, what competitors are doing and how to stand out from that and perhaps most importantly how can we encourage people to share the news and their own views about the brand – all these are important factors.

How has the media landscape changed in recent years?

Japan is interesting because among the traditional media like television, the decrease in advertising is much less here than in most developed markets. Television remains the heftiest part of anything we do. Similarly, while newspapers are declining, it is nowhere near as fast as in the West. That’s got a lot to do with the credibility factor and the heavy subscription versus off the shelf purchasing here. It’s hard for many people to cancel a subscription because it is a habit. After the March 11 disaster, we did the first national survey, asking people which news sources they trust the most. In most Western countries

Are social media changing the advertising industry?

Interestingly, Japan is one of the most digitized countries in the world. We all walk around now with smartphones. Before the iPhone, Japan had semismartphones for about 10 years. Over the last 10-15 years, we have had a whole generation who have been using some kind of Internet-access phone. In other countries, that has only been the case for less than five years. So people in Japan take digital media for granted here. What we see in our industry is that clients are looking for a combination – more traditional media to grab consumers’ attention based around some social media platform that they can get longevity and interaction with.

Are your international clients open to changing their global campaigns to allow for cultural factors in Japan? Most clients are open to change for cultural differences. It varies by client. Some international clients do a separate campaign just for Japan. Others adapt their global campaign.

Do Western advertising concepts, such as the taste test, for example, work in Japan? Generally basic concepts based on a strong understanding of human behavior work everywhere but you need to localize to meet the way people in Japan interpret things. So you don’t see a lot of taste test comparative advertising. When I first got here, I thought there must be some regulation that says we can’t do it. What I found out is there is not so much in the way of comparative advertising simply because of the nature of Japanese people. The common attitude is that there can’t be anything wrong with this brand or that brand because they wouldn’t put it on sale if there was something wrong with it, so you cannot directly say “ you are better,” as all products are good. Think of the Seven-Eleven experience. In Australia, Seven-Eleven is a bit of a joke. In Japan, the No. 1 trusted brand is Seven-Eleven. There is no risk seen in anything you buy at Seven-Eleven. This is why generic store brands never went anywhere until Seven-Eleven started introducing them. People just feel they must be good quality.

What are some characteristics that you think are unique to the Japanese market? The idea that the ad is about selling functionality doesn’t necessarily ring true here. It is more about establishing an emotional connection with the consumer. Look at some of the most famous campaigns today – think about the Softbank ads. I travel around the world and I show these typical Japanese commercials and try to explain that to foreigners. “What do you mean, the dog is the father?” they ask me. The Japanese people automatically get it. The nature of Japanese culture is about symbolism. That’s not to say that other cultures aren’t, but here it is a bigger factor in advertising.

In the West, we have moved to a functional basis so that we have to have things explained to us. In Japan, two things work in tandem -- the brand is about symbolism, and the other is that the Japanese housewife is the most likely in the world to read the back of the pack. Japanese consumers are very detail-oriented and can see the difference between the symbol that the brand stands for and they will then look for the detail. So a good campaign has to provide both but often in different formats. Another unique factor is that product cycles tend to be very short in Japan. A lot of people just want new stuff all the time and they are not willing to invest in a long-term campaign. There is a new drink in Seven-Eleven every second day on average. It’s driven by retailers and it is a habit. A 35-year-old Japanese office worker eats 12 meals a week from a convenience store. There are 300 different drinks in the store. So it’s hard to convince some clients that you can have new products but the same messaging based on a long-term platform.

Are foreign celebrities losing their appeal in ads in Japan?

The demand for foreign celebrities has decreased. I think that’s because the love affair with Western symbols has dissipated a bit. Nowadays, we see a lot more Japanese celebrities being used, along with more Korean celebrities. Certainly the role of celebrities is still very strong as they act as the short cut to understanding what a brand stands for. Japanese people certainly do not believe celebrities actually use the products but they do read into the nature of the celebrity the nature of the brand. It is a sort of visual short cut.

That is why over 80% of all Japanese TV commercial feature Japanese celebs.

BUSINESS

now, people would answer social media. Here it was newspapers and radio.

One of the reasons for using Western symbols was globalization. But it is very expensive. It could cost up to $4 million in fees for a big star and you need a point of view as to why you are using that celebrity. Of course, some campaigns are very successful – the BOSS campaign with Tommy Lee Jones. His face embodies something to Japanese consumers. He is truly believable as The Alien. So you’re buying not just his celebrity status. You’re buying the role he plays, the equity he brings.

How do you market your own company?

Our work is a good marketing method but a lot of people don’t know it’s our work. In this industry, you advertise by entering ads in various awards, going to events, shows. I do a lot of networking and public speaking so people can see some of our work and hear about the research we have done.

How many employees do you have in Japan?

We have about 700 in different companies. We get a couple of thousand applications for 10 new grad jobs each year, so it is popular with graduates. The industry looks fun from the outside and especially with the move toward digitalization, it seems to be something where people believe they can be creative.

What areas of the business are you hands on?

I focus on the marketing strategy that we put together for clients and I am very involved in new business issues and in our constant learning about people.

What is a typical day?

I usually get here about 7:30 a.m. That gives me time to catch up on emails, make calls to the States and write documents. Then it is pretty much meetings till 7 p.m. and then I usually get back to writing client presentations later at night.

How do you like to relax? I like to run and play squash a bit. I watch a lot of television, not for work, but just because I enjoy it. I love watching Westerns and football, especially Tottenham.

FOOD

The art of the Italian cake - perfected in Tokyo There is rumor in Tokyo, particularly within the circle of resident Italian chefs in the know, of a patissier legend in the making. Someone who combines an Italian style of confectionery baking with a strong, yet delicately simple Japanese sense of taste and style, letting the traditional sweets menu of Italy soar within the canvas of the finest natural ingredients, while adding originality and a playful twist. This is the trademark of a Roppongibased young patissier, making a name for himself on the Tokyo culinary scene. Isoo-San or “Izo” as he is known to his Italian friends, grew up in Rome. He remained there to study and enter into the early part of his professional career, first

working in the famed Firenze Michelin-starred restaurant Enoteca Pinchiorri and later at the renowned Antica Osteria Del Ponte in Milan, before returning to his native Japan to open his own shop, a hidden gem just minutes from Tokyo Midtown in the trendy area of Roppongi . Isoo’s passion and brilliance are evident in the balance he strikes in each creation, allowing a simple but strikingly elegant taste. Add to this his sense of humor and originality which is always present in his made-to-order creations (often containing mini characters made from fruit and sweets), capturing

the attention of everyone at the party and adding to the joy and entertainment, all the while leaving guests with a taste of the sublime. If you are looking for something authentic and a little bit different this holiday season for your dinner finale, or need to add a little oomph to a gift or party, look no further than Pasticceria Isoo in Roppongi. You will be glad you checked it out.

‘ISOO-SAN’ Patissier Pasticceria Isoo www.isoo.jp 7-21-8-101 Roppongi, Minatoku, Tokyo 106-0032 Tel: 03-3403-6711 Email: info@isoo.jp Italian & Japanese spoken (will try English!)

ENTERTAINMENT

STAR POWER ‘Hobbit’ director Peter Jackson, Hugh Jackman and Tim Burton bring their films to Tokyo.

“I didn’t want anyone else to do it. I feel a kind of pride of ownership, and not just for me but also for New Zealand.”

The last few weeks have seen a parade of movie stars and directors passing through Tokyo to promote end-of-the year releases. Starting the ball rolling was Aussie star Hugh Jackman, who was joined by actresses Amanda Seyfried and Anne Hathaway to promote their musical “Les Miserables.” The film, popularly known as “Les Mis,” has been generating a lot of talk about being nominated for next year’s Oscars.

Jackson filmed “The Hobbit” in 3D at a groundbreaking 48 frames a second rather than the standard 24, which is the ultimate in high-definition filmmaking. “Nowadays, there are many reasons for people not to go to the cinema,” he said. “There is competition from the Internet,

Jackman, who plays the role as Jean Valjean, the ex-prisoner who creates a new life for himself, said he was blown away by all the praise the film has received for critics around the world. “The story has such an important pedigree, not only in world literature, but also as one of the most successful stage musicals of all time.” New Zealand director Peter Jackson takes audiences back to Middle-earth with his trilogy of “Hobbit” films. The first is “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.” Jackson was joined in Japan by actors Andy Serkis, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage and Elijah Wood Jr. Jackson said he decided to take on the threepart prequel which lead up to his successful “Lord of the Rings” films because

Below “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” director, Peter Jackson, 2nd left, poses with actors Andy Serkis, left, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage and Elijah Wood Jr.

ENTERTAINMENT

mobile phones and so on. I don’t want people to wait and see these films on an iPad. So we have to enhance the filmgoing experience to make you want to see our films on the big screen with stateof-the art technology ... and provide escapist entertainment.” The second film, “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” is due in December 2013 and the final chapter, “The Hobbit: There and Back Again” follows in July 2014. Meanwhile, filmmaker Tim Burton has returned to his animated roots with “Frankenweenie,” a black-andwhite 3D movie about a boy who uses science to bring his beloved dog back to life. The quirky director said the film had a special meaning for him because it recaptured the feeling he had for his dog when he was a child.

“It was the first pure unconditional love I experienced in my life,” he said. “All the characters are real people I knew.” Burton said the real heroes of the film are the animators. “They do a fantastic job that requires a lot of patience,” he said. “The joy of seeing them put it all together is very rewarding.” While in Tokyo, Burton opened the “Frankenweenie Art Exhibition” at the Biqlo store in Tokyo’s Shinjuku. The exhibition, which showcases the film’s animation process, characters and sketches, will be held at the Biqlo store until Dec 23. Also passing through Tokyo was Bond girl, French actress Berenice Marlohe, who was making her visit to Japan to promote “Skyfall.” 007 has been a boon for Marlohe, 33, who will become

the new face for Swiss watchmaker Omega’s advertising campaign.

Below left: Bond girl Berenice Marlohe Credit: image.net Below: Amanda Seyfried, left, Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway attend the Japan premiere of “Les Miserables” in Tokyo. Credit: Jun Sato Bottom: Tim Burton poses with Haruka Minowa of the Japanese comedy duo Harisenbon during a press conference for “Frankenweenie” in Tokyo. Minowa was using static electricity to try and get her hairstyle to resemble Burton’s.

LIFESTYLE

BUILDING BRIDGES AT MEIJI SHRINE BY GLEN CLANCY

I felt like Tom Cruise in a scene from “The Last Samurai,” looking across at two rows of the bride’s family and friends in a Meiji Shrine ceremonial wedding hall. Then again, it felt even more remarkable than that. This was real multiculturalism, a connection between two vastly different cultures. The Japanese bride sat humbly, front and center, next to her Australian husband-to-be – who sat quietly, anxious not to make a wrong move. GLEN CLANCY Glen Clancy is a research exchange student at Rikkyo University

“It was like a floating dream back in ancient Japan,” says Vaughan Allison, the Australian groom. “Yes, I was anxious. I didn’t really want to make any mistakes or do anything to offend anyone. But there was an awful amount of adrenaline as well. Everyone who was important in my life was in this one room.” The shrine maidens, miko, traditionally virgins, glided up and down the altar stairs in rhythm to the sound of the soothing Japanese harp, koto. The Shinto priest began to recite prayers in ancient traditional Japanese, the serenity only slightly splintered by the interjection of foreign sounding words such as “Bo-n” (Vaughan), “Arison” (Allison) and “O-sutoraria” (Australia).

LIFESTYLE

Japanese rice wine was then dispensed from an elaborate pourer that resembled some kind of sailing ship into the groom’s sake bowl. Allison takes two sips… or was it supposed to be three? The shrine maiden gestures to Allison, “Three sips.” The Shinto priest asks all guests to be standing. The bride’s side of the room stands promptly. The groom’s side, almost all Australians, look bewildered at each other, and then commit to standing themselves after a couple of hand gestures and whispering voices from those in the know. The guests’ bowls are filled with sake and the call goes out to drink. The left side of the room picks up their bowls to drink. The right side, the “gaikokujin,” follow suit.

Above The wedding procession at Meiji Jingu Shrine.

Allison is called up to read an ancient Japanese prayer, norito, written vertically on a scroll. He knew it was coming but did not have time to rehearse. “The kanji had hiragana readings beside them so reading it wasn’t a problem,” says Allison. “I had little idea what it meant though. My wife had given me a rough outline of what it was saying but I wasn’t absolutely sure about how to read it out aloud in the right tone, rhyme and expression. I wanted to sound strong and confident to send a message to my wife that I’m deadly serious about marrying her.”

LIFESTYLE Above The groom reads an ancient Japanese prayer on a scroll.

After the wedding ceremony, we all formed a procession of two lines – one behind the bride, one behind the groom. We walked through the shrine grounds – the crowds that gathered to watch our procession with expressions of amusement. Was this because it was their first Meiji Shrine wedding sighting or the fact that one line of the procession was mirrored by foreign faces?. Our guide brought us all to a stand of bleachers. Photography directors dressed in black suits promptly organized the bride, groom and their one-year old son, Tao, on their lap, with guests standing behind. But in order to get the perfect photo, the directors had to entice Tao to look directly at the camera – and to do this, they had to break from formalities.

Anpanman to the rescue

One of the directors pulls an Anpanman doll, a children’s Japanese animation character, from his pocket, squeaked it close to Tao to get his attention, and then raced 10 meters - while continuing to squeak - toward the camera. Undoubtedly this was not the first time Anpanman has been called upon for duty at a Meiji Shrine wedding ceremony. In fact, there are several weddings every day at the shrine. I later found out that four other

grooms accompanied Allison in the preceremonial dressing room. But despite the popularity of the location for couples tying the knot – some may even say commercialization of the shrine - the wedding was a triumph. It was beautiful, meaningful, methodical and moving. It was not unique in the sense of taking place at Meiji Shrine, but it was unique in the bonding of two foreign cultures – Japan and Australia. I was privileged to be a part of that bond.

A Christmas to Remember Ticket to the Annual Holiday Ball in Minamisanrikucho.

Presented by: O.G.A. FOR AID Registered charity No. 112572

復興クリスマスパーテイー

Support the Christmas to Remember in Minamisanricucho by:

Purchasing a raffle ticket!! OR Purchase a package ticket for a sure thing!

Raffle Ticket: ¥3,000

Package Ticket: ¥50,000

December 16th 2012: The Ticket allows you the following journey: 13:30 Shuttle bus from Sendai station 15:30 arrives at Hotel Kanyo December 16th 2012: 15:30-18:15 check in, onsen etc. • 7:30-8:30 breakfast buffet 18:00 Party doors open • 8:30-9:30 bus tour of Shizugawa 18:20- 21:00 holiday buffet + open bar 18:30–21:15 live bands + performances + santa 21:30 closing speech, presents and goodbyes All proceeds go to sponsoring the event and any remaining funds will be put towards community rehabilitation efforts in Tohoku.

http://www.ogaforaid.org

OPINIONS

OPIN IONS How to fail miserably at raising a bilingual child BY ADAM BECK Adam Beck is the blogger of Bilingual Monkeys (bilingualmonkeys.com), a site of “ideas and inspiration for raising bilingual kids (without going bananas).” A former teacher at Hiroshima International School, and now a writer for the Hiroshima Peace Media Center, Adam is the father of two bilingual children.

In my previous articles 16 Tips for Raising a Bilingual Child in Japan and 12 More Tips for Raising a Bilingual Child in Japan, I sought to offer useful suggestions for successfully supporting the English side of a child who attends a Japanese school. In this article, I would like to give equal time to the goal of failing miserably at this task. The truth is, achieving utterly dismal results takes dedication, too. This list of 10 helpful tips is intended to provide support for advancing satisfactorily toward that end.

1. Make a sincere effort to be so consumed with work and personal interests that you have as little time as possible to spend with your child. Do not be deterred by frequent pleading from your spouse or your youngster’s tears. To realize your long-term goal, you must turn a deaf ear to their selfish demands.

2. Commit firmly to remaining disinterested in information which concerns the raising of bilingual children, whether in print or online.

Instead, fix your attention on important things like sports statistics and celebrity gossip. Spend additional hours arguing about such topics with strangers in online forums.

3. Actively skirt any constructive discussion of your child’s language development with your spouse.

Refrain, in particular, from creating a concrete strategy for nurturing the child’s English ability. The approach linguists refer to as “flying by the seat of your pants” will prove far more effective.

4. Devote yourself to not following through on ideas that might advance your child’s bilingual ability.

By the same token, inconsistency is key to your actions. Don’t let yourself fall into the trap of regular routines when it concerns the child’s language development.

5. Do your utmost to avoid speaking to the child.

When you must respond to an overly inquisitive tot, use no more than two or three words and—this is very important— do not look away from your cell phone or computer screen. Ideally, you should simply grunt once or twice and maintain concentration on your urgent business until the child sadly withdraws.

6. Strive to read aloud to your child as infrequently as possible.

When, despite your best efforts, you find yourself in this potentially nurturing position, always choose the dullest book on hand and read in a weary, soulless voice, yawning loudly at every page turn.

7. Make sure you have no more than half a dozen old, ratty picture books in your home. A good rule of thumb is one book per child. If you have more than six children, instruct the smallest ones to share a single book. You will be teaching the importance of sharing at the same time.

8. Endeavor to keep your home as barren of English resources as you can.

Remember, the fewer resources available, the more likely you will achieve your ultimate aim. To further frustrate the child’s bilingual development, seek to in-

crease resources in the majority language instead.

9. Turn to the power of positive thinking by telling yourself: “I’m a friggin’ native speaker so my kid will pick up English easy! No problem!” Reinforce this message at home by telling your spouse to stop worrying so much about your child’s language development. Relax with a bottle of fine wine.

10. Pay close heed to every person who gives you his two cents about raising bilingual children, particularly the most uninformed.

Take to heart the advice that rearing a child with two languages will confuse him, even damage him, and lead to a life of crime and incarceration.

What the Dickens! British Pub and Live Music Venue

Live Music Schedule Dec 14: TELL Charity Party with the Watanabes Dec 15: Minx Charity Concert Dec 16: Grey Area Dec 18: Billy Ross Celtic Folk Dec 21: TK & The Bluesblasters Dec 22: Steve Gardner Dec 29: The Hitmen Dec 31: Countdown Party with the Dirty Tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Happy New Year!