Kansai’s English Magazine
無料 issue 157 June 2013
www.kansaiscene.com
Dive into summer Wakayama watery wonderland Bottled bling Ancient air con
Plus+ Kabuki for dummies Fireflies: summer lights Biwa-canal, Kyoto’s lifeline + Where To Go And What To Do —
Kansai Scene is proudly published and printed by Mojoprint
Local listings, news, maps and classifieds
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Kansai Scene magazine JUNE 2013 kansaiscene.com
Contents Features Water saved the city
p10
Lights of the night
p12
Kabuki 101
p26
Travel
© Robert N Moore
Features
COVER ARTIST: Robert N Moore
Paradise beneath the waves
p08
Food and Drink
Pina Khana, Kobe
p16
Yakitori Ayamuya, Osaka
p17
Go_suke, Osaka
p30
Robert is an artist/illustrator/designer based in Nagoya. Learn more about him on page 37 or check out his exhibition at Café Absinthe from June 5–30. Website: rob4artstuff.com
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26
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Made in Kansai
Bottling up mother nature
p14
Listings Film p25 Book p29 Event calendar
p32
Events p34 Art
p38
Club
p40
Flea Markets
p42
Live Music
p44
Business Finder
p46
Classifieds p48 Maps p52
kansaiscene
@kansaiscene
Kansai Scene is published monthly by Mojoprint
Enquiries
Publisher/Creative Director...............Daniel Lee Editor.............................................. Carla Avolio Sub-editor................................Donna Sheffield Production Manager..................... Rie Okamoto Accounts Manager......................... Michiko Lee
General mailbox@kansaiscene.com Advertising sales@kansaiscene.com Tel. 06-6539-1717 Fax. 06-7635-4791 Address Osaka-shi, Nishi-ku, Shinmachi 3-5-7, Eiko Bldg. 2F Website www.kansaiscene.com
Art....................................................Colin Smith Event & Festival............................ Yuki Uchibori Film................................................. Adam Miller Live music................................. Phillip Jackson Club.................................................Terumi Tsuji
Interested in writing for Kansai Scene? Please contact editor@kansaiscene.com after reviewing our writers guidelines: www.kansaiscene.com/write-for-us
DISCLAIMER Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily endorsed by the publisher. We take no responsibility for the quality or content of advertisements. Public and private parties appproached by those claiming to work for or on behalf of Kansai Scene should call this office to confirm the truth of any such claim, especially where money may be involved.
A bit of history Kansai Scene was founded by Peter Horvath and Nishikawa Keiko in 2000 and published by Jatin Banker between 2003 – 2011. Published monthly, KS provides English articles, information and listings for visitors and residents of the Kansai area.
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Kansai Scene magazine JUNE 2013 kansaiscene.com
Got some news?
News & Openings
Don’t just eat it, plant it Ozo — Here’s a chance to get your hands, feet, and probably everything else, dirty in a Japanese rice field. On Saturday June 8, the Peace and Nature farm in Kita-ku are planting their next harvest of rice and the more hands there are to help, the merrier. The cost is ¥1,000 for adults, ¥500 for kids, limited to the first 50 applicants. Register by phone or e-mail, by June 5. store.peace-and-nature.com/events/
Free rides for schoolkids Osaka — Osaka subway celebrated its 80th year of service in May, and to celebrate, around 120,000 elementary schoolkids in the region were given free five-day passes. Osaka Municipal Transportation Bureau wants to encourage more children to use the subway, and take advantage of the 50 percent discount kids their age get on the fares. Each year only around 0.8 percent of passengers are elementary schoolkids. While the bureau has been taking steps to improve its services, Osaka mayor Toru Hashimoto has announced he already plans to privatise the subway by April 2015. www.kotsu.city.osaka.lg.jp/foreign/english
for on the lookout KS is always ents and new newsworthy ev und town. openings aro ggestions to Email your su cene.com editor@kansais
Sing for your country
Bridges to Brazil
Osaka — If you’ve spent New Year in Japan, you must have caught the Red and White show on NHK. Usually, two teams of famous singers battle it out for audience votes and glory. Later this year, Osaka will be hosting its own international version. Foreigners will sing in Japanese and Japanese people will sing in foreign languages! If you’re a karaoke king or queen, or just want to belt out some anime classics with a few friends in front of hundreds of people, now’s your chance. The contest will be held on Saturday August 31,
Kyoto — Billed as an Art Benefit to the Amazon, this art and culural event at the Kyoto
2013 at Osaka International Center
(Dai Hall) For more details, contact Kazumi Miyazaki
International Community House will show-
case Brazilian art and culture, including live painting, capoeira, and music. Organiser and artist Walderedo De Oliveira hopes the event will provide a cultural bridge between the two countries as Brazil prepares to host the 2014 World Cup next year. Proceeds raised will be donated to the charity Survival International (survivalinternational.org) to help indigenous Amazonian tribes.
globalcommunity21@gmail.com or Tel. 070-5653-1493 • www.yokosojapan.net
June 1 (Sat). 11am–8pm. Entry ¥1,000 June 2 (Sun). 11am–5pm. Free entry.
An intensely dramatic course Kyoto — If you’re into Japanese performing arts, and serious about trying it out, the annual Traditional Theater Training course at Kyoto Art Center was designed for you. Anyone can apply, as age, nationality and any prior experience of performing arts are not important. Just bring your willingness to learn. The course features three days of workshops, then three weeks of intensive daily practice before a recital. Training includes Nihonbuyo, Noh and Kyogen. Course fees are around ¥70,000, and accommodation in Kyoto can be organised. The deadline for application is June 30th, and the course runs from July 19 to Aug 9. www.kac.or.jp
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French Connections The latest news for francophiles in Kansai, by Stephan Ducoup
Peter Sterlacci giving a presentation at last month’s KSBM event
KS Business Matters KS — Last month’s Business Matters event featured an inspiring presentation by Peter Sterlacci about how to realise, create and protect brand YOU. The audience was treated to an incredibly professional and thought-provoking presentation that challenged us all to re-assess both our online and offline personal branding strategies - or lack of them! This month’s event The Write Move will be on June 20th (Thu) at Fubar (see KS Shinsaibashi map C-3), and will feature a seminar from Kansai Scene’s very own editor-in-chief, Carla Avolio, about how to start out as a freelance writer. She’ll talk about how to understand publications, how to craft a pitch, how to approach and deal with editors and more. This will be a practical, step-by-step guide for those who want to start making money from magazine writing. www.kansaiscene.com/ksbusiness-matters
Poster thefts and complaints Osaka, Sannomiya — It’s been an odd month for poster campaigns in Kansai. At Sannomiya’s subway terminal, a campaign to prevent suicides has been causing controversy, while in Osaka, some town renewal campaign posters have proved so popular they’ve been pinched. Last month, huge black and white text posters, featuring quotes from at-risk people, were put up in Sannomiya in a bid to prevent more Human Damage Accidents. The idea behind it was to make depressed people feel they aren’t alone and seek help. Phone calls to the city ward almost doubled when the posters first went up, but it was mainly from people wanting to say how negative they thought the campaign was. Over in Osaka, there’s a town renewal project being promoted by a picture of a man’s lower half, with a real loincloth attached, inviting the public to take a look. The public have taken it a bit further, however, and actually nabbed some of the posters, even cutting the wires they were hanging from to do so.
Bonjour! Welcome June, rain and music! Although June is the rainy season in Japan, back in France this month is all about music. June 21 is the first day of summer and also the World Music Festival. First launched in 1982 by a french minister, this event has become a worldwide day of music where everybody from amateurs to professionals is free to play in the street. In Kansai, you’ll notice impromptu music happening every evening close to big train stations like Umeda. We francophiles will be singing in the rain this month, so please join us at some of our fun June events: OSAKA:
• French meeting at Cafe Barbara, check link for the exact date (www.facebook.com/francekansai) KOBE:
• French meeting at Brasserie L’obabon in Motomachi, Thursday June 13 from 7pm KYOTO:
• French music festival featuring jazz, rock, electronica and classical music at the French Institute Kyoto, Saturday June 29, 1pm-9pm (www.ifjk.jp) • French Cafe Party at Kawa Cafe, June 21 from 6pm If you prefer to stay at home, don’t forget to check your new episode of the French-Japanese web drama PARIS ALEAS on www.parisaleas.com
June 29. French music festival at the Institut Français du Japon, Kyoto
A new group that aims to connect, inform and engage small business owners, entrepreneurs and individuals doing business in Kansai.
Networking opportunities
Presentation & networking event:
Seminars & presentations
with Carla Avolio
Parties & events More details and event registration:
The Write Move
June 20, Thu, 7:30–9:30pm @ FuBar, Shinsaibashi ¼2,000 w/1d
www.kansaiscene.com/businessmatters
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Kansai Scene magazine JUNE 2013 kansaiscene.com
Business Matters
The write move for you? Thinking about leaving the security of a salaried job to fly freelance? Kansai Scene’s own editor, Carla Avolio, shares her experiences as a freelance writer. Text: KS
KS: Why did you decide to go freelance? Carla AvoIio: I left my job as a communications manager at the University of Sydney when my husband got a job in Osaka. Initially, doing freelance writing was my way of working without needing to find an “actual” job in a Japanese organisation. But after my demanding, high-intensity job, I have so enjoyed the change of pace from freelancing that I’m not sure if I’ll ever go back.
KS: How do you work out your salary or rates? CA: Fees are usually done based on word count, and obviously the better publications will have higher rates per word. But my advice is that when you are starting out freelancing, don’t worry too much about rates. Just focus on finding a publication and writing the best story you can for them. That way you’ll have something in your bio to show the next editor.
KS: What are the biggest positives and negatives? CA: By far the best thing is the flexibility. You are your own boss. You can pick what projects to work on, how to structure your day, and what direction to head in for the future. There really is nothing more satisfying than to spend time researching and writing about something that interests you, and then to be paid for it at the end. Also, the fact that you can do it from anywhere in the world that has internet is pretty amazing. But you can’t escape the fact that it is also a lonely job. There is no office to go into where you can bounce ideas off people, and you generally have to find your own work. It can get quite tiring having to be so self reliant and self-motivated every day.
KS: What about all the extra admin? CA: It is quite easy as a freelancer to write for publications around the world. Most bigger publications will be able to pay into foreign bank accounts. Because I always get paid into my Australian bank account, I only have to worry about tax in my home country.
KS: How do you go about getting new work? CA: Most jobs require you to pitch an idea to an editor. You really need to be out there, day in, day out, selling your ideas and convincing people to publish them. Being able to craft a good pitch is so important to your success as a freelance writer.
KS: What’s an average day or week like for a freelance writer? CA: The weeks change a lot depending on the demands of each project, but I pretty much always do the following things: read, read and read the news to get story ideas; spend time at my desk researching and writing; interview sources; and go out in the “field”. This field work is the most fun because it can take you anywhere from behindthe-scenes at a zoo, to a fine dining restaurant, to a resort on a tropical island. KS: What’s the most interesting thing you’ve written about? CA: I’m a zoology major, so the best project for me was writing about the largest population of freshwater crocodiles in Australia. I spent a week living by a lake in the stunning Kim-
berleys with researchers. The experience of hand-catching baby crocodiles was unforgettable.
The Write Move: pursuing a career as a freelance writer Carla Avolio will be the guest presenter at this month’s Kansai Scene Business Matters event. Come and join us for a practical seminar on how to start making money from writing, followed by a networking opportunity. • Date: June 20 (Thu) • Time: 7:30–9:30pm • Entry: ¥2,000 w/1d • Venue: FuBar, Shinsaibashi, Osaka For full details and registration, visit: www.kansaiscene.com/ businessmatters
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Travel
Paradise beneath the waves If you think great diving requires flying out of Kansai, here’s the happy news. Wakayama’s underwater world has all the goods of big-name international sites without the hefty price tag. Text and images: David Graham
“As the seasons change, every day is a different diving experience in Wakayama,” says Toshiya Iwasaki, chief instructor of Nanki Seaman’s Club. “In the winter, visibility can be as much as 25 meters, with normally unseen, deep-water sea life coming up to diving depths. And in the summer, the Kuroshio current moves close to land, bringing with it tropical sea life from Okinawa and Philippines. It’s rare, but even mola mola, manta rays and hammerhead sharks have been seen.” Yes, he’s talking about Wakayama Kansai’s holiday spot that’s best known for hot springs, abundant fruit and the beach-party town of Shirahama. But this mountainous prefecture also happens to be one of Japan’s premier dive spots, which means that scuba-loving Kansai residents have a cheap and satisfying dive destination that’s only a car ride away. It’s 9pm on a Friday night, and we’ve gathered outside on the Seaman’s back
porch. Sitting around the oversized hibachi with beers in hand, the charcoal glows red while lobster slowly cooks in its own shell on the grill. I’ve just arrived at Kushimoto on the southern tip of Wakayama after wrapping up a day of work back in Kobe. Although I’ve chosen to take the pleasant four-hour drive through villages and mountains along Wakayama’s coast, you could just as easily catch the Kuroshio Express train from ShinOsaka, which takes only three hours. For this trip, to keep costs down, I’ve chosen to stay at the Seaman’s hostelstyle lodgings. The second floor of the club house has two large rooms (one men’s and one women’s) with bunk beds for about 10 people in each room. The rooms are clean, comfortable and reasonable at ¥2,800 a night. After finishing the lobster and beer, we’ve come up with a preliminary dive plan for the next day. It’ll be three dives, with the first being an advanced
level dive outside Kushimoto Bay, and the next two in the calmer waters of the bay. The next morning, we’re up early, grabbing quick bites of toast and sips of coffee as we ready our gear for a 7:30am boat departure. We reach the first site, Ninone, just little after 8am. Being early spring, it’s possible that plankton blooms from the warming waters can negatively impact visibility. But on this fine morning the water looks to be unusually clear, which only builds our excitement. On entry and descent, we’re not disappointed. Visibility is 12 to 15 metres. Reaching the anchor at 12 metres, swarms of sea goldies and other brightly colored small fish dart about, flashing gold, blue and silver in the sun. With this abundance of colour, it’s hard to believe that we’re not diving in the Red Sea, Bali or Okinawa. Today, only a slight current tugs at us, but the site’s normally strong
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Essentials Getting There By train: JR Kuroshio Express, which departs roughly every hour from either ShinOsaka or Tennoji, takes approximately 3 hours to Kushimoto. By car: Follow the Hanshin Expressway to the Hanwa Expressway, following it south as it becomes the Yuasa-Gobo toll road, then eventually Route 42. Follow Route 42 straight to Kushimoto. Approximately three hours from Osaka, and four hours from Kobe and Kyoto.
Diving Services Dive Station (English spoken) ¥14,000 for two boat dives 642-1 Kushimoto, Kushimoto-cho, Higashimuro-gu, Wakayama Top left: Blue water diving, right: colorful fish dart among the corals Bottom left: squid, right: a curious sea turtle
currents make it an advanced dive where sound skills in drift diving are a must. As we descend over the drop off and move along the wall, longnose hawkfish dart in and out of brilliantlycolored soft coral. At 30 metres we reach the sandy bottom where meterlong coral grouper swim lazily about. Down here we also discover several small rays tucked into the sand at the edge of a field of Garden Eels swaying in the gentle current. For the second dive we head across the bay to Bizen, one of my favorite dive sites. With calm currents and an average depth of 17 metres, it’s well suited to both beginner and intermediate divers. The site is a collection of mammoth, craggy boulders covered in beautifully colored soft coral. We dive down into the alley between two of these massive boulders. Above us, swarms of little sea goldies mix with schools of black and yellow Australian stripey, which remind us we’re diving in waters from the tropics. Below, the bright orange, stern-faced azahata groupers swim lackadaisically about, and vibrant neon blue and purple scarbreast tuskfin approach us, hoping for a small crus-
tacean handout. As we exit the alley, bright silver bonito flash by, feeding on a school of sardines. For the final dive we enter at Glass World, a site known for its sea turtles that. With maximum depths of 12 metres and little current, it’s perfect for beginner divers. After swimming across a large patch of white sand we’re greeted by a field of huge fan coral. Drifting over the massive structure, we become so entranced by vibrantly colored eels coiled among the coral branches and fat lobsters clinging to the underside of coral fronds that we almost miss two napping sea turtles. As we drift over the sleepy reptiles, the smaller of the pair is startled and shoots off like a torpedo. The larger one, however, is a little more curious and decides to swim lazily over to inspect our group, delighting us with numerous photo opportunities. Driving back to Kobe, with the fiery orange sun setting behind the purple silhouette of Wakayama’s rugged mountains, I think there is nothing better than the feeling of just having witnessed the wonders of the underwater world. And the thought that I’ll be home in time for dinner.
Tel: 0735-62-7717 Email: aki@kushimoto.com Web: www.kushimoto.com Nanki Seamans Club (Japanese only) ¥18,000 for three boat dives 630 Kushimoto, Kushimoto-cho, Higashimuro-gun, Wakayama Tel: 0735-62-1258 Email: nsc-2007@mb.aikis.or.jp Web: www.aikis.or.jp/~nsc-2007
Lodging Minshuku Nanki ¥2,500 per person with free WiFi. A 10min walk from Kushimoto station. Tel: 0735-62-6155 Web: www3.ocn.ne.jp/~h21k Urashima Harbor Hotel ¥5,400 per person. Spacious rooms with an onsen on site to warm up post-dive. Transfer service to and from Kushimoto station is provided. All rooms are smoking rooms. Tel: 0735-62-1011 Web: www.urashimachain.co.jp/harbor
Further Information www.fourthelement.jp/KansaiDiving On Facebook join ‘Kansai Divers’ Or contact the author: davidg@fourthelement.jp
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Feature
Water saved the city How a confluence of needs, invention, and genius brought new life to one of Japan’s most revered locations. Text and images: Alan Wiren
For centuries Kyoto was home to the emperors of Japan. Roads of tribute led there. She was a magnet for the exquisite and priceless from within and without the archipelago, along with essentials such as rice, salt, and firewood. But in the 19th century, three great fires ravaged the city, and when the imperial court was moved, in 1869, to the new capital city of Edo (later to become Tokyo), the tide of goods turned suddenly away. People of political influence and ordinary citizens began to flow steadily out of the city. Those who remained could see that a comprehensive plan to provide water, energy, and transportation was essential to revitalizing Kyoto as part of a rapidly modernizing Japan. Even in moving away, Emperor Meiji had not turned his back on his former home. Both he and the mayor
of Kyoto were looking for a way to prevent the historically invaluable city from slipping into rural decay. The tactic they settled on had been rejected several times in the past. Building a canal between Lake Biwa and Kyoto had obvious merits, but the obstacles remained ominous. The five kilometer stretch from Otsu City, at the southern end of the lake, to northern Kyoto was, in itself, daunting. The cost would total 10 times the annual budget of Kyoto’s government. And there were mountains in the way. The project might have washed out, once again, if not for the emergence of a genius with determination. Tanabe Sakuro had studied engineering, and in the practical part of his education, lost the use of his right hand. He responded by learning to write and do mechanical drawing with his left. When he com-
pleted his degree, he applied himself to the challenges of the canal and at 25 was commissioned as its chief engineer. One third of the cost was donated by the emperor. The rest was paid by the central government and local taxes. That left the mountains. Tanabe’s solution was to send the water underground through brick lined tunnels. The tale of how he achieved the greatest Japanese engineering feat of his time is preserved in Kyoto’s Lake Biwa Canal Museum. Plans and sketches are displayed there detailing Tanabe’s project, along with photographs and artifacts documenting his difficulties and successes. There were no brickyards in Japan, so Tanabe responded by creating them. Pack animals were unavailable, so women volunteered to carry bricks to the tunnel sites. In the museum
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N Matsugasaki Filtration Plant
Canal split flow
To Yamanouchi Filtration Plant
Keage
Lake Biwa Canal Museum
Hinooka
Anshu
Canal No.2 Fujio
ct
Kamogawa River
Keage Filtration Plant
Lake Biwa
Canal No.2 connecting tunnel
Otsu City Canal No.1
Aq
ue
du
Misasagi
Kamogawa River Canal
Kyoto City Shin-Yamashina Filtration Plant
you can find a copy of the text he wrote and used when teaching night classes to educate his workforce in unfamiliar technology. A collection of brightly colored sake cups are examples of commemorative gifts made to celebrate completion of different phases of the construction, which continued from 1885 to 1890. Among them, a somber, black ink stone reminds us of the greater cost of grand endeavors. It is a memorial to a worker who died when one of the tunnels collapsed during construction. A short walk from the museum is the most striking feature of the still functioning canal. A roman-style aqueduct, also built from brick, stands just outside Nanzenji Temple, attracting photographers from near and far, and serving as a backdrop in many a Japanese television drama. From the top of the aqueduct you can walk along the canal to another of Tanabe’s constructions. From the beginning, the canal was designed to
accommodate wooden boats to carry goods and passengers along its route. It was not until three years into the construction that Tanabe was inspired to build Japan’s first hydroelectric power plant alongside it. Turning the waterwheels required a 36 meter drop. To get the boats over this hurdle, a small, two sided railway, called The Incline, was built to allow two boats to exchange places from above and below. The Incline ceased operation 65 years ago. Now set with flagstones, it’s become a footpath lined with cherry trees that leads to a view of a fountain jetting above the surface of the broad waterway in front of the museum. Electric power from Lake Biwa Canal transformed Kyoto from a city with a dark future into one lit up with streetlamps. It made possible Japan’s first electric railway that ran between Fushimi and Kyoto, facilitating trade between them, and it revitalized Kyoto’s textile industry. Although the two tons of water the canal brings
to the city every second is now used mostly for drinking water, fire fighting, and irrigation, and the power plant has been converted to a water treatment facility, the Lake Biwa Canal still now brings Kyoto the water of life.
Lake Biwa Canal Museum Access: From exit 1 of Keage Station on the Tozai Subway Line turn left and bear right at the Y intersection. The museum is a 5min walk from the station. Open: 9am-4:30pm, Mar to Nov; 9am4pm, Dec to Feb. Admission: free. To reach the aqueduct, find the tunnel through the brick wall running along the street on the East side of Keage Station. Follow signs to Nanzenji. The aqueduct is just outside the main hall of the temple in front of Nanzenin.
Lake Biwa Canal. Adapted from a map published by the Kyoto City Waterworks Bureau.
Ogawagashira
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Feature
Lights of the night Clouds of fireflies once lit the darkness of rural Japan. By a Shiga riverside, impassioned locals are working tirelessly to keep their light aglow. Text and images: Phil Colquhoun
Pulling into the station, Ominagaoka appears at first glance like any other rural Japanese town. But venture down one of its dark forest paths and you emerge into an eerie world where one of nature’s loveliest spectacles takes place over a fleeting period each June. Here, by the gently flowing river, the dim lights of countless floating creatures rhythmically pulse in the darkness. These are Amanogawa fireflies. Beautiful yet vulnerable, they exist in a delicately balanced habitat of outstanding natural beauty that has been a government designated conservation area for over 60 years.
The Amanogawa River really is one of the best spots in Japan to witness the annual spectacle of firefly breeding. And thanks to the ongoing efforts of locals, firefly larvae continue to hatch each June and a festival is held every year to coincide with this explosion of light. The insects are an integral part of this community and informal efforts have been made by generations of locals to preserve the population since 1926. Although hard to imagine today, during WWII firefly numbers grew to such levels that a cessation of conservation activities was ordered for fear that the powerful glow emitted would attract allied bombers.
Not the most attractive of insects in daylight, the fireflies’ use of bioluminescence is really what sets them apart from other bugs of the night. This chemically produced light emitted from the abdomen is used rhythmically, ranging from a constant glow to sudden flashes, mostly to assist finding a mate for the night. Studies estimate there are around 2,000 species of firefly worldwide; however, Luciola cruciata, or Genjibotaru, is found almost exclusively in Japan. Since WWII, insect numbers have sadly dwindled, with a combination of construction, increased use of fertilizers in farming, and the infamous Ise Bay typhoon in September 1959 bring-
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Getting there: Catch the JR Biwako Line to Maibara and change to the JR Tokaido Main Line bound for Ogaki. This is just an 8min ride to Ominagaoka Station. From the station it’s just a 5min walk to Rucchi Plaza adjacent to Santo library, just 800 metres from the station exit across the river off route 244.
When to visit: The festival starts on June 8th. An exhibition will be open throughout the duration of the firefly’s activity, which will usually be 2 weeks from opening day. Peak viewing is between 8-9pm.
Tips for your trip: Maibara Council have requested that visitors use public transport to avoid congestion. Please visit responsibly to minimize your impact on the area – take all your trash back with you and resist the temptation to catch the insects! Torches or camera flashes may disrupt the fireflies.
ing fireflies to the brink of extinction. According to a 2004 study by the Agriculture Ministry’s Takashi Tsuda, the problem began when the fireflies’ food, the Kawanina (black snails), began to disappear. Next came the post-typhoon reconstruction, which lasted for five years and caused changes to the river’s course and flow, thus depriving the insects of optimum conditions needed for their life cycle. Something had to be done and in 1972 by-laws were introduced to once again protect the insects and their environment. Some dedicated locals even took to hand-rearing fireflies in their own homes. So, what’s the situation like today? Well, numbers are creeping back towards pre-war levels, thanks largely to the ongoing dedication of the local volunteer group. Sacks of charcoal are placed in the river to filter the water, efforts are coordinated with local farmers to ensure huge sheets are spread across sections of the river during fertilization of fields, and the river is dredged every 10 years to keep the water free of debris. Tomohiro Nakagawa of the Maibara Council Tourism Department says that education is also key to protecting the area into the future. Nakagawa says: “Our volunteer
group visits local elementary schools each year and provides classes to the students and parents, giving advice on how to look after the area and preserve the amazing fireflies.” Where the tributary Yurigawa River meets the Amano River, you may be lucky to see up to 1,200 fireflies on any one night, performing their silent courtship among the trees. Slowly floating by, they aren’t the most difficult creatures to catch, but as their short lives permit only a few hours with which to find a mate and carry on the cycle, it’s best to just stand back, admire, and leave them to it. The annual firefly festival occurs in the town of Ominagaoka on June 8, which marks the start of the watching season. A Hotaru (firefly) Parade will be staged by local elementary schoolchildren at Rucchi Plaza in town, and will include a brass band and mikoshi (portable shrine). If you can’t make it on the 8th, don’t worry because the peak time for seeing fireflies lasts around two weeks. Also, an exhibition will be held throughout this period explaining the 80-year history of conservation around Amanogawa and the biology of the insects. There are various viewing spots along the river and at nearby
Green Park, all within a 5-10 minute
walk away from the festival’s hub of
Rucchi Plaza. Here you’ll find the
exhibition and food stalls, plus everything you need to know at the event information desk. The Amanogawa festival is unique in that it supports a real conservation project. Each June, it aims to put the spotlight on fireflies, educating visitors about the journey these insects have taken over the last century and how their numbers are intrinsically linked to human activity and understanding. At this particular show, the fireflies are the stars, and long may they remain so.
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Made in Kansai
Bottling up mother nature The waterfalls at Nunobiki are a popular tourist attraction in Kobe. As well as photographing them, you can now drink the waterfalls...for an eye-watering price. Text: Matthew Coslett • Images: Fillico
Unbeknownst to many Kansai residents, the water that cascades down a waterfall near downtown Kobe is some of the most popular in Japan. Often simply called ‘Kobe water’, what flows down Nunobiki waterfalls has traditionally been held in such high esteem that it appears in the famous Tales of Ise. In these classic poems, there are a number of verses describing the waterfall’s “cascading gems”, which are said to have kept visitors enthralled. Lovers of sake may also know that Nunobiki’s water is one of the ‘big 100’ group of waters used for making the superior sakes. The world famous Nada-gogo sakes owe a large part of their success to the flavour that manufacturers claim comes from Kobe water. Naturally, as
the popularity of the water has continued to grow, so too has the price people are willing to pay just to drink the water itself. In 2005, a company called Fillico spotted the gap in the market and began offering Japanese customers the chance to drink part of their country’s history. With the price of some bottles costing over ¥10,000, the product is significantly more expensive than many wines and champagnes, yet it remains as popular as ever. “I know of some famous cooks who come all the way to Osaka to get this water for their cooking,” says Reiko Wakisaka of Fillico. As senior manager, she has seen the product’s popularity expand from Kansai to the rest of Japan and beyond. “Some people have
even moved to live here just for the water,” she says. “Our president used to own a chain of restaurants and bars and he always chose Kobe water for these establishments. He often says that he wouldn’t consider any other product beside Kobe water to do business with.” Reiko adds that Nunobiki waterfall is especially well-known for having “delicious water”. This statement may baffle some people as most would assume that water tastes, well, like water. However,
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Luxury in a bottle While Fillico is one of the most expensive water products in the world, there is a surprisingly large amount of competition in luxury water. Designed and marketed specifically for the nouveau riche hip-hop set, a 750ml bottle of Bling H2O will cost between ¥4,000 and ¥6,000 depending on how much ‘bling’ is on the bottle.
recently there are signs that water may become the next designer drink of choice. Connoisseurs insist that water has many distinctive tastes and should be savoured like the finest wines. To encourage people to take a further interest in the topic, the Nestle Waters website lists 36 different descriptions of the experience of drinking water and how to distinguish them. There are even professional water tasters (or aqua sommeliers) who have made a lucrative career out of advising companies how to improve the flavour of their water products. So what does Fillico itself taste like? Unfortunately, this writer’s budget didn’t stretch to buying a bottle, but according to the promotional material, Fillico’s taste is both “smooth” and “refreshing”. Because of the importance of having the right taste, Fillico use a waterbottling factory at Nunobiki itself to draw water directly from the waterfall. Then a specialized heat pasteurization technique is used instead of chemical pasteurization to make sure the water is safe and pure enough to drink. The heat pasteurization is preferred because it alters the taste as little as possible and also helps to maintain the minerals, which are considered to promote flavour and good health. From there the water is sealed in bottles ready to be sold. As Fillico is a luxury product, the bottle itself is one of the most attractive things about the brand. The exterior of each bottle is encrusted with Swarovski crystals, with one of the most popular bottles
featuring crystals arranged into a glittering bottle top shaped like the former Roman Emperor Fredrich II’s crown. While this may sound unusual, Reiko explains that Fillico’s president often cites Friedrich II’s power, leadership, wealth and historical influence as his inspiration. “He was particularly impressed by the images of Friedrich II, which formed the basic idea for the design of our bottles.” Being a Japanese brand, there have, of course, been special editions of this water designed to appeal to the unique demands of the home market. A Hello Kitty special bottle bearing her face and a bow of crystals was released recently, and the RosaAngelo featuring a cheeky cupid on the bottle cap is naturally popular for weddings. “The beautifully decorated bottles can be loved by anyone,” Reiko says. “For many of our customers, the bottles may be a memento of their special occasion; a wedding, birthday, anniversary – any event. All the bottles are handmade and we even take name orders to make your bottle completely unique and customized for your special day.” When I ask her about the future of the company, Reiko describes Fillico’s growth in the global market. The product has recently been adopted by Hollywood luxury lovers and has made appearances at numerous parties and celebrity bashes. In addition, the Middle East has been a surprising new market for the brand. “Our customers in these areas use our water for their special occasions like weddings,” Reiko
10 Thousand BC, the current Canadian prime minister’s drink of choice, is named for the 10,000-year old glacial ice from which it is made. It’ll set you back about ¥1,000 for a 750ml bottle. If glacial ice isn’t extravagant enough, try drinking a bottled iceberg. Taken from the floating ice found off the coast of Canada, Berg is available for a comparatively reasonable ¥700 for 750ml. The Fuji area in Japan has long been an important part of national identity. And now water from this iconic volcanic area, sold under the name Finé, can be yours for only ¥600 for 750ml.
explains. “Since most of them are of the Islamic faith, they do not drink alcohol, so the water is preferred for their parties. They also really like our designs on the bottles.” Despite their popularity abroad, Reiko assures us that the company are not about to abandon their roots. “Fillico is connected to Kansai, because we started business in Kansai,” she says. “Kansai is Fillico’s home.”
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Food and drink
Masala magic After enormous success in the ‘90s, Pina Khana are spicing things up again with the opening of a new branch in Kobe. Text and images: KS
Pina Khana Kobe opened its doors in March this year, the latest incarnation of a chain of restaurants that at one time could be found up and down the country. Meaning literally wine and dine in Hindi, the Pina Khana brand has been nurtured by its founder Ravi Sharma, a 60-something entrepreneur whose adventures in Japan began way back in 1970. After a stint as a hotelier and fashion retailer, his foray into the restaurant business began in 1990 with a tiny 40m/sq establishment in Osaka’s Kappa Yokocho, an arcade of hole-in-the-wall eateries tucked behind Hankyu station in Umeda. From this small place was born a recipe for success that Ravi used as a template to rapidly launch Pina Khanas all over Japan during the ‘90s. Most have since ceased operations, however, with the last remaining vestige to be found at the Universal City branch. Until now that is. The spacious, open-plan interior of restaurant number 25, Pina Khana Kobe, contains many of the details one might find in Indian restaurants the world over Ganesh statues, indian textiles, screens showing Bollywood movies, and... wait a minute, is that a gramophone? Antiques and curiosities accumulated by Ravi over 40 years help add to the ambience,
but the functional table settings and laminated menus remind us that we’re here to dine, not to browse. Two chefs busy themselves behind a long wooden counter under Ravi’s watchful eye. We’ve ordered the Indian Thali set for two, a generous selection of three curries, tandoori chicken, rice, salad, naan bread, poppadoms and dessert. A veritable feast, and at just ¥2,980 it’s great value. The Saag Chicken (spinach and chicken curry) is mild, yet incredibly moreish, a perfect foil to the rich, creamy sauce of the Butter Chicken Masala and the complex blend of a zillion spices that is the Keema curry. All three curries mop-up exceedingly well with the freshly baked naan bread and there is plenty for two people. Drinks are extra, but an iced-cold Indian Kingfisher or Golden Eagle lager pairs well with curry, as does a soothing lassi when things get a little too spicy. The homemade mint-chutney that accompanies the succulent Tandoori Chicken is a real treat. It isn’t often that the entire serving of any one condiment gets polished off, but this tangy sauce will have you reaching for more, and more. As with everything else on the menu, I am reassured that the recipe has remained unchanged for 20 years. For many that have enjoyed din-
Pina Khana • Address: 652-0035 Hyogo-ken, Kobe-shi, Hyogo-ku, Nishitamondori, 1-3-31 1F (3min from Hankyu Kosoku-kobe Stn, or 8min from JR Kobe Stn). Parking available. • Tel: 078-576-7838 • Open: Lunch 11am–3pm, Dinner 5pm–10pm • Price range: ¥787–¥4,000 • Go to dish: Butter Chicken Masala • Best bit: Mint chutney. Slap it on the tandoori chicken and enjoy • Worst bit: Location. Great if you live in the area, but a little out of the way otherwise
ing at a Pina Khana before, this new Kobe location will provide a welcome chance to enjoy such perennial favourites as Saag Paneer (spinach and cheese curry) and Butter Prawn Masala once again. For everyone else looking for some top-notch indian dining in Kobe, you won’t be disappointed to seek it out.
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Kansai Seen Life through the lens of Kansai based photographers
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Herons and cranes of the Kamogawa river A great variety of wildlife can be found along the Kamogawa river in Kyoto, incuding many species of herons, eygrets and cranes (collectively known as sagi in Japanese). They gather to feast on the young ayu and other fish that can be spotted in the shallows. Photographs by Stuart Gibson stuartgibson.aminus3.com
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Language
海外生活日記
It never rains, but it pours The rainy season is upon us. Like all seasons in Japan, tsuyu can be relied upon to come knocking right on schedule and when it comes, you best be prepared with kasa (umbrella) and kappa (rain jacket) close to hand. You will inevitably get caught out however and will find yourself having to explain in Japanese just what kind of rain you got soaked with. Shower yourself with these watery expressions and you’ll never feel out of your depth again.
Expressions 雨は嫌ですね
Ame wa iya desu ne 良く降りますね
Yoku furimasu ne 今日も雨みたいですね
Kyo mo ame mitai desu ne 傘を持っていくのを忘れないでね
Kasa o motteiku no o wasurenaide ne ビショビショになった
Bisho bisho ni natta!
It’s no fun when it rains It’s raining a lot (today/ recently) Looks like it will rain today too Don’t forget your umbrella I got soaked!
Types of rain 小降り Koburi
Spitting
小雨 Kosame
Light rain
大雨 Ooame
Heavy rain
バケツをひっくり返したような雨
Torrential rain (bucketing down)
Bakettsu o hikkirukaeshita you na ame しとしと降る Shitoshito furu
Prolonged shower
雷雨 Rai-u
Thunder storms
にわか雨 Niwaka ame
April showers (stop and start, repeat)
Vocab 梅雨 Tsuyu
The rainy season
傘 Kasa
Umbrella
長靴 Nagagutsu
Wellies/gum boots
カッパ Kappa
Rain coat
虹 Niji
Rainbow
What’s it like living in... Indonesia? In Bali, Island of the Gods, Kazue is fulfilling her destiny of starting a nursery where children can play and fully express themselves. KS asked her all about it. バリ島で何をしていますか。 保育園の活動と母業です。保育園で、ひと りでも多くのこどもとママの笑顔を守りた い！ママが笑顔ならパパも笑顔！そうやって 笑顔の輪を広げていきたいです。 バリ島へ住むきっかけ。 東洋医学に興味を持ち、フリーランスの商業デ ザイナーからセラピストに転身し、心斎橋でアロマヒーリングサロン を経営していました。ある日、サロンに立ち寄ったバリ島をよく知る デザイナー仲間が「来週、バリにまた行くねんけど行く？」、 「行くわ」 「えっ！」 「行くで！」と。初めてのバリ、飛行機のタラップを降りた瞬 間に何かに絡めとられたような気がします。ここが私の住まうところ だと「帰ってきた」と感じたのです。それから3か月後、サロン移転や 労働ビザの取得し移住しました。 バリで保育園をされているんですね！ 2010年に長男を日本語補習校のプレイグループに入れたことが、 教育を考えるきっかけでした。翌年3歳になる息子には、土曜日午前 中のみの補習校の授業か現地幼稚園の選択肢がありました。幼稚 園では小学校入学までに読み書きや計算を習得させるため、遊びよ りも勉強に重点を置いていました。こどもを遊ばせたい！―これが園 を立ち上げることになったきっかけです。現在は保育士さんや現地 の日本人の親御さんたちの協力を得て運営しています。多くの人々 が、この保育の方法も選択肢のひとつ、と考えてくれる日を願ってい ます。また、バリには日本で被災し、避難されてきた方もおられるよ うなので、情報交換の場所にできないかと思案中です。 普段は何語を話していますか。 家族とはインドネシア語、こどもとは日本語です。学習方法は王道の 「辞書」を使って調べること、友達を捕まえて「喋って、喋って」攻 撃。 （笑）親戚にはバリ語しか話せない人も多いので、バリ語も勉強 中です。 海外で子育てをしてよかったこと・困ったこと。 おおらかさと、みんながこどもを大好きなこと。 ぐずっている子みる と、だれかれなくかまってくれます。大きな声で話していても、嬉しそ うに見守ってくれます。困ることは、医療の遅れと迷信、宗教にまつ わること。熱が出ても薬を飲ませるより、葉っぱを貼るとか． ． ． 。 バリ島での生活、ここが好き！ 自然がいっぱい！ヒンズーの教えもこころが落ち着きます。スピリチ ュアルなことが、当たり前のこととして、みんなの日常に溶け込んで いることが楽です。 Follow Kazue Blog: http://ameblo.jp/baliganesha-rakuen Interview by Sarasa Kitano
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Food and drink
Best bird in town Osaka’s only Michelin-starred yakitori restaurant takes the humble chicken to celestial heights while keeping prices down to earth.
Sumibi jidori & Bishu Ayamuya 炭火地鶏・美酒 あやむ屋 • Address: Osaka-shi, Fukushima-ku, Fukushima 5-17-39 • Tel: 06-6455-7270 • Access: a few minutes walk from JR Fukushima, Hanshin Fukushima and JR Shin-Fukushima stations. • Open: Monday to Saturday 5:30pm– 11pm. Last order 9:30pm. • English: limited on menu, very little spoken • Price: ¥300 flat entry fee per person;
Text and images: Barry Louie
skewers start at ¥180 a piece; VISA card accepted
Why, you may ask, would an unpretentious, 20-seater yakitori joint be on everyone’s radar? Because in 2009, this establishment became Osaka’s only Michelin-starred yakitori restaurant. With its single star, Ayamuya has proven that Osakan street food can hold its own alongside the haute cuisine of Tokyo, and has given Kansai diners another place that serves seriously good food at reasonable prices. On a recent visit to Ayamuya, I asked owner/chef Takumi Naganuma why he thought his restaurant was included in the Michelin guide. The Michelin judging criteria tends to be both subjective and secretive, so Naganuma said he could only speculate that he was recognized for his commitment to quality and consistency. Using only free-range chicken grilled over Wakayama charcoal, Naganuma offers four set courses, ranging from the 7-kushi (skewer) course (¥2,200) to the 10-kushi Omakase (up-to-the-chef) “B” course (¥4,900). Both Omakase A and B courses have otsukuri moria-
wase, a selection of several types of raw chicken sashimi (¥1,600), plus grilled vegetables like shishito (green peppers, ¥350) and yamaimo (mountain yam, ¥400). But if you dislike surprises, organs (gizzards, male gonads and the like), or unrecognizable parts, it’s best to skip the set courses and order a la carte, where you’ll find yakitori standards such as negima (thigh meat with spring onion, ¥340), teba (wing, ¥280), tsukune (meatball, ¥240), and yakionigiri (grilled rice ball, ¥250). Depending on the cut of chicken, choose from shio (salt), tare (standard yakitori marinade) or supaisu (a piquant dusting reminiscent of garam masala). The drinks menu is compact, but impressive: Suntory Premium Malts on tap, premier cru champagne, Belgian beers, various shochu, and a short, but representative wine list with new and old world selections. Of all the items sampled on my visit, the highlight was the creamy, Calvados-infused chicken liver pâté (¥950)
• Go to dish: liver pâté with baguette • Best bit: the best yakitori in Osaka • Worst bit: course menu not recommended for the squeamish
served with slices of toasted baguette. Allow the ramekin to warm to room temperature and mix the yellow butter in before spreading onto the bread. My companion and I wrestled with each other for the last smear of pâté. Because Ayamuya is so popular, and seats so few, plan ahead to get in. It’s best to reserve a seat by phone (Japanese only), but if you pop your head in as the first wave begins to leave, around 8:30-9pm, you may just be able to cruise right in without waiting. While popular chain-shop Torikizoku may offer the cheapest yakitori in town, Ayamuya has become the gourmet benchmark for yakitori in Osaka. So head over to Fukushima and add a Michelin-starred restaurant to your Facebook page. Your wallet will hardly notice.
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Jun 14
© 2012 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All rights reserved
G.I. Joe: Retaliation. © 2012 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.
G.I. Joe: Retaliation June 8 • 110 mins • Action • Director: Jon M. Chu • Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Byunghun Lee, Adrianne Palicki
Film previews
The Great Gatsby
KS
Pick
June 14 • 142 mins • Drama • Director: Baz Lurhmann Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joel Edgerton, Tobey Maguire
It’s a book many said could never be brought to the silver screen, but that hasn’t stopped Hollywood profiting from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic, The Great Gatsby, time and time again. Although Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation is one of the most anticipated films of 2013, it is in fact the 5th cinematic release of the novel, the first harking back to 1926. There have also been a number of television movies, and even an operatic take on the narrative that graced the boards in 1999. Set in the summer of 1922, the story is narrated by World War I veteran turned New York-based bonds salesman, Nick Carraway (Maguire). Written in 1925, the original story was set during an extravagant decade during which an economic crash seemed as likely as an alien invasion. With themes of lavishness and opulence, eccentric wealth is personified by the dashing Jay Gatsby (DiCaprio), who has a passion for parties and beautiful women, namely the stunning Daisy Buchanan (Mulligan). With the book unknowingly set before the great depression, the film has the potential to hold up a harsh looking glass to our own current dire economy and the elaborate consumerism that drove it into the dirt. Instead (and perhaps rightly so), the film concentrates on the razzle-dazzle of the book, with DiCaprio swaggering perfectly in the shoes of Gatsby, swigging champagne and charming everyone on and off screen. Maguire may seem like a strange choice for Carraway, but he holds his own as the intrepid narrator, but with such an amazing supporting cast, he is just another cog in the machine. The machine does run smoothly, however, with the two-hour-plus running-time flying by. The film appeases bookworms to a degree, but it has its sights set on a wider audience, many of whom may not have heard of the book, let alone read it. In short, like the vast majority of book-to-screen adaptations, Lurhmann’s latest offering is a watered down version of the original. But for a cinematic medium, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Don’t forget you can find a list of local cinemas (and what’s playing) online at: www.kansaiscene.com/cinemas/
For the very few loyal fans who waited years for this sequel, the franchise hasn’t matured like a fine wine, but festered like a bad cheese. Jon M. Chu, the man responsible for the horrifying Justin Bieber documentary, Never Say Never, takes the reins as director. Although center stage on the poster, Bruce Willis is only in the latter half of the movie, but Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson does what he does best and is the only good thing about this action flop. In short, the G.I. Joe department are blacklisted and they must fight Cobra and bureaucracy simultaneously.
Garden of Words 言の葉の庭 May 31 • 46 mins • Romance • Director: Makoto Shinkai • Starring: Miyu Irino, Kana Hanazawa
An anime for grown-ups, Garden of Words is a slow paced movie with a focus on romance and mystery. Young shoemaker Takao, meets Yukino in his backyard while practicing his trade. By chance, fate, or pure luck, the two meet on a regular basis, but only on rainy days; but with the rainy season soon coming to an end, what will happen to their budding relationship? At just 46 minutes long, the film is a short and sweet sample from writer/director, Makoto Shinkai.
It’s Me It’s Me. © 2012 J Storm Inc.
It’s Me It’s Me 俺俺 May 25 • 119 mins • Comedy • Director: Satoshi Miki • Starring: Kazuya Kamenashi, Yuki Uchida, Ryo Kase
Satoshi Miki had a tricky task, adapting the script from Tomoyuki Hoshino’s awesome novel and directing it as well. A book that won the 2010 Kenzaburo Oe Prize, it follows a scam artist who prays on the elderly, calling them up and saying “it’s me, it’s me,” in the hope of wangling a bank transfer. But a snowball effect of losing your own identity and stealing another reaches the very edges of Japanese society, making this a comedy and modern commentary that’s well worth a trip to the flicks.
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Feature
Kabuki 101 Curious about the larger-thanlife drama and costume of kabuki shows, but too scared to commit? Doing a little pre-theatre prep work will pay rich dividends for the overall experience. KS puts together a crash course to get you started. Text: Sam Evans • Images: Courtesy of Shochiku Co.
Those ghostly white faces, the eerie sound effects, and the apparently completely random yells from the crowd... yep, the traditional Japanese performance art of kabuki can at first seem a bit perplexing, if not downright strange, to the average gaijin. But take a closer look, and you’ll see that this 400 year-old art form is in fact a wonderfully entertaining insight into Japanese culture. For those yet to experience its magic, we’ve put together a crash course to help in appreciating the wildly popular and enduring spectacle that is kabuki. Kabuki’s roots can be traced back to 1603 when shinto priestess Izumo no Okuni began performing a new style of dance drama in the dry riverbeds of Kyoto. People were immediately drawn to her dynamic method of storytelling and the salacious themes that were explored and often extended off-stage, as many of the exclusively-female performers offered services beyond the dramatic variety. Following the Tokugawa shogunate’s relocation from Kyoto, word soon spread to Edo where kabuki exploded onto the social scene, finding popularity in Yoshiwara; the city’s registered red light district. Here the art brought together people of all classes in a way that had never been seen before, and theatres became iniquitous social stages where Edoites came to see and be seen in all the latest fashions. From this point kabuki experienced many changes: from being temporarily driven underground by disapproving shoguns to the switching of emphasis solely to male actors through a ban on women. Despite the controversy that once surrounded the ban, however, the emphasis on male actors, or onnagata, is a tradition that persists to this day. Today kabuki, literally meaning “song dance skill”, remains extremely popular and is the most viewed of all the traditional Japanese performing arts. The unique style of kabuki comprises exaggerated and extremely stylised acting with elaborate costumes to match. This
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is important because, much like our Shakespearean plays, kabuki is an old art form performed in an archaic tongue, which even the most exquisitely cultured of natives may sometimes struggle to understand. The makeup worn by the different characters also helps to reinforce the narrative and is the most instantly recognisable aspect of the spectacle. Character appearance, however, is just one of many conventions in kabuki. Equally unique to the art form is the stage itself, which houses more effect-creating intricacies than one would care to shake an ame-uchiwa (that’s the beaded fan used to mimic the sound of rain incase you didn’t know) at... I’ll stop there with the witty references and fill you in. The revolving stage, or mawaributai, allows the quick changing of scenes, often during a brief period of darkness (chompa) before a transfixed and hopefully not too nyctophobic audience. Pioneered in the Kyoho era, the mawaributai is rotated on wheels by stage assistants, although modern theatres now mostly rely on the convenience of electrical power. Adding to the art’s spectacular nature, kabuki actors often enter the stage via extraordinarily dramatic means. The senri, for example, allows characters to emerge from below the stage, sometimes while attached to cables to create a flying effect, or chunori (think Peter Pan meets Memoirs Of A Geisha). The hanamichi, literally meaning “flower path”, is a raised walkway
used for when characters emerge from behind the audience. Such entrances often result in shouts from audience members, but don’t take this to be a sign of disrespect. On the contrary, if the well-dressed Japanese guy sitting next to you suddenly leaps out of his seat and starts yelling, rest assured that he is chanting an actor’s yagao (traditional troupe name) in a show of adoration...either that or he just spilled hot sake on his lap. Kabuki programs are all-day affairs, but you can purchase a ticket for just the matinee or evening show (each still being four hours) if you don’t feel like staying for the long haul. The day is usually split up into three plays separated by intervals in which spectators typically discuss the play while consuming traditional food and drinks. If you’re still mystified why so many people pay to be locked in a theatre for 11 hours straight, this is how Osaka resident and kabuki-enthusiast, Yuko Hamamoto, explains her passion for the artform: “The things that I enjoy most about kabuki are the ways in which the actors perform the stories. The costumes are beautiful and the dancing is fascinating and creates a great atmosphere for the audience to enjoy.” Yuko Abe, of the Minamiza kabuki theatre in Kyoto, says it’s the performers’ distinct skills that makes kabuki so appealing. “Their acting styles are truly unique and cannot be seen in any other art form. You can enjoy the
Far left: Famous contemporary Kabuki actor 海老蔵 (Ebizo) Ebizo strikes a pose as the character 荒獅子男之助 (Arajisshi Otokono) Above: Take a peek backstage and walk along the hanamichi on one of the special Kabuki Museum tours Bottom right: Edo period ukiyo-e print depicting a scene in a kabuki play
actors’ flamboyant and exaggerated gestures, dancing, and dialogue used in the performance.” And how has this art form, which has kept the same format for hundreds of years, stood the test of time to be popular even today? Abe explains “People can find the source for the true Japanese art form in kabuki and that is why so much effort has been made to defend its tradition. One can travel back in time just by seeing kabuki.” So what are you waiting for? Get to one of Kansai’s two very own world class kabuki theatres; the Minamiza in Kawaramachi or the Shochiku-za on Dotonbori and experience kabuki for yourself.
Where and when to see kabuki in Kansai Kyoto Minamiza
Osaka Shochiku-za
East side, Shijo-ohashi-bridge, Higashiyama-ku,
9-19, Dotonbori 1-chome, Chu-ku, Osaka
Kyoto
Access: Osaka city subway, Namba exit 14,
Access: City bus to Shijo Kawaramachi. Hankyu
1min walk.
railways: Kawaramachi station exit 1, 3min walk.
June: Ooku (drama)
June: Kiyoshi & Naomi Concert (comedy)
July: July Kabuki
July: Tokyo Story (drama)
September: Untitled play (drama)
August: OSK Girls’ Opera (opera/musical)
October: October Kabuki
September: Kouka (drama)
November: Shochiku Comedy (comedy)
October: Amaterasu (drama) November: Kabuki Museum
More details:
December: Kaomise Kabuki
kabuki-bito.jp/eng
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Books
A David of a book to Japan’s Goliath A self-avowed geek reinvents the cultural guidebook genre for readers of the Internet age in this insightful and eye-catching tome. Text: Catherine Jao
At just 160 pages, this slim book doesn’t seem to offer much at all. However, we all know how the saying goes. Unlike many travel guidebooks out there that focus extensively on the places to see and things to do, A Geek in Japan focuses instead on trying to better understand Japan and its people. Spinning off from the author’s hugely successful blog, www.kirainet.com, this book is written by Hector Garcia, a Spaniard with a highly inquisitive mind and a gift for photography. Garcia has been living in Japan for more than 9 years, and he comes across as a foreigner who has been actively immersing himself in Japanese culture, trying to figure out and answer the many niggling questions any visitor to Japan eventually finds himself asking as they travel around the country. “Japan is completely different from the West,” he writes. “It’s like living in an alien country.” However, by living, studying and working here, he learned to gradually understand this country he now calls home. “I’ve always liked to write about what I learned since I was a kid using notebooks,” he continues. “Using a blog format was a natural step for me to share what I learn with everyone. It’s also a very good format to learn from people, since most of the time the people commenting know more than me about what I write.” After establishing himself online, Garcia decided to foray into the word of books. With starting material from the best of his posts and culled from his
various experiences, A Geek in Japan combines short yet insightful articles with eye-catching photography, which makes for an easy read. He gives a brief overview on fairly standard topics such as Japan’s history, its traditional arts and disciplines, and uses the last two chapters on visiting Tokyo and tips for travelers visiting Japan. But the book’s more interesting bits are found in the middle chapters covering life in Japan and its popular culture. What’s the deal with their interest in blood types? What are their daily lives like? What is it like working for a Japanese company? Where did manga and anime come from? All these satisfying questions are answered, and while it does get repetitive in some parts, this doesn’t take away from the unique information he imparts, and the refreshingly straightforward observations he shares with the reader. For all those who have already had a taste of Japanese culture, yet are left with wanting to understand more; or for visitors and Japanese pop culture fans who want a more in-depth look into the heart of Japan, there’s definitely something to be picked up from this book.
• Title: A Geek in Japan: Discovering the Land of Manga, Anime, Zen, and the Tea Ceremony • Author: Hector Garcia • Publisher: Tuttle Publishing • ISBN: 9784805311295 • Price: ¥1,800 • Format: 190.5x254mm 160pp paperback
Hector’s favourite modern culture spots in Kansai Kyoto International Manga Museum As far as museums in Kansai go, Hector says it doesn’t get better than this. www.kyotomm.jp/english 1st Nintendo building Video game addicts can make a pilgrimage to Kyoto to see Nintendo’s very first building. Check Hector’s website for the location’s Google map link. www.kirainet.com/english/firstnintendo-building Village Vanguard (Osaka) Manga maniacs need look no further than Village Vanguard, found dotted
Free Stuff!
reader One lucky KS n. Geek in Japa A of py co a can win ail your name em aw dr the om To enter @kansaiscene.c to: giveaways by June 17. ct Mark the subje pan’. ‘A Geek in Ja
in many locations around Kansai. This one’s conveniently located inside the Loft building in Umeda. www.loft.co.jp/shoplist/umeda
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Kansai Scene magazine JUNE 2013 kansaiscene.com
Kansai Scene Promotion
The social network A warm, friendly vibe - courtesy of a wood-fire oven and communal seating - sets this Napoli-style pizza joint apart from the rest. Text: Daniel Tang • Images: GO_SUKE
A freezing cold Norwegian winter wouldn’t be the first association one makes with Beer & Pizza GO_SUKE, but the connection is important in understanding the motivation behind Umeda’s new casual dining bar. Manager Gosuke Asada’s inspiration for great pizza traces back to junior high school, on his first individual trip abroad to Norway for a ski camp. His English was limited, and his Norwegian coaches couldn’t speak Japanese either. “I was very nervous,” he remembers. After arriving in Oslo, Asada found himself waiting for a train to the ski camp, isolated and hungry. Waiting for him, in turn, was pizza to satiate his physical hunger and placate his emotional qualms. “That pizza was so delicious,” he says. “I had eaten pizza before, but I thought that was my best encounter with pizza at the time.” Asada understands broader contexts of a meal all contribute to its experience. He’s combined this with a lifelong interest in social spaces, in the hope of creating a unique place for visitors.
Back at his restaurant, his proposal for guests is, therefore, a simple one: come in, have great food and drinks, and prepare to be social. The social aspect is adroitly achieved through the open-plan layout of the bar’s first floor: large tables and benches dominate the room, enabling guests to mingle with ease. The use of real wood – for furniture and fuel for the pizza oven – adds a rich, palatable dimension to the mix. Upstairs is a slightly different affair: the music is less upbeat, the décor more sophisticated, and the lighting more soft and intimate. One large table encourages shared seating, emphasising Asada’s ideals. It’s the perfect setting for a party or work event, considering that use of the amenities (projector, mic and screen) incur no extra charge. Asada doesn’t want price to get in the way of having a memorable experience (no table or entrance charge either), a belief reflected in the food and drinks. The dough base for their 10 offerings of Napoli-styled pizza is made from
100% imported Italian flour. Each pizza uses high quality ingredients and they’re freshly made and cooked in a custom-built, wood-fired oven Their most popular pizza is a simply delicious combination of Italian ham, a mix of five herbs, and cheese (¥1,480 for regular size). On the drinks front, GO_SUKE’s selection has something for almost everyone. In addition to standard beers and spirits, the menu features 40 organic wines, a variety of original cocktails and fun beverages such as their test tube concoctions (¥1,800). A standout service of the bar is its bottle policy: buy a bottle of spirits and they’ll keep it without charge for six months, throwing in free ice and soda water for the duration of its existence. Now that’s the GO_SUKE experience.
GO_SUKE • Address: Osaka, Kita-ku, Sonezakicho 2-5-24, Chuo building, 3/4F • Access: 7min walk from Osaka/ Umeda train stations. From the ground floor look up for the big awning • Opening hours: 6pm-5am, 365 days a year • Price Range: Food (appetizers, salads and pizzas) ¥100-1480; Drinks ¥200-15,000 • Go to dish: any pizza • Go to drink: test tubes for a trip back to high-school science class • Best bit: fun and lively atmosphere • Worst bit: they don’t open for lunch
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Kansai Scene magazine JUNE 2013 kansaiscene.com
Feature
Buckets of cool Fighting Kansai’s aggressive summer heat in an eco-friendly way is easy. All you need is a bamboo ladle, bucket of water, and a little wrist action. Text: Adam Miller
With summer fast approaching, the sweating hordes will no doubt flock to the air-conditioned paradises of shopping malls, cinemas and the frozen sections of their local supermarkets. But there is a more traditional and eco-friendly way to keep cool this summer, a technique that has been around since the Edo Period and is still widely practiced nationwide to this very day. Uchi Mizu is the simple act of using a bamboo ladle and bucket to sprinkle water on the street outside your shop or house, usually while wearing a fetching yukata. It may seem primitive, but the water does not only cool the surface of the sidewalk (which is often paved with concrete, a serial offender for absorbing and storing heat), it also sucks cool air downwards as the water
evaporates, much the same as our own natural defense against heat, sweating. The evaporation may only cool the air by a couple of degrees, but the effects are clearly noticeable, not least because the air being drawn to street level can also alleviate the aggressive humidity that plagues the Kansai area every year. Traditionally, the custom was just another example of how important community spirit is to Japan; as shop owners would not only wet the entrance to their own shop, but those next door as well. The water also helped keep the streets clean and so more inviting to potential customers. It may seem basic, but leaving food scraps on the floor on a scorching summer day does not only look dirty, it
can cause a stench to frighten off even the most determined of shoppers. Although it was once a common practice for shop owners, today, domestic Uchi Mizu has had a spike in popularity, as it is seen as a more environmentally friendly way to cool down the area surrounding your home. Some may think it is rather wasteful to pour perfectly good water on the floor, but the official English website (not perfect English, but English nonetheless www. uchimizu.jp/language/en), suggests that you either collect rainwater, or reuse bath water. They are also quick to point out that it can be beneficial to everyone, no matter their living arrangements: “It works not only on road surfaces, but also on roofs, verandahs, walls, both in sunny places and shade.”
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Kansai Scene magazine JUNE 2013 kansaiscene.com
This month in Kansai
06
1
2
3
ART
EVENT
ART
Tokyo Type Directors Club Exhibition 2013 Details p.38
Kagi no Jamaki Imazato no Jamaki Details p.34
Yumiko Morisue: Wandering Along the Road Details p.39
8
9
10
11
CLUB
EVENT
EVENT
CLUB
Details p.35
Details p.35
Cyber Japan presents Bikini Night Summer 2013 @Grand Cafe
Azuchi Nobunaga
Water Clock Festival
Details p.40
Pure Osaka 8th Anniversary @Circus Details p.41
16
17
18
19
LIVE
LIVE
ART
EVENT
Chick Corea and Stanley Clarke
Lau Details p.45
Yu Kiwanami: Appetite for Painting
24
25
26
27
LIVE
LIVE
EVENT
ART
Details p.38
Whale Watching Details p.34
Details p.44
Monday Michiru @Billboard Live Osaka Details p.45
Van Halen @Municipal Central Gymnasium Details p.44
Music Festa Nara 2013 Details p.35
Robert N. Moore Details p.39
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Kansai Scene magazine JUNE 2013 kansaiscene.com
4
5
6
7
ART
EVENT
CLUB
EVENT
Details p.38
Details p.35
Details p.40
Details p.35
Dialogue of Garden
Agata Festival
Minilogue “Blomma” Release Party @Circus
Belgian Beer Weekend Osaka 2013
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13
14
15
EVENT
ART
CLUB
EVENT
Details p.39
Details p.40
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21
22
23
ART
LIVE
EVENT
ART
Candle Night at Osaka City
Great French Paintings from the Clark
Tightrope Dancing @Circus
Tahara Firefly Festival Details p.35
Details p.36
Art Salad 7 Details p.39
Crazy Ken Band @Namba Hatch
Kyoto Antique Fair Details p.36
Details p.44
Glass Design from Finland, the Land of Forests and Lakes Details p.38
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CLUB
EVENT
EVENT
DJ Harvey 2013 Platinum Tour of Japan @Circus Details p.41
Rainy day water fun Details p.36
Fête de la Musique Details p.36
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Events
Jun 2
Rice planting Festival
お田植え祭 Taga-Taisha Shrine, Shiga
Photo provided by Biwako Visitors Bureau
Welcome this year’s rice season by experiencing the splendour of an ancient religious festival held to please the gods. Every year on the first Sunday of June, members of the TagaTaisha shrine perform dramatic agricultural rites to ensure good rain and harvest. See girls wearing crimson sashes and sedge hats wade knee-deep into flooded fields to plant rice seedlings while accompanied by traditional folk songs and drum dances. Enjoy the comedy of classical performing arts and the solemn ritual of oyushiki, the splashing of hot water before and after the rice planting work, which are said to strengthen the seedlings and produce a good harvest. Time: 2pm • Admission: ¥500 • Access: Omi Railway Tagataishamae stn; 10min walk • Tel: 0749-48-1553 • tagataisya.or.jp
Event Listings An exhibition featuring Hawaiian plants, hula dancing and music performances on both Sundays.
Admission: ¥1,000/1d • Access: Nishi-ohashi Stn, exit 4. • www. pechakucha.org/cities/osaka
Admission: ¥500 adults, concessions • sakuyakonohana. com
Umekita Talkin’ About Hauling huge straw jamaki serpents in Nara
Whale Watching - Provided by Wakayama Prefecture
Kagi no Jamaki Imazato no Jamaki
Whale Watching
鍵の蛇巻き今里の蛇巻き Yasaka-jinja and surroundings in Tawaramoto-Cho, Nara • Jun 2 FREE
A unique coming-of-age ritual where local boys aged 15 and over parade around the village carrying enormous jamaki serpents made of straw to prove their manliness. The heads of the snakes can weigh more than 200kg! Admission: free • Access: Kintetsu Railway Ishimi stn; 20min walk
ホエールウォッチング Nanki Marine Leisure Service, Wakayama Everyday until October
Take part in a whale-watching tour, led by a veteran captain, off the coast of the Kii Peninsula. Admission: ¥6,800 adults • Access: JR Kinokuni line Ukui stn • tb-wakayama.jp/detail/index_119. html
Hawaii Flower & Culture Exhibition ハワイ花と文化展 Sakuya Konohana-Kan, Osaka Jun 4–16
梅北トーキンアバウト FREE City Attraction Research Station in Knowledge Capital, Osaka Jun 6
Owner of Irish pub Blarney Stone and lecturer at Kinki University, Tom O’Neil, talks about Ireland and his life in Japan. Admission: free • Tel: 06-6205-4545 • facebook. com/MidosujiTalkinAbout
Pecha Kucha Night Osaka Jun 8 Trois Dix organic restaurant, Osaka
PechaKucha comes to Osaka. Presenters use a 20x20 format (20 slides, each for 20 seconds) to introduce their work, ideas and interests.
Kansai Balinese Dance Festival
Kansai Balinese Dance Festival 第5回 関西バリ舞踊祭 FREE
Kishiki-Jinja, Osaka
Jun 8
An exhibition of Balinese dance performed by Japanese dancers.
Admission: free • Tel: 072-422-0686 • indonesia-corner.com
Art Festa Shobuichi アートフェスタ 勝負市 FREE
Shiga
Hanashoubu-Tori Street,
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Kansai Scene magazine JUNE 2013 kansaiscene.com
Jun 5
Jun 5–9
Belgian Beer Weekend Osaka 2013 ベルギービールウィークエンド大阪2013 FREE
Agata Festival 相生ペーロン祭り FREE
Agata-Jinja, Kyoto
It may have slightly strange ceremonies and be held abnormally late at night, but the centuries-old Agata Festival is nonetheless a hugely popular event that attracts over 100,000 people each year. From nine o’clock at night, browse the 700 stalls lining the approach to the Agata shrine where a solemn ritual will be performed in total darkness. Then, see burly men shake and spin a bonten palanquin (a carriage that royal people were carried in) at break neck speed in a procession around the neighbourhood.
Umeda Sky Building, Osaka
Prepare to get your drink on when the great belgian beer love-in comes to town. Hailing from a country that produces over 1,100 different varieties of beer, this festival brings 63 different brews across 10 categories – Pilsners, Golden Ales, fruit beers, Trappist beers made by monks, and more – to Umeda Sky Building for five days only. Along with the beers, there will also be yummy Belgian snack food (hello mayo-slathered frites) plus live music throughout the day. Guests can purchase ¥3,100 “starter sets” which come with an original glass and 12 beer/food “coins.” Pre-sales tickets also available (more info via website). Admission: free • Access: JR Osaka stn/Hankyu/Hanshin
Time: 9pm • Admission: free • Access: Keihan Railway Uji stn;
Railway Umeda stn/Subway Midosuji line Umeda stn; 10min
8min walk • Tel: 0774-21-3014
walk • Tel: 03-5829-6878 • belgianbeerweekend.jp/2013/osaka
Jun 8 & 9
An arts and craft fair with food stalls, live music and much more.
Admission: free • Access: JR Biwako line Hikone stn; 20min walk
Water Clock Festival 漏刻祭 FREE
Omijingu Shrine, Shiga
Jun 10
A festival to commemorate the dawn of the modern system of measuring time.
Admission: free • Access: Keihan Railway Omijingu-mae stn
Okoshiya Festival おこしや祭 Azuchi Nobunaga - Provided by Biwako Visitors Bureau
Azuchi Nobunaga Festival 第29回あづち信長まつり FREE
Azuchi Castle Ruins, Shiga
Jun 9
A procession of costumes from the samurai period, a large market of local products, and much more. Admission: free • Access: JR Biwako line Azuchi stn; 25min walk
FREE
Nishinomiya-Jinja, Hyogo
Jun 14
An annual summer festival with a parade of portable shrines decorated with quinces. Admission: free • nishinomiya-ebisu.com
Music Festa Nara 2013
temples, shrines, restaurants, hotels and other venues across Nara. Admission: most concerts are free • naraken.com/musik
Tahara Firefly Festival 田原ほたるまつり FREE Tahara Nosankako Centre, Kyoto Jun 15
A festival to celebrate the annual firefly spectacle on the banks of the Tahara River, with food stalls, a soba noodle making workshop, and more.
FREE Shirahama Beach, Wakayama Jun 16
A competition of water rescue skills demonstrated by trained lifeguards. Admission: free • Time: 8am–3pm • Access: JR Kinokuni line Shirahama stn bus to Shirahama
Pipe Organ Concert パイプオルガンコンサート
Future Shorts Film Festival, Kobe
A pipe organ concert held at the Bungei no Sato cultural complex to commemorate the powerful 16th century lord, Oda Nobunaga.
Queen of Hoot, Kobe Kitano Jun 15
Various locations across Nara City Jun 14–30
Spring edition of this popular Independent short film festival.
A large-scale music event with over 100 concerts being staged in
第14回オーシャンサーフチャレン ジin 白浜 2013
Admission: free • Access: Kita Kinki Tango Railway Amanohashidate stn then a 40min taxi to the venue.
ムジークフェストなら2013 FREE
Ocean Surf Challenge in Shirahama 2013
Admission: ¥2,000 (6 screenings + 1/d). Access: 15min walk from Sannomiya sta. • www. wasabicreation.com
Bungei no Sato, Shiga Jun 16
Admission: ¥1,800 • bungei.or.jp
Time Week 2013 時のウィーク2013 FREE
Akashi-Koen Park, Hyogo
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Kansai Scene magazine JUNE 2013 kansaiscene.com
Jun-Dec
Photo provided by Biwako Visitors Bureau
Jun 5 & 12
Candle Night at Osaka City
Rainy day water fun
1,000,000人のキャンドルナイト＠Osaka City 2013 Summer
水のめぐみ館 アクア琵琶
FREE
Jun 5 at Chayamachi, Jun 12 at Nishi Umeda
FREE
Mizu no Megumi-Kan Aqua Biwa, Shiga
Time: 6pm–10pm (postponed to the next day if it rains)
What better thing to do on a rainy day in June than find out how it feels to be in a torrential rainstorm that’s almost six times as bad as the Japanese record! Head to Aqua Biwa in Shiga where you’ll learn all about irrigation, water use and the history of Japan’s largest lake, Biwa, and Osaka’s largest river, the Yodogawa. With exciting films, hands-on games like the 600mm/hour rainstorm simulator, and impressive facilities, learning about Kansai’s famous waterways has never been more fun.
• Admission: free • Access: JR Osaka stn/Subway/Hanshin
Time: 9:30am–4:30pm (Closed weekends and public holidays)
Railway/Hankyu Railway Umeda stn • candle-night-osaka.jp
• Admission: free • Access: Keihan Railway Ishiyama stn bus to
Ever wondered what Osaka would feel like if we just turned off the lights? On two separate nights this month, the city’s busiest hub will do just that. The area will be plunged into rare darkness for two hours as the lights of shops and offices are switched off and replaced with the warm glow of candlelight. The illumination event, which will see 20,000 candles and paper lanterns lighting up the streets of Umeda, features live music, night markets and food.
Nango Araizeki • Tel: 077-546-7348 • www.aquabiwa.jp
Event listings cont. Jun 16
An annual celebration of ‘Time Week’ held in Akashi (the meridian point from where time is measured in Japan) with food stalls, a flea market and live music. Admission: free • Access: JR Kobe line Akashi stn; 5min walk
Yuri Festival ゆりまつり FREE
Isagawa-Jinja, Nara
Jun 17
An ancient ritual, which offers lilies to the Gods, featuring an elegant afternoon procession. Admission: free • Access: Kintetsu Railway Nara stn; 5min walk
KS Business Matters networking event Fubar, Shinsaibashi Jun 20
KS editor Carla Avolio will give a practical seminar on how to start making money from writing.
Admission: ¥2,000 w/1d Time: 7:30–9:30pm • Access: 10min walk
from Midosuji subway Shinsaibashi Sta.
Jun 30
A world music concert featuring musical instruments and performers from all over the globe.
Takekiri Eshiki
Admission: free • www.minpaku. ac.jp
竹伐り会式 Kurama Temple, Kyoto Jun 20
A dynamic performance where mountain priests cut broad bamboo trunks in half with one slash.
Admission: ¥200 • Access: Eizan Railway Kurama stn • Tel: 075-741-2003
Kyoto Antique Fair 京都大アンティークフェア Pulse Plaza, Kyoto Jun 21–23 FREE
One of the largest antique markets in Japan with 330 dealers and 150,000 items from home and abroad.
Admission: free • Access: Subway Karasuma line Takeda stn bus to Pulse Plaza
Oliver! Ajisai concert. Image provided by Biwako Visitors Bureau
Ajisai Hydrangea Concert 紫陽花コンサート FREE
Chomeiji Temple, Shiga
Jun 22
An annual concert held in the temple’s garden, which will be full of hydrangeas in bloom.
Admission: free •Access: JR Biwako line Omi Hachiman stn bus to Chomeiji; 20min walk
Canadian Academy, Rokko Island, Kobe June 30
National Theater of Young Artists presents Oliver! the musical story of the world reknowned Oliver Twist.
Admission: ¥1500–2500 adults Access: Take JR Kobe line to JR Sumiyoshi stn, or Hanshin line to Uozaki stn. Change to Rokko Liner to Marine Park, then 5min walk east. • nationaltheater.jp
Fête de la Musique 音楽の祭日2013 in みんぱく FREE The National Museum of Ethnology, Osaka
Find more listings online at: www.kansaiscene.com/listings
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Kansai Scene magazine JUNE 2013 kansaiscene.com
Art
From recovery to cover star This month’s cover artist Robert N. Moore first came to Japan for health reasons, but the place restored his creative spirit as well as his body. Interview: Colin Smith • Images: Robert N. Moore
Nagoya-based artist and musician Robert N. Moore first came to Japan not for artistic inspiration, but to save his failing health. In 2007 he was 25, a freelance designer in Nashville with plenty of top-name clients and security, but a punishing schedule to match. He explains: “Back then, I’d wake at 5:30am to design T-shirts, work full-time as an art director, design CD jackets at lunchtime, take classes at night. I was drinking coffee straight from the pot and Heineken by the keg. I had neglected my body. My throat was lacerated – I couldn’t eat, and doctors thought I’d need a new esophagus. I learned the world’s top throat doctor was in Nagoya, and came for noninvasive surgery.” While in recovery, Moore found a job and hooked up with a guitarist, Takashi Terada, who shared his passion for blues-rock music. He decided to stay and network, but just one year later Japan’s economy crashed.
He says: “Ironically, after surgery I could physically eat, but couldn’t afford food! So I sold off my music equipment. Since then, though, I’ve built back everything and much more by clearly visualizing my goals and pursuing them with determination, passion and expectation. At this point I’m independent, with my own art studio, clients and even sponsors.” Moore now owns his own company, Imagine Design. Before going independent with this in 2011, he worked for various companies doing advertising, illustration, graphic and concept design. This month’s KS cover shows off his “Japanesque” style, which depicts Japanese themes with an outsider’s sensibility. He explains: “When I first arrived in Japan I worked doing Japanesque T-shirt designs, and started a T-shirt company, but I didn’t want to be limited to this area or those themes. In recent years I’ve expanded. I work
by hand or incorporate software, doing portraits, architectural renderings, and graphic design. These days I’m also into acrylic and watercolor painting, but I can’t settle on just one medium!” With his artwork and designs rapidly spreading all over Japan, Moore’s future is looking better than ever.
Exhibition Robert N. Moore’s new work, in an unprecedented style, will be on display at Café Absinthe (1-2-27 Kitahorie, Yotsubashi Bldg. 1F, Nishiku Osaka) from June 5 to June 30. The opening party is on Friday June 7 from 7pm. View more of Robert’s work on his website: www.rob4artstuff.com rob4artstuff@gmail.com
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Kansai Scene magazine JUNE 2013 kansaiscene.com
Art
Until Aug 11
Dialogue of Garden Borderless Art Museum NO-MA, Omihachiman, Shiga
KS
Above: Dialogue of Garden exhibition Below: Untitled by Mineaki Ishihara
Housed in a venerable converted townhouse and its environs, in Pick a historic preserved district of Omihachiman, Shiga, this is one of Japan’s few art venues dedicated to Art Brut, also known as Outsider Art. This is art by people with mental disabilities and other socially marginalized groups. The museum seeks to negate the “borders” between these people and mainstream society by presenting their work as equal with that of nondisabled artists. The current exhibition, Dialogue of Garden, presents work by eight artists with varying backgrounds—some Art Brut creators, some not—dealing with the topic of dialogue. Dialogue can be external or internal, and here artistic creation is viewed as an in-depth dialogue with the self. The work includes paintings, three-dimensional works, video, and installations. This exhibition premise is an intriguing one, and the museum’s unique vision and picturesque premises make it well worth a trip to Omihachiman. While visiting, stroll by the canal that winds through the historic district, containing well-preserved merchants’ residences and rare examples of pre-war Westernstyle architecture. Apr 27–Aug 11 • Work in various media including that by Japanese Art Brut creators Open: 11am–5pm; closed Mon (when Mon is a national holiday, open Mon and closed Tue) Admission: ¥500 Access: JR Omi-Hachiman Stn www.no-ma.jp
Art Listings Kyoto
show • Access: Tozai subway line Higashiyama Stn or Kyoto Kaikan Bijutsukan-mae bus stop www.momak.go.jp
The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto • Jun 15 & 16
Screenings of classic French films La Kermesse héroïque (1935) and Les enfants du paradis (1945) (Sat), and Picasso documentary Le Mystère Picasso (1956) and noir psychothriller Les Diaboliques (1955) (Sun). See website for schedule • ¥500 per film, purchase tickets on day of
Open: 9am–5pm; closed Aug 16 • Admission: Free • Access: Eizan Railway Chayama Station • www.kyoto-art.ac.jp/en
Yu Kiwanami: Appetite for Painting
La Kermesse Heroique (1935 film)
MOMAK Films
An open environment welcoming visitors to revel in a vast expanse of hand-crafted tatami-mat flooring.
Tatami mat heaven at the Kyoto University of Art and Design
Taku Satoh: Gojiyu ni agatte otsukai kudasai (Please Enter and Use Freely) FREE Kyoto University of Art and Design Entrance Lounge Apr 2–Aug 29
FREE Imura Art Gallery Kyoto May 18–Jun 22
Figurative paintings combining manga-esque graphic clarity with the painterly naturalism and narrative content that characterize the artist’s newer work.
Open: 11am–7pm; closed Sun, Mon and hols • Admission: Free • Access: Keihan Jingu-Marutamachi Stn • www.imuraart.com
Osaka Tokyo Type Directors Club Exhibition 2013 ddd gallery • May 14–Jun 28
Outstanding, cutting-edge typographic works from an international exhibition held by the Tokyo Type Directors Club.
Open: 11am–9pm, until 6pm on Sat; closed Sun, Mon and hols Admission: Free • Access: Subway Namba Stn • www.dnp.co.jp/gallery/ddd
Glass Design from Finland, the Land of Forests and Lakes The Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka • Apr 20–Jul 28
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Kansai Scene magazine JUNE 2013 kansaiscene.com
Jun 3–22 Zaru by Yumiko Morisue, strainer and embroidery 25 x 25 x 11cm
Jun 28–Jul 22
Takehiro Terabayashi: Life II
Yumiko Morisue: Wandering Along the Road FREE
Gallery Hosokawa
Yumiko Morisue uses delicate techniques to apply subtle yet profound changes to natural objects and everyday items. Her past work has involved minutely modifying such things as toothbrushes, coasters, books and false eyelashes to strip them of their original purpose and reinvent them as surreal and humorous mental puzzles. In the current exhibition, she uses embroidery to the fill spaces in the delicate networks of objects such as a strainer and the veins of a leaf, creating exquisite jewel-like miniatures brimming with the mystery that underlies the everyday.
Yoshimi Arts
Takehiro Terabayashi’s supremely photorealistic oil paintings make us take a second look at the mundane, mass-produced metallic elements of everyday infrastructure, such as refuse containers, mailboxes and sinks. These devices once symbolized the miraculous cleanliness and convenience of modern life, which we now take for granted. Seeing these objects depicted with the same lovingly meticulous approach as used in classical paintings of vases of flowers, cornucopias of fruit, and fainting maidens, enables the viewer to appreciate them in a new light and turn a fresh gaze on the landscape around us. Jun 28–Jul 22 • Photorealistic oil paintings of seemingly banal objects
Jun 3–Jun 22 • Modified readymades, transformed primarily
Open: 11am–7pm every day during exhibition
through embroidery
Admission: Free
Open: 12:30pm–8:30pm; closed Sun
Access: Subway Higobashi Stn
Admission: Free • Access: Subway Yotsubashi Stn or JR / subway
www.yoshimiarts.com
/ Hanshin / Kintetsu Namba Stn www.galleryhosokawa.com
Finnish glass and ceramic works from the late 18th century to the present day (Tomb Figures and Burial Ware of Ancient China runs concurrently).
Open: 9:30am–7pm, until 6pm on Sat; closed Mon (when Mon is a national holiday, open Mon and closed Tue) • Admission: ¥500 Access: Keihan Nakanoshima Line Naniwabashi Stn or Keihan / subway Yodoyabashi or Kitahama Stn www.moco.or.jp
Robert N. Moore FREE
Café Absinthe • Jun 5–Jun 30
New work, representing a stylistic shift, from Japan-based artist, designer and illustrator (see cover of this issue and interview on page 37). Open: 11:30am–3am Mon-Thu; 11:30am–5am Fri and Sat; 2pm–3am Sun • Admission: Free • Access:
subway Shinsaibashi or Yotsubashi Stn • Access: Subway Osakako stn www.absinthe-jp.com/cafe-absinthe
Art Salad 7 FREE
SoHo Art Gallery • Jun 18–23
SoHo Art Gallery's annual Anniversary group art exhibition featuring over 50 artists from all artistic backgrounds and various nationalities.
Open: 12pm to 7pm Tue–Sat, 12pm–5pm Sun. Opening party June 18 6pm–9pm. • Admission: Free • Access: • 1 min from Exit #3, Tanimachi-9-Chome Subway station (Sennichimae and Tanimachi lines) • www.soho-art-gallery.com
Hyogo Collection II 1950s-1970s /Jacket Design of the Showa Era 1950s-1970s Ashiya City Museum of Art And History • May 21–Jul 18
Modern prints by internationally recognized Kansai-born artists Takesada Matsutani and Kumi Sugai, and a show of record covers, both from the 1950s–1970s.
Open: 10am–5pm; closed Mon (when Mon is a national holiday, open Mon and closed Tue) Admission: ¥300 • Access: Hanshin Ashiya Stn • http://ashiya-museum.jp
Great French Paintings from the Clark Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art Jun 8–Sep 1
From the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute in the US, about 70 works by renowned 19th-century French painters never before shown in Japan. Open: 10am–6pm, until 8pm Fri and Sat; closed Mon (when Mon is a national holiday, open Mon and closed Tue) • Admission: varies depending on exhibition • Access: Hanshin Iwaya, JR Nada or Hankyu Ojikoen Stn • www.artm.pref.hyogo.jp
Find gallery access details and more listings online at: www.kansaiscene.com/listings
Box (oil on panel) by Takehiro Terabayashi)
FREE
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Kansai Scene magazine JUNE 2013 kansaiscene.com
Club
June 6
Circus June 6 (Thu) Minilogue “Blomma” Release Party (Techno) • Live: Minilogue • DJs: Yasuhisa + more • Open: 7pm • Admission: ¥3,000 (ADV: ¥2,500) • Where: Shinsaibashi • Tel: 06-6241-3822 • circus-osaka.com
The Swedish techno duo Minilogue, who have finally released their long-awaited new album “Blomma” under Cocoon Recordings, are back in Osaka with their latest live set. Marcus Henriksson and Sebastian Mullaert, aka Minilogue/ Son Kite, got together in the late 90s and became one of the most respected electronic music acts. Because the duo don’t stick to any stylistic niche, it can be difficult to define their sound: house, techno, ambient, trance, and lately jazz, all play equal parts in their creations. The most marked demonstration of their musical universalism was with their 2008 debut album ”Animals” under Cocoon. Since then, they’ve released
a string of Eps on labels like Mule, Wagon Repair, Traum Schallplatten, and their own imprint Minilogue. Although the show is on a Thursday night, their live set starts from 9pm so you can still catch the last train home.
Club Listings June
8 (Sat)
7 (Fri) Circus Feiern (Techno) • Live: Vid aka
Egal3 • DJs: Shirakawa, Fumi + more • Open: 9pm • Admission: ¥2,500/1D • Where: Shinsaibashi • Tel: 06-6241-3822 • circus-osaka. com
Joule Vuuv Japan presented by teiONclub (Trance/Techno) •
Acts: Bio-Tonic, Hydro Generator, Dominik Tyliszczak, Takatsugu Wada, 44, Akai + more • Open: 9pm • Admission: ¥2,500/1D • Where: Shinsaibashi • Tel: 06-6214-1223 • club-joule.jp
Union Union of Sound (House) • DJs:
Keiji Shimazaki, Liqued Brothers, Masaaki • Open: 9pm • Admission: ¥1,000/1D • Where: Shinsaibashi • Tel: 06-6251-2242 • club-union.jp
¥2,500/1D • Where: Kobe • Tel: 078321-3130 • troopcafe.tumblr.com
Joule
Circus
Union
Bigted presents Almost Thirty (Drum’n’Bass/Techno) • DJs:
Elements (House/Techno) • DJs: Yashima, Junichi Kuwata, Shirakawa, Airi • Open: 9pm • Admission: ¥1,500/1D • Where: Shinsaibashi • Tel: 06-6251-2242 • club-union.jp
Drumcell, Shine, Alex Einz, Dan Elliot, ModuLight, DK-Baseline + more • Open: 8pm • Admission: ¥2,500/1D (WF: ¥2,000/1D) • Where: Shinsaibashi • Tel: 06-62141223 • club-joule.jp
Dom Pang, Kunimitsu, Toyo b2b Rasty, BigTed, Z.Z.Z • Open: 9pm • Admission: ¥1,000/1D • Where: Shinsaibashi • Tel: 06-6241-3822 • circus-osaka.com
Grand Cafe Daishi Dance present Midnight! (House) • DJ: Daishi Dance •
Open: 8pm • Admission: ¥3,000/1D (Before 9pm: ¥1,500/1D) • Where: Shinsaibashi • Tel: 06-6213-0031 • grandcafeosaka.com
Onzieme Cyber Japan presents Bikini Night Summer 2013 (House/ Electro) • DJs: Mitomi Tokoto,
Ypy, Flash, Silverfox, Tune • Open: 9pm • Admission: ¥3,000/1D (Girls in bikinis: ¥FREE) • Where: Shinsaibashi • Tel: 06-6243-0089 • onzi-eme.com
Troop Cafe Seditional Jazz (House) • DJs:
Kawasaki, Kohji Matsuda, Takashi “Wubqun” Yoshida, tatsuo.y + more • Open: 10pm • Admission:
9 (Sun) Circus Spark Star (Techno) • DJs: Ryukyudisko, Starbros, kk Fu-Tsuka, Loe • Open: 6pm • Admission: ¥2,500/1D (ADV: ¥2,000/1D) • Where: Shinsaibashi • Tel: 06-62413822 • circus-osaka.com
CLR Osaka 2013 (Techno) • DJs:
Union 4Rapture (House) • DJs: Masaaki, Nagisa • Open: 9pm • Admission: ¥1,500/1D • Where: Shinsaibashi • Tel: 06-6251-2242 • club-union.jp
15 (Sat) Circus Circus Showcase (Techno) • DJs:
14 (Fri)
Tasaka, Kihira Naoki, Yoshiki • Open: 8pm • Admission: ¥2,500/1D • Where: Shinsaibashi • Tel: 066241-3822 • circus-osaka.com
Circus
Grand Cafe
Tightrope Dancing (House) • DJs:
Bassworks Orange (House/ Techno) • DJ: Nao Nomura,
Pepe Bradock, Ageishi, Tetsuo • Open: 8pm • Admission: ¥3,000/1D (Before 9pm: ¥2,500/1D) • Where: Shinsaibashi • Tel: 06-6241-3822 • circus-osaka.com
Oakaman, Masanori Mikami • Open: TBA • Admission: ¥2,000/1D • Where: Shinsaibashi • Tel: 066213-0031 • grandcafeosaka.com
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Kansai Scene magazine JUNE 2013 kansaiscene.com
June 7–13
Left: DJ Hokuto from Tokyo will play on June 8 (Sat). Right: Guest dancers including Pieter will turn up the heat on June 7 (Fri)
Pure Osaka 8th Anniversary June 7 (Fri)–13 (Thu). Closed Sun. 9pm–late. June 7: What’s Poppin’ • June 8: Crazy Pure • June 10: Monday Hearts • June 11: Glamorous • June 12: Red Alert • June 13: Priceless (Reggae)
One week of parties and mayhem as club Pure Osaka celebrates its 8th anniversary. The usual all-you-can-drink offer operates on Friday and Saturday night but for the parties every other night of the week, there is a cash-bar system. But with free entry for foreigners from Mon–Thu there is no excuse not to join the party!
Triangle
Triangle
Inside Force presents Team Work feat. Force of Nature & R.M.N (House) • Acts: Force of
Tiago Japan Tour 2013 (House/ Techno) • DJs: Tiago, Ackin’,
Nature, Kza, The Backwoods, R.M.N. aka Rising Moon, Ageishi, Tetsuo + more • Open: 7pm • Admission: ¥3,000/1D (ADV: ¥2,500/1D) • Where: Shinsaibashi • Tel: 06-6212-2264 • triangleosaka.jp
Union Grooveroom (House) • DJs: Chu*,
Sawa, Masato, Fujio • Open: 9pm • Admission: ¥2,500/1D • Where: Shinsaibashi • Tel: 06-6251-2242 • club-union.jp
16 (Sun) Circus Gotham City - DJ Zinc + Mc Tippa Japan Tour 2013 (Drum’n’Bass) • Acts: Zinc + MC
Tippa, A-1, Hiroshi aka Fu1, Eyez, An • Open: 6pm • Admission: ¥3,000 • Where: Shinsaibashi • Tel: 06-6241-3822 • circus-osaka.com
Daisuke Kakimoto, Norio + more • Open: 7pm • Admission: ¥2,500/1D • Where: Shinsaibashi • Tel: 066212-2264 • triangle-osaka.jp
21 (Fri) Circus Qube TV presents Binh (Techno)
• DJs: Binh + more • Open: 8pm • Admission: ¥2,500 (ADV: ¥2,000) • Where: Shinsaibashi • Tel: 06-62413822 • circus-osaka.com
Union for relax (House) • DJs: mottsu,
Futta-Man, yusuke sadaoka • Open: 9pm • Admission: ¥1,500/1D • Where: Shinsaibashi • Tel: 06-62512242 • club-union.jp
22 (Sat) Circus Agile feat. Marcel Dettmann x DJ Nobu (Techno) • DJs: Marcel
Dettman, Nobu, Monashee • Open: 7pm • Admission: ¥4,000 • Where: Shinsaibashi • Tel: 06-6241-3822 • circus-osaka.com
Grand Cafe Especial Festival (Jazz/ Crossover/House) • Acts:
Kawasaki & The Magic Sessions, Tres_man fea. Tomoko Nakashima, Jazz Collective, Shacho from Soil & Pimp Sessions, Yoshihiro Okino + more • Open: 7pm • Admission: ¥3,500/1D (ADV: ¥3,000/1D) • Where: Shinsaibashi • Tel: 06-62130031 • grandcafeosaka.com
Onzieme Midnight Request (House/ Electro) • DJs: Dexpistols + more
• Open: 9pm • Admission: TBA • Where: Shinsaibashi • Tel: 06-62430089 • onzi-eme.com
Union fierce! (House) • DJs: Suguru Sakai,
Naoki Takami, Yuzo, Nao Ikeda aka Chunli • Open: 9pm • Admission: ¥1,500/1D • Where: Shinsaibashi • Tel: 06-6251-2242 • club-union.jp
28 (Fri) Circus DJ Harvey 2013 Platinum Tour of Japan (House) • DJs: Harvey+
more • Open: TBA • Admission: TBA • Where: Shinsaibashi • Tel: 06-6241-3822 • circus-osaka.com
Union Just Ego (House) • DJ: senda •
Open: 9pm • Admission: ¥1,500/1D • Where: Shinsaibashi • Tel: 066251-2242 • club-union.jp
29 (Sat) Grand Cafe Mu (House/Techno) • DJs: Alyn, Kohsuke + more • Open: 8pm • Admission: ¥2,500/1D • Where: Shinsaibashi • Tel: 06-6213-0031 • grandcafeosaka.com
Find more listings online at: www.kansaiscene.com/listings
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Kansai Scene magazine JUNE 2013 kansaiscene.com
Flea markets June / July Osaka Millibar Marche Millibar, Osaka June 2 (Sun), July 7 (Sun)
Organic vegetables, artisan breads and other tasty wholefood treats at this small, monthly market held at a funky restaurant in Shinmachi. • Time:11:30am–4pm • Admission free • Access: 5min walk from Hommachi or Nishi-Ohashi Stn • www.artniks.jp/millibar
Nakazaki Style Nakazaki Community Hall, Osaka June 2 (Sun)
Arts and crafts market held in Nakazaki-cho with about 30 stalls, including food vendors. • Time: 11am-6pm • Admission: free • Access: Tanimachi Line Nakazakicho 2min walk. Hankyu Umeda 10min walk • www. nakazakistyle.jimdo.com
Hattori Ryokuchi Recycle Fair Hattori Ryokuchi Park, Toyonaka June 2 (Sun)
A big flea market packed with 200 stalls selling secondhand clothes, accessories and more. • Time: 10am–4pm • Admission: free • Access: 10min walk from Ryokuchikoen stn • www. garagesale.co.jp/kaijyou/hattori. html
Tonbori Market Dotonbori Riverwalk, Osaka June 2 (Sun), July 7 (Sun)
Thirty stalls lining the Dotonbori canal selling handmade goods & crafts.
• Time: 11am–4pm • Admission: free • Access: Namba stn www.swapmeet.ne.jp/info/tonbori
Osaka Marche “Hommamon” Odona Yodoyabashi, Osaka Every Wed.
Organic fruit & vegetables and other local produce on offer at this weekly market held in front of the Odona shopping building on Midosuji Avenue.
• Time: 2pm–7pm • Admission: free • Access: Yodoyabashi stn • www.odona.jp/honmamon
Arts & crafts market in Namba Jinja Namba Shrine, Osaka June 15 (Sat)
Handmade goods, organic vegetable and plants for sale from 50 stalls in Namba Shrine.
• Time: 10am–4pm • Admission: free • Access: Midosuji Line, Yotsubashi Line, Chuo Line Hommachi and Midosuji Line Shinsaibashi • www.freemarket-go. com/kaijou_nanba.htm
Tenma Natural Market Casa de la Temma, Osaka June 16 (Sun), July 21 (Sun)
Organic vegetables, coffee, bread and accessories market held every 3rd week of the month at a small restaurant in Tenmabashi.
• Time: 11am–5pm • Admission: free • Access: 1min walk from JR Temma stn • www.temmadarts.blog86.fc2.com
Cosmo Tower Charity Flea Market Cosmo Tower, Nanko, Osaka June 16 (Sun)
Handmade goods, second hand stuff and more at this indoor, 100-stall market in the Trade Center Building.
• Time: 11am–4pm • Admission: free • Access: Newtram Nanko Port-town Line Tradecenter-mae stn • www.swapmeet.ne.jp/info/ cosmotower
Shitennoji Temple Flea Market Shitennoji Temple Grounds, Osaka June 21 (Fri) & 22 (Sat), July 21 (Sun) & 22 (Mon)
Used and handmade clothes, japanese ceramics, tableware, accessories and antiques for sale from 300 stalls at this popular temple market in Tennoji held on the 21/22 of each month.
• Time: 8:30am–4pm • Admission: free • Access: 5min walk from Shitennojimae stn, Tanimachi Line • Tel: 06-6771-0066 • www.shitennoji. or.jp
Swapmeet in Hanahakukoen Hanahaku Park, Tsurumi-Ryokuchi, Osaka June 29 (Sat) & 30 (Sun), July 28 (Sun)
Secondhand clothes, household goods, toys and curiosities for sale from 150 stalls.
• Time: 10am–4pm • Admission: ¥300 (adults), ¥100 (children) • Access: Nagahori-Tsurumiryokuchi Line, Tsurumi-Ryokuchi stn • www. swapmeet.ne.jp/info/hanahaku
Temple markets such as this one at Toji temple in Kyoto, provide a wonderful browsing experience for the casual shopper. Everything from antique kimono, ceramics, contemporary handicrafts and plants and flowers are on sale.
Minatomachi River Place Flea Market Minatomachi River Place, Namba, Osaka June 30 (Sun), July 28 (Sun)
One hundred stalls selling secondhand stuff and more by the river in Namba. • Time: 10am–4pm • Admission: free • Access: Namba stn • www. freemarket-go.com/kaijou_ minatomati.htm
Kyoto Handicraft market in Umekoji Park Umekoji Park, Kyoto June 2 (Sat), July 6 (Sat)
Popular handicraft market taking place on the first Saturday of every month. • Time: 9am–4pm • Admission: free • Access: Kyoto stn 15min walk or take bus 33, 205, 208 to Umekojikoenmae • Tel: 075-771-1631 • www. tedukuri-ichi.com/umekoji
Kyoto City Hall Flea Market Shiyakushomae, Kyoto June 16 (Sun), July 7 (Sun)
Secondhand stuff and more at this sprawl of 180 stalls in front of the Kyoto City Hall.
• Time: 10am–4pm • Admission: free • Access: Tozai subway line to Kyoto Shiyakusho Mae stn www.plusone.ne.jp/fm/fm_index. html
Hyakumanben handicraft market Chion Temple, Kyoto
June 15 (Sat), July 15 (Mon)
An amazing variety of handmade goods on sale at this large temple market held on the 15th of every month.
• Time: 8am–4pm • Admission: free • Access: Bus to Hyakumanben or 10min walk from Keihan Demachiyanagi stn www.tedukuri-ichi.com/ hyakumanben
Kobo-san market Toji-Temple, Kyoto June 21 (Thu), July 21 (Sun)
Traditional antiques and bric-abrac at this popular temple market held on the 21st of every month. • Time: 5am–sunset • Admission: free • Access: JR Kyoto stn 15min walk, Kintetsu Toji stn, 10min walk • Tel: 0774-31-5550 • www.toujiennichi.com
Tenjin-san market Kitano Tenmangu Shrine June 25 (Tue), July 25 (Thu)
Great range of antiques, second hand clothes, and goods on offer at this colorful market held on the 25th of every month. •Time: 7am–4:30pm • Admission: free • Access: 1 min walk from Kitano Tenmangu-mae bus stop, bus 50 or 101 from Kyoto Station
Hyogo Kobe Shinkaichi Art “Ennichi” Minatogawa Park, Kobe June 16 (Sun)
Art, handicrafts and food stalls.
• Time: 11am–4pm • Admission: free • Access: 5 min walk from Shinkaichi stn. www.shinkaichi.or.jp/art
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Kansai Scene magazine JUNE 2013 kansaiscene.com
Live Music
Chick Corea and Stanley Clarke
KS
Pick
June 16
As part of a thirteen date tour of Japan, Chick Corea and Stanley Clarke visit Osaka for one night only (they will also be joined by drummer Marcus Gilmore on the Tokyo leg). Fans will be well aware that keyboardist Corea and bassist Clarke are no strangers to each other and have collaborated on numerous occasions since the 1970s. Both musicians have CVs to die for when it comes to music credibility. Chick Corea started his journey playing alongside Stan Getz, Herbie Mann, Blue Mitchell, Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis. Last year Corea released the album The Mothership Returns, a live compilation of tracks from the jazz rock supergroup Return to Forever, which included both Clarke and Corea. He also released Hot House with Gary Burton, The Continents (jazz quintet and orchestra) and a tribute album to the late Bill Evans, which featured Evans trio member Eddie Gomez. Iconic Jazz fusion keyboard and bass partners • Sankei Hall, Osaka • Jazz Fusion • 4pm • ¥7,500 • Tel: 06-6341-8888
Live Music Listings June/July Rock, Pop & Funk
• Tel: 0570-02-9999
Theatre Brook
Pop • 5:30pm • ¥3,500 • Tel: 06-6214-7255
Janus, Osaka June 21
Sadie
Crazy Ken Band
Kei Rock • 5th-7pm/6th-4pm • ¥4,200/¥4,725 • Tel: 06-6341-4506
Namba Hatch, Osaka June 21
FLiP
Koda Kumi
Rock • 6pm • ¥3,000/¥4,000 • Tel: 06-6311-8111
Osaka Jo Hall, Osaka June 21–22
Lisa
Van Halen
Pop • 7pm • ¥5,500/¥6,000 • Tel: 06-6341-3525Toshinori Yonekura
Municipal Central Gymnasium, Osaka
Seiko Matsuda
Funk Rock • 7:30pm • ¥5,250 • Tel: 06-6214-7255
T-Square
T-Square Zepp, Osaka June 15
Pop-rock-fusion • 5pm • ¥6,800 • Tel: 06-7732-8888
Scoobie Do Taku Taku, Kyoto June 15
Funk • 6:30pm • ¥3,000 • Tel: 075-351-1321
Greg Lake Muse, Osaka June 18
Prog Rock • 7pm • ¥8,000 • Tel: 06-6245-5389
Pop-Funk • 7pm • ¥6,300 • Tel: 0570-02-9999
Pop • 21st-7pm/22nd-5pm • ¥7,800 • Tel: 06-6341-3525
June 24–25 Rock • 7pm • ¥TBA • Tel: 06-6576-0800
Dicky Betts & Great Southern Billboard Live Osaka, Osaka June 26
White Ash
Rock • 6:30pm/9:30pm • ¥7,400/¥8,900 • Tel: 06-6342-7722
Music Zoo Taiyo to Tora, Kobe June 20
Happy Birthday
Rock • 7pm • ¥3,000
June 30
Janus, Osaka
Rock • 5pm • ¥2,800/¥6,300 • Tel: 075-351-1321
Club Quattro, Osaka July 5–6
Club Quattro, Osaka July 7
Zepp, Osaka July 8
Osaka Jo Hall, Osaka July 10–11
Pop • 6:30pm • ¥8,900/¥22,000 • Tel: 06-7732-8888
The Telephones Namba Hatch, Osaka July 13
Electronic Rock • 6pm • ¥3,500 • Tel: 0570-02-9999
Earthshaker Taku Taku, Kyoto July 14
Nana Mizuki
Nana Mizuki Osaka Jo Hall, Osaka July 14–15
Anime-Pop • 14th-6:30pm/15th-4pm • ¥7,000 • Tel: 06-6357-4400
Jazz & Blues Chick Corea & Stanley Clarke Sankei Hall, Osaka June 16
Jazz Fusion • 4pm • ¥7,500 • Tel: 06-6341-8888
New York Standards Quartet ft. Alex Sipiagin Rag, Kyoto June 19
Jazz • 7:30pm • ¥3,000/¥4,500 • Tel: 075-255-7273
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Kansai Scene magazine JUNE 2013 kansaiscene.com
June 18
June 17
July 7
Greg Lake
Lau
FLiP
As lead vocalist and bassist with King Crimson and co-founder of the trio Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Greg Lake’s name is set in stone as a member of the progressive rock hierarchy. Born in Poole, England in 1947, Lake first came on to the music scene as a fresh faced nineteen-year-old in 1966. Nearly five decades later, the singersongwriter and producer is going around the globe with his Songs of a Lifetime Tour. The tour sees Lake playing songs and sharing stories from his time with King Crimson, Emerson Lake and Palmer, plus his own solo work. On choice of instruments Greg Lake states: “I am both a bass guitarist and a guitarist... because King Crimson didn’t need two guitarists, I took over playing bass.”
Lau, meaning natural light in the Scottish dialect Orcadian, is the three piece award-winning folk outfit of Kris Drever (guitar, vocals), Martin Green (accordion, piano) and Aidan O’Rourke (fiddle). In between a busy UK touring schedule, Lau come to Japan to play four dates promoting last autumn’s Race the Loser album. Only their third studio release (Lightweight and Gentlemen 2007, Arc Light 2009), the trio are pushing the boundaries of the folk genre by going beyond the confines of their own instruments and using ambient electronics and processed drum sounds. Would a folk purest approve? Surely they would, because music is all about creativity, expression and throwing conformity to hell! On the album O’Rourke states: “We’ve never wanted to repeat ourselves... we’re folk musicians but firstly we’re musicians with a love of different styles.”
Thankfully, modern Japanese music isn’t all about J-pop. FLiP, a four piece all-girl rock outfit from Naha, Okinawa, are a relatively new act. Despite having formed in 2005, it wasn’t until 2010 that the group released DEAR GIRLS, their first mini-album on a major label, after attending a Tokyo audition representing Okinawa. This was followed by 2011’s full length disc Michi Evolution and the 2012 XX emotion to further spread the word of this promising young group. With Sachiko leading on vocals and guitar, Sayaka on bass, Yuko on guitar and drummer Yuumi; FLiP have a raw punk edge to their sound that quickly gets audiences bobbing up and down. Live, they are full of energetic power using the stage to its fullest and pumping the crowd to ferment. If you’re a fan or just looking for something new, this is the gig of the month.
Ex-King Crimson Prog Rock Stalwart Muse, Osaka • Prog Rock • 7pm • ¥8,000 • Tel: 06-6245-5389
All-girl Japanese Rock Four-piece Award-winning Scottish Folk Trio
Club Quattro, Osaka • Rock • 6pm
• Club Quattro, Osaka • Folk • 7pm
• ¥3,000/¥4,00 • Tel: 06-6311-8111
• ¥5,500/¥6,000 • Tel: 06-6311-8111
Monday Michiru
Tomobe Masato
Billboard Live Osaka, Osaka June 24
Taku Taku, Kyoto June 17
Club Jazz • 6:30pm/9:30pm • ¥5,500/¥7,000 • Tel: 06-6342-7722
Folk • 7pm • ¥3,500/¥4,000 • Tel: 075-351-1321
Juju
Lau
Osaka Jo Hall, Osaka July 3
Club Quattro, Osaka June 17
Jazz Vocal • 7pm • ¥6,800 • Tel: 06-6341-3525
Folk Tomobe Masato Sun Hall, Osaka June 15
Folk • 7pm • ¥3,500/¥4,000 • Tel: 06-6213-2954
Others Pushim Zepp, Osaka June 22
Reggae • 7pm • ¥5,500 • Tel: 06-6341-3525
Folk • 7pm • ¥5,500/¥6,000 • Tel: 06-6311-8111
Folk Punk • 2:30pm • ¥3,500 • Tel: 06-6357-4400
Rokko Sun Music Festival 2013 ft. Bonobos/Caravan/ Johnsons Motor Car/ Nona Reeves Rokko July 14
Various genres • 12pm • ¥3,000/¥6,000 • Tel: 0570-02-9999
The Cherry Cokes plus others Big Cat, Osaka June 29
Female Vocal • 7:30pm • ¥5,000/¥5,500 • Tel: 06-6311-8111
Emi Meyer
Emi Meyer Club Quattro, Osaka June 24
Find more listings online at: www.kansaiscene.com/listings
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Kansai Scene magazine JUNE 2013 kansaiscene.com
Kansai Business Finder Wining & Dining Absinthe Mediterranean Restaurant Cafe/Bar
Nishi-ku, Kita-horie 1-2-27 South Yotsubashi Bldg. 1F Osaka Tel: 06-6534-6635 Url: www.absinthe-jp.com
Asbinthe Solaar Roof Top Restaurant Cafe Bar & Beer Garden
Chuo-ku, Namba 5-1-18 Namba Dining Maison 8F Osaka Tel: 06-6633-1445 Url: www.absinthe-jp.com/absinthesolaar
Himalaya Indian Restaurant
Kita-ku, Umeda 1-2, Osaka Ekimae, Dai-2 Bldg. B1 Osaka Tel: 06-6545-6116 Url: www.meera.jp/en/himalaya
Meera Indian Restaurant
Chinese Cafe Eight
Tel: 06-6212-6766
Chinese Cuisine
Education
Chuo-ku, Soemon-cho 7-2 Luz Shinsaibashi 5F Osaka Tel: 06-6125-5338 Url: www.chinesecafe8.com
Dublin Bay Irish Pub
Chuo-ku, Dotonbori 2-1-5-B1 Osaka Tel: 06-6213-1122 Url: www.irishpub-dublinbay.com
Zerro The Place to be...
Chuo-ku, Shinsaibashi-suji 2-3-2, Queen’s Court Bldg 1F Osaka Tel: 06-6211-0439
The Blarney Stone Shinsaibashi The Irish Pub in the Heart of Osaka
Chuo-ku, Higashi-Shinsaibashi 2-527 Kohda Bldg B1F Osaka Tel: 06-6484-2220 Url: www.the-blarney-stone.com
Kita-ku, Umeda 1-3-1, Osaka Ekimae, Dai-1 Bldg. B2 Osaka Tel: 06-6348-0134 Url: www.meera.jp/en/
The Blarney Stone Umeda
Outback Steakhouse
Kita-ku, Sonezaki 2-10-15 Sonezaki Center Bldg. 6F Osaka Tel: 06-6364-2001 Url: www.the-blarney-stone.com
Australian Themed Steakhouse
Kita-ku, Umeda 2-1-24 Shinsakurabashi Bldg. 1F Osaka Tel: 06-6457-7121 Url: www.outbacksteakhouse.co.jp
Murphy’s Irish Pub First Irish Pub in Japan
Chuo-ku, Higashi-shinsaibashi 1-631 Lead plaza 6F Osaka Tel: 06-6282-0677 Url: www.murphysosaka.com
Fubar Restaurant and Bar
Chuo-ku, Shinsaibashi-suji 1-5-22F Osaka Tel: 06-6245-3757 Url: www.fubarosaka.com
Captain Kangaroo Food, Sports & Rock ‘n’ Roll
Kita-ku, Sonezaki-shinchi 1-5-20 Okawa Bldg. 1F Osaka Tel: 06-6346-0367 Url: www.roo-bar.jp
Chedi Luang Horie Traditional Thai food
Nishi-ku, Kita-horie 1-7-11 Osaka Tel: 06-6535-1515 Url: www.chedi.jp
> for maps see kansaiscene.com/business-finder
The Irish Pub in the Heart of Osaka
Kobe YWCA Global Network of Women
Chuo-ku, Ninomiya-cho 1-12-10 Kobe Tel: 078-231-6201 Url: www.kobe.ywca.or.jp
Osaka YWCA Global Network of Women
Kita-ku, Kamiyama-cho 11-12 Osaka Tel: 06-6361-0838 Url: www.osaka.ywca.or.jp
Arthur Murray Dance School Dance Studio
Chuo-ku, Minami-senba 3-5-28 Osaka Tel: 06-6245-1731 Url: www.arthurmurray.co.jp
Marga Language Service Japanese Language School
Chuo-ku, Onoe-dori 5-1-27-8F Kobe Tel: 078-271-6446 Url: www.marga.jp
Coolabah
Doshisha Business School
Sports Cafe
Discover the Doshisha Global MBA
Chuo-ku, Nishi-shinsaibashi 2-1613, Housen Bldg. 1F Osaka Tel: 06-6213-5153 Url: www.coolabah.jp
Doshisha University Karasuma-Imadegawa, Kamigyoku Kyoto Tel: 075-251-4600 Url: gmba.doshisha.ac.jp
Ali’s Kitchen Pakistani & Arabic Cuisine
Chuo-ku, Shinsaibashi-suji 1-10-12B1 Osaka Tel: 06-6553-2292 Url: www.aliskitchen.jp
Trois Dix Macrobiotic & slow food restaurant
Nishi-ku, Kitahorie 1-22-4 Osaka Tel: 06-6648-8336 Url: locoplace.jp/t000094365/
Go_suke Beer & Pizza restaurant and bar
Kita-ku, Sonezaki-cho 2-5-24, Chuo Bldg. 3/4F, Osaka Tel: 06-6312-3387 Url: facebook.com/beerpizzagosuke
México Mexican restaurant and bar
Chuo-ku, Dotonbori 2-1-8, Zelkova III 5F, Osaka
Osaka Abacus Association Let’s learn Abacus!
Minatoku, Yunagi 2-13-7 Osaka Tel: 06-6572-6877 Url: https://sites.google.com/site/ osakasoroban/
Shops & Services Mojoprint Full Color Printing
Nishi-ku, Shinmachi 3-5-7, Eiko Bldg. 2F Osaka Tel: 06-6539-1717 Url: www.mojoprint.jp
Brastel Remit Send money overseas
Sumida-ku, Yokoami 2-6-2 Tokyo Tel: 0120-983-891 / 03-6869-4851 Url: www.brastelremit.jp
TNT-PC English PC Support
Nishinomiya-shi, Maruhashi-cho 6-8-1F Nishinomiya Tel: 0798-65-7555 Url: www.tnt-pc.com
Miyabi Int’l Gyoseishoshi Law Firm VISA Lawyers in Osaka
Kita-ku, Nishitenma 1-8-9 Viequ tower #2406 Osaka Tel: 06-4981-7439
Yuko Tamaki Accounting Office Accounting & Tax Services
Chuo-ku, Tanimachi 1-7-3-8F, Osaka Tel: 06-6809-1955 Url: www12.plala.or.jp/ytaccounting/ indexeng.html
International Solution Group Investments, Real Estate, Taxes US and Japanese
Chuo-ku, Tanimachi 1-3-17 suite 1001 Osaka Tel: 06-6949-0144 Email: kansai@isgjapan.com
Creamy Kids International Modeling Agency
Kita-ku, Umeda 1-2-2 Osaka Ekimae, Dai-2 Bldg. 2F Osaka Tel: 06-6347-7705 Url: www.pre21.com/creamy
Pakmail Amagasaki We Ship Anything, Anywhere!
Tsugiya 2-2-28 Amagasaki Tel: 06-6492-8950 Url: www.pakmail-ama.com
Pakmail Esaka We Ship Anything, Anywhere!
Suita, Esaka-cho 1-23-17 Osaka Tel: 06-6330-8988 Url: www.pakmail-osaka.com
Sweatshop Union T-Shirt Print Shop
Naniwa-ku, Sakuragawa 4-5-19 Osaka Tel: 06-4394-8850 Url: www.sweatshopunion.jp/eng
Shinmei Law Office Business Lawyer
Kita-ku, Nishi-tenma 4-11-22, Hanshin-shinmei Bldg. 501 Osaka Tel: 06-6362-8013 Url: www.shinmei-law.com/e
To list your business in the Kansai Scene Business Finder contact sales@kansaiscene.com for more details.
Kansai Scene magazine JUNE 2013 kansaiscene.com
Exeo International
H.I.S. • No.1 Travel
Entrance Japan
International Dating Parties
We go the extra mile for you
Shared houses across Osaka
Kita-ku, Umeda 1-1-3-3F Sky Lounge Mariage Osaka Tel: 050-5810-3977 Url: www.exeo-international.com
Kita-ku, Umeda 3-4-5, MainichiIntecio 15F Osaka Tel: 06-6133-0273 Url: www.no1.his-west.jp
Kita-ku, Shibata 1-14-8-9F Osaka Tel: 06-6136-3330 Url: www.entrance-japan.com
ACCJ Kansai
Real Estate & Accommodation
American Chamber of Commerce in Japan
Kita-ku, Dojima-hama 1-1-8, Dojima Park Bldg. 5F Osaka Tel: 06-6345-9880 Url: www.accj.or.jp
Travel World Express Kobe’s Popular Travel Agency
Chuo-ku, Kotonoo-cho 5-3-5, Green Chapeau Bldg. 104 Kobe Tel: 078-222-5050 Url: www.wexp.co.jp
GS Travel Best Fares in Osaka
Chuo-ku, Higashi-Shinsaibashi 1-13-21, Wadayoshi Bldg 302 Osaka Tel: 06-6281-1230 Url: www.gs-travel.com/en
Takani Co. Ltd. Total Solution for House-hunting
TOA Furnished / Non-Furnished lofts for rent
Nishiyodogawa-ku, Tsukuda 1-1-36 Osaka Tel: 06-6471-8136 Url: http://passage.sunnyday.jp
Yodogawa-ku, Nishimiyahara 2-335 Osaka Tel: 06-6396-6770
Dreamers
Mayflower House
Nishiyodogawa-ku, Tsukuda 1-1-36 Osaka Tel: 06-6471-8136 Url: http://passage.sunnyday.jp
Guesthouse
Chuo-ku, Izumi-machi 2-1-15 Osaka Tel: 0120-881-456 Url: www.osaka-mayflowerguesthouse.com/en
Oriental Process Apartments for Rent
Ikuno-ku, Tsuruhashi 1-1-36 Osaka Tel: 080-1422-4679 Url: www.orientalprocess.com
Furnished / Non-Furnished lofts for rent
Health & Beauty Ishida Women’s Clinic Women’s Health Care in Osaka
Asashi-ku, Shinmori 2-1-26 Osaka Tel: 06-6951-9701 Url: www.ishida-clinic.jp/en
Hair Art & Make up BOY Hair and Make Up
Chuo-ku, Higashi-Shinsaibashi 1-2-23-5F Osaka Tel: 06-6252-7630 Url: www6.ocn.ne.jp/~boy
Oriental Dental Clinic English Speaking Dentist
Chuo-ku, Nakayamate-dori 3-4-7, Oriental Medical Dental Bldg. 4F Osaka Tel: 078-321-2717 Url: www.oriental-shika.com
K Studio New York English Speaking Beauty Salon
Kita-ku, Toyosaki 5-2-22-2F Osaka Tel: 06-6371-9033 Url: www.ksny.jp
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Kansai Scene magazine JUNE 2013 kansaiscene.com
Classifieds
Place your ad online at: kansaiscene.com/classifieds
Employment > Education Friendly, Experienced NATIVE English Teacher for
June Best Eikaiwa, Maizuru, needs F/T experienced NATIVE English teacher for June. Comfortable teaching children. Must drive & be eligible for working visa. Monthly Salary 250000 yen, subsidized apartment & utilities, 7 weeks paid holiday. Reply with CV,references & photos: Besteikaiwa1@gmail.com www.best-eikaiwa.com/ Japanese Home Instructors in Osaka
COCO Juku Jr. is seeking Japanese Home Instructors as franchisees (Keihan, JR-gakkentoshi line). Must be cheerful&thoughtful for children,English qualifications(TOEIC600+)are preferred. More info,pls visit our HP&join our Setsumeikai, Kyobashi. http://jr.cocojuku.jp/fc/ Mail: IF65Z@nichiigakkan.co.jp Hiring native English teachers We are now hiring
part time/ full time teachers with teaching credentials in both our Ashiya and Kyoto locations. Please send us your CV with photo and references. Starting at 2,500 yen/ hr. plus transportation fee for a part time position. For further details, please contact: info@yse-edu.net www.yse-edu.net
Seeks Passionate/ Dedicated Teachers (Kobe)
Kobe(city centre, 3mins from JR Motomachi/4mins from Hankyu Sannomiya) located language school seeks P/T teacher for adult one:one lessons on Tuesdays, Saturdays, Sundays @2000-3000yen/ hour. Working VISA & Teaching experience & University degree required. Email CV to recruitment@ wingseikaiwa.com www. wingseikaiwa.com Urgent Recruit of English
Teaching Job Small yet friendly growing school in Senrioka seeks PT native English teachers for Tue&Fri for kids & adults. Starting
1,500-2,300 yen/h depends on exp. Here is the detail. Tuesday 13:30 21:00 Friday 13:30 - 20:30 Either of them will be fine. Plz contact us to abies_kids@yahoo.co.jp Eng teacher/camp leaders wanted School location; 3min
walk fm Makino staion Keihan line. Eng teacher position; Friday (from Aug) or Saturday. 2,500~/c. Summer camp; July 31st(wed)~Aug 2nd(Fri) have fun with kids in nature! 35,000yen~. send me your CV with your picture at impact_rb@i. softnak.jp. http://impact-flare.com/
Native English Teacher Recruitment For Children
in Osaka Sakai city From 1 time 3 times per week. Students:2 to 4-year-old children. Time:9:30am2:30pm. Salary:1800-2200 yen per hour. If you are kind,bright and love children,please contact us. Please send resume to info@vacation-es. co.jp We are looking forward to seeing you. www.vacation-es.jp/
TEACHERS WANTED School in Ashiya/Okamoto is looking
for FT/PT English and French teachers ASAP.University diploma is preferable.Must be native speaker with valid visa Payment:2700-3000yen per hour and transportation. Contact us by email.ashiyaplus@hotmail.co.jp
Japanese English teacher needed We're looking for a
Japanese teacher to teach Eng. grammar/conversation for Jr High & H.S. students on Mon/Tues evenings. We're located close to JR Senrioka & Hankyu Settsu-shi station. 1,300-1,800yen/h + trans. fee. Send resume w/recent photo to abies_kids@yahoo.co.jp or call 06-6330-8161
Kansai Corporate Classes CES is seeking professional,
experienced English instructors for p/t and semi-f/t corporate classes and Intensives in Shiga, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka and Kobe for positions starting immediately. P/t hourly rates 3,500-4,500 yen per hour. For more info, please forward resume with to mark@cesjapan.co.jp KIHS looking for Teacher
PT English Teacher able to teach on Mon & Fri afternoons near Tennojistation in Osaka. Qualification: TESOL etc. Teaching experience a must. Payment: 3,000yen per 45-minute lesson & Transportation (5 lessons per week). Please send your resume to Takeshi Takimoto (email: T_Takimoto@tg-group. ac.jp) www.tg-group.ac.jp/kihs/ Native English Teacher needed! Needs to be available on
Mon/Wed/Fri AM & PM from Sept. to March. Around 13hrs / week. Highschool in Akashi (nearest stn: JR Uozumi). Payment based on 10-min rate based on educational background and teaching
experience. Male or Female OK. No age restriction. Contact (Mr.) Harada 078-241-7204 fharada@ kobeymca.org NATIVE ENGLISH TEACHER WANTED in Osaka Native English
teacher wanted! After school for kids (age6-8) near Minamimorimachi station. Work hrs:M-F 4:00am-6:00pm. Hourly wage of 1800-2200JPY. Starting from July. Requirements: Valid Visa, happyspirit, passion&love for kids. Please send us your recent pic and resume to info@manabiokid.com
> General PART-TIME: Nightclub Hostess スタッフ募集 Looking
for Female hostess staff (weekend staffers a plus!). Nightclub will offer English-only service. Basic Japanese ability & proper visa required. Will provide transportation after shift ends. ¥1500/hr ~ please call 080-6188-3645 worldline888@ yahoo.com Let's talk in English with customers!
For Rent Bentencho Apartments Available 1DK 55000yen/
month semi furnish 1DK 70000yen/ month fully furnish 2DK 75000yen/ month semi furnish 2DK 80000yen/ month semi 2LDK 90000yen/ month unfurnish 6min walk from Bentencho subway and JR Loopline stations. No Key money, No guarantors, No agency fees, 3month min. stay required Alex 09037030314 http://www. abhousingosaka.com alex@ abhousingosaka.com
KOBE: No Key money No agency fee Bigger than most. Sharing OK. With washer, fridge etc. Two big sunny apartments, 3LDK Sumiyoshi: 63m² ¥98,000 3LDK Kobe University: 61m² ¥98,000 Eng or Jpn. 090-9286-1216 ffeilden@ yahoo.co.jp
Room/Flat Share Penthouse Apartment in Kobe! 124-square-meter flat with
gorgeous city, mountain Osaka Bay views has opening. Modern everything (ex. 2-person bathtub, surround-sound movie system, etc) Non-smoker, considerate people only please. Central Kobe, close to most major train/subway lines. 45000 + bills. Rooms on blog all furnished now zoobiechan110@ yahoo.com www.kobeliving. blogspot.jp/ Shared accommodation for rent in Osaka【Wagokoro】
Rent ¥45,000~, 9.72m2~, 8min walk from JRSenrioka st.【Marche Awaza】Rent ¥46,000~, 7.29m2~, 7min walk from Awaza st. No key money, deposit or guarantor. Furnished. Initial cost: 1st month’s rent & dealing charge(15,750). Contact info: 06-6136-3330 / info@ entrance-japan.com
Flat / House Share Looking for House sharemate in Himeji Looking
for house sharemate in Himeji, furnished room available ¥45000/ month (include utilities, wifi). 15mins to Himeji station by bus or bike. Nice and quiet residential area, also close to supermarket. Tidy person only. Email for more information: mango221@gmail.com SHARE HOUSE MEMBER WANTED!!【TENNOJI】JPY42000~,
8mins walk from st.【SHINFUKAE】 JPY35000~, 5 mins walk from st. 【Nada】JPY48000~, 4mins walk from st. No guarantor nor key money. With common use utensils. Contact info: 06-6222-3123 / info@ dreamers-jp.com/ http://dreamersjp.com/
Health
Osakako Apartments Available 1R 55000 semi furnish
1LDK 75000 semi furnish 2DK 65000 unfurnish 2DK 75000 semi furnish 2DK 85000 fully furnish 2LDK 90000 unfurnish 1min walk to Osakako subway station. No key money, No guarantors, No agency fees, Minimum 3month stay required Alex 09037030314 www.abhousingosaka.com alex@ abhousingosaka.com
Studio Apt for rent
Furnished Studio Apt in Osaka. JR Mitejima Riverside residence. Only 7min to Osaka Umeda by JR. Convenient & Safe. No key money.No Commission. Furnished:Y58,000-63,000. NonFurnished:Y53,000-58,000. Call Passage Mansion - John:090-25919960 info@passage.sunnyday.jp http://passage.sunnyday.jp
KANDA MEDICINE in KOBE
SHIATSU, ACUPUNCTURE and MOXIBUSTION Okamoto stn. on Hankyu Kobe-line, or Settsumotoyama stn. on JR Kobe-line Open everyday except Sunday and Public holiday 6am - 8pm 5,000 yen
50
Kansai Scene magazine JUNE 2013 kansaiscene.com
/ session Tel: 078-412-5385 iPhone 090-9692-8758 hidomo@gmail.com SHIATSU COURSES are also Offered. ENGLISH SPOKEN www.zenonecompany.com/en/ health/
Courses and Classes Let's have fun learning
Japanese together Our teachers have been trained for at least 420 hours and or are officially licenced. Teachers are all professional. We can introduce you to Japanese teachers in your area in Japan without any introduction fee. Choose a convenient location for you and we will come and teach you Japanese. brightstartjapanese@gmail.com www.brightstartjapanese.com/
Events FREE ABACUS CLASS for
FOREIGNERS FREE ABACUS CLASS for FOREIGNERS offered by O.C.C.I. and Osaka Abacus Assoc. to promote int'l goodwill. Individualized lessons taught in Japanese or English. Saturdays 10-12 am. Course material provided for free. Near Sakaisuji-Hommachi and Kitahama. Call: Moritomo Ken 06-
6572-6877 https://sites.google.com/ site/osakasoroban/
Announcements Bilingual Christian Church near Utsubo Park!
Come to Mustard Seed Christian Church! Music, kids program (Sunday only), and bilingual (English and Japanese). Anyone can come. Meets Sunday mornings and Monday evenings. See website for information.. www. mustardseedosaka.com
OSAKA BOOK GROUP'S MEETING We'll talk about Donna
Tartt's "The Secret History" on June 2, starting around 12.30 at Cafe Garb. Let's have a nice book-themed Sunday afternoon! bookisbetter2012@yahoo.co.jp www.facebook.com/masanaka INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CHURCH IN KOBE SUNDAYS
at 10:30AM, only minutes away from SANNOMIYA station. Our BILINGUAL (English/Japanese) services are centered around vibrant small group discussions. www.nakamajapan.org
Pets Be a hero to cats! Japan Cat
Network is looking for loving homes for rescued cats and dogs. Foster or adopt to find a friend and save a life! Meet available pets at japancatnet. com
For Sale OSAKA SAYONARA SALE. BEAUTIFUL FURNITURE AT
ROCK-BOTTOM PRICES. Sofa, spacious desk, chairs, coffee table (kotatsu), washing machine, fridge, and lots more. All in near-perfect condition, less than one year old. Leaving Osaka in July, everything must go! www.alexjordan.org/ sayonara. Contact: alex@alexjordan. org. Pickup: Nagai station
50cc Cafe Racer and Bianchi bike for sale in Kyoto! 1997 Honda Dream 50. Very rare and fun to ride! 60's Honda CR110 replica. Also, Bianchi Pista Via Brera. Single speed non fixed bike. Cream color. Email me for more info! elyse.garand@ msn.com 4GB HP Desktop Tower
+ Sayonara Sale!!! HP desktop tower (4GB RAM, 500GB HD, 3 yrs old) - ¥30,000 + Sayonara Sale. Please visit my blog page for
descriptions, photos and prices. http://tambasayonarasale.blogspot. jp/ Thanks Sayonara Sale Many Kitchen/Household Items!!!
Sayonara Sale. Many kichen/ household items, inculding furniture. Prices cheap/negotiable. Please visit my blog page for descriptions, photos and prices. http://tambasayonarasale.blogspot. jp/ Thanks
Other Looking for discussion partners Hello! If you are
interested in talking about psychology, philosophy, education (particularly in Japan) or men and women, please contact me! I love talking about those things. satoriboy@yahoo.com www. facebook.com/brian.connelly.75
Sorry… Due to space restrictions we are unable to print all classified ads. See kansaiscene.com for more classifieds online, including personals!
We design. So you don’t have to. From bar flyers and business cards to company brochures and logos — let our creative team take care of it all. See www.mojoprint.jp/design for more details or contact us today.
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Kansai Scene Ad4_Kansai Scene Ad 2013/05/11 17:45 Page 1
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) eight 2-hr session program for foreign residents to reduce depression, anxiety and stress increase clarity of awareness and attention Beginning July 2013 Doshisha University, Imadegawa, Kyoto Participation is free. Visit doshisha.vpweb.com.au; or email course instructor Michael Rasmussen at: gkm0001@mail2.doshisha.ac.jp
Umeda
Bank
Post Office
Entrance Japan
Cine Libre Umeda 3F
Theater Umeda
ARC 6F
Grand Front Osaka
Umeda Sky Building
35F German Umeda 4F Consulate Garden Cinema Westin Hotel
Yodobashi Camera
JR Osaka Sta.
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Mitsukoshi Isetan
Hospital
Church
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Sannomiya Hanadokeimae st.
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Mitsui Sumitomo Bank
Kyoto City Hall
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Sansei Hosp.
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Hanshin line
Motomachi
Midnight Express 5F
Trinity 3F
tetsudo Kobe kosoku
Hanakuma Park
a KIC
ak
oz
d Fu
Sh iei Ya ma te s
Hyogo-ken Prefectural Hall
Kobe Grocers
Movie Theatre
Kobe YWCA
1F Bistrot Cafe De Paris
Ikuta Police Station
Oriental Dental Clinic 4F Hotel Tor Road
Temple
ine
Tor Road
Soraku Park
Shrine
Yamamoto-dori
Cafe Terrace De Paris 3F
Pearl Street
Kobe Mosque Kobe Womens St. Michael’s Junior International College School Yamate kansen
Church
Hotel
Kitanozaka
Kitano-cho
Hospital
a
Bank
Post Office
Hunterzak
Sannomiya
Kyoto Museum of Contemporary Art Gion Hotel
Joko-in 0
200m
Gion Kaikan
N Yasaka Jinja