Kansai Scene #207 August 2017 by Kansai Scene Magazine

Free monthly guide covering Osaka • Kyoto • Hyogo • Nara • Wakayama • Shiga

AUG 2017 / ISSUE 207

Firing up for August Fireworks and flaming festivals galore

PLUS+ >

A WORLD HERITAGE KAYAK ADVENTURE TASTY TUNA TREATS IN WAKAYAMA ‘FOREST BATHING’ TO CALM THE MIND

INCLUDING

FIND OUT WHAT’S ON AROUND KANSAI

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Kansai Scene provides monthly English articles, information and listings for visitors and residents of the Kansai area. Publisher.......................................................Daniel Lee Managing Editor..........................Celia Polkinghorne Editor.........................................................Jason Haidar Production Manager............................... Misa Matsui Production Assistant......................... Miyoko Morita Accounts Manager..................................Michiko Lee Art.........................................................Peggy Holsclaw Cinema.................................................. Miyoko Morita Event & Festival....................................Yuki Uchibori Live Music.............................................Phillip Jackson Club........................................................Saiko Fujiwara

Contact Kansai Scene General ...........................mailbox@kansaiscene.com Editorial...............................editor@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 ................................................................ Mojoworks KK Website............................................. kansaiscene.com

Kansai Finder Events & Festivals.......................................................10 Art ........................................................................................... 16

About Kansai Scene

If you thought July was hot and steamy, wait till you see the scores of fiery summer festivals Kansai has in store for us this month (p 10)! First up on Aug 3, there s the Manto Festival at Taga Shrine in Shiga where 12,000 paper lanterns will be ceremoniously lit with holy fire. The spectacular Lake Biwa fireworks show follows on the 8th, one of the top pyrotechnics events in the country. Hyogo is the next hot destination for fire-themed events with fireworks topping oﬀ a lively and festive day at the Dekansho bon festival dance event at the Sasayama Castle ruins on the 15th and 16th. Ending the month on a high note is the Atago Fire Festival at Ifukube Shrine on the 27th, where acrobatic fire rituals are performed with flaming bundles of straw! If all that sounds a little too hot to handle, consider a tranquil day of kayaking on the Seto Inland Sea out to the revered Itsukushima Shrine (p 06), or how about some mindful forest meandering with a spot of Shinrin-yoku – the art of forest bathing (p 04)? All that and more to get your teeth into this summer. We wish you a fun and festive bon holiday season!!

Live Music ......................................................................... 19 Club ........................................................................................24 Cinema.................................................................................26 Classifieds.........................................................................27 Getting Around / Maps............................................29

ON THE COVER: This month’s cover image features the Lake Biwa Great Fireworks Display in Otsu (Aug 8)

Write for Kansai Scene If you would like to write for KS, please contact editor@kansaiscene.com after reviewing our writers guidelines: kansaiscene.com/write-for-us

Wandering in the Woods

A certified forest therapy guide reminds us that nature is the best medicine. FEATURE Text: Alena Eckelmann

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.

Miyajima by Kayak

Paddle around the majestic vermilion torii gate of the famed Itsukushima Shrine. TRAVEL Text: Tanja Warwick

A BIT OF HISTORY Kansai Scene was founded by Peter Horvath and Nishikawa Keiko in 2000 and published by Jatin Banker between 2003 – 2011.

Kansai Medical Interpreter

Sick as a dog but don t speak Japanese? A licensed medical interpreter is just what the patient ordered. BUSINESS MATTERS Text: Alena Eckelmann

Foodspotting

For the ultimate tuna-tasting experience, look no further than the tuna town of Kii-Katsuura.

Kansai Scene is proudly published and printed by Mojoprint

FOOD & DRINK Text: KS

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FEATURE

Bathing in the Forest Ditching the pills: A mindful, immersive walk in the woods is all you need to boost your mood and improve your well-being. Text: Alena Eckelmann • Images: Alena Eckelmann & Yoshino Tourism

ho knew that a casual meander among the plants and the trees could have such a beneﬁcial effect on our health? It turns out that for years the Japanese have been harnessing the power of forest therapy, or Shinrin-yoku as it is known. Forest therapy is a practice that involves spending time mindfully in nature. This can be forests, woods, and other natural environments. The key is to not race through but to go slowly and to immerse yourself, mindfully taking note of everything around you. Shinrin-yoku translates as bathing in the forest. Imagine nature being a big bath tub; step

into it and soak in its colors, sounds, scents, and textures for a while. Of course, you will be fully clothed! I am a certiﬁed forest-therapy guide in Yoshino, Nara. It is my role to stimulate your perception of your surroundings and lead you to engage all your senses while immersing yourself in nature. Do you notice the faint scent of the shrubs next to the trail? How about the murmur of the little stream that runs by the trail? Does the breeze gently blowing through the valley cool your skin? Do you notice the different shades of green around you; the different shapes of trees and leaves? Really see, hear, smell, taste, and feel nature around you.

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Feature More details Yoshino is easily accessible from Osaka, Kyoto, and other parts of Kansai by Kintetsu Railway. Your guide will meet you in front of the Yoshino Visitors Bureau at Yamato Kamiichi Station. Afterward, you can catch your train home, or take a train to Yoshinoyama to spend a night in one of its delightful traditional inns. For more information please contact: therapy@yoshino-kankou.jp

While in the forest, you are breathing in essential oils from the wood of the trees around you. Called phytoncides, these work like essential oils in aromatherapy. You don t have to invest in expensive bottles but just take a deep breath. This is not just a rediscovery of the age-old wisdom that being in nature and walking in forests is good for the body and mind, but there is actually scientiﬁc data gathered from a series of experiments proving that a slow walk in the bush will boost your immune system, reduce stress, and encourage healing.

The Yoshino Trails First introduced by the Japanese Forestry Agency in 1982, Shinrin-yoku is now a recognized health-management system for preventive health, wellness, and healing. Yoshino has offered Shinrin-yoku walks since 2013, and there are currently 46 licensed guides. They are women and men from the region who underwent a half-year training to qualify. There are two forest-therapy trails, each with their own

charms and varied landscapes. First, there s the 8 km Yoshino Miyataki Manyou therapy road. It starts at Kintetsu Yoshino Station and slowly winds its way up to Nyoirinjin Temple from where we can admire the skyline of Yoshinoyama. From the temple, another kilometer uphill takes us to an observatory set at the highest elevation on this course of 500 meters. After a short tea break, we walk through a cedar forest to Takataki waterfall. Near the waterfall, there is a nice spot to settle down for a short meditation session. We then continue walking through Kisadani Valley to Sakuragi Shrine. The therapy trail ends at National Road 169 by Yoshino River. The next day, the walk follows the Shinsen kyou Ryuumon no sato therapy road, which starts and ends at Yoshino Sports Park. This course is just over 6 km and its highest elevation reaches just 350 meters. The ﬁrst 3 km takes us around a part of Tsuburo Lake, then on to Yoshinoyamaguchi Shrine. Passing through a rural landscape with paddy ﬁelds, gardens, and traditional houses, we follow a creek into

a valley. Heading upstream, we reach Ryuumontaki waterfall, a beaut spot for our meditation session before walking back along the same path. The walk will be carried out slowly and purposefully. There will be rest stops on benches along the trail where you can sip on local tea or savor a tasty Yoshino lunch box. Both trails have an area where you can lay in a hammock or sit on a yoga mat, look up to the crowns of the trees, and let your gaze go beyond to the clouds in the sky, taking in the sound of singing birds. By the waterfalls, your guide will encourage you to do follow a guided meditation, a yoga routine, or engage in some breathing exercises. You will gaze into the white veil of the gushing waterfalls, lose track of time, and forget modern-day distractions like computers, phones, and the internet for a moment. Your worries and stresses will ﬂoat away, with nothing to aim for and nothing to achieve, except to just simply be. KS

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TRAVEL

Kayaking Miyajima Take an alternative approach to seeing one of Japan s most popular tourist attractions; visit Miyajima s floating shrine by kayak!

Paddle Park » Tel: 0829-50-4340 » Where: JR Maezora Station,

1-min walk » Address: 1-2-9 Monomi

Higashi Hatukaichi-shi » Cost: ¥6,480 per adult for a

half day including all rental equipment » paddlepark.com

Text & Images: Tanja Warwick

iyajima, the romantic and historical island near Hiroshima, has long been ranked one of Japan s top three most scenic places to visit. Over 1,400 years old and a registered World Heritage Site, it is easily recognized by the famous Itsukushima Shrine and its ﬂoating torii gate, which appears to sit on the calm blue waters of the Seto Inland Sea during high tide. However, with the great popularity of this iconic site come the huge daily crowds, most of whom access the island via the JR Miyajima ferry. If you want to visit the island but are not keen on the idea of navigating your way through masses of tourists, there is another way to discover this beautiful area that even allows you to explore the ﬂoating torii without any other people around; and that s by taking a kayaking tour! The morning of our tour, we arrived at Paddle Park Miyajima and were greeted by the friendly owner and our guide for the day, Masashi. After donning the appropriate attire of waterproof jackets and shoes, my paddling partner and I settled on a double-seated kayak. After a few moments of fumbling around with the oars and trying to synchronize our paddling motions, we were off!

The kayaking journey from the paddle park to Miyajima is around 1.5 km and takes approximately one hour, paddling at a very leisurely pace. Often we would stop for a few minutes to rest, chatting with Masashi along the way. We passed fishing boats and nets filled with the delicious oysters that are grilled daily on the streets of Miyajima. Tourists lined the shore in the distance, cameras flashing, taking their travel snaps of the famed Itsukushima shrine. Because of the high tide, we in our kayaks were the only ones with access to the majestic torii gate rising up from the water. After a few minutes of paddling back and forth between the giant vermillion pillars, we made our way over to the shore. Omote-Sando is the name of the main street stretching from the port to Itsukushima Shrine and it boasts many souvenir shops and quaint cafes on both sides of the street, offering local delicacies including conger eel and grilled oysters. We made sure to spend some time exploring the traditional machiya townhouses that line the backstreets before, all too soon, it was time to jump back into our kayaks and set off on our return to the mainland. KS

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Business Matters

On Call: Kansai Medical Interpreter Next time you feel under the weather, be sure you and your doc are on the same page with the help of a licensed medical interpreter. Text & Images: Alena Eckelmann

eing misunderstood in the clinic or hospital when you already feel bad in body and mind is the last thing you want; worse is receiving treatment or medication that you did not expect or do not understand. Enter 28-year-old Anju Tatsumi, a self-employed licensed medical interpreter. Her mission is to help foreigners get the medical support they need on their travels or while living in Kansai. Currently, there are only a few medical facilities in Japan that employ professionally trained medical interpreters, and they are typically in big cities. In most other places, second-language support often comes from volunteer workers or a medical staff member on site who happens to speak some English. In contrast, medical interpreters are not only technically trained as interpreters but they have also acquired detailed medical knowledge. This enables them to be professional intermediaries between healthcare providers and patients and their families. We accompany patients from the moment of reception at the hospital until being discharged. We stay with them and deliver consistent interpretation every single moment during examinations, diagnosis, medication guidance, delivery, local anesthetized surgeries and so on, Ms. Tatsumi said. While there is no national license for medical interpretation yet, there are a number of technical schools and courses that specialize in medical interpretation. Ms. Tatsumi took up training at Osaka s INTER SCHOOL, the very ďŹ rst school in Japan that offered professional medical interpretation training. The school cooperates with Rinku General Medical Center, which is located close to Kansai International Airport.

The Center s doctors give lectures in anatomy and treatments at INTER SCHOOL and students practice interpretation during speciďŹ c medical situations through role-plays. We were trained to translate medical terms into plain words and vice versa to ensure that the doctor and the patient are on the same track. We also learned how to interpret expressions of pain, and talk about sensitive subjects, such as delivering news about cancer or life expectancy, in an indirect and soft yet accurate way, she explained. Having previously lived in the UK for eight years, Ms. Tatsumi knew all too well what it is like to have to explain oneself to a doctor in a second language. She also developed an intimate understanding of hospital patients experiences after her own brother was diagnosed with cancer. His struggle to ďŹ ght the illness with endless treatments and prolonged hospital stays led to her becoming more and more interested in medical care. So, when a newspaper article caught her eye, stating there was an urgent need for medical interpreters due to an increase of international visitors and foreign residents in Japan, she jumped at the opportunity. I had this strong sense that this was my calling. I know how it feels to be sick or mentally down in a foreign country. How do you express your aches, pains, and struggles if no one speaks your language? How relieved I felt when somebody helped me with kind and accurate advice at clinics or pharmacies in the UK, she said. KS To get in touch with Ms. Tatsumi and inquire about her services, email platinum.anju@gmail.com

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GREAT PLACES TO EAT /

Food & Drink

FOODSPOTTING

Whether or not you re a big fish eater, when in the tuna-fishing town of Kii-Katsuura, it s rather a case of When in Rome... Text & Images: Celia Polkinghorne

Bodai

Nachi

Ogawa

母大

まぐろ三昧那智

お食事処おがわ

Number 14 on the tuna restaurants map that you ll find upon stepping foot in Kii-Katsuura Station, the comfortable, modern-looking restaurant Bodai is the perfect first food stop after a hungerinducing 3.5-hour train trip from Osaka. Luckily you ll have worked up an appetite as the number of tantalizing dishes on oﬀer on the Bodai menu is truly astounding. If you re having trouble deciding between the tuna sashimi set, the sea urchin donbori (rice bowl), or the deep-fried whale-meat set (!), go for the toro katsu teishoku – breadcrumbcoated tuna belly in a set that includes rice, miso soup, Japanese pickles, and some delicious fried eggplant for ¥1,500. A warning that menus in almost all Kii-Katsuura restaurants do oﬀer whale meat. There are plenty of alternatives if that s not your thing, otherwise, you could treat it as another case of When in Rome...

One of the bigger places in Kii-Katsuura (and number 26 on the food map), Maguro Zanmai Nachi is a restaurant worth getting to before it opens for the chance to watch a tuna-carving demonstration (perhaps after an early-morning trip to watch the action at the fish market, which only happens Sundays). This restaurant has a demo area as part of its ground floor where onlookers can sometimes observe professional chefs in action carving up the tuna. Dine downstairs or in the spacious upstairs area and try the maguro zukushi – the all-tuna set (¥1,780), which comes with rice, miso soup, pickles, and tuna done three ways. The maguro katsudon – fried tuna bowl – is another reliable choice. One more recommendation – get a plate of tuna namban to share. The perfectly grilled fish with the sweet-and-sour mayonnaise sauce is a delicious, moreish treat.

A more traditional mom-and-pop style restaurant, at Oshokuji Dokoro Ogawa (number 31 on the map), you can choose to dine either at the counter or crosslegged at tables on tatami (straw mats). The big attraction here is the tuna steak (¥1,650), seared to perfection around the outsides and perfectly rare in the middle. The tuna sashimi set also comes highly recommended. If you get to the point where you have well and truly had enough of tuna, go for the delicious yakiniku (grilled beef) set, which comes with rice, miso soup, and pickles. As you might imagine, dining out in Kii-Katsuura is a challenge for vegetarians, but there are smaller menu items like edamame, salads, and tofu on oﬀer. If ordering the tofu as a vegetarian at this particular restaurant, be sure to ask for it without the katsuobushi (fish flakes) sprinkled all over it!

OPEN: Lunch 11am–2pm; Dinner 5pm–11pm • Price RANGE: ¥1,500–¥5,500 • ACCESS: Just outside JR Kiikatsuura Stn • TEL: 0735-

OPEN: 11:30am–9pm • Price RANGE: ¥1,800–¥5,500 • ACCESS: JR Kiikatsuura Stn, 3-min walk • TEL: 0735-521-046

OPEN: Lunch 11am–2pm; Dinner 4pm–10pm • Price RANGE: ¥1,700–¥5,500 • ACCESS: JR Kiikatsuura Stn, 3-min walk • TEL: 0735525-602

520-039

Need more dining options? Check kansaifinder.com/places to search all of our food and drink spots, or add your own favorites to the list. Kansai Scene Magazine / ISSUE #207 AUGUST 2017 / kansaiscene.com

Events AUG

AUG

写真提供/京の七夕実行委員会

/ WHAT’S ON AROUND KANSAI

Kyo-no-Tanabata 京の七夕

Horikawa, Kamogawa, Okazaki and three more sites, Kyoto • Aug 2–16

Legend has it that there were two devoted lovers, Hikoboshi (Altair star) and Orihime (Vega star), who were separated by the Milky Way; they see each other only once a year on the day of Tanabata (the star festival). Kyo-no-Tanabata is a series of events held in August, which is when Tanabata falls in the lunar calendar. The events are designed around the theme of Wishes, in honor of the tradition of making a wish once a year. It is a 10-day event full of beautiful bamboo arrangements and magical light productions. The city center is decorated with lights and traditional Japanese arts and crafts. Each of the six venues hosts fun events for all ages, and visitors are encouraged to walk around in a yukata (summer kimono). TIME: 7pm–9:30pm • ADMISSION: Most events free • kyoto-tanabata.jp

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WHAT’S ON AROUND KANSAI / AUG

Events

AUG >

Explore Kansai s wonderful monthly temple markets and grab a bargain. You ll find a lot of antiques, including old kimono, ceramics and lacquerware, but you may also unearth some more contemporary curiosities. Perfect as souvenirs or gifts for friends and relatives back home. » Shitennoji Temple Flea

Market:

Aug 21 & 22 • Shitennoji Temple Grounds, Osaka • Access: 5-min walk from Shitennojimae Stn, Tanimachi Line » Toji Market Kyoto:

Aug 21 • Toji Temple • Access: 15-min walk from JR Kyoto Stn » Kitano Tenmangu Market:

Aug 25 • Kitano Tenmangu Shrine • Access: Tenman-gumae bus stop

AUG

Provided by Biwako Visitors Bureau

KANSAI TEMPLE MARKETS

Manto Festival – Holy Lights Service 万灯祭

Aug 3–5 • Taga Shrine, Shiga

The Manto Sai is held to give thanks to the god who guards the spirits of our ancestors in the underworld. Gentle light from thousands of paper lanterns illuminates the Taga Taisha building and grounds. The festival starts by producing ﬁre at a place called Sugisakayama, which is believed to be the place that the god appeared. At 7pm, 12,000 paper lanterns will then be simultaneously lit with the holy ﬁre. Yukata-clad visitors stroll around the shrine grounds, which are full of festive atmosphere. Japanese folk dance and classical performing arts entertain the crowds. TIME: 7pm–9:30pm • ACCESS: Omi Tetsudo line, Tagataisha-mae Stn; 10-min walk • tagataisya.or.jp/ event/mantou

2017 Lake Biwa Great Fireworks Display 2017 びわ湖大花火大会

Provided by Biwako Visitors Bureau

Otsu Port, Shiga • Aug 8 One of the best pyrotechnics shows in Japan, the Lake Biwa Great Fireworks Display is expected to attract 350,000 spectators. 10,000 spectacular light flowers bloom in the night sky, reflecting on the glassy surface of the lake. Join the hoards of onlookers as fireworks fly in arcs across the sky, while others fan out on the water s surface! Arriving early is recommended to secure the best viewing spots a few hours early. Ojiyama Sports Park, which is five minutes walk from Hamaotsu Station, is a good spot to go to. Nagisa Park and the lakefront, 15 minutes walk from Otsu Station, are some other highly recommended viewpoints. TIME: 7:30pm–8:30pm • ADMISSION: Free • ACCESS: JR Otsu Stn / Keihan Hamaotsu Stn • biwako-visitors.jp/hanabi/index.html

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Events

/ WHAT’S ON AROUND KANSAI

AUG

15 16 >

Okuribi Bonfire 五山送り火

Various Parts of Kyoto • Aug 16

Giant bonfires burn on the five mountains surrounding Kyoto City. These five bonfires (three in the shape of Japanese kanji characters, one in the form of a ship, and the other in the outline of a torii gate) can be seen from many places in the heart of the city. TIME: 8pm–8:30pm • ADMISSION: Free • kyokanko.or.jp/okuribi

Event organiser? List your event online for free at

Kansaifinder.com

Bon Festival Dance – “Dekansho” 第65回丹波篠山デカンショ祭り

Sasayama Castle Ruins, Hyogo • Aug 15 & 16

One of the largest bon festival dance events in Japan, Dekansho drew nearly 80,000 visitors last year who got together to dance to this traditional national song. Nobody comes to the festival just to observe – every spectator can be a participant! Take a quick lesson on the Dekansho steps and join the crowds moving to the music. There will be food and drink stalls to purchase refreshments and souvenirs from, and the day will end with a ﬂurry of ﬁreworks shooting across the sky! TIME: 3pm–9pm Aug 15; 4:45pm–9pm Aug 16 • ADMISSION: Free • ACCESS: JR Sasayamaguchi Stn, bus to Sasayama Honmachi • dekansho.jp

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Osaka 2017 Inagawa Jazz Picnic 2017ジャズピクニックイン猪名川

Inagawa Sports Park • Aug 5 Enjoy cool jazz on a lawn with food and drinks. Japanese jazz musicians will play hip-swinging Latin numbers and toe-tapping disco tunes. The venue will be changed to the Azalea Hall in the case of stormy weather. TIME: 5pm–9pm • ADMISSION: ¥3,000 adults (¥3,500 at door), concessions • ACCESS: Hankyu line, Ikeda Stn, 15min walk • azaleanet.or.jp/event225. html#top

Kansai Bistro Festival 関西居酒屋フェスティバル

Ten-Shiba in Tennoji Park • Aug 5 & 6 Foodies will be satisﬁed with all things delicious from across Japan. During this two-day food festival, Ten-Shiba will turn into a giant bistro! There will be many delectable cuisines to sample and plenty of stalls and games to keep children happy. TIME: 10am–9pm Aug 5, 10am–8pm Aug 6 • ADMISSION: Free • ACCESS: JR / Subway Tennoji Stn • izafes. rakkaseinokai.com

Awa Odori Dance in Tenjin & Temma 天神天満阿波おどり

Osaka Tenmangu Shrine & Tenjinbashisuji Shopping Street • Aug 20 One of the most famous festive dance events in Japan, Awa Odori will be held in the heart of Osaka. The distinctive halfmoon-shaped hats, colorful fans, and bright costumes of Awa Odori, combined with the distinctive rhythm of the energetic dance makes for both a fun and traditional Japanese experience. TIME: 2:30pm–6:50pm • ADMISSION: Free • ACCESS: JR Temma Stn • tenjintenma-awaodori.com

Bon Odori Dance 北御堂盆踊り

Kita Mido Temple • Aug 24 & 25

This annual summer event has something for everyone. A scaffold is set up on the grounds of Kita Mido Temple surrounded by circles of dancers. Attractions include the Bon dance, which everyone is encouraged to participate in, as well as performers and food and game stalls. TIME: 5:15pm–9pm • ADMISSION: Free • ACCESS: Honmachi Subway Stn, Exit 2 • kitamido.or.jp/index.html

Kansai Collection 2017 Autumn & Winter Kyocera Dome Osaka • Aug 30 The Kansai Collection is a biannual gala of fashion and music where a stunning catwalk show and music performances by popular artists take place. There will be several booths selling fashionable accessories, nail art, hair products, and more! TIME: 1pm–8:30pm • ADMISSION: ¥3,000 (¥3,500 at door) • ACCESS: Hanshin line, Dome-mae Stn • kansaicollection.net/about

Kyoto Hyakki Yagyo Exhibition – Spooky Procession 百鬼夜行展

Kodai-ji & Entoku-in Temples • Until Aug 31 Historic art works featuring ghosts, demons, and other spirits of the underworld will be on show. There will be 3D projection mapping shows of a spooky procession at Kodaiji Temple. TIME: 9am at Kodai-ji; 10am at Entoku-in • ADMISSION: ¥600 Kodaiji, ¥500 Entoku-in adults, concessions • ACCESS: Keihan line, Gion-shijo Stn, 5-min walk • kodaiji.com/topic/101. html

Pottery Festival 五条坂陶器祭り

Gojozaka Street • Aug 7–10 A fabulous three-day sale of pottery items will take place where over 400 roadside shops will be selling ceramic,

Events

/ WHAT’S ON AROUND KANSAI

china, and earthenware at bargain prices. TIME: 9am–10pm • ADMISSION: Free • ACCESS: Keihan line, Kiyomizu-gojo Stn • toukimaturi.gr.jp/index.html

Hyogo Tropical Garden Show 2017 日•タイ修好130年トロピカルガーデンショー2017

Kisekinohoshi Botanical Museum • Until Sep 18 This annual ﬂower show will this year be featuring Thai horticulture. Thai dance performances, a market of Thai goods, and food from the tropical South-East-Asian country will be happening from Aug 1 to 15. TIME: 10am–6pm (9am–9pm from Aug 1–15) • ADMISSION: ¥600 adults, concessions • ACCESS: JR Maiko Stn, bus to Awaji Yumebutai-mae • kisekinohoshi.jp

Rescue Robot Contest Inrevium Cup Inrevium 杯レスキューロボットコンテスト競技会本選

Kobe Sanbo Hall • Aug 11 & 12 In this national competition, rescue robots compete to ﬁnd victims and deliver them from danger in a simulated earthquake scenario. TIME: 10am–5pm • ADMISSION: Free • ACCESS: Portliner line, Boeki Center Stn

• rescue-robot-contest.org/17th-contest

Kobe Bon Dance こうべ海の盆踊り2017

Meriken Park • Aug 19 A traditional summer attraction, bon dance will take place at Meriken Park. Enjoy the international food stalls and the stunning night view of the Kobe port. TIME: 4pm–8:45pm • ADMISSION: Free • ACCESS: Subway Minatomotomachi Stn, 5-min walk • uminobon.net

Kasuga Shrine • Aug 14 & 15 This lantern service ritual has a more than 800-year history. The event involves the lighting of Kasuga Taisha s 3,000 stone and bronze lanterns, which only happens twice a year. The shrine dates back to the year 768 AD and is surrounded by an ancient forest. The gentle glow of the lanterns makes the site feel ancient and mysterious.

Chugen Mantoro – Lantern Service 中元万燈籠

TIME: 7pm • ADMISSION: Free • ACCESS: JR / Kintetsu line, Nara Stn, bus to Kasugataisha Omotesando • kasugataisha.or.jp

23rd The National Goldfish Scooping Championship 第23回全国金魚すくい選手権大会

Kingyo Square in Yamatokoriyama • Aug 19 & 20 Yamatokoriyama city plays host to the 23rd national goldfish scooping competition, where thousands of entrants play in this hotly contested championship each year. The basic rule is that the player scoops goldfish from a pool with a paper scooper called a poi and puts them into a bowl. The game is over when the poi is completely broken or incapable of scooping properly. The winner is the one with the most fish! TIME: 8:30am • ADMISSION: Free • ACCESS: Kintestu line, KintetsuKoriyama Stn, bus to Shiei Ground-mae • city.yamatokoriyama.nara.jp/kankou/ event/kchamp/000805.htm

Jizo-E – Guardian Deity of Children’s Day 地蔵会

Gango-ji • Aug 23 & 24 Thousands of ﬂickering ﬂames will illuminate stone Buddhist images at the temple Gango-ji during this annual ceremony held to pray for children s health and world peace. There will be fun activities for children on the 23rd and live music performed by Buddhist monks on the 24th. TIME: 5pm–9pm • ADMISSION: Free •

Nara

AUG

ACCESS: Kintetsu line, Nara Stn, 12-min walk • gangoji.or.jp/tera/jap/link/link. html

Ancient Capital Heijokyo Festival

Atago Fire Festival 愛宕の火祭り

Ifukube Shrine, Hyogo • Aug 27

During this unique ritual, the sound of taiko drums fills the air and then rings of fire flare one after another. Originally, this religious event began in order to pray for the preservation of the Edo period. It is now one of special features of the region attracting crowds of people every year. The holy fire is built around 6:30 in the evening and then an acrobatic ritual is performed where a flaming bundle of straw is swung through the air. TIME: 10am–8pm • ADMISSION: Free • ACCESS: JR Toyooka Stn, bus to Izushi • izushi.co.jp/event_summer

平城京天平祭夏天平たなばた祭

Kansai Scene Magazine / ISSUE #207 AUGUST 2017 / kansaiscene.com

Heijokyo Palace Site • Aug 25–27

Samegai Jizo Buddhist God Festival 醒ヶ井地蔵まつり

This three-day evening event celebrates Nara as the old capital of Heijokyo with spectacular illuminations decorating the ancient palace site. There will be a parade of imperial court dignitaries, food booths, and many other attractions. TIME: 4pm–9pm • ADMISSION: Free • ACCESS: JR Nara Stn / Kintetsu Yamato Saidaiji Stn, free shuttle bus to venue • tenpyosai.jp/index.html

Basara Dance Festival バサラ祭り

Nara Park and Surroundings • Aug 26 & 27

Samegai-Juku • Aug 23 & 24 A historic festival that has been passed down through the centuries, handmade dioramas will be set up in various places throughout the neighborhood. The festival attracts crowds of visitors every year. TIME: 6pm • ADMISSION: Free • ACCESS: JR Samegai Stn, 5-min walk • biwako-visitors.jp/event/detail/412

Beef Contest 牛肉サミット2017

Otsu Port • Aug 26 & 27

Basara, meaning to be eccentric and gaudy, was in vogue in the early samurai period of Japan. That spirit is revived in this two-day dance event. The entire city will come to life with eye-catching colors and attentiongrabbing performances.

This charity meat-dish contest is a golden chance to savor the succulent wagyu beef! Called beef ﬁghters, 25 popular restaurants battle it out to win the best meat dish. Enjoy an array of beef from all over the country at the lakeside area of the Biwako Hotel.

TIME: 11am • ADMISSION: Free •

TIME: 10am–9pm Aug 26; 10am–5pm Aug 27 • ADMISSION: Free • ACCESS: Keihan line, Hamaotsu Stn, 5-min walk • gyu-summit.com

ACCESS: JR / Kintetsu line, Nara Stn •

basaramatsuri.com/top.html

Shiga Tethered Balloon Rides 熱気球フライト2017

Lake Biwa Museum • Aug 4–6 Enjoy a bird s–eye view of the largest lake in Japan! The tethered hot air balloon ﬂights will hover between 20m and 25m in the air for ﬁve minutes at a time. Booking is recommended. TIME: 6am–9am • ADMISSION: ¥2,000 (¥2,500 at door) adults, concessions • ACCESS: JR Kusatsu Stn, bus to Biwako Hakubutsukan-mae • kanko-kusatsu. com/info/nekkikyuu2017

Wakayama Geta-Ichi Market 下駄市

Kuroe Kawabata-Dori • Aug 14 A large lacquerware-producing region, Kuroe hosts an annual geta (Japanese traditional wooden shoes) market. With a geta-making demonstration and the beauty of an old Japanese townscape, the market attracts 30,000 people every year. TIME: 6pm–10pm • ADMISSION: Free • ACCESS: JR Kuroe Stn, 15-min walk • kainankanko.com

Event organiser? List your event online for free at

Kansaifinder.com/events

Events  Art Fear in Painting

Collection of Museum Boijmans: Van Beuningen Bruegel’s The Tower of Babel and Great 16th Century Masters The National Museum of Art, Osaka

In the year 1563, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, the most famous painter of the Dutch Renaissance, created his masterpiece, The Tower of Babel, inspired by the Book of Genesis tale that s said to have resulted in today s multilingual global society. This time-honored painting, hailed for its exquisite detail and realism, is back in Japan for the ﬁrst time in 24 years alongside some 90 outstanding works from various 16th-century Dutch artists. Guests are invited to view vivid oil paintings, print works featuring the surreal motifs of Hieronymus Bosch, beautiful wooden sculptures, and more. Additionally, this exhibition will include an enlarged reproduction of Bruegel s painting created by the Tokyo University of the Arts COI site at approximately 300 percent of its original size, giving viewers a rare opportunity to observe the tiny details of this time-honored piece up close. 16th-century Dutch Art Exhibition • Until Oct 15 • OPEN: 10am–5pm (until 9pm Fri & Sat), Last entry 30 minutes before closing • CLOSED: Mon (except Sep 18 and Oct 9, 2017) • ADMISSION: ¥1,500 • ACCESS: Yotsubashi subway line, Higobashi Stn, 10-min walk • TEL: 06-6447-4680 • nmao.go.jp/en

Fear in Painting Exhibition • Until Sep 18 • OPEN: 10am–6pm (until 8pm Fri & Sat) • CLOSED: Mon (except Sep 18) • ADMISSION: ¥1,400 • ACCESS: Hanshin line, Iwaya Stn, 8-min walk • TEL: 078-262-0901 • artm.pref. hyogo.jp/eng

Millennial Memorial Exhibition: Imagining the Afterlife – Hells and Paradise Envisioned by the Buddhist Prelate Genshin Nara National Museum Genshin, the Heian-era monk born and raised in Taima, Nara, devoted himself to spiritual training from an early age and went on to become the highranking Buddhist prelate known as Eshin Souzu. His greatest contribution to the Buddhist faith during his time of service was the concrete imagery he created in order to depict diﬀerent realms of the afterlife. The descriptions of hells and paradise contained in Genshin s written works served as inspiration for artistic representations of the Buddhist faith for centuries to come. This exhibition features artworks based on the writings of Genshin, providing viewers with a chance to view visions of the afterlife as portrayed over 1,000 years ago in accordance with Buddhist lore. Genshin Nihonga Exhibition • Until Sep 3 • OPEN: 9:30am–6pm • CLOSED: Mon (except Aug 14) • ADMISSION: ¥1,500 • ACCESS: Kintetsu line, Nara Stn, 15-min walk • TEL: 050-5542-8600 • narahaku.go.jp/ english/index_e.html

Kansai Scene Magazine / ISSUE #207 AUGUST 2017 / kansaiscene.com

National Treasure Jigoku Zôshi (Hell scroll) Nara National Museum (Display: August 8 to September 3)

Pieter Bruegel I, The Tower of Babel, c.1568 Museum BVB, Rotterdam, the Netherlands

This exhibition commemorates the 10th anniversary of Kyoko Nakano s bestselling book, Kowai-e, scary paintings, with a collection of modern European oil paintings and prints brought together under the theme of terror. Featured works are displayed under various themes including myth, monsters, reality, landscape, and history. Some pieces provoke fear on an overt visual level, while others stimulate horror on a contextual level after the thematic content underlying the piece is learned. Notable works include John William Waterhouse s Circe Offering the Cup to Ulysses and Paul Delaroche s The Execution of Lady Jane Grey. This exhibition aims to ignite horror within the imagination of its viewers.

Paul Delaroche, The Execution of Lady Jane Grey, 1833 The National Gallery, London © The National Gallery, London. Bequeathed by the Second Lord Cheylesmore, 1902

Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art

Events  Art Osaka Magical Art Museum Osaka Culturarium at Tempozan •  Until Sep 3 This multimedia exhibition of 17 separate installations uses light, sound, and video to provide guests of all ages with a fun and interactive experience. Artists from within Japan and around the world aim to immerse visitors in a play-ﬁlled world of magic and color. OPEN: 10am–5pm • ADMISSION: ¥1,300 • ACCESS: Chuo subway line, Osakako Stn, 5-min walk • TEL: 06-6586-3911 • osaka-c-t.jp

Admiring Alphonse Mucha Sakai City Cultural Hall  Until Nov 5 World-renowned Czech artist Alphonse Mucha was known for his distinctively intricate style, usually involving motifs focused on elegant female ﬁgures. His paintings, illustrations, and designs inﬂuenced countless creators for generations to come. This exhibition showcases works by artists inspired by Mucha. OPEN: 9:30am–7pm • CLOSED: Mon • ADMISSION: ¥500 • ACCESS: Sakaishi Stn,

1-min walk • TEL: 072-222-5533 • sakaibunshin.com/shisetsu_kihon_bunka.jsp

Yoshiaki Kobayashi “Colors of Light, Colors of Wind 2” Ricoh Imaging Square Osaka •  Until Aug 25 Photographer Yoshiaki Kobayashi s newest exhibition captures the vivid color and beauty of the unique landscape of Hokkaido and the living things that thrive there in spring. Fifty prints are on display. OPEN: 10:30am–6pm • CLOSED: Sun &

holidays • ADMISSION: Free • ACCESS: Nagahoribashi Stn, 2-min walk • TEL: 06-6271-7996 • ricoh-imaging.co.jp/japan/ community/squareosaka

Mitsuhiko Imamori – Living with Nature and the World of Paper-Cutting Art A Look at Life Born from a Satoyama Workshop Kobe Fashion Museum Kirigami artist and photographer Mitsuhiko Imamori lives in the hills of Satoyama where he tends rice paddies and forests. Working in this environment fuels Imamori s drive to produce vivid photography and cut-paper representations of plants and creatures found in the natural world throughout Japan s changing seasons. His colorful and detailed creations inspire a sense of wonder and appreciation for the many recurring patterns and shades present in the fields and mountains of the Japanese countryside. This exhibition showcases some 250 of Imamori s latest works Panther chameleon and Pachypodium in conjunction with a series of events, including a talk and autograph-signing session with Imamori himself, providing guests with an opportunity to talk face-to-face with this award-winning artist. Mitsuhiko Imamori Exhibition • Until Oct 9 • OPEN: 10am–6pm • CLOSED: Mon • ADMISSION: ¥500 • ACCESS: Rokko Island line, Island Center Stn, 1-min walk • TEL: 078-858-0050 • www. fashionmuseum.or.jp/english

Kyoto Hakusasonso Summer Exhibition: Summer Scenes by Kansetsu Hakusasonso Hashimoto Kansetsu Memorial Museum •  Until Sep 3 Kansetsu Hashimoto was a Nihonga painter active during the Showa and Taisho eras. A collection of his traditional water-themed works is on display for summer. Common motifs include Lake Biwa, waterfalls, and cormorant ﬁshing. Guests are invited to enjoy these classical representations of Kansai s local environment. OPEN: 10am–5pm • ADMISSION: ¥1,300

• ACCESS: JR Kyoto Stn, bus #100 to Ginkakujimae stop, 5-min walk • TEL: 075-751-0446 • hakusasonso.jp

Rosanjin Kitaoji – Quest for Japanese Beauty Kahitsukan – Kyoto Museum of Contemporary Art  Until Sep 24 This exhibition features a selection of some 100 works by Kyotoborn artist Kitaoji, who began his artistic career in calligraphy before branching his talents out into the worlds of ceramics, painting, lacquerware, and metalwork. Pieces will be presented in ﬁve categories: pottery, calligraphy, tea, ﬂowers, and food. OPEN: 10am–5:30pm • CLOSED: Mon • ADMISSION: ¥1,000 • ACCESS: Keihan line, Shijo Stn, 3-min walk • TEL: 075-525-1311 • kahitsukan.or.jp/frame.html

Hyogo Intersecting Artists – Postwar Kansai Ashiya City Museum of Art & History •  Until Sep 18 For Japanese artists of all disciplines, WWII was an era of constriction and censorship. Following the end of the war in 1945, these artists broke free from these limitations and collaborated to form a community of unprecedented expression. This exhibition gives art lovers a chance to view a collection of works by postwar artists from the Kansai area. OPEN: 10am–5pm • CLOSED: Mon • ADMISSION: ¥500 • ACCESS: Hanshin line, Ashiya Stn, 15-min walk • TEL: 0797-385432 • ashiya-museum.jp/en-top

Kansai Scene Magazine / ISSUE #207 AUGUST 2017 / kansaiscene.com

Events  Live Music New Century Jazz Quintet

AUG

New Century Jazz Quintet is an ensemble featuring jazz musicians from the US and Japan. Members include Benny Benack (trumpet), Tim Green (alto sax), Takeshi Ohbayashi (piano), Yasushi Nakamura (bass), and Ulysses Owens (drums). When the group performed in Japan last year, trumpeter Benny Benack explained how they try to ﬁnd new ways to arrange classic standards, as well as exciting new original songs. KS caught up with Benack again recently before the upcoming visit to Japan and with a new album to promote. He said, This album is more of a concept album for NCJQ, focusing on including more tra-

Aug / Sep Rock & Pop Pentagon Aug 3 & 4

AUG

27 28 &

ditional funk/soul groove -based elements, added to the hard-swinging, straight-ahead sound our fans know and love! We hope everyone can groove right along with us for our new album: Soul Conversion! Fourth album release Japan tour • Mister Kelly’s, Osaka • Jazz • 7pm & 8:30pm Aug 27; 7:30pm & 9pm Aug 28 • ¥6,800 • TEL: 06-6342-5821

Billboard Live OSAKA, Osaka • Pop rock • 6:30pm/9:30pm • ¥8,500/¥9,500 • TEL: 06-6342-7722

Kokusyoku Sumire

Janus, Osaka • Pop • 7pm • ¥4,000 • TEL: 06-6882-1224

Japanese singer and acoustic guitarist

Kazumi Morohoshi

Taku Taku, Kyoto • Pop • 7pm • ¥3,000/¥3,500 • TEL: 075-351-1321

Aug 19

Aug 17

Japanese pop vocalist

South Korean boy band

Japanese keyboard and violin duo with vocals

Bayside Hall, Osaka • Pop • 7pm • ¥8,800 • TEL: 06-6357-4400

Taku Taku, Kyoto • Pop • 7pm • ¥3,500/¥4,000 • TEL: 075-351-1321

Issues

Jakigan Meister

Aug 19 & 20

Aug 4

Aug 17

Japanese visual-kei rock band

American metal band from Atlanta, Georgia

Nightmare guitarist Sakito solo project

Live Square 2nd Line, Osaka • Rock • 4:30pm • ¥4,600/¥5,100 • TEL: 06-64531985

Janus, Osaka • Metal • 7pm • ¥5,000/¥5,500 • TEL: 03-5720-9999

Big Cat, Osaka • Rock • 7pm • ¥6,000/¥7,000 • TEL: 0570-200-8888

Riho Iida

Homecomings

Aug 11

Aug 18

Child actress turned singer

Japanese four-piece indie band

Muse, Esaka • Pop • 2pm/5:30pm • ¥4,800/¥7,000 • TEL: 050-5586-8199

Taku Taku, Kyoto • Indie • 6:30pm • ¥3,500 • TEL: 06-6535-5569

Godiego

Ide Ayaka

Aug 15 & 16

Aug 18

Japanese six-piece band famous for the song Monkey Magic

Japanese pop singer-songwriter

Namba Hatch, Osaka • Pop • 6pm • ¥9,000 • TEL: 06-6357-4400

Kra

Foot Rock & Beers Festival 2017 Aug 20 All-day music from many bands and artists Foot Rock and Beers, Osaka • Mixed Genres • 12:30pm • ¥3,000/¥3,500 • TEL: 06-6282-1120

Shibata Satoko

Stellar Addiction - State of Mind Tour Osaka / Kobe / Tokyo • Aug 23 - Aug 27 JAPAN, we re coming back to celebrate the release of our new 5 track EP State Of Mind . We met so many amazing people last year and we d love to see you all again! We will be playing all of our new songs and will have 2 free CDs to give out at each show! Aug 23 Club Vijion, Osaka • Aug 24 Varit, Kobe • Aug 25 Hard Rock Cafe, Osaka TIME: 6pm • WEBSITE: facebook.com/ events/1440785562706441/

Aug 23

Kansai Scene Magazine / ISSUE #207 AUGUST 2017 / kansaiscene.com

Events  Live Music SEP

Chie Hanawa Born in Hitachi, Ibaraki Prefecture, Chie Hanawa ﬁrst began learning to play the shamisen at nine years old. Remarkably, by the time she was only fourteen she had played a concert in Denver, Colorado and also performed at the famous Carnegie Hall in New York. In 1999, aged 17, she became the youngest champion ever in the Women s A Division at the National Tsugaru Shamisen Competition held in Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, and in January 2004 she released her debut album, Tsuki no Usagi. The album, produced by jazz pianist and composer Makoto Kuriya, included collaborations with a number of musicians, including violinists, cellists, shakuhachi (Japanese end-blown ﬂute) players, and vocalists. Although the shamisen is an old traditional instrument do not be fooled into expecting old traditional Japanese music, Hanawa s latest album Hello World! has a track listing that includes Mission Impossible, The Beatles Norwegian Wood, and Jimi Hendrix s Purple Haze!

Evoken Festival

Kokusyoku Sumire

Sep 1–3

Aug 18

The Evoken Festival is a threeday event held in Tokyo and Osaka from September 1st to 3rd. The finale in Kansai will be held at Muse, Esaka. The festival promotes melodic and fantasyinspired metal and rock bands from around the globe. On the bill for Osaka will be Freedom Call (Germany), Twilight Force (Sweden), Derdian (Italy), Cellador (America), Power Quest (UK), and Temperance (Italy).

Kokusyoku Sumire is a Japanese duo featuring Yuka (accordion, piano, and vocals) and Sachi (violin and piano). Formed in 2004, the Gothic Lolitas, as they have been labeled, perform a wide range of music and songs from pop to fairy tale, operatic to traditional. Gaining some international recognition outside of Japan, the two musicians have previously played successful shows in France, and director Tim Burton is apparently a fan who visits them whenever he is in Japan. Yuka is the lyricist and composer of the duo (and is said to be a fan of British punk and rock) and is a trained singer. Sachi composes string arrangements and is classically trained.

The event is put on by Evoken de Valhall, an organization that began in 2009 to promote melodic metal and rock in Japan, so if you are a fan of this genre then this is the gig not miss this year! For details of the event, visit ev-pro.asia where tickets for all three dates can be purchased. Melodic Metal and Fantasyinspired metal music festival • Muse, Esaka • Metal • 4pm • ¥9,000/¥10,000 • TEL: 050-55868199

Japanese shamisen player mixing traditional with contemporary • Mister Kelly’s, Osaka • World • 7:30pm/9pm • ¥4,000/¥4,500 • TEL: 06-6342-5821

Kansai Scene Magazine / ISSUE #207 AUGUST 2017 / kansaiscene.com

Japanese keyboard, vocals, and violin duo • Taku Taku, Kyoto • Pop • 7pm • ¥3,500/¥4,000 • TEL: 075-351-1321

Live Music Take 6

Mew

Aug 30 & 31

Sep 7

US gospel cappella group

Danish alternative-rock trio

Billboard Live OSAKA, Osaka • Gospel • 6:30pm/9:30pm • ¥12,000/¥13,000 • TEL: 06-6342-7722

Club Quattro, Osaka • Rock • 7:30pm • ¥7,500 • TEL: 06-6311-8111

Kyoto Rock Summit Aug 30–Sep 3

T-Bolan Sep 7 Japanese rock band since 1991

Five-day music event with different acts every day Muse, Kyoto • Rock • 4pm • ¥3,500/¥4,000 • TEL: 075-223-0389

Namba Hatch, Osaka • Rock • 7:30pm • ¥10,000 • TEL: 06-6357-4400

Lords of Black

Sep 8–10

Aug 31

Japanese pop vocal group

Spanish power-metal band formed 2014

Osaka Jo Hall, Osaka • Pop • 6pm Aug 8; 5pm Aug 9 & 10 • ¥8,300 • TEL: 0570-200-888

Club Quattro, Osaka • Metal • 7pm • ¥7,500 • TEL: 06-6311-8111

Dir En Grey

9mm Parabellum Bullet/ The Back Horn/Nothing’s Carved In Stone

Sep 2 & 3

Sep 9

Popular Japanese visual-kei rock band

Three Japanese rock acts touring together

Rohm Theater, Kyoto • Rock • 6pm • ¥6,500/¥13,000 • TEL: 06-6357-4400

Bayside Hall, Osaka • Rock • 5pm • ¥4,300 • TEL: 06-6341-3525

Evoken Festival

Juliet

Sep 3

Sep 9

Featuring Freedom Call (Germany) and Twilight Force (Sweden)

Japanese pop/R&B trio

Muse, Esaka • Metal • 4pm • ¥9,000/¥10,000 • TEL: 050-5586-8199

Abeno Rock Town, Osaka • Pop • 5:30pm • ¥4,600 • TEL: 06-6357-4400

Oldcodex

Sep 12

Sep 3

German heavy-metal band since 1976

Japanese rock duo known for anime themes Bayside Hall, Osaka • Rock • 6pm • ¥5,500 • TEL: 06-6344-3326

Mayhem (De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas Tour) Sep 4 Norwegian black-metal band Club Quattro, Osaka • Metal • 7pm • ¥8,000 • TEL: 06-6535-5560

Club Quattro, Osaka • Metal • 7pm • ¥8,500 • TEL: 06-6311-8111

Dream Theater Sep 13 American metal band Grand Cube, Osaka • Metal • TIME: TBA • ¥TBA • TEL: 06-4803-5555

Looking for something? Find it at KansaiFinder.com, our brand new listings site!* The same event info, job listings, classifieds and business/sightseeing directory that you enjoy each month in our mag, but now all in one dedicated portal site, making it easier to find the information you need. We’ve also made it even easier to post your own listings too**. Posting to any category is free for online ads, with optional paid add-ons to get your listing in the printed mag too.

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Events • Classifieds • Jobs • Places

Events  Live Music INTERVIEW

ACCEPT German metal band ACCEPT released their debut self-titled album in 1979, and with a new album Rise of Chaos that will be available by the time the band plays in Japan, KS spoke with original and ever-present guitarist Wolf Hoﬀman about the upcoming tour, and also how the band have weathered the rigors of time in the volatile musical world. By the time the band arrives in Japan, the new album Rise of Chaos will be available. The band has a special relationship with Japan – do you have a special message to the faithful here?

We are very happy to come back to Japan. This country has been a huge part of our career: it has been the Japanese fans who have made ACCEPT standing next to the greatest bands of that time! No other country – not even Germany – has given ACCEPT such early and spontaneous real superstar credentials! So, being able to say thanks to our Japanese fans is always a very special gift for us.

SEP

12 know better. But in reality, no one can know your music better than you – how you feel and what you want to say. We have been blessed because our strongest ally has been Gaby – our forever manager – and it is she who keeps our noses to the ground! Whatever we feel, whatever we want to share, she is the one who is running with it! So our secret is none – we are just very protected and very, very stubborn and not all of our peers could deal with that. Are there any special plans for celebrating this 40-year milestone and what do the next few years hold for ACCEPT?

ACCEPT’s studio album debut was the self-titled release in 1979. Over the past nearly 40 years, many genres of rock and metal have come and gone. What is it that has kept a strong fan base for ACCEPT and meant the band has endured where many have fallen by the wayside?

We are celebrating life every day – anniversaries as well – there is always an anniversary of something! We celebrate the best when we are in front of our fans, to be honest. That is our moment! And if in 40 more years there are still ACCEPT fans, we will sure do what we always do: ROCK THE HOUSE! Perhaps not as wildly as today, though! We re having the time of our lives – come and celebrate with us!

Nearly 40 years and there are no secrets about it: we did not change the fabric of our work ethic, our live performance strategy, or – most importantly – how we write songs. The hardest part is to withstand the constant influences that others want to impose on musicians. Everybody thinks they

German pioneers of heavy metal • Club Quattro, Osaka • Metal • 7pm • ¥8,500 • TEL: 06-6311-8111

Inoran Sep 14 Japanese rock artist s 20th-anniversary solo tour Taku Taku, Kyoto • Rock • 7pm • ¥5,800/¥6,300 • TEL: 06-6344-3326

The Muggles Every Fri & Sat Mellow ballads, classic rock, and rock n roll from Osaka-based jamming band

Woodstock Café, Ashiya • Rock and group sounds • Free admission (¥2,000 for 2 drinks + snack) • TEL: 079-734-1044

Jazz & Blues

Gaia Cuatro

New Century Jazz Quintet

Aug 22

Aug 27 & 28

Latin jazz and violin group

Fourth album release Japan tour

Mister Kelly’s, Osaka • Jazz • 7pm/9pm • ¥4,000/¥6,000 • TEL: 06-6342-5821

Mister Kelly’s, Osaka • Jazz • 7pm & 8:30pm Aug 27; 7:30pm & 9pm Aug 28 • ¥6,800 • TEL: 06-6342-5821

Tony Monaco, Yosuke Onuma, Gene Jackson

Nishizaki Kayoko

Aug 19

Aug 23

Jazz funk organ, guitar and drums trio

Japanese jazz trumpeter with the Onozuka Akira Trio

Mister Kelly’s, Osaka • Jazz • 7pm/9pm • ¥4,320/¥6,800 • TEL: 06-6342-5821

Live Spot Rag, Kyoto • Jazz • 7:30pm • ¥4,800/¥6,000 • TEL: 075-255-7273

Italian Jazz Night Aug 28 Featuring Marco Weyzoso (trumpet) and Alessandro Corinna (piano) Live Spot Rag, Kyoto • Jazz • 7:30pm • ¥2,000/¥3,500 • TEL: 075-255-7273

Kansai Scene Magazine / ISSUE #207 AUGUST 2017 / kansaiscene.com

Events  Club Noon + Cafe

AUG

Zettai-Mu is coming back to Noon! Zettai-Mu started in 1995 and has featured many fantastic underground and popular artists since its inception. This time, the party is hosting the Filipino reggae DJ Red-I who organizes Irie Sunday, one of the most popular underground parties in Manila. It will also feature one of the top emerging Japanese Juke/Footwork producers, Crzkny from Hiroshima, with his new album Meridian, Madkosmos who is on UK Trap label Veyron Arche, and more. Reggae, Dub, Dubstep, or Juke – if you love heavy bass music, this is the night for you. Don t forget to tell door staff that you saw the party in KS, and you ll get an extra drink!

Zettai-Mu x Noon Again!! (Reggae/Dubstep/Bass/Juke) • DJS: Red-I, Crzkny, Fulltono, Madkosmos, Tokyo Getto Shamisen, Rhy-s, Ka4u, Kuranaka a.k.a 1945 + more • OPEN: 10pm • ADMISSION: ¥2,300 (ADV: ¥1,800, [say you read about the party in KS at the door to get an extra drink]) • WHERE: Umeda • TEL: 06-6373-4919 • noon-cafe.com

August 4 (Fri) Alzar Alzar Fridays Denis Horvat feat. Tri (Techno) • DJS: Denis Horvat, Toru Ikemoto, Nakamura, Ryutaro + more • OPEN: 11pm • ADMISSION: ¥3,000 (ADV: ¥2,000/1D, Entry before MIDNIGHT: ¥1,500) • WHERE: Shinsaibashi • TEL: 090-69608527 • alzar.jp

Circus Circus presents Loveﬁngers (Disco/House/Leftﬁeld) • DJS: Lovefingers + more • OPEN: 11pm • ADMISSION: ¥2,000 • WHERE: Shinsaibashi • TEL: 06-6241-3822 • circusosaka.com

Jaai Freeek – Heaven s Music (House/ Progressive House/Tech House) • DJS: Tsujirock, 8yas8, Nagisa, Sugimo + more • OPEN: 11pm • ADMISSION: ¥2,000/1D • WHERE: Shinsaibashi • TEL: 080-3037-3214 • iflyer.tv/ja/Bar-JAAI

Joule Axtone Night (EDM) • ACTS: Deniz Koyu, New_Id, Will K, Beatman, O-Man + more • OPEN: 10pm • ADMISSION: ¥3,000 (ADV: ¥2,500) • WHERE: Shinsaibashi • TEL: 06-6214-1223 • club-joule.com

Metro Contakt (Disco House/Juke/ Techno) • LIVE: Bodil • DJS: Kokushimuso, Xi a.k.a Musicarus, Fulltono, Shin, Yurizo, Tenkumo + more • OPEN: 10pm • ADMISSION: ¥2,000 (ADV: ¥1,500) • WHERE: Kyoto • TEL: 075-752-2787 • metro.ne.jp

Piccadilly Novel Special – Guest DJ Cash Cash (EDM/Open Format) • DJS: Cash Cash, B=Ball, Masamune, S.u, Maurice, Takumi • OPEN: 9pm • ADMISSION: Gentlemen ¥3,000/1D; Ladies ¥1,500/1D • WHERE: Umeda • TEL: 06-6809-5895 • clubpiccadilly.com

WHERE: Shinsaibashi • TEL: 06-6241-3822 • circus-osaka.com

Triangle Booty Tune × Triangle presents [Rp Boo Japan Tour in Osaka] (Juke/Footwork/Bass) • ACTS: Rp Boo, Fulltono, Laxenanchaos, Ka4u + more • OPEN: 10pm • ADMISSION: ¥2,500 (ADV: ¥2,000) • WHERE: Shinsaibashi • TEL: 06-6212-2264 • triangleosaka.com

Troop Cafe Diatonik – 9th Anniversary (Techno/Minimal) • DJS: Tatsuo.Y, 2Nyan, Fukumura, Mariko, Taiki, Batch • OPEN: 11pm • ADMISSION: ¥1,500/1D • WHERE: Kobe • TEL: 078-3213130 • troopcafe.jp

5 (Sat) Alzar Nao Nomura presents Alzar Saturdays (Techno/House) • DJS: Yashima, Sakiko Osawa, Senda + more • OPEN: 11pm • ADMISSION: ¥3,000/1D (ADV: ¥2,500/1D, Entry before MIDNIGHT: ¥700/1D) • WHERE: Shinsaibashi • TEL: 090-6960-8527 • alzar.jp

Circus

Alzar Wols Feat. Wata Igarashi Alzar Friday (Techno) • DJS: Wata Igarashi, Takaaki Itoh, Loe, Ina • OPEN: 11pm • ADMISSION: ¥3,000 (ADV: ¥2,000/1D, Entry before MIDNIGHT: ¥1,500) • WHERE: Shinsaibashi • TEL: 0906960-8527 • alzar.jp

Circus Circus presents Adam F (Drum n Bass) • DJS: Adam F, Toyo, Yuuna, Exit • OPEN: 11pm • ADMISSION: ¥2,500 (ADV: ¥2,000, Under 23yrs OLD: Free) • WHERE: Shinsaibashi • TEL: 06-6241-3822 • circusosaka.com

Compufunk Records

6 (Sun) Coral Kitchen at Sea Tropical Disco in Osaka fueled by Chandon Passion – Tropical Disco 2017 Release Party (House/Disco) • LIVE: Parkgolf • DJS: Animal Hack, Yuuna, Bounce Catz + more • OPEN: 3:30pm–8:30pm • ADMISSION: ¥2,500 (ADV: ¥2,200/1D) • WHERE: Fukushima • TEL: 090-1733-5815 • coral-kitchen.jp/sea

Aoki Takamasa × DJ Ageishi (House) • DJS: Ageishi, Aoki Takamasa + more • OPEN: 11pm • ADMISSION: ¥1,000 •

11 (Fri)

Kansai Scene Magazine / ISSUE #207 AUGUST 2017 / kansaiscene.com

Nightbirds Presents: Klute (Drum n Bass) • ACTS: Klute, Mightwhales, 81blend, Rasty, Hikaru + more • OPEN: 5pm-1am • ADMISSION: ¥3,000/1D • WHERE: Kitahama • TEL: 06-6314-6541 • compufunk.com

Ghost Ultra Lounge Loyal (Open Format) • DJS: Joe, Lead, Minami Boyz, Imai, J Amour + more • OPEN: 10pm • ADMISSION: Gentlemen ¥1,500/1D; Ladies & Foreigners ¥700/1D • WHERE: Shinsaibashi • TEL: 06-6214-0545 • ghostosaka.com

Events  Club Joule Castor presents Simon Patterson Japan Tour in Osaka (Trance) • ACTS: Simon Patterson, Master Azia, Yuki Higashi, Takashix + more • OPEN: 10pm • ADMISSION: TBA (FOREIGNERS: Free) • WHERE: Shinsaibashi • TEL: 066214-1223 • club-joule.com

Noon + Cafe Club Jazz Kissa [More] Vol. 83 presents Vinyl Session with Summer Breeze (Jazz/Crossover/ House) • DJS: Shu Suzuki, Noface, Roy Comanchero, Gokiuchi + more • OPEN: 9pm • ADMISSION: ¥1,000 (FOREIGNERS: ¥500/1D, say you read about the party in Kansai Scene at the door to get an extra drink) • WHERE: Umeda • TEL: 06-63734919 • noon-cafe.com

12 (Fri)

AUG

19 (Sat) Tipsy★Girls Only Party – Bubble Bikini Night (Open Format) *Lesbians, Bisexuals, Heterosexuals Ladies Only Party • DJS: Nagisa + more • OPEN: 10pm • ADMISSION: ¥3,000 (ADV: ¥2,500) • WHERE: Shinsaibashi • TEL: 06-6214-1223 • club-joule.com

Troop Cafe Lovers Jak (Deep House/Disco/ House) • DJS: Takeshi Kouzuki, Hankyuvain, Yuko Nishida • OPEN: 11pm • ADMISSION: ¥1,500/1D • WHERE: Kobe • TEL: 078-3213130 • troopcafe.jp

25 (Fri) Joule

Alzar

Props – 6th Anniversary (Hip Hop)

Monashee presents Alzar Saturdays feat. (Techno/House)

• ACTS: Flip, Sooma, Questa, Mo-ri, Dy, Kom, A-killer + more • OPEN: 10pm • ADMISSION: ¥1,000 (FOREIGNERS: Free) • WHERE: Shinsaibashi • TEL: 06-6214-1223 • club-joule.com

• DJS: Monashee, Mitsuyas, Ryo Yoshida • OPEN: 11pm • ADMISSION: ¥3,000(ADV: ¥2,500/1D, Entry before MIDNIGHT: ¥700/1D) • WHERE: Shinsaibashi • TEL: 090-6960-8527 • alzar.jp

Hokage Hokage presents Metamorphosis! (Dub/Dubstep/Techno)

18 (Fri) Alzar You are Here feat. Bella Sarris(Techno/House) • DJS: Bella Sarris, Nao Nomura, Junichi Kuwata, Toru Ikemoto + more • OPEN: 11pm • ADMISSION: ¥3,000 (ADV: ¥2,000/1D, Entry before MIDNIGHT: ¥1,500) • WHERE: Shinsaibashi • TEL: 0906960-8527 • alzar.jp

Joule Bug Party 10th Anniversary (Breaks/Hip Hop) • ACTS: Krush, Baku, Kan a.k.a. Gami, Omsb, Kireek, Kuranaka a.k.a 1945, Naga + more • OPEN: 10pm • ADMISSION: ¥4,000 (ADV: ¥3,000, FOREIGNERS: ¥2,000) • WHERE: Shinsaibashi • TEL: 06-6214-1223 • club-joule.com

Metro Do it Brazil! (Bossa Nova/Samba/ Batucada/Brazilian Crossover) • DJS: Yoshihiro Okino, Yoshijiro Sakurai, Yukari Bb, Masaki Tamura • OPEN: 10pm • ADMISSION: ¥2,500/1D (ADV: ¥2,000/1D) • WHERE: Kyoto • TEL: 075-752-2787 • metro.ne.jp

AUG

26 27

Joule

• ACTS: Vexation Soul a.k.a Vermilion Sands, Mu-Neujohn, Rhy-s, Deck-E, Marginal Man a.k.a Tuttle, Irimito • OPEN: 7pm–11pm • ADMISSION: ¥2,000 (ADV: ¥1,800) • WHERE: Shinsaibashi • TEL: 066211-2855 • musicbarhokage.net

Noon + Cafe Bitte Bitte 1st Anniversary (Techno) • LIVE: Reiji Kitagawa • DJS: Takasa, Taro, Spot + more • OPEN: 10pm • ADMISSION: ¥2,000 ([say you read about the party in KS at the door to get an extra drink]) • WHERE: Umeda • TEL: 06-6373-4919 • noon-cafe.com

Tarui Southern Beach The beach season has come so it is time for the biggest EDM festival in Kansai – Music Circus! The ﬁrst day s headliners are the Dutch DJs Fedde Le Grand (Put Your Hands Up For Detroit – 2006) and Quintino (Epic – 2013). The second day features Dutch Trance DJ Dash Berlin (This Is Who We Are – 2015), Melbourne Bounce Dutch DJ R3hab (Burnin – 2014), and more. In total, more than 40 international and Japanese artists will play for two days. The closest station to the festival is Nankai Tarui, which is about 50 minutes from Namba Station. For more information and the full lineup, check the festival website. Music Circus ’17 (EDM) • ACTS: Dash Berlin, Fedde Le Grand, R3hab, Dannic, Ummet Ozcan, Quintino, Vinal, Garmiani, Yoji Biomehanika, Tanaka Yasutaka + more • OPEN: 10am–9pm • ADMISSION: 1-DAY PASS: ¥10,000, 2-DAY PASS: ¥18,000 • WHERE: Sennan City • TEL: 0570-200-888 • music-circus.jp

26 (Sat) Circus

Triangle Psybai – 2nd Anniversary!! (Psychedelic Trance/Bass) • ACTS: EIkiller, Keit4min, 444Capsule, Mi-bou, Monogots a.k.a Nmdb, Yanmah + more • OPEN: 10pm • ADMISSION: ¥2,000 (ADV: ¥1,500) • WHERE: Shinsaibashi • TEL: 06-6212-2264 • triangleosaka.com

ADMISSION: ¥2,000 /1D (ADV: ¥1,500/1D) • WHERE: Shinsaibashi • TEL: 06-6251-2242 • club-union.jp

Ninesense Japan Tour in Osaka 【Shadow Game】(Psychedelic

Trance) • LIVE: Sun69 • DJS: Ninesense, Show-hey & Keisuke a.k.a Brave, Hofmann + more • OPEN: 11pm • ADMISSION: ¥3,000 • WHERE: Shinsaibashi • TEL: 06-6241-3822 • circus-osaka.com

Union Satellite Vol. 23: 4th Anniversary feat. Shigge, Kafuka, and Avv (Deep House) • DJS: Shigge, Kafuka, Avv, Koichiro Murakawa + more • OPEN: 10 pm •

27 (Sun) Nanko Sankaku Koen Trancist Open Air Party 2017 – Jikooha New Album Release Tour in Osaka (Goa Trance/Psychedelic Trance) • LIVE: Jikooha • DJS: Tomocomo, Seiji Animaminimal, Show-hey, Tanny, Yuki, Mat + more • OPEN: 9am • ADMISSION: Free • WHERE: Sumiyoshi, Osaka • TEL: 06-6615-7795 • iflyer.tv/ja/nanko_ sankaku_park

Kansai Scene Magazine / ISSUE #207 AUGUST 2017 / kansaiscene.com

Events  Cinema Note: for show times and ticket information, please contact the cinemas directly

Toho Cinemas Umeda Now showing: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, John Wick: Chapter 2, Beauty and the Beast, Hacksaw Ridge, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, Power Rangers, Cars 3, Despicable Me 3, The Mummy • From Aug 4: Transformers: The Last Knight • From Aug 11: Spider-Man: Homecoming, Le voyage de Fanny • From Aug 25: Wonder Woman Tel: 06-6316-1312 • tohotheater.jp • Discounts: Weds (women); 1st & 14th of the month – ¥1,100; every day after 8pm – ¥1,300

Umeda Burg7 Now showing: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, The Girl with All the Gifts, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, Beauty and the Beast, Power Rangers, Cars 3, Despicable Me 3, The Mummy • From Aug 4: Transformers: The Last Knight • From Aug 11: Spider-Man: Homecoming, Le voyage de Fanny • From Aug 19: Baby Driver, Allegiant • From Aug 25: Wonder Woman Tel: 06-4795-7602 • burg7.com • Discounts: Weds (women); 1st of the month – ¥1,100; every day after 8pm – ¥1,300

Cine Libre Umeda Now showing: Jeder stirbt für sich allein (GER), Theory Of Obscurity: A Film About The Residents, Yoga Hosers, Don t Blink – Robert Frank, Robert Doisneau: Through The Lens, Dog Eat Dog, Toni Erdmann (GER), Powidoki (POL), Call me Francesco – The Pope (ITA), Forushande (FRA), Dancer, La Pazza Gioia, Full Speed (FRA), The Bye Bye Man, Backstage (FRA), The Founder, Fai bei sogni (ITA) • From Aug 5: The Vvitch, Les innocentes (FRA) • From Aug 12: The Secret of Kells, A Quiet Passion • From Aug 19: Gleason, Blanka • From Aug 26: Órbita 9 (SPA), Paterson, Heidi Tel: 06-6440-5930 • ttcg.jp/cinelibre_ umeda • Discounts: Weds (women, men); 1st and 15th of the month – ¥1,000

Theatre Umeda Now showing: Truman (SPA), Heartstone (ISL)

• From Aug 12: Ma Rosa (PHL), Anthropoid Tel: 06-6359-1080 • ttcg.jp/theatre_ umeda • Discounts: Weds (women, men); 1st of the month – ¥1,000

Osaka

Osaka Station City Cinema Now showing: Power Rangers, Cars 3, Bleed For This, Despicable Me 3, The Mummy • From Aug 4: Transformers: The Last Knight • From Aug 11: Spider-Man: Homecoming • From Aug 12: Ballerina • From Aug 25: Wonder Woman, Elle • From Aug 26: A Street Cat Named Bob Tel: 06-6346-3215 • osakastationcitycinema.com • Discounts: Weds (women); 1st of the month – ¥1,100; every day after 8pm – ¥1,300

Toho Cinemas Namba Now showing: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, John Wick: Chapter 2, Beauty and the Beast, Hacksaw Ridge, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, Power Rangers, Cars 3, Despicable Me 3, The Mummy • From Aug 4: Transformers: The Last Knight • From Aug 11: Spider-Man: Homecoming, Le voyage de Fanny • From Aug 25: Wonder Woman Tel: 06-6633-1040 • tohotheater.jp • Weds (women); 1st & 14th of the month – ¥1,100, every day after 8pm – ¥1,300

Namba Parks Cinema Now showing: Power Rangers, Cars 3, Despicable Me 3, The Mummy, The Founder • From Aug 4: Transformers: The Last Knight • From Aug 11: Spider-Man: Homecoming • From Aug 12: Ballerina • From Aug 19: Baby Driver • From Aug 25: Wonder Woman Tel: 06-6643-3215 • parkscinema.com • Discounts: Weds (women); 1st of the month – ¥1,100; every day after 8pm – ¥1,300

Cinem@rt Now showing: My Life Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, Toni Erdmann (GER), The Honeymoon Killers, Alleluia (BEL), Manchester by the Sea, Body/Cialo (POL) • From Aug 5: Die Beautiful (PHL) • From Aug 12: 47 Meters Down • From Aug 19: Gleason, Allegiant

Spider-Man: Homecoming. From August 11.

Tel: 06-6282-0815 • cinemart.co.jp/ theater/shinsaibashi • Discounts: Mon (men); Weds (women); 1st and 25th of the month – ¥1,000

Kyoto Movix Kyoto Now showing: Power Rangers, Cars 3, Despicable Me 3, The Mummy, The Founder • From Aug 4: Transformers: The Last Knight • From Aug 11: Spider-Man: Homecoming • From Aug 12: Ballerina • From Aug 25: Wonder Woman Tel: 075-254-3215 • smt-cinema.com • Discounts: Weds (women); 1st and 20th of the month – ¥1,100; every day after 8pm – ¥1,300

Kyoto Cinema Now showing: Lo chiamavano Jeeg Robot (ITA), Don't Blink – Robert Frank, Powidoki (POL), A fond (FRA), Ossessione (ITA), Everybody Wants Some, Alone in Berlin, La terra trema (ITA), Woman in Gold • From Aug 5: Chiamatemi Francesco – Il Papa della gente (ITA), Toni Erdmann, Rocco e i suoi fratelli (ITA) • From Aug 12: Wild Oats, Stonewall, Gruppo di famiglia in un interno (ITA) • From Aug 19: Dancer, The Secret of Kells, Krigen • From Aug 26: Les Innocentes (FRA), Elle Tel: 075-353-4723 • kyotocinema.jp • Discounts: Weds (women & men); 1st of the month – ¥1,100

Toho Cinemas Nijo Now showing: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No

Kansai Scene Magazine / ISSUE #207 AUGUST 2017 / kansaiscene.com

Tales, John Wick: Chapter 2, Beauty and the Beast, Hacksaw Ridge, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, Power Rangers, Cars 3, Despicable Me 3, The Mummy, Bleed For This • From Aug 4: Transformers: The Last Knight • From Aug 11: Spider-Man: Homecoming, Le voyage de Fanny • From Aug 25: Wonder Woman Tel: 075-813-2410 • tohotheater.jp • Discounts: Weds (women); 1st & 14th of the month – ¥1,100; every day after 8pm – ¥1,300

Hyogo OS Cinema Mint Kobe Now showing: John Wick: Chapter 2, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, Fifty Shades Darker, Power Rangers, Despicable Me 3, The Mummy • From Aug 4: Transformers: The Last Knight • From Aug 11: Spider-Man: Homecoming • From Aug 25: Wonder Woman Tel: 078-291-5330 • jollios.net • Discounts: Tues (women); 1st and 16th of the month – ¥1,100; every day after 8pm – ¥1,300

Kobe Kokusai Shochiku Now showing: The Founder • From Aug 12: Ballerina, 47 Meters Down • From Aug 25: Elle • From Aug 26: A Street Cat Named Bob Tel: 078-230-3580 • smt-cinema.com • Discounts: Tues (women); 1st of the month – ¥1,100; every day after 8pm – ¥1,300

Classifieds & Jobs CLASSIFIEDS Apartments For Rent

2 STORY SMALL HOUSE TANIMACHI 6CHOME, FULLY FURNISHED 110000YEN/MONTH. 50 square meter 2 story house, full furnished 110000yen/month. All is close by: shopping, downtown Osaka city. 5min walk to Tanimachi 6Chome station. 6month min. stay required. No Key money, No Guarantor required, No Sales/Service Fees. Utilities additional. www. abhousingosaka.com. Price: 110000yen/month • Location: 6-13-21 Tanimachi, Chuo-ku, Osaka-Shi • Contact: alex@ abhousingosaka.com

2DK ASHIYA-SHI, HYOGO-KEN, FULLY FURNISHED 100000YEN/ MONTH. 10min from JR Ashiya station. 1st ﬂoor 2DK apartment (44 square meters) with yard

(18square meters) for own use. Fully furnished with all that is needed for a comfortable stay. Ikari supermarket 5min walk from apartment and shopping around JR Ashiya Station. No Key money, No Guarantors, 6month min stay. www.abhousingosaka. com. Price: 100000yen/month • Location: 12-17 Shinozukacho, Ashiya-Shi, Hyogo-Ken • Contact: alex@abhousingosaka.com 38,000YEN/MONTH! ONE ROOM APT JR HYOGO STATION. 7 minutes walk to JR Hyogo station one room type apartment - 20 square meters 38,000 yen/month. room has unit kitchen, unit bath with air conditioner, electric range, small fridge, curtains and all lightings. No key money, no sales fees. 1 month refundable deposit required. CALL Katayama 09074846955. Price: 38000 • Contact: katayama@ksj.biglobe.ne.jp

Community Clubs and Groups 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 066572-6877. Website: https://sites. google.com/site/osakasoroban/ abacus-classes • Contact: mail@ osaka-abacus.com KANSAI SCENE CYCLING CLUB. Join like-minded cyclists for gentle jaunts into the Kansai countryside. Sometimes. Hey, we're all busy people right? Why suffer alone when you can suffer

together? Share and discover the best routes in the region and meet some fellow weekend warriors. Rides will start/end in Osaka for the time being. Join us on Strava: https://www.strava.com/ clubs/kansaisceneCC

For Sale Other IKEBANA FOR BUSY KANSAI PEOPLE. Relax with flower arrangement lessons in English! One or two lessons/month. Choose classes from Osaka, Kobe, and Shiga. Tuition-Free Trial Lessons available for those considering enrollment. For details: cosmoflorita@ezweb.ne.jp http://www. cosmoflorita.com. Website: http:// www.cosmoflorita.com • Contact: cosmoflorita@gmail.com

per hour. Contact us at mark@ cesjapan.co.jp with C/V and Availability. Contact: mark@cesjapan. co.jp STUDENTS CENTRED LANGUAGE SCHOOL REQUIRES A RELIABLE NATIVE ENGLISH TEACHER. parttime. Students centred L. school requires a reliable Native English Teacher for a senior citizens small group in Yodoyabashi from Sep. 1st and 3rd Thursdays, 13:20-14:50/90min./5000yen, +trans. Working visa required. More than 5yrs teaching experience preferable. Send CV to gentimeless@icloud.com. Salary: 5,000yen/90min. • Company Name: Global English Network • Website: http://www.gentimeless. com • Contact: gentimeless@ icloud.com

JOBS Teaching FULL/PART TIME INTERNATIONAL KINDERGARTEN TEACHER. Looking for a committed teacher to join our workforce. The successful candidate will be responsible for implementing the syllabus according to the Kindergarten s requirements. To ﬁt with the ethos of the Kindergarten a Native speaker of North American, or British English is preferable.. Contact: morimoto@palcl.jp CES CORPORATE LANGUAGE CLASSES. Part-time. CES is seeeking experienced, professional language Instructors/Interpreters/ Translators (All Languages) to teach company employees all over the Kansai area. Immediate openings. All materials and support provided. 3,500-4,000 yen

Looking for something else? Kansai Scene Classifieds and Jobs are now online at Kansaifinder.com

Place your own ad today It's free for online listings or just ¥3,000 per month for your ad to appear in print. Post and pay online.

Kansai Scene Magazine / ISSUE #207 AUGUST 2017 / kansaiscene.com

Getting Around

MAPS & INFORMATION INTRODUCTION

The Kansai area covers the prefectures of Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo, Wakayama, Nara, Mie, and Shiga. There is so much to explore, so you ll need to prioritize your time wisely. Its main travel hubs are Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe, all of which are well connected by high-speed rail networks, including the shinkansen (bullet train). On regular trains, you can travel between Osaka and Kyoto in about 45 mins, and between Kobe and Osaka in about 30 mins. If you are here on holiday, pick up a convenient travel pass, such as the Kansai Thu Pass (surutto.com) or Kansai One Pass (kansaionepass.com), to avoid having to negotiate the ticket machines. Use a website such as HyperDia (hyperdia.com) to check train times and platforms from your smartphone.

Get Kansai Scene Kansai Scene is available from the following major outlets in the Kansai region:

OSAKA Hotels and Guesthouses

Hyogo

Kyoto

Shiga

Hyatt Regency, Nikko Hotel, St. Regis, Swissôtel Nankai Osaka, Ritz Carlton, Hilton Osaka, Fraser Residence Nankai Osaka, InterContinental Hotel Osaka Tourist Information Centers

Osaka

Nara

Mie

Wakayama

Osaka Visitors Information Center (JR Osaka), Hankyu Tourist Center Umeda, Osaka Visitors Information Center (JR Namba), Kansai Tourist Information Center (KIX), Kansai Tourist Information Center (Shinsaibashi), Nankai Information Center (Namba) Shops

Trains and Subways

Airport Transfers

There is an excellent rail network connecting all corners of Kansai. As well as JR (Japan Rail), there are numerous private railway companies servicing the area, including Keihan (Osaka/Kyoto), Hankyu (Osaka/Kyoto), Nankai (Osaka, Wakayama, Koya), Hanshin (Osaka/Kobe), and Kintetsu (Osaka/Nara/Mie/Nagoya). Each line operates several types of train. For the fastest trains, look for the Limited Express service trains. Be aware that Local trains stop at every station on the line, so only take them if no other type of train stops at your station. Subways operate in Osaka, Kobe, and Kyoto and are an extremely efficient way to get around the cities.

To/from downtown Osaka, the most convenient option is the Nankai Rapi:t Express service (KIX <> Namba 42mins) or a Limousine Bus. To/from Kyoto, take the JR Airport Express HARUKA service (75 mins).

» Tip: Pick up a Railway Network

map from a major station or Tourist Information Center.

Buses For out-of-the-way locations, or in certain cities such as Kyoto, you may need to take a bus. A travel pass usually includes travel on municipal bus services.

Taxis Fares start from ¥500. The drivers wearing white gloves and official hats tend to be the most courteous, but don t expect English to be widely understood. Have your destination name and address on hand in Japanese.

Kinokuniya Bookstore Umeda, Kinokuniya Honmachi, Tower Records Umeda, Junkudo Namba, Hard Rock Cafe

KYOTO Hotels and Guesthouses

ATMs and Credit Cards If you re using Visa, you will be able to withdraw cash at most bank or convenience-store ATMs. If you re using Mastercard, your best bet for withdrawing money is at 7-Eleven ATMs. Most other ATMs in Kansai do not accept Mastercard. It is not common to make in-store payments using credit or visa-debit cards in Japan, even for expensive purchases. Many shops and restaurants do not oﬀer this service, so be sure to carry plenty of cash with you.

Royal Hotel, Royal Park Hotel The Kyoto, Kyoto Nikko Hotel Tourist Information Centers

Kyoto Tourist Information Center, Kansai Tourist Information Center Kyoto, Kyoto International Community House Shops

Junkudo Kyoto, Maruzen & Junkudo Kyoto Main Store, GEAR

KOBE

Wi-Fi

Hotels and Guesthouses

Getting connected in Kansai can be tricky. Renting a smartphone or SIM card at the airport is the safest option, to connect to the internet over a 3G network. In Osaka, you can access the Osaka Free Wi-Fi service at train and subway stations, stores and facilities throughout the prefecture.

Accidents and Emergencies

Kobe Bay Sheraton, Kobe Portopia Hotel Tourist Information Centers

Kobe International Community Center, Hyogo International Plaza Shops

Junkudo Nishinomiya, Junkudo Sannomiya, Kinokuniya Kobe

» Ambulance/Fire service: Tel: 119 » Police: Tel: 110

Kansai Scene Magazine / ISSUE #207 AUGUST 2017 / kansaiscene.com

Osaka North (Kita) MAPS & INFORMATION A Post Office

InterContinental Osaka Hotel

Cine Libre Umeda Sky Umeda Building German Consulate Westin 35F Hotel

Maruzen & C Junkudo

Theater Umeda

Grand Front Osaka / Knowledge Capital Yodobashi Camera

New Hankyu Club Azul Osaka Hotel Hankyu Umeda Kinokuniya Sta. H&M Hankyu Tourist Center

Club Noon Noon+Cafe iya

M OWL Osaka Toho Hotel Annex Kinki

D Osaka Loop Line

r do

j ko

i-c

k za

Kitano Hosp. 1

Osaka Hep 5 YWCA Hep Navio e Hankyu ad rc ori A Toho Cinemas id Craft Beer h Osaka Station as Grand Bldg Hig Umeda Hankyu Base City Cinema Lucua Hankyu Dept. JR Osaka Sonezaki Lucua 1100 Daimaru Police H.Q. Osaka Club Umeda a. t S Quattro Visitors’ Station City da e Information Hotel Asahiya Um Hanshin Granvia shin Center Dept. Bookstore n Hilton Ha Junkudo Umeda 2 6F Plaza West Hotel Burg7 Hilton The Blarney Kansai Drop Inn Hotel Stone Herbis Dai-4 1F Osaka Maru Tower Hearton Ent Bldg. Bldg. Records Hotel 3/4F TGI Fridays Hotel Nishiumeda Osaka Dental Clinic Dai-3 3RD WORD Monterey Dai-2 Bldg. Dai-1 Creamy Osaka Herbis Bldg. Bldg. 2F Osaka Exeo Ritz Kita Shinchi 33F Tanimachi Lin Carlton .2 e o Captain 1F N ute Kangaroo o 5F R . a t Shinmei aS im Mister Law Office sh Hotel ku Kelly’s Outback Fu Hanshin US Steakhouse 3 Dojima Avanza e Consulate in B1F in L a. ine Ma a St ai L Hotel Elsereine im shin Toz ACCJ JR Han ukush Osaka Ana Crowne Kansai F Dojima Plaza . Hotel Sta da Ume

Umekita Ship

Ogimachi Park

Shin Midosuji

Higa

Nishi Umeda

eda

m shi U

Mid

Fukushima

ji Lin

osu

Kita Shinchi

Dojima

ABC Hall

4 a. St a im sh no

Grand Cube Osaka

DIG Beer Bar

Daiichi Group

APA Sōai Hotel High School

Hanshin Expressway B

Honmachi

Kitamido

Honmachi Dori

Elmers Green Cafe 5

il Bar Central Banco

Utsubo Park

Honmachi

Daiwa Roynet Hotel Kitahama

OSTEC Exibition Hall

Utsubo Tennis Center

Watanabe Fineart Gallery

Chuo Odori C Honmachi

Kansai Scene Magazine / ISSUE #207 AUGUST 2017 / kansaiscene.com

St. Regis Hotel Osaka

Hooters Osaka

Hard Rock Cafe Osaka 0 Chuo Line

Sakaisuji Line

Naniwasuji

suj ike ida

TAKAMURA Wine & Coffee Roasters

Midosuji

Edobori

Yotsubashisuji

a Tos

ri Do

Nii Fine Arts

YMCA

Sumitomo Hosp.

bas

Kitahama

Rihga Royal Hotel

iwa

Kitahama

Rihga Nakanoshima Inn Beer Belly

Museum of Oriental Ceramics

Nan

Mitsui Sumitomo Bank

APA Hotel

Osaka City Public Hall

Tosabori River

Mitsui Garden Hotel

National Museum of Art Science Museum

City Hall Library

Yodoyabashi

ima Dori

Bank of Japan

Festival Plaza

y(Loop Rout e)

Nakanosh

Oebashi

Keiha

h os

n ka a N

i bebash Watana Line oshima an ak N n-

Hanshin Expresswa

Higobash

ive

R ima

NTT Data

hi Line

Dojima River Forum

Yotsubas

ima

ush

Fuk

Nishi Tenma

Starbucks 6

N 200m

Sakaisujihommachi D

Osaka South (Minami)

Shinmachi Kita Park

Shinmachi Life

MoeJoe

Hearton Hotel

Big Beans Supermarket

Kansai Scene Mojoprint Office

Mizuho Bank Nagahori dori

Nishiohashi

7-ELEVEN

Hotel Via Inn

Cafe Absinthe

Horie Park

Yotsubashi line

2F Tezukayama Gallery Orange Stree t (shopping street)

Circus

Big Step

Triangle

Sun Hall Ghost Ultralounge

Moonshine

Coolabah

River

The Silver Ball Planet Cinem @rt

L&L

5F Boy

Yamaya

Nagahoribashi

Shinsaibashi

Ark Hotel

3F GS Travel

Daimaru Dept. Murphy’s 2F

Daimaru Dept. South

Apple Store

Joule

Moon Tower

Dotonbori

OPA

Triangle Park

The Suite

Naniw

a-suji

MinamiHorie

Banco

Nest Hotel

GAP

Uniqlo

Daimaru Dept. North

Nikko Hotel

EXODUS

Covent Garden

Tokyu Hands

Hearton Hotel

Nagahori Tsurumi-Ryokuchi line

Ali’s Kitchen El Pancho 8F

Shinsaibashi-suji (shopping arcade)

Kitahorie Hospital

Minami-semba

Arthur Murray

Midosuji line

TABIJI Kitchen

The Westside

Louis Vuitton

Shinsaibashi

bi-grace nail Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau

Toyoko Inn

KitaHorie

D & Dept.

Namba Shrine

Yotsubashi

Daiwa Roynet Hotel

Shinsaibashi-suji (shopping arcade)

Balabushka 4F

Mustang

Cross Hotel

Kansai Tourist APA Information Center Hotel Don Quijote

Comfort Hotel The Blarney Stone Suomachi-dori B1 (Europe street)

Minami Police Station

HigashiShinsaibashi

Bar Jaai

Vanity

Sakaisuji line

MAPS & INFORMATION

Fujiya Hotel

Zerro

Soemon-Cho

Burlesque B1 Pure Osaka Don Quijote B1

Kaneyoshi Ryokan

Mexico Osaka Shochikuza

Dotonbori Hotel

Kokopelli

Namba Hips Tominaga Hospital

a St

amb JR N

Casa Lapichu

AEON MaxValu

BIC Camera

Namba

Motomachi

Absinthe Solaar 8F

Toho Cinemas Namba annex

Toho Cinemas Namba

Visitors Information Center

Hotel Ichiei

Nipponbashi sta.

Sennichimae line

Little Long Beach

Inari 5

Namba Sta.

Junkudo

OCAT

Namba Washington Hotel

Namba

Nam

Hotel Monterey Grasmere Osaka

Dotonbori Hozenji Temple Osaka Floral Inn

Takashimaya Dept. Store

Maruzen

Fraser Residence

Namba Oriental Hotel

Misono Building Singh’s Kitchen Namba Plaza Hotel

MUJI/LOFT Tower Records

NipponBashi

Swissôtel Nankai Osaka

Nankai Namba Station

McDonalds Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium

Naniwa Park

Namba -naka

Namba PARKS

Pub Bar 30 2F

NAMBA PARKS CINEMA

Naniwa Sports Center Naniwa Post Office

Animate Nihonbashi Shop

Toys”R”Us Yamada Denki LABI1 Namba

Jack & Queen

Kuromon Market

Sakaisuji

Namba Hatch

Naniwa Ward Office

100m D

Kansai Scene Magazine / ISSUE #207 AUGUST 2017 / kansaiscene.com

Osaka Tennoji Area MAPS & INFORMATION ress R ou

Tanimachi Line

Abeno Q’s Mall

e a Lo op L in Osak

Tenn oji Sta.

Han

Abeno Harukas

i Tram Hanka

Lin

Kansai Kyoiku University

Hoop 3

Abeno

way

Tenshiba Kans ai M ain L suji ine Line

Mido

Osaka Municipal University Hospital

Imaike

Line i Main Nanka S

iL uj

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in Exp

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Language School

CocoMomo&Co.

tsue

Dobu

Te r

Nank

miya

Shitennoji

Osaka Municipal Museum of Fine Art

Tennoji Zoo

e ashi Lin Yotsub

Tsutenkaku

-Ima

Shitennoji Honbo

Tennoji Sta.

Shin

Sta.

a i Sh in-Im amiy a

Shin Sekai

D Tennoji Ward Office

Hansh

Imamiya Ebisu Shrine

Ebisucho

odan i

Nipponbashi

Zepp Namba

Mom

te 1

re g

a.D

200m

Osaka Castle Area Osaka Tenmangu

hi Line

o Koen

Osaka Castle

Osaka Castle Park

Osaka Museum of History

Hanshin Expressway Higashi Osaka

Route

Morinomiya Q’s Mall BASE

Kansai Scene Magazine / ISSUE #207 AUGUST 2017 / kansaiscene.com

Morinomiya

Subway Chuo Line

2 Subway Im azato Line

Tanimachi 4-chome

Osaka-j

Hanshin Expressway

Sakaisuji Honmachi

Hotel New Otani

ine

Subway Tanim ac

Kitahama

Tamatsukuri

Subway Sakaisuji Line

bas

Lin

Osaka-jo Hall

Osaka Prefectural Government Office

Kyobashi

iha

a nM

Tenmabashi

Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Tenma

Kyo

D i sh

Osaka Loop Line

Tozai Line

N 0

200m D

Kobe

MAPS & INFORMATION A

Kitano Museum

Kobe YWCA

Kitanoseiryu Shrine

Hotel Piena Kobe

Shiei Yamate subway line

Sa nn om iya iya

OS Cinemas Mint Kobe Hotel Tokyu Inn

Tower Records a

miy

SOGO Dept. 5F Kinokuniya Kobe Kokusai Kaikan 1F HSBC Kobe Kokusai Shochiku

ine

rt l

chi

Troopcafe

San

Ali’s Kitchen Marui 3F e 2 San Plaza ut do Ro Center u s Center Plaza East et ut Plaza t. ok iya ae s West os k nom eim Junkudo Sannomiya be Sannadok o K Cine Phoenix Ha e lin Kowka Guild hin 4F s n 2F Aoyama Ha

Soraku Park

Sun City 7F Junkudo

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Kobe Elementary School

Shinko High School

Kita

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aka

ad Ro

Sansei Hosp.

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Kitano-cho

Tor

Migration Museum ri -do oto am m Ya

Kitanosaka Hosp.

1F Bistrot Cafe De Paris

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Isogami Park

Hyogo-ken Prefectural Hall

Palmore Hosp.

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Higashiyuenchi Park Kobe Luminarie

7F Kobe Legal Partners 4

Municipal Museum

n li aiga

nte

Kiyo-machi

i ce

Cine Libre Kobe Kobe Doll Museum Mitsui Daimaru Sumitomo Dept. Bank

way

Sub

Kobe City Hall

Raja Indian Restaurant

Minato Bank

Nankin-machi

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Hanakuma Park

Kobe Plaza Hotel

ta. hi s ac m to hi Mo ac JR tom Mo

Flo

Kobe Ikuta Junior High School

KRAC

KIITO

Cafe Fish!

Shinko-Cho

Hotel Okura Kobe Hotel La Suite Kobe Harborland

Kobe Maritime Museum Jumbo Ferry Terminal

Meriken park 6

Arthur Murray CULMENI Kobe 3F Harborland umie umie MOSAIC OS Cinema Harborland A

N Kobe Cruise Luminous Kobe 2

Kobe Meriken Park Oriental B

0 C

200m D

Kansai Scene Magazine / ISSUE #207 AUGUST 2017 / kansaiscene.com

Kyoto MAPS & INFORMATION A

Club Metro

1 Heian Shrine

Kiya Cho

Aeon Shopping Mall

The Ritz Carlton

Irish Pub Gnome

Nijo-dori

Higashi Oji - dori

Mori Yu Gallery Kyoto

Tozai Subway Line Kyotoshiyakusho-mae

Pig & Whistle

HUB

Sanjokeihan

Sanjo

Sanjo-dori

Movix Kyoto Mina

ori awa-d Shirakkawa river Shira JAM Hostel Kyoto Gion

Kyoto Tourist Information Center

Kawaramachi Marui

Yamatoji-dori

Gypsy

World

Fuji Daimaru

Keihan Line

Kyoto Bal

OPA

Hankyu Line

Sanjo

Gion s hijo

Kawaramachi-dori

Teramachi Shotengai Shinkyogoku Shotengai

Kawara Machi

Higashiyama

Wakamatsu-dori

Butterfly Kitsune Hotel Vista Kyoto Premio Kyoto Maruzen Junkudo

Jomo Gas

Tourist Information Center

Takashimaya

Hanamikoji-dori

Kyoto Asahi Kaikan

Gear

Kyoto Royal Hotel & Spa

Pontocho

Oike-dori

Kiyamachi-dori

Fuyacho-dori

Gokomachi-dori

Honno-ji

National Museum of Modern Art

Gastro Pub Tadgâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Hotel Okura

Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art 2

Miyako Messe

Kyoto City Hall

Okazaki Park

Tsutaya Books

Tatsumi Bridge

Gion

Shijo-dori

Yasaka Jinja

Maruyama Park

Apa Hotel

Minami-za Theatre

Genkoin

Gion Kaikan Kyoto Museum of Contemporary Art

The Gael Irish Pub

Ryoshoin

Kacho-michi

oga wa

Teramachi Area

Riv er

Kaosan Kyoto

Kenninji

Kam

Kyoto Municipal Museum of School History

Bakpak kyoto hostel

Ebisu Shrine

Nawa Clinic

Kodai-ji

KamibentenCho

The world's smallest Ukiyoe museum

N Ninenzaka

Higashiyama Ward Office

Kansai Scene Magazine / ISSUE #207 AUGUST 2017 / kansaiscene.com

0 C

200m D