Tokyo weekender june 2015

JUNE 2015

Japan’s number one English language magazine

SPACE TIME George Clooney and Omega Pay Respect to the Rocketmen of the Apollo Project

SURF’S UP Catching Waves in Chiba

A NEW HORIZON Japan’s Space Agency Readies Their Moon Shot

ALSO: Abstract Beauty at Kashima Arts, Artisan-Grilled Eels, an Avant-Garde Chocolate Collection, andwww.Much tokyoweekender.com More...JUNE 2015

Welcome to Japan Three ways of Living Eight lives in Tokyo

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BANGALORE BANGKOK BEIJING CHENGDU GUANGZHOU HANGZHOU HONG KONG HYDERABAD INCHEON JAKARTA MANILA MUMBAI PUNE SEOUL SHANGHAI TOKYO

CONTENTS

JUNE 2015 12

JAXA AIMS FOR THE MOON The Japanese Space Agency looks to stick the landing before 2020

14

18

20

GEORGE CLOONEY AND OMEGA

SURFING IN CHIBA

HITSUMABUSHI BINCHO

Hollywood star and a Swiss watchmaker

A guide to spots, gear, and the lifestyle of

Going deep into the art of Nagoya-style,

pay respect to the Apollo astronauts

The Way of the Wave

oak-grilled eels

6 The Guide

10 Cornelia Thomsen

24 People, Parties, Places

Hot looks, cool toys, and a chance to horse around in the shadow of Mt. Fuji

A master of the bold line prepares for a show at Kashima Arts

A bevy of beauties at a birthday bash, saying antio to the Greek Ambassador, and more

8 Art Around Town

16 Waseda Business School

28 Previews

The Mori reopens its doors; recognizing the work of a master photographer

An international perspective has already put WBS at the head of its class

Mad Max and a man of peace take to the road and Disney takes a ride to the movies

9 Chocolate Revelations

22 A Day of Service

30 Agenda

Chocolate meets vegetables, with surprisingly delicious results

Seisen International celebrates the Saint’s Day of the school with the joys of giving

Kawaii rockers Babymetal, TV on the Radio, and a salsa street fest

www.tokyoweekender.com JUNE 2015

THIS MONTH IN THE WEEKENDER

JUNE 2015

Publisher Chairman Executive Producer Editor Art Director Media Director Account Executives

Media Consultants Marketing Society Lead Writer Editorial Associates

Film IT Manager

BC Media Group Ray Pedersen Asi Rinestine Alec Jordan Liam Ramshaw Kotaro Toda Ohad Elbaz Nobu (Nick) Nakazawa Mary Rudow Sophia Bai Ingrid Dubreuil Bill Hersey Matthew Hernon Vivian Morelli Sarah Custen Kyle Mullin

Christopher O’Keeffe Nick Adams

EST. Corky Alexander, 1970

On a crowded morning train, the vast reaches of space are both figuratively and literally millions of miles away, but one of the impulses that has driven space programs to reach for the stars is both the challenge to do what might seem impossible. It’s also an issue of limits—how far can ingenuity and daring take us?

Some of the first to test these bounds were the astronauts of Apollo 13, who may not have reached their lunar destination, but in their ability to reclaim a safe return to Earth from what seemed like certain death, they showed the globe that, despite the months and years of planning that go into the greatest endeavors, sometimes success depends on improvisation and

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split-second timing.

The Japanese space agency JAXA made news in April when they announced their plans to shoot for the moon again. As our look at the state of Japanese space efforts shows us, there’s still room for innovation and improvement, and small breakthroughs have the chance to pay dividends not just for future Japanese missions, but for international projects to come.

Moving on to explorations much closer to home, we step over to Tokyo’s next-door neighbor, Chiba where the coast plays host to surfers of all stripes as they search for the best spots to ride waves. Whether you’re a rank amateur or an old hand, we hope the spread kindles a sense of adventure in you that even a few wipeouts won’t quench.

Moving back to Tokyo brings us a visit with the abstract painter Cornelia Thomsen, whose unique vision was inspired by the gradations of a seascape, but gradually transformed into something completely different. In the world of cuisine, we get a taste of something completely different, both with the unique creations of La Maison du Chocolat and the artisan cooks of Hitsumabushi Bincho.

Our best wishes for a June that’s as free from gloom as it is earthquakes.

See you next month.

Editor

Published monthly at the Regency Shinsaka Building, 5th floor 8-5-8 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0052 (03) 6666-4924 / (03) 6432-9229 (fax) editor@tokyoweekender.com To subscribe to the Tokyo Weekender, please call (03) 6666-4924 or email: customer-support@tokyoweekender.com For ad sales inquiries, please call (03) 6666-4924 or email: sales@tokyoweekender.com www.tokyoweekender.com Opinions expressed by Weekender contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher

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the guide HUNTER RAINBOOTS While the month of June is synonymous with rainy season, nearly daily showers don’t need to be accompanied with a frumpy wardrobe. Brave the puddles in comfort and in style with a pair of tall Hunter rain boots, which should be a staple in everyone’s wardrobe. Not only can you keep them for several years, they will actually make you look forward to rainy days. We love this tall red pair, with its polished buckle strap and glossy coating. They will look perfect paired with denim—or practically anything else you own. www.shopbop.com

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN GOLD LEATHER BRACELET

LISSAGE MEN’S SKINCARE LINE

Summer is still a few weeks away, and with a forecast of mostly rain and clouds for the next few weeks, anything works to spice up another dreary morning. Try a touch of gold with this leather bracelet from Alexander McQueen, which wraps around your wrist and ties like a belt. The accessory is adorned with the signature McQueen skull, encrusted with Swarovski crystal eyes.

Fierce! We cannot think of a better way to pay tribute to the late designer than to sport one of his creations, for just a hint of flashiness and goth that screams high fashion.

There comes a time in every gentleman’s life when he needs to start getting a bit more serious about his skincare routine. If you’re face is starting to lose its youthful glow and your girlfriend is starting to get annoyed every time you pinch her expensive moisturizer, then fear not: because help is at hand. The skincare experts at Kanebo have released their first prestige men’s skincare line, consisting of a moisturizing beauty essence and a foaming soap that doubles as shaving cream.

www.net-a-porter.com/jp/en/product/585880

www.lissage.jp/men

OKAMOTO HORSE-RIDING CLUB Never far from Mt. Fuji views, Okamoto Riding Club is definitely a pleasant place to either discover or practice equestrian activities. It’s about 1.5 hours away from central Tokyo by train or bus, and you can be picked up at Gotemba station, which is a 5-minute drive to the club. The club’s welltrained horses and the friendly English speaking staff make the riding experience possible in Japan.

Beginners and advanced riders alike can learn from instructor & owner Masami Okamoto, who has a sharp command of equestrian technique thanks to his extensive international experience. You will be able to experience walk, trot, and even gallop or jumping (for the most audacious only!) in the tree-lined arena.

Depending on your level & objectives, you will be able to ride one of several horses per lesson, to practice dressage, jumping or just “hacking” (light riding) outside the arena. It’s a great activity for kids, who can learn how to control and care for animals, while developing confidence at the same time. www.okamotoriding.com

JUNE 2015 www.tokyoweekender.com

BOCCO, THE ROBOT THAT BRINGS YOUR FAMILY TOGETHER The bocco WiFi connected robot is the latest development of Tokyo based Yukai Engineering (The company that gave us the brainwave-powered cat ears). It’s essentially a messaging device in the body of a robot, but it showed enough promise that backers quickly helped them reach their Kickstarter goal. In the promo video, a dad “talks” through the robot with his family. Bocco itself is cute (like C3PO is sexy) and the concept is a novel one that could be fun in a household with younger children, but it might get old pretty fast when the teen years set in and the kids talk talking back for real.

Something for the weekend...A cocktail guide for the most discerning of drinkers

A LANPARTE SMARTPHONE STABILIZER Smartphone video quality has improved drastically over the years, but the biggest problem with shooting a device that small is ergonomics. Enter the Lanparte HH-01 stabilizer.

Lanparte has taken a step away from their high-end photo accessory market and created a device aimed at taking the shake out of the entry-level video making world. The HH-01 promises to improve the quality of the thousands of smartphone-in-the-air walks across the Shibuya scramble to a point they might actually be watchable ... It may also give the steady edge to a few budding Spike Lees too.

tip of that hat to our Italian friends in this month’s Mixologist Guide with a twist on the old classic, the Amaretto Sour. Be it football, fashion, women, wine, or cars that shine, if the Italians do something you can guarantee that they will do it with style. In a country where wine flows like water, drinking is a true art. So what better way to enjoy a taste of the La Vita Bella than to indulge in a couple of Italian themed aperitivi.

The original Amaretto recipe boasts an impressive lineage dating back to the Renaissance.

The story goes that in 1525, in the small city of Saronno in the Lombardy region of Northern Italy, a brilliant young artist and former student of Leonardo da Vinci called Bernardino Luini was commissioned to paint a fresco of the Madonna of the Miracles. Luini was in need of a model for the fresco and found his inspiration in a young widowed innkeeper, who became his muse and (in most versions of the story) lover.

As a token of her affection she prepared for the artist a special gift of a flask full of an almond liqueur upon the completion of the fresco.

The cocktail is simplicity itself to make, but provides a complex spectrum of flavours, from the sticky sweetness of the Amaretto to the tart sourness of the lemon and just a hint of bitterness from the Angostura. It’s the cocktail equivalent of being kissed by a beautiful Italian lady—and then immediately slapped about the face. You know that it was delicious, you know that you probably deserved it, and you know that the only sensible option is to have another one. Salute!

Method: Add all the ingredients into a shaker (without ice), and shake until the egg white is completely emulsified. Add a handful of ice to the shaker and shake again. Strain over fresh ice in an old fashioned glass. Garnish with an orange slice and brandied cherries, if desired.

Ingredients: - 2 shots of DiSaronno Amaretto - 1 shot of lemon juice - ½ egg white (beaten) - Dash of Angostura Bitters

ZECOO ELECTRIC SCHOOLBOY FANTASY CYCLE Kota Nezu, like most males growing up in his generation, loved Kaneda’s epic bike in Akira. Being a former lead designer at Toyota, and owner of his own design company— Znug Design—he decided to actually make one. Together with Chiba’s Auto Staff Suehiro, they put together their futuresque flagship all-electric zecOO cycle. It looks like it rolled straight out of a cyberpunk manga and features a bunch of innovative technologies to make it go and handle as well as it looks. It has a top speed of 160km/h and a range of 160km—and it looks like it came straight out of every tech-geek-biker’s fantasies. They are only making 49 of these beasts, so if you have 8.8 million yen weighing your bank account down, you can claim one.

www.tokyoweekender.com JUNE 2015

GALLERY GUIDE

TOKYO GALLERY GUIDE OUR PICKS FROM THE EXHIBITIONS AROUND TOWN

by Sarah Custen

“Simple Forms: Contemplating Beauty” apan is well known for its Zen paintings, simply styled ceremonies and exquisite minimalism.

The European aesthetic, on the other hand, calls to mind grandeur and detail, ornate cathedrals and intricate religious paintings. But the 19th and 20th centuries in Europe were marked by a shift towards simplicity, across the spectrum from mathematics and mechanical engineering to archeology and architecture. Nowhere is this more starkly apparent than in the graceful, streamlined art from that time. Artists of the era were drawn to “simple forms” in nature and traditional folk culture and sought to replicate the clean lines and sleek style.

“Simple Forms” brings together 130 famous works of modern art from around the world, spanning centuries in a panoramic view of elegant minimalism. Presented in nine sections, the exhibition explores the geographic spread of the aesthetic, connecting prehistoric artifacts with modern-day installations and innovations.

This is your chance to experience an “Eastern aesthetic” through a western lens, with works from Gabriel Orozco, Henry Moore, and Jean Arp—among many others—in the first joint exhibition of Mori Art Museum, Centre Pompidou-Metz and Fondation d’enterprise Hermès.

Mori Art Museum (MAM) Dates: April 25–July 5, 2015 Open: Wednesday through Monday, 10:00–22:00; Tuesdays 10:00–17:00 Web: www.mori.art.museum/english/contents/simple_forms/index.html

Carsten Nicolai, Title: anti, 2004, PP lightweight structure, sound module, theremin module, transducer, amplifier, light-absorbent black paint, 300 x 255 x 255 cm, Installation view: Schirn Kunsthalle, Frankfurt/Main, 2005, Photo: Uwe Walter, Courtesy: Galerie EIGEN + ART, Berlin / Leipzig and The Pace Gallery

“Teiko Shiotani: Pioneer of Artistic Photography in Japan”

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Lotus (1935)

o say that Teiko Shiotani’s photos are “artistic” is a bit vague. A better description might be to say that they seem more like art—non-photographic art. His images are rich and thick, like ink paintings on parchment, soaking deep into time, transporting you to a vivid, vibrant past with sepia tones, simple lines, and stark shadows.

Shiotani was born and raised in Tottori Prefecture; his life’s work was photographing the region. A natural, Shiotani received his first camera in grade school and by age

27 had founded a photographic society and won first prize in a competition by the Asahi Camera magazine.

From there he went on to win more prizes and gain notoriety, both in Japan and overseas.

By the time of his death in 1988, Shiotani’s photos had been displayed worldwide, garnering him a lifetime achievement award from the Photographic Society of Japan. His works are housed in institutions everywhere from Santa Fe to Shimane, from Hamburg to Yokohama, and now—for free—at FUJIFILM square.

Simply an unmissable opportunity.

Photo History Museum, FUJIFILM SQUARE Dates: May 1–July 31, 2015 Open: 10:00–19:00, every day Web: fujifilmsquare.jp/en/detail/15050104.html

JUNE 2015 www.tokyoweekender.com

Chocolate Revelations La Maison du Chocolat’s latest creations are anything but garden variety

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hen it comes to making unique pairings with the rich flavors of chocolate, one of the first things that comes to mind are fruits.

The tartness of lemon, or the rounded sweetness of raspberry, for example: these are the common combinations that we are used to.

But what if some daring, Wonka-like character were to burst forth from his lab, having merged chocolate with the other side of the produce aisle? How would the familiar flavors of chocolate mix with the tastes of caramelized onion, olive, pepper, or mushroom?

Thanks to the experimental flair of La Maison du Chocolat’s Master Chef, Nicolas Cloiseau, gourmets with a taste for something new can now answer that question for themselves. The “Chocolate Revelations” series offers a series of unique flavor pairings that will make you reconsider what can be done with chocolate. Cloiseau is no stranger to innovation in cuisine: the holder of the title of Meilleur Ouvrier de France (Best Craftsman of France) is forever pushing the boundaries of expectation, while always looking to provide a taste that will appeal to a wide audience. After a successful experiment last year— the delicious recreation of the flavor of several different cocktails—this new collection offers a bewitching marriage of sweet and savory.

These small, four-gram morsels created from praliné and dark chocolate ganache offer brief voyages of flavor. They begin with the familiar notes of chocolate, only to be followed by an intriguing set of tastes: the delicate aroma of olive oil, the woody notes of porcini mushroom, or the crisp sensations of red pepper. The collection is meant to be sampled in the following order, each combination yielding a unique set of pleasures. But once you’ve found your favorite, feel free to indulge. After all, rules were meant to be broken.

FIVE U NIQ U E CREATIO NS Hazelnut praliné with porcini mushroom One is pleasantly surprised by the woody notes of this dynamic duo. The lightly salted slivers of porcini unveil echoes of mushrooms, leaves, and humus. The silky texture, almost like fresh butter, is a perfect match for this hazelnut praliné.

Ganache with caramelized onions The creamy notes of chocolate prolong the sweet and tart notes of spring onions infused into the cream of the ganache. The balsamic vinegar caramelises the fine slivers of fig and prolongs even more the sweet and savory sensations. The crisp notes refine the complementary facets of this almost “cooked” chocolate.

Dark ganache with red pepper The red pepper compote offers a gentle introduction for this dark ganache confection. The salty rush of the Guérande fleur de sel entices the nuances of chocolate and pepper with a kick of Espelette pepper to fully express themselves at the finish.

Praliné with black olives and olive oil Delicate notes of olive oil unleash at once a palette of fruity flavors. Slivers of fresh moist black olives in the almond-hazelnut praliné maintain the edge of this naturally salty fruit in chocolate. The delicacy of a praliné, in harmony with the lightly briny accents of the olive in all its forms, is a perfect example of a perfect union.

Plain robust ganache, dash of Guérande salt This robust dark ganache envelops the palate with intense notes of tannins in this predominately Venezuelan chocolate, while the crystalline notes of the salt amplifies their expression.

Omotesando Store: 3-10-8 Kita-Aoyama, Minato-ku, 107-0061 Tokyo Open: Daily, 12 am–8 pm | Roppongi Store: Roppongi Hills West Walk 2F, 6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, 106-6108 Tokyo | Open: Daily, 11 am–9 pm (L.O. 8:30 pm) Web: www.lamaisonduchocolat.co.jp

ARTIST CO R NELIA TH O M S E N B RI N G S H E R CO M P E L L I N G CO NTEMP O R A R Y VIS IO N TO A G A L L E R Y B E S T K N OWN FO R ITS TR A DITIO N A L JA PA N E S E B R U S H WO RK

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s she sat in a calm coastal environment attempting to depict the incoming waves for a seascape, Cornelia Thomsen’s frustration was growing. Try as she might, the East German-born artist just couldn’t seem to get it right. It was then that she had a moment of inspiration.

“I started out painting the ocean in a naturalistic way but was dissatisfied with the result,” she tells Weekender. “I found a solution by taking the impressions I experienced from sketching this natural scene and translating them into lines, concentrating on the colors.”

That was back in 2008, the year Thomsen began working on the stripe motif. Since then she has produced a variety of striking artistic compilations, including both abstract compositions as well as realistic portraits of prominent East German officials, yet it is her collection of vertical-line paintings for which she has become best known.

She usually begins by applying layers of paint to a canvas, which she leaves to dry for around two weeks, working on other paintings and then returning to the original canvas to add further layers. The

meticulously drawn lines range from a millimeter to two centimeters across. Yet, “the width of the stripes,” she tells us, “has no particular rationale and is based purely on intuition.” She paints the lines horizontally but displays them vertically once a canvas is completed.

“I didn’t want to show horizontal stripes as they would still carry the memory of a seascape, so I went with vertical stripes which allowed me to create purely abstract images, focusing on the basics of line and color,” says Thomsen.

It’s a technique that has worked well. Her stripe paintings have been extremely well received by critics and even led to comparisons with renowned artists such as Gene Davis, the man responsible for the famed “Franklin’s Footpath” in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, or National Medal of Arts recipient Agnes Martin.

Whilst undoubtedly flattered by these comparisons, Thomsen doesn’t necessarily agree with them.

“Of course it is an honor to be mentioned in the same breath as such illustrious artists,” she says. “My stripes, however, have a different origin

I HAVE BEEN SURROUNDED BY JAPANESE ART, WHICH HONES MY SENSE FOR FINESSE AND BEAUTY AS WELL AS FOR ASYMMETRY AND IMPERFECTION.

and are painted in a different way. For example, Davis and Martin used tape to separate the colors, but I don’t; I paint gradations of color.

Consequently I don’t think we are that alike.”

American art critic Robert C. Morgan feels the same way. In his article “Tactile Sensations, Borrowed from Nature,” written for the art and culture website Hyperallergic, he commented that Thomsen’s education in Germany “allowed her to evolve in a more qualified direction, as opposed to the kind of fashionable quantifications to which American higher art education has finally succumbed.”

Consequently, he believes that comparisons with other American stripe painters of the late 1950s and 1960s “just don’t work.”

Describing Thomsen as a “highly original hard-edge painter and soft-edge draughtswoman,” he advises audiences “to get close

(to her paintings), then move back slowly,” in order to fully appreciate them. This June, Tokyoites will have an opportunity to do just that as Thomsen will be displaying her “Stripes” and “Structures” collections at Kashima Arts in Kyobashi.

The “Structures” section will provide visitors with an experience that contrasts with the “Stripes” but is no less captivating.

A series of delicately constructed monochrome ink hatched markings made using a pen nib continually dipped into an inkwell, these drawings magnificently showcase the German’s acute attention to detail.

“I was trained at the Meissen Porcelain Company for four intensive years and use the skills I learned there to realize the ideas I express today,” she tells us. “I made my first ‘Structure’ drawings about ten years ago while thinking about works in which every mark has its place in a system.

The lines do not cross or touch each other and stand alone, yet they create a whole.”

Thomsen’s passion for art was evident from a young age. Visiting Baroque castles during her youth, she was inspired by the paintings of such masters as Dürer, Rembrandt, and Lovis Corinth. These days it’s names like James Turrell, Frank Stella, and minimalist sculptor Richard Serra that grab her attention.

She’s also become an avid follower of Asian art thanks to her husband, Erik Thomsen.

“My husband is Danish, but he actually grew up in Japan and has been dealing in art from this country since 1981,”

Cornelia Thomsen Born in Rudolstadt, East Germany in 1970, she was unable to leave the country until she was 19. She says her “upbringing was shaped by the many restrictions placed on the people by the government.” She went on to paint at the famed Meissen Porcelain Company in Meissen, Germany. Her first solo exhibition took place in New York in 2005. She has had three books published: “Stripe Paintings,” “Works on Paper,” and “Stripes and Structures.” She currently resides with her husband and three children in Manhattan, New York.

she says. “I met him 20 years ago and since then I have been surrounded by Japanese art, which hones my appreciation of finesse and beauty as well as asymmetry and imperfection. One particular artist who stands out for me is calligrapher Yuichi Inoue. The confidence and strength of his characters is very impressive.

“This will be the first time showing my work in Japan,” she continues. “I am really excited about it. I hope to meet people who are interested in contemporary art.

My ‘Stripes’ paintings have a strong presence and a three-dimensional effect that can only be perceived in person; my ‘Structures’ drawings are so minute that small printed reproductions cannot fully convey their character.”

INTRODUCING K ASHIMA ARTS Kashima Arts Gallery is located in Kyobashi, just a short walk from either Tokyo Station or the Ginza area. The building dates back to 1927, while the interior reveals a mix of modern Japanese aesthetics alongside a very traditional tea room, where you can enjoy Japanese culture with the senses.

They are known for their high quality collections of traditional Japanese painting and calligraphy from the Edo period up to the present day, including works by the renowned artist Ito Jakuchu. Also, they

recently have started showing works of contemporary artists that the owner carefully selects, based on his aesthetic sense sharpened in dealing with old Japanese paintings.

In order to help foreigners to better understand Japanese arts and culture, they have English speaking staff in the gallery as well as experts to explain about works in detail. A luxurious space that takes a twist on the typical museum experience, Kashima Arts offers something that is truly extraordinary.

Dates: Sat., June 6–Sat., June 20 (Open 10 am–6 pm) | Address: 3-3-2 Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0031 Web: www.kashima-arts.co.jp/en/events/stripes_structures/index.html | Tel: 03-3276-0700 | Admission: Free

by Kyle Mullin

Illustration of the Hayabusa landing on Asteroid Itokawa

AFTER A BOTCHED MISSION TO MARS OVER A DECADE AGO, THE JAPANESE AEROSPACE EXPLORATION AGENCY IS NOW PLANNING A REDEMPTIVE HEAVENWARD RETURN

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n 2018 JAXA hopes to put its first lunar landing operation into motion. The project will involve the use of a rover called the Smart Lander for Investigating the Moon (SLIM), which will be used to explore lunar craters and rock formations nearly five decades after Neil Armstrong first bounded across that craggy, low-gravity landscape.

The Mars mission began in 1998 but was scrapped in 2003 because of “technical difficulties and a lack of… technical savvy” according to the Guardian Liberty Voice. Meanwhile, Tech Times notes that previous moon landing efforts were plagued by subpar technology that caused the intergalactic vehicles to miss “their landing targets by some miles.”

But more recent successes have emboldened JAXA in the lead up to the lunar landing. JAXA spokesperson Miyuki Takeishi tells Tokyo Weekender that “great

Illustration of the SLIM lander

JUNE 2015 www.tokyoweekender.com

strides” have been made, citing the success of the seven-year Hayabusa mission, “the first to perform a sample return from an asteroid.” Its successor, the Hayabusa2, launched late last year.

But Yoshiki Morino says Japan, and the rest of the world, are still falling short of their potential as lunar explorers. A professor at Waseda University, (which has a comprehensive partnership with JAXA and aerospace roots that extend back more than 70 years) Morino notes that, despite the success of Japan’s SELENE (aka. Kaguya) moon orbiter mission dating back to September 2007, but adds that more extensive successor mission “has not been deemed a high priority for space science and exploration missions… (so) the project has been scrapped.”

Despite that disappointing state of affairs, Morino does admit that there has been a resurgence in Japan’s space endeavors, particularly in the form of projects that with lower operating budgets. One of them is the September 2013 launch of a new “Epsilon” small rocket system, “which has already put small satellites into space at a low cost, including the 2014 launches of the global rainfall observation satellite GPM and the the Land Observing Satellite ALOS-2 (colloquially dubbed the “Daichi No. 2”). Of course, a successful start for the Hayabusa2 mission has given the Space Agency a shot in the arm.

Asteroid missions in general have become a more popular target for many space agencies, and one that is seen as a “step forward,” according to Morino. According to some, the intent may not be

Assembly of the Hayabusa2 satellite before launch

one of pure research. For example, in 2013 NASA released a statement in which the “… authors made strong references to the threat asteroids pose— along with the fact a large amount of NEOs (near-Earth objects) remain undiscovered— as an emphasis on supporting of such a mission from an Earth protection standpoint.”

However, one astronaut from space exploration’s Golden Age says asteroid landings are not merely an effort to prevent potential disaster flick scenarios from devastating the Earth. In a 2011 interview with Universe Today, Apollo astronaut Rusty Schweickart argued that asteroid landings can also serve as an exploratory stepping stone: “It will focus … attention on we humans extending our capability beyond Earth/Moon space and into deep space. This is an essential capability in order to ultimately get to Mars, and a relatively short mission to a near-Earth asteroid is a logical first step in establishing a deep space human capability.”

Morino agrees, while admitting that Japan would not be able to foot the bill for Mars missions by itself: “Mars is certainly the focus for international space exploration. Of course, given the sheer cost of manned missions to Mars, such missions conducted by Japan alone would not be realistic.” However, both the Hayabusa missions, and the planned SLIM project, showcase considerable technical achievements that can be done on a reasonable budget and that can serve as steps along the way towards more extensive, internationally collaborative missions.

From an economic standpoint, Mori-

Japan’s Space Milestones

Oct. 1, 1969: Japan’s space age begins with the founding of the National Space Development Agency, which adopted a strictly peaceful mandate and focused on developing, launching and monitoring satellites and launch vehicles.

Feb. 11, 1970: The first Japanese satellite, Osumi,

is launched into orbit, making Japan the fourth nation—after the USSR, United States and France— to do so.

Sept. 12, 1992: Dr. Mamoru Mohri becomes the

no says the SLIM launch plan, which has been tentatively scheduled for the fiscal year beginning in April 2018, is a highly beneficial because it is unmanned, allowing JAXA to save on the cost of training astronauts, or building. He adds that the robotic rover will travel to the moon in a small, inexpensive Epsilon rocket. Even with this budget-friendly features, the entire enterprise is looking at a potential price tag of 15 billion yen ($126 million).

While this might make the SLIM launch sound like a no-frills affair, Takeishi says that JAXA hasn’t skimped on the mission’s landing equipment. In fact, this is where major advances are being made. “The biggest focus for the SLIM project is to develop system technology that will allow for high-precision landing, including advanced technology in guidance control and landing shock absorption systems,” Takeshi says, adding that such technology will “…make it possible to land exactly where you want to. This is an essential technique in the field of lunar and planetary exploration.”

This high-precision technology will help the SLIM stick its landing “within the intended landing site’s 328-feet radius.” Morino adds that this landing technology “could prove to be a major step in lunar exploration,” and as Japan and other space agencies keep their eyes set on heavenly bodies beyond our closest neighbors, it could prove invaluable as a means towards achieving mission success on more ambitious projects. “You might not consider it a breakthrough in the sense of pure technology, but it can be a small-scale revolution in terms of lunar and planetary exploration missions.”

first NASDA astronaut to orbit the earth in the US Space Shuttle STS-47 as part of the American and Japanese collaborative SL-J mission.

July 4, 1998: The Land of the Rising Sun sets its sites on The Red Planet, as the the M-V rocket launches Nozomi, Japan’s first Mars-orbiting probe.

Unfortunately, electrical failures hamper its journey, and the mission is scrapped in 2003.

May 9, 2003: The Hayabusa project, which made

use of an innovative ion drive propulsion system, launched its way towards the asteroid 25143 Itokawa. It touched down two years later, and made its way back to Earth on June 13, 2010. It was the first spacecraft to visit an asteroid and return with samples.

Sept. 14, 2007: The SELENE mission was launched.

The project successfully placed a satellite around the Moon’s orbit, where it remained until 2009.

July 27, 2009: Assembly of the International

Space Station’s (ISS) Japanese Experiment Module (JEM), nicknamed Kibo (きぼう, or “Hope”) is completed. To date, it is the largest of the station’s components and features a robotic arm and modules for experiments and storage.

Sept. 14, 2013: Japan focuses on “affordable”

space exploration with the premiere launch of its first small, low cost “Epsilon,” rocket. It replaced the larger, costlier M-V rocket, which was mothballed in 2006.

Dec. 3, 2014: The Hayabusa2 asteroid explorer

lifted off. Called “the most ambitious mission to an asteroid ever attempted” because the explorer is designed to help scientists glean more information about how asteroids may have brought water and organic particles to Ear

Images Courtesy of JAXA

Assembly of the Hayabusa2 satellite before launch

www.tokyoweekender.com JUNE 2015

INSPIRED TIMING Forty-five years after the legendary Apollo 13 mission, George Clooney and Omega celebrate the courage and ingenuity of the NASA astronauts

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e’s known for bringing a sense of unflappable cool to his many roles, whether he’s preparing to pull off the heist of the century or heading into orbit. This sense of demonstrating grace under pressure is one of the qualities that makes actor George Clooney the ideal brand ambassador for Omega, a watch that has been helping the astronauts of NASA maintain accuracy on their history-making missions into orbit, and onto the surface of the Moon.

This storied timekeeping company has been associated with astronauts and their incredible feats for more than 50 years—going back to 1962, when some of NASA’s first astronauts personally chose the Omega Speedmaster as their watch of choice for their missions. The Space Agency was impressed by the Speedmaster’s ability to hold up under the toughest of conditions, and following a series of grueling endurance tests, the watch received a seal of approval as a “Flight Qualified” timepiece, capable of taking on the toughest missions on Earth, and above it.

Some seven years later, all three of the astronauts on the Apollo 11 mission—Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins—were all wearing Speedmaster watches, which quickly became known as the “Moonwatch.” Omega’s link to the American space mission had officially been forged.

That mettle was truly put to the test less than a year later, when an oxygen tank on Apollo 13 exploded, putting the lives of the crew in jeopardy some 330,000 kilometers away from Earth. The bold plan for return that managed to bring the team back safely depended on improvisation, ingenuity and pinpoint accuracy—it was a situation where missed seconds would cost lives. Because of damage to the spacecraft’s electrical power, the crew relied on a Speedmaster to time every crucial second of the engine’s thrusters that guided the spacecraft on its return trajectory.

It was in honor of this daring return to Earth 45 years ago that Clooney was in Houston for the

JUNE 2015 www.tokyoweekender.com

OMEGA WATCHES | PROMOTION | 15 George Clooney and Omega President Stephen Urquhart take the stage at the Houston gala

Omega event last month. The silver-maned actor was just eight years old during those momentous times; however, as they did for so many others who witnessed those events on the small screen, the memories that those astronauts’ deeds inspired remain with him to this day. “I remember when I was a kid, I went outside to look at the moon to try to catch a glimpse of the Apollo mission.”

The Western Airways hangar in the Houston suburb of Sugar Land definitely looked like a part of the Apollo generation: over the course of the night, it transformed

citizens of the U.S., but to the rest of the world: “It was a huge part of the optimism of that period of time; we really believed that anything was possible. You gentleman are our inspiration to all of of us here and it’s an honor to be standing up here with you.”

Omega President Stephen Urquhart was also present for the gala event, and reflected on the importance that the story of Apollo 13 played for the brand: “For Omega it was an unbelievable story. It could have been a disaster but turned out fantastic and today it’s an incredible part of our heritage.”

Unveiled at the gala were the several new Speedmaster watches, which represent the company’s dedication to watchmaking innovation and its history with the journey into space.

Members of the new collection include a new Speedmaster ‘57 and a stunningly radiant White Side of the Moon, its all-white

A goal beyond the reaches of gravity is a thing that brings more out of us than we knew we had: the race into space was the thing that lifted us up from a space vessel/cocktail lounge into a lunar landscape, surrounded by the stars of the Milky Way. The elaborate staging was the work of famed fashion show producer Alexandre de Betak, who rose to fame as the man behind the runway shows of Victoria’s Secret. Cocktails for the night were in the space-age theme: a spiked version of the astronauts’ drink, Tang, and pallid moon-tinis; meanwhile, the dinner menu was filled with fare inspired by the lunar landscape.

An audience of 280 made up of the cream of the crop of Houston society was present for the ride, but Clooney reminded the most important guests—Commander of Apollo 13, Captain (ret.) James A. Lovell, Lieutenant General (ret.) Thomas Stafford, and Captain (ret.) Gene Cernan—just how much their efforts meant, not only to a young Clooney and the

face and band inspired by the lunar glow.

Offered in a limited edition is the Apollo 13 Silver Snoopy Award, which commemorates the honor bestowed on Omega by NASA— the Silver Snoopy Award is given to those individuals or companies who have made a significant impact on safety for space efforts. Fewer than 2000 of these watches will

Thomas Stafford (left, wearing his Speedmaster) took part in the Apollo–Soyuz Test Project, the first U.S.-Soviet space flight, in 1975. The Project put an end to the 28-year Space Race

be made and they will feature a replica of the medallion of the Silver Snoopy pin that is given to awardees: Omega was given theirs in 1970. The dial on the watch bears the phrase, “What could you do in 14 seconds?”—a reference to the tense 14 seconds that Apollo 13’s Speedmaster ticked off as the crew used their thrusters for the final correction into a safe trajectory that would bring them home. Also on offer this year are four new designs in the Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon series, which offer a combination of sleek looks and a ruggedness that will stand up to anything that your life’s adventures offer.

As a new generation looks beyond Earth’s orbit as a source of challenges and a chance to explore the boundaries of what is and what isn’t possible, Omega looks to build on this intrepid tradition that continues to inspire. For, as Clooney pointed out, a goal beyond the reaches of gravity is a thing that brings more out of us than we knew we had: “This [the race into space] was the thing that lifted us up. I hope we will continue to find ways to go back.”

A 1965 Speedmaster, which had been approved for use on the Apollo Project

www.tokyoweekender.com JUNE 2015

LEADING THE FIELD Waseda’s business school is changing the way Japan does business

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or many, pursuing an MBA is a chance to open new horizons and make major steps in one’s career. It is an environment where one can acquire management skills, learn more about the ins and outs of the entrepreneurial experience from professors who have lived it, and develop one’s network of business contacts.

But it’s also a very personal decision, and one that needs to be weighed on many levels: what are the strengths and specializations of the program? Are there unique aspects to the program which I can only get here?

Does the program fit my schedule?

How much will it cost?

These were a few of the questions that were on our mind when we made a visit to the Waseda Business School (WBS). With roots going back to 1973, WBS has established its place as the top business school in the country. It is one of the largest programs in Japan, drawing around 200 students each year, and it also offers a considerably diverse range of MBA programs, from a full-time, two-year international MBA—offered in English and Japanese—to an evening program for people who are staying at their present jobs. In collaboration with Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, it is also a host of the innovative and prestigious Waseda–Nanyang Double MBA.

Finance Master’s program into new WBS. From September 2016, the new WBS will offer a full-time English-based Master of Science in Finance program, which aims to train global professionals with expertise in finance. As Kazunori Suzuki, Professor of Finance and Director of the Research Institute of Financial Studies, explained, this will bring another level of rigor to the WBS, one that will help its students learn how to think quickly, critically, and fearlessly: “One of our main focuses at the program is to help our graduates learn how to recognize connections and patterns.

So we want them to get a strong background in economic and business theory, so they can quickly adapt new business models and practices when they are needed. But ultimately, it’s not just about the theory: we’re looking to help our graduates become the types of managers who will be able to question themselves as well as the theory.”

Of course, the faculty is the heart of any successful academic program, and as Professor Reiji Ohtaki pointed out, the faculty’s breadth of experience represents a particular strength of WBS. Among those leading

One of the things that the Japanese culture needs to develop is the willingness to be more confrontational and aggressive when it comes to business

Setting a Course to Business Success This year marks another milestone in WBS’s history, as it will be combined with the Graduate School of

WASEDA MBA | EDUCATION | 17

WELCOME TO WASEDA UNIVERSITY Founded in 1882 by Shigenobu Okuma, a giant figure in the modernization of Japan, Waseda University has long been a school that encouraged its students to go against the grain and think freely. Despite—or perhaps, because of—this rebellious streak, you can find Waseda grads among the highest echelons of culture, business, and politics—alums include former Prime Ministers, CEOs of some of Japan's top companies, academic researchers in a variety of fields, and stars of stage and screen.

Year after year, it is ranked among the top universities in the country, including its business school, which dates back to 1973.

the classrooms can be found entrepreneurs, veterans of the consulting industry, and professors with academic backgrounds in human resources, finance, and management strategy.

Ohtaki explained that one of the ways that students benefit from this breadth of teacher experience is the Seminar (a.k.a. “Zemi”) system. Throughout the MBA program, students will belong to one Zemi, led by a professor. The Zemi meets weekly for discussion and debate, allowing deeper interactions with the lead professor and fellow students in a small group setting. According to the focus of the Zemi’s lead professor, students will find themselves interviewing top Japanese CEOs about the challenges and rewards that they have experienced while helping their companies globalize, or preparing financial analyses in order to present consulting reports to a client.

These Zemi activities provide students with the opportunity to gain first-hand experience in the field, but they also allow students to experience Japanese culture in more informal, but equally informative, ways. As Ohtaki explains, the close relations fostered in the group over time result in quite a variety of different experiences: “My ‘crazy’ Zemi actually climbs to the top of Mt. Fuji every year

in late July—it’s an adventure that teaches leadership as well as followership. Other professors have their Zemis do ta ue, or rice planting, with their groups, a hands-on experience that really underscores the collaborative labor that has been such a major influence on Japanese business practices.”

Diversity in the Classroom, and in the Japanese Workplace In addition to the diverse backgrounds of its teachers, the School has attracted its share of noteworthy students, who continue to reflect well on the School after they graduate. One of them is Masami Komatsu, representative director of Music Securities, a microinvestment platform that links individual investors and local businesses. The former drummer and composer was a speaker at the World Economic Forum at Davos. Other prominent students include the third-generation head of the Hoppy Beverage Company, Mina Ishiwatari, and Yosuke Mitsusada, founding partner of Asuka Corporate Advisory.

WBS is also remarkable for the diversity of its international student population. The English-based program that begins in September is 65 percent international—many are from East Asia, but students come to its classrooms from as far afield as Uzbekistan. Almost all of them are drawn to the opportunity to learn about Japanese business culture and practice, and many of them are looking to join the Japanese workforce. As Professor Suzuki notes, this is a perfect fit with the business climate in Japan: “Given the accelerated pace of globalization, Japanese companies need more international staff at the head office level. Firms have been hiring Japanese-speaking foreigners already, and this trend is rapidly growing

with MBA graduates as well. I am sure that our graduates can become key drivers of the globalization of these companies.”

And, Suzuki adds, the benefit is not just for the many international students who are drawn to the opportunity to move into rewarding positions with Japanese companies. It’s also for Japanese businesspeople as well, who stand to learn from the mindset of their international colleagues: “One of the things that the Japanese culture needs to develop is the willingness to be more confrontational and aggressive when it comes to business. I don’t necessarily like to use the word ‘fight’—of course in business, you all shake hands at the end—but it is very important to be able to express oneself, and try to lead your organization to the maximum benefit. It’s part of the idea behind Tokyo Governor Masuzoe’s initiative to revitalize the Tokyo market, and with its newly enhanced finance faculty and Master of Science in Finance program, WBS can be a part of that initiative.”

In addition to the rich offerings at Waseda, students in the international MBA program also have the opportunity to study at one of WBS’s many affiliated institutions. Many students take advantage of this worldwide network of business schools and do coursework at one of 30 different schools in Asia, Europe, and the US. In addition, the Waseda–Nanyang Double MBA has students studying in Tokyo and Singapore, earning degrees from both schools in 14 months.

WBS has accomplished much in a short time. But as an independent school, Waseda has always been able to make rapid change and reform since its founding at the end of the 19th century. And although times change, it seems that Waseda’s historical aims—producing an enlightened citizenship and leaders who would see towards the modernization of Japan—are being put into practice daily in the contemporary world of international business.

To find out more about how WBS can help you reach the next step in your professional and personal goals, visit wasedamba.jp

by Alec Jordan

Photo by Dane Gillett

For surfers looking for the perfect set, the beaches of this prefecture offer up some of the best breaks on the island nation

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here’s far more to Chiba than a shrieking pear mascot and the country’s largest airport. From the southern tip of the Boso Peninsula to the eastern outcroppings of Choshi in the north, there are many spots in Tokyo’s eastern neighbor where even novice riders can find their way onto the waves.

The first thing you want to know is that you’ve got to break one of Japan’s rules. “Officially,” as it goes, beach season in Japan begins in July, when the beaches are blessed and ritualistically opened with a ceremony known as Umi Biraki: a Shinto priest purifies the waters, in an effort to ensure that the seas will be made safe for another year. This oh-soshort season shuts its doors fewer than two months later—usually just after the Obon holidays. But with Kanto temperatures warm enough to have you in shorts by May and still sweating well into September, you’re missing out on prime beach time. Meanwhile, the hard core in their winter wetsuits continue surfing well past typhoon season and into pretty cold temperatures.

Photo Petetokyoweekender.com Leong JUNE 2015by www.

Yuma Takanuki, a second-generation surfer, comes from a pretty hardcore surfing family himself. Both his father, who passed away eight years ago, and his mother, surfed. The couple opened a surf shop in Onjuku, on the central coast of Chiba, 15 years ago; Takanuki caught the bug when he was nine and has been surfing ever since—although instead of weathering the Chiba winters recently, he’s spent them in Hawaii, looking to launch his pro career.

His take on the surfing life is what you’d expect from a 26-year-old who is starting to come into his own as a waverider: “The thing about surfing for me is that it brings me closer to mother nature and it teaches me about some of the most important things in life. It’s like going to school for me. Life is beautiful if you surf.”

BEGINNING WITH THE BODY But for a newbie who doesn’t have 15 years of experience on the waves, there is another option for getting started, says Akiko Sato, who has been a pro in her discipine for several years. That option is bodyboarding, and it eliminates one of the more challenging parts of riding a wave for beginners: moving from the prone, paddling position and getting—and staying—on your feet once you’ve caught it.

Sato explains that worrying less about getting their sea legs allows the inexperienced a chance to “get the hang of how waves break and the ocean works.” In fact, this is something that anyone who’s spent time around surfers will notice: they spent a lot more time observing the sea than rid-

SURF JAPAN | FEATURE | 19

Photo by Pete Leong

Akiko Sato bodyboarding a monster wave in Mentawai, Indonesia (Photo by Pete Leong)

ing waves. And many factors shape the waves that they do ride. The overall geographic contour of the beach, undersea reefs, sandbars or manmade structures all influence how waves break at any given place, and these are the sorts of things that you’re only going to understand by paying attention, both to the waves, and to more experienced surfers.

Her advice to people just getting started is to respect the ocean and your elders: “Be humble. Watch as many pro riders as you can to understand what they are doing and take some lessons: it really does help you and help the local community. It will give you confidence in the water much quicker and you will make new friends along the way.”

Finally, for those who might think that the relative ease of getting started on a bodyboard means that the sport deserves short shrift, Sato points out that pro bodyboarders regularly take on monster waves that would make amateur surfers weak in the knees: “Quite simply, there is nothing easy about being in the ocean. It takes any one a lot to feel comfortable amongst giant waves.”

STAND UP, STAY UP A third option for hitting the swells is one of the newest. Stand-up paddle surfing, also known as SUP, has been growing in popularity over the last decade. Like bodyboarding, it lets riders avoid the transition from prone to standing, but in this case the riders always stay standing and use a long paddle, instead of a pair of hands, to get around and get themselves onto waves. Dane Gillett, a UK native and long-time surfer who runs a surf shop and guest house in Chiba, as well as the site, Surfing in Japan, has been experimenting with SUP over the past three years, as a challenge as well as a way to get out to offshore break points that you simply wouldn’t be able to reach on a bodyboard or regular surfboard.

Going to great lengths to find the ideal spot is also another big part of the surfing experience: it goes into the stories that get told, and sometimes the secrets that are jealously guarded: “Those points for perfect waves are more often kept secret by the people that ride them, which leads to a lot of mystery or amazing stories that are passed down generation after generation.” If you check out some

The thing about surfing for me is that it brings me closer to mother nature and it teaches me about some of the most important things in life. of the spots we’ve assembled below—or after getting to know the territory, discover some of your own—you should find friendly locals and good times, but it’s most important to keep a sense of etiquette. Don’t jump in on someone else’s wave, and treat the areas you surf with respect. After all, as Gillett points out, “it’s not a sport: it’s a way of life.”

SURF SPOTS ON THE CHIBA COAST Most of the locations are difficult to reach without a car, but included here are several spots that can be reached by train.

(Information courtesy of www.surfinginjapan.com)

stretch of beach offers several different surfing spots and is best reached by car.

NORTH Ichinomiya: This area in the southern part of northern Chiba offers a wide variety of breaks, and everyone from experienced surfers to beginners can be found here.

Known for its fine, black sand beach.

Accessible by car.

Taito Area: Taito is another popular spot, and another central point of Japanese surfing. Home to a “Surf Town Festival” that kicks off in June, and a lively, yet laidback scene that keeps going throughout the summer. Can be reached by car or train & taxi from Kazusa Ichinomiya Station

SOUTH Kamogawa: Offers several different types of surfing spots. It’s one of the most popular, thanks to easy access from the trains.

Can be very crowded. Access by car or via the Sotobo or Uchibo Lines to Awakamogawa Station.

Wada: This 6-km stretch of coastline—located about 15 km south of Awakamogawa—has 4 main points along the way. The area offers plenty of places to stay and eat, and is known for its relaxed atmosphere.

By car, or the closest station is Wadaura on the Uchibo Line

CENTRAL Onjuku: One of the most popular spots in Chiba—Onjuku has plenty of accommodation and a lively party vibe during the summer. The geography of the beach makes for excellent waves, and draws surfers of all stripes. Onjuku Station can be reached by the Wakashio Express trains from Tokyo Station.

Hebara: Just about 10 km south of Onjuku, Hebara was the site for the World Surfing Championships in 2004. A favorite of most Japanese surfers. This 1-km long

SPLASH GUEST HOUSE Located at Hebara Beach, Splash features a BBQ garden that overlooks the beach.

Rooms at the guest house are a stone’s throw from the beach, making sure that everyone who stays there will be sure to fall asleep to the soundtrack of the crashing waves. Splash Guest House offers lessons and gear rentals for surfing, SUP, sandboard, and bodyboarding, as well as tours to hot springs and other tourist destinations up and down the coast. Station pickup is available.

Chiba-ken, Katsuura-shi, Hebara 1122-4, Tel: 0470-64-6088 | 080-1054-4507 Email: info@splashguesthouse.com Web: www.splashguesthouse.com

www.tokyoweekender.com JUNE 2015

In Flavorful Detail The chef trainer behind the Nagoya-based franchise reveals the secret that has made Hitsumabushi Bincho a favorite of food lovers around the country

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or many years, one part of the life of the Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica) was shrouded in mystery. It was known that, once they were born, the eel young would make their way to the rivers of Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Vietnam. After growing to maturity, they would eventually make their way back to their salt water spawning grounds. But exactly where they spawned was never clear. A team of researchers—who, given their dedication, were probably big fans of unagi, as the Japanese freshwater eel is known—were able to establish with some distinction exactly where they were making their thousands-of-mile journeys to continue the species.

Not only are the eels returning to an area some few hundreds of square miles west of the Mariana Islands in the Pacific, they are also spawning just before the new moon each month. The young are swept along by the currents, bringing them to land, and eventually fresh water, where they will grow to maturity

JUNE 2015 www.tokyoweekender.com

and repeat the cycle.

Given how particular the eel are about where and when they reproduce, it seems only fitting that the cooks at the Nagoya-based Hitsumabushi Bincho franchise prepare them with the same attention to detail. As Takashi Ibuki, head chef and chef trainer for the franchise, explained, there are many different details that must be considered when preparing an eel on the grill. And the grill is one of the things that separates Nagoya-style eel from the way it is prepared in other parts of Japan. Particularly around Tokyo, it is served steamed, which makes for a softer dish, but one with far less character.

All it takes is one bite of grilled eel to be able to tell the difference. There’s a crunchiness in the beginning that makes for a firm, yet juicy consistency that is complemented by the rich sweetness of the kabayaki glaze.

Finally, the oak grilling leaves its final mark on the dish: a smoky aroma that lingers on pleasantly.

HITSUMABUSHI | TOKYO TABLES | 21 The smoky flavor that the oak charcoal imparts to the eel really makes a difference. It’s like the lingering after taste of a fine wine.

NOT ALL EEL ARE MADE ALIKE But each eel cannot be prepared in exactly the same way, Ibuki explains; one of the ways to tell the difference is the color of the eel’s skin, which ranges from blue to dark brown.

A trained chef will look at an eel with blue skin and recognize that it has a higher fat content than, say, a brown one; this means that the small details in preparation all need to be different: the bincho (Japanese oak) used as charcoal needs to be stacked in just the right way to achieve just the right height of flame and the perfect temperature; meanwhile, the flames need to be fanned correctly.

An entirely separate set of details need to be applied for a leaner eel, and the eating experience will also be a different one. “That way, although a customer wouldn’t specifically ask for a certain kind of eel [leaner, or more fatty], but they would have the opportunity to discover the appeal and unique flavor of each one.”

For most people in Japan, unagi is a luxurious dish, but it is one that most people are familiar with, but Ibuki, a 22-year veteran with Hitsumabushi Bincho, has taken the time to consider the appeal of this dish for the Western palate, and come up with what he feels to be an apt analogy: “For foreigners who might not have had the chance to try unagi before, I’d like for them to consider it in the same way that they can enjoy a steak: there’s that flavor, that juiciness, but finally, there’s the smoky flavor that the oak charcoal imparts to the eel, that really makes a difference. It’s like the lingering after taste of a fine wine. That is something that I hold very dearly as a chef.”

THE EDO PERIOD ORIGINS OF A SIGNATURE DISH Just as the grilling that bincho implies is part of the difference at the franchise, the other element that makes their signature dish unique is the way you eat it. While you can order unadon and unajū (a bowl or a flat box filled with rice and topped with eel, respectively), the best experience is to eat it hitsumabushi style: the eel is cut into small pieces, and served over rice in a large round dish.

You eat it in three steps: First, you scoop about a third of your portion into a smaller bowl and mix the rice and eel together.

Next, you then take another third, this time topping it with wasabi and green onions.

Finally, you serve yourself the last helping, add seaweed, wasabi, and green onions, and finally pour dashi (broth) on top of all of it.

Each stage lets you savor different qualities of these seemingly simple ingredients.

The story behind the specific style of Nagoya eel is also a unique one. Much like the humble origins of sushi, the hitsumabushi style comes from low beginnings, but has been elevated to culinary art thanks to the combination of great ingredients and the cook’s skill.

There are a lot of theories about how the hitsumabushi style got started, but one seems particularly likely: during the Edo period, it was a means of using parts of the eel that wouldn’t be served to customers—primarily the head. It was cut up and mixed with rice, and finally eaten with broth, seaweed, and wasabi. As is often the case, even when they rise in station, people never lose their taste for comfort food, and the basic serving style never changed, although the ingredients, and the attention to detail, improved considerably.

PASSING ON THE TRADITION Ibuki, whose first love was soccer, thinks about training the next generation of Hitsumabushi cooks much like an innovative

coach might think of training athletes with a strong potential. He doesn’t think that the way he first learned was the best way to do it. “At the beginning, I didn’t know anything, so my training was to just watch my senpai and imitate what he did. And if I made a mistake, he would get angry, but I wouldn’t necessarily know why. That way of learning takes a very long time, and sometimes a lot of time is wasted. Now, we work with our new staff more carefully, explaining the reasons for doing things the way that we do.

Once they understand the reasons behind doing things in a certain way, they make very fast progress. It’s important to have that understanding that is intellectual as well as a kind of understanding that you feel directly in your body.”

Making the trip to Tokyo every two weeks—and visiting several other of Hitsumabushi Bincho’s other locations around Japan—Ibuki has plenty of opportunities to help the franchise’s cooks achieve a level of culinary excellence that you can recognize from the first bite.

Nagoya: Head Store | Tel: 0587-96-0141 LACHIC | Tel: 052-259-6703 Esca | Tel: 052-451-5557 Tokyo: Tokyo Skytree Town | Tel: 03-5619-5757 Ikebukuro PARCO | Tel: 03-5956-5756 Ginza | Tel: 03-5159-0231 Osaka: Grand Front | Tel: 06-6371-5759 Fukuoka: Nakasu Kawabata | Tel: 092-409-6522 Web: www.hitsumabushi.co.jp Open: Daily, 11:00–22:00

www.tokyoweekender.com JUNE 2015

22 | EDUCATION | SEISEN

The Art of Service Celebrating their second Day of Service, the girls of Seisen International School reach out to communities near and far

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he group of young girls took their positions in the center of the hall, waiting for the first strains of the old American spiritual to come in on the stereo. As the choral version of “I’ve Been ‘Buked and I’ve Been Scorned” filled the room, the children began to dance the choreography for the opening number of Alvin Ailey’s “Revelations.” The sixth graders’ audience—residents of a nearby senior center—probably didn’t know that the slow, stately movements of this opening piece had been performed around the world for decades, and that it is the introduction to one of the masterworks of modern dance.

But from their reactions to this performance and those put on by other groups of students that morning, it didn’t matter. What they could see, and feel, from the young kids was their energy, and despite some giggles from the younger ones, was a sense they were brightening the day for these seniors.

The performance was just one of several activities that the students of Seisen International School were doing for their second annual Day of Service. This new school tradition was being conducted in honor of St. Raphaela, who founded the religious order of the Handmaids of the Sacred

JUNE 2015 www.tokyoweekender.com

Heart of Jesus in 1877. Seisen is a K–12, allgirls’ school that was started in 1949 by the Handmaids order.

The Day of Service project had been inaugurated the year before by head of school, Sister Margaret Scott, as a way for Seisen’s students to truly live out one of the school’s tenets of improving the lives and the communities around them. It proved to be a hit with students and faculty alike, and this year again, children across the grade levels could be found engaged in projects to support the campus and the communities around them. The youngest children were preparing lunch for the school staff, groups were painting murals in common areas around the school, and others had gone off campus to take part in cleanup projects in nearby parks.

Visiting another senior home where a group of high school students had gone to give musical performances, we caught up with two of them, Risa and Jisoo—a violinist and singer, respectively—to ask what sharing their art as a part of the Day of Service meant to them.

Risa is no stranger to playing in front of audiences: the high school junior first started the violin when she was three years old. But she recognized

I think we have renewed our sense of identity, of who we are —to be competent, compassionate, creative thinkers in our global society. something different about the pieces she played this year and last: “For other performances, I was usually preparing for myself.

But this time it was to help the senior citizens enjoy what I was playing, because I wanted to make an impact on others through my music, and through what I could do.” Jisoo said that she felt a deeper impression from the songs that she sang on the Days of Service: “When I’m performing at the senior home, I’m sharing my music, but I feel like I’m putting more emotion into what I’m doing; I’m really expressing what I feel the message of the music is.”

Back at the campus, Sister Margaret reflected on the St. Raphaela Day, and the other changes that had taken place on the campus over her three-year tenure as school head. As she explained, “one of the fantastic results from last year’s Day of Service was that a lot of the kids said, ‘we don’t just want to do this once a year. How can we create a culture of service in the school?’”

One answer has already been put forward: beginning this year, Seisen has reached out to four schools in four different countries— East Timor, the Philippines, El Salvador, and Vietnam. School supplies have been donated, high school students have gone to volunteer in East Timor and Vietnam, and as Sister Margaret said, this is just the beginning.

Although she was going to be returning to a professorship in the U.S., Sister Margaret looked forward to what the future held for Seisen. As the voices of the children rang out in the hallway, she smiled. “I think we have renewed our sense of identity, of who we are—to be competent, compassionate, creative thinkers in our global society.”

Seisen International School 12-15 Yoga 1-chome, Setagaya-ku Tokyo 158-0097 | Tel: 03-3704-2661 Web: www.seisen.com | E: info@seisen.com

EXPAT LIFE | WEEKENDER | 23

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www.tokyoweekender.com JUNE 2015

Bill with Tokyo Metro Police Department’s Toshihiko Matsumaru and a few Miss Tokyos at the awesome Arab Day Reception at the Mandarin Hotel

G

etting to work on the column a little early. By the time you read this, Golden Week will be well over and summer will be here before you know it. As I often say, time really flies— and as grandma often said, as we get older, it really does.

We’ve had beautiful weather so far. Hope it stays that way, and you & yours had a great holiday.

Hate to be a downer, but it seems that there’s so much pain happening in this old world of ours. First, my heart, prayers and sympathy go out to the people of Nepal. CNN had complete coverage of the suffering of so many people in the earthquake, avalanches, and more that hit that beautiful country. I’m sure many of you are doing what you can to help the many who suffered and will be suffering a long time from this natural disaster. Down in Chile they’ve had three (to date) big volcano eruptions that have pretty much covered the land and homes of people living in that area.

Do whatever you can to help following this catastrophe. Father Grimm (Franciscan Chapel) had just spent 10 days before it all happened there in and has nothing but good things to say about the country and the Nepalese people. Back Stateside the city of Baltimore has been going through really rough times after the death of yet another black man in police custody. I love America, but find it difficult to understand some of the truly bad things going on there.

After working with drug addicts for three years in Arizona and seeing what drugs did to the users, their families, and even communities, I’m about as anti-drugs as anyone I know. On the other hand, I’m pretty much anti-capital punishment as well and the execution of the two Australians really hit me pretty hard. I know they broke the law and should be punished but when you think about it, they suffer

JUNE 2015 www.tokyoweekender.com

a matter of minutes, and their families often suffer for most of the rest of their lives. When I was studying anthropology in Tempe, Arizona, I also took a specialized course in criminology. Because of this a friend arranged for me to be a witness at an execution. At that time, they were still using the gas chamber in Arizona’s Florence prison. Believe me, that was an experience I’ll never forget.

Then there’s the terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda, and ISIS in the Mideast, Boko Haram in Nigeria, the cartels in Mexico, and so much more. As so many friends tell me, the world’s always had problems, but with TV and modern media we just hear more about it. Well, I always try to be an optimist and I feel that’s enough gloom and doom for this column. Let’s move on to some of the many good things in life.

First, big and sincere congratulations to the Duke of Cambridge, William, and his beautiful wife, Kate, on the birth of their daughter, Charlotte Elizabeth Diana. The U.K. continues to have so much to be proud of.

Warmer weather means more cultural festivals in Yoyogi Park, and they are always interesting and fun. This included Earth Day—the music, the fashion, the health food, the handicraft booths, the “save the earth” seminars and the friendly outgoing mood of the people there made the two-day event really successful.

I also dropped by the park for the Gay Pride Festival a week later to photograph some of the off-the-wall drag fashion some of the participants were wearing. Believe me: Lady Gaga had nothing on the creations a couple of very tall foreigners had gotten into for the colorful event.

Kudos to Tokyo Midtown Mall on the success of the yoga classes they hold in their park area. Friends who go on a regular basis tell me it’s really relaxing, and they meet so many interesting people there. I really

PEOPLE, PARTIES, PLACES | SOCIETY | 25

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Shiga’s Birthday Party—Anna—Roppongi Hills Club

Bangladesh National Day Reception—Okura

1. Carl Margetts (Mizuno Securities), Ceremony Pres. Tsukasa Shiga, Global Din-

10. Popular politician Miki Watanabe congratulates the hosting couple Bang-

ing Pres. Kozo Hasegawa 2. Kozo, Leon and Diana Hasegawa 3. Formula 1 Racer

ladesh Amb. & Mrs. Masud Bin Momen 11. Mrs. Momen The legendary Sadako

J.P. do Oliveira Haruka Pirelli Japan Pres. Giovanni Penzoni his wife Elena 4.

Ogata (U.N./JICA Lilo Maruyama) 12. Jamaican Amb. Clement Allicock Lilo

Kiko Matsuyama, Elena, Anna, Diana, Azusa Nishizaki 5. Apple World-wide De-

Tongan Amb. Tania Tupou.

veloper Relations Hinatsu Washitaki, his wife Kaoru 6. Vika Goreva, her son Leo 7. The host Tsukasa Shiga, his wife Anna, their daughter Anastasia 8. Par and Anna Daniel’s son, their son David 9. Noted composer Joey Carbone and Kozo

www.tokyoweekender.com JUNE 2015

26 | SOCIETY | PEOPLE, PARTIES, PLACES

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Imperial Hotel’s Annual Media Reception

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13 Flouris, Maritime Attache; Lakovos Karakidis, Consul

1. Halekulani Corp. COO Peter Shaindlin; Tim Hornyak, Tokyo Correspondent for IDG; Kit Nagamura; Le Monde’s Philippe Mesmer; Dewi Sukarno; Imperial Hotel Director of

Oakwood Premier Midtown Get-Together

Intl PR Nacio Cronin. 2. Imperial Hotel Pres Hideya Sadayasu, Dewi Sukarno, and Peter

8. U. S. Embassy Liaison Lt, Joe Sweeney, Kevin Murrow 9. Oakwood’s Eric Ishimaru,

Shaindlin 3. Kelly Wetherille, editor and writer; Jorge Pazmino, trade executive; Dewi

Haitian Amb. Judith Exavier, Asian Tigers’ Todd McDonald 10. Oakwood’s Mirei R.; Boku’s Kurt Davis; Visa’s head of Japan, Robert E Whyte; Eric

Greek Sayonara 4. Shogi player Yoshiharu Habu, Flamenco dancer Shoji Kojima, Mieko Ninomiya 5.

Philippines

Greek Amb. Nikolaos Tsamados, his wife Yasmine, Japan Greece Society chairman S.

11. Charo Ireton, Tetta Matera, Carmen D. McFee, Janet Noddin, Maria Teresa Lopez 12.

Yokoyama 6. Reiko Awazu, pianist; Swiss student Michel Bielecki 7. Christos Makiyama,

Philippines Chief of Mission and Mrs. Gilberto Asuque 13. Former Japan Amb. to Phil,

Pres., Silicon Planet Corp.; Chryssa Alexopoulou, Vice Consul; Lt. Comm. Konstantinos

Tsuneo Tanaka; his wife Yayoi; Phil. Amb. Manuel Lopez

JUNE 2015 www.tokyoweekender.com

PEOPLE, PARTIES, PLACES | SOCIETY | 27 hope to get into this soon. Check Midtown’s paper for their schedules.

Wedding dress designer Yumi Katsura, who has long been a shining star on the fashion scene here recently celebrated 50 years of fashion fame. You can always recognize the lady by the turban-style hat she wears. She’s also the owner of the huge white wedding cake looking building at Nogizaka. I’m sorry that I couldn’t make it to her big 50th anniversary party. I heard it was a glamorous glittering evening in every way. Congratulations Yumi—and many more years of success and fame.

Lots more glamour in town when Katy Perry was here to do a series of Creativeman sold out concerts and for Taylor Swift to do the same for Kyodo Tokyo. More beauty as well with Australian super model Miranda Kerr on the ramp for Reebok shoes. I’ve always been lucky with people and had the privilege of throwing parties for Katy and Miranda in Roppongi and met Taylor at the Ritz Carlton: I’m happy to report all three top stars just couldn’t be nicer.

In closing I want to congratulate and thank the many hardworking “like to help others” ladies who are members of the College Women’s Association of Japan. The Association is celebrating their 60th anniversary and they have provided great support to hundreds of scholars and print artists alike. They recently held a special event at the top of the beautiful Andaz Hotel, where prints expert Norman Tolman, a true authority on the best of Japanese art, was guest speaker. CWAJ’s popular exhibit and sale will be in late October. It’s a truly worthwhile happening and we’ll have more on it later.

PHILIPPINE DESIGN EXHIBITION—MIDTOWN President Aquino sure knew what he was doing when he appointed Ambassador Manuel M. Lopez, their country’s Ambassador to Japan. Manuel and his super wife, Maria Theresa—who’s one of our diplomatic corps’ most popular ladies—just never slow down. Since their posting here, they’ve had a full calendar promoting tourism, their food, showbiz, art, fashion, furniture, jewelry, handicraft, and of course the Filipino smile. Recently they brought 14 furniture designers over for a Philippine design exhibition at Tokyo Midtown Design Hub. The Philippines is one of my favorite countries, and I also feel it’s one of the best gateways around. Granted, like just about every country in the world, they have their problems, but they also have beautiful resorts, great beaches, good hotels and restaurants, many cultural sights, and friendly hospitable people: just check out those smiles. I should also add most everyone there speaks English, and it’s one of the best and most inexpensive shopping destinations in the world.

The design exhibition at Midtown was first class all the way with very original functional and good looking designs. I’ve traveled from one end of the 7001+ islands over the last 30 years, and really feel I know the country and people. If you plan to visit there, and have any questions, call me at 090-3200-6767. We are also gathering donations of shoes and clothing for people in the Philippines, so please give a call if you’d like to make any donations. Meanwhile—mabuhuay.

JAPAN-GREECE SOCIETY SAYONARA We were all sad to see the popular diplomatic couple— Greek Ambassador Nikolaos Tsamados and his dynamic wife, Yasmine (she’s Lebanese)—leave. After very busy

years in Japan, he’s now posted in Brazil. In addition to the many sayonaras for them, the Japan-Greece Society held a sayonara concert by noted pianist Ryoji Akiyoshi and buffet dinner at the French Culture Center.

The concert was excellent, as was the tribute the crowd there made for the much loved departing couple.

I really enjoyed the reception with its variety of people, which included longtime friend, Japan’s top flamenco dancer Shoji Kojima and jazz pianist Keiko Borjesen. I saw the Oman Ambassador’s wife Abeer at Hiroo Segafrego this morning. and she told me she had just talked to Yasmine and she and the family were very happy in Rio. Needless to say we really miss them here.

SHIGA TSUKASA’S BIRTHDAY—WIFE ANNA It was wall to wall beautiful people at Shiga’s birthday party for his wife Anna at the Roppongi Hills Club. Anna’s a model from Russia and most of the guests were her Russian and Ukrainian model friends, their well-to-do Japanese husbands, and their beautiful, full-of-energy kids.

It was a really laid-back evening with race-car drivers, music composers, business leaders, and the fashion world. Kudos to the chefs and the staff at Roppongi Hills. The Italian dinner was excellent.

BUSINESS FRIENDS GET-TOGETHER— MIDTOWN OAKWOOD I couldn’t stay long but was happy I dropped by Oakwood for their Thursday wine night. Others there included several longtime friends, and the chance to meet several interesting people for the first time as well.

IMPERIAL HOTEL’S MEDIA RECEPTION Hosted by Hideya Sadayasu, President, Imperial Hotel. The hotel’s annual buffet dinner reception for the media was, as always, a glittering evening in every way. I enjoyed surprising good friend Skip Cronin, super PR guru for the hotel, by bringing Dewi Sukarno. She, as you can see by the photos, looked great and is always interesting. Other special guests included BALD GUY who flew in from Hawaii for the special event.

BANGLADESH NATIONAL DAY My Indian friend Paul Rajesh who works with the Okura in sitting up the many National Day parties there really works with the hotel staff in making each event colorful and special. He, the staff at Bangladesh Embassy, and of course, the hotel’s hard working staff, did a great job for Bangladesh Ambassador and Mrs. Masud Bin Momen when they held midday 44th Independence and National Day of their country in the hotel’s Akebono room.

The exhibition of Bangladeshi products, especially the textiles and handicrafts, was really well done and the bountiful buffet of Bangladeshi favorite foods was really delicious. At their best, it was my first time to meet the hosting couple and really enjoyed talking with them. It was also nice to see and chat with the legendary Sadako Ogawa of U.N. and J.I.C.A fame. She’s retired, but still very active.

Sophia University’s Marco Nioi,

The popular café’s staffers Takaoki and Nita with

Bill, fashion designer Anaka, renowned stylist Fumio

Japanese-Italian Christian

Irish composer Paul Hayes

Kawashima, showbiz personality Raymond John

www.tokyoweekender.com JUNE 2015

COMING TO A CINEMA NEAR YOU IN JUNE JUN 20

JUN 19

SELMA

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ed by Martin Luther King Jr., the march from Selma to the state capital in Montgomery led to President Lyndon B. Johnson’s signing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the most significant victories for the civil rights movement. “Selma” tells the story of the tumultuous three-month period leading up to that historic march. British actor David Oyelowo gives a powerhouse performance as the legendary Baptist minister and leader of the Civil Rights movement, finding the voice of the man and bringing his soul-stirring orations to life. The film co-stars Oprah Winfrey and Cuba Gooding Jr. as civil rights activists Annie Lee Cooper and Fred Gray, Tom Wilkinson as President Johnson and Tim Roth as Alabama Governor George Wallace, who opposed the movement.

JUNE 2015 www.tokyoweekender.com

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

D

espite its B-movie beginnings, the original “Mad Max” grew to be a cultural phenomenon on its release in 1979. Now, it’s exactly thirty years later and the Road Warrior Max Rockatansky has returned in “Mad Max: Fury Road.” While Hollywood loves to cash in on a name brand, Fury Road sees the series’s visionary creator Miller back in the director’s seat to ensure a faithful return to the action. Controversial star Gibson has been jettisoned and the lead role put into the capable hands of Tom Hardy, an actor who has balanced solid dramatic roles along with a bruising physical presence in the likes of Bronson, The Fighter and as arch-villain Bane in the “Dark Knight Rises.” Max is now joined by Charlize Theron as robot-armed warrior Imperator Furiosa as they take on the forces of tyrannical cult leader Immortan Joe. Hype has been building for this one since the release of some visually stunning trailers and it has been scoring incredibly well with critics and audiences alike since its release last month. Mad Max’s triumphant return could well be the hit of the summer.

MR. TURNER

JUN 6

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here could be no one better suited to bring the life of esteemed British painter J.M.W. Turner’s storied life to the screen than Britain’s most consistently brilliant filmmaker, Mike Leigh. Turner is famed as one of the greatest landscape painters of all time while Leigh has earned plaudits of his own for social realist works.

“Mr. Turner” explores the relationships, dramas, and the developments in style and content towards the end of the life of the noted “painter of light.” Over the course of the film we follow Turner’s unconventional relationships, with a housekeeper and a seaside landlady as the man is both revered and reviled by society. Leigh regular Timothy Spall stars in this critically lauded biographical drama.

JUN 20

TOMORROWLAND

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he men and women behind The Mouse are known to be pretty savvy themselves, so it comes as no surprise that they’ve turned to another Disneyland ride in their quest for movie gold. Brad Bird, the man who made his name with beloved cult animation “The Iron Giant” before going on to win Academy Award gold with Pixar hits “The Incredibles” and “Ratatouille,” directs the film.

It’s also a good sign that George Clooney is in the cast. An actor who most frequently takes on smart political thrillers, it’s been a long time since he’s picked a dud. Clooney stars alongside Britt Robertson as the pair play a jaded former boy-genius and an inquisitive young teenager who embark on a mission full of rocket ships and robots to discover the secrets of the mysterious world-of-the-future, Tomorrowland.

EXPAT LIFE | WEEKENDER | 29

www.tokyoweekender.com JUNE 2015

AGENDA 1

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4 6

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AGENDA: THE WEEKENDER ROUNDUP OF WHAT’S HAPPENING IN JUNE 2 JUN 7

1 JUNE 21

3 JUN 6-7

4 JUN 18

Babymetal

Sanpo in the Park

Million Rock Festival

TV on the Radio

The international pop idol

Animal Walk

Escape to the scenic Sea

Celebrate the long-awaited

phenomenon known as

Join Animal Walk Tokyo

of Japan coast for this

Japan return of Brooklyn

Babymetal combines (you guessed it)

for a pup-filled afternoon: walk and

music fest featuring local favorites,

indie favorites TVOTR with rocking

kawaii-ness and heavy metal beats.

even adopt the canines, and partake in

such as Boom Boom Satellites, The

performances and tunes from their

Where: Makuhari Messe, Chiba

the picnic, activities, music and crafts.

Bawdies, Ken Yokoyama and Rekishi.

latest album “Seeds.”

How Much: ¥7,560

Where: Yoyogi Park, Shibuya-ku

Where: Ishikawa Convention Center

Where: Studio Coast, Koto-ku

More info: www.babymetal.jp

How Much: Donation of ¥1,500-¥3,000

How Much: ¥6,300 - ¥11,800

How Much: ¥7,000

More info: www.animalwalktokyo.org

More info: www.millionrock.com

More info: www.studio-coast.com

5 JUN 5-7

6 JUN 13

7 JUN 27

8 JUN 21

SIS Special Import

PAN Japan Showcase

Stringraphy

Candle Night at Zojoji

Car Show

Noise, dub and industrial

Witness the sight and

Zojoji Temple wants you

Rare models, overseas

beats await you at this

sound of stringraphy

to “turn off the lights,

brands, customized wheels and

showcase from the Berlin-based

(an elegant version of the string and

vintage vehicles will be on display at

label, featuring Lee Gamble, Bill

paper cup telephone) for yourself

(and soothing) candle night event.

this mammoth auto show.

Kouligas, M.E.S.H. and TCF.

with this performance.

Where: Zojoji Temple, Minato-ku

Where: Tokyo Big Sight, Koto-ku

Where: Liquid Room, Shibuya-ku

Where: Studio EVE, Setagaya-ku

How much: Free

How Much: ¥2,000

How much: ¥3,500 -¥4,500

How Much: ¥1,000 - ¥1,800

More info: www.tokyoweekender.com

More info: www.sis-t.net

More info: www.liquidroom.net

More info: www.stringraphy.com

JUNE 2015 www.tokyoweekender.com

take it slow” with their annual

JUNE | AGENDA | 31

JUNE 9

10

SPICE UP YOUR SUMMER! 11

Celebrate the start of Summer at Outback with our classic Bloomin’ Onion®. Handcarved , cooked until golden and ready to dip into our spicy signature bloom sauce.

cial Outback Spe Our Outback Special Sirloin is hand-selected, aged just right and hand-trimmed.

Each steak is then expertly seasoned and seared to order over a red-hot grill.

12

10 JUN 6-14

9 JUN 6 Wow, Woah War! Be a

Bunkyo Ajisai Matsuri

Samurai!

Ajisai, the Japanese

Live out your samurai

hydrangea, peaks

dreams by taking part in this fun out-

during rainy season. Surround

door event which sees opposing teams

yourself with the blue blooms at this

do battle with foam samurai swords.

week-long festival.

Where: Yoyogi Park, Shibuya-ku

Where: Hakusan Shrine, Bunkyo-ku

How Much: ¥1,000 - ¥3,000

How Much: Free

More info: www.tokyoweekender.com

More info: www.city.bunkyo.lg.jp

11 JUN 20-21

Steakhouse Salad

12 JUN 26-29

Salsa Street Festival

French Film Festival

Infectious Caribbean

Twelve contemporary

beats will provide the

If you’re looking for a lighter bite why not try our delicious Steakhouse Salad.

170g of tender steak bites atop mixed greens,Aussie Crunch, tomatoes, red onions, cinnamon pecans and a Blue cheese vinaigrette.

French movies will be

soundtrack for this extravaganza which

screened at this festival, including

covers a huge area; expect a mishmash

François Ozon’s “The New Girlfriend”

of food, drinks, dance and music.

and Eric Lartigau’s “La Famille Bélier.”

Where: Yoyogi Park, Shibuya-ku

Where: Yurakucho Asahi Hall, Chiyoda-ku

How Much: Free

How Much: ¥1500

More info: www.guavaberry.jp

More info: www.unifrance.jp

www.tokyoweekender.com JUNE 2015

32 | WEEKENDER | EXPAT LIFE

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EXPAT LIFE | WEEKENDER | 33

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www.tokyoweekender.com JUNE 2015

BACK IN THE DAY: JUNE 1974 Check out the scene in Tokyo from 1974! You can read the rest of this issue (No.22 1975) and view Weekender’s 45-year archive online. www.tokyoweekender.com/ weekender-archives/

KRAV MAGA IN TOKYO

NEW GYM OPENING IN

AKASAKA, JULY 4!

GET FIGHTING FIT WITH THE ISRAELI SELF-DEFENSE SYSTEM

Krav Maga, or “contact combat” in Hebrew, is a self-defense system that is based around quick, effective, and powerful ways to bring an end to a fight. This blend of throws, holds, and intense strikes is the official “martial art” of the Israeli military, and its methods have been taken up by police and fighting forces around the world.

It’s also a great way to get in shape and stay in top condition. As you will quickly find, even in an entry-level Krav Maga class, you’ll find it hard not to get a fantastic workout. You’ll be surprised to see how quickly you develop endurance, strength, and flexibility in as soon as a few months of practice.

Krav Maga has boomed in popularity over the last decade in Japan—everyone from office workers to professional athletes have been drawn to the martial art to burn away the stresses of the daily grind, push their fitness to higher levels, or develop a sense of self-confidence that comes with knowing that you could defend yourself in a variety of situations.

MagaGYM offers classes for all ranges of fitness and experience levels. Once you’ve made your way through the early series of courses, you can move on to classes that focus on strikes or techniques to disarm attackers with weapons, or intense heavy bag sessions that will push you to the limit and test your aggressiveness. For pure fitness enthusiasts, the gym also offers a series of TRX and Rip Training classes.

03 - 6432 - 9794 www.magagym.com/en

Roppongi Tokyo, Minato-ku Roppongi 3-14-7 Arrow Building 4F

Akasaka (Opening July 4) Tokyo, Minato-ku Akasaka 3-7-13 Akasaka HM Building B1