Metropolis #1030 Dec 20, 2013-Jan 9, 2014 by Metropolis

Japan’s Nº1 English Magazine www.metropolis.co.jp

#1030 Dec 20, 2013~Jan 9, 2014

NEW YEAR’S COUNTDOWN L OC A L F L AV OR S GET INTO THE HOLID AY SPIR ITS SPORTS J A PA N ' S 2 013 ATHLE TIC ACHIEVEMENTS THE LAST WORD TOHOKU FULL CIRCLE

FREE!

We wish you a

MERRY CHRISTMAS & A HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Christmas turkey plate available *For reservations, please contact the Shibuya or Shinagawa branches

Shibuya Branch 03-5459-1736

Shinagawa Branch 03-5459-1736

Countdown Party 31 Dec 2013 *FREE glass of sparkling wine for the countdown

Shibuya (open~5am)

Shinjuku (open~2am)

OPENING DAYS - 2014

SHIBUYA SHINJUKU

Jan 1st (noon OPEN) Jan 1st (15:00 OPEN)

Shinagawa Jan 4th (noon OPEN) Akasaka Jan 6th (11:30 OPEN) Ikebukuro Jan 6th (17:00 OPEN) *For more info, call one of our locations or check our website

Shinjuku

2F Shinjuku Lion Hall 3-28-9 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku 03-3352-6606 | sali3292@sapporo-lion.co.jp http://r.gnavi.co.jp/g209300/

Shibuya

2F Dogenzaka Center Bldg. 2-29-8 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku 03-5459-1736 |sali6581@sapporo-lion.co.jp http://r.gnavi.co.jp/g008214/

Ikebukuro

B1 Sun Gorou Bldg. 1-10-8 Nishi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku 03-5951-3614 | sali2709@sapporo-lion.co.jp http://r.gnavi.co.jp/g029000/

We welcome all kinds of parties. Please contact us.

Each branch has different hours. Akasaka

B1 Sannou Park Tower 2-11-1 Nagatacho, Chiyoda-ku 03-3539-3615 | sali2645@sapporo-lion.co.jp http://r.gnavi.co.jp/g008233/ Closed: Sat., Sun., & Holidays

Shinagawa

Shinagawa Mitsubishi Bldg. B1F Grand Passage 2-16-3 Kounan, Minato-ku 03-6718-2834 | sali6654@sapporo-lion.co.jp http://r.gnavi.co.jp/g008220/

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04 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP

PROPAGANDA Shot Bar

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2014 31 Dec 2013 Countdown Party from 7pm Traditional Kagamiwari ceremony (Sake Case breaking ceremony)

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Advance ticket ¥2500 Door ¥3000 w/1 drink FREE ENTRANCE BEFORE 8PM Christmas Party 12/21(Sat) 22:00 - 5:00 Special offer : FREE SHOT every 2hrs. Glass of sparkling wine ¥500 for ladies Door： guys:￥1000/1D, ladies:￥1000/2D

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DR. HIDEMI AKAI is a board-certified plastic surgeon and an associate professor of the department of plastic, aesthetic and reconstructive surgery at Tokyo’s Showa University. Dr. Akai trained at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital before amassing over twenty-five years of experience. DR. KEIKO AKAI is also a board-certified plastic surgeon, and a dermatologist. The Akai Medical Clinic offers a range of cosmetic-surgery procedures, laser treatments and skin care, using state-of-the-art equipment and the latest techniques.

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INSIDE #1030 COURTESY OF GLOBAL HEARTS CO.,LTD.

DEC 20-JAN 9, 2014

Metropolis Members Club Register for prizes & discounts www.metropolis.co.jp/club

THIS WEEK’S WINNER! Mark Davis

won a romantic dinner for two Courtesy of 148@Azabujyuban

kanji of the year 10 NEW YEAR’S SPECIAL

COUNTDOWN STRATEGIES 2014

The kanji of the year for 2013 輪 rin (ring) as announced by the Japanese Kanji Proficiency Society. Artist: Kei Shimizu. Courtesy of Carre Moji.

By Dan Grunebaum 07 THE SMALL PRINT 08 UPFRONT 14 AGENDA & LISTINGS 20 MOVIES 22 DINING OUT 25 CLASSIFIEDS & JOBS 29 HOROSCOPE & MEDIABOX 30 THE LAST WORD

Web developer wanted. Seeking developer with extensive PHP skills for our growing team www.metropolis.co.jp/jobs

COVER DESIGN: KOHJI SHIIKI; PHOTOS: DJ SURKIN, DJ CANBLASTER: COURTESY OF GLOBAL HEARTS CO.,LTD.; TOKYU SILVESTER AT BUNKAMURA ©K. MIURA; MO'SOME TONEBENDER: COURTESY OF ROCKIN’ ON JAPAN; ©LOUIS VUITTON / JÉRÉMIE SOUTEYRAT COURTESY OF ESPACE LOUIS VUITTON TOKYO; KEISUKE HONDA: © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED BY INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE

Insta

ćć …and found a chemical in the urine of male mice that attracts females.

The Small Print

HEADLINES OF THE YEAR

By Steve Trautlein

CHRISTI ROCHIN

BREAKTHROUGHS During the past year, Japanese scientists… ćć …found that mice can tell the difference between paintings by Wassily Kandinsky and Piet Mondrian. ćć …discovered that warm temperatures sweeten the taste of apples. ćć …were able to “read dreams” by measuring brain activity during sleep. ćć …collabrated on a method of removing debris and salt from farmland ravaged by the March 11 tsunami. ćć …announced that the Sea of Japan coast tends to get hit by a major tsunami about once every 1,000 years… and that it’s been about 1,000 years since the last one. ćć …developed a bicycle that can filter water while it’s being pedaled. ćć …succeeded in using gene therapy to restore the memory of mice suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. ćć …discovered that drinking four or more cups of green tea a day reduces the risk of strokes by 20 percent.

Stories you may have overlooked ćć “20 Percent of ‘Worker’ Ants Don’t Work: Study” (Mainichi Japan, Jan 6) ćć “Tokyo Gov’t Employees Confused over Governor’s Demands to use Twitter” (Mainichi Japan, Jan 30) ćć “Man Held over Misuse of Interns” (The Yomiuri Shimbun, Feb 22) ćć “Businessman Suspected of Slashing up to 1,000 Tires in Effort to Meet Women” (Japan Today, Apr 22) ćć “Remains of Dog Given to Relatives After House Fire Turn Out to be Human” (Mainichi Japan, June 6) ćć “Monk Matchmaking Event Proves Hit with Ladies Looking for that Enlightened Someone” (Mainichi Japan, June 9) ćć “Android Teaches Japanese in Vietnam” (The Japan News, Sep 4) ćć “Popular ‘Ugly but Cute’ Dog Regains Health and Fur” (The Asahi Shimbun, Oct 2) ćć “Radiation Exposure Study Finds No Abnormality in Fukushima Bull Testis” (Mainichi Japan, Oct 9)

PASSINGS Those we lost this year ćć Michiko Yamaoka, who was 800 meters away from ground zero during the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and later underwent reconstructive facial surgery in the US , died of pneumonia in February. She was 82. ćć John J. Wilpers Jr., a US Army intelligence officer who in 1945 helped capture wartime PM Hideki Tojo—later executed for war crimes—died in February in Maryland. He was 93. ćć Renowned anthropologist Masao Yamaguchi, a leader of the “new academism” movement and the author of the delightfully named A Psychological History of Losers, died in a Tokyo hospital in March. He was 81. ćć Legendary interpreter Masumi Muramatsu, who, among other achievements, provided

#metropolistokyo

simultaneous translation during the broadcast of the Apollo 11 moon mission in 1969, died in March. He was 82. ćć University of Tokyo lecturer Isamu Kaneko, who developed the infamous Winny file-sharing software, died of a heart attack in July. He was 42. ćć Kanazawa native Reiko Douglas, who found fame in the US as a singer in the postwar era, died in LA in September. An obituary noted that she “became a popular guest on American talk shows… even though she appeared to speak little English.” Douglas was 87. ćć Former baseball commissioner Yasuchika Negoro, who is credited with taking steps to minimize the influence of yakuza groups in the game, died in November in Tokyo. He was 81.

POLL POSITIONS This year’s surveys found out that… ćć …Bicycles, umbrellas and wheeled luggage are the three everyday items “most likely to bug people.” ćć …Residents of Hokkaido are the most satisfied with their natural environment, while those in Kinki are the least. ćć …6.4 percent of Japanese boys and 9.9 percent of girls consider themselves addicted to the internet. ćć …14.5 percent of single working women in their 20s believe “there are men around who could start stalking them in the future.” ćć …21 percent of college students felt like they “wanted to die” during job-hunting this year ćć …35 percent of death row inmates would prefer to be put to death by lethal injection instead of hanging. ćć …54.1 percent of Japanese women quit their jobs after having their first child… but just 2 percent of Japanese dads take paternity leave. ćć …71 percent of Japanese people are “satisfied or somewhat satisfied” with their lives—the first time since 1995 that the figure has topped 70 percent. ćć …75 percent of twenty-somethings “expect little” from the political system. ćć …80 percent of Japanese people wouldn’t mind being cared for by robots.

#1030 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP • 07

Upfront PEOPLE, TRENDS & MISCELLANY and stats the way it was... �

8.9 million

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41.3

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eel like a perv every time you check a date in your calendar? No? Then you obviously aren’t using this playful peeping Tom Skirt Calendar (¥2,100, Village Vanguard). While seku hara (sexual harassment) and chikan (molesters) are not subjects to be taken lightly, there’s something charming about these pleated almanacs. Designed by a woman, Kaori Kato, the stationery is popular with ladies due to it’s kawaii factor. Lift the skirt to check your schedule, then watch as the “material” thins out through the year. What happens when you reach next December? You’ll have to buy one to find out. http://design.kaorikato.com

Number of foreigners who are expected to visit Japan in 2013—the most ever

Percent of married Japanese couples who say they have sex less than once a month

Number of high school girls arrested in a raid of massage parlors in Tokyo in January

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5.1 billion

Cups of Pucchin Purin that have been sold since the custard-like snack was introduced in 1972

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¥101.94 million

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190,000

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230

Average amount of assets held by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his 18 cabinet ministers

Estimated number of abandoned homes in Tokyo

Number of female participants at a ninja convention in Tokyo in March COMPILED FROM REPORTS BY AP, JAPAN TODAY, THE JAPAN TIMES, JIJI, THE TOKYO REPORTER, THE MAINICHI, THE JAPAN NEWS, AFP, REUTERS AND KYODO

upskirt 2014

COURTESY OF KAORI KATO

nengajo 3D

heJapanese tradition of nengajo (New Year’s cards) is also a diplomatic way to recognize that not everyone celebrates Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza or Festivus. It’s practical, too: one card with best wishes for the year to come has you and your family covered. Now they’re also fun. These 3D Nanoblocks postcards contain one card filled with tiny, Lego-like blocks for the receiver to build little New Year’s-themed display pieces. They’re also good for entertaining kids, avoiding family blowups associated with the holidays, and expanding your festive decorations, all at the same time. Available in specific 2014 Year of the Horse or generic shishimai (lion) and kadomatsu (New Year’s pine decoration) sets (¥1,260 each). www.okutta.com

2013 COVERAGE

Archived issues available in PDF format at http://metropolis.co.jp/backissues

#984 Feb 1–14, 2013

#990 Mar 15-28, 2013

#994 Apr 12–25, 2013

#996 Apr 26-May 9, 2013

#1000 May 24–June 6, 2013

#1014 Aug 30–Sep 12, 2013

#1016 Sep 13–26, 2013

#1020 Oct 11– 24, 2013

#1022 Oct 25–Nov 7, 2013

#1024 Nov 8–21, 2013

#1026 Nov 22-Dec 5, 2013

#1028 Dec 6-19, 2013

Thanks for reading this year! 08 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP

BUZZ 2013

PEOPLE, TRENDS & MISCELLANY

Upfront

he words of the year for 2013, as selected by publisher Jyukokuminsha, capture the mood of a nation leaving ambivalence behind and embracing a can-do attitude. “Ima desho (Now, right?),” coined by charismatic juku teacher Osamu Hayashi, went viral with it’s easy application to almost anything. Part of, “Itsu yaru ka Ima desho!” (“When will you do it? It’s now, right?”) “Omotenashi,” used by Christel Takigawa at the award ceremony after Tokyo won the 2020 Olympic bid, introduced the spirit of Japanese hospitality: The art of anticipating a guest’s needs before they have to ask for it. Her clear articulation of the word—“O-mo-tena-shi”—has been parodied nonstop since. “Jejeje,” an expression of surprise (usually je, or je je), solidified its place in everyday vocabulary via the NHK drama Ama-chan, a story about female divers in Tohoku. “Bai gaeshi (returning the favor two-fold),” from the popular TBS drama Naoki Hanzawa in which the titular bubble era banker fights against the big boys and wins, struck a particular chord with a disabused citizenry. Abenomics, the derivative Abe cabinet slogan, entered the public lexicon. Whether its “three pillars” of easement, public spending and yen devaluation can expand the economy remains to be seen. We may see one of the runners-up, Aho-nomics, in next year’s Top contenders…

statshot Top ten kanji names for babies, according to Benesse

BOYS 1. 大翔 2. 連 3. 悠真 4. 湊 4. 陽斗 6. 翔太 7. 悠斗 8. 陽翔 9. 颯真 10. 颯太 10. 陽向

GIRLS Hiroto Ren Yuuma Minato (tie) Haruto (tie) Shouta Yuuto Haruto Souma Souta (tie) Hinata (tie)

1. 結菜 2. 陽菜 3. 葵 4. 結愛 5. 結衣 6. 凛 7. 愛莉 8. 心春 9. 愛梨 10. 芽依

Yuuna Hina Aoi Yua Yui Rin Airi Koharu Airi Mei

According to Vogue Japan

According to GQ Japan

women of the year

men of the year

ctress Hikari Mitsushima won acclaim playing the main character in the NTV drama Woman, about a widowed mother of two and her struggles with the welfare system and her estranged mother. Paralympic track and field athlete Mami Sato’s story of loss—her right leg to cancer and friends and family to the 2011 earthquake—at the Olympic and Paralympic committee bid won the hearts of many. The most touching part wasn’t her loss but her salvation by sports. Science-oriented artist Sputniko! graduated from the Royal College of Art in London and is heralded for her use of gender dynamics, technology and pop culture in her work. She has exhibited at London’s MOT, New York’s MoMa and more. Actress Kirin Kiki has been awarded many Japan Academy Awards for her TV and film performances over the year. After battling breast cancer, she returned in the 2013 Palme d’Or-nominated Like Father, Like Son.

ctor Masato Sakai, a Japanese Academy Award winner, played Naoki Hanzawa in the drama series of the same name that also spawned the catch phrase, “Bai gaeshi.” Kankuro Kudo pens TV dramas, films and plays and is also a director, actor and musician. He wrote the script for this year’s hit TV series Ama-chan, which included top 10 buzzword “Jejeje.” At age 23, Waseda graduate and writer Ryo Asai won the Naoki Prize for Japanese lit this year for his novel Nanimono (“Somebody”), making him the youngest male author ever to win it. Buzzword number one creator and prep school teacher-cum-celebrity Osamu Hayashi is everywhere these days. His original “Itsu yaru ka? Ima desho? ” (“When will you do it? Now, right? “) has morphed into “When will you buy it?” for Toyota and “When will you go?” for HIS Travel. The answer? We think already know.

Source: http://benesse.jp/blog/20131129/p3.html

dream a little dream VLADIMIR ZAKHAROV

n Japan, the first dream of the new year is called hatsuyume. Any had between December 31 and January 3 seem to qualify, but dreaming something auspicious is what really matters. According to Allabout.co.jp, these top visions bode well for a great 2014. 1. Mt. Fuji 2. たか taka (hawk) 3. なす nasu (eggplant) 4. うちわ uchiwa (folding fan) 5. たばこ tabako (tobacco) 6. Blind man or masseur

maguro puzzle

or those of us who aren’t early birds and can’t make it out to Tsukiji market on time to witness the famed fish auctions, can’t stomach the smell of seafood, or perhaps those with a particular interest in piscine anatomy, there is hope. Have a 33cm model maguro puzzle (¥29,400) sent to your house for the closest thing to the real deal without any of the gross guts or early morning tramps. Something for the holidays? www.hobbystock.jp/sp/maguro

#1030 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP • 09

Arts & Entertainment ALL THE BEST IN ARTS & CULTURE ACROSS THE METROPOLIS new year's special

COUNTDOWN

STRATEGIES 2014

Gallop into the Year of the Horse By Dan Grunebaum

DJ Surkin

clubbing

DJ Canblaster

he days before New Year’s Eve see frequent stagings of Beethoven’s N i n t h S y m p h o n y, which Japanese lovingly refer to as nenmatsu no daiku, or “yearend Ninth.” It ’s a custom that Vienna Folk Opera apparently began when German World War I POWs taught it to their guards at camps in Japan. Most established Kanto orchestras hold their own performances, with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra slated to perform it this weekend at Suntory Hall and Bunkamura Orchard Hall respectively. In a daring feat of continuous fortitude, the Iwaki Memorial Orchestra will perform all the Beethoven symphonies from 1 through 9 over ten hours on December 31 at Tokyo Bunka Kaikan. It’s a marathon

10 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP

Ring, Tokyo’s longest-surviving and thriving gay/mixed night (incidentally, also presided over by Metropolis veteran Lamont Raymond). Behind the decks are Ring stalwarts Asahina and Shinkawa. Tokyo’s freshest club, Aoyama’s Origami, was still a wild card at this writing. With its vaunted Infinite sound system and “one night, one DJ” format, expect the venue to pull some special beats out of the hat as it seeks to ring in its first New Year’s Eve in style. Shibuya’s biggest discotheque, Vision, goes French electro with DJs Surkin & Canblaster. Surkin is the hot young head of label Marble, on which Canblaster releases his tracks, and has worked with the likes of M.I.A. With Tokyo electro tastemakers Shinichi Osawa and Dexpistols providing backup, Vision’s labyrinth of rooms underneath Dogenzaka will be heaving into 2014. In the back alleys of Maruyamacho, cavernous club Womb won’t be slacking either. Expect bracing Teutonic techno beats and a devil-may-care attitude to the proceedings when indefatigable DJ Hell helms the countdown alongside a bevy of Womb residents. Expat club crew Eggworm are hosting their annual thumpfest at Xex Nihonbashi with guests H-Foundation featuring Halo heading up the night. The pair of US producers have been behind some of the sexiest, dubbiest house to be heard in the last decade, and will be ably backed by Stephane K of Bedrock fame and Japan’s own DJ Aosawa.

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF SUNTORY HALL

classical

otwithstanding Japan’s notorious ongoing police campaign against late-night dancing, New Year’s Eve, along with hanami, is one time when police are likely to look the other way. Tokyo’s clubs will be striving hard to live up to their reputations as among the world’s most cuttingedge—with a plethora of atmospheres stretching from house, techno and electro on to more esoteric styles like glitch-hop. Beginning in roughly alphabetical order, at cavernous bayside Ageha is a bill headed up by the ever-popular B oom Boom Satellites and DJ Kentaro. A duo of guitarist and vocalist Michiyuki Kawashima and bassist and programmer Masayuki Nakano, BBS began as a live breakbeats outfit but in recent years has shifted toward a wall-of-noise, shoegazer sound. With Kawashima recovered from a brain tumor and irrepressible scratch-master DJ Kentaro behind the decks, Ageha’s countdown looks to be positively boombastic. Club Asia in Shibuya reprises its J-pop-themed countdowns of recent years, with omnipresent Perfume and Kyary Pamyu Pamyu producer Yasutaka Nakata, M-flo’s Taku Takahashi, electrokitschmeister De De Mouse, and as a bracing antidote, dubstep flagwaver Goth-Trad heading up a bill of Club Asia all-stars. The LGBT crowd and associated party people will be found at Nishiazabu’s Double, which took over the space long occupied by much-mourned Yellow and then Eleven. Double is hosting a collaboration with The

Tenor Mehrzamd Montazeri

tradition that started in 2003 and gives all indications of continuing ad infinitum. A newer feature of the Japanese classical New Year are late-night “Sylvester” countdown concerts. These take the form of homages to Viennese waltz composer Johann Strauss (December 31 is Saint Sylvester’s Day— Austrians call it “Sylvester”), such as the Suntory Hall Sylvester Concert 2013, again featuring the charming Vienna Folk Opera.

Soprano Siphwe McKenzie

In Shibuya, Bunkamura Orchard Hall’s 19th Tokyu Sylvester Concert 2013-2014 sees Wagner specialist Taijiro Iimori conducting the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra. Instead of the traditional performance of Elgar’s stirring “Pomp and Circumstance,” audiences will get to select the actual countdown song. The concert will be broadcast nationwide to celebrate TV Tokyo’s 50th anniversary—the perfect antidote to NHK’s schlocky songfest Kohaku.

COURTESY OF BILLBOARD LIVE

jazz & r&b

okyo’s posh supper clubs are the place to usher in your Year of the Horse at a sedate canter alongside Japan’s bourgeoisie, glass of champagne in hand. The Blue Note in Aoyama welcomes Hiromi The Trio Project featuring Anthony Jackson and Simon Phillips. Blackstreet Hiromi Uehara, or “Hiromi” as she’s known abroad, is the irrepressible polymath pianist who tore up the stage at Tokyo Jazz 2012. The Berklee-educated prodigy welds the progressive fusion instincts of a Chick Corea to the virtuoso technique of an Oscar Peterson. Bassist Jackson and drummer Phillips aren’t too shabby themselves. Dance “The Lean” with R&B supergroup Blackstreet at Billboard Live in Roppongi. Blackstreet are a five-member assemblage guided by uberproducer Teddy Riley, along with vocalist Dave Hollister. The group’s 1994 eponymous debut went platinum, generating the infamous single “Booti Call,” while their 1996 Dr. Dre collaboration “No Diggity” went to number one. It’s hard to think of a glitterier countdown

hatsumode & kohaku than Billboard, which pulls back a curtain behind the stage to reveal a giant window looking out over the Tokyo skyline. Heading underground, storied Shinjuku jazz club Pit Inn conducts its annual marathon countdown in the form of its All Night Concert 2013-2014. From 7pm on December 31 until the first train on January 1, a pack of jazz heavyweights plays musical chairs. Among them are Takeshi Shibuya’s Orchestra and the Orquesta Libre, with a countdown session featuring sax wiz Naruyoshi Kikuchi again taking the reins to count the New Year in.

COURTESY OF DISKGARAGE

rock & indie

COURTESY OF ROCKIN' ON JAPAN

hink you’ve had enough of Makuhari Messe this year? Think again. Japan offers up its annual four-day New Year’s J-pop and rock Countdown Japan 2013-2014 fest at the giant convention center. This is for the truly J-committed. After all, there’s only so much Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, Puffy and Asparagus a human gaijin can take. Still, amongst the fluff there are some diamonds in the rough. Mo’some Tonebender, Sambomaster and Sakanaction offer up the occasional antidote with some reasonably hard-edged guitar rock. Another big room rock countdown comes at the hands of Livemaster Inc’s GT 2014 event at Zepp DiverCity. The night boasts some fifty acts including irreverent disco-rockers The Telephones, melocore outfit Total Fat and others. The event begins at 2pm and runs 15 hours through the morning of January 1. Revered Japanese alt-rockers The Pillows return to present their annual leg-up at Duo Music Exchange in Shibuya, Countdown Bump Show! 2013-2014. Joining them will be fellow Hokkaido bands Bugsy Craxone as well as one of Japan’s more persuasive women rock outfits, Pop Chocolat. Across town in Shinjuku, venerable rock dive Loft presents Zigzo: The End of 2013 with rock supergroup Zigzo. Headed by three former members of extremely influential visualkei bands (look ‘em up), the group recently reunited to release The Battle of Love. Perhaps best thought of as recovering visual-kei. Over in counterculture hub Shimokitazawa, Club Q u e o f f e r s Q u e ’s Countdown 2014, a three-part event with a smorgasbord of better domestic rock bands. Slated for the

FREEDOM ANDRES II

he one truly magical aspect of the Japanese New Year is hatsumode, the auspicious first shrine visit of the year. Many of greater Tokyo’s 30-odd million inhabitants crowd popular shrines like Meiji Jingu in Harajuku, which usually welcomes 3 million visitors, and Sensoji in Asakusa, a popular place to pray for health and wealth. Preferred visiting hours are during nighttime, when the shrines are brightly lit with yatai food stalls and omiyage souvenir shops. For a more spiritual atmosphere, steer clear of the crowds and head to your local neighborhood shrine. Hatsumode may be traditional, but you haven’t really experienced Japanese New Year’s until you’ve subjected yourself to the ritual of watching NHK’s year-end song battle Kohaku Uta Gassen (“Red and White Song Battle”) with your Japanese in-laws. Kind of a Japanese version of Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, Kohaku pits a red team of female singers against a white team of male belters. Ratings may be on the decline, but Kohaku remains the nation’s most-watched musical event of the year.

countdown with kids

Zigzo

Pop Chocolat actual countdown itself are most-excellent chick-rock band Noodles and veteran Osaka retro-garage outfit The Neatbeats. Ground zero of Japan’s avant-garde scene, Koenji’s Show Boat, will again host noise godfather Keiji Haino for his traditional pre-New Year’s event. A slew of bands will compete on the countdown itself in an event entitled HPNY Breakdown 2013-2014. Special guests from Sweden are the “art metal” group BatAAr, in what looks to be one of the heavier countdown evenings in town. Another edifice of offbeat rock is Goodman, found in the unlikely context of otaku nucleus Akihabara. The bill for this year’s Good Vibration Countdown 2014 is unpredictable, but Goodman’s booking folks have a good ear—and for the ¥1,000 entry fee you can’t go wrong.

irst things first—write Disneyland off your countdown plans. The resort is open continuously from New Year’s Eve until 10pm on New Year’s Day, but from 8pm-2am the park—and neighbor DisneySea—are open only to lucky lottery ticket winners and guests at nearby hotels. Still, you can take in the countdown fireworks from nearby and then rejoin the party from the wee hours. Perhaps a better bet for New Year's is at Yokohama’s Hakkeijima Sea Paradise, which combines dolphin shows and an aquarium with an amusement park. The park’s Happy Island Countdown ‘14 is priced right, and will see the park alight with fireworks and comedy and dolphin shows. It’s open until 8am for pilgrims awaiting the promising first sunrise of the year over the Pacific. Also in Yokohama, bundle up the brood and head outside for the Oshare Hanabi in Aka Renga Park. This year, the annual countdown fireworks display will have a Niagara Falls motif and the first hanabi of the year will be clearly visible around the Minato Mirai and Yamashita park area.

beyond countdown

fter a few days of oshogatsu quiet, Tokyo revs back into gear with a number of New Year’s rituals. One of the more entertaining is Tokyo’s annual firefighters performance and drill. Japanese firefighting skills were honed in the Edo era at a time when the entire city was made of wood and suffered devastating fires. Thousands of firefighters and a phalanx of 100 engines and helicopters gather at Tokyo Big Site for the Jan 6 Dezomeshiki (New Year’s firefighters' event) and perform daredevil acrobatic performances atop six-meter ladders.

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu #1030 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP • 11

Arts & Entertainment ALL THE BEST IN ARTS & CULTURE ACROSS THE METROPOLIS

OLYMPIC EFFORTS

sports

Japan’s year in sports By Fred Varcoe

Saori Kimura celebrates winning the bronze

ne stor y dominated Japan’s sporting news, and in many ways the 2020 Olympics will determine what’s big in sports here for the next six years. Other stories not associated with the games may have flown under the radar. So here’s a Metropolis rundown of the top stories of 2013.

World Grand Champions Cup. Sadly, they were blown away by the dominant Brazilians and had to settle for another bronze to go with their 2012 Olympic bronze.

GYMNAST UCHIMURA CONTINUES TO DOMINATE People are now saying that Kohei Uchimura is the greatest gymnast of all time, having won his fourth straight all-around title in 2013, and in so doing becoming the first gymnast to win every major all-around title in a single Olympic cycle. He also won the all-around title at the 2012 Olympics.

TOKYO AWARDED 2020 OLYMPICS Back in February, a sports marketing friend told me that the 2020 Olympics were Tokyo’s to lose. Tokyo was the big gun, but Madrid had economy of scale on its side and Istanbul was a brave new frontier for the International Olympic Committee to explore. All three bids suffered as the September vote approached. Tokyo Governor Naoki Inose made disparaging remarks about Tokyo’s rivals, riots hit Istanbul and economic reality dampened Madrid’s bid. When Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told the IOC that the radiation problems in Fukushima wouldn’t be a problem in Tokyo, the game was over and Tokyo could celebrate. Some accused Abe of lying over Fukushima, while a gang of (jealous?) architects demanded the downsizing of Zaha Hadid’s magnificent stadium plans. It’s open season for the next six years.

EAGLES, TANAKA DOMINATE JAPANESE BASEBALL While the Olympics was the big story of the year, it was still given a run for its money by a non-Olympic sport: baseball. In recent years, soccer has overshadowed the salaryman’s favorite pastime in Japan, but the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles breathed fresh life into the stale, old sport with a remarkable season and a remarkable pitcher. Masahiro Tanaka brewed up a perfect pitching storm in Sendai with an exquisite 24-0 record. Along the way, he broke Japan records by winning 26 straight games (including games from last season) and going unbeaten in 30 starts. Tanaka helped Seichiro Hoshino’s Eagles finish in first place, and they crowned a memorable season by defeating the Yomiuri Giants in the Japan Series. It was Rakuten’s and Hoshino’s first Series title.

SAMURAI BLUE QUALIFY Soccer continued to be healthy in 2013. The J. League’s top division came down to the wire before Sanfrecce Hiroshima took the title, while Shinji Kagawa’s every move at Old Trafford was chronicled in the Japanese sports media. It turned out to be an up-and-down year for Alberto Zaccheroni and the national team and the

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ANDO TRUMPS ASADA

Keisuke Honda 2-1 loss to Jordan in March had some calling for the Italian’s head. But a 1-1 draw against Australia enabled Japan to qualify for the 2014 World Cup and took the pressure off Zaccheroni. Japan then lost three straight at the Confederations Cup before winning the East Asian Championship for the first time. Losses to Uruguay, Serbia and Belarus saw Zaccheroni under fire again, but an excellent draw against the Netherlands and a win over Belgium in November ended the year on a high note. Next stop: Brazil and the World Cup.

WRESTLING BACK ON TRACK Japan and the wrestling world suffered a major shock in February when the IOC decided wrestling would no longer be a sport at the Summer Games. The sport fought back, and the day after Tokyo was awarded the 2020 Olympics, wrestling returned to the Olympic fold, much to the relief of Japan and its terrific women wrestlers. Two weeks later, wrestling superstar Saori Yoshida won her 14th straight World Championship, while Kaori Icho—who, like Yoshida, has won three straight Olympic golds—took her eighth and 20-yearold Eri Tosoka her first.

JAPAN'S WOMEN TAKE VOLLEYBALL BRONZE The Japan women’s volleyball team had a chance to win their first major title in 35 years when they faced Olympic champions Brazil on the final day of the FIVB

Poor Mao Asada. She’s been trying to shake off rivals Kim Yuna of South Korea and Japan’s Miki Ando for years with her robotic, unimaginative skating—but it’s Kim who usually wins the big titles and Ando who makes the juicier headlines. Although she only managed a bronze medal at the World Championships that Kim won, Asada took the Four Continents Championship in Osaka and capped off a solid year with victory in the Grand Prix Final as she gears up for the Winter Olympics in Sochi. She was helped by the absence of the injured Kim in the latter half of the year and her Japanese rival Ando, who has dominated the media in Japan after it was revealed that she became a mother in April.

ROOKIE MATSUYAMA TAKES MONEY TITLE Golfer Hideki Matsuyama, 21, turned professional in April, won four titles on the Japan Tour, topped the prize-money list, entered the world’s Top 50 and finished in the Top 10 in two of the year’s four majors. Perhaps his greatest feat has been to make everyone forget about Ryo Ishikawa.

NISHIKORI ON THE UP Japan’s top tennis player, Kei Nishikori, captured his third ATP title in the U.S. National Indoor and beat Roger Federer at the Madrid Open, which propelled him to his highest ever ATP ranking of 11.

EDDIE JONES HAS A STROKE Japan rugby coach Eddie Jones led his team to a historic victory over Wales in a test match in Tokyo in June but four months later landed in hospital after suffering a stroke. The good news is that Jones—who is half Japanese—is out of hospital, recovering and back on the job.

art

Uncover Tokyo’s quirkier collections this Christmas by Annabel James

Infinite Energy I, II, III (2013) Renew I (2013), Renew II (2013)

Pride by Hiroyuki Matsura, 2013

COURTESY OF TOKYO GALLERY + BTAP

dd some aesthetic eccentricity to your holiday escapades with adventures in Tokyo’s underground art scene. There is a treasure trove of creative events to explore around the city—from an installation in an Edo warehouse to live theater with “subculture chairs.”

1. SPACE SCULPTURE HANDBAG

Piano Man by Ushio Shinohara, 2013

2. PORTRAITS OF LADIES From the heights of Omotesando to, literally, the Rat Hole of Aoyama—a gallery that manages to be centrally located with an international array of artists, yet virtually unheard of beyond Tokyo’s coterie of aesthetes. In the basement of a seemingly anonymous shop, you find yourself in a dazzlingly bright space surrounded by 700 photographs of Japanese women covering the walls. This is one of the more controversial series produced by Nobuyoshi Araki, a Japanese photographer unafraid to shock. Originally serialized for 15 years in magazine form, Araki’s project invited ordinary women from around Japan to meet and be photographed by him. They were almost always photograhed nude and in poses they would never adopt in daily life for fear of seeming unfeminine or too bold. Araki strips them of these societal veneers and reveals the hypocrisy of their situation with the chillingly anonymous series title: “Someone’s Wife.” Nobuyoshi Araki, “Someone’s Wife.” Rat Hole Gallery until Jan 19. www.ratholegallery.com

3. YULETIDE OF THE ABSURD There is nothing quite like Tokyo’s only underground art space run entirely by art students. In a centuries-old converted house in Yanaka known as Hagiso, young creators live and work on-site producing visual art,

COURTESY OF TOKYO GALLERY + BTAP

It is not widely known that many of Tokyo’s flagship designer stores include art spaces, with exhibitions just as prestigious as those in the museums. Louis Vuitton in Jingumae has perhaps the best of all this season with a visual feast of spiraling ivory sculptures, light and video projections by internationally acclaimed artist Mariko Mori. Entitled “Infinite Renew,” her show floods the seventh floor space with arcing fiberglass Möbius forms looking out over the rooftops beyond Omotesando Hills. At night, they are illuminated by vivid neon blue LEDs. Not one for unambitious projects, Mori has said of this show: “I really wanted to create a work that was connected to supernovae." Mariko Mori, “Infinite Renew,” Espace Louis Vuitton Tokyo until Jan 5. http://espacelouisvuittontokyo.com

COURTESY OF TOKYO GALLERY + BTAP

©LOUIS VUITTON / JÉRÉMIE SOUTEYRAT COURTESY OF ESPACE LOUIS VUITTON TOKYO

5 ART SECRETS

Islands No.03 by Erika Kaminishi, 2010

Press by Chiharu Nishizawa, 2013

theater and music events. For December 25, they've planned a multi-collaborative all-nighter under the sobriquet Hagistmas. This is a chance to immerse yourself in the most avant-garde that Tokyo has to offer. While everyone else is regretfully pondering a tinseled tree, lose yourself in a whirl of dye-stained electronica—or is it mime? Or video collage? Book in advance to make sure you get the all-night arty cuisine as well. Hagistmas. Hagiso, Dec 25 at 7pm. www.hagiso.jp

Éf’s stucture of Japanese cypress, pine and clay. “Forest Under the Moonlight.” Gallery Éf all December. www.gallery-ef.com

4. UNIQUE ANTIQUE LIVE One of Tokyo’s most precious exhibition spaces, the tiny jewel that is Gallery Éf in Asakusa, was a warehouse for storing lumber during the Edo period. Built in 1868, it has survived earthquakes, world wars and two large neighboring fires to retain all its original features as an art space and cafe. This December, the “Forest Under the Moonlight” series of live performances promises to introduce upcoming Tokyo musicians to some unique acoustic surrounds, as they perform in

5. ART SALON TIME CAPSULE Hidden inside a deceptively normal office building is this city’s first contemporary art space: the Tokyo Gallery, founded in 1950. Now renamed Tokyo Gallery+BTAP, it features cutting-edge art and has reinstigated its ‘micro salons’—group shows with numerous upcoming artists contributing one small work for the perusal of Tokyo’s top collectors. It was at these very first salons in the 1960s that the gallery introduced now internationally renowned Japanese artists like Taro Okamoto and Jiro Takamatsu to fame. As you peruse the new works, have fun guessing which artists will be future household names. Micro Salon 2013. Tokyo Gallery+BTAP until Dec 28. www.tokyo-gallery.com. See exhibition listings for more details.

#1030 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP • 13

Agenda Listings

GO TO WWW.METURL.COM/LISTINGS FOR COMPLETE LISTINGS

CONCERT

Los Lonely Boys

American Chicano rock trio. Dec 30, 7:30pm, ¥6,500 (adv) +1d. Liquidroom. Nearest stn: Ebisu. Tel: 03-3444-6751. www.smash-jpn.com

Crazy Ken Band

Melody makin' sound machines. Dec 31, 10pm, ¥6,300 (adv) +1d. Akasaka Blitz. Nearest stn: Akasaka. www.red-hot.ne.jp

Zigzo: The End of 2013— BPM365 J-rock supergroup. Dec 31, 6pm, ¥5,000 (adv). Loft. Nearest stn: Shinjuku. Tel: 050-5533-0888. www. diskgarage.com COURTESY OF ALIVE

Blue Hawaii

The first crowd-sourced concert by an international artist in Japan takes the form of a show by Montreal electro duo Blue Hawaii. The gig marks the debut of promoter Alive, which aims to shake up Japan’s touring scene by allowing fans to vote on which acts come to the country. The idea is a bit like Indiegogo or Kickstarter—fans pledge to buy tickets for a band (Blue Hawaii, XXYYXX and Summer Camp are three examples), and if enough sell, then the gig is actually realized. At this writing, three out of six band projects had already sold enough tickets to see their tours come to fruition. For those late to the Alive party, tickets are still available through Pia and the like. Jan 23, 7:30pm, ¥4,000 (adv)/ ¥4,500 +1d. O-Nest. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.alive.mu

POPULAR

6pm, ¥6,500 (adv). Tokyo Dome. Nearest stn: Suidobashi. Tel: 03-5720-9999. www. red-hot.ne.jp

Big Bang

Uverworld

Concerts K-pop heartthrobs. Dec 20, 6pm; Dec 21, 4pm, ¥9,500 (adv). Tokyo Dome. Nearest stn: Suidobashi. Tel: 050-5533-0888. www. diskgarage.com

Kemuri

Recently reunited funlovin' punkrockers. Dec 20, 7pm, ¥4,000-4,500 (adv) +1d. Zepp Diver City. Nearest stn: Daiba. Tel: 03-3444-6751. www. smash-jpn.com

Dreams Come True

J-pop band with Fuzzy Control. Dec 20, 6:30pm, ¥5,980-6,980 (adv) +1d. Yokohama Arena. Nearest stn: Shin-Yokohama. www. red-hot.ne.jp

Babymetal

Teeny bop trio that fuses idol music with metal. Dec 21, 4pm, ¥5,800 (adv). Makuhari Messe. Nearest stn: KaihinMakuhari. Tel: 0570-084003. www.red-hot.ne.jp/sp/ babymetal

Shonen Knife

All-female pop-punk veterans. Dec 21, 6pm, ¥3,000 (adv) +1d. Fever. Nearest stn: Shindaita. Tel: 03-3444-6751. www. smash-jpn.com

Harajuku Performance and Dommune 2013

Open Reel Ensemble, The Otogibanashi's and others. Dec 21, 7pm; Dec 22, 6pm, ¥3,500 (adv)/ ¥4,000 (door). Laforet Museum. Nearest stn: Meiji-jingumae. www.dommune.com/ harajuku2013

Music for All, All for One Charity event feat. Chris Hart, Vamps, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu and others. Dec 21-23, 4pm, ¥7,800 (adv). Yoyogi National Gymnasium. Nearest stn: Meiji-Jingumae. www. musicforall.jp

The Cherry Cokes

Drunk Irish folk-punk septet. Dec 23, 5:30pm, ¥2,999 (adv) +1d. Akasaka Blitz. Nearest stn: Akasaka. Tel: 03-34446751. www.smash-jpn.com

Perfume

Pop princess trio. Dec 24-25,

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J-rock band famed for multiple anime theme songs. Dec 25-26, 6:30pm, ¥6,300 (adv). Nippon Budokan. Nearest stn: Kudanshita. www.uverworld. com

Zazen Boys Matsuri Session

Alt-rock. Dec 26, 7pm, ¥3,800 (adv). Shibuya-AX. Nearest stn: Harajuku. Tel: 050-5533-0888. www.shibuya-ax.com

The Tigers

1960s J-pop makes a comeback. Dec 27, 6:30pm, ¥8,000 (adv). Tokyo Dome. Nearest stn: Suidobashi. Tel: 03-5800-9999. www. the-tigers2013.com

Countdown Japan 13/14

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, Puffy, MUCC and others. Dec 28-30, 1pm; Dec 31, 3pm, ¥9,50010,500 (1 day)/ ¥18,000-19,000 (2 days)/ ¥24,000-25,000 (3 days)/ ¥29,500 (4 days). Makuhari Messe. Nearest stn: Kaihin-Makuhari. http:// countdownjapan.jp

Char

Old school rock'n'roll guitarist with guests. Dec 28, 7pm; Dec 29, 6pm, ¥6,800 (adv). Ex Theater Roppongi. Nearest stn: Roppongi or Nogizaka. www. red-hot.ne.jp

Lunkhead

Melodic J-rock quartet from Aichi. Dec 29, 7:30pm, ¥3,500 (adv) +1d. Liquidroom. Nearest stn: Ebisu. Tel: 050-5533-0888. lunkhead.jp

Ayumi Hamasaki

J-pop princess. Dec 29-30, 6pm; Dec 31, 10:30pm, ¥8,500 (adv). Yoyogi National Gymnasium. Nearest stn: Meiji-Jingumae. www.kyodotokyo.com

Good Vibration Countdown

Emily Likes Tennis, Postcard of Japan, Ricca and more. Dec 29-31, 7pm, ¥1,000. Club Goodman. Nearest stn: Akihabara. www.clubgoodman. com

Pay Money to My Pain

Alternative J-rock. Dec 30, 7pm, ¥3,900 (adv)/ ¥5,000 +1d. Zepp Tokyo. Nearest stn: Aomi. Tel: 03-3499-6669. www. creativeman.co.jp

Countdown Bump Show

The Pillows, Tomovsky and others. Dec 31, 7pm, ¥3,800 (adv) +1d. Duo Music Exchange. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.diskgarage.com

Que's Countdown Part 1

Hariss, The Ton-Up Motors and more. Dec 31, 3pm, ¥3,000 (adv)/ ¥3,300 (door) +1d. Club Que. Nearest stn: Shimokitazawa. Tel: 03-34129979. www.ukproject.com/que

Que's Countdown Part 2

Lost in Time, Sekai Ichi and others. Dec 31, 8:30pm, ¥3,000 (adv)/ ¥3,300 (door) +1d. Club Que. Nearest stn: Shimokitazawa. Tel: 03-34129979. www.ukproject.com/que

Que's Countdown Part 3

The Neatbeats, The Yutaro Band and more. Jan 1, 1:30am, ¥3,000 (adv)/ ¥3,3000 (door) +1d. Club Que. Nearest stn: Shimokitazawa. Tel: 03-34129979. www.ukproject.com/que

Livemasters Inc. Countdown GT2014

The Telephones, Boom Boom Satellites, White Ash and others. Dec 31, 2pm, ¥6,300 (adv)/ ¥6,800 (door) +1d. Zepp Diver City. Nearest stn: Daiba. www.livemasters.jp/gt2013

Electrox

Redboo & The La Freak Crew, Boom Boom Satellites and more. Jan 4, 1pm, ¥9,00022,000 (adv) +1d. Makuhari Messe. Nearest stn: KaihinMakuhari. www.electrox.jp

Capital Cities

Electro-pop duo. Jan 6, 7pm, ¥5,500 (adv) +1d. Liquidroom. Nearest stn: Ebisu. Tel: 03-464-0800. www. creativeman.co.jp

Extreme the Dojo

Feat. Grave, Wehrmacht, Primate and more. Jan 8, 6:45pm, ¥7,500 (adv) +1d. Unit. Nearest stn: Daikanyama. Tel: 03-34446751. www.smash-jpn.com

Sadie

Visual-kei. Jan 10, 7pm, ¥4,725 (adv) +1d. Shibuya-AX. Nearest stn: Harajuku.

Kita-Shinjuku. Nearest stn: Shin-Okubo. Tel: 03-3362-4766. www.boozy-muse.com

itchome. Tel: 0570-55-0017. www.suntory.com/culturesports/suntoryhall

9999. www.hall-net. or.jp/02hashimoto

Nabowa

Beethoven's All 9 Symphonies Concert 2013

The St. Petersburg Chamber Ensemble Divertissement plays works by Bach, Mozart and others. Dec 21, 11:30am & 3pm, ¥4,500 (adv). Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall. Nearest stn: Minatomirai. Tel: 045-4535080. www.koransha.com

Instrumental folk-funk. Dec 21, 7pm, ¥3,500 (adv) +1d. Liquidroom. Nearest stn: Ebisu. Tel: 03-464-0800. www. red-hot.ne.jp

Incognito

Acid jazz unit from the UK. Dec 25, 6:30 & 9:30pm; Dec 26-27, 6 & 9pm, ¥8,400 (adv). Blue Note. Nearest stn: Omotesando. www.bluenote.co.jp

Hiromi The Trio Project

Feat. Anthony Jackson and Simon Phillips. Until Jan 3, various times, ¥8,400 (adv). Blue Note. Nearest stn: Omotesando. www.bluenote.co.jp

Year-End Party with Blackstreet

R&B crooners' countdown concert. Dec 30, 6 & 9pm; Dec 31, 6:30 & 10:30pm, ¥10,60012,600. Billboard Live. Nearest stn: Roppongi. www.billboardlive.com

All Night Concert 20132014

Orquesta Libre, Fumio Itabashi Group and more. Dec 31, 7:30pm, ¥3,000 (adv) +1d. Pit Inn. Nearest stn: Shinjuku Sanchome. Tel: 03-3354-2024. www.pit-inn.com

Tokyo Jazz Seven

Septet directed by saxophonist Simon Cosgrove. Jan 9, 7:30pm, ¥3,500 (adv). Akasaka B Flat. Nearest stn: Akasaka. Tel: 03-5563-2563. http://bflat.biz

CLASSICAL Vienna Glass Harmonica Duo

Schubert, Mozart and more. Dec 21, 4pm, ¥2,000-11,000. Kioi Hall. Nearest stn: Yotsuya. Tel: 03-5276-4500. www. kioi-hall.or.jp

Twilight Special

Organist Mineko Kojima & lutenist Akiko Sato. Dec 21, 5pm, free. Saitama Arts Theater. Nearest stn: Yonohonmachi. saf.or.jp

Daimaru Charity Concert

Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra performs works by Beethoven. Dec 22, 2pm, ¥1,000-6,000. Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre. Nearest stn: Ikebukuro. Tel: 03-5391-2111. www.geigeki. jp/english

Beethoven's 9th Symphony Concert

Led by Philipp von Steinaecker feat. The New Japan Philharmonic. Dec 23, 2pm, ¥5,000-9,000. Sumida Triphony Hall. Nearest stn: Kinshicho. www.triphony.com

Beethoven's 9th Symphony

Leading Japanese alt rock band. Jan 13, 6pm, ¥3,500 (adv) +1d. Club Lizard. Tel: 045-6634755. www.mosome.com

featuring the Ukraine National Opera Orchesta. Dec 29, 2pm; Dec 30, 1pm, ¥7,000-10,000. Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall. Nearest stn: Hatsudai or Shinjuku. Tel: 050-3776-6178. www.koransha.com

Go Live Vol.1

New Year's Eve Concert

JAZZ/WORLD

Tokyu Sylvester 20132014

Mo'some Tonebender

Feat. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and The Back Horn. Jan 13, 6pm, ¥3,955 (adv) +1d. Ex Theater Roppongi. Nearest stn: Roppongi. www. creativeman.co.jp

Forest Under the Moonlight

Musical performances in a unique environment. Until Dec 23, various times, ¥3,000 (adv)/ ¥3,200 (door) +1d. Gallery Ef. Nearest stn: Asakusa. www.gallery-ef.com

Simon Cosgrove

Feat Andrew Dickeson and Ryuichi Yamamura. Dec 20, 7:40pm, ¥3,000. Boozy Muse Okubo. B1 Kokoro, 1-8-20

Akira Miyagawa vs. The New Japan Philharmonic. Dec 31, 10pm, ¥4,000-6,000. Sumida Triphony Hall. Nearest stn: Kinshicho. www.triphony.com

Annual end of year performance feat. Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra. Dec 31, 10pm, ¥7,000-9,000. Bunkamura Orchard Hall. Nearest stn: Shibuya. Tel: 03-3477-9912. www.tv-tokyo. co.jp/silvester

Suntory Hall Sylvester Concert 2013

The Vienna Folk Opera plays a special year-end show. Dec 31, 10pm, ¥6,000-12,000. Suntory Hall. Nearest stn: Roppongi-

The Iwaki Memorial Orchestra performs all the symphonies over ten hours. Dec 31, 1pm, ¥2,000-20,000. Pit Inn. Nearest stn: Shinjuku Sanchome. Tel: 03-3584-1951. www.t-bunka.jp

Bunkamura's 25th Anniversary Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra New Year Concert Works by Strauss, Rachmaninoff and others. Jan 2-3, 3pm, ¥3,000-6,000. Bunkamura Orchard Hall. Nearest stn: Shibuya. Tel: 03-3477-3244. www. bunkamura.co.jp/english

New Year Concert 2014

All Tchaikovsky program to ring in the new year. Jan 3, 3pm, ¥2,000-6,000. Tokyo Bunka Kaikan. Nearest stn: Ueno. www.t-bunka.jp/en

New Japan Philharmonic

New Year's Concert. Jan 3, 2pm, ¥1,000-5,000. Sumida Triphony Hall. Nearest stn: Kinshicho. www.triphony.com

New Year's Concert 2014

The Vienna Walzer Orchestra accompanied by dancers and a soprano singer. Jan 3, 3pm; Jan 4, 11:30am & 3pm, ¥6,500. Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall. Nearest stn: Hatsudai or Shinjuku. Tel: 050-3776-6184. www.koransha.com

New Year's Concert 2014

Ave Maria in Christmas

Kuricorder no Christmas Recorder group plays "Little Drummer Boy" and other holiday classics. Dec 21, 4pm, ¥3,500 (adv). Bunkyo Civic Hall. Nearest stn: Korakuen. Tel: 03-5803-1111.

Christmas Evening with Till Brönner

Multi-talented jazz musician influenced by modern pop music. Dec 22-23, 5:30 & 8:30pm; Dec 24, 6:30 & 9:30pm, ¥8,400. Blue Note. Nearest stn: Omotesando. www.bluenote. co.jp

Merry Xmas Darling

Laura Fygi & Band present a holiday dinner and show to remember. Dress code: something red. Until Dec 22, various times, ¥19,000-21,500 (adv, incl dinner). Cotton Club. Nearest stn: Tokyo. www. cottonclubjapan.co.jp

Unborde Xmas Party

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, Tofubeats and more. Dec 23, 2pm, ¥4,900 (adv) +1d. Ex Theater Roppongi. Nearest stn: Roppongi. Tel: 03-3405-9999. www.sogotokyo.com

The Vienna Walzer Orchestra accompanied by dancers and a soprano singer. Jan 5, 1:30pm, ¥6,500. Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall. Nearest stn: Minatomirai. Tel: 050-37766184. www.koransha.com

Happy Endless X'mas

Mini Concert

Napua Greig sings Hawaiian holiday tunes. Dec 23, 1:30 & 5:30pm, ¥5,500. Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall, Shinjuku-ku. Nearest Station: Hatsudai, Shinjuku. Tel: 050-3776-6184. www.koransha.com

Clarinet group Juliens. Jan 3, 11:15am & 1:45pm, free w/ admission. Tokyo National Museum. Nearest stn: Ueno. www.tnm.jp

Strauss Festival Orchester Wien

Soprano Ai Ichihara and violinist Willy Büchler with the Strauss Festival Orchestra. Jan 8, 7pm, ¥3,600-8,500. Suntory Hall. Nearest stn: Roppongiitchome.

New Japan Philharmonic

Sopranist Akiko Nakajima performs Operetta "Aria". Jan 11, 3pm, ¥1,500-5,000. Saitama Kaikan. Nearest stn: Urawa. saf.or.jp

New Year Special Concert St. Sophia Strauss Orchestra. Jan 16, 7pm, ¥5,500. Meguro Persimmon Hall. Nearest stn: Toritsudaigaku. Tel: 03-57012904. www.koransha.com

The 65th Promenade Concert

Midori Suzuki sings with organist Naoya Otsuka. Jan 18, 2pm, free. Saitama Arts Theater. Nearest stn: Yonohonmachi. saf.or.jp

Mikimito: New Year Concert

Charity concert in aid of the Japanese Red Cross Society. Jan 19, 2pm, ¥2,500-6,000. Suntory Hall. Nearest stn: Roppongi-itchome. www. suntory.com/culture-sports/ suntoryhall

CHRISTMAS MUSIC

Feat. The Bohemians. Dec 24, 7pm, ¥3,000 (adv) +1d. Loft. Nearest stn: Shinjuku. www. red-hot.ne.jp

Christmas Sounds from Hawaii

Hikashu Christmas Daisakusen

Avant-pop ensemble and guests. Until Dec 23. 6pm, ¥4,000 (adv) +1d. Unit. Nearest stn: Daikanyama. Tel: 03-34446751. www.smash-jpn.com

Shinji Tanimura's Christmas Dinner Show

Gourmet dinner accompanied by a top-notch performance. Until-Dec 24. 6pm, ¥45,000 (adv). Imperial Hotel. Nearest stn: Hibiya. Tel: 03-3504-1111. www.imperialhotel.co.jp

Christmas Special Classics

The Metropolitan Chorus of Tokyo performs "Ave Maria" and other songs. Dec 24, 6:30pm, ¥6,000-10,000. Tokyo International Forum Hall A. Nearest stn: Yurakucho. Tel: 050-3776-6184. www. koransha.com

Saori Yuki's Christmas Dinner Show Extravagant Christmas feast followed by a stellar performance by a veteran singer. Dec 25, 6:30pm, ¥42,000 (adv). Imperial Hotel. Nearest stn: Hibiya. Tel: 03-3504-1111. www. imperialhotel.co.jp

Vistlip: Merry Bell

X'mas Live: Gift to You

Visual-kei Christmas concert. Dec 25, 7pm, ¥4,500 (adv) +1d. Studio Coast. Nearest stn: Shin-Kiba. www.creativeman. co.jp

Christmas Family Concert

La Bohème

Dirty Old Men. Dec 20, 7pm, ¥3,500 (adv) +1d. Akasaka Blitz. Nearest stn: Akasaka. Tel: 050-5533-0888. www. dirtyoldmen.jp Seasonal pieces by Iveson, Handel and others. Dec 21, 2pm, ¥1,000-2,000 (adv). Mori no Hall. Nearest stn: Hashimoto. Tel: 042-742-

Stage Isango Ensemble's perspective of one of the world's most popular operas. ; Dec 20 & 22, 2pm; Dec 21, 2 & 6:30pm, ¥1,000-8,400. Tokyo

Metropolitan Theatre. Nearest stn: Ikebukuro. Tel: 0570-010296. www.geigeki.jp

Kodo One Earth Tour 2013: Mystery

Re-interpretation of traditional taiko performances. Dec 20, 7pm; Dec 21-23, 2pm, ¥3,000-7,000. Bunkyo Civic Hall. Nearest stn: Korakuen. ticket@kodo.or.jp www.kodo. or.jp

Hagistmas

Avant-garde collaboration extravaganza. Dec 25, 7pm, ¥2,300-3,800. Hagiso, Taito-ku. Nearest stn: Sendagi. Tel: 03-5832-9808. event@hagiso.jp. www.hagiso. jp/events/hagistmas

A Thrilling World of Traditional Performing Arts

Ordinary utensils transform into traditional musical instruments. Play, concert and more. Jan 12, 1:30pm, ¥1,0002,000 (adv). Hachioji City Art and Cultural Hall. Nearest stn: Hachioji. Tel: 03-3467-5421. www.dento-wa.jp

Carmen

The classic operatic tale of love and loss. Jan 19, 22, 26 & Feb 1, 2pm; Jan 29, 6:30pm, ¥4,20023,100. New National Theatre Tokyo. Nearest stn: Hatsudai. www.nntt.jac.go.jp

Play Ball

Original 1926 play about Roxie Hart that inspired the famous Broadway musical, Chicago. Jan 23, 5pm; Jan 24-25, 7:30pm; Jan 26, 2pm, ¥500-1,000. Tanner Auditorium, Yokohama International School. Nearest stn: Ishikawacho.

Dance The Nutcracker

Tchaikovsky's classic Christmas ballet. ; Dec 20, 7pm; Dec 21, 2 & 7pm; Dec 22-23, 2pm, ¥3,150-12,600. New National Theatre Tokyo. Nearest stn: Hatsudai. Tel: 03-5352-9999. www.nntt.jac. go.jp/english

The Nutcracker

¥5,000-13,000. Bunkamura Orchard Hall. Nearest stn: Shibuya. Tel: 050-3776-6184. www.koransha.com

Dance to the One

Tap dancer Kazunori Kumagai with guests. Jan 17, 7:30pm; Jan 18-19, 2pm, ¥3,000-8,500 (adv). Bunkamura Orchard Hall. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.bunkamura.co.jp

A Woman's House

The Room

Magic. House, disco DJs Kawasaki, Endo, etc. Live: Jazz Collective. From 9pm, ¥2,500 w/1d. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.theroom.jp

Unit

Clubbing

Grand Slam. Hip-hop: DJs Nuckey, Kekke, etc. From 10pm, (m)¥3,000 w/1d, (f)¥2,000 w/2d. Nearest stn: Azabu-Juban or Roppongi. Tel: 03-6230-0343. www. villagetokyo.com

FRIDAY 20 Ageha

Road to Ultra Japan. Edm, techno: DJs Above & Beyond, Showtek, etc. From 7pm, ¥8,500 (adv). Nearest stn: Shinkiba. www.ageha.com

Air

Love Tribe. House, disco: DJs Dimitri from Paris, Nozaki, etc. From 10pm, ¥3,500 w/1d. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www. air-tokyo.com

Ruby Room

Kompakt. Electro DJs Taragana Pyjarama, Gaku, etc. Live: Kaito. From 11pm, ¥3,500. Nearest stn: Daikanyama. www.unit-tokyo. com

Village

Womb

Air

The New Matrix Bar

Sound Museum Vision

Wah Wah. Rare groove: DJs Kuroda, Ryuhei, etc. From 10pm, ¥2,500 w/1d. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.theroom.jp

The Nutcracker

Village

Red Light Special. Hip-hop: DJs Masterkey, Yukijirushi, etc. From 10:30pm, ¥3,000 w/1d. Nearest stn: Omotesando. Tel: 03-5778-4777. www.velours.jp Fantastic. Hip-hop DJs Hokuto, Kekke, etc: Live: Cimba and more. From 10pm, (m)¥3,000 w/1d, (f)¥2,000 w/2d. Nearest stn: Azabu-Juban or Roppongi. Tel: 03-6230-0343. www. villagetokyo.com

Entropy. House, techno: DJs Karsten Patzwaldt, Kittikun, etc. From 10pm, ¥2,500 w/1d. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www. module-tokyo.com Girls Festival. Hip-hop DJs Watarai, Koya, etc. Live: Fire Ball and more. From 9pm, (m)¥4,000 w/1d, (f)free. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www. vision-tokyo.com

Velours

Womb

Sci+Tech. Techno: DJ Dubfire and more. From 11pm, ¥3,500. Nearest stn: Shibuya. Tel: 03-5459-0039. www.womb. co.jp

MONDAY 23

SATURDAY 21 Ageha

Module

Sleeping Beauty

Performed by the Kiev Ballet. Jan 4, 3pm; Jan 5, 2pm, ¥5,000-13,000. Tokyo Bunka Kaikan. Nearest stn: Ueno. Tel: 050-3776-6184. www. koransha.com

Don Quixote

Performed by the Kiev Ballet. Jan 8, 6:30pm; Jan 9, 6:30pm, ¥5,000-13,000. Bunkyo Civic Hall. Nearest stn: Korakuen. Tel: 050-3776-6184. www. koransha.com

Swan Lake

Performed by The Kiev Ballet. Jan 10, 6:30pm; Jan 11, 2pm; Jan 12, 2pm; Jan 13, 2pm,

DJ Questlove x DJ Krush. Hip-hop: DJs Questlove, Krush, etc. From 10pm, ¥3,500. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.air-tokyo.com

Module

Veta. Techno DJs Okuda, Takahashi, etc: Live: Shapednoise. From 11pm, ¥3,000. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.module-tokyo.com

Sound Museum Vision

Keith Haring 55th Anniversary Party. House, hip-hop: DJs Dimitri from Paris, Emma, etc. From 11pm, (m)¥3,500, (f)¥3,000. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.vision-tokyo.com

Womb

Amazing X’mas. Hip-hop: DJs Hazime, Watarai, etc. From 11pm, ¥3,500. Nearest stn: Shibuya. Tel: 03-5459-0039. www.womb.co.jp

WEDNESDAY 25 Bodega. Hip-hop: DJs Souljah, Yu-Ya, etc. From 11pm, (m)¥2,500 w/1d, (f)¥1,500 w/1d. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.vision-tokyo.com Global Rhythms. Hip-hop, soul: DJs Beat Tricks, Nomb, etc. From 10pm, ¥2,000 w/1d. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www. theroom.jp

Village

Fire Pool. Hip-hop: DJs Sn-Z, Yanatake, etc. From 10pm, ¥2,000 w/1d. Nearest stn: Azabu-Juban or Roppongi. Tel: 03-6230-0343. www. villagetokyo.com

Womb

Wedm. Electro, house: DJs Hiroki, Ikezawa, etc. From 10pm, (m)¥1,500, (f) free. Nearest stn: Shibuya. Tel: 03-5459-0039. www.womb. co.jp

FRIDAY 27

Air

Sunday Tribe. Hip-hop: DJs Kango, Hokuto, etc. From 10pm, (m)¥3,000 w/1d, (f)free. Nearest stn: Azabu-Juban or Roppongi. Tel: 03-6230-0343. www.villagetokyo.com

New Year Special Ballet

Air

Open Mic. Open Mic. From 7pm, ¥1,000 w/2d. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www. rubyroomtokyo.com

Village

Connect Nation. Hip-hop: DJs U-Lee, Stussy, etc: Live: Manji Line and more. From 10pm, ¥3,000 w/1d. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.air-tokyo.com

Shangri-La. Gay mix: DJs Sawa, Chu, etc. From 11pm, ¥4,000. Nearest stn: Shinkiba. www. ageha.com

Ruby Room

Ageha

Womb

Compilation of works performed by the Kiev Ballet. Jan 2, 2pm; Jan 3, 2pm, ¥5,000-13,000. U-Port Hall. Nearest stn: Osaki-Hirokoji. Tel: 050-3776-6184. www. koransha.com

33. House, techno: DJs Ali&, Bashoo, etc. From 9pm, ¥1,000. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.module-tokyo.com

Time Roots. Soul, ambient: DJs Kensei, Mooky, etc. From 11pm, ¥2,500. Nearest stn: Omotesando. Tel: 03-57784777. www.velours.jp

Performed by the Kiev Ballet. Dec 26-27, 6:30pm, ¥5,000-13,000. Tokyo Bunka Kaikan. Nearest stn: Ueno. Tel: 050-3776-6184. www. koransha.com

Kats’. House: DJs Sonpub, Kingmck, etc. From 11pm, ¥3,500. Nearest stn: Shibuya. Tel: 03-5459-0039. www. womb.co.jp

Module

The Room

Module

The Room

Edmf X’mas Party. Edm: DJs Hirata, Hariom, etc. From 9pm, (m)¥2,000, (f)free. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www. air-tokyo.com

SUNDAY 22

Sound Museum Vision

Matrix Friday. Old school hip-hop, west side, south side, all mix: DJ Ykk and more. From 6pm, ¥1,000 (after 11:30pm). Nearest stn: Roppongi. www.matrixbar.jp

Air

Sound Museum Vision

Guilty Parties Sound Inc. Funk: DJs Keb Darge, Gaz Mayall & Baby Soul, etc. From 11pm, ¥3,000 w/1d. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.air-tokyo.com

80kidz. Electro, bass music: DJs 80kidz, Jerome Lol, etc. From 11pm, ¥3,000 w/1d. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www. vision-tokyo.com

stn: Shinkiba. www.ageha. com

Kitsune Christmas Party. Electro, house: DJs The Swiss, Juan Maclean, etc. From 11pm, ¥3,500. Nearest stn: Shibuya. Tel: 03-5459-0039. www.womb.co.jp

Repaper. DJs Pi-Ge, Taro, etc. From 11pm, free. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www. rubyroomtokyo.com

Velours

La Bayadère

Saturday Night Fever. Hip-hop, R&B, reggae: DJ Ykk and more. From 6pm, ¥1,000 (after 10pm). Nearest stn: Roppongi. www.matrixbar.jp

Contemporary dance. Jan 23, 7pm; Jan 24, 7pm; Jan 25-26, 3pm, ¥3,150-5,250. New National Theatre Tokyo. Nearest stn: Hatsudai. Tel: 03-5352-9999. www.nntt.jac. go.jp/english

Christmas ballet. Dec 22-23, 2pm, ¥5,000-13,000. Tokyo International Forum Hall A. Nearest stn: Yurakucho. Tel: 050-3776-6184. www. koransha.com Charity Christmas performance by the NBA Ballet Company. Dec 25, 3pm, ¥500-1,000. Bunkyo Civic Hall. Nearest stn: Korakuen. Tel: 03-5803-1100.

The New Matrix Bar

Air

Destination. Broken beats, deep house: DJs Sunaga, Oka, etc. From 5pm, ¥2,000 w/1d. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www. module-tokyo.com

Sound Museum Vision

Asovision. Electro: DJs Nakata, Dexpistols, etc. From 11pm, (m)¥3,000, (f)free. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www. vision-tokyo.com

Womb

Drhop. Edm, electro: DJs Aramiy, Kanepi, etc. From 10pm, ¥1,500 w/1d. Nearest stn: Shibuya. Tel: 03-54590039. www.womb.co.jp

TUESDAY 24 Ageha

Sabishinbo Night. DJs Kaori, Marc Panther, etc. From 9pm, (m)¥5,500, (f)free. Nearest

Daishi Dance. House: DJ Daishi Dance and more. From 11pm, ¥3,500. Nearest stn: Shinkiba. www.ageha.com Kansha. Electro, hip-hop: DJs 80kidz, Baku, etc. From 10pm, ¥3,500. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.air-tokyo.com

Module

Kool + Iro. House, techno: DJs Kimura, Sano, etc. From 10pm, ¥2,500 w/1d. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.moduletokyo.com

Sound Museum Vision

Japan Music Conference. House: DJs Akiyamania, Kaji, etc. From 11pm, ¥3,000 w/1d. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www. vision-tokyo.com

The Room

Champ. Funk, jazz: DJs Tominaga, Oibon, etc. From 10pm, ¥2,500 w/1d. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.theroom.jp

Womb

Endless Flight. House, disco: DJs Daniel Baldelli, Kza, etc. From 11pm, ¥3,500. Nearest stn: Shibuya. Tel: 03-54590039. www.womb.co.jp

UPCOMING Ageha

Ageha Countdown 2014. Boom Boom Satellites, DJ Kentaro, etc. Dec 31. from 9pm, ¥4,980 (adv)/ ¥6,000 (door). Nearest stn: Shinkiba. www.ageha.com

Club Asia

Countdown 2013 to 2014. Goth-Trad, De De Mouse, Yasutaka Tanaka, etc. Dec 31, 9pm, ¥4,000 w/1d. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.clubasia.co.jp

Double Tokyo

Countdown Party 2013-2014.

DJs Asahina, Shinkawa, etc. Dec 31, from 9pm, ¥3,000 (before 10pm or w/ flyer)/ ¥5,000 (door). www. doubletokyo.com

Origami

Mystery Countdown 2014. DJs yet to be revealed. Dec 31, from 9pm, ¥3,000 w/1d. Nearest stn: Omotesando. Tel: 03-6434-0968. http://meturl. com/origamiclub

Womb

Countdown to 2014. DJ Hell and Womb residents. Dec 31, from 9pm, ¥3,500. Nearest stn: Shibuya. Tel: 03-5459-0039. www.womb.co.jp

GINZA/KYOBASHI/ TOKYO Bridgestone Museum of Art

Gustave Caillbotte— Impressionist in Modern Paris. Works by a leading member and supporter of the Impressionist movement. Until Dec 29, ¥1,000-1,500. Open Tue-Sun & hols 10am-8pm, closed Mon. 1-10-1 Kyobashi, Chuo-ku. Nearest stn: Tokyo. Tel: 03-5777-8600. www. bridgestone-museum.gr.jp

Idemitsu Museum of Arts

Whistlebump New Year Special. H-Foundation feat. Halo, etc. Dec 31, from 10pm, ¥3,000 (adv)/ ¥3,500 (RSVP)/ ¥4,500 (door). Nearest stn: Mitsukoshi-mae. Tel: 03-35480065. http:// nihonbashi. xexgroup.com/en

The Dreams of Itaya Hazan: The Bliss of Japanese Modern Ceramics. Retrospective featuring some of the artist's greatest works. Jan 7-Mar 23, ¥700-1,000. Open Tue-Thu 10am-5pm, Fri 10am-7pm, closed Mon. 9F Teigeki Bldg, 3-1-1 Marunouchi. Nearest stn: Tokyo. www.tokyo.mae.lu/jp/ node_19876/hana-hito-tokyo

Exhibitions

Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum

XEX Nihonbashi

AKASAKA/ ROPPONGI 21_21 Design Sight

Toward a Design Museum Japan. Mixed media. Until Feb 2, ¥500-1,000. Open Mon & Wed-Sun 11am-8pm, closed Tue. 9-7-6 Akasaka, Minato-ku. Nearest stn: Nogizaka. Tel: 03-3475-2121. www.2121designsight.jp

Fujifilm Square

Ihee Kimura's Travels to Akita and the Ryukyu Islands. Photographer's documentation of pre- and post-war Japan. Until Dec 27, free. Two Journeys of Ihei Kimura — The Ryukyu Islands and the Akita Region. Documentation of pre-war rural life and the changes in the regions after WWII started. Until Dec 27, free. Open daily 10am-7pm. 9-7-3 Akasaka, Roppongi. Nearest stn: Roppongi. Tel: 03-62713350. fujifilmsquare.jp/en

Mori Art Museum

Out of Doubt: Roppongi Crossing 2013. Contemporary art series held triennially. This installment takes a fresh look at a familiar intersection to most Tokyoites. Until Jan 13, ¥500-1,500. Andy Warhol: 15 Minutes Eternal. Almost 700 works by the standardbearer of pop art. Feb 1-May 6, ¥500-1,500. MAM Project 020: Gabriel Acevedo Velarde. Mixed media. Feb 1-May 6, ¥500-1,500. Open daily 10am-8pm. Open Mon & Wed-Sun 10am-10pm, Tue 10am-5pm. 6-10-1 Roppongi. Nearest stn: Roppongi. www. mori.art.museum

Mori Arts Center Gallery

Ever and Never: The Art of Peanuts. Original drawings and sketches of Snoopy & co. Until Jan 5, ¥500-2,000. 52F Roppongi Hills Tower, 6-10-1 Roppongi. Nearest stn: Roppongi. www. roppongihills.com/art/macg/

Suntory Museum of Art

Celestial Dance: The Art of Hiten. Relics and religious artefacts on display in commemoration of the renovations of Byodoin's Phoenix Hall. Until Jan 13, ¥800-1,300. Open Wed-Sat 10am-8pm, Sun-Mon & hols 10am-6pm, closed Tue. 9-7-4 Akasaka, Minato-ku. Nearest stn: Roppongi. www.suntory. jp/sma

The National Art Center, Tokyo

Divisionism from Van Gogh and Seurat to Mondrian. Oil paintings. Until Dec 23, ¥800-1,500. Open Wed-Thu, Sat-Mon 10am-6pm, Fri 10am-8pm, closed Tue. 7-22-2 Roppongi. Nearest stn: Nogizaka. www.nact.jp

Masterpieces from the Collection of Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum. Works by Renoir, Vallotton, ToulouseLautrec and more. Until Jan 5, ¥400-1,200. Open Wed-Fri 10am-8pm, Tue, Sat & Sun/ hols 10am-6pm, closed Mon. 2-6-2 Marunouchi. Nearest stn: Tokyo. Tel: 03-5405-8686. www.mimt.jp

National Film Center

Iconography of Yasujiro Ozu Films. A collection of paintings, design and lettering that sheds light on Mr. Ozu's unique aesthetic sensibility. Until Mar 30, ¥40-200. Open Tue-Sun 11am-6:30pm, closed Mon. 3-7-6 Kyobashi. Nearest stn: Kyobashi. Tel: 03-5777-8600. www.momat.go.jp

Shiseido Gallery

In Praise of Velázquez : Handmaidens Reborn in the Night. Photography by Yasumasa Morimura. Until Dec 25, free. Open Tue-Sat 11am-7pm, Sun 11am-6pm, closed Mon. B1F Tokyo Ginza Shiseido Bldg, 8-8-3 Ginza, Chuo-ku. Nearest stn: Shimbashi. Tel: 03-3572-3901. www.shiseido.co.jp/gallery

The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo

Josef Koudelka Retrospective. Photography. Artist's first exhibit in Asia displays his entire body of work. Until Jan 13, ¥250-850. Product Design Today: Creating "Made in Japan." Presentation of works by contemporary designers. Until Jan 13, ¥70-420. Open Tue-Thu & Sat-Sun 10am-5pm, Fri 10am-8pm. 3-1 Kitanomaru-koen. Nearest stn: Takebashi. Tel: 03-57778600. www.momat.go.jp

Tokyo Gallery + BTAP

Micro Salon 2013. Small-scale works by 21 artists. Until Dec 28, free. Open Tue–Fri 11am–7pm & Sat 11am–5pm, closed Sun, Mon & hols. 7F, 8-10-5 Ginza. Nearest stn: Shinbashi. Tel: 03-3571-1808. www.tokyo-gallery.com

Zeit-Foto Salon

Hong Kong - Shenzen 1998. Rudai Takano's documentation of travels in China. Until Dec 21, free. Open Tue-Fri 10:30am6:30pm, Sat 10:30am-5:30pm, closed Sun-Mon & hols. 4F Matsumoto Bldg, 1-10-5 Kyobashi, Chuo-ku. Nearest stn: Tokyo. Tel: 03-3535-7188. www.zeit-foto.com

HARAJUKU/AOYAMA Diesel Art Gallery

Global Photo Collaborations: Vice Japan. Photography. Until Feb 14, free. Open daily 11:30am-9pm. 1-23-16 Shibuya. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.diesel.co.jp/art/

#1030 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP • 15

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Espace Louise Vuitton

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Infinite Renew. Mixed media by Mariko Mori. Until Jan 5, free. Espace Louise Vuitton, 7F 5-7-5 Jingumae. Nearest stn: Omotesando. Tel: 03-5766-1094. www. espacelouisvuittontokyo. com/en

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FESTIVAL

Itochu Aoyama Art Square

Tomo ni Ikiru. Calligraphy art by Shoko Kanazawa. Until Dec 23, free. Open daily 11am-7pm. B1 CI Plaza, 2-3-1 Kita-Aoyama. Nearest stn: Gaienmae. Tel: 03-5772-2913. www.itochuartsquare.jp

Nezu Museum

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Rat Hole Gallery

Someone's Wife. Photography by Nobuyoshi Araki. Until Jan 19, free. Open Tue-Sun noon-8pm, closed Mon. B1, 5-5-3 Minami Aoyama, Minato-ku. Nearest stn: Omotesando. Tel: 03-6419-3581. www. ratholegallery.com

Ukiyo-e Ota Memorial Museum of Art

Mt. Fuji in Ukiyo-e: from the Collection of Ota Memorial Museum of Art. World Heritage-listed landmark in traditional print. Jan 3-26, ¥500-700. Open Tue-Sun 10:30am-5:30pm, closed Mon. 1-10-10 Jingumae. Nearest stn: Harajuku. www. ukiyoe-ota-muse.jp

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Art and Poetry: Waka Inspired Masterpieces. Traditional panels, lacquerware and kimono. Jan 9-Feb 16, ¥600-1,000. Kiyomaro: Master Swordsmith to the Last Samurai. Celebrating the 200th anniversary of the artist's birth. Feb 26-Apr 6, ¥900-1,200. Open Tue-Sun, 10am-4:30pm. 6-5-1 MinamiAoyama, Minato-ku. Nearest stn: Omotesando. www. nezu-muse.or.jp/en

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Base Gallery

Kaori Miyayama "The Way Down to the Sky -Il Modo di Scendere al Cielo-". Mixed media. Until Dec 21, free. Open Mon-Sat 11am-7pm, closed Sun and hols. 1-1-6 Nihombashi-Kayabacho, Chuo-ku. Nearest stn: Kayabacho. www. basegallery.com

Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo

Crystallize. Mixed media by Tokujin Yoshioka. Until Jan 19, ¥600-1,100. Bunny Smash: Design to Touch the World. Multimedia. Design focused on changing people's perception of society. Until Jan 19, ¥600-1,100. Open Tue-Sun, 10am-6pm, closed Mon. 4-1-1 Miyoshi, Koto-ku. Nearest stn: KiyosumiShirakawa. www.mot-artmuseum.jp/eng

Taguchi Fine Art

Sheet metal work

Painting

Restoration Hiroo High School

�Shibuya

Meiji-dori Komazawa-dori

MAX CRAFT

JR Yamanote line

TOKYO DROP OFF Hiroo View Hills 1F, 3-1-3, Higashi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Tel: 03-6419-7321. Fax: 03-3797-7321. Mon-Sat 10am-7pm

16 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP

YOKOHAMA HQ AND FACTORY 4460, Ikonobecho, Tsuzuki-ku Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Tel: 045-939-0299 Mon-Fri 8:30am-7pm Sun-Hols 11am-3pm

Kazumi Yoshimine: Passage of Time. Painting. Until Dec 21, free. Open Tue-Sat, 1-7pm. Dai 2 Inoue Bldg, 2-17-13 Nihombashi-Kayabacho, Chuo-ku. Nearest stn: Kayabacho. Tel: 03-56523660. www.taguchifineart. com

SHIBUYA/EBISU Bunkamura Gallery

Ebisu stn

Bunkamura Winter Craft Collection. Seasonal handicrafts, trinkets and sundries. Until Dec 25, free. Open daily, 10am-7pm. 224-1 Dogenzaka. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.bunkamura. co.jp/english

Bunkamura: The Museum

Arcadia on the Shore: Puvis de Chavanne's Mythic World. Mural painter that combined innovation with classical

Hatsu Oyogi Brave the freezing waters of Miyukinohama in Kanagawa to welcome the first sunrise of the new year along with members of the Odawara Swimming Association and other adventurous souls. Participants dip into the ocean and pray for good health and safety at sea for the coming year. The 2014 sunrise is predicted to be at its best between 6:45-6:53am depending on weather conditions. Jan 1, at sunrise, free. Miyukinohama, 3 Honcho, Odawara. Nearest stn: Odawara. Tel: 0465-35-1521. http://meturl.com/ brr2014

style. Jan 2-Mar 9, ¥700-1,400. Open Mon-Thu & Sun 10am-7pm, Fri-Sat 10am-8pm. 2- 24-1 Dogenzaka. Nearest stn: Shibuya. Tel: 03-3477-9111. www.bunkamura.co.jp

Yamatane Museum of Art

Jakuchu's Adorability and Shoen's Beauty : "Kawaii" in Japanese Art. Edo-period screen painting. Jan 3-Mar 2, ¥900-1,200. Open Tue-Fri 11am-5pm, closed Mon & hols. 3-12-36 Hiroo. Nearest stn: Ebisu. Tel: 03-5777-8600. www. yamatane-museum.or.jp

SHINJUKU/IKEBUKURO Hiromart Gallery

The Collection – Artworks 2013. Mixed media. Until Jan 19, free. Open Wed-Sun 1-7pm, closed Mon-Tue. 1-30-7 Sekiguchi, Bunkyo-ku. Nearest stn: Edogawabashi. www. hiromartgallery.com

Yokoami. Nearest stn: Ryogoku. Tel: 03-3626-9974. www.edo-tokyo-museum.or.jp

National Museum of Nature and Science

Big Dinosaurs: Wonders of the Gobi Desert. Velociraptor and tarbosaurus bones unravel mysteries of Earth's history. Until Feb 23, ¥600-1,500. Surviving the Desert: Strategies of Humans, Plants & Animals. Investigation into survival in harsh conditions. Until Feb 9, ¥600. Open Tue-Thu & Sat-Sun 9am-5pm, Fri 9am-8pm, closed Mon. 7-20 Ueno Park. Nearest stn: Ueno. Tel: 03-3822-0111. www.kahaku.go.jp

The National Museum of Western Art

Open Space 2013. A melting pot of artists and media. Until Mar 2, free. Solaris. Works by Arata Isozaki. Until Mar 2, ¥500. 4F Tokyo Opera City Tower, 3-20-2 Nishi-Shinjuku. Nearest stn: Hatsudai. www.ntticc.or.jp

Monet, An Eye for Landscapes: Innovation in 19th Century French Landscape. Some of the artist's most famous impressionist works, including "Water Lilies". Until Mar 9, ¥600-1,400. Inside and Outside, the Two Faces of Spanish Informalism in the Collections of the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia. Mixed media. Until Jan 5, ¥130-420. Open daily 9:30am-5:30pm. 7-7 Ueno Park. Nearest stn: Ueno. www. nmwa.go.jp

Sompo Japan Museum of Art

Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum

NTT Intercommunication Center

Quintet: Five-Star Artists. Mixed media by five Japanese artists, based on the theme "landscape". Jan 11-Feb 16, ¥300-500. Face. Mixed media. Feb 22-Mar 30, ¥300-500. OpenTue-Sun, 10am-6pm, closed Mon. 42F Sompo Japan Bldg, 1-26-1 Nishi-Shinjuku. Nearest stn: Shinjuku. Tel: 03-5405-8686. www. sompo-japan.co.jp/museum

Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery

150 Years of Modern Japanese Music. Mixed media. Dynamic view of Japan's meeting with the West. Until Dec 23, ¥600-1,000. Project N 54 Mihoko Ogaki. Mixed media. Until Dec 23, ¥600-1,000. Open Tue-Thu 11am-7pm, Fri-Sat 11am-8pm. 3-20-2 Nishi-Shinjuku. Nearest stn: Hatsudai. www.operacity. jp/en/ag

UENO Edo-Tokyo Museum

Ukiyo-e: A Journey Through the Floating World. Woodblock prints. Jan 2-Mar 2, ¥450-1,300. Open Tue-Fri & Sun 9:30am5:30pm, Sat 9:30am-7:30pm, closed Mon & hols. 1-4-1

Field of Painting. Mixed media. Five artists connect to the outside world. Jan 4-10, free. 8-36 Ueno Park. Nearest stn: Ueno. www.tobikan.jp

Tokyo National Museum

Japanese Masks: Noh Masks - Zekan and Kawachi. Masks by masters. Until Feb 16, ¥400-600. Special New Year's Exhibition. Selected masterpieces from the museum collection. Jan 2-13, ¥600. Open Tue-Sun 9:30am5pm. 13-9 Ueno Park. Nearest stn: Ueno. www.tnm.jp

OTHER AREAS Hoki Museum

Hoki Museum Award Exhibition Vol. 1. Painting. Until May 18, ¥900-1,800. Open Mon & Wed-Thu 10am-6pm, Fri-Sat 10am-7pm, Sun 10am-5pm, closed Tue. 3-15 Asumigaokahigashi, Midoriku. Nearest stn: Toke. www. hoki-museum.jp

Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo Crystallize. Mixed media by Tokujin Yoshioka. Until Jan 19, ¥600-1,100. Bunny

LISTINGS FOR COMPLETE LISTINGS

EXHIBITION

¥500-6,000. Yoyogi National Gymnasium. Nearest stn: Meiji-Jingumae.

Basketball Japan League

Saitama Broncos vs. Takamatsu Five Arrows. Dec 21-22, 6pm, ¥900-2,800. Tokorozawa City Gymnasium. Nearest stn: Shintokorozawa. Tel: 04-2991-1181.

National Basketball League

©TOKYO METROPOLITAN PARK ASSOCIATION

New Year’s at Hamarikyu Oncho Gardens The gentle Edo period gardens will be lively during oshogatsu this year with spectacular hawk presentations and shows (11am and 2pm), traditional tea ceremonies, and guided tours around the grounds (10am and 1pm). Those interested in more traditional pastimes can try the Japanese spinning tops. Jan 2-3, 9am-5pm, ¥150-300 entry, some activities require an additional fee. Hamarikyu Gardens. Nearest stn: Tokyo. http:// meturl.com/newhamarikyu2014

PERFORMANCE

Hitachi Sun Rockers Tokyo vs. Tsukuba Robots. Jan 25-26, 6pm, ¥1,0002,000. Yoyogi National Gymnasium. Nearest stn: Meiji-Jingumae. Hitachi Sun Rockers Tokyo vs. Wakayama Trians. Feb 8, 6pm, ¥1,000-2,500. Sumida City Gymnasium. Nearest stn: Kinshicho. Tel: 03-3623-7273. Hitachi Sun Rockers Tokyo vs. Hyogo Storks. Feb 9, 3pm, ¥1,000-2,500. Sumida City Gymnasium. Nearest stn: Kinshicho. Tel: 03-3623-7273. Hitachi Sun Rockers Tokyo vs. Aisin Seahorses Mikawa. Feb 15-16, 6pm, ¥1,000-2,500. Ota City General Gymnasium. Nearest stn: Umeyashiki. Tel: 03-5480-6688.

BOXING All Japan Rookie of the year match

Dec 22, 2pm, ¥3,000-10,000. Korakuen Hall. Nearest stn: Suidobashi. Tel: 03-58009999.

Sankeien Garden Open House The luscious and spacious Sankeien Garden will be open during the holidays and for three days only, the historic residence of garden founder Sankei Hara will be open to the public. In honor of this special event, a number of performances wil be held inside the building. Koto concerts, ritual cooking prepration ceremonies, and on the last day visitors can experience a Noh drama held in English. Jan 1-3, 9am-5pm, ¥200-500. Sankeien Garden Museum. Nearest stn: Negishi. Tel: 045-621-0635.

Smash: Design to Touch the World. Multimedia. Design focused on changing people's perception of society. Until Jan 19, ¥600-1,100. Open Tue-Sun, 10am-6pm, closed Mon. 4-1-1 Miyoshi, Koto-ku. Nearest stn: KiyosumiShirakawa. www.mot-artmuseum.jp/eng

National Museum of Japanese History

Traditional Antique Chrysanthemum. Over 100 variations of classical fronds. Until Jan 26, ¥100. The Year of the Horse. Mixed media. Until Jan 19, ¥250-420. Open Tue-Sun 9:30am-4:30pm, closed Mon. 117 Jonai-cho, Sakura-shi. Nearest stn: Keisei-Sakura. www. rekihaku.ac.jp/english

Pola Museum of Art

Walk Home in Delight. Photography. Images of a Scandinavian white Christmas. Until Dec 25, free. Open 9am-4:30pm. 1285 Kozukayama, Sengokuhara, Hakone-machi. Nearest stn: Gora. www.polamuseum.or.jp

Setagaya Art Museum

Experimental Workshop. Mixed media by young avant-garde artists. Until Jan 26, ¥500-1,000. Open Tue-Sun 10am-6pm, closed Mon. 1-2 Kinuta-koen, Setagaya-ku. Nearest stn: Seijogakuenmae. Tel: 03-3415-6011. www. setagayaartmuseum.or.jp/ index_e.html

Taro Okamoto Museum of Art, Kawasaki

Faces and Masks. Paintings. Until Jan 13, ¥300-900. Kayo Illustrations by Taro Okamoto. Lesser known illustration work for a serialized novel in the Tokyo Shinbun. Until Dec 27, ¥300-600. Open Tue-Sun 9:30am-5pm, closed Mon. 7-1-5 Masukata, Tama-ku, Kawasaki. Nearest stn: Mukogaoka-Yuen. Tel: 04-4900-9898. www. taromuseum.jp

Tokyo Fuji Art Museum

Impressionists at WatersideDepicting urban resorts: Paris, the Seine and Normandy. Painting. Portraying the lives of 19th-century french urbanites' pursuit of leisure. Until Jan 5, ¥300-1,200. Open Tue-Sun 10am-5pm, closed Mon. Yano-machi 492-1 Hachioji. Nearest stn: Tokyo Fuji Bijitsukan. Tel: 042-691-4511. www.fujibi.or.jp/en

Sports ATHLETICS Hakone Ekiden

Jan 2-3, 8am, free. Jan 2, Yomiuri Shimbun Bldg., Otemachi; Jan 3, Lake Ashi, Hakone. www.hakoneekiden.jp

BASKETBALL Emperor’s Cup/ Empress’s Cup

Jan 1-13, various times,

Dec 21-Dec 23, various times, ¥2,000-12,000. Saitama Super Arena. Nearest stn: SaitamaShintoshin.

All Japan Medalist on Ice

Dec 24, 5:30pm, ¥5,0009,000. Saitama Super Arena. Nearest stn: SaitamaShintoshin.

PRO WRESTLING Noah: Noahful Gift

Dec 23, 3pm, ¥4,000-7,000. Differ Ariake. Nearest stn: Ariake-tennis-no-mori.

Wrestle-1: First Winter Dec 23, 4pm, ¥4,0007,000. Tokorozawa City Gymnasium. Nearest stn: Shintokorozawa. Tel: 04-2991-1181.

Big Japan: New Year's Eve

Dec 31, 7pm, ¥4,000-6,000. Korakuen Hall. Nearest stn: Suidobashi. Tel: 03-58009999.

Zero 1

Jan 1, 2pm, ¥4,000-6,000. Korakuen Hall. Nearest stn: Suidobashi. Tel: 03-58009999.

All Japan: New Year Wars

Jan 2-3, 12pm, ¥4,000-7,000. Korakuen Hall. Nearest stn: Suidobashi. Tel: 03-58009999.

DDT: New Year Special

Jan 3, 6:30pm, ¥2,000. Korakuen Hall. Nearest stn: Suidobashi. Tel: 03-58009999. .

New Japan: Wrestle Kingdom 8

Jan 4, 5pm, ¥3,000-7,000. Tokyo Dome. Nearest stn: Suidobashi. Tel: 03-58009999.

Big Japan: Final

Jan 5, 2pm, ¥3,000. Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse. Nearest stn: Minatomirai.

#1030 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP • 17

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Ricoh Black Rams vs. Kintetsu Liners. Dec 22, 1pm, ¥300-2,000. Fukuda Arena. Nearest stn: Soga. Tel: 043-208-5577. Canon Eagles vs. Panasonic Wild Knights. Jan 4, 12pm, ¥300-2,500. Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium. Nearest stn: Gaienmae. Tel: 03-34013881. NEC Green Rockets vs. Kobelco Steelers. Jan 4, 2:15pm, ¥300-2,500. Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium. Nearest stn: Gaienmae. Tel: 03-34013881. Toshiba Brave Lupus vs. Suntory Sungoliath. Jan 5, 1pm, ¥300-2,500. Ajinomoto Stadium. Nearest stn: Tobitakyu. Tel: 04-24400555. Canon Eagles vs. Suntory Sungoliath. Jan 11, 1pm, ¥300-2,000. Nippatsu Mitsuzawa Stadium. Nearest stn: Yokohama. Tel: 045-3112016.

relationships and business success for the coming year. Jan 11-13, all day, free. Kanda Myoujin. Nearest stn: Shin-Ochanomizu or Ochanomizu. Tel: 03-32540753. www.kandamyoujin. or.jp

Forums & Expos Jump Festa

Annual manga and anime event. Dec 21-22, 9am-5pm, free. Makuhari Messe. Nearest stn: Kaihin-Makuhari. Tel: 03-3230-8439. www. jumpfesta.com

New Year's Fire Review

Thousands of firefighters show off their skills. Jan 6, 9am-2pm, free. Tokyo Big Sight. Nearest stn: Kokusai-Tenjijo-Seimon. Tel: 03-3212-2111. www.tfd. metro.tokyo.jp

SUMO January Grand Tournament

Tokyo Auto Salon with NAPAC

Jan 12-26, various times, ¥3,600-8,200. Ryogoku Kokugikan. Nearest stn: Ryogoku. Tel: 03-3623-5111.

VOLLEYBALL Toyota Auto Body Queenseis vs. JT Marvelous

Jan 18, 2pm, ¥500-4,500. Ota City General Gymnasium. Nearest stn: Umeyashiki. Tel: 03-5480-6688.

Festivals Final festival of the year, designated to warding off evil. Dec 21, all day, free. Kawasaki Daishi Heikenji Temple. Nearest stn: Kawasaki Daishi. Tel: 044-266-3420. www. kawasakidaishi.com

Miyabi Yuen

Lion dance, taiko and acrobatic performances, kimono fashion show and more. Jan1-3, all day, free. Meguro Gajoen. Nearest stn: Meguro. Tel: 03-54343837. http://meturl.com/ miyabiyuen2014

Tsuina Festival

International custom car event. Jan 11-12, 9am-2pm, ¥1,500-2,000 (door). Makuhari Messe. Nearest stn: Kaihin-Makuhari. info@ tokyoautosalon.jp. www. tokyoautosalon.jp

A holiday twist to the regular earth-friendly market. Dec 14, 11am-6pm, free. Park Hyatt Tokyo. Nearest stn: Hatsudai. info@euofa.jp www.facebook. com/organicmarket.tokyo

Christmas Food Market

Seasonal delicacies from all over the world. Until Dec 20, 5-9pm, every Friday, free. Ark Karajan Place. Nearest stn: Roppongi-Itchome. Tel: 03-6406-6663. www.arkhills. com/event

Love & Gift

Trinkets, party goods and other handy things in time for Christmas. Until Dec 21, 10am-2pm, every Sat, free. Ark Karajan Place. Nearest stn: Roppongi-Itchome. Tel: 03-6406-6663. www.arkhills. com/event

Chona-Hajimeshiki

Marché aux Puces Akasaka: Akasaka Christmas Flea Market

Archers dressed in ceremonial garb shoot at targets with the word "devil" on them. Jan 5, 10am, free. Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Temple. Nearest stn: Kamakura. Tel: 0467-220315. www.tsurugaokahachimangu.jp

Tondo-yaki

Annual event where old new year's ornaments and talismans are burned together in a large bonfire. Jan 8, 1pm, free. Torikoe Shrine, 2-4-1 Torikoe, Koto-ku. Nearest st n: Kuramae. Tel: 03-38515033.

Daikoku Matsuri

Festival focused on good

2014’s predictions of Japan, US, India and other countries by Indian Vedic Astrology (Jyotish). Fee: ¥3,000. Email: info@ vedaplus-motoazabu.jp. Tel: 03-6434-5448. Nearest stn: Azabu-Juban. http:// vedaplus-motoazabu.jp/ motoazabu.jp/

JAN 19 (SUN), NOON-3PM Easy Japanese Stretching Exercises Lesson

Kourinin Temple, ¥4,500. To register. email names to: wac@wac55.com. Please wear clothes that are easy to move in. Nearest stn: Hiroo (3-min walk) Tel: 0120-350924. http://wac55.com

Christmas Markets

Christmas Flea City

Joma-Shinji

VedaPlus Predictions

Christmas Organic Market

Ceremony to avoid bad luck held in the dark. Jan 2, 8pm, free. Samukawa Jinja. Nearest stn: Miyayama. Tel: 0467-75-0004. www. samukawajinjya.jp Scaffolding workers carry a blessed tree trunk into the shrine to declare the start of building work for the year. Jan 4, 1pm, free. Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Temple. Nearest stn: Kamakura. Tel: 0467-22-0315. www. tsurugaoka-hachimangu.jp

JAN 19 (SUN), 2-4PM

Furusato Matsuri

Annual event featuring local specialties from all over Japan. Jan 10-19, various times, ¥1,000-1,500. Tokyo Dome. Nearest stn: Suidobashi. Tel: 03-5800-9999. www. tokyo-dome.co.jp/furusato

Osame no Daishi

18 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP

GO TO WWW.METURL.COM/L

Until Dec 22, every Sun 11am-5pm, free. Ark Karajan Place, Ark Hills. Nearest stn: Roppongi-Icchome. www. arkhills.com

European crafts, accessories and furniture. Until Dec 22, 11am-5pm, every Sunday, free. Ark Karajan Place. Nearest stn: RoppongiItchome. Tel: 03-6406-6663. www.arkhills.com/event

Roppongi Hills Christmas Market German-style market with handmade crafts and imported goods. Until Dec 25, daily 11am-9pm, free. Roppongi Hills. Nearest stn: Roppongi. Tel: 03-6406-6000. www.roppongihills.com/ events

Marché de Noël

Toys, treats, seasonal cards etc. Until Dec 25, daily 11am-9pm, free. Tokyo Midtown. Nearest stn: Roppongi. Tel: 03-34753100. http://meturl.com/ midtownmarche2013

Soramachi Christmas Market

Mulled wine, European nibbles and crafts. Until Dec

FEB 8-APR 26 Telephone Counselor Training Program Spring 2014

12-week program beginning Feb. 8th and then every Tue and Thu 9:30am-12:30pm in Minami Aoyama. Online training program also available. For more info email: lls.assist@telljp.com 25, daily 11am-10pm, free. Tokyo Soramachi. Nearest stn: Asakusa or Oshiage.

Tree of Hope

Sale of exquisite Christmas ornaments where a percentage of the proceeds go to charity. Until Dec 25, all day, ¥2,500 per ornament. The Peninsula Hotel Lobby. Nearest stn: Hibiya. www.peninsula.com/Tokyo

Christmas Market

German-style huts line the plaza selling hot wine, stollen and traditional crafts. Until Dec 25, daily 11am-10pm, free. Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse. Nearest stn: Minatomirai. Tel: 045-227-2002. www.yokohama-akarenga.jp

Seasonal Food Marché

Winter goodies and treats. Until Dec 25, 5-8pm weekdays, 11am-8pm Sat, Sun & hols, free. Ark Karajan Place. Nearest stn: Roppongi-Itchome. Tel: 03-6406-6663. www.arkhills. com/event

Learning Children's Gingerbread House Decoration Class

Design a candy house under guidance of the hotel's pastry chef in residence, followed by a delightful afternoon tea. For children ages 3 and over. Dec 21, 2pm, ¥8,500 (per parent and child pair). Shangri-La Hotel. Nearest stn: Otemachi or Tokyo. Tel: 03-6739-7888. www.shangri-la.com/tokyo

Nihonga Workshop

Create holiday-themed nihonga paintings on shikishi

LISTINGS FOR COMPLETE LISTINGS boards in a one day intensive class. Dec 21, 11am & 3pm, ¥5,000. 4B Maruoka Building, 5-49-7 Jingumae. Nearest stn: Omotesando. www. mariatanikawa.com/nihongaclass

Whisky Hills 2013

Ladies' Gingerbread House Decoration Class

Tokyo Spring

Design your own exclusive candy house under the guidance of the hotel's pastry chef in residence. Afternoon tea with champagne included. Dec 22, noon, ¥8,500. Shangri-La Hotel. Nearest stn: Otemachi or Tokyo. Tel: 03-6739-7888. www. shangri-la.com/tokyo

Fish Ornament Workshop Make your own fish-shaped ornament for this year's Christmas tree. Until Dec 25, daily from 10am, free (materials)/ ¥600-2,000 (aquarium entrance fee). Sumida Aquarium. Nearest stn: Oshiage. www.sumidaaquarium.com

Movie screening of "I Am" and discussion afterwards. Dec 29, 3pm, free +1d. Cafe Lavanderia. Nearest stn: Shinjuku Sanchome. tokyospring. blogspot.jp

Happy Island Countdown 2014

Take a Photo with Santa

Limited to 50 families by a lottery system. See website for entry details. Dec 20, 5-6pm, ¥1,000 (per group). Imperial Hotel. Nearest stn: Hibiya. Tel: 03-3539-8240. www. imperialhotel.co.jp

Oshare Hanabi

Fireworks show for Christmas and New Year's Eve. Dec 20 & 25, 7pm; Dec 31, from midnight, free. Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse. Nearest stn: Minatomirai. www. yokohama-akarenga.jp

Feed an Elephant: Christmas Version

Give an early birthday present to one of the zoo's most popular residents. Dec 21-23, 2pm, ¥200-500. Kanazawa Zoo. Nearest stn: Kanazawabunko. www2.kanazawa-zoo.org

Christmas Tree and City Skyline Night Cruise

Catch the breathtaking city view at dusk from the waters of Tokyo Bay. Dec 21-25, 5pm, ¥500-1,000. Chiba Port Tower. Nearest stn: Chiba Minato. www. chiba-porttower.com

Christmas Party with Santa Children will receive a toy and a commemorative photo with Santa. Dec 21, 11:30am & 5pm, ¥9,000 (4-12 yrs)/ ¥17,000 (adults). Imperial Hotel. Nearest stn: Hibiya. Tel: 0120-111-569. www.imperialhotel.co.jp Write a message of gratitude on a candle, then line up with others to create a giant heart. Dec 24, sunset-8pm, ¥1,000 per candle. Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse. Nearest stn: Minatomirai. Tel: 045-2111515. www.welcome.city. yokohama.jp

Baptist Church. 9-2 Hachiyama-cho, Shibuya-ku. Nearest stn: Daikanyama. info@tokyobaptist.org. www.tokyobaptist.org

Christmas Eve Candlelight Worship Service

Dec 24, 4 , 6:30 & 8pm. Tokyo Union Church. Nearest stn: Omotesando or Harajuku. Tel: 03-3400-0047. www. tokyounion.org

Sunday School Nativity Play

Fireworks, dolphin shows and other events. Dec 31, 3pm, ¥3,500 (all night pass). Hakkejima Sea Paradise. Nearest stn: Hakkejima. Tel: 045-7888888. www.seaparadise.co.jp

The Christmas story. Dec 24, 7pm, free. St. Alban's Anglican Episcopal Church. 3-6-25 Shiba Koen, Minatoku. Nearest stn: Kamiyacho. stalbans@saintalbans.jp. www.saintalbans.jp

Original Calligraphy Postcard

Christmas Day Service

Professional calligraphers will take requests to write whatever you wish. Jan 2-3, 11am-4:30pm, free. Tokyo Midtown. Nearest stn: Roppongi. Tel: 03-3475-3100. www.tokyo-midtown.com

Other Events

Thank You Candle

Discounted or free whisky samples abound at participating restaurants. Until Dec 25, various times, various prices. Roppongi Hills. Nearest stn: Roppongi. www.whiskyhills.jp

New Year's Celebration at the Tokyo National Museum

Taiko, lion dance and kamikiri performances, etc. Jan 2-3, 10:30am-3pm, ¥600. Tokyo National Museum. Nearest stn: Ueno. www.tnm.jp

Art Rink

Artistically designed outdoor ice rink. Until Feb 23, 1-10pm Mon-Fri, 11am-10pm Sat, Sun & Hols, ¥300-500, +skate rental. Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse. Nearest stn: Minatomirai. Tel: 045-211-1515. www.yokohama-akarenga.jp/ artrink2013

Christmas Services 0422 Citizens' Christmas Service Dec 14, 10:30am. Kichijoji Catholic Church.1-7-8 Gotenyama, Musashino-shi. Nearest stn: Kichijoji. www. svdtokyo.jp

Catholic Christmas Mass

Dec 24, 4 & 9pm; Dec 25, 8am, noon & 7pm. Franciscan Chapel Center, 4-2-37 Roppongi. Nearest stn: Roppongi.

Christmas Carol Song

Dec 24, 8:15pm. Franciscan Chapel Center, 4-2-37 Roppongi. Nearest stn: Roppongi.

Christmas Eve Candlelight Worship Service Dec 23, 4pm. St. Paul International Lutheran Church. 1-2-32 Fujimi, Chiyoda-ku. Nearest stn: Iidabashi.

Tokyo Baptist Church Christmas Eve Candlelight Service Dec 24, 5 , 7 & 9pm. Tokyo

Dec 25, 11am. Tokyo Union Church. Nearest stn: Omotesando or Harajuku. Tel: 03-3400-0047. www. tokyounion.org

Christmas Day Mass

Dec 25, 8:30 & 10am & 6pm. St. Ignatius Catholic Church. 6-5-1 Kojimachi, Chiyoda-ku. Nearest stn: Iidabashi. www. ignatius.gr.jp/eng

Traditional Christmas Morning Worship Service of Holy Communion

Dec 25, 11am. St. Paul International Lutheran Church. 1-2-32 Fujimi. Nearest stn: Iidabashi. info@ spilchurchtokyo.org. www.spilchurchtokyo.org

sunset, free. Along part of the Meguro river. Nearest stn: Ozaki or Gotanda. www.minna-noillumi.com

Winter Vista Illumination Until Dec 25, daily from 5pm, ¥80-400. Showa Kinen Park. Nearest stn: Tachikawa. www. showakinenpark.go.jp

White Kitte

Until Dec 25, daily from 5pm, free. JP Tower Kitte. 2-7-2 Marunouchi. Nearest stn: Tokyo. http:// jptower-kitte. jp/white-kitte

Daikanyama Dix Sept Christmas Illuminations

Until Dec 25, daily from sunset, free. Daikanyama Dix Sept. Nearest stn: Daikanyama. www.17dixsept.jp

British Christmas

Nov 25-Dec 25, daily from 5:15pm, free. Akihabara UDX. Nearest stn: Akihabara. Tel: 03-5289-0989. www.udx.jp

Blue Lights Symphony

Winter Illuminations

Until Dec 31, from 5:45pm, free. Tokyo Diver City Plaza. Nearest stn: Daiba. www.divercitytokyo.com

Romantic Starry Night

Until Jan 5, daily from 3:30pm, free. The Museum of the Little Prince in Hakone. Nearest stn: Hakone Yumoto. www.tbs. co.jp/l-prince/e

Omotesando Illumination: Let's Give Happiness

Until Feb 14, daily from 5pm, free. Keyaki Hiroba, Saitama Shintoshin. Nearest stn: Saitama Shintoshin. www.saitama-arena.co.jp/ illumination2012

Marunouchi Illuminations Until Feb 16, daily from 5pm, free. Marunouchi area. Nearest stn: Tokyo. www.marunouchi. com

Tokyo Dome City Winter Illumination Nov 7-Feb 16, from 5pm, free. Tokyo Dome City. Nearest stn: Korakuen or Suidobashi. www.tokyo-dome.co.jp/ illumination/2013

Until Jan 5, from sunset, free. Omotesando area. Nearest stn: Omotesando. www. omotesandohills.com

Jewellumination

Until Feb 16, from 4pm, ¥500-1,200. Yomiuriland. Nearest stn: Yomiurilandmae. www.yomiuriland.com/ jewellumination

Tama Center Illumination

Until Jan 7, daily from 4:30pm, free. Tama Center. Nearest stn: Tama Center. www. tamacenter-cm.com/illumi

Oto to Hikari no Omotenashi

Shinbashi Christmas Illumination

Until Mar 2, from 5pm, free. Akasaka Sacas. Nearest stn: Akasaka. http://sacas.net

Until Jan 10, from 5pm, free. SL Hiroba. Nearest stn: Shinbashi. http:// meturl.com/sl2013

Night Venus - Light for Wishing

Until Dec 25, daily from 5pm, free. Yokohama Landmark Tower. Nearest stn: Minato Mirai. www.marunouchi.com/ feature_jp/13xmas

Until Mar 16, daily from noon, free. VenusFort. Nearest stn: Aoumi. Tel: 03-3599-0700. www.venusfort.co.jp/illumi

Winter Fantasy

Hikari no Saiten

Until Apr 9, from sunset, free. Cosmo Clock 21, Cosmo World. Nearest stn: Minato Mirai. www. senyo.co.jp/cosmo

Until Dec 25, daily from 4:30pm, free. Motofuchie Park, Adachi-ku. Nearest stn: Takenotsuka. http:// meturl. com/adachihikari2013

Lake Sagami Illumillion Until Apr 13, from 5pm, ¥300-500. Sagamiko Resort Pleasure Forest. Nearest stn: Sagamiko. www.sagamikoresort.jp/illumillion

Xmas Wonderland

Until Dec 25, daily from 4pm, free. Shibuya Hikarie. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.hikarie.jp/ special/2013/xmas

Baccarat Eternal Lights

Tokyo Gate Bridge Illumination

Aoyama Christmas Circus

Christmas Decorations and Model Christmas Train

Sky Illumination

Until Jan 13, all day, free. Hilton Tokyo Bay Lobby. Nearest stn: Maihama. www. hiltontokyobay.jp

Until Dec 25, Mon-Thu & Sun 10am-11pm, Fri, Sat & before hols 1am, ¥500-1,500. Tokyo City View. www.roppongihills. com/events

Tiara of Light

Roppongi Hills Illumination

Until Dec 25, from 5:30pm, free. Avex Bldg Plaza. 3-1-30 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku. Nearest stn: Omotesando. www.ustream.tv/channel/ accavex

Megurogawa Minna no Illumi Until Dec 25, daily from

Until Jan 13, daily from 4pm, free. Ebisu Garden Place. Nearest stn: Ebisu. www. gardenplace.jp

Dec 24,from sunset, free. Iwakasu Park. Nearest stn: Iwakasu Koen Kanpujo. http:// meturl.com/iwakasupark

Until Jan 13, daily from 4pm, free. Ginza and Kasumigaseki area. Nearest stn: Ginza.http:// mi-mo.jp/pc/special/xmas2013_

Until Dec 25, daily from 5pm, free. Roppongi Hills. Nearest stn: Roppongi. Tel: 03-6406-

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6000. www.roppongihills.com/ events

Starlight Garden

Until Dec 25, daily from 5pm, free. Tokyo Midtown. Nearest stn: Roppongi. Tel: 03-34753100. www.tokyo-midtown. com/jp/xmas/2013/ illumination

Aqua Marine Magic

Until Dec 25, daily 11am-11pm, free. Aqua City. Nearest stn: Odaiba Kaihin Koen. www. aquacity.jp

Caretta Illumination — White Xmas in the Sea

Until Dec 25, daily from 5pm, free. Caretta Shiodome. Nearest stn: Shiodome. Tel: 03-6218-2100. www.caretta.jp/ illumi2013

Tokyo Tower Christmas Illumination

Until Dec 25, daily from 4pm, free. Tokyo Tower. Nearest stn: Akabanebashi. www. tokyotower.co.jp

Illumination Museum

Until Dec 25, depends on location, free. Office buildings and hotels around West Shinjuku. Nearest stn: Shinjuku or Nishi-Shinjuku. www. machigurumi.net

Christmas Shining Lights Until Dec 25, 11am-11pm, free. Omotesando Hills. Nearest stn: Omotesando or Meiji-jingumae. Tel: 03-34970310. www.omotesandohills. com/event

Christmas Illumination Nov 6-Dec 25, from 4:30pm, free. Lalaport Yokohama. Nearest stn: Kamoi. http:// yokohama.lalaport.jp

Xmas Illumination

Until Dec 25, daily from 4:45pm, free. Lalaport Tokyo Bay. Nearest stn: Minami Funabashi. http:// tokyobay. lalaport.net

Christmas Illumination and Show

Until Dec 25, daily from 5pm, free. Chiba Port Tower. Nearest stn: Chiba Minato. www. chiba-porttower.com

Mark IS Minato Mirai Christmas

Until Dec 25, all day, free. 3-5-1 Minato Mirai. Nearest stn: Minato Mirai. www. mec-markis.jp/mm

Tokyo Michi Terrace Starlight Walk Until Dec 29, from 5pm, free. Marunouchi area. Nearest stn: Tokyo. www. tokyo-michiterasu.jp

Towers Milight: All Office Buildings Light Up Dec 24, 4:30-9:30pm, free. Minato Mirai area. Nearest stn: Minato Mirai. www. minatomirai21.com

WADA Legal & Administrative Office

Visa and immigration

Patent attorney Immigration lawyer

Until Jan 31, daily from 5pm, free. Tokyo Soramachi. Nearest stn: Asakusa or Oshiage.

UDX'mas Illumination

Until Dec 25, daily from 5pm, free. Marionnier Gate. 2-2-14 Ginza, Chuo-ku. Nearest stn: Yurakucho. www. marronniergate.com

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Until Jan 14, daily from 5pm, free. Across Utsunomiya city. Nearest stn: Utsunomiya. http:// meturl.com/utsu2013

Tokyo Skytree Town Illumination

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http://www.wada-lats.com/ E-mail: info@wada-lats.com 3-5-3-1402 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023 #1030 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP • 19

Agenda Movies BY DON MORTON

ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE

es, the vampire genre has been done to undeath. So it’s kind of refreshing when a director of Jim Jarmusch’s (Stranger than Paradise, Down by Law, Broken Flowers) indie stature decides to offer a new, somewhat metaphorical take on the bloodsucker flick, and makes it a love story at that. In his world, the vampires are erudite literati and the huddled human masses insufferable plebeians they refer to as “zombies” who (gasp!) lack taste. Gotta love it. The central characters are a pair of attractive, decadently cool, centuries-married, world-weary hipsters (Tom Hiddleston & Tilda Swinton, showing great chemistry) who are so old they were hep when it was hip to be hep. They rarely bite anyone these days (sooo last century!), preferring to pilfer their plasma from hospitals. Their undead drinking partners include Christopher Marlowe (John Hurt), whom it turns out actually did write all those Shakespeare plays. Watch for similar riffs on mankind’s creative oeuvre. This mood piece is languidly paced and the score is recherché, but the production design is superb, the cinematography memorable and the humor sly. Sometimes it’s just fun to hang out with Jarmusch’s characters for a few hours. (123 min)

NEW

CUTIE AND THE BOXER

80-year-old Ushio Shinohara, a New York-ba se d Japa ne se starving artist who paints with boxing gloves, could accurately be described as “fierce.” He’s an arrogant but lovable jerk. His wife Noriko, 20 years his junior, is much quieter but no less fierce. She has served as his unpaid assistant for four decades, but has now chosen to pursue her own, semi-autobiographical (and far more original) art. They bicker constantly, but never without tenderness, love and hope. Documentarian Zachary Heinzerling has created a powerful yet modest, moving portrait of universal marriage that’s both heartfelt and profound. (82 min)

TWENTY FEET FROM STARDOM

You may not have he a rd of Darleen Love, Merry Clayton or Lisa Fischer, but you’ve heard them. Love did “He’s a Rebel,” without credit. Clayton supplied the haunting vocal magic behind the Stones’ “Gimme Shelter.” And the Grammy-winning Fischer’s vibrant talent may even surpass Aretha’s. These and other backup singers, working—by choice or by chance—just beyond the spotlight, have provided that indefinable, marginal-yet-vital quality to innumerable popular classics for decades. This long overdue celebration by Morgan Neville is a fine time at the movies for music lovers and full of insider insights. Japanese title: Back Chorus no Divatachi. (89 min)

47 RONIN

While most Chushingura dramatizations are fictionalized, this one takes the pink potato. A monster-slaying Keanu Reeves rallies and reboots the title ronin, but first must battle a variety of CG monsters, mostly to give the creators of the crappy 3D something to do. The dialogue’s eye-rollingly corny, and the (over)acting by a mostly Japanese cast almost makes Keanu look good. (It’s shown in two versions: Japanese and tortured English.) This is one of the worst movies ever made. Someone should do jail time. But it does have hilarious bad-movie potential. A few drinks first wouldn’t hurt. (121 min)

20 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP

NEW

PLANES

A bored little crop duster in, as we are unnecessarily told, the “world of Cars,” dreams of being a high-powered air racer, and by golly, if he's just true to himself and follows his dream, he can do it! Gag. Just shoot me. It’s hard to remember a more formulaic, autopilot-directed piece of kiddie crap. And then there’s the rampant cultural stereotyping. It gets worse. The main character in this toddler toon is voiced by slimeball comedian Dane Cook! What were they thinking? This soulless, non-Pixar, DisneyToon cash-grab seems more interested in creating toys than a memorable movie. I’ll skip the sequel. (92 min)

THE BEST OFFER

Guiseppe Tornatore (Cinema Paradiso) offers, in English, this love story, mystery, character study and thriller all wrapped up in surprises. A delightfully despicable Geoffrey Rush is a reclusive, misogynistic celebrity art auctioneer who’s not above undervaluing a piece and snapping it up for himself. His treasured, hidden art collection is all portraits of women. Bastardo! Then he is contacted by Claire (Dutch beauty Sylvia Hoeks), a severe agoraphobic who wants to sell a vast inherited collection, but refuses to be seen. He falls in love. Wheels within wheels. Also Donald Sutherland & Jim Sturgess. Japanese title: Kanteishi to Kao no Nai Irainin. (131 min)

THE SESSIONS

A 38-year-old polio-paralyzed Berkeley poet with a droll sense of humor decides that he wants to lose his virginity before he hits his “sell-by” date, and engages a sex therapist (Helen Hunt). This heartwarming film treats the subject of sex for the disabled with a rare explicitness and honesty, tenderness and humor. No emotional button-pushing. Hunt is at her most engaging, but the focus is on the versatile John Hawkes. Is this really the same actor who played the scary uncle in Winter’s Bone? William H. Macy’s Catholic confessor serves mainly to save us from a continuous expository voiceover. Just see it. (91 min)

NEW

GRAVITY I n a st u n n i n g update of t he classic shipwreck narrative, space-walking astronauts Sandra Bullock and George Clooney are literally knocked for a loop when space debris destroys their shuttle, the ISS and any means of returning to Earth. More Kubrick than Cameron, this weightless, true-science ballet from Alfonso Cuaron is elemental, immersive and awesome. It joins Avatar and Hugo in justifying the overused and abused 3D treatment. Yet as it floated toward its wildly improbable ending, I was torn between wanting more character development, so I could care, and a 2001-like minimalism. Big screen, please. Japanese title: Zero Gravity. (90 min)

THE BLING RING

Sofia Coppola’s social commentary, sort of, on today’s obsessive celebrity culture. Based on a real-life quartet of vapid, entitled L . A . h i g h-s cho ol g i rl s a nd a gay boy who would determine through social media when Paris, Lindsay, Miranda or Orlando would be away from home, break in and steal pretty things. While it’s nicely filmed and well acted, it soon grows repetitive. Its glaring drawback is having to spend an hour and a half in the presence of these useless, self-absorbed brats. It’s depressing. Interesting for a bit, but ultimately a narratively static satire as forgettable as its victims. (87 min)

RED 2

Unwarranted, inferior sequel seems unaware that it used up the novelty of gun-toting geezers in its trashy fun 2010 predecessor. A little of this stuff goes a long way. Actors Helen Mirren, John Ma lkov ich and Ma r y-Louise Parker again venture into Bruce Willis mindless movie-star land, this time pulling in Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Byung-hun Lee with them. I’d say its attitude toward copious minion-killing is rather blasé for a comedy, but that would imply that it’s funny. And save for a few zingers from John Malkovich’s LSD-addled former agent, it’s not, really. Japanese title: Red Returns. (112 min)

ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE: © 2013 WRONGWAY INC., RECORDED PICTURE COMPANY LTD., PANDORA FILM, LE PACTE &FALIRO HOUSE PRODUCTIONS LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.; CUTIE AND THE BOXER: © 2013 EX LION TAMER, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.; PLANES: ©2013 DISNEY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.; GRAVITY: © 2013 WARNER BROS.ENTERTAINMENT INC.; TWENTY FEET FROM STARDOM: © 2013 PROJECT B.S. LLC; THE BEST OFFER: ©2012 PACO CINEMATOGRAFICA SRL; THE BLING RING: ©2013 SOMEWHERE ELSE, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED; 47 RONIN: © UNIVERSAL PICTURES; THE SESSIONS: ©2012 TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX; RED 2: 2013 SUMMIT ENTERTAINMENT, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.; BLANCANIEVES: © 2012 CATTLEYA SRL – BABE FILMS SAS; BEAUTIFUL CREATURES: © 2013 ALCON ENTERTAINMENT, LLC.; CAPTAIN PHILLIPS: © 2013 COLUMBIA PICTURES INDUSTRIES, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.; PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER: ©2013 SUMMIT ENTERTAINMENT, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.; THE CALL: © 2013 EMERGENCY FILMS, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. EIGA: © 2013 ITO PLANET CO.,LTD; MOVIE NEWS: KEVIN MCGUE; CINEMATIC UNDERGROUND: © WHY NOT PRODUCTIONS.

BLANCANIEVES

I f yo u ’ r e u p fo r s o m e t h i n g completely different, try on this visually stunning, painstakingly crafted B&W silent movie from Spa i n , w r iter/d i re ctor Pablo Berger’s knowing riff on the Grimm boys’ Snow White. (A few dialogue cards in Spanish, but you can figure them out.) With its bullfighting motif, dark wit, and a kinky dominatrix of an evil stepmother, this magical, macabre, melancholy movie is definitely not for kids. (Toto, I don’t think we’re in Disneyland anymore.) I’d call the symphonically lush, flamenco-themed score intrusive if it didn’t work so perfectly in every scene. ¡Ole! (104 min)

BEAUTIFUL CREATURES

The clunky plot in this blatant, southern-fried Twilight cash-in clone has this literary jock kid falling for the new girl in school. It then transpires that she’s a witch, see, but we won’t know if she’ll be a light witch or a dark one until her approaching 16th birthday. Or something. Either the film doesn’t really grasp or can’t be bothered to explain its own pseudo-lore. What does it mean to be claimed by the dark? Pretty ho-hum stuff for non-target ‘tweeners. Fortunately, pedigreed Brit actors Jeremy Irons and Emma Thompson liven things up with their inspired, honey-dripped scenery-chewing. (125 min)

eiga

HAJIMARI MO OWARI MO NAI

Rob Schwartz

here is a long tradition of legendary and renowned butoh dancers doing feature film work in Japan, whether true to form or influenced by it. The dance form’s originator, Tatsumi Hijikata, appeared in numerous films, most notably Horrors of Malformed Men (1969). The other founder of the style, Kazuo Ono, did a whole series of dancecentric feature films using “Mr. O” in the title to refer to him such as Portrait of Mr. O (1969), Mandala of Mr. O (1971) and Mr. O’s Book of the Dead (1973). Since the early ’90s, creator, dancer and choreographer Akaji Maro has balanced running his Dairakudakan dance troupe with a burgeoning career as a film actor. Now, Min Tanaka has picked up the thread and appeared in Japanese films like Kyoto Uzumasa Monogatari (2010) and foreign films like Map of the Sounds of Tokyo, and the new release 47 Ronin (with Keanu Reeves). In Hajimari Mo Owari Mo Nai, Tanaka’s work is like an extended personal dance performance as he wanders through a postapocalyptic world of dying people, fire, ruins, rivers and cities. Wordless, the film’s visuals are arresting and his movement is as mesmerizing as ever. As danced-themed experimental films go, this is a powerhouse. (English title: No Beginning, No End; 95 min).

movie news CAPTAIN PHILLIPS

Paul Greengrass can craft incredibly suspenseful films around true incidents for which we already know the outcome. This you-are-there dramatization of the 2009 hijacking of an American freighter upends the conventional Hollywood idea of the action hero. Tom Hanks’ Captain Phillips is an everyman whose only weapons are guile and intelligence. The film focuses on the relationship between Phillips and the Somali pirate captain (a terrific Barkhad Abdi). In the transcendent final ten minutes, Phillips, safe at last, finally allows himself to react to four days of terror. Absolutely devastating. (134 min)

THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER

We’ve all seen too many sappy coming-of-age movies about fitting in and being yourself. But somehow this one from writer/ d i r e c to r S te p h e n C h b o s k y manages to take a fresh look at the positive aspects of being on the outside looking in. Charlie (Logan Lerman) is a troubled freshman who is befriended by a pair of perfectly happy senior-class outcasts (Ezra Miller & Emma Watson). Their older and artsier crowd adopts Charlie and helps him face down some dark, guilt-driven demons. This nuanced, unsentimental ode to the power of supportive friends is warm and wise, sad and amusing, and not at all unhip. Japanese title: Wallflower. (102 min)

THE CALL

Halle Berry’s a 911 operator already shaken by the recent death of a young kidnapped caller. She takes a call from a generally irritating Abigail Breslin, who’s been locked in the trunk of a car, likely by the same killer, and the game’s afoot. While Berry stays at her call-center post using only her professional smarts, this is a mildly effective suspense thriller. But then the filmmakers, unable to resist bringing their star into the action, blow the novelty of their own premise by having her leave her desk and go after the bad guy herself and it all devolves into insultingly stupid serial-killer drivel. Japanese title: The Call: Kinkyu Tsuhou Shirei Shitsu. (94 min)

he most in-demand Japanese actors—both at home and abroad—are Hiroyuki Sanada, Tadanobu Asano, Rinko Kikuchi and Ko Shibasaki. Considering their busy schedules, directors count themselves lucky to be able to cast any one of them. Carl Rinsch struck the jackpot, getting all four of them alongside Keanu Reeves for his directorial debut, 47 Ronin—yet another film adaptation of the historical tale of a band of samurai in the 18th century. “I am so proud of this cast,” Rinsch said during a recent visit to Tokyo for the film’s world premiere. “Our last press conference was in London, where I was introducing the Japanese actors. Now we are in Japan and I am the outsider. I can’t even find a bathroom in Japanese, so I think they were all so courageous to act in their second language.” The director also recalled an encounter with a stranger he met during an early research trip to Tokyo. Visiting the actual graves of the ronin at Sengakuji Temple, he struck up a conversation with a salaryman who had come to pay his respects during his lunch break. “He said he wanted to honor people who had worked to change Japan from within, even though other people thought they were crazy,” Rinsch said. “That is a quality we should still respect today.” 47 Ronin is now playing. Kevin Mcgue

cinematic underground

hanghai-based director Ye Lou ventures far from home with Love and Bruises (2011), the story of a chance meeting and steamy affair between a French student and a Chinese woman who has come to Paris to meet her boyfriend, only to get dumped and left with no place to go. Screening from December 21 at Uplink (37-8 Utagawa, Shibuyaku. www.uplink.co.jp)... To mark the bicentennial of Richard Wagner’s birth, Germany has rolled out another big-budget biopic of Ludwig II, who became the King of Bavaria and is remembered as an ardent supporter of the composer and a monarch with an eccentric streak. No fewer than eight films have been made about the mad king. Screening from December 21 at Yurakucho Subaru (1-10-1 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku; www.subaru-kougyou.jp/movies/)… Political thriller meets historical drama in Piazza Fontana: The Italian Conspiracy (2012), which recreates a 1969 bombing of a Milan bank and the ensuing anarchist witch hunt. At Cinemart Roppongi (3-8-15 Roppongi, Minato-ku; www.cinemart. co.jp/theater/roppongi) from December 21. KM

Unless noted, Japanese films screen without English subtitles. Non-English language films are shown with Japanese subtitles only. #1030 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP • 21

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Dining Out

local flavors

PHOTO BY KOHJI SHIIKI

‘Tis the season for local spirits By Yukari Sakamoto

PHOTO BY YUKARI SAKAMOTO

koshu production, and Grace Winery makes a few versions including the light-drinking Serena Koshu (¥1,500) or the richer Grace Koshu (¥3,00, www. grace-wine.com/f-english/english. html). The native distilled spirit of Japan, shochu, is made from a variety of base ingredients like imo (sweet potato), kome (rice) and mugi (wheat). Kuri (chestnuts) are in season at the moment, and the slightly sweet and ever-so-nutty kuri jochu is a festive drink. Dabada Hiburi (¥1,500, www.mutemuka.com), made in Kochi, is a popular chestnut shochu available around the city. The spirit is nice served on the rocks but also when served with hot water (diluted to about 50 percent). It quickly warms up the body and is a cozy treat after being out in the cold. Tantakatan (¥900, www.oenon.jp/product/shochu/tantakatan/) is made with minty shiso and is best on the rocks with water. PHOTO BY KOHJI SHIIKI

Where to shop for all these holiday tipples and toasts? Hasegawa Saketen (w w w.hasega wasaketen.com/shop_en.html), with shops in Azabu-Juban, Omotesando Hills and Tokyo Station, has a wide variety of sake and umeshu. Shochu Authority in Shiodome (www.caretta. jp/access/index.html) for the city’s biggest selection of its namesake. For Japanese wine, two shops in particular have a wide variety: Cave de Re-Lax (w w w.cavederelax.com/ shopbrand/021/X/) in Shimbashi and Jip Wine Bar and Wine Shop (http://jipwine. com/about) in Shinjuku. For convenience, department stores usually have a fine selection of all of the above. Be it bubbly or sweet, what better way to toast the New Year than with a local drink? PHOTO BY KOHJI SHIIKI

Honke Matsuura Shuzo in Tokushima prefecture has a Nigori Umeshu (¥1,500, www. shumurie.co.jp/liquor_nigori/nigoriumeshu.html) that tastes of crushed apricots. Made with honey, it’s best served on the rocks. Umenoyado Sake Brewer y in Nara makes both a rough-mashed Aragoshi Umeshu as well as an aromatic and refreshingly tart Yuzushu (both ¥1,400, http://umenoyado.com/en/cat/osake). Masumi Brewery also makes a sakebased Yuzushu (¥1,700, www.masumi. co.jp/yuzushu/) that could also be used as an aperitif or after-dinner drink. A surprising variety of Japanese wineries produce sparkling versions in an affordable price range, includi ng Ta keda Winer y San Soufre (¥1,600, http://bacc hu s. ne.jp/s/ kok u s a n / spa rk l i ng/ta keda _ sa n _ soufre_dela.html). Made f rom Delawa re g rapes, this is a fruit y and fun drink for the holidays. A rosé wine pairs well with vegetables and meat and Coco Farm and Winer y’s Coco Rosé (¥1,600, ht t p://cocow ineshop. c o m /S H OP/AC B - 2 39 2 . h t m l) is reminiscent of raspberries a nd st r aw ber r ies—a nd t he color brightens up any table. If you’re entertaining with Japanese food, a natural partner is the local white grape, koshu. Yamanashi Prefecture, just west of Tok yo, is renow ned for its COURTESY OF ICHINOKURA CO.,LTD.

PHOTO BY YUKARI SAKAMOTO

taying in Japan over the holidays? For entertaining friends—or just yourself—here are some local drinks to liven up any table. Sparkling sake is a great way to start off any night this holiday season. Some are exceedingly amai (sweet) while others are karakuchi (dry), so be sure to inquire before purchasing. Look for the nihonshudo (日本酒度), or Sake Meter Value, on the label. If it is a negative number, it’s sweet and the alcohol may be on the lighter side. While most sake is around 15-16% ABV, these may be as low as 4%—less than beer. The smaller bottles are better if you’re looking to do a toast and move onto something else, as the bubbles don’t usually last for long. Ichinokura, from Miyagi prefecture, makes the fruity and sparkling Suzune (¥750, w w w.ichinokura.co.jp/syohin/t/ suzune.html). Cloying and saccharine, the nihonshudo value is a whopping -90 (which is very rare). It’s also only 5% alcohol, making it perfect for a kampai. The slightly nigori (cloudy) sake should be turned ever so gently to incorporate the settled lees before opening. Ma su m i i n Naga no P refec t u re brew s t he wel l-ba la nced Masumi Spa rk ling (¥5,000; w w w.masu m i. co.jp/english/sparkling/) that has its second fermentation in t he bott le, like champagne, thus producing fine bubbles. It’s aged for a year, which also helps to round it out. Another great aperitif to start off any meal is umeshu, anzu or yuzushu, syrupy spirits made from plums, apricots or yuzu (Japanese citrus). Choya, an umeshu specialist, has its signature green bottle complete with plums inside that can be served with the drink. A unique treat is Choya’s Kokuto Umeshu (¥980, www.choya.com/products_03. html), made with brown sugar that’s dark in color and redolent of molasses. This is also lovely after soaking in the bath and just before bedtime.

PHOTO BY KOHJI SHIIKI

HOLIDAY DRINKS

#1030 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP • 23

BITES

Dining Out THE LATEST DISH ON FOOD & DRINK IN THE BIG CITY dining in

okyo-based Nippon Craft Beer is proving itself to be the little beer company that could. Founded at the end of 2011, it launched its first product, Kagua, the following year. Created in Japan and brewed in Belgium, this newcomer went on to win the 2013 Belgian Style Strong Beer Award at the Hong Kong International Beer Awards. That’s no small feat in a country where craft breweries are spreading like mushrooms. Now the company is following through with its promise to “deliver the best beer throughout the world” by expanding its distribution. Kagua Blanc (made with yuzu) and Rouge (made with sansho pepper) are now available at Yokohama Takashimaya and Seibu Ikebukuro, online from the company’s site and Amazon Japan (¥630 per 330ml bottle or ¥7,560 for a set of 12). For those flying home over the holidays, you can savor the brew on ANA first-class through the end of February. www.nipponcraftbeer.com

COURTESY OF UKOKOR

high-end brew

hile sushi is the quintessential Japanese dining ex perience, t he of ten tiny restaurants it’s served in are not always conducive to a party-like atmosphere. So if you can't get to the restaurant, bring the restaurant to you with Itamae Sushi’s delivery service. Any joint can send a bento to your address on a scooter, but Itamae is more of a catering service complete with sushi chef for your office or home party. The basic course (¥2,500 per person) is semi-omakase, with four cuts selected by the chef and the other four chosen by the diner. The luxury course (¥10,000) includes 11 varieties and side dishes. The minimum order is ¥50,000, but if you get enough coworkers to pitch in, you can turn your next office bash into something more than chu-hi and chips. http://itamae.co.jp

bottoms up

aving friends over to toast the New Year is great fun, but washing dishes with a hangover on January 1 isn’t. The problem is when you mix socializing with Moet, people tend to have one sip and lose track of their champagne flute. Every time they grab a fresh one, they add to your dish duty. Thankfully, Ukokor stops that before it happens with nicely designed glass markers (¥1,050 for sheet of nine). Just pop one of these on the stem or rim when you hand a guest their drink to make it special and easy to relocate. While such markers are nothing new, these have Japanese designs and the paper is made from stone, meaning they’re waterproof and reusable. You’ll never have to mark drinks with post-its and markers again. Available at select shops in Tokyo. www.ukokor.com

new york minute PHOTOS COURTESY OF 岸本吉二商店

smashing

ver been to a Japanese wedding and seen the bride and groom pound a huge barrel with a mallet? Kagami-biraki is a traditional ceremony that involves breaking the top of a sake cask at celebrations including housewarmings, groundbreaking ceremonies and the first working day of the year. The “kagami” doesn’t mean “mirror” as you may suspect, but the round lid of the barrel, which is symbolic of harmony. Komodaru makes the tradition fun and easy with its mini kagami-biraki sets (¥7,350) created by designers for New Year’s fetes. They come empty so you can fill them with sweets, party favors or even pop-up snakes. They make great omiyage, and the traditional looks means no wrapping necessary . www.meturl.com/ kagamibiraki

24 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP

here’s a new bakery in town, coming from one large fruit to another. The Big Apple’s popular City Bakery by chef and cookbook author Maury Rubin has opened not one but two locations in the Big Mikan, following the success of their first outpost in Osaka. The locations in Hiroo (5-24-1 Hiroo, Shibuya-ku. Tel: 03-64504440. Open daily 8am-8pm.) and Shinagawa (2F Shinagawa Atre, 2-18-1 Minato-Minami, Shinagawa-ku. Tel: 03-6717-0960. Open daily 8am-10pm.) are also based on the same model of the small town American bakery. Apparently the pretzel croissants are selling like, erm, hotcakes; so if you want real big city baked goods, you better get there—and quick. They also have breakfast sets (¥1,000), open-face sandwiches including prosciutto and eggplant (¥880) as well as exotic drinks like avocado and kale juices (¥680). www.thecitybakery.jp

king cakes

nyone who has ever been to France in the month of January has seen the galettes des rois that appear in the window of the country’s many bakeries. Now Le Pain de Joel Robuchon is offering messieurs and mesdames in Tokyo the chance to enjoy the delicious puff pastry and the nostalgic ritual that goes along with it. The almond cream filled pastries are available for pre-order and go on sale in all stores on December 26. King cakes are made to celebrate the Christian holiday of Epiphany on January 6, and contain fève, a small prize that brings luck to its finder for the whole year. Available in small (¥1,260) and large (¥2,625)—including fève— at the Ebisu, Shibuya Hikarie and Roppongi locations. www.robuchon.jp/lepain

The majority of classified ads have moved online!

NOTE: PRINTED CLASSIFIEDS!

CLASSIFIEDS

Metropolis and its subsequent Classifieds section are printed every other week. The upcoming publication dates and corresponding deadlines for print are as follows. This does not affect the online Classifieds, where ads are visible immediately after they are approved.

1 AT YOUR SERVICE 1.1 HEALTH

KIMISHIMA DENTAL OFFICE, MINAMI-AZABU, MINATO-KU, TOKYO. English-speaking dentist, 3min from Hiroo stn, specializing in both cosmetic a n d g e n e ra l d e n t i s t r y. State-of-the-art facility and friendly staff. Special offer for Metropolis readers: 30% off dental check-up. 03-6277-4217 http://kimi-dental-office.com/

in sports injuries, p o s t - o p e r a t i v e rehabilitation, back/neck pain, running related, headaches, orthotics, ergonomic consultations and women’s health. w w w.tokyophysio.com 03-3443-6769

taxi. English-speaking driver. Meet and greet. Free baby seat. Luggage assistance. Dependable-Safe-Easy-Quick Airport Transfer Service. BOOK NOW! Email Reservation@ To k yo A i r p o r t e r. c o m . www.tokyoairporter.com

A C U P U N C T U R E , SHIATSU, MOXIBUSTION. Profe s s ion al treatm e nts offered by licensed acupuncturist trained in China, Australia and Japan. Acupuncture is ef fective for backache, sore shoulders , sciatica , headache, stomach problems, depression, colds and flu, high blood pressure, insomnia. Phone Lynne at 090-54954936.

1.7 BUSINESS SERVICES

1.2 HAIR & BEAUTY SHIBAURA DENTAL CLINIC ENGLISH-SPEAKING DENTIST. General and cosmetic dental clinic. Dentist is a graduate of Harvard Dental School, with over 20 years’ experience with dental practices in the USA, Japan. Blue Shield, Japanese National Insurance accepted. 5min walk from J R Ta m a c h i s t n . O p e n M o n - S at . 03 - 5 4 4 2- 8 5 2 5 www.shibaura-dental.com/

O N LY C U T Z O N E s a l o n provides a hair cut service for only ¥1000. 5min walk from K i t a - S e n j u s t n . Fr i e n d l y English-speaking staf f is av a i l a b l e . C o n t a c t u s a t 03-3882-1550. Open from 10am until 7pm , 7 days a week. http://meturl.com/ onlycutzone

1.3 MOVING JAPAN’S MOST AFFORDABLE H E A LT H I N S U R A N C E . If you feel like you’re throwing money away on insurance, come on over to HealthOne and start saving today! Three-, six- and 12-month plans. Inpatient/outpatient coverage for illness and injury. Online enrollment; pay by credit card or at convenience s to r e s . w w w. h e a l t h o n e . jp info@healthone.jp 0503424-6713 NAKAMARU D ENTAL , LO C AT E D I N YOKOHAMA , provides g e n e r a l dentistry, esthetic dentistry, dental implants and orthodontics by a UCLA-trained and certified dentist. 30min from Shinagawa and Shibuya. nakamar-@ c a m e o . p l a l a . o r. j p w w w. nakamaru-dental.jp/ english/ 045-681-3359

SPORTS PHYSIOTHERAPY (physical therapy) c a r e i n H i r o o . Native Engli sh - speaking therapists specializing

LAW OFFICE IN KAWASAKI (next to Tokyo), member o f t h e Yo ko h a m a B a r Association. Legal service in English for traffic accidents, divorce, inheritance, bankruptcy, business cases (contracts, establishing a company, trademarks, etc.) and other legal problems. Email: web@smkw.biz http://www.sumikawa.net/ VISA COUNSELING: female immigration lawyer handles your visa case. Permanent residency, naturalization, e lig ib ilit y (invitin g your spouse/children/workers from your country), extension/change of visa status. Consultation ¥5000. OFFICE LIFE (Miho Fujibayashi). Te l : 0 9 0 - 8 3 3 0 - 0 6 7 0 Email: mailto@officelife.jp Website: http://officelife. jp/en/ CREATIVE SOLUTIONS. Specialists in branding, web design, photo/ vi d e o p ro d u c ti o n . D rawi n g A Crowd: a new approach in design. Get in touch. info@drawingacrowd. co

C H E A P E S T, Q U I C K E S T AND SAFEST! Transporter To k y o s u p p o r t s y o u r moving and delivers your stuff. Moving for singles or couples from ¥12 ,000. Delivery (furniture, motorbikes, etc.) from ¥7000. English, French and Japanese -speaking staf f available. Inquiries: info@transportertokyo.com www. transporter-tokyo. com/english/contact Te l : 0 3 - 6 7 1 5 - 9 3 9 1 F a x : 03-6715-9392 Address: 3-29-8 Nishi-Rokugo, Otaku, Tokyo

1.8 GENERAL SERVICES

SMILE STAND: Japan’s first and only stylish rental photo booth. An exciting addition to any party, event, etc., and the best way to get crazy, fabulous, professional photos. With this ad ¥55,000~. info@highland-tokyo.com https://vimeo.com/44976943 www.smile-stand.com

1.4 TRAVEL

N A R I TA A I R P O R T C A R / MINIVAN TRAN SFER SERVICE. Cheaper than a

THINKING ABOUT ADVERTISING WITH M ETRO P O LI S ? Platinum ¥28,928. Gold ¥23,940. Silver ¥18,953. Bronze ¥2000. Printed photos +¥2000/ photo. Prices are for one print issue, two weeks online. For details, contact commercial@ metropolis.co.jp.

classifieds.metropolis.co.jp

Issue 1035 Issue 1037 FRI, JAN 24

FRI, FEB 7

Deadline:

Jan 16, 3pm

Jan 30, 3pm three months ¥4950-/day. Tax, utilities included. frontdesk@ azabucour t .com www. azabucourt.com/ 03-3446-8610

LOVI N G BABY MA S SAG E . Teaching mothers, fathers and other family members professional baby massage and child yoga techniques from internationally acclaimed Peter Walker’s “Developmental Baby Massage” and “YogaGym”. E /J . P r i v a t e s e s s i o n s from ¥4000. Small groups from ¥3000. Four-session discount. Call Shino at 080-3362-0429 or email babymassage123@gmail. com. TO ADVERTISE IN METROPOLIS, log on at w w w. m etro p oli s .co. jp/ classifieds or email yo u r c o m m e r c i a l a d s t o commercial@metropolis. co.jp.

2 FIND A PLACE 2.1 GUESTHOUSE GREAT LOCATION & SUPER CLEAN. Private furnished rooms in Roppongi, Akasaka, Azabu-Juban and Minami-Shinagawa, all 2min from stn, ladies-only floor available, weekly cleaning service, free internet, aircon, fridge. From ¥49,000/m. No key money/guarantor/ agent fee. 090-2405-0022 mail@bauhousetokyo.com

C R E A T E G U E S T H O U S E provides clean, comfortable, reasonable rooms around central Tokyo and Saitama. No key money, agent fee, guarantor necessary. Rent includes all utility fees, as well as internet fees. Contact us a t 0 3 - 5 1 5 5 -7 7 8 1 . i n f o @ accommodation-japan.com www.create-gh.jp/

2.2 RENT UNDER ¥200,000

SAKURA HOUSE. Leading multilingual real e state age ncy in Tokyo s i n c e 1 9 9 2 . O ve r 1 6 0 0 furnished apartments a n d g u e s t /s h a r e h o u s e rooms, from ¥52,000/m, utilities included. No key money/guarantor/ agent fee. Contact us: 03-5330-5250 info @ sakura - house .com www.sakura-house.com

F O N TA N A , e s t a b l i s h e d over 30 years ago. With a wide range of location s at competitive prices, our apartments and guesthouses are some of the best. Let our international team find you the perfect p l a c e t o l i v e i n To k y o . fo n t a n a @ g o l . c o m w w w. TokyoCityApartments.net 03-3382-0151

I C H I I C O R P O R AT I O N . Over 600 affordable, quality-furnished apartments in central To k yo l o c a t i o n s . N o key m o n ey/g u a ra nto r/a g e nt fe e re quire d . N ew, clean apartments, simple contract system, full English support. Call us today! 03-5437-5233 www. japt.co.jp MODERN, BEAUTIFUL A N D F R I E N D LY S H A R E HOUSES IN CENTRAL TOKYO, featuring amenities such as a yoga studio, pool tables and private music rooms. All houses cleaned daily, onemonth contracts available, simple proce ss , with full English support. Call us at 03- 64 47-2201. info @ s h a re d e s i g n .co. j p w w w. sharetown.jp

P R I VAT E F U R N I S H E D A P A R T M E N T S . Odakyu line: MukogaokaYuen/Yomiuri-Land-Mae, 20/30min from Shinjuku. Keikyu line: Hatcho-Nawate, 15min from Shinagawa. 1K~2LDK ¥58,000/ m~¥120,000/m. Tel: 0449 3 3 -7 0 0 0 E m a i l : m h @ minowagroup.jp w w w. minowagroup.jp/ minowahomes

S E RVI C E D A PA RTM E NT S in a quiet residential area of Hiroo. Studios and suites. 4min from Hiroo stn. Rates: Daily ¥7800. Weekly ¥6850-/day. Monthly ¥5900-/day. Over

RO PP O N G I/K AM IYA- C H O, 5 5 s q m , d i r e c t f r o m o w n e r. Fourth-floor 1LDK+SIC, 2min from Roppongi-Itchome, 7min from Kamiyacho stn, brand-new interior, w/new furniture, two aircon, mist s a u n a , w a s h l e t ¥ 1 8 0 ,0 0 0/m . No agent fee, etc. Call Pham at 0 8 0 - 5 0 4 2- 8 5 97. p h a m 5 4 5 4 @ yahoo.co.jp VERY TIDY 100SQM HOUSE , MODERN AMENITIES: Jacuzzi, two washlet toilets, nice kitchen, roof BBQ, 10min walk from Minami-Senju stn (Metro, JR, Tsukuba Express), semi-furnished (if required), bright, am ple storage , s hop s nearby ¥120,000/m. maguroken@mac. com YOKOHAMA APARTMENT, NO KEY MONEY, NO AGENT FEE. Private one- room apartment, w/loft, small kitchen, unit bathroom, walking distance to Yayoidai stn, Sotetsu line, easy access to Yokohama and Totsuka stn ¥45,000. Private rental. robhoey.c17@gmail.com

2.3 RENT OVER ¥200,000

TO K YO A PA RT M E N T S . Corporate housing provider offering short and long-term a pa r tm e nts th roughout c e n t r a l To k y o . F u l l y customizable packages! Serviced, furnished and unfurnished apartments, relocation service, furniture rental, and property sale s and management . Please call 0120-957-520. www.tokyoapartments.jp

2.6 BUY/SELL PREMISES TIRED OF PAYIN G R E N T ? Minato Asset Management Co., Ltd. can help you find properties, get a mortgage, permanent visa, etc. Diversified income properties also available. m u k a i @ m i n a to - a m . c o m 090-4123-1025 03-557982779 www.realestate minato.com

Metropolis reserves the right to refuse, cancel or edit any ad without notice. Metropolis takes no responsibility for the quality of items or services advertised. Please carefully examine vendors or items offered before commitment. Please be careful when contacting and arranging to meet people.

Visit classifieds.metropolis.co.jp for complete listings.

#1030 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP • 25

Many more Classified ads online! Please visit classifieds.metropolis.co.jp

3 EDUCATION 3.1 JAPANESE SCHOOLS

someone teach me? I'll teach you J in return. Please send me a reply. rinayokoyama0919@gmail.com French and English. I am a Frenchman in Tokyo seeking a language exchange. I need to practice speaking. aloysius170@yahoo.fr French, English, Russian, Spanish, Japanese. Hello, I'm a Japanese man, 20s, living in Tokyo, seeking someone who I can practice E, Fr, Sp, Rus with. I'd be glad to help you improve your Japanese. Please feel free to contact me. zeno77dst@hotmail.com

ALPHA JAPANESE LANGUAGE INSTITUTE, established in 1987, with branches in Toranomon, Akasaka-Kioi a n d Yo ko h a m a . Va ri o u s Japanese classes, including business conversation, general Japanese and JLPT preparation; private, semiprivate, group, off-site, etc. Send inquiries to tokyo@ alpha.ac.jp. www.alpha.ac.jp/ japanese 03-3504-8080

3.5 LANGUAGE EXCHANGE Arabic, English, Japanese. I study E and Arabic. Let me practice expressing myself. It would be preferable to discuss social, cultural issues or the latest news. I'd love to help you with J near Tokyo stn or Yokohama. rskmrt@ gmail.com Deutsch und Japanisch. JM seeks language exchange with someone who can teach me Ger. I can teach you J in return. Prefer central Tokyo or Kanagawa. M/F ok. Native German speakers only. snowsurfsk8@yahoo. com English and Japanese. Japanese female, 33, seeks E/J language exchange in the Tokyo/Yokohama area. I really need to speak E! Help me! hana213@hotmail.com English and Japanese. UK male, 40, seeks language exchange. I can meet you in central Tokyo after work. stevendorrans@yahoo.com English and Japanese. Hi, I'm a JM, 23, seeking a language exchange partner in the Shinjuku area. I can help you with your Japanese! kgnshd8@ hotmail.co.jp English and Japanese. British man, Kanagawa or Tokyo, seeks Japanese for language exchange. Prefer educated partner. spk3005@i.softbank.jp English and Japanese. Japanese seeks friends from foreign countries between Soka and Takenozuka for language exchange, movies. Let's talk over coffee. Friendship only. No sexual emails, please. language_exchange3@ hotmail.com English and Japanese. Seeking language exchange in the Yokohama area. I am free most evenings and weekends. America kara kimashita. kanngoyer@yahoo.com English and Japanese. American guy, 30s, seeks language exchange with a native Japanese speaker. Just moved here and I don't speak J. Prefer Roppongi area if possible. I also speak Putonghua if you care to learn. rschwendeman@hotmail.com English and Japanese. Hello, I am a Japanese woman seeking a language exchange friend who is a native English speaker in the Machida area. tanatanayasu@jcom.home.ne.jp English and Japanese. Hello! I'm a JM college student living in Tokyo. I'd like to learn E seriously. I'm seeking someone who can teach me E. I can teach you J in return. muse4649_ot@ yahoo.co.jp English and Japanese. Hi, I am an Asian male, speak E fluently, need to learn J. If interested, please drop me a mail. Regards. shiploo2003@yahoo. com English, Japanese, French. Hi! I'm a JF, 24, living in Tokyo. I'd like to be able to speak E better. Would

26 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP

Spanish and English. I'd like to have a language exchange with Englishspeaking people. pronusprorsus@ yahoo.com

3.9 TEACH ME! Business Japanese teacher sought for weekly 90min lesson. Ideally somebody who has business experience and can conduct a lesson just in Japanese. Pay to be discussed. Free trial lesson required. cy.west@ marriott.com Expert C++ programmer. If you are an advanced C++ programmer, I need your help to trace a program flow. Can pay ¥3000 for two hours, plus coffee. Must be fluent in English or Japanese and must have master's/PhD in engineering or sciences. yatri_in_town@yahoo.co.jp Native English teacher sought to teach our 13-year-old son four times/ week. ¥3000/session. Location is near Sengoku, Komagome, Hon-Komagome stn. Please contact John. goljbil@ hotmail.com

4 HOUSEHOLD GOODS 4.1 FURNITURE & FITTINGS

Sayonara sale! Queen-sized bed, sofa, lamps, table, etc. Details, photos available. Motoyawata/Ichikawa-Ono/ Higashi-Matsudo. rajeshshanbhag5@ gmail.com 09098580062 Sayonara sale! Sanyo fridge/freezer ¥10,000. Vacuum ¥6000. Kitchen table ¥2000. Microwave/oven ¥8000. Bucket chairs ¥4000. Two electric fans ¥4000/both. Pick up only Meguro. galloway.james82@gmail.com

TV 46", Sharp Aquos LC-46GX4W, six y/o, w/surround sound, stand (40x45x140) ¥50,000/obo. Pick up Akasaka. kszemiako@aol.com

4.6 FOR KIDS Baby items. Baby walker and bouncer, clothes, toddler clothes. Make an offer. Pick up Minami-Senju. money@hpo.net Bathtub, Combi, clean, wellmaintained ¥2000. preetish19@ yahoo.com Child seat, as new, used only a few times ¥7000. mizi2005@hotmail.com Stroller, Aprica, stick, cobalt, as new, very clean ¥12,000. mizi2005@ hotmail.com Windbreaker, Puma, black, size 130cm, in good condition ¥1000. Pick up or chakubarai. Photo available. housetsu@gmail.com

4.7 FOR FREE Microwave, Haier, in perfect condition, hardly used. Pick up Kawasaki, 3min from JR stn. abeeesh@ gmail.com 09080867007 Various items. National fridge/ freezer, 404L; National washer, 6L; Daikin aircon. Pick up only Shinjuku-ku. bernjoyce@gmail.com 09040289154

Furniture sale! Kitchen cupboard, long mirror, ironing board, wooden table ¥10,000. Delivery possible. hatoh16@gmail.com

Various items. Ikea Agen chair, Pello armchair, Hemnes coffee table. Pick up Oji stn. benoit.castets@gmail.com

Table, sturdy, antique-like dark wood, w/two leather chairs ¥10,000. Delivery possible. hatoh16@gmail.com Table, dining, wooden, w/two chairs ¥5000. Delivery can be arranged. hatoh16@gmail.com

4.2 APPLIANCES Appliance sale! Hitachi washer/dryer, 10kg, two y/o. New ¥280,000. Sell ¥30,000. Mitsubishi fridge, 400L, fivedoor, w/ice maker ¥25,000. National microwave/baking oven, w/grill ¥7000. alone.in.the.world.5656@gmail.com Fridge/freezer, Sanyo, big enough for two people ¥10,000. Pick up only Meguro. Photos available. galloway. james82@gmail.com Heater, gas fan, Tokyo Gas, two available (one small, one big), both as new. Small ¥6000. Big ¥11,000. Free delivery/shipping possible if nearby. mizi2005@hotmail.com Microwave ¥8000. Pick up only Meguro. galloway.james82@gmail.com

4.3 SAYONARA SALE Sayonara sale! TV, washer, air purifier, humidifier, guitar, gas stove, kettles, etc., in good condition ¥1000-¥4000. Pick up Sasazuka stn. pierrelabeyrie@ yahoo.fr http://sugoigringo1.wix.com/ sayonara-sales Sayonara sale! Skis, boots, poles, ski wear, baby seat, violin, doll house, homeschooling Lifepac, roller skates. Photos available. Pick up Hirano, Koto-ku. zhaoan@yahoo.com Sayonara sale! Sofa, full-sized mattress, small fridge, washer, microwave, toaster oven, desk, desk chair, shelves, glass coffee table. adiosandsayonara@gmail.com

03-4588-2277

4.4 TV & HOME THEATER Flatscreen TV, Pioneer (110cm). Best offer. Delivery possible. hatoh16@ gmail.com

Bed, w/mattress (200x125x50) ¥2000. Pick up around Kyodo, Odakyu line or Sakura-Josui, Keio line. vags@hotmail. fr

Table, wooden (H70xL90xW60cm) ¥1000. Pick up near Gotanda stn. vandley.industries@gmail.com

JOBS

To advertise: commercial@metropolis.co.jp

5 HOBBIES&INTERESTS 5.1 CAMERAS DSLR, Canon 7D, w/25-250mm and 70-300mm lenses, Pelican case, two LED lights, adjustable range flash, three batteries, vertical grip, re-chargeable batteries, cleaning tools ¥125,000. solabang@gmail.com DSLR, Nikon D80, w/18-200mm(VRII), 35mm/f1.8, SB-400, SB700, in very good condition, original boxes, accessories, manuals. New ¥192,000. Sell ¥70,000. Higashi-Nakano. rory@ amber.plala.or.jp

5.2 SPORTS EQUIPMENT Bindings, snowboard, K2, for beginners, 4x4, cap toe strap, women's size 6-10/men's size 5-8 ¥1000. Pick up near Yokohama. sayonara_vancouver@ hotmail.com Punching bag, good for ages 14-18 ¥5000. Can deliver within Tokyo. hatoh16@gmail.com Snowboard set. Liquid Twin 152 snowboard; Preston EX bindings; Burton Preston boots, size 9.5; bag; in good condition. takeshimitsuda@ gmail.com

5.4 BOOKS/CD/DVD DVDs, original, in original packaging, all in excellent condition ¥250/each. Buy four or more and get a discount. Meet within Yamanote line. List available. grabthebrassring71@yahoo. com E-reader, Kobo Touch N905 KJP, never used, holds 1000 books. New ¥6380. Sell ¥3480. airimiyamoto0824@gmail.com To advertise in Metropolis, Japan’s No.1 English magazine, log on at www.metropolis.co.jp/classifieds or email your commercial ads to commercial@metropolis.co.jp.

COCO JUKU, an expanding English school, seeks native English instructors with experience. Full-time ¥2 50,000 ~¥265,000/m . Part-time ¥1800~¥2100/h (teaching wage). Labor union membership, sponsorship available. B.A./B.S. required; TEFL, CELTA, TESOL desired. Email CV/cover letter to coco-apps@nichiigakkan. co.jp. I N T E R N AT I O N A L H O S T E S S E S WA N T E D , f u n a n d easygoing, with proper visa . Top - quality karaoke sound system and stage, 1min from Nishi-Kasai stn,Tozai line. Daily pay, plus drink back. No tax! Tel: 03-5696-5397 or 080-3504-9474. E m a i l : liza@stardustjapan .com Website: www.stardustjapan.com ADMIN INTERN. Metropolis is seeking an E/J bilingual intern for general admin duties, editing, and various other tasks. Students welcome. No pay, but transportation provided. Great chance to gain experience in an international environment. jobs@metropolis.co.jp METROPOLIS is seeking E/J bilingual sales executives. Base salary and attractive commissions. Experience preferred. Send E/J resume to jobs@metropolis.co.jp. http://metropolis.co.jp/jobs/

7 GENERAL 7.1 PHONES iPhone 4 8GB, white, locked to SoftBank, in excellent condition, screen protector and case from day one, w/box and USB cable, no earphones or charger ¥8000. Firm. Can ship for approximately ¥500. rstones7@yahoo.com.au Mobile phone, SoftBank 740SC handset (to be used w/SoftBank pre-paid card), w/charger ¥2000. kszemiako@aol.com Smartphone, Fujitsu F02E, 5" screen, Android 4.12, bought '13, 16-megapixel camera, Mezamashi Alarm, electronic money, TV, waterproof, as new, hardly used ¥30,000/obo. B-mobile LTE network from ¥1000/m. Details available. wasabichris@gmail.com Watch phone, stand-alone, 1.3" touch screen, 3G+ connectivity, video call, Bluetooth, MP3, voice recognition, three y/o ¥20,000. gewatson@gmail. com 08056842220

LEAPFORCE AT-HOME INDEPENDENT AGENT - JAPANESE (JAPAN). Leapforce is seeking highly educated individuals for an exciting work-from-home opportunity. This position is re stricte d to current residents of Japan. To apply: www. leapforceathome.com/qrp/public/ job/33 FORE IGN AN D JAPAN E S E CAFE STAFF WANTE D. LD&K Inc . will open a new cafe in Udagawa, Shibuya at the end of Nov. We are seeking friendly, music-loving E/J speakers for the bar, kitchen and hall. Shift work paid at ¥1000 -¥1400/h , depending on experience. Transportation and staff meal provided. Valid visa required. Please contact kawaguchi@ldandk.com. http://www.udagawacafe.com/ N Y B AY R O P P O N G I i s s e e k i n g energetic young staff (hall, security; experienced bartender and kitchen staff) ¥1000~¥1500/h. Proper visa required. Business hours: 8pm-5am. Te l : 080 - 5478 -3040 ( a ny t i m e ) ; 03-6804-3277 (8pm-5am) Website: http://nybay.jp J A PA N PA R T N E R S H I P I N C . I S S E E K I N G W R I T E R S to c o n d u c t interviews in Japanese and write accompanying articles in English. Three-month project (Jan-March). Send CV, with a writing sample, to jobs@ metropolis.co.jp.

7.4 ITEMS WANTED Bicycle, w/basket, under ¥6000. judoguy626@yahoo.com

10.2 SUPPORT

Pre-paid phone, w/SIM card, will pay ¥3000. judoguy626@yahoo.com Vinyl records, LP collections. Japanese-pressed LPs, EPs and singles from the '60s, '70s, etc., any genre considered. Will pay cash for quality items. brian.greenough@jcom.home.ne.jp

8 COMPUTERS 8.2 HARDWARE Desktop, great for gaming, full HD video editing, printer, monitor, network card, Quadcore 3.4GHz, 16GB RAM, 1TB HD, ATI HD5770 grfx card, Bluray burner ¥70,000. Pick up Hachioji. hachiojisayonara@gmail.com iPad 4 64GB, black, no scratches, in great condition ¥35,000. Ebina, Kanagawa. splendidham@gmail.com 08041178302

Boots, women's, brand new, made in US, size Japan 22 ¥3000. hatoh16@ gmail.com 080-6553-6819

Keyboard, wireless, 2.4GHz, w/ trackball mouse, function keys for music player, volume, etc., good grip for use without table, in good condition ¥3000. Pick up Sangenjaya or Shibuya. japanjohan@yahoo.co.jp

Raincoat, Cecilene, size M, ivory ¥1000. Pick up or chakubarai. Photos available. housetsu@gmail.com

Tablet, Sony Xperia Z 32GB, Wi-Fi, six m/o, w/original Sony leather cover ¥43,000. mishraearly@gmail.com

7.2 FASHION

10 HELP!

N E E D T O TA L K ? W e ’ r e h e r e to listen. TELL LIFELINE: free, anonymous English counseling daily from 9am-11pm by trained vo l u n te e r s : 03 - 57 74 - 0 9 92 . TELL COUNSELING: affordable multilingual p syc h oth e rapy by acc re dite d Western-trained professionals, a CIGNA International Provider: 03-4550-1146. TELL website: www. telljp.com. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter @TokyoLifeLine.

THE JAPAN HELPLINE, 24 hours a d ay, fro m a ny wh e re , a b out a ny t h i n g . Fro m e m e rg e n c y assistance to simple questions. Visit www.jhelp.com/ and press “ he lp,” or call 0 570 - 0 0 0 -911. To volunteer or support, please contact team@jhelp.com. www. jhelp.com/

WEST PAPUA: ONE SOUL , ONE PEOPLE. Fifty years ago, West Papua should have been an independent country. Since 1969, West Papua has been invaded and the people robbed of their rights, culture and country. Help support West Papuans’ desire to be free. http://tapol.gn.apc.org/ davidhalpern@7ymail.com ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS TOKYO. If you have a problem with drinking, we can help. English-speaking m e e t i n g s d a i ly. 03 -3 97 1 -147 1 inquiries@aatokyo.org http:// aatokyo.org Infertlity support group. TTC Tokyo is an infertility support group that provides informal opportunities for women and men experiencing infertility to connect with one another. Please visit website for more info. admin@ttctokyo.org www.ttctokyo. org/

13 CLUBS & INTERESTS

yourself a quality player, please drop us a note. bfcvagabonds@gmail.com

13.1 SPORTS

Tennis in central Tokyo! Active international group of tennis friends in central Tokyo welcomes new players. We play on weekday evenings and weekends. Different levels, fun workouts with coach, great people! Motivated players preferred. tennis. tokyo@yahoo.fr

AMERICAN FOOTBALL . Nihon Unisys Bulls, X league C e n t ra l D i v i s i o n , s e e k s fit players w/ US college football experience for all positions. Practice every S at /S un from 10a m -3 p m (including meeting) in To k y o / S a i t a m a ( t i m e & venue subject to change). Attendance at practice must be over 60%. Please contact for tryout info and send your profile to team admin. bullsxleague@gmail.com http://www.unisys .co.jp/ football/

11 MESSAGES 11.1 PERSONAL MESSAGES CLUB 360 PERSONAL TRAINING, physical therapy, fitness classes, massage. Large, modern facility just 3min walk from Roppongi Hills, with experienced trainers and therapists. For all your fitness and rehabilitation needs, contact us! info@ club360.jp www.club360.jp 03-6434-9667 H A P P Y B I R T H D AY D A D ! Thanks for being my inspiration and one of the most supportive people in my life. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for you. You really are my hero. LOVE YOU. Your daughter, Lulu.

12 SOCIAL SCENE 12.1 LET’S PARTY

JAPAN I NTE R NATI O NAL CHRI STMAS PARTY. Sat , D e c 21 , 6 : 3 0 - 9 p m , D evi Fusion (Roppongi). Japan’s biggest international party. 250 people expected. Allyo u - c a n - d ri n k a n d fre e snacks. Japanese men: ¥4 0 0 0. O t h e r s : ¥ 3 0 0 0. Mobile: http://getyourfriend. com/mobile/ jiparty@ hotmail.com 090-1735-5405 http://www.getyourfriend. com/

J O I N T H E B I G G E S T, B E S T, M O S T P O P U L A R INTERNATIONAL PARTY! Great people, drinks and food! Meet new friend s and party with nice people in a friendly atmosphere. Events in Tokyo (Ginza , Azabu, Roppongi) and Osaka. ¥1500-¥2000. http://english.gaitomo.com/ info@gaitomo.com

ALL-NATIONALITY TOUCH FOOTBALL. Non-contact tag rugby (OZ tag) and Rugby League players. We play every Sat from 10am in Tatsumi. M/F and beginners welcome! Good exercise and fun! Many other activities, such as BBQs and drinking parties! Email for details. tokyorugbyleague@ hotmail.com http://ameblo. jp/tokyo13warriors AMATEUR RUGBY LEAGUE PLAYERS . Japan ANZAC S Rugby League team is seeking Rugby League players for J a p a n e s e Ru g by Le a g u e official games from Apr to S e p. Eve r yo n e we lco m e . Contact for more details. japananzacs@gmail.com PLAY RUGBY. The Tokyo Crusaders are a friendly but keen international rugby club. Devoted to the game and its social side, the “Cru” welcomes all players and supporters. Established in 1990, the Cru plays in the Shuto League 1st Division. http://www.facebook.com/tokyo. crusaders www.tokyocrusaders. com TA M B O U R E L L I . U n i q u e n e w s p o r t fro m S cotla n d . U s in g a tambourine-like instrument as a racquet, players hit a shuttlecock. We play two or three times/month on weekends in Meguro with many socials. Join us! More details: www. tamjapan.org/en/ info@tamjapan. org Futsal team. Interested in futsal on weekends in Tokyo? Please introduce yourself (age, nationality, where you live, whether you belong to another team). umek2002jp@yahoo.co.jp Jogging Yokosuka. SJM seeking friends to jog 3-5km in Yokosuka, mornings preferred, but depending on the day, other times could work, too. ジョギング仲間募集横須賀. elsalvadorjapan@yahoo.es Quality football. Interested in playing football at the weekend and training midweek? Want to enjoy a few beers after a good run out? If you consider

Women's football club. Five-aside, 11-a-side, on grass fields. Two or three practices/matches on Sun. All nationalities, experience levels, beginners welcome. Happy and friendly club! We have many socials. djnorio@hotmail.co.jp

13.2 LEISURE MCARTHUR HEIGHTS. Take a break where General Douglas McArthur did! One hour from Tokyo by car or direct train. Beautiful cabins on the ocean, w/onsen, beach, shopping. mcarthurheights@yahoo. com ThrowBack - gaming in Tokyo. Up for 8bit of gaming nostalgia? Super hangouts held fortnightly at arcades around Tokyo. Games followed by drinks and gaming chat old and new. Drop us a line for more info. m_ hemingway@ymail.com

13.4 MUSIC Chorus singer/instrumentalist sought. Cover band, currently fourpiece including female lead vocals, guitar, bass and drums, is seeking an additional member. Ideally, female who can sing good vocal harmonies and play guitar or keyboard. bassplayerintokyo@gmail.com Musician wanted to play northern European/Scandinavian music together. Especially violinists, accordionist, cellist wanted. Rehearse a couple of times/month in Nakano. unicornio@nifty.com You're right - we can play the guitar and sing songs! Seeking singer or singer/songwriter. I'm a Japanese guitarist. I play electric and acoustic guitar. Beginners welcome. Gigs in Tokyo. Pop, rock, punk. kamikaze_ vibe@hotmail.com

14 PERSONALS 14.1 FRIENDS Costco friends. 横浜金沢シーサイド. Are you a member of Costco Kanazawa Seaside who goes to shop sometimes? Japanese male, fluent in English/ Spanish, wants someone with whom to enjoy shopping, chatting or jogging. elsalvadorjapan@yahoo.es Infidelity issues? A marrie d Japanese woman is seeking someone who has found out about his/her spouse's infidelity. I'd like to exchange emails with people who have had a similar experience. applehsmith@ gmail.com Jogging friends around Matsudo. Hello, I am seeking a friend to jog with around Matsudo. I am a cool black dude from the USA. I have lots of time in the evening. Just drop me an email. dkissboy@yahoo.com New friends. I am a Russian female, 27, living in Tokyo, married, with a young baby, seeking new friends who could meet up sometimes for tea and a chat. Prefer similar age and situation. Females only. positve@ hotmail.com Solo snowboarder. Canadian guy, 29, seeks other experienced snowboarders to go riding with. M/F ok. togoshiblue@yahoo.com

14.2 MEN LOOKING FOR WOMEN SUBMISIVE SJM, 35, cute, is seriously seeking a woman who is into, or interested in, dominating men. I am so submissive, with seven years’ experience, that I am happy to take whatever and serve you in any way. slaveintokyo@gmail.com #1030 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP • 27

Many more Classified ads online! Please visit classifieds.metropolis.co.jp

14.5 ESCORTS

彼女探しています。H i ! I a m a 29-year-old guy seeking someone under 29 for a serious relationship. I can speak Japanese quite well and have a Line account. Waiting for your mail. uniman@gmail.com

Any truly friendly ladies? I am a black guy, 30, social and outspoken, easygoing, down-to-earth, take things slow, ready to become good friends. Just send me a message. dkissboy@ yahoo.com Attractive, cute and gentle SJM seeking foreign female. Let's enjoy new experiences and feel happier together. Nonsmoker preferred. Waiting for your response! Let's start with dialogue. lifegoes2012@mail.goo.ne.jp Basic English ok. Englishman, 32, seeks Japanese woman. I don't mind if you are younger or older. Basic English is ok - I am sure we can communicate. My favorite film is Love Actually. What's your favorite film? mat.sens@ gmail.com Bigger is better! Do you think bigger is better? I'm Canadian, white, goodlooking. Most importantly, I am very well-endowed. Please be a nonsmoker, 24-37. big22cmlong@yahoo.com Casual dating partner sought by fit salaryman, mid-30s, for dates around Tokyo stn. 910gai@gmail.com European woman wanted for hanging out. Yup, that's right! I am seeking a European woman to spend some time with, have a glass of wine with, whatever. Me: white European guy, 178cm, blond hair, blue eyes. togoshiblue@yahoo.com

Meiji Dori Shibuya Station

Handsome Japanese guy seeks European girlfriend. I'm 39, 173cm, well-built, born, raised and still living in central/northern Tokyo. I'm very warm, generous and rich. I like photography, collecting things, cooking, gourmet food, driving, cycling, sports, animals, music, etc. seven8877@hotmail.com

Meijijingumae Station

Italian boyfriend. Open-minded lady sought by an Italian executive working in central Tokyo. I'm good-looking and love wine. You won't be disappointed! gioochan@libero.it Let it all hang out. I'm an Englishman, 50, not seeking a wife. But I do love women - very much so. If you want to let it all hang out with me, please respond. marzipanzzz@gmail.com

Don't waste time and money

on so-so dental care.

Slightly dangerous SWM, tall, fit, athletic and good-looking, with bad-boy streak, seeks very slender, attractive JF "good girl" for an adventure of a lifetime! Thrills, chills and lots of romance and love only two can have! nightwatchblue@gmail.com

Invest in the best.Your teeth deserve it.

SWM seeks art gallery companion. Intelligent, kind and handsome face, early 40s, seeks pretty Japanese woman, 28-43, for cafes, art galleries, shopping, Kamakura, etc. 少し日本語を話すことができる｡ deanpitt@hotmail.com

3-2-1 Mita, Minato-ku, Tokyo Clinic hours: 11:00 am - 8:00 pm Closed: Thu, Sun and National Holidays

03-6435-0993

Located directly across the street from the main gate of Keio University

University girl? I'm a Canadian guy seeking a university girl (or under 25) for a serious relationship. Nonsmokers, please. minamibluesea@yahoo.com Why do women always want to have sex with me? Can't they love me for my mind? Tall, blue eyes, blond, UK. tall184+datcan@gmail.com

14.3 WOMEN LOOKING FOR MEN

JAPANESE WOMEN SEEK MEN for serious relationships possibly leading to marriage. Confidential & affordable, since 1994. Contact TMA for free pamphlet in English or Japanese. tma@mxa.mesh. ne.jp http://tma-marriage. com 0120-937-909

L AV I S H DAT E S A N D INDULGENT NIGHTS - WE CREATE OPPORTUNITIES for elite foreign males to meet elegant Japanese females. Start with a luxurious dinner date,take the night where yo u wa nt it to g o. Fre s h , young women join our club every day. Try our free onemonth trial offer: first date is on us! 0120-675-858 (E) international@universe club.jp http://universe-club. jp/en Discovery and adventure. Seeking a SWM who is playful and curious, has a passion for life, and a great, powerful energy. We could begin new journeys together. Long-term preferred. Me: SJF, 40, passionate, c l a s s y, ro m a n t i c . re a c h _ t h e _ stars_101@yahoo.com Long-term. Aren't Mother Teresa's words inspiring? I really like her words and vision of humanity. If you like them, too, then I think we could be very good and sincere friends. I need a sincere guy. mhih999@gmail.com Man who doesn't play with others' feelings. Attractive, slender, sincere, feminine SJF, 56, lovely young looks and heart, seeks nonsmoking professional WM, sincere, cheerful, affectionate, for marriage. I like travel, hiking, dining out. Only serious replies, w/photo. innocentlily@mail. goo.ne.jp Sharing joy. Woman, lover of art, nature, interesting conversations, seeks a partner for sharing love and life as best friends and lovers in a long-lasting relationship. Smart and caring European preferred. Attractive and feminine, 40s. before_ sunrise_2009@yahoo.co.jp Woman. Natural and different. Single Japanese woman, 40+, attractive and cultured, seeks a partner. Friendship first. Single men only, please. sputnik_sweetheart19@ yahoo.co.jp

14.4 GAY & LESBIAN Cozy fun. Japanese, 5’7”, 145lbs, smooth body, into kissing, cuddling, hugging, etc., living alone in Tokyo. Feel free to make contact. Please reply with face shot and I’ll send mine. urbanpado@outlook.jp European man, 40s, fit, good-looking, seeking hot encounter. Mature a plus. run125@hotmail.com

SINGLE? Then this is for you. Singles-only dating parties every Fri night for foreign men and Japanese women. Leave the event with a new date! Always more women than men. FREE if signing up in advance! Otherwise, ¥2000. info@exeointernational.com 28 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP

AT KAGAYAKI DELIVERY H EALTH , beautiful w o m e n are just a phone call away. Wit h the large st number of registered companions, lovely ladies are available to you 24h/day, 365 days/year. Japan’s best, our companions include porn stars, former celebrities, models and more! www.dkagayaki.com/en/top.html kagayakilove@yahoo.co.jp 03-5155-3302 *Please speak English slowly.

FOREIGNER-FRIENDLY, 100% LEGAL OUTCALL ESCORT AGENCY. Erotic full-body oil massage using Japanese rejuvenation methods i s a u n i q u e co m b i n ati o n o f s e n s u a l a n d b o d y- to body techniques. Sensual massage-trained Japanese female s ONLY. No sexual diseases, modification pictures. BRANCHES: Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto, To k y o , C h u b u , K a n s a i , Chushikoku, Kyushu. Call 0 6 - 6 6 4 3 -1 2 8 1 ( E n g l i s h ). Business hours: 9am-5am Email: front@tomato-club.net Info: www.erotic-massagejapan.com

JAPAN’S COMPLETE ADULT NIGHTLIFE GUIDE FOR FOREIGNERS! Having trouble finding a Japanese girl for fun? Com e to ht tp : // erolin.net and check all possible clubs a n d e s co r t s fo r foreigners! When you visit, don’t forget to m e n t i o n “ Ero l i n G u i d e ” ! info@erolin.net ASIAN MYSTIQUE E S C O R T S p r ov i d e s g i r l next-door type escorts for your girlfriend experience in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Fu ku o k a . S e x y, f r i e n d l y Japanese escorts provide the fun, professional staff provide peace of m i n d . O p e n 2 4 / 7, s a m e day orders welcome. asianmystiquejp@yahoo. co.jp www.asianmystique. com 080-5454-9795

14.6 AND OTHERS

GAM in Tokyo, 173, 68, 37, into movies, onsen, traveling, badminton, sign language, violin, aikido. Drop me a line if you are interested in something serious and long-term. Seeking good friends, preferably boyfriend. cynopterustay@hotmail.com JM seeking friendship/relationship. JM, early 30s, athletic, straight-acting, laid-back, seeking friendship leading to a relationship. Love traveling, photography, various sports, meeting new people. Seeking someone around my age. Thanks. light_draws_near@ yahoo.co.jp

L i k e a n i m a l s d o . Yo u know what I mean, right? pronusprorsus@yahoo.com Nylon fetish friends. I am a happy, fun, fit SCM who loves fine food, travel, nylons and glamorous legs. Fun fetish anyone? biggerfranchises@aol.com

Horoscope BY CATHRYN MOE ♥ Love ¥ Money ♣ Luck

ARIES

TAURUS

Some people have all the luck. And that means you. Yes, Venus does move retrograde on Saturday as the Winter Solstice arrives. But Mars, your ruler, energizes you and your relationship with balance and force on Tuesday and Wednesday. Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, you may just feel that a star has lit up your sky. Certainly be ready to make changes. You may meet someone if you’re single.

Cracks in the cloak of your subconscious mind break open with bright sunsets and new developments. Uranus opposes Mars exactly on Tuesday and Wednesday. You can see what you want and what has to be done to get it. The Winter Solstice is also a time of luck for you. You can make a wish in the old style tradition. Speaking up will work wonders. Don’t hold back when you feel the love, it’s Christmas.

GEMINI

CANCER

The Winter Solstice is a perfect time for you to break through old energies. Meaning too many ways of thinking that stop you from reaching your dreams. There are so many beautiful flows at the moment, designed to uplift and nurture you. Some may think Venus retrograde the same day will slow it down, but that’s not true. A heightened heart vibration this time of year brings love to the surface.

The Winter Solstice brings in the stability that keeps Cancer secure. Venus moves retrograde the same day. Not to worry. This goddess of love and luxury is just using this time to unravel the strings you’ve been tripping over. Then you can move happily to your destination where love embraces you. The best part of Tuesday and Wednesday is the heightened knowledge that dreams are part of your destination.

LEO

VIRGO

The Winter Solstice allows you to find the sun where it always is – in your heart. Thus, this time of year you find it to be even moreso a part of your thoughts and actions. Energies flow in different directions, bringing optimism and more self-love than you know what to do with. Let yourself feel every part of this to infuse the strength that has always been yours – even if Venus did just move retrograde!

Pallas Athene in Virgo ensures you’ll be approaching your life in an unconventional way. The Winter Solstice is traditionally a time of strengthening for you. With Venus moving retrograde the same day, you may wonder what’s up. It’s important to keep readjusting your internal compass to follow where you want to be. Don’t let the currents pull you out to sea. Your desires deserve to be fulfilled.

LIBRA

SCORPIO

Truly the breakthroughs you’re making are supercool. With Uranus opposite Libra in your house of relationships, you can’t keep holding partners responsible for how you feel or for decisions you’ve made. Projecting onto them and then reacting isn’t working anymore. This is freedom in its highest form. The Winter Solstice combines with Venus retrograde. Be your own beautiful self and see what you attract.

The Winter Solstice and Venus retrograde collide on Saturday. That’s not to say there are shadows everywhere you look. It’s more like Venus stuck around to make sure everything is lovely as she wouldn’t have it any other way. The grounding that has been so hard to create seems to be showing up where and with whom you least expect. Tuesday and Wednesday, Mars opposite Uranus brings a surprise.

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

The Winter Solstice strengthens your roots and gives you breathing space. Venus retrograde the same day is more about getting your hair cut or returning an outfit for a better one than having your heart broken. You really can’t help being at the top of the popularity list. Uranus, hot in Aries, trines your fire sign and tops it off with a dollop of Mars in lovely relationship-loving Libra on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Things have been a challenge, most of all, for Capricorns. That’s because your strengths and sense of self come from the security of tradition while building for longevity. With Pluto, it’s a generational shift that may have seemed like a tug-of-war. Then along comes the Winter Solstice, sharing the day with Venus retrograde, and it’s all over. You know that love is everything and more. Welcome to your brand new self. Happy Birthday, too!

March 20, 21~April 19, 20 ♥♥♥ ¥¥ ♣♣♣♣

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ine

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The Last Word

Want to have The Last Word? Send your article to: editor@metropolis.co.jp

THIS IS A CALL

CHRISTI ROCHIN

Tohoku aid comes full circle By Amya Miller

Amya Miller is the executive director of Vigor Japan, a company assisting various post–3/11 Tohoku towns as well as director of global PR for the city of Rikuzentakata

“

I’m st ill atoning,” s a y s Ta k a y u k i Niinuma. This is the man who gave up his possessions and underground Kabukicho life to head back to Ofunato after the earthquake and take care of his family—a wife and child he had been living apart from for six years [w w w.meturl.com/badass]. He also threw himself into bringing light—literally—to those throughout Tohoku who 18-months post-disaster still had no electricity, installing solar panels in homes and community centers. “I’ve got a long way to go before I can forgive myself for the crap I did.” When the tornadoes hit Chiba and Saitama this past July, Taka hit the road, driving through the night to find those who needed help. “I get it,” he tells me. “I get their pain. I know what it’s like to lose

everything. This is also a way for me to say ‘thanks’ to those who helped us after the disaster that hit us. We need to start giving back. The only way I can do that is to show up.” Taka’s desire to offer assistance and express gratitude is not limited to Japan. “We got all this aid from people everywhere. I should go help them if they need it, wherever they are.” Long ago, Taka and I had the discussion about how most immigration officials overseas would take one look at his tattoos and refuse him entry. “I’d get stuck in one of those small interrogation rooms, foreign cops tr y ing to get me to say I’m a yakuza guy when I’m not. I’m inked, yeah, but I’m not one of

WE NEED TO START GIVING BACK. THE ONLY WAY I CAN DO THAT IS TO SHOW UP.” them.” He laughs and I join in, but it’s not funny. He was on the road again when the typhoon struck the outskirts of Kyoto. “I’m going to keep doing this,” he wrote on his Facebook wall. “I’m serious. I’m all in. This is the only way I know how to say thanks and help others at the same time.” He’s connected with others doing similar work, and he’s proud he’s not the only one from Tohoku who shows

up at disaster sites. “If it were just me and a few other people who showed up to do what the locals need done and say thanks for the support they gave us—I’d be pretty pissed. That’s not the case. I’m not alone. Tohoku is filled with people who want to give back.” One post on Taka’s Facebook wall last week made me scroll up and read it again. I pulled out my glasses to be sure I wasn’t misreading. “We received a call from a local family,” he begins, “who asked us to search the area for their missing daughter.” I’m speechless. This was in Iwate after the typhoon hit in late October. Is this for real? “T he pol ice a nd f i ref ig hters ended their search, so the family came to us. We’re going. Come and help but only if you’re serious. Bring your own gear.” He gives the location, says it’s likely more dangerous than a lot of people are comfortable with, and repeats the caution: “Come only if you’re sure you won’t be in the way.” For a few days, t here was no activity on his wall. Then it comes. Taka posts a photo of a bouquet of f lowers and a bottle of green tea. He wrote, “Just a bit longer. You’re almost home.” They found her. A group of ragtag men from Tohoku who arrived on the doorsteps of strangers, offering their services, have done the unthinkable: they brought back a beloved for burial. They cried with the family, offering up the right words—words that only those who have been through it have. Tohoku aid came full circle, giving back to the grieving a pained comfort that comes from deep in the soul. I called Taka. “Good for you,” I say. “Are you okay?” “Yeah.” “You need anything?” Here, Taka pauses. “Gas money,” he says. “I need to be able to do this again.”

The views expressed in "The Last Word" are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect the position or opinions of Japan Partnership Co. Ltd. or its partners and sponsors

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