Metropolis #1035 Jan 24-Feb 6 2014

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

#1035 Jan 24~Feb 6, 2014

FREE!

TAKEN HOW JAPAN ALLOWS PARENT-CHILD ABDUCTIONS

LOCAL FLAVORS DO THE TEPPANYAKI MUSIC THE LUMINEERS TALK SUSHI THE NEGI ALL THE NEWS THAT FITS

PLUS

THAT'LL LEARN YA—UP YOUR GAME THIS YEAR WITH OUR PROMOTIONAL SPECIAL

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and Dermatologist

www.akaiclinic.com

Make your beauty wishes come true with the best in technology and high quality products C

SURGICAL TREATMENTS

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NON-SURGICAL TREATMENTS

• EYELID SURGERY rejuvenation of upper and lower eye lid, tear trough, double eyelid surgery, blepharoptosis, etc.

• NOSE SURGERY tip plasty, hump resection, deviated nose, ala reduction, augmentation or reduction rhinoplasty.

• BREAST SURGERY augmentation, lift, reduction, reconstruction.

• LIPOSUCTION with laser, ultra sonic assisted suction device.

• LASER-LIPO minimal invasive facial and body contouring device with AccuSculpt™ (1444nm laser).

• FACE LIFT forehead, brow, mid-face, neck lift, thread’s lift.

• TISSUE ENGINEERING TECHNIQUES for facial rejuvenation, breast augmentation, AGA (PRFM, fat & stem cell injection, growth factor.

• SKIN TUMORS skin cancer, cyst, mole, wart, scar revision.

• GENITAL REJUVENATION SURGERY: tightening of the vagina, reduction of labia minor and augmentation of the labia major.

• HAIR TRANSPLANTATION SURGERY

• LASER & REJUVENATION Lasers, RFs, IPLs, Plasma, Ultra Sound for wrinkle, sagging, drooping, open pores, rosacea, skin complexion, pigmentation, melisma with SOLARI, Aurora-Pro, INFINI, eCO2, Affirm, EndyMed, Portrait Plasma, SPECTRA, AccuSculpt, etc.

New location opening!

Quality of Akai Clinic

Akai Clinic Skincare in Yokohama.

The Yokohama clinic offers specialized treatment in the areas of acne, acne scars, and sun damage.Treatments are done after careful counseling, so if you are unsure about treatments, please visit our clinic for a consultation.

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.

• BOTOX & FILLERS: Allergan’s BOTOX, Juvederm, Radiesse etc.

• ACNE & ACNE SCARS Plasma, Fractional lasers (eCO2, Affirm), INFINI (fractional RF), iClear (photo dynamic therapy), Microdermabrasion, Chemical Peeling.

• LASER HAIR REMOVAL All kinds of lasers available: Alex and Long Pulsed YAG, Diode laser, etc.

• TATTOO REMOVAL with Spectra (Q-YAG laser) for any color of tattoo.

• CELLULITE, BODY CONTOURING & STRETCH MARKS Vela Smooth and EndyMed body (FDA Approved).

• LEG VEIN, BROKEN CAPILLARY Long Pulsed YAG or VenoCare.

At Akai clinic, we only use products and technologies approved by the FDA. We are committed to offering the best treatment to our customers, with the latest technology and top class products for patients who want to receive the highest quality treatment.

CAMPAIGN PRICES VALID BY FEB 6 • 50%

off for BOTOX, laser hair removal and hyarulonic acid TESTIMONIALS I had surgery to remove a large mole on my face. I was nervous until the surgery started, but once it started I felt the experience and skill of Dr. Akai and was able to remain confident about the surgery the entire time. There are many beauty clinics in Tokyo, but I was fortunate to have come to Akai Clinic and receive a great treatment from an experienced doctor with the highest quality skills.

—FEMALE, 33 YEARS, OFFICE WORKER

Omotesando

Yokohama

Tel: 03-5771-4114 Email: amc@akaiclinic.com Clinic hours: 11AM~8PM (Mon~Sun)

Tel: 045-620-5745 Email: amc-skincare@akaiclinic.com Clinic hours: 11AM~7PM (Tue~Fri) & 10AM~5PM (Sat & Hol)

KNK Bldg 3F 3-5-17, Kita-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo.

1-min walk from Omotesando stn, A3 exit.

Quadrifoglio 4F 5-14 Kinkocho, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama.

1-min walk from Yokohama stn, North East exit.

Other cosmetic procedures available. For fees and detailed information services, please refer to our homepage.

We welcome email and phone inquiries.

www.akaiclinic.com

INSIDE

#1035

JAN 24-FEB 6, 2014

© LOVE LETTER TO DAUGHTER

Photo of the week

Submit your snaps at http://metropolis.co.jp/photo

Valentine’s Day Party

Friday Feb 14, 11:30pm - 5am

@ Pasela Resorts Grande Shibuya

06 FEATURE

LEFT BEHIND

Entrance ¥2,500/1D For more info:

http://metropolis.co.jp/events

By Jane Kitagawa 03 THE SMALL PRINT 05 UPFRONT 12 FEATURE 12 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 18 AGENDA & LISTINGS 22 MOVIES 25 DINING OUT 27 CLASSIFIEDS & JOBS 33 HOROSCOPE & MEDIABOX 34 THE NEGI

FOLLOW US ON: metropolismagazine @metropolistokyo #metropolistokyo

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Students and their teacher working together to make “Mochi”, by Allan McIntyre COVER DESIGN: KOHJI SHIIKI, PHOTOGRAPHY: CLIVE V. FRANCE

The Small Print

By Steve Trautlein

UNDER INTERNATIONAL “ STANDARDS, IT IS NOTHING LESS THAN AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER.” —Military journalist Shinichi

CHRISTI ROCHIN

Kiyotani, on the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force warship Izumo, which is about the size of the carriers that attacked Pearl Harbor

ćć Meanwhile, the justice ministry says the number of death row inmates is at its lowest level in five years. ćć Japanese customs officials seized 35.7kg of stimulants at Haneda Airport during the first ten months of 2013—a sharp increase from the 14.5kg confiscated in all of 2012 and the 12kg seized in 2011. ćć Authorities at the health ministry say the number of cases of elderly abuse has declined for two years in a row.

NEWS AROUND TOWN ćć Officials at a neighborhood association in Chiyoda-ku were forced to close a local children’s park that had been open since 1949 because of a glut of “cigarette butts, food containers and illegally parked bicycles.” ćć The officials posted a sign on a fence that reads: “The poor manners of those eating, drinking and smoking were unacceptable.” ćć Crime technicians at the MPD have created a 1/28-scale replica of the house in Setagaya-ku where a family of four was stabbed to death on New Year’s Eve in 2000. The crime remains unsolved, but the cops are hoping the model will help young investigators “get a better grasp” of the case. ćć Headline of the Week: “New Tokyo-Ueno Rail Link May Confuse Passengers” (via The Japan News)

THE YEAR THAT WAS ćć The National Police Agency announced that 4,373 people around the country were killed in traffic accidents in 2013. That’s the 13th consecutive year that fatalities have declined.

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1,603

Residents of Fukushima Prefecture who were killed as a direct result of the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami

the Chuo line in Yamanashi. ćć The sports ministry says the Olympic cauldron used for the 1964 Tokyo Games will be relocated to the National Stadium that’s being built for the 2020 Olympics. ćć Bottom Story of the Week: “Astronaut Wakata Speaks With Talking Robot Aboard ISS” (via Mainichi Japan)

ON THE DEFENSIVE ćć A Kanagawa couple whose home is surrounded

by US military facilities has sued the Japanese government for ¥115 million. The man and woman claim they’ve suffered “immeasurable mental anguish over the years.” ćć Sailors from the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force joined their counterparts in the Indian Navy for the two countries’ first ever joint drill. ćć The government has announced a five-year plan to provide ¥10 billion in aid “to support ethnic minorities affected by internal conflicts in Myanmar.” ćć Officials at the environment ministry have designated Okinawa’s Kerama Islands as Japan’s 31st national park.

THIS JUST IN

SIC TRANSIT ćć Officials at Kanda Fire Station are seeking the identities of two Good Samaritans who helped rescue a 20-year-old woman who had fallen onto the tracks at Iwamotocho station. ćć Meanwhile, authorities at JR East bestowed certificates of appreciation on seven grade-school girls who helped save a woman whose wheelchair had gotten stuck at a railway crossing on

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1,605

Fukushima residents who have died since the quake “in connection with prolonged evacuation”

ćć Executives at IT firm Dwango sparked controversy with a plan to charge college students ¥2,525 to take the company’s examination for job seekers. ćć Authorities at the education ministry say 28.1 percent of schoolchildren suffering from food allergies are forced to pick through their cafeteria lunches and remove allergens by hand. ćć According to a survey by the OECD, the number of Japanese students who are “interested in the things they learn in math class” has risen 38 percent during the past five years. ćć The bad news? That’s still 15 percentage points lower than average for OECD students.

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Number of people injured earlier this month when an elevator suddenly stopped moving at Musashi-Kusagi station in Kawasaki

COMPILED FROM REPORTS BY AP, JAPAN TODAY, THE JAPAN TIMES, JIJI, THE TOKYO REPORTER, THE MAINICHI, THE JAPAN NEWS, AFP, REUTERS AND KYODO

#1035 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP • 03

Upfront

wrap it up

face it

T

K

okyo Kitsch also combines two other traditional Japanese customs into one item via the origami furoshiki (¥1,575).

Watch as your wrapping skills literally fold into something new before your eyes. A wide-eyed manekineko transforms into a cheeky Cheshire cat giving a sly wink or a drunken squint. Instructions are included, or learn how to use the cloths for gift wrapping at one of Kyoaruki’s events at Cafe Seek. See Agenda (p18) for more information. www.tokyokitsch.com

THE

E C N DA HOP

RKS O W

Professional step by step dance instruction in both English and Japanese.

Great for fun, knowledge, self improvement, making new friends, exercise, and networking.

Instructor Virg started in the entertainment business at the age of 10 and has traveled around the world working for many famous artist and major corporations.

Here are some of the artist and companies that Virg has worked for: Mariah Carey, Neyo, Chris Brown, Michael Jackson, Ashanti, Nicki Minaj, Flo Rida, Kat Deluna, Ciara, MTV, FOX, Coca Cola, Disney, etc...

Contact us: 080-4346-9405 (Eng/Jap ok!) virg@hotmail.co.jp 04 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP

KOHJI SHIIKI

E

v e r y “ D o i n g B u s i n e s s i n J a p a n 101” primer states that after considerations for seniority, the most important part of any introduction is the exchange of meishi. What they forget to mention, though, is the impression given by the meishi-ire or business card holder. Before you hand over your identity, the other party has already registered it according to where it comes from— and woe be the one who pulls it dog-eared from their back pocket. The appropriately named Tokyo Kitsch has a safe, Japanophile solution: the tatami meishi-ire (¥3,150). Made in Gunma with lavish grass from Kagoshima (and the scent to match), this could not be a more über Nihon item if it tried. www. tokyokitsch.com

COURTESY OF TOKYO KITSCH

COURTESY OF TOKYO KITSCH

grass is greener

abuki is known to be a laborious event—from the heavy, elaborate makeup and costumes to the length of performances—many up to five hours.

Those wanting to unleash their inner thespian without being submitted to a lengthy snooze fest can try the Kabuki Face Pack (¥880 for two sheets) in the privacy of their own home. It only takes 20 minutes and will leave you with toned skin to boot. That’s their claim, not ours, but the packs do contain herbal extracts to moisturize skin and leave it positively luminous after your performance. The set comes with good guy Kamakura Gongoro Kagemasa (red) from the popular play Shibaraku and the evil ghost Taora no Tomonori from Funa Benkei (Blue and Black)—choose one to suit your mood.

Available at Tokyu Hands and other retailers

Upfront

NEW YEAR, NEW SKILLS

COURTESY OF TOKYO CULTURE CREATION PROJECT, © JOAO MESSIAS - CASA DA MUSICA

Struggling to stick to your New Year’s resolutions?

Keep your promise to improve yourself in 2014 with these learning opportunities.

COURTESY OF MARIA TANIKAWA

mime time

S

painting

ay the word “mime” and most people will imagine a guy in black-and-white stripes trapped in an imaginary box and hope that he stays locked in it. Corporeal mime is something altogether different, with a focus on placing drama in the moving body rather than replacing speech with gestures.

The technique is winning ground as a branch of physical theater as it takes theater-making away from the writer and director and places it directly in the hands— or rather body—of the performer. “It involves learning, not just through the mind but also through the body,” says instructor Tania Coke. “We also analyze movements and learn to articulate the parts of the body.”

Coke is teaching the form in ongoing bilingual classes through her Tarinainanika group and a course in English offered through Yokohama Theatre Group. www. facebook.com/tarinainanika COURTESY OF TAIRAINANIKA

E

ven the causal art fan knows that nihonga means “Japanese-style painting” and refers to pictures of fog-shrouded mountains gracing hanging scrolls and folding screens on display in the museums of the world. Fewer people know that it’s possible to have Nihonga at home, and even create it themselves. Maria Tanikawa is on a mission to let people in on this secret by teaching bilingual art lessons in New York and Tokyo. Tanikawa is offering intensive morning and afternoon lessons in Omotesando every Saturday in February on the seasonal theme of “girl’s festival.” A two-and-a-half hour session is ample for even a beginner to turn out a finished work of art. Classes are ¥5,000 including materials and of course you can take your masterpiece home.

A re g u la r ten-le s s on cou rs e i s a l s o ava i lable .

To register contact: 03-6418-1006 or nihongart@ gmail.com. www.mariatanikawa.com

beats

A

s any parent can testify, kids like to bang on pots, pans and anything else they can get their little hands on. So why not channel all that energy into an education experience? Part of the Music Weeks in Tokyo series of concerts and events, The Music Education Program is designed to help kids find their inner percussionist. Instructors Paulo Neto and Jorge Queijo developed the workshop for Portugal’s Casa de Musica concert hall and are bringing their body percussion method to Tokyo Bunka Kaikan on February 8-9. Sessions (¥500/hour) are for specific age groups, so be sure to check beforehand. If your little one joins the “Rhythmical Kitchen” class, they can bang on all manner of pots and pans—only this time it won’t be in your home. www.t-bunka.jp/mwit2013 Thirsty for more knowledge? Continue on to our promotional learning special on the next page.

COURTESY OF CARRÉ MOJI

Hiring Experienced Native English Instructors Location: Kanto area Full-time: from ￥250,000/month Part time: ￥1,800-¥2,100/hour (Teaching wage) Labor union membership Visa sponsorship available BA/BS required TEFL, CELTA, TESOL desired

Email your CV/cover letter to: coco-apps@nichiigakkan.co.jp #1035 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP • 05

EDUCATION

LEARNING SPECIAL TOKYO ASSOCIATION OF INTERNATIONAL PRESCHOOLS

Greetings & Happy New Year to All,

T

he Tokyo Association of International Preschools (TAIP) would like to take this opportunity to wish all preschool students, families and educators in the greater Tokyo area and Japan a warm welcome and a great beginning to 2014. We hope you found 2013 to be a productive and engaging year and that more innovative and exciting educational opportunities are planned for the New Year!

The TAIP is honored to be serving the preschool community here in Tokyo! We are looking forward to extending our continued support, professional development, public relations and networking opportunities to our member schools. We are excited to provide our community with various workshops for preschool teachers throughout the year. We will also continue to organize tours of international schools aimed at providing preschool/kindergarten directors a chance to visit and develop valuable connections within the international school community.

In 2014, we will be bringing new elements to the organization broaden our horizons and be a more effective support network for the community. Some of these elements include: a) informal “job-alike” sessions for teachers to exchange and discuss best practices; b) a dynamic TAIP website page of links to a variety of professional development videos and information aimed specifically at preschool education, along with archived and live streaming of our own conference presenters; and c) exploring our ability to extend future professional development opportunities to member schools outside the greater Tokyo area.

TAIP will continue to develop the association in the best interests of supporting international preschool education. We are always open to suggestions from member schools and anyone interested in working more closely with the association as a member of our board of directors! Please feel free to visit our website and contact us directly.

CRAFTS

Warm regards, Kevin Maxfield President / TAIP

POTTERY TOKYO Setagaya

SCHOOL MEMBERS ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶

WEBSITE

ABC International School Aoba Japan International School ASIJ ELC Ayla International School The British School in Tokyo Canadian International School Central Forest International School Chateau School Columbia International School Gregg International School Happy Days International School Hello Kids Myogadani Horizon Japan International School International School of the Sacred Heart Jingumae International Exchange School Joy to the World American International J's International School Kailua International School K. International School Tokyo Keiki Intercultural Preschool Kincarn International School Komazawa Park International School Kunitachi Kids International School Learning Tree Makuhari International School Mitsui Gardens International Preschool New World International School Nishimachi International School New International School Ohana International School Poppins International Preschool Saint Maur International School Seisen International School Shikahama English Adventures International St. Albans Nursery Summerhill International School The Montessori School of Tokyo Tokyo International Kindercare Tokyo International School Tokyo YMCA International School Victory International Preschool Waseda International School Willowbrook International School

http://tokyopreschools.org/

SPECIAL OFFERS

WEBSITE

▶▶ One-hour private lessons only ¥3,900 until the end of February ▶▶ Free enrollment fee until the end of February COURSES ▶▶ Beginner group lessons: three two-hour lessons per month ¥9,000/month ▶▶ Private lessons (one hour): ¥6,300 ▶▶ Materials for assignments: free ▶▶ Enrollment fee: ¥6,300

S

tart off 2014 by unearthing your creativity. Fancy getting your hands dirty and enriching your life with a new hobby? Then it’s time to enroll in pottery school. Instructor Eriko Kuroda lessons aren’t just about molding clay—the whole process is fun and relaxing. You’ll be surprised by her knowledge of Japanese history, culture and traditions. She believes students can learn the philosophical elements of the art of pottery— an angle many have never before considered. Says one pupil: "This experience changed my life in Tokyo. Now, I always think about my pottery projects even if I am in a coffee shop on a break from work—I draw on napkins! I love the moment when I touch clay with Eriko!"

06 ● SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

4-18-7 Sakurajosui, Setagaya-ku 070-5424-1466 soncho@pottery-tokyo.jp Morning class: Wed & Thu 10am-noon; night class: Wed & Fri 7-9pm; weekend class: Sat 10am-noon & 2pm-4pm Sakurajosui www.pottery-tokyo.jp

EDGAR DEGAS, DANCER IN A REHEARSAL ROOM

MUSEUMS

SPECIAL OFFER

BRIDGESTONE MUSEUM OF ART Kyobashi

T

he Bridgestone Museum of Art, Ishibashi Foundation was opened in 1952 by Shojiro Ishibashi, the founder of the Bridgestone Corporation. The museum’s core collection features works by Impressionists, 20th century artists and modern Western-style paintings by Japanese artists. Its first exhibition for 2014 is “The Painters’ Eyes, The Sculptors’ Hands,” running January 18-April 13. The painter paints pictures, the sculptor creates sculptures, and some artists, such as Edgar Degas, find both sculpture and painting to be vital media for artistic expression. Viewing paintings and sculptures together makes the distinctive features of each stand out. One example is the 1889 "Monet-Rodin Exhibition at the Georges Petit Gallery," where paintings by Claude Monet and sculptures by Auguste Rodin were exhibited side by side. Paintings and sculptures numbering 160 are the focus of this exhibition; all the works are from the collection of the Bridgestone Museum of Art.

COURTESY OF RUSSELL-COTES ART GALLERY & MUSEUM

T

he Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum, Tokyo is one of the city’s newest important cultural institutions.

The museum opened in the spring of 2010, a five-minute walk from Tokyo station. It holds three major exhibitions per year, focusing on late 19th-century and early 20th-century contemporary art. Its first exhibition for 2014 is “Art for Art’s Sake: The Aesthetic Movement 1860-1900,” running January 30-May 6. In late 19th-century Britain, avant-garde artists founded Aestheticism in search of what they called “the new beauty,” and their efforts developed into a major movement. This exhibition is the first of Aesthetic art created especially for a museum in Japan. It includes around 140 works featuring oil paintings, furniture and crafts, many on loan from the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. The exhibition presents the world of ingenious beauty and pleasure created by the the Aesthetic artists.

WEBSITE

▶▶ Bring this issue of Metropolis and get ¥100 off entry fee for one person ▶▶ Art for Art's Sake: The Aesthetic Movement 1860-1900.

January 30-May 6 ▶▶ ¥500 (elem & JHS)/ ¥1,000 (HS & univ)/ ¥1,600 (gen)

2-6-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku 03-5405-8686 Open Tue-Sun 10am-6pm; Fri 10am-8pm (10am-6pm if Friday is a hol), entry until 30 minutes before closing, closed Mon (open if Mon is a hol) Tokyo http://mimt.jp/

SPECIAL OFFER

MITSUI MEMORIAL MUSEUM Nihonbashi EXHIBITION ROOM 1

T

1-10-1 Kyobashi, Chuo-ku 03-5777-8600 Tue-Thu, Sat-Sun 10am-6pm; Fri 10am-8pm; entry until 30 minutes before closing, closed Mon Tokyo www.bridgestone-museum.gr.jp/en

SPECIAL OFFER

MITSUBISHI ICHIGOKAN MUSEUM, TOKYO Marunouchi

he Mitsui Memorial Museum has a close relationship with the Mitsui family, wealthy Edo period merchants and the Mitsui Group. In 2005, this museum opened at the Mitsui main building, an important cultural property. The Japanese and Oriental art has been collected for over 300 years—started by the Mitsui family during the Edo era—and contains many precious cultural objects of Japan’s heritage. The collection features tea utensils, paintings, calligraphy, swords, Noh masks, costumes and furniture. There are six items designated national treasures, 71 important cultural properties, four designated important art objects, 4,000 artworks and 130,000 stamps. The exhibition is not permanent—it's only held five times a year, exhibiting items borrowed from other museums and private collectors as well as the museum's own collection.

WEBSITE

▶▶ Bring this issue of Metropolis and get ¥100 off entry fee for up to three people. ▶▶ The Painters' Eyes, the Sculptors' Hand. January 18-April 13. ▶▶ ¥500 (HS & univ)/ ¥800 (gen)

WEBSITE

▶▶ Bring this issue of Metropolis and get ¥100 off entry fee for one person ▶▶ Hina Dolls of the Mitsui Family / An Elegant Setting: Dishes for Entertaining. February 7-April 6 ▶▶ ¥500 (elem & univ)/¥1,000 (gen)

Mitsui Main Building 7F, Nihonbashi Muromachi 2-1-1, Chuo-ku 03-5777-8600 Tue-Sun 10am-5pm, entry until 30 minutes before closing, closed Mon except March 3 Mitsukoshimae www.mitsui-museum.jp/english/english. html

#1035 ● WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP ● 07

LANGUAGE

LEARNING SPECIAL AKAMONKAI JAPANESE LANGUAGE SCHOOL Nippori

A

kamonkai Japanese Language School has two campuses and four dormitories around Nippori in Tokyo. The student body boasts approximately 1,200 students who come from over 30 different countries. Akamonkai offers a wide range of classes for various levels, from college prep courses to job hunting, business Japanese and short term courses, as well as internship programs—so no matter what your goal or level, they'll help raise your Japanese ability in the most efficient way possible. In recent years, the college prep and job hunting courses have developed into a specialized and customized curriculum that adapts to each student's changing needs. Full support is provided for students from the day they enter school to the day of their graduation. The caring faculty at Akamonkai is dedicated to helping all students achieve their Japanese goals and are looking forward to meeting talented, global thinkers like yourself.

ARC ACADEMY Various areas

A

RC Academy offers a spring program that not only includes Japanese lessons in the morning, but also afternoon and weekend activities, allowing learners to experience various aspects of Japanese culture.

The program is held in centrally-located Shinjuku, which is easy to access from anywhere in Tokyo. For those who are simply interested in the language, the intensive course is available in Shibuya, Shinjuku and Yokohama, and has a flexible duration. If you're new to the language, the ten-lesson “First Japanese Course” teaches the minimum conversation skills required for life and getting around in Japan. Company training lessons use a custom-made curriculum to meet individual schedules and needs. Whether you are looking to develop your basic conversational skills or business terminology, ARC Academy offers the best results. Friendly teachers and staff welcome your inquiries by email, telephone or in person.

AZABUDAI JAPANESE LANGUAGE COURSE Azabudai

A

z abud a i Jap a ne s e Language Course offers practical lessons based on real-life situations to help students acquire communicative knowledge of Japanese, rather than just grammatical structures.

Because an ability to use new language skills helps students experience the excitement of learning, class activities are based on developing oral proficiency. And because learners know their mistakes will be corrected, they gain the confidence to speak freely and naturally. Beginner students at Azabudai are given a three-month starter course that introduces hiragana, katakana and simple sentences. Azabudai Japanese Language Course was established in 1982, and students come from a variety of backgrounds and nationalities. Lessons are conducted in large classrooms in a relaxed atmosphere. The school is located just six minutes from Kamiyacho station and ten minutes from Akabanebashi, Azabu-Juban or Roppongi-Itchome stations. For those with a car, there's also on-site parking.

08 ● SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

COURSES

WEBSITE

▶▶ Regular course (1-2 years): ¥670,000-1,280,000 ▶▶ Three-month course: ¥120,000 ▶▶ Business classes (1 year): ¥720,000 ▶▶ All courses include textbook fees

6-39-12 Higashi Nippori, Arakawa-ku 03-3806-6102 info@akamonkai.ac.jp Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, closed Sat-Sun & hols Nippori www.akamonkai.ac.jp

COURSES

WEBSITE

▶▶ Spring programs: ▶ ¥90,000/¥98,000 (2 weeks) ▶▶ Intensive course: ▶ ¥18,000-¥170,000 (4 days to 3 months)

7F Nishishinjuku K-1 Bldg, 7-2-6 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku Shinjuku 03-5348-7671; Shibuya 03-34090391; Yokohama 045-312-5759 shinjuku@arc.ac.jp Mon & Wed-Fri 10am-6:30pm, Tue 10am-7:30pm, Sat 10am-4pm, closed Sun & hols Shinjuku http://en.arc-academy.net

SPECIAL OFFER

WEBSITE

▶▶ Free 30-min private mini lesson (appointment necessary)

COURSES ▶▶ Daytime, evening and private course ▶▶ Entrance fee: ¥5,000 ▶▶ Group lesson: ¥44,000 (120min x 20 lessons), ¥33,000 (90min x 20 lessons) ▶▶ Private lesson: ¥25,000 (60min x 10 lessons) ▶▶ Material fee: ¥4,000~¥5,000

1-9-8 Azabudai, Minato-ku 03-5563-2537 azabudai@itf.or.jp Open daily 10am-8pm; closed Wed & Sun Kamiyacho www.itf.or.jp/azabudai

LANGUAGE

COOORI

SERVICES ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶ ▶▶

WEBSITE

Learn Japanese online Mobile browser support Minna no Nihongo supported Genki supported JLPT learning materials

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ave you ever dreamed of mastering Japanese? Meet Cooori, a completely mobile, web-based Japanese learning app. With Cooori, every user gets their own unique and fully individualized learning experience. With every task you complete, you take another step in your personal learning journey. Cooori then uses that data to give you useful and well-timed challenges for incredibly effective learning. You can finally study without committing to a time or location as with traditional classes. You have the option to study in quick, five-minute bursts or longer sessions, and a variety of different tasks and activities will keep you engaged and motivated. With Cooori, there’s an easier and better way for you to learn Japanese. Take a few short seconds to sign up for a free trial and learn Japanese the smart way.

EBISU JAPANESE LANGUAGE SCHOOL Ebisu

wecare@cooori.com www.cooori.com

SPECIAL OFFER

WEBSITE

▶▶ Mention Metropolis and receive one free lesson

COURSES ▶▶ Private courses: ¥3,800/50 min ▶▶ Intensive lessons: ¥3,800/90 min

E

bisu Japanese Language School hopes to change your impression of Japanese language study. Beginners can focus solely on developing natural-sounding daily conversational ability. By learning the difference between similar grammar points, intermediate students who lack confidence when speaking can eliminate their anxiety while continuing to develop syntax. Those with advanced skills can learn and practice business Japanese, job interview techniques and how to craft a proper Japanese resume. EJLS offers online lessons in Japan—and many other countries around the world—meaning you can learn anytime and anywhere.

If you’re in a hurry, EJLS offers an intensive course including ten days of comprehensive private lessons over a two-week period. The teachers at Ebisu work together with students on individual learning plans, ensuring there's no drop in motivation and that students are always on the path to language success.

EVERGREEN LANGUAGE SCHOOL Yutenji

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vergreen Language School is located in the quiet residential area of Yutenji, just three stops from Shibuya on the Tokyu Toyoko line. Established 64 years ago, the school has seen more than 50,000 students from around the globe pass through its classrooms. Evergreen strives to create effective, enjoyable classes to help students learn both the language and culture of Japan. Private lessons allow you to choose special materials, and group classes offer the opportunity to learn Japanese while meeting people from all over the world.

Evergreen also has an intensive kanji course as well as lessons designed to prepare you for studies at a Japanese university. Friendly and professional teachers help you build confidence while laying the groundwork for continued learning. Evergreen operates two other campuses on the Toyoko line and can even dispatch teachers to your home, which means fewer excuses not to make 2014 the year you conquer the Japanese language!

4F Hiroo Stone Bldg, 1-3-17 Hiroo, Shibuya-ku 03-3441-4713 ebisujls@aol.com Open daily 8:30am-9pm Ebisu http://ebisu-jls.com

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#1035 ● WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP ● 09

LANGUAGE

LEARNING SPECIAL HUMAN ACADEMY JAPANESE LANGUAGE SCHOOL Takadanobaba

S

ince the Human Academy Japanese Language School founded its Tokyo school in 1991, thousands of its graduates are using Japanese in their work and lives. The goal of HAJL is not just to teach Japanese, but also help individuals use their language skills to create a bright, new future. It's the school’s mission to help students attain the skills and tools necessary to navigate life in Japan—and what lies ahead. To achieve this, the school offers classes that are not only easy to understand, but also engaging enough that the students will feel involved rather than bored. Many of their successful graduates have gone on to pass the JLPT and enter universities, graduate and vocational schools. Why not join Human Academy in a voyage beyond basic Japanese?

KICHIJOJI LANGUAGE SCHOOL Kichijoji

I

f you’d like to study Japanese in a truly fun, personalized and dedicated environment, then look no further than Kichijoji Language School. Everyday in class you have the opportunity to practice Japanese with friendly teachers and fellow classmates, making your language study enjoyable and exciting. With a solid curriculum and highly experienced teachers, Kichijoji Language School strives to support each student’s individual learning style and with various course levels, advanced electives and private lessons, you have the ability to choose whichever course is right for your needs. At KLS, the group courses consist of eight classes ranging from everyday conversation to academic and advanced level communication. Private lessons will help clarify points learned in class and are tailored to your particular needs and interests. Enjoy learning Japanese at a school known for its cozy “at-home” atmosphere, one that encourages students to ask any questions or voice their comments freely.

NICHIBEI KAIWA GAKUIN JAPANESE LANGUAGE INSTITUTE Yotsuya

I

f you’re keen on studying practical or business Japanese, Nichibei Kaiwa Gakuin Japanese Language Institute (JLI) is the place to be. At the basic level, you’ll practice intensive drills for practical conversation skills. At the intermediate and advanced levels, more sophisticated conversation and speech drills are an essential part of the program. Newspaper articles, TV news, and JLPT preparation—as well as Japanese corporate-culture studies—are also covered. Students include business people, corporate trainees, diplomats, family members of working expats, spouses of Japanese and more—all with various cultural backgrounds. Founded in 1967 by the International Education Center (IEC), JLI is conveniently located in central Tokyo, a three-minute walk from Yotsuya station. In addition to Japanese lessons, IEC provides a variety of international exchanges such as the International Speech Contest in Japanese broadcast on NHK. Everyone is welcome to sit and observe classes.

10 ● SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

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LANGUAGE

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ith 39 years of experience, Shinjuku Japanese Language Institute provides a unique learning experience via the Ezoe method. Using differently shaped and colored grammar cards, which represent different parts of speech, students will learn to speak with confidence, construct complex sentences and understand both formal and informal conversations. The school has launched a new digital learning program allowing students to view grammar explanation and conversation video, and do all exercises online. They can also use the school’s smart device offline applications for grammar and vocabulary study to prepare in advance, review lessons and study anywhere, anytime. Students from more than 38 countries attend the school, and the common language is Japanese. There are opportunities to enjoy extracurricular activities such as a Mt. Fuji bus tour, Okutama hiking and a ski tour, among others. If you feel passionate about learning Japanese, why not start today?

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ant to learn "real-life" Japanese with friends from 30 different countries? Established in 1988, the Tokyo Central Japanese Language School (TCJ) promotes cross-cultural communication through Japanese language study. Each year, students from over 30 countries come to the school to study, and over the past five years people from 80 countries have studied at the school. TCJ is a place where people with different values and opinions can communicate and cross-cultural friendships are formed. The Japanese Teacher Training Course is held at the same location, providing opportunities to communicate with its Japanese students. The school is conveniently located just a one-minute walk from Shinjuku station. With several choices of courses and curricula designed to match a variety of needs, there’s no reason not to get in touch and arrange a trial lesson and level check—both of which are free.

2-9-7 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-ku 03-5273-0044 jimu_sng_1975@sng.ac.jp Mon-Fri 9am-5pm; Sat-Sun 10am-3pm Takadanobaba, Nishi-Waseda www.sng.ac.jp/english

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CC Japanese institute is conveniently located in the center of Tokyo, just a one-minute walk from Araiyakushi-mae station on the Seibu Shinjuku line—just ten minutes from Shinjuku station. Classes are conducted in a homey, comfortable environment. Former and current students find the teaching style natural, considerate and friendly as well as effective. The regular course runs 9am-12:30pm and 1-4:30pm in four terms. New classes start in April, July, October and January. TCC offers short-term lessons (two weeks to three months) that are perfect for those on working holiday and tourists visas—and if you want to change those visas to “student” status, the school will happily provide the necessary support. TCC also offers private lessons, group lessons and corporate classes. Non-student visa holders can register and start whenever they want if their level fits an appropriate class.

TOKYO CENTRAL JAPANESE LANGUAGE SCHOOL Shinjuku

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#1035 ● WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP ● 11

Feature

Parents challenge Japan’s dismal child abduction laws

I

By Jane Kitagawa

© CLIVE FRANCE

t sounds like something out of a John Grisham novel— but it's not.

“The gentleman was here on a holiday in January 2013 with his family,” explains Bruce Gherbetti, deputy chairman of Kizuna Child-Parent Reunion, discussing the case of a Canadian man who had reached out to their organization after his Japanese wife abducted their son.

“During the second week of their vacation he went to have a shower, and when he got out—they were gone. He hasn’t heard from his wife since and has no idea where they might be.”

Sadly, the man’s case is just one of many on Kizuna’s books. The organization, an NGO pressing to restore parent-child rights in Japan, specializes in helping “left-behind” parents deal with child abductions to—and within— Japan by their spouses. Kizuna chairman John Gomez estimates there have been about 3 million parental child abductions in Japan since 1992. Gomez himself is a left-behind parent, or LBP. “That’s roughly 150,000 cases per year, and every one of those is a human rights violation,” the soft-spoken Gomez says. “I took data from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare and looked at divorces in Japan from 1992-2011. Primetime NHK news program Close Up Gendai in September 2010 [also] suggested 58 percent of parents lose access to their children after divorce. This is being acknowledged and recorded as an accurate estimate and translates to 1-in-6 children in Japan having lost a parent through divorce.”

Its divorce figures may be consistent with rates worldwide, but Japan is unique in that child abduction after separation or divorce is legal according to its family court. Only one parent is recognized as having shinken (parental rights) with the other expected to forgo all parental privileges.

While the vast majority of cases concern Japanese couples, globalization has seen an increasing number of intercultural relationships in which children can effectively be snatched from their non-Japanese home country and brought to Japan—no questions asked.

A

lthough Japan unanimously passed legislation to allow it to join the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction in the spring of 2013 [see sidebar], it only applies to future

12 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP

CHRISTI ROCHIN

E L F T B E D I N H

Bruce Gherbetti

COURTESY OF JOHN GOMEZ

HAGUE CONVENTION

The 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction works to ensure the prompt return of abducted children to their country of habitual residence. It does so by compelling its signatories to respect the custodial rights of the left-behind parent.

If Japan were a signatory, the Japanese courts would be obliged to order the return of children to their country of habitual residence prior to the abduction. Instead, as is almost always the case in Japan, the court orders a new hearing so that it can decide custody (disregarding previous decisions), which is exactly what the Hague Convention seeks to avoid.

GLIMMERS OF HOPE? John Gomez with former US Ambassador to Japan John Roos

cases. There are also doubts among left-behind parents, lawyers and others alike that not much will change unless domestic laws are also addressed.

Gherbetti is one of the skeptics. “The implementing legislation Japan has passed to accede to the Hague Convention is flawed in many ways. It allows for big loopholes in and around the non-return of children, specifically concerning Article 13(b), which states that if there’s a grave risk to a child, then that child shouldn’t be returned to their country of habitual residence.

Japan’s legislation…adds categories where they can deny the return of a child abducted to Japan post-ratification.” According to Gherbetti, a similar scenario exists with the legislation Japan has passed concerning visitation and access.

To that end, Kizuna seeks to become an authorized service provider with permission to implement and facilitate visitation under the Hague Convention in Japan, which requires cooperation between governments and professional experts versed in child-parent reunion issues. It’s part of the organization’s charter to focus on solutions, say Gomez and Gherbetti—yet Kizuna acknowledges that changes to local laws will make more of a difference.

“I think Japan has agreed to sign and implement the Hague Abduction Convention primarily to reduce the pressure from the United States, which has been ramped up over the last four years. When Japan accedes, it will be the 90th country to join the Convention and the last of the G8 countries to do so. But will they be compliant? Probably not,” says Gherbetti.

“On the other hand, legislation has just been approved unanimously in the US House of Representatives—House Resolution 3212: Sean and David Goldman International Child Abduction and Return Act of 2013—which gives the president the opportunity to sanction and penalize member countries that are non-compliant with the Hague. I think the gaiatsu [outside pressure] is going to have to remain to ensure Japan is partially compliant.”

Says Gomez: “In terms of enforcement of visitation, we're starting to see an inkling of the beginnings of enforcement. This is because in March 2013, a Japanese Supreme Court ruling upheld a Hokkaido High Court ruling that financial penalty for failure to comply with a visitation agreement was legal.

Optimistically, I hope this brings about systemic change.”

WARNING SIGNS

Many of the people interviewed for this story said it was difficult to pinpoint any signs separate to general marital discord that suggest one’s partner may be considering abducting their children. Bruce Gherbetti sums it up thusly:

"I don’t know if there are any warning signs per se that would differentiate a potential abductor from someone who’s just in an unhappy marriage, but one of the things that people might want to be wary of is the issue of separation itself. From my own personal experience, I wouldn’t recommend talking about separation. That could possibly tip someone into abducting."

The Children’s Rights Network (see below), a treasure trove of information on child abduction on the internet, has also published a useful parental abduction preparedness checklist.

John Gomez

© LOVE LETTER TO DAUGHTER

I

ndeed, in mid-December, the House voted to create an annual report to assess child abductions across all countries, and to require President Barack Obama to take action against nations who remain noncompliant. Potential US measures include refusing export licenses for American technology, slashing development assistance and postponing scientific or cultural exchanges. However, the final decision on whether to proceed with punishment would remain with the president. And then there remains the situation with domestic Japanese law and policy.

“The Japan family court system is the root cause of international and domestic abduction cases alike,” says Gomez. “Both kinds of cases are interlinked as the family court ignores foreign court orders and visitation is not enforced. This is despite Japanese Civil Code Article 766 taking effect in April 2012. It requires boxes be checked on divorce forms stating that parents have agreed to a child visitation plan—and that there have been discussions on child support payments—but Kizuna has found via government data that while most divorces go through, only 50 percent of people getting a divorce check the boxes and there’s no follow-up to see whether they comply.

“Furthermore, the family court continually validates claims of domestic

KIZUNA FUNDRAISING EVENT

Kizuna is planning an invitation-only fundraising event to assist efforts to reunite left-behind parents with their missing children. The Kizuna CPR Gala Networking Fundraiser is by invitation only, if you'd like to attend and show your support, please contact the organization directly (info@kizuna-cpr. org) to receive an RSVP invitation. The event will be on Tuesday, February 25 from 7-10pm in central Tokyo. There will be a selection of fine imported wines on offer, an expert sommelier on hand to guide the tasting and specially paired food plus other entertainment. Tickets are ¥10,000. For further information, please contact them at info@kizuna-cpr.org or visit their website at www.kizuna-cpr.org.

#1035 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP • 13

Feature

RIGHTS OF THE CHILD "The U.N. Convention provides that countries shall use their best efforts to ensure recognition of the principle that both parents have common responsibilities for the upbringing and development of the child.

Unfortunately, Japan's legal system does not adequately protect this right. In Japan it is rare for a court to effectively enforce the fundamental human right of both parents after a divorce to have a significant role in the life of their children (and the fundamental human right of children to have both parents in their lives).

This will likely make it difficult for the Japanese courts to effectively implement the Hague Abduction Convention."—international family law attorney Jeremy Morley

Masako Aeko Suzuki

v iolence w it hout t horough investigation and always gives sole custody to the parent who has abducted the children.”

It’s a point that international family attorney Jeremy Morley, based in New York City, says is a sticking point, describing sole custody akin to “'finders keepers, losers weepers' in its rawest and most cruel form.”

He a l s o m e n t io n s t h e United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Japan signed that treaty two decades ago, yet has failed to comply with its principles when it comes to parent-child abductions.

T

his lack of compliance and ignoring of foreign court orders is something Japanese national Masako Aeko Suzuki knows only too well. Married, living in Canada and mother to a boy, Kazuya David Suzuki, her marriage broke down in the mid-2000s. “My husband, a Japanese, abducted our then 12-year-old son to Japan in 2006,” she recalls. “This was despite the Hague Convention, which I only learned about after my son was kidnapped. A Canadian court also ruled for joint custody and that my son not be forcibly taken to Japan, but by the time this ruling came through, it was too late.”

Masako retuned to Japan and tried to find her son. She struggled with the archaic family law system and its requirements. She learned of other LBP in Japan and was particularly struck by the international cases, given the circumstances under which her own son was abducted.

She reckons she has spent over $100,000 on legal fees both in Canada and Japan and has taken her case to the high and Supreme courts. “My ex-husband Jotaro Suzuki was granted sole custody of my son by the Japanese family court in late 2006; this is standard for abduction cases. I was later granted very brief visitation rights, but Jotaro and Kazuya again disappeared and I haven’t heard from them since.

“In order to apply for further visitation rights, I had to supply my son’s address as per the jyuminhyou (official address registration), but I didn’t know where he was because he’d been kidnapped! It doesn’t make sense!”

Ms. Suzuki admits to being broken, but not defeated. “[Since returning to Japan] I decided to establish my own organization, Left Behind Parents Japan, to help other struggling LBP.” Part advocate, part translator, part interpreter and part counselor, her workload has only increased.

14 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP

USEFUL INFORMATION The 2006 Metropolis article about child abductions in Japan that inspired filmmaker David Hearn to make From The Shadows. http://archive.metropolis.co.jp/ tokyo/618/feature.asp

Children’s Rights Council Japan http://crcjapan.wordpress.com

Kizuna Parent Child Reunion www.kizuna-cpr.org/

Meetup group for left-behind parents in Tokyo www.meetup.com/ Left-Behind-Parents-Japan

Bring Abducted Children Home http://bachome.org International Association for Parent Child Reunion www.iapcr.org SOS: Support for French parents of children abducted to Japan http://sos-parents-japan.org Australians with Abducted Children www.awac.asn.au/Australians_ With_Abducted_Children/ About_Us.html

I

Support group for alienated Japanese parents http://oyakogifu.poohmie.jp

Japan Children’s Rights Network www.crnjapan.net/The_Japan_ Childrens_Rights_Network/Welcome. html Jeremy Morley's international family law practice www.internationalfamilylawfirm. com Clive V. France LBP portraits www.clivevfrance.com

t’s a similar situation at Kizuna, say Gomez and Gherbetti. Future goals are to recruit more volunteers and ramp up fundraising, educate Japanese public about the global standard of joint custody and reconnect children with their left-behind parent while honoring their best interests.

Says Gomez, “This work to reunite children with their parents and change the system in Japan is my life's mission. We have targets and milestones we’d like to achieve, such as enforceable visitation rights and guidelines for reasonable terms of visitation that permit a parent to maintain a relationship with their child, throughout separation and divorce. That means the amount of hours is sufficient; typically, visitation hours in Japan equate to only one to two hours per month. After that, eventually we’ll look at joint custody, and denial of access should be criminalized. I don’t know how long it will take to change that, but I’ll be working on that indefinitely.”

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www.japaninc.com/entrepreneur_handbook_seminar #1035 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP • 15

IP

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

music

japan beat

THE TELEPHONES It may be 2014, but the Saitama group is laughing, crying, singing…and dancing like it’s 1999

By Dan Grunebaum

P

oking relentless fun at Japan’s crassly commercial late 20th century pop culture against a backdrop of disco-infused postpunk, The Telephones have in eight years cut an increasingly large profile across the Japanese popscape. Metropolis talked to vocalist Akira Ishige about the Saitama band’s latest, Laugh, Cry, Sing… And Dance!!!, ahead of their Go Live Vol. 1 gig at Ex Theater Roppongi.

The first time Metropolis saw the Telephones was some years back at Chelsea Hotel in Shibuya. How has your sound grown?

These days we’re going for a more pop sound. Which is not to say out and out pop, but pop with an alternative flavor. We used to be more postpunk influenced.

What is the band’s backstory anyway?

We met at a live house in Saitama. My first thought was, can this really become a rock band? The members seemed too nice. I couldn’t believe it was going to work, but the first time we got in the studio it felt right.

Tell us about your first song...

We didn’t start with a cover but wrote an original right away. Our first track had the disco punk sound typical of our early days. We actually still play the song—it’s called “Used Skin” off our Japan album. We still have the same members. We fight like any other band, but no one’s quit yet. We just hash it out until everyone has come to terms with whatever differences there are between us.

Last summer you played your first Fuji Rock Festival.

How was it?

It was a dream come true. We were pretty nervous but psyched. Fuji Rock is a dream for any Japanese band.

You feel like a star playing alongside all those international acts—it’s completely different than your typical Tokyo live house.

16 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP

THE LUMINEERS

Wesley Schultz‘s sushi-flavored work ethic

By Dan Grunebaum

I

t’s been a year of superlatives for Denver folkrock outfit The Lumineers since “Ho Hey” went to number one on the back of one of the decade’s most memorable choruses. Yet when Metropolis reaches frontman Wesley Schultz on tour in Florida, they’re coming off another high.

“We sold out two nights at Red Rocks with the Denver Symphony Orchestra, which was just incredible—it was distracting how beautiful it was,” he explains in measured cadences over the phone.

“It was the first time we’ve had the chance to play with people of that caliber.”

Schultz says the quintet’s planning for their first symphonic collaboration went smoothly. “Tom Hagerman, who’s in this band Devotchka, did the score. We make pretty minimal music, so there was a lot of room to add more sound. Some of the songs we’d already envisioned with strings, so the choices pretty much made themselves.”

Along with outfits like Mumford and Sons, The

Lumineers are spearheading a new chapter in the singer-songwriter tradition. Founded by Schultz and childhood friend Jeremiah Fraites in New Jersey in the mid-2000s, the group weds heartfelt lyrics to carefully wrought acoustic guitar music, leavened by the cello, mandolin and bass of three newer members.

“Jer and I, we’ve been writing songs for eight-plus years together,” Schultz says, eager to show the band is more than simply a 100-million YouTube view wonder.

“That experience made me able to appreciate this—and the years of working on our craft in the shadows I hope helped us to make a complete record instead of just one great song.”

Still, the shock and delight clearly continue to reverberate. “ Three years ago, my brother and I were home for Christmas,” Schultz remembers, “and he said, ‘Did you see that “Ho Hey” song has 3,000 hits?’ I thought he was joking, but it kept growing and growing. The number gets so big it’s difficult to wrap your head around it—you realize it as you travel to

The fans have been waiting all year—they really get into it…

Yeah, and the location is fantastic. We played the White Stage, which is beautiful and also has really good sound.

What are some other events to aim for?

It goes without saying that Glastonbury would be awesome and Coachella, too. Then there’s always the Fuji Rock Green stage.

Have you been abroad yet?

We’re going to Europe next month: France, Belgium, Switzerland and England. We’ll be playing with Polysics.

Tell us about your new album...

We’ve gone in a melodic, pop-oriented direction.

Was it a conscious choice?

It was more of a natural tendency than a calculated decision.

The song “It’s Alright To Dance” hits the nail on the head in light of the current police campaign against dance clubs…

It was inspired by Eurobeat but done in a Telephones style. We love that kitschy, Eurobeat sound.

The song title “90s Drama Life” is attention-catching…

It’s inspired by ’80s and ’90s electronic music, which is a huge influence on us. I go clubbing in Tokyo a lot and also DJ. I got into electronic music via the Manchester sound, beginning with bands like the Happy Mondays and New Order and then house and techno.

What Tokyo clubs do you like?

Ageha, WWW, Liquidroom are a few of my favorites.

But I usually spin at smaller clubs in and around Shimokitazawa. I like to move between the live rock and electronic scenes, which have really been coming together anyway for the last seven or eight years.

Yeah, it almost seems like you can’t have a rock band without a DJ or synth/effects player these days…

Actually there are still a lot of purely guitar-oriented bands. They may not be trendy at the moment, but there are many Japanese punk and metal bands that wouldn’t think of having anything electronic in the lineup.

Tell us about a song you’re working on now...

We’re recording a new song right now. It’s got a ’90s dance music vibe. I think you’ll find it interesting—it’s quite funny.

PHOTO BY C.B. LIDDELL

COURTESY OF SMASH

different cities and more people recognize you. So I’m blown away and thankful that song got our foot in the door with a lot of people.”

Rather than musical influences, S c hu lt z c re d it s p e ople out s ide of music for helping him realize his musical vision and then stay focused enough not to get carried away by the hype over “Ho Hey.” “There have been a few figures in my life—one worked construction, one was a butcher and the ot her a su sh i g uy— a nd t hey a l l tau ght me so much more about music than most musicians ever did about how to conduct yourself,” he says.

The “sushi guy” was the owner of the restaurant Schultz and Fraites worked at in Denver after relocating from New Jersey. “It’s owned by three Japanese brothers, and they taught me what it means to be a hard worker,” Schultz says. “Making sushi at a high level taught me a lot about how to approach our band. It’s about that unrelenting commitment—being really intentional about things and punching a clock helped me far more than knowing the right records or something.”

Which of course makes it a given that the singer, who spent three months in China but has never been to Japan, is excited about The Lumineers’ first visit here. In the meantime, there’s a European tour, and a track on the new Hunger Games movie. “It’s called ‘Gale Song,’” Schultz informs, “but we’re not allowed to play it until the movie comes out.”

Like all Lumineers’ efforts, the song’s simplicity shrouds the elaborate process that brought it into being.

“Typically our songs are worked over a lot—we’ll record 20, 30 versions, playing with the tempo and instrumentation and adding verses and taking them out,” Schultz says. “We burn an idea down and then build it back up again 'til we’re satisfied.”

Shibuya AX, Feb 8. See concert listings (popular) for details.

T

Is humor important for you?

Yeah, we always try to inject some humor into our songs. We’re pretty serious about music, and maybe as individuals, but when we get together something happens and we tend to lose it.

Does humor make it easier to stick together as a band?

We’re serious when we need to be serious, but we’re also serious about being funny, too... if you get what I mean.

Who’s the goofiest band member?

It’s hard to say. Everybody is funny in his or her own way. But maybe our synth player Nobu is the most obviously goofy. His stage persona reminds me a bit of The Happy Monday’s “Bez” [notorious dancer Mark “Bez” Berry].

What does music mean to you?

Music has always been part of my life. It’s a release for me, whether listening to it or playing it. I started playing music in elementary school, and MTV was also a big influence. I was into hard rock and heavy metal even as a small child.

Ex Theater, Jan 25. See concert listings (popular) for details.

art

ARATA

ISOZAKI: SOLARIS

Arata Isozaki Sea City Plan (model) 1996 production

Avant-garde Architecture at the ICC

By C.B. Liddell

T

okyo has something of a reputation for buildings that look like they belong on another planet, but the cutting-edge architecture you sometimes see around you is nothing compared to some of the schemes that have routinely been dreamed up by some of Japan’s top architects over the past several decades.

One of the most avant-garde minds in Japanese architecture is Arata Isozaki, the subject of an exhibition at NTT’s InterCommunication Centre.

Isozaki is probably more famous for his theoretical writing such as his classic book, The Japan-ness in Architecture, and conceptualizations of buildings and cities than for actual constructions. Although, over a long career he has also managed to produce an impressive list of avant-garde structures, from the Tsukuba Center Building (1983) to the Qatar National Convention Center (2011), not to mention his biggest project—and possibly his swansong— Zhengdong New District, a vast ring of skyscrapers designed to serve as a major business centre in China.

The show’s title, “Arata Isozaki City Solaris,” is a reference to the famous 1973 Soviet science fiction film Solaris by the Russian director Andrei Tarkovsky, which some critics saw as a response to Stanley Kubrick’s sci-fi classic, 2001: A Space

Odyssy. In the movie, a semi-intelligent planet was able to create various scenarios by accessing the minds and memories of the occupants in an orbiting space station.

This ties in to Isozaki’s idea that the Earth isn't a neutral space for building on but more like a spaceship we occupy as we travel through the universe.

Because of Isozaki’s expansive concepts and aura of Blade Runner-esque futurism, there are few more suitable venues for the exhibition than the ICC, a site that specializes in the futuristic, both with a permanent display frequently updated with new works as well as special, temporary exhibitions like the Arata show.

Using architectural models, designs, concept art and an interactive installation, the exhibition attempts to give visitors some insight into Arata’s architectural philosophy. I recommend first researching him online as the exhibition contains no English explanations, surprising for such an international architect, who has built more outside Japan than inside and whose books and academic works have frequently been translated into English.

This will probably limit the appeal of the exhibition to enthusiasts of futurism and architecture, especially those interested in Japan’s Metabolist movement, of which Isozaki was a key member alongside Kisho Kurokawa, Kiyonori Kikutake and Fumihiko Maki. The show is hardly exhaustive, presenting a cross section of works—some built, some unbuilt—that give an insight into his mind, with one or two surprises, like the fact that he designed the layout of New York’s famous Palladium night club back in the 1980s.

But even if this show isn't quite all it could be, the ICC nevertheless has plenty to offer visitors in its permanent exhibition, where you're sure to find something of interest in its technologically-themed exhibits.

NTT-ICC until Mar 2. See exhibition listings (Shinjuku/Ikebukuro) for details.

#1035 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP • 17

AGENDA COURTESY OF CREATIVEMAN

COURTESY MARIAN GOODMAN GALLERY, NEW YORK; GALERIE CHANTAL CROUSEL, PARIS; HAUSER & WIRTH ZÜRICH LONDON; JOHNEN/SCHÖTTLE, BERLINE, COLOGNE, MUNICH

Anri Sala, Give Me the Colours, 2003 (detail)

concert

exhibition

� Fresh off turning in a convincing, rain-soaked headlining performance at Smash’s Fuji Rock Festival 2013, Nine Inch Nails trade promoters and drop in for two nights at Studio Coast. If last year was any indication, Trent Reznor’s outfit will produce a set built around their remarkably successful comeback album Hesitation Marks, leavened with plenty of well-known hits from the band’s two-decade history. This time, the thunder-and-lightning will be of the proverbial kind.

� In Cyndi Lauper’s famous song, “True Colors” signify acceptance, but for the curators of this photo and film festival they suggest “the diversity of contemporary society as seen in different cultures” as it “examines the effects and prospects of globalization, identifying valuable things that are being destroyed.” New images are to be exhibited by photographers ranging from Japan’s Yoko Asakai to Albania’s Anri Sala. But perhaps the most intriguing part of the show will be the Japan debut of Chinese/ Japanese/Korean trio Xijing Men, who will present a live outdoor film/installation/performance that models the new virtual city-state Xijing. DG Feb 7-23, free. Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography. Open Tue-Wed & Sat-Sun 10am6pm, Thu-Fri 10am-8pm, closed Mon. 1-13-3 Mita, Meguro-ku. Nearest stn: Ebisu. http://syabi.com

NINE INCH NAILS

Dan Grunebaum

Feb 25, 7pm, ¥9,000 (adv) +1d. Studio Coast.

Nearest stn: Shin-Kiba. http://meturl.com/nin2014

TRUE COLORS

� The renowned soloist and former principal with the New York City Ballet, Robert Tewsley, is making his purported farewell performance in Japan. He’ll perform selections from The Firebird and Manon with the ravishing Hana Sakai. The evening will also feature the duo of Kaiji Moriyama, one of Japan’s most intriguing contemporary dancers, and Balinese musician Dewa Alit, as well as an ensemble piece choreographed by former Ballet Frankfurt member Alessio Silvestrin. The program is presented by dance/architect ure st udio A rchitanz. DG Fe b 11&12 , 7:15p m , ¥6,800 -7,800. New National Theatre Tokyo. Nearest stn: Hatsudai. Tel: 03-5730-2732. www.a-tanz.com

COURTESY OF NEW NATIONAL THEATRE TOKYO. PHOTO BY 三枝近志

COURTESY OF KYOARUKI IN TOKYO

Madame Butterfly 2011 performance

Kyoaruki in Tokyo 2013 opening ceremony

opera

� Maurine Watkins was a street-wise newspaper woman in Chicago in the ’20s who covered many of the high-profile trials of the jazz age including two women charged with murdering their lovers. She channeled her courtroom reporting experience into the 1926 theatrical production Play Ball. The play was later adapted as a silent film, a musical starring Ginger Rogers, the big Broadway show Chicago and the Catherine Zeta Jones Hollywood spectacle.

Now, Yokohama International School takes the story back to its source, with an English-language production of the original 1926 play—with all its fast-talking reporters, witty dialogue and fallen women. Is showgirl Roxie Hart willing to “play ball” to get what she wants? You better believe it, sister.

Jan 24-25, 7:30pm; Jan 26, 2pm, ¥500-1,000.

Yokohama International School. http://meturl. com/playball

� Puccini’s 1904 opera and the short story it was based on tells the tale of an American naval officer and his young Japanese bride. Although their love was ill-fated, better things are sure to come from the thoroughly international collaboration behind the production as part of the new opera season at the New National Theatre in Hatsudai.

Tamiya Kuriyama directs while Canadian conductor Keri-Lynn Wilson takes the baton. Greek soprano Alexia Voulgaridou takes the title role and Bolshoi Opera tenor Mikhail Agafonov plays Pinkerton, with the rest of the roles filled out by Japanese operatic talent.

Jan 30 & Feb 5, 7pm; Feb 2 & 8, 2pm, ¥3,15021,000. New National Theatre Tokyo. Nearest stn: Hatsudai. Tel: 0120-489-459. www.nntt. jac.go.jp

18 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP

ballet

ARCHITANZ 2014

stage

PLAY BALL

COURTESY OF ARCHITANZ

MADAME BUTTERFLY

exploration

KYOARUKI IN TOKYO

� Kyoto is so beloved by its citizens, Japanese people nationwide and the folks around the world that it could arguably be called “Japan’s hometown.” A visit is requisite for anyone in Japan longer than a week. But if you don’t have time to get out of Tokyo, Kyoaruki (“walking in Kyoto”) brings the culture, tradition and food of Japan’s old capital to its new one for a two-week period.

Events include authentic maiko (apprentice geisha) handing out Kyoto travel pamphlets, a seminar on the city’s omotenashi on February 4 and lessons on how to tie furoshiki cloths (¥1,000).

Kyoto sweets and souvenirs will also be on offer at various venues.

Feb 4-19. Various venues in Ginza and Marunouchi. http://kyoaruki.jp

Listings Concerts POPULAR SiM

Shonan-based reggae-punk rockers. Jan 25, 7pm, ¥3,300 (adv) +1d. Studio Coast. Nearest stn: Shin-Kiba. Tel: 03-34446751. www.smash-jpn.com

Cero

'70s funk with electronica and brass band inlays. Jan 25, 6pm, ¥3,300 (adv) +1d. Shibuya-AX. Nearest stn: Harajuku. www. red-hot.ne.jp

Bananafish

J-rock with a Britpop twist.

Jan 25, 7pm, ¥3,500 (adv) +1d.

Akasaka Blitz. Nearest stn: Akasaka. www.red-hot.ne.jp

New Year Premium: Go Live Vol. 1

Orange Range, The Telephones and Polysic. Jan 25, 6pm, ¥3,955 (adv) +1d. Ex Theater Roppongi.

Nearest stn: Roppongi. Tel: 03-6434-0068. http://eplus.jp/ golive1-hp

Dead Pop Festival

Reggae-punk rockers SiM and others. Jan 26, 5pm, ¥3,300 (adv) +1d. Studio Coast. Nearest stn: Shin-Kiba. Tel: 03-34446751. www.smash-jpn.com

One Draft

Japanese hip hop trio. Jan 26, 5pm, ¥3,900 (adv) +1d. Club Quattro. Nearest stn: Shibuya.

Tel: 03-3477-8750. www. creativeman.co.jp

Ladybeard

Kawaii-core wrestler/cutie pie sings, screams and rocks out.

Dinner included, drinks extra.

Jan 26, 7pm, ¥2,500. The Pink Cow. Nearest stn: Roppongi. cowmail@thepinkcow.com. www.ladybeard.com/events

Kuroyume

J-rock duo. Jan 29, 6:30pm, ¥9,600 (adv). Nippon Budokan.

Nearest stn: Kudanshita. http://l-tike.com

Los Lonely Boys

American Chicano rock trio.

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

Dragon Ash

Hip-hop and punk rock. Feb 1, 7pm, ¥5,900 (adv) +1d.

Shibuya-AX. Nearest stn: Harajuku. www.diskgarage. com

Mongol 800

J-rock giants from the shores of Okinawa. Feb 2, 6pm, ¥4,800 (adv). NHK Hall. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.mongol800.jp

Maximum 10

Rock fest with Pop Disaster, Lost, Fact and others. Feb 2, 2:30pm, ¥3,980 (adv) +1d.

Shibuya-AX. Nearest stn: Harajuku. Tel: 03-3499-6669. www.creativeman.co.jp

Monster Box

Eskimo Callboy, Roach, Girugamesh etc. Feb 2, 3pm, ¥4,000 (adv)/ ¥4,500 (door) +1d. Studio Coast. Nearest stn: Shin-Kiba. www.monsterbox.jp

Avril Lavigne

Canadian singer who doesn't like your girlfriend.

Feb 3, 7pm, ¥10,500 (adv).

Pacifico Yokohama. Nearest stn: Minatomirai. eplus.jp/ avrillavigne2014

Tiina Kariina

J-pop princess from Osaka. Feb 3, 7 & 9:30pm, ¥4,000-6,000.

Billboard Live. Nearest stn: Roppongi. www.billboardlive.com

Gekirock Tour Vol.9

Eskimo Callboy, Angry Frog Rebirth and others. Feb 3, 5:30pm, ¥3,300 (adv)/ ¥3,800 (door) +1d. Club Seata. Nearest stn: Kichijoji. Tel: 04-22290061. gekirock.com/tour/vol9

Submit your event directly to metropolis.co.jp/listings See www.metropolis.co.jp for more listings Fall Out Boy

Recently reunited to save rock and roll. Feb 5, 7pm; Feb 6, 7pm, ¥7,500-8,500 (adv) +1d.

Zepp Tokyo. Nearest stn: Aomi. www.creativeman.co.jp

Theater Roppongi. Nearest stn: Roppongi or Nogizaka.

Tel: 03-3444-6751. www. smash-jpn.com

The Rolling Stones

Folk rock from Denver. Feb 8, 6pm, ¥6,000 (adv) +1d.

Shibuya-AX. Nearest stn: Harajuku. www.smash-jpn.com

Retro rockers still rollin'. Feb 26, Mar 4 & 6, 6:30pm, ¥14,00080,000. Tokyo Dome. Nearest stn: Suidobashi. Tel: 0570-029581. http://meturl.com/ rollingtix2014

Shaggy

JAZZ/WORLD

The Lumineers

Boombastic Jamaican singer.

Feb 8, 2:15 & 6pm, ¥8,400 (adv). Stellar Ball. Nearest stn: Shinagawa. Tel: 03-5421-1111. www.l-tike.com

Scream Out Fest

The Devil Wears Prada, Her Name in Blood and others.

Feb 9, 4:30pm, ¥6,500 (adv)/ ¥7,500 (door) +1d. Studio Coast. Nearest stn: Shin-Kiba.

Tel: 03-3499-6669. www. creativeman.co.jp

The Devil Wears Prada

American metalcore. Feb 10, 7pm, ¥6,000 (adv) +1d. Club Quattro. Nearest stn: Shibuya.

Tel: 03-3499-6669. www. creativeman.co.jp

Periphery

With Cyclamen and Hammerhead Shark. Feb 11, 6pm, ¥6,000 (adv) +1d. Club Asia. Nearest stn: Shibuya.

Tel: 03-3499-6669. www. creativeman.co.jp

Punisher's Night

Totalfat, Dustbox and Knock Out Monkey. Feb 11, 6pm, ¥3,500 (adv) +1d. Studio Coast.

Nearest stn: Shin-Kiba. http:// meturl.com/punisher2014

Merengue

J-pop trio. Feb 14, 6:30pm, ¥4,500 (adv) +1d. Shibuya Public Hall. Nearest stn: Shibuya. Tel: 03-3463-3022. www.merengue.jp

Alice Nine

Visual-kei crooners keep hearts a-flutter for Valentine's.

Feb 14, 6:30pm, ¥5,250 (adv) +1d. Zepp Tokyo. Nearest stn: Aomi. www.diskgarage.com

Volbeat

Rock, metal and rockabilly fusion. Feb 15, 6pm; Feb 16, 6pm, ¥6,000 (adv) +1d. Club Quattro. Nearest stn: Shibuya.

Tel: 03-3477-8750. www. creativeman.co.jp

Finch

American post-hardcore band from Temecula. Feb 17, 7pm, ¥6,300 (adv) +1d.

Liquidroom. Nearest stn: Ebisu.

Tel: 03-3444-6751. www. smash-jpn.com

Eric Clapton

Master of the Stratocaster. Feb 18, 20-21 & 28, 7pm, ¥11,00012,000 (adv). Nippon Budokan.

Nearest stn: Kudanshita. Tel: 03-3402-5999. www.udo.co.jp

Olly Murs

English X Factor runner-up.

Feb 18, 7pm, ¥5,800 (adv) +1d.

Akasaka Blitz. Nearest stn: Akasaka. http://meturl.com/ olly2014

The Novembers

Four-piece alt-rock. Feb 21, 7pm, ¥3,000 (adv) +1d.

Liquidroom. Nearest stn: Ebisu.

Tel: 03-3444-6751. www. smash-jpn.com

Mix Speaker's, Inc

Industrial rock meets cosplay critters. Feb 22, 6pm, ¥4,860 (adv) +1d. Akasaka Blitz.

Nearest stn: Akasaka. www. diskgarage.com

All Off

With Roach, Angry Frog Rebirth and others. Feb 23, 5pm, ¥2,500 (adv)/ ¥3,000 (door) +1d. Unit, Shibuya-ku.

Nearest stn: Daikanyama. www.diskgarage.com

Foals

UK indie rock. Feb 25, 7pm, ¥6,300 (adv) +1d. Ex

Jessy J

Sexy funky saxophonist.

Jan 24, 6:30 & 9pm; Jan 25, 5 & 8pm, ¥6,800-8,000 (adv).

Cotton Club. Nearest stn: Tokyo. Tel: 03-3215-1555. www.cottonclubjapan.co.jp

The Slow Room

Ambient improvisation on vintage keyboards, with abstract images. Jan 24 & 30, 7:30pm, ¥2,500 (adv)/ ¥3,000 (door). Kid Ailack. Nearest stn: Meidaimae. www.morgan-fisher.com

Tribute to Dave Brubeck

The Brubeck Brothers Jazz Quartet. Jan 28, 7 & 9:30pm, ¥7,350. Blue Note. Nearest stn: Omotesando. www.bluenote. co.jp

Larry Harlow's Latin Legends of Fania

Featuring Nicky Marrero. Jan 28, 6:30pm, ¥7,500. Cotton Club. Nearest stn: Tokyo. www. cottonclubjapan.co.jp

Jamie Cullum

Jazz-pop singer and songwriter. Jan 29-30, 7pm, ¥6,500 (adv) +1d. Bunkamura Orchard Hall. Nearest stn: Shibuya. Tel: 03-5720-9999. www.smash-jpn.com

Average White Band

Scottish funk band. Jan 29-31. various times, ¥8,400. Blue Note. Nearest stn: Omotesando. www.bluenote.co.jp

Drum Rock: 17 no Samurai Imaginative drum art by Tao. Jan 31, 7pm; Feb 1, 1 & 5pm, ¥5,000-7,000. Bunkamura Orchard Hall. Nearest stn: Shibuya. Tel: 0570-550-799. www.bunkamura.co.jp

Peabo Bryson with Deniece Williams

Singing songs of true romance.

Feb 1-4, various times, ¥8,400.

Blue Note. Nearest stn: Omotesando. www.bluenote. co.jp

Aaron Parks Trio

Young American jazz pianist. Feb 4-5, 6:30 & 9pm, ¥6,500-8,500. Cotton Club.

Nearest stn: Tokyo. www. cottonclubjapan.co.jp

Tedeschi Trucks Band

Husband-and-wife led blues rock band. Feb 6, 7pm, ¥7,7008,700 (adv) +1d. Shibuya Public Hall. Nearest stn: Shibuya. Tel: 03-3402-5999. www.udo.co.jp

Keziah Jones

Nigerian blue-funk rhythms.

Feb 6-7, 7 & 9:30pm, ¥6,5008,500. Billboard Live. Nearest stn: Roppongi. www.billboardlive.com

The Skatalites

Ska band from Jamaica. Feb 7, 7 & 9:30pm; Feb 8-9, 5 & 8pm, ¥7,350. Blue Note. Nearest stn: Omotesando. www.bluenote. co.jp

Jon Cowherd's Mercy Project

Featuring Brian Blade, Steve Cardenas andJohn Patitucci.

Feb 9-12. Various times, ¥8,400-10,500. Cotton Club.

Nearest stn: Tokyo. www. cottonclubjapan.co.jp

Soil & Pimp Sessions

Death jazz quintet. Feb 10, 7pm, ¥4,000 (adv) +1d. Akasaka Blitz. Nearest stn: Akasaka. www.jvcmusic.co.jp/soilpimp

Bastian Baker

Swiss singer-songwriter. Feb

10, 7 & 9:30pm, ¥7,350. Blue Note. Nearest stn: Omotesando. www.bluenote.co.jp

Tuba & Drum Overload Night

Jazz, rock and craziness.

Feb 13, 7:30pm, ¥2,300 (adv)/ ¥2,500 (door) +1d.

Eggman Tokyo East, B1 2-6-12 Iwamotocho, Chiyoda-k u. Nearest stn: Kanda. http:// meturl.com/dru2014

José James

Club jazz. Feb 14, 7 & 9:30pm; Feb 15, 6 & 9pm, ¥6,000-8,000.

Billboard Live. Nearest stn: Roppongi. www.billboardlive.com

My Jazzy Valentine III

American singer-songwriter Halie Loren. Feb 14, 6:30 & 9pm; Feb 15-16, 5 & 8pm, ¥7,000-9,000. Cotton Club.

Nearest stn: Tokyo. www. cottonclubjapan.co.jp

Swingin' GS

Yuji Miyake and Light Joke Jazz Orchestra. Feb 21,7 & 9:30pm; Feb 22, 5 & 8pm, ¥8,400. Blue Note. Nearest stn: Omotesando. www.bluenote. co.jp

Roberta Gambarini

Italian jazz singer. Feb 21, 6:30 & 9pm; Feb 22-23, 5 & 8pm, ¥6,800-9,000. Cotton Club.

Nearest stn: Tokyo. www. cottonclubjapan.co.jp

Shomyo no Kai—Voices of a Thousand Years One of the oldest forms of vocal music performed by two dozen Buddhist priests. Feb 24-25, 7pm, ¥4,300 (adv)/ ¥4,500 (door). Spiral Hall. Nearest stn: Omotesando. www.kaibunsha. net

CLASSICAL Mozart Birthday Serenade Charity Concert With guest soloist Grigori Feigin on violin. Proceeds go to Masonic charities. Jan 24, 7pm, ¥5,000 (group)/ ¥5,500 (single). Tokyo Masonic Center. Nearest stn: Kamiyacho or Onarimon. tickets@tokyosinfonia.com. www.tokyosinfonia.com

St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra

Yuri Temirkanov conducts Mahler's Symphony No.2.

Jan 24, 7:30pm, 8,000-17,000.

Bunkyo Civic Hall. Nearest stn: Korakuen. Tel: 03-5803-1100.

New Japan Philharmonic

Works by Schubert and Bruckner. Jan 24, 7:15pm; Jan 25, 2pm, ¥4,000-7,000. Sumida Triphony Hall. Nearest stn: Kinshicho. Tel: 03-5610-3815. www.njp.or.jp/enWorks by Wagner, Respighi and others.

Feb 7, 2pm; Feb 8, 2pm, ¥1,0004,000.

Escolta

Vocal trio that mixes pop with classical music. Jan 25, 6pm, ¥7,600 (adv). Bunkamura Orchard Hall. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.bunkamura. co.jp/english

Keiko Urushihara and Shigeo Neriki Duo Recital A violin and piano recital.

Jan 25, 1:30pm, ¥5,000.

Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall. Nearest stn: Hatsudai or Shinjuku. Tel: 03-5353-9999.

St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra

Yuri Temirkanov conducts works by Tchaikovsky and Mussorgsky. Jan 26, 2pm, ¥5,000-18,000. Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall. Nearest stn: Minatomirai. Tel: 045-6822020.

Philharmonic Octet Berlin Performing Strauss, Mozart and Schubert. Jan 27, 7pm, ¥4,000-8,500. Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall. Nearest stn: Hatsudai or Shinjuku. Tel: 03-5353-9999.

Philharmonic Octet Berlin

Featuring Wenzel Fuchs on the clarinet. Feb 1, 2pm, ¥5,0008,000. Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall. Nearest stn: Minatomirai.

Tel: 045-682-2020.

Eliso Virsaladze

Piano Recital. Feb 3, 7pm, ¥5,000-6,000. Sumida Triphony Hall. Nearest stn: Kinshicho. www.triphony. comPiano recital. Feb 3, 7pm, ¥5,000-6,000.

Yugo Kanno's Valentine's Concert

Lauded composer directs a one of a kind orchestra.

Feb 8, 6:30pm, ¥4,500 (adv). Bunkamura Orchard Hall. Nearest stn: Shibuya.

Tel: 03-5774-3030. www. bunkamura.co.jp

Sagamihara Junior Orchestra

A Louer

Brussels-based theater group Peeping Tom takes you on an ephemeral journey. Feb 17-19, 7:30pm, ¥2,000-4,800.

Setagaya Public Theater.

Nearest stn: Sangenjaya.

Tel: 03-5432-1515. http:// setagaya-pt.jp/en

Performative Architecture Exhibition, installation and performances by up-andcoming masters of the stage.

Feb 22-23, noon-5pm, free (students)/ ¥1,000 (gen).

Nichigei Nihon University College of Art. Tel: intsct@ gmail.com. www.intsct.com

Dance A Woman's House

Works by Tchaikovsky, Bartok and others. Feb 9, 2pm, ¥700. Green Hall. Nearest stn: Sagami-Ono. Tel: 042-7429999. www.hall-net.or.jp

New York Philharmonic

Led by conductor Alan Gilbert.

Feb 11, 6pm, ¥1,500-6,000.

Suntory Hall. Nearest stn: Roppongi-itchome. www.smf. or.jp/30th

Valentine's Special

Live orchestra plays classic movie tunes from My Fair Lady and more. Feb 11, 2pm, ¥4,8006,800. Bunkamura Orchard Hall. Nearest stn: Shibuya. Tel: 03-5561-9001.

Nighttime Organ Concert

Performance by Megumi Ogata and Hideyuki Kobayashi. Feb 13, 7:30pm, ¥1,000. Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre. Nearest stn: Ikebukuro. Tel: 0570-010296. www.geigeki.jp

Valentine Serenade

Three-course candlelight dinner while listening to Rossini, Tchaikovsky and more. Feb 14, 6:30pm, ¥8,445-9,335. Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan.

Nearest stn: Yurakucho. Tel: tickets@tokyosinfonia.com. tokyosinfonia.com

Yukio Yokoyama

Performing Chopin and Liszt. Feb 21, 1:30pm, ¥5,000.

Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall. Nearest stn: Hatsudai or Shinjuku. Tel: 03-5353-9999.

Il Divo

Operatic pop crooners. Feb 26, 7pm; Feb 27, 7pm; Mar 10, 7pm, ¥10,000-13,000.

Nippon Budokan. Nearest stn: Kudanshita. Tel: 03-3402-5999. www.udo.jp/Artists/IlDivo

Pixar in Concert

Compilation of music and imagery from Pixar movies, performed by a full symphony orchestra. Feb 28 & Mar 1, 2 & 7pm, ¥6,5008,500. Bunkamura Orchard Hall. Nearest stn: Shibuya.

Tel: 050-5533-0888. www. bunkamura.co.jp

Stage

Contemporary dance. Jan 24, 7pm; Jan 25-26, 3pm, ¥3,1505,250. New National Theatre Tokyo. Nearest stn: Hatsudai.

Tel: 03-5352-9999. www.nntt. jac.go.jp/english

Romeo and Juliet

William Shakespeare's tragic tale performed by The Tokyo Ballet. Feb 6-7, 6:30pm; Feb 8, 2pm; Feb 9, 2pm, ¥3,00011,000. Tokyo Bunka Kaikan.

Nearest stn: Ueno. www.nbs. org/english

Dazzle

Street and contemporary dance unit. Feb 14, 7:30pm; Feb 15-16, 1 & 5pm, ¥5,500-7,000.

Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre.

Nearest stn: Ikebukuro. Tel: 0570-02-9999. http://l-tike. com/dazzle

Swan Lake

The National Ballet of Japan performs the tale of Odette.

Feb 15-16, 2pm; Feb 21, 7pm; Feb 22-23, 2pm, ¥3,150-10,000.

New National Theatre Tokyo.

Nearest stn: Hatsudai. Tel: 03-5352-9999. www.nntt.jac. go.jp/english

The Nutcracker

The American Ballet Theatre transports you to a magical world of solders and mouse kings. Feb 20, 7pm; Feb 21, 1 & 7pm; Feb 22, 1pm, ¥5,00020,000. Bunkamura Orchard Hall. Nearest stn: Shibuya.

Tel: 03-5774-3040. www. japanarts.co.jp

All-Stars Gala Performance The crème de la crème of the American Ballet Theater present the best scenes from notable ballets. Feb 25, 6:30pm; Feb 26, 6:30pm, ¥7,000-22,000. Bunkamura Orchard Hall. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.bunkamura. co.jp/english/orchard

Manon

The American Ballet Theater takes on Kenneth MacMillan's extravagant production.

Feb 27, 6:30pm; Feb 28, 1 & 6:30pm; Mar 1, 1pm, ¥6,300-22,000. Tokyo Bunka Kaikan. Nearest stn: Ueno.

Tel: 03-5774-3040. www. japanarts.co.jp

Clubbing

Carmen

Classic operatic tale of love and loss. Jan 26 & Feb 1, 2pm; Jan 29, 6:30pm, ¥4,200-23,100.

New National Theatre Tokyo.

Nearest stn: Hatsudai. www. nntt.jac.go.jp

The Full Monty

Musical of the hit movie with a Japanese ikemen cast. Jan 31-Feb 16, various times, ¥7,00011,000. Tokyo International Forum Hall C. Nearest stn: Yurakucho. Tel: 0570-550-955. fullmonty2014.jp

Ovo - Cirque du Soleil

co.jp/events/ovo

Revolutionary troupe that blends circus arts and street entertainment. Feb 12-May 11, various times, ¥4,500-12,000.

Odaiba Big Top, Odaiba. Nearest stn: Tokyo Teleport. www.fujitv.

FRIDAY 24 Air

Beacon 03. House: DJs Mano Le Tough, Shintaro, etc. From 10pm, ¥3,500 w/1d. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.air-tokyo. com

Crystal Lounge

Premium. All mix: DJs Bazooka, Takao, etc. From 7pm, (m)¥3,500 w/2d, (f)¥2,500 w/2d. Nearest stn: Gaienmae. info@ crystallounge.jp. http:// crystallounge.jp

Genius Tokyo

Fly Day. All mix, hip-hop: DJs Various DJs. From 7pm, (m)¥5,000 w/8tickets, (f)¥3,000 w/8tickets. Nearest

#1035 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP • 19

Listings

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

ARTIFACT

Velours

Icon. DJs Inoue, Bassy, etc.

From 11pm, (m)¥2,500 w/1d, (f)1,500 w/1d. Nearest stn: Omotesando. Tel: 03-57784777. www.velours.jp THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS,GIFU

Study for Charity (ca.1893-94) Oil on paper mounted on canvas.

Arcadia on the Shore: Puvis de Chavanne's Mythic World Bunkamura’s The Museum is celebrating 25 years of bringing some of the world's best art to Shibuya. It chose to start its silver anniversary with an extensive exhibition dedicated to Puvis de Chavannes, a key French painter of the late 19th century who had a significant impact on the evolution of Western-style painting in Japan. We visited the morning of January 2, the first day of the exhibition, and were greeted with the pleasant rarity of a Tokyo museum that wasn't packed with people queuing up to view each work. The artist is best known for his expansive murals, which of course are more or less permanently attached to buildings in France, most notably the Pantheon in Paris. These are represented by oversized, extremely high-definition photos on display, while most of the exhibition is devoted to sketches and canvas studies the artist created for his murals such as the Study for Charity (pictured). These give the visitor a unique insight into the process of the artist, which a tourist in Paris wouldn't necessarily pick up. The final room of the exhibition space is given to works by Japanese artists influenced by de Chavannes including Seiki Kuroda, who traveled to Paris, and Mango Kobayashi, whose replica of a de Chavannes work is on display. Kevin Mcgue Until 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

stn: Ginza. Tel: 03-35715830. www.geniustokyo.jp

Module

Chemical Monsters x Pork.

Bass, disco: DJs Pol Style, Wrack, etc. From 11pm, ¥2,000. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.moduletokyo.com

Origami

Yolanda Be Cool. DJs Yolanda Be Cool, Kiraz, etc. From 10pm, ¥4,000.

Nearest stn: Omotesando.

Tel: 03-6434-0968. http:// meturl.com/origamiclub

Ruby Room

Echo Patrol. DJs Izpon, Narikawa, etc. From midnight, free. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www. rubyroomtokyo.com

Sound Museum Vision

Independent. From 11pm, ¥3,000 (ladies)/ ¥3,500 (men), incl 1d. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.vision-tokyo. com

The New Matrix Bar

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

The Room

Champ. Funk, jazz: DJs Tominaga, Oibon, etc.

From 10pm, ¥2,500 w/1d.

Nearest stn: Shibuya. www. theroom.jp

Velours

Hokuto, Kekke, etc. From 10pm, (m)¥3,000 w/1d, (f)¥1,000 w/2d. Nearest stn: Azabu-Juban or Roppongi.

Tel: 03-6230-0343. www. villagetokyo.com

Womb

@disko. House, techno. From midnight, 11pm. Nearest stn: Shibuya. Tel: 03-5459-0039. www.womb.co.jp

SATURDAY 25 Ageha

Wonderland. Techno, house: DJs Osawa, Ishino, etc. From 11pm, ¥3,500. Nearest stn: Shinkiba. www.ageha.com

Air

John Talabot. House, nu disco: DJs John Talabot, Moodman, etc. From 10pm, ¥3,500 w/1d.

Nearest stn: Shibuya. www. air-tokyo.com

Module

Maven. Techno, house: DJs Haruka, Kudo, etc. From 10pm, ¥2,500 w/1d. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.module-tokyo. com

Sound Museum Vision

Classics. Hip-hop: DJs Jeru the Damaja, K-Boogie, etc.

From 11pm, (m)¥3,500 w/1d, (f)¥3,000 w/1d. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.vision-tokyo. com

The New Matrix Bar

Saturday Night Fever. Hip-hop, R&B, reggae: DJ Ykk and more.

From 6pm, ¥1,000 (after 10pm). Nearest stn: Roppongi. www.matrixbar.jp

Masque. DJs Various DJs. From 11pm, (m)¥3,000 w/1d, (m)¥2,000 w/1d.

Nearest stn: Omotesando.

Tel: 03-5778-4777. www. velours.jp

The Room

Village

Unit

Fantastic. Hip-hop: DJ Hokuto and more. From 10pm, (m)¥3,000 w/1d, (f)¥2,000 w/2d. International Village. Hip-hop: DJs

20 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP

Jazztronica. House, jazz: DJs Nozaki, Shuya Okino(Kyoto Jazz Massive), etc. From 10pm, ¥2,500 w/1d. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.theroom.jp Frue. Electronica, noise: DJ Svreca and more. From 11pm, ¥4,000. Nearest stn: Daikanyama. www.unit-tokyo. com

(m)¥3,500 w/1d, (f)¥3,000 w/1d. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.vision-tokyo.com

Exhibitions

THURSDAY 30

AKASAKA/ROPPONGI

Air

21_21 Design Sight

Deep Generation. House: DJs Kango, Ohishi, etc. From 10pm, ¥2,500 w/1d. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.air-tokyo. com

The Room

Tamariba. Jazz DJ Sadao Osada: Live: Takeshi Kurihara Quartet. From midnight, free.

Nearest stn: Shibuya. www. theroom.jp

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

Mori Art Museum

Village Thursday. Hip-hop: DJs Hokuto, Kekke, etc. From 10pm, (m)¥2,000 w/1d, (f)¥1,000 w/2d. Nearest stn: Azabu-Juban or Roppongi.

Tel: 03-6230-0343. www. villagetokyo.com

Andy Warhol: 15 Minutes Eternal. Almost 700 works by the standard-bearer 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 Mon & Wed-Sun 10am-10pm, Tue 10am-5pm. 6-10-1 Roppongi.

Nearest stn: Roppongi. www. mori.art.museum

Womb

Suntory Museum of Art

Village

Sensual. Deep tech house: DJs Satoshi, Toya, etc. From 10pm, (m)¥1,500, (f)free. Nearest stn: Shibuya. Tel: 03-5459-0039. www.womb.co.jp

FRIDAY 31 Ageha

Asobinite. House, j-pop: DJs Nakata, Ram Rider, etc. From 9pm, ¥4,000. Nearest stn: Shinkiba. www.ageha.com

Air

Party Jam. Bass, house: DJs Oneman, Jommy, etc. From 10pm, ¥3,500 w/1d. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.air-tokyo. com

Module

Jex Opolis. House, disco: DJs Jex Opolis, Max Essa, etc.

From 10pm, ¥2,500. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.moduletokyo.com

Ruby Room

Repaper. DJs Various DJs. From 11pm, free. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www. rubyroomtokyo.com

Sound Museum Vision

Alien Radio. Techno: DJs Sis, Groove Patrol, etc. From 11pm, (m)¥3,500 w/1d, (f)¥3,000 w/1d. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.vision-tokyo.com

The Room

Global Rhythms. Hip-hop: DJs Shark, Sancon, etc. From 10pm, ¥2,000 w/1d. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.theroom.jp

Unit

Hyperdub. Dub step, bass: DJs Kode9, Rashad, etc.

From 11pm, ¥4,500. Nearest stn: Daikanyama. www. unit-tokyo.com

Womb

Fantastic Dance. House: DJ Daishi Dance. From 11pm, ¥3,500. Nearest stn: Shibuya.

Tel: 03-5459-0039. www. womb.co.jp

UPCOMING Air

Gift. House, techno: DJs Cassy, Masda, etc. Feb 1, from 10pm, ¥3,000. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.air-tokyo.com

Module

Theory. Techno, tech house: DJs Qhey, Hiyama, etc: 10pm.

Feb 1, from midnight, ¥2,500 w/1d. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.module-tokyo.com

Ruby Room

Space Dizzy Time. DJs Yamamoto, Yoshi, etc. Feb 1, from 11pm, ¥2,000 w/1d.

Nearest stn: Shibuya. www. rubyroomtokyo.com

Sound Museum Vision

Nylon Japan 10th Anniversary.

Electro, edm: DJs Nakata, Ilmari, etc. Feb 1, from 10pm,

Imari: Japanese Porcelain for European Palaces. Luxurious early 17th century porcelain from Saga prefecture. Jan 25-Mar 16, ¥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

Kazumi Nakamura. Acrylic and oil paintings. Mar 19-May 19, ¥500-1,000. The Power of Images: The National Museum of Ethnology Collection.

Symbols and totems from around the world. Feb 19-Jun 9, ¥500-1,000. 16th Domani: The Art of Tomorrow. Mixed media.

Until Jan 26, ¥500-1,000. Open Wed-Thu, Sat-Mon 10am-6pm, Fri 10am-8pm, closed Tue. 7-22-2 Roppongi. Nearest stn: Nogizaka. www.nact.jp

GINZA/KYOBASHI/ TOKYO Bridgestone Museum of Art

The Painters' Eyes, the Sculptors' Hands. Paintings and sculptures by various artists.

Until Apr 13, ¥500-800. 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

H.P. France Window Gallery

Interweave No.4. Photography

by Circle Side. Until Feb 6, free.

Open Mon-Sat 11am-9pm, Sun & Hols 11am-8pm. 1F Marunouchi Bldg. 2-4-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku.

Tel: 03-3240-5791.www. tokyo.mae.lu/jp/node_19876/ hana-hito-tokyo

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

The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo

Your Portrait: A Tetsumi Kudo Retrospective. Mixed media. Abstract expression of ordinary objects by one of Japan's most innovative artists of the 20th century. Feb 4-Mar 30, ¥250-850. Open Tue-Thu & Sat-Sun 10am-5pm, Fri 10am-8pm. 3-1 Kitanomarukoen. Nearest stn: Takebashi.

Tel: 03-5777-8600. www. momat.go.jp

Zeit-Foto Salon

Mono-ha by Anzai.

Photography by Sigeo Anzai.

Until Feb 22, free. Open Tue-Fri 10:30am-6:30pm, Sat 10:30am5:30pm, 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/

Itochu Aoyama Art Square

Iro no Tsuranari. Japanese-style paintings by Yuuki Sori. Until Feb 28, free. 11am-7pm daily.

B1 CI Plaza, 2-3-1 Kita-Aoyama.

Nearest stn: Gaienmae. Tel: 03-5772-2913. www.itochuartsquare.jp

Nezu Museum

Art and Poetry: Waka Inspired Masterpieces. Traditional panels, lacquerware and kimono. Until 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.

Tue-Sun, 10am-4:30pm. 6-5-1 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku.

Nearest stn: Omotesando. www.nezu-muse.or.jp/en

Ukiyo-e Ota Memorial Museum of Art

The Dreams of Itaya Hazan: The Bliss of Japanese Modern Ceramics. Ceramics.

Retrospective featuring some of the artist's greatest works.

Until 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. idemitsu.co.jp/museum

Mt. Fuji in Ukiyo-e: from the Collection of Ota Memorial Museum of Art. World Heritagelisted landmark in traditional print. Until Jan 26, ¥500-700.

Katsuhika Oi: "Courtesans Showing Themselves to the Strollers through the Grille" Beauty of Light and Shadow.

Woodblock prints. Feb 1-26, ¥500-700. Reminiscence of Hiroshige: Ukiyo-e History Walk.

Comparing real locations in old Oedo and modern Tokyo. Mar 1-23, ¥500-700. Open Tue-Sun 10:30am-5:30pm, closed Mon. 1-10-10 Jingumae. Nearest stn: Harajuku. www.ukiyoe-otamuse.jp

Megumi Ogita Gallery

KAYABACHO/KIBA

Idemitsu Museum of Arts

Ourselves in Today's World.

Emoticon art and more by Kengo Nakamura. Until Feb 1, free. Dreams of Winter.

Mixed media by Aya Cagiu.

Feb 14-Mar 1, free. Tue-Sat 11am-7pm, Closed Mon & Sun. 4F, 5-4-14 Ginza. Nearest stn: Ginza. www.megumiogita.com

Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum

The Beautiful-Art for Art's Sake: The Aesthetic Movement 1860-1900. Mixed media.

Organized by the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Jan 30-May 6, ¥500-1,600. Wed-Fri

Base Gallery

art from the Musac collection.

Feb 15-May 11, ¥600-1,100.

Tue-Sun, 10am-6pm, closed Mon. 4-1-1 Miyoshi, Koto-ku.

Nearest stn: KiyosumiShirakawa. www.mot-artmuseum.jp/eng

Taguchi Fine Art

Baumkoetter, Binding, Loehr and Toenges. Mixed media.

Four artists from Cologne.

Until Feb 1, Open Tue-Sun 1-7pm, closed Mon. Dai 2 Inoue Bldg, 2-17-13 NihombashiKayabacho, Chuo-ku. Nearest stn: Kayabacho. Tel: 03-56523660. www.taguchifineart. com

SHIBUYA/EBISU Bunkamura Gallery

Art Bazar 2014. Mixed media.

Until Jan 27, free. Open daily, 10am-7pm. 2- 24-1 Dogenzaka.

Nearest stn: Shibuya. www. bunkamura.co.jp/english

Tokyo Wonder Site Shibuya

Wonder Seeds 2014. Mixed media. Young artists present their works. Feb 1-Mar 2, free.

1-19-8 Jinnan. Nearest stn: Shibuya. Tel: 03-3463-0603. www.tokyo-ws.org/shibuya

Yamatane Museum of Art

Jakuchu's Adorability and Shoen's Beauty : "Kawaii" in Japanese Art. Edo period screen paintings. Until 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 Eitoeiko Gallery

Wish You Were Here.

Photography by Masaru Aikawa. Using an analog pinhole camera and modern social networks online, the artist connects the present and the past through his images.

Until Feb 8, free. Open Wed-Sun noon-7pm, closed Mon-Tue. 32-2 Yaraicho. Nearest stn: Kagurazaka. Tel: 03-64796923. www.eitoeiko.com

Hiromart Gallery

Ultra Deep Field. Painting.

Abstract art by Alan Van Every. Jan 31-Mar 9, free.

Open Wed-Sun 1-7pm, closed Mon-Tue. 1-30-7 Sekiguchi, Bunkyo-ku. Nearest stn: Edogawabashi. www. hiromartgallery.com

NTT Intercommunication Center

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

Sompo Japan Museum of Art

Quintet: Five-Star Artists.

Mixed media by five Japanese artists, based on the theme "landscape". Until Feb 16, ¥300-500. Face. Mixed media.

Feb 22-Mar 30, ¥300-500.

Tue-Sun, 10am-6pm, closed Mon. 42F Sompo Japan Bldg, 1-26-1 Nishi-Shinjuku. Nearest stn: Shinjuku. Tel: 03-54058686. www.sompo-japan. co.jp/museum

UENO Edo-Tokyo Museum

The Places Nobody Knows.

Works by Toshio Miyaoka.

Feb 21-Mar 29, free. Open Mon-Sat 11am-7pm, closed Sun and Hols. 1-1-6 NihombashiKayabacho, Chuo-ku. Nearest stn: Kayabacho. www. basegallery.com

Ukiyo-e: A Journey Through the Floating World. Woodblock prints. Until Mar 2, ¥450-1,300.

Open Tue-Fri & Sun 9:30am5:30pm, Sat 9:30am-7:30pm, closed Mon & hols. 1-4-1 Yokoami. Nearest stn: Ryogoku. Tel: 03-3626-9974. www.edo-tokyo-museum.or.jp

Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo

National Museum of Nature and Science

Fragments: Incomplete Beginnings. Mixed media. Feb 15-May 11, ¥700-1,600. The Marvelous Real. Contemporary Spanish and Latin American

Big Dinosaurs: Wonders of the Gobi Desert. Velociraptor and tarbosaurus bones unravel mysteries of Earth's history.

Until Feb 23, ¥600-1,500.

GAME PLAN

Festivals Usokae Shinji

Visitors exchange their bullfinch charms from the previous year for new ones. Jan 24-25, all day, free.

Kameido Tenjin. Nearest stn: Kameido. Tel: 03-3681-0010. www.kameidotenjin.or.jp

Doryoson Ceremony

Special ceremony held at midnight three times a year.

Jan 27-28, from midnight, free.

Daiyuzan Temple. Nearest stn: Daiyuzan. Tel: 0465-74-3121. www.daiyuuzan.or.jp

Hatsu Fudo

deVere Group Executive Fight Night IV

GINJA NINJA PROMOTIONS

The fourth installment of the Executive Fight Night series will take place May 23 at Grand Hyatt Tokyo. The Vegas-style boxing event has garnered a huge following over its three-event run and has raised over ¥17 million for charity. If you’ve considered getting into the ring and duking it so far out for a good cause, then now is your chance. Tryouts for the deVere Group Executive Fight Night IV will take place on Saturday, February 8, from 7am-9am at Club 360 (Cma3 Building B1 3-1-35 Motoazabu, Minato-ku; www.club360.jp). Space is limited, so get in touch now if you're at all interested by sending an email to info@ginjaninjas.com.

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

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.

The 150th Anniversary: The Prints of Edvard Munch from the National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo. Prints.

Major element of Munch's overall work method. Until Mar 9, ¥130-420. Open daily 9:30am-5:30pm. 7-7 Ueno Park. Nearest stn: Ueno. www. nmwa.go.jp

Tokyo National Museum

Admired from Afar: Masterworks of Japanese Painting from the Cleveland Museum of Art. Traditional Japanese paintings return home. Until Feb 23, ¥800-1,600. Japanese Masks: Noh Masks - Zekan and Kawachi. Masks by the masters. Until Feb 16, ¥400-600. Open Tue-Sun 9:30am-5pm. 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

Fragments: Incomplete Beginnings. Mixed media. Feb 15-May 11, ¥700-1,600. The Marvelous Real. Contemporary Spanish and Latin American art from the Musac collection.

Feb 15-May 11, ¥600-1,100.

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. Open Tue-Sun 9:30am-4:30pm, closed Mon. 117 Jonai-cho, Sakura-shi. Nearest stn: KeiseiSakura. www.rekihaku.ac.jp/ english

Pola Museum of Art

KICKBOXING No Kick, No Life

Feb 11, 3pm, ¥3,000-30,000.

Ota City General Gymnasium.

Nearest stn: Umeyashiki. Tel: 03-5480-6688.

MMA

Homage to Renoir: Renoir and Painters of the 20th Century.

Impressionist oil paintings.

Until Apr 6, JPY1,000-1,800.

Color, Line, Form: Matisse, Degas, Chagall. Oil, watercolor and pastel painting. Until Apr 6, ¥1,000-1,800. JapaneseStyle Paintings and Japanese Western-Style Paintings.

Works by Léonard Foujita and others. Until Apr 6, ¥1,0001,800. 9am-4:30pm. 1285 Kozukayama, Sengokuhara, Hakone-machi. Nearest stn: Gora. www.polamuseum.or.jp

Rise 97

Setagaya Art Museum

Wrestle-1

Experimental Workshop.

Mixed media by young avant-garde artists. Until Jan 26, ¥500-1,000. Ginko, Ryusei and Reiko Kishida—Genealogy of Innovative Spirit. Painting.

Feb 8-Apr 6, ¥500-1,200.

Open Tue-Sun10am-6pm, closed Mon. 1-2 Kinutakoen, Setagaya-ku. Nearest stn: Seijogakuenmae.

Tel: 03-3415-6011. www. setagayaartmuseum.or.jp

Sports BASKETBALL National Basketball League

Hitachi

Sunrockers vs.

Tsukuba Robots. Jan 25-26, 6pm, ¥1,000-2,000. Yoyogi National Gymnasium.

Nearest stn: Meiji-Jingumae.

Hitachi

Sunrockers vs.

Wakayama Trians. Feb 8, 6pm, ¥1,000-2,500. Sumida City Gymnasium. Nearest stn: Kinshicho. Tel: 03-3623-7273.

Hitachi

Sunrockers vs.

Hyogo Storks. Feb 9, 3pm, ¥1,000-2,500. Sumida City Gymnasium. Nearest stn: Kinshicho. Tel: 03-3623-7273.

Hitachi

Sunrockers vs.

Aisin Seahorses Mikawa. Feb 15-16, 6pm, ¥1,000-2,500. Ota City General Gymnasium.

Nearest stn: Umeyashiki. Tel: 03-5480-6688.

Jan 25, 5:20pm, ¥4,000-7,000.

Korakuen Hall. Nearest stn: Suidobashi. Tel: 03-5800-9999.

PRO WRESTLING Wrestling New Classic

Jan 30, 7pm, ¥3,000-7,000.

Shinjuku Face. Nearest stn: Shinjuku. Tel: 03-3419-0536.

Kaientai Dojo: Taka & Taichi Jan 31, 7pm, ¥4,000-7,000.

Shinjuku Face. Nearest stn: Shinjuku. Tel: 03-3419-0536.

Jan 31, 7pm, ¥4,000-7,000.

Korakuen Hall. Nearest stn: Suidobashi. Tel: 03-5800-9999.

Noah

Feb 3, 6:30pm, ¥4,000-7,000.

Korakuen Hall. Nearest stn: Suidobashi. Tel: 03-5800-9999.

All Japan

Feb 5, 7pm, ¥4,000-7,000.

Korakuen Hall. Nearest stn: Suidobashi. Tel: 03-5800-9999.

Dragon Gate

Feb 6, 6:30pm, ¥4,000-7,000.

Korakuen Hall. Nearest stn: Suidobashi. Tel: 03-58009999.

Chinese Spring Festival

Traditional performances, acrobatics and lion dances. Jan 31-Feb 11, various times, free.

Yokohama Chinatown. Nearest stn: Motomachi-chukagai.

Tel: 045-662-1252. www. chinatown.or.jp/e

Setsubun Tsuina Festival

Annual ceremony of driving out evil spirits. Feb 3, 7:30pm, free. Chichibu Jinja. Nearest stn: Kumagaya. Tel: 0494-220262. www.chichibu-jinja.or.jp

Setsubun Festival

Forums & Expos Tokyo International Great Quilt Festival

Fabric, needles and more. Until Jan 29, 9:30am-6pm (opens 11am first day, closes 5:30pm final day), ¥1,800 (adv)/ ¥2,000 (door). Tokyo Dome. Nearest stn: Suidobashi. Tel: 03-58009999. www.tokyo-dome. co.jp/e/quilt

Tableware Festival

Porcelain, dining accessories and new trends. Feb 2-10, 10am-7pm (1st day 11am-7pm), ¥1,700 (adv)/ ¥2,000 (door). Tokyo Dome.

Nearest stn: Suidobashi.

Tel: 03-5800-9999. www.tokyo-dome.co.jp/ tableware/22th/event

Music for Refugees

Feb 22, 1:35pm, ¥1,000-6,500.

National Olympic Stadium.

Nearest stn: Gaienmae. Tel: 042-342-8950.

TABLE TENNIS Obayashi Cup

Mar 1, 11:30am, ¥1,800. Yoyogi National Gymnasium. Nearest stn: Meiji-Jingumae.

TENNIS

Asia League

Davis Cup: Japan vs.

Canada

Jan 31-Feb 2, 1pm, ¥1,50010,000. Ariake Colosseum.

Nearest stn: Ariake. Tel: 03-3529-3301

Thomas Sawada and T.E.A in support of Refugees International Japan. Jan 26 Sun, from 5:30pm. ¥2,000.

What the Dickens. Nearest stn: Ebisu. http://meturl.com/ sawada2014

Charity Valentine Evening Buffet supper, cocktails by Suntory, Fuji Film and music

by Unnatural. Feb 3, 7-9pm. ¥3,000 (door). Gate Hotel.

Nearest stn: Asakusa. info@ refugeesinternationaljapan. org http://meturl.com/ valref2014

Stitch-n-Bitch

Meet fellow knitters, crocheters and sewers to talk, share ideas, eat, drink and create. Every first and third Tue, 7pm, free, Cafe Respekt. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.meetup.com/ TokyoStitchandBitch

Telephone Counselor Training Program Spring 2014

12-week program beginning Feb. 8 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

Learning Burgundy Wine Seminar

Learn about Burgundy wines and enjoy a gourmet dinner in an international atmosphere.

Jan 25, 4pm, ¥10,980 (adv).

Legato. Nearest stn: Shibuya. frenchwinetasting@hotmail. com. www.wineandcooking. info/en/winetesting.html

Making The 47 Ronin Manga

British manga artist Sean Micheal Wilson describes the creative process behind making comic books. Jan 29, 7pm, free. Lakeland College.

Nearest stn: Shinjuku. Tel: 03-3225-0425. www.lcjapan. com/lectures

Salon de Kyoto

Chibagin Cup: JEF United Chiba vs. Kashiwa Reysol

Fuji Xerox Super Cup: Sanfrecce Hiroshima vs.

Yokohama F. Marinos

Burlesque models pose for artstars and sketching newbies alike with arty socializing. Every third Wed, 7pm, ¥2,000 1d incl. Studio & Space IVVA. Nearest stn: Meiji-jingumae or Harajuku. www.drsketchytokyo. wordpress.com

Setsubun-sai

Plucking of bowstrings and soybean spreading to dispel evil spirits. Feb 3, 1pm, free.

Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Temple. Nearest stn: Kamakura. Tel: 0467-220315. www.tsurugaokahachimangu.jp

FEB 8-APR 26

Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School

Kyo no Omotenashi

Community

Feb 16, 2pm, ¥500-4,000.

Fukuda Arena. Nearest stn: Soga. Tel: 043-208-5577.

Bicyclists of all treads meet for slide shows, lectures, ride-planning, etc. Every second Wed, 7pm, free, The Pink Cow. Nearest stn: Roppongi. Tel: 03-6434-5773. cowmail@thepinkcow.com

Throw beans at evil spirits ahead of the first day of spring.

Feb 3, all day, free. Kawasaki Daishi Heikenji Temple.

Nearest stn: Kawasaki Daishi.

Tel: 044-266-3420. www. kawasakidaishi.com

SOCCER

ICE HOCKEY H.C.

Tochigi Nikko Icebucks vs. High 1. Feb 8-9, 4pm, ¥1,000-3,600. Nikko Shimofuri Ice Arena. Tel: 0288-53-5881.

Daruma doll festival. Jan 28, all day, free. TakahataFudoson Kongoji. 733 Takahata, Hino-shi.Nearest stn: Takahata-Fudosan. www. takahatafudoson.or.jp

Half-Fast Cyclists

Seminar about Kyoto culture.

Feb 4, 3pm, free, registration required. Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo. Nearest stn: Mejiro. tokyo-office@city.kyoto.jp. www.kyoaruki.jp Learn basic furoshiki wrap techniques. Feb 12, 2 & 7pm, ¥1,000. Marunouchi Café Seek.

Nearest stn: Nijubashimae. event@marunouchicafe.com. www.marunouchicafe.com

Ice Rinks

FEB 8 (SAT), 2-5 PM VedaPlus Valentine’s Prediction Vedaplus Valentine’s Palm reading. Fee: ¥2,500.

Nearest stn: Azabujuban.

Tel: 03-6434-5448 or email: info@vedaplus-motoazabu. jp for reservation. http:// vedaplus-motoazabu.jp/ various times, various prices.

Venues across Tokyo. www. kyoaruki.jp

TPAM in Yokohama

International platform for performing arts of every kind. Feb 8-16, various times, various prices. Venues across Yokohama. www.tpam. or.jp/2014

Illuminations

Art Rink

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

Diner's Club Ice Rink

Blading in the heart of Roppongi. Jan 9-Mar 9, 11am-10pm, ¥1,000 (elem and under)/ ¥1,500 (gen).

Tokyo Midtown. Nearest stn: Roppongi. Tel: 0570-017154. http://meturl.com/ midskate2014

Sora x Niwa x Ice Park

Skating, churros, hot cocktails and more. Until Mar 2, daily 11am-10pm, ¥1,800-5,500.

Matsuya Ginza rooftop, 3-6-1 Ginza, Chuo-ku. Nearest stn: Ginza. www.soraxniwa.com/ ice201314

Toshimaen Rooftop Ice Rink

On the ice in the sky. Until Mar 2, Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat, Sun & hols 10am-7:30pm, ¥500 (elem and under)/ ¥1,000 (gen) +rental fee. Akasaka Sacas.

Nearest stn: Akasaka. http:// meturl.com/toshimaen2014

White Sacas Ice Garden

Enjoy the nearby illuminations while skating.

Until Mar 2, Noon-9pm Mon-Fri, 11am-9pm Sat-Sun & hols, ¥500 (elem and under)/ ¥1,000 (gen). Akasaka Sacas.

Nearest stn: Akasaka. http:// meturl.com/sakasice2014

Other Events

Blue Lights Symphony

Until Feb 14, daily from 5pm, free. Keyaki Hiroba, Saitama Shintoshin. Nearest stn: Saitama Shintoshin www.saitama-arena.co.jp/ illumination2013

Marunouchi Illuminations

Until Feb 16, daily from 5pm, free. Marunouchi area.

Nearest stn: Tokyo. www. marunouchi.com

Tokyo Dome City Winter Illumination

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

Jewellumination

Until Feb 16, daily from 4pm, ¥500-1,200. Yomiuriland.

Nearest stn: Yomiurilandmae. www.yomiuriland.com

Oto to Hikari no Omotenashi

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

Night Venus - Light for Wishing

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

Winter Fantasy

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

Lake Sagami Illumillion

Kyoaruki in Tokyo 2014

Events, exhibits and free gifts promoting Kyoto city as a tourist destination. Feb 4-19,

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

#1035 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP • 21

Agenda Movies BY DON MORTON

ROOM 237

A

nd here you thought Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 The Shining was just a movie. Hah! Actually, upon its release, many thought it a rather mediocre horror story, an underachievement for the genius director that had brought us 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange and Dr. Strangelove. But the five obsessive cinephiles interviewed in this unique essay-film by Rodney Ascher beg to differ, preferring to think that the director was working on a higher level and embedding little clues into the fabric of the film. They, in turn, confidently advance interpretations of each continuity error or errant reflection to come up with explanations that range from the vaguely lucid to the outright batshit. One sees it as a statement on the Holocaust, another a comment on the genocide of the American Indians. Then there’s the subliminal message on twisted human sexuality, the hidden minotaurs, numerology, carpet patterns and, my favorite, the director’s coded confession that he helped fake the Moon landings. One guy suggested running the film simultaneously backward and forward to reveal astounding secrets. None of them convinced me that their hidden meanings were either meanings or hidden, but that’s not to say it wasn’t great fun to watch. (104 min)

WE’RE THE MILLERS

NEW

ENDER’S GAME

NEW

Happy pot dealer (Jason Sudeikis) gets his inventory ripped off, and to atone (and avoid death) he must mule in “a smidge” of weed from Mexico. Realizing that dorky families in RVs rarely get hassled at the border, he recruits a stripper (Jennifer Anniston, fine at 44) to be mom, along with a street girl and a neglected teenage neighbor kid, to be the title decoy family. Of course they inevitably bond, etc. In terms of originality or surprises, this one is all seeds and stems. But probably due to low expectations, I had a few good yucks. Hardly a recommendation, but I’ve sat through far worse. (110 min)

Well, it’s a pre-teen war-gamer’s perfect fantasy. Young Ender Wiggin (Asa Butterfield—Hugo) is forcibly recruited for his uniquely aggressive video-game skills (children are apparently more intuitive) to defend Earth against a second attack by these ant-like alien thingies. To me, having not read the probably better kid-lit source material, this was two hours of repetitive video-game-like training sequences followed by repetitive video-game-like battle sequences, interspersed with a lot of speechifying by Harrison Ford (also Ben Kingsley in a cameo), and all to an intrusive, bombastic score. Snore. (114 min)

THE SAPPHIRES

A quartet of '60s Aborig inal amateurs singing C&W in the outback is discovered by an itinerant Irish keyboardist and repurposed into a bootie-shakin’, soul-sister sensation. A strange thing happens with this film. See, it’s full of flaws. Its momentum and story arc are repeatedly sabotaged by its adhering too closely to the true story that inspired it. Plot holes; cornball script. But this is all forgiven when the girls start singing. These women got heart, and it fairly spills off the screen. This sincere yet unpolished little feelgooder makes you smile, and it makes me recommend it.

(99 min)

22 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP

ONLY GOD FORGIVES

NEW

MUD

NEW

“A Ryan Gosling movie by the visionary who directed him in Drive? I have to see that,” you may tell yourself. Resist. This joyless corpse of a movie is a brutal, meaningless, torture-porn tale of underworld retribution whic starts with the butchering of a Bangkok hooker and centers on a sadistic, karaoke-loving, sword-wielding, Thai ex-cop who, we are told, is a God surrogate. Mai dee! (It’s half in Thai.) Gosling’s catatonic, and Kristin Scott Thomas’s risible mugging as a foul-mouthed, drug-dealing mommy is plain risible. Worse, it’s fatally dull. Couldn’t wait for the ugly thing to be over. (90 min)

Gotta hand it to Matthew McConaughey for reinventing himself and pulling out of the dismal rom-com spiral he was in. Dude can act. But that said, the emotional heart of this highly entertaining Southern Gothic potboiler is young Tye Sheridan (The Tree of Life), who plays a 14-year-old Arkansas river rat who befriends and abets a fugitive hiding on a deserted island from the cops as well as from some vicious, vengeful vigilantes. Add to that Reese Witherspoon, Sam Shepard, Joe Don Baker and notably Jacob Lofland as the dreamer Tye’s pragmatic foil, and you’ve got a movie that Mark Twain would like. (130 min)

THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE

This may be one of those rare sequels that are better than the first film. Katniss is finding her victory in that film’s lethal Games to be not without emotional scars, considering that she had to kill 22 people to achieve it. Now she has been enlisted by the despotic President Snow for a PR campaign to disabuse the oppressed masses of the notion that she may represent rebellion. And she has to enter another battle to the death, this time against an all-star array of past winners. Not only did I like this one better, its cliffhanger ending made me hungry for the next installment.

(146 min)

BEFORE MIDNIGHT

NEW

PAWN SHOP CHRONICLES

NEW

I t ’s a m a z i n g , r e a l ly, R i c h a r d Linklater’s unintentional triptych of films chronicling a love affair at nine-year intervals. Jesse and Celine (Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy) met at 23 in Vienna in 1995 in the love-at-first-sight Before Sunrise, which was meant to be a one-off. 2004’s Before Sunset was about second chances, and this one about the realities of keeping love alive. All three are talky but thoughtful and convincing. Best of the three? Beside the point. They’re symbiotic. But the banter is riskier and more real. You don’t watch these movies; you witness them. Can’t wait for 2022. (108 min)

This has been called a “redneck P ulp F iction,” but t hat i mpl ie s wit and talent. Comprises three wildly disparate yet intersecting southern-fried vignettes. The first involves bickering, strung-out meth heads (including Paul Walker) that, rather unsurprisingly, blow themselves up. The second has Matt Dillon viciously rescuing his abducted wife from a twisted “collector,” played by Elijah Wood.

This is nothing but torture porn. The third is the pathetic story of an Elvis impersonator (Brendan Fraser) who makes a deal with the Devil. Overlong, extremely violent and just plain ugly. Skip it twice, y’all. (112 min)

ESCAPE PLAN

The Italian Stallion and the Governator both tanked in their action comebacks ( Bullet to the Head and The Last Stand ). This tag-team nonsense is about what you’d expect from the inevitable, market-mandated pairing of the two (unless you expect surprises). Sly’s a professional escaper from prisons, you know, to check their security. His latest job turns out to be a set-up, and he’s stuck in a comically secure CIA facility. Shwa-chan’s the savvy inmate he recruits to form an (see title). Yes, I know it’s just stupid fun, but although I was never a fan, don’t these two action icons deserve something better? (115 min)

ROOM 237: ASMIK ACE; WE’RE THE MILLERS: ©2013 WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC.; ONLY GOD FORGIVES: © 2012 : SPACE ROCKET NATION, GAUMONT & WILD BUNCH; BEFORE MIDNIGHT: Ⓒ BEFORE MIDNIGHT INC,PHOTO BY DESPINA SPYROU.; ENDER’S GAME: © 2013 SUMMIT ENTERTAINMENT, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.; MUD: © 2012, NECKBONE PRODUCTIONS, LLC.; PAWN SHOP CHRONICLES: © 2013 PAWN SHOP CHRONICLES, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.; THE SAPPHIRES: © 2012 THE SAPPHIRES FILM HOLDINGS PTY LTD, SCREEN AUSTRALIA, GOALPOST PICTURES.; THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE: © 2013 LIONS GATE ENTERTAINMENT INC. ALL RIGHTS.; ESCAPE PLAN: © 2013 SUMMIT ENTERTAINMENT, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.; KILLING SEASON: ©2013 PROMISED LAND PRODUCTIONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.;INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 2: © 2013 ALLIANCE FILMS (UK) DEVELOPMENT LIMITED. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.; PLANES: ©2013 DISNEY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.: GRAVITY: ©2013 WARNER BROS.ENTERTAINMENT INC.; THE BLING RING: ©2013 SOMEWHERE ELSE, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.; EIGA: © RYUTARO NAKAGAWA & TOKYO NEW CINEMA; MOVIE NEWS: KEVIN MCGUE; CINEMATIC UNDERGROUND: © PARAMOUNT PICTURES.

KILLING SEASON

A US Army vet (Robert De Niro) who retired after a shattering tour in the Balkans and a Serbian war criminal (John Travolta, more convincing in Hairspray) meet in the Appalachian woods to settle an old score mano a mano by hunting each other with bows and arrows. Not making this up. The tables are repeatedly turned, with each getting opportunities to torture and torment the other with things like lemonade waterboarding and, worse, endless speechifying. This latter is especially silly in Travolta’s Boris-and-Natasha accent, which is eeneeshally jost fonny but soon gets eeratatink. Skippable brutality. (90 min)

INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 2

I mildly praised 2010’s Insidious for a few genuine scares and a relative lack of gore. Now this unwarranted sequel picks up where the first film left off (with dad returning from the “other side” with his rescued son) and proceeds to run it into the ground. I take back the mild praise. Should you still be awake by the second half, you’ll be subjected to a shameless, nearly incoherent, suspense-free jumble of rambling flashbacks, chronological inconsistencies and frequent generic “boo!” moments. At the much-anticipated ending, it has the nerve to hint at a second sequel, which I’ll skip. (106 min)

eiga

PLASTIC LOVE STORY

By Rob Schwartz

I

feel it’s the mission of this column to search out lesser-known filmmakers in Japan if they show promise and creativity. Ryutaro Nakagawa fits the bill perfectly. This twentysomething auteur is part of the Tokyo New Cinema collective, which is revitalizing Japanese film without the backing of any studio. His feature debut, Calling, won the Best Cinematography prize at the Boston International Film Festival last year. Now he follows up with Plastic Love Story, in which he continues to depict the everyday issues and emotional troubles of Japanese youth. His style is both lyrical and powerful, and his new work is a triptych that portrays the struggles of three unrelated young women. Eri is worried she's pregnant when she gets handed a videotape of a former classmate who committed suicide and visits their now-abandoned high school. Another character, Rina, isn’t feeling any affection from her boyfriend when she suddenly meets Toru, a janitor busy taking care of his senile grandmother. Finally, Kanae is miserable in the small town by the sea where she lost her brother, until she meets Kiyoshi. With his finger on the pulse of the current generation, Nakagawa’s stories are told with beautiful cinematography and emotive power. (124 min)

movie news PLANES

A bored little crop duster in, as we are unnecessarily told, the “world of Cars,” dreams of being a highpowered 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)

GRAVITY In a stunning update of the classic shipwreck narrative, space-walking astronauts Sandra Bullock and G e o r g e C l o o n e y a re l ite r a l ly 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 reallife quartet of vapid, entitled L.A. highschool girls and 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)

F

ollowing up on his film Drive, which was a relative commercial success for an arthouse fim, director Nicolas Winding Refn reteamed with star Ryan Gosling. Rather than turn out more of the same, the duo decided to return to a project they had set aside, Only God Forgives, which has polarized critics and audiences with its extreme violence and spiritual themes. “After Lou Reed had the success of Transformer, he came out with Metal Machine Music, which was so completely different,” Refn told Metropolis during a recent trip to Tokyo.

“After Drive, I said I am going to make my Metal Machine Music.” Gosling plays an American running a boxing gym in Thailand. When his criminal brother is killed by a police lieutenant, crime boss mom (Kristin Scott Thomas, playing against type) shows up to settle the score. “Bangkok is the number one key factor for the story,” Refn explains. “By day it is very westernized, but by night it becomes very Asian. It's almost like it is a werewolf.” Having made films in his native Denmark, the US and Thailand, does Refn plan to ever film in Japan? “I have always wanted to make a film in Tokyo,” the filmmaker says. “I am just searching for the right story to fit the city.” Only God Forgives opens January 25. Kevin Mcgue

cinematic underground

“

Blondes make the best victims,” said Alfred Hitchcock. “They're like virgin snow that shows up the bloody footprints.” The director liked his fair-haired actresses, and now the ongoing Screen Beauties series presents a trio of Hitchcock blondes at Shinjuku Picadilly (3-15-15 Shinjuku, Shinjukuku; www.shinjukupiccadilly.com) starting January 25. Grace Kelly plays a vacationing socialite romanced by Cary Grant in To Catch a Thief (1955), Tippi Hedren bleaches her locks as a disguise as the kleptomaniac Marnie (1964), and obsessed Jimmy Stewart transforms Kim Novak into a blonde in Vertigo (1958; pictured). www.screenbeauties. com… One of South Korea’s highest grossing films of all time is coming to Tokyo. The comedy Miracle in Cell No.7, screening from January 25 at Ginza’s Cine Switch (4-4-5 Ginza, Chuo-ku ; www.cineswitch.com) tells the story of a mentally-challenged man who's wrongfully imprisoned with hardened criminals who help the man reunite with his daughter by smuggling the girl into the jail...The hardboiled newspaper reporter wasn't limited to American film noir, also showing up in the Jiken Kisha series of Japanese crime reporter movies (1959-66) running through March 9 at Laputa in Asagaya (2-12-21 Asagaya Kita, Suginami-ku; www.laputa-jp.com/laputa/). KM

Unless noted, Japanese films screen without English subtitles. Non-English language films are shown with Japanese subtitles only. #1035 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP • 23

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

local flavors

UKAI-TEI & KEYAKIZAKA

Two top-tier Tokyo teppanyaki treats

By Yukari Sakamoto

O

utside Japan, partaking of teppanyaki meals (literally, “g r i l l i ng on a n i ron plate”) can mean a gaudy show. A chef juggles his pepper grinder, offers up wisecracks and tosses food into the air. Diners are grouped with strangers around the cook at a U-shaped grill and the nature of dining with those you don’t know often makes for an awkward evening. If that has been your experience, then you may be hesitant to give it a try in Japan. Don’t be. Here teppanyaki is a respected culinary style. Most times you'll have your own private chef, and the energy is focused on drawing out the flavors from the ingredients with a menu that changes seasonally rather than on a BeniHana two-step. At different ends of the spectrum, Keyakizaka at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo and Ukai-tei in Ginza offer two takes on teppanyaki in Tokyo.

COURTESY OF GRAND HYATT TOKYO

signature dish, steamed under a mountain of salt until tender.

The tender Ukai wagyu is richly marbled with fat, cut into bite-size cubes and served with thinsliced garlic the chef skillfully cooks into chips and freshly cracked black pepper. It pairs perfectly with the garlic rice.

The wine list leans toward the French, which is actually perfect for the cuisine—and these classical European dishes work surprisingly well with teppanyaki.

On weekdays, lunch guests are escorted to a lounge where a dessert wagon is rolled up with pastries including classic sweets like macaroons, sables, caramels, marshmallows and petit fours.

This is the ideal time to order a glass of brandy, cancel any afternoon plans and reflect on the state of teppanyaki today—far from the knife clatter and salt-n-pepper shaker percussion of western imitations.

COURTESY OF GINZA UKAI-TEI

GINZA UKAI-TEI

A

thick, red carpet welcomes diners into Ginza Ukai-tei’s grand entrance, guarded by two stately silverware soldiers. Guests are then transported back in time as they enter the exquisitely furnished welcome room.

Glamorous and over the top (in a good way), the museum-like space hosts pieces by René Lalique and Emille Galle. Even if you don’t know these artists, you’ll be struck by their works’ timeless craftsmanship.

While luxuriating at Ukai-tei be sure to request a private room, at no extra charge. The intimate COURTESY OF GINZA UKAI-TEI experience of dining VIP-style with just your friends and the chef is arguably the only way to celebrate a special occasion.

The menu at Ukaitei is not strictly teppan grill, as it includes classic European cuisine with dishes like smoked salmon and consommé.

The steamed abalone is a

24 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP

J/E Menu in Japanese & English

Lunch from ¥6,830, dinner from ¥16,800

All nonsmoking

Request a private room for the VIP treatment

Luxurious environment

May be expensive for some

Jitsushin Bldg. 5-15-8 Ginza, Chuo-ku

Lunch: Mon-Fri noon-2pm, Sat-Sun & hols 11:30am-3pm. Dinner: 5-9pm

www.ukai.co.jp/english/ginza/index.html

KEYAKIZAKA

T

he first thing to capture your attention in this Michelin-starred restaurant on the fourth floor of Roppongi Hills is the wide selection of vegetables behind the long, iron grill. This time of year, various root vegetables, mushrooms and kabocha (squash) are some of what you’ll see. Their names are spelled out in Japanese, but ask your chef and he can tell you they are in English.

The course starts with foie gras, seared on the teppan grill and served with caramelized figs and a sweet ba lsa m ico COURTESY OF GRAND HYATT TOKYO sauce. The kinmedai (alfonsino) and seasonal vegetables are tied up in what appears to be plast ic w rap, heated directly on the grill—a dramatic presentation. When the bag is opened after cooking, the fish has infused the vegetables with an ocean aroma that wafts over the table.

The kuroge wagyu (Japanese Black beef), while streaked with fat, is still a very succu lent cut. Gr i l led

BITES Dining Out

Lunch from ¥4,000, dinner from ¥17,000

All nonsmoking except private room

Private room for up to six, but big counter is more dramatic

Unique use of sauces

Can be difficult to find

Grand Hyatt Tokyo 6-10-3 Roppongi, Minato-ku

Lunch 11:30am-2:30pm, dinner 6-9:30pm

http://tokyo.grand.hyatt.jp/en/hotel/dining/ Keyakizaka.html

T

F

hose Rorscach-like QR codes seem set to join the fax machine as a technology embraced in Japan but left behind by the rest of the world. Even with the mass migration to smart phones, the checkered squares are everywhere, as evidenced by the QR code menu at Glass Dance (6-1-23 Roppongi, Minato-ku. 03-34756078). Never again will you feel pressured to make up your mind quickly as the waiter hovers over you. Download a free app, Znap, to your device, scan the code off your order and the waiter will have it to your table in a flash. They claim it’s the first of its kind in Japan.

rench may be the language of love, but chocolate needs no translation in any tongue. As the chocolate options proliferate with the approach of Valentine’s Day, even fast food outlets are jumping on the bandwagon, with burger chain Lotteria doing a tie-up with Lotte’s Ghana chocolate brand. Grab the new tsuke-pote (¥340) and you’ll get a box of medium fries accompanied by a pouch of warm chocolate dip that you can then squeeze into an edible cookie container. We were skeptical to say the least. Having tried it, we wouldn’t recommend it alongside a bacon cheeseburger, but it goes surprisingly well with a hot cup of java. Available until mid-February at participating Lotteria restaurants.

string beans care bears

T

ired of constantly being asked the question: “Can you eat natto?” Next time, throw them for a loop by telling them that you not only eat the stuff but like it absolutely gooey. Gadget maker Takara Tomy Arts has developed the Rosanjin Natto Pot (¥2,200), to help you with the process of mixing the pungent beans to stringy perfection.

The mixer is named after the potter who helped popularize Japanese ceramics with Westerners and who liked his fermented soy beans served just so.

Pop in your natto and start turning the hand crank.

After 305 turns, a hatch will automatically pop up.

Pour in a bit of soy sauce and get back at it. After 424 whirls, it will pop up again and you're good to go.

There are two settings, which we're going to translate as "super sticky" and "mega sticky." On sale Feb 6. www.meturl.com/nattomaker

COURTESY OF SHIKOKU KAKOKI CO., LTD

J/E Menu in Japanese & English

take a dip

COURTESY OF TAKARA TOMY ARTS, CO. LTD

with eggplant and bell pepper, the steak is cut into slices and served with two sauces, goma (sesame) and tomato. The dish that follows is uni (sea urchin) grilled with rice and decorated with nori and a fried quail’s egg. The uni lost some of its supple texture when cooked, but was still extravagant.

Watching the chef create each dish contributes as much to the sensory experience as the simple but mouthwatering tastes—one of the true pleasures of teppanyaki. Before grilling each serving, he presents the ingredients, like a sommelier the first sip of wine, and only then does preparation begin.

Keyakizaka offers a selection of mostly New World wines, with many biodynamic or organic selections. From the short list of nihonshu, we chose the rich Kuro Obi Yamahai Junmaishu (¥2,100) to complement the lunch.

Our meal ends with the chef caramelizing a strawberry, blueberry, and raspberry clafoutis (a crustless, flan-like tart) with a cooking torch. We were then escorted to a lounge area to finish with dessert and a coffee.

It’s a creative and international take on teppanyaki with flavors absorbed into this traditional Japanese cuisine from all over the world.

The restaurant is a bit hard to find so allow some time to get lost—your efforts will be rewarded.

bar code

S

ince kyaraben (character bento) are getting a lot of international media attention, many parents are now tempted to join in the fun.

However, creating all those cute and edible characters requires great skill, not to mention time.

Shikoku Kakoki has come to the rescue of parents who want to make dishes that are easy to do, visually appealing to their kids and healthy. They’ve come up with Rilakkuma Goyururi Kinutofu: small, portion-sized tofu blocks with the popular bear’s face imprinted on the bottom. Pop them on a salad for instant cuteness or pour on some soy sauce to make the features more prominent.

Comes in a set of four 80g blocks (¥168) with different face designs on each. That adds up to five smiling faces—if you count your kid’s. www.shopping-satonoyuki.com

#1035 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP • 25

GORGEOUS BAR &LOUNGE CONVENIENT STANDING CASH-BAR AREA SELECTED ALCOHOL & FOOD FROM ¥500

Enjoy various events on Friday!

All events start: 8pm and no entry fee.

• P.C.M. HOT FESTA in Jan Provide special hot drinks and hot food for making you hot!!!

• 1/10(FRI)CIROC NEW YEAR PARTY DJ: LAVA & MORE • 1/17（FRI）POMMERY NIGHT FRENCH FRIDAY DJ: TADAHISA SHINKAWA & MORE • 1/22（WED）kind of night Craft Beer DJ: LAVA VJ: adachi from •1/24(FRI) REALSOUND of HEARTLAND ¥500 GUEST DJ COMING! * Performers and event might change 1F Tokia Tokyo Bldg, 2-7-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku.

Nearest stations: Tokyo or Yurakucho. Open: Lunch 11am-2:30pm, Tea 2:30-5pm, Dinner (Mon-Fri) 5pm-4am LO 3:30am, (Weekends and hols.) 5pm-11pm LO 10pm

☎ 03-5222-1251www.miyoshi-grp.com/cardinal/pcm

Roppongi's famous Chinese eatery

Order 3 Tsingtao beers, and get 1 free. Post a photo

of the restaurant on Facebook, and get 1 free Tsingtao. (3 people max.)

Open 24 hours • 180 people max for parties Roppongi: 2F Court Annex Roppongi, 3-2-13 Nishi-Azabu, Minato-ku.

Akasaka: B1F Floral Plaza Bldg, 3-8-8 Akasaka,Minato-ku.

03-5414-5708 03-6234-9788

Visit our website for info on other Chinese Cafe Eight locations

welcome@cceight.com | www.chinesecafe8.com

For the cost of postage get Metropolis on your doorstep—and have ransom note material for decades.

http://metropolis.co.jp/subscription 26 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP

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

1.2 HAIR & BEAUTY

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/

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 or thodontic s by a UC LAtrained and certified dentist.

30min from Shinagawa and Shibuya. nakamar-@cameo. plala.or.jp www.nakamarudental.jp/english/ 045-6813359

SPORTS PHYSIOTHERAPY (physical therapy) c a r e i n H i r o o .

Native Engli sh - speaking therapists specializing in sports injuries, post-operative rehabilitation, back /ne ck pain , running related, headaches, orthotics, ergonomic consultations and women’s health. www. tokyophysio.com 03-34436769 ACUPUNCTURE, SHIATSU, MOXIBUSTION. Professional acupuncture treatments offered by licensed (Australia and Japan) acupuncturist. Acupuncture is effective for backache, tight shoulders, sciatica, headache, stomach problems, depression, colds and flu, high blood pressure, tinnitus, insomnia, gynecological problems. Call Lynette at 090-5495-4936.

CHEAPEST, QUICKEST AND SAFEST! Transporter Tokyo supports your 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

MOVING OVERSEAS? Call ECONOSHIP! With over 30 years of experience, you can count on Econoship for courteous, efficient, reliable service and reasonable p rice s . Fo r re a l p e a ce of mind, move with the best.

Move with Econoship! Call, email, or visit our website.

Ask how you can receive 10 free boxes. 0120-222-111 info@econoship.net www. econoship.net

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 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

1.7 BUSINESS SERVICES

2 FIND A PLACE

U S AN D JAPAN E S E TA X SERVICES. Planning a job switch? Best time to leave Japan? Tax impact on a potential investment? We can comment on both sides. No charge for initial consultation.

E x p a t Ta x J a p a n . w w w. expattaxjapan.com. info@expattaxjapan.com.

2.1 GUESTHOUSE

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 h a n d l e s yo u r v i s a c a s e .

P e r m a n e n t r e s i d e n c y, naturalization, eligibility (inviting your spouse/ children/workers from your country), extension/ change of visa status.

Consultation ¥5000. OFFICE LI FE (M i h o Fu j i b aya s h i).

Tel: 090-8330-0670 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

Issue 1037

Issue 1039

Deadline:

Deadline:

Jan 30, 3pm

Feb 13, 3pm

FRI, FEB 7

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 AT 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 at 03-5155-7781. info@ accommodation-japan.com www.create-gh.jp/

2.2 RENT UNDER ¥200,000

SAKURA HOUSE. Leading multilingual real estate a g e n c y i n To k yo s i n c e 1992. Over 1600 furnished apartments and guest/ share house 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

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

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

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 G AYA G R E E N C O R P. Furni s he d t wo - room , three-story apartment, s u n ny a n d q u i e t , s o u t h / north facing, many trees, small Japanese

garden, 5min walk from subway station, 13min by bicycle to J R S h i n j u ku / Yo t s u ya ¥100,000/m. Tel/ fax: 03-3341-7875 Email: itto@itto-jinnai. com

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

FRI, FEB 21

RO PP O N G I/K AM IYA- C H O, 5 2 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 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

2.5 PLACE WANTED American college student seeking homestay in exchange for language lessons. Hi! I am a college student coming to Tokyo and would like to find a short-term homestay family. In exchange, I can give English lessons.

Please email me. szettle@ymail.com Room to sublet. Female European professional, 30, tidy and respectful, is seeking to sublet a room in a fully furnished apartment in central Tokyo. isiresol@gmail.com

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

3 EDUCATION 3.4 ENGLISH TEACHERS ENGLISH LESSONS FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS. Ten years of teaching experience, M.A. in Psychology and Music, w/teaching certificate from the UK, British-born Japanese. I'll add motivational activities for each lesson. ¥2000-¥4000/h (group or private). rick_gene@yahoo.com

3.5 LANGUAGE EXCHANGE Bengali and Japanese. Indian Bengali or Bangladeshi Bengali speaker needed for language exchange. I'm a JF. I don't care if you don't speak E or J, as my survival Bengali somehow works for that. Females only, please. mhih999@ gmail.com Chinese and English. Hi, I'm a Taiwanese girl seeking a Chn/E exchange. roway1011@gmail.com Danish, German, Japanese. Hej and 'N Tag! JF, 30s, seeks Danes and Germans to help her with languages in Tokyo/Kanagawa through fun conversations over cups of coffee or just hanging out.

Please be nonsmokers, 30s preferred. codename107113@live.com To advertise in Metropolis, log on at www.metropolis.co.jp/classifieds or email your commercial ads to commercial@metropolis.co.jp.

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.

#1035• WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP • 27

Many more Classified ads online! Please visit classifieds.metropolis.co.jp English and Japanese. JF, mid-30s, seeking a language exchange partner, M/F ok. My English level is advancedintermediate. I'm available after work on weekdays or on weekend afternoons in the Yokohama area. japanese_english0624@outlook.jp

English and Japanese. Japanese, 21. I can't speak E well, but I want to be able to speak E. I'll teach you J, so can you teach me E in exchange? Denentoshi line between Eda and Futako. sayakaaa0312@yahoo.co.jp

English and Japanese. I'm a native English speaker looking to improve my Japanese and make new friends.

I hope to help you with your English.

No obatarians or Roppongi gals need apply. mooosehoose32@yahoo.com

English and Japanese. Group language exchange every Wed, 7:309:30pm, at coffee shops around Ginza.

Most members are 20s and 30s. We switch languages every 30min. Fun events on weekends. Free to join. ando. andy@gmail.com

English and Japanese. Hi. I just moved to Tokyo from Hawaii. Hoping to meet a fun person to exchange J and E. I'm 35 and very genki! Let's meet in a cafe or bar and have fun! Mahalo. tokyoguy01@gmail.com

French, English, Japanese. Seeking weekly Japanese lessons in exchange for my native French, or English (I lived in the UK). I'm a girl. Mostly available during the week. Feel free to contact me. Cheers. maud.steyner@gmail.com

English and Japanese. I'm seeking a language exchange partner, preferably an American, 26-38, in or near Ichikawa City. I'm a JF translator, 36. gk24vbn8@ gmail.com

Fre nc h , Engli sh , Japane se .

Frenchman seeking a language exchange partner to improve his Japanese. I can teach you Fr or E in return. Beginners/advanced welcome.

Let's enjoy sharing our cultures and interests. dhalexisfr@gmail.com

English and Japanese. Hi! I am a native English speaker, 27, living in Tokyo, seeking a Japanese person to help me with my Japanese in the Shibuya, Jiyugaoka, Nakameguro or Futako-Tamagawa area. r_andom@ hotmail.com English and Japanese. Want to do an E/J diary exchange by email? I'm seeking someone to give me feedback to improve my Japanese. In return, I can check some of your writing in E. Lots of experience! deliciousirony@gmail.com English and Japanese. British man, Kanagawa or Tokyo, seeks Japanese for language exchange, friendship.

Prefer university educated partner. spk3006@i.softbank.jp English and Japanese. A native Japanese speaker is seriously seeking a native English language exchange partner in Tokyo. mauvette24@ hotmail.com English and Japanese. UK female, elementary level, needs help with reading Twitter and Line. Let's meet once/week in Osaki or Gotanda. I am an English teacher, so can help you with your English. Thanks. lindamitchell2205@gmail.com English and Japanese. English chap seeking regular J/E language exchange on weekdays during the day in the Shonan area, preferably near Tsujido stn. Any age, M/F ok. squareblades@ yahoo.com English and Japanese. Japanese male, 41, seeks a native English speaker for E/J exchange. I like music and am interested in vegetarianism and meditation. Let's help each other and have some fun. blackstar777@ mail.goo.ne.jp English and Japanese. Hi, JF, 22, seeks language exchange with a native English speaker. cnblue_na8cw@ yahoo.co.jp English and Japanese. Japanese seeks friends from foreign countries between Soka and Takenozuka for language exchange. Let's talk over coffee. Friendship only. No sexual emails, please. language_exchange3@ hotmail.com English and Japanese. I'm a JF living in Tokyo seeking a serious language partner around Shibuya, Ebisu, Daikanyama or Ikebukuro. My English level is beginner. It would be great if we could meet once/week. kishizakisan@ gmail.com English and Japanese. Welleducated single black American guy, 35, 180cm, seeking E/J language exchange. Tokyo, Chiba, Saitama. eddywillson33@hotmail.com English and Japanese. Black American male, 32, seeks Japanese for language exchange. povic2010@ hotmail.com English and Japanese. Do you want to improve your translation or interpretation skills? Canadian, 40-ish, seeking a language partner. Let's help each other with our language skills over tea. Let's meet in Ikebukuro, Shinjuku or Nerima. tarry2@hotmail. com

28 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP

French, English, Russian, Spanish.

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 German and Japanese. JF seeks Ger/J language exchange partner. Seit Sechs Monaten lerne ich Deutsch aber ich spreche Englisch. F/M ok. If interested, drop me a line. gardenstate2005@ hotmail.com Indonesian and Japanese. Japanese female, 40, seeks Indonesian for language exchange. Shinjuku, Sangenjaya, Shimokitazawa or Kyodo.

Sat or Sun. e-ri-no@excite.co.jp Italian and Japanese. Japanese female seeks Italian, 30s, M/F, for language exchange and friendship. I am an absolute beginner. Will help you with your Japanese. japaneseitalian@ gmail.com Thai, Japanese, English. Looking forward to meeting anyone who lives in the Tokyo area for language exchange, cafe, hanging out and traveling together sometimes. I'm Thai, male, professional career, easygoing and fun. freemap49@yahoo.com

3.6 LEARNING: GENERAL EDUCATION N E V E R EN D S . Take courses like Counseling, Aging and Beyond, Exploring the Japanese Mindset, Webpage Design, Japanese to English Tr a n s l a t i o n , A m e r i c a n Flower Arranging, International Negotiations, Magazine Article Writing, PowerPoint Presentations, Japanese/ Western Art, Korean Language, Business Wri t i n g , C u rre n t I s s u e s , English language courses at Lakeland College Japan, an American branch campus in Shinjuku, starting Jan 29 (evenings/Sat). 03-322 5 0425 opencollege@japan. lakeland.edu http://www. lcjoc.com

3.9 TEACH ME! S E E K I N G E N G L I S H T E AC H E R .

Hi, I’m seeking an English teacher because my current teacher will be leaving Tokyo soon. Place: S t a r b u c k s o r Tu l l y ’s a r o u n d Tama-Plaza. Fee: ¥3000/h. Day: Sat or Sun. marquez.tetsu@gmail.com English lessons. JM, 33, seeks native English teacher for ¥1500/h around the Odakyu line. umek2002jp@yahoo.co.jp English teacher sought to teach my kids on a daily basis, one-two hours at a time. Nearest station is Nishi-Kasai, Tozai line. I can pay around ¥1000/h. udawat@gmail.com

English teacher sought by man, 26, living in the Shinjuku area. I can pay you ¥1500/h. I want to study at a cafe for two hours, once/week. splendidcram@ mail.goo.ne.jp Indonesian teacher sought to teach beginner Indonesian to me (Japanese female, 30s). Nearest station is Kyodo, Odakyu line. I can pay ¥1000/h. e-ri-no@excite.co.jp Seeking Geman teacher. Could you please teach me German on weekends at a coffee shop near Shibuya/ Omotesando/Daikanyama? hiroko_ linuma@hotmail.com

4 HOUSEHOLD GOODS 4.1 FURNITURE & FITTINGS Chair, rocking, Chinese, handmade, wooden, w/footrest, crane carving on backrest ¥10,000. Machida. bundt.l.l@ gmail.com Table, wooden, w/two chairs ¥5000.

Delivery possible. hatoh16@gmail.com Table, coffee, wooden ¥5000. Pick up Hon-Komagome or delivery can be arranged. chiekomk1@gmail.com

4.2 APPLIANCES Fridge, '01, in good working condition ¥8000. Narimasu. mizi2005@hotmail. com Fridge, GE, small, 45L ¥5000. Delivery possible. hatoh16@gmail.com Fridge, National NR-B12JA, 41L + 81L (480x1070x586mm), medium-sized ¥9000. Pick up Sangenjaya or pay for delivery. union-v@hotmail.co.jp 09099716422 Heater, Delonghi, oil, in very good condition ¥13,000. Pick up central Tokyo or pay for delivery. mizi2005@ hotmail.com Laminator, used once ¥3900.

Film (A4 and A3) ¥3900. tsuneokobayashijapan@yahoo.co.jp Microwave, Sharp, in great condition, very clean ¥5000. Pick up Tokyo area. Photos available. acapulco58@ hotmail.com Vacuum, Hitachi PV-SL1, '08, stand, compact ¥2500. Pick up or pay for delivery (Kanto area only). union-v@ hotmail.co.jp Vacuum, Dyson ¥3000. hatoh16@ gmail.com

4.3 SAYONARA SALE Sayonara sale! Dishes, bowls, mugs, glasses from ¥50/each. Hand blender ¥1500. Light blue curtain ¥800. Plastic shoe rack, ironing board ¥500/each.

Humidifier ¥1000. Pick up Tokyo area. Details and photos available. acapulco58@hotmail.com

4.4 TV & HOME THEATER DVD player, basic, in great condition ¥3000. Pick up Tokyo area. Photos available. acapulco58@hotmail.com LCD TV, Aquos LC32D10 ¥25,000. Pick up only Shinjuku. cgarciadelasanta@ hotmail.com

4.6 FOR KIDS Baby items. Maclaren stroller ¥10,000. Universal stroller step ¥2000. Baby toys ¥2000. Baby seat bath ¥1000. Wooden toy ¥1000. Car seat ¥6000. Baby bag ¥2000. Recettes pour bébé ¥1000. Potty ¥1000. paula. borel76@gmail.com Baby items. Changing table, bouncer, sling, booster seat, etc. Details, photos available. jai0424@gmail.com sites. google.com/site/jai0424 Child seat, as new, used only a few times ¥7000. mizi2005@hotmail.com

4.7 FOR FREE Analog TV 14", Aiwa, w/remote and manual; office chair. Pick up Tokyo area. acapulco58@hotmail.com Wet suit, Scuba Pro, fits 180cm, used twice in Japan, kept inside and covered,

only dive in tropical climate and have my shortie. Nishi-Nippori, JR Yamnote or Chiyoda subway. realtd@operamail. com

5 HOBBIES&INTERESTS 5.1 CAMERAS Digital camera, Canon Powershot S50, in excellent condition, w/all cables, battery, instructions ¥2000/obo.

Details, photos available. jai0424@ gmail.com sites.google.com/site/ jai0424

5.2 SPORTS EQUIPMENT Punching pole, good for ages 14-18 ¥5000. Can deliver within Tokyo. hatoh16@gmail.com Rugby balls, Canterbury, training, size 4, two available, require inflation or can inflate, brand new ¥1000/obo. jai0424@ gmail.com sites.google.com/site/jai0424

5.3 MUSICAL EQUIPMENT Acoustic-electric guitar, Epiphone PR5-E, vintage sunburst color, in very good condition, w/case ¥19,000. Pick up Senzoku stn, Tokyu Meguro line. deshayes.g@gmail.com Electronic drums, Roland V-Drums TD-9, great for quiet practice, one y/o, hardly used, in great condition, w/HH stand, double kick pedal, drum stool ¥120,000. Photos available. earth_ travel_joy@hotmail.com Insect sounds. "Bugs" collection of insect sounds taken from Ric Viers’ Blastwave Sound Library, thousands of sounds pre-installed on a dedicated USB drive, brand new, never plugged in. New $249. Sell ¥15,000. justcallmehenry@ gmail.com edwardsoperation.com Mic, Rode NT2A Condenser Studio, multi-pattern, in great condition ¥15,000. strungup66@gmail.com Sound module. Roland MKS-50 analog synthesizer sound module, in very good condition ¥29,000. Pick up Senzoku stn, Tokyu Meguro line. deshayes.g@ gmail.com Synthesizer, Roland JX-3P, vintage, analog, 100% functional, in nice cosmetic condition, w/optional PG200 programmer ¥49,000. Pick up Senzoku stn, Tokyu Meguro line. deshayes.g@ gmail.com

8 COMPUTERS 8.2 HARDWARE HD, external, five available, 40-160GB ¥320 ~¥1240. Details available. ohpopshop@gmail.com iPad Air 16GB, Wi-Fi only, space gray, as new, w/Yodobashi Akiba receipt, black case ¥50,000. dosenstechen@ gmail.com Kindle Fire HD 7 64GB, brand new, unused (but opened and out of box), requires Japanese credit card and Amazon Japan account ¥25,000/obo. opulentgypsy@gmail.com Laptop, A c e r Aspire V5, intel CPU, 4GB memory, 750GB HD, 15.6” multitouch display, WiFi-ready, DVD-multi drive, webcam, Win 8. edcall77@gmail.com Monitor, I-O Data, 15", white, older but works well, w/Win XP Home Edition ¥6000. earth_travel_joy@hotmail.com Router and Apple accessories.

Netgear 54G+ 802.11a/g wireless router ¥1000/obo. Apple 30-pin to HDMI adaptor ¥1000/obo. iPad 2 30-pin stand/charger ¥1000/obo. jai0424@gmail.com sites.google.com/ site/jai0424 Tablet, Nexus 7, 3G, Wi-Fi, SIM-free, '12, still under warranty ¥32,000. mizi2005@hotmail.com

American TV shows. Region 1 (US) DVDs: The Office, seasons 1-6 ¥2000.

The Simpsons, seasons 1-4 ¥1000.

South Park, seasons 1-7 ¥1500. All 17 seasons ¥4000/obo. Pick up Roppongi/ Shibuya/Azabu. cwalker@earthling.net 080-3004-8303 Playboy Magazine, four classic issues (US edition): Dec '88 (Kata Karkkainen), March '91 (Stephanie Seymour), Aug '91 (Corinna Harney), Jan '92 (Swedish Bikini Team), sold together ¥2000/all. cwalker@earthling.net

7 GENERAL 7.1 PHONES Fax and cordless phone, Brother ¥2000. hatoh16@gmail.com 080-6553-6819 iPhone 4S 32GB, black, SoftBank, as new, no contract needed, w/USB cable, IOS 7, cleaned of data ¥25,000. Cash only. solar_confinement@yahoo.com

Infertility 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/

11 MESSAGES 11.1 PERSONAL MESSAGES

WORRIED ABOUT FINDING THE PERFECT GIFT FOR VALENTINE’S DAY? Worry no more! Flowery and poetic, laced with innuendo, or a combination thereof, Metropolis is the perfect place for lovers to declare their most fervent feelings and deepest desires. Don’t hold back - publish it in Metropolis. http://classifieds.metropolis.co.jp Happy birthday, Yui! Happy 8th birthday, Yui! With love, Mom, Dad, and Yuka.

10 HELP!

12 SOCIAL SCENE

10.1 HELP ME

12.1 LET'S PARTY

Divorce in Japan. I'm from the Czech Republic. I'm divorcing my Japanese husband. I'd appreciate advice from Japanese and foreign women who have divorced their Japanese husbands. I need a kind Japanese person willing to help me with translations. english. latin@yahoo.com Non-profit company in Japan. I would like to speak with people who have started companies or non-profit organizations in Japan. Thank you! english.latin@yahoo.com

10.2 SUPPORT

Synthesizer, Roland JV-80, in great condition, w/case ¥26,000. Pick up Senzoku stn, Tokyu Meguro line. deshayes.g@gmail.com

5.4 BOOKS/CD/DVD

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. 0 3 -3 97 1 -147 1 inquiries@aatokyo.org http:// aatokyo.org

NEED TO TALK? We’re here to listen.

TELL LIFELINE: free, anonymous English counseling daily from 9am-11pm by trained volunteers: 03-5774-0992. TELL COUNSELING: affordable multilingual p syc hothe 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/

JAPAN I NTE R NATI O NAL PARTY - WINTER SPECIAL. Sat, Jan 25, 6:30-9pm, Devi Fusion (Roppongi). Japan’s biggest international party. 250 people e x p e c t e d . A l l - yo u - c a n drink and free snacks.

Japanese men ¥4000.

O t h e r s￥¥ 3 0 0 0 . M o b i l e : http://getyourfriend.com/ mobile/ jiparty@hotmail. com 090-1735-5405 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

7.2 FASHION Boots, women's, size 21, made in USA, new ¥3000. hatoh16@gmail.com 08065526819

7.4 ITEMS WANTED Canoe, kayak, open row. I am seeking a secondhand or damaged canoe or kayak to repair. Pick up ok. Any type/ price considered. scorpiosrealm@ hotmail.co.uk

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

LANGUAGE EXCHANGE FRIENDSHIP PARTY! Sat, Feb 1, 6:30-9:30pm, Tokyo Double (Nishi-Azabu). Japan’s largest international exchange website party. Gaikokujin ¥1500. Drinks ¥500. Snacks.

250 people expected. 03-64345544 http://Party.GetStudents. netreid@eikaiwa.fm

13 CLUBS & INTERESTS 13.1 SPORTS

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/

JUST A 3MIN WALK FROM ROPPONGI HILLS, Club 360 is a large, modern health and fitness club. No membership or joining fee s . Personal training, physical therapy, fitness classes, massage.

Fo r a l l y o u r f i t n e s s a n d rehabilitation needs! info@ club360.jp www.club360.jp 03-6434-9667 L E A R N TO FIGHT AND GET IN SHAPE. Pancrase champion K i u m a Kunioku offers personalized training for mixed martial arts, conditioning, or general fitness. Fun, speaks English and Japanese, nice facility. Email for prices and scheduling. kiumakunioku@ gmail.com http://mmakiuma. 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 Japanese Rugby League official games from Apr to Sep. Everyone welcome.

Contact for more details. japananzacs@gmail.com AIKIDO IN EN GLI S H . Seidokan Aikido of Tokyo invites you to practice a modern style of aikido in an international environment.

Sat, 1-3pm, Itabashi-ku, Toei Mita/ Saikyo line. We welcome men and women, foreign and Japanese. dojo@tokyoseidokan.com http://www.tokyoseidokan.com 03-5994-1185 P L AY R U G BY. T h e To k yo C ru s a d e r s a re a fri e n d ly b u t keen international rugby club.

D evote d to t h e g a m e a n d i t s 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 cotl a n d . U s i n 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 TO ADVERTISE IN METROPOLIS, JAPAN’S NO.1 ENGLISH MAG A Z I N E , log on at www. metropolis.co.jp/classifieds or email your commercial ads to commercial@metropolis.co.jp.

All-level tennis group in Tokyo.

Serious and motivated tennis players sought by active tennis group to join their weekly sessions in central Tokyo.

We have advanced and intermediate groups on weekday evenings.

Beginner and low-intermediate also welcome. No entrance or membership fees. Reasonable participation fees. tokyo.tennis@yahoo.fr Basketball in the Yokohama area.

Good intermediate games every Mon and Wed night at a local school's gym.

Feel free to come. It's free. Please contact for further details. satoru. nicolas@gmail.com Cricket. Cricket. Cricket! Play cricket with the Chiba Sharks Cricket Club! Teams in JCA Division 1, Division 2, T20 and monthly indoor training.

Indoor Winter League underway!

Men/women, all nationalities, abilities welcome. Never too late to play! chibasharksinfo@gmail.com http:// www.chibasharks.com

13.2 LEISURE MCARTHUR HEIGHTS. Take a break where General Douglas MacArthur did! One hour from Tokyo by car or direct train. Beautiful cabins on the ocean, w/onsen, beach, shopping. housinginjapan@yahoo. com Free Japanese home cooking lessons. Japanese housewife offers free private home cooking lessons in English (women only) at her house near Kawasaki stn during the day on weekdays. You pay the cost of ingredients. tome.haruka-soushi@ ezweb.ne.jp 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 Tokyo Snow Club. A ski/snowboard club for anyone living in/visiting Tokyo. We go on big group trips every weekend in the winter.

Powder, live music events, parties in snow. Membership is free! info@ tokyosnowclub.com http://www. tokyosnowclub.com 050-5806-5616

13.3 ARTS Love Shakespeare? Amate ur group in Tokyo, meeting once/month to celebrate our love of the Bard.

Come to read, or just to listen. All nationalities welcome, no experience necessary! rchrd_schwartz@yahoo. com http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ Shakespeare-sama/

13.4 MUSIC

Diving in Izu. Get in touch to talk about scuba diving near Tokyo.

Information on scuba lessons, equipment advice, dive trips, monthly social events, CPR training, etc. kowtokyo@yahoo.co.jp

Another "bass player wanted" ad.

Forming the best blues/rock band in Japan to be rock legends. Making CD. Right bass player needed. Are you out there? See link for my drumming. dreamat@nifty.com

Don's Half-Fast Flash-Mob Weekend Urban Bicycle Rides. halffastcycling@ hotmail.com

Drummer and bassist wanted around Yokohama. We mainly play rock music and have rehearsals in Shin-Yokohama. Any kind of player is welcome, so feel free to contact us. m_a_b1998@yahoo.co.jp

Football/soccer players. Tokyo Redstar, Setagaya League 3, is seeking soccer players for DF (center back) positions. Practice almost every Sat/ Sun in Tokyo. Attendance must be over 60%. Experienced players welcome.

Please send your profile. saito987@ hotmail.com http://tokyoredstar.com/ Futsal players wanted by a very friendly international team. Practice is in Tokyo and Kanagawa on Sat. Details available. fkkyn468@ybb.ne.jp Futsal team. Interested in futsal on weekends in Tokyo? We're seeking gentle, cooperative people.

Please introduce yourself properly. umek2002jp@yahoo.co.jp Interested in tai chi? Then why not start now? Take a step to counter the stresses of daily living. Practice is in Toyama Park on Sun mornings, near Takadanobaba stn. chifact@gmail.com International football club. Fivea-side, 11-a-side, on grass fields. Two or three practices/matches on Sun. All nationalities welcome. Happy and friendly club! We have many socials. djnorio0417@yahoo.co.jp 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 yourself a quality player, please drop us a note. bfcvagabonds@gmail.com Volleyball Club Intervoll. Japanese and foreign volleyball players gather in Takadanobaba to enjoy playing. Have volleyball experience and want to play volleyball in a friendly atmosphere? intervollclub@yahoo.co.jp http:// intervoll.sakura.ne.jp/ 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

Fe male vocali st wante d .

I'm a JM seeking female vocalists who can sing English and middle/ northern European languages for recordings. You can listen to some of my demos at my website. I live in Yokohama. prettypopmusic@ gmail.com http://www.prettypop.net/ demo/ Japane se drummer s e e k i n g musicians. Guitar and bass player sought for rock, dance, pop, blues, jazz, etc. Melody is important.

Hopefully, we can have gigs so everybody can dance! kosuke1016@ hotmail.com Musicians wanted to play northern European/Scandinavian music together, especially violinists, guitarist, cellist. Rehearse a couple of times/month in Nakano. unicornio@ nifty.com

Strong, beautiful, flexible Transform your body & soul at BASI PILATES! Offering you “Authentic Pilates” Metropolis Campaign

Admission Fee: ¥15,750 ¥0 Trial Machine Private Lesson: ¥10,000 ¥8,400 Package 3 Machine Private Lessons

¥30,000 ¥18,000

Machine Private Lessons available at our Roppongi studio Lessons in English available Studios in Roppongi, Ginza, Nakameguro and more

03-6425-7054 • roppongi@basipilates.jp www.basipilates.jp/english/

Seeking drummer, bassist, female vocalist who can sing in English or Spanish. Let's start a new project for the whole world. Any nationality, age welcome. We are professionals. dj.norio@docomo.ne.jp https://www. facebook.com/avionrecords Seeking male singer in Tokyo to sing my very unique songs (traditional Japanese-meets-modern sound).

Demo at website. leveebreaks210@ yahoo.com http://soundcloud.com/ keitak-21 Seeking violinist for band . ブリ

ティッシュ系バンドの為の（クラシック） ヴァイオリニスト。初アルバムを録 音中。

lookingforviolinist@gmail.com

You're right - we can play the guitar and sing songs! Seeking singer or singer-writer. I'm a Japanese guitarist.

Beginners welcome. Please let me play your songs. Let's make music together! Gigs in Tokyo. kamikaze_ vibe@hotmail.com #1035 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP • 29

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

13.5 MIND, BODY, SPIRIT

E N G L I S H TA I C H I A N D QI GONG COURSE for beginners starts in Jan. Re g u l a r p ra c t i c e b r i n g s b et te r h ealth , in c rea s e d energy levels and a greater ability to deal with stress and pressure. mari@ meiquantaichi.com www. meiquantaichi.com 080 6871-8975 Diamond Way Buddhism Tokyo.

Do you want to explore your own mind? Guided Buddhist meditation every Sun, 6pm, near Azabu-Juban.

International practitioners, beginners welcome, Japanese spoken. Please call 090-3598-3072 for more information. daginia@gmail.com http://www. diamondway.jp/ Zen meditation (Zazen). Join a small group of practitioners Fri evenings at Tokuun-in in Ueno. No Japanese ability necessary. Please make arrangements in advance by email, and check our home page. tokyozazen@jcom.home. ne.jp www.wgthorpe.com

13.8 PROFESSIONAL Meiji Dori Shibuya Station

Meijijingumae Station

Tokyo Traders Club. International club for traders and investors. Discuss opportunities in stocks, commodities and forex. Many regular events, including FX trading workshop. New to trading? No problem: beginners also welcome. You can also learn to trade. Join free! info@tokyotraders. com http://www.tokyotraders.com/ 080-5681-1321

13.9 INTERNATIONAL Intercultural activities. JII (Japan Intercultural Institute) is a nonprofit, member-run organization that sponsors activities (seminars, cultural events, conferences) for those wanting to further develop intercultural competencies and meet other interculturalists. yuko. bolick@japanintercultural.org www. japanintercultural.org Nihongo 倶楽部いんたぁなしょなる.

Nihongo Club International is a volunteer group to help foreign people learn Japanese at the Tokyo Volunteer Action Center in Iidabashi. Every Thu, 7-9pm. nci_tokyo@yahoo.co.jp

14 PERSONALS 14.1 FRIENDS Are you from...？ JF, 30s, seeking nonsmoking friends from Denmark, Germany, Canada or Australia for having fun times together. Let's meet for a cup of coffee first. Please be nonsmokers, 30s. Mail with self-introduction, please! b2jw13@hotmail.co.jp

Make 2014 the year you contribute to

Danes wanted! JF, 30s, into Denmark like crazy. Er der nogen dansker i Tokyo eller Kanagawa at moedes til kaffe og hjaelpe mig at laere dansk lidt? Please be nonsmokers, 30s preferred. Glaeder mig til at hoere fra jer! codename107113@ live.com Friends in Japan. Half-Japanese, halfFilipino female, 25, seeking friends. Shy and timid at first. Hope to find friends here in Japan. ishii28@ymail.com

✓ Feature stories ✓ “The Last Word” ✓ Food & Drink ✓ Tech ✓ Interviews & Community Profiles Prior experience and strong industry contacts a must.

To apply, send letter of introduction, CV and relevant clips to

editor@metropolis.co.jp Due to the high volume of correspondence we regret that we can’t respond to every query. No calls please.

30 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP

Gym buddy. Seeking gym buddy for twice/week on weekdays after 7pm. Any sex, age. Prefer Hibiya or Yurakucho line.

00samii00@gmail.com Jazz-playing friends in Tokyo.

Japanese male seeking jazz players for fun in the Tokyo area. I've been playing the alto sax for a couple of years. Still amateur, but want to play with others.

Please feel free to contact me! yossynet@ ra2.so-net.ne.jp New York Yankees fan in Tokyo area.

Long-time Yankees fan living near Machida, Tokyo, seeking to meet likeminded people who are also fans of the

greatest franchise in all sports over food and drinks. bravo_2003@hotmail.com 080-6554-8688 Newly arrived. Professional Western male, late 30s (really late!), seeking friendship, M/F ok, for weekends/ evenings. Likes: sushi, w/Japanese sake; snowboarding, relieving those aches and pains w/a cold beer; volleyball followed by a shochu at an izakaya. eddy2301@gmail.com Seeking friends in central Tokyo. JF, early 30s, seeks friends to hang out with in central Tokyo. atkm92@yahoo.co.jp Seeking friends. New in Japan and seeking friends to hang out with. Let me know if you are interested. I can also teach you English or Spanish. kaisersoze1872000@gmail.com Seeking new friends to share fun in Tokyo. I'm a SJF seeking new friends (not a boyfriend!). Looking to go out and share fun times together. M/F, any age ok. celticmusic81@gmail.com Yoga and healthy food. Japanese female, 30, seeking someone to do yoga with on weekends; someone who likes to have healthy meals. Looking forward to hearing from you. Thanks. musicinlife@ excite.co.jp ジョギング横浜駅. JM who speaks English and Spanish seeks jogging mates for 3-8km, any nationality welcome as long as you have a good personality.

Near Yokohama stn preferred. 日本語ok. elsalvadorjapan@yahoo.es

14.2 MEN LOOKING FOR WOMEN AMERICAN SHACHO, 37, seeks adventurous SJF, 24-35, smart, fit, fun and adventurous, for date.

I am Caucasian, well-educated and traveled, fit and with a good sense of humor. Just moved to Tokyo from NYC. Like traveling, reading, museums, architecture, photography, bookstores, onsen, nature. Let’s be friends and see. ny2tky@gmail.com African seeking blind love. Please don't allow loneliness to take control of you. It's stressful to be lonely. I'm here to make you smile every day the sun rises and when the stars come out at night. I'm 35. d33377_555@hotmail. com Attractive SJM seeks SWF for friendship or more in Tokyo or nearby.

I am kind, outgoing, fun, thoughtful, fluent in English, with lots of overseas experience. Let's have some fun together! deuxclear@gmail.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 Australian in Tokyo. SWM, openminded, well-traveled, respectful, with a good sense of humor, can speak some Japanese. I miss the thrill of meeting new people. Seeking nice and caring female over 30. capebyronlodge@hotmail.com Big, tall woman? Guy seeks tall, larger-than-average woman. Age, nationality and looks not important. spk3006@i.softbank.jp British male, 31, friendly, tall, slim, seeking a nice girl to hang out with.

Nationalit y/race unimpor tant , but should be 20-35 and have a nice personality. Interested in music and film: you should be, too. shiodomebye@gmail.com British new in Japan seeking companion. British man seeking Japanese female for friendship and maybe more, depending on if we click.

Successful, kind, sexy and generally fun guy to be with. So definitely worth getting to know me! Thanks. stalonelyheart@gmail.com Calm, gentle JM seeks someone special for a serious relationship leading to marriage. I am 42, nonsmoking, don' t drink. Any nationality ok. If interested, please contact me. Let’s start with a cup of

coffee. olympia127@yahoo.co.jp Caring and cute JM seeks attractive, hearty, nonsmoking Western female for friendship. I simply would like to share fun, interesting and great experiences with you. If you feel the same way, just drop me a line. jinzaixyz@yahoo.co.jp Chinese-Canadian, 32, 175cm, 65kg, caring, fun-loving, athletic, likes basketball, music, movies, seeking a serious relationship with an attractive JF, 22-32. test697@hotmail.com Cute girl for relationship. Male, late 20s, working for a multinational bank, financially secure, seeking cute and sweet girl for relationship. Let's meet and have some fun. anil_bk75@ yahoo.com Cute single Japanese man seeks a nice Western or Japanese female for friendship and possibly more.

Nonsmokers preferred. I am confident that I can create fun times for you. If you are ready, email me. cioinjapan@ gmail.com Discreet and passionate lady wanted. Seeking attached or single lady for a non-committed, trusting relationship. I'm a kind, educated Caucasian man, mid-40s. Please contact me and let's see if we connect.

Thank you. theroyaljoker@yahoo.com Discreet relationship. Good-looking Caucasian professional, late 30s, married but very unsatisfied, is seeking a woman for a no-strings-attached relationship. I have a huge sex drive and like women who know what they are doing in bed. blade_runner94@ yahoo.com Enjoy life. Caucasian American man seeking Japanese woman, under 27, who loves nature, Japanese food, music, life, for a lasting relationship. Let’s enjoy it together. Serious only. I’m educated and work in Tokyo. Email, w/photo. sushix10@gmail.com Exotic and bilingual JM businessman in Tokyo, early 30s, romantic, goodlooking, seeking a sincere woman who enjoys movies and traveling for a serious relationship leading to marriage. Please reply w/details, and if possible, w/photo. pirlo_cucchiaio@ hotmail.com Food, wine and romance. Attractive, outgoing, romantic, affectionate SWM, 40s, seeking romantic, elegant, attractive Japanese woman for longterm relationship. I love cooking, dining out, movies, traveling and romantic weekends away. It's getting chilly now - let's warm each other up. herbsandspices1712@gmail.com French businessman, 40s, seeking his princess to share a new life. Photo appreciated. Let's get to know each other by email before a glass of wine. romaji99@hotmail.com French guy in Tokyo seeking a clever and level-headed JF partner for something long-term, potentially leading to marriage. If you are a serious, clever, cute girl, please feel free to drop me a line with your picture. leclubamelie@aol.com Frenchman alone in Tokyo.

Frenchman alone after breakup seeking friends and his special one.

Seeking smart, funny and open-minded lady. Nothing less, nothing more. Let's walk together and discover our future. peter.d.cross@outlook.com Frenchman seeks woman. French gentleman, smart, funny, handsome, well-hung, seeks woman. I'll love you like no man has ever before. I live in Minami-Azabu. Write me - you won't be disappointed. dhalexisfr@gmail.com Friendship or more. SJM, 40s, classy and stylish, seeks sweet and intelligent woman to share feelings and a sincere friendship. Age, race and looks are not important. We can start getting to know each other by email before meeting. toshinoris1012@yahoo.co.jp Gentleman for long-term intimate friendship. Hi! I am a respectful, goodlooking Western man, 48, interested in having regular intimate time with a decent woman. I don't care about your age, just be positive, safe, nonsmoking. vbcfgt@hotmail.com

JOBS COCO JUKU seeks Math Curriculum Developer. Permanent position (three months probation), Mon-Fri, 9am-5:15pm, bonus twice/year, raise once/year.

Requirements: native speaker, one year’s experience teaching elementary math (home country/international school) ¥225,000-¥290,000/m. coco-apps@ nichiigakkan.co.jp www.cocojuku.jp/ recruit SALES & MARKETING POSITIONS. Metropolis i s s e ek in g motivate d bilingual (E/J) sales executives, support staff and interns to join its advertising and marketing team. Send your resume, in both English and Japanese, to jobs@ metropolis.co.jp. Positions available are posted on our website at http:// metropolis.co.jp/jobs/.

Girlfriend wanted. I'm seeking a girlfriend living alone in Tokyo. I am married, unfortunately, but honest, kind and good-looking. I want to be with you every weekend. I need a second chance at love. dechlan@hotmail.com Good wine and more. I am a German professional, 40, single, often in Tokyo for business, positive, down-to-earth, fit and not too bad-looking, enjoy good restaurants and wine, seeking a female friend and companion in Tokyo. flanthaler@yahoo.com Good, nice SJM, 31, seeks SWF, 20-31, for friendship and later maybe more in Saitama/Tokyo/Kanagawa. My friends say I'm sweet and a good person. Let's talk together. beautiful.ocean333@ gmail.com Guaranteed happiness for you.

Single American in Tokyo. If you are seeking a man who will make you happy, physically and emotionally, I am the one. Age, nationality, single or not don't matter. Available day or night. Not a playboy. satonee@hotmail.com Handsome American man seeks Japanese lady. I'm an American gentleman, 5'9", 175lbs, dark blond hair, blue eyes, seeking a sincere, loving relationship with a special lady. I can speak Japanese. tommtgyi@gmail.com

Hello, there. I am an open-minded, honest, positive, smart, sweet SWM, 40, seeking a nice and independent woman for long-term relationship. smoeoen@ hotmail.com

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: https:// www.leapforceathome.com/qrp/ public/job/33 ADMIN INTERN. Metropolis is seeking an E/J bilingual intern for general admin duties, editing, various other tasks. Students welcome. No pay, but transportation provided. Great chance to gain experience in an international environment. jobs@metropolis.co.jp

Hola! Friend in Kanagawa. Tall Spanish man is seeking a kind, clean, financially secure lady living and working in the Kanagawa area. I am seeking a cheerful and mature lady for love. 日本語日常会話. jp_yoroshiku@ yahoo.co.jp If you feel lonely... Sometimes talking to unknown people is better than talking to your best friend. giozomi@ yahoo.co.uk Japanese guy, around 40, speaks English and Spanish, seeking a girlfriend for a relationship leading to marriage in/ around Tokyo. I'm not highly paid, but I am kind and humorous. My hobbies are jogging, Latin dance, language learning. elsalvadorjapan@yahoo.es Japanese in Tokyo, 40s, 175cm, 63kg, seeks nice female of any nationality for coffee, good conversation and sexual relationship if she likes. I am gentle, kind, honest, calm, intelligent, cute, witty, and with some English ability. totemoiihito@ gmail.com

learn and have fun at the same time. vbcfgt@hotmail.com Lazy weekends together? Seeking attractive and curvy girlfriend, 160cm+, who is fun to be around and seeking intimacy in the Tokyo area.

I'm a caring Afro-American male from NY, 35, 183cm, shaved head, athletic build, working in IT. Interested? sbmmodel@yahoo.com L o n e l y L a t i n o i n To k y o .

Male, mid-30s, lonely in Tokyo, seeking discreet fun times with a JF, 20-50, married/attached/single ok.

Central Tokyo. Serious replies only.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Your photo gets mine! tennistycoon@ gmail.com Married JF? European guy, 40, goodlooking, open-minded, easygoing, a gentleman, seeks not-single JF for dates, romance, maybe more.

Nihongo ok. ziyadi66@yahoo.com

Japanese male, 41, single, seeks sincere, warm, open-minded white female for friendship and romance.

I am generous, nonsmoking, like traveling, reading, philosophy and enjoying my life. skyoverture@mail. goo.ne.jp

Married woman? Intelligent and kind American, early 40s, married, white, slim, seeking one special person. Do you like exploring new restaurants, fun conversation and a bit of real romance? Any nationality.

Nihongo mo ok. donno5599@yahoo. co.jp

Japanese man seeks female. Hi, I'm a JM seeking a foreign friend. I'm 30, easygoing, and I like driving, drinking, movies, dancing at clubs, etc. If you are seeking a friend, please mail me back. Any nationality ok. kosuke1016@ hotmail.com

Mature and sophisticated Japanese, some have said charming, seeking an elegant, passionate, kind SWF. I dream about wild nights as well as sharing the simple pleasures of love. Is that you? imak1_2_3@ yahoo.co.jp

JM seeks older or fat woman. I live in Tokyo and am seeking an older or fat woman. If you’re interested, please send an email. riku_hiroxx@hotmail. com

Mature friendship. Gentleman, 53, in very good shape physically and mentally, seeking a similar woman, 45-65, for friendship and adult fun together. Nothing too serious. vbcfgt@hotmail.com

Keep things simple. Kind MWM, 40-something, seeking a no-stringsattached relationship with a nice woman. Maybe I can help satisfy a need. Let's have some food and drinks in Ebisu or Shibuya, and if we click, more. Look forward to hearing from you. seattlej@rocketmail.com Language exchange and more. I am seeking a Japanese woman, any age ok, to have regular language exchange and also make love together. We can

Mature Japanese woman sought.

I am a fun, open-minded, respectful and athletic person. r_andom@ hotmail.com Mature man to mature woman.

Attractive, mature European man, 50, seeks a Japanese lover. I prefer somebody around my age (40s-60s).

I am highly cultured and like Japanese ladies very much. vbcfgt@hotmail. com

Gonee has experience beauty therapist in London for 8 years. Gonee studied beauty college at London for CIDESCO course and she started to work in beauty salon at Sloane Square in London.

Daikanyama Station

ori

Happy marriage, but almost sexless.

I am a man who loves his wife and his family. I have a good job and a good life.

A long marriage, though, means little sex. vbcfgt@hotmail.com

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

D te ma -Ya

Handsome white American new in Tokyo, 40, fit, educated and healthy, seeking a cute, kind woman for good times, romance, perhaps long-term. よ ろしく お願いします. wwooozzz3@yahoo. com

03-4588-2277

u Ky

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

To advertise: commercial@metropolis.co.jp

Lycon Brazilian wax ¥9,000 → (30% off) ¥6,300 Lycon Full leg waxing ¥9,800 → (30% off) ¥6,800 Eyebrow & Upper Lip wax → ¥1,500 Eyelash Extension full set →¥5,000 (55x55) Eyelash & Eyebrow tint →¥2,500 Guinot Hydradermie Facial (60 min)→¥6,250 Manicure ¥8,000 → (30% off) ¥5,600 Pedicure ¥9,800 → ¥6,800

ine

oL

ok Toy

iya

Hib Komazawa Dori

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Lin

Ebisu Station

GONEE BEAUTY 7Eleven

treatment@goneebeauty.com www.goneebeauty.com www.brazilian-waxingebisu.com

03-6452-2503

Address : 3F nakamura building 17-4-3 Minami-Ebisu Shibuya-ku, Tokyo #1035 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP • 31

New year, new life. Positive, outgoing, professional SWM who knows how to treat a lady right is seeking an attractive, slender Japanese woman for a new and better life. Life's one big adventure for two special people to share together! nightwatchblue@gmail.com Nice woman. Generous, clean SJM, 44, seeking SWF companion in central Tokyo for shopping, dinner, etc., during the day and night. Age and looks not important.

Just seeking someone nice to spend time with. tsuneokobayashijapan@ yahoo.co.jp Nothing at home. Can you help me?

Are you a nice, cute and friendly JF? I'm married, but no sex for years. Goodlooking guy, but trapped. Just touch me a little, that's all. Can any girl help? jsn334@ gmail.com Older Japanese women are so beautiful. As Japanese women age, they become more and more beautiful. I love ladies in their 50s and 60s. vbcfgt@ hotmail.com Older woman wanted for fun. Britishborn Oriental man, 34, slim, athletic build, seeking an older woman, 45+, for fun and nothing too serious. I'm into travel, movies, visiting temples, galleries and museums. horsecounter@gmail.com Platonic love. Sweet, kind, handsome Caucasian man, 47, seeks a woman for platonic lovemaking. giozomi@yahoo. co.uk Realize your dreams. Eurasian, 40, well-educated, seeking a playful married woman. I have a good sense of humor.

Fortunately, I am well- endowed as well.

I have a lot of free time, even during the day. Yes, we can! tokyocestbon@gmail. com Romance with an older lady. Very nice and sexy gentleman seeks an older, or much older, woman to have nice dates and a romance. feeltokyo@yahoo.co.uk Secret relationship for enjoyable moments. Married Scandinavian WM seeks JF for discreet relationship in Tokyo. Wish to share enjoyable moments, a stress-free time for both of us to enjoy.

I am a nonsmoker, charming, fit, good at sensual massage. lifeistobeenjoyed@ yahoo.com Seeking African or Latino woman.

Attractive French businessman, 50s, is seeking African or Latino/South American women for friendly relations or more. turbo32s@yahoo.fr Seeking girlfriend. Foreign male, mid40s, seeking good females for friendship first and possibly a serious relationship in the Chiba area. I am kind, sincere, warm, caring and nonsmoking. Let's have a date over a cup of coffee. Serious females only, please. serioussa@gmail.com Seeking high and low for M soulmate.

Stable, handsome, successful SWM has been seeking "the one." I am really seeking someone who knows her place.

This is not a game and shouldn't be for you. debizaemon@gmail.com

seeks true love. If you are 20-30s, warm and caring, and seeking a serious longterm relationship, then please drop me an email. Serious only, no games. No Roppongi girls, please. Lasagna5577@ yahoo.com Sincere Australian SWM, 30s, 180cm, fit and attractive, seeking girlfriend.

Drop me a line and tell me about your interests and passions. brad57685911@ hotmail.com Sincere relationship. Sin gle white European, 35, likes movies, art, music, travel, cooking, seeks a serious relationship. I am sincere, fun, romantic. 日本語でも大丈夫です. unparisienatokyo2014@yahoo.co.jp Single Japanese male, 40, seeks nice, friendly, open-minded, trustworthy white female for friendship and romance.

My interests are cooking, music, and the infinite universe. caprices24@mail. goo.ne.jp SJF friend sought. SWM, 42, seeks SJF, 30-40, for friendship and maybe a longterm relationship with the right person.

Enjoy recording/writing music, reading, biking, travel, sightseeing. I'm friendly, like to joke. Little English? That's ok. Let's chat! earth_travel_joy@hotmail.com Still seeking batsu-ichi. I'm an African living and working in central Tokyo seeking a serious divorced JF for a serious friendship leading to a relationship.

Must be serious. No junk mail, please. strike4me@yahoo.com Successful businessman from New York, green eyes, seeking lovely lady.

I am a successful businessman and investor from New York, now in Tokyo.

I am 32, 182cm, 74kg, short brown hair. marcnyc2013@gmail.com Successful JM seeks Eastern European female. I am a SJM, 40s, living and working in Tokyo, successful, well-off, open-minded, seeking an independent, intelligent, employed Eastern European girl for a long-term relationship. udaishobakka@yahoo.co.jp UK man seeks long-term relationship with a JF. Must be open-minded, educated, independent, physically attractive. spk3006@i.softbank.jp Uncomplicated. Older English MWM for friendly (and not too young) MJF? Polite and respectful, neither jealous nor possessive. Maybe try Skype? Daytime preferred, but evenings are ok, too. tempteccobox@hotmail.com Western man seeking JF. Goodlooking, tall, slender Caucasian man interested in a Japanese woman, 50s/60s. giozomi@yahoo.co.uk White male seeking sexy woman.

Young and athletic man seeking a woman for hot times. I love doing sports and partying. Feel free to contact me for some fun! lil-boy38@hotmail.fr

14.3 WOMEN LOOKING FOR MEN

Seeking married アラフォー.

American gentleman, romantic type, seeks a married アラフォー lady for good conversation, friendship and more. Not seeking a one-time encounter. I want a discreet relationship with real feelings. togethertokyo@yahoo.com Seeking naughty female. I'm a SJM, 29, living in Ichikawa City, Chiba. I'm not seeking a serious relationship. If you live around my area and love sex, please reply. eden127@i.softbank.jp Seeking nice lady. I'm from Australia.

I am in my 40s, am tall, thin and have blue eyes. I teach English at a university.

Yoroshiku onegaishimasu. ebattley@ hotmail.com Seeking SJF. I am a black businessman, 42, educated, financially ok, caring, seeking a nice, mature JF. meetmrserious@yahoo.com Seeking well-educated lady for serious relationship. Hi, there. I am 30, living near Tokyo. I am a researcher and am seeking a well-mannered, welleducated lady for a serious relationship.

Let's enjoy life. shahramkhaksarian@ gmail.com Serious, long-term. SWM, 34, welleducated and traveled, with a stable job,

32 • WWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP

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 European gentleman for serious relationship. I'm a SJF, 30s, seeking a European gentleman as I'm interested in culture. Email me for more info. Serious and genuine people who know how to introduce themselves only. framboisier@ inter7.jp European? SJF seeks a European professional living in Japan or a Japanese businessman who has lived in Europe, 30s, for a serious relationship, possibly leading to marriage. Please email with self-introduction. Serious only. happyflower735@gmail.com Going to see the aurora borealis.

Seeking a travel companion to go and see the aurora in Finland. Probably early March if we plan from now. I am a SJF, late 40s, fluent in English, artistic, down-toearth, calm. oriontopleiades@gmail.com I am serious. Since I broke up with my last boyfriend, I have not been well.

I would like to meet new people and try something new. I hope this year brings me hope for myself. I am serious. rabbitatcorner@gmail.com Japan-loving French guy. SJF seeks a French guy who loves living in Japan, 30s, for a serious relationship, possibly leading to marriage. I am caring, curious and open-minded. Serious only. vinrouge735@gmail.com Life partner sought. I am 49, warm and positive. You have to be kind, positive, Caucasian, 40s-50s, fixed financial status, cultural. I want to meet someone who lives in Tokyo. Serious only. e.amethyst22@gmail.com Life partner. Any proper guys out there?

Many married men seek lovers, and too many misunderstandings with young men. Seeking a real man, 40s-50s, for life partner. Long-distance never works, so you have to live in Tokyo. e.amethyst22@ gmail.com Man who doesn't play with others' feelings. Attractive, slender, sincere, feminine SJF, 57, 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, please. innocentlily@mail.goo.ne.jp Mature enough? At t ra c t ive , affectionate, multilingual JF seeks a mature, sophisticated, internationalminded gentleman to make life more interesting. We can multiply happiness by sharing. Love traveling, marine sports, yoga, music, reading, dining out, the finer things in life. icedcoconutmilktea@ hotmail.com Romantic winter together? Elegant and educated SJF, 30s, in central Tokyo, seeks a sophisticated and intelligent single gentleman with a nice smile. How about talking and laughing over a glass of wine on a sparkling night in Tokyo?

Serious only. vocalise225@gmail.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

L AV I S H DAT E S A N D INDULGENT NIGHTS - WE CREATE OPPORTUNITIES for elite foreign males to meet

Seeking long-term relationship. SJF, fit, honest, sexy, 40s, seeking a single English-speaking Western guy, late 30s-early 50s, sincere, fit, nonsmoking, lives in Tokyo or nearby. No part-timers, students, travelers. mari46@yahoo.co.jp Seeking secret friend. MJF, 33, seeking a kind man. I live in central Tokyo and have no children. Let's have fun. hrk_ fine@mail.goo.ne.jp

American. I'm 36, with a professional job and multiple talents. gkr93mz@ gmail.com Serious relationship. Hi, Japanese female, 41, positive, warmhearted, cheerful, chubby, seeks sane, warmhearted, cheerful, single Caucasian guy for a serious relationship in Tokyo. camellia.sunflower@gmail.com Take me away. SJF, mid-30s, enjoys a stylish and healthy life, is tall and attractive, lives in Tokyo, seeks a sophisticated, honest, open-minded, attractive SWM with a great sense of his lifestyle. Would appreciate discovering new things together. antidotes.4u@ gmail.com Take me out. Seeking an independent, internationally minded person. Let's try and meet up for coffee. Single nonsmokers only. Thanks. tky_jpn145@ yahoo.co.jp Tall girl living and working in Tokyo. I'm seeking a nice, tall, nonsmoking SWM for a serious relationship. I hope to hear from you soon! iroasblue@hotmail.com Warmhearted relationship. JF, around 20, seeking a guy who has a sense of humor, is sincere, attractive and under 35. I like travel, track, watching movies.

Serious only. jsm.sky667@gmail.com Weekend date. SJF, 30, seeking someone around my age, single, independent. Let's start as friends first and see how it goes. Hope to have some common interests. Photo appreciated.

Thanks. musicinlife@excite.co.jp

14.4 GAY & LESBIAN Fit Caucasian male, 45, athletic, easygoing, seeking no-strings fun in central Tokyo. Serious only. man.2315@ hotmail.com JM seeks sex friends! Hi, there. I am seeking a new friend. I am a Japanese guy in Tokyo, 5'7", 150lbs, into Caucasians.

People sometimes say I am goodlooking. Please feel free to message me. ns_jmate@live.jp Newhalf from Philippine s?

European guy, 40, good-looking, openminded, seeks newhalf or shemale in Tokyo. Let's meet to share nice times. santamanta2006@yahoo.com Seeking shemale or crossdresser.

Dutch guy, 175cm, seeking shemale, ladyboy or feminine crossdresser in Tokyo. holger696@aol.com Serious Japanese guys. 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

14.5 ESCORTS 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.

JAPAN’S COMPLETE ADULT NIGHTLIFE GUIDE FOR FOREIGNERS! Having trouble finding a Japanese girl for fun? Come to http://erolin.net and check all possible clubs and escorts for foreigners!

When you visit, don’t forget to mention “Erolin Guide”! 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 mind. Open 24/7, same day orders welcome. asianmystiquejp@yahoo. co.jp www.asianmystique. com 080-5454-9795

14.6 AND OTHERS African man? Why not? I'm nice and gentle. I think you should try an African man like me. Get closer, see and feel the warm secret in me. Don't stay lonely; come on, let's have fun. I'm 35, but hard. d33377_555@hotmail.com Do you like bondage, gags and ropes?

Easygoing, creative, gentle Englishman, into bondage, ropes, gags and fetish fun/role playing, seeks a submissive lady who dreams of being dominated.

I'm experienced, discreet, respectful of limits. pompeylad1976@hotmail.com European man, handsome, tall, clean, seeks couple or woman for sexual fun. 日本語も大丈夫です！ srj500@gmail.com Happening bar fun. I’m a British guy who’d like to meet a lovely lady and take her to a happening bar. Let me take you to places you’ve never been before and share feelings that you didn’t think were possible. threesomejapan@hotmail.com

FOREIGNER-FRIENDLY, 100% LEGAL OUTCALL ESCORT AGENCY. Erotic full-body oil massage using Japanese rejuvenation methods

mind. A warm bath, a gentle massage - let yourself be pampered. scorpiosrealm@ hotmail.co.uk Massage. French businessman, 50s, living in Tokyo, seeking Chinese or Thai woman who can give relaxing massages. turbo32s@yahoo.fr Mixed couple. We (European guy, 33; Japanese female, 26) are seeking serious couples to meet on weekends. We expect clean and safe behavior. We reply only to serious couples. Photo appreciated. simonever@live.jp 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 Seeking dominant WF. Cute, generous JM, late 20s, seeks a dominant WF to have some fun together. I’m an experienced and well-equipped sub man who’s willing to do anything. Mature or inexperienced women are also welcome! sofmaptv@gmail.com Seeking fun girl for happening bars.

Aloha! Hawaiian guy, 30s, living in Tokyo, seeking fun ladies of all ages to explore happening bars in Tokyo. I'm fun, relaxed and easygoing, so you should be, too.

Mahalo. tokyoguy01@gmail.com Seeking JF sub. Are you a JF who likes to be submissive? Do you enjoy light bondage with a white man? You can feel excited with a spanking. Then back to your boring OL job. jsn334@gmail.com Seeking mistress. Caucasian seeking a domination playmate, experienced or inexperienced, nothing dangerous or extreme. Me: safe, clean, healthy, generous. ms2013spk@yahoo.com Sexy couple seeking like-minded people for some fun. Nice couple seeking another couple, single woman, or maybe a single guy to go to a happening bar.

He is 25, white, athletic; and she is 27, Japanese. lil-boy38@hotmail.fr Sexy female sought. Seeking an adventurous and discreet bi-curious female to join me (JF) and my sexy, affluent Caucasian boyfriend for luxury travel to exotic places. We'll cover all your expenses. Discretion promised. redrose0721@hotmail.co.jp Sissy maid. I am a very submissive sissy maid who loves cleaning, punishment, housework. I hope to meet a woman who could make use of my services. Free, clean, obedient, extremely hardworking. supersissy789@yahoo.co.jp Slap and tickle. Are you a Japanese female who likes rough play with a smart professional guy? Are you tired of the same weak guys who can't excite you? I am seeking a girl who likes to be swanked. jsn334@gmail.com Spanking? Western guy, loves OTK spanking, nylons, heels, seeking a lady who would enjoy giving a good spanking to a naughty boy, then being treated to a nice dinner on me. Can switch. jhdf2007@yahoo.co.uk Strict white master seeks slaves of either sex to satisfy him. You should be eager to please, very submissive, and enjoy dressing up. Now on your knees and email me, dog! kinkyfun78@yahoo. co.uk

I want your wife/girlfriend.

I am a mature white bull, late 40s, who enjoys pleasing ot h e r m e n' s wive s a n d girlfriends. Let me give her the pleasure and sexual ec stasy she de serve s . I am nice, clean, fun and respectful. tokyoasmodeus@ gmail.com Japanese woman for threesome.

Mixed Japanese woman and white male want a JF, late 30s to early 50s, for a threesome. 30後半-50前半の日本人女性を探 しています。yummypeachpie@gmail.com

Seeking single guy for long-term relationship. Japanese woman, 40, in Tokyo, seeking a serious relationship.

Interests: hiking, scuba diving, reading, exercise (yoga), traveling. You: 35-45, down-to-earth, relatively serious attitude towards life. applecapricorn@ hotmail.com Serious boyfriend. Beautiful Japanese wants to meet someone. No married men, cheaters, casual relationships whatsoever. Prefer someone in the Ichikawa/Nishi-Funabashi area, 27-38,

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

JM, 22, living in Tokyo, seeks a woman to take the virginity of a man. Girls with big, soft boobs are more than welcome. ikumin1222@hotmail.com Massage for women, for your wife.

I am rather skilled at sensual, relaxing, erotic massage. I have a natural way, with strong, healing hands and a creative

Teach me about S&M. I’m an Italian male, 30s. I want to learn about sadomasochism. If you are a JF who can teach me, that would be nice. hanamisuki@ hotmail.fr Teach me how? 英国紳士は（日本人）女性に フィストファック（私やる方）やってみたい。教え て下さい！ junkhenry3@gmail.com

Want to be watched? I will watch you!

British guy will watch you, Japanese woman, doing whatever you like! 見 られたければ、私何でも見てあげますよ！

junkhenry3@gmail.com

15 JOBS 15.1 JOB WANTED Native Russian and Ukrainian speaker seeks IT-related job. I'm Andrew, 19, from Ukraine. I have a vocational degree in general IT and am seeking employment anywhere in Japan. I can do customer support. nai-5@mail.ru

BY CATHRYN MOE

Horoscope

♥ Love ¥ Money ♣ Luck

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

May 21, 22~June 20, 21 ♥♥♥♥ ¥ ¥ ♣♣♣♣

June 21, 22~July 22, 23 ♥♥ ¥¥ ♣♣♣

Things not moving fast enough for you?

You sure about that? Venus is in her last week of retrograde movement. Everyone seems ready for her to go direct and let their hearts find resolution. But you, you’re in a class of your own. You want the results to have already shown up with a stable foundation begun. Breathe.

Distract yourself. Go within. Text. Walk. Run. Trust your quantum leaps. Your deeper self knows best.

No one has to tell you things are speeding, including perceptual realities and emotional adjustments. The awareness you are developing is not a reflection of what is wrong or right, simply what is necessary to jump to the next level required by the compression of time. Venus is in her last week of retrograde and things can get easier. Jupiter opposite Pluto opens communication where you least expect it.

You don’t need to do it on your own this week. There are a lot of people who understand and want to be there for you. Remember you have Juno in your career sector, your secret weapon to keep things going.

Mars dances through your solar fifth house of romance—a hot placement! The Sun and Mercury lighten your perspective. Whatever happens, you are able to see it has its own perfect harmony.

Jupiter in Cancer is exactly opposite Pluto this week so, ouch. Partnerships, watch for emotional revelations. The thing is, there is potential for growth here. Just what kind depends on where you are at the moment. The more open, the less there is to clear. The more hidden, well…Pluto likes to stomp things out and start over. But do you? Is this the way you handle things?

If not, then tread gently.

LEO

VIRGO

Aug 23, 24~Sep 22, 23 ♥♥ ¥¥¥ ♣♣♣

Sep 23, 24~Oct 22, 23 ♥♥♥ ¥¥ ♣♣

LIBRA

SCORPIO

You get to lead, but where is it you want to go? And do you really want everyone else there, too? Questions may swirl about as Venus moves into her final retrograde week. You need a break. You need a touch of velvet and luxury in your life. Check the negotiations you’ve managed of late. Mars, Vesta and Ceres may not look like much at the moment, but you’re actually moving up.

Venus retrograde has culminated in a lengthy focus on what is a luxury, an indulgence, true love. Do you deserve this? Of course you do! Does it make sense? Not really. Finances may be strained but this time, you may give the soul a few votes too. Other parts of yourself will show up at this time. Will the money keep rolling in? Mars, Vesta and Ceres say yes. Will you still care as much? Undoubtedly.

Venus retrograde has been working you hard, slowing down your choices, making you rethink your desires. As a Libran, you need intellectual stimulation, but not at the expense of a serene environment or beauty within reach. This is not a flippant statement. You could be with the most brilliant person ever but if surrounded by barbed wire and a lack of grace, you’d be quickly invisible.

Venus retrograde is in her last week of questions and considerations. You won’t have to jump into a decision next week, but you may want to. Unearthing the endless reasons why not, you may find the light shining on just why you can. The fears are dissolving and there really never was a bottomless pit, just the illusion.

Watch out for love affairs; they’re likely to fit some of your favorite fantasies.

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

Jan 20, 21~Feb 18, 19 ♥♥♥ ¥¥ ♣♣♣

Feb 19, 20~Mar 20, 21 ♥♥♥♥ ¥¥¥ ♣♣

Being true to yourself is your own reward. Never was this more evident than now, with Venus retrograde for only one more week. Sags are finding that their nature is in a state of flux due to the stresses from Neptune and Chiron, which of their own accord insist that healing come from within. That means you get to express your creativity and don’t have to follow the crowd. Unless you want to!

Stable structures are changing and with it, pragmatic Capricorn dives into an ocean of feelings. Thus the alchemy begins. You’re navigating possibilities. This new you is freer, more centered and assured. Options are right here, right now. Hope is with you. Light waits at every corner. Venus retrograde in Capricorn will soon move direct.

Pluto wants to take apart tradition but resistance augments more rules.

Uranus, your ruler, fights against this to create more freedom. Venus is in her last week of retrograde motion. Has it seemed like all work and no play, with luxuries too far away to reach?

If you listen to the eternal optimism of Mercury, Aquarius, this week will be a breeze. You’ll get more than you even hoped for.

This is the last week Venus is in retrograde. It’s endless work wondering which direction your last conversation will take you. There’s a fated quality right now, as if you must move forward toward your destiny, but it’s not nearly as appealing as the temptation to cut and run. Two large pillars of planetary action are at odds. You are developing a self-sustaining life as you keep your creativity independent and safe.

March 20, 21~April 19, 20 ♥♥♥ ¥¥¥ ♣♣♣♣

July 23, 24~Aug 22, 23 ♥♥♥ ¥¥ ♣♣♣♣

Nov 22, 23~Dec 21, 22 ♥♥ ¥¥¥ ♣♣♣

Apr 20, 21~May 20, 21 ♥♥♥ ¥¥¥ ♣♣♣

Dec 22, 23~Jan 19, 20 ♥♥ ¥¥¥ ♣♣♣♣

Metropolis Mediabox

CHRISTI ROCHIN

BIG BUCKS, NO WHAMMIES! Regarding “Tokyo and the Big Spin” (The Last Word, January 10): Some politician’s pocket has been lined with gold because the University of Las Vegas Nevada has a school for casino managers in Ginza already. What a coincidence!—Chazman 1) I can’t see the yakuza being happy

Oct 23, 24~Nov 21, 22 ♥♥ ¥¥ ♣♣♣♣

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XXXXX about casinos.

Regarding “Smokehouse” (Restaurant 2) The elderly will lose more money Review, October 25):as I have to think faster at the casinos opposed to this is a paid ad, not a review. It doesn’t even pachinko. seem 3) I do likxxxxxx not believe Tokyo will attract the international crowd when it comes to gambling. Macau and other places are far better and have a better reputation.

I am indifferent to what happens, but I can’t say this is a good idea on Japan’s part. It’s a money grab by the government in the hopes of getting more revenue. —JLR BREW DOGS Regarding “Two Dogs Taproom” (Restaurant Review, January 10): I have to disagree on the pizzas as I thought they are really good and tasty.

—Artful Dodger Yeah, awesome pizza and great menu.

Very cool place. —kansaijoe Finally, a civil place in Roppongi. This

CANCER

PISCES

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place rocks! I wish they had a place in Osaka. —nightowl

been made by the old guard.

—Tokyo Hombre

POINT GUARD

WE ASKED, YOU ANSWERED

Regarding “Michael Olson” (Sports, January 10): Olson calls the NBL “real basketball.” As if the bj-league is playing an alien version of the game. Really?

The two-time bj-league champion, Ryukyu Golden Kings, a model of consistency, for example, have two players (ex-Indiana U. big man Jeff Newton and ex-Georgia Tech standout Anthony McHenry) who played in the NCAA Final Four. What’s fake about their credentials and the gravitas they bring to that team and to the league?

By the way, last time I checked, the Japan men’s national team has failed to qualify for the Olympics in men's hoops since 1976. The same core group of folks that run the Japan Basketball Association oversees the NBL (formerly the JBL) and the men’s national program. Very little real progress has

How would you finish this sentence?

“Morning commutes turn me into a(n)…” … irritable old hag. —@transpacifique … either a rage-filled monster or a potential hospital patient. Bruised knees (and possibly ribs too) and an almost-sprained wrist this morning.

T-T —Lisa Wallin … brute, fighting for the first seat, until the end of the route.

—Mirai Intelligentsia … aging, pessimistic monster. After a morning commute, I can’t help but feel the world is out to get me. Takes a good ten minutes to recover. Good thing I mostly work from home.

—Helen A. Langford-Matsui

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News in Brief � Dennis Rodman Under the Impression Kim Jong Un is “Gangnam Style” Rapper Psy

THE NEGI NEWS TO BRING A TEAR TO YOUR EYE

� Japanese Man Camping Out for Tickets to the 2020 Olympics Actually Just Homeless

by Spring Day

� Festival Foods Yakisoba and Deep Fried Octopus’ LifeExtending Secret Ingredient Revealed: Cigarette Ash

AMERICAN TOURIST DISAPPOINTED AKB48 ISN’T A GUN A 45-year-old American soy bean farmer and tourist, Buddy Reed of Topeka, Kansas, was surprised to discover that AKB48 was “a group of 89 12-year-old girls that sing in sexy diapers” and not a “machine gun from the future,” as he expected. “I heard on the internet that over 226 million units had been sold in Japan alone and assumed it was a rifle. I mean who buys music anymore anyway? Plus, I’ve always wanted to own a rifle purchased 14 hours into the future, because that would make me a time traveler, something I’ve always bragged about being at the Dungeons & Dragons tournaments I regularly hold in my mother’s basement,” he said. “It never occurred to me that guns might be illegal in Japan. Why would they be when we Americans wrote their constitution?”

Mr. Reed remained optimistic as he stood in line waiting to buy AKB48 key chains, T-shirts and a ¥200,000 glow stick illuminated by the lost innocence of its band members. Reed remarked, “The band has grown on me over the past half hour. To be honest, it would be awkward if I wasn’t the youngest man here buying this stuff for myself.”

Over the past ten years, support groups for umbrellas and women’s underwear have been popping up in lingerie shops and department stores across Japan to provide guidance and preventative measures to these statistically most-abducted populations in otherwise crime-free Japan.

In the meetings, specialists advise umbrellas to be tattered or slightly rust-stained, as such defects tend to frighten the average abductor away. In a similar vein, panties are encouraged to do everything in their power to look as big and unattractive as possible. Also, once they are bought, panties are encouraged to always be hung next to at least one pair of extra, extra large men’s “tighty whities”— preferably ones that are military-grade with medals and inexplicable stains.

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� Abe Assures Ambassador Kennedy: “Don’t Worry, We Japanese Don’t Have Guns” CHRISTI ROCHIN

JAPAN DECLARED SAFEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD IF YOU ARE NOT AN UMBRELLA OR A PAIR OF PANTIES

� Poll Reveals that 67 Percent of Japanese Women Refer to “That Time Of The Month” as “Flag Day”

CHINA ACCUSES JAPAN OF BEING VOLDEMORT BECAUSE NO ONE KNOWS WHO SAURON IS China’s envoy to London, Lui Xiaoming, has accused Japan of acting like Lord Voldemort because, as X iaoming explained, “Not enough people in Asia are familiar with the Lord of Mordor, which is a more accurate comparison. Frankly, the Lord of the Rings books have too many characters and it’s easy to get confused. Plus, the books emphasize that everyone has a purpose for being in this Middle Earth, even Gollum! That is not the message we’d like to convey about Japan at this particular time.”

Japan’s envoy to London, Keiichi Hayashi, was quick to respond to the accusation, replying two days later, “What are you talking about, Muggle?“

� Japanese Tourist in Italy Surprised Her Prada Bag Was Stolen from Cafe Seat While in the Toilet � Jesus Polled as Japan’s Favorite American After Harry Potter Brought to you by

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CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Neil Butler EDITORIAL Jeff W. Richards (EDITOR-IN-CHIEF) Kevin Mcgue (EDITOR) Lisa Wallin (EDITORIAL ASSISTANT) Aly Lawson (PROOFREADER) Taiichi Izawa (INTERN) CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Dan Grunebaum (ENTERTAINMENT) Don Morton (MOVIES) C.B Liddell (ARTS) Fred Varcoe (SPORTS) DESIGN Kohji Shiiki (ART DIRECTOR) Davi Azevedo (DESIGNER) Minh Douangprachanh (WEB DESIGNER) PRODUCTION Helen Langford (PRODUCTION ASSISTANT) ADVERTISING Akane Ochi (DIRECTOR OF SALES) Karl Nakashima (SALES MANAGER) Kanae Mochizuki, Jonathan Grogan, Hinson Leung (SALES EXECUTIVES) Ai Hosokawa, Naomi Niino, Haruka Koda (INTERNS) ADMINISTRATION/ACCOUNTING Jeanette Komatsu (MANAGER) Michiko Anezaki (ADMINSTRATION/ CLASSIFIEDS) IT Guilhem Malfre (IT AND WEB DEVELOPER)

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