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Kai Harada

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Sakura Yosozumi

Sakura Yosozumi

BEYOND THE WALL

Kai Harada has gone to great lengths to earn his reputation as one of Japan’s best young climbers, from setting himself mammoth challenges in the gym to fasting for two weeks – get to know him here

Words MIKE SUNDA

S

hould you ever feel like you could do with a jaw drop, watch one of Kai Harada’s climbing videos. There’s this particular one from the 2019 World Championship’s Men Finals in Hachioji, Japan, where Harada hangs in the overhanging wall, contemplates for a moment, looks up and then, with an energetic outburst, lunges onto a small hold one metre up and then pulls his body up with only two fingers. Gravity? Absent, apparently. Even the commentator is flabbergasted: “Ohhh! I do not know how he held onto that,” he shouts. “Breathtaking stuff from Kai Harada, you can see world champion calibre here.”

A year before that, the then 19-year-old Harada unexpectedly won the Bouldering Climbing World Championships 2018 in Innsbruck, Austria, beating title contenders like Adam Ondra and Tomoa Narasaki. For Harada, who’s admired by his peers for his quick moves and calmness during competitions, this victory marked the first first peak of a journey that started when he was ten years old in his home of Kanagawa Prefecture.

Now Harada is intent on establishing his name among the pantheon of climbing’s top stars.

the red bulletin: How did you first get into climbing?

kai harada: When I was young, I always loved playing outdoors, and I just loved sports in general. It was actually by chance that I got into climbing at ten years old, when I went to a climbing gym near my house. I thought I’d just try it out, but from the first day I was hooked – I stayed there the whole day and that was it.

What did you enjoy about it?

It was just simply the thrill of climbing up something tall. It doesn’t take much more than that when you’re a kid.

What was the climbing scene like back then?

It wasn’t popular at all back then – my friends had no idea what climbing even was. There basically weren’t any other kids

“It’s going to be very special to compete at home”

my age at the climbing gym I went to – just guys in their twenties and thirties, but they were all welcoming and really supportive.

Why did you decide to start your own YouTube climbing channel? Was it to give back to the community?

The main thing was just that I wanted more people to know about climbing. I couldn’t find any other climbers making videos on YouTube, and I thought it could be useful for people getting into the sport. There’s more than just the competitive aspect, though – there’s also the beauty of the outdoors, along with all

of those other amazing aspects that draw people to climbing too; they’re all important to share.

When did you realise that climbing could become more than just a hobby for you?

It’s actually only very recently that I started to think about dedicating myself and my future to the sport of climbing. I’ve been participating in competitions since I was in high school, but even then, I hadn’t thought about it as a career – that’s a decision that’s come about recently.

Taking any sport from hobby to pro level obviously requires an incredible amount of focus and training. How have you kept yourself motivated?

Since the very beginning it’s always been as simple as just setting myself challenges in the climbing gyms and then trying to overcome as many of them as possible. If it’s set up as a route in a gym, then I figure that it should be doable, so I always approach it from that perspective and then I get really annoyed if I’m not able to complete it. And then that becomes the fun part in itself – figuring out what I need to do to overcome that challenge, and then the next one, and the one after that. It’s never-ending!

Speaking of taking on new challenges, is it true you undertook a two-week-long fast. What was that about?

It was actually my first time trying it, and it was not so much me doing it specifically for climbing-related reasons; rather, it was more of a holistic approach to making sure that my body was detoxed and to make sure that I’m physically in peak condition to then step up my training.

Is this something that athletes typicially do a lot in the climbing community?

I haven’t really heard of anyone else in my peer group doing similar – I think I’m the first!

Gunma Tochigi

Ibaraki

Saitama

Tokyo

1 2

Kanagawa

Chiba

How are you feeling about the big event ahead?

It’s going to be very special to compete at home, but I don’t feel any extra pressure in terms of expectations with it being here. Climb like Kai

1. B-PUMP Ogikubo

Situated out west in the quiet confines of Ogikubo, B-Pump is one of the most wellknown climbing gyms in Tokyo, offering something for both beginners and seasoned climbers alike. “I like B-Pump because you can do everything there,” explains Harada. “Whether it’s the size of the walls, or the breadth of inclines that you’re looking for, B-Pump has it all, which makes it somewhere I often go to train.”

Address:

167-0043 Tokyo, Suginami City, Kamiogi 1−10−12, Ogikubo Toa, 3F

2. Rocky Climbing & Fitness Gym

Of all Tokyo’s 23 wards, Shinjuku could be the one that least promotes a healthy lifestyle, given its reputation for nightlife. But it’s also home to one of Tokyo’s largest climbing gyms, Rocky Climbing & Fitness Gym, which spreads over 500 square metres. Harada trains there frequently: “I just practised there today – it has relatively large walls and lots of inclines, which makes it great for the more punishing, physical aspects of training.”

Address:

162-0066 Tokyo, Shinjuku City, 14-6 Ichigayadaimachi, B1

GUIDE

TOKYO’S FINEST RESTAURANTS, (SPORTS) BARS AND NIGHT CLUBS

IN THIS SECTION How to start your night on page 82, where to watch the action on page 90 and what to do for a big night out on page 92.

EAT&DRINK

From intimate gig venues to fancy eateries and stunning rooftop bars, Tokyo has got it all.

CÉ LA VI TOKYO

Even though Cé La Vi Tokyo opened quite recently (December 2019), it feels like a throwback to the sort of nightlife institutions that thrived during the city’s economic bubble in its hedonistic heyday of the late 1980s. With a smart-casual dress code, a panoramic cityscape view and a sophisticated mixology lounge, Cé La Vi Tokyo brings back an air of extravagance that was largely absent during the country’s so-called ‘lost decade’ that took place following the Japanese asset price bubble’s collapse in late 1991 and early 1992. Try the bar’s signature cocktail, Nagomi, which uses generous amounts of top-quality matcha (green tea) powder from one of its spiritual homes, the hilly terrains of Uji in Kyoto, or their bao burgers, which feature premium ingredients like softshell crab and Japanese wagyu beef.

Address 150-0043 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Dogenzaka 1−2−3, Tokyu Plaza Shibuya 17F/18F Website celavitokyo.com

Tokyo’s branch of Singapore’s popular rooftop bar covers the the building’s 17th and 18th floor and offers stunning views of the Shibuya skyline

AZUMAYA

Wander up the gentle slope of Dogenzaka, Shibuya’s main road for nightlife, and at the top, just off to the right-hand side, you’ll find O-East, a sizeable live music venue. Although known for attracting head-banging rockers to its frequent punk shows, these days you’ll also see a more unassuming crowd wearing stylish plain-black T-shirts and jeans. That’s because tucked inside O-East is Azumaya, a techno-oriented club space that’s at the forefront of a new wave of Tokyo’s music bars. The focus here is firmly on local DJs: from techno mainstays like Wata Igarashi to younger crews such as CYK, everyone gets a turn here. On top of all that, there are licensed sake sommeliers working behind the bar who will happily recommend bottles that aren’t listed on the menu.

Address 150-0043 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Dogenzaka 2−14−8, TSUTAYA O-EAST 2F Website azumaya.jp

LIVING ROOM CAFE

Unless the founders of Living Room Cafe are living in a radically different world to the rest of us, its title is quite the misnomer. Boasting a huge 1,200 square metres of floorspace and 300 seats, this live music venue in Shibuya is bigger than most Tokyoite’s apartments, let alone their living rooms. But the whole thing makes for a fantastically comfortable and convenient option for whenever you’re in the neighbourhood and fancy sitting down for a concert. The venue is split into six different sections, so ask to be seated in the Patio, which offers the best view of the stage, and from which you can expect to hear classically trained pianists and jazz ensembles in the vein of a classy hotel bar.

Built on the concept of artists inviting their friends into their apartment, Living Room Café is a unique gem, even at a place that is rich with live music venues like Shibuya

Address 150-0043 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Dogenzaka 2−29−5, Shibuya Prime 5F Website livingroomcafe.jp

TRIP BAR

Since opening in October 2019, Trip Bar in Nishiazabu has claimed to be Tokyo’s first ever VDJ Bar and Lounge, which refers to a DJ that mixes tracks with a combination of both live visuals and audio. The former are displayed across seven different oversized screens throughout the bar, making this a multisensory experience even before you engage your taste buds – no wonder the menu skews towards attention-grabbing dishes, like a delightfully rich caviar and sea urchin tagliatelle, as well as a premium katsu sandwich made with the highest-quality Hida beef, from cattle raised in Gifu Prefecture.

Address 106-0031 Tokyo, Minato City, Nishiazabu 1−14−17, WAVE Nishiazabu 1-2F Website nishiazabu-tripbar.com

NISHIAZABU IMADOKI

Imadoki is an example of an izakaya, a Japanese establishment that’s halfway between a restaurant and bar, where you’ll typically go with a group of friends and while away an evening by sharing numerous small plates of food and even more numerous rounds of drinks. This particular izakaya is swankier than most, located in central Tokyo’s Nishiazabu, one of the posher parts of town. The top-quality sashimi and wagyu beef on the menu is befitting of the location, but Imadoki’s surprising speciality is actually motsu-nabe, a hotpot filled with a variety of offal and tripe cooked in a style that originates from Hakata, Fukuoka, which is on the northern shore of Kyushu.

Address 106-0031 Tokyo, Minato City, Nishiazabu 2−25−19, BARBIZON28 1F Website imadoki.jp

MEZZO

With its glitzy, golden sign and its location right in the ‘middle’ of Roppongi (from which it derives its Italian name of mezzo), this relatively new addition to the area’s bar scene is impossible to miss. Despite its upscale branding, the ambience on the ground floor is welcoming and unusually wholesome, with a fresh fruit buffet (to go with your fresh-fruit cocktails) available on weekdays. The upstairs is another story entirely, ramping up the exclusivity with a VIP members-only section that requires an exclusive PIN code to enter. Book ahead and reserve a table if that’s more the atmosphere you’re looking for – just make sure you have a notepad on hand to jot down your PIN code, which you’ll receive when you make the booking.

Address 106-0032 Tokyo, Minato City, Roppongi 5−1−7, Roppongi Street Building 1F/2F Website mezzo.tokyo

Go to Mezzo in Roppongi for exclusivity and fresh fruit; and don’t miss the venue’s exclusive bar upstairs that requires a PIN code to get in

PLUSTOKYO

Much like some of the obscure,

exclusive bottles hidden away at the back of his bar, Japanese mixologist Shuzo Nagumo is a rare breed indeed. Both an ideas man and an intensely driven entrepreneur who brings those ideas to life, Nagumo is learning that the success he’s found doing the latter has radically impacted his day-to-day routine.

“I used to spend hours every day dreaming up new cocktail creations,” says Nagumo. “Whereas now I can barely find time between running the business.”

It seems that Nagumo’s imagination is the thing that initially propelled him to stardom in the global bar scene, where he became known for cocktails that were brimming both with technical expertise and whimsical creativity.

In particular, it was his adventurous attempt to take the essence of savoury foods and dishes, and turn them into cocktails – from a foie-gras-infused vodka martini to a Tom Yum Goonginspired mojito – that captured hearts and gluttonous palates alike.

“Because I have to be so efficient with all of my ideation, I’ve really gone from experimenting with all kinds of different ingredients behind the bar to then conceptualising the drinks in my mind, and making notes like crazy,” he says, referring to various examples on his smartphone, including a cacao-based cocktail that represents one of Nagumo’s latest brainwaves.

After working his way up from being a trainee bartender at Nobu London to reaching the top of his game and becoming a respected mixologist, Nagumo is currently responsible for six different bars across Tokyo, the business aspect of which now occupies much of his time. Each of these bars has their own identity, expressed by a specific

With crazy concotions like foie-gras-infused cocktails and cool concepts with a focus on sustainability, Shuzo Nagumo is a bona-fide innovator in Japan’s quirky bar scene

”I used to spend hours every day dreaming up new cocktail creations”

thematic direction: from Mixology Salon, in Ginza, which incorporates fresh green tea powder sourced directly from tea shops in the Japanese hinterlands in its signature cocktails, to PlusTokyo, which has a menu that uses the domestic staples of Shochu (typically distilled from rice, barley or sweet potatoes) and Awamori, an indigenous Okinawan beverage distilled from rice.

“These are Japanese products that are historically significant, but most people now only consume the cheap bottles, or order drinks like a lemon sour, where they’re mixed with fruit juice,” says Nagumo. “I want my customers to understand that there are all sorts of high-quality Shochu and Awamori, which informed the theme behind this bar.”

To that extent, Nagumo frequently travels all around Japan, visiting local distilleries and educating their staff about the sort of products they should be aiming to make, both for bartenders such as him, and to keep up to date with current consumer trends.

With the opening of several more bars in the very near future, Nagumo is also managing to turn his attention to something that his industry is grappling with all around the world: sustainability.

“Whether it’s the bottles that the beverages themselves are packaged in or the use of certain ingredients, all kinds of bars around the world are far from being sustainable or environmentally friendly, and it’s a real challenge to turn that around,” he explains.

With his newest venture, Nagumo translates this philosophy into action: at memento mori (Latin for ‘remember that you must die’), his focus lays on pairing the use of fresh herbs and locally grown botanicals with avoiding packaging and material that isn’t recycleable – an innovative approach that once again affirms Nagumo’s role as a visionary of the Tokyo bar scene.

Address 104-0061 Tokyo, Ginza 1−8−19, Kirarito Ginza 12F/RF Website plustyo.com

BOTANICAL WING

A recipe by Shuzo Nagumo

40ml NEMA (non-alcoholic gin) 5ml Lemon juice 5ml Fresh ginger juice 120ml Red Bull

Moderate amount of mint leaves or mint purée (to taste)

Pour the ingredients in the above order into a glass with ice, gently mix together, and then garnish with the herbs in a bouquet. This tastes like a nonalcoholic version of the Garden Buck cocktail. Type of glass: Tumbler Type of ice: Crushed

UORIKI SHIBUYAYOKOCH0

The Shibuya Yokocho, or Shibu-Yoko for short, is a long stretch of drinking establishments and eateries that runs adjacent to the recently developed Miyashita Park shopping complex, and arguably rivals any yokocho in Tokyo for sheer selection and variety. Whether it’s regional ingredients flown in from deepest Hokkaido or Okinawan specialities true to the island’s food culture, you can run the gamut of Japanese cuisine in the hundred-or-so metres that comprise Shibu-Yoko. If you don’t want to move even a little, then just sit yourself down at Uoriki and let them bring you a selection of fresh fish that will cover the length and breadth of the country. They receive the freshest supplies directly from all across Japan, from fugu (blowfish) from Yamaguchi and oysters from Hiroshima, through to a delicious soup stewed from monkfish caught in Kuji, making for a dining experience that will undoubtedly include some rarities to delight even the most well-travelled connoisseurs.

Address 150-0001 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Jingumae 6−20−10, South 1F Rayard Miyashita Park Website mitsui-shopping-park.com/urban/miyashita/ store/1568925.html

Uoriki is every fish lover’s dream come true, serving delicacies from all over the country

NIKUMARUEN NIKUYOKOCHO

From the giant ‘niku’ (‘meat’) kanji character that makes up the restaurant’s logo to the way that it describes itself as a ‘theme park for meat’, Nikumaruen is truly a carnivorous affair that eschews subtlety in every aspect of its being. Any first-time visitor should try the shimofuri-don – a dish truly representative of the restaurant’s philosophy, comprising a rice bowl topped with hearty amounts of raw mincemeat and garnished with a raw egg yolk. Follow this up with some of their giant-sized cuts of fried chicken, which are served with wasabi-infused mayonnaise, and wash it all down with anything that takes your fancy under the establishment’s reasonably priced all-you-can-drink policy. You can find Nikumaruen, unsurprisingly, bang in the middle of Shibuya’s niku-yokocho (‘meat street’) – where else could it be?

Address 150-0042 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Udagawacho 13−8, 2F/3F Website nikuyokocho.jp/shop/shop-maruen/

NIKUSUSHI SHIBUYA DOGENZAKA

As the restaurant’s moniker suggests, Nikusushi is an izakaya-style eatery that serves the finest cuts of raw meat in the style of sushi. Wagyu beef is very much the name of the game for the most part – renowned around the world for its exquisite marbling, it’s impossible not to be struck by the sheer aesthetic beauty of the cuts of meat when they’re served raw, and the taste is even better. That’s not to say that there isn’t more to the menu: just as a sushi chef would serve up the freshest fish based on seasonality, the Nikusushi chefs are always updating their specials – last summer, their recommendation was a hearty plate of raw horse-meat to keep the body full of nutrients.

The chefs at Nikusushi use a unique cooking method called “vacuum lowtemperature cooking” for their meaty sushi dishes

Address 150-0043 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Dogenzaka 1−11−2, 1/2/3F Website nikusushi.ne.jp/shoplist/dougenzaka

WATCH

Soccer, screens and drinks. The holy trinity of sports bars is alive and well in Tokyo with British and American pubs

If you want to enjoy watching football, rugby and baseball games with likeminded sport fans, look no further than British-style pub, Hub 82, which has around 110 stores in Japan

Get your fill of Americana at Hooters at several locations in Tokyo and watch a litany of sports at Dazn Circle in Shibuya or 99 Sports Bar in Minato City

HUB+82 SHIBUYA PARCO BRANCH

In a city where you could drink at a different bar every night and still never run out of options, it might seem strange that one of the most well-known and well-loved institutions is actually a chain of faux-British pubs called Hub. But there’s something inherently appealing about Hub’s kitschy take on British pub culture, both when it replicates it accurately (a range of perfectly poured pints) and also when it throws a cultural curveball, such as offering deep-fried spaghetti as one of its go-to beer snacks. And if you go often enough, you might even find yourself eligible for Hub’s coveted gold card, which is surely the coolest loyalty club in town.

Address 150-8377 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Udagawacho 15−1, Shibuya PARCO B1F Website pub-hub.com

FURTHER BRANCH: HUB SHIBUYA CENTER-GAI BRANCH Address: 150-0042 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Udagawacho 22−2 SHIBUYA NISHIMURA SOUHONTEN BLDG. B1F

TASUICHI

A long-standing Shibuya staple, Tasuichi is a no-frills drinking establishment that has retained its patch of prime real estate on Center-Gai – the pedestrian shopping street that starts directly opposite the famous Shibuya Crossing – even as other shops have come and gone around it. The selection of drinks is fairly rudimentary, but considering a glass of nama-biiru (the Japanese phrase for ordering whatever draft beer happens to be on tap) is ridiculously cheap, and live sports shown on a number of TVs dotted around the room, it’s no surprise that this standing-only bar is almost always packed full to the brim, skewing particularly towards expats happy to embrace its deliberately rowdy nature.

Address 150-0042 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Udagawacho 33-14 Website tasuichi.co.jp

HOOTERS GINZA

Although Hooters is known all over the world for scantily clad female staff, its Tokyo branches are far from raunchy when you compare them to the litany of strip bars scattered throughout the city. Instead, they offer a fun slice of Americana that extends to the food menu, which authentically replicates that of the chain’s motherland. And given the paltry number of chains offering American classics in Tokyo, when someone here says they want to go to Hooters just for the wings, they might actually be telling the truth.

Address 104-0061 Tokyo, Chuo City, Ginza 8−5, GINZA NINE 1-2F Website hooters.co.jp

PARTY

Find out about Asia’s largest disco ball, Justin Bieber’s favourite after-show hang-out and Tokyo’s most luxurious VIP rooms

WOMB

Rising to fame after being featured prominently in Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Oscar-winning film, Babel, Shibuya nightclub Womb opened in 2000, and two decades later still remains a lynchpin of the capital’s club culture. As well as attracting big-name international DJs every weekend, Womb boasts an additional three floors, with a genre policy spanning everything from tech-house to drum-and-bass, and is even home to Asia’s largest disco ball, hanging over the centre of its main room.

Address 150-0044 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Maruyamacho 2-16 Website www.womb.co.jp

Each night of the week has a different theme, that’s the motto of Tokyo’s longest running night club which ranked 47th on DJ Mag’s worlds best clubs of 2019 list.

NISHIAZABU A-LIFE

A-Life is a Roppongi staple, never far from the top of the list when party-goers are planning a night out in this part of town. Its size and the variety of dancefloors and chill-out spaces – ranging from the eight hundred-capacity main room to more intimate nooks and crannies spread across its three floors – make it the perfect choice for people who want to socialise as well as dance, and the bartenders are famously friendly. And with a special offer on weeknights (except for Fridays), where entry before 11pm is just ¥1,000, and comes with three drink tickets, it’s also an exceptionally economical option.

Address 106-0031 Tokyo, Minato City, Nishiazabu 1−7−2, ECONACH NISHI-AZABU Bldg. Website e-alife.net

PARADISE LOUNGE

At an imposing 229-metres-tall, the recently completed Shibuya Scramble Square is the highest building in the ward, towering over the nearby Scramble Crossing and offering panoramic views of the whole of Tokyo from its outdoors observation deck. Also on the 46th floor, along with the observation deck, is the Paradise Lounge – a relaxed music bar that unsurprisingly offers views that are simply unparalleled. The styling might scream out ’50s diner, but one look at the 12-inch vinyls displayed on the wall – spanning Flying Lotus and Jamie XX – and you can rest reassured that the music selection is more contemporary.

Conceptualised by famed British industrial designer Tom Dixon, Paradise Lounge serves stunning views and tunes alike

Address 150-0002 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Shibuya 2−24−12, Shibuya Scramble Square 46F Website paradiseloungetokyo.com

1 OAK

Decked out in gold and silver from the floor to the ceiling, and with a huge Roy Nachum painging hanging above the DJ booth, 1 OAK is aimed firmly towards big-spenders, with an emphasis on the VIP-table experience. The music policy is straightforward hip-hop with a splash of EDM, just like at 1 OAK’s legendary flagship venue in New York. The sound system is top notch: The loudspeakers by Germany’s iconic hi-fi company d&b audiotechnik guarantee that you not only hear the bass sound on the dancefloor, but that you feel it in your guts.

Address 106-0045 Tokyo, Minato City, Azabujuban 1−4−5 Website 1oaktokyo.com

HARLEM

Sandwiched between a number of love hotels (which offer double rooms for short periods of time) in Shibuya’s infamous back streets across from Dogenzaka, Harlem is a veritable institution of this trendy neighborhood’s club scene. As its name suggests, Harlem nods to the US hip-hop scene with its music policy, and depending on the night you might hear anything from chart-topping anthems and retro throwbacks to the latest tracks coming out of the contemporary Japanese rap scene. Resident DJs Hazime and Watarai take to the decks on Saturday nights, making their night a safe bet both for track selection and overall vibes, while on other nights you might also come across scantily clad dancers, or even live skateboarding showcases.

Address 150-0044 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Maruyamacho 2−4, Dr. Jeekahn’s 2F/3F Website harlem.co.jp

With two dancefloors, three bar areas and one restaurant, V2 caters to the revellers’ various moods and desires

JOYSOUND SHIBUYA MINAMIGUCHI

Karaoke is Japan’s favourite pastime, and what better way to hang out with friends than by spending hours cooped in a booth together, downing drinks and belting out your favourite songs? You can replenish drinks without leaving the room, and it’s not uncommon for a one-hour evening session to end up in a raucous all-nighter, with everyone stumbling bleary-eyed into the morning light having collectively screamed out the chorus to Evanescence’s Bring Me To Life for the third time that night. This branch of Joysound has decorated many of its ninth-floor rooms with visuals referencing the legendary animated series, Neon Genesis Evangelion, on the walls, so even if you’re flying solo, you can still serenade protagonist Shinji and his sidekicks all night long.

Address 150-0043 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Dogenzaka 1−3−1, Shibuya Ekimae Kaikan 9F Website shop.joysound.com/shop/joysoundshibuyaminamiguchi

V2

V2 Tokyo is a typically flashy offering by Roppongi standards, with an ostentatious interior, premium VIP experience and EDM blaring from the speakers most nights. It has a sizeable 1,000-person capacity, and you might even find yourself rubbing shoulders with the likes of Justin Bieber and members of One Direction, who have been known to hang out here after playing their Japan shows. Outside of its core club offering, V2 Tokyo also cooks up innovative molecular cuisine at its restaurant in the evenings, and it even hosts a DJ school that gives its students a chance to play not only at V2 Tokyo, but also at sister venues such as Mezzo Tokyo.

Address 106-0032 Tokyo, Minato City, Roppongi 7−13−7 Website v2tokyo.com

WARP SHINJUKU

Despite the area being one of the most heavily frequented parts of Tokyo, and littered with more bars than you could ever hope to drink at, Shinjuku has never been a destination known for clubbing. Warp looks set to put a change to that, with a sprawling underground space that eclipses the majority of nightclubs in Roppongi or Shibuya for size alone. Its other selling point is the unusually early opening time of 7pm every night of the week, so you can clock off from work and be dancing to techno, house or drum and bass mere minutes later.

Address 160-0021 Tokyo, Shinjuku City, Kabukicho 1−21−1 Website warp-shinjuku.jp

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The Red Bulletin is an international active lifestyle magazine, published monthly in six countries, delivering thrilling stories from the world of Red Bull and beyond.

GLOBAL TEAM

Head of The Red Bulletin Alexander Müller-Macheck, Sara Car-Varming (deputy) Editors-in-Chief Andreas Rottenschlager, Andreas Wollinger (deputy) Editor-in-Chief (Tokyo Guide) Florian Obkircher Creative Directors Erik Turek, Kasimir Reimann (deputy) Art Directors Marion Bernert-Thomann, Miles English, Tara Thompson Designers Martina de Carvalho-Hutter, Cornelia Gleichweit, Kevin Goll Photo Editors Eva Kerschbaum (manager), Marion Batty (deputy), Susie Forman, Tahira Mirza, Rudi Übelhör Digital Editors Christian Eberle-Abasolo (manager), Lisa Hechenberger, Elena Rodriguez Angelina, Benjamin Sullivan Special Projects Arkadiusz Piatek Managing Editors Ulrich Corazza, Marion Lukas-Wildmann Sub-Editor (Tokyo Guide) Joe Curran Translation (Tokyo Guide) Jenn Yamazaki, Less Rain GmbH Printed by (Tokyo Guide) Sagawa Printing Co. Ltd., 5-3 Inui Morimoto – Cho Muko, Kyoto, 617 – 8588 Japan Publishing Management Ivona Glibusic, Bernhard Schmied, Anna Wilczek Managing Director Stefan Ebner Head of Media Sales & Partnerships Lukas Scharmbacher Project Management Co-Publishing, B2B Marketing & Communication Katrin Sigl (manager), Mathias Blaha, Katrin Dollenz, Thomas Hammerschmied, Teresa Kronreif (B2B), Eva Pech, Valentina Pierer, Stefan Portenkirchner (communication), Jennifer Silberschneider Creative Services Verena Schörkhuber-Zöhrer (manager), Sara Wonka, Julia Bianca Zmek, Edith Zöchling-Marchart Executive Creative Director Markus Kietreiber Art Direction Co-Publishing Peter Knehtl (manager), Erwin Edtmaier, Andreea Parvu, Dominik Uhl Commercial Design Simone Fischer, Martina Maier, Alexandra Schendl, Julia Schinzel, Florian Solly, Stephan Zenz Subscriptions and Distribution Peter Schiffer (manager), Marija Althajm, Nicole Glaser, Victoria Schwärzler, Yoldaş Yarar Production Veronika Felder (manager), Friedrich Indich, Walter O. Sádaba, Sabine Wessig Repro Clemens Ragotzky (manager), Claudia Heis, Nenad Isailović, Sandra Maiko Krutz, Josef Mühlbacher MIT Christoph Kocsisek, Michael Thaler Editor and CEO Andreas Kornhofer Editorial office Heinrich-Collin-Straße 1, A-1140 Vienna Phone +43 1 90221-0 Web redbulletin.com Published by Red Bull Media House GmbH, Oberst-Lepperdinger-Straße 11–15, A-5071 Wals bei Salzburg, FN 297115i, Landesgericht Salzburg, ATU63611700 Executive Directors Dkfm. Dietrich Mateschitz, Dietmar Otti, Christopher Reindl, Marcus Weber THE RED BULLETIN Austria, ISSN 1995-8838 Editor Wolfgang Wieser Proofreaders Hans Fleißner (manager), Petra Hannert, Monika Hasleder, Billy Kirnbauer-Walek Publishing Management Bernhard Schmied Media Sales & Partnerships Thomas Hutterer (manager), Alfred Vrej Minassian, Franz Fellner, Ines Gruber, Thomas Gubier, Daniela Güpner, Wolfgang Kröll, Gabriele Matijevic-Beisteiner, Nicole Okasek-Lang, Britta Pucher, Jennifer Sabejew, Johannes Wahrmann-Schär, Ellen WittmannSochor, Ute Wolker, Christian Wörndle, Sabine Zölß THE RED BULLETIN Switzerland, ISSN 2308-5886 Editor Wolfgang Wieser Country Project Management Meike Koch Media Sales & Brand Partnerships Stefan Brütsch (manager), stefan.bruetsch@redbull.com Marcel Bannwart, marcel.bannwart@redbull.com Christian Bürgi, christian.buergi@redbull.com Jessica Pünchera, jessica.puenchera@redbull.com Goldbach Publishing Marco Nicoli, marco.nicoli@goldbach.com

THE RED BULLETIN Germany, ISSN 2079-4258 Editor David Mayer Proofreaders Hans Fleißner (manager), Petra Hannert, Monika Hasleder, Billy Kirnbauer-Walek Country Project Management Natascha Djodat Media Sales & Partnerships Thomas Hutterer (manager), Alfred Vrej Minassian, Franz Fellner, Ines Gruber, Thomas Gubier, Daniela Güpner, Wolfgang Kröll, Gabriele Matijevic-Beisteiner, Nicole Okasek-Lang, Britta Pucher, Jennifer Sabejew, Johannes Wahrmann-Schär, Ellen WittmannSochor, Ute Wolker, Christian Wörndle, Sabine Zölß

THE RED BULLETIN France, ISSN 2225-4722 Editor Pierre-Henri Camy Country Coordinator Christine Vitel Country Project Management Alexis Bulteau THE RED BULLETIN United Kingdom, ISSN 2308-5894 Editor Ruth McLeod Associate Editor Tom Guise Chief Sub-Editor Davydd Chong Publishing Management Ollie Stretton Advertising Sales Mark Bishop, mark.bishop@redbull.com Fabienne Peters, fabienne.peters@redbull.com

THE RED BULLETIN USA, ISSN 2308-586X Editor Peter Flax Deputy Editor Nora O’Donnell Art Director Tara Thompson Copy Chief David Caplan Publishing Management Branden Peters Media Network Communications & Marketing Manager Brandon Peters Advertising Sales Todd Peters, todd.peters@redbull.com Dave Szych, dave.szych@redbull.com Tanya Foster, tanya.foster@redbull.com Subscribe getredbulletin.com, subscription@us.redbulletin.com

He got game

When it was announced last December that competitive breaking will make its debut as a new sport in 2024, its practitioners all over the world swooned in excitement. Just a week earlier, one B-Boy in particular proved that he will be a force to be reckoned with: Shigekix. The 18-year-old from Japan became the youngest ever B-Boy to win Red Bull BC One, the world’s biggest one-on-one breaking contest. For more stories beyond the ordinary, go to redbulletin.com

紫のレッド紫のレッド ブ

魅惑的な、魅惑的な、魔法の

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