Tokyo Weekender - August 2016

AUGUST 2016

Japan’s number one English language magazine

Far from the Madding Crowd Secret Diving Spots, an Organic Farm, a Mountain Onsen, and Other Dreamy Getaways

ALSO: Rediscovered Photos from WWII, Change the Way You Watch TV, Summer Drinks, and a Rio Sports Roundup

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in-depth

guide

THIS MONTH’S HEAD TURNERS

COFFEE-BREAK READS

CULTURE ROUNDUP

7 AREA GUIDE: TAKADANOBABA

19 COVER FEATURE: FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD

41 THE ART WORLD

Explore the birthplace of legendary manga character Astro Boy

Escape the summer heat and Tokyo’s crowds with our dreamy getaway guide

This month’s must-see exhibitions, including Leonardo da Vinci’s astronomy manuscripts, and writing specimens from 100 countries

The one-piece swimsuit you have to have this summer, and the swim shorts made for stylish globetrotters

28 WINDOWS INTO WARTIME

43 OPEN-AIR MOVIES

Travel back in time through a collection of photos that crossed an ocean

From a casual Ebisu evening to a Midpark and Moet rendezvous

12 BEAUTY

32 TOKYOJIN

44 AGENDA

Six sunscreens that do more than just block the rays – plus, they’re all small enough to slip into your handbag

Introducing the movement that’s capturing the real Tokyo

Temper Trap plays Tokyo, salsa takes over Asakusa, and lanterns light up Enoshima

36 THE NEW WAY TO WATCH TV

46 PEOPLE, PARTIES, PLACES

Tired of watching Japanese talk shows?

Online TV is the way forward

An Urawa Reds game, and a dynamic show by the China National Acrobatic Troupe

38 TEEN TITANS

50 BACK IN THE DAY

The young athletes set to take Rio by storm

Digging into 46 years of Weekender archives

10 STYLE

14 TRENDS When the going gets hot, the hot go drinking: We round up our favorite artisanal beer, sake, and gin with three tonic waters to boot. Plus, the most delicious burritos ever

AUGUST 2016

radar

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AUGUST 2016 Publisher

ENGAWA Co., Ltd.

President

Takanobu Ushiyama

Executive Producers

Asi Rinestine Naoya Takahashi

Editor in Chief Senior Editor

Annemarie Luck Alec Jordan

Art Director Features Writer Contributors

Liam Ramshaw Matthew Hernon Vivian Morelli Luca Eandi Bill Hersey

Sales Director Sales Executives

Takaaki Murai Hirofumi Ohuchi Kahori Terakawa Nobu (Nick) Nakazawa Mary Rudow

Media Strategist Media Relations Media Producers

Mandy Lynn Junko Shimaya Yumi Idomoto Claudia Sun

EST. Corky Alexander, 1970 Published monthly at JPR Sendagaya Building 8F 4-23-5 Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 151-0051 (03) 6863-3096 / (03) 5413-3050 (fax) editor@tokyoweekender.com To subscribe to the Tokyo Weekender, please call (03) 6863-3096 or email: customer-support@tokyoweekender.com For ad sales inquiries, please call (03) 6863-3096 or email: sales@tokyoweekender.com 広告に関するお問い合わせ先 電話：(03)6863-3096 メール：sales@tokyoweekender.com Opinions expressed by Weekender contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher

Published by ENGAWA Co., Ltd.

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@bapawn: Another Tokyo summer is upon us!

Even after five years, I haven’t gotten used to them.

Annemarie, what’s your favorite way to beat the heat?

@mizrama: My favorite way? I have a blow-up paddle pool on my balcony. It’s like a pool party for one. How about you? @bapawn: Well, there is one traditional practice that I’ve taken up over the past couple of years. We hang a fuurin, a Japanese wind chime, up on the balcony. For some people, that light tinkling sound reminds them of the water – a babbling brook or the surf crashing on the shore.

@mizrama: How does that make you feel?

@bapawn: I still find myself sweating by the time I’ve gotten dressed and ready to leave the apartment most mornings...

@mizrama: At least you get to wake up to the tinkling sounds. My summer morning soundtrack is usually a combination of crows and cicadas.

a Tokyo summer is to take a break from Tokyo itself.

We’ve got quite a few travel destinations in the mag this month, don’t we? @mizrama: Yup, my personal favorite being Brown’s Field farm in Chiba [page 22]. I recently spent a couple of nights there and it was one of the best getaways I’ve had in Japan. Delicious, healthy, macrobiotic food, and there are plenty of beaches nearby for swimming and surfing. @bapawn: It’s amazing to think that something like that is so close to Tokyo. Just imagine what you can find farther away... @mizrama: Well, on page 19, the big blue awaits.

Divers (amateur and experienced) will definitely want to check out the Blue Grotto underwater cave in Okinawa. It’s mystical enough to make you start imagining mermaids and things. @bapawn: Sounds like all of the people I’ve seen walking around Shinjuku Gyoen during lunchtime.

I’m not sure if they’re looking for mermaids, but I did hear a lot of people talking about Pikachu...

@bapawn: Hmm. Maybe the only way to really beat

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WH AT ’ S O N O U R RA DA R TH I S MONTH . . .

If ever there’s a time for a G&T, August is it. Join us in indulging in the heady mix of botanical flavors found in Koval Dry Gin, along with a selection of superior mixers.

We’ve also got our eye on some stylish swimwear, and one very delicious burrito.

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1 0 ST YLE

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ARE A G UI DE EYES IN THE STORM

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It may come as a surprise, but there are plenty of spots around central Shinjuku where you can find a bit of peace and quiet. One of them is Kumano Shrine in Nishi Shinjuku.

Each one of the some 3,000 of these shrines around the country is meant to honor three sacred mountains in Wakayama Prefecture – it’s fitting, then, that this one is located in the city’s skyscraper district. The shrine is directly connected to Shinjuku Central Park, the area’s largest green space. Divided into three separate sections, the park has a large playground and a pool for kids, a sports area, and small forested area for budding naturalists.

For an evening hideaway, Japanese whiskey lovers will find a little distillation of heaven at Zoetrope, a bar that stocks some 300 varieties and plays a selection of classic films throughout the evening. Finally, one way to find some solace amid the urban hustle is to get above it all – the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building’s twin observation decks offer stunning views, and excellent photo opportunities, from 45 floors above the city streets.

SPIRITUAL HAVEN Dividing the campus of Waseda and Gakushuin University, Ana-Hachimangu is a Shinto shrine established in 1062, dedicated to the divinity of archery and war. There, by the front steps, the statue of Hachiman, protector of Japan, sits on horseback, pulled bow in hand. Despite the intimidating posture, the location of the shrine at the top of a hill provides a quiet escape from the busy intersection below. For another peaceful spell, St. Mary’s Cathedral in nearby Sekiguchi is worth a visit. The industrial, stainless steel-paneled exterior is in the shape of a cross, making it a fitting home for the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tokyo. The interior is equally modern and austere, with tall parabolic cement walls coming together to form a cross of light at the top.

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GARDENS OF THE GALAXY Besides being the birthplace of legendary manga character Astro Boy, Takadanobaba has another sci-fi connection – JJ Abrams revealed that the name of the planet “Takodana” from “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” was inspired by the Tokyo neighborhood. While that fictional planet is largely lakes and forests, Takadanobaba is decidedly less green. Luckily, there’s a handful of natural oases in Baba to transport you far, far away. Neighboring Waseda University’s main campus, the Rihga Royal Hotel has a large, open-spaced garden featuring impressive traditional landscaping. Just across the Kanda River and up the hill, the Chinzanso Hotel is home to a lush 19th-century garden complete with a pond, waterfall and three-story pagoda.

A PA R T ME N T HUNT I NG ?

Sumitomo offers several serviced apartment buildings within easy striking distance of Shinjuku and its surrounds

La Tour SHINJUKU Garden A five-minute stroll from JR Takadanobaba Station and right next to Toyama Park, this building’s apartments are all above the 23rd floor with great views. (From ¥288,000/month)

CENTRAL PARK TOWER La Tour SHINJUKU This location features apartments with floor plans that range in size from studio to two bedrooms, all with Shinjuku Central Park as the biggest backyard you could ever ask for.

(From ¥299,000/month)

IT’S RAINING RAMEN In a neighborhood filled with college students and single business types, ramen shops are omnipresent. Down an alley, near the intersection of Waseda-dori and Meiji-dori, Watanabe stands out as some of Takadanobaba’s best ramen. Their rich tonkotsu-gyokai (pork and fish) broth is powerful stuff. If you’re more adventurous, there’s Nong Inlay, a restaurant that serves up tasty traditional Burmese fare, including fried larvae and spiced frog legs. Non-carnivores can head to Café VG for vegetarian alternatives. For drinks, a frothy brew awaits you at the awkwardly named 16’s Stairing Steps Case, where they keep many Belgian beers on tap. If coffee and jazz is more your style, Milestone is a neighborhood staple, faithfully serving caffeine with a side of bebop to hipsters since 1976.

PLATINE NISHI-SHINJUKU Offering studio and one bedroom units, just a three-minute walk from Nishi Shinjuku Station. Like the other two properties above, the PLATINE offers a fitness room and 24-hour concierge service. (From ¥290,000/month) For details and more properties visit www.sumitomo-latour.jp/service/english

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STYLE

NUXE HUILE PRODIGIEUSE MULTIPURPOSE DRY OIL You’re probably thinking you don’t need to add oil anywhere, especially in hot and sticky August. But once you try this cult item, you will wonder how you lived without it for so long. It’s termed a dry oil, which means it doesn’t leave a greasy residue, and instead gives a velvety sheen. This French concoction blends six different essential oils, including sweet almond, camellia, hazelnut and macadamia. You can use it on your hair, face, and body, and not only is it reparative, but the scent is luxurious too. nuxe.co.jp

TROPICAL HEAT Revamp your summer wardrobe and accessories with fun prints and sleek cuts Compiled by Vivian Morelli

CHLOÉ MAXI DRESS No summer wardrobe is complete without a versatile lightweight maxi dress, which you can throw on yet still look chic even if you’re just hitting the convenience store.

We love the balance of this dress, which shows off the collarbone while covering the rest of the body in luxurious crepe de chine adorned with polka dots. True to Chloé’s bohemian vibe, this dress is effortless and loose-fitting, with leg-baring slits on the sides to give it some movement. chloe.com

SAINT LAURENT PASSPORT HOLDER If you’re planning to travel this summer, this sleek passport holder is the essential accessory. Your passport is one of your most important possessions, so give it a little love with this textured leather case from Saint Laurent. Crafted in Italy, it bears the French label’s insignia, and features two internal sleeves for your passport and boarding pass. If anything, it’ll give you something stylish to look at while waiting in line for check-in. ysl.com

MAISON KITSUNÉ SWIM SHORTS Time to throw away your old surf trunks from the last decade and revamp your swimwear collection. Maison Kitsuné was originally a Parisian record label that branched out to include fashion (and upmarket lattes in Aoyama, if you hadn’t heard), and as with music, they got it just right. Ideal for stylish globetrotters, these swim shorts are printed with an array of vintage-inspired travel stickers. They hit mid-thigh, so they’re less frumpy than surf shorts, yet offer more modesty than a skimpy Speedo. mrporter.com

MARA HOFFMAN SWIMSUIT Forget about bikinis, this summer is all about one-piece swimsuits: they’re equally appealing, and way more comfortable for swimming and moving around. We love this cutout swimsuit, which offers coverage while showing hints of skin on the sides and back. The design is flattering for the curves, and the ties at both the neck and back ensure that the suit stays on, so you can jump and dive without worrying about any mishaps. The fun tropical print and pastel stripes are just another reason to splurge on this number. marahoffman. com

ACNE STUDIOS POLO SHIRT Polo shirts can be a bit too preppy for some, but if you want to try the style without looking like you’re heading to a polo match, this number from Swedish label Acne is a good place to start. Cut from a breathable cotton-piqué textile, this is the kind of shirt you can wear in August in Japan without it turning into a sweaty mess. We like the simple design, with just the brand’s signature face patch adorning the chest. And you can’t go wrong with navy. acne.com

BE AU T Y FOR A LITTLE LUXURY SHISEIDO FUTURE SOLUTION LX UNIVERSAL DEFENSE SPF 50+ PA++++ You could probably think of this luxurious Shiseido cream more as a skincare solution than just an everyday sunscreen – it features a variety of innovative technologies developed by the brand including SuperVeil-UV 360TM which creates a UV-protective veil, and Cashmere Touch Emulsion Technology which creates a dewy, non-greasy texture.

Besides protecting from UV rays, pollution, and dryness, it also helps to reduce dark spots, roughness and wrinkles. Use it as a primer before applying your foundation. ¥9,720, shiseido.com

Y T I C E N I H S N U S

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FOR FANS OF ALICE IN WONDERLAND DHC ALICE IN WONDERLAND SUNCUT Q10 50+ AQUA GEL Japanese skincare powerhouse DHC has been collaborating with Disney for a few years now, releasing limited-edition products with irresistible illustrations. We spotted the DHC Alice in Wonderland Suncut Q10 50+ Aqua Gel at our local Family Mart and, have to admit, snapped it up based on the packaging alone. However, the formula is excellent too – it contains coenzyme Q10 for anti-ageing, collagen and olive oil, and its aqua gel texture absorbs easily yet is resistant to water.

Around ¥1,200 from drugstores, convenience stores, and Rakuten. www.dhc.co.jp

FOR MEN LISSAGE MEN PERFECT PROTECTOR UV SPF 50+ Launched by Kanebo last year, Lissage Men is a prestige men’s skincare line that utilizes the brand’s two decades of collagen research and pays attention to hydration, anti-ageing, and protection. Their sunscreen comes in this simple yet sophisticated white and silver packaging, and contains extracts of aloe, prune, and tea. ¥2,700, www.lissage.jp/men

FOR A LIGHT TOUCH FOR THOSE WITH SENSITIVE SKIN NOV UV SHIELD EX SPF 50+ Nov created their range of hypoallergenic cosmetics with a team of dermatologists in 1985, ensuring ingredients are kept simple and gentle for those with highly sensitive skins. Their sunscreen is made without UV absorbers; instead, it uses UV light scattering agents to reflect the rays away from your skin. Nov UV Shield Ex SPF 50+ is the brand’s bestselling sunscreen, and leaves skin feeling smooth and soft. ¥2,700, noevirgroup.jp/nov

SEKKISEI SUN PROTECT ESSENCE GEL N SPF 50+ Winner of a Best Cosme Award in 2015, this is an exceptionally lightweight sunscreen that goes on like lotion, and gets absorbed quickly. It contains oriental herbal extracts such as coix seed, peach leaf, and angelica, and skin-brightening ingredients such as moutan bark extract.

It won’t leave your skin feeling oily so it’s great as a make-up base, and it also washes off easily with face cleanser. ¥2,800, sekkisei.com

FOR BLEMISH-FREE SKIN SHQ-1 DAY & NIGHT STICK ESSENCE This is a brand-new product line set to be released in Japan this fall, and includes day and night treatments. The Day (SEED-D) Stick Essence is a dark spot corrector with SPF 28 and vitamin C, giving you extra protection underneath your everyday sunscreen and helping to lighten blemishes. The Night (HADA PEARL gold) Spot Care Stick Essence is made with organic, natural ingredients. The star ingredient in both is prinsepia oil, which is rich in fatty acids and vitamins A,D, E and K, and has recently started getting attention amongst skincare brands for its anti-ageing properties. ¥4,000 each, principlecosmetics.com

Summer Spirit This August, wet your whistle three different ways Compiled by Alec Jordan

HITACHINO NEST BEER

HITO-NOMI SAKE

THE STORY Up in the town of Kounosu, Ibaraki Prefecture, Kiuchi Brewery had been making sake since 1823, but once beer licenses became available to microbreweries in Japan, the company went for another brew. They made their first batch in 1996, won their first international award in 1997, and the attention has been flowing in ever since.

T H E S TORY You can pick up a bottle of single-serving sake at the combini, but let’s be honest: that One-Cup just isn’t cutting it when it comes to style.

Recognizing that it wasn’t just salarymen who were interested in small bottles of nihonshu, Takarayama Brewing company created their line of Hito-Nomi (single portion) sake for people who wanted the flavor of good sake without the full-sized bottles.

WHY WE LOVE TH E M It starts with the label: the graphic design has a chunky, retro charm that caught our attention from the very start (who knows – maybe we’ve also got a thing for owls). But we wouldn’t have given a hoot if it wasn’t for the flavors: Hitachino is known for coming up with original ideas that are tasty and unique, but aren’t too gimmicky.

WHAT TO TRY Two refreshing options are the lightly spicy White Ale, and the Dai Dai Ale, with notes of mandarin orange. Want something darker? Try the Espresso Stout. Hitachino Brewing Lab, N1 1–25–4 Kandasudacho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo. hitachino.cc/en

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W H Y W E LOVE T H E M A delicate design that looks more like a bottle of perfume than a container for sake. An extremely wide variety of nihonshu to accompany just about any occasion.

FROM TOP Dai Dai Ale has a citrus kick, while the White Ale features a spicy finish

W H AT TO T RY Nigori (unfiltered) sake has an eye-catching appearance, but for a real touch of class, chill yourself a small bottle of junmai ginjo made from highly polished grains of Japan’s celebrated Koshihikari rice. tinyurl.com/hito-nomi

SUPER TONICS There’s no sense in pairing fine gin with less than superior mixers.

These are three tonics that you should try in G&Ts to come

F E VE R-T R E E This tonic takes its name from the chinchona tree, whose bark contains the quinine that gives the beverage some of its bite. Pleasantly fizzy, and not too sweet.

KOVAL DRY GIN T H E STORY Born in Austria, Robert Birnecker got his start helping his grandparents at their distillery and winery. He met his wife Sonat in Washington DC. Inspired by a love of fine spirits, the two left the world of academia for the city of Chicago and realm of whiskey, rye, bourbon, and since 2014, dry gin.

W H Y WE LOVE T HEM Another stylish bottle that you’ll be tempted to keep around the kitchen after you’ve poured out the last drop. A heady mix of botanical flavors that blends well, but still manages to make its presence felt in any concoction you choose to stir up. The name Koval, which means “blacksmith” in Yiddish, but also “black sheep” – that is, someone who isn’t afraid to do things a bit differently.

W H AT TO TRY It wouldn’t be a summer drinking session without a few gin and tonics, but the spicy, floral nuances of this spirit makes for an excellent martini, gimlet, or negroni. Available at Shinjuku’s Takashimaya, finer bars around Tokyo, or on Amazon. www.koval.com

F E N T IMAN S

FROM TOP The design of the KOVAL Dry Gin bottle labels was inspired in part by traditional Japanese patterns, and looks appealing against any backdrop

WHEN THE GOING GETS HOT, THE HOT GO DRINKING

A little more citrus flavor than you might be expecting in an everyday tonic, so you might even be able to leave out the squeeze of lime.

But you wouldn’t do that, would you?

JACK RU DY S MALL BATCH TONIC For the true connoisseur: add soda water to this concentrate to taste. While you can get the two tonics above on Amazon, you’ll need some help getting these and other syrups from overseas. jackrudycocktailco.com

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[ PROMOTION ]

1 : B U RR ITO A hearty mix of meat, beans and rice. Unless you plan to try two different varieties at the same sitting, go grande

T

he things that you get homesick for in Japan often come as a surprise. You expect to miss certain things – friends, your favorite bar, decent-sized apartments – and then all of a sudden an unforeseen craving wallops you right upside the head. For us, that craving came in the form of a freshly made burrito, stuffed with all of the fixins’. We’d found a few places around town where we could get our fix, but we’d often walk away feeling like something was missing. That was before we walked into Guzman y Gomez. After a couple of bites, it was easy to tell that they’ve got the formula down pat: a fresh selection of meats,

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hearty servings of rice and beans, and guacamole that begs for a large bag of chips. We wouldn’t have expected this kind of flavor coming from the Land Down Under, but the franchise got its start thanks to New Yorkers-turned-Australian restaurateurs Steven Marks and Robert Hazan, who turned their nostalgia for US-style Mexican food into a winning recipe. It’s fast, it’s healthy, and we could easily imagine eating there a couple times a week.

Now, what drew us in was the burrito, but far from us to tell you what to enjoy. Here’s the whole enchilada (top right) accompanied by a few more flavors. gyg.jp/en

2 : SALSA AN D MO RE Even real spice fiends will get some satisfaction from GyG’s hottest salsa, but even the mild side has plenty of flavor. Make sure to grab some jalapeños too

3 : H ARD S H E LL TAC OS The crunch of a tortilla shell meets fresh fillings: a match made in healthy fast food heaven

4 : E N CH ILADA S T Y L E Grab a knife and fork: that’s the only way to tame this salsa, cheese, and guacamole-laden beauty

CAFÉ HABANA Imagine Che Guevara when he was spending time in Mexico City during the 1950s, and you’ll understand the concept behind this restaurant that has become a celeb hotspot, particularly in New York and Malibu in the US. We loved the Cuban sandwich (roasted pork, ham, and cheese on toasted crusty bread) and the roasted Mexican corn, decked in Cortija cheese, chile powder, and a squeeze of lime. We also dug the funky decor – 1950s retro with more than a bit of punk ’tude and the pictures of various pop icons. www.cafehabana.jp

O I R T N I T A L

U EP YO WORLD E K U P YO NG O HEL ISH SPEAKI T S N IO N G OPT E SPA N H I T U F G I O INTR INES THREE IN THE CUIS T F LU E N

BÉPOCAH

OGASAWARA-HAKUSHAKU-TEI Don’t let the Japanese name fool you: this restaurant is Spanish down to its very foundations.

In 1927, the 30th Count of Ogasawara had the building made to his specifications after spending time in Europe. It was renovated and transformed into a restaurant in 2002, and specializes in contemporary Spanish cuisine with a decidedly individual approach, courtesy of Chef Gonzalo Alvarez, who worked at some of Barcelona’s best known restaurants before coming to Tokyo.

Lunches and dinners are two-hour affairs at the briefest, served leisurely over seven and eight courses. Arrive early – or stay later – to stroll the grounds, beverage in hand, and imagine that you’re royalty for a spell. ogasawaratei.com/en

A visit to this Peruvian restaurant goes to show that a meal of beautiful food made from exotic ingredients doesn’t need to leave you feeling hungry on your way home.

One of the best ways to get a sense of what this unique cuisine has to offer is by trying out a tasting course, which takes you from fresh, spicy ceviche and grilled meat to hearty soups and a stew that features the grain of the moment, quinoa. You’ll also want to sample their selection of pisco (Peruvian brandy), either in a pisco sour – the country’s national drink – or in a selection of concoctions made from the potent, flavorful stuff. Just be careful: it packs a punch. www.bepocah.com

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[ PROMOTION ]

THE HOTEL THAT NEVER SLEEPS LAUNCHED IN MARCH 2016, HOTEL THE M INNSOMNIA AKASAKA CREATES A SMART YET COMFORTABLE BASE FOR TRAVELERS AND BUSINESSPEOPLE WHO WORK AND PLAY 24/7

T

hese days, people want more from their vacations or business trips than just a fleeting glimpse at a city’s top tourist attractions. They want to get to know the heart of the place they’re staying in, and learn more about its history and culture.

When creating their latest property, HOTEL the M INNSOMNIA akasaka sought to offer exactly this, so they positioned the hotel in Akasaka, one of Tokyo’s most culturally rich neighborhoods, and incorporated facilities that allow guests to work and socialize around the clock. Here’s what you can look forward to when booking a stay at HOTEL the M INNSOMNIA akasaka:

GUEST ROOMS THAT ARE MORE LIKE APARTMENTS The hotel offers seven different types of rooms, named either according to how large it is in square meters, or for its appeal in terms of Japanese-style decor. The smallest is “Thirty Five” (35m²), but even this one includes a lounge area and workspace. The biggest room is “Wa – Japanese Style” (60m²), and combines Western-style twin beds with an 8-mat tatami room that can be used for relaxing or for additional guests who can make use of futon bedding.

Room rates start from ¥21,000 per person per night.

A WORKAHOLIC’S DREAM SPACE Why’s that? Because HOTEL the M INNSOMNIA akasaka has a room called “Workaholic” that

comes equipped with a boardroom table where you can host meetings and conference calls, a top quality audio system, and a high-definition TV screen with multiple channels that’s ideal for catching a sports match with colleagues after a day spent brainstorming.

Rental fee: ¥19,000 (including tax and service fee) per two hours. Half price for guests staying at the hotel.

YOUR OWN PRIVATE DINNER PARTY If you often travel to Tokyo but don’t have your own apartment in the city, then HOTEL the M INNSOMNIA akasaka makes an ideal place to entertain. You can rent out the “Kitchen Drinker” room, which includes modern cooking facilities with storage design by Germany company Bulthaup, and a dining table with seating for eight. It’s also available to rent for non-hotel guests who might want to hold cooking classes.

Rental fee: ¥29,000 (including tax and service fee) per four hours. Half price for guests staying at the hotel.

A DAILY WORKOUT If you’re burning the candle at both ends, it’s important to make sure you’re looking after your health and fitness. Head to HOTEL the M INNSOMNIA akasaka’s quirkily named gym, “Muscle Pain,” which is open 24 hours a day and features stylish equipment from the Italian manufacturer Technogym’s Wellness Collection.

Free for hotel guests.

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FREE SPECIALITY COFFEE Catering to the city that never sleeps, the hotel’s café never closes. It serves freshly brewed speciality coffee by Kyoto brand Unir, and HOTEL the M INNSOMNIA akasaka guests are entitled to drink as many cups as they would like – for free. Pair it with a buttery Le Petit Mec Croissant for a perfect morning, afternoon, or late-night snack.

HOTEL THE M INNSOMNIA AKASAKA 2-14-14 Akasaka, Minato-ku Phone: 03 3568 3456 Web: www.m-innsomnia.com

THE BIG BLUE Johanna: Tell me a story.

Jacques: A story? Do you know what you’re supposed to do, to meet a mermaid?

Johanna: No. Jacques: You go down to the bottom of the sea, where the sky is only a memory, and you float there, in the silence. And you decide that you’ll die for them. Only then do they start coming out. They come, and they greet you, and they judge the love you have for them. If it’s sincere, if it’s pure, they’ll be with you, and take you away forever.

Johanna: I like that story.

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[ GETAWAY GUIDE: OKINAWA ]

TOP (SECRET) DIVE SITES IN

Okinawa Want to get your PADI certificate and explore some of the most beautiful and mysterious diving sites in Asia? We ask a local instructor to reveal his pick of world-class spots for coral and fish spotting in Okinawa

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Words by Casey Hawkins. Photographs by Naoaki Ueno

fter returning from two separate yearlong stints working as a dive instructor in the Maldives and northern Australia, Naoaki Ueno opened his dive shop, Dive Center Isles, in Okinawa’s Onna village in early 2015. Despite his fondness for travel, Nao was compelled to return to Okinawa as he felt it was his obligation to share the secrets of his birth country’s thriving underwater existence. Having made over 5,000 dives worldwide, Nao is like a walking, (Japanese and English) talking aquatic encyclopedia.

His presence on the island is significant for foreign tourists who wish to dive as he is one of a handful of instructors who are capable of adequately delivering tours and PADI open-water dive certification courses in English. Given the potential dangers of scuba diving, it’s one activity that calls for more than Eigo chotto (a little English). Here, he reveals his favorite dive sites in Okinawa, along with the types of creatures you’ll be getting up close and personal with.

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ALTHOUGH THEY COULD SWALLOW A DIVER WHOLE, WHALE SHARKS ONLY EAT PLANKTON

WHALE SHARKS IN YOMITAN There are few places in the world where you can dive with whale sharks.

Although these ginormous creatures can grow to around 12 meters, they are surprisingly gallant and peaceful around divers. If you’ve never dived before, consider this your golden opportunity.

Although you’ll have to stay outside the netted area – unlike the certified divers – you’ll still feel as though you’ve entered into a fantasy world. Before descending into the whale sharks’ realm, you might want to reassure yourself: although their gaping mouths are big enough to swallow a diver whole, they only eat plankton.

Watch as their huge spotted bodies glide through the water, with sucker fish hitching a ride as they go.

Look out for: giant trevally, rainbow runner, batfish

FLORAL CORAL SURROUNDING MINNA ISLAND To the northeast of Minna island, the coral is bountiful and vibrant. Growing in the shallows as well as depths of around eight meters, species such as staghorn, elkhorn and finger coral can be admired by snorkelers and divers.

The contrasting fluorescent colors dispersed throughout pastel tones give the impression you’re looking down on the most spectacularly designed botanical garden. However, this is the artful work of nature at its finest and perhaps the reason equally colorful fish choose to make it their home.

Look out for: green moon wrasse, garden eel, ray

BLUE GROTTO AT MAEDA CAPE

DIVERS’ PARADISE Whale sharks and turtles are just two of the creatures you’ll be swimming with

The neon-blue water flooding the entry of this eroded cave is a rare natural phenomenon caused by the sun’s reflection hitting at just the right angle. As a result, the water presents itself in a seemingly unnatural bright blue; attracting the attention of many snorkelers. Whilst the Blue Grotto is not technically a “secret” spot, it can only truly be appreciated by those who scuba dive to explore the caves. Those who opt to snorkel will have to queue on the stairs when entering from the shore and watch out for the flippers of erratic swimmers close by.

With fewer people deep inside the cave, there’s more opportunity to swim around and witness small fish darting in and out of alcoves and emerging from mottled rock formations.

Look out for: batfish, parrot fish, cuttlefish

DREAM HOLE IN MANZA This off-shore site makes the list for its unusual combination of features you won’t find elsewhere. There’s a deep, dark hole with two entry points, banded overhead by solid rock. With a depth of approximately 30 meters, the pitch black tunnel is reserved for experienced divers only. For those more interested in finding Nemo, there’s a vertical reef that’s hard to miss (or leave for that matter). Home to an abundance of rare creatures, this is where you’re likely to spot a shy octopus slinking around a hole, or an exotic fish camouflaging itself amongst the patterned coral.

Look out for: sea turtle, octopus, big lobster For more information about Dive Center Isles, visit www.isles-dc.com

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REASONS TO STAY AT BROWN’S FIELD FARM IN

Chiba Words by Annemarie Luck. Photographs by Teppei Takahashi and Annemarie Luck

Whether you think of it as a detox retreat, or simply a peaceful getaway, spending a few nights at this macrobiotic farm will leave you feeling healthier and happier

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n the three years I’ve lived in Japan, no-one has ever said to me: “You must go to Chiba.” On the contrary, people usually say: “There’s nothing in Chiba.”

While this may be true for those looking for city bustle, I have since realized that the kind of nothingness found in this rice farming region on the Boso peninsula is exactly why you must go. After recently spending two nights at Brown’s Field, a macrobiotic farm in the city of Isumi, and exploring the surrounding area, I could give you countless reasons why it should make your must-visit list. But, for now, here are my top four…

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THE MACROBIOTIC FOOD Owned by US-born photographer Everett Kennedy Brown and his wife Deco Nakajima, a macrobiotic chef and cooking instructor, Brown’s Field is all about sustainable and organic farming. Whether you’re just visiting for lunch – entirely possible since it’s just a couple of hours from Tokyo – or staying overnight, you’ll be treated to traditional Japanese ingredients served up as tasty vegan dishes. What’s more, guests who book accommodation at the farm’s cozy on-site cottage get to eat in the main house with family and staff members, allowing you to really feel part of the culture. Foodies will also welcome the chance to glean new ideas for preparing foods such as fermented shoyu (soy sauce), and genmei (unpolished rice) topped with shavings of dried kale.

The cottage at Brown’s Field costs ¥10,000 per night per person, including breakfast and dinner. The bathroom is outside and shared with daytime visitors to the restaurant.

GETAWAY GUIDE: CHIBA

THE WILD BEACH While most people heading to a beach in Chiba will be aiming for Onjuku’s long stretch, you can borrow bicycles from Brown’s Field and cycle down to Izumiura Bay in about 20 minutes. Perhaps not ideal for sunbathing, the beach is often windy, but this gives it a wild element with crashing waves not often seen near Tokyo. Cycle through narrow back roads and discover exquisitely kept traditional homes, many of which have their own private rice paddies. Keep going, with the ocean on your right-hand side, and look for signs leading you up a steep hill to Taito Saki lighthouse. From here, you can take in a bird’s-eye view of the coastline, with the 60 km-long Kujukuri beach – a surf hotspot – on your left.

YOU’LL NEVER SEE THIS MANY STARS FROM YOUR TOKYO BALCONY

THE LUXURY RYOKAN If you’d like your farm stay to be a little more chic yet still traditional, then turn your attention to Jiji no Ie. In 2013, Brown and Nakajima opened this six-bedroom guesthouse that’s just a short walk from the farm, and offers tatami flooring, sliding shoji doors, and a bathhouse in the garden that you use privately with your partner or family. Contrasting beautifully with the old-fashioned elements is a contemporary styled dining area featuring one large wooden table, where Nakajima serves up gourmet cuisine that’s mostly vegan but sometimes includes local fish and cheese. Enjoy a 10-course tasting menu accompanied by unfiltered sake and organic coffee.

Jiji no Ie costs ¥15,000 per night per person, including breakfast and dinner.

THE STARRY SKY Surrounded by trees and rice paddies, Brown’s Field farm is two acres of glorious nothingness.

You can spend ages just sitting on the wooden deck of the farm’s Rice Terrace Café (left) watching the two kid goats either basking in the sun or balancing precariously on top of various perches.

Head across the green grass towards the woody area at the bottom of the garden and enjoy an outdoor foot massage or just an afternoon reading in a hammock. Find the path through the bamboo trees, out on to the road, and make your way past a variety of interesting scarecrows down to Isumi river for a waterside stroll. End your evening looking up towards the sky, because you’ll never see this many stars from your balcony in Tokyo.

For more information about Brown’s Field farm visit brownsfield-jp.com

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EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCES IN

Joetsu

Words by Annemarie Luck

Found in the mountainous southwest part of Niigata Prefecture, the Joetsu region consists of three cities: Joetsu, Myoko, and Itoigawa. Probably best known for its excellent winter skiing conditions – it gets up to three meters of snowfall! – the area also has plenty to offer during the warmer seasons THE WORLD’S LARGEST ILLUMINATION

MYOKO HAPPINESS ILLUMINATION HOLDS A GUINNESS WORLD RECORD FOR BEING THE ‘LARGEST IMAGE MADE OF LED LIGHTS’

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Featuring 1,6 million lights, Myoko Happiness Illumination holds a 2015 Guinness World Record for being the “Largest Image Made of LED Lights.” Held at APA Hotel in Myoko, the event is now in its third year and takes over part of the resort’s 27-hole golf course, attracting nearly 300,000 visitors. The course, which is divided up into different themed sections, was created by noted illumination designer Motoo Marumaru, and takes about 90 to 120 minutes to walk through.

It features a light tunnel, impressive water projections of the Wind God and Thunder God, and a two massive dragons to end off the colorful display. It’s a little far for a daytrip, so it’s a good idea to check into APA Hotel for a night or two, which will also give you a chance to work your way through the rest of our “top 5” list.

Until November 15. Adults ¥1,500 (advance ¥1,400), school students ¥1,000 (advance ¥900). For more info, visit tinyurl.com/TWmyoko-illumination

A PERILOUS CLIFF ROAD About 100 million years ago, volcanic activity created the 400 m-high cliffs of the Northern Japanese Alps, which fall dramatically into the Sea of Japan. To allow people to journey around the mountain, the ancient Hokuriku Road was carved out just next to the often stormy sea, resulting in many travelers getting swept away. In fact, the cliffs get their name, Oyashirazu (“without the parents knowing”), from a poem composed by the wife of samurai Taira no Yorimori after their child was taken by the waves. Situated in Itoigawa, the cliffs can now be traversed by car via the Hokuriku Expressway, but you can stop off and walk along the Oyashirazu Community Road, which was built in 1883, and turned into a recreational walkway in 1966. If you stand on the pavilion at the entrance, you can take in a view of the Sea of Japan as well as the ancient Hokuriku Road. Look out for the carvings on the cliff face, which read “To no gotoku, ya no gotoshi” (“As smooth as a whetstone and as straight as an arrow”) – they commemorate the completion of Oyashirazu Community Road, which put an end to the perilous cliff journeys. tinyurl.com/TWoyashirazu

– known as sasazushi – and you get not only the tastiest but also the most beautiful sushi dish ever. Joetsu is particularly renowned for its sasazushi, with its colorful toppings including fresh seasonal vegetables, mushrooms marinated in soy sauce, and omelet slices. The added bonus of having the best rice in Japan? The area’s sake is also pretty hard to beat.

THE SACRED LOTUS FESTIVAL The pretty, three-tiered Takada Castle was built in 1614 and is worth visiting any time of the year, but we’d recommend heading there for the summer Joetsu Lotus Festival, when the outer moat is filled with lotus flowers. The blooms also take over the rest of Takada Park, where the castle is situated, and are said to be the “best in the East” in terms of beauty and scale. Held until August 16. tinyurl.com/TWtakada-park

COLORFUL HOT SPRINGS The onsen in Myoko all come from the same source – Mt. Myoko, which is listed in the 1964 book “100 Famous Japanese Mountains” – but their waters are peculiarly different in color, ranging from clear to reddish-brown to milky. For a truly spectacular setting, we recommend Tsubame Onsen, which is set up high on the side of a mountain, boasts blue-grey water, and is free to enjoy (although the hike to get there might feel like payment). tinyurl.com/TWmyoko-onsen

THE PRETTIEST SUSHI (AND BEST RICE IN JAPAN) Plump, shiny, and slightly sweet, Koshihikari rice is known for being the country’s finest, with most of it being produced in Niigata. Combine this with the region’s delicate style of presenting sushi upon bamboo leaves

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[ PROMOTION ]

TOP 5

A W A Z I U R A K N OI THINGS TO D

H AS LO N G , KA RU IZ AWA N SE N KA IN BU IL D TH EI R TO KYO BY SH FA M IL IE S TO AWAY FR O M SS R LA U C O H ER AN PP JU ST F TH E AR EA ’S TO KYO ’S U N TO SO M E O IO TE SP OT FO R RI CT U VO D O FA TR A BE EN ED TO M AK E IS Q U IC K IN RS EL F TE M PT AS . AF TE R TH U LL YO VI D N N O FI TI T VA CA U AL SO M IG H W E TH IN K YO M E. AC TI VI TI ES , AY FR O M H O U R H O M E AW YO A AW IZ KA RU

FINE DINING Between elegant versions of traditional Japanese favorites, European cuisine, and high-end gourmet options that can easily rival what you might find back in Tokyo, gastronomes in Karuizawa will find themselves spoiled for choice. Looking to entertain at home? Sasazawa Construction can arrange catering.

GOLF For golf lovers, it simply wouldn’t be a vacation without some time on the links. One of the most impressive courses in the area is Karuizawa 72 Golf, a massive golfer’s paradise that is made up of four separate 18-hole courses. Each one offers a different challenge for all abilities. If you’re one of Sasazawa Construction’s clients, the company can place your reservation ahead of your arrival.

NATURE WALKS Blessed with a climate that remains considerably cooler than Tokyo’s summer swelter, Karuizawa is an ideal location for light hikes from spring to autumn. Some of the easiest trails take you past the back yards of vacation homes, but if you’re looking for more adventurous trails, many are just a short drive away.

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SHOPPING Just because you’re getting away from the hustle and bustle of city life doesn’t mean that you have to miss out on the shop till you drop experience. The Karuizawa Prince Shopping Plaza is a massive complex with everything from high-end luxury brands to toy stores, plus a few cafés and restaurants where you can refresh yourself between shopping sessions. If old-fashioned shopping streets are more your style, “downtown” Karuizawa offers more than its fair share of retail nostalgia.

SKIING/SNOWBOARDING Depending on the weather, ski season in Karuizawa can begin as early as October, and the region is known for dry powder that’s a pleasure for skiiers and snowboarders alike. The Prince Snow Resort is just a short walk from the Shinkansen station, while Karuizawa Snow Park and Asama 2000 Park, both located farther out of town, offer plenty of snowy fun on the slopes as well as an avalanche of après ski activities.

Your Home Away from Home

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fter a few visits to Karuizawa, you may start to realize that dropping in just a few weekends out of the year isn’t enough.

Once you’re ready to make that next step, Sasazawa Construction can help make your dream of owning a bit of paradise a reality. They have been building houses, museums, and businesses in Karuizawa for decades and can offer real estate options for all types of customers.

The company maintains a large portfolio of prebuilt houses to fit any buyer’s need, from spacious, multilevel homes to cozy cabins and architecturally daring spaces that offer both a retreat from the hectic pace of Tokyo life – and from everyday aesthetics.

For those who might want the luxury of a longterm getaway in Karuizawa without the commitment of buying and maintaining that property themselves, Sasazawa offers a variety of timeshare properties, drawn from an impressive range of luxurious houses, and all maintenance and registration fees are built into the cost, making it a convenient option.

A SPECIAL OFFER FOR OUR READERS Sign up for a home with Sasazawa Construction and you will receive a full course dinner for two at one of Karuizawa’s finest restaurants.

If the sky is no limit and you’ve got your sights set on a custom vacation home fit perfectly to your needs, Sasazawa has experience working with customers at all stages of the home building process, from conceptual designs to construction. Over the years, the firm has been responsible for executing the designs of some of Karuizawa’s most striking buildings, and with this experience, nothing is beyond Sasazawa’s reach.

Once you’ve found (or built) the house of your dreams, service doesn’t simply come to an end once you’ve gotten your key. Sasazawa provides a wide range of services, from maintenance while you are away from home to grounds keeping. They can also arrange catering for parties, reservations for restaurants and golf facilities, guide and translation service – even grocery shopping ahead of your arrival. www.sasazawa.jp FIND OUT MORE To hear more about Sasazawa’s real estate options, fill out the form at www.sasazawa.jp/form

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Windows into Wartime Travel back in history through a collection of photos that crossed an ocean – and generations Words by Alec Jordan. Photographs courtesy of Bruce Bridges

Earlier this year, we received a mail from Bruce Bridges, a reader in the United States whose father, Robert L. Bridges, had been stationed in Japan during, and after, World War II. He was in the Navy, aboard the USS Missouri when the surrender was signed, and was a military policeman in Japan before moving on to Korea and Vietnam.

As Bridges explains, his father “was in three wars total and didn’t talk a lot about his time in service.” However, some of the things he did bring back and share were collections of Japanese handmade goods – and photographs. Some pictures reveal soldiers and cadets in formal groups, posed stiffly and at attention, while others show some of the same figures in more casual poses, with ready smiles and laughter on their faces. Rarer among the time-worn prints are images of women – alone, or with fathers, brothers, or husbands.

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s a child growing up in the state of Mississippi, Bridges recalls the photograph albums as things that were always around, windows into other lives and other times that became strangely familiar. It was only after the death of his father several years ago that Bridges began to see the photos from a different perspective. “I had scanned them a long time before, and had my own digital versions for some time. A few years after he died, though, I ran across them and started wondering about the families that the photos originally belonged to. I’ve often wondered how I could reconnect families with them but none of my efforts were ever successful.”

Of course, the first question that comes to mind when looking at what must have been pictures of sons, brothers, fathers, long-lost loves or wives is “How?” How would an MP come into possession of books of photos like these? Bridges hazards a guess as to how, and one reason why: “I’ve always assumed that in post-war Japan people were probably selling everything just to eat and maybe this was a collection he came across. He was an amateur photographer later and I think this was an early indication of his interest in that.”

The same possibility is also suggested by

Professor Hiraku Shimoda of Waseda University, when we asked him to speculate about how Bridges would have brought the photos back to the US many years later. “Many GIs who were a part of the US Occupation sought out all kinds of souvenirs during their tour of duty in Japan. As a result, ordinary, everyday goods of all sorts were put up for sale. So I’m not at all surprised that family photos and such were among the wares.”

Shimoda adds that it is still possible to buy personal snapshots and wedding photos that date back to the postwar period from vendors around the country.

We’ve decided to publish a selection of these photos in our August issue, then, for a few reasons. One, like Bridges, we hope that there might be a chance to reunite some families with these pictures. Another is that they offer a chance to think about experiences of these people who lived just a few generations back. And finally, as this the time of year when Japan remembers the events that led up to the end of World War II, we would like to reflect on the lives of the people – and perhaps imagine the spirit of the country – that we can see in these frozen moments.

You can see the rest of the photo album at tinyurl. com/photosfromWWII

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To•kyo•jin (n.) An individual that embodies the inner nature of Tokyo and is dedicated to shaping and progressing its culture through his or her respective craft Interview by Annemarie Luck. Photograph by Robert Kirsch

HOW DOES A CITY CREATE ITS IDENTITY? AND HOW DO WE DEFINE TOKYO’S IDENTITY? POWEREDBY TOKYO IS A NEW COMMUNITY-DRIVEN MOV EMENT THAT SEEKS TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS, AND IN DOING SO, REPRESENT JAPAN’S EVOLVING CAPITAL BEYOND THE CULTURAL CLICHÉS. WE CHAT WITH THE PROJECT’S FOUNDER, CHACE FEDOR, AND SHOWCASE THE WAY HE AND HIS TEAM ARE CAPTURING AND DOCUMENTING TOKYO

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WHY DOES TOKYO NEED A MOVEMENT LIKE THIS? Tokyo has always been “cool” and a desirable place to visit, I suppose, but up until recently it has carried this unwarranted Bubble-Era reputation of being an expensive, inaccessible island. In reality it is quite a bargain compared to other alpha cities such as NYC and London.

I think people are now catching on to this, and as a result we are seeing a huge influx of tourists. Most attempts to capitalize on this have been financially or politically motivated – they have focused on the novelty or kooky stereotypes. We felt that Tokyo wasn’t being adequately represented through conventional channels. Tokyo is this monstrous iceberg under the surface, but what’s sold to people is just a little ice cube pointing out the ocean. We wanted to communicate this side of the city to people in an authentic way. The Tokyo we know and love.

DESCRIBE THE TOKYO YOU KNOW AND LOVE. It’s inexplicably magnetic. Its depth and mystery allows the curious mind a lifetime of exploration; around every turn reveals one of the city’s many secrets. This is all a result of its urban diversity. There’s no other place where you can travel between neighborhoods on a short train ride and feel like you’re in a different city. At the same time it’s very flat: If you take someone from Kitasenju and Nakameguro … economically they’re quite separate but if you put them side by side and interact with them, you’ll find that they’re quite similar, in manner and values. I think this is something unique to Japan’s class system, or lack thereof.

HOW DO YOU SEE THE CITY EVOLVING RIGHT NOW? The demographics are changing. The stigma of foreigners just visiting or not taking life seriously here is being lifted. We are garnering a bit more respect as contributors to society and the cultural landscape; we’re becoming an integral part of it, as opposed to this feeling of “When are you going home?” You can see this with how we are now collaborating more intimately as peers on an equal level.

SO WHAT IS TOKYO’S IDENTITY? Nobody can really answer that. What is a Tokyojin?

Nobody has a clear answer, and I think that’s the beauty.

When you think of a New Yorker or a Parisian, you have this clear image in your head. But Tokyojin? People are, like, hmm, overworked salaryman, chic Sunday shopper?

However, I do believe that the cornerstone of Tokyo’s identity is its constant evolution and renewal. I’m always reminded of a quote from the late Donald Richie: “Worrying about change in Tokyo is a fool’s errand, you might as well complain about the weather.”

BUT FOR POWERED BY TOKYO YOU’VE CHOSEN TO FOCUS ON PEOPLE… Yes, because it’s the people – the entrepreneurs, the creatives, the chefs, the bartenders, our cultural delegates – who are shaping this city’s identity and future. We want to create a platform to give these individuals a voice.

Then, collectively, we can establish an authentic image of the real Tokyo.

Turn the page to meet Cherry, one of the first Tokyojin creatives featured in the project. See more at poweredby.tokyo

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CHERRY ARTIST / MODEL Meet Cherry, photographed by Gui Martinez for poweredby tokyo

I’m Cherry. I work as a TV host, a fashion model, and the CEO of Sunrise Field Marketing, all while honing my skills as a Japanese calligraphy artist.

I love Tokyo for many reasons.

The modesty, respectful behavior, the unspoken kindness, the restraint of emotion and then sudden openness. In Tokyo, it’s hard to discover people’s true feelings. When I was younger, it seemed as if people were always masking their emotions, but I later learned that only when we took the time and effort to get to know someone more intimately could we discover their humanity.

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CAFE LES JEUX Very cozy and charming French café.

They have a specialty coffee named Au Lait Glasse; it is the best coffee I have ever tasted. We deserve only the best and sometimes you have to indulge.

ZOJOJI TEMPLE My sacred place. The 600-year-old temple exudes a strong, powerful energy. There is a breathtaking view from Shiba Park overlooking both the temple and Tokyo Tower. It’s a beautiful contrast of old and new, a defining characteristic of Tokyo, and one of its only constants.

TATEMICHIYA A punk rock izakaya. Besides the food, the decor and atmosphere make this place very special. Posters of old school punk bands, and rock stars’ autographs cover the walls. Once you go, you will surely discover why I love this place so much. Try the avocado steaks and bacon-wrapped cheese green peppers. Amazing.

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THE NEW WAY TO WATCH TV Words by Matthew Hernon

ONLINE STREAMING IS THE WAY FORWARD, AND JAPAN NOW HAS SEVERAL SITES AVAILABLE THAT WILL REUNITE YOU WITH ALL THE SHOWS YOU’VE BEEN MISSING

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peak to a foreigner in Japan about terrestrial TV here and the response will often be quite negative. There’s some decent stuff out there, but in general it’s full of low-budget dramas, biased news stations, celebrities appearing in tiny pop-up screens (waipu) responding with “eh” to everything and programs about food where all the dishes are described as “oishi” or “umai.” When it comes to overseas content, there’s little on offer. You get the odd drama like “Downtown Abbey” or “Numbers” and a few films, but not much else. For a long time, satellite TV was the only alternative.

Fortunately there’s now a host of options thanks to the rise of online TV streaming sites like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime.

HULU This was the first international Subscription Video on Demand (SVOD) site to show its hand on these shores, launching here in 2011. The California-based company, which hadn’t previously ventured overseas, saw Japan as a huge untapped market with extensive broadband penetration and Internet-connected device

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ubiquity. Yet despite the apparent potential, many observers were skeptical about the move. This is, after all, a country with an aging population that’s never really shown a lot of interest in cable TV. Renting DVDs from Tsutaya has long been the preferred option. With the popularity of Hollywood movies and foreign shows on the decline, it was always going to be tricky persuading large numbers to part with their cash for an online American television streaming site.

And so it proved. Hulu struggled early on as it offered just overseas content, and at ¥1,480 per month it was deemed a little steep. Things improved slightly after the price was reduced to ¥980, though a significant breakthrough wasn’t really made until 2014 when the company was bought out by Nippon TV. While it’s still operating at a loss, the number of paid subscribers – said to now be in excess of 1.3 million – has been growing annually and, according to Nikkei, the company is targeting another 36,000 customers this year.

An extensive library certainly helps. Hulu may not be as prolific as its rivals when it comes to original material, but it does

boast the largest selection of TV shows (over 12,000) and movies (around 1,000) of any international SVOD site in Japan. Earlier this year, a licensing agreement was struck with HBO that gave the site exclusive access to a wide range of the cable channel’s most popular programs including “Entourage,” “The Wire,” and “Game of Thrones.” The deal enables Hulu to screen shows that had never previously been seen in this country such as the critically acclaimed comedy series “Silicon Valley.” The website’s also now strong in terms of domestic content, featuring many Japanese dramas, movies and anime.

NETFLIX Hulu’s main competitors have clearly learned from the site’s early difficulties here. Amazon Prime, the cheapest option at ¥3,900 annually, recently announced that half of its original global productions this year will be Japanese, including remakes of “Kamen Rider” and “Ultraman Orb.” Subscribers can also download free music and borrow one e-book a month. As for Netflix, which charges between ¥650 and ¥1,450 a month, around 40 percent of its library is local content – more than twice as much as most of the sites’ other territories.

The world’s leading Internet television network – with more than 81 million subscribers in 190 countries – Netflix seamlessly penetrated markets in Canada, Latin America, Europe and Australia.

Japan, though, was never going to be as straightforward. The brand-conscious culture here makes it especially hard for new and unfamiliar companies to gain the trust of consumers; however, when they do become comfortable with a product or service they tend be very loyal.

“Of course there are many challenges,” Netflix Japan CEO Greg Peters tells us. “Awareness of our company and SVOD sites in general is lower here than in most of the markets we’ve entered. We have to work through this by educating consumers and giving them a compelling reason to join us. There’s undoubtedly a preference for local content in this country so it’s important to satisfy those needs, not only through established domestic programs, but also by making an aggressive push to create original Japanese productions. We launched with two shows [a new season of the reality TV series ‘Terrace House,’ and the drama ‘Underwear,’ which tells the story of a young girl trying to find her place at a lingerie shop in Ginza] and we’ve been ratcheting up the quality since then.”

In June, a TV adaption of Naoki Matayoshi’s Akutagawa prize-winning novel, “Hibana” (“Spark”) became the latest Japanese program to premier on Netflix and has thus far proved popular at home and abroad.

“We’ve been blown away by the reaction,” says Peters. “Around half of ‘Hibana’s’ viewers

are from outside of Japan, and not just Asia, but also Brazil, Europe and America. Thanks to our recommendations system you’ll get people in, say, Germany – who love art films but would never normally watch anything Japanese – clicking on it and then finding they can relate to it. It’s about unlocking doors for quality content creators so their work can have a global fanbase. This is our strategy all over the world.”

It’s these original productions that gives Netflix the edge over its rivals. It began in 2013 with “House of Cards.” A remaking of a British political miniseries from the early 90s, in which the conniving main character delivers a series of aphorisms to the camera, seemed like a surprising choice at the time, yet it proved an immediate hit.

Since then, the website’s reputation has been enhanced further thanks to shows like “Making a Murderer,” “Bloodline,” and “Orange is the New Black.”

WOWOW When it comes to dramas, Internet TV appears to be the way forward, but in terms of live broadcasts and documentaries, cable still has a lot to offer. The one Japanese satellite station that seems to have a little bit of everything is Wowow.

The 25-year-old company expanded its single channel service in 2011 to become the first three-channel, 24/7, high-definition broadcaster in the country.

Its main entertainment channel, Prime, features a variety of Hollywood films and popular overseas dramas like “Broadchurch” and “Suits,” while in October a Japanese version of “Cold Case” will debut. It’s also become known for premiering thought-provoking documentaries such as “Finding 1984,” a modern commentary on George Orwell’s dystopian political novel “Nineteen Eighty-Four,” and “The 50 Year Argument” by Martin Scorsese and David Tedeschi about the influence of the “New York Review of Books.” A series starting in October called “Who I Am” tells the story of various Paralympians as they prepare for the next three Games in Rio, Pyeongchang and Tokyo.

The station’s other two channels – Cinema and Live – focus on movies, sports and music.

Wowow was the only broadcasting company showing every game at this summer’s Euros and last year’s eagerly anticipated bout between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.

There’s Spanish football, four Grand Slam tennis events, and a wide range of concerts featuring domestic and international acts including Babymetal and Adele. At ¥2,300 a month, it’s not cheap, but thanks to its diversity of programming, Wowow continues to prosper for now. Tough challenges lie ahead, though, in what is a rapidly changing television landscape.

IT’S ABOUT UNLOCKING DOORS FOR QUALITY CONTENT CREATORS SO THEIR WORK CAN HAVE A GLOBAL FAN-BASE

WEEKENDER RECOMMENDS...

MARCELLA (NETFLIX) Anna Friel stars as the eponymous lead character Marcella Backland in this gritty British crime noir detective series, but is she the victim or the villain?

Created by renowned Swedish screenwriter Hans Rosenfeldt, it’s not the most original of dramas, but the plot twists make it well worth watching.

CROW’S BLOOD (HULU) An eerie J-horror series written by Clint Sears and AKB48 producer Yasushi Akimoto that is set predominantly in a Japanese high school where a series of inexplicable and vicious episodes occur one after another. Darren Lynn Bousman of the “Saw” series is the executive producer.

FARGO (NETFLIX) A brilliant TV adaption of a movie widely considered the greatest black comedy of all time. Writer Noah Hawley does an excellent job incorporating the somber minimalism of the film with a new story that keeps the audience captivated. Stars Martin Freeman and Billy Bob Thornton.

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Words by Matthew Hernon

TEEN TITANS With the 2016 Olympics just around the corner Weekender continues its build up to the Games by taking a look at some of the Japanese teenage stars aiming to make a big impression in Rio. Also, check out our sidebar for a chat with the two stars of the women’s wrestling team KENZO SHIRAI, 19 (GYMNASTICS) The young man known as the “Twist Prince” doesn’t turn 20 until late August, but has already won a team and two individual world championships – he also has four skills named in his honor. Before officially becoming an adult he’s determined to add two Olympic titles to his list of achievements in the sport. The Yokohama native aims to be the first Japanese man since Sawao Kato in 1968 to win a floor exercise gold.

Before that he’ll be competing in the team competition and that’s the one he really wants. “Standing on top of the podium alongside my teammates would give me five times more happiness than an individual gold,” he recently told Weekender.

The Japanese team won its first world title in 37 years last October; however, China remains the favorite.

break national records in the 100 m freestyle as well as the 50 m and 100 m butterfly. This summer she’ll be competing for her country in seven events – the first Japanese athlete in Olympic history to do so. At the national championships in April she qualified for the 100 m butterfly and three relays. Impressive performances in the two months that followed persuaded the Japan Swimming Federation to select her for three extra races: the 50 m, 100 m and 200 m freestyle. “Of course the Olympics is special, but I just have to swim the way I always do,” she tells Weekender. “I’m aiming to get to the final stages in every competition.”

BY THE TIME SHE WAS TWO YEARS OLD, TABLE TENNIS PHENOM MIMA ITO WAS ABLE TO RETURN HER MOTHER’S SERVE

RIKAKO IKEE, 16 (SWIMMING) A first year at Shukutoku Sugamo High School, Rikako Ikee has enjoyed a meteoric rise over the past 12 months. Last August she won two golds and a silver at the World Junior Swimming Championships in Singapore and has since gone on to

KANAKO WATANABE, 19 (SWIMMING)

Four years ago 15-year-old Kanako Watanabe was the baby of the Japanese swimming team. After qualifying for the Games in London she asked her parents if they’d buy her a smartphone as a present. This time around she has her eyes set on a much bigger prize. The 165 cm swimmer heads to Rio as the current world champion in the 200 m breaststroke having defended her crown in Kazan, Russia in 2015. One of her biggest rivals in Brazil could be

compatriot Rie Kaneto, who currently boasts the fastest time the world this year. Other names to look out for include world record holder Rikke Møller Pedersen (Denmark), Viktoria Güneş (Turkey) and Taylor McKeown (Australia). Highly fancied Russian swimmer Yulia Efimova is set to miss out after testing positive for meldonium. Watanabe will also be competing in the 4 x 100 m medley and the 100 m breaststroke. She isn’t as strong over the shorter distance, but is in with a chance of a medal.

Lightning Round

T

he two most successful athletes in the history of women’s wrestling, Kaori Icho and Saori Yoshida are both aiming to become the first females in history to win individual gold medals in four consecutive Olympic Games.

Given their extremely busy schedules, Weekender was afforded just 60 seconds to speak with the two legendary wrestlers.

JULIAN WALSH, 19 (TRACK & FIELD) In the late 80s/early 90s Jamaican Emmanuel Walsh made a bit of name for himself in Japan as a reggae singer and entertainer. Now it’s the turn of his son Julian to step into the limelight as the Kingston-born sprinter gets set to represent his mother’s homeland in the 400 m at this summer’s Olympics. The Toyo University student, who moved to Japan when he was three, didn’t take up athletics until high school. He showed great early promise in the 100 m, but soon after switched his focus to the one lap race, also known as “the killer sprint.”

In May this year he created surprise when he defeated former Olympic champion Jeremy Wariner and Trinidadian Jarrin Solomon to win the 400 m race at the Seiko Golden Grand Prix in Kawasaki. A few weeks later he ran a personal best 45.35 at the National Championships to book a place on the plane to Rio. Reaching the semi-finals in Brazil would be seen as a great achievement. Walsh is joined in the Japan squad by fellow Jamaican-born sprinter Asuka Cambridge, who’ll race in the 100 m.

MIMA ITO, 15 (TABLE TENNIS) By the time she was two, Mima Ito was able to return her mother’s serve. At 10 she became the youngest person to win a

FIRSTLY, WHY WRESTLING?

match at the Japanese senior table tennis championships, and entered the Guinness Book of Records when she was 12 for the most counter-hits (180) in one minute. In 2014, Ito along with partner Miu Hirano – both 13 at the time – became the youngest ever winners of an ITTF World Tour title when they triumphed at the German Open. Twelve months later at the same tournament the Shizuoka-born phenom won the singles competition, again the youngest female in the history of the sport to do so. The ITTF’s “Breakthrough Star of the Year” in 2015, she recently defeated world number two Ding Ning at the Asian Olympic Qualifiers. In Rio she’ll be competing in the team competition alongside Ai Fukuhara and Kasumi Ishikawa. Japan hopes to go one better than four years ago, when they won silver, but getting past the formidable Chinese could prove an uphill task.

AKANE YAMAGUCHI, 19 (BADMINTON) The doubles pairing of Ayaka Takahashi and Misaki Matsutomo represents Japan’s best chance of a badminton gold in Rio, though in the singles competition two young names worth looking out for are 21-year-old Nozomi Okuhara; the first Japanese female for 39 years to win the prestigious All England Open, and teenage prodigy Akane Yamaguchi. The latter is the youngest Japanese shuttler to have qualified for the Olympics. She has reached three World Junior Championship finals, winning two of them, and in 2013 became the first Japanese female to triumph at a BWF Super Series tournament on home soil. She’s the only teen in what promises to be a tough, but also open competition. Spain’s Carolina Marin is the favorite, closely followed by Chinese pair Wang Yihan and defending champion Li Xuerui. Okuhara and Yamaguchi, ranked 6th and 10th respectively, could be good outside bets for a medal.

SY: My father – who tragically died two years ago from an acute subarachnoid hemorrhage while driving to a training camp – organized a club that I decided to join with my brother. He was so supportive of my career, along with everyone in my family.

KI: Like with Saori, it was a family connection. My brother and sister were both wrestlers so I started with them aged three.

My sister Chiharu also wrestled at the 2004 and 2008 Games [she won two silvers].

CONSIDERING YOUR DOMINATION [YOSHIDA’S LOST JUST TWICE, ICHO WENT UNBEATEN FOR 13 YEARS], HOW DO YOU STAY SO MOTIVATED? SY: Family, friends, people around me. They give me that impetus to keep on improving.

KI: For me it is all about continually developing my technique. That’s more important than medals or glory.

WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR RIO? KI: I just hope it’s a secure event without any anxieties.

SY: A fourth gold medal. That is all I am thinking about.

WHO DO YOU THINK WILL BE YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGER THIS SUMMER? KI: Well it’s the first time to have the 58 kg category at the Olympics so I see everyone in the division as a potential rival.

SY: Myself.

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Sputniko!, The Moonwalk Machine - Selena's Step, 2013, Video, 5 min. 4 sec., Photo: Rai Royal, Photo courtesy: SCAI THE BATHHOUSE

BE I N S P I R E D From an ambitious exhibition that might make you begin questioning life, the universe and everything, to a fond reflection on children’s picture book illustrations, our August Guide is packed with plenty of art, outdoor movies, and summer festivities.

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teamLab, Crows are Chased and the Chasing Crows are Destined to be Chased as well, Blossoming on Collision - Light in Space, 2016, Interactive digital installation, 4 min. 20 sec., Sound: Takahashi Hideaki

ART & MOVIES

T H E U N I V E R S E A N D A RT – P R I N C E S S K AG U YA, LE ON ARD O DA VIN CI, T E AM LAB An ambitious exhibition that moves between religious art, science, science fiction, and space exploration, “The Universe and Art” is a tour de force that should fire your imagination and leave you wondering about our small place in the large cosmos. Divided into four different sections – “How Have Humans through the Ages Viewed the Universe?” “The Universe as Space-Time,” “A New View of Life – Do Aliens Exist?” and “Space Travel and the Future of Humanity” – the exhibit marks the first time that Leonardo da Vinci’s astronomy manuscripts are being shown in Japan. Mori Art Museum Until January 9, 2017 www.mori.art.museum/english

THE ART WORLD

OU R PIC K O F T H E C I T Y’S B ES T EXHI B I T I ONS Compiled by Alec Jordan

M AG ICAL ART M U SE U M – ILLUSION OF LIG H T AN D SH AD OW Most art only requires that you, the viewer, look at it and appreciate it. The pieces on display at the “Magical Art Museum,” however, only become complete when museumgoers interact with them. Created by artists both local and international, these works come to life in a play of light, shadow, sound, and patterns – one might transform you into a pixelated character, while another lets you bring a miniature landscape into scintillating action with the toss of a ball. Looks to be a hit for “kids” of all ages. Seiji Togo Memorial Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Museum of Art Until August 28 www.sjnk-museum.org/en hiroyuki MORIWAKI, ripples of light

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Syriac script, National Museum of Ethnology, photo by Saji Yasuo

OPEN-AIR MOVIES

PICN IC CIN E MA AT YE B IS U GAR D E N PLACE

A TR EAS U RY O F WR I TTE N C H A RACTE R S

Takeo Takei, Hot Summer, 1967, watercolor on paper, ILF Children’s Art Hall, from “Childbook” July 1967

Akira Nakanishi (1928-94) was the sixth generation head of a famous printing company in Kyoto, and became so enamored with the written word that he spent 25 years of his life traveling the world and collecting writing specimens from more than 100 countries. The “Nakanishi Collection,” which is preserved at Japan’s National Museum of Ethnology, contains samples of writing from the Middle East and Europe, India and Southeast Asia, and China. A fascinating look at the variety of ways that humankind has captured language for posterity. LIXIL Gallery 1 Until August 27 tinyurl.com/lixiltokyo

Find a spot on the (fake but still comfy) grass at the complex’s center square for movies screened on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 7:30pm. The event is free, and you’ll have a choice between nine films including “Chef” with Jon Favreau, and Wes Anderson’s “Moonrise Kingdom.” Until August 31. tinyurl.com/TWpicnic-cinema

MOE T MID PARK CIN E MA This event is held in collaboration with champagne brand Moet & Chandon. Sip on a glass of bubbly at Tokyo Midtown’s lawn space, and get lost in the romance of Baz Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby” or the thrill of Guy Ritchie’s “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” It’s free, but take along ¥1,000 as a refundable deposit to rent headphones. Movies start at 7pm, but arrive early as there is only space for 100 people. September 16-19, 22-25. www.tokyo-midtown.com

FRO M T H E L A N D OF C H I L D R E N’ S I L LU S TRATI ON S – STO RI ES A N D D R E A MS For many of us, the illustrations that we came across in the picture books of our childhood were our first introduction to fine art. One publication that took this idea to heart was “Children’s World,” which featured illustrations by two pioneers of art for children, Takeo Takei and Shigeru Hatsuyama. The celebrated Japanese industrial designer Yoshio Akioka was inspired by these Showa period images in his youth, and this exhibition features works by all three figures, with an aim of showing how the pictures we love as children inform our creative style later in life.

Meguro Museum of Art, Tokyo Until September 4 mmat.jp/english

STARDUST THEATER IN HARAMURA A little out the way at Yatsugatake Natural & Culture Park in Haramura, Nagano, this mini film festival is set to show movies like “The Martian” and “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Tickets are ¥1,200 for adults, ¥1,000 for high school students, and ¥500 for children (pre-schoolers are free). Until August 21. www.hoshizoraeiga.com

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AGENDA: THE WEEKENDER ROUNDUP OF WHAT’S HAPPENING IN AUGUST 1 AUG 9

2 AUG 27-28 THE TEMPER TRAP

After a four-year hiatus, the band released their third album, “Thick as Thieves,” in June.

Feast your ears on their electrotinged crowd-pleasers this month.

Where: Liquidroom How much: ¥6,500 More info: tokyoweekender.com

5 AUG 1-31 ENMUSUBI FURIN The sound of the furin (wind chime) is part of the summer experience in Japan, and this event features a walkway filled with the tinkling bells. At night, sections of the shrine are illuminated.

Where: Hikawa Shrine How much: Free More info: tokyoweekender.com

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KOENJI AWA ODORI Around 12,000 Awa dancers will descend upon the neighborhood to take in the parades which snake through the narrow, atmospheric streets.

Where: Around Koenji How much: Free More info: tokyoweekender.com

6 AUG 1-31 A SPECIAL EXHIBITION: THE NINJA – WHO WERE THEY? Unravel the mystery of the “true ninja” through historical records, science and experience at this event that offers you the opportunity to train yourself in ninja techniques.

Where: Miraikan How much: ¥500-¥1,600 More info: ninjaten.com

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ODAIBA MINNA NO YUMETAIRIKU Fuji TV’s summer festival includes the Aqua Snow Garden, and a digital art installation by teamLab, which transforms the exhibition space into a galaxy-like environment.

Where: Fuji TV station and Odaiba area How much: ¥1,300-¥2,000 More info: tokyoweekender.com

7 AUG 26-28 ROPPONGI HILLS BON ODORI Head down to Roppongi Hills this Obon season for three days of dance, food and music. A “yagura” tower will be constructed in the arena area, around which the traditional Bon Odori dance will take place.

Where: Roppongi Arena How much: Free More info: tokyoweekender.com

ASAKUSA SAMBA CARNIVAL Expect everything from samba vibes, shaking hips, glitter and sequins, samba beats, and hordes of Japanese men with zoom lenses at this crazy carnival.

Where: Around Asakusa How much: Free More info: tokyoweekender.com

8 AUG 1-14 SLAVA’S SNOWSHOW The brainchild of Russian performance artist and clown Slava Polunin, this is a fun, foolish, artsy and at times melancholic show that will entertain people of all ages.

Where: Theater 1010 How much: ¥6,500-¥8,500 More info: tokyoweekender.com

2. © Carlos Donderis/Flickr. 4. © Toshihiro Oimatsu/Flickr 8. © V.Mishukov 9. © Tokyo Times/Flickr 10. © TY/Flickr 11. © Kanon Serizawa/Flickr

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GAKUTEN 2016 The student version of Tokyo’s favorite biannual creative arts festival, this weekend celebration of art and performance is open to students of all ages and backgrounds.

Where: Tokyo Big Sight How much: ¥700-¥1,000 More info: designfesta.com

11 AUG 12-14 COMIKET For serious comic collectors, there’s only one place to go: Comiket is a twice yearly Comic Market (get it?) that has been running since 1975, and nowadays attracts half a million fans. Cosplay optional.

Where: Tokyo Big Sight How much: Free More info: comiket.co.jp

EDOGAWA FIREWORKS FESTIVAL Prepare for a spectacular themed fireworks display set on the banks of the Edo River (near Koiwa and Shinozaki stations). Arrive early to secure your spot.

Where: Edo River, Edogawa How much: Free More info: tokyoweekender.com

12 AUG 1-31 ENOSHIMA LANTERNS Take a stroll through 1,000 Japanese lanterns, which light up the walkway towards Enoshima Shrine.

The illumination is from 6pm-8:30pm, and if you wear a yukata you can get a free tenugui (traditional hand cloth).

Where: Enoshima Shrine How much: Free More info: tokyoweekender.com

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People, Parties, Places TOKYO’S LONGEST RUNNING SOCIETY PAGE WITH BILL HERSEY

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uly, as most of you know, was super busy here in old Edo, and her assistant brought her out, and she really looked good. We stayed from the looks of things August is really going to be busy – about 45 minutes, and it was obvious she was very happy with our visand hot and humid as well. it. If you have time you should visit her. I guarantee she’ll be happy you I envy friends who just left for Brazil to attend the Summer did. To make an appointment, call the receptionist on 03-3798-4401.

Olympics. I’ve been to the Rio Carnival twice, and really enjoyed the beautiful country and the colorful vibrant people and culture. I know URAWA REDS IN SAITAMA they’ve had some problems, but hope and pray the Games will be the During my 30 years of club hopping in Roppongi, I had the opportunibig success I feel they will be. If you couldn’t get to Brazil for the Olymty to meet and get to know many of pics check out the big Brazil Samba the world’s top soccer players. I also Show in Asakusa at the end of this enjoyed watching the matches on TV. month. On August 27, it’ll be packed, Needless to say, I was really happy but well worth experiencing. when one of Saitama’s most impor Other friends who are traveling tant businessmen, Tsukasa Shiga, took include Koichi Yoshikoshi and his dyme and friends to a game in the huge namic wife Daniele who are spending Saitama Stadium between Japan’s top a couple of months at their beautiful team the Urawa Reds and Niigata. I home near Nice in France. I went to knew Shiga, one of the team’s spontheir Tokyo home before they left to sors, was important but didn’t know pick up a big suitcase and several that we, as his guests would also be boxes of their clothing they gave me treated royally. We were met by city to send to needy families in the Philofficials, and the Urawa Reds Presiippines. Friends there will really be dent Keizo Fuchita. They took us up fashionable in the couples’ super chic to the VIP dining room for a delicious fashions. buffet. We also got to meet some of I send several of those huge BaUrawa team as well as Lufthansa’s likbayan boxes a month, and can GM for Japan, Donald Bunkenburg, always use kids’ clothes – especially who’s also a Reds sponsor. Shiga’s shoes. If you have things your kids other guest was fashion/TV personalihave grown out of, just give me a call ty Dewi Sukarno, who was dressed all at 090-3200-6767 and I’ll be happy to in red to honor the Urawa Reds, and pick them up. was a big hit. Saitama Stadium is awe If you shop at any of the many some and the game, the crowd, the 100 yen shops around town, you flags, the music and the energy added probably enjoy it as much as I do. up to a great day in every way.

Recently visited one of my favorite stores – Can Do, which is just across AZERBAIJAN’S from the side entrance of the Tokyu GLITTERING RECEPTION Hands in Shibuya. I came home with Our Azerbaijani friends Ambassador six big bags of toys, school supplies, Liam Hemsworth and Jeff Goldblum in town to promote 20th Century Gursel Ismayilzade, his wife Rana, and other fun things for my boxes to Fox’s “Independence Day: Resurgence” their super little son, Nursel and their Manila. The variety of things you can always helpful staff hosted an exciting buy at the 100 yen shops is amazing, reception at the Okura’s Maple Room. The occasion was to celebrate and believe me when kids that don’t have a lot receive what you send, their country’s Republic Day. Rana, as always, looked like she stepped little things really do mean a lot, right off the fashion pages of “Vogue” magazine. The other ladies from

My thanks to Lilo Maruyama who picked me and Kyoko Spector up the embassy were very chic as well. at the Grand Hyatt and had her driver take us to visit Grace Saito at the

After the ambassador’s welcome speech, and short congratulatory ultra-modern, nice retirement home Platecia she’s living in. Many of messages by several Japanese dignitaries, the many guests really reyou know Grace from the many classical concerts she set up at most of laxed and enjoyed the laid back atmosphere of the evening. The poputhe major hotels here for various charities. lar real estate man Masataka Fujishima (whose company, Sihm, always

She was asleep, but happy when I woke her up. In a very short time,

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SAITAMA STADIUM URAWA REDS SOCCER 1. Christophe Shiga, Reiko Shiga, Urawa players, Dewi Sukarno, Bill, Ceremony President Tsukasa Shiga 2. Reiko Shiga, Bill, Dewi, Tsukasa Shiga 3. Teammates Wataru Endo and Yuki Abe on the pitch

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JORDAN’S NATIONAL DAY – OKURA 4. Shifa Haddad, wife of Jordan Amb., their daughters Aya and Marian 5. Politician Kazuyuki Hamada, Jordan Amb. Demiye Haddad, Palestine Rep. Waleed Siam, Israeli Amb. Ruth Kahnoff, Kyoko Spector

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COOL CROWD AT OAKWOOD MIDTOWN 6. Oakwood’s main man in Japan Martin Fluck, CBRE’s Emi Matsumura, architect Percy Muncherji 7. Oakwood’s Eric Ishimaru, Mayumi Takanaka, Dr. Kenneth Pechter

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8. Cultural Exchange Division Director Wang Qing, Min-on Pres.

Hiroyasu Kobayashi, Kang Wei 9. Cast members chowing down at the after party

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BEAUTIFUL POLISH RECEPTION – NEW OTANI 1. Polish Amb. Cyryl Kozaczewski, his wife Iwona, their daughters, Marta and Iga 2. Mrs. Kerngphark, Lilo Maruyama, Thai Defense Attache Waipote Kerngphark 3. Poland Defense Attache Capt. Chris Dickinson, US Marine Major Paula O. Marshall, Japan Major General Tomofusa Harada 4. Polish intern Natalia Poraba 5. EU Amb. Viorel Isticioaia-Budura, Jamaican Amb. Clement Allicock, Tongan Amb. Tani Topou, Polish Amb. Cyryl Kozaczewski, Zambian Amb. Ndiyoi Mutiti Iwona

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AZERBAIJAN NATIONAL DAY 6. Real estate guru and president of Sihm Company Masataka Fujishima, his wife Yoshimi, Sihm’s Kazuhiro Nakane 7. Kyoko Spector, Rana, her son Nursel 8. Reiko Szerdahelyi (Hungary), Rana, Madina Tursunova (Uzbekistan) 9. Diet Member Kenji Kosaka, Amb. and Mrs. Gursel Ismayilzade, Dewi, popular politician Nishimura-san 10. Olga Kozlova (Itochu), Narmina Aslanova (Azerbaijan), Dinara Masamoto (Azerbaijan)

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KISS lookalikes at the Entertainment Art Exhibition on the huge yacht “Symphony"

THIS IS WHAT I LOVE ABOUT WRITING THIS COLUMN

has interesting properties in and around Tokyo) was there, and I really enjoyed meeting his wife. He helped me find my apartment in Moto Yoyogi about 20 years ago, and has always been there to help me with any landlord-related problems. I also enjoyed talking with a couple of friends who went to the F-1 Race in Azerbaijan and they had nothing but nice things to say about the country and the people.

POLISH CONSTITUTION DAY – NEW OTANI

[ SPONSOR ED C ONTENT ]

On the occasion of the Constitution Day of Poland, Ambassador Cyryl Kozaczewski, his wife Iwona, and their staff hosted a people-packed glittering reception at the Hotel New Otani. The Ambassador and his wife are a popular couple and there were a lot of their interesting Japanese and international friends there enjoying the celebration.

The military was well represented by the Polish defense attaché, a young female marine from the US, and a high ranking officer from the Japanese Self Defense Force – all in full uniform. Polish intern Natalia, who looked very stylish in her country’s national costume, added color to the crowd. I also enjoyed meeting the statuesque Ndiyoyi Mutiti. I jokingly asked her if I could be her manager. When she asked me what for, I told her “basketball”; she laughed and said, “You’re a little late,” and gave me her business card. Turns out she’s the Ambassador of Zambia. She has a lovely personality and I felt I had made a new friend.

That’s what I love about writing this column.

Got some good news a week or so later when I ran into Ambassador Kozaczewski at Hiroo Segafredo. He told me he wouldn’t be leaving Tokyo this summer, but probably later this year. He’s a good man, a good diplomat and a good friend.

MIN-ON’S DYNAMIC CHINESE ACROBATS’ SHOW Thanks to the Min-on Concert Association, I’ve had the opportunity to see all three of the shows by the renowned China National Acrobatic Troupe. The 2016 show was titled “Acrobatic Fantasy Drama – Be Brilliant! Master Chef Panda.”

The show, with its beautiful sets, colorful costumes, and hard-to-believe acrobatics, was

entertainment at its best. It made it easy to realize why its performances in 123 countries and regions have been awarded 60 gold medals in major competitions around the world. This time in Japan their tour was a total of 53 shows in 27 cities.

After the show at Nakano Sun Plaza, I joined many Min-on guests in one of the building’s party venues for a lavish buffet and the opportunity to meet and mix with the super cast. Most didn’t speak much English, but I was lucky as one really cool lady helped me to communicate with most of the performers. When I asked her where she learned her English, she said, “Oh, I worked with Cirque du Soleil in the US and Canada for two years. She was really surprised when I told her I was a friend of that show’s part-owner Guy Laliberte, and in perfect English, she said, “Wow, the world gets smaller.” A few weeks earlier, thanks to Guy, I received two great tickets for third row center seats at Cirque’s spectacular show “Totem” at Odaiba Big Top. The sets, costumes, and very international cast were different, but many of the acrobatic miracles were similar to the 2,000-yearold ones as performed in the China National Acrobatic Troupe show. They simply have to be seen to be believed.

If you like K-pop, I’m sure you’ll enjoy the Korean musical “Bibap,” which the Min-on Concert Association is bringing to Japan later this month.

For a schedule of the show dates call Hori-san on 03-5362-3400 or 090-4532-4322.

JORDAN’S 70TH INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION IN & AROUND FROM TOP:

Sony Entertainment’s Dick Sano and actress/director Jodie Foster, who was here to promote her film “Money Monster” Minato Okamoto, personal trainer Mark McDonald, and Dan Kerrigan at Hiroo Segafredo Austrian ballet dancer Christian Martinu, his wife, dancer Rio Mitani, their daughter Manna

Over at the Okura Hotel, Jordan Ambassador Demiye Haddad and his wife Shafik held a very special reception on the occasion of the 70th Anniversary of the Independence Day of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. It was also to celebrate the Centennial of the Great Arab Revolt. Shafik has an interior designers’ touch, and had worked with the hotel staff in setting up interesting displays of Jordanian art, fashion and handicrafts throughout the party venue.

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BACK IN THE DAY: 1982 Check out the scene in Tokyo from 1982! You can read the rest of this issue (No.32 1982) and view Weekender’s 46-year archive online. www.tokyoweekender.com/weekender-archives/

bills is now open in Fukuoka!

bills Fukuoka SHIP'S GARDEN 1F, 13-1 Nishi-Nakasu, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka 810-0002 T + 81 92-733-2555

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