Weekender

Giving Back in Japan Charities and the expat community

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| Weekender—Charities Issue

TOKYO TALK Which Cause or Charity Do You Lend Your Support To?

06 Community Calendar Stay in the loop in Tokyo 08 Feature Charities and the expat community 10 Movie Reviews Latest releases with William Casper 11 Movie Plus Celebrity news and topics 12 Fine Dining Cube Zen 13 Dining The big mikan 14 Travel Saijo Sake Town 16 Business Comment Ian de Stains and Dr. Greg Story 17 Business Profile Volvo’s XC90 18 Business Profile The Asian Collection 19 Business Profile Magellan and Future Living 21 Special Feature 2008 gift guide 24 School’s In English Studio 25 School’s Out Holiday crafts 27 Bill’s Partyline 30 Arts & Crossword Vic Muniz

••• •••

Dani Rippingale, New Zealand

Cory Crowther, Canada

Yoga. Yoga is not just about the ashtanga positions, it is a practical life system that goes beyond the physical.

It’s also about minimizing your footprint, promoting non-violence, and a healthier state of being.

The Japan Down’s Syndrome Network. Here in Japan, ignorance, a lack of knowledge, and a misunderstanding of the disease still remains and the JDSN is trying to change that by promoting awareness.

Poppy Calvert, England

Pascal Bounchareun, France

Look Good Feel Better. It’s a charity that asks cosmetic consultants to voluntarily visit and support female cancer patients. We do their hair and make-up, helping them to feel good about themselves.

Hospitality Guesthouse. Their main program is called A Dream a Day in Tokyo. They organize and fund a fun-filled day for a child with a terminal illness and for his or her family.

Adam Emsley, Canada

Shiori Ito, Japan

The Zapatistas. It is a group that promotes self-sustainability, freedom, and equality and was initially started in Mexico as a protest against the signing of NAFTA.

Room to Read. It is a global NPO that promotes education for under-priviledged children. I know how important reading was for me when I was young0 so this is a cause that is really dear to my heart.

Giving Back in Japan Cover design by Cory Crowther.

Charities and the expat community

LIKE THE NEW COVER? WATCH OUT FOR THE ALL NEW WEEKENDER—COMING JANUARY 2009!!!

PUBLISHER Ray Pedersen GENERAL MANAGER Kieron Cashell EDITOR & DESIGNER Marie Teather ART DIRECTOR Cory Crowther ADVERTISEMENT DESIGNER Chris May TRAVEL & SOCIETY EDITOR Bill Hersey ARTS EDITOR Owen Schaefer EVENTS EDITOR Danielle Tate-Stratton ASSISTANT EDITOR Ulara Nakagawa DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Stephen Young MARKETING CONSULTANT Amy Dose, Shiori Ito PUBLISHING CONSULTANT Caroline Pover CONTRIBUTORS Robert Forrest, Elise Mori, Ian de Stains, Paul Davies, Dr. Greg Story, Alena Eckelmann, Norman Munroe, Dave Enright. OFFICES at Weekender Magazine, 5th floor, Chuo Iikura Building, 3-411 Azabudai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0041 Tel. 03-5549-2038 Fax: 03-5549-2039 Email: editor@weekenderjapan.com.

Opinions expressed by WEEKENDER contributors are not necessarily those of the Publisher.

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Dec 05 – 18 2008 Vol. 39 No. 23

FRI 12 DEC

THU 11 DEC

WED 10 DEC

TUE 9 DEC

MON 8 DEC

SUN 7 DEC

SAT 6 DEC

COMMUNITY CALENDAR,

by Danielle Tate-Stratton

Drop by the Asian Collection near Roppongi Hills and see Tranquilities II, their new show of art for relaxation and inspiration. Choose from alms bowls made for Thai monks, ceramics from Ryota Aoki, and paintings and prints from more than 20 Japanese, Thai, Indonesian, and Chinese artists. You can find unusual gifts from any of these young artists. The gallery can arrange packing and shipping for all of your Christmas presents so you won’t even have to hassle with shipping details or filling out customs forms—they will do it all for you. Moto Azabu 3-10-9 near Roppongi Hills, tel. 080-3150-3610, www. theasiancollection.com.

Get out of the house with the kids at Baby Loves Disco’s first Christmas party, today from 2–5pm at Legato. The event features dancing, temporary tattoo fun for kids, healthy snacks, Santa Claus, and a professional photographer to record all the fun. ¥0–¥6,000 (includes two drinks and finger foods), for more information: www.babylovesdisco.co.jp.

Take the auto buff to the Yokohama Hot Rod Custom Show today from 9am–5pm; at Pacifico Yokohama, ¥3,300 (advance) or ¥3,800 at the door. For more information, www. mooneyes.co.jp.

Help pay tribute to John Lennon at Dream Power John Lennon Super Live 2008, featuring Ayaka, Chara, Bonnie Pink, and Yoko Ono herself. From 7pm at the Nippon Budokan, ¥8,500, tel. 03-3298-9999.

FCCJ members are invited to a screening of After the Wedding, an event for members and their guests only, tonight at 7pm. For more information about the movie and the event; www.fccj.or.jp.

Confused about the current financial crisis? Want to improve your knowledge from a trustworthy source? Consider attending the Duisenberg School of Finance’s Special Lecture in Tokyo tonight from 7–9:30pm at the Hilton Tokyo. Hosted by Professor Gerard Hertig (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) and Professor Joseph McCahery (Duisenberg School of Finance) this master class is free to attend but registration is required. For more information: www.globaldaigaku.com/global/en/event/index.jsp.

Join Ian de Stains and the Ambassador’s family at the BCCJ’s production A Christmas Cracker. A suggested donation of ¥7,000 includes entertainment, refreshments, and supports Refugees International Japan. For more information: www.bccjapan.com.

Enjoy H-Pop Music Artist Live, produced by former sumo star Konishiki and featuring several artists including Kivini. Shows at 6 and 9:30pm, ¥4,500, tel. 045314-8705 for tickets.

American songstress Sheryl Crow performs tonight and tomorrow at the JCB Hall at Tokyo Dome City at 7pm. Tickets are ¥7,500–¥8,500, to pick up yours tel. 033402-5999.

Treat your children to a performance of classic holiday piece The Nutcracker, performed

by Asami Maki Ballet Tokyo tonight at 7pm (also Dec. 13 and 14, various times) at U-Port Hall in Gotanda, ¥4,000–¥10,000, tel. 03-3360-8251.

Meet with members of the major chambers of commerce in Japan at their joint bonenkai tonight at the Canadian Embassy, from 6:30–8:30pm, ¥8,500 includes a buffet and live music. For information and registration, check with your chamber of commerce.

Refugees International Christmas Tree Event

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ight up the life of a child before December 7 this year at the Refugees International Light up the Life of a Refugee Child event, which has been running since December 2 at the Marunouchi Oazo Building. The event, now in its 20th year, raises money for Refugees International Japan to help support children in at-risk and war-torn areas around the world. This year, proceeds will go to the Community Health Promotion Initiative program run by Right to Play in Juba, Southern Sudan. This program, established in 2003, aims to train those who work with children on the importance of sport and active play as a part of healthy development.

This year’s events will include a bazaar full of holiday goods made by refugees, entertainment, and, of

| Weekender—Charities Issue

course, a huge fir tree— brought in from Seattle especially for the occasion. In 2007, the event raised ¥8,000,000 and this year they hope it will be bigger than ever.

For more information, including a schedule of all of the mini concerts set to occur over the week, visit www. refugeesinternationaljapan.org/user/39/ Festive_Tree.

Would you like your community event listed in this calendar? If so, please email events@weekenderjapan.com one month before the event is due to take place.

The Finnish Guards Band, with trumpeter Jouko Harlanne, perform Christmas melodies today at noon at Tokyo Opera City near Shinjuku. ¥5,000, tel. 03-3943-9999 for tickets.

Enjoy the British Embassy Choir as they perform Christmas Treasures, Old & New at 6:30pm at the Sogakudo of the Former Tokyo Music School (also Dec. 6 at the Meguro Catholic Church, 7pm). The program, which is free to attend, features Christmas hits and classics from the renaissance through the 20th century. The Dec. 14 concert is in aid of NPO HOPE Worldwide Japan. For more information: www.bec.ac/concert.html.

The Magic Flute, Mozart’s well-known and well-loved classic opera, is performed by a Southern African group from Dec. 13–23 at Tokyo International Forum. The jazz/gospel arrangement is sure to delight all ages. Various times, ¥7,000–¥11,000, for more information: www.mateki2008.jp.

R&B group Boyz II Men perform some of their Grammy-winning work at the Tokyo Bay Hotel Tokyu at the Tokyo Disney Resort tonight at 6:30pm. ¥35,000–¥50,000 includes dinner and drinks. Also Dec. 18 and 21, various locations and prices. For more information, tel. 06-6743-2801.

Opening in April 2009, Makuhari International School will offer classes to children from kindergarten to grade six and, uniquely, teaches Japanese curriculum objectives in English, which has allowed it to gain special dispensation for students to move on to Japanese junior high schools if they wish. They are having an information session from 5:30–7:30pm at Makuhari Kinrou Shimin today; for more information: www.mis.or.jp.

Enjoy The Music of Frank Sinatra, performed by 16-piece Mike Price Jazz Orchestra and Victor Savoy tonight at 7:30 and 9:15pm at B Flat in Akasaka. (Also Dec. 19.) Tickets: ¥5,500 advance, ¥6,000 at the door, to reserve tel. 03-5563-2563.

Former Police frontman Sting plays Orchard Hall in Shibuya with Edin Karamazov tonight (as well as Dec. 16 and 17) at 7pm. Tickets are ¥11,000–¥12,000, tel. 03-3402-5999.

Head to Sinden for a holiday haircut or color and while you are there, browse through the final issue of Weekender for 2008, due out today.

FRI 19 DEC

THU 18 DEC

WED 17 DEC

TUE 16 DEC

MON 15 DEC

SUN 14 DEC

SAT 13 DEC

Want to prepare a fantastic Christmas feast but not sure where to start? Why not take Alexsensei’s class, from 5:40–9:30pm in Ikebukuro? He will teach you how to make a four course French-inspired Christmas dinner, including duck filet with honey and scallop medallion with blinis, for ¥8,900, including wine. For more details or to make a reservation, www. wineandcooking.info/index_en.html.

Seeing Santa in Tokyo

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or many children, the chance to see Santa is a holiday highlight and even in Tokyo, he is a busy man indeed! Members of the Tokyo American Club can see the jolly man in red on Dec. 12 and 13 in the Teen Room from 2–4pm, at a cost of ¥525. Alternately, on Dec14 from 11:30am–2:30pm, the Foreign Correspondents Club will be hosting their Family Christmas Party. The events includes a noon sing-a-long for kids and adults, the arrival of Santa at 2pm, as well as magic show, Christmas lunch, and small present for children. ¥3,150 (age 4–12), ¥5,250 for adults, for more information: www.fccj.or.jp. For a touch of the bizarre, head to Sunshine City in Ikebukuro, where the tenth floor aquarium, which also features animals such as Shetland ponies, hosts a SCU-

BA Santa feeding the fish. While this may not be a Santa whose lap you can sit on, it adds a unique touch to any holiday plans! (www.sunshinecity.co.jp). Finally, the little ones can also meet Santa at Baby Loves Disco’s holiday party. See the listing on Dec. 7 for details.

Dec 05 – 18 2008 Vol. 39 No. 23

Giving Back in Japan Charities and the expat community, by Ulara Nakagawa and Marie Teather

P

erhaps it is the frenzied gift buying that sends us into an outpouring of generosity, but every year during the winter holidays, around the world in developed nations, we open up our hearts and wallets to those less fortunate than ourselves. Major charities such as the Food Bank report substantial hikes in their received goods and funds during this time of year—in their particular case, the donations they receive during the holiday season are so plentiful that the supply sometimes lasts them all the way into summer.

Unfortunately, this year, with the global economic state so shaky, even the most well-to-do may find themselves hesitating before giving. After all, it is even here in Tokyo, one of the world’s economic epicenters that stockbrokers, directors, and others in the top echelons of the financial industry, are finding themselves tiptoeing on dire straits.

New York, where the financial crisis has really hit home, has already seen the damaging effects stream downward from the fortunate to those most in need.

Citymeals-on-Wheels, a nonprofit group that delivers food to homebound citizens, experienced a loss of $500,000 in expected donations from Bear Stearns employees when the firm collapsed in the spring. Only days later, another promised $225,000 donation was lost with the stock plummet of an affiliate hedge fund.

The Salvation Army reported its western territory suffered a nine percent drop in overall fundraising since August of this year alone. Regarding the situation in the US, a recent USA Today article said; “The economic crisis threatening the nation with the worst recession in decades has set off tremors among non-profits and charities, large and small, that rely on donations from Wall Street, industry, and average Americans.”

The TELL charity walk and runathon

are people who really are less fortunate than ourselves, for who hardship is a much different concept from our own. For who their daily struggles involve things like keeping their children alive, or getting one decent meal into their bodies; not missing out on a winter bonus or being unable to get a new cocktail dress for the Christmas Gala.

While the majority of us cast a thought to this over the festive period, there are many members of our community whose charitable work and devotion continue throughout the year, (and throughout the years), unhindered by credit crunches and corporate lay-offs. Volunteers, who see the world on a more basic level of humanity and who devote their time without monetary reward, to lessen the suffering of those in their local and world communities.

One Tokyo-based woman who has been involved with charity work since she was 15 explained that, “I prefer to get involved in local activities. I find it very satisfying to connect with people and take action, much more so than throwing cash at distal charities, even when the money is needed. In Japan, I have mainly stuck to gaijincentric or bilingual projects, but one of my resolutions for the New Year is to join a volunteer group in my ku (neighborhood) and see how I go with the Japanese volunteer system. I know it will be an interesting experience and a benefit to me, as well as to my neighborhood.”

On why such a high percentage of the foreign community do volunteer work here, Koky Saly founder of Baby Tree Projects, a NPO dedicated to alleviate poverty in Cambodia, said; “I think it could be that living here in Japan we are away from our homes and our comforts which makes us more sensitive to international problems and the global community around us.

We are more open to reachnig out for help and to give help.” At Tokyo English Lifeline (TELL), a nonprofit organization that has been providing confidential support and counseling for the international community since 1973, volunteer and fundraiser Chris Stevenson explains that volunteers come from all walks of life, despite the intensive training period that applicants must undertake; “We see teachers, housewives, company CEOs, students, all wanting to get involved.”

What is impressive about TELL volunteers, is that their work is confidential and that those who do devote their time to making others feel better, do so in the strictest of anonymity—an act that is truly selfless.

In taking a step towards getting involved here in Japan, expats wanting to donate time or money shouldn’t find it too difficult to find some well-known foreign-based charities and organizations to get in touch with. Better known NPOs such as TELL, Second Harvest, Hands On Tokyo, YMCA, are great places to start, and many foreign volunteers have found these also to be beneficial in meeting new friends and networking with like-minded people.

There are countless similar stories running across the board for the various NPOs and organizations around the globe. In Europe, the “dramatic decline in the economy” has led to a “substantial reduction” in predicted donations for Britain’s biggest cancer charity, Cancer Research, as reported by the Sunday Mirror back in September. Although Cancer Research has not confirmed speculations about budget cuts and the necessary slashing of research that may result, it is clear this will be detrimental to the cause.

Charitable expats So what does this mean for us in Japan this holiday season? To put our own financial concerns into perspective, perhaps we should turn to a tale that has been told time and time again; for importance of its message never changes. A story that pops the bubble of our daily routines and comfort zones, to remind us that despite our own hardships and struggles, there

| Weekender—Charities Issue

A workshop educating about the human trafficking problem in Ja the Po

FEATURE

Volunteers and recipients on a Second Harvest Food drop Talking about why Second Harvest has been such a successful NPO in Japan, Charles McJilton explains that when trying to get businesses involved “You have to talk their language. It’s all about what they can gain from this and the truth is that we can actually help save them money.” When you consider that the cost to dispose of food is ¥100 a kilogram and Second Harvest will pick up food for free and distribute it to some of the 650,000 people in Japan who lack food security, it is a simple yet highly beneficial act.

Domestic NPOs

He hopes that his organization can “create a field where…young people admire the work of NPOs and social entrepreneurs and encourage them to take up the challenge,”—particularly in the area of approaching the business world for funding and strength.

Reach Out Japan may also have to reach out internationally in achieving this goal. As reporter Hirobumi Tanaka with Nikkei Business noted, “When Japanese NGOs begin taking the initiative in various overseas projects and leading international NGO activities, then Japan will be recognized as a world leader in a much more substantial sense.”

But what about Japanese charities and the strength of their presence? Some critics have questioned their effectiveness in reaching out to the public for assistance, while others suggest it is the Japanese public turns a blind eye to such organizations. One overall optimistic look on the state of NPOs in Japan comes from The Nonprofit Sector in Japan by Tadashi Yamamoto; “…the Japanese nonprofit sector lags significantly behind that of other developed economies. One reason for this…is the generally hostile attitude the government has historically taken towards (them). The nonprofit sector in Japan has only just begun to “flex its muscles” as an independent force in very recent years, and is now on the brink of a new phase in its development.”

Others have suggested that the possible reason why NPOs and volunteerism in Japan is not as prominent as in the West is because Japanese people have an insider/outsider mentality and thus tend to be less concerned with The Baby Tree Project building homes and hopes in Cambodia. those outside their immediate group. But yet, if you look back in history, charity has been a part of With this in mind, it may be worth the effort for Japan’s heritage since the eighth century when monks the expat community in Japan to take a proactive and nobles provided aid to the needy. approach, through investigating and reaching out Shihoko Fujiwara, coordinator of the Polaris Project to charities and NPOs. There will always be the lanJapan, one of the largest anti-trafficking organizations guage barrier, bureaucracy, and cultural differences in the US and Japan disagrees. “It’s not that people to consider, but if those involved share the mindset don’t care, when we tell people about the work we of positively, possibility, and perseverance, there do—they clearly do. But for a situation that is perhaps couldn’t be a better time to get out there and make as controversial as ours, most companies would rather a mark in Japan. After all, even something like the just not associate themselves for fear of being stigma- ecobag trend that has taken a hold of everyone from tized. Instead they find safer options such as environ- college students to salary men this past year, points to mental and ecology causes. an optimistic change.

It could also be the lack of NPOs in Japan that So, gear up the giving spirit of the season and collective lead to a lesser presence. While there look forward to a better 2009, but don’t forget what are an estimated 1.3 million nonprofit organiza- life is like for those outside the small bubble of our tions that employ 7.7 million people in the US, everyday existence. Why not get out there and start in Japan there are only an estimated 35,000—a making a difference? mere fraction. Add to that a lack of funding, combined with a lack of knowledge on the part of the NPOs themselves on how best to receive the necessary contributions, are thier impack is somewhat limited. Charity Platform, a more For more information on the charities we feature: recently established organization in Japan, supSecond Harvest: www.2hj.org, info@2hj.org, porting the activities of NPOs, points out in a tel: 03-3838-3827. monthly newsletter posted on it’s website that, Baby Tree Projects: www.babytreeprojects.org, “Many NPOs (in Japan) face difficulties with info@babytreeprojects.org, tel: 080-6708-1550 operating their organization on an ongoing Poloris Project Japan: japan@polorisproject. basis, despite the noble focus of their activities.” org, tel: 050-3496-7615, Daigo Sato, owner of Charity Platform says, Tokyo English Life Line: www.telljp.com, tel: apan, run by “No one has ever successfully created a funding 03-5774-0992 Business Line: 03-3498-0261 oloris Project cycle for NPOs in Japan. This is a new area…”

Dec 05 – 18 2008 Vol. 39 No. 23

photo courtesy of Sony of Pictures. photo courtesy Universal Pictures.

MOVIE REVIEWS BY WILLIAM CASPER

Leatherheads

T

here are about four different films trying to break out of this George Clooney tribute to the early days of American football, and his inability to choose which one he wanted to make leads to a very uneven and disappointing 114 minutes. We have a homage to those great 1930s fast-talking classics starring the likes of Clark Gable and Carole Lombard.

With Clooney in the Gable role (he wishes) and Renée Zellweger as Lombard channeled unsuccessfully through a Dorothy Parkeresque reporter. Naturally, there is also the classic “little sports team attempting to triumph over whatever odds they face” flick; there’s a couple of potentially intriguing dramas, one dealing with how evil big business crushes the little guy; the other a tale of a war heroes’ return—except the war hero isn’t all he seems—and finally, there is the rom-com love triangle served up as slapstick.

This is the third film Clooney has directed and it is easily the least successful. His previous efforts, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind and Good Night and Good Luck, were based on true stories (or trueish in the former) and all the better for it. Leatherheads was

written by sports writers Duncan Brantley and Rick Riley and though it has its moments, the combination of so many styles and story strands leaves the film lacking a cohesive center.

But it is not all bad news. Leatherheads is clearly something of a labor of love for Clooney and his recreation of 1920s period detail is superb. It also has a good cast led by George himself and the redoubtable Zellweger, ably supported by US Office star John Krasinski and Jonathan Pryce. Some of the set pieces are funny enough and it moves along at a reasonable pace. If only Clooney had managed to get his friend Steven Soderbergh on board it probably would have got the narrower focus it cries out for.

photo courtesy of 20th Century Fox.

Shine A Light

M

artin Scorsese is clearly a man who likes his music. His 1978 documentary of the final performance of Bob Dylan’s one time backing group, The Band, The Last Waltz, is one of the greatest music films of all time. He has also used rock music, including the Rolling Stones, intensively and to great effect in many of his films, so who better to make a documentary of a live Stones concert?

There is no doubt that on paper, this is a match made in heaven. Their Satanic Majesties teamed up with the creator of Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, and Goodfellas. This should surely be one of the cinematic events of the year. And I’m sure it would be if the year were 1972 or 1978 or 1982 or even 1990. The sad fact is the Rolling Stones have been a parody of the hard rocking rebels they almost were once upon a time, for a very long time now. Some would say it was since Jagger and Richards kicked Brian Jones out of the band in 1969, others point to the 1978 album Some Girls as the last creative act of any real significance to come out of Rolling Stones PLC. Scorsese, too, isn’t quite the man he once was, though unlike the Stones he still produces interesting, original films, and is constantly looking for a different way to tell his stories. At the beginning of Shine a Light, in a real scene of illumination, Scorsese explains his plans for filming the concert to the band. These include having nine different cinematographers (many of whom are Oscar win-

ners) shooting every imaginable angle and close-up from all over the stage. The results are impressive in a technical kind of way—we certainly get closer to the Stones on stage than ever before—but that really is about all there is to it. Between songs, archive footage from the band’s past is shown and is far more interesting than anything going on onstage. Indeed, the lack of any real insight into life with the Stones in the first decade of the twenty-first century is one of the film’s major flaws.

If you are a big Rolling Stones fan it might be an experience to see the band on a big screen, especially if you haven’t seen them live, though in truth the intimacy of the close-ups do these men in their midsixties few favors. The songs, as you would expect, are mostly the classics and well performed. Basically, it is just about the best film of a live show you could wish for. However, considering that the band, despite being well past it’s sell by date, is a piece of living social history and the director is a man who has proven himself on several occasions to be a great innovator as well as a master craftsman, Shine a Light is a disappointment.

WEEKENDER’S FAVORITE MOVIE THEATERS

10 | Weekender—Charities Issue

ROPPONGI: Roppongi Hills Cinema. Roppongi 6-10-2, Minatoku. 03-5775-6090. In the Roppongi Hills Keyakizaka Complex, facing the Mori Tower, Hibiya Line Roppongi Station. Showing: The P.S. IXLove Files:You, I Want Diary to Believe, of the Dead, Leatherheads, Blindness, Incendiary, Death Race, Diary1408, of theSaw Dead.

5. www.tohotheater.jp.

SHIBUYA: Shibuto Cine Tower, Dogenzaka 2-6-17, Shibuya. 035489-4210. From JR Shibuya station, take the Hachiko exit to the large intersection (to Dogenzaka). Go up the road, and it will be on your left (across from Shibuya 109). Showing: Wanted, Red Cliff/Chinese, Ironman,Saw P.S. 5, I Love Shine You. A Light http://gmap.jp/shop-1533.html. http://gmap.jp/shop-1533.html.

SHINJUKU: Shinjuku Milano Za, Kabuki-cho 1-29-1, Tokyu Milano Bldg. 03-3202-1189. JR Shinjuku station East Exit, number B13.

Walk towards Nishi-Shinjuku station; the theater faces this station.

Showing: The EagleEye, Eye,Eagle The Eye. Other Boleyn Girl, Wanted.

SHINAGAWA: Shinagawa Prince Cinema. Takanawa 4-10-30, Minato-ku. 03-5421-1113. Across the street from Shinagawa station, in the Shinagawa Prince Hotel.

Hotel. Showing: Showing: Get Tropic Smart, Thunder, P.S. I Blindness, Love You, Eagle Eye, Eye, P.S. Ironman, I Love You, Wanted, Red Cliff/Chinese, Nights in Rodanthe, Death Race, Sex Wall-E. and thewww.

City. www.princehotels.co.jp/shinagawa/cinema/index.html. princehotels.co.jp/shinagawa/cinema/index.html.

MOVIE PLUS WITH BILL HERSEY

FLASHBACK: Kevin Costner

Bill with Kevin Coster.

I

first met Kevin Costner when he was here for Warner Brothers to promote The Bodyguard. He was in his prime then—tall, with his matinee idol looks, outgoing, and friendly. After the premiere, I joined him and his hosts at a Japanese dinner at the beautiful Meguro Kaikan. He really enjoyed the food and had fun playing rather silly games with several geisha girls who were there.

Wherever Kevin was there was also this ‘friend of his,’ a skinny Japanese woman probably in her forties, always in a miniskirt and wearing Carnaby-style street fashion. I learned later that this woman introduced Kevin to a Japanese actress who happened to be a client of her husband’s. Later, a meeting was arranged and a photographer from Friday magazine was waiting outside the hotel when Kevin and the actress came out. The photo in the magazine wasn’t that clear and several people working on the movie felt Kevin’s ‘friend’ had set it up as a publicity stunt. Looking back, it was a reasonable assumption. In addition to coming for The Bodyguard, Kevin visited Japan on several other film promos. When he was here for the film Tin Cup, I enjoyed taking a helicopter with him to one of Japan’s top golf courses, where he joined several Japanese golfers in a tournament.

I am not a golfer but do know he did very well.

Kevin had a really rough schedule on that trip and on our flight back, when I was pointing out some of the scenery we were flying over, he fell asleep on my shoulder. To me, people are people—and that includes superstars,—but I have to admit that I felt both a little uncomfortable, and yet overall very privileged to be in that situation.

Thanks to our shared family background, (we both have Cherokee blood and a mutual interest in Native Americans) we really became good friends. I still consider his Oscar-winning film Dances with Wolves a real masterpiece and have watched it many times.

The last time I saw Kevin in Japan, I accompanied him and the people from Warner Brothers to Niigata for a day at the winter Olympics. A friend had made it possible for the group to use Amway’s big hospitality house to relax between the many events. We had several big, comfortable rooms, but I remember that even though Kevin was really tired, he moved out into the public areas at the Amway House where he met and shook hands with many of his fans there. That is the kind of guy he was—and still is.

I

always enjoy coffee with one of Japan’s busiest actors, Kato Masaya. He speaks English perfectly and is literally an encyclopedia of knowledge on the film industry. In addition to acting in many films in Japan, he has co-starred with Jaqueline Bisset in Crimebroker and with Brooke Shields in Seventh Floor. Both films were in English and shot on location in Australia.

Here in Japan, he recently worked with Jackie Chan on the film Shinjuku Incident.

Masaya just received high acclaim for his role as one of the main characters in Samurai 7. The beautifully staged play, based on the Kurosawa film Seven Samurai, had a sold-out run at Shinjuku Koma Theatre from November 14–24. There are plans to market a DVD of the production in mid 2009.

NB. Schedules are subject to change so please make sure to check the website to avoid disappointment.

ODAIBA: ODAIBA:Cinema CinemaMediage.

Mediage.Daiba Daiba1-7-1, 1-7-1,Minato-ku.

Minato-ku.03-5531-7878.

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PSaw Get5,Smart, Red Cliff/Chinese, Eagle Eye, Wanted, Blindness, P.S. Eagle I Love Eye, You, P.S.The I Love Other You,Boleyn 1408, Girl, Leatherheads, Sex and the Wanted, City, Halloween.

Deception. www. www. cinema-mediage.com. cinema-mediage.com.

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Out Out on on DVD! DVD! By ByWilliam WilliamCasper Casper

The Hunting Party—Curious Richard Gere vehicle about hunting for a Serbian War criminal. Comedic moments sit uneasily with some very heavy war scenes. Worth a look. With the excellent Terence Howard Sleuth—Jude Law proves he is no Michael Caine while Michael Caine has nothing left to prove in this misguided remake.

Trust the Man—Three of the dullest actors in Hollywood David Duchovny, Julianne Moore, and Billy Crudrup conspire to dull down the effervescent Maggie Gyllenhaal in a dreadful New York comedy of manners that lacks comedy and manners.

Dec 05 – 18 2008 Vol. 39 No. 23 11

FINE DINING BY ROBERT FORREST

Cube Zen

...the soft pink squares blindly linked western and eastern more successfully than most fusion restaurants.

N

ot all meals begin with shoes, but not all restaurants are so hidden that they can only be discovered by passing stores bearing Italian leather. On a shopping trip you could take any street from behind the United Nations University and each would take you past tucked-away boutiques that scatter themselves like sugar. Presuming to have remembered the route, we took a taxi to the university before diagonally limping from nook to cranny to find Cube Zen. That we found ourselves buying emerald green flats was entirely down to co-diner, but then I was not the one who gave the address to the cab.

Cube Zen is not that hard to find, it turns out, something I regularly muse whenever I find a lost or misplaced item.

It’s always in the last place you look but I have a solution. Don’t stop looking whenever you’ve found that missing earring/restaurant/daughter and it shall no longer be the last place you look, hence making it easier to find.

It seems we were looking in the wrong place: from the entrance we stared straight into Omotesando-dori. A block of wood marks the handle, halved by the glass door. I have been here before and sat at the bar but this time we booked a padded booth sitting slimly above the table and chairs countersunk within the first floor. A private staircase led to our den where the wicked witch shoes could be idolised undisturbed. Having avoided the knotted crowds of the main streets, we eased into thick-headed Kirin and crunchy wet toushi of komatsu-na leaves and chrysanthemum flower, floppy shards of yellow lolling around evergreen spans and purple stalks. Co-diner had also taken the liberty of ordering ‘little purple hood’ edamame, hairy and ruddy like gin-blossom; a masculine mutation of those familiar pods, like Icelandic horse-mussels to those more common shells.

Thereafter co-diner made one request when I ordered: a salad, please. The rest was my decision. To start with, I chose pastry sticks with cheese and pumpkin, shrimp, and avocado with caviar and crackers, plus smoked duck infused with tea. And not wanting to disappoint, two salads.

But what the menu should have said was ‘flowerpot,’ for that is what arrived. Literally. A 10 inch terracotta pot with garden trimmings inside. And seaweed. Alongside this, deep-fried burdock and grilled salmon in mustard dressing was an allotment next to Kew Gardens, but even so, the crisp wisps of burdock sprang from the bowl like Donald Trump’s hair, tempting fingers to pick before we somersaulted it into the fish. Which was exceptional. Half-cooked, half-raw, the soft pink squares blindly linked western and eastern more successfully than most fusion restaurants, even though Cube Zen has no such pretensions. Instead, it offers a unique, intimate interior (too intimate if you don’t duck your head when walking to the bar), with imaginative food but terrible, ear-severing music. Being on the upper level squashed against the ceiling, we had just a timber frame and a stone garden seperating us from a speaker and what sounded like the playlist from a Korean karaoke chain. Mercifully, it wasn’t too loud and, besides, we had a flowerpot to disassemble. Two Mickey Mouse romaine leaves hung like satellite dishes around a pile of greens with salted kombu on top. A quick frisk and this pelleted kelp and its shiso dressing were immersed as we chomped through the topiary. It was perhaps more than co-diner was expecting.

And that is what makes this place special, a calm and consistent exceeding of expectations, which I have now just A special place—if only you can find it reversed: with such praise no doubt you will be disappointed. Until you have the duck. Smoky like it has just flown by a forest fire, the tea is not immediately apparent, coming out instead with the third slice, crammed in with celery-like mitsuba salad. Lining up on the table, I forgot I had also ordered prosciutto with freshly made pesto and pomegranate seeds. Lemon in your gin, pepper on strawberries, tea with duck even: I often wonder how seemingly disparate ingredients can find themselves fitting so perfectly, like couples who find each other through the internet. It defies expectations yet sometimes it works and the fit is so good, so snug, that it seems as if they have grown up side-by-side. Clearly pigs are not reared on pomegranates, but killed, cured and sliced. The combination is fantastic: not too dry and entirely redeeming the effort needed to dissect this fruit.

Despite the prolonged start caused by wading through so much vegetation, machetes were downed for mains, though at this stage they felt closer to desserts to our well-fed stomachs. I had ordered the premium chicken with rock salt, this simple dish relishing to prove apparent the difference great cooking can make to ordinary ingredients.

I hesitate to use moist, and shudder to mention succulent, but my thesaurus alongside is divulging no better words.

The slight pinkness of the flesh is plumped beyond fatty streaks, the sensitivity of the chef tipping it from raw to ready like a sparrow on a seesaw. Yuzu paste was the only other guest on the plate and the only other one it needed.

Despite slight hesitation between choosing this or the lemon-herb pork, I was soon reassured for this is the finest fowl I’ve yet had in Tokyo.

Cube Zen is a chill box for weekend shoppers but it deserves far greater attention from families and couples looking for elegant food meticulously wrought. French bistro Benoit is nearby, but while that may have the name, Cube Zen has food that actually deserves one.

Best table: Bar for friends, first floor tables for families, and booths above for couples. Prices: We paid ¥12,000 for two, excluding wine. Location: Off Omotedando-dori, Aoyama end behind KFC (tip: come here instead) Contact: Go to http://cube-zen.com or tell 03-5464-3331.

12 | Weekender—Charities Issue

photo courtesy of istock/flibustier.

DINING

The Big Mikan The famous Japanese orange, by Elise Mori

Up your vitimin C for winter

I

still remember the issue of the French magazine 100 Ideas my mother and I bought one Christmas in France about 30 years ago. On the cover was a snow-covered doorstep at twiligh, with dozens of small orange-glowing oil lamps. These were made of the carefully cut half skins of mandarins, as they called them. With fine leathery skin and a distinctive perfume, the little pithy stalk had been left intact and used as a wick and the soft cups half-filled with cooking oil. So when I received a box full of tiny, fragrant mikan (Japanese for mandarin) from one of my relatives a few days ago, I knew just what to do with them. Come on—let it snow!

Many Japanese people still relish sitting under a kotatsu (heated table) during winter, eating their way steadily through a box of mikan, until the skin on their hands becomes orange. But you don’t have to wait for your hands to be stained to try and stay safe from catching colds all year long. Mandarin oranges have been shown to retain their vitamin C content even when canned—and one average mikan boasts a whopping 22mg of vitamin C, folic acid, and 512 IU of vitamin A. Originally from China, the word mikan is a shortening of the term mi tsu no kan, which means honey citrus. They were traditionally grown in the Kagoshima area of Japan, once called Satsuma, hence their moniker in the west. In the nineteenth century, they were brought to the United States, introduced by the wife of a member of the US diplomatic corps, and actually became an important crop in Florida for some time. In Japan, they are now principally grown in Shizuoka Prefecture, where people attribute their sprightly health and longevity to the local mikan crop and delicious Shizuoka green tea.

The fact that mikan have such fine, easy-to-peel skins means that they are very difficult to grate with a zester, and thus it is tricky to do anything other than eat them fresh. However, if you want to make a delicious Middle Easterninspired orange and almond cake, try the following easy and gluten-free recipe: www.tinyurl.com/5hx8ev. The idea of boiling six mikan in water may seem a bit strange, but this is a moist, delicious, and light cake, although personally, I leave off the cream and chocolate shavings that they suggest. Another one to try is the Fresh Tangerine Sorbet at www.epicurious.com for a refreshing, light end to a festive winter’s meal.

Festive Orange Nightcap

photo courtesy of istock/Anyka

T

he festivities are just around the corner and what better than a chocolate orange martini cocktail to kick off the season, courtesy of Blue Silver Event Managament. Deceptively easy to make; be sure to serve it in a martini glass—the drink will be clear but full of decadadent flavor. Enjoy!

Chocolate Orange Martini Pour the alcoholic ingredients into a shaker Three quaters0 full of cubed ice.

Shake vigorously for a full minute. Strain your elixir into the martini glasses and garnish with Mandarin segments. Sip and enjoy.

Absolut Mandrin vodka, 45mls Cointreau, 25mls White Creme De Cacao, 15mls

For more information on Blue Silver Event Management for your Christmas or New Year party, see www.bluesilver.jp

Dec 05 – 18 2008 Vol. 39 No. 23 13

Saijo Sake Town Drinking at Japanese traditional breweries, by Alena Eckelmann

S

aijo, a small town in Higashi-Hiroshima, is unknown to most foreigners and even Japanese. However, it is a major landmark for connoisseurs of sake, Japan’s rice wine. Each year in early October, hundreds and thousands of sake fans make their way to the Saijo Sake Festival for a chance to sample some of the finest sakes.

Located in a highland basin and surrounded by mountains, Saijo spots the perfect natural conditions and ideal weather for producing sake of excellent quality. Mount Ryuo (Dragon King Mountain), reaches 250 meters above sea level and, the highest mountain in the area, is the source of the pure water that has been feeding Saijo’s many local wells for generations. Hiking up to the top of Mount Ryuo, the tall brick chimneys of Saijo’s breweries, as well as the rice fields in the plains of Hiroshima Prefecture that produce the premium rice used for making Saijo Sake can be seen in the near distance.

A distinguished brew

photos courtesy of iAlena Eckelmann

Brewing sake in Saijo has a long history reaching back to the early Edo period. By the beginning of the last century, Saijo’s sake and had become already acquired an outstanding reputation throughout Japan and became one of three major sake brewing centres, along with Nada in Hyogo and Fushimi in Kyoto. Some of Saijo’s sakes were favored by feudal lords and literary dignitaries alike. This legacy is continued today and Saijo Sake was presented to international guests at the reception for the G8 Chairman Meeting, held in Hiroshima City in September 2008. Over the years Saijo’s breweries have repeatedly won prizes for the high quality of their sake at national and international sake competitions.

Produced by three ingredients only: rice, water, and koji (rice inoculated with a mould to convert starch to sugar), there is no added alcohol, as is often the case with lower-quality sake. Brewing follows a three-stage process echoing the traditional process of the Hiroshima region. All of Saijo’s sakes are junmai or ginjo grades, the two top sake designations that ensure a ‘super premium’ quality. Flavors and aromas are generally aromatic, fruity, and light. It is often called onna zake (female sake) for its mildness and smoothness.

Saijo Sake is truly authentic. In order to ensure the supreme quality of its sake, Saijo has its own Locality Designation Control System that follows a number of strict criteria, including the usage of pure local water and rice. Only sake of junmai and ginjo grades that adhere to the criteria, can be called Saijo Sake. The toji, or distinguished brew masters, strictly supervise the process. Kamoizumi brewery’s Yukio Masuda is the oldest living master brewer in Hiroshima and remains active in the industry by training the next generation of toji in Saijo.

The ten breweries in the region and their twenty labels are united under one brand: Saijo Sake. Hisao Maegaki, President of the Saijo Sake Breweries Association as well as President of his own brewery, Kamoizumi, proudly explains Saijo Sake’s slogan: ‘Taste Japan.’ Take one sip of Saijo Sake and you will understand Japan.” In May 2008 it became the first sake brand of Japan to be selected by the JAPAN BRAND Development Assistance Program of the Japanese Government, an initiative that promotes high-quality products incorporating traditional craftsmanship and resources from local areas.

Saijo Brewery walking tour The best way to explore Saijo is on foot, following a walking tour that passes by eight of Saijo’s ten breweries, many water wells, and other historic sites, including the ruins of an old tea house and the Matsuo Shrine, where the god of sake is enshrined. The tour starts and ends at the square in front of Saijo Station, where one can find the Saijo Information Office that provides guidance and information in English.

The breweries are easily identified by their white facades and uniquely designed walls as well as their red brick chimneys. Most of Saijo’s breweries are located in a small section of Saijo along Sakagura Dori (Brewery Street) and near the wells that produce the pure water. Just as tasty as the sake made from it, visitors are encouraged to try this too. The breweries’ interior and displays are all different, illustrating their unique history as well as explaining the different stages of the sake brewing process. Although the breweries share the same resources of water and rice, each of them has their own distinctive story for you to discover.

Brewing starts in early October and the beginning of the season is celebrated with the Saijo Sake Festival.

Representatives from all ten breweries congregate at the local Matsuo Shrine to pray for a good season. A mikoshi (portable shrine) parade is held at the opening of the festival featuring the Sakebayashi, the symbol of sake brewing. Look out for the cedar ball that can be found hanging over the entrance way of all sake breweries.

The end of the sake brewing season is in spring, which is perhaps the best season to visit Saijo, however Saijo’s breweries are open all year-round, except for a few days around the Japanese New Year, making it a great destination throughout all seasons. Even a cold winter holiday sipping sake in Saijo is sure to warm your body and relax your mind.

Bishu Nabe (Bishu hot pot) is a local speciality of Saijo. A rich dish made with chicken gizzards, vegetables, and other ingredients—all boiled in sake, of course—was a nourishing food for people working in the breweries, which was hard labor in the old days. Alternatively, you can sample the Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki where various ingredients including shredded cabbage, bean sprouts, meat, or seafood and noodles are placed between two thin layers of pancake, which is not mixed up like in the more common Osaka-style version.

After sampling Saijo Sake and the local cuisine, why not go shopping for sake and sake-related presents? Sake can be bought at the breweries or, alternatively, if you would like to choose your tipple after trying a sample at each of the breweries, go to the sake shop near the station and find all 20 labels of the Saijo Sake brand. Each brewery has more than just sake to offer. The Kirei Brewery produces noodles made using sake while Sanyutsuru Brewery offers a popular Five Sake Sampler (five 180ml bottles). Kamoki brewery has a coffee lounge, a Japanese sweets shop, and a gallery on their grounds. Kamoizumi brewery also has a coffee shop as well as a crafts shop for Japanese-style dyed cloth and products made from it. You are sure to find some presents to take home.

14 | Weekender—Charities Issue

TRAVEL

Although the breweries share the same resources of water and rice, each of them has its own distinctive story for you to discover.

Traditions die hard in Saijo Only a 35-minute train ride away from Hiroshima City, Saijo is the perfect destination for a day or half-day trip to Hiroshima’s countryside. Hiroshima is easily accessible from Tokyo by either Shinkansen (Nozomi: four hours) or by plane from Haneda Airport (one hour, twenty minutes). The Hiroshima Interpreter and Guide Association can organise English tour guides to help you make the most of your visit to Saijo. For more information and to make a booking please visit their website (in English and German): www.j-higa.net or call 082-245-8346.

They can also help with booking accommodation in the area. For more information on Saijo sake and the various breweries and their facilities, please visit the Saijo Sake Brewers Association’s website at www.saijosake.

Dec 05 – 18 2008 Vol. 39 No. 23 15

BUSINESS COMMENT

Beginning at Home

C

orporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is much in the news these days. Even Japanese companies are beginning to understand that there is value in being (and being seen to be) a good corporate citizen. CSR takes many forms of course from taking a responsible approach to the environment to making a contribution to the community in which a company operates.

Increasingly, we are seeing evidence that unless we all begin to take our share of responsibility for what happens to our planet, our children—and certainly our grandchildren—will come into a bleak inheritance. Global warming is a reality. Hunger and poverty are real. Easily treatable diseases kill thousands of children every year because of a shortage of clean water. The cycle of poverty is perpetuated because girls in certain parts of the world receive no education. Wars and civil disturbances result in thousands of new refugees year after year, people who are displaced, frightened, often with little hope for anything, least of all of going home.

Here in Tokyo, concerned as we might be right now with the financial meltdown and our own investments, it is easy to think that such problems are remote; that they do not concern us. And yet, it seems to me that whenever there is poverty in the world, we are all impoverished; whenever a single child goes hungry we are all somehow culpable.

But we can play a part in helping those less fortunate. Refugees International Japan is just one

of a number of charities that works here to make a difference in other parts of the world. It will be the beneficiary of a fundraiser generously hosted on December 10th by HE the British Ambassador, David Warren and his wife Pamela. A Christmas Cracker is a seasonal entertainment in words and music featuring the Grantchester Meadows choir, a selection of appropriate readings, and an assortment of seasonal food and drink, including traditional British mince pies and mulled wine. There will also be a raffle of some champagne, kindly donated by Robin and Midori Maynard. One hundred per cent of the proceeds will go to benefit RIJ; the suggested all-inclusive donation per head is ¥7,000. The Cracker is not really suitable for children under high-school age.

Prior reservations are essential. You can see full details and make your reservations by visiting the BCCJ website at www.bccjapan.com and going to the events calendar for December.

Ian de Stains, OBE is the Executive Director of the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan. He is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and Convenor of its Japan Chapter.

MONEY

How to Not Get that Housing Loan!

W

hether to give a customer a loan to buy a property is a complex decision for a bank.

From a consumer’s point of view, it seems straightforward—you contact the bank, get the documents, query the unintelligible, make the application, and wait for the money.

Behind the bank wall, though, all sorts of calibrations are going on. For instance, the bank’s board, or off-site senior executives, have decided that the recent credit squeeze is a potential “bank killer.” So from tomorrow, pile that capital onto the balance sheet; so other banks will trust you and keep working with you. The recent bank fatalities were not suicides; they were executions by peers who had decided that time was up, and cut off the supply of money and trust.

In times of tight money, trying to borrow from a bank when you are not a ‘good’ customer will be tremendously character building. ‘Good,’ by the way, translates to how much money you generate for the bank. Banks have fairly standard scoring techniques to gauge the viability of each borrower. Also to watch out for are the credit and risk departments, whose main aim in life is not to say “yes.” Their team tattoo says, “when in doubt, don’t!” What consumers really want though, is flexibility on the bank’s part to say “yes” when these customary scoring techniques don’t quite match the current state of affairs.

This is where the credit and risk team need to be persuaded to show mercy, a rare quality in those circles. The person you are dealing with is potentially

16 | Weekender—Charities Issue

your “good guy” inside the bank, going up to bat for your case. Thus, a good relationship with your contact would be a wise investment, because when push comes to shove, you need all the help you can get.

When it comes to the paperwork, if you want to make it hard for yourself, lie to them in the application. They may forgive a small oversight, but the credit and risk team have had any milk of human kindness surgically extracted from them before they are given these jobs. Another excellent way of wasting everyone’s time is to be too busy to finish off filling in all of the necessary information. We have all done it—used up all those energy points making yourself all too well organized at work; leaving insufficient time and energy for your private affairs and leading to procrastination.

So. to sum up, to increase your chances of getting that housing loan, build a good relationship with your loan officer and your bank manager and get on the paperwork today!

Dr. Greg Story is the Country Head of National Australia Bank. For more information, see www.nabasia.com or call 03-3241-2144.

BUSINESS PROFILE

Volvo’s XC90 F

or the suburban (or urban) family juggling the demands of shuttling kids from school to ballet or karate classes, getting to and from the office, and an occasional trip to the golf course, Volvo cars are always uniquely primed to offer the first and most important necessity—passenger safety.

With the Volvo XC90, the Swedish automaker’s largest-sized SUV, there is the added benefit of greater space, flexibility, and style. The XC90, since it first Your family will love it rolled off the production line in 2003, has been one of Volvo’s most popular models. In fact, in 2005, it was the company’s top selling model globally.

All the while, the XC90 has been continually upgraded and its styling has been tweaked, making the 2008 models as pleasing to the eye as they are to the nerves.

Some think that safety and style do not necessarily go together, especially with motor vehicles. The people at Volvo, however, beg to differ. Volvo vehicles have become synonymous with safety throughout their history and have been responsible for many of the innovative safety features that are nowadays taken for granted, from three-point seatbelts to airbags. Says Volvo Japan’s Steven Wanchap, “As many people know, one of our strongest points is the issue of safety. It’s something that we communicate very heavily. It’s something that people know very well about us.”

Thus, Volvo continues to push the envelope in the area of safety features. The car, since its inception, has consistently topped the standings in rollover tests, for example and motor vehicle critics and pundits have fallen over themselves in heaping praises on the XC90. Wanchap contends that the XC90, like other Volvo models, offers value for money since, unlike some of its competitors that would have many safety features as add-ons for which customers would have to pay separately, most of the safety and other features are standard in every Volvo vehicle. He says, “A lot of our safety features are standard across every model, whether it’s passenger airbags, side inflatable airbags that actually cover your ribs, or the inflatable curtains which, in the case of the XC90, go all the way back to the third row. These are all standard features. These are the things that are standard and we invest heavily in these different types of safety technology. In our newer models, especially in the case of the XC90, (they have) what we call a City Safety driver function, which will automatically brake the car within a certain speed range. That is a standard feature.”

photo courtesy of Vovlo.

Space, safety, and style, by Norman Munroe

Choices In 2003, the XC90 was available in two variations, the 2.5T and the T6. Nowadays, there are several other sub-variations available, with both gasoline and diesel-powered drive trains. They are available in seven-seat or five-seat configurations and the seats can be flipped around and re-configured in a variety of ways to maximize storage capacity and legroom. While diesel models are popular in Europe, for the Japanese market, only gasoline-powered models are available, due to the continued local aversion to diesel, its greater fuel efficiency, high level of performance, and more reasonable price notwithstanding.

At the top of the range of the four models available in Japan is the XC90 V8TE, which has a variety of added factory options. Next up is the XC90 3.2R-Design, which is a sportier version of the car. Like the TE, it boasts a leather interior, however, it also flaunts other touches like a more ‘sporty’ steering wheel.

The slate of XC90 models available in Japan is completed by the 3.2SE and, below that, the limited edition Nordic. The Nordic has the same 3.2 liter engine as the SE but as Wanchap puts it, has a somewhat more “simplified package and is a little bit more price-conscious.” In addition to the technical specs the cars are also available in a variety of colors.

Some think that safety and style do not necessarily go together, especially with motor vehicles. The people at Volvo, however, beg to differ.

Reliable Considering the challenging market for motor vehicles these days, the sheer quality and reliability of Volvo cars still make them good investments. Volvo Japan offers support at every stage of the purchasing process and for foreign clients who may have Japanese language issues, the company will handle all the necessary paperwork as well as official procedures, such as licensing and so on, on their behalf. For expatriates returning home, the company will also handle the bulk of the arrangements for overseas deliveries as service to expats are offered by native English-speaking staff. Wanchap assures that “everything is communicated in English, whether the brochures or the documents.” The Volvo showroom that caters to its international clientele relocated from Roppongi to Meguro this year, with an on-site technical workshop that handles vehicle servicing. The company also offers customer assistance from its head office in Kamiyacho.

In a country like Japan, where safety is an obsession and Swedish imports such as Ikea furniture enjoy stellar reputations and great popularity, Volvo continues to build on its legacy of providing motor vehicles that are safe and reliable, as well as elegant. Furthermore, it is the XC90, as it has since its inception, which remains in the vanguard in this regard.

For more information on the Volvo XC90 or other Volvo models visit www.volvocars.com. Alternatively, email swanchap@volvocars.co.jp or ysato12@volvocars.co.jp.

Dec 05 – 18 2008 Vol. 39 No. 23 17

The Asian Collection A unique gallery space in Tokyo,

by Ulara Nakagawa

T

he Asian Collection is a one-of-its-kind gallery located in central Tokyo that features the works of carefully selected talent both from Japan and the rest of Asia. The gallery’s emphasis is on art that engages and inspires; art that is more than just pretty— visual pieces that you just can’t stop looking at. It is also about creating opportunities for Hitoshi Ohashi and Bob Tobin young artists who have few chances to showcase their work in a tough market such as Japan.

The owners of Asian Collection are Bob Tobin and Hitoshi Ohashi, who met here 20 years ago. The two also have a consulting company called Tobin Ohashi Group (www.tobinohashi.com). Weekender caught up with them to find out more about the Asian Collection.

Why did you start the gallery?

We both love art and have always had art in our homes and office. People were always coming over and saying, “That is beautiful!” and “Where can I get that?” Eventually, we thought there could be a business there.

When was this?

This was about four years ago. We started having open houses in our homes once a month on a Sunday.

People came, bought artwork, and we donated a certain percentage of our sales to orphans with AIDS in Thailand—something we still do. The project just grew and grew and so we opened a gallery in Naka Meguro.

Then, last June we opened a gallery in Moto Azabu and are now open three days a week—Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

How is Asian Collection different from other galleries here?

We wanted to start a gallery that had a homey feel to it, not a typical, pretentious, or intimidating kind of space,where people might be afraid to enter or ask questions or wonder, ‘is that acrylic or watercolor, or a Picasso?’ So we made it very comfortable and informal—there are carpets on the floor and we welcome children and pets. Art is close to life—and our business reflects that.

Accessible art inside the gallery

How important do you think it is for people to have great artwork in their living spaces?

Some people are very strict about furniture and carpets but sometimes they forget one thing in their house—the walls. Walls can really change the atmosphere in your house or office. We think good art is just as important as a bed or a sofa. You are bringing something into your life that will inspire you and bring you pleasure. We see it all the time—people tell us they come home from a hard day at the office and when they open the door and see the their artwork, they are so happy. We have one client who told us she watches less TV now as she prefers to just look at her art!

Is there anything new and exciting going on now with Asian Collection?

Now that it is holiday season we have many gift items including those that we can gladly ship for you (free delivery in Japan). We have also set up a site for internet shopping that you can access from our homepage.

What is the most rewarding part about having the gallery?

There are many, but for one it is incredible that many of our consulting clients (Tobin Ohashi Group/TOG KK) now also ask us to help them in choosing art for their offices since they recognize the role that art can play in making a productive work environment. Also, with Asian collection, while we have many works from well-known artists we are also able to help up-and-coming artists from Japan and Asia who really have a struggle here and even often have to pay to exhibit in galleries. For instance, Gakushi Yamamoto is a young sculptor who is a graduate student at Tokyo Zokei University. We have shipped his work to London, Switzerland and Columbia, and he is thrilled. Yet, when we met him, he was thinking of giving up his career and is now more determined than ever to continue. Giang Nguyen and Ryota Aoki are a couple other young talents with similar stories.

Gakushi Yamamoto chair

18 | Weekender—Charities Issue

For more information on the Asian Collection, visit www.theasiancollection.com or phone 03-5724-5975.

BUSINESS PROFILES

Reflections and Aspirations Magellan’s Phil Gibb looks for the positives in the financial downturn

T

his has certainly been an annus horribilis as far as world financial markets are concerned.

Every time you open a paper, switch on your computer, or watch the news, the world markets are consistently portrayed as a picture of doom and gloom. It’s easy to get caught in this mood and believe that there is no light at the end of the tunnel but you really need to remember that bad news sells newspapers! The media has plenty of choices to run as headlines, from record market falls to record one-day gains with everything else in between.

Hidden amongst this bad news, however, there have been some investments that have stood up to the test and it’s no surprise that they have no correlation to equities. Some of the stars have been futures trading funds that work best when there is volatility in areas like commodities and currencies; they have produced returns between 30 to 40 percent year-to-date.

For investors happy to have steady returns with low volatility, you are hard pushed to beat niche market funds such as student housing, attached to various UK universities (returning 11 percent per annum).

One other area that has p r o d u c e d returns in the eight to tenpercent range is in commercial lending; the lenders in question do not Helping your finances grow have any lever-

aging and therefore, no exposure to the credit squeeze.

Looking ahead, most investors are concerned about what action to take to ensure that they can still manage to achieve their financial goals. The first step is to determine your short, medium, and, long-term goals and then to structure your planning accordingly—taking into account the current market conditions and of course, your available resources. For most of us an extra amount each month may be as effective as investing a lump sum depending on your investment horizon.

For short-term goals you will need to examine your holdings and switch, as well as buy, into holdings that offer the greatest potential for shorter-term gains. The upside is that you can buy into funds that have been oversold by managers desperate for liquidity and as a result offer excellent value at today’s prices. Many economists are pointing at emerging markets to lead the recovery.

Looking at the medium term it may be sufficient to buy more of the stocks you already hold with perhaps a slight rebalance dependant upon your holdings, as this will reduce your overall unit costs and lead to an earlier breakeven point (dollar cost averaging).

The long-term strategy, of course, is to hold and wait for the recovery. You can definitely get an extra benefit by investing extra cash now and taking advantage of the depressed market prices. But, no matter what type of investor you are, you should sit down with your financial adviser and discuss your portfolio to ensure that you are positioned to take advantage of the eventual recovery.

The adage for all of us going forward is; “investments can rise as well as fall.”

Future Living For real estate, it’s time to buy, by Marie Teather

S

ometimes it is the simplest of ideas that are the most effective and just such a case in 2006, real estate agent Ami Masuda spotted a void in the market that needed to be filled.

Simply, what was missing was a one-stop web portal for non-Japanese speaking property buyers.

Although there were plenty in Japanese, foreign buyers had to wade their way through numerous of agent’s sites—most of which had the same properties displayed several times over. With this in mind, she established Future Living and property suddenly became a much clearer market for buyers and agents alike.

Masuda has been in real estate for 15 years and explains that the real estate business in Japan can be a daunting undertaking; “The process here is still very traditional. Some landlords still don’t accept foreigners and others who would like to are not sure how to go about it.” In addition to pairing landlords and tenants together, Future Living was also designed to bridge a gap between some of the cultural and linguistic difficulties.

For new-to-Japan property buyers, the site features a glossary of terms, such as the confusing procedure of key money. On this, Masuda recommends trying to negotiate the terms of the key money as often landlords are willing to off-set the fee against the rental agreement or better still, drop the fee altogether.

Further still to ease the deal, Masuda offers advice to landlords, suggesting that if they are hoping to attract better tenants, then they need to be more flexible with their terms. “Lots of places have started to drop key money recently and so little by little it is changing.”

In the early days, everything from the website design to system updating was outsourced. These days, Masuda employs full-time staff to maintain the site which receives between 300–400 viewers a day.

Due to a need to keep up with customer demand, an improved site, (www.relocationtokyo.com) has recently gone live, which, aside from property in Tokyo, features houses, apartments, and office space in Tokyo and also holiday homs in Karuizawa and other resort areas. All enquires submitted through the site go directly to the agents and the site features no ads making it very user friendly.

Talking on the real estate market in Japan in light of the subprime mortgage crisis, Masuda admits that sales have been down in the past year and that properties over ¥800,000 a month are staying unoccupied for longer than before. “Properties are not moving as quickly at all and the market is very unusual at the moment. There are not as many expatriates moving to Japan and more are leaving.” Of course, those with an eye for a business opportunity are taking the cut in prices as opportunity to buy properties outright in the aim to make a profit from it at a later date.

Masuda offers further advice to those who are contemplating moving house within Tokyo, offering that the time is right to try to negotiate cheaper rents in the ever-popular expat areas of Hiroo, Azabu-Juban, Omotesando, and Nishi-Azabu. For those who are familiar with Tokyo and no longer need to live in these areas, neighborhoods along the newer subway lines such as the Namboku or the Fukutoshin line offer larger properties for cheaper rents.

Financially, times are hard and no doubt the real estate market is one of the hardest hit. Still, with agents like Masuda keeping an eye out for simple and profitable opportunities, even the darkest of clouds can have silver linings.

For more information on Future Living see www. relocationtokyo.com or www.futureliving.jp.

Dec 05 – 18 2008 Vol. 39 No. 23 19

20 | Weekender—Charities Issue

photo courtesy of istock.com/pixhook

I

t’s the most wonderful time of the year, or so says the famous carol. Undoubtedly, one of the best aspects of the season is picking the perfect gift to bring joy to your friends, family, and loved ones. Here, we’ve compiled a selection of some of the best gifts in Tokyo—for anyone on your list.

With so many people having either tiny apartments or seemingly ‘everything’ it can be hard to buy material gifts for some, which is why we’ve included ski trips, massages, and hair treatments. Others are socially conscious, which makes People Tree’s fairly traded products perfect to pop in a gift box. Triumph offers the perfect present for an intimate loved one, while an EXCEL-AIR helicopter tour can be both romantic and adventurous. From pearls to that morning caffeine jolt, to staying in touch with loved ones back home, there’s something for everyone. Happy shopping!

AMO’S STYLE, a chain of specialty underwear stores operated by Triumph International (Japan) Ltd., is a big hit with the younger crowd who love the store’s cute and funky designs. Out of the more than 200 stores nationwide, including nearly 40 in Tokyo alone, the flagship store in Omotesando is particularly popular and is always full of hip young women. The store has just been decorated with hot new displays for the coming winter season.

It’s the perfect place to pick up something special for you or your loved ones. For more information on AMO’S STYLE, please visit www.triumphjapan.com or www.amostyle.com.

Live holiday greetings—no postage required.

In Japan for the holidays? Stay in touch with your loved ones with Skype. All you need is a computer and a web connection.

Skype-to-Skype calls are free; anytime, anywhere.

Add a high-quality video webcam for crisp and clear video calling. Connect to conventional and mobile phones at the most reasonable rates around. You can also text chat, send digital photos directly via Skype, send SMS messages, and more.

Skype makes the perfect gift, too. Just visit their website and click the “Share” button. Join the future of communication at www.skype.com.

De Longhi’s fabulous EAM1500SDK is the perfect machine for the coffee lover in your life, creating cappucino, espresso, or a cafe americano with just the touch of a button.

From grinding to brewing to disposal of used grounds, it’s all fully automatic.

Try this machine at the showroom in De’Longhi’s Tokyo or read more online at: www.delonghi-espresso.com/ EAM4500.htm.

Dec 05 – 18 2008 Vol. 39 No. 23 21

Discover Japan offers over 30 years of experience, helping to make your trip safe, relaxing, and fun for all. You’ll find excellent snow, great skiing, great food, possibly good weather, and definitely great company. Please see their website for more information. (www.discoverjapan.co.jp)

photo courtesy of istock/akaplummer

Give the gift of discovery this holiday season. Discover fun in the countryside of Japan on one of Discover Japan’s ski or board camps for children or their community ski or board trips to Shiga Kogen in Nagano.

For the 25th season they have organized ski and board vacations for children, parents, families, and friends of the extended international community.

Two ski and board camps for elementary and middle school children will take place at the start and end of winter vacation. These are three night trips with instruction during each of the three full days.

In the evenings there will be sledding, games, contests, journal writing, and more.

Their community ski or board trips are very special vacations for the entire family or for children in middle school and above. The hotel is high on the slopes of Yokote-yama and they have reserved the entire hotel for both trips during the school vacations in February.

Ski and board rentals are available and lessons will be arranged in English and in Japanese.

People Tree People Tree is a leading Fair Trade brand stocking clothing, accesories, handicrafts, and food. They work in partnership with 50 producer groups in 15 different countries across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, helping some of the world’s most marginalized communities to improve their lives through Fair Trade, escape poverty, and promote sustainability. They also work hard to pioneer ecologically sound methods of production and minimize environmental impact. Visit their stores in Jiyugaoka and Omotesando and see the good work they are doing!

Products Animal

shown:

Pencase, Elephant

Shop Information:

and Giraffe, 100 per-

P e o p l e T r e e

¥1,900,

cent cotton, made in India.

Jiyugaoka,

3-7-2

Jiyugaoka, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, tel. 03-5701-3361, 11am–8pm daily (closed Dec. 30–Jan. 3).

Sin Den is one of the top salons in Tokyo and certainly it is the most famous among the foreign community. The stylists to the stars, when not in the salon, Sin Den’s cutters and colorists are working on the sets of music videos, films, and concerts or doing work for women’s fashion magazines. In the midst of all this glamor is Fabio, a genius who was persuaded to leave his London salon to work with Sin Den’s English-speaking clientele. Since arriving, he has been in constant demand, executing just what the clients want.

Through Sin Den, Fabio is offering a special holiday gift voucher for those who want to “give the gift of great hair.” It is, he says, a ‘Holiday Beauty Package,’ in which you get ¥30,200 of hair services for only ¥19,900. It includes a cut (valued at ¥8,500), a full head of highlights or any other color (valued to ¥18,000), and a rescue remedy treatment to save you from Tokyo’s harsh water (a ¥3,700 value). Best of all, he adds, if you don’t use it all, Sin Den will keep your credit on record for the next time you drop in. Since moving to their new location near Omotesando, appointments have been even harder to come by so book at least one to two weeks in advance. www.sinden.com.

22 | Weekender—Charities Issue

Nothing spells extravagance like a pearl can. If you’re looking to give a gift that emanates beauty and rarity, pearls—as they have for centuries—remain the ultimate token of love and power. In the now unlikely district of Roppongi, Jane’s Pearls has been providing pearls for royalty, celebrities, diplomats, and expatriates alike for 44 years.

Founder and owner of the shop Jane Yonamine, a revered figure herself, assures us that visitors to the shop can see a sample of whatever they choose without any unwanted advice or pressure. The freshwater pearls on display originate from China and all over the world. True to the very simplicity of the jewel, very little is done by way of preparation to this truly beautiful and naturally forming gemstone. With prices ranging from ¥2,000 to ¥20,000,000 there should be no excuse for not giving the woman you treasure her own piece of indulgence. For more information visit www.janespearl.com.

With the holiday season approaching, how does getting rid of stress and tension, giving your body a little extra energy recharge, or simply feeling good sound?

Using the traditional oriental medicine approach, Rick at ENERGY ROOM combines acupuncture, moxibustion, shiatsu, and massage therapy to do just that. The very heart of these therapeutic approaches lies in the fact that they are forms of preventative medicine, which means that ideally you want to be receiving them when nothing is really wrong with your body.

In this modern world, especially during the busy season, just getting through the days can build up things within you that you really do not need to keep. Quite small and subtle at first, they nevertheless create stress and tension in the mind and body.

That, in the long run, becomes the basis for ailments and malfunctions on a physical and sometimes psychological level. When they release, it can also lead certain ailments and malfunctions already present

*Must make a minimum 12 month commitment to the World On-Demand package. photo courtesy of istock/abzee

photo courtesy of istock/tovfla photo courtesy of istock/sjlocke

As if time stands still...get away from the hustle and bustle of the day. See the beautiful evening sky, full of reds and oranges. Looking down at glittering Tokyo from the dark skies above, it is a sight you will never forget. As the lights of the buildings below compete with one another to enter your eyes, even the lights shining off the bay will find a special place in your heart. Enjoy both the lights made by man and the lights made by nature.

From the skies above, the lights below constantly change in shape and strength, giving you a different memory with each passing moment and adding to your experience as the helicopter flies on. There’s no need for any other fancy decorations. Just let yourself go.

Welcome to Helicopter Cruising.

For that special someone, give them a helicopter cruise for an unexpected gift. You can enjoy the dynamic landscape of Tokyo or Yokohama—over the course of the 15–20 minute Tokyo-based tour you’ll see the Imperial Palace, Tokyo Tower, and more. Also, try a ten-minute Yokohama cruise over the bay. For more information or to make a booking, www.excel-air.com/english/cruising/index. html or tel. 0120-888-910.

Come home to your favorite TV this Christmas with World On-Demand and the best entertainment from around the world.

World OnDemand is giving away a free television viewing box plus ¥3,000 in credit when you subscribe to its main channel package this Christmas.* Now you can watch top American, European, Australian, and Middle-Asian TV with World OnDemand. This includes the latest news, entertainment, and kids shows; live and uninterrupted, with channels including FOX, FOX News, Australia Network, STAR, Colors, Deutsche Welle, E! Entertainment, and BBC World.

World On-Demand is digital TV powered by broadband. Watch the TV you want, where and when you want it, on both PC and TV. The service boasts over 130 channels from the biggest brands in the world, an innovative online self-service system, and multiple language customer support.

For more information or to sign up for World on-Demand this holiday season, visit www.worldondemand.net.

Energy Room

to disappear. If simply relaxing, feeling good, and becoming more aware of your own body can, at the same time, reduce or get rid of such build-up, wouldn’t that be the perfect gift for yourself or your loved ones?

(Rick Terauchi is a Japanese government-licensed therapist. Having lived and studied in the US, he wishes to use his therapeutic and English skills to benefit as many people on as many diverse levels as possible.) For more information on Rick and ENERGY ROOM, visit www.energyroom.net.

Dec 05 – 18 2008 Vol. 39 No. 23 23

SCHOOL’S OUT

English Studio Questions are the first steps, by Marie Teather

F

or many parents and teachers, getting children to really enjoy learning a foreign language can be somewhat of a challenge. Encouraging a young child to learn a second language in hopes they will go onto work overseas in the future, may seem a little too optimistic, but for English Studio founder Ikuko Tsuboya, this type of scenario is not uncommon. There was for example, the surprise visit from a successful photographer who had returned from the states to tell her that it was at English Studio as a junior high school student, that he was first introduced to the topic of photography. This sparked an interest, which led him to move to the US after graduation, and the rest, is history.

Questions Shane Thompson, director at English Studio attributes their enquiry-style of learning to the school’s longlasting influence on their students: “We provide students with the necessary vocabulary to ask questions and present the students with a situation relevant to their interests and topic of study. The students have to ask questions to gain further information or to reach a conclusion.” One such example of this integrated ESL and topic study approach was a group that was studying design. In front of them was a coin that had been placed at one side of the table, which they had to move to the other side of the table—without using their hands. How would the students do this? An imaginary machine perhaps? Such a machine would require describing to teammates, confirming, and concluding—all using English. “Students will learn to ask questions that they really want to know the answers to,” Shane said.

The first English Studio was founded in 1985 in Mita. There are now three branches throughout Tokyo and with 28 years experience of teaching English as a second language notched on its belt, English Studio has established itself as a reliable and innovative teaching institution.

Parents have long been attracted by the school’s more holistic approach to English study, a method of teaching they employed long before the term became fashionable. For parents who hope for their children to learn English as in real-life situations, the school is a welcome break from the traditional juku (after school cram schools) which tend to focus on getting students through exams and entrance tests, or from some of the nationwide language schools which place more emphasis on grammar.

English Studio kids enjoy a sports days

Parents have long been attracted by the school’s more holistic approach to English study.

Naturally, the school receives a high percentage of returnee students, some of who may even be having trouble adjusting to life in their regular Japanese schools; “Unfortunately, some of the students who have lived overseas are bullied at school for their lack of kanji understanding or even for speaking Japanese with an accent. We like that we are able to provide these students with a comfortable environment in which they can meet others who have been in the same situation as they have. It allows them to feel proud of their English” adds Shane.

Choices The English Studio schools, based at Mita, Meguro, and Setagaya run on a Tuesday to Saturday rota with Saturday being a busy day for intensive classes. Many students and parents have commitments throughout the week and so the three-hour study classes at English Studio provide ample opportunity to make advancements with their English ability. Each school offers various options for learning including evening classes, summer schools, and the Setagaya school based in Musashikoyama also runs a 9am–12pm intensive kindergarten program. English Studio’s main focus is for students aged three to twelve years old but there are also classes for junior high and high school students.

Friday is for field trips, and classes have paid visits to local fire stations, parks, and more. During this year’s summer school program, which was themed accordingly to the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, students went to a sports center where they made flags to wave at their own mini sports day.

For parents and teachers who understand the importance of English in their children’s future, getting them to enjoy attending a school is an important obstacle to overcome. When a young child first arrives at an unfamiliar school with teachers speaking a language they neither understand, nor perhaps even want to, it can be a traumatic experience. At English Studio, however, students’ first impressions last long; evident in yet another young adult who recently dropped in to say hello. Another teacher at the school got a visit from an ex-student who he at first didn’t recognize.

The student told him that he was taught at English Studio many years before; then graduated and went overseas to live. He said not only did he enjoy the freedom that speaking English gave him, but thanks to the teachers he was also able to feel comfortable talking with foreigners which made him want to go live abroad.

Lifelong learning can begin with the simple act of asking questions and no one seems to know this better than English Studio.

English Studio has three branches. Mita School can be reached from Shirokane Takanawa or Sengakui station, tel: 033798-5829, Meguro School from Musashi Koyama, tel: 03-3712-3313, and Setagaya School which can be reached from Kohonbutsu or Jiyugaoka station, tel: 03-5758-2491. For more information see www.englishstudio.jp

24 | Weekender—Charities Issue

Holiday Crafts for Kids

by Danielle Tate-Stratton With the winter holidays just around the corner, one

of the best ways to celebrate with your kids is to spend some time together making holiday crafts, either for yourself or to give as a special gift. Here are just three ideas for easy crafts to do with your kids. Each should take under an hour and you can buy all of the supplies

at a Yuzawaya craft store location (www.yuzawaya. co.jp) or most things at a Tokyu Hands. Check out Yuzawaya’s multi-store location in Kamata for everything you could ever need to craft! We’ve designed crafts for multiple ages but they could all be adapted for different age groups. Have fun!

Snowman holiday card (2–5 years) What you’ll do: • Paint the cut edge of the potato white and print it on the card, from biggest at the bottom to smallest at the top.

• Paint in snow around the snowman’s base and paint or print a sun or moon if desired.

• After the paint dries, draw in a carrot nose, coal buttons and mouth, and a warm scarf and hat.

• Use white glue to attach eyes.

What you’ll need: • • • • •

three potatoes of various sizes, cut in half A4 card stock or construction paper, folded in half white tempera paint and brush markers plastic ‘googly’ eyes, glue

Pipecleaner tree (and menorah) (5–10 years) What you’ll need: • pipe cleaners in green for trees; silver for menorah • a small (two inch) flower pot • large plastic ‘pony’ beads in various colors (yellow for menorah) • corks • liquid or gluegun glue

What you’ll do: • Fold two pipe cleaners in half and twist them all tightly together for the trunk.

• Take six pieces of pipe cleaner, ranging from one and a half to four inches and twist them around the ‘trunk,’ starting with the longest at the bottom.

• Decorate your branches by sliding pony beads on to them.

• Make a small hole in your cork and glue in the bottom of the tree. Then, glue the cork into the pot.

Holiday napkins (10 and up)

To make the menorah: Follow the same steps as the tree but create a second multi-pipecleaner piece to act as the cross part of the menorah. Twist half-lengths of pipe cleaner to create the eight candles and a three-quarter length piece to create the middle candle. Top each with a yellow bead for the flame.

What you’ll do: • Decide which holiday shapes you want to illustrate and sketch them onto the back of the colored fab rics before cutting them out.

• For a tree, cut out the main shape from predominantly green fabric and then use smaller shapes (flowers, etc. from the fabric pattern) as decorations.

• For the Santa hat, use red and white-based fabric to make the shape of the hat. If you are worried about your drawing abilities, there are plenty of templates online; easy to find with a quick search.

• Spread a small amount of the fabric glue onto each shape and then glue them on to the napkins.

What you’ll need: • • • •

napkins (or placemats) in a solid color 1/10 meter each of several Japanese-style fabrics sharp scissors fabric glue (we used Best Bond)

Dec 05 – 18 2008 Vol. 39 No. 23 25

SPORTS

Winter Fun

by Dave Enright

T

he beautiful golden hue of the mountains has changed to white, autumn leaves have fallen to the ground, and a soft blanket of snow covers the land. The seasons have changed in the Northern Japanese Alps once again and the people of the valley are busy with the final preparations for another long winter in the village of Hakuba. Just as in the days of past, the locals split and stack wood to heat their homes, mill buckwheat for the famous soba noodles, harvest the last of the radish and special greens used to make pickles, and, of course, wax their skis and snowboards in anticipation of the copious amount of powder snow that is sure to fall on the multiple ski resorts in the area.

open powder turns away from the crowds of the ski hills. Hakuba’s huge expanse of steep, snow-covered alpine bowls and beech forests are any advanced skier and snowboarder’s dream. This terrain, however, is not only amazingly beautiful but can be very lethal due to avalanches that are a common occurrence in these rugged mountains. It is imperative for those wanting to venture into these areas that they have the proper avalanche training and gear first, or otherwise hire a professional guide to lead them safely in and out of terrain that is not only suited to your ability and risk level, but also suited to the snow stability of each day.

On the map Hakuba made its mark on the list of international ski resorts when it was chosen to hold the alpine skiing and Nordic events of the Nagano 1998 Winter Olympics. The alpine events took place at Hakuba’s premiere resort Happo One, long renowned by the Japanese as having some of the longest and most challenging runs in Japan. Happo One also hosts the Rizen Slalom, Japan’s longest running annual alpine ski race.

The spectacular views of the towering 3,000 meter Hakuba Alps from Happo’s high ridge has to be one of the most amazing sights Japan has to offer, especially on those crisp clear winter mornings and after one of the many fresh snows that contribute to Hakuba’s 12 meters of average annual snowfall.

The combined resort of Hakuba Goryu and Hakuba 47 also boast great views of Mount Goryu (Five Dragons Peak), named after the five distinct diamonds and long white tails of snow that descend 1,000 meters down the steep craggy chutes to the valley below.

Hakuba Goryu and Hakuba 47 are also known for their long, steep runs to their respective base facilities that provide great food, new model demo gear and rentals, ski and snowboard schools, as well as hot springs and children’s play areas.

There are a dozen ski and snowboard resorts to choose from in the greater Hakuba Valley, which includes Omachi City to the south and Otari Village to the north. All of the resorts offer something different from the other; some are known for their great powder, others for their extensive terrain parks, and some are known for their solitude, located away from the crowds. Hakuba offers ski and snowboard instruction as well as daycare services in English, so that even families with small children can enjoy the slopes.

Off the slopes Even for those that do not ski or snowboard, there are plenty of other activities to enjoy in the region. One of the favorites of families and those out to explore the solitude of the winter mountains is snowshoeing. Snowshoeing is a great way to get away from the crowds and experience the natural spaces that would be otherwise inaccessible without the thick layer of snow covering the low bushes and trees. It’s also a great way to search out the wildlife of the valley and spot animals like the Japanese serow, mountain goat, badger, red fox, great hare, and many birds including the Nagano prefectural bird, the thunderbird. These birds are a protected species and can often be found in the high alpine bowls and ridges of the Northern Japanese Alps.

This alpine terrain is also where you will find backcountry skiers and snowboarders enjoying wide

26 | Weekender—Charities Issue

Base After returning from a strenuous day on the mountains or a long day browsing the local shops, you can always count on the rejuvenating qualities of one of the many hot springs in the valley to relax your body, mind, and soul. Many of the Japanese hotels and lodges in Hakuba have their own hot spring spas right on the premises, which make your stay all that much more luxurious. There is also an exciting après ski scene with multiple bars, Japanese pubs or izakayas, and great restaurant choices, so that the good times don’t have to end on the slopes. Many of the western-style bars also offer great live music and DJs most nights throughout the winter, for those wanting to dance the night away.

If you haven’t discovered the Northern Japanese Alps yet, what are you waiting for? Pack up your bags, put on the answering machine, and load the family and friends into the car or on to the train and make your way up to Hakuba this winter for some worldclass winter fun. Whatever type of experience you are looking for, Hakuba is sure to impress.

Access to Hakuba is an easy four-hour direct train or bus ride from Shinjuku station or two-and-a-half hours by bullet train from Tokyo, with a connecting bus or taxi from Nagano station to Hakuba. There are also direct shuttle services from the Narita and Nagoya international airports that are affordable and easy, but reservations are mandatory. For those in a greater hurry to get out in the snow, where money is not an issue, there are direct helicopter flights from Tokyo to Hakuba as well.

For more information on access, services, and ski resorts in Hakuba, see www.ski-hakuba.info

PARTYLINE WITH BILL HERSEY Sri Lanka Festival in Yoyogi Park

Sri Lankan Ambassador Ranjith Uyangoda and Sri Lankan First Secretary Charmari Rodhis wife, the Imperial Household’s Koichi Ha- rigo, her husband Ranjith Hecttige, and their son Megha. roguchi, his wife, and Yasushi Akashi.

Sri Lankan jewelry rep. Nishantha Pereira with his wife Tomoko.

Sri Lanka Airlines Manager Japan/Korea Ambassador Ranjith Uyangoda with BruRanjit DeSilva flanked by his executive staff neian Minister Maidin Mahadi and his wife.

Hiroshi Oba and Kimio Kanasugi.

Members of the visiting Sri Lankan dance troupe.

Daerr’s German Reunification Day Reception

German Ambassador Hans-Joachim Daerr, Alexa Daerr, and Christine Faure. tennis champ Kimiko Date, Alexa Daerr, and German car racer Michael Krumm.

Top Japanese lawman Atsuyuki Sassa, his wife German Counsellor Hands Langhaeuser, and his wife.

Latvian Ambassador Peteris Vaivars, Westin US Ambassador Thomas Schieffer, his wife Hotel’s Frank Bochmann, and the hotel’s GM Susanne, Takako and Hisanaga Shimazu.

Andreas Trauttmansdorff.

Mari Shimizu, Porche’s Dr. Martin Esser, Irish Ambassador Brendan Scannell, Romanian Ambassador Aurelian Neagu.

A

s I’m sure most of you know, the Weekender has been taken over by a new owner and publisher, BC Media, and, as anticipated, will be making some changes in format. It looks to be an interesting challenge and until it happens in the first issue of the new year, I want to do what I’ve always felt was a friendly obligation and clear up as many parties and events that I have attended as I can in the year’s last two issues. I’ve been writing Partyline for 37 years (I started very young) and am looking forward to working with BC Media’s dynamic and sharp staff. The first issue comes out on January 9 of 2009. I won’t say much about the changes but I think you will be pleasantly surprised. My sincerest thanks for your friendship and support. We couldn’t do it without you.

Now, it is time to move on to the social scene and clear up as many of 2008’s special events as I can before the new, exciting Weekender.

Sri Lanka Festival at Yoyogi Park Once again I really got into and enjoyed the weekend festival over at Yoyogi Park. The colorful events got started early when Ambassador Ranjith Uyangoda invited government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, and other dignitaries to the opening ceremony. After the speeches there was the traditional lighting of the oil lamp and an exciting show by several dance groups. Sri Lanka Air had flown in from Colombo. The festival was packed for its two day run with Sri Lankans who work in Japan and their Japanese and international friends. There were endless restau-

rants with a huge variety of Sri Lankan foods, all kinds of handicrafts, great Ceylon tea cafes, and continuous entertainment. With great ambiance, the two days were like a huge picnic with so many people enjoying themselves. The last night was like an international rave with both Japanese and Sri Lankan bands playing pop music while the huge crowd danced well past the scheduled closing time. What made it even more of a happening was when Ambassador Uyangoda got on stage and sang several Sri Lankan pop songs. The man is really good.

Daerr’s German Reunification Day Reception German Ambassador Hans Joachim Daerr and his wife Alexa (she is French) are a very popular couple.

Their beautiful home, as well as spacious garden, was full of interesting people from all walks of life, gathered to celebrate the day of German unity. The German Minister of Economics, Technology, and Labor, Jurgen Reinholz, was a special guest at the early evening reception. The garden with its shrine, stone paths, and many trees, was beautifully illuminated for the occasion. Booths serving the best of German favorite foods were set up everywhere. Kudos to the Westin Hotel who did a super job of catering. The German bakery Tanne, as always, had their booth and thanks to a friend at the embassy, I took home some great rolls and loaf of black bread. For the best German bread in town, drop by one of their shops in Nihonbashi or call 03-3667-0426. I really enjoyed running into a lot of friends I hadn’t seen for

Dec 05 – 18 2008 Vol. 39 No. 23 27

Ukrainian Independence Day

Ukrainian Ambassador Mykola Kulinich, Czech Rev. Paul Koroluk of St. Jude Mission with Ambassador Jaromir Novotny, and Olena Olena Kulinich.

Kulinich.

Architect Richard Bliah and Dr. Eugene Akssenoff.

Eid al-Fitr Celebration

Bruneian Ambassador Dato Mohd Adnan, his Ambassador “Kicky” Kuriyama and his wife wife Datin Yura Alaiti, son Ampuan with wife Mimi, and Cambodian Ambassador HE Pou Sothirak.

Suryante, and their two daughters.

Siti Lastri Anwar, Ambassador Adnan and his wife, and Indonesian Ambassador Jusuf Anwar.

F1 Party at New Lex

F1 expert Emily Downey and Force India’s Brazilian Rubens Barrichello and Temple University student Umar Ali. Adrian Sutil.

Kimi Raikkonen, Robert Kubica, Pedro de La Rosa, and Tsukasa Shiga.

Bill Hersey with Brazilian racer Nelson Piquet Kamui Kobayashi with Ceremony President Tsukasa Shiga.

Junior.

Those Ferrari people know how to party.

some time. These included Jesus Cordoba, who heads BMW operations in Japan, and Dr. Martin Esser, who is a top executive with Porsche here. I actually bought my first BMW from Martin way back; it was a red convertible too. One of the highlights of the evening for me was when one of the embassy staff introduced me to a Japanese tennis great. Kimiko Date, a real champion, is married to German car racer Michael Krumm. She retired for a short time and is back at the courts and really doing well. It couldn’t have happened to a nicer lady. Speaking of nice people, I really appreciated the German ambassador’s wife Alexa introducing me to Christine Faure, the wife of the French ambassador. Both ladies are the epitome of French chic and charm.

Ukrainian Independence Day Over at the New Otani, Ukrainian Ambassador Mykola Kulinich hosted the seventeenth anniversary of the Ukraine’s Independence party in the hotel’s luxurious new Palazzo room. It was an early afternoon of interesting people and excellent food. Still on the diplomatic scene, Czech Ambassador Jaromir Novotry and his wife Dana hosted a huge reception (over 700 people) at their home October 27. The occasion was held to celebrate their National Day.

Eid al-Fitr Celebration On the occasion of Eid al-Fitr at the end of Ramadan, and also to say goodbye to the Bruneian Ambassador,

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Datin Mohd Adnan and his wife Pg Datin Yura Alaitai hosted a midday reception on Sunday October 5.

They were just here for three years but the popular couple made many friends for themselves and their country. As with most diplomats, the Adnans were sad about leaving Japan but at the same time were looking forward “to going home and being with the children and grandchildren.” Their son Ampuan, who works for Royal Brunei Airlines, his wife, and their two daughters were at the party that day. What a nice family.

F1 Party at New Lex This is the third year Ceremony Corp President Tsukasa Shiga has set up an after-race party for the F1 racers and their friends at the Lex. Needless to say, these guys just never slow down and the party gets better every year. After the race, the drivers head back to their Tokyo hotels, take a shower, and show up at the club between 11pm and midnight. It, as you can imagine, is a wild and fun night that goes into the early hours with the world’s top racecar drivers, their friends, and their fans.

A big thank you to Emily Downey, a real F1 aficionado, who wrote the cover story, The Need for Speed—Is the F1 for Everyone?, in the September 19 issue of the Weekender. Emily knows all the racers’ faces, and really knows the sport in general. Her help that night was really appreciated by the club staff and myself. I left at 5:30am, and the party went on until about 7am.

PARTYLINE WITH BILL HERSEY Segafredo Zanetti Espresso www.segafredo.jp www.segafredo.it

Nicola Grieco, his wife Wakana, and their Philanthropist Michael Ghiglione and PR beautiful daughter Maia. guru Martin Webb.

Francois Gergaud and his beautiful daughter Kiara, 2 years-old.

In and Around

A starry-eyed Amine Ben Saad celebrates Diane from Poland and Katie from Holland here Tohokushinsha Chairman/CEO Banjiro his birthday with model friends at the Lex. Uemura and Anri Shroff at National Azabu. for fashion week.

Halloween Costume Contest at National Azabu

Very young vampire Enzo Ericsson.

National Azabu’s Dale Toriumi with Jane Dadlani and her daughter Saira.

Hiroshi Tamada, his wife Komoni, and their The Capizzi family—mom and dad with their pirates, Aya (4), A.J. (6), and Dean (2). son Luke.

The next day, Shiga took a few of the drivers and their friends around Tokyo Bay on his new 80 foot Italian, James Bond-looking yacht, the Primavera. A few of them decided they wanted to swim, dove off the main deck, and did just that. They didn’t, however, stay in the cold water very long. That really is life in the fast track. Ceremony Corp rents the luxury ship for private parties. If you really want to do something special ask for Hiroko at 048-822-5047 or email: hisyo@cermony.jp.

Halloween Costume Contest at National Azabu It was certainly a happy Halloween for kids (and their parents), who entered the costume contest at the Hiroo National Azabu Supermarket. The store’s staff had set up a stage in the parking lot and decorated it all in the style of a traditional Halloween. There were witches, ghosts, vampires, pumpkins, and more. The costumes were all great and all winners. It wasn’t easy to pick the best but after careful deliberation, the judges decided and the Izumisawa sister and brother won with their Edward Scissorhands costumes. All of the contestants won prizes and left with balloons, pumpkins, and smiles. It was a fun day in every way.

Congratulations to Min-on Concert Association President Hiroyasu Kobayashi and his staff for their sold-out success with the world premiere tour of the

Emcee Anri Schroff with first prize winners Ryosei and Yusei Izumisawa.

Natsuko Iisa, Mizuki Yamada, and Juinichi Suzuki at the Market’s Sun Florist Shop

Odyssey with the Brass Angels. The exciting percussion and brass band featured 55 young women from the US. I partied with them one night in Roppongi and what energy they had—theirs outdid mine.

Just Talk I had dinner with a couple of doctors the other evening, and they asked me if I had gotten my flu shot.

I had, a few weeks earlier at International Clinic for ¥5,000. They also asked me to recommend to friends that they get theirs as well. It seems there are all kinds of new viruses out there and the shots do really help.

A few months ago I threw a party for the French Women’s National Tennis team who won here and were very happy that night. The next day they flew back to Paris and some were sick from some bug they picked up here. Unfortunately, a few even had to cancel tournaments.

I just read an ad for an insurance company that read, “Are you ready for the Big One?” They, of course, are talking about the major earthquake many feel will hit Tokyo in the near future. California is worried as well. They are expecting a 7.5 quake sometime in the next 30 years and just held one of the biggest earthquake emergency drills ever. Old Mother Nature is really unpredictable and we should all be as prepared as possible.

Dec 05 – 18 2008 Vol. 39 No. 23 29

ARTS WITH OWEN SCHAEFER

From Garbage to the Gallery

J

ardim Gramacho is South America’s largest garbage dump. As the overflowing destination for Rio de Janeiro’s refuse, it is over 1,000 square kilometers in size and has 5,000 people living near or inside of it who survive on scavenging and recycling.

There are no art galleries in Jardim Gramacho.

This is the site that Brazilian artist Vik Muniz, a native of São Paulo, chose to create one of his most recent sets of works, Pictures of Garbage. In this lengthy and cooperative project, Muniz photographed seven inhabitants of the landfill in poses that recall familiar images—Jacques-Louis David’s painting of The Death of Marat, Atlas shouldering the earth—and then worked alongside each individual to create the final product: their own image reproduced on an enormous studio floor, using garbage as the medium. Muniz then photographed the results.

Muniz is known for working with unconventional and surprising materials, frequently employing them to revisit well-known artworks, such as his peanut-butter-and-jelly Mona Lisas, his chocolate-syrup portraits of Freud and Jackson Pollock, and his twodimensional image of a minimalist sculpture by Tony Smith, made with dust swept from the museum. He is both sculptor and photographer, preferring ephemeral—and often perishable—materials on the sculptural side, which are rarely displayed outside of their final photographic incarnation.

Tokyo Wonder Site’s The Beautiful Earth, now on in Shibuya, consists of the Jardim Gramacho photos but also has selections from three other recent series: cartoonish clouds drawn by a sky-writer over Manhattan; aerial photos of line “drawings” created by backhoes and bulldozers; and works created in crumbling raw pigment, reminiscent of the methods used to create Tibetan sand mandalas. But visually, it is the Garbage series that is most arresting.

In almost all of Muniz’s work, scale, and depth are the key aspects that he uses to simultaneously pull and push the eye. In Marat, the image of a man in a bathtub first jumps from the surface. But as the eye moves to smaller details, both the “flat” nature of the work and the sense of a recognizable scale fall apart,

as the viewer recognizes shoes, toys, cans of oil, and various appliances. It becomes obvious that this is a construction in three dimensions and at a surprising size. But blink and the work resolves back to a flat canvas, its scale continuing to flip-flop between the perceived figure and the wide expanse of studio floor. This is the kind of visual ambiguity that makes Muniz’s brilliance shine.

Coming from any other artist, the series could have been trite, heavy-handed, or simply offensive.

After all, Pictures of Garbage could be taken to refer to the people themselves, however the artist chooses to represent and interpret them. But Muniz, who grew up in a poor neighborhood himself and is both humorous and self-effacing, is adamant in pointing out that each subject of the works is in part a creator and takes pains to point out that the garbage in each image forms the background, rather than the figure itself.

“They’re not made out of garbage,” said Muniz at the opening of his show in the Shibuya Wonder Site gallery, indicating that the bare studio floor essentially forms the skin of each person. “They’re made out of cleanness. They’re made out of the space where garbage isn’t. They are in that space where their identity can take place.”

This exhibition is also an opportunity to see these works ahead of next year’s anticipated release of Art is Garbage—a feature-length documentary following Muniz and his Jardim Gramacho subjects as they create what Muniz has called their “self-portraits.” The film will pursue the creative process from the rubbish tip to the Phillips de Pury auction house in London, where the works were sold to the who’s-who of art collectors with all proceeds returning to improve the lives of the denizens of Jardim Gramacho.

Vik Muniz—The Beautiful Earth (to Mar. 1) Tokyo Wonder Site, Shibuya. Admission Free. 11am–7pm.

(Closed Mon.) 03-3463-0603. www.tokyo-ws.org

CROSSWORD #41 1

Across

Down

1. Help (6)

1. Desire for success (8)

4. Representative sent on a mission (8) 2. Lack (8) 3. Large coarse bag (4)

10. Other worldly (8)

5. Calcutta’s famed philanthro-

12. Carry (4)

pist (6,6)

13. Short (5)

6. Took to court (4)

14. Canyon reply (4)

7. Bureau (6)

17. Cooperation structure (12)

8. Cowardly color? (6)

20. Tear jerking (5-7)

11. Conservation (12)

23. Gumbo (4)

15. Heavenly visitor (5)

24. Subject of concern (5)

16. Fountain throw (5)

25. Jacob’s son (4)

18. Return (4,4)

28. Free lawyer service (5,3)

19. Unsightliness (8) 21. Labored (6)

30. Contributing (8)

22. On set (6)

31. Rouses from sleep (6)

26. Overabundance (4) 27. Incandescence, (4)

3

4

9

9. Suggest for the first time (6)

29. Request word (6)

2

5

6

7

8

18

19

10 11

12

13

14

15

16

17

20 21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

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