DIGEST

COMMUNITY EDITOR

Up and Running Selfless Spirit

YUUKI IDE

Even before the doors of the Club’s Covid-19 vaccination center had opened on July 5, a line of eager Minato Ward residents had formed at the first-floor entrance. By the end of the designated site’s first week, nearly 5,000 people, including many Members and staff, had received their first of two vaccine doses.

“I’m delighted for the Club to take part in such a momentous project,” says Club governor Sam Rogan, who led the task force that worked with Minato Ward to launch the center. “It’s a testament to the ingenuity and selflessness of our community that such an impactful operation could get off the ground so quickly.”

To learn more about how the community initiative came about and its ongoing impact, turn to page 20. NJ

GOLF

Tee Time

KAYO YAMAWAKI

Doglegs and sand traps aren’t usually welcome sights for any golfer, but they were when the Club’s revamped 19th Hole simulator reopened with upgraded shot-tracking technology last month.

As part of the 19th Hole’s grand unveiling, dozens of links-loving Members celebrated with test-drives on the state-of-the-art Trackman simulator, which uses multiple radar and optical sensors to analyze more than 40 different swing parameters (see page 35 for photos from the Grand Slam Golf event).

“Every golf pro on earth basically has a Trackman system,” says Club pro Tom Fielding of the new tech. “It’s a lot more intuitive. It presents information in a much more visual way.”

Visit the Club website to book your simulator session. OZ The launch of the Club’s Covid-19 vaccination center for Minato Ward on July 5 was remarkable. Unprecedented in the history of the Club (like the scale of the pandemic itself) and extraordinary in how quickly it came together. But the Club has seen this kind of Member mobilization before.

Just days after earthquake-triggered tsunami decimated communities along Japan’s Tohoku coast in 2011, groups of Members sprung into action. The Club became a hub for donated supplies that were driven up to affected areas by teams of volunteers in the trucks of one Member’s relocation company.

“I felt compelled to give back to the country I consider my second home,” another Member volunteer told INTOUCH at the time. “My daughter was born in Japan, so we have a history here and it has had a huge impact on our family.”

At the same time, a relief fund was set up and preparations began for a fundraising concert in the New York Ballroom, featuring a variety of performers, including rapper Speech from the hip-hop act Arrested Development. Those efforts brought in more than ¥16 million.

But the Club’s relationship with the region didn’t end there. Tourism- and education-related projects with the hard-hit Fukushima region continue to this day.

Over the last few weeks, the Club community has, once again, revealed its humanitarian side. As detailed in this month’s cover story, “Doses of Optimism,” dozens of Members collaborated to ensure the success of a life-saving initiative.

Even after the challenges of the past 18 months, the compassion of Members remains undimmed.

Life in lockdown for many people over the last year meant finally cracking bucket-list books or exploring new genres and formats. Books also proved a therapeutic release from pandemic stress. For the Club’s own community of avid readers, including Member Jon King, the Library has been a vital resource over the past 18 months.

What was your favorite childhood book?

A Separate Peace, John Knowles’ coming-of-age novel.

What inspired your love of books?

My mom is an avid reader and was always recommending books to me as a kid. Books were everywhere in our house and lined the walls in the living room. She, of course, introduced me to A Separate Peace, JD Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead and many of the great American works that defined my coming of age and inspired my love of reading.

What genre do you most enjoy?

Social economics and behavioral sciences (Daniel Kahneman, Nassim Taleb, Yuval Noah Harari) and contemporary fiction (Haruki Murakami, Don DeLillo, Richard Powers). I don’t really seek out historical fiction but scenes from Amor Towles’ A Gentleman in Moscow still flit through my brain years later, and I am looking for something in that genre that might be as cinematically written.

LIBRARY

From the Shelves

What are you reading now?

The Tangled Tree by David Quammen. It is a history of evolutionary bi-

Jon King

KAYO YAMAWAKI

ology and the scientists who changed human understanding of the subject. This book doesn’t really fit with the genres I usually read, but somehow it piqued my interest.

When were you last unable to put down a book?

The Overstory by Richard Powers and, in nonfiction, Nassim Taleb’s Antifragile.

Summer Scents

City smog, summer haze and harmful UV rays. As invigorating as soaking up the August sun may be, it pays to give your skin a break with rejuvenating, natural oils designed to perk you up for a true summer glow.

Through August 31, enjoy 20 percent off The Spa’s mind- and body-boosting aromatherapy treatment that combines gentle kneading with Doterra essential oils infused with such soothing ingredients as peppermint and spearmint.

Book a 60- (¥10,560) or 90-minute (¥14,080) session today and see out the season with a relaxed and radiant you. OZ

SPA

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RATES STARTING FROM JPY 39,000++ ~ (1 person) JPY 43,000++ ~ (2 persons) For Deluxe Room (42 sqm) with 1 King Size Bed or 2 Queen Size Beds

• Above rates are subject to 15% service charge and 10% government tax. • Package is available from 1 July 2021 through 31 December 2021 (based on availability and subject to change) • Hotel Credit can be used for restaurant, bar and spa. • For a stay with your children, please inform us upon making your reservation. • Reservations can be made via telephone or email.

The Tokyo EDITION, Toranomon Sales & Marketing (Monday-Friday, 10:00-18:00) Tel: 03-5422-1604 / Email: sales.tokyo@editionhotels.com

NIHONBASHI

Discreet Dining

NACÁSA & PARTNERS

Sometimes, work just won’t wait. But rather than letting her midday meal fall prey to pressing office tasks, Member Jasmine Yap decided to mix business with pleasure with a lunch among colleagues at the Nihonbashi Club’s private dining room.

“I was delighted to be able to host,” Yap says of the convenient American Room venue. “The food was as good as the service, and the privacy also was conducive to discussing work over the meal.”

Members can plan their own working lunches or dinners at the Nihonbashi Club by contacting 03-6262-6977 or americanroom@tac-club.org. OZ

GOVERNANCE

Every Vote Counts

YUUKI IDE

The decisions made over the past year to strengthen the Club’s financial future could never have happened without Members making their voices heard through a series of crucial votes.

“The last year has reinforced how much the Club means to so many of us,” says Michael Benner, the Club’s representative governor. “To ensure that as many Members as possible have a say in its future, I urge all eligible Members to register to vote and exercise their democratic right.”

Ahead of the Club’s next Annual General Meeting on November 16, Members are encouraged to download a Voting Member registration form from the Club Articles of Association & Rules page of the Club website and submit the completed document to Member Services. OZ

WINE

Heat-Beating Bottles

WORDS ADAM HANDLER IMAGE KAYO YAMAWAKI

It’s hot. It’s humid. You want a crisp, cold white wine. My first Cellar selection for this sweltering season is zingy with pear flavors and a strong lemony backbone. It will also get your friends talking. An Arneis from Australia? How unusual and surprisingly delicious! Adelina’s 2018 Eternal Return is available for ¥4,200.

“Rosé all day!” It’s a battle cry that can be heard all summer long. For me, rosé must be salmon-colored and hail from Provence in France. Château Les Valentines’ 2019 Le Caprice de Clémentine (¥2,660) is a perfect poolside sipper. Close your eyes, savor its silky balance, peach and stone fruit flavors and citrusy acidity and imagine yourself on a yacht off Saint-Tropez.

If you’re looking for something with the tannins to stand up to the robust flavors of your summer barbecue, you won’t be disappointed with The Cellar’s 2015 Bodegas Muga Reserva (¥3,410) from Rioja. Vanilla notes and red berry fruit dominate this not overly heavy Spanish Tempranillo, which pairs well with almost anything from the grill.

Adam Handler is a member of the Club’s Wine & Beverage Committee.

For the month of August, receive a 10 percent discount on purchases of at least three bottles of any of these recommended Cellar wines.