AGENDA

Events in August

Since some events may be postponed or cancelled due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis, please check the Club website for the most up-to-date information.

1

Summer Spreads

Whether you’re planning an Olympic watch party or a lazy weekend with the family, the Club’s selection of four summer catering packages is sure to satisfy every appetite and preference.  Through September 26  Details online

1

Camp Discovery

Club kids get their fill of crafts, games, dance, sports and the summer sun at the Club’s kids-only day camp.  One-week sessions through August 27  Preschool Camp (ages 3–5): ¥49,500; Big Kids Camp (ages 5–8 & 9–10): ¥55,000  Members only  Sign up online

1

Social Squash Partner

Looking to up your squash game or improve your stamina on the court? Sign up for 20-minute practice sessions for beginners and intermediate-level players with Club pro Rico Cheung.  4:30–6:30pm  Squash Court III  Free  Ages 16 & above  Members only  Sign up online

1–18

Summer Reading Challenge

Last call to rack up pages in the Library’s annual, summer read-athon. Voracious bookworms and novel novices alike have until August 18 to polish off their current reads.  The Library  Details online

1–31

Summer Sale

Spruce up your summer wardrobe with 50 percent off Club-branded T-shirts, polos, sunglasses and bags from The Cellar’s extensive collection.  The Cellar  Details online

KAYO YAMAWAKI

1-8

Olympic Fever

At the 1896 Olympics, 241 men competed in 43 events across just nine sports. Absent were modern mainstays like track and field’s team relays, indoor and beach volleyball and global favorites like basketball and soccer.

How times have changed. During this summer’s Tokyo Olympiad, more than 11,000 athletes will give their all across 33 pursuits, with two sports (baseball and softball) returning to the roster and four making their inaugural appearance.

With so much action to catch in sports new and old, there’s no better place to experience every medal moment than at the Club. Screens from Traders’ Bar to Vista will broadcast all the sporting drama until the curtain falls on August 8. OZ

OLYMPIC FEATS

• Sport Climbing

During a 2021 competition, Indonesian Olympian Veddriq Leonardo climbed 15 meters in 5.2 seconds to set the current world record.

• Skateboarding

At 13 years and 11 days old, British skater Sky Brown became the youngest Olympian in the history of the Summer Games with her appearance in Tokyo.

• Karate

Turkish karateka qualified for seven of a possible eight disciplines in the 2020 Games—trailing only Japan.

• Surfing

In 2017, Brazilian pro Rodrigo Koxa rode a 24.4-meter wave, the largest ever, off the coast of Nazaré, Portugal.

• Baseball

Over the five Summer Games that have included baseball, Cuba advanced to the final in each and won gold in three.

• Softball

Across three Olympics (2000 to 2008), the United States won 22 straight games until beaten by Japan in the 2008 final.

 Details online

1

Gallery Exhibition: Risa Murakami

It’s said that Mozart played his first harpsichord at 3 years old. Picasso reportedly completed his first oil painting at 9. Already in the habit of performing to audiences by age 7, Chopin composed his first piece of music at that tender age.

Having received her first lesson in traditional nihonga painting techniques from her father as a 5-yearold girl, Risa Murakami (pictured) appears to be in exclusive company.

All month, the Frederick Harris Gallery hosts Murakami’s exquisite depictions of nature in flux. The exhibition is the gallery’s third in a summer series of shows by emerging local talents. OZ

Moment I realized I wanted to become an artist.

My father was a nihonga painter, so I was surrounded by art from a young age. Naturally, I wanted to become an artist just like him.

What I would tell my 20-year-old self.

Believe in yourself and keep painting, even if there are things that worry you. But instead of spending every waking moment painting, make sure you experience life, too. This will influence your work down the line.

My perfect creative environment.

A place where I can quietly immerse myself in my work and be surrounded by nature.

Artist, living or dead, I’d most like to share a meal with.

I am fascinated by the delicate yet powerful works of Ryuko Kawabata, a nihonga painter who lived through the turbulent Meiji and Showa eras. I would be interested in learning from her sensitivities.

 Through August 31  Frederick Harris Gallery  Artworks available for purchase through The Cellar  Details online

2–6

All-Star Sports

Youngsters burn calories and make fast friends at weekly sessions of tennis, basketball, soccer and more.  Through August 27  3:30–4:30pm (Thursdays: 4:30–5:30pm)  Gymnasium & Activity Room  ¥14,580  Ages 5–10  Details online

7

Men’s Golf Group Competition

Nestled off the shore of Chiba’s picturesque Lake Teganuma, Abiko Golf Club plays host to this friendly battle of links-loving Members.  Details online

13

Enrichment Programs

Plan your next semester of learning by browsing the selection of Connections enrichment classes on the Club website. Online registration starts at 10am on September 1.  Details online

13

E3 Swim Program

Former Japanese open-water swimming champion Lisa Miyasugi leads this course that favors stroke efficiency over needless exertion. Perfect for beginners and advanced swimmers alike.  6:30–8am  Sky Pool  Details online

13

Cub Scout Meeting

Elementary school kids explore the world of Scouting through regular meetings of the Club-sponsored Pack 51.  7–8:30pm  Activity Room  Details online

18

Toastmasters Luncheon

Discover presentations that engage and podium confidence at these regular, peer-supported meetups of the Club’s cohort of Toastmasters.  12–1:30pm  Washington & Lincoln rooms  ¥2,420 (online: ¥550)  Sign up online

20 & 27

Winter Garden Melodies

See out the week with a cold glass in your hand while enjoying piano and violin performances by esteemed local musicians.  6–9pm  Winter Garden  Details online

21

Show & Tell Jamboree

Ages 6 to 9 learn how to share ideas at this afternoon of games, music and confidence-boosting activities. Read more about this youth program on page 17.  2–3pm  Toko Shinoda & Yukiko Maki classrooms  ¥1,100  Sign up online

24

Cocktail Connections

Mask up and mingle with friends over happy-hour drinks during this monthly mixer.  5–7pm  Connections members only  Details online

KAYO YAMAWAKI

1

Squash Support

“I couldn’t even bounce the ball off the wall in the first session, and I have never sweated so much in my life,” confesses Simon Farrell of his firstever experience on the Club’s Squash Courts with Club pro Rico Cheung during a free June workout. “I’m 60 years old and had never played squash.”

Does that mean he has hung up his racket for good? On the contrary. Farrell now hones his game (and his fitness) during lessons with Cheung twice a week.

The Member may be the latest convert to the physically and mentally demanding sport, but Farrell also represents the success of the Club’s new monthly series of free, 20-minute Social Squash Partner sessions with Cheung.

Designed to introduce beginners to the fast-paced game and held every first Sunday of the month, the sessions see Cheung not only walk new players through the basics of court etiquette and strategy but also give intermediate players a chance to build on their techniques when finding a regular partner proves difficult.

Like Farrell, players might just find the squash bug too irresistible to kick.

“Rico patiently structures each lesson based on warming up, reviewing previous lessons and introducing new techniques,” says Farrell. “We finish off each session with a game or two. He probably lets me win the odd point to build my confidence, but I feel I have learned so much in such a short time.” OZ

PRIVATE SESSIONS  Wednesday & Thursday: 2–6pm; Sunday: 12:30–5:40pm  30-minute sessions  ¥3,300  Details online

SOCIAL SQUASH PARTNER  First Sunday  4:30–6:30pm  20-minute sessions  Free  Sign up online

8

Shakuhachi Concert

For Masaki Nakamura, sometimes the old ways are best.

“Plastic will sound like plastic, and iron will sound like iron,” Nakamura says of shakuhachi flutes made from more contemporary materials. “But when the brain hears the sound of a traditional shakuhachi made from pure bamboo, it’s almost like hearing wind drift through a bamboo grove itself.”

Since the first bamboo flutes arrived in Japan from China in the seventh century, the shakuhachi’s telltale tone has been nearly synonymous with traditional Japanese music. In premodern Japan, it even became the favored instrument of a sect of Buddhist monks intent on overhauling the practice of meditation by adding music.

This month, Members can experience the bewitching sound for themselves at an exclusive performance in the Winter Garden, as Nakamura (pictured) plays pieces from across the flute’s long history.

“I tend to perform traditional songs to showcase the shakuhachi’s roots,” the Aichi Prefecture native says. “But I also perform pieces that mix Japanese and Western styles, as well as completely original songs I’ve written myself.”

Easy to pick up but nearly impossible to master, the shakuhachi has been Nakamura’s life’s focus since he began practicing in earnest at the age of 17.

“Because it’s not mechanically made like brass instruments, it can be very difficult to play even simple scales on the shakuhachi,” Nakamura says. “However, this also makes it possible to express oneself freely and without bounds.” OZ

 6–6:30pm & 7–7:30pm  Winter Garden  Free  Sign-up required (walk-ins accepted if seating available)  Details online

28

Men’s Golf Group Competition

Club golfers test their mettle on the Kohmyo Ohtani-designed Sayama course at Saitama’s historic Tokyo Golf Club.  Details online

28

Total Back Care

Discover the unassuming causes of alltoo-common back pain and learn how to avoid it at this hands-on clinic led by Club fitness instructor Chuck Johnson.  10am–12pm & 1–3pm  Washington & Lincoln rooms  ¥3,300 (optional stretch bands & case: ¥2,750)  Members only  Details online

30

Coffee Connections

Set yourself up for a summer of new friendships at this monthly get-together of Connections members.  10am  Connections members only  Details online

Northern Oasis

Chalet Ivy Hirafu o ers a unique getaway from the everyday

Hirafu, in the Niseko region of Hokkaido Prefecture, is known as a paradise for winter activities, but it’s also a stunning place to visit in the summer and fall. And an ideal base for experiencing the pleasures of Niseko is Chalet Ivy Hirafu.

The charming boutique hotel offers a perfect escape for Tokyoites looking to enjoy a slower pace of life—whether it’s by basking in the hotel’s onsen; savoring fine cuisine expertly prepared from fresh local ingredients; or exploring the area around the hotel through a wide range of activities.

One of the first things that strikes you when you set foot in Chalet Ivy Hirafu is the relaxed ambience, and it’s an aspect of the hotel that has earned it many repeat guests, explains Hotel Manager Makoto

Iwasa: “The hotel has a very cozy atmosphere, which makes guests feel just like they are staying at a holiday house. Our guests truly enjoy the feeling at Chalet Ivy

Hirafu. A large portion of our clientele are repeat visitors who appreciate the charm of the hotel and everything it offers.”

This welcoming feeling is supported by the friendly English-speaking staff who provide a personal touch along with superior service. Each member of the team at Chalet Ivy Hirafu is empowered to serve as a kind of concierge, whether they’re making dinner reservations or helping guests arrange outdoor activities.

CREATURE COMFORTS

Even in Hokkaido, a prefecture celebrated for food production, Niseko is well known. And as Iwasa explains, both of the hotel’s restaurants focus on fresh, seasonal ingredients. Snow Castle, which crafts premium, modern Japanese cuisine, is run by a chef who has worked at top Japanese restaurants here and overseas. Meanwhile, the casual izakaya restaurant HirafuZaka puts these high-quality ingredients to expert use in traditional fare, such as ramen, curry and rice, and katsu (pork cutlets).

When you’re not relaxing in the comfortable, tastefully designed guest rooms and suites or feasting on a delicious meal, you’ll want to make the most of Chalet Ivy Hirafu’s onsen. The public bath is fed by a natural spring, and the minerals in the water are said to be both refreshing and good for the skin. What’s more, unlike the water that can be found in some Japanese public baths, the hotel’s onsen water is odorless, making the bathing experience something that can be enjoyed by all.

THE GREAT OUTDOORS

When you’re ready to go exploring beyond the comforts of the hotel, Hirafu offers a wide variety of activities, such as horseback riding, cycling, hiking or even picking vegetables. During the summer months, temperatures in the area stay in the low 20s, and there is very low humidity, making it a wonderful respite from Tokyo’s notoriously sweltering summers.

Whatever activity you’d like to try while you’re staying at Chalet Ivy Hirafu, the staff can provide recommendations and arrange for transportation or equipment rentals, making your stay a completely refreshing break from the everyday. And as the area is still an underexplored region of Hokkaido during the summer, you’ll be a “vacationing pioneer”—making the most of an unforgettable experience, minus the crowds.

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