March 2015 iNTOUCH by Tokyo American Club

TOKYO AMERICAN CLUB

March 2015

CHOP Chef Scott Kihara fires up the grill at the Clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s newest home of steaks and wine

Benjamin Parks

contents 2 Contacts 4 Board of Governors 5 Management 6 Events 8 Wine & Dining 10 Arts & Entertainment 18 Recreation & Fitness 24 Feature 28 Talking Heads 30 Inside Japan 32 Out & About 34 Cultural Insight 36 Event Roundup 41 Club People 44 Back Words

FEATURE The CHOP Experience

10 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Family Adventures on the Open Road

18 RECREATION & FITNESS Sea Trials

Author Charles Scott explains why he decided to quit his comfortable corporate job and hit the road.

The Sky Pool’s E3 Fit Swim Program trains amateur athletes and swim enthusiasts to navigate turbulent ocean waters and chaotic race starts.

Board of Governors

Club Committees

John Durkin (2016)— Representative Governor, Mary Saphin (2016)—First Vice President, Brenda Bohn (2016)—Second Vice President, Jesse Green (2016)— Secretary, Hiroshi Miyamasu (2015)—Treasurer, Ginger Griggs (2015), Mark Miller (2015), Machi Nemoto (2016), Innocent Obi (2016), Betsy Rogers (2015), Jerry Rosenberg (2016), Kazuakira Nakajima (2016)—Statutory Auditor

Compensation Mark Miller Culture, Community & Entertainment Dan Smith (Innocent Obi) Subcommittee Culture & Community JoAnn Yoneyama Entertainment Matt Krcelic Frederick Harris Gallery Yumiko Sai Video Library

Cover photo of CHOP Steakhouse chef de cuisine Scott Kihara by Benjamin Parks

To meet Certified Angus Beef’s 10 brand requirements, cattle must meet certain weight limits, the marbling profile must be just so and the size of cuts must never waiver. This attention to detail reflects the excellence of CHOP Steakhouse, the Club’s new home for top-quality steaks.

Abigail Radmilovich Finance Rodney Nussbaum (Hiroshi Miyamasu) Food & Beverage Michael Alfant (Jerry Rosenberg) Subcommittee Wine Stephen Romaine House Tomio Fukuda (Jesse Green) Subcommittee Facilities Management Group TBC Human Resources Per Knudsen (Ginger Griggs)

30 INSIDE JAPAN A Taste of Tradition After weathering the nuclear crisis of 2011, centuries-old Fukushima sake brewery Daishichi continues to prosper, even building an overseas following.

Membership Alok Rakyan (Machi Nemoto) Nominating Steven Greenberg Recreation Samuel Rogan (Mark Miller) Subcommittee Bowling Crystal Goodfliesh Fitness Samuel Rogan Golf John Patrick Vaughan Library Alaine Lee Logan Room Christa Rutter Squash Pete Juds Swim Alexander Jampel Youth Activities TBC

Follow the Club Online facebook.com/tokyoamericanclub twitter.com/TACtokyo instagram.com/tokyoamericanclub youtube.com/user/TokyoAmericanClubTV

Getting in Touch Department/E-mail Phone American Bar & Grill (03) 4588-0676 american.bg@tac-club.org

Banquet Sales and Reservations

(03) 4588-0977

banquet@tac-club.org

Beauty Salon Bowling Center

(03) 4588-0685 (03) 4588-0209

bowling@tac-club.org

Café Med

(03) 4588-0978

cafe.med@tac-club.org

Catering

(03) 4588-0307

banquet@tac-club.org

Childcare Center

(03) 4588-0701

childcare@tac-club.org

Communications

(03) 4588-0262

comms@tac-club.org

CHOP Steakhouse/220°

(03) 4588-0675

chopsteakhouse@tac-club.org

Engineering

(03) 4588-0699

eng@tac-club.org

Finance

(03) 4588-0222

acct@tac-club.org

Fitness Center

(03) 4588-0266

fitness@tac-club.org

Food & Beverage Office

(03) 4588-0245

fboffice@tac-club.org

Foreign Traders’ Bar

(03) 4588-0677

traders.bar@tac-club.org

Guest Studios

(03) 4588-0734

guest.relations@tac-club.org

Human Resources (03) 4588-0679 Information Technology (03) 4588-0690 Library (03) 4588-0678 library@tac-club.org

Management Office

(03) 4588-0674

gmoffice@tac-club.org

Membership Office

(03) 4588-0687

membership@tac-club.org

Member Services

(03) 4588-0670

tac@tac-club.org

Pool Office

(03) 4588-0700

pool@tac-club.org

Rainbow Café

(03) 4588-0705

rainbow.cafe@tac-club.org

Recreation Desk

(03) 4588-0681

rec@tac-club.org

The Cellar

(03) 4588-0744

the.cellar@tac-club.org

The Spa

(03) 4588-0714

spa@tac-club.org

Video Library

(03) 4588-0686

video.library@tac-club.org

Weddings

(03) 4588-0671

banquet@tac-club.org

Women’s Group Office wg@tac-club.org

2 March 2015 iNTOUCH

(03) 4588-0691

from the

editor Editor Nick Jones editor@tac-club.org

What makes a great restaurant?

Assistant Editor Nick Narigon

During a much-publicized, five-week stint in Tokyo recently, the world’s best restaurant endeavored to offer one perspective to those diners lucky enough to secure a seat (there were more than 60,000 names on the waiting list).

Designers Enrique Balducci Anna Ishizuka

Voted the No. 1 eatery four years out of the last five by British magazine Restaurant, Noma temporarily shuttered its Copenhagen home and set up shop in Tokyo’s Mandarin Oriental Hotel in January.

Production Assistant Yuko Shiroki Management Anthony L Cala General Manager

The critics and fanatical foodies gushed over the 15-course meal, with its raw shrimp and ants and fermented mushrooms coated in chocolate with wild cinnamon sticks.

Wayne Hunter, Director GMO & Membership

On March 3, to decidedly less international fanfare, the Club unveils its newest dining spot on the third floor. CHOP Steakhouse (the successor to Decanter) takes its inspiration from some of America’s leading steakhouses.

Business Operations Brian Marcus, Asst GM Business Operations

And rather than evenings of wonderment and incongruously paired ingredients, CHOP promises a sense of familiarity and a menu of exceptional steak cuts and tried-and-true American classics that evoke memories of family barbecues and relaxed celebratory meals.

Scott Yahiro, Director Recreation Nori Yamazaki, Director Food & Beverage Jonathan Allen, Director Member Services & Guest Studios

This month’s cover story, “The CHOP Experience,” offers an inside look at what makes the Certified Angus Beef steaks on the menu so special and how the CHOP team have examined every aspect of the restaurant to ensure a truly great dining experience.

Hettige Don Suranga, Director Revenue Management Business Support Lian Chang, Asst GM Business Support

If you have any comments about anything you read in iNTOUCH, please e-mail them to editor@tac-club.org, putting “Letter to the Editor” in the subject title of the mail.

Darryl Dudley, Director Engineering Shuji Hirakawa, Director Human Resources Naoto Okutsu, Director Finance

Contributors

Toby Lauer, Director Information Technology

Alaine Lee

Originally from New York City, Alaine Lee has lived with her family in Asia for the past 20 years. Besides spells in Singapore and Hong Kong, she has enjoyed three stints in Tokyo and names Japan as her favorite place to live. As a nurse, she has worked in international schools for 11 years. Lee is currently the chair of the Club’s Library Committee and in this month’s iNTOUCH she explores the post-Hogwarts books of British writer JK Rowling.

Tim Hornyak

The Tokyo correspondent for technology newswire IDG News, Tim Hornyak has written for the likes of Wired News, Scientific American, the Far Eastern Economic Review and CBS Interactive’s popular CNET News website. The Canadian is the author of Loving the Machine: The Art and Science of Japanese Robots and has coauthored Lonely Planet guidebooks on Japan. Ahead of this month’s Daishichi Sake Dinner, he talks to the head of the storied sake maker about why he favors centuries-old brewing techniques.

Shane Busato, Director Communications

To advertise in iNTOUCH, contact Rie Hibino: rie.hibino@tac-club.org 03-4588-0976

For membership information, contact Mari Hori: mari.hori@tac-club.org 03-4588-0687

Tokyo American Club 2-1-2 Azabudai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-8649 www.tokyoamericanclub.org

BOARD OF GOVERNORS

Season of Discovery by Mary Saphin First Vice President

n my statement for last year’s Board election, I vowed to encourage all Members to use and enjoy our Club as much as I do. And there’s no better time than spring to do just that. This season of renewal is perfect for kick-starting that hobby you’ve been meaning to learn, getting in shape or just socializing at the Club more. Lucky for us, the Club is brimming with opportunities to do all those things. The Club’s recreation facilities are the natural place to begin if you want to feel healthier. One of the Club’s personal trainers can offer professional guidance on how to get fit, and there are dozens of exercise and swim programs for Members looking for a physical and mental challenge. To keep us looking healthy, The Spa has all the answers—for both women

4 March 2015 iNTOUCH

and men. If you have never done so before, be sure to take advantage of the monthly treatment specials (this month’s offer can be found on page 20). The professional therapists can recommend treatments for particular aches or to just help you unwind.

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Our Club provides myriad opportunities for each of us to look after our physical and mental well-being while nourishing body and spirit.”

Naturally, our minds need stimulating, too. From Women’s Group-organized enrichment programs on a host of fascinating subjects to speaker luncheons and author talks, there are numerous chances to learn and be entertained in a fun environment at the Club. Just check the packed schedule of upcoming events on the Club’s new website or on pages 6 and 7. Book lovers will want to visit the Library, with its huge collection of English-language books and magazines,

and maybe even join the Library Book Group, which meets each month, for some lively discussion on the merits of a particular title. For some viewing entertainment, why not stop by the Video Library in the B1 Cellar? Conveniently, that’s where the Club’s wine shop is housed as well. We couldn’t rejuvenate for spring without nourishing our bodies, and the options for that are many at the Club. You can enjoy ingredients from some of the best growers in Japan and beyond and cooked to perfection by the professionally trained chefs. If you’re not sure which wine to choose, you can ask one of the knowledgeable sommeliers or attend one of the monthly wine events to start exploring the world of the grape (turn to pages 8 and 9 for details on this month’s events). Our Club provides myriad opportunities for each of us to look after our physical and mental well-being while nourishing body and spirit. The Club is also a place where we form friendships, socialize and entertain colleagues and friends. Since the lifeblood of any club is its membership, we are always looking for potential Members who would be suited to our vibrant, international environment. If you know of any ideal candidates, please talk to the Membership Office. o

MANAGEMENT

Exploring the Club Online by Lian Chang

Assistant General Manager, Business Support

he Internet has become an integrated part of our lives and Japan’s superior broadband network makes it easy to communicate with friends and family and enjoy a host of online services. Keenly aware of this, the Club website (www.tokyoamericanclub.org) was recently transformed with the aim to enhance Members’ experience of the site while making it a more personalized one. On top of a modern, user-friendly design, the website is packed with new features, many of which were developed after Member feedback. In the redeveloped site, each Member has their own account and a unique username. This simple change means each individual can set their own preferences to personalize their experience and the information delivered from the website. This also avoids

any confusion when signing up for a class or event and you can just as easily sign up on behalf of a family member. One of the most exciting features on the new website is the social network area, which allows the Club community to interact online. Once you have signed in, you’ll see that this feature is not too dissimilar from the popular social media service Facebook. In this case, though, you’re only connecting with your fellow Members.

“

...the website is packed with new features, many of which were developed after Member feedback.”

The social network, along with the online business directory, is controlled completely by each Member, who decides the amount of personal information to display and with whom to connect. The next time you want to start a conversation with other Members on a certain topic or look up Members in a particular profession who can possibly provide assistance, log on to the Club website.

Based on Member feedback, the website also includes a full-fledged online shopping system that makes buying wine and other Club retail items simple and fast. Your monthly Member statements for the past six months are available online for easy retrieval and review as well. With more services available online, we would like to remind all Members to keep passwords difficult to guess and to log off the website after using a shared computer. Of course, this is recommended for any website or online service. With almost 40 percent of traffic to the Club website coming from smartphones and tablets, we also made sure the website caters to a range of screen sizes. The site automatically detects the type of device you are using (whether it has an item of fruit as its logo or not) and smartly adjusts the page to best suit the size of your screen, without the need to frequently “pinch and zoom.” It is also more convenient than ever to provide feedback to the Club. The Tell TAC button is prominently displayed throughout the site. Once you have signed in, you can fill out the convenient online form. We are excited with the transformed Club website and all its new features. Please explore the various pages, try out the services and tell us what you think. o

What’s on in March 1

Sunday

1–8

Sunday– Sunday

Monday

Spring Pampering The Spa welcomes the arrival of spring with a special rejuvenating treatment for the whole of March. Find out more on page 20.

Teen Bowling Bonanza For a chance to win fabulous prizes, grab your friends and hit the lanes. Contact the Bowling Center for details.

Try 3: Be an Ironman Run, swim and cycle your way to Club triathlon glory. Turn to page 20 for the lowdown on this ultimate fitness challenge.

Swim Program Registration Sign-up kicks off for another session of private and group swim programs at the Sky Pool. 10 a.m. Sign up online or at the Sky Pool Office.

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

CHOP Steakhouse Grand Opening The Club’s newest home of steaks and fine wine opens its doors for evenings of specialty cuts and other classic favorites in a traditional US steakhouse setting. 6 p.m. Learn more on page 24.

Toastmasters Luncheon Start losing your fear of public speaking and improve your leadership skills at this bi-monthly event. 12 p.m. Continues on March 18.

Alta Alella Wine Dinner with Mireia Pujol-Busquets Discover why Catalonia’s boutique wineries are booming and why the Alella area is fast gaining international recognition. 7 p.m. Learn more about the Alta Alella winery on page 8.

Toddler Time A fun, 30-minute session of engaging stories and activities awaits preschoolers at the Children’s Library. 11:30 a.m. Free. Continues every Thursday.

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Language Exchange Coffee Mingle with friends and new acquaintances while practicing your language skills in a welcoming environment. 10 a.m. CHOP Steakhouse. Free. Sign up at wg@tac-club.org.

Geisha Experience: Beyond the Myth Geisha from the Tokyo district of Asakusa offer an exclusive insight into their lives in the rarefied “floating world.” 11:30 a.m. Manhattan III.

Squash Team Challenge Finals The tournament of fast-paced action and strategy (and drinks) comes to a close. 7 p.m. ¥1,500 (includes post-game beer and drinks). Sign up at the Squash Courts.

Squash Social Night The Club’s squash players enjoy an evening of casual play and a chance to put their skills to the test against former national champion Hitoshi Ushiogi. 6:15 p.m. Continues on March 31.

Wednesday

Thursday

Saturday

Sunday

Loire Valley Wine Tasting Sample an array of stunning wines the French are keeping for themselves at this month’s wine tasting. 7 p.m. The discovery begins on page 9.

Kabuki Experience Immerse yourself in the timehonored Japanese theater tradition of Kabuki at Ginza’s historic Kabukiza Theatre. 8:30 a.m.

Youth Baseball Baseball training camp kicks off for the youngest budding players of the Club’s three-league, coed baseball program. For details, flip to page 20.

Roast Beef Grand Buffet Succulent roast beef takes center stage at this carnivorous feast. 11 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. New York Ballroom. Sign up online.

Saturday

Early Pregnancy and Birth Planning Expectant moms and dads prepare for the big day during this Women’s Group class. 10 a.m.–12 p.m. ¥6,700. Sign up at Member Services.

(Prices exclude 8 percent consumption tax.)

6 March 2015 iNTOUCH

Saturday

Spring Fun Craft Day Ahead of Easter on April 5, kids create their own spring-themed crafts. 10:30 a.m. The full details are on page 20.

Saturday

Meet the Author: Charles Scott The father, adventurer and motivational speaker talks about his intrepid cycle ride across Japan with his son. 2 p.m. Find out what inspired his journey on page 10.

Monday

Coffee Connections Whether you’re new to Tokyo or you just want to meet new people, drop by this free Women’s Group gathering. Contact the Women’s Group Office to organize free childcare. 10:30 a.m.

EVENTS

Monday

2–3

Monday– Tuesday

Tuesday

Gallery Exhibition: Motoko Shiokawa The calligraphy artist exhibits selected works of art in the Frederick Harris Gallery through March 22. Learn more about her works on page 15.

Tokyo: Here & Now Newcomers and not-so-new Tokyo residents alike learn essential information about life in Japan at this comprehensive twoday seminar. Sign up online or at Member Services.

Spring Class Registration From karate to dance, check out the range of recreation and fitness programs available at the Club. 8:30 a.m. Details on page 20.

Toddler Music and Art Enrich your child’s development at the Childcare Center’s new creative workshop. 9 a.m. ¥5,000 per class. Ages 3–5. Sign up at the Childcare Center. Continues every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Mommy and Toddler Time Meet fellow moms and toddlers while building your own support network at a fun, weekly gettogether at the Childcare Center. 2 p.m. Free. Continues every Friday.

First Friday: CHOP Experience Discover what makes CHOP Steakhouse a standout dining experience in Tokyo during an evening of fine food, drinks and mingling. Learn more about the Club’s newest restaurant on page 24.

New Member Orientation The Club’s newest Members learn about the Club while forging new friendships. 10 a.m. Washington and Lincoln rooms. Contact the Membership Office to reserve your spot at least one week in advance. Continues on March 25.

Winter Sprinter Swim Meet The Mudsharks swim team hosts another meet of friendly competition for swimmers of all ages and skill level. 3 p.m. ¥1,500. Sign up online or at the Sky Pool Office.

14–15

Friday

Saturday– Sunday

Sunday

Monday

Daishichi Sake Dinner Sample handcrafted sake from a centuries-old Tohoku brewery at a four-course dinner hosted by Daishichi Sake Brewery’s Hideharu Ohta. 6:30 p.m. Learn about the brewery’s commitment to its roots on page 30.

Birth Preparation for Couples Expectant parents prepare for the arrival of their bundles of joy during this Women’s Group class. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. ¥34,300. Sign up at Member Services.

St Patrick’s Day Bowling Wear your best green outfit and head to the Bowling Center for fun, Guinness and prizes at this all-day event.

Camp Discovery: Spring Fun These weeklong sessions for ages 3 through 7 feature springthemed arts and crafts, music, dance and fun. Find the full details on page 20.

23–27

Monday

Gallery Reception: Yang Xiaomin The Chinese artist shares his contemporary take on Japanese Nihonga art with a reception at the Frederick Harris Gallery. 6:30 p.m. Learn more about the painter and his works on page 16.

Monday

Brazilian Jujitsu Learn self-defense and gain better awareness at the Club’s newest recreation class for ages 12 and above. 5:30 p.m. ¥22,000. Sign up at the Recreation Desk.

Monday– Friday

Intensive SAT and ACT Prep Course Students learn strategies to improve scores on college admission tests. 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Page 20 has more.

Friday

Library Book Group The Club’s band of book lovers meets at Café Med to discuss this month’s pick, A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki. 11:30 a.m. For details, contact the Library.

All-American Friday Feast Hook up with friends at a Café Med booth for an all-you-can-eat Tex-Mex spread of home favorites. 5 p.m.

5 Easter Bowling

9–10 Asian Home Furnishings Sale

2 Leonetti Cellar Wine Dinner with Chris Figgins 12 Children’s Library Fancy Nancy Event

13–15 Naoshima Art Island Tour

15 California Wine Dinner

Coming up in April 1 Toastmasters Luncheon

13 Language Exchange Coffee 22 Meet the Author: Professor Taggart Murphy

Effervescent Underdog by Wendi Onuki

ava has long been overlooked would eagerly shell out $35 for a bottle of in the sparkling wine world— Champagne balk at the idea of spending seen as a good midweek buy that much on its Spanish counterpart, the from the convenience store article noted. and not much else. Now, a number of Spain’s bubbly producers are looking to reinvent the wine’s lessthan-stellar image. Alta Alella, a winery less than 20 kilometers from Barcelona, for example, is determined to educate the world on “the evolution of Cava,” from ubiquitous discount bin staple to sophisticated cuisine partner, which Club Members can discover for themselves this month. Produced with the same Mireia Pujol-Busquets traditional methods as those used to make Champagne, Cava boasts native and international varietals of grapes Now mostly produced in Spain’s that are grown near the Mediterranean Catalonia region, the first Cava was Sea to create a fresh, acidic product. crafted in 1872 by winemaker Josep “The best-selling point, with no doubt, Raventós Fatjos, who applied France’s is that nowadays you can find a top Cava méthode traditionnelle to Spain’s local with a long aging, with great structure Xarel-lo grape, also known as Pansa and aromas, at the same level of a great Blanca, Cartoixa and a handful of other Champagne, but [at] the price of a cheap synonyms, depending on the Spanish Champagne,” says Mireia Pujol-Busquets, region in which it is grown. the daughter of Alta Alella founder Josep The method involves adding yeast Maria Pujol-Busquets and the winery’s and a sugar mixture to wine, which export manager. “For the consumers, this undergoes a second fermentation that is fantastic.” creates the bubbles. The bottles are Sparkling wine drinkers, however, then aged a minimum of nine months have been slow to embrace this notion. before the dead yeast and sediment are Cava has neither mainstream appeal removed, extra sugar is added to ramp nor a cult following, according to a 2013 up the sweetness, if needed, and the Wall Street Journal article. People who wine is recorked.

8 March 2015 iNTOUCH

Part of Cava’s troubled reputation stems, Pujol-Busquets, 39, says, from a lack of domestic wine culture and the looming marketing presence of beer makers. “In many parts of Spain, there is a lack of knowledge about the wine world,” she says. “Now it seems that it’s starting to change, but in Spain people should feel the wine as part of their culture, like in France, and it’s not like that.” That indifference may have opened the flood gates to mediocre, mass-produced Cava. To rectify the situation, quality-minded winemakers are seeking better ways to promote their goods and encourage wine-related tourism. “I would love to have the answer, so then we can manage to clear this image,” says PujolBusquets, who will host this month’s dinner at the Club. For now, she is settling for changing attitudes one eager drinker at a time. o Onuki is a Michigan-based freelance journalist.

Alta Alella Wine Dinner with Mireia Pujol-Busquets Thursday, March 5 7–10 p.m. New York Bridge, CHOP Steakhouse ¥10,000* Sign up online or at Member Services *Excludes 8 percent consumption tax.

WINE & DINING

Cellar Selection A River Runs through It by Steve Romaine and Anna Tyack

hile Bordeaux and its wines ooze commercialism, having been shaped by French Burghers and foreign merchants with an eye on Anglo-Saxon tastes, the wines of the Loire Valley speak with a more lilting, graceful Gallic diction. This month’s Loire Valley tasting promises an opportunity to experience a new wine language through such regions as Muscadet and Vouvray, Pouilly-Fumé and Cour-Cheverny, Saumur and Chinon and grapes like Romorantin, Cot, Pineau d’Aunis and Grolleau d’Anjou, along with the more familiar Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir. The Loire Valley represents winemaking at the margin of what is possible climatewise and it is made feasible largely by the Loire River—France’s longest river—and its tributaries, including the Loir and the Cher. The 19th-century American writer Henry James described the river as “full, tranquil, powerful, bending in large slow curves, and sending back half the light of the sky… The country is so rich, so living… so intimately French… a country of legends… a soil into which a great deal of history had been trodden.” In the same 1884 book, A Little Tour in France, James, who was a fluent French speaker, rhapsodized about the homeland of Loire native and writer Honoré de Balzac: “He is surrounded by fine old traditions, religious, social, architectural, culinary; and he may have the satisfaction of feeling that he is French to the core. No part of his admirable country is more characteristically national… It is the land

of Rabelais, of Descartes, of Balzac, of good books and good company, as well as good dinners and good houses.” A remarkable feature of Loire wines is the multiplicity of styles: mousseux (sparkling), petillant (a little less sparkling), demi-sec, sec (dry) and various grades of sweetness. Frequently, these are fashioned from the same grapes (mainly Chenin Blanc and Melon de Bourgogne) by the same winemakers. Like in so many of France’s wine regions, winemaking in the Loire has undergone a transition over the last 30 to 40 years. A younger generation of quality-conscious winemakers is now producing more wines of interest than ever before. Some techniques, such as biodynamics and sorting tables, may even have started here. Like the potter admired by James in this “age of prose, of machinery, of wholesale production, of coarse and hasty processes,” today’s Loire viticulturists attend to their vineyards and juice with “a sense of less eager activity and a greater search for perfection.”o

Sera Goto

2010 Cakebread Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley A leading producer of premium Napa Valley wines since 1974 and a Napa Green-certified winery since 2008, Cakebread Cellars focuses on quality and sustainability, and this wine reflects that care and attention. With its dark berry, plum, spice and dark cocoa flavors, this Wine Spectator and Robert Parker 90-pointer boasts rich, integrated tannins and will continue to develop wonderfully in the bottle while pairing well with meat dishes. Perfect partner: steak, lamb or teppanyaki.

Romaine is chair of the Wine Committee and Tyack is the Club’s wine program director.

Loire Valley Wine Tasting Wednesday, March 18 7–10 p.m. Washington and Lincoln rooms ¥11,500* Sign up online or at Member Services

Available at The Cellar (B1), opposite Member Services, for ¥8,380* a bottle.

*Excludes 8 percent consumption tax.

Family Adventures on the Open Road

Cape Soya

Sapporo HOKKAIDO

Ahead of his talk at the Club this month, author and adventurer Charles Scott explains how a life-changing decision led to his book, Rising Son: A Father and Son’s Bike Adventure across Japan. Japanese Alps Hiroshima

SHIKOKU Cape Sata

Charles and Sho Scott at Cape Soya in Hokkaido

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KYUSHU

Kyoto

HONSHU Tokyo

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Charles Scott

s the parent of a 14-year-old son and an 8-year-old daughter, I often feel they are changing before my eyes, that time is passing too quickly and that their childhoods will end too soon. Six years ago, I decided to take my son, Sho, on a challenging summer adventure, hoping to slow down the passage of time and create some seriously awesome memories. We got a little carried away with the concept of a “challenging adventure,” but my son was too young to realize that most people thought we were crazy. In the summer of 2009, I negotiated a two-month, unpaid leave of absence from my job at the multinational chip maker Intel to cycle the length of Japan with my then 8-year-old son on a trailer cycle connected to my bike. The trip was 2,500 miles (4,000 kilometers) and lasted 67 days. My daughter was 2 at the time and stayed behind with my wife in New York City. My son and I carried about 75 pounds (34 kilograms) of gear on our bikes, slept in a tent, crossed eight mountain passes in the Japan Alps, met wild monkeys, took on sumo wrestlers, ate delicious food, explored Japan’s many cultural sites, made friends throughout the country and got in pretty good shape.

We used the trip to raise money for a tree-planting campaign and were named “Climate Heroes” by the United Nations. Japanese TV tracked our progress across the country and magazines and newspapers around the world featured articles about our ride. Some people we met were skeptical of letting an 8-year-old attempt such a feat, but Sho just told them, “A kid can do a whole lot more than most adults think.” I often wrote in my journal while huddled at night inside our small tent, the sound of the ocean crashing a few hundred yards away as Sho slept beside me. My old corporate life felt far away and I relished the chance to reflect and to share so much time with my son. Those journal musings became Rising Son: A Father and Son’s Bike Adventure across Japan. A Japanese translation was published last year. As Sho and I neared Cape Sata in Kagoshima Prefecture after traveling from Cape Soya in Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost point, I began contemplating my return to work and realized that I wanted to create a new professional identity. I decided to challenge myself to grow in a new way. I hoped to spend more time with my children while they were young and show them what they were physically capable of achieving. I wanted to explore the world with them and teach them that they have a duty to care for our beautiful planet. In 2011, after a lot of planning and many long conversations with my wife, I left my 14-year corporate career and started a new life as an adventurer, writer and public speaker. A week after leaving my job, I flew to Iceland and cycled for 46 days through the country with my then 10-year-old son on a trailer cycle and 4-year-old daughter behind him in a bike trailer. My wife, who works at the UN, joined for the final three weeks of that trip. We struggled against harsh winds but met many kind locals and marveled at Iceland’s raw beauty.

On another trip, we cycled through Germany, Switzerland, France and England, taking in the final day of the Tour de France in Paris and the Olympics in London. The following summer, my kids and I completed the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail in the western United States, cycling 1,700 miles (2,700 kilometers) of that expedition route. We crossed three mountain passes in the Rockies—no small feat for a 6-year-old girl. Last summer, we pedaled from our home in New York to Niagara Falls and back, following the Erie Canal. My son, who rode his own bicycle, carrying about 30 pounds (13 kilos) of gear, remarked at the end, “That was easy: only 1,000 miles and no mountains.” In addition to the family bike trips, I began to guide blind athletes in marathons, triathlons and other endurance events. Last October, I guided the first blind runner across the Grand Canyon and back, nonstop. In my talks at schools and companies, I hope to inspire people to challenge their limits, craft a meaningful life and dive fearlessly into their own adventures, big or small. When my son was born, I remember propping him up on my forearm, staring into his unfocused eyes and welcoming him to the world with silly songs and loving caresses. Before I knew it, I was doing the same with my daughter. I know how quickly their childhoods will pass, but before they grow up and leave home, we have a few more adventures to do. We may not be able to slow down the passage of time, but we’ll do our best to make the most of it. o Scott is a New York City-based writer, traveler and public speaker. Rising Son: A Father and Son’s Bike Adventure across Japan is available at the Library.

Meet the Author: Charles Scott Saturday, March 28 2–3 p.m. Toko Shinoda Classroom Adults: ¥1,500 (includes one drink) Children (19 and below): ¥1,000 (includes one drink) Sign up online or at the Library Prices exclude 8 percent consumption tax.

off the

shelf

Beyond Hogwarts by Alaine Lee

hen JK Rowling finished her seventh and final novel in the Harry Potter fantasy series in 2007, fans around the world sighed and wondered collectively, “what’s next?” What does an author do after she’s written the biggest-selling book series in history? The unforgettable Harry Potter saga captured our hearts, our minds and, for 10 years, satisfied readers young and old with the amazing characters that inhabited the magical world of Hogwarts. Five years later, Rowling published a contemporary adult novel, The Casual Vacancy. When a popular parish councilor in the fictional English town of Pagford dies unexpectedly, a seat on the council becomes vacant. The reader is introduced to all the villagers vying to secure the local seat while learning about their conflicts, alliances and secrets. The Casual Vacancy is filled with the kind of richly drawn characters Rowling is so famous for creating. Exploring mature themes like small town politics, class, poverty and drug abuse, this novel is thought-provoking, complex and, as the author describes it, a “comic tragedy.”

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JK Rowling

This well-received novel will be released later this year as a BBC television drama. In 2013, writing under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith, Rowling released her first mystery, The Cuckoo’s Calling. The protagonist, private detective Cormoran Strike, is the illegitimate son of a notorious rock star, recently dumped and learning to live with war wounds

sustained in Afghanistan. Strike’s sidekick and temporary secretary, Robin, is a recent arrival to London. When a famous supermodel falls from her apartment building in suspicious circumstances, Strike is asked to investigate the possible murder in this fast-paced novel. In The Silkworm, the second installment in the series, the dynamic duo is called in to solve the murder of a famous author, following the release of a tell-all novel about the literary world. The Cormoran Strike mysteries provide truly enjoyable entertainment. What’s next for Rowling now that she’s entered the world of adult fiction? She’s a prolific writer and has insinuated that she’s been working on two books for readers younger than the Harry Potter set. Whatever she publishes, it’s sure to accrue even more Rowling fans. o Lee is chair of the Library Committee. The Casual Vacancy (novel and audiobook), The Cuckoo’s Calling and The Silkworm are available at the Library.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

new

reads buried treasure

As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of the Princess Bride by Cary Elwes with Joe Layden Elwes’ fun, behind-the-scenes memoir recounts the making of the 1987 cinematic classic. The photographs, interviews and recollections in the book will make you want to watch the movie again. The audiobook, which is available at the Library, is read by the author.

Can’t We Talk about Something More Pleasant? A Memoir by Roz Chast New Yorker magazine cartoonist Chast chronicles her relationship with her elderly parents as a graphic novel. Told with tenderness and humor, Chast introduces the topic of aging and dementia in an easy-to-read, engaging format. .

Jamie Oliver’s Comfort Food: The Ultimate Weekend Cookbook by Jamie Oliver Beautiful photographs, great recipes and a dose of nostalgia make the British celebrity chef’s latest cookbook a winner. Sharing cuisines from around the world, the variety of recipes will inspire you to cook something satisfying for yourself and your family.

The Bridge Over the Neroch: And Other Works by Leonid Tsypkin The Russian Jewish pathologist and writer Leonid Tsypkin rose to prominence with his first novel, Summer in Baden-Baden, which is considered a Russian classic. Though Tsypkin died in 1982, before he could see his work in print, Tsypkin’s remaining works live on in The Bridge over the Neroch (translated by Jamey Gambrell). The title novella chronicles the life of a Russian Jewish family, while in Norartakir, a couple goes on vacation to Armenia, only to be thrown out and sent back to the Soviet Union. The other short stories paint the grim realities of Soviet urban life. The stories here, which range from dreamlike to stark, chaotic to halcyon, reveal Tsypkin’s unique prose style. Compiled by librarian Alison Kanegae.

Parenting without Borders: Surprising Lessons Parents around the World Can Teach Us by Christine Gross-Loh When Gross-Loh’s young sons attended Japanese school while living in Tokyo, it made her explore and challenge her American-style parenting. Not a “howto” book, but an engaging exploration of cultural differences in parenting and schooling throughout the world. Prince Lestat: The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice After a 10-year wait, the original queen of vampire fiction has added one more novel to her Vampire Chronicles collection. Prepare to be captivated and mesmerized by Rice’s blood-sucking creatures in this spooky tale of the undead.

Blood and Beauty: The Borgias by Sarah Dunant Enter the court of Renaissance Italy in this historical piece of fiction. Fifteenth-century Rome and the Borgia family come alive in rich detail in this epic tale of the power-hungry family. Filled with fascinating characters, passion and political intrigue, it’s a real page-turner.

Reviews compiled by Library Committee chair Alaine Lee.

Library & Children’s Library Daily: 9 a.m.–8 p.m. Tel: 03-4588-0678 E-mail: library@tac-club.org

flick

pick

Home Entertainment Hub by Diane Harris

uried in the basement of the Club, the Video Library can be easy to miss. Find out more about the Club’s home of movies and TV shows:

What Video Library membership is best for my family?

If you want to check out DVDs often, especially new releases, our unlimited monthly membership would best suit your family. If you occasionally watch a movie, we offer à la carte membership.

new movies Whiplash A young jazz drummer seeks the respect of an intense, sometimes abusive, teacher (JK Simmons) at a cutthroat music conservatory.

The Theory of Everything The award-winning portrayal of the touching—and trying—relationship between British physicist Stephen Hawking (Eddie Redmayne) and his exwife, Jane.

The Better Angels Produced by cinema legend Terrence Malick, this gritty film portrays the story of Abraham Lincoln’s childhood in the rugged wilderness of Indiana.

How do I find a movie?

Check the online catalog of 16,000 titles on the Video Library page under Club Services. Or you can drop by The Cellar (B1) and ask our movie-loving staff for recommendations. We now carry an assortment of snacks and treats in the Video Library. Grab something to nibble on during your movie.

The Interview A TV host (James Franco) and his producer (Seth Rogen) are recruited by the CIA to assassinate their No. 1 fan: North Korean leader Kim Jung-un.

What if my movie needs to be returned but I still want to keep it?

Call or e-mail the Video Library. We can renew it once for free if you’re a monthly member or check it out again for you if you’re an à la carte member (new releases and TV shows, however, can’t be renewed). You can also grab a return envelope and call to schedule a pickup time. Can I watch Video Library movies on my DVD player at home?

Since the Video Library carries region one movies, ordered directly from the United States, you’ll need a region-free DVD player (available in most Tokyo electronics stores). You can also view movies on your computer. What is Blu-ray?

Watched on a Blu-ray player, Blu-ray discs deliver dramatically superior picture and sound quality, along with a number of conveniences and interactive features. With up to six times better picture resolution than standard DVDs, Blu-ray discs create a high-definition experience, with richer colors, sharper detail and more lifelike action. The Video Library offers a large assortment of Blu-ray discs and orders new ones each month. o Harris is a member if the Video Library Committee.

Big Hero 6 Together with his inflatable robot, Baymax, young prodigy Hiro Hamada teams up with a band of high-tech heroes to battle a masked villain.

Song of the Sea In this animation based on a Celtic legend, the mute Saoirse must find her voice to bring to life the ancient stories of the mythical selkies.

March Movie Madness

All Video Library members receive 10 percent off any wine purchase from The Cellar or online this month. And if that’s not enough, they can also enjoy two rentals for the price of one, Mondays through Wednesdays.

Video Library Daily: 9 a.m.–8 p.m. Tel: 03-4588-0686 E-mail: video.library@tac-club.org Reviews compiled by Nick Narigon.

14 March 2015 iNTOUCH

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Frederick Harris Gallery | Motoko Shiokawa

by Nick Narigon Artist Motoko Shiokawa learned the basics of calligraphy at the age of 6. Since then, her talent with a fude brush has taken her across Japan and to the likes of Australia, France and Denmark to exhibit her works. “In calligraphy, we express in the brush stroke, in the shades of sumi [ink], through the beauty of a whole composition and through the meaning of letters,” says Shiokawa, a graduate of the prestigious Musashino Art University. “I am attracted to this simplicity, which compels me to continue working.” Using a specially prepared sumi ink mixture, the Yokohama native creates each piece in one graceful motion. After endless practice and experimentation, Shiokawa, who uses the pseudonym Shiroki for her art, says her creative process is now instinctive rather than logical. In her organic-style works, dubbed avant-garde calligraphy, the white space takes on just as much meaning as the black strokes. Each piece is marked with distinctive strands, which Shiokawa, who describes herself as outgoing and passionate, says represents her vitality and connection to the world. “Some of my audience tells me that the mark looks like a blood vessel, a muscle or even a tree root,” she says. “I can’t repeat each artwork. I feel that it is like my own life, in which I live in distinct moments.”

Exhibition March 2–22

All exhibits in the Frederick Harris Gallery are for sale and can be purchased by Membership card at the Member Services Desk. Sales of works begin at 6 p.m. on the first day of the exhibition.

Melding Mother Nature and Modernity Yang Xiaomin’s contemporary Nihonga works, which are on show at the Frederick Harris Gallery this month, represent a blend of old and new. by Jeffrey Bohn

n the morning of September 11, 2001, I was in a cab on the way to a 10 o’clock meeting with a client on the 79th floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. I watched the tower implode while stuck in traffic about 1.5 miles from downtown Manhattan. I will never forget the image of the contorted building as it collapsed. It changed me forever. Several years later, I met an artist named Yang Xiaomin. In his work, he somehow conveys the essence of the conflicting emotions I experienced that day. Yang was also struck by the events of 9/11. He produced a memorable set of screens that depict a writhing tangle of skyscrapers. His work communicates his earnest view of modern environments. Those twisted skyscrapers, rendered with a collection of natural materials, embody the tensions, fragility and complexity of modern society. Born in 1960 in Quanzhou, China,

16 March 2015 iNTOUCH

Yang has lived in Japan for more than 25 years and practices his own version of contemporary Japanese art, inspired by the Nihonga style of painting. Yang sensei (as his students and the admirers of his work refer to him) began studying Nihonga after escaping his native country’s suffocating cultural and political environment and arriving in Japan in the 1980s. His new home offered him the opportunity to pursue the art form, all without having to look over his shoulder or justify what he was doing to those in authority. Nihonga is an art form that refuses to surrender to the convenience of modern society. Unlike most Western-style painting traditions, where artists have the luxury of driving to an art supply store to procure oil paints, acrylic paints, turpentine, brushes or other materials, Nihonga artists are trained to create their own paints and brushes and employ ageold manual processes. For these nature-focused painters, the process of producing quality

Yang Xiaomin

materials is just as significant as the act of painting. Yang sensei is no exception. From collecting and charring wood in a neighborhood fire pit to handcrafting his brushes with animal hair to stretching and sizing his own canvases, including large panels for panoramic folding screens, he makes most of his materials.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

combining the traditions of one culture (Japanese Nihonga) with another (his own) in our interconnected world, Yang sensei creates something that is at once old and new. One recent work of his was inspired by the Tohoku triple disaster of March 11, 2011. The piece depicts an innocent pheasant flying across a rice field, the scene’s golden hues punctuated by red lightning bolts of radiation. In this bucolic setting, contaminated by a catastrophe of the modern world, the flora and fauna represent a resilient nature. The 9/11 and 3/11 pieces not only bookend a series of works that deal with the conflicts of modern society, but define an artist who has transversed multiple cultures. From a single rose and a yacht in a marina to a dog and a nondescript seaside town, Yang sensei’s artwork covers a wide range of themes and subjects that together represent the world of a foreigner who has absorbed numerous influences to become a vibrant part of his adopted culture. o Kayo Yamawaki

Besides grinding minerals for paints, he relies on animal hide glue as an adhesive for precious metal foil. In the process of gluing the foil to the canvas stretched over handmade frames, he discovers the essence of each theme he wants to convey. By adding layers and cutting out shapes, he builds texture into his pieces.

From his Machida studio, devoid of a heater or air conditioner, Yang sensei is preserving aspects of this centuries-old painting style while infusing a modern sensibility. His current themes, techniques of layering and experimentation with a wider range of materials differentiate his art from traditional Nihonga. By

American Bohn is a Member of the Club.

Exhibition March 23–April 12 Gallery Reception Monday, March 23 6:30–8 p.m. Frederick Harris Gallery (B1 Formal Lobby) Free Adults only Open to invitees and Members only

Sea Trials Offering efficient, easy and effective swim training, the new E3 Fit Swim Program prepares competitive swimmers at the Club for the high seas. by Rob Goss Photos by Alfie Goodrich

inter sunlight gleams through the lattice roof of the Sky Pool, momentarily flickering across the rippling water, as a band of swimmers works through a set of backstroke drills. It’s a little over halfway through the 90-minute session and even the most experienced triathletes among the group are beginning to tire.

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Peter Knight

Pushing the swimmers to their limit is instructor and former Japan open-water swim champion Lisa Miyasugi. The petite Kanagawa native darts energetically between swim lanes, checking the form of all seven class participants. Every so often, she pauses to offer a tip on technique. While the training is intense, the mood is light. The swimmers are part of the newly

launched E3 Fit Swim Program, which runs every Saturday afternoon until May 2. Club Member and experienced triathlon and “ironman” competitor Wayne Alexander explains that the sessions are designed to help swimmers with the grueling and technically challenging open-water swimming component of a triathlon. “The E3 classes began with five of us

RECREATION & FITNESS

Wayne Alexander

from the TAC Triathlon Club. We knew about Lisa and asked her to create a program for us to help improve our open-water swims. Open water is so different to swimming in a pool. There are no lines to follow and the stroke in open water is different. At the start, it is like pro wrestling,” says Alexander, 60, who credits Miyasugi’s training methods with helping him to win his age category at last year’s Chiba Aquathlon. “Lisa doesn’t just teach drills, she is also very technical with strokes and form. She also teaches you how to deal with the panic at the start of a swim, which is the most dangerous part of a triathlon,” the American adds. “The other thing Lisa teaches is dryland conditioning, which you don’t get on masters courses, but is important for building core strength.” Australian Peter Knight, 47, has completed five ironman events and recently took part in a polar bear swim in Enoshima on New Year’s Day. He says the program’s focus on group swims and technique was a big draw. “With cycling and running, it’s 20 percent technique and 80 percent perseverance. With the open-water swim, it’s the opposite.

Good technique improves speed and efficiency,” he says. “You also have to get used to swimming in open water with other people and with the swells. You can’t prepare yourself for that by swimming lengths alone in a pool.” As part of the program, Miyasugi, who took part in trials for Japan’s 2008 Beijing Olympic squad, takes the group for ocean training off Zushi in Kanagawa Prefecture. Swimming as part of a group is also part of the classes at the Sky Pool. At one point during the session, Miyasugi, 28, has the swimmers crowd into one lane to swim three abreast. Amid the thrashing of limbs and splashing of water, they have to retain focus and poise. “There is a higher level of death in the first five minutes of a triathlon swim because people panic in the crowded water. Group swims help them to prepare for that,” Miyasugi says. “I focus a lot on technique, but with open-water swimming you also have to be mentally prepared. Before a race, there are five things I want my students to check to help them acclimatize to the water. I want them to feel the sand underfoot, taste the water,

check the water temperature, feel the wave direction and check the water depth.” As for technique, Miyasugi uses dry-land conditioning, drills and technical guidance to improve swimmers’ proficiency in all the key strokes, particularly freestyle. “The program is designed for openwater swimming and will give open-water skills, but at the same time students need to also improve their basic skills,” Miyasugi explains. “Lots of intermediate swimmers don’t kick properly and don’t have correct glide positioning. Many triathletes can’t do breaststroke, backstroke or butterfly, but we need to practice these to improve at freestyle.” Designed for intermediate- to advancedlevel swimmers, the E3 Fit Swim Program is open to anyone who can swim 50 meters, according to Miyasugi. So you don’t need a triathlon medal or a host of ironman bibs at home to join, but you might end up with both by the end of the program. o Goss is a Tokyo-based freelance journalist. For more details about the E3 Fit Swim Program, visit the Aquatics page of the Club website or the Sky Pool Office.

RECREATION & FITNESS

FITNESS

Triathlon Test Run, swim and cycle your way to Club glory— and a bag of prizes—over eight days in one contest category.

YOUTH YO U T H

Fields of Dreams

Seasonal Arts and Crafts

Another thrilling season of homeruns and nohitters kicks off for the Club’s young baseball fans.

Ahead of Easter on April 5, kids create their own spring-themed crafts.

The program is divided into two coed leagues: Cadet League (grades K–2), Junior League (grades 3–5) and Senior League (grades 6–8).

Spring Fun Craft Day Saturday, March 28 10:30 a.m.–12 p.m. Toko Shinoda Classroom ¥3,500 Ages 4–12 (children 6 and under must be accompanied by a parent) Sign up online

Youth Baseball Training camp: March 21, 22, 28 and 29 Regular season: April 5–June 7 (Sundays) Cadets: ¥16,800 (non-Members: ¥20,160) Juniors/Seniors: ¥28,000 (non-Members: ¥33,600) Sign up online

High school juniors and seniors receive testtaking tips and strategies for college entrance exams from the Club’s professional tutors.

Try 3: Be an Ironman March 1–8 Fitness Center and Sky Pool ¥1,500 Sign up at the Fitness Center

SAT Intensive Course March 23–27 (five classes) 9 a.m.–12 p.m. ACT Intensive Course March 23–27 (five classes) 1–4 p.m.

In with the New

Spring Camp

Spring is the perfect time to kick-start a new sport or hobby. Browse the array of adult and kids’ programs, from basketball and soccer to martial arts and ballet, on offer on the Club website.

Youngsters stay busy while making new friends during exciting, one-week sessions of games, crafts, music, dance and more.

Spring Class Registration Tuesday, March 3 8:30 a.m. Sign up online or at the Recreation Desk

On Course for College

Camp Discovery: Spring Fun March 16–April 3 9 a.m.–3 p.m. ¥40,000 Ages 3–7 Sign up online

¥80,000 Jean Pearce Classroom Sign up online

Prices exclude 8 percent consumption tax.

Spring Pampering The Spa welcomes the arrival of spring with a special rejuvenating treatment for the whole of March. 90-minute Swedish Massage + Spine-Revitalizing Mask: ¥15,000 (original price: ¥17,500) The effervescent seaweed mask, packed with marine nutrients and minerals, encourages the release of toxins while increasing blood circulation. Prices exclude 8 percent consumption tax.

The Spa proudly uses products by

To book a treatment, contact The Spa at 03-4588-0714 or spa@tac-club.org Monday–Saturday: 10 a.m.–8 p.m. | Sunday and national holidays: 10 a.m.–6 p.m.

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RECREATION & FITNESS

Friendship Forum by Nick Narigon

Reiko Saito

n 1979, Reiko Saito moved with her family to the recently independent African country of Zambia, where her father was hoping to tap into the burgeoning oil business. It was the 7-yearold’s first trip outside her native Japan. Attending an international school, Saito found herself surrounded by classmates from India, China and many other parts of the world. Everyone spoke English. “I was exposed to a lot of things. I saw soldiers with guns. There were curfews and things,” says Saito, now 43. “There were two Japanese families about 100 kilometers away from our town. We drove for an hour to see them on the weekend. I took it pretty naturally. I didn’t think it was too different. But I think it is affecting a lot of things I am doing right now.” A communications and language professional, Saito established the Women’s Group’s Language Coffee Exchange last November to promote conversation and intercultural exchange between Members from various backgrounds. The free coffee klatch, which meets the second Monday of the month, also serves as a forum to introduce different Club events and organizations, which Members have the opportunity to join as either a participant or volunteer.

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Reiko Saito and

her family in Za

mbia, 1979

“We felt there was a need for Japanese Members to have primary lessons for communicating in English and grow their confidence in communicating in English,” says Saito, who was a Member of the Club as a child. “There is also a need for English-speaking Members to get to know Japanese people and to make friends. They stay here for three or four years, and they would love to exchange cultural things by getting to know someone in Japan, and some people even want to learn Japanese.” Women’s Group member Anush Balian attended one of the first Language Coffee Exchange sessions to practice speaking Japanese and meet like-minded people.

“First and foremost, I attended because it provides an opportunity for me to interact with non-English-speaking ladies, especially Japanese,” says Balian. “It is easy access to an organized casual event where I can broaden my experience of the Japanese language and culture.” At the February get-together, Saito divided the 13 women into two groups and asked them to describe their hometown in their language of choice. For future meetings, Saito says she plans to organize games and exercises like speed match. She also says she hopes to see non-Women’s Group members attend. “We are still at the stage where we are exploring different ideas of what can we do, and I think there are a lot of opportunities,” says Saito. “It’s about taking advantage of the diversity of the Club and bringing Members together where they can communicate in a relaxing atmosphere.” o

Language Exchange Coffee Monday, March 9 10 a.m. New York Bridge, CHOP Steakhouse Free Contact the Women’s Group Office for details

Enrique Balducci

One Women’s Group member has set up a monthly mixer to help people break down language barriers.

RECREATION & FITNESS

Designing Sites that Sell

Following the launch of the new Club website earlier this year, Michael Rollins, the president of the digital agency that developed it, explains how websites and digital marketing are changing.

Web design trends

In terms of design, there is a marked shift to “flat” design and further to material design—Google’s new guidelines for visual language. Flat design has become the de facto standard for device user interfaces, web applications and more. Flat design makes it much easier to create responsive layouts across multiple device types, and the user interfaces are lightweight and fast, resulting in less waiting for users and high marks from Google, which can help your website appear higher in search engine result pages. We are also seeing a move to longer pages and scrolling instead of clicking and more use of large, high-quality images and backgrounds. It’s fair to say that the days of the prominent cheesy stock photo have mercifully come to an end.

The future of digital marketing

he Club website project was long and quite complex in many ways, and we were very happy to see the new site go live. When you consider that the old website was almost six years old, there was little doubt that it was time for a new online platform. Since the project was long and web technologies keep speeding ahead, features like mobile device support became a necessary requirement. This meant a lot of late-stage adjustments to make the site responsive.

The age of the responsive site

Responsive web design is about creating websites that are viewable and usable across a wide range of devices, such as desktop computers, tablets and smartphones. The idea is that you need only create a single interface that works well on them all, rather than having one website user interface for PCs and another for smartphones.

Michael Rollins

The responsive feature is the norm for new websites now, especially since the percentage of mobile website traffic on websites is growing quickly. However, the lack of screen real estate on smartphones can and does impose limits on how complex or feature-rich these interfaces can become.

While certainly not a new trend, content marketing is still one that shows no signs of slowing down and that may be because it offers so many benefits. Publishing interesting and useful content on your website not only drives more traffic and business your way, it also helps with search engine rankings, which drives more traffic, boosts rankings and so on. Marketing automation, meanwhile, is helping digital marketers produce excellent results. While once primarily e-mail-based, the scope of marketing automation has expanded to include inbound marketing and personalization. It has been slow in coming to Japan, but top marketing automation solution providers, such as Marketo, are now setting up shop here. In another trend, websites and digital marketing are increasingly becoming data-driven. Armed with this data, companies are investing heavily in increasing website performance through activities like conversion rate optimization (CRO). With CRO, you collect and analyze website usage data and then adjust your content, layout or design to make improvements in your key metrics. While marketing automation works to drive people into the funnel, CRO is designed to make sure they get out the other end. It’s all about the data. o Rollins is founder and president of Tokyo-based digital creative agency Netwise.

The

CHOP

Experience After months of preparation and research, the Club unveils its newest home of steaks and wine on March 3. by Nick Jones

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FEATURE

Benjamin Parks

Scott Kihara

mbracing its roots, the Club’s latest dining adventure is modeled after the quintessential American steakhouse. With a no-nonsense menu centered on the best of American beef, CHOP Steakhouse promises dining excellence, value at every turn and an experience that Members will seek out again and again. Members like Matt Krcelic. “One of the things I miss from home is just hanging out with good friends, going to a casual steak restaurant and having a nice meal,” he says.

great meal that you remember back in the United States and that you can’t find anywhere else in Tokyo.” CHOP is the only steakhouse in Tokyo with a full lineup of American Certified Angus Beef and even CHOP-exclusive cuts. The various dry- and wet-aged and bonein steaks can be enhanced with the one-ofa-kind C3 steak sauce, prepared daily, and

Understanding that a good dining experience goes well beyond just great food, CHOP’s manager, Antonio Villasmil, says that diners at CHOP Steakhouse can expect an intimate evening of superlative service in the very best tradition of a members’ club. “I think service is everything,” says Club Member Alok Rakyan. “From the

complemented with sides like IPA-battered onion rings and mac ’n’ cheese. Beyond the generous portions of quality Midwest-raised beef, CHOP covers its cuisine bases with dishes like Iwate chicken, New Zealand lamb chop, spring pea and lemon risotto and seafood from Tsukiji fish market. Wine lovers, meanwhile, can feast on a wine list that includes more than 100 value-priced, premium labels.

time you are welcomed to the restaurant, from the time he remembers where you need to be seated, from the time he brings you the menu. Those are aspects which set the tone for the evening.” In this evolution of third-floor dining at the Club, CHOP Steakhouse, complete with new staff attire, jazz and blues music and updated table settings, will offer the total package and the ultimate taste of home. o



We grow up where sharing steak with family is part of American culture

 CHOP’s chef de cuisine and culinary mastermind, Scott Kihara, worked tirelessly with his team to create a menu of classic entrées, sides and sweets that takes its cue from America’s leading steakhouses. “We grow up where sharing steak with family is part of American culture,” he says. “That is what we are trying to do at CHOP Steakhouse: present that atmosphere where it’s that neighborhood steakhouse and you can go and get that

CHOP Steakhouse

From March 3 Dinner: Monday–Friday (from 6 p.m.; CHOP bar from 5 p.m.) Available for private event bookings on weekends Reservations: 03-4588-0381 | tac@tac-club.org

26 March 2015 iNTOUCH

FEATURE

The Best of Beef

HOP Steakhouse chef de cuisine Scott Kihara scoured America for the perfect steak. He dined at the top steak restaurants in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and New York, eating steak three meals a day. He met with cattle ranchers in Kansas, Iowa and Ohio, riding in pickup trucks through the pastures, watching the heifers raise their young and graze on lush Midwest grass. In Seattle, he met the butchers who hand-cut CHOP’s meat and inspected the packing plants and distribution facilities. The exhaustive search resulted in CHOP Steakhouse’s signature 10-ounce, bone-in Certified Angus Beef tenderloin. “I would say that the 10-ounce tenderloin is the one that excites me the most. We have that exclusively cut for us, and you won’t find it anywhere else in Tokyo,” says American Kihara. “The tenderloin is the softest and most tender piece of meat. On top of that, it is with the bone, and when presented on a plate looks fabulous.” The steaks served at CHOP Steakhouse, including the 28-day, dry-aged Certified Angus Beef porterhouse, are the highestgrade cuts of meat on the market. The only seasoning required is CHOP’s specially prepared bone marrow butter, which is drizzled over each steak, and a housemade finishing salt. “What we are trying to do is use topquality ingredients and present them very simply. The ingredients are going to speak for themselves, as what we have searched out are the best ingredients we can find,” says Kihara. “Certified Angus Beef is the No. 1 recognized brand in the United States for quality. They are the trusted brand and the one that people seek out.” Certified Angus Beef (CAB) is a nonprofit subsidiary of the American Angus Association, whose membership consists of 25,000 ranchers. The meat is ranked as high-end and prime grade and only one in four Angus cattle qualify for the Certified Angus Beef brand.

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I am excited to go back to the roots of what a steakhouse is, especially the classic New Yorkstyle steakhouse



Tony Biggs, the organization’s director of culinary arts and a former Club executive chef, describes Certified Angus Beef as “just like a new BMW.” “CAB strictly follows 10 sciencebased specifications that separate us from other brands. This guarantees exceptional quality every time,” says Biggs. “The marbling, tenderness and consistency in our product make for a fantastic eating experience.”

by Nick Narigon

Marc Pritchard, president of MacDonald Meat in Seattle, the firm that supplies CHOP with its CAB and USDA Prime steaks, says his company has five quality control programs in place and a USDA inspector permanently on-site. “We source all of our beef from approved US Midwest beef suppliers, where the best cattle come from,” says Pritchard. “We find out our client’s specifications for each item and we custom process and/or cut everything ourselves. This allows us to ensure our clients get exactly what they need and desire.” Besides a host of succulent cuts, the CHOP Steakhouse menu features classic American steakhouse favorites like steak frites, creamed spinach and corn crème brûlée. “I am excited to go back to the roots of what a steakhouse is, especially the classic New York-style steakhouse,” says Kihara. “Whether it’s once a week, twice a week or three times a week, you can come here and enjoy a meal with your friends and family or with your business partners. It’s an approachable place where you are going to get quality service and also get the top-quality steaks that are available only here at CHOP Steakhouse.” o

with lavish, 10- to 15-minute runway shows costing millions of dollars. But, according to the report, the shows have become less about selling the latest collection and more about projecting the brand’s image to a world audience. Organizers of this month’s Tokyo Fashion Week, which attracts around 140,000 fashionistas, are hoping to boost the city’s position in the fashion world and entice more international designers, like London’s Henry Holland, while providing an incentive for Japan’s top designers to stay home. Award-winning designer and Club Member Tae Ashida will unveil her 2015 fall and winter collection at the Grand Hyatt Hotel on March 20 during Tokyo Fashion Week. Last year she and her father, Club Member Jun Ashida, celebrated the 50th anniversary of Jun Ashida fashion house with an exhibition at Tokyo’s National Art Center, the first independent fashion house to exhibit at a national museum of art. iNTOUCH’s Nick Narigon visited Ashida at her Daikanyama headquarters to gain an insight into the ever-evolving world of fashion. Excerpts:

Kayo Yamawaki

Tae Ashida

Catwalk Creations I

n a forever-connected world, fashion doesn’t take a breather, either. Designers post their latest creations on social media before they reach fashion magazines and catwalk shows are streamed on the Internet. Customers can now purchase a garment online before the model has even made it to the end of the runway.

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According to The Economist, a recent survey of the $250 billion luxury fashion industry concluded that word of mouth, mainly through social media, overtook magazines last year as the biggest influence on consumers’ purchase decisions. Still, fashion brands continue to spend big money on the biannual fashion weeks in New York, London, Paris and Milan,

iNTOUCH: You produce two big fashion shows a year, drawing more than 1,600 attendees each time. What’s it like behind the scenes? Ashida: There are almost 100 people working backstage. The show is less than 25 minutes and those people coordinate with each other to make one show. Models come out beautifully and they walk on the catwalk so elegantly, but as soon as they get backstage, they are running, they are taking off their clothes, no matter who is around, and the fitters try to put on new garments, and the hair and makeup people try to fix their hair and makeup, and two or three minutes later she is another person with a new garment. It’s beautiful, but it’s also a panic. iNTOUCH: Tokyo Fashion Week is known as a showcase for relatively unknown, up-and-coming and, mostly, Japanese designers. How can the event evolve in order to compete with Paris, Milan, New York and London?

TALKING HEADS

interesting to see who is showing what. Of course, fashion editors try to talk about the season’s trends, about what is in and what is out, but if you see the next collection, you already know. iNTOUCH: There is some criticism that high fashion has little connection with everyday fashions and style. Do you agree?

Ashida: I think they really try to concentrate on the incubation of new fashion designers, but I think they put too much energy into it. I think it should have more [of a] balance of new designers and professionals. This may be one of the biggest differences between other collections and the Tokyo collection. Other fashion weeks show many young, new designers, but at the same time there are many professional people with long careers. New people are fresh, and they have many ideas, and maybe it’s more creative in a way. But professionals know what they should do and their creations are more sophisticated.

iNTOUCH: With Japan’s domestic market shrinking, how is it affecting your work or that of other designers?

iNTOUCH: Foreigners tend to focus on Tokyo’s kawaii culture or the Harajuku street culture. Does this fairly reflect Japan fashion?

Ashida: In a way, but you know nowadays, you can’t really talk about fashion in one word. It’s more international. You can’t really compare Paris and Tokyo. You can’t even talk about trends anymore. Before, if miniskirts [were] the trend, then you [had] to cut all of your skirts mini, otherwise you [were] out of the trend. It is not like that anymore. If you want to wear a long skirt, it’s OK. If you want to wear wide pants, if you want to wear skinny pants, there is a balance for it.

Ashida: It’s a part of it, but it is not everything. I was asked by foreign editors if most of the people in Tokyo wear kawaii dresses, and I was so scared to hear that. I said I have never seen anyone dressed in that way around me, unless I go to Harajuku or Akihabara. I think Japan is one of the most properly dressed countries. On average, people are really aware of what they are wearing and they spend a lot of money on how they look. Of course, there are some people dressed in kawaii dresses, and it’s OK. It is part of it, but I think we should portray the image of the other side of Japan, too.

Ashida: I think it is difficult for everyone. It is the same all over the world, I am sure, but people don’t tend to buy so much anymore. It’s not easy, but it’s never easy to sell things to people. I don’t feel so much impact. We are lucky to have many loyal customers. We really appreciate that, but we can never stop. We have to make continual efforts to find new ways of selling and attracting new customers. iNTOUCH: Is Japan a fashion leader?

iNTOUCH: How has technology affected the fashion industry? Ashida: [At any collection], you see right away what particular designers are showing on the Internet. You can watch the collection in real time. It is

Ashida: I think garments are to be worn by people for real life. That’s my philosophy. Some people think fashion should be something outrageous and different from everyday life, and that’s another way of thinking. People’s lives are all different. Some people need something outrageous for their life, and some people need very good clothes. iNTOUCH: How do you imagine those who will buy your designs? Ashida: I imagine real people wearing my clothes, so I don’t want to make anything which cannot be worn by real people. Of course, at the same time, I don’t want to make anything boring and not challenging. It is a balance between dream and reality. I think when people wear my dresses, they should be themselves. They shouldn’t be me. They can change the look and impression of the dress by their personality. When I see this happening, it is what excites me as a designer. iNTOUCH: Which designers excite you? Ashida: Nowadays, there are less masters that [I] respect. All of the brands with history, like Christian Dior, Valentino or Yves Saint Laurent, have new designers. Back then, there were so many masters who were respected. They were technically amazing, they were so elegant. You just take a look at their work and say, “Wow!” Nowadays, there are not so many like that. It is more about what is happening on streets all over the world. o

A Taste of Tradition

Set to host a dinner at the Club this month, the head of a centuries-old sake maker in Tohoku explains why his brewery continues to stick to its roots. by Tim Hornyak

30â&#x20AC;&#x201A; March 2015â&#x20AC;&#x192;iNTOUCH

INSIDE JAPAN

Daishichi Sake Brewery

he’s now focused on unearthing more overseas markets. Founded in 1752, the brewery is quick to advertise its age-old methods to differentiate it from the competition. Daishichi is one of the few sake breweries left that uses the kimoto method, one of the most orthodox ways of producing the fermented rice drink. The approach centers on making natural lactic acid at the brewery itself, instead of buying it from suppliers like milk factories.

Hideharu Ohta

Kayo Yamawaki

n the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear crisis in 2011, a venerable sake brewery in the prefecture could count itself lucky. Nearly 300 years ago, the founders of Daishichi had decided to source their water from a deep well at the foot of Mount Adatara. With an untainted water supply, filtered through the volcano, Daishichi could continue to produce top-quality sake, despite the catastrophe at Tokyo Electric’s nuclear power plant less than 100 kilometers away. Aside from water, another key ingredient in making sake is, naturally, rice. Fears of cesium contamination devastated rice farming in Fukushima, but in January this year, the local government announced that the entire 2014 crop had been given the all clear, following checks on almost 11 million bags of rice. Even though Daishichi had already been sourcing its rice from producers across Japan, the brewery installed ventilation filters, air curtains and radiation detectors to ensure its sake remained as pure as ever. “We check everything: the rice when it comes in and the rice when it goes into the final product, and we are still continuing that,” saying Hideharu Ohta, the 10thgeneration head of Daishichi, during a visit to the Club in December. “The water comes from very, very deep wells and it is not affected at all.” While Ohta had expected sales to drop in the wake of the crisis, the opposite happened. Since people throughout Japan wanted to help Fukushima by buying local products, Daishichi enjoyed a bump in sales. Ohta admits that sales were flat due to concerns about the 2011 rice crop, but he says shipments are growing again, and

“Kimoto is a way to make very pure yeast simply, using human hands,” says Ohta. “It’s a very complex process in which many types of microorganisms come out and they fight each other, as it were, for control of the tank where they live. In the end, you get a lactic acid environment that yields a very pure yeast.” Compared to more modern, efficient ways of brewing, kimoto takes two to three times longer. Meanwhile, the water used by the brewery has more mineral content compared to that of other makers and requires maturation. In this again process, it can take two years or more before the sake reaches its best.

Daishichi turns out a range of premium sake, including its flagship Junmai Kimoto Classic and Minowamon, a junmai daiginjo named after one of the gates of Nihonmatsu Castle in northern Fukushima. Junmai daiginjo is a type of high-grade sake made with rice that’s been highly polished, with at least 50 percent of its outer layer removed through milling. The minimum is 40 percent for ginjoshu sake. “Daishichi’s ginjos and daiginjos are not just elegant, with a fine fragrance,” says Ohta, “they’re also sakes with body, so they can be paired with stronger-tasting foods, such as those with herbs, cream and oil. The lactic acid in the kimoto sake can become a natural bridge for a sommelier to cheese, buttery dishes or creamy dishes. So, kimoto sake also goes well with Western food.” Of course, the proof is in the drinking, which those attending this month’s dinner at the Club will have plenty of chance to do. While Ohta is reluctant to reveal too many details, he does confirm that the event will feature a range of flavors, including a light sparkling sake, a traditional Junmai Kimoto and even a kimoto plum wine. The evening is part of an overall effort to expose more people to Daishichi’s heritage and brand. The brewery’s sake is available in the United States, Europe and other parts of Asia, such as the growing markets of Singapore and Thailand. For Ohta, the dinner is a chance to explain one of his sake’s distinguishing points. “The taste is more complex, but at the same time very harmonious, and it has a lot of umami,” says Ohta, referring to the savory taste often associated with soy sauce, cheese and monosodium glutamate. “It’s the fifth taste, but it doesn’t have a flavor itself like sweet or sour, but it enhances the original taste of the ingredients in the food. It brings out the taste in the dishes and harmonizes them. That is the quality of umami.” o Hornyak is a Tokyo-based freelance journalist.

Daishichi Sake Dinner Friday, March 13 6:30–9 p.m. Washington and Lincoln rooms ¥6,500* Sign up online or at Member Services Sponsored by the Culture, Community and Entertainment Committee *Excludes 8 percent consumption tax.

On a Beaten Path

Once a major artery into the heart of the city of Edo, the Tokaido road’s remnants can still be found in and around present-day Tokyo. by Mark Schreiber

Hakone Kyukaido–Old Tokaido Road

n the northwest side of Nihonbashi Bridge, close to Mitsukoshi’s f lagship d e p a r t m e nt s t ore , i s a restoration of the circular metal plate that marked the zero milestone from which travel distances in Japan were measured. Just as all roads in Italy are said to lead to Rome, all roads in Japan once led to this point. In olden times, travelers on foot or horseback entered and departed Edo (present-day Tokyo) via five main routes, four of which began here. Probably the best known of these, the Tokaido (Eastern Sea Road), followed Japan’s Pacific coast before swinging inland and terminating at the Sanjo Bridge in Kyoto. The original Tokaido is no longer contiguous, but sections of it, marked by signs reading “Kyu Tokaido,” still exist at various points and can be easily accessed. A leisurely walk along the old Tokaido will give you a hands-on lesson in Japanese history. First, head to the Keihin Kyuko (Keikyu) train station at Shinagawa, which was the first shuku, or post station that offered overnight accommodations, leading west from Edo. Board a local train to Tachiaigawa Station, the

32 March 2015 iNTOUCH

fifth stop. When you emerge from the station, turn left and you’ll see a large bronze statue of Sakamoto Ryoma, the reform-minded samurai from the domain of Tosa (now Kochi Prefecture in Shikoku), who was assassinated in 1867, a year before the Meiji Restoration. The Tosa domain maintained a residence nearby, from which it defended the harbor with a battery of cannons. In 1853, the 19-year-old Sakamoto was present when four American naval vessels, commanded by Commodore Matthew Perry, sailed into Edo Bay to demand that Japan open up its ports to foreign vessels. Unfortunately, aside from a few rocks that once supported the guns, little else of the battery remains. Next, turn right at the red and white MUFG bank sign and you’ll be walking on the old Tokaido. The first bridge over the canal was once referred to as Namidabashi or “bridge of tears.” According to tradition, this is the point where friends or family members bade farewell to a condemned person bound for the Suzugamori execution ground, which is about a 12-minute walk away. Suzugamori today is a small triangular plot of greenery, sandwiched between National

Highway 15 and the old Tokaido. Its location astride the Tokaido was not coincidental. Travelers bound for the shogun’s city were served grisly warnings that crime would be dealt with swiftly and severely. Along with various monuments are two cubical stones. The one with the round hole was used for burning someone at the stake (hi aburi), which was the punishment for arson, while the one with the square hole was used for haritsuke, where a criminal was fastened to crossed beams and repeatedly stabbed with a spear. It was here, legend has it, that Edo’s most famous firebug, a 16-year-old girl known as Yaoya no Oshichi, is said to have met her tragic end. Cross the pedestrian overpass at Suzugamori and walk beneath the elevated Keikyu tracks to Omori Kaigan Station. Take a local train for six stops to Rokugo Dote Station, walk across Highway 15 and then the Tama River to Kawasaki. On the Kawasaki side of the bridge, you’ll see markers commemorating Rokugo no Watashi, the ferry crossing last used in 1883. It was from here on the 23rd day of the ninth month in 1868 that the entourage of the 15-year-old

OUT & ABOUT

Nihonbashi Bridge–present day

Nihonbashi Bridge–ukiyo-e print

Emperor Meiji, using a makeshift bridge of 23 boats lashed end-to-end, crossed the Tama River. Soon thereafter, with much celebration, Edo was proclaimed Japan’s “eastern capital,” or Tokyo. Turn right on the road beneath the bridge and you’ll be following the old Tokaido through central Kawasaki. Look for the vertical stone markers or colored cloth banners on lampposts. On the left side of the street about 10 minutes from the bridge is the Tokaido Kawasaki Shuku Koryukan, with a free museum that features a panel display of Hokusai’s famous series of woodblock prints, titled “The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido” (of which Kawasaki was the second from Edo). Almost directly across the street is the Kawasaki Isago no Sato Museum, which regularly displays old woodblock prints. Following the road for a few more city blocks will bring you to Keikyu Kawasaki Station. From here, one option is to visit the huge Kawasaki Daishi Temple, which was founded in 1128. Take the spur line three stops to Kawasaki Daishi Station and walk about 10 minutes. Also near the station is the

Wakamiya Hachimangu, a shrine notorious for its raunchy phallic displays. You might also think about traveling to Hatcho Nawate Station on the Keikyu Line to see a stone marker on the old Tokaido, where the famous 17th-century poet Basho composed a haiku, which in translation reads: “I clutch the barley ears/To support myself/As we have to part.” From there, consider continuing on to Namamugi Station in Yokohama’s Tsurumi Ward. This is known for the notorious Namamugi Incident. On September 14, 1862, Charles Lenox Richardson went for a horseback ride with three companions and ran afoul of a troop of samurai. Richardson received a fatal sword injury. His death led to armed conflict between the British Royal Navy and the Satsuma domain. A stone monument on Highway 15 marking the location of the incident has been moved to a temporary location pending construction. Just off Highway 15 is Kirin’s huge Yokohama Brewery, where you can complete the day out with a guided tour of the plant (tours in Japanese only) and enjoy two complimentary drinks.

Those keen to continue their Tokaido exploration can head to Hakone and a fascinating reconstruction of the Hakone checkpoint, located alongside Lake Ashi. o Schreiber is a Tokyo-based freelance journalist.

☛ Tokaido Kawasaki Shuku Koryukan http://kawasakishuku.jp ☛ Kawasaki Isago-no-Sato Museum http://kawasaki-isagonosato.jimdo.com ☛ Hakone Checkpoint www.hakonesekisyo.jp

☛ Nihonbashi www.nihonbashi-tokyo.jp ☛ Go Tokyo www.gotokyo.org ☛ Discover Kawasaki www.travelkawasaki.com ☛ Yokohama Visitors’ Guide www.yokohamajapan.com

CULTURAL INSIGHT

Heavenly Creatures Emblazoned on New Year’s cards in Japan, the animals of the Chinese zodiac and the system’s associated beliefs have a long history in Japan. by Efrot Weiss

n 1966, Japan witnessed a dramatic decrease in its birth rate and an increase in terminated pregnancies. These statistics are tied directly to the Japanese zodiac, or eto. Anyone born in the so-called year of the fire horse (hinoe uma) is believed to be a harbinger of bad luck. According to The Japan Times, in 1966, the last year of the fire horse, about 15 percent fewer babies were born than in either 1965 or 1967. Moreover, 1966 saw an increase of approximately 13 abortions per 1,000 births. Significant dips in the birth rate were noted in the hinoe uma years of 1846 and 1906 as well. “It is not good for women to be born in the year of the fire horse as there is too much yang or power in the woman,” explains Yoshiko Akami, a professional astrologer. “People think that the woman will sap h e r hu s b a n d’s e n e r g y, resulting in early death and bankruptcy.” Fortunately, 2015 is the year of the wood sheep, which according to the Japanese zodiac calendar, indicates that the year should be peaceful, harmonious and rejuvenating. People born this year should be amicable, gentle and compassionate. Known as jikan junishi in Japanese, the Chinese or Japanese zodiac is a complex system of predicting fate and destiny and is linked to the moon’s

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rotation and the five elements of wood, fire, earth, metal and water. The heavenly stems, consisting of the five elements in their yin (feminine) and yang (masculine) form, rotate in a 10-year cycle. The 12 earthly branches, represented by different animals, rotate in a 12-year cycle. The menagerie consists of a rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon (the only mythological animal), snake, horse,

sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and boar. In the resultant 60-year cycle, one of the 10 stems is paired with one of the 12 animals each year. Represented by two kanji characters, the sequence commences with the wood rat and concludes with the water boar.

“Each element has both a yin and yang component, but the yin and yang quality of each animal is set and cannot change,” says Akami. “The sheep, for example, is yin.” Tradit iona l ly, t h is complic ate d system was used to count months, days and hours and define compass points. “Before a writing system was developed, the 12 animals symbolized the seasons,” says Akami. Each animal in the zodiac corresponds to a two-hour period in each 24-hour day, commencing with the hour of the rat, from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. In fact, astrologers believe that our true self is exemplified by our secret animal. There are various legends as to how the order of the zodiac animals was determined. A popular one claims that the mythical Jade Emperor in China summoned all of the animals, with the order of their arrival determining the order of the zodiac. The ox, albeit the first to arrive, had unwittingly carried the rat on his back. The rat promptly disembarked and entered first. The goat (the same zodiac sign for the sheep) worked together with the monkey and rooster, coming in eighth. Thanks to the goat’s kind actions, 2015 should be a year of harmony and prosperity. o Weiss has been a Club Member since 2002.

EVENT ROUNDUP

Fitness Fair January 17

Exercise lovers and those looking for a new healthy hobby headed to the Gymnasium for this annual event to learn about the range of fitness programs on offer, try some of them out and talk to the instructors. Photos by Kayo Yamawaki

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Make your second home a holiday

This spring and summer, enjoy a one-night stay, including breakfast, at one of the Guest Studios for just ¥28,000, or stay for three nights or more for only ¥25,000 a night.

mac zen spa fitness oasis den for two

Club Getaway Specials April 24–May 7 and June 1–August 31 All offers during these periods are based on double occupancy. Children accepted.

Reservations 03-4599-0381 | tac@tac-club.org www.tokyoamericanclub.org

Super Bowl XLIX at the Club February 2

More than 250 football fans joined the Club’s annual Super Bowl party in the New York Ballroom and Traders’ Bar to enjoy a sumptuous breakfast buffet, betting pools and prizes while watching the New England Patriots defeat the Seattle Seahawks 28-24. Photos by Yuuki Ide

1. Toni Ann and Brian Simmons 2. Patrick Butler and Food & Beverage Director Nori Yamazaki 3. John Possman

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EVENT ROUNDUP

First Friday: Valentine’s February 6

Ahead of Valentine’s Day, the Winter Garden hosted a romance-infused evening of drinks, snacks, live music and mingling at its monthly Member get-together. Photos by Kayo Yamawaki

1. (l–r) Women’s Group President Linda Schnetzer, Elizabeth Butler, Christa Rutter and Tamara Crawford 2. Robert and Madeleine Seward 2

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CLUB PEOPLE

yokoso Shiro & Yoshiko Fukada Japan—Fukada Kogyo Co., Ltd. Takako Iino Japan—Iino Corporation Michael & Laysee Atkins Australia—Dentsu Young & Rubicam, Inc. Charles Jones & Ethel Fujii-Jones United States—Lockheed Martin Global, Inc. Norikazu Tanaka Japan—Mitsubishi Corporation Hiroshi & Kyoko Shishikura Japan—JLT Risk Services Japan Ltd. Jerry David Chan & So Jeong Lee Canada—Bittoku G.K. Takashi Kida Japan—Mitsui & Co., Ltd. Michael Gostkowski & Melissa Finnin United States—PricewaterhouseCoopers Aarata Richard Jingru Syuku Xiao China—Taiyo System Technology Co., Ltd. Nobutaka Fumiko Imanishi Japan—Imayo & Co., Ltd. Yumiko Asakai Japan—JP Morgan Securities Japan Co., Ltd. Nicola Oduro-Yeboah & Abi Komolafe United Kingdom—Tokyo Medical and Surgical Clinic Paul Marston & Yukie Terao United States—Pillsbury, Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP Mary & Joe Ogata United Kingdom—TMJ Japan, Inc. Tomoumi Horikawa Japan—Shoei Co., Ltd. Haruki & Mikiko Satomi Japan—HS Company Ltd. Fabrice & Emeline Baschiera France—Sanofi K.K.

Philippe Sauvage & Laurence Tuot ep Sauvage Rodrigo Zorrilla & Guillermina Gonzalez Serrano France—Sanofi K.K. George & Anna Zarifi Sean & Etsuko Kohari Nicholas Kennedy Japan—AIG Business Partners K.K. Christopher & Joyce Knight Peter Roland Erika & Anthony Abbo Denmark—BBC Chartering Japan Ltd. Jonathan & Taryn Lewis Tina Mi & Yu Jun Zhang Tim & Sharon Fuller United States—Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu LLC Michael & Diana Bohm Edward & Janet Walters Venkat Sridhar & Revathy Sreedharan Australia—Coca-Cola East Japan Co., Ltd. Chris Speers Yusuke & Akiko Watanabe Randy & Lynn Evans Japan—The Carlyle Group Christopher Newhouse & My-Khanh Phan Yuichiro Munakata Patrick & Nancy Paya Japan—Ernst & Young ShinNihon LLC Joachim & Kristin Rosenberg Hideaki Matsumoto Iris Urban Japan—Totan ICAP Co., Ltd. Hector & Miwa Sekiguchi Gutierrez Sanae & Ryuki Soga Simon & Annabelle Goodman Japan—Sato Clinic Mark Swindell & Melanie Brundle Giulia Biasin & Andrea Moroni James & Leslie Adelsheim Italy—Philip Morris Japan K.K. Yuriko Miyahara Denise & Toshiro Miura United States—MarkLogic K.K. Olivier & Kaori Vandercamme Belgium—Life Fitness Japan Ltd. Stefanie Drews Germany—Nikko Asset Management Co., Ltd.

sayonara Yotaro & Momoyo Kobayashi Tatsumitsu & Ayako Yamasaki Takaaki & Suika Kameda Nobuyoshi Mori Kaoru Yamazaki Eisuke Takeda Jason & Tania Hayes Stanley & Clarice Sawai James & Alison Watson Paolo Tombesi & Rita Mattiaccio Peter Davison

Preschools for Preschoolers TAIP Established in 2005, TAIP supports more than 45 international preschools and kindergartens in the Tokyo area through professional development, networking and public relations. www.tokyopreschools.org

UK Fields

ST. ALBAN’S NURSERY PROGRAM Just around the corner from TAC. Small and personal. Our programs offer each child free choice in a safe, structured, loving environment. 090-6480-4542

www.saintalbans.jp

M ARCHIE INTERNATIONAL Exclusive, bespoke tailored clothes for men and ladies. Suits from ¥45,000 and shirts from ¥8,000. In Tokyo from March 8 to 18. For appointments: 090-2433-5733 m.archiefashions@gmail.com

Learn to converse in Japanese or pass the JLPT from experienced teachers in small classes in Hamamatsucho. From ¥1,900 per lesson (no entrance fee; free trial 30-minute lesson).

Piano lessons also available. www.ukfields.com

New Member Profile

Why did you decide to join the Club?

“I had the privilege of spending my childhood and youth in the 1980s and ’90s at TAC with my parents and younger sister, and I promised myself that I would join once I had a child of my own. I want my wife and son to have the same type of wonderful experience at TAC that I had, and I’m looking forward to enjoying the Club as an adult as well.”

“We had been discussing Club membership for a while and when our little guy developed his passion for swimming, we decided to look into it more seriously. We took the tour and were immediately sold. It’s such a great place for all the family, with great food, great staff and lots of space for both business and pleasure. We couldn’t be happier with our decision.”

(l–r) William, William and Makiko Hall

(l–r) Aya, Keith and Hiro Dickson

William & Makiko Hall Japan—T2 Tokyo K.K.

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Keith & Aya Dickson United Kingdom—Apex K.K.

CLUB PEOPLE

employee

of the month

Makoto Arai

Ramon Takahashi

by Nick Jones

ust as Makoto Arai stood up to leave the restaurant, the woman who ran the eatery tapped him on the shoulder. “Do you know what was in that last dish?” she asked. The texture, he figured, was a lot like chicken. She shook her head, a smile widening to a grin. “Snake,” she said with a giggle. Although the dinner with coworkers took place in Hong Kong in the 1970s, when Arai was working for a Japanese audio equipment maker in the then British colony, he remembers it vividly. Each place he has lived over the years evokes a similar tale or sensation, from the heat and humidity of Taiwan to the sudden, monsoon-like showers in Singapore to the spectacular drive alongside the crashing Pacific Ocean from San Francisco to Los Angeles. In all, Arai spent around 20 years abroad. In particular, he has fond memories of his five years in LA from the late ’80s. “I liked the American lifestyle and how people are encouraged to take responsibility and progress,” he says. He never relished his stints back home in Japan. “When I came back, I felt refreshed,” says December’s Employee of the Month. “But after a few months, I found the Japanese work style really annoying.” Keen to continue working after retirement, Arai joined the Club’s housekeeping team in 2002. When he first visited the old Azabudai facility, it reminded him of an enjoyable dinner at the Singapore American Club years before. “I was attracted to the Club’s international atmosphere,” he says. Now in his 70s, Arai wakes up at 3 a.m. to catch the first train to work. Describing his job as “fun and interesting,” he says he has no intention of putting his feet up just yet. “I’d like to keep working as long as I can.” o

amon Takahashi understands perfectly why Members come to the Club. He grew up in a similar environment. Originally from the Peruvian capital of Lima, Takahashi spent many weekends as a child at a club popular with the JapanesePeruvian community. Since his mother is the daughter of Japanese immigrants from Fukushima Prefecture (his father is of mixed Spanish and Italian heritage), he was exposed to Japanese culture at a young age. “I did some culture classes like origami and took some Japanese lessons,” Takahashi, 45, says. “We also went there to enjoy the pool with friends.” After graduating with a college degree in business and finance, he decided to travel to the land that had given him his name. “After university, the situation [in Peru] was not so good,” he says. “‘Maybe I’ll go for one or two years and see my mother’s and grandparents’ country,’ I thought. Of course, I like Japan and now Peru is only for a vacation.” That was 22 years ago. Since arriving in the country that he expected to be more “conservative” and “traditional,” he has worked in the popular Gunma tourist destination of Kusatsu Onsen, Ibaraki and now Tokyo. Joining the Club a year ago, Takahashi welcomes Members to Café Med for breakfast before serving lunch in Rainbow Café. “The first two or three months it was very hard for me to remember Members’ names and preferences,” he says. “I was nervous but this was good pressure and opened my eyes. I feel comfortable now and am happy.” The Club’s Employee of the Month for November and most recent Employee of the Quarter says that after running a catering business in Tokyo with two partners for 10 years, he’s enjoying his return to the restaurant scene and the opportunity to interact with diners. “What I enjoy,” he says, “is the smiles of customers.” o

Manager of the Quarter

Koichi Matsuda of the Club’s Finance Department is the latest recipient of the Manager of the Quarter award.

BACK WORDS

Where the Line is Devine by Akihiko Kubo

t’s easy for newcomers to Tokyo to be overwhelmed by the city’s impressive sights, from the neon brilliance of Shibuya at night to Meiji Shrine’s towering torii gateway to the outrageous fashions on display in Harajuku on weekends. These are, indeed, amazing, and I could devote an entire Back Words column to each. But there’s a rarely discussed side to Japan that is visible every day and yet may rival the capital’s entertainment and spiritual hotspots. I’m talking about the long lines of patiently waiting Japanese. I’m not suggesting that a row of people outside a popular ramen restaurant should rank at the top of anyone’s sightseeing list. As a seasoned traveler, however, I think my countrymen possess an unmatched skill to line up in a patient, orderly fashion. Consider the train platforms at Shinjuku Station, for example. During morning rush hour, they swell to capacity, people jammed together on narrow patches of concrete. But when a

44 March 2015 iNTOUCH

train arrives and the doors open, there is almost never any jockeying for position or fighting over whose turn it is to board. Commuters wait for passengers to pour out of the carriages then calmly board. The process ensures all passengers are served efficiently and is just one example of a guiding principle of Japanese society that is best expressed as something like, “Those who wait eventually earn a bite at the apple.” While slightly clichéd, harmony really is important in Japan. And to achieve it, it’s critical that people learn to be comfortable with waiting. We lay the groundwork for this concept in grade school, where waiting quietly in straight lines is an essential part of the education process, and reinforce it throughout adolescence, with activities like high school sports. It all helps prepare children for the realities of corporate life, where seniority is often valued as highly as performance when it comes time to hand out raises and promotions. At least, that’s the way things used to be. Nowadays, recent graduates are discovering that many of the big companies are doing away with lifetime employment and regularly scheduled promotions. Firms looking to expand beyond Japan determined they were lacking the kind of dynamism and entrepreneurial spirit that their foreign competitors possessed. Instead of lifetime employment, Japanese companies began introducing merit-based compensation systems to

reward employees for performance. To compete in the global economy, executives reasoned, workers needed to understand that securing that next raise was something more than simply waiting in line. This isn’t to say that harmony is dead in Japan. Queues remain important here (just check out those beautiful lines of passengers in front of station escalators), but the change illustrates that Japanese culture isn’t—as some commentators would have us believe—just a collection of hoary rules and inefficient customs. It’s true that we Japanese like things neat and tidy and, when possible, we’d like our growth to be disruption-free. Just don’t mistake us for what we’re not: a society that values process over progress. o Club Member Kubo is chairman of the advertising agency Ogilvy & Mather Japan Group.

TOKYO AMERICAN CLUB

毎月一回一日発行第四十七巻五九九号

TOKYO AMERICAN CLUB

March 2015

トウキョウアメリカンクラブ

i N T O U C H

インタッチマガジン二〇一五年三月一日発行平成三年十二月二十日第三種郵便物許可定価八００円

CHOP

本体七七七円

Issue 599 • March 2015

Chef Scott Kihara fires up the grill at the Club’s newest home of steaks and wine