spa facilities that will help you look and feel your best. If you’re looking for long-term lease properties with a full range of services in convenient locations around Tokyo, it’s time to upgrade to MORI LIVING.
www.moriliving.com
SEPTEMBER 2020
INTOUCH
at one of the city’s hottest restaurants. On-site gym and
TOKYO AMERIC AN CLUB
An English-speaking concierge who helps you book a table
毎月一回一日発行 第四十七巻六六五号 トウキョウアメリカンクラブ インタッチマガジン二〇二〇年九月一日発行 平成三年十二月二十日第三種郵便物許可定価八００円 本体七二八円
Time for an upgrade Time for MORI LIVING
TOKYO AMERIC AN CLUB
SEPTEMBER 2020
Uptown Retreat What can Members expect from the Club’s planned satellite facility in Nihonbashi?
TR ANSPACIFIC TIES + OWNING THE RO OM + VIKING VIBES
A pioneer in prestigious real estate Kara Blanc in Minami-Azabu
We don’t just offer places to live, but locations where communities can grow. Our Homat Series has been offering the best in modern and stylish rentals in prime locations for international residents since 1965.
www.nskre.co.jp/english
We offer a wide range of premium residences, from highrises with sweeping panoramic views, such as the Homat Viscount in Akasaka, to low-rise residences in green and quiet neighborhoods, such as the Kara Blanc in Minami-Azabu. Our continuing goal is to provide high quality housing for expat families living and working in Tokyo’s city center.
Contents 20 NIHONBA SHI HOME
YUUKI IDE
FOLLOW US
Set to open in the spring, the Club’s new satellite facility in the vibrant, fast-developing Nihonbashi neighborhood promises a new dimension to being a Member.
5
LE ADER SHIP
6
DIGE ST
10
AGENDA
INDEPTH
12
COMMUNIT Y
15
WINE
18
TOA ST M A ST E R S
20
FO CU S
18 STAND AND DELIVER
Since 2005, the Club’s Toastmasters chapter has been helping Members learn that when it comes to public speaking there’s nothing to fear but fear itself.
COMMUNITY
A CULTIVATED KINSHIP
After 40 years of residing on and off in Japan, American David Beeman looks back on a life lived between two cultures.
25
REGISTER
27
VOICE
29
HIGHLIGHTS
32
E S C APE
YUUKI IDE
12
COVER IMAGE OF NIHONBASHI MUROMACHI MITSUI TOWER BY YUUKI IDE
SEPTEMBER | 1
TOKYO AMERIC AN CLUB
BOARD OF GOVERNORS
INTOUCH
Representative Governor Michael Alfant (2021)
Editor Nick Jones
First Vice President Jesse Green (2020)
editor@tac-club.org
Second Vice President Alok Rakyan (2021)
Assistant Editor Owen Ziegler
Secretar y Kenji Ota (2021)
Designer Kohji Shiiki
Treasurer Michael Benner (2020)
Designer Clara Garcia
Governors Jeffrey Behr (2021), Trista Bridges Bivens (2020), John Flanagan (2021),
Production Administrator Yuko Shiroki
Anthony Moore (2020), James Mori (2020), Tetsutaro Muraki (2020),
GENERAL MANAGER
Catherine Ohura (2021), Heidi Regent (2021), Christina Siegel (2020)
Anthony L Cala
Statutor y Auditors Koichi Komoda (2020), Paul Kuo (2021) Parentheses denote term limit.
ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGERS Business Operations Wayne Hunter
CLUB COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Business Suppor t Lian Chang
Compensation Anthony Moore Culture, Community & Enter tainment Miki Ohyama (John Flanagan)
DIRECTORS
Finance Joe Moscato (Michael Benner)
Acting Food & Beverage Suranga Hettige Don
Food & Beverage Jim Weisser (James Mori)
Recreation Susanna Yung
House Douglas Hymas (Kenji Ota)
Member Services Jonathan Allen
Human Resources John Sasaki (Tetsutaro Muraki)
Membership Mari Hori
Membership Misuzu Yamada (Trista Bridges Bivens)
Finance Naoto Okutsu
Nominating Ray Klein
Facilities Toby Lauer
Recreation Bryan Norton (Christina Siegel)
Communications Shane Busato
Risk Control Sam Rogan (Catherine Ohura)
USA House & Nihonbashi Satellite Club Opening
TAC Nihonbashi Task Force Ginger Griggs
Nori Yamazaki
Tokyo 2020 Olympic Dean Rogers (Jesse Green)
CONTRIBUTORS
Parentheses denote Board liaison.
Writers
SUBCOMMITTEES
Katherine Borun
Community Relations Hideki Endo
Louise Gunnestrand
Frederick Harris Gallery JoAnn Yoneyama
James Mori
Golf Charles Postles
Kenta Motogami
Squash Richard Kenny
Chikako Nakashima
Swim Nils Plett
Stefan Nilsson
Wine & Beverage Michael Van Zandt
Viviane Pendleton Michael Van Zandt Photographers Donna Beeman Yuuki Ide Benjamin Parks Kayo Yamawaki Illustrator Tania Vicedo
ADVERTISING IN INTOUCH
JOINING TOKYO AMERICAN CLUB
Explore the Club’s range of advertising possibilities by talking to
To arrange a tour of the facilities,
the Club’s exclusive advertising agency, Custom Media.
contact the Membership Office.
Custom Media President Robert Heldt
Tokyo American Club
Custom Media Publisher Simon Farrell
2-1-2 Azabudai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-8649
adver tising@tac-club.org
membership@tac-club.org
03-4540-7730 | www.custom-media.com
03-4588-0687 | www.tokyoamericanclub.org
All prices referenced in INTOUCH exclude consumption tax.
2 | INTOUCH
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For trip schedule visit: www.euromerican.com
LEADERSHIP
N
Facing Adversity Together WORDS JAMES MORI IMAGE KAYO YAMAWAKI
ext year is a special one as I mark my 40th year as a Club Member. Naturally, those four decades have been filled with ups and downs, from the second oil shock of 1979 and the global financial crisis in 2008 to 2011’s Tohoku triple disaster and the current coronavirus pandemic. Of course, Japan is affected by natural disasters every year. Besides the regular seismic tremors, there are annual typhoons and flooding, as we saw recently in Kyushu. This pandemic, too, was preceded by SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), various strains of bird flu and other epidemics. Through all these periods of crisis, adversity and stress, the one social institution in Tokyo that has served as a reassuring haven for me and my family has been the Club. It has been a social nexus both as a place for recreation and beyond its walls. The connections we make as Members can last lifetimes and traverse the world. Just like our wonderful facilities, these connections should be cherished and nurtured by all Members. In my opinion, they represent the crown jewel of the Club’s value proposition. In the current environment, the Club can be a refuge. But like any organization, it can only flourish when there is an abundance of positive thinking. When we as Members are aligned in our belief that the Club is transparently governed and owned by us all, we can surmount any difficultly and thrive. We are not striving necessarily to turn a profit at all costs because that is not the way we are organized as a nonprofit social club. We aim to provide all aspects of value to Members. A concrete example of this is the Club’s first-ever satellite facility, which will open in Nihonbashi early next spring (you can read about the details of the project on page 20). This will be another nexus of social possibilities for all Members. The ongoing global pandemic has presented us with a set of particularly tough challenges. But we are fortunate to have a group of highly dedicated and resourceful volunteer leaders, supported by equally committed Club management and staff. Club leaders are open and responsive to Members’ input and together—as we have done so many times before—we will weather this crisis and emerge stronger.
“THE CONNECTIONS WE MAKE AS MEMBERS CAN LAST LIFETIMES AND TRAVERSE THE WORLD.”
James Mori is a Club governor.
SEPTEMBER | 5
D I G E ST E D I TO R
Brand Expansion
Shaping the City
YUUKI IDE
NIHONBASHI
The Club moved one step closer to unveiling its first-ever satellite facility with a lease-signing ceremony in the Winter Garden on August 5. The new Club will open next spring on the sixth floor of Nihonbashi Muromachi Mitsui Tower, a multiuse complex in Tokyo’s Nihonbashi district (read the full details on page 20). The 15-year lease agreement was signed by Michael Alfant, the Club’s representative governor, and Tadashi Ogawa of Mitsui Fudosan, the tower’s developer. “The Nihonbashi facility promises to be an attractive hub for Members in a fast-developing part of town—and at no cost to the Club,” says Alfant. NJ
MEMBERSHIP
BENJAMIN PARKS
Growing Our Community
The wider Club community benefits whenever a new Member joins the fold, and now individual Members can benefit directly, too. Until the end of the month, Members who introduce prospective Members to the Club could walk away with yen to spend on their next meeting or dinner celebration at a Club venue. For new Term Regular Members, existing Members will receive ¥50,000 vouchers and ¥100,000 for new Resident or Company Regular Members approved by October (conditions apply). Know someone who’s interested in joining the Club? Help them and yourself by reaching out to the Membership Office today. OZ
6 | INTOUCH
There was no stopping Japan’s juggernaut of development in the 1960s. With Tokyo set to host Asia’s first Olympic Games in 1964, the city was transformed into one giant construction site. Among the mammoth engineering projects were 100 kilometers of highways, 40 kilometers of subway lines, an airport monorail and a bullet train line to Osaka. During this frenzy of renewal and modernization, there was little concern about urban aesthetics or cultural preservation. Nihonbashi’s iconic stone and brass bridge, completed in 1911, was one such casualty. In building the Metropolitan Expressway for the Olympics, engineers decided to follow the course of the river to avoid having to reclaim any precious land. The resulting structure, just meters above the eponymous bridge, desecrated the area’s ambience. While there has been greater official awareness in recent years of the need to protect sites of historical significance, campaigners like American writer Alex Kerr believe not enough is being done. “If people have to wear hard hats, then let’s have them bury the utility lines, let’s have them restore old houses, let’s have them protect beautiful old streets,” he said in a 2017 interview. Mitsui Fudosan is one developer determined to revive some of Tokyo’s past charm. Through its revitalization plan for Nihonbashi, the firm is reinvigorating the district through riverside developments and cultural projects. It’s here that the Club will open its first-ever satellite facility next year. And this month’s cover feature, “Nihonbashi Home,” reveals why the move represents the next step in the Club’s own evolution.
BOOKS
Bedtime Hits
Bedtime stories aren’t just for kids. They’re also a chance for parents to connect with their children at the end of the day and even revisit favorite tales from their own childhoods. Members and parents Kenta Motogami, Viviane Pendleton, Katherine Borun and Chikako Nakashima share their recommended Library titles for entertaining bedtime reads. NJ “The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig is about Brian, a boy who goes unnoticed by everyone. When a new classmate arrives, Brian learns how fun it is to have friends and work together. It’s a great reminder of the importance of
reaching out to someone who may otherwise remain lonely.” KM “Raymond Briggs’ Ug features a Stone Age boy with decidedly modern ideas. Whilst everyone else wears stone trousers, sleeps under stone duvets and plays stone football, the charming Ug talks of building construction, animal husbandry and football games that don’t result in fractured toes. A delightful book, complete with wry annotations for parents whose Stone Age knowledge is not, perhaps, as detailed as it could be.” VP “Jory John’s The Bad Seed is a book
I can read to all my kids—ages 9, 7 and 5—but is also simple enough that my older two can happily read it to the youngest. While my kids love the naughty scofflaw seed, I love the (unpreachy) lesson that people are the sum of their choices and they can always choose to be good.” KB “In The Twits by Roald Dahl, the spiteful Mr and Mrs Twit play nasty practical jokes. They catch birds to make bird pies and make their pet monkeys stand on their heads all day, so the animals want revenge. My children really enjoyed the hilarious story and asked me to read it a few times.” CN
S PA
Relief and Relaxation Muscle cramps. Fatigue. Nagging headaches. Just some of the symptoms Tokyo’s sweltering heat can leave in its wake. That’s why your body and mind deserve some much-needed R&R in the revitalizing (and cooling) surroundings of The Spa. Throughout September, the Club’s hub of tranquility is offering 20 percent off its Swedish, deep-tissue, aromatherapy and Sabai hot stone rejuvenating treatments. Whether you’re in need of a 60-minute (from ¥8,800) or 90-minute (from ¥12,000) session, you’ll emerge energized, refreshed and ready for autumn in the city. Book a treatment today. OZ
SEPTEMBER | 7
Find ďŹ nancial peace of mind Retirement and education solutions Regular and lump-sum investments Properties in Japan and abroad Life and health insurance US citizen solutions UK pension transfers
Investment advice for expats and Japanese nationals Contact us, fellow Club members, for a free consultation at your place, ours or the Club. tac@argentumwealth.com | 03-5549-9099 www.argentumwealth.com Licensed in Japan and established in 2007
D I G E ST V OT I N G
WINE
Election Season
Tastes of Two Worlds WORDS MICHAEL VAN ZANDT
YUUKI IDE
IMAGE KAYO YAMAWAKI
With the Club’s Annual General Meeting set for November 17, make sure you’re able to vote by registering as a Voting Member. To register, download a voter registration form from the Club Articles of Association & Rules page of the Club website, fill it out and submit it in person to Member Services. “The Club community thrives when Members take part in the process of governance,” says Michael Alfant, the Club’s representative governor. “In order to navigate the coming months to the best of our ability, I invite all eligible Members to register to vote and make their voices heard.” OZ MEETINGS
YUUKI IDE
Safe Surroundings
How do you keep the wheels of business turning in today’s new normal? With the Club’s safety-focused meeting packages, the answer might be simpler than you think. The new hybrid meeting package combines socially distant room layouts with all the web conference infrastructure you need to connect with colleagues or clients across the country or globe. Plus, Members who book a meeting to be held this year by September 30 will receive 50 percent off the room charge (applies only to meetings of at least ¥100,000). Sounds like better than business as usual. Contact 03-4588-0308 or banquet@tac-club.org to organize your meeting. OZ
As we bid farewell (good riddance?) to August’s humidity, it’s a good time to think about Cellar wines to carry us through to autumn. Château La Gordonne’s 2017 La Chapelle Rosé is a perfect wine to round out the summer. Available for ¥2,900 a bottle, it is no college boxed wine. This Provence rosé of Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault is sophisticated and dry, with floral and light strawberry aromas. California’s Cline Cellars is near and dear to me, as it’s where my wife and I had our wedding reception while living in Sonoma. The winery is known for its focus on Rhône grapes and its 2018 Farmhouse Red (¥1,860) is a fruit-forward, American-style blend of six varietals. Chocolate, dark berry and plum on the nose and palate. If you’d like something with a little dust on it, look no further than The Cellar’s 2008 Château Lassègue Saint-Émilion Grand Cru (¥4,700). The strong tannins of this classic, Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are nicely balanced by chocolate and dark fruits. And trying both the Cline and Lassègue will reveal the huge differences in winemaking technique between California and Bordeaux. Michael Van Zandt is chair of the Club’s Wine & Beverage Committee. For the month of September, receive a 10 percent discount on purchases of at least three bottles of any of these recommended Cellar wines.
SEPTEMBER | 9
AG E N DA
Events in September 1
Refreshing Flavors Premium sake sipper and a gift with a difference, the Club’s own Hakkaisan junmai ginjo sake ticks all the boxes. Receive a complimentary bottle with every purchase of five. Through September 30 The Cellar Details online
1
Summer Reading Challenge It’s an all-ages, all-pages read-athon. Pick up a bingo card from the Library and read your way to crossing off squares and winning prizes—ranging from ice cream for kids to discounted eats at Club outlets for moms and dads. Through September 28 Library Free All ages Details online
1
Summer Suds Through the balmy days of autumn, sip on ice-cold pints of Suntory The Premium Malt’s for just ¥710 at any Club restaurant or watering hole. And if a pint just doesn’t cut it, head to Splash! for a jumbo, 650-milliliter glass (¥870). Through October 31 Details online
1
Connections’ Open House Find inspiration and new friendships this autumn at this showcase of classes, tours and volunteer opportunities from the vibrant Connections group. 1–3pm & 5–7pm Manhattan II & III Free Details online
2
Fall Enrichment Classes Registration Start planning your autumn of learning by browsing through dozens of upcoming enrichment classes from Connections through the Club website. Online registration opens at 10am. Details online
10 | INTOUCH
5
Walking Through Club History History doesn’t really repeat itself, they say, but it does rhyme. “One of the old Club buildings wasn’t as earthquake-proof as it should have been, so they had to fix that up and issue bonds to Members as a way to raise money,” says Drew Damron, manager of the Club’s Library. “It’s kind of interesting to see things that we used to address years ago.” Echoes of the past and bygone tidbits take center stage on Damron’s walking tour of past clubhouses and points of archival interest. During this stroll back through the Club’s 92-year history, with stops in Yurakucho, Marunouchi’s Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum and the current Azabudai Club, Damron promises not just an insight into the past but a new way of looking at the future as well. “I think it’s interesting to take a look at the history of the Club and try to look at all of the things that we’ve been able to overcome in the almost 100 years of our history,” he says. “It puts [the pandemic] in context. This is just one more trial for the Club to weather.” OZ 9am –12pm Meeting point: Family Entrance (1F) ¥1,500 • Members only Sign up online
2 & 16
2
Learn to own the room at this regular meeting of Members looking to polish their public speaking skills. Discover more about the inner workings of this enriching group on page 18.
Youngsters make new friends and pick up a lifelong love of reading at this inspiring weekly session of top children’s tales.
Toastmasters Luncheon
12–1:30pm Manhattan I (September 2); Washington & Lincoln rooms (September 16) ¥2,200 Sign up online
Wednesday Storytime
4–4:30pm Children’s Library Free Ages 2–6
4
Friday Night Live Shake off those quarantine cobwebs with drinks, Cajun eats and a night of New Orleans jazz from pianist Natsuko Furukawa. 6:30–8pm Winter Garden ¥2,000 (walk-ins: ¥3,000) Members only Limited capacity Details online
11, 18 & 25
Winter Garden Melodies Pianists Kotomi Hasegawa (September 11 and 25) and Gen Tomuro (September 18) regale Members with modern and classical standards to ease you into the weekend.
12
6–9pm Winter Garden Free Details online
Polos & Pearls: Haute in the Hamptons
12
DIY Comic Book Club Kids flex their creative muscles to craft their own comic book with the Library’s Drew Damron. No artistic ability required. Continues every second Saturday of the month. 11:30am–1:30pm Teen Connection ¥2,000 Ages 6–14 Sign up online
17
Book Lovers’ Group The Club’s well-read band of bibliophiles returns after a hiatus for more literary chat and book recommendations. 11am–12:30pm Vista Free Details online
Party like a Manhattan socialite at a Long Island-inspired, outdoor soirée of Southampton-style eats, drinks and games. Dress in your preppy best for an evening of fun among friends to see out the summer and benefit Connections-supported charities. With a DJ setting the mood, partygoers will enjoy lemon drop martinis, king crab cakes, grilled steak, lemon mascarpone cream pie and much more around the Club’s water feature in front of the first-floor entrance. And if you don’t manage to win at miniature golf, ring toss or any of the other summer carnival games, you might still pick up a raffle prize or giveaway from Lacoste, Amit Pearls, Aigle, Ping, Weber, Zenagi or Ryokan Todaya, the evening’s sponsors. NJ 6–9pm Main entrance (1F) ¥7,500 (non-Connections members: ¥11,000) Sign up online
18–20
Riedel Sale Upgrade your glassware with discounts of up to 80 percent on Riedel, Spiegelau and Nachtman wineglasses, tumblers, decanters and much more.
26
Mashiko: Pottery and Sake Tour
10:30am–7pm Beate Sirota Gordon Classroom Details online
The Club’s rescheduled excursion to the ceramic and artistic heart of Japan takes in a sake brewery and pottery hubs in this charming Tochigi town.
20
7:45am–7pm ¥14,300 (guests: ¥17,200) Sign up online
Disaster Awareness Day Pick up life-saving tips from first responders and experience a simulated earthquake at this afternoon of invaluable information on preparing for the worst. 2–3:30pm Parking Lot (1F) Free Details online
26
Coming up in October 13
Gallery Exhibition: Norikane Hiroto
Kids kick off the weekend with a bookinspired morning of magic, adventure and light-hearted fun.
Printmaker Norikane Hiroto’s intricately detailed depictions of Japanese rural scenes invite close inspection at the Frederick Harris Gallery. Runs through November 3.
11:30am–12pm Children’s Library Free Details online
Frederick Harris Gallery (B1 Formal Lobby) Free Details online
Saturday Storytime
SEPTEMBER | 1 1
DONNA BEEMAN
INDEPTH | COMMUNIT Y
David Beeman
A Cultivated Kinship Member David Beeman reflects on a fondness for Japan forged over more than four decades. WORDS OWEN ZIEGLER
D
avid Beeman’s assistant wanted some advice. It was 1989 and real-estate prices were still skyrocketing. What did he think of her and her new husband’s idea to take advantage of the booming market with a 100-year mortgage on a downtown Tokyo apartment? “I said, ‘First of all, have you ever seen a building in Japan that lasts 100 years—other than a temple?’” recalls Beeman, a sales executive with credit card giant American Express at the time. “She still thanks me for talking her out of that.” Sitting in the Club on a recent weekday afternoon, the American Member is at once nostalgic and reverent about those economic bubble days in Japan, symbolized by flashy purchases, luxury brand stores, overseas vacations and exorbitant fees for golf club memberships. The nation was too immersed in the excess to notice the economic hardship around the corner.
12 | INTOUCH
“I left at the end of ’89, which was perfect timing because everything fell off a cliff,” says Beeman, 64. “I had a few American friends who were left here, and they were really struggling through the ’90s.” Having nurtured a relationship with the country over more than a decade, Beeman knew he would be back. As a child, he grew fascinated by East Asian cultures thanks largely to a museum containing examples of Japanese art and artifacts nearby his Kansas hometown. After his sophomore year at Harvard University, where he studied with, among others, Japanologist and scholar Edwin Reischauer, Beeman spent time between his junior and senior years, in 1977 and 1978, living with a host family in Kiyose in northwest Tokyo. For the accomplished student conversant in academic Japanese, the first bout of culture shock didn’t take long to surface.
INDEPTH | COMMUNIT Y
David Beeman at Tsuwano Castle, Shimane Prefecture, 1978
“I got off the plane and I could tell you how the rice paddies glistened in the sun like stones on a go [game] board,” Beeman says with a smile. “But the first day I had to change trains in Ikebukuro and I had to ask someone for directions, I had no clue what they were saying. I could ask the question, but I had no clue what the answer was.” Beeman would spend the next several years working in translation and progressing through business school, with stints in Japan and the States. As the ’80s began to ramp up, so too did the rate of transformation wherever Beeman looked in the Japanese capital. “Each time I came back, Tokyo looked like a different city,” says Beeman, who was a Member of the Club with his wife, Donna, in the ’80s. “The amount of new buildings. The amount of growth. The number of new stores. The size of the shopping centers. It was becoming a [premier global] city. It was jumping a tier.” Nothing gold can stay, however, and economic growth is never assured. As Japan was embarking on its so-called “lost decade,” Beeman found himself back in Tokyo in 1999 and wandering into a café with a colleague for lunch. Almost every table was taken, but few people were eating. Many were sleeping. Some were passing the time with comics and newspapers. There was no business deal chatter and none of the energy that had electrified the city 10 years before. “That just told me the economy was dead,” Beeman says. “That was such an extreme difference from ’89.”
Donna and David Beeman in Kyoto, 1988
The economy has since recovered and Beeman is once again living in Japan, a place for which he has developed a deep affinity. “I may be more comfortable living [in Tokyo] than in New York,” he says. “My personality fits, I think.” That’s not to say that Beeman never longs for a slice of life from back home. When the stress of working in a foreign country boiled over or a misunderstanding with a colleague caused more frustration that it was worth, Beeman would call up a fellow expat and head to the Club for a much-needed “America day.” “We’d sit at the old bar and have a cheeseburger with fries and a Budweiser” he says of the tradition that continues today. “It meant we were escaping for the moment, and the Club was our getaway.” Economies may wax and wane, but life’s simple pleasures endure.
“EACH TIME I CAME BACK, TOKYO LOOKED LIKE A DIFFERENT CITY. THE AMOUNT OF NEW BUILDINGS. THE AMOUNT OF GROWTH.”
SEPTEMBER | 13
A Delight for All the Senses Just minutes from Tokyo American Club hotel azabu ten, which opened in May 2019, is a destination where guests can enjoy a feeling of solitude and peace in the middle of Tokyo’s bustling metropolis. Each of the nine rooms at this boutique hotel offers an entirely different look, inspired by the color scheme of Japan’s traditional sekki calendar.
hotel azabu ten is proud to offer the following campaign for Tokyo American Club Members: Up to two people can stay for ¥39,000 per night, including breakfast. For this deal, guests can book only two days in advance. To book your reservation: 03-6712-6168
ACCESS: Higashi-Azabu 2-26-8, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0044 (eight minutes’ walk from Tokyo American Club)
www.hotel-a10.com/en
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Exclusive Agent
03-3584-6171 / sun@sunrealty.co.jp / www.sunrealty.co.jp
INDEPTH | WINE
Border Clash
Canada and America’s Pacific Northwest prepare to do battle in a rematch of last year’s blind wine tasting at the Club. WORDS NICK JONES
T
hirty years after California rocked the wine world at the Paris Wine Tasting of 1976, the American state’s wineries once again triumphed over their French counterparts in a rerun of the famous blind tasting. This month, the Club’s Wine & Beverage Committee hosts a rematch of its own when seven wines from the states of Washington and Oregon are pitted against a similar number of varietals from north of the border. After last year’s blind tasting finished in a draw, Jamie Paquin of Tokyo’s Canadian wine store Heavenly Vines and Todd Stevens, director of the Oregon Wine Board and Washington State Wine Commission Japan office, return to the Club with brand-new lineups. Ahead of the showdown, which will feature seven categories (sparkling, Gewürztraminer, Viognier, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon blend and Syrah), Stevens and Paquin discuss their prospects of victory in a tasting that is sure to impress the judges—whatever the outcome. What did you make of last year’s draw?
TS: Canadian wine never ceases to surprise me. The quality of wine was very high on both sides and, ultimately, it came down to personal preference. JP: While it’s fun to make things competitive, I was glad we could draw, as
the real enjoyment from wine is being able to appreciate the unique qualities of a wine or region, rather than feeling you have to dislike something to like something else. How do your regions stand out in the world of wine?
TS: For Oregon, in particular, no other region in the world garners the same respect from French winemakers, which is no easy task. As for Washington, the full-flavored reds consistently outperform the wines of California, often at half the price. JP: Canada as a wine region has a number of special characteristics. Despite making up only 0.5 percent of world wine production, the country has a wide range of soils and climates, including a desert region. Canada’s latitudes line up with France,
northern Spain and northern Italy. And with similar soils, too, Canada has been called the Old World in the New World. The hot summers with cool nights and a cool autumn result in wines with great fruit expression that also retain their natural acidity for freshness and balance. What can wine lovers expect from your regions this time around?
TS: Not being content with the prospect of a second draw, I have chosen wines that will dazzle the palate. The key theme with these wines is their balance between power and elegance. JP: More great, handcrafted and minimal-intervention wines. NORTH AMERICAN WINE BATTLE September 10 6:30–9pm Manhattan I & II ¥12,500 Sign up online
SEPTEMBER | 15
A DV E RTO R I A L
New Star in Hakone Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora offers a captivating mix of tradition and modernity.
W
ith its plentiful hot springs and diverse attractions, Hakone has long been a place where Tokyoites go to get away from it all. And when you’re there, there is perhaps no greater pleasure than the feeling you have at the end of a day spent exploring the area, soaking in hot spring baths and savoring the sumptuous flavors of expertly prepared, local ingredients. Now, with the opening of Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora earlier this year, there’s a new destination where you can experience all this, in style. It’s the latest in the InterContinental Hotels Group’s Hotel Indigo lifestyle brand, which is known for infusing their properties with the character of the neighborhoods where they’re located. Of course, part of the charm of going to Hakone is the Hakone Tozan railway, and Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora is located at Gora Station, its final stop. The hotel is just down the hill from the station, nestled on the banks of the picturesque, cherry tree–lined Haya River and surrounded by Hakone’s verdant mountains.
BEST OF BOTH WORLDS As soon as you set foot in its stunning lobby, you can tell that the designers of the hotel have taken Japanese sensibilities to heart. The first things that catch your eye are a kettle hung over a traditional Japanese irori firepit, and stools that feature patterns rendered in yosegi zaiku, a traditional form of marquetry practiced in Hakone that brings out the beauty of the many different types of wood that grow in the region. In fact, you can find touches of this eye-catching craftwork throughout the hotel—on screens, ceilings and even on the signs that indicate floor numbers. As you check in, you’ll be welcomed with a cup of tea. The 94 tastefully appointed guest rooms and four suites at Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora seamlessly blend Japanese style with contemporary design elements. Modern furnishings contrast elegantly with yosegi zaiku decorations and vintage black-and-white photos that depict the Gora neighborhood in generations past, making for an atmosphere that is both invigorating and relaxing. Some of the hotel’s
most popular rooms are those that offer riverside views and come with open air baths that allow you to bask in Hakone’s natural beauty from the comfort of your balcony. And when you’re ready to go out and explore your surroundings, the hotel has just started leading hiking tours around the area that the whole family is sure to love. Throughout the hotel, close attention has gone into ensuring that guests and staff members’ wellbeing is protected as the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve. IHG is working closely with experts at the world-renowned Cleveland Clinic and has established procedures—such as reduced contact at check-in and deep cleaning of high touch surfaces in rooms and public areas—that make a stay at Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora as safe as possible. ELEMENTAL APPEAL You can enjoy your meals at the impressively decorated Riverside Kitchen & Bar, featuring the hotel’s blend of sleek modernism and traditional Japan: yosegi zaiku panels can be found here as well, most notably on the ceiling panels and sliding doors. Another design highlight of the restaurant is its repro-
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A DV E RTO R I A L
duction of ukiyo-e master Utagawa Hiroshige’s print that depicts Hakone. In the restaurant’s version, the image takes up an entire wall and features spectacularly colored glass panels. In keeping with the hotel’s respect for the cultural and natural surroundings of Hakone, the Riverside Kitchen & Bar draws its inspiration from two elements that play a dynamic role in the life of the area. The first is fire, which powers the volcanic activity that heats the many onsen around Hakone. It also comes to the fore at the end of summer, when Hakone celebrates its version of the Daimonji-yaki festival. During the celebration, the mountainside of the Gora neighborhood is set ablaze with a fiery representation of the Japanese character 大 (dai, or large). The element of fire is brought to life at the restaurant at its open wood grill, which is used to prepare everything from Ashigara Wagyu sirloin and Odawara mackerel to fire-roasted beetroot and smoked Japanese cheesecake. Water is also crucial to the area’s appeal, from the Haya River that runs nearby to the pure spring water of the region’s many onsen. The restaurant and bar honor this element by working it into their recipes—natural spring water from Gora is used in the bread baked in the restaurant’s ovens, and is also an ingredient in many of the bar’s drinks, including some Gorainspired cocktails, including the Indigo+ and the Akafuji. The elegantly designed bar features a 360-degree counter, which affords breathtaking views of the hotel’s surroundings. During your stay, make sure to try Hotel Indigo
Hakone Gora’s original pale ale, Indi五— the Japanese character means five and is read as go. Riverside Kitchen & Bar is the only place where you can enjoy this special brew. FIND YOUR BLISS Located in a destination that’s known for its hot spring baths, it’s only natural for Hakone ryokan and hotels to focus on their onsens. But the onsen at Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora truly offers an unforgettable experience. One wall of the hot spring bath is taken up by a massive screen that displays a brilliant digital art show that is inspired by Hakone’s natural beauty. The display changes with the seasons, so guests can gaze at a digital depiction of the region’s foliage during the fall and a snowy landscape in winter. Another unique point of Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora’s public bath is that it is unisex, and bathers wear swimsuits in the onsen—this means that families, friends and couples can enjoy the baths without any embarrassment. And for guests who want to get a workout in, an
adjacent state-of-the-art fitness center is available around the clock. To make your stay even more blissful, the hotel offers a full range of treatments at The Spa by HARRN. The wellknown Thai spa chain’s essential oils are recognized around the world, and HARRN has collaborated with Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora to create soothing and revitalizing treatments that make use of local ingredients. Guests can enjoy everything from aromatherapy massages to full-body exfoliations, which are followed by servings of herbal teas made from traditional healing recipes. A session at the spa is the perfect way to begin your visit or cap off the luxurious experience. Between its innovative design that highlights the region’s natural and cultural heritage, superb dining options and one-of-a-kind onsen, the Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora is the ideal place to make a weekend getaway—and as attractive as it is, you might be tempted to stay even longer. hakonegora.hotelindigo.com/en
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I N D E P T H | TOA ST M A ST E R S
Stand and Makoto Ishiwata
Deliver Joe Peters
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“For me, Toastmasters is like my intellectual candy,” says Member Betsy Rogers, 49, a fairly recent addition to the group. “People come from different countries and different backgrounds and have different points of view. That’s refreshing for me.” “Toastmasters clubs are excellent organizations, no matter where they are,” says Ishiwata of the global nonprofit that was established in 1924. “But the Club’s is one of the best. The Members are all outstanding in many different areas and they exchange experiences in a very friendly way.” One of the founding fathers of the Club’s Toastmasters chapter is Joe Peters. A longtime member of the Foreign WORDS OWEN ZIEGLER Correspondents’ Club of Japan, which operated its own IMAGES YUUKI IDE Toastmasters group, Peters and a handful of other Members decided to leverage the wealth of experience and knowledge among the American Club’s membership. “Toastmasters is about two things, mainly: overcoming t wasn’t Makoto Ishiwata’s first speech, but he had your fear about learning how to be a better public speaker never had to deliver one via the online Zoom platand leadership,” says Peters, 73, the group’s current vice form before. To make matters worse, the January president of education. contest was running over time, leaving Ishiwata, To ensure the smooth running of each meeting, particithe last speaker of the evening, to wait with nothing but pants take on different roles, such as timekeeper his anticipation. and “ah-counter,” the person tasked with noting No matter, Ishiwata thought. All his years when a speaker uses filler sounds like “um” or with the Club’s Toastmasters chapter had “ah” (or their Japanese equivalent) that can imtrained him to remain calm. pede a smooth speech. “As we all know, to learn something, we have “FOR ME, “We charge people ¥10 for each one,” Peters to experience failure and danger,” says Ishiwata, TOASTMASTERS says with a laugh. “Only up to ¥300. Nobody 59, who joined the Club and its Toastmasters IS LIKE MY goes home broke, at least.” contingent in 2011. “Avoiding them doesn’t realINTELLECTUAL Improvement in Toastmasters is always on ly improve us. So we have to take risks. We have CANDY.” a sliding scale. After all, there’s always more to to have courage to try, and that was my message –Betsy Rogers learn and rarely, if ever, such a thing as a perfect [in my speech].” speech. But Member Pue Yen Lee says she has Ishiwata didn’t win that particular contest, seen a marked improvement in herself since but his can-do attitude typifies what the Memjoining the chapter in March 2019. bers involved in the TAC Toastmasters Club treasure about “I went in with a very clear intention of wanting to build their bimonthly luncheons. While now in a hybrid format, my confidence in public speaking and, more importantly, to each meeting’s agenda remains the same: Members deliver train myself and learn from the other Members to be able personal anecdotes and professional wisdom, receive posto speak in a more succinct way,” says Lee, 35. “I really saw itive feedback and constructive critiques from their comthat as something very exciting and it’s an area that I had not patriots and brainstorm their next speeches based on what really branched out into.” they’ve heard during each session. Lee’s first speech, as with every newcomer, was the It’s a remarkably simple solution to a common issue: fear icebreaker speech. The subject is always yourself, and Lee of public speaking, which ranked 54th in a 2019 Chapman explained her reasons for joining and how the birth of University survey of Americans’ top fears. That placed it her second daughter spurred her to dedicate more time between globalization and murder by a stranger in the list to personal development as well as caring for her growing (fear of corrupt government officials was first). family. It represented that all-important first step in any Public speaking nerves might appear abstract, but the new endeavor. effects are all too real in the business world. Poor presenta“My goal with the icebreaker speech was just to do it,” tion skills can sink an otherwise successful pitch or doom Lee says. “The fact is you need to reach out and start taking a startup’s shot at financing. Most of all, knowing how to actions. That itself is a huge confidence boost.” effectively speak to colleagues can be the difference between a productive and happy office and one with high staff turnover. The Club’s Toastmasters group has been helping MemTOASTMASTERS LUNCHEON bers avoid those pitfalls and boost their confidence since September 2 & 16 12–1:30pm Manhattan I (September 2005. The variety by which each individual garners those 2); Washington & Lincoln rooms (September 16) ¥2,200 benefits is one of the chapter’s greatest strengths. Sign up online
What makes a good public speaker? According to the Club’s Toastmasters chapter, perseverance, diligence and the courage to fail.
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I N D E P T H | FO CU S
YUUKI IDE
N I H O N
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B A S H I With the Club set to unveil its first satellite facility next year, what can Members expect from this second home away from home? WORDS OWEN ZIEGLER
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s there such a thing as a heart to a city of 14 million? When Tokyo was still Edo, there was. By the early 17th century, the Tokugawa family had finally reined in the dozens of warring clans and reestablished control from a fishing village in an eastern backwater of Japan. Construction began on a sprawling castle complex where Tokyo’s Imperial Palace now stands. The second Tokugawa shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu, further tightened his grip on power by requiring every feudal lord across the country to travel every other year to the new eastern capital. For more than 200 years, their journeys ended at Nihonbashi. The population center of Tokyo has since shifted westward, but the scores of samurai and merchant families who clustered around the shogun’s castle helped build the foundation of the world’s largest city. Like Tokyo, the Club has transformed over its 92-year history. In the next step in its evolution, it will open its first-ever satellite facility in 2021—in an area that is undergoing a metamorphosis of its own. “Nihonbashi is an excitingly historical heart of Tokyo,” says Member Ginger Griggs. “And we wanted that to be incorporated into the concept of the new Club.” As chair of the TAC Nihonbashi Task Force, Griggs, together with vice chair Alok Rakyan and a wider team of volunteer Members, has been quietly laying the groundwork for this bold undertaking. Set to welcome Members in early spring, the Nihonbashi Club will concentrate everything the main Azabudai Club does best into a package of distilled refinement perfect for the business-focused neighborhood it will call home.
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I N D E P T H | FO CU S
Nihonbashi Club architectural renderings (clockwise from top left): entrance leading to lobby; fitness center; bar
Located on the sixth floor of Nihonbashi Muromachi Mitsui Tower, the Club will feature a fully equipped fitness center (about half the size of the Azabudai Club’s dedicated space), with all the necessary machines and amenities for a cardio workout and weight and cross training. An eye-catching square bar, contemporary-styled restaurant and private dining room will also overlook the bustle of Chuo Avenue, the thoroughfare that links Nihonbashi with eastern Tokyo neighborhoods like Hibiya and Ginza. Come spring, the Club will be a welcoming weekday oasis for adult Members of the Azabudai Club, as well as those Members who exclusively join the Nihonbashi Club. “It was a matter of practicality,” Griggs says of the facility’s adult-centric vibe. “The Members that we would draw from that part of town are all going to be there for business, so it will be perfect for singles, couples and parents who would want to have a little time-out away from the kids.” “We will be continuing our long tradition of diversity when opening the new Club,” adds Rakyan, “and the Nihonbashi business area, which is quite different from Azabudai, will provide us with a natural opportunity to include young professionals—both women and men—as unique segments
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of our target market.” With a 15-year lease for the space signed by the Club and the building developer, Mitsui Fudosan, last month, the construction of the planned interior is all that remains before the Nihonbashi Club’s official spring unveiling. Introduced by Member Rike Wooten, Mitsui Fudosan formally proposed the idea of establishing a clubhouse in Nihonbashi in 2017. Following months of meetings and negotiations, Members voted in favor of the proposal at the 2018 Annual General Meeting. “This is a wonderful benefit to our Club Members,” says Griggs, “without any risk or any cost to us.” The project sees Mitsui Fudosan cover all construction, staffing and other associated costs, along with a guaranteed ¥1 million monthly profit for the Club. According to Rie Ishikawa, Mitsui Fudosan’s Nihonbashi Club project manager, it’s hoped that the Club’s brand can help to internationalize the fast-developing Tokyo neighborhood. “Nihonbashi is the origin of Mitsui Fudosan,” says Ishikawa of the store first established by the Mitsui family in 1673. “[In the last 10 years,] Mitsui has built many offices and
WALKING THROUGH CLUB HISTORY Take a guided tour of the Club’s past locations and historical artifacts in Tokyo. September 5 9am –12pm ¥1,500 Details on page 10 NIHONBASHI: TRADITION & MODERNITY Experience Nihonbashi’s intriguing blend of Edo-era culture and modern-day Tokyo on this Connectionsorganized walking tour. December 14 Half-day tour Details online
YUUKI IDE
restaurants and shopping centers to make it a much [more dynamic] area.” The multiuse complex in which the Club will be housed is part of a much larger revitalization project for Nihonbashi. Mitsui Fudosan’s plans include the regeneration of riverside areas and an ambitious scheme to relocate underground a stretch of the expressway that passes directly over Nihonbashi’s iconic bridge. “Mitsui Fudosan sees our Club as a draw for the international community as well as a draw for the globally minded Japanese community that we integrate,” says Griggs. “We have the reputation for bringing together all the diversity of the foreign and Japanese communities into one club.” Daishi Yoshimoto was the man tasked with designing the Club’s first satellite space. The internationally educated and trained architect saw off the competition while winning over the task force with his vision for the intimate confines of the Nihonbashi Club. “In a home, you have more wood,” says Yoshimoto of the Shibuya-based architectural firm UDS. “You have a cozier feel of a comfortable house where you can meet family and friends. I wanted this club to be more like that.” Among the warm touches throughout the 1,500-squaremeter Club are a stylish, dark-wood ceiling, a curated art gallery along the main hallway and carpeting whose subtle motifs evoke the area’s history of waterways. In addition, a dynamic lighting system adjusts the brightness and tone of the lighting according to the time of day and the environment. All these elements are designed to combine for an enticing ambience in which Members can unwind and socialize. For Yoshimoto, who now visits the Nihonbashi site to oversee construction, the project has progressed with far fewer speedbumps than he expected. “I think the project is moving very smoothly,” Yoshimoto says. “Everybody is in a cooperative mode to make a great club. We would usually have more problems [with a] project [of this scope], but I think it’s because of the quality of people involved [that we haven’t].” There’s little doubt that Mitsui Fudosan’s prodigious efforts to revitalize a storied quarter of Tokyo—with the Club placed at the heart of it all—promise untold value for not only current Club Members but also generations of Members to come. “Down the road, we are going to be at the center of this really great part of town that’s going to have really changed over time,” says Griggs. “Getting ourselves set up as part of that—especially under these terms that we have—is amazing.”
Urban Hub For centuries, Nihonbashi has thrived as a center of commerce and culture. 1673 Year the Echigoya store (now known as Mitsukoshi) opened in Nihonbashi, marking the founding of Japan’s oldest department store. MERCHANT TOWN Original name of Nihonbashi, referring to the collection of shops and peddlers around the gates of Edo Castle (present-day Imperial Palace). KILOMETER ZERO The marker at the center of Nihonbashi Bridge from which all distances to and from Tokyo are measured. 3,700 Number of companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s Nihonbashi trading floor, combining for a market capitalization of more than $5.6 trillion. 140 Kilometers from Nihonbashi to Mount Fuji, which should be visible from the area when the pending construction to move the existing expressway underground is completed.
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Welcome to Nihonbashi, the Club’s newest home
Working in partnership with Tokyo American Club, Mitsui Fudosan is thrilled to witness the launch of an exciting new chapter in the Club’s illustrious history— at its new satellite premises in Nihonbashi. We warmly welcome all Club Members to visit and enjoy the new facility set in a colorful neighborhood steeped in history and culture. We’re sure you will agree that the new Nihonbashi property and its modern facilities fit perfectly in the most famous traditional downtown area of Tokyo.
www.nihonbashi-tokyo.jp/en www.muromachi-area.jp/english
The ECOEDO and Goldfish Lantern events are not being held in the summer of 2020.
C O M M U N I T Y | R EG I ST E R
Arrivals
Up Close
US A W Dave Dowrich & Verna Holder Prudential Financial, Inc., Japan Representative Office Spencer Jennings Crayon Basketball
AUST R A L I A Patrick Jordan Coca-Cola (Japan) Co., Ltd.
C A N A DA Hiroki Matsuyama Recruit Career Co., Ltd. Eri Nishimura JP Morgan Chase Bank
H O N G KO N G Albert Jr Tsai Lion Asset Management K.K.
US A |
JA PA N
Anselmo Chung & Heami Moon
EY TAS Co., Ltd.
Kentaro Konno Cashflow Works LLC
“We are very excited to be a part of the Tokyo American Club family, and we are interested in enjoying the facilities to enrich our mind, body and spirit, as well as to meet and develop relationships with likeminded Members.”
Masashi & Reiko Shimizu GA Technologies Hiroyuki & Noriko Shimizu Bridgeport Corporation
(l–r) Heami Moon and Leo and Anselmo Chung
Miyoko Tanaka Coca-Cola (Japan) Co., Ltd.
UK William Youngman & Wei Chia Chang Philip Morris Japan Ltd.
Departures Fumiko Ura
Hiroyoshi Kitamura
Lee Waite & Leslie Alberti
Clark & Anette Luby
Toshio Oshiro
Michael & Debra McGlynn
Aaron Carianne Carmichael
Kumahiro & Chiaki Miyama
Christelle Ravez & Thierry Boulanger
Kanji Nishiura
Andrew & Lindsey Gallo
Veronica Prat van Thiel & Maxime Gaudin
Michael & Mika Bell
Thomas S & Maria Wood
Paul Gerard & Mihoko Christie
Yuko Yasuda
Nikolaas & Emmanuelle Aarts
Fabrice & Anne Egros
Jean-Christophe & Isabelle Badri
Yoichi & Mai Takemura
Patrice & Valerie Conxicoeur
Arthur Jesson
Chris & Sallie Cornwall
Floriane Tripolino & Frank Bauer
Wesley & Olga Grant
Takashi Mitachi
“We have been very much looking forward to joining the Club to not only take advantage of the wonderful facilities but also to meet and enjoy the company of other Members. It is a privilege to join the Tokyo American Club family.”
Francois & Maryna Keet
William Edgar & Christina Draghi
(l–r) Monica, Sofia, Richard and Oliver Taylor
AUST R A L I A |
Richard & Monica Taylor
Toys “R” Us-Japan Ltd.
Pommery Pop Champagne Proof that good things come in small packages. ¥1,800 | The Cellar
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Welcome to your
new office Peace, quiet and every amenity on your doorstep. From ¼15,000 per day (9am–5pm).
Res er vati o ns : 03- 45 88- 03 81 | ta c @ ta c - c l u b . o rg to kyo a me r i c a n c l u b . o rg
C O M M U N I T Y | VO I C E
Written in the Stars WORDS STEFAN NILSSON ILLUSTRATION TANIA VICEDO
J
ust as the Nordic countries dominate the medal table each Winter Olympics, the region is a leader in the world of heavy metal music, too. According to the Encyclopaedia Metallum website, Finland had 630 metal bands per 1 million people in 2016, followed by Sweden with 428, Iceland (341), Norway (299) and Denmark (154). In contrast, Britain—the birthplace of heavy metal— had just 68 bands. Even former US President Barack Obama once mentioned Finland’s pole position in the metal rankings. So what’s behind this Nordic love of screeching guitars and thundering drums? As a Nordic-born metalhead myself, I believe the region’s geography (remote, rural towns) and government style (controlling and not much fun) play a part. As a young boy growing up in Sweden, summer was my favorite week of the year. The other 51 weeks were mainly cold, dark and sometimes depressing. In the winter months, I would walk to school in the pitch black and return home in afternoon
darkness. That kind of environment can have a lasting impact. With not much to do, young people often have just two choices: sports or music. But since winter sports are played outside—in the dark and freezing cold—many youngsters automatically reach for a guitar or drumkit. The cultural divide between sportspeople and rockers is quite deep. You choose your path early in life and stick to it. Few people manage to inhabit both camps. In fact, sports stars, by and large, have a questionable taste in music. Like soccer players and tattoos, winter sports athletes and lame music preferences seem to go hand in hand. Nordic people often appear quiet, especially the Finns and those from the northern part of Sweden. They let their music do the talking—and the louder, the better. While heavy metal was originally imported to northern Europe, the Nordic nations have been churning out quality bands since the early 1980s. The region now dominates metal subgenres like melodic hard rock and the more extreme death metal and black metal. Nordic bands have created their own subgenres as well, including Vi-
king metal (yes, that’s a thing), pagan metal and folk metal, all of which ooze forests, folklore and bloody battles. The Nordic metal scene was formed in an era when there was no Internet, no social media and no music streaming apps. New music was consumed via the radio and vinyl record stores. Music fans would read about bands in imported magazines long before they had the chance to actually hear the music. This meant that a lot of the early Nordic metal acts were more influenced by image than a sound. Since then, Nordic metal has grown beyond its underground status and boasts followers across the world. In 2006, Finland’s Lordi showed us how Nordic metal can have mainstream success when their track “Hard Rock Hallelujah” won the Eurovision Song Contest, a competition more commonly associated with acts like Abba and Céline Dion. In these uncertain times, one thing is undeniable: the Nordics will continue to win Olympic medals and play heavy metal music. They have no other choice. Stefan Nilsson is a Club Member.
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To be featured on In Japan TV, please contact: Edvard Vondra • 03-4540-7730 • edvard@custom-media.com
COMMUNIT Y | HIGHLIGHTS
June 21 Extraordinary General Meeting
Following the Club’s town hall in June, the Board of Governors hosted a hybrid general meeting for Voting Members to cast their ballot on a proposed bank loan to secure the Club’s short-term future. IMAGES YUUKI IDE
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Connect is an absolutely FREE digital platform that helps entrepreneurs, small businesses, and other local companies get the word out about their products and services. Connect also introduces volunteers and interns to local NPOs and great companies.
Here is a selection of some of our most popular offers. Visit Connect to find even more, and read fascinating interviews with our resilient community members!
Have time to spare this summer? Why not volunteer for these worthy causes?
Travel domestically and experience the great outdoors
Donate sanitizer to those in need
20% discount on a Hakuba adventure
Nurture children in orphanages
20% discount on walking tours
Coaching and training offers to keep your skills sharp
Take care of your own well-being, and that of those around you
Free tourism consultation
10% off initial evaluation or consultation
Free 30-minute Japanese culture class
Free follow-up session
To pledge your offer or request more details: connect@custom-media.com https://connect.custom-media.com/connect-special-offers Please be aware that some Connect offers are only available on a limited-time basis. Please be aware that some Connect offers are only available on a limited-time basis.
Learning. Love. Laughter. Small and intimate, in a leafy garden area only five minutes from Tokyo American Club, St. Alban’s Nursery provides each child with opportunities for learning and self-discovery in a safe, structured, loving environment. We welcome English-speaking preschoolers of all nationalities and cultures, and we focus on individuality to offer each child a wide choice of activities based on the Montessori method. Large enclosed outdoor playground Parents welcome at all times
3-6-25 Shiba-Koen, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0011 Tel: 090-6480-4542 | Email: gilma.yam@gol.com www.saintalbans.jp
NEW HITOMI DENTAL OFFICE AKASAKA Akasaka Royal Plaza 2F, 2-13-8 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0052
COMMUNIT Y | HIGHLIGHTS
August 13 Spanish Night
At the Club’s first wine event of the season, Members celebrated the flavors of Spain with an evening of tapas perfectly paired with wines from some of the country’s most famous winegrowing regions. IMAGES YUUKI IDE
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COMMUNIT Y | ESCAPE
CLASS
Temari Ball Workshop
With crafting growing in popularity across the world, why not try your hand at a local art form? Originally made from scraps of kimono fabric, temari balls have been crafted in Japan for hundreds of years. In this Connections class, use age-old methods to create eye-catching, embroidered decorations.
INSTRUCTOR
Neelu Jain (pictured)
With master’s degrees in apparel and fashion from universities in India and the United States, Neelu Jain has been studying temari since 2011 and has a master certificate from the Japan Temari Association. “I would like to revive this art and make it more known to people,” she said in an INTOUCH interview in 2018.
STUDENT
Louise Gunnestrand
“I love the art form. Depending on the colors, two balls with the same pattern can look totally different. The patterns can be simple or intricate and I enjoy seeing how the colors and pattern come together when the ball is finished. I also like the connection of doing a Japanese art form while living in Japan.”
TEMARI BALL WORKSHOP October 14–November 4 (four classes) 10:30am–1pm Beate Sirota Gordon and Haru Reischauer classrooms ¥10,000 (materials: ¥5,000) Sign up online
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KAYO YAMAWAKI
Cultural Threads
The perfect suit Kyoto-based Twins is a third-generation suit company with 100 years of history, headed by the Nakayama brothers. Along with qualified image consultant Tamiko Nishihara, who will work with you in English to help you choose your ideal color, they will design a perfectly tailored bespoke suit for you that will be a part of your wardrobe for years to come.
Twins don’t simply stitch a suit— they create a modern work of art.
Available days and times:
Sept 19–20, Oct 17–18, Nov 14–15 Saturdays: 1–6pm | Sundays: 12–5pm (contact us at 03-6252-5146 for alternate days or times)
Starting at ¥280,550 (includes tax, preliminary fitting and color consultation)
5F Bespoke Salon, Hankyu Men’s Tokyo Bldg., 2-5-1 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Business hours: 11am–8pm
spa facilities that will help you look and feel your best. If you’re looking for long-term lease properties with a full range of services in convenient locations around Tokyo, it’s time to upgrade to MORI LIVING.
www.moriliving.com
SEPTEMBER 2020
INTOUCH
at one of the city’s hottest restaurants. On-site gym and
TOKYO AMERIC AN CLUB
An English-speaking concierge who helps you book a table
毎月一回一日発行 第四十七巻六六五号 トウキョウアメリカンクラブ インタッチマガジン二〇二〇年九月一日発行 平成三年十二月二十日第三種郵便物許可定価八００円 本体七二八円
Time for an upgrade Time for MORI LIVING
TOKYO AMERIC AN CLUB
SEPTEMBER 2020
Uptown Retreat What can Members expect from the Club’s planned satellite facility in Nihonbashi?
TR ANSPACIFIC TIES + OWNING THE RO OM + VIKING VIBES