Kansai Scene 225: Spring 2020 by Kansai Scene Magazine

ISSUE 225 | SPRING 2020

SPRING

MAR–MAY 2020 No. 225

Free

WESTERN JAPAN’S PREMIER VISITOR’S GUIDE

KANSAI SCENE MAGAZINE

Spring

Hanami 101: cherry blossom appreciation in history, food and art

Plus

Inside… Travel KANSAISCENE.COM

NAKAISAMURAI TEA

Culture

OCHAYA ASOBI

Explore

TAMBA SASAYAMA

Discover

THE CULINARY DELIGHTS OF SPRING

WHAT’S ON EAT & DRINK SIGHTSEEING MAPS

A Charming Forest Retreat Treat yourself to breathtaking views, fabulous hiking, exciting winter sports and relaxing hot springs

YOICHI SHIDAREZAKURA CHERRY BLOSSOM A stunning 12m tall weeping cherry sitting atop a small hill is lit up during its brief, but spectacular spring bloom JASUGI-BASHI BRIDGE A variety of picturesque hiking trails and waterfalls with ample opportunities to admire the cherry blossoms in spring

NUKUI DAM At 156 meters, this arch dam is the second highest in Japan after Kurobe Dam and Ryuki Lake was selected as one of the top 100 dam lakes in Japan

SANDANKYO GORGE A stunning 13km river gorge, awarded 3 stars by the French travel guide Blue Guide and selected as one of the top 100 scenic beauty spots in Japan

STAY WITH YOUR PET DOG Special rooms are available that can accommodate both you and your pet dog

Nukui Springs Hotel Nukui Spring Hotel occupies a secluded spot in forest skirting the beautiful Ryuki Lake, a landmark formed by the majestic Nukui Dam. Relax to your heartâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s content in abundant natural surroundings. Address: 4692-7, Kake, Akiotacho, Yamgatagun, Hiroshima 731-3501, Japan Tel: +81 (0)826-22-1200 Access: 1 hour by car from Hiroshima Station and Hiroshima Airport *Call for shuttle bus reservations or inquiries.

Akiota-cho

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www.nukui-sp.com/english

CONTENTS

Spring

Mar/Apr/May

Features

KANSAI FINDER

Sakura La-la Land

Don’t Blink

Events & Festivals

MARK HOVANE

ALAN J. WIREN

How hanami became Japan’s most popular pastime

The fleeting world of Japanese woodblock prints

Sights & Attractions

The Culinary Delights of Spring

Nakaisamurai Tea

Art & Exhibitions

Explore some of Japan’s hidden gems beyond Kansai with Central Japan Railway Company

AIKO TANAKA Sakura in Japanese cuisine, with two recipes to try at home

Series

TRADITIONAL PERFORMING ARTS IN KANSAI

SAKE SENSEI’S BREWERY ADVENTURES

RUNNER’S INFO × KANSAI SCENE

Ochaya Asobi

BUSINESS TALK KATO PLEASURE GROUP

Tamba Sasayama ANNA MALPAS Pottery and gourmet in rural Hyogo Prefecture

LAUREN HADLER

Live Music

42 Clubs & Nightlife

44 Food & Drink

48 Getting Around / Maps

An encounter with a maiko apprentice Geisha AND MUCH MORE...

What’s On Guide

ON THE COVER: A MAIKO APPRENTICE GEISHA IN KYOTO, CODI HAUKA THIS PAGE: THE MUSEUM OF CERAMIC ART IN HYOGO, CODI HAUKA; TSURUTONTAN, KATO PLEASURE GROUP; THE ACTOR ICHIKAWA SADANJI AS HOSHIKAGE TSUCHIEMON, FROM THE HERBERT R.COLE COLLECTION AT LACMA

CHECK OUT KANSAISCENE.COM FOR MORE FEATURES AND KANSAI TRAVEL INFO

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

ABOUT KANSAI SCENE KANSAI SCENE PROVIDES ENGLISHLANGUAGE ARTICLES, INFORMATION AND LISTINGS FOR VISITORS AND RESIDENTS OF THE KANSAI AREA. KANSAI SCENE IS PUBLISHED BY CB, LTD. WITH SUPPORT FROM TRANSPACIFIC ENTERPRISES

Publisher................................................ CB, Ltd Managing Editor............Lucinda Ping Cowing Editor............................................... Rey DeBoer Art Director.................................... Aya Konishi Production................ Transpacific Enterprises Listings Contributors Art............................................... Brooke Larsen Events.............................................Tomoko Ishii Live Music.................................Phillip Jackson Club............................................Saiko Fujiwara CONTACT KS General ................mailbox@kansaiscene.com Editorial.................. editor@kansaiscene.com Advertising...............sales@kansaiscene.com Tokyo Office......................................................... Kasumigaseki Tokyu Bldg. 4F, 3-7-1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo 100-0013 Tel. ...............................................03-6260-9125 Fax................................................03-6205-8447

elcome to the first Kansai Scene issue of 2020! This year marks the magazine’s 20th anniversary in print—an extraordinary achievement given the pressures facing analogue media in this age. KS is also welcoming a new team as Daniel Lee, who has been the driving force behind the publication, says “goodbye” to us—at least for now. It will also be tough to fill the shoes of two key members of the KS editorial team, Celia Polkinghorne and Jason Haidar, who have departed Japan after their long tenure at the mag, sharing the best of what the Kansai region has to offer to visitors. With the shadow of the coronavirus outbreak looming over many events around the country, this may not be the most auspicious of starts to the spring season. We

have done our best to keep our listings as up-to-date as possible, but please check to make sure an event is running before you go. Several venues request that visitors wear a mask, and it is a good idea to get in the habit of wearing one while you are out and about, especially on public transport. But before you go out to gawk at the cherry blossoms, find even more reasons to feel inspired by them in our pages as we delve into the cultural significance of hanami (blossom-viewing). Our special feature this time is on TambaSasayama in Hyogo Prefecture, home to an ancient ceramic culture and blossoming gourmet scene that makes the perfect day trip from Kansai’s major cities. Even with the disruption to festivities this season, we guarantee you will still have plenty to do and see!

LUCINDA PING COWING e d i to r @ kan s ai s c e n e.c o m

NOH YAMAMOTO NOH THEATER HOLDS AN ANNUAL PERFORMANCE UNDER THE CHERRY BLOSSOM

Kansai Office....................................................... Kishinosato Bldg. 3F, 13-15 Shinnozukacho, Ashiya, Hyogo 659-0016 Tel.................................................0797-25-9322 Fax................................................0797-25-9321 Website..................................kansaiscene.com

PHOTO: © YAMAMOTO NOH THEATER

WRITE FOR KANSAI SCENE If you would like to write for KS, please contact editor@kansaiscene.com after reviewing our writers’ guidelines: kansaiscene.com/write-for-us

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Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

CULTURE

Welcome to “Sakura La-la Land ” How hanami became Japan’s most popular pastime TEXT: MARK HOVANE

Cherry blossoms, oh cherry blossoms Across the spring skies As far as the eyes can see Fragrant in the air Come now, come now Let’s go and see them…

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

—so say the lyrics of the traditional Japanese folksong, Sakura, often sung as the unofficial national anthem. Every year Japan waits with feverish anticipation the first flushes of cherry blossom. The Japanese Bureau of Meteorology and the public religiously trace the sakura zensen “cherry blossom front” as it sweeps over the archipelago. Even the casual observer can appreciate the beauty of cherry blossoms at face-value, but why does the whole nation go ga-ga for these pink, candy-floss-like blooms year after year? The act of observing and appreciating cherry blossom in season is called hanami, which literally translates as “flower viewing.” It’s a highly social affair, where friends, families and colleagues with picnic boxes and blankets in tow, gather together under the unfurling blossoms to eat, drink and be merry. Since ancient times, the Japanese have formulated rituals that served to affirm and renew their relationship with nature. These in turn evolved into forms of communal entertainment and social release. Although the custom of partying under the blossoms is thought to have originated as an aristocratic pastime in the Nara period (710-794), the ritual was then adopted by the samurai class before filtering down to the common populace during the Edo period (1600-1868). Cherry blossoms have thus been celebrated in Japanese literature, poetry and art for centuries. They are symbols for phenomena as varied as fallen soldiers, friendships and new beginnings. They even appear on the reverse side of the 100-yen coin. Classical Japanese poetry too, with the great sensitivity it pays the transience of nature and the passing of the seasons, has

foregrounded this flower as the quintessential harbinger of spring. The poets saw changes in the natural world as the perfect metaphor for the transience of life and the uncertainties of this world; a view that was reinforced by the Buddhist belief in the evanescence of all things. The short enigmatic emergence of cherry blossoms in spring is therefore seen as much more than just a chance to admire some pretty petals; it is a meditation on life, death, renewal and the ephemeral nature of being. Throughout Japanese history, the annual observance of cherry blossom viewing hanami, often involved visiting “famous places” meisho, a term that became popular in the Edo period. This association of season and place continued and developed in the 17th century when visiting “famous places” became a major form of recreation for the increasing number of urban dwellers. To this end, the shogunate (samurai government) built or converted a number of meisho, which involved the mass transplanting of cherry trees as well as releasing seasonal birds such as the bush warbler to enhance the seasonal atmosphere. New public spaces such as parks and castle grounds were created for the general populace. Noted guidebooks that appeared in the Edo period highlighted hanami spots and many of these recommendations continue to carry weight to this day. Originally in fact, it was the species of mountain cherry yamazakura, that was so lauded as the subject of hanami in the Heian (794-1185) and medieval periods. Found or planted in woodland that had replaced virgin forest, the mountain cherry was praised by noted poet Motoori Norinaga (1730-1801) as the ultimate symbol of Japan:

familiar in Japan today. This variety originally came from a gardener in the Tokyo region, and its blooms appear in cloud-like clumps of white flowers that are all the more striking since its branches, unlike the mountain cherry, are still devoid of leaves. In a country in which little original wilderness survives, “reconstructed nature” in the form of meisho, has largely contributed to the greening of the urban environment. For city dwellers who make up the vast majority of the population, annual observances such as cherry blossom-viewing raise awareness of the seasons and are thus deeply valued. All visitors are thus cordially invited to participate in this gloriously bacchanalian spring ritual, which starts by dropping in to your local conbini (convenience store), supa (supermarket) or depachika (department store food hall) to pick up a spring-themed bento box. Don’t forget to include some limited edition sakura-themed goodies, like the rosy-hued Pepsi or Kit-Kats, in your shopping basket. Most important of all, though, is to prepare to join in the karaoke rendition of Japan’s most famous song—or at the very least by humming along:

“Cherry blossoms, cherry blossoms In fields, mountains and villages As far as the eyes can see

“If one asks about the heart of Yamato…

Is it mist or clouds

It is the mountain cherry that glows in the morning sun.”

Fragrant in the Rising Sun

The late Edo period, though, saw the large-scale replacement of the mountain cherry with the somei yoshino variety that is so

Cherry blossoms, cherry blossoms Flowers in full bloom”

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

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DISCOVER

THE CULINARY DELIGHTS OF SPRING TEXT: AIKO TANAKA

It is no surprise that the cherry blossom should have such lasting appeal for us Japanese. After a long winter, its appearance is all the more anticipated. The splendor of the flowers at their peak, the way they cling to swaying branches, and fall so gracefully.

ver the centuries, cherry blossom viewing evolved from an aristocratic pastime to something enjoyed by everyone: the privileged, commoners and farmers alike. Farmers held cherry blossom viewing as a ritual to pray for good harvests and townspeople held leisurely drinking parties, similar to hanami parties today. The entertainment quarters of Yoshiwara in Edo (formerly Tokyo) and Gion in Kyoto, for instance, were bustling with people enjoying the ethereal spectacle of cherry blossoms gently illuminated by night. These scenes offered the perfect backdrop, and added profundity to stories of unrequited and transient love affairs—typically between geisha or courtesan and customer—that were retold in literature and haiku, paintings and kabuki stage performances for generations to come. Japanese mark the arrival of the blossoms in a multitude of ways. Blossom designs are plastered on everything from lunch boxes, plates to bowls for use in flower viewing events, but it also features prominently in culinary culture. Sakura mochi (cherry blossom-flavored, glutinous rice cake) and sakura yu tea (made from steeping

pickled blossoms) were sold in front of temples to people viewing the cherry blossoms. The rice cakes were wrapped in cherry leaves for preservation and the leaves pickled for bactericidal effects but the tradition can still be seen today: the leaf lends a pleasant saltiness. Sakura yu was often served at celebratory occasions for good luck in lieu of tea, since the word for tea, cha, has homonyms with negative connotations such as “cha o nigosu” (to dodge the subject), “chaban” (farce) and “chacha o ireru (to interrupt).” In this way, the cherry blossom has been a gift for Japanese culture. It is also just one of the bounties of spring: Bamboo shoots, udo (Aralia cordata), bracken, Japanese butterbur, green peas,

SAKURA MOCHI (KANSAI)

broad beans and leaf buds all emerge at this time. In Japan we pay particular attention to the seasonality of ingredients, and the timing at which these vegetables are at their optimal is narrowed down to periods of 10 days, which we refer to as shun. I know this cherry blossom season these spring vegetables will be imparting their crisp flavors, unique bitterness and sweetness to many a bento box. As for me, the first thing I will be doing with them is making a delectable chirashi-zushi. It’s easy: after simmering them on low heat, I cut them finely and mix them with vinegared rice. Try my recipe for yourself and enjoy it together with the transient beauty of the blossoms.

SAKURA MOCHI (KANTO)

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

RECIPE FOR SAKURA-THEMED CHIRASHI-ZUSHI

ou may have heard of sushi, but how about chirashi-zushi or “scattered sushi”? The foundation of this dish is vinegared sushi rice, with a variety of colorful toppings like sashimi raw fish slices and vegetables. This recipe is for a version featuring sakura denbu, seasoned white fish flakes that with the addition of food coloring add a delightful cherry-blossom hue to your lunchbox. Finely dice 300-400g of your favorite vegetables. In Japan, bamboo shoots, angelica root, warabi (bracken), fuki (butterbur), peas, broad beans and kinome (young shoots of the prickly ash tree) are all in season and absolutely delicious. Sprinkle some of the sake on the fish and steam. Once cooked through, place in a bowl and break the fish up into flakes, making sure to remove all the bones. Wrapping it in a cheesecloth, run under cold water and knead the fish to remove excess oil and improve its texture. Next, pan broil the fish with the sake, salt and sugar, adding the food coloring evenly. Simmer the vegetables in the dashi stock with the soy sauce, mirin and salt. After steaming your rice, mix in the rice vinegar while hot, and add in the vegetables. Serve the rice and vegetable mix. Once the pink fish flakes are cool, arrange them on top of the rice with thin egg strips, shredded carrot and the like.

TO MAKE SAKURA DENBU

TOPPING Ingredients:

Ingredients:

Soy sauce . . .................................... 1 tablespoon

Cod ............................................................... 200g Sake (or dry sherry) ................. 2 tablespoons

Mirin (or rice vinegar or dry sherry) . . ............................................ 1 tablespoon

Sugar ............................................. 1 tablespoon

Dashi stock (fish or seaweed-based).... 1 cup

Salt .................................................... 1 teaspoon Red food coloring ........................... 1 teaspoon

TO MAKE CHIRASHI-ZUSHI Sushi rice ingredients : Rice (Japonica rice or shortgrain rice) . . ..3 cups Sake ............................................... 1 tablespoon Kombu seaweed. . ................................. 10cm cut Water .. ....................................................... 3 cups Rice vinegar . . .............................. 5 tablespoons Sugar .......................................... 2 tablespoons Salt .................................................. 2 teaspoons

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

Salt..................................................... 1 teaspoon

RECIPE FOR DOMYOJI-STYLE SAKURA MOCHI

akura mochi is perhaps the most ubiquitous of traditional Japanese confections, called wagashi, during the cherry blossom season. Wagashi developed out of the imperial court, and later with the popularization of the tea ceremony (the ritualized practice of serving matcha powdered green tea). Wagashi are made to closely reflect seasonal changes, and they also may be available for a mere few weeks of the year. Typically, they consist of a pounded glutinous rice exterior with a filling of sweetened red or white bean paste, but these days there are hundreds of varieties and designs. There are two major regional variations on sakura mochi. In the eastern Kanto area of Japan, it is made using wheat flour mixed with water, then flattened and rolled over the filling. The type that originated in Osaka is in the shape of a ball, and typically made using a coarse rice flour called domyojiko in Japanese, so-named after an area in Osaka where it was traditionally made. The rice flour gives the sweet a unique texture and appearance. The below recipe is for the Kansai variety and so this ingredient is key to it. You can choose whether or not to eat the salty cherry leaf!

TO MAKE SAKURA MOCHI Ingredients (for 8 sweets): Domyojiko rice flour..........................................................100g Boiled water.................................................................... 150ml Sugar..................................................................... 1 tablespoon Red food coloring......................................................... A pinch Azuki bean paste (koshian type).....................................120g Pickled cherry blossom leaves............................................. 8

Put the boiling water in a heat-resistant bowl and stir in the sugar and red food coloring until dissolved. Add the coarse rice flour and mix well. Once the rice flour has absorbed all the water, cover the bowl with airtight wrap and leave it to rest for 10 minutes. In the meantime, roll the azuki bean paste into eight 15g balls and clean the pickled cherry blossom leaves gently with water to remove excess salt. Heat the rice flour mix in the microwave for three minutes, then leave it to rest for another 15 minutes. Use a pestle and mortar to further knead the mix into a dough. Divide the dough into 8 equal parts and flatten over the azuki bean paste to encase it like a dumpling. Wrap the finished sweets in the cherry blossom leaves.

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

WORK BY ICHINO KATSUKI (TOP RIGHT) IS ON DISPLAY AT THE MUSEUM OF CERAMIC ART, HYOGO. HE ALSO RUNS A MONTHLY POTTERY CLASS AT HIS STUDIO, TOKATSUGAMA. (P. 14)

EXPLORE

POTTERING ABOUT

in Tamba Sasayama

Immerse yourself in the ceramic culture of this charming corner of Hyogo Prefecture TEXT: ANNA MALPAS

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

EIGHT LOCAL POTTERS ARE BRINGING TAMBA WARE CERAMICS INTO A NEW ERA THROUGH THE TANBA STYLE PROJECT

s we drive along the winding country roads of Tamba Sasayama, evidence of one of Japan’s oldest, thriving ceramic cultures is everywhere. The rural landscape is peppered with pottery studios, and I count nearly ten as we meander past fields and rice paddies. I also notice a long, multi-chambered climbing kiln, called a noborigama, snake across the mountainside. Known as one of the “Six Ancient Kilns of Japan,” Tamba’s native style of pottery, known as Tamba ware, can be traced back almost nine centuries. Its rustic simplicity and natural glazes made it a favorite among commoners and the nobility alike for everyday use, and later sometimes appeared in the tea ceremony as well. Visitors to the area can gain insights into both the historical context of the craft and its contemporary developments through its museums, galleries and workshops where many Tamba ware ceramicists also offer classes. You can also browse the wares of these local artists conveniently brought together under one roof at Tachikui Sue no Sato Pottery Village. Not far away is the oldest traditional kiln still in use in the area, the 47-meter-long Saiko no Noborigama, built in 1895 and still fired during the yearly spring Haru Monogatari festival.

PHOTOS: CODI HAUKA

Highlight: The Museum of Ceramic Art, Hyogo The Museum of Ceramic Art’s idyllic hillside setting with stunning panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and woodland. In front of the modern building are two large pools of water, with elegant rain chains hanging from the tiled roof. This museum is the perfect place to delve into the rich history of Tamba ware and Japanese pottery as a whole. To understand the developments that Tamba ware has undergone over the last 800 years in more depth, I drop into the permanent exhibition of ancient Tamba pottery on the first floor. This gallery defines three main periods of Tamba ware development, starting with the utilitarian origins of

Tamba’s most ancient pots. The gallery then goes on to demonstrate the experimentation in style and technique that occurred in the following 400 years, and the resurgence that the genre enjoyed with the Arts and Crafts Movement in the early 20th century. A selection of works by contemporary Tamba potters show how they have embraced this long tradition of innovation. The museum’s special exhibition this spring will move away from Tamba ware, focusing on the pottery of Okayama’s Bizen region, characterized by the distinctive markings created by wrapping pieces in rice straw before firing, among other techniques. THE MUSEUM OF CERAMIC ART, HYOGO OPEN: Tues-Sun 10am–18pm ADMISSION: Admission to the museum is free. Special exhibition admission fees vary. TEL: 079-597-3961 • www.mcart.jp/global/en

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

LEFT: SIXTH GENERATION POTTER AND FATHER OF ICHINO KATSUKI, ICHINO MASARU, ASSISTS A STUDENT. ABOVE: SAIKO NO NOBORIGAMA IS THE AREA’S OLDEST CLIMBING KILN STILL IN USE.

Highlight: Pottery Class at Tokatsugama One potter at the forefront of a new artistic blossoming of Tamba’s pottery culture is Ichino Katsuki. He is the seventh generation in his potting family, and he works with his father out of a workshop called Tokatsugama. He has been working on the project in collaboration with eight different potters, Tanba Style, to bring Tamba ware to a wider audience. Each potter brings his own flair to a collection of western-style tableware. Alongside his work with Tanba Style, Ichino has also been running a popular pottery class every month for over twenty years. As I pull up at Ichino’s studio, the class is already in full swing and the sizable studio is buzzing with energy. Young children and grandparents alike are sat at tables. Some use pottery wheels, while others sculpt with their hands. The atmosphere is bright and cheery with laughter ringing through the room. Students choose their own project and work independently, while Ichino buzzes around the studio to correct their technique. The projects range from a delicate bowl covered with pointed petals, to a chunky figure of beloved children’s cartoon character, Anpanman. One of

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

Ichino’s students, Mr. Honda, shows me his project with pride. He has been making a variation of the same abstract sculpture for the last few years. He tries to change the style a little each time, but this one, he tells me, is one of his best. He has added small spots of glaze around the piece, which shimmers under the light. As I chat with Mr. Honda in the small garden behind the workshop, Ichino comes out to join us. The class has come to an end, and now it is time for coffee and sweet red bean soup. The coffee cups are all made in-house by Ichino and are reminiscent of the older rustic styles of Tamba pottery. Ichino pours himself a cup and settles down on the carved wooden bench as his students move indoors, laughing and joking together. Ichino smiles fondly as the door shuts behind them. “The pottery class is less about me teaching students at this point,” he explains. “Some students have been coming here for over twenty years, so I suppose we’re more of a family.” The feeling of comradery and the affection that the students have for Ichino is obvious. Ichino considers himself more of an artist than an artisan. After training in Tokyo, he decided to return to Tamba and take up his position as the head of his

family’s workshop. Moving back to his hometown was no hardship though. He embraces the natural beauty of the area and delights in the community of students he has created. Hearing Ichino talk about the classroom is a delight, and his face lights up when he talks about his student’s projects. He wants to give people an opportunity to improve their skill, but also to meet people along the way. “I want to bring people together,” he tells me, “and in my opinion, pottery is one of the best ways to do that.” As the sun starts to set and we bid farewell, I see a young girl holding up her first sculpture with a toothy grin. It’s lumpy and a bit uneven, but to her it is clearly one of the greatest treasures she has ever held.

TOKATSUGAMA POTTERY CLASS First Sat of the month 10am-1pm FEE: From ¥2,500 inc materials and firing Reservation required. Visitors are encouraged to wear comfortable casual clothing or an apron that they don’t mind getting dirty. TEL: 079-597-3050 www.eonet.ne.jp/~toukatsu/

Q&A WITH JOHN DIX: AMERICAN POTTER IN TAMBA SASAYAMA TEXT: TY BILLMAN

n an idyllic corner of Tamba Sasayama and perched on a gentle slope overlooking two hamlets of a dozen households, John Dix’s studio is almost a world unto itself.

Having studied pottery in Greece, Israel and the US, John moved to Japan in the late eighties and soon began apprenticing with a local maker of Bizen ware (originating from Bizen in Western Honshu, which one of the so-called ‘Six Ancient Kiln’ towns alongside Tamba). Some years later, local residents of Tamba and editors of what used to be Kansai Time Out magazine, David Jack and Sachiko Matsunaga, approached John with the idea of building a pottery studio on their plot of land. With their support, Dix also constructed an impressive, traditional anagama kiln, which is fired to approximately 1,300°C using wood as the only fuel. The firing process, which takes up to a week, is necessary for creating the aesthetic effects that typify many Japanese pottery styles. Dix’s work draws on a number of regional pottery traditions—including those of Tamba, Iga and Bizen—and demonstrates a deep knowledge of his craft. He runs seasonal workshops where students live at the studio, make pottery with exceptional Japanese clays and try their hand at firing the anagama kiln. How has working in an off-the-beaten-track studio influenced your work with clay? Japan is a mecca for potters from around the world, but it can seem a bit impenetrable for those visiting from abroad for the first time. I am one of few foreign potters in this area.

For those who have never heard of anagama, how would you describe the Japanese-style kiln? The anagama is the original, high-temperature kiln. It is simply a hole—ana in Japanese—dug out of a clay mountainside. It is also inefficient, taking many days and huge amounts of wood to reach the required temperature. Anagama firings produce highly unpredictable results. The pieces go in ‘naked,’ or unglazed, and the kiln does all the work. Over many days, copious amounts of ash from the burnt wood is deposited on the pieces and then melt into a kind of glaze when the desired temperature is reached. Each piece comes out differently. I don’t know of another art that demands so much physical effort, only to surrender the final decorative process to the fire gods! What makes anagama firing so popular among potters these days? Over the centuries, kiln technology developed, but the anagama never lost its popularity in Japan because of the unique and appealing surface decoration created by the ash deposits. In today’s world where you can operate an electric kiln with your phone, the anagama is a throwback to another time. It also brings people together. To chop all the wood, load the kiln and keep it burning for up to seven days takes a team with the common goal of firing this ancient tool. The reward is pots like no other.

When David, Sachiko and I planned the studio, it was with the understanding that it would be more than just my own workspace, but a facility that would offer outsiders the opportunity to experience ceramics in Japan in a way that might be difficult elsewhere. We have hosted hundreds of people, and many have stayed long-term.

JOHN DIX’S STUDIO John Dix’s studio is open by appointment. Please contact John directly: johndix.com jd@johndix.com #johndixstudio

A nice thing about our studio’s location is that, while it feels really secluded and tranquil, it’s close to the center of Sasayama, and just over an hour to Osaka or Kobe.

Experience Tamba Pottery this spring TRY YOUR HAND AT TAMBA POTTERY! HANKYU TABI-KOTO JYUKU

“HARU MONOGATARI” SPRING FESTIVAL

March 20 (Fri)

During this 3-day event celebrating the best of Tamba Sasayama’s creativity and fresh, local produce, many pottery studios are open to the public and workshops suitable for all ages. With a large outdoor market, live music, art exhibitions and tea tastings, there is plenty for the entire family to enjoy.

No chance to visit Tamba during your stay in Osaka? Head to the Hankyu Grand Building in Umeda for a special one-off class with one of the old kiln town’s resident potters. Suitable for all levels and with English-language instruction. Hankyu Grand Building, 8-47 Kakuda-cho, Kita Ward, Osaka Start: 3:30pm (90-minute session with English language provision) ADMISSION: ¥2,000* (includes instruction, materials, postage of finished fired piece to in-Japan address) *Cash payment only Reservation required (first 12 people). Contact Tamba Sasayama Tourist Station: kanko_div@city.sasayama.hyogo.jp TEL: 079-590-2077 ADDRESS:

May 3-5 (Sun-Tue)

Venues: Pottery Village The Museum of Ceramic Art, Hyogo Tamba Traditional Crafts Park Sue no Sato Konda Yakushi Onsen Nukumori no Sato ACCESS: From JR Fukuchiyama Line Aino Station, take the Shinki Green Bus bound for Museum of Ceramic Art, Hyogo (Hyogo Togei Bijutsukan); or the same bus bound for Kiyomizudera and alight at Suenosato-mae or Hyogo Togei Bijutsukan. Rent-a-cycle available on the day for ¥500

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

TAMBA GOURMET FOCUS

he idyllic countryside and thriving artisan culture of Tamba Sasayama has long been a draw for urbanites, but more recently the area has also become a gourmet destination in its own right. While most famous for rustic dishes such as wild boar hot pot, there are a range of sophisticated dining options in the Tamba area these days. And with some of the highest-quality local ingredients around—edamame beans, mushrooms and chestnuts in particular—what better place to start a restaurant? One establishment that has found success in its strictly local approach is Luna Parpados, and while lunch here might not be the most traditional way of experiencing Tamba’s famous ingredients, it is certainly one of the most delicious. Tucked away down a mountain road a short drive from many of Tamba’s pottery workshops, Luna Parpados is a Spanish restaurant run by husband and wife team, Kazunori and Yumiko Suzuki. The Suzukis have embraced their rustic setting by evoking the feel of a

Tamba Sasayama Tourist Station Access Kinosaki Onsen

From Osaka

Toyooka TKG

about 60 min by Train

Higashimaizuru

JR Sanin Main Line

JR Maizuru Line

Obama

Fukui Ayabe JCT Fukuchiyama

Wadayama

Ayabe

Takeda

Sa ni n M

Kyoto

JR Osaka Station ➝ JR Sasayamaguchi Station

about 50 min by Car Osaka ➝ Hanshin Expressway ➝ Ikeda IC ➝ Chugoku Expressway ➝ Yokawa IC ➝ Maizuru Wakasa Expressway ➝ Tannan Sasayamaguchi IC

ai n Li ne

165-1 Ozawa, Sasayama, Hyogo, 669-2212 Directly linked from JR Sasayamaguchi Station

Tel

079-590-2077

kanko_div@city.sasayama.hyogo.jp

URL

https://visit.sasayama.jp/en

JR K akog awa Line

JR Banta n Line

Kyoto Yokawa JCT

Himeji Kakogawa

TannanSasayamaguchi JCT

Sasayamaguchi

ine aL m iya ch ku Fu

Address

Hyogo

Miki JCT

Osaka

Kobe Tennoji

Akashi

KIX

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

about 90 min by Car Kobe ➝ Shinkobe Tunnel ➝ Hanshin Expressway Kitakobe Line / Minotani IC ➝ Rokkoukita Tollway ➝ Chugoku Expressway / KobeSanda IC ➝ Maizuru Wakasa Expressway / Tannan Sasayamaguchi IC

ITM Kobe Suita JCT JCT Arima Onsen Nishinomiya Amagasaki Sumiyoshi Osaka

UKB

FREE Wi - Fi

about 80 min by Train JR Sannomiya Station ➝ JR Amagasaki Station ➝ JR Sasayamaguchi Station

Tamba Sasayama City

Visit us to gain the latest information on sightseeing, local events, accommodation, and more! English speaking staff members are always stationed here to welcome you!!

From Kobe

Sonobe

Tanikawa

Nara

From Kyoto

about 110 min by Train JR Kyoto Station ➝ JR Amagasaki Station ➝ JR Sasayamaguchi Station

Sakaishi

Wakayama

about 60 min by Car Kyoto ➝ Route 9 ➝ Kyoto Jyukan Highway ➝ Route 372

THE SUZUKIS DRAW HEAVILY ON LOCALLY-FARMED VEGETABLES TO PRODUCE ITS SPANISH-INSPIRED LUNCH COURSES, THAT COME IN TAPAS-SIZED PORTIONS.

cozy cabin with roughly-finished wooden furnishings. A long bench sits outside ready for busy days and piles of logs are stacked against the window to feed the fire. We are shown to a table that looks out at the rolling mountains. Kazunori pulls up a chair and joins me at the table as Yumiko heads into the kitchen to prepare our special lunch course. Although Kazunori is a chef himself, having lived and learned to cook in Spain as a young man, it is Yumiko who runs the kitchen these days. He is tasked with putting together the menu. When visitors ask Kazunori what the best ingredients to eat in Tamba are, he always struggles to answer. “I can’t think in terms of good or bad food,” he tells me with a furrowed brow. “The tart apples we grow here might not be the best for eating raw, but they’re unparalleled when roasted. There are no bad ingredients, just better and worse ways of using them.” Kazunori’s ethos surrounding food is simple: he finds joy in food that some consider imperfect and delights in bringing their flavors to life. While we sip on Tamba carbonated spring water, one of Kazunori’s suppliers drops by with the carrots for the week. Supporting local farmers has always been a key aim at Luna Parpados. The carrots that Kazunori takes are the ones that the elderly couple who farms them are unable to sell. He shows me one that is perfect but for the tiny dent near the base. This, he tells me, is completely unsellable on the commercial market. Kazunori disappears into the kitchen where his wife has been working busily. A few minutes later he returns with immaculately-presented dishes. Luna Parpados serves all its food on local Tamba pottery, and the rustic tableware is a perfect counterpoint to the restaurant’s refined cuisine. As far as possible, Kazunori attempts to let the ingredients “speak for themselves.” The seasonal salad has no

dressing: after all, why would you want vinegar to mask the fresh crunch of the lotus root, or the sweetness of the stewed beetroot? He also works hard to feature local Tamba-grown produce as much as possible—even untoasted sesame oil he uses is made from locally-sourced sesame seeds. The carrots from earlier make a reappearance in an elegant plate of hors d’oeuvres. They have been turned into a deliciously rich gazpacho, a nod to the restaurant’s Spanish influences and possibly the most delectable morsels on the plate. As we enjoy the decadent venison stew, he retells the story of his homestay experience in Spain, and how he ended up enrolling as a visiting student in a culinary school. “I would go back almost every year after that,” Kazunori recalls with nostalgia. “I collected recipes and tried them out back here in Japan.” While the Spanish influences are evident in Luna Parpados’ cuisine, the Suzukis also draw on Japanese

cooking techniques now and again. Alongside the gazpacho is a spinach roll cooked in the same style as datemaki, a rolled fish paste omelet that is traditionally eaten at New Year. The meal is topped off with a strong coffee, and I compliment Kazunori on the delightfully airy and sweet cream puffs—the best I have ever tasted. He quips, with a chuckle, that were Tamba’s climate conducive to growing sugar cane, Luna Parpados would surely source that ingredient from here too.

LUNA PARPADOS Open from 11:30 am for lunch. Reservation only. Courses priced between ¥3,000-¥5,000. Menu changes with the seasons and availability of ingredients. TEL: 050-3592-0029

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

能桜と

TRADITIONAL PERFORMING ARTS IN KANSAI

Noh & Sakura

As part of our ongoing series on Noh theater, Aria Aoyama from The Japan Institute for Culture & International Exchange quizzes Yoshie Yamamoto, Administrative Director at Osaka’s Yamamoto Noh Theater, on the ways sakura appears in their repertoire. TEXT: KS

PRESENTED BY THE JAPAN INSTITUTE FOR CULTURE & INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

SEE A NOH PLAY Benkei on the Boat (English with additional subtitles) A performance of Noh and bunraku puppet play set in the late Heian Period WHEN: Mar 24 (Tues) • TIME: 7-9pm • ADMISSION: ¥5,000 (Advance: ¥4,500) • VENUE:

PHOTOS: © YAMAMOTO NOH THEATER

Yamamoto Noh Theater • Full English performance schedule and reservations: www.noh-theater.com/performanceen.php • ENQUIRIES: tickets@noh-theater.com

Aoyama: Spring is not far away now. Will Yamamoto Noh Theater also be performing under the blooming cherry trees again in the park this year? Yamamoto: Yes, we do this without fail every year—the local people love it. Matcha tea and sweets are on offer for spectators too. The Yamamoto Noh Theater is located in the Jokamachi area by Osaka Castle. As you know, the man who built the castle, the warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi [1537-1598] adored cherry blossom and held extravagant hanami blossom-viewing parties. Most famously he invited 5,000 guests to one such gathering at Mt. Yoshino, Nara Prefecture: a 5-day-long program of tea ceremony and poetry. There are as many as 30,000 sakura trees at Yoshino of some 200 varieties. A: The beauty of Yoshino’s sakura is a news topic every year! Y: Yes and it’s the subject of a Noh play too, called Yoshino Tenjin (The Goddess of Yoshino). A: I have seen this play before: the goddess dancing among the blooming cherries of Yoshino is one of the most elegant scenes in Noh. Y: Saigyo, one of our great poets who lived during the latter years of the Heian Period in the twelfth century, spent much time admiring the flowers and the moon, and in doing so made deep observations about life. He was born into a wealthy warrior family, but at the age of 22 left to become a monk. He lived as a recluse in a hermitage in the mountains and immersed himself in literature and poetry. You know,

of the 2,300 waka poems attributed to Saigyo, about 230 are about sakura alone. A: That many? Certainly Saigyo’s love of the cherry blossom is well known, but that’s quite something! Y: Indeed, and that’s not all. Some years before his death, he penned a poem: Let it be in spring and under the cherry blossoms that I die, while the moon is perfect at midmonth, like it was for his peaceful passing. [1] A: Did he get his wish? Y: Yes, according to historical texts, he passed away just like this aged 73, to the great surprise of his contemporaries. In the vicinity of his grave are 1,500 cherry trees that bloom spectacularly every April. A: He was a man who really embodied quintessential Japanese aesthetics. Y: There is a Noh play about him too, called Saigyo Sakura (Saigyo’s Cherry Blossoms). A: Really? What happens in the play? Y: In the play, Saigyo is living in his mountain hut, in front of which is an old cherry tree many people make the journey out to see in bloom. Saigyo decides one year that he does not want to permit these people to come and view the blossom, because he would rather appreciate it alone, at leisure. Nonetheless, hordes arrive from the city and, having gone to such lengths to visit this tree, Saigyo realizes he cannot very well turn them away. He invites them onto the premises, all the while reciting a verse: “That we are irresistibly drawn to its beauty,

that is the curse of sakura.” And with that, he spends the night gazing up at them instead. Then, an old man appears to Saigyo in a dream and reprimands him for having likened sakura to a curse: “There is nothing sinful about sakura; it blooms and nothing more! The discontent you feel emanates from your own heart!” It becomes apparent that this old man is the spirit of the cherry tree in human form. In the spring night, he performs a dance for Saigyo. With the arrival of dawn, Saigyo wakes from his dream to find the cherry blossom has fallen around him, and there is not a soul in sight. A: That’s a beautiful tale. Spectators may be surprised to note that the spirit of the sakura tree is not represented by a young woman but an old man, but that feels quite typical of Noh. It’s a different kind of beauty, like the sort you would find in a monochrome ink painting, don’t you think? Y: Certainly, I think the Japanese sense of beauty really comes across in this play. Even now nighttime viewings of the blossom are popular. A: There is a lot of appeal in Saigyo’s “back to nature” lifestyle…I aspire to this! Y: Me too. So where will you be going to see the sakura this year? A: Yoshino has its appeal, but I expect I will find myself watching the spring performance of Yamamoto Noh Theater instead!

[1] Trans. William R. Lafleur in Awesome Nightfall: The Life, Times and Poetry of Saigyo

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

SAKE SENSEI’S

Brewery Adventures

EACH ISSUE WE EXPLORE A DIFFERENT FACET OF THE COMPLEX WORLD OF JAPANESE SAKE AND ACCOMPANY SAKE GURU RAKUDO YOSHIDA ON A VISIT TO ONE OF KANSAI’S ICONIC BREWERIES.

SUPPORTED BY: THE JAPAN SAKE SOCIETY

SAKE SENSEI Rakudo Yoshida is Chairman of the Japan Sake Society and has devoted the past 41 years of his life to supporting— and enjoying—Japanese sake, its brewers and associations. He also happens to be a certified laughter therapist.

yoto may be home to innumerable historical sites and time-honored traditions, but one of the city’s greatest assets—unbeknownst to many visitors—lies beneath our very feet. It sits on a vast water table believed to match the size of Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest, which supplies water to 14 million people. The tasty, mineral-rich water that emerges as trickling springs, has served a number of industries well over the centuries. One business that can attest to this is Yamamoto Honke, one of the oldest breweries in Kyoto’s southern Fushimi sake rice wine-making district. Yamamoto Honke draws its water from a well on the premises, which has not changed location once over its 300-year history. They and the neighboring breweries refer to their local spring by the poetic name of shiragikusui, “water of the white chrysanthemum.” Founded in 1667 by Genbee Yamamoto, Yamamoto Honke has continued to concoct delicious sakes under eleven generations of toji master brewers. Genbee Yamamoto also happens to be the name of the brewery’s current toji. He is proud of how well their sakes pair with a wide range of foods, and attribute it in no small part to

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

these miracle springs. The mineral composition is just right, he insists: potassium and calcium is present, but not to the extent that inhibits the fermentation process. It also lends their brews a pleasant, mellow aftertaste. Yamamoto says that the brewery has always sought to connect its sake to Japan’s cultural legacy, even in the tearoom. What does sake have to do with tea, you ask? The formal Japanese tea ceremony begins with kaiseki. This is a simple meal consisting of small seasonal dishes accompanied by a bowl of rice and soup, served to “prepare” the stomach for the tea. During this meal, the guests and host also share a bottle of sake—a measure that was as much about safeguarding oneself from being poisoned as fostering a sense of camaraderie in less peaceful times—pouring for each other. And so Yamamoto Honke created the Matsuno Midori series, featuring an elegant yet earthy aroma that complements the clean and simple flavors of the tea ceremony meal. Yamamoto Honke is also eager to bring sake back as a favorite during the hanami cherry-blossom viewing season, where beer and other mixed drinks have become mainstays. For Japan’s farmers, the blooms

SAKE TYPES: AN EXPLAINER Sake can be broadly categorized by both the percentage by which the rice grain is polished down (seimai-buai in Japanese) and whether brewer’s alcohol is added or not (the lack of it makes the sake a junmai). The more the rice grain is milled down, the better—and pricier—the brew. For example, if you see 60% on a bottle of sake that indicates it is a ginjo: a medium-to-high-quality sake.

Kanpai Jorei

Rice polishing ratio

(How much of the rice grain remains after milling) LESS THAN

LESS THAN

50%

On January 15, 2013, the city of Kyoto became the first municipality to introduce a city ordinance promoting local sake, a kanpai jorei (“toast ordinance”), to increase awareness of sake’s part in Japanese culture and enjoyment of it—i.e. making it the drink of choice for toasts kicking off various types of events. While the ordinance varies by municipality, with some districts choosing to emphasize their own local beverages such as wine, shochu and even milk, it was originally enacted to counter the decline of sake consumption around Japan.

LESS THAN

60%

70%

Addition of brewer’s alcohol? YES

YES

Daiginjo

Junmai daiginjo

Ginjo

Junmai ginjo

Honjozo

Junmai

Q u ality

mark the start of the planting season for the rice paddies. Cultivating rice—the primary ingredient of sake—is back-breaking work, and just as the blossoms serve as a morale-booster for farmers, so sipping from a cup of sake is a kind of gesture of solidarity and gratitude for their toil. Some sake brands go as far as to pepper their brews with petals as a marketing ploy. But Yamamoto feels such gimmicks will only go so far. Consumers have also become more discerning, and while in the past they may have paid little attention to what was on the label, quality and artisanal techniques are becoming ever more important—with that, a sense of heritage goes hand-in-hand.

Yamamoto has decided to stay smallscale to adapt to the needs of the market, focusing on its high-end varieties, such as its successful Shinsei brand. In fact, almost all of its 5,000-bottle-a-year output consists almost entirely of junmai ginjo and daiginjo—where a higher percentage of the rice is milled in a more costly process that yields a more refined brew (and, in the case of the junmai, omits the addition of brewer’s alcohol). While it is true that overall sake consumption in Japan continues to decline, Yamamoto is convinced this approach will reap benefits in the long run. “People ask me whether there are times I wish I were doing something else, but I have never once felt that way,” says

Yamamoto, “I enjoy it and enjoy seeing my colleagues enjoy it too.” It is this personal passion for the craft to which he ascribes the longevity of the company and, should the master continue to have his way, the brewery will continue to delight customers for generations to come.

SAKE SENSEI (LEFT) WITH GENBEE YAMAMOTO, THE CURRENT TOJI AT YAMAMOTO HONKE (RIGHT).

Yamamoto Honke 山本本家 SENSEI’S SELECTION Shinsei Gold

Shinsei

Shinsei Hyo-on Kakoi

Shinsei

Matsuno Midori

純米大吟醸原酒

純米大吟醸

大吟醸

純米大吟醸

Rice: Special A Field Yamada Nishiki Grade: Junmai Daiginjo Genshu Details: Milano Sake Challenge Platinum winner Goes well with: Medium-fatty tuna sashimi

Rice: Kyoto Prefecture Iwai Grade: Junmai Daiginjo Details: Umami and depth of flavor unique to Iwai rice Goes well with: Roast duck

Rice: Yamada Nishiki Grade: Junmai Daiginjo Details: Fruity umami and sharp aftertaste Goes well with: Stewed liver

Grade: Daiginjo Details: London Sake Challenge Gold winner Goes well with: Saltgrilled sweetfish

Grade: Junmai Daiginjo Details: Japan’s only sake made for the Omotesenke tea ceremony school Goes well with: Cooked turnip

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

X KANSAI SCENE

A SCENIC ROAD THAT CHEERS YOU ON This delightful route through suburban west Kyoto, recommended by professional runner Mizuki Noguchi, has it all: idyllic landscape, historical sites and the encouragement of friendly locals RECOMMENDED BY MIZUKI NOGUCHI

ABOUT MIZUKI NOGUCHI BORN 1978 IN MIE PREFECTURE, MIZUKI NOGUCHI IS A PROFESSIONAL RUNNER. NOGUCHI WON THE GOLD MEDAL IN THE WOMEN’S MARATHON AT THE 2004 ATHENS OLYMPICS, AND CURRENTLY HOLDS THE OLYMPIC RECORD FOR JAPAN AND ASIA FOR THE FASTEST TIME IN THE WOMEN’S MARATHON. ORIGINALLY PRODUCED BY RUNNER’S INFORMATION RESEARCH INSTITUTE (WWW. RUNNERSINFO.ORG). EDITED BY MADAOKA HATTORI WITH TRANSLATION BY YU ARAKI.

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

Torokko Arashiyama Stn

Togetsu-kyo Bridge

Uzumasa Stn

Arashiyama Stn

ku Kit

ano L

ine

San’ in Main Lin

Keifu

Marutamachi-dori Street

Keif u Aras ku Den hiya tetsu ma L ine Arashiyama Higashi Park

Arashiyama Stn

yu Hank a Line hiyam

THE RUNNER’S INFORMATION RESEARCH INSTITUTE SEEKS TO BRING ATTENTION TO SOME OF JAPAN’S BEST DESTINATIONS FOR RUNNING, WALKING AND CYCLING, AS RECOMMENDED BY SOME OF THE COUNTRY’S FOREMOST ATHLETES. DISCOVER NEW ROUTES AT WWW.RUNNERSINFO.ORG

Hirosawa-no-ike Pond

Aras

PHOTOGRAPHS BY YOSHIHIDE MISHIMA

his is the route I ran every day as part of my training when I lived in Kyoto. I like running courses that have a radical change in scenery, where you can enjoy a variety of landscapes, such as rivers, shrines, parks and ponds—so this one ticks all the boxes! Encountering rickshaws carrying tourists on the way to old shrines and temples makes this a very typical Kyoto street. You can also observe the four seasons up close. For instance, Mt. Atago, the highest mountain in Kyoto, flushes pink with magnificent cherry blossoms in the spring, has gorgeously colorful foliage in the fall, and is beautifully snow-capped in the winter. Whenever I have the opportunity to take this route, I use it as a relaxed warm-up, which allows me to enjoy the scenery and my favorite music, and ready myself for a more intense training session. Although it is important to put your body through a demanding workout, it is equally important to have a route that you can enjoy with your eyes and mind. When I run in Arashiyama, everybody, from children to seniors, cheer me on as though I am competing in a race or running a marathon. I like to be observant and remember how beautiful the sky was, or how cute the pet dogs I saw were. I get a “runner’s high” not only from the friendly locals, but also from the cityscape and the scenery I pass by. From Kamino-bashi Bridge, which was close to my dormitory, I would run along the Katsura River to Matsuo Taisha Shrine. Before starting the run, I also recommend stretching and loosening your body by the riverbank. Although I sometimes ran through the residential area near Matsuo Taisha Shrine, the path through Arashiyama Higashi Park is a cycling road and has fewer cars, so I would often opt for this instead. From there, you go past the well-known and often crowded landmark of Arashiyama, Togetsukyo Bridge, and head to Seiryo Temple. When you reach the front of the temple, turn right. You will pass a famous tofu shop, and the pastoral countryside setting is quite calming. Eventually you arrive at the goal, the serene Hirosawa Pond.

Matsuo-taisha Stn

Matsuo-bashi Bridge Katsura-gawa River

6.9km

Kamino-bashi Bridge

About this route Location: Sakyo Ward and Ukyo Ward in western Kyoto Distance: 6.9 km Trail type: asphalt Greenery: abundant Recommended season: year-round Sites of interest and facilities: Matsuo Taisha Shrine, Arashiyama Higashi Park (restrooms), Seiryo Temple, Hirosawa Pond Average temperature: summer 24 °C, winter 1 °C Access: The start of the trail is a 20-minute walk from the Kamikatsura Station on the Hankyu Arashiyama Line. From the end point, it is a 20-minute walk to Saga-Arashiyama Station on the JR Line. Use the above map or use this QR code to open a map on your device (Google Maps)

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

LEFT: THE MAIKO YURIHA PERFORMS A TRADITIONAL DANCE ABOVE: A GAME OF KONPIRA FUNE FUNE ENSUES

V CULTURE

Ochaya Asobi

AN ENCOUNTER WITH AN APPRENTICE GEISHA

TEXT: LAUREN HADLER

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

isitors to the Gion district of Kyoto will know when they have stumbled across the flagstone-paved Hanami-koji Street, for it is brimming with smartphone-wielding tourists snapping the façades of the polished ochaya teahouses—the venues where the elusive geisha entertainers work (and sometimes live). The geisha world is exclusive, and simply stepping into one of these teahouses without an invitation from an existing patron is out of the question, so most of these tourists can merely hope to catch a glimpse of these ladies during their time in Kyoto—either transiting from rehearsals in the daytime or performances in the evening. Fortunately, though, geisha encounters are becoming easier to arrange for newcomers than they were in the past. One company, Exclusive Kyoto, is offering foreigners the chance to experience a reception with a maiko apprentice and engage in conversation without needing to worry about the language barrier and, because they cater only to small groups, the usual time constraints. I have come to Hanami-koji myself to witness one such gathering. My destination lies on one of the tiny alleys leading off this bustling stretch. The red lanterns outside the old wooden houses bear the symbol of the district: a string of eight dumplings, harking back to

PHOTOS: CODI HAUKA

the days when these teahouses would serve such treats in front of temples and shrines. I wonder whether I have taken a wrong turn down this maze of streets, but our host Yukari arrives promptly and with a smile ushers me inside the polished renovated interior of one of the ochaya. I am led upstairs to a spacious tatami-matted room where Experience Kyoto’s customers, a couple from the US are waiting excitedly for their distinguished guest to arrive. Yukari takes us through the evening’s proceedings so we know what to expect. We can tuck into our sushi platter whenever we choose, she says, adding that drinks are free-flowing. With gin and tonic in hand and ensconced in our comfortable sofa-chairs, we are all feeling remarkably relaxed. I wonder: Aren’t these things meant to be formal? The moment our guide announces the maiko-san will be joining us shortly, the anticipation is palpable. Like school kids awaiting the arrival of the headteacher, we sit bolt upright in our seats. The fusuma door slides open, and with dainty steps, she enters the room. The first part of the evening commences with a traditional dance. Her intricate pale blue silk kimono with hand-painted flowers paired with black and gold obi sash embroidered with the family crest flows with her controlled movements, showcasing every angle of her outfit, make-up, and hair. Kimono are not merely garments but also a kind of signboard for the occasion and season. As she spins, the long streaks of white paint tracing her neck indicating her status of maiko also become apparent. This marking creates the illusion of an elongated neck and was once a sign of beauty among women in premodern Japan. Still entranced by the performance well after the music has stopped, our guide enters the frame again to introduce us to Yuriha and explain the young maiko’s garb. At 19 years old, Yuriha is nearing the end of her grueling five-year apprenticeship period and will become a fully-fledged geisha (or geiko, as they are called in Kyoto). Our guide translates Yuriha’s softly spoken Japanese. Formally introducing herself, Yuriha hands us her hanameishi business card, only there is no number or address—just a name and that of her okiya geisha residence. Her name, she explains, is

not the one she was born with, but one that she has had since becoming a maiko. The last character was given to her by one of her geiko sisters, which she thinks of as a great honor. While Yuriha didn’t have a choice over her name, she did choose the design on her card: a small rabbit. Her meticulously-painted face erupts into a broad smile and a soft giggle at this moment the cute little rabbit seems an especially fitting choice. Yuriha is proud of her art and her maturity belies her young age. Pouring us sake rice wine, she comes to each of our tables and patiently answers our many

While she knows it will be hard once she graduates and becomes independent, she is happy, she replies with a genuine smile. We giggle over some shared observations, and fuss over her obidome—the iridescent antique jewel fastened to her sash, made up of precious stones and pearls. She quips that in the event that she trips over on her sandals, her hands would be shielding the jewel rather than breaking her fall. Intrigued by her hairstyle, we gasp at the revelation that it is all her own hair and not a wig! Coiffed only once a week, her hair is adorned with an elaborate floral ornament known as hana kanzashi. This, like kimono, is reflective of the seasons. In April, the kanzashi of choice is sakura cherry blossom, the most beloved of Japanese blooms. We move on to the final part of the evening: game time! We each take turns trying to beat Yuriha at konpira fune fune, a simple game with a sweet song that proves to be very entertaining, we all let out raucous laughs. The rules are easy, with players taking turns to tap a little box with an open palm. If a player removes the box you must tap the table with a closed fist, played to the simple rhythm of Yuriha’s singing. The defeated takes a small sake from the maiko. Flushed from the sake, we pose for photos with Yuriha before bidding farewell. Seeing the delighted faces of Yuriha’s customers is heartwarming, and I leave with the feeling that, even with the hardships that becoming a geisha entails, there are perhaps few jobs out there that are quite as satisfying.

YURIHA WEARS HAIR ORNAMENTS AND KIMONO REFLECTIVE OF THE SEASONS

burning questions. She explains that she is one of just 70 maiko working in Kyoto today, while numbers of geiko stand at around 200. We are eager to find out about her decision to forgo high school and to become a maiko—and live with nine other maiko in an okiya residence just across the street from where we sit. I ask her about her work, does she receive a salary? Who are the artisans who help create her look? Will younger generations help geisha traditions survive into the future? Then the big one: is she happy?

Exclusive Kyoto RESERVATIONS:

www.exclusivekyoto.com/en/

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

FEATURE

Don’t Blink!

The fleeting world of Japanese woodblock prints TEXT: ALAN J. WIREN

ho has not seen it? Who has not felt the massive lift of salt-streaked, indigo wave stretching patently abstract fingers of foam at its crest, poised to overwhelm the distant, snow topped Mount Fuji? Who has not sensed the trepidation of the fishermen closely huddled in their boats, sluicing down the opposite slope into the trough of this great mass of water? Recognizable the world over, Hokusai’s The Great Wave Off Kanagawa is an iconic example of the ukiyo-e genre of Japanese art. It is prophetic as well, because such intricate and evocative landscapes, incorporating influences from the Western art world, would constitute the last phase in a centuries-long development. Move forward a few seconds from that captured moment and the wave will collapse. We cannot know the fishermen’s fate, but skip ahead a few decades and the ukiyo-e woodblock print tradition itself will collapse along with the industry that supported it, employing image designers

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like Hokusai, wood block carvers who produced up to a dozen blocks for a single image (one for each color), and the publishers who turned the wheel of profit that had kept the business afloat. For many years in Osaka’s Dotonbori district, when it was home to five kabuki theaters, Takano Seiko, the curator of the Kamigata Ukiyo-e Museum, was proprietor of an all-night café. “The actors used to walk through this neighborhood,” she told me. “But gradually the theaters closed and the actors disappeared.” I have come to Takano-san’s museum to find out more about the origins of ukiyo-e and how the art form developed in the Kamigata region, as the Kansai area was once called. To understand ukiyo-e, we must first get to grips with the etymology of Ukiyo: The Floating World. The Japanese verb uku means “to float,” but as with many Japanese words, its boundaries of nuance go beyond that of the English translation. Uku can suggest an emotion quickly passing over a person’s face; extravagance; a smile or frown playing at the lips; to be

carried away by frivolous passion or even to feel blue. Combined with yo, meaning “world,” ukiyo-e encapsulates Japan emerging from an age of civil war into one of peace and, for the common folk, a prosperity theretofore unknown. It was also a time of lurking disaster. Fires and earthquakes repeatedly ravaged even Edo, the capital city we now know as Tokyo. One could, without warning, become bereft of property and family overnight. And so from the gold and the ashes a spirit of living for the moment prevailed: knowing one’s life to be transient as the perfection of a spring cherry blossom. The epicenters of this culture were the places of diversion: theaters, sumo stadiums, and pleasure quarters. These were the places where ukiyo-e, “pictures of the Floating World” first appeared. The Floating World’s core was Edo, but its lifestyle found havens in the western cities of Osaka and Kyoto. In the 1700s Edo’s first ukiyo-e were monochrome portraits advertising actors, wrestlers, and courtesans. At the same time in Kamigata,

Left (on page 6): Cherry Blossoms in Full Bloom at Arashiyama; Utagawa Hiroshige; Publisher: Kawaguchiya Shōzō; Gift of Louis W. Hill, Jr. Above: 『神奈川沖浪裏』 - Kanagawa oki nami ura; The Great Wave Off Kanagawa from the series “36 Views of Mount Fuji” by Katsushika Hokusai Immediate right: Scene from the Kabuki Play, “Yowa nasake ukina no yokogushi”; Utagawa Kunisada; Publisher: Wakasaya Yoichi. Bequest of Louis W. Hill, Jr. Far right: The Actor Ichikawa Sadanji as Hoshikage Tsuchiemon, from the Herbert R. Cole Collection at LACMA

ukiyo-e was more of a cottage industry, with fans or clubs producing woodblock printed books or hand-painted portraits of celebrities. In Edo the advertising fliers quickly evolved into souvenirs. Prints became more elaborate. Color was added, at first by hand-painting the finished prints, as were background embellishments, such as seasonal flowers. Then the technique of printing large, multicolor editions, using only woodblocks, made them even more affordable. In Kamigata, it was not until the 1800s that single-page prints became popular. By the nineteenth century, patrons in both east and west Japan could buy realistic and dynamic reproductions of pivotal scenes in kabuki performances to display in their homes, but the styles differed between the regions. In Edo the focus was on the elegance of the characters, smoothing over the personal appearances of the performers, especially where the subjects were men playing female roles. In Kamigata it was the actor’s own character and features that were

faithfully rendered and a print sometimes included calligraphy or poems in the actor’s own hand. “The footsteps of the kabuki actors have faded,” Ms. Takano says, “but people can still follow them. Displaying these pictures brings happiness to the actors’ spirits and to the people visiting this neighborhood in the present.” Ms. Takano amassed a collection of Kamigata ukiyo-e so large that she herself no longer knows its number. In 2001 she demolished her café and on the same site built the Osaka Kamigata Ukiyo-e Museum. The space is small and can only display about 30 prints at one time. The theme of the spring exhibition is, of course, the evanescent cherry blossom. While some time has passed since ukiyo-e’s demise, it is no surprise why the art has found devoted fans in the likes of Ms. Takano today. Inspired by the ephemeral, they give longevity to its expressions. So let your feet take you where you can enjoy them with your eyes instead of your imagination.

Kamigata Ukiyo-e Museum ADDRESS: 1-6-4 Namba, Chuo HOURS: Tues-Sun 11am-6pm WEBSITE:

Ward, Osaka

kamigata.jp/kmgt/jp/english/

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BUSINESS TALK

KATO PLEASURE GROUP: FROM KANSAI TO THE WORLD TEXT: KS

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

ato Pleasure Group (KPG) is an example of a Japanese conglomerate that does not shy away from experimentation. Encompassing a vast portfolio of hotels and resorts, wedding and entertainment venues, KPG has successfully developed as many as 21 brands of restaurants up and down the country. The Group’s CEO, Tomoyasu Kato’s approach is one of continual adaptation, not just to the locations to which they expand, but the continually changing circumstances in which they operate (namely the recent inbound tourism boom). Here we look at two of their highly contrasting restaurant brands that attest to the success of this approach.

TsuruTonTan: Noodles with oodles of ambition TsuruTonTan is Kato Pleasure Group’s pride and joy. Its playful, highly onomatopoeic name alludes to the sounds of slurping and cutting wheat noodles, called udon. A staple of Japanese cuisine, the most famous story surrounding its origins involves the Buddhist monk, Kukai. He is said to have brought udon-making methods from China, where he studied, to his hometown in Sanuki Province on the island of Shikoku. In doing so, the tale goes, he saved the local villagers from starvation. Today Sanuki udon is considered the best in all Japan, characterized by its square shape, flat edges and perfectly al dente texture. This is the kind of udon found at TsuruTonTan restaurants today. TsuruTonTan is the Group’s oldest brand, its first location in Osaka’s Soemoncho having opened in 1989. Today it prides itself on its wideranging lineup of udon dishes

that come in their signature Kansai-style dashi (broth made from kelp and dried bonito). At each of their 13 restaurant locations, staff donning traditional worker’s garb and split-toe socks serve customers traditional udon noodles that are kneaded, cut and cooked entirely by hand on-site. KPG has strongly rejected the idea of a chain, the focus being on providing an individual experience at each of TsuruTonTan’s locations, by introducing seasonal menus and regional specials, but also unique décor that channels the local culture. But they have adapted in other ways too. For example, overseas visitors enjoying the nightlife in Japan’s major cities are often surprised to find there are few restaurants still open after midnight, and in response to this feedback, TsuruTonTan introduced late-night hours (until 5am or even 8am) for several of

TSURUTONTAN SOEMONCHO

its branches. TsuruTonTan has adapted not just to changing tastes but also emerging health trends. It is true that while udon is already considered a healthier alternative to ramen, which often comes in an oily broth with fatty cuts of pork, those on low-sugar diets have little choice but to cut down on their beloved bowls of udon too. TsuruTonTan sought to rectify this by developing a low-sugar noodle, that they call the Locabo Udon. No less delicious than the regular type, it is no wonder it has found fans across Japan. And that’s not all: Following its first successful overseas venture in New York in 2016, TsuruTonTan has opened two additional locations in the city, and most recently in Hawaii and Boston. At this rate, TsuruTonTan stands to become the world’s favorite udon brasserie.

KANSAI LOCATIONS TsuruTonTan Kinshoro 1-4-20 Sonezakishinchi, Kita Ward, Osaka

TsuruTonTan Kitashinchi 1-1-9 Sonezakishinchi, Kita Ward, Osaka

TsuruTonTan Honmachiro 2-1-13 Kawaramachi, Chuo Ward, Osaka

TsuruTonTan Soemoncho 3-17 Soemoncho, Chuo Ward, Osaka

TsuruTonTan Daikokucho 2-1-11 Shikitsunishi, Naniwa Ward, Osaka

TsuruTonTan Top Chefs 3-1-1 Umeda, Kita Ward, Osaka

sumile: Fine Italian dining in an unbeatable setting One of two locations in Japan, KPG’s sumile restaurant in Osaka’s Nakanoshima LOVE CENTRAL complex is a striking example of how location can enhance and complement a restaurant concept. Every table at this Italian trattoria enjoys an unbeatable view of the cherry tree-lined Dojima River, and beyond, the intriguing red-brick architecture of Osaka’s Central Public Hall. You could almost be dining on the banks of the River Arno!

The restaurant, like Nakanoshima LOVE CENTRAL itself, is a collaboration project with the Japanese band, Dreams Come True to offer discerning visitors a refined, multi-faceted experience, with venues for banquets and weddings. The restaurant offers a range of multi-course lunch and dinner options, serving up classic Italian fare with a Japanese twist that draws on the freshness of local ingredients. In true Japanese style, each dish is impeccably presented,

bringing it to the level of haute cuisine. Restaurant guests are also treated to a wide selection of wines. Visitors unable to take the time to enjoy one of sumire’s courses can enjoy their decadent home-made dessert of the day with a freshlybrewed Italian espresso. After satisfying your sweet tooth, why not hop on one of KPG’s luxurious river cruises, which depart from just a stone’s throw away?

sumile OSAKA ADDRESS: Nakanoshima LOVE CENTRAL , 2-1-18 Nishi-Tenma, Kita Ward, Osaka LUNCH: 11am-2pm; DINNER: 6-11pm; CAFÉ: 2-5pm RESERVATIONS: 050-5890-3545

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

TRAVEL

Nakaisamurai Tea Venture beyond Kansai! We explore some of Japan’s hidden gems with Central Japan Railway Company.

PHOTOS: FUMIO HAYASE

three-hour train ride on the Iida Line from Toyohashi Station served by the Tokaido Shinkansen will bring you to secluded Nakaisamurai Station. Along the steep hillside in the vicinity of the station is a verdant tea growing area. Cultivation of tea in Nakaisamurai started long ago as a way to prevent landslides by reinforcing the soil, and also as a wall of defense against the boar and deer that would destroy farmer’s crops. That all changed in the mid-1970s, when a group of eleven local tea farmers founded Nakaisamurai Tea Producers’ Association and kickstarted a commercial operation. The flavor of Nakaisamurai tea is sweet with a pleasant, subtle bitterness to it. Since tea cultivated on a steep hillside in the mountains do not receive much sunlight, Nakaisamurai tea leaves can be likened somewhat to gyokuro, a type of green tea which is deliberately grown in shade during the final weeks before harvest. Further processing then reduces the aroma, bitterness and astringency. Produced in this way, tea from

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Nakaisamurai has won many accolades, including the Nagano Prefecture Governor’s Award eight years in a row. Tea plants are infested by insects after the second harvest of the year, and generally subject to treatment using pesticides. Because Nakaisamurai tea is a first flush tea—in other words, utilizing only the leaves from the first harvest—there is no need for pesticides and as such is completely organic. As the terrain of the plantations are impractical for machinery, the tea leaves are picked by hand. Farmers know the tea is ready for picking when the first five leaves of the plant begin to emerge, but only the three uppermost, young leaves are picked. The result? A light and delicious brew. One of the first processes the newly-harvested tea leaves must undergo is steaming, which halts the fermentation process and locks in the flavor. Mr. Yassa, who has run a tea factory nearby for 32 years, is a specialist in this process. He has pioneered a method of steaming the leaves and stems of this tea so lightly that they are nearly raw. Tea leaves that have been thoroughly

Café Samurai In June each year, the house of Mr. Ezaki near Nakaisamurai Station becomes Café Samurai. In fact the house has undergone several transformations: it used to be the Nakaisamurai Station building, and the backyard still serves as the platform. The idea to start the cafe came after Ezaki was approached numerous times by travelers who asked where there was a place to have a cup of tea. But Mr. Ezaki does not simply offer any tea: he offers patrons the chance to taste the locally-grown, high quality teas from Nakaisamurai’s eleven producers. Visitors will be surprised by the difference: the author was treated to three teas highly contrasting in aroma, body and flavor. There is also a tour to hand-pick tea leaves organized by NPO Tsumemogaki in June.

Ryusenkaku

steamed have a tendency to become soupy like paste when brewed, with an overly sweet, strong flavor. The leaves of this lightly steamed tea, on the other hand, can be eaten as they are. Yassa is a proud tea producer himself and goes to great lengths to ensure the quality of the soil in which the tea trees are planted, using a potent mix of silicon and microorganisms. He is equally discerning about the teas he uses to make his original, award-winning blend—namely, the flavorful Fukumidori, Yabukita, and Kanayamidori varieties. His blend was recently selected as one of the top 100 gourmet products of 2020 by the prestigious Japanese magazine, Cuisine Kingdom. While a relatively small tea producing area, the passion of producers like Mr. Yassa places Nakaisamurai firmly on the map, making it a destination for Japanese tea lovers everywhere.

Three stops from Nakaisamurai Station is Hiraoka Station, located in the heart of Tenryu village. Hiraoka Station is unique in that it doubles up as the hotel Fureai Station Ryusenkaku, which opened in 2000. A long-awaited project at the time, the space was popular with villagers who took advantage of the facilities for holding banquets and other events, but these patrons having aged, the hotel is much more tranquil these days. It consists of a restaurant on the first floor, ticket gate and hotel lobby on the second floor, guestrooms on the third floor, and a lounge and natural hot spring on the fourth floor. The restaurant serves special rice bowls topped with local specialties to offer guests a taste of the Minami Shinshu region of Nagano Prefecture. These dishes include the Yamabiko Bowl, a salty-sweet boar stir-fry with miso fermented bean paste; the Seiryu Bowl with fried river trout and a sweet sauce; and the Shinshu Salmon Bowl with Nagano-raised Shinshu salmon in an onion marinade.

The Bridge That Doesn’t Cross the River The Iida Line train takes an unexpected turn between Shironishi and Mukaichiba stations. The train starts to cross the river, but before reaching the opposite side it turns 180 degrees back on itself. The railroad was originally planned to traverse a mountain tunnel, but the tunnel collapsed due to natural disasters. There was no other option aside from constructing a detour and having the bridge circumvent the section.

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

What’s On Cultural SHIGA

NAGAHAMA HIKIYAMA FESTIVAL 長浜曳山まつり

Apr 13–16 • Nagahama Hachimangu & Surroundings

BIWAKO VISITORS BUREAU

Enjoy kabuki traditional theater being performed on hikiyama floats that are themselves works of art: beautifully decorated with antique tapestries and adorned with elaborate carvings. Each neighborhood in the area is responsible for owning and maintaining a float, with one child from each selected to participate in the kabuki performances, scheduled for the evening of the 13th, morning of the 14th, and throughout the 15th and 16th. TIME: Depends on date • ADMISSION: Free • ACCESS: JR Biwako line, Nagahama Stn, 10-min walk • nagahama-hikiyama.or.jp/foreign/eng.html

What’s On Guide 32

OSAKA

KYOTO

MARCH GRAND SUMO TOURNAMENT

SHORYOE – MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR PRINCE SHOTOKU

TAKATSUKI JAZZ STREET

SEIRYU-E – BLUE DRAGON PARADE

高槻ジャズストリート

青龍会

May 3-4 • JR Takatsuki Station & Surroundings

Mar 14, 15 & Apr 3 • Kiyomizu Temple & Surroundings

大相撲三月場所

Mar 8-22 • Edion Arena Osaka (Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium) Every spring, Osaka hosts the professional sumo tournaments, bringing together top-notch wrestlers from stables around Japan. Sumo itself originated from the Shinto religion and the tournaments are full of ritual. The highlight of the day takes place around 2-4pm when the top-ranked wrestlers participate in the ring-entering ceremony. Purchase tickets for the tournaments online or show up early to the venue’s gate at 8am to purchase the limited number of unreserved seats available each morning. Note that the seats closer to the ring are box seats that require sitting on the floor. Chair-type seating is available for the 2nd floor. TIME: Around 9am (venue opens 8am) • ADMISSION: Box seats ¥11,700 per person, concessions; Chair seats ¥2,100 per person, concessions • ACCESS: Nankai line, Namba Stn, 5-min walk • sumo. or.jp/En/

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聖霊会舞楽大法要

Apr 22 • Shitennoji Temple This event is an excellent opportunity to appreciate bugaku, an ancient performing art and named a National Intangible Folk Culture Asset. The performance commemorates the revered figure, Prince Shotoku, who erected this important temple in the 6th century. A skilled troupe of bugaku dancers will put on a performance that has been carried out in the Japanese imperial court for over 1,200 years. Watch the graceful movements of young boys in butterfly costumes and other dancers wearing elaborate masks surrounded by beautiful ornaments shaped like red spider lilies that decorate the stage. The original version of the lion dance will be sure to delight the crowd. TIME: 12:30pm • ADMISSION: Free • ACCESS: Shitennoji-mae Yuhigaoka

Subway Stn, 5-min walk • shitennoji.or.jp

Jazz lovers rejoice in the opportunity to indulge in a day of free music. The Takatsuki Jazz Street attracts more than 100,000 visitors every year and is one of the premier music shows in Japan. First held in 1999, this two-day jazz festival features hundreds of bands from Japan and further afield, performing at 60 venues; mainly around JR Takatsuki Station and Hankyu Takatsukishi Station. To get the most out of the festival, take the free “paradise” bus that runs between the venues. TIME: 10am–midnight • ADMISSION: Free • ACCESS: JR/Hankyu Takatsuki Stn • 0726.info

This festival at Kiyomizudera features a colorful “Blue Dragon” dance and procession through the neighborhood. The event originates in a tale whereby a dragon is said to have visited the temple to drink from the Otowa waterfall, beneath the temple’s main hall. An 18-meter dragon will head the procession with performers in traditional garb from the temple and the surrounding areas. TIME: 2pm–3:30pm • ADMISSION: Free • ACCESS: Keihan Line, Kiyomizu Gojo Stn, 25-min walk; JR Kyoto Stn, bus to Kiyomizumichi • kiyomizudera.or.jp

Check before you go! Event schedules are subject to change or may be cancelled due to coronavirus concerns. Please consult the webpages or ask your concierge to make enquiries before you go.

What’s On Cultural

See Kansaifinder.com for more

OSAKA

OSAKA ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL 2020 第15回大阪アジアン映画祭

Mar 6-15 • Various locations The Osaka Asian Film Festival marks its 15th year with a carefully curated selection of films from across Asia. Experience Asia through 64 films from 23 different regions and countries. Among the highly-anticipated line-up is The Garden of Evening Mists, a drama film set in 1950s Malaysia, and Kamata Prelude, a four-part feature featuring up-and-coming directors of Japanese film. The Festival is scattered across a number of venues in northern Osaka, including Umeda Brug 7, ABC Hall, Cine Libre Umeda and others. ADMISSION: ¥1,300 Adults (reservations), concessions • oaff.jp/2020/en/index.html

はねず踊り

Mar 29 • Zuishinin Temple Hanezu alludes to the soft pink and white hues of plum blossoms that appear during late March. Young girls perform the Hanezu dance in matching kimono in celebration of the blooms, accompanied by songs about the legendary poet and beauty, Ono no Komachi. Four performances are scheduled during the day at 11am, 12:30pm, 1:30pm and 3pm. TIME: 11am • ADMISSION: ¥1,000 (includes plum garden entry) adults, concessions • ACCESS: Kyoto Subway Tozai Line, Ono Stn, 5-min walk • zuishinin.or.jp

KYOTO

CHERRY BLOSSOMS PUBLIC VIEWING 観桜祭

Mar 24-Apr 5 • Former Main Building of the Kyoto Prefectural Office Various kinds of cherry blossoms are available for viewing in the courtyard of the former main building of the Kyoto Prefectural Office, located a few blocks west of the Imperial Palace. There is a famous katamori cherry tree which is named after one of the rulers of the area.

TIME: 10am–5pm • ADMISSION: free ACCESS: Kyoto Subway Karasuma

•

Line, Marutamachi Stn, 10-min walk • www.pref.kyoto.jp/sisan/news/ kanousai.html KYOTO

KAKEUMA SHINJI 駈馬神事

May 5 • Fujinomori Shrine During the five-day Fujinomori Festival on May 1st to 5th, the kakeuma shinji ritual takes place whereby equestrians show off their acrobatic riding finesse. On the 200-meter track, participants perform daring stunts, saddle headstands or fuji-sagari—a posture that mimics an attacked warrior falling off a horse but with one leg attached to the stirrup. Fujinomori-jinja Shrine also hosts a portable-shrine procession, warrior parade and traditional performing arts. TIME: 1pm & 3pm • ADMISSION: Free • ACCESS: Keihan Line, Sumizome Stn,

7-min walk; JR Fujinomori Stn, 5-min walk • fujinomorijinjya.or.jp

KYOTO

MIFUNE FESTIVAL 三船祭

May 17 • Arashiyama Togetsukyo Bridge & Surroundings Spectacular scenes of courtly boating from the early history of Japan will be reenacted in the environs of Arashiyama’s landmark, Togetsukyo bridge. Elegant courtiers perform traditional dance, music and poetry on the three boats that sail up and down the river Oi. The woman in the extravagant kimono is Sei Shonagon, the author of The Pillow Book. The best way to enjoy this festival is to borrow one of the blue paddle boats and watch the processions from the water. TIME: 12:30pm–3pm • ADMISSION: Free • ACCESS: JR Saga-Arashiyama Stn, 10-min walk • kurumazakijinja.or.jp

OSAKA

SAKURA TORINUKE – CHERRY BLOSSOM VIEWING 桜の通り抜け

Early April • Japan Mint One of the most iconic cherry blossom viewing spots in Kansai, the grounds of the Mint Bureau open to the public for one week only each year. The gardens feature 350 cherry trees of different varieties, including the gorgeous yaezakura—double-flowered cherry blossom. In the evening, visitors are treated to a night-time illumination. An array of food stalls can be found along the river enroute from Temmabashi Station.

KYOTO

HANEZU DANCE

TIME: Check website for details • ADMISSION: Free • ACCESS: Osaka Subway / Keihan Line Temmabashi Stn, 15-min walk • mint.go.jp

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

What’s On Cultural KYOTO

AOI MATSURI 葵祭

May 15 • Kyoto Imperial Palace, Shimogamo & Kamigamo Shrines One of the highlights of Kyoto’s festival calendar, Aoi Matsuri is said to originate from the 6th century. “Aoi” is Japanese for hollyhock, the symbol of which is ubiquitous during the course of the festival. Over 500 people dressed in Heian period garb participate in a colorful procession that departs from the Imperial Palace and ends at Kamigamo-jina Shrine. It is free to stand and watch or follow along with the parade, but it is also possible to purchase sitting spectator tickets. TIME: 10:30am–3:30pm • ADMISSION: Free • ACCESS: Karasuma Subway line, Marutamachi Stn; Keihan line, Demachiyanagi Stn • kyototourism.org/en/sightseeinginfo/51.html

NARA WAKAYAMA

CHUJO-HIME ESHIKI, MASK PARADE 中将姫会式

May 14 • Tokushoji Temple

WAKAYAMA TOURISM FEDERATION

This Buddhist event commemorates the legendary heroine, Princess Chujo, who is also known as the ‘Japanese Cinderella.’ Born into the Fujiwara aristocracy, Chujo was later abandoned in the mountains by her step-mother and according to legend, Tokushoji is where she found refuge through Buddhism. On this day, a procession of masked children representing 25 Buddhist gods takes place on the grounds at 3pm. TIME: 1pm • ADMISSION: Free • ACCESS: JR Kii-Miyahara Stn, 20-min walk • guruwaka.com/ tokushoji-eshiki

OTAIMATSU—HERALDING OF SPRING お松明

Mar 1-14 • Nigatsudo in Todaiji Temple The impressive Otaimatsu ritual has been performed for over a millennia. Priests dash to and fro along the corridors of Nigatsu-do, one of the important structures of Todai-ji temple, wielding huge pine torches. It is believed that if you are showered with these fire sparks, you will be protected from evil. Each night around 10 torches are lit and the largest of the torches appears on the 12th. TIME: 7pm (7:30pm Mar 12; 6:30pm Mar 14) • ADMISSION: Free • ACCESS: JR / Kintetsu Nara Stn, bus to Daibutsuden Kasugataisha-mae, 5-min walk • todaiji.or.jp/contents/ function/02-03syunie2.html

NARA

DRIVE AWAY DEMONS CEREMONY 鬼追い式

Mar 31 • Yakushiji Temple This ceremony is performed on the final day of hana eshiki, a 7-day Buddhist ritual where an offering of ten kinds of flowers is made for national prosperity. At night, five demons enter the temple grounds wielding large

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

torches and run around the stage powerfully waving the flames as sparks shower everywhere. At the end of the ceremony the Buddhist God Bishamonten enters to chase away the evil spirits. 8:30pm • ADMISSION: Free after 7pm • ACCESS: Kintetsu Line, Nishinokyo Stn, 1-min walk • nara-yakushiji.com TIME:

NARA

KEMARI FESTIVAL 蹴鞠祭

Apr 29 • Tanzan Shrine, Nara Kemari is elegant ball game that was popular among court nobles in ancient Japan. Mountains in fresh spring verdure offer the perfect backdrop for this traditional event at Tanzan-jinja Shrine. Wearing beautiful kimono, performers kick and pass the ball gracefully. Tanzan-jinja enshrines Kamatari Fujiwara, a 7th century figure and the vassal of a prince. Legend has it he and the prince met at a kemari game, and so the Shrine hosts the ancient ball game biannually in spring and autumn in commemoration of this historical event. TIME: 11am • ADMISSION: ¥600 adults, concessions • ACCESS: JR / Kintetsu Line, Sakurai Stn, bus to Tanzan-jinja • tanzan.or.jp/index.html

NARA

EMPEROR SHOMU MEMORIAL SERVICE 聖武天皇祭

May 2 • Todai-ji Temple This is a Buddhist service for the Emperor Shomu who erected the statue of the Great Buddha, Daibutsu. A parade of around 250 people starts at the Nara Kasugano International Forum and proceeds through Todai-ji’s Nandaimon Gate to the Great Buddha Hall. Traditional Japanese court music bugaku is performed on the stage in the vicinity of Kagami Pond. TIME: 1pm • ADMISSION: Free • ACCESS: JR or Kintetsu Line, Nara Stn, bus to Daibutsuden Kasugataisha-mae • todaiji.or.jp/english/index.html

SHIGA

KAMO MATSURI – ANCIENT HORSE RACING FESTIVAL 賀茂祭足伏走馬

May 6 • Kamo Shrine In an ancient horse-racing ceremony known as ashifusesome, both rider and horse are fully decked out in the colorful traditional garb of the Heian period as they dash through the 400m straight courses in the grounds of Kamigamo-jinja Shrine. The shrine also provides a horseback

What’s On Cultural

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SHIGA

SAGICHO FESTIVAL 左義長まつり

Mar 14-15 • Himure Hachimangu

TIME: 1pm–5:30pm Mar 14, 10:30am–10:40pm Mar 15 • ADMISSION: ACCESS: JR Omihachiman Stn, bus to Obatamachi • sagicho.net

experience during the event.

WAKAYAMA

1pm–5pm • ADMISSION: Free • ACCESS: JR Omihachiman Stn, bus or taxi to Kamohigashi • kamo-jinjya.or.jp

JANJAKA ODORI – SNAKE DANCE

TIME:

WAKAYAMA

MAGOICHI FESTIVAL 第16回孫市まつり

Mar 29 • Honganji Saginomori Betsuin Temple & Surroundings This annual spectacle celebrates the historic hero, Magoichi Saika who lived in 16th-century Wakayama. His matchlock-gunwielding troops, called saika-shu, had a fearsome reputation as formidable warriors. Watch a thrilling demonstration of matchlock guns and some dynamic stage combat, before following the samurai warriors as they parade through the town (starting at 10:30am from Wakayama Castle’s Fukiage Gate Park). There will also be a live music show, a local produce market, and yuru kyara (mascot characters) for kids.

道成寺会式（ジャンジャカ踊り）

Apr 27 • Dojoji & Surroundings This annual festival reenacts the story of Kiyohime, a girl who changes into a serpent pursues the monk Anchin who, while the object of her affections, rejects her advances. A giant, 25-meter snake runs up the steep stone steps and goes through the temple’s gates. In the finale, the snake finds its prey hiding under a giant bell and omits red smoke as it coils around it as the sad love story comes to a fatal end.

BIWAKO VISITORS BUREAU

This centuries-old religious festival, which the notorious 16th-century warlord Oda Nobunaga was known to be very fond of, is one of Shiga’s most exciting annual events. Marvel at the spectacular floats carried by men wearing theatrical makeup, and participants dance excitedly amid showers of fiery sparks emanating from a blazing sagicho. Sagicho are floats with a two-meter-high pine torch woven from new straw and a three-meter-long bamboo pole decorated with thousands of strips of red paper jutting from the top. Spot this year’s zodiac animal mounted on the center of the float. On the 15th, these sagicho become weaponry in a kind of group jousting ceremony. Teams of elaborately dressed young men ram the sagicho into each other until they break into pieces. The ceremony wraps up with dancing and the floats are burned. Free •

SHIGA

IMPERIAL PRINCESS PROCESSION あいの土山斎王群行

Mar 22 • Tsuchiyama-cho, Koga City A Heian-period (794–1185) pageant will be re-enacted to celebrate the town of Tsuchiyama-cho once having been a temporary place of accommodation for the Imperial family. Hundreds of participants dressed in Heian-period style will take part in the three-kilometer parade from Ono Shogakko School to the Tarumi Saio Tongu ruins. TIME: 12pm Noon-3:50pm • ADMISSION: Free • ACCESS: JR Kibukawa Stn, bus to Ono-Higashiguchi • ac-koka.jp/aituchi/saiou/index.html

TIME: 1pm • ADMISSION: Free • ACCESS: JR Dojoji Stn, 7-min walk • dojoji.com

TIME: 11am–4pm • ADMISSION: Free • ACCESS: Nankai Line, Wakayamashi Stn,

5-min walk • magoichi.fc2web.com

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Sights & Attractions Osaka

///author.condiment.nozzle • 2-9-89 Sumiyoshi, Sumiyoshi Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6672-0753 • sumiyoshitaisha.net

Museums

If it’s your first time to Osaka then you are duty-bound to visit this 400-year-old castle in the beautiful grounds of the expansive Osaka Castle Park. The small museum inside offers a thorough insight into its history.

THE MUSEUM OF ORIENTAL CERAMICS, OSAKA Regarded as one of the best collections of ceramics in the world with over 7,000 items, this is a must-see museum for ceramic enthusiasts. It is located in leafy Nakanoshima next to the iconic Central Public Hall. ///dealings.lifelong.mimics • 1-1-26 Nakanoshima, Kita Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6223-0055 • moco.or.jp

CUPNOODLES MUSEUM This offbeat museum in Ikeda pays tribute to Momofuku Ando, the inventor of the instant noodle. Great for kids, there are fun, hands-on activities and, for only ¥300, you can design your own bespoke cup noodles (takes about 45 mins). ///candles.shell.magic • 8-25 Masumi-cho, Ikeda • TEL: 072-752-3484 • cupnoodlesmuseum.jp

OSAKA SCIENCE MUSEUM This educational museum on Nakanoshima Island boasts four floors of more than 200 interactive exhibits and displays designed to help children learn about chemistry, electricity, energy, and the universe. The planetarium’s main dome has a radius of almost 27 meters, making it the largest in Japan and the seventh-largest in the world.

OSAKA CASTLE

///surround.librarian.shins • 1-1 Osakajo, Chuo Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6941-3044 • osakacastle.net

UMEDA SKY BUILDING One of the city’s most recognizable landmarks, the Floating Garden Observatory connecting its two towers offers 360-degree panoramic views. ///fields.pining.rocked • 1-1-88 Oyodonaka, Kita Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6440-3900 • skybldg.co.jp

ABENO HARUKAS Japan’s tallest skyscraper at 300m in height is home to an observatory, an art museum, and a hotel as well as a slew of restaurants and hundreds of shops. ///handwriting.lobby.chefs • 1-1-43 Abenosuji, Abeno Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6624-1111 • abenoharukas-300.jp

TSUTENKAKU TOWER Tsutenkaku is one of Osaka’s most iconic landmarks presiding over the Shinsekai area near Tennoji. There are observation decks on the 4th and 5th floors, although at just 103m high, it is dwarfed by the nearby Abeno Harukas.

///owns.trusts.hostels • 4-2-1 Nakanoshima, Kita Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6444-5656 • sci-museum.jp

///ants.seasons.these • 1-18-6 Ebisu-higashi, Naniwa Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6641-9555 • tsutenkaku.co.jp

MUSEUM OF HOUSING AND LIVING

Attractions

This museum depicts everyday Osaka life as it was in the past, complete with a life-sized interactive recreation of an Edo-era neighborhood. ///wipe.natural.spray • 6-4-20 Tenjinbashi, Kita Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6242-1170 • konjyakukan.com

Monuments and Landmarks

SUMIYOSHI SHRINE Osaka’s Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine is one of the oldest shrines in Japan. Founded in the 3rd century before Buddhism came to the country, it has a distinctive architectural style called Sumiyoshi-zukuri that is free of influence from mainland Asia.

OSAKA AQUARIUM KAIYUKAN One of the largest public aquariums in the world, visitors head to the eighth floor to start the tour and gradually spiral downward floor by floor around the central tank, which houses a whale shark. There are around 15 other tanks, each representing a specific region of the Pacific Rim.

OSAKA

EXPO CITY Located in Suita in the north of Osaka, Expo City is a multivenue complex home to a state-of-the-art aquarium, Japan’s highest Ferris wheel called Redhorse OSAKA WHEEL, an animal sanctuary called Nifrel, and the Lalaport shopping center. ///friends.teachers.tragedy • Big Step 3F, 1-6-14 Nishi-shinsaibashi, Chuo Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6258-5000 • silverballplanet.jp

the entry fee with the Osaka Amazing Pass, which gets you into several of the city’s attractions, including Legoland, over a one- or two-day period. ///paths.teachers.themes • 1-1-10 Kaigandori, Minato Ward, Osaka • TEL: 0800-100-5346 • legolanddiscoverycenter.jp

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS JAPAN Giant movie-themed amusement park with thrills and spills for all ages featuring characters from the Universal stable, including Harry Potter, Spiderman, and the Minions. ///talents.humans.oils • 2-1-33 Sakurajima, Konohana Ward, Osaka • TEL: 0570-200-606 • usj.co.jp

SPA WORLD A giant hot-spring theme park with a huge choice of fanciful baths and spas in which to soak, as well as a large fun pool on its upper floors. Open 24 hrs.

SILVER BALL PLANET Japan’s mecca for pinball machines housing over 100 machines dating from the 1970s to the present day. ///friends.teachers.tragedy • Big Step 3F, 1-6-14 Nishi-shinsaibashi, Chuo Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6258-5000 • silverballplanet.jp

KANSAI CYCLE SPORTS CENTER A bicycle-themed amusement park located in the hills south of Osaka. With pedal-powered roller coasters, a cycle luge, swings, and a host of crazy bikes to try out, this is a fun day out for the whole family. ///dislodge.blusher.officers • 1304 Amanocho, Kawachinagano • TEL: 0721-54-3101 • kcsc.or.jp

///sugars.stews.napped • 3-4-24 Ebisu-higashi, Naniwa Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6631-0001 • spaworld.co.jp

///deserved.gamer.shark • 1-1-10 Kaigandori, Minato Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6576-5501 • kaiyukan.com

LEGOLAND DISCOVERY CENTER OSAKA A great place for the kids to let off steam and explore the excellent LEGO activities, small rides and 4D cinema that form this indoor LEGO playground. Save money on

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Need extra help getting around? The What3words app identifies 3m x 3m squares across the planet with a unique three-word address. This navigation system is particularly useful in Japan where signs are hard to read (if you don’t speak Japanese) and sometimes your map app will take you to the vicinity of a shop, cafe, restaurant, temple, etc., but you don’t know exactly where the entrance is. The three words for a site are presented using three slashes: /// To use: download the What3words app and enter the three words written down for a site (after this symbol: ///) into the app and the location will appear on your device. The system even works offline.

Sights & Attractions

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Kyoto Museums

NIJO CASTLE The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Nijo Castle encompasses several gardens and the beautifully preserved Ninomaru Palace whose lavishly decorated rooms feature ornate woodwork and stunning wall paintings. ///party.lorry.withdraw • 541 Nijojocho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto • TEL: 075-841-0096 • city.kyoto.jp

KYOTO RAILWAY MUSEUM This 30,000-square-meter space features 53 engines ranging from the Japan’s oldest steam locomotive to more recent shinkansen models. Kids will go crazy for the train simulators and interactive dioramas. ///selects.costumes.moral • Kankijicho, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto • TEL: 0570-080-462 • kyotorailwaymuseum.jp

KYOTO MUSEUM OF MODERN ART The gallery houses a superb collection of both Japanese and Western modern art with some excellent temporary exhibitions and can be found across the road from the Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art. ///privately.shears.hotels • 26-1 Okazaki Enshojicho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto • TEL: 075-761-4111 • momak.go.jp

KYOTO NATIONAL MUSEUM This is one of Japan’s oldest museums housing a permanent collection of Japanese artefacts, treasures, and artworks. ///someone.piston.dots • 527 Chayacho, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto • TEL: 075-525-2473 • kyohaku.go.jp

KYOTO INTERNATIONAL MANGA MUSEUM This massive collection of contemporary and historical manga, comics, and graphic novels housed in a former primary school is a huge hit with manga and comic buffs the world over. ///dearest.tractor.between • 452 Kinbukicho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto • TEL: 075-254-7414 • kyotomm.jp

Monuments and Landmarks

KINKAKU-JI One of Kyoto’s most iconic sites, the exquisite golden pavilion, whose top two floors are completely covered in gold leaf, was once the retirement villa of the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. It became a Zen temple of the Rinzai sect after his death in 1408. Absolutely stunning after a snowfall. ///demand.inviting.spotted • 1 Kinkakuji-cho, Kita Ward • TEL: 075-461-0013 • shokoku-ji.jp

Attractions

GEAR A long-running non-verbal theater

show that continues to delight all ages. It mixes mime, dancing, magic, juggling, and contemporary special effects. ///awake.smaller.handwriting • 1928 Blg. 3F, 56 Benkeiishi-cho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto • TEL: 075-254-6520 • gear.ac

KYOTO AQUARIUM

KASUGA SHRINE An ancient Shinto shrine famous for its stunning vermillion-colored columns, it is approached along an atmospheric forest path lined with hundreds of stone lanterns.

///soldiers.grants.alright • 35-1 Kankijicho, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto • TEL: 075-354-3130 • kyoto-aquarium.com

TOEI KYOTO STUDIO PARK There’s lots of fun to be had at this old Edo-themed movie park with a brilliant ninja show, staged samurai fights, and the chance to dress up as you wander the faux Edo-era streets.

///lighten.cult.self • 406-1 Zoshicho, Nara • TEL: 0742-22-5511 • todaiji.or.jp

Hyogo Museums

KOBE FASHION MUSEUM

///seasons.zealous.maternal • 10 Uzumasa Higashihachioka-cho, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto • TEL: 075-864-7716 • toei-eigamura.com

Nara

///beeline.betrayal.marked • 2-9-1 Koyochonaka, Higashinada Ward, Kobe • TEL: 078-858-0050 • fashionmuseum.or.jp

KOBE ANPANMAN CHILDREN’S MUSEUM & MALL

Museums

NARA NATIONAL MUSEUM Expanding over four buildings with wheelchair access, this museum holds treasures from the Nara period (710 to 784 AD) plus Buddhist and decorative art from around Japan with explanations in English.

Nara’s main art museum has an extensive collection of Japanese art with a focus on the Edo and Meiji eras. Exhibitions rotate every two to three months and explanations of most pieces are in English. There is a good museum shop and regular free workshops and activities for families. Free for seniors and for foreigners with ID.

TODAI-JI

///announce.mascots.prove • 160 Kasuganocho, Nara • TEL: 0742-22-7788 • kasugataisha.or.jp

Situated on Rokko Island, this is Japan’s first museum dedicated to the world of fashion. It houses a large public library on its 3rd floor.

NARA PREFECTURAL MUSEUM OF ART

This temple with its 15m-high Buddha is the most prestigious of Nara’s seven great temples and draws a steady stream of visitors.

///rinses.safest.select • TEL: 0742-22-0375 • nara-park.com

A modern aquarium in Umekoji Park with aquatic creatures presented across 12 different themed areas. Great for a rainy-day activity or for families with young children.

///officers.sweetly.actor • 50 Noboriojicho, Nara • TEL: 050-5542-8600 • narahaku. go.jp/english/index_e.html

NARA

of wild deer will follow you around as you explore the park’s stunning temples, gardens, and museums, hoping you may feed them special deer crackers.

Great for young kids, this is a fun museum and play area in Kobe’s Harborland district, dedicated to the surreal world of popular Japanese children’s character Anpanman. ///develops.mixer.credited • 1-6-2 Higashikawasaki-cho, Chuo Ward, Kobe • TEL: 078-341-8855 • kobe-anpanman.jp

Monuments and Landmarks

HIMEJI CASTLE Perched upon a hill where its towers can be seen for miles, this picturesque fortress is nicknamed Shirasagi-jo (“White Heron Castle”) because of its brilliant, white exterior and unique tower structuring. ///dash.flashing.brick • 68 Honmachi, Himeji • TEL: 079-285-1146 • city.himeji.lg.jp

NUNOBIKI HERB GARDENS & ROPEWAY

NARA PARK

Enjoy a stunning ropeway ride before exploring the charming herb gardens and greenhouse exhibits at the top of Mt. Rokko. This is a great place for kids to let off some steam or for a romantic twilight date.

A huge ancient park and the focal point for any visit to Nara. Droves

///huddle.stubble.nasal • 1-4-3 Kitanocho, Chuo Ward, Kobe • TEL: 078-271-1160 • kobeherb.com

///export.hairpin.pound • 10-6 Noboriojicho, Nara • TEL: 0742-23-3968 • pref.nara.jp/11842.htm

Monuments and Landmarks

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What’s On Art & Exhibitions SHIGA

HYOGO

THE WORLD OF YAMAMOTO NIZO, MASTER OF JAPANESE ANIMATION ART DIRECTOR

PIPPI LONGSTOCKING AND THE WORLD OF ASTRID LINDGREN

VINCENT VAN GOGH

［参考図版］ヤン・ヴォー《無題》2018年 Courtesy the artist Photo by Nick Ash

Sagawa Art Museum • Apr 4 to Jun 7

OSAKA

DANH VO OV HNAD The National Museum of Art, Osaka • Apr 4 to Jun 14 Danh Vo is a conceptual installation artist who works most with photography, paper media as well as the works of other artists. His work explores historical, cultural and political motifs through a personal lens. Much of his art deals with themes of identity and belonging, inspired by his immigration to Denmark from Vietnam at age four. Vo is known for such work as We the People, whereby he divided a copper-cast replica of The Statue of Liberty into 300 parts which he displayed at 15 sites around the world. New York’s Guggenheim Museum hosted his solo exhibition, Take My Breath Away in 2018. This marks Vo’s first large-scale solo exhibition in a Japanese art museum.

Yamamoto Nizo has worked on many masterful animations as an art director and background painter. Chances are you’ve seen the 61-year-old’s work featured in the Studio Ghibli films, Castle in the Sky, Grave of the Fireflies and Princess Mononoke. Yamamoto’s scenes perfectly capture the nuances of nature; his billowing clouds and undulating waves are in part inspired by Impressionism. This exhibition offers privileged access to Yamamoto’s work that will surely delight Ghibli fans. On display are more than 200 background paintings, sketches and image boards that the artist himself personally selected, from his earliest to most recent work. OPEN: 9:30am-5pm (last entry 4:30pm) • CLOSED: Mondays (Tue if Mon is national holiday) • ADMISSION: ¥1,000 • ACCESS: 30-min bus ride from JR

Moriyama Stn/15-min bus ride from Katata Stn • TEL: 077-585-7800 • sagawa-artmuseum.or.jp/en/

OPEN: 10am-5pm (Fri and Sat until 8pm) (last entry 30 min before closing) • CLOSED: Mondays (except May 4) • ADMISSION: ¥1,200 • ACCESS: 5-min walk from Watanabebashi Stn • TEL: 06-6447-4680 • nmao.go.jp/ en/exhibition/2020/danh_vo.html

Kobe Fashion Museum • Feb 1 to Mar 29 This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Pippi Longstocking book series, first published in 1945. The Swedish series has been translated into 76 languages and made into various movies and TV shows. This exhibition offers a behind-the-scenes look at the world behind the books: on display are original manuscripts, posters, sketches, and illustrations. A children’s play area includes a replica of Pippi’s house and an area for kids to enjoy puzzles and making art of their own. Video footage allows a closer look into the life of author Astrid Lindgren (1907-2002), who was a pioneer and advocate for the rights of both women and children, and wrote more than thirty children’s books. OPEN: 10am-6pm (last entry 5:30) • CLOSED: Mondays (Tue if Mon is national holiday) • ADMISSION: ¥1,000 • ACCESS: From JR Sumiyoshi or Hanshin Uozaki, take the Rokko Liner to Island Center Stn • TEL: 078-858-0055 • fashionmuseum.or.jp/ special/

KYOTO

100 YEARS OF CZECH DESIGN MOMAK • Mar 6 to May 10 This exhibit showcases Czech design from the end of the 19th century to the present. Although a time of political upheaval, the 20th century was an era of great artistic growth in what is now the Czech Republic. Around 250 pieces from Prague’s Museum of Decorative Arts showcase genres intrinsic to Czech design, including Art Nouveau, Czech Cubism, and Art Deco—fans of Alphonse Mucha will not be disappointed. Browse a diverse selection of art and artifacts, such children’s toys, furniture, commercial products, picture books, animation frames and traditional crafts such as Bohemian glass. OPEN: 9:30am–5pm (Fri and Sat until 8pm) (last entry 30 min before closing) • CLOSED: Mondays (Tue if Mon is national holiday) • ADMISSION: ¥1,300 (Advance: ¥1,100) • ACCESS: 10-min walk from Higashiyama Stn • TEL: 075-761-4111 • momak. go.jp/English/exhibitionArchive/2019/436.html

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Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art • Jan 25 to Mar 29 Although Van Gogh’s artistic career spanned just 10 years, he was a prolific painter, with an output of about 2,100 works, including some 860 oil paintings in the last two years of his life alone. This exhibition focuses on two major influences on his work—the Hague School and the Impressionists. Van Gogh was taught by fellow Dutch painters in the Hague School at the early stages of his career. He moved to Paris three years later, where he encountered the Impressionists, whose brushwork and use of bright colors influenced his later work. Along with roughly 50 of Van Gogh’s paintings, are 30 works by his contemporaries, including Cézanne and Monet. Borrowed from 27 institutions in 10 countries, many of these works are being shown in Japan for the first time. OPEN: 10am-6pm (until 8pm on Fri and Sat); (last entry 30 min before closing) • CLOSED: Mondays (Tue if Mon is national holiday) • ADMISSION: ¥,1700 • ACCESS: 10-min walk from Nada Stn • TEL: 078-262-0901 • go-go-gogh.jp/

What’s On Art & Exhibitions

See Kansaifinder.com for more

KYOTO

KYOTOGRAPHIE

エリザベト＝ルイーズ・ヴィジェ・ルブラン《ポリニャック公爵夫人、ガブリエル・ヨランド・クロード・マルチーヌ・ド・ポラストロン》 1782年、ヴェルサイユ宮殿美術館 Photo © RMN-Grand Palais (Château de Versailles) / Gérard Blot / distributed by AMF

Various. Check the website for a full list of venues. • Apr 18 to May 17

OSAKA

THE SPLENDOR OF FRENCH PAINTINGS: THROUGH THE EYES OF RENÉ HUYGHE — FORMATION AND TRANSFORMATION OF THE “GRANDE MANIÈRE” Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts • Apr 11 to Jun 14 Masterpieces loaned from the likes of Musée d’Orsay, the British Museum and the Versailles Museum are on display in this traveling exhibition covering three hundred years of French painting. A total of 71 oil paintings and 18 sketches by the likes of Nicolas Poussin (1594-1665), a pioneer of the classical Baroque style; Francois Boucher (1703–1770), a dominant member of the Rococo movement and one of the most celebrated painters of the 18th century; and Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres (1780-1876), a neoclassical painter who influenced modernists like Picasso and Matisse, offer a comprehensive picture of the evolution of styles right up to the eve of the Impressionist period. OPEN: 9:30am-5pm (last entry 4:30 pm) • CLOSED: Mondays (open on Monday, May 4) • ADMISSION: ¥1400 (Advance: ¥1,200) • ACCESS: 5-min walk from Tennoji Stn • TEL: 06-4301-7285 • osaka-art-museum.jp/sp_evt/france

Top: Shoji Ueda, Dad, Mom and their children, 1949 ©Shoji Ueda Office Left: ©Omar Victor Diop, Courtesy of Magnin-A Gallery Right: Sallé standing behind a grand piano at the National Institute for Blind Youth, Paris, France 2013 ©︎Marie Liesse

KYOTO

HIROSHI SUGIMOTO – POST VITAM Kyocera Kyoto City Museum of Art • Mar 21 to Jun 14 This commemorative exhibition of celebrated Japanese photographer and architect Hiroshi Sugimoto marks the Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art’s long-awaited reopening as the Kyoto City Kyocera Museum of Art. Sugimoto is known internationally for his conceptual photography, using an 8 x 10 large-format camera and exceptionally long exposures that require a high level of technical skill. In Post Vitam, Sugimoto pays homage to Kyoto’s history as an ancient capital, playing with religious, artistic, and scientific themes while exploring Buddhist motifs. The focus of the exhibit is the world debut of Sugimoto’s large-format color series

Opticks paired with various objects and archeological relics related to glass. The exhibition will be held at Higashiyama Cube, the museum’s new ward and underground space below the main hall of the museum, with Sugimoto’s glass teahouse on display in the garden. OPEN: 10am – 6pm • CLOSED: Mondays (Tue if Mon is national holiday) • ADMISSION: ¥1,500 • ACCESS: 8-min walk from Higashiyama Stn • TEL: 075-771-4107 • kyotocity-kyocera. museum/en/ exhibition/20200321-20200614

KYOTOGRAPHIE is an international event held for several weeks every spring in Kyoto with the aim of cultivating an appreciation of photography. In a style unique to both Japan and Asia, photography exhibits are staged throughout the city in a variety of venues—both historic and modern—that offer ample opportunities for dramatic scenography. The festival showcases the work of a diverse group of thirteen world-renowned artists and rising stars within the world of photography. Among those featured in this year’s edition on the theme of “VISION” are Dutch installation artist and photographer Marjan Teeuwen, who will unveil her new project in a Kyoto machiya slated for demolition, and Atsushi Fukushima, a bento lunch delivery man who captures striking portraits of his elderly customers. Don’t miss the concurrent KG+ satellite event. OPEN: Various • ADMISSION: Passports with access to all venues: ¥4,000 (Advance: ¥3,500); Student: ¥3,000 (Advance: ¥2,500) • ACCESS: Various • TEL: 075-708-7108 • kyotographie.jp/?lang=en

Need more Art? See complete listings online at kansaifinder.com

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What’s On Live Music OSAKA

MICHAEL SCHENKER FEST Mar 12 & 13 This year marks 50 years in the music business for Michael Schenker, founder of the Michael Schenker Group and successful solo artist in his own right. The legendary German guitarist who co-founded The Scorpions, played with UFO—and turned down the likes of OZZY, Motorhead, and Thin Lizzy—now returns to Japan with an all-star line-up. In recent years Michael Schenker has recorded and toured with his band, Temple of Rock, but since 2017 has been working on another project, Michael Schenker

Rock & Pop

Fest. Their latest studio album, Revelation released in November 2019, features past MSG members plus guest vocals from Rainbow vocalist Ronnie Romero. The band line-up and guests on this Japan tour include Gary Barden, Graham Bonnet, Ronnie Romero, Doogie White, Robin Mcauley (vocals), Steve Mann (guitar/ keyboards, Chris Glenn and Barry Sparks (bass), Bodo Schopf and Simon Philips (drums). Heavy Rock • Zepp Namba • 7pm • ¥12,000/¥14,000 • TEL: 0570-200-888

STEREOLAB Mar 17 English-French avant-pop band

THE WILLARD Mar 7 Japanese 80’s punk rock four-piece band

Avant Pop • Shangri-La • 7pm • ¥6,500 • TEL: 06-6535-5569

FUNK ON DA TABLE Mar 16-18

Pop • Taku Taku • 4pm • ¥3,500 • TEL: 075-351-1321

GOMES THE HITMAN Mar 22 Japanese pop four-piece band Pop • Shangri-La • 6:30 pm • ¥4,500/¥5,000 • TEL: 06-6343-8601

H.E.A.T.

Punk rock • Shangri-La • 7pm • ¥4,000 • TEL: 06-6343-8601

International Japanese and American New Orleans funk

F. ALEX JOHNSON

Funk • Taku Taku • 7pm • ¥6,900 • TEL: 075-351-1321

Swedish rock band formed from Trading Fate & Dream

ALEX JOHNSON

Rock • Club Quattro • 7pm • ¥8,500 • TEL: 06-6311-8111

Mar 8 US pop rock guitarist and vocalist

Mar 19

Pop rock • Negaposi • 7:30pm • ¥1,800 • TEL: 075-555-5205

US rock pop singer-guitarist-songwriter

ZIGZAG

Rock pop • para-dice • TBA • ¥1,300 • TEL: 06-6357-4681

Mar 7 Japanese metal trio Metal • Muse • 5pm • ¥3,500/¥4,000 • TEL: 06-6245-5389

RICK ASTLEY Mar 12 British 80s pop singer Pop • Matsushita Imp Hall • 7pm • ¥9,000 • TEL: 0570-200-888

SALIA Mar 13 Japanese rock pop singer guitarist Rock pop • Janus • 6:30pm • ¥3,000/¥3,300 • TEL: 06-6214-7255

JULIAN MARLEY Mar 17 Son of reggae legend Bob Marley Reggae • Billboard Live Osaka • 6:30pm/9:30pm • ¥8,000/¥9,000 • TEL: 06-6342-7722

GARNIDELIA

Mar 24

GREEN DAY Mar 25 US punk rock trio Rock • Intex Hall • 7pm • ¥10,000/¥15,000 • TEL: 06-6612-8800

Mar 19

X.Y.Z.-A

Japanese rock duo 10th anniversary tour

Mar 26

Rock • Club Quattro • 6:30 pm • ¥6,800 • TEL: 06-6341-3525

F. ALEX JOHNSON Mar 19 US pop rock guitarist and vocalist Pop rock • para-dice • 7pm • ¥1,300 • TEL: 06-6357-4681

ASTERISM Mar 20 Three-piece instrumental heavy rock band Rock • Panhead Groove • 7pm • ¥3,000/¥3,500 • TEL: 03-3402-5999

ANNA TAKEUCHI Mar 21 Japanese pop singersongwriter 1st solo tour

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

Japanese metal band Metal • Shangri-La • 7pm • ¥5,800 • TEL: 06-6341-3525

MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE Mar 28 British four-piece heavy rock band Heavy Rock • Intex Arena • 4pm • ¥15,000 • TEL: 06-612-8800

BURT BACHARACH Apr 1 & 4 US veteran Grammy-winning songwriter and musician Lounge pop • Billboard Live Osaka • 7:30pm • ¥23,000/¥24,000 • TEL: 06-6342-7722

OSAKA

LUKA SULIC Mar 31 Along with Stjepan Hauser, CroatianSlovenian cellist Luka Sulic is one half of the contemporary classical duo, 2Cellos. The award-winning musician has performed with orchestras around the world and with his 2Cellos partner has brought the world of classical music to a new, younger audience. Beginning his musical education at just five years old, by the time he was fifteen he was one of the youngest students ever to enter the Music Academy in Zagreb. He continued his music studies in Vienna and finally finished a masters degree at the Royal Academy of Music in London in 2011. Luka Sulic comes to Japan to play shows in Osaka and Tokyo as part of his Vivaldi’s Four Seasons Tour, which began last October. Classical • Izumi Hall • 7pm • ¥9,000 • TEL: 06-6341-4506

See Kansaifinder.com for more

What’s On Live Music

OSAKA

DIRTY LOOPS Apr 16 Dirty Loops are a three-piece of Jonah Nilsson (vocals and piano), Henrik Linder (bass) and Aron Mellergardh (drums) from Stockholm, Sweden. The trio are difficult to label as one single genre as they delve in to jazz fusion, pop, electronic, funk and disco among others, and are known too for covering commercially mainstream songs such as Baby by Justin Bieber, Rolling in the deep by Adele, and Wake me up by Avicii, though in their own distinctive style. Dirty

ALANIS MORISSETTE Apr 3 Jagged Little Pill 25th Anniversary Singer-songwriter • Zepp Namba • 7:30pm • ¥10,000/¥15,000 • TEL: 0570-200-888

SUMIKA

Loops first came together in 2008 but it wasn’t until 2014 that the debut album Loopified was released. Citing creative differences whilst working on the second album, the members went their separate ways, only to reunit in 2018. Last year saw the release of a new single Next To You. The band’s early music was successful in Japan, and so expect tickets to be snapped up quickly. Fusion • Billboard Live Osaka • 6:30pm/9:30pm • ¥7,900/¥8,900 • TEL: 06-6342-7722

Folk-pop • Zepp Namba • 7pm • ¥19,000/¥25,000 • TEL: 06-6341-4506

GOD SAVE THE QUEEN Apr 8 Argentinian Queen tribute band Rock • Namba Hatch • 7pm • ¥7,700 • TEL: 06-6341-3525

Apr 4 & 5

NAKAMURA EMI

Japanese pop band

Apr 8

Pop • Osaka Jo Hall • 4th-5pm/5th-4pm • ¥6,800 • TEL: 0570-200-888

Japanese pop vocalist-songwriter

SWING OUT SISTER

Pop • Muse • 7pm • ¥4,500 • TEL: 075-223-0389

Apr 6 & 8

ANDY MCCOY

British Pop act best known for 80’s single, Breakout

Apr 10

Pop • Billboard Live Osaka • 6:30pm/9:30pm • ¥11,000/¥12,000 • TEL: 06-6342-7722

Hanoi Rocks guitarist Rock • 7:30pm • ¥7,800 • TEL: 06-6245-5389

ZIGGY

Jazz & Blues

Apr 11 Japanese 80s rock band reformed Rock • Varit • 6pm • ¥6,000 • TEL: 0570-200-888

THE STRUTS

US Jazz drummer with Emiko Tada Trio

Apr 14 English four-piece rock band Rock • Club Quattro • 7pm • ¥7,500 • TEL: 06-6311-8111

Apr 11

Apr 8-10

Japanese rock pop band

US singer-songwriter-musician

Rock • Namba Hatch • 6pm • ¥4,400 • TEL: 06-6882-1224

Jazz • Mister Kelly’s • 7pm/9pm • ¥4,500/¥6,500 • TEL: 06-6342-5821

BILLIE JEAN QUINTET

THE MUGGLES

Mar 11

Every Fri & Sat

Japanese alto saxophonist and vocalist with band

Osaka-based jamming band, classic rock, dynamic rock n roll Group Sounds • Woodstock Cafe • 7pm • Entrance Free (¥2,000 for 2 drinks + snack) • TEL: 0797-34-1044

BIGMAMA

BOB DYLAN

LEWIS NASH Mar 6

Jazz • Live Spot Rag • 7:30pm • ¥1,800/¥2,800 • TEL: 075-241-0446

BLICHER HAMMER GADD Mar 16 Soul jazz trio featuring drummer Steve Gadd Jazz • Billboard Live Osaka • 6:30pm/9:30pm • ¥7,000/¥8,000 • TEL: 06-6342-7722

OSAKA

SQUAREPUSHER Apr 2 Squarepusher is English electronic musician Tom Jenkinson. Taking influences from a mix of genres including drum & bass, jazz fusion and electroacoustic, his instrumental compositions have been positively described as “fast, unpredictable and fun” as well as “complex.” Starting out in the early 90s, his debut album was the 1996 Feed Me Weird, and at the end of January this year he released his latest collection Be Up a Hello. Said to be drawing on acidic drum and bass, singles Vortrack and Nervelevers were released late last year as a taster. A prolific musician, though this album is his first in five years under the name Squarepusher, Be Up a Hello is the fifteenth studio album from Jenkinson. The musician himself describes it to online magazine The Quietus as a release that he was trying to “reach for something familiar, something simple and something he could do without really thinking”. Electronic • Club Quattro • 7pm • ¥7,000 • TEL: 06-6535-5569

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

What’s On Clubs & Nightlife Mar

OSAKA

Mar 7

Mar 13

JOULE

GHOST

OSAKA

Bless (Japanese Reggae)

Loyal (Open Format)

ACTS: Ryo the Skywalker, Jumbo Maatch, Kenty Gross, Chehon, Natural Weapon, Red Spider, Kyara, Air King, Sound Temple + more • OPEN: 10pm • ADMISSION: ¥4,500 (ADV: ¥3,500) • ACCESS: Shinsaibashi Subway Stn • TEL: 06-6214-1223 • club-joule.com

DJS: Imai, Danbo, Ayane, J Amour + more • OPEN: 10pm • ADMISSION: Men: ¥3,000/1D; Women: ¥700 /1D • ACCESS: Shinsaibashi Subway Stn • TEL: 06-6214-0545 • ghostosaka.com

Mar 6

CIRCUS Etherwood Japan Tour 2020 (Drum&Bass) DJS: Etherwood, Shigeta + more OPEN: 11pm • ADMISSION: ¥2,500(ADV: ¥2,000) • ACCESS: Shinsaibashi Subway Stn • TEL:

•

KYOTO

06-6241-3822 • circus-osaka.com

Mar 7

OSAKA

METRO

Mar 6

Jazzy Sport Kyoto 2nd Anniversary (Jazz/House)

GHOST Loyal (Open Format) Imai, Danbo, Ayane, J Amour + more • OPEN: 10pm • ADMISSION: Men: ¥3,000/1D, Women: ¥700 /1D • ACCESS: Shinsaibashi Subway Stn • TEL: 06-6214-0545 • ghostosaka.com DJS:

ACTS: Masaya Fantasista, Izm, Iida, Yukari BB + more • OPEN: 10pm • ADMISSION: ¥2,000 (ADV: ¥1,500) • ACCESS: Keihan Jingu Marutamachi Stn • TEL: 075-752-2787 • metro.ne.jp

KYOTO

Mar 13

METRO Igo 3 (Electronic) ACTS: Tofubeats, Keita Kawakami, Stones Taro, Sekitova + more • OPEN: 10pm • ADMISSION: ¥3,500 (ADV: ¥3,000) • ACCESS: Keihan Jingu Marutamachi Stn • TEL: 075-752-2787 • metro.ne.jp

OSAKA

Mar 14

OSAKA

CIRCUS

Mar 7

Fullhouse (Hip Hop)

Mar 6

STOMP

JOULE

Modulation Now (Techno)

Absolute Session with Black Legend (Tech House/Disco)

DJS: Occa, Spinnuts, Young Animal + more • OPEN: 10pm • ADMISSION: ¥1,500 • ACCESS: Shinsaibashi Subway Stn • TEL: 06-6245-0889 • club-stomp.com/

DJS: Yung Eazy, Ryota, Milez, Samo, Cazbow, Kengo + more • OPEN: 11pm • ADMISSION: ¥2,000 (Entry before midnight: ¥1,500, Foreigners: ¥1,500) • ACCESS: Shinsaibashi Subway Stn • TEL: 06-6241-3822 • circus-osaka.com

OSAKA

Black Legend, Vic Yamamoto, Yoshihiko Tanaka, 244 a.k.a. 822, Hirose, Tokumoto + more • OPEN: 10pm • ADMISSION: ¥2,500 (ADV: ¥2,000) • ACCESS: Shinsaibashi Subway Stn • TEL: 06-6214-1223 • club-joule.com DJS:

OSAKA

Mar 7

CIRCUS Fullhouse (Hip Hop) DJS: Yung Eazy, Ryota, Milez, Samo, Cazbow, Kengo + more • OPEN: 11pm • ADMISSION: ¥2,000(Entry Before Midnight : ¥1,500, Foreigners: ¥1,500 ) • ACCESS: Shinsaibashi Subway Stn • TEL: 06-6241-3822 • circus-osaka.com

OSAKA

Mar 7

GHOST En:Core (Hip Hop/Open Format) DJS: Minami, B=Ball, Sweep, Guilty Rose, Moon+ more • OPEN: 10pm • ADMISSION: Men: ¥3,000/1D, Women: ¥700 /1D • ACCESS: Shinsaibashi Subway Stn • TEL: 06-6214-0545 • ghostosaka. com

OSAKA

Mar 8

GHOST Way Up Sunday (Hip Hop/R&B/Reggae) DJS: Tact, Guri, Mitsuru, Hao + more • OPEN: 10pm • ADMISSION: Men: ¥2,000/2D. Women: ¥700/1D • ACCESS: Shinsaibashi Subway Stn • TEL: 06-6214-0545 • ghostosaka.com

OSAKA

Mar 14

COMPUFUNK RECORDS Recloose (House/ Experimental)

DJS: Recloose, Compufunk + more • OPEN: 11pm • ADMISSION: ¥2,500/1D (ADV: ¥2,000/1D) • ACCESS: Kitahama Subway Stn • TEL: 06-6314-6541 • compufunk. com

OSAKA

Mar 14

GHOST En:Core (Hip Hop/Open Format) DJS: Minami, B=Ball, Sweep, Guilty Rose, Moon + more • OPEN: 10pm • ADMISSION: Men: ¥3,000/1D; Women: ¥700 /1D • ACCESS: Shinsaibashi Subway Stn • TEL: 06-6214-0545 • ghostosaka.com

OSAKA

Mar 14

PICCADILLY UMEDA NewÔrder feat. Blackcode (EDM) Blackcode, Ray, Shinji, Silver Fox, Walt, Chikara + more • OPEN: 9pm • ADMISSION: Men: ¥3,000; Women: ¥1,500 • ACCESS: Hankyu Umeda, JR Osaka • TEL: 06-6809-5895 • clubpiccadilly.com DJS:

OSAKA

Mar 15

GHOST Way Up Sunday (Hip Hop/R&B/Reggae) Tact, Guri, Mitsuru, Hao + more • OPEN: 10pm • ADMISSION: Men: ¥2,000/2D; Women: ¥700/1D • ACCESS: Shinsaibashi DJS:

JOULE

OSAKA

Mar 13

CIRCUS Chaos (House) DJS: Fumiya Tanaka, A Guy Called Gerald + more • OPEN: 11pm • ADMISSION: ¥3,000 (ADV: ¥2,500) • ACCESS: Shinsaibashi Subway Stn • TEL: 06-6241-3822 • circus-osaka.com

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

ACTS: Brave, Damage, Spectra Sonics, Archive, Buzz, Team Toyonaka, Show-Hey + more • OPEN: 11am-11pm • ADMISSION: ¥3,000 • ACCESS: Shinsaibashi Subway Stn • TEL: 06-6632-4940 • universe.osaka

OSAKA

Mar 16

ZEPP NAMBA Jonas Blue Japan Tour in Osaka (EDM/House/Pop) DJS: Jonas Blue + more • OPEN: 6pm • ADMISSION: ¥7,000 • ACCESS: Shinsaibashi Subway Stn • TEL: 03-3444-6751 • zepp.co.jp/hall/ namba

KYOTO

Mar 17

METRO One DJ One Night feat. Ceeestee (House) DJ: Ceeestee • OPEN: 10pm-3am ADMISSION: ¥1,000 • ACCESS:

•

Keihan Jingu Marutamachi Stn • TEL: 075-752-2787 • metro.ne.jp

Mar 6 Anjunadeep 11” Release Party with Jody Wisternoff (House)

DJ: Masaki Tamura • OPEN: 10pm-3am • ADMISSION: ¥1,000 • ACCESS: Keihan Jingu Marutamachi Stn • TEL: 075-752-2787 • metro.ne.jp

MISONO UNIVERSE Yabai Records 15th Anniversary (Psychedelic trance)

JODY WISTERNOFF

Mar 10

METRO

OSAKA

Mar 15

OSAKA

KYOTO

One DJ One Night feat. Masaki Tamura (Jazz/ Crossover)

Subway Stn • TEL: 06-6214-0545 • ghostosaka.com

Jody Wisternoff rose to fame as one half of the British electronic duo, Way Out West in the early 1990s, having reached the finals of the DMC World DJ Championship at the tender age of 13. His music has reached a vast audience since Way Out West’s single, The Gift became the opening theme for MTV’s popular documentary TV show, True Life, which has been exposing new generations to his music for nearly twenty years. Wisternoff’s solo output has run the gamut of electronic genres, from trip-hop to progressive house and trance. His single Cold Drink, Hot Girl reached the #1 spot on Beatport in 2006. Since 2013 Wisternoff has been working with James Grant on mixes for the UK trance label, Anjunabeats. The release party of Anjunadeep 11 continues their collaboration and promises to be a memorable event. ACTS: Jody Wisternoff, Takekiyo Ishimoto, Tamo, Kim-galaxy, Sony Suter, Rio Moriyasu, Neko + more • OPEN: 10pm • ADMISSION: ¥2,500 (ADV: ¥2,000; Tourist visa holders: ¥1,000 or ¥3,000 for all-you-can-drink) • ACCESS: Shinsaibashi Subway Stn • TEL: 06-6214-1223 • club-joule.com

See Kansaifinder.com for more OSAKA

OSAKA

Mar 20

Mar 21

GHOST

STOMP

Loyal(Open Format)

Mixing Room Vol.33: Interspecies Records New 12-inch Vinyl Release Party (Techno/Tribal)

Imai, Danbo, Ayane, J Amour + more • OPEN: 10pm • ADMISSION: Men: ¥3,000/1D; Women: ¥700 /1D • ACCESS: Shinsaibashi Subway Stn • TEL: 06-6214-0545 • ghostosaka.com DJS:

Mar 20

Ryota, Noritaka Itoh, Senoby, Norizm + more • OPEN: 10pm • ADMISSION: ¥2,000 (ADV: ¥1,500) • ACCESS: Shinsaibashi Subway Stn • TEL: 06-6245-0889 • club-stomp. com/

WORLD

OSAKA

KYOTO

Sagan at World Kyoto (EDM/House) Sagan, Chiba-chups, Sa!d, Wtp + more • OPEN: 10pm • ADMISSION: Men: ¥3,000/1D; Women: ¥2,000/1D • ACCESS: Keihan Gion Shijo Stn, Kyoto Kawaramachi Stn • TEL: 075-213-4119 • world-kyoto.com DJS:

OSAKA

DJS:

Mar 22

PICCADILLY UMEDA Da Tweekaz - Day Party (Hardstyle/EDM) DJS: Da Tweekaz + more • OPEN: 4pm-10pm • ADMISSION: ¥4,500 (ADV: ¥4,000) • ACCESS: Hankyu Umeda, JR Osaka • TEL: 06-6809-5895 • clubpiccadilly.com

Mar 21

OSAKA

CIRCUS

Mar 22

Fullhouse (Hip Hop)

CHEVAL

Yung Eazy, Ryota, Milez, Samo, Cazbow, Kengo + more • OPEN: 11pm • ADMISSION: ¥2,000 (Entry before midnight : ¥1,500; Foreigners: ¥1,500 ) • ACCESS: Shinsaibashi Subway Stn • TEL: 06-6241-3822 • circus-osaka.com

Da Tweekaz Japan Tour (Hardstyle/EDM)

DJS:

OSAKA

Mar 21

GHOST En:Core (Hip Hop/Open Format) Minami, B=Ball, Sweep, Guilty Rose, Moon+ more • OPEN: 10pm • ADMISSION: Men: ¥3,000/1D; Women: ¥700 /1D • ACCESS: Shinsaibashi Subway Stn • TEL: 06-6214-0545 • ghostosaka.com DJS:

OSAKA

Mar 21

JOULE Number feat. DJ Fuku (Hip Hop/Dance Classics) ACTS: Fuku + more • OPEN: 1pm • ADMISSION: ¥4,500/2D (ADV: ¥3,500/2D) • ACCESS: Shinsaibashi Subway Stn • TEL:

06-6214-1223 • club-joule.com OSAKA

Mar 21

JOULE Trap Town (Hip Hop/Trap) ACTS: Anarchy, J Dogg, Fuji Trill, Jam, Bullset + more • OPEN: 10pm • ADMISSION: ¥5,000 (ADV: ¥4,000) • ACCESS: Shinsaibashi Subway Stn • TEL: 06-6214-1223 • club-joule.com

DJS: Da Tweekaz, Taku-Hero, Fumi a.k.a 23beatz, Hibiki, Kenji + more • OPEN: 10pm • ADMISSION: Men: ¥2,500/1D; Women: ¥1,000/1D • ACCESS: Shinsaibashi Subway Stn • TEL: 06-6243-6288 • Cheval-osaka.com

OSAKA

Mar 22

GHOST Way Up Sunday (Hip Hop/R&B/Reggae) DJS: Tact, Guri, Mitsuru, Hao + more • OPEN: 10pm • ADMISSION: Men: ¥2,000/2D; Women: ¥700/1D • ACCESS: Shinsaibashi Subway Stn • TEL: 06-6214-0545 • ghostosaka.com

KYOTO

Mar 26

WEST HARLEM Dive - DJ Boring (Techno/ House) DJS: Boring, Kuwabata, Kazuya Imoto, Shintaro Fujita, Suguru + more • OPEN: 9pm • ADMISSION: ¥3,500/1D (Entry before 11pm: ¥2,000/1D; Students: ¥2,500/1D ) • ACCESS: Keihan Gion Shijo Stn, Kyoto Kawaramachi Stn • TEL: 050-1016-0099 • iflyer.tv/en/ venue/8707/

OSAKA

Mar 27

GHOST Loyal(Open Format)

What’s On Clubs & Nightlife DJS: Imai, Danbo, Ayane, J Amour + more • OPEN: 10pm • ADMISSION: Men: ¥3,000/1D; Women: ¥700 /1D • ACCESS: Shinsaibashi Subway Stn • TEL: 06-6214-0545 • ghostosaka.com

OSAKA

Mar 27

JOULE Matsuri in Joule (Psychelic Trance) ACTS: Tsuyoshi Suzuki, D41 & Energy Dai, Shaman Ani, Atesh, DK-Baseline + more • OPEN: 10pm • ADMISSION: ¥2,500 (ADV: ¥1,500) • ACCESS: Shinsaibashi Subway Stn • TEL: 06-6214-1223 • club-joule.com

OSAKA

Mar 27

KING’STONE LOUNGE Free Style vol.66 (Raggae) ACTS: Shyne J, Prof. Chinnen, Rastaka, Vinyl Creator Crew, Down Town + more • OPEN: 11pm • ADMISSION: ¥1,500 (Entry before 1am: ¥1,000) • ACCESS: Shinsaibashi Subway Stn • TEL: 06-6234-7610 • iflyer.tv/en/ kingstonelounge

OSAKA

Mar 28

Apr

NOON + CAFE Noon 16th Anniversary Party (Rock/Techno/ Reggae/Jazz/Hip Hop/ House) Resident DJs + more • OPEN: 8pm • ADMISSION: ¥1,500/1D • ACCESS: Umeda Stn • TEL: 06-6373-4919 • noon-cafe.com OSAKA

Mar 29

GHOST Way Up Sunday (Hip Hop/R&B/Reggae)

OSAKA

Apr 3

CONTORT Oh! Kagura Night Come enjoy the origins of Japanese arts in this lively street event of ancient Shinto music and dancing OPEN: 7pm-11pm • ADMISSION: ¥2,500(ADV: ¥2,000) • ACCESS: Shinsaibashi Subway Stn • TEL: 06-6281-0277

DJS: Tact, Guri, Mitsuru, Hao + more • OPEN: 10pm • ADMISSION: Men: ¥2,000/2D; Women: ¥700/1D • ACCESS: Shinsaibashi Subway Stn • TEL: 06-6214-0545 • ghostosaka.com

OLIVER HELDENS

OSAKA

Mar 28

CIRCUS Fullhouse (Hip Hop) DJS: Yung Eazy, Ryota, Milez, Samo, Cazbow, Kengo + more • OPEN: 11pm • ADMISSION: ¥2,000(Entry before midnight: ¥1,500; Foreigners: ¥1,500 ) • ACCESS: Shinsaibashi Subway Stn • TEL: 06-6241-3822 • circus-osaka.com

OSAKA

Mar 28

COMPUFUNK RECORDS Florian Herzberg (My Secret Playground / Berlin) in Osaka(Techno/ Experimental) DJS: Florian Herzberg, Ryoma Sasaki, Ouchi-S, Koichi + more • OPEN: 11pm • ADMISSION: TBA • ACCESS: Kitahama Subway Stn • TEL: 06-6314-6541 • compufunk.com

OSAKA

Mar 28

GHOST En:Core (Hip Hop/Open Format) DJS: Minami, B=Ball, Sweep, Guilty Rose, Moon+ more • OPEN: 10pm • ADMISSION: Men: ¥3,000/1D; Women: ¥700/1D • ACCESS: Shinsaibashi Subway Stn • TEL: 06-6214-0545 • ghostosaka.com

OSAKA

Apr 23

CHEVAL We Love Cheval Day 1 Oliver Heldens in Osaka (Future House) Cheval in Shinsaibashi is launching a new multi-generational daytime party and it is fitting that they are inviting future house superstar, Oliver Heldens. Helden’s first single “Gecko” helped the term future house reach a mainstream audience in 2014 when the vocal version featuring Beck Hill reached #1 in the UK Top 40, the same year “Last All Night (Koala)” also topped the UK Dance chart. He went on to become the highest ranked house DJ on DJ Mag Top 100 2015 and launched Heldeep Records, releasing tracks under the alias HI-LO. HI-LO showed his versatility as a producer, featuring a more bass-driven “underground” sound. He has continued to produce some of the most popular dance tracks of the last five years. No need to wait for it to get dark—time to hit the dancefloor! OPEN: 4pm-10pm • ADMISSION: ¥4,000 • ACCESS: Shinsaibashi Subway Stn • TEL: 06-6243-6288 • cheval-osaka.com

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

Food & Drink

OSAKA YAKINIKU BAR ENYA JAPANESE This delectable hybrid bar-b-que and bistro seconds from Namba Station serves choice cuts of meat with select sakes, shochus and other drinks. Only a 1-minute walk from the station immediately behind the Namba Hips landmark building, patrons can enjoy a plethora of dinner courses, carefully selected salt and sauce, and an all you can drink option. The black beef (wagyu) and Iwate Shorthorn Beef will further ensnare you in the unmatched world of Japanese beef. Cook beef cuts yourself or enjoy the chef’s heavenly creations at this special Namba destination. 1-8-7 Namba, Chuo Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6213-2986

Osaka SHINSAIBASHI / NAMBA URANAMBA TORAMEYOKOCHO JAPANESE Roam east of Namba Station into Ura-Namba and look for the vermillion torii marking the entrance to Torame Yokocho. Here you’ll find a delicious repertoire of Osaka favorites like okonomiyaki and kushikatsu alongside sushi, sashimi, yakiniku, and more all in the same complex. 2-3-15 Sennichimae, Chuo Ward, Osaka

GAKUYA BURGER Yes, another hipster Osaka burger joint, but this one offers exclusively pork patties – an unusual take on an otherwise familiar theme. The interior has a woody, homemade vibe (in true hipster fashion), and the burgers are mouth-wateringly good, with a good range of options. AMERICAN

2-15-13 Kitahorie, Nishi Ward, Osaka

COMPTOIR 15 Run by owner-chefsommelier Inoue-san, this small counter-style bistro offers authentic bistro style French cuisine and wines sourced directly from wineries in France. Book ahead.

FRENCH

1-29-16 Shinmachi, Nishi Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-4390-0005

ASIAN BAR RAMAI When walking into Abiko’s Asian Bar Ramai, you’ll feel like you’ve just stepped through a portal to South East Asia but the cuisine on the menu is distinctly Hokkaido-esque. Spicy bowls of soupy curry with chunks of seared meat and vegetables with rice on the side await you. JAPANESE

7-12-5 Kanda, Sumiyoshi Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6657-7196

BOKKAKEYA Rustic noodle shop in Minami-semba serving delicious hand-cut buckwheat soba noodles in a delicate Kansai-style broth. During the evenings, the menu is expanded to include izakaya fare and a great selection of local sake. JAPANESE

1F 1-2-13 Shinmachi, Nishi Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6535-2483 • soba-bokkakeya.com

LA GOLOSETTA Authentic Napoli-style pizzeria serving up delicious pizzas and appetizers from its small two-storey location in Minami-semba.

PIZZERIA

2-8-13 Minamisemba, Chuo Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6264-1225 • lagolosetta.web.fc2. com

TOFU SORANO Enjoy creative tofu dishes and izakaya favorites in this sleek Japanese restaurant featuring a modern, minimalist interior. JAPANESE

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

4-5-6 Minami-kyuhojimachi, Chuo Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6120-0644 • foodgate.net/ shop/sorano.html

1F 2-1-25 Tenjinbashi, Kita Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6755-4789 • www.osakachakai.jp/ eng

WAD

PIZZERIA DA TIGRE

This cafe and art gallery serves traditional Japanese green tea in beautiful ceramic dishes.

ITALIAN

CAFE

4-9-3 Minamisemba, Chuo Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-4708-3616 • wad-cafe.com

LA FINESTRA

A down-to-earth pizzeria serving up a tasty range of authentic, sensibly priced Napoli-style pizzas. Pizzas are ordered via a ramen shop-style ticket machine. Sit at their u-shaped counter or takeaway.

ITALIAN

Spacious open-plan restaurant offering pasta and other Italian dishes near Orix Theater.

1-18-13 Shinmachi, Nishi Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6535-8624

1-33-8 Shinmachi, Nishi Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6606-9016

CHINESE

LA BELLE VIE Authentic yet creative french bistro-style dining and decadent desserts.

FRENCH

2-17-17 Shinmachi, Nishi Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6534-6686

CURRY DEKKAO Sri Lankan-style curries in a cosy, no frills eatery in Minamisemba. Large colorful masks highlight its 2nd floor location.

ETHNIC

3-8-5 Minamisemba, Chuo Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-4963-3746

OSAKA CHAKAI CAFE Choose your favorite premium rokucha green tea and have it freshly ground for you at this stylish cafe serving green tea drinks and desserts in Minami-morimachi.

KUUSHIN Choose from daily A or B set lunches or an evening course of creative Chinese cuisine at one of the tastiest Chinese restaurants in Osaka.

1−21−2 Shinmachi, Nishi Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6532-7729

TOKI NO HA Delicious bowls of noodles and freshly steamed dumplings are the main draw at this Chinese tea emporium run by the same owner/chef as Kuushin.

CHINESE

1−21−2 Shinmachi, Nishi Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6532-6001

COCOWELL CAFE Healthy, coconut-laced lunch plates and desserts are the focus of this all-day dining eco-friendly cafe in Horie. JAPANESE

1-13-21 Kitahorie, Nishi Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6531-5572

Food & Drink

See Kansaifinder.com for more BASE ISLAND KITCHEN

BISTRO NEW ORLEANS

This tiny counter-only restaurant serves up an eclectic mix of delicious tapas ranging from vegetarian and vegan dishes to Jamaican Jerk Chicken! Open until 5pm daily.

Authentic New Orleans-style restaurant, serving up Creole and Cajun dishes from its cosy Shinsaibashi location.

ETHNIC

1-16-27 Kitahorie, Nishi Ward, Osaka

TABIJI KITCHEN Choose your dish by its country of origin, in this comfortable restaurant that serves up everything from Vietnamese pho to English Shepherd’s Pie, depending on the day of the week.

ETHNIC

1-14-20 Kitahorie, Nishi Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6567-8403

CRAFT BURGER Run by a friendly Aussie expat and his wife, Craft Burger offers a delicious selection of burgers of which the patties, buns, and all their sauces are handmade with the freshest ingredients. AMERICAN

1-6 Kitahorie, Nishi Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6556-6682

AMERICAN

1-15-10 Kitahorie, Nishi Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6543-7071

SAUCE BOSS

4-11-24 Minamisenba Chuo Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6282-4567

CAFE ABSINTHE Stylish Mediterranean restaurant and bar serving craft cocktails, and excellent food, including hummus, falafel and babaganoush.

ETHNIC

AMERICAN

1-2-27 Kitahorie, Nishi Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6534-6635

1-5-13 Kitahorie, Nishi Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-7171-7938

Vegetarian/vegan restaurant serving creative meat-free dishes - so flavorsome you could swear you were eating meat sometimes!

Serving up mouthwatering chicken wings in a huge variety of flavors, with craft beer and original fresh fruit cocktails to wash them down.

HANA SAKE BAR BARS With friendly Englishspeaking staff on hand to guide you, try a range of local sake and other Japanese spirits at this casual bar in the heart of Shinsaibashi. 1-8-4 Nishishinsaibashi, Chuo Ward, Osaka

AN NGON An Ngon certainly lives up to its name, meaning “it’s delicious” in Vietnamese. The cozy restaurant is adorned with traditional masks and other Vietnamese decorations and boasts an extensive menu.

ETHNIC

PAPRIKA SHOKUDO JAPANESE

1-9-9 Shinmachi, Nishi Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6599-9788

EL PANCHO Serving up authentic Mexican fare since 1978, El Pancho offers great value combo plates and a happy hour that runs from 11:30am–5pm daily!

MEXICAN

Tower Bldg. 8F, 1-10-1 Shinsaibashisuji, Chuo Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6241-0588

ALI’S KITCHEN Halal-certified Pakistani and Arabic cuisine, with over 200 menu items, including their popular goat brain masala and signature biryani dishes.

ETHNIC

B1 1-10-12 Shinsaibashi-suji, Chuo Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-4708-5745

OSAKA DARTS AND SPORTS BAR DIJEST BAR One of Kansai’s largest darts and sports bars with seating for 200. Watch sports on the huge monitors, hold wedding parties and talk shows or just enjoy a night out with friends at this new Kansai destination. The bar is in the NamBa HIPS Building directly connected to Osaka Metro Namba Station Exit 15-B. The phenomenal location makes it an easy place for everyone to meet up at and enjoy the casual food, excellent drinks and the sports atmosphere. 1-8-16 Namba, Chuo Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6211-8575

SATURDAYS NYC Laid-back, spacious cafe cum boutique with a large island counter to recharge both your laptop and your senses.

CAFES AND TEAROOMS

4-13-22 Minamisenba, Chuo Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-4963-3711

TAVOLA 36

Koda Bldg. B1F, 2-5-27 HigashiShinsaibashi, Chuo Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6468-2220

SUSHI KAIBA Marrying a modern Japanese interior with authentic nigiri-zushi, Kaiba sets the standard for casual sushi dining. Choose from set courses or a la carte. JAPANESE

1-15-22 Kitahorie, Nishi Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6532-2918

THE SUITE Modeled after a 1920s New York hotel suite, this place is as suave as it gets and the perfect spot for some post-dinner cocktails. Featuring live entertainment every weekend on its chandelier-lit stage area.

WINE AND COCKTAILS

2-18-18 Nishishinsaibashi, Chuo Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6282-7742

ZERRO Popular Shinsaibashi bar with live DJs every weekend and no cover charge. Great food, cocktails and international beers from 500 yen. BARS

2-3-2 Shinsaibashi-suji, Chuo Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6211-0439

UMEDA MAÎTRE RENARD Fine French cuisine with an Osaka twist in Dojima, created from organic local ingredients and served in stylish yet unpretentious surroundings.

FRENCH

Hatsune Bldg. 2F, 1-5-4 Dojima, Kita Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6147-633

BEER BELLY Osaka’s local award-winning brewery, Minoh Beer, runs a brewpub in Higobashi. Serving seasonal brews as well as its regular lineup on tap, including its award winning stout and decent bar food.

CRAFT BEER BARS

Occupying the 36th floor of the Swissôtel in Namba, this upscale restaurant serves an excellent buffet lunch and offers some fantastic views over the city day or night.

ITALIAN

5-1-60 Namba, Chuo Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6646-5125

MURPHY’S IRISH PUB Japan’s oldest Irish bar and proud to provide the cheapest full pint in Osaka, Guinness and Kilkenny direct from Ireland, and a comprehensive selection of whiskeys and spirits. BARS

2F 1-5-2 Shinsaibashisuji, Chuo Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6245-3757

THE BLARNEY STONE Irish pub in the heart of Shinsaibashi with live bands, great food and international staff. BARS

Happy Hour until 8pm.

1-1-30 Tosabori, Nishi Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6441-0717

PIERRE The InterContinental Osaka’s 20th floor Michelinstarred restaurant features a seasonal fine dining menu in sophisticated surroundings.

FRENCH

3-60 Ofuka-cho, Kita Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6374-5700

OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE Australian-themed steakhouse chain, serving up juicy steaks, ribs, and seafood. AMERICAN

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

Food & Drink

KYOTO KYOTO BEER LAB This comfortable brewpub, run by Kyoto-based ChaBeer Brewing Company, is both a brewery churning out rare craft beers and a bar serving freshly-brewed beers available only here. The “chabeer” (tea beer) in particular is a fantastic beer infused with the aroma of Wazuka tea leaves, known as the espresso of tea in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture.

CRAFT BEER BARS

201-3 Juzenjicho, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto • TEL: 075-352-6666 • kyotobeerlab.jp/#oliginal

1-6-20 Dojima, Kita Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6457-7121

HARDROCK CAFE AMERICAN International chain offering authentic American favorites – including its famous burgers and smokehouse sandwiches – and live music on the weekends. 3-6-14 Minami-Hommachi, Chuo Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6120-5711

BROOKLYN ROASTING COMPANY (KITAHAMA) Great coffee and relaxing decor at this wonderful riverside location in Kitahama, overlooking the Central Public Hall.

CAFES AND TEAROOMS

2-1-16 Kitahama, Chuo Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6125-5740

TENNOJI CASUAL KAPPOU IIDA

TIN’S HALL A perennial favorite for many expats, serving good bar food and drinks. Look out for happy hour from 6–9pm where a beer and generously sized burger combo is just 1,000yen. Free live music on Saturday nights. BARS

10−3 Minamikawahoricho, Tennoji Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6773-5955

DARUMA No frills, kushikatsu (deep-fried battered meat and vegetables on sticks) dining in front of Tsutenkaku Tower. Remember the golden rule when reaching for the sauce – no double dipping! JAPANESE

2-3-9 Ebisucho-higashi, Naniwa Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6645-7056

ZUBORAYA

KAPPOU Enjoy exquisite Japanese cuisine served in multiple courses at this nine-seater casual kappou restaurant. Reservations recommended.

JAPANESE One of Shinsekai’s iconic restaurants. Look for the giant blowfish lantern that seems to be floating in midair. Whatever form of blowfish you can imagine, Zuboraya has it at an affordable price.

1−1−1 Uehonmachi, Tennoji Ward, Osaka • TEL: 080-2423-4590

2-5-5 Ebisu-Higashi, Naniwa Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6633-5529

LEZZET CRAFTBEER & FOOD EXPERIENCE

ITALIAN

A craft beer bar with a great tap selection and extensive food menu, including weekly specials and full-plate pasta dinners. No smoking.

CRAFT BEER BARS

2-3-21 Matsuzaki-cho, Abeno Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-7850-1412

AOI NAPOLI IN THE PARK Airy two-storey trattoria serving quality pizza and pasta, located in the recently renovated Tenshiba park area. Good choice for families with children.

5-55 Chausuyamacho, Tennoji Ward, Osaka • TEL: 06-6773-2225

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

Kyoto HONKE OWARIYA Located in an atmospheric old wooden building, Honke Owariya is one of Kyoto’s oldest and best soba restaurants. Down the street from the Imperial Palace, you’ll find this over 500-year-old two-story restaurant, which looks a lot like a traditional Japanese house, doubling as a confectionary and noodle shop. JAPANESE

322 Niomontsukinukecho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto

TEPPANYAKI GOZANBO This exquisite teppan steak restaurant lies on the fifteenth floor of the Kyoto Granvia hotel. The restaurant features a presentation of excellent slices of beef. Enjoy excellent panorama views of Kyoto in a smoke free environment and the calm quiet affordable in a child free restaurant. JAPANESE

JR Kyoto Station, Karasuma Chuo-guchi, Shiokoji-sagaru, Karasuma-dori, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto • TEL: 075-342-5521

IN THE MOON Low-key music, tasteful lighting, and reasonable prices make this rooftop haven the ultimate location for an evening cocktail.

ROOFTOP BAR

200 RF Kamogawa Bldg, Nakanocho, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto • TEL: 075-708-6966

GOMACRO SALON Gomacro is paradise for sesame fans. Everything on the menu—including drinks and desserts—is sesame-based. As well as being vegan, the focus is on healthy and seasonal food. VEGAN

67-3 Shinmeicho, Nakagyo ward, Kyoto • TEL: 075-257-5096

SPICE CHAMBER Counter-style curry restaurant serving up fiery Indian-style curries, accompanied with homemade pickles.

ETHNIC

Fukui Bldg. 1F, 502 Hakurakuten-cho, Muromachi-dori, Ayanokoji-sagaru, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto • TEL: 075-342-3813 • spicechamber.com

ROCK BAR ING A stalwart of the Kiyamachi bar scene since 1998, this small but cosy rock’n’roll bar promises good times, cheap beer and great music. BAR

288-201 Minami Kuruyamacho, Nishi Kiyamachidori Takoyakushi-Agaru, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto • TEL: 075-255-5087

BEER KOMACHI A small izakayastyle dining bar with seven taps of Japanese craft beer and a good sake menu to boot. Serves excellent food.

CRAFT BEER BARS

444 Hachikencho, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto • TEL: 075-746-6152

MILTON’S KYOTO Cosy hole-in-the-wall 8-seater bar run by Englishspeaking local artist, Milton. A huge choice of liquors to choose BARS

Food & Drink

See Kansaifinder.com for more from, including a good range of rums and whiskies. Non smoking. 2F 246 Yamazakicho Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto

UMENOHANA KARASUMA Tofu in all its forms and variations, coupled with seasonal vegetables and presented in a stunning fine dining setting. English menu available. JAPANESE

West 18 Bldg. B1F, Karasuma-Rokkaku, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto • TEL: 075-254-0566

KATSUKURA SANJO JAPANESE Grind your own sesame seeds at this stylish chain of tonkatsu (pork cutlet) restaurants. Great value set meals including all-you-can-eat rice, miso soup and shredded cabbage. The Sanjo branch is the original store. 16 Ishibashicho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto • TEL: 075-212-3581

KUSHIKURA Charcoal grilled chicken and seasonal vegetables dishes served in a beautiful 100-year-old traditional kyo-machiya house. JAPANESE

584 Hiiragi-cho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto • TEL: 075-213-2211

FALAFEL GARDEN Laid-back Israeli cafe and restaurant near Demachiyanagi. Authentic falafel and other vegetarian-friendly options available.

ETHNIC

15-2 Tanaka Kamiyanagicho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto • TEL: 075-712-1856 • www. falafelgarden.com

NISHITOMIYA CROQUETTE SHOP Gourmet croquettes paired with wine and tasty appetizers served in a cozy bar; at wine barrels that double as tables or on stools at the counter. These special fusion croquettes are even available for takeout.

FUSION RESTAURANTS

735 Kawaramachi Matsubara Sagaru Uematsu-cho, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto • TEL: 075-202-9837

delicious plant-based lunch plate or coconut curry. Their falafel pita bread sandwich also hits all the right notes. Just around the corner from the BAL building. 2F 3-3-6 Sannomiya-cho, Chuo Ward, Kobe • TEL: 078-335-0520

MODERNARK PHARM CAFE A healthy lunch haven just 10 minutes’ walk from Sannomiya Station, this charming wood-furnished eatery serves up wholesome lunch sets like vegetarian curry rice, green salads with brown rice (genmai), and vegetable wraps for around ¥1,000. Great care is taken here to use organic, healthy, and local ingredients. VEGETARIAN

3-11-15 Kitanagasadori, Chuo Ward, Kobe

DAIZUYA The variety of Daizuya’s soy-based offerings— including firm and soft tofu, regional varieties, and even tofu skin with avocado—is matched only by the range of condiment options. If you’re not fond of bean curd, see the à la carte menu for alternatives, such as grilled chicken, or shrimp and avocado salad. VEGETARIAN

Hyogo YIDAKI CAFE Organic vegan fare anywhere in Japan is a rarity, but head to this cosy second floor eatery in Motomachi and enjoy a VEGAN

Eagle Bldg B1F, 4−7−20 Kanocho, Chuo Ward, Kobe • TEL: 050-5285-7538

CAFE AGEHA A perfect pit stop after a morning exploring the Kitano area, Ageha serves healthy brown rice lunch sets and tempting fruit tarts from its spacious location near the top of Tor Road. JAPANESE

2-4-8 Nakayamate-dori, Chuo Ward, Kobe • TEL: 078-321-2780

UNDERGROUND BAKERY Scones, brownies, Victoria sponge cakes - this little bakery is a homage to British baking, but sells out fast.

BAKERIES AND PATISSERIES

5-1-1 Sakaemachidori, Chuo Ward, Kobe • ugbakery.com

BAAN THAI Popular Thai restaurant tucked away near Ikuta-jinja shrine, that offers spicy Thai favorites in cosy surroundings.

THAI

HYOGO LA MAISON DE GRACIANI Enjoy the mouthwatering French creations of the young chef who transforms local and global produce and meats into visually enticing sumptuous entrees. The sommelier crafts pairings of select wine and the choice food to transport patrons into an evening of sublime luxury and cuisine. Patrons are swept away by the wonderful ambience, phenomenal food and excellent service for an otherworldly experience.

FRENCH

4-8-1 Kitanomachi, Chuo Ward, Kobe • TEL: 078-200-6031

SONA RUPA Upscale authentic Indian dining with a warm spacious atmosphere, popular with Kobe expats.

INDIAN

2-2-9 Yamate-dori, Chuo Ward, Kobe • TEL: 078-322-0252

HONG KONG SWEETS CAFE TIM MA MA Delightfully retro interior and authentic Hong Kong-style Chinese tea and desserts, served at tables labelled as Hong Kong metro stations.

CHINESE

3-1-16 Sannomiyacho, Chuo Ward, Kobe • TEL: 078-322-3530 • tim-ma-ma.com

BOND A spacious, sleek open plan interior serving up quality pasta dishes and trattoria-style mains just in front of the Mosque in Kobe’s Kitano area. Their chocolate tart with mountainsansho is a real treat.

ITALIAN

3-3-5 Yamate-dori, Chuo Ward, Kobe • TEL: 078-252-0052

INDUSRAY Authentic southern-Indian home-cooked food, served from this small, cosy family-run restaurant in Motomachi. The lamb or chicken biryani comes highly recommended.

ETHNIC

3-11-10 Motomachi-dori, Chuo Ward, Kobe • TEL: 078-332-1660

TRITON CAFE Popular, stylish open-plan cafe on Kitano-zaka, serving up food all day, including bistro-style lunch plates and homemade desserts. CAFES & TEAROOMS

1-23-16 Nakayamatedori, Chuo Ward, Kobe • TEL: 078-251-1886

PIZZERIA AZZURRI Delicious authentic Napoli-style pizzas and antipasto, served from a small location near Kitano. One of the most popular pizzerias in Kobe, so be sure to make a reservation, or arrive early.

ITALIAN

3-7-3 Yamamotodori, Chuo Ward, Kobe • TEL: 078-241-6036

1-8-8 Kitanagasadori, Chuo Ward, Kobe • TEL: 078-391-0545

BAKERY RIKI Tiny bakery in Motomachi drawing crowds with its impressive range of freshly baked breads and sweet treats. Get there early.

BAKERIES AND PATISSERIES

2-7-4 Sakaemachidori, Chuo Ward, Kobe • TEL: 078-392-8585

Need more dining options? See complete listings online at kansaifinder.com

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

Maps & Info

Welcome To Kansai Getting Around

Taxis

The Kansai area covers the prefectures of Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo, Wakayama, Nara, Mie, and Shiga. There is so much to explore, so you’ll need to prioritize your time wisely. Its main travel hubs are Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe, all of which are well connected by high-speed rail networks, including the shinkansen (bullet train).

Fares start from ¥500. The drivers wearing white gloves and official hats tend to be the most courteous, but don’t expect English to be widely understood. Have your destination name and address on hand in Japanese. As of February 2019, taxis can now be ordered using the Uber app.

On regular trains, you can travel between Osaka and Kyoto in about 45 mins, and between Kobe and Osaka in about 30 mins. If you are here on holiday, pick up a convenient travel pass, such as the Kansai Thu Pass (surutto.com) or Kansai One Pass (kansaionepass.com), to avoid having to negotiate the ticket machines. Use a website such as HyperDia (hyperdia.com) to check train times and platforms from your smartphone.

To/from downtown Osaka, the most convenient option is the Nankai Rapi:t Express service (KIX <> Namba 42mins) or a Limousine Bus. To/from Kyoto, take the JR Airport Express HARUKA service (75 mins).

Trains and Subways There is an excellent rail network connecting all corners of Kansai. As well as JR (Japan Rail), there are numerous private railway companies servicing the area, including Keihan (Osaka/Kyoto), Hankyu (Osaka/Kyoto), Nankai (Osaka, Wakayama, Koya), Hanshin (Osaka/Kobe), and Kintetsu (Osaka/Nara/Mie/ Nagoya). Each line operates several types of train. For the fastest trains, look for the Limited Express service trains. Be aware that Local trains stop at every station on the line, so only take them if no other type of train stops at your station. Subways operate in Osaka, Kobe, and Kyoto and are an extremely efficient way to get around the cities. Tip: Pick up a Railway Network map from a major station or Tourist Information Center.

Buses For out-of-the-way locations, or in certain cities such as Kyoto, you may need to take a bus. A travel pass usually includes travel on municipal bus services.

Airport Transfers

ATMs and Credit Cards If you’re using Visa, you will be able to withdraw cash at most bank or convenience-store ATMs. If you’re using Mastercard, your best bet for withdrawing money is at 7-Eleven ATMs. Most other ATMs in Kansai do not accept Mastercard. It is not common to make in-store payments using credit or visa-debit cards in Japan, even for expensive purchases. Many shops and restaurants do not offer this service, so be sure to carry plenty of cash with you.

Wi-Fi Getting connected in Kansai can be tricky. Renting a smartphone or SIM card at the airport is the safest option, to connect to the internet over a 3G or 4G network. In Osaka, you can access the Osaka Free Wi-Fi service at train and subway stations, stores and facilities throughout the prefecture.

Accidents and Emergencies Ambulance/Fire service: Tel. 119 Police: Tel. 110

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

GET KANSAI SCENE Kansai Scene is available from the following major outlets in the Kansai region:

KYOTO

Hotels and Guesthouses

OSAKA

Royal Hotel, Royal Park Hotel The Kyoto, Kyoto Nikko Hotel

Hotels and Guesthouses

Tourist Information Centers

Conrad Osaka, Hyatt Regency, Nikko Hotel, St. Regis, Swissôtel Nankai Osaka, Ritz Carlton, Hilton Osaka, Fraser Residence Nankai Osaka, InterContinental Hotel Osaka

Kyoto Tourist Information Center, Kansai Tourist Information Center Kyoto, Kyoto International Community House

Tourist Information Centers Osaka Visitors Information Center (JR Osaka), Hankyu Tourist Center Umeda, Osaka Visitors Information Center (JR Namba), Kansai Tourist Information Center (KIX), Kansai Tourist Information Center (Shinsaibashi), Nankai Information Center (Namba) Shops Kinokuniya Bookstore Umeda, Kinokuniya Honmachi, Tower Records Umeda, Junkudo Namba, Hard Rock Cafe

Shops Junkudo Kyoto, Maruzen & Junkudo Kyoto Main Store, GEAR KOBE

Hotels and Guesthouses Kobe Bay Sheraton, Kobe Portopia Hotel Tourist Information Centers Kobe International Community Center, Hyogo International Plaza Shops Junkudo Nishinomiya, Junkudo Sannomiya, Kinokuniya Kobe

Maps & Info

See Kansaifinder.com for more Loft Theater Umeda

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Umeda Sky Building 1

InterContinental Osaka Hotel

Cine Libre Umeda German Consulate 35F

Westin Hotel

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Library Osaka City Public Hall

Tosabori River

Mitsui Sumitomo Bank

KITAHAMA

Midosuji

Craft Beer Base Garden

TAKAMURA Wine & Coffee Roasters

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Daiichi Group

Honmachi

Hanshin Expressway B

Soai High School

Starbucks

The St. Regis, Osaka

Honmachi

APA Hotel

Honmachi Dori

Chuo Odori Honmachi

Hard Rock Cafe Osaka Chuo Line

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Naniwasuji

Utsubo Park Kitamido

4 Elmers Green Cafe

Maekawa Law Firm

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Club Quattro

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Osaka YWCA

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Outback Steakhouse Dojima Avanza Hotel Elsereine Osaka

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Osaka Loop Line

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Osaka Station City Cinema

Kinokuniya H&M

Hankyu Tourist Center

Club Noon Noon+Cafe

Hankyu Umeda Sta.

Yodobashi Camera

Umekita Plaza

Craft Beer Base

Club Azul

Hub

New Hankyu Osaka Hotel

Grand Front Osaka / Knowledge Capital

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Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

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Westwood Bakers

2F Daimaru Dept. South

Balabushka 4F

Moonshine Ohno Memorial Hospital

Dotonbori

Coolabah L&L ROR Comedy

Music Bar S.O.R.a

Cross Hotel

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Mustang

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Apple Store

Triangle Park

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Naniwa Post Office Jack & Queen

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

Toho Cinemas Namba annex

Visitors Information Center

Center

Naniwa Ward Office

Sotetsu Grand Fresa Osaka-Namba

Hozenji Temple Osaka Floral Inn

NAMBA

NAMBA Pub Bar 2F30 -NAKA Naniwa Sports

DOTONBORI

Kokopelli

Nankai Namba Station

National Bunraku Theater Nipponbashi sta.

Namba Oriental Hotel

Misono Building

Singh’s Kitchen

Namba Plaza Hotel

APA Hotel

NIPPONBASHI

Kuromon Market

Sofmap

McDonalds Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium

Dormy Inn

BIC Camera

Fraser Residence

Naniwa Park

Shimanouchi Library

Cinquecento

Fujiya Hotel

Toho Cinemas Namba

MOTOMACHI

JANUS

Sennichimae line

Little Long Beach

INARI AEON MaxValu

Namba Sta.

Casa Lapichu

Minami Police Station

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Namba

Junkudo

Comfort Hotel

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Hotel Monterey Grasmere Osaka

Ark Hotel

3F GS Travel

Suomachi-dori (Europe street)

Namba Hips Tominaga Hospital

Nagahoribashi

SHINSAIBASHI

2F Murphy’s

Don Quijote

Dotonbori Hotel

Namba Hatch

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Daimaru Dept.

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Tokyu Hands

Uniqlo

GAP

Critters Burger Via Inn

Nikko Hotel EXODUS Osaka Hana Banco Hostel OPA Hotel Cafe Vano Mystays Absinthe Shinsaibashi Circus

Granknot Coffee

Arthur Murray

El Pancho

Shinsaibashi-suji (shopping arcade)

Covent Garden

Sauce Boss

Nishitetsu Inn

Yotsubash

Saboten Base Bistro New Orleans

MINAMI-SEMBA

Nagahori Tsurumi-Ryokuchi line

Ali’s Kitchen Craft Burger

El Zocalo

Louis Vuitton

Toyoko Inn

KITAHORIE

Sakaisuji line

Daiwa Roynet Hotel

Namba Shrine

K2 record Namba PARKS NAMBA PARKS CINEMA

Otaroad

Shinmachi Kita Park

Shinsaibashi-suji (shopping arcade)

Naniw

OSAKA Shinsaibashi

Maps & Info

Animate Nihonbashi Shop

Toys”R”Us Yamada Denki LABI1 Namba C

Maps & Info

See Kansaifinder.com for more B

Minami-Morimachi

Osaka Tenmangu

chi Line Osaka Prefectural Government Office

KKR Hotel Osaka

Hanshin Expressway Higashi Osaka

ato Line Subway Imaz

Osaka Loop Line

Tanimachi 4-chome

Osaka Castle Park Osaka Museum of History

Route Morinomiya

Sakaisuji Honmachi

Koen

Osaka Castle

MyDome Osaka

Subway Chuo Line

Osaka-jo

Hanshin Expressway

Tenmabashi

Osaka-jo Hall

Hotel Mystays Yamamoto The Lutheran Otemae Noh Theater Hotel Osaka Chamber of Commerce and APA Hotel Industry NHK Osaka Hall

Izumi Hall

Tenmabashi

Hotel Mystays Sakaisuji Honmachi

Hotel New Otani Osaka

Kitahama

ess

Subway Sakaisuji Line

Hotel Monterey La Souer Osaka

sin

iha

Lin

KYOBASHI

AEON Kyobashi

ain

aka

Hotel Mystays Midosuji Honmachi

TENMA

ash

Osaka Temmangu Shrine

o Ky

Taiko-en

oaj e ak um Os itaz k

Mint Museum

b Kyo

Osaka Chakai

Museum of Oriental Ceramics

D Keihan Mall

Subway Tanima

Tozai Line

OSAKA Osaka Castle

Morinomiya Q’s Mall BASE

TAMATSUKURI Osaka Jogakuin College

in Exp

Mom

odan

Tennoji Ward Office

SHITENNOJI

Tanimachi Line

iya -mae

Tin’s Hall

Tenn o Sta. ji

Imaike ne

Abeno St

Abeno Q’s Mall

i Tram way Imfune

isu

Han

Hoop

tets

Language School

Lezzet

Lin

Osaka Kyoiku University e

Kin

CocoMomo&Co. B

Tennoji Abeno MIO Harukas Osa k a -A beno bash i

ROCKTOWN 4F

Hanka

a ak

Tenshiba Ka n s ai M ain L suji ine Line

Osaka Municipal University Hospital

i Main Lin Haginoc e haya

Nanka

Hanazon

Yotsub ashi Li ne ocho

Mido

tsuen

Dobu

Spa World

mam

Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts

Te r

Nank

Shin-I

Osaka Tennoji Zoo

Tennoji Sta.

ai Shin

-Imam

iya

Osak

a Loo

Tsutenkaku

Shitennoji

p Lin

Ebisucho

EBISUNISHI

Shitennoji Honbo

Imam

Imamiya Ebisu Shrine

Hansh

iyaeb

isu

Daikokucho

ress R

Zepp Namba

Shitenn oj Yuhiga i-mae oka

oute 1

ina

mi-

Osa

JR ka

Lin

Ka n

sai

in L

ine

. D

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

OSAKA Tennoji

to Kyoto Imperal Palace

Nijo Castle

Kyoto City Hall

Hearton Hotel

Tozai Subway Line

The Museum of Kyoto

Round One

Shounji

Kyoto Art Center

Kawaramachi

Karasuma

Kyoto-Daijingu Shrine

Shijo

Mitsui Garden Hotel

Shijou-Omiya

to Maruyama Park

Nishiki Market

Mibudera Temple

Bukkoji Temple

oga

Amore Kiyamachi

Ka m

Hanano Yu

Gion Corner

Kennin-ji Temple Hojo Yasui Konpiragu Shrine

Daisenji Higashiyama Ward Office

Yumeyakata Gojo Gojo

Tambaguchi

Kyoto Gojo Hotel Shuhokaku to Kiyomizu-dera

Seikoro

Ichihime-Jinja Shrine

Otani Hombyo Cemetary Sumiya Motenashi Museum

Toyokuni-Jinja Shrine

Shosei-en Garden

Nishi Honganji Temple

Higashi Honganji Temple

Shichijo

Kyoto Railway Museum

Kyoto Aquarium Umekoji Park

Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto

Kyoto National Museum

Yodobashi Camera

Shoenji Temple

Hotel Nikko Princess Kyoto

Kotoku Park

Yasaka Shrine

Gion-S

Omiya

Gion Shirakawa

Hotel Mystays Kyoto-Shijo

Riv

Village Kyoto

Honnoji Temple Marker

Kyoto BAL

Nyorinin Hozoji Temple

Kyoto Prefectural Police Station

Higashiyama

Sanjokeihan

Loft

Rokkakudo Temple

Yoboji Temple

Kyotoshiyakusho-mae

Sanjo

Nijojo-Mae Clamp Coffee Sasara

1 Hotel Okura

hijo

Nakamura General Store Mikane-Jinja Shrine

The Ritz-Carlton

Kyoto International Manga Museum

Karasuma Oike

to Heian Shrine

Hostel Mundo Chiquito

Nijo

Chisaku-in Temple

Sanjusangendo

Hyatt Regency Kyoto

Kyoto Tower APA Hotel Rhiga Royal Hotel

4 Kyoto Century Hotel

Bic Camera

Kyoto Station Hotel Granvia

Rokusonno-Jinja Shrine

Imakumano-Jinja Shrine

Elcient Kyoto

New Miyako Hotel

Hotel Keihan Kyoto Grande

k Tofu

uji

Aeon Mall

Toji Sakura Terrace

Kujo

Toji

KYOTO Central

Marutamachi

Jingu-Marutamachi

Maps & Info

Zuirinji Temple

Kyoto Terrsa

Tofukuji Temple

Komyoin

Kyoto Brewing Co. A

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

Maps & Info

See Kansaifinder.com for more Entsu-ji Temple

ICC Kyoto

a L i ne

Ota Shrine

a w

r ve Ri

Kyoto Brighton Hotel

Karasuma

Junkudo

McDonald’s

Kyoto Daijingu Shrine

Shijo

Eggs ‘n Things

Lin e izan uE

n-D Eiza

UrBANGUILD

Kyoto BAL

Tosa-Inari Shrine (Misaki-jinja)

Owls Forest Ninja Kyoto Kyoto Kawaramachi OPA Zara

Hankyu Kyoto Line

Tokyu Hands

Cocon Karasuma

Kyoto Muse

H&M

Sanjo

Pontocho Kaburenjo Theater

Pontocho Park

Hotel Ponto

Police Box

Shinmonso

ver

awa ri

Shirak Jam Hostel

Tatsumi Bridge

Gion Kaikan Kyoto Modern Art Museum

Yasaka Shrine

Shijo-dori

Kawaramachi Marui Takashimaya Kyoto Department Store

Shoenji Temple

Kitsune Kyoto

Nishiki-tenmangu Shrine Super Hotel

Nishiki Market

Daimaru Kyoto

Ogawa Coffee

Higashiyama Daishogun Shrine

Minamiza Theater

Kanji Museum Hanamikoji-d ori

Kyonoyado Kaginei

Hozo Temple

HUB

Hana Hotel

Sanjo

Keihan Main Line

Sugi Drug Shinkyogoku

Starbucks

hijo

Papa Jon's Cafe Rokkaku

Sanjo-dori Movix Kyoto Loft Kyoto Game Panic Seiganji Temple

Qu'il Fait Bon

Frank's Chop Shop

McDonald’s

Karasuma Hotel

Royal Park Hotel

Kyoto City Tourism Association Visitor Information

Gion-S

Inoda Coffee

Ippudo Nishikikouji

Kyoto High School

Yoboji Temple

Honnoji Temple

Kyoto Art Center

Kyotoshiyakusho-mae

The Museum of Kyoto

Kyoto Municipal Gender Equality Center Misayama Park

Koiyama

Hiragiya

Kiyamachi-dori

Rokkakudo Temple

Comme des Garcons

Cafe Kocsi Smart Coffee

Hotel Monterey Kyoto

Anraku-ji, and Reikan-ji

Kyoto Hotel Okura

Tozai Line

Hotel Gimmond

Nakagyo Post Office

Hounen-in Temple

Pontocho

Karasuma Oike

Shimadai Gallery

Higashiyama Jisho-ji (Ginkaku-ji)

Tetsugaku-no-michi (Philosopher's Path)

Hotel Sugicho

Hearton Hotel

KYOTO Sanjo

Kyoto University of Art & Design

Yoshida-jinja Shrine

Kyoto International Manga Musuem

Hachidai-Jinja Shrine

Hyakumanben Chion-ji Temple

Kamogawa Riv

ri Str Oji Do

Enkou-ji Temple

Shisen-do Temple

ent ets

Kyoto Imperial Palace

Guesthouse KirinYa

Imadegawa Dori Street

Higashi Oji Dor i Stre

Imadegawa Sta.

Kamogawa River

Aisen-ji Temple

Horikawa Dori Street

Demachiyanagi Sta.

Daishougun Hachi Shrine

Ta ka no Ri ve r

Falafel Garden

Shokoku-ji Temple

Stay SAKURA Kyoto Nishijin

Kitano Hakubaicho Sta.

Mototanaka Sta.

tree

Kawai-Jinja Shrine

Kitano Tenmangu Randen Railw Kitano Line ays

Manshu-in Monzeki Temple

Konpuku-ji Temple

Chayama Sta.

ri i Do

ori S

Nishi

Shimogamo-Jinja

ish

Kurama-guchi Sta.

on D

eet

Senb

oN gam mo

Shi

ark aP

Kinkaku-ji

Hirano-Jinja Shrine

Ichijo-ji Sta.

Kita Oji Dori Street

gaw

Koutou-in Temple

mo Ka

Kitaouji Sta. Daitoku-ji

Saginomori Shrine

Kyoto Botanical Garden

th Pa

Imamiya Dori Street

1 Rinkyuji Temple

Shugaku-in Sta.

Kyoto Concert Hall

i rag ka Na

Imamiya Shrine

Kinugasa Joshu-ji Temple

Shugaku-in Imperial Villa

Myoen-ji

Kitayama Dori S tre et

Matsugasaki Sta.

Kitayama Sta.

Dori Street Kitayama

Sekizanzen-in Temple

Yusen-ji

Su bw

a og m Ka

Genko-an Temple

Takaragaike Sta.

ay Ka ra

Takaragaike Park

Josho-ji Temple

su m

Jinko-in Temple

Line entetsu Eizan D Miyake-Hachiman Sta.

Shirakawa Dori Street

Kamigamo Shrine

Renge-ji Temple Kokusaikaikan Sta.

Grand Prince Hotel Kyoto

KYOTO North

Hotel Sunline Gion Corner

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

Kitano Museum

Kobe YWCA

Kitanoseiryu Shrine

Hotel Piena Kobe

za k a

Kobe Elementary School

Varit

Daimaru Dept.

a iy om nn Sa

Minato Bank

Kobe City Hall

Cine Libre Kobe Mitsui Sumitomo Bank

Tokyu REI Hotel

Oriental Hotel Municipal Museum

7F Kobe Legal Partners

Higashiyuenchi Park Kobe Luminarie

ine

ter

Hotel Sunroute Sopra

cen

KRAC

Holiday Inn Express

eki

Isogami Park

ine

way

rt l

Sub

Kobe Kokusai Shochiku

t. iya ae s nom eim Sannadok Ha

Guild 2F

nl aiga

i ch ryu ae yo uk arum y K im Da Kobe Doll Museum

Kobe Plaza Hotel

Daiwa Roynet Hotel

Aoyama

Kobe BAL

NANKIN-MACHI Raja Indian Restaurant

i JR

To k

Candeo e lin Hotel Kobe

ach

Junkudo

Kobe Kokusai Kaikan

APA Hotel

r ro

tom

e2 ut Ro Center Plaza West

iya nom Kobe Hankyu Dept. 5F Kinokuniya

San Marui Plaza Center Plaza East

Tokyu REI Hotel

Flo

tom

San

Hanakuma Park

sta

iya

und

i ach

h ns

tet

OS Cinemas Mint Kobe Tower Records

Kobe Ikuta Junior High School

s ko be

u ok

o ud

chi

San

Village Vangard

Palmore Hosp.

the b kobe Don Quijote

Soraku Park

Hyogo-ken Prefectural Hall

Midnight 5F

iya

Hotel Monte Hermana Kobe Amalie Mickeyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chicken Iznt Club 5F George 4F Tokyu Hotel Hotel Hands Monterey Tor Road

Sun City 7F Junkudo

The Harbour Tavern 7F

n Ikuta Police Ikuta jinja Station

m Ya

Shinko High School

k ate

NHK

Sansei Hosp.

St. Michaelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s International School

aka

Roa

Suwayama Park

The Rock 2F

t ee Kobe Str Halal Food arl Pe Kobe Kobe Womens Kobe Mosque Junior Grocers College Kobe Meister Garden

Fudo

noz

dor

Kita

to-

terz

Hun

a Yam

aka

Migration Museum

Shiei Yamate subway line

Kitanosaka Hosp.

1F Bistrot Cafe De Paris

KITANO-CHO

Tor

tom

ach

KIITO Cafe Fish!

SHINKO-CHO

hiNis

KOBE Sannomiya

Maps & Info

Hotel Okura Kobe

Hotel La Suite Kobe Harborland

Kobe Maritime Museum Jumbo Ferry Terminal Meriken park

5 Arthur Murray CULMENI 3F umie MOSAIC OS Cinema Harborland

Kobe Harborland umie

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

Kobe Minato Onsen Ren

Kobe Cruise Luminous Kobe 2 Kobe Meriken Park Oriental

Maps & Info

See Kansaifinder.com for more

NARA Overview

Kizu River Yamadagawa Sta. n Kei

Nishi-Kizu Sta.

YAGYU AREA

Kizu Sta.

YAGYU AREA

Jubei’s cedar

Bus Stop

pr e

Takanohara Sta.

ssw ay

Ima-gawa Stream

KYOTO

Ama-no-Iwatate Shrine

Houtoku-ji Temple

Ofuji’s Well

Narayama Sta. Heijo Sta.

YAGYU-CHO The main house of Yagyu

Mausoleums

YamatoSaidaiji Sta.

Nara-Okuyama Driveway

NARA

Masakizaka Kendo & Zen Dojyo

Ruin of Mausoleum Enjo-ji Temple

Heijō Palace remains

Yagyu Kaido Trail

Yasaka Shrine

Mt. Kasuga

Nara Sta.

Ruin of The House of Yagyu

JR Nara Sta.

Iris garden

Touge Chaya

CENTRAL NARA

Yuhi-kannon

Jigoku-dani Sekkutsu-butsu Kubikiri Jizo Asahi-kannon

Nakamura 6 Jizos Housou Jizo

Kujo Sta.

Tengaimon gate of Todaiji

HIGASHI SASABOKO-CHO

Chisoku-In Shosoin Main Warehouse

West Treasures Warehouse

East Treasures Warehouse

Ryu-shou-In

Imperial Household Agency Shosoin Office

NISHI SASABOKO-CHO

1 Todaiji Nigatsudo

Ruin of Yakemon (Chumon) the gate of Todaiji Nara Women’s University

Todai-ji Karakuni Shrine (Tengu Shrine)

Hotel Tamar

Todaiji Hokkedo (Sangatsudo)

OSHIAGE-CHO YURUGI-CHO

SHUKUIN-CHO

Nara Prefectural Museum

NOBORIOJI-CHO

SUIMON-CHO

Mt. Wakakusa

Kintetsu line Nara Sta.

Mont-bell

Himuro Shrine

Hall of Kofuku-ji “Chu-kon-do”

Hoku’endo

The Fifty-Two Steps

GANRININ-CHO

Sarusawa Pond

Yoshidaya

Musashino

Nara Kasugano Int’l Forum Mizuya Shrine

Nara National Museum New Wings

Five Storied Pagoda

Tourist Info Center

(luggage storage & delivery service)

Matsunoya

Kofuku-ji Main Hall

Kozen-in Nan’endo

Int’l Forum IRAKA Annex

Nara Pickle Shop

Yume-Kaze Plaza Shops & Cafes

Nara National Museum

“Tou-kon-do”

LAMP BAR

NARA PARK

Nandaimon Gate of Todaiji

Yoshiki-en

NAKASUJI-CHO

Tourist Info Center

Kagami-Ike Pond

Todaiji Museum

Isuien Neiraku Museum

Oak Hostel Nara Nara Prefectural Office

Tamukeyama Hachimangu

Ruin of Saidaimon the gate of Todaiji

Guesthouse Nara Backpackers

NARA Central

Kikusuiro

Shikitei Hotel Pagoda

Hitokotonushi Shrine Kasuga-taisha

Edosan Inn

Tsubogami Shrine

Aoba Chaya

Roku-en

Enso Bairin Tei

Wakamiya Shrine

IKENO-CHO Nara Hotel

Ara Pond

Ukimido Pavilion Kinryu Shrine Yuga Shrine

Kii 3 Shrine

Meishou Kyu-Daijoin Teien Former Residnece of Naoya Shiga (novelist)

Gango-ji Gokuraku-bo

Hotel Wellness Asukaji Kuuki Cake Shop

Zutou Pyramid

Jurin-in Temple

Yagyu Kaido Trail C

Kantoku Temple

Fukuu-in

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

WEST Japan

Maps & Info A

KANSAI 1 TOKYO

Kyoto Shiga

Hyogo Osaka

Mie Nara

Wakayama

Tottori Sand Dunes Tottori Yonago

Mt. Daisen

Izumo-taisha Shrine Izumo

Mt.

TOTTORI

SHIMANE

OKAYAMA Aioi

Ako

HIROSHIMA

Shin Kurashiki

Mihara

Hiroshima

YAMAGUCHI

Kurashiki Fukuyama

Shodo Island

Shin Onomichi

Seto Ohashi

Onomichi

Hiroshima

Shin Iwakuni

Naoshima Art Island

Angel Road

Itsukushima-jinja Shrine Takamatsu

Yamaguchi

KAGAWA

Tokuyama

Korakuen Garden Okayama

Fukuyama Higashi Hiroshima

Okayama

Shin Yamaguchi

Naru

Tokushim Imabari

TOKUSHI Matsuyama

EHIME

KOCHI

5 Kochi

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

Maps & Info

See Kansaifinder.com for more F

H Dinosaur Museum

aid

Katsuyama

iga

Fukui

To N

FUKUI

Gujo

Tsuruga

Maizuru

Tottori Sand Dunes Tottori

Mikata-goko Five Lakes Cycling Course

Obama

Takahama

GIFU

Kinosaki Maibara

Mt. Hyonosen

Gifu Hashima

Lake Biwa Hikone-jo Castle Oumihachiman

Enryaku-ji Temple

HYOGO

Sasayama

Mt. Hiei

Kyoto

k To

Otsu

aid

Kyoto

Himeji

Ako

ink

Nagoya Nagoya

AICHI

SHIGA

Mikawa Anjo

Kinkaku-ji

Uji Himeji-jo Castle Sa ny oS hi nk an se n

Suzuka Circuit

Arima Iga

Mt. Rokko

Shin Osaka

Shin Kobe

Shodo Island

Nara

Sakai

Kansai International Airport

Toba Aquarium

OSAKA

Angel Road

MIE

Ise Ise Grand Shrine

NARA

Awaji Island Naruto Ohashi

Toudai-ji Temple

Osaka

Akashi Ohashi

Awaji

Tsu

Osaka-jo Castle

Kobe Nishi Akashi

h oS

Koga

Fushimi Inari Aioi

KYOTO

Tamba

akuen Garden

Wakayama

Sumoto

Yoshino

Hashimoto

Shionoha Odaigahara

Naruto

Naruto Uzushio (whirlpools)

Mt. Koya

4 Mt. Shakagatake Mt. Obako

Tokushima

WAKAYAMA

TOKUSHIMA

Kumano

Hongu

Bridges

Kumanohongu Shrine

Ferries Saba Kaido (Mackerel) Trail

Shingu

Tanabe

Mt. Nachi

Kumano Kodo Trail

Shirahama Nachi Falls

Ninja Village

Nachikatsuura

Hot Springs Kushimoto

Ski Spots Beaches

Kansai Scene | SPRING 2020 | kansaiscene.com

Enjoy a private Osaka river cruise with authentic sushi prepared by a master sushi chef!

Tenjinbashi

Tenmabashi

Private charters only Reservations via the website

Boarding point

Hachikenyahama Pier near Temmabashi Station

Hachikenyahama Pier Tenmabashi Sta. ▼

Web: gondola-bar.com

Lowest Airfares

in Kansai !! 海外激安航空券

If you find any cheaper price than ours we will try to beat it!!

We speak English, Hindi, Nepali, Urdu, Bengali, Vietnamese and Japanese

Tel: 06-6281-1230 (For Japanese, English) 06-6281-1322 (For Vietnamese) Softbank line: 080-3847-9601 Fax: 06-6281-1255 Email: info@gs-travel.com Web: www.gs-travel.com

Midosuji

Tokyu Hands Nagahori-dori Avenue UniQlo docomo

Family Mart

GS TRAVEL 3F Wadayoshi Bldg

Looking for something? Find places to dine, things to do, and browse job and classified listings in the Kansai area

Midosuji-line Shinsaibashi Exit #6

Open: Monday-Friday 9:30-18:30 • Saturday 9:30-14:00 Address: 1-13-21 Higashi-Shinsaibashi, Chuo-ku, Osaka 542-0083

License No.3-1841

KansaiFinder.com

A Charming Forest Retreat Treat yourself to breathtaking views, fabulous hiking, exciting winter sports and relaxing hot springs

NUKUI DAM At 156 meters, this arch dam is the second highest in Japan after Kurobe Dam and Ryuki Lake was selected as one of the top 100 dam lakes in Japan

SANDANKYO GORGE A stunning 13km river gorge, awarded 3 stars by the French travel guide Blue Guide and selected as one of the top 100 scenic beauty spots in Japan

STAY WITH YOUR PET DOG Special rooms are available that can accommodate both you and your pet dog

Akiota-cho

Okayama

Himeji

Kyoto Osaka Kobe

Hiroshima

RESERVATIONS

www.nukui-sp.com/english

ISSUE 225 | SPRING 2020

SPRING

MAR–MAY 2020 No. 225

Free

WESTERN JAPAN’S PREMIER VISITOR’S GUIDE

KANSAI SCENE MAGAZINE

Spring

Hanami 101: cherry blossom appreciation in history, food and art

Plus

Inside… Travel KANSAISCENE.COM

NAKAISAMURAI TEA

Culture

OCHAYA ASOBI

Explore

TAMBA SASAYAMA

Discover

THE CULINARY DELIGHTS OF SPRING

WHAT’S ON EAT & DRINK SIGHTSEEING MAPS