Tokyo Weekender - June 2016

JUNE 2016

Japan’s number one English language magazine

Plus Nine Other Top Festival Acts to Watch This Summer

CHINATOWN Explore Yokohama’s More Colorful Side

“I OPENED FOR THE BEATLES” Remembering That Budokan Show, 50 Years Back

ALSO: Where to Go Hang Gliding, How to Plan a Wedding in Tokyo, and Meet “King Kohei” – Japan’s Champion Gymnast

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THIS MONTH’S HEAD TURNERS 7 AREA GUIDE: CHINATOWN Experience the flavors of Yokohama’s more decorative neighborhood

24 “I OPENED FOR THE BEATLES” Fifty years after the Fab Four’s landmark Tokyo show, we chat to two of the warmup acts who were there to see it all

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guide CULTURE ROUNDUP 41 THE ART WORLD Must-see exhibitions including Renoir’s masterpieces and Joshua Nathanson’s magical depictions of daily life

12 STYLE

28 SO YOU WANT TO GET MARRIED IN TOKYO?

A new Guess store in Shibuya brings floral prints to the fore, just in time for summer

Here’s everything you need to know about planning the big day in Japan

14 TRENDS

30 SECRET JAPANESE INGREDIENTS

What to do in the rainy season? Eat cake, drink coffee...

From konnyaku to azuki beans, these are your keys to a more beautiful summer

in-depth

32 FLY AWAY WITH ME

COFFEE-BREAK READS

Did you know there’s a thriving hang gliding community in Japan?

Dress up for Cosplay Festa TDC 2016, splash your way down the world’s longest slide, and switch off your phone for Candle Night at Zozoji

19 WHO TO WATCH THIS SUMMER

34 MONSTER PERFORMER

46 PEOPLE, PARTIES, PLACES

Meet Kohei Uchimura, possibly the best gymnast the sport has ever seen

Celebrating St Patrick’s Day, and remembering VIP days spent with Prince

Start planning your music festival calendar now with our guide to the top acts playing

43 BOOKS On our bookshelf this month: day walks, tattoos, and a different way to connect with Tokyo

44 AGENDA

JUNE 2016

radar

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JUNE 2016 Publisher

ENGAWA Co., Ltd.

President

Takanobu Ushiyama

Executive Producer Editors

Art Director Sales Director Sales Executive Media Relations Chief Producers

Account Executives Media Consultant Society

Asi Rinestine Annemarie Luck Alec Jordan Liam Ramshaw Hirofumi Ohuchi Kahori Terakawa Junko ShiJunea Yumi Idomoto Claudia Sun Nobu (Nick) Nakazawa Mary Rudow Bill Hersey

Lead Writer

Matthew Hernon

Editorial Associates

Natalie Jacobsen Vivian Morelli Luca Eandi

EST. Corky Alexander, 1970 Published monthly at JPR Sendagaya Building 8F 4-23-5 Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 151-0051 (03) 6863-3096 / (03) 5413-3050 (fax) editor@tokyoweekender.com To subscribe to the Tokyo Weekender, please call (03) 6863-3096 or email: customer-support@tokyoweekender.com For ad sales inquiries, please call (03) 6863-3096 or email: sales@tokyoweekender.com 広告に関するお問い合わせ先 電話：(03)6863-3096 メール：sales@tokyoweekender.com Opinions expressed by Weekender contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher Cover photo courtesy of Fuji Rock

Published by ENGAWA Co., Ltd.

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@mizrama: So Alec, you wrote about Beck for this issue.

You’re a fan? @bapawn: I am. He’s an LA guy, and I’m an LA guy too, more or less, so there’s a bit of hometown pride. @mizrama: Is there a six-degrees-of-separation story in there? @bapawn: Well, it is LA ... as close as I’ve come was being cornered at a party by a guy who told me that Thom Yorke ended up being stuck in a studio with Beck over a weekend. Apparently, Beck spent the whole time trying to get Yorke to embrace Scientology...

@mizrama: Haha! I read recently that when Yorke sees Beck enter a room, he puts up his hands and says, “Oh no, not Mr. Scientology.”

@mizrama: No, never seen Radiohead, but they’re a favorite, so I will be at Summer Sonic for sure. I’ll also be at Fuji Rock to see Beck, of course. Will I see you there? @bapawn: I think camping with my two-year-old would be a bit much, unfortunately. I’ll have to get by on vicarious thrills. @mizrama: I’ll be sure to post plenty of Instagram pics for your benefit  Speaking of your family, you got married a little while back. Did you enjoy wearing the kimono? [Readers, flip to page 29 for our wedding feature and to see Alec posing in traditional wear.]

@mizrama: I think probably the way he handled Kanye West’s stage storm last year makes up for anything and everything.

@bapawn: I did. It’s certainly not the easiest thing to put on, but being able to have photos of the two of us in kimono is priceless. I remember being surprised at the difference between the civil paperwork and our actual wedding celebration. As you can see from our guide, there are a lot of ways to celebrate the day.

@mizrama: It’s a little expensive in Japan, though.

Maybe tandem hang gliding weddings could take off.

Pardon the pun. [And see page 32 for places to hang glide in Japan.]

@bapawn: Radiohead are coming to town too, right?

Have you ever seen them before?

@bapawn: I’m practically salivating at the thought of writing the headline for that story...

@bapawn: Poor guy ... apparently he got on the bad side of Wayne Coyne from The Flaming Lips, too. Hopefully being on our cover makes up for it a bit.

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Products for your little princes and princesses Rompbaby products are meant to be used throughout the year while looking their very best, day and in day out.

Rompbaby’s Safe Dishware This five-piece set includes cups, dishes, and bowls that can be used for all kinds of food, and are perfect for use at the dining table or for eating on the go. Thanks to a patented manufacturing technique, the dishes are infused with gold, which makes them easier to wash, and safe to use in the oven, microwave, or freezer. Allergen free and bacteria resistant, they’re tough enough to stand up to daily use but will always look like they’re ready to serve royalty.

Ultimate Diaper Pouch

Waterproof Diaper Changing Sheet

Accessories for Every Parent’s Needs In addition to dishware, Rompbaby offers a number of patented accessories that make daily activities all the simpler. Our Ultimate Diaper Pouch gives parents easy access to the items that baby needs, from diapers to cleaning wipes. Our Waterproof Diaper Changing Sheet is chic, functional, and durable, and our Rompbaby Multipurpose Tote can store everything you need, and comes in a variety of charming colors.

Address: 1-5-4 Shinyamashita Nakaku, Yokohama, Kanagawa

www.rompbaby.co.uk Designed in Yokohama and made in Japan

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Multi-Function Tote

WH AT ’ S O N O U R RA DA R TH I S MONTH . . .

We take a stroll around Yokohama’s historic, colorful Chinatown to bring you a roundup of what to see, where to shop, what to eat, and even how to escape reality for a couple of arty hours.

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ARE A G UI DE [ PROMOTION ]

YOKOHAMA’S CHINATOWN IS THE LARGEST IN JAPAN – AND ASIA FOR THAT MATTER. IT’S A PLACE TO SAMPLE CUISINE, BUY UNIQUE ITEMS, AND BE DAZZLED BY THE SIGHTS

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STORIED STREETS Shortly after the opening of trade relations between Japan and the West in 1853, Yokohama built its own port by 1859, and Chinese traders flocked to the area. Although the neighborhood’s Chinese population has dwindled over the years, Yokohama’s Chinatown is the largest in Japan, and Asia for that matter. Along with the hundreds of shops selling tasty food are eyefuls of colorful and decorative Chinese architecture. Ten ornate gates stand over Chukagai’s main street, including the Goodwill Gate, which was built in 1955 as a symbol of the desire for peace between China and Japan after World War II, and the East Gate. The area is also home to the Kwan Tai Temple, a religious building dedicated to the legendary Chinese general who lived during the 2nd and 3rd centuries, and the Mazu Miao Temple, which was built to honor the goddess who watches over sailors and fishermen.

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You’re probably already familiar with gyoza and shumai, but there are plenty of pleasant tastes beyond that to be found in Chinatown. The shoronpo, and its pan-fried cousin the yaki shoronpo, are tasty but require a bit of caution: before digging in, you should poke a hole in the top and use that to pour off the (often scalding) juice. Once it’s cooled off you’re good to go. Some sweet treats to keep an eye out for are dou jiang (sesame balls, stuffed with a variety of fillings) and dan ta (egg tart). Qing man yong!

[ PROMOTION ]

ROU VER DISCO

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GET THE NEO-ASIA LOOK Having grown up in a family of craftsmen who make silk-screen patterns for the popular Yokohama scarf – which is famed for using unique printing techniques – Maki Hayazono was seemingly fated to work in fashion. Fulfilling this destiny, she built a name (and a huge fan following) for herself as a model before founding the clothing brand Rourou in 2000. The concept is “Neo-Asia style from Japan” and the label is created around an imaginary utopian country in Asia called Rourou: “advanced, unknown, and full of culture and fine arts.” Setting up shop in Yokohama’s Chinatown, she weaves in both Chinese and European influences into her Japanese sensibility. As for the clothes, they’re bright, feminine, and pay close attention to traditional techniques employed by craftsmen in Japan and the rest of Asia.

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HIDE AWAY WITH A PANDA LATTE As an extension to her clothing brand – and perhaps a physical representation of the Rourou utopia – Hayazono opened Rourou Café in 2014. It’s tucked away behind the clothing store, boasting two floors connected by a flight of stairs adorned with pink walls and floralprint stairs. The magical space feels at once calm and quirky. Thin wooden beams crisscross the ceiling, framing colorful bird cages and bright chandeliers. As with the clothing label, the café combines Asian and European influences, so you can look forward to modern Western décor and menu goodies such as Chinese geppei (a round cake that resembles a full moon), Chinese pies stuffed with red bean or coconut, and an incredibly cute “Panda Latte.”

From 6pm on Fridays and Saturdays, the café also offers a bar service.

MUST-BUYS Scarves from Yokohama have become globally renowned for their thin silk fabric. At Rourou you’ll find the Yokohama Multi-Way Scarf, which as the name implies, can be worn in a variety of ways. In fact, there are more than 20 different ways to tie this scarf, transforming it into different types of clothing including a blouse, a bolero jacket, or even a dress. The trick is in its rectangular shape and strategically placed buttons. It’s also wrinkle resistant, making it ideal as vacation wear. Also be sure to pick up one of the store’s signature purses (pictured far left), featuring traditional prints and available as either a wallet or money purse.

ROUROU 130-12 Yamashitacho, Naka-ku, Yokohama | Hours: 11am-6pm (shop), 12pm-11pm (café) | Phone: 045 650 5466 Web: rourou.com

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ARE A G UI DE BEND YOUR MIND

T A E R T R O K C TRI OMON H C N E T ORIES OW N ’ S T T S A T N I H IG CH ERS E OSITE F P F P E O O I ING D MOR ISEKA N A A D , A S TA N D G IN AM HOPP O KO H S Y , , D E O T GA N, FO OF FU

Taking up floors three to eight of this large “entertainment theme park,” the Artrick Museum is undoubtedly the star of the show. With 150 works intended to amaze, confuse, and surprise you, this is one of those attractions that can turn an ordinary afternoon into something a little more, well, illusory. They encourage phototaking, so the images you find online when you Google “Yokohama Trick Art Museum” will give you an excellent – and amusing – idea of poses to prepare before you go. We love the “Reverse Room”, which lets you rotate wall paintings to make it look like you’re standing on the ceiling. Feeling dizzy? Head down to the third floor’s Artrick Museum Café. Amongst other treats, they serve Cremia ice cream, which is made with premium quality Hokkaido milk and 25 percent full cream.

Artrick Museum tickets: Adults ¥1,300, students ¥1,000, children ¥600, three years and under free. Hours: 10am-8pm.

DRESS UP IF YOU DARE

CHINESE TAKEAWAYS If you’re looking for goods and gifts, look no further. On the first floor of Yokohama Daisekai you’ll find Yokohama Daisekai Market, the largest souvenir shop in Chinatown. It’s packed with Chinese teas, sweets, and ingredients, along with a selection of quality sake and, unsurprisingly, a panda-themed section – in fact, even the entrance is shaped like a huge panda face. According to the staff, the best-selling item at the market are the Panda Manju (traditional Japanese sweets filled with azuki beans). Had enough of pandas? On the same floor, you can buy delicious dim sum takeout from the Fuki Paozurou stall. Renowned for serving a variety of dumplings, this spot is one of the best places to sample gyoza as well as delicious steamed buns filled with sweet pork. Order a selection on your way out and snack while you complete your Chinatown stroll. Hours: 9:30am-9:30pm.

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While Yokohama Daisekai models itself on the exotic world of 20s and 30s Shanghai, you can model yourself on the city’s glamorous residents by dressing up in rental Chinese costumes. Should the cosplay mood take you, head to the center’s second floor and look for the Egao Henshin Shashinkan shop. Here, you can choose your costume and then strike a pose while a professional photographer captures the moment. For those who really love a bit of cosplay, you are welcome to bring along your own costumes.

YOKOHAMA DAISEKAI 97 Yamashitacho, Naka-ku, Yokohama Web: www.daska.jp

[ PROMOTION ]

I-ZA KAMAKURA Bringing together shopping, art, food, and events

A ROOFTOP ESCAPE WORK YOUR WAY UPWARDS AT YOKOHAMA HAKURANK AN

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lthough smaller than Yokohama Daisekai, this shopping center offers similar entertainment in the way of shopping and dim sum tasting. The first floor features Yokohama Hakurankan Market, which is brimming with curated souvenir-style goods made in Yokohama. Browse the shelves and work your way around to Kaikarou, the dim sum stall offering delicious handmade steamed meat buns, and shumai (pork dumplings).

Next, head to Baby-Star Land on the second floor for an experience that you’ll probably only ever have in Japan: watching how the country’s beloved Baby-Star Ramen gets made. The official English name for this product is Baby-Star Crispy Noodle Snack, which gives you a better idea of what it is – essentially, fried ramen noodles turned into a potato crisp-style snack. At Baby-Star Land, however, you get to slurp them while still hot and fresh.

One floor up and you’ve reached the rooftop Garden Terrace Café, the perfect place to wind down while sipping on some quality homemade Black Pearl Milk Tea. Be sure to spend a few minutes soaking your feet in the Ashi-yu (footbath), and let that zen feeling wash over you.

YOKOHAMA HAKURANKAN 145 Yamashitacho, Naka-ku, Yokohama | Phone: 045 640 0081 Hours: 9:30am-9:30pm | Web: hakurankan.jp

FROM TOP Yokohama Hakurankan features three floors including the rooftop terrace, Baby Star Ramen, Black Pearl Milk Tea, shumai (pork dumplings)

Just steps away from JR Kamakura Station, the i-ZA Kamakura shopping center offers an ideal resting point – either after your train trip to this seaside getaway or before you make your way back home. Sample a variety of local food products at Kamakuraya, browse a selection of household goods, or try on some items for your wardrobe. The restaurants and cafés on the three floors of the shopping center offer everything from Japanese favorites to light refreshments, desserts, and coffee beverages. Throughout the year, i-ZA Kamakura hosts open-air farmers’ markets and exhibitions by local artists, making the destination a new surprise each time.

I-ZA KAMAKURA: 1-6-15 Komachi, Kamakura Phone: 0467 22 2380 | Hours: 9:30am10:00pm | Web: i-za-kamakura.com

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GUESS BAG There’s nothing like a pretty, elegant handbag to cheer things up. This limited-edition floral-print range, featuring the iconic Guess monogram, was designed especially for the new Guess Japan store, which opened in Shibuya at the end of April and is the brand’s first standalone shop in the Tokyo area. And there’s plenty more where these bags came from – the three-story shop is currently packed with pops of orange, pink and yellow, just in time for summer. 26-1 Udagawacho, Shibuya-ku. www.guess.com

LANVIN SKIRT

CHARLOTTE OLYMPIA FLATS After wearing rain boots for most of June’s rainy season, treat yourself to some pretty and playful footwear that you won’t want to take off until summer is over. We love these not-so-flat flats, handcrafted in Italy from lightweight canvas and trimmed with glossy gold. While most clothing items featuring cats or other animals might look childish or cutesy, we prefer to qualify these simply as “fun.”

Pair them with a mini dress or ankle-length jeans for a look that will really be the cat’s meow. charlotteolympia.com

COME RAIN OR SHINE

HOW DO YOU GET DRESSED UP FOR A MONTH THAT’S OFTEN RAINY AND OCCASIONALLY FAR TOO HOT? GLAD YOU ASKED… Compiled by Vivian Morelli and Annemarie Luck

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Fresh off the Spring/Summer 2016 runway, this skirt was designed by Alber Elbaz in his last collection for the French couture house. This theater costume-inspired skirt, patterned with Lanvin handbag motifs, is chic enough to be worn on a night out, and casual enough for a daytime stroll. While the skirt is actually pricier than some of Lanvin’s handbags, we think it’s a pretty fantastic splurge and a unique piece. lanvin.com

MISSONI T-SHIRT

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN UMBRELLA In Japan, June is synonymous with the dreaded rainy season. While it only lasts for a few weeks, it can make sunny days seem like a distant memory.

Get through this drizzly time of the year with a stylish umbrella from none other than Alexander McQueen.

The all-black brolly opens to a generous size and will keep you dry in sudden downpours. Our only tip: don’t leave this baby with the silver-skull handle unattended in the communal umbrella rack! alexandermcqueen.com

This vibrant sunset-hued tee from Italian luxury label Missoni embodies summer. And when the sunny season does kick in (usually unannounced and taking us by surprise), keep it light and simple with this soft cotton T-shirt. The festive mix of orange, red, and purple is best paired with a pair of dark denim or black trousers, but it also looks great with white. Add a linen scarf to dress it up, and try not to get addicted to Italian luxury brands. missoni.com

ACNE SUNGLASSES A good pair of sunglasses can make a simple jeans-and-T-shirt combo look suddenly stylish – not to mention protect your eyes from UV rays. These specs from Swedish label Acne (don’t mind the unfortunate name) are the ideal accessory to add to your collection this season. We’re completely sold on the thick frame, the light brown, almost tortoiseshell hue, and the angular shape. Wear them at the beach, on your way to work, or simply to hide those sleepdeprived eyes. acnestudios.com

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Because these two things go together like, well, cake and coffee VEGEDECO AT GINZA GRAND HOTEL

MAXIM CHOTTO ZEITAKUNA KOHITEN

BE ST FOR Sugar addicts who are trying to

B E S T F OR Die-hard Beatles fans.

give up sugar.

W H AT ’S T H E D E AL? 2016 marks 50 years since the Beatles’ 1966 show in Japan, and Maxim coffee has just opened a pop-up café in Omotesando with hand-drip brews and cakes dedicated to the band and their concert at the Budokan. It also happens to be Maxim’s 10th anniversary. The popular coffee brand is all about leisure time, so it’s fitting they’ve chosen to combine music and coffee for the ultimate afternoon break.

WH AT’S TH E D EA L ? Okay, these are not actually cakes; they’re salads that look like cakes. But you were fooled, right? We discovered Nagoya-based food stylist Mitsuki Moriyasu’s beautiful low-carb, gluten-free salad cakes last month, and were delighted to hear they’re on offer in Tokyo in June as part of a lunch special at Ginza Grand Hotel.

WH AT’S I T M AD E F RO M ? The cakes are packed with seasonal vegetables that are arranged in colorful layers and surrounded by sponge cake made with natural ingredients such as soybean flour. The icing is made from tofu or cream cheese, blended with vegetables to create their pretty hues. They admittedly taste more savory than sweet, but somehow still satisfy a cake craving. Talk about a trick of the senses.

WH AT TO TRY The Vegedeco Salad Lunch at Ginza Grand Hotel (Mon-Fri 11:30am2:30pm, Sat, Sun & hols 11:30am-3pm).

8-6-15 Ginza, Chuo-ku. ginzagrand.com.

Available until the end of June.

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B U T T H E RE ’S MORE You can also browse a mini exhibition of photographs taken by Robert Whitaker, who was renowned for his photos of the band in the mid-60s. (Also read our feature on p.24.)

FROM TOP Maxim Chotto Zeitakuna Kohiten, healthy and pretty Vegedeco salad cakes at Ginza Grand Hotel

W H AT TO T RY Choose between three main types of coffee: “Yesterday” (a little bitter, inspired by “nostalgia”); “I Feel Fine” (fresh and light, inspired by “first love”); and “Something” (mild and sour, made to feel “sexy”). Opt for a cake set and you get one of their aptly named desserts, “Yellow Submarine” and “Strawberry Fields Forever.”

6-9-11 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku. Open from 11:30am-11pm until July 1.

THUMBSUP-GIVING STAFF MAKE YOU WANT TO STAY A WHILE

VERVE COFFEE ROASTERS

THE WORKERS COFFEE BE ST FOR Nakameguro neighborhood strollers who are seeking a spot in the sun.

W H AT’S TH E D E A L ? Perched on a

B E S T F OR

corner overlooking Meguro River, this trendy but laidback spot offers morning sun and a little solitude. There’s a restaurant at the back, but we prefer to sip on our latte while seated on the benches outside.

Smart shoppers looking for a “coastal vibe.”

W H AT ’S T H E D E AL?

I T ’S FOR ART LO V ER S TO O One wall of the shop is lined with interesting books, and they occasionally host art exhibitions. Check their website for upcoming events.

W H AT TO TRY They have a range of miniature desserts and super-sized cookies, all of which complement the basic but quality coffee menu which includes Caffe Latte, Americano, Dripped Coffee and Espresso.

3-18-3 Aobadai, Meguro-ku. theworks.tokyo

FROM TOP A treat at The Workers Coffee (interior pictured below), welcome to Verve Coffee Roasters (above right)

Founded in 2007 by Californians Ryan O’Donovan and Colby Barr, the brand has up until now always been about a “go west” mentality. So opening a branch slap bang in the middle of Tokyo is a surprise decision. However, chief operations officer Mike Eyre explains that when they thought about the prospect of opening in Tokyo, their first location outside of California, “we realized that going to Japan was actually how a west coast company goes west – you cross the Pacific.” The Verve Coffee Roasters team is renowned for being involved with every aspect of their coffee production from farm level (buying it) to street level (serving it). They work hard to establish relationships with farms across the world, ensuring they’re sourcing and serving the best quality brews.

W H AT ’S T H E TOKYO B RANCH L IKE? Their philosophy holds strong at their new Shinjuku branch, which you can find on the second floor of the recently opened Newoman shopping complex. Even though it’s attached to Shinjuku Station – which we all know is madness at the best of times – they’ve managed to capture at least a hint of their signature coastal outpost atmosphere.

Hanging plants, warm tones of wood, and thumbsup-giving staff all make you want to take a seat and stay a while.

W H AT TO T RY When we visited, we tried a cup of their Ethiopia Layo Teraga blend, which comes from Uraga, Guji and is described with the words “boysenberry, citric, punch.” It was fresh and delicate yet fruity and rich at the same time. Need a sweet snack too?

Pair your cuppa with one of their very delicious doughnuts.

5-24-55 Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku. vervecoffee.jp

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[ PROMOTION ]

1 BLOSSOM IN G H OT CH OC OLATE This ingenious drink launched in spring, taking social media by storm and making us want to order it again and again just to watch as the flower-shaped marshmallow is delicately placed on the surface of the hot chocolate and slowly unfolds, revealing a tiny ball of cocoa in the middle.

THE TOP 10 AT DOMINIQUE ANSEL BAKERY JAPAN Weekender rounds up the innovative treats that make waiting in line at the busy Omotesando store completely worth it

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on’t let the creation kill the creativity,” writes Dominique Ansel on his website. It’s the perfect sentiment for a chef who consistently pushes to stay ahead of the curve, inventing new and exciting hybrid desserts on a monthly basis.

As a result, there is always a fresh surprise waiting at his bakeries; even the famed Cronut gets a new recipe every month.

Join the line that forms every afternoon outside his Tokyo store and the excitement is palpable. Each branch around the world boasts its own unique menu of treats,

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ABOVE Dominique Ansel at work

CONTACT 5-7-14 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo | Hours: Mon-Sun 10am-7pm | Phone: 03 3486 1329 Web: dominiqueanseljapan.com/en Note: 1F menu is only sweets; 2F menu offers both savory snacks and sweets.

which means most of the desserts on offer here – and featured on these pages – are only available in Japan. Still, Ansel never resorts to a cliché. You’ll find matcha on the menu, but it’ll be in the form of a green frog, for example. And he’ll take inspiration from Okinawa’s seasonal passion fruit, but you’ll find it transformed into a jam and used as a filling in June’s delicious Cronut.

We went along to taste the Cronut for ourselves, along with a host of other mouthwatering desserts on offer. Here are our top 10 favorite items on the menu…

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CROAK CROAK F RO G

C RO NU T® The bakery’s signature dessert gets a fresh spin on the recipe every month, with June giving us a version filled with passion fruit jam, lavender garnish, and sugar sprinkles on the outside. Incredibly, it takes three days to make each batch, which is why they only sell 200 to 250 per day.

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F ROZE N S’ M ORE The Dominique Ansel team sources real wooden branches from Chiba for this one!

Calling to mind nights spent around a campfire, it’s an indulgent combination of vanilla ice cream covered with chocolate flakes and then enrobed in honey marshmallow, which is torched to order.

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Released in mid-May, this religieuse (a traditional French pastry made with a double-decker cream puff) is as adorable as it is delicious. It’s filled with matcha cream and fresh white peach jam. An ideal treat for rainy season afternoons.

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PARIS TOK YO HOT C H O C M ES SAGE B OTTL E Ideal for a gift or just a takeaway treat for yourself, this glass bottle is filled with chocolate chunks and chocolate shells (because if this were a real message in a bottle, you’d be throwing it in the ocean, right?). All you have to do is add hot milk and stir.

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COOK IE SH OT ™ Reminisce about childhood days spent snacking on milk and cookies with this innovative take on the traditional combo. A soft cookie is shaped to look like a shot glass and served with fresh vanilla milk, so you can sip, bite and chew all at the same time.

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CE N T RAL PARK BASKET

JAS M I N E FLOW E R Look closely and you’ll notice tiny droplets of “morning dew” on the white chocolate petals. It’s this kind of attention to detail that separates Dominique Ansel from the rest. This beautiful Jasmine Flower is made of mango, jasmine and lychee mousse, and almond biscuit.

As one of the Japan-only menu items, this is a must-try. It puts a twist on the French Paris Brest dessert, which is usually made of choux pastry and praline-flavored cream. This version consists of matcha ganache and soft passion fruit curd.

M R ROBOTO Melonpan is a type of sweet bun popular in Japan, and Mr Roboto is Dominique Ansel’s very own version of the dessert.

Only available in Tokyo, this quirky treat is filled with hojicha, which is sweet, roasted brown tea cream.

Enjoy lobster rolls, watermelon gazpacho, fudge brownies, and apple cider doughnuts served on a red-and-whitechecked tablecloth. They even let you borrow a pair of cute sunglasses to complete the look. The name is, of course, a nod to New York’s famous park.

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FROM TOP Mixologist Ryuichi Saito at Rooftop Bar, enjoy premium steaks at Andaz Tavern

SUMMER SPECIALS TO TRY Mojito Summer Nights at Rooftop Bar For two months, Andaz Tokyo’s mixologists improvise on the classic minty Cuban drink with rums from oak barrels and fresh fruits including Okinawan pineapple, muskmelon, watermelon, peach, and fig. ¥1,800 per drink July 1-August 31, 5pm-12am (1am on Fri & Sat).

Steaks: From Kagoshima to Shiraoi at Andaz Tavern Japan is renowned for its exquisite beef quality, and this special offer gives you the opportunity to taste the most premium meats from Miyazaki to Niigata where the beef is aged in a mountain cellar and chilled by natural snowfall. June 1-July 15, 6pm-10pm, from ¥3,800-¥14,500.

“Andaz Passion” Fruits at Pastry Shop Okinawa’s edible jewel, passion fruit, takes center stage at Pastry Shop this summer. Try it in various desserts including the Passion Fruit Trifle (¥550), the Okinawa Passion Fruit Tart (¥480), and the Whole Candied Passion Fruit (¥780).

Prices exclude consumption tax.

A 15% service charge also applies at Rooftop Bar and Andaz Tavern.

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A New Season

As Andaz Tokyo celebrates its second anniversary, the hotel welcomes a new Director of Food & Beverage, and unveils a host of sumptuous summer specials

A

listair Minty has come a long way since he first started working in the food and beverage industry at age 14. Those early days spent serving at a local restaurant in the small town of Bedford, UK, sparked a passion that would turn into a career that has taken him from England to Dubai to Korea and, now, to Japan. We met up with him only two weeks into his stint as Andaz Tokyo’s new Director of Food & Beverage to chat more about his journey so far and his plans for the hotel.

in what they do, and Japan offers the height of luxury in terms of food and beverage. As a hotelier, it’s a main aim to work at this level. I really didn’t think twice about taking this offer.

COULD YOU SHARE YOUR PLANS FOR ANDAZ TOKYO? We have two wonderful executive sous chefs – one Japanese, one European – and we work together as a team to create stories and experiences for our guests. Our aim is to get people emotionally involved in our food. We change the menu seasonally, and we are planning a host of wonderful summer specials for guests. One new offering I’d recommend is the seared beef carpaccio paired with a unique red wine from Australia that’s chilled and sparkling – very unique. It will be available from July 16 to August 31.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT THIS JOB? I’ve always been a big talker and my character is very curious, so I love that I get to meet so many fascinating people. I’ve also always been a big eater – my mum will tell you that – and I love to understand how flavors work together.

One of my favorite things is to experience the marriage of food and wine.

WHY DID YOU MAKE THE MOVE FROM SEOUL TO TOKYO? It has long been a professional dream of mine to work in Tokyo.

Japanese people are very refined

FROM TOP Andaz Tavern, Alistair Minty, the chicken claypot, award-winning Personal Collins cocktail

MAKE A RESERVATION Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills, 1-23-4 Minato-ku, Tokyo Phone: 03 6830 7739 andaztokyodining.com/en

YOUR FAVORITE DISH AND DRINK AT THE HOTEL? The chicken claypot, which comes in a beautiful pot, is packed with veggies, and is slow-cooked in sherry. Also, we’re very proud of the award-winning Personal Collins cocktail created by our mixologist Ryuichi Saito and served at our rooftop bar.

PLUG IN TO SUMMER We know you still have to get through the rainy season, but all the more reason to give you something to look forward to. Turn the page for our pick of the top music acts playing this season’s festival circuit. Besides recommending big names like Beck, Radiohead, and Deadmau5 (pictured here), we asked Johnnie Fingers of the Fuji Rock team (and Boomtown Rats fame) to suggest upcoming acts to watch at Fuji’s 20th anniversary. He said: “Mura Masa, Oliver Heldens, The Internet, Leon Bridge, and Jack Garratt.”

(Full interview at www.tokyoweekender.com.)

TOKYOWEEKENDER.COM

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B E C K AT F U J I ROCK One of the headliners at Fuji Rock this year is the LA-raised, hipster-before-hipsters-werecool troubadour, Beck. With a style that runs from folk and hip hop to R&B and psychedelia, he’s been catching the ears of music fans and critics since 1993, when his first big single – “Loser” – hit the airwaves. Here’s a handful of things you might not know about the musical maverick.

A SHADY APARTMENT OWNER MAY HAVE SET HIM ON THE ROAD TO FAME In 1989, Beck was in New York City, where he was playing the city’s bohemian districts.

After more than a year without a steady address, he was on the verge of getting his own place in 1990. The “owner” of the place persuaded him pay up front, with the key to follow in a couple of days. He never saw the woman – or his money – again, and rather than face another vagabond stretch in the Big Apple, he headed home…

© Steve Keros

D ON ’T CALL H IM A “LOSE R” …and eventually recorded a blockbuster.

Dubbed a “slacker anthem” and a musical follow up to Radiohead’s “Creep,” “Loser” turned the Angeleno into the object of a record label bidding war after its release.

He has mixed feelings about the song that put him on the map, though: he thought it was something he’d tossed off but didn’t want to be associated with. As he said in an interview with the music site Pitchfork, “It’s like if a friend took a stupid picture of you at a party on their phone, and the next thing you knew, it was on every billboard.”

H E CAN M AK E ROBOTS DAN CE For his video “Hell Yes,” Beck was granted access to four prototypes of Sony’s QRIO robot, who do their animatronic shimmy to the singer’s surrealistic flow. Beck and video director Garth Jennings set up the choreography for the troupe, and programmers spent three weeks to get the moves coded into the ’bots. Not bad for a guy who says he didn’t swap over from a typewriter to a computer until 2002.

H E ’S WRIT T E N AN “ALBU M ” OF SH E E T M U SIC Titled “Song Reader,” the project features 20 different tunes and 100 pages of photographs.

Originally published in book form, it has taken on new life in social media.

H E ’S BE E N H ON ORE D BY THE G RE AT PU RPLE ON E H IMSELF Kanye West did threaten to take the stage, but that didn’t stop Beck from receiving his 2015 Best Album Grammy for “Morning Phase” from none other than Prince. (Is that a touch of purple that we see on the front cover?)

Fuji Rock: July 24-26 at Naeba Ski Resort, Yuzawa-cho, Niigata. fujirock-eng.com

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Compiled by Annemarie Luck, Alec Jordan, and Laurier Tiernan

WHO TO WATCH THIS SUMMER

OUR PI CK OF TH E TO P ACTS P LAYING TO KYO AN D SURROUN D S TH IS C O MING F E STIVA L SEAS O N RA D I OH E A D AT S U MME R SON IC If you’ve Googled Radiohead lately, you would have come across two interesting phenomena. First, the phrase “digital crumbs,” which is being used to describe the kind of clever marketing campaigns employed by artists looking for groundbreaking ways to release their music to the online world – in Radiohead’s case, they deleted their social media presence, amongst other things, causing massive hype before releasing their ninth album, “A Moon Shaped Pool.” Second, the fact that Thom Yorke is being compared to Beyoncé.

The link? The aforementioned digital crumbs. (In case you hadn’t heard, Beyoncé’s “Lemonade” caused just as much hype as that little animated tweeting bird Radiohead gave us in May.) Fortunately, unlike The Radiohead Concert That Never Happened (Shibuya, 2011), these crumbs are actually leading us somewhere…

Summer Sonic: August 20-21 at Makuhari Messe, 2-1 Nakase, Mihama-ku, Chiba. www.summersonic.com

BABY M ETA L AT RO CK I N JA PA N This teen trio needs no introduction; they’re probably the most talked-about band to come out of Japan in recent years. In April, their album “Metal Resistance” cracked the Billboard 200’s Top 40, debuting at number 39. They’ve been named the highest-charting Japanese band to be listed on the UK’s Official Albums Chart, where they landed at number 15. They also kicked off their 2016 world tour in April with a show at the UK’s Wembley Arena, making history as the first Japanese band to headline the prestigious venue. Still can’t quite believe how these “kawaii metal” pop stars have managed to make it so big? Now’s your chance to see them for yourself…

Rock in Japan: August 6, 7, 13, 14 at Hitachi Seaside Park, 605-4 Mawatari, Hitachinaka, Ibaraki. rijfes.jp

YK IK I BE AT AT WORLD H APPIN E SS Chances are you’ve heard their catchy 2015-released song “Forever” on local radio stations. Chances are also you presumed you were listening to a British band. But all five members of this indie act are Japanese; it’s just their inspirations that have molded their sound. We asked lead vocalist Nobuki Akiyama a few questions ahead of the band’s appearance at World Happiness festival.

WH AT CAN YOU R FAN S LOOK F ORWARD TO? I guess we’ll be able to do some new songs, so we hope everyone will enjoy our new thoughts. It’s not common for us to play at a huge festival like this one. We’re so stoked to play it.

H OW D OE S PE RF ORM ING IN AM E RICA COM PARE TO PLAYIN G IN JAPAN ?

Even in America there’s a huge difference between each city so it’s not easy to define, but playing in America is really cool for us. There’s an amazingly creative atmosphere. We feel people are really enjoying indie music over there. In Japan people are more focused on listening to the music itself, instead of shouting and dancing. It’s more calm maybe? I love the American way of enjoying music, but sometimes they don’t care about the music so much, so I also understand why many foreign bands love a Japanese audience.

WH O ARE YOU E XCIT E D ABOU T PLAYIN G WIT H AT T H IS F E ST IVAL? If we can play with Happy End or Miyuki Nakajima that would be great!

World Happiness: August 28 at 3-2 Yumenoshima, Koto-ku, Tokyo. www.world-happiness.com

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CU LT U RE CLU B AT ZE PP TOK YO Having sold more than 10 million albums worldwide, Culture Club remain one of the most well-loved hit makers of the 80s, but internal tensions, and the success of Boy George’s DJ career, kept its members going their separate ways for decades after their heyday. Despite ongoing struggles to complete their first album since 1999, last year Culture Club launched its first all-member tour in 13 years. This highly anticipated return to form hits Zepp Tokyo for two nights only. Especially considering the rate at which legends are passing away this year, this show is a must-see.

Culture Club: June 21-22 at Zepp Tokyo, 1-3-11 Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo. hall.zepp.co.jp/tokyo

N ARIM ICH I K AWABATA AT YOKOH AM A OTOM ATSUR I

CARLY RA E JEPS EN AT ROC KC OR PS JA PA N 2 0 1 6 With most music festivals, getting your hands on a ticket is a matter of staying up until midnight and then rapidly refreshing a browser, or if you’re old school, waiting in a very long queue to buy your ticket. That’s not the way it works with a RockCorps show. To get your hands on a ticket, you have to put those hands to work for four hours, taking part in one of dozens of volunteer activities that the organization sets up. Started in the US 11 years ago, the movement has spread to 10 countries, and is celebrating its third anniversary in Japan. Headlining this year’s show in Fukushima is Canadian singer-songwriter Carly Rae Jepsen, who RockCorps founder and CEO Stephen Greene describes as a performer who is “born for the stage; when you see her live it’s clear that she’s having the time of her life, and she was meant to do this.” Former AKB48 member Minami Takahashi will also take the stage, and other artists will be announced in the months to come. Greene makes it clear that each artist who takes the stage share the feeling that “the stars that night are the audience of volunteers, not them.”

RockCorps Japan 2016: September 3 at Azuma Gymnastics Center, 1 Sabara Kamikotoba, Fukushima City, Fukushima (free buses and discounted rental cars available). rockcorps.yahoo.co.jp/2016 2 2 | J U N E 2 0 1 6 | TOKYO W E E K E NDE R

Held over 67 days, the triennial Yokohama Otomatsuri runs the gamut of musical styles and tastes, with a total of 300 different performances in classical, jazz, pop, and traditional Japanese music all on the program for the event. Last time around, in 2013, the event drew close to four million attendees, and this year promises to keep Kanto’s music festival atmosphere going well into fall. One of the more unique musical offerings at the festival will be a concert by Narimichi Kawabata. Left severely visually impaired by a childhood accident, Kawabata is not just a musician by trade: “What I do goes beyond that,” he tells Weekender. “For a very long time, there hasn’t been a day when I didn’t play the violin, and now it’s like the instrument [a Guadagnini that was made the same year that Beethoven was born] has become a part of my body.” His performance at the Otomatsuri will be remarkable for a particular reason: the concert will take place in darkness, a first even for Narimichi – who is known for his skill in creating engaging programs. “I’ve never tried anything like this before. There are a lot of things we hope the audience will be able to experience by listening to music in this kind of a situation.”

Yokohama Otomatsuri: September 22-November 27 at various venues in Yokohama (Narimichi will be playing at Philia Hall, Aoba Kumin Bunka Center). yokooto.jp/en

M INM I AT F REED O M AOZORA In these troublesome times of teen-popensemble-group overload, Minmi stands out for a number of reasons. She started her career back in 1996, performing hip hop and reggae at clubs in Osaka.

She is considered to be the first soca musician to come out of Japan. She not only sings, but also writes and arranges songs, and produces for other bands, including her husband Wakadanna’s popular reggae outfit Shonan no Kaze.

If this unique performer alone is not enough motivation to trek all the way to Hyogo Prefecture for the Freedom Aozora music festival, the chance to explore Awaji Island should change your mind.

It’s blessed with abundant beautiful nature, fine beaches, and some interesting sightseeing.

Freedom Aozora: July 30 at Awajishi Yumebutai, 8-10 Yumebutai, Hyogo (two more festival dates are scheduled at different locations in Japan in August and September). freedom-aozora.com

D E A D MAU 5 AT U LT RA JAPAN Pretty much anything you want to know about Deadmau5 (real name Joel Zimmerman) can be found out just by scrolling through his Twitter feed (@deadmau5). In May alone, we learnt, through his tweets, about his Soundcloud account getting hacked; his online criticism of Skrillex working with Justin Bieber (to which Skrillex hit back via “Rolling Stone”: “I like working with Justin Bieber”); and his plans to revive his iconic cube stage – after which he plans to “tour like a madman.” Whether the stage is ready or not, the next few months see the progressive house producer touring like a madman anyway, from America to Spain, to Korea, and to Japan, amongst other countries.

Ultra Japan: September 17-19 at Tokyo Odaiba Ultra Park. ultrajapan.jp

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By Matthew Hernon

IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A SACRED PLACE KEPT FOR JAPANESE MARTIAL ARTS LIKE JUDO, KENDO AND KARATE. THEN FOUR MUSICIANS FROM LIVERPOOL TURNED UP AND TRANSFORMED EVERYTHING. FIFTY YEARS AFTER THE FAB FOUR’S CONTROVERSIAL SHOW AT THE NIPPON BUDOKAN, WEEKENDER CHATS TO TWO ARTISTS WHO SUPPORTED THE BAND DURING THE TOUR

O

n June 30, 1966, the Beatles played their first ever live show in Japan. The band’s only ever tour of the country included five 30-minute sets over three days, all of which took place at the Nippon Budokan.

Located between Yasukuni Shrine and the Imperial Palace, it had been built two years earlier in time to host the judo competition at the Tokyo Olympics and was deemed the only indoor venue large enough to accommodate the world’s most famous pop group.

In the 50 years since it has established itself as the premier concert hall in the country with many artists, including the likes of Bob Dylan,

Frank Sinatra and Eric Clapton, recording live albums there. Without the Beatles, though, that may not have been possible. Back in 1966 many people were vehemently opposed to the idea of Western musicians performing at such an esteemed venue. Fearing a violent backlash the government deployed 35,000 police officers to patrol the streets. Eccentric rock star Yuya Uchida – one of the warm-up acts during the tour – recalls the atmosphere leading up to the first show.

“It was crazy,” he tells us. “You had all these right-wing people protesting and yelling from their cars. Personally I thought it was exciting. I mean it’s better than everyone

Anita Ponne / Shutterstock.com

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being calm and boring. At that time you had great jazz artists such as Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra, but rock was completely new. The existence of the Beatles was both revolutionary and shocking.”

It was all too much for Prime Minister Eisaku Sato and Budokan President Matsutaro Shoriki who felt the shows would be “inappropriate” and led calls for them to be cancelled. However, as the contract had already been signed it was too late; the Fab Four would be coming regardless. They arrived at Haneda airport at 3:40am on the 30th after a typhoon delayed them by more than 10 hours. Despite the time, around 1,500 people were said to be waiting in the arrivals lounge hoping to get a glimpse of their idols.

A peek was all the fans were afforded, though. After exiting the plane wearing JAL-sponsored happi coats (that flight attendant Satoko Kawasaki suggested they put on), John, Paul, George and Ringo were diverted to the VIP area where they were informed about threats that had been made against them by student groups. They were then quickly whisked away in run-down limousines to the Tokyo Hilton hotel.

This was effectively their “luxurious prison” for the next few days. All the rooms nearby were occupied by police officers and the four Liverpudlians were under strict instructions not to leave their presidential suite unless instructed to do so. Paul McCartney managed to persuade a plainclothes police officer to escort him to Meiji Shrine and the Imperial Palace, but was soon spotted and quickly escorted into the car back to the hotel. John Lennon allegedly swapped ID badges with a photographer and headed to Omotesando where he bought some gifts at the renowned Oriental Bazaar shop.

With manager Brian Epstein forced to apologize and promise that they wouldn’t do it again, the Beatles had little choice: they’d have to stay in their rooms. Several merchants dropped by to sell them expensive goods, but apart from that there was little else to do so they spent much of the time painting. The canvas they created, which became known as “Images of a Woman”, is the only known artwork signed by all four members and sold for $155,250 at an auction in 2012.

Photographer Robert Whitaker, who chronicled the tour, said he’d “never seen them calmer, more contented than at this time. They’d stop, go and do a concert, and then it was ‘Let’s go back to the picture!’”

Epstein’s personal assistant Peter Brown remembered things a little differently. Quoted in Bob Spitz’s book “The Beatles: The Biography” he said, “It was their first time in the Far East and they were looking forward to going out. They resented being cooped up like caged animals. It was more difficult than usual.”

At the Budokan the security was even tighter. For every 10 spectators there were around three police officers. Fans were warned not to shout or scream. It was so quiet the Beatles could even hear themselves play (they apparently didn’t like what they heard). According to Yuya Uchida it wasn’t the audience’s lack of enthusiasm that drowned out the atmosphere, but the distance between the crowd and the stage.

“There were cheers, but the band probably couldn’t hear them

because they were so far away,” he says. “The arena seats were cut off so everyone was either on the second or third floor and there were cops everywhere. It was quite a strange situation – like something out of ‘A Clockwork Orange.’ After doing my bit [a cover of the Animals track “We Gotta Get Out of This Place”] I was then allowed to sit right in front of the stage to watch them. It felt like a private performance.”

The 11-song set list by the Beatles was the same for all five shows, featuring classics like “Yesterday” and “Day Tripper.” Sat alongside Uchida for each one was Isao Bito, an emerging singer in Japan who was also chosen as a support act for the tour.

“I was shivering heavily before playing,” Bito tells Weekender.

“I’d never performed in front of more than 3,000 people before, so it was a real privilege to be a part of it all. Watching the Beatles up so close made it even more special. Being an Elvis Presley fan, I saw them as a bit soft, like a group of honor students. That was until I saw them live; they looked like monsters up on that stage.”

Bito tried to pass the band a present after one of the shows, but was quickly thwarted by security. Getting close to the Beatles was an almost impossible task; however, Uchida did manage to strike up a friendship with John Lennon seven years later.

“I got chatting to Yoko Ono in Dakota and then he just appeared wearing a dirty T-shirt and those hippy glasses,” says the 76-year-old. “After that we often went out for dinner together. I’d usually get drunk, but he wouldn’t drink much. He was always very kind, calm and cool.”

Of course by that stage the Beatles had already disbanded. After the Tokyo shows they went to the Philippines where the group unintentionally snubbed a breakfast invitation from the nation’s First Lady, Imelda Marcos, and were subsequently attacked by angry mobs. They then received death threats in America from religious groups who were infuriated by John Lennon’s claim earlier in the year that the Beatles were “more popular than Jesus.”

Growing increasingly frustrated with life on the road they decided the world tour of 1966 was to be their last. Despite producing a number of successful albums after that, it was effectively the beginning of the end for the band. Their official breakup was announced on April 10, 1970.

As for Isao Bito, he switched his focus towards acting from the Seventies onwards. His most recent movie, “Something Like, Something Like It,” is a sequel to the 1981 comedy “Something Like,” which he starred in. Yuya Uchida has also appeared in a number of films, most notably Ridley Scott’s “Black Rain” and “Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence,” alongside David Bowie. His greatest achievement in music is surely the World Rock Festival that he’s been producing for more than 40 years. His finest moment, however, arguably came half a century ago at the Nippon Budokan.

“When I say I supported the Beatles people still get so excited,” he says. “That’s the impact they continue to have on the public. I remember as I watched them in 1966 I thought to myself, ‘These four guys are going to change the world,’ and in many ways they have.”

YOU HAD ALL THESE RIGHTWING PEOPLE PROTESTING AND YELLING FROM THEIR CARS. I THOUGHT IT WAS EXCITING

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LOVE IN MOTION A STAR FROM ONE OF THE US’ MOST CELEBRATED REALITY PROGRAMS IS DEBUTING A STAGE SHOW THAT TELLS THE STORY OF LOVE THROUGH DANCE

T

he stages of love are recognizable to even the hardest hearts among us: they start with those first flirtations, which are followed by the heady sensations that accompany a newly kindled passion. Then, as quickly as those early flights of romantic fancy can send you soaring, along come the shadow sides of love – pangs of jealousy, and the fear of having your heart broken. But if the relationship is strong enough, then a real bond can survive, one forged in the fire of that initial attraction but unbroken by love’s inevitable tests.

If you think about it, love’s something of a dance, really, so it’s fitting that this many splendored thing is the theme of Cheryl Burke’s “Love on the Floor,” a dance revue that will be staged at the Orb Theatre at Shibuya’s Hikarie from the end of the month. Fans of the TV show “Dancing with the Stars” (DWTS) will remember Burke as one of the stars of the show for 18 seasons, a professional dancer who was responsible for preparing celebrities – some with very little dance experience – to perform in a variety of styles, from ballroom to tango.

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LOVE ON THE FLOOR Dates: June 30-July 9 | Venue: Tokyu Theatre Orb, 11F Shibuya Hikarie, 2–21–1 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku Tel: 03 3477 9999 | Web: theatre-orb.com For detailed show times, visit loveonthefloor. com/en | Tickets: ¥15,000 (SS), ¥13,000 (S), ¥11,000 (A), ¥9,000 (B) | To purchase tickets for “Love on the Floor,” visit www.e-tix.jp/tbs/ tbsonline/en/tbsonline_en.html

I WANTED TO HIRE THE DANCERS WHO GAVE ME CHILLS WHEN I WATCHED THEM DANCE

Meryl Davis with her DWTS partner Maks Chmerkovskiy (© Brittany Evans)

CHERYL BURKE

Born in San Francisco, Burke was one of DWTS’ most recognizable dancers during her 18 seasons on the show. Over the course of the series, she has danced with everyone from American football player Emmitt Smith to politician Tom DeLay. An expert dancer in ballroom, Argentinian tango, and Latin styles, Burke says she is exhilarated about the show’s debut in Tokyo: “I know that people in Japan love the arts, and I think this is the perfect place to premiere ‘Love on the Floor.’”

DAISUKE TAKAHASHI

© Seitaro Tanaka

Burke, the creative director of “Love on the Floor,” is busy with rehearsals and costume design sessions in the lead up to the show, but she found time to speak to us from her home in LA about the origins of her show and her choice to cast non-professional dancers in the lead roles. It’s only natural, she explains, that she would choose to explore this most human of experiences with an activity that was closest to her heart. “Dancing has been a part of my life since I was four years old, and it has always been a way for me to express myself. For the last six years, the idea of bringing the story of how love develops to life with dance has been my passion project.”

As she explains, she was looking for the same kind of passion – rather than just technical skill – in the dancers she was auditioning in Los Angeles for the show: “I had some of the top dancers technically among the 500 people who showed up [only eight were selected for the show]. But I didn’t necessarily want to hire the best technical dancers, I wanted to hire the dancers who gave me chills when I watched them dance.”

The California native was also looking for a variety of styles that go beyond the ballroom genre that she was best known for on TV. “Everyone relates to me as a ballroom dancer,

but only one or two dancers that I selected have a bit of ballroom dance experience. The dancers are experts at what they do. One might be great in contemporary, another is ballet trained but still has that edge. Another dancer is trained in hip hop. I made sure that everyone was great at what they did but still versatile, so that when we do partner dance, everybody looks like an individual.”

Along with the cast of eight supporting dancers, Burke has gone with a daring choice for her principals, none of whom are professionals in the art form. Dancing lead roles along with Burke are figure skating great Kristi Yamaguchi, the ice dancers Meryl Davis and Charlie White from the US, and Daisuke Takahashi, the renowned Japanese figure skater.

As Burke explains, casting these athletes as principals may seem like an odd choice, but three of the athletes are very comfortable on the dance floor, while the other has already been making great strides. The former Olympian Yamaguchi won on DWTS on the show’s 6th season. Charlie White and Meryl Davis, who have won dozens of titles on the ice as a duo – including Olympic gold and silver – competed separately on the show in its 18th season, with Davis winning the show. Burke didn’t work directly with them, but she admired their skill when they were on the show, and feels that athletes in general were her favorite celebrities to dance with: “I was always hoping to get an athlete because they are so great to work with. They’re disciplined and always on time, and do their job, but they’re also very emotional; they express their bodies in an entirely different way – they taught me a few things!”

She has the greatest praise for Takahashi, the cast member who has no dance experience, and has always been a soloist on the ice. “When I heard that Daisuke would love to be a part of ‘Love on the Floor,’ I was just so blown away that he would even want to do something like this … [and] the fact that he is able to take on such an amazing challenge, and be so ready and willing to do it. I’ve seen him dance and grow as an artist – he is already such an amazing dancer. I have a lot of experience working with celebrities with no dance experience, and I tell you – if he were ever to do ‘Dancing with the Stars’ here in America, he would win hands down.”

The show will be divided into four acts, with each principal representing a stage in the story of a relationship: “Romance” (Yamaguchi), “Passion” (Davis), “Hurt” (White), and “Power” (Burke). Takahashi will dance in the role of “narrator” in a show that will feature innovative staging, dazzling costumes, and, of course, brilliant dancing.

Born in the Okayama Prefecture city of Kurashiki, Takahashi is one of Japan’s greatest male figure skaters, and a pioneer in the sport.

He was the first Japanese man to medal, and win, at the Figure Skating Grand Prix Final, the first to medal in Olympic singles competition with a bronze at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, and the first to win the World Championships.

We’re eager to see what the elite athlete will achieve on the stage.

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SO YOU WANT TO GET MARRIED IN TOKYO? Words by Natalie Jacobsen

Then you’re most likely feeling overwhelmed. Since June is wedding season, we thought it a fitting month to answer all those frequently asked questions about planning your big day in Japan

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WHERE TO START? First things first: if either you or your partner is a foreign, non-citizen of Japan, then, by Japanese law, that individual (or both of you!) needs to receive “permission” from your local embassy or consulate before you can proceed.

Normally, this process is painless and will involve obtaining a notarized affidavit stating you can legally be married. Once you’ve obtained the document, march your way to your local city ward office with two witnesses. Fill out the konin todoke form (literally, a “change family registration” request), and get the seal of approval just a few moments later, thus marrying you! It’s sans all of the glitz and glam, but the office is accommodating: many marriage offices will be open on the weekend, or until almost midnight. The marriage license is in Japanese and can only be officially translated and notarized by your consulate.

There, the hard work is all done! Now, it’s time for the ceremony and wedding party planning. Many couples, especially if both are working and lead busy Tokyoite lives, hire a wedding planner to sort out all of the details and bring samples to choose from. Although pricier than a DIY-style wedding, Japanese wedding planning companies are proficient, making sure each second of your day is accounted for. Most planners will be happy to assist couples in a modern-style wedding, or arrange a more traditional ceremony.

Also, many venues, planners, and florists are connected to each other, making the planning a whole lot easier (if a tad more expensive).

THE MAIN DIFFERENCES FROM A WESTERN WEDDING? Mainly, the hike in prices. Many couples in Japan comfortably pay around three or five million yen for their wedding. But the guests are all “expected” to pay a tidy sum (you’ll see odd numbers, like ¥30,000, ¥50,000, or ¥90,000, as even numbers are too easily divided and thus bad luck for a new couple) as their gift.

No registries here! At least you’ll get a nice return for all of the expenses.

Unless you want to replicate a Western wedding at a chapel (or cathedral at St. Mary’s in Chiyoda), there won’t be any vows or “I dos.”

One sixth of all weddings today in Japan still follow traditional Shinto or Buddhist customs.

They are considerably smaller than Western weddings as couples only invite immediate family and a best friend to witness the ceremony.

During the ritual, all parties will kneel in the main hall of the temple, and a priest will give their version of a sermon. Then, the bride and groom take three sips of sake to receive blessings from the kami (gods), and leave symbolic offerings for them. Afterwards, there is a short procession around the temple grounds.

The ceremony is commonly followed by tea, a few photos, and freedom to walk the temple gardens. After this, the couple is escorted to the reception, normally held at their favorite restaurant or garden café, and with around 200 guests (mainly co-workers) present. This part usually includes speeches, cake cutting, and an (always lengthy) slideshow.

WHAT TO WEAR? You’ve likely seen them – the huge, pink, fluffy, Quinceanera-looking ball gowns and Cinderella-esque pink frills. Yes, these are “new age” wedding dresses that Japanese women clamor to get their hands on. Arguably, it may be a route for you, as not only will you feel like a Disney princess, but they will be markedly cheaper to rent than a traditional kimono. On the flipside, red kimonos are considered all the rage this year.

Traditional white kimonos are layered heavily, and require almost two hours to put on (“I felt like fainting!” claims one bride). Menswear is easier to deal with: suit rentals or formal kimonos are darker, plainer, and easier to find.

Be careful of package deals with temples or hotels – they often have their own rental service, and charge a fee of up to ¥50,000 if you want to choose your own rental studio. Dresses to rent range from ¥10,000 to ¥100,000 for a brand name, and traditional kimonos typically start at around ¥90,000, and we won’t even bother telling you the price of the all-gold ones available to rent.

WEEKENDER WEDDINGS Our art director Liam Ramshaw (top), and editor Alec Jordan (above) with their lovely brides

WEDDING WEAR RENTAL Kimono wedding rentals, including make-up, styling, and photoshoot: kr-aki.co.jp/english/rental_plan.html Comparable studio for services, markedly more high-end, and includes a team: ark-rent.co.jp/english Western-style wedding wear: www.anniebridal.com

WEDDING PLANNERS FOR FOREIGNERS Help with booking a local temple or shrine: suncolle.co.jp Options for gardens, hotels, temples; both traditional and modernized ceremonies available: www.princehotels.co.jp/ parktower/wedding From flowers to photos, they cover everything: serendipity-flower.com

MARRIAGE FORM DOWNLOAD The US Embassy site provides a run-down of the steps, and an affidavit: tinyurl.com/TWembassy-marriage This is a Japanese-only site, but it provides steps for filling out the konin todoke (婚姻届) form at city hall, and includes sample forms: konin-todoke.com

RED KIMONOS ARE CONSIDERED ALL THE RAGE THIS YEAR

WHERE TO HOLD YOUR WEDDING? Most Japanese couples, keen on abandoning the temple or shrine weddings of the past, are booking wedding parties at restaurants, hotels, and chapels. Many Tokyo locations like these are well-equipped with sound systems, catering, photographers, and decorations. Again, keep in mind the packages’ rules, including, for example, an additional cost if you want to bring in a friend to take photos. Temples are difficult to book directly and most will require a wedding planner. However, temples in Kyoto often see foreigners marrying onsite, so this is a good place to start: tinyurl.com/TWkyoto-temples. Shunkoin Temple in Kyoto will perform an entirely traditional Japanese wedding in English (www. shunkoin.com).

Boutique-centric areas, such as Harajuku and Omotesando, have several European-themed or “tea house”-type venues to rent, along with references to foreign ministers and officiates (try Jardin de Luseine in Harajuku: www.luseine.com).

Alternatively, if you want to get into the Japanese kawaii spirit, for a cool ¥7 million the creative minds at Tokyo Disneyland/Sea will plan your wedding, and lend you the gown, the Cinderella dining hall, and the Cinderella Castle for the ceremony (www.disneyweddings.jp).

HOW TO SAVE MONEY? Skip all of the fanfare we listed above, get your paperwork squared away, pick up a pair of summer yukata, invite friends for a potluck, then hit the beaches or parks and keep a party going well past sunset.

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beauty GREEN TEA T H E BE AU TY BEN EF I TS We all know that drinking green tea has excellent health benefits. So it makes sense that the antioxidant-rich leaves can do wonders for our skin too. All those enzymes, amino acids, and phytochemicals help to improve skin complexion, heal blemishes and scars, reduce inflammation, and slow ageing.

T RY I T The newly launched Fuji Green Tea range by The Body Shop gives us fresh and sophisticated bodycare products to reawaken our senses and replenish skin. The products are infused with whole green tea leaves sourced from Mt. Fuji. Our favorite item in the range is the Fuji Green Tea Bath Tea (¥3,780), which you can pair with the handy Tea Bath Infuser (free with the bath tea at Japan stores). thebodyshop.com

SECRET (JAPANESE) INGREDIENTS FOR A MORE BEAUTIFUL SUMMER And five ways to include them in your beauty routine for healthier, smoother, more glowing skin Compiled by Annemarie Luck

CAMELLIA OIL T H E B E AU T Y B E N E F ITS Known as tsubaki in Japanese, this oil comes from nut of the camellia flower, which grows abundantly on Oshima island.

The women who harvest – and use – the oil are renowned for having luscious hair and radiant skin. The oil is rich in oleic acid, vitamins, as well as nourishing omegas. It’s also packed with antioxidants.

T RY IT Tatcha’s luxurious Gold Camellia Beauty Oil for face, body and hair contains camellia, rice and macadamia nut oils. Infused licorice extract calms the skin, while young bamboo and green tea fragrances conjure up a feeling of being in the Kyoto countryside.

Exquisite 24-karat gold flecks add a subtle touch of sensuality. ¥10,400 at tatcha.com

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YUZU T H E B E AU T Y B E N E F ITS Known as the Japanese grapefruit, yuzu is a citrus fruit containing high levels of vitamin C, which can help replenish dead skin cells. It is said that if you regularly use yuzu-based products, your skin will turn smooth, silky and possibly even more fragrant.

T RY IT These Geroko Monogatari Nagomi Sheets are a modern version of traditional Japanese medicinal compress sheets from the Gero Hot Springs. Their delicate fragrances are created using essential oils from local trees, and a blend of scents including lavender, chamomile, rose and – you guessed it – yuzu. When the summer heat starts to get you down, these pretty aroma sheets are bound to perk you back up again. ¥270 for a pack of four (two sheets each) at www.geroko.co.jp

KONNYAKU T H E BE AU TY BEN EF I TS Sourced from the konnyaku vegetable and made into a firm jelly, this Japanese wonder food is high in fiber, calcium, and minerals. But it’s the ceramides that make it ideal for skincare. If your skin has depleted ceramide levels, it’ll struggle to retain moisture, leaving you with a dry, sensitive surface. Ceramide also prevents the production of melanin.

T RY I T Combining traditional wisdom and local ingredients, this innovative Konnyaku Face Sponge is made from konnyaku sourced from the Gunma region. While Edoites once used frozen konnyaku as a sponge, this version has been updated to suit a modern lifestyle. It’s used to cleanse your face without needing soap, and is suitable for sensitive skin. ¥756 at e-makanai.com

AZUKI BEANS T H E B E AU T Y B E N E F ITS Known as the “king of beans,” azuki have long been used by Japanese women in the form of an exfoliating powder to remove dead skin cells. The beans polish the skin, leaving it looking healthier and refreshed, and stimulating circulation.

T RY IT Here’s how to make your own azuki bean face scrub: • Measure out 1 cup of dry organic azuki beans (available from Amazon.jp), and grind them in a blender until they resemble course flour.

• Sift the flour, and pour into an airtight glass container.

• Take 1T of the flour and add it to a small bowl of water; use just enough water to make a thick paste.

• Apply the paste to your face and massage it into your skin.

• Leave it on for at least 5 minutes, then rinse well and dab on your Tatcha Gold Camellia Beauty Oil for the perfect finish.

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FlyAway withMe Words by Erika Klein

See Japan from a new angle, hundreds of feet in the air, and experience being part of the unique hang gliding community

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he bus pulled away from the curb just as I stepped out of Kumatori Station. I stood and watched as it disappeared down the road. Scanning the infrequent bus schedule, I resigned myself to arriving late at Tono Air Hang Gliding School for my first hang gliding flight in Japan. As I considered my limited options, I was surprised to see a young man waving at me from the bus stop bench. “Tono Air?” he inquired. At my nod, he identified himself as a hang glider pilot. He had heard that a foreign pilot would be coming today, making it easy for him to guess who I was.

He then offered me a ride to the school, which I gratefully accepted, reflecting not only on my luck but on how very much at home I felt.

I had experienced American pilots’ generosity in offering any peer a ride to flying sites; now I knew that pilots in Japan were no different.

As a hang glider pilot for over five years in the US, I hoped to continue my favorite

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hobby while teaching English on the JET Program. Initially unfamiliar with the sport’s presence in Japan, I discovered that the first hang gliding school opened in Japan in 1975, around the same time the sport was enjoying its peak popularity in America.

A few years later, in 1981, Japan hosted the world championships in Beppu. Japan now has approximately 25 hang gliding schools across the country, including local clubs. The Japan Hang & Paragliding Federation (JHF), originally founded as the Japan Hang Gliding Committee in 1978, manages the sport in Japan much as the United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (USHPA) does in the US. The JHF’s role includes issuing pilot certifications, regulating instructor training, conducting safety investigations, and organizing competitions.

In spite of my interest in hang gliding in Japan, anxiety held me back. Besides finding a nearby school, I wondered, would they

have equipment that I could rent, suitable for my skill level and weight? Would my limited Japanese combined with gestures be sufficient to comprehend the technical language of flying and weather? (How does one say “turbulence” in Japanese, anyway? Taabyurensu? ...No?) Was passing another glider on the right internationally standardized, or did the Japanese pass on the left as when driving, potentially putting me at risk of a collision? Finally giving in to my desire to fly, I emailed Tono Air, which is located in Wakayama Prefecture.

I decided to book a tandem flight, both to give me an understanding of flying in Japan and to allow the instructor to assess my skills.

Following my altered transportation plans, the rest of that first day went well. I met the school’s owner, Yoshikatsu Tonomura (known as Tonoyan), along with his wife, Michiyo, and several other pilots. After selecting a harness and helmet and loading the gliders onto the car’s custom hang gliding rack, we drove up an especially steep, winding mountain road.

The thick mat of leaves covering the pavement gave an impression of slipperiness just waiting to send our top-heavy van skating into the trees. Michiyo sang the “Indiana Jones” theme song while Tonoyan nonchalantly informed me of several cars that had slid off the icy road in previous winters. As with many flying sites, enduring the drive up meant overcoming the most nerve-wracking part of the day.

Arriving at a cleared area 600 m (1,970 ft) up Mt. Ryumon, I once again felt at home. The pilots were all easygoing, similar to the

relaxed attitude among US pilots.

With the aid of diagrams drawn in the dirt, I also confirmed that hang gliders in Japan do indeed pass on the right. One detail in particular, however, reminded me that I was in Japan – while US pilots typically focus on unloading their own gliders from the truck, the Japanese pilots worked together to unload every glider, stacking them on the ground for individual retrieval.

Our tandem went well, clearing me to rent a glider and enjoy another flight that same afternoon.

Having successfully entered the world of hang gliding in Japan, I ended up returning once a month on average, adding to the wonderful memories of my remaining time in Kobe. Soon, I became part of the online chat group for the flight park, and “my” harness was tagged with my name. Pilots frequently offered me rides back to Kumatori Station, Osaka, or once all the way home to Kobe, enhancing my sense of belonging to the community.

My most memorable flight happened one Sunday morning in 2015. The day’s favorable weather conditions granted me my longest and highest flight in Japan.

Soaring for over an hour, I climbed more than 180 m (600 ft) above the launch point, carefully avoiding the tree tops as I thermaled to the top of the ridge.

There I hovered, floating back and forth, enjoying views from above Japan’s forest-covered slopes, farmand greenhouse-spotted valley, and curved metal bridges spanning the river. Eventually, gliding down over the orchards and tractors, I caught sight of the large kanji characters painted on the side of a building serving as a landmark for the landing area, and joined my fellow pilots on the ground.

THERE I HOVERED, FLOATING BACK AND FORTH, ENJOYING VIEWS FROM ABOVE JAPAN’S FORESTCOVERED SLOPES

WHERE TO GO HANG GLIDING IN JAPAN Oshino Sky Sports Club, located in Yamanashi Prefecture at the base of Mt. Fuji, is less than two hours from Tokyo by car and offers hang gliding tandem flights. Other schools in Tokyo’s vicinity include Sky Trial in Tochigi Prefecture, and Birdnest.Tokyo in Ibaraki Prefecture, which offers hang gliding tandems and instruction in Japanese, Spanish, and English.

Hang gliding is fun, relatively simple, generally safe, and, contrary to popular perception, very calm and relaxing. With the hang gliding season starting in spring and running through the fall for most sites, it’s the perfect time to experience a unique yet internationally connected community, while seeing Japan from an entirely new angle.

For more info, visit The Japan Hang & Paragliding Federation’s website, which lists sites and schools by region in both Japanese and English: jhf.hangpara.or.jp/ area/index_eng.html

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By Matthew Hernon

WHAT WERE THE EARLIEST INFLUENCES ON KOHEI UCHIMURA, PERHAPS THE BEST GYMNAST THE SPORT HAS EVER SEEN?

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he last time Kohei Uchimura lost an allaround gymnastics competition, George W. Bush was the American president and the global economic crisis triggered by the Lehman Shock was still months away. A sporting phenomenon who’s widely considered the greatest gymnast of all time, Uchimura does more than just beat his opponents: he tends to wipe the floor with them.

So what is it that makes the man known as “King Kohei” tick? And what was he like as a child? Wanting to find out, Weekender recently spoke to the 27 year old along with the woman who knows him best: his mother Shuko.

“He was a shy, serious kid who hardly ate anything,” she tells us. “Gymnastics has always been his life. Even as a baby in the cot he’d be swinging from the bars. As he got older I asked if he wanted to go swimming or play baseball, but he had no interest whatsoever. Gymnastics was all he cared about.”

Kohei was influenced by his parents who were both competitive gymnasts during their youth. He joined the sports club they ran in Nagasaki at the age of three and spent much of his free time practicing on the trampoline.

Photos by Hiromi Ave

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A notebook and a Pink Panther toy were used as tools to help him come up with new moves.

“I made line drawings of gymnastic elements I wanted to perform,” he says. “I would then adjust those images with the toy. Imagining the movements of the doll I was able to produce a variety of routines naturally.”

“He got that from an older friend at the gym,” continues Shuko. “He used to take it everywhere, which meant it got really dirty. A while ago I noticed it on his bed and it’d been washed. It’s one of his most treasured items.”

Speaking a mix of Japanese and English, Shuko comes across as a bubbly, slightly eccentric character. She goes around the world to watch her son and can often be heard screaming from the stands. “That embarrassed me back when I was a student, but now I’m a father I can appreciate it,” Kohei tells us.

“As a coach she’s always been very energetic and lively,” he says. “She thought out nutritious meals for me – even though I was a picky eater – and she was never strict.

She realized it was important to develop my personality and give me freedom. Her teaching style wasn’t methodical and I think that’s reflected in the way I practice now.”

It was at his parents’ gym where Kohei first nurtured his gymnastic skills, but at 15 he decided it was time to leave his home in Nagasaki and move to the capital where he could train with idol Naoya Tsukahara. The youngster spent hours during his childhood studying videos of the man who helped Japan win a team gold at the 2004 Olympics.

“I really didn’t want my boy to leave, but Naoya was his hero so I was fighting a losing battle,” Shuko says. “On reflection it was a good decision because he made a lot of progress during that time. I remember watching him in his third year at high school and for the first time I

thought to myself, ‘He’s actually pretty good.’

After that things started to accelerate.”

The Kitakyushu-born star made his international debut at 18 and then a year later qualified for the 2008 Olympics. He helped his country win a team silver in Beijing before becoming the first Japanese man in 24 years to finish on the podium in the all-around (AA) competition, finishing as the runner-up behind Yang Wei despite twice falling off the pommel horse. He hasn’t lost in the event since.

In the past eight years Kohei has won five Olympic medals – including one gold – and 10 world titles, six of which have come in the AA event. He usually finishes so far out in front that the rest of the field are effectively competing for second place.

Rivals have labeled him a “machine” and a “monster.” After winning a silver in the AA competition at last year’s World Championships, Cuba’s Manrique Larduet spoke about his “pride” at being able to compete with the Japanese gymnast, while 2014 runner-up Max Whitlock said it was “very special” to be standing alongside him on the podium.

According to his mother, it’s Kohei’s insatiable desire for perfection that gives him the edge. “He simply doesn’t stop,” she says.

So has he become so dominant that she’s now able to relax when watching him?

“No way,” she responds immediately.

“I still get so nervous. The competition’s always getting stronger. The other athletes are copying what Kohei does and as a result their scores are much closer.”

While recent World Championships back up her point (the margin of victory in the last two tournaments has been 1.492 and 1.634 points compared with 2.575 in 2009 and 3.101 in 2011), there is still a significant gap between him and the rest.

Opponents are coming up with routines to match him, but they don’t have the grace

or the pointed-toe finish of the 5’4” (162.6 cm) superstar. It’s why so many regard “King Kohei” as the best of all time. The man himself, however, believes that title belongs to Vitaly Scherbo, the Belarusian gymnast who won an unprecedented six gold medals at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

“For me there’s no doubt that his performances were the greatest ever,” Kohei says. “They were elegant, perfect and got great scores. I want to make my routines ‘impressive’ like his, but he is Scherbo, and I’m Uchimura. I can’t surpass him.

I can only be the best I can be.”

Scherbo’s feat in Barcelona is unlikely to ever be beaten or repeated. It’s undoubtedly the most impressive performance by a male gymnast in Olympic history, yet in terms of longevity Kohei Uchimura is the man who stands head and shoulders above everyone.

To remain unbeaten for so long in such a physically demanding sport is testament to his character and ability.

Opponents in Rio know they’ll have to produce something special to beat him. He’s the red hot favorite in the AA competition and also fancies his chances of winning in at least one other discipline.

Individual success won’t be enough, though.

It’s a team gold he truly craves. In the last two Olympics, Japan has finished second behind rivals China, but are going to Rio full of confidence after winning their first team world title for 37 years in Glasgow last October.

“Four years ago the judges initially had us down at fourth and my head just went blank,” he says. “I was stunned and my feelings didn’t change even when we moved up to second. I was angry with the performance.”

“Looking back I’m glad to have been on the podium with my teammates, but in Rio I hope it’ll be as champions. I want a team gold more than anything. In Japan everyone remembers (Hiroyuki) Tomita’s spectacular landing from the horizontal bars at the Athens Games to clinch the victory. It was a legendary team performance and that’s what we must strive for in Brazil.”

HE FINISHES SO FAR OUT IN FRONT THAT THE REST OF THE FIELD ARE COMPETING FOR SECOND PLACE

RESTARTING A GYMNASTICS POWERHOUSE

J

apan has won 95 gymnastic medals at the Olympics, including 29 golds, placing the country third in the all-time list behind the Soviet Union and America. Twenty-four of those 29 golds came between 1960 and 1976. Sawao Kato led the way, picking up eight golds, three silvers and a bronze, making him the ninth most successful Olympian of all time. Four other male Japanese gymnasts from that period are in the top 100.

It was a golden era for the men’s team who won five consecutive Olympic titles.

The most memorable triumph came at the Montreal Games in 1976 when Shun Fujimoto continued competing despite breaking his kneecap on the floor routine and remarkably went on to score 9.5 on the horse and a personal record 9.7 on the rings to help Japan retain the title.

In the 40 years that have passed, Japanese male gymnasts have added just four Olympic golds; however, there’s a strong feeling that the current crop could produce the country’s best results since Montreal. Kohei Uchimura and Ryohei Kato have already booked their places in the squad for Rio and are expected to be joined by the likes of Yusuke Tanaka, Kenzo Shirai and Kazuma Kaya, all of whom are capable of challenging for medals.

As for the women, Asuka Teramoto, Mai Murakami and Aiko Sugihara have looked strong during qualification. Japan is still waiting for its first female gymnastics Olympic champion.

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Learning in Play We speak with Nicole Yamada, co-founder of Gymboree Japan, about the brand’s 10-year milestone in Japan and a curriculum that is centered on child-parent activities that are both fun and educational.

What is it that makes Gymboree’s educational method so special?

At Gymboree Play & Music, we follow the lead of the child. We provide a safe, fun environment that encourages them to explore and learn at their own pace.

When you’re hiring new teachers, what are you looking for most?

We want bilingual teachers who are good voice performers who can sing and dance with the children.

Having experienced teachers is also extremely important.

It’s not always easy to find this mix of skills, personality, and experience! We spend a month and a half training our teachers, and we hope that they will stay with us for at least a year.

How do you feel about Gymboree Japan reaching its 10-year milestone?

Thanks to our years of experience in the Japanese market, we are getting an even better sense of the needs of Japanese and expat customers living in Japan. This will help us better

provide the classes and activities that our customers are looking for.

Do you make any changes to the US Gymboree curriculum for Japanese students?

Our US programming team has 40 years of experience developing the lesson plans for our classes, so as a rule we do not change the curriculum. However, we do use additional Japanese explanations for some cultural themes which our Japanese customers may not have been exposed to yet. We also offer an English class and after school program for Japanese students who want to be in an all English environment.

Where do you see Gymboree in Japan going in the next 10 years?

Within the next 10 years, we hope to expand throughout Japan with locations in Kansai, Tohoku and Kyushu.

We’ve heard that the home office is celebrating the 40th anniversary with some new branding. Can you give us any hints about what’s on the way?

The US headquarters has kept the 40th anniversary rebranding changes a secret to us as well. We’re eager to see what changes will be on the way, and customers old and new will be able to see more later this year and in the year to come!

Gymboree is celebrating its worldwide 40th anniversary Ages newborn to 5 years Classes that give kids the best start.

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SERVICE IN DAILY LIFE Seisen International School students celebrate a sense of connection on campus and in their communities, both global and local

F

or most of Seisen International School’s history, the campus community would recognize their school Saint’s Day with a mass and a concert. But as Colette Rogers, Head of School at Seisen explains, over time, people didn’t see this as the best way to honor St. Raphaela, the founder of the Order of the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Members of the Order first arrived in Japan in 1934, and they started the school that would eventually become Seisen in 1949. “It was through service that we got the school to begin with; it’s what we were founded on,” Rogers says.

With this in mind, a couple of teachers presented the Sisters with the idea of doing a Day of Service a few years before, and the first St. Raphaela Day of Service was held in 2014. Three years later, on a cool Friday, students were engaged in a variety of service projects: the youngest children were preparing lunch for school staff, while groups of students from the elementary, junior high, and high school were doing everything from painting murals around the school and giving musical performances at neighboring senior homes to making origami cranes for local hospitals and getting involved with cleanup efforts on and off campus.

Even within three years, there

have already been changes in the way that the day runs. Students have always had the freedom to choose their projects for the day, but Rogers says that now, more and more ideas are coming from the students rather than their teachers.

In particular, the 11th and 12th graders, who are focusing on social justice in their religion classes, do research on NPOs in Japan and overseas. As Rogers points out, this makes the culture of service on the campus both inclusive and engaging: “The girls are learning a love of service, they’re problem solving, they’re being creative thinkers, and they’re taking leadership in it as well.”

The smiles on the students’ faces that we saw were a clear sign that the idea of service wasn’t just something to be doing because they had to. And because many of the students were involved in projects that were taking place right on campus, the idea that service can be something that happens close to home is reinforced in a rewarding way: “We want the girls to understand that service isn’t on the outside, it’s also working within their communities and the school community, and the communities around them.” www.seisen.com

IT WAS THROUGH SERVICE THAT SEISEN WAS FOUNDED

WHO WAS ST. RAPHAELA? Born in the Spanish town of Pedro Abad in 1850, Raphaela Mary Porras y Ayllón entered the novitiate of the Sisters of Mary Reparatrix, along with her sister Maria Dolores, when she was 25 years old. Only two years after joining the novitiate, Raphaela left it to found her own order, the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. After leading the group to great popularity in her native Spain, Raphaela moved to Rome in 1893, staying there until she passed away in 1925.

The order that she founded is known for providing support for poor communities around the world, and has founded several schools in several different countries. Raphaela herself was canonized by Pope Paul VI as Saint Raphaela Mary in 1977.

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Join the Conversation, Join the Club JOIN TOKYO WEEKENDER’S INSIDERS CLUB TO FIND OUT ABOUT LIMITED OFFERS THROUGHOUT TOKYO, ATTEND EXCLUSIVE EVENTS, GET THE LATEST INFORMATION ABOUT PRODUCTS BEFORE THEY LAUNCH, AND LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD. CHECK OUT WWW.TOKYOWEEKENDER.COM/WEEKENDERINSIDERS FOR MORE DETAILS

Hammered Damascus Steel—Set of 2 or 3 Carbon Steel— Set of 2 This pair of expertly crafted carbon steel blades provides you with the perfect kitchen combination: an all-purpose knife for meat and fish, and a small vegetable knife. (¥23,300)

Damascus steel knives have a unique appearance that is immediately recognizable. Available in a set of two or three, these knives come with a hard case for easy storage or transportation. (set of 2: ¥17,400, set of 3: ¥27,800)

Carbon Steel wa-santoku With edges sharp and delicate enough to shave wafer-thin slices from a piece of meat or fish, Kamata Hakensha’s carbon steel knives are a perfect example of Japanese style and craftsmanship. (¥8,800)

Damascus Steel with Flower Pattern The stainless, cobalt-alloy Damascus steel blade is easy to maintain and keep sharp, while the floral motif etched onto the side and the wooden, Japanese-style handle transform this practical meat and fish knife into a work of art. (¥26,800–35,800)

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is it the goat’s rue powder or eleutherococcus senticosus rub that helps with the never ending sense of impending doom?, 2016. Acrylic on Canvas. 2100 x 1525 x 38 mm. Courtesy of Various Small Fires, Los Angeles

BE I N S P I R E D From Joshua Nathanson’s magical spin on everyday experiences to a unique guide book that might just help you find that emotional connection with Tokyo you’ve been looking for, our June Guide is packed with plenty of art, literature, film, and even a little cosplay.

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we need more words for things, 2016. Acrylic on Canvas. 2413 x 1753 x 38 mm. Courtesy of Various Small Fires, Los Angeles

ART & BOOKS

M AK E M E M ORIE S WIT H T H E BU N N Y: J OSH UA N AT H AN SON Takashi Murakami describes Joshua Nathanson’s artwork as “unfolding with a nonchalant scenery that reminds me of the folk songs I used to listen to in high school, the kind that unaffectedly depicts the details of daily life.” It’s a wonderful description for the contemporary artist’s style, which puts a kind of magical spin on everyday experiences.

This exhibition focuses on the experience of shopping, with each work having started as a sketch made at Los Angeles malls.

Kaikai Kiki Gallery Until June 23, en.gallery-kaikaikiki.com

THE ART WORLD

OU R PIC K O F T H E C I T Y’S B ES T EXHI B I T I ONS REN O I R: M AS T ER P I E C E S FROM T HE M U S ÉE D ’ O R SAY A N D TH E M U S ÉE D E L ’ O RAN GE R I E Two esteemed French collections of Renoir masterpieces come together for this exhibition, including the painting “Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette,” a true highlight making its Japanese premiere. From Renoir’s early realism to the stunning nudes of his twilight years, the evolution of his artistry is delineated through 10 chapters. More than 100 works, including sculptures, drawings, pastels, and rare contextual material will be presented in the exhibition.

The National Art Center, Tokyo Until August 22, www.nact.jp/english/exhibitions Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette 1876 / Oil on canvas / Musée d’Orsay ©Musée d’Orsay, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais / Patrice Schmidt / distributed by AMF

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INTO T H E S U N : CLE ON P E TE R S ON Cleon Peterson is a Los Angeles–based artist whose violent paintings show clashing figures, symbolizing the struggle between power and submission in contemporary society. In his dystopian visions, violence and deviance are the status quo.

Peterson describes it as “a grey world where law breakers and law enforcers are one in the same; a world where ethics have been abandoned in favor of personal entitlement.” In this exhibition, more than 10 of his new monochromatic paintings, including a large format work, are going on display.

BOOKS Three good reads to keep you walking, connecting, and debating the art of tattoos in Japan

Diesel Art Gallery Until August 12, www.diesel.co.jp/art

TOKYO TOT E M

Balance of Power, 2015 ©Cleon Peterson

If you’re aching for a more personal connection with Tokyo, then this unique guide book is a good place to start. Through stories told by flaneurs, artists, anthropologists, architects, and other urban explorers, it helps you to understand the city in an entirely different way. www.tokyototem.jp

SH I N RO O H TA KE S OLO E X H I B I TI ON : TI ME ME M ORY Known for his fascinating collages, scrapbooks, and installations made from found objects, Japanese artist Shinro Ohtake uses the world, his journeys, and his dreams as inspiration. “Time Memory” is a series that began in 2011, and explores the artist’s ideas about how time is inextricably linked with memory: “I view the ‘fragments of time’ of the paper scraps as the ‘layers of memory,’ and the drawn-in lines as the ‘flow of time.’”

Take Ninagawa Until June 30, www.takeninagawa.com

JAPAN E S E TAT TOOS Time Memory / Nairobi 2014-2016, Mixed media, 176 x 158.8 x 4.5 cm

Penned by Kotaku’s Brian Ashcraft and tattoo artist Hori Benny, this guide to the history, culture, and design that goes into irezumi (traditional Japanese tattooing) and contemporary Japanese tattoos is enlightening – and just might leave you craving a bit of ink yourself. tinyurl.com/japanesetattoos

DAY WALKS N E AR TOKYO Don’t expect a flashy book here – this slim paperback was first published in 1988 – but what it lacks in style, it makes up for in detailed descriptions of walks (read: hikes) that will have you exploring the natural beauty of greater Tokyo, and the prefectures next door. tinyurl.com/tokyodaywalks

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AGENDA: THE WEEKENDER ROUNDUP OF WHAT’S HAPPENING IN JUNE 1 JUN 4-5

2 JUN 24-27 COSPLAY FESTA TDC 2016

The oldest established cosplay convention in the world, this year’s party welcomes all – whether beginner or veteran – to come “play” for a weekend.

Where: Tokyo Dome How much: ¥2,300 per day More info: cosplayfesta.com

5 MID TO LATE JUNE HOTARU NO YUBE At designated parks inside Tokyo, greenhouses, select hotels, and marshy regions surrounding the city, visitors can catch a glimpse of fireflies at twilight.

Where: Various locations How much: Varies More info: tokyoweekender.com

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FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL UniFrance is organizing a mini film festival, bringing a taste of Cannes to Asia. Catch a few unknown and short flicks, or see larger summer blockbusters.

Where: Yurakucho Asahi Hall How much: Prices TBA More info: tokyoweekender.com

6 JUN 16-17 SLIDE THE CITY Get an early jump on summer fun in Odaiba, and splash your way down the world’s longest slide. Bring sunscreen for the lines.

Where: Odaiba Aomi Fun & Free Zone How much: Starts at ¥2,000 More info: tokyoweekender.com

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3 JUN 7-17 SANNO MATSURI One of the “big three” festivals of the Edo period, this traditional celebration sees floats and processions making their way through central Tokyo.

Where: Chiyoda and Kanda How much: Free More info: tokyoweekender.com

7 JUN 10-12 TSUKIJI SHISHI MATSURI Dressed head-to-toe in demonic or traditional garb, monks and participants pray and sing to ward off evil or natural disasters. Not your everyday festival.

Where: Namiyoke Inari Jinja, Tsukiji How much: Free More info: namiyoke.or.jp

SHORT SHORTS FILM FESTIVAL & ASIA The continent’s biggest international short film festival is returning to Japan this year. Check our web listing for full film listings and locations.

Where: Omotesando Hills, around Tokyo/Yokohama | How much: Varies More info: tokyoweekender.com

8 JUN 19 CANDLE NIGHT AT ZOJOJI Tokyo Tower’s neighbor will be softly lit with thousands of candles, so switch off your phones, take it slow, and savor the downtime.

Where: Zojoji, Shiba-koen How much: Free More info: tokyoweekender.com

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American-born Irish dancer Courtney and Irish Ambassador Anne Barrington at the Ireland National Day Party at the Okura

Tokyo’s Longest Running

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tarting this column out at Hiro Segafredo. It’s a beautiful day and the popular coffee shop is full of friends and other interesting people. It’s also May 5: Children’s Day, the last holiday in Golden Week, as well as the colorful holiday of Cinco de Mayo.

This weekend, Yoyogi is having what’s sure to be a crowded, noisy and colorful Samba festival. Our Latin friends really know how to dance. If you like Tex-Mex food, try some of the tacos, burritos, quesadillas and more at 440 Broadway, the small van by Baskin Robbins at the National Azabu supermarket. It’s open Monday through Thursday and Kensuke, the guy who runs the place, really knows how to cook, and prices are very reasonable. I’d also like to mention my Sri Lankan friend Ravi has a van nearby on Sundays only where he sells his award-winning curry.

For your information the Segafredo just across the street from National Azabu may close for a week or so in June for a renovation.

National Azabu celebrated their 54th anniversary on April 24 with a busy food festival. Famous clown Rene Boseman entertained the kids and everyone enjoyed Benito’s paella and the many other food favorites available that day. Our sincerest congratulations to Banjiro Uemura, who among other things started the popular store, and his family and staff who work hard to make it a favorite for foreigners as well as Japanese.

On Friday the 6th I drove to Sonic City Omiya Hall where I joined the four other judges for the multi-talented Steven Haynes and Dermozone’s Miss Supranational Beauty Pageant 2016. Steve has got to be one of the best and most-liked foreign entertainers living here. In addition to modeling, singing, dancing, writing books on beauty, and producing fashion shows and DVDs, he’s involved in many charity events and is always there to help wherever and whenever he can. Photos and copy on his new venture – the pageant – later. Meanwhile if you or any of

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Society Page with Bill Hersey your friends are looking for a well connected, well-liked and honest talent agent, Steve’s the man to contact. Email him at stevenstylemm@gmail.com.

Looking ahead at the schedule of Broadway shows, sports, and events in June made me realize how busy a city Tokyo is. (Check our Agenda on 44 page for event listings, dates, venues, and more.) I was sorry to have missed Tokyo International Players’ production of the Tony Award-winning musical “Big River.” I saw the original show on Broadway and became friends with the Afro-American star Ron Richardson (God bless his soul).

After a long Broadway run, Ron learned Japanese, and came to Japan where he costarred with Japanese actor Hiroyuki Sanada who played Huckleberry Finn in the show. Heard Hanna H Grace, who directed the May 19 – May 22 show here, and the international cast were really good.

When it comes to just about anything technical, I have to be one of the world’s worst. I don’t often check my e-mail and consequently missed picking up two premiere tickets for Cirque du Soleil’s fantastic show “Totem” that Cirque’s cofounder Guy Laliberte had sent me. I called Guy, he came to the rescue, and if all goes as planned I have two great seats for the May 27 show. Guy, who owned 90 percent of Cirque, sold 60 percent to US-based TPG Capital, 20 percent to China’s Fosun Group, 10 percent to Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, and retained 10 percent himself. Reports say the sale was valued at $1.5 billion. Once again – there’s no business like show business, and it couldn’t happen to a nicer guy. Guy’s involved in all kinds of worthwhile charity projects. “Totem” runs through June 26 at Odaiba Big Top.

Had yet another great experience a few nights ago when I took a taxi from the Grand Hyatt to the Italian Embassy for the Italian Cinema Festival opening. It was raining, I was a bit late, and once I was inside the embassy, I realized I had forgotten my sunglasses in the taxi. They weren’t expensive

Achim Hake, GM, The Sherwood Taipei, Imperial’s PR guru “Skip” Cronin, Patricia Tam of Halekulani Hotels & Resorts, the host, Imperial Hotel’s Pres./GM Hideya Sadayasu

Travel writer Sandra Mori, her son Danny

The Imperial Hotel’s Fabulous Media Party Writer/photographer/critic Kit Pancoast Nagamura, the Imperial’s Jun Kazama

BCCJ Acumen’s Kathryn Wortley, journalist Mark Schreiber

Japan Today’s Jeff Richards, popular DJ Kamisami Kong, “Skip” Cronin, food writer Yukari Sakamoto, freelance writer Tim Hornyak, author and journalist Lucy Birmingham

Tabasco’s Mark Gleason, his wife Josephine, his daughter Cameron, their friend J.B.

The Imperial’s Jun Kazama, journalists Miranda Kenrick and Sandra Mori

National Azabu staff – Fukushi Otake, Hiroyuki Kashina, Yasuyuki Kuboya, and Love Dog Chiba

National Azabu’s 54th Anniversary

The Hansson family

Trevor, Nina, and Aamalia Webster, National Azabu manager Dale Toriumi

National Azabu’s Tomoya Nakamura and singer Hayami Yu

Rene Boseman made a new friend

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James and Hiroko Moynihan with US Embassy’s Jim O’Leary

Gaimusho’s Daisuke Kido, Sophia University’s Donal Doyle, Shinto priest Taisuke Kadosaki

Ireland’s National Day Celebration – Okura Min-On President Hiroyasu Kobayashi, Irish dancer Courtney, Bill

Diet Member Yasuko Komiyama, Irish Amb. Anne Barrington, Marubeni Chairman Teruo Asada

Ikon Europubs Trevor Allen, guests from Tohoku High Schools, Yuki Murakami and Risa Kumagai, and Kyoko Allen

PR whiz Ann Sado, her husband Makoto Honjo

Dewi Sukarno, Park Hyatt’s new GM Herve Mazella, the hotel’s outgoing GM Philippe Roux Dessarps, his wife Sachiko

Georgina Pope, Dewi, model/actor Hide Kusakari

Sayonara Philippe, Hello Herve

Herve with Park Hyatt’s events service manager Jiro

Oakwood’s Martin Fluck, Hyatt Hotels senior advisor Chikama Kogg, Ohta Publication Pres. Sam Ohta

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Mitsuba Pres. Masumi Kawahara, Grand Hyatt GM Steve Duwire, Sony Pictures Director/SVP Dick Sano

Shangri-La Hotels’ Marcus and Mrs. Bauder

but I really liked them, so I asked a lady working at the embassy if she could call the taxi company and see if the driver might have found them.

I went back to the party and 15 minutes later she came in and handed me the glasses. Found out the driver Enomoto-san of the Nihon Kotsu taxi company (#5406), who gave me a four leaf clover in a plastic seethrough envelope when I paid my ¥1,000 fare, had brought them back from Shibuya and wouldn’t even let me pay his fare back. It really made me think about how honest, and what good people many Japanese are. I often hear stories like this, and realize how lucky we are living in Japan.

On the sad side, I really felt down over the loss of super star Prince.

I had the pleasure and privilege of meeting him every time Udo Artists brought him here for concerts and hosted parties for him in Roppongi as well as one birthday blast at Hilton Tokyo in his honor. He was always nice, and as I was in the fashion business back then, I really enjoyed seeing his original fashions, which I heard he designed himself. They really were cool.

Got to know him better when Udo called me once and ask if I could help them out with something. Seems Prince, who had just arrived in Japan and had concerts in Osaka over the next few days, was held up in customs. It was a Friday, he and the band had arrived on time, but customs said they couldn’t clear all his instruments and sound equipment. Udo-san and his staff have always been good friends, and really supported me, so said I’d do my best to try and help.

Timing was right as the good old USA had what everyone thought was their best diplomatic couple – Ambassador Mike Mansfield and his wife Maureen – posted here at the time. I’ve always been quite lucky with people and was able to get Mike on the phone and explain the situation.

It was a new experience for him, but he was so liked and respected, he was able to get his staff to talk to convince customs the sold-out concerts were a Japan-US cultural exchange, and they agreed to work late and get it done.

I never found out who told Prince I was involved, but he and some of his band members thanked me and he started to invite me to sit with him and some of the models in VIP whenever he came into my club. Believe it or not, I’m not a groupie but I did appreciate the thanks and always enjoyed talking with him for 10 minutes or so before leaving to him relax with his friends and fans. He usually relaxed and people watched and sometimes danced. Over the years I got to know some of his favorite ladies at that time. These included Apollonia who was in the film “Purple Rain” and Sheena Easton. We’ve lost quite a few entertainment super stars the last year or so. Prince may be gone, but memories of the man and his music will live long with his millions of fans all over the world.

IRISH NATIONAL DAY – HOTEL OKURA Going through all the flyers I collected about the many events that happened to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this year. Believe me, I really learned how busy Irish Ambassador Anne Barrington and her staff must have been to make it all happen – which they really did.

One of the highlights of the celebrations was the great party Anne and her husband, artist Ed Miliano, hosted at Okura’s Ascot Room to celebrate March 17. Anne and her husband are a popular couple and the venue was wall-to-

wall people with most of the Irish I know and many of their Japanese friends. The Japanese, especially the younger ones, have really become infatuated with Ireland and I saw many mostly wearing green at all the St. Pat’s events I was able to get to.

Anne’s welcome speech was really informative and meaningful. I learned Ireland has had the fastest growing economy in the European Union for the past two years. It also has the youngest population in the EU and has a high ranking in the world for education systems. I’ve had the privilege of visiting there and believe me it’s got all she said – beautiful green wide open spaces, friendly people, great fresh food and a safe environment. I really liked her opening in Irish – céad míle fáilte (a hundred thousand welcomes) – and closing go raibh míle maith agat (thanks a million). Two of the highlights of the evening for me were meeting the really cool Teruo Asada, chairman of Marubeni, and the beautiful Irish dancer Courtney. She’ll be dancing with the group “Trinity” from Chicago at Bunkamura on July 8 and 9. I hear it’s a great show.

PARK HYATT, SAYONARA PHILIPPE, WELCOME HERVE Still on the hotel scene, I picked up Dewi Sukarno, who lives near me, and we joined the many VIPs in the ballroom at the beautiful Park Hyatt Hotel in Shinjuku. The occasion was a Sayonara for Philippe Roux, who’s been GM there for seven-and-a-half years, and a welcome for his replacement, Herve Mazella. My sincerest thanks to Philippe for his friendship and support while he was in Japan. He, his lovely wife Sachiko, and family are now settling in Chicago where he has an executive position at Hyatt’s headquarters. Prior to his new job as the luxury hotel’s GM, Herve was the GM at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong.

MEDIA PARTY AT THE IMPERIAL I’m not a member of the foreign press club, so I really don’t have the opportunity to see a lot of friends working in the media here all that much. That’s one of the main reasons I always enjoy the annual media party at the legendary Imperial. The evening event was hosted by the hotel’s international, personable, and very outgoing President/GM Hideya Sadayasu.

The party was held in the hotel’s popular Hikari room, and the hotel staff really went all out to make the room beautiful and the variety of Japanese and international food in the buffet delicious. Talk about class: several young ladies in balconies around the room played relaxing harp music for most of the evening.

The party, as always, gives me the opportunity to see many friends in the media whom I don’t often see, and meet some interesting people for the first time as well. I also enjoyed meeting several people from other groups that work with the Imperial, from Sherwood in Taiwan to Halekulani Group in Hawaii.

Going back a bit – quite a bit – I have great memories of a couple of coffee breaks I had at the Imperial with the controversial author Yukio Mishima. I’m going to name-drop now, but that’s what this column’s about. I first got to meet Mishima-san through an introduction note that author Tennessee Williams gave me at a lunch hosted by Andy Warhol at his New York factory. It really is a small world.

Daniel Yoshikoshi, Chilean Amb. Patricio

Turkish consultant Atkan Kara with

London Time’s Asia editor Richard Lloyd

Heather McLeish, a consultant

Torres and his wife Cecelia

his 15-year-old son, Kenta

Parry with his lively son Kit

from Boston

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BACK IN THE DAY: 1975 Check out the scene in Tokyo from 1975! You can read the rest of this issue (No.18 1975) and view Weekender’s 45-year archive online. www.tokyoweekender.com/weekender-archives/

Northward Bound

Starting next month, join us in Akita, where we will take a tour that includes the prefecture’s traditional beauties, a garment with roots in the region’s agricultural past, and a symbol of animal loyalty that is beloved across Japan.

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