Tokyo Weekender July 2016
Breaking the rules of kimono – a new book shatters antiquated views of this traditional garment. Plus: The boys for sale in Shinjuku Ni-chome, best sake of 2017, Japan's new emperor, and what really goes on inside "Terrace House."
Breaking the rules of kimono – a new book shatters antiquated views of this traditional garment. Plus: The boys for sale in Shinjuku Ni-chome, best sake of 2017, Japan's new emperor, and what really goes on inside "Terrace House."
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JULY 2017<br />
Japan’s number one English language magazine<br />
BREAKING THE<br />
RULES OF KIMONO<br />
A NEW BOOK SHATTERS<br />
ANTIQUATED VIEWS OF THIS<br />
TRADITIONAL GARMENT<br />
PLUS: The Boys for Sale in Shinjuku, Best Sake of 2017, Japan's New Emperor, and What Really Goes on Inside "Terrace House"
To all investors and customers of The Parkhouse series:<br />
The Mitsubishi Jisho Residence overseas<br />
sales team is on hand for all your needs<br />
For the most up-to-date information about Mitsubishi Jisho<br />
Residence's new real estate projects, please visit our<br />
English website at www.mecsumai.com/international/en<br />
For inquiries, please email mjrtph@mec-r.com<br />
Live in a Home for Life. The Parkhouse
34<br />
26<br />
32 36<br />
radar<br />
THIS MONTH’S HEAD TURNERS<br />
8 AREA GUIDE: YURAKUCHO<br />
This old-school neighborhood has a few<br />
modern surprises up its sleeve.<br />
14 STYLE<br />
Ready for a summer romance? Get your<br />
spark back with some flirtatious swimwear<br />
18 BEAUTY<br />
Shake up your make-up with a full kit of<br />
organic, natural cosmetics.<br />
20 TRENDS<br />
We stop by Japan's Sake Competition to find<br />
out which are the top tipples for 2017.<br />
22 THE CONCIERGE<br />
Editor's picks from our roundup of top restaurants,<br />
salons, and services in the city.<br />
in-depth<br />
COFFEE-BREAK READS<br />
26 BREAKING THE RULES OF KIMONO<br />
A new book shows off the different personalities<br />
of this very traditional garment.<br />
30 THE LIFE AND LOVE OF JAPAN'S<br />
NEW EMPEROR<br />
As Emperor Akihito prepares to step down,<br />
all eyes are turning towards his son.<br />
32 THE MISUNDERSTOOD CROWS<br />
OF TOKYO<br />
Love or hate them, the city's gigantic crows<br />
cannot be ignored. We look at their bond<br />
with Japan, and what they can teach us.<br />
34 WHAT IT'S REALLY LIKE INSIDE<br />
"TERRACE HOUSE"<br />
We chat with the stars to get the inside<br />
scoop on this mundane yet addictive show.<br />
36 BOYS FOR SALE<br />
A new documentary brings to light a particular<br />
kind of sex trade in Shinjuku Ni-chome.<br />
guide<br />
CULTURE ROUNDUP<br />
40 ART & FICTION<br />
Julian Lennon shows off his photography,<br />
and a new spy novel wends its way into<br />
North Korea.<br />
42 AGENDA<br />
An art aquarium, a dynamic percussion performance,<br />
and a Showa-era beer garden.<br />
44 TRAVEL<br />
A new market brings Niigata to <strong>Tokyo</strong>.<br />
46 PEOPLE, PARTIES, PLACES<br />
<strong>Tokyo</strong>'s longest-running society column.<br />
JULY 2017
JULY 2017<br />
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President<br />
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Jessica Yumi Idomoto<br />
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Cover illustration (Ride on times), Model: Ryoko,<br />
Photographer/Stylist/Makeup/Editor: Akira Times<br />
Direction: Kimono Times<br />
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4 | JULY 2017 | TOKYO WEEKENDER
@bapawn: Annemarie, your story about the<br />
documentary Boys for Sale [page 36] was gutting, but I<br />
couldn’t stop reading until I got to the end. How did you<br />
find out about the project?<br />
@mizrama: Yes, it’s a very distressing film to watch, but<br />
a very important topic to bring to light – these young<br />
boys who are being paid to sleep with older men in<br />
Shinjuku. The director of photography is a friend of<br />
mine so I knew about it from the start, when he and the<br />
executive producer were first exploring the topic.<br />
@bapawn: Emotionally, was it a difficult piece to work on?<br />
@bapawn: I think it’s good that the film touches on topics<br />
that are often kept out of public discussion in Japan.<br />
@mizrama: Agreed. Hopefully it will encourage people<br />
to examine their opinions about homosexuality, and<br />
also put a spotlight on the need for sex education.<br />
@bapawn: In a very different way, as this month’s cover<br />
goes to show, perceptions have shifted on a topic that’s<br />
quite out in the open in Japan: the kimono [page 26].<br />
I’m glad to see that the garment is being taken down<br />
from its pedestal a little, and becoming a bit more<br />
democratized.<br />
@mizrama: It has definitely stayed with me, and I<br />
do find myself thinking of the boys and wondering if<br />
they’re okay. But I think it was far more difficult for<br />
the film makers. They spent three years on the project,<br />
and hours interviewing each urisen (rent boy). Some<br />
of the stories the boys told are truly heartbreaking. But<br />
hopefully by making a documentary like this, they can<br />
help to shift certain perceptions in and of Japan.<br />
@mizrama: Me too. In our interview with Dr Sheila<br />
Cliffe [author of the book The Social Life of Kimono],<br />
it feels almost like she’s giving us permission to wear<br />
the kimono as we would everyday fashion, rather than<br />
reserve it for special occasions.<br />
@bapawn: Well then, I know what I’ll be wearing to our<br />
next office party…<br />
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TOKYO WEEKENDER | JULY 2017 | 5
6 | JULY 2017 | TOKYO WEEKENDER
WHAT’S ON OUR RADAR THIS MONTH...<br />
It's the perfect time to explore Yurakucho as a new performance theater opens its doors<br />
with a dramatic show. Plus: flirtatious summer swimwear, and the best sake of 2017.<br />
TOKYO WEEKENDER | | JULY 2017 | 7
AREA GUIDE<br />
UNDER THE<br />
TRACKS IN<br />
YURAKUCHO<br />
Surrounded by the extravagance of areas such as<br />
Marunouchi, Ginza, Hibiya and Shimbashi, this old-school<br />
neighborhood is something of an island extending in a narrow<br />
strip beneath the Yamanote line. But it does have a few<br />
modern surprises up its sleeve…<br />
Words by Paul McInnes. Photos by Stephan Jarvis<br />
GRUB’S UP<br />
Yurakucho is a foodie’s paradise. There are<br />
plenty of cafés, bars and restaurants catering<br />
for those with both tight and expansive budgets.<br />
Under the tracks there is the (in)famous<br />
Yakitori Alley serving up chicken skewers<br />
and watered down beer to locals and tourists<br />
alike. You can even indulge in authentic Korean<br />
barbeque, cheap ramen from ramshackle<br />
huts and pick up some fruit and veg from the<br />
wee market stalls that dot the area.<br />
The really good stuff in the form of sweaty<br />
and gargantuan burgers, however, can be<br />
found just outside <strong>Tokyo</strong> International Forum<br />
(more on TIF later). American hamburger<br />
chain Shake Shack serves up all kinds of<br />
juicy goodness, shakes and treats at its newish<br />
restaurant. Lines are to be expected but if the<br />
thought of hamburger juice running down<br />
your chin and arms turns you on then it’s a<br />
no-brainer.<br />
The slightly more refined diner should<br />
head to the legendary Shin Hinomoto (aka<br />
Andy’s) izakaya run by an Englishman who<br />
prides himself on supplying an authentic<br />
Japanese dining experience. Booze, fish and<br />
traditional dishes are enjoyed by those in the<br />
know and greedy tourists searching for the<br />
foodie Promised Land.<br />
8 | JULY 2017 | TOKYO WEEKENDER
INDULGE IN AUTHENTIC KOREAN BARBEQUE, OR<br />
CHEAP RAMEN FROM RAMSHACKLE HUTS<br />
TOKYO WEEKENDER | JULY 2017 | 9
FOR THOSE WITH A<br />
DEEPER INTEREST<br />
IN THE ARTS, HEAD<br />
TO THE BRAND-NEW<br />
ALTERNATIVE THEATRE<br />
ALL SAY PROST!<br />
Although no-one seems to know why there are<br />
so many German bars in the area (and even<br />
more German/Japanese-style beer halls opening<br />
soon), they have huge after-work pulling power<br />
for salarymen and women. Not cheap but selling<br />
traditional German brews such as Bitburger,<br />
Hofbrau and Franziskaner alongside sausages and<br />
sauerkraut, pubs Baden Baden and JS Lennep are<br />
magnificent if looking for an electrifying atmosphere<br />
and good ol’ knees up. Even better is that<br />
they’re located right next to each other so there’s<br />
no excuse for not missing your last train home.<br />
HAVE MONEY TO BURN?<br />
For those passionate about all things electronic,<br />
Yurakucho has a huge Bic Camera branch choc-abloc<br />
with cameras, smartphones and pretty much<br />
everything savvy urbanites require to function in<br />
this day and age. Lumine department store caters<br />
for elegant and fashion-forward ladies (brands<br />
include Alexander Wang, Tomorrowland and Marc<br />
by Marc Jacobs) while Hankyu Men’s focuses on<br />
the <strong>Tokyo</strong> dandy (and is one of only two department<br />
stores in <strong>Tokyo</strong> providing fashion solely for<br />
men). If you’re a fashionable gent then the likes of<br />
Comme des Garcons, Junya Watanabe, Undercover<br />
and Thom Browne will have you reaching for<br />
10 | JUNE 2017 | TOKYO WEEKENDER
your gold card in no time. The area also<br />
plays host to the Muji flagship store, which<br />
incorporates a restaurant and an outpost of<br />
the Loft stationery shop. Muji is the go-to<br />
brand for the low-key and toned-down yet<br />
stylish <strong>Tokyo</strong>ite.<br />
FAMED ARCHITECTURE AND<br />
A BRAND-NEW THEATER<br />
The Rafael Vinoly-designed <strong>Tokyo</strong> International<br />
Forum is an architectural gem<br />
nestled between Yurakucho and <strong>Tokyo</strong> stations.<br />
Serving as an exhibition, conference<br />
and arts center, the space is huge and looms<br />
over Yurakucho and surrounding areas.<br />
Visitors are free to have a peek around and<br />
marvel at its magnitude and brilliance. For<br />
those with a deeper interest in the arts, the<br />
brand-new Alternative Theatre will be up<br />
your street. The wholly renovated venue<br />
will host cutting-edge, non-verbal shows<br />
by leading performers. Its inaugural show,<br />
Alata, plays until the end of August and is a<br />
futuristic, action-packed samurai tale [turn<br />
the page for our full review].<br />
TOKYO WEEKENDER | JUNE 2017 | 11
[ PROMOTION ]<br />
A Dramatic<br />
Alternative<br />
A new performance theater in Yurakucho gives fresh life to a vintage cinema,<br />
and celebrates its launch this month with a captivating multimedia show<br />
Movie theaters are often where we go to see<br />
the extraordinary take place: dazzling special<br />
effects, actors transforming themselves<br />
before our eyes, and directors inspiring<br />
their cast and crew to bring their visions<br />
to life. Simply put, we often go to these spaces to escape,<br />
and to feel a true sense of freedom from the everyday.<br />
It’s fitting, then, that Yurakucho’s new Alternative<br />
Theatre was a movie theater in its previous incarnation,<br />
because this theatrical venue is looking to bring that<br />
same sense of the extraordinary to its audiences.<br />
Over the last nine months, what used to be a Toei<br />
Cinema has been remodeled into a 410-seat theater<br />
that will play home to a variety of shows. The space is<br />
equipped with a state-of-the-art sound system, a series of<br />
catwalks and wire stations that will allow performers to<br />
soar above the audiences, and 2,700 LEDs that will serve<br />
as a dramatic accompaniment to the action on stage.<br />
There are also certain touches that harken back to<br />
the space’s Showa origins and to Yurakucho’s historical<br />
roots as <strong>Tokyo</strong>’s Broadway. As the elevator doors open<br />
onto the lobby, the first thing you see is the vintage,<br />
crystal-bedecked pillar. This is only one of the many<br />
vintage details that can be found around the theater,<br />
and they add to a feeling of comfort that is part of the<br />
Japanese tradition of omotenashi (making guests feel as<br />
comfortable as possible), which is one of the pillars of<br />
the Alternative Theatre experience.<br />
Embracing the past while looking forward to the<br />
future is at the heart of Alternative Theatre’s mission,<br />
as Studio Alta president Kazutoshi Tanuma explains.<br />
The company has its roots in television production, but<br />
in developing the theater, they’ve had assistance from<br />
experienced hands at companies like the Theater Workshop<br />
and Mitsukoshi Party Management Company.<br />
Studio Alta’s first show is the captivating multimedia<br />
production Alata, which brings together a variety of art<br />
forms – dance, swordplay, and pantomime – to create an<br />
unforgettable theatrical experience. With international<br />
audiences in mind, the entire show will be non-verbal,<br />
and rely on the skill and artistry of cast and crew to create<br />
performances that audiences from around the world<br />
will be able to appreciate and enjoy.<br />
For the more distant future, Tanuma hopes to create<br />
more collaborative shows harnessing the skills and<br />
talents of performers from a wide variety of disciplines,<br />
but always with a focus on the non-verbal. Given their<br />
international focus, they also have a long-term goal of<br />
partnering with foreign promoters and bringing international<br />
talent to the Alternative Theatre.<br />
But Tanuma isn’t satisfied with multidisciplinary<br />
theater that breaks boundaries while reaching audiences<br />
from around the world. He’s set an even higher bar<br />
for the fledgling theater: “Ultimately,” Tanuma says,<br />
“We want to bring about an entirely new kind of<br />
entertainment.”<br />
12 | JULY 2017 | TOKYO WEEKENDER
BEHIND THE SCENES AT<br />
THE OPENING SHOW<br />
The opening day for Alata couldn’t<br />
be more fitting: <strong>July</strong> 7 is the most<br />
common day for celebrating<br />
Tanabata, a holiday that recognizes<br />
two celestial lovers, and is a time<br />
when magical things are known to happen.<br />
The title character of the play is Alata,<br />
a shogun from the Sengoku period (1467–<br />
1603). In his own time, he was charged<br />
with the duty of protecting a princess<br />
from an evil spirit. Defeated on his mission,<br />
Alata finds himself magically transported to<br />
<strong>Tokyo</strong> and the year 2020. There, he meets<br />
Kokoro, a modern young woman with<br />
no fondness for old traditions. As Alata<br />
struggles to make his way in the modern<br />
era, he and Kokoro are pursued by the<br />
same spirit that sent Alata into the future.<br />
One of the things that makes Alata<br />
unique is its ability to tell its tale entirely<br />
without words. Whether audiences are<br />
marveling at Alata’s intense swordplay,<br />
being moved by fast-paced dance routines,<br />
or looking up to see performers on wires<br />
zooming towards the stage, there’s no<br />
language barrier and audiences from<br />
around the world will be able to follow the<br />
story without missing a beat.<br />
We were able to see part of a rehearsal<br />
for the show, and the stage positively<br />
crackles with energy as the characters<br />
brought the captivating story to life with<br />
dance, pantomime, and swordplay.<br />
The playwright behind Alata is Kensuke<br />
Yokouchi, who has penned works that range<br />
from Super Kabuki shows and large-scale<br />
plays to small, independent works. Together<br />
with director Shunichi Okamura, who has<br />
produced everyone from idol groups to<br />
DANCE,<br />
SWORDPLAY,<br />
AND PANTOMIME<br />
COME TOGETHER<br />
TO CREATE AN<br />
UNFORGETTABLE<br />
THEATRICAL<br />
EXPERIENCE<br />
kabuki actors, he has taken up the<br />
challenge of bringing a completely<br />
wordless work to dramatic life.<br />
For a theatrical piece that uses<br />
no words, music plays a crucial<br />
role, which is where the group Mili comes<br />
into focus. The band came to international<br />
attention through the hit mobile music game<br />
Deemo, and all of Mili’s album releases have<br />
hit the number one spot on Japan’s indie<br />
music chart. Their music, which manages<br />
to evoke both traditional Japan and hyper<br />
modern <strong>Tokyo</strong>, is a perfect counterpoint to<br />
this tale of a time-transplanted samurai.<br />
The two performers who will bring<br />
the lead characters to life are Elina and<br />
Yuko Saotome. Elina, who plays Kokoro,<br />
has starred on stage and screen, and has<br />
recently returned from a stint in New York,<br />
further developing her craft as a dancer.<br />
Yuki Saotome, her counterpart, made his<br />
stage debut with Japan’s leading theater<br />
troupe, Gekidan Sujaku, when he was<br />
one and a half years old. After years of<br />
performing in traditional Japanese theater,<br />
Saotome is now known as one of Japan’s<br />
quickest and most talented sword play<br />
performers.<br />
And although the celestial lovers of<br />
Tanabata, Orihime and Hikoboshi, only get a<br />
day to spend with one another, audiences will<br />
be able to enjoy the adventures of Alata and<br />
Kokoro for many months to come. It’s a show<br />
that you don’t want to miss.<br />
ESSENTIAL INFO<br />
Alata hits the stage at Alternative Theatre<br />
on <strong>July</strong> 7.<br />
Tickets: www.alternative-theatre.jp/en<br />
Address: Alternative Theatre Yurakucho<br />
Center Bldg (Yurakucho Mullion) 7F, 2–5–1<br />
Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku.<br />
Scenes from the Alata stage rehearsal<br />
TOKYO WEEKENDER | JULY 2017 | 13
STYLE<br />
GUCCI HEADBAND<br />
According to the runways, headbands go in<br />
and out of style, but according to our own<br />
rules, they’re always appropriate, especially<br />
during summer. Hot and muggy Japanese<br />
summers require extra steps to stay cool,<br />
and headbands are a must-have to fix a frizzy<br />
mane and to get that fringe away from your<br />
forehead. This silk Gucci headband is adorned<br />
with the house’s Flora snake print, which<br />
features a serpent winding its way around<br />
bouquets of flowers. Both naughty and nice,<br />
it’s begging to be stashed in your handbag for<br />
impromptu beach trips. gucci.com<br />
GET YOUR SPARK BACK WITH<br />
OUR ROUNDUP OF FLIRTATIOUS<br />
SWIMWEAR AND HEAD-TURNING<br />
POOLSIDE ACCESSORIES<br />
Compiled by Vivian Morelli<br />
ARAKS BIKINI<br />
New York-based label Araks uses the most<br />
luxurious Italian fabrics to create effortlessly<br />
chic lingerie and swimwear. While the brand<br />
is mostly known for its sleek undergarments,<br />
it’s worth having a look at their swimsuit<br />
collection. We especially love this red, plum<br />
and pink color-block bikini that combines a<br />
flattering triangle top and low-rise briefs. The<br />
sculpting, stretchy fabric is even woven with<br />
SPF 50+ protection, adding extra shielding<br />
to complement all that sunscreen you’ve<br />
already slathered on. araks.com
MISSONI SWIM SHORTS<br />
Renowned for its patterned knitwear, Missoni does<br />
everything ranging from clothes, home decor and<br />
– you guessed it – swimwear. The Italian house<br />
cleverly transformed its iconic woven chevron<br />
pattern into print form for this pair of slim-fit<br />
swim shorts. Cut from lightweight shell, they come<br />
in a few different color combinations, but this<br />
tonal blue version is our favorite. The drawstring<br />
at the waistband even comes with the signature<br />
multicolored zigzag motif, for a full Missoni effect.<br />
missoni.com<br />
THOM BROWNE<br />
SWIM SHORTS<br />
Designer Thom Browne is known for his playful<br />
yet edgy designs. For his 2017 spring collection,<br />
his inspiration was the classic movie Jaws. These<br />
swim shorts pay homage to the 1975 flick with<br />
appliquéd sharks and bitten surfboards in red,<br />
navy and white, which are also the brand’s<br />
signature colors. Crafted in Italy from quick-drying<br />
shell, they’re both comfortable and stylish, and<br />
they will make for a good conversation starter at<br />
the beach. thombrowne.com<br />
STELLA MCCARTNEY<br />
SWIMSUIT<br />
Take a plunge without having to worry<br />
about whether your bikini top will stay on<br />
– this is just one of the pluses of wearing<br />
a full-piece swimsuit. They’re also just a<br />
lot more flattering. One-piece suits have<br />
been all the rage over the past few years,<br />
and this Stella McCartney number is the<br />
perfect balance of trendy and practical.<br />
The one-shoulder design is free of clasps<br />
or fastenings for a streamlined fit, and the<br />
vivid animal print is one of the designer’s<br />
signature patterns – let it be yours, too.<br />
stellamccartney.com<br />
MAISON MARGIELA SUNGLASSES<br />
Sunglasses are undoubtedly at the top of the “essential summer accessories”<br />
list. Not only does a pair of stylish frames instantly spruce up an outfit, a good<br />
set of lenses also protects your peepers against harsh sun rays. This pair from<br />
Maison Margiela is a fresh change from the classic aviators: it comes with<br />
a chunky round frame (this season’s trending look), featuring a silver-hued<br />
snakeskin effect. Dress down when you wear them and let them take the<br />
spotlight they deserve. maisonmargiela.com
[ PROMOTION ]<br />
HOW NIPPON FORM<br />
CAN TRANSFORM<br />
YOUR HOME<br />
Photos by Chris Mollison<br />
Head to the fifth floor of<br />
LIVING DESIGN CENTER<br />
OZONE to discover a range<br />
of furniture and homeware<br />
that will infuse your décor<br />
with both contemporary<br />
design and a touch of<br />
traditional craftsmanship<br />
For 20 years, Nippon Form<br />
has sought to provide ideal<br />
pieces that reflect the evolving<br />
lifestyles of modern society.<br />
Their selection of furniture<br />
and homewares retain the strengths of both<br />
traditional culture and innovative modernity,<br />
making for a collection that neatly unites<br />
functionality and style. Visitors will find<br />
practical items with a combination of Japanese<br />
and Western influences, harmonizing<br />
beautiful design and purpose.<br />
SHOWROOM STRATEGY<br />
The Nippon Form showroom gives visitors a<br />
complete idea of how an interior would look,<br />
while also allowing you to feel the texture of<br />
fabrics and wood surfaces firsthand. Though<br />
the showroom is compact, this makes it easier for those<br />
living in small spaces to imagine how to maximize said<br />
space. Knowledgeable staff are on call to advise on<br />
usage, storage and design options, as well as how to care<br />
for items to ensure they last for generations.<br />
MINIMALIST BUT FUNCTIONAL FURNITURE<br />
Create a calming space by filling your home with<br />
simple, practical pieces of furniture that don’t require a<br />
compromise on design. Natural wood furnishings offer<br />
a sturdy, traditional feel to contemporary construction,<br />
especially when combined with coarse fabrics. Taking<br />
Japan’s sometimes miniscule living areas into account,<br />
16 | JULY 2017 | TOKYO WEEKENDER
HOW TO KEEP YOUR<br />
HOME COOL FOR<br />
SUMMER<br />
MANY ITEMS<br />
ARE CRAFTED TO<br />
FIT NEATLY INTO<br />
SMALL SPACES<br />
Few places emphasize the<br />
change of the seasons as much<br />
as Japan, and Nippon Form is<br />
no exception. The Prep Your<br />
Place for Summer Living event,<br />
which is on during regular<br />
opening hours at the showroom,<br />
promotes various ways<br />
to keep your home feeling<br />
naturally cool in the otherwise<br />
oppressive city summer heat.<br />
Wicker chairs and tables,<br />
woven rush accessories,<br />
bamboo baskets, wind chimes,<br />
and paper fans are just a few<br />
of the special seasonal items<br />
available during this limited<br />
time. Event ends August 6.<br />
bright aquamarine and magenta – offer aesthetic<br />
charm for any interior.<br />
many sofas and chairs are crafted to either<br />
neatly fit into small spaces, or have a multifunctional<br />
purpose so as to make the most<br />
of a compact room.<br />
DESIGNER ITEMS x QUALITY<br />
CRAFTSMANSHIP<br />
A unique addition to your home in form<br />
and function, as well as a dash of color can<br />
change your interior completely. Here, Nippon<br />
Form excels with an extensive selection of<br />
high-end interior products, including glassware,<br />
tableware, and even lighting fixtures. The<br />
Guinomi series of hand-cut shot glasses from<br />
Kamata Kiriko delivers a new perspective to a<br />
traditional craft. The glasses gleam with indigo<br />
accents and the curved patterns conjure up<br />
images of water and waves. Another one-of-akind<br />
item is the nanbu tetsubin cast-iron kettle,<br />
a craft with a history dating back hundreds of<br />
years. These sturdy items from Iwate require the<br />
utmost care to create, but will last generations.<br />
Their playful pop-inspired colors – including<br />
ONE-OF-A-KIND GIFTS<br />
Although furniture is a large part of Nippon<br />
Form’s selection, there are plenty of smaller<br />
home decor items and accessories to please both<br />
the eye and the wallet for the casual souvenir<br />
shopper. Furoshiki cloths are both practical and<br />
compact gift items that showcase contemporary<br />
patterns on traditional fabric. Chopsticks, lacquerware<br />
bowls, small porcelain accessories – a<br />
cornucopia of items are available to explore and<br />
enjoy, making this the place to find a one-of-akind,<br />
high-quality gift to take home.<br />
NIPPON FORM, LIVING DESIGN<br />
CENTER OZONE<br />
5F Shinjuku Park Tower, 3-7-1<br />
Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku<br />
Tel: 03-5322-6620<br />
Web: www.ozone.co.jp/nipponform<br />
TOKYO WEEKENDER | JULY 2017 | 17
BEAUTY<br />
Words by Annemarie Luck<br />
Time for a make-up shake up: toss out the old and fill your<br />
beauty bag with these natural and organic brands instead<br />
LIPSTICK BY NATURAGLACE<br />
Using organic plant extracts, minerals<br />
and essential oils, Japan-made<br />
Naturaglacé products are 100%<br />
natural. With a base of olive oil and<br />
jojoba oil, this Rouge Drop Moist<br />
lipstick goes on smoothly, melting<br />
onto the lips, and moisturizing while<br />
providing a chic berry hue.<br />
¥3,200, www.naturaglace.jp<br />
FOUNDATION BY<br />
TV & MOVIE<br />
One of Japanese brand<br />
TV & Movie’s bestsellers,<br />
the 10 Min Mineral Powder<br />
Foundation not only<br />
protects your skin with<br />
SPF40 but also naturally<br />
adjusts to suit your skin<br />
tone. Best of all, it’s not<br />
dry like regular powder<br />
foundation as it contains<br />
natural oils including<br />
argan oil, olive oil and<br />
camellia oil. ¥5,500,<br />
www.tv-movie.co.jp
EYESHADOW BY<br />
ALIMA PURE<br />
Founded in Portland, Alima Pure<br />
believes in “minimal ingredients<br />
for maximum impact.” This proudly<br />
carbon-neutral brand incorporates<br />
pure mineral pigments, nourishing<br />
plants oils, and soothing botanicals<br />
in their luxurious range. Their<br />
Luminous Shimmer Eyeshadow is<br />
available at Cosme Kitchen branches<br />
in <strong>Tokyo</strong>, and our first choice for<br />
summer is this beautifully subtle<br />
Chai color. ¥2,376, alimapure.com,<br />
cosmekitchen.jp<br />
MASCARA BY<br />
AQUA ORGANIC<br />
Japanese brand Aqua Organic<br />
was founded in 2014 and<br />
uses fresh fruit extracts in<br />
their natural cosmetics. Even<br />
this mineral mascara, which<br />
lengthens and separates<br />
lashes beautifully, contains<br />
extracts including grapeseed,<br />
yuzu fruit, and loquat leaf.<br />
¥2,700, aqua-cosme.com<br />
BLUSH BY MIMC<br />
Created by Kotobuki Kitajima, MIMC<br />
uses 100% mineral and organic ingredients,<br />
and aims to “take care of your skin<br />
with make-up.” Look out for their 2017<br />
S/S 10th Anniversary Collection, which<br />
features this pressed Bio Moisture Cheek<br />
color made from minerals, plant serums<br />
and natural dye. ¥3,800, www.mimc.<br />
co.jp/2017sscollection.php<br />
EYESHADOW BY<br />
ZUII ORGANIC<br />
Whether you prefer a smoky<br />
eye or a pop of color on<br />
your lids, this new Certified<br />
Organic Duo Eyeshadow<br />
Palette range by Australian<br />
brand Zuii satisfies all tastes.<br />
The brand’s unique talc-free<br />
blend of rose, chamomile and<br />
jasmine powders are enriched<br />
with natural vitamins and<br />
minerals. We can’t wait to try<br />
the purple Pout Grape duo.<br />
¥4,800, www.zuiiorganic.com.<br />
For a list of stockists in Japan,<br />
visit www.zuii.jp
TRENDS<br />
THE SAKE<br />
AWARDS<br />
Words by Alec Jordan<br />
Last month we stopped by Sake Competition 2017 to find out<br />
which are the top tipples to taste this year<br />
For a beverage with such a long<br />
history (nearly 2000 years!),<br />
sake’s ingredients are as simple<br />
as can be: rice, water, a special<br />
type of mold known as kōji,<br />
yeast, and in some cases, distilled alcohol. But<br />
from these basic materials, a countless variety<br />
of different sakes have been brought to life,<br />
generations of brewing families have passed<br />
down secret recipes over the years, and a long<br />
and flavorful history continues to develop.<br />
It was with this spirit at heart that Japan’s<br />
Sake Competition was begun. Drawing sake<br />
brewers from around Japan and beyond, the<br />
2017 awards, held in early June, saw a panel<br />
of beverage connoisseurs – including none<br />
other than Hidetoshi Nakata – appraising<br />
more than 1700 sakes produced by 453 different<br />
sake brewers. There were eight awards<br />
categories, and we’re sharing the top three<br />
sakes in each – whether you’re new to nihonshu<br />
or you’re a long-time fan of the tipple,<br />
you’ll want to add these to your shopping list.<br />
More info at www.sakecompetition.com<br />
20 | JULY 2017 | TOKYO WEEKENDER
JUNMAI<br />
JUNMAI<br />
DAIGINJO<br />
This type of sake has had no extra distilled<br />
alcohol added during its brewing, and is<br />
known for its rich, full flavor.<br />
THE WINNERS:<br />
1 ST Zaku, Honotomo, Shimizu Seizaburo<br />
Shoten (Mie) 2 ND Zaku, Gennotomo, Shimizu<br />
Seizaburo Shoten (Mie) 3 RD Ugonotsuki,<br />
Tokubetsu Junmai, Aihara Brewery<br />
(Hiroshima)<br />
JUNMAI<br />
GINJO<br />
A full, complex flavored sake made from<br />
rice that has been polished until at least 50<br />
percent of the grain has been removed.<br />
THE WINNERS:<br />
1 ST Kaiun, Junmai Daiginjo, Doi Brewery<br />
(Shizuoka) 2 ND Tokaizakari, Junmai<br />
Daiginjo, Tobindori, Koizumi Brewery<br />
(Chiba) 3 RD Hououbiden, Beccho Shiko,<br />
Kobayashi Brewery (Tochigi)<br />
GINJO<br />
SPARKLING<br />
SAKE<br />
Made without the addition of distilled alcohol.<br />
Known for its complex flavor, which often has<br />
fruity and flowery notes.<br />
Produced using distilled alcohol, which can<br />
make for very interesting flavor profiles. These<br />
sakes are highly fragrant with subtle flavors.<br />
THE WINNERS:<br />
1 ST Raifuku, Daiginjo, Shizuku, Raifuku<br />
Brewery (Ibaraki) 2 ND KID, Daiginjo, Heiwa<br />
Brewery (Wakayama) 3 RD Miinokotobuki,<br />
Daiginjo, Kannokura, Miinokotobuki<br />
Brewery (Fukuoka)<br />
THE WINNERS:<br />
1 ST Tosashiragiku, Junmai Ginjo,<br />
Yamadanishiki, Sento Sake Brewery (Kochi)<br />
2 ND Katsuyama, Junmai Ginjo, Ken, Katsuyama<br />
Brewery (Miyagi) 3 RD Bijofu, Junmai Ginjo,<br />
Yataro, Hamakawa Shoten (Kochi)<br />
SUPER<br />
PREMIUM<br />
Sparkling sake gets its bubbles from one of<br />
three ways: carbonation, tank fermentation,<br />
or bottle fermentation.<br />
THE WINNERS:<br />
1 ST Nanbu Bijin, Awa Sake Sparkling,<br />
Nanbu Bijin Brewery (Iwate) 2 ND Shu Shu,<br />
Happoseishu, Koganei Brewery (Kanagawa)<br />
3 RD Suzune, Happoseishu, Ichinokura<br />
Brewery (Miyagi)<br />
LABEL<br />
DESIGN<br />
DINERS CLUB<br />
YOUNG BREWERS’<br />
ENCOURAGEMENT<br />
AWARD<br />
These three winners caught<br />
judges’ eyes as well as their<br />
taste buds.<br />
THE WINNERS:<br />
1 ST Echigo Tsurukame, Junmai Daiginjo,<br />
Koshiwa, Echigo Tsurukame Brewery<br />
(Niigata) 2 ND Yamagata Masamune,<br />
Okanjunmai, Mitobe Brewery (Yamagata)<br />
3 RD Miyakanbai, Extra Class Junmai Daiginjo,<br />
Sanmai Hasshi, Kanbai Brewery (Miyagi)<br />
These sakes represent the very best that a<br />
brewer can achieve – and they have a price<br />
tag to match.<br />
THE WINNERS:<br />
1 ST Shichiken, Junmai Daiginjo, Onakata,<br />
Tobingakoi, Yamanashi Meijo Brewery<br />
(Yamanashi) 2 ND Kiwamihijiri, Junmai<br />
Daiginjo, Tenka no Shisei, Miyashita<br />
Brewery (Okayama) 3 RD Katsuyama, Junmai<br />
Daiginjo, Ren, Katsuyama Brewery (Miyagi)<br />
This prize goes in support of young brewers<br />
– those who are 35 years or younger.<br />
THE WINNER:<br />
This year the prize went to Mr Kitahara<br />
from Yamanashi Meijo Brewery in<br />
Yamanashi Prefecture, whose Shichiken<br />
Junmai Daiginjo won the top prize in the<br />
Super Premium category. As a part of the<br />
award, Yamanashi Meijo Brewery will<br />
receive PR and sales support.<br />
TOKYO WEEKENDER | JULY 2017 | 21
Looking for a great place to eat, shop, sleep or play in <strong>Tokyo</strong>? Welcome to <strong>Weekender</strong>'s<br />
roundup of recommended restaurants, hotels, stores, salons and more. Here, we share<br />
this month's editor's picks, but for the full lineup – as well as reader discounts and<br />
special offers – simply head to www.tokyoweekender.com/the-concierge<br />
Elana Jade Club 360<br />
HEALTH, BEAUTY & FITNESS | EDITORS CHOICE<br />
Choose a healthy alternative to tanning without the hidden<br />
downsides! Eco Tan colors do not contain synthetic food<br />
coloring, and are derived from cacao, herbs, flower<br />
extracts, fruit extracts and chamomile from our Mother<br />
Earth. Home care products, including self tanning, are also available.<br />
Please see our website tanning page for tips on how to keep your tan<br />
longer! Special offer: Enjoy a full-body spray tan for ¥5,000 (normal<br />
price ¥7,000), valid until <strong>July</strong> 31.<br />
www.elanajade.com<br />
03-6453-9319<br />
4F NS Azabu Juban Building, 3-6-2 Azabu Juban, Minato-ku<br />
Club 360 is <strong>Tokyo</strong>’s premier fitness and rehabilitation<br />
center, offering personal training, physiotherapy, sports<br />
massage, exercise classes, boxing and various classes for<br />
children. Programs are tailored to suit you, and all trainers<br />
are highly qualified. Special offer: Get in shape this summer<br />
with Club 360’s four-week unlimited class special. Only ¥30,000<br />
and you get access to over 20 classes per week!<br />
www.club360.jp<br />
03-6434-9667<br />
B1 Cma3 Building, 3-1-35 Motoazabu, Minato-ku<br />
HEALTH, BEAUTY & FITNESS | EDITORS CHOICE<br />
HOTELS | EDITORS CHOICE<br />
Zagyosoh<br />
Founded 50 years ago,<br />
Zagyosoh – which is set within<br />
Izu’s Ukiyama hot spring<br />
district as well as the Fuji<br />
Hakone National Park – has transformed<br />
over the years from a small<br />
four-room traditional inn to a luxury<br />
resort spanning 16,528 square meters.<br />
It’s the first Abba Resort in Japan, and<br />
as of 2017 it’s also the first and only<br />
Japanese ryokan to be accepted as a<br />
member of the prestigious Small Luxury<br />
Hotels of the World (SLH) group.<br />
rzagyosoh.com/en<br />
0557-53-1170<br />
1741 Yawatano, Ito-shi, Shizuoka<br />
22 | JULY 2017 | TOKYO WEEKENDER
Fujimoto Dental Clinic<br />
At this Ginza-based clinic, which was founded in 1981, you’ll<br />
not only receive world-class specialist restorative and periodontal<br />
dental care, but you’ll also be in the expert hands<br />
of Dr Kohei Fujimoto. He is fluent in English, a graduate of<br />
the University of Washington’s Graduate Periodontics Program, and<br />
certified as a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology.<br />
Appointments can be made via phone.<br />
Owl Café Search<br />
Japan is famed for its wide variety of animal cafés, with owl<br />
cafés being one of the latest to join the lineup. This new<br />
website provides all the information you need on where to<br />
find one of these feathery creatures to pet while sipping on a<br />
cuppa. Launching their English site this month, Owl Café Search lets<br />
you search by area, and includes details such as price, opening hours,<br />
and contact info for each café listed.<br />
ABOUT TOWN | EDITORS CHOICE<br />
www.owlcafe-search.com<br />
ABOUT TOWN | EDITORS CHOICE<br />
www.fujimoto-dental.com<br />
03-5551-0051<br />
4F Kami-Pulp Kaikan, 3-9-11 Ginza, Chuo-ku<br />
WANT TO FEATURE YOUR ESTABLISHMENT IN THE CONCIERGE?<br />
For ad sales enquiries, please call 03-6432-9948 or email sales@tokyoweekender.com<br />
TOKYO WEEKENDER | JULY 2017 | 23
WE ASKED HOW YOU<br />
FEEL ABOUT JAPAN'S<br />
BATHING CULTURE.<br />
HERE'S WHAT<br />
YOU SAID...<br />
high-tech functions<br />
The top-rated feature of<br />
Japanese baths eg. auto water<br />
reheating. Meanwhile, 109<br />
people said Japanese baths<br />
should be longer and larger.<br />
The number of respondents<br />
who said that their bathroom<br />
back home contained a bath<br />
tub, shower and toilet in the<br />
same room (unlike in Japan).<br />
In April, The Noritz Group, one of Japan's leading<br />
water heater companies, asked <strong>Tokyo</strong> <strong>Weekender</strong><br />
readers to take a short survey to share your opinions<br />
and experiences with regards to the bathing customs<br />
of Japan, including at home, sento (public baths), and<br />
onsen (hot spring baths). From over 600 responses,<br />
we've whittled down the data to bring you the<br />
insightful – and sometimes entertaining – results.<br />
biggest changes since<br />
moving to japan<br />
1. I bathe more often<br />
2. I bathe at night now<br />
3. I bathe for longer<br />
Were surprised to learn that Japanese<br />
people commonly share bath water and<br />
bath time with family members. 70% of<br />
respondents said they bathe alone.<br />
TOP READERS’<br />
COMMENTS<br />
AND NOW FOR YOUR MOST<br />
ENTERTAINING SUGGESTIONS…<br />
"The sound of the bath<br />
controller is too loud; every<br />
time we use it our dog barks<br />
like crazy."<br />
"I wish I could turn on the<br />
water from the bath itself.<br />
The control button is in the<br />
kitchen for some reason..."<br />
Those who have been to a sento.<br />
Although only 30% said they regularly<br />
use both home and public baths.<br />
The percentage<br />
from North<br />
America who tend<br />
to bathe at night,<br />
while people from<br />
Asia tend to bathe<br />
in the morning.<br />
"I would like an app on my<br />
smartphone to start running<br />
or heat up my bath!"<br />
"Have beer vendors walking<br />
around the onsen? That<br />
would be pretty silly<br />
though."<br />
SO WHAT DID WE ULTIMATELY LEARN FROM THE SURVEY?<br />
After 66 years in the bathing possible to automatically clean the bath tub,<br />
biz, Noritz told us they were fill the water and maintain the temperature<br />
interested "to discover that with just one switch. Also look out for their<br />
international residents enjoy newly launched high-efficiency gas water<br />
taking baths as much as people heater, the Eco Jozu GT-C2462 series, which<br />
who grew up in Japan."<br />
carries a UV sterilization unit on the water<br />
Following on from some of the feedback heater itself to prevent bacteria growing in<br />
received, they'll be focusing their attention<br />
on adding to their range of high-tech<br />
residual water.<br />
features – for example, the Osouji Yokuso For more information about The Noritz<br />
(bath tub cleaning) feature, which makes it Group, go to www.noritzglobal.com/en<br />
"I only wish they allowed<br />
tattoos. Some of us have<br />
small tattoos and got<br />
rejected at some onsen."<br />
"All I know is pressing a<br />
button to run a bath has<br />
changed everything! And<br />
living closer to a Lush. Bath<br />
bombs are my life now."<br />
"More signs in proper<br />
English, widely available in<br />
onsen and sento."<br />
24 | JULY 2017 | TOKYO WEEKENDER
SHIFTING PERCEPTIONS<br />
This month: a shocking documentary challenges traditional opinions on sexuality in<br />
Japan (above and page 36), a new book shatters antiquated views on the kimono (page 26),<br />
and why the crows of <strong>Tokyo</strong> don't really deserve their "bad boy" image (page 32).<br />
TOKYO WEEKENDER | APRIL JULY 2017 | 25
BREAKING<br />
THE RULES<br />
OF KIMONO<br />
A NEW BOOK BY DR SHEILA CLIFFE SHOWS<br />
OFF THE DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES<br />
OF THIS VERY TRADITIONAL YET OFTEN<br />
MISCONCEIVED GARMENT<br />
Words by Lisa Wallin<br />
26 | JULY 2017 | TOKYO WEEKENDER
EVERY GARMENT I WEAR IS A STORY,<br />
AND I’M JUST ANOTHER CHAPTER IN<br />
THAT GARMENT’S STORY<br />
also much more connected with nature,<br />
climate, the seasons and place. Also, a dress<br />
or a shirt and pants are kind of a done deal.<br />
You can add some earrings or something,<br />
but what you buy is basically what you<br />
wear. If I buy 50 obi, then that’s 50 different<br />
outfits with this one kimono. That’s fascinating<br />
to me. Anyone who loves the idea<br />
of putting an outfit together will become<br />
hooked on kimono.”<br />
On her own kimono-wearing style, Cliffe<br />
says, “Contrast works with kimono. I limit<br />
the number of colors I use, and those colors<br />
are almost always opposites on the color<br />
circle. I don’t look at any of the magazines<br />
telling you what’s right or wrong. If I look at<br />
those, I know I’m going to end up dressing<br />
the same as everyone else. When you do<br />
that, you lose all the power of expression.<br />
I go my own way. I think it’s normal and<br />
ordinary, but people seem to think it’s interesting.<br />
I suppose dressing is my art.”<br />
Cliffe also mentions that kimono are<br />
usually inherited, connecting people across<br />
generations. Silk is said to last a hundred<br />
years, which is roughly equal to three generations.<br />
Given its long life and the fact that<br />
silk kimono are kept for formal occasions<br />
and thus remain in good condition, being<br />
able to wear a hundred-year-old kimono is<br />
not unusual. Cliffe explains, “I pick up the<br />
old ones and wear them until they fall apart.<br />
Kimono has long been<br />
pigeon-holed as the<br />
“national costume”<br />
of Japan, and largely<br />
ignored by Western<br />
fashion academics who view it<br />
as an unchanging garment that<br />
simply serves the purpose of<br />
covering the body. It is clothing,<br />
but it isn’t considered fashion.<br />
Dr. Sheila Cliffe, who moved<br />
from Bristol to Japan in 1985 and<br />
is a professor at Jumonji Gakuen<br />
Women’s University in Saitama,<br />
aims to shatter this antiquated<br />
and Eurocentric view of the<br />
kimono in her book The Social<br />
Life of Kimono. Spoiler alert: she<br />
succeeds. Her in-depth social<br />
analysis of past and present kimono<br />
wearers, as well as makers<br />
and craftsmen in the industry,<br />
indicates kimono is part of a<br />
complete fashion system separate<br />
from the West.<br />
Cliffe’s passion for kimono<br />
is infectious, and her deep<br />
knowledge on the subject – both<br />
academically and aesthetically<br />
– is nothing less than inspiring.<br />
When asked what kimono means<br />
to her, Cliffe tells <strong>Weekender</strong>:<br />
“It’s fashion, very simply. But<br />
it’s far more interesting than<br />
Western fashion, for a lot of reasons:<br />
it’s slow and it’s three-dimensional.<br />
It caters to multiple<br />
audiences because of that. It’s<br />
TOKYO WEEKENDER | JULY 2017 | 27
Unfortunately, I haven’t inherited any from<br />
my own mother, but every garment I wear is<br />
a story, and I’m just another chapter in that<br />
garment’s story. I’m the last chapter – or<br />
almost, at least. When I can’t wear a kimono<br />
anymore, I cut it up to make kimono collars<br />
or recycle it into other things. Each time it<br />
changes context, another story is added to<br />
the life of the kimono.”<br />
Cliffe’s view of kimono as a fashion item<br />
to enjoy and play with may seem obvious<br />
now, but it wasn’t always an easily accessible<br />
culture. The Internet has played a large<br />
role in the spread of interest in kimono, and<br />
in turn, bending its rules. Cliffe explains:<br />
“Before the Internet, kimono knowledge was<br />
trapped within the industry, especially with<br />
kimono dressing schools. The schools were<br />
keeping it a closely guarded secret, but they<br />
didn’t realize that raising the bar to kimono<br />
wearing so high was actually strangling<br />
the whole industry. It was only because<br />
the information started to leak out that the<br />
kimono revival could happen.”<br />
The kimono revival found its way<br />
through a worldwide boom in Asian culture<br />
in the early Nineties. Interest for all things<br />
Japanese increased at home, whether it was<br />
keeping goldfish instead of tropical fish, or<br />
an indoor bonsai garden. Along with that,<br />
interest in yukata grew, and from yukata to<br />
kimono. As with most fashion movements,<br />
young women led the way, but with one<br />
difference: the knowledge of how to wear kimono<br />
was held by older women. Previously,<br />
mothers would have taught their daughters<br />
REVISING HOW<br />
PEOPLE FRAME<br />
THE KIMONO IS<br />
CRITICAL FOR<br />
IT TO REMAIN A<br />
FASHION ITEM IN<br />
THE FUTURE<br />
how to wear kimono – now it’s older women<br />
teaching younger women who are their<br />
friends. “It’s a return to a more natural<br />
way of sharing the knowledge,” says Cliffe.<br />
Thanks to the Internet, the interest<br />
in kimono has also grown overseas, with<br />
people meeting up to wear the garment<br />
and discuss its care, how to accessorize<br />
it, and more. Cliffe met with one of the<br />
groups, Kimono de Jack, in Birmingham.<br />
“When I went to interview them, I was<br />
petrified at first. I didn’t know what I<br />
would be dealing with. But everyone<br />
wore their kimono beautifully and had<br />
even come up with new ways of tying obi<br />
knots, which is fascinating. That’s how<br />
far the information has leapt out. And<br />
this is without ever having stepped foot in<br />
Japan!”<br />
28 | JULY 2017 | TOKYO WEEKENDER
The Web<br />
has also helped<br />
create a medium<br />
for homegrown<br />
kimono influencers<br />
who reside<br />
outside of Japan’s<br />
bigger cities. One<br />
in particular,<br />
Akira Times [who<br />
created the image<br />
on this issue's<br />
cover], breaks the<br />
mold of the image<br />
of the traditional<br />
kimono wearer.<br />
He says people are<br />
looking for culture<br />
in the wrong places<br />
because they<br />
are looking to the<br />
past and trying to<br />
preserve it, rather<br />
than making<br />
something new. He believes in breaking stereotypes<br />
and taboos to create something that<br />
never existed before. He and Cliffe agree<br />
that revising how people frame the kimono<br />
is critical for it to remain a fashion item in<br />
the future, and the Internet is one way to<br />
help spread knowledge and style ideas.<br />
However, even with all the knowledge<br />
online, some things still get lost in translation.<br />
For Cliffe’s book, she interviewed 50 international<br />
kimono wearers and 50 Japanese kimono<br />
wearers. The difference in their collections<br />
was remarkable. While Japanese enthusiasts<br />
had wardrobes with raw silk and komon (a<br />
casual kimono with all-over patterns) for<br />
everyday wear, international wearers had<br />
completely different collections. “They had<br />
so many gorgeous kimono, but they were<br />
very formal and with very few uses for them.<br />
I understand why, though. They’re coming<br />
from the outside, from a visual aspect, and<br />
those are the ones that make the strongest<br />
impression. I wanted to show that Japan has<br />
always had its<br />
own fashion,<br />
unrelated to the<br />
West. I wanted to<br />
tell the users’ and<br />
wearers’ story.<br />
The international<br />
wearers only<br />
have part of that<br />
story, through<br />
photos and websites<br />
with geisha<br />
on them. If you’re<br />
going to have a<br />
photo taken, then<br />
you wear a fancy<br />
kimono and that<br />
creates a distortion<br />
in the data.<br />
I wanted to tell<br />
the real stories of<br />
real women.”<br />
This was<br />
how Cliffe’s bilingual<br />
project, Kimono Closet, was born.<br />
This ongoing project catalogues women’s<br />
kimono wardrobes as well as their stories<br />
behind certain kimono, their influences,<br />
and their challenges. For Cliffe, her social<br />
study of kimono has only just begun.<br />
The Social Life of Kimono is available on<br />
Amazon.co.jp for ¥3,226. For more info<br />
about Dr. Sheila Cliffe and her projects, visit<br />
www.kimonocloset.com. Also, find her on<br />
Instagram: @kimonosheila and YouTube:<br />
Kimono World.<br />
WHERE TO BUY<br />
& HOW TO WEAR<br />
While the media would have us believe<br />
the kimono industry is dying, Cliffe<br />
insists this isn’t the case. “There are<br />
some kimono that are only made in<br />
certain places because of the weather<br />
or because the techniques are so<br />
exacting that only a few older people<br />
remember how to do it. Those types are<br />
endangered, but kimono isn’t dying.<br />
It’s changing. There are a lot of new<br />
and successful businesses out there. It’s<br />
fashion, and fashion changes. There’s<br />
nothing wrong with that.” So, where to<br />
get your kimono kicks in <strong>Tokyo</strong>? Here<br />
are three recommended spots…<br />
GALLERY KAWANO<br />
Extensive selection of vintage kimono,<br />
obi and haori (jacket), with sizes<br />
available to suit the taller shopper.<br />
Flats Omotesando 102, 4-4-9 Jingumae,<br />
Shibuya-ku, www.gallery-kawano.com<br />
KIMONO, REMADE: TOKYO<br />
KALEIDOSCOPE<br />
For those who love kimono patterns<br />
and fabrics but aren’t keen on the<br />
traditional way of wearing them, Lia<br />
makes stunning modern-day bespoke<br />
creations from vintage kimono.<br />
www.tokyokaleidoscope.com<br />
HISUI TOKYO<br />
This school offers lessons not only in<br />
kimono dressing, but also tea ceremony,<br />
calligraphy and sword training in the<br />
heart of Ginza. 5F Koizumi Bldg., 4-3-13<br />
Ginza, Chuo-ku, en.hisui-tokyo.com
THE LIFE AND LOVE OF<br />
JAPAN’S NEW EMPEROR<br />
Words by Matthew Hernon<br />
As Emperor Akihito prepares to step down, all eyes are turning towards his son and successor, Crown Prince<br />
Naruhito. Here, we reflect on his relatively down-to-earth upbringing, the freedom he felt while living in England,<br />
and whether his wife, who has battled for years to adjust to palace life, is ready to take on the role of empress<br />
After almost three decades as the ceremonial figurehead<br />
of Japan, Emperor Akihito has been given permission<br />
to step down. The 83-year-old, who has undergone<br />
heart surgery and had treatment for prostate cancer,<br />
no longer feels he can carry out his duties properly. A one-off bill<br />
has been passed by the government allowing him to renounce<br />
the throne. It will be Japan's first abdication in more than two<br />
centuries, with the baton being passed on to his son, Crown Prince<br />
Naruhito. The exact date of the succession has yet to be confirmed,<br />
though reports have suggested it will take place on January 1,<br />
2019. Naruhito will become the 126th emperor in the world's oldest<br />
hereditary monarchy, a line dating back to the 5th century. So,<br />
what do we know about the heir apparent to the Chrysanthemum<br />
Throne? Here’s a look at the life and times of the future emperor.<br />
THE NARU-CHAN CONSTITUTION<br />
The eldest son of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, Naruhito<br />
was born in a makeshift hospital at the palace on February 23,<br />
1960. His mother – the first commoner to marry into the imperial<br />
family – decided to raise Naruhito and his siblings, Prince Akishino<br />
and Sayako Kuroda, herself, even breastfeeding them. While that<br />
may not sound noteworthy, at the time it was considered significant<br />
as the everyday care of royal children had previously been<br />
the duty of wet nurses and maids.
When his parents were away Naruhito<br />
would be left with nannies who were<br />
given written instructions by Michiko on<br />
how to take care of him. He was allowed<br />
no more than one toy at a time and had to<br />
be hugged at least once a day. This list of<br />
rules was turned into a best-selling book<br />
titled Naru-chan Kenpo (The Naruhito<br />
Constitution) that’s still popular today.<br />
From all accounts, Naruhito was<br />
said to have had a happy and relatively<br />
normal upbringing, especially when<br />
compared to his ancestors. His father<br />
allegedly gave him a hand-me-down uniform<br />
to wear to school and told teachers<br />
not to give him any special treatment.<br />
The young prince enjoyed watching<br />
baseball, hiking and skiing.<br />
CLUBBING, PUB CRAWLS AND<br />
TEA WITH THE QUEEN<br />
In 1983, a year after graduating from Gakushuin<br />
University, Naruhito decided to<br />
move to the UK where he did a master’s<br />
degree on the history of transportation<br />
on the River Thames at Oxford University’s<br />
Merton College. More important<br />
than his classroom studies, however,<br />
were the life lessons he learnt during his<br />
two years in Britain.<br />
For the first time, the prince had to<br />
fend for himself and seemed to revel<br />
in it. In his book, The Thames and I: A<br />
Memoir of Two Years at Oxford, he wrote,<br />
“This had been a happy time for me –<br />
perhaps I should say the happiest time of<br />
my life.” The autobiographical account,<br />
whilst not exactly hard-hitting, gives<br />
a fascinating insight into the personal<br />
escapades of a man whose privacy is<br />
usually closely guarded.<br />
Much of his first week in England<br />
was spent in the company of the royal<br />
family, including the Queen, who impressed<br />
him with her laid-back manner<br />
and the fact that she poured him a cup of<br />
tea herself. Shortly after, he moved into<br />
a shared dormitory in Oxford where he<br />
learnt how to iron and use the coin laundry<br />
machine, though his first attempt at<br />
the latter ended with him almost flooding<br />
the room.<br />
One of his favorite pastimes was discussing<br />
music over a few pints. He even<br />
went on a few pub crawls. The prince<br />
apologizes to the British public for not<br />
getting to grips with the rules of cricket,<br />
but did participate in many British<br />
sports such as tennis and rowing. It was<br />
an exciting time for a man who, under<br />
normal circumstances, can barely move<br />
without asking for permission.<br />
“I met the crown prince twice,” says<br />
social anthropologist Joy Hendry. “On<br />
the second occasion, I sat opposite his<br />
personal body guard who told me how<br />
much the prince loved being in Oxford<br />
because he could walk about in the<br />
streets and the local market where nobody<br />
recognized him, which made him<br />
feel free like any other student.”<br />
Around the city Naruhito would<br />
usually wear jeans, much to the surprise<br />
of Japanese tourists. His casual attire got<br />
him turned away from a nightclub, yet that<br />
didn't put him off. He went to a different<br />
club at a later date, dancing with girls until<br />
2am. “Perhaps this was the first and last<br />
disco I would go to in my life,” he remarked.<br />
In October 1985 Naruhito departed<br />
from the UK. “As the London scene gradually<br />
disappeared from view I realized that<br />
an important chapter in my life was over.<br />
A new page was opening, but I felt a large<br />
void in my heart, and as I stared out of the<br />
window of the plane I had a lump in my<br />
throat.”<br />
IN PURSUIT OF A PRINCESS<br />
Back in Japan, Naruhito’s activities were<br />
far more constricted, and being in his<br />
mid-twenties he was under pressure to find<br />
a bride. He could reportedly choose one<br />
himself, but she had to meet the approval<br />
of a committee of palace officials. The plan<br />
was to have him married off before reaching<br />
30, yet despite numerous candidates<br />
being put forward the prince remained<br />
single at 32.<br />
I FELT A LARGE VOID<br />
IN MY HEART, AND AS<br />
I STARED OUT OF THE<br />
WINDOW OF THE PLANE<br />
I HAD A LUMP IN MY<br />
THROAT<br />
His first choice was Harvard graduate<br />
Masako Owada, whom he pursued for six<br />
years after they met at a banquet for the<br />
Duchess of Lugo in 1986. Coming from<br />
a wealthy family, she ticked most of the<br />
committee’s boxes: highly educated, multilingual<br />
and, crucially, slightly shorter than<br />
the prince.<br />
One problem was the controversy surrounding<br />
her maternal grandfather, Yutaka<br />
Egashira. He was the former chairman<br />
of Chisso Corporation, a chemical company<br />
that dumped mercury-laden<br />
industrial waste into<br />
the bay off Minamata<br />
in Kyushu, leading to<br />
the onset of Minamata<br />
Disease. Thousands<br />
were affected by the<br />
neurological syndrome,<br />
which in extreme cases,<br />
led to insanity, paralysis<br />
and death. Though not<br />
directly involved in the<br />
scandal, Egashira’s association<br />
with Chisso was seen<br />
as potentially damaging<br />
for the imperial family.<br />
Despite this, Naruhito was still determined<br />
to wed Masako. Unfortunately, she<br />
wasn’t so keen. Twice she turned down<br />
his proposals as it would mean giving up a<br />
budding career as a diplomat for the constrained<br />
life of a princess. Not one to give<br />
in, Naruhito tried a third time and finally<br />
got his wish.<br />
Speaking at a press conference after<br />
their wedding in 1993, Crown Princess<br />
Masako said, “His Highness told me that<br />
‘you may have many worries and anxieties<br />
about entering the imperial house, but I<br />
will do everything in my power to protect<br />
you as long as I live.’”<br />
Despite the support of her husband,<br />
Masako has struggled with life as a royal.<br />
Under pressure to produce a male heir,<br />
she miscarried in 1999. Two years later<br />
Princess Aiko was born; however, as Japan<br />
operates under a system of agnatic<br />
primogeniture, this did little to solve the<br />
succession problem. It was all getting too<br />
much for the future empress.<br />
Speaking to journalists in 2004, Naruhito<br />
said, “Princess Masako still faces ups and<br />
downs in terms of her health. She’s worked<br />
hard to adapt to the environment of the<br />
Imperial Household for the past decade,<br />
but from what I can see, she's completely<br />
exhausted herself in trying to do so.”<br />
It was announced that Masako was suffering<br />
from adjustment disorder, a mental<br />
condition brought on by stress, making it<br />
difficult for her to carry out official duties.<br />
The birth of Prince Hisahito – son of the<br />
crown prince’s brother and third in line for<br />
the throne – reduced some of the pressure.<br />
Her condition is said to have improved<br />
slightly in recent years, but public appearances<br />
remain sporadic. Whether that<br />
will change when she becomes empress<br />
remains to be seen.<br />
As for Naruhito, this is a role he has<br />
been preparing for since childhood. His<br />
amiable father, ably supported by wife<br />
Michiko, is held in high regard for prioritizing<br />
disaster victims, championing the<br />
cause of marginalized people and attempting<br />
to reconcile with countries affected by<br />
Japan’s colonialism and wartime aggression.<br />
The hope is that his son will devote<br />
himself to the role of emperor in a similar<br />
fashion.
THE MISUNDERSTOOD<br />
CROWS OF TOKYO<br />
Love or hate them, the city’s gigantic crows cannot be ignored. To make sense<br />
of their place in the concrete jungle, we look at their longheld connection with<br />
Japan, and some surprising lessons we can learn from these sometimes smart,<br />
sometimes foolish “urban guerrillas of birds”<br />
Words by Alec Jordan<br />
In Japan, the public perception of crows got off to a pretty<br />
good start: According to the Kojiki and the Nihonshoki, two<br />
of Japan’s oldest written records, a gigantic crow known as<br />
the Yatagarasu guided the mythical first emperor of Japan<br />
to the part of the country now known as Nara. This crow,<br />
which is often depicted with three legs, can be found at the Kumano<br />
shrines of Japan, and even more commonly, on the uniforms<br />
of the Samurai Blue – Japan’s national soccer team.<br />
But even though they have been common figures in art from<br />
well before the Edo period, crows are generally seen with a mixed<br />
perspective in Japan. On one hand, you have the traditional song<br />
“Yuyake Koyake,” which plays on loudspeakers every afternoon<br />
and whose lyrics tell us return home like the crows return to<br />
their roosts in the trees, but there are also still the associations<br />
of the birds with death – even today, there is a superstition that<br />
if a crow perches on a house at night and calls out, someone in<br />
that house will die before long. We may be happy to return home<br />
like crows – as straight as they fly – but we don’t necessarily want<br />
them roosting with us.<br />
Today, perhaps, the biggest problem that people face with<br />
crows around <strong>Tokyo</strong> is trying to keep them out of their garbage.<br />
And the birds can cause other kinds of trouble as well: the <strong>Tokyo</strong><br />
Metropolitan Government receives some 600 calls a year from<br />
<strong>Tokyo</strong>ites who’ve been attacked by crows – most often in spring,<br />
around the time when the birds are hatching their eggs and raising<br />
their newborn young.<br />
Nonetheless, crows have their fans in <strong>Tokyo</strong>, just as they do<br />
everywhere around the world. Why? It could be their intelligence<br />
– crows know how to use tools, they recognize human faces, and<br />
they’ve even been observed to hold what look to be funerals. It<br />
might be their distinctive voices: crows and their larger cousin<br />
the ravens are believed to possess some of the most complicated<br />
vocabulary of calls of any bird. Or maybe it’s a shared sense<br />
of play. The birds have been seen using wind currents like children<br />
might use waterslides, throwing paper to themselves, going
ody surfing on snowy banks, and playing<br />
with balls.<br />
It was probably a combination of these<br />
traits, as well as their sheer number, that<br />
drew a filmmaking couple, Kris Samuelson<br />
and John Haptas, to devote a few years to the<br />
crows of <strong>Tokyo</strong>. They got their first exposure<br />
to the birds when they were returning from<br />
teaching in Southeast Asia and stopped for a<br />
while in <strong>Tokyo</strong>. As they explained, “there was<br />
a garden where we were staying and we were<br />
amazed by the huge number of crows we<br />
heard and saw. We were intrigued and began<br />
noticing them everywhere we went.”<br />
Samuelson and Haptas returned home<br />
to Northern California, intent on learning<br />
more about city crows – “the urban guerrillas<br />
of birds,” the couple calls them – in general,<br />
and about <strong>Tokyo</strong>’s crows in particular. A<br />
short visit to Japan to shoot a funding clip<br />
followed, and a year and a half later, the<br />
couple received a Japan-US Creative Arts<br />
Fellowship that allowed them to spend five<br />
months in Japan shooting what would<br />
become <strong>Tokyo</strong> Waka.<br />
In the words of the filmmakers, the<br />
documentary is “an essay about man and<br />
nature coexisting in a megalopolis.” Its subjects<br />
include scientists, nature lovers, artists,<br />
a homeless woman, Shinto and Buddhist<br />
priests, and, of course, Corvus macrorhynchos:<br />
the jungle crow, also known as the<br />
large-billed crow. We see them building nests<br />
with hangers stolen from people’s balconies,<br />
chased away by the bees that make the honey<br />
that is sold through the Ginza Bee Project,<br />
and at play in the city’s many parks. The film<br />
has its darker moments – we see a crow that<br />
has been trapped by the <strong>Tokyo</strong> Metropolitan<br />
Government and bagged for euthanization,<br />
for example – but these scenes all help to<br />
draw a fuller picture of the interaction<br />
between humans and the animals they share<br />
the city with.<br />
As one of the film's subjects states,<br />
"Japan has a love of nature, but it’s a kind of<br />
nature that is moderated by mankind – not<br />
necessarily a 'wild' nature." And that’s why<br />
the crow is a complicated beast for <strong>Tokyo</strong>: it<br />
is inadvertently “raised” on what we throw<br />
away, but we really can’t control it, despite<br />
our best efforts.<br />
Another figure who is equally fascinated<br />
by the city’s crows is Hajime Matsubara,<br />
an Affiliate Associate at <strong>Tokyo</strong> University's<br />
Intermediatheque. His first early exposure to<br />
the birds set him on the course of research<br />
that has become part of his life’s work: “One<br />
day in my childhood, I heard a flock of crows<br />
cawing to each other, on the way to their<br />
roost. It looked as if they were talking, so I<br />
tried to call them, imitating their call. A few<br />
seconds later, two or three crows ‘replied.’<br />
Of course, I’m not sure that they really called<br />
back or were calling to each other for their<br />
own purposes. Anyway, that was an impressive<br />
experience for me.”<br />
THE CROW HAS<br />
AN OUTSIDE<br />
PERSPECTIVE,<br />
AND SEES RIGHT<br />
THROUGH OUR<br />
BEAUTY AND OUR<br />
UGLINESS<br />
To this day, he remains impressed<br />
by their attitudes, which he often likens<br />
to those of humans, and their “limitless<br />
ability to adapt to any environment.” And<br />
despite the city’s best efforts to control the<br />
crow population, he believes that crows<br />
have done quite well in the city. Matsubara<br />
estimates that the crow population in <strong>Tokyo</strong><br />
is somewhere between 18,000 (the official<br />
estimate of the <strong>Tokyo</strong> Metropolitan Government)<br />
and 100,000.<br />
As <strong>Tokyo</strong> Waka explains, trapping and<br />
gassing crows has been the official city<br />
policy for keeping the crow population<br />
down, but Matsubara doesn’t believe this is<br />
the best long-term approach (and not just<br />
because the crows are getting wiser to the<br />
city’s traps). “I think garbage control is the<br />
most successful way. Because, if their food<br />
resource is decreased, their reproductive<br />
success and survival rate must decrease.<br />
If we continue piling up garbage bags on<br />
the street and keep carrying capacity high,<br />
nothing can stop the crows from breeding<br />
and coming into <strong>Tokyo</strong> from other places in<br />
Japan.”<br />
When asked about their intelligence, he<br />
responds cautiously: “That’s a very difficult<br />
question, because they are very smart<br />
in some aspects and very foolish when it<br />
comes to other matters. For example, crows<br />
are insightful and capable of long-term<br />
planning. Their cousins, the common raven<br />
have shown researchers that they can<br />
figure out how to untie bow knots simply<br />
by watching other individuals’ behavior.<br />
But, for example, they don’t recognize their<br />
own mirror images, which is something<br />
that even pigeons can do.” However, when<br />
it comes to feeding, and figuring out how to<br />
stay fed alongside human beings, he thinks<br />
that crows are geniuses: “In <strong>Tokyo</strong>, [when it<br />
comes to feeding strategies] crows can adapt<br />
to human behavior very quickly – sometimes<br />
within some minutes.”<br />
Perhaps one of the things that attracts<br />
us to crows is that they give us a seemingly<br />
limitless opportunity to interpret their behavior.<br />
For example, even though Matsubara<br />
watches his research subjects with a scientist’s<br />
eye, he says that he’s noticed two things<br />
that humans can learn from the resourceful<br />
crow: “‘Make the most of every opportunity<br />
and be careful in seeking them out’” and<br />
‘Love is forever.’ Why? Because crows eat<br />
everything – even if it is garbage. And crow<br />
pairs seldom separate.”<br />
And, after all, who’s to say that the crows<br />
aren’t considering us, as we go about our<br />
days? Akiyoshi Taniguchi, a Buddhist priest<br />
at Chohouin Temple in Kuramae, who was<br />
interviewed for <strong>Tokyo</strong> Waka – and who had<br />
a prize goldfish taken from the temple pond<br />
by a crow – strikes a philosophical note as he<br />
muses about how the crows of <strong>Tokyo</strong> might<br />
look at the two-legged creatures they share<br />
the city with: “They are observing us in their<br />
own way. The crow has an outside perspective,<br />
and sees right through our beauty and<br />
our ugliness.”<br />
For more information about <strong>Tokyo</strong> Waka,<br />
visit www.stylofilms.com/tokyowaka.html. To<br />
learn more about the Intermediatheque, visit<br />
www.intermediatheque.jp/en<br />
TOKYO WEEKENDER | JULY 2017 | 33
WHAT IT’S REALLY<br />
LIKE INSIDE<br />
TERRACE<br />
HOUSE<br />
The Japanese reality TV show has been described as<br />
both boring and fascinating, and has gathered a cult<br />
following abroad. Matthew Hernon chats with the stars<br />
to find out what it’s like on the inside<br />
A<br />
fly-on-the-wall reality show<br />
focusing on six, mostly polite<br />
Japanese people living together<br />
without a competitive angle:<br />
Terrace House doesn't sound particularly<br />
captivating. Fairly calm and undramatic,<br />
the participants have little interest in<br />
backstabbing or causing rifts like they do in<br />
Western reality programs, yet somehow the<br />
concept works. It's mundane and addictive<br />
at the same time.<br />
"There are conflicts in the house, but<br />
they're dealt with in a quiet, considered way<br />
which can be even scarier than something<br />
explosive," comedian Ryota Yamasato tells<br />
<strong>Weekender</strong>. "I think it gives a fascinating<br />
and realistic insight into modern Japanese<br />
society and the way people interact here. I'm<br />
not typical in that sense so it's an interesting<br />
learning experience for me."<br />
Yamasato, or Yama-chan as he's better<br />
known, is one of six commentators on the<br />
show who watch and analyze the week's<br />
main events. He's the cynical one of the<br />
group, taking pleasure in the misfortune of<br />
the housemates, particularly when relationships<br />
turn sour. "I don't dislike people falling<br />
in love, it's just more fun when things<br />
go wrong," he says, smiling. "Not everyone<br />
wants to see these models and athletes<br />
succeeding. I prefer to focus on their flaws,<br />
which some people like, while others tweet<br />
me to say I'm being too harsh. The passion<br />
people have for the show is great. I especially<br />
love getting messages from abroad."<br />
Since premiering on Netflix with English<br />
subtitles two years ago, Terrace House<br />
has garnered a cult following globally, and<br />
as Netflix Japan content manager Kaata<br />
Sakamoto told Buzzfeed News, it has "exceeded<br />
expectation in terms of international<br />
viewership."<br />
BOYS X GIRLS: NEXT DOOR<br />
The program first aired on Fuji TV in 2012<br />
and immediately did well in the ratings. One<br />
of the most talked about and outspoken of the<br />
original housemates was Seina Shimabukuro<br />
whose drunken escapades in the first 29 episodes<br />
caused quite a stir. Despite leaving midway<br />
to pursue a career in modeling (housemates<br />
can choose when they depart), things<br />
didn't turn out as planned so she returned to<br />
the show, and ended up staying until the end.<br />
"I was there a long time, probably too<br />
long for some," she says, laughing. "It was<br />
amazing. I loved all the trips, dates and small<br />
things like eating dinner with everyone in the<br />
evening. Living with strangers is nerve-wracking,<br />
but you soon get used to it. Dealing with<br />
the criticism wasn't so easy, though."<br />
Unlike Big Brother, Terrace House members<br />
are well aware of what's being said about<br />
them. In the first series, they would watch the<br />
program on TV at the same time as viewers<br />
and then check social media to gauge the<br />
public's reaction.<br />
34 | JULY 2017 | TOKYO WEEKENDER<br />
Yuto Handa
©Fuji Television Network Inc./East Entertainment<br />
©Fuji Television Network Inc./East Entertainment ©Fuji Television Network Inc./East Entertainment<br />
"It was scary," says Shimabukuro. "I love<br />
Yama-chan, but he could be quite harsh. You<br />
then had to deal with negative comments<br />
online. People wrote about me drinking so I<br />
thought about trying to hide my wine behind<br />
the cameras. I decided not to, though, as there's<br />
no point pretending to be someone you're not."<br />
Japanese-American artist Frankie Cihi<br />
also received her share of online abuse. "I<br />
was trolled on Twitter," she says. "Early on<br />
I was seen as pushy which didn't go down<br />
well. The worst comments came from Taylor<br />
Swift fans. Her song was in the opening<br />
credits so the producers arranged for us to<br />
interview her. Being the English speaker, I<br />
asked the questions and her followers didn't<br />
like it. They were really offended when I<br />
posted a picture posing with their goddess.<br />
I even had death threats."<br />
Despite this, Frankie has no regrets about<br />
appearing on the show. "I gained so much<br />
confidence from it," she says. "It's a program<br />
that lets you be yourself without much interference.<br />
Early on people had their doubts<br />
about me because I seemed bitchy, but once<br />
they got to know my real character they realized<br />
I was harmless. My mother [actress Aki<br />
Mizusawa] saw that I was being well-received<br />
and reached out to me. Before that we weren't<br />
on good terms so that was probably the biggest<br />
positive from the whole experience."<br />
BOYS & GIRLS IN THE CITY<br />
Frankie was also a fan of the following<br />
series, which was coproduced by Netflix and<br />
Fuji TV. Her favorite housemate was Yuto<br />
Handa (Hansan) whom she says, "listened<br />
intently, always knew what to say and spoke<br />
with good diction."<br />
The aspiring architect was the fatherfigure<br />
in the house, relieving tensions and<br />
lending an ear when other members had<br />
problems. In the eyes of commentators Reina<br />
Triendl and Yukiko Ehara he could no wrong.<br />
The latter even cried when he left.<br />
"I appreciate the praise, but of course I'm<br />
not perfect," Hansan tells <strong>Weekender</strong>. "People<br />
evaluated me on the way I thought and behaved<br />
in the house, yet we all have different<br />
sides and I'm no different."<br />
Yama-chan wasn’t a fan. He’d have preferred<br />
to have seen more of Hansan's ugly side.<br />
"He already had a girlfriend and basically did<br />
nothing wrong," says the comedian. "I felt he<br />
didn't need to be there. Natsumi [Saito] was far<br />
more interesting. She was like a dark heroine."<br />
Not afraid to speak her mind, Natsumi<br />
caused a few arguments and a meeting was<br />
called to discuss her behavior. There were<br />
many of these kinds of meetings throughout the<br />
series, including one where everyone sat down<br />
to talk about some meat that had been taken<br />
without permission. Then there was the case of<br />
teenage idol Riko Nagai carrying on with chef<br />
I DON'T DISLIKE<br />
PEOPLE FALLING<br />
IN LOVE, IT'S JUST<br />
MORE FUN WHEN<br />
THINGS GO WRONG<br />
Hayato Terashima away from the cameras.<br />
"This was the defining moment of the<br />
series," says Yama-chan. "Young Japanese<br />
idols are expected to be pure so it's no<br />
surprise Riko tried to hide the relationship<br />
with Hayato. The other housemates knew<br />
what was happening so [they] decided to<br />
confront them. For the sake of her career<br />
it would have been easy for the production<br />
team to gloss over it, but I'm glad they<br />
didn't. This is an unscripted reality show<br />
so it was important that viewers saw how<br />
it developed."<br />
ALOHA STATE<br />
With interest from abroad growing it was<br />
decided that the third and current series<br />
should have more of an international<br />
feel. Set in the tropical island of Oahu in<br />
Hawaii, there are many Japanese-American<br />
housemates, most of whom can speak<br />
English (though they usually converse<br />
in Japanese). It’s created a different vibe<br />
from earlier seasons.<br />
"It's fascinating to watch the contrast,"<br />
says Yama-chan. "In Japan, there was lots<br />
of pent-up frustration amongst the housemates<br />
that eventually came out, whereas<br />
in Hawaii they tend to immediately say<br />
what's on their mind. It took me longer<br />
to get into this one, but now I love it."<br />
Massachusetts-born illustrator and<br />
model Lauren Tsai caused the biggest buzz<br />
early on. Touted as the future It girl of<br />
Japan, she came across as cool and mysterious,<br />
yet surprisingly awkward and at times<br />
looked uncomfortable.<br />
Speaking to hyperbae.com she said,<br />
"I would watch the show and think 'Oh my<br />
God!' is that me? Am I really like that? I hate<br />
myself.' Everything people see about us on<br />
social media is what we choose to put out<br />
there. Being on a reality TV show you have<br />
no control over what's put in or how it's<br />
cut. For someone like me who's not superoutgoing<br />
it was ... an experience."<br />
Since Lauren's departure, Taishi Tamaki<br />
has taken center stage. Initially it seemed<br />
like the wannabe Hollywood actor would<br />
be a calming influence in the house, but<br />
at times he's come across as an emotional<br />
wreck. The fact that he's dated pretty much<br />
every girl who's entered has annoyed some,<br />
while others have found it entertaining.<br />
"Taishi's the star of Aloha State," says<br />
Yama-chan. "He keeps saying he's looking<br />
for a love worth dying for and is clumsily<br />
running out around asking everyone out.<br />
It's great to watch."<br />
Twenty-year-old Niki Niwa was targeted<br />
by Taishi soon after arriving. "At first, I<br />
thought it was good he was being proactive<br />
in trying to get to know the women," she tells<br />
<strong>Weekender</strong>. "The problem is he didn't say<br />
what he was thinking so the girls got confused.<br />
That's what happened to me." Niki soon<br />
turned her attention to professional surfer<br />
Guy Sato, though as her time in the house was<br />
limited things went no further than a kiss.<br />
So, was that her favorite moment? “I<br />
loved it all,” she says. “Staying up late chatting<br />
and watching films, the whole experience.<br />
I cherish every moment I spent there<br />
and really miss it."<br />
Terrace House Aloha State is now streaming<br />
on Netflix, and showing on Fuji Television.<br />
TOKYO WEEKENDER | JULY 2017 | 35
BOYS<br />
FOR SALE<br />
A SHOCKING NEW DOCUMENTARY BRINGS<br />
TO LIGHT A PARTICULAR KIND OF SEX<br />
TRADE HAPPENING IN SHINJUKU NI-CHOME,<br />
WHERE YOUNG, MOSTLY STRAIGHT BOYS ARE<br />
BEING PAID TO SLEEP WITH OLDER MEN<br />
Words by Annemarie Luck<br />
36 | JULY 2017 | TOKYO WEEKENDER
Boys for Sale is not a comfortable<br />
watch. From the documentary’s<br />
very first scene in which a former<br />
straight male sex worker reveals<br />
how he could bring himself to<br />
have sex with men (“Money makes you<br />
hard”) to the heartbreaking sentiment of one<br />
boy who has not yet turned 20 but states, “I<br />
don’t want to live a long life,” the shocking<br />
revelations stack themselves high from start<br />
to finish. The film, which documents the<br />
experiences of a group of young male urisen<br />
(rent boys) who live and work together in<br />
Shinjuku Ni-chome, not only exposes one of<br />
the darker sides of <strong>Tokyo</strong>’s famed gay district,<br />
but also unearths a plethora of related<br />
issues in the process.<br />
“We could have made five different<br />
films,” says executive producer Ian Thomas<br />
Ash. “In the three years it took to produce,<br />
we did all kinds of filming, and there were<br />
so many things we could’ve focused on, for<br />
example gay rights in Japan or the fact that<br />
men having sex with men for money is not<br />
illegal in Japan, whereas female sex work is.<br />
But in the end, our original idea still felt like<br />
the strongest.”<br />
The original idea came about when Ash<br />
and the film’s producer and director of photography,<br />
Adrian Storey, were looking for<br />
a collaborative creative project. Both have<br />
spent over a decade living in Japan, and as<br />
film makers, say they are drawn to controversial<br />
topics and people living on the periphery<br />
of society. Storey, who is now based<br />
in the UK and works under the professional<br />
alias of Uchujin (“alien”), has produced<br />
short films for the likes of Vice including one<br />
about anti-nuclear sticker artist 281_Anti<br />
Nuke, while Ash has won awards for several<br />
documentaries, two of which focused on the<br />
effects of Fukushima’s<br />
nuclear meltdown.<br />
In making Boys for<br />
Sale, which enjoyed<br />
a sold-out screening<br />
for its world premiere<br />
in June at the Nippon<br />
Connection festival<br />
in Frankfurt, the pair<br />
spent a full year just<br />
visiting different bars<br />
in Ni-chome, getting to<br />
know the community,<br />
and finding out how<br />
the male sex industry<br />
works. “We had to<br />
build up some trust<br />
there, and convince<br />
them that we would<br />
protect their identities<br />
if they wanted us to,”<br />
explains Storey. By the<br />
time filming began,<br />
some of the boys had,<br />
surprisingly, agreed to<br />
reveal their identity on<br />
camera. “I think this<br />
was partly because people<br />
had come to know<br />
us and they understood<br />
that this wasn’t just parachute journalism,”<br />
says Storey. “But it’s also because they had<br />
had time to reflect on what they were doing,<br />
and they felt that sharing their story was<br />
important perhaps because of what they’d<br />
learnt about themselves, and how their work<br />
had affected their opinions on things like<br />
homosexuality.”<br />
Those who chose not to show their faces<br />
donned colorful masquerade masks while<br />
being interviewed. While to the viewer<br />
the masks might lend an additional layer<br />
of pathos to their stories, Ash and Storey<br />
initially chose the masks for purely practical<br />
THE BOYS ARE<br />
INTERVIEWED INSIDE<br />
THE SEX ROOMS, GIVING<br />
THE VIEWER A PRECISE<br />
PICTURE OF THE TINY,<br />
RUDIMENTARY SPACES<br />
THEY’RE CONFINED TO<br />
EVERY NIGHT<br />
reasons. “At first, the masks were a way of<br />
just trying to disguise their identities in a<br />
visually interesting way,” says Ash. “In the<br />
end we realized that giving them the masks<br />
to wear possibly helped them to talk more<br />
honestly.”<br />
It’s this honesty, in all its brutality, that<br />
makes the film such compelling – and at<br />
times distressing – viewing. The camera<br />
switches between the boys throughout,<br />
with each of them answering the same<br />
questions. Even though they are filmed individually,<br />
the story is carried through their<br />
shared experiences, which see-saw between<br />
exclamations of how much fun it is living<br />
in the dormitory together (eight of them in<br />
a seven-mat room) to horrific accounts of<br />
being gang-raped. Although you never see<br />
them with customers, they are interviewed<br />
inside the sex rooms, giving the viewer a<br />
precise picture of the tiny, rudimentary<br />
spaces they’re confined to every night. Cleverly,<br />
the film uses animated illustrations to<br />
cement in the mind what actually goes on<br />
in these rooms.<br />
TOKYO WEEKENDER | JULY 2017 | 37
All the boys, save<br />
for one, are under 26 (as<br />
dictated by the urisen bars’<br />
rules), and many of them<br />
service clients up to the age<br />
of 80 and even older. They<br />
are paid around ¥7,000 per<br />
hour, and they work from<br />
4pm to midnight or 2am<br />
every day, with just three<br />
days’ holiday per month.<br />
Depending on how many<br />
clients they have, their<br />
monthly earnings vary<br />
between ¥200,000 and<br />
¥1 million – but 50% of<br />
this goes to the bar.<br />
Aside from wondering<br />
why they would choose to<br />
do this kind of work for<br />
such low pay (the reasons<br />
they give range from things<br />
like family debt to losing<br />
everything in the 2011<br />
tsumani), perhaps the most<br />
perplexing detail is that<br />
the majority of the boys<br />
identify as straight; some of<br />
them even have girlfriends.<br />
Even if they do identify<br />
as homosexual, the bar<br />
owners instruct them to<br />
pretend they are straight.<br />
This leads to many a cringeworthy moment<br />
as they describe their struggle to reconcile<br />
their sexuality with the requirements of<br />
their job.<br />
It also raises questions about societal<br />
norms and pressures in Japan. “I think this<br />
scenario of straight-identifying men having<br />
sex for money with clients who are straight<br />
living is a reflection on a society in which it<br />
has traditionally not been an option to live<br />
openly as a homosexual,” says Ash. “I don’t<br />
think that this kind of sex trade is particularly<br />
unique to Japan, but the way in which it<br />
operates is.”<br />
“The things they talk about in the<br />
film are quite specific to the way Japanese<br />
society works,” adds Storey. “For example,<br />
the tendency to be indifferent to issues<br />
that don’t directly affect you. And the lack<br />
of understanding of sexual health issues.<br />
There were interviews where Ian and I<br />
were in tears afterwards. But probably the<br />
most shocking moment for both of us was<br />
when we asked one of the boys if he knew<br />
how an STD is contracted and he said, ‘Can<br />
men get STDs too?’” Considering the type of<br />
work he is doing, where the sex is usually<br />
unprotected, his answer is dumbfounding.<br />
Sexual health education,<br />
or the lack of it<br />
in Japan, is one of the<br />
critical issues raised in<br />
the documentary. In<br />
one scene, the urisens’<br />
manager states that the<br />
boys are given training<br />
about safe sex, but this<br />
is swiftly followed by<br />
several of the urisen<br />
shaking their heads and<br />
saying the opposite. One<br />
tends to believe the boys<br />
on this point, especially<br />
since in a previous scene<br />
the same manager insists<br />
the nature of the job is<br />
explained at interview<br />
stage, while more than<br />
one urisen claims to have<br />
been misled to believe<br />
they would simply be<br />
dining out with clients<br />
or that they would have<br />
female customers as well<br />
as men.<br />
It’s hard enough as<br />
a viewer to walk away<br />
from Boys for Sale without<br />
feeling desperation<br />
for the boys in the film.<br />
So how, after spending so<br />
much time with them, did Ash and Storey<br />
manage to process the experience? And<br />
how has it shaped their views on Japan?<br />
“Everyone talks about how homogenous<br />
Japan is,” says Storey. “But as soon as<br />
you scratch a tiny bit below the surface, you<br />
start to realize that’s not true. Japanese people<br />
are as diverse as everybody else; there<br />
is a dark side, there is all this undercurrent<br />
going on – the same as everywhere else.<br />
By making a documentary about the fringe<br />
of society, you just have it reinforced to<br />
you that all these things are going on here.<br />
Japan is not unique; it’s not a homogenous,<br />
Hello Kitty wonderland ... You have to find<br />
a way of doing what you can and then letting<br />
go. And in some way, making the film<br />
and getting it out there is part of processing<br />
the emotions.”<br />
Ash adds: “It would be a shame if we<br />
walked away and thought ‘I feel sorry for<br />
them, and something like that would never<br />
happen to me.’ I think we have more in<br />
common with people in these situations<br />
than we don’t. We have a lot to learn about<br />
what it means to be human, and to have<br />
empathy. And to not judge people for whatever<br />
choices they’ve had to make.”<br />
Boys for Sale was directed by Itako, and all<br />
illustrations are by N Tani Studio. The film<br />
is being screened this month at LGBT film<br />
festival Outfest in Los Angeles. To watch the<br />
trailer and find out about upcoming screenings,<br />
visit boysforsale.com<br />
38 | JULY 2017 | TOKYO WEEKENDER
Vincent van Gogh, Postman Joseph Roulin, 1888, Gift of Robert Treat Paine, 2nd, 35.1982, Photograph © 2017 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston<br />
SIT DOWN FOR A SPELL...<br />
...all right, enough dawdling! There's plenty that you'll want to check out in <strong>Tokyo</strong> this<br />
month, from artistic aquariums to an aesthetic trip through Southeast Asia.<br />
TOKYO TOKYO WEEKENDER | DECEMBER | | | MARCH JUNE JULY 2017 <strong>2016</strong> | | 39
© Julian Lennon<br />
ART & FICTION<br />
JULIAN LENNON – CYCLE<br />
Julian Lennon, son of one of the most iconic figures in rock and roll history, has charted his own considerable professional and<br />
artistic trajectory, working in the genres of music, film, and children’s literature. Over the past several years, Lennon has begun<br />
exploring photography, using it as a means of recording his travels around the globe. His current exhibition, Cycle, which depicts<br />
scenes around Southeast Asia, is on display at the Leica Gallery <strong>Tokyo</strong> in Ginza as well as at the Leica store in the newly opened<br />
Ginza Six shopping center. Leica Gallery <strong>Tokyo</strong> Until September 17 bit.ly/TWLeica<strong>Tokyo</strong><br />
THE ART WORLD<br />
OUR PICK OF THE CITY’S BEST EXHIBITIONS<br />
Compiled by Alec Jordan<br />
© Miraikan - The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation<br />
NEW PERMANENT<br />
EXHIBITIONS AT MIRAIKAN<br />
The National Museum of Emerging<br />
Science and Innovation, better known<br />
as the Miraikan, has always been<br />
a place that appeals to the science<br />
and tech set, and a great place to<br />
take the little ones. The museum<br />
has just unveiled four new exhibits<br />
that should spark a sense of wonder<br />
in minds both young and old: an<br />
update to "A Hands-On Model of the<br />
Internet"; Alter, a new android; an<br />
interactive lab that shows us how<br />
technology can help us get fitter; and<br />
an exhibit dedicated to the Venus<br />
Climate Orbiter "AKATSUKI" satellite.<br />
Miraikan Permanent Exhibition<br />
www.miraikan.jst.go.jp/en<br />
40 | JULY 2017 | TOKYO WEEKENDER
Lee Wen, Strange Fruit, 2003, C print, 42×59.4<br />
F<br />
FICTION<br />
SUNSHOWER: CONTEMPORARY ART FROM SOUTHEAST<br />
ASIA 1980S TO NOW<br />
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the creation of ASEAN (Association<br />
of Southeast Asian Nations), both the Mori Art Museum and the National Art<br />
Center, <strong>Tokyo</strong> will be showing a collection of works by leading creative figures<br />
from the art scenes of several different countries in Southeast Asia. The show<br />
gets its name from the common – in Southeast Asia at least – phenomenon<br />
of rain falling from clear skies, which organizers say is “a metaphor for the<br />
vicissitudes of the region.” Mori Art Museum and The National Art Center,<br />
<strong>Tokyo</strong> Until October 23 sunshower2017.jp/en/index.html<br />
GREAT COLLECTORS: MASTERPIECES FROM THE<br />
MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, BOSTON<br />
Vincent van Gogh, Lullaby: Madame Augustine Roulin Rocking a Cradle, 1889, Bequest of John T.<br />
Spaulding, 48.548 Photograph © 2017 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston<br />
The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, is renowned as one of the world’s top<br />
museums, in both quality and scale. Even more impressive is that the museum<br />
developed its collection entirely through the efforts of private citizens, collectors<br />
and companies, without any assistance from the state or federal government.<br />
This collection of 80 items from the MFA’s collection highlights the work of<br />
the individual collectors who helped the museum reach its global status,<br />
and features masterworks ranging from ancient Egyptian pieces to dazzling<br />
examples of contemporary art at its finest. <strong>Tokyo</strong> Metropolitan Art Museum<br />
<strong>July</strong> 20-October 9 www.tobikan.jp/en/exhibition/2017_boston.html<br />
You might think that writer Barry Lancet<br />
has a crystal ball somewhere around<br />
his writer’s desk, given how topical his<br />
most recent book, The Spy Across the<br />
Table, manages to be. Its plot wends its<br />
way into North Korea, and features a character<br />
who is a high level Chinese spy. But this is<br />
all in a day’s work for Lancet’s creation Jim<br />
Brodie, the art dealer/private detective who<br />
is sleuthing and fighting his way through his<br />
fourth novel.<br />
After two close friends of Brodie are<br />
murdered in Washington DC, he is drawn<br />
into action that takes him to one of the<br />
world’s most tense geopolitical regions –<br />
the demilitarized zone that lies between<br />
North and South Korea. He also delves into<br />
corners of Japan’s underworld, including the<br />
Chongryon, a Japanese Korean group with ties<br />
to North Korea, and the PSIA, Japan’s national<br />
intelligence agency.<br />
The “spy” of the title is Zhou, and as Lancet<br />
explains, “he's based on a real encounter I<br />
had in <strong>Tokyo</strong> years ago. He first appeared<br />
fictionally in the second Jim Brodie book, <strong>Tokyo</strong><br />
Kill, and a lot of people liked him as a character<br />
so I had planned to bring him back. I had a set<br />
scene in this book where he was just supposed<br />
to appear for just two or three chapters, but he<br />
sort of took over the book. I wasn't even really<br />
expecting it.”<br />
Expect plenty more surprises in this taut<br />
thriller, which hit shelves last month. Some<br />
of the standouts from the book are the fight<br />
scenes, which give the lie to anyone who<br />
thinks that brawlers are just dumb brutes;<br />
Lancet’s ability to introduce cultural details<br />
and deep history while still keeping the pace<br />
going; and the unflappable Jim Brodie, whose<br />
multifaceted background gives him what his<br />
creator sees as his greatest strength: “His<br />
ability to see both sides of the coin without<br />
making judgement – even when there are<br />
three sides to the coin, or four.”<br />
The Spy Across the Table is available on Amazon<br />
Japan and at some Kinokuniya Stores for ¥2,837<br />
TOKYO WEEKENDER | JULY 2017 | 41
1<br />
3<br />
2<br />
4<br />
7<br />
8<br />
5 6<br />
AGENDA: THE WEEKENDER ROUNDUP OF WHAT’S HAPPENING IN JULY<br />
1<br />
JUL 19-31<br />
2<br />
JUL 22-23<br />
3<br />
JUL 15-31<br />
4<br />
JUL 7-31<br />
DRUM TAO<br />
This group of dynamic percussion<br />
HANDMADE IN JAPAN FES<br />
This annual celebration of creativity<br />
THE MASTERS OF ARTS<br />
The second edition of this Park<br />
ART AQUARIUM<br />
In its 11th year, this popular<br />
artists puts on explosive shows<br />
mixing music, dance and acrobatics<br />
with their traditional drums.<br />
Where: Zepp Blue Theater<br />
Roppongi<br />
How much: ¥8,500<br />
More info: tokyoweekender.com<br />
features a market with 5,500 artisans<br />
and creators, food stalls galore,<br />
live performances (including pro<br />
wrestlers!), and more.<br />
Where: <strong>Tokyo</strong> Big Sight<br />
How much: ¥1,500-¥2,500<br />
More info: tokyoweekender.com<br />
Hyatt event features dynamic<br />
calligraphy, traditional pottery and<br />
chef Kenichiro Ooe’s home-style<br />
seasonal summer cuisine.<br />
Where: Park Hyatt <strong>Tokyo</strong><br />
How much: From ¥7,500<br />
More info: tokyoweekender.com<br />
goldfish aquarium meets arts<br />
installation has come of age. This<br />
year’s theme is inspired by the<br />
Palace of the Dragon King.<br />
Where: Nihonbashi Mitsui Hall<br />
How much: ¥1,000<br />
More info: tokyoweekender.com<br />
JUL 5-9<br />
SHIMOKITAZAWA MUSIC<br />
FESTIVAL<br />
Look forward to live shows on<br />
outdoor stages, inside live houses<br />
and on the streets, with both local<br />
and international bands strutting<br />
their stuff.<br />
Where: Around Shimokitazawa<br />
How much: Free<br />
More info: tokyoweekender.com<br />
6 JUL 3-31<br />
SHOWA-ERA BEER GARDEN<br />
Unwind after work at Grand Hyatt<br />
<strong>Tokyo</strong>’s outdoor Chapel Garden<br />
at this summer event themed<br />
around Japan’s Showa era, with<br />
nostalgic snacks, drinks and<br />
music to match.<br />
Where: Grand Hyatt <strong>Tokyo</strong><br />
How much: ¥6,000<br />
More info: tokyoweekender.com<br />
5 7<br />
JUL 6-10<br />
SHITAMACHI TANABATA<br />
FESTIVAL<br />
Tanabata falls on <strong>July</strong> 7, but you can<br />
catch the colorful strips of paper<br />
for a few days before and after the<br />
7th, and even write your own wish<br />
on them.<br />
Where: Kappabashi Street, Asakusa<br />
How much: Free<br />
More info: tokyoweekender.com<br />
8 JUL 1-31<br />
TARO OKAMOTO’S TOHOKU<br />
Discover the magic of northern Japan<br />
through this artist’s work, much of<br />
which was inspired by his fascination<br />
with the primeval elements he<br />
associated with the region.<br />
Where: Taro Okamoto Memorial<br />
Museum<br />
How much: ¥620<br />
More info: tokyoweekender.com<br />
42 | JULY 2017 | TOKYO WEEKENDER
「map」 2014 pigment print 100×150cm<br />
Hokkaien<br />
Gaien West St.<br />
Aoyama Cemetary<br />
Nogisaka Station<br />
The National<br />
Art Center, <strong>Tokyo</strong><br />
National Graduate<br />
Institute for Policy Studies<br />
Gaien East St.<br />
Kohei Fukushima / maps<br />
Saturday 15th <strong>July</strong> - Sunday 30th <strong>July</strong>, 2017<br />
Opening Hours: 12:00 - 19:00 | Closed: Mondays<br />
Opening Reception: Friday <strong>July</strong> 14th from 18:00 onwards<br />
To Shibuya Otora<br />
Hiroo Station<br />
Gonpachi Roppongi Dori<br />
Nishi-Azabu Intersection<br />
Roppongi Hills<br />
Mori Art Museum<br />
Roppongi Station<br />
NANATASU GALLERY<br />
〒 106-0031 <strong>Tokyo</strong>, Minato-ku, Nishi-Azabu 2-12-4 Ogura building 3F<br />
Te l : 03-6419-7229 | Web: www.na n a t a s u . j p<br />
Door to Door Pickup Service<br />
24 Hour Staff Supervision<br />
One daycare visit available<br />
Open 365 Days<br />
No Cages<br />
Athletic Dog Club co., Ltd.<br />
1F 1-8-18 Akatsutsumi, Setagaya-ku, <strong>Tokyo</strong> 156-0044<br />
Tel: 03-3327-1003 I Fax: 03-3327-7407 | E: athletic.dog.club@gmail.com<br />
www.pethoteltokyo.com (Japanese) | http://adc.pipi.cc (English)<br />
TOKYO WEEKENDER | JULY 2017 | 43
TRAVEL<br />
[ PROMOTION ]<br />
Explore Niigata<br />
with a New Market<br />
in <strong>Tokyo</strong>, and Four<br />
Local Festivals<br />
Niigata is an often overlooked prefecture home to Fuji Rock,<br />
great skiing slopes, and the Kodo drum group, but there's<br />
so much more. A new market offers a taste of the region's<br />
specialties right here in <strong>Tokyo</strong> this summer, with other<br />
regions to be showcased later in the year<br />
Summer is synonymous with<br />
festivals in Japan, and this month<br />
we’ve got our sights set on some of<br />
Niigata’s top matsuri. While many<br />
of us would love to throw caution to<br />
the wind and travel up and down the nation to<br />
experience these wonderful events firsthand,<br />
we know it’s not always easy to find the time.<br />
Thankfully you can also get your rural festival<br />
fix right here in the city at Tabisuru Shintora<br />
Market, a new ongoing event outside Toranomon<br />
Hills that opened earlier this year to promote<br />
local regions from across the nation. The<br />
current theme, named Summer Breeze, begins<br />
this month and features five cities from Niigata<br />
touting their wares and local specialties.<br />
But first, a closer look at the festivals and other<br />
attractions they’re famous for….<br />
FOR SAKE ENTHUSIASTS<br />
MURAKAMI CITY<br />
THE FESTIVAL This historical castle town<br />
is home to the Murakami Grand Festival, a<br />
traditional event that dates back over 380<br />
years and features large floats called oshagiri<br />
as the main draw. <strong>July</strong> 6-7, www.sake3.com/<br />
murakamitaisai<br />
WHILE YOU'RE THERE Located on Niigata’s<br />
coast, this city's claim to local fame is sake,<br />
sake and sake. (That’s salmon, sake and<br />
empathy for the rest of us.) Visitors are welcomed<br />
to long lanes of black wooden walls<br />
and fences – a signature Edo-period style –<br />
and rows of whole salmon hanging to air dry<br />
in the sun. The city also a slew of beautiful<br />
beaches and onsen, the most famous being<br />
Senami Onsen, which overlooks the ocean.<br />
HOW TO GET THERE Take the Joetsu Shinkansen<br />
to Niigata City, then switch to the<br />
Uetsu Honsen Line for Murakami Station.<br />
FOR TRADITIONAL CRAFT LOVERS<br />
SANJO AND TSUBAME<br />
THE FESTIVAL Known collectively as Sanjo-Tsubame, this world-class metalworking region<br />
is revered for its high-quality knives, and flatware used at the Nobel Prize banquet. The<br />
Tsubame-Sanjo Factory Festival allows visitors to have a rare chance to see skilled craftsmen<br />
as they work, and also join them for a drink at organized receptions. October 5-8, kouba-fes.jp<br />
WHILE YOU'RE THERE Hard physical work requires filling food, so it's no surprise Sanjo and<br />
Tsubame are famous for their curry ramen and seabura (back fat) ramen respectively. Echigo<br />
Miso Jyouzo lets visitors can try making their own batch of this traditional condiment.<br />
HOW TO GET THERE Take the Joetsu Shinkansen to Tsubame-Sanjo station.<br />
44 | JULY 2017 | TOKYO WEEKENDER
Yayoi Kusama “Tsumari in Bloom” photo by Osamu Nakamura<br />
Photo by Tsubame-Sanjo Factory Festival Committee<br />
FOR ARTY TYPES<br />
TOKAMACHI CITY<br />
THE FESTIVAL Tokamachi City is home to a unique art event, the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale,<br />
that transcends generations, genres and nationalities. Artists stay true to the vision of "humans<br />
are a part of nature" by creating works in diverse locations like rice fields, closed-down schools<br />
and more. Although the next Triennale isn't until 2018, about 200 artworks can be viewed year<br />
round. Activities are held throughout the year, www.echigo-tsumari.jp/eng<br />
WHILE YOU'RE THERE The city is also home to Kiyotsu Gorge, an expansive beech forest, and a<br />
treasure trove of exceptional Jomon Period (14,000-300 BC) flame-style pottery.<br />
HOW TO GET THERE Take the JR Joetsu Shinkansen to Echigo-Yuzawa Station, then the Hokuhoku<br />
Line to Tokamachi Station.<br />
FOR TOKYO STAYCATIONERS<br />
DISCOVER THE CHARMS OF<br />
NIIGATA AT THE TABISURU<br />
SHINTORA MARKET IN TOKYO<br />
Before heading to Niigata, drop by the<br />
Toranomon Hills’ Tabisuru Shintora Market<br />
for a taste of these festive cities. The regions<br />
each have their own stand serving local<br />
delicacies and spirits. Accompanying the<br />
market is the Tabisuru store, with selected<br />
wares from the featured areas, and the<br />
Tabisuru café, which will serve dishes using<br />
Niigata-sourced, seasonal ingredients.<br />
Tabisuru market Jul 5-29, shop and café<br />
Jul 5-Oct 1. 2-16 Nishi-Shinbashi, Minato-ku.<br />
www.tabisuru-market.jp<br />
FOR FANS OF FIREWORKS<br />
NAGAOKA CITY<br />
FESTIVAL Nagaoka Matsuri, now in its 72nd year, is one of Japan’s three great fireworks<br />
festivals and has made the event an explosive show. It features three monstrous<br />
sanshakudama, each over 300kg, as well as perfectly timed fireworks set to music. The<br />
event also features mikoshi shrine parades, as well as folk dance processions. August 1-3<br />
(fireworks Aug 2-3), Shinano Riverside, nagaokamatsuri.com<br />
WHILE YOU'RE THERE Shrines and temples dot the city's environs, including the stunning<br />
Hotokusan Inari Taisha which has history dating back to the Jomon Period.<br />
HOW TO GET THERE Take the JR Joetsu Shinkansen to Nagaoka Station.<br />
TOKYO WEEKENDER | JULY 2017 | 45
People,<br />
Parties, Places<br />
TOKYO’S LONGEST RUNNING SOCIETY PAGE WITH BILL HERSEY<br />
So much happening here in old Edo – and so many notes on many<br />
of the happenings around town I’m even further behind than<br />
usual. We’re living in what’s got to be one of the most dynamic<br />
cities in the world, and I’m sure most of you love it as much<br />
as I do. The closer we get to the Olympics in 2020, the more changes<br />
we’re going to see. As I’m sure you know, things are already changing<br />
– almost daily. Here are a few things you have probably noticed. La<br />
Foret in Harajuku just opened a variety of really cool menswear shops<br />
– they’re very trendy and chic.<br />
Shibuya’s busier than ever. Don Quixote just opened their megastore<br />
right across the street from the super-popular Segafredo café and<br />
next to H&M’s always<br />
busy fashion building.<br />
Believe me, the beautiful<br />
aquariums with<br />
their marvelous variety<br />
of tropical fish at the<br />
new Don Quixote in<br />
the huge white building<br />
make it well worth<br />
checking out. You and<br />
your kids will love it.<br />
Over Roppongi<br />
way, they’ve cut down<br />
all the beautiful trees<br />
on the corner land<br />
where the late great<br />
Dr. Aksenoff had his<br />
international clinic.<br />
Friends in urban development<br />
tell me the<br />
owner (Mori) really<br />
has dynamic plans for<br />
that area and many<br />
other places in Roppongi<br />
as well. I also<br />
hear that several<br />
property owners behind<br />
the run-down<br />
<strong>Tokyo</strong> flashback: Bill with the late great<br />
actor Roger Moore and his wife<br />
Roi Building have finally sold their property on the street behind the<br />
Roi and development companies will be making really big changes<br />
there as well. As <strong>Weekender</strong> founder Corky Alexander used to say, “I<br />
don’t want to break anyone’s rice ball,” but that property really needs<br />
cleaning up.<br />
While you’re in Roppongi, be sure and check out the new Starbucks<br />
in Midtown Plaza. There’s seating for about 20 people on the<br />
first floor where you can relax and enjoy watching the passing parade<br />
of interesting people. There are also several tables/benches outside,<br />
and a chic room on the second floor that has comfortable seating for<br />
about 60 people.<br />
A great Belgian restaurant, Le Pain Quotidien, moved in where<br />
Starbucks used to be Midtown Plaza. You’ll like the rustic décor, the<br />
service is good, and the food is healthy and tasty. You’ll be amazed at<br />
the variety they offer, and their prices are reasonable. They also have<br />
an in-house bakery – try the organic Baker’s Basket. I really feel you’ll<br />
like this new eatery and it’s going to be very popular. That’s enough this<br />
and that for this month’s column. Time to move on to <strong>Tokyo</strong>’s always<br />
busy social scene.<br />
PAKISTAN’S NATIONAL DAY AND<br />
AMBASSADOR AMIL’S SAYONARA<br />
The National Day event was at the Okura Hotel and his sayonara<br />
was at his sixth floor penthouse in Mita. Farukh was very popular,<br />
and both of the events were wall-to-wall people from all walks of<br />
life. I hadn’t gotten<br />
to know him that<br />
long. He was very<br />
international, very<br />
intelligent, fun,<br />
outgoing and cool.<br />
He’s in Switzerland<br />
now as his country’s<br />
ambassador to the<br />
UN. He’ll really be<br />
missed by his many<br />
friends here.<br />
ARAB JAPAN<br />
DAY GALA<br />
EVENING<br />
Japan went all out<br />
when our Arab<br />
friends held their<br />
annual Arab Japan<br />
Day 2017 at the<br />
Imperial Hotel on<br />
April 4. Security,<br />
which matched<br />
the world’s best,<br />
included dozens of<br />
police cars, lots of<br />
motorcycle officers, several busloads of uniformed officers, and top<br />
SPs (special police).<br />
Many of Japan’s top politicians attended, including Prime Minister<br />
Shinzo Abe, who gave a very meaningful speech. There were also<br />
remarks by Keizo Morikawa, chairman of the Japan Arab Association,<br />
and a gift presentation to the Governor of <strong>Tokyo</strong>, Yuriko Koike. She, as<br />
I’m sure many of you know, studied in Cairo and speaks fluent Arabic.<br />
The ceremony opened with a welcome address by Kuwaiti Ambassador<br />
Al-Otaibi.<br />
Prior to the reception, there was a symposium on sustainable energy<br />
and water security. This was attended by many experts on this<br />
subject. The evening’s program included performances of both Arabic<br />
and Japanese music, a visit to an authentic Bedouin tent transported<br />
from Saudi Arabia, an exhibition of everyday articles inside the tent,<br />
and an exhibition and demonstration of Arabic calligraphy. It was all<br />
46 | JULY 2017 | TOKYO WEEKENDER
IMPERIAL MEDIA<br />
DINNER/RECEPTION<br />
1. Kelly Wetherille and her husband,<br />
Jorge Pazmino, looking good!! 2. Le<br />
Monde’s Philippe Mesmer, socialite<br />
Vivian Morelli, PR guru Nacio “Skip”<br />
Cronin 3. The host, Imperial Hotel’s<br />
president Hideya Sadayasu, Dewi<br />
Sukarno, Hawaii Halekulani Hotel’s<br />
President Peter Shaindlin 4. Peter<br />
Shaindlin, Imperial Hotel’s exec. Jun<br />
Kazama, Far East Traveler’s founder<br />
George Pokrovsky, his son – the<br />
magazine’s mg. ed., Michael 1 2<br />
3<br />
4<br />
5<br />
7<br />
6<br />
8<br />
9<br />
10<br />
12<br />
13<br />
11<br />
PAKISTANI<br />
AMBASSADOR AMIL’S<br />
PAKISTAN NATIONAL<br />
DAY AND SAYONARA<br />
5. Murlie Tanaka, Kumiko Meric<br />
(Turkey), Kyoko Spector, Lilo<br />
Maruyama 6. Turkish Amb. Bulent<br />
Meric, Amb. Amil, Popular politician<br />
Kazuyuki Hamada and Mrs. Hamada<br />
7. Bahrain Amb. Hassan, Chief of<br />
mission Iraq Rahman Muhsin, Qatar<br />
Amb. Yousef Bilal, Oman Amb. Khalid<br />
Al-Muslahi 8. Amb. Amil, Grand Hyatt<br />
GM Steve Dewire 9. Yuko Miwa and<br />
her son, Masahisa (Valiant Language<br />
School) 10. Amb. Amil, Grand Hyatt<br />
GM Steve Dewire 11. Zimbabwe Amb.<br />
& Mrs. Titus M.J. Abubasutu 12.<br />
Govt. officials Antonio Inoki, Natsuo<br />
Yamaguchi, and Seishiro Eto, Amb.<br />
Amil, Motome Takizawa<br />
13. Senegal Amb. and Mrs. Chiekh<br />
Niang, Muhammad Adam, Nigerian<br />
Charge d'Affaires and Mrs. Bello<br />
Kavaure Husseini<br />
TOKYO WEEKENDER | | JULY 2017 | 47
MIDTOWN OAKWOOD<br />
CELEBRATES 10TH<br />
ANNIVERSARY<br />
1. Fortress’s Tami Ooka, Asian<br />
Tigers Nick Masse 2. Midtown’s Amy<br />
Harashino, rowing celebrity Capt.<br />
Lia Ditton 3. Midtown’s man in Japan<br />
Martin Fluck, Pacific Development<br />
& Mgmt. Co’s Rep. director Hiroshi<br />
Kasugai, Playfoot Advisory’s Marcus<br />
Fishenden 4. Konishiki and country/<br />
western singer Crystal Godfleish 5.<br />
Maho, Kamasami Kong, Fujisankei’s Jeff<br />
Richards 6. Konishiki, Anetta Hausner,<br />
Mayumi Jones, Andre Zimmerman<br />
1<br />
2<br />
4<br />
3<br />
5<br />
6<br />
7<br />
9<br />
12<br />
10<br />
8<br />
JAPAN ARAB<br />
RECEPTION<br />
– IMPERIAL HOTEL<br />
7. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe<br />
8. <strong>Tokyo</strong> governor Yuriko Koike<br />
9. Noted pianist Reiko Awazu,<br />
Namibia Amb. Sophia-Namupa<br />
Nangome, Bangladesh Amb. Rabab,<br />
Lilo Maruyama 10. Bahrain Amb. Dr.<br />
Khalil Hassan Ras Romani and the<br />
Hotel New Otani’s Seiji Kojima<br />
11. Politician Kazuyuki Hamada,<br />
Rana Ismayilzada (Azerbaijan),<br />
APA Hotels owners Toshio and<br />
Fumiko Motoya 12. Jamilah Al-Otaibi<br />
(Kuwait), Shifa Haddad (Jordan),<br />
her mother Amal Zghoul, Jamila Al-<br />
Gunaid (Yemen)<br />
11<br />
48 | JULY 2017 | TOKYO WEEKENDER
very informative and interesting. I’m sure that the wife of the Kuwaiti<br />
Ambassador Jamilah, who really has an artistic sense, worked hard on<br />
setting it up. Our congratulations to the Council of Arab Ambassadors<br />
and Heads of Mission and their many friends here who made it all very<br />
special.<br />
THE IMPERIAL HOTEL’S GLITTERING DINNER<br />
FOR THE MEDIA<br />
Once again, the President of the Imperial Hotel, Hideya Sadayasu, and<br />
his super staff went all out to make their annual party for the media a<br />
very special evening. This year the party, bigger than usual, was held<br />
in a larger venue: the luxurious Peacock Room.<br />
The spacious venue was filled wall to wall with interesting people.<br />
It was nice seeing special guest Peter Shaindlin, who’s President of the<br />
legendary Halekulani Hotel in Honolulu, and many top Japanese and<br />
foreign journalists I don’t see enough of. The buffet was a fabulous<br />
presentation that the top chefs and food and beverage staff had spent<br />
a lot of time and effort on. They certainly had a gourmet dinner to be<br />
proud of. Congratulations to our host Sadayasu-san. At the same time,<br />
congratulations to the world-renowned hotel on their new and very<br />
personable managing director and GM, Yukio Kanao.<br />
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MIDTOWN OAKWOOD<br />
Midtown’s luxurious Oakwood Premiere recently hosted a packed 10th<br />
anniversary party at their popular residential lounge in Midtown Mall,<br />
which is also celebrating its 10th birthday. As always at their many<br />
happenings, there was a huge crowd enjoying the music by a Hawaiian<br />
duo, chatting with former sumo champ Konishiki, enjoying the<br />
excellent buffet and mixing with a lot of interesting people. I really<br />
enjoyed spending time with British Captain Lia Ditton, who has gained<br />
international fame by rowing her colorful customized boat solo across<br />
the Atlantic Ocean. I’m sure you’ll be seeing a lot more of her and her<br />
boat, which looks a bit Star Wars-esque, later this year. Lia’s planning<br />
a trans-Pacific solo and is sure, with the right sponsors, she can make<br />
it happen.<br />
My thanks to Oakwood’s Martin Fluck and his always helpful staff<br />
for all their kindness, generosity and friendship over the years. My<br />
congratulations to them all on the success of their many hotels. They<br />
all work very hard and it’s paid off.<br />
NEW FACES, NEW PLACES<br />
First, many thanks to Sri Lankan business tycoon Nishantha Perera for<br />
an invitation to his “New Tomorrow Café.” The theme for this quiet relaxing<br />
getaway is “Happiness, Healing, and Hope” and it’s right behind<br />
the German Embassy which is just up the hill from National Azabu<br />
Supermarket in the Arisunomori Minamiazabu complex. The café is<br />
big. The main dining area has a relaxed atmosphere and is filled with<br />
comfortable tables, chairs and couches. There’s a large outdoor patio<br />
where you can enjoy a first-class barbecue for as many as 50 people.<br />
If you really want to relax, you can stretch out in one of the<br />
hammocks. There’s plenty of greenery, especially my favorite<br />
– bamboo. If someone in your party is talented, there’s a grand piano<br />
in the main dining room that you can use if it doesn’t bother the other<br />
customers, and there’s a small hall with a stage and a good PA system<br />
connected to the main dining room. There are two kitchens and an excellent<br />
chef. The menu is limited, but I was really happy with a cup of<br />
Sri Lankan tea, a fruit smoothie and a piece of New York cheese cake.<br />
The café is open daily from 9am to 6pm. Private parties can be booked<br />
until 8pm. If you check it out I’m sure you’ll be surprised to find such<br />
a spacious relaxed and enjoyable retreat in one of <strong>Tokyo</strong>’s upscale<br />
neighborhoods. For more information call 03-6869-5656.<br />
My timing was perfect for my first visit as there was a colorful<br />
exhibition of paintings by one of Sri Lanka’s top artists, Kekuli. She’s a<br />
very interesting woman whose late husband was mayor of two cities<br />
in Sri Lanka, and her travel companions to Japan for her exhibit were<br />
her two daughters – Tersha who’s a lawyer, and Iranajali who’s a psychologist<br />
– and Prince Unamboowe, whose great grandfather was the<br />
last King of Ceylon. They were all interesting people and I spent most<br />
of the afternoon with them. Happy to have new, high-quality friends<br />
in a country I love and hope to visit soon. I left the café that day with<br />
a much-cherished gift, a painting of an elephant – one of my favorite<br />
animals – by Kekuli.<br />
I had more time later with a very talented sculptor, Dule. He worked<br />
for me at a nightclub I ran for many years in Roppongi. Now he’s a professor<br />
in Shanghai, a city he loves, and was here to see friends. He has<br />
sculptures in many museums and I’m really proud of a beautiful gold<br />
greyhound sculpture he sent me. I also appreciate that Dule got me addicted<br />
to goji berries – it seems the Chinese are really into this health<br />
food. You can get them at National Azabu or Nissen.<br />
In other news, I drive through Yoyogi Park almost every day and<br />
was recently surprised to find a parking spot available on a Sunday.<br />
I stopped, and was pleased to discover they were having an Okinawa<br />
Street Music Festival. I learned to really like Okinawan music when I<br />
was there a few years ago for a film festival, and was able to hear and<br />
meet some of Okinawa’s top musical artists.<br />
As you can see our city’s been busy. Unfortunately, conflicting<br />
schedules, lots of visitors, and so on added up to me having to miss<br />
several worthwhile events. The first was almost a week of Armenian<br />
culture hosted by Ambassador Grant Pogosyan and his wife Natalia.<br />
It was to celebrate a quarter century of Armenian-Japanese relations<br />
and there was a full schedule of art, food, cosmetics demonstrations,<br />
Armenian lace exhibits, and music from both countries. Congratulations<br />
to our Armenian and Japanese friends who got it all together.<br />
Irish Ambassador Annie Barrington’s talented American husband Ed<br />
Miliano is an accomplished artist. I’ve seen some of his work on the<br />
walls of their home, and loved it. Sorry I missed his May exhibit at<br />
the Motoazabu Museum. It was titled “No Ordinary Place” and friends<br />
who made it there really enjoyed it.<br />
Finally, for more proof positive that the multi-talented Steve<br />
Haynes never slows down, he just released his a new CD titled High<br />
Heels Music. It features 15 superstars performing their biggest hits.<br />
In between each song, Steve gives a short intro in his really professional<br />
manner. It’s a CD you should have. Pick it up and<br />
you’ll know what I mean. Congratulations, my friend.<br />
Sri Lankan businessman Nishantha Perera, artist Kekuli<br />
Abeyratne, her daughters Iranjali and Tersha, and Prince<br />
Unamboowe at the New Tomorrow Café in Mita<br />
Cliff Wooley and his daughter Kim at the<br />
Pride Festival<br />
New Miss Supranational, Yuki Koshikawa, with<br />
friends at Shibuya Segafredo<br />
TOKYO WEEKENDER | JULY 2017 | 49
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UI/UX DESIGNER<br />
An app developing company is seeking a UI/UX designer to join<br />
the team of an online dating platform. The site has successfully<br />
matched over 40 million pairs of members, and aims to develop a<br />
new dating culture in Japan.<br />
Requirements:<br />
- Minimum five years of web designing experience<br />
- Japanese language level: business<br />
Location: Central <strong>Tokyo</strong><br />
Salary: Competitive (based on experience)<br />
WEB ENGINEER<br />
An IT company is looking for a new web engineer to join their<br />
growing team. Engineers make up 40% of the company and they<br />
all work in-house. The company is proactive about using new<br />
technologies such as Scala, Node.js, Elixer and others.<br />
The main duties will include development of digital marketing<br />
tools and development of new products. The ideal candidate will<br />
be interested in working in diverse teams to develop and advance<br />
each product. They will also have an interest in learning about new<br />
technologies and using these technologies to support company<br />
operations.<br />
Requirements:<br />
- Java, JavaScript, Ruby, C#, Scala, Elixer<br />
- DB: MySQL, Oracle<br />
- OS: iOS, Windows<br />
- General development and operational experience in web services<br />
- Experience in programming or planning and development of<br />
websites<br />
- Ability to learn necessary skills and develop them<br />
SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER<br />
Havas Worldwide <strong>Tokyo</strong> is looking for a fulltime senior designer for<br />
advertisement content and key visual designing. The company bears<br />
business relationships with major manufacturers worldwide and is<br />
seeking an experienced, responsible and flexible candidate to join<br />
the team to assist with the expansion of businesses.<br />
Requirements:<br />
- Minimum three years of experience in graphic designing using<br />
Photoshop or Illustrator<br />
- A strong sense in project planning<br />
- Experience working with clients<br />
- Active in responding to tasks and projects<br />
- A flexible mindset<br />
- A sense of responsibility and good at schedule management<br />
- Conversational-level English<br />
Probation period: Six months<br />
Location: Central <strong>Tokyo</strong><br />
Salary: Annual pay ¥3-6 million (based on experience)<br />
Location: Central <strong>Tokyo</strong><br />
Salary: Competitive (based on experience)<br />
To apply for these jobs and view more opportunities, visit<br />
www.tokyoweekender.com/careers
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