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AR INside

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Welcome to the spring edition of Metropolis. We have transitioned, this year, into a quarterly

publication highlighting Japan’s love affair with seasonality. Our spring issue is jam

packed with content ranging from hanami essentials and music festivals to Golden Week

getaways and the events happening all over the capital city and beyond.

Metropolis is proud to announce our exciting collaboration with Augmented Agency, an augmented

reality agency at the forefront of immersive technology. As you flip through this issue of Metropolis

(including the front cover) you will find our AR icon on some of our content and advertising features

which allows the reader to have an amazing interactive experience unique to Metropolis. Just follow

the steps below to check it out for yourself.

Metropolis

Spring

2020

Cover Design:

Xi Nan

Our collaboration with Augmented Agency is the beginning of an exciting time in Metropolis’ history

and is a statement about how we want to continue as Japan’s leading English-language publication,

pushing the boundaries of what magazines can do in this new era of immersive and disruptive technology.

We hope you enjoy our spring issue, and keep your eyes peeled for our Olympics Special edition

which will hit the newstands in June.

Neil Butler

Publisher and CEO

HOW TO USE OUR AR FEATURE

STEP01

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Hold your phone over the

images and discover

Download the new

Metropolis AR app

STEP02

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the AR icons

Neil Butler

Publisher and

Chief Executive Officer

metropolisjapan.com

Metropolis is Japan’s No.1 English magazine, founded in 1994 and

published for Japan’s international community

Paul McInnes

Editor-in-Chief

Metropolis Magazine

@MetropolisTokyo

Editorial Camille Miller (Editor), Jessie Carbutt (Assistant Editor & Social Media Coordinator), Amelie Marmenlind, Georgie Morgan, Jessie Cheung, Shir Lee Akazawa, Rei Ando (Editorial

Interns), Anna Cock Gibson (Proofreader)Contributing Editor Don Morton (Movies) Design & Development Xi Nan (Art Director), Fernando Goya (Designer/Developer), Natsuki

Araki (Web Designer), Takahiro Kanazawa (Events Manager), Advertising Karl Nakashima, Niki Kaihara, Yuichi Murata (Sales Managers), Takuya Takeshita (Sales Administrator).

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3

ABOUT TOWN

What’s on in Tokyo from March to May 2020

MUSIC

APRIL 14

Ludovico Einaudi

Renowned pianist and composer Ludovico Einaudi is performing at Tokyo

International Forum for one night only. He began composing classical and orchestral

pieces early on in his career, before progressing into more mainstream music, creating

scores for films such as Black Swan. Einaudi’s music is a distinct fusion of classical and

pop, and bridging the gap between the two genres has won him a fanbase of all ages.

He’s an incredible live performer and his show is not to be missed.

APRIL 3 – 5

SYNCHRONICITY 2020

2020 marks SYNCHRONICITY’s 15th anniversary. To celebrate, the communitybased

urban music and art festival is going to be held on a bigger scale than ever

before, with its first performances kicking off in Taiwan. The festival then hits Tokyo’s

TSUTAYA O-EAST, duo MUSIC EXCHANGE, clubasia, VUENOS, Glad, LOFT9 and

more. Packed with a diverse lineup of artists, from “neo-kawaii” girl group CHAI to

up-and-coming indie rock band No Buses, it’s a perfect chance to dive into Japan’s

diverse music scene.

7pm

¥11,000

Tokyo International Forum

3-5-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda City

Yurakucho

t-i-forum.co.jp

Times vary

From ¥3,800

Various venues

Shibuya

synchronicity.tv/

MARCH 17 – 18

The National

The on-form rock quintet from Cincinnati, Ohio plays

two very much anticipated gigs at Zepp DiverCity Tokyo.

The band, who have been prolific in recent years, returns

to Tokyo to showcase songs from recent album I Am

Easy to Find as well as a plethora of other songs and

hits from their lauded back catalogue which includes

hit songs “Terrible Love,” “Lemonworld,” “Fake Empire”

and “Mistaken for Strangers.” Don’t miss this chance to

see one of the top rock in the world at the top of their

game.

6pm

¥8,000

Zepp DiverCity Tokyo

1-1-10 Aomi, Koto-ku

Tokyo Teleport

zepp.co.jp

MAY 16 – 17

Ikebukuro Jazz Festival

The annual Ikebukuro Jazz Festival sees over 2,000

members in 230 bands over the course of a breezy

spring weekend in May. The recently renovated Ikebukuro

Nishiguchi Park now features a new main stage with

all-around digital signage for stunning light displays. The

festival also hosts shows at a number of surrounding

locations, so be sure to check out the event’s lineup of

bands, artists and venues beforehand to get the most out

of each day.

Times vary

Free

Ikebukuro Nishiguchi Park

1-8-26 Nishi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku

Ikebukuro

Ikebukurojazz.com

APRIL 20 – 21

Jane Birkin

Legendary French pop chanteuse Jane Birkin has been

wowing audiences around the world for decades.

A symbol of French hedonism in the 60s and 70s,

alongside her notorious partner Serge Gainsbourg,

Birkin is one of Europe’s most lauded and much-loved

singers. At 73, Birkin shows no signs of slowing down

and her appearance in Tokyo, with a full-sized Japanese

backing band, is a real treat for music lovers and her

legion of acolytes who follow her every move.

Times vary

¥18,000

Billboard Live

4F Tokyo Midtown Garden Terrace

9-7-4 Akasaka, Minato-ku

Roppongi

billboard-live.com

4

Keep in mind that due to the ongoing situation with the coronavirus in Japan, events

are subject to change. Please check event websites for the most recent information.

Check full events listings on

our events page online

metropolisjapan.com/events

ART

TICKET GIVEAWAY

MARCH 3 – MAY 24

History of Japanese

Early Photography:

Kanto Region

Travel back in time to when Tokyo was still Edo

and very few foreigners had any idea what

Japan looked like. The Tokyo Photographic Art

Museum is hosting a fascinating exhibition of

some of the earliest photographic images of

our fair city and the six surrounding prefectures

that together make up the Kanto region. See

how Edo changed to Tokyo, and Tokyo evolved,

while learning how photography culture spread

in Japan.

Gallery talks in English on March 19 at 6pm,

April 21 at 11am and May 21 at 4pm (Free with

regular admission; no reservation needed).

10am – 6pm, until 8pm on Thurs and Fri (Closed

Mon, except May 4)

¥700 (Discounts for students and seniors)

Tokyo Photographic Art Museum

1-13-3 Mita, Meguro-ku

topmuseum.jp

Win free tickets! Apply online at

metropolisjapan.com/edo-tickets. Winners

will be selected by lottery and mailed out on

March 13.

MARCH 20 – 22

Art Fair Tokyo

The Art Fair in Tokyo is the largest in Japan, and the oldest one

of its kind in Asia. The event is organized by Art Association

Tokyo, and this year’s fair will be seeing it’s 15th anniversar y.

The event will have various arts that will be displayed, including

antiques and crafts, contemporary arts and modern arts. This

year’s theme will be “with Art,” with 146 exhibitors from nearly

30 cities in Japan, and global pieces of art will also be featured..

11am – 8pm, (11am – 5pm March 22)

Advance ¥4,000, Regular ¥5,000

Tokyo International Forum Hall E/ Lobby Gallery

3-5-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku

Yurakucho

artfairtokyo.com

FEBRUARY 8 - APRIL 5

The Tradition of Edo

Creativity

This exhibition sheds light on the work and life of the

craftsmen active in the Edo and Meiji eras. Traditional

craft making has a long history in Japan and plays on

the subtle sense of beauty applied by skilled artistry.

The exhibit presents the creative notion of monozukuri

(making of things), and it’s something that Japan is

renowned for worldwide and takes great pride in. It

also features some works that are on loan from the

Oriental Art Museum in Venice.

9:30am – 5:30pm

¥1,100

Edo-Tokyo Museum

1-4-1 Yokoami, Sumida-ku

Ryogoku

edo-tokyo-museum.or.jp

MAY 30 – 31

Roppongi Art Night

The popular Roppongi Art Night is back celebrating all

things art, and it’s bigger than ever this year. It focuses on

the diverse artistic disciplines of contemporary art, design,

music and film. Various installations and live performances will

pop up around the Roppongi area in Tokyo Midtown, The

National Art Center Tokyo and Roppongi Hills, creating a

diverse program with an array of extraordinary experiences.

The event is a must for any art lover, as Roppongi’s galleries

will remain open until dawn.

10am Sat – 6pm Sun

Free

Roppongi Hills

6-11-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku

Roppongi

roppongiartnight.com

APRIL 17 - 19

The Food Film Festival

Originally from New York City, “The Food Film Festival”

specializes in creating a “taste what you see on screen”

experience by having guests watch films about food and

simultaneously tasting the dishes as they see it on screen.

This mouth-watering concept will be brought to Tokyo

for the first time ever and will also feature food and

film from Japan, the United States and beyond. Foodies

should not miss out on this engaging and immersive

gastronomical event that may encourage adventuring

into some independent food-filmmaking.

5:30pm

¥1,500 - ¥11,000

B&C Hall Tennozu Isle

2-1-3 Higashishinagawa, Shinagawa-ku

Tennozu Isle

ffftokyo.jp

5

ABOUT TOWN

What’s on in Tokyo from March to May 2020

ART

JANUARY 25 – APRIL 12

Yasumasa Morimura: Ego

Obscura

Artist Yasumasa Morimura debuted in 1985 with a

series of self portraits based on Vincent Van Gogh’s

paintings. Ever since, self portraits have remained a

significant element of Morimura’s work. By incarnating

himself in recreations of famous paintings, movies and

historical events, Morimura explores notions of time,

race and gender. In Ego Obscura, Morimura examines

the meaning of the “self,” referencing Japan’s modern

history as well as world culture. Video installations are

also screened on some days.

11am – 5pm, Wednesdays until 8pm

¥550 – ¥1,100

Hara Museum of Contemporary Art

4-7-25 Kitashinagawa, Shinagawa-ku

Shinagawa

haramuseum.or.jp

APRIL 23 – SEP 6

STARS: Six Contemporary Artist

from Japan to the World

Six of Japan’s most reputable contemporary artists come

together in an exhibition that transcends national and cultural

boundaries. Appropriately titled, STARS explores the creative

journeys of Yayoi Kusama, Lee Ufan, Takashi Murakami,

Yoshitomo Nara and other well-known artists from the early

stages of their careers to now, celebrating their work as some

of the greatest of our time. The exhibit also presents archival

materials from major Japanese art shows staged worldwide

from the 1950s onward, offering a peek into the country’s

international artistic lineage.

10am – 10pm (Tue until 5pm, May 5 until 10pm)

¥1,800 (Discounts for students and seniors)

Mori Art Museum


Roppongi

mori.art.museum

LATE MAY – MID JUNE

Short Shorts Film Festival

Asia

Held since 1999, Short Shorts is one of the largest

international short film festivals in Asia. Every year, more

than 10,000 works of diverse genres are gathered from all

over the world. Narrowed down to about 200, these are

screened to compete in a series of competitions. Short

Shorts also has an online theater where anyone can watch

short films from all over the world for free — an alternative

for those who can’t make it to the venues during the festival.

Prices, times and locations vary

Check the website for specific details

shortshorts.org

COMMUNITY

MARCH 21 – 24

Anime Japan 2020

MARCH 7

Holi Mela

One of Japan’s biggest Anime conventions is back again at Tokyo Big Sight. This is a

must-go event if you’re an anime fanatic, with last year’s turnout seeing over 146,600

attendees. This year’s theme will be “Japan,” where you can expect as the slogan says

“Everything is about Anime.” This is also a great family event, as the event is held in

conjunction with the Family Anime Festa where children can also join in on the fun.

Holi, or the “Festival of Colors,” is one of India’s most important national holidays.

Celebrants welcome the beginning of spring through bonfires and smearing different

colors on the body. Each color is symbolic of a specific meaning — red represents

love and fertility, yellow represents auspiciousness, green represents new beginnings,

and blue represents the Hindu God Krishna. The celebration involves festive sweets

and savories which this event promises, alongside bright colors, performances and

Indian tunes.

March 21 – 22 9am – 5pm

March 23 – 24 10m – 6pm

Advance ¥1,900, On the Door ¥2,300 (Free for children under 12)

Tokyo Big Sight

3-11-1 Ariake, Koto City

Kokusai-Tenjijo

anime-japan.jp/en

10am – 4pm

Free

Nishi Kasai Dinosaur Park

6-11 Nishikasai, Edogawa-ku

Nishi-Kasai

facebook.com/tokyoholimela

6

Keep in mind that due to the ongoing situation with the coronavirus in Japan, events

are subject to change. Please check event websites for the most recent information.

Check full events listings on

our events page online

metropolisjapan.com/events

APRIL 1 – 26

Sakura Tulip Festa

MARCH 14

Family Festival

MARCH 27 – APRIL 19

Hibiya Blossom 2020

Although tulips were originally cultivated in the Ottoman

Empire (present-day Middle East), most people now

associate the bright, colorful bulbs with Holland in

northwestern Europe. Luckily, Tokyo-based flower fans

don’t have to go abroad to admire tulips. Located one

hour from Tokyo in Chiba Prefecture, visitors can enjoy an

impressively huge field of 700,000 tulip flowers in Sakura

City. In addition to colorful fields and a Holland-style

windmill, daytrippers may also enjoy Dutch costume rentals,

music performances and cruises on the nearby lake.

For over 40 years now, the International School of the

Sacred Heart and its Parents’ Board has hosted the

Family Festival. In customary fashion, the event features

stage performances, a shopping bazaar including used

book sales, face painting, raffle games and student-run

game booths offering art and crafts. Don’t miss out on

this precious opportunity to taste food from around the

world, catered by the Sacred Heart students’ parents.

Enjoy a day of great food, shopping, games and fabulous

entertainment.

To celebrate the arrival of spring, Hibiya explodes in fresh

greenery and colorful flowers. Indulge in the beauty of

transient petals and lush leaves as you take a breather

from the concrete and skyscrapers of urban Tokyo. Along

with botanic installations both inside and around Hibiya

Midtown, live performances of gospel and classical music

will be held.

9am – 4pm

Free

Sakura Oldness and Open Space

2714 Usuita, Sakura-shi

Keisei-Sakura

10am – 4pm

Free

International School of the Sacred Heart

4-3-1 Hiroo, Shibuya

Hiro-o

issh.ac.jp

11am – 9pm

Free

Tokyo Midtown Hibiya

1-1-2 Yurakucho, Chiyoda

Yurakucho

hibiya.tokyo-midtown.com

MAY 9 – 10

Thai Festival 2020

You don’t have to fly to Thailand for your Thai fix.

Instead, you can visit the annual Thai Festival in Yoyogi

Park. It’s a weekend that celebrates all things Thai with

over 100 stalls and workshops where you can even

try your hand at traditional crafts such as paper flower

making. There will be traditional Thai music and dance

performances, and plenty of food and drink stalls to

satisfy all your cravings from pad thai noodles to tom

yum soup.

MARCH 14 – 15

I Love Ireland Festival

Be Irish for a day and celebrate the seventh annual

St. Patrick’s Day in Tokyo at Yoyogi Park. This national

holiday commemorates St. Patrick, one of Ireland’s

patron saints who introduced Catholicism to the

region. For the truly local experience, participate in this

traditional day with what the Irish are indeed notorious

for — Guinness — and balance out the booze with

dishes including Dublin coddle and Irish lamb, all while

revelling in some classic Irish entertainment.

APRIL 18 – 19

Italia, amore mio!

The largest annual Italian festival in Japan, “Italia, amore

mio!,” is back in Tokyo this April. The two-day festivity will

feature cooking shows, live performances, presentations,

guests from Italy and the detail that everybody is already

drooling over: the delizioso food. Thanks to the Italian

Chamber of Commerce in Japan, visitors will be able to

celebrate the best of Italy right here in Tokyo. The event

will take place at various exhibit spaces around the

metropolitan hub that is Shibuya Stream.

10am – 8pm

Free

Yoyogi Park

2-1 Yoyogikamizonocho, Shibuya-ku

Harajuku

thaifestival.jp

10am – 6pm

Free

Yoyogi Park

2-3 Jinnan, Shibuya-ku

Harajuku

iloveirelandfes.com

All Day

Free

Shibuya Stream

3-21-3 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku

Shibuya

italia-amore-mio.com

7

PUB CRAWL CAMPAIGN 2020

FEB 1 - MARCH 12 DUBLINERS’ PUB CRAWL “HAPPY CARD”

ORDER A PINT OF CIDER OR BEER AT ALL FIVE DUBLINERS' PUBS (BETWEEN

FEB 1 - MARCH 12) AND EARN YOURSELF A "HAPPY CARD." THEN YOU CAN

ALWAYS ENJOY UNLIMITED HAPPY HOUR-PRICED DRINKS!

*YOU MUST WRITE YOUR SIGNATURE ON THE CARD. SHARING IT WITH OTHERS IS NOT

PERMITTED. IF THE CONDITIONS ARE BREACHED THE CARD WILL BE INVALIDATED.

MARCH 14 - 17 2020

ST PATRICK’S DAY CALENDAR

March 14

SHIBUYA: HAPPY HOUR PRICE PINTS ALL DAY.

LIVE MUSIC: WEE DRAN FROM 7PM.

March 15

IKEBUKURO: ALL PINTS ¥500

LIVE MUSIC: WEE DRAN FROM 6PM.

March 17

CELEBRATE ST PATRICK’S DAY AT ANY (OR ALL!)

OF DUBLINERS' FIVE BRANCHES AND ENJOY

¥500 PINTS ALL DAY. THAT’S MORE THAN A

HALF PRICE DISCOUNT ON GUINNESS AND KILKENNY.

APRIL 16

SHINAGAWA BRANCH

17TH ANNIVERSARY

Enjoy pints for

¥500 at the

Shinagawa branch’s

17th Anniversary.

SHINJUKU: LIVE MUSIC: SONORA FROM 7:30PM

SHINAGAWA: LIVE MUSIC: TUK TUK SKIP FROM 7PM

We welcome all kinds of parties.

Please contact us.

Shinjuku

2F Shinjuku Lion Hall

3-28-9 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku

03-3352-6606 | sali3292@sapporo-lion.co.jp

http://r.gnavi.co.jp/g209300/

Shibuya

2F Dogenzaka Center Bld g.

2-29-8 Dogenzaka, Shibu ya-ku

03-5459-1736 |sali6581@sapporo-lion.co.jp


Add Dubliners'

on the LINE app

and receive a

¥500 discount for

a pint

of beer!

Each branch

has different

hours

@dubliners.insta

@bhd9716i

Akasaka

B1 Sannou Park Tower

2-11-1 Nagatacho, Chiyoda-ku

03-3539-3615 8 | sali2645@sapporo-lion.co.jp


Closed: Sat., Sun., & Holid ays

Shinagawa

Shinagawa Mitsubishi Bld g.

B1F Grand Passa ge

2-16-3 Kounan, Minato-ku



Ikebukuro

B1 Sun Gorou Bldg.

1-10-8 Nishi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku



Wi-Fi available

NEW DISCOVERY - JAPANESE CUISINE

NIHON

YAKINIKU

HASEGAWA

Nihon Yakiniku Hasegawa OMOTESANDO

Minowa Omotesando Bldg. B1, 3-15-9 Minami-Aoyama

Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0062 Tel: 03-3479-0088

Weekdays: Dinner 17:00-24:00L.O. 23:00

SaturdaysSundaysHolidays: Lunch 11:30-16:00

Dinner 16:00-24:00L.O. 23:00

Reservations: omotesando@nihonyakiniku-hasegawa.com

Nihon Yakiniku Hasegawa GINZA

Ginza 646 Bldg. 2F, 6-4-6 Ginza, Chuo-ku

Tokyo 104-0061 Tel: 03-6264-5177

Weekdays: 17:00-24:00L.O. 23:00

SaturdaysSundaysHolidays: Lunch 11:30-16:00

Dinner 16:00-24:00L.O. 23:00

Reservations: ginza@nihonyakiniku-hasegawa.com

www.nihonyakiniku-hasegawa.com

SUSHI

HASEGAWA

Sushi Hasegawa NISHIAZABU

Kasumi Heights 2F, 1-7-11 Nishi-Azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo106-0031

Tel: 03-5775-0510

17:00-23:30 (L.O. 22:30) Closed Sundays

Reservations: hasegawa.nishiazabu@coast.ocn.ne.jp

www.sushi-hasegawa.com/nishiazabu

9

HANAMI

Hello Hanami

The ultimate guide to cherry blossom viewing in Tokyo

By Shir Lee Akazawa and Jessie Cheung

Sakura (cherry blossom) marks the beginning of spring. The sakura’s fleeting life

span, analogous to that of human life, encourages us to infuse our lives with

more future nostalgia. In order to do so, we are recommending some popular

and more obscure hanami (sakura viewing) spots around Tokyo to be experienced

with your loved ones, as well as eco-friendly picnic essentials to minimize waste and

ensure sustainable enjoyment.

Make sure to check up on the sakura forecasts before confirming any plans and

keep in mind that blooming periods can be unpredictable, particularly due to the

acceleration of climate change.

Shinjuku Gyoen

A local and foreign favorite, Shinjuku Gyoen is home to

an abundant 1,300 sakura trees, as well as the English, French

and Japanese gardens. Being so vast, you can stroll through

the numerous meandering paths to find the perfect spot to

set up a picnic or barbeque under a blanket of sakura. A little

less rowdy and crowded compared to Ueno Park, this may be

a more appropriate choice for families.

9am - 4:30pm (closed on Mondays)

¥500

Shinjuku Gyoen

11 Naitomachi, Shinjuku-ku

Shinjuku-Gyoenmae or Shinjuku-Sanchome

Ueno Park

Known as a hanami mecca since the Edo period, Ueno Park

is still the most popular sakura season destination. The park is

host to a cherry blossom festival — “Ueno Sakura Matsuri” —

with several vendors selling classic matsuri (festival) food and

drinks. Yozakura (evening hanami) is also made possible with

lanterns lighting up the trees, granting continued drinking into

the night. The park’s earlier blooming period and long opening

hours make it an attractive and convenient place for everyone.

5am - 11pm

Free

Ueno Park

5-20 Ueno Park, Taito-ku

Ueno

10

Chidorigafuchi

A little more romantic with the scenic view of the Imperial Palace, Chidorigafuchi is the

place to go if you’re looking for a more intimate hanami location. The best way to appreciate

the area is by renting a boat and paddling through the sakura lined waterways. This area also

offers a dreamy, illuminated ambience at night until 10pm. As the trees start to wither, the

moat is dyed pink with petals, making for another picturesque backdrop.

9am - 8:30pm (illuminations until 10pm)

Free

Chidorigafuchi Green Way

2 Kudanminami, Chiyoda-ku

Kudanshita

Eco-friendly

Hanami Essentials

Hanami often involves a lot of unnecessary waste and it’s

about time we prepare for hanami the 21st century way —

by ditching unsustainable items and opting for more stylish,

eco-friendly goods. Here are some suggestions for more green

hanami viewing essentials.

This is a set of two reusable

stainless-steel straws and

cleaning brushes that allow for

easy cleaning. The set comes

in a drawstring bag, making it

convenient to take with you onthe-go

and use anywhere. ¥1,200,

noplasticjapan.com

This stylish and practical hot water bottle

by Lapuan Kankurit can be used as a replacement

for the popular disposable heat

pads used in Japan. Not only is this more

environmentally friendly, but it can also

keep you warm for your long hanami hours.

¥5,500, elleshop.jp

Switch out your throw-away wipes, plastic bags and bottles

for this picnic-perfect bundle. The tote bag will definitely fit

all of your hanami essentials. A product by PANTONE Living,

this set comes in various colors. ¥2,400, loft.omni7.jp

Aoyama Cemetery

This isn’t the typical hanami party venue, but for the more

quiet, reflective afternoons. From the north to south of the

centre of the cemetery there is a row of several decades-old

sakura trees, as well as resting places of famous figures including

Hachiko, Hachiko’s owner Ueno Hidesaburo, novelist Shinichi

Hoshi, and Kokichi Mikimoto, founder of the Mikimoto

pearl company.

Yaesu Sakura Dori

With up to 100 sakura trees on either side of the street, a

‘sakura tunnel’ illusion decorates this avenue. This experience

is best when lit up at night, as day viewings may not be as

picturesque. Walk through the tunnel in the evening to enjoy the

illuminated atmosphere, then head to the famous Nihonbashi

Takashimaya for a spot of shopping.

This bamboo cutlery set is perfect for hanami as it includes

all your tableware needs including bowls, plates, cups, as well as

eating utensils. These goods by Wasara are super minimalistic,

chic and fitting for all. ¥3,346, wasara-shop.jp

Asukayama Park

Asukayama Park in the north of Tokyo is one of the oldest

hanami spots from the Edo period — where sakura trees were

first planted and hanami was ‘founded.’ This is a less crowded,

more local viewing spot on top of a hill. The peak can be

reached via a free monorail, that will make for a nice photo

of the view of the city.

Check the website for more info

about hanami in the capital

metropolisjapan.com

11

METROPOLIS

TICKETS

Buy your tickets for

Tokyo's top events using

Metropolis Tickets.

Spring

has

arrived!

For more exciting events

metropolisjapan.com/tickets

japantravel.com/holidays

12

PROMOTION

Executive Fight Night X

Tokyo’s executives duel for charity and glor y

Executive Fight Night (EFN) is back for its 10th

event on May 29, 2020. Once again, stressedout

Tokyo-based executives will face off at

Roppongi’s Grand Hyatt Tokyo in front of over 480

cheering fans in a Vegas-style boxing event. Guests

will enjoy a four-course dinner, drinks, fabulous prizes

and all the glitz and glamour associated with a Vegasstyle

boxing event.

All proceeds for the charity event will benefit Shine

On! Kids, a certified NPO dedicated to supporting

children with cancer and other serious illnesses in

Japan, as well as their families. Funds raised from

EFN will go on to support Shine On! Kids innovative

Hospital Facility Dog Program, Japan’s first full-time

canine assisted intervention program, which aims to

improve treatment outcome and children’s approach to

medical treatment. Shine On! Kids manages the event

in collaboration with Club360, Empire Entertainment,

and other corporate partners.

There are a number of ways to participate without

having to step into the ring. Various ticket packages

can be purchased by individuals or corporate entities

— each with its own level of recognition — and

those who are unable to attend the event but still

wish to contribute can sponsor a particular fighter.

Tickets are available now on the EFN website.

Executive Fight Night X

May 29

6:30pm

Grand Hyatt Tokyo


executivefightnight.com

Facebook: www.facebook.

com/ExecutiveFightNight

YouTube: www.youtube.

com/user/Executive-

FightNight

13

FOOD

Savoring Spring

Seasonal flavors and stunning restaurant views throughout Tokyo

By Georgie Morgan

Sakura Snacks

Hanami is the Japanese traditional custom of enjoying the transient

beauty of flowers and it’s not complete without a bounty of snacks from

the local konbini to munch on while taking in the view with friends.

Around this time of year, the shelves are stocked full of seasonal delights

that are easy to spot from their signature light pink hue and cherry blossom

illustrations on the packaging.

Sakura Onigiri

Filled with pickled cherry blossoms and made with water steeped with cherry

blossoms, wrapped in a pickled sakura leaf, this is the perfect salty snack.

Sakura Mochi

The pink-colored chewy rice cake is sweeter than normal but features a

contrastingly salty pickled sakura leaf wrapped around the outside for a

balanced sweet and savory snack.

Grand Menu

Grand Hyatt Tokyo is back with its spectacular cherry blossom menu

and it’s quite the treat. The French Kitchen is serving up a Sakura and

Strawberry Afternoon Tea Buffet that includes a mouthwatering pink ruby

chocolate fountain, perfect for dipping Amaou strawberries from Fukuoka

Prefecture. For the more savory types, a bento-inspired box features six

savory bites including crab tartlets, asparagus and prosciutto quiche, and

sakura sandwiches filled with sakura shrimp, egg and mayonnaise (from

¥3,800). The Oak Door celebrates the seasonal change with a Sakura

Picnic Basket that’s comprised of a pink burger, rosé champagne and a

cherry blossom dessert (¥5,500). For a snack on-the-go, the Fiorentina

Pastry Boutique’s got you covered with a number of blossom-themed

sweets such as Sakura Macarons, Sakura Pound Cake and Sakura Roll

Cake to name but a few.

Hanami Dango

Three mini rice balls on a stick coming in seasonal representational

shades; white for snow during winter, pink for sakura in spring, and

green representing the grass that grows in summer.

Wagashi

Wagashi is a traditional snack that’s often served with tea, and for hanami

season they’re often pink in color and shaped into cherry blossom flowers.

14

FOOD

Seasonal Sips

We spoke to owner, magician and mixologist,

Christophe Rossi, from Kyoto’s quirky

L’Escamoteur Bar, and he gave us the perfect

sakura cocktail recipe to make at home.

Innsyoutei

This traditional kaiseki eatery is situated in the

middle of Ueno Park; one of the hanami hotspots.

The building dates back to 1875 and has an oldtimey

atmosphere with charming timber interiors.

Diners can sit alfresco on the terrace surrounded

by the blossoms, or inside admiring the view

looking out from the floor to ceiling windows

while munching on beautifully decorated bento.

4-59 Uenokoen, Taito City

11am – 3pm; 5pm – 11pm (Mon – Sat)

11am – 3pm; 5pm – 10pm (Sun)

innsyoutei.jp/en/

@inshotei

03-3821-8126

Kinobi Sakura Tonic

SubLime

SubLime is the perfect place to get together

with friends and enjoy a drink (or two) and some

tasty food. Big windows overlook Inokashira Park,

making it the ideal spot for hanami dining in a casual

setting. The menu offers typical Japanese foods such

as karaage, and fresh fish and horse sashimi that

pairs well with sake from their collection.

2F, 4-1-11 Inokashira, Mitaka

5pm – 10pm (Mon – Fri)

11:30am – 10pm (Sat – Sun)

050-5303-9848

Ingredients:

• Kinobi Gin 45ml

• Dover Sakura Liquor 5ml

• Tonic

• Ice

• Sakura flower or lemon twist

Kan

Kan is a modern izakaya that’s perfectly

placed along the sakura-lined banks of the

Meguro River. The interior has an industrious

feel, and the food has a focus on fresh, seasonal

produce with a contemporary presentation. It

provides you with a more elevated experience

than your traditional izakaya, resulting in a feast

for your eyes as well as your stomach.

2-1-1 Higashiyama, Meguro Ku

6pm – 11:30pm (Tue – Sat)

5pm – 11pm (Sun)

@higasiyamakan

03-3792-5282

Method

1. Take a tall glass and put ice in it

2. Measure and pour the gin and sakura liquor

into the glass

3. Top off with tonic

4. Mix

5. Garnish with a sakura flower or lemon twist

Cruise on aYakatabune

If you’re tired from walking the usual overcrowded

routes, why not opt for a more leisurely pace by

hopping aboard a yakatabune. These Japanese-style

wooden boats can be found cruising along the cherry

blossom-lined Sumida and Meguro rivers. The views

can be admired during the day or at night when the

trees are lit up by spotlight, making for a romantic

setting. While onboard, traditional Japanese foods

such as sashimi, seasonal bento, and freshly fried

tempura are served, with some cruises also offering

all-you-can-drink packages. Tours can last between

one and three hours making it a great way to see

the blossoms with very little effort on your part.

15

Japan's Biggest nightclub festival.

YOU CAN ACCESS ALL CLUBS WITH 1 WRISTBAND/ OVER 8000 PEOPLE

18 APRIL 2020 (SATURDAY)

TOKYO

GINZA

SHIBUYA

ROPPONGI

SHINJUKU

AZABU

HIPHOP

R&B

ELECTRO

HOUSE

REGGAE

TECHNO

WRISTBAND: 2,000+ 1 Free Drink

1. Go to any one of all the listed clubs.

(Note: There are no wristband sales at Camelot, Muse or TK).

2. Buy a wristband and get 1 free drink ticket.

3. You can use the drink ticket at the club you enter first.

4. You can access all the clubs throughout the night.

*Notice:

To enter Camelot, Muse and TK, please purchase a wristband from any of the other clubs beforehand.

You can then access Camelot, Muse and TK with the wristband afterwards.

For males who wish to access ELE, Esprit and WARP, please pay an extra ¥500 at any of the

3 clubs (this only needs to be at one of the 3 clubs). You can access all the clubs throughout the night.

You must be over 20 y/o to purchase a wristband. Your photo ID will be required.

16

PROMOTION

The DyEing Art of Kappazuri

New reflections on Hiromitsu Takahashi’s vivid kabuki prints

By Norman Tolman

The story of this book’s creation begins last summer. In July, en

route home to Tokyo from a trip to Kazakhstan and Zurich, I

stopped by New York to visit my family. Since living in Tokyo

from 1955, I have had many different jobs. I was first enrolled in military

service during the Korean War, then I was a scholarship student at Todai,

and after I was part of the Diplomatic Service working in Yokohama,

Sapporo, Tokyo and Kyoto. In 1977, I became an art dealer, and have since

become the largest publisher of contemporary Japanese graphic art, selling

around the globe ever since.

July is definitely not New York’s finest season and I was soon stifled by

the unbearable heat. Then, in a sudden rush of fondness for my favorite

(and only) grandson Lucas, I suggested that instead of hiding from the

hot weather with a long, boring summer at the tender age of sixteen, how

about visiting Tokyo? To my delight, he accepted immediately. He has

fond memories of Tokyo from when he used to live there as a young boy

from 2007 to 2012, and he was more than keen to take up his grandfather’s

invitation.

I sensed from the outset that spending a good amount of the summer

without “a project,” the completion of which would indicate some progress

in his life, would be a great waste of his time.

I introduced Lucas to the wonderful world of Hiromitsu Takahashi’s

prints. They are vivid pieces showcasing exciting moments in kabuki (traditional

Japanese dance-drama) plays complete with fascinating costumes

and actors that strike unbelievable poses. They are called kappazuri prints

and Lucas was not familiar with them at the beginning. With great effort,

however, he expanded his knowledge to the point that his research

provided him with enough knowledge to actually make an amazing book

all about kappazuri prints.

I explained to him that no one really knows much about these prints.

I re-introduced Lucas to Hiromitsu Takahashi, who has produced some

300 works for my gallery in the 30 years that I’ve known him. All of my

staff were patient and helpful, particularly Shin Mochizuki, who worked

as Lucas’ translator and deserves particular credit for his ceaseless and

patient dealing with the answering of so many questions and coming up

with the right answers.

As I watch from my own vantage point, I have found that these interesting

prints always excite the viewers. But, I have also noticed that the lack

of background information about what is actually going on in each print

tends to cause viewers to lose interest since they sometimes cannot fathom

who is doing what to whom and why. This absence of general information

sometimes causes even a would-be enthusiastic art lover to falter. However,

there is no doubt in my mind that the readers of Lucas’ book will gain great

pleasure viewing the three dozen prints covered in his book.

As a proud grandfather, and with the help of a few of Lucas’ friends and

fans, we have backed the publication of my clever grandson’s book, “The

DyEing Art of Kappazuri.” Within the book, Lucas tells the story of the

prints with a clear explanation of the action of each one. He also gives

information about how to make a kappazuri print and has also provided

background information about the career of Hiromitsu Takahashi.

The exhibition of the book will be held from April 2 – 5 at Sogetsu Kaikan

in its Kenzo Tange-built edifice and shown in the Isamu Noguchi room,

Heaven. Viewing hours will be from 10am – 5pm. The prints contained

in the book, “The DyEing Art of Kappazuri” will all be for sale. Since the

edition numbers of Takahashi’s work are small, those interested in certain

prints shown in the book should plan to come early.

Sogetsu Kaikan

7-2-21 Akasaka, Minato-ku

www.sogetsu.or.jp/e/

17

TREVEL

Golden Getaways

Local tours for Tokyoites

By Taylor Stewart

Last year, Akihito became the first Japanese monarch to

abdicate his throne in over 200 years. Since his son’s nominal

promotion fell on May 1, Golden Week was stretched to

10 consecutive days. More workers might have celebrated the long

holiday rather than the imperial succession. Golden Week in 2020

will not be as historic or, unfortunately, long, but the holiday remains

the best opportunity of the year to explore the greater Tokyo area.

After all, as Japan slides into spring, most vacationers flee across

the sea. But look around you: From sporty to serene, the Kanto

region brims with a multitude of vacation options.

Hakone (Kanagawa Prefecture)

Hakone, west of Tokyo, is a mountainous town home to natural

wonders of both fire and water. Lake Ashinoko is a caldera lake

surrounded, like everything else in Hakone, by hills and tall triangular

trees — and a breathtaking view of Mount Fuji. At its shores is the

Hakone Shrine. You can see the huge red gates from across the water.

Steep steps take you from the waterfront to dense forest, where

the shrine buildings lie. Rainy season is a distant thought, but the

famous shrine has its own charm on misty days.

If you’re in town, you’re likely to be staying at Hakone-Yumoto,

where the hot springs are most concentrated (and where onsen manju,

for sweet-bean lovers, abound). From Shinjuku, take the Odakyu

Line to Yumoto. You can get to the lake from Yumoto by the Hakone

Tozan bus or, for a slower but more scenic journey, the Hakone

Tozan Railway.

Owakudani was also born of a volcanic eruption; the rocky landscape

surrounds a crater and holds hot springs and rivers, steam vents and

plumes of sulphurous gas. It’s desolate, apocalyptic, but unlike anything

you’ve ever seen — mere hours from downtown Tokyo.

18

Chichibu (Saitama Prefecture)

Golden Week feels like the first breath of spring. Chichibu, just an hour

and a half from Ikebukuro by the Seibu Chichibu line, boasts some of the

most colorful flower landscapes in the country. If traditional hanami (cherry

blossom viewing) bores you, late spring is the perfect time to go to Hitsujiyama

Park, when nine types of shibazakura flowers are in bloom, painting the hills

in patterns of violet, pink and white. In season, vendors offer festival food,

sake, beer and souvenirs. Better still, there’s a sheep ranch.

When you’re done browsing through blossoms, Chichibu has 34 temples.

The Chichibu Temple Pilgrimage takes you to all the sacred sites, from massive

cultural monuments to more hidden spots in the forest. Temples aside, the

main hall of the Chichibu Shrine is famous for its bold carvings of monkeys,

dragons and tigers, which date from the early Edo period.

Another cultural landmark, and a perk for hungry hikers, is waraji-katsu.

Chichibu’s take on the pork cutlet is marinated before it is deep fried. At

Yasuda-ya, the most popular katsu restaurant, you can order one or two slices

on rice, with pickles and miso soup.

Yanaka (Tokyo Shitamachi)

Even longtime residents can never finish exploring Tokyo city. The lower city

is crisscrossed by train stations but more relaxed than the shopping and business

hubs just a few stops away. Yanaka, near Ueno, is a shitamachi (old downtown)

neighborhood that, having escaped bombings during World War II, remains

quaint, quirky and quiet. The Yanaka Ginza is quintessential old Tokyo, teeming

with shops and restaurants quite different from the Ginza of brand names and

parfaits: Alleys of butchers, cafes (including those of the cat variety) and produce

shops are entertainment in themselves. Aside from finger foods like croquettes,

daifuku (red bean stuffed mochi) and cat-shaped taiyaki (red bean stuffed waffle

cake), dining options include curry and Western-style dishes that scream Showa era.

This may lead you into Ueno Park or, for a more solitary stroll, Yanaka

Cemetery. Even after cherry blossom season, the palatial tombs, wide paths

and various flora are a breath of fresh air next to the charming clutter of Yanaka

Ginza. Luckily, local cats seem to love these grounds.

Legendary Japanese novelist Natsume Soseki visited Nezu Shrine, one of

the oldest in Tokyo, for inspiration and solitude. It’s near Yanaka but looks a

lot like Kyoto: Past a rich red facade is a path lined with torii (Shinto shrine

archway) and azaleas that leads you to an inner shrine. Every April is the

Bunkyo Azalea Festival, when the path bursts with pink and red.

Akagi Kronenberg German Town

& Ikaho Onsen (Gunma Prefecture)

For those wanting to travel farther than a few prefectures, Akagi Kronenberg

German Town simulates a rural German town. There’s a choo-choo train, a

city hall and a cafe that sells sausage and beer. Views of Gunma mountains

are available from the horse, pony, goat and donkey ranches.

Most go to Gunma for Ikaho Onsen, which is old enough to have appeared

in the “Manyoshu,” the oldest extant collection of Japanese poetry, from the

seventh and eighth centuries. The small resort town is located halfway up a

mountain, up 365 stone steps, which terminate in a shrine. Several public

bathhouses and even more small shops are scattered around the steps, around

which the town revolves. Make sure to bring your own towel if you plan on

bathing with those less committed to taking a dip can use the footbath.

These country resort towns rest in or nearby mountain ranges, far from

Tokyo’s shitamachi neighborhoods. But whether you’re in the heart of the

city or at its farthest reaches, good walks, good sights, good food and myriad

opportunities for relaxation. Vacation is a train ride away.

19

Metropolis Online

Metropolis Online brings our readers

daily stories on culture, living, dining,

travel and events.

It’s the same magazine you’ve trusted for 25 years,

but with more coverage.

metropolisjapan.com

PULL-OUT GUIDE

DISCOVER

ODAWARA

- Your New Destination -

ODAWARA SPECIAL

Odawara

The city that made an era

By Phoebe Amoroso

Nestled between the mountains of Hakone and Sagami Bay, Odawara

is known for its charming streets, cherry blossoms, and, of course,

its emblematic castle. Yet just like the stealthy ninja that operated

throughout the town in the 16th century, its shadowy history hides a few surprises.

Jump back 500 years in time and Odawara was one of the most important

towns in the entire Kanto region in the east of Japan, all due to one

enigmatic character — Hojo Soun. Little is known about his early years,

but this mysterious samurai rose up in 1495, conquering Odawara Castle

and establishing the town as a stronghold from which he and his successors

controlled large parts of Japan for the next 100 years, during Japan’s

infamous Sengoku or Warring States period (c.1467 - c.1615). So successful

was his campaign, he is considered by some historians as the first Sengoku

Daimyo — a powerful feudal lord who ruled over the divided region. After

the rule of five generations, the Hojo clan was finally overthrown in a massive

siege on the castle in 1590 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi - a victory that signaled

the end of the Sengoku period and made the town a significant location

that bookended one of the most tumultuous times in Japanese history.

Nowadays, Odawara is a laid-back city of nearly 200,000 people.

It prospered during the Edo period (1603 - 1868) as a post station on

the Tokaido, a key highway connecting Edo (now Tokyo) with the

former capital of Kyoto, and still maintains excellent access: it’s just

over an hour from Tokyo by express train, or 30 minutes by bullet

train. Close to the popular mountainous town of Hakone, it’s a

stone’s throw from some of Japan’s best hot springs and spectacular

Mount Fuji views. Sitting on the Sagami Bay, it’s also close to several

beaches for summer swimming, and naturally, its restaurants serve

up some of the freshest seafood all year round.

Small enough to get around mainly on foot, Odawara exudes a friendly

neighborhood feeling and offers a doorway into Japanese town life that

feels a world away from Tokyo. It’s a treasure trove of traditional stores,

operating for 100 years or more, lively izakaya (Japanese-style pubs with

small plates) and cafes serving up local produce and sweets, all watched

over by the striking silhouette of the castle that holds the key to this

historically important area.

22

The Castle

Head out of Odawara Station’s east exit and the first thing you will

see is the castle tower jutting upwards on the southern skyline and

standing as the seventh tallest in the country. Believed to have been

first constructed in the 1400s by the Omori clan who were overthrown

by Hojo Soun, the poor castle endured quite a lot over its history. It

survived multiple sieges but suffered widespread damage in earthquakes

in the 1700s, and was almost fully demolished in 1870. The present

building is a reconstruction dating from 1960 and is considered one of

the best examples of a castle in the immediate Tokyo area. The interior

of the five-storied space houses extensive exhibits on the area’s history,

including the five generations of the Hojo clan, as well as weapons,

armor and other artifacts. The top floor offers spectacular views over

the entire Sagami Bay and, on a clear day, you can see across to the

Boso Peninsula, the other side of Tokyo Bay. odawaracastle.com

Adults: ¥510 Elementary and Junior high school students: ¥200

ODAWARA SPECIAL

Odawara Castle Park

Samurai and Ninja

Cherry Blossoms and More

Stop by the Tokiwagi Gate Samurai Museum where you can see armor

and weapons, like katana swords, up close, allowing you to imagine the

samurai who used to walk the very grounds you’re exploring. Don’t miss

the projection mapping display which takes you on a mesmerizing journey

centered on a suit of armor. For an additional fee, you can dress up as

samurai or a ninja to get some historically epic pictures around the castle

grounds. A ninja costume might just come in handy at the Ninja Museum.

Here, you assume the role of one of the mysterious Fuma ninja who served

the Hojo clan and must complete an obstacle course while solving riddles.

From climbing over walls and finding hidden doorways and panels, it’s

more a mini-amusement park than a museum that offers fun for all the

family. Culminating with an interactive game at the end — where you fight

the final battle together — everyone leaves feeling like a hero of the past.

Samurai Museum odawaracastle.com/castlepark/samurai


Ninja Museum odawaracastle.com/castlepark/historicalmuseum


With 300 cherry blossom trees, the castle grounds are

transformed into an ethereal sea of pink and white from

late March to early April. Lining the moat, the reflections

are particularly striking when viewed from the Manabibashi

or Do-bashi bridges. In celebration, the city throws

an annual cherry blossom festival, lining the avenues with

bonbori lanterns and holding a dazzling nighttime light-up

that looks almost too fantastical to be believed.

The sakura season may be brief, but the castle park is

well worth visiting for its flora all-year-round as it’s also

home to hydrangeas, irises, lotus and wisteria. Stop by the

peaceful Hotoku Ninomiya Shrine tucked away among

some tall trees and take a rest at the very chic Kinjiro Cafe

next door. It is named after Ninomiya Sontoku (Kinjiro),

who was born into a peasant family but overcame his

low status through self-education, rising up to become a

prominent agricultural leader in the Edo period. The cafe

has a statue dedicated to him outside and blends seamlessly

with its surroundings, allowing you to take a moment and

appreciate nature in the middle of the city.

23

Experience an Authentic Tea Ceremony

Get more than a taste of Japan’s tea culture through experiencing three different tea

ceremonies. Head to Matsunaga Memorial Hall, the former residence of Yasuzaemon

Matsunaga, who was a master of tea and an avid collector of antiques. Hidden away among

some greenery with a beautiful moss-covered Japanese garden, you will feel like you have

entered a different era. Inside a traditional room, settle down on the tatami mat as the host

lays out the utensils and begins the ritual, first handing you a traditional sweet to prepare your

palate for the bitterness of the tea. Your guide will interpret for you during the ceremonies

and explain not only the movements required, from bowing to receive the bowl to turning

it before drinking, but also the significance of every action of the host and every object used.

The seeming simplicity is a rich tapestry of meaning that adds an extra layer of beauty to this

ritualistic experience. You will get the chance to experience matcha in two different forms,

usucha (light taste) and koicha (heavier taste), as well as a seasonal flower tea, reflecting the

importance of seasonality throughout Japanese culture. Also included is a luxury bento

lunchbox known as tenshin, where different compartments exquisitely present seasonal

ingredients. odawara-tour.com/tea

So You Want to Be a Ninja?

Ninja are Japanese cultural icons, but who and what were they? And do

you have the skills to be one? The image of ninja melting into the shadows

and slipping away into the darkness of the night might not be so far from

the truth. They were essentially covert agents that used multiple tactics,

from espionage and disguise to surprise attacks. During the Warring States

period, Odawara Castle was a key stronghold from which the Hojo clan

consolidated their power and ruled over a large area of the Kanto region.

It is believed that they were served by a mysterious group known as the

Fuma ninja, who played a key role in military operations, infiltrating enemy

ranks and passing on important information. This experience takes you to

Odawara Castle and gives you the lowdown on the history of these masters

of subterfuge, before you get to become one yourself. Change into a ninja

costume and strike your best post with the castle as a stunning backdrop.

Then, it is time to begin some training. Can you master ninja manners,

meditation, and static breathing? These are just some of the legendary

techniques you will get to try, see if you have what it takes.

ODAWARA SPECIAL

Odawara Experiences

Dine in Luxury with Geisha

One of the most emblematic symbols of Japan, the geisha

demonstrates the finesse and dedication required to master the

traditional arts; they represent the importance of attention to detail

and exquisite aesthetics; and, of course, they embody just the right

amount of mystery and intrigue. They undergo rigorous training

to entertain their guests, serving drinks, expertly navigating conversation,

and performing elegant, mesmerizing dances. Although

numbers of geisha are declining, Odawara and Hakone have long

had a relatively large number and so this half-day experience offers

a rare opportunity to discover this part of Japanese culture. You

will first begin by creating a traditional Japanese paper umbrella

with one of the few remaining master craftsmen. Then, you will

become a guest of honor and witness the true skill of the geisha as

they entertain you with music and dancing, and invite you to play

some traditional social games. You will take lunch at Daruma, a

restaurant with more than 100 years of history and registered as a

tangible cultural property. This will be no ordinary meal, you will

be served kaiseki, a sumptuous gastronomic experience unique to

Japan. Multiple small dishes are expertly presented, offering the

best of seasonal and local ingredientss.

odawara-tour.com/geisha

24

ODAWARA SPECIAL

Seikantei

Matcha and sweets in a traditional house

Tucked away on a hill just a few minutes’ walk

south of Odawara Castle, Seikantei is like a miniature

museum that happens to serve excellent

quality tea and sweets. Dating from 1906, the

building is a traditional residence in the Sukiya

architectural style, featuring tatami mats, sliding

doors and beautifully painted panels. The cafe

opens up onto the garden with a view of plum

blossom and the Sagami Bay. Try the hochicha

(roasted green tea) pudding or get the matcha

set, thick hot tea in a bowl is served alongside

locally made anko (red bean paste) that you can

put inside a castle-shaped monaka (wafer), making

the experience both fun and delicious.

Aburiya in Gyoson

A“seafood cuisine theme park”

Stroll around the port area of Hayakawa and you

will get a sense of just what a rich variety of seafood

Odawara has to offer and all the ways it is prepared.

Himono - fish dried for preservation - are still common,

and you can buy plenty of kinds alongside other snacks

and souvenirs. All this is on offer in Gyoson, but

the main attraction is the grill-your-own-seafood

restaurant, Aburiya. For 80 minutes, you can eat as

much seafood as you like, from marinated Japanese

Spanish mackerel and sea perch to dried barracuda and

sardines, alongside scallops, shrimps, and, of course,

some veggies. gyoson.com

Ajiichi Hojo

Ramen with a local twist

Odawara is famed for its aji (horse mackerel)

so what better way to capture the taste than add

it to Japan’s worldwide famous noodle dish of

ramen? The quality, creativity and care that has

gone into every bowl at Ajiichi Hojo should not

be underestimated, with tender slices of char

siu pork, noodles made from scratch and even a

decorative kamaboko (a kind of local cured white

fishcake), all served out of a wooden bowl that

looks like a barrel. The horse mackerel flavor is

used subtly to add a delicate umami to the broth

and becomes one harmonious, mellow taste as

you work through the dish.

Ryo

Sushi made in front of your eyes

at a Japanese-style pub

Lacco Ameno

Pizza, pasta and pistachio

In recent years, Japanese pizza has gathered an

international following. Proudly representing

the craft is Lacco Ameno, run by Kenji Ameno

who trained in Naples. He opened the restaurant

six years ago and recently expanded to a second

space opposite, with waiting staff running plates

between the two. Try to sit in the cozy original

restaurant where you can watch the chefs work

at the brick pizza oven, delivering up classic

margherita with buffalo mozzarella, the seafood

“Odawara,” or the house special laden with Italian

meat and cheeses. Pizzas can be adapted for

vegetarians and vegans on request. Don’t miss

the pistachio semifreddo for dessert, which is

a creamy, decadent delight.

Perhaps the best way to get to know a town in

Japan is to head out in the evening to an izakaya,

a kind of pub where the focus is more on the

tapas-style sharing plates than purely on drinking.

At Ryo, seafood is the name of the game with a

particular focus on sashimi and sushi. Try to sit at

the counter where you can watch the chefs deftly

make it. What’s more, you can choose from different

styles, including “aburi sushi” which comes

lightly seared. There’s a great sake lineup, including

several from local breweries, and plenty of other

izakaya classics, from fried chicken to fresh salads.

d-ryo.co.jp/english.html

Odawara Oden

Honten

The tastes of the town in one place

For some truly local cuisine, Odawara Oden

Honten is a must. Not only is the interior beautifully

decorated, combining the best of modern and

traditional design, but most items on their menu

are sourced from local producers in town. Oden is

a kind of stew, with ingredients, such as tofu, white

radish, boiled eggs, kamaboko and other fishcakes

served in a light dashi-based broth. Make sure to

add some of the special seasonings, including the

plum miso made from local plums! If you head

here for lunch, try the melt-in-the-mouth gyusuji

(sweet, stewed beef) over rice or udon noodles,

with a few oden ingredients on the side.

25

ODAWARA SPECIAL

Explore Odawara:

Walking Course

Arriving at Odawara Station, take the east

exit and from the main road, Nishiki

Street, wind left to stroll through Oshare

Yokocho. Literally “Stylish Alley,” it is more an

anachronistic hodgepodge of bars and small restaurants

with some curious Western-style lanterns

and street decorations.

Rejoin Nishiki Street and take the right at the

end that will bring you down to Ejima tea shop.

A family business now in the 17th generation, it

was founded in 1661 and originally sold salt, before

expanding into paper products for documents and

later furnishings, such as shoji (paper screens) and

fusuma (sliding paper doors). The original store

was destroyed in the Great Kanto Earthquake of

1923, but it has been rebuilt and renovated in early

Showa style. Here, you can buy many kinds of tea

alongside beautiful teapots and cups.

Continue south along Ginza Street, before

making a left at the crossroads. Tucked back

from the road, you will find Ishikawa Lacquerware.

The craft has its origins in the Muromachi

era (1336 - 1573) when abundant wood from the

nearby Hakone mountains began to be crafted

into lacquer tableware, and later developed into

a coloration lacquer technique called irourushinuri.

The striking red coloration of the pieces

also highlights the beauty of the natural grain of

the wood. These pieces are often sold to Japanese

restaurants but you can take some home for your

own dining table.

Head directly south to the main road, the

Tokaido, and pop by Nanoha, which specializes

in dorayaki, Japanese-style pancakes sandwiched

around red bean paste. Nanoha not only has a

very cute rabbit adorning their sweet creations,

but they pride themselves on making their own

anko using the local water. Tip: pick up the redbean

and salty butter flavor and try not to eat it

before you get home.

Meander further south down through the streets

south until you hit Kamaboko Street. Kamaboko is

a cured fish product, often described as a “fishcake”

but really needs to be tried to be appreciated.

Odawara has a particularly large number of

producers. Stroll along and around this area and

you can pick up many kinds, including freshly

fried versions to munch on the go.

If you’re feeling a little weary or just want an

unusual experience, stop at Urokoki: settle around

a traditional open stove, and choose some local

sake (perhaps a tasting set of three?) along with

kamaboko and other snacks, all while taking a foot

bath. There is hot water in winter and refreshingly

cool water in summer - a perfect way to relax in

between sightseeing. Around the corner, you’ll

find the store Suzumatsu, which has created a

unique cheesecake version of kamaboko. The sur-

26

ODAWARA SPECIAL

prising combination works incredibly well, and it is a perfect

example of how Odawara might be steeped in tradition but

local stores are not afraid to innovate.

Once you’re done exploring, continue heading west along

the main road. Before long, you will spy the impressive building

that houses Uirou, which sells a steamed rice cake by the same

name that is similar to mochi and lightly sweet. The business

began around 600 years ago and is now, incredibly, in its 25th

generation. Do not miss out on trying the brown sugar version

which is rich, mellow and eternally tempting. You can take

away or enjoy your confectionery with a drink in the cafe space.

Just a few paces further is the enchanting Chinriu, an

umeboshi (pickled plum) specialty store. The interior is like a

museum with wooden shelves and jars upon jars of umeboshi

on display, the oldest dating from 1868 and apparently still

edible! There is also local umeshu (plum wine) on sale and

you can sample some before you buy.

Take a right at the next traffic lights and you will soon

pass the Shonan Cookie vending machines. Not a vision from

a childhood dream, there is literally an entire booth full of

confectionery vending machines with even lockers stashed

full of biscuits. Unleash your inner child and spend your

¥100 coins unwisely as the cookies will make great souvenirs

with a great story.

Cut through the castle grounds and cross either

Meganebashi Bridge or Gakubashi Bridge to join the main

avenue, Ohoribata Street. Head straight up towards the

station area until you come to a cafe called Mame no Ki.

A kissaten (Japanese-style coffee shop), it’s straight out of

Japan’s Showa era with dark wooden panels and siphon

coffee made at the counter and served in bone china cups.

The “cappuccino” comes with a cinnamon stick and topped

with cream. Bonus information: when the clock strikes 5pm,

it plays a rendition of “My Heart Will Go On” from the

movie Titanic. What better way to end a busy sightseeing

day than caffeinated, refueled and refreshed?

More details: odawara-guide.com/metropolis

Kinjiro Cafe: hotoku.jp/kinjiro-cafe

Matsunaga Memorial Hall: city.odawara.kanagawa.jp/

public-i/facilities/matsunaga

Daruma: darumanet.com

Uirou: uirou.co.jp

Ejima: ejima.net

Chinriu: umeyorozu.info

Mame no ki: odawara-mamenoki.com

Suzumatsu: suzumatu.o.oo7.jp

Urokoki: urokoki-kamaboko.com

Ishikawa: ishikawa-shikki.com

27

Matsunaga Memorial Hall

Odawara

Station

Odawara

Castle

Mame no Ki

Ryo

Lacco Ameno

Seikantei

Kinjiro Cafe

Samurai Museum

Ninja Museum

Ejima

Shonan Cookie

Chinriu

Uirou

Daruma

Nanoha

Ishikawa Lacquerware

Hayakawa Station

Gyoson

Suzumatsu

Odawara Oden Honten

Ajiichi Hojo

Urokoki

Kamaboko Street

ODAWARA

ACCESS

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ODAWARA

Contact:

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contact@odawaratrip.com

odawara-tour.com

28

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29

30

Emperor Taisho (1879 – 1926) excelled in foreign studies.

HISTORY

Speaking the Emperor’s English

A brief history of the royal family’s foreign language skills

By Timothy Nerozzi

When it comes to Japanese, it’s hard to find a group of more

eloquent speakers than the imperial family of Japan.

The imperial family’s consistently high level of proficiency

in the national language can differ so much from the average citizen,

that normal Japanese people can’t understand their own emperor’s words.

This was true post-World War II, as Emperor Showa’s voice was heard

for the first time over a recorded announcement to his people that was so

formal and intricate, that many needed interpretations. Even Emperor

Emeritus Akihito’s recent formal televised announcement of his resignation

was seen as a bit over the heads of average Japanese speakers. So,

it’s safe to say that the Japanese linguistic ability of the imperial family

is good; perhaps even too good at times, for practical communication.

But what about the Japanese royalty’s forays into the more foreign

languages that lurk outside the castle walls? Much ink has been spilled

remarking on the fact that Emperor Naruhito is the first on the Japanese

throne to speak English openly and fluently. But he’s not the first royal

to receive a foreign language education.

The last emperor to live and reign over Japan’s sakoku (closed country)

era was Emperor Komei, who dressed his entire life in the traditional

imperial wardrobe, ate traditional Japanese food and spent his days

writing traditional Japanese poetry. He was adamantly against the Westernization

of Japan, and it’s speculated that he never met a foreigner

in any meaningful capacity throughout his entire life. He was the last

Japanese emperor to die without at least a brush with foreign language.

Emperor Meiji, his son, despite never once leaving the island of Japan,

made a valiant effort within his lifetime to learn or at least get a working

grasp on foreign conversation.

Disastrous encounters

At the time of Meiji’s education, English was far from the most important

language to the Japanese. Most of the new Meiji-era nobility

instead found German or French to be the most romantic and exotic

tongues to practice. The Meiji-era court and nobility system was shifted

to better emulate the Western-style monarchies of Europe. This meant

knowledge of a European language carried quite a bit of social capital.

Meiji was instructed in German from a young age by his tutor, Kido

Takayoshi. The reformers of the Japanese government intended to craft

him into the first ruler of their new, modern Japan. However, it was a

long and difficult road. His first-ever encounter with a foreigner of any

kind, a British diplomat in 1868, was close to disastrous. Dressed in the

old-school imperial dress of a Shinto priest, and even speaking in his own

native Japanese, Meiji was perhaps intimidated. He uncharacteristically

stumbled over his words and lost his place on the page.

A year later, Meiji met with Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh. He

was the first member of foreign royalty to ever have a presence with

the emperor; a German. This audience went far better, solidifying a

tradition of friendship between the German and Japanese royal families.

A potent language learner

Emperor Taisho was the sickly and oft-forgotten son of Emperor Meiji.

Taisho had no aptitude for math or science. Perpetually in poor health

and often accused of having a mental disability, he did quite poorly in

school and was pulled out of the imperial classroom by middle school.

One area that Taisho did show promise was foreign studies. He excelled

in history and took a keen interest in Chinese and French. French

particularly amused him, and he often found himself tossing bits and

pieces of the language into his daily Japanese.

This tendency to synthesize and rapidly switch between French and

Japanese annoyed Meiji greatly, who found it unbecoming for a Japanese

prince. Perhaps this annoyance was simply because of his son’s clear

advantage in language retention. While often written of as an ineffective

and weak ruler, perhaps this is an area where historians should give

more ground to Taisho. In comparison to both his father and his son to

be, he proved to be an unusually energetic and potent language learner.

Emperor Showa, often referred to by his personal name of Hirohito

in the West, was the son of Taisho, who passed away young at the age

of 47. While not much is written about his foreign language education,

Hirohito was even better educated than his father and grandfather.

Studying abroad

It is likely that Hirohito studied a bit of two or three foreign languages.

Likely Chinese and French or German. Later in his life he would have

ample exposure to English, but not much is known about whether he

took any formal classes. Hirohito was the first emperor to have actively

traveled out of the country. He took a six-month long trip to tour the

nations of Europe as a young prince. This trip was an opportunity for

the future ruler to practice his foreign introductions and make connections

with the heads of state and royal families.

However, Hirohito never seemed to feel comfortable in his abilities,

and relied on a translator for all non-Japanese conversations, including

postwar discussions with the American occupying leaders. Even if he

wasn’t a good student of foreign language himself, Hirohito clearly

understood the value in it by the time the war ended. He wanted his

own son to be well equipped.

The current Emperor Emeritus, Akihito, has perhaps the most carefully

recorded and widely studied childhood experiences with foreign

language studies. After the war, Hirohito stated that he would like his

son to be properly educated and tutored in English. Whether this was

for practical, diplomatic reasons in the face of the ongoing occupation,

or if this was a symbolic gesture of goodwill to the former enemies of

Japan is not clear, but Hirohito was serious in this commitment.

From Meiji’s first German

class in his Tokyo castle, to

Naruhito’s study abroad at

England’s most prestigious

school, the imperial family

has repeatedly rebuked the

silence and reclusiveness of

the sakoku era.

31

Prince “Jimmy”

The Imperial Household collaborated with the American Occupying

Forces to find a suitable teacher from the U.S. for the elementary

school-aged prince. The commission appointed Elizabeth Vining from

the University of North Carolina as Prince Akihito’s official foreign

language educator. As his English teacher, she was adamant not to cave

into Japanese expectations of how to treat a young crown prince.

Vining taught Akihito in a small classroom setting with the children

of Japan’s former noble families as his classmates. Vining assigned Akihito

the name “Jimmy.” When the small heir to the throne objected and

said that he wanted to be called “prince,” Vining informed that unfortunately,

in her class, his nickname would have to be Jimmy. “Jimmy”

was taught Western manners in English, as Vining didn’t know the

first thing about Japan. She arranged for local Tokyo boys of the same

age from Western countries to come and hang out with the prince, and

even began tutoring Hirohito and his empress on the side.

Akihito would remain friends with Vining for the rest of her life, visiting

her at her Pennsylvania home and calling her on the phone. It’s hard

to say how much this English education stuck with Emperor Emeritus

Akihito. As a monarch, he was a shy one. As emperor, Akihito did not

make his major public speeches in any language other than Japanese,

and did not translate his own works. Finally, as a retired emperor, he’s

foregone the spotlight almost completely.

It was perhaps this love for his American English teacher and nostalgia

for her classes that encouraged Akihito in the Western education of his

own son, the former Prince Naruhito.

As a prince, Naruhito attended the prestigious University of Oxford.

Due to this experience abroad, Emperor Naruhito was and still

is completely fluent in English. His high level of study has given him

the means through which to become not just workably-fluent in dayto-day

matters but professionally and academically native-level. When

meeting with the Queen of England herself, Naruhito did not rely on

any translation, talking to her about art and history in front of the

camera and in his own words, a sight that would have made the jaws of

his ancestors drop to the floor.

One wonders, looking back, what the emperors of old would think.

The modern inheritor of their bloodline speaks effortlessly and with

dignity in foreign tongues, hopping across the world to meet with leaders

near and far. From Meiji’s first German class in his Tokyo castle,

to Naruhito’s study abroad at England’s most prestigious school, the

imperial family has repeatedly rebuked the silence and reclusiveness of

the sakoku era and sought to connect with the rulers and citizens of

both their own country and abroad.

And it appears that Emperor Naruhito is the impressive final product

of this century-long commitment.

The modern inheritor

Whether or not Akihito’s English skills persisted into adulthood and

his silver years is not quite as important as the fact that the Western

education clearly had a profound effect on him.

Prince Akihito and his English tutor, Elizabeth Vining, in 1949.

Emperor Taisho sits at the head of a feast ceremony in 1915.

32

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TOKYO TOWNS

Tachiaigawa

Telling tales of old Tokyo

Photos and text by Rebecca Saunders

A

soft realness permeates the air along the river lacing streets

of Tachiaigawa. Local izakaya, homely yakitori vendors and

small shotengai (traditional shopping streets) strung with

streams of colorful lanterns create a small town simplicity that is

part of an older world.

Imbued with the essence of a working-class Tokyo shitamachi (downtown

neighborhood), the attraction to Tachiaigawa is not an impressive list of

top sites — it’s a place to bathe in the feeling of something that has been

lost, or is slowly seeping away in other parts of the city.

Located along the edge of Tokyo Bay in Shinagawa, Tachiaigawa was

originally outside of the old city boundaries, close to the the old Tokaido

— one of the major highways of the Edo period. Edokko, or native citizens

of the capital, of the past would have passed through the area as they made

their way to and from Kyoto. But it wasn’t until 1903, when Tachiaigawa

Station opened, that the area actually got its name; before then it was

simply Oi Village, Ebara Province.

The hardworking seaweed farmers and fishermen who once worked

among its coastal waterways may have long gone, but walking through the

area, swimming in its earnestness, reveals that not much has changed here

since the 1950s. Only the concrete train station and a few chain eateries

bring you back to here and now.

Tachiaigawa does, however, attract a crowd of visitors through the

nearby Oi Racecourse which holds regular horse racing events, festive

illuminations and the ever-popular Tokyo City Flea Market.

Taking place every Saturday and Sunday, the sizable secondhand

market is a spectrum of sellers, shoppers and selections of items on

sale. The place to go in Tokyo to unearth what goes on outside of the

polished realm of skyscrapers and suited office workers, the market is

a rough and ready space for bargain hunting and people watching. Its

friendly stallholders are open and chatty, and there are always deals to

be found. It’s a challenge to leave empty-handed.

But away from the energy of the weekend market, there is history

and intriguing tales of old inhabitants of Tachiaigawa to track down.

Close to the exit of Tachiaigawa Station, pedestrians are watched over

by a statue: the dignified stance of Ryoma Sakamoto. The Shikokuborn,

Tosa Domain samurai was an active advocate for democracy and

adversary to the Tokugawa Shogunate (1600 – 1868). Sakamoto would

have spent much time at Tosa’s shimoyashiki (clan residence located

outside of central Edo), which was located in the vicinity of Tachiaigawa

Station itself.

Influential during the final years of the Edo period, and in the

establishment of modern Japan, Sakamoto was executed by a pro-shogun

group shortly before the Meiji Restoration (1868), but his vision of a

country without a feudal system and caste has had a lasting impact on

the shape of Japan today.

Along the water’s edge, remnants of Tosa’s legacy can be found at the

Hamakawa Battery. Built by the clan in an attempt to ward off the return

of Commodore Perry’s ships in 1854 (though they never made it this far),

today only a single restored cannon sits in a small park. Nearby, a giant,

kawaii Sakamoto adorns the side of a Shinagawa Ward sewerage plant as

a reminder of his impact.

More history can be uncovered a few minutes walk from the station at

Namida-bashi or “Bridge of Tears,” an ominous name that gives a clue to

its grim past. In the Edo period, Namida-bashi (one of Shinagawa’s “100

Scenic Spots”) was the last point for criminals to say their final goodbyes to

loved ones before being taken to be executed, just over a kilometer up the

road at the Suzugamori Execution Grounds, in use between 1651 and 1871.

The surrounding scenery and atmosphere have clearly changed since,

but the connotations of Namida-bashi, and the nearby execution grounds,

possibly points to why Tachiaigawa has remained relatively untouched by

developers. It’s thought that executions would have taken place this far

from the capital to curb the “spiritual pollution” of the city.

34

Across the bridge, the Tenso Suwa Shrine sits on the backdrop of

muted low-rise buildings and the coasting trains on the raised Keikyu

Main Line. Apparently established in the 12th century, the structure

enshrines Fukurokuju (one of Japan’s shichifukujin or Seven Lucky

Gods) and is a private peaceful space — as if almost balancing out

the dark Bridge of Tears close by. It’s a place to pray for happiness,

prosperity and a long life.

Away from the narrow streets, Shinagawa Kumin (“Community”)

Park is a sizable recreation area: a mix of forested walks, sports

courts, an outdoor swimming pool, all looped by a running track.

In spring, picnickers throw down their blue tarps for hanami (flower

viewing) under the numerous cherry trees at Sakura Plaza in the

park’s north end.

As the evening draws in, and Shinagawa ward’s subtle goji no

chaimu (5 o’clock bell) trickles through the PA system, Tachiaigawa

becomes understatedly elegant. Colorful lanterns cast their glow

and light bulbs flash on storefront signs. Each of the eateries billow

out wafts of hard-to-resist aromas. One such, Oyama-no-Taisho, is

a low-key local favorite that serves up tasty low-cost bites including

a crowd-drawing medamayaki (fried egg): multiple eggs, generously

sprinkled with gyofun (fish powder), atop cabbage and vegetables.

Some old-school eateries in the area declare: “English menus

available” — others attempt to attract foreign tourists with signs that

explain the meaning of omotenashi (hospitality). Along with a well

meaning selection of tourist maps in multiple languages, the sight of

these small businesses openly welcoming people gives Tachiaigawa an

accessible warmth, despite it being far from a well-worn tourist spot.

Once defining the limits of old Tokyo, Tachiaigawa is now defined

by Tokyo’s sprawl. It’s an old seaside stretch of heartlands where

famous samurai roamed, where travellers of yesteryear stopped off,

and where just by visiting, you can fall through a crack in time

somewhere between the past and the present.

35

36

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PARK HYATT KYOTO

Finding serenity at Kyoto’s newest luxury guesthouse

By Lindsay Nemeth

As winter approached and the chaos of Tokyo got under my skin,

I traveled to Japan’s ancient capital for a much needed pause

from metropolitan life.

Kyoto brings to mind imagery of ancient temples, quaint tea houses and

kimono-clad tourists wandering through the entertainment district of Gion.

It seems like the ideal escape. To say that relaxation was my primary motive

for visiting Japan’s cultural capital, however, would be a lie. I was also itching

to experience Park Hyatt’s brand new property in Kyoto.

Until recently, Kyoto’s picturesque Higashiyama district was a place tourists visited

by day. Owing to its numerous UNESCO sites and narrow pedestrian streets, most

hotels are located on its periphery for practical reasons. Last October, however, Park

Hyatt opened an exquisite new property in the historic neighborhood. In many

ways, Park Hyatt Kyoto is a complete antithesis of its iconic property in Shinjuku

Park Tower and is quickly becoming a destination unto itself.

After arriving on the Nozomi Shinkansen, I took a brief taxi ride to the

property at the edge of the Gion pedestrian area. Upon arriving, I was greeted

by enthusiastic staff, beaming with pride over their beautiful new property.

My luggage vanished up to the room and a concierge whisked me to the

lobby, where I enjoyed a 3-year-old Kyoto bancha (roasted green tea) while

checking in. The lobby area, affectionately named “The Living Room,” strikes

the perfect balance between modern and classic Japanese design, an aesthetic

that permeates the entire facility.

The attentive concierge took me on a short journey to the room, which required

us to traverse a multi-level maze built into the side of the hill. Each corridor

connected seamlessly with the next by way of automatic doors and flowed through

seating areas, outdoor terraces and even a library. I was in awe of how intuitive

the use of each common space was, preserving the silence and stillness evocative

of a Japanese Zen garden. The journey culminated in our arrival on the fifth

floor, where my room was located.

As I opened the door to my “King Bed Garden Terrace” room, a sense of bliss

washed over me. Intelligently laid out with floor-to-ceiling windows and large

storage areas to keep the room clutter-free, the space basked in simplicity. Best

of all, it looked out upon a private tsuboniwa (Japanese garden). During the

design phase, Park Hyatt partnered with Toni Chi and Associates, an awardwinning

interior design firm to ensure each room was the perfect modern

interpretation of classical Japanese architecture.

Accommodation is just part of the equation for the Park Hyatt brand. Another

notable element, which is always executed brilliantly, is food. The culinary

options are plentiful and surprisingly varied given the small size of the Kyoto

hotel. Options range from Kyoto Bistro, casual bistro-style restaurant (with a

homestyle Japanese curry to die for), to Yasaka, an intimate teppanyaki restaurant

with a coveted view of the city. The ultimate dining experience on the property

is Kyoyamato, the hotel’s kaiseki restaurant. Kyoyamato, a 142-year-old culinary

institution, consists of several historic buildings including “Soyotei,” a teahouse

from the Edo era where feudal warlords once secretly met.

The epicurean highlight of my stay was the kaiseki breakfast at Kyoyamato.

The multi-course meal was full of surprises, including Alaskan pollack roe,

rice cooked in a porcelain dish at the table, miso eel tail, silken tofu and other

delectable treats expertly prepared by the masters of kaiseki. Kyoyamato hadn’t

offered breakfast in two generations but miraculously agreed to do so for hotel

guests thanks to the persistence of the hotel’s general manager. Needless to say,

this experience should not be missed.

To call Park Hyatt Kyoto a hotel is a misnomer. Rather, it is a refined guesthouse

peppered with exclusive subtleties, such as handcrafted pottery specific to each

restaurant, locally crafted gin at the stunning Kohaku bar and handmade Kira

Karacho stationary monogrammed exclusively for the hotel. The layout of the

property is complex yet intuitive, and the combined use of indoor and outdoor

space is perfectly laid out, allowing a mesmerizing view of the Yasaka Pagoda from

every vantage point.

The philosophy of luxury travel is evolving, and this property is at the forefront

of its next iteration. Aspirations of building glitzy skyscrapers with trendy rooftop

bars are fading. Towering mega-hotels, like the Burj Khalifa or the Marina Bay

Sands, are slowly becoming a thing of the past. Luxury hoteliers are moving

towards intimate, authentic experiences that honor their surroundings.

The time is drawing near for Park Hyatt’s iconic Tokyo hotel to take a

bow to the brand’s new flagship property.

38

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FM

Quarterly Horoscope

March – May 2020

By Cathryn Moe

Love ¥ Money Luck

ARIES

Mar 20 – Apr 18 ¥¥¥

Intentions are strong and focused.

The supermoons of March, April,

and May amplify and intensify. How

would you like to engage? Infuse

your spirit as hanami surrounds you. This

fantasy world melts sharp edges of people and

their events. It redefines with a refreshing ease

and confidence. Let yourself leap into Golden

Week. Romance looks for you.

GEMINI

May 20 – Jun 20 ¥¥¥

Your flexible perspective lets you

see others’ paths, while making

sure they do not disturb yours. The

supermoons of March, April, and

May are an unusual event. Hanami restores

your sense of wonder. Take time for yourself

as Saturn stabilizes your travel sector. Golden

Week brings a happy mode even in crowds.

Welcome friends with open arms.

LEO

Jul 22 – Aug 22 ¥¥¥¥

The lion’s mane exists not only as

a crown, but as a symbol of your

strength. Leos are blessed with

more than enough charisma to

hold a crowd’s attention. The supermoons

of March, April, and May amplify your

feelings. There’s an intensity of energy that

won’t quit. Enjoy the soft magic of hanami.

Golden Week confirms a recent decision.

Romance is worth pursuing.

TAURUS

Apr 19 – May 19 ¥¥

Ruler Venus enters Taurus in

early March. Beauty is yours. The


May create a long-lasting alignment.

What will you choose? Enjoy hanami and

its magical moments. The Full Pink April

supermoon is in your sign. It lulls your feelings

into a gentle comfort mode. Golden Week

continues a creative phase. Romance is fresh.

CANCER

Jun 21 – Jul 21 ¥¥¥¥

The supermoons of March, April,

and May turn spring into a delight

for the senses. Saturn transits from

relationship duties to shared joys.

Events that surround you soften the edges as

you enjoy the wonder of hanami. What was

gone becomes renewed. Golden Week wraps

itself around you. Make sure to breathe in

every moment. Ensure your path stays solid.

VIRGO

Aug 23 – Sep 21 ¥¥¥

Winter to spring sets you free.

The supermoon of March is in

Virgo. Saturn transits to pin down

dreams. April and May’s supermoons

reveal your talents. There’s time to

share favorite forms of expression. Hanami

and cherry blossoms paint a wondrous world.

Go all out for Golden Week. Be sure to rev up

your next chapter. Venus moves retrograde for

warm, slow romance mid-May.

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LIBRA

Sep 22 – Oct 22 ¥¥

Stick close to Venus, your ruling

planet. She takes care of you

as winter wrestles into spring.

Saturn transits, bringing stability

to your romance sector. The supermoons of

March and May intensify your dreams. Some

insist on being real. April’s supermoon, the

Full Pink Moon, is in your sign. Hanami

opens the petals of your heart. Go for your

desires during Golden Week.

SAGITTARIUS

Nov 22 – Dec 20 ¥¥¥

You won’t have to look far for

things to do. March offers a

Saturn transit that puts you on

the big screen. The supermoons

of March, April, and May have an intensifying

effect. Too much in your schedule? Give

yourself time and sunlight where you can

find it. Hanami is your kind of magic. Golden

Week gives you a chance to spread your

wings and check out the scene. Take it.

AQUARIUS

Jan 19 – Feb 17 ¥¥¥

March begins on a serious

note. Saturn transits to put

you in charge. Though you may

want this, you may still find it a

challenge. The supermoons of March, April,

and May bring intensity to the surface. This

clears a path that supports you. Structure

and stability are yours. What a relief!

Hanami revives your inner child. Golden

Week merges your joys with others.

SCORPIO

Oct 23 – Nov 21 ¥¥

Blessings surround you. Scorpio

may benefit the most from the


May. In March, Saturn transits

to your solar fourth house. Putting your

energies into home and hearth brings

security. The supermoon of May is in your

sign. Hanami helps you float to more subtle

realms. Golden Week offers a chance meeting

for your kind of excitement.

CAPRICORN

Dec 21 – Jan 18 ¥¥¥¥

Do you sense a dream trying to

find a foothold? Part of you may

want to touch what’s on its way

in. Curiosity reflects a desire

to hold it. The supermoons of March,

April, and May encourage following your

own footsteps. Mercury goes direct. Your

feelings tug at you. Hanami, beautiful and

ephemeral, leaves lasting memories. Golden

Week is a treasure to keep forever.

PISCES

Feb 18 – Mar 19 ¥¥¥¥

Winter looking bleak? Spring

brings stability. Saturn transits to

support your solar twelfth house

of dreams. The supermoons of

March, April, and May create a structure

you can bank on. Hanami brings beauty

to your spirit. Take time to travel, or walk

along paths of pink petals. Golden Week

offers so much. You flow easily from one

event to another – some for free!

Spring inoculation season is here!

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41

Under the slogan of “Save The Beach, Save The Ocean,” Japan’s MUSIC

Greenroom Festival is back city’s for its trademark 16th installment which is located this year. by It the sea felt perfect for me,” Kamayachi

brings with it an array of international says. Machida-born musicians, Kamayachi alongside workshops

to showcase surf culture and sustainability Kamakura on (Zaimokuza the last weekend beach of area). May. Yokohama is not a mere city for him.

used to go to the city a lot and now lives in

2019 played witness to a myriad of arguments “The beach about is open climate to everyone. change, and It doesn’t belong to anyone,” Kamayachi

Swedish climate and environmental activist believes. Greta Through Thunberg cultural appealed activities for such as music, art, and film, the festival

stronger action on the serious issues has that been the working world is to now raise forced awareness to deal about plastic pollution in the ocean, so

with. This has led to a global movement more and people some think the music about industry it and appreciate are it.

taking note. British band, The 1975, incorporated Along with this having into their separate latest bins album for recycling and not using plastic cups at

release, using recycled CDs and cassettes. the venue, Greenroom Festival kicks off with the Beach Clean & Live event

Although music festivals have become one a month popular before summer the activity festival. among It aims to clean Zaimokuza and Kugenuma

most countries, they continue to consume Beaches a lot of and energy attendees and are can not enjoy necessarily free live performances after the cleaning.

eco-friendly. Sustainability is the main concept The festival for the new offers decade, a range and of we free need activities including vintage shops and a

to work together to find a way to coexist selection with the of planet surf fashion in which brands. we all “Of live. course, tickets are required to see live

Naoki Kamayachi, the founder of Greenroom performances, Festival, but attended that’s not California’s the only thing for the Greenroom Festival. This

Moonshine Festival in 2004, which was made festival of is the open three to core everyone values: art, just music, like the beach.”

and film. The following year, he brought With back its the great concept accessibility of the and festival less commitment, to the festival attracts younger

By Takahiro Kanazawa

Japan and the very first Greenroom Festival audiences took place compared at Yokohama’s to the other Osanbashi major music festivals in Japan. “I like how people

Hall with performances from American enjoy artists fashion such and as Sim nature Redmond in the heart Band of the city, the same way as people visiting

and Tommy Guerrero, to name a few. Palm “It was Springs not easy or Joshua as everything Tree National we did Park as well after the Coachella festival.

was a whole new experience for us. It was “The February festival and only snowing, happens but 2 people days out of 365 days. We still have to live

were waiting outside to get in, which I with am so nature grateful for for.” the rest Kamayachi of the year.” recalls. This idea led Kamayachi to organize the

After the first five years of the Greenroom Snow Light Festival Festival at Osanbashi in Naeba Hall, Ski this Resort, and Local Greenroom Festival at

eco-friendly festival had to move to the Yokohama’s end of summer, historical where building, every festival-goer Red receives a seed after the festival.

Brick Warehouse, due to the demand of “To needing keep the a larger sea clean, space. mountains “I have been and cities also need to stay clean” explains

thinking of doing this festival there for Kamayachi. a long time. Hosting “All the trash this festival ends up at in the the sea. However, the sea and mountains

Sustainable Sounds

Greenroom Festival ‘20 celebrates art, music and the environment

Under the slogan of “Save The Beach, Save The Ocean,”

Japan’s Greenroom Festival is back for its 16th installment

this year. The event brings with it an array of international

musicians, alongside workshops to showcase surf culture and

sustainability on the last weekend of May.

2019 sparked a myriad of conversations surrounding climate

change as Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg appealed

for stronger actions on serious issues like rising carbon

emissions around the world. The teenage activist’s pleas have

led to a global movement and people in the music industry

are taking note. British pop band The 1975 incorporated this

aspect of social awareness into their latest album release, using

recycled CDs and cassettes.

Although music festivals have become a popular summer

activity in most countries, they continue to consume a lot of

energy and are not necessarily eco-friendly. With sustainability

as a core philosophy, artists and organizers are working together

to find a way to coexist with the planet while celebrating some

of the best sounds the decade has to offer.

Greenroom Festival founder Naoki Kamayachi attended

California’s Moonshine Festival in 2004, which was created

with three core values: art, music and film. The following year,

Kamayachi brought the concept of the festival back to Japan

and the very first Greenroom Festival took place at Yokohama’s

Osanbashi Hall with performances from American artists

such as Sim Redmond Band and Tommy Guerrero, to name

a few. “It was not easy as everything we did was a whole new

experience for us. It was February and snowing, but people

were waiting outside to get in, which I am so grateful for,”

Kamayachi recalls.

After five years, the Greenroom Festival outgrew its original

venue at Osanbashi Hall and the eco-friendly festival relocated

to a larger space, Yokohama’s historical Red Brick Warehouse.

“I have been thinking of doing this festival there for a long

time. Hosting this festival at the city’s trademark, which is

located by the sea, felt perfect for me,” Kamayachi says. Born

in Tokyo’s Machida-shi, Kamayachi often visited Yokohama

and now lives near Zaimokuza beach in Kamakura.

“The beach is open to everyone. It doesn’t belong to anyone,” Kamayachi

says. Through cultural activities such as music, art, and film,

the festival has been working to raise awareness about plastic pollution

in the ocean. Along with having separate bins for recycling and not

using plastic cups at the venue, Greenroom Festival kicks off with the

Beach Clean & Live event one month before the festival. After cleaning

both Zaimokuza and Kugenuma beaches, attendees can enjoy free

live performances by various DJs and bands.

Easily accessible from Tokyo and environmentally conscious,

Greenroom Festival attracts younger audiences compared to

other major music festivals throughout Japan. The event offers

a range of activities and vendors, including vintage shops

and a selection of surf fashion brands. “Of course, tickets are

required to see live performances, but that’s not the only thing

for the Greenroom Festival. This festival is open to everyone,

just like the beach,” Kamayachi says.

Ultimately, Kamayachi hopes to continue this cycle of awareness

beyond a single weekend.“The festival only happens two

days out of 365 days,” Kamayachi says. “We still have to live

with nature for the rest of the year.” Kamayachi also organizes

the Snow Light Festival in Naeba Ski Resort, and Local

Greenroom Festival at the end of summer, where every festival

goer receives a seed.

“To keep the sea clean, mountains and cities also need to stay

clean,” explains Kamayachi. “All the trash ends up in the sea.

However, the sea and mountains are supposed to be clean in

the first place. It is us that makes them dirty. Humans are just

a part of the eco-cycle. Greenroom Festival is a chance to talk

about those issues with friends and family, through hands-on

experiences while enjoying the festival itself.”

GREENROOM FESTIVAL

2020

May 23-24th

Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse

1-1 Shinko, Naka-ku, Yokohama

Lineup: MGMT, Sigrid, never

young beach, SIRUP, ASIAN

KUNG-FU GENERATION,

D.A.N., SPECIAL OTHERS, Tash

Sultana and more.

greenroom.jp

42

MUSIC

Dreamgirls

Alt-pop treats on Tawings’ debut album

By Takahiro Kanazawa and Camille Miller

Tawings is available on Spotify,

Apple Music, Bandcamp, Youtube

and other streaming sites

Indie-pop outfit Tawings, named so because “it would make

a very cute logo” on a college sweatshirt, has finally found

a home in its native Tokyo.

Plankton, eliy and Yurika first burst onto the capital’s indie

music scene in 2016, releasing a number of lo-fi dreamy tunes

with appropriately rapt names like “Make up” and “Dad Cry.”

In a few short years, the band has undergone a well-deserved

shift, from mainly supporting foreign acts in Tokyo to becoming

the starring role of their own gigs and budding DIY genre.

Since releasing their debut album last December, Tawings has

been more active than ever, drawing significant crowds to shows

in Shibuya’s WWW and other venues. Tawings is, according

to its members, “a statement of what we want to do with the

band.” The self-titled project introduces four expansive dream

pop songs, including lead track “Poodles,” whose funky vocals

could almost pass for a track off of Canadian singer Grimes’ 2012

album, Visions. The album also compiles some solid post-punk

songs from the band’s earlier days.

Tawings starts off with the smooth and mid-tempo, “Statice.”

“We needed a proper opening song for the album and thought

Statice’s demo, which we made about two years ago, could be the

one,” lead singer Cony Plankton explains. “This was recorded in

Karuizawa, Nagano when I went there with my friend’s band. The

atmosphere of this song matches up with Karuizawa’s peacefulness,”

Plankton continues. Indeed, Plankton’s drawn-out vocals

on “Statice” are reminiscent of the resort town’s laid back vibe.

The album’s star track is “Poodles,” a playful composition with

cutesy, mechanical lyrics praising the fluffy breed. “It didn’t take

long for me to write ‘Poodles,’” says Plankton, who wrote the

song at a dog shelter while waiting to adopt her new pet. “We

worked a lot on this song, intending it to be very pop. Arranging

it was the hardest part. We tried playing it on the sitar for the

first time. We’ve performed it live a few times already and the

reaction from the audience has been good, which was a great

surprise,” Plankton says.

While heavily influenced by UK culture, the Japanese pop group

also looks closer to home when composing its sound. “We always

wanted to make a song that sounds like one of our favorite Japanese

bands, Burgh,” Plankton says. “We met each other through Burgh

and the band has influenced us a lot. We are also happy to work

with Ryo Matsuyama from Klan Aileen on the song [‘Hamburg.’]”

Another lead track, “Suisen,” shows a different side of Tawings,

one that is perhaps more vulnerable than its edgier, pop

counterparts. Plankton wrote the song after the death of her

grandmother. “This song came out of our experience as a band

throughout the past three years and shows where we all want to

go as Tawings. Our bassist, eliy, edited the music video. We really

liked how all three of us committed to this song,” Plankton says.

In Tawings’ anticipated debut album, the band delivers eight

tracks spanning the members’ musical roots and journey from

post-punk to dream-pop. On Valentine’s Day, hundreds of

fans packed into WWW for the album’s release party, dubbed

“Chocotto Love,” where the trio performed alongside Miho

Hatori of experimental hip hop duo Cibo Matto. The event’s

success was a testament to Tawings’ bright future in the city’s

eclectic and ever-growing music scene.

43

BOOKS

A review of American film critic Mark Schilling’s new book

By Alexa Frank

As a new decade begins, the Japanese film industry finds itself in a

curious predicament. As The Japan Times noted in a recent article,

while domestic box office numbers are on the rise, Japanese cinema’s

international ambitions continue to decline. Despite some outliers, like

Hirokazu Koreeda’s Cannes-winning Shoplifters, or anime such as Makoto

Shinkai’s Your Name (which is slated for an American live action remake),

contemporary Japanese film remains largely out of reach for English-speaking

audiences, and few foreign film distributors have demonstrated interest in filling

the gap. However, Japanese film enthusiasts have an ally in Mark Schilling,

chief film critic for The Japan Times. His new book, “Art, Cult and Commerce:

Japanese Cinema Since 2000,” is a culmination of his impressive thirty-year

career, picking up where his previous collection, “Contemporary Japanese

Film” (1999) left off. Comprised of short essays, interviews and reviews

previously published in The Japan Times, “Art” provides

an exciting window into the post-

2000 Japanese film

landscape, shedding much-needed light on both commercial

and arthouse films and directors that remain obscure

abroad.

The sections in tandem create a dynamic portrait

of Schilling as an essayist, interviewer and valued

commentator of the medium. In the book’s introduction,

Schilling is candid about his decision to focus on Japanese

film rather than Hollywood fare — it’s more rewarding to be

the first in line as a reviewer than the thousandth voice. That decision has

given Schilling enviable access to an often inaccessible industry. Schilling’s

knowledge of Japanese cinema is formidable, and the book’s strongest section is

arguably the interviews, where his depth of reference even catches his subjects

by surprise from time to time. Highlights include film director Nobuhiko

Obayashi (of House fame, seemingly as incapable of giving a boring interview

as he is making a boring film), Kohei Oguri (refreshingly, openly vexed about

the reception of his latest film Foujita), actress Kyoko Kagawa (who worked

with Ozu, Mizoguchi and other giants of Japanese cinema’s “Golden Age”

of the 1950s and 60s), Teruyo Nogami, the longtime, unsung assistant of

the legendary Akira Kurosawa and a series of indispensable interviews with

Hirokazu Koreeda.

The essays, while short, offer anecdotes about Schilling’s life in and around

film, such as working as a script consultant for Edward Zwick (and navigating

normal conversation with a surprisingly short, retainer-wearing Tom Cruise)

and his friendship with the late, great film scholar Donald Richie. The most

compelling essay points the camera back at himself, however, as he explores

his consumption of onscreen violence after a brutal encounter in Italy.

The last section in “Art” features Schilling’s reviews from 2000 and

onwards. They are collected chronologically, offering readers a survey

of the shifting trends of the industry and demands of the audience. The

chronology also demonstrates Schilling’s own evolution as a critic. For

example, Schilling ends his review of Takashi Miike’s ultra-violent cult

classic, Audition, (2000) with a plea for Miike, known for his wild and

fluctuating style, to be acknowledged as “one of the leading [directors] of his

44

generation.” It’s safe to say time will honor this request, but not necessarily for

the better: Miike’s appearances on Schilling’s annual “Best Ten” lists dwindle

as the years go by and Miike’s work becomes less interesting. The increasing

diversity displayed within those annual lists also reveals one of Schilling’s most

admirable qualities as critic: he affords every film his full attention, seemingly

regardless of the genre, medium or target demo. Schilling is a generous critic,

and his enthusiasm, particularly for new voices in the Japanese film fray, is

infectious. His reviews of Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away and Masaaki Yuasa’s

Mind Game, two anime classics from two very different directors, read equally

reverent — Schilling is energized by a new artistic peak of one master and the

emergence of perhaps another. Schilling has also worked to champion underthe-radar

directors, such as Naoko Ogigami (Kamome Diner), Yang Yong Hi

(Our Homeland) and Jun Ichikawa, a favorite of Schilling whose films, barring

maybe his adaptation of Haruki Murakami’s Tony Takitani, have received little

critical attention and distribution in English.

One could argue Schilling might be too generous — he’s keen on awarding

four and five stars. And he sometimes undermines a genuine interest in women’s

narratives by veering into the unnecessary (in his review of Love Strikes!, he

wonders if Masami Nagasawa’s Japan Academy Award nomination was based

on talent or ability to make steam “pour out of millions of male ears”). However,

the reviews largely achieve what any good review should. Concise and persuasive,

they leave the reader curious to check out the film for themselves. English

audiences, however, may struggle to quench that curiosity. The material speaks

to Schilling’s privileged and enviable position as a reviewer with access to

films much of the English-speaking world still cannot see. So if Schilling is

first in the line, the English readers may still find

themselves sitting in the back, and those not

well-acquainted with Japanese cinema will

have to do some additional Googling to

keep up with the discourse.

In that sense, “Art” runs into some

of the same problems as Schilling’s

earlier book. The title, like “Contemporary

Japanese Cinema,” is perhaps

too broad, promising a comprehensive

primer of Japanese cinema in the

post-millennium, but art, industry and

commerce are emergent themes, explored

in the abstract but not unpacked in detail.

The onus cannot be placed entirely

on Schilling, however, who is first

and foremost a film critic, not a

scholar, and the audience access

barrier is something any film critic

with an eye on the indie and festival

circuit must contend with. That

said, Schilling’s essays on Donald

Richie and his influence makes one

wonder if it’s time for a contemporary

Japanese cinema English

uber-text. Richie’s bibliography,

starting with “The Japanese Film:

Art and Industry” (1959) is a vital

work in building a twentieth century

Japanese cinema canon, drawing

attention to Kurosawa, Ozu,

Mikio Naruse among other

filmmakers who may have

otherwise eluded the West.

Their reputations continue

to be boosted abroad by

film theorists, arthouse

screenings and easy

availability via The

Criterion Collection. But Japanese cinema, as Schilling’s books demonstrate,

did not end with the death of Kurosawa, and there are many filmmakers waiting

for the same kind of recognition and distribution. As 2020 begins and

Japan sets its sights on embracing the global, hopefully the country’s closed

cinema circuit may start to open up. It would be a pleasure to join Schilling

in the first row, and see these films on the big screen, let alone small.

45

Metropolis’

Spring playlist

Music for your morning commute and other desperate times

Graphic by Xi Nan

Awich: 孔雀 (Kujaku/peacock)

Following her last album 8, Okinawa-born rapper Awich dropped her new album

Kuja-ku this January. Her song writing ranges from Japanese and English to the

Okinawan dialect from which she freely switches as she rhymes. Her unapologetic

and strong attitude, as an individual, wouldn’t stop her from referring to the societal

inequalities found in Japan while genuinely appreciating Japan’s traditional culture

such as the Nebuta Festival in Aomori (shown in the video from one of tracks). This

release includes 20 tracks of genre-bending musical fusion. — Takahiro Kanazawa

Tame Impala: The Slow Rush

The painful five year wait for Tame Impala’s new album is finally over. The Slow Rush,

released on Valentine’s day this year, is a hypnotic gift from Kevin Parker — musical

Cupid. The mantric record induces more of a hallucinatory feeling compared to

his previous, Currents. Composer of euphoric symphonies, Parker uses elongated,

spacey melodies, diffused echoes, static vibrations, and of course, his gentle, pillowy

voice. Tracks like “It Might Be Time” and “Lost In Yesterday” teleport you back to

a 70s disco, making it impossible not to break into a tranced groove. Surrender and

transcend into the world of psychedelic genius. — Shir Lee Akazawa

Trevor Powers: Mulberry Violence

The stunning, experimental landscape that is Trevor Powers’ most recent album was released

two years after the Boise, Idaho-based artist retired from his indie rock project Youth

Lagoon in 2016. In an Instagram post, Powers asserts Mulberry Violence as “the beginning

of something new; not the continuation of something old,” and certainly delivers on the

promise. Powers’ distorted vocals cut through violent synths and heavily layered, static

productions, and his songs are more existential than they are melancholy. “Playwright” is

a personal favorite. Plucky harp strings complement rugged, electric samples spaced out by

blunt pauses that seem to mark the song’s end. Then, Powers emerges. — Camille Miller

Carl Stone: Himalaya

Listen to the full playlist at

metropolisjapan.com/

spotify

Carl Stone, Tokyo resident and all-round bonkers musical magician, released two

albums last year, Himalaya and Baroo. Both are well worthy of anyone’s time and

feature Stone’s “time slicing” technique which has the uncanny effect of making

it appear that you are listening to many songs or sounds at the same time. Much

like when a needle gets stuck in a groove and never lets up. It’s almost impossible

to accurately describe Stone’s music but once you hear it you will never forget the

experience. The standout track on Himalaya is the opener “Han Yan” which you’re

sure to hear in some of Tokyo’s more clued up DJ bars and hangouts. — Paul McInnes

46

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