966 Sep 28-Oct 11, 2012

Transcription

Japan’s Nº1 English Magazine
#966 Sep 28~Oct 11, 2012
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Photo of the week
METROPOLIS is Japan's No.1 English
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#966
sep 28-oct 11, 2012
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OPERATING OFFICER Neil Butler
EDITORIAL Jeff W. Richards (Editorin-chief) David Labi (Editor) Akane
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EDITORS Dan Grunebaum
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08
FEATURE
Port of Call
Step out with the salty sea
dogs of Yokosuka
By Elise Mori
04 THE SMALL PRINT
05 Upfront
06 Global Village
07 tech know
10 Yokosuka Special
14 Arts & Entertainment
Japan Beat, Sports, Clubbing
17 AGENDA
27 REAL ESTATE
28 MOVIES
31 Dining out
35 ClassifiedS & JOBS
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From Yokosuka to Mt. Fuji, by John Konno
4F Roppongi OG Bldg,
1-3-4 Nishi-Azabu, Minato-ku,
Tokyo 106-0031
Tel 03-4550-2929
Fax 03-4550-2859
web www.metropolis.co.jp
GOOD WITH WORDS,
RAPACIOUS WITH INFO,
HUNGRY FOR EXPERTISE?
cover design: kohji shiiki; Photo: Courtesy of Delicious Deli
The Tokyo Metpod: If it’s going on in Tokyo,
it’s going on at metpod.com
The Small Print This week’s required reading, by Reg Dunlap
—George Savarelos, head of European exchange
research at Deutsche Bank, who predicts the Japanese
currency will fall to 95 to the dollar over the next three
years
SICK BASTARDS
ćć The former chief executive of IBM Japan was
busted for using his iPod to take photos up the
skirt of a woman on an escalator at JR Yotsuya
station. The 63-year-old man told police, perhaps unnecessarily, that he was “interested in
voyeurism.”
ćć Meanwhile, a 27-year-old assistant judge in
Osaka was arrested for taking upskirt videos
of a woman in her 30s with his cellphone camera on a subway. The randy jurist told the cops,
apparently with a straight face, that he “wanted
to know what kind of underwear she was
wearing.”
ćć Fifty caregivers at a facility for the mentally
disabled in Tochigi have been accused of
misappropriating some ¥150 million of the
residents’ money.
ćć About 40 percent of Japanese workers diagnosed
with cancer say their employers have “transferred them or urged them to retire.”
SAYONARA
ćć For the first time ever, a mammal known to be
alive during the Showa Period (1926-1989) has
been declared extinct. The Japanese river otter,
named a special natural treasure, hasn’t been
spotted since 1979.
ćć A newspaper report revealed that the city halls of
35 municipalities in Japan “are at risk of being
submerged” when the expected Nankai Trough
megaquake strikes Kanto and Kyushu.
ćć A group of high-school students from Miyagi
visited NATO headquarters in Brussels late last
month. According to an official, the kids were
invited because “NATO nations and Japan share
the same values.”
ćć A film shot on Okinawa by a Canadian director
won a prize called the Openness to the World
Award at the Montreal World Film Festival. No,
we don’t know what the heck that is, either.
MILESTONES
ćć Surgeons at Okayama University Hospital conducted Japan’s “first combined liver-kidney
transplant from a brain-dead donor.” A similar operation was attempted in 2010, but the
recipient died before the new kidney could be
implanted.
stats
ćć The education ministr y
says the ratio of female
faculty members at Japanese universities—21.2
percent—is the highest it’s
ever been.
ćć Officials at Tokyo Skytree
Town announced that the
number of visitors to the
complex during its first 100
days—16.66 million—is
more than half of the number they expected during
the entire first year.
ćć A bu i ld i ng u nder construction in Osaka topped
the 296-meter mark, surpassing Yokohama’s
Landmark Tower to become the tallest skyscraper in Japan. (The people who classify these
things consider the 634m Skytree to be a tower,
not a skyscraper.)
BLASTS FROM THE PAST
ćć Among the items on display at an exhibition of
Showa-era electronics in Adachi Ward are “a
manually operated washing machine and an
electric fan that creates a scent as it blows.”
ćć The government agreed to pay an annual sum
of ¥240,000 to 1,370 people who were sickened
by contaminated cooking oil in a mass foodpoisoning incident in 1968.
ćć Officials at JR Tsuruoka station in Yamagata
Prefecture put on display a plaster statue of
Hachiko made by the same sculptor who created the famous statue of the dog in Shibuya.
ćć Bottom Story of the Week: “Preser vation
Sought for Old Tokyo Detention Facility Praised
by Charlie Chaplin” (via The Mainichi)
NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT
ćć The TMG is offering ¥60 million in subsidies
for Tokyoites to travel to Fukushima. Tourists on a one-day trip can get assistance to the
tune of ¥1,500, while people staying overnight
get ¥3,000.
ćć Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide took an
eight-hour spacewalk outside the ISS late last
month but couldn’t manage to “replace a robotic
arm camera and install a thermal cover on a
docking port.”
ćć The government said its new anti-global warming strateg y will involve getting emission
rights from emerging nations in exchange for
providing those countries with “energy-saving
technologies.”
ćć Following up on Japan’s bid to have Mt. Fuji
listed as a world heritage site, an advisory
body for UNESCO began a field survey of the
mountain.
miwa kaneoya
The yen has reached
the limits of
“
appreciation”
THE NEW DROPOUTS
ćć The education ministry said about 33,000 new
college graduates—or about 6 percent of the
total—are living as NEETs.
ćć The Diet passed a bill that would allow Osaka
and other cities to establish administrative
wards similar to Tokyo’s. The law, says one pol,
“paves the way for each prefecture to create its
own urban structure.”
ćć Tokyo Electric Power Company announced
that—oops!—water-injection efforts at two reactors at the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear
power plant “dropped below the level regarded
as necessary to keep the fuel inside cool.”
ćć Wondering why the weather this summer
seemed so brutal? It turns out that eastern
Japan got 1.3 times more sunlight in August
compared to normal years, while temperatures
were 1.2C higher than average and rainfall was
just 61 percent of the norm.
BRIGHT IDEAS
ćć At the top of the government’s list of infrastructure development projects is making sure that
all 268 major train stations around the country are earthquake-proof. (A “major” station
is one that’s used by more than 10,000 people a
day.)
ćć Officials at the education ministry announced
a plan to provide certificates for students
who engage in volunteerism. The goal is to
encourage youngsters “to accumulate diverse
experiences before joining the workforce.”
ćć The foreign ministry eased its advisory against
travel to Egypt, which had been in force since
anti-government protests began last year.
ćć The Japan Direct Marketing Association said
total sales for online and mail-order shopping
in fiscal 2011 hit ¥5 trillion for the first time.
Compiled from reports by AP, Japan Today,
The Japan Times, Jiji, The Tokyo Reporter,
Japan Probe, The Mainichi, Daily Yomiuri,
AFP, Xinhua, Reuters and Kyodo
� ¥16.9 trillion Estimated economic damage caused by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami
� ¥50 trillion Predicted economic damage that will be caused by the major quake expected to hit
the Nankai Trough, which stretches from Shizuoka to Kyushu � 63 Percent of Japanese people who
say they are “distrustful” of politicians, according to polling firm Central Research Services � 38,066
Number of Chinese girls who have applied to become members of SNH48, “a Shanghai-based sister
group of AKB48,” according to Xinhua
04 • download our podcast at • podcast.metropolis.co.jp
people, trends & miscellany
Metpod
Crystal
Kay
Courtesy of Delicious Deli
star struck
The Yokosuka
girl gets vivid
q&a
Commander
Joseph D. Femino
Commanding Officer, USS Curtis
Wilbur
By Kamasami Kong and
Dan Grunebaum
W
hen Metropolis spoke
with then 20-yearold Cr ystal Kay in
2006, the J-pop starlet listed being married with kids as
a goal for the next decade.
“What kind of phase was I in?”
she laughs in a new interview six
years later at her label Universal
Japan’s Aoyama office. “No, not yet
on marriage and kids.”
What about her other goal to
win a Grammy? “I hope before I hit
30,” she affirms. “I’m 26 now, and
the years pass by so fast [but] I’m
still aiming for that.”
The daughter of a Korean mom
and A frican-A merican dad but
born and raised in Japan, Kay is in
her best position yet to break out of
the domestic market. With her new
album Vivid, for the first time she’s
got proper international distribution.
“Since I left Sony for Universal, my songs are
now on iTunes,” she explains. “You can purchase
my songs on iTunes in 51 countries.”
At Universal, Kay joins one of Japan’s strongest
record companies. The company decided to house
her not in its domestic division but in the international section’s Delicious Deli label, where she
shares space with acts like Asian-American group
Far East Movement and Korean heartthrob Kim
Hyun-joong.
“They are more open minded,” Kay says about
Universal, which featured her recently in Far East
Movement’s single “Where The Wild Things Are.”
“Delicious Deli is the only Japanese label within
the international section,” she adds, “so it gives
me more opportunities to work with international
artists. I want to share my music with the rest of
the world.”
Judging by the kind of comments her fans are
posting on the net, the feeling is mutual. “The
other day I tweeted that I wanted to perform overseas, and got all these responses from all over,”
she says. “I was like, ‘How do you guys know of
me? How can I make it possible?’”
Going head to head with the likes of Rihanna
in the international market is a daunting prospect,
but Kay is in fighting form. Literally.
“The show for Vivid involved singing and dancing for two hours straight, and boxing seemed like
a great way to get fit,” she says. “You’re fighting and
using your arms, but at the same time there’s a lot
of cardio going on, and dancing and singing on
stage is a lot of cardio.”
Vivid marks a return to the up-tempo approach
that characterized Kay’s early work. “This was the
Upfront
first album after I joined Universal, so it was a new
start,” she observes. “I wanted this album to be
really fresh, and I wanted to do a dance album. As
I was recording, I was like, wow this is really colorful and every song has its own character. I felt
it’s vivid, energetic, fresh… I was looking through
the dictionary and wanted to use something that
started with a V.”
A product of Kinnick High School on Yokosuka’s US naval base and Sophia University in
Tokyo, Kay was taken to meet visiting artists like
Diana Ross by her mother, a singer, and her father,
a bass player. Last year she had the chance to participate in a Michael Jackson tribute concert with
his brothers, but she was never able to meet the
Gloved One himself.
“Everybody around me has met Michael, and
I’ve met everyone around Michael,” she says with
regret. “I interviewed Janet a few years ago… I met
the brothers last year at the tribute live. If he was
alive I know I would have been getting closer and
closer to meeting him one day.”
In the way that Jackson broke the color barrier
in the US, becoming one of the first African-Americans to dominate the pop charts, Kay in her own
way helped pave the way for interracial artists in
Japan like Thelma Aoyama and Jero.
Kay’s busy career doesn’t give her much time
to reflect on such issues. But there is one question that occupies her. What would she do if she
weren’t singing? “That’s a question I’ve been asking myself for a long time,” she muses. “But I can’t
think of anything else. I need to sing.”
Crystal Kay @ Calflavor Custom Car & Bike
Show. Oct 21. See concert listings (popular) for
details. Vivid is out now.
What does this
posting mean
to you? I love
everything
about seeing
the world and
being able to
immerse myself in
Japanese culture is a
spectacular opportunity.
My family enjoys their time here as well, with
my children attending a Japanese kindergarten
(Seika Yochien) and my wife spending time with
various cross-cultural groups here in Yokosuka.
Professionally, [...] the ability to engage with
partner navies through exercises and operations
is perhaps my favorite part of deployed operations.
I am truly honored to be selected to maintain
and build bonds with all nations and, most
importantly, our brethren in the JMSDF. What’s
your top priority as Commander? Developing
close relationships and trust can help in events
such as the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami,
where the Navy and the JMSDF were able to work
closely with the citizens of the affected areas
to help ease some of their suffering. How many
military personnel do you oversee in Yokosuka
and Japan in general? Overall in Japan there are
approximately 6,800 sailors (including officers and
enlisted) assigned to shore duty. There are about
11,600 sailors assigned to afloat units operating
out of Japan. Do you have some favorite places
to visit in Japan? This past weekend, I traveled to
Mt. Fuji with my three- and four-year-old children
to climb the mountain. While we only climbed
to the old 5th and 6th stations, the experiences
for the kids will be memories for a lifetime. What
types of public activities happen on or around
the base throughout the year? In April the base
holds a Cherry Blossom Festival in which the base
is open to local residents who may come inside,
enjoy bands and games, American food (lots of
different kinds of food stands), and ship visits
(usually one or more ships forward deployed to
Yokosuka are open for general visiting). Generally,
in August of each year, the base and Yokosuka City
collaborate in an open-base event, with ship visits
(often both USN and Japan Maritime Self Defense
Force ships), games, food stands, bands and a
fireworks display at night. Usually in October, the
base participates in the Yokosuka omikoshi parade.
Are there other community activities that the
Navy participates in? The Navy participates in
several disaster response drills with Yokosuka City,
Kanagawa Prefectural Government and the Tokyo
Metropolitan Government each year. Several times
a year, the City and base cooperate in conducting a
walking tour of historic sites on Yokosuka base for
Japanese citizens.
Full text at http://meturl.com/jfemino
#966 • wWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP • 05
Global Village The International Community’s Bulletin Board
Photohoku
Photo by Brian Scott Peterson
Can taking
pictures help
rebuild lives?
By Jessica Kozuka
A
mid a ll t he physica l dest r uct ion in
Tohoku, it might be
hard to imagine that
starting new photo
albums would be high on the list
of priorities for locals. But a group
of professional photographers and
other volunteers called Photohoku
has found that, with a few photos to
get them started, many survivors are
eager to renew the documentation of
their lives.
Co-founders Brian Scott Peterson and Yuko Yoshikawa started the
project in September last year to help
those who lost all their photos in the
tsunami. “As photographers, we
wanted to take photos, and a way to
help that would have a direct impact
[on] the lives of sur vivors,” they
explain on their website. One way
they saw that could help, they write,
was “to visit some of the most devastated areas of Tohoku with a box of
instant film and a trunk full of empty
photo albums... and attempt to help
people start over.”
At first, they struggled with how
best to approach people and explain
what they wanted to do, but they
soon found that pitching in with
clean-up efforts and just taking the
time to listen to people naturally led
to photo-taking, something that the
subjects often found deeply moving.
Yo s h i k aw a de s c r ib e s me eting an elderly woman on one of
their earliest trips. She’d lost her
daughter-in-law in t he tsunami
and was left as the sole guardian for
her two-year-old granddaughter, a
responsibility she didn’t know how
to manage. When Peterson took her
picture, something he said made
her laugh, and when the woman
saw the photo, she began crying.
“She said, ‘I never imagined I would
smile again.’ Even if it was only one
moment, she smiled and she could
see her smile and that meant a lot to
her,” explains Yoshikawa.
Others keenly felt the need to
record their struggles. On a visit to a
temporary housing area, the photographers were at first trying to frame
the shots so that the bleak, utilitarian
buildings were not visible, but the
residents insisted they be included.
Says Yoshikawa, “They said, ‘please
take a picture in front of the temporary house because maybe we’re
leaving soon and we don’t want to
forget what we have overcome. And
my kids are still young, so maybe
they won’t remember, but I want to
tell what we experienced.’”
Sometimes just the unfamiliar
gear is enough to attract interest and
break the ice. Compared with the
small, high-tech digital cameras you
usually see, the size and extendable
accordion-like bellows of Peterson’s
instant film camera look like something out of a steampunk movie. And
the peeling back of the covering strip
to reveal a finished image is far more
interesting—and participator y—
than a Polaroid shake.
Peterson says the f ilm, all of
which is donated by Fujifilm, is integral to the project, not only because
it allows them to immediately hand
over an or ig ina l, one-of-a-k ind
photo, but because it produces the
kind of high-quality prints people
rarely get anymore.
“This is a photographer’s dream
to be using this amazing, tactile,
smelly, nuanced thing,” he says. “It’s
a real piece of art. The act of just making it only to give it away... It’s really
romantic for photographers.”
The portraits themselves are just
the beginning of the project, though.
Photohok u a lso prov ides photo
albums donated by Nakabayashi and
used digital cameras. They revisit
previous recipients with a portable
photo printer and also offer scrapbooking workshops.
I n t he past yea r, Yosh i k awa
and Peterson have organized and
taken part in 12 Photohoku trips
all across the region, taking thousands of pictures and giving away
hundreds of albums along the way.
And they have no plans to stop now.
They intend to keep visiting Tohoku
at least as long as people are still in
temporary housing.
“ We’d l i ke to c ont i nue t h i s
project forever,” says Yoshikawa.
Peterson chimes in that even if their
sponsorship runs out, they’ll keep
on going back because there are
people they’ll want to see. “We’ve
made life-long friends,” he explains,
and there’s always a shichi-go-san, a
graduation, a wedding or a birth just
around the corner.
For more information, see http://
photohoku.org.
Photo by Allison Kwesell
tech know
Parrot AR.
Drone 2.0
Droning on
By David Labi
M
etropolis reviewed the Parrot AR.Drone 1.0 last year.
While we were tremendously excited to be zipping a crazy
Terminator-style drone around with
a mere flick of the iPhone, we found
it rather difficult to control and eventually smashed it against one too
many walls.
Now, Parrot have addressed a lot of the teething
• Intuitive control
problems of the prototype with the AR.Drone 2.0.
system
As before, you control it with Freeflight—their free
• Record the flying film
app from the app store—and connect to the drone’s
• Flips and rolls made
Wi-Fi from your device. But the controls have been
easy
simplified massively. The new version adds a set• Games enhance
ting called “absolute control,” where the machine
potential
moves according to the direction in which you
move your phone—which is much more intuitive.
• Still expensive
(“Relative control” is still available though for those
• Buying parts could
with piloting pedigree.) There are also some slick
get pricy
moves like the forward and backward loops, and
left and right barrel rolls, which you can accomplish at the touch of a button.
The new improved drone is smaller and more maneuverable, and comes, like the
last one, with an indoor foam protector (touted as “robust and safe”), and an outdoor
hard casing (“control and speed”). The thing itself looks scary with its whizzing propellers and the general ineptitude of its human masters, but it’s highly unlikely to injure
anyone. As soon as the soft plastic blades touch anything the motor ceases and the ’copter falls to the ground. It is fairly resilient too, and any parts that break can be replaced.
The little cogs that were our downfall with the last model are on Amazon.jp for ¥1,575.
With its new features and easy control, the 2.0 is more equipped to deal with the
constantly expanding set of apps and games (both by Parrot and third parties) that pit
you against your own PB; or against other rampant competitors to overcome obstacles, “shoot” each other out the sky, etc. It remains to be seen if some evil genius will
be able to harness all the world’s drones and wreak havoc.
The onboard HD camera streams to your smart screen, as if you were on the miniature craft zipping through the sky. But with the first drone we were so busy trying
to control the thing we barely managed to see it. Now, you can plug your memory
stick into the drone to record the HD footage for later viewing. We don’t know what
you might be thinking of filming but if you accidentally scratch someone’s window
you could hear a different drone—the drone of a police siren. ¥29,558 from Amazon;
also available from major retailers. To win a Parrot AR.Drone 2.0, come to the
Metropolis Glitterball 2012! See clubbing listings for details.
Feature
PortofCall
Step out with the salty
sea dogs of Yokosuka
By Elise Mori
Forty minutes south from
Shinagawa station, this
seaside town is a balm for
the big-city blues. With its
wide-open spaces, laidback atmosphere, and
surrounding spots, it feels
far from Tokyo in every
respect. Metropolis takes
you on a tour.
4
Naval Gazing
Without a doubt, Yokosuka’s most popular attraction is the memorial ship Mikasa (1). Permanently
in dry dock facing the gigantic US Navy base across
the bay, the vessel is touted as one of the world’s
four great battleships. Mikasa was originally built
in the Vickers shipyard in the UK, serving as the
flagship of Admiral Togo Heihachiro during the
Battle of the Yellow Sea on August 10, 1904, and the
Battle of Tsushima on May 27, 1905. It is celebrated
as a symbol of the decisive battle in the Russo-Japanese War that defeated the Eurasian empire and
announced Japan’s arrival on the world stage. The
interior has been mainly restored and the guns
replaced, with friendly guides around to give you
a commentary. ¥500, concessions available.
www.kinenkan-mikasa.or.jp (Japanese only)
Mikasa Park (2), just by the ship and an easy
walk from Yokosuka station, has some fun fountains to play in on hot summers’ days—though
when we went there recently were no-entry cones
around it. Periodically during the summer there
have been musical renditions played through
the speakers with the fountains spurting water
in time. There is also a ship-themed climbing
frame and open-air stage. For music events lined
up there, check the website for details. Dogs and
cycles are not permitted in the park. www.kanagawaparks.com/verny-mikasa-arasaki/event
(Japanese only)
An adventure on the high seas it won’t be, but
a fun excursion with an other-worldly feel Saru
Shima (3) certainly is. There’s no need to bring a
picnic because in high season yakiniku stalls ply
their trade all day. Explore the tiny uninhabited
island, admire the brickwork of the former gun
emplacement and arsenal—and wonder how you
can sneak back there at night to gawp at the cosplay photo shoots happening throughout the year.
We’re not really sure how this particular spot, a
tiny island in the middle of Tokyo Bay, became
such a beacon of cosplay culture; could it be the
dramatic scenery backdrop and secluded location?
2
But if dressing up as an anime hero, taking photos of people who do, or watching the goings-on
is not your thing, never fear, there are plenty of
leafy nooks to get on with whatever it is that does
float your boat. Suggested activities include fishing and barbecues. The boat trip over is ¥1,200 per
adult, concessions apply. No dogs allowed. Check
the website for current boat and barbecue deals.
www.tryangle-web.co.jp (Japanese only)
To continue the nautical theme, cruise around
the harbor on a boat tour of the Japanese selfdefence flotilla (4) and US military docks. This
popular excursion is just right to whet your appetite for an evening’s on-shore libations. ¥1,200,
concessions available. www.tryangle-web.
co.jp/naval-port (Japanese only)
Beyond the Sea
Not everything in Yokosuka has a naval flavor,
however. There are music venues of every calibre to
entertain even the most eclectic tastes. The Yokosuka Arts Theatre (5) is a concert hall with the
acoustics and seating capacity for international
orchestra acts, such as the Sophia National Opera
House with Gianni Schicci (Nov 4, ¥6,000-¥16,000)
The theater also houses a smaller chamber-music
venue, the Bayside Pocket, which holds more
intimate events such as early music revues and
Japanese classical concerts. Recommended is the
3
1
Flamenco Passion revue on November 10 (¥2,300).
Check the site for listings in English. www.yokosuka-arts.or.jp/en/e_index.html
Meanwhile, trade your Pinot Grigio and violins
for Pinot Noir and trumpets at Blue in Green jazz
bar (6), where there are live shows every Saturday
night. There is also a selection of used guitars, both
acoustic and electric, for sale on the premises and
proprietor Hayashi undertakes repairs. He also
speaks great English. www8.ocn.ne.jp/~blugre.
Or swap the wine altogether for lighter fluid
and chu-hai at the smashing bar Pumpkin in
Dobuita street, to accompany a diet of Japanese
hardcore punk. http://members3.jcom.home.
ne.jp/3354319402
But for all the entertaining locations and off-beat
venues in Yokosuka, seasoned visitors will tell you
it’s the small side-roads and unbeaten tracks (7)
Mikasa Park
Memorial Ship Mikasa
Yokosuka stn
Inaokacho
Boat trip around
the docks
boards here
Ferry to Saru Shima
Womble Gate
Main Gate
Higashihemicho
Hemi stn
Yokosuka lin
e
Nishihemicho
Dobuita Street
Pumpkin
Yokosuka Arts Theatre
Bayside Pocket
Keikyu line
Shioiri stn
Shioiricho
Blue in Green Jazz
Honcho
Kaigun Curry Kan
16
Banzai Honten
Shinkocho
Sio Cafe
Midorigaoka
Tiger
Restaurant
YY Port
Blue Note Cafe
Yokosuka-chuo stn
5
8
9
6
7
that lead you to experience the town’s real flavor.
The Japanese residents of Yokosuka are well used to
the sight of foreign faces, on account of the US Navy
base. But step off the Dobuita Street / Honcho treadmill and with very little effort you will be rewarded
with some fascinating city experiences. The tiny
pedestrian lanes that vein the city are worth exploring in themselves, and contain a wealth of antique
izakaya and Showa-style coffee shops.
Watery Spots
A 15-minute car journey south on Route 16 will
take you to Kannonzaki. Also accessible by bus
(no. 24 from the stop no. 7 in the center) this is a
huge, wooded park with red brick trails through
the forest that are fully wheelchair- and baby
buggy-friendly. There are also two large separate
adventure playgrounds (jungle g yms), one of
which has a roller slide that takes a full, coccyxjarring minute to get down. You might wish to
bring your own mat. At one end of the park is an
historic lighthouse open to visitors during summer. It’s a perfect place to spend a sunny day, with
children or without, though there are no food
facilities onsite so bring your own picnic. Parking is available at several places around the site,
including the next door Yokosuka Art Museum
(8), if you’re planning a two-center outing.
Designed by Riken Yamamoto, who successfully managed to create a building entertaining
enough for a whole day’s visit, the Yokosuka Art
Museum houses two permanent exhibits. One
contains works by Japanese impressionist to
contemporary artists, another the creations of Japanese Painter Taniuchi Rokuro. Temporary shows
include this autumn’s “Expressionist Masters of
the 20th Century” from the Strasbourg Museum
of Art. The building also contains a library of art
monographs and resources, and although you
need to be a resident of Yokosuka to take anything
out, it’s still a pleasant enough way to rest your feet
for half an hour after perusing the galleries. ¥300
permanent exhibition; special exhibition
rates vary. Concessions apply. www.yokosuka-moa.jp/information_english
A further five-minute drive along the coast
takes you to Kannonzaki Beach. It’s ever popular with locals in the summer, as it’s a mainly
sand beach with some fresh-water taps and a diving platform for young people to show off on. Be
warned, it gets very crowded at weekends. There is
Wakamatsucho
Hinodecho
Pink Pony Cafe
10
parking and a coastal walk from there, too.
Relax your sightseeing-weary frame in the
up-market bath resort of Spasso. It’s no longer
supplied with water from the depths of the Japan
Trench, as it was on opening five years ago, but
the single-sex, open-air baths have full views onto
Tokyo Bay and Chiba. Entry to the bath is ¥1,400
per adult at the weekend, with discounts for weekday admissions and children under 12. There is a
comprehensive list of beauty treatments available
on site from qualified therapists, with prices starting from ¥6,000 for a 20-minute facial to ¥24,000
and over for a full-body treatment. And as the spa
is adjacent to the Kannonzaki Hotel and its upmarket restaurant, there are lunch-and-spa offers,
too. http://go-spasso.jp (Japanese)
Coast Around
South along the coast from the center but still
within official city limits, Uraga (9) (Keihin Kyuko
line) is famous as the place where Admiral Perry
first landed his Black Ships on July 8, 1853. The
citizens of Yokosuka have thanked him by putting
his face underfoot on all the drain covers. There’s
a beach, some salty drinking spots and a picturesque harbor to admire.
Further north along the coast, back towards
Tok yo, Kurihama Flower World (10) on the
Keihin Kyuko line is a fun summer’s picnic spot
for child-laden parents and geeks alike. Famed as
Godzilla’s initial landing spot, it’s the home of a
mega adventure playground devoted to the movie
monster. This huge park, with its own mini-train,
cafeterias, and hot-dog and ice-cream stands, is
also famous for vast carpets of poppies and cosmos (in season), plus a herb-garden. Best to go
midweek when the flowers are out of bloom and
the park is nearly empty. Kurihama is also the
Kanagawa landing spot for the car-ferry to Chiba.
Four-legged friends permitted. Free entry. www.
kanagawaparks.com/kurihama-perry/kurihama (Japanese only)
For more info on dining in Yokosuka,
see Local Flavors p.31-34
Yokosuka Special
beyond
the
base
Sorting it out in Yokosuka
Yokosuka
Shioiri
Yokosuka-chuo
Uraga
Anjinzuka
12
Mikasa Park
KeYOKOSUKA
iky
u Hemi
lin
e
Womble Gate
6
Ferry to Saru Shima
3
2
9
7
Shioiri
10
13
Yokosuka
line
1
Misakiguchi
Tokyo Bay
Miura City Hall
5
Sagami-nada Sea
Kenritsudaigaku
1
Kaneyo Shokudo
Horinouchi
Keikyuotsu
KURASHIGE HOSHOKU
3
Maborikaigan
Adventure playground
Kannonzaki
start point
beach
Hi
gh
wa
y
Kitakurihama
For all your automotive and motoring needs,
Autobacs is your local, friendly car mechanic in
Yokosuka. Services of general maintenance and
tuning-up include oil change, battery replacement,
sparkplug renewal, coolant check, tire-related
activity and plenty more. Hell, you can even sort
out those wipers that have been squeaking for way
too long. English-speaking help is on hand to pimp
your ride with ease.
 046-824-1666
☛ www.autobacs.com
2
This charming hotel is based just two minutes from
Shioiri station, and boasts 81 comfortable rooms
for folks on business trips and families looking for
some fun on the coast. All guests can enjoy a free
coffee service every morning and night, and all
floors have free Mt. Fuji mineral water, hot or cold
as you wish. Take in the seaside air and heal your
soul at the Hotel Harbour.
 046-822-0001
☛ www.hotel-harbour.com
10 • special advertising section
Spasso
Yokosuka Acquamare Restaurant
Yokosuka Museum Of Art
Entry to Kannonzaki Park
Roller slide top
Shinotsu
HOTEL HARBOUR
14b
4 Miurakaigan
8
16
14a
11
Sagami Bay
15
YOKOSUKA-CHUO
AUTOBACS
Kurihama
Keikyukurihama
Saru Shima
ay
hw
Uraga
Hig
As well as selling a unique range of jewelry,
Kurashige Hoshoku has 48 years of experience
repairing people’s broken treasures. The craftsman
is a true professional, and can quickly tell what you
need and how long it will take. Most of the work can
be done in the same day, such as repairing broken
chains or resizing rings, with the latter taking just
two hours.
 046-825-7448
Kurihama
Keikyukurihama
MAHOLOVA MINDS MIURA
4
Find seaside tranquility an hour from Shinagawa
at Maholova Minds Miura. This ocean resort hotel
offers a panoramic view of Tokyo Bay from all rooms
of the main tower. Dinner is an all-you-can-eat buffet with zuwai crab, chawanmushi with matsutake
mushrooms, and seasonal-vegetable tempura,
amid other autumnal delicacies. After dinner, bathe
in water from 1,500m below at the open-air spa. A
room for three is ¥9,500 for a weekday night.
 0120-046-889
☛ www.maholova-minds.com
BLANCORON
5
Don’t you hate getting a hole in your favorite
threads? Or when your ideal item just doesn’t fit
right? At Blancoron your beloved clothes will be
repaired or refitted by a true fashionista. Browse
their unique range of clothing and other items. English available; use the online contact form.
 046-825-5797
☛ http://blancoron.com/eng
MC HOUSE
6
Tex t i le pr i nt i n g is
versatile, reasonable,
and user-friendly at
MC House. The amiable people there are
happy to do everything from design to
embroider y. T hei r
skilled craftsman is in
the shop at all times,
and keen to help you
work out what you’re
looking for. As well as tailor-printing t-shirts to your
design, MC House also sells a specially registered
Yokosuka t-shirt as a nice piece of memorabilia.
 046-821-2217
☛ http://meturl.com/mchouse
Yokosuka Special
ONE LOVE DENTAL CLINIC
7
Bob Marley knew a thing or two about big smiles,
and you shouldn’t be afraid to grin bright and broad
because of the state of your teeth. One Love Dental
Clinic accepts Tricare and Metlife, Delta, Aetna
and many other insurance policies, and is situated
in brand-new, well-equipped facilities bound to
help you relax. Implants, cosmetic dentistry, and
orthodontic work are available from the friendly,
English-speaking dentist.
 046-820-4486
☛ http://onelovedental.com
THAI ERAWAN
8
For the fragrant flavors of lemongrass and other
gentle spices from the South-East Asian kingdom,
stop into Thai Erawan for a meal. All dishes are prepared with know-how and confidence by the staff,
many of whom are Thai—a fact you can taste in
every mouthful. Recipes are guaranteed to stimulate your senses and bring a plateful of Thailand to
your table. The friendly waiters speak Thai, Japanese, and English.
 046-825-6352
MERCURE YOKOSUKA HOTEL
9
This white 20-story Tange Kenzo-designed hotel is
a landmark of Yokosuka. Dine in its restaurant Le
Bistro de Bourgogne on the 19th floor and take in
a spectacular view of the port, Tokyo, and even Mt.
Fuji on clear days. Enjoy the special food menu with
seasonal local ingredients, and get a free soft drink
or glass of wine if you spend more than ¥1,000. All
staff speak English.
 046-821-1111
☛ www.mercureyokosuka.jp
SALON ANNA VICTORIA
AND LOVEINK
10
Emerge a cooler and more gorgeous individual with
waxing techniques including Brazilian (¥8,500),
bikini (¥3,600-4,200) and eyebrow (¥2,300). Save
yourself a lot of time with permanent makeup
(eyebrows; ¥29,800). Body art is offered to show
your personality—small tattoos go for ¥8,000,
while henna tattoos are ¥2,000 a pop. To refresh
your skin in a 100% all-natural way, try the “level 1”
herbal peel (¥10,000 first time).
 046-876-5003
☛ www.anna-victoria.jp
TOKYOWAN FERRY
11
Autumn is famous for breathtaking sunsets, and
there’s no better place to enjoy them than out in the
Tokyo Bay. As well as relaxing and picturesque, the
Tokyowan Ferry is convenient. Travel from Yokosuka Kurihama to Chiba Futts Kanaya port is just
40 minutes. And seaside means fresh fish. Check
out both ports’ sashimi restaurants, with the freshest locally-caught fish. Adult tickets are ¥700 one
way and ¥1,280 return.
 046-835-8855
☛ www.tokyowanferry.com
MEMORIAL SHIP MIKASA
12
On 27 May, 1905 at the Battle of Tsushima, this flagship of the Japanese fleet, commanded by Admiral
Togo, fought gallantly to intercept the Russian fleet
under heavy enemy gunfire. The resounding victory that ensued has gone down in naval history,
with Mikasa enshrined as a memorial in 1926. Go
aboard to experience this historic warship on the
Yokosuka waterfront.
 046-822-5408
☛ www.kinenkan-mikasa.or.jp
SOLEIL HILL PARK
13
On the Miura peninsula, next to Arasaki, Soleil Hill
Park has a petting zoo, BBQ possibilities, and events
and attractions for adults and children alike. Activities include classes to make animal-shaped melon
bread (¥1,600 for two people). There are also craft
classes, such as making your own aroma candles
(¥800 each). Check the site for more details. Anyone bringing this issue of Metropolis gets half-price
parking (¥500) until Nov 31.
 046-857-2500
☛ www.yokosuka-soleil.jp
14
UOKEI
Kaitenzushi Uokei, with branches in Tsukuihama
(b) and Kurihama (a), makes all its sushi with fresh
regional fish caught the same day. The varieties
chopped up and dished out include old favorites
like tuna and salmon, and whatever might be their
catch of the day. Prices are reasonable from ¥130 a
plate, and ¥550 for a dish with seven kinds. Check
the homepage for details of a live tuna dissection.
 046-849-0211 / 046-837-8881
☛ www.uokei.com
Womble Gate American
Dentistry
15
This state-of-the-art,
professional dental
office adheres to US
s t a n d a rd s , w it h a
fr iend ly, e ducate d
staff who help you
relax and understand
wh at t re at me nt i s
best for you. Dr. Ellie
Suzu k i is license d
in the US and Japan,
and her office offers
a range of services, from crowns to whitening to
orthodontic treatment. From Oct 1-Nov 2 get 10%
off professional whitening—or 15% if you mention
this ad when booking.
 046-874-7260 (English)
☛ www.drsuzukidds.com
• NSU College of Dental Medicine AEGD
www.DrSuzukiDDS.com
graduate and former clinical faculty at NSU
English-speaking,
US-trained and
licensed dentist
in the heart of
Yokosuka
• Licensed in VA, FL.
PROFESSION AFFILIATIONS
• American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry
• American dental Education Association
• American Dental Association
• Leading dentist association
Dr. Ellie Suzuki
Flash your Smile
• Special care dentistry Association
Services
• Check up & cleaning
Family, esthetic, and orthodontic care
• Fillings
• Crowns
• Bridges
• Implants
• Dentures
• Deep cleaning
• Extractions
• Root canals
• Whitening
• Braces
• Kids dentistry
• We provide general dentistry for the entire family
• American-style atmosphere just minutes away from Yokosuka
US Naval Base, 10 min walk from KQ Yokosuka Chuo stn.
• Our office utilizes the most advanced technology, superior skills
and best knowledge.
• Dr. Ellie Suzuki is trained and licensed to practice in both Japan
and the United States.
• Womble Gate has fluent Japanese and English-speaking staff
• Equipped with state-of-the-art technology
• Flexible payment options - cash or credit card (Visa,
MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Diners)
10% off Professional whitening from Oct 1-Nov 2.
Mention this ad and receive an additional 5% discount!
We truly care about our
patients, placing their
comfort and satisfaction
above all else
Night clinic,
Saturday clinic
is available on
request.
Tel: 046-874-7260 (English)
We don’t carry Japanese National Health insurance
in order to maintain the US standard of care.
Open all day Mon-Sat (early morning/evening inc).
2F Uno Bldg. 13 Ogawa-cho, Yokosuka, Kanagawa.
WOMBLE
GATE
MAIN
GATE
Mikasa Kindergarden
Kanagawa Dental College
7-Eleven
R16
s
blue
t tow
tree
Domino’s Pizza
Yokosuka
Kaigan do-ri
Yokosuka
Post Office
R16
ta.
• 5 min walk from Main Gate
• 3 min walk from Womble Gate
uo S
a-Ch
k
kosu
Q Yo
K
ards
Ogawacho
Traffic Light
Yokosuka
City Office
Yokosuka Special
Womble Gate American Dentistry
A
t Womble Gate, Dr.
E l l ie a nd A k a ne
Su z u k i st r i ve to
exceed your expectations with their
friendly staff, modern office and professional results.
They have been following the United
States standard of care for more than
20 years. It is important to the doctors that you feel comfortable when
visiting the office. To achieve this
goal, they have staffed it with caring, trained professionals who will
answer your questions and help you
understand your dental treatment.
You’ll also be comfortable knowing
their goal is to provide you with the
most up-to-date treatments to help
you look and feel your best.
Suzuki completed her doctorate
at Kanagawa Dental College, following that with two years post-graduate
residency training in Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD)
at NSU College of Dental Medicine,
in Florida. After her graduation, she
was involved in teaching and training residents for two years in the
Detailed treatment plan
Latest whitening technology
Dr. Ellie Suzuki
same program as a full-time clinical faculty member. She is licensed
to practice dentistry in both the US
and Japan.
Suzuki’s warm personality helps
ease the anxiety in both adults and
children that is produced by dental
treatment. Her expertise uniquely
qualifies her to present the latest
techniques available for restoring
your smile. These techniques span
Equipment sterilizer
the rehabilitative spectrum, including crowns, bridges, dentures, and
restorative dentistry. Her approach
merges science and art to sculpt your
one-of-a-kind set of teeth. In order to
ensure optimal treatment outcomes,
she allows for extensive diagnostic
and consultative time so all your
questions can be addressed.
From Oct 1-Nov 2 get 10% off professional whitening. Mention this ad
when making your appointment and
receive an additional 5% off!
2F Uno Bldg. 13 Ogawa-cho, Yokosuka, Kanagawa. Open all day
Mon-Sat (early morning/evening
inc). Tel: 046-874-7260 (English).
www.drsuzukidds.com.
NORTH
AMERICA’S #1
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www.ashley-furniture.jp Tel: 045-914-3580
Arts & Entertainment All the best in arts & culture across the metropolis
japan beat
Cokehead Hipsters
The ’90s are baaack
By Dan Grunebaum
W
hat goes around comes around
and in the Japanese rock world
the ’90s are seeing something
of a renaissance. It’s being
powered by the large cohort of
30-somethings, the children of Japan’s postwar
baby boom.
Hard to believe it, but alternative rock once
made significant inroads in Japan’s pop music
charts. Some of these bands, including Hi-Standard, who took North American melocore and
translated it to success in Japan, reconvened
last weekend for a revival of punk fest Air Jam in
Tohoku, featuring other lights of the era like Brahman and Kemuri.
Hugely influential on Japanese rockers who
emerged in the ’90s were of course the Red Hot
Chili Peppers, whose blend of funk and punk was
dubbed “mixture rock” in Japan. Peerless among
Tokyo’s own mixture rock outfits were the Cokehead Hipsters, who have just released a new album
and documentary DVD.
The compact, five-song Hit Or Miss makes
the Chilis sound a bit worn out in comparison,
and jumps with a naughty spirit lacking in the
Red Hots’ recent albums. Singer Komatsu even
sounds like a cross between Anthony Kiedis and
Flea (with a touch of Jello Biafra) on the lead track
“Day By Day,” and the band’s stop-start punk/
funk/metal/hardcore mashups burst with irrepressible drive.
The Cokehead Hipsters took a long break during
1999-2007, and returned sounding refreshed—
maybe something the Chilis would have benefited
from instead of slogging on all these years.
After enduring the full major label runaround
in the ’90s, the Cokehead Hipsters re-signed for
their revival with indie imprint Pop Group, producers of the alternative music festival Kaikoo.
At the beginning of next month the Hipsters
head up Echoes, a one-day event featuring other
punky groups from the era like Hawaiian6 and
newer outfits including the indescribably zany but
technically accomplished big band Wuja Bin Bin. Echoes at Studio Coast, Oct 8. See concert listings (popular) for details.
Courtesy of Pop Group
sports
Executive Fight Night
Amateurs fight it
out for charity
W
hen the call went out,
the Ginja Ninjas, organizers for November’s
at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo were understandably nervous. It ’s one thing to
organize a massive black-tie event
supporting the Run For The Cure Foundation—another to ask participants to
undergo three months of box-till-youpuke training, and then have them
duke it out in the ring before 400 or so
cheering fans.
“We were keen to organize something never seen before that would burst
L to R: Steve “Lights Out” Greenall,
Rebecca “Violent Bec” Green,
“Burstin’” Kirstin Harring,
Jesse “The Phantom” Green
Guided by experienced pro trainers—martial artists, MMA stars, and
generally double-hard individuals—
fighters are undergoing 12-weeks of
intense, hardcore workouts to achieve
the fitness and skill set required to go
the distance. And they’re going to need
it. The eight total bouts that evening will
be running the official format of three
two-minute rounds.
Follow the fighters leading up to the
event at http://ginjaninjas.com/fighters-blogs.As a sponsor, Metropolis will
also be putting fighters’ profiles online at
photos by 37 frames—Tracey Taylor & Dee Green
By Jeff W. Richards
onto the Tokyo social scene,” says Dave
Thomas, one of the founding Ginja Ninjas. The response was overwhelming.
Some 60 applications were received
and, on a rainy July morning, a shortlist of 30 ducked and slipped around
Arisugawa Park. The chosen 16 men
and women are from Australia, the UK,
US, Germany, New Zealand, Sweden
and Kazakhstan—including a married
couple participating together. This task
force—professions ranging from banker
to student—will square off in respective
weight classes on November 16.
http://meturl.com/efnprofiles.
On the night, punters will experience
the excitement of a true Vegas-style
fight night with meals by the world-class
chefs at the Grand Hyatt Ballroom. Meanwhile, they can bid for juicy prizes in an
auction for the cause. “Gold” and “silver”
tables seating ten are still available, as
are single seats. The event will also support Run for the Cure, a charity fighting
to to eradicate breast cancer in Japan. So
in a sense, everyone there will be part of
the fight.
If you or your company are interested in getting involved in the event,
contact Eddie at [email protected].
Grand Hyatt Tokyo Ballroom, Nov 16.
See community listings for details.
clubbing
Confessions of a
gaijin cosplay junkie
By Dan Grunebaum
R
efracted t hrough an
outsider’s lens, places
appea r dif ferent. At
F r e nc h m a n A d r i e n
l e D a n o i s ’s To k y o
D e c a d a nc e e v e n t s ,
competing Japanese pop memes are
thrown together willy-nilly. Cosplay
meets goth-loli meets gyaru, yamambaru and fashionista.
“They tend to stick to their own
kind,” le Danois confides at his Shinjuku Decabar about starting the night
a few years ago. “So I lied. I didn’t tell
them I was going to invite people from
different scenes. And it worked. We
had hundreds people at the first Tokyo
Decadance. It was a crazy scene with
all the different subcultures, but it
was a blast.”
Nodding occasionally to outlandishly garbed staff who flit in and out,
le Danois relates how his interest in
Japan—like that of sizable numbers
of Frenchmen—began as a kid. “The
A mer ica n Drea m faded a nd was
replaced by the Japanese Dream—
people realized they were look ing
for something different,” he recalls.
“People were into judo for example,
but at first they didn’t even know it
was Japanese.”
Le Danois was transfixed by Japanese fashions early on and notes that
“French people love Japan in general—
the Japan Expo is the biggest Japanese
culture event in the world.”
After a few years in events production—and a stint as David Guetta’s
assistant—le Danois arrived in Tokyo
at 21. Tokyo Decadance has gathered
more steam than he possibly could have
imagined for an event that he launched
as a sayonara party for a friend in 2005.
“It’s a cosplay night at heart but I
didn’t want to limit it,” says le Danois,
who cites manga like Dragon Ball and
GUNNM as inspirations for his own
look. “People need to dress up and
look nice when they go out. But we do
get a lot of maniac types, which gives
us a certain reputation and brings out
repressed people looking for sex.”
The sounds at Tokyo Decadance (a
reference to the 1992 Ryu Murakami
SM film Tokyo Decadence) hew to the
sort of house-techno-electro mix you
might hear at a hundred clubs across
Japan. But punters’ costumes and the
otherworldly atmosphere make the
event a standout.
“Japanese clubs are pretty boring to
be frank,” le Danois says. “Places like
Womb and Ageha aren’t working to
offer clubbers a good experience—they
just leave it to the promoter. And the
DJs don’t respond to the crowd either.
Tokyo
Decadance
They just stick to their sets.”
Bursting w ith manic energ y, le
Danois has taken Tokyo Decadance to
16 countries from Slovenia to Mexico,
hosting 2,000 people for the Paris edition. In addition to promoting his own
events he also manages Japanese artists’ overseas tours.
“In Europe, Japan is still booming,
but Japanese aren’t good at selling
their culture overseas,” he remarks
about the Cool Japan phenomenon.
“It’s hard to work with the Japanese
entertainment industry.”
With an understanding of both
Japanese pop culture and foreign
markets, le Danois may be better
placed to present Japanese culture
overseas than the Japanese enterta inment indust r y itself. He says
the problem begins with the talent.
“Japanese artists are obedient when
a big company like Avex is footing
the bill,” he comments. “But when I
brought Japanese artists to interviews
in France they said such silly things it
was embarrassing.”
Le Danois was attracted to Japan
by the freewheeling approach of the
cosplay and other fashion tribes that
attend Decadance. But as his knowledge of the countr y has deepened,
his views have changed. “I had the
perception that Japanese are free to
express themselves, but having lived
here a while I realize it’s not so,” he
says. “There are spheres of life—fashion for instance—where Japanese are
free. But in their personal and work
lives, they are very circumscribed.”
The shock of the new may have
worn off for Tokyo Decadance, but le
Danois is not content to let the event
stand still. He’s buzzing with new
ideas and recent nights have taken
thematic approaches like “Animals”
and “Oedo.”
He ld at t he v a s t , ne o -g ot h ic
Christon Café on busy Yasukuni dori
in Shinjuku, the night attracts an
eclectic mix of Japanese and gaijin.
Europeans predominate among the
foreigners but recently Decadance
hosts growing numbers of Chinese
and other Asians.
Some punters come dressed to
t he nines; ot hers come simply to
gawk. “Decadance appeals to otaku,
but on the other hand regular people
who haven’t done cosplay before can
discover that side of themselves,” le
Danois observes. “Sometimes they go
overboard. We once had a salaryman
having sex on the dance floor.”
Info: www. face book .com/
tokyodecadance.official. Tokyo
Decadance DX special Halloween
@ Christon Cafe, Oct 20. See other
event listings for details.
l
advertoria
Tokyo
Creative
Weeks
T
Various locations, Oct 10-31
okyo is famed as an insanely creative hotpot of cultural activity. But
during the 22 days of Tokyo Creative Weeks, the funfair will be
palpably fizzing in the arts spaces of Japan’s capital.
Each of the three weeks of TCW will be based on a different
theme: traditional, international, and contemporary—with some ongoing
events happening all the way through. Metropolis gives you a peek into what to
look out for at Tokyo Creative Weeks 2012.
WEEK 1
Traditional
Those living in Japan or just visiting
will have noticed the remarkable
presence of traditional culture in
every aspect of society. Hence the
starting point of TCW. Highlights:
Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre
Concert Hall, 1-8-1 Nishi Ikebukuro,
Toshima-ku. Nearest stn:
Ikebukuro
Creativity beyond
Anticipation
and Imagination
WEEK 2
International
Clocking in with the international
theme of week 2, a series of seminars
and focus groups will be held with
art and culture experts. Highlights:
Highlights:
Tokyo Grand Tea Ceremony 2011
Tokyo Grand Tea Ceremony 2012
Experience the philosophy of “tea as
art” in this quintessential Japanese
ritual.
Sat, Oct 13- Sun, Oct 14, 9:30am
¥300/150/free (elem/younger)
Hama Rikyu Gardens,1-1
Hamarikyu Teien, Chuo-ku.
Nearest stn: Shiodome or
Tsukijishijo
Yutaka Oyama
Sangen Crosses the Seas—from
Asian Continent to Japan
Enjoy the spectral sounds of ancient
music with a sangen (shamisen)
concert exploring the genre’s
different regional variations.
Thu, Oct 11, 6pm
¥4,000/2,000 (students)
International Conference “Culture
and Social Innovation—Tokyo
Conference”
What power does culture possess to
revolutionize contemporary society,
changing it day by day, hour by
hour?
● Sessions
Three sessions will be held as a
preliminary step in the conference.
With Japanese-English simultaneous
interpretation.
Fri, Oct 19, 10am-7pm
Free
JFIC Hall “SAKURA”, The Japan
Foundation, 4-4-1 Yotsuya,
Shinjuku-ku.
Nearest stn: Yotsuya-sanchome.
● Symposium
With Japanese-English simultaneous
interpretation and sign language.
Sat, Oct 20, 1-6pm
Free
Tosho Hall, 3-2-2 Marunouchi,
Chiyoda-ku. Nearest stn:
Nijubashi-mae
WEEK 3
Contemporary
The final week of TCW will feature
the international extravaganza of
performing arts Festival/Tokyo 12,
and other cross-cultural events.
Organizer: Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Tokyo Culture Creation Project Office
(The Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture)
16 • advertorial • metropolis.co.jp
Oct 27-Nov 4, various times
¥3,500/concessions available
Nishi-Sugamo Arts Factory,
4-9-1 Nishi Sugamo, Toshima-ku.
Nearest stn: Nishi-Sugamo
Ongoing Events
Sound Live Tokyo, Maher Shalal Hash Baz
Sound Live Tokyo
A new international festival that
introduces blending sound and art.
Oct 26-28
From ¥2,000
Tokyo Bunka Kaikan Recital Hall,
5-45 Ueno Koen, Taito-ku.
Nearest stn: Ueno
Le Preau d’un Seul
Le Preau d’un Seul
Exhibit-style performance
interpreting immigrant camps,
by Jean Michel Bruyère of French
company LFKs (part of Festival/
Tokyo 12).
Other events during the period will
include Tokyo Artpoint Project,
happening in cultural enclaves
along the Chuo line and around
the Skytree, and collaborations
from Tokyo’s museums, with an
opening-hour extension from Tokyo
Metropolitan Art Museum amid
other activities.
Tokyo Culture Creation Project,
organized by the Tokyo
Metropolitan Government
and the Tokyo Metropolitan
Foundation for History and
Culture in cooperation with arts
organizations and NPOs, aims to
establish Tokyo as a city of global
cultural creativity. The project
facilitates involvement of a larger
number of people in creation of
new culture, by building regional
bases for culture creation across
the city and offering opportunities
for creative experiences to
children and young people.
Moreover, it creates and globally
disseminates new Tokyo culture
through organizing international
festivals and other diverse events.
For more info see www.tcw2012.jp/en
AGENDA
Metpod
gig
Andy Cabic
& Devendra
Banhart
� When American songwriter Devendra Banhart
[pictured] isn’t penning psych-folk freakouts under
his own name, he can be found making music
in a lighter vein with Andy Cabic in a band called
Vetiver. For their Japan visit however, Banhart and
Cabic will be making their first-ever tour as a duo
at the invitation of specialty music label Windbell.
Already on his fourth junket, Banhart follows in a
long line of indie hipsters like Vincent Gallo who
have become style icons in Japan. Cabic is less
familiar here, but this series of intimate shows will
provide plenty of chances to get to know him.
Vacant, Oct 5; Duo Music Exchange, Oct 12;
Cay, Oct 13. See listings (popular) for details.
Courtesy of Windbell
By Dan Grunebaum
© Kishin Shinoyama
tradition
Tokyo Grand Tea
Ceremony 2012
John Lennon, Yoko Ono (1980)
photography
The People by
Kishin
� Celebrated worldwide for his cover shot of
John Lennon and Yoko Ono for their 1980 album
Double Fantasy, lensman Kishin Shinoyama (b.
1940) is probably best known in Japan for his coffee table book of the seminude Rie Miyazawa,
Santa Fe. Raided in 2009 by police on suspicion
of indecency, Shinoyama has long sought to push
boundaries in Japan, but his career also includes
intimate looks at celebrities like writer Yukio
Mishima. Shinoyama’s first major retrospective
in Japan is a definitive selection of works grouped
under themes like “God” and “Spectacle.”
Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery, Oct 3-Dec 24.
See exhibition listings (Shinjuku/Ikebukuro)
for details.
film
Nikkatsu 100:
A Century of
Japanese Cinema
festival
Yokohama Jazz
Promenade
© サニー
尾上松之助『荒木又右衛門』
（1925年）
� Sur vey t he
rise and fall of
t he cou nt r y ’s
oldest film
st ud io i n a n
e x h ibit ion at
t h e Na t i o n a l
F i l m C e n t e r.
Founded in
1912, Nikkatsu
f lowered in
t he 1950s and
’6 0 s , w hen it
became known
for big-budget
g a ng s t er a nd
action films. Influential director Shohei Imamura
made his home there, creating movies such as his
legendary 1963 flick The Insect Woman. With the
rise of TV in the ’70s, the studio was forced to pioneer the more profitable roman porno genre, and
by 2010 its Sushi Typhoon division was aiming B
movies like Seiji Chiba’s recent Alien vs. Ninja at
an international audience.
National Film Center, until Dec 23. See exhibition listings (Ginza/Kyobashi/Tokyo) for
details.
� English speakers can get to grips with Japan’s
esoteric tea ritual in two traditional settings at
this fall’s Tokyo Grand Tea Ceremony. Tea came
to Japan from China in the 12th century, and the
quintessentially Japanese chanoyu tea ceremony
had acquired its classic form by the 16th century.
Over four days, visitors can enjoy a special nodate
open-air ceremony and take in ancient music
and dance performances. The event is part of the
Tokyo Traditional Arts Program, which continues
with dance and folk music recitals later this fall.
Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum,
Oct 7-8 and Hamarikyu, Oct 13-14. See other
event listings for details.
art
3331 Expo
� Freewheeling creative space 3331 Chiyoda
offers “20 days of dancing, seeing, making, talking about, buying, and eating art.” Since opening
in 2010 in a disused elementary school near Akihabara, 3331 has elbowed forth as one of Tokyo’s
liveliest arts centers. The expo’s centerpiece is
an open exhibition of dozens of artists without a
selection panel or hierarchy. This weekend also
sees 3331 host an “Odorinoba” (“dance-place”)
program of more than 30 short performances
ranging from multilingual theater troupe Utsubo
to bleeding-edge dance company Kakuya Ohashi
and Dancers. Best of all—it’s free.
3331 Arts Chiyoda, through Oct 8. See other
events listings for details.
� T he Tok yo
Ja z z fest iv a l
just celebrated
a decade, but
Yokoha ma
boasts 20 years
of ja z z fe s t s .
Yo k o h a m a ’s
venerable Jazz
Promenade
annually brings
thousands
of mu s ic i a n s
to ja zz clubs,
halls and street
corners across
t he cit y. T h is
year’s international talent comes in the form of vibraphonist
Pascal Schumacher’s Quartet making their first
Japan visit, and supple American vocalist Harvey Thompson. Local jazzers slated to perform
atmospheric venues like the bayside Red Brick
Warehouse range from avant-jazz group Hikashu
to veteran drummer George Ohtsuka and his
Super Trio.
Various venues in Yokohama, Oct 6-7. See concert listings (jazz/world) for details.
special promotion
Tokyo Deep House
AZABU COURT
Take t he smoot h-liv ing,
high-class-comfort option
of Azabu Court’s fully serviced apartments if your
days of bunking down in
ramshackle digs during a
stay in the city are over—or
if you never passed through
that phase in the first place.
Positioned in the sophisticated Azabu neighborhood,
Azabu Court lets you do Tokyo the urban-chic way.
Azabu Court’s full service includes free broadband, an in-house concierge, and laundry/dry-cleaning pick-up among other services, to make sure
your living vibe features no rough edges. Apartments feature an equipped
kitchenette to enable all kinds of domestic activity, and residents also receive
free, automatic membership to Fitness Club Hiroo (and ¥700 tickets for fitness programs) to keep up your fitness while you are here.
Roppongi Hills, the shiny complex of top-class shops, restaurants and
bars with a luscious multiscreen cinema, is just a leisurely ramble away.
Also within walking distance are the famous—or infamous—nightspots of
Roppongi.
Work out your timeframe as you wish. Apartments at Azabu Court can be
rented on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Take advantage of a special offer—
ten percent off in December and January, and five percent in February and
March (for short-term stays). Regular rates are daily: ¥7,500-25,000; weekly:
¥6,500-22,000; monthly: ¥5,500-18,500 (price per night). Long-term stays for
three months or more cost ¥4,950-16,650 (price per night).
4-5-39 Minami-Azabu, Minato-ku. Tel: 03-3446-8610. Nearest stn:
Hiroo. www.azabucourt.com
ENPLUS (TOKYO APARTMENTS)
Enplus Inc. takes an holistic
approach to “expat” housing across all of Tokyo by
offering over 3,000 serviced,
furnished and unfurnished
rental apartments, catering
to all sizes—from studios to
four-bedroom—and budg e t s f r o m ¥1 5 0 , 0 0 0 - 2
million. It also offers both
short and long-term apartments—a rarity in the Tokyo real estate industry.
The main benefit of Enplus is it caters for all housing needs, from the time
you arrive to the time you leave. This offers true flexibility in a not-so-flexible
environment.
Enplus also offers relocation services and furniture rentals to ensure that
you get settled quickly. Bilingual “mobile leasing consultants” understand
the challenges of relocating here and are only too happy to use their skills
and knowledge to guide you through finding the right apartment.
Enplus Inc. has different websites providing different services and
resources for first timers. The site www.tokyoapartments.jp offers short-term
and long-term accommodation. Another, www.tokyo-rental-apartments.
com, focuses on stays over one year with long-term premium furnished and
unfurnished rental apartments in Tokyo, and www.smart-rental-tokyo.com
offers a furniture rental service where users can custom-furnish their apartments at affordable rates. Finally, www.twainc.co.jp outlines straightforward
relocation services split into several packages.
Visit Enplus’ various websites or talk with their bilingual staff to get a
free housing consultation today. Enplus also offers a property management
service.
Tel: 0120-957-520 (toll free within Japan) or +81-3-6273-0181 (from
overseas). www.tokyoapartments.jp
FONTANA
Mo s t p e ople k now t he
home-renting environment
in Tokyo can be quite complicated, with problematic
aspects like key money,
agency fees, and guarantors. However, there is a way
a rou nd a l l t hese t r ick y
details. All you have to do is
get in touch with Fontana, a
long-time veteran of the
housing scene in Japan’s capital.
For individuals, couples or families in search of affordable housing, Fontana can provide exceptional customer service and a place that meets all your
particular needs. The friendly, approachable staff are happy to deal with the
inquiries of all clients, and they have plenty of experience dealing with people
from all over the world. A clear sign of this is their range of languages—English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, and, naturally, Japanese.
Prices are reasonable, with guesthouse rooms starting at ¥55,000/month
and apartments as low as ¥70,000/month. Set up in urban hubs such as
Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Roppongi, these housing solutions can be your platform for a better life in the city and a key to unlocking the wonders of Tokyo.
Drop by the office of Fontana any time and say hello, and you won’t leave
dissatisfied. They’re open for your consultation every single day of the year,
from 9:30am until 7pm, and they are always more than happy to meet new
inquirers.
1F Asahi Mansion, 3-31-5 Chuo, Nakano-ku. Tel: 03-3382-0151. Skype:
tokyocityapartments-fontana. Open daily 9:30am-7pm. Nearest stn:
Shin-Nakano. www.tokyocityapartments.net
special promotion
JAPAN APARTMENT
REBITA
It’s no secret that finding
your home in Tokyo can be
rather tricky for people of
t he foreig n persuasion.
Normal estate agents present a n i n su r mou nt able
language barrier, and all
k i nds of nast y fees ca n
apply. Added to that, many
owners are less than keen to
rent to gaijin. That’s why it’s
crucial to make a good decision at first, and save yourself a lot of hassle later.
The Ichii Corporation, a real estate giant in Japan, set up Japan Apartment
(JAPT) to make this whole process infinitely easier. The bizarre Japanese
invention of reikin (key money), plus the necessity of finding a guarantor, are
eliminated at once, as is the requirement of paying a hefty deposit. With 900
properties in 70 locations, and an efficient way of navigating through them to
find what you’re looking for, JAPT is bound to have the right property for you
on their roster.
Housing is available for all purposes, with short- or long-term shared
guesthouses, private apartments and more, all starting at just ¥60,000 per
month. All options are fully furnished, often including cookware and linen,
and internet access is arranged in advance, meaning no forms in Japanese or
lengthy phonecalls to deal with.
Getting started is the easiest part of all. Hit the bilingual website and
browse the housing options, and contact JAPT’s English-speaking staff for
personal attention.
3-5-17 Nishi-Gotanda, Shinagawa-ku. Tel: 03-5437-5233. Email: info@
japt.co.jp. Nearest stn: Gotanda. www.tokyoeasyrent.com/en
With ten share houses—
each with its own unique
character and sophisticated
interior design—the Rebita
Share Place is the place for
comfortable, st ylish and
communal living in Tokyo.
T hei r g rou ndbrea k i ng
buildings are dotted around
Tokyo in cool and convenient locations, and total a
magnificent 631 rooms.
Specializing in renovating existing buildings and increasing their aesthetic and commercial value, Rebita’s design has been splashed across
worldwide magazines and TV.
But their share houses are also well put together and practical. The fully
furnished rooms all come with an auto-locked entrance, a fast and free internet connection, and a professional cleaning service.
The international residents at Rebita’s Share Place houses have always
been highly positive about the way in which the community is managed.
Social events are held at fixed intervals when guests can mingle and encounter folks of different backgrounds and careers. These include welcome parties,
cooking get-togethers, Halloween celebrations, and gatherings for Japanese
festivals—and all are free to attend or not, depending on what you fancy.
So if you’re looking for a unique guesthouse experience in Japan’s capital city, stop by and take a look at Rebita’s Share Place. You can get in touch
with Rebita’s agreeable staff at any time—they speak English and are always
happy to help answer your questions.
11F Nisseki Shibuya Bldg, 2-16-1 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku. Tel: 03-54689224. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.share-place.com
All fully furnished apartments
and guesthouses all over tokyo
Apartments
1R ¥65,000 (and up)
2LDK ¥130,000 (and up)
Roppongi, Shibuya, Ebisu,
Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, etc
Guest House
• Private Room ¥55,000 (and up)
• Hiroo, Nakameguro, Yutenji,
Yotsuya, Sasazuka, Ikebukuro
• Common space cleaned
once a week.
OPEN: 9:30-19:00 7days a week
CALL: 03-3382-0151
EMAIL: [email protected]
WEB: www.tokyocityapartments.net
3-31-5 Chuo, Nakano-ku
special promotion
SAKURA HOUSE
TRUST RESIDENCE
The name Sakura House is synonymous
with the foreigner-targeted accommodation industry in Japan. In the 20
years since its first residence opened in
Harajuku, the company has grown to
offer over 1,600 rooms in 180 locations
throughout the capital. In 2011 alone, it
housed more than 5,000 people from
all over the world. It is the go-to solut ion for t he shor t-, medium- a nd
long-term resident who wants something clean and reliable, with rooms
starting at ¥38,000 and apartments
from ¥42,000 (utilities and mainte-
nance fees are charged separately).
Rooms are fully furnished and include free internet connection, with
assistance available in English, French, Spanish, Russian, German, Swedish,
Chinese and Korean—and Japanese, of course, if you feel like some practice.
If something breaks, just tell the always-available maintenance team and
the landlords, and all will be sorted ASAP. Share houses benefit from friendly
daily service and supply-replenishment on a regular basis.
Frequent cultural events bring people together to experience Japanese
traditional activities, such as tea ceremonies, kimono classes and more.
More than half the Sakura House residents reserve rooms before coming to Japan—a testament to the ease of the process. Just look at the available
accommodation online, check out photos and videos, and book yourself in.
Get in touch via email, phone, Facebook, or Twitter, and receive a reply within
24 hours.
2F Nishi-Shinjuku K-1 Bldg., 7-2-6 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku. Tel:
03-5330-5250. Open daily 8:50am-8pm. Nearest stn: Shinjuku. www.
sakura-house.com
In Tokyo, apartments “for
lease” generally only make
up 10-15 percent of the total
market. To see currently
occupied apartments—especially ones that will be
available soon—can help
you understand the market,
and what better deals there
might be out there. Sometimes people are surprised
at the quality of places to be found on the “available soon” list.
Trust Residence is a professional real-estate agency with a trained staff
boasting a wealth of experience in the business. They have a wide range of
properties on their books, and are adept at finding the perfect places for
expatriates, whether workers in Japanese or foreign companies, international students, or involved in any other activities here. Trust Residence can
also sort out any thorny issues that crop up. Processing your contract and
dealing with bureaucratic matters with the apartment’s owners and utility
companies is all part and parcel of the service. The company also provides
you with information regarding your new living environment, including
local grocery stores, medical centers, elementary schools, and more—all
on its easy-to-use website.
To find your dream home, you need to understand how the business
works here. That’s why you should go with industry professionals who have
the patience and the skill to help you adopt the best path. To get started, visit
their office near Tokyo station.
5F MT Estate Bldg, 1-4-20 Yaesu, Chuo-ku. Tel: 03-3548-0254. Email:
[email protected]. Nearest stn: Nihonbashi or Tokyo. http://
trustresidence-tokyo.com
Designer, high-rise
& luxury apartments
➜ No deposit ey
➜ No key mon
➜ No agent fee
Resort style in the big city
This quiet neighborhood will
make you forget you are
in the middle of Tokyo...
Serviced Apartment
4 min walk from Hiroo station
• Daily: ￥7,500 ~
• Weekly: ￥6,500~ /day
• Monthly: ￥5,500~ /day
Dec & Jan 10% off, Feb & Mar 5% off
[email protected]
Tel: 03-3446-8610
Fax: 03-3442 3344
www.azabucourt.com
TOKYO FURNISHED APARTMENTS
NO
key money, deposit,
agent fee, guarantor
URL: www.tokyoeasyrent.com/en TEL: 03-5437-5233
We offer you perfect
apartments for the best
deals in the Bay area
and all around Tokyo.
Contact us today!
03-3548-0254 • [email protected] • http://trustresidence-tokyo.com
Agenda Listings
hot list
21 Concerts
22 Stage
22 Dance
22 Clubbing
23 Exhibitions
25 Sports
25 Festivals
25 Forums & Expos
25 Bazaars & Markets
26 Community
26 Learning
26 Film
26 Other Events
Concerts
Popular
Tee
Japanese singer-songwriter.
Sep 28, 7pm, ¥4,000.
Shibuya-AX. Nearest stn:
Harajuku. www.shibuya-ax.
com
Rickie Lee Jones
One of VH1’s top 100 women of
rock. Sep 27-28, various times,
¥9,000. Blue Note. Nearest stn:
Omotesando. www.bluenote.
co.jp
098-2012-Tokyo
Okinawa rock fes hosted by
Roach with Oz, Flip etc. Sep
28, 6pm, ¥3,000 (adv)/¥3,500
(door) +1d. Liquidroom. Nearest
stn: Ebisu.
Muddy Apes
8,800. Nippon Budokan.
Nearest stn: Kudanshita. www.
udo.jp
Tetsuya
Bass player of visual kei band
L'Arc-en-Ciel. Oct 2-3.6:30pm,
¥6,900. Shibuya Koukaido.
Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.
shibuko.com
Wilko Johnson
UK guitarist of Dr Feelgood
fame. Oct 2, 7:30pm, ¥6,500
(adv). Club Quattro. Nearest stn:
Shibuya. www.smash-jpn.com
Samezame
Saori Fueda’s un-sugarcoated
songs about love and sex.
Women only. Oct 3, 7:30pm,
¥1,500+1d. Shibuya Boxx.
Nearest stn: Harajuku. www.
samezame-official.com
Soul’d Out
Japanese hip-hop trio. Oct 4,
7pm; Oct 6 & 21 & Nov 3-4, 6pm.
Various locations. www.ticket.
kyodotokyo.com
The Inspector Cluzo
Fusion, groove rock duo from
France. Oct 4, 7pm, ¥4,000.
Club Quattro. Nearest stn:
Digitalism
German electronica unit. Oct
5, 7pm, ¥5,800. Akasaka Blitz.
Nearest stn: Akasaka. www.
smash-jpn.com
Andy Cabic & Devendra
Banhart
First-ever tour as a duo. Oct 5,
7:30pm, ¥4,000. Vacant. Nearest
stn: Harajuku. http://vacant.
n0idea.com. Oct 12, 8pm,
¥4,000. Duo Music Exchange.
duomusicexchange.com. Oct
13, 8pm, ¥4,000. Cay. Nearest
stn: Omotesando. www.spiral.
co.jp
Feat. Taka Hirose (Feeder),
Inoran (Luna Sea), Miyoko
Yamaguchi (Detroitseven).
Sep 28, 7pm, ¥4,500+1d. Club
Quattro. Nearest stn: Shibuya.
www.red-hot.ne.jp
Asagiri Jam
G/R/L/Z
Echoes
Female pop rock bands. Feat.
Limited Express, Miila and
the Geeks, etc. Sep 28, 7:30pm,
¥2,000 (adv), ¥2,500 (door).
Super Deluxe. Nearest stn:
Roppongi. www.super-deluxe.
com
Ali Project
Aristocratic visual-kei female
trio. Sep 29, 6pm, ¥5,500.
Nakano Sun Plaza. Nearest stn:
Nakano. www.sunplaza.jp
Tulip
Old-time quintet combining
J-pop, J-rock, folk and boogie.
Sep 29, 5:30pm, ¥7,500.
Ichikawa Culture Hall. Nearest
stn: Ichikawaono Station. www.
tekona.net/bunkakaikan
Kool and the Gang
Celebrate with the disco
legends. Sep 27-29, various
times, ¥10,000-12,000.Billboard
Live. Nearest stn: Roppongi.
www.koolandthegang.com
Bill Bruford
UK percussionist and
composer. Sep 30, 11:30am,
¥6,500 (adv). Lapin et Halot.
Nearest stn: Omotesando. Oct
1, 6:30pm, ¥6,500 (adv).Yagi ni
Kiku. Nearest stn: Daikanyama.
www.yagiii.com
Geki Rock vol.5
Electronic hardcore with
Eskimo Callboy, ASTS, etc. Sep
30, 5pm, ¥3,000 (adv)/¥3,500
(door) +1d. Club Seata. Nearest
stn: Kichijoji. Tel: 04-2229-0061.
Submit your event directly to metropolis.co.jp/listings
See www.metropolis.co.jp for more listings
Chilled cousin of Fuji Rock
Festival. Oct 6-7.10am-8pm,
¥13,800 (2days). Asagiri Arena.
Nearest stn: Fujinomiya. www.
smash-jpn.com/asagiri
Hawaiian6, Asparagus,
Cokehead Hipsters, Country
Yard, etc. Oct 8, 1pm, ¥2,800.
Studio Coast. Nearest stn:
Shin-Kiba. www.echoes2012.
com
Tangled Hair
Indie pop trio. Oct 8, 5pm,
¥3,500. O-Nest. Nearest stn:
Shibuya. www.hipjpn.co.jp
Dirty Projectors
Arty Brooklyn rockers tour
new album. Oct 9, 7pm, ¥5,800
(adv + 1d). O-East. Nearest stn:
Ayumi Hamasaki
J-pop diva. Oct 10-11, various
times, ¥8,500.Yoyogi National
Gymnasium. Nearest stn:
Meiji-Jingumae. www.avexnet.
or.jp
Quiet October
Electronica, experimental,
Feat. Simon Scott, Christopher
Willits, Moskitoo, Illuha, etc.
Oct 10-11. 7:30pm, ¥3,500+1d.
com
Makoto Tsubasa
Stylish, mischievous actor/
singer. Oct 12-15, various
times, ¥7,000. Mt.Rainer Hall
Shibuya Pleasure Pleasure.
makototsubasa.com
Redline Tour
Feat. Crystal Kay, Dai Hirai,
Megaryu, KG, Banty Foot, Mona,
etc. Oct 21, 9am-5pm, ¥1,000
(adv), ¥1,500 (door).
Chu-bu Centrair, Aichi. www.
calflavor.com
Feat. The Cherry Cokes, Mop
of Head, Egg Brain, etc . Oct 12,
7pm, ¥2,500 (adv).Eggman.
redlinetour.jp. Feat. Fact, Hinto,
Mop of Head, etc. Oct 14, 4pm,
¥2,500 (adv). Studio Coast.
Nearest stn: Shin-Kiba. www.
redlinetour.jp
Maroon 5
Live Dragon Gate
Cal Flavor
LA soft-rock outfit will be
loved. Oct 2, 7pm, ¥7,800-
Nippon TV's Music Dragon
Gate presents White Ash, te'
and more. Oct 12, 6:30pm,
¥3,500 +1d. Shibuya-AX.
ntv.co.jp/dragon
Adam Young. Nov 8, 7pm,
¥6,000-6,500. Shibuya-AX.
smash-jpn.com
Feeder x The Hiatus
Norah Jones
Joint tour by a UK alt rock band
and a Japanese progressive
rock band. Oct 15, 7pm, ¥4,800.
Studio Coast. Nearest stn:
Shin-Kiba. www.smash-jpn.
com
Cannibal Corpse
Death metal band from NY. Oct
15, 7pm, ¥6,000. Club Quattro.
smash-jpn.com
Twilight Records Tour
A Change of Pace, Attack
Attack, Awake and Dreaming,
etc. Oct 18, 6:30pm, ¥5,000.
Unit. Nearest stn: Daikanyama.
ww.twilight-records.com/
tour.html
Paul Weller
Legend from The Jam and
beyond. Oct 22-23, 7pm; Oct 27,
6pm, ¥7,000-8,000+1d.Zepp
Diver City. Nearest stn: Daiba.
www.hitjpn.co.jp
Sata Andagi
J-pop trio. Oct 24, 7pm, ¥4,500.
Harajuku. www.shibuya-ax.
com
Sound Live Tokyo
New fest feat. Masabumi
Kikuchi, Sangatsu, Project
UNDARK + Dieter Moebius,
Baby Arabia, etc. Oct 26-28,
various times, ¥2,000-3,000.
Tokyo Bunka Kaikan.
Nearest stn: Ueno. www.
soundlivetokyo.com
Loud Park ’12
Hottie crooner. Nov
9, 7pm, ¥7,500-8,500.
Nippon Budokan. Nearest
stn: Kudanshita. www2.
norahjones.com/tour
Yuko Ando Acoustic Live
J-pop singer-songwriter. Nov 9,
6:30pm, ¥5,500 (adv), ¥6,000
(door). NHK Hall. Nearest stn:
Shibuya. www.ando-yuko.com
The Agonist
Female-fronted Montreal
melodic death metal band.
Nov 13, 7pm, ¥5,500. O-East.
smash-jpn.com
Hideyuki Kuronuma
Japanese singer-songwriter.
Nov 13, 7:30pm, ¥2,500
(adv), ¥3,000 (door).WWW.
kuronumahideyuki.com
Skrillex
US electronic hero. Nov 14,
7pm, ¥6,500. Studio Coast.
smash-jpn.com
The Jon Spencer Blues
Explosion
NY blues punk trio. Nov 18,
6pm, ¥6.500. Liquidroom.
Nearest stn: Ebisu. www.
liquidroom.net
Seun Kuti & Egypt 80
Abrobeat musician and son of
Fela. Nov 20, 7:30pm, ¥7,000.
Club Quattro. Nearest stn:
All-day metal fest feat. Stone
Sour, Buckcherry, Sonata
Arctica, etc. Oct 27, 10:30am,
¥14,500-16,500. Saitama Super
Arena. Nearest stn: SaitamaShintoshin. www.loudpark.
com
Electraglide
The Monochrome Set
Lostprophets
UK rock band. Oct 27, 6:30pm,
¥4,000 (adv), ¥4,500 (adv).
com
Benny Sings
Dutch pop artist. Oct 28,
4:30&7:30pm, ¥5,000-7,000.
Billboard Live. Nearest stn:
Roppongi.
www.billboard-live.com
Snuff
UK melodic punk band. Oct
31, 7pm, ¥4,500 (adv), ¥5,000
(door). O-West. Nearest stn:
Shibuya. www.hipjpn.co.jp
Dukes of September
Rhythm Revue
Blue-eyed soul supergroup.
Nov 1, 7pm, ¥9,000-12,000.
Nippon Budokan. Nearest stn:
Kudanshita. www.udo.jp
Leave Them All Behind
Boris, Envy, Godflesh, etc.
Nov 3-4.4:30pm, ¥6,500 (adv),
¥12,000 (2 days). Unit. Nearest
stn: Daikanyama. www.
smash-jpn.com
Hostess Club Weekender
Feat. Dinosaur Jr., Thurston
Moore, Local Natives, The War
on Drug, Clock Opera, etc. Nov
3, 2pm; Nov 4, 1pm, ¥7,900 (1
day)/ ¥13,900 (2 day).Yebisu
Garden Hall. Nearest stn: Ebisu.
www.ynos.tv/hostessclub
Fuck on the Hill
Feat. Ken Yokoyama, Meaning,
Comeback My Daughters,
Slang, F.I.B., Razors Edge,
etc. Nov 3, 4pm, ¥4,500 (adv)
+1d. Shibuya O-East, O-West,
Duo Music Exchange, O-nest,
O-Crest, Club Asia. Nearest stn:
Hot Chell Rae
US pop-rock unit. Nov 7-8, 7pm,
¥5,500 (adv). Liquidroom.
Nearest stn: Ebisu. www.
creativeman.co.jp
Owl City
Electronica music project by
Premium dance fest feat.
Amon Tobin, Squarepusher
and more. Nov 21, 9pm, ¥8,500
(adv), ¥9,500 (door). Makuhari
Messe. Nearest stn: KaihinMakuhari. www.m-messe.co.jp
Welsh rock band. Nov 22,
7pm, ¥6,300. Akasaka Blitz.
Nearest stn: Akasaka.Nov 23,
6pm, ¥6,300.Yokohama Bay
Hall. Nearest stn: MotomachiChukagai. Tel: 04-5624-3900.
Animax Musix
Strap on your cosplay for this
anime music event. Nov 23,
2pm, ¥8,500.Yokohama Arena.
Nearest stn: Shin-Yokohama.
musix.animax.co.jp
Tamurapan
Melodic pop songstress in
acoustic one-woman tour.
Nov 30, 7:30pm, ¥4,500.
Harajuku. www.tamurapan.
com
The Chieftains
Irish folk band. Nov 30,
7pm, ¥5,500-8,500. Sumida
Triphony Hall. Nearest stn:
Kinshicho.Dec 1, 5pm, ¥6,0007,000. Olympus Hall Hachioji.
Nearest stn: Hachioji. Tel:
042-655-0802.
Kohtaro Oshio
Acoustic guitarist. Dec 1, 7pm,
¥5,800. Tokyo International
Forum Hall A. Nearest stn:
Yurakucho. www.ticket.
kyodotokyo.com
Macy Gray
Raspy R&B singer. Dec 4,
Billboard Live. Nearest stn:
Roppongi. www.billboardlive.com
Life is Beautiful
Fumiya Fujii's 50th birthday
celebration. Dec 6-7.7pm,
¥7,000.Bunkamura Orchard
Hall. Nearest stn: Shibuya.
www.bunkamura.co.jp
The Jacksons
Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and
Jackie return to the stage after
28 years. Dec 6-7, 7pm, ¥9,50011,500. Tokyo International
Forum Hall A. Nearest stn:
Yurakucho. www.kyodotokyo.
com
Jazz/World
Rhythm & Drums Festival
Monty Alexander
Jazz pianist with a Jamaican
flair. Sep 28.6:30&9:30pm,
¥7,500-9,500. Cotton Club.
Nearest stn: Tokyo. www.
cottonclubjapan.co.jp
Kocani Orkestar
Macedonian Romani brass
band. Sep 28, 7pm, ¥4,000.
Himawari no Sato. Nearest stn:
Kamiooka. www.himawarisato.com
Tokyo Crossover / Jazz
Festival
Feat. Panamanian sax
player Carlos Garnett, Brand
New Heavies diva N’Dea
Davenport, DJ Kawasaki,
etc. Sep 29, 6pm. The Garden
Hall. Nearest stn: Ebisu. www.
tokyocrossoverjazzfestival.jp
World Beat
Gypsy orchestra plays as part
of World Music Festival. Sep 30,
5:30pm, ¥4,500-6,500. Sumida
Kinshicho. www.triphony.com
Bobby Caldwell
Smooth jazz man big in
Japan. Oct 1-6, various times,
¥9,000-11,000.Billboard Live.
Nearest stn: Roppongi. www.
bobbycaldwell.com
Chico and the Gypsies
A mix of rumba, flamenco,
Latin pop and rock tunes. Oct
1-2, various times, ¥8,400.Blue
Note. Nearest stn: Omotesando.
www.bluenote.co.jp
Fried Pride
Jazz guitar and vocal duo. Oct
3, 7 & 9:30pm, ¥6,000.Billboard
www.bluenote.co.jp
Lazlos Belki and His Gypsy
Band
Magazine hosts percussion
event. Oct 13-14.1pm, ¥4,5008,000. Differ Ariake. Nearest stn:
Ariake-tennis-no-mori. www.
rittor-music.co.jp/dmf
Makoto Ozone feat. No
Name Horses
Jazz pianist with his Japanese
big band jazz musicians. Oct
13, 6pm, ¥3,000-6,000.Green
Hall. Nearest stn: Sagami-Oono.
www.hall-net.or.jp
Raul Midon
Blind genre-crossing guitarist
and singer. Oct 13-14, various
times, ¥6,000-8,000.Billboard
www.raulmidon.com
Senri Oe Quintet
Jazz pianist and singer
songwriter. Oct 14-15, various
times, ¥6,000. Blue Note.
Nearest stn: Omotesando.
www.bluenote.co.jp
The Duke Ellington
Orchestra
Legendary musicians feat.
Macy Grey. Oct 16-19, various
times, ¥8,400.Blue Note.
www.bluenote.co.jp
Casiopea 3rd
Japanese fusion band. Oct
19, 7pm, ¥6,000. Shibuya-AX.
casiopea.co.jp
Amy Hanaiali’i
Hawaiian vocalist. Oct 20, 6pm,
¥6,300.Yokosuka Arts Theater.
Nearest stn: Yokosuka. www.
plankton.co.jp
Mario Biondi
Sicilian crooner. Oct 20-23,
various times, ¥7,000.Blue
www.bluenote.co.jp
Concert of gypsy-style music
with Q&A. Oct 4, 7pm, ¥3,800.
Sagamihara South Hall. Nearest
stn: Sagamiono Station. www.
hall-net.or.jp
The Mannish Boys
Abdullah Ibrahim
The Manhattan Transfer
Yokohama Jazz
Promenade
Junko Onishi Trio
South African pianist with
multicultural influences. Oct
5, 7 & 9:30pm, ¥6,000.Blue
www.bluenote.co.jp
LA blues outfit. Oct 22,
7pm, ¥5,250. Studio Coast.
themannishboys.com
Multi Grammy-winning vocal
quartet. Oct 24-26, various
www.bluenote.co.jp
Japanese jazz pianist. Oct
27-28, various times, ¥8,400.
Blue Note. Nearest stn:
co.jp
20th anniversary of Japan's
largest jazz festival, feat.90
artists. Oct 6-7. Noon-9pm,
¥4,000 (adv 1 day).Various
locations. www.jazzpro.jp
CIS sings Oldies and Jazz
Michel Legrand
Pianist, conductor, and movie
director's 80th birthday
celebration. Oct 6-7, various
www.bluenote.co.jp
In Transit
Swiss jazz by Tobias Preisig. Oct
6, 8pm, ¥4,000. CAY. Nearest
stn: Omotesando. www.spiral.
co.jp
Terumasa Hino H Factor
Japanese trumpeter. Oct 8-9,
www.bluenote.co.jp
Hypnotic Brass Ensemble
The eight sons of jazz trumpeter
Phil Cohran. Oct 9, 7:30pm,
¥6,000. Club Quattro. Nearest
stn: Shibuya. www.smash-jpn.
com
John Scofield Trio
Contemporary jazz guitarist
feat. Steve Swallow and Bill
Stuart. Oct 10-13, various times,
¥8,400.Blue Note. Nearest stn:
co.jp
Sangen Crosses the Seas:
from Asian Continent to
Japan
Regional strains of the
shamisen. Oct 11, ¥4,000
(adults), ¥2,000 (students).
Tokyo Metropolitan Theater.
Nearest stn: Ikebukuro. www.
bh-project.jp
“Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay,”
etc. sung by a choir. Oct 27,
2pm, free.Keiyo Bank Bunka
Plaza. Nearest stn: Chiba. www.
culture.chiba.bunkaplaza.com
Carleen Anderson Soul
Trio
US soul singer. Oct 29-30,
www.bluenote.co.jp
Hakase Taro
Celine Dion’s onetime violinist.
Nov 2-4, various times,
¥7,000.Bunkamura Orchard
tarohakase.com
An Introduction to
Traditional Japanese
Music
Experience the sound of Edo.
Nov 4, ¥1,500.Edo-Tokyo
Museum. Nearest stn:
Ryogoku. www.bh-project.jp
Classical
Jan Lisiecki
Piano recital by former child
prodigy. Sep 29, 2pm, ¥2,5003,500. Saitama Arts Theater.
Nearest stn: Yonohonmachi.
www.saf.or.jp
International Oboe
Competition of Japan
10th anniversary. First prize
¥1,300,000. Sep 30-Oct
8.free.Karuizawa Ohga Hall.
Nearest stn: Karuizawa. www.
oboeck.jp
Agenda Listings
Mezamashi Classics
Awaken to the wonders of
classical music. Oct 3, 7pm,
¥5,000.Yokohama Minato
Mirai Hall. Nearest stn:
Minatomirai.
All About Heinz Holliger
Swiss oboist, composer and
conductor. Oct 6-8.3pm,
¥4,500-6,500. Sumida
Kinshicho. www.triphony.
com
NHK Symphony
Orchestra
Farce by Neil Simon. Oct
18-Nov 4, 2pm & 6:30pm,
¥5,000-9,000. Le Theatre Ginza.
Nearest stn: Kyobachi Station or
Ginza Icchome Station. www.
parco-play.com
The Wizard of Oz
Musical adapted from The
Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Oct
18-28, various times, ¥7,80012,500. Tokyo International
Forum Hall C. Nearest stn:
Yurakucho. www.parco-play.
com
The Magic Flute
Sayaka Shoji & Gianluca
Cascioli Duo Recital
Elisabeth
Citibank Gala Concert
200th anniversary concert
celebrating the 200th
anniversary including
orchestral works by Monti
and Bizet. Oct 10, 7pm,
¥5,000-10,000.Bunkamura
Orchard Hall. Nearest stn:
Shibuya. www.bunkamura.
co.jp
Requiem
Feat. conductor Toshiyuki
Kamioka and New Japan
Philharmonic Orchestra.
Oct 13, 3pm, ¥6,000-8,000.
Sumida Triphony Hall.
Nearest stn: Kinshicho. www.
triphony.com
Haochen Zhang
Piano recital. Oct 19, 7pm,
¥2,000-4,000. Sumida
Kinshicho. www.triphony.
com
Mozart opera directed by Paul
Weigold. Oct 26, 6pm, ¥7,0009,000 (MS & over).Kanagawa
Arts Theater. Nearest stn:
Motomachi-Chukagai. www.
kaat.jp
The most successful German
language musical, from United
Stages Vienna. Oct 26-31,
Theatre Orb. Nearest stn:
Shibuya. Tel: 03-3477-3244.
Festival Tokyo
International performing
arts festival. Check site for
details. Oct 27-Nov 25, Tokyo
Metropolitan Art Space. Nearest
stn: Ikebukuro. www.festivaltokyo.jp/en
Tosca
Diaz’s production of the classic
Puccini opera. Nov 11-23,
2pm & 7pm, ¥4,200-23,100.
New National Theatre Tokyo.
Nearest stn: Hatsudai. www.
nntt.jac.go.jp/english
Alice in Wonderland
Musical based on Lewis
Carroll's fantasy novel. Nov
18-Dec 4, various times, ¥4,20012,600. Aoyama Theater.
aoyama.org
Gamarjobat Silent Comedy
Stage
Pantomime duo. Nov 27-Dec
2, various times, ¥4,500-5,000.
The Galaxy Theater. Nearest
stn: Kita-shinagawa. www.
gamarjobat.com
Peter Grimes
Xanadu
Romeo & Juliet
Dance
Opera about a fisherman by
Benjamin Britten, sung by
international and Japanese
singers. Oct 2-14, 2pm &
6:30pm, ¥5,250-¥26,250.
New National Theatre
Tokyo. Nearest stn: Hatsudai.
www.nntt.jac.go.jp
The star-crossed lovers. Oct
6-21, ¥5,000-13,000. Theatre
Orb. Nearest stn: Shibuya.
www.theatre-orb.com
Jack the Ripper
Musical about Victorian
London’s serial killer. Until
Oct 8, various times, ¥9,50016,000. Aoyama Theater.
jack-the-ripper.jp
Tokyo Fukubukuro
Various performing artists.
Until Oct 9, various times,
¥3,000 (adv), ¥3,500
(door), ¥1,000 (HS). Tokyo
Metropolitan Theater.
Nearest stn: Ikebukuro. www.
geigeki.jp
Kyotaro Yanagiya
Rakugo (traditional comic
storytelling). Oct 13, 3pm,
¥3,000. Saitama Arts Theater.
Nearest stn: Yonohonmachi.
www.saf.or.jp
My Yotsuya Kaidan
Rock musical based on
popular ghost story. Until Oct
14, various times, ¥5,0009,500.Bunkamura Theater
Cocoon. Nearest stn: Shibuya.
www.bunkamura.co.jp
Theatresports
Showcase
Improv workshop taught by
Tokyo Comedy Store director
Chris Wells. Oct 17 & Dec 12,
8:30pm, ¥500. Our Space
Studio. Nearest stn: Hatagaya.
www.tokyocomedy.com
Rumors
Feat.works by Mozart,
Mendelssohn, and
Tchaikovsky. Oct 6, 3:30pm,
¥3,000-7,500.Bunkamura
Orchard Hall. Nearest stn:
Shibuya. www.bunkamura.
co.jp
Beethoven sonata for
violin and piano. Oct 7,
3pm, ¥6,000. Saitama
Arts Theater. Nearest stn:
Yonohonmachi. www.
saf.or.jp
Go to www.meturl.com/l
A roller disco musical of
forbidden love based on the
1980s movie.Jan 25-27, Fri-Sat
7:30pm, Sun 2pm, ¥1,000
(general), ¥500 (students).
Tanner Auditorium, Yokohama
International School. www.
snurl.com
Onegin
Ballet in three acts by John
Cranko. Sep 28, 7pm; Sep 29-30,
3pm, ¥1,500-12,000. Tokyo
Bunka Kaikan. Nearest stn:
Ueno. www.nbs.or.jp
Le Temps Scellé
By French choreographer
Nacera Belaza. Sep 28, 7pm,
¥3,800 (adv), ¥4,300 (door).
Aoyama Round Theater.
datto.jp
Not Quite Right
Contemporary dance directed
by Chie Ito. Sep 28, ¥3,800
(adv), ¥4,300 (door). Spiral
Hall. Nearest stn: Omotesando.
www.datto.jp
Namidame Corduroy
Modern dance performance
by Idevian Crew. Until Sep 29,
3pm, 7:30pm, ¥3,500 (general).
Yoshidamachi Studios.
Nearest stn: Kannai.http://
izayoiyoshidamachistudio.
com/ja
Love Junx
Song and dance performed
by children with Down’s
Syndrome . Sep 30, 3:30pm,
¥3,500(adv)/¥4,000(door).
Nakano Sun Plaza. Nearest stn:
Nakano. www.npotoybox.jp
Womanhood
Experimental dance by Miyuki
and others. Oct 2, 7:30pm,
¥3,000 (adv), ¥3,500 (door).
com
Out of Context—For Pina
Alain Platel’s tribute to Pina
Bausch. Oct 3-5, ¥3,800 (adv),
¥4,300 (door). Aoyama Round
Theater. Nearest stn: Shibuya.
www.datto.jp
Love Fire
Yasmeen Godder's
contemporary dance. Oct 5-7,
various times, ¥3,800 (adv),
¥4,300 (door). Spiral Hall.
www.datto.jp
Queen Harish
Indian dancer. Oct 5, 8pm,
¥4,000. CAY. Nearest stn:
Omotesando. www.spiral.co.jp
Dance Dance Dance
Classical ballet to traditional
Japanese to street and
contemporary dance. Until
Oct 6, various times, various
price.Various venues. www.
dance-yokohama.jp
Asia Focus
Feat. artists from S. Korea and
Japan. Oct 9-10, 7pm, ¥3,800
(adv), ¥4,300 (door). Spiral
Hall. Nearest stn: Omotesando.
www.datto.jp
Pororoca
Brazilian choreographer Lia
Rodrigues’s contemporary
dance. Oct 12-14, various
times, ¥3,800 (adv), ¥4,300
(door). Aoyama Round Theater.
datto.jp
The Battle 2012
Hip-hop face-off. Oct 12,
6:30pm, ¥4,300-4,800. Nakano
Sun Plaza. Nearest stn: Nakano.
www.sunplaza.jp
Dance Triennale
International dance festival
with workshops, street
performance, film, etc. Until Oct
14, Spiral Hall, Image Forum,
Aoyama Round Theater, UN
University. www.datto.jp
Don Quixote
Adopted by K Ballet, feat.
Tetsuya Kumakawa. Oct
6, 3pm; Oct 7, 2pm, ¥8,00018,000. Tokyo Bunka Kaikan.
Nearest stn: Ueno. Oct 19 &
26, 6:30pm; Oct 20 & 27, 1 & 5
pm; Oct 21 & 28, 2pm, various
prices.Bunkamura Orchard
www.k-ballet.co.jp
The Marriage of Figaro
Mozart comic opera by Vienna
State Ballet. Oct 20 & 28, 3pm;
Oct 23, 5pm; ¥14,000-59,000.
Kanagawa Kenmin Hall.
Nearest stn: Nihonodori. Tel:
04-5662-8866.
Sylvia
Leo Delibe's ballet of
nymph-human love. Oct
27-Nov 13, 2pm & 7pm, ¥3,15012,600. New National Theatre
www.nntt.jac.go.jp/english
Swan Lake
Adapted by Tokyo Komaki
Ballet, feat. Misa Kuranaga. Nov
3, 6:30pm; Nov 4, 3pm, ¥6,00012,000. New National Theatre
www.komakiballet.jp
La Bayadère
Adapted by The Mariinsky
Ballet. Nov 15 & 26, 6:45pm; Nov
24, 6pm; Nov 25, 2pm, ¥5,00022,000. Tokyo Bunka Kaikan.
japanarts.co.jp
Clubbing
Friday 28
Ageha
Fever. R&B: DJs Kaori, Souljah,
etc. Live: Mihiro and more.
From 11pm, (m)¥3,500,
(f)¥2,000 w/2d. Nearest stn:
Shin-Kiba. www.ageha.com
Club Asia
El Nino. Hip-hop, techno:
listings for complete listings
DJs Olive Oil, Yazi, etc. Live:
Melt-Down and more. From
11pm, ¥3,500 w/1d. Nearest stn:
Shibuya. www.clubasia.co.jp
11pm, ¥3,500. Nearest stn:
Daikanyama. www.unit-tokyo.
com
Eleven
Eireen. Hip-hop: DJs Kza,
Itagaki, etc. From 10pm, ¥3,000.
go-to-eleven.com
The Ring. House: DJs
Asahina, Kenji, etc. From
11pm, ¥4,000 w/1d. Nearest
stn: Azabu-Juban. www.
warehouse702.com
Module
Womb
Ruby Room
Sunday 30
Over Doser. Techno, house:
DJs Haraguchi, Eco, etc. From
stn: Shibuya. www.moduletokyo.com
Glue. DJ Shougen and more.
From 11pm, ¥1,500 w/1d.
rubyroomtokyo.com
Sound Museum Vision
Legends. Hip-hop: DJs
Grandmaster Flash, Ta-Shi, etc.
From 10pm, ¥3,500. Nearest
stn: Shibuya. www.visiontokyo.com
The New Matrix Bar
Matrix Friday. Old school
hip-hop, west side, south side,
all mix. DJ Ykk and more. From
6pm, ¥1,000 (after 11:30pm).
matrixbar.jp
The Room
Champ. Funky jazzy music: DJs
Tominaga, Oibon, etc. From
Shibuya. www.theroom.jp
Unit
Low End Theory Japan. DJs The
Gaslampkiller, Nocando, etc.
unit-tokyo.com
Warehouse702
Everlust. House, electro: DJs
Tanaka, Sakazaki, etc. From
10pm, (m)¥3,500 w/1d,
(f)¥2,500 w/1d. Nearest
warehouse702.com
Womb
R&S Label Showcase. House,
electronic: DJs Lone, Space
Dimension Controller, etc. From
Shibuya. www.womb.co.jp
Saturday 29
Ageha
Clash x Real Grooves.Electro:
DJs Robert Dietz, Nobu, etc.
Live: Modern Deep Left
Quartet. From 11pm, ¥3,500.
ageha.com
Club Asia
Surreel. Techno, house: DJs
Nozaki, Takaha, etc. From
Eleven
Lick My Deck Showcase.
Techno, house: DJs Petre
Inspirescu, Shaun Soomro,
etc.10pm.¥3,500. Nearest stn:
Roppongi. www.go-to-eleven.
com
Module
Opus. House, techno: DJs Timid
Boy, Tti, etc. From 10pm, ¥3,000
w/1d. Nearest stn: Shibuya.
www.module-tokyo.com
Ruby Room
Tonnel. DJs Portal, Shingo,
etc. From 11pm, ¥1,500 w/1d.
rubyroomtokyo.com
Sound Museum Vision
Uchiagare Hanabi.Hip-hop:
DJs Sukiyaki Boyz, Verbal, etc.
The New Matrix Bar
Saturday Night Fever. Hip-hop,
R&B, reggae: DJ Ykk and more.
From 6pm, ¥1,000 (after 10pm).
matrixbar.jp
Unit
Club Museum. Techno:
DJs Blawan, Ito, etc. From
Warehouse702
Lilith. House, nu disco: DJs
Miguel Campbell, Russ Yallop,
etc. From 11pm, ¥3,500.
womb.co.jp
Air
The Morning Beat. After party:
DJ Sodeyama and more.6-9am,
¥1,000. Nearest stn: Shibuya.
www.air-tokyo.com
The Room
Deep Enough. Deep jazz,
deep funk: DJs Ogawa,
Kuroda, etc.6-11pm, ¥1,000.
theroom.jp
Friday 5
Air
The Rolling Stones Birthday
Party. House: DJs Tanaka,
Ryozzy, etc. From 10pm,
(m)¥3,000, (f)¥1,000. Nearest
stn: Shibuya. www.air-tokyo.
com
Club Asia
The Block Party. Electro,
house: DJs Jaguar Skills,
Taku Takahashi, etc. From
stn: Shibuya. www.clubasia.
co.jp
Eleven
Confusion. Minimal, techno:
DJs Pi-Ge, Chiba, etc. From
Shibuya. www.module-tokyo.
com
Joy meets House Link.
House, techno: DJs Force
of Nature, Kawasaki, etc.
stn: Roppongi. www.
go-to-eleven.com
Strong, beautiful, flexible
Transform your body & soul at
BASI PILATES!
The Room
Module
Offering you “Authentic Pilates”
Module
Middle of Nowhere.House,
techno: DJs Ohta, Shin,
etc.4-10pm, ¥1,500 w/1d.
theroom.jp
Womb
Grammy Refined.Progressive,
tech house: DJs Juri, Takeda,
etc.3-10pm, ¥2,500. Nearest stn:
Innocence. Techno, house:
DJs Crazy Neo, Tblnc, etc.
From 10pm, ¥2,500 w/1d.
module-tokyo.com
Sound Museum Vision
Monday 1
A-1 Store. Hip-hop: DJs
Hasebe, Daruma, etc. Live:
Smif-N-Wessun. From 10pm,
(m)¥3,500, (f)¥3,000. Nearest
Air
The Room
Red. House, techno: DJs Nakata,
Uchida, etc. From 10pm, ¥3,000
w/1d. Nearest stn: Shibuya.
www.air-tokyo.com
Club Asia
Crew. All dance music: DJs
Goth-Trad, Olive Oil, etc. From
Module
Katrina. Techno, tech house:
DJs Ami, Saku, etc. From 9pm,
¥1,500 w/1d. Nearest stn:
Shibuya. www.module-tokyo.
com
The Room
Trane. Beat music: DJs Yagi,
Bugseed, etc.6-11pm, ¥1,000.
theroom.jp
Warehouse702
Us. House, techno: DJs
Okamoto, Kaito, etc. From
warehouse702.com
Womb
Moder. House, tech house:
DJs Otokawa, Sano, etc. From
stn: Shibuya. www.womb.co.jp
Thursday 4
Air
Flashback. House, techno: DJ
A Policemans So and more.
Shibuya. www.air-tokyo.com
Club Asia
Back to chill. Dub step: DJ
Various DJs. From 11pm,
¥3,000 w/1d. Nearest stn:
Eleven
Soundpost. House:
DJs Mamazu, Yoan,
etc.10pm.¥2,000 w/1d.
go-to-eleven.com
Module
Dust Space. All good music:
DJs Sawai, Ichinoi, etc. From
stn: Shibuya. www.moduletokyo.com
Sound Museum Vision
104 the Night. J-pop: DJ Show-G.
Live: Toshihiko Tahara. From
3:30pm, ¥4,000. Nearest stn:
Shibuya. www.vision-tokyo.
com
Breakthrough. Hip-hop:
DJs Jin, Ladi Dadi, etc.
From 10pm, ¥2,500 w/1d.
theroom.jp
Metropolis Campaign
Admission Fee: ¥15,750 ¥0
Trial Machine Private Lesson: ¥10,000 ¥8,400
Package 3 Machine
Private Lessons
¥30,000 ¥18,000
Machine Private Lessons available at our Roppongi studio
Lessons in English available
Studios in Roppongi, Ginza, Nakameguro and more
03-6425-7054 • [email protected]
www.basipilates.jp/english/
Unit
Dethtax Studio. DJs Crown
Steppaz, Kawanabe, etc. Live:
Back Drop Bomb and more.
unit-tokyo.com
Womb
Sterne. Techno: DJs Chris
Liebing, Ishino, etc. From
Upcoming
Ageha
Ultra Music.House: DJs
Emma, Kimura, etc. Oct 6,
from 11pm, ¥3,500. Nearest
stn: Shin-Kiba. www.ageha.
com
Vanity
Metropolis Glitterball 2012.
All mix. Oct 25, from 6pm,
¥2,500 (adv)/¥3,000.
vanitylounge.jp
Exhibitions
Akasaka/Roppongi
Moto-Azabu Gallery
Love Doll Furniture. Orient
Kogyo’s sex dolls. Sep
29-30, free. Nearest stn:
Azabu-Juban. www.orientdoll.com
Mori Art Museum
Arab Express. The latest art
from the Arab world. Until
Oct 28, ¥1,500 (general).
MAM Project: Lee Changwon.
Visual trickery. Until Oct
28, ¥1,500 (general), ¥1,000
(Univ & HS). Aida Makoto:
Monument for Nothing.
One of Japan's most
controversial contemporary
artist's first large-scale solo
exhibition. Nov 17-Mar
31, Yamashiro Chikako.
Contemporary video
artist from Okinawa. Nov
17-Mar 31, ¥1,500 (general),
¥1,000 (HS). Open Mon
& Wed-Sun 10am-10pm,
Tue 10am-5pm.6-10-1
Roppongi. Nearest stn:
Roppongi. www.mori.art.
museum
Agenda Listings
Suntory Museum of Art
Otogi-zoshi. Illustrated tales
from medieval Japan. Until
Nov 4, ¥1,300. Open Wed-Sat
10am-8pm, Sun-Mon &
hols 10am-6pm, closed
Tue.9-7-4 Akasaka. Nearest
stn: Roppongi. www.suntory.
jp/sma
The National Art Center,
Tokyo
Given Forms. Various media
by Toeko Tatsuno. Until
Oct 22, Open Wed-Mon
10am-6pm, closed Tue.7-22-2
Roppongi. Nearest stn:
Roppongi. www.nact.jp
Tokyo Midtown
Tokyo Photo 2012. Japan’s
first international art fair
dedicated to photography.
Until Oct 1, 11am-7pm,
¥1,500.9 Akasaka. Nearest
stn: Roppongi. Tel: 03-34753100.
Wako Works of Art
Two Birds, a Stone and a
Horse. Kristina Berning, Ayse
Erkmen, and Henk Visch.
Until Oct 13, 6-8pm, free. Open
Tue-Sat 11am-7pm, closed
Sun-Mon.3F Pyramid Bldg.66-9 Roppongi. Nearest stn:
Roppongi. www.wako-art.jp
Ginza/Kyobashi/
Tokyo
Megumi Ogita Gallery
New Paintings 2012. Marefumi
Komura. Until Sep 29, free.
Affinities. Hiroko Otake and
Paola Masi. Oct 12-Nov 2, free.
Tue-Sat 11am-7pm, Closed
Mon & Sun.4F, 5-4-14 Ginza.
Nearest stn: Ginza. www.
megumiogita.com
National Film Center
Nihon Eiga. History of Japanese
films from the NFC collection.
Ongoing, ¥200. Nikkatsu
100: A Century of Japanese
Cinema. Japan's oldest major
movie studio's history of
film producing. Until Dec 23,
free. Open Tue-Thu & Sat-Sun
10am-5pm, Fri 10am-8pm.37-6 Kyobashi. Nearest stn:
Kyobashi. www.momat.go.jp
Span Art Gallery
Katsumi Yamazaki. Satirical
illustrator and shikoku-e artist.
Until Sep 29, free. Hideki Koh.
Contemporary home-erotic
shunga. Oct 6-13, free. Akihiko
Aono, Shigeru Ozawa, Sihachi
Nakashima. Three doll
makers. Oct 15-27, free. Nobu
Hosana. Landscape painting.
Oct 29-Nov 3, free.Itsuko
Azuma. Mystical illustration.
Nov 5-17, free. Open Mon-Sat
11am-7pm, closed Sun.2-2-18
Ginza. Nearest stn: Ginza.
www.span-art.co.jp
Vanilla Gallery
Chimerical World. Keiryu
Asakura's illustrations. Until
Oct 6, free. Open Mon-Fri
noon-7pm, Sat noon-5pm,
closed Sun.4F Daini Kamata
Bldg, 6-10-10 Ginza. Nearest
stn: Ginza. www.vanillagallery.com
Vanilla Mania Gallery
Sukkarakan. Illustration
and painting by Ayaka
Hamada. Until Oct 6,
7pm-11:30pm.7-7-7 Ginza,
Chuo-ku. Nearest stn: Ginza.
www.vanilla-mania.com
Harajuku/Aoyama
Diesel Art Gallery
Make Up. Collaboration of
Japanese make-up artist
Ayami Nishimura and UK
photographer Rankin. Until
Nov 9, free. Digit. Designer
Yoshimasa Tsutsumi’s store
installations using Diesel's
home collection. Until Feb
17, free. Open daily 11:30am9pm.1-23-16 Shibuya. Nearest
stn: Shibuya. www.diesel.
co.jp/art
Nezu Museum
The Tale of the Heike Painting
Album: Transience in Miniature
Form. Fan-shaped paintings
recounting Japanese literary
Go to www.meturl.com/l
classic. Until Oct 21, ¥1,000.
Shibata Zeshin: From Lacquer
Arts to Painting. The late
Edo-Meiji period lacquer master.
Nov 1-Dec 16, ¥1,000.6-5-1
Minami-Aoyama. Nearest stn:
Omotesando. www.nezu-muse.
or.jp/en
Ukiyo-e Ota Memorial
Museum of Art
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi: 120th
Memorial Retrospective. The last
great ukiyo-e master. Oct 2-Nov
25, ¥1,000 (general), ¥700 (HS).
Open Tue-Sun 10:30am-5:30pm,
closed Mon.1-10-10 Jingumae.
ukiyoe-ota-muse.jp
Shibuya/Ebisu
Bunkamura Gallery
The Real and the Imagined:
Watercolours from The
Whitworth Art Gallery.
18-19th-century English
watercolors. Oct 20-Dec 9,
¥1,400 (general). Open daily,
10am-7pm.2- 24-1 Dogenzaka.
bunkamura.co.jp/english
Bunkamura: The Museum
Ilya Repin: Master Works from
the State Tretyakov Gallery.
Painting. Until Oct 8, ¥1,400
(general). Open Mon-Thu & Sun
10am-7pm, Fri-Sat 10am-8pm.
2-24-1 Dogenzaka. Nearest stn:
Shibuya. www.bunkamura.co.jp
photographing Japanese
festivals by Chris Willson.
Until Oct 1, free. Watarasesaiko.
Photography of Watarase Lake
by Takao Ootsuka. Oct 3-15,
free. KPC Sorezore no Shashin.
Group photo exhibition of
everyday scenes. Oct 3-8,
free. Waga Kokoro no Yama.
Photos of mountains in Japan.
Oct 17-22, free. Hana to Shizen
wo Toru. Photos of flowers
and nature. Oct 10-15, free.
Wed-Mon 10:30am-6:30pm,
closed Tue.B1 Shinjuku Center
Bldg, 1-25-1 Nishi-Shinjuku.
Nearest stn: Shinjuku. www.
pentax.jp
Sompo Japan Museum
of Art
James Ensor. Belgian grotesque
artist. Until Nov 11, 10am-6pm,
¥1,000 (general).42F
Sompo Japan Bldg, 1-26-1
Nishi-Shinjuku. Nearest stn:
Shinjuku. www.sompo-japan.
co.jp/museum
Tokyo Opera City Art
Gallery
The People. Photography by
Kishin. Oct 3-Dec 24, ¥1,000.
Open Tue-Thu 11am-7pm,
Fri-Sat 11am-8pm.3-20-2
Hatsudai. www.operacity.jp
Tokyo Toy Museum
Gallery Sequel
Ki no Gangu-ten.Wooden
toys. Until Sep 30, free. Open
Fri-Wed 10am-4pm. Closed
Thu.Yotsuya Hiroba, 4-20
Yotsuya. Nearest stn: Yotsuya
Sanchome. www.goodtoy.org
Nadiff Gallery
National Museum of
Nature and Science
Daydreamers. Kristiana Parn.
Nov 19-24, Open 11am-7pm.
3-9-3 Jingu-mae, Shibuya-ku.
www.sequelart.com
Tango.Photography by Daniel
Machado and Daido Moriyama.
Until Sep 30, free. Sogen.Photos
by Kyoji Takahashi. Until Oct
28, free. Open daily noon-8pm.
1-18-4 Ebisu. Nearest stn: Ebisu.
www.nadiff.com
Parco Museum
Chim Pom. First large-scale solo
exhibition of one of the most
controversial Japanese artist.
Until Oct 14, ¥500. Open daily
10am-9pm.B1F Parco Part1,
15-1 Udagawacho, Shibuya-ku.
www.parco-art.com
The Watari-Um Museum of
Contemporary Art
I Love Art 12: The Angel of History.
Telling history through photos
by Man Ray, Risaku Suzuki, etc.
Until Nov 11, 11am-7pm, ¥1,000
(general), ¥800 (students). Open
Tue & Thu-Sun 11am-7pm, Wed
11am-9pm, closed Mon.3-7-6
Jingumae. Nearest stn:
Gaienmae. www.watarium.co.jp
Tokyo Metropolitan
Museum of Photography
Masayoshi Sukita Retrospective:
Sound & Vision. David
Bowie’s iconic Ziggy Stardust
photographs and more. Until
Sep 30, ¥800. Open Tue-Wed
& Sat-Sun 10am-6pm, Thu-Fri
Mita Meguro-ku Tokyo. Nearest
stn: Ebisu.syabi.com
Shinjuku/Ikebukuro
Hiromart Gallery
Still Alive.Hamburg-based artist
Claudia Ahlering’s new oil
paintings and drawings. Until
Nov 4, free. Open Wed-Sun
1-7pm, closed Mon-Tue.130-7 Sekiguchi. Nearest stn:
Edogawabashi. Tel: 03-62339836.
Kenji Taki Gallery
Comet 2012.Photos by Eiji
Watanabe. Until Sep 29, free.
Open Tue-Sat noon-7pm,
closed Sun-Mon & hols.3-18-2
Hatsudai. www.kenjitaki.com
NTT Intercommunication
Center
Open Space. Multimedia and
digital art. Ongoing.11am-6pm,
free.4F Tokyo Opera City Tower,
3-20-2 Nishi-Shinjuku. Nearest
stn: Hatsudai. www.ntticc.or.jp
Pentax Forum
Matsuri. Ten years
Ueno
Genso no Fushigi. Learn about
chemical elements. Until Oct 8,
free. Open Tue-Thu & Sat-Sun
9am-5pm, Fri 9am-8pm, closed
Mon.7-20 Ueno Park. Nearest
stn: Ueno. www.kahaku.go.jp
The National Museum of
Western Art
Traces of Hands. Sculpture
and drawings by Rodin and
Bourdelle. Nov 3-Jan 27, ¥800
(general). Open daily 9:30am5:30pm.7-7 Ueno Park. Nearest
stn: Ueno. www.nmwa.go.jp
Tokyo Metropolitan Art
Museum
Earth, Sea and Sky: Nature in
Western Art; Masterpieces of the
Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Various media. Oct 6-Jan 4,
1,300 (adv), ¥1,600 (door).8-36
Ueno Park. Nearest stn: Ueno.
www.tobikan.jp
Tokyo National Museum
China: Grandeur of the
Dynasties. Artifacts from the
Middle Kingdom. Oct 10-Dec
24, ¥1,500. Open Tue-Sun
9:30am-5pm.13-9 Ueno Park.
Nearest stn: Ueno. www.tnm.jp
Ueno Royal Museum
Tutankhamun and the Golden
Age of the Pharaohs. Artifacts
from Ancient Egypt. Until
Dec 9, ¥2,500-2,800 (general).
Open Sat-Thur 10am-6pm,
Fri 10am-8pm.1-2 Ueno Park.
ueno-mori.org
Other Areas
Hara Museum of
Contemporary Art
Home Again. Ten gaikokujin
artists explore the concept
of “home.” Until Nov
18, 11am-5pm, ¥1,000
(general). Open Tue-Sun
Kita-Shinagawa. Nearest
stn: Kita-shinagawa. www.
haramuseum.or.jp
Hiratsuka Museum of Art
Miwaku no Dollhouse.
Miniature houses from around
the world. Oct 6-Nov 25, ¥700.
Tue-Sun 9:30am-5pm.1-3-3
Nishiyawata, Hiratsuka-shi.
Nearest stn: Hiratsuka. www.
red3.scn-net.ne.jp/art-muse
Hoki Museum
Realism Today. Until Nov 11,
¥1,500. Open Mon & Wed-Thu
listings for complete listings
10am-6pm, Fri, Sat 10am-7pm,
Sun 10am-5pm, closed
Tue.3-15 Asumigaokahigashi,
Midori-ku. Nearest stn: Toke.
www.hoki-museum.jp/en
Hoki Museum
Shajitsu to Kanosei to Ooinaru
Chosen.Photography. Nov
21-May 19, ¥1,500.Wed-Mon
10am-5pm, closed Tue.3-15
Asumigaoka-Higashi, Midoriku, Chiba-shi. Nearest stn:
Toke.
Louvre-DNP Museum Lab
Goya and Spanish Painting in the
Louvre. Entry by appointment
only. Until Oct 28, free. Fri
6-9pm, Sat & Sun 10am-6pm.1F
DNP Gotanda Bldg, 3-5-20
Nishi-Gotanda. Nearest stn:
Gotanda. www.museumlab.jp
Museum of
Contemporary Art Tokyo
Bloomberg Pavilion Project.
Akihisa Hirata’s paper
building stages exhibitions
and performances. Until Oct
5, free. MOT Collection. Art
works from the 60s to the
80s. Until Oct 8, 10am-6pm,
¥500. Tokusatsu: Special
Effects Museum. Miniatures
used in old-school SF movies,
curated by Evangelion
animator Hideaki Anno. Until
Oct 8, ¥1,400 (general), ¥900
(students), ¥4000 (elem).4-1-1
Miyoshi, Koto-ku. Nearest stn:
Kiyosumi-shirakawa. www.
mot-art-museum.jp
Pola Museum of Art
Picasso. Painting. Until Oct
2, ¥1,800 (general). Collector
Tsuneshi Suzuki—Part One:
Picasso and Paintings from
the Pola Museum of Art. 300
pieces from permanent
collection. Until Oct 2, ¥1,800
(generals).1285 Kozukayama,
Sengokuhara, Hakone-machi.
Nearest stn: Gora. www.
polamuseum.or.jp
Sogo Museum of Art
The Life of Marie Antoinette.
Family heirlooms, paintings,
dresses, and wigs from the
Royal Court. Until Nov 18,
10am-8pm, ¥1,200. Open daily
10am-8pm.2-18-1 Takashima,
Nishi-ku. Nearest stn:
Yokohama. www2.sogo-gogo.
com/common/museum
Taro Okamoto Museum of
Art, Kawasaki
Taro Okamoto's Animals.
Paintings and sculptures. Until
Oct 8, ¥500. Open Tue-Sun
9:30am-5pm, closed Mon.7-1-5
Masukata, Tama-ku, Kawasaki.
Nearest stn: Mukogaoka-Yuen.
www.taromuseum.jp
The Container
Systems and Methods in
Hidden Functions. Works
by conceptual artist Hideki
Nakazawa. Until Dec 10,
free. Mon–Fri 11am-9pm,
Sat–Sun & hols 10am-8pm,
closed Tue.Hills Daikanyama,
1-8-30 Kami-Meguro. Nearest
stn: Naka-Meguro. www.
the-container.com
The Museum of Modern
Art, Hayama
Ben Shahn.Photography,
painting and graphic arts. Nov
17-Jan 14, ¥900 (general).“Two
Times” Antony Gormley Project
in Hayama. Award-winning UK
sculptor's new works. Until Mar
1, free. Open Tue-Sun 9:30am5pm, closed Mon.2208-1
Isshiki, Hayama, Miura-gun.
Nearest stn: Zushi.
The Museum of Modern
Art, Saitama
The ’70s in Japan 1968-1982.
Various media. Until Nov 11,
¥1,000 (general). Open daily
10:00am-5:30pm.9-30-1
Tokiwa, Urawa-ku, Saitama-shi.
Nearest stn: Kitaurawa. www.
spiral.co.jp
Tokyo Big Sight
Good Design Exhibition.
Award-winning products. Nov
23-25, 10am, ¥1,000.3-21-1
Ariake. Nearest stn: KokusaiTenjijo-Seimon. www.bigsight.
jp/english
Sports
Auto Racing
Super Taikyu WTCC
Oct 20-21, various, ¥5,000 (adv),
¥6,000 (door). Suzuka Circuit.
Nearest stn: Suzuka Circuit Inou.
Tel: 05-9378-1111.
FC Tokyo vs. Vissel Kobe.
Nov 17, 5pm, ¥500-5,000.
Ajinomoto Stadium. Nearest
stn: Tobitakyu.
Urawa Reds vs. Sanfrecce
Hiroshima. Nov 17, 2pm,
¥1,000-4,500. Saitama
Stadium. Nearest stn:
Urawamisono. www.
top-league.jp.
Baseball
Tennis
Central League
ATP Sunday Rakuten
Open
Yokohama BayStars
vs.Yomiuri Giants. Until Sep 29,
6pm, ¥500-5,500.Yokohama
Stadium. Nearest stn: Kannai.
Tel: 04-5661-1251.
Tokyo Swallows vs. Chunichi
Dragons. S ep 29, 6pm,
¥500-4,500. Meiji Jingu Gaien.
Nearest stn: Harajuku.
Basketball
Japan Basketball League
Alvark vs.Brex. Oct 5-6,
7:15pm, ¥1,000-5,000. Ota City
General Gymnasium. Nearest
stn: Umeyashiki. Tel: 03-54806688.
Sunrockers vs. Diamond
Dolphins. Oct 20-21, 4pm,
¥1,000-5,000.Yoyogi National
Gymnasium. Nearest stn:
Meiji-Jingumae. Tel: 03-34681171.
Alvark vs. Sea Horses. Oct
27-28, 4pm, ¥1,000-5,000.
Yoyogi National Gymnasium.
Nearest stn: Meiji-Jingumae. Tel:
03-3468-1171.
Alvark vs.Brave Thunders.
Nov 2-3, 7:15pm, ¥1,000-5,000.
Yoyogi National Gymnasium.
Nearest stn: Meiji-Jingumae. Tel:
03-3468-1171.
Figure Skating
Medal Winners Open
Oct 5, 7pm, ¥7,000-16,000.
Saitama Super Arena. Nearest
stn: Saitama-Shintoshin.
Carnival on Ice
Oct 6, 6pm, ¥6,000-27,200.
Japan Open
Oct 6, 12:30pm, ¥4,000-24,000.
Formula 1
Japanese Grand Prix
Oct 5-7, various, from ¥5,000
and up. Suzuka Circuit. Nearest
stn: Suzuka Circuit Inou. Tel:
05-9378-1111.
K-1
K-1 Rising World GP Final
Oct 14, 4:30pm, ¥5,000-30,000.
Ryogoku Kokugikan. Nearest
stn: Ryogoku. Tel: 03-3623-5111.
Motorcycle Racing
MFJ Grand Prix
Oct 27-28, various, ¥3,500 (adv,
2 days), ¥4,000 (door). Suzuka
Circuit. Nearest stn: Suzuka
Circuit Inou. Tel: 05-9378-1111.
Soccer
J. League, Division 1
FC Tokyo vs.Jubilo Iwata. Sep
29, 2pm, ¥500-5,000. Ajinomoto
Stadium. Nearest stn: Tobitakyu.
Kawasaki Frontale vs.
Consadole Sapporo. Sep 29,
7pm, ¥800-4,500. Todoroki
Stadium. Nearest stn:
Musashikosugi.
Urawa Reds vs. Consadole
Sapporo. Oct 6, 7pm, ¥1,0004,500. Saitama Stadium. Nearest
stn: Urawamisono.
Kawasaki Frontale vs.Gamba
Osaka. Oct 20, 3pm, ¥800-4,500.
Todoroki Stadium. Nearest stn:
Musashikosugi.
FC Tokyo vs. Consadole
Sapporo. Oct 27, 5pm,
¥500-5,000. Ajinomoto Stadium.
Nearest stn: Tobitakyu.
Urawa Reds vs. Cerezo Osaka.
Oct 27, 2pm, ¥1,000-4,500.
Saitama Stadium. Nearest stn:
Urawamisono.
Kawasaki Frontale vs. Urawa
Reds. Nov 7, 7pm, ¥800-4,500.
Todoroki Stadium. Nearest stn:
Musashikosugi.
( Incl. High Lights )
Sep 30, 12pm, ¥2,500-5,000.
Ariake Colosseum. Nearest
stn: Ariake. Tel: 03-3529-3301.
Festivals
Days of Taste
A two-day French gastronomy
event. Sep 29-30, 11:45am,
free. The French Institute
of Yokohama. Nearest stn:
Kannai. www.institut.jp/fr
Hokkaido Fair
Local sake, food, tourist info,
stage, etc. Oct 5-8, 10am-6pm,
free.Yoyogi Park. Nearest
stn: Harajuku. www.hokkaisyokudo.co.jp/yoyogi.php
Adachi Fireworks
15,000 fireworks. Oct 13 (rain
date Oct 14), 6-7pm, free.
Nishi-Arai Bridge. Nearest
stn: Kitasenju. www.hanabi.
walkerplus.com/detail/
fw0465.html
Koenji Fes
Cultural festival feat.music,
second-hand books, kokeshi
dolls, talk shows, and dance.
Oct 27-28, free. Koenji. Nearest
stn: Koenji Station. www.
koenjifes.jp
Tori-no-ichi Festival
Annual harvest festival
praying for good business.
Feat. food stalls, and lucky
rake fair. Free. Nov 7-8 & 19-20,
free.Hanazono Jinja Shrine.
www.hanazono-jinja.or.jp
Nikko Onarimichi
Matsuri
Restaging the historical
parade of the Tokugawa
Shogunate's 1,000 warlords,
feat.Ken Matsudaira. Nov 11,
9am-4pm, free (rain date Nov
18). Sangyo Road. Nearest stn:
Kawaguchi and Hatogaya.
www.1110city.com/
onarimichi
Forums & Expos
Ceatec
A showcase of cutting-edge
IT and electronics. Oct
2-6, 10am-5pm, ¥1,000.
Makuhari Messe. Nearest
stn: Kaihin-Makuhari.
www.m-messe.co.jp
All Japan Model and
Hobby Show
Plastic models and more.
Oct 13-14, 9:30am-4:30pm,
¥1,000. Makuhari Messe.
Nearest stn: KaihinMakuhari. www.m-messe.
co.jp
Cycle Mode International
Bike stuff and test rides. Nov
2-4, various times, ¥1,000.
Makuhari Messe. Nearest
stn: Kaihin-Makuhari.
www.m-messe.co.jp
Bazaars & Markets
Oedo Antique Fair
Japan’s largest outdoor
antique market.Every first
and third Sun, 8am-4:30pm,
Tokyo International
Forum Hall C. Nearest stn:
Yurakucho. Tel: 03-58051093.
Aoyama Marche
Farmer’s Market
Farmers from around the
nation gather to sell their
organic fruits and vegetables.
Every weekend. United
Nations University. Nearest
stn: Omotesando. Tel:
03-3456-0960.
Agenda Listings
Shinagawa Intercity Flea
Market
More than 600 vendors.
Every Sun and hols.
Ongoing, 9am-3pm, free.
Shinagawa Intercity. Nearest
stn: O-i Keibajo. www31.
ocn.ne.jp/~recycler/kaijyou_
data/shinagawa.html
Umi no Koen Flea Market
Every third Sun, 10am-4pm,
Umi no Koen. Nearest stn:
Uminokoen-Shibaguchi.
rinpodan@umino-kouen.
net
Yasukuni Shrine Antique
Market
Every Sun, sunrise-sunset.
Yasukuni Shrine. Nearest
stn: Kudanshita. Tel:
03-3261-8326.
Fudaten Jinja Market
Every second Sun, Fudaten
Jinja. Nearest stn: Chofu. Tel:
04-2489-0022.
Room 806 - Roppongi
Hair Salon, Fades,
Relaxers & Braids
Community
Tel: 03-5545-4325
Oct 7, 12:30pm
Believers Today
4/You 2 - Hiroo
Massage & Waxing (ladies only)
Tel:03-3443-2279
Sakura Total
Beauty Salon - Yokosuka
Relaxers, Shellack gel,
Waxing & Fades
Tel/Fax 046-826-2218
www.theroom806.com
since 1998
Staffed by experienced
ophthalmologists, we
offer not only LASIK,
but the examination
and treatment of eye
diseases.
Japanese Health Insurance Supported
4F Renai Aoyama Building, 3-3-11 Kita Aoyama, Minato-ku Tokyo 107-0061
For your clearer vision call 03-5772-1451
Support
Tohoku
families
living in
temporary
housing. Southern-style
buffet includes fried
catfish, BBQ ribs, and all
the trimmings. Live gospel
performed by Jett
Edwards and We'll Be Fine.
All money goes to the
cause.¥3,000/¥5,000
(couples)/¥1,500
(children). Pasela Resorts
Grande Shibuya. Nearest
stn: Shibuya. Reserve via
[email protected]
oct 7-8
Rainbow
Garden Party
at Gregg
International
School
Come one, come all! Kids
of all ages from 0 to 100
are invited to this party of
fun and games,
international food,
international arts and
crafts and special
entertainment—with a
family photo studio. The
Yokosuka 7th Fleet Naval
Band on Sun, Oct 7.
Tel: 03-3725-8000.
www.gis-j.com
Tokyo Comedy Store
English improv comedy
show. Sep 28 & Oct 26 & Nov
30, 8-10:30pm, ¥2,000 +
1d. Crocodile. Nearest stn:
Shibuya. www.tokyocomedy.
com
Yoga in Yoyogi Park
Refresh body and spirit and
raise money for children
with cancer. Sep 29-30,
11am-noon, ¥1,000 (100%
donated).Yoyogi Park.
Nearest stn: Harajuku.
JR HARAJUKU Sta.
2
1
3
OTA MEMORIAL
HARAJUKU MUSEUM OF ART
QUEST
SOFT
BANK
NIKE
MUJI
LAFORET
HARAJUKU
ZARA
5
6
Tokyo Metro
MEIJI-JINGUMAE
‘Harajuku’ Sta.
4
7
Stand-Up Comedy
Riffing in English. Oct 18,
Nov 15, Dec 20, 9-10pm, free
+ 1d. Hobgoblin Shibuya.
tokyocomedy.com
Melbourne Cup Luncheon
Watch the race live. Nov 6,
11am-4pm, ¥14,500 (general),
¥12,500 (member).Grand Hyatt
Tokyo. Nearest stn: Roppongi.
www.australiasocietytokyo.
com
16 brave expat amateurs
compete in a pro Vegas-style
fight night for charity. Nov 16,
7pm. From ¥30,000. Grand
Hyatt Tokyo Ballroom. Nearest
stn: Roppongi. http://ginjaninjas.
com
25th Tokyo International
Film Festival
Japan’s flagship fest. Oct 20-28,
various times. Roppongi Hills
and other venues. http://2012.
tiff-jp.net
Other Events
South of France Wine
Dinner
Wine seminar with a gourmet
dinner in an international
atmosphere. Sep 29, 7-10:30pm,
¥9,980 (adv). Legato.
wineandcooking.info
Nozawa Onsen Run for the
Cure/ Walk for Life
Learning
A charity run in the onsen town
of Nagano. Sep 29, 2pm, ¥3,000
(adult), ¥2,000 (6-12 yr old).
Nozawa Onsen City Hall. www.
runforthecure.org/en/nozawa
Imi Krav Maga
Selvhenter
Learn the no-nonsense Israeli
martial art from Boaz, a
disciple of the founder. Classes
include women-only and
children-only. Ongoing. AI
International School. Nearest
stn: Shirogane Takanawa or
Mita. Email: boaz@ra-studio.
com
SCBWI Tokyo Workshop
Multicultural illustrator Philip
Giordano shows and tells.
Sep 30, 2-4pm, ¥1,500. Tokyo
Women's Plaza. Nearest stn:
Omotesando. www.scbwi.jp
Body Suspension
Workshop
Female experimental rock
band from Denmark. Dance
feat. Mujer. Oct 1, 8pm, ¥1,000
(adv), ¥2,000 (door). Super
Deluxe. Nearest stn: Roppongi.
www.super-deluxe.com
Animal Walk Tokyo
Charity Pub Quiz
Help raise awareness for
animal welfare in Tokyo.
Oct 4, 7pm, ¥3,000 w/2d.
Hobgoblin Roppongi. www.
animalwalktokyo.com/signup.
html
Department-H
Demo by Pain Solution, Oslo
fakirs. Sep 30, 4:45pm, ¥3,500
w/1d.Vanilla Gallery. Nearest
stn: Ginza. www.vanillagakuen.com
Underground party hosted
by drag queens. BYOB. Oct
6, from 12am, ¥3,000(dress
code)/¥4,500 (w/flyer)/ ¥5,000
(door). Tokyo Kinema Club.
Nearest stn: Uguisudani. Tel:
03-3874-7988.
Careers in Foreign-owned
Firms in Japan
Tokyo Grand Tea
Ceremony
Feat.speaker Hiroshi Ono,
associate professor at Texas
A&M University. Oct 4, 7pm,
free. Temple University. Nearest
stn: www.tuj.ac.jp/icas
Theatresports Showcase
Improv workshop taught by
Tokyo Comedy Store director
Chris Wells. Oct 17 & Dec 12,
8:30pm, ¥500. Our Space
Studio. Nearest stn: Hatagaya.
www.tokyocomedy.com
Tradition & Technology
Guided tour of the city in
English. Nov 3, 9:30am-4pm,
free. Minato City Hall Main
Entrance. Nearest stn: Daimon.
Tel: 03-3578-2111.
Tea as art. Oct 7-8, free.
Edo-Tokyo Open Air
Architectural Museum. Nearest
stn: Musashikoganei. Oct 13-14,
free.Hamarikyu Gardens. www.
dento-wa.jp
Japan Scottish Highland
Games
Caber toss, etc., at the 30th
anniversary. Oct 7, 10:30am4:30pm, ¥1,500.Kanda
University of International
Studies, Makuhari. www.
japanhighlandgames.com
3331 Expo
L’Atelier Photo by David
Michaud
Chiyoda Arts Festival. Open
submission art event, feat.
performance, markets, etc. Until
Oct 8, free.3331 Arts Chiyoda.
Nearest stn: Suehirocho.
www.3331.jp
Film
2012 Showcase of autumn/
winter line by Dazy Clair, Duras,
Vivayou, etc. Oct 13, 1pm,
¥5,000-15,000. Saitama Super
Arena. Nearest stn: SaitamaShintoshin. www.tgc.st
Photography and French
language tips. Nov 18, 10:30am1pm, ¥3,200. The French
Institute of Yokohama. Nearest
stn: Kannai.
Latin Beat Film Festival
2012
Spanish, Central and South
American films. Sep 27-Oct 5,
various times, ¥1,500 (adv),
¥1,700 (door). Shinjuku Wald9.
Nearest Station: Shinjuku.
www.hispanicbeatfilmfestival.
com
Post Card
Tokyo Girls Collection
Air Balloon Rides
Make like Montpellier. Oct
13-14 & 27-28, 10-11:30am &
1-5:30pm, ¥1,000 (general)/
free (age 3 and under). Suzuka
Circuit. Nearest stn: Suzuka
Circuit Inou. Tel: 05-9378-1111.
Tokyo Decadance DX
Halloween
All animals (and owners)
welcome. Sep 30, 3:30pm,
free. Franciscan Chapel
Center. Nearest stn: Roppongi.
Tokyo International Film
Festival's pre-festival
screening of Kaneto Shindo's
last flick. Sep 29-30, 4pm.
Akasaka Civic Hall. Nearest
stn: Aoyama Itchome. www.
tiff-jp.net/en
7th anniversary of monthly
cosplay party. Feat. Adrien le
Danois, Cevin Key, Joujouka,
DJ Sumirock, etc. Oct 20,
10:30pm, ¥4,500 w/1d, ¥6,500
w/5d. Christon Cafe. Nearest
stn: Shinjuku. www.iflyer.tv/
christoncafe
Evening Musings 9
Study of Dance in Space
Tokyo Vege Food Festa
New Material Night
8th Festival Cinema
Brasil
Blessing of the Animals
Writers Bloc Tokyo's monthly
poetry and storytelling
series. Sep 30, 7:30pm, free.
Jamrock Cafe. Nearest stn:
Harajuku.
Experienced and new comics
trying out jokes. Oct 2 & 16
& Nov 6 & 20 & Dec 4 & 18, 8
- 9pm, free. Double Tall Cafe.
tokyocomedy.com
Film from Dance Trienniale
Tokyo 2012. Sep 29-Oct 14,
9pm, ¥1,300 (door).Various
venues. www.datto.jp
Screening of eight Brazilian
films. Oct 6-12, various
times, ¥1,300 (adv), ¥1,500
(door). Eurospace. Nearest
stn: Shibuya. www.2012.
cinemabrasil.info
Restaurants and products
catering to veggies and vegans.
Oct 20-21, 10am-5pm, free.
Yoyogi Park. Nearest stn:
Harajuku. http://tokyo-vegefest.
com
Movie news &
ReviewS P.28
Metrohomes selected listings
MetroHomes.jp
All english-language services!
T h is
renta week, all
l prop
ertie
s:
N
Just a few examples from Japan’s biggest
English-language real estate database...
Nagano Woodland Forced Sale
O
MON
EY!
1,032m2 hillside plot of land next to golf course
Cool weather, a verdant
mountain landscape, clean
air, and right next to the
27-hole Enrei Golf Course.
If you dream of escaping
Tokyo each summer, this is
Enrei golf course
KEY
the place to do it.
Due to business
circumstances, the
private owner is
reluctantly selling this
wonderful hillside plot.
Contact
• Frank A. Kasala
• Tel: 03-4530-9820
• Cell: 090-6456-1596
• anacapa007@hotmail.
com
• Higashiyama, Shiojiri
City, Nagano
• 1,032m2 hillside plot
• Power and water
supplied to perimeter
• ¥6,800,000
The Oak House
Shinjuku-ku • Nearest stn:
Iidabsahi Sta (5 min)
• 215m2 • 4LDK apartment
• ¥750,000
• Tel: 03-3583-6941
Roppongi Residences #1106
Minato-ku • Nearest stn:
Roppongi (5 min)
• ¥310,000
• Tel: 03-5413-5666
Ark Hills Sengokuyama
Residence
Roppongi-itchome (4 min)
• 65-282m2 • 1-5 BR • ¥470,000–
2,510,000 • Tel: 03-3583-6941
Green Court Azabujuban
Azabujuban (3 min) • 64m2
• 1LDK • ¥300,000
• Tel: 03-3583-6941
Tomigaya Heim
Shibuya-ku • Nearest stn:
Yoyogi Koen (7 min)
• ¥550,000
• Tel: 03-5449-6061
Ark Hills Front Tower RoP
Minato-ku • Nearest stn: Roppongi
Itchome (4 min)
• ¥1.500,000
• Tel: 03-5449-6061
Enplus Inc.
Noble Mansion I
Shinjuku-ku • Nearest Stn: Ochiai
(2min) • 27m2 • 2DK • ¥120,000
• Furnished • No agency fee /
guarantor • Tel: 03-3382-0151
Central Park Tower LaTour Shinjuku
Shinjuku-ku • Nearest stn: Tochomae
(5 min) • 49–289m2 • 1R-5LDK,
¥248,000–1,580,000
• No agency fee
• Tel: 0120-770-507
Park Habio Shinjuku
East Side Tower
Shinjuku-ku • Nearest stn:
Higashi-Shinjuku (3 min)
• 43m2 • 1LDK • ¥177,000
• Tel: 0120-957-520
AXEL HOME
Sumida Riverside Tower
Chuo-ku • Nearest stn:
Hatchobori (8 min)
• 52–186m2 • 1-4 BR
• ¥185,000–1,297,000
• Tel: 03-5547-3770
JAPT. Hiroo
Minato-ku • Nearest stn: Hiroo
(12 min) • 18m2 • 1R • ¥120,000
• No deposit/agency fee/
guarantor
• Tel: 03-5437-5233
Fujitomo Bldg.
Edogawa-ku • Nearest stn:
Kasai (5 min) • 21m2
• 1K • ¥85,000
• No agency fee/guarantor
• Tel: 03-5696-2341
The Tokyo Towers Sea Tower
Chuo-ku • Nearest stn:
Kachidoki (5 min) • 75m2
• 3LDK • ¥200,000
• Tel: 03-3548-0254
Komagome ID:4449 Kita-ku, • Nearest stn:
Komagome (3min)
• 28m2 • 2K • ¥93,000 • No guarantor
• Tel: 03-5816-0634
Koto-ku Monzen Nakacho B
Koto-ku • Nearest stn: Monzen
Nakacho (7min) • 13m2
• Studio • ¥90,000
• No agency fee/guarantor
• Tel: 03-5330-5250
Property information accurate at time of printing. Please check MetroHomes.jp for up-to-date listings
metrohomes key features: ● Over 10,000 rental properties to search through ● Add favorites to a basket to keep an eye on them ● “What’s New” column updated daily
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#966 ● wWW.METROPOLIS.CO.JP ● 27
Agenda Movies By Don Morton
For theater details: metropolis.co.jp/movies
The Bourne Legacy
NEW
Iron Sky
NEW
Billion-dollar franchises have
a Bourne-ish way of surviving;
i n t h i s ca se t he depa r t u re of
Matt Damon and director Paul
Greengrass. The odd-duck result
is an above-average if not quite
inspired espionage thriller that
insists on embarrassing itself with frequent and clumsy attempts
to find links to the earlier blockbusters. Jeremy Renner is intense
and sturdy as a rogue super-agent being hunted by his former
handlers to cover up their misdeeds, etc., and the always-good
Rachel Weisz does the sidekick/damsel-in-distress honors with
her usual brio. Enjoyable, but a bit too long and overly complicated. (135 min)
Metpod
Haywire
S
teven Soderbergh can do anything. His body
of work spans all genres, from mainstream
crowd-pleasers like Erin Brockovich or
Ocean’s Eleven to thoughtful art-house
efforts like Sex, Lies, and Videotape and Solaris. And
when he turns to slam-bam action (The Limey), be
prepared for a ride. This one’s on the mainstream
side, but not without a dash of the director’s oddball
indie touches. The plot is fairly standard Bourne/
Bond cloak-and-dagger stuff. An elite special-ops
agent is targeted for termination by reptilian
Katy Perry Part
of Me
NEW
Elevator
NEW
Katy Perry, if you don’t know
(I didn’t), is a likable, phenomenally successful pop princess,
a lt hou g h whet he r t h i s i s a
testament to her undeniable,
candy-colored talent or to the
purchasing power of her largely preteen female fan base is not
clear. This docu-concert/inflated origin story, from the same
folks who gave us the equally superficial infomercial Justin
Bieber: Never Say Never, is gleefully full of artifice. But one scene
in Sao Paolo, in which she goes on with the show despite the
end of her marriage to Russell Brand, sneaks in some reality.
Thought: She’s 28. Where does she go from here? (95 min)
Showing from Sep 29
Nine annoying people from
d i f ferent back g rou nd s f i nd
themselves trapped in a stalled
Wall Street elevator. Bad enough,
until it is revealed that one of
them is packing a bomb. Some
Occupy motive or other. They
push all the elevator buttons, including the panic one, but
none of them work. Then they try to push all your emotional
buttons. None of these works either. Then, as the initial social
niceties break down, conflicts arise, and things get violent and
bloody. My favorite line: “We have to cut the body in half.” If you
really like this kind of thing, go rent the so-so (but better) Devil.
(84 min)
Showing from Sep 29
superiors, eludes lethal pursuers and then goes
after said superiors seeking redemption/revenge.
The twist here is that the kick-ass central character
is a woman—kind of a believable Lara Croft. For the
lead, Soderbergh has brilliantly cast the charismatic
Gina Carano, an intensely physical mixed-martialarts babe who turns out to be an adequate actress
if not exactly Oscar material, and she holds her
own against names like Ewan McGregor, Antonio
Banderas, Michael Fassbender and Michael Douglas.
It’s fluid, relentlessly paced, groin-grabbingly violent,
imaginatively shot, dryly funny, and lizard-brain
entertaining. And Soderbergh, working as his own DP
and editor, gets it all done in an economical hour and
a half. Japanese title: Agent Mallory. (91 min)
Casino Jack
NEW
The Hunger Games
NEW
George Hickenlooper’s (Hearts of
Darkness; A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse) dramatization of the life
and crimes of super-lobbyist Jack
Abramoff is informative and entertaining. Informative because it
gives us a glimpse into a lobbyist’s
Washington, where everyone and everything has a price, and
entertaining because it provides Kevin Spacey with a platform
for a memorable, intense and not completely unsympathetic
performance. Daring in its directness, in a wonderful Senate
hearing scene, the film interweaves real images of inquisitors
John McCain et al with filmed footage of Spacey. Dynamite.
Japanese title: Lobbyist no Inbo. (108 min)
Showing from Sep 29
This muscular, gritty adaptation
of the first of the wildly popular
fangirl books is made even better
by the casting of Jennifer Lawrence
(Winter’s Bone) in the lead. In a postapocalyptic world, each of 12 North
American districts must send a
young girl and boy, called “tributes,” to compete in a televised,
gladiatorial tournament-to-the-death. Katniss (Lawrence) proves
a popular competitor and cultivates a public romance with her
partner (Josh Hutcherson) that later develops into something
genuine. But, according to the rules of the Games, if she is to win,
he must die. Twilight this is not. (142 min)
A colony of Nazis has been inhabiting a military base on the far side
of the moon established by their
ancestors in 1945, preparing a giant
spacecraft they will use to invade
the Fatherplanet. A lot of people
don’t know this. It’s an amusing
premise, and the SFX are pretty good for the $10-million budget,
but the execution remains, um, earthbound. This Finnish Eurolark is clearly striving for a Dr. Strangelove (or even Galaxy Quest)
satiric punch, and indeed slips in the occasional gag (loved the
Sarah Palin-esque US president), but it’s all pretty forced, clearly
culty, and not all that funny. (93 min)
This is Not a Film
Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi
was sentenced in 2010 to six
years in jail and a 20-year ban on
making movies on vague “propaganda” charges related to the
suspect reelection of Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad. This message in
a bottle (smuggled out of Iran on a USB clip hidden in a cake)
chronicles a day in his life as he waits under house arrest for a
ruling on his appeal. There’s not a lot going on here at first glance,
but soon it becomes clear that, while at no time does he violate the
letter of the preposterous injunction, he is creating a small work
of art; a quiet act of defiance against repression. Japanese title:
Korewa Eiga De Wa Nai. (75 min)
Rock of Ages
I must have seen the trailer a dozen
times. Then I saw the flick and
realized that the trailer was good
because it didn’t include any of the
sappy parts of this overlong celebrity costume karaoke party. Two
dozen covers by singing actors of
the most ubiquitous top 40s hits of the ’80s shoehorned into a
profoundly inconsequential and shopworn (but perky) PG-13
plot about “putting on a show” to save a legendary Sunset Strip
rock club. Dear reader, I love rock ’n’ roll, any way you want it, and
I’m not saying you should stop believing, but this one just goes on
and on and on and on. Try to catch the trailer. (124 min)
Remains
Okay, t here a re good zombie
movies (28 Days Later, Zombieland,
Shaun of the Dead and of course the
George Romero prototypes). But
there also seems to be an endless
and regular supply of cookie-cutter
brain-eaters that are only watched
by subteen lads, drunk frat boys and, of course, long-suffering
film critics. This latest horror-free waste of time was adapted by
Chiller TV from a graphic novel (comic book) by Steve Niles. An
unlikable band of whiny, bickering survivors is holed up in a Reno
casino after a nuclear accident has turned the rest of the world’s
population into the undead. Big snore. Japanese title: Casino
Zombie. (88 min)
Also Showing
The Way Back
Inspiring, true-enough tale about a group of
prisoners who escaped from a Russian gulag
in 1941 and walked to freedom in India. (133
min)
Soldiers of Fortune
Absolutely and unintentionally hilarious bad
movie about thrill-seeking millionaires signing
up for a real-battle “experience.” Japanese title:
Soldier’s Island. (94 min)
Bloodied but Unbowed
Not for everyone, but this doc on the one-time
Vancouver punk rock scene succeeds in
describing a time and a feeling. (75 min)
Marley
Diligent, cradle-to-grave, quietly revelatory
documentary on the king of reggae—then, now
and forever. Japanese title: Bob Marley Roots of
Legend. (144 min)
Haywire: © 2011 Five Continents Imports, LLC. All rights reserved; Katy Perry Part of Me: © Paramount Pictures 2012. All Rights Reserved; The Hunger Games: © 2012 LIONS GATE FILMS INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.; The Bourne Legacy: © 2012 Universal
Pictures; Iron Sky: © 2012 Blind Spot Pictures, 27 Film Productions, NewHolland Pictures. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.; Elevator: © Quite Nice Pictures 2011 All Rights Reserved.; Inbred: ©2011 New Flesh Films, All Rights Reserved; Casino Jack: © BAGMAN
(2009); This is Not a Film: © Jafar Panahi and Mojtaba Mirtahmasb; Rock of Ages: © 2012 WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC.; Remains: © 2011 Chiller Films. All Rights Reserved.; Monster Brawl: © COPYRIGHT 2011 MONSTER BRAWL INC & FORESIGHT FEATURES
INC.; Mirror, Mirror: © 2011 Relativity Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.; I’m Flash: © 2012「I’M FLASH！」製作委員会; After School Midnighters: © AFTER SCHOOL MIDNIGHTERS PARTNERSHIP; The Dictator: © 2012 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.; Safe
House: 2012 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS. All Rights Reserved.; Yume Uru Futari: © 2012「夢売るふたり」製作委員会; Kagi Dorobo no Mesoddo: © 2012『鍵泥棒のメソッド』製作委員会.
Monster Brawl
Mirror, Mirror
Where the superior Snow White
and the Huntsman was a dark and
suspenseful, not-for-little-kids
thriller, this one plays the classic
fo r l au g h s , s u c c e e d i n g o n ly
sporadically. Julia Roberts steps
into the peasant-stomping boots
of the evil queen, and Lily Collins (spawn of Phil) does the Snow
honors with innocence and spunk. It’s not terrible; but it doesn’t
live up to its sumptuous settings. The already weak storyline is
unnecessarily convoluted and wanders overmuch, the dialogue
is flat, and while it’s clever in spots (loved the queen’s beauty spa
scene), it’s just not all that interesting. (106 min)
The Dictator
In Sacha Baron Cohen’s latest
paean to PC , Admiral General
Aladeen is a blend of Kim Jong
Il and Muammar Gaddafi, with a
pinch of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
On a visit to the UN, he falls victim
to a palace coup and is thrown
onto the streets of New York, where no one will believe he is
who he is. It’s sly and witty (particularly one spot-on speech) and
sporadically laugh-out-loud funny, but it’s also fairly conventionally structured for a Cohen movie. The outrageousness is
there, but this no longer the street-level guerrilla comedy that
worked so hilariously in Ali G (Brit TV, not the movie) and Borat.
(83 min)
eiga By Rob Schwartz
movie news
© 2011 CIRQUE DU SOLEIL BURLESCO LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Finally! A movie for those who
find professional wrestling too
highbrow. In a nutshell, this overextended, underdeveloped comedy
sketch pits four “creatures” (Wolf
Man, Cyclops, Swamp Gut and
Witch Bitch) against four “undead”
(Zombie Man, Frankenstein, Lady Vampire and the Mummy) in
a WWF-type elimination smackdown. Writer/director/producer
Jesse Thomas Cook is to be commended for his attention to
the comic details such a mongrel-movie premise suggests,
but overall, this plot-free one-joke monster mash-up is mainly
bad actors in bad makeup, and far less clever than it thinks it is.
Japanese title: Monster Tournament. (89 min)
Yume Uru
Futari
T
hough Japanese film has hit
a kind of lull since an intense
burst of creative energy in the
early 1990s, there have been a few
bright spots to emerge recently. One
of the most luminescent over the past
six years has been Miwa Nishikawa. A
former assistant director for the great
filmmaker (and Cannes prize-winner)
Hirokazu Koreeda, all Nishikawa’s films
have been sharp psychological studies
that leave some ambiguity and the final
verdict up to the viewer. The present
work is no exception.
The young couple Kanya (Sadao
Abe) and Satoko (Takako Matsu) run
a small izakaya and live comfortably.
When it burns to the ground their
livelihoods are thrown into question.
Shaken, Kanya goes out and comes
home with a bag of cash that Satoko
soon discovers he got by sleeping with a
regular. As these small bar-restaurants
are often inhabited by unhappy young
and middle-aged woman the couple
start to make a business of deceiving
these lasses and getting Kanya to bilk
them of money through sex.
The toll this scheme takes on their
marriage and the desperate women
involved are brilliantly sketched in this
parable for modern Japan. A must see.
English title: Dreams for Sale (137 min)
F
all has finally come to Tokyo, meaning it’s time for movie fans
to get geared up for the Tokyo International Film Festival. The
opening film of the 25th edition will be Cirque du Soleil: Worlds
Away, which presents an all-new show by the entertainment troupe.
Cirque du Soleil has sold over 100 million tickets worldwide (12
million in Japan) since forming in Quebec in 1984. Fellow Canadian
James Cameron, no stranger to big box-office takings himself,
recently decided it was finally time he put them in a film. But the work
is much more than a simple effort to preserve the latest show for
prosperity. Andrew Adamson, director of the Shrek series, captures
the breathtaking aerobatics of the troupe in beautiful cinematography,
communicating the emotional nuances that live audiences are likely
to miss from the back row. As producer, Cameron insisted the work be
in 3D, in order to bring viewers into the performances. TIFF allows fans
in Japan to get an early look at the film, which opens worldwide this
Christmas. The festival will close with Trouble with the Curve, starring
Clint Eastwood as an aging baseball scout. Kevin Mcgue
Roppongi Hills and other venues, Oct 20-28. For details see the next
issue of Metropolis and festival site at http://2012.tiff-jp.net/en
cinematic underground
© WARNER BROS. PICTURES
Safe House
In this superb example of bargain
basement Bourne, Ryan Reynolds
is a green-but-eager CIA safe-house
keeper on the run with his charge,
a notorious rogue spook (a sleepwalking Denzel Washington who
nonetheless overwhelms Reynolds
in every scene). Denzel possesses a file fingering every corrupt
British and American agent, yada yada snore. The pacing’s
uneven, the dialogue’s dumb, the characters clichéd. Mostly this
retread alternates between generic and often superfluous car/
bike chases and unforgivable mano-a-mano ultraviolence. The
only suspense is which of their covertly corrupt superiors is the
hidden traitor. Japanese title: Dangerous Run. (115 min)
Prometheus
The titular research vessel arrives
at a distant planet that could be the
home of a cosmically ancient race
that brought life to Earth. Why?
You may have heard that this is
Ridley Scott’s prequel to Alien.
Yes and no. It’s true insofar as that
movie could start after this one, but the genesis of the creature is
almost a divergence, and the film could stand on its own. It’s got
several “boo and goo” sequences, but overall it’s quite cerebral.
It’s gorgeous and certainly entertaining, but whereas images
from Alien and Blade Runner will remain forever in my head,
Prometheus is already fading to a flicker. (124 min)
Colombiana
Zie Saldana is sexy as a professional assassin in this empty,
amoral and recycled revenge fantasy from the Luc Besson
factory. (105 min)
Kagi Dorobo
no Mesodo
T
his clever comedic flick picked
up the Best Screenplay award
at the recent 15th Shanghai
International Film Festival, and
rightfully so.
A failure in the acting profession
(and vaguely reminiscent of Beat
Takeshi’s loser alter-ego in his film
Takeshis), Sakurai (Masato Sakai)
heads to a sento after being unable
to kill himself. There he sees the rich
Kondo (the always great Teruyuki
Kagawa) fall, hit his head, and enter
a state of amnesia. Sakurai switches
locker keys and decides to take
over his life. At the same time Kanae
(an equally always brilliant Ryoko
Hirosue) desperately wants to get
married. She stumbles on Kondo,
thinking he is Sakurai. Meanwhile
Sakurai finds himself in hot water
with the yakuza as the man whose
identity he took had a secret second
life as a contact killer.
Kenji Uchida’s previous films
have been densely woven thrillers or psychological studies. This
comedy hits the all right notes
and exhibits precise timing while
examining identity. English title: Key
of Life (128 min)
P
ut down that remote control and head to Shin-Bungeiza in
Ikebukuro (3F, 1-43-5 Higashi-Ikebukuro Toshima-ku; www.
shin-bungeiza.com) to catch on the big screen vol. 13 of their
Charm of World Cinema series. Cult classics in the lineup include
Dirty Harry (1971; pictured), Harold and Maude (1971) and Taxi Driver
(1976)... The third annual Tokyo Gohan Film Festival invites you to dig
into a selection of delicious films that stimulate all five senses, from
October 6-19 at Shibuya’s Image Forum (2-10-2 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku;
www.imageforum.co.jp). Delectable courses include Dinner Rush
(2000), Marie Antoinette (2006), and Julie & Julia (2009). www.
tokyogohan.com/english… The Polish Holocaust drama In Darkness
(2011) is screening at Toho Cinemas Chanter (1-2-21 Yurakucho,
Chiyoda-ku; 03-3591-1511). The inspiring tale of the human will to
survive is closely based on the true story of a Polish laborer who saved
a group of Jews by hiding them in a sewer for a year and a half. KM
Unless noted, Japanese films screen without English subtitles. Non-English language
films are shown with Japanese subtitles only.
We accept major
credit cards
(except for special
discounts)
ITALIAN RESTAURANT & BAR
http://orgogliodelcasalta.com/
the latest dish on food & drink in the big city
Dining Out
local flavors
Yokosuka
We do like to eat beside the seaside
F
or all its “Internat iona l Cit y of
Culture by the Sea” aspirations,
Yokosuka City Council has sought
to promote the kaigun (navy) curry
and the Yokosuka burger above the
fresh-from-the-sea goodness that is
a given at a port town such as this. And if Japanesestyle curry is your thing, you’ll be spoilt for choice.
The city is supposedly where British sailors first
brought curry to the masses in the Meiji era. Your
first stop should be YY Port, aka kaigun curry
central. Find it straight ahead out the east exit
of Yokosuka-chuo station and on the right. Here
you’ll receive a map of the top vendors citywide,
and take-home curry shopping options to make
your head spin. The staff are knowledgeable and
friendly, albeit in Japanese only.
To bypass the curry wisdom of YY Port, you
could head directly for Kaigun Curry Kan (www.
gyorantei.com) just north of Dobuita street. Their
speciality is navy curry from the late nineteenth century. The interior is accordingly maritime themed,
with a cavernous brick interior, ropes and wooden
barrels, and a curious choice of Italian operetta
BGM, at least when we visited. They offer menus in
English and are open all week. Prices start at ¥900 for
a plate of—you guessed it—curry and rice.
On every Keihin Kyuko line train heading
towards Yokosuka you will see posters advertising glistening meat-filled buns overflowing with
cheese, pickles and sauce. And unlike at certain burger chains, the Yokosuka Navy Burger
By Elise Mori
is everything in the flesh that it claims to be on
paper. Catering to American tastes and appetites,
this meat behemoth is available at a selection of
restaurants on Dobuita Street. You’ll be spoilt for
choice, but if you really can’t make up your mind,
Honey Bee’s claims to be the first and original
Navy Burger restaurant in Japan. The fare’s fare is
usually around ¥1,000 and it’s the standard uniform’s way to line the stomach before a night on
the tiles in the same street.
One gem Metropolis stumbled upon during a
recent visit was Nawlins (2-9 Odagawacho. Tel: 046821-0321), where catfish po’ boy sandwiches (from
¥800) are the specialty, along with gumbo (¥1,000),
shrimp étoufée (¥1,300) and their savoury, filling
and spiced-with-a-soupçon-of-paprika red beans
’n’ rice (¥750)—try finding that elsewhere in Japan.
Yokosuka has its fair selection of izakaya,
and ranking up among the top is Banzai Honten
(w w w.banzai-inc.com) for its encyclopaedic
selection of drinks and good-value, varied eats.
This is the flagship venue of the successful local
Banzai chain. The interior is a stylishly converted
storehouse and the efficient staff are also friendly.
Expect to pay from ¥3,000 per head for an evening’s
food and libations. There is an English menu and
even a nonsmoking room.
A short walk away is the newly-refurbished
Tiger Yakiniku. Having lost nothing of its charm
or excellent service in transit, the cook-it-yourself
charcoal grilled-meat restaurant is now on the
fourth floor of the Miura building. This is the port
of call for serious beef eaters, and features the legendary Matsuza marbled beef. Also on the menu is
a succulent local fish option, and a spicy poached
egg in miso soup. Wash it down with house specialty the Tiger sour, made with shochu, ginger
ale and lime. Expect to pay about from ¥2,500 to
¥3,500 per head and up for a blow-out. Reservations advised, English menu available.
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Shopping
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(Beers available vary by location)
Shinjuku 15:00∼19:00 (weekdays)
Ikebukuro 17:00∼19:00 (weekdays)
Akasaka 17:00∼19:00 (weekdays)
Toranomon 12:00∼19:00 (Mon-Sat)
Shibuya 12:00∼19:00 (weekdays)
Shinagawa 12:00∼19:00 (every day)
The menu may vary in each store. Please go online for more information.
Shinjuku
Ikebukuro
B1 Sun Gorou Bldg.
1-10-8 Nishi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku
03-5951-3614 | [email protected]
http://r.gnavi.co.jp/g029000/
Toranomon
1F New Toranomon Bldg.
1-1-18 Toranomon, Minato-ku
Closed: Sun. & Holidays
Shibuya
2F Dogenzaka Center Bldg.
2-29-8 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku
03-5459-1736 |[email protected]
J:COM
Keikyu Yokosuka Chuo Station
2-20 Odaki-cho, Yokosuka-shi,
Open:11am-7pm
Kanagawa-ken 238-0008
(Open every day except New Year’s Holidays)
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Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 10am-2pm
Closed: Public Holiday
English speaking
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Tel: 046-820-4486
www.onelovedental.com
Email: [email protected]
Akasaka
B1 Sannou Park Tower
2-11-1 Nagatacho, Chiyoda-ku
r.gnavi.co.jp/g008233/
Closed: Sat., Sun., & Holidays
Shinagawa
Shinagawa Mitsubishi Bldg.
B1F Grand Passage
2-16-3 Kounan, Minato-ku
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the latest dish on food & drink in the big city
Dining Out
Photo by Jeff W. Richards
O
n the other side of the station
f rom Dobu ita a re t he la nes
k now n collectively as Yonegahama. At worst, t his is a
cockroach-infested sleaze-hole,
where the doors of the snaku
bars openly proclaim their refusal to admit nonJapanese. But in and amongst the dross lie the
pearls that make an excursion to Yonegahama
more than worthwhile. For a good fill-up from a varied menu, try Pink
Pony Café. The emphasis here is on fresh, local
and international produce. There is no English
menu, but the staff can help you negotiate the
linguistic minefield. This is one of the more family-friendly city centers, and there is ample coin
parking nearby. Expect to pay about ¥3,000 per
head to gorge copiously. Recommended are the
home-made pizzas, pasta dishes and dragon rolls.
The Yokosuka Blue Note is on hand to follow
your dining experience with some modal strains.
Resurrected from the ashes of the Mikasa Dori
venue, the lady of the house mixes a mean cocktail, stocks an enviable selection of whiskies and
takes you back to the days of early Cassavetes
movies with her strictly-vinyl jazz sounds in this
miniscule yet stylish venue. Prices are ¥500 for a
coffee, about ¥900 per cocktail. Smoking is permitted, and there is no food on the menu.
Whereas Yonegahama only really wakes up
when the sun goes down, there are plenty of places
throughout the city for a quick lunch-time refuel;
try Sio Café (Tel: 090-2734-3332. http://sio-cafe.
com) on Route 16 for a plate of whatever excellent fresh, seasonal and local produce the chef is
cooking that day. Expect stews, Thai-style curries,
g
n
i
v
i
g
s
k
han
T
n
a
i
d
er
n
n
i
Cana
D
y
Turke
GOOD HONEST GRUB
Cafe & Restaurant
Adult
salads and rice sides.
This tiny, modern cafe
is also famous for its
New York style cheesecake and carrot cake,
and ser ves t he local
brew, Shonan Beer.
Mea nwh i le, on
the other side of town,
en route back from a
d a y at K a n non z a k i
(see feature, p.8-9) is
the year-round beach
café Kaneyo Shokudo.
This is a perfect place
to relax on the beach
with a refreshing and
well-mixed cocktail,
and watch the sun go
down over Tokyo Bay and gaze toward Mt. Fuji.
The menu is comprehensive and eclectic, with
excellent desserts. Locals fill up this place year
round, which tells you something. Pay about
¥3,000 for a meal with drinks. To get there, take
the number 24 or 28 bus from in front of Yokosukachuo station (the adult fare is ¥360, approx. 35
mins) and alight at the Bijutsukan Mae stop.
The Yokosuka Acquamare restaurant, part of
the Acqua Pazza chain, is the restaurant in front
of the Yokosuka Museum of Art and as such its
entire length is glazed glass, giving all diners a
spectacular view of sea, sky and the shoreline
across Tokyo Bay. With an unfussy décor—and
outside tables, too—this delightful restaurant
offers reasonable lunch menus starting from
¥1,350, dinner menus from ¥4,500, à la carte
options and an extensive wine list, and is worth
the trip alone. The emphasis is on seafood and
European flavors. The changing seasonal menus
might include risotto, seafood pasta or herb
chicken, and the service is friendly and efficient—
although there is no English menu. The vegetarian
option when we visited was keema curry with a
properly poached egg nestling on top.
• 7-11pm
• free entry
• one coin drinks
SEP
28
Fri
Next Metropolis party:
Oct.6th（Sat.）Free Booking
Fall Fiesta@Udagawa Café Suite
Oct.7th（Sun.）＆ 8th（Mon.）
Venue: 36-21 Udagawa-cho, Shibuya-ku. 5min walk from Shibuya stn. 3A exit
Tel: 03-3464-4020 - http://www.udagawacafe.com
Children
(U-10)
￥3900 ￥2500
2 Seatings
17:30 & 20:00
Reservation Only
（Reservation By Telephone Only）
Appetizer Plate, Main, Dessert & Coﬀee or Tea
Roppngi Dori
+Catering & Take out also available+
Main
Police
Life
St
Shibuya Stn
Here!
Post
Office Shop
100
Meiji Dori
Police Box
Yamanote Line
Ebisu Stn
Mon.～Fri. Lunch 11:30～15:00
Sat,Sun,Hol Brunch 10:30～16:30
Tel/Fax 03-3797-9877
www.goodhonestgrub.com
2-20-8 Shibuya-ku Higashi Tokyo
more info at: http://metropolis.co.jp/events
advertorial
Bayside Beauty
Fishing, fruit, and fresh green spaces in Yokosuka
with a unique tour for Metropolis readers
Perry Park
Everyone’s favorite
blockade breaker,
Commodore
Matthew Perry, is
commemorated with
this green space.
The words on the
monument plum in the
middle were written
by Japan’s first prime
minister, Hirobumi
Ito. Scope out some
historical documents in the free memorial
museum. Open Tue-Sun 9:30am-4pm, closed Mon &
hols (closed Tue if after hol).
Nagai Fish Market
Surrounded by sea on three sides and blessed
with year-round warm weather, Yokosuka yields a
variety of seafood unrivalled around Japan. Nagai
Fish Market is only open the second Saturday of
the month, so plan your visit to take in and catch
all the sights, sounds—and tastes. Local goodies
such as sardines, mackerel, horse mackerel,
yellowtail, turban shell, and squid are straight in
after being caught out in the Sagami Bay. The
market starts at 9am but you’d better get there
early as it closes when it’s all sold out.
Tsukuihama Sightseeing
Plantation
Agriculture also prospers in the Yokosuka region
due to the warm climate. At the Tsukuihama
Sightseeing Plantation, visitors can pick fruit and
veg all year round. From October to November,
sun-kissed oranges are in season. Though you
may not take them home, the all-you-can-eat
system allows you to enjoy the exquisite balance of
sugary sweetness and tart tanginess. Come during
September or October for the sweet potatoes (allyou-can-eat may not apply). Orange picking ¥650.
Daily Oct 10-Nov 30, 9am-3pm.
sajima
You will have encountered shirasu—baby
sardines just 20-50 days old—in countless
Japanese dishes. So small they look like shreds of
Parmesan cheese with eyes, the Shonan shirasu
caught here are a nationwide delicacy. Observe
the fishermen boiling their little treasures and
spreading them out to dry in the sun at the
market stands.
Sukanagosso Produce
Market
Buy wonderful, farm-fresh goods at the largest
produce market in Kanagawa Prefecture. More
than 400 producers hawk their wares here, which
include vegetables, flowers, jam, rice, meat, and
plenty more. Each product’s safety and quality
are guaranteed by the producer’s name on the
package. Open Thu-Tue 9:30am-6pm, closed Wed,
open hols.
Temple Time
Higashi Kano Jinja and Nishi Kano Jinja are
ancient shrines located on the either side of Uraga
Harbor. Soaked with myth and history, they are
a popular place for people to pray for wishes to
come true. It is believed to bring good fortune in
love if a comma-shaped jewel (¥500) from the
west temple is kept inside an omamori bag (¥500)
from the east temple.
Uraga no Watashibune
Affectionately called Pon Pon Bune, the Uraga
ferry has been in existence since Edo times, and
it is still used as an everyday means of transport
today. If the ferry is docked on the opposite shore,
press the button at the bank and the boat will
arrive right away. ¥50/150. Daily 7am-6pm, closed
noon-1pm.
METROPOLIS yokosuka one-day TOUR. sat, nov 10
TOUR Schedule
Just for readers of Metropolis magazine, Yokosuka City is offering a special bus tour of these sights.
With pick-up in Shinjuku at 8am and Yokohama at 8:40am, and drop-off at Yokosuka-chuo at
4:30pm for an easy ride back to Shinagawa, the tour will take in the above treats. Start off at the
Nagai Fishing Harbor where you can watch the processing of the famous Shonan shirasu, and gorge
on a seafood lunch. You’ll take in the agricultural produce market of Sukanagosso, pick (and stuff
yourself with) oranges at Tsukuihama, and whip round the local shrines—catching a ride on the
Edo-period ferry, too. Sat, Nov 10. ¥5,000 (inc. all fees and lunch). Reserve a place by end of October via
● 8am - Shinjuku pick-up
● 10am - Nagai Fish market
● 11am - Sukanagosso produce market
● 11:40am - Shirasu processing & lunch
● 1:40pm - Orange picking in Tsukuihama
● 3-4:10pm - Shrines and ferry ride
● 4:30pm - Yokosuka-chuo drop-off
045-450-5588 (Keikyu Travel Service).
34 ● advertorial
The majority of classified ads have moved online!
Note:
Printed
Classifieds!
CLASSIFIEDS
Metropolis and its subsequent Classifieds section are printed every other week.
The upcoming publication dates and corresponding deadlines for print are
as follows. This does not affect the online Classifieds, where ads are visible
immediately after they are approved.
1 AT YOUR SERVICE
1.1 Health
常楽苑:EXPERIENC E
T R A D I T I O N AL C H I N E S E
MASSAGE IN AZABUJUBAN. Treatments include
relaxation massage and
traditional Chinese medical
treatments by the highly
trained Dr. Jo . Conveniently
located near Azabu-Juban
and Akabanebashi. Mention
“Metropolis” and get a 60min
Full-Body Treatment for
¥3800 (regular price: ¥7200).
Open 1pm-12am. Call 03-62777867 or visit http://jourakuen.
com/ changjinghaibt@yahoo.
co.jp
E R AWAN THAI MA S SAG E
Enjoy side by side
syn c h ro n ize d m a s s a g e s
for any pair (couples,
mother & daughter, sisters,
friends). Spend a relaxing
t i m e t o g e t h e r. I d e a l f o r
special occasions. Thai
Massage: 60min ¥10,800/
couple. Aroma Oil Massage:
60min ¥14,400/couple. Gift
Certificates available. www.
e rawa n . j p 03 -3 74 6 -13 9 9
[email protected]
S hiro gane d ai
O rtho d ontics ,
s e r v i n g
international
clients for 15
y e a r s .
Techniques include bracesalternative Invisalign (teens/
adults) and teeth whitening.
Call 0120-743-555 for info/
free consultation. English,
Portuguese and Spanishlanguage assistance.
Mention Metropolis for a
special Invisalign price of
¥500,000. Teeth whitening
from ¥10,000. Nearest stn:
Shirokanedai. www.drcoad.
com
SPORTS PHYSIOTHERAPY
( p h y s i c a l t h e r a p y) c a r e
in Hiroo. Native Engli sh speaking therapists
specializing in sports
i n j u r i e s , p o s t- o p e ra t ive
rehabilitation, back/neck
pain, running related,
headaches, orthotics,
ergonomic consultations
and women’s health. www.
tokyophysio.com 03-34436769
O steopathy
by a UK-trained, qualified
osteopath, providing safe
and effective treatment for
headaches, back/neck pains,
arthritis, nerve-compression
syndromes such as
sciatica, TMJ problems, etc.
AOP -Aoyama Osteopathy
Practice-. Visit the English
page at www. aoyamaosteopathy.com/english/
Case Study Massage Model
Wanted. JF Diploma - Integrated
Body Therapies. Experienced in
Tokyo massage clinic: Shiatsu,
Swedish & Aromatherapy Massage
and Reflexology. ¥35,000 (2 hours ×
5 times). Trial ¥5000 also welcome.
[email protected]
1.2 Hair & Beauty
H air d resser with
more than 10 years of
experience, speaks English,
Fre n c h a n d J a pa n e s e .
Children’s haircuts: ¥2000.
Wo m e n ’s : ¥ 4 5 0 0. M e n ’s :
¥4000. Seven days/week.
10% off first visit. House visits
available (conditions apply).
Please call for details. 0909 10 4 -3 2 5 8 a s a m i . iwa o @
yahoo.fr
O n ly C ut Z one s a l o n
provides a hair cut
service for only ¥1000. 5min
walk from Kita se nju stn .
Friendly English-speaking
staff is available. Contact
us at 03-3882-1550. Open
from 10am until 7pm, 7 days
a week. http://meturl.com/
onlycutzone
1.3 Moving
MOVING OVERSEAS? Call
ECONOSHIP! With over 30 years’
experience, you can count
on Econoship for courteous,
efficient, reliable service and
reasonable prices. Call, email,
or see our new website. Ask
how you can receive 10 boxes
free of charge. info@econoship.
n e t w w w. e c o n o s h i p . n e t
0120-222-111
MOVING? Experienced staff
will assist you at reasonable
prices. Transportation for
overseas/domestic moving.
Packing and warehousing
with care. Customs
clearance. Air or sea freight
fo r w a r d i n g wo r l d w i d e .
03-5851-9331/090-1216-0012
CHEAPEST, QUICKEST AND
SAFEST! Transporter Tokyo
suppor ts your move an d
delivers your stuff. Moving
for singles or couples from
¥12,000. Delivery (furniture,
motorbikes, etc.) from
¥ 7 0 0 0 . E n g l i s h , Fr e n c h
and Japanese-speaking
staff available. Inquiries:
w w w.tran s por te r-tokyo.
com/english/contact
info@transporter-tokyo.
com 03-6715-5201
1.4 Travel
N A R I TA A I R P O R T C a r /
MiniVan TRANSFER SERVICE.
Cheaper than a taxi. Englishspeaking driver. Meet and
greet. Free baby seat. Luggage
assistance. Dependable Safe - Ea sy- Q uic k Airport
Tra n s fe r S e r vi c e . B O O K
NOW! Email Reservation@
To k yo A i r p o r t e r. c o m .
www.tokyoairporter.com
1.7 Business Services
AFFORDABLE
BUSINESS
PRESENCE IN
JAPAN! Easy
entry into one
of t h e m o s t
profitable markets in the
world with our virtual office
services: phone answering,
call and mail forwarding, and
address for business
registration. Starting from
¥7350/m. Contact Telephone
Secretary Center today!
03-5413-7320 www.telese.jp/
en/index .html contact@
telese.jp
SUMIKAWA LAW OFFICE ,
a member of the Yokohama
Bar As sociation , locate d
in Kawasaki (next to
Tokyo). We offer free email
advice for vic tim s of car
accidents. Contact us before
reconciling with the
insurance company. Lawyer
Kei Sumikawa. Email:
[email protected] http://
sumikawa.net
classifieds.metropolis.co.jp
Issue
968 Issue
970
Fri, Oct 12
Fri, Oct 26
Deadline:
Deadline:
Oct 3, 3pm
Oct 18, 3pm
from internationally
acclaimed Peter Walker’s
“Developmental Baby
Massage” and “YogaGym”.
E/J. Private sessions from
¥4000. Small groups
from ¥3000. Four-session
discount. Call Shino at
080 -3362- 04 29 or email
babymassage123@gmail.
com
¥39,000. Keisei-Takasago
1R ¥40,000. Tobu-Nerima
1R ¥40,000. ChitoseKarasuyama 1R ¥40,000.
Nishiarai 1K ¥40,000.
Rokucho 1R ¥41,000.
Search for your room at the
Metropolis Real Estate Site.
http://metrohomes.jp/ http://
meturl.com/mh200less
2 FIND A PLACE
2.1 Guesthouse
TA X C O N S U LTAT I O N I N
ENGLISH! If you are anxious
about your tax return, we
can handle your problem for
a reasonable price. Please
call 03-5843-6511 or email
us at is@meisei-audit .jp.
Check our website for more
info: http://takedatax.jp
1.8 General Services
Next to Azabu-Juban and
Minami-Shinagawa stn.
Private furnished rooms
in Akasaka(2min), AzabuJuban, Minami-Shinagawa,
very close to the station.
Cleaning every week. First
two months special offer
¥46,000~¥56,000/m, utilities
included. No key money, free
Internet. 日本人向けのシェアハウス
もあり、全室インターネット・家具付個
室。敷・礼金、仲介料、水道光熱費及
び保証人不要！090-2405-0022
F O N TA N A , e s t a b l i s h e d
over 30 years ago. With a
wide range of locations
at competitive prices,
our apartments and
guesthouses are some of
the best. Let our international
team find you the perfect
p l a c e t o l i v e i n To k y o .
fo n t a n a @ g o l . c o m w w w.
TokyoCityApartments.net
03-3382-0151
[email protected]
www.bauhousetokyo.com
2.2 Rent Under
200,000 yen
FLET’ S H I K ARI . Inte rn et
service w/the largest number
of users in Japan. Monthly
service fees from ¥2625.
Limited-time special offers
available. English-speaking
staff, so don’t worry about not
being able to speak Japanese!
For service in English, ask
for Watabe. Office hours:
10am-8pm, seven days/week.
Tel: 0120-962-246. Email:
[email protected] URL:
https://www.bc-hikari.com/
en/
H oney C l over
B abysitting an d
Housekeeping Services.
We specialize in Englishspeaking and foreign
babysitters. We will provide
qualified babysitters who
are best suited to you and
your child. LAST MINUTE
calls ok! Reasonable
prices. Tel: 03- 6721-7186
M o b i l e : 0 8 0 - 4 2 74 -3 2 3 7
w w w. h o n e yc l ove r. c o . j p
[email protected]
Loving Baby Massage .
Teaching mothers, fathers
and other family members
professional baby massage
and child yoga techniques
¥55,000~/
MONTH IN
ROPPONGI.
Roppongi
¥63,000~.
Hanzomon
¥48,000~.
Ikejiri-Ohashi
¥48,000~.
Ginza ¥53,000~. Gotanda
¥48,000 ~. Kachidoki
¥48,000~. Utilities
¥7000/m. Fully furnished, w/
f r e e I n t e r n e t . Yo t s u y a
¥68,000 (utilities ¥10,000).
Dormitory ¥45,000 (utilities
¥ 5 0 0 0). N o key m o n ey,
¥10,000 refundable deposit.
03-3560-7405 / 080-5436-1777
w w w . r o p p o n g i mayflowerhouse.com
AFFO R DAB LE
APARTMENTS &
GUESTHOUSES
IN TOKYO’ S
P O P U LA R
AREAS: Azabu, Roppongi,
Asakusa, Kichijoji, Yokohama
¥49,000~/m. No key money/
guarantor/brokerage fee.
O ve r 1 0 0 g u e s t h o u s e s
(Internet, utilities included)
and apartments. Call
Oakridge : 03 -3 502-2 3 51
oakridgehousing@gmail.
com www.oakridgehousing.com
M ET R O H O M E S .
Nishi-Hachioji 1R ¥30,000.
Hachioji 1K ¥32,500. Kita-Toda
1K ¥36,000. Minami-Urawa
1R ¥37,000. Nishiarai 1K
¥38,000. Kita-Hachioji 1K
F urnishe d 3 3 m 2 ,
three-story apartment, as
new, sunny, south/nor th
balconies, north has many
big trees, south has
a Japanese lantern
garden, 4min walk to
subway station, 13min by
bicycle to JR Shinjuku/
Yotsuya stns ¥100,000/m.
O w n e r : 0 3 -3 3 4 1 -7 8 7 5
[email protected]
www.itto-jinnai.com/green/
greencorp.html
I C H I I C O R P O R AT I O N .
Over 600 affordable,
quality-furnished
apartments in central
To k yo l o c a t i o n s . N o key
m o n ey/g u a ra nto r/a g e nt
fe e re quire d . New, clean
apartments, simple contract
system, full English support.
Call us today 03-5437-5233
www.japt.co.jp
P R I VAT E F U R N I S H E D
A PA RT M E N T S . O d a k y u
l i n e , M u k o g a o k a -Yu e n /
Yomiuri-Land-Mae, 20/30
min from Shinjuku. Keikyu
line, Haccho-Nawate, 15min
from Shinagawa. 1K～2LDK,
¥58,000/m ～ ¥120,000/m.
Tel: 044-933-7000 Email:
[email protected]
w w w. minowagroup. jp/
minowahomes
Metropolis reserves the right to refuse, cancel or edit any ad without notice. Metropolis takes no responsibility for the quality of items or services advertised. Please carefully examine vendors or
items offered before commitment. Please be careful when contacting and arranging to meet people.
Visit classifieds.metropolis.co.jp for complete listings.
Many more Classified ads online! Please visit classifieds.metropolis.co.jp
com 03-3548-0254 http://
trustresidence-tokyo.com/
2.4 House Share
S E RVI C E D A PA RTM E NT S
in a quiet residential area
of Hiroo. Studios and
s u i te s . 4 m i n f r o m H i r o o
s t n . R a te s : D a i ly ¥ 78 0 0.
Weekly ¥68 50 -/day.
Monthly ¥5900-/day. Over
three months ¥4950-/
day. Tax, utilities included.
f r o n t d e s k@ a z a b u c o u r t .
com w w w. azabucour t .
com/ 03-3446-8610
DORMITORY ¥23 ,000/M .
PRIVATEROOM ¥43,000/M
IN TOKYO. Call 070 6 51 6 -7597 b e t we e n
10am and 10pm. Please
check our website before
making an inquiry. Google
“budgetstay” or visit http://
budgetstay.jp/qhm okabe@
budgetstay.jp 070-6516-7597
NO KEY MONEY: Shirokane
studio ¥68,000. Roppongi
studio ¥68,000. Daikanyama
2DK ¥105,000. Shirokane 2DK
¥110,000. Azabu-Juban 2LDK
¥156,000. Shirokane house
2LDK ¥179,000. And many
others. Birthday campaign:
anyone born in Sep gets half
d i s c o u n t o n a g e n c y fe e !
@Land: 03-6277-6698
a t l a n d @ s t a r. o c n . n e . j p
www.atland.co.jp
2.3 Rent Over 200,000 yen
Bright private room and terrace
in luxury residential villa in Asaka,
14min from Ikebukuro, huge bathtub,
big TV, etc., earthquake-proof
building, w/utilities, Internet, cable,
share with American and Japanese
lady ¥48 ,000. No key money.
090-6349-1296 villa.asaka@yahoo.
com
3 EDUCATION
3.1 Japanese Schools
JAPANESE
LANGUaGE
PROFICIENCY.
Our flexible,
affordable
Japanese
lessons can help you reach
your communication goals
for everyday conversation,
passing the JLPT, or reading
newspapers or books.
Individual or group classes
at times and locations
suitable for you. Contact
Aoyama Language School
today! 03-5413-7450 www.
aoyama-school.com info@
aoyama-school.com
WEEKEND JLPT PREP CLASS
IN TOKYO. Why don’t you
improve your Japanese skill
dramatically by intensively
learning Japanese for 10
weeks? Our experienced
teachers teach you knowhow of passing the exam.
Mear Otemachi/Takebashi
Stn . J LPT AC AD EMY jl pt .
[email protected] www.jlptacademy.com
3.2 Japanese Teachers
TO K YO A PA RTM E NT S .
Bilingual real-estate agency,
o f fe ri n g fu rn i s h e d a n d
unfurnished apartments
throughout central Tokyo.
Also providing shortstay serviced apartments,
relocation service, furniture
rental and property
management services.
Please call 0120-957-520
www.tokyoapartments.jp
M e t rohom e s :
ALL
¥200,000.
Ueno 5-Gokan Heights 1LDK;
Re Mode Minami-Aoyama
1LDK; Works Yotsuya 1LDK;
Virage Nakacho 1LDK; Ginza
Tower 1K; Lanai Heritage
2LDK; Seion-Kaku 2LDK;
Regina Minami-Azabu 1LDK;
Crea Homes Jingumae 2LDK;
Apple Tower Tokyo Canal
Court 3LDK; Ipse Ebisu 1Room.
Search for your room at the
Metropolis Real Estate Site:
www.MetroHomes.jp http://
meturl.com/mh200
T rust - R esi d ence .
D e s i g n e r, h i g h - r i s e a n d
luxury apartments, no
d e p o s i t , n o k e y m o n e y,
no agent fee. We offer you
perfect apartments for
the be st deals in the Bay
area, and all around Tokyo.
info@trust-residence.
ASSOCIATION OF JAPANESE
TEACHERS. Highly qualified,
exp e rie n ce d in struc to r s
offer individual/small group
lessons at your home/office/
instructor’s home. Business/
daily conve r s ation/J LPT
available. Lesson fee from
¥ 2 2 0 0 / h a t i n s t r u c t o r ’s
home, from ¥2700/h +
transportation fee at other
places. Discount negotiable
for longer/frequent/group
lessons. 03-3918-0876, 044855-5039 ajtkyokai@yahoo.
co.jp http://ajt.rakurakuhp.
net/
FREE TRIAL LESSON. Friendly
professional Japanese
teacher offers private
lessons. Have teaching
expe rie nce at school s in
Australia and Japan. Lessons
c l o s e to Ta m a - ce nte r o n
Odakyu line/Keio line/Tama
monorail. ¥3000/90min.
i riya 9 6 b l a c k@ n if t y.co m
090-8489-9393
JAPANESE LESSONS
ANYWHEREANYTIME.Weare
qualified teachers. Lessons
in your area or online. Prices
from ¥1000/h (written in our
resumes) emailed to you.
No registration fee! www.
sunlesson.com 090-27093736 japaneseanywhere@
yahoo.co.jp
JA PA N E S E C L A S S . A k a s a k a
Nihongo Club is offering
beginner&intermediate classes
in a small-scale setting. Classes
taught by volunteer group. Every
Saturday 10 -11:30am, Akasaka
stn (Chiyoda line), Exit 6, 4mins,
Venue:Akasaka Iki-Iki Plaza. Please
call:03-3401-4306 (night time) or
080-5432-4306, Kawada.
JAPAN E S E C L A S S E S . E a sy,
interesting lessons for beginners to
intermediate students at my place
in Nerima-ku ¥1500/h. The nearest
station is Iogi, Seibu-Shinjuku line.
I speak English, so please contact
me in English. 080 -5071-5723
[email protected]
3.4 English Teachers
LOOKING FOR AN ENGLISH
TEACHER. JF mid-30s, looking for
a native English teacher ¥2000/hr.
Basic Japanese ability preferable. I
live in Chuo-ku, Tokyo. hitchykooo@
live.jp
3.5 Language
Exchange
LE A R N JA PA N E S E FO R
FREE! We introduce you to a
learning partner(language
exchange partner) who can
help you learn the Japanese
language and Japanese
culture for free. info@
learning-catchball.com
http://learning-catchball.
com/
Chinese and English. Beginner keen
to learn Chinese. Denentoshi line
preferred. ChineseLearningGaijin@
gmail.com
Chinese, Japanese, English. SJM is
seeking a language exchange partner
for weekdays or weekends. Shinjuku
is convenient for me. Let’s meet
and talk about culture, art, sports,
politics, and economics. Yoroshiku!
[email protected]
English and Japanese. JF, creative
professional, seeks E/J conversation
friends along the Toyoko line. I worked
in Europe for several years. I like music
and outdoor activities. Native or fluent
English speaker, late 20s-30s, preferred.
[email protected]
English and Japanese. Hi, I’m JM
living in Higashi-Kurume seeking
an English-speaking friend for fun,
maintaining my English. I graduated
from both Japanese and English
universities, so I can teach J to you in
E. [email protected]
English and Japanese. JF, late 20s,
seeking English speaker. I’d be pleased
to help your Japanese. Please email
me if you’re interested. I’d prefer to
meet up weekdays after work around
Yokohama stn. chocolate88888emi@
gmail.com
English and Japanese. Group
language exchange every Wed, 7:309:30pm, at coffee shops around Ginza.
Most members are 20s and 30s. We
switch languages every 30min. Fun
events on weekends. Free to join. ando.
[email protected]
English and Japanese. JF, just back
from watching the London Paralympics,
hoping to go back next year. Would
be great if we could help each other
improve E/J, share time in Tokyo/
Yokohama. British English prefered.
[email protected]
English and Japanese. American
male seeking friends to meet during
free time. Could help you to be fluent
in E. [email protected]
English and Japanese. Japanese
male, 39, seeks native English speaker.
I like music and am interested in
vegetarianism and macrobiotics. Let’s
help each other and have some fun.
[email protected]
English and Japanese. JF, 20. I can
help you with your Japanese. I seek a
native English speaker, M/F ok, 20-29.
[email protected]
English and Japanese. JF, 30s, seeks
English speaker for exchange in AzabuOji, Namboku line. M/F, professional,
any level, with the desire to improve
Japanese, who can enjoy helping my
English. Sense of humor a plus. [email protected]
English and Japanese. Cool,
friendly, intelligent JM seeks native
English speakers for language and
cultural exchange. Let’s enjoy talking
about a variety of topics over coffee
or dinner in English and Japanese.
[email protected]
English, French, Spanish, Russian,
Japanese. Hello, I’m a Japanese
guy, 20s, seeking someone who I can
practice E, Fr, Sp or Ru with. I’d be glad
to help your Japanese. zeno77dst@
hotmail.com
Chest of drawers, Ikea Kullen
(70x40x72cm), w/three drawers,
birch wood color, about one y/o, in
perfect condition, perfect for small
spaces. Pick up close to Hikawadai
stn. [email protected]
Furniture sale! S o l i d t a b l e
(135x80cm), w/four chairs ¥2500.
Narrow desk, w/two stools ¥3000.
Nishi-Gotanda, near Fudou-Mae stn.
[email protected]
French and Japanese. Sincere and
friendly Frenchman seeks language
and cultural exchange. I can tell you
about France, its culture, myself, and
help you with the French language.
Email me if you’re interested in France!
[email protected]
Garden furniture. Rustic-style
wooden table and four armchairs,
cushions, large parasol, w/cast iron
base, recently sanded and treated;
garden tools. Make an offer. Photos
available. letssayonaratokyo@gmail.
com
German and Japanese. JF seeks Ger/J
language exchange partner. Seit Sechs
Monaten lerne ich Deutsch aber ich
spreche Englisch. F/M ok. If interested,
drop me a line. gardenstate2005@
hotmail.com
Kotatsu, brand new ¥5000. Akasaka,
Minato-ku. [email protected]
08033680560
Korean and Japanese. Korean
woman, 32, living in Shinjuku. I was
born in Seoul and raised in America.
I can help you learn Korean. Looking
forward to meeting you. healthyrisu@
hotmail.com
Spanish and Japanese. Japonesa
esta buscando hablante nativos
de espanol para lenguaje cambio
o amigos en Chiba o Tokyo.
Especialmente Argentinos y Espanols
estan bienvenido. fuegosartificiales@
hotmail.co.jp
Thai, Japanese, English. Looking
forward to meeting anyone who lives in
the Tokyo area for language exchange,
cafe, hanging out and traveling
together sometimes. I’m Thai, male,
professional career, easygoing and
fun. [email protected]
3.6 Learning: General
Lakeland, an
A merican
co l l ege in
S hinjuku ,
offers evening
and Sat afternoon courses
starting Sep 26 in
International Business Skills,
Website Design, PowerPoint
Presentations, Global
Mindset, Aging Prevention,
Negotiating Across Culture,
Magazine Article Writing,
Western Flower Arranging,
Korean, English and others.
Call 03-3225-0425
www.lcjoc.com
PIANO LESSONS Classic
piano, jazz piano, and
singing lessons at your
home. Taking lessons at our
studio is also possible. Any
ages. Any levels. One trial
lesson ¥1000. More info?
Contact us! 080-5071-5723
http://pism .web.fc2 .com
pianoprimostudio@yahoo.
co.jp
3.9 Teach Me!
English lessons. JM, 30, seeks native
English teacher for reasonably-priced
lessons at cafes on weekdays after
6pm in central Tokyo. umek2002jp@
yahoo.co.jp
English teacher in Ikebukuro.
Seeking someone who can teach
during the day. I can pay ¥2000/h.
[email protected]
Spanish teacher sought. Busco
profesor o profesora de espanol
en Ikebukuro. Martes o miercoles.
[email protected]
Teach me English in Akihabara.
Seeking native English teacher in
Akihabara. Will pay ¥4000/90min, plus
coffee. [email protected]
4 HOUSEHOLD GOODS
4.1 Furniture &
Fittings
Bed, single (W93xD208xH29), foldable,
in good condition, two y/o ¥3000. Pick
up Hikawadai. [email protected]
Lens, Micro Four Third H-FS045200,
f=45mm-200mm, hardly used, as
new, in original box ¥17,500/obo.
[email protected]
Lens, Sigma 50mm f1.4 EX DG HSM,
for Canon ¥34,000. stephouelle@
videotron.ca
5.3 Musical Equipment
Guitar, Fernandes Nomad Deluxe, w/
Digitech Effects Processor, built-in amp,
processor gives 25 programmable
effects, 40 factory and 40 presets, in
great condition, w/From Zero To Rock
Hero ¥15,000. [email protected]
6 VEHICLES
6.1 Cars, Parts, &
Accessories
Mattress, Ikea Sultan Tafjord,
pillow-top, queen-sized (160x200), in
excellent condition. New ¥34,900. Sell
¥10,000. [email protected]
Sofa, corner, leatherette, in good
condition, seats five comfortably
¥35,000. Pick up Oizumi-Gakuen,
Nerima. [email protected]
Table, a n t i q u e a t e l i e r
(W140xD67xH75cm), old pine, pretty
old, but has style ¥23,000. Minato-ku.
[email protected]
4.2 Appliances
Fridge, Sharp Ion Plasmacluster
SJ-XW44S, gold, single door, opens
from either side, ice maker. New
¥130,000. Sell ¥50,000. GakugeiDaigaku. [email protected]
AUTO DIRECT is a one-stop
shop for all your motor
equipment and services
in English. Buying cars in
Japan? Rent/sell/lease cars,
import your favorite car from
outside Japan, and insurance
in English. Call 03-5573-8776
or email [email protected]
www.autodirect.jp/
4.3 Sayonara Sale
Sayonara sale! Double bed, w/
mattress ¥15,000. National dishwasher
¥10,000. Rattan lounger ¥4000.
National iron ¥1000. White chest
of drawers, w/matching wardrobe
¥10,000. Two wooden folding chairs
¥2000. Pick up Itabashi. januska55@
yahoo.com
Sayonara sale! Fridge (150cm), in
good condition ¥15,000/obo. Sony
Vaio laptop ¥17,000/obo. Bookshelves,
coffeemaker, Muji chair, etc. Pick up
Shonandai. [email protected]
09085007598
4.4 TV & Home Theater
DVD player, Panasonic, portable,
region 1, w/black bag ¥3000. zito@
inbox.com
Fl a t s c r e e n T V 1 3 ”, S h a r p
Aquos LC-13E2 ¥4000. Mabashi.
[email protected]
Flatscreen TV, Sharp LC-20C1,
no remote, works fine ¥6000.
[email protected]
4.6 For Kids
JCE AUTOS - THE
A U T O M O B I L E
PROFESSIONALS.
Specializing in car sales,
buy-backs, door-to - door
s h i p p i n g , l o n g - te r m c a r
storage and any other carrelated matters. If you need
assistance with your car, we
are here to help. Tel: 03-68683 3 6 6 o r 0 9 0 - 93 6 2- 5 0 9 8
[email protected] www.
jce-autos.jp
M A Z DA S TAT I O N WAG O N
AUTO MATI C 1 , 8 0 0 c c 5 - s e a t s .
Very good condition all over.
Mechanically excellent. Includes
ETC unit, 12 stacker CD, navigation,
with shaken, insurance, all taxes
paid until July 2013. Economical.
¥190,000. nickjapan2002@yahoo.
com 090-1859-1378
6.2 Motorbikes, Parts,
& Accessories
Saitama English Playgroup. We’re
an English-speaking playgroup for
families with kids aged 0-12. We
meet regularly for birthdays, play
dates and holidays. Call/email Amy
for information. [email protected] or
048-883-2536.
4.7 For Free
Various items. Black/brown Ikea
bookshelf, black/brown Francfranc
TV sideboard, Francfranc glass coffee
table, white Muji ceiling light fixture,
all in excellent condition. Pick up
Akabanebashi by Oct 6. Details, photos
available. [email protected]
5 HOBBIES & INTERESTS
5.1 Cameras
HARLEY 2008 XL883 ¥750,000 /
OBO Low Mileage 5,600km Original
parts + extra customization/parts
Please contact for more details
[email protected] / 090-4420-0315
100CC SCOOTER Yamaha Grand
Axis 100cc. 9400km, regularly
serviced and in excellent condition.
Includes luggage box and 2 helmets.
6.3 Bicycles, Parts, &
Accessories
Digital camera, Canon ixy 900IS/
PowerShot SD870IS, eight megapixels,
wide-angle lens, 3” LCD screen, three y/o,
in excellent condition. New ¥45,000. Sell
¥20,000/obo. [email protected]
Bike, single-speed, silver/gray, w/front
basket ¥1000. Pick up only Mitaka.
[email protected]
DSLR, Pentax 100d, 2007, 6.1
megapixel, w/all original documents,
cables and software, and brand new
Pentax DA18-55mm/3.5-5.6AL WR lens
Handlebars, Skyway EZ 1980s,
BMX freestyle, white, w/decals,
unused ¥5000. Pick up Ochanomizu.
[email protected]
09071768259
7 GENERAL
7.1 Phones
iPhone 3GS 32GB, 4.0.2, white,
unlocked, in mint condition ¥43,000.
[email protected]
Smartphone, AU IS03, in excellent
condition, orange/black, no marks,
scratches, black side clear, clean, no
contract, w/brown leather case. zito@
inbox.com
7.2 Fashion
Sandals, black and silver, 11cm heel,
recently bought at Zara, worn once,
size EU 41/US 10/JP 27. New ¥9000. Sell
¥3000. Meet central Tokyo or pick up
Koto-ku. [email protected]
Trousers, Bear Grylls (Discovery
Channel) Survivor Full Stretch, regular
(waist: 36”/91cm; length: 33”/83cm),
dark khaki, from Craghoppers in the
UK, unworn ¥4000. timothysharpe@
yahoo.com 090-9950-9276
7.3 Miscellaneous
Gardening tools. Spades, forks,
axes, saws, push cylinder lawnmower,
rakes, leaf rakes. Near Mabashi stn.
[email protected]
8 COMPUTERS
8.1 Services
been invaded and the people robbed
of their rights, culture and country.
Help support West Papuans’ desire
to be free. http://tapol.gn.apc.org/
[email protected]
Alcoholics Anonymous Tokyo. If
you have a problem with drinking, we
can help. English-speaking meetings
daily. 03-3971-1471 inquiries@
aatokyo.org http://aatokyo.org
ARE YOU NEW TO JAPAN? Welcome
Furoshiki is a free welcoming service
for all newcomers. All the info you need
in English to start your life in Japan. For
your free visit, call Tokyo/Yokohama
03-5472-7074 or Kansai 06-6441-2584.
www.welcomefuroshiki.org
Infertlity support group. TGP Tokyo
is an infertility support group in Tokyo
which provides informal opportunities for
women and men experiencing infertility
to connect with one another. Please visit
our website for more information. info@
tgptokyo.com www.tgptokyo.com
SEE THE SIGNS OF TRAFFICKING.
Because of threats/manipulation,
traf ficking victims for forced
prostitution and labor often don’t
identify themselves as victims of crime.
The following questions may help
identify trafficked victims: What type
of work do you do? Are you being paid?
Has your ID been taken from you? If you
see signs of trafficking, please contact
Polaris, a non-profit organization
providing victim assistance and
training. 0120-879-871 Soudan@
PolarisProject.jp www.polarisproject.
jp 0120-879-871
12 SOCIAL SCENE
12.1 Let’s Party
Tok y o I T S e r v ic e s .
We fix all kinds of computer
problems and also of fer
a d ata re cove r y se r vice
i n To k yo . We p r ovi d e a
range of computer services
to co rp o rate , s m a l l a n d
medium-sized businesses,
and individual PC and Mac
users as well. Onsite call and
English computers for sale.
Rentals also available. 1min
walk from JR Yamanote line,
Hamamatsucho stn S5 exit,
3min from Daimon subway
B4 exit. 10am-6:30pm.
Call 03-3437-2312.
www.tokyoit.jp/english
SHINJUKU COSMOPOLITAN
PARTY - AUTUMN SPECIAL
October 6, Sat, 6:20-9pm,
I n t ’ l b a r To k yo L o o s e .
Shinjuku’s Biggest and fullscale international party.
200 p e ople . Eve rybody
Welcome! All you can drink
and free snacks. Female
¥3000, Male ¥3500, party@
shinjukuparty.com http://
www.shinjukuparty.com
8.2 Hardware
Laptop, Dell, Core 2 Duo, w/DVD-R/W
Mac, MacBook Pro, 15”, Core i7 2.3GHz,
w/Retina Display
AppleCare Protection Plan, latest OS,
original packaging, warranty till 2015,
as new, hardly used ¥180,000. Firm. In
person only. [email protected]
10 HELP!
10.2 Support
N E E D T O TA L K ?
We’re here to listen.
TELL LIFE LINE: free
English-language
a n o n y m o u s
counseling, daily from 9am-11pm, by
trained volunteers: 03-5774-0992.
T E LL C O U N S E L I N G C E N T E R :
affordable multilingual
p syc hothe rapy by acc re dite d
Western-trained professionals, a
CIGNA International Provider:
03-4550-1146. TELL website: www.
telljp.com. Follow us on Facebook
and Twitter @TokyoLifeLine.
West Papua: one soul , one
people. Fifty years ago, West Papua
should have been an independent
country. Since 1969, West Papua has
SPECIAL INTERNATIONAL
PARTY - Autumn Special. Sat,
Sep 29, 6-8:30pm, Assembly
Hall (Omotesando). Held by
Japan’s biggest international
friendship site and English
portal site. 2 50 people.
Everybody welcome! All-youcan-drink and snacks ¥3000.
toeiclesson.com/sip/
CONVERSATION LOUNGE
M I C KE Y H O U S E AT
TAKADANOBABA. Relax in
a living room atmosphere
and meet new friends from
different countries. Open
Mon-Sat from 6-11pm.
O n e d ri n k ¥ 50 0 ~. ht tp : //
mickeyhouse.jp/english
TO K YO I N T E R N ATI O N A L
PARTY. Sep. 28 TGIF party
Roppongi Quest. Oct.6
Roppongi Int’l Party. Oct.13
Omotesando Int ’l Sushi
Party (all-you-can-drink &
eat ¥3000). Speed-dating
on Oct.7! And more! best@
i n t e r n a t i o n a l p a r t y. c o m
http://internationalparty.
com/index_e.html
GAITOMO INTERNATIONAL
PARTY ★ VERY POPULAR
BIGGEST PARTY IN TOKYO
Held every Fri and Sat in
Tokyo. Locations in Roppongi,
Aoyama and Jiyugaoka,
etc. ¥1500~¥2000. Not club
music. Mainly talking. info@
gaitomo.com http://gaitomo.
com/
13 CLUBS & INTERESTS
13.1 Sports
A M E R I C A N F O O T B ALL .
Nihon Unisys Bulls, X league
Central Division, seeks fit
players w/ US college football
experience for all positions.
Practice every Sat/Sun from
10am-3pm (including meeting)
in Tokyo/Saitama (time & venue
subject to change). Attendance
at practice must be over 60%.
Please contact for tryout info
and send your profile to team
admin. bullsxleague@gmail.
com http://www.unisys.co.jp/
football/
K ick up a storm at
BungEling Bay. If your goal
is to lose weight, tone up, gain
strength, or simply to feel
healthier, then our qualified
and experienced trainers
can help you. 03-6905-6573
[email protected]
www.bungelingbay.com
ALL-NATIONALITY TOUCH
FO OTBALL . N o n - co nt a c t
tag rugby (OZ tag) and
Rugby League players. We
play every Sat from 10am in
Tatsumi. M/F and beginners
welcome! Good exercise and
fun! Many other activities
such as BBQs and drinking
parties! Email for details.
tokyorugbyleague@
hotmail.com http://ameblo.
jp/tokyo13warriors
AMATEUR RUGBY LEAGUE
PLAYERS . Japan ANZAC S
rugby league team is looking
for rugby league players for
J a pa n e s e Ru g by Le a g u e
official games from Apr to
S e p. Eve r yo n e we lco m e .
For more details, contact
[email protected]
TA M B O U R E LL I . Ve r y u n i q u e
new sport from Scotland. Using
a tambourine -like instrument
as a sports racquet, players hit a
shuttlecock! We play two or three
tim e s/m o nth o n we e ke n d s in
Meguro with many socials. Join us!
More details: www.tamjapan.org/
en/ [email protected]
All-level tennis group in Tokyo.
Serious and motivated tennis players
sought by active tennis group to join
their weekly sessions in central Tokyo.
We have advanced and intermediate
groups on weekday evenings. Beginner
and low-intermediate also welcome.
No entrance or membership fees.
Reasonable participation fees. tokyo.
[email protected]
Since 1949
今年は"にほんごをもの"にする
EVERGREEN LANGUAGE SCHOOL
D A I LY CO N V E R S AT I O N A N D B U S I N E S S J A PA N E S E
APPLY NOW FOR AUTUMN COURSE!
* ONE MONTH INTENSIVE
* 2 DAYS & 3 DAYS A WEEK
2013
April term
* PRIVATE & COMPANY
student VISA
* BUSINESS JAPANESE
registration
open!!
* PREP FOR JLPT (N1,2,3)
* COLLEGE VISA COURSE
www.evergreen.gr.jp
YUTENJI 03-3713-4958 JIYUGAOKA 03-3723-4785
[email protected]
FREE TRIAL LESSON
03-3713-4958
SJSK Green House Language School
Premium Language Immersion Experience
JAPANESE STUDY
A comfortable beautiful space
and high-quality programs at
an attractive price
ENGLISH STUDY
美しい空間でワンランク上の
『上質』
の英会話を
緑豊かで、まるで外国のリゾ
ートにいるような美しい学び
の空間です。講師は、国際英
会話講師免許（Tesol）
を修得
した外国人、バイリンガルで
す。子供から大人まで一人一
人のニーズにあったコースデ
ザインをご予算に合わせて選
べます。
• Customized programs to fit your needs
at your office or home as well as at the
school
• Children to adults/beginners to
advanced business
• プログラムをカスタマイズ
• コースが豊富
• お時間に合わせたコース
• お手頃な価格
045-777-1705（10：00−18：00）
[email protected]
www.sjsk-japan.com
Green Line
Kitayamata Stn
SJSK
exit 1
Denny’s
Big Yosan Supermarket
1
Japan’s
No.
Second-hand Bookstore!
40,000 International books
available from ¥200
Café
Book Off - Shirokanedai
10:00~22:00 03-5475-5696
Cafe Corner
8:00~20:00 L.O.
4-3-19 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku
Spa Shirokane
Metro Namboku line
Toei Mita line
Shirokanedai station
Exit No.2
is
eda
kan
iro
Sh
n
tatio
Happoen
Grand Hills
Shirokanedai
Post office
Seven Eleven
JapanTourist.jp Sign up at www.japantourist.jp
JOBS
Writers wanted. Love travel and
helping others understand Japan?
Earn flights, hotel stays, meals, apparel,
and more for your travel-writing.
We aim to recruit 1000 contributors
through ‘12 to our grassroots network
covering every corner of the country.
Non-professionals welcome, as are
non-native English speakers. We
provide a style guide and some editing.
See www.japantourist.jp/about/
contributing.
MODEL WANTED! Photographer is
seeking nude art models for art project.
Privacy is 100% respected! If interested,
please email [email protected].
Serious only. Willing to offer attractive
modeling fee.
SALES INTERN. Metropolis is seeking
a bilingual (E/J) intern to join the
most successful English-language
advertising team (Restaurants & Bars) in
Japan. Great opportunity to learn about
advertising in an exciting environment.
No pay, but transportation provided.
Please fax your resume (E/J) to
03-4550-2859 or email knakashima@
metropolis.co.jp.
FU LL -TI M E SA LE S STA FF FOR
JAPANESE APPAREL COMPANY
S a l a r y: 10 0 0 ye n ~1 2 0 0 ye n / Hou r.
Job requirements:Japanese
(Conversational). English (Upper
intermediate to advanced). Interested
i n fa sh ion Contact: s-kanegae@
cue-group.co.jp 03-6683-0584
FULL-TIME FEMALE PRESCHOOL
E NGLISH TEACH E R WANTE D 8
hours/day, Mon to Fri. Teaching English,
caring children of 2-5 yrs old. Salary:
250,000 yen/month -. No bonus. Site:
Porestar Building, Nakamachi Nakaku
Hirosima city, next to ANA hotel.
[email protected]
littlenewtonenglishclass@gmail.
com
To advertise:
[email protected]
03-4550-2929
CHAT HOSTS & TEACHERS WANTED
@ LEAFCUP (Tokyo, Yokohama, Omiya).
Seeking enthusiastic & proficient Korean,
French, Spanish, German, and/or English
speakers who can teach and lead lively
conversations @ chat tables and group
lessons. ¥1000-¥1800/h. Apply online:
www.leafcup.com/job.htm
HIGH-SKILL SOFTWARE
DEVELOPER Company in Yokohama
seeks a highly skilled programmer for
work with enterprise systems. Must
be experienced with: Perl, RDBMS,
Linux admin. PostgreSQL, C++, or
RAN/Core experience is a plus. 450K
to 700k/month salary (depending
o n e x p e r i e n c e ) j a i . m c a u l ay@
lingonetwork.com +816-6809-1607
SALES Support staff. Metropolis
is seeking bilingual (E/J) sales support
staff to join our motivated marketing
team. Great opportunity to work in
advertising (online and paper) in an
exciting media environment. Full-time,
paid holiday position in after sales
service and admin duties. Only friendly,
outgoing individuals with good people
skills need apply. Send your resume in
both English and Japanese to jobs@
metropolis.co.jp.
UNIVERSE CLUB creates and supports
opportunities for elite foreign males
to meet elegant Japanese females.
Seeking fluent English/conversational
Japanese concierge for translation and
website management work. Korean and
Chinese skills are a plus. Proper visa
required. Part-time ¥1500-¥2500/h.
Full-time ¥250,000-¥500,000/m.
E m a i l i n f o @ u n iv e r s e - c l u b . j p
03-5350-1877
Badminton club in Tokyo. Small
international group in Tokyo seeks
players from abroad. If you are a
trained player who knows badminton
footwork and strokes as a serious sport,
you could definitely enjoy playing with
us. [email protected] www.
geocities.jp/mune_albat/page4.html
Don’s Half-Fast Flash-Mob Weekend
Urban Bicycle Rides. halffastcycling@
hotmail.com
BRITISH FOOTBALL ACADEMY. All
3-12 y/o are welcome to join our regular
fun and friendly soccer sessions at a
location near you! Our FA qualified,
British coaches are simply great with
kids of all ages / abilities / nationalities.
[email protected] www.footyjapan.
com/bfat/ 03-3770-0288
Gaijin Golfers. Come join the most
fun and active golf group in Japan for
expats, foreign residents and Englishspeaking Japanese. Excellent network
for finding golf partners, regular
golf outings and lots more! info@
gaijingolfers.com www.gaijingolfers.
com
C R I C KE T I N JA PA N . P l ay
cricket in Japan with Paddy
Foley’s Cricket Club Tokyo. We
are looking for new players,
all nationalities and levels
welcome, a fun and social
atmosphere. More details
a t w w w. p a d d y f o l e y s c c .
co m o r m a i l co nt a c tu s @
paddyfoleyscc.com http://
paddyfoleyscc.com
Futsal players wanted by a very
friendly international team. Practice is
in Tokyo and Kanagawa on Sat. Details
available. [email protected]
Interested in tai chi? Then why not
start now! Take a step to counter the
stresses of daily living. Practice is in
Toyama Park on Sun mornings, near
Takadanobaba stn. chifact@gmail.
com
Volleyball Club Intervoll. Japanese
and foreign volleyball players gather in
Takadanobaba to enjoy playing. Have
volleyball experience and want to play
volleyball in a friendly atmosphere?
[email protected] http://
intervoll.sakura.ne.jp/
13.2 Leisure
S ewing & Patternmaking
Classes. Interested in learning
sewing and tailoring techniques,
using the sewing machine and
patternmaking? Various workshops
and classes can be booked at http://
sewingcircle.wordpress.com
Only in Hollywood. Looking to start a
small gathering of moviegoers around
Tokyo. Chat about flicks old and new
from around the world over a few pints.
[email protected]
13.3 Arts
Join the camera fun. Join the Tokyo
Cameras Club, Tokyo’s longest running
and most international photo club,
meeting every third Sun of the month.
Amateurs and professionals welcome.
Each month a new theme. Have fun and
make friends! tokyocameras@yahoo.
com http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/
group/tokyocameras/
Love Shakespeare? Amate ur
group in Tokyo, meeting once/month
to celebrate our love of the Bard.
Come to read or just to listen. All
nationalities welcome, no experience
necessary! rchrd_schwartz@yahoo.
com http://groups.yahoo.com/group/
Shakespeare-sama/
13.4 Music
Drummer and bassist wanted for an
original working band. Both recording
and stage experience are a must.
Pro-minded musicians are welcome.
Influenced by Oasis, Radiohead,
U2, Coldplay, Teenage Fanclub,
NIN, Evanescence, Ride, My Bloody
Valentine, etc. [email protected]
Drums and bass wanted. I’m seeking
a bassist and drummers for a CD
release and performances as support
members or permanent members. We
mainly play rock and have rehearsals
in Shin-Yokohama on weekends. m_a_
[email protected]
Japanese drummer seeking
musicians. Guitar and bass player
sought for rock, dance, pop, blues, jazz,
etc. Melody is important. Hopefully, we
can have gigs so everybody can dance!
[email protected]
Jazz musicians sought in Tokyo.
Pianist, jazz singer, saxophonist,
trumpeter, flutist, bassist. Let’s play
jazz standards. I’m a Japanese guitarist.
[email protected]
Jazz-funk bass still needed. Off Da
Hook, Kanto’s hottest jazz-funk band, is
still seeking one severely funky bassist.
Must have stage experience and be
able to practice in Machida/Kanagawa.
[email protected]
Musicians wanted. I’m a Japanese
musician singing original songs and
seeking musicians to build a band. I love
alternative rock and play it acoustically
so far. Long-term relationship preferred.
You don’t have to be a professional, but
above intermediate. nofficial@hotmail.
com
Power pop band seeks drummer,
keyboards/backing vocals.
Experienced, fun, serious band, has
material. Arrange written songs
together. Serious, mature only. No big
egos. Plans to release. Any age. M/F ok.
thecomplaintsdepartment.net/
13.9 International
Intercultural activities. JII (Japan
Intercultural Institute) is a nonprofit, member-run organization
that sponsors activities (seminars,
cultural events, conferences) for
those wanting to further develop
intercultural competencies and
meet other interculturalists. yuko.
japanintercultural.org
JANZ Ladies Group. We’re a friendly
and supportive organization for women
from Australia and New Zealand living
in Japan, and Japanese women who
have lived in either Australia or New
Zealand. [email protected] http://
www.janzladies.com 090-6560-0640
Japan-Indonesia Economic Forum.
Free to join. Established April 03, to
gain more understanding, friendship
and cooperation between Japanese
and Indonesians, particularly in the
economic and financial sectors.
http://japanindonesia.com/ info@
japanindonesia.com
14 PERSONALS
14.1 Friends
LET’S DO SOMETHING IN HIGASHI
KANAMACHI. Lets drink and laugh!
Izakaya or tekito. I’d like a Japanese
buddy, male or female, 20’s to early
40’s. Let’s have fun around Higashi
Kanamachi to start. I’ll buy the first
round of drinks! 080-4338-1031
[email protected]
Be my friends. 28y/o girl studying
English, French, and Korean all by myself.
I’m a beginner at French and Korean,
waiting to hear from you for chatting,
eating, and going out. lumi.rumi_728@
rocketmail.com
Female friends for fun. JF, 24, Tokyo,
seeking female friends to get together
all the time for real fun. Let’s meet up
and enjoy girls’ nights out! Cheers!
[email protected]
Fun in Tokyo. Can never have enough
friends. Japanese female, over 30, seeks
nice and fun-loving female friends for
dining out, bars, parties, travel. Let’s have
fun together. sweetseptemberinjp@
yahoo.co.jp
German/Austrian friends? Hello, I’m
a JM, 25. I want friends from Germany/
Austria. I am interested in the language
and countries. M/F ok. I like music,
cooking and having fun on weekends.
Danke! [email protected]
Interested in shrines in Tokyo?
I am SJF, 40, not religious at all, but
conservative, open-minded. I am seeking
American friends, M/F ok, around my age,
to visit shrines in Tokyo and then enjoy
chatting. [email protected]
JF seeking friends. Hi, I am a Japanese
female, early 30s, seeking native Englishspeaking friends. rarakiki2004@yahoo.
co.jp
JM seeking friend. Hello! I am a
Japanese male, 35, living in Tokyo. If
you feel lonely, please let me know. I
am an easygoing guy. Let’s hang out in
the Tokyo area after 5 or on weekends.
[email protected]
Lunchtime friends at French
restaurants. Stylish, creative, curious JF,
loves food, seeks lunchtime (between
11:30 and 3pm) friends for eating at
French restaurants or bistros. I’d like to
discover some restaurants in Tokyo. Any
age/nationality ok. Must have good taste.
[email protected]
Motorcycle riding partners. American
male living in Chiba seeks riding partners
who enjoy day rides and possible
long trips around Japan. Let’s share
experiences and info on good riding
locations. [email protected]
Seeking friend who likes sports,
running, football, etc., just to meet and
chat sometimes. M/F ok. I am a gentleman
from the UK, very kind and humble. Send
me an email soon. garyinbulgaria1962@
yahoo.co.uk
Seeking friends for fun. JF, 27, seeks
native English-speaking friends, 25-35,
M/F ok, around the Machida/Yokohama
area, Odakyu/Yokohama lines. I love
music, movies, traveling. moonstones17@
gmail.com
14.2 Men Looking For
Women
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ARE YOU FREE O N TH E
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Sexlessness hurts! Gentle married
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Sexlessness is not healthy. We can
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[email protected]
SUBMISSIVE SJM. Cute, 34,
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American male seeks JF. American
male, mid-30s. Let’s meet and have fun
in English and Japanese. I live in central
Tokyo and I’m free on the weekends. I
am studying Japanese and like music
and museums. tokyoradio2011@hotmail.
com
Attractive Japanese professional
in Tokyo, 33, businessman, seeking a
long-term relationship with a kind and
serious woman. I like traveling, listening
to classical music. My friends say I’m
handsome, friendly, easy to talk to. pirlo_
[email protected]
Groups of 4 or more can
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Female friends sought. Attractive,
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nice smile, likes design, art, music,
fiction, seeking similar female, 25-40,
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Englishman in Tokyo seeking to chat
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Attractive SJM seeks a nice Western
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Decent male available. Seeking
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I want a good friend Hi, I am a single
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Italian male, 30. Hello, I am a European
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Japanese male, 39, single, seeks
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female for friendship and romance. I am
generous, nonsmoking, like traveling,
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JM seeking foreign girl. I’m easygoing
and I would like to talk in English because
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can exchange photos. kosuke1016@
hotmail.com
Mature romance. European guy
working in Tokyo, not-bad looks, smart
and kind, seeks an Asian or foreign lady,
40s-50s, who is nice and interested in
cinema. [email protected]
Instant access to the
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Mature SJM seeking young lady.
SJM, healthy, living & working in central
Tokyo, with a secure job. You are under
35, attractive, preferably have a job
and a healthy mind, live in Tokyo. Any
nationality. [email protected]
Movie friend. SJM, 31, almost bilingual,
loves traveling and movies, seeks
someone to go to the movies with, and
to talk with after the movies to get to
know each other well as a first step!
[email protected]
Never too late! European working in
Japan seeks romance with a Japanese
or Asian lady, 40-50, who is interested in
movies and music. chezswan@outlook.
com
Romance with an older lady. Very
nice and sexy gentleman seeks an older,
or much older, woman to have nice dates
and a romance. [email protected]
Visit
stripes.com/iphone
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Seeking mentally mature partner.
Seeking a serious lady to hang out with
and explore life from there. Serious
replies only, please. canadiangesture@
gmail.com
Seeking nice lady. SJM, 31, living
in Shinjuku. I will make you happy!
Enjoy Japanese modern/old culture.
[email protected]
UK lady. SJM, 30s, tall, slim, lover of
books, films and music, seeks an attractive
British lady with the same interests. First
chat, then meet up for coffee and maybe
more. [email protected]
14.3 Women Looking
For Men
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Any fun and attractive, and also
decent and trustworthy, guys out
there? Attractive and fun JF, 50s, wants
to make friends with you. Can you
think of physical intimacy as a bonus
that happens only when we click?
[email protected]
Attractive Asian? Attractive SJF, 40,
seeks a tall, English-speaking East Asian
guy, 35-40-ish. Let’s meet for a coffee
and chat. Hope you are a nature lover,
smart, and down-to-earth. mon02@
hotmail.co.jp
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Attractive JF, 30s, in Tokyo, seeks a
Caucasian businessman, nonsmoker,
over 40, and fun to be with. Let’s
meet after work and see if we click.
[email protected]
Busy on weekdays, lonely on
weekends. Been single too long and
want someone again. Confident JF, 38,
wants a confident single man, without
children, for a serious relationship
and friendship. Not interested in legal
bindings, but want emotional/physical
connection. [email protected]
Colorful life with me? SJF, late 30s,
tall and fit, passionate, stylish, would
love to share beautiful moments with
a stylish SWM who loves his life, is
passionate, and has lots of experience.
It’s hard to find the right person on
this site, but I’m trying anyway. salyu.
[email protected]
iPhone 5. SJF, Mac user, has been to
Europe, seeking European designer/
engineer/musician to communicate
over classical concerts, fashion shows
and wine. You should be 25-40, single,
white. Your photo gets mine. Thanks!
[email protected]
Nature life together. SJF, mid-30s,
is seeking a special man for a lot of
fun times together. If you love walking
in nature, on beaches and in forests,
we will definitely enjoy each other’s
company. I’m waiting for your message.
[email protected]
Pretty JF seeks attractive, intelligent,
and professional friends working and
living in Tokyo. I’m in my 30s, attractive,
and slim. I like dining and drinking out,
so let’s have a drink after work first!
[email protected]
Respect, love and care. Pretty SJF,
31, seeks a gentleman to develop a
serious relationship that may start
from friendship. Please have a good
balance of different qualities. Hopefully,
you’re interesting, but not too difficult...
[email protected]
Romantic winter together? Elegant
and educated SJF, 30s, in central Tokyo,
seeks a sophisticated and intelligent
single gentleman with a nice smile. How
about talking and laughing over a glass
of wine on a sparkling night in Tokyo?
Serious only. [email protected]
Seeking intelligent SJM. Attractive
SWF, early 20s, would love to meet an
interesting, intelligent JM. I’m interested
in art, architecture, and learning
more about Japanese culture. Let’s
have some great conversations and
hopefully more. tenderbuttons123@
hotmail.co.uk
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Prompt referrals. Seeks new
girls. 応募歓迎.
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Sexy-but-cute JF. Want to spend
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nice conversations over wine,
shopping or cooking together? Please
get in touch if you’re a single, fit, goodlooking, successful businessman. Photo
appreciated. [email protected]
Smile together. Genuine, attractive,
down-to-earth JF, soon to be 40, is
seeking a serious relationship. Would
love to meet gentlemen who are sincere,
active, and successful. Let’s have coffee
to see if there’s good chemistry between
us. [email protected]
Take me away. SJF, mid-30s, enjoys
a stylish and healthy life, is tall and
attractive, lives in Tokyo, seeks a
sophisticated, honest, open-minded,
attractive SWM with a great sense of his
lifestyle. Would appreciate discovering
new things together. antidotes.4u@
gmail.com
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by Cathryn Moe
Horoscope
♥ Love ¥ Money ♣ Luck
ARIES
TAURUS
GEMINI
May 21~June 21 ♥♥ ¥¥ ♣♣♣
June 22~July 22 ♥♥♥♥ ¥¥¥ ♣♣♣
Gather your forces to use an unconventional approach. At the moment you’re
striking so fast they won’t know what
hit them. The Full Moon in Aries on Sunday gives
you the edge. This “full awareness” is completely
in your corner. Your career goes through depth
sounding. Hang in there, making adjustments
you can live with. Fall in love, stay in love, or take
a long trip to find it.
You might feel a bit naughty with money,
which is all good. Your focus brings a
straightforward opportunity, taking
most of your time and energy. Stealing away for a
few moments of fun is part of your current “soul
nourishment.” Don’t overlook that Jupiter in your
income sector is expanding by leaps and bounds.
Sock some away as you appreciate Juno’s “I have
your back” attitude.
With Jupiter in your Sign, you’re still in
a lucky-year high. But if it’s too much,
schedule some down time. A meditation or movie could refresh you. When you’re
back, everyone will have missed you—no one has
to know how much you needed the “alone” time.
As a social butterfly you have to reach the prettiest flowers to feel free. Your sector of romance is
overflowing. Make a choice!
Breaking free is not always your first
thought, but with the Full Moon in
your work sector Sunday, you may
think twice. Suddenly, taking a risk doesn’t sound
so bad. In fact, it may sound good. Optimism
bubbles up and it’s important you act when you
feel energized. Don’t wait to reconsider and end
up in a tidepool. Mars in your romance sector just
wants what it wants. And what’s wrong with that?
LEO
VIRGO
Libra
SCORPIO
Leos need a break. Today if not sooner.
Venus in your Sign keeps you on a high
and looking good, even if you’re not
getting beauty sleep. This is the week to follow
up contacts and connections. The Full Moon
Sunday is in hot friendly Aries. Picture yourself
far away with a view that stretches forever. If
you’ve already created that in your life, invite your
friends to join you.
Open doors you ordinarily wouldn’t.
Instead of projecting how things might
go, create a mental space for them to
flow smoothly. Details are everything, but can
be stumbling blocks too. Accept there’s a bigger
picture to be fulfilled. The Full Moon Sunday
could be a shocker because it’s in your area of
joint resources. Freedom is a key point and you’re
about to create plenty of it.
Happy birthday to you! It’s more to
the point if you’re born September
28–October 4, but the Sun’s energies
influence all Librans. Sunday’s Full Moon heats
up a relationship. If you can be spontaneous, take
risks and break routine, you might find your daredevil. Venus in Leo sextiles Saturn in your Sign on
Tuesday, accenting stability, beauty, comfort and
love. Commitment anyone?
The Full Moon in Aries on Sunday brings
up challenges, particularly in your work
sector. You’d like to be as healthy, fit and
trim as you can be. But constant change means
you are extending yourself beyond what’s comfortable. As your awareness grows this week, it’s
best to let yourself experience life in a full spectrum. Who knows, you may just decide to make a
pivotal shift towards fun and freedom.
SAGITTARIUS
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
Sunday’s Full Moon is likely to spark
your imagination. Impatience surfaces
unless you let yourself run free. Sagittarians need travel, adventure, and discovery,
whether actual or philosophical. Manifesting has
always been attractive, though irksome when it
niggles away. Only doubt brings concern. Knowing
why your dreams are there allows you to welcome
them close, regardless of your busy schedule.
The Full Moon on Sunday is close to
your heart. It centers around what
isn’t working at home, and how to fix
it. Some Capricorns are moving. Some would
like to, but are waiting for the finances. Others
have become philosophical, refusing to settle for
anything but the best. Deeply rooted beliefs are
challenged. Don’t let this stop you treating yourself with the kindness and respect you deserve.
Finances could be sliding all week. You
might notice your ability to stay focused
and afloat creates a balance. Has the
world really become that subtle? Do we affect
what happens, or are we merely recipients of
events? Quantum physics brings the answer, one
you, Aquarius, know all too well. The Full Moon on
Sunday brings individuals to the collective, where
you can help everyone become a winner.
Forced change is a current Piscean
theme. None of the Fishies are allowed
to swim downstream for the moment.
Your muscles are growing on every level—mental,
emotional, physical and spiritual. The leap on
everyone’s lips is pivotal for you. You can make
it to the other side, and you must remind yourself
of that. Sunday’s Full Moon brings finances and a
drive to create them into hyperforce.
Mar 21~Apr 19 ♥♥ ¥¥ ♣♣♣
July 23~Aug 22 ♥♥♥ ¥¥ ♣♣♣
Nov 22~Dec 21 ♥♥♥ ¥¥ ♣♣♣
Apr 20~May 20 ♥♥ ¥¥¥ ♣♣♣♣
Aug 23~Sep 22 ♥♥♥♥ ¥¥¥ ♣♣♣♣
Dec 22~Jan 19 ♥♥ ¥¥¥ ♣♣♣♣
Metropolis Mediabox
Regarding “Space Invaders” (The
Last Word, Sep 14): The “ubiquitous
salaryman” does not live in studio
apartments. He lives in peripheral
Tokyo, where he can afford to own
his own home. “More people living
alone” is indicative of a positive trend,
not of a societal illness. This “living
alone” phenomenon represents a
healthy departure from having your
mother do your laundry until you are
in your 30s. That Tokyo residential
Sep 23~Oct 22 ♥♥♥ ¥¥ ♣♣♣
Oct 23~Nov 21 ♥♥ ¥¥¥ ♣♣♣♣
Jan 20~Feb 18 ♥♥♥ ¥¥ ♣♣♣
Feb 19~Mar 20 ♥♥♥ ¥¥¥¥ ♣♣
facebook.com/MetropolisMagazine
metropolis.co.jp/community
twitter.com/MetropolisTokyo
metrodining.jp
prices have slid
almost without
interruption
for the past two
decades affords
this chance. As
the population
continues to
slide, increasing
the number of
households
(which means
27-year-olds
begrudgingly
snipping the
apron strings)
is one way to band-aid the economic
implications. I could go on, but the tone
of your letter makes you seem a wellmeaning guy with whom I would much
rather discuss the remainder over a
beer than in this cowardly ether.—cman
Rio Akasaka
DOES TOKYO NEED TO
THINK BIGGER?
CANCER
Bigger, better, insulated and/or centrally
heated.—Patuki Harding
Interesting article. Japan is a great
country, but they sure aren’t used to
foreigners & foreign culture tho. What a
pity.—@ulijandro
“Gaijin?” That’s gaikokujin, please. As for
Japan being a small country, it’s twice as
big as England. Its just that everything
and everyone is concentrated in Greater
Tokyo, which is a case of putting all
one’s eggs in one basket.—jon
CRAFT (UN)FAIR
Regarding “Watering Hole” (Bar Review,
Sep 14): There is no home brewing going
on at Watering Hole. Home brewing,
the making of beer in one’s home, is
illegal in Japan. Watering Hole is a
craft beer bar. Also, I was hoping the
writer would explain why Fujiura is
“Japan’s homebrew hero,” but there is no
explanation. For the record, Fujiura was
once a noted winner in a contest of the
American Homebrewer’s Association.
While I applaud the writer’s intent in
publicizing good craft beer, it’s obvious
that serious omissions in the story,
coupled by some fairly careless editing,
leaves a whole lot to be desired. Finally,
I have heard that Watering Hole intends
to brew their own beer in the near
future, but this is not mentioned at all
in this story. Like being served a fairly
lousy beer, this story left me totally
unsatisfied.—tripeler
Actually, the article does says that
the brewery next door, owned by the
couple, will be adding their own craft
beer next year.—txjewel
K-HOLE
Regarding “Korean Invasion” (The
Last Word, Aug 31): J-pop is nothing
more than a novelty in the US,
primarily because there are almost
no expat Japanese living in the US
(the last big wave of immigration was
prior to WWII). The third- and fourthgeneration Japanese-American kids’
world is mostly the American part.
K-pop might get a better hearing,
but that’s a demographics thing.
There are probably more secondgeneration Koreans living in LA
than there are Japanese-Americans
nationwide.
—Jeffrey Huffman
GIVE IT AWAY NOW
Regarding “Tokyo Comedy Club
Giveaway” (Agenda, Sep 18): I just
sent my email! C’mon let me win!
I need a laugh! I work for the US
Government after all...—Jessica
Wilson McFarlane
Metropolis wants to hear from you. Send your comments to [email protected]. Note that letters may be edited for length and clarity.
The Last Word
Want to have The Last Word? Send your article
to: [email protected]
Getting Off Base
shane busato
Start the rice
ball rolling
By Jason Palmer
Y
ou used to have to remove
all your headgear when
exiting “the foreign area”
and entering the portal
to quasi-America and
quasi-home. Unlike the orthodontic
community, Yokosuka Naval Base
defines headgear as anything you
wear on your head. Why they recently
taped over that item on the blue sign
with strange rules outside the gate—
and why they ever had it for that
matter—will remain a mystery to you
and probably to the guards who vigorously enforced it even on the most
ear-numbing, winter days. You kind
of miss it. It furthered the illusion that
you were transporting sci-fi style into
a new, scary world, and the earmuffs
would somehow disrupt the correct
ordering of your cerebral atoms once
you reached the other side.
It is 16:44 and you are trying to
make it back “inside” before the
deluge of foot traffic pours from the
floodgates. This warp zone is clogged
by hordes of Japanese workers exiting
at exactly 16:45 every day, who give
the guards their heart-felt, “Otsukaresama,” as they reenter the place you
have come to ominously refer to as,
“out in town,” and they simply call
home: Yokosuka, Japan.
You have journeyed out a little
past your comfort zone on this day.
Instead of getting your usual mayotuna onigiri at the 7-Eleven on your
way back from the 100-yen store, you
venture almost an entire two blocks
beyond where any American (you
convinced yourself) has ever dared
set foot. Anxiety settles in. Maybe
you should just go back on base and
get a bite at the drive-through Taco
Bell. Then you could eat it out on the
deck of your spacious, linoleum tower
and watch the freighters and fishers
navigate the ever-changing waters
between the strange lands called
Monkey Island and Chiba.
No! Something compels you to
branch out; to try something new.
You step in front of what you think are
automatic doors, but they don’t actually open until you push where it says
“push.” A waft of air-conditioning and
high-pitched foreign voices welcome
you. You have entered a 7-Eleven
that you have never entered before,
a 7-Eleven you imagine no Status Of
Forces Agreement (SOFA)-sponsored
visa holder has ever entered before,
and suddenly the looming dread that
has been following you finally takes
shape. You are going to have to use
your ridiculously limited Japanese to
accomplish the mission that is gradually solidifying in your brain, a brain
You press your
luck and, feigning
delight with
the unknown
ingredients
within your prize,
proudly utter,
‘Dai suki’”
ridden with the guilt of having lived
in Japan for three years without ever
having lived in Japan at all.
The mission is clear: you must try
a new flavor of onigiri.
You pick up a mysterious rice ball
wrapped in seaweed. The radical on
one of the kanji seems to evoke an
image of beans you remember from a
long ago Chinese class. You take it to
the counter. You manage to sputter
something in a foreign tongue. Something like, “What inside this be?” The
response is unintelligible, but you
don’t care. You are exhilarated! You
just had a full two-sentence conversation in actual Japanese with a real
live Japanese person. You press your
luck and, feigning delight with the
unknown ingredients within your
prize, proudly utter:
“Dai suki.”
Then comes an onslaught of linguistic torpedoes out of which you
intercept the words “American” and
“sailor.” How does this person know
you’re American and why does this
person assume you’re a sailor just
because you’re white and in Yokosuka? Admitting that those are pretty
safe assumptions doesn’t take away
your sudden flood of desire to morph
into Japanese skin. If the base gate
has the ability to beam you to Japan,
why can’t it make a few adjustments
to your ancestry?
Oh, if only you were Japanese!
Then you could be whisked away by
your onboard voice command GPS
to one of the many secluded beaches
within a half hour’s drive, mountain
bike without getting lost on the web
of trails that cover the map from
Hayama to Kanazawa Bunko, or even
fit into some of the vintage clothing
sold at that new shop you heard about
by Kenritsu Daigaku station.
It is 16:46. The rather pungent, spider webby stringiness at the center of
your prized purchase snaps you out of
your reverie as you offer a lame “otsukaresama” to the guard who beeps
your ID into the system. You wonder
if the fermentation of the supposed
beans is intentional.
You are back on the inside. You
know this because there is an actual
garbage can ahead. You are relieved.
Yet you can’t quite shake the
germinating thought that perhaps
you don’t need to be Japanese to
fully enjoy Yokosuka. Resisting the
temptation to dispose of the symbol
of your victory into the aforementioned can, you feel a Grinchesque
change coming over your heart and
taste buds.
Maybe, just maybe, you need to
get out more.
Gulp. Mission accomplished.
■ Jason Palmer is an elementary school
teacher living in Yokosuka
The views expressed in The Last Word are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect the position or opinions of Metropolis K.K. or its partners and sponsors
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