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Sep 4-Sep 17, 2015
Japan’s Nº1 English Magazine
www.metropolisjapan.com
RENT REVISITED
ANDY SEÑOR, JR.
BRINGS BACK BOHEMIA
DRESS-UP DÉCOR
FASHION-INSPIRED
INTERIORS
THE URGE
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inside
SEP 4-17, 2015 • #1119
EDITOR’S
LETTER
The end of summer always puts us in a reflective mood—including those of us with biceps big enough to bring down a building.
That’s what happens with Dwayne Johnson when the action heroslash-dad chats with us about his new flick San Andreas and the
importance of parents’ relationships with their kids. Andy Señor, Jr.
also looks back on his relationship with Rent as the director brings
the musical back to Japan. Meanwhile, if all that reflection leads to
food, pick up some healthy eating habits with our vegetarian restaurant guide! If the season has you seeking refuge at home, do so
in style: dress up your interior with high fashion. Happy September!
Photo by C Bryan Jones
10
The Green Guide: Great veggie dining in the city
14
16
Home Couture: Interior furnishings fit for the runway
Rent is Due: The musical is reborn on the Tokyo stage
Cover design: Davi Azevedo, cover model: Dwayne Johnson
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03
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LINGOIST
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Apartment-hunting can be a big pain—especially for those wanting to
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JP
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JP
EN
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JP
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Eki ni chikai heya wo sagashite masu.
I’m looking for a room close to the station.
Sōdesune. Koko nara eki kara toho jūgo-fun hodo desu.
Let’s see. This place is around 15 minutes from the station by foot.
Petto wa kaemasuka?
Can I keep a pet here?
Hai, daijōbu desu.
Yes, that’s OK.
K
1
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N
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C
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ANSWERS AT meturl.com/kanacross
04
Down
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2. To be worried about
something
4. Strange or funny
5. Rent
7. Disposable
10. Young
12. Book
TO-DO LIST
3
TOP
interior shops
“+S” Spiral Market
Claska Gallery & Shop “Do”
Located within Kitte Marunouchi, Spiral Market
offers stylish goods with an “eternal design” that
can be cherished for a long time. Open Mon-Sat,
11am-9pm; Sun & hols 11am-8pm. Kitte
Marunouchi. Tokyo. Tel: 03-6273-4606.
http://jptower-kitte.jp/en
With branches in Shibuya, Marunouchi, and
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Open 11am-7pm. 1-3-18 Chuo-cho, Meguro-ku.
Gakugei Daigaku. Tel: 03-3719-8124.
www.claska.com/en
Zara Home
Refurnish your home with goods from Zara Home,
specializing in home decor items such as bedding
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1F Aoyama Rise Square, 5-1-22 Minami
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03-6418-5171. www.zarahome.com/jp/en/
SEP 10 & 11
Damon Krukowski and Naomi Yang have had a varied
career since leaving indie rock outfit Galaxie 500. Their
dream-pop has found an especially strong welcome
in Japan, where they’ve collaborated with a range of
artists. Next week, they return to perform tracks off their
new album Fortune, presenting new songs alongside a
screening of a silent film directed by Yang on night one,
and compositions from their 2006 Asian folk omnibus
album International Sad Hits on night two. Guest
appearances are planned from Kim Doo Soo and Mikami
Kan, the former a respected Korean songwriter and the
latter a legend of Japan’s psych-folk scene. Dan Grunebaum
Sep 10, 8pm, ¥3,500 (adv)/ ¥4,000 (door). Vacant.
Meiji Jingumae. Tel: 03-6459-2962. Sep 11,
7:30pm, ¥3,500 (adv)/ ¥4,000 (door). Moon
Romantic. Gaienmae. Tel: 03-5474-8115.
http://baram-jp.weebly.com
SEP 8-17
© 重要文化財　能面小面　室町時代・15～16世紀　奈良・金春家伝来　東京国立博物館蔵
EDITOR’S PICK
DAMON & NAOMI
UNTIL OCT 4
NOH MASKS: EXPRESSIONS
ON MASKS FOR FEMALE
ROLES
The centuries-old theater form Noh employs some
60 different variations of masks. Among them,
masks embodying female characters are particularly
powerful and diverse. This exhibition examines such
masks, from the Magojiro type characterized by calm
benevolence, to others representing spiteful spirits.
The curators hope the exhibition helps visitors to
better grasp what can often seem a mysterious art
form. Until Oct 4, 9:30am-5pm. Closed Mon. ¥410620. Tokyo National Museum. Ueno or Uguisudani.
Tel: 03-5405-8686. www.tnm.jp/?lang=en
BREAKFAST FESTIVAL
Taste the breakfasts of the world, such as pho from
Vietnam, kaya toast from Singapore, and unique
foods such as the “California croissant,” a twist on
the popular French pastry containing a California
roll. Sep 8-17, 9am-4pm on weekdays; 9am-9pm on
weekends, ¥500 (weekdays)/ ¥800 (weekends).
Showa Kinen Park, Midori no Bunka Zone Yume
Hiroba. Tachikawa. http://chousyokufes.com
Sautoir in Platinum with Sapphires and Diamonds, 1969
SEP 8-NOV 29
THE ART OF BVLGARI:
130 YEARS OF ITALIAN
MASTERPIECES
Admire magnificent pieces of high jewelry from the
renowned Italian brand Bulgari that defined a pivotal
period in Italian design. Sep 8-Nov 29, 9:30am-5pm.
See website for further details on times and closures.
¥800-1,400. Tokyo National Museum. Ueno or
Uguisudani. Tel: 03-5405-8686. www.tnm.jp/?lang=en
SEP 21-23
SEP 15-23
Take classes taught by some of the world’s leading
yoga instructors (as well as free trial lessons),
shop for the newest yoga wear, and more! Sep 21,
9:30am-7:30pm; Sep 22, 8am-7:30pm; Sep 23,
8am-5:30pm, free entry, academy area tickets
¥1,500-23,000. Pacifico Yokohama. Minatomirai.
www.yogafest.jp/2015/wp
Spend “Silver Week” sipping on the finest Belgian
beers (61 varieties) while listening to live music
and enjoying great food! Sep 15-23, 2-10pm on
weekdays; 11am-10pm on weekends (from 4pm on
Sep 15 and until 9pm on Sep 23), ¥3,000 (adv)/
¥3,100 (door). Roppongi Hills Arena. Roppongi.
https://belgianbeerweekend.jp/en
YOGAFEST YOKOHAMA 2015
BELGIAN BEER WEEKEND
05
cover story
THE FAMILY MAN
Dwayne Johnson talks disaster, relationships, and San Andreas
BY C BRYAN JONES
D
isaster films are an especially touchy
subject in Japan. Memories of the Great
Tohoku Earthquake and subsequent
tsunami are still fresh in the minds of
the nation, and the upcoming release of San
Andreas (Japanese title: California Down) is being handled with care. Despite being a movie
about a massive quake, the heart of the story
focuses on family, love, and the strength to overcome. Metropolis caught up with the film’s star,
Dwayne Johnson, to find out what personal experiences influenced his role and the message
he hopes viewers will take away from the film.
Your film career covers a wide variety of
genres—and certainly plenty of action. San
Andreas is quite a ride, though. How does this
film differ from your past experiences?
I think on a lot of levels, it differs. One of the
things that jump out at me is the originality of
the movie. What I mean by that is, for a movie
of this size … it’s a very big movie, a big summer
movie, a very epic scale, not being based off of
a ride, not being based off of a book, not being
06
based off an intellectual property that a lot of
people know ... It was just on its own.
It was the underdog of the summer and we
always knew it, but never made the movie thinking, “Hey, let’s make a movie and hopefully it will
break some records and be big!” It was always,
“Hey, we have an opportunity here to make a
movie in a genre—the natural disaster genre—
that hasn’t been around for some time.” It was
also the opportunity to make a movie about a
massive earthquake. And as simplistic as that
sounds, and as relevant as it is considering how
powerful earthquakes are and how they happen
every year ... the last earthquake movie was in
1972 or 1971, and it was called Earthquake. So, it
was an opportunity to make a movie that hadn’t
been done in decades, in a genre that hadn’t
been played in for some time.
The love that your character Ray has for his
family really comes through in your performance. Did you draw influences from your
own life?
Without a doubt. I couldn’t have made this
movie five years ago or 10 years ago because I
was a different man with different experiences.
Since then, 10 years ago, I had gone through
my own struggles and challenges with raising a
daughter, a teenage daughter, questioning my
ability to be a great father, hoping that I could
be. [I had] gone through a divorce, I know what
that’s like and the challenges of that, so there’s
been a lot of ups and downs in my own personal
life with relationships that, by the time the script
came to me, I had lived and been challenged,
gotten through it, fallen on my face, and gotten
back up, enjoyed success at relationships, and
so I felt there was a nice poise that I was able to
bring into the role. And it seems like a juxtaposition of nice, quiet poise, because around me is
a massive earthquake and a lot of destruction
and a lot of things happening.
But truly, it’s really a great question because
I know that I just had to settle into the relationships that I have in my own life today, which I
can enjoy because of the challenges that I had
gone through. So, much like with Ray, he enjoys
the relationship that he has with his daughter
Ray’s daughter Blake is a very strong woman
who, like her father, is decisive, resourceful, and
helps others. What are your thoughts on the
importance of a father figure in a child’s life?
It’s the most important thing. Now, I’m a little
biased because I’m a father and I’m a man. I
always say that if you’ve got a good mom, then
you’ve got a shot at being a pretty good person.
But there is a very unique bond between a dad
and his daughter. And it’s a thing that women
know, and it’s a thing that guys know if they
have a daughter. I’m lucky enough to have a
daughter—she’s beautiful—and it’s the most
challenging thing in my life, but it’s also the most
rewarding.
I had struggled with my own relationship
with my dad for many many years, and we had
our challenges. It wasn’t until maybe a few years
ago that I was really able to appreciate my dad
and his tough love. And then [as I] see my own
relationship with my daughter as it starts to
materialize—as she becomes older, more resourceful, independent ... as she becomes just
the light of my life—I realize just how important
that relationship is.
Before and during the making of the film, you
spent a lot of time with first responders. How
did this affect your portrayal of Ray?
Oh, a tremendous amount. I’m so grateful for
the amount of time that I was able to spend with
the first responders. It informed me in a way
… I think it is two-fold. Number one, there is a
precision that first responders have that I think
is God-given. It’s hard to explain. And I don’t
have it, and I portrayed it to the best of my ability
in the movie. But when you see these people
operate in real life, there is a precision. They’re
so sharp in the face of that type of adversity,
which is so compelling to me and is so fascinating. I mean, I get to run around and play these
guys, but to watch it happen and unfold, and
© 2014 VILLAGE ROADSHOW FILMS (BVI) LIMITED, WARNER BROS.
ENTERTAINMENT INC. AND RATPAC-DUNE ENTERTAINMENT LLC.
even in the wake of going through a divorce
and in the wake of challenges and in the wake
of actually losing another daughter a few years
earlier. So, there were a lot of things that I was
able to pull from, and I’m grateful for it.
watch them from the shadows, if you will, watch
them operate was really incredible. It was the
preciseness of their decisions that was very
eye-opening to me and very powerful.
And the other part was the emotion of their
DNA, the emotion of their existence, the emotion of their job. There’s a tremendous amount
of love and respect, and we honor our soldiers
around the world. I have some family in the
military, very proud family in the military, and
so there’s that level. But when you see the first
responders and they are running into a disaster
when everyone else is running away from it, it’s
an emotional thing. I was really moved and very
impressed and very, very grateful.
You spend time with them and you try
and get a read on them, and you try to get a
little bit of their DNA and their wiring and their
makeup and their constitution. Regardless of
where they’re at around the world, first responders—including in Japan … you spend time with
them, and you’re so grateful. Then you make
the movie and you’re shooting these scenes,
and then [comes] the second wave, which I
didn’t anticipate: Are they going to be proud
of this? Are they going to be happy with what I
did? We had the premiere in Los Angeles where
the LAFD—the first responders, the [helicopter]
rescue pilots, they had watched the movie and
gave me a big thumbs-up. Many got emotional;
gave me big, powerful hugs, which was all I
needed. It was so cool, man!
Many scenes in San Andreas hit close to
home for us in Japan, but the core of the film
is about strength of character and family.
What message do you hope to convey to
those who impacted by such a disaster?
The message that I hope to convey to the
people of Japan and those who have been
impacted by natural disaster [is], “We have
been impacted; we have survived it.”
[I] live in Florida with my family, and we also
have a home in Southern California that we’ve
THE MESSAGE THAT
I HOPE TO CONVEY
TO THE PEOPLE OF JAPAN
AND THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN
IMPACTED BY NATURAL
DISASTER [IS], “WE HAVE
BEEN IMPACTED; WE HAVE
SURVIVED IT.”
had for years. We experienced one of the most
massive hurricanes ever recorded. In 1992,
Hurricane Andrew hit our city of Miami and it
completely wiped us out; it was the most terrifying experience for us. The elderly people in
my family thought they were going to die. We
thought they were going to die, because they
were older, so we couldn’t actually take them.
We couldn’t travel them out, so we had to just
hunker down in that hurricane.
So I speak from experience, and the message that I hope to convey is the message of
family and strength. And it’s through these
disasters that we go through, if they’re natural
disasters or we deal with challenges and personal disasters that happen to us, and happen
to every family ... The one thing that we’ve
relied on as a family—and the one thing that I
know we relied on in the movie—is that family
strength, that family bond, the family love, and
also faith and hope.
Not necessarily religious faith, but faith that
things are going to get better; faith that we’re
going to get through it. Not to sound preachy—
it’s not my style—but I’ll share that that’s what
we’ve experienced as a family.
Now, after making the movie, seeing it, and
seeing how people responded, that’s one of
the things that families have pulled from the
movie: the power of family and the power of
bond. Because it’s only until you go through
it and you get to the other side of it that you
realize just how strong your family really is, and
how resilient we can be.
07
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09
food&drink
VEGGING OUT
IN TOKYO
Whether a dedicated herbivore or simply a fan of eating healthier, Tokyo offers plenty in terms of
top-notch vegetarian and vegan restaurants and cafés that are both delicious and diverse in genre.
Let Metropolis guide you through some of the city’s finest green dining.
RAINBOW BIRD RENDEZVOUS
¥¥
JP/EN
Tokyo is home to some rather offbeat combinations. Rainbow Bird Rendezvous is an establishment that lives up to the quirkiness of its name,
being a hybrid vegan restaurant, therapy salon,
and tarot-reading parlor.
Still, the food remains a priority. Rendezvous’
selection comprises entirely vegan casual Japanese-Western fusion dishes, with some raw
options available. The lunch menu’s Bowl Lunch
set is a fresh and filling mix of curried beans,
REJUVE
NATARAJ
¥¥
10
¥
JP/EN
When it comes to Indian cuisine,
vegetarian fare is typically a standard. Nataraj take it a step further by
dedicating themselves to serving up
a wide vegetable-based selection
that promotes Ayurvedic health effects to strengthen both body and
mind.
On the menu are the restaurant’s
healthier versions of the essentials:
the Dal Tarka, Chana Masala, Palak
Paneer, etc. Nataraj also incorporates soy meat into some of the
restaurant’s own delectable concoctions: the
Nataraj Mushroom is a creamy delight, and the
Nataraj Keema, using minced soy meat, boasts
a savory flavor and chewy texture that’s a treat
for the taste buds. The menu also has tofu
curries—a rarity anywhere in the world—that
are surefire winners, as well as vegan naans.
Dairy is the only animal-derived ingredient
soy chicken nuggets, and
healthy greens; there is
also a curry plate and daily
lunch sets. For dinner, the
Rendezvous Plate offers a
choice of soy burger steak,
potato croquette, or a balanced salad. The desserts,
however, are the main attraction. The gluten-free
cakes are delectable, coming in tofu cocoa, lemon,
and raw chocolate flavors.
The crepe topped with soy
ice cream is the ultimate indulgence—extremely sweet and rich despite being rather light.
1-1-1 Yūtenji, Meguro-ku. Naka-Meguro or
Yūtenji. Tel: 03-3791-5470.
www.ls-adventure.com
used here. However, vegan options are also
available, making Nataraj a vegetarian spot
where herbivores and curious carnivores can
mingle merrily.
B1F Hukumura-sangyo Bldg., 5-30-6 Ogikubo, Suginami-ku. Ogikubo. Branches also
in Ginza, Aoyama, and soon in Shibuya.
http://nataraj.sakura.ne.jp
JP
The principle of raw diets stems from the fact that
food loses many of its nutritional properties when
cooked beyond a certain temperature, making a
raw meal beneficial—even if just once in a while.
Located in trendy Kagurazaka, Rejuve is a
raw vegan restaurant catering to the healthminded crowd, proving “uncooked” and “lightly
cooked” can still mean “delicious.” The menu
predominantly features organic tapas, such as
mushroom ajillo and quinoa marinée; while the
main dishes offer a delightful selection from raw
gratin and salsa croquettes to chili (non-carne)
and veggie “fries.” Rejuve’s star items, however,
are the veggie stroganoff and the miso chazuke
porridge. Lunch and dinner sets available.
Portions may be on the smaller side here, but
the prices are equally economical!
7-3 Iwatocho, Shinjuku-ku. Open Tue-Sun,
11:30am-10:30pm. Ushigome-kagurazaka
or Kagurazaka. Tel: 03-6280-8310.
http://restaurant-rejuve.net
PURE CAFE AND
RESTAURANT 8ABLISH
¥¥
JP/EN
Pure Cafe strives to provide a space where customers can relieve stress while enjoying delicious vegan food, using organic ingredients.
Breakfast offerings include homemade granola and banana bread with tofu cream. For
lunch, visitors can select from four set options
with mains including a sandwich, two types of
salad, and a daily special. For those in the mood
for a vegan burger, there are four selections at
dinner. A relaxing coffee break, however, can
be complemented with desserts such as the
caramel banana pudding, the spice carrot cake,
and the New York cheesecake.
Pure Cafe’s sister diner Restaurant 8ablish
will be opening on Sep 12. Also vegan, 8ablish
serves Italian and Mediterranean cuisine, which
can be enjoyed with a wide selection of organic
wine and sake.
Pure Cafe: Open 8:30am-10:30pm. 5-5-21
Minami Aoyama, Minato-ku. Omotesando.
Tel: 03-5466-2611. http://pure-cafe.com
Restaurant 8ablish: Open 11am- 4pm/6 11:30pm. Closed every second and third
Tue. 2F, 5-10-17 Minami Aoyama, Minato-ku.
Omotesando. www.eightablish.com
HANG OUT
¥¥¥
HANADA ROSSO
JP
Shibuya’s Hang Out might be the first of its
kind, offering a bar-dining experience to the
herbivorous crowd that want top-notch dishes
to accompany their alcohol.
The menu boasts an array of vegetarian
and vegan renditions of bar and pub favorites,
making playful use of soy meats to create the
spicy “soy karaage”—fried “chicken”—and the
zesty jerk “chicken.” There’s also the hemp
cream pasta, which pairs milk derived from the
herb with renkon (lotus root) and mushroom
to create a savory delight. The food here is
designed to pair nicely with beer—Hang Out’s
choice being the organic SunSun—but also to
be healthier.
The prices at this upscale lounge are on the
higher end, but you get what you pay for: quality
food for a quality night out.
3F Rika Bldg. II, 3-12 Udagawa-cho, Shibuyaku. Open Mon-Fri, 5pm-12am. Shibuya.
Tel: 03-6455-3562.
www.facebook.com/hangout.tokyo
¥¥
Pure Cafe burger and salad
JP
Located in Harajuku, Hanada Rosso serves a
wide array of healthy, hearty American- and
Italian-style dishes that make for a satisfying
lunch or dinner in a casual café setting.
The vegan restaurant offers a variety of veggie burgers, curries, and vege bāgu—a meaty
burger patty made entirely out of soy, coming
with a demi-glace sauce that has been simmered for two days. All are served for lunch and
dinner. For desserts, customers can indulge in
a creamy tofu cheesecake and a carob-chip
pound cake. Lunch sets range from ¥980 to
¥1,380, while dinner-time dishes range from
¥1,480 to 1,780.
Delivery available; bento boxes, from veggie
burgers on rice to veggie katsu, ready for those
on the go!
Open weekdays 11:30am-4pm & 5:30-9pm,
weekends & hols 12-9pm. Closed Mon. 101
Miyazaki Bldg., 6-28-5 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku.
Meiji-Jingūmae. Tel: 03-6427-5525.
http://hanada-rosso.net
11
RECIPE
Pan-Roasted
Cinnamon
Honey Granola
RECIPE AND PHOTO BY RIEKO SUZUKI
One of the advantages of making your own granola is in your ability to
select the levels of sweetness and greasiness. This recipe for honey
granola uses much smaller portions of honey than commercial ones, and
is completely sugarless. No oil needed either! Feel free to substitute the
listed ingredients with your favorite nuts or dried fruits.
Servings: Makes 400g
INGREDIENTS
•200g oats
•1/2 cup (100cc) chopped walnuts
•1/2cup (100cc) chopped almonds
•1 cup (200cc) chopped mixed dried fruits
•6 tbs honey
•1/3 tsp salt
•1 tsp cinnamon powder
DIRECTIONS
1. Mix 3 tbs of honey with oats.
2.Mix chopped walnuts, chopped almonds, 3 tbs of honey, salt, and
cinnamon powder.
3.Heat frying pan. Pan-roast oats with honey on medium-low for 7 min,
stirring occasionally.
4.Add in the mix of walnuts, almonds, honey, salt, and cinnamon powder.
Keep heating on medium-low for 5
min. Stir every minute or so to avoid
burning.
5.Add chopped mixed dried fruits.
Keep heating on low heat for another 3 min, stirring frequently.
6.Turn heat off and let cool completely
Rieko Suzuki
in pan.
Rieko blogs bilingual recipes at
7.Keep granola in sealed container
http://meturl.com/ruby
to stay dry.
12
city life
Photos courtesy of Mitzi Uehara Carter
GRITS AND
SUSHI
Musings on Okinawa
and Blackness
BY BAYE MCNEIL
T
hough Mitzi Uehara Carter was born on
the opposite side of the Pacific, she’s
kept herself anything but distant from
her hereditary home. This Texas-native
daughter of an African-American father and an
Okinawan mother is currently a PhD candidate
in the anthropology department at UC Berkeley,
where she has recently completed her doctoral
dissertation. She’s spent years doing research,
including a year of field work collecting the personal stories of Okinawan families. In 2010, she
started the blog “Grits and Sushi” to chronicle
her musings on Okinawa, race, militarization,
and blackness.
“I started the blog so I could have a place to
think about my anthropological work and my
personal life and experiences. It was a good
way for me to merge those two worlds,” Uehara Carter explains. “Anthropology studies at
Berkeley can be very intense and theoretical,
so I wanted my blog to be a place where I could
reflect on some of the field work I was doing
in Okinawa, and have a landing page where I
could also engage with other people dealing
with similar questions about their lives, their
identities, and about race.”
Grits and Sushi has since grown into a
resource, an open journal, and a communal
space, attracting readers from around the
globe interested in things black and Okinawan,
including interracial marriages, mixed-race
citizens, and issues surrounding American
military bases in Okinawa.
“I created these forums where I brought
together black military personnel, Okinawan
activists, and residents of Okinawa to have a
conversation, a kind of ‘talk-story’,” she says,
explaining the Okinawan term, “yuntaku.”
“There were participants with varying ideas
of what Okinawa is—all of these amazing stories together in one space. People were just
fleshing this stuff out, and it was emotional and
insightful.”
Stories about hāfu—a term used in Japan
to mean “half-Japanese”—are increasing in
Japan, particularly of late. Ariana Miyamoto
became the country’s first mixed-race Miss
Universe Japan; and Abdul Hakim Sani Brown,
the Ghanaian-Japanese youth who broke the
200 Meter dash record; are recent examples.
But Uehara Carter contends that “many mixed
Okinawans have more complex issues with
belonging.”
Uehara Carter also serves as an executive
board member of Hapa Japan, an organization
based at the University of Southern California.
Hapa Japan Conference is held biennially, and
hapa from around the globe meet there to
discuss and explore what it means to be part-
Japanese and part-another race or ethnicity.
“‘Hapa’ is an alternative term to ‘hāfu’ that
can bring together mixed-race Japanese from
across the globe,” she says of the terminology
used in the U.S. to describe people of mixed
Japanese heritage. “However, I think it’s important to address blackness and difference within
the various mixed-race Japanese communities
as well.”
She also contributed to a documentary
called Nuchi Du Takara: Tales of the “Battle of
Okinawa” Survivors in California, a very moving
and informative story of Okinawan women who
survived the battle of Okinawa.
Grits and Sushi has been on hiatus for a
period while Uehara Carter completed her
dissertation. She plans to return soon with a
bang by premiering a web series consisting of
interviews with her mother, telling the remarkable stories of living through WWII, the U.S.
Occupation, and pre-reversion Okinawa, before
relocating with her black husband to the American South. Her mother withstood numerous
historical and cultural gamuts and came out the
other side as a fusion of them all.
“You know, I was going to call my blog
Grits [a dish popular among black people in
the American South] and goya [a bitter-tasting
melon found in Okinawa], but I felt goya was a
little obscure, and sushi an easily identifiable
cultural reference,” the soon-to-be Dr. Uehara
Carter says. “And, who made the grits in my
family? My mother did!”
Visit www.gritsandsushi.com for more information on Mitzi Uehara Carter, the documentary, and her upcoming web series.
13
fashion fix
BY SAMUEL THOMAS, FASHION EDITOR
Bodysong
Bodysong
BRINGING
FASHION
HOME
Bodysong
It all builds to an odd situation in which,
when you have the means to indulge in fashion,
you already have everything you could need.
Maybe you replace a blazer as one starts to look
a bit tired, or else indulge in a real showpiece
once a season; but the focus largely shifts from
acquiring fashion to actually appreciating it.
A large part of that appreciation is framing
your fashion in a home that echoes the aesthetic of your chosen style. Some choose to build
concrete bunkers in homage to the industrial
brutalism of Julius, others prefer lacy havens
dedicated to “angelic pretty.” It’s all a reflection that, after the hunger of consumption has
been satisfied, there’s a genuine engagement
with aesthetics. People may want to debate
whether fashion is art, but as the museum-like
homes of lifelong fashion fans show, there are
definitely those who treat it as such.
Christian Dada
C
onfession time: many serious fashion
fans who spend a lot of time and money
projecting a carefully-curated version
of themselves in public, generally don’t
extend the same care to their own homes.
It’s a simple matter of priorities—and one
this author remembers all too well—splashing
a month’s worth of rent on shorts, or forgoing
meals not to fit into a pair of skinny jeans, but
rather to afford them. This idea of sacrificing
everything else in pursuit of fashion can lead to
one’s home becoming an ugly shrine to beautiful clothes, verging on the classic otaku room
and not what would be expected from their
owner’s immaculate appearance.
I know of one young collector—who will remain anonymous—who’s eschewed curtains
altogether, rather blocking out the sun with his
14
endless racks of clothes. If you’re interested
in reading more, Kyoichi Tsuzuki’s Happy Victims documents these fashion obsessives
marvelously.
This phenomenon is particularly prevalent among younger acolytes with limited
means. It’s also worth bearing in mind, before
condemning someone well-dressed as decadent, that they probably sacrificed something
serious to be able to afford it. After all, one
person’s PlayStation is another’s Yohji Yamamoto suit.
The balance comes when dedicated followers of fashion get older, because they tend to
accumulate well-loved clothes that don’t need
replacing if well-made. I have leather jackets
that are going strong after a decade, and I don’t
doubt that my accessories will outlive me.
Christian Dada
FASHION CALENDAR
Check metropolisjapan.com for the latest Fashion Calendar.
FAKE FURNITURE
H
elping those wanting to build a home fit for their fashion is the
new venture Fake Furniture, from iconic boutique Fake Tokyo.
Fake Tokyo and the institutions under its umbrella, Candy and
Sister, were largely responsible for the brief boom in avant-garde
street fashion in the early 2010s, when they moved to a mainstream
location off Shibuya’s Center-Gai from their previously off-the-radar
spot. Now, not unlike the aging fashion fan, they’ve graduated to thinking about the lifestyle that accompanies the fashion.
The Fake Furniture boutique covers everything from the kitchen
through the bedroom, bringing together an eclectic mix of designers
and vintage items to satisfy those who might shop at Fake Tokyo—and
those on the periphery. Whether cutlery by Diesel or Keith Haring
chairs, you’re well-catered for if you want to add a splash of fashion
to your home.
Their most recent endeavor is with The Wallpaper Tokyo, a series of
wallpaper collaborations with 10 top Tokyo designers including Masanori
Morikawa’s edgy Christian Dada, the refined feminine G.V.G.V., and the
outright rebellious Bodysong. The wallpaper is available by the meter
or by the roll, so if you want to build a complete shrine to your designer
of choice, now is your chance.
Fake Furniture by Fake Tokyo. http://fakefurnituretokyo.com
The Wallpaper Tokyo. www.thewallpapertokyo.com
15
movies
BY DON MORTON
featured movie
DANNY
COLLINS
An irresistible Al Pacino plays an aging crooner
of flaccid pop crowd-pleasers (I don’t know why
Neil Diamond pops to mind). He’s a kitsch pop
icon who still fills arenas and rides around in a bus
with his face on it. He receives a letter from John
Lennon, dated 1971 but lost for decades, saying
let’s get together. As he muses on how different
his life and music may have been were he able to
say yes let’s, he decides to clean up his personal
act and reconnect with a groupie-generated son
he’s never seen. Oh, the old redemption and
reinvention formula, you say. Well, yes and no.
It certainly sets up a big, sentimental resolution.
Al Pacino doesn’t disappear into the title role
as much as ooze into it with comic bravado.
Support includes a spot-on performance by the
redoubtable Christopher Plummer as the singer’s
manager. And Bobby Cannavale and Annette
Bening shine in their admittedly one-note roles.
This exuberant, hilarious, and heartfelt movie is
not without flaws. Close to cornball in places but
never mawkish. At any rate, it’s great to see an alltime great actor back in form. Plot-relevant score
by (natch) John Lennon. Japanese title: Dear
Danny: Kimi e no Uta. (106 min)
NEW
NO ESCAPE
This morally questionable,
manipulative piece of
cultural exploitation offers
a blinkered perspective
at best. It centers on the
plight of a rich, white American family (Owen Wilson,
against type) caught up in a revolution in an unnamed
Southeast Asian country (where everyone speaks Thai)
involving lots of machete-wielding, dead-eyed brown
people. I think we’re supposed to care. I didn’t. Skillfully
made, but logistically illogical and generally reprehensible.
You know your movie’s in trouble when Pierce Brosnan,
playing a grizzled, shadowy government agent of some
sort, provides the comedy relief. Japanese title: Kūdetā.
(103 min)
NEW
THE FACE OF AN ANGEL
Daniel B ruhl p lay s a
m o r a l i s t i c f i l m m a ke r
(directorial self-criticism?)
who comes to Italy to
make a contracted truecrime thriller about the trial of Amanda Knox, the coed
accused, convicted, let off, convicted again, and finally
found not guilty of the murder of housemate Meredith
Kercher. I’m generally a fan of Michael Winterbottom’s
uneven oeuvre, but this skulk of a film left me frustrated
and unsatisfied. This rambling, undefining look at the
trial never really engages and insists on repeatedly
referencing Dante’s Inferno and pontificating on the
nature of Truth. Also starring Kate Beckinsale. Japanese
title: Tenshi ga Kieta Machi. (101 min)
THE GIVER
A young man living in a
“perfect” post-apocalyptic
society is chosen to be
the sole “receiver” of
all memories of human
history. Somebody has to do it. He realizes there’s more
to life and goes rogue. If this sounds like a rip-off of such
YA fare as The Hunger Games and Divergent, it’s really the
other way around. While Jeff Bridges spent two decades
trying to adapt Lois Lowry’s 1993 source novel, others
were borrowing aspects of it, but without much depth. The
young leads are appealing, and veterans Meryl Streep,
Bridges, and Katie Holmes raise the level. Phillip Noyce
directs. Fascinating use of color. Japanese title: Giver:
Kioku wo Sosogu Mono. (97 min)
TED 2
A pot-smoking, beerswilling, foul-mouthed
teddy bear is a concept
for a one-joke movie. It
is not a two-movie joke.
I didn’t love Seth MacFarlane’s Ted (2012), but it was at
least fresh. This unwelcome sequel is lazy, mean-spirited,
self-congratulatory, sexist, racist, homophobic, and offers
random acts of casual cruelty. A laff riot! Its frequent
attempts to shock and offend smack of desperation.
Okay, I laughed once, but it was a Kardashian joke. This
movie product will be enjoyed most by blitzed frat boys,
mouth-breathing preteens, and guys who will never, ever,
have a girlfriend. (115 min)
WILD
In 1995, Cheryl Strayed
decided to clean up her
pointless and perilous
life of drugs and sex with
a little 1,600-kilometer
stroll along the Pacific Crest Trail. Along the way she
reflected on how things got so bad, and later wrote a
bestseller. Adapting such a contemplative book into a
film that doesn’t bore your socks off is a challenge, but
director Jean-Marc Vallée (Dallas Buyers Club) and writer
Nick Hornby pull it off. Mostly. Undeniably elemental,
but more interesting than compelling; and the ending’s
lame. But it’s worth seeing for the scenery (natch) and
an uncompromising performance by Reese Witherspoon.
Japanese title: Watashi ni Aumade no 1,600 Kilo. (115 min)
LEARNING TO DRIVE
A newly-divorced NYC
book critic (Patricia
Clarkson, terrific) decides
to finally learn how to
drive. A world-wise Sikh
cab driver (Ben Kingsley, ditto) is awaiting the arrival of an
arranged bride. He moonlights as a driving instructor. He
begins to teach her how to operate an automobile, they
bond, and both learn life lessons. Of course they do; with
a title like this, you know you’re in for some metaphor.
But it all works. From Catalonian director Isobel Coixet.
Funny, relative, and even a little romantic. Not for
everyone, but grown-ups will appreciate this warm, feelgood film’s subtle aftertaste. Japanese title: Shiawase e
no Mawari Michi. (90 min)
NEW
NEW
NEW
NEW
Danny Collins: © 2015 Danny Collins Productions LLC; No Escape: © 2015 Coup Pictures, LLC. All rights reserved.; The Face of an Angel: © ANGEL FACE FILMS LIMITED / BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION 2014.; The Giver: © 2014
THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY; Ted 2: © Tippett Studio/Universal Pictures and Media Rights Capita; Wild: © 2014 Twentieth Century Fox; Learning to Drive: © 2015,BPG Releasing,LLC.All Rights Reserved.; Nightcrawler: © 2013 BOLD FILMS
PRODUCTIONS, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.; The Best of Me: © 2014 Best of Me Productions, LLC All Rights Reserved; The Diabolical: © 2014 CAMSET FILMS, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.; Big Game: © 2014 SUBZERO FILM ENTERTAINMENT,
ALTITUDE FILM ENTERTAINMENT, EGOLI TOSSELL FILM; Jurassic World: © Chuck Zlotnick / Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment; Mission: Impossible—Rogue Nation: © 2015 PARAMOUNT PICTURES. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
16
More reviews: metropolisjapan.com/movies
NIGHTCRAWLER
The always-good Jake
Gyllenhaal pushes it up
to great in this cynical and
dark thriller/charac ter
piece about a loser who
becomes one of those TV cameramen who seek the
grisliest footage possible as a way to improve ratings.
He lucks into some particularly ghastly footage, which
he sells to the desperate news director of a low-level
L.A. station (Rene Russo, perfect). The man’s smile is
false, his eyes are dead, and he speaks in what sounds
like corporate motivational blather. He soon moves into
creating carnage of his own. It’s fiction, but closer to the
truth than one would like to think. (117 min)
THE BEST OF ME
Writer Nicholas Sparks’
simulated movie products
look like default Microsoft
desk tops with words
by Hallmark. Romances
are always predestined and eternal, and somebody
usually gets sick. This latest retread has two former highschool sweethearts (Michelle Monaghan and James
Marsden—good chemistry) meeting again 21 years later.
Notebook-type flashbacks fill us in on their teen romance.
All the actors are above this emotional button-pushing
material. The “twist” at the end is telegraphed in the first
five minutes. Maudlin, contrived, sappy, and overlong—I
counted three endings. You know. Sparks. Japanese title:
Kakegae no Nai Hito. (116 min)
THE DIABOLICAL
A single mother must
deal with paranormal
apparitions and an
intense presence in her
home that won’t let her
children leave. It scares away paranormal researchers.
That kind of thing. I don’t know. Perhaps horror buffs
will be more attuned to the subtleties of the formula.
It’s well acted (even the child actors are not annoying)
and the production values are good, but I found it less
than scary and kind of dull. A little ambiguity goes a long
way in this genre, but this offers more than a little. Not
satisfying. And the trick ending raises more questions
than it answers. (86 min)
BIG GAME
In this hilariously awful
f ilm by Finnish writer/
director Jalmari Helander,
Samuel L. Jackson shows
us just how low he’ll go for
a paycheck. He plays a U.S. President whose Air Force
One is shot down over Finland by a rich terrorist who
wants to hunt him for sport. I’m not making this up. The
Prez must rely on a 13-year-old lad out in the forest on
some Finnish hunting rite of passage (Onni Tommila, the
director’s nephew, doing an uncanny impersonation of
a piece of wood). By turns self-serious, simplistic, and
openly silly, this has some bad movie value—but go with
friends and get very drunk first. Japanese title: Big Game:
Daitoryō to Shōnen Hunter. (90 min)
JURASSIC WORLD
O kay, d e s p i te a few
charac ters eaten in
Jurassic Park, it seems
the park was eventually
built. But attendance is
off, so they’ve genetically engineered a super-monster
to lure the customers back. The irony that the same
bigger-is-better thinking could be applied to this very
movie is not lost on the filmmakers. It’s an amusingly selfaware franchise reboot. Anyway, the ludicrously named
Indominus rex is a T-Rex X2, with the camouflage skills of
a chameleon and the intelligence of a velociraptor. What
could go wrong? No sense of awe or real sense of danger.
But a solidly entertaining time at the movies. (124 min)
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE—
ROGUE NATION
To m C r u i s e a n d h i s
decommissioned I M F
crew (Jeremy Renner,
Ving Rhames, and Simon
Pegg) continue to try to neutralize a global threat called
“The Syndicate” even though the CIA doesn’t believe
it exists. Lists are stolen, cars—and bikes—are chased,
discs are forged, masks are worn, and digital readouts
count down. This complex yet coherent thrill ride may be
the best MI flick yet. It’s certainly the funniest, walking the
cusp of self-parody. The action bits are old-school and
crisply choreographed, the pacing is brisk, the ending is
satisfying, and Rebecca Ferguson is dynamite. I choose
to accept it. (131 min)
© 2015「東京PRウーマン」製作委員会
© IMAGE.NET
© 1982 Shakey Pictures
eiga
Successful model Mizuki
Yamamoto has been making the
switch to acting slowly. She had
supporting roles in The Kirishima
By Rob Schwartz
Thing (2012) and Black Butler
(2014), and here gets her first turn as the leading lady.
Reina (Yamamoto) is an awkward and under-confident
bank OL who decides she needs more from her career.
She applies for a position at a PR firm and, despite a
disastrous interview, gets the job (a typical conceit
of commercial Japanese film, the interview scene
is played for quick effect but doesn't make sense in
the narrative). Her immediate foil becomes her boss
Kusakabe (Yūsuke Yamamoto), who is not convinced
she can cut it in the fast-paced, stylish PR world.
Naturally, what transpires is the clumsy shrinking
violet becomes an elegant, self-assured professional
woman, with all the chic trappings. Though generally
a formulaic and utterly unremarkable flick, Mizuki
Yamamoto does a good job with the set pieces and
mainstream character. This may herald her beginning
as a high-profile actress. (81 min)
TOKYO PR
WOMAN
movie news
Back in 1995, the Tokyo International Film Festival
was in its eighth edition and didn’t have a permanent
home at Roppongi Hills, which had yet to be built. An
American filmmaker in his 20s visited the fest and
picked up the Tokyo Gold Prize in the Young Cinema
Competition. The director was Bryan Singer and the
film was The Usual Suspects. The cult hit went on to
garner two Oscars and Singer became the successful
producer of the X-Men series. A full 20 years later,
Singer will visit the fest once again, this time as the
head of the jury. “I am thrilled to be returning,” he said
in a statement. “As a lover of film, the opportunity to
see fresh new work is first and foremost an honor.”
Singer notes that, despite his reputation for big
budget fare, he hasn’t forgotten his roots in the
festival system and sees the chance to advance the
careers of up-and-coming filmmakers as an honor.
Most importantly, he says he looks forward to the
festival as just another member of the audience.
The 28th Tokyo International Film Festival will run
October 22-31 at Roppongi Hills and other venues.
http://2015.tiff-jp.net/en/ Kevin Mcgue
cinematic underground
One of the oddest and least-seen films in the cult canon
is the directorial debut of Neil Young (yes, that Neil
Young). Human Highway (pictured) got a limited release
in 1982 before decades of being shared amongst fans
via dubbed video tapes. Now, a director’s cut is making
the rounds of festivals and theaters. Set in a small town
next to a leaky nuclear plant, it features Young as an auto
mechanic. But the plot is secondary to the campy visuals
and warped soundtrack. Opens September 12 at Cinema
Qualite (3-37-12 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku; http://qualite.
musashino-k.jp)...The Cannes Grand Prix-winning Italian
drama The Wonders depicts an impoverished family with
four daughters struggling to support each other. The film
itself is a product of sibling cooperation, with actress Alba
Rohrwacher playing the eldest sister, and her sister Alice
handling writing and directing duties. Screening in Italian
with Japanese subtitles through October 9 at Iwanami
Hall (2-1 Kanda Jimbocho, Chiyoda-ku; www.iwanami-hall.
com)...The high-atmospheric German thriller Who Am I
peers into the mind of a young hacker who gets involved
in a subversive group, only to realize he’s in too deep to
get out. Playing in German with Japanese subtitles starting
September 12 at Shinjuku Musashinokan (3-27-10 Shinjuku;
http://shinjuku.musashino-k.jp). KM
17
arts&culture
JAPAN BEAT
NISENNENMONDAI
Instrumental rock trio offers an alternate vision of “cool Japan”
BY DAN GRUNEBAUM
T
Photo courtesy of Beatink
hey don’t sing anime songs or wear
uniforms, and they aren’t part of the
“kawaii” boom. But instrumental
rock trio Nisennenmondai—
Japanese for “the Y2K bug”—are one
of Japan’s hippest musical exports.
Metropolis caught up with guitarist
Masako Takada and drummer Sayaka
Himeno in Tokyo to hear about collaborating with U.K. electronica engineering
wizard Adrian Sherwood on their hypnotic new album #N/A.
MT: It was completely
different from producing
ourselves. We normally
write music in advance,
but for #N/A, almost
everything was sessionbased. Adrian had some
ideas for parts, so some
were improvised on the
spot.
Where are you at present, and what do
we find you doing?
Sayaka Himeno: In Tokyo.
Masako Takada: At home; just woke up.
What brought the three of you together, and
what keeps you together?
SH: We met each other in band club at our
university.
MT: Probably the fact that we are not too
musician-like helps us stay together. All of us
are very honest and serious, and share responsibilities without thinking too much about it.
Your music has a repetitive techno quality. Why use live instruments, instead of
computers?
MT: We want to pursue the possibilities that
only live instruments have rather than using
predictable sounds. Making repetitive music
by humans creates a sense of instability and
uniqueness that you wouldn’t achieve if you
used computers.
What was your first impression of Adrian
Sherwood?
MT: I thought he seemed gentlemanlike and kind.
Tell us about the experience of having him mix
you live in Tokyo.
SH: During the performance, we couldn’t hear
the mixed sound from the monitors onstage,
so didn’t really know how it sounded. It looked
like the audience was reacting to parts that I
wasn’t expecting, which made me nervous. But
I listened to the recorded audio and found that
he was able to maximize our songs and lay on
just the right amount of effects.
18
Why did you decide to record together?
SH: To be honest I only knew his name but [label] Beatink brought up the idea and I thought,
why don’t we give it a try?
MT: I knew Adrian, and even though I had no
idea how it would work, I thought he was the
right match for our music.
How was the experience different than producing yourselves?
SH: We just released our album earlier this year
and this idea came to us on short notice, so
we didn’t have any new songs. They were like,
“Just do a session and give it a try.” So we did,
but I had no idea how this would result in an
album.
How does #N/A evolve
from your p rev iou s
albums? Tell us about
the making of one song
on #N/A.
MT: I forgot which song
it was, but Adrian asked me to play like I’d gone
crazy and I tried to do so. He seemed very
happy with it so I remember feeling relieved.
Tell us about working with New York rock
band Battles.
SH: It was 2003 when we first played together
in Shimokitazawa. Since then, we’ve opened
their shows in Japan, and they also come to our
shows in NYC. In 2011, they took us on their U.S.
tour and we also played together at Shibuya
AX, All Tomorrow’s Parties, and London Forum.
Thanks to Battles, we’ve had chances to play
to bigger audiences, so we’re really grateful
for that.
www.wearenisennenmondai.com
STAGE
LA VIE
BOHÈME
How Andy Señor, Jr.
brings Rent to Japan
TEXT & PHOTOS BY C BRYAN JONES
W
hen Rent stormed onto the Tony stage
in 1996, it not only captured the title
of Best Musical but also the heart of
a young Cuban-American living in
Miami. Andy Señor, Jr. had been performing
the likes of Pippin and Godspell throughout
high school, and knew the path to Broadway
was one he wanted to be on—but how to get
there had not become clear. Then Jonathan
Larson’s story about young artists trying to
make a life for themselves in New York City
changed all of that.
“I was a Hispanic kid in Miami who wanted
to be on Broadway,” explains Señor. “And for
many years, I would watch the Tony Awards
and I would see these great performances; but
I never really saw anyone who looked like me
that made me think, ‘you know, I can do that.’
Then when Rent popped on my screen and I
saw the guy who played Angel—who looked
just like me—who was Hispanic, I was like ‘Oh
my God!’ I bought the CD and I fell in love with
the music. I fell in love with Jonathan Larson’s
message of love and family.”
That was the beginning of a lifelong journey
for Señor, who went to New York and landed
the role of Angel in the first national tour.
Recounting the experience, he says, “The moment I heard that whole entire soundtrack, I sat
in my room and I was just weeping. And hearing
the story of how Jonathan Larson had passed,
and hearing this music … I was like, ‘this is me,
this is my generation, this sounds like me.’ So
when I walked in there, it was more a sharing,
versus auditioning.”
That was more than 18 years ago. Over the
years, the performer-turned-director has been
part of staging Rent all around the world, as
part of the international tour, as well as companies in America, London, and even Cuba, where
he oversaw the first Broadway musical to be
presented on the island in nearly 50 years. It
was an experience that connected with Señor’s
heritage in a very special way.
“My parents left Cuba during the Revolution
and were living in exile in Miami, so I’m the first
of the family—and of my community that I know
of—to return to Cuba. It was just fascinating,”
recalls Señor.
The audience reception highlighted how
Larson’s themes can connect with different
people in different times. The Cuban people
“definitely saw themselves in these characters.
One of the first things that Mark, one of the
lead characters in Rent says, is, ‘We live in an
industrial loft on the corner of 11th Street and
Avenue B … All of our electrical appliances
are plugged into one thick extension cord …’
So the audience was able to see their living
conditions and character
in an American musical
that kind of reflected the
way they lived.”
T h i s S e p t e m b e r,
Señor brings the awardwinning musical back to
Japan with a new staging at the Toho Theatre
Creation in Hibiya, stating that what connects
with audiences in other
countries isn’t necessarily applicable to Japan.
“For a Japanese audience, it’s interesting, because all around the
world, where I’ve done the show and have
directed the show, a lot of people’s comments
are like, ‘I love Rent, I love this character, and
the music is so good,’” he says. “But here in
Japan, people talk a lot about Jonathan’s
message, which is really interesting to me. The
affection of these characters, and the essence
of family of these characters, and expression
and celebration—which is something that is
definitely inside the lyrics of the show … I think
that’s something that the Japanese really do
connect with. They’re able to live vicariously
through these characters.”
Toho Theatre Creation on Tuesday, Sep 8.
Details on showtimes and tickets can be
found at www.tohostage.com/rent2015.
To hear the full interview with
Andy, tune into our new audio feed
Metropolis One-on-One at:
http://metropolisjapan.com/one-on-one
19
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20
arts&culture
ART
WAR AND
POSTWAR
BY C.B. LIDDELL
Nippon, No.7, Nippon Kōbō, 1936. (Cover
design: Takashi Kono; cover photograph:
Yonosuke Natori), JCII collection
S
ummer is definitely a good time to get
away from Tokyo’s sultry urban heat.
The only problem is that, after a few
days lounging on a sun-kissed beach
or shacked up in the mountains, one starts to
miss the rich cultural attractions of the city.
Luckily, Japan also has a fair number of art
venues dotting its remoter regions, like the
Izu Photo Museum in rural Shizuoka, a place
definitely worth a visit for those who venture
down that way.
Summer is also the time when the Japanese
remember their dead and their tragic World War
II experience. So to mark the 70th anniversary
of the end of WWII, the museum is hosting “War
and Postwar: the Prism of the Times”—a special
exhibition focusing on the photojournalism of
the war and early postwar periods.
In the run-up to WWII, Japan was keenly
aware of its image abroad, and sought to present itself as an assertive and forward-looking
nation, with upbeat PR images in a number
of government-supported photo journals and
magazines, such as Nippon and Travel in
Japan, that were intended to show the “best
face” of the Japanese empire abroad. The first
part of the exhibition focuses on this.
With a surprisingly modern style, lensmen
like Yonosuke Natori, who had studied in
Germany; Ihei Kimura; and Ken Domon, who
went on to enjoy considerable postwar fame,
captured images that not only played up the
romantic clichés of old Japan, but also empha-
Tsuguichi Koyanagi, Patrol: Climbing Rocky Cliff, with
Rising Sun Flag Attached to Indicate Affiliation to
Friendly Forces, 1938, National Memorial Museum for
Peace collection.
Morale-raising pictures of Japanese soldiers
training—often with traditional weapons to
strengthen the “samurai spirit”—or enjoying
some leisure time predominate. Some of the
photos show surprisingly innocent and boyish
faces, and it’s a shock to remind yourself that
Tōhōsha photography chief Ihei Kimura shoots photos
you are looking at the faces of young men who,
of the Imperial Navy, 1941, JCII collection.
history tells us, perpetrated and suffered horrifying acts of violence.
sized elements of progress. Their shots include
Images from the homefront show crude
pictures of healthy schoolgirls
makeshift attempts to resist
and happy workers, while
American bombing raids, lines
elsewhere maintaining the
of women using buckets to put
myth that Japan was paterout fires, for example. Hardly
nalistically looking after the
inspiring propaganda!
interests of its colonies and
After the war, those phoclient states like Korea.
tographers who’d been workThe tone of this part of
ing for the Imperial governthe exhibition is reminiscent
ment lost their jobs, but many
of Bernardo Bertolucci’s film
of them found new work proThe Last Emperor, which was
ducing bilingual publications
set in Japan’s Manchurian
for the occupying army, and
puppet state of the 1930s.
taking photographs that would
Cheerful images of Japanese
appear in foreign magazines
Travel in Japan, Vol.3, No.1 (Back
sportsmen and soldiers are cover); Boad of Tourist Industry,
like Life, presenting a friendlier
juxtaposed with collages cel- Japanese Government Railways,
image of a country that was
ebrating the “diversity” of the 1937. (Cover design: Hiromu Hara;
being shaped for its key role
cover photograph: Ihei Kimura),
empire. Of course, Japan was JCII collection
in America’s Cold War alliance.
not the only authoritarian state
As well as a master class
pretending to be a progressive multicultural in photography, this exhibition is an interestone in those days.
ing reflection on the Orwellian tendency all
The essentially hollow and pompous tone regimes have to present a favorable image of
of these images rises to a much shriller note themselves, whatever the circumstances.
as the Pacific War gets underway in earnest. Izu Photo Museum, through Jan 31.
21
agenda
WATCH LIST
hot tickets
OCT
27
Boukou Groove
A genre-bending collective touching
on elements of New Orleans-style
funk, R&B, soul, blues, and hip-hop
by guitarist Derwin “Big D” Perkins
and singer Donnie Sundal. Oct 27, 7
& 9:30pm. ¥7,000. Blue Note Tokyo.
Omotesando. Tel: 03-5485-0088.
http://j.mp/boukougroove2015
Tickets on sale now
Concerts
POPULAR
Monobloco Japan Tour
2015
Brazilian percussion group
Monobloco brings their
explosive mix of samba, Rio
funk, and pop music to Japan.
Sep 5, 6pm. ¥6,500 (adv)/
¥7,500 (door). Liquidroom.
Ebisu. Tel: 03-5464-0800.
www.monobloco.jp
Grant Rolls and The
Complaints Department
Local acts celebrate the
release of their EPs, with
special guests 2am in Tokyo,
and Misoshiru Family. Sep 5,
6pm. Free. What the Dickens.
Ebisu. Tel: 03-3780-2099.
http://http://j.mp/
grantrolls2015
OCT
30
Deutsches SymphonieOrchester Berlin
Conducted by Tugan Sokhiev the
orchestra will perform Schubert’s
“Rosamunde, D.797 Overture”
and more. Oct 30, 7pm. ¥5,00018,000. Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre.
Ikebukuro. Tel: 0570-010-296.
http://j.mp/deutsches2015
Tickets on sale now
Nektar
English progressive rock
band whose early obscure
psychedelic rock albums
won the band a growing cult
following. Sep 9, 7 & 9:30pm.
¥6,500-8,500. Billboard Live.
Roppongi. Tel: 03-34051133. http://j.mp/nektar2015
Against the Current
American pop-rock band who
gained a YouTube following
after posting their covers
of songs popularized by a
variety of different artists. Sep
10, 7:30 & 9:30pm. ¥5,000.
Tsutaya O-West. Shibuya.
http://shibuya-o.com
Dragonforce
British power metal band
known for music featuring long
and fast guitar solos, fantasybased lyrics, and electronic
sounds on top of their retro
video game-influenced sound.
Sep 10-11, 7pm. ¥7,500.
Akasaka Blitz. Akasaka. Tel:
03-3584-8811. http://j.mp/
dragonforce2015
Tyler, The Creator
American rapper and record
producer who rose to
prominence as the leader and
co-founder of the alternative
hip hop collective Odd
Future. Sep 14, 7pm. ¥7,000.
Liquidroom. Ebisu. Tel:
03-5464-0800. http://j.mp/
thecreator2015
Four-piece rock band from Ireland
who drew inspiration from ’60s
blues boom and ’70s pub rock bands
such as Dr. Feelgood, Eddie and the
Hot Rods, and The Rolling Stones.
Nov 12-13, 7pm. ¥6,500. Studio
Coast. Shin-Kiba. http://j.mp/
thestrypes2015
Tickets on sale now
French duo formerly known
as Poney Poney, whose music
has been described as “a
breezy electro-jam with a bit
of grit and an incredibly fresh
old-school vibe.” Sep 14,
7:30pm. ¥6,000. Daikanyama
Unit. Daikanyama. Tel:
03-5459-8630. http://j.mp/
jamaicatokyo2015
rock, bluegrass, classical, folk,
and flamenco. Sep 28, 7pm.
¥6,800. Ex Theater Roppongi.
Roppongi or Nogizaka.
Tel: 03-6406-2222. Sep 29,
7pm. ¥6,800. Bunkamura
. Shibuya. Tel: 03-34779111. Sep 30, 7pm. ¥6,800.
Yokohama Kannai Hall.
Kannai. Tel: 045-662-1221.
http://j.mp/shimabukuro2015
Red Dragon Cartel
Tony MacAlpine
Rock band led by Jake E. Lee,
who was the guitarist for Ozzy
Osbourne in the mid ’80s.
Sep 15-16, 7pm. ¥7,500 (adv)/
¥8,000 (door). Club Quattro.
Shibuya. Tel: 03-3477-8750.
www.reddragoncartel.com
Instrumental rock solo
guitarist who incorporates
classical, jazz, and fusion
influences into the hard
rock/metal genre on both
guitar and keyboards. Sep
30, 7:30pm. ¥8,000. Club
Citta. Kawasaki. Tel:
044-246-8888. http://j.mp/
macalpine2015
Jamaica
Gorilla Biscuits
New York-based hardcore
punk band. Sep 22, 6pm.
¥5,500. Antiknock. Shinjuku.
Tel: 03-3350-5670. http://j.mp/
gorillabiscuits2015
Issues
American metalcore band
formed in Atlanta, Georgia.
Sep 9, 6:30pm. ¥4,500. duo
Music Exchange. Shibuya.
Tel: 03-5459-8716. www.
duomusicexchange.com
NOV
12-13
The Strypes
Soul Camp
Presented by MTV, with
Common, Biz Markie, Ms.
Lauryn Hill, Black Star,
and others. Sep 22-23,
1-8pm. ¥15,000. Toyosu Pit.
Shin-Toyosu. Tel: 03-35317888. http://soul-camp.jp
Common
American hip hop recording
artist and recent Academy
Award winner for Best Original
Song with “Glory” from the film
Selma. Sep 23, 6 & 9pm; Sep
24, 6:30 & 9:30pm. ¥14,00016,000. Billboard Live.
Roppongi. Tel: 03-34051133. http://j.mp/common2015
Jeff Beck
English rock guitarist who has
been described by Rolling
Stone as “one of the most
influential lead guitarists
in rock.” Sep 25, 7:30pm.
¥10,500-13,000. Zepp Tokyo.
Aomi. Tel: 03-3599-0710.
http://j.mp/jeffbeck2015
NOV
21-22
Janet Jackson
Known for a series of sonically
innovative, socially conscious, and
sexually provocative records, Jackson
is back with a new album—her first
in seven years. Nov 21, 5pm; Nov 22,
4pm. ¥10,000-25,000. Saitama Super
Arena. Saitama-Shintoshin.
http://j.mp/janetjackson2015
Tickets on sale Sep 19
http://j.mp/tokyojazz2015
Herbie Hancock & Wayne
Shorter
American pianist,
keyboardist, bandleader,
and composer Hancock with
American jazz saxophonist
and composer Shorter. Sep
5, 8pm. ¥43,000-45,000.
Billboard Live. Roppongi.
Tel: 03-3405-1133. http://j.
mp/hancockshorter2015
Paul Grabowsky Trio
Led by Australian pianist
Grabowsky, with Mirko
Guerrini, and Niko Schauble.
Part of the 14th Tokyo
Jazz Festival. Sep 6, 5 &
8pm. ¥3,600. Cotton Club.
Tokyo. Tel: 03-3215-1555.
http://j.mp/tokyojazz2015
American singer, songwriter,
rapper, producer, and
actress best known for being
a member of the Fugees
and for her solo album, The
Miseducation of Lauryn
Hill. Sep 25, 8pm; Sep 27,
6:30pm. ¥40,000-42,000.
Tel: 03-3405-1133. http://j.mp/
laurynhill2015
Jake Shimabukuro
Ukulele virtuoso and
composer known for his fast
and complex finger work,
whose music combines
elements of jazz, blues, funk,
Husband-and-wife duo,
with trumpeter and singer
Alpert and Grammy
Award-winning singer Hall.
Sep 4 & 7, 7:30pm; Sep 5-6,
6pm. ¥14,800. Blue Note
Tokyo. Omotesando. Tel:
03-5485-0088. http://j.mp/
alperthall2015
Eli Degibri Quartet
Led by saxophonist Degibri,
with Gadi Lehavi on the
piano, Ofri Nehemya on the
drums, and Barak Mori on
the bass. Part of the 14th
Tokyo Jazz Festival. Sep 5, 5
& 8pm. ¥3,600. Cotton Club.
Tokyo. Tel: 03-3215-1555.
Trio led by Peyroux,
whose intensely distinctive
renditions of old classics
and modern tunes by the
likes of Leonard Cohen and
The Beatles have proven
her to be an uncannily
insightful “interpreter.” Sep
13, 5 & 8pm; Sep 14-15, 7 &
9:30pm. ¥8,700. Blue Note
03-5485-0088. http://j.mp/
peyrouxtrio2015
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The Manhattan Transfer
Enrico Pieranunzi
American a cappella jazz-pop
fusion group established in
1969 by Tim Hauser, Erin
Dickins, Marty Nelson, and
Pat Rosalia. Sep 17-19, 7
& 9:30pm. ¥9,000-11,000.
Tel: 03-3405-1133. http://j.
mp/manhattantransfer2015
Italian jazz pianist who fuses
classical technique with jazz.
Sep 22-23, 5 & 8pm. ¥5,8008,000. Cotton Club. Tokyo.
Tel: 03-3215-1555. http://j.
mp/pieranunzi2015
Kyle Eastwood
Abiah
American jazz bass musician
who plays acoustic and
electric as well as double
bass. Sep 8-10, 7 & 9:30pm.
¥8,000. Blue Note Tokyo.
Omotesando. Tel:
03-5485-0088. http://j.mp/
eastwood2015
Abiah’s new album, Life As
a Ballad, boasts gems like
the opener “September,” a
well-orchestrated melange
of mature lyric writing, full
throated, flowing, and tautlycontrolled vocal drama, lush
Beatles-esque harmonies, and
transcendent, transporting
melodicism. Sep 20, 5 & 8pm.
Omotesando. Tel: 03-54850088. http://j.mp/abiah2015
Rufus Wainwright
Herb Alpert and Lani Hall
Ms. Lauryn Hill
Madeleine Peyroux Trio
Led by Brazilian bossa nova
and jazz musician Cantuária
who is a singer, guitarist,
composer, drummer, and
percussionist. Sep 8-10,
6:30 & 9pm. ¥7,500-9,500.
Cotton Club. Tokyo. Tel:
03-3215-1555. http://j.mp/
cantuariaquartet2015
Wuu began learning the
violin at the age of five,
and developed the world’s
first electronic erhu, a
two-stringed Chinese
instrument. Sep 7, 7 &
9:30pm. ¥4,800-6,800.
Tel: 03-3405-1133. http://j.
mp/weiwei2015
JAZZ/WORLD
Real.” Sep 11, 7 & 9:30pm;
Sep 12, 6 & 9pm. ¥10,00012,000. Billboard Live.
Roppongi. Tel: 03-3405-1133.
http://j.mp/cheryllynn2015
Vinicius Cantuária
Quartet
Scottish indie rock band
whose sound developed
over time from a edgy and
angular sound to a sweeping,
melodic rock sound. Sep
29-30, 7:30pm. ¥6,800.
Womb. Shibuya. Tel:
03-5459-0039. http://j.mp/
idlewild2015
British three-piece band
featuring the siblings of the
Durham family, with Japanese
jazz band Ego-Wrappin’.
Oct 2, 7pm. ¥6,000-6,500.
Ex Theater Roppongi.
Roppongi or Nogizaka. Tel:
03-6406-2222. http://j.mp/
kittydaisy2015
Wind down at Tokyo Midtown with
night yoga and ballet exercise
sessions, and sip on champagne at
the Midpark Champagne Lounge
produced by Moët & Chandon. Sep
4-Oct 4, exercise sessions from
7:30pm. Free. Tokyo Midtown.
Roppongi. Tel: 03-3475-3100.
www.tokyo-midtown.com/en
Novos Compositores, the
Quarteto mixes elements of
samba with an urbanized,
jazz arrangement. Sep 22,
5 & 8pm. ¥6,800. Blue Note
03-5485-0088. http://j.mp/
danidebora2015
Weiwei Wuu
Kitty, Daisy & Lewis
SEP
4-OCT 4
Midtown Relax Park 2015
Grammy-nominated
contemporary American
jazz quartet who has
enjoyed consistent artistic
and commercial success
by grafting elements of
R&B and pop to jazz, and
appealing to a broad
mainstream audience. Sep
17-18, 7 & 9:30pm; Sep 19,
5 & 8pm. ¥8,500. Blue Note
03-5485-0088. http://j.mp/
fourplay2015
Idlewild
Singer-songwriter who Elton
John referred to as “the
greatest songwriter on the
planet.” Oct 1, 7pm. ¥9,000.
Tokyo International Forum Hall
C. Yurakucho. http://j.mp/
wainwright2015
for free
Steve Gadd Band
Led by Gadd, who is one of
the most well-known and
highly regarded session
and studio drummers in
the industry. Featuring
Michael Landau, Larry
Goldings, Jimmy Johnson,
and Walt Fowler. Sep 11,
7 & 9:30pm; Sep 12, 5 &
8pm. ¥8,500. Blue Note
03-5485-0088. http://j.mp/
gaddband2015
Cheryl Lynn
American disco, R&B, and
soul singer best known for
her 1978 disco hit “Got to Be
Freddy Cole
American jazz singer and
pianist whose recording
career has spanned over fifty
years. Sep 18, 6:30 & 9pm;
Sep 19-21, 5 & 8pm. ¥7,80010,000. Cotton Club. Tokyo.
Tel: 03-3215-1555. http://j.
mp/freddycole2015
Dani and Debora Gurgel
Quarteto
A leading figure in the
Brazilian music movement
Dave Weckl and Makoto
Ozone
American jazz fusion
drummer Weckl with jazz
pianist Ozone featuring Tom
Kennedy and Gary Meek.
Sep 23, 5 & 8pm; Sep 24, 7 &
03-5485-0088. http://j.mp/
wecklozone2015
The Baker Brothers
Jazz-funk group with “funky
horns, drums-beats galore,
and dreamy vocals.” Sep 28,
7 & 9:30pm. ¥5,000-7,000.
Tel: 03-3405-1133. http://j.
mp/bakerbros2015
Robert Glasper Trio
Glasper returns to his
acclaimed acoustic
Trio on his new album
Covered, featuring bassist
Vicente Archer and drummer
Damion Reid. Sep 28-29, 7 &
03-5485-0088. http://j.mp/
glaspertrio2015
23
Kneebody
American jazz band
acclaimed for their eclectic
style, which “uses a common
jazz instrumentation to make
a somewhat less common
amalgam of urban-signifying
genres, from electro-pop to
punk-rock to hip-hop.” Sep
28-30, 6:30 & 9pm. ¥6,5008,500. Cotton Club. Tokyo.
Tel: 03-3215-1555. http://j.mp/
kneebody2015
Stanley Clarke
American jazz musician and
composer known for his
innovative and influential
work on double bass and
electric bass as well as
for his numerous film and
television scores. Sep 30-Oct
2, 7 & 9:30pm; Oct 3, 5 & 8pm.
Omotesando. Tel: 03-54850088. http://j.mp/clarke2015
CLASSICAL
Paolo Fanale
Making his operatic debut
in Weill’s Die sieben Todsünden
with Ute Lemper at the Teatro
Comunale, Bologna, Fanale
has since sung in major opera
houses around the world. Sep
4, 7pm. ¥8,000-11,000. Kioi
Hall. Yotsuya. Tel: 03-52764500. www.kioi-hall.or.jp
London Symphony
Orchestra
Conducted by Bernard
Haitink with performances
of Mozart’s “Piano Concerto
No.24 in c minor, K491,” and
Mahler’s “Symphony No.4
in G major.” Sep 28, 7pm.
¥27,000-32,000. Suntory Hall.
Roppongi-itchome. Tel:
0570-55-0017. http://j.mp/
haitinklondonysymph2015
Wiener Philharmoniker
Week in Japan
A series of concerts performed
by the Wiener Philharmoniker
and conducted by Christoph
Eschenbach who is currently
music director of both the
National Symphony Orchestra
and the John F. Kennedy
Center for the Performing
Arts. Oct 4-8, various times.
¥13,000-35,000. Suntory Hall.
Roppongi-itchome. Tel:
0570-55-0017. http://j.mp/
wienerweek2015
Benjamin Grosvenor
British classical pianist who
became the youngest-ever
winner of four competitions in
2003, at the age of 10. Sep 5,
3pm. ¥2,500-3,500. Saitama
Arts Theater. Yonohonmachi.
Tel: 0570-064-939. http://j.mp/
grosvenor2015
Yves Henry Piano Lecture
Concert
French pianist who was the
first Western-European to
win the Robert Schumann
Competition. Sep 12, 2pm.
¥2,000 (adv)/ ¥2,500 (door).
Mori no Hall. Hashimoto.
Tel: 042-775-3811. http://j.mp/
yveshenry2015
Flairck Global Orchestra
Instrumental band from Holland
specializing in Romani music.
Sep 17, 6:30pm. ¥5,5006,000. Kanagawa Kenmin
Hall. Nihon-ōdōri. Tel:
04-5662-8866. http://j.mp/
flairckorchestra2015
Japan Philharmonic
Orchestra
Conducted by Sachio
Fujioka, with performances
of Rachmaninoff’s “Piano
Concerto No. 3” and more.
Sep 21, 2pm. ¥4,200-7,200.
Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre.
Ikebukuro. Tel: 03-53912111. www.geigeki.jp
Tambuco Percussion
Ensemble
Grammy-nominated Mexican
contemporary classical
percussion group. Sep 26,
3pm. ¥3,500. Saitama Arts
Theater. Yonohonmachi. Tel:
0570-064-939. http://j.mp/
tambuco2015
Trumpet Festival
With special guest trumpeter
Cristofoli Ottaviano, and
performances of Tartini’s
Trumpet Concerto and more.
Sep 27, 2pm. ¥3,000. Ishibashi
Memorial Hall. Ueno. Tel:
03-3843-3043. http://j.mp/
trumpetfes2015
24
Seeds. House, techno: DJs
Felix da Housecat, Takuya,
etc. From 10pm. ¥3,500.
Shibuya. Tel: 03-5728-2824.
www.vision-tokyo.com
Weekender. Jazz, house: DJ
Kyoto Jazz Massive and more.
From 10pm. ¥2,500 w/1d.
Shibuya. www.theroom.jp
T2
Shibuya Mixx. EDM: DJs Clown,
Dragon, etc. From 10pm.
(m)¥3,500 w/1d, (f)¥2,500
w/2d. Shibuya. Tel: 03-54288692. www.t2-shibuya.com
Ageha
FRIDAY 4
Club Asia
Matrix Friday. Old-school
hip-hop, west side, south side,
all mix: DJ Ykk and more. From
6pm. ¥1,000 (after 11:30pm).
Roppongi. www.matrixbar.jp
Sound Museum Vision
Rad. Techno, electro: DJs Off
the Rocker, Verbal, etc. From
9pm. (m)¥3,500, (f)¥2,500.
Shibuya. Tel: 03-5728-2824.
Liquidroom
TodaysArt.JP. Techno: DJs Carl
Craig, Mad Mike Banks, etc.
From 10pm. ¥4,000. Ebisu.
Tel: 03-5464-0800. www.
liquidroom.net
Air
Dego. Jazz, house: DJs Dego,
Kyoto Jazz Massive, etc. From
10pm. ¥3,500. Shibuya.
Tel: 03-5784-3384. www.
air-tokyo.com
Assemble. Hip-hop: DJs Atsu,
Yanatake, etc. From 11pm.
¥3,500 w/1d. Omotesando.
Tel: 03-5458-2551. www.
clubasia.co.jp
Womb
The Room
Clubbing
The New Matrix Bar
03-5534-2525. www.ageha.
com
Club Asia
Sound Museum Vision
Tokyo Wonder Night. House:
DJs Marcos Carnaval, Daishi
Dance, etc. From 11pm.
¥3,500. Shinkiba. Tel:
03-5534-2525. www.ageha.
com
Bartokiana
Concert commemorating the
70th anniversary since Bartok’s
death, with performances of
“Allegro Barbaro,” “Rhapsody
No.1 Sz.86,” and more. Sep
5, 2pm. ¥3,500 (adv)/ ¥4,000
(door). Oji Hall. Ginza. http://j.
mp/bartokiana2015
Club. From 10pm. ¥3,500.
Shibuya. Tel: 03-5784-3384.
www.air-tokyo.com
Awapa. House, techno: DJ
Afromance and more. From
11pm. (m)¥3,500, (f)¥2,500.
Shibuya. Tel: 03-5458-2551.
www.clubasia.co.jp
Ucess the Lounge
Void. Bass: DJs Skyfish, Azel,
etc. From 11pm. ¥2,000 w/ 1
Jägermeister. Harajuku or
Meiji-Jingūmae. Tel: 03-68071588. www.ucess.jp
Lounge Neo
Iscream. Hip-hop: DJs Atsu,
Chii, etc. From 11pm. ¥2,500
w/1d. Shibuya. Tel: 03-54582551. http://loungeneo.iflyer.jp
Womb
06s. Drum’n‘bass: DJs Fred
V, Grafix, etc. From 11pm.
¥3,500. Shibuya. Tel:
03-5459-0039. www.womb.
co.jp
Bromance Heartwave. Disco,
house: DJs Gener8ion,
Guillaume Berg, etc. From
11pm. ¥3,500. Shibuya. Tel:
03-5459-0039. www.womb.
co.jp
Dance
The Irish Dance—Ragús
A show of live, fast-moving
traditional Irish music,
song, and dance wherein
audiences feel the pulse of
a rich and vibrant musical
heritage and come away with
a truly enjoyable and unique
cultural experience. Sep 19,
12:30 & 4pm. ¥5,000-8,000.
Bunkamura Orchard Hall.
Shibuya. Tel: 03-3477-9111.
Sep 20, 2pm. ¥5,000-8,000.
Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall.
Hatsudai or Shinjuku. Tel:
03-5353-9999. http://j.mp/
ragus2015
Nos Solitudes: Julie
Nioche/A.I.M.E
An acrobatic show performed
in the air, which crosses the
boundary between dance
and a circus show. Sep 26,
6pm; Sep 27, 3pm. ¥2,500
(student)/ ¥3,000 (general).
KAAT Kanagawa Arts Theater
Large Studio. Nihon-ōdōri.
Tel: 045-633-6500. www.kaat.
jp/d/jn
Stage
SEP 11 FROM 7PM
SUNDAY 6
T2
Breakthrough. Hip-hop: DJs
Jin, Ladi Dadi, etc. From 10pm.
¥2,500 w/1d. Shibuya. www.
theroom.jp
Global Allmix Party. All mix: DJs
Boss, Passion, etc. From 10pm.
(m)¥2,500 w/2d, (f)¥1,500
T2
Womb
Shibuya Mixx. EDM: DJs
Baby-T, Shu, etc. From 10pm.
(m)¥3,500 w/1d, (f)¥2,500
EDM Sunday. EDM: DJs
Go, Inagee, etc. 4-10pm.
(m)¥2,500, (f)free. Shibuya.
Tel: 03-5459-0039. www.
womb.co.jp
Ageha
FRIDAY 11
The Room
Agepa. All mix: DJs Okura, U5,
etc. From 11pm. (m)¥3,000
w/1d, (f)free. Shinkiba. Tel:
03-5534-2525. www.ageha.
com
Womb
Sterne. Techno: DJs Ellen
Allien, Ishino, etc. From 11pm.
¥3,500. Shibuya. Tel:
03-5459-0039. www.womb.
co.jp
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).
Roppongi. www.matrixbar.jp
Adachigahara
Practiced for more than 650
years, noh is a traditional
Japanese performance
art that is on the UNESCO
World Intangible Heritage
list. Professional noh actors
will perform Adachigahara,
a noh classic that’s great
for beginners. Cerulean
Tower Noh Theater.
¥5,000. Tel: 03-63100263. 1-6pm. Shibuya.
www.ceruleantower.com/
nohtheater_schedule.html
Sound Museum Vision
Germinal
Girls Festival. Hip-hop: DJs
Kaori, Kango, etc. From 9pm.
(m)¥3,500 w/1d, (f)free.
Shibuya. Tel: 03-5728-2824.
SATURDAY 5
The Bunker New York. Techno
DJs Bryan Kasenic, Nobu, etc.
Live: Leisure Muffin. From
10pm. ¥3,500. Shibuya.
Tel: 03-5784-3384. www.
air-tokyo.com
The New Matrix Bar
T2
Saturday Night Fever. Hip-hop,
R&B, reggae: DJ Ykk and
more. From 6pm. ¥1,000 (after
10pm). Roppongi. www.
matrixbar.jp
Shibuya Mixx. EDM: DJs
Baby-T, Shu, etc. From 10pm.
(m)¥3,500 w/1d, (f)¥2,500
Four flabbergasted
Australopithecus bipedal
primates establish a
highly fallible method of
classification that consists of
separating things that make
a “pokpok” sound from those
that do not make a “pokpok”
sound. Nonchalantly, in an
unconventional microcosm no
bigger than a theater stage,
they brilliantly demonstrate
the fabrication of theater,
offering a wild, exhilarating
philosophical epic from start
to finish. Sep 11, 7:30pm; Sep
12-13, 3pm. ¥4,000 (adv)/
¥4,500 (door). Kanagawa
Arts Theater. Nihon-Odori.
http://j.mp/germinal2015
Air
Ageha
Pippin
Ra. Techno, New Wave:
DJ Veronica Vasicka and
more. Live: Broken English
Mad Mix. All mix: DJs Takeru,
Wildparty, etc. From 11pm.
¥3,000 w/1d. Shinkiba. Tel:
Tony Award-winning musical
full of extraordinary acrobatics,
wondrous magical feats,
Lounge Neo
Nangoku Sai. Music of the
southern islands: DJs City1,
Mihoru, etc. From 11:30pm.
¥2,500 w/1d. Shibuya.
Tel: 03-5458-2551. http://
loungeneo.iflyer.jp
Air
and soaring songs from the
composer of Wicked. Sep 4-20,
various times. ¥9,000-13,000.
Theater Orb. Shibuya. Tel:
03-3477-9999. http://j.mp/
pippin2015
Don Giovanni
Performed by The Royal
Opera, Mozart’s opera based
on the legends of Don Juan,
a fictional libertine and
seducer. Sep 13, 3pm; Sep
17, 6:30pm; Sep 20, 1:30pm.
¥12,000-55,000. NHK Hall.
Harajuku or Meiji-Jingumae.
Tel: 03-3465-1751. http://j.mp/
giovanni2015
Macbeth
Performed by The Royal
Opera, Verdi’s opera based
on Shakespeare’s play of the
same name. Sep 12 & 15,
3pm; Sep 18, 6:30pm; Sep
21, 1:30pm. ¥12,000-55,000.
Tokyo Bunka Kaikan. Ueno.
Tel: 03-3828-2111. http://j.mp/
macbeth2015
Exhibitions
ENDING SOON
No Museum, No Life?—ArtMuseum Encyclopedia to
Come
This exhibition takes the
museum itself as its theme,
and displays a selection of
around 170 works based on
36 keywords and arranged
in alphabetical order from
A to Z which are inspired by
the structure and function of
the museum. Until Sep 13,
10am-5pm (until 8pm on Fri),
closed Mon. ¥500-1,000. The
National Museum of Modern
Art, Tokyo. Takebashi. Tel:
03-5777-8600. www.momat.
go.jp/english/am
Things: Rethinking
Japanese Photography and
Art in the 1970s
“Things” refers to the tangible
state of the world that
appears beyond the camera
lens. Considering things in
this way raises questions
about the photographer’s
role in confronting the world,
prompting, in other words, a
fundamental reexamination
of the relational structure
between the human being
as subject and the world
as object. Until Sep 13,
10am-5pm. ¥130-430. The
03-5777-8600. www.momat.
go.jp/english/am
you can enjoy drinks, and on
the weekend, live music and
DJ performances. Foreign
visitors who come in pairs
(who each bring their foreign
passport) after 8pm will
receive one free bottle of beer.
Until Sep 23, 11am-11:30pm,
¥600-1,000. Nihonbashi
Mitsui Hall. Mitsukoshi-mae.
Tel: 03-3270-2550. http://
artaquarium.jp/en
Cleopatra and the Queens
of Egypt
Explore the life of Cleopatra
and other queens of Egypt,
who had great influence
over the country’s politics
and religion. Until Sep 23,
9:30am-5pm (until 8pm on Fri
and 6pm on Sat, Sun, & hols),
closed Mon. ¥600-1,300 (adv)/
¥800-1,500 (door). Tokyo
National Museum. Ueno.
http://egypt2015.jp/english
Bordeaux, Port de la Lune
Along with introducing the
many painters and art works
with connections to Bordeaux,
such as Delacroix, Redon, and
Goya, this exhibition will also
feature a broad array of items,
including such important
archaeological and historical
materials as the famous Venus
with a Horn (Venus of Laussel),
and many of the decorative art
items that tell the story of the
lives of the Bordeaux citizens
of the past. Until Sep 23,
9:30am-5:30pm (until 8pm on
Fri), closed Mon. ¥800-1,600.
The National Museum of
Western Art. Ueno. Tel:
03-5777-8600. http://j.mp/
bordeaux2015
Art Deco in Residence
Separated into two
sub-exhibitions, titled
“Looking at Architecture
2015,” which invites the
audience to take a closer
look at the museum building
itself, and “Art Deco
Collectors,” which showcases
a variety of reputed Art
Deco works accumulated
by art collectors. Until
Sep 23, 10am-6pm (until
9pm on Fri), closed on the
second and fourth Wed
of the month. ¥400-800.
Tokyo Metropolitan Teien
Art Museum. Meguro. Tel:
03-3443-0201. http://j.mp/
artdecoinresidence2015
Risaku Suzuki: Stream of
consciousness
ONGOING
For this exhibition—which
takes “seeing” itself as
its theme—Suzuki has
chosen not to say in
words beforehand what
he has photographed. By
confronting the photograph
before us without
preconceptions, conscious
of all it depicts, we will
re-experience the world
“seen” by Suzuki. Until Sep
23, 11am-7pm (until 8pm
on Fri & Sat), closed Mon.
¥800-1,200. Tokyo Opera
City Art Gallery. Hatsudai.
www.operacity.jp/en/ag
Sachie Kashima: The
Shapes
Chiharu Shiota: Lines of
Memory
An exhibition of paintings
by Kashima, who is known
as a surrealist painter with
color composition. Until Sep
20, 1-7pm, closed Mon &
Tue. Free. Hiromart Gallery.
Edogawabashi. Tel:
03-6233-9836. http://j.mp/
theshapes2015
Latest works by Berlin-based
Japanese installation artist
Shiota, who uses everyday
objects such as beds,
windows, dresses, shoes, and
suitcases, to which she adds
intricate, web-like threads
of black and red. Shiota’s
work often explores the
relationships between past
and present, living and dying,
and memories of people
implanted into objects. Until
Sep 26, 12-7pm, closed Sun,
Mon, & hols. Free. Kenji
Taki Gallery. Hatsudai.
Tel: 03-3378-6051. www.
kenjitaki.com
Urameshiya: Art of the
Ghost
Featuring Zenshoan Temple’s
collection of ghost paintings.
Until Sep 13, 10am-5pm,
closed Mon. ¥600-900
(adv)/ ¥700-1,100 (door).
The University Art Museum.
Ueno. Tel: 050-5525-2200.
www.tokyo-np.co.jp/event/
urameshiya
Art Aquarium
“Art aquarium artist” Hidetomo
Kimura creates dazzling
displays of live kingyō, or
goldfish, that appeal to all
the senses. The exhibition
space transforms into a “Night
Aquarium” from 7pm, where
Mechanic Designer
Okawara Kunio Exhibition
Featuring works by mechanical
designer Okawara, who
designed robots, ships, and
other mechanical items for
anime such as Gundam and the
Brave Series franchise. Until
Sep 27, 10am-5pm. ¥1,0001,300 (adv)/ ¥1,200-1,500
(door). Ueno Royal Museum.
Ueno. www.okawara-ten.com
Crafts Gallery for Kids +
Adults: Pika Boko—An
Onomatopoetic Guide to
Crafts
Explore the world of crafts
through onomatopoetic
descriptions of the works.
closed Mon. ¥70-210. The
03-5777-8600. http://j.mp/
pikaboko2015
The Exhibition of
Tokugawa’s Castles
See detailed paintings of
Tokugawa’s castles, including
a computer-graphics animated
tour of its interior, and more.
Until Sep 27, 9:30am-5:30pm
(until 9pm on Fri & 7:30pm
on Sat). ¥470-1,140 (adv)/
¥680-1,350 (door). Edo-Tokyo
Museum. Ryogoku. Tel:
03-3626-9974. www.
edo-tokyo-museum.or.jp/en
Motion Science
This exhibition offers
visitors the opportunity
to touch and observe the
power of expression that
“movement” brings about.
By understanding and
experiencing its structure,
visitors are able to perceive the
enjoyment of manufacturing,
and reassess the relationship
between design and progress
in science and technology.
closed Tue. ¥500-1,100. 21_21
Design Sight. Nogizaka. Tel:
03-3475-2121. http://j.mp/
motionscience2015
Yori Saito’s Gaze:
Celebrating the 130th
Birthday of a Nakamuraya
Salon Painter
Showcasing works by Saito,
an artist at the forefront of the
modern Japanese yōga, or
Western painting, at the end
of the Meiji Era. Until Sep 27,
10:30am-7pm, closed Tue.
¥300. Nakamuraya Salon
Museum of Art. Shinjuku.
www.nakamuraya.co.jp/
museum
Yoshiaki Irobe: WALL
Showcasing work by Irobe,
who considers graphic
design the work of giving
form in the human mind to
non-physical things like
memory, impressions,
or feelings. Through
wide-ranging design work
including visual identity,
sign systems, exhibition
graphics, and editorial/book
design, Irobe is constantly
thinking about how to fully
apply the power of graphic
design in society. Until Sep
28, 11am-7pm (until 6pm on
Sat), closed Sun & hols. Free.
Ginza Graphic Gallery. Ginza.
http://j.mp/irobewall2015
Showa Children: Smiling
through good times and
bad!
Commemorating the
90th year since the start
of the Showa period, this
exhibition features 130 works
from some of Japan’s leading
photographers of the age
including Ihei Kimura, Ken
Domon, Hiroshi Hamaya,
Tadahiko Hayashi, Takeyoshi
Tanuma, and Keisuke Kumakiri,
who captured images from
across Japan. Sep 11-30,
10am-7pm. Free. Fujifilm
Square. Roppongi. Tel:
03-6271-3350. http://j.mp/
showachildren2015
Leaps in Evolution: Tracing
the Path of Vertebrate
Evolution
Invaluable fossils of
backboned creatures are
presented alongside the
latest DNA-based research
findings, reconstructed
models of prehistoric animals,
and 4K video images to
review the great journey of
vertebrate evolution. Until
Oct 4, 9am-5pm (until 8pm on
Fri), closed Sep 7, 14, & 28.
¥600-1,600. National Museum
of Nature and Science. Ueno.
Tel: 03-3822-0111. www.
seimei-ten.jp
Maria Tanikawa:
Solo Show
Tokyo-based artist from New
York shows Nihonga paintings
with traditional Japanese ink,
pigment, gold leaf, etc. Until
Oct 4, 11am-11pm. Free. T.Y.
Harbor. Tennōzu Isle. Tel:
03-5479-4555. www.tysons.
jp/tyharbor
Energy and Revival: The
Art of Momoyama
This exhibition showcases the
art of the Momoyama Period
with tea ceramics of the
Shino, Oribe, and Karatsu
wares together with paintings
by the Kano School and
Hasegawa Tohaku. Until Oct
Fri), closed Mon. ¥700-1,000.
Idemitsu Museum of Arts.
Tokyo. www.idemitsu.com/
museum/honkan
Thomas & Friends
Explore the world of the
British children’s television
series Thomas & Friends,
including original artwork, and
learn about how the widely
popular series began. Until
Oct 12, 10am-6pm, closed
Mon. ¥700-1,200. Museum
of Contemporary Art Tokyo.
Kiyosumi-shirakawa. www.
mot-art-museum.jp/eng
Oscar Niemeyer: The Man
Who Built Brasilia
A retrospective of one of
Brazil’s leading architects,
who is highly acclaimed for
his unique buildings that
harmonize organic curves with
modernism’s geometric forms.
Until Oct 12, 10am-6pm,
closed Mon. ¥600-1,100.
Museum of Contemporary Art
Tokyo. Kiyosumi-shirakawa.
www.mot-art-museum.jp/eng
Dinh Q. Lê: Memory for
Tomorrow
Through the unique artwork
and activities of Vietnamese
artist Dinh Q. Lê who attracted
attention with his tapestries
made by weaving together
strips of photographs, this
exhibition provides us with
an opportunity to think about
our past, present, and future.
Until Oct 12, 10am-10pm (until
5pm on Tue). ¥1,500 (adv)/
¥600-1,800 (door). Mori Art
Museum. Roppongi. Tel:
03-5777-8600. http://j.mp/
memoryfortomorrow2015
Pioneer of Photojournalism
An exhibition of works by the
renowned photojournalist
Margaret Bourke-White, who
through her contributions to
Life magazine and various
other publications exerted
tremendous influence
on the development of
photojournalism in Japan.
Until Nov 2, 10am-7pm. Free.
Fujifilm Square. Roppongi.
Tel: 03-6271-3350. http://j.mp/
bourkewhite2015
The Last Impressionists:
Time of Intimacy
Showcasing works by artists
who were active in Paris during
the start of the 20th century,
such as Carrière, Aman-Jean,
and Le Sidaner. Sep 5-Nov
Fri), closed Mon. ¥650-1,000
(adv)/ ¥800-1,200 (door).
Sompo Japan Museum of Art.
Shinjuku. Tel: 03-54058686. www.sjnk-museum.org
OS-XX Prelude to the
Operating Systems of the
Future City
The exhibition examines the
operating system (OS) of cities
and explores themes based
on the historical context,
providing an opportunity
to think about the future of
Tokyo and other cities by
exploring the formation of
the future cities through
the visions of creators who
develop the latest ideas
and methodologies. Until
Nov 8, 11am-7pm. Free.
Tokyo Wonder Site Hongo.
Ochanomizu, Suidobashi,
or Hongo-sanchome. Tel:
03-5689-5331. www.
tokyo-ws.org/english
¥500-900 (adv)/ ¥600-1,000
(door). Ueno Royal Museum.
Ueno. Tel: 03-3833-4191.
www.umeten.jp
Sports
BASEBALL
Yakult Swallows vs.
Hiroshima Carp
Sep 4-5, 6pm; Sep 6, 2pm;
Sep 22, 6pm; Sep 23,
1pm. ¥500-27,500. Meiji
Jingu Baseball Stadium.
Gaienmae. Tel: 03-34048999. www.jingu-stadium.
com/english
DeNA Baystars vs. Yomiuri
Giants
Sep 4-5, 6pm; Sep 6, 5pm.
¥800-33,000. Yokohama
Stadium. Kannai. Tel:
045-661-1251. www.
yokohama-stadium.co.jp
Yakult Swallows vs. DeNA
Baystars
Sep 8-10, 6pm; Sep 15,
6pm. ¥500-27,500. Meiji
Jingu Baseball Stadium.
com/english
What is Realist Painting?
Exploring the diversity
and potential of realist
painting through 54 works of
landscapes, figures, and more.
Until Nov 15, 10am-5:30pm,
closed Tue. ¥900-1,800. Hoki
Museum. Toke. Tel: 043-2051500. www.hoki-museum.
jp/en
The Genesis and
Development of Landscape
Painting
Showcasing works from
Kunsthistorisches Museum,
Wien of attractive European
landscapes. Sep 9-Dec
7, 10am-7pm (until 9pm
on Fri & Sat). ¥500-1,300
(adv)/ ¥700-1,500
(door). Bunkamura: The
Museum. Shibuya. Tel:
03-5777-8600. http://j.mp/
wienlandscape2015
Open Space 2015
Explore an array of
representative, historical, and
new works from the realm of
media art, as well as results
of research activities at
educational institutions. Until
Mar 6, 11am-6pm, closed Mon.
Free. NTT Intercommunication
Center. Hatsudai. Tel:
0120-144199. http://j.mp/
openspace2015
Yomiuri Giants vs. DeNA
Baystars
New Japan
●●Sep 11, 6:30pm. ¥6,1808,240. Korakuen Hall.
Suidobashi. Tel: 03-58009999.
●●Sep 12, 6pm. ¥6,180-8,240.
Nagareyama Shimin Sogo
Gymnasium. Nagareyama.
Tel: 04-7159-1212. www.
nagareyama-sports.jp/gym
Sep 12, 7pm. ¥600-6,200.
Ajinomoto Stadium.
Tobitakyu. Tel: 04-24400555. www.fctokyo.co.jp/
english
FC Tokyo vs. Matsumoto
Yamagata FC
Oct 17, 2pm. ¥600-6,200.
Ajinomoto Stadium.
english
Yakult Swallows vs.
Yomiuri Giants
FC Tokyo vs. Urawa Reds
Oct 24, 2pm. ¥600-6,200.
Ajinomoto Stadium.
english
FC Tokyo vs. Sagan Tosu
Yomiuri Giants vs. Hanshin
Tigers
Sep 22-23, 2pm. ¥300-12,400.
Tokyo Dome. Suidobashi.
Tel: 03-5800-9999. www.
giants.jp/en
DeNA Baystars vs.
Chunichi Dragons
Sep 22, 5pm; Sep 23, 1pm;
Sep 26, 2pm. ¥800-33,000.
Yokohama Stadium. Kannai.
Tel: 045-661-1251. www.
Yomiuri Giants vs. Yakult
Swallows
Sep 26-27, 2pm. ¥300-12,400.
Tel: 03-5800-9999. www.
giants.jp/en
Yakult Swallows vs.
Chunichi Dragons
Sep 28, 6pm. ¥500-27,500.
Meiji Jingu Baseball Stadium.
com/english
DeNA Baystars vs.
Hiroshima Carp
Sep 28, 6pm. ¥800-33,000.
Yokohama Stadium. Kannai.
Tel: 045-661-1251. www.
PRO WRESTLING
Ume Aoki Exhibition
Noah
Sep 10, 7pm. ¥4,000-7,000.
Face. Shinjuku. Tel: 03-32001300. http://shinjuku-face.com
Comedy
New Material Night
Standup, improv, and trying
out new stuff. Sep 15; Oct 6,
8-10pm. Free. Double Tall
Cafe. Shibuya. Tel: 03-54674567. http://tokyocomedy.
com/new_material_night
Stand-up Comedy at
The Hobgoblin
Stand-up comedians
with a variety of styles,
performing in English. Sep 17,
9-10:30pm. Free. Hobgoblin
Shibuya. Shibuya. http://
tokyocomedy.com/standup_
comedy_at_the_hobgoblin
Community
Half-Fast Cyclists
FC Tokyo vs. Vissel Kobe
Sep 18, 6pm; Sep 19, 1:30pm.
¥800-33,000. Yokohama
Stadium. Kannai. Tel:
045-661-1251. www.
Sep 19, 6pm. ¥500-27,500.
Meiji Jingu Baseball Stadium.
com/english
Ebisu Garden Hall. Ebisu.
Tel: 03-5423-7111. http://
livemagic.jp
SOCCER
FC Tokyo vs. Shonan
Bellmare
Sep 24, 6pm. ¥300-12,400.
Tel: 03-5800-9999. www.
giants.jp/en
Showcasing works by
Japanese manga artist Aoki
who illustrates the visual novel
Sanarara. Oct 3-12, 10am-5pm.
Sep 10, 7pm. ¥4,000-7,000.
Korakuen Hall. Suidobashi.
Tel: 03-5800-9999.
DeNA Baystars vs. Hanshin
Tigers
Niki de Saint Phalle
In commemoration of the 75th
anniversary of the foundation
of the museum, this exhibition
focuses in particular on
paintings, calligraphies, and
tea utensils. Sep 19-Nov
3, 10am-5pm, closed Mon.
¥1,000-1,200. Nezu Museum.
Omotesando. Tel: 03-34002536. www.nezu-muse.
or.jp/en
All Japan
Sep 12-13, 2pm. ¥300-12,400.
Tel: 03-5800-9999. www.
giants.jp/en
Yomiuri Giants vs.
Hiroshima Carp
Preserving Heritage: The
Nezu Collection
●●Sep 9, 6:30pm. ¥3,2406,480. Korakuen Hall.
Suidobashi. Tel: 03-58009999.
●●Sep 11, 6:30pm. ¥4,3207,560. Kasukabe Fureai Cube.
Kasukabe. Tel: 048-7343005. http://kasukabehall.jp/
english
Sep 26, 6:30pm. ¥600-6,200.
Ajinomoto Stadium.
english
UPCOMING
Showcasing works by French
sculptor and painter Saint
Phalle, who created a garden
called Giardino dei Tarocchi
in Italy, containing sculptures
of the symbols found on
Tarot cards. Sep 18-Dec 14,
10am-6pm (until 8pm Fri),
closed Tue. ¥600-1,400 (adv)/
¥800-1,600. The National Art
Center, Tokyo. Nogizaka.
www.niki2015.jp
Dragon Gate
Nov 22, 1:30pm. ¥600-6,200.
Ajinomoto Stadium.
english
SUMO
Sumo Grand Tournament
Sep 13-27, 8am-6pm. ¥3,80011,700. Ryogoku Kokugikan.
Ryogoku. Tel: 03-3623-5111.
www.sumo.or.jp/en/
Festivals
INTERNATIONAL
Festival Na Hiwahiwa
O Hawai’i
Featuring the winners of the
Merrie Monarch Festival and
Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards,
enjoy performances of hula
and Hawaiian music. Sep
19-20, 12 & 4:30pm; Sep
21, 11am & 3:30pm. ¥5,10014,400. Tokyo Dome City Hall.
Suidobashi. Tel: 03-58009999. http://nahiwa.com/2015
Fiesta Mexicana
Enjoy Mexican culture: food,
dance, sport, and more.
Sep 19-21, 11am-7pm. Free.
Odaiba Symbol Promenade
Park. Odaiba-kaihinkōen.
Tel: 03-3599-7303. www.
fiestamexicana-tokyo.com
Bicyclists of all treads meet
for slideshows, lectures,
ride-planning, etc. Every
second Wed, 7pm. Free.
The Pink Cow. Roppongi.
Tel: 03-6434-5773.
www.thepinkcow.com
Dr. Sketchy’s
Anti-Art School
Burlesque models pose
for veteran artists and
sketching newbies alike
with artsy socializing. Every
third Wed, 7-10pm. ¥2,000
w/ 1d. Studio and Space
IVVA. Meiji-Jingūmae or
Harajuku. www.facebook.com/
Dr.Sketchy.Tokyo
Film
UNHCR Refugee Film
Festival
Watch films such as The Good
Lie, Boxing for Freedom, and
Hope, telling the stories of
refugees and stateless people.
Oct 2-3, various times. Free.
Spiral Hall. Omotesando. Tel:
03-3498-5793. Oct 10 &12,
various times. Free. Istituto
Italiano di Cultura di Tokyo.
Kudanshita. Tel: 03-32646011. http://unhcr.refugeefilm.
org/2015/en
Other Events
Miss and Mister Deaf Japan
2015
Event to empower, enhance,
and support today’s community
of deaf women and men. For
tickets, contact mmdj_smile7@
yahoo.co.jp. Sep 23, 1-5pm.
¥2,000-4,500 (+ ¥500 for
tickets at the door). Nerima
Bunka Center. Nerima. www.
neribun.or.jp/nerima/
Extravaganza in the
Emerald City
An Oz-themed fundraising
gala, “Extravaganza in the
Emerald City” offers you a
chance to support children
with cancer and participate
in auctions, party games, and
decadent feasts with unlimited
Pieroth wine. Sep 26, 5pm.
¥25,000. Tokyo American Club.
Kamiyacho. Tel: 03-45880381. http://sokids.org
Peter Barakan’s Live Magic!
2015
A two-day adult-oriented
roots music festival curated
by Peter Barakan, packed
with music from Japan and
around the world. Oct 24-25,
1pm. ¥12,000 (one-day
ticket)/¥21,000 (two-day pass).
MORE LISTINGS
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KASAI CPA
042-401-0342
More Than
Twenty Years
Experience
Takashi Kasai CPA Firm
4-1-2-302 Honcho, Kokubunji-shi, Tokyo
[email protected]
www.kasaicpa.com
Special: Mention
Metropolis and
receive your first
group class free!
• 100% tailored to your goals and lifestyle
• Highly qualified trainers with decades of experience
• Fat loss, postural correction and performance specialists
• Group classes include Fit 360, Boxing, Kickfit, Yoga and more!
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Pristine showering facilities
[email protected] Tel: 03-6434-9667
B1 CMA3 Bldg, 3-1-35 Moto Azabu, Minato-ku • Nearest stn: Roppongi
Hours: Open Mon-Sat 6:30am-9:30pm, closed Sun
26
Metropolis and its 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.
FRI, SEP 18 ISSUE
Deadline: Sep 10, 3pm
FRI, OCT 2 ISSUE
Deadline: Sep 17, 3pm
1 AT YOUR SERVICE
1.1 HEALTH
G E N E R A L D E N T I S T R Y.
A merican dental school
graduate, 20 years’
experience in hospital
dentistry, over 2000
d e ntal im p lant s , n a t i ve
English speaker; 3min
from JR Harajuku Stn,
p a r k i n g a v a i l a b l e. W i l l
fill out insurance forms.
[email protected]
www.trustdental.jp/english
03-3402-1501
ENGLISH-SPE AKING ADACERTIFIED DENTAL CLINIC in
Toranomon Hills offers a wide
range of preventive, corrective
a n d co s m e t i c d e n t i s t r y.
Superior service focused on
customer satisfaction and
convenience. Open until
10pm. Modern dentistry at its
best. www.rmdcc.com/english
0120-648-071
1.2 HAIR & BEAUTY
¥32,400. Gold ¥27,000. Silver
¥21,600. Prices include one
photo. Bronze ¥2000 (photo
+ ¥2000). Prices are for 4 0
words, one print issue, t wo
weeks online. For details,
email us at commercial@
metropolisjapan.com.
CRE ATIVE SO LUTION S .
Specialists in branding, web
design, photo/video production.
Drawing A Crowd: a new approach
in design. Get in touch. info@
drawingacrowd.co
2 FIND A PLACE
E S T H E T I Q U E S A LO N L E L I T
MEGURO, an English-speaking
beauty salon with highly
skilled staff, is like your own
s e cr e t p a r a d i s e w h e r e y o u
can relax completely. Trial
price for your first visit, tax
included: Body Deep Tissue
Massage (60min) ¥4980
(regular price ¥8640). Facial
Moisture Treatment (60min)
¥4980 (regular price ¥9720).
Hours: 9am-6pm; closed Wed
www.lelitmeguro.com/English.
html welcome@lelitmeguro.
com 090-3913-8044
C H I E
FUNAKURA,
the stylist
and coloring
specialist
Harper’s
B a z a a r
Australia
n a m e d t h e b e s t i n To k y o ,
finally opens her own salon in
Harajuku! Book now for your
own personalized fashion
ex p e r i e n ce. 03 - 6 4 3 4 - 52 1 9
s i lva p a p i l i o.co m co n t a c t @
silvapapilio.com
T H I N K I N G A B O U T
ADVERTISING WITH
METROPOLIS ? Platinum
2.2 RENT UNDER ¥200,000
Seeking housemate. Nonsmoking JF,
clean, full-time worker in Tokyo, is seeking
a place to move this autumn. Thinking for
one year. Can pay ¥50,000 for rent. [email protected]
2.6 BUY/SELL PREMISES
HOUSE FOR SALE IN USAMI, 2LK,
t wo toilets, wood stove, large
su n d e ck , l o ck u p g ar a g e, t wo
floors (35sqm each), freehold land,
overlooking Usami Bay surf beach,
10min walk to beach. Offers over
¥2,000,000. No resort fees. Private
sale by owner. [email protected].
ne.jp 090-9819-1558
3 EDUCATION
3.2 JAPANESE TEACHERS
JA PA N ES E LESSO N S . Serious
Japanese lessons from
experienced teacher along the
Yamanote Line in Tokyo. Lesson
fee: free. Let’s enjoy Japanese
lessons and culture. Please call
Setsuko at 090-1210-9285. Email:
n i h o n g o1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 @
yahoo.co.jp
3.5 LANGUAGE EXCHANGE
Dutch and Japanese. Japanese male,
35, seeking Dutch-J language exchange
partner via LINE or Skype, or around
Niigata. [email protected]
ICHII CORPORATION.
Over 600 affordable, qualityfurnished apartments in
central Tokyo locations. No
key money/guarantor/agent
fee required. New, clean
apartments, simple contract
system, full English support.
Call us today! 03-5437-5233
www.japt.co.jp
English and Japanese. Open-minded
Japanese female, 23-40, sought for
language exchange and socializing.
Serious only. Call Bobby at 090-55896864 or 080-8118-4073 or email
[email protected].
English and Japanese. JF seeks an
exchange partner in the daytime on
weekdays at Kawasaki Stn. [email protected]
English and Japanese. JF (TOEIC 980)
is seeking a language exchange partner
who can correct her written English emails/
journals/reports (and she can correct
yours, too). Meeting in Tokyo is also fine.
[email protected]
MEN’S BARBERSHOP IN
ROPPONGI WELCOMES
FOREIGNERS. English-speaking
assistant will get your haircut
right. Haircuts ¥4800. With
shave ¥5800. Kids’ haircuts
¥4000 - ¥4400. First-time
discount ¥1000. http://oazo.biz/
top 03-5545-7797 oazo7797@
yahoo.co.jp
1.7 BUSINESS SERVICES
CURLY HAIR SPECIALIST IN
TOK YO. English-speaking
Kiyoko, highly experienced
in NY’s curly hair salons,
takes care of curly hair at
her salon, Nepenji, in Ebisu.
Reser vations: 03 -3793 2357 or [email protected]
http://english.nepenji.net/
index_en.html
including commercial
registration, as well as
inheritance procedures in Japan.
Free consultation available in
English, Español and Japanese.
Tel: 03-6264-8446
[email protected]
http://nippashi.com
responsible; will pay ¥200,000¥400,000/m. No unauthorized sublets,
no room shares, and no guesthouses,
please. [email protected]
ATTORNEY AT LAW 第一東京弁
護士会 . Shinsuke Nagayoshi
gives expert legal advice on
issues concerning immigration,
accidents, inheritance,
divorce and more. Fluent
in English, Portuguese,
Spanish and Mandarin. Be
confident your case is fully
understood and in safe hands.
Mobile:080 -9895 -7 704
(multilingual) Fax:03-5539-4701
[email protected] http://shinsukenagayoshi.com
I M M I G R AT I O N L A W Y E R AT
NIPPASHI OFFICE supports visa
and naturalization applications,
company establishment and
b r a n c h o f f i ce i n s t a l l a t i o n ,
RENTAL APARTMENTS,
HOUSES, CONDOS AND
S T U D I O S i n Yo ko h a m a ,
Kawasaki, Tokyo, and near
US military bases. English speaking staff will guide you
through the renting process.
For a stress-free search,
contact Rent Life. 045 - 470 32 14 w w w.rent- yokohama.
com/english [email protected]
SERVICED APARTMENTS
in a quiet residential area
of Hiroo. Studios and
suites. 4min from Hiroo
Stn. Rates: Daily ¥7800.
Weekly ¥6850-/day.
M o n t h ly ¥ 570 0 - /d a y . O ve r
t h r e e m o n t h s ¥ 51 3 0 - /d a y .
Ta x , u t i l i t i e s i n cl u d e d .
frontdesk@azabucourt.
co m w w w. a z a b u co u r t .co m
0 3 - 3 4 4 6 - 8 6 1 0
2.5 PLACE WANTED
Luxury apartment/house sought,
55sqm+, Minato-ku (Hiroo/Ebisu ok),
no move-in other than rent; American
and Japanese, both professionals,
English and Japanese. Hello, I'm Kris,
male, early 30s. I'm seeking a language
exchange partner in Yokohama/Yokosuka.
I can teach you E. [email protected]
English and Japanese. Interesting,
well-educated, cute SJM seeks native
English speakers in Tokyo for a language
exchange. Let's meet once or twice/week
to improve our language abilities. I'm sure
that it'll be a wonderful experience. Just
email me. [email protected]
English, Irish, Japanese. Hi, I'm a
Japanese female, 36, seeking a laid-back
English-speaking partner. I was in Ireland
last year and am currently working for a
French pharmaceutical company. Let's talk
and have fun. [email protected]
French and Japanese. Fr and J exchange
and book collaboration in Ikebukuro. I'm a
French book writer, 50. I seek a language
exchange partner. I'm learning J. I like
mikkyo and aromatherapy. I hope you like
the same things. [email protected]
French and Japanese. I'm a JM, 27, from
the Shibuya area, seeking a native French
speaker to help me improve my French.
I'm a beginner, but serious. I'd be happy to
help you in return. takashi.nakajima38@
gmail.com
French and Japanese. Hi, I am a French
guy seeking language exchange friends,
20-47. I speak Fr and E, am currently
learning J. I'm someone reserved in
general. I want to meet new people.
[email protected]
French and Japanese. I'm French and
want to really improve my Japanese.
I'm proposing a Fr-J language exchange,
all levels from novice to expert and even
slang. A bientôt, merci! srakoton@hotmail.
com
French and Japanese. Hello, I'm a
Japanese living in Tokyo, seeking a Fr-J
language and culture exchange partner. I
like working out, traveling, ballet, figure
skating, etc. Let's meet up at a cafe once
every week or two. fairyone.1one@gmail.
com
French and Korean. Bonjour, I am a
French guy living in Tokyo. I'm seeking
a Fr-Kor exchange. I am a beginner. I can
speak J. [email protected]
French, English, Japanese. European
man seeking a language exchange partner
to improve his Japanese. I can teach you
Fr or E. Let's enjoy sharing our cultures
and interests. Machida area preferred.
[email protected]
Indonesian and English. Japanese lady
seeks a native speaker of Indonesian for
language exchange in the Roppongi or
Omotesando area. Serious only. Thanks!
[email protected]
Korean and Japanese. Japanese male,
42, seeks a native Korean speaker for Kor/J
exchange. I like music, reading, cooking.
I hope we can learn from each other and
have some fun. [email protected]
英語と日本語。僕はイギリス人.
毎日日本語を勉強してる. でも
言語交換にいつも失敗しちゃう.
[email protected]
3.6 LEARNING: GENERAL
English and Japanese. Hi, I am a
Japanese female working in Tokyo
seeking someone to become my language
exchange partner. I love British accents,
so I'd be glad to find someone who speaks
British English. [email protected]
English and Japanese. Interesting,
well-educated, cute SJM seeks native
English speakers in Tokyo for a language
exchange. Let's meet once or twice/week
to improve our language abilities. I'm sure
that it'll be a wonderful experience. Just
email me. [email protected]
English and Japanese. I'm an American
journalist, 32, and a psychology professor
from New York. I love the arts, culture,
travel, philosophy, literature. Let's have
coffee and talk about the world in our two
languages. [email protected]
English and Japanese. Japanese lady
seeks a native speaker of American English
for language exchange in the Roppongi or
Omotesando area. Serious only. Thanks!
[email protected]
Classical guitar lessons in English. Hi,
I'm a JF seeking a teacher to teach me
classical guitar in English. I took lessons
for three months, but stopped when I
moved to Tokyo. My ideal guitarist is Per
Olov. [email protected]
French in Tokyo. Seeking someone to
teach me French during the day/evenings
on weekdays. Fee negotiable, but the
more reasonable the better. Shinjuku,
Ogikubo area preferred. I can speak
English, but am a French beginner.
[email protected]
German. Könnten Sie mir bitte helfen
Deutsch lernen am Wochenende in
einem Café in der Nähe von Aoyama,
Omotesando, oder Shibuya? Bei Interesse,
bitte kontaktieren Sie mich. hiroko_
[email protected]
Hjaelpe mig med dansk! Leder efter
dansker i Tokyo eller Kanagawa. Jeg taler
lidt dansk og vil gerne laere mere! Jeg kan
hjaelpe jer med japansk. JF, 30s, ikkeryger. Las os moedes og snakke dansk og
japansk med kaffe! [email protected]
Karate lesson for English or Spanish
lesson. Do you seriously want to learn real
karate? I can teach you one of the major
styles of traditional Japanese karate for
free in exchange for English or Spanish
lessons. [email protected]
Native English teacher sought for
lessons at cafes on weekends in Tokyo.
Can pay ¥2000/h. [email protected]
Penmanship/clean writing. Hi! Seeking
a qualified teacher to teach penmanship,
clean and professional handwriting. Will
pay ¥4000/hour, transportation included.
[email protected]
4 HOUSEHOLD GOODS
4.1 FURNITURE & FITTINGS
Cabinet, teak, large ¥29,000. Firm.
Pick up Minato-ku. No delivery,
but can introduce delivery service.
[email protected]
Furniture sale! Large black sofa,
coffee table, ottoman, desk, etc. Mejiro.
Contact Barbara. [email protected]
03-5996-4164
Furniture sale! Ikea, one y/o, in good
condition: dining table and chairs,
wardrobe, chest of drawers. Details,
photos available. A zabu-Juban.
[email protected]
Futon, double (140x210), brand-new,
thick, soft, w/fluffy wool stuffing (about
10cm). New ¥21,000. Sell ¥7500. Pick
up or pay for delivery yourself. Photos
available. [email protected]
English and Japanese. We'll do a group
language/culture exchange, with five
Japanese and five Americans. We're
still seeking two Japanese to join us.
[email protected]
English and Japanese. I am a Canadian
male, married, 40, teaching English in
Tokyo. I am seeking a once/week language
exchange partner in the Tokyo area. We
could meet at a cafe. torontodoggy@
hotmail.com
3.9 TEACH ME!
TR A N S L ATI O N F O R E N G LI S H
LESSONS. Working towards
becoming an English-to-Japanese
translator, but need help polishing
my English. Can translate simple
documents in exchange for English
lessons. [email protected]
IKEBANA (JAPANESE
TRADITIONAL FLORAL
ARRANGEMENT) is a powerful
means of self-expression.
Tr i a l l e s s o n , i n c l u d i n g a l l
materials ¥4000. No Japanese
necessary. Certification,
diploma can be earned. Three
classroom locations in Tokyo.
Website: w w w.atelier-soka.
com/english/index.html
Email: [email protected]
4.2 APPLIANCES
Juicer, Vitantonio, 200W, quiet, also
makes soy milk and green juice, hardly
used, very clean ¥8000. Pick up near
Yokohama. sayonara_vancouver@
hotmail.com
Laminator, w/pouch film, A4 and A3, 100
pieces each ¥4900. tsuneokobayashi@
hotmail.com
4.3 SAYONARA SALE
Sayonara sale! Epson PC and Dell
monitor, in very good condition. PC
¥7000. ¥10,000/both. New Alinco Fitness
Pro exercise bike ¥60,000. Fridge, in
good condition, medium-sized ¥6000.
Tables. [email protected]
JAPANESE COOKING AND
C U LT U R E C L A S S . D e m o
classes taking place in
Sep (calligraphy, craft,
origami) for foreigners. Price:
¥3500, plus tax. Cooking
class is free (originally
¥7500). Requirements:
S N S fee db ack , take p hotos
and videos. Contact:
himawari1212iloveyou@
yahoo.co.jp (Uchiyama)
4.4 TV & HOME THEATER
Portable TV, SoftBank PhotoVision
Huawei, white, works fine with/without
antenna, can record and play in one set or
full-seg with SD card, stores and displays
photos, shows weather, w/remote, as new
¥5000. [email protected]
TV 52", Sharp LC52XL10, w/two pairs of
3D glasses, stand, bought Jan '14 w/threeyear warranty, still over one year left
¥100,000/obo. [email protected]
27
Many more classified ads online! Visit classifieds.metropolis.co.jp
5 HOBBIES&INTERESTS
5.1 CAMERAS
Digital camera, Lumix GF6, tilting screen
display, autofocus, w/14-105mm zoom
lens, 14-42mm lens, bag, holder, battery,
charger ¥25,000. redtomatointokyo@
gmail.com
Digital camera, Leica X2, compact, w/
Elmarit 24mm f/2.8 ASPH lens, made in
Germany, lightweight, as new, w/leather
case ¥120,000. [email protected]
Digital camera, Leica X1, steel gray,
compact, w/Elmarit 24mm f/2.8 ASPH
lens, made in Germany, lightweight, as
new ¥80,000. Shibuya. robertnapier@
icloud.com
DSLR, Nikon D200 body, battery and
charger, all cables and adaptor, zoom
lens (Nikkor 18-70mm), soft carry case,
4GB SanDisk CompactFlash memory card,
boxed, as new ¥35,000. jcharltonuk@
hotmail.com
5.2 SPORTS EQUIPMENT
Air mattress, Snow Peak, size L, super
lightweight, no need for pump, ideal
for hikers. New ¥20,000. Sell ¥5000.
[email protected]
Exercise bike, Alinco AF6200; brandnew; hardly used; shows time, distance,
calories, RPM, heart rate; in excellent
condition. New ¥22,000. Sell ¥6000. Pick
up Musashi-Kosugi. redtomatointokyo@
gmail.com
Racket bag, tennis, Penn
(73x30xW18cm), padded, holds many
rackets, shoe pocket, two other pockets,
shoulder strap, never used ¥1000. Pick up
near Yokohama. sayonara_vancouver@
hotmail.com
5.3 MUSICAL EQUIPMENT
Amp, Louis LGA-15; 15W output; 6.5"
speaker; gain, drive, volume, bass,
middle, treble; (W348xH368xD205mm);
8.2kg. [email protected]
Electric guitar, Buskers BH1 BK, brandnew, excellent sound, in excellent
condition ¥7000. redtomatointokyo@
gmail.com
Speaker, Onkyo RBX-500, Bluetooth,
white, as new ¥10,000. mishraearly@
gmail.com
Synthesizer, Dave Smith Instruments
Evolver desktop, almost new, excellent
programmability, classic DSI sounds, plus
unique evolving sounds. Sell or consider
trade. [email protected]
5.5 GAMING
Airsoft gun, Dominator APS-1 ¥9000.
[email protected]
Nintendo 3DS LL, metallic red, w/power
cord, cloth, case, in excellent condition,
never used ¥14,000. Software ¥500/
each. [email protected]
5.7 PETS
Angelfish, five, healthy: free.
Can meet at any station from JR
Tokaichiba-Yokohama, or from KikunaMotomachi-Chukagai, Tokyu-Toyoko
Line. [email protected]
6 VEHICLES
6.1 CARS, PARTS, & ACCESSORIES
Benz C200 Wagon Kompressor
Avantgarde, white, ETC, leather seats,
xenon adjustable lights, navi, back
camera, distance sensor, keyless drive,
Bluetooth, aluminum wheel, 46,000km,
shaken till Aug '16 ¥2.8 million. No
dealers or auction people. alinjap@
yahoo.com
6.2 MOTORBIKES, PARTS, & ACCESSORIES
Honda Dio scooter, second-hand. MotoAzabu. [email protected]
Honda PS250 big scooter, black,
‘07, large enough for highway driving
and a passenger, but small enough for
city driving and parking, in excellent
condition, 7300km, w/new battery,
chain and ETC ¥500,000. hondaps250@
icloud.com
28
6.3 BICYCLES, PARTS, & ACCESSORIES
Folding bike, almost new ¥7500.
[email protected]
Mountain bike, Giant (XL 29”), matte
black, rider should be about 182cm, w/
detachable rear racks (basket, child
seat), Shimano shifters, disc brakes,
Acera derailleur ¥50,000. mcintire@
me.com http://sayonara.mcintire.
international/
Road bike, Giant TCR, size M frame,
yellow/black, as new, currently
disassembled, various parts available.
New ¥226,000. Sell ~ ¥ 4 0,000,
depending on parts. View Shin-Nakano.
[email protected]
7 GENERAL
7.2 FASHION
EX WETA
WORKSHOP
DESIG N E R on
The Hobbit now
bringing his own
hand-crafted
jewelry and
chainmail to market . Only the
highest quality materials used.
Order online and follow our
Fa ce b o o k p a g e . h t t p: //o n .f b .
me/1HI4kG8
Show promoting atheism seeking
co-hosts. We are seeking atheist/agnostic
individuals who would be interested in
co-hosting Age of Reason, a livestream
show that promotes positive atheism,
knowledge and common sense. assassin.
[email protected] http://frozenframe.wix.com/ageofreason
10.2 SUPPORT
PHONE COUNSELOR TRAINING
PROGRAM. Fall ‘15 in Tokyo: Oct
3 - Dec 5. In-person and online
training sessions available. For
more info, visit www.telljp.com or
email [email protected].
THE JAPAN HELPLINE, 24 hours a
day, from anywhere, about anything.
From emergency assistance to
simple questions. Visit www.jhelp.
com/ and press “help,” or call
0570 - 000 -911. To volunteer or
support, please contact team@jhelp.
com. www.jhelp.com
7.4 ITEMS WANTED
Folding bicycle, cheaper than ¥10,000.
Around Adachi or Katsushika. ego_prin@
yahoo.co.jp
Healing table, second-hand. Jimbocho.
[email protected]
Mobile phone, prepaid mobile. If
you have a cheap one, let me know.
[email protected]
8 COMPUTERS
8.2 HARDWARE
iPad 2 16GB, Wi-Fi, as new, w/cover,
charger, cable ¥15,000. net_pro@ymail.
com 09067110999
Keyboard, Apple MC184J/A, Japanese,
wireless, in original plastic wrapping,
never used. New ¥8200. Sell ¥6500. Pick
up near Tokyo Stn, or pay for takkyubin
yourself. [email protected]
Monitor, widescreen ¥1500. gnbkaijpn@
gmail.com
10 HELP!
10.1 HELP ME
FR E E E N G LI S H -TO -JA PA N E S E
TRANSLATION. Working towards
becoming a translator and need
practice with simple documents.
Have experience working in law
office, accounting, HR, advertising
and sales. [email protected]
S U B S C R I B E TO M E TR O P O LI S
AND NEVER MISS AN ISSUE.
O n e y e a r ( 24 i s s u e s) ¥ 3 6 0 0
(corporate subscribers, 7-100 copies
ok ¥22,560). Half year (12 issues)
¥1800 (corporate subscribers, 7-100
copies ok ¥12,000). Bank transfer
or credit card (Visa, Mastercard,
Diners Club). Details at http://
metropolisjapan.com/subscription.
WEST PAPUA: ONE SOUL, ONE
PEOPLE . Fif t y-t wo year s ago,
West Papua should have been an
independent country. Since 1969,
West Papua has 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
papuansbehindbars.org
FEELING STUCK? Are you stuck in
your current job, but don’t know
what to do? Try a free consultation
session with a trained professional
coach with 15 years of management
experience. [email protected]
HIV Peer Support group and workshops.
Get together with people in the same
boat as you, who understand. Held in
a safe, considerate, 100% confidential
setting to discuss what’s on your mind,
ask questions and make new friends.
[email protected] www.
peersupporttokyo.com
Infertility support group. TTC Tokyo is
an infertility support group that provides
informal opportunities for women and
men experiencing infertility to connect
with one another. Please visit website
for more info. [email protected] www.
ttctokyo.org
10.3 LOST FRIENDS
Seeking Mindy. Is Mindy Mack, a petite
blonde teaching assistant from L.A.,
still in Tokyo? Any info appreciated.
[email protected]
12 SOCIAL SCENE
12.1 LET’S PARTY
Business partnership. European with
20 years' experience in early childhood
education and language training seeking
a business partner to join a unique
education project. No investment needed
but your time. A great opportunity to make
a difference in this world. understanding_
[email protected] 080-3126-9376
Climate expert needed. Need a guest
speaker to appear on a YouTube streaming
show to talk about man-made climate
change and what to expect in the future.
[email protected] http://
frozen-frame.wix.com/ageofreason
Seeking E/J translator in Machida. I
would like to edit some documents into
Japanese, but I have limited knowledge of
it. I can teach you English or French. Please
contact me. Machida area preferred.
[email protected]
JAPAN INTERNATIONAL PARTY
– AUTUMN SPECIAL. Sat,
Sep 26, 6:30-9:00pm, Bar
Quest (Roppongi). Japan’s
biggest international party.
250 people expected. All-youcan-drink and free snacks.
Japanese men: ¥ 4000.
O t h e r s : ¥ 3 0 0 0. M o b i l e:
h t t p: //g e t yo u r f r i e n d .co m
mobile/ [email protected]
w w w. g e t y o u r f r i e n d . c o m
090-1735-5405
JOBS
To advertise:
[email protected]
03-4588-2277
The very first
TOKYO
美老人
FASHION
SHOW
bi
C H AT H OS T S A N D TE AC H E RS
WA NTE D BY LE A FCU P i n To k y o ,
I idabashi, S hibu ya , Yokohama .
Seeking enthusiastic, prof icient
E n g l i s h , Fr e n c h , S p a n i s h a n d /
or German speakers who
can teach and lead lively
conversations. ¥10 0 0 - ¥150 0/h.
A p p l y o n l i n e: [email protected]
leafcup.com/job
CRE ATIVE , AMBITIOUS BILINGUAL
SALES STAFF IN ROPPONGI. Do you
like meeting new people and driving
a project through to completion?
Are you excited by a challenge? Join
Metropolis’ sales team and work in a
fast-paced international environment.
Sales experience required, events/
project planning experience a plus.
To apply, send your E/J resume to
[email protected].
メトロポリスはバイリンガル（日英）の営業
アシスタントとスタッフを募集しています｡
NARRATOR/VOICE ACTOR LIVING IN
THE TOKYO AREA WANTED for game
sound production. Must have
experience and working visa. Any
nationality and age ok. To register,
send voice samples, CV, and one
headshot to registration@attic-i nc.
co.jp.
JapanTravel
.com
JOIN US IN INTRODUCING JAPAN TO
THE WORLD. S e e k in g e n e r g e t ic ,
bilingual individuals with a
passion for travel and interest in
tourism. We offer excellent career
paths and promotion prospec t s
and are an equal-opportunity
e m p l oye r. O u r w o r k p l a ce i s
conveniently located 2min from
Roppongi Stn. Positions available
include account manager,
d e s i g n e r, d e v e l o p e r, p r o j e c t
manager. Visit our jobs page for
details. To apply, please send your
resume to [email protected].
http://en.japantravel.com/jobs
J O I N T H E B I G G E S T,
B E S T, M O S T P O P U L A R
I N T E R N AT I O N A L PA R T Y !
Great people, drinks and food!
Meet new friends and party
with nice people in a friendly
atmosphere. Events in Tokyo
(Ginza, Azabu, Roppongi)
and Osaka. ¥1500-¥2000.
http://english.gaitomo.com
[email protected]
TO ADVERTISE IN
METROPOLIS, JA PA N’ S
NO.1 ENGLISH MAGAZINE,
log on at www.metropolis.
co.jp/classifieds or
email your commercial
ads to commercial@
metropolisjapan.com.
是非、私達の広告マーケティングチームに加
わりませんか！応募条件：責任感をもって勤
勉に取り組める方、協調性があり、意欲を持っ
て主体的に働ける方を募集しています。営業経
験のある方は歓迎します。フルタイム (Mon-Fri,
9:30am-6:30pm) で働ける方に限ります。
[email protected]
E N T H U S I A S T I C , A DA P TA B L E W E B
DEVELOPER. As our online media
presence continues to grow,
Metropolis is seeking a motivated
w e b d eve l o p e r to i m p r ove o u r
existing online products and more.
Experience with WordPress a must,
along with ability to use Git to track
and manage code. There will also
be opportunities to test yourself
both creatively and ar tistically.
To apply, send your E/J resume to
[email protected].
WANT TO HELP CREATE METROPOLIS?
We’re seeking social media,
web, and editorial interns. Great
opportunity to gain experience in a
multimedia company! To apply, send
intro letter, CV and relevant clips to
[email protected].
I N T E R N AT I O N A L E V E N T S .
Looking to join a variety of
i n t e r n a t i o n a l e v e n t s? T h e
Tokyo Spontaneous Hangout
Meetup Group has events
such as international parties,
picnics, free live English
comedy, one-day trips,
language exchange and many
more. Check this link for further
detail s; w w w.meetup.com/
tokyoites
13 CLUBS & INTERESTS
13.1 SPORTS
AMERICAN FOOTBALL.
N ihon Unis ys B ulls , 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
and venue subject to change).
Attendance at practice must be
ove r 6 0% . Pl e ase co nt ac t fo r
tryout info and send your profile to
team admin. bullsxleague@gmail.
com www.unisys.co.jp/football
A L L - N AT I O N A L I T Y TO U C H
F O OT B A L L . N o n - c o n t a c t t a g
rugby (OZ tag) and Rugby
League players. We play ever y
Sat from 10am in Tatsumi. M/F
and beginners welcome! Good
exercise and fun! M any other
activities, such as BBQs and
drinking parties! Email for details.
[email protected]
http://ameblo.jp/tokyo13warriors
A M AT E U R R U G B Y L E A G U E
PLAYERS. Japan ANZACS Rugby
League team is seeking Rugby
Le a g u e p l aye r s f o r J a p a n e s e
Ru g by Le a g u e of f icia l g am e s
from Apr to Sep. Everyone
welcome. Contact for more details.
[email protected]
rō
Monday,
September 21,
2015
(Respect for the
Aged Day)
do
Aging is the process of becoming more
beautiful—not only in appearance, but in the
way life is lived. In celebration of those who have
aged gracefully, Mitsukoshi Theater will host a
fashion show that highlights not only their
beauty, but also the road they have traveled.
✴
Guests
SAHEL ROSA
(talent/actress)
SHOKO IKEDA
(writer/monk)
NICHOLAS PETTAS
(martial artist/actor)
✴
Tickets
¥3,000 (open seating)
Ticket reservations: 0120-03-9354
(Mitsukoshi Theater)
For more information call 03-6426-5881
(Excelling Co., Ltd.)
For English information call 03-4588-2291
Organizer: Excelling Co., Ltd.
http://www.excelling.co.jp
29
Many more classified ads online! Visit classifieds.metropolis.co.jp
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
JAPANESE PROFICIENCY TEST
N1, N2, N3, N4
ST
* One month intensive
* 2 & 3 days a week
* Private & Corporate
* Business Japanese
www.evergreen.gr.jp
YUTENJI 03-3713-4958 JIYUGAOKA 03-3723-4785
UDEN
VISA T
Registr
ati
Oct 201 on for
5
NOW O term
PEN!
Free trial lesson
for groups
[email protected]
03-3713-4958
FUN WITH TOUCH RUGBY! Join
us for social or competitive touch
rugby ever y Sat at 2:30pm by
Ariake Stn, Yurikamome Line. Any
age, sex, level ok. Please email
for details. funwithtouch@gmail.
c o m w w w. f u n w i t h t o u c h .c o m /
where-we-play
P L AY R U G B Y. T h e To k y o
Crusaders are a friendly but
keen international rugby club.
D evo te d to t h e g a m e a n d i t s
social side, the “Cru” welcomes
all players and supporters. www.
facebook.com/tok yo.crusaders
www.tokyocrusaders.com
TA M B O U R E L L I . U n i q u e n e w
s p o r t f ro m S co t l a n d . U s i n g a
tambourine-like instrument as a
racket, players hit a shuttlecock.
We play two or three times/month
on weekends in Meguro with many
socials. Join us! More details:
w w w.t a m j a p a n .o r g /e n / i n f o @
tamjapan.org
Don’s Half-Fast Flash-Mob Weekend
Urban Bicycle Rides. halffastcycling@
hotmail.com
Football /soccer players. Tokyo
Redstar, Setagaya League 1, is seeking
soccer players. Practice almost every
Sat/Sun in Tokyo. Players in a spirit of fair
play welcome. [email protected]
http://tokyoredstar.com
Futsal in Tokorozawa. Sun night
futsal? Mostly 30-45 year olds play
every Sun evening. Non-league, but
fairly competitive. Come and play
for exercise and fun! Any age ok.
[email protected]
Futsal players wanted by a very
friendly international team. Practice is
in Tokyo and Kanagawa on Sat. Details
available. [email protected]
Futsal team. Intermediate futsal team
in Tokyo seeks people who can enjoy
the game with others. Please introduce
yourself (full name, age, nationality,
where you live, whether you belong to
another team). umek2002jp@yahoo.
co.jp
Ice hockey: Kanagawa Maple Leafs,
Yokohama. Join us! The Kanagawa Ice
Hockey League for working people is
a competitive league, so experience
in ice hockey is a must. A team is
joining A pool, B team is E pool. norio.
[email protected] https://sites.google.
co m / ka n a g a w a m a p le le a f s / h o m e
03-3258-5401
International futsal, five-a-side, on
weekends in Tokyo. Friendly club, all
nationalities welcome. djnorio0417@
yahoo.co.jp
Sep
Quality football. Interested in playing
football at the weekend and training
midweek? Want to enjoy a few beers
after a good run out? If you consider
yourself a quality player, please drop
us a note. [email protected]
Tennis in central Tokyo. Active group
of tennis friends in central Tokyo
welcomes serious/motivated new
players. We play on weekday evenings
and weekends. Different levels (sorry,
no beginners), fun training sessions
and games with great people from all
over. [email protected]
Volleyball Club Intervoll. Japanese
and foreign volleyball players gather
in Takadanobaba to enjoy playing.
Have volleyball experience and want
to play in a friendly atmosphere?
inter [email protected] http://
intervoll.sakura.ne.jp/
Women’s football club. Five-aside, 11-a-side, on grass fields. Two
or three practices/matches on Sun.
All nationalities, experience levels,
beginner s welcome. Happy and
friendly club! We have many socials.
[email protected]
13.2 LEISURE
MACARTHUR HEIGHTS.
Ta ke a b r e a k w h e r e G e n e r a l
Douglas MacArthur did! One
hour from Tokyo by car or direct
train. Beautiful cabins on the
ocean, w/onsen, beach, shopping.
[email protected]
30
Nihongo 倶楽部いんたぁなしょ
なる. Nihongo Club International is a
volunteer group to help foreign people
learn Japanese at the Tokyo Volunteer
Action Center in Iidabashi. Every Thu,
7-9pm. [email protected]
Drunk Poets Tokyo. D runk
Poets See God! Every last Fri
of the month, we convene to
flex our English muscles and
get into the spirit of poetry.
Bar Gari Gari, Ikenoue
Stn. Find us on Facebook!
[email protected].
au
Japanese home cooking. Japanese
housewife offers free home cooking
lessons to females at her house near
Kawasaki Stn on weekdays during
the day. Free, but you pay the cost of
ingredients. tome.haruka-soushi@
ezweb.ne.jp
Tokyo ET contact group. Join us
beneath the stars as we make contact
with ET visitors and their craft.
[email protected] http://www.
meetup.com/Tokyo-ET-Contact-Group/
events/193113322/
Tokyo Extreme Weekenders. For those
who like to escape into nature to enjoy
four seasons of adventure and activities
with like-minded people, our purpose
is to have fun and fulfilling weekends.
Subscribe to mailing list for latest details.
[email protected] http://
tokyoweekenders.jimdo.com
13.4 MUSIC
Bassist wanted around Yokohama.
Hello, I’m seeking a bassist for a band.
We mainly play rock music and have
rehearsals in Shin-Yokohama. Any kind
of player is welcome, so feel free to
contact us. [email protected]
Japanese drummer seeking great
female singer and band! I like rock,
dance, pop and blues. Mail me your
profile. [email protected]
Solid rock bassist wanted. Serious
working rock band needs a solid bassist.
We play classic-modern rock cover
songs. Also planning to start original
stuff. Experienced, versatile bassist
who can sing backup preferred. Contact
us for more info. enterthegroove@
gmail.com
14 PERSONALS
14.1 FRIENDS
Are you from... JF, 30s, seeking
nonsmoking friends from Denmark,
Germany, Canada or Australia for having
fun times together. Let's meet for a cup of
coffee first. Please be nonsmokers. Mail
with self-introduction, please. b2jw13@
hotmail.co.jp
Female friend. I'm a JF, 30s, seeking
female friends, someone of a similar
age, to hang out together. Any nationality
welcome. I'd like to go to cafes, bars,
shopping. If interested, please contact
me. [email protected]
Friends from all over the world.
Japanese lady seeks friends who can
hang out in Tokyo. Please send me a
message if you are interested. Anybody
ok, but not seeking a date. Thanks!
[email protected]
Hiking mates in Chichibu. European
man, 50s, seeking hiking mates and
cultural exchange in Chichibu on
weekends. [email protected]
Otaku friends. I'm a JF, 38, seeking
a female friend. I'm a nerd and want a
friend with similar interests, such as
watching anime, reading comics and
going to oktaku shops in Ikebukuro. Don't
hesitate to email me! 08013583736@
docomo.ne.jp
Seeking Japanese friends. Hi, I'm a UK
male, 27, living in Tokyo, hoping to make
Japanese friends. I can speak a good
level of Japanese, but am happy to speak
English. Please feel free to reply. Thank
you. [email protected]
Seeking Spanish/Catalan friends. JF,
43. I've started to study Spanish on my
own. I'm still a beginner. I'm so interested
in your culture. aubin-euclid@softbank.
ne.jp
14.2 MEN LOOKING FOR WOMEN
13.5 MIND, BODY, SPIRIT
Diamond Way Buddhism Tokyo. Do
you want to explore your own mind?
Guided Buddhist meditation every Sun,
6pm, near Azabu-Juban. International
practitioners, beginners welcome,
Japanese spoken. Please call 0903598-3072 for more info. daginia@
gmail.com www.diamondway.jp
Zen meditation (Zazen). You’ve always
thought it would be interesting to try
it—why not now? Join us Fri evenings at
Tokuun-in in Ueno. Make arrangements
in advance by email, and check our
home page. [email protected].
ne.jp www.wgthorpe.com
色ー度カフェ. ライトワーカーヒ
ーリング。任意の助けのための私
に連絡してください。 winds_fr@
hotmail.com
13.8 PROFESSIONAL
Tokyo Traders Club. International
club for traders and investors. Discuss
opportunities in stocks, commodities and
forex. Many regular events, including FX
trading workshop. New to trading? No
problem; beginners also welcome. You
can also learn to trade. Join free! info@
tokyotraders.com www.tokyotraders.
com/ 080-5444-1321
13.9 INTERNATIONAL
Intercultural activities. JII (Japan
Intercultural Institute) is a non-profit,
member-run organization that sponsors
activities (seminars, cultural events,
conferences) for those wanting to further
develop intercultural competencies
and meet other interculturalists. yuko.
[email protected] www.
japanintercultural.org
S E E K I N G A S U G A R DA D DY ?
Safely meet rich and elite
men while having fun and
making money. We are a
members-only dating club
with strict rules. Foreign and
Japanese executives, lawyers,
celebrities. Not an escort
clu b. N o ch ar g e fo r fe m ale
members. 0120-675 -858 (E)
[email protected]
ht t p: //u ni ve r s e - clu b.j p/e n /
women
Adventurous, romantic, open-minded,
loves new experiences, always smiling,
lives with no regrets. That's me. Is it
you? If that matches your personality,
introduce yourself to this tall English
guy. Start a new experience. greenteais.
[email protected]
American artist seeks companion.
I'm 32, a writer, photographer, artist,
here in Japan collecting dreams. I love
star constellations, umbrellas with
hook handles, etymology, rainstorms,
fireflies, train whistles, the sea, the
unknown and other beautiful things.
[email protected]
Aroma massage. Would you like a nice,
relaxing aroma oil massage? Amateur
masseur seeks mature massage partners
to practice on. I can meet anywhere
in central Tokyo. I speak English and
Japanese. [email protected]
Best female partner. Seeking sexy
Japanese lady. I can manage my time
and can also host, so meeting during
lunch or the afternoon is not an issue.
Someone nice, charming, good to
talk to for exciting times. pd29570@
gmail.com
Blue eyes interested in a Japanese
lady. Late 30s, white, fun to be with,
educated, pleasant presence and cool
personality. Text me. Let's have tea
together and see if there's chemistry.
[email protected]
Chinese or Taiwanese? English guy,
outgoing, tall, loves art and adventure,
would like to meet Chinese or Taiwanese
woman in Tokyo for some cool times. Age
irrelevant. Tell me three things you really
love. [email protected]
Chubby woman. Japanese man,
40s, gentle, open-minded, romantic,
seeks chubby girlfriend for a long-term
relationship. Any age, nationality ok.
Please do not hesitate. gnbkaijpn@
gmail.com
Creepy foreigner with bad skin and
halitosis, still a virgin, Skypes his mom
every night, seeks a smoking-hot babe
with a sense of humor who wants to
experience what it's like to be socially
awkward. summerfunk@googlemail.
com
Cute, sweet, smart JM seeks SWF
who seeks secret happy events in her
spare time in Tokyo. Single/married
ok. Shall we begin to talk? I think this
opportunity will be a great one for us.
[email protected]
Daytime fun. Married but lonely white
male, mid-30s, "ikemen," seeking JF
in a similar situation to break out from
routine. [email protected]
Daytime lover. Attractive male from
Scandinavia, 42, 184cm, brown hair,
open-minded, is seeking a daytime
lover. I am well-educated and seeking
the right women to have fun with. Speak
Japanese/English. danishmale123@
gmail.com
Foot massage for Japanese lady.
Single Western male, mid-40s, in central
Tokyo, offering hard-working Japanese
ladies a relaxing foot massage after
work over a nice glass of wine and
music at my place. Prefer ladies 30s or
40s. [email protected]
Fun times. Are you a female between
20 and 45 in Tokyo? I'm seeking a nice
female to have fun with on weeknights
and weekends. I'm 38, good-looking
and ready to give you a great time. Get
in touch! [email protected]
Fusion of love and inspiration. Let us
cultivate a fusion of love and inspiration,
sharing Japanese culture, romance,
passion, and the tao of the art of love.
I am a book writer, 52, living in central
Tokyo. [email protected]
Girlfriend. Japanese man, 45, decent,
cultured, with a good sense of humor,
seeking a lady of any age, Japanese or
foreign, to enjoy friendship. gnbkaijpn@
gmail.com
Gym rat? Cheerful, energetic Canadian
man, 51, happily married in non-sexual
partnership, seeks cheerful, happily
married woman who is a gym rat like
me. Know that great endorphin-flooded
feeling we get after the gym? Let's enjoy
it together! [email protected]
Handsome SWM seeking marriage.
I'm a single Caucasian man, late 30s,
seeking a wealthy, adventurous,
positive and attractive Japanese lady
for marriage. I am great with kids, and
domesticated, passionate and caring.
[email protected]
Hey, New Yorker. Tall, blue-eyed
English guy with wicked sense of
humo(u)r seeks New Yorker who can
handle that my accent is way cuter
than hers. Nothing too serious, but
definitely flirtatious. No drama queens.
[email protected]
Is visiting art museums your passion,
too? European bachelor, visits Japan
every year for a few months at a time.
I'm coming on another visit quite soon.
I just love exploring art museums.
Seeking interesting companions.
[email protected]
Italian or Spanish? British guy seeking
Italian or Spanish woman living in
Tokyo. Have drinks, some fun. Send me
a message and tell me about yourself.
[email protected]
Look no further. Cute single American,
early 30s, seeks Japanese female
for a passionate and long-lasting
relationship. I am a businessman in
Japan and I have a very stable job.
Serious inquiries only, Tokyo area.
[email protected]
Marriage with European. Single,
successful European guy, 30s, seeking
JF for a relationship, maybe leading
to marriage. Should be attractive,
kind, smart, between 20 and 35.
[email protected]
Married friends. Canadian man, late
40s, friendly, respectful, seeking
friendship with a married woman
who is also dealing with marriage
issues. Maybe we can share helpful
insights from the other side of the
gender or international cultural gap.
[email protected]
Married gentleman seeks love with
married gentlewoman. Is it possible?
Maybe not. [email protected]
14.3 WOMEN LOOKING FOR MEN
CHILD CUSTODY & FAMILY LAW
and other legal troubles
LAVISH DATES AND
INDULGENT NIGHTS—WE
C R E AT E O P P O R T U N I T I E S
for elite foreign males to meet
elegant Japanese females.
Start with a luxurious dinner
date, take the night where you
want it to go. Fresh, young
women join our club every day.
0120-978-649 (E)
[email protected]
http://universe-club.jp/en
Mature and sophisticated Japanese,
some have said charming, seeking an
elegant, passionate, kind SWF. I dream
about wild nights as well as sharing the
simple pleasures of love. Is that you?
[email protected]
Mature JM seeking romantic date,
dinner and drinks to start, and more if
comfortable. Speak English, French and
a little Spanish. solo.revolucionario@
mail.com
Opposites attract. Balding, brutallooking, but nevertheless kind, witty
and fun Englishman, 40s, would like
to entertain a slim, attractive, chatty
woman in the evenings after work. E/J
ok. [email protected]
Relationship. Single European, 30,
living and working in Tokyo, seeking
a serious relationship. I like movies,
travel. 日本語大丈夫です良かった
ら連絡ください. lavillelumiere2015@
gmail.com
Seeking an interesting woman for
language exchange. I really need to
learn Japanese. I'm seeking a sincere
woman to have fun times while studying.
[email protected]
Seeking fun partner. Hi, how are you? I'm
30, Indian, seeking a Japanese woman for
fun. I live in Tokyo. If you are interested
in a casual relationship, message me.
[email protected]
Seeking girlfriend. Cool guy, 40, kind,
seeks mature JF, 40s-50s, for romance
in Tokyo. Let's meet up for coffee and
talk. Serious only, please. munesan50@
yahoo.com
Seeking Japanese woman. Hi,
I'm seeking an attractive Japanese
woman. Humor is nice. I like music
and yoga. Suki desuka? I'm passionate
and affectionate. We can be language
exchange partners! I want to improve
my Japanese. [email protected]
Seeking mature and busty lady.
Caucasian businessman, elegant, tall
and sensual, seeking a mature, busty
Japanese lady for a relaxing evening
followed by a nice dinner. bellebite10@
hotmail.com
Seeking mature JF. Cool guy,
40s, positive, romantic, honest, a
gentleman, seeks a JF, 40s-50s, for a
long-term relationship. nnazila73@
yahoo.com
Sexy, athletic, romantic Latin
European man, mid-30s, seeking
some nice and wild fun with a
Japanese/Chinese/Filipina woman,
20s-50s, around Shin-Koiwa. Let's
meet discreetly and start having fun!
[email protected]
Single American. I'm seeking an
attractive SJF with a sense of humor.
Do you like music? I'm a pianist. I speak
little Japanese. I can also help you with
English. I do yoga and like movies, am
affectionate, romantic. musjazz@
hotmail.com Www.pianojazz.net
WM seeking MJF. I'm a WM from
Sweden, almost 50, seeking a MJF. I'm
often in Tokyo. Life is not just living–
it is meeting interesting people and
exchanging experiences. Maybe over
a nice dinner. [email protected]
Youngish? White UK male, 43, seeking
a Japanese woman, 18-30. Let's
meet for lunch one day and see what
happens. I'm a relaxed, respectful guy.
[email protected]
INTERNATIONAL DIVORCE
JAPAN-ONLY LIMITED "REAL
LOVE" CONDOMS FROM DUREX.
The worlds No.1 condom brand
presents a new safe and sexy
product to Japan. Express your
love with Durex. Available at
Condomania, Amazon and
Rakuten. Condomania, 6-30-1,
Jingu-Mae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo,
150 - 0001 Tel: 03-3797- 6131
http://condomania.jp/
Earnest man for marriage. Attractive,
slender, sincere, feminine SJF, 58, lovely
young looks, heart, seeks nonsmoking
professional WM, sincere, cheerful,
affectionate, doesn't play with other's
feelings. I like travel, hiking, dining out.
Serious only, w/photo, no other purposes,
Happy relationship. Hi! I'm a single
Japanese female, living in central Tokyo,
seeking a special, serious relationship
with a Western man. If you feel the
same, please contact me. Serious only!
[email protected]
Given its complexity and specialized nature, obtaining
qualified legal guidance is crucial for your case.”
ERI MIZUTANI LAW OFFICE
Eri Mizutani, attorney-at-law (Tokyo Bar Association)
Maffice Bajikoen 1-25-20, Kamiyoga, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo
WADA Legal & Administrative Office
We can help you with:
• Visa & Immigration Procedures
• Mixed Marriage, Naturalisation
and Refugee Status
• Establishing a Company &
Branch Office
• Accounting Services, Acquiring
Business Licences
• Preparation/Translation of
Legal & Business Documents
• Other Legal & Business Matters
J-STAR PATENT, TRADEMARK & IMMIGRATION OFFICE
Reasonable prices.
Free first time consultation
We can support you with:
Hello. Let's get to know each other.
Friendship leading to more. Hope you are
willing to Skype first. Over 35 years old,
Long-term relationship in Tokyo. SJF,
42, fit, good looks, likes the outdoors,
beaches, travel, seeking a boyfriend for
a serious relationship. Seeking serious
white man, not a tourist. aruku1000@
yahoo.co.jp
Peaceful-minded and fun to be with?
SJF seeking life partner: SWM, 45-55,
stable job, single/divorced, Tokyo or
nearby. Please send your photo with
introduction. Single and serious only.
[email protected]
http://www.wada-lats.com/
E-mail: [email protected]
3-5-3-1402 Nishi-Shinjuku,
Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023
For information:
Tel: (03) 3345-7977
FAX: (03) 3345-5377
Harlem. Attractive SJF, 42, in Tokyo, welleducated, seeks a single gentleman, no
kids, to travel to NY and hang out together.
[email protected]
Let's make each other happy! SJF,
sweet, thoughtful, many say beautiful
inside/out, seeks respectful, satisfying
relationship with single-minded,
attractive, tall, successful Caucasian. I
love cooking, traveling, hiking, art, nature.
Marriage-minded singles living in central
Tokyo only. [email protected]
Visa and immigration
Intellectual property rights
(Patent, trademark, copyrights)
Establishing a Company &
Branch office
Other Legal & Business matters
Hiroshi Oogai,
Patent attorney
Immigration lawyer
www.j-star.jp
Exit 4,
Nagatacho stn
Supreme
Court
Imperial
Palace
Aoyama Ave
Akasaka
Mitsuke
stn
Akasaka
Excel
Hotel
Tokyu
National
Diet
Library
Tel: 03-5216-6890 Fax: 03-5216-6891
“IMAMURA KINEN” LAW OFFICE
今村記念法律事務所
WE PROVIDE LEGAL ADVICE BY THE LAWYER,
ACCOMPANIED WITH A QUALIFIED
INTERPRETER IN ENGLISH OR FRENCH.
Your perfect friend. You'll have the
sweetest girl (woman!) next door, a
sassy tomboy, a yummy-looking flirt,
an intelligent listener to what you have
to say. Pretty SJF, 40s, fit, seeks a single
businessman, 40s-60s, sincere, funny,
experienced. oceans04ward@yahoo.
co.jp
14.5 ESCORTS
Grand Prince
Hotel Akasaka
608 Kitano Arms 16-15, Hirakawa-cho, 2-Chome, Chiyoda-ku ,Tokyo, 102-0093
Seeking American or European man. I
am seeking an American or European man
who is single or divorced, professional and
confident. I am tall, single and voluptuous.
[email protected]
ESCORTS have gone online.
To f i n d a l o v e l y l a d y
co m p a nio n , v i s it ht t p: //
classifieds.metropolis.co.jp/
category/personals/escorts.
ENGLISH
AVAILABLE!
Contact
Tel: 03-6432-7654
Visa and Immigration issues
Naturalization, mixed marriage, etc.
Car Accident, Inheritance, Labor Dispute
Corporate Legal matters, Contracts, etc.
Yusuke Totsuka,
Lawyer
Yuta Watanabe,
Lawyer
Hiroaki Sugiyama,
Lawyer
Tel: 090-8487-1968
If not available 080-4864-1258
PLEASE DON’T HESITATE TO CONTACT US IN ENGLISH,
FRENCH OR JAPANESE IF YOU NEED LEGAL ASSISTANCE.
http://japanlawoffice.blog.fc2.com/
Our office is located in Jinbocho, very close from the station (A2 exit)
1F Senshu Daigaku 8-Go 1-Kan, Jinbocho 2-8-3 Kanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
31
RELATIONS
APARTMENT HUNTING IN TOKYO
BY GRACE BUCHELE MINETA
I have a love-hate relationship with apartment hunting in Tokyo. On
the one hand, it’s kind of like playing the lottery or treasure hunting:
digging through piles and piles of information trying to find that one
perfect apartment with good insulation, that is close to the station,
larger than a shoebox, and within the budget. Nothing beats that feeling when you find “the one.” On the other hand, sometimes you run
out of time and energy. You aren’t able to find this magical unicorn of
an apartment and have to settle for something a bit more expensive
or not as favorably located.
東京の部屋探し
新しい引越し先を探す時は、楽しくもありイライラもする何だか複雑
な気分になります。ある時は、数え切れない物件の中から「広くて快
適で駅にも近く、なおかつ予算以内」の理想の部屋を探していると、
まるで宝探しをしている気分になります。もちろん「運命の部屋」が
見つかれば最高ですが、その一方で時間も探す気力もなくなる時もあ
ります。理想の部屋が見つからない時は、少し予算オーバーで立地も
良くない条件を飲まなくてはいけないのです。
■ Grace Buchele Mineta is an author who blogs and draws comics
about her daily life in Japan at www.HowIBecameTexan.com.
horoscope
BY CATHRYN MOE
♥ Love ¥ Money ♣ Luck
ARIES
TAURUS
GEMINI
May 22-Jun 21 ♥♥♥ ¥¥ ♣♣
Jun 22-Jul 23 ♥♥ ¥¥¥¥ ♣♣♣
Say what you want; you’re moving
in understanding circles this week.
If you have to be litigious or diplomatic, the words will be there for you. Mercury
opposite your sign could indicate a partner who
suddenly wants to talk when you couldn’t get
them to open up before. However, they’ll speak
in code—the polite kind—so make sure to thank
them with a gift to seal the deal.
If you think you’re going around in
circles, if your emails look familiar ...
you’re right. Luckily, repetition is your
saving grace at the moment. It’s the same as
standing your ground, which Taurus the Bull is
famous for. Mercury is in your solar sixth house,
near Dark Moon Lilith. Negotiate the terms you
want, breaking outworn rules from the past as
you do so.
People say Geminis are butterflies,
but the truth is, you work hard at all
you do. You make it look easy, but
the smooth flow of your schedule has solid
organization underneath. Gemini is ruled by
Mercury, so things must have at least a touch of
logic to get your vote. Venus in your solar fifth
house brings love and romance, but only if it
makes sense on all levels.
Cuddles and food can soften the
edges of a harsh day. While both are
appreciated, too much could take
you to the nether realms. Avoid temptation with
indulgence you can’t easily afford. Venus retrograde encourages Mars’ take-action attitude,
so you wouldn’t want to create something you
have to pull back from. On the other hand, if your
schedule is open ...
LEO
VIRGO
LIBRA
SCORPIO
Sep 24-Oct 23 ♥♥♥ ¥¥¥ ♣♣♣♣
Oct 24-Nov 22 ♥♥♥ ¥¥¥ ♣♣♣♣
If the big picture were in front of you,
and you knew how everything would
turn out, would you still do it? Because
of their ability to persevere, Scorpios are born
for success. It’s your input that ends up influencing the result. If a project or cause you’re close
to hasn’t been resolved, know that you’re closer
to your goals than it may seem, even if someone
has been beating the jungle drums.
Mar 21-Apr 20 ♥♥♥ ¥¥ ♣♣♣♣
Jul 24-Aug 23 ♥♥♥♥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ♣♣♣♣♣
Apr 21-May 21 ♥♥♥♥ ¥¥¥ ♣♣♣
Aug 24-Sep 23 ♥♥♥ ¥¥ ♣♣♣♣
CANCER
You have the lion’s roar, and that’s a
blessing. There are those who can’t
hear you unless you make yourself
heard. There’s more than one way to communicate; it’s not always with words. Although
Leo is a fire sign, the spark of Mars near Venus
retrograde means you’ll have to get physical.
Exercise and massage can bring sensibilities
to the surface this week.
Feel lighter. A great weight has
been lif ted of f your shoulders.
Sometimes before the actual event,
the energy of where something is going can
be felt. In your case, the relief is palpable. You
don’t need to have it all figured out; just trust
your body’s feedback. The reduction of stress
begins to happen long before all the pieces are
in place this week.
Mercur y has zoomed past Dark
Moon Lilith. If you want to kick up a
fuss or make a change in tradition,
you still have time, but you need to act fast.
Soon the powers that be will feel they have
done their job and move on to the next thing.
Remember that even a subtle movement can
have a large effect if done at just the right time
and place. Give yourself a chance!
SAGITTARIUS
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
Jan 21-Feb 19 ♥♥♥ ¥¥¥ ♣♣
Feb 20-Mar 20 ♥♥♥♥ ¥¥¥ ♣♣♣
You can stay up all night and day, and
still not know how the picture will
look. That’s because you’re trying
the impossible—which is always commendable. Saturn, while not quite back in your sign,
hangs over the edge of your solar 12th house
before it enters Sagittarius. It’s showing you
that what seemed scary or immovable is not as
bad as you think. With Mercury in your area of
intellectual pursuits, you are going to win this
one—and soon.
With the acceleration of just about
everything, it takes focus to keep
track of requests. You may have been
stripped of material things, beliefs about friends
or family, even your own resistance to change.
This is a boon to your immune system, which
just wants to put you first. What others want may
not be what you think is best. The stars add their
stellar assistance to clear your path this week.
Don’t get your knickers in a twist.
Things are meant to be nigh impossible right now. The more your neurons
and muscles are stressed, the stronger they
become. Parts of you may be watching the
greater you shine through; it’s the ego that’s
taking a wallop. Give yourself credit. A portion
of the problem is you don’t realize how much
you’re actually doing. Which is a lot!
The more you take on, the faster
you glide across the surface. You’ve
done the deep sounding, now it’s
time to bring it to the light of day. What you have
become accustomed to still has the power to
wake others up. Those who see what you have
to offer will seek you out this week. Your inner
guidance takes you to exactly where you need
to be in each and every moment.
Nov 23-Dec 22 ♥♥ ¥¥¥ ♣♣♣♣♣
32
Dec 23-Jan 20 ♥♥♥♥ ¥¥ ♣♣♣
PISCES
LINGO BOX
An education ministry
survey found that
a record-high 54.6
percent of high
school seniors
entered college after
graduating this spring.
Mukanshin (無関心) Apathy
Reizōko (冷蔵庫) Refrigerator
the small print
Hikkakaru (引っかかる) Get caught in
Tsukaisute (使い捨て) Disposable
BY STEVE TRAUTLEIN
I WANT TO SCREAM SO BADLY” —Masahiro Fujita,
35, an advertising director with McCann Erickson Japan, who suffers
from ALS and can communicate only via an eye tracking device
YOU DON’T SAY
⊲Disney
⊲
Japan apologized for posting a tweet
on the 70th anniversary of the Nagasaki bombing that read, “A very merry unbirthday to you!”
⊲After
⊲
announcing her surprise marriage last
month, soccer star Homare Sawa described her
new husband as “honest, dutiful, and manly.”
⊲Aichi
⊲
police are on the lookout for a man wearing a dark mask who used a crossbow to shoot
and gravely injure a newspaper delivery man.
⊲Authorities
⊲
in Switzerland confirmed that
remains found on the Matterhorn last year
belong to two Japanese climbers who went
missing during a snowstorm in 1970.
KIDS THESE DAYS
⊲For
⊲
the first time since 1994, more than 70
percent of university graduates hooked up
with jobs right out of school.
⊲Meanwhile,
⊲
the proportion of elementary
school children who stopped attending classes
last year—about 1 in 250—was a record high.
⊲One
⊲
official blamed the truancy, in part, on “an
increase in the number of apathetic children.”
NOT ALL FUN AND GAMES
⊲Tokyo
⊲
2020 Olympics chief Yoshiro Mori
admitted that the cost of hosting the Games
could rise to more than ¥2 trillion.
⊲A
⊲ Cabinet Office survey found that 22.7
percent of Japanese people say they’re interested in volunteering during the Olympics.
⊲For
⊲
the first time ever, shinkansen fans were
invited to watch the elusive “Doctor Yellow”
bullet train—used for rail-line maintenance
and operating according to no announced
timetable—as it underwent a tune-up in
Shizuoka.
⊲Sentence
⊲
of the Week: “A former refrigerator
engineer here in the capital of Uzbekistan runs
a museum at his own expense that focuses on
the experiences of Japanese detainees who
were brought to the country by Soviet troops
after World War II.” (via Jiji)
at a glance
Senkyo (選挙) Election
stats
35 Remains of Japanese and Soviet
soldiers found this summer on Shumshu
Island in the Kuril chain, scene of one of
the final battles of World War II
$560 MILLION
Price paid by Kirin
Holdings for a 55-percent stake in
Myanmar’s largest brewing company
24,567
People taken to hospitals with
heatstroke in July, a record for the month
OUCH!
⊲Consumer
⊲
affairs officials expressed concern
about the increasing number of infants who’ve
gotten their fingers caught in the hinges of
folding baby strollers.
⊲And
⊲
they say that, in the past five years, one
person has been killed and 21 injured after
“using disposable cigarette lighters and putting them in their pockets.”
⊲Tuna
⊲
farmers in Kushimoto, Wakayama Prefecture, suffered a ¥1.3-billion loss in late July when
Typhoon Nangka killed 11,000 of their fish.
⊲Relatives
⊲
of a 102-year-old Fukushima man
who hanged himself in 2011 sued TEPCO for
¥60 million, saying the victim “was psychologically driven into a corner by the prospect
of being forced to evacuate his hometown.”
BY MARTIN LEROUX
SIGNS OF THE TIMES
⊲Officials
⊲
at the internal affairs ministry want
Diet lawmakers to pass a bill allowing children
to accompany their parents to polling stations
on election day.
⊲Construction
⊲
began on 22 redevelopment projects in nine Tokyo wards that were designated
“national strategic special zones” to make the
city more attractive for global businesses.
⊲Former
⊲
Taiwan president Lee Teng-hui made
a six-day visit to Japan and gave his first-ever
speech to Diet lawmakers.
⊲Bottom
⊲
Story of the Week: “Giant Pictures
of Gone with the Wind, Star Wars Characters
Fill Aomori Rice Paddies” (via Mainichi Japan)
Small Print Updated Weekly
→ METURL.COM/SMALLPRINT
Compiled from reports by AP, Japan Today, The Japan Times, Jiji, The Tokyo
Reporter, The Mainichi, The Japan News, AFP, Reuters and Kyodo
33
the last word
your article to:
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[email protected]
Illustration by Christi Rochin
Down Town
The acceptance of
depression in Tokyo
BY CHRISTIAN CATLOW
W
hile perusing the internet for research,
I came across a Daily Mail article claiming Tokyo to be 2015’s most livable
city, boasting “a high quality of life”
compared to more obvious selections such as
London or New York.
These polls and ratings give very little insight
into the things we deem beneficial to the quality
of our lives and overall happiness. “Happiness”
is a predominantly subjective construct, solely
dependent upon the hopes and interests of each
and every person.
According to these “quality of life” surveys,
the priorities integral for us to flourish reportedly include cost of living, efficiency of public
services, crime rate, and public health—including life expectancy. If these issues are in fact
topping your list of worries and concerns, then I
wholeheartedly agree that Tokyo is the utopian
state it’s claimed to be.
On the other hand, if you, like me and most
people, attach cultural and emotional importance to such frivolities as hugs, kisses, honesty,
open-mindedness, tolerance, personal space,
variety, compassion, ambition, individualism,
etc.; maybe think twice.
Not to belittle the essential and instinctive
need for amenities and services of modern-day
life, but my simple inquiry is: where are the other
criteria? Where’s the unbiased consideration of
mental health?
Japan pays little attention to mental illness,
labeling it as a self-made, personally-defined
inconvenience—a reminder that, despite
society’s tireless efforts, we haven’t been
transformed into robots just quite yet.
For this narrow-minded, uncomprehending
belief to be the generally accepted norm, in a city
claiming to be of humble Buddhist persuasion,
is almost—but not quite—laughable.
JAPAN PAYS LITTLE
ATTENTION TO MENTAL
ILLNESS, LABELING IT
AS A SELF-MADE,
PERSONALLY-DEFINED
INCONVENIENCE—A
REMINDER THAT, DESPITE
SOCIETY’S TIRELESS
EFFORTS, WE HAVEN’T
BEEN TRANSFORMED INTO
ROBOTS JUST QUITE YET.”
A denial of the Buddhist teachings of an
unbreakable bond of intertwined connections
between body and mind in all we see and do
provides unequivocal evidence of this “safe
and clean” city’s inhabitants’ reticence towards
freedom of thought.
Bearing an uncanny resemblance to the
treatment of war veterans of older generations,
whose psychological torment went virtually
untreated, mental instability is an ever-present,
easily distinguishable stain on Tokyo and its
communities.
When existing and working in conditions
undeniably conducive to loneliness, is psychological infirmity—now an epidemic—really born
of an individual’s perceived unwillingness to
better his or her circumstances?
In the Dark Ages, stigmatization of the slightest brain variance could result in the administra-
tion of shock treatment, much in the way those
working 12-hour days in Tokyo—and feeling the
obvious physical and psychological strains—are
plied with alcohol, medicine, tobacco, more
medicine, caffeine, and a lot more medicine, to
numb them to the inhumane practices they are
subjected to daily.
If Tokyo is the paradise it’s hailed to be, why
does it maintain a terrifyingly high suicide rate?
Consider Seoul’s imitation of Tokyo’s working and social systems and their impressive
emergence from anonymity to the numberone spot in the “world suicide rate” league. Is
this simply coincidental? Or can conclusions
be drawn linking these similarly-constructed
societies and the symptoms of their respective
levels of “progress”?
As reported by BBC News’ Lucy Williamson
in 2011, South Korea’s suicide rate had risen fivefold since 1989, highlighting a clear, undoubted
connection to the country’s economic growth.
This number continues to rise and shows no
signs of falling.
Though the governments and major corporations of this world will not thank me for informing
you of this, the simple truth is, what makes us
truly happy is the same thing that made us happy
a thousand years ago.
We want to feel valued and have a sense of
belonging, a feeling that’s alien and unfamiliar
to many calling Tokyo home.
■ Christian Catlow is a Northern Englishman who’s been
living in the Kanto area for almost nine years. He teaches
business English for various Japanese companies.
The views expressed in “The Last Word” are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position or opinions of Japan Partnership Co. Ltd. or its partners and sponsors.
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