metropolis-1093

Mar 6-19, 2015 Japan’s Nº1 English Magazine www.metropolisjapan.com 

MOGWAI 

THE POST-ROCKERS EVOLVE 

無料 

SEE OUR 

ST. PAT’S 

GUIDE 

PRICELESS 

CHANNELING 

THE IRISH 

TOKYO BECOMES THE 

EMERALD CITY 

SAM I AM 

MEET THE GRAMMY- 

WINNING WORDSMITH 

VIVA LAS VEGAN 

DINING GREEN

www.akaiclinic.com 

Cosmetic Surgery 

Laser Treatment 

Skin Care 

rejuvenate 

yourself with 

the best in beauty 

technology 

Quality of Akai Clinic 

At Akai clinic, we only use products and technologies 

approved by the FDA. 

SURGICAL TREATMENTS 

• EYELID SURGERY rejuvenation of upper and lower eye 

lid, tear trough, double eyelid surgery, blepharoptosis, etc. 

• NOSE SURGERY tip plasty, hump resection, deviated 

nose, ala reduction, augmentation or reduction 

rhinoplasty. 

• BREAST SURGERY augmentation, lift, reduction, 

reconstruction. 

• LIPOSUCTION WITH LASER ultra sonic assisted suction 

device. 

• LASER-LIPO minimal invasive facial and body 

contouring device with AccuSculpt (1444nm laser). 

• FACE LIFT forehead, brow, mid-face, neck lift, thread’s lift. 

•TISSUE ENGINEERING TECHNIQUES for facial 

rejuvenation, breast augmentation, AGA (PRFM, fat & 

stem cell injection, growth factor. 

• SKIN TUMORS skin cancer, cyst, mole, wart, scar 

revision. 

• GENITAL REJUVENATION SURGERY tightening of the 

vagina, reduction of labia minor and augmentation of 

the labia major. 

• HAIR TRANSPLANTATION SURGERY 

NON-SURGICAL TREATMENTS 

• LASER & REJUVENATION lasers, RFs, IPLs, plasma, 

Ultra Sound for wrinkle, sagging, drooping, open pores, 

rosacea, skin complexion, pigmentation, melisma with 

SOLARI, Aurora-Pro, INFINI, eCO2, Affirm, EndyMed, 

Portrait Plasma, SPECTRA, AccuSculpt, etc. 

• BOTOX & FILLERS allergan’s BOTOX, Juvederm, 

Radiesse etc. 

• ACNE & ACNE SCARS PLASMA fractional lasers (eCO2, 

Affirm), INFINI (fractional RF), iClear (photo dynamic 

therapy), microdermabrasion, chemical Peeling. 

• LASER HAIR REMOVAL all kinds of lasers available: 

Alex and long pulsed YAG, diode laser, etc. 

• TATTOO REMOVAL with Spectra (Q-YAG laser) for any 

color of tattoo. 

• CELLULITE, BODY CONTOURING & STRETCH MARKS 

cVela Smooth and EndyMed body (FDA Approved). 

• LEG VEIN, BROKEN CAPILLARY long Pulsed YAG or 

VenoCare. 

• RHINOLIGHT hay fever, Allergic Rhinitis. 

• SKINOLIGHT psoriasis, Alopecia Areata, Vitiligo, 

Atopic dermatitis. 

DR. HIDEMI AKAI 

is a board-certified plastic 

surgeon and an associate 

professor of the 

department of plastic, 

aesthetic and 

reconstructive surgery at 

Tokyo’s Showa University. 

Dr. Akai trained at 

Harvard Medical School 

and Massachusetts 

General Hospital before 

amassing over twenty-five 

years of experience. 

DR. KEIKO AKAI 

is also a board-certified 

plastic surgeon, and a 

dermatologist. 

The Akai Clinic offers a 

range of 

cosmetic-surgery 

procedures, laser 

treatments and skin care, 

using state-of-the-art 

equipment and the latest 

techniques. 

Additional fee for anesthesia is required. Please contact the clinic for more information. 

Other cosmetic procedures available. For fees and detailed information services, please refer to our homepage. 

We welcome email and phone inquiries. 

Omotesando 

KNK Bldg 3F 3-5-17, Kita-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo. 

1-min walk from Omotesando stn, A3 exit. 

Tel: 03-5771-4114 Email: amc@akaiclinic.com 

Clinic hours: 11AM~8PM (Mon~Sun) 

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and Dermatologist 

Yokohama 

Quadrifoglio 4F 5-14 Kinkocho, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama. 

1-min walk from Yokohama stn, North East exit. 

Tel: 045-620-5745 Email: amc-skincare@akaiclinic.com 

Clinic hours: 11AM~7PM (Tue~Fri) & 10AM~5PM (Sat & Hol)

EDITOR’S 

LETTER 

inside 

MAR 6-19, 2015 • #1093 

The green beer tea flowed like the Powerscourt Waterfall in the 

Metropolis offices as we prepared this issue. And while it may seem 

excessive, wearing the green was a must as we learned about 

Irish culture in Japan. The dominance of the emerald hue also 

inspired us to uncover some hidden gems for those of you looking 

for vegetarian dining options in Tokyo. Green is also the color of 

energy—at least its future—and with international thoughts on our 

mind we ponder how Japan could lead the world to a prosperous 

tomorrow. Finally, Ireland’s neighbors check in as we talk with 

English Grammy-winner Sam Smith and Scotland’s Mogwai. 

07 11 

Quake 

17 

Going Green: Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in Tokyo. 

Fit to a T: Eating like an herbivore. 

Cover design: Kohji Shiiki; Cover photo: Courtesy of Hostess Entertainment 

Kits: How to prepare for the next big one. 

GET PRINTED! 

SEND IN YOUR BEST PHOTOS FOR OUR MAR 20 ISSUE. DEADLINE MAR 13. metropolisjapan.com/focus 

IN FOCUS 

Rainbow bridge, by Robert Kirsch · robertkirsch.net · instagram.com/robertkirsch 

8F Nishi-Azabu Sonic Bldg, 3-2-12 Nishi-Azabu, 

Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0031 Tel 03-4588-2277 

Fax 03-4588-2278 • www.metropolisjapan.com 

Search over 30 million photos 

✓ 10 free starter credits with registration 

✓ 25% credits bonus on purchase 

Promo Code: Metropolis www.123rf.com/metropolis 

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Neil Butler EDITORIAL Christopher Bryan Jones (Managing Editor) Martin Leroux (Editor) Momoko Mochizuki 

(editorial assistant) Tim Young (Proofreader) CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Dan Grunebaum (Entertainment) Don Morton (Movies) C.B. Liddell 

(Arts) Samuel Thomas (Fashion) DESIGN Kohji Shiiki (Art Director) Davi Azevedo (Graphic Designer) WEB Minh Douangprachanh (Digital 

Manager) PRODUCTION Helen Langford (Production Assistant) ADVERTISING Akane Ochi, Karl Nakashima, Niki Kaihara (Sales Managers) 

Yo Takahashi (Sales Executive) Ai Hosokawa (Sales Assistant) ADMINISTRATION/ACCOUNTING Keiko Adachi (Administration) Michiko 

Anezaki (Adminstration/Classifieds) IT Guilhem Malfre (It/Web Developer) 

METROPOLIS is Japan’s No.1 English magazine, 

founded in 1994 and published for Japan’s 

international community. 

Metropolis Magazine @MetropolisTokyo MetropolisTokyo 

editor@metropolisjapan.com 

Reach over 60,000 Metropolis readers. Advertise: sales@metropolisjapan.com; http://metropolisjapan.com/advertise 

メトロポリスは20 年以上に渡り、訪日 • 関東在住の外国人へ無料で配布している英字総合情報誌です。英語圏の方々に向け 

た情報発信や宣伝広告の機会を行政機関や日本企業に提供しております。お問い合わせ: 03-4588-2277 

© Copyright 2015 Japan Partnership Inc. The views expressed herein are not necessarily those of the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to edit or delete any advertisement without notice. 

03

METROPOLIS_ 

CREATIVE 

We believe life is about content. Every cultural and 

consumer experience we have is conditioned by 

what we are seeing, reading, hearing, and feeling. 

Our experienced, plugged-in professionals provide 

content across a range of platforms, including copy 

creation, graphic design, social media and online 

engineering, brand consultancy, and more. 

Metropolis Creative helps people reach people. 

Tell us what you need. 

私達の人生は色々な経験の内容で成り立っています。社会の一員、そして 

消費者としての経験の全ては私達が見ているもの、読んでいるもの、 

聞いているもの、そして感じているものによって作られています。 

私達の経験豊富なプロフェッショナルのスタッフはコピークリエイション、 

グラフィックデザイン、SNSとオンラインエンジニアリング、ブランドコン 

サルティングなど、様々なコンテンツを提供いたします。 

メトロポリスクリエイティブは人々を繋ぐ仕事をしています。 

ご要望にお答えいたします。 

www.metropoliscreative.jp 

upfront 

FAMILIAR FACES 

LINGOIST 

Celebrating the likes of St. Patrick’s Day is a blast—especially since 

these festivities are where you’re likely to run into someone you know, 

be they friends, classmates or colleagues. And the thing about great 

company is that, no matter how much time has passed since you last 

saw one another, you can pick right up where you left off! 

JP Ohisashiburi desu! 

Ogenki deshita ka? 

EN Long time no see! 

Have you been doing well? 

JP Hai, okage-sama de genki desu. 

EN Yes, I’ve been well. Thanks! 

JP Beer wo ogori masu! 

EN I’ll buy you a beer! 

JP Dōmo sumimasen! 

EN You shouldn’t have! 

123RF 

K A N A C R O S S 

1 2 3 

く 

4 5 

C 

6 7 

A 

Down 

1. Chestnut 

3. Future 

4. Pencil 

5. Health 

7. Bean 

10. Horse 

11. Lid or cap 

12. Well 

9 10 11 12 

13 14 

8 

Across 

1. Mouth 

2. Wave 

4. Collar 

6. Brown rice 

8. Rice 

9. Gout 

13. Again 

14. Throat 

B 

Solution: 

A B C 

ANSWERS AT meturl.com/kanacross 

Metropolis Members Club 

THIS WEEK’S WINNER! 

Becky Lederman won a Romantic Dinner 

for Two courtesy of the 148@Azabujyuban 

UPCOMING PRIZE 

One lucky MMC member will win a Zwilling 

Premium Quality Kitchen Knife courtesy of Zwilling 

Register for prizes & discounts 

www.metropolis.co.jp/club 

04

RELATIVE 

ZERO 

Pondering paths to the 

Tokyo Olympics and 

beyond 

BY MICHAEL ROFE 

The Olympics will be here before we know 

it. With just over five years to go, the air all 

around the city is abuzz with excitement. 

However, many Tokyoites—Japanese 

and foreign alike—are debating how Japan will 

present itself, in criteria ranging from sustain- 

ability, diversity and legacy, to 

accessibility, openness and the 

capacity to communicate in English. 

Indeed, Japan has a huge 

responsibility to both itself and 

the world in 2020. 

When the Games roll around, 

will Tokyo just be the center of 

the world’s attention for a few 

brief weeks? Or could Japan use 

the opportunity to position itself 

as the heart of the Pacific Century, 

an era of expected Asian 

dominance in world affairs that 

will be just coming of age at twenty years young? 

What if we changed all the world’s maps 

and placed Tokyo at the center? With the 

prime meridian—or relative zero—running 

through not Europe but on Asia, would those 

in the new Far East city of New York be upset 

by such an exotic appellation? Would those in 

the new wild, wild west of Europe be equally 

perturbed? What indeed would our good 

friends in the new Middle West think? Would 

folks here in Tokyo, inhabitants of the new 

zero, be reinvigorated now that we really were 

the benchmark center of the times? 

Indeed, would poets wax lyrical about New 

York being the Land of the Rising Sun? Would 

high noon be no longer associated with West- 

THE TOKYO OLYMPICS 2020 

TASK FORCE 

Leading the charge for the English-speaking 

community to play a role in preparation for the 

Games, the Tokyo Olympics 2020 Task Force is a 

proactive coalition of multicultural individuals who 

combine their collective skills to forge alliances 

with the official organizations to help the 2020 

Olympics and Paralympics become the Gold 

benchmark to which all future Olympics will aspire. 

You can join the group on LinkedIn by visiting 

http://meturl.com/totf 

erns, but Tokyo bathed in light? I wonder what 

Greenwich herself would make of all this in the 

meantime as she and her city, London, lagged 

Asia by nine hours? 

Times may not change, and we may be forced 

to keep many of our old labels, but we do know 

for many here in Tokyo—and indeed around 

the world—the sun will shine brilliantly on this 

fair city, our adopted home. As the whole world 

is welcomed once again to sample the timeless 

omotenashi hospitality, the raw passion and 

emotion of the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic 

Games will play out in our metropolis. 

The opportunity to uphold and reflect the 

values of the Olympic community, which resonate 

deeply with many, is a once-in-a-lifetime 

chance for any city. We know that English will 

be a cornerstone of the moment. There’s much 

we can contribute. How will you play a part? 

FIGHTING THE 

GOOD FIGHT 

Executive Fight Night set 

for a fifth round 

BY C BRYAN JONES 

Everyone needs a constructive outlet for 

stress. Life as an executive in Tokyo can 

take its toll, but with guidance that pressure 

can be turned into something wonderful. 

That’s the idea behind the Tony Evans and 

deVere Group Executive Fight Night (EFN). 

Originally conceived of as a way to release 

tension, EFN has become a fundraising juggernaut 

for charities. And that’s part of the magic. 

Photos by 37 Frames 

We’re often urged to fight 

for a good cause, but rarely is 

the imperative so literal. Those 

who’ve felt the generosity of 

EFN are certainly glad that, in 

this case, it is. 

“We started Executive Fight 

Night to provide stressed-out 

Tokyo executives an avenue 

to get fit and test themselves— 

and to provide great entertainment,” 

explained Dave 

Thomas, who founded EFN 

together with Eddie Nixon and 

Nathan Schmid in 2012. “But 

we also wanted to give back 

to the community and tap into 

the generous spirit of Tokyoites. 

So the money that’s been 

raised gives us enormous satisfaction.” 

Those worthwhile charities include Refugees 

International Japan, Shine On! Kids and 

Run for the Cure, a Japan-based breast cancer 

organization. These groups have 

received more than ¥17 million. 

Another part of the magic 

is how EFN helps those who 

slip on the gloves. One of the 

pillars of the event is fitness, 

and those destined for 

the ring undergo a 12- 

week “Boxing Bootcamp” 

at Club 360. 

Metropolis’ own 

Kaoru Nakashima took 

part in Executive Fight 

Night II in 2013. Describing 

his decision 

to step into the ring, 

EFN V 

TRYOUTS 

Leading the charge for 

the English-speaking 

Sunday, March 8, 2015. 

8am. 

Club 360, Motoazabu, 

Minato-ku. 

Reserve your spot: 

info@ginjaninjas.com 

Tel: 03-6434-9667 

the hard-working sales executive said, “This is 

the kind of experience that many people can’t 

have. As I had never done boxing before, doing 

new sports is a challenge.” While the process 

was indeed challenging, it was also rewarding. 

“I felt like a professional fighter when I got into 

the ring,” he said. “And my participation supports 

charity. That is a good thing!” 

This year, EFN will be supporting a familiar 

organization. “Shine On! Kids are our charity 

of choice again. They are Japan-based and do 

great work. We are very proud to support them,” 

said Thomas. 

The big event is set for June 19. Tryouts 

will be held at 8am on Sunday, March 8 at 

Club 360. So if you want to step up for 

a good cause, there’s still time 

to take your battles from the 

boardroom to the ring. 

05

3 

TOP 

food festivals 

UNTIL APR 5 

Hiroshima Oyster Spring Festival 

Enjoy fresh oysters delivered directly from 

Hiroshima every day. Until Apr 5, 11am-9pm 

(weekdays); 10am-9pm (weekends), various 

prices. Okubo Park. Shinjuku. http://kakifes. 

com/web_e/ 

TO-DO LIST 

MAR 12-15 

Saitama Ramen Festival 

16 ramen restaurants from all over the country 

gather in the ramen battlegrounds of Saitama. 

Mar 12-15, 11am-8pm, free entry. Keyaki Hiroba. 

Saitama Shintoshin. Tel: 048-601-1122. 

http://saitama-ramen.com 

MAR 26-29 

Japan Local Food Festival 

100 booths from 25 prefectures gather in 

Hibiya to offer their best local delicacies. 

Mar 26-29, free entry. Hibiya Park. Hibiya 

or Kasumigaseki. Tel: 011-241-2314. 

http://kuohzei.jp 

EDITOR’S PICK MAR 26-29 

A LIFE IN THE THEATRE 

Black Stripe Theater presents one of David Mamet’s funniest plays. An 

experienced professional actor and a promising novice share a dressing room, 

act together on stage in a number of appalling plays and go out for meals 

together, or refrain from doing so—for love is involved, too. Walter Roberts stars 

as Robert, who must discharge his duty, as he sees it, to mentor the younger and 

not always tractable John, played by Chris Parham. Director Tim Harris comments 

that, although a comedy, A Life in the Theatre possesses serious undertones that 

make it a uniquely satisfying play. Dan Grunebaum 

Mar 26-27, 7:30pm; Mar 28-29, 2:30 & 7:30pm, ¥3,000 (adv)/ ¥3,500 (door). 

Sangubashi Trance Mission. Sangūbashi. Tel: 03-5825-4661. 

http://blackstripetheater.com 

MAR 14 

ZOORASIAN 

PHILHARMONIC 

ORCHESTRA 

An orchestra designed specifically for 

families, with all its members being 

animals performing symphonic nursery 

rhymes. Mar 14, 2pm, ¥2,000-4,000. 

Katsushika Symphony Hills. Aoto. 

Tel: 03-5670-2233. http://j.mp/ 

zoorasianorchestra2015 

UNTIL MAY 31 

GUERCINO 

The career of Guercino, considered one 

of the greatest painters of the Italian 

Baroque, is exhaustively explored 

through 44 oil paintings. 

Until May 31, 9:30am-5:30pm (until 

8pm on Fri). Closed Mon. ¥600-1,300 

(adv)/ ¥800-1,500 (door). The National 

Museum of Western Art. Ueno. 

Tel: 03-5777-8600. www.tbs.co.jp/ 

guercino2015/english 

Photo by Nathan Winter 

Duende 

MAR 14, 15, 19, 21 & 22 

TRIPLE BILL 

Enjoy ballet performances of Theme 

and Variations, Duende and Troy Game. 

Mar 14, 15, 21 & 22, 2pm; Mar 19, 7pm, 

¥3,240-10,800. The New National 

Theatre, Tokyo. Hatsudai. 

Tel: 03-5352-9999. http://j.mp/ 

triplebill2015 

撮影 : 瀬戸秀美 

MAR 17 

SUN KIL MOON 

American folk rock act headed by 

vocalist and guitarist Mark Kozelek. 

Mar 17, 7pm, ¥5,800. Club Quattro. 

Shibuya. Tel: 03-3444-6751. 

http://j.mp/moon2015 

GUERCINO. Madonna col 

Bambino Benedicente, 1629. 

Cento Pinacoteca Civica 

APR 3-15 

RIVERDANCE 20 YEARS 

“Riverdance” fans old and new will have the 

opportunity to celebrate two decades of global 

success when this incredible show hits Tokyo. 

Apr 3-15, various times, ¥7,500-12,000. Tokyu 

Theatre Orb. Shibuya. Tel: 03-3475-9999. 

http://j.mp/riverdance20years 

06

feature 

I LOVE 

IRELAND 

FESTIVAL 

BY MARTIN LEROUX 

Commence the wearing of the green. Saint 

Patrick’s Day is just around the corner, 

and Japan is preparing to celebrate its 

love affair with Ireland—a relationship 

spanning more than three centuries. 

Time has strengthened the Land of the Rising 

Sun’s infatuation with the Emerald Isle. Asia’s 

first Saint Patrick’s Day parade took place in Tokyo 

back in 1992—and the tradition is still going 

strong, beckoning green-clad crowds to march 

down Omotesando. 

But it’s more than just a spirited stroll. Held in 

tandem with the parade, the I Love Ireland Festival 

spotlights the culture, bringing together musicians, 

artists, sports enthusiasts and business 

experts to show what makes Ireland unique. 

According to Haruka Masumizu, PR officer of 

the Irish Network Japan (INJ, www.inj.or.jp) and 

organizer of the festival, Japan’s affinity with 

Irish culture can be attributed to its universality. 

“It fascinates such a wide range of people, 

young and old, irrespective of background or 

nationality,” she says. “Irish culture—be it dance, 

music, literature or food and drink—which has 

always strengthened ties among Irish emigrants 

around the world, works also to bond Japanese 

and Irish people together.” 

This year marks the I Love Ireland Festival’s 

second installment, and it promises to be bigger 

than the last. “Irish music will be the main 

theme of this year’s parade,” adds Masumizu. 

“We will have bands and baton twirlers from 

Japanese universities; Okinawa dancers; Tokyo 

pipe bands; as well as the wonderful brass 

sounds of the U.S. Army Band.” 

Also scheduled to perform are Beoga, a 

Grammy-nominated Irish fusion band making 

their Japan debut; Tricolor, a traditional Irish 

band comprising Japanese members; and some 

of the principal dancers from “Riverdance.” 

Speaking of the popularity of Irish arts and 

culture, Festival coordinator Yasuko Teramachi 

says, “One of the characteristics of Irish culture 

is its simplicity, similar perhaps to the Japanese 

‘zen’ philosophy, which seems to have been 

forgotten nowadays.” 

While there will be performances aplenty, 

the Japan branch of the Comhaltas Ceoltóirí 

Éireann (CCE Japan, http://comhaltas.jp)—a 

group dedicated to promoting Irish music, 

art and dance—will also have a booth on-site 

offering information on the arts and local 

classes. 

Ireland’s own Gaelic football, a sport that’s 

gaining traction in Asia, is also represented. 

Differing from soccer, the sport is played with 

a round ball with 15 members per team. Goalposts 

are of the same shape as those of rugby, 

with what resemble soccer goals added. 

Luke Dillon, vice chairperson of the Japan 

Gaelic Athletic Association (Japan GAA, www. 

japangaa.org), says the GAA uses the sport as 

a medium to promote Irish culture and build 

cross-cultural relationships. 

“The social aspect is key, with friendships 

and bonds built up though various events,” Dillon 

explains. “This not only applies to Japan 

GAA but to all Irish organizations within Japan.” 

Business is also an important facet of cultural 

exchange. The Ireland Japan Chamber 

of Commerce (IJCC, www.ijcc.jp), established 

in 2008, works to fortify relations between 

the Irish and Japanese business communities 

through seminars and networking events; and 

also will be present at the Festival. 

“Ireland can be an attractive location for 

Japanese companies to locate their European 

operations,” says Gerard Mulligan, IJCC president. 

“It has a highly-educated population that 

is one of the youngest in Europe, is Englishspeaking 

and an excellent doorway to the 500 

million-strong European markets. 

“Likewise, Japan is an attractive market for 

Irish companies looking to compete in overseas 

markets.” 

To fully immerse yourself in the Emerald Isle, 

the I Love Ireland Festival might be the ticket. 

March 15, 10am-6pm. Yoyogi Park. Harajuku 

or Meiji-jingūmae. www.iloveireland.net 

07

www.dubliners.jp 

HAPPY 

ST. PATRICK’S DAY 

¥500 

March 17th (Tue) 

ALL DAY 

SELECT PINTS OF 

DRAUGHT BEER 

ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE EVENT 

JOIN THE 

PUB CRAWL 

AND WIN A 

GUINNESS KEG! 

Get a Dubliners' HAPPY CARD by 

circulating the 5 Dubliners' pubs! 

Drink beer at Happy Hour prices 

Enter by Monday, 16th (Mon), 2015 

* One lucky person will win a keg 

* The keg will be offered as the equivalent amount of beer in pints 

* Please choose your favorite keg from Guinness, Kilkenny or Yebisu 

Shinjuku 

2F Shinjuku Lion Hall 

3-28-9 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku 

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

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

Shibuya 

2F Dogenzaka Center Bldg. 

2-29-8 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku 

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


Ikebukuro 

B1 Sun Gorou Bldg. 

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



Each 

branch 

has 

different 

hours. 

Akasaka 

B1 Sannou Park Tower 

2-11-1 Nagatacho, Chiyoda-ku 



Closed: Sat., Sun., & Holidays 

Shinagawa 

Shinagawa Mitsubishi Bldg. 

B1F Grand Passage 

2-16-3 Kounan, Minato-ku 



We 

welcome 

all kinds 

of parties. 

Please 

contact us.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION 

ST. PATRICK’S 

HAVE A 

CRAIC 

It's the season to go green—with your beer, your food and your 

music. If you can’t be in Ireland, what better place is there to 

celebrate St. Patrick than Tokyo? These five venues provide the 

perfect atmosphere—and brews—for you to immerse yourself in 

the culture and cuisine of the Emerald Isle. 

CRAFTBEER TAP 

Shinjuku 

Craftbeer Tap is an original beer bar that 

serves more than 15 different types of carefully 

selected draft beers, imported from all 

over the world. While their focus is on draft, 

they also offer a wide variety of bottled brews. 

Enjoy as you check out their amazing collection 

of vintage beer signs. 

4F Ikeda Plaza Bldg, 3-34-16 Shinjuku. 

Tel: 03-5362-1668. Open Mon-Sat 5pm-4am, 

Sun & Hols 5pm-11pm. Shinjuku. 

Count down to St. Patrick’s Day with special 

seasonal offerings, March 11-17. Guinness for 

just ¥800 (plus tax), Green Beer ¥650 (tax 

included), many more favorites from ¥700. 

FAILTE 

Shibuya 

Located in Shibuya, this Irish pub features a 

cozy atmosphere, great cuisine and a wide 

variety of beers. Pair your food with a seasonal 

brew or go for a classic taste with the 

world-famous Guinness. If you’re looking for 

something more unusual, try the cherry beer 

or white beer. Enjoy it all on the spacious fifthfloor 

terrace overlooking central Shibuya. 

5F Sede Bldg., 1-5-2 Dogenzaka, Shibuya. Open 

5:30pm-2am (Mon-Sat), 3-11pm (Sun/hols). 

Tel: 03-3476-7776. Shibuya. www.failte.jp 

Mar 15-17: All draft beers ¥700. Mar 16, 7pm: 

Live Irish music. Green beer available! 

DUBLINERS 

Various locations 

Join the pub crawl at The Dubliners Irish Pub 

and win a keg! One lucky guest will win a keg’s 

worth of Guinness, Kilkenny or Yebisu (their 

choice) served as pints. Visit all five locations 

and get a Dubliners’ “Happy Card” for yearround 

happy hour prices. Visit by March 16, 

2015 for your chance to win. www.dubliners.jp 

March 17: All Day Draft Beer 

Select pints ¥500 

Shinjuku 

2F Shinjuku Lion Hall, 3-28-9 

Tel: 03-3352-6606 

sali3292@sapporo-lion.co.jp 

www.dubliners.jp/shinjuku/ 

Shibuya 

2F Dogenzaka Center Bldg., 

2-29-8 Dogenzaka 

Tel: 03-5459-1736 


www.dubliners.jp/shibuya/ 

PADDY’S JUNCTION 

Shinjuku 

Enjoy big fish and chips along with an open mic 

and terrace seating at this individually-owned 

international pub and beer garden, ranked 

highly by TripAdvisor. Events like “Paddy’s 

Got Talent” (free karaoke) highlight the unique 

character you won’t find in chain pubs. 

Grand Floor, Sensho Bldg., 2-13-16 Shinjuku. 

Tel: 03-6273-1755. Open 5pm-late. Shinjuku-sanchome. 

www.paddys-junction.com 

Mar 2-17: Green beer. Mar 13-14: Green shots 

¥300, free karaoke. Mar 15: After Parade 

Party, all pints, buy 1, get 2nd half-price. Mar 

17: St. Patrick’s Day, all pints, buy 2, get 1 free. 

SEAMUS O’HARA 

Meguro 

A genuine Irish pub with a relaxing atmosphere, 

Seamus O’hara offers Guinness, Bass Pale Ale 

and many other favorites. Enjoy the St. Patrick's 

spirit through their musical events, such 

as the Celtic live show and Irish DJ. 

Matsuda Bldg. B1, 3-12-3 Meguro. Tel: 03-3760- 

6179. Mar 14 & 17, open 6pm-late; Mar 15, open 

3pm-late. Meguro. www.seamus-ohara.com 

Mar 14: All draft beer ¥700 a pint (Guinness, 

Kilkenny, Bass Pale Ale, Sapporo Black 

Label), Celtic live show. Mar 15: All draft beer 

¥500, The Mutiny (Irish folk/punk). Mar 17: All 

draft beer ¥500 a pint; Irish music DJ. 

Ikebukuro 

B1 Sun Gorou Bldg., 1-10-8 Nishi-Ikebukuro 

Tel: 03-5951-3614 


www.dubliners.jp/ikebukuro/ 

Akasaka 

B1 Sannou Park Tower, 2-11-1 Nagatacho 

Tel: 03-3539-3615 

Closed: Sat, Sun, and Hols 


www.dubliners.jp/akasaka/ 

Shinagawa 

B1F Grand Passage, 

Shinagawa Mitsubishi Bldg. 

Tel: 03-6718-2834 


www.dubliners.jp/shinagawa/ 

09

St. Patrick's Day 

Celebrations 

March 14 

All draft beer pints ¥700! 

(Guinness, Kilkenny, Bass Pale Ale, 

Sapporo Black Label) 

St. Patrick’s Day Special Celtic 

live show 

March 15 


The Mutiny (Irish Folk/Punk) 

March 17 


Irish Music DJ 

B1F Matsuda Building 

Meguro 3-12-3 

Meguro-ku, Tokyo 

Tel/ Fax: 03-3760-6179 

Nearest stn: 

JR Meguro 

15 min walk on 

Meguro-dori from 

JR Meguro stn West exit 

Mar 15, 16, and 17 

All Draft Beer ¥700 

Green Beer Available! 

SPECIAL ST PATRICK’S 

FOOD MENU AVAILABLE 

Spacious 5F 

terrace 

over looking 

central 

Shibuya. 

www.failte.jp 

Enjoy our 

great selections 

of Irish and 

European brews. 

St.Patrick’s Day Special 

IRISH MUSIC LIVE 

MARCH 16TH (MON) FROM 7PM 

Tokyu 

Plaza 

Meguro River 

*No cover charge for live performances. 

14th & 17th Opening hours: 6PM till late 

15th Opening hours: 3PM till late 

www.seamus-ohara.com 

Hotel 

Claska 

Seamus 

O’hara 

Sukiya 

Royal Host 

Tama Univ. 

Meguro HS 

Ootori 

Jinja 

Maruetsu 

Police 

Box 

MUFJ 

Bank 

Tokyu Metro 

Meguro stn. 

JR Meguro stn. 

Police Box 

More details 

www.failte.jp 

5F, Sede Bldg. 1-5-2 Dogenzaka, Shibuya 

OPEN 5:30pm-2am (Mon-Sat) 

3-11pm (Sunday & hols) 

tel: 03-3476-7776 

Party course 

(from 2 people to 80 people) 

from ¥4,000 (plus tax) include 7 kind 

of food & 2h30min all you can drink 

̶ Hana・Gakoi ̶ 

The best Sushi and 

Yakitori Restaurant 

in Aoyama. 

Shibuya 

Meiji ST. 

Shibuya P.O. 

HIKARIE 

Aoyama ST. 

Roppongi ST. 

Shibuya police station 

YAKITORI,SUSHI 

HANAGAKOI 

B1 Diamond bldg 

1-1-8 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku 

Tokyo 〒150-0002 

TEL 03-3498-3228 

Lunch 11:30 ~ 14:00 

Dinner 17:00 ~ 23:00 

(L.O.22:00 Drink L.O.22:30) 

10

food&drink 

SHOP 

ORGANIC! 

Raw vegans can find refuge in the culinary jungle 

of Tokyo at Rainbow RawFood Café in Ebisu. 

The restaurant provides a plethora of uncooked 

foods that pack in the nutrients as well as scrumptiousness, 

serving up everything from raw burritos, 

pizzas, taco rice and pad thais. There’s also 

an impressive selection of raw cakes—the raw 

chocolate being a highlight—and plenty of other 

desserts, such as raw crème brûlées and shakes, 

as well as herbal teas and smoothies sure to 

revitalize and replenish. 

2F Grace Aoyama, 2-3-11 Minami, Ebisu, 

Shibuya-ku. Ebisu. http://rainbowrawfood.com 

“Vegetarian” isn’t what comes to mind when 

speaking of Hawaiian food, but Island Veggie 

in Hiroo changes that. The venue, an homage 

to Waikiki diners, is a macrobiotic fast-food 

joint with a wide selection of vegan burgers 

(¥980-¥1,200), sandwiches (¥650-¥700), 

and a la carte breakfast favorites, including 

scrambled “eggs” and soy chicken nuggets. 

Also on hand are fresh smoothies, creamy 

shakes and zesty açaí bowls. Come in the 

daytime; food tends to run out towards night. 

5-3-9 Hiroo, Shibuya-ku. Hiroo. 

www.islandveggie.com 

Bonraspail. Branches 

in Shinjuku, Yokohama, 

Nagayama, etc. www. 

isefw.co.jp 

Crayonhouse. 3-8-15 

Kita-Aoyama, Minatoku. 

Omotesando. 

www.crayonhouse.co.jp 

F & F. Branches 

in Tamagawa, 

Gakugeidaigaku, 

Shinjuku, etc. www. 

shizensyoku-ff.com 

Gaia. 3-3-13 Kanda 

Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku. 

Ochanomizu. www. 

gaia-ochanomizu.co.jp 

Kodawariya. Branches 

in Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, 

Kichijoji, etc. www. 

kodawariichiba.com 

Natural House. 

Branches in Aoyama, 

Meguro, Shimokitazawa, 

etc. www.naturalhouse. 

co.jp 

Natural Mart. 5-19- 

5 Hiroo, Shibuyaku. 

Hiroo. http:// 

naturalmart.jp 

Organic House. Branches 

in Ikebukuro, Yokohama 

and Oomiya. www.eorganichouse.com 

Organic Wine Shop 

Mavie. 2-21-5 Akasaka, 

Minato-ku. Akasaka. 

www.mavie.co.jp 

Waseda Natural Foods 

Shop. 51 Kikuicho, 

Shinjuku-ku. Waseda. 

www.waseda-natural.com 

¥¥ EN/JP 

RESTAURANT 

T’s Restaurant 

BY MOMOKO MOCHIZUKI 

Being a herbivore among meat-loving family 

and friends can make choosing a restaurant all 

about compromise—but not at T’s Restaurant, 

a vegan eatery located in the classy neighborhood 

of Jiyugaoka, an area especially popular 

with women who come to shop at its many 

trendy stores. 

Here, veggies and non-veggies alike can put 

their differences aside to enjoy what anyone, 

anywhere can always appreciate—great food. 

Found on the basement floor of the shopping 

complex Luz Jiyugaoka, the restaurant 

has a bright and woody interior with an open 

kitchen and a tempting display of desserts 

greeting customers upon their entrance. The 

lunch menu (from ¥1,350 on weekdays) includes 

a salad and a choice of coffee or tea, 

with a selection of main dishes, including the 

spicy, coconut-flavored Massaman curry and 

Doria with paella-style rice covered in a soy 

béchamel sauce. 

The cauliflower mousse offered as a side 

dish is so rich and creamy that it’s hard to believe 

it’s dairy-free—as a matter of fact, you 

probably wouldn’t be able to guess if you 

weren’t pre-warned, but that goes for just 

about anything on the menu. 

One of the great things about T’s Restaurant 

is that taste is never sacrificed for the 

food being vegan, and the same dishes that 

veggies usually have to avoid elsewhere can 

be enjoyed without leaving you feeling dissatisfied—even 

for those who aren’t accustomed 

to vegan eating. 

There are also plenty of dessert options, 

such as the T’s parfait and caramel crème 

brûlée, and on your way to the cashier, you 

can even pick up some of the food products 

used in the restaurant kitchen, such as the 

béchamel sauce, vegetable stock and curry, 

to enjoy on your own. 

So next time you’re trying to decide on a 

restaurant that will satisfy those of every dietary 

persuasion, try T’s Restaurant and you 

won’t be disappointed. 

Daily, 11am-10pm. Luz Jiyugaoka B1F, 

2-9-6 Jiyugaoka, Meguro-ku. Jiyugaoka. Tel: 

03-3717-0831. http://ts-restaurant.jp/english 

11

WRITE FOR US! 

✓ Feature stories 

✓ “The Last Word” 

✓ Food & Drink 

✓ Special events 

✓ Interviews & Community Profiles 

Prior experience and strong industry contacts a must. 

To apply, send letter of introduction, CV and relevant clips to 

editor@metropolisjapan.com 

Due to the high volume of correspondence, we regret that 

we can’t respond to every query. No calls please. 

12

food&drink 

Japan can be a difficult 

place to live la vida 

veggie—unless you 

know where to look. 

Kirasienne’s Vege 

Cafe Guide in Japan 

provides herbivorous 

readers of Japanese a 

comprehensive list of 

vegetarian and vegan 

cafés and restaurants 

located in all of Japan’s 

eight regions. Available 

from Amazon and 

most Japanese bookstores. 

Want a copy? 

Enter at http://meturl. 

com/vegeguide. For an Englishlanguage 

resource, try the Happy Cow 

(www.happycow.net), a directory of vegan, 

vegetarian and vegetarian-friendly restaurants 

and stores around the world—replete 

with reviews. 

For something sweet, try Mihane Ice’s vegan 

ice cream, using genmai—or brown rice—milk 

as its main ingredient, sweetened with organic 

agave syrup. Coming in such flavors as genmai 

milk, pumpkin and carrot, the ice cream uses 

organic seasonal fruit and vegetables. This 

nutrient-packed ice cream is actually healthy! 

A savory food menu is also available, including 

a brown rice and organic vegetable salad set 

(¥700) and vegetable curry (¥830), and the ice 

cream is also available to buy online. 

1-4-5 Ōokayama, Meguro-ku. Ōokayama. 

Tel: 03-6459-5572. http://mihane.jp 

RECIPE 

VEGAN SPINACH TOFU 

CURRY WITH BROWN RICE 

RECIPE AND PHOTO BY RIEKO SUZUKI 

Here’s a mild healthy vegan curry using atsuage—thick, 

deep-fried tofu. Dairy drinkers 

can add heavy cream, cheese or yogurt, for a 

lacto-vegetarian option. The key to success is to 

not burn the spices and not stew it for a long time. 

Indian curry is not a dish that should be cooked 

slowly, but rather one that should be quickly stirfried 

to bring out the fresh aroma of spices. 

RESTAURANT ¥¥¥ 

Ain Soph. 

Journey 

BY MARTIN LEROUX 

EN/JP 

Ain Soph.Journey is a quiet, cozy 

café-slash-restaurant in Shinjuku 

that serves as an herbivorous haven 

amid Tokyo’s primarily carnivorous 

culinary jungle—and 

renders “vegan” synonymous 

with “delicious.” 

Located right in front of Shinjuku-sanchome 

Station’s exit C5, Ain Soph.Journey 

instantly immerses visitors in its laid-back 

atmosphere, enhanced by the warm, earthy 

colors of its West Coast-inspired interior. 

The menu is extensive, boasting a wide array 

of Western-style dishes that extend beyond the 

standard fare at most Tokyo veggie eateries. 

On the a la carte, try the Spanish omelet 

(¥800), which substitutes eggs with a tofu 

cream base, creating a similarly fluffy texture. 

The karaage (¥600) puts a veggie spin on Japanese 

fried chicken nuggets, replacing the poultry 

with soy meat, making this a low-cal treat. 

Glasses of organic French and Austrian wine 

in need of company have a friend in the cheese 

platter (¥1,200), made of vegetable cheese— 

which is inexplicably hard to find in a country 

where soy milk runs like water. 

The vegetable paella (¥1,400), nutty dry 

curry (¥1,350), veggie tortilla roll (¥1,600) and 

the mushroom Hayashi rice (¥1,300) all make 

satisfying main dishes. 

The true stars of Ain Soph, however, are 

found in the dessert section. The pudding a la 

mode (¥850) is surprisingly creamy and caramel-sweet, 

considering the dish is completely 

free of egg, dairy or refined sugar; as is the nutty 

carob chip brownie (¥700). 

The “tenjo no (heaven’s) vegan pancakes” 

(¥1,400) earns its name. It’s delectable and 

equal parts fluffy and light, emitting a flavor 

that’s buttery despite being dairy-free, and 

sweetened with Agave syrup, accompanied by 

a scoop of homemade soy ice cream. 

Those craving a bit of everything can try 

the dessert plate (¥1,200), an assortment of 

everything except pancakes—they’re their 

own entity. 

The prices are a little up there, but the food 

is top-notch and hearty—and is sure to sate 

vegans and non-vegans alike. 

1F Shinjuku Q Bldg., 3-8-9 Shinjuku, Shinjukuku. 

Shinjuku-sanchome. http://ain-soph.jp/ 

english.html 

Servings: For 2-3 people 

Cooking time: Approx. 30 min 

• 1 atsuage tofu, cut into 

3x4-cm pieces 

• 250g fresh spinach, 

rinsed and chopped 

• 1 large onion, chopped 

• 1/2 can (200g) diced 

tomato 

• 1 tbs cumin seed 

• 1 tbs vegetable oil 

• 1 garlic clove, chopped 

• 1 slice ginger 

• 1 tbs garam masala 

• 1 tbs coriander powder 

• 1 tsp turmeric powder 

• 1-2 tsp salt 

• 1 tsp honey 

• 150ml water 

• 1 vegetable bouillon 

• 2-3 servings cooked 

brown rice 

DIRECTIONS: 

1. In pot or frying pan, put cooking oil and cumin 

seeds. Heat on low/medium until the aroma of 

cumin seeds becomes strong. 

2. Add chopped onion, chopped garlic and sliced 

ginger. Stir-fry until onion is translucent. Add 

garam masala, coriander and turmeric, and 

keep frying. 

3. Add canned diced tomato, vegetable bouillon, 

salt, honey and water. Mix well and let boil. Add 

chopped spinach and keep heating with lid on 

for 2 min. 

4. Turn heat off. With hand blender or food processor, 

blend to puree, either in the pot or pan, or 

transfer to a mixing bowl. 

5. Heat mixture and add atsuage tofu. Let it boil 

with lid on for 3 min on low. 

6. Serve with warm brown rice. Lacto veggies can 

add 1 tbs of heavy cream, shredded cheese 

or garnish with fresh herbs such as coriander. 

Rieko Suzuki 

Rieko blogs bilingual recipes at 

http://meturl.com/ruby 

13

FASHION CALENDAR 

Do you have what it takes for TV? 

Looking for English 

& Chinese speakers 

Also Japanese, Spanish & French speakers 

MAR 2 

Q-pot teams up with 

Mickey and Minnie 

For the Disney fan wanting to 

show their colors in an elegant 

and (relatively) subtle way, cute 

accessory conveyor Q-pot has a 

series of confectionary-themed 

accessories featuring Disney 

“it” couple Mickey and Minnie. 

Expect everything from rings and 

necklaces to bag charms and 

bejeweled iPhone 6 cases. 

www.q-pot.jp/shop 

MAR 4-10 

Muguet Castle opens at Isetan 

Cult clutch brand Muguet has 

teamed up with 1950s girls manga 

Princess Knight for a very limited 

run of bags to be sold in Isetan 

Shinjuku. The bags are as cute as 

you could hope for, but at ¥36,720- 

48,600 including tax, only serious 

fans need apply. 

http://isetan.mistore.jp 

NOW IN JAPAN! 

TOKYO CORRESPONDENT 

Fashion One broadcasts original programming to over 300 million 

people in 44 countries. 

We’re now looking for a Tokyo correspondent to join our worldwide 

operations. 

No fashion experience needed—just the right personality! Send 

your CV, cover letter, photo and/or video application, plus a link to 

any on-camera work to: 

http://www.fashionone.jp/casting 

MAR 7 

Harajuku ALTA opens on 

Takeshita Dōri 

Probably the biggest change to 

the Harajuku fashion ecosystem 

in quite some time, the new ALTA 

opens this month on the youthcentric 

Takeshita Dōri. Those of a 

kawaii persuasion can head to the 

World Project Kawaii Cafe before 

hitting 19 shops spanning three 

floors. 

www.altastyle.com/harajuku-open 

日本初上陸 ! 

日本人テレビリポーターを募集しています! 

ファッションワンは世界 44ヶ国、3 億人以上に発信している番組です。 

履歴書と、プロファイル写真一枚を送って下さい。 

もしあなたが映っている動画やリンク先があれば、是非一緒に送って 

下さい。 


日本初上陆 ! 

我们正在面向全球招募中文流利的电视台记者 ! 

你好 , 美女 ! 想成为一名记者吗 ? 

我们会是你的第一选择 ! 

只要你拥有一副可爱的容貌 , 那就快快加入我们这支年轻的队伍吧 ! 

你只需要给我们发送你的简历和照片。 

FACEBOOK 等个人网页也欢迎 ! 


BE SEEN. BE THE SCENE. 

MAR 15 

Guard your wrist with 

Vivienne Westwood 

Relentlessly popular British fashion 

house Vivienne Westwood has a 

new addition to its men’s accessory 

line in the form of an armor-themed 

series of watches. The new designs 

feature a leather strap with heavy 

metal scale armor befitting of a 

modern urban knight. 

http://meturl.com/ 

viviennewestwood 

MAR 15 

Le Coq Sportif meets Anna Sui 

Sportswear giant Le Coq Sportif is 

revisiting their classic 1990s LCS 

R1000 design with a little help from 

Anna Sui. The resulting floral-andzebra-emblazoned 

results, in Anna 

Sui’s iconic black and lilac, are not 

going to be to everyone’s taste; but 

I warn you, they are primed to sell 

out fast. 

www.annasui.co.jp 

metropolis.co.jp/fashionone 

14

fashion fix 

FASHION WEEK FEVER 

BY SAMUEL THOMAS, FASHION EDITOR 

Tokyo Fashion Week is upon us again, long after the other key fashion 

cities of New York, London, Paris and Milan have had their moments in the 

spotlight. Its position in the cycle means that not only are journalists a 

shade jaded, and more than a little partied out, but from a buyer’s perspective 

the problems are a little more serious. Seeing as orders in 

New York, Paris and so on are scheduled to close just as Tokyo fashion 

week is beginning, more often than not budgets are significantly depleted 

before the first show even begins. Still, this TFW looks set to be the most 

exciting in a while, with a huge lineup of 52 brands on the official schedule. 

And rest assured that Metropolis will be reporting from the front row. 

ON POINT 

The official Mercedes-Benz Tokyo 

Fashion Week schedule is 

strictly industry-only, but there 

are ways to see the shows as 

an individual—especially if you 

don’t mind standing. If you have 

a reasonably successful blog 

you can register as a blogger 

to cover the shows. While that 

might not guarantee you the 

best seat, dressing up will net 

you some pretty good possibilities 

for promotion as photographers 

at the venue are hungry 

to capture good street style. 

Alternatively, while I for one would always maintain that you don’t 

understand a show unless you see it in the flesh, it’s possible to watch 

the lion’s share of shows from the comfort of your own sofa (or kotatsu). 

Tokyo Fashion Film (http://tokyofashionfilm.com) is pretty diligent about 

streaming runway presentations and post-show interviews, so stay glued 

to that and spare a thought for those of us on the fashion front line battling 

the queues, conflicts and frantic dashes across Tokyo. 

SHOPPING STRATEGY 

Those hungry for a taste of the Tokyo underground would be well-advised 

to steer clear of Hikarie, the venue for most of the official schedule, 

and head on over to Parco Museum in Shibuya Parco Part 1. Yoshikazu 

Yamagata, of WrittenAfterwards fame, and designer Mikio Sakabe are 

holding the second iteration of their Zetsumei-ten themed exhibition, 

this time jovially entitled Zetsu Zetsumei-ten. The exhibition runs from 

March 19 to 30 and will be curated differently every day, sometimes featuring 

real models, sometimes 

mannequins and of course plenty 

of guerrilla fashion shows. 

The lineup reads like an A-Z 

of who you should be excited 

about in Tokyo fashion, including 

Ryota Murakami, Noriko Nakazato 

and Kotona, as well as a 

handful of newcomers looking 

to make a name for themselves 

in 2015. Follow @zetsumeiten 

on Twitter for the latest news, 

and definitely plan to visit the 

exhibition multiple times to get 

the full story. 

STREET 

FOCUS 

Even at fashion week, street fashion tends to get more attention than the runway shows these days. 

Cunning designers have found a way of taking advantage of this turn in the tide by dressing models 

to be seen in and around the venues. This issue’s gang of models comes courtesy of the incognito 

designer of cult label Bodysong, who sent his collection out to be seen on the street, not the runway. 

Photo by Samuel Thomas 

15

Beauty starts with a great smile 

W 

omen have unique needs when it comes to dental care. At Pulice, our focus is 

exclusively on prevention of the particular periodontal diseases and tooth 

decay risks that women face. In addition to helping you maintain a beautiful 

smile, we also offer additional esthetic services including skin care, manicure, 

and more. Our all-female staff help you enjoy a beautiful and healthy life, step by step, 

in true Japanese omotenashi fashion. 

screening, professional tooth cleaning and 

proper care at home. A healthy mouth gives 

a youthful impression, radiating beauty at 

any age. 

Miyuki Wan 

Managing director 

Pulice is the first dental clinic in Japan created 

exclusively for women. The name is a 

combination of the English ‘pretty’ and Italian 

‘felice,’ meaning ‘happiness’—just how we 

want you to feel! Our concept of “Only for 

Women” is designed to meet ladies’ oral 

treatment needs in a relaxing and 

comfortable atmosphere. Language is never 

a problem as our English-speaking, female 

dentist tends to your needs. Four separate 

treatment rooms means your privacy is 

always respected. 

Dr. Keiko, who has more 

than 12 years of experience 

abroad, will provide you with 

excellent dental treatment in 

English. We also have 

English-speaking hygienists, 

receptionists, and other staff. 

COMPREHENSIVE DENTAL CARE 

According to The New York Times, about 

three-quarters of periodontal office visits are 

made by women, even though women tend 

to take better care of their teeth than men. 

Female hormones affect the gums, and 

women are particularly susceptible to 

periodontal problems. 

Periodontal disease causes bad breath 

and gum loss, which can make you appear 

older than your actual age. 

Many people accept losing teeth to 

periodontal diseases a natural part of aging, 

but this can be prevented through regular 

STAY BEAUTIFUL NO MATTER YOUR AGE 

One of the first steps in staying young is 

taking proper care of your teeth. We offer 

many services to make this easier. The 

Periozon Course maintains your mouth’s 

youthful image through treatment of 

periodontal disease, while the Pulice Course 

encompasses oral care. We also offer a 

complete dental examination through our 

Oral Dock Course, and the Whitening 

Course ensures your smile is at its brightest. 

Some of the latest treatments in dental 

care are also available such as healOzone, 

a hi-tech procedure that involves no 

injections, no drilling and is totally 

painless, and DIAGNOdent, which uses a 

dental laser to enhance early identification 

of tooth decay, taking into account 

individual risk factors. 

Our goal is to meet your specific 

needs, and customized treatment courses 

can also be arranged through private 

counseling and assessment. After learning 

about your lifestyle, we can tailor an individual 

oral care regimen to you. 

Beauty doesn’t end with a great smile, 

and Pulice is particular about beauty and a 

healthy life for women. Through cooperation 

with a nail salon in Ginza, you can have 

your nails done during tooth bleaching, or 

improve the quality of your skin by having 

hyaluronic acid injected into the smile lines 

around your mouth. 

Find out why Pulice is the only 

choice for total beauty care 

Contact us now to make a reservation for 

an initial counseling session. Just one visit 

per month will leave you feeling beautiful 

and happy! 

Sotobori Street 

Chuo Street 

Showa Street 

Kaji Street 

Kyobashi St 

(Ginza Line) 

Bridgestone 

Muromachi St 

(Asakusa Line) 

Ajinomoto 

JR TOKYO STATION 

Yaesu center opening 

UFJ 

Yaesu Street 

Nihonbashi St 

(Ginza/Tozai Line) 

UFJ 

Nihonbashi St 

(Asakusa/Tozai Line) 

DKB 

1F Oak Kyobashi Bldg., 1-16-10 Kyobashi, 

Chuo-ku, Tokyo 

Clinic hours: 10am - 6pm 

Closed: Sun and National Holidays 

Eidai Street 

Metropolitan Expressway 

Tel: 03-3538-6767 • http://pulice.jp 

Make a reservation for the initial counseling by e-mail 

info@pulice.jp

city life 

THE GET-OUT BAG 

What you need before the next quake 

BY RICHARD P. GREENFIELD 

The big take on the next big one is where 

and when. A lot of indicators point to the 

Nankai Trough or a spot a lot closer to 

Tokyo than March 11 was. There’s also the 

real chance that it’ll be a bigger one: 9.5. 

For those who need a Richter refresher, each 

tenth of a point indicates a tenfold increase in 

strength; thus a 9.5 would be 50 times stronger 

than the March 11 event. 

Projections range from terrible to horrific, 

tsunamis in Tokyo Bay breaching the levees 

near Kita-Senju and flooding the subway 

there. Whose prediction/projection is closest 

doesn’t matter. 

What does matter is that there’ll be millions 

of people needing to evacuate office buildings 

with collapsed partitions or equipment, 

stairway lighting that’s not working, stairways 

that are partly blocked and streets that are 

filled with debris. 

Vvego (www.vvego.com) has been mentioned 

in previous Metropolis articles, but for 

their accessories. Last year they launched luggage, 

with head Robert Porter promising more 

this year. What’s interesting here is the Tool 

Roll, which dons a yellow color that remains 

visible even if all lights are out. 

Designed to carry multiple items in one 

piece of luggage, the Tool Roll still rolls up 

small, slingable over the wearer’s back. One 

step up from the Tool Roll is Rush Moab 10 from 

5-11 (www.5-11tactical.com). This is black—the 

get-out-of-here Bat Bag. Although larger than 

the Tool Roll, it can also be carried like a sling 

bag, leaving your hands free. 

The bags are containers providing easy 

access to items you might need in an emergency, 

which saves seconds—and seconds 

can mean lives. 

5-11 also offers gloves—something often 

forgotten when assembling survival gear. The 

59431 Tac AK2, made of Kevlar, are flameproof 

and slash resistant. I’m used to operating tools 

with my hands, but an earthquake is a situation 

where lots of debris can cause deep cuts and 

lacerations. If your hands are cut deeply enough, 

your ability to use tools is compromised. The 

gloves also fold up nice and neat in whatever 

bag you choose. 

It’s best to start with a rescue tool, usually one 

that’s a combination of a belt cutter, a window 

puncher and a small LED. I carry one from SOG. 

My wife carries one from CRKT (Columbia River 

Knife and Tool, www.crkt.com) that’s barely the 

size of two credit cards. 5-11 makes a rescue tool 

that’s a bit larger than these and features two 

blades: a small one that works as a belt cutter 

and a one larger one that’s straight and has saw 

teeth at the end. Any of them works; go online 

or visit a nearby dealer and see which one’s 

suited to you. 

CRKT also makes what’s called a “tactical 

pen” in the U.S.—which we’d probably call a 

“strike pen” here. In the States these are used 

to fight off an assailant. In Japan, they double 

your chances of knocking off a piece of glass 

or plexiglass. 

The essentials don’t stop with a rescue tool 

and pen: You may need a specific kind of knife. 

Mantis Knives (www.mantisknives.com) makes 

a pocket folder that’s of legal blade length in 

Japan and features a quarter-inch-thick blade. 

Read that again, because the significance might 

not be apparent. There are sheath knives that 

are thicker, but they’re for camping and no one’s 

going to be carrying one in an office. The importance 

is twofold: The edge on the Mantis will cut, 

and if it has to be used as a pry the average adult 

will be able to exert some serious torque without 

any danger of the blade snapping or bending 

thanks to the thickness of the blade. 

The other essential is light. In the aftermath 

of the quake, emergency lighting may be down 

and other power may have been cut. I was once 

in a zone that lost every kind of power for almost 

two days. There were a few flashlights in the 

house that kept me from tumbling down the 

stairs. In the months that followed, I wrote about 

lights from SOG and Innova; but in four years 

there’s been almost a generation of improvement 

in the kinds of lights available, their power 

and capabilities. 

It was the TMT R3 that first brought me to the 

5-11 site. The light itself isn’t bigger or heavier 

than any of the ones I’ve seen. However, there 

are many advantages. First, it’s safe: Think of 

how many times you ran lights down because 

you forgot to turn them off. One click over is the 

main white light (357 lumens); another click, 

four smaller red LEDs; another, four blue LEDs. 

And it can be recharged either from a normal 

electric circuit or car battery. When you have 

no power but have a full tank of gas, you can 

charge this easily. 

Not having a light isn’t a choice any more than 

not having a bag, tools and a plan. 

There are lots of add-ons, such as the ceramic 

drinking water straw that will filter out most impurities, 

as well as essentials like your favorite 

energy bars and anything else you might need 

or want in these times. 

These items are offered as a place from which 

to begin, not a place in which to end. 

17

movies 

BY DON MORTON 

featured movie 

THE IMITATION 

GAME 

While no one person can be credited with the 

invention of the computer, Alan Turing comes 

pretty close. The room-sized machine he built 

succeeded in breaking the Nazis’ Enigma code, 

thereby shortening WWII by as much as two 

years and saving thousands of lives. But this 

unsung triumph on an unseen battlefront was 

leavened with an underlying tragedy brought 

about by his breaking of a different code: the 

petty, antediluvian social code of 1940s Britain. 

Arrested in 1952 for “gross indecency” (homosexuality), 

he committed suicide rather than 

continue with his debilitating court-ordered 

hormone therapy. Benedict Cumberbatch, 

who it seems can do no wrong these days, 

puts in another Oscar-worthy performance, 

expressing, warts and all, the man’s genius 

and arrogance as well as his social clumsiness 

and loneliness. This biopic by Norway’s Morten 

Tyldum (Headhunters) is straightforward, 

unfussy, and smartly entertaining. And kudos 

to first-time screenwriter Graham Moore for 

wisely not trying to explain the math, and distilling 

and streamlining events into a cinematically 

accessible whole without dumbing it down. An 

oft-quoted line from the movie is, “Sometimes 

it is the people no one imagines anything of 

who do the things that no one can imagine.” 

Japanese title: Imitation Game: Enigma to 

Tensai Sugakusha no Himitsu. (114 min) 

NEW 

GOOD PEOPLE 

How about moronic people? 

A law-abiding but 

cash-strapped American 

couple in London finds a 

bag of money in the basement 

flat they had rented to a lowlife of questionable 

career goals who just died of a heroin overdose. They 

decide to keep the money. What could go wrong? Don’t 

these people ever go to the movies? James Franco 

and Kate Hudson play it so generic, they nearly disappear 

(though in Franco’s case this is a plus), and Tom 

Wilkinson seems to be channeling Columbo as the 

investigating copper. Final “thrilling” scene in a house 

being refurbished plays like Home Alone. Japanese title: 

Perfect Plan. (90 min) 

NEW 

DRIVE HARD 

In this colossally unfunny 

Aussie buddy comedy, a 

washed-up racecar driver 

(Thomas Jane), now giving 

driving lessons in 

Gold Coast, is abducted by a criminal (John Cusack) and 

forced to be the getaway driver in a bank heist. They 

banter insipidly. Jeez, what happened to Cusack? He 

used to be an A-lister, watchable whatever he was in. 

And I’m not sure what Jane’s talents were, but I’m now 

sure that comedy wasn’t one of them. Tasteless, amateurish, 

repetitive, poorly filmed, lame acting throughout 

and the slowest chase scenes—essentially the whole 

movie—ever filmed. Not even trashy fun. (92 min) 

NEW 

PREDESTINATION 

A high-concept, lowbudget 

existential puzzle 

that will reward thinking 

moviegoers. A complex, 

paradoxical, time-travel 

mind-messer that mixes elements of Looper, Memento 

and Back to the Future. Ethan Hawke is a sort of time 

cop who, in another time, happens upon a fellow whose 

backstory is a real mind- (not to mention gender-) bender. 

Sarah Snook shows in one movie more range than 

most actors do in an entire career. I can’t really tell you 

much more for fear of spoiling some of the surprises, of 

which there are many. But this one will play with your 

brain while it touches your heart. (97 min) 

NEW 

ANNABELLE 

Hey, a movie about a 

creepy antique doll! Well, 

that’s new. This cheapo 

spin-off prequel from 

The Conjuring focuses 

on the backstory of the titular doll that appeared late 

in that vastly better movie. This cash-grab offers nothing 

remotely original, the music’s oppressive, the acting’s 

anemic, the scares are surface-level and instantly 

forgettable, the dialogue’s labored and it plagiarizes 

from several other movies. (It’s such a blatant rip-off 

of Rosemary’s Baby that the main characters are even 

named Mia and John.) At least the doll is not animated. 

Chucky, this ain’t; skippable, this is. Japanese title: 

Annabelle: Shiryōkan no Ningyo. (98 min) 

NEW 

NURSE 3-D 

It seems to me that a 

movie about a slutty psycho 

nurse who lethally 

punishes misbehaving 

males in a variety of 

gruesomely imaginative ways should be a lot funnier—or 

funny at all. Paz de la Huerta (Enter the Void), my new 

least-favorite actress since Sharon Stone retired, does 

the title honors in this witless, self-satisfied, wink-wink, 

cult-movie-wannabe. (Note to filmmakers: You cannot 

prefab a cult movie; they happen on their own and no 

one knows why.) Her constant mugging negates any titillation 

that may be derived from her apparent disdain for 

clothing. I have no idea why it’s in 3-D. Japanese title: 

Mad Nurse. (84 min) 

NEW 

CHEF 

If you know anything 

about writer/director/ 

actor Jon Favreau’s 

career (starting with 

personal films such as 

Swingers and Made, then on to blockbusters like Iron 

Man and Cowboys and Aliens), this can be seen as a 

veiled autobiography. It’s the heartwarming tale of a 

talented chef quitting his job in a prestigious but unadventurous 

restaurant to get back to his creative culinary 

roots in a beat-up Cuban sandwich truck. Selling back 

in. Not a lot of drama here, but it’s knowledgeable and 

continually amusing; more a relaxed, slow-food cinematic 

meal, set to great salsa, R&B and funk music. 

Super cast. Japanese title: Chef: Mitsuboshi Food Truck 

Hajimemashita. (115 min) 

The Imitation Game: © 2014 BBP IMITATION, LLC; Good People: © 2013 GOOD PRODUCTIONS.INC; Drive Hard: © 2013 ODYSSEY FILM STUDIOS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD.; Predestination: © 2013 Predestination Holdings Pty Ltd, Screen Australia, 

Screen Queensland Pty Ltd and Cutting Edge Post Pty Ltd; Annabelle: © 2014 WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC. AND RATPAC-DUNE ENTERTAINMENT LLC; Nurse 3-D: © 2014 Lions gate Entertainment inc. All Rights Reserved.; Chef: © 

Merrick Morton; American Sniper: © 2014 VILLAGE ROADSHOW FILMS (BVI) LIMITED, WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC. AND RATPAC-DUNE ENTERTAINMENT LLC; The Fault in Our Stars: © 2014 TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX; Rudderless: © 

2014 Rudderless Productions LLC. All Rights Reserved.; Foxcatcher: Photo by Scott Garfield © MMXIV FAIR HILL LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.; The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Him/Her: © 2013 Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby, LLC. All Rights 

Reserved; Begin Again: © 2013 KILLIFISH PRODUCTIONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 

18

More reviews: metropolisjapan.com/movies 

AMERICAN SNIPER 

Like all the best war movies, 

the big political questions 

are left outside the 

frame. This is about the 

men in the trenches and 

the moral choices they face. The taut battle scenes are 

some of the best ever shot, cohesive and legible—even 

in a dust storm. Chris Kyle served four tours in Iraq and, 

as in The Hurt Locker, the most telling sequences occur 

back at home, between tours, when normal life seemed 

the aberration and the war real. Bradley Cooper’s performance 

is a deep and austere personal best, and 

Eastwood’s crisp, unfussy direction shows that he 

remains a master at 84. (134 min) 

THE FAULT IN OUR 

STARS 

Stay with me here, and 

don’t dismiss this spirited 

YA romance on its 

downer topic. Hazel and 

Gus—Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort, great chemistry—meet 

in a teens-with-cancer support group. They 

live in the present, because, well ... they don’t have a 

future. Reluctantly, they fall in love. The film is never 

maudlin or overtly manipulative (okay, a little in the last 

scenes), it earns the tears and offers honesty along with, 

yes, humor. The acting is superb, the characters are fully 

realized and the dialogue is sharp. Willem Dafoe shines 

in a subplot. This is what Nicholas Sparks keeps trying 

to do. Japanese title: Kitto, Hoshi no Sei Ja Nai. (125 min) 

RUDDERLESS 

William H. Macy’s directorial 

debut. When an 

ad exec’s (Billy Crudup) 

songwriter son is killed 

in a school shooting, 

the man goes into a two-year downward spiral until 

he comes across some of the talented boy’s demo 

CDs. He picks up a guitar and plays one at an openmic 

night, attracting the attention of sideman Anton 

Yelchin. A montage leads to the formation of the titular 

bar band. But some things are a bit puzzling, like why 

does he take credit for the songs rather than just tell 

the truth? A huge, jarring reveal an hour in knocks the 

film off course, and it never really recovers. Japanese 

title: Kimi ga Ikita Akashi. (105 min) 

FOXCATCHER 

Almost all comedic 

actors stray into drama 

at some point, but rarely 

do they so completely 

disappear into their characters 

(or earn Best Actor noms). In this warped character 

study, Steve Carell plays the hugely wealthy John 

E. Dupont, a socially inept man-child heir with mommy 

problems. A wrestling buff, he entices Olympic goldmedalists 

Mark and Dave Schultz (Channing Tatum and 

Mark Ruffalo) to train at his titular facility in the hope 

of catching some reflected glory. Things soon get seriously 

strange. (True story, but don’t Google it until later 

if you don’t know.) Gripping, chilling and deeply sad. 

(134 min) 

THE DISAPPEARANCE 

OF ELEANOR RIGBY: 

HIM/HER 

Two films examine the 

breakup and attempts 

to get back together of a 

married couple from the characters’ respective viewpoints. 

They want to know if they still have a future in the wake 

of some not-immediately-explained personal tragedy. 

The films’ success is due in part to the sure hand of firsttime 

director Ned Benson, a good script, and the skill of 

the actors. James McAvoy, sporting a flawless American 

accent, is the “him,” and the astounding Jessica Chastain 

the “her.” I’d nudge you toward seeing “him” first, because 

“her” serves to fill out the whole. Watch for the discrepancies. 

Japanese title: Love Stories: Conor no Namida and 

Eleanor no Aijō. (Him: 89 min, Her: 100 min) 

BEGIN AGAIN 

Director John Carney 

transplants the theme of 

his lovely 2006 Once to 

NYC with name actors. 

Keira Knightley plays a 

freshly dumped songwriter coerced into doing one personal, 

acoustic song in a noisy New York club. The only 

one listening is a drunken, washed-up music producer (a 

great Mark Ruffalo). In the film’s most memorable scene, 

her performance is replayed through his eyes, as his imagination 

adds sidemen only he can hear. The two begin a 

professional courtship that could save both their lives. 

Good music, appealing characters and a story just offbeat 

enough to keep you interested. Japanese title: Hajimari 

no Uta. (103 min) 

eiga 

© 花とアリス殺人事件製作委員会 

movie news 

© IMAGE.NET 

cinematic underground 

HANA TO ARISU 

SATSUJIN JIKEN 

By Rob Schwartz 

Japanese filmmakers 

seem intent on breaking 

down the barriers 

between live action and 

animation genres. Last 

issue’s Present for You, for example, mixed live action and 

claymation. This time, we have an animated prequel to the 

live action film Hana & Alice (2004) which uses rotoscoping 

to give a sense of realism. Directed by Shunji Iwai, the 

original Hana & Alice was a lovely coming-of-age drama 

which focused attention on actresses Yu Aoi (Alice) and 

Anne Suzuki (Hana), with Aoi going on to become a huge 

star. Iwai was actually tipped to become the next great 

Japanese director when he got five Japanese Academy 

Award nominations on his second film, Love Letter (1995). 

His major follow-up, Swallowtail Butterfly (1996), then 

nabbed eight noms and won Most Popular Film. But his star 

seemed to fade a bit (despite the challenging and heavy 

All About Lily Chou-Chou, 2001) and the original Hana & 

Alice was a return to form of sorts. The current piece, set in 

high school, shows how the young women developed their 

friendship and experienced first love. When a boy is murdered 

they set out to solve it. With this sweet and expressive 

film, Iwai has brilliantly jumped modes of expression, 

while retaining the essence of the original. Wonderful stuff. 

English title: The Case of Hana & Alice. (100 min) 

Makeup artists don’t always get the recognition 

they deserve in Hollywood. After all, if they’ve done 

their job properly, their handiwork should not be 

noticeable. They didn’t get their own regular Oscar 

award until the ’80s, and even today only three 

films are nominated rather than five as in other 

categories. One exception to this makeup reality 

is Rick Baker, who honed his skills on the set of 

The Exorcist and took home his first Oscar in 1982 

for creating the groundbreaking transformations 

in John Landis’ An American Werewolf in London. 

Since then, he’s picked up half a dozen more and 

a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His latest 

honor was a lifetime achievement award bestowed 

by Landis at the recent Make-up Artists and Hair 

Stylists Guild Awards. “I was just a kid who wanted 

to be a makeup artist, and that is still how I see 

myself. And I am just so pleased it happened,” Baker 

modestly said at the ceremony. As more directors 

turn to CGI to get their creatures, Baker’s realism 

remains in demand. He says one of his proudest 

accomplishments was the Bigfoot he created for 

Harry and the Hendersons. “That was nearly 30 

years ago,” he recalls “but if you go back and watch 

it today, many people still buy it.” Kevin Mcgue 

The French Institute (15 Ichigaya, Funagawaracho, 

Shinjuku-ku; www.institut.jp) presents recently restored 

prints of three films by Polish-born French director 

Jean Epstein, March 7-8. A film theorist and literary 

critic, Epstein applied avant-garde ideas to silent films, 

including an adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s The Fall of 

the House of Usher (1928; pictured). Film scholar Emilie 

Cauquy will lecture, in French, after the screenings … In 

sad news for cinema fans, Cinemart Roppongi (3-8-15 

Roppongi, Minato-ku; www.cinemart.co.jp/theater/roppongi) 

will close its doors in June. The four-screen theater 

opened in 2006 with the mission of bringing Asian 

films to Tokyo. Although it branched out over the years, 

it’s going back to its roots for its curtain call, starting 

March 7. Hits from the nine-year run being brought back 

include films starring Korean actors Kim Nam-gil, Jung 

Woo-sung, Kang Ji-hwan, Jang Keun-suk and Hyun Bin 

… Cinema Vera (1-5 Maruyamacho, Shibuya-ku; www. 

cinemavera.com) welcomes you to the world of “roman 

porno” director Tatsumi Kumashiro, March 7-April 3. 

Despite health problems, the prolific filmmaker churned 

out dozens of hits in the 1970s, satisfying the studio’s 

requirements for erotic content while developing his 

own manic style. Many of his most popular films will be 

shown from new 35mm prints. KM 

19

arts&culture 

MUSIC 

MOGWAI 

The amiable Scottish 

colossus enters 

its third decade 

BY DAN GRUNEBAUM 

Given the vaulting ambitions of their instrumental 

rock creations, Glasgow’s Mogwai 

have always been a remarkably humble 

bunch of guys. It’s with characteristic 

surprise that they reacted to seeing last year’s 

Rave Tapes become the band’s first-ever Top 

10 album in the U.K. 

“It was amazing,” says member Stuart Braithwaite. 

The guitarist and occasional vocalist is 

motoring from his girlfriend’s place in England 

back home to Scotland. “I guess it makes us a 

real band. Our music’s not very commercial, so 

to even be in that company shows that we’ve 

managed to reach a lot of people over the years 

and a lot of people stuck with us over the years, 

so it’s definitely something to celebrate. I’m not 

sure if we drank champagne, but there were 

definitely a few drinks involved.” 

Rave Tapes is arguably Mogwai’s most accessible 

outing to date. The monumental walls 

of guitar sound have largely given way to something 

more subtle and atmospheric. Tracked at 

the band's Castle Of Doom studio in Glasgow, 

songs like “Remurdered” and “Hexon Bogon” 

feature starkly simple—beautiful even—analog 

Courtesy of Hostess/Smash 

synth lines that may have given the 

band an in with fans of electronic 

music along the lines of Kraftwerk 

or Aphex Twin. 

Braithwaite is loath to ascribe 

the Top 10 ranking to the quintet’s 

new sonic direction. “To be honest, 

I think it was good timing,” he 

asserts in a pleasant brogue. “We 

were on tour when the record came 

out, playing a lot of shows. I think 

people were just ready for the record 

to come out.” 

The guitarist also makes the 

counterintuitive point that the 

growth of the internet has, while 

gutting album sales, helped the 

trajectory of noncommercial bands 

like Mogwai. When Metropolis first 

spoke to the group nine years ago, 

the web was already upending the 

music industry. 

“We couldn’t see how influential 

things like YouTube would be … 

Spotify changing the way we pay 

for music …” Braithwaite ventures. 

“It’s easier for people to discover 

bands now. When we first started there was a 

real struggle for bands to make more than a 

couple records if they didn’t sell. Now it’s the 

general public that defines what’s cool, rather 

ART 

INNER 

CYCLES 

Gabriel Orozco’s 

geometric interventions 

BY C.B.LIDDELL 

Contemporary art still has a lot of work to 

do in order to gain acceptance from the 

general public. This is the reason why the 

city’s main museum dedicated to it—the 

Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo—is usually 

the most peaceful and uncrowded. But if 

contemporary art is ever going to win a wider 

following, it’ll have to rely on talents like Gabriel 

Orozco, the major Mexican artist who is the subject 

of the museum’s latest solo show, “Gabriel 

Orozco: Inner Cycles.” 

While there’s an element of intellectual sophistication 

to much of what Orozco does, he 

also has an excellent aesthetic sense and, even 

more importantly, a great sense 

of humor. Humor, of course, can 

make us forgive many things— 

even contemporary art! 

Orozco’s aesthetic sense infuses 

much of his work, but is 

most apparent in his “atomist” 

works. These are large color 

prints—up to 6 by 10 feet—showing 

photographic blow-ups of 

images clipped from the sports 

pages of the Times newspaper. 

Hard-edged, abstract patterns of 

circles and oval shapes—usually 

subdivided into halves or quarters 

of contrasting colors—are 

superimposed. 

While the neatly arranged geometric 

designs partly obscure the 

action in scenes of soccer, cricket, 

rugby, or other sports, they also 

serve an analytical purpose, helping 

us realize the balance and 

composition of the image as well as the dynamic 

aspects. Reminiscent of the work of artists like 

Kazimir Malevich and Oskar Schlemmer, these 

La DS Cornaline (2013) 

Photo by C.B.Liddell 

“geometric interventions” also represent a synergy 

between figurative and abstract art. 

But while this is the most artistically impres- 

20

THERE WERE DEFINITELY A FEW 

DRINKS INVOLVED.” 

than music magazines or radio.” 

Braithwaite says what they’ve lost in album sales, 

they’ve made up for in listener growth. “I don’t think it’s 

more people buying our music, but it is more people listening 

to our music,” he stresses. “We made up for the drop in 

sales by touring a lot, playing a lot of shows and festivals.” 

Mogwai have toured Japan numerous times, and been 

a fixture of the Fuji Rock Festival, but the upcoming dates 

mark the band’s first visit in three years. The tour also sees 

the group celebrating its 20th year. 

How do they feel when they look back on their accumulated 

eight studio albums and numerous soundtracks? 

“Nostalgia really,” Braithwhaite ventures. “Every time you 

make a record it’s a document of the time it was made. 

Now we’re making music as adults, so when I go back to 

the old material, it reminds me of different, younger periods 

in my life.” 

Speaking with Braithwhaite, you get the sense that 

Mogwai have remained unsullied by the messiness of the 

music industry—and the demands of rock-star egos. “We 

get along pretty well, and we still like playing with each 

other,” he says. “We’re always mindful of how lucky we are. 

Even though it’s not always easy, there are people who have 

a hard time making a living, so we are appreciative. Music 

means everything to me. It’s my life’s work and my passion 

and I’m lucky enough to have it as a living.” 

7pm, Mar 9. EX Theater Roppongi. 

http://eplus.jp/mogwai15 

sive part of the show, it’s Orozco’s humor that’s dominant 

throughout. This is clear from the photographic works 

with which the show opens. In these, he finds new ways of 

looking at ordinary things, such as the rear end of a horse, 

which at first looks like some new alien creature, or a ball 

in a puddle of water that looks like the moon because of 

the reflected sky. 

With these photos, Orozco effortlessly manages to put 

an interesting spin on the familiar. In Waiting Chairs (1998), 

the lack of comfort of the chairs—as well as the length of 

the waiting periods—is hilariously emphasized by shooting 

them so as to emphasize the sweat and grease marks left 

on the wall behind and above the chairs. These are clearly 

too small for their intended purpose! 

These subtle but deeply ironic and funny images then 

lead to the show’s centrepiece, La DS Cornaline (2013), 

which deals with the idea of form and function. This is a 

Citroën car cut in thirds lengthwise, then reassembled 

with the middle piece missing. This effectively turns the 

vehicle into an unusable piece of junk, but in the process 

skilfully emphasizes the beauty of its lines and design. 

But just in case you think he is being too highfalutin 

with this work, in the same room he also includes a selfdeprecating 

afterthought—Noodle Fall (2014), which is 

just a used plastic instant noodle bowl stapled to the wall. 

Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo. Until May 10. 

1 TO 1: SAM SMITH AT THE 

SPEED OF SUCCESS 

BY DANIEL L. SMITH, FOX EXECUTIVE PRODUCER 

Things are starting to move pretty 

quickly around singer Sam Smith. 

Admittedly, winning four Grammy 

Awards this year for his breakout 

album, In The Lonely Hour, has helped 

quicken that pace. However, the singer 

admitted during our Fox Backstage 

Pass interview that after his whirlwind 

trip to Japan, he’s looking forward to 

slowing things down long enough for 

some customary brew. 

“I get to go home in a few days, which 

I’m excited about. I’m going to have a cup 

of tea—that’s what I am going to do,” the 

singer declared on his first intentions 

once he returns to his native London. 

That cup of tea has been on hold for 

a while. The artist is riding a wave of 

critical success since picking up Record 

of the Year and Song of the Year honors 

for his hit “Stay With Me,” as well as 

being named Best New Artist and Best 

Pop Vocal Album. 

While he appears to be traveling 

at the speed of sound, Smith said his 

journey to the top of the pop charts 

was more methodical than it appeared 

on the surface. 

“The rise to where I’ve gotten now 

doesn’t necessarily feel fast. The speed 

in which so many of my dreams have 

come true feels fast, but the work up 

until this point of getting my music 

heard was a long time in the making,” 

Smith explained. 

He added, “It’s tiring—but it feels 

amazing. I am living my dream and the 

opportunities I’m getting, and the things 

I am starting to do, is just amazing. It 

feels great!” 

The Grammy-winning singer said his 

agenda is full. 

“I am going to be touring for the 

rest of this year, just going around 

the world—which I am excited about! 

I’m constantly writing and thinking of 

things. I’ve got a concept for my next 

record. I think I’ve got a title, so I’m also 

excited about delving into that.” 

His songwriting is what’s set him 

apart from many of his contemporaries. 

He said personal drama fueled his emotions 

and gave his songs life. 

“I fell in love with someone who 

didn’t love me back. It wasn’t even a 

relationship. It was crazy. It affected 

about four of the songs—and that was 

it, really. The whole album is about the 

feeling of loneliness and I was not talking 

about one person, I was just talking 

about a feeling,” Smith mused. 

He said his road travels will also 

bring him back to Japan fairly quickly. 

“It’s my first time here. It’s amazing. 

I haven’t seen much. I have just been 

out to eat and it’s good food, which is 

great. Hopefully, when I come back in 

May, I’ll get to see a few more places. 

I would just love to see some Japanese 

countryside.” 

He’d have to slow his schedule 

down a bit to fulfill that dream! 

Fox Backstage Pass airs Sat on Fox at 1am; Sun on Fox Movies Premium at 

9am; and on Fox Sports and Entertainment at 11:30am. 

21

seven deadly sins 2014 

Don’t tear your hair 

out. Ever. Leave fury 

at bad hair behind at 

Sin Den. 

We are colour 

correction specialists. 

Sin Den 

Hair Makeup & Nails 

TEL03.3405.4409 

SINDEN.COM 

BOOK ONLINE NOW! 

Tel: 03-3796-2411 

relaxtokyo.com 

Now You Can Recharge 

in Roppongi 24/7/365 

Metropolis Promo 

60 & 120min courses now ¥1,000 off 

30min course ¥500 off 

Hotel 

IBIS 

Mos 

Burger 

Almond 

Soba shop 

Takoyaki shop 

Police box 

Roppongi-dori 

COURSES 

Body care 

30 min: ¥3,150 

60 min: ¥6,300 

(Early bird 6am-2pm ¥5,250) 

120 min: ¥12,600 

Oil massage 

(daytime only) 

60 min: ¥8,400 

120 min: ¥16,800 

March 2015 Membership Fee 

22

agenda 

WATCH LIST 

hot tickets 

MAR 30 

Fall Out Boy 

This ain’t a scene; it's the American 

pop-rock band’s Tokyo show with 

supporting act New Politics. You’ll 

thank them for the memories. Mar 

30, 7pm. ¥7,000. Studio Coast. 

Shin-Kiba. Tel: 03-3499-6669. 

http://j.mp/falloutboy2015 

Tickets on sale now 

MAR 30 

Ne-Yo 

The American R&B singer comes closer 

to perform a show that’s guaranteed 

to be “so sick.” Mar 30, 8pm. ¥9,000. 

Pacifico Yokohama. Minatomirai. Tel: 

03-3499-6669. http://j.mp/neyo2015 


APR 24-26 

Yo, Carmen 

María Pagés, the Queen of modern 

flamenco, takes an innovative 

approach to Carmen! Apr 24, 7pm; 

Apr 25, 3pm; Apr 26, 2pm. ¥8,000- 

12,000. Bunkamura Orchard Hall. 

Shibuya. Tel: 03-3477-9999. 

http://j.mp/yocarmen2015 


MAY 29-JUN 7 

Disney on Classic: Spring 

Gala 

Showcasing popular songs from 

Disney movies such as Snow White, 

The Little Mermaid, Cinderella and 

more. May 29-Jun 7, various times. 

¥7,000-8,700. Tokyu Theatre Orb. 

Shibuya. Tel: 03-3409-3345. 

http://j.mp/disneyspringgala2015 


for free 

MAR 11-13 

Akita Spring Fair 

Discover the allure of spring in Akita 

through specialty products. free 

sake tasting and more. Mar 11-13, 

11am-7pm. Free. TIC Tokyo Event 

Space. Tokyo. Tel: 0187-63-5226. 

Concerts 

POPULAR 

Judas Priest 

The heavy metal legends are 

back on turbo, bringing the 

rock show to Tokyo—and some 

heads definitely are going to 

roll. Mar 6, 7:30pm. ¥9,800- 

12,000. Ex Theater Roppongi. 

Roppongi or Nogizaka. 

Tel: 03-6406-2222. Mar 11, 

7pm. ¥8,000-9,800. Nippon 

Budokan. Kudanshita. 

http://j.mp/judas2015 

Mothercoat 

NG Vol. 5, one-man show. 

Mar 6, 8:30pm. ¥2,300 + 

1d (¥500). Shinjuku Jam. 

Higashishinjuku. Tel: 

03-3232-8168. http://meturl. 

com/mothercoat2015 

Erlend Øye & The 

Rainbows 

Norwegian musician Øye, 

best known for being a part 

of the indie folk duo Kings of 

Convenience, with British rock 

band The Rainbows. Mar 12, 

7pm. ¥5,800. Daikanyama 

Unit. Daikanyama. Tel: 

03-5459-8630. http://j.mp/ 

oye2015 

The Cinders Present: The 

Great Tohoku Earthquake 

Charity Event 

Charity gig with The 

Watanabes, The Cinders, 

Barely Regal and more. Mar 

14, 7-11pm. ¥1,000. Gamuso. 

Asagaya. Tel: 03-5364- 

9096. www.gamuso.com 

Lenny Kravitz 

The rock icon of the generation 

brings his funky riffs and jams 

to Tokyo. Are you gonna go 

his way? Mar 14, 6pm; Mar 15, 

5pm. ¥10,000-20,000. Tokyo 

International Forum Hall A. 

Yurakucho. Tel: 03-5221- 

9000. www.hipjpn.co.jp/live/ 

lenny 

Sub-Sonic Live 

Featuring English indie rock 

band The Charlatans with 

DJ Gakuji “Chabe” Matsuda. 

Mar 19, 7pm. ¥4,500. Tsutaya 

O-East. Shibuya. Tel: 

03-5458-4681. http://j.mp/ 

subsonic2015 

The Big Nothing: Angels & 

Demons 

A night of rock ‘n’ roll, drinks 

and fun! Mar 20, 8pm. 

¥2,300. Heaven’s Door. 

Sangenjaya. Tel: 03-3411- 

6774. http://http://j.mp/ 

angelsanddemons2015 

New Blue Death 

Seoul-based band whose 

indie rock with melodic pop 

sensibilities creates a sound 

that can be sometimes 

brooding and bittersweet. 

Mar 21. The Black Sheep. 

Ikebukuro. Tel: 03-3987- 

2289. Mar 22, Ruby Room. 

Shibuya. Tel: 03-3780-3022 

(evenings) / 070-6969- 

4816 (daytime). www. 

newbluedeathband.com 

Alexandra Stan 

Romanian singer-songwriter 

and model whose debut 

single “Lollipop (Param Pam 

Pam)” peaked at number 18 

in the Romanian Top 100. Mar 

26, 7:30pm. ¥6,500. Ebisu 

Garden Hall. Ebisu. Tel: 

03-5423-7111. http://j.mp/ 

alexandravictor 

Kindness 

Electronica and synthpop 

project of British singer 

Adam Bainbridge, freshly 

debuted in 2012. Mar 26, 

7:30pm. ¥6,000. Club 

Quattro. Shibuya. Tel: 

03-3477-8750. http://j.mp/ 

kindness2015 

Rhye 

R&B musical duo that initially 

began as an internet-based 

mystery, posting several 

singles online without 

providing any background 

information or contact details. 

Mar 30, 7:30pm. ¥6,000. 

Liquidroom. Ebisu. Tel: 

03-5464-0800. http://j.mp/ 

rhye2015 

Azealia Banks 

American rapper, singer 

and songwriter who came 

to prominence by topping 

NME’s Cool List in 2011 and 

finishing third in the Sound of 

2012. Mar 31, 8pm. ¥5,500. 

Tsutaya O-East. Shibuya. 

Tel: 03-5458-4681. http://j. 

mp/azealiabanks2015 

Mastodon 

American metal band whose 

songs feature progressive 

concepts and unique 

instrumentation. Apr 1, 7pm. 

¥7,500. Liquidroom. Ebisu. 

Tel: 03-5464-0800. http://j. 

mp/mastodon2015 

The New Flying Zabutons 

A short history of R&B, 

part one. Apr 3, 7-11pm. 

¥1,000. Rooster North Side. 

Ogikubo. www.ogikuborooster.com/north 

The Waterboys 

Band whose music is a mix of 

Celtic folk music with rock and 

roll. Apr 6, 7:30pm. ¥8,000. 

Club Quattro. Shibuya. Tel: 

03-3477-8750. http://j.mp/ 

waterboys2015 

JAZZ/WORLD 

Brittni Paiva 

Multi-award winning ukulele 

instrumentalist from Hawaii. 

Mar 6, 7pm; Mar 7, 6pm. 

¥4,800-7,000. Cotton Club. 

Tokyo. Tel: 03-3215-1555. 

http://j.mp/brittnipaiva2015 

Bob James Quartet 

Two-time Grammy 

Award-winning smooth jazz 

keyboardist James featuring 

Carlitos Del Puerto, Perry 

Hughes and Clarence Penn 

in celebration of James’ 75th 

birthday. Mar 6, 7 & 9:30pm; 

Mar 7, 5 & 8pm. ¥8,500. Blue 

Note Tokyo. Omotesando. 

Tel: 03-5485-0088. http://j. 

mp/jamesquartet2015 

David Dorantes 

Flamenco pianist who 

is praised for his bold, 

innovative approach to the 

piano. Dorantes offered 

piano as a solo instrument 

in flamenco almost 10 years 

ago, introducing a new 

way of expression for the 

classical instrument. Mar 

9, 7pm. ¥7,500. Blue Note 

Tokyo. Omotesando. Tel: 

03-5485-0088. http://j.mp/ 

dorantes2015 

Terumasa Hino 

Jazz trumpeter widely 

acknowledged as one of 

Japan’s finest jazz musicians, 

with John Beasley Group 

featuring James Genus, John 

Hart and Jeff “Train” Watts. 

Mar 10-11, 7 & 9:30pm. 

¥8,500. Blue Note Tokyo. 

Omotesando. Tel: 03-5485- 

0088. http://j.mp/hino2015 

Eldar Djangirov Trio 

Trio led by Grammy-nominated 

Kyrgyzstani-American jazz 

pianist Djangirov. Mar 10-12, 

6:30pm & 9pm. ¥6,800-9,000. 

Cotton Club. Tokyo. Tel: 

03-3215-1555. http://j.mp/ 

djangirovtrio2015 

Mehliana featuring Brad 

Mehldau and Mark Guiliana 

Synthesizer-oriented duo 

consisting of jazz pianist 

Mehldau and drummer 

Guiliana. Mar 12-13, 7 & 

9:30pm. ¥8,500. Blue Note 


03-5485-0088. http://j.mp/ 

mehliana2015 

Wayne Krantz with 

Anthony Jackson & Cliff 

Almond 

American modern jazz 

guitarist Krantz praised for his 

utilization of complex rhythms 

and harmonic concepts with 

Jackson on the bass and 

Almond on the drums. Mar 13, 

6:30 & 9pm; Mar 14, 5 & 8pm. 

¥7,800-10,000. Cotton Club. 

Tokyo. Tel: 03-3215-1555. 

http://j.mp/krantz2015 

The Puppini Sisters 

Retro harmony vocal trio 

composed of Italian singer 

Marcella Puppini and English 

singers Kate Mullins and 

Emma Smith. Mar 14-15, 5 

& 8pm. ¥7,800. Blue Note 


03-5485-0088. http://j.mp/ 

puppinisisters2015 

New Century Jazz Quintet 

Formed in New York, the 

Quintet aims to represent the 

current age of jazz through 

young people’s perspectives 

while still keeping their roots 

in traditional jazz. Mar 17-18, 

6:30 & 9pm. ¥6,000-8,000. 


03-3215-1555. http://j.mp/ 

newcenturyjazz2015 

Cassandra Wilson 

Grammy-winning, velvetvoiced 

jazz musician and 

singer-songwriter serenades 

audiences at the Blue Note. Mar 

17-19, 8pm. ¥8,800. Blue Note 


03-5485-0088. http://j.mp/ 

wilson2015 

Bobby McFerrin 

The reggae and jazz great 

reminds you to not worry—be 

happy. Mar 20 & 23, 7 & 

9:30pm; Mar 21-22, 5 & 8pm. 

¥12,800. Blue Note Tokyo. 


0088. http://j.mp/mcferrin2015 

Nettwork Trio 

Jazz, rock and funk trio with 

members Charnett Moffett, 

Stanley Jordan and Eric 

McPherson. Mar 25-27, 

6:30 & 9pm. ¥7,500-9,500. 


03-3215-1555. http://j.mp/ 

nettworktrio2015 

Helen Merrill 

Internationally known jazz 

vocalist who has recorded 

and performed with some of 

the most notable figures in 

the American jazz scene. Mar 

31-Apr 1 & Apr 3, 6:30 & 9pm; 

Apr 4, 5 & 8pm. ¥8,500. Blue 

Note Tokyo. Omotesando. 

Tel: 03-5485-0088. http://j. 

mp/merrill2015 

Gonzalo Rubalcaba 

Quartet 

Grammy Award-winning Cuban 

jazz pianist and composer’s 

tribute to Charlie Haden. 

Apr 5, 5 & 8pm; Apr 6-7, 7 & 

9:30pm. ¥8,500. Blue Note 


03-5485-0088. http://j.mp/ 

rubalcabaquartet2015 

Blue Mountain Boys 

Classic country western and 

bluegrass. Every third Sat, 6:30 

& 7:30pm. Free. Cafe Sepia. 

Shibuya. Tel: 03-3406-1300. 

www.nagaremono.com/sepia 

CLASSICAL 

Jean-Efflam Bavouzet 

Multi-award winning pianist 

who was named “Artist of the 

Year” at the 2012 International 

Classical Music Awards. Mar 

11, 7pm. ¥6,000. Yamaha 

Ginza Hall. Ginza. Tel: 

03-3572-3171. http://j.mp/ 

jean-efflam2015 

Tokyo Vivaldi Ensemble 

Viva Vivaldi! Mar 14, 3pm. 

¥4,000-5,000. Italian Cultural 

Institute. Kudanshita. Tel: 

03-3264-6011. http://vivaldi.jp 

Boris Giltburg 

Israeli classical pianist 

who won the second 

prize at the 2002 Paloma 

O’Shea International Piano 

Competition in Spain, where 

he performed Bartók’s Third 

Piano Concerto. Mar 18, 

7pm. ¥5,000. Toppan Hall. 

Iidabashi. Tel: 03-5840- 

2200. http://j.mp/giltburg2015 

Los Angeles Philharmonic 

Conducted by Gustavo 

Dudamel, winner of the 

prestigious The City of Toronto 

Glenn Gould Protégé Prize. 

Mar 28, 6pm. ¥9,000-26,000. 

Suntory Hall. Roppongiitchome. 

Tel: 0570-55-0017. 

http://j.mp/laphil2015 

Michinoku Wind 

Orchestra 

A music aid concert for high 

school brass band clubs in 

the coastal region of Iwate 

prefecture. Apr 1, 5pm. Free 

(admittance by lottery). 

Suntory Hall. Roppongiitchome. 

Tel: 0570-55-0017. 

http://j.mp/michinoku2015 

Vittorio Grigolo 

Italian operatic tenor who 

was chosen to become part 

of the Sistine Chapel Choir 

as a soloist at 13. Apr 5, 2pm. 

¥15,000-18,500. Tokyo Opera 

City Concert Hall. Hatsudai 

or Shinjuku. Tel: 03-5353- 

9999. www.operacity.jp/en 

Clubbing 

FRIDAY 6 

Microcosmos 

John’s World. All good music: 

DJ Jonny and more. From 

12am. ¥1,000. Shibuya. 

Tel: 03-5784-5496. www. 

microcosmos-tokyo.com 

MAR 14 

Matsuri Digital presents 

TIMELESS 

We invite you to a huge 

indoor trance/techno 

festival at Tokyo’s biggest 

club. Astral Projection, 

System 7, Dachambo, and 

many more! Mar 14, 11pm. 

AgeHa. Shinkiba. ¥3,300 

(adv)/¥4,000 (door). http:// 

timeless.peatix.com 

The New Matrix Bar 

Matrix Friday. Old-school 

hip-hop, west side, south 

side, all mix: DJ Ykk and more. 

From 6pm. ¥1,000 (after 

11:30pm). Roppongi. www. 

matrixbar.jp 

Air 

Eureka! House: DJs Detroit 

Swindle, Sauce81, etc. From 

10pm. ¥3,000. Shibuya. 

Tel: 03-5784-3384. www. 

air-tokyo.com 

Sound Museum Vision 

Modern Disco. Disco: DJs 

Falcon, Taar, etc. From 10pm. 

(m)¥3,500 w/1d, (f)¥3,000 

w/1d. Shibuya. Tel: 

03-5728-2824. www.visiontokyo.com 

The Room 

Breakthrough. Hip-hop: 

DJs Jin, Ladi Dadi, etc. 

From 10pm. ¥2,500 w/ 1d. 

Shibuya. www.theroom.jp 

T2 

Shibuya Mixx. EDM: Various 

DJs. From 10pm. (m)¥3,500 

w/ 1d, (f)¥2,500 w/2d. 

Shibuya. Tel: 03-5428- 

8692. www.t2-shibuya.com 

Ageha 

Agepa. All mix, EDM: DJs 

Marc Panther, U5, etc. From 

11pm. (m)¥3,000 w/1d, 

(f)free. Shinkiba. Tel: 

03-5534-2525. www.ageha. 

com 

Womb 

Sterne. Techno: DJs Butch, 

Ishino, etc. From 11pm. ¥3,500. 

Shibuya. Tel: 03-5459-0039. 

www.womb.co.jp 

Daikanyama Unit 

Bonobo. DJ Bonobo and 

more. From 11:30pm. ¥3,500. 

Daikanyama. Tel: 03-5459- 

8630. www.unit-tokyo.com 

23

Liquidroom 

New Build. Electronic: DJs 

Objekt, Nobu, etc. Live: 

Shackleton. From 11:30pm. 

¥4,000. Ebisu. Tel: 03-5464- 

0800. www.liquidroom.net/ 

Ele 

Vicetone. The popular Dutch 

EDM duo’s first visit to Japan. 

From 10pm. ¥4,000 w/2d 

(men)/women free. Azabu 

Juban. Tel: 03-5572-7535. 

http://eletokyo.com/ 

SATURDAY 7 


Saturday Night Fever. Hip-hop, 

R&B, reggae: DJ Ykk and 

more. From 6pm. ¥1,000 (after 

10pm). Roppongi. www. 

matrixbar.jp 


Hyper Society. Techno: DJs 

Tanaka, Nishizawa, etc. From 

10pm. (m)¥3,500 w/1d, 

(f)¥3,000 w/1d. Shibuya. Tel: 

03-5728-2824. www.visiontokyo.com 

The Room 

Exchange. SoulSoul, crossover: 

DJs Shuya Okino, Hirose, etc. 

Live: Root Soul. From 10pm. 

¥2,500 w/1d. Shibuya. www. 

theroom.jp 

T2 


DJs. From 10pm. (m)¥3,500 w/ 

1d, (f)¥2,500 w/ 2d. Shibuya. 

Tel: 03-5428-8692. www. 

t2-shibuya.com 

Ageha 

Alchemy. Techno: DJs Mauro 

Picotto, Yosa, etc. From 11pm. 

¥3,500. Shinkiba. Tel: 

03-5534-2525. www.ageha. 

com 

Club Asia 

Awapa. House, techno: DJs 

Yummy, Takeru, etc. From 

11pm. (m)¥3,500, (f)¥2,500. 

Shibuya. Tel: 03-5458-2551. 

www.clubasia.co.jp 

Ucess the Lounge 

02:31. House, techno: DJs 

Tom Shorterz, Andy Bell, 

etc. From 11pm. ¥2,500. 

Meiji-jingūmae. Tel: 

03-6807-1588. www.ucess.jp 

Womb 

06s. Drum’n‘bass: DJs Ed Rush, 

Aki, etc. From 11pm. ¥3,500. 

Shibuya. Tel: 03-5459-0039. 



Anemone. Electronic, ambient: 

DJs Neel, Koba, etc. Live: In 

Aeternam Vale. From 11:30pm. 

¥3,500 w/1d. Daikanyama. 

Tel: 03-5459-8630. www. 

unit-tokyo.com 

Microcosmos 

Superb. All good music: DJs 

Hal, Toyo, etc. From 12am. 

¥2,000 w/1d. Shibuya. 

Tel: 03-5784-5496. www. 

microcosmos-tokyo.com 

SUNDAY 8 

The Room 

Em. Nu classic: DJs Sazanami, 

Cbtek, etc. 5-11pm. ¥2,000 

w/1d. Shibuya. www. 

theroom.jp 

MONDAY 9 

Ruby Room 

Mad. DJs: Shiraishi, Bal, 

etc. From 9pm. (m)¥1,000, 

(f)¥1,000 w/ 1d. Shibuya. 

Tel: 03-3780-3022 (evenings) 

/ 070-6969-4816 (daytime). 

www.rubyroomtokyo.com 

Air 

Cruz Fade. House, techno: 

DJs Perrier, Rena Chino, etc. 

From 10pm. ¥2,500 w/1d. 

Shibuya. Tel: 03-5784-3384. 

www.air-tokyo.com 

T2 

T2 Monday. EDM: Various DJs. 

From 10pm. (m)¥2,500 w/ 2d, 

(f)¥1,500 w/ 2d. Shibuya. 

Tel: 03-5428-8692. www. 


Womb 

Zero Gravity. Drum’n‘bass, 

electro: DJs Signal, Soramame, 

etc. From 10pm. ¥1,500 w/1d. 

Shibuya. Tel: 03-5459-0039. 


TUESDAY 10 

Ruby Room 

Open Mic. From 7pm. ¥1,000 

w/ 2d. Shibuya. Tel: 

03-3780-3022 (evenings) / 

070-6969-4816 (daytime). 

www.rubyroomtokyo.com 

Air 

The Choice. House, techno: DJs 

Den, Ryokei, etc. From 10pm. 

¥2,000 w/1d. Shibuya. Tel: 

03-5784-3384. www.air-tokyo. 

com 

T2 

Super Tuesday. EDM: Various 

DJs. From 10pm. (m)¥2,500 

w/2d, (f)¥1,500 w/2d. 

Shibuya. Tel: 03-5428-8692. 

www.t2-shibuya.com 

Womb 

Tuemix. EDM, Top 40: DJs 

Alpha One, Ashlay, etc. From 

10pm. (m)¥1,500, (f)free. 

Shibuya. Tel: 03-5459-0039. 


The Room 

In the Jungle Groove. Afro 

beats: DJs Osada, Sato, etc. 

Live: Far East Love Afrobeats 

Musician. 7-11pm. ¥2,000 

w/ 1d. Shibuya. www. 

theroom.jp 

WEDNESDAY 11 

T2 

Shibuya Girls Party. EDM: 

Various DJs. From 10pm. 

(m)¥2,500 w/2d, (f)¥1,500 

w/2d. Shibuya. Tel: 03-5428- 

8692. www.t2-shibuya.com 

Womb 

Wedm. EDM: DJs Hiroki, 

Ikezawa, etc. From 10pm. 

(m)¥1,500, (f) free. Shibuya. 

Tel: 03-5459-0039. www. 

womb.co.jp 

The Room 

The Room Bar. Bar style: DJs 

Saitou, Mihiro, etc. 7-11pm. 

Free. Shibuya. www. 

theroom.jp 

THURSDAY 12 

Air 

3h. House, techno: DJ Haioka 

and more. From 10pm. 

¥2,000 w/ 1d. Shibuya. Tel: 

03-5784-3384. www.air-tokyo. 

com 

T2 

Happiness. World mix: Various 

DJs. From 10pm. (m)¥2,500 w/ 

2d, (f)¥1,500 w/ 2d. Shibuya. 

Tel: 03-5428-8692. www. 


Womb 

Pop Girls. EDM, Top 40: DJs 

Su-Pyi, Lirica, etc. From 10pm. 

(m)¥1,500, (f)free. Shibuya. 

Tel: 03-5459-0039. www. 

womb.co.jp 

The Room 

Tokyo Jazz Punx. DJ Tsuyoshi 

Sato. 7-11pm. ¥2,000. 


Club Asia 

Orange. All mix: DJ Pororocks 

and more. From 11pm. ¥1,000. 

Shibuya. Tel: 03-5458-2551. 

www.clubasia.co.jp 

FRIDAY 13 


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 

Ucess the Lounge 

A-1 Lounge. Nice and easy 

music: DJs Muro, Magara, 

etc. From 7pm. ¥1,000. 

Meiji-jingūmae. Tel: 

03-6807-1588. www.ucess.jp 


Girls Festival. Hip-hop: DJs 

Kaori, Ueno, etc. From 10pm. 

(m)¥3,500 w/1d, (f)free. 

Shibuya. Tel: 03-5728-2824. 

www.vision-tokyo.com 

T2 


DJs. From 10pm. (m)¥3,500 

w/1d, (f)¥2,500 w/2d. 

Shibuya. Tel: 03-5428-8692. 

www.t2-shibuya.com 

Ageha 

Asobinite. Electro, house: DJs 

Nakata, Tanaka, etc. From 

11pm. ¥4,000. Shinkiba. 

Tel: 03-5534-2525. www. 

ageha.com 


Body. Various DJs. Live: The 

Novembers and more. From 

11pm. ¥4,000. Daikanyama. 

Tel: 03-5459-8630. www. 

unit-tokyo.com 

The Room 

Destination. Broken beats, 

deep house: DJs Oka, Sayuri, 

etc. From 11pm. ¥2,000 w/1d. 


Club Asia 

Jumper. EDM: DJs Remo-Con, 

Hikaru, etc. From 11pm. 

(m)¥3,000, (f)¥1,000 w/2d. 

Tel: 03-5458-2551. www. 

clubasia.co.jp 

Womb 

Future Boyz. EDM, electro: 

DJs Erie, Komori, etc. From 

11pm. (m)¥3,500, (f)¥2,500. 

Shibuya. Tel: 03-5459-0039. 


SATURDAY 14 

Acid 

Do You Remember the First 

Time? Indie and Britpop club 

night: come along and dance 

like it’s 1995. 7pm-12am. 

¥1,000 w/ 2d. Koenji. Tel: 

03-3316-0303. http://http://j. 

mp/doyouremember2015 

Dance 

Dance Archives in Japan 

This project aims to 

revisit the origins of 

Western-style dance in 

Japan and reconsider the 

current state and future of 

dance by presenting works 

by Japanese pioneers in 

creative dance. Mar 7-8, 3pm. 

¥3,240-6,480. New National 

Theatre Tokyo. Hatsudai. 

Tel: 03-5352-9999. http://j. 

mp/dancearchives2015 

Giselle 

Performed by the Tokyo 

Ballet, a romantic ballet 

about a peasant girl who 

dies of a heart failure after 

discovering her lover is 

betrothed to another. Mar 

12-13, 7pm; Mar 14-15, 

2pm. ¥3,000-10,000. U-Port 

Hall. Osaki-Hirokoji. Tel: 

03-3494-1840. http://j.mp/ 

giselle2015 

Tango Fire: Flames of 

Desire 

Presented by the Tango 

Fire Company of Buenos 

Aires and choreographed 

24

y critically acclaimed 

Argentine choreographer 

and dancer German Cornejo, 

with the individual couples 

choreographing their own 

solos and Cornejo refining 

the steps as is traditional 

in the world of Argentine 

Tango. Mar 14, 2 & 7pm; 

Mar 15, 2pm. ¥4,800-8,800. 

Theatre Orb. Shibuya. Tel: 

03-3477-9999. http://j.mp/ 

tangofire2015 

Cinderella 

Ballet composed by Sergei 

Prokofiev and performed 

by the K-Ballet Company. 

Mar 18, 3pm; Mar 19-20 & 

22, 2pm; Mar 21, 12:30 & 

4:30pm. ¥6,000-13,500. 

Bunkamura. Shibuya. Tel: 

03-3477-9111. http://j.mp/ 

kballetcinderella2015 

Romeo and Juliet 

Performed by the Scottish 

Ballet Company. Mar 26, 

7pm; Mar 27, 2 & 7pm; Mar 

28, 2pm. ¥6,000-12,000. 

Bunkamura. Shibuya. Tel: 

03-3477-9111. http://j.mp/ 

scottishballet2015 

NHK Ballet no Kyōen 

Japan’s best ballet 

companies and dancers 

gather to perform 

contemporary pieces, as well 

as classics such as Carmen 

and Sleeping Beauty. Mar 

28, 5pm. ¥3,000-12,000. 

NHK Hall. Harajuku 

or Meiji-jingūmae. Tel: 

03-3465-1751. http://j.mp/ 

nhkballet2015 

Stage 

MAR 20, 21 

OM-2: Opus No. 9 

Unique and full of surprises, 

drum, body percussion, tap 

and voice carry you beyond 

the usual theatre experience 

to a place where body and 

rhythm are intertwined. Mar 

20, 7:30pm, Mar 21, 3:30pm. 

¥2,800 (adv)/¥3,300 

(door). Nippori Sunny Hall. 

Nippori. http://om-2.com. 

Manon Lescaut 

Puccini’s opera about a 

free-willed and beautiful 

maiden Manon, and how 

the Chevalier des Grieux’s 

pure love for her ruins his 

life. Mar 9 & 12, 7pm; Mar 

15, 18 & 21, 2pm. ¥5,400- 

27,000. New National Theatre 

Tokyo. Hatsudai. Tel: 

03-5352-9999. http://j.mp/ 

lescaut2015 

Seiji Ozawa Music 

Academy Opera Project 

XIII 

Featuring Ravel’s L’enfant et 

les sortileges performed by the 

Seiji Ozawa Music Academy 

Orchestra. Mar 24, 7pm. 

¥8,000-18,000. Tokyo Bunka 

Kaikan. Ueno. Tel: 03-3828- 

2111. www.t-bunka.jp/en/ 

La Forza del Destino 

Opera by Verdi about the 

cruel fates and bloody 

end of the daughter of a 

Spanish Marquis, Leonora; 

the descendant of the royal 

family of the Inca Empire, 

Don Alvaro; and Leonora’s 

brother, Don Carlo. Apr 2 & 8, 

6:30pm; Apr 5, 11 & 14, 2pm. 

¥3,240-21,600. New National 

Theatre Tokyo. Hatsudai. 

Tel: 03-5352-9999. http://j. 

mp/destino2015 

Exhibitions 

FEB 26-MAR 17 

Sumi et Blanc 

Sumi-e is a black-and-white 

painting created with black 

ink called “sumi.” Enjoy 

the modern sumi-e world 

created by both fantasy and 

reality. Free. Until Mar 17, 

6am-10pm (closes at 3pm 

on last day). NAA Art Gallery, 

Narita International Airport, 

5F Central Bldg., Terminal 1. 

Narita Airport. 

www.sumietblanc.com 

ENDING SOON 

Explore! Experience! Edo- 

Tokyo 

Explore the cultural and artistic 

history of the flourishing 

capital. Until Mar 8, 9:30am- 

5:30pm (until 7:30pm on Sat), 

closed Mon. ¥120-240 (adv)/ 

¥150-300 (door). Edo-Tokyo 

Museum. Ryogoku. Tel: 

03-3626-9974. http://meturl. 

com/edotokyomuseum 

Katagaki no Nai Jinsei 

Showcasing works by the late 

calligrapher and poet Mitsuo 

Aida in honor of the 90th 

anniversary since his birth. 

Until Mar 8, 10am-5:30pm, 

closed Mon. ¥200-800. Mitsuo 

Aida Museum. Tel: 03-6212- 

3200. http://meturl.com/mitsuo 

Guams 8 Exhibition 

Showcasing paintings, 

drawings and writing by the 

8th graduating class of Guams. 

Until Mar 8, 10am-6pm. 

Free. Gallery Marumikyoya. 

Asakusa. Tel: 03-3841-9711. 

http://gallerymarumikyoya.com 

Robin Fry: Gardens 

An exhibition of new paintings 

by Fry, a Berlin-based 

Canadian artist known as 

an abstract painter and 

performing artist. Until Mar 

8, 1-7pm, closed Mon & 

Tue. Free. Hiromart Gallery. 

Edogawabashi. Tel: 

03-6233-9836. http://j.mp/ 

gardens2015 

Masayuki Harada: Not 

knowing that it was 

yesterday 

Up-and-coming artist who 

uses household appliances, 

furniture, plants, food and 

other daily goods and 

transforms them to create 

a space that is out of the 

ordinary. Until Mar 8, 5-11pm 

on Mon; 1-7pm Fri-Sun; closed 

Tue-Thu. Free. Waitingroom. 

Ebisu. Tel: 03-3476-1010. 

www.waitingroom.jp 

Iron∞Man 

A group exhibition by the 

artist group Iron∞Man which 

demonstrates their uniqueness 

in the contemporary art world 

by presenting kinetic works 

using light and shadow, 

which create a fantastical and 

unrealistic world. Until Mar 8, 

12-8pm, closed Mon & every 

last Sun. Free. Hpgrp Gallery. 


1507. http://hpgrpgallery. 

com/tokyo 

The Great Tsunami of 

March 11, 2011 and the 

Restoration of Cultural 

Properties 

After the Great East Japan 

Earthquake, the Tokyo 

National Museum cooperated 

with institutions, including 

the Rikuzentakata City 

Museum, and the Iwate 

Prefectural Museum to restore 

damaged cultural properties. 

The exhibition shares the 

results of four years of effort 

and informs visitors of the 

restoration project’s current 

status. Until Mar 15, 9:30am- 

5pm, closed Mon. ¥410-620. 

Tokyo National Museum. 

Ueno. http://meturl.com/ 

greattsunami2015 

New-wave Artists 2015: 

From the Public Entry 

Exhibition 

An exhibition introducing 

five up-and-coming artists of 

great promise, selected from 

among artists appearing in 

“Best Selection 2014.” Until 

Mar 15, 9:30am-5:30pm. 

¥300-500. Tokyo Metropolitan 

Art Museum. Ueno. Tel: 

03-3823-6921. http://j.mp/ 

newwave2015 

Rufus Lin: I am Music 

Fine art and funky illustrations 

from Canadian artist Rufus 

Lin. Until Mar 19, 10am-8pm 

(weekdays); 10am-6pm 

(weekends). Free. G-Ring LLC 

Cafe and Bar. Roppongi. 

Tel: 03-6844-4960. http:// 

rufuslinstudio.com 

ONGOING 

Barkira: Akira Meets The 

Simpsons Mash-Up 

Worldwide Art Project, 

Volume 3 

A mash-up of “Akira” and 

the characters and setting 

from The Simpsons. Mar 7-21, 

1-7pm. Free. Gallery Hakusen. 

Asagaya. www.bartkira.com 

Sense Modern 

Showcasing works by Yozo 

Hamaguchi, a printmaker 

widely known as the artist who 

gave new life to mezzotint. 

Until Mar 22, 11am-5pm, 

closed Mon. ¥200-600. Musée 

Hamaguchi Yozo: Yamasa 

Collection. Suitengumae. 

Tel: 03-3665-0251. www. 

yamasa.com/musee/en/ 

Kishio Suga: Situated 

Latency 

An artist of the Monoha 

movement that flourished in 

the years before and after 

1970, who uses stone, wood 

and sheet metal to create 

installations which consist 

not merely of the relationship 

between substances, but 

also of the minute and free 

relational structure between 

the space and materials 

as an object. Until Mar 22, 

10am-6pm, closed Mon. 

¥600-1,100. Museum of 

Contemporary Art Tokyo. 

Kiyosumi-Shirakawa. www. 

mot-art-museum.jp/eng/ 

Constellations: Practices 

for Unseen Connections/ 

Discoveries 

The theme for this exhibition 

is “to draw invisible lines 

and to connect dots,” by 

introducing works that 

link different “places” and 

“times,” going beyond existing 

borders to spin together 

new relationships. Until 

Mar 22, 10am-6pm, closed 

Mon. ¥600-1,100. Museum 

of Contemporary Art Tokyo. 

Kiyosumi-Shirakawa. www. 

mot-art-museum.jp/eng/ 

Wonder Seeds 

An open call exhibition aimed 

to select and sell potential 

works of young artists, 

providing an opportunity to 

connect young artists and art 

lovers/collectors. Until Mar 

22, 11am-7pm. Free. Tokyo 

Wonder Site. Shibuya. Tel: 

03-3463-0603. http://j.mp/ 

wonderseeds2015 

Cute Girls in Ukiyo-e 

Featuring ukiyo-e paintings of 

Edo women and their luxurious 

and colorful kimonos, hair 

ornaments and accessories. 

Until Mar 26, 10:30am-5:30pm, 

closed Mon. ¥500-700. 

Ukiyo-e Ota Memorial Museum 

of Art. Harajuku. Tel: 

03-3403-0880. www.ukiyoeota-muse.jp 

Film History in Posters Part 

2: Musical Films 

Showcasing the original 

posters of the postwar films 

from the collection of Makoto 

Wada, a famous illustrator, 

this exhibition will trace the 

descent of musical films, 

which played a significant role 

in movie history. Until Mar 29, 

11am-6:30pm, closed Mon. 

¥70-210. National Film Center. 

Kyobashi. www.momat. 

go.jp/english 

Neo-Impressionism, from 

Light to Color 

Introducing the trend of 

“Neo-Impressionism,” a 

movement that progressed 

with innovative painting which 

linked to the 20th century, 

and which developed a style 

of brightly portraying the real 

world onto picture frames, 

based on the latest light and 

color theories. Until Mar 29, 

9:30am-5:30pm (until 8pm on 

Fri), closed Mon. ¥800-1,600. 

Tokyo Metropolitan Art 

Museum. Ueno. Tel: 

03-3823-6921. http://j.mp/ 

neoimpressionism2015 

Jules Pascin 

Displaying Pascin’s best-known 

later works, such as his nude 

oil paintings in mother-of-pearl 

tones, as well as his early 

sketches and watercolors 

and experiments in printing, 

Fauvism and Expressionism. 

Until Mar 29, 10am-6pm, closed 

Wed. ¥500-1,000. Shiodome 

Museum. Shimbashi. Tel: 

03-5777-8600. http://meturl. 

com/pascin2015 

Swiss Design 

Showcasing the distinct 

sophistication and quality of 

Swiss design that sets the 

country apart in functionality, 

tradition, engineering and 

hands-on craftsmanship. Until 

Mar 29, 11am-7pm (until 8pm 

on Fri & Sat), closed Mon. 

¥1,000-1,200. Tokyo Opera City 

Art Gallery. Hatsudai. http:// 

meturl.com/swissdesign2015 

Ken Miki: Apple + 

Showcasing works by graphic 

designer Miki, known for his 

original designs, and who has 

worked on projects for IBM 

Japan, ThinkPad and more. 

Until Mar 31, 11am-7pm (until 

6pm on Sat), closed Sun & hols. 

Free. Ginza Graphic Gallery. 

Ginza. http://meturl.com/ 

ginzagraphicgallery 

Masterpieces of Buddhist 

Sculpture from Northern 

Japan 

Showcasing Buddhist 

sculptures from Michinoku 

famous for their powerful 

expressions. Until Apr 5, 

9:30am-5pm, closed Mon. 

¥400-1,000. Tokyo National 

Museum. Ueno. http:// 

michinoku2015.jp 

Bodhisattvas: Symbols of 

Salvation and Support 

Showcasing sculptures 

and paintings depicting 

Bodhisattvas, or deities who, 

despite having attained 

enlightenment for themselves, 

willingly descend into the 

human realm, where they 

face the joys and sorrows 

of human life and extend a 

hand in salvation. Mar 7-Apr 

6, 10am-5pm, closed Mon. 

¥700-900 (adv)/ ¥800-1,000 

(door). Nezu Museum. 


2536. www.nezu-muse.or.jp/en 

Fantaisie Merveilleuse 

Introducing the richly 

imaginative, but relatively 

unknown, Art Deco world by 

focusing on 80 works shown 

for the first time in Japan. Until 

Apr 7, 10am-6pm. ¥480-960 

(adv)/ ¥600-1,200 (door). Tokyo 

Metropolitan Teien Art Museum. 

Meguro. Tel: 03-3443-0201. 

www.teien-art-museum. 

ne.jp/en/ 

Mikiko Kumazawa: Howl 

Showcasing young and up-andcoming 

artist Kumazawa’s 

latest works. Mar 11-Apr 11, 

11am-7pm, closed Sun, Mon & 

hols. Free. Mizuma Art Gallery. 

Ichigaya. Tel: 03-3793-7931. 

http://mizuma-art.co.jp 

Pictorialism: Prelude to 

Modern Photography 

An exhibition focusing on one of 

the most important movements 

in the historical development 

of modern photography. Until 

Apr 30, 10am-7pm. Free. 

Fujifilm Square. Roppongi. 

Tel: 03-6271-3350. http://j.mp/ 

pictorialism2015 

Great Fake Exposition: 

Cultural history of fakes 

and imitation 

Showcasing the world of fake 

and imitation articles and 

the relationship between 

them and their genuine 

counterparts. Mar 10-May 

6, 9:30am-4:30pm, closed 

Mon. ¥450-830. National 

Museum of Japanese History. 

Keisei-Sakura. http://j.mp/ 

greatfakeexposition2015 

Best of the Best 

The last exhibition before the 

museum closes for renovation 

on May 18, showcasing 

160 works of modern and 

contemporary Western art. Until 

May 17, 10am-6pm (until 8pm 

on Fri), closed Mon. ¥500-800. 

Bridgestone Museum of 

Art. Tokyo. Tel: 03-5777- 

8600. http://meturl.com/ 

bestofthebest2015 

Intimate Impressionism 

from the National Gallery of 

Art, Washington 

Works by Renoir, Manet, 

Monet and others chosen 

by Ailsa Mellon, daughter of 

Andrew Mellon, founder of the 

National Art Gallery. Until May 

24, 10am-6pm (until 8pm on 

Fri), closed Mon. ¥1,400 (adv)/ 

¥500-1,600 (door). Mitsubishi 

Ichigokan Museum. Tokyo. 

Tel: 03-5405-8686. http://mimt. 

jp/english/ 

Louvre Museum 

With works by Vermeer, 

Rembrandt and others. Until 

Jun 1, 10am-6pm, closed Tue. 

¥800-1,600. The National Art 

Center, Tokyo. Nogizaka. 

www.ntv.co.jp/louvre2015/ 

english/ 

The Great Amazon 

Featuring over 400 exhibits 

and a 4K theater experience 

where you can travel to the 

Amazon through a 355-inch 

large-scale screen. Mar 14-Jun 

14, 9am-5pm (until 8pm on 

Fri), closed Mon. ¥600-1,600. 

National Museum of Nature 

and Science. Ueno. Tel: 

03-3822-0111. http://j.mp/ 

thegreatamazon2015 

UPCOMING 

Osaka Expo ’70 Design 

Project 

Held under the theme of 

“Progress and Harmony 

for Mankind,” the 1970 

Osaka Expo (Japan World 

Exposition) is remembered 

as a national event in Japan 

in the years of spectacular 

economic growth. This 

exhibition presents an entire 

picture of the design work 

for the 1970 Expo. Mar 

20-May 17, 10am-5pm (until 

8pm on Fri), closed Mon. 

¥130-430 (free admission on 

Apr 5 & May 3). The National 

Museum of Modern Art, 

Tokyo. Takebashi. Tel: 

03-5777-8600. http://j.mp/ 

osakaexpo2015 

Fukagawa in the Snow: 

The Reappearance of an 

Utamaro Masterpiece 

Showcasing works by 

Utamaro, who is one of 

the most highly-regarded 

practitioners of the ukiyo-e 

genre of woodblock prints, 

especially for his portraits 

of beautiful women, or 

bijin-ga. Apr 3-Aug 31, 

9am-5pm. ¥1,800-2,800. 

Okada Museum of Art. 

Kowakidani. Tel: 0460-87- 

3931. www.okada-museum. 

com/en/ 

TDC Exhibition 

Ginza Graphic Gallery’s 

annual exhibition showcasing 

the results of the Tokyo 

TDC Awards held by the 

Tokyo Type Directors 

Club. Apr 3-28, 11am-7pm, 

closed Sun & hols. Free. 

Ginza Graphic Gallery. 

Ginza. http://meturl.com/ 

ginzagraphicgallery 

Kataoka Tamako 

Japanese-style painter who 

uses vivid colors and boldly 

deformed shapes, and paints 

using powerful brushwork. 

Apr 7-May 17, 10am-5pm 

(until 8pm on Fri), closed 

Mon. ¥300-1,200 (adv)/ 

¥400-1,400 (door). The 

National Museum of Modern 

Art, Tokyo. Takebashi. 

Tel: 03-5777-8600. http:// 

tamako2015.exhn.jp 

The Beauty of Asian Art 

Showcasing prehistoric 

and ancient masterpieces 

from China, Korea and 

Southeast Asia. Apr 11-Jun 

14, 10am-5pm, closed 

Mon. ¥700-1,000. Idemitsu 

Museum of Arts. Tokyo. 

www.idemitsu.com/museum/ 

honkan 

The Ceramic Works of 

Rouault and the Fauvists 

Introducing ceramic works 

created by some of the great 

French artists of the early 20th 

century, including Georges 

Rouault and Henri Matisse. 

Part of the exhibition will focus 

on the relatively unknown 

ceramic artist André Metthey 

and the important role he 

played in these artists’ ceramic 

production to portray the close 

relationship between paintings 

and decorative arts at the time. 

Apr 11-Jun 21, 10am-6pm, 

closed Wed. ¥500-1,000. 

Shiodome Museum. 

Shimbashi. Tel: 03-5777- 

8600. http://panasonic.co.jp/ 

es/museum/en/schedule/ 

Utrillo & Valadon 

Showcasing pieces by 

Utrillo, a French painter who 

specialized in cityscapes, and 

his mother Valadon, an artist 

whose drawings and paintings 

mostly included female nudes, 

female portraits, still lifes 

and landscapes. Apr 18-Jun 

28, 10am-6pm, closed Mon. 

¥650-1,000 (adv)/ ¥800-1,200 

(door). Sompo Japan 

Museum of Art. Shinjuku. 

Tel: 03-5405-8686. www. 

sjnk-museum.org/en 

25

“Tokyo’s premier multidisciplinary rehabilitation center” 

• Assessments and treatments 

performed by a team of 

internationally trained, registered and 

experienced physiotherapists. 

• Private treatment rooms 

• Large, fully equipped rehab gym 

• Central location 3 min walk from Roppongi Hills 

• Consultations available in English and Japanese 

Sports injuries 

Musculoskeletal and spinal conditions (neck and back pain) 

Ergononomic and postural assessments 

Gait assessments 

Rehabilitation programs 

Club 360 is a multidisciplinary health 

and fitness center, which also offers 

personal training, group classes, 

boxing and kickboxing. 

Address: B1 CMA3 Bldg, 3-1-35 Moto Azabu, Minato-ku • Nearest stn: Roppongi 

Hours: Open Mon-Sat 6:30am-9:00pm, Sun 8:00am - 2:00pm • Tel: 03-6434-9667 

Sports 

BASEBALL 

Global Baseball Match 

Samurai Japan vs. All Euro. 

Mar 10-11, 6pm. ¥300-10,000. 

Tokyo Dome. Suidobashi. 

Tel: 03-5800-9999. http://j.mp/ 

globalbaseball2015 

Yokohama DeNA vs. 

Chunichi Dragons 

Mar 12, 1pm. ¥500-2,100. 

Yokohama Stadium. Kannai. 

Tel: 04-5661-1251. www. 

yokohama-stadium.co.jp 

Yakult Swallows vs. Lotte 

Marines 

Mar 20-21, 1pm. ¥300-2,100. 

Meiji Jingu Baseball Stadium. 

Gaien-mae. Tel: 03-3404- 

8999. www.yakult-swallows. 

co.jp 

Yomiuri Giants vs. Nippon- 

Ham Fighters 

Mar 20, 6pm; Mar 21, 1:30pm. 

¥300-5,000. Tokyo Dome. 

Suidobashi. Tel: 03-5800- 

9999. www.tokyo-dome.co.jp 

Tomodachi Charity Baseball 

Game 

Charity event in support of 

children in the Tohoku region, 

with retired New York Yankees 

greats Derek Jeter and 

Hideki Matsui. Mar 21, 5pm. 

¥2,000-5,000. Tokyo Dome. 


9999. http://support-our-kids. 

org/2with55/ 

Yakult Swallows vs. 

Nippon-Ham Fighters 

Mar 22, 1pm. ¥300-2,100. 




co.jp 

Yomiuri Giants vs Lotte 

Marines 

Mar 22, 2pm. ¥300-3,500. 

Tokyo Dome. Suidobashi. Tel: 

03-5800-9999. www.giants. 

jp/en 

Yomiuri Giants vs. DeNA 

Baystars 

Mar 27, 6pm; Mar 28-29, 2pm. 

¥300-5,000. Tokyo Dome. 


9999. www.giants.jp/en 

Yakult Swallows vs. 

Hanshin Tigers 

Mar 31-Apr 2, 6pm. ¥300-2,100. 




co.jp 

Yomiuri Giants vs. Hanshin 

Tigers 

Apr 3-4, 6pm; Apr 5, 2pm. 

¥300-5,000. Tokyo Dome. 


9999. www.giants.jp/en 

Festivals 

TRADITIONAL 

Bunkyo Ume Matsuri 

Famous since the Edo Period 

for its wide variety of plum 

blossom types. Until Mar 8, 

8am-7:30pm. Free. Yushima 

Tenjin. Yushima or Ueno 

Okachimachi. Tel: 03-3836- 

0753. www.yushimatenjin.or.jp 

Mt. Takao Hiwatari Matsuri 

A Buddhist purification 

ceremony where monks and 

visitors walk across fire to burn 

away bad luck and misfortune. 

Mar 8, 1pm. Various fees 

apply . Takao-san Yakuo-in. 

Takaosanguchi. www. 

takaosan.or.jp/english/ 

Saitō Sai 

Held each year before the 

coming of spring to pray for 

an abundant harvest and 

prosperity, the Saitō Sai is 

also known as the festival of 

color from the festive garb 

adorning the participants. Mar 

9, 10am. Free. Kashima Jingū. 

Kashima Jingū. Tel: 0299-82- 

1209. kashimajingu.jp 

Honzon Jigen-e 

Celebrating the manifestation 

of Sensoji’s Kannon statue with 

events such as the Kinryu no 

Mai, where an 18-meter-long, 

88-kilogram golden dragon 

dances around the temple 

grounds, and the Shirasagi no 

Mai, a traditional ceremonial 

parade and dance . Mar 18, all 

day (Kinryu no Mai at around 

11:30am, 1:30 & 3pm; Shirasagi 

no Mai at around 11am). 

Free. Sensoji. Asakusa. Tel: 

03-3842-0181. www.senso-ji.jp 

Forums & 

Expos 

Tokyo Motorcycle Show 

See bikes from all over the 

world including the latest 

models and custom machines, 

take them out for a test ride 

and more fun events. Mar 27, 

1-6pm; Mar 28, 10am-6pm; Mar 

29, 10am-5pm. ¥500-1,300 

(adv)/ ¥1,000-1,600 (door). 

Tokyo Big Sight. Kokusai- 

Tenjijo-Seimon. Tel: 03-5530- 

1111. motorcycleshow.org/ 

Comedy 

Comedy Performance 

Workshop 

Learn about getting funnier 

on stage and off! Mar 14, 

1-5pm. Approximately 

¥3,000 (or more depending 

on options). Meiji-Jingumae 

Onden Community Centre. 

Meiji-jingūmae. Tel: 03-3407- 

1807. http://tokyocomedy.com/ 

standup_workshops 

Community 

Half-Fast Cyclists 

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 

Stitch-n-Bitch 

Meet fellow knitters, crocheters 

and sewers to talk, share 

ideas, eat, drink and create. 

Every first and third Tue, 

7pm. Free. Cafe Respekt. 

Shibuya. www.meetup.com/ 

TokyoStitchandBitch 

Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art 

School 

Burlesque models pose for 

artstars and sketching newbies 

alike with arty socializing. 

Every third Wed, 7-10pm. 

¥2,000 w/ 1d. Studio and Space 

IVVA. Meiji-Jingumae or 

Harajuku. www.facebook.com/ 

Dr.Sketchy.Tokyo 

Learning 

The Sixth Festival of Japan 

Culture Academy in Tokyo 

Immerse yourself in Japanese 

culture and traditional arts. 

Mar 8, 10am-6pm. Kimonowearing 

experience ¥5,000, 

Tea ceremony and flower 

arranging ¥5,000, Rakugo 

¥2,000. Or ¥10,000 for all 

three. Limit 30 people per 

course. Coredo Muromachi III 

3F Kyoraku-Tei, Nihonbashi 

Mitsui Hall. Mitsukoshi-mae. 

Tel: 03-6215-8421. www. 

japan-pr.org. Email jpa@ 

japanfanclub.jp for application. 

First-come, first-served. 

Alsace & German Wine 

Seminar 

Seminar with an Alsatian-style 

dinner. Mar 14, 7-10:30pm. 

¥11,980 + tax (adv reservation). 

Stellato. Shirokanedai. 

Tel: 03-3442-5588. www. 

wineandcooking.info/en/ 

specialevent.html 

Other Events 

Shimokitazawa Japan Free 

Party 

Good music, good food, 

good art. Mar 7, 4:20pm-1am. 

Free entrance. Rong Sura. 

Shimokitazawa. http://http://j. 

mp/shimokitafreeparty2015 

Nitro Circus Live 

Thrilling action sports 

entertainment that delivers 

mind-blowingly wild stunts. 

With motorcycles flying across 

the air and hazardous tricks 

successfully being performed 

one after another, there won't 

be a single dull moment. 

Mar 7, 5pm; Mar 8, 2pm. 

¥7,000-30,000. Tokyo Dome. 


9999. http://nitrocircus.jp 

Ramen Girls Festival 

An event for ramen-loving girls! 

Enjoy delicious ramen with your 

friends. Mar 7-8, 11am to 9pm. 

Free entry. Yokohama Red Brick 

Warehouse. Minatomirai. Tel: 

045-211-1515. www.facebook. 

com/RamengirlsFestival 

Poetry Slam & Live Jazz 

Fundraiser with 20 local 

performance poets and live 

jazz. Mar 21, 6:30-10:30pm. 

¥2,000 w/ 1d. World Peace 

Theater. Kawasaki. http:// 

ytg.jp 

Art Fair Tokyo 

Take in the best of Japanese 

contemporary art and 

enjoy new works from 

contemporary Asian galleries. 

Mar 20, 11am-9pm; Mar 21, 

11am-8pm; Mar 22, 10:30am- 

5pm. ¥1,500-3,000 (adv)/ 

¥2,000-3,500 (door). Tokyo 

International Forum Exhibition 

Hall. Yurakucho. http:// 

artfairtokyo.com/en/ 

Rikugien Garden 

Illumination 

Enjoy the illumination of the 

impressive shidarezakura, 

or weeping sakura tree. Mar 

19-Apr 5, from sunset until 9pm. 

¥150 (seniors)/¥300 (general)/ 

children free. Rikugien 

Gardens. Komagome. Tel: 

03-3941-2222. http://meturl. 

com/rikugarden 

Ueno Sakura Matsuri 

Various special events including 

a nighttime lantern illumination. 

Mar 29-Apr 7, all day. Free. 

Ueno Park. Ueno. Tel: 

03-3828-5644. http://http://j. 

mp/uenosakuramatsuri2015 

Sumida Park Cherry 

Blossom Festival 

Over 1,000 cherry blossom 

trees, with nighttime 

illumination. Mar 29-Apr 7, 

all day. Free. Sumida Park. 

Asakusa. http://http://j.mp/ 

sumidacherryfestival2015/ 

MORE LISTINGS 

ONLINE → HTTP:// 

METURL.COM/ 

LISTINGS 

26

1 AT YOUR SERVICE 

1.1 HEALTH 

I N N E R 

BALANCE. 

Traditional 

oriental 

treatment of 

acupuncture 

and moxibustion. 

Also body 

massage 

and reflexology. Mobile 

service to your home or 

office. Email Takahito at 

innerbalance123@gmail.com 

or see http://tmasuda.wix. 

com/inner-balance. 

ENGLISH-SPEAKING ADA- 

CERTIFIED DENTAL CLINIC 

in Toranomon Hills offers a 

wide range of preventive, 

corrective and cosmetic 

dentistry. Superior service 

focused on customer 

satisfaction and convenience. 

Open until 10pm. Modern 

dentistry at its best. www. 

rmdcc.com/english/ 

0120-648-071 

COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH 

COVERAGE FOR EXPATS, 

DIPLOMATS, TEACHERS. 

Inpatient and outpatient 

care, emergencies, surgery, 

meds, checkups, dental, lab 

tests, MRI and more. Thirtyday 

money-back guarantee. 

Quick, easy application; 

convenient payment 

options. Enroll today! 

info@earthhealthcare.jp 

www.earthhealthcare.jp 

078-351-7300 

SPORTS PHYSIOTHERAPY 

(physical therapy) 

c a r e i n H i r o o . 

Native English-speaking 

therapists specializing 

in sports injuries, 

post-operative rehabilitation, 

back/neck pain, running 

related, headaches, orthotics, 

ergonomic consultations 

and women’s health. 

www.tokyophysio.com 

03-3443-6769 

T H I N K I N G A B O U T 

ADVERTISING WITH 

METROPOLIS? Platinum 

¥32,400. Gold ¥27,000. Silver 

¥21,600. Prices include one 

photo. Bronze ¥2000 (photo 

+ ¥2000). Prices are for 40 

words, one print issue, two 

weeks online. For details, 

email us at commercial@ 

metropolisjapan.com. 

1.2 HAIR & BEAUTY 

CURLY HAIR SPECIALIST IN 

TOKYO. English-speaking 

Kiyoko, highly experienced 

in NY’s curly hair salons, 

takes care of curly hair at 

her salon, Nepenji, in Ebisu. 

Reservations: 03-3793- 

2357 or info@nepenji.net 

http://english.nepenji.net/ 

index_en.html 

MEN’S BARBERSHOP IN 

ROPPONGI WELCOMES 

FOREIGNERS. Englishspeaking 

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 

1.3 MOVING 

MOVING OVERSEAS? Call 

ECONOSHIP! With over 35 

years of experience, you 

can count on Econoship for 

courteous, efficient, reliable 

service and reasonable 

prices. Call, email, or see 

our new website. Ask how 

you can receive 10 boxes 

free of charge.0120-222-111 

info@econoship.net 

www.econoship.net 

1.7 BUSINESS SERVICES 

IMMIGRATION LAWYER AT 

NIPPASHI OFFICE supports 

visa and naturalization 

applications, company 

establishment and 

branch office installation, 

including commercial 

registration, as well as 

inheritance procedures in 

Japan. Free consultation 

available in English, 

Español and Japanese. 

Tel: 03-6264-8446 

n p @ n i p p a s h i . c o m 

http://nippashi.com 

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, MAR 20 ISSUE 

Deadline: Mar 12, 3pm 

FRI, APR 3 ISSUE 

Deadline: Mar 26, 3pm 

IMMIGRATION SERVICES 

IN ENGLISH. Yokoyama 

Administrative and Legal 

Office will support all your 

visa needs: extension, 

status change, permanent 

residence, naturalization. 

Free consultation in 

Kinshicho available by 

reservation. Contact us at 

03-5626-4139 or yokoyamaoffice@r8.ucom.ne.jp. 

http://meturl.com/yokoyama 

LAW OFFICE IN KAWASAKI 

(next to Tokyo), member of the 

Yokohama Bar Association. 

Legal service in English for 

traffic accidents, divorce, 

inheritance, bankruptcy, 

business cases (contracts, 

establishing a company, 

trademarks, etc.) and other 

legal problems.Email: web@ 

smkw.biz www.sumikawa.net 

VISA COUNSELING: 

female immigration lawyer 

handles your visa case. 

Permanent residency, 

naturalization, eligibility 

(inviting your spouse/ 

children/workers from 

your country), extension/ 

change of visa status. 

Consultation ¥5000. OFFICE 

LIFE (Miho Fujibayashi). 

Tel: 090-8330-0670 Email: 

mailto@officelife.jp Website: 

http://officelife.jp/en 

CREATIVE SOLUTIONS. 

Specialists in branding, web design, 

photo/video production. Drawing A 

Crowd: a new approach in design. Get 

in touch. info@drawingacrowd.co 

TO ADVERTISE IN METROPOLIS, 

log on at www.metropolis. 

co.jp/classifieds or email your 

commercial ads to commercial@ 


2 FIND A PLACE 

2.1 GUESTHOUSE 

CREA-UN UENO. Furnished 

private rooms, w/digital 

locks, near Asakusa, Ueno, 

Skytree. Safe area, femaleonly, 

rooftop garden w/ 

nice view, BBQ space, free 

bicycle. From ¥56,000/m. 

Utilities included. No key 

money/guarantor. crea-un. 

sakura@ko-bo.com http:// 

www.sakura-ko-bo.com 

03-6912-0692 

KANAMACHI GUEST HOUSE. 

Brand-new furnished share 

rooms, separate male and 

female floors, all rooms w/ 

digital locks, aircon, fridge, 

1min walk from Kanamachi 

Stn, Chiyoda Line ¥40,000/m. 

room@airay-apartment.net 

03-5876-4575 www.airayapartment.net 

2.2 RENT UNDER ¥200,000 

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 

SERVICED APARTMENTS in 

a quiet residential area of 

Hiroo. Studios and suites. 

4min from Hiroo Stn. Rates: 

Daily ¥7800. Weekly ¥6850-/ 

day. Monthly ¥5700-/day. 

Over three months ¥5130-/ 

day. Tax, utilities included. 

frontdesk@azabucourt. 

com www.azabucourt.com 

0 3 - 3 4 4 6 - 8 6 1 0 

YOKOHAMA APARTMENT—ONE 

MONTH FREE RENT! One-room 

apartment, w/loft, small kitchen, 

bathroom, along the Sotetsu 

Line, easy access to Yokohama, 

Totsuka, Futamatagawa, 

Shonandai ¥45,000/m. Private 

rental. No agent fees. robhoey. 

c17@gmail.com 

2.5 PLACE WANTED 

Apartment needed in Tokyo for three 

months. Two French people seeking 

accommodation along the Yamanote 

Line. Can pay up to ¥130,000/m. Move 

in March for business. esteban@ 

lesgarconsdumarais.com 

House needed in Zushi, Hayama 

or Kamakura, w/garden, parking, 

tatami, 60sqm+, move-in date of Apr 

1 ¥140,000/m. Photos appreciated. 

johnlander@yahoo.com 

House-sitting opportunity wanted. 

Responsible family from Germany 

seeking house-sitting opportunity 

for one to four weeks in Aug. Lived 

in Japan 10 years, know the dos and 

don’ts, fluent in Japanese. Will take 

care of house, cat, dog, plants, etc. 

nekobasu4649@gmail.com 

Seeking roommate. Female seeking 

apartment in Tokyo. I want to move to an 

apartment with a roommate for a long 

time, like one year minimum. Preferably 

close to Korakuen Stn. lucero_p22@ 

hotmail.com 

3 EDUCATION 

3.5 LANGUAGE EXCHANGE 

English and Japanese. Japanese 

female, 30s, seeking a language 

exchange partner. Prefer meeting once/ 

twice a week at cafes in Chiba (Sobu Line 

would be best). I'm looking forward to 

hearing from you. kintaro2060@yahoo. 

co.jp 

English and Japanese. Hi, I'm a JF, 

early 30s, seeking a language exchange 

partner. I'm not a teaching professional, 

but if you are interested in studying with 

me, please mail me. Female preferred. 

natsuki711@hotmail.co.jp 

English and Japanese. Japanese lady 

seeks a native speaker of American 

English for language exchange. Please 

drop me a line if you are interested. M/F, 

any age ok. Please be serious. Thanks in 

advance. patricia_idaida@yahoo.co.jp 

English and Japanese. Do you want to 

improve your translation and speaking 

skills? Canadian, 40s, seeking a 

language partner. Let's help each other 

with our language skills over tea. Let's 

meet in Ikebukuro or Shinjuku. tarry2@ 

hotmail.com 

English and Japanese. Hi! I am a JF, 

39, looking to improve my English 

level in the Yokohama area. Of course, 

I am happy to help you with J as well. 

yukinky@gmail.com 

English and Japanese. JF seeks an 

exchange partner in the daytime on 

weekdays at Kawasaki Stn. tome. 

haruka-soushi@ezweb.ne.jp 

English and Japanese. Do you want to 

improve your translation and speaking 

skills? Canadian, 40-ish, seeking a 

language partner. Let's help each 

other with our language skills over tea. 

tarry2@hotmail.com 

English and Japanese. I'm a man, 

24, from London, England, looking to 

improve my basic Japanese and make 

Japanese friends in exchange for some 

English conversation. Near Shinjuku 

on Thu would be best, but other 

suggestions welcome! cal.mclean90@ 

gmail.com 

English and Japanese. Hi, I'm a JF, 21, 

seeking a language exchange partner in 

Tokyo. I like food, dancing, traveling, so 

I'm learning foreign languages. Looking 

forward to your messages. ilusmmy@ 

softbank.ne.jp 

English and Japanese. Language 

exchange group [JESL Hiro] is now ready 

to start again! Be core members and 

create a fun group together. Every Wed, 

7:30-9:30pm, at coffee shop in Hiroo. 

Free to join. ando.andy@gmail.com 

English and Japanese. Open-minded 

Japanese female, 23-40, sought for 

language exchange and socializing. 

Serious only. Call Bobby at 090-5589- 

6864 or 080-8118-4073. 

English and Japanese. Asian-American 

male, 38, fluent in E, wants to make new 

friends in Tokyo. F/M ok. Please teach 

me J. Prefer to meet during lunchtime. 

gariben2@gmail.com 

English and Japanese. Australian 

chef seeking language exchange 

partner in the Akasaka area. Available 

daytime, Mon-Fri. Let’s learn together. 

jamiewilliams8@hotmail.com 

English, Korean, Japanese. Native 

English guy, speaks good 韓国語 

and poor 日本語 , seeking someone 

to hang out with, chat in different 

languages (E and J or Kor), and drink 

some beer. Sound good? itsumogenki@ 

outlook.com 

French and Japanese. Fr and J 

exchange in Otemachi. winds_fr@ 

hotmail.com 

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. understanding_life@ 

hotmail.com 

German and Japanese. JF seeks Ger/J 

language exchange partner. Seit Sechs 

Monaten lerne ich Deutsch aber ich 

spreche Englisch. F/M ok. If interested, 

drop me a line. gardenstate2005@ 

hotmail.com 

Korean and Japanese. Japanese male, 

41, 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. astralsky@ 

excite.co.jp 

日本語と英語。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. 

juicysummer@gmail.com 

3.6 LEARNING: GENERAL 

IKEBANA (JAPANESE 

TRADITIONAL FLORAL 

ARRANGEMENT) is a powerful 

means of self-expression. 

Trial lesson, including 

all materials ¥4000. No 

Japanese necessary. 

Certification, diploma can 

be earned. Three classroom 

locations in Tokyo. Website: 

www.atelier-soka.com/ 

english/index.html 

Email: smile@mika-otani.com 

3.9 TEACH ME! 

TRANSLATION FOR ENGLISH 

LESSONS. Working towards 

becoming an English-to-Japanese 

translator, but need help polishing 

my English. Can translate simple 

documents in exchange for English 

lessons. michiane256@gmail.com 

PhD student in engineering? Tokyo 

only. D2/D3 student at a Japanese 

university? Majoring in electrical/ 

wireless/communication, etc.? I need 

some mentoring on how to design 

simulation. Must be able to use Matlab/ 

Simulink. Will pay ¥3000/two hours. 

yatri_in_town@yahoo.co.jp 

Professional Java/XML programmer 

wanted (local only). Seeking Java/web 

programmer. Java, XML, servlet skills. 

Ability to read and interpret/debug codes 

is a must. Shinjuku/Kanda/Ueno, 7pm 

onwards, or weekends. Can pay ¥3000/ 

two hours, plus coffee. yatri_in_town@ 

yahoo.co.jp 

日本語 . 日本語を教えて頂け 

ますか?お願い致します! 

pronusprorsus@yahoo.com 

4 HOUSEHOLD GOODS 

4.1 FURNITURE & FITTINGS 

Bed, single (L216xW98xH37cm), 

tatami, as new, w/drawers at 

head and foot, dismantles for 

transportation. Pick up Hongo Sanchome, 

Oedo/Marunouchi lines. 

vaclav.bosek@email.cz 09090040779 

Bed, single, almost new, black metal 

frame, headboard and power socket. New 

¥9000. Sell ¥2000. navacmg@gmail.com 

Cabinet, corner (73x73xH60), dark 

wood, glass door, w/two shelves inside 

¥3000/obo. Photos available. tripeler@ 

yahoo.com 080-6581-4724 

Desk, solid, dark wood, two-drawer 

(W120xD60xH72), w/matching threedrawer 

pedestal on casters, chair, as new 

¥20,000. Shinjuku-Okubo area. Delivery 

not included. sebre@mac.com 

Sofa, leather (210x100), black, in very 

good condition ¥25,000/obo. Pick up 

only. msvh@hotmail.com 

Table, dining, solid (200x100x75) 

¥15,000. Myorenji, Yokohama. 

listserver98@hotmail.com 

4.2 APPLIANCES 

Deep fryer, Tefal, home-use, new in box, 

safety features ¥2000/obo. tripeler@ 

yahoo.com 080-6581-4724 

Fridge, National NR-B123J, as new, light 

gray ¥3000. alessandrolibri@gmail.com 

Fridge, Panasonic, eco-friendly, 426L, 

made in Japan, five sections, ice maker, 

three y/o. New ¥105,000. Sell ¥50,000/ 

obo. amyrita@workmail.com 

Fridge/warmer, Twinbird HR-4707, 

micro-sized, holds six regular cans, 

rounded retro look, new in box ¥1500. 

tripeler@yahoo.com 

27

Many more classified ads online! Visit classifieds.metropolis.co.jp 

4.3 SAYONARA SALE 

Sayonara sale! Plant pots, air 

humidifier, photo frame, Japanese 

study books. Details available. yannu@ 

hotmail.com 

Sayonara sale! Shelves, fridge, aircon, 

tables, etc. Pick up Nishi-Nippori. 

cgsayonara@gmail.com 

Sayonara sale! White desk; wardrobe; 

TV cabinet; upright piano; 32” HDTV; 

tube TV; Panasonic fridge, eco, 426L, 

as new; portable gas heater/timer; 

convection oven; microwave; fan/timer; 

small, solid-wood table; fax/phone/ 

answering machine; etc. amyrita@ 

workmail.com 

Sayonara sale! Computer monitor, 17”, 

Toshiba; window blinders, three sets; 

flat TV, second generation; washer, 

built-in dryer, 5kg; two-door fridge; 

stove ¥25,000/all. Photos available. 

Delivery possible if nearby. pop10eye@ 

gmail.com 

Sayonara sale! Epson PC, in very 

good condition ¥9000/obo. Four tables 

¥2000/each. Deluxe German sandwich/ 

waffle maker ¥4000. And more. 

takecareletsgo@yahoo.com 

4.4 TV & HOME THEATER 

HDTV 32”, Toshiba ¥30,000. Panasonic 

am/fm/CD/cassette stereo, w/ two Onkyo 

speakers ¥20,000. VCR ¥5000. Toshiba 

TV, 24”, tube: free. amyrita@workmail. 

com 

Projector, business, 28lbs, w/2000 

lumens, fold-and-carry projection 

screen, brand-new lamp, laptop 

¥90,000. masui41@live.com 

4.6 FOR KIDS 

Chair. Retro orange egg chair ¥1000. 

Pick up Gotanda. vandley.industries@ 

gmail.com 

Clothing, winter: gloves, cap, muffler. 

Cheap. Pick up or chakubarai. Photos 

available. housetsu@gmail.com 

Diapers, Merries, size L, tape, never 

opened, two boxes available ¥5000/ 

each. ¥9000/both. Pick up Okubo/ 

Higashi-Nakano. purejasmine1004@ 

hotmail.com 

Potty training toilet seat, frogshaped, 

cushioned, w/handles, never 

used ¥2000. Pick up Keio/JR Hashimoto 

Stn. chinami35@yahoo.co.jp 

Pushcart, wood (H51xW35.5x 

D34.5cm), w/various toys attached 

¥5000. Pick up Keio/JR Hashimoto Stn 

or nearby. chinami35@yahoo.co.jp 

4.7 FOR FREE 

Drawer, plastic, cream outer case, w/ 

dark clear drawer (D65xW43Hx23). Pick 

up central Yokohama. angelitonegro@ 

hotmail.com 

Table/desk, adjustable height 

(60x120cm/24x47"), white top, steel 

feet, in excellent condition. Pick up 

Moto-Azabu. msvh@hotmail.com msvh@ 

hotmail.com 

Various items. Three ceiling light 

fixtures, three closet cabinets, fourpiece 

sectional sofa, chest of drawers, 

computer desk, dining table. Details, 

photos available. hanslefamily@gmail. 

com 

5 HOBBIES&INTERESTS 

5.1 CAMERAS 

Case, Pelican 1550, black, never used, 

but foam insert has been altered for 

equipment ¥25,000. sebre@mac.com 

Charger, Nikon Quick MH-18A, in 

excellent condition ¥3000. sebre@ 

mac.com 

Digital camera, Sony Cybershot 

DSC-F828, three batteries, charger, 

cables, light and case. davenport_j@ 

ymail.com 

5.3 MUSICAL EQUIPMENT 

Amp, Shelter 916 Phono, as new 

¥60,000. Tokyo. scw105@yahoo.co.uk 

Bass, Somnus Zi, five-string, handmade 

in Japan, mid-’80s, fully serviced/ 

adjusted by Tune Guitar Technologies 

¥100,000/obo. mcmctokyo13@gmail. 

com 

Electric guitar, green, w/power cord 

and case ¥4000. davenport_j@ymail. 

com 

Keyboard, Yamaha PSR-E413, portable, 

w/stand, in excellent condition, hardly 

used. New ¥35,000. Sell ¥15,000. 

msvh@hotmail.com 

Keyboard, Casio WK-1200, 73 keys, 

six octaves, touch type, w/100 

rhythms and 200 tones, electronic 

drum kit, recording features, stand, in 

good condition ¥10,000/obo. Pick up 

Yokohama Stn. jnwells95@gmail.com 

Tabla (Indian percussion instrument), 

w/brand-new, high quality heads 

refitted for both dayan and bayan, 

slightly worn soft bag, two cushions, 

two covers, tuning hammer ¥27,000. 

Pick up Kodaira Stn. astroidea@ 

hotmail.com 

5.4 BOOKS/CD/DVD 

Japanese learning material. Pimsleur 

Japanese I, II and III, original package, 

in excellent condition, each set contains 

16 audio CDs, booklet, guide ¥19,000/ 

all. mita.yama@hotmail.com 

5.5 GAMING 

任天堂ファンですか? The worldfamous 

Famicast is seeking a Japanese 

co-host. The biweekly podcast is done 

by volunteers who love Nintendo 

gaming in Japan. Not paid, but lots of 

fun! famicomplicated@gmail.com www. 

nintendoworldreport.com/famicast 

To advertise in Metropolis, Japan’s 

No.1 English magazine, log on at www. 

metropolis.co.jp/classifieds or email 

your commercial ads to commercial@ 


5.6 COLLECTORS 

Beer glasses, from various Japanese 

microbreweries, new, collection of 12 

¥3000/all. ¥300/each. Krombacher Pils 

glass boot, 1.5L ¥1500/obo. tripeler@ 

yahoo.com 080-6581-4724 

Jaeger-LeCoultre travel alarm, 1969, 

gold-plated, made in Switzerland, in full 

working order, original black leather 

etui, w/original catalog and price list 

supplied by Jaeger-LeCoultre in ‘91, w/ 

model confirmation letter ¥25,000/obo. 

mcmctokyo13@gmail.com 

6 VEHICLES 

6.1 CARS, PARTS, & ACCESSORIES 

Benz C180 Wagon Kompressor, ‘05, 

Avantgarde limited edition, black, ETC, 

leather seats, Exon lights, aluminum 

wheel, 120,000km, shaken until May 

‘16, all taxes paid ¥695,000. Firm. 

No dealers or auction sites. alinjap@ 

yahoo.com 

Lincoln Navigator 5.4, Nov ‘02, 49,000 

miles, left-hand drive, black, shaken till 

Mar ‘15 ¥850,000. Offers considered. 

Photos available. doddsstephen@ 

gmail.com 

6.3 BICYCLES, PARTS, & ACCESSORIES 

Road bike, Giant TCR, size M frame, 

yellow/black, as new, currently 

disassembled, various parts available. 

New ¥226,000. Sell ~¥50,000. Price 

depends on parts. View Shin-Nakano. 

cjriach@hotmail.com 

Trainer, remove front wheel and attach 

bike to ride in stationary position ¥3000/ 

obo. tripeler@yahoo.com 

7 GENERAL 

7.1 PHONES 

Fax/phone/answering machine, 

Panasonic, w/one wireless phone, 

extended warranty, extra ink, boxed, 

hardly used. New ¥27,000. Sell ¥15,000/ 

obo. amyrita@workmail.com 

7.3 MISCELLANEOUS 

Camping stuff. One tent, sleeps two, 

w/mattress and light sleeping bag, 

folding gas camp stove, folding pot, 

two backpacks, folding water tank, etc. 

¥5000. Negotiable. tocco_di_classe@ 

hotmail.com 

7.4 ITEMS WANTED 

iPhone 5s, in good condition. Can pay 

¥10,000. eri04@arcor.de 

8 COMPUTERS 

8.2 HARDWARE 

HD, Western Digital My Passport, 2TB, 

never opened, formatted for Mac, can be 

reformatted for Win. New ¥17,000. Sell 

¥10,000. becalm77@gmail.com 

MacBook, 13", 2.6GHz Intel Core i5, 8GB, 

1600MHz, 128GB, w/retina display, never 

used, SmartShell protective case. New 

¥145,000. Sell ¥120,000. becalm77@ 

gmail.com 

Tablet, Samsung Galaxy 10.1, Wi-Fi 

and LTE (4G), locked to DoCoMo, in very 

good condition, no scratches, main unit 

only (no charger) ¥10,000. ada38cai@ 

hotmail.com 

10 HELP! 

10.1 HELP ME 

FREE ENGLISH-TO-JAPANESE 

TRANSLATION. Working towards 

becoming a translator and need 

practice with simple documents. 

Have experience working in law 

office, accounting, HR and sales. 

michiane256@gmail.com 

Are you an expert C++ developer? 

I need you to help me walk through a 

program. You need to have very good 

skills. Minimum education: master's 

degree in engineering or sciences. Can 

pay ¥3000/two hours, plus coffee. yatri_ 

in_town@yahoo.co.jp 

Atheist show needs hosts. We promote 

positive atheism, knowledge, common 

sense. Similar to Atheist Experience 

on YouTube. assassin.wolves.films@ 

gmail.com 

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_life@hotmail.com 

080-3126-9376 

Climate expert needed. Seeking an 

expert or someone knowledgeable about 

climate change to talk about the human 

impact on the environment. assassin. 

wolves.films@gmail.com 

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. understanding_life@hotmail. 

com 

10.2 SUPPORT 

NEED TO TALK? We’re here 

to listen. TELL LIFELINE: free, 

anonymous English counseling 

daily from 9am-11pm by trained 

volunteers (03-5774-0992). 

TELL COUNSELING: affordable 

multilingual psychotherapy by 

accredited Western-trained 

professionals, a CIGNA International 

Provider (03-4550-1146). TELL 

website: www.telljp.com. Follow 

us on Facebook and Twitter @ 

TokyoLifeLine. 

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 

WEST PAPUA: ONE SOUL, ONE 

PEOPLE. Fifty-one years 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/ 

markhelp2@gmail.com 

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS 

TOKYO. If you have a problem 

with drinking, we can help. 

English-speaking meetings daily. 

03-3971-1471 inquiries@aatokyo. 

org http://aatokyo.org 

HIV Peer Support group a n d 

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. info@peersupporttokyo. 

com 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. admin@ttctokyo. 

org www.ttctokyo.org 

10.3 LOST FRIENDS 

Seeking photographer Max. Seeking 

Max (originally from Kyushu), a 

photographer who lived in Tokyo 

House (Otsuka) in the mid-’90s. His 

girlfriend’s name was Rei. Anyone 

know their whereabouts? Please let 

me know. Thank you. om_services@ 

laposte.net 

11 MESSAGES 

11.1 PERSONAL MESSAGES 

SUBSCRIBE TO METROPOLIS 

AND NEVER MISS AN ISSUE. 

One year (24 issues) ¥3600 

(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. 

WRITE A MESSAGE FOR 

YOUR SPECIAL SOMEONE! 

Write anything, from birthday 

messages to proposals. http:// 

classifieds.metropolis.co.jp. 

12 SOCIAL SCENE 

12.1 LET’S PARTY 

J APAN INTERNATIONAL 

PARTY - SPRING SPECIAL. 

Sat, Mar 28, 6:30-9pm, Bar 

Quest (Roppongi). Japan’s 

biggest international party. 

250 people expected. 

All-you-can-drink and 

free snacks. Japanese 

men: ¥4000. Others: 

¥3000. Mobile: http:// 

getyourfriend.com/mobile/ 

jiparty@hotmail.com http:// 

www.getyourfriend.com/ 

090-1735-5405 

JOIN THE BIGGEST, 

BEST, MOST POPULAR 

INTERNATIONAL PARTY! 

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/ 

info@gaitomo.com 

INTERNATIONAL PARTY 

AT LEAFCUP. Come join us 

and have fun. Men: ¥3000. 

Foreigners/women: ¥2000. 

All-you-can-drink-and-eat. 

Iidabashi and Yokohama: Mar 7 

and 21. Shibuya: Mar 14 and 28. 

www.leafparty.com 

13 CLUBS & INTERESTS 

13.1 SPORTS 

A MERICAN FOOTBALL. 

Nihon Unisys Bulls, X league 

Central Division, seeks fit players 

w/ US college football experience 

for all positions. Practice every 

Sat/Sun from 10am-3pm (including 

meeting) in Tokyo/Saitama (time 

and venue subject to change). 

Attendance at practice must be 

over 60%. Please contact for tryout 

info and send your profile to team 

admin. bullsxleague@gmail.com 

http://www.unisys.co.jp/football 

ALL-NATIONALITY TOUCH 

FOOTBALL. Non-contact tag rugby 

(OZ tag) and Rugby League players. 

We play every Sat from 10am 

in Tatsumi. M/F and beginners 

welcome! Good exercise and fun! 

Many other activities, such as 

BBQs and drinking parties! Email 

for details. tokyorugbyleague@ 

hotmail.com http://ameblo.jp/ 

tokyo13warriors 

AMATEUR RUGBY LEAGUE 

PLAYERS. Japan ANZACS Rugby 

League team is seeking Rugby 

League players for Japanese 

Rugby League official games 

from Apr to Sep. Everyone 

welcome. Contact for more details. 

japananzacs@gmail.com 

FUN WITH TOUCH RUGBY! Join 

us for social or competitive touch 

rugby every Sat at 2:30pm by 

Ariake Stn, Yurikamome Line. Any 

age, sex, level ok. Please email 

for details. funwithtouch@gmail. 

com www.funwithtouch.com/ 

where-we-play 

PLAY RUGBY. The Tokyo 

Crusaders are a friendly but 

keen international rugby club. 

Devoted to the game and its 

social side, the “Cru” welcomes 

all players and supporters. 

Established in 1990, the Cru plays 

in the Shuto League 1st Division. 

http://www.facebook.com/tokyo. 

crusaders www.tokyocrusaders. 

com 

TAMBOURELLI. Unique new 

sport from Scotland. Using a 

tambourine-like instrument as a 

racquet, players hit a shuttlecock. 

We play two or three times/month 

on weekends in Meguro with many 

socials. Join us! More details: www. 

tamjapan.org/en/ info@tamjapan. 

org 

All-level tennis group in Tokyo. 

Serious and motivated tennis players 

sought by active tennis group to join 

their weekly sessions in central Tokyo. 

We have advanced and intermediate 

groups on weekday evenings. Beginner 

and low-intermediate also welcome. 

No entrance or membership fees. 

Reasonable participation fees. tokyo. 

tennis@yahoo.fr 

Badminton club in Tokyo. Small 

international group seeks players from 

abroad. If you know basic footwork, 

strokes and play seriously, you 

could definitely enjoy playing with 

us. mune2006@hotmail.co.jp www. 

geocities.jp/mune_albat/page4.html 

Basketball at Tsukimino Junior High, 

Kanagawa. Wednesdays from 7-9pm. 

One time ¥100. seanjapanese@yahoo. 

co.jp 

Don’s Half-Fast Flash-Mob Weekend 

Urban Bicycle Rides. halffastcycling@ 

hotmail.com 

Flag football players needed. Anyone 

with experience in American football or 

flag football interested in joining a team 

in the Tokyo area, please contact me. We 

play in the spring and fall. Thanks and 

talk soon! billzjapan@gmail.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. saito987@hotmail. 

com http://tokyoredstar.com 

Futsal in Tokorozawa. Sun night 

futsal? Mostly 30-45 year olds, every 

Sun evening, non-league, but mildly 

competitive. Come and play for exercise 

and fun! Any age and nationality ok. 

futsalintokorozawa@gmail.com 

Futsal players wanted by a very 

friendly international team. Practice is 

in Tokyo and Kanagawa on Sat. Details 

available. fkkyn468@ybb.ne.jp 

Futsal team. Intermediate futsal team 

in Tokyo seeking people who can enjoy 

the game with others. Please introduce 

yourself (age, nationality, where you 

live, whether you belong to another 

team). umek2002jp@yahoo.co.jp 

Gaelic football in Japan. Japan Gaelic 

Athletic Association is always seeking 

new members, M/F ok. No experience 

necessary. Great way to meet new 

people and get fit at the same time. 

japangaa@gmail.com www.facebook. 

com/japangaa 

Interested in tai chi? Then why not start 

now? Take a step to counter the stresses 

of daily living. Practice is in Toyama Park 

on Sun mornings, near Takadanobaba 

Stn. chifact@gmail.com 

International football club. Five-aside, 

11-a-side, on grass fields. Two 

or three practices/matches on Sun. 

All nationalities welcome. Happy and 

friendly club! We have many socials. 

djnorio0417@yahoo.co.jp 

Jogging Yokosuka. SJM seeking 

friends to jog 8-20km in Yokosuka, 

mornings preferred, but depending 

on the day, other times could work, 

too. ジョギング仲間募集横須賀 . 

elsalvadorjapan@yahoo.es 

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. bfcvagabonds@ 

gmail.com 

Samurai and ninjutsu martial arts. 

Free training group for samurai and 

ninjutsu fighting arts. Vigorous, but 

safe and intelligent, one-on-one, or 

small group training depending on 

28

J O B S 

To advertise: 

commercial@metropolisjapan.com 

03-4588-2277 

Executive Sales Training 

in Japan 

One that really achieves results! 

CHAT HOSTS AND TEACHERS WANTED 

BY LEAFCUP in Tokyo, Iidabashi, 

Shibuya, Yokohama. Seeking 

enthusiastic, proficient English, 

French, Spanish and/or German 

speakers who can teach and lead 

lively conversations. ¥1000-¥1500/h. 

Apply online: hr@leafcup.com 

www.leafcup.com/job.php 

WINE SALESPERSON sought to call on 

hotels, restaurants and bars to offer 

our high-quality wines at incredible 

prices. Candidates should be 

confident, J/E bilingual, passionate 

about wine, love fine dining and travel, 

have experience in sales, wine or both. 

Full-time (Mon-Fri, 10:30am-7:30pm). 

Position available immediately. Please 

send cover letter and resume to 

winejob@metropolisjapan.com. 

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 

editor@metropolisjapan.com. 

METROPOLIS is seeking a motivated E/J 

bilingual admin intern. Transportation 

and business expenses provided. 

Ability to work three or more days/ 

week preferred. Please send E/J 

resume to jobs@metropolisjapan.com. 

the day. Spiritual refinement is a key 

element. rootarty@gmail.com 

Seeking Japanese archery 

companions. Let’s do kyudo near 

Tokyo. Once/month for three hours, 

weekends only. See website for details. 

datemasamune216@yahoo.co.jp http:// 

jmty.jp/tokyo/com-spo/article-qa3g 

Table tennis in Minato-ku. Hi, 

our international team is seeking 

experienced players. You need to be 

living or working in Minato-ku and 

commit to play ten times/year on 

Sundays (all day). No beginners, please. 

fgrideau@gmail.com 

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. 

tennis.tokyo@yahoo.fr 

Volleyball Club Intervoll. Japanese 

and foreign volleyball players gather in 

Takadanobaba to enjoy playing. Have 

volleyball experience and want to play 

volleyball in a friendly atmosphere? 

intervollclub@yahoo.co.jp http:// 

intervoll.sakura.ne.jp/ 

Women’s soccer club. Five-a-side, 

11-a-side, on grass fields. Two or 

three practices/matches on Sun. All 

nationalities, experience levels, 

beginners welcome. Happy and friendly 

club! We have many socials. djnorio@ 

hotmail.co.jp 

13.2 LEISURE 

WEEKEND AWAY? Inn By The Sea 

Kamakura, a 4min walk from 

Hase Stn, offers child-friendly 

accommodation near the 

Daibutsu, Hase Temple, 

Yuigahama Beach and many 

other Kamakura landmarks. 

Find us on Facebook at 

InnByTheSeaKamakura. 

innbytheseakamakura.com 

innbythesea@yahoo.com 

MACARTHUR HEIGHTS. 

Take a break where General 

Douglas MacArthur did! One 

hour from Tokyo by car or direct 

train. Beautiful cabins on the 

ocean, w/onsen, beach, shopping. 

housinginjapan@yahoo.com 

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 endeavor 

NO JAPANESE REQUIRED. English 

teachers and play staff for kids 

wanted for new private English 

schools and after-school care 

facilities opening in Kanto. Contract: 

¥250,000/m, plus transportation. Visa 

support. Details and application at 

http://bit.ly/gpm-playteach. 

03-3836-9686 gp-cdnt@globalpower. 

co.jp 

JAPANTRAVEL INTERNSHIP. 

JapanTravel.com is seeking 

E/J bilingual interns to join the 

largest tourism website in Japan. 

Multiple opportunities in content, 

sales/marketing and web/design. 

Work in an exciting, global 

environment in Roppongi. 

Transportation and business expenses 

provided. No salary, minimum three 

months, chance for full-time position. 

Please send your resume (E/J) to 

info@japantravel.com. 

メトロポリスはバイリンガル( 日英 )の営業スタッ 

フを募集しています。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。jobs@metropolisjapan.com 

to make contact with ET visitors 

and their craft. Our next ET contact 

event will be at Lake Mottosu, 

Yamanashi Prefecture, on Mar 21/22. 

nakanosky@gmail.com www.meetup. 

com/Tokyo-ET-Contact-Group/ 

events/193113322 

Tokyo Snow Club. A ski/snowboard 

club for anyone living in, or visiting 

Tokyo. We go on big group trips 

every weekend in the winter. 

Powder, live music events, and 

parties in snow. Membership is free! 

info@tokyosnowclub.com www. 

tokyosnowclub.com 050-5806-5616 

13.3 ARTS 

Artist/photographer seeks attractive 

and sexy female for natural, fashion and 

glamor photos. Digital photos in return for 

your time. West of Tokyo. Please email 

w/sample photos. understanding_life@ 

hotmail.com 

13.4 MUSIC 

Cajón player. I’m a Japanese guy who 

plays the cajón. I’m available for gigs, 

rehearsals, jam sessions, etc., in Tokyo. 

I look forward to playing music with 

various people. If you are interested, 

feel free to contact me. si.utro@i-ml.com 

Female singer sought by Japanese 

guitarist to form new duo around Yoyogi 

Park. Beginners welcome! I like pop, 

rock, punk, Fergie, FOB, One Direction, 

Avril, Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana, etc. 

riku_hiroxx@hotmail.com 

YOUR KEY TO THE SUCCESS! 

INTERNATIONALLY PROVEN 

CORPORATE OR INDIVIDUAL TRAINING 

Improve your sales by 20% minimum 

Full day course: 9AM to 5PM 

Weekend or weekdays 

For more information or inquiries: 

info.fti.jp@gmail.com 

Tel: 090-9978-3506 

(9am - 5pm) 

Frank A. Kasala, President & CEO of Future Technologies International, 

has over 40 years of international sales experience and 17 years as a 

corporate sales instructor. 

NOMURA REAL ESTATE URBAN NET CO.,LTD. 

“YOUR PARTNER FOR 

REAL ESTATE 

IN AZABU JŪBAN” 

For Buyers, Make Your Dream Home a Reality with Us 

For Sellers, Let Us Help You Get Your Asking Price 

NOMURA REAL ESTATE 

URBAN NET CO.,LTD. 

CALL: 080-1102-7667 / 03-5444-2281 

SALES REP: MASARU NAKAMURA 

masa-nakamura@nomura-re.co.jp 

Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism(3)No.6011 

Member of the Association of Real Estate Agents of Japan 

Member of the Real Estate Fair Trade Council 

OPEN THURSDAY-MONDAY, 9:30AM-6:10PM 

OFFICE ADDRESS: 1F AXIA FORESTA, 

2-11-5 AZABU-JŪBAN, MINATO-KU 

29

WE BUY AND SELL 

METALS & JEWELRY! 

・Valuable used Canadian Gold Maple Leaf and 

Viennese Gold (1 toz ~ 1/10 toz) in stock! 

・Refurbished platinum and other metals, 

New jewelry and craft jewelry also available. 

・Free value appraisal. 

Metropolis readers receive a free gift 

with purchases of ¥20,000 or more 

Loja de Ouro 

金のみせ 

THE RACE IS ON! 

Groups of 4 or more can 

compete with each other 

Admission 

Ishikawacho station 

0120-5610-68 

10:00-18:30 / 

Closed Sundays and Mondays 

1 ticket (7 min)=¥2100, 3 tix=¥5200, 5 tix=¥7800 

¥47,000 

Since 1949 

今年は"にほんごをもの"にする 

EVERGREEN LANGUAGE SCHOOL 

DAILY CONVERSATION AND BUSINESS JAPANESE 

JAPANESE PROFICIENCY TEST 

N1, N2, N3, N4 

* One month intensive 

* 2 & 3 days a week 

* Private & Corporate 

* Business Japanese 

www.evergreen.gr.jp 

YUTENJI 03-3713-4958 JIYUGAOKA 03-3723-4785 

Don’t miss an issue! 

2/6 Values 

1 toz: ¥168,000- 

Reference price of new 

items: ¥175,084- 

Kinnomise 

http://kinnomise-chugai.jp/ 

Mention Metropolis 

for FREE ADMISSION 

STUDENT 

VISA 

Registration for 

July 2015 term 

NOW OPEN! 

Free trial lesson 

for groups 

info@evergreen.gr.jp 

03-3713-4958 

One year (24 issues) ¥3,600. Half year (12 issues) ¥1,800. 

One year corporate subscribers: 7-100 copies ¥22,560. 

Half year corporate subscribers: 7-100 copies ¥12,000. 

Bank transfer or credit card (Visa, Mastercard, Diners Club). 

http://metropolisjapan.com/subscription 

Keyboardist/bassist available for 

gigs in Tokyo. Open to various styles, 

classically trained on piano/violin. 

Producing electronic dance music on 

the side. Contact me for recordings, etc. 

Peace! maticmatics101@gmail.com 

youtube.com/maticmatics/videos 

Seeking a capella singer and voice 

percussionist. We're two a capella 

singers, with great singing experience, 

living in Tokyo, seeking alto, tenor 

and voice percussionist. Rehearsals in 

Shinjuku and Shibuya. We'll start with 

Pentatonix songs. konpeiioi@yahoo. 

co.jp 

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 090-3598- 

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. tokyozazen@jcom.home. 

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 http://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. 

bolick@japanintercultural.org www. 

japanintercultural.org 

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. nci_tokyo@yahoo.co.jp 

14 PERSONALS 

14.1 FRIENDS 

Brit for Brit (Yankee or Irish ok, too). 

Eee-up, chap from Blighty here seeking 

some fellow people from back home for 

chats involving words of more than one 

syllable (at least until we’ve had a few 

beers). i.do.tricks@gmail.com 

Coffee in Machida. Would anyone 

from Western countries (especially 

northern Europe) like to have a cup or 

two of coffee together with an Englishspeaking 

JF, 30s, in/around the Machida 

area? Please be nonsmokers, late 20s- 

30s. b2jw13@hotmail.co.jp 

Dansker i Tokyo? JF, 30s, boet i KBH 

befor og vil gerne laere sprog&kultur 

mere. Nogen dansker i Tokyo omraade 

til at moedes? Ikke-ryger, late 20s-30s 

preferred. Glaeder mig til at hoere fra 

jer snart! codename107113@live.com 

Friends from New Zealand. Japanese 

female, 30s, seeking friends from 

NZ. I speak English. Let's get together 

and chat! Thank you. kaoruko52@i. 

softbank.jp 

Interested in Britain? Professional 

British guy working near Marunouchi 

is seeking interesting people to hang 

out with after work for drinks. Any 

nationality ok. Prefer someone with 

an interest in the UK. I'm late 30s, 

speak some Japanese and Korean. 

englishmobile@outlook.com 

Jogging mate at Yokohama Stn. 

English- and Spanish-speaking JM seeks 

jogging mates with good personalities 

for 8-20km. Any nationality welcome as 

long as we can speak in English/Spanish. 

elsalvadorjapan@yahoo.es 

New friends. American male, can 

never have enough friends. If you feel 

the same way, please look me up. I 

enjoy drinking, dining, or just hanging 

out at a cafe as long as the conversation 

is interesting. mixnplay@yahoo.com 

Seeking friends in central Tokyo. JF, 

early 30s, seeks friends to hang out with 

in central Tokyo. atkm92@yahoo.co.jp 

Sunday friends. Western guy, enjoys 

hiking, relaxing at the beach, kayaking, 

seeking friends with free Sundays 

to enjoy places like Izu, the lakes, 

shrines, onsen, picnics. “ 簡単異本五 

台ジョブ。” Say hello. scorpiosrealm@ 

hotmail.co.uk 

Tokyo Stn. Professional male, English, 

late 30s, living and working in Tokyo, 

seeking easygoing people for drinks, 

chats after work around Tokyo Stn, 

Shimbashi, etc. This is not for language 

exchange. Please tell me about yourself 

when you reply. m3_3m@outlook.com 

Want a new friend? Japanese female, 

fluent in English and Japanese, easy 

to talk to, down-to-earth, is seeking 

new friends, nonsmokers preferred, 

for hanging out, chatting, eating 

out, movies, etc. Let's enjoy each 

other's company and laugh together! 

apriluuuu@gmail.com 

14.2 MEN LOOKING FOR WOMEN 

SUBMISSIVE SJM, 36, cute, is 

seriously seeking a woman who is 

into, or interested in, dominating 

men. I am so submissive, with 

seven years’ experience, that I am 

happy to take whatever and serve 

you in any way. slaveintokyo@ 

gmail.com 

Adventure. Adventurous, handsome 

man seeking lady. Easygoing, 

humorous, fun to be with, loves travel. 

Let's meet. zukkpo_ikopu3@hotmail. 

com 

American man seeking adventure 

partner. Hi, my name is Mike. I'm 

American, 51, seeking a woman to share 

adventures with and eat good food. 

Let's talk over email first. Thank you. 

usagidesu63@yahoo.com 

Are you missing passion? 

Professional, well-educated, 

successful, accomplished married 

male is seeking a nonsmoking, loving, 

passionate Japanese woman for a 

long-term discreet relationship to 

cherish and adore each other. Dinners, 

movies, travel... Serious only, please. 

nicefunguy_321@yahoo.com 

British male, 31, friendly, tall, 

slim, seeking a nice girl to hang out 

with. Nationality/race unimportant, 

but should be 20-35 and have a nice 

personality. Interested in music and 

film: you should be, too. shiodomebye@ 

gmail.com 

Caring and cute JM seeks attractive, 

hearty, nonsmoking Western female for 

friendship. I simply would like to share 

fun, interesting and great experiences 

with you. If you feel the same way, just 

drop me a line. jinzaixyz@yahoo.co.jp 

Caring for each other. JM, 44, slim, 

young-looking, seeks a Western female 

for a love-filled relationship. I promise 

you respect and understanding. Let's 

start from friendship and see how it 

goes. Sincere, decent personality 

required. toshinoris1012@yahoo.co.jp 

Chinese, Singaporean, Korean..? 

British guy, 30s, seeking non-Japanese 

women to hang out with, maybe more. 

It may seem obvious, but please only 

contact me if you have time to meet. 

No Japanese seeking marriage with a 

gaijin, please! greenteais.yummy@ 

gmail.com 

Cute, interesting Japanese male 

for SWF. SJM seeks attractive Western 

female with a nice smile. If you are 

interested in chatting over coffee or nice 

food, please contact me. I am looking 

forward to your message. Just try once. 

juniperten2013@gmail.com 

Different kind of language 

exchange. I want to learn 

some rude Japanese words. 

Let's go to a love hotel and 

watch some naughty movies. 

Please help me understand 

what the actors/actresses 

are saying. I'll pay for the 

hotel. moosehoose32@ 

yahoo.com 

French businessman, tall, goodlooking, 

40, 185cm, 逞しいタイプ, 

seeks a long-term relationship with 

a Japanese female, 20s-30s. Openminded, 

curious, simple, affectionate, 

needs love and tenderness. 日本語 ok. 

jaimeparisalafolie@yahoo.fr 

Fun-loving English guy, early 40s, 

slim, professional, lighthearted, loves 

restaurants, great food and wine. Let's 

enjoy our time together. feynman73@ 

yahoo.com 

I know what you like. I know how you 

like to be touched. I know how you like 

to be kissed. I know what makes you 

feel good. You are 25-30, nonsmoking. 

Tell me why you liked this. wakaruyo@ 

outlook.com 

Japanese girlfriend. British man, new 

to Japan, seeks Japanese girlfriend to 

show him around. Me: 173cm, blue eyes, 

blond hair, medium build, likes music, 

reading, etc. jhdf2007@yahoo.co.uk 

JF penpals sought. Hi, I'm 38, 

currently living in the UK. I'm seeking 

Japanese female penpals, 20-30, to 

exchange emails and snail mail letters. 

Japanese only. tardis.ah40@gmail.com 

Love hotel. Seeking someone to be 

casual friends with. rabbitquick1234@ 

yahoo.com 

Lovely jukujo ( 熟女 ), 38 and up, 

sought. jayes8518@aol.com 

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? 

imak1_2_3@yahoo.co.jp 

Mature and sophisticated non- 

Japanese, some have said deluded, is 

seeking an elegant, passionate and kind 

SHF ("So Humorous Female"). I dream 

about wild nights as well as sharing the 

simple pleasures. ja22y@outlook.com 

Mature man for mature woman. 

Attractive, mature European man, 

50, seeks a Japanese lover. I prefer 

somebody around my age (40s-60s). I 

am highly cultured and like Japanese 

ladies very much. vbcfgt@hotmail.com 

Mature man for relationship with 

mature woman. Long-term open 

relationship, w/reciprocal freedom. 

Important: mature attitude, intelligent, 

open-minded, positive. vbcfgt@ 

hotmail.com 

Movie buddies. Seeking someone 

to enjoy going out to movies, doing 

exercise and going on romantic trips. I 

am working in Tokyo. I'd prefer someone 

who uses Ueno Stn or who lives nearby. 

love.silence.1988@gmail.com 

MWM seeks MJF in Ebisu area. I am 

a sane, warm, fit MWM, early 40s, who 

is happy at home, but wants passion, 

too. Seeking a MJF who is in the same 

position for something exciting. 

bdtguy@hotmail.com 

MWM seeks MJF. Western man living 

in Tokyo, passionate, sensual, creative, 

seeking a married lady for a long-term, 

discreet relationship. scorpiosrealm@ 

hotmail.co.uk 

Need love. Handsome English 

gentleman, moderate build, mid- 

30s, needs beautiful, passionate JF. I 

am handsome, fun, intelligent, wellmannered 

and empathic. Let's have 

romance together. Please send photo 

w/email. I'm looking forward to hearing 

from you. edanoki@gmail.com 

New year, something new. Western 

guy, 40, seeks a woman for occasional 

30

weekend meetings to explore Japan's 

beautiful countryside, shrines, lakes, 

trails and interesting places. I like 

driving, music, picnics on the beach and 

onsen. scorpiosrealm@hotmail.co.uk 

Nice black American in Saitama. Hi, 

I am seeking nice people to talk with. 

Anywhere is fine. I live near Soka. 

rabbitquick1234@yahoo.com 

Non-Japanese? Non-Japanese bloke 

seeks English-speaking non-Japanese 

blokess to meet after work. I've nothing 

against Japanese, but would just like 

to natter and laugh with someone 

without worrying about whether 

they understand what I'm saying. 

advenchures+1224@gmail.com 

Passionate lady for romance and 

fun wanted. Prefer 30s to early 40s, 

healthy, eager for adventure. Let's 

enjoy our time together and try different 

things. Email for details. Start with 

dinner, then move to other events... 

cayote248@gmail.com 

Romance and dating. Very nice and 

sexy gentleman seeks an older, or much 

older, woman to have nice dates and a 

romance. feeltokyo@yahoo.co.uk 

Romance by email for married person. 

I miss simple, sweet romance. Married 

with happy family and life, good job, 

late 40s, European gentleman. vbcfgt@ 

hotmail.com 

Seeking big, tall woman. Caucasian 

guy, prefers big, tall ladies. Me: 

intelligent, friendly, down-toearth, 

active, good sense of humor. 

ms2013spk@yahoo.com 

Seeking chubby, serious JF. European 

guy, 40, open-minded, easygoing, 

honest, faithful, seeks a JF who can 

meet up soon (not too many emails) 

for a long-term relationship. Let's meet 

up over coffee and talk. niman429@ 

yahoo.com 

Seeking fun. SWM, 28, French, seeking 

people who want fun like me. My life 

is stable, but boring and stressful. I 

need excitement for my mental health 

balance. If you feel the same way, 

contact me, please. reydajp@yahoo. 

co.jp 

Seeking gamers. Would like to hang 

out, chat, eat, play video games. 

rabbitquick1234@yahoo.com 

Seeking long-distance relationship? 

Down-to-earth guy seeking a nice, 

simple SJF for friendship first, and if it 

works, settling down to have a family. 

Are you that special woman? Waiting to 

hear from you. pjoseph74716@hotmail. 

com 

Seeking married アラフォー. 

American gentleman, romantic type, 

perfect boyfriend, seeks a married ア 

ラフォー lady for friendship and more. 

I want a discreet relationship with 

real feelings with one special woman. 

togethertokyo@yahoo.com 

Seeking mature JF. C o o l g u y, 

40s, positive, romantic, honest, a 

gentleman, seeks a JF, 40s-50s, for a 

long-term relationship. nnazila73@ 

yahoo.com 

Seeking Parisienne. Affluent and 

excellent Japanese architectural 

engineer is seeking an attractive 

Parisienne who can speak English. I 

visited Paris two years ago and would 

like to know more about the city. Give me 

the hot info on Paris now. imak1_2_3@ 

yahoo.co.jp 

Seeking romance? Fit, athletic Western 

man, 40s, seeks a lady to spend some 

romantic times with. Let's meet for 

coffee first. Discretion is a must. 

beckham69jp@yahoo.co.jp 

Seeking serious relationship leading 

to marriage with a serious lady. Please 

no drama—straight to business. 

smartguy@i.softbank.jp 

Seeking sexual relationship. Hi, I am a 

MJM, early 40s, living in central Tokyo, 

seeking a sexual relationship. Are you 

interested? Let me know! tarobad25@ 

yahoo.co.jp 

Seeking young woman. I am a SJM 

professional seeking friendship and 

maybe more with young woman. I am 

a young-looking 40s. You are young, 

single, with a good sense of humor. 

july_leo2010@yahoo.co.jp 

Single mother sought by father with 

6-year-old boy for meeting, having 

fun and speaking English on weekends 

with the kids. understanding_life@ 

hotmail.com 

Single, handsome, caring, witty 

Japanese male seeks a nice Western 

or Japanese female for friendship and 

possibly more. Nonsmokers preferred. 

If you are interested in exciting and 

happy times with me, email me now! 

cioinjapan@gmail.com 

Slim, well-dressed English guy, 

177cm, enjoys wine, food and singing. 

Let's have some fun together. I have a 

good heart and a great voice. I speak 

Japanese ok, but also want to exchange 

language. Restaurant partner is a must. 

feynman73@yahoo.com 

SW Brit for encounter. Brit, 

30-something, seeking a casual 

encounter. I am tallish, goodlooking(ish), 

love chatting and drinking. 

Let’s meet for a beer and take it from 

there if we click. happylamp@hotmail. 

co.uk 

UK lady. SJM, 30s, tall, slim, lover 

of books, films and music, seeks an 

attractive British lady with the same 

interests. hurryondownboy@yahoo.co.jp 

UK male seeks Japanese female 

for long-distance relationship. Hi, 

I'm 38, currently living in the UK. I'm 

seeking a Japanese female, 20-30, for 

a relationship. Japanese only. tardis. 

ah40@gmail.com 

WM in Tokyo seeking a pretty girl, 

18-35. I am tall, white, with blue eyes. 

I speak Japanese. chrischrisjapan34@ 

yahoo.com 

ジョギング好き彼女募集 @ 横浜。 

40 代半ばの日本人独身男性で 

す。8~20キロ時々走ります。南関東 

ok。 elsalvadorjapan@yahoo.es 

ラブレッター。 When I was young, I 

wrote love letters with pen and paper, 

waiting for days to receive the answer. 

Now it is just a sweet memory. vbcfgt@ 

hotmail.com 

14.3 WOMEN LOOKING FOR MEN 

SINGLES-ONLY DATING 

EVENTS EVERY FRI NIGHT for 

foreign men and Japanese 

women. Leave the event with a 

new date! Always more women 

than men. FREE if signing up in 

advance! Otherwise, ¥2000. 

info@exeo-international.com 

www.exeo-international.com 

LAVISH DATES AND 

INDULGENT NIGHTS—WE 

CREATE OPPORTUNITIES 

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. Try our free one-month 

trial offer: first date is on us! 

0120-675-858 (English) 

international@universe-club.jp 

http://universe-club.jp/en 

SJF SEEKING 

EUROPEAN 

MEN. S J F , 

40s, loves art, 

museums, 

t r a v e l , 

adventure, 

seeking nice, 

positive and 

interesting people. Please send 

me a message, w/photo, if you are 

interested. kotoshiwayaruzo@gmai. 

com 

Around Tokyo or Nakameguro. 

Attractive, cultual Japanese female, 

late 30s, is seeking Caucasian friends 

for dinner, drinks, movies, etc. Speaks 

English and French. fulham_pl_rd@ 

yahoo.co.jp 

Français qui adore vivre au Japon? 

SJF seeks a Japan-loving French 

guy, 30s or early 40s, for a serious 

relationship leading to marriage. I 

am caring, curious and open-minded. 

Serious only, please. vinrouge735@ 

gmail.com 

Frenchman sought. After visiting France 

several times, I've fallen in love with the 

country. So, I'd like to meet a Frenchman 

for a long-lasting relationship. I am 

Japanese, 30s. Write me if you think 

you're great! cotedor@live.com 

Japanese beauty seeks Mr. Right. I 

am very kind, sincere, attractive, fun, 

loving, well-mannered, active and 

sexy. I'm seeking a man who is very 

gentle, kind, smart, down-to-earth, 

with a big and warm heart. Serious only. 

nosoup4unext@yahoo.co.jp 

Oriental beauty. Long raven hair, fine 

skin, toned yet with a very womanly 

frame and curves. SJF, educated, fun, 

brainy, mid-40s, mature, girly face, 

totally bilingual. You: single/divorced, 

mature-aged, articulate, international, 

witty, hard-working professional. 

green77handbag@gmail.com 

Seeking sincere SWM for a serious 

relationship. Friendship first. I am a 

well-educated SJF, 40, 160cm, long hair, 

fit. I'm interested in traveling, eating. 

happyjapan1974@aol.com 

Single Caucasian man? Seeking single 

or divorced Caucasian man, 35-45, 

preferably someone tall and confident. 

I am a single Japanese female. 

fumiyomuroya@yahoo.co.jp 

SJF seeking long-term relationship 

in Tokyo. I'm an honest, serious, fun 

person. I don't feel lonely, but it's 

more fun to have a good partner. I'm 41, 

sporty. Prefer younger boyfriend, but 

around my age is good. mmmatane@ 

yahoo.co.jp 

14.4 GAY & LESBIAN 

Friends and fun. Japanese guy, 27, 

170, 65, good-looking, seeking friends 

and fun in/around Tokyo. Please reply 

w/face photo and stats. Thanks. kcv@ 

hotmail.co.jp 

Japanese girl seeking girl. Petite 

Japanese girl, early 30s, seeking a slim, 

attractive girl for a secret friendship. 

Taking trips together, having lunch 

and more. Nonsmoker a must, and not 

interested in couples or men. m1979jp@ 

gmail.com 

Seeking Asian shemale. European 

guy, 40s, good-looking, kind, openminded, 

positive, seeks Asian shemale 

in Tokyo. Let’s share great times 

together. solivan.solivan@yahoo.com 

14.5 ESCORTS 

ESCORTS have gone online. 

To find a lovely lady 

companion, visit http:// 

classifieds.metropolis.co.jp/ 

category/personals/escorts. 

14.6 AND OTHERS 

I can gratify your innermost kinky 

desire. I’m a SJM, 20s, DD-free, discreet, 

no strings attached. Just tell me what 

you want me to do. I’ll reply within 24 

hours. zaku2@live.jp 

Like to be watched? Western guy wants 

to watch hot couple. Only watching is 

fine. Educated, discreet, easygoing. 

ms2013spk@yahoo.com 

Man needs spanking. Western man, 

M, mature, experienced, seeking a lady 

who is interested in fetish, domination 

and punishment—spanking is my 

main interest. Safe and sensible. No 

experience ok; I'm happy to teach. Can 

switch roles. ms2013spk@yahoo.com 

Rope bondage. I am seeking a female 

to be a model to practice rope bondage 

on. Someone who is particularly shy is 

best suited for this. I will practice using 

ropes to tie you up in erotic submissions. 

dave212121@hotmail.com 

ACCOUNTING 

SERVICES 

IN ENGLISH 

Accounting 

• Auditing 

• IPO Consulting 

• Due Diligence 

Tax 

• Tax Preparation 

• Tax Consulting 

• US Tax Filing 

• Accounting Services 

• Payroll Services 

Visa Attorney 

• Establishing a Company 

& Branch Office 

• Corporate Services 

• Immigration Services 

KASAI CPA 

042-401-0342 

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 

http://www.wada-lats.com/ 

E-mail: info@wada-lats.com 

3-5-3-1402 Nishi-Shinjuku, 

Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023 

More Than 

Twenty Years 

Experience 

Takashi Kasai CPA Firm 

4-1-2-302 Honcho, Kokubunji-shi, Tokyo 

support@kasaicpa.com 

www.kasaicpa.com 

WADA Legal & Administrative Office 

For information: 

Tel: (03) 3345-7977 

FAX: (03) 3345-5377 

Hiroshi Oogai, 

Patent attorney 

Immigration lawyer 

J-STAR PATENT, TRADEMARK & IMMIGRATION OFFICE 

Reasonable prices. 

Free first time consultation 

We can support you with: 

Visa and immigration 

Intellectual property rights 

(Patent, trademark, copyrights) 

Establishing a Company & 

Branch office 

Other Legal & Business matters 

www.j-star.jp 

Grand Prince 

Hotel Akasaka 

Akasaka 

Mitsuke 

stn 

Aoyama Ave 

Akasaka 

Excel 

Hotel 

Tokyu 

Exit 4, 

Nagatacho stn 

Supreme 

Court 

National 

Diet 

Library 

608 Kitano Arms 16-15, Hirakawa-cho, 2-Chome, Chiyoda-ku ,Tokyo, 102-0093 

Tel: 03-5216-6890 Fax: 03-5216-6891 

Email: hiroshioogai@j-star.jp 

Imperial 

Palace 

31

RELATIONS 

COLORFUL LANGUAGE 

BY GRACE BUCHELE MINETA 

English is a difficult language. I’m sure I’m preaching to the choir 

here, but have you ever stopped to think about how many idioms 

and nonsensical phrases the English language has? I don’t think I 

was able to fully grasp how difficult learning English is until I fell in 

love with my husband. For the sake of simplicity, let’s just stick with 

phrases that use colors to describe your mood. You can say “I'm green 

with envy” (jealous), “I’m blue” (sad), “I’m tickled pink” (delighted) 

and “I saw red” (furious). Seriously, who comes up with these things? 

多彩な言語 

英語は難しい言語だと思います。なぜなら数えきれないほどの慣用句や無意味 

な言い回しが存在するからです。私は夫に出会うまで、英語を学ぶ事がどれだけ 

難しい事かを知りませんでした。ほんの一部ですが、色を使って感情を表現する 

フレーズを紹介します。「I'm green with envy」は嫉妬、「I'm blue」は悲しみ、「I'm 

tickled pink」は喜び、「I saw red」は怒りを表します。だれがこのような表現を思 

いつくのか、本当に不思議です。 

■ Grace Buchele Mineta is an author who blogs and draws comics 

about her daily life in Japan at www.HowIBecameTexan.com. 

♥ Love ¥ Money ♣ Luck 

horoscope 

BY CATHRYN MOE 

ARIES 

Mar 21-Apr 19 ♥♥♥ ¥¥ ♣♣♣ 

TAURUS 

Apr 20-May 20 ♥♥ ¥¥¥ ♣♣ 

GEMINI 

May 21-Jun 20 ♥♥♥ ¥¥ ♣♣♣ 

CANCER 

Jun 21-Jul 22 ♥♥ ¥¥¥¥ ♣♣ 

One thing is for sure: You’re changing 

the parameters of your social template, 

your take on your career and 

who gets what in love. As much as you forge the 

future, this week you melt the past. Mars, your 

ruling planet, isn’t kidding—he connects exactly 

with the south node of the Moon on Friday and 

Saturday. It’s not easy to hold on to something 

as it dissolves through your fingers, but does it 

clear the way for a whole new vista? Yes! The 

next step is to just move through it, or into it. 

LEO 

Jul 23-Aug 22 ♥♥♥♥ ¥ ♣♣♣ 

Partnership is on a lot of people’s 

minds, but you, Taurus, have a kaleidoscope 

of love going. Mars connects 

with the south node of the Moon in your solar 

twelfth house. Something hidden comes right 

through the veil. Venus is already there; she’s 

romantic, but Mars is just plain sexy. Since you 

can’t escape this transit, you may as well accept 

a peek at new views, if you can. When it comes 

to a connection, they’ve asked for you too. 

Quite a week. Friends offer comfort, 

beauty and even joy. But when Mars 

connects with the south node of the 

Moon on Friday and Saturday, there are fireworks. 

Something from your past is cleaned to 

the bone. You’re more public than ever, with the 

Sun shining in your career sector. You probably 

aren’t trying to be noticed; it just happens. Knowing 

this, you can choose your favorite outfits 

and hairstyle—or you can set a new trend by not 

really caring. It’s a short transit; no need to hide. 

LIBRA 

Sep 23-Oct 22 ♥♥♥ ¥¥ ♣♣♣♣ 

Mars races into the face of destiny, 

Friday and Saturday, to be exact. 

There are karmic debts to be paid 

and suddenly the time has come. This all happens 

opposite your sign—sort of a high-end, 

front-row seat. Then Monday, the Sun connects 

with Chiron, and a quick slice takes away the 

trouble. Freedom may feel a bit wobbly—as in, 

where do you go, when all the choices line up? 

Anger dissolves and clarity becomes a venue 

you’ll want to drink in. 

You may want to slow down to feel 

what’s going on, but it’s unlikely 

Mars and Venus will do more than 

turn their heads and ask you to hurry up. Mars 

reaches the south node of the Moon Friday and 

Saturday. In your solar tenth house, that means 

a career moving through an event, which makes 

what you’ve been going through a part of the 

past. Freedom is the reward, and because it’s 

a destiny aspect, you’ll probably be glad it has 

happened—even if it seemed out of your control. 

SCORPIO 

Oct 23-Nov 21 ♥♥ ¥¥¥ ♣♣♣♣ 

This is a week for romance, but careful 

you don’t get singed. It’s the kind of connection 

that melts the toughest of hearts 

but bridges burned can never be crossed again. 

Friday and Saturday, sexy Mars connects with 

the south node of the Moon. This kind of karma 

doesn’t happen very often—certainly not with 

Mars blasting towards brilliant, shocking Uranus. 

There will be insights and outbursts. Venus is just 

on the other side, waiting to pick up the pieces. 

Focus on love and you’ll be rewarded. 

VIRGO 

Aug 23-Sep 22 ♥♥ ¥¥¥ ♣♣♣ 

The Sun opposes your sign this 

week. The spotlight is on your partner; 

if you’re single, you may attract 

someone who sees your best qualities … or 

even if you’re not single. Mars connects with the 

south node of the Moon Friday and Saturday. 

The south node has to do with past lifetimes and 

debts owed. Mars has a way of blasting through 

things—fast, furious, sharp-edged, so wrap your 

emotions in cotton wool. By Monday, you’ll see 

a new light. 

CAPRICORN 

Dec 22-Jan 19 ♥♥♥♥ ¥¥ ♣♣♣♣ 

You may be up and down like a roller 

coaster. This week brings things you 

cannot control. Mars, a fiery planet, 

connects with the south node of the Moon 

Friday and Saturday—a destiny event. The 

heat of Mars melts the past; it just isn’t there 

anymore. Luckily, Mars is in beneficial trine 

aspect to Leo. Venus is standing by, as is 

Uranus. Look for a quick change, a complete 

switcheroo. Be available to receive something 

you want. There are perks to this one. 

SAGITTARIUS 

Nov 22-Dec 21 ♥♥♥ ¥¥¥¥ ♣♣♣ 

AQUARIUS 

Jan 20-Feb 18 ♥♥ ¥¥¥ ♣♣♣ 

PISCES 

Feb 19-Mar 20 ♥♥♥ ¥¥ ♣♣♣♣ 

Consider how much change you’ve 

been through. Only a star-blessed 

being could still be here. Your heart’s 

in the right place. However, it may be time to think 

about yourself … as in, put yourself into the equation. 

What do you want to happen in this world 

of dreams? Mars is trine to your sign—a gift. On 

Friday and Saturday, this lord of passion pierces 

through a past debt. It may even be paid for you 

… well, mostly. Then on Wednesday, watch for a 

celebration: Fireworks! 

Just when things are at their toughest, 

it all breaks free. Mars, a fiery 

planet more than tired of waiting, 

connects with the south node of the Moon. 

Friday and Saturday, it’s destiny calling. Old 

debts paid and released so that you can move 

forward—ring around the rosie and they all fall 

down. It’s definitely your turn to be in charge, 

but watch for the Sun connecting to Chiron on 

Monday. Someone with an ego may be licking 

an old wound. 

Not a breeze this week, but a storm. 

Mars connects with the south node 

of the Moon on Friday and Saturday. 

Tides of change can become clouds that cover 

an entire collective. There is no you anymore, 

there is only everything at once: Destiny is 

served. Old ties are broken, new ones are 

forged. Monday the Sun shines on Chiron, 

exacting a price for healing. By Wednesday, 

Mars meets with Uranus. The force for engagement 

explodes into action. 

Someone has to keep the flow going. 

You may wonder if you have a secret 

star-blessed partner. Or maybe you’ve 

felt them and wondered if you were crazy to even 

hope. There’s a major destiny aspect happening. 

To be exact, Mars conjuncts the south node of the 

Moon on Friday and Saturday. This has to do with 

the payment of old debts, even those from past 

lifetimes. On Monday, the Sun combines with Chiron 

in Pisces—warmth heals wounds. Then, Mars 

meets Uranus on Wednesday. Sexy, magnetic 

attraction blends heart and courage. 

32

Seismologists say the pressure 

being exerted by tectonic plates off 

the coast of northeastern Japan has 

returned to levels last seen before 

the March 11 disaster. 

the small print 

BY STEVE TRAUTLEIN 

LINGO BOX 

Urikireta ( 売り切れた) = Sold out 

Shinfuzen ( 心不全 ) = Heart failure 

Osusume (おすすめ) = Recommend 

Shoshinsha ( 初心者 ) = Rookie 

Tsufu ( 痛風 ) = Gout 

“IT IS AN IMPORTANT MISSION OF OURS TO REFLECT 

ON THE FACTS OF THE PAST AND CONNECT THEM TO 

THE HISTORY THAT IS TO COME” —From a statement by Tokyo 

Governor Yoichi Masuzoe, at a ceremony commemorating the more than 20,000 

Japanese soldiers who died in the Battle of Iwo Jima 

YOU DON’T SAY 

⊲According ⊲ to Japan Railway officials, tickets 

for this weekend’s inaugural running of the 

Hokuriku shinkansen sold out in just 25 seconds. 

⊲The ⊲ Consumer Affairs Agency has ordered 

four companies to stop saying their insect repellents 

are, you know, actually effective at 

repelling insects. 

⊲Authorities ⊲ 

with the Chiba police and the 

Japan Racing Association have completed an 

investigation into a horse’s failed post-race 

doping test in December—the first such case in 

21 years. They say the animal had high levels 

of caffeine in its system because it ate feed 

imported from the U.S. 

⊲Headline ⊲ of the Week: “Hiroshima Torn Over 

Oyster Restaurant Near A-Bomb Dome” (via Jiji) 

CLOSE TO HOME 

⊲In ⊲ the wake of the Middle East hostage crisis, 

officials at the Japan Table Tennis Association 

kept their members home from this month’s 

tournaments in Kuwait and Qatar. 

at a glance 

BY RODGER SONOMURA 

⊲Authorities ⊲ 

at the Immigration Bureau 

deported a Nepalese man who allegedly 

helped dozens of countrymen find work by 

teaching them how to forge applications for 

refugee status. 

⊲Led ⊲ by its acquisition of Beam Inc. and 

strong sales of Premium Malt’s beer, Suntory 

has become Japan’s leading brewer in terms 

of sales. 

⊲The ⊲ government has pledged more than ¥43 

million to a Thai NPO that works to remove 

land mines along the border with Cambodia. 

MILESTONES 

⊲Kazumasa ⊲ Hirai, author of the famed sci-fi 

manga series Genma Taisen, died of heart 

failure in Kamakura at age 86. 

⊲In ⊲ what’s being called a “rare” move, JR Hokkaido 

issued a bullet-train license to a rookie 

driver in his 50s. 

⊲After ⊲ 63 years, construction work has begun 

on the Yuba Dam in central Gunma. The 

project had been delayed because of “sharp 

divisions” in the local community. 

stats 

6 Percentage of respondents to a newsservice 

poll who feel that Abenomics has 

benefitted rural areas 

70 Percentage who say the gap 

between rich and poor is widening 

16,094 Cases of foreign objects found 

in food products in Japan since fiscal 

2009, according to the National 

Consumer Affairs Center 

⊲For ⊲ the first time, the TMG hired a woman to 

lead one of its four mobile investigative units. 

The squads, which operate around the clock, 

“are usually the first at the scene of a robbery 

or murder.” 

FINDINGS 

⊲Japanese ⊲ researchers say that people are at 

a higher risk of developing gout if they have 

certain gene variations that weaken the body’s 

ability to release uric acid. 

⊲A ⊲ University of Pennsylvania survey ranked 

the Japan Institute of International Affairs 

13th in the world in terms of “achievements 

in research and analysis and the impact of [its] 

research on society.” 

⊲Discount ⊲ mega-chain Don Quijote announced 

it would accept seven types of foreign 

currency at 20 stores around the country. 

INCREDIBLY SHRINKING JAPAN 

⊲Officials ⊲ at the education ministry say about 

half of all elementary and junior high schools 

have fewer students than recommended by 

government guidelines. 

⊲Analysts ⊲ at the internal affairs ministry found 

that just seven of Japan’s 47 prefectures had 

a net population inflow last year. 

⊲Tokyo ⊲ picked up the largest number of new 

residents (73,280), while Hokkaido saw the 

biggest decline (8,942). 

⊲Researchers ⊲ 

at the trade ministry say it should 

be possible for Japan to cut its energy consumption 

by more than 10 percent by fiscal 2030. 

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 

The Magic 

of Methane 

Could Japan lead the world 

into a clean energy future? 

BY RICHARD P. GREENFIELD 

WANT 

TO HAVE 

THE LAST 

WORD? 

Send your article to: 

editor@ 

metropolisjapan.com 

It takes about 10 minutes for me to reach 

any of the supermarkets that accept 

cardboard or milk cartons for recycling. 

A few now have machines, and using 

them for processing PET bottles gets 

you points that can be converted into 

merchandise credits. Other trash must 

be handled from home, with glass and 

cans being picked up twice a month, 

non-burnable objects once a month. The 

rest is picked up twice a week. This city 

is one of those forward-looking enough 

to produce cogenerated power from the 

burning of trash. 

It sounds like some ecotopian paradise. 

But look around: I don’t live in one. 

Neither do you. Neither do the seven 

billion-plus who live on Earth today. 

How can I say that? One word, one 

gas: Methane. Most global warming 

arguments cite CO2 emissions—and 

there’s no doubt that CO2 is a part of 

the mix. As a greenhouse gas though, 

methane is 22 times more potent than 

CO2. And the largest sources of methane 

on the planet are human waste, animal 

waste and food waste (as a product of 

decomposition). 

What is methane? It’s natural gas, not 

very different than the propane delivered 

to some private houses or burned for 

electricity. Japan has a research program 

to recover methyl hydrate—an ice-like 

combination of methane and water— 

from the deep-sea floor. Yet no program 

to recover human, animal and food waste 

exists in Japan—at least not on a large 

scale. Once all the pathogens in such 

waste have been killed, the remaining 

methane is an ideal growth medium for 

any type of farming. 

The use of waste is not theory. Until 

the 1970s, New York City dumped sewage 

at a point some 20 miles from the 

Jersey coast (no political commentary 

should be assumed by this). New Jersey 

sued under the Environmental Protection 

Act and won. New York City was 

going to have to process its own waste 

IF JAPAN REALLY THREW 

RESOURCES INTO THIS, 

HOW MANY JOBS WOULD 

A PRACTICAL SYSTEM 

CREATE?” 

Illustration by Christi Rochin 

and then find something to do with it. But 

a funny thing happened on the way to 

the dump. Although methane harvesting 

wasn’t part of the plan, farmers around 

the U.S. heard about it and began clamoring 

for some of that authentic New York … 

product. Other cities followed suit where 

they could. 

That alone would be worthwhile. 

Many agronomists have complained 

about overuse of fertilizers and pesticides. 

In fact, it’s an irony that one of the 

engineers on the first large-scale sewage 

works—in London a century and a 

half ago—commented that there would 

come a time when people would realize 

they were flushing gold and silver down 

the river. He was referring only to the 

ability to fertilize the land, but within a 

decade or two, the streets of London 

would be lit by gas lamps—gas that could 

just as well have been methane, had the 

technology been available. 

Considering that just the disposal of 

sewage in the New York City method can 

save a large metropolis billions, while 

also providing a resource for interested 

farmers, who would not want to do that? 

Big chemical companies, for one. 

They make fortunes from selling fertilizers 

that cause run-off pollution in 

the sea and nearby bodies of water. 

Harvest methane and you’re taking 

on energy companies, particularly the 

nuclear industry. 

But if Japan really threw resources 

into this, how many jobs would a practical 

system create? How many domestically, 

where existing systems would have to be 

partly rebuilt? How many abroad, where 

large mega cities around the world could 

use the same system? 

Yes, in one way it’s a moonshot because 

only one end—the production of 

soil that would not need the massive 

chemical fertilizer input—is proven. On 

the other, the methane is there, as are 

ways it can be harvested, purified and 

used to provide energy and slow the rise 

in global temperatures. 

Take a moment and imagine a Japan 

that turned its lack of certain natural resources 

into a surplus and in the process 

showed the rest of the world how to do it. 

Cool Japan. Just how cool would it be 

for us to lead the way? 

■ Richard P. Greenfield is a journalist and 

consultant living in Tsukuba 

The views expressed in “The Last Word” are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect the position or opinions of Japan Partnership Co. Ltd. or its partners and sponsors. 

34

JOIN 

JAPAN’S 

LARGEST 

COMMUNITY 

From the famous sites to the hidden 

treasures, JapanTravel has you covered. 

JOIN JAPAN’S LARGEST COMMUNITY 

Explore Japan. Share your experiences. Earn rewards.

MORE INFO ONLINE 

Kyoto 

Osaka 

Nagoya 

Nanki Shirahama 

Tokyo 

Nanki-Shirahama Airport - Gateway to Kumano 

Just 70 minutes from Haneda Airport; 

3 flights a day 

World Heritage 

Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range 

Travel Services and Destinations 

Japan Airlines 

www.jal.co.jp/en 

JALPAK (in Japanese only) 

www.jal.co.jp/domtour/kas/sekaiisan_kumano 

Tanabe City Kumano Tourism Bureau 

www.tb-kumano.jp/en 

Wakayama Tourism Federation 

www.wakayama-kanko.or.jp/world/english 

Mi-Kumano 

http://en.mi-kumano.com 

Adventure World Shirahama 

http://aws-s.com/english/index.php

metropolis-1093

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?