Tokyo Weekender - February 2016
Hidetoshi Nakata a soccer all-star on the sake trail. The Tokyo Marathon turns ten. Scaling Japan’s frozen heights.
Hidetoshi Nakata a soccer all-star on the sake trail. The Tokyo Marathon turns ten. Scaling Japan’s frozen heights.
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FEBRUARY <strong>2016</strong><br />
Japan’s number one English language magazine<br />
ICE<br />
CLIMBER<br />
Scaling Japan’s<br />
Frozen Heights<br />
RUNNING<br />
THE CITY<br />
The <strong>Tokyo</strong> Marathon<br />
Turns Ten<br />
HIDETOSHI<br />
NAKATA<br />
A Soccer All-Star on<br />
the Sake Trail<br />
ALSO: The Latest Updates from <strong>Tokyo</strong>’s International Schools, Valentine’s Day Activities, Hitting the Snow in<br />
www.tokyoweekender.com<br />
Hakuba Valley,<br />
FEBRUARY<br />
and More<br />
<strong>2016</strong>
FEBRUARY <strong>2016</strong> www.tokyoweekender.com
FEBRUARY <strong>2016</strong><br />
CONTENTS<br />
11<br />
TOKYO MARATHON<br />
The city prepares to get Japan’s biggest longdistance<br />
event running for the tenth time<br />
14<br />
16 18<br />
HIDETOSHI NAKATA<br />
The star footballer brings passion and<br />
precision to promoting fine sake<br />
VALENTINE’S DAY IN TOKYO<br />
Don’t feel broken-hearted if you’re at a<br />
loss for what to do: we’ve got you covered<br />
ICE CLIMBING<br />
To scale Japan’s frozen reaches, you need<br />
ingenuity, determination, and a bit of luck<br />
6 The Guide<br />
An aphrodisiac cocktail, the cutest cafe in<br />
town, and hot looks for a cold month<br />
8 Gallery Guide<br />
Real life gods of rock and ads from the<br />
very early days of Japanese tourism<br />
20 Hakuba Valley<br />
Nearly a dozen resorts, slopes for experts<br />
and newbies alike, and après ski fun<br />
22 Demons Out! Happiness In!<br />
The things we can learn from an age-old<br />
Japanese traditional ritual<br />
23 The British School in <strong>Tokyo</strong><br />
Combining a love of learning with a sense<br />
of adventure and independence<br />
24 ai International School<br />
Over 30 years of collaboration, creativity,<br />
and truly child-centered education<br />
26 People, Parties, Places<br />
Bill’s yearly party in benefit for those less<br />
fortunate, and a tour of the party scene<br />
30 Movies<br />
A crop of Oscar contenders make their<br />
way to <strong>Tokyo</strong>’s cinema screens<br />
32 Agenda<br />
The floral promise of spring, Madonna<br />
comes to town, and Chinatown revels<br />
www.tokyoweekender.com FEBRUARY <strong>2016</strong>
THIS MONTH IN THE WEEKENDER<br />
FEBRUARY <strong>2016</strong><br />
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Bill Hersey<br />
Matthew Hernon<br />
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Published monthly at JPR Sendagaya Building 8F<br />
4-23-5 Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku, <strong>Tokyo</strong> 151-0051<br />
(03) 6863-3096 / (03) 5413-3050 (fax)<br />
editor@tokyoweekender.com<br />
Japan’s number one English language magazine<br />
ICE<br />
CLIMBER<br />
Scaling Japan’s<br />
Frozen Heights<br />
RUNNING<br />
THE CITY<br />
The <strong>Tokyo</strong> Marathon<br />
Turns Ten<br />
HIDETOSHI<br />
NAKATA<br />
A Soccer All-Star on<br />
the Sake Trail<br />
FEBRUARY <strong>2016</strong><br />
ALSO: The Latest Updates from <strong>Tokyo</strong>’s International Schools, Valentine’s Day Activities, Hitting the Snow in<br />
www.tokyoweekender.com<br />
Hakuba Valley,<br />
FEBRUARY<br />
and More<br />
<strong>2016</strong><br />
Cover Photo by Junichi Takahashi<br />
s British School in<br />
A<br />
<strong>Tokyo</strong> Principal Brian<br />
Christian reminds us in<br />
his introduction to our<br />
education section, <strong>February</strong> can be a<br />
trying month. The hints of spring lie just<br />
a few weeks away, but winter’s cold grip<br />
is still firmly on us. It makes sense, then,<br />
for this to be a time to celebrate that<br />
spirit of determination that enables us to<br />
face the frigid days with something that<br />
approaches a grin now and again.<br />
Some of us might find some cheer<br />
in the call of Setsubun—“Demons<br />
out! Happiness in!”—that exhorts<br />
participants in that Japanese tradition<br />
of jettisoning the negative baggage of the<br />
past and making room for better things.<br />
It is certainly encouraging to witness<br />
the runners who take to the streets for<br />
the often grim weather of the <strong>Tokyo</strong><br />
Marathon. And as we see in the case of<br />
our story on ice climbing, another way<br />
to demonstrate what the poet Wallace<br />
Stevens calls “a mind of winter” is to<br />
simply take on adversity in one of the<br />
most aggressive ways possible: scaling<br />
cliffs by driving titanium screws into a<br />
surface that leaves precious little margin<br />
for error.<br />
As our cover star Hidetoshi Nakata<br />
explains, the best sake comes out in<br />
the coldest months. It’s a detail about<br />
Japan’s national beverage that the former<br />
soccer star has learned in his new role:<br />
promoting sake to the world at large. It’s<br />
clear from our interview with him that he<br />
is putting the same passion and precision<br />
into this endeavor that he did on the field.<br />
Finally, lest you get the idea that<br />
the month is nothing but clenched teeth<br />
and frozen hearts, we haven’t forgotten<br />
about the lovers out there. Even though<br />
Japan does things differently when it<br />
comes to gender roles on Valentine’s Day,<br />
we’ve assembled a collection of romantic<br />
activities that should make any significant<br />
other happy—or at the very least, make<br />
sure you’re not left out in the cold.<br />
To our neighbors to the West, we’d like<br />
to extend our Chinese New Year greetings,<br />
and we’ll see you all next month.<br />
Editor<br />
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are not necessarily those of the publisher<br />
WRITERS WANTED<br />
<strong>Tokyo</strong> <strong>Weekender</strong> is looking for a few good writers. If<br />
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FEBRUARY <strong>2016</strong> www.tokyoweekender.com
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the guide<br />
TOM FORD CLUTCH BAG<br />
Transfer from day to night with this versatile claret shoulder bag that doubles up as a<br />
sophisticated clutch when the shoulder strap is removed. We are craving statement accessories<br />
to enhance our spring wardrobes and found this luxurious combination of rich<br />
berry leather with Tom Ford’s signature stunning gold-tone hardware to be the perfect<br />
answer. While being eye-catchingly chic, this bag is also practical with an elegant flap<br />
design and a nifty inside pocket to keep your lipstick and keys in place.<br />
tomford.com<br />
JIL SANDER<br />
SWEATER<br />
SELF–PORTRAIT DRESS<br />
Whether it is for a special Valentine’s date or just<br />
a reason to put on your heels and have drinks<br />
with your friends, this lace and crepe dress<br />
belongs in your closet. Self-Portrait received<br />
much attention from the fashion world for their<br />
intricate lace and lattice designs and we are also<br />
besotted with their new collection of flawless<br />
cocktail dresses. The delicate embroidered top<br />
draws attention to your décolletage while the<br />
cinched waist and panel-pleated skirt compliment<br />
your figure. Add a pair of thick black stockings<br />
underneath to stay comfortably elegant in the<br />
evening air. self-portrait-studio.com<br />
Crafted from a lightweight blend<br />
of silk, cotton and cashmere, this<br />
plush sweater provides a stylish<br />
layer of protection against the<br />
<strong>February</strong> frost. As well as being<br />
sumptuously soft, the darker navy<br />
side panels against the bold midsection<br />
of orange create a flattering<br />
silhouette. The intricate ribbed<br />
design adds another element of<br />
texture to the sweater, which is<br />
just one more detail that will make<br />
it your favorite go-to item of knitwear.<br />
Wear the sleeves pulled up<br />
to 3/4 length over a white collared<br />
shirt to complete the look.<br />
jilsander.com<br />
KAWAII MONSTER CAFÉ<br />
The concept is simple: capture the heart of Harajuku culture and turn<br />
it into an edible wonderland. To some, this Technicolor culinary experience—a<br />
dizzying array of spiral art, hypnotically blasting J-pop,<br />
and “cute-ified” walking inanimate objects—may be nightmare-inducing,<br />
but to others, this is the rabbit hole they’ve been waiting for.<br />
Cupcake-shaped booths, checkered karaoke stage, and the demon<br />
pony-cake merry-go-round centerpiece aside, the menu has been given<br />
the most thought. From the rainbow-pastel spaghetti to the bubbly<br />
salad, each item has a purpose beyond being visually satisfying, and<br />
you won’t want to miss their too-surreal-to-eat desserts, “hospital”<br />
cocktails, and tapioca tea served in Mason jars. (kawaiimonster.jp)<br />
Address: Shibuya, Jingumae 4-31-10, YM Square 4F<br />
FEBRUARY JANUARY <strong>2016</strong> www.tokyoweekender.com
Something for the weekend...A<br />
cocktail guide for the most<br />
discerning of drinkers<br />
JOHN SMEDLEY SHAWL-COLLAR CARDIGAN<br />
Change up your sweater rotation with this smooth merino wool and cashmere-blend<br />
cardigan from British knitwear specialist John Smedley. The deep midnight blue hue<br />
of the finely knit wool is paired with discreet buttons and finished with softly ribbed<br />
trims. The cozy shawl collar and deep V-neck keeps your neck snug while looking polished—any<br />
item that provides style and comfort is always a winning combination for<br />
us. It can be worn over a shirt or round neck top and is slim enough to slip under your<br />
jacket without making a bulky frame. johnsmedley.com<br />
DRAKE’S WOOL, SILK AND<br />
LINEN-BLEND TIE<br />
Known for eye-catching fabrics, British<br />
haberdasher Drake’s has a legendary<br />
reputation for its premium quality pieces.<br />
This dark green wool, silk and linenblend<br />
tie is no exception, creating a matte<br />
finished traditional wide cut tie with a<br />
striking texture. If you want to impress<br />
during a Valentine’s date or look smart in<br />
your next company meeting, couple this<br />
handsome tie with a crisp white shirt for<br />
a dapper appearance. The woven texture<br />
should be worn with smooth cufflinks or<br />
a plain silver tiepin so the material is not<br />
overshadowed. drakes.com<br />
ATELIER DE L’ARMÉE<br />
BACKPACK<br />
As the brand name suggests, Atelier de l’Armée<br />
(“Army Workshop”) creates functional items from<br />
durable high-quality materials. With water-repellent<br />
cotton canvas and tan leather, this backpack<br />
is ideal for keeping your belongings dry through<br />
rugged terrains or just the urban jungle of <strong>Tokyo</strong><br />
rush hour. Whether you have filled up the main<br />
pocket’s 60-liter capacity or just have your daily<br />
bare essentials, the bag’s dimensions adapt with<br />
the drawstring top. We particularly like the subtle<br />
color palette of amber-browns and tomato-red<br />
accents, which are a welcome change from the<br />
common khaki-toned utility bags we have seen for<br />
many seasons.<br />
Given that it’s Valentine’s Day this month<br />
I thought that it might be appropriate to<br />
prepare a little something for the lovers<br />
in this edition of the Mixologist Guide. After all,<br />
the art of cocktail and the art of seduction go<br />
hand in hand like a couple of tipsy lovers. So<br />
this month I thought I’d give you a sure-fire way<br />
to make certain that your Valentine’s evening<br />
goes off with a bang.<br />
The Black Velvet is not only one of the most<br />
powerful aphrodisiacs legally available over the<br />
counter, it also tastes a damn sight better than<br />
powdered rhino horn or dried tiger penis. The<br />
added bonus is that this cocktail takes literally<br />
seconds to make, leaving you to get on with<br />
more important matters.<br />
The cocktail was originally created at the<br />
Brooks Club in London in 1861, to mourn the<br />
death of Prince Albert. The patrons of the club<br />
wished to continue drinking their regular<br />
tipple, but it was thought pretty poor form to<br />
be drinking champagne when the rest of the<br />
country was in mourning. Some clever soul<br />
added a touch of Guinness to his glass to make it<br />
black, thus allowing himself to continue drinking<br />
champers, whilst showing the appropriate<br />
amount of respect for the fallen monarch.<br />
A word of warning with this one. The potency<br />
of this cocktail is so strong that it’s a good idea to<br />
limit yourself to just a single glass before dinner.<br />
More than one and you may well have to cancel<br />
those expensive dinner reservations—more than<br />
two and you may well be calling in sick to work<br />
on Monday. Bottoms up!<br />
Method:<br />
Half fill a champagne glass with Verve Clicquot<br />
or whichever champagne takes your fancy.<br />
Float the Guinness on top of the champagne<br />
by poring slowly over the back of a spoon. The<br />
difference in densities of the liquids will create<br />
a rather attractive banding effect.<br />
Ingredients:<br />
– 50ml Guinness<br />
– 100ml Verve Clicquot<br />
atelierdelarmee.com<br />
www.tokyoweekender.com FEBRUARY JANUARY <strong>2016</strong>
GALLERY GUIDE<br />
TOKYO GALLERY GUIDE<br />
OUR PICKS FROM THE EXHIBITIONS AROUND TOWN<br />
by Luca Eandi<br />
HARA DOCUMENTS 10: Masaharu Sato—<strong>Tokyo</strong> Trace<br />
The “Hara Documents”<br />
series was launched<br />
in 1992 to promote<br />
emerging artists. The<br />
tenth installment<br />
features Masaharu Sato’s newest<br />
work, “<strong>Tokyo</strong> Trace.” In it, Sato<br />
presents a number of vignettes<br />
of present-day <strong>Tokyo</strong> which he<br />
reworks using a technique he<br />
calls “shadowing.”<br />
This process that Sato developed<br />
is based on the meticulous<br />
tracing of actual video stills. He<br />
uses a camera to shoot ordinary<br />
scenes of people and landscapes<br />
and then augments them with a<br />
digital pen. His goal is to “get as<br />
close to the video image as possible<br />
by emphasizing nothing and<br />
leaving no trace of pen behind.”<br />
The immense time and labor, the<br />
repetitive tracing of prosaic<br />
scenes, the production of hundreds<br />
of frames that comprise<br />
the animation—this seemingly<br />
extraneous process is one that<br />
produces the subtle skewed<br />
reality that makes Sato’s work<br />
special. Viewers experience a<br />
momentary feeling of puzzlement,<br />
sensing something amiss<br />
in the apparently ordinary<br />
scene.<br />
His 2014 work, titled “Calling,”<br />
created after the strife<br />
of living through the Great<br />
East Japan Earthquake and<br />
consecutive bouts of illness<br />
experienced by himself and<br />
another member of his family<br />
also makes up the exhibition,<br />
as well as newly-created<br />
two-dimensional art.<br />
Bye bye come on, 2010, animation, loop, single-channel video<br />
Hara Museum of Contemporary Art<br />
Dates: January 23–May 8, <strong>2016</strong><br />
Open: 11:00 am–5:00 pm, 11:00 am–8:00 pm on Wednesdays, closed<br />
Mondays (except March 21) and March 22, last admission 30 minutes<br />
before closing | Web: www.haramuseum.or.jp<br />
VISIT JAPAN: Tourism Promotion in the 1920s and 1930s<br />
Left: MACHIDA Ryuyou, Osaka Shosen Kaisha (Yokozuna Tachiyama), c.1917 Hakodate City<br />
Central Library Right: Pieter I. Brown, Japan (Night scene at a shrine), 1934 Private collection<br />
The National Museum of Modern Art, <strong>Tokyo</strong><br />
Dates: January 9–<strong>February</strong> 28, <strong>2016</strong> | Open: 10:00 am–5:00 pm, 10:00<br />
am–8:00 pm on Fridays, last admission 30 minutes before closing<br />
Web: www.momat.go.jp<br />
It was reported in January<br />
that Japan (nearly)<br />
reached its goal of drawing<br />
20 million visitors in 2015,<br />
a full five years ahead of<br />
the original 2020 target. Impressively,<br />
that figure nearly quadruples<br />
the 5.2 million people that<br />
visited Japan when the current<br />
government-sponsored tourism<br />
campaign kicked off in 2003. A<br />
true feat, considering the country<br />
was closed to tourism until the<br />
late 1880s, so Japan was relatively<br />
unaccustomed to promoting its<br />
attractions to the rest of the world<br />
until the early 20th century.<br />
Now, ahead of the 2020<br />
Olympics, The National Museum<br />
of Modern Art, <strong>Tokyo</strong>, is looking<br />
back at advertisements that were<br />
used to promote Japan in one of<br />
the country’s earliest promotional<br />
campaigns during the 1920s<br />
and ‘30s. This era saw improved<br />
modes of commercial aviation,<br />
encouraging leisure travel to<br />
Japan. The government had consciously<br />
spent the previous two<br />
decades bolstering its railway<br />
and hotel networks.<br />
The exhibition features<br />
posters, pictorial magazines and<br />
travel brochures from the time.<br />
Designed by well known names<br />
such as Hisui Sugiura, Yumeji<br />
Takehisa, Hatsusaburo Yoshida<br />
and Munetsugu Satomi, the<br />
posters involve motifs that include<br />
kimonos, sumo wrestlers,<br />
cherry blossoms and Mount<br />
Fuji—symbols now synonymous<br />
with the land. If you’re looking<br />
to save some money on this<br />
exhibition, admission is free on<br />
<strong>February</strong> 7.<br />
FEBRUARY <strong>2016</strong> www.tokyoweekender.com
GALLERY GUIDE | WEEKENDER | 9<br />
DU KUN—Revels of the Rock Gods<br />
As seen with the recent passing of David Bowie and<br />
Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead, the magnitude of<br />
rock musicians can’t be underestimated. As soon as<br />
news of their deaths hit the internet, fans gathered<br />
to mourn the loss and celebrate the music, while<br />
makeshift shrines sprung up in their honor. Undoubtedly, fans<br />
will make pilgrimages to cemeteries for years to come, revering<br />
their favorite musicians’ graves as hallowed mausoleums. This<br />
level of devotion can only be described as religious in scope.<br />
Chinese artist Du Kun is captivated with music and rock<br />
stars. As a musician himself since his art school days, the Beijing<br />
and Tianjin-based painter is taken by the creation of music, the<br />
side effects of fame, and the ethereal nature of revered musical<br />
superheroes. In his series, “Revels of the Rock Gods,” Chinese<br />
contemporary musicians take the form of temples, pagodas and<br />
other traditional Buddhist and Confucian structures, built into<br />
the sides of mountains and cliffs, amidst seas and waterfalls—divine<br />
structures overlooking sacred lands.<br />
Du Kun paints the elements of earth, water, air and fire in<br />
mysterious atmospheres that create a mystic, misty air. Catch<br />
this exhibition at Mizuma Art Gallery early in the month, as it<br />
closes before Valentine’s Day.<br />
Mizuma Art Gallery<br />
Dates: January 13–<strong>February</strong> 13, <strong>2016</strong><br />
Open: 11:00 am–7:00 pm, closed Sundays, Mondays and national holidays<br />
Web: www.mizuma-art.co.jp<br />
“Nirvana NiouAgyou 2015”, Synthetic resins, urethane paint, 35×30×30cm<br />
TartarosJapan/<br />
Alternative Idol<br />
Saturday 13th <strong>February</strong> - Sunday 28th <strong>February</strong>, <strong>2016</strong><br />
Opening Hours: 12:00 - 19:00 | Closed: Mondays<br />
Opening Reception: Friday <strong>February</strong> 12th from 18:00 onwards<br />
Talk by the Artist: Hikari Shimoda(Painter) ×TartarosJapan<br />
<strong>February</strong> 20th (Sat), Doors open at 16:00 curtain 17:00 ~<br />
Admission: Free<br />
Temple of Heavenly Sounds, Oil on canvas, 210 x 140 cm, 2015, Image copyright of the<br />
artist; courtesy of the artist and Mizuma Art Gallery<br />
www.tokyoweekender.com FEBRUARY <strong>2016</strong>
10 | WEEKENDER | EXPAT LIFE<br />
Kagami Crystal Shop offers a dazzling selection<br />
of cut glass for connoisseurs and amateurs alike<br />
Established in <strong>Tokyo</strong> in 1934, Kagami Crystal is Japan’s first<br />
crystal glass factory, and after a visit to their shop in Ginza, you<br />
may be inclined to say that it is the country’s finest.<br />
Kagami crystalware has been receiving accolades since the<br />
company was founded, and has received commissions from<br />
the Imperial Family, the Japanese government, and Japanese<br />
embassies and consulates around the world. Kagami Crystal<br />
glassware can be found in embassies and consulates in more than<br />
250 countries around the world.<br />
If you’re looking for an artfully cut whisky or wine glass, you<br />
can find a wide array of exquisitely crafted pieces that will<br />
bring elegance to the table or anywhere else you enjoy your<br />
favorite beverages.<br />
The Kagami Crystal Shop also has an impressive selection of<br />
“Edo Kiriko” cut glasses, which are available in a variety of<br />
shapes, colors, and patterns. You can find decanters, perfume<br />
containers, vases and other vessels, which are decorated in a<br />
variety of traditional Japanese patterns and designs. Custom<br />
engraving, featuring a name, a family emblem, or another design<br />
can be performed.<br />
With the holiday seasons rapidly approaching, a fine piece of<br />
Japanese craftsmanship just might be the perfect gift. Come see<br />
for yourself at Kagami Crystal Shop.<br />
Ginza Store<br />
Daiwa Building, 2-1, Ginza 6-Chome,<br />
Chuo-ku, <strong>Tokyo</strong> 104-0061<br />
Tel: 03-3569-0081<br />
Open: From Mon, Fri (11:00~19:30)<br />
Sat, Sun and holiday (11:00~18:30)<br />
Closed: Thursday<br />
WWW.KAGAMI.JP/ENGLISH/<br />
FEBRUARY <strong>2016</strong> www.tokyoweekender.com
y Alec Jordan<br />
www.tokyoweekender.com FEBRUARY <strong>2016</strong>
12 | FEATURE | TOKYO MARATHON<br />
Imperial Palace<br />
A favorite spot for runners who jog<br />
alongside the moat of this <strong>Tokyo</strong><br />
landmark throughout the year, it’s a<br />
natural location for spectators to get<br />
set up to watch the runners in the<br />
early stages of the race go by.<br />
Ginza<br />
Many participants recall the<br />
billboards and fancy store fronts<br />
of glitzy Ginza as something that<br />
helped keep them upbeat during the<br />
final kilometers of the marathon.<br />
It’s also one of the areas where the<br />
course makes a sharp turn, making<br />
it a thrilling place to watch the<br />
wheelchair competitors.<br />
<strong>Tokyo</strong> Big Sight<br />
There’s nothing like seeing the<br />
runners crossing the finish, whether<br />
they’re coming in at world-class pace<br />
or setting their own personal bests.<br />
Expect plenty of crowds, and a warm<br />
atmosphere—rain or shine.<br />
A<br />
quintessential demonstration of<br />
training, resilience, and determination,<br />
the marathon is an event<br />
that demands an intense pace from<br />
elite runners over the length of its 42.195km<br />
(26.2 mile) course and from less experienced<br />
runners, sometimes just the willingness to put<br />
one foot in front of the other.<br />
The <strong>Tokyo</strong> Marathon was first launched<br />
in 2007, but elite marathons have been held<br />
in the world’s largest city since 1979. This impressive<br />
pedigree quickly made it one of the<br />
top runs on the world marathon circuit, and<br />
by its sixth year, it had joined Boston, London,<br />
Chicago, New York, and Berlin in the Abbott<br />
World Marathon Majors, a yearly series of six<br />
races that draws the world’s best long-distance<br />
competitors.<br />
A RACE FOR ELITES AND<br />
AMATEURS ALIKE<br />
Standouts in a strong international field this year<br />
include Kenya’s Emmanuel Mutai, Dickson Chumba<br />
(the course record holder), and Bernard Kipyego,<br />
as well as Feyisa Lilesa (Ethiopia) and Stephen<br />
Kiprotich (Uganda). Two of the best Japanese<br />
male runners to look for are Masato Imai and<br />
Arata Fujiwara. On the women’s side is a strong<br />
Ethiopian contingent, including last year’s winner<br />
Birhane Dibaba, Aberu Kebede, and Shure<br />
Demise, with Kenya’s Edna Kiplagat in the pole<br />
position. Hiroko Yoshitomi and Yukiko Okuno<br />
lead the pack of Japan’s elite female runners. The<br />
<strong>Tokyo</strong> Marathon is an Olympic qualifying event<br />
for the Japanese men, so there will be a little extra<br />
on the line for some members of the pack.<br />
Another group to pay attention to are some of<br />
the speedier competitors on the road: the wheelchair<br />
marathoners. The <strong>Tokyo</strong> Marathon course<br />
is generally flat, so it is an ideal place to break<br />
records—if the weather permits. This year marks<br />
the first time that international elites have been<br />
invited to compete in the <strong>Tokyo</strong> Wheelchair Marathon.<br />
Domestic athletes like Hiroyuki Yamamoto<br />
and Kota Hokinoue will have a berth in the <strong>2016</strong><br />
Paralympics at stake and are going up against<br />
a field that includes international stars such as<br />
World Champion Joshua George (USA) and Ernst<br />
van Dyk (South Africa), a multiple Paralympic<br />
wheelchair event medalist and 10-time winner<br />
of the Boston Wheelchair Marathon. Meanwhile,<br />
on the women’s side, eight-time <strong>Tokyo</strong> Marathon<br />
winner Wakako Tsuchida will be up against Tatyana<br />
McFadden from the US, who won in Chicago,<br />
Boston, New York, and London last year.<br />
FEBRUARY <strong>2016</strong> www.tokyoweekender.com
You’ll feel like a good part of the city<br />
has come together to help everyone<br />
cross the finish line.<br />
Along with the world-class runners<br />
who are vying for top positions in<br />
the race itself and the Abbott World<br />
Marathon Majors series, the <strong>Tokyo</strong><br />
Marathon has also become an place<br />
for serious amateurs and recreational<br />
marathoners to hit their stride. Over the<br />
years, long-distance running has been<br />
on the rise in Japan, and marathons are<br />
now held around the country. In order<br />
to support this grassroots long-distance<br />
movement, <strong>Tokyo</strong> Marathon launched<br />
the RUN as ONE program last year,<br />
which gives promising runners a<br />
streamlined entry into the Marathon.<br />
Beginning this year, this program will<br />
be expanded to include semi-elite marathoners<br />
from around the world. And<br />
given the popularity of the race—more<br />
than 300,000 apply for 37,000 spots—the<br />
<strong>Tokyo</strong> Marathon draws a huge field of<br />
amateur marathoners (as well as, from<br />
what we hear, a few cleverly costumed<br />
runners) every year.<br />
RUN BY VOLUNTEERS<br />
Read up on participants’ reports<br />
from previous <strong>Tokyo</strong> Marathons and<br />
you will find plenty of stories about<br />
hitting the wall and making the push<br />
for personal bests. However, another<br />
common thread in stories about the<br />
event is that it is well run, thanks in<br />
no small part to a veritable army of<br />
enthusiastic volunteers. This year,<br />
expect about 10,000 of them (including<br />
700 foreign language speakers)<br />
who assist in every aspect of the race,<br />
from distributing drinks and snacks<br />
along the route to helping keep<br />
the course almost spotlessly clean<br />
and making sure that competitors’<br />
luggage is waiting for them once the<br />
run is done.<br />
In addition to the volunteers who<br />
are helping out in traditional roles in<br />
the lead up to the competition, there<br />
are also a wide variety of performances<br />
taking place alongside the<br />
streets of the Marathon course: runners<br />
will be buoyed along by taiko<br />
drummers, bands, and choirs, school<br />
cheerleading groups, and more.<br />
Combine this with close to 1.5 million<br />
spectators who line the course,<br />
yelling out a spirited “Ganbare!” to<br />
everyone who runs by, and you’ll feel<br />
like a good part of the city has come<br />
together to help everyone cross the<br />
finish line.<br />
The <strong>2016</strong> <strong>Tokyo</strong> Marathon takes place<br />
on Sunday, Feb. 28. Start time for<br />
runners is 9:10 am.<br />
www.marathon.tokyo/en<br />
37,000 RUNNERS<br />
¥308,750,711<br />
RAISED FOR CHARITY<br />
87 81<br />
96,462 BANANAS<br />
DISTRIBUTED DURING THE RACE<br />
2:05:42<br />
2:22:23<br />
Photos courtesy of the <strong>Tokyo</strong> Marathon Foundation<br />
www.tokyoweekender.com FEBRUARY <strong>2016</strong>
The Spirit of<br />
a Sportsman<br />
by Matthew Hernon<br />
A style icon who was once Asia’s most famous<br />
footballer, Hidetoshi Nakata now has his heart<br />
set on revolutionizing the sake industry<br />
Like many youngsters who<br />
grew up in Japan during<br />
the 80s, Hidetoshi Nakata<br />
dreamed of emulating manga<br />
hero “Captain Tsubasa”<br />
during his youth. He dedicated his life<br />
to football and by the age of 21, after<br />
some stand-out performances at the<br />
1998 World Cup, became the country’s<br />
most sought-after player. Eight years<br />
later, following spells in Italy and England,<br />
he stunned fans by calling time<br />
on his career. He had yet to reach 30.<br />
“Football was like a hobby,” he tells<br />
<strong>Weekender</strong> from his immaculately<br />
kept office in Roppongi. “I didn’t see<br />
it as a job. I played because I had a<br />
real passion for the sport. Once that<br />
started to disappear I knew I had to<br />
look for something else. I didn’t have<br />
any business plan or anything. I just<br />
decided to see the world, visiting more<br />
than 100 countries. During my travels<br />
people would often ask me first about<br />
football, then Japan. It was the country<br />
I grew up in, but I couldn’t answer well<br />
because I didn’t truly know enough<br />
about the place.”<br />
He decided to embark on a journey<br />
that would take him to all 47 prefectures<br />
of Japan, starting in Okinawa<br />
before finishing at the northernmost<br />
point in Hokkaido at the back end of<br />
last year. Along the way he met numerous<br />
craftsmen, farmers and sake<br />
makers, who seemed to make quite an<br />
impression on him.<br />
“I began to realize the struggle<br />
these people faced, but also the enormous<br />
value of what they were providing,”<br />
says the 39 year old. “While there<br />
is a big demand for Japanese goods<br />
abroad, marketing them has proved<br />
difficult. That’s where I wanted to help.<br />
Of course I can’t make sake or anything,<br />
but what I could do was act like a bridge<br />
between producers and international<br />
consumers around the world.”<br />
During the 2012 Olympics he<br />
opened a pop-up bar outside London<br />
County Hall that featured 26 different<br />
kinds of sake. A year later<br />
he launched his own brand of the<br />
drink simply named “N.” A refined<br />
beverage produced by the famed<br />
14th generation Yamagata brewery<br />
Takagi Shuzo, it requires a lot of time<br />
and care to create. Boasting a stylish<br />
bottle designed by Japanese firm Nendo,<br />
it’s only sold abroad and is very<br />
exclusive: fewer than 2,500 bottles<br />
have been produced in the past three<br />
years.<br />
“It’s an elegant drink that initially<br />
tastes quite sweet, but goes down like<br />
water,” Nakata says. “We hope people<br />
around the world will like it and then<br />
want to try other types of sake. This<br />
isn’t about trying to sell big amounts<br />
or making a huge profit. Our goal is<br />
to try and open up the market. With<br />
wine the quality of the product varies<br />
greatly and subsequently you have a<br />
wide range of prices. That isn’t really<br />
the case with sake as most items tend<br />
to be cheap, which makes it more<br />
difficult for new brands to enter into<br />
the competition. We want to show<br />
people you can make premium sake<br />
and be successful. It’s a niche market,<br />
but people are beginning to realize<br />
there are opportunities out there and<br />
consequently you’re seeing more sake<br />
makers selling high-end goods.”<br />
FEBRUARY <strong>2016</strong> www.tokyoweekender.com<br />
Photos by Junichi Takahashi
NAKATA | FEATURE | 15<br />
According to Nakata one of the biggest<br />
obstacles producers face is the perception<br />
that consumers have about sake. It’s seen as<br />
a drink that must be consumed shortly after<br />
purchase and therefore loses value. Last<br />
month the ex-Roma and Bolton midfielder<br />
introduced his solution to the problem: sake<br />
cellars.<br />
“Without wine cellars the wine industry<br />
would never have flourished the way it has,”<br />
he tells us. “The longer you can keep something<br />
the more it’s worth. People think they<br />
have to throw sake away if it hasn’t been<br />
drunk after a month or so, but that’s not<br />
true. At the right temperature and humidity<br />
it can be kept for years, but that can only be<br />
achieved if you have a cellar. It’s a necessary<br />
item for this industry and that’s why we’re<br />
confident it’ll be successful.”<br />
Listening to Nakata speak it’s obvious<br />
how much it all means to him. This is not<br />
some ex-sports player investing some of his<br />
money into a side venture; sake is now his<br />
passion. He drinks at least one glass every<br />
other night and has tried hundreds of<br />
brands over the past few years, but the<br />
problem he says is that none of them are<br />
well known around the globe. He’s hoping<br />
the smartphone app he helped set up last<br />
year will start to change that. Known as<br />
“Sakenomy,” it recommends specific labels<br />
based on a user’s taste and preference. The<br />
information given includes alcohol content,<br />
temperature, ingredients and details<br />
about the taste.<br />
“Domestic sales are down, but with<br />
so many Japanese restaurants around<br />
I have some great memories that I will always<br />
keep, but I don’t like to look back. There is so much I<br />
want to do, but for now my main focus is sake.<br />
the world, overseas interest in sake is<br />
increasing,” Nakata says. “The problem<br />
is many people abroad don’t know what<br />
they’ve ordered because they can’t read<br />
kanji. With Sakenomy they can take a<br />
picture and it will give you the name of<br />
the drink and other relevant information.<br />
For example, if you say like a particular<br />
brand it will tell you the nearest place you<br />
can get it or where they sell it online. I’ve<br />
been told by a number of foreigners that<br />
this is exactly the kind of thing they need.<br />
It’s available in Japanese, English and now<br />
Italian. We’re also working on a French<br />
and Chinese version.”<br />
Determined to transform an industry<br />
he believes has been undervalued, the<br />
two-time Asian Footballer of the Year is on<br />
a mission to educate people about sake:<br />
the best brands, the way to order, the kinds<br />
of food it can be paired with. A common<br />
misconception, he informs me, is that it<br />
only goes well with Japanese cuisine, when<br />
in fact it can be enjoyed with all kinds of<br />
dishes, including French and Italian. This<br />
is a point he’s keen to show off at “Craft<br />
Sake Week” in Roppongi Hills this month.<br />
Despite the name, it’s actually a ten-day<br />
event featuring 100 sake companies (10<br />
different ones each day), a number of<br />
restaurants, DJs playing a variety of music<br />
and a sommelier who will be on hand to<br />
answer questions.<br />
“The best sake comes out in winter<br />
so we felt this is the best time to have an<br />
event like this, but isn’t just some drinking<br />
festival,” Nakata says. “We want people to<br />
get to know the various brands properly<br />
and that is why we are only having 10 companies<br />
each day. Along with their drinks<br />
guests can try some amazing dishes from<br />
establishments I personally selected where<br />
it is usually really difficult to book a table.<br />
There’s a Michelin-starred restaurant, my<br />
favorite yakitori and oden shops, an amazing<br />
French eatery and in my opinion the<br />
best place to eat Italian in all of Japan. We<br />
want people to come and enjoy the whole<br />
experience, from the alcohol to the plates<br />
and glasses, many of which we designed<br />
ourselves.”<br />
Constantly searching for ways to<br />
improve and revitalize the sake industry as<br />
well as looking to introduce Japanese crafts<br />
around the world, Nakata admits he is now<br />
busier than he ever was as a footballer. It’s<br />
been almost 10 years since his final match<br />
as a professional when he lay in the center<br />
circle of Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion after<br />
Japan had crashed out at the 2006 World<br />
Cup. Since then he has gone on to travel the<br />
globe, take a pilgrimage in his homeland<br />
and start his own business. Looking back,<br />
does the man who won 77 caps for his<br />
country have any regrets about quitting the<br />
game at just 29?<br />
“None whatsoever,” he answers bullishly.<br />
“I have some great memories that I will<br />
always keep, but I don’t like to look back. I<br />
don’t take photographs or collect memorabilia.<br />
I prefer to face ahead and take on<br />
new challenges. There is so much I want to<br />
do, but for now my main focus is sake.”<br />
www.tokyoweekender.com FEBRUARY <strong>2016</strong>
y Chris Zajko<br />
Valentine’s Day in Japan is a big deal. In<br />
fact, you may have seen many department<br />
stores and supermarkets wheeling out<br />
their elaborate chocolate displays as<br />
far as a month in advance. Aside from<br />
the size of the event in Japan, there is another key<br />
difference to Valentine’s Day elsewhere in the world—<br />
only women give gifts, often to both male colleagues or<br />
friends (giri-choco or “obligation chocolates”), as well<br />
as their partners (Honmei-choco).<br />
Of course, the ladies have their turn exactly a<br />
month later (on March 14) for what is known as<br />
“White Day,” when guys are expected to return the<br />
favor by presenting gifts to the women in their lives.<br />
Regardless of whether you chose to do Valentine’s<br />
Day the Japanese way or just use the it as an opportunity<br />
to spend some quality time with your special someone,<br />
planning ahead is key to impressing. Here are some<br />
creative ideas to get the ball rolling:<br />
Musica Presents<br />
Valentine Rock, Volume 9<br />
For a slightly sweatier, noisier and more energetic<br />
date idea, Valentine Rock is coming to the rescue.<br />
Liquidroom’s annual V-Day party has been running<br />
for eight long years and sadly this year—its ninth<br />
edition—will be its last. In an effort to showcase some<br />
of <strong>Tokyo</strong>’s buzzworthy local indie acts, Musica magazine<br />
has curated a night of heartfelt live music especially<br />
for the occasion. Straying from its often acoustic<br />
approach to programming the event, this year’s headliner<br />
will be celebrated shoegazers The Novembers,<br />
with support duties filled by Keishi Tanaka, Homecomings,<br />
DAN, Yo Irie and the recently added special guest<br />
Tatsuya Mitsumura (of Nico Touches the Walls fame).<br />
Atsushi Kano will also be spinning tunes throughout<br />
the night to keep the dance floor alive.<br />
Where: Liquidroom, Ebisu<br />
When: Sunday <strong>February</strong> 14 | How much: ¥3,500<br />
More info: www.tokyoweekender.com<br />
or www.liquidroom.net<br />
FEBRUARY <strong>2016</strong> www.tokyoweekender.com
World Valentine Festival<br />
Valentine’s Day is celebrated in many different ways<br />
around the world. In fact, the customs surrounding<br />
this special day can vary greatly depending on<br />
your country of residence. This Valentine-themed festival<br />
at Yoyogi Park explores an extensive cross-section of<br />
these different customs through music and dance performances,<br />
traditional dishes, markets, workshops and films<br />
across the whole weekend—one of the biggest on <strong>Tokyo</strong>’s<br />
calendar. Well, for couples at least anyway. An educational<br />
experience, interspersed with plenty of canoodling with<br />
your significant other.<br />
Where: Yoyogi Park, Shibuya-ku | When: Feb 13-14<br />
How much: Free | More info: www.tokyoweekender.com<br />
Sunshine Aquarium<br />
Heartful Valentine<br />
To experience one of the more<br />
quirky Valentine’s season (it runs<br />
for two weeks) activities this<br />
year, head along to the <strong>Tokyo</strong> Sunshine<br />
Aquarium to see all the cute things they<br />
have in store for smitten couples.<br />
Divers will be feeding red, heartshaped<br />
pieces of squid to the famous<br />
spotted eagle rays (daily at 11:30 am,<br />
1:30 pm and 4:40 pm), sea lions will<br />
be blowing kisses during their performances<br />
(daily at 11 am, 12:30 pm, 2 pm<br />
and 3:30 pm) and blocks of ice carved<br />
into large heart shapes will be presented<br />
as gifts to the resident sea otters (daily<br />
at 12 pm and 4 pm, as well as 2 pm on<br />
weekends).<br />
You can even pick up a haul of Valentine’s<br />
Day-themed chocolates, snacks<br />
and merchandise while you’re there.<br />
Where: <strong>Tokyo</strong> Sunshine Aquarium,<br />
Ikebukuro | How much: ¥2,000<br />
More info: www.sunshinecity.co.jp<br />
Andaz Tavern Valentine’s Day<br />
Romantic Dinner<br />
For those really out to impress, you can’t go past Andaz Tavern’s incredible<br />
views of <strong>Tokyo</strong>’s skyline by night from the 51st floor. The dazzling<br />
constellation of lights is the perfect backdrop for toasting to the future<br />
with a complimentary glass of champagne before tucking into a four-course<br />
feast, including lobster salad and smoked sea urchin, seared scallops, Parmesan<br />
and herb-crusted slow-braised beef cheeks, and strawberries with white<br />
chocolate.<br />
Where: Andaz Tavern, Toranomon Hills | When: Feb 14<br />
How much: ¥24,000 for two | More info: www.andaztokyo.com<br />
<strong>Tokyo</strong> Tower<br />
Valentine’s Climb<br />
For a date that’s sure to impress, it’s time to get physical.<br />
Lace up your sneakers and climb up <strong>Tokyo</strong><br />
Tower with your crush. It’s the perfect way to burn<br />
calories, keep warm, get a spectacular view of the city<br />
and capture an unforgettable photo together. It will only<br />
take a couple of hours, so for the more romantically inclined,<br />
get there early and make a dinner reservation for<br />
your arrival back to terra firma.<br />
If you’re planning it as a surprise, just make sure<br />
your date doesn’t wear high heels.<br />
Where: <strong>Tokyo</strong> Tower, Minato-ku<br />
When: Feb 14 | How much: ¥460 - ¥820<br />
More info: www.tokyotower.co.jp<br />
www.tokyoweekender.com FEBRUARY <strong>2016</strong>
Finding new ice climbing routes demands<br />
patience, nerve, and more than a little<br />
luck—and all that is before you even begin<br />
your ascent...<br />
by Ed Hannam<br />
With its early starts,<br />
strange equipment<br />
and inherent dangers,<br />
ice climbing<br />
will never be more than a fringe<br />
sport. Only a few months a year<br />
conjure up the right conditions for<br />
ice to form, climbing time doesn’t<br />
always line up with available time,<br />
and just when it starts getting good<br />
the season starts to end. Changes<br />
in the weather can upset entire<br />
winters with too much snow or not<br />
enough of it. Rain and sun combine<br />
unpredictably, and it can be years<br />
between the time when reliable ice<br />
forms in some areas. Add this all<br />
up and very few climbers who start<br />
out on indoor walls will ever end up<br />
climbing ice because it’s simply too<br />
much hassle.<br />
After spending years climbing<br />
in the better known areas around<br />
Japan, a whisper had emerged from<br />
some older climbers about a forgotten<br />
place “up north.” Apparently<br />
decades before the hard men<br />
and women of the time had<br />
found amazing ice features<br />
and put up a dozen or so<br />
difficult routes. As opinion<br />
had it, this was their undoing—the<br />
routes were too hard for most<br />
climbers of the day to repeat, and so<br />
it remained the stuff of legend, an<br />
ice climbing El Dorado. Any more<br />
searches turned up nothing aside<br />
from a hazy photo or two and a<br />
vague map with little detail.<br />
A short trip to the area (let’s call<br />
it Yamagata) brought us into contact<br />
with shy locals who vaguely recalled<br />
climbers going there years ago, but<br />
it had been silent a long time. The<br />
only clear discussion we had was<br />
with the owner of a decaying onsen<br />
who reckoned that, as the roads<br />
were cleared of snow less frequently,<br />
everything out there—including<br />
his onsen—was winding down.<br />
Along with this uninspiring news he<br />
told us that the season for ice was<br />
only when the direction of the wind<br />
sent temperatures way down, and<br />
that period had already come and<br />
gone a few weeks before.<br />
After a long year of keeping<br />
things quiet we returned, timing<br />
things for the window of cold. Pulling<br />
into the verge at the end of the<br />
road, our headlights illuminated old<br />
buildings, all closed and shuttered.<br />
Beyond, the road was covered with<br />
settled snow. No footprints were<br />
visible. There was no reason at all<br />
for anyone to be there, so we pitched<br />
our tent in the eerie, howling darkness<br />
and got our gear ready for the<br />
morning.<br />
Skiers dream of bright blue<br />
FEBRUARY <strong>2016</strong> www.tokyoweekender.com
ICE CLIMBING | FEATURE | 19<br />
mornings and ice climbers do too, but they<br />
really understand that dull and overcast<br />
is better, as it has less effect on the ice.<br />
The following morning granted us that. By<br />
torchlight we ate, drank coffee and emerged<br />
from the tent, heaved on our packs and<br />
started down into the valley. It was certainly<br />
cold as we walked into the wind that<br />
howled from across the mountains, creating<br />
the rush of freezing air. It was a bittersweet<br />
trade off that we hoped was worth it.<br />
The valleys were narrow and the<br />
walls were multi-tiered, meaning little<br />
sun crossed the faces, and unique rock<br />
formations made channels for ice to collect<br />
and grow in. To be “good,” ice has to be<br />
uniformly formed, well bonded to the rock<br />
beneath, and protected from direct sun that<br />
can break it down. Tight, tiered valleys that<br />
catch the snow are ideal for this.<br />
The winding geography of the valley<br />
meant we could only see small parts of the<br />
walls above us, and through the purple predawn<br />
light we began to get a notion of what<br />
was around us. The walls were covered<br />
in jewel-like ice that encrusted the rocks’<br />
features to form chandeliers and pillars<br />
that drooled down the cliffs and hung from<br />
the roofs of caves. We found the ice to be<br />
exceptionally clear, hard and well bonded<br />
to the volcanic rock beneath. The rumors of<br />
the area being left to obscurity due to lack<br />
of capable climbers began to seem true:<br />
in fact, by the look of it, the old crew had<br />
barely gotten started. With the majority<br />
of the walls either non-existent on the old<br />
maps or barely recorded, for every ice line<br />
mentioned we counted another seven or<br />
eight not.<br />
Deciding on a route to climb is always<br />
hard and when there are hundreds of choices<br />
and you’re working against dwindling<br />
time, things only get harder. Lines were<br />
everywhere but most looked exceedingly<br />
tough—the stuff of days to work at. Our<br />
time in the valleys<br />
had shown<br />
us that nothing<br />
was going to be<br />
easy, so the idea<br />
of just taking a<br />
token route was<br />
off the table.<br />
We decided<br />
elegance would<br />
give us the<br />
right options,<br />
and something<br />
truly worthy<br />
of shooting<br />
for—even if we<br />
failed. We went<br />
for a line of<br />
thin, intricately<br />
chandeliered icicles that wove up the<br />
back of a corner in the rock face. Unlike<br />
many lines, this had ice to ground level<br />
rather than starting with an overhang.<br />
Your protection from falling are<br />
threaded titanium tubes that have been<br />
screwed into the ice and clipped to ropes.<br />
Ideally a screw gets placed every five or<br />
six meters but in reality it is wherever<br />
you can get one in. Fat ice lets you drive<br />
When done well, ice<br />
climbing has a unique<br />
dynamic, more tai chi<br />
than brute force ... it is a<br />
beautiful but totally<br />
unnatural thing to do<br />
the screws deep, but thin ice demands<br />
total attention. It’s a matter of delicately<br />
picking away, being careful to not<br />
drive into the rock beneath. Over the 50<br />
meters of a pitch this is exhausting, nerve<br />
frazzling and totally absorbing. The irony<br />
is that the effort of placing these screws<br />
makes a fall more likely. The fact that<br />
many ice lines can be easily climbed but<br />
not made safe is fundamentally accepted<br />
by ice climbers, and is exactly what we<br />
had going on.<br />
My initial fear quickly became total<br />
concentration as I picked my way up the<br />
wall of ice crystal, smashing away anything<br />
threatening in a constant cascade<br />
of tinkling ice shards. In the silence of<br />
a frozen valley, ice climbing can sound<br />
amazingly violent as every foot and tool<br />
placement means smashing into fragile<br />
ice. Ice is inherently frictionless, so your<br />
only connection to it are the points of<br />
metal. This makes those pick choices<br />
very important and involves a process<br />
of reaching high, swinging with careful<br />
force and weighting the tool to make<br />
sure it holds.<br />
Over the 50 meters of vertical ice I<br />
found placements just on the good side of<br />
acceptable. I climbed silently and intently,<br />
needing no overt communication with<br />
the guy below who fed out rope exactly<br />
as needed. When done well, ice climbing<br />
has a unique dynamic, more tai chi<br />
than brute force; with the right degree<br />
of sensitivity it is a beautiful but totally<br />
unnatural thing to do.<br />
The line of ice topped out at a large<br />
ledge that was safe to stand on, and to<br />
our surprise diverted to form several<br />
more ice falls up tiers of overhanging<br />
rock above. Burned out from what we’d<br />
already done, we left them for another<br />
day, and named the new line Shimajiro<br />
after a popular kids’ toy, and the face itself<br />
White Dragon Wall. As we rappelled<br />
back to the snow line the afternoon snow<br />
began to thicken and clouds rolled down<br />
the valley.<br />
We spent several days in the various<br />
valleys trying out new lines: some<br />
worked out and others did not. Each day<br />
we would return exhausted and cold but<br />
high on the idea we were climbing new<br />
ground, a buzz that gets rarer every year.<br />
Since then we have returned every<br />
winter, silently keeping the dates all year.<br />
In keeping with the attitude of the locals<br />
we haven’t pushed the location into common<br />
awareness; the roadside verge is still<br />
empty, the road still uncleared. The old<br />
onsen has never reopened. We prefer it<br />
this way: In a world of oversaturation not<br />
everywhere needs to be on the map.<br />
Ed Hannam is a strategy analyst for<br />
<strong>Tokyo</strong>-based Tripleshot Consulting, which<br />
has a long history of working in<br />
complex and dangerous environments.<br />
www.tokyoweekender.com FEBRUARY <strong>2016</strong>
20 | TRAVEL | HAKUBA<br />
Between the ski and snowboarding courses and an<br />
abundance of accommodations, Hakuba Valley offers plenty<br />
to do on—and off—the slopes<br />
Skier Julie Nieuwenhuys Photo by Caroline Vanthoff<br />
W<br />
inters in <strong>Tokyo</strong> always leave<br />
me hoping to escape to the<br />
mountains, where I can trade<br />
crowded subways for fresh air,<br />
snowy trails, and a rejuvenating onsen dip.<br />
One of the places that was on my to-do list<br />
was Hakuba Valley, a once-secluded gateway<br />
to the Japanese Alps that is now a premier<br />
global ski destination complete with world<br />
class terrain, modern accommodation, and<br />
first class dining.<br />
Ready to get away one afternoon, I took<br />
a short Shinkansen ride from <strong>Tokyo</strong> to Nagano,<br />
followed by a bus to the heart of Happo<br />
village, and I was transported from the neon<br />
lights of the city and was breathing the crisp<br />
mountain air in just about three hours.<br />
During my first evening, I strolled<br />
through the narrow windy streets admiring<br />
the cafes, restaurants, shops, and bars,<br />
each featuring a mix of alpine styling and<br />
Japanese sensibility. The Valley has evolved<br />
since skiing was first introduced to the area<br />
by Austrian mountaineers in the late 1920s,<br />
and while skiers might not have to climb the<br />
mountains themselves any longer, Happo<br />
Village still maintains an Old World atmosphere.<br />
Of course, by the next morning I was<br />
ready to hit the slopes. The area<br />
played host to the 1998 Winter<br />
Olympics, and it’s a snow paradise:<br />
there are 11 ski resorts with more<br />
terrain, vertical rise, and advanced<br />
slopes than you can find anywhere<br />
in Japan. A common lift ticket can be<br />
used at all resorts and you can travel<br />
from resort to resort via shuttle bus.<br />
Happo-one is one of the most popular<br />
resorts in Hakuba—and also one of<br />
the country’s largest. It offers more<br />
than 1,000 vertical feet and is blessed<br />
with breathtaking, panoramic views.<br />
Another impressive resort is Cortina,<br />
which offers a ski in ski out hotel that is just<br />
10 meters from the lift gate. Meanwhile,<br />
All thoughts of<br />
claustrophobic train<br />
commutes were dispelled as<br />
I floated down the mountain<br />
through the powder<br />
Hakuba47 is a sprawling complex that offers<br />
a wide range of slopes and a snow park<br />
for free ride skiers and snowboarders.<br />
Families and beginners can enjoy the<br />
snow with convenient rental shops and<br />
multilingual ski and snowboarding schools.<br />
Spicy Rentals is a long time resident ski and<br />
snowboard rental shop with seven stores<br />
scattered throughout the valley where you<br />
can pick up or drop off your skis or board<br />
at any of their locations. If you’re looking<br />
for a tune up or wax job, be sure to stop by<br />
Rhythm Snow Sports. Their overnight service<br />
is a convenient option and the crew<br />
had my board ready to hit the mountain<br />
early the next morning.<br />
Along with the wide variety of accommodation,<br />
there is a diverse mix of<br />
entertainment and dining options on offer<br />
after a day in the snow—everything from<br />
Japanese and international restaurants to<br />
private chefs, but I decided to try out one of<br />
the newer restaurants on the scene.<br />
Step into Hakuba Brewery and you may<br />
feel as if you’d just set foot in your local<br />
pub. Friendly staff and owners “the Two<br />
Dans” have created an atmosphere that is<br />
welcoming to locals and visitors alike. The<br />
warm wooden interior is constructed from<br />
reclaimed Japanese oak and the roaring<br />
fireplaces give the Brewery an authentic<br />
vibe. The Hakuba Pale Ale is one of the<br />
region’s finest craft beers: produced on site<br />
from natural spring water, it is a perfect<br />
addition to a menu boasting the latest dishes<br />
from a team of international renowned<br />
chefs—you simply can’t go wrong with their<br />
lamb stew. A convenient free shuttle bus<br />
service was much appreciated after a warm<br />
evening by the fire.<br />
A visit to Hakuba wouldn’t be complete<br />
with a soak in a local hot spring. The<br />
recently remodeled Happonoyu onsen at<br />
the base of Happo-one ski resort is perfect<br />
for soothing sore muscles at the end of the<br />
day. The unique high alkalinity levels of<br />
the thermal waters are renowned for their<br />
healing properties. Relaxing in the openair<br />
bath surrounded by the peace of the<br />
mountains left my body feeling revitalized<br />
and relaxed—but in my mind, I was already<br />
preparing my next visit.<br />
www.hakubavalley.com<br />
Inside the Hakuba Brewery<br />
FEBRUARY <strong>2016</strong> www.tokyoweekender.com
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www.pethoteltokyo.com (Japanese) | http://adc.pipi.cc (English)<br />
www.tokyoweekender.com FEBRUARY <strong>2016</strong>
EDUCATION SPECIAL<br />
DEMONS OUT!<br />
HAPPINESS IN!<br />
by Brian Christian<br />
The age-old holiday of Setsubun isn’t just one for the kids: it’s<br />
another opportunity to greet the still new year, full of beans<br />
I<br />
have never been sure about <strong>February</strong>.<br />
Such a cold, contrary month.<br />
Perhaps it is simply because we<br />
have tired of winter that it seems to<br />
drag. Despite being the shortest of them<br />
all it’s not a month that hurries itself.<br />
Spring might be on its way but it remains<br />
tantalizingly out of reach, just around the<br />
next corner, just over the next hill. At this<br />
time of year I can’t help feeling like an<br />
impatient child on a long car journey: “Are<br />
we nearly there yet?”<br />
In Europe our very wise forefathers<br />
had an interesting attitude towards the<br />
rather dark, cold period that followed<br />
their tenth month, December: they disliked<br />
it so much that they tried to ignore it<br />
completely, making the depths of winter<br />
a monthless period and, figuratively<br />
speaking, stopping the clocks until the<br />
emergence of better weather in March.<br />
It was only around 700 BC that the<br />
workaholic Romans decided that we<br />
couldn’t continue to have a 304-day year<br />
and simply write off the grim bit as if we<br />
were in some sort of snug hibernation.<br />
Thus Februarius was born: the month of<br />
purification, suggesting that even in days<br />
of old they were no strangers to the New<br />
Year detox.<br />
For all our worldly<br />
modern-day sophistication,<br />
I feel sure that we can<br />
learn much from the<br />
folklore handed down to us<br />
through the ages<br />
It may seem odd here in <strong>Tokyo</strong>—<br />
where <strong>February</strong> is one of the driest,<br />
sunniest months (and often the<br />
coldest)—that the ancient Britons called<br />
it Salmonath or month of mud—hardly<br />
one for the tourist brochures! Another<br />
equally unappealing old English name<br />
for it was Kalemonath, or month of the<br />
cabbage, perhaps taking us back to that<br />
dreaded post-Christmas detox and those<br />
ghastly green “health” drinks that make<br />
their annual appearance on office desks<br />
around the world at this time of the year.<br />
The arrival of <strong>February</strong> in Japan is<br />
both ominous and auspicious. Ask any<br />
child. Setsubun ( 節 分 ) on the third day of<br />
the month, the eve of spring according to<br />
the old Japanese lunar calendar, sees the<br />
spirit realm at its closest to our human<br />
world. It is a time to take care—strange<br />
things might happen. You wouldn’t want<br />
a wandering demon to sneak through<br />
your door and take up residence for the<br />
year ahead. In the dim, dark, distant past<br />
you might have banged a drum or lit a<br />
bonfire and burned evil-smelling sardine<br />
heads to frighten off unwelcome visitors,<br />
but these days mamemaki (まめまき) or<br />
bean-throwing is the preferred method of<br />
exorcism. Of course, once any itinerant<br />
ogres have been sent on their way, it<br />
makes sense to eat up the beans but you<br />
must make sure that you eat just one for<br />
every year of your age, plus one for the<br />
year ahead—especially as they now tend<br />
to come sugar-coated!<br />
I like the notion of Setsubun. For all<br />
our worldly modern-day sophistication, I<br />
feel sure that we can learn much from the<br />
folklore handed down to us through the<br />
ages; so often there are messages worth<br />
listening to in these archaic rituals and<br />
customs if only we are prepared to hear<br />
them. Had a bad year? Not happy with the<br />
cards that fate has dealt you and hoping<br />
for better luck this time round? Then do<br />
something about it! It’s up to you to bang<br />
that drum and throw those beans because<br />
the alternative is to let your demons walk<br />
all over you.<br />
At the start of this cold, contrary<br />
month, just when all our New Year<br />
resolution is beginning to weaken, maybe<br />
a bit of bean-throwing is just what we all<br />
need to get us back on track.<br />
Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi! Bring on<br />
the Year of the Monkey!<br />
FEBRUARY <strong>2016</strong> www.tokyoweekender.com
A HOME FOR<br />
BOLD LEARNERS<br />
EDUCATION SPECIAL<br />
The British School in <strong>Tokyo</strong> is dedicated to developing students who combine<br />
academic excellence with resilience, independence, and a spirit of adventure<br />
The British School in <strong>Tokyo</strong><br />
has enjoyed an enviable<br />
reputation for the provision<br />
of high quality education<br />
since first opening its doors in<br />
Shibuya more than 25 years ago, and the<br />
past year has seen its star continue to rise<br />
even higher, culminating in a richly deserved<br />
place on the short list for British<br />
International School of the Year 2015. An<br />
accredited member of the Council of British<br />
International Schools and one of only<br />
a small number of schools worldwide<br />
to have been independently inspected<br />
according to the UK standards for British<br />
Schools Overseas, BST has once again<br />
been adjudged to be Excellent (the highest<br />
rating) in every area. We regard this<br />
as a very welcome endorsement of the<br />
high standards we set for ourselves.<br />
Following the notable achievements<br />
of our previous graduates and their success<br />
in winning places at some of the top<br />
universities in the UK, the Class of 2015<br />
were keen to emulate their predecessors.<br />
This year’s talented group of A Level students<br />
certainly set the bar high for those<br />
who will follow them. Remarkably, 51%<br />
of all entries were awarded A*/A grades<br />
and a very creditable 76% achieved<br />
grade B or better. These results are a<br />
long way above the UK national average<br />
(in UK schools just under 26% of entries<br />
were awarded the top two grades) and<br />
easily surpass our own<br />
three-year average scores.<br />
It is especially encouraging<br />
that our students<br />
continue to win places<br />
on extremely competitive<br />
courses at top-rated<br />
universities, including<br />
Edinburgh, Imperial,<br />
King’s and UCL. This year,<br />
for the first time, BST<br />
musicians are studying<br />
at both the Royal College<br />
of Music and Trinity,<br />
while for the fourth year<br />
running one of our talented A Level artists<br />
will be studying at St Martin’s. Emphasizing<br />
our international outlook, our students<br />
have also taken up places at universities in<br />
Canada, India and the United States and,<br />
closer to home, at Doshisha in Kyoto. Young<br />
Students here know<br />
that education is not<br />
simply about passing<br />
exams.<br />
people today see themselves as global<br />
citizens and they recognise that A levels<br />
offer an academic passport that can take<br />
them anywhere in the world. There is<br />
certainly increasing interest in the<br />
USA and a number of current students<br />
are looking towards Australia and<br />
mainland Europe.<br />
Most universities worldwide are<br />
very familiar with Britain’s public<br />
examination system and are more<br />
than happy to accept students with<br />
A levels or their equivalent. In fact,<br />
the specialist nature of these courses<br />
means that students with better<br />
grades can expect to earn significant<br />
credit—sometimes up to a whole<br />
year’s worth of study. At Harvard, for<br />
example, you will need to have at least<br />
three A/B grades to matriculate (earn a<br />
place) but three A grades will merit a full<br />
year’s academic credit; Boston College<br />
will offer two courses of credit for A/B<br />
grades, while C grades will earn one<br />
semester’s credit, and Princeton clearly<br />
states on its website that A/B grades will<br />
earn Advanced Placement credit. It is a<br />
similar story across the world.<br />
As an international school of more<br />
than 900 students aged 3-18 BST is, of<br />
course, much more than an A Level<br />
school. All examinations are important,<br />
and many parents are impressed by the<br />
rigor and structured progression of our<br />
particular brand of British education.<br />
That said, students here know that education<br />
is not simply about passing exams.<br />
Sport, music and drama are woven into<br />
the fabric of school life, and we see both<br />
community service and adventurous<br />
activity as real strengths. From their early<br />
years in our Nursery and Reception classes,<br />
children are given countless opportunities<br />
to develop the independence and<br />
resilience that will enable them to take<br />
the next step in their education—wherever<br />
it might take them, with confidence—<br />
and a smile.<br />
For more information please visit the<br />
official website: www.bst.ac.jp<br />
Address: 1-21-18, Shibuya Shibuya-ku<br />
<strong>Tokyo</strong> 150-0002<br />
www.tokyoweekender.com FEBRUARY <strong>2016</strong>
EDUCATION SPECIAL<br />
OPENING DOORS IN<br />
EARLY EDUCATION<br />
For 30 years, ai International has been providing young learners with a<br />
warm environment for exploration, education, and collaboration<br />
Founded 30 years ago, ai International<br />
School doesn’t chase<br />
trends. Instead, they rely on<br />
tried-and-true methods based<br />
around the heart of their programs<br />
since opening. As School Director<br />
Eri Ogawa says, “Our focus isn’t just on<br />
English language. We don’t want to be<br />
defined as an ‘eikaiwa,’ because we aren’t.<br />
It’s the international factor that we put<br />
emphasis on.”<br />
Eri explains that the school offers<br />
head starts and opportunities she wishes<br />
she had. “The world is a large place, and<br />
there is much more to learn out there,<br />
than if you stay in one neighborhood.<br />
Students aged 18 months to 6 years<br />
explore language, math, science, music,<br />
and art through hands-on and play-based<br />
activities prepared using resources and<br />
materials from around the world. “Our<br />
teachers help the students put on a huge<br />
show each year,” Eri explains. Children<br />
are given control of their roles with the<br />
guidance from their teachers “so they can<br />
learn to be responsible and be confident<br />
and showcase their own talent.” Parents<br />
often see marked progress in their children’s<br />
knowledge and personal achievements.<br />
Some of the greatest pride that Eri has<br />
is for her teachers, most of whom have<br />
been here for over 10 years, and who<br />
collaborate and design their curriculum<br />
through constant communication.<br />
“Because the teachers are well trained<br />
and aware of their roles at the school, we<br />
resolve any issues that come up together.<br />
We have a strong and trusting relationship<br />
and we work as a team.“<br />
Classes here are all-day, everyday<br />
investments, another difference from<br />
chain schools offering 30 to 60-minute<br />
lessons once a week. Moreover,<br />
“all activities are tailor-made to<br />
each student. Everyone here gets<br />
the attention they deserve.” Those<br />
sentiments remain from the earliest<br />
days of the school. In a time when<br />
children with special needs were<br />
kept in the shadows, ai International<br />
School opened doors.<br />
“Even now, our door is still<br />
open to everyone. No discrimination of<br />
race, creed or abilities.” Eri leans forward,<br />
knitting her fingers. “I, or the teachers,<br />
have sat with our parents many times to<br />
explain autism or other conditions and<br />
how to better support their kids to further<br />
their growth. No challenge is unmet. Nothing’s<br />
changed since then. We are honoring<br />
that 30 years of open door policy today.”<br />
Instill responsibility,<br />
inspire them from a<br />
young age, and they’ll<br />
do the rest.<br />
The testament to her confidence is the<br />
classrooms. Large and warmly lit by sunlight<br />
that streams in from a large side-windows,<br />
the rooms are framed by brightly<br />
colored walls. Redecorated and refurbished<br />
for the school’s 30th anniversary, they<br />
feature warmed wooden flooring<br />
and are full of mats, ABC charts,<br />
world maps, and walls of books.<br />
The whole place is designed to<br />
enhance learning.<br />
The children are eating now;<br />
a little while later they will have<br />
their naps and play at the park.<br />
Faces from around the world<br />
are full of smiles. Kids spring up<br />
to introduce their best friends,<br />
read aloud pages from their<br />
favorite books, and ask questions.<br />
They’re chattering away in<br />
English effortlessly. “Our children are not<br />
bound by inhibitions or overprotectiveness<br />
that limits their potentials. They are free to<br />
be who they are,” Eri says.<br />
The school defies trends in another<br />
fashion: they don’t rely on technology<br />
for its own sake. “We believe in the old<br />
school, tech-free teaching methods. At<br />
such a tender age, the children need<br />
a foundation in the basic life skills. In<br />
some ways, technology can interfere with<br />
creativity and our young ones learn best<br />
through movement, hands-on tasks, and<br />
interaction with each other.”<br />
Lunch wraps up, and children clean<br />
their space. An experienced teacher holds<br />
up a book to pull them into the next lesson.<br />
Eri beams. “We instill in the kids a strong<br />
sense of responsibility from a young age.<br />
They learn to clean up after themselves<br />
and to help each other out. ai is, their<br />
second home, after all.”<br />
ai International School is no longer<br />
the only international school in the Azabu<br />
area, but it remains steadfast to its original<br />
spirit, maintaining the same, affordable<br />
rates from years before, allowing them to<br />
put education first. As Eri explains, “this<br />
choice is not just for parents for now, it’s<br />
not just a decision for kindergarten: it’s a<br />
decision for life.”<br />
For more information about<br />
ai International School:<br />
Web: www.aiinternationalschool.com<br />
Address: 5-4-1-3F, Mita, Minato-ku,<br />
<strong>Tokyo</strong>, 108-0073<br />
Email: info@aiinternationalschool.com
PROGRAMS<br />
CURRICULUM<br />
Our Aoba-Japan Extension and<br />
External Student Programs offer<br />
a learning opportunity for A-JIS,<br />
neighborhood, and visiting overseas<br />
students alike. The year to come will be<br />
filled with summer and winter camps,<br />
and continuing programs in sports<br />
and dance.<br />
TEAMWORK<br />
It’s a part of everything we do here<br />
at Aoba-Japan International School—<br />
from the collaboration of faculty and staff<br />
to achieve our classroom and out-ofclassroom<br />
goals to the way that our<br />
school works alongside our local<br />
communities. A-JIS students<br />
are always encouraged to<br />
develop their individual<br />
and collective strengths.<br />
A-JIS is a school that offers the<br />
IB Primary Years Programme, Middle<br />
School, and Diploma Programme,<br />
featuring a curriculum that harnesses<br />
the power of collaborative,<br />
inquiry-based pedagogy and an<br />
educational approach that<br />
focuses on global leadership<br />
and learning.<br />
COMMUNITY<br />
Students at A-JIS create<br />
communities both on and<br />
off campus through a variety<br />
of activities that range from<br />
educational fairs to study and<br />
exploration opportunities and<br />
collaborations with partner<br />
schools.<br />
HIKARIGAOKA CAMPUS<br />
7-5-1 Hikarigaoka, Nerima-ku, <strong>Tokyo</strong> 179-0072<br />
Phone: 03-6904-3102<br />
MEGURO CAMPUS<br />
2-11-5 Aobadai, Meguro-ku, <strong>Tokyo</strong> 153-0042<br />
Phone: 03-5428-4488
The late great David Bowie and Bill first met<br />
at a Kuwait Embassy party in the early 1970s<br />
<strong>Tokyo</strong>’s Longest Running<br />
Thanks to deadline problems—which many of us have to<br />
deal with—and the busy holiday schedule, I had to get this<br />
issue’s PPP to the <strong>Weekender</strong> office in early January. The magazine<br />
staff are always super busy, but this year more than ever.<br />
In addition to getting the regular issues out, they were all in the process<br />
of getting ready and moving the <strong>Weekender</strong> office into their new digs at<br />
PR/Marketing powerhouse Sunny Side Up’s big and beautiful offices in<br />
Sendagaya. I don’t know how, but as always they managed to get things<br />
done and still have prime time to spend with their great Japanese wives<br />
and beautiful kids during their very hectic years and schedules.<br />
HILTON-WEEKENDER-BILL HOLIDAY ORPHANS’ PARTY<br />
Hate to start out with a back event but with my <strong>Weekender</strong> and Hilton<br />
Hotel annual orphans’ party for the holidays in mid-December, printer<br />
deadlines, and all kinds of special events, couldn’t as always get the rundown<br />
and photos to the printer for the January issue. Thanks for your<br />
understanding on this.<br />
This was the 18th year for us to do the party for the 50 aged 5 to 12<br />
kids from six different orphanages. The institutions involved went all<br />
out to bring really energetic fun boys and girls who all really got into<br />
the party mood for the day.<br />
Once again good friends—who included a few ambassadors, many<br />
diplomats’ wives and generous giving wives of business leaders from<br />
both the Japanese and foreign communities here—took time out of<br />
their super-busy schedules to join us at the Hilton for a really fun<br />
afternoon with the awesome kids. We’ve held the party for the last 17<br />
years in the hotel’s white marble lounge. That venue has become so<br />
popular with its spectacular sweets buffet it’s completely booked every<br />
day. We did this year’s party in the large and tasteful St. George’s Bar.<br />
I was a little concerned but the area has a warm homey atmosphere<br />
Society Page with Bill Hersey<br />
and all of our Santa’s helpers really thought it was perfect. Hilton’s PR<br />
Director Momoko Gonohe, her staff and many other Hilton people had<br />
really decorated the venue in a colorful Christmas mood, and there was a<br />
bountiful buffet that featured all of the kids’ favorite foods. Other Santa’s<br />
helpers who mixed and had fun with the kids as well as the adults there<br />
that day included Hilton <strong>Tokyo</strong>’s community-minded GM Mike Williamson,<br />
who took time to mix with and meet many of the volunteers, including the<br />
Guardian Angels, as well as make a welcome speech. Others included a<br />
face painter, a balloon artist, our regular Dutch Santa Claus Rene Bosman,<br />
talented MC Matthew Ireton, who led the kids in singing Christmas carols,<br />
super talent Steve Haynes who was surrounded by new young fans who<br />
were really in awe over his Rudolph the Reindeer costume. I’d also like to<br />
say thanks to sponsors Sony Pictures, Gaga Tohokushinsha, 20th Century<br />
Fox, Warner Brothers, Disney, Lufthansa and Hertz.<br />
The only problem was one of our staff lost a photo chip, and we’re<br />
missing several important super volunteers pics. These included Matthew<br />
Ireton who always helps so many, Mrs. Hassan, the wife of the Bahrain<br />
Ambassador, Mary Aida and super chic Kyoko Fujisawa, wife of the head<br />
of Yodobashi Camera: We also want to thank the many Ambassadors’<br />
wives and others who were busy that day but did send some great gifts for<br />
the child they were assigned.<br />
OMAN NATIONAL DAY RECEPTION—PALACE HOTEL<br />
Thanks to all concerned to celebrate the 45th National Day of Oman Amb.<br />
Khalid Al-Muslahi and his wife Abeer hosted a midday reception in the<br />
Yamabuki Room at the Palace Hotel. The hosting couple are very popular<br />
and there was a big turnout for their celebration. Khalid is a very professional<br />
diplomat—a little quiet, but very outgoing and personable. Abeer is<br />
a live wire who is really full of energy.<br />
The special couple has children, including one daughter Iman with<br />
FEBRUARY <strong>2016</strong> www.tokyoweekender.com
PEOPLE, PARTIES, PLACES | SOCIETY | 27<br />
Panama Amb. Ritter Diaz Gomez, his new wife Ayana,<br />
Philippines Amb. Manuel Lopez, Amb. Castellon,<br />
Kyoko Spector<br />
Brunei Amb. Haji Ahmad, his 2nd secretary Jessica<br />
Thai King’s<br />
Birthday Reception<br />
Thai Amb. Phuangketkeon, his wife Varaporn, Nicaraguan<br />
Amb. Saul Castellon<br />
Min-on’s<br />
Flamenco Show<br />
Bahrain Amb. Dr. Khalil Hassan, Yemen Amb. Samir<br />
Khamis, Min-on President Kobayashi-san, Solange Weya<br />
(Ivory Coast), Moroccan Amb. Samir Arrour<br />
Najwa, her granddaughter Tamara, her daughter Jamilah<br />
Khamis (Yemen)<br />
Flamenco dancers Andoitz Ruybal, Santiago Erranz,<br />
Yoko Komatsubara, Bill<br />
Segafredo’s Toshiro Brian Mori, Daniele Yoshikoshi,<br />
National Azabu Supermarket’s Dale Toriumi<br />
The hosting couple Omani Amb. Khalid Al-Muslahi, his<br />
wife Abeer, former minister of Justice Yoko Kamikawa<br />
Helge Maruyama, his mother Lilo, Tunisian Amb. Kais<br />
Darragi<br />
Oman<br />
National Day<br />
Afghanistan Amb. Sayed Fatimie, his wife Wahida, Palestine<br />
Rep. Waleed Siam<br />
Shake Shack<br />
Grand Opening<br />
Cote d’lvoire Amb. and Mrs. Jerome Kloh Weya<br />
Chef Kihashi, Kaz Kazui, Jiro Ishikawa, Mr. & Mrs. Ryuji<br />
Isunoda, guest, Fran Kazui<br />
Fran Kazui, Sayaka Masuda<br />
www.tokyoweekender.com FEBRUARY <strong>2016</strong>
28 | SOCIETY | PEOPLE, PARTIES, PLACES<br />
Hiroko Inayama, Iman’s teacher, Santa, Iman Al-Muslahi<br />
Jamilah Al-Otaibi (Kuwait)<br />
Mika Nigitsch<br />
Orphans<br />
Christmas Party<br />
Itsumi Santo<br />
Kids, Bahrain’s Amb. Dr. and Mrs. Khalil Hassan<br />
Lilo, Mrs. Vahekeni (Angola)<br />
Daniele Yoshikoshi<br />
Teresa Dejean (Argentina)<br />
Steve Haynes, Fran Kuzui<br />
Paula Bowers (Canada)<br />
A few of our beautiful kids that day<br />
Mary Katayama (Aston Martin)<br />
FEBRUARY <strong>2016</strong> www.tokyoweekender.com
PEOPLE, PARTIES, PLACES | SOCIETY | 29<br />
special needs and they make sure she gets the special attention she<br />
needs and is always looked after. The other children are Areej, who<br />
goes to art school in Scotland and their son, Ryham studies physics in<br />
London. In Japan, Abeer not only took care of her family, she helped<br />
many Japanese with handicapped kids, and is really active in so many<br />
worthwhile charity projects. Believe me she stays busy, but I’m happy<br />
to see she took time off for herself. One of her major accomplishments<br />
was taking several courses in photography at Temple University, and<br />
her photos at an exhibition at the embassy of Oman really had her<br />
personal touch.<br />
The reception was laid back with a lot of interesting people from<br />
all walks of life enjoying the bountiful buffet, the company, and the<br />
ambiance. Everyone I’ve talked to who visited Oman loves it. Hope to<br />
get there later this year. You may have seen Abeer in Hiroo where she<br />
drives a blue VW Beetle and shops at National Azabu supermarket.<br />
MIN-ON’S DYNAMIC FLAMENCO SHOW<br />
The highlight of showbiz entertainment for me in December was the<br />
Min-On Concert Association’s Flamenco Show at Nakano Sun Plaza. Normally<br />
I’m not all that much into Japanese students doing dances from<br />
other countries but believe me, the Japanese girls in the show were really<br />
professional and looked good in the colorful flamenco costumes. The<br />
music included familiar songs from the opera “Carmen” to top tangos<br />
from Argentina. Min-On had brought in several musicians from Spain<br />
and two male dancers, Andoitz Ruibal and Santiago Erranz, who were<br />
really sensational and got the standing ovations they certainly deserved.<br />
Min-On President Kobayashi-san, who treats me like one of the family,<br />
gave me a wonderful surprise when he had his staff take me backstage<br />
to meet the dancers. Japan’s top flamenco dancer Yoko Komatsubara,<br />
a long-time friend I hadn’t seen for a long time, had put the dynamic<br />
show together. It was a really happy reunion with a hug and a kiss. Yoko<br />
emceed the show and did the choreography, as well as joining the cast<br />
in several numbers. She still looks great and can really dance. It was a<br />
great night of fiery flamenco in every way.<br />
THAI KING BUMBIBOL’S 88TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION<br />
AT THE IMPERIAL<br />
My thanks to Thai Amb. Sihasak Phuangketkeow and his wife, Varaporn<br />
for the invitation to a very special reception for long-time and much<br />
loved H.M. King Bumbibol Adulyadej’s birthday. The sparkling evening<br />
took place in the luxurious Peacock Room in the Imperial Hotel. Many of<br />
the Thai ladies wore chic colorful Thai national costumes, and the buffet<br />
featured all our favorite Thai foods. For entertainment, there was Thai<br />
music and traditional dances by groups of very talented performers.<br />
Many years ago I had the privilege of meeting his majesty at a<br />
reception at Bangkok’s legendary Oriental Hotel. I still have a CD of<br />
King Bhumbibol playing the saxophone with a Thai jazz group. Birthday<br />
celebration of the beloved King was festive and elegant, perfect for the<br />
occasion, and sure brought back a lot of great memories of my<br />
many visits to beautiful Thailand.<br />
SHAKE SHACK OPENS IN TOKYO<br />
Anthony Tsunoda, the Board Director/President of the<br />
recently opened Shake Shack in Meiji Park had told me they invited<br />
1500 people for the opening party. I went with film gurus Kuz and Fran<br />
Kuzui. We got there pretty much on time, and from the looks of the long<br />
lines of guests just about everyone who was invited must have come. We<br />
really appreciated Anthony, who spotted us in the crowd, came over and<br />
took us to the VIP section. I was amazed at the number of people I knew<br />
but hadn’t seen for a long time. The Sazeby group, which Shake Shack<br />
belongs to, also has the famous Chaya restaurants both here and in<br />
Los Angeles. The guests that evening were mostly Japanese, and a very<br />
international-oriented group who were very successful in whatever they<br />
did. Our hamburgers and shakes that night were well worth the wait,<br />
and the rustic décor with many trees, picnic tables and several areas to<br />
relax and enjoy has already become a favorite with the trendies—even<br />
with the cool weather. Anthony is also in the fashion market and owns<br />
the outlet for my favorite shoes: “Campers” on Omotesando.<br />
Shake Shack there has already become a favorite hangout and a<br />
great place to meet interesting people and to be seen. Hope to see you<br />
there. Just heard there are already plans to open another shop in Ebisu.<br />
TO DO<br />
Hate to admit it, but I’ve become somewhat of a couch potato recently<br />
and try not to miss any of AXN’s “Outlanders.” The story about England<br />
and Scotland’s troubled history is interesting and the cast truly talented.<br />
If you watch CNN you know they’re doing a lot of new adventure travel<br />
series, and advertising that really give you a rundown on where to go,<br />
where to stay, what to do and see in this old world of ours.<br />
Most of my friends have seen at least one of Guy Laliberté’s Cirque<br />
du Soleil shows either here in Japan, or perhaps Las Vegas and other<br />
major cities around the world. My all-time favorite was the one based<br />
on Michael Jackson’s career I saw at Saitama Stadium. Happy to hear<br />
Daihatsu is bringing the latest Cirque du Soleil show “Totem” to <strong>Tokyo</strong><br />
soon and will be performing here from <strong>February</strong> 3 through May 22. For<br />
ticket info/reservations call 0570-020-520 or visit totem-jp.com/en.<br />
If you really want something special for a bargain the Tolman collection<br />
in Shiba Daimon is consolidating framed prints from their three<br />
galleries—Hong Kong, Atago Jinja and the main gallery in Shiba Daimon<br />
with all prints at a 40 percent discount for cash sales. The sale goes on<br />
for the entire month of <strong>February</strong>. See you there.<br />
Really happy to see one of my all-time favorite travel destinations,<br />
the Philippines, is getting some of the attention it deserves. The country<br />
of 7000 islands really has something for everyone, there’s some of the<br />
greatest hospitality anywhere, it’s just a four-hour flight from <strong>Tokyo</strong>, and<br />
the inexpensive shopping has to be seen to be believed. Guarantee you’ll<br />
shop till you drop in the country of smiles—and bargains.<br />
If you like Italian food, which everyone I know does, check out the<br />
new winter menus at any of Segafredo Zanetti Espresso’s shops. The one<br />
across from H&M in Shibuya has really gotten a stylish makeover. You<br />
can be sure to run into expat friends at the one across the street from<br />
National Azabu in Hiroo. The popular café’s marketing man K.<br />
Hattori just sent me a list of additions to their regular menu.<br />
These include spinach and smoked salmon panini, several<br />
risottos, avocado open sandwiches and vongole bianco<br />
pasta. Prices are very reasonable.<br />
The good-looking Yuji Tamada family at National Azabu<br />
Panamanian Ambassador Ritter Diaz Gomez and his new wife<br />
Ayana<br />
www.tokyoweekender.com FEBRUARY <strong>2016</strong>
COMING TO A CINEMA NEAR YOU IN FEBRUARY<br />
FEB 27<br />
THE HATEFUL EIGHT<br />
A<br />
bulging cast of colorful character<br />
actors, violence as comic as it<br />
is extreme, and a liberal use of<br />
every bit of profanity under the sun can<br />
only mean one thing: maverick filmmaker<br />
Quentin Tarantino is back with another<br />
unique slice of fast-talking film action.<br />
For “The Hateful Eight” the filmmaker<br />
has assembled a typically eclectic cast.<br />
Kurt Russell heads proceedings as<br />
gruff bounty hunter John Ruth, who’s<br />
bringing fugitive Daisy Domergue (Oscarnominated<br />
Jennifer Jason Leigh) to the<br />
town of Red Rock for justice. The pair<br />
hook up with infamous bounty hunter<br />
and former union soldier Major Marquis<br />
Warren (Tarantino regular Samuel L.<br />
Jackson) and a man who claims to be the<br />
town’s new sheriff (Walter Goggins). The<br />
four become eight when the group take<br />
refuge from a blizzard in a stagecoach<br />
stopover populated by a quartet of<br />
sinister ne’er-do-wells (Tim Roth, Bruce<br />
Dern, Michael Madsen and Demian<br />
Bircher). Tensions rise with the storm<br />
and it soon becomes obvious that a Red<br />
Rock rendezvous may not be in the cards<br />
after all…<br />
UNBROKEN<br />
FEB 5<br />
Unbroken” made headlines for all the<br />
wrong reasons last year when rightwing<br />
activists demanded for the film<br />
to be banned and its director, Angelina Jolie, to<br />
be told she was no longer welcome in Japan.<br />
Thankfully, distributors saw sense when film<br />
industry insiders called on them to stand up<br />
for free speech. Why were the far right so<br />
worked up? Jolie’s film tells the remarkable<br />
true story of former Olympian and WWII<br />
pilot Louis Zamperini, who is shot down over<br />
the Pacific. He and his crew members are<br />
found, captured, and made prisoners of war.<br />
Zamperini is sent to a camp in <strong>Tokyo</strong> were he<br />
suffers terribly at the hands of one Japanese<br />
corporal in particular, Mutsuhiro Watanabe<br />
(star rocker Miyavi). A biographical war<br />
drama that charts an incredible life and a<br />
redemptive tale of survival.<br />
WHILE THE WOMEN ARE SLEEPING<br />
An eclectic assemblage of<br />
international talent comes together<br />
for this darkly comic tale of sex<br />
and stalking. Hong Konger Wayne Wang,<br />
best known to western audiences for<br />
directing J-Lo in toothless rom-com “Maid<br />
in Manhattan,” adapts celebrated Spanish<br />
novelist Javier Marías’s short story “While<br />
the Women Are Sleeping” with Japan’s<br />
own cinema bad boy “Beat” Takeshi in a<br />
main role. The story follows Kenji, a bored<br />
writer on vacation who spies a young<br />
beauty with a sinister older man. The<br />
film marks the first time in over a decade<br />
Kitano has appeared in another director’s<br />
work. Mozu’s Hidetoshi Nishijima, Sayuri<br />
Oyamada and Shiori Kutsuna join him.<br />
FEB 27<br />
STEVE JOBS<br />
FEB 12<br />
Inventor, entrepreneur, Apple cofounder<br />
and cultural icon, Steve<br />
Jobs—and the conflicting sides of<br />
his personality—have warranted two<br />
biographical films in the four years since<br />
his 2011 death. While the Ashton Kutcher–<br />
starring 2013 effort “Jobs” proved less than<br />
successful at the box office, the big guns<br />
are out for this second exploration of the<br />
Apple genius’s life. Danny Boyle directs<br />
Oscar nominee Michel Fassbender in a film<br />
that covers all the behind-the-scenes action<br />
at the launch of three of Jobs’s most iconic<br />
products—the Apple Macintosh, the NeXT<br />
Computer, and the iMac. Kate Winslet, Seth<br />
Rogan and Jeff Daniels complete the cast<br />
of this movie based on biographer Walter<br />
Isaacson’s investigation into the life of the<br />
digital visionary.<br />
FEBRUARY <strong>2016</strong> www.tokyoweekender.com
FEB 5<br />
PREVIEWS | MOVIES | 31<br />
10 OF THE BEST: THE MUST SEE MOVIES OF 2013<br />
> BEST OF THE REST This Month’s Releases<br />
POINT BREAK<br />
FEBRUARY 20<br />
Kathryn Bigelow’s cult action hit<br />
gets an update as Edgar Ramirez<br />
and Luke Bracey take over the<br />
roles made famous by Keanu<br />
Reeves and Patrick Swayze.<br />
One’s an undercover cop, the<br />
other is the leader of a bank-robbing extreme sports gang.<br />
THE MARTIAN<br />
Ridley Scott has made some of his finest films in the sci-fi genre.<br />
Heading back to the stars, Scott’s new feature “The Martian”<br />
is a less horrifying affair than his former sci-fi voyages (think<br />
“Alien”) but it’s no less lacking in drama and intensity. Matt Damon<br />
stars as Mark Watney, an astronaut belonging to a team carrying out<br />
a manned mission on Mars. After an emergency evacuation the crew<br />
presumes Watney to be dead and abandons the planet, leaving him<br />
behind. Stranded on the red planet the astronaut must find a way to<br />
survive against impossible odds on an unforgiving landscape using<br />
what little provisions he has at his disposal. Back home scientists and<br />
crewmates Kate Mara, Michael Pena, Jeff Daniels, Chiwetel Ejiofor,<br />
and Donald Glover work tirelessly to mount a daring rescue mission.<br />
Scott returns to his towering best and picked up a Best Picture<br />
nomination for his effort.<br />
FEB 11<br />
SHERLOCK: THE<br />
ABOMINABLE BRIDE<br />
FEBRUARY 19<br />
A testament to the popularity of<br />
both Benedict Cumberbatch and<br />
Japan’s love of a good mystery,<br />
this feature-length episode of<br />
the excellent BBC television<br />
series gets a full theatrical release.<br />
LOVE THE COOPERS<br />
FEBRUARY 19<br />
Still feeling Christmassy?<br />
Probably not but this is Japan:<br />
things don’t have to make<br />
sense. Discover the true<br />
meaning of Christmas in this<br />
ensemble comedy with Diane<br />
Keaton, John Goodman, Anthony Mackie, Amanda Seyfreid, Ed<br />
Helms and more.<br />
MAGGIE<br />
FEBRUARY 5<br />
Arnie takes a stab at a serious<br />
role as he plays a loving father<br />
in a zombie-ravaged near future<br />
who will stop at nothing to<br />
protect his infected daughter.<br />
CAROL<br />
One of this year’s biggest Oscar hopefuls with a total of six<br />
nominations, “Carol” arrives on our screens having already<br />
obtained numerous accolades and featured on many critics’<br />
“Top Films of 2015” lists. An adaptation of the Patricia Highsmith<br />
novel “The Price of Salt,” the film tells the story of a young woman,<br />
Therese Belivet, who dreams of a better life while working as a shop<br />
girl in a Manhattan department store. After a chance encounter<br />
with Carol, an alluring woman who frequents the store, a romance<br />
blossoms between the two. Set against the backdrop of New York<br />
City in the less-than-tolerant 1950s, Carol struggles to break free from<br />
the confines of a stifling, loveless marriage while dealing with the<br />
problems caused as she finally begins to embrace her true feelings.<br />
Cate Blanchett takes the title role and has been honored with a Best<br />
Actress nomination for her efforts. Co-star Rooney Mara is similarly<br />
honored in the Best Supporting category for her turn as Therese.<br />
Classily directed by Todd Haynes, the two leads give magnificent<br />
performances in this touching romance.<br />
HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2<br />
FEBRUARY 20<br />
Adam Sandler’s computeranimated<br />
family comedy<br />
returns as Dracula attempts to<br />
make a real vampire out of his<br />
fangless son. Fun for the kids, if<br />
not quite on Pixar’s level.<br />
COOTIES<br />
FEBRUARY 20<br />
Elijah Wood leads a group<br />
of oddball teachers against<br />
an elementary school full of<br />
zombified kids in this R-rated<br />
horror-comedy.<br />
This month’s movie previews were written by Christopher<br />
O’Keeffe. For more movie news and reviews visit<br />
www.tokyoweekender.com<br />
www.tokyoweekender.com FEBRUARY <strong>2016</strong>
AGENDA<br />
1<br />
2<br />
3<br />
4<br />
6<br />
7<br />
8<br />
5<br />
AGENDA: THE WEEKENDER ROUNDUP OF WHAT’S HAPPENING IN FEBRUARY<br />
1 FEB 13-14<br />
Madonna’s Rebel<br />
Heart Tour<br />
Expect a giant production,<br />
incredible costumes, dancers, amazing<br />
back up singers and all the hits.<br />
Where: Saitama Super Arena<br />
How much: ¥9,000 - ¥50,000<br />
More info: www.tokyoweekender.com<br />
2 FEB 14-15 3 FEB 17<br />
4 UNTIL MAR 6<br />
World Valentine Festival<br />
This romantic Valentine-themed<br />
festival<br />
takes place across the whole weekend—one<br />
of the biggest on <strong>Tokyo</strong>’s<br />
calendar. Well, for couples at least<br />
anyway.<br />
Where: Yoyogi Park | How much: Free<br />
More info: www.tokyoweekender.com<br />
Chvrches<br />
These Scottish indie darlings<br />
have been going from<br />
strength to strength over the past few<br />
years, becoming one of the biggest<br />
touring bands in the world and an<br />
international festival mainstay.<br />
Where: Akasaka Blitz | How much: ¥6,500<br />
More info: www.tokyoweekender.com<br />
Takashi Murakami: The<br />
500 Arhats<br />
Considered one of the most<br />
active and significant Japanese artists in<br />
the global art scene today, this exhibition<br />
will focus on Murakami’s recent works,<br />
mainly his epic “The 500 Arhats.”<br />
Where: Mori Art Museum | How much: ¥600 -<br />
¥1,600| More info: www.tokyoweekender.com<br />
5 FEB 11 - MAR 6 6 UNTIL FEB 29 7 FEB 29<br />
Setagaya Ume Matsuri<br />
Toshimaen Skate Rink<br />
Bon Iver<br />
Check out the stalls selling<br />
Outdoor ice skating fun<br />
US indie folk poster boy<br />
plum-related knick-knacks,<br />
for the whole family.<br />
Justin Vernon is bringing<br />
food and green tea, as well as koto Just pay the entry fee once and you his band to Japan for the first time ever<br />
instrument performances, haiku can come and go as you please all<br />
this month. In what is a long-anticipated<br />
classes, tea ceremonies and plant day. Perfect for those wanting to grab<br />
visit, expect a selection of hits from<br />
markets.<br />
some lunch or dinner from nearby across the bands whole discography.<br />
Where: Hanegi Park, Umegaoka<br />
restaurants.<br />
Where: Studio Coast<br />
How much: Free<br />
Where: Toshimaen<br />
How much: ¥7,500 (standing)<br />
More info: www.tokyoweekender.com How much: ¥1,600 - ¥2,100<br />
More info: www.tokyoweekender.com<br />
More info: www.tokyoweekender.com<br />
FEBRUARY <strong>2016</strong> www.tokyoweekender.com<br />
8 FEB 28<br />
<strong>Tokyo</strong> Marathon <strong>2016</strong><br />
The annual <strong>Tokyo</strong> Marathon<br />
offers the city’s most<br />
dedicated runners 42 grueling kilometers<br />
to pit themselves against. Join the throngs<br />
to cheer on the competitors!<br />
Where: Shinjuku to Odaiba’s <strong>Tokyo</strong> Big Sight<br />
How much: Free to attend (registration for<br />
runners has closed)<br />
More info: www.tokyoweekender.com
FEBRUARY | AGENDA | 33<br />
FEBRUARY<br />
9<br />
10<br />
11<br />
12<br />
9 FEB 7-22 10 UNTIL FEB 14<br />
Chinese Spring<br />
Yoko Ono: From My<br />
Festival<br />
Window<br />
Two full weeks of fun<br />
Avant-garde artist, musician<br />
and activist Yoko Ono returns<br />
and events in Yokohama’s Chinatown,<br />
with the countdown party on the home for a show at the Museum of<br />
night of <strong>February</strong> 7 being a highlight. Contemporary Art.<br />
Where: Yokohama China Town<br />
Where: Museum of Contemporary Art<br />
How much: Free<br />
<strong>Tokyo</strong> | How much: ¥600 - ¥1,100<br />
More info: www.tokyoweekender.com More info: www.tokyoweekender.com<br />
11 FEB 7-8 12 FEB 3<br />
Pixar in Concert<br />
Setsubun Festival<br />
Can’t get enough of<br />
This bean throwing<br />
soundtracks from<br />
festival happens annually<br />
your favorite Pixar films? The live and signifies the arrival of spring. To<br />
orchestral showcase is back in <strong>Tokyo</strong> attract health and fortune for the year,<br />
for another round of tear-jerking make sure you grab an omamori charm<br />
moments and childhood-reminiscing. at one of the stalls wile you’re there.<br />
Where: Akasaka Blitz<br />
Where: Zojoji Temple<br />
How much: ¥6,500 - ¥8,500<br />
How much: Free<br />
More info: www.tokyoweekender.com More info: www.tokyoweekender.com<br />
www.tokyoweekender.com FEBRUARY <strong>2016</strong>
BACK IN THE DAY: FEBRUARY 1974<br />
Check out the scene in <strong>Tokyo</strong> from 1974! You can read the rest of this issue (No.6<br />
1974) and view <strong>Weekender</strong>’s 45-year archive online. www.tokyoweekender.com/<br />
weekender-archives/