Tokyo Weekender - January 2016

More documents

Recommendations

Info

28 | SOCIETY | PEOPLE, PARTIES, PLACES Saudi Military attaché Abdul Rahman al-Harbi, Politician Yuriko Koike, Saudi Amb. Ahmed Younos S. Al Barrak Palestinian Rep. Waleed Siam, Jordanian Amb. Demiye Haddad, Qatar Amb. Yousef Bilal Top video cameraman Richard Colombo and his wife Saudi National Day Tongan Amb. Tania Tupou, Sumo champ Konishiki, his lovely wife Chie Actor and model Hide, Dominican pop star Kat Film producer Georgina Pope, DJ Guy Perryman Bill rocks the mic at his yearly Orphans’ Charity party In & Around Kenichi Yamamoto and Tomoya Nakamura of National Azabu at one of their super BBQs Sarah Muir, her mom Yuko, Carol Yoshida, Pamela Mori The Iretons—Charo William and Bill—with National Azabu’s owner Tetsu Uemura Robert Zemeckis, director of “The Walk,” which opened at the Tokyo International Film Festival NOVEMBER JANUARY 2016 2016 www.tokyoweekender.com
PEOPLE, PARTIES, PLACES | SOCIETY | 29 many other art lovers know. Norman and the Tolman Collection’s staff always come up with special exhibitions and interesting ideas to promote their special collection of paintings and prints by many of Japan’s best known artists. Toko will turn 103 next year, and I’m happy to see she’s still painting. To celebrate, Norman was able to get 102 paintings and prints of her work over the years and that, plus her huge famous mural that permanently hangs in the lobby of the Conrad Hilton, added up to 103. I had the privilege of attending the opening reception which was wall-to-wall international VIPs. Long time friends I hadn’t seen for a long time who were there included the film world’s Kaz and Fran Kuzui and Gabriel from event planners Black List. People I met for the first time, and really enjoyed talking to, included the famous doctor (at St. Luke’s Hospital) and author (of many medical and health books), Dr. Shigeaki Hinohara—he’s 104 and still very cool. Father Grimm of the Franciscan Chapel told me Japan has 60,000 people who are over 100 years old. Other VIPs at the opening included Mika Mori of Mori Trust Hotels and Resorts and her daughter Miwako Date who is President of Conrad Hilton. I stayed in their beautiful Westin Hotel in Sendai a week after the terrible Tohoku earthquake and tsunami when I was helping Bill and Matthew Ireton distribute baseball uniforms and other supplies to several schools that really suffered during that natural disaster. Back to the reception, I really enjoyed meeting the Conrad Hilton GM Heinrich Grafe and his super staff. Congratulations to all concerned on the tremendous success of the exhibition. SAUDI ARABIA RECEPTION – PALACE HOTEL It was Saudi Ambassador Ahmed Yonos S. Al Barrak’s first time to host a big National Day celebration. The occasion was his country’s 85th National Day and he chose the palatial, completely renovated Palace Hotel for the well attended, first class midday reception. The ambassador, his staff and many Saudi students there wore national costumes which really were perfect for the kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s special day. Guests included former sumo champ and great philanthropist Konishiki and his wonderful wife Chie. In just a few years she learned to speak, sing and dance Hawaiian, and the busy couple often do musical shows together. If you ever have the opportunity to see them perform, don’t miss it. They’re really good. It was also nice seeing popular politician Yukiko Koike there that day. She attended university in Cairo, speaks fluent Arabic, and is a real expert on Arab affairs. I was really surprised (and of course, happy) when two Saudi students I’ve known for a long time came over and gave me a set of CDs. They knew I had been a guest of the Shoboshi family when Ambassador Fawzi was posted here, and I was invited to the five-day culture festival in Jinadriyah near Riyadh several years ago. The festival was truly fantastic and the Saudi National Guard’s hospitality marvelous. My new CDs are a collection of the music of the festival over the years, and I listen to them almost every day. Talk about great memories of a travel experience I’ll never forget. The festival will be in February this year. SPECIAL PEOPLE So lucky to meet so many great people through the column and plan on writing more about them this year. My sincerest thanks to Director/Producer Karen Severns of Kismet Productions and her husband Koichi Mori for their help in helping me set up a screening of Tsukasa Shiga’s feature film “Boku ha Bousan” (“I Am a Monk”) at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club. The film produced by Tsukasa Shiga was one of the many projects he did to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of his company, Ceremony. There are plans to show it with English subtitles. I’ll let you know when I know. Thanks as well to Gene Pele who once again donated all kinds of fun T-shirts for my annual boxes to unfortunate people in the Philippines at Christmas time. Thanks to so many of you who let me bring Swiss medical student Michel Bielecki to many of the events I was invited to. Michel, whose father is a famous doctor in Zurich, loves Japan and thanks to several friends in high places here I was able to get him into a special program at Keio for several months. He made a lot of friends, and worked hard while he was here. He also taught me quite a bit about operating my iPad, including setting up my blog. He returned to Europe mid-December, will complete his studies there, and hopes to come back here several times a year to work on a project on traditional Japanese handicrafts he’s set up. Another great happening because he was here was meeting and getting to know his super mom who was a top model in Europe at one time, and is still the epitome of chic, as well as being super cool. I’m so lucky with people. Thanks to Michel, I also met American photographer Anthony Wood, his wife Junko and son Kenji, who came to my house with lots of equipment and took some interesting photos. Anthony’s really good—I loved the photos and if you need any special pics, I strongly recommend you contact him. Tel: 080-2107-8690 or anthony@anthonywood.net. I really enjoyed a lunch at the Grand Hyatt’s Oakwood restaurant with two of my talented friends: the movie business’s Georgina Pope (she’s from Australia) and top British DJ Guy Perryman. They are both interesting and fun people who are both super busy, so I really enjoyed our time, and the delicious crab cake and New York cheesecake at the popular restaurant. Georgina had one of her films in the Venice Film Festival and has just finished shooting a short film with Elizabeth Moss from the TV series “Mad Men”—the popular actress was here last summer shooting a segment of TV’s highly rated “Girls.” Watch for Georgina’s specials on Japanese films on NHK. She gave me some interesting news about the entertainment industry and the NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) that actors, actresses, and others in the film business have to sign when they go to work on a new project. In addition to all his regular DJ gigs, Guy is very busy on a big project for Refugees International. The event will be held on the night of February 5, on the 27th floor of the luxurious Shangri-La Hotel. This is the second year Guy’s done this. At last year’s “Night on Broadway,” we had a huge success and I’m sure this year’s “Night in Hollywood” will be as well. Delta Airlines is a big supporter of this worthwhile project. For information, call 03-3407-1145. A few months back, it was a busy night at National Azabu, where guests enjoyed the best in barbecued lamb, delicious hamburgers, great ham, and Bonito’s paella. There was a fine selection of wines for the adults and special desserts for the kids. Staff members of the popular store provided the great live jazz music. Big Pictures President Mark Fuoti and the US Embassy’s Lt. Col. Joe Sweeney at Hiroo Segafredo Boris and fashion guru John Bosworth at Hiroo Segafredo French wine dealer Philippe Sauzedde and friend at Hiroo Segafredo www.tokyoweekender.com JANUARY 2016
Page 1 and 2: JANUARY 2016 Japan’s number one E
Page 3 and 4: JANUARY 2016 CONTENTS 13 16 22 POWD
Page 5 and 6: Join the Conversation, Join the Clu
Page 7 and 8: DENTS LEATHER GLOVES Hate taking yo
Page 9 and 10: GALLERY GUIDE | WEEKENDER | 9 18th
Page 11 and 12: MAY Demolition of Tokyo’s old Oly
Page 13 and 14: POWDER QUEST | FEATURE | 13 by Phil
Page 15 and 16: POWDER QUEST | FEATURE | 15 Skiers
Page 17 and 18: KEEP YOUR SMARTPHONE CLOSE AT “HA
Page 19 and 20: EXPAT LIFE | WEEKENDER | 19 “Disa
Page 21 and 22: IN PURSUIT OF BEAUTY Wabist began s
Page 23 and 24: Young Athlete of the Year 1. KENZO
Page 25 and 26: Taking a look at Japan’s “possi
Page 27: PEOPLE, PARTIES, PLACES | SOCIETY |
Page 31 and 32: PREVIEWS | MOVIES | 31 JAN 30 10 OF
Page 33 and 34: JANUARY | AGENDA | 33 JANUARY 9 10
Page 35: PHOTO BY FORWARD STROKE Opening in

Tokyo Weekender - January 2016

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

Delete template?

Save as template?