ESTABLISHED 1970 BY CORKY ALEXANDER
VOL. 39 NO. 01 FREE JAN. 04 – 17 2008
LIGHTS CAMERA ACTION
THE PAST AND FUTURE OF JAPANESE CINEMA
CATCHING A MOVIE WITH THE KIDS
NEW MOVIE SPREAD: REVIEWS & RECOMMENDATIONS
ALSO ONLINE AT WWW.WEEKENDERJAPAN.COM
Photo courtesy of Warner Brothers
ALL ABOUT THE MOVIES
THINGS TO DO
04 Feature
Japanese Cinema: History, Fun Facts and Trivia
Saturday, Jan 5
06 NEW! Movie Plus
I Am Legend, Bee Movie, Reign Over Me, The Assasination of Jesse
James by The Coward Robert Ford; Theaters to Visit; Upcoming
DVD Releases; Star Gossip
08 Dining
Six Great Restaurants Near Movie Theaters
10 Investments / IT
Investing in the Movies, Watching TV/Movies on the Train
11 Business
Business Profile: Neil Day of Paddy Foley’s
12 School’s In
Video in the Classroom
Take the children to the
Birmingham Royal Ballet’s
production of Beauty and the
Beast at Tokyo Bunka Kaikan, ¥4,000–¥18,000, www.
brb.org.uk
14 Sports
A-Z Guide of Watching Live Sumo
15 Partyline
18 Arts & Crossword
•••
FOUNDED IN 1970 BY MILLARD H. “CORKY” ALEXANDER
Answers from Crossword #17 (Weekender Dec 21)
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Photo credit: Bill Cooper
Wednesday, Jan 9
Enjoy the ten dynamic (and
free!) Open! zones at ICC
Open Space before it changes theme in early March.
http://tinyurl.com/ynmzg5
Thursday, Jan 10
Introduce yourself to kabuki with Izo, a “modern”
performance starring V6’s Go Morita, through Feb
3. ¥9,500–¥11,000, tel. 057-000-3337.
Friday, Jan 11
Take the family car buff to see the world’s largest exhibition of cars with aftermarket parts at
the Tokyo Auto Salon, Makuhari Messe. ¥1,200–
¥3,500. www.e-autosalon.net
WEEKENDER—JAPAN’S QUALITY ENGLISH MAGAZINE
PUBLISHER Caroline Pover ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Rajiv Trehan
MANAGING EDITOR Helen Bottomley EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS
Danielle Tate-Stratton, Marie Teather, Michael Mahoney TRAVEL
& SOCIETY EDITOR Bill Hersey ARTS EDITOR Owen Schaefer
DESIGN and LAYOUT Elizabeth Briggs DISTRIBUTION MANAGER
Stephen Young ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Kieron Cashell, Amy Dose,
Sheree Hsu CONTRIBUTORS William Casper, Phil Gibb, Leigh
Wellsview, Andrew Robinson, Emily Downey, Carolyn Todd,
Lawrence Nylund, Maria Young. OFFICES at Caroline Pover,
Inc., 5th floor, Chuo Iikura Building, 3-4-11 Azabudai, Minatoku, Tokyo 106-0041 Tel. 03-5549-2038 Fax: 03-5549-2039 Email:
[email protected] Opinions expressed by WEEKENDER
contributors are not necessarily those of the Publisher.
Q
Celebrate today’s holiday—seijin no hi—by going to Meiji Shrine where you will see hundreds
of girls dressed up in decadent silk kimono to
celebrate turning 20 in the upcoming year.
See 89-year-old jazz piano
legend Hank Jones at the
Blue Note Tokyo at 7 and
9pm tonight for ¥8,400.
www.bluenote.co.jp
•••
B
R
I
D
E
S
Rock out with legendary act
Bon Jovi at the Tokyo Dome
tonight and tomorrow at
5pm. ¥9,000–¥10,000, tel.
03-3402-5999.
Monday, Jan 14
Tuesday, Jan 8
o kick off 2008 we are pleased to introduce
our new double-page Movie feature, including news of upcoming cinema and DVD releases,
our favourite theatres, and the latest celebrity visits
to Japan. As we launch these new pages we theme
this issue all about movies! Our feature story covers
news about the Japanese film industry and some
fun film facts. Our Dining section highlights some
of the best places to grab something to eat before
running off to catch the latest new release. We’ve
got some great places that cater to you and any little ones that fancy a film. The IT section informs
you of the latest gadgets to help you watch movies
on the go. And of course there’s Johnny Depp on
the cover—enjoy!
As we change the volume of this issue to incorporate the long history of the Weekender, I realise that this magazine will be entering its 39th
year in February! It still feels like quite a privilege to
be publishing a magazine with such a history, and
that is older than I am!
Caroline Pover, Publisher
S
Sunday, Jan 13
Have an eclectic night out with poetry from
4–7pm followed by musician Tom Holliday and
topped off with some delicious pub grub at What
the Dickens in Ebisu. www.whatthedickens.jp
Monday, Jan 7
13 School’s Out
Cinemas with Babysitting Services
1
Learn about Design in Scandinavia and the climate
that influences it through
Jan.14 at the Tokyo Opera
City Art Gallery.
www.
operacity.jp/ag/exh88/e.
Sunday, Jan 6
09 Travel
‘Live in Asia’ Guest Apartments
T
Saturday, Jan 12
Learn about Italian art
icon Bruno Munari at retrospective Work People Not
Allowed through Jan. 27,
www.shiodomeitalia.com.
Tuesday, Jan 15
Cheer for your favorite
rikishi at the New Year
Grand Sumo Tournament
at the Ryogoku Kokugikan
through Jan. 21. www.
sumo.or.jp/eng.
Photo credit: heschong
Wednesday, Jan 16
Enjoy the haunting melodies of Icelandic sevenpiece electronic band
Múm. At Shibuya Duo
Music Exchange, tel. 033462-6969.
Thursday, Jan 17
Take a date to UK jazz, Latin, and soul fusion group
Matt Bianco as they groove
at the Blue Note in Aoyama. www.bluenote.co.jp
Friday, Jan 18
Head to Paddy Foley’s for a pint and while you’re
there, pick up the new issue of Weekender, due out
today.
The Australia Society’s Gala Ball for Charity
15
+ 1 across, NY Dec 31st count dow n spot
by Danielle Tate-Stratton
W
ith miles of white, warm beaches, some of the
best surfing in the world, huge skies, and best of
all, summer when we have winter, Australia would be
lovely towards the end of January. However, for those of
us who can’t pop on a plane and head down under, the
Australian Society’s Gala Ball is the next best thing.
The annual event celebrates Australia Day, the
biggest holiday in the country. It takes place annually
to celebrate, according to the government, “what we
have achieved and what we can be proud of in our
great nation,” including the land, people, freedom,
and democracy. Help the Australians get a jump on
the celebrations—on January 25—at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo. The night promises “black ties, gorgeous
frocks, and a delicious meal and drinks, followed by
energetic entertainment and a charity auction.” Auction items are set to include wine, travel, and other
goods. Make sure you match your black ties and frocks
with dancing shoes as the party is set to go late into
the evening, with the promise of midnight snacks
and goodie bags to take home.
This year, the event is themed “Outback” and
celebrates the environment both in Australia and
Japan. Accordingly, the proceeds from the auction
go to two environmentally friendly charities—EcoFuture in Japan and Aussie Helpers in Australia.
Eco-Future (www.eco-future.net) provides grants to
NPOs and NGOs in Japan for the purpose of fostering the Earth’s future forests and for research on forest resources in Indonesia and Malaysia. Aussie Helpers (www.aussiehelpers.org.au) works to help fight
poverty and “lift the spirits of those severely affected
by drought” in the Australian farming community.
Tickets are ¥28,000 for Australian Society
members or ¥30,000 for non-members and can
be reserved individually or in tables of ten at
www.australiasocietytokyo.com or by emailing
[email protected].
FEATURE
The History of the Cinema in Japan
F
or this, our movie issue, and with the launch of the
new double spread movie pages, let’s take a look at
the influences Japan has had on the world cinema and
at notable films related to Japan. With the following
blockbuster facts, there is something interesting for
even the most ‘back seat’ of movie fans.
BEFORE ‘THE BUBBLE’
For the greater part of the twentieth century Japan’s
major movie studios churned out an assembly line of
military- and ‘life on the home-front’-type productions, emoting on predicable post-war feelings of nationalism and rebuilding family values. Before then
Japanese films were little more than adaptations of
traditional stage or kabuki plays.
In 1951 the Toho Company released Godzilla, the
first blockbuster monster movie of its kind starting a
trend that has continued to this day.
During the 1980s Japanese money was invested
into Hollywood productions, and films made here in
Japan were funded by foreign money, kick starting an
interest in the cinema and rehauling the movie making industry. Anime received its first overseas attention
and Akira Kurosawa directed his last great epic, Ran.
The film was the most expensive Japanese film ever
produced of its day and won two awards from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.
DIRECTORS OF INFLUENCE
The most influential Japanese director in international cinema is perhaps Kurosawa Akira, who directed
the first Japanese movie to ever win an international
award. Rashomon took first prize at the Venice Film
Festival in 1951 and three years later he made the epic
Seven Samurai (in Japanese: Shichinin no Samurai). Today the film ranks as one of the greatest films ever
made, and it is said to have inspired the classic Western film The Magnificent Seven.
The Seven Samurai tells the tale of seven samurai
warriors hired to protect a small village from looting
bandits, while The Magnificent Seven shows seven gunmen hired to protect a Mexican village from bandits.
In 1961 Kurosawa went on to make The Shadow
Warrior, which was later made into the Clint Eastwood Western A Fistful of Dollars. Perhaps this was
the start of Clint Eastwood’s interest in Japan-based
movies, as later in his career he returned the favor
by bringing a World War II battle to the forefront of
modern day cinemas.
With the death of Kurosawa in 1999, Kitano Takeshi
stepped up as the leading Japanese director on the world
stage. Better known to us here in Japan as a risqué TV comedian and presenter, overseas his movies have continued
to pick up prizes for both his directing and acting skills.
In 2000 Takeshi starred as a sadistic high school
teacher of the same name in the controversial Japanese blockbuster Battle Royale — a movie where one
class of delinquent teenagers is sent to a deserted island every year to kill each other.
Another director making waves overseas and break-
| Weekender
Japan has received a boost in tourism since Lost In
Translation’s release
ing box-office records is the best-known maker of animated movies, Hayao Miyazaki. His recent 2001 release
Spirited Away won him an Oscar, and became the first
animated film to win an Academy Award.
ANIME
Miyazaki’s thought-provoking movies have made him
a household name in Japan since the 1960s. Although
anime has only recently received foreign attention,
domestically it has been a box-office revenue generator for decades.
Astro Boy was the first animated television program in
Japan, but it was Akira, Otomo Katsuhiro’s futuristic movie
about a group of teenage rebels roaming the streets of a
post-apocalyptic Tokyo, that first made it to the big screen.
It was also the first Japanese animated movie to have an
impact abroad. (Of note, the music video for Michael
Jackson and Janet Jackson’s 1995 hit Scream, featured clips
from Akira and other Japanese anime.)
Miyazaki is also co-founder of Studio Ghibli, an animation and production company often called ‘a Japanese
Disney’. Through Studio Ghibli, Miyazaki`s fans have
been treated to classic stories of fantasy, including mustsees such as Laputa, Kiki`s Delivery Service, My Neighbor Totoro and more. (Not surprising, the Disney Corporation itself that has secured the majority of Ghilbi’s international
distribution rights.) The studio has become so popular
that the Ghibli Museum was opened in 2001.
MODERN AND WESTERN INTERFERENCE
In recent years Japanese anime has even found its way
to Hollywood, the most notable film being Quentin
Tarantino’s 2003 blockbuster Kill Bill.
Kill Bill was adapted from a 1973 Japanese ‘revenge
film’ called Lady Snowblood. Influenced strongly by Japanese samurai films and martial arts movies, Tarantino’s
film brought Japanese culture, both new and old, into
Western cinemas at a time when the box office was riding on the success of all things Japanese.
More recently Tarantino appeared in Sukiyaki Western Django, the 2007 Japan-based ‘spaghetti Western
style’ shoot-out, which again masterfully twisted together the best of Japanese and Western cinematic styles.
Apart from Tarantino himself, the film is made of
an entirely Japanese cast, with dialogue in English.
In the same year Lost In Translation catapulted
modern-day Tokyo onto international screens as audiences pondered the on-screen relationship between
Bill Murray and Scarlet Johansson.
Incidentally Japan has received a boost in tourism
since the film’s release, with sightseers flying in to visit
The Park Hyatt or to experience a karaoke experience
as crazy as the one portrayed in the movie.
Johansson herself won the Upstream Prize for
Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival for her performance, and can still be seen on Japanese TV today
in commercials for Dr. Rainer coffee.
Also in 2003, The Last Samurai provided foreign audiences with insight into Japan’s rich history and, for perhaps the first time ever, this Western interpretation of
Photo courtesy of Focus Features Co.
The Last Samurai provided foreign audiences with
insight into Japan’s rich history
Photo courtesy of Warner Brothers
by Marie Teather
beacon: a signal fire or illuminating light that calls or guides
Letters From Iwo Jima was named the Best Film in a Foreign Language at the 2006 Golden Globe
awards.
Japan won the respect of Japanese critics. The film did,
however, have an largely American production crew,
with filming done in New Zealand with actual shots of
Mount Fuji superimposed.
The Last Samurai was nominated for four Academy
Awards including one for Ken Watanabe as Best Supporting Actor. In this, his first English-speaking role, Watanabe found himself hailed as a new international pin-up.
Two years later Watanabe appeared in another Western adaptation of Japan’s past, Memoirs of a Geisha. Despite the popularity of the book from which the film was
based and the hype prior to release, the film was not well
received by critics and had little impact at the box office.
Memoirs of a Geisha was not screened in China after
officials banned it, fearing it would rouse anti-Japan sentiment and stir up ill feelings of Japan’s wartime actions.
WAR FILMS
Japan’s role in the great wars of the twentieth century has
been the subject of numerous revisionist film examinations, providing insight from ‘the other side’ as an alternative to the usual American bias.
In 2006 Clint Eastwood released two films just two
months apart from each other, depicting the same World
War battle from two opposing viewpoints. Flags of Our
Fathers follows the tale of three surviving American flagraisers following their return from the Pacific, while Letters
From Iwo Jima—again starring Ken Watanabe—shows the
Japanese perspective of the battle. Both films combined
collected an annual gross of $135 million.
Letters From Iwo Jima is filmed entirely in Japanese
and although reception of the film’s historical accuracy
was mixed here in Japan, it was named the Best Film in
a Foreign Language at the 2006 Golden Globe awards.
Prior to Eastwood’s films, 2001’s To End All Wars
was released, starring Keifer Sutherland in a storyline
similar to the classic Bridge Over The River Kwai. Nowadays the Western/Christian overtones of forgiveness,
apparent throughout the movie, are not received very
well, signifying a need for less biased portrayals of
Japanese in the theaters.
Photo courtesy of Warner Brothers
At beacon urban chophouse, the fire from our grill
calls our guests to come together and join us in celebration.
ACTORS AND ACTRESSES
As yet, few Japanese homegrown actors or actresses
have exerted any influence on movies made overseas.
Most noticeable would be the aforementioned bilingual Ken Watanabe. Some interest was sparked however,
in actress Chiaki Kuriyama, Kill Bill’s 17-year-old, chain ball
welding schoolgirl psycho although, until she can speak
English, fans may have to wait for any future appearances
of a more wordy nature.
HORROR
Kuriyama, did however, appear as Tatako Chigusa, Girl
Number 13, in the sadistic horror Battle Royale, until
being shot in the back by her classmate.
The excessively violent film was labeled ‘crude and
tasteless’ by members of the Japanese parliament, but is
still listed as one of the top ten grossing movies of all time
in Japan. Domestically alone, it brought in ¥3.11 billion.
Due to cultural sensitivities, the film still does not
have an official distributor in the US, although it can
be bought in the UK.
‘J-Horror’ has found a market overseas and a recent
wave of former Japanese folk-tale spooks have found
their way into popular culture abroad.
The 1998 Ringu (The Ring) was voted the most frightening horror movie in Japan and is still the highest grossing horror film in Japan to date. The story of a cursed
videotape that brings death exactly one week later to anyone who watches it became an international success after
being remade in Korea in 1999 and in the US in 2002.
A whole host of other horror movies have been made
in the US, including The Grudge and Dark Water although
if and when this trend will spread to more main stream
movies, remains yet to be seen.
Lunch: 11:30 - 15:00 L.O. Mon.—Sat. / Brunch: 11:30—15:00 L.O. Sat. Sun. Hol
Tea time: 15:00—17:00 L.O. Sat. Sun. Hol
Dinner: 18:00 - 22:00 L.O. Mon.—Sat. / 18:00—21:00 L.O. Sun. Hol
1-2-5 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo / Tel: 03-6418-0077
www.tyharborbrewing.co.jp
7 minute walk from Shibuya station • 5 minute walk from Omotesando station (B2 exit)
FUTURE
As we move further in the twenty-first century, the future
seems bright for Japanese movies as overseas influences
continue to cast a unique light on interpretations of the
culture here and Japanese influences are integrated
into internationally produced production abroad.
Movie Facts:
Miyazaki`s 2001 hit Spirited Away is the highest grossing film of all time in Japan.
Tarantino refers to Tokyo as his second home and is reported as saying “Visiting Japan is the only time I leave my small county in LA.”
The crew of Lost In Translation faced threat of arrest when filming in both the Japanese subway and at the Hachiko crossing.
Tom Cruise spent almost two years preparing for his role in The Last Samurai, learning how to speak Japanese and sword fighting.
2006 saw a new trend for movies premiering in Japan: Spiderman 3, The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift, and Harry Potter and the
Order of the Phoenix were just three movies where directors opted for Tokyo to make their headlining debuts.
In the infamous Kill Bill restaurant scene, which has since been likened to popular Nishi-Azabu restaurant Gon Pachi (although
never officially confirmed), Uma Thurman’s character kills 57 people.
The Japanese government tried to ban Battle Royale but feared that to do so would inadvertently give the film more publicity.
Unless coming from the UK the ¥1,800 ticket charge may come as something as a shock to movie fans new to Japan. Most cinemas do, however, have a ¥1000 ticket charge on Ladies’ Day (Wednesdays) and on Movie Day (the first day of the month).
Jan. 04 – 17 2008 Vol. 39 No. 01 MOVIE REVIEWS WITH WILLIAM CASPER
I AM LEGEND
For the record; first there
was the post apocalyptic
book I Am Legend by Richard Matheson, about
the last surviving man
in a nightmare world of
isolation and mutants. This was made into a cheesy
B movie as The Last Man on Earth starring Vincent
Price in 1964. This in turn was remade in 1971 as The
Omega Man starring Charlton Heston, and has now
been remade as I Am Legend. As a fan of the Charlton
Heston movie and in light of some of the abysmal
recent remakes of good movies (Get Carter, Rollerball,
Alfie, etc.) I approached this potential disaster with
trepidation. Silly me.
The latest version of I Am Legend has retained all
that was good about the Charlton Heston film (the
ghostly cityscape, the genuine suspense) and quietly
lost some of the more surreal aspects (the quasi-religious undertones and the 1970s politics, man). More
than that, it has rounded out the main character,
made the central premise more believable and best of
all, gives Robert Neville (Will Smith) our soul survivor, a German shepherd for a companion.
Will Smith is excellent in what is essentially a one
man (and his dog) turn. This is not the kind of role
that usually wins awards, which is a shame as Smith
shows real depth portraying a man teetering on the
brink of insanity but managing, just about, to stay
sane enough to continue his work attempting to save
the last remnants of the human race.
At times I Am Legend is genuinely frightening and
at a breezy 101 minutes it’s that rarest of things: a big
budget film that leaves you wishing it were longer.
Visually spectacular (post-apocalyptic New York looks
incredible) try and see it on the big screen.
Release date: Dec. 14, 2007
REIGN OVER ME
A film about loss, friendship, and healing. Reign Over
Me stars Adam Sandler as Charlie Fineman, a dentist
who lost his family (a wife, three girls and even a
dog) during the 9/11 attacks on New York, and has
regressed into irresponsible teenagehood to forget
his pain. A chance encounter with his dental college
room mate, Alan Benson played by Don Cheadle,
now successful and married with kids, seems to
awaken something in Charlie; the stifled Benson is
drawn to the wild freedom that Charlie’s bizarre and
erratic behavior in some way represents. And so the
unlikely couple begins to hang out.
At times the plot runs perilously close to Terry
Gilliam’s The Fisher King, but where Gillian’s characters
use fantasy and charm to escape their loss, Reign Over
Me (a few comedic moments apart) is heavy with pain
and sadness.
Adam Sandler, looking uncannily like Bob
Dylan, does a decent job as Fineman and elicits
emotions I thought beyond him. Don Cheadle, in
Sidney Poitier mode, is also good in the less showy
role. The other characters, particularly the females,
are weaker. Liv Tyler is hopelessly miscast as an
uptown shrink; Jada Pinkett Smith as Benson’s wife
is underused, and worst of all, the talented Saffron
Burrows is saddled with an ill-conceived character
treated with something close to contempt by the
script. Donald Sutherland shows up in a brief cameo
as a judge that nicely spices the film up just at the
point it is becoming long.
9/11 brings monumental baggage that rests
heavily on Charlie’s shoulders; to lighten the load, I
half-wished he was one of a group of people struggling
with their loss from that day, or that Charlie’s family
had died in a more relatable, less public way. Worth a
look but take some tissues.
Release date: Dec. 22, 2007
THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD
As you would expect from the director of Aussie classic
Chopper, Andrew Dominik’s ambitious, languid retelling of the last few months of the life and death of Jesse
James (Brad Pitt) has much to commend it. It’s beautiful
to look at—there is a real evocation of a time long gone;
several of the performances are very good, particularly
Casey Affleck as the Uriah Heep-like Robert Ford (had
Heep ever seen fit to murder David Copperfield); overall
production values are good (though I was a little surprised by the obvious quality of the James gang’s dental
plan); and the sense of something out of the (contemporary) ordinary being attempted is admirable.
But, and it’s a big but, there is just no way of getting round the length (2 hours and 40 minutes) and
the lack of action. The problem is accentuated by a
ponderous voiceover telling us things we should be
seeing. Some might argue the length reflects the time
and pace of life in 1880s America, but so little happens they could have trimmed the 40 minutes and lost
nothing.
Pitt’s performance rests on how you feel about him
already—I think he’s a likeable actor but just doesn’t
have the range for something this nuanced—if you like
what he does in other films you’ll like what he does here.
Obvious comparisons (influences?) are Terence Malick’s
Days of Heaven (which evokes a similar pace of life in 94
minutes) and Robert Altman’s McCabe and Mrs. Miller,
both flawed classics, both mercifully shorter and as a result more watchable. With Sam Rockwell, Sam Sheppard
(underused) Mary-Louise Parker (ditto), Garret Dillahunt,
Paul Scheider, Jeremy Renner (all three excellent).
Release date: Jan. 12, 2008
WEEKENDER’S FAVORITE MOVIE THEATERS
SHINJUKU: Shinjuku Milano Za, Kabuki-cho 1-29-1, Tokyu Milano
Bldg. 03-3202-1189. JR Shinjuku station East Exit, number B13.
Walk towards Nishi-Shinjuku station; the theater faces this station.
Showing: I Am Legend. http://gojapan.about.com/library/tokyo/
bltokyo_movie_shinjuku.htm.
ROPPONGI: Roppongi Hills Cinema. Roppongi 6-10-2, Minato-ku.
03-5775-6090. In the Roppongi Hills Keyakizaka Complex, facing the
Mori Tower, a few minutes’ walk from Hibiya Line Roppongi Station.
Showing: Beowulf, National Treasure, Alien vs. Predator http://www.
tohotheater.jp/index.html.
SHIBUYA: Shibuto Cine Tower, Dogenzaka 2-6-17, Shibuya. 035489-4210. From JR Shibuya station, take the Hachiko exit to the large
intersection (to Dogenzaka). Go up the road, and it will be on your left
(across from Shibuya 109). Showing: National Treasure http://gmap.
jp/shop-1533.html.
ODAIBA: Cinema Mediage. Daiba 1-7-1, Minato-ku. 03-5531-7878.
Across the street from Tokyo Terepoto Station, just behind the Fuji TV
building. From the Yurikamone line’s Daiba station, cross the street.
The cinema is next to Aqua City Odaiba. For information about movie
listings, please see: http://www.cinema-mediage.com.
For more reviews please visit our website at www
| Weekender
MOVIE PLUS WITH BILL HERSEY
Nicky and Paris Hilton were in town for Kazumasa Terada, president of Samantha Thavasa
Bag Company. I had met Paris before, but never
really got to know her.
On her most recent visit, I hosted a party for her and her sister
Nicky at the New Lex. I was indebted to her because she praised
the Lex in her book Confessions of an Heiress, although I didn’t like a
lot of what I read about her in the gossip magazines.
At the party, both girls were great. They do know how to party, and
they were really nice to everyone there. In talking with Paris, I realized
how much of her image is a creation of marketing. In real life she’s
intelligent, interesting and thoughtful. Her favorite word is “hot” and
she loves to use it: “the club’s hot”; “that male model’s hot”; “you’re
hot” (I loved that one!) Nicky, however, is quieter and very involved
in the hotel project—not a Hilton, but a very expensive art deco hotel in Miami Beach.
Miss Universe
Guests included superstar Yoshiki, Sa2007 Riyo
mantha Thavasa President Kazumasa
Mori at the
Terada, actors Taro Yamamoto and MasaWarner Brothers’
ya Kato as well as Rakuten baseball team
premiere of
owner Mikitani San.
The Brave One.
30% off menu
Cut, Colour, and Treatment
Colour ¥3,410~
¥14,230
¥8,530
Cut, Perm, and Treatment
¥14,760
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Cut and Treatment
¥9,350
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Highlight ¥1,580~
Straightening ¥8,960~
Cuts ¥1,000 off
Top Stylist
¥6,090
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shampoo and blowdry with these
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Tel: 03-3563-6336
1F/2F Isei Bldg
1-8-17 Ginza, Chuo-ku
Tokyo 104-0061
www.essensuals.co.uk
Weekender
Photo courtesy of Access E Photos by Christopher Jue
Superstar Will Smith was in town to
promote his Warner Brothers film I Am
Legend. In addition to having back-toback interviews, a press conference, TV
appearances and the premiere itself,
Will made a quick trip to Yokosuko to
meet American military members and
their families. I first met him over ten
years ago, and am happy to report that
success has not spoiled the talented,
hardworking superstar.
Special Set Menu
Coming Soon on DVD!
SHINAGAWA: Shinagawa Prince Cinema. Takanawa 4-10-30, Minato-ku. 03-3440-1111. Across the street from Shinagawa station, in
the Shinagawa Prince Hotel. Showing: I Am Legend, National Treasures, Alien vs. Predator http://www.princehotels.co.jp/shinagawa/
cinema/index.html.
YOKOHAMA: Toho Cinemas Lalaport. 4035-1 Ikebe-cho, Ysuzuki-ku,
Yokohama. 045-929-1040. JR Yokohama Line, Kamoii station. Take the
North Exit; the theater is on the first floor of the Lalaport Complex. For
current movie listings, please see http://yokohama.lalaport.jp.
w.weekenderjapan.com
Jan. 8: Free Zone A Jewish-American woman, her Jewish cab
driver and a Palestinian black market liaison embark on a tense
road trip to the Jordan-Iraq-Saudi free zone.
Jan. 11: The Big White Robin Williams plays a poor insurance
agent who, out of financial desperation, tries to stage his estranged brother’s death to collect a hefty insurance claim.
Jan. 11: A Good Year Russell Crowe stars as a London-based investment banker who goes to Provence to sell his uncle’s vineyard,
in this charming romantic comedy.
Jan. 12: Borat: Cultural Learning of America for Make Benefit
Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan Watch Kazakh journalist “Borat”
– from Britain’s Ali G fame – travel across the U.S. in this hysterical
‘mockumentary’.
Jan. 18: Hustle & Flow A petty drug dealer and hustler becomes dissatisfied with his life and tries his hand at hip-hop, in this interesting film.
Jan. 18: Failure to Launch A romantic comedy about the hitor-miss relationship between a girl (Sarah Jessica Parker) and a guy
(Matthew McConaughey) …who lives with his parents.
Jan. 04 – 17 2008 Vol. 39 No. 01 FINE DINING
Passing on Popcorn
A Variety of Restaurant Choices Near Popular Tokyo Cinemas, by Ulara Nakagawa
F
or many of us moviegoers, it’s always been that
oh so salty and cheerfully yellow concession stand
popcorn washed down with a giant cup of coke that
really makes the experience complete. Or, on occasion,
a sickeningly sweet chocolate bar to wolf down as soon
as the lights dim so as not to been seen by others as a
total glutton.
For me, age and a growing waistline have led me
to reconsider glorious cinema indulgences of the past.
A large bag of popcorn with butter and soft drink fills
my recommended caloric intake for an entire day. And
those simple treats that used to get me giddy at birthday parties and amusement parks sometimes just don’t
cut it anymore. For some reason, once you’ve tried
popcorn with truffle oil, the standard fare can seem a
bit dull to the tongue.
Luckily alternatives are so easy to come by in Tokyo, that I’ve hardly felt deprived. Within walking distance to some of the theaters we’re featuring on previous pages, here are six particular choices that may help
you make the most of your next movie outing.
seeing an energetic film. A variety of Asian cuisine is
offered in the beer garden style venue, including Thai,
Indian, Vietnamese and Japanese. The equally colorful menagerie of international staff and clientele are
laid back and friendly, at times even rambunctious.
Tenku no Machi’s greatest offering for fun-loving diners, however, may be its hours of operation: it’s open
until midnight weekdays and until 5am on Fridays and
Saturdays. More information is available at: http://
r.gnavi.co.jp/a373400/
Photo courtesy of Ulara
Khazana at Odaiba
Hollywood is so passé. Bollywood is the internationally
savvy cinema lover’s place to be. Though it may not
be so easy to come by movies from India here, your
cinema experience can be enhanced with some of the
country’s distinct and delicious food. Khazana is part
of the Maharaja Group, one of the biggest Indian restaurant chains in Japan. Odaiba’s Khazana is a slightly
fancier version of their other venues, featuring a night
view of the island and Rainbow Bridge. Indian chefs
prepare reasonably priced mainstream dishes including
Tandoori Chicken, Chicken Butter Masala and Keema
Ciao Bella at Roppongi Hills
Italian mobsters from those New York crime movies Curry. Information on Khazana in English is at: www.
may gasp at the notion of sitting down for a meal of englishok.jp/shops/khazana_odaiba/
organic burdock root and grain-fed pork Parmesan
gnocchi, but hey, since when do we take culinary ad- Buffet Ex Blue at Lalaport in Yokohama
vice from gun-toting stereotypes that have never even
been to Japan? Ciao Bella is an organic Italian restaurant near Roppongi Hills TOHO Cinemas. Using only
carefully selected ingredients such as organic vegetables and eggs, they go as far as to use alkali ion water
for all of their cooking. Though the menu seems to be
on the pricey side, one dish from the a-la-carte menu
is intended for two people. Requests can be made for
smaller, one-person portions or items that are not on
the menu. Further information can be found at their
English website: www.englishok.jp/shops/ciaobella_
roppongi/index.php
Ex Blue is a crowd pleaser for all members of the family
Outback Bar and Grill at Shinagawa Station
A good old shoot’em’-up Western or urban action flick
sure can work up an appetite, even if it wasn’t you doing
all of those crazy stunts. A juicy set of barbequed back
ribs or plate of jumbo Buffalo wings with blue cheese
may satisfy the void. Or for those more sensitive Brokeback Mountain types, the Typhoon Bloomin’ Onion
is a crispy flower shaped tangle and popular vegetarian
option. The Outback Steakhouse Bar and Grill is a convenient stop for before or after catching a show at the
Shinagawa Prince Cinemas. Located right at Shinagawa
station, the casual and Western-style restaurant offers
English speaking staff and menus. Further information
can be found in English at: http://r.gnavi.co.jp/fl/en/
g587806/menu.htm
Sure, a good family movie can tug at the old heartstrings, but sometimes there’s nothing like seeing a
child go wild at the ice cream counter of a buffet that
can bring back sentimental memories of times when
a giant dish of soft serve doused in chocolate sauce
could make your day. The Buffet Ex Blue restaurant
in Yokohama is always packed with adults and children alike. With over seventy food choices in Western, Japanese and Chinese cuisine, along with free
drinks and a dessert bar, Ex Blue is a crowd pleaser
for all members of the family. Prices are practical,
the two-hour dinner time limit is more than sufficient, and children under three eat free. The Buffet
Ex Blue is located inside Lalaport Shopping Centre
in Yokohama in the same building as the TOHO
Cinemas. Open all day from 11am to 11pm, it is a
flexible choice for matinee and night moviegoers.
More information is at their website: www.buffet.
jp/exblue/index.html
A variety of Asian Cuisine is offered in this beer garden-style venue.
Musicals made into movies, such as Chicago or Dreamgirls almost always get me riled up and ready to party all night. Steps away from Milano Za Cinema in
Shinjuku’s happening Kabuki-cho district is the huge
rooftop restaurant Tenku no Machi, that is perfect for
accommodating that certain high brought on from
| Weekender
Photo courtesy of Ulara
Tenku no Machi in Shinjuku’s Kabuki-cho
Uogashi Fukuchan in Shibuya
Movies set in the past can evoke a romantic sense of
long lost eras and experiences. If you want your reflective state to last a little while longer before being
shattered by the packed train ride home, visit Uogashi
Fukuchan located behind Mark City in Shibuya, about
a block away from Shibuto Cine Tower. Japanese blogs
rave about this off-the-beaten-track Japanese eatery
for its attractive prices and fresh seafood. The shop
operates as if in its very own long lost era: no written
prices—all dishes are set daily by market prices and
cell phones are entirely banned. The shellfish platter,
sea urchin sashimi and raw sweet shrimp are highly
recommended. For further information and map, visit: http://tokyo.gourmet.livedoor.com/
restaurant/info/18302.html
TRAVEL
Best -Value Furnished Apartments in Tokyo
No Room for Visitors?
Spacious apartments in center of Tokyo -Nakano & Nishi-Ogikubo
Great location for shopping, food, entertainment.
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*Free Internet access (wired)
*Rent: from US$100/night, min. 2 nights
*25 sq. meter - 46.5 sq. meter. 1BR - 2BR
* 5 min. on foot from JR line or Metro station
* Full kitchen / Bathroom
A bold, geometrically patterned rug nestled under the chrome
and glass coffee table lend the one bedroom apartment in Nishi
Ogikubo a decidedly modern flair.
Bright modernly decorated spaces in central Tokyo
Photo courtesy of Live in Asia
recently got a phone call from a friend back home
in Canada letting me know that she’d decided to
finally fulfill a lifelong dream by traveling more and
was planning to stop by Tokyo on her way on to
Thailand. Of course, I was thrilled to hear that Linda
would finally be able to see where I’ve been living
and playing for this last year, and we quickly made
plans to do all of the ‘musts’—the Imperial Palace,
Harajuku, Ueno Park, Odaiba, Disney Sea, a night in
Roppongi, some serious shopping—it will be a busy
five days! It wasn’t until we’d giddily hung up the
phone that I started wondering just where I was going to put Linda when she arrived. Choosing to live
centrally—in Ebisu—is perfect for me alone, but my
tiny six-mat apartment it bulging at the seams without the added luggage of a girl on her way around
the world, not to mention its owner! Plus, as much
as I love spending time with Linda, I questioned
how long it would take for us to get on each other’s
nerves if we were not only seeing the sights together,
but also living on top of each other.
Initially, I thought the solution would be to send
her to a nearby hotel, but a quick ‘google’ turned up
overly expensive room rates and rooms as cramped as
mine. Plus, being in a hotel means eating all of your
meals at restaurants, and despite the deals to be had
with specials and lunch sets, eating out all day, every
day, quickly adds up. Knowing that Linda, like me,
would rather spend her money on kawaii Japanese souvenirs, I kept looking and soon found the perfect solution—a rental apartment owned and managed by Live
in Asia. Their Japanese arm, Japan Vacation Rentals, offers one and two bedroom apartments in Nakano and
Nishi-Ogikubo. Both are close enough to the Yamanote
line ‘loop’ to ensure that she can get anywhere we want
to go quickly, but with the added bonus of being just
far enough away from the truly expat areas of Tokyo.
This allow ‘traveler, not tourist’ Linda the chance to live
more like a local.
Even though everything in their apartments is
compact—this is Tokyo after all—Live in Asia has clearly thought long and hard about the décor and furniture choices. As I looked through the many images on
their website, I began to fantasize about moving out of
my beloved flat in Ebisu and into one of their bright,
modernly decorated spaces myself! Lots of white opens
up the spaces, while punches of fun, bright colors like
a bold, geometrically patterned rug nestled under the
chrome and glass coffee table lend the one bedroom
apartment in Nishi Ogikubo a decidedly modern flair.
The two-bedroom apartment in Nakano is similarly
white and bright and sleeping six, is exactly where I’ll
be sending any of my friends who happen to traipse
through Tokyo in a group or with a child in tow!
I was also impressed with the attention to detail
that Live in Asia provided—apartments come fully
furnished, of course, but also include details such as
shampoo, conditioner, linens, kitchen supplies, and
every jet-lagged travelers oft-forgotten best friend—
an alarm clock.
The truly remarkable thing is just how affordable
staying in one of these apartments is! The one bedroom apartments start in the ¥10,000 range, or just
¥64,000 for a week—that’s up to three people for six
nights! Unusually for this type of do-it-yourself accommodation, there’s a short minimum stay—just
two nights, although the company does charge a
reasonable ¥7,000 cleaning fee for each week or part
week that you stay.
In addition to several great photos of each property, detailed listings of what you can expect to find,
and clear pricing on the clear and well-written website, there are also plenty of comments from satisfied
guests. The comment from Nathan of New Zealand,
“Just want to say that this place is excellent, not just
Photo courtesy of Live in Asia
I
for the value but also for its location and quality of the
apartment” is typical of the over two-dozen positive
reviews (versus just one not-quite-glowing review) left
by travelers from all over the world.
For those like me, who like to know every detail
before they set out, Live in Asia documents their simple check-in and check-out procedure on the website
in enough detail to assuage the fears of even the most
nervous of travelers. Helpfully for anyone traveling
into town on their own or for those of us who can’t
make it out to meet our guests at Narita and are letting them experience that journey on their own, Japan Vacation rentals has put, in clear detail, directions
to both Nakano and Nishi Ogikubo, and has designed
a system of phone calls at key check points (Narita,
Shinjuku) to ensure that the moment you step off the
train a representative will be ready and waiting to take
you straight to the apartment and give you your keys.
Having heard stories of the last time a friend came to
visit (I couldn’t find her at the airport for nearly an
hour and it didn’t get any smoother after that—suffice
it to say we barely made it home in one piece), Linda is
loving the idea of being calmly welcomed by an agent,
having a chance to freshen up, and then meeting me
in her ‘new neighborhood’ for dinner.
Not knowing the Nakano area very well, I’m glad that
the English-speaking staff will give Linda information on
the neighborhood, including on where to grocery shop,
how to get around on transit, how the internet (free wi-fi
is included) works, and will also solve any other problems
that they can during the course of her stay.
All in all I’m thrilled that Linda and I can sightsee in
Tokyo together, but that she’ll be able to experience living in Tokyo on her own as well, especially with such a
friendly and helpful company. To learn more, visit their
comprehensive website, which has lots of great information in English, at www.liveinasia.com.
Jan. 04 – 17 2008 Vol. 39 No. 01 IT
Video Saved My Tokyo Commute
by Andrew Robinson
L
©istockphoto.com/SereneDay
ife in Japan is mobile, especially in sardine-train content, available on my portable device to watch
Tokyo. We’re always moving from place to place— anywhere and any time I need a little distraction or
bound for home, workplace, gym or other. This mo- entertainment.
So, what to watch them with?
bility suggests our entertainment can
be mobile, be too. In recent months,
There are many devices and ways
I’ve found my portable video player
to take this great content with you,
[PVP] to be a fantastic way to spend
out in the world. I use an iPod touch
my mobile fun time.
[Apple, from ¥36,800] that’s become
I’ve set my laptop to collect video
my constant companion. It currentblogs automatically and to sync this
ly has music videos, TV and feature
data with my portable device [an
films, and up to date selections from
iPod touch...it’s amazing] so it’s ready
the various video blogs I subscribe
when I’m on the go. TV and feature
to. At 120 grams, it’s light enough
films are available for purchase from
to carry anywhere. Sony has a new
the accompanying iTunes Store, so I
version of their Playstation Portable
have Lost, Desperate Housewives or Pi[Sony PSP, from ¥27,800] that I ofPortable video players are a fantastic way
rates of the Caribbean if I want them,
ten see in action, and at 280 grams
to spend mobile time.
but there is so much free video conit doesn’t overburden. The PSP is
tent available it’s staggering. Did you know NASA has mainly a game device, however, with movie cona video podcast from the shuttle missions and the tent limited to the Sony-only UMD disk format, but
International Space Station? http://www.nasa.gov/ video blog access was added last year. Rounding out
multimedia/podcasting/ How cool is that? The truly our short list are various models from Archos www.
inspiring TED conference www.ted.com/talks has re- archos.com and iRiver www.iriver.com. While Apple
cently released over 100, 20-minute video segments and Sony have competing distribution services that
covering incredible topics in technology, education provide content for their devices, these companies
and design. The New York Times has short video seg- make hardware designed to play various kinds of unments on dining and wine, there’s news from CNN, protected video formats, with the Archos model
and stand up shorts from Comedy Central. All this free allowing for recording off your TV.
INVESTMENT
Investing in the Movies
F
or the sophisticated investor there has always
been a way to invest in the movies. Many of
whom understand the risks and can commit large
sums of money in the hope that they will be part of
a box office hit and, as a result, a very big payback
on their investment. Many of course suffer the ignominy of their film project going straight to DVD as
it did not cut the mustard with fickle cinema audiences. Worse still, a complete artistic and financial
flop can occur, no matter how big the movie stars
are in the leading roles. Increasingly, more investors
wish to diversify their portfolios or merely wish to
develop their movie going interests into something
more tangible so they can indulge themselves.
There are specialist firms that provide access to
this exciting and high-risk investment area. Typically they select films for financing through a rigorous,
multi-step process from a broad source of producers,
directors, agents, managers, and production companies. They identify the most promising projects,
based primarily on the property’s creative and commercial appeal and the skill, experience and accomplishments of the associated talent.
The screenplay is the most important aspect of
filmmaking. The target script is broken down and
analysed for marketability, budget, pre-production
and shooting schedule, potential rating category,
legal and copyright issues, insurance requirements
and completion bonding considerations, among
other factors. Interviews with filmmakers are conducted, a list of supporting documents are requested
and reviewed or prepared, and consultations with
potential distribution partners begin. Simultaneously, a full financial, legal and accounting analysis
of the motion picture projects with the highest po-
10 | Weekender
tential is undertaken to identify, assess and correct
any deficiencies in these areas. A final ‘greenlight’
is given by an investment committee to the most
promising motion pictures, only after complete assurance that the motion picture will generate significant profit.
Payback is usually in the form of a percentage
of box office receipts or a flat return on the money
invested. There is a quandary on which is the best
route to take as unfortunately you cannot switch
once you have decided. This is where professional
advice comes into play from the experts—but then
again sometimes they get it wrong. Having mainline
actors is no guarantee of success at the box office.
One other way to invest is to select shares directly into movie companies, perhaps not as exciting as
owning part of a specific film but it might satisfy the
Cecil B De Mille tendencies in you.
Remember that some multinational companies
such as Sony own Hollywood studios amongst their
more traditional electronic product lines. The rationale for companies such as Sony or other news
media companies is that it gives them an additional
string to their bow and a bigger target audience for
them to cross sell between all of their brands.
The cheapest investment of course is to invest in
a Directors chair, baseball cap and a clapperboard—
at least you can look the part!
Provided by MAGELLAN:
THE FINANCIAL PLANNING COMPANY
Email: [email protected]
Tel. 03-3769-5511
BUSINESS
20 Years in Japan and Counting...
Profile of Neil Day of Paddy Foley’s, by Michael Mahoney
N
eil Day never imagined that he’d settle in Japan. He
also never imagined that he’d sing in a rock band,
act on stage, play on a cricket team, meet Dennis Lillee, be
a popular DJ, manage a pub or be sent to an immigration
detainment center for nearly a month. Yet all of these experiences did happen to him in Japan, a place that, twenty years after his arrival, he still loves.
“In Japan, these things come out of the blue,”
he said with a smile. “There’s always a chance to experience something, to learn something new here,”
he says with a laid-back, good-natured enthusiasm,
which makes him so popular among guests at Foley’s.
(Just before his arrival, a number of guests could be
heard asking other staff when he would be in.)
Day came to Japan in October 1987. It was at
a time when Ireland was suffering from 20 percent
unemployment and around 90 percent of his graduating college class left the country, simply because
there were no jobs available. The governmentsponsored FAS Program—which sent youth to work
abroad for a few years to learn new skills and then
return to help develop Ireland—arranged for Day to
interview with Ricoh, the Japanese office automation company. The company offered him a job and
Day arrived with dozens of other Irish graduates to
work in what was then ‘the Dragon of the East.’
Day knew that life would not be easy at first, and
indeed it presented a number of challenges. He had no
Japanese language skills, other than a one-month crash
course offered to him upon arrival by his company.
“I wanted to get the first three months over with.
I knew that I’d be a fish out of water, making stupid
mistakes—and it did happen”, he recalled. “[But]
the hardest part of being here was saying goodbye
to [my] culture,” Day continued, citing the lack of
English-language print media, home-from-home TV,
and internet, as well as the lack of sports clubs and
pub-life in 1980s Japan.
But he did not let this get him down. Instead, Day
became actively involved with the Irish Network in
Japan and, by 1990, was elected Chairman. While involved with the group, their activities diversified and
expanded to include Tokyo’s first-ever St. Patrick’s Day
Parade, Christmas and Halloween events, an annual
Irish sports day and live music events such as the Celtic
Festival Japan. In that time, foreigners in Japan had a
real interest in sharing their countries and cultures with
the Japanese, and those who were here ‘had a knack’ at
banding together, according to Day.
Day continued his work at Ricoh for twelve
years and, upon leaving the company, spent various amounts of time working as R&D manager for
an internet applications company (Digital Garage),
traveling to promote the MPEG-7 standard at conferences and, when these plans didn’t work out,
took up teaching and other odd jobs. During his
time here, he sang with a rock band (“you know,
White Snake, Pink Floyd…” he said with a chuckle);
gained popularity as a DJ and even acted on stage
(as the main character in an Irish comedy play).
After being here for 16 years, Day ran into immigration problems and was forced into an immigration detainment center for three and a half weeks, while he appealed
the court’s order for his deportation. He had been charged
with “overstaying his visa”. (Although Day had indeed
applied in time, he was never advised about the proper
procedures and thus did not take his documents abroad
for processing, resulting in his inadvertent overstay.) The
issue was finally resolved when he was able to consult a
lawyer. Her efforts—as well as the support of two former
ambassadors to Japan (who were familiar with his Celtic
cultural events), several Japanese people and a letter from
the Prime Minister of Ireland asking for the government’s
understanding—got him released on bail and eventually
Neil Day of Paddy Foley’s as Grand Marshal at the St. Patricks Day
Parade 2007.
the overturning of the deportation order.
When he came to Foley’s in 2003, the place was a
shambles: the walls were black and decorated in graffiti;
the lone washroom had a broken hand-dryer; the area
near the cash register always stank. Food was not served,
and the bar was suffering from mismanagement.
Day made Foley’s into the great place that it is
today. He surveyed the customers to see what they
wanted, and he ran with it: a company was hired to
source and repair the ‘stink’; he repaired the ‘broken
things’ (i.e., hand-dryer), and made the separate women’s washroom; he knocked down a wall, thus opening
up the bar area, and made a music room out of the
former storage area, and used his technical prowess to
establish an advanced high-tech AV broadcast system.
With the latter achievement, Foley’s became the first
bar in Tokyo to offer extensive rugby and cricket coverage, as well as live coverage of sporting events back
home. As the only place to show (‘without hitch’) all
of the matches in England’s Ashes Trophy—a monthlong cricket championship series—“Foley’s really hit it
big with the expats”, Day said.
Over his years here, Day has noticed many
changes in the foreigner community, as well as
changes in the Japanese perceptions of the foreigners in their midst. On the one hand, he states that
Tokyo has become much more cosmopolitan and,
with the better social and business infrastructure,
has become easier for foreigners to get on their feet
in Japan. With increased cultural contacts, business
exchanges and programs such as the JET Program, it
is much easier for foreigners to come here.
Despite this increase in visibility, however, acceptance of them has changed for the worst. He
credits xenophobic comments from certain political
leaders in Japan (to the effect of ‘beware of groups of
foreigners at night; they will cause trouble’), the media’s tendency to stereotype foreigners as potential
criminals and the frequency by which police check
foreigner registration cards in the street (without
due reason) as having made Japan generally less welcoming to foreigners than before.
Yet he repeats that he loves the place and, in the future, is open-minded to things, which would allow him to
stay here longer or even move abroad again. However, his
fascination for computers and technology remains avid
and he recalls his long-held dream of wishing to work for
NASA with wide-eyed enthusiasm.
With all of these amazing experiences and acquired
knowledge, does Day have any advice for those just arriving to Japan?
“Don’t forget to be yourself,” he says in earnest.
“You hear about Japan [back home], and adapting is
good, but you have to maintain your own character.
You can never be Japanese. You have to be openminded, and accept things.”
Jan. 04 – 17 2008 Vol. 39 No. 01 11
SCHOOL’S IN
Video in the Classroom
Videos in the Classroom: Tool or Distraction? By Lawrence Nylund
We have moved to our own building!
New bus service, live camera, ballet,
Karate & school lunches!
Ages: 15 months to 6 yrs
10am - 5 pm including
afternoon classes
[email protected]
Phone: 03-3554-3664
©istockphoto.com/Ivan Josifovic
www.doremigarden.com
Videos can help kids learn!
R
emember the days when an in-class slideshow presentation brought magic to your class? The images
were fuzzy and the tape was scratchy, but instead of
hearing Mr. Jones/Smith/Johnson drone on you had the
chance to sit back and watch the lesson come to life
before your eyes, while one lucky soul got to push the —
BEEP!—projector button between the —BEEP!—slides.
Audio-visual presentations in schools today are, of
course, a far cry from these stop-and-go slideshows of
yesteryear. Nowadays, teachers around the world are using DVDs, videos and the internet to replace one-sided
lecture classes with interactive multimedia extravaganzas. Yet two questions remain: How exactly are videos
being used in the classroom today? Can videos indeed
be used effectively?
Videos are being used in a variety of different ways,
for a variety of different classes around the world. Matt
Harris, an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher
in Fukushima prefecture, uses video clips from YouTube
to test student listening skills, as well as to show kids
how learned phrases can be used in real-life situations.
He also uses specials such as Charlie Brown Christmas for
giving cultural lessons about American holidays.
In her article Video in the Classroom as published
on www.mediarights.org history teacher Debbie Wei
writes how she uses documentaries to illustrate difficult
historical events, such as the Vietnam War, while an
article posting on the www.libraryvideo.com website
mentions how videos have been used to teach and encourage good health, physical activity and even reading
skills in different research studies.
Few teachers, however, seem to use video as a
tool as much as Jonathan Yaffe. Vice-Principal of the
Kikokushijo Academy International School in Tokyo,
Jonathan told Weekender that his alternative American
school used videos in a multitude of classes: YouTube
clips of people in Thailand brought the region to life
during a recent Social Studies unit; An Inconvenient Truth
was shown in an effective class about global climate
change; The Simpsons will be used in an upcoming class
on stereotyping. With a founding principle “to incorporate technology into every subject”, students not only
watch an extensive number of videos in class, but they
even make many of their own videos, sharing with others what they have learned.
12 | Weekender
Study after study shares Yaffe’s enthusiasm, asserting that videos are indeed effective teaching tools
in the classroom. An extensive article entitled “No
Child Left Behind: Scientific Research Indicates that
Using Video in the Classroom Improves Learning”
published by libraryvideo.com asserts that “video
in the classroom improves learning, retention and
test scores.” According to the paper, these results are
possible because videos spark student interest and,
by thus engaging learners, “allow for absorption and
processing of information” more so than traditional
lecturing techniques. A theorist in the same paper
stated that lecture-style learning was strictly a ‘linguistic approach’ to teaching, and thus only effective
for teaching some, while videos “reach more students
and provide more opportunities for neural development and learning’”. Furthermore, a TV Ontario survey cited in the document revealed that a majority of
teachers (66 percent) believed that students learned
more when a video was used in the classroom.
On a different note, Wei states in her article that
videos are effective as a tool that “unlocks voices,
opens worlds, taps emotions and reveals issues”,
by allowing minority voices and perspectives to be
heard much more so than in standardized American
textbooks. She adds that, by hearing first-hand accounts of past events on a video, listeners can pick
up on nuances and tones used in the verbal language,
which are otherwise missed in text.
But do videos in the classroom of today really have
the same ‘magic effect’ on today’s tech-savvy kids as the
slideshow projections of yesteryear?
Harris certainly thinks so. He agrees that videos are
indeed useful in his rural Fukushima classrooms, and
that it is “fun for the kids” to watch a video in class.
“When you bring a TV or computer to class, they [the
students] get more receptive,” he said. “But you can’t
use it all the time, or it loses its appeal.”
When asked how his students reacted to the video
usage, Yaffe replied “They really like it. They like [videos] because they are moving, they are more interactive than books.” With internet videos in particular,
students “can go on and see what life is like, see how
people interact. There is no way to compare” videos to pictures in a book, he stated.
SCHOOL’S OUT
Quiet Speakers and Babysitters
Taking Your Kids to the Movies, by Emily Downey
Child’s Play
INTERNATIONAL PRESCHOOL
Established in 1978
W
©istockphoto.com
hether you are the parent of a newborn, tod- free of charge. The children’s hall is a wonderland of
dler, tween (pre-teenager) or teenager, there is crafts, live theater, a library with English books, and
something here for you in Tokyo when it comes to various play equipment stations. If you have yet to
movies. Movies are usually screened in their original visit, make it a priority in this New Year season.
Finally, not to forget the teens and tweens, there
languages, as Japanese audiences seem to prefer sub- titles to dubbing. This means that all Western mov- is an abundance of great cinemas dotted liberally
ies are screened in English, and while ticket prices all over Tokyo. Movies usually show a little later in
(around ¥1,800) may seem higher than at home, the Japan (compared to the US) but some blockbusters
have been known
state of the art sound,
to have their world
screen size and cleanliness
more
than
premieres
right
makes up for this.
here in Tokyo. Ja
For the newborn
pan has its own
ratings system to
mums and dads there
classify movies for
are two fabulous options that ensure you
adult themes and
never miss out on the
violence, but if you
latest blockbusters delike you can check
foreign ratings onspite having just given
line by looking up
birth. Besides, going
to the movies can be
the movie’s weba great date with your
site. Mature teens
partner as well as a
should be able to
attend their neargreat way to return to
est theater along
the normalcy of life
after giving birth.
with friends with
If you can’t stand
out parental superto leave your baby but
vision. For tweens,
would still like to see a
a good idea is to go
along with them,
movie, then Roppongi
Hills’ ‘Mama’s Club
buy the tickets and
Theatre’ is for you.
wait in a nearby
coffee shop or do
Specially
dimmed
Enjoy the movies with your children—no matter their age.
lighting,
lowered
some nearby shopping before picking
movie volume, child
them up when the
seats and stroller storage are all on hand to make the experience suitable movie ends. The great thing about Japanese movies
for newborns right up to toddler and preschool age. tickets is that they specify the exact times the mov(There is no restriction on the child’s age but please ie starts and ends, so you can be sure to be there
bear in mind that the movies are mostly aimed at an when they pour out of the cinema.
A final tip: Nearly all major movie stars visit Jaadult audience.) Also, be prepared for many other mums and kids to be at the screening; thus, you can pan at one time or another when their movies preexpect a lot of noise and activity. Breast-feeding is miere. They usually have a public red carpet walk in
welcome, bringing your child’s food into the theater the Roppongi Hills cinema complex, where fans can
complex is allowed and baby-changing facilities are get a glimpse of their favorite stars. Keeping abreast of
available. You can check the current screening sched- when movies are premiering and contacting the relule at the website below.
evant movie companies may help you find out when
If you are ready to leave the baby or child for a and where the stars will be doing public appearances.
short time and watch the movie in peace and quiet,
then Odaiba’s Mediage is the theater for you. There Happy star chasing!
is a Poppins Babysitting Centre—a well-known babysitting chain with a very high standard of service–
For More Information...
located in the shopping and movie complex. The
hourly rate starts at ¥1,600 and the center accepts
Roppongi Hills TOHO Cinemas. Roppongi 6-10-2,
infants to school age children. Poppins is open from
Minato-ku, Tokyo. In the Roppongi Hills Keyakizaka
10am until 8pm, leaving enough time for you to see
Complex, facing the Mori Tower, a few minutes’ walk
a movie at the state-of-the-art cinema and then fit
from the Hibiya line Roppongi station. (03) 5775-6090.
in some shopping or a meal afterwards. Going to
(Please call and ask about “Mama’s Club Theater”
Odaiba can be a fun day out for the whole family,
showings.) http://www.tohotheater.jp/mamas_club_
as the area also has a huge Toys-R-Us store, a ship
theater/index.html
museum and a science exhibition by Sony.
Sitting through a whole movie can be a dauntPoppins Babysitting Service in Odaiba. 1-7-1 Daiba, Miing task, if you’re with a toddler. A good option for
nato-ku. A one-minute walk from Yurikamome Daiba
you is to take a trip to the National Children’s Hall
station, and a six-minute walk from the Rinkai Tokyo
(Jidokan) located a short stroll from Shibuya station.
Teleport station. http://www.aquacity.co.jp/en/service/
Entry is free and there is a small movie theater for
child.html
kids and parents on the third floor, right near the
babies’ play area. Movies are played hourly and are
Shibuya Children’s Hall. 1-18-24 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku.
usually some kind of Japanese animation, like the
Take the Yamanote, Shin-Tamagawa, Hanzomon (exit
mega-popular Anpanman. You can come and go as
12), Toyoko or Ginza line to Shibuya station. It is a
you please during the screening, if your toddler is
seven-minute walk from the station. (03) 3409-6361.
not interested in watching the movie. This is also
http://www.fukushihoken.metro.tokyo.jp/jidou/
great for the older brothers and sisters as all children
English/index.html
and parents are welcome to attend the screening,
Child’s Play is highly regarded as an excellent
starting point for your child’s education. It is a
school where the children enjoy playing and
discover that learning is fun. They develop socially,
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18-8 MOTOYOYOGI SHIBUYAKU TOKYO 151-0062
TEL. 03-3460-8841 FAX. 03-5709-0552
http://childs-play.org
Jan. 04 – 17 2008 Vol. 39 No. 01 13
SPORTS
The A-Z of Watching Live Sumo
By Carolyn Todd, Editor of www.sumofanmag.com
International
Tennis School
Fall Sessions
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taught in English by certified United States
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TEL. 03-3325-0924
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14 | Weekender
umo—two fats guys bashing bellies,
right? Not exactly. Sumo combines
the sober religious traditions of Japan
with a soap opera of heroes, villians, intrigue, and scandal. Sumo wrestlers live
cocooned from reality, their unique lifestyles alien not just to those from overseas, but also to the Japanese, although
behind the yukata and mage hairstyle
they’re just regular youngsters with keitai and iPods—and an unusual job.
Getting to see a sumo tournament
is not as difficult as you might imagine.
There are six tournaments a year: January,
May, September (Tokyo), March (Osaka),
July (Nagoya) and November (Fukuoka)
(www.sumo.or.jp/eng/ticket/honbasho_
Asashoryu in action.
joho/index.html). Each tournament
lasts 15 days and runs from 8.30am to
6pm. There are six divisions: the two top divisions, al swords and bright kesho mawashi ceremonial aprons,
juryo and makunouchi, start at 3pm and include the which might be entertaining.
‘famous’ wrestlers.
Kids three years old and under are admitted free
The upcoming tournament in Tokyo runs from and, if you buy general admission tickets, they cost
Jan. 13–27 and advance tickets are on sale now at the only ¥200 for kids up to 15 years old; otherwise, for
Kokugikan box office (Ryogoku station, Sumida-ku) advance tickets, prices are the same as for adults.
and many outlets (see www.sumo.or.jp/eng/ticket/ As for when you should go, any day is good. In the
tokyo.html for details).
second week, the tension starts rising as we close in
There are various ticket types: on the first floor, ring- on the tournament champion, and wrestlers fight for
side seats are individual floor cushions (¥14,700), but promotion, but every day is exciting.
they’re extremely hard to get if you’re not first in line for A tournament day starts at 8.30am with the lowtickets; masu seki start a little further back and are usually est ranked wrestlers. When you arrive you’ll be given
boxes of four floor cushions (¥36,800–¥45,200/box). (A a booklet in English about the basics of sumo, as well
word of warning: if you’re bigger than a regular Japanese as a schedule of the day’s matches for the top two diviperson, trust me, you don’t want to squeeze four people sions. You’ll then be escorted to your seat, although
into a box unless you have a penchant for DVT.) The sec- early in the day there are few spectators so it’s a good
ond floor has regular seats (¥3,600–¥8,200 each), which time to go and sit right down at the front. You won’t be
are great if you’re on your own, don’t want to be squashed moved until the owner of the seat arrives, but be careinto a box or want a cheaper experience.
ful not to get in the way or disturb the wrestlers and
Weekends are obviously the busiest, especially the judges with talking or cell phones.
final weekend, which often sells out during the first Many people only come for the higher ranks at
few days of ticket sales. Once the tournament starts, 3pm because they’re more colorful and dramatic,
you can usually still get tickets at the box office, even but you miss out on a lot of the atmosphere if you
for the final day, although for that you’ll have to queue come so late. Also, the higher-ranked wrestlers start
from very early. If you go early enough on any day, arriving at 12 or 1pm so maybe you can meet them
you can buy general admission tickets (¥2,100), which in the corridor for a lucky handshake. The best time
give you a seat in the back row (same day sales only). for a photo with your favorite is when they’re about
Don’t worry too much about where you’re sitting; all to leave the venue; they’re much more likely to stop
the seats have a good view, and you can walk around as than before their match.
much as you like. If you want the same view you get on And don’t think that you’re stuck in your seat
TV, ask for shomen seats; there’s a seating map so you once you arrive. You can move around, eat some
can point out your preferred area.
chanko nabe, buy snacks and souvenirs, even leave the
Kids are always welcome, although they can’t re- venue completely once during the day if you get your
ally run around and play, so if they’re likely to get ticket stamped at the door.
bored, maybe they should stay at home. Saying that, In January, the wrestler to watch out for is unmost kids are transfixed by the action. If they do get doubtedly Asashoryu, one of the top-ranked Yokozuna
bored, there are snacks and TV monitors in the hallway who you’ve probably seen on the news being suspendto keep watching the action while they let off some ed for various transgressions. This will be his comeback
steam. In Tokyo, there’s also a museum with ceremoni- tournament and, for that reason alone, you should get
Carolyn Todd lives in Kyoto and is Editor of
Sumo Fan Magazine (www.sumofanmag.com),
a bimonthly online magazine presented in four languages ‘by
the fans, for the fans’. The staff are based in eight different
countries and have many different backgrounds and sumo interests, but volunteer their time to bring sumo knowledge to
non-Japanese-speaking fans. If you need sumo info. contact
Carolyn at [email protected].
Useful sumo links
http://sumo.goo.ne.jp/eng/ Sumo Association: English and
Japanese information about tournament and tour dates, buying
tickets, daily matches, streaming video of tournaments, rankings, beginner’s guide, who’s who.
www.sumoforum.net/forums/index.php?act=idx Sumo
Forum: Anything you want to know about sumo, you’ll
find it here.
your tickets early as everyone will want to see him.
Also, the very popular Bulgarian, Kotooshu, is facing demotion if he doesn’t get a tournament result
of at least 8-7. This is the first time he’s been in this
position so it’ll be interesting to see how hard he can
fight to retain his rank.
My own favorite is a Mongolian, Ama, who is
highly regarded for his speed, fighting spirit, and tenacity. He’s aiming to move even further up the ranks
so he’ll be going all out.
As for the Japanese, veteran Chiyotaikai was close
to winning the last tournament until he was injured;
look out for his thrusting tsuppari. A day at the sumo
is a great family day out, but beware, it’s addictive; I
went once just for the experience, and now I edit
a sumo magazine!
Photo courtesy of Carolyn Todd
S
PARTYLINE WITH BILL HERSEY
Beautiful Ballet to Help AIDS Orphans
Stuttgart Ballet’s Sue Jin Kang (Korea).
Hilton Tokyo’s G.M. Christian Baudat, with
the ballet’s patron Francoise Morechand.
Japanese ballerina Shoko Nakamura, of the
Berlin ballet.
One of Lynne’s principal helpers Barbara
Levene with Cuban dancer Jose Carreno,
of the American Ballet Theater.
Stuttgart Ballet’s Alexander “Sasha” Zaitsen, Bill Hersey and Italian
prima ballerina Mara Galeazzi.
Austrian Opera Ballet’s Lynne R. Charles.
Austrian Opera Ballet’s Gregor Hatala.
Lebanese Ambassador Mohamad El-Harake, Asami, Lydia Carriedo
(Spain), Bangladeshi Ambassador Ashrat-ud-Doula and his wife
Jasmine.
Ukrainian Independence Day Celebration
Latvian Ambassador Peters Vaivars and his wife Rina, with German
Minister Bernd Fischer and his wife Jutta.
Azerbaijani Ambassador Azer Husseyn, his wife Narqiz and their
son Adran.
Japan Resources Import President Tohkai, Ukraine Counselor
Vadym Sydiachenko, Ukraine Ambassador Mykola Kulinich, his
wife Olena and Dr. Eugene Aksenof.
Croatian Ambassador Drago Stambuck with Ukrainian Ambassador Mykola Kulinich
I
t is, as I’m sure you know, our first issue of the New
Year. I’d like to start out by saying that I hope you
and yours had a wonderful Christmas and a great
New Year. I also hope that 2008, the Year of the Rat,
will be a good year for everyone.
As for me, I took off for Hawaii on Dec. 16. After
ten laid-back days there I headed back to Tokyo to prepare and then emcee the New Year’s party at the New
Lex. I then took it easy while the traditional Japanese
New Year’s celebrations took place.
The last few weeks have been super busy for me, with
a wide variety of happenings and all kinds of interesting
people visiting Tokyo. In the entertainment scene, I loved
the concert by the Indian Ocean Fusion band, which was
part of the Festival of India. Now I’m spending a lot of my
playtime listening to their mellow CDs.
Once again Min-on brought the truly amazing
China National Acrobatic Troupe back to Japan. With
nearly two hours of unbelievable acrobatics, juggling
and contortions, these really nice, very talented people
gave the audience a preview of some of the spectacular
things we’ll see in Beijing during the 2008 Olympics.
The audience wildly applauded after every act.
Another superstar Nicolas Cage and super producer
Jerry Bruckheimer were here for Walt Disney Studios Japan to promote National Treasure: A Book of Secrets. As you
can imagine, they had a very busy schedule as well.
There were lots of National Day celebrations
in December, including those of the United Arab
Emirates, Thailand, Bahrain and Qatar. Big holiday
happenings included U.S. Ambassador Thomas and
Susanne Schieffer’s annual Christmas party, Pirelli
Tires and Christian Dior holiday events and The Peninsula Hotel’s official opening party.
Going on my travels meant missing some very
important events. Thus, I couldn’t be here for Qatar
Ambassador Reyad Ali Al-Ansari and his wife Muna’s
National Day celebration at The New Otani on Dec. 17.
The Ambassador, who is also Dean of the Arab Corps,
and his wife Muna are a very popular couple, so I’m
sure that their reception was something special.
As one of the many special events to celebrate
the fifty years of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and Japan, on Dec. 18 Malaysian Ambassador H.E. Dato Mohd Radzi Abdul Rahman and his
wife Datin Tazliza hosted the opening ceremony of
Jan. 04 – 17 2008 Vol. 39 No. 01 15
Fine Custom Taileors PARTYLINE WITH BILL HERSEY
Vijay Wadhwani
Dec. 13-15, 2007
Hotel New Otani Tokyo
make appointment at...
www.noblehouse.us
[email protected]
18th Anniversary of the German Reunification
©www.istockphoto.com/anouchka
Spanish Ambassador Miguel Carrieda and
his wife Lydia, the hostess Alexa Daerr, and
Lilo and Mitsuo Maruyama.
Thyssen Krupp Representative Rainund
Frese and his wife Lena, with German Minister Bernd Fischer, German Assistant attaché
Jorg Heintze and Valerie Weiss.
German First Secretary Dr. Adrian Nitsche
Koichiand, Daniele Yoshikoshi, with Moroccan Ambassador Abdelkader Lecheheb.
Ceramic artist Gerd Knapper, journalist
Gebhard Hielscher, Kieko Knapper and the
Knapper’s daughter Ute.
Jutta Fischer with Atsuko Kume.
The host, German Ambassador HansJoachim Daerr and visiting Minister of the
Federal State of Sachsen, Georg Milbradt.
Colorful Celebration: The Malaysian National Day
The hosting couple Malaysian Ambassador Dato Mohd Radzi, and his wife Datin
Tazliza
16 | Weekender
Malaysian dermatologist Dr. Chin Huai Keong
of the International Clinic, and her husband
Dr. Hang Chuah Keong
Boontipa Simaskul (Thailand) with Nguyen
Thi Phuong Dung (Vietnam)
Croatian Ambassador Drago Stambuk, Pakistani Ambassador Kamran
Niaz and his wife Nuzhat.
Laotian Ambassador Sithong Shitnhothinh and his wife Ammala
with Vietnamese Ambassador Tuan Cap Chu and his wife Nguyen
Thi Phuong Dung.
a photo exhibition as well as a buffet luncheon at
their beautiful residence.
I’d like to start out the New Year with something
beautiful, and the very worthwhile project Dance
4 AIDS Orphans Africa, organized by ballet dancer/
teacher Lynne R. Charles, was certainly that. Lynne
used her international connections and many friendships to bring some of the world’s leading dancers here
to participate in this charity gala. It was an evening
of first-class entertainment—East met West in a wellbalanced program of classic and contemporary dance
at it’s best. It was a lot of hard work for a needy and
worthwhile cause. Kudos to Lynne, the dancers, and
the people who supported her. Hopefully, she’ll be able
to do it again this year, with even more people who
could and should get involved.
German Ambassador Hans-Joachim Daerr and his
wife Alexa threw a truly monumental happening to celebrate the 18th anniversary of German reunification.
Guests entered through the chancery and proceeded up
the hill to the beautiful home and garden. Interesting,
informative exhibitions of German products ranging
from cars and sporting goods to food was set up everywhere. The garden—with its teahouse, temple, stone
lanterns and huge bell—was tastefully illuminated, and
there were tents and booths set up to serve delicious
German culinary favorites. I loved the German breads,
and the variety that evening was endless.
Special guests that evening included Minister of
the Free State of Saxony Georg Milbradt and his wife
Angelika as well as three-time Olympic Champion in
Ski-Jumping Jens Weibflog.
The program included singing of the Japanese and
German national anthems, as well as German folksongs
buy the Heinrich Schutz Choir and a mandolin concert
by Anne Wolfe. Food that evening included many delicacies prepared by Michelin Star Chef Mario Pattis and
the Dresden Christmas Stollen Association.
I saw many of the students I know from the German
School helping that evening. “This is supposed to be a
holiday and we’re working,” one of them jokingly told
me. It didn’t seem to be a problem, though, as it was obvious that he and the other students were enjoying the
spectacular evening as much as the many guests there.
I had the privilege of knowing Ukrainian Ambassador Mykola Kulinich and his wife Olena when they
were in Japan years ago. It was really nice to see them
again at The New Otani Hotel on Sept. 18, to celebrate
both the 16th anniversary of Ukrainian independence
and 15th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Japan. It was a laid-back evening of interesting people,
delicious Ukrainian food and warm ambience.
On Sep. 4 Malaysian Ambassador Dato and his wife
Datin Jazlisa hosted an exciting, colorful gala evening at
The New Otani. The celebration was two-fold—to celebrate
Malaysia’s 50th anniversary of independence, as well as
their 50 years of diplomatic relations with Japan. 2007 was
“Visit Malaysia Year” and, in addition to the country’s always-full schedule of festivals, sporting and cultural events,
there were many special 50th anniversary happenings.
For the party, the Malaysian Tourism Board and
Malaysian Airlines flew in a group of traditional
dancers from Sabah. There were also several Malaysian chefs who prepared Malaysian cuisine including squid curry, rending (spicy beef) and Malaysian
desserts for the buffet.
At the end of the evening, the staff of the Embassy
surprised Mohd and Tazliza with a huge birthday cake.
PARTYLINE WITH BILL HERSEY
Segafredo Zanetti Espresso
www.segafredo.jp
www.segafredo.it
Chilean Ambassador Daniel Carvallo, his
wife Jacquie and their lovely daughters
Florencia (8) and Antonia (6).
The friendly staff at Segafredo’s, Hideaki
Suda, Daisuke Noguchi, Sayaka Iijima, and
Ayaka Ueda pose with Joe Sweeney of the
U.S. Embassy.
Panamanian Ambassador Alfredo Martiz
Fuentes and his wife Carla Marotta.
Owner of Piadina Café Italian restaurant
Giorgio Matera, his wife Teresa, and their
children Riana and Sebi.
Art dealer Stefano Castelli and fashion guru
Francoise Morechand at the beautiful new
Bvlgari building opening on Omotesando.
In and Around
Legendary baseball player Wally Yonimone
and his wife Jane (Yonimone Pearls), with
noted author Robert Whiting (Tokyo Underworld) and his wife.
Schieffers Introduce New Staff at the American Embassy
From St. Mary’s International School, High School Principal Saburo Kagei
and teachers Steve Wilson and Susan Wilson, with the hosting couple
Ambassador Thomas and Susanne Schieffer; Seisen International School’s
Carmelita Nussbaum (Elementary School Principal), Seisen’s Sheila
O’Donaghue (Kindergarten principal) and Ninnette Trout (Admissions).
U.S. Residence Manager Alan R. Royston
and Assistant Manager Kathy Wilson.
Montessori School of Tokyo Principal Pete Juds, North Carolina Investment Representative to Japan Leland Gaskins, Nishimachi School Headmaster Terry Christian, and Oak Associates partner Carolyn Gaskins.
U.S. Assistant Press Attaché Frank W.
Stanley with his wife Setsuko.
The couple had just celebrated both of their birthdays.
Glad I was able to get over to the U.S. Embassy for
Ambassador Thomas and Susanne Schieffer’s reception
to meet the new embassy staff members and their wives.
It was, as expected, an evening of interesting people, delicious food and the Schieffer’s great Texas-style hospitality. I had the opportunity to meet the principals and
teachers of many international schools, and I enjoyed
getting to know them all. It was also nice to see longtime friend Kathy Wilson who I got to know when she
was working at the Irish embassy. Kathy is now Assistant Residence Manager at the U.S. Embassy Residence.
It was also nice to see former Tokyoite Jose Luiz
Viana de Cunha when he dropped by the New Lex recently. Luiz headed Varig Airlines operations here for
several years. He’s now living in Brasilia where he’s Director of Leisure and Incentive Tourism. More on this
interesting guy to follow later.
I’d like to offer my congratulations to Glenn L.
Boothe, whose son Robert recently signed on to play with
the L.A. Dodgers. I’m sure you’ll be hearing a lot about
him in the future. (I’ll have a photo in the next column.)
Congratulations as well to Simone Ugolini, who
has spent three years in Japan as General Manager of
Valentino Japan Ltd. Simone’s now in Milan for a new
and challenging assignment at Valentino Global Headquarters. We’ll miss him here in Tokyo and wish him
all the best back home.
Congratulations to Dr. Hans J.A. van Ginkel,
professor and former rector of the United Nations
University who received the Grand Cordon of the
Hideko Kudaka of The Daily Yomiuri, U.S.
Assistant Press Attaché Lori A. Shoemaker, Pastor Barry P. Dawson (Tokyo Union
Church) and his wife Shelly.
order of the Rising Sun on Nov. 20.
In the last year or so, there were a lot of changes made
among the big film distributors here. Major happenings
included William Ireton’s promotion to President and
Representative Director of Warner Brothers Entertainment
Japan. Since his promotion he’s enlarged and upgraded
the WB offices here. Over at Sony, Senior Vice President of
Film Distribution Dick Sano and his staff are very happy
in their new offices at Toranomon Towers. Toho-Towa
President Hisanori Hiranuma and Managing Director
Hiro Matsuoka signed a contract with Universal to distribute their films here in Japan.
United International Pictures has, like in other
countries, closed their offices here in Japan. I would like
to wish UIP all the best in their future endeavors.
In other news, Paramount Pictures Japan has just
opened their new offices. Some of my good friends there
include Ichiro Okazaki, who left his job as Vice President
of Sales at Buena Vista International to be the President
of Paramount, and UIP’s Marketing Director Hisamichi
Kinomoto, formerly the Marketing Director of UIP, who
will be Head of Marketing for Paramount. Hideo Suzuki,
head of Buena Vista Japan has been super busy as well.
In addition to completely renovating their offices, they’ve
changed the name of their company to Walt Disney Studio Pictures Japan. As many of you know, Gaga Communications joined Usen and they now have beautiful offices
high in the sky in Midtown Tower. There have been a lot
of changes at Twentieth Century Fox as well. Jesse Lee,
who did a super job in Seoul for the company is now
General Manager of their offices here.
A VARIETY OF ACCOMODATIONS AT GOOD LOCATIONS IN TOKYO
URL: www.japt.co.jp
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 03-5437-5233
Mast Life Meguro Minami 702
3-5-17 Nishi-Gotanda
Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 141-0031
Jan. 04 – 17 2008 Vol. 39 No. 01 17
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Das Zimmer; AV installation view at the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo.
M
edia ‘watchdoggery’ is so pervasive in film and
on television that the sight of a shocking image on video can involuntarily lead the viewer to
ask, “Can you show that?” For the more critically
minded, it begs the question “Why not?”
The latter is one of many questions that Swiss-born
artist Pipilotti Rist raises in her work. As a result, her solo
exhibition at the Hara Museum entitled Karakara is not always a show for the squeamish, since the sometime-controversial side of Rist’s work focuses on sexuality and the
human body. Rist dives into taboos without flinching (although the same can’t always be said for her audiences):
bloody mouths, extreme close-ups of the body, and even
medical endoscopic images have found their way into her
videos, often juxtaposed against forests, landscapes, fruit
and simple scenes of the everyday.
But Rist does not film these things merely for their
shock value; even the most startling of her images are
often playful­­—guileless rather than gory, euphoric
rather than erotic. Yet almost all of her works battle
against what Rist considers ‘dogmatic ways’ of seeing the world. There are strong political and feminist
themes here, to be sure, but there is also an abounding, organic love of the human animal, with a dollop
of beauty to top it all off.
Photo courtesy of Hirotaka Yonekura
THE ARTS BY OWEN SCHAEFER
The Hara show contains works from the grand to
the miniature. On the large side is Das Zimmer (The
Room), a work consisting of an oversized sofa, chair and
lamp, complete with a mammoth remote control and
15 working channel buttons. Viewers are invited to take
off their shoes and clamber like children into the chairs,
where they are free to watch a selection of Rist’s video
works displayed on a modestly sized television.
On a much smaller scale (but no less captivating) is
Selfless in the Bath of Lava, a coin-sized screen recessed perfectly into a hole in the gallery’s wooden floor. Looking
down, we watch a distant image of Rist herself, standing
naked against the backdrop of a lava flow, sometimes
writhing with pain, sometimes appealing to the viewer
for help. The image is neither gory nor particularly realistic, but the bond it forges with the viewer is palpable, as is
the sense of helplessness and distance it creates.
Ever is Over All, on loan from New York’s MOMA,
depicts a decidedly feminine young woman walking
down the street, joyfully shattering car windows with a
suspiciously heavy flower. Then, in I Couldn’t Agree With
You More another young woman stares deeply into the
camera­—and consequently into the viewer’s eyes—as she
strolls through buses and supermarkets, with tiny images
of naked people frolicking across her face.
Less risqué but still highly mesmerizing is À la belle
étoile (Under the Sky), Rist’s newest work. For this installation, the video is projected onto the floor of the
room, and viewers are asked to stand on it as they
watch. It will take a few moments for your eyes to adjust to the scale of the images, but once they do the
effect becomes mesmerizing and almost disorienting
as you tumble through space, fly off the edges of buildings and be swallowed whole by human faces. While
it may lack the edgier elements of some other works, it
has a roller-coaster giddiness that’s hard to forget.
Pipilotti Rist: Karakara (to Feb. 11) Hara Museum of
Contemporary Art. Shinagawa Station. ¥1,000. 11am­–
5pm (Wed. until 8pm Closed Mon.) Tel. 03-34450651. www.haramuseum.or.jp
CROSSWORD #18
Across
1. see 8 down
4. Forrest Gump star (3,5)
9. black magic (6)
10. short latest info film (8)
12. make sleepy (4)
13. cartoon kiss sound (5)
14. x-rated film color (4)
17. no where nearly done (2,3,2,5)
20. supplying of movies (12)
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Down
1. making a movie (8)
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8. + 1. Down. Motion pictures nickname (6-6)
11. 60 or 120 secs (1,6,2,3)
15. wing it speech (2-3)
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18. actors’ boss (8)
19. met a muse? (8)
21. thespians (6)
22. go to (6)
26. over actors (4)
27. loved Hollywood * Please look for crossword answers in our next issue of Weekender.
icon (4)
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Jan. 04 – 17 2008 Vol. 39 No. 01 19