Monthly Archive May 2017

ByJustin Hanus
May 23, 2017

A Reminder of the Time in Osaka When the World Came to Visit

The Tower of the Sun stands in Expo Commemoration Park as the standout reminder of the first World’s Fair ever held in Asia, Osaka Expo ’70. The idea of a World’s Fair took flight in London, England in 1851 under the banner of “The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations.” The idea caught on and afterwards there were 48 more World’s Fairs until 1970 – but never one in Asia.

Osaka was awarded the World’s Fair in 1966 and waited eagerly as major expositions were held in Montreal, Canada in 1967 and San Antonio, United States in 1968. When Osaka’s turn came, the city was ready with a master plan put together by celebrated modernist architect Kenzo Tange, who had been born in Osaka 57 years earlier.

The main theme of Osaka Expo ’70 was “Progress and Harmony for Mankind” and the planners envisioned their fair as more of a festival than an exposition. The world responded enthusiastically and a record 77 countries participated, many with wildly futuristic pavilions. The experimental architecture proved a hit with fair-goers as well and more than 64 million people attended the six-month event, one of the biggest turnouts in history.

Like many world’s fairs, Osaka Expo ’70 was notable for some of the technological innovations introduced in the pavilions. In the Fuji Group’s pavilion, the first-ever IMAX film was screened. The public also got its first demonstrations of mobile phone technology and magnetic levitation rail transportation in Osaka. In the United States pavilion visitors could get a glimpse of one of the moon rocks brought back from the Apollo space missions. Robots were very much in evidence around the city as Japan honed its reputation for mechanical innovation.

Osaka rolled out the welcome mat for the world by completing a new, ultra-modern airport just one month before the gates to the fair opened. Hotel room capacity in the city doubled from 4,000 and more than 500 Japanese households within an hour’s drive of the fairgrounds offered to make rooms available for visitors. The Japanese people went all out in preparation for the spotlight on the world stage as well. Elections were held in every prefecture in the country to select 233 official Miss Expo hostesses.

By almost every measure Osaka Expo ’70 was a success. Japan went on to host future world’s fairs in Okinawa (Expo ’75), Tsukuba (Expo ’85) and Nagoya (Expo 2005). Ultimately all the pavilions in Osaka were torn down. Where the historic world’s fair took place is now a wide lawn and natural garden in Expo Commemoration Park. Nearly half a million trees have been planted on the site. The 70-metre Tower of the Sun, the symbol of the fair, was preserved as a permanent reminder of the time Osaka brought pride to all of Japan.

The Tower evokes memories of Osaka Expo ’70 today but if you are around in the year 6970 you can enjoy some more tangible reminders of the year 1970 – a time capsule, part of world’s fair tradition – was buried with instructions that it be opened in 5,000 years.

Expo Commemoration Park

565-0826 Osaka Prefecture, Suita, Senribanpakukoen, 1−1 (map)
www.expo70-park.jp/
06-6877-7387

By takato marui (originally posted to Flickr as Korean Pavilion) [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

ByBert Wishart
, , ,
May 19, 2017

Japan Alps Art Festival 2017

While the area is famous for hiking in summer and skiing in winter, when one thinks of the mountanous prefecture of Nagano, art isn’t exactly the first thing that springs to mind. However, this preconception may be about to change.

Up in the northwest of the prefecture, from early June to the end of July, the city of Omachi will play host to the first ever Japan Alps Art Festival.

About the Japan Alps Art Festival

The festival is the brainchild of Fram Kitagawa, an experienced festival director and head of the Art Front Gallery in Daikanyama who was also an adviser to Culture City of East Asia 2016 and the director of Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale. Kitagawa has used this expertise to bring this festival together with the stated aim of seeing the art and artists feed the imagination and understanding of visitors, much in the same way that the water cascading down the mountains has “grown rich forests, cultivated unique lifestyle and nurtured distinctive culinary culture of the region”.

It is not only the artwork that is on display that is a draw to the festival, but the aforementioned local cuisine goes some way to enhancing the unique atmosphere. On top of all of this the festival’s setting – with the immense Kurobe dam covered in artwork and its backdrop of 3,000m peaks – only adds to the artistic visage of this extraordinary festival.

Artists to look out for at the Japan Alps Art Festival

Passage III Project Another Country by Alfredo & Isabel Aquilizan

The festival will see around 40 artists gathered from both Japan and the international art community. Below are a handful to look out for.

  • Tadashi Kawamata is an artist who transforms environment. Usually using scrap or reclaimed materials, Kawamata sets about building new and unusual structures.
  • Tomoko Fuse is a Japanese origami artist and author of numerous books on the subject of modular origami, and is by many considered as a renowned master in the discipline.
  • Connected to Kitagawa through the Art Front Gallery, Toshikatsu Endo is a sculptor who creates monumental sculptures using basic elements of nature such as soil, water, fire and wind following the materialistic and illusionistic image of these elements to invite the viewers to the origin of their lives.
  • Finnish Maaria Wirkkala is a sculptor for whom light, space and time is an important part of her artwork. Her works are known for a possession of poetic emotion, and a philosophy on the relationship between humans and nature.
  • Brisbane based Philippine husband and wife collaborative duo Alfredo and Isabel Aquilizan’s projects highlight the faults of modern hybrid living through the use of familiar but meaningful materials such as car parts, beds, and rehabilitation facility sandals.

Click here for a full list of artists involved in the festival.

Festival Details 2017

  • Where: Shinano Omachi Station (map)
  • When: June 4 to July 30, 2017
  • Website: www.shinano-omachi.jp
  • Admission: Adults 2,000 JPY adv, 2,500 JPY on site; high school students 1,000/1,500 JPY; elementary and junior high school students 300/500 JPY

 

Mark Guthrie

Image by Yu Hara, via http://shinano-omachi.jp/about-jp/about-en/ – screengrab (modified)

Image courtesy of SAM via http://sagg.info/odyssey-navigating-nameless-seas/ – screengrab (modified)

ByBert Wishart
, , ,
May 19, 2017

Summer Nights With Tokyo’s Magical Fireflies

There are four key ways that you can tell that summer on its way in Japan. The top three are obvious: the convenience stores replacing nikuman with cold ramen; cool biz mercifully replacing suits and ties in the office, and everyone is saying “atsui ne!” every thirty seconds. But the fourth one? It’s the coming of the fireflies.

Fireflies, or ‘hotaru,’ in Japan conjure up magical memories of summer, perhaps recalling long summer evenings playing amongst the rice fields, or maybe being sat on a grandparents porch as the first fireflies of the summer dance across the garden (an image that is replicated at the beginning of the silly, though thoroughly enjoyable TV show Hotaru no Hikari).

With the season now upon us, why not join the locals in getting out and enjoying the romantic, beautiful, and entertaining flight of the fireflies.  Please note that while these locations will hold festivals in a normal year, they are not this year, but you can still turn up to see the fireflies festival or no!

Yomiuri Land Firefly Evenings

On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays in the Seichi Koen area of Yomiuri Land, these evenings have become an annual occurrence. The long grasses of the park are an ideal breeding ground, and as well as the flies, there are all sorts of fun things to do in the park, more about which you can read here.

Where: 4015-1 Yanokuchi, Inagi-shi (map)

Website: www.yomiuriland.com

Botanical Garden Fureai

This small botanical garden in Shibuya may not be well known, but it sure draws a crowd when it comes to firefly season. It’s pretty easy to get to (12 minutes walk from Shibuya station), and as well as the fireflies themselves. There will also be screenings of documentaries on the stages of a firefly’s life, making it an educational event for the whole family.

Where: Shibuya, Higashi, 2 Chome−２５−３７ (map)

Website: www.botanical-fureai.com

Fussa Firefly Festival

Approximately 500 Luciola fireflies have been raised by the locals of the western town of Fussa for this annual festival. As well as the majesty of the fireflies, there are all sorts of other entertainment with staged performances by local artists, and of course, plenty of stalls selling traditional festival food.

Where: Hotaru Park and Tamagawa River Ome Bridge area, Fussa-shi (map)

Website: www.fussakanko.jp

Hotaru no Yube

Yuyake Koyake Fureai no Sato is a village-type recreation that offers a hands-on experience of nature amid the vast greenery of the surrounding mountains. In early June, the grounds are open free of charge for an attraction. Dubbed Hotaru no Yube, or ‘Evening Lit by Fireflies.’ Visitors can enjoy an evening with some 2,500 fireflies floating along the clear stream of the Kitaasa-kawa River that flows through the site.

Where: Yuyake Koyake Fureai no Sato,Hachioji, Kamiongatamachi, ２０３０ (map)

Website: www.yuyakekoyake.jp

Sankeien Garden Firefly Evening

Although this event is out in Yokohama, it’s so delightful that it really is worth the trip. The Sankein Gardens are home to many historic buildings from all across Japan, with a pond, small rivers, flowers, and wonderful scrolling trails. From late May to early June, the gardens are open in the evenings to allow visitors to enjoy this gorgeous setting enhanced by the enchantment of the fireflies.

Where: Kanagawa Prefecture, Naka Ward, Honmokusannotani, ５８−１ (map)

Website: www.sankeien.or.jp

By Mark Guthrie

Image by Luka Knezevic – Strika (Own work) [CC BY-SA 2.0], via flickr.com (modified)

ByJade Brischke
, ,
May 19, 2017

Book-Off: Hiroshima’s Answer to Everything you Need

As a foreigner in Japan (especially when you first arrive), life can be a little difficult adjusting to a new place and a completely different culture. You may need to find furniture, or at least things to personalise your apartment and make it your own and you may not want to spend big money on something that is only going to be temporary. If you’re a bookworm, an avid watcher of TV and/or movies and you love listening to music, you will most definitely be on the hunt for something to soothe your soul (and something you actually understand, aka English).

Clothing can be difficult to find in Japan for some normal-sized foreigners and finally, anything in between like electronics, musical equipment and toys are sometimes very expensive if you want brand-new goods. Finding all of these things can be overwhelming and you may feel some days that you just want to give up. What should you do and where should you go?

Introducing… Book-Off, Hiroshima’s answer to everything you need!

Book-Off is your one-stop, all-inclusive, sells-all-of-the-above, second-hand shop that has branches all over Hiroshima. If you have a car it’s easy to get to these and you can sometimes find some incredible bargains and one-off pieces, but for the Mother Ship, head to the conveniently located one downtown, right in between the Hondori and Fukuro-machi streetcar stops.

Most people associate Book-Off with, well, books, but what many people don’t know (I’ve found out that this includes locals!), is that the shop sells everything from yes, books, to musical instruments.

The first floor is dedicated to otaku-kind of goods like figurines, DVDS (both Japanese, Korean, English and a few other main languages), CDs, cameras, musical instruments, books and plenty of manga if you like reading them. There are also children’s games, puzzles and a small English book section. This includes not only fiction, but a good range of non-fiction books on some bizarre topics that you will be hard pressed to find elsewhere.

Personally though, my favourite part of the Book-Off is downstairs in the basement. Here you will find a treasure-trove of clothes, shoes, watches, jewellery and other delicious odds-and-ends. It includes both men’s, women’s and children’s clothes and is separated into brand name and ordinary, no-name clothing. For those on a very strict budget there’s also a 200 yen section and sometimes you can find some absolute gems.

A wander through the cups and cutlery section is also highly recommended for both collectors and those needing some cheap wares to furnish their new apartment or house. I go at least once a week to check out the new stock and if you’re a regular, I suggest asking the staff for a Book-Off points card.

For those people who are adverse to second-hand goods, give it a go. This is Japan where things are always in good condition and presentation is everything. You won’t find anything faulty or in less than very good condition here.

Sometimes you can find a heap of great stuff, while other days you might not find anything at all. The main thing is to persevere and keep checking back, because I promise you, you will find something you are looking for and often times, things you aren’t looking for either! The clothing in particular is constantly being added to and if you see a bargain in any section, my advice is to grab it then and there because it won’t be there next time you go. Carpe diem!

BOOKOFF SUPER BAZAAR

〒730-0051 Hiroshima-ken, Hiroshima-shi, Naka-ku, Ōtemachi, 2 Chome-7−6 (map link)
www.bookoff.co.jp/shop/shop20416
082-543-6216

Photo by screenshot from www.bookoff.co.jp/shop/shop20416.html , used without permission

Photo by www.bookoff.co.jp, used without permission

ByBert Wishart
, , ,
May 12, 2017

Museum of Yebisu Beer, Tokyo

 

In 1887, the Japan Beer Brewery Company cleared an area of farmland in order to build a brewery where they would make, using German methods, their new premium beer, Yebisu. In the intervening years, the area which came to be named after the beer (rather than the commonly held belief that it was the other way around) Ebisu shot to prominence in the capital, and the brewery moved to out. But now, on the grounds where that first brewery was established stands Yebisu Garden Palace, a city within a city boasting a 3 Michelin star restaurant, residential spaces and a Mitsukoshi department store.

Perhaps the most interesting draw to the area however, is the Museum of Yebisu Beer. Here, for JPY 500 you can take a tour of the brewing history, guided by ‘brand communicators’, experts in Yebisu. On this forty minute tour you will be, with the aid of a 120in (305cm) screen, transported back 120 years to those early days of brewing.　Under your guide’s tutelage, you will learn about not only the rise of the Yebisu brand, but also follow the history of the nation itself and the way that trends and tragedies of Japan both have shaped the company into what it has become today.

The culmination of the tour brings, presuming your group is not exclusively under the age of 20, perhaps the most exciting experience: the tasting salon. Here you can select two glasses of Yebisu’s five draft beers*. At 280ml, the glasses are a good size and should be enough to wet the whistles of your average day tripper. But should thirst overcome you still, by way of a group janken competition, it is possible to win a third selection, and even a Yebisu Premium Beer branded glass to take home with you.

For those with thirsts that refuse to be sated, upon the tour’s completion you can retire to the Beer Station, a comfortable lounge area in which you can order snack foods and drink draft beer at a cut rate of JPY 400 a glass (which is an absolute steal when you consider that Yebisu Premium – not just a clever name – was originally considered a beer of such exclusivity that it once cost the same as 10 bowls of soba noodles. That’s a tour tidbit for you fact fans).

The lounge has a relaxed atmosphere with comfortable sofas amidst a stylish décor and is open to all comers – not only tour participants – with local office workers taking advantage of the low prices after a day at the desk.

The accessibility of the Beer Station is just as well because despite its many plus points, one disadvantage of the tour is that it is held only in Japanese, potentially excluding those without a mastery of the language. Fortunately the exhibits themselves are signed in both Japanese and English. This means that anyone can peruse the museum at their own leisure, free of charge, before hunkering down in a sofa to sample the low priced drinks and wander the interesting, if a little pricey, gift shop.

While it may not have the behind-the-scenes access of a brewery tour, it is certainly a pleasant and diverting way to spend a couple of hours if you happen to be in the area. It is also an interesting insight into the way something as humble as a beer brand can grow and help to shape a significant portion of one of the most captivating cities in the world.

Museum of Yebisu Beer

Yebisu Garden Place , 4-20-1 Ebisu , Shibuya-ku , Tokyo
03-5423-7255
http://www.sapporoholdings.jp/english/guide/yebisu

 

By Mark Guthrie

Image from http://landingaway.blogspot.jp/2010/07/yebisu-beer-museum-ebisu-tokyo.html

ByBert Wishart
, ,
May 08, 2017

Feeling Crafty – The Top Craft Beer Pubs in Tokyo


While Asahi and Kirin beers are world renowned, it could be argued that, along with Sapporo, they do not have the most exciting tastes. As such, expats often have somewhat justifiable cause to pine for the beer of their homelands. While there are the usual chains of British and Irish bars all over Tokyo, these still tend to sell the same big three Japanese brews.

However, in recent times craft beer has made important inroads in the capital. As more discerning drinkers search out a more flavorsome pint, various brewpubs are springing up. While it is impossible to highlight all here, below you can find some of the more heralded places in Tokyo.

Watering Hole

Wateing Hole in Yoyogi is much vaunted by those in the know, particularly those from round the More Than Relo offices. In 1998, Ichiri Fujiura became the first non-American to win the Homebrewer of the Year award (something of a bittersweet victory, considering it aroused questions from the Japanese constabulary in this nation where homebrewing is not strictly legal). After his brush with the law Fujiura went on the straight and narrow and opened this cracking bar with its own ‘nano’ brewery. There are 21 draft microbrews (a couple of them hand-pumped) from Japan and overseas that are updated every day and hand written above the bar (as well as updated on the website), meaning you should never be short on choice. The bar staff are incredibly helpful, and as some speak English they should be able to help you select beers based on your preferred taste.

Brew Dog, Roppongi

This split-level bar was the Scottish brewery’s first dalliance into the Eastern market. You may know Brew Dog for their famous Punk IPA and Libertine Black Ale, but there is so much more to sample. There are twenty taps, ten of which are their own beers including four special editions.

Food is also a big thing, and to perhaps compliment the Punk IPA they have brought in a chef who has cooked for Johnny Rotten as well as the Emperor of Japan.

  • Where: Saito Bldg. 1F, Roppongi 5-3-2,, Minato-ku (map)
  • Open: Mon-Thur 17:00-00:00, Fri 15:00-00:00, Sat-Sun 11:00-00:00
  • Website: www.brewdog.com/bars/roppongi

Devilcraft, Hamamatsucho and Kanda

The first Devilcraft bar opened in Kanda in 2011 and, while its range of 15 beers were considered to be of very high quality, it is possibly their pizza that has most people talking. While Italian restaurants do a relatively passable pizza in Japan, the deep dished Chicago style pizza is not seen all that often. However, when people from the Windy City repeatedly tell you how great it is, it’s time to sit up and take notice. The sister bar in Hamamatsucho opened in August last year with twenty-two taps and replicated the same world wide craft beers and Chicago pizza winning combination.

Kanda:

  • Where: Ishikawa Bldg 4-2-3 Nihonbashi-muromachi, Chuo-ku (map);
  • Open: Mon-Fri 17:00-23:00, Sat 15:00-23:00, Sun and National Holidays 15:00-22:00
  • Website: www.en.devilcraft.jp 

Hamamatsucho:

  • Where:  Minato-ku 2−13−12 Hamamatsucho Risewell Bldg. 1F (map)
  • Open: Mon-Fri 17:00-23:00, Sat and Sun 13:00-22:00, National Holidays 15:00-22:00
  • Website: www.en.devilcraft.jp 

Swan Lake Pub Edo Yaesu

Despite being just a stone’s throw from Tokyo Station, this classy little pub, if you time it right (i.e. when it isn’t packed with salarymen) can be a haven of quiet amongst the hustle and bustle. Niigata prefecture’s Swan Lake is one of the most famous craft beers around, and with good reason. There are 30 taps here offering good stuff from all over and while some of the guest beers can get a little bit pricey, their own excellent brews are well priced at 980 JPY for a UK pint (568ml).

Popeye, Ryogoku

While the food selection is nothing to shout about, the winner of The Japan Beer Times’ 2013 Best Bar award, has long been considered the number one place for a top tipple in Tokyo. With a mind-blowing 70 beers on tap, it has to be said that if you are tired of Popeye, you are tired of beer. The owner Aoki Tatsuo, something of a celebrity in Tokyo craft pub circles, spends less and less time on site. Still, it is a testament to his wonderful staff that waiting times are kept to a minimum, the atmosphere is always cheerful and you are always tempted to try something new from the mostly Japanese range of beers.

Baird Taprooms, Nakameguro and Harajuku

Baird Brewing started as a two man (well, one man and one woman) organisation in Numazu in 2000, but its success has helped it expand across the country. The first Tokyo branch opened in Nakameguro in 2008 with another in Harajuku following a year later, and each has its own distinct style. The former has a distinctly American vibe selling New Haven-style pizza. It also boasts 26 taps selling a mix of their own microbrew and imported beers, as well as four hand-pull real ale pumps. The Harajuku branch is heavily influenced by izakaya and serves Japanese food such as kushiyaki and an interesting Shimaguni stout edamame. However, the beers are still very much their own with 15 taps selling Baird beers along with two hand pumps, one of which supplies the house Harajuku ale.

Nakameguro:

  • Where: 2-1-3 Kamimeguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo
    Nakameguro GT Plaza Building C 2F (map)
  • Open: Mon-Fri 16:00-00:00 (midnight), Sat-Sun and Holidays 12:00 (noon) to 00:00 (midnight)
  • Website: www.bairdbeer.com

Harajuku:

  • Where: No-surrender Bldg. 2F,1-20-13
    Jingumae, Shibuya-ku (map)
  • Open: Mon-Fri 17:00-00:00 (midnight), Sat-Sun and Holidays 12:00 (noon) to 00:00 (midnight)
  • Website: www.bairdbeer.com

Hatos Bar

If you want to get as far away as possible from the fizzy yellow beer of Japan’s lager industry, Hatos Bar is most definitely for you. Stocking only beer with the fullest of flavor, this isn’t stuff to be knocking back, but instead for sipping appreciation. As well as great beer, as the first place in Tokyo to sell authentic pit barbecue, the food is causing something of a storm in Nakameguro. It has a laid back vibe with hip ghetto-chic decor, and this combined with the beer and the pulled pork has meant it has become a huge hit with the Tokyo ex-pat community.

  • Where: Meguro, Nakameguro, 1 Chome−３−５ (map)
  • When: Tue-Sat 13:00-00:00, closed Sun, Mon and public holidays.
  • Website: www.hatosbar.org

Goodbeer Faucets

Coming from the guy who brought you the Goodbeer online retailer, Goodbeer Faucets is a shiny chrome and concrete bar which really knocks what your preconception of what a craft beer bar should look like. It has 40 different taps of draft and three ale hand pumps on the go serving beer predominantly from the US and Japan as well as their own brews. Happy hour sees 200 JPY off a pint.

  • Where: Shibuya, Shoto, 1 Chome−29−1 (map)
  • When: Mon-Thur 16:00-00:00 (midnight), Fri 16:00-03:00, Sat 15:00-00:00 (midnight), Sun 15:00-23:00
  • Website: www.shibuya.goodbeerfaucets.jp

Craft Beer Market

Drinking craft beer can be an expensive game. Not so at Craft Beer Market. Here you can find up to 30 different craft beers at just 780 JPY for a US pint or 480 for a glass. Of course at these prices there isn’t much in the way of imported beers, but in fairness the Japanese craft beers they do serve – including weizens, IPAs, seasonal beers, stouts, and even barley wine – are all top notch. With locations all over the city, the food is raved about and menus come in English, so it makes it a great place to pop in for after work.

  • Where: Various locations around the city. See website for your nearest one.
  • Website: www.craftbeermarket.jp

Shinshu Osake Mura

Shinshu Osake Mura (literally ‘alcohol village’) is a paean to all things Nagano. Fortunately Nagano has some of the best craft beers in the country. Unlike Goodbeer Faucets and Craft Beer Market, this is by no means one of the craft beer behemoths (and strictly speaking it is actually a sake bar). However, what it lacks in diversity it makes up for in a selection of great Nagano beers in cans and bottles – from Shiga Kogen to Oh!La!Ho! Brewing to Hotaka Beer. While these beers aren’t exactly rarities, they can all be picked enjoyed at wholesale prices, most of which are cheaper than you can find in the shops. If it’s in season try to find the Apple Hop by Minami Shinshu Beer. Great stuff.

  • Where: Shimbashi Ekimae Building 1, 2-20-15 Shimbashi, Minato-ku (map)
  • When: Mon-Fri 11:00-21:30, Sat 11:00-18:30, closed Sun, public holidays and the 2nd and 3rd Saturday of each month
  • Website: www.nagano-sake.com

Mark Guthrie

Image by Hideya HAMANO (Own work) [CC-BY-2.0] via flickr.com

Image by Omid Tavallai (Own work) [CC-BY-2.0] via flickr.com

Image by Richard Giles (Own work) [CC-BY-2.0] via flickr.com

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