Plain Talk
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD JUNE 27. 2025Sweet honey, baby by Olivia
Honey is one of nature’s most versatile and delightful creations. Its rich flavors, natural sweetness, and medicinal properties make it a staple in many households.
Especially in spring, in my hometown there was a wide variety of raw, unprocessed honey from seasonal flowers, multiflower or wildflower honey. I especially miss buckwheat blossom honey. It is more expensive and less available here.
Buying honey here in Japan has it’s own pros and cons. One of them is less varieties of honey with its longer shelf life, which means that the honey is less fresh).
Japanese people tend to favor Acacia honey more than other types for several reasons. Acacia honey is made from the nectar of the black locust tree, also known as False Acacia.
Acacia honey has a very mild, sweet flavor that isn't too overpowering, making it versatile and suitable for a variety of culinary uses. Its subtle taste complements both sweet and savory dishes without overshadowing other ingredients. Think of Acacia honey as of rice. It goes well with almost any food (or drink!)
Its light color is aesthetically pleasing and often perceived as more pure and natural.
Due to its high fructose content, Acacia honey crystallizes much more slowly than other types of honey, allowing it to remain liquid and usable for a longer period. This is particularly convenient for those who may not use honey frequently, like the Japanese.
People mostly drizzle it over yogurt.
Overall, the combination of its mild flavor, appealing appearance, long shelf life, health benefits, and versatility makes Acacia honey a popular choice in Japan.
Have you tried Acacia honey before? If not, it might be worth giving it a taste!
When I use it honey as coffee sweetener, I may buy a cheaper one without strong flavor, but if I want to enjoy the flavor and fragrance, I buy more expensive ones, also called the gourmet honey. For example, Hokkaido honey is my special treat!
Lavender or cherry blossom honey will also add elegance to your usual morning.
In supermarkets and online, I was able to find honey from: New Zealand, Australia, Hungary, Ukraine, Mexico, China, Greece and Bulgaria.
My absolute favorite imported one is Hungarian! All of them have gone up in price, though.
The most interesting honey flavor I have found so far in Japan is coffee honey, made from coffee blossoms!
ハチミツは、自然界で最も万能で楽しい創造物のひとつである。その豊かな風味、自然な甘さ、薬効成分により、多くの家庭で定番となっている。
特に春になると、私の故郷では、季節の花から採れた加工されていない生の蜂蜜、多花蜂蜜、野草蜂蜜など、さまざまな種類の蜂蜜が売られていた。特にそばの花の蜂蜜が恋しい。こちらでは高価で手に入りにくい。
日本で蜂蜜を買うことには長所と短所がある。そのひとつに、賞味期限が長いハチミツの種類が少ないことだ。つまりハチミツの鮮度が落ちることを意味する）。
日本人はいくつかの理由から、他の蜂蜜よりもアカシア蜂蜜を好む傾向がある。アカシア蜂蜜は、ニセアカシアとしても知られる黒イナゴの木の蜜から作られる。
アカシア蜂蜜はとてもマイルドで甘く、主張しすぎない風味のため、様々な料理に適している。その繊細な味は、他の食材の味を邪魔することなく、甘い料理もしょっぱい料理も引き立てる。アカシア蜂蜜はお米のようなものだと思うといい。ほとんどの料理（または飲み物！）に合う。その淡い色は美的にも美しく、より純粋で自然なものとして認識されることが多い。
果糖含有量が高いため、アカシア蜂蜜は他の種類の蜂蜜よりも結晶化が遅く、長い間液状のまま使用することができる。これは、特に日本人のように蜂蜜を頻繁に使わない人には便利だ。
ヨーグルトにかけるのが一般的だ。
マイルドな風味、魅力的な外見、長い保存期間、健康効果、多用途性など、総合的に考えて、アカシア蜂蜜は日本で人気のある選択肢となっている。
アカシア蜂蜜を試したことがあるだろうか？ もしまだなら、一度試してみる価値はある！
私はアカシア蜂蜜に関して、コーヒーの甘味料として使うために風味の強くない安価なものも買うが、味と香りを楽しむため用に、グルメ蜂蜜とも呼ばれる高価なものを買う。例えば、北海道産の蜂蜜は私にとって特別なご馳走だ！
ラベンダーや桜のはちみつも、いつもの朝を優雅なものに変えてくれる。スーパーマーケットやオンラインで、ニュージーランド、オーストラリア、ハンガリー、ウクライナ、メキシコ、中国、ギリシャ、ブルガリア産のハチミツを見つけることができた。
私が大好きな輸入品はハンガリー産だ！でも、どの蜂蜜も値段が上がっている。今まで日本で見つけた蜂蜜の中で一番面白い味は、コーヒーの花から作られたコーヒー蜂蜜だ！
Plain Talk
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD TNB Throwback JULY 13. 2018Summer In Japan: Food For Staying Cool And Healthy During The Hottest Season by Patrick Hattman
For anyone living in Japan for the first time and not from a place with hot, humid summers, one of the most challenging things about life in Japan is adjusting to the sweltering heat prevalent throughout much of the country from June through August.
Having many centuries of experience in dealing with summer's dog days in their land, the Japanese have mastered numerous ways of lessening the effects of the season, particularly to avoid the debilitating impact of "natsubate" or summer fatigue. Some time-tested methods of combating the oppressive temperatures involve how the Japanese eat, including meals served hot and cold.
One hot meal -and a personal favorite of mine- is "unagi" or freshwater eel. Grilled and often served on a bed of rice, it is a fortifying meal in summer and contains essential protein and vitamins to improve one's energy level. Unfortunately, it is a bit pricey, and unagi numbers in the wild have declined significantly in recent years.
Another hot meal or snack that is a favorite of many during summer is the "ayu" or a fish known commonly as sweetfish. Not surprisingly, it is particularly noteworthy for its sweet taste, and its availability at food stalls found in abundance at summertime festivals, with the ayu grilled and served on skewers.
Throughout the summer season a cold meal to beat the heat is "soumen" or thin wheat noodles served cold and generally with a "tsuyu" sauce for flavoring and dipping. It is possible to make a sizable meal of the noodles and end up satisfied, but not too full.
Also, a cold dish consumed a lot in summer is "hiyayakko" or cold tofu. Many toppings are used for both additional taste and aesthetic qualities. Among them are soy sauce, "katsuobushi" or dried bonito flakes, and various mixes of giant radish and ginger.
Finally, when many Japanese are looking for a dessert in summer they opt for "kakigori," which is a shaved ice treat flavored with various syrups and toppings. This is better for your health than heavy ice creams and artificially sweetened drinks. Excessive consumption of them can lead to the dreaded "natsubutori" or becoming fat in summer!
Unfinished business
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD MAY 17. 2019Farewell to a Japan Jazz Icon by David Gregory
The messages from all over Japan read aloud during the service helped us realize how widely Koyama-san touched lives and how many like us were feeling something newly missing from our worlds. But, although wonderful and sometimes saddening us, they did not trigger crying. That happened next.
Those first few notes of the "'Round About Midnight" Miles Davis version, the cut Koyama-san always used to open Jazz Tonight, performed by a live piano and trumpet duo up front near the coffin, did it: Instant recognition, recollections, sighs around the room, eyes closed, arms crossed, heads dropped back or down, and tears, at least for me. How many times had we heard, after Miles breathed his somber opening, Koyama-san's low, raspy voice welcoming us into the studio with, "Minna-san, gokigen ikaga desho-ka everybody, how are you feeling?"?and never thought that someday we would hear him ask about us no more?
Koyama-san's widow, whom, like him, had never known me, stood alone at the coffin head and bowed in silence to everyone in turn after they placed flowers around his body as the duo continued with another slow number, the trumpet sounding so strong and crisp and unusual in a memorial service hall. After we placed our flowers, she responded to my hand on her shoulder, a touch just meant to console her, by immediately turning and reaching for me?a total stranger?burying her head in my chest, and breaking down. She needed that hug that everybody sometimes needs. She let go after her respite when she was ready to face the coffin and everyone else again, and returned to her position. Going to Kashiwa in a snowstorm was worth it just for those few moments when I could do something for her.
So our Kashiwa day was both sad and good. But, why did I even want to go a funeral for a man whom I only knew by voice, and who, although linked to jazz, was not even a musician?
Koyama-san and his Jazz Tonight program I listened to since at least the early 2000s. For more than sixteen years, while my life in Japan has been filled with huge uncertainties, he has been here Saturday nights on the radio, reliable, keeping me connected to the world's music and opening my ears to music from Japan I would not know without him. Listening to him always made me feel good, no matter what had happened in my life during the week or what was coming up in the weeks ahead. Koyama-san and Jazz Tonight were my respite. How well can I replace that comfort?
Koyama-san, thank you for helping this foreigner feel good in Japan. Please rest well in jazz heaven.
NHK Radio, thank you for giving Koyama-san a way to connect with us. Please encourage other DJs to continue doing what he did so well.
To Koyama-san's surviving family members: Please care well for yourselves now, and thank you for supporting and sharing Kiyoshi with us.
The Smallest Box by David Gregory
She came over to my table and asked if I remembered her.
“That’s my boyfriend over there.”
Their table hugged a pillar blocking the sunny Tokyo Bay view enjoyed by the other customers that afternoon in Chiba’s AquaRink ice skating facility café.
“Maybe we will marry next year.”
On my way out, I stopped to congratulate the potential groom to be. What I later heard happened with Hiromi and Hiroshi that night at another place also close to the bay sounded so too good to be true that I visited that place to confirm it really happened. It did.
Hiroshi had reserved for the course menu that night at OCEAN TABLE, next to Chiba Port, on the second floor, where tables sat by the huge windows facing Chiba Port Tower and Tokyo Bay. No view-blocking pillars there. And they had a wait, even with their reservation, because it was Christmas Eve, which in Japan matters much more than the following day; the Eve is the year’s couples’ night out, and single women without dates that night can feel their whole year was wasted.
Hiroshi had changed into a suit after skating, and had urged Hiromi, against her protests about overdressing, into a plaid one-piece, raising expectations. They had never come to a place this nice, one requiring reservations. Saizeriya was more their speed: fast faux-Italian, cheap, and everywhere.
The unexpected wait made Hiroshi antsy. He relaxed and all was perfect after they were seated.
They talked. They ate the Christmas Dinner courses. They ignored the soft Christmas background music. They admired the gleaming, golden Christmas Tree rising from the first-floor buffet area through the open center space across from their table. They could see outside the sparkling flashes and half the tree in Port Tower’s Christmas Illumination, and beyond, the lights from the ships on and facilities around Tokyo Bay, appearing almost twinkling. Perfect—but not for Hiromi.
She went to the toilet. Still he had not asked. The day was done. The reservation system only allowed them two hours there. They had been together all day. He had remembered her birthday-just by coincidence, also that day-with a necklace at AquaRink. Nice, but was that all? He had pestered her since early December about what Christmas present she wanted until she had finally exploded with, “Nothing! Don’t you know I just want a proposal?!” And had added she wanted it to be a surprise. Here he had the perfect chance, and he was wasting it.
She could try enjoying what was left of the evening. Dessert was next. At least here was better than Saizeriya….She was still stuck when she returned to the table, and had no chance to do or say anything, anyway. It was his toilet turn.
Their desserts came. Hiromi sat and waited and pondered the future. Outside, the tower stood alone against the dark sky and Tokyo Bay’s inky darkness.
Their desserts waited. Maybe his tooth was bothering him again. Maybe he was just tolerating it to make the night go well. Maybe for her. Maybe she should go to check on him. Wait-maybe she just heard his voice across the room.
No, only Santa Claus, posing for photographs with diners at the far table. He then started circling the room, giving a small present from his big sack at each table. She could check after he was done.
Hiroshi still had not returned to his seat when Santa reached their table. He handed Hiromi a big, red stocking, by far the room’s largest gift, accompanied by a squeaky, “Atari! You’re a lucky one!” Yeah. She set it aside and Santa moved on. What was he still doing in the toilet?
Santa finished his round, returned to Hiromi, and pointed at her unopened stocking with squeaky, “Un! Un!” grunts. The other diners had opened their presents. She forced a smile and said she was waiting for her boyfriend to return. “Un! Un!”
When Hiromi still resisted, Santa took the stocking in his white-gloved hands and opened it himself. Out first came a big, pink box, heart shaped. He opened that and pulled out another heart-shaped box, and then, from inside that, another heart-shaped box. Another smaller, heart-shaped box followed. He removed from that an even smaller heart-shaped box, and thrust it to Hiromi with one more squeaky, “Un!”
Still gone. Well, he’d miss it. Hiromi obeyed Santa this time and opened it, the smallest box in the room …and her mind and face went blank.
After that frozen moment passed, Hiromi looked at Santa. The second shock hit, and more followed. Santa Claus had ripped off his gloves, furry hat, sunglasses, and huge, flowing beard. He took the box from her?she was still speechless?dropped onto one knee, held the open box out and up to her in both stretching hands, and said in a voice loud enough for everyone in the room to hear, “Hiromi-san, boku-to kekkon shite kudasai! Hiromi, please marry me!”
Outside, to anybody looking, Port Tower’s Christmas Illumination still flashed, and the lights on and around Tokyo Bay still appeared almost twinkling. Inside OCEAN TABLE, on the second floor, everything was happening so fast that Hiromi just did not know which was more difficult to believe: Hiroshi and the ring he first tried slipping onto the finger on her right hand, the one he had taken in his before she held out her left hand, or the following PAN! and PAN! PAN! PAN! PAN! PAN! and PAN! PAN! and PAN! explosions ripping and ribbons shooting around the room as diners at the floor’s other tables popped the party crackers they had found with the notes in their presents from Santa Claus.
Copyright © 2018 David L. Gregory All rights reserved.
I Did It! by David Gregory
She had been here before. But, those were tour-guided or hand-held visits. After living most of her life in white-bread suburban USA, driving everywhere, shopping in giant malls and supermarkets, and needing only one currency and one language, my mother ventured out on her own, within and beyond Chiba, during one trip to Japan. From her notes, here are Dorothy's...
ADVENTURES IN JAPAN
Grocery Shopping in Neighborhood―Walk five blocks...buy only one bag...walk five blocks back. Survived it!
Shopping in City Center―Walk six blocks to bus stop. Ride bus fifteen minutes. Arrive at stores. Walk around. Look. Decide: cookies.
Buying: “Ikura desu-ka how much?” Hmm. “Kakimasu kudasai write please.”
Paying options: give large bill, let clerk figure change, or open change purse, let clerk take out correct amount. Decide to just give some cash.
Clerk shakes her head (“NO! MORE!”), then counts out correct amount needed from register and shows me. I mimic her action from my change purse. Smiles! Deep bows with many, “Arigato gozaimasu thank you very much!”-es.
(My error: thought there was decimal point in Yen price....)
Open cookies, expecting pirouettes with chocolate centers. Instead, peanut butter waffle rolls, no chocolate. No wonder, now I see peanut sketch on package. “Shoganai can’t be changed,” I did it to myself. It could have been worse!
~~~
Travelling to Visit Friend’s Family on Other Side of Chiba―Walk ten blocks to train. Purchase ticket. Electronic lady on ticket machine screen says, “Arigato gozaimasu” and bows. Ride train twenty minutes, watching for correct stop, get off, walk seven blocks to house. I did it myself!
Visiting Hisae Overnight―My Japanese study partner in USA returned to Japan, now lives on other side of Tokyo Bay.
Take large purse and large tote bag with jacket, nightie, toothbrush, cosmetics. Walk six blocks to bus stop. Ride bus to train station. Ride train eighty minutes to Yokohama. Find correct exit from station. EASY. Did not even look at note in pocket explaining route and Japanese signs. And, look! Hisae and three-year old Kei are waiting! “Hello!” they say! Many hugs!
I did it!
Then, still more travel: train together fifteen minutes, short taxi uphill to lovely apartment, sunny and bright.
Returning to Chiba, just reverse process. Next time, we can meet at a station halfway in between. I can do it.
I can do it!
Copyright (C) 2015 David Gregory. All rights reserved. Chiba, Japan
Book Review
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD MAY 11 2018Cherry Blossoms in the Time of Earthquakes and Tsunami
by Rey Ventura Reviewed by Randy Swank video maker and scriptwriter Rey Ventura won the 2015 National Book Award for his third collection of essays, Cherry Blossoms in the Time of Earthquakes and Tsunami, but for some strange twist of fate you will find very little information on this book. You can’t even buy it on Amazon. This is a shame because Cherry Blossoms... is a beautiful, insightful and thought-provoking book. |
Cherry Blossoms in the Time of Earthquakes and Tsunami |
In "Miniskirts and Stilettos" we meet Ginto, a young lady who comes to Japan dreaming of making it big as a singer and entertainer but has to deal instead with a much darker reality; while "Mr. Suzuki Tries Again" and "Into the Snow Country" are tragicomic tales of arranged marriages where the dreams and expectations of bride-starved farmers from Japan's Deep North clash with those of young Filipino women who want to escape their poverty and go into marriage "as a girl goes into a convent." Ventura tells these stories with a great eye for detail and manages to find a ray of light even in the darkest corners, or poetry in the midst of a nuclear disaster. The book's first essay is called "The Slow Boat to Manila" and indeed, slowness is the first word that comes to mind when considering Ventura's approach to writing. Everything Ventura does is slow. He is no magazine reporter after all, and will spend days or even months getting to know a person he wants to write about. That's the kind of personal commitment and deep connection with his subject that one feels when reading his essays. |
Tokyo Fab
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD JUNE 27, 2025
Bungu Joshi Haku
The“Bungu Joshi Haku (Stationery Girls Expo)” is an event where “stationery lovers can have the most fun!” and started in December 2017! A total of approximately 600,000 visitors have come to the event. It is truly one of the largest stationery sales events in Japan. The main feature of this event is that you can see, touch, and purchase products on the spot, as well as enjoy shopping while talking directly with the makers. There are more than 50,000 products available for purchase! It is truly a dream come true for stationery lovers. Customers are mainly people who use stationery on a regular basis, but the store is truly a place where men and women of all ages, from children to housewives to businessmen, can come together. Notebooks not only look cute, but also great to write on. Want to use my favorite pen and pencils. Want exciting stationeries. Want to decorate notebooks however we like. Join this stationery “Bungu Joshi Haku (Stationery Girls Expo)” to find your favorite stationery!
4/26 (Sat) & 27 (Sun) @ Makuhari Messe (Closest Sta.: Kaihimmakuhari Sta.)
Furusato Tokyo Ouen Festival
Under the theme of “JAPAN LOVE,” Tokyo's summer beer and Bon dance festival will be held in Ueno! Set in the fountain plaza of Ueno Onshi Park, this event features local delicacies from all over Japan, beer, traditional Bon Odori dancing, and the ever-popular Anime Song Bon Odori dance. Based on the concept of “hometown summer,” this event will spotlight craft beer and yukata-wearing Bon Odori dancing, both of which are beloved throughout Japan, as well as local specialties and special tastes from all over the country. A variety of beers will be on offer, each with a unique character unique to each region while enhancing the quality of the ingredients. A must-see for anime fans, the Anison Bon Odori features a special stage where you can dance to popular anime songs that everyone will get excited about! In addition to the main beers, a lineup of sweets such as shaved ice and baby sponge cake will also be available for enjoyment. Children and adults of all ages will be able to enjoy this festival in yukata and enjoy the summer atmosphere to the fullest.
July 4th (Fri) - 6th (Sun) @ Ueno Park
https://www.furusatotokyofes.com/
Have You Been To...
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD JUNE 27, 2025
Amanogawa River [Maibara, Shiga]
One of the rivers flowing into Lake Biwa is the Amano River, a river with a Tanabata legend. The Amano River is known as a famous spot for fireflies, and the area around Nagaoka in Maibara City, located upstream of the river, is designated as a special natural monument of Japan as "Nagaoka Genji Fireflies and their habitat. The "Amanogawa Firefly Festival" is held in early June.
Akasaki Promenade [Kozushima Village, Tokyo]
This is a spectacular spot located in the northern part of Kozushima, an island rich in nature. From the observatory on the promenade, you can see the beautiful sky-blue sea as well as magnificent views of the Izu Peninsula and the Southern Alps. The sea is said to be the clearest in Japan and is also famous as a diving spot. At night, the area is filled with a star-filled sky.
Lac Goshiki [Machiniwasaka, Fukushima]
Goshiki-numa in Urabandai, at the foot of Mt. Bandai, offers lakes and marshes of mysterious colors such as blue, green, and red in a quiet forest, and should be visited in conjunction with trekking up Mt.
As the name "Goshiki-numa" implies, the water in Goshiki-numa has different and vivid colors. The lakes and marshes shining quietly in the deep forest look like something out of a picture book.
Oze National Park [Fukushima, Tochigi, Gunma and Niigata]
Oze is a national park that straddles the three prefectures of Fukushima, Niigata, and Gunma. Oze is famous for its skunk cabbages, which appear in Japanese folk songs, and early June is the best season to view them. Because of its high elevation, snow remains even in June, and visitors can enjoy the collaboration of pretty skunk cabbages blooming around Ozenuma swamp and Hiuchigatake, the highest peak north of Tohoku, which is covered with snow.
Tokyo Voice Column
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD TNB Throwback: AUGUST 11. 2017
Of Stings and Things by Jeremy Moorhead
You can tell the seasons by certain arrivals, the singing man comes to the neighbourhood, selling his stone baked sweet potatoes. Or a freshly waxed and customised bike, ready to rev into the wee small hours. A limited edition can of your favourite beverage, festooned with sakura. Suburban speakers announcing local fraudsters competing with crows for your attention. A wave of sunshine, rain and increasing humidity coupled with something sinister. Something in the air.
The hour of the mosquito is upon us. Citizens reach for their skin vapes, their incense coils, bracelets, plug in repellents － whatever it takes to drive back this non-partisan parasitical pest. I have temporarily reneged on my atheistic tendencies and implored any number of various deities to aid me in my battle against the winged beasties. This year’s plague have descended on my pale flesh to feast and they have found it to be good. So good, in fact that I have a dozen or so scars, welts and blemishes all in various stages of entropy to behold. To a local hospital I find myself with one wound that has swollen and caused me to walk with a painful stride. The doctors and nurses are very professional and helpful, allaying my fear of needles and hospitals in general with their competent care and advice. So what can you do to avoid the attentions of our nasty nemesis?
Apart from aforementioned repellents, it’s recommended to wear light colours. That’s my garish aloha shirts back in the wardrobe, then. Lay off the alcohol as this contributes to your body’s carbon dioxide production. Sayonara beloved biru, for now. It also helps immeasurably if you’re not blessed with blood of a type O. Apparently the little blighters are twice as likely to drink from you if that’s your vintage. You can also stand in a breeze or have a fan on in your immediate vicinity. Resist the urge to be about during the hours of dawn and dusk.
If bitten; do not, under any circumstances, scratch. No matter how tempting it is. This could result in bacterial infections or blood poisoning. Apply anti-inflammatory gels and cover the area with gauze. Let nature and its wicked ways take its course. Most importantly; check with your local GP and/or pharmacist to give you all the latest details on tackling the dread threat of insectoid/human interfaces. If all else fails, calm yourself in the knowledge that the season will end and their reign shall be over. For now.
お決まりの物や音が、新しい季節の到来を告げる。ほっくほく♪の石焼きい～もの売り声、真夜中に響くぴかぴかカスタムバイクのエンジン音。季節限定発売のお気に入りの飲み物、一面桜で覆われる景色。太陽の日差し、雨や高まる湿気。季節を肌で感じる。
蚊の季節到来だ。日本人は、肌に虫除けスプレーを浴び、蚊取り線香を焚き、ブレスレットをつけ、電気蚊取り器をコンセントにさす。僕はいっぱい蚊にさされた痕が傷、ミミズ腫れとなり、一つは膿んで痛くて歩くのも困難となった。病院のお世話になりアドバイスをもらった。蚊に刺されないよう対策するにはどうすればいいだろう。
前述の虫除け対策グッズ以外では、明るい色の服がいいと薦められた。そこで、ど派手なアロハシャツはタンスにしまった。身体から二酸化炭酸ガスを発生させるアルコールもしばらくやめる。愛するビールよ、しばしお別れ。血液型がO型以外の人は蚊にさされにくいそうだ。風通りのいい所や電源を入れた扇風機の近くにいよう。夕暮れ時はうろつかないようにしよう。
万が一、蚊に刺されたら、いかなる状況でも、掻いてはダメだ。掻くことでバクテリアに感染したり、血液に毒素がまわる。抗炎症性ジェルを塗り、ガーゼで覆うといい。もっとも大切なのは、近所の病院や薬局を探して脅威となる害虫について情報を仕入れておくことだ。それでも蚊にさされたら、季節が終われば彼らの脅威もなくなると信じて、静かに待とう。
MUSEUM -What's Going on?-
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD JUNE 27. 2025
30th Anniversary Exhibit Nine Profiles: 1935→2025
To mark this milestone 30th anniversary, the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo presents “Nine Profiles: 1935→2025,” a survey of 90 years of art exhibited over nine rooms, each dedicated to a different ten-year period. Despite covering so many decades―just as the museum’s exhibitions did when it first opened―each room succeeds in revisiting the collection from multiple different perspectives. 1935 was chosen as the starting point due to the acquisition over time of a considerable number of works from the prewar and wartime periods, allowing links with postwar art to be identified; while the explicit naming of the year 2025 as the end point indicates that this is a view of the collection as it is right here, right now.
The Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo collection currently stands at around 6,000 items, and is also far more diverse than it was 30 years ago. Constantly being updated, it will duly pass to the next generation incomplete, but various profiles emerge depending on where we focus, and how those features are presented. We hope “Nine Profiles: 1935→2025” will encourage visitors to take a fresh look at the art of our era, and ponder how the past has brought us to where we are now.
TSURUOKA Masao, Rhythm, 1935 (1954)
・90 years of contemporary art laid out across nine rooms, extending from the 1st to the 3rd floor
Starting from 1935, the exhibition will trace 90 years of art through nine rooms separated by decades. By selecting and exhibiting works created during each decade based on certain perspectives, we are not only revealing aspects of each era of art, but also attempting to draw out profiles that call to mind characteristics of our collection.
Period: - Monday (Hol.), 21 July 2025
Venue: Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, Collection Gallery
Closed: Mondays (except Jul 21), May 7
Hours: 10:00-18:00 (last admission 30 minutes before? closing)
Admission: Adults － 500 yen / University & College Students － 400 yen / High School Students, Over 65 － 250 yen / Free for under Junior High School Students
For more information, please visit
Risako KOKUBU Solo Exhibition “Optical Strike”
CASHI is pleased to present Optical Strike, a solo exhibition by artist Risako Kokubu.
Born in Tokyo in 1999, Kokubu is currently enrolled in the Department of New Media at the Graduate School of Film and New Media, Tokyo University of the Arts. Her paintings distill early perceptual experiences and encounters with video-game screens into abstract forms, expressed through gestural lines and vivid colors. She has gained attention through exhibitions such as her solo show Empyrean Sparkle (2025, Gallery & Restaurant Butaiura, Tokyo) and the group exhibition sandbox (2024, CASHI, Tokyo).
In Optical Strike, Kokubu presents a new body of work exploring the visual impact and sense of interaction she experienced as a child using Flipnote Studio, a Nintendo DSiWare application known in Japan as Ugoku Memo-ch? (“Moving Notepad”).
Risako KOKUBU To the Sea of Nostalgia 2025
Photo by Hana Yamamoto
Released by Nintendo in 2004, the Nintendo DS was a groundbreaking handheld console with dual screens and a touchscreen interface. It became a cultural touchstone for an entire generation―children gathered in parks after school, while adults were often seen playing during their commute. Through multiple iterations―including the DS Lite, DSi, and 3DS―the system remained central to gaming culture for more than a decade.
In Optical Strike, Kokubu channels these early encounters with moving images and embodied perception, capturing flashes of sensory intensity on canvas. We invite you to experience these visual strikes firsthand.
Period: Fri. 16 May － Sat. 14 June, 2025 (Sat)
Venue: CASHI
Closed: Sunday, Monday & Tuesday
Hours: 12:00～18:00 (admission 30 minutes before? closing)
Admission: Free
Strange but True
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD JUNE 27. 2025
The Early Bird Catches the Worm
There are two types of workout people － those who begin with an exercise session first-thing, and those who blow off steam at the end of the day. Of course, there are pros and cons to both － but it’s considerably harder to push yourself to get up earlier to exercise before your day starts. After all, that extra hour in bed is always more appealing than a run when an alarm goes off at 6am. If you’ve always dreamt of being a morning workout person, then the clocks going forward this weekend could be the perfect opportunity to get things in order.it’s important not to set yourself up to fail straight away and a good way to ensure this doesn’t happen is to start slowly. Also, it might sound really simple but having your workout clothes out ready to go may encourage you to get up. It’ll also help you to form a habit. Keep the feel-good end of the workout in mind and how it will set you up nicely for the day ahead.Music has the power to make you feel motivated, happy and just generally better. So take some time to create a playlist that will make you feel energised for the session you are going to complete － whether it’s slow yoga or high-intensity running. Good luck!
A Cleaning Hack
There are so many great things about having children, but sometimes they could be on the naughty side and destroy expensive things! Often it's an accidental mess they've made, but it can be upsetting none-the-less to see our hard-earned money go down the drain. One thing many kids do is draw on surfaces they shouldn't, such as sofas and chairs. If this is a problem you've faced, then you might be in luck as a cleaning fanatic has shared her top tip for removing pen marks from furniture. All you need to do it for yourself is a can of hairspray! Spray some hairspray on the mark and leaves it to soak in for a few minutes. Then take a wet cloth and wipes over the hairspray. Magically the pen mark disappears!
Links
Guesthouse Tokyo
10 minutes to Ikebukuro.
Interhouse
safe and accessible solution for your accommodation needs in Tokyo.
Sakura House
1830 monthly furnished rooms at 204 locations in Tokyo.
TOKYO ROOM FINDER
Contact our international team that will assist you in finding housing
and overcoming any communication barriers in Japan!
J&F Plaza
Furnished & unfurnished guesthouses and apartments in Tokyo.
May Flower House
Tokyo furnished apartments. Ginza, Roppongi, Yotsuya and more.
TenTen Guesthouse
33,000yen/30 days for working holiday students.
GOOD ROOM TOKYO
Share room, Private room, under 50,000yen
MOVE JAPAN
Private furnished rooms in Tokyo with free internet. Call us first or call us last!
Tokyomove.com
Hassle free moving starts from 6000yen.
Tokyo Helping Hands
Very flexible working hours to effectly help you with moving, deliveries, disposal, storage and more!
AirNet Travel
We'll cut you the best air ticket deals anywhere.
Fun Travel
Discount air travel & package tours 2min from Roppongi Stn.
No.1 Travel
We go the extra mile for you. International air tickets and hotels.
JR Tokai Tours
Top-value travel to Kyoto, Osaka, Nagoya from Tokyo by Shinkansen.
Matsuda Legal Office
All kinds of Visa, Immigration & Naturalization, International Marriage etc.
Futaba Visa Office
Licensed immigration lawyer & certified public tax consultant.
American Pharmacy
English speaking pharmacy since 1950.
Tokyo Skin Clinic
EU-licensed multi lingual doctors.
Tax-free AKKY
Japanese Appliance, Watch, Souvenirs
Tokyo Speed Dating
1st Sat. & 3rd Sun. at Bari n Roppongi ETC.
Tokyo Spontaneous
Picnic, Parties, Language exchange
TMA
Japanese women & Western men.
Tokyo Fab
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD JUNE 27, 2025Bungu Joshi Haku
The“Bungu Joshi Haku (Stationery Girls Expo)” is an event where “stationery lovers can have the most fun!” and started in December 2017! A total of approximately 600,000 visitors have come to the event. It is truly one of the largest stationery sales events in Japan. The main feature of this event is that you can see, touch, and purchase products on the spot, as well as enjoy shopping while talking directly with the makers. There are more than 50,000 products available for purchase! It is truly a dream come true for stationery lovers. Customers are mainly people who use stationery on a regular basis, but the store is truly a place where men and women of all ages, from children to housewives to businessmen, can come together. Notebooks not only look cute, but also great to write on. Want to use my favorite pen and pencils. Want exciting stationeries. Want to decorate notebooks however we like. Join this stationery “Bungu Joshi Haku (Stationery Girls Expo)” to find your favorite stationery!
4/26 (Sat) & 27 (Sun) @ Makuhari Messe (Closest Sta.: Kaihimmakuhari Sta.)
Furusato Tokyo Ouen Festival
Under the theme of “JAPAN LOVE,” Tokyo's summer beer and Bon dance festival will be held in Ueno! Set in the fountain plaza of Ueno Onshi Park, this event features local delicacies from all over Japan, beer, traditional Bon Odori dancing, and the ever-popular Anime Song Bon Odori dance. Based on the concept of “hometown summer,” this event will spotlight craft beer and yukata-wearing Bon Odori dancing, both of which are beloved throughout Japan, as well as local specialties and special tastes from all over the country. A variety of beers will be on offer, each with a unique character unique to each region while enhancing the quality of the ingredients. A must-see for anime fans, the Anison Bon Odori features a special stage where you can dance to popular anime songs that everyone will get excited about! In addition to the main beers, a lineup of sweets such as shaved ice and baby sponge cake will also be available for enjoyment. Children and adults of all ages will be able to enjoy this festival in yukata and enjoy the summer atmosphere to the fullest.
July 4th (Fri) - 6th (Sun) @ Ueno Park
https://www.furusatotokyofes.com/
Have You Been To...
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD JUNE 27, 2025Amanogawa River [Maibara, Shiga]
One of the rivers flowing into Lake Biwa is the Amano River, a river with a Tanabata legend. The Amano River is known as a famous spot for fireflies, and the area around Nagaoka in Maibara City, located upstream of the river, is designated as a special natural monument of Japan as "Nagaoka Genji Fireflies and their habitat. The "Amanogawa Firefly Festival" is held in early June.
Akasaki Promenade [Kozushima Village, Tokyo]
This is a spectacular spot located in the northern part of Kozushima, an island rich in nature. From the observatory on the promenade, you can see the beautiful sky-blue sea as well as magnificent views of the Izu Peninsula and the Southern Alps. The sea is said to be the clearest in Japan and is also famous as a diving spot. At night, the area is filled with a star-filled sky.
Lac Goshiki [Machiniwasaka, Fukushima]
Goshiki-numa in Urabandai, at the foot of Mt. Bandai, offers lakes and marshes of mysterious colors such as blue, green, and red in a quiet forest, and should be visited in conjunction with trekking up Mt.
As the name "Goshiki-numa" implies, the water in Goshiki-numa has different and vivid colors. The lakes and marshes shining quietly in the deep forest look like something out of a picture book.
Oze National Park [Fukushima, Tochigi, Gunma and Niigata]
Oze is a national park that straddles the three prefectures of Fukushima, Niigata, and Gunma. Oze is famous for its skunk cabbages, which appear in Japanese folk songs, and early June is the best season to view them. Because of its high elevation, snow remains even in June, and visitors can enjoy the collaboration of pretty skunk cabbages blooming around Ozenuma swamp and Hiuchigatake, the highest peak north of Tohoku, which is covered with snow.
Tokyo Voice Column
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD TNB Throwback: AUGUST 11. 2017Of Stings and Things by Jeremy Moorhead
You can tell the seasons by certain arrivals, the singing man comes to the neighbourhood, selling his stone baked sweet potatoes. Or a freshly waxed and customised bike, ready to rev into the wee small hours. A limited edition can of your favourite beverage, festooned with sakura. Suburban speakers announcing local fraudsters competing with crows for your attention. A wave of sunshine, rain and increasing humidity coupled with something sinister. Something in the air.
The hour of the mosquito is upon us. Citizens reach for their skin vapes, their incense coils, bracelets, plug in repellents － whatever it takes to drive back this non-partisan parasitical pest. I have temporarily reneged on my atheistic tendencies and implored any number of various deities to aid me in my battle against the winged beasties. This year’s plague have descended on my pale flesh to feast and they have found it to be good. So good, in fact that I have a dozen or so scars, welts and blemishes all in various stages of entropy to behold. To a local hospital I find myself with one wound that has swollen and caused me to walk with a painful stride. The doctors and nurses are very professional and helpful, allaying my fear of needles and hospitals in general with their competent care and advice. So what can you do to avoid the attentions of our nasty nemesis?
Apart from aforementioned repellents, it’s recommended to wear light colours. That’s my garish aloha shirts back in the wardrobe, then. Lay off the alcohol as this contributes to your body’s carbon dioxide production. Sayonara beloved biru, for now. It also helps immeasurably if you’re not blessed with blood of a type O. Apparently the little blighters are twice as likely to drink from you if that’s your vintage. You can also stand in a breeze or have a fan on in your immediate vicinity. Resist the urge to be about during the hours of dawn and dusk.
If bitten; do not, under any circumstances, scratch. No matter how tempting it is. This could result in bacterial infections or blood poisoning. Apply anti-inflammatory gels and cover the area with gauze. Let nature and its wicked ways take its course. Most importantly; check with your local GP and/or pharmacist to give you all the latest details on tackling the dread threat of insectoid/human interfaces. If all else fails, calm yourself in the knowledge that the season will end and their reign shall be over. For now.
お決まりの物や音が、新しい季節の到来を告げる。ほっくほく♪の石焼きい～もの売り声、真夜中に響くぴかぴかカスタムバイクのエンジン音。季節限定発売のお気に入りの飲み物、一面桜で覆われる景色。太陽の日差し、雨や高まる湿気。季節を肌で感じる。
蚊の季節到来だ。日本人は、肌に虫除けスプレーを浴び、蚊取り線香を焚き、ブレスレットをつけ、電気蚊取り器をコンセントにさす。僕はいっぱい蚊にさされた痕が傷、ミミズ腫れとなり、一つは膿んで痛くて歩くのも困難となった。病院のお世話になりアドバイスをもらった。蚊に刺されないよう対策するにはどうすればいいだろう。
前述の虫除け対策グッズ以外では、明るい色の服がいいと薦められた。そこで、ど派手なアロハシャツはタンスにしまった。身体から二酸化炭酸ガスを発生させるアルコールもしばらくやめる。愛するビールよ、しばしお別れ。血液型がO型以外の人は蚊にさされにくいそうだ。風通りのいい所や電源を入れた扇風機の近くにいよう。夕暮れ時はうろつかないようにしよう。
万が一、蚊に刺されたら、いかなる状況でも、掻いてはダメだ。掻くことでバクテリアに感染したり、血液に毒素がまわる。抗炎症性ジェルを塗り、ガーゼで覆うといい。もっとも大切なのは、近所の病院や薬局を探して脅威となる害虫について情報を仕入れておくことだ。それでも蚊にさされたら、季節が終われば彼らの脅威もなくなると信じて、静かに待とう。
MUSEUM -What's Going on?-
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD JUNE 27. 202530th Anniversary Exhibit Nine Profiles: 1935→2025 To mark this milestone 30th anniversary, the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo presents “Nine Profiles: 1935→2025,” a survey of 90 years of art exhibited over nine rooms, each dedicated to a different ten-year period. Despite covering so many decades―just as the museum’s exhibitions did when it first opened―each room succeeds in revisiting the collection from multiple different perspectives. 1935 was chosen as the starting point due to the acquisition over time of a considerable number of works from the prewar and wartime periods, allowing links with postwar art to be identified; while the explicit naming of the year 2025 as the end point indicates that this is a view of the collection as it is right here, right now. |
TSURUOKA Masao, Rhythm, 1935 (1954) |
・90 years of contemporary art laid out across nine rooms, extending from the 1st to the 3rd floor |
Period: - Monday (Hol.), 21 July 2025
Venue: Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, Collection Gallery
Closed: Mondays (except Jul 21), May 7
Hours: 10:00-18:00 (last admission 30 minutes before? closing)
Admission: Adults － 500 yen / University & College Students － 400 yen / High School Students, Over 65 － 250 yen / Free for under Junior High School Students
For more information, please visit
Risako KOKUBU Solo Exhibition “Optical Strike” CASHI is pleased to present Optical Strike, a solo exhibition by artist Risako Kokubu. |
Risako KOKUBU To the Sea of Nostalgia 2025 |
Released by Nintendo in 2004, the Nintendo DS was a groundbreaking handheld console with dual screens and a touchscreen interface. It became a cultural touchstone for an entire generation―children gathered in parks after school, while adults were often seen playing during their commute. Through multiple iterations―including the DS Lite, DSi, and 3DS―the system remained central to gaming culture for more than a decade. |
Period: Fri. 16 May － Sat. 14 June, 2025 (Sat)
Venue: CASHI
Closed: Sunday, Monday & Tuesday
Hours: 12:00～18:00 (admission 30 minutes before? closing)
Admission: Free
Strange but True
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD JUNE 27. 2025The Early Bird Catches the Worm
There are two types of workout people － those who begin with an exercise session first-thing, and those who blow off steam at the end of the day. Of course, there are pros and cons to both － but it’s considerably harder to push yourself to get up earlier to exercise before your day starts. After all, that extra hour in bed is always more appealing than a run when an alarm goes off at 6am. If you’ve always dreamt of being a morning workout person, then the clocks going forward this weekend could be the perfect opportunity to get things in order.it’s important not to set yourself up to fail straight away and a good way to ensure this doesn’t happen is to start slowly. Also, it might sound really simple but having your workout clothes out ready to go may encourage you to get up. It’ll also help you to form a habit. Keep the feel-good end of the workout in mind and how it will set you up nicely for the day ahead.Music has the power to make you feel motivated, happy and just generally better. So take some time to create a playlist that will make you feel energised for the session you are going to complete － whether it’s slow yoga or high-intensity running. Good luck!
A Cleaning Hack
There are so many great things about having children, but sometimes they could be on the naughty side and destroy expensive things! Often it's an accidental mess they've made, but it can be upsetting none-the-less to see our hard-earned money go down the drain. One thing many kids do is draw on surfaces they shouldn't, such as sofas and chairs. If this is a problem you've faced, then you might be in luck as a cleaning fanatic has shared her top tip for removing pen marks from furniture. All you need to do it for yourself is a can of hairspray! Spray some hairspray on the mark and leaves it to soak in for a few minutes. Then take a wet cloth and wipes over the hairspray. Magically the pen mark disappears!
Links
Guesthouse Tokyo10 minutes to Ikebukuro. Interhousesafe and accessible solution for your accommodation needs in Tokyo. Sakura House1830 monthly furnished rooms at 204 locations in Tokyo. TOKYO ROOM FINDERContact our international team that will assist you in finding housing and overcoming any communication barriers in Japan! |
J&F PlazaFurnished & unfurnished guesthouses and apartments in Tokyo. May Flower HouseTokyo furnished apartments. Ginza, Roppongi, Yotsuya and more. TenTen Guesthouse33,000yen/30 days for working holiday students. GOOD ROOM TOKYOShare room, Private room, under 50,000yen |
MOVE JAPANPrivate furnished rooms in Tokyo with free internet. Call us first or call us last! Tokyomove.comHassle free moving starts from 6000yen. |
Tokyo Helping HandsVery flexible working hours to effectly help you with moving, deliveries, disposal, storage and more! |
AirNet TravelWe'll cut you the best air ticket deals anywhere. Fun TravelDiscount air travel & package tours 2min from Roppongi Stn. |
No.1 TravelWe go the extra mile for you. International air tickets and hotels. JR Tokai ToursTop-value travel to Kyoto, Osaka, Nagoya from Tokyo by Shinkansen. |
Matsuda Legal OfficeAll kinds of Visa, Immigration & Naturalization, International Marriage etc. |
Futaba Visa OfficeLicensed immigration lawyer & certified public tax consultant. |
|
American PharmacyEnglish speaking pharmacy since 1950. |
Tokyo Skin ClinicEU-licensed multi lingual doctors. |
|
Tax-free AKKYJapanese Appliance, Watch, Souvenirs |
Tokyo Speed Dating1st Sat. & 3rd Sun. at Bari n Roppongi ETC. Tokyo SpontaneousPicnic, Parties, Language exchange |
|
TMAJapanese women & Western men. |
|
50 Shades of Yikess
