Plain Talk
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD JANUARY 31. 2025The Golden Temple India: A Shimmering Beacon of Faith and Unity by Ankit Khanna
Nestled in the heart of Amritsar, Punjab, the Golden Temple, also known as ”Sri HarmandirSahib”, stands as a symbol of spiritual enlightenment, community service, and unity. Itsshimmering gold facade glows under the sun, attracting millions of visitors from around the world every year. While the physical beauty of the temple is enough to leave anyone in awe, itstrue brilliance lies in the values and traditions it upholds.
A Journey Through History
The origins of the Golden Temple date back to the late 16th century. In 1577, ”Guru RamDas”, the fourth Sikh Guru, founded the city of Amritsar and initiated the construction of a largewater tank. The site was meant to be a spiritual hub for the Sikh community, but it was ”GuruArjan Dev”, the fifth Sikh Guru, who envisioned the temple itself. Construction of the GoldenTemple began in ”1581” and was completed in ”1604”.
What makes this temple unique is its symbolic design. Unlike most religious temples that arebuilt on high platforms, the Golden Temple sits at a lower level, symbolizing humility. The fourentrances on each side of the temple represent openness, welcoming people from all directions,faiths, and backgrounds. In this way, the Golden Temple not only serves as the central place ofworship for Sikhs but also embodies the core Sikh belief in equality and inclusivity.
The Golden Facade
One of the most captivating aspects of the Golden Temple is its gilded exterior. Initially, thetemple was not covered in gold. It wasn't until ”Maharaja Ranjit Singh”, a powerful Sikh ruler,that the transformation began. In ”1830”, Maharaja Ranjit Singh decided to cover the upperfloors of the temple with gold. Known as the "Lion of Punjab," Ranjit Singh donated ”750kilograms” of pure gold to adorn the temple, transforming it into the breathtaking marvel we seetoday. The gleaming gold reflects the sunlight during the day and glows under the moonlight atnight, creating an ethereal atmosphere for those who visit.
Today, the Golden Temple is adorned with approximately ”400 kilograms of gold”, making itone of the most resplendent religious monuments in the world. Despite its rich appearance, thetemple's real wealth lies in the values of selfless service and compassion that it upholds.
Langar: The Heart of Seva
One of the most remarkable traditions at the Golden Temple is the concept of ”Langar”―afree, communal kitchen that serves meals to anyone who enters the temple, regardless of theirbackground, religion, or financial status. This practice, started by ”Guru Nanak”, the founder ofSikhism, embodies the Sikh principle of ”seva”, or selfless service. The Langar at the GoldenTemple is a massive operation, functioning ”24/7”, feeding around ”50,000 to 100,000people” daily. On special occasions or religious festivals, this number can swell to ”200,000”.The food served is simple, vegetarian, and nourishing: dal (lentils), roti (Indian bread),vegetables, and kheer (sweet rice pudding). The spirit of equality is reflected in how everyone,regardless of status or religion, sits together on the floor to eat. Thousands of volunteers from allwalks of life contribute to preparing, cooking, and serving the meals. Many visitors even takepart in the washing up afterward, as a way to engage in the spirit of service.
What is perhaps most astonishing is that this vast operation is funded entirely by donations, andno one is ever turned away. The temple's commitment to feeding people transcends theboundaries of religion and culture, making the Langar a powerful symbol of unity and love.
Spiritual Sanctuary
For Sikhs, the Golden Temple is not only a place of worship but also a source of spiritual solace.The temple's central shrine, known as the ”Hari Mandir”, houses the ”Guru Granth Sahib”,the sacred scripture of Sikhism. The scripture is recited continuously throughout the day, andthe peaceful hymns resonate through the complex, creating an atmosphere of serenity anddevotion.
The surrounding pool, or ”Amrit Sarovar”, after which the city of Amritsar is named, is believedto contain healing powers. Many visitors take a dip in the holy waters, seeking physical andspiritual purification. It is said that bathing in the Amrit Sarovar can bring peace of mind andrelieve one's sorrows.
A Beacon of Unity
In a world often divided by differences, the Golden Temple stands as a beacon of unity. Over thecenturies, it has welcomed people from all faiths―Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, andmore. The temple has seen its share of turbulence, including invasions and destruction. Yet,each time, the Sikh community has come together to rebuild it, often with even more grandeurthan before. The resilience of the Golden Temple mirrors the resilience of the Sikh faith and thecommunity’s unwavering dedication to their core principles of equality, service, and compassion.
One notable example of this inclusivity is when ”Mahatma Gandhi”, the leader of India'sindependence movement, visited the Golden Temple. He was so moved by the temple's beautyand the values it upheld that he described it as “the most beautiful place on earth.”
Golden Temple Today
Today, the Golden Temple is not just a religious site; it is a cultural landmark. It attracts visitorsfrom across the globe―pilgrims, tourists, and those simply seeking peace. The temple complexalso houses the ”Akal Takht”, the highest seat of earthly authority in Sikhism, and the”Central Sikh Museum”, which showcases the rich history and sacrifices of the Sikh people.
Visitors are often amazed not just by the physical beauty of the temple but by the palpablesense of community and belonging that pervades the atmosphere. The Golden Temple does notask for anything in return from those who visit. It gives freely, be it through the nourishing food ofthe Langar, the spiritual hymns echoing through the air, or the tranquil ambiance of the AmritSarovar.
Plain Talk
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD TNB Throwback OCTOBER 09. 2015Language Survival Skills by Rebecca Marck
When it comes to “reading da lingo,” Japan is not an easy country. You can’t depend on written cognates here as in other countries where you can decipher words: (Malay: sekolah, Swedish: skola, Spanish, escuela, etc.) Here in Japan, you know it's a school if you see a clock on the front and dirt all around it. But you can’t read words unless you actually study OR develop “linguistic survival skills.”
When I first came to Japan, I made the usual mistakes: buying Ajinomoto instead of salt and miso when I wanted peanut butter, mistaking anko for chocolate. This led me to develop language coping skills that have served me well. Regrettably, I did that instead of honing my Japanese reading skills, but I manage to get my needs met using such survival techniques, and I’m sure I’m not alone.
Here, I won’t address really basic techniques like gesturing wildly, “reading” the pictures or roaming the store aisles hoping to stumble upon what you seek. “Newbies” quickly learn to keep their home address written in Japanese and perhaps even a map to get themselves home. If I needed my address in Japanese, I cut it out of any incoming mail addressed to me in Japanese and glued it onto outgoing post. I showed it to “takyu-bin” clerks, too. Of course if you receive something with red ink, underlining and deadline dates, that needs to be addressed ASAP.
Let’s consider advanced techniques such as “Take a sample.” Suppose you already have something you like or a copy of something you need, but now you need a new one. Just “take-a-sample” to the store / office / station and show it to someone there. It does mean carrying odd stuff around, but clerks can easily understand what’s required. A variation is getting a bilingual friend, student, or family member to write it down in Japanese and take the paper with you. (IF that person actually knows how to write “exfoliant” in Japanese, for example.) I’ve even taken chewed leaves from my pest-infested rosebush to show at the garden center!
“Googling it” is a useful technique when you get medicine or devices that you don’t understand. If it’s foreign-made, there’s probably an owner’s manual or patient information online in English.
Fortunately, we now have smartphones to help us cope linguistically. You can call a bilingual friend from a store, taxi, doctor’s office, etc. hand your phone over and have them explain what you can’t say. The camera function lets you take a picture of your linguistic dilemma and show it to a Japanese friend. Better yet, email the photo to someone who can explain all those buttons on your new appliance. Water leaking from the apartment above? Take a cell phone video and show it to your landlord.
Coping skills like these have helped me muddle through. But the most effective linguistic coping technique might well be to:
Convince a Japanese person to marry you!
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 JANUARY 31, 2025
Washu Fes in Nihonbashi
As an indoor version of the “Japanese Sake Festivals” held in Tokyo and Osaka in spring, summer, and fall, visitors can enjoy a premium Japanese sake experience with a glass in hand and a little richness in spirit. The theme of the Premium Japanese Sake Festival is “a slightly richer sake tasting festival where you can enjoy seasonal Japanese sake, food, the region, and Japanese culture while feeling the seasons. This event will be held at the KABUTO ONE 4F Hall & Conference to commemorate the registration of “traditional sake brewing” as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. The area is also associated with Eiichi Shibusawa, who is known as the father of modern Japanese economy and finance in the Meiji and Taisho periods. More than 120 kinds of premium Japanese sake from 30 breweries from all over Japan will be gathered. The Premium Japanese Sake Festival offers five premium experiences: “SAKE TASTING,” “FOODS,” “EDUCATION,” “ENTERTAINMENT,” “SAKE TASTING,” “FOODS,” “EDUCATION," "ENTERTAINMENT” and ”SAKE SALES". Please enjoy two days of learning about and experiencing the world's most recognized sake.
Feb 7th (Fri) & 8th (Sat) @ KABUTO ONE 4th (Kayabacho sta. on Hibiya Line)
https://sakefes.com/premium01/
JAPAN BREWERS CUP 2025
The largest craft beer event in Japan during the winter season, combining a beer judging competition and a beer festival, this event started in 2013 and brings together talented craft breweries from Japan and abroad to be judged in a blind tasting. The results of the judging are announced on the day of the event, and customers are able to enjoy the beer immediately after tasting it, which is rare in the world. The competition is officially affiliated with the “Gold Brewers Seal,” the largest beer judging competition in the Czech Republic, and every year a full-scale judging is held exclusively for brewers (beer craftsmen). A total of 41 breweries will gather for the event, offering a total of approximately 200 kinds of beers from Japan, Taiwan, Korea, the U.S., and Canada for one glass. The beers will be served at prices starting at 600 yen per glass (set by each company). Each brewery will prepare their best quality beer for the competition. This event is a great opportunity to enjoy the passion of these brewers.
Feb 7th (Fri), 8th (Sat) & 9th (Sun) @ Yokohama Hammerhead in Yokohama
https://www.japanbrewerscup.jp/
Have You Been To...
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD JANUARY 31, 2025
Shikaribetsu igloo village [Shikaoi, Hokkaido]
Kotan means “village” in Ainu language, and Lake Shikaribetsu Kotan is a phantom village made of ice that appears for only 60 days from late January to late March. The ice from Lake Shikaribetsu, famous for its high transparency, is carved out of the lake's ice to create a variety of buildings that resemble a village. The ice chapel with its snowflake design looks like something out of a movie.
Namahage Sedo Festival [Oga, Akita]
The Namahage Sedo Festival held at Mayama Shrine is a spectacular sight to behold as Namahage perform a heroic dance amidst the flames and the echoing drums of the earth. The sight of Namahage descending the mountain with torches over their heads is so powerful that even adults feel intimidated! You can't take your eyes off the action from start to finish.
Sagamiko Illumillion [Sagamihara, Kanagawa]
Lake Sagami Illumillion is held at Lake Sagami Resort, a resort complex that includes an amusement park and campground. Illumillion features 6 million LED light bulbs that illuminate the park in winter. The park's popular attractions, such as the Aerial Light Athletic Track, can be enjoyed not only from the ground, but also from the air.
Drift Ice Walks [Shinra, Hokkaido]
Drift ice is a winter wonder of Hokkaido. It can only be seen in a limited area of Hokkaido facing the Sea of Okhotsk. Visitors can experience walking on, riding on, or floating with the drift ice. It is surprisingly sturdy and comfortable to walk on, but there are also areas where you can sway and sink. When you leave the shore for a while, you can feel the strange sensation of walking on the sea.
Tokyo Voice Column
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD TNB Throwback: JULY 22. 2016
Travel to Tokyo by Vera Krisnawati
Last week, I went to Tokyo with my cousin. We wanted to explore the city thoroughly, so we went to several places such as department store, restaurant, government building and subway station. Japanese Railways was so efficient and we could save a lot of time to travel everywhere.
First destination was Shibuya, a southwestern Tokyo area with many awesome places around. Stores, restaurants, tourists and entertainment places exist in Shibuya. I also took a picture at Hachiko statue and we visited Tokyu Hand department store. But the most amazing part about Shibuya that this is the most crowded crossing in the world, called Shibuya Scramble Crossing. It’s the most busiest and hectic crossing in the world. Then, after from Shibuya, we went to Harajuku using Yamanote Line. Harajuku is famous because of Takeshita street with lot of street vendors, we can purchase anything without need to enter the store. Harajuku station was also very authentic because the building looks like an ancient European style. The third destination for our journey was Shinjuku. Shinjuku filled with sky-scraper buildings makes Tokyo the modernist city ever. We went to the government building and lifted up to floor 45th to watched Tokyo from the highest point of the building. There was no ticket for entering the building, alias free. At the same time, there was an exhibition that introducing many kinds of cultures from each prefecture in Japan. It was very interesting because they offered so many traditional foods and lots of brochures given away to the visitor. The last destination was Akihabara and would be the climax of our adventure of the day. Akihabara presenting so many anime features started from the gift shops, theater, cafe´ and restaurant, electronic stores, and people who wore costume like character in Japanese comic book or Manga called Cosplay. Lucky for me that I was buying a digital camera for only ￥9000, compare to other places that sell above ￥10.000 for a new camera. It was absolutely affordable in my opinion.
Overall, my trip was amazing because I have the opportunity to visit Tokyo with the famous places inside. Hopefully it will not be my last trip ?
先週、従兄弟と東京に行った。街を散策したくて、デパート、レストラン、政府関連の建物や地下鉄の駅等、様々は場所に出かけた。JRは快適でどこにいくにも時間のロスなく行けた。
最初の目的地は渋谷。東京の南西部にあって、渋谷には店、レストラン、観光施設や映画館、劇場等がいっぱいあって最高な場所だ。ハチ公の銅像で写真をとって、東急ハンズに行った。渋谷でもっとも目を見張る場所は、渋谷スクランブル交差点と呼ばれる世界でも大勢の人で混み合った交差点だ。渋谷の後、山手線に乗って原宿へと行った。道沿いに小売りの店が並ぶ竹下通りはとても有名だ。店に入ることなく商品が買える。原宿駅は古いヨーロッパの建物のようですばらしかった。３番目に目的地は新宿だった。新宿は高層ビルが建て並び近代的な街だった。都庁に行って４５階まで上がり建物の上階から東京を眺めた。無料だった。そのうえ、日本の都道府県の名産を紹介する展示コーナーがあった。さまざまな名産品がありとても興味深かった。まだ無料のパンフレットがたくさんあった。最後の目的地は秋葉原でその日の旅を締めくくった。秋葉原にはアニメに関連する商品、博物館、カフェ、レストラン、電気店がいっぱいあった。日本のコミックやマンガに出てくるキャラクターのコスチュームを身にまとった「コスプレ」の人が大勢いた。幸運なことに９０００円でデジタルカメラが買えた。普通では１万円で売られているものだ。自分にとってお買い得商品だった。
とても満足のいく旅だった。東京の有名所を観光できてとてもよかった。ぜひまた行きたい。
MUSEUM -What's Going on?-
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD JANUARY 14. 2025
Poke´mon x Crafts Exhibition:
Great Discoveries of Beauty and Craftsmanship
In the 1960s and 1970s, the media landscape drastically changed with the pervasive adoption of television and the emergence of video cameras, leading artists to integrate these new technologies into their work. Meanwhile, social activism gained momentum around the world, with major protest campaigns including the civil rights and anti-Vietnam War movements in the US. During this era, feminism emerged in the US as a mass movement with broad support, challenging the prevailing male-dominated social structure as an increasing number of women called for equality both in the workplace and at home. This environment spurred female artists to articulate the challenges and injustices they faced. In contrast to the predetermined subjects and forms of traditional painting, video was a relatively open and underexplored medium that proved effective in challenging societal norms and the one-sided portrayals common in the mass media. In this exhibit, which continues from the previous term, we present video works from the 1970s to today that emerged against the above-described historical background. Please also note several keywords that serve to contextualize the works.
Taiichiro Yoshida, Jolteon, h62 118X45
copper, gold gilding, silver gilding, engraving,
hammering, patination, cloisonne´, 2022
While 8mm and 16mm films require developing and printing after shooting, video does not require such processes. The immediacy of video led to the widespread staging of live performances that are shown on the spot as they are shot, as well as improvisatory filming practices. Video’s minimal gap between generation and completion of images allowed artists to engage with their images while shooting, resulting in works that incorporated everyday subjects and personal elements.
Period: − Sunday, February 2, 2025
Venue: AZABU HILLS GALLERY
Closed: Tuesdays
Hours: 10:00 - 19:00 / -20:00 on Fridays, Saturdays and days before holidays (last admission 30 minutes before closing)
Admission: Adults: 1,800yen / Vocational school/university students: 1,600yen / High school and junior high school students: 1,300yen / Age 4 - Elementary school students: 600yen
For more information, please visit
https://www.azabudai-hills.com
Feminism and the Moving Image（2025.2.11−6.15）
In the 1960s and 1970s, the media landscape drastically changed with the pervasive adoption of television and the emergence of video cameras, leading artists to integrate these new technologies into their work. Meanwhile, social activism gained momentum around the world, with major protest campaigns including the civil rights and anti-Vietnam War movements in the US. During this era, feminism emerged in the US as a mass movement with broad support, challenging the prevailing male-dominated social structure as an increasing number of women called for equality both in the workplace and at home. This environment spurred female artists to articulate the challenges and injustices they faced. In contrast to the predetermined subjects and forms of traditional painting, video was a relatively open and underexplored medium that proved effective in challenging societal norms and the one-sided portrayals common in the mass media. In this exhibit, which continues from the previous term, we present video works from the 1970s to today that emerged against the above-described historical background. Please also note several keywords that serve to contextualize the works.
Martha Rosler, Semiotics of the Kitchen, 1975
Courtesy Electronic Arts Intermix (EAI), New York
While 8mm and 16mm films require developing and printing after shooting, video does not require such processes. The immediacy of video led to the widespread staging of live performances that are shown on the spot as they are shot, as well as improvisatory filming practices. Video’s minimal gap between generation and completion of images allowed artists to engage with their images while shooting, resulting in works that incorporated everyday subjects and personal elements.
Period: February 11−June 15, 2025
Venue: The National Museum of Modern Art Tokyo
Closed: Mondays (except 2/24, 3/31, 5/5) , 2/25,5/7
Hours: 10:00 − 17:00 / - 20:00 on Fridays and Saturdays (last admission 30 minutes before closing)
Admission: Adults: 500 yen / College ＆ University Students: 250yen
Strange but True
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD JANUARY 31. 2025
Math Homework for 7 Year-old...
People have been left scratching their heads over a maths homework question that's 'too hard for children''. In a desperate search for the answer, a social media user has ask for help to work out the solution, admitting they've spent half and hour trying to figure it out. They said: "Help me solve my son's third grade maths homework. What's the missing letter in this sequence? J, L, L, ___, N, R, P, U, R, X. I've spent half an hour trying to solve a problem meant for a seven year-old and I can't figure it out." Explaining their working, the parent shared how they followed the rules: "V SBYYBJRQ GUR EHYRF." But while some users were able to solve the maths problem without issue, others struggled to understand the question it was asking, let alone the solution. One user said: "Seems pretty hard for a seven-year-old kids." Sharing the answer and their working out, another user said: "The answer is JLLONRPURX. Basically the pattern is that on every odd turn, you move right along the alphabet, starting at 2 steps and increasing by one each time. On every even step, you move left along the alphabet, starting at 0 and moving -1 further along each time. "So if you imagine the alphabet as a number line, with J at zero, then your ‘encryption’ is: +2-0+3-1+4-2+5-3+6 I’m sure there’s a maths teacher who can word an explanation better than mine, seems pretty hard for a seven year old!"
Problem
What's the missing letter in this sequence?
J, L, L, ___, N, R, P, U, R, X.
Were you able to solve the problem?
*
*
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 JANUARY 31, 2025Washu Fes in Nihonbashi
As an indoor version of the “Japanese Sake Festivals” held in Tokyo and Osaka in spring, summer, and fall, visitors can enjoy a premium Japanese sake experience with a glass in hand and a little richness in spirit. The theme of the Premium Japanese Sake Festival is “a slightly richer sake tasting festival where you can enjoy seasonal Japanese sake, food, the region, and Japanese culture while feeling the seasons. This event will be held at the KABUTO ONE 4F Hall & Conference to commemorate the registration of “traditional sake brewing” as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. The area is also associated with Eiichi Shibusawa, who is known as the father of modern Japanese economy and finance in the Meiji and Taisho periods. More than 120 kinds of premium Japanese sake from 30 breweries from all over Japan will be gathered. The Premium Japanese Sake Festival offers five premium experiences: “SAKE TASTING,” “FOODS,” “EDUCATION,” “ENTERTAINMENT,” “SAKE TASTING,” “FOODS,” “EDUCATION," "ENTERTAINMENT” and ”SAKE SALES". Please enjoy two days of learning about and experiencing the world's most recognized sake.
Feb 7th (Fri) & 8th (Sat) @ KABUTO ONE 4th (Kayabacho sta. on Hibiya Line)
https://sakefes.com/premium01/
JAPAN BREWERS CUP 2025
The largest craft beer event in Japan during the winter season, combining a beer judging competition and a beer festival, this event started in 2013 and brings together talented craft breweries from Japan and abroad to be judged in a blind tasting. The results of the judging are announced on the day of the event, and customers are able to enjoy the beer immediately after tasting it, which is rare in the world. The competition is officially affiliated with the “Gold Brewers Seal,” the largest beer judging competition in the Czech Republic, and every year a full-scale judging is held exclusively for brewers (beer craftsmen). A total of 41 breweries will gather for the event, offering a total of approximately 200 kinds of beers from Japan, Taiwan, Korea, the U.S., and Canada for one glass. The beers will be served at prices starting at 600 yen per glass (set by each company). Each brewery will prepare their best quality beer for the competition. This event is a great opportunity to enjoy the passion of these brewers.
Feb 7th (Fri), 8th (Sat) & 9th (Sun) @ Yokohama Hammerhead in Yokohama
https://www.japanbrewerscup.jp/
Have You Been To...
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD JANUARY 31, 2025Shikaribetsu igloo village [Shikaoi, Hokkaido]
Kotan means “village” in Ainu language, and Lake Shikaribetsu Kotan is a phantom village made of ice that appears for only 60 days from late January to late March. The ice from Lake Shikaribetsu, famous for its high transparency, is carved out of the lake's ice to create a variety of buildings that resemble a village. The ice chapel with its snowflake design looks like something out of a movie.
Namahage Sedo Festival [Oga, Akita]
The Namahage Sedo Festival held at Mayama Shrine is a spectacular sight to behold as Namahage perform a heroic dance amidst the flames and the echoing drums of the earth. The sight of Namahage descending the mountain with torches over their heads is so powerful that even adults feel intimidated! You can't take your eyes off the action from start to finish.
Sagamiko Illumillion [Sagamihara, Kanagawa]
Lake Sagami Illumillion is held at Lake Sagami Resort, a resort complex that includes an amusement park and campground. Illumillion features 6 million LED light bulbs that illuminate the park in winter. The park's popular attractions, such as the Aerial Light Athletic Track, can be enjoyed not only from the ground, but also from the air.
Drift Ice Walks [Shinra, Hokkaido]
Drift ice is a winter wonder of Hokkaido. It can only be seen in a limited area of Hokkaido facing the Sea of Okhotsk. Visitors can experience walking on, riding on, or floating with the drift ice. It is surprisingly sturdy and comfortable to walk on, but there are also areas where you can sway and sink. When you leave the shore for a while, you can feel the strange sensation of walking on the sea.
Tokyo Voice Column
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD TNB Throwback: JULY 22. 2016Travel to Tokyo by Vera Krisnawati
Last week, I went to Tokyo with my cousin. We wanted to explore the city thoroughly, so we went to several places such as department store, restaurant, government building and subway station. Japanese Railways was so efficient and we could save a lot of time to travel everywhere.
First destination was Shibuya, a southwestern Tokyo area with many awesome places around. Stores, restaurants, tourists and entertainment places exist in Shibuya. I also took a picture at Hachiko statue and we visited Tokyu Hand department store. But the most amazing part about Shibuya that this is the most crowded crossing in the world, called Shibuya Scramble Crossing. It’s the most busiest and hectic crossing in the world. Then, after from Shibuya, we went to Harajuku using Yamanote Line. Harajuku is famous because of Takeshita street with lot of street vendors, we can purchase anything without need to enter the store. Harajuku station was also very authentic because the building looks like an ancient European style. The third destination for our journey was Shinjuku. Shinjuku filled with sky-scraper buildings makes Tokyo the modernist city ever. We went to the government building and lifted up to floor 45th to watched Tokyo from the highest point of the building. There was no ticket for entering the building, alias free. At the same time, there was an exhibition that introducing many kinds of cultures from each prefecture in Japan. It was very interesting because they offered so many traditional foods and lots of brochures given away to the visitor. The last destination was Akihabara and would be the climax of our adventure of the day. Akihabara presenting so many anime features started from the gift shops, theater, cafe´ and restaurant, electronic stores, and people who wore costume like character in Japanese comic book or Manga called Cosplay. Lucky for me that I was buying a digital camera for only ￥9000, compare to other places that sell above ￥10.000 for a new camera. It was absolutely affordable in my opinion.
Overall, my trip was amazing because I have the opportunity to visit Tokyo with the famous places inside. Hopefully it will not be my last trip ?
先週、従兄弟と東京に行った。街を散策したくて、デパート、レストラン、政府関連の建物や地下鉄の駅等、様々は場所に出かけた。JRは快適でどこにいくにも時間のロスなく行けた。
最初の目的地は渋谷。東京の南西部にあって、渋谷には店、レストラン、観光施設や映画館、劇場等がいっぱいあって最高な場所だ。ハチ公の銅像で写真をとって、東急ハンズに行った。渋谷でもっとも目を見張る場所は、渋谷スクランブル交差点と呼ばれる世界でも大勢の人で混み合った交差点だ。渋谷の後、山手線に乗って原宿へと行った。道沿いに小売りの店が並ぶ竹下通りはとても有名だ。店に入ることなく商品が買える。原宿駅は古いヨーロッパの建物のようですばらしかった。３番目に目的地は新宿だった。新宿は高層ビルが建て並び近代的な街だった。都庁に行って４５階まで上がり建物の上階から東京を眺めた。無料だった。そのうえ、日本の都道府県の名産を紹介する展示コーナーがあった。さまざまな名産品がありとても興味深かった。まだ無料のパンフレットがたくさんあった。最後の目的地は秋葉原でその日の旅を締めくくった。秋葉原にはアニメに関連する商品、博物館、カフェ、レストラン、電気店がいっぱいあった。日本のコミックやマンガに出てくるキャラクターのコスチュームを身にまとった「コスプレ」の人が大勢いた。幸運なことに９０００円でデジタルカメラが買えた。普通では１万円で売られているものだ。自分にとってお買い得商品だった。
とても満足のいく旅だった。東京の有名所を観光できてとてもよかった。ぜひまた行きたい。
MUSEUM -What's Going on?-
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD JANUARY 14. 2025Poke´mon x Crafts Exhibition: In the 1960s and 1970s, the media landscape drastically changed with the pervasive adoption of television and the emergence of video cameras, leading artists to integrate these new technologies into their work. Meanwhile, social activism gained momentum around the world, with major protest campaigns including the civil rights and anti-Vietnam War movements in the US. During this era, feminism emerged in the US as a mass movement with broad support, challenging the prevailing male-dominated social structure as an increasing number of women called for equality both in the workplace and at home. This environment spurred female artists to articulate the challenges and injustices they faced. In contrast to the predetermined subjects and forms of traditional painting, video was a relatively open and underexplored medium that proved effective in challenging societal norms and the one-sided portrayals common in the mass media. In this exhibit, which continues from the previous term, we present video works from the 1970s to today that emerged against the above-described historical background. Please also note several keywords that serve to contextualize the works. |
Taiichiro Yoshida, Jolteon, h62 118X45 |
While 8mm and 16mm films require developing and printing after shooting, video does not require such processes. The immediacy of video led to the widespread staging of live performances that are shown on the spot as they are shot, as well as improvisatory filming practices. Video’s minimal gap between generation and completion of images allowed artists to engage with their images while shooting, resulting in works that incorporated everyday subjects and personal elements. |
Period: − Sunday, February 2, 2025
Venue: AZABU HILLS GALLERY
Closed: Tuesdays
Hours: 10:00 - 19:00 / -20:00 on Fridays, Saturdays and days before holidays (last admission 30 minutes before closing)
Admission: Adults: 1,800yen / Vocational school/university students: 1,600yen / High school and junior high school students: 1,300yen / Age 4 - Elementary school students: 600yen
For more information, please visit
https://www.azabudai-hills.com
Feminism and the Moving Image（2025.2.11−6.15） In the 1960s and 1970s, the media landscape drastically changed with the pervasive adoption of television and the emergence of video cameras, leading artists to integrate these new technologies into their work. Meanwhile, social activism gained momentum around the world, with major protest campaigns including the civil rights and anti-Vietnam War movements in the US. During this era, feminism emerged in the US as a mass movement with broad support, challenging the prevailing male-dominated social structure as an increasing number of women called for equality both in the workplace and at home. This environment spurred female artists to articulate the challenges and injustices they faced. In contrast to the predetermined subjects and forms of traditional painting, video was a relatively open and underexplored medium that proved effective in challenging societal norms and the one-sided portrayals common in the mass media. In this exhibit, which continues from the previous term, we present video works from the 1970s to today that emerged against the above-described historical background. Please also note several keywords that serve to contextualize the works. |
Martha Rosler, Semiotics of the Kitchen, 1975 |
While 8mm and 16mm films require developing and printing after shooting, video does not require such processes. The immediacy of video led to the widespread staging of live performances that are shown on the spot as they are shot, as well as improvisatory filming practices. Video’s minimal gap between generation and completion of images allowed artists to engage with their images while shooting, resulting in works that incorporated everyday subjects and personal elements. |
Period: February 11−June 15, 2025
Venue: The National Museum of Modern Art Tokyo
Closed: Mondays (except 2/24, 3/31, 5/5) , 2/25,5/7
Hours: 10:00 − 17:00 / - 20:00 on Fridays and Saturdays (last admission 30 minutes before closing)
Admission: Adults: 500 yen / College ＆ University Students: 250yen
Strange but True
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD JANUARY 31. 2025Math Homework for 7 Year-old...
People have been left scratching their heads over a maths homework question that's 'too hard for children''. In a desperate search for the answer, a social media user has ask for help to work out the solution, admitting they've spent half and hour trying to figure it out. They said: "Help me solve my son's third grade maths homework. What's the missing letter in this sequence? J, L, L, ___, N, R, P, U, R, X. I've spent half an hour trying to solve a problem meant for a seven year-old and I can't figure it out." Explaining their working, the parent shared how they followed the rules: "V SBYYBJRQ GUR EHYRF." But while some users were able to solve the maths problem without issue, others struggled to understand the question it was asking, let alone the solution. One user said: "Seems pretty hard for a seven-year-old kids." Sharing the answer and their working out, another user said: "The answer is JLLONRPURX. Basically the pattern is that on every odd turn, you move right along the alphabet, starting at 2 steps and increasing by one each time. On every even step, you move left along the alphabet, starting at 0 and moving -1 further along each time. "So if you imagine the alphabet as a number line, with J at zero, then your ‘encryption’ is: +2-0+3-1+4-2+5-3+6 I’m sure there’s a maths teacher who can word an explanation better than mine, seems pretty hard for a seven year old!"
Problem
What's the missing letter in this sequence?
J, L, L, ___, N, R, P, U, R, X.
Were you able to solve the problem?
*
*
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
