Plain Talk
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD MARCH 14. 2025My Day at Gala Yuzawa by Manika Mishra
Nestled in the heart of Niigata, Gala Yuzawa is a dream destination for winter enthusiasts. My recent visit to this picturesque snow resort was nothing short of magical. Just 75 minutes from Tokyo by Shinkansen, Gala Yuzawa offers a perfect blend of convenience and breathtaking scenery. As I arrived, the first thing that struck me was the stunning snow-covered landscape, as if I had stepped into a winter postcard.
The resort is directly connected to the train station, making it incredibly easy to access. After gearing up, I took a gondola ride up the mountain, and the views along the way were mesmerising, rolling hills blanketed in pristine white snow, glistening under the soft winter sun. The skiing experience was exhilarating. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced skier, Gala Yuzawa caters to all levels. For me, gliding down the gentle slopes, surrounded by awe-inspiring views, was an unforgettable adventure. Even if skiing isn’t your thing, there’s plenty to do. I tried sledding, which was pure joy, and soaked in the hot springs, a rejuvenating way to warm up after a day in the snow.
What stood out most was the friendly atmosphere and well-organized facilities. The staff were welcoming, and everything from rentals to dining options was thoughtfully arranged. Speaking of food, I couldn’t leave without trying some local Niigata delicacies hearty, comforting, and perfect for the cold weather. Gala Yuzawa isn’t just a ski resort, it’s an experience that captures the essence of Japan’s winter beauty. Whether you’re seeking adventure, relaxation, or a mix of both, this place has something for everyone. My day there was a perfect escape, and I can’t wait to return for another dose of snowy magic.
新潟の中心に位置するガーラ湯沢は、冬を愛する人たちにとって夢のような場所だ。私は最近絵のように美しいこのスキー場を訪れたが、まさに魔法のようだった。東京から新幹線でわずか75分で着くガーラ湯沢は、利便性と息を呑むような景色が完璧に融合する。到着してまず目に飛び込むのは見事な雪景色で、まるで冬の絵葉書の世界に入り込んだような気持ちに鳴った。
スキー場は鉄道駅に直結しており、アクセスは驚くほど簡単だ。なだらかな丘が真っ白な雪に覆われ、柔らかな冬の太陽の下でキラキラと輝いていた。スキー体験は爽快だった。初心者でも経験者でも、ガーラ湯沢はすべてのレベルに対応している。私にとって、畏敬の念を抱かせる景色に囲まれながら緩やかな斜面を滑り降りるのは、忘れられない冒険だった。スキーが苦手でも、楽しめることはたくさんある。私はそり滑りに挑戦し、純粋な喜びを味わった。また、温泉に浸かり、雪山での1日の疲れを癒した。
最も際立っていたのは、心地良い雰囲気と手入れの行き届いた施設だった。スタッフは温かく迎えてくれて、レンタル選びから食事に至るまですべてにおいて心を込めたおもてなしが感じられる。食事といえば、新潟の郷土料理を食べずに帰るわけにはいかない。ガーラ湯沢は単なるスキーリゾートではなく、日本の冬の美しさの本質をとらえる体験ができる。冒険を求める人も、リラックスを求める人も、あるいはその両方を求める人も、この場所には誰もが楽しめる何かがある。私にとって完璧に現実逃避ができた一日だった。また雪の魔法にかかるために戻ってくる日が待ちきれない。
Plain Talk
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD TNB Throwback APRIL 14. 2017"PRETTY WOMAN" by Alma Reyes
The epitome of the Japanese woman has always been one striking element of Japanese culture and tradition that foreigners find so magnetic and exotic. The novel “Memoirs of a Geisha” by Arthur Golden tells the world how Japanese women can be both gentle and fiery beneath the fine contours of the silk kimono. Over the past twenty years, women in Japan have been taking more active roles in society―working later hours, heading organizations, assuming managerial posts, and choosing not to have children to fulfill lasting careers. Still, this percentage of proactive women ranks fairly low compared to women’s statures in other countries in Asia, and more so in the Western front.
We have all heard of the “OL” (office lady) phenomenon that has existed in Japan for over fifty years since after WWII. One would think that the stereotyped scenario of female employees making and serving tea, running photocopies, buying lunches for kacho and bucho (department heads), or cleaning bosses’ desks would have progressed by now to more challenging responsibilities. Not quite.
Despite approaching the latter part of the 21st century, fresh female graduates stepping into their first taste of corporate life could still be subjected to routinary days making and serving tea to visitors who drop by the office. They are most likely to be instructed to buy milk, sugar, cream, or toilet paper from the convenience store, buy stamps and deliver packages to the post office, and sometimes seniority or having a graduate degree are not exceptions. In contrast, a newly hired male employee would not be obliged to make and serve coffee nor run errands.
When you step out of the corporate world and hit the back streets of Tokyo, you may unluckily find sleazy places that hire joshi chugakusei or junior high school girls, and joshi kokosei or senior high school girls, dressed in their typical cutey short-skirted high school uniforms to “attend” to male customers who come to the shops just to fancy looking at them. These young girls go home with minimal wage just enough to spend on their favorite luxury bags or eat at some fancy restaurant. Pop idol groups consisting of high school girls, again, in short-skirted high school uniforms, though earning more handsomely than their counterpart cute girls in backstreet shops, sacrifice their education for wealth and fame, and social life by having to avoid the tempting glances of cute boys that swoon them to relationships in the risk of getting fired.
The prevalent male fetishism in Japan for minor-aged girls looking “kawai” (cute) and innocent goes beyond media exploitation in television, movies, advertisement, and manga. It truly is tough being female in the Japanese workforce; more so being a female gaijin (foreigner), and who may be pregnant or a mother over 30 years old. The coming Tokyo Olympics in 2020 may, perhaps, be a pivotal point for women’s issues―to provide them more aspiring opportunities in work where their skills and abilities can be best utilized and respected by all.
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 MARCH 14, 2025
Green Ireland Festival 2025
Experience Ireland in Japan on March 15 (Sat) and 16 (Sun) with Irish food, dance, music and more! "Green Ireland Festival 2025" will be held at Yoyogi Park Events Square.
Ireland Japan Chamber of Commerce will be hosting the biggest Irish event in Asia, the ‘Green Ireland Festival’ (GIF), on Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th 2025, at Yoyogi Park Events Square, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo.
Formerly known as the 'I Love Ireland Festival' or ILIF, we are excited to bring back this fantastic 2-day event to celebrate all things GREEN and IRISH! So come join in the craic, bring your friends, family, and colleagues, and wear something green! For two days, you can enjoy Ireland in Japan, from traditional culture to the latest trends in culture, gourmet food, and more. Come on out and be Irish, surrounded by greenery! This event is perfect for both Ireland fans and those who want to know more about Ireland.
2/16 (Sat) & 17 (Sun) @ Yoyogi Park (Closest Sta.: Harajuku Sta.)
St. Patrick's Day Ce´ili´
Irish ce´ili´ dancing is the native group dancing of Ireland and is danced to traditional Irish music. Some of the ce´ili´ dances can be traced back to the 1500's. Most ce´ili´ dances are danced to reels or jigs. Some are danced to single jigs and some sections of The Three Tunes are danced to hornpipes.
Ce´ili´ dances can have various formations including two couples (Four Hand Reel and Humours of Bandon), three couples (Duke Reel), four couples (Morris Reel, Eight Hand Jig etc.), six couples (Lannigan's Ball), or eight couples (Sixteen Hand Reel) in a group. Lines of two opposite two (Walls of Limerick, Antrim Reel etc), three opposite three (Fairy Reel, Harvest Time Jig etc.) or four opposite four (Siege of Ennis). Each line would progress to meet a new line of dancers and repeat the same movements with them.
If you want to dance after the parade, join the ce´ili´ dance party! There will also be a dance corner for beginners, so everyone can have fun.
Come celebrate St. Patrick's Day dancing ce´ili´!
3/16 (Sun) 18:30-21:30 @ Umegaoka Park Hall (Closest Sta.: Umegaoka Sta.)
https://comhaltas.jp/event/st-patricks-day-ceili-2025
Have You Been To...
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD FEBRUARY 28, 2025
Oga Aquarium GAO [Oga Akita]
The Oga Aquarium GAO, built along the coast of the Oga Peninsula, is a very popular spot for families. It breeds and exhibits as many as 10,000 living creatures of about 400 species, and visitors can enjoy a wide variety of corners such as the "Hata Hata Museum" specializing in the Akita Prefecture fish, the grouper, and the "Fins Legs's House" where cute seals and sea lions can be seen.
Mototaki Fukuryusui [Nikaho, Akita]
Mototaki Fukuryusui Underflow is located at the foot of Mt. Chokai, at the border of Akita and Yamagata Prefectures. Water gushes out from the rock face of rich and beautiful moss. The white of the vigorously flowing water and the green of the moss on the rocks. What is striking about Motodaki subterranean water is the contrast between the green and white colors. The water flowing overflowing from the rock face grows beautiful moss on the rocks.
Gesshoji Temple [Matsue, Shimane]
It is the family temple of the Matsue feudal lord, the Matsudaira family, and contains the graves of Naomasa I through Naritake IX. The graves and mausoleum gate are almost exactly as they were in those days, and Koizumi Yakumo is said to have praised the quiet elegance of the temple. In the Shoin, visitors can enjoy a cup of green tea (with sweets) with a view of the garden.
Lake Shinji [Matsue, Shimane]
Just looking at it is not enough. The sunset in Matsue is also a bliss to be savored in its entirety with the body, or the serenity of looking at yourself in the shimmering light of Lake Shinji. It is an unforgettable experience and a healing time that fills you with a sense of contentment. Yes, the sunset in this city gives you not only beauty. It is an experience that will dye your heart as well.
Tokyo Voice Column
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD TNB Throwback: APRIL 24. 2015
Streetball in Shinjuku by David Alexander S. Dial
Despite Japan’s historically poor record in international play, there is actually a strong basketball community in Japan. While few have been able to make a career out of the sport, many follow their passion in the same way Americans do back home − through pick-up street basketball, or “streetball”.
Back in the States, it is fairly easy to play streetball. Basketball courts are found at almost every city park, and the sport is often taught in elementary school physical education classes, so kids learn the rules at an early age. In Japan, it is a little more difficult. Basketball courts are few and far between, and many courts do not garner a lot of attention, making it hard to just show up and play a game. There are a few hot spots though, if you know where to look.
Technically one of the oldest (albeit renovated) basketball courts in Tokyo can be found in one of the busiest towns. Shinjuku has a little bit of everything you happen to be looking for, and this includes basketball. In the middle of Kabuki-cho, about a minute walk from Seibu Shinjuku Station, is Okubo Park. The park has facilities for both futsal and basketball. While the hoops are rolling portable goals, they are quite stable. Boundary lines, free throw, lane, and three-point lines are all marked. There are technically two facing baskets; however, the court is rather short in length, so it is mainly used for half-court games. The drawback to this court is the hours, which differ depending on the time of year. The court is enclosed in a fence on all sides, which is locked during off hours.
The appeal to the Kabuki-cho court is its location. Of the major streetball courts in Tokyo, it is the one closest to the station. Convenience stores and restaurants are also very close. If you are looking to play a half-court game and don’t want to go too far from the station, give this court a try.
国際試合の停止処分を受けたにもかかわらず、日本にはバスケットボール人気をささえるコミュニティがある。バスケットボールで栄光を手にする人はほとんどいないのに、多くの日本人は母国のアメリカでアメリカ人が興じるように、通りでバスケットボール『ストリートボール』を楽しむ。
アメリカではストリートボールは手軽にできる。バスケットボールのコートはどこの都市にもあるし、小学校の体育の授業で習うので、低学年の頃からルールに慣れ親しむ。しかし日本では事情が少し異なる。バスケットボールのコートはあまり注目されないし、手軽に試合ができるような環境ではない。いくつかコートはあるが、詳しい人じゃないとどこにあるかわからない。
実際に、東京のど真ん中に昔からある（リニューアル済）バスケットボールコートがある。新宿という街には探せば求める何かがあり、バスケットボールもそうだ。西武新宿駅から歩いて数分の歌舞伎町に大久保公園があり、そこにはバスケットボールとフットサルコートがある。バスケットリングは可動式ゴールだが、安定感がある。境界線、フリースロー、レーン、スリーポイントラインはすべて線引きされている。形の上では、ゴールが対面するコートだが、長さが短いため主にハーフコートゲームが行われる。このコートの弱点は時間で、一年のうちで利用時間が変わる。コートは４面がフェンスで囲まれ、利用できない時間は鍵がかけられる。
歌舞伎町のコートの魅力的な点はそのロケーションだ。東京のストリートコートのうちでももっとも駅に近く、コンビニやレストランがすぐ近くにある。ストリートボールを楽しみたい、でも遠くまで行きたくはないと思っている人なら、ぜひ出かけてみるといい。
MUSEUM -What's Going on?-
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD MARCH 14. 2025
Hilma af Klint: The Beyond
This exhibition is the first major retrospective in Asia of Hilma af Klint (1862−1944), a pioneer of abstract painting. The painter from Sweden has been reevaluated in recent years as a creator of abstract paintings that preceded her contemporaries, such as Wassily Kandinsky and Piet Mondrian. For many years, her oeuvre of more than 1,000 works was known only to a very few people. As late as in the 1980s, several exhibitions began to introduce her works, and by the turn of the 21st century, her presence became international all at once. Her 2018 retrospective at the Guggenheim Museum in New York, attracted more than 600,000 visitors, the largest attendance in the museum’s history. *As of 2019
Including The Ten Largest (1907), a set of ten paintings over three meters high, all 140 works in this exhibition will travel to Japan for the first time. Centering on her representative accomplishment, The Paintings for the Temple (1906−15), the exhibition will provide an overview of af Klint’s career in five chapters, while introducing materials left by the artist and diverse sources of her inspiration, including the esotericism and the women’s movements of her time.
The Ten Largest, Group IV, No. 3, Youth,
1907
By courtesy of
The Hilma af Klint Foundation
Hilma af Klint（1862−1944）
Hilma af Klint grew up in a wealthy Swedish family, graduated with honors from the Royal Academy of Art and worked as a professional painter. At the same time, she was devoted to esotericism and, through her experience of se´ances, created abstract expressions that differed from academic painting. She is considered an extremely important figure in the history of modern art for her pioneering nature of expression and meticulous systematization.
Period: − June 15, 2025
Venue: The National Museum of Modern Art Tokyo
Closed: Mondays (except 3/31& 5/5), 5/7
Hours: 10am - 5pm / -8pm on Fridays and Saturdays (last admission 30 minutes before? closing)
Admission: Adults ￥2,300 (￥2,100) College & University Students ￥1,200 (￥1,000) High School Students ￥700 (￥500)
For more information, please visit
The heretical genius - Beardsley
Aubrey Beardsley (1872-1898), a painter who died at the age of 25. This British genius continued to create highly refined works, consisting of precise line drawings and bold black and white color planes, by candlelight. This Exhibition will feature approximately 220 pieces of Beardsley's art, including his breakthrough work Morte d'Arthur (1893-94) by Malory, Salome (1894) by Wilde, which is also well known in Japan, and his later masterpiece Mademoiselle de Maupin (1898) by Gautier, as well as illustrations and rare hand-drawn sketches from his early to later years, as well as colored posters and contemporary decorations.
Aubrey Beardsley (1872-1898) died at a young age, but left behind more than 1,000 works. To help his impoverished family, he worked as a clerk from the age of 16, while studying painting on his own and immersing himself in his creative endeavors while fighting the progression of pulmonary tuberculosis. It wasn't long before he started receiving job offers.
Even after achieving success as a painter, Beardsley did not belong to any particular school of painting, and continued to maintain his own unique style of painting, drawing the thick curtains closed and working by candlelight, even during the day.
Aubrey Beardsley, The Peacock Skirt,
1893 (original), 1907 (print),
line block/Japanese vellum,
34.4 x 27.2 cm (paper size)
Victoria and Albert Museum
Photo: Victoria and Albert Museum, London
This chapter recreates part of the creative environment in Beardsley's London home, which he acquired at the height of his career but then sold in the aftermath of the Wilde scandal.
Additionally, we will be showcasing some excellent examples of the "obscene pictures" he produced as a quick source of income to earn a living and which he hoped to dispose of towards the end of his life, namely those included in "Lysistrata" (1896).
Period: February 15 (Sat) - May 11 (Sun), 2025
Venue: Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum,Tokyo
Closed: Mondays (Except 2/24, 3/31, 4/28, and 5/5)
Hours: 10:00-18:00 / - 20:00 on Fridays (except for national holidays), the last weekday of the session, the second Wednesday of each month, and April 5th) (last admission 30 minutes before? closing)
Admission: General ￥2,300 / university student ￥1,300 / high school student ￥1,000
Strange but True
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD MARCH 14. 2025
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Surprising Facts About St. Patrick’s Day
1. Leprechauns Are Likely Based on Celtic Fairies
The red-haired, green-clothed Leprechaun is commonly associated with St. Patrick’s Day. The original Irish name for these figures of folklore is “lobaircin,” meaning “small-bodied fellow.” Belief in leprechauns likely stems from Celtic belief in fairies― tiny men and women who could use their magical powers to serve good or evil. In Celtic folktales, leprechauns were cranky souls, responsible for mending the shoes of the other fairies.
2. The Shamrock Was Considered a Sacred Plant
The shamrock, a three-leaf clover, has been associated with Ireland for centuries. It was called the “seamroy” by the Celts and was considered a sacred plant that symbolized the arrival of spring. According to legend, St. Patrick used the plant as a visual guide when explaining the Holy Trinity. By the 17th century, the shamrock had become a symbol of emerging Irish nationalism.
3. The First St. Patrick’s Day Parade Was Held in America
While people in Ireland had celebrated St. Patrick since the 1600s, the tradition of a St. Patrick’s Day parade began in America and actually predates the founding of the United States.Records show that a St. Patrick’s Day parade was held on March 17, 1601, in a Spanish colony in what is now St. Augustine, Florida. The parade and a St. Patrick’s Day celebration a year earlier were organized by the Spanish Colony's Irish vicar Ricardo Artur. More than a century later, homesick Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched in Boston in 1737 and in New York City on March 17. Enthusiasm for the St. Patrick’s Day parades in New York City, Boston and other early American cities only grew from there.
*
*
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 MARCH 14, 2025Green Ireland Festival 2025
Experience Ireland in Japan on March 15 (Sat) and 16 (Sun) with Irish food, dance, music and more! "Green Ireland Festival 2025" will be held at Yoyogi Park Events Square.
Ireland Japan Chamber of Commerce will be hosting the biggest Irish event in Asia, the ‘Green Ireland Festival’ (GIF), on Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th 2025, at Yoyogi Park Events Square, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo.
Formerly known as the 'I Love Ireland Festival' or ILIF, we are excited to bring back this fantastic 2-day event to celebrate all things GREEN and IRISH! So come join in the craic, bring your friends, family, and colleagues, and wear something green! For two days, you can enjoy Ireland in Japan, from traditional culture to the latest trends in culture, gourmet food, and more. Come on out and be Irish, surrounded by greenery! This event is perfect for both Ireland fans and those who want to know more about Ireland.
2/16 (Sat) & 17 (Sun) @ Yoyogi Park (Closest Sta.: Harajuku Sta.)
St. Patrick's Day Ce´ili´
Irish ce´ili´ dancing is the native group dancing of Ireland and is danced to traditional Irish music. Some of the ce´ili´ dances can be traced back to the 1500's. Most ce´ili´ dances are danced to reels or jigs. Some are danced to single jigs and some sections of The Three Tunes are danced to hornpipes.
Ce´ili´ dances can have various formations including two couples (Four Hand Reel and Humours of Bandon), three couples (Duke Reel), four couples (Morris Reel, Eight Hand Jig etc.), six couples (Lannigan's Ball), or eight couples (Sixteen Hand Reel) in a group. Lines of two opposite two (Walls of Limerick, Antrim Reel etc), three opposite three (Fairy Reel, Harvest Time Jig etc.) or four opposite four (Siege of Ennis). Each line would progress to meet a new line of dancers and repeat the same movements with them.
If you want to dance after the parade, join the ce´ili´ dance party! There will also be a dance corner for beginners, so everyone can have fun.
Come celebrate St. Patrick's Day dancing ce´ili´!
3/16 (Sun) 18:30-21:30 @ Umegaoka Park Hall (Closest Sta.: Umegaoka Sta.)
https://comhaltas.jp/event/st-patricks-day-ceili-2025
Have You Been To...
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD FEBRUARY 28, 2025Oga Aquarium GAO [Oga Akita]
The Oga Aquarium GAO, built along the coast of the Oga Peninsula, is a very popular spot for families. It breeds and exhibits as many as 10,000 living creatures of about 400 species, and visitors can enjoy a wide variety of corners such as the "Hata Hata Museum" specializing in the Akita Prefecture fish, the grouper, and the "Fins Legs's House" where cute seals and sea lions can be seen.
Mototaki Fukuryusui [Nikaho, Akita]
Mototaki Fukuryusui Underflow is located at the foot of Mt. Chokai, at the border of Akita and Yamagata Prefectures. Water gushes out from the rock face of rich and beautiful moss. The white of the vigorously flowing water and the green of the moss on the rocks. What is striking about Motodaki subterranean water is the contrast between the green and white colors. The water flowing overflowing from the rock face grows beautiful moss on the rocks.
Gesshoji Temple [Matsue, Shimane]
It is the family temple of the Matsue feudal lord, the Matsudaira family, and contains the graves of Naomasa I through Naritake IX. The graves and mausoleum gate are almost exactly as they were in those days, and Koizumi Yakumo is said to have praised the quiet elegance of the temple. In the Shoin, visitors can enjoy a cup of green tea (with sweets) with a view of the garden.
Lake Shinji [Matsue, Shimane]
Just looking at it is not enough. The sunset in Matsue is also a bliss to be savored in its entirety with the body, or the serenity of looking at yourself in the shimmering light of Lake Shinji. It is an unforgettable experience and a healing time that fills you with a sense of contentment. Yes, the sunset in this city gives you not only beauty. It is an experience that will dye your heart as well.
Tokyo Voice Column
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD TNB Throwback: APRIL 24. 2015Streetball in Shinjuku by David Alexander S. Dial
Despite Japan’s historically poor record in international play, there is actually a strong basketball community in Japan. While few have been able to make a career out of the sport, many follow their passion in the same way Americans do back home − through pick-up street basketball, or “streetball”.
Back in the States, it is fairly easy to play streetball. Basketball courts are found at almost every city park, and the sport is often taught in elementary school physical education classes, so kids learn the rules at an early age. In Japan, it is a little more difficult. Basketball courts are few and far between, and many courts do not garner a lot of attention, making it hard to just show up and play a game. There are a few hot spots though, if you know where to look.
Technically one of the oldest (albeit renovated) basketball courts in Tokyo can be found in one of the busiest towns. Shinjuku has a little bit of everything you happen to be looking for, and this includes basketball. In the middle of Kabuki-cho, about a minute walk from Seibu Shinjuku Station, is Okubo Park. The park has facilities for both futsal and basketball. While the hoops are rolling portable goals, they are quite stable. Boundary lines, free throw, lane, and three-point lines are all marked. There are technically two facing baskets; however, the court is rather short in length, so it is mainly used for half-court games. The drawback to this court is the hours, which differ depending on the time of year. The court is enclosed in a fence on all sides, which is locked during off hours.
The appeal to the Kabuki-cho court is its location. Of the major streetball courts in Tokyo, it is the one closest to the station. Convenience stores and restaurants are also very close. If you are looking to play a half-court game and don’t want to go too far from the station, give this court a try.
国際試合の停止処分を受けたにもかかわらず、日本にはバスケットボール人気をささえるコミュニティがある。バスケットボールで栄光を手にする人はほとんどいないのに、多くの日本人は母国のアメリカでアメリカ人が興じるように、通りでバスケットボール『ストリートボール』を楽しむ。
アメリカではストリートボールは手軽にできる。バスケットボールのコートはどこの都市にもあるし、小学校の体育の授業で習うので、低学年の頃からルールに慣れ親しむ。しかし日本では事情が少し異なる。バスケットボールのコートはあまり注目されないし、手軽に試合ができるような環境ではない。いくつかコートはあるが、詳しい人じゃないとどこにあるかわからない。
実際に、東京のど真ん中に昔からある（リニューアル済）バスケットボールコートがある。新宿という街には探せば求める何かがあり、バスケットボールもそうだ。西武新宿駅から歩いて数分の歌舞伎町に大久保公園があり、そこにはバスケットボールとフットサルコートがある。バスケットリングは可動式ゴールだが、安定感がある。境界線、フリースロー、レーン、スリーポイントラインはすべて線引きされている。形の上では、ゴールが対面するコートだが、長さが短いため主にハーフコートゲームが行われる。このコートの弱点は時間で、一年のうちで利用時間が変わる。コートは４面がフェンスで囲まれ、利用できない時間は鍵がかけられる。
歌舞伎町のコートの魅力的な点はそのロケーションだ。東京のストリートコートのうちでももっとも駅に近く、コンビニやレストランがすぐ近くにある。ストリートボールを楽しみたい、でも遠くまで行きたくはないと思っている人なら、ぜひ出かけてみるといい。
MUSEUM -What's Going on?-
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD MARCH 14. 2025Hilma af Klint: The Beyond This exhibition is the first major retrospective in Asia of Hilma af Klint (1862−1944), a pioneer of abstract painting. The painter from Sweden has been reevaluated in recent years as a creator of abstract paintings that preceded her contemporaries, such as Wassily Kandinsky and Piet Mondrian. For many years, her oeuvre of more than 1,000 works was known only to a very few people. As late as in the 1980s, several exhibitions began to introduce her works, and by the turn of the 21st century, her presence became international all at once. Her 2018 retrospective at the Guggenheim Museum in New York, attracted more than 600,000 visitors, the largest attendance in the museum’s history. *As of 2019 |
The Ten Largest, Group IV, No. 3, Youth, |
Hilma af Klint（1862−1944） |
Period: − June 15, 2025
Venue: The National Museum of Modern Art Tokyo
Closed: Mondays (except 3/31& 5/5), 5/7
Hours: 10am - 5pm / -8pm on Fridays and Saturdays (last admission 30 minutes before? closing)
Admission: Adults ￥2,300 (￥2,100) College & University Students ￥1,200 (￥1,000) High School Students ￥700 (￥500)
For more information, please visit
The heretical genius - Beardsley Aubrey Beardsley (1872-1898), a painter who died at the age of 25. This British genius continued to create highly refined works, consisting of precise line drawings and bold black and white color planes, by candlelight. This Exhibition will feature approximately 220 pieces of Beardsley's art, including his breakthrough work Morte d'Arthur (1893-94) by Malory, Salome (1894) by Wilde, which is also well known in Japan, and his later masterpiece Mademoiselle de Maupin (1898) by Gautier, as well as illustrations and rare hand-drawn sketches from his early to later years, as well as colored posters and contemporary decorations. |
Aubrey Beardsley, The Peacock Skirt, |
This chapter recreates part of the creative environment in Beardsley's London home, which he acquired at the height of his career but then sold in the aftermath of the Wilde scandal. |
Period: February 15 (Sat) - May 11 (Sun), 2025
Venue: Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum,Tokyo
Closed: Mondays (Except 2/24, 3/31, 4/28, and 5/5)
Hours: 10:00-18:00 / - 20:00 on Fridays (except for national holidays), the last weekday of the session, the second Wednesday of each month, and April 5th) (last admission 30 minutes before? closing)
Admission: General ￥2,300 / university student ￥1,300 / high school student ￥1,000
Strange but True
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD MARCH 14. 2025Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Surprising Facts About St. Patrick’s Day
1. Leprechauns Are Likely Based on Celtic Fairies
The red-haired, green-clothed Leprechaun is commonly associated with St. Patrick’s Day. The original Irish name for these figures of folklore is “lobaircin,” meaning “small-bodied fellow.” Belief in leprechauns likely stems from Celtic belief in fairies― tiny men and women who could use their magical powers to serve good or evil. In Celtic folktales, leprechauns were cranky souls, responsible for mending the shoes of the other fairies.
2. The Shamrock Was Considered a Sacred Plant
The shamrock, a three-leaf clover, has been associated with Ireland for centuries. It was called the “seamroy” by the Celts and was considered a sacred plant that symbolized the arrival of spring. According to legend, St. Patrick used the plant as a visual guide when explaining the Holy Trinity. By the 17th century, the shamrock had become a symbol of emerging Irish nationalism.
3. The First St. Patrick’s Day Parade Was Held in America
While people in Ireland had celebrated St. Patrick since the 1600s, the tradition of a St. Patrick’s Day parade began in America and actually predates the founding of the United States.Records show that a St. Patrick’s Day parade was held on March 17, 1601, in a Spanish colony in what is now St. Augustine, Florida. The parade and a St. Patrick’s Day celebration a year earlier were organized by the Spanish Colony's Irish vicar Ricardo Artur. More than a century later, homesick Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched in Boston in 1737 and in New York City on March 17. Enthusiasm for the St. Patrick’s Day parades in New York City, Boston and other early American cities only grew from there.
*
*
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
