Plain Talk
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD DECEMBER 26. 2025RURAL REFLECTIONS - What 11 Years in Provincial Japan Taught Me by Marshall Hughes
McNay-Garwood Publishing, Tokyo, Japan 2025.2.10, 239pp, JPY1837 in Japan, $11.99 USD
Over the years there have been at least 10 books written by former ALTs (assistant language teachers) about their experiences of teaching in Japanese schools. Some were written by people who lived in large cities, but the majority were written by teachers who lived in inaka (rural) Japan. Of course, some are more interesting, informative and insightful than others.
?Probably the most famous among them is Bruce Feilers’ 2004 Learning to Bow. The Yale- and Cambridge-educated Feiler, who later become a famous author and TV personality, lived in Sano, Tochigi in 1988.
?The most recently-written ALT book (2025) and the book with the highest ratings both on Amazon (4.9 out of 5 stars) and Goodreads (4.3 out of 5 stars) is Marshall Hughes’ Rural Reflections: What 11 Years in Provincial Japan Taught Me. Hughes, a former newspaper writer, writes about his Japan escapades of 1990-2011.
Hughes taught in four villages or cities in Tochigi and Ibaraki, and in both junior high and high schools, so his experiences were probably more broad than other writers’, most of whom lived in only one place and that for only one year. He also evataught occasionally in elementary schools, kindergartens and community classes. In one of his community classes Hughes tells of an elderly man saying in front of the class, “When I was younger, I wanted to be a soldier so I could kill many Americans.” Hughes did not ask a follow-up question.
?His book tells of not just typical foreigner experiences like climbing Mt. Fuji and going to sumo tournaments, but also of very unusual experiences, even for Japan’s countryside.
?He also had to deal with students dying from suicides (including one of his favorite students), a drowning, bike accidents, car accidents and cancer.
?You can tell that Hughes loved his time in rural Japan, but he does not sugarcoat things. He tees off several times on the medical care available in countryside hospitals, including one story where a doctor all but tortured him by preforming an operation and “forgetting” to use anesthesia.
Of Hughes’ book, Author Evan Powell wrote, "In Rural Reflections, Hughes takes us with him on a journey into a rural Japanese culture with which most Americans are unfamiliar. Through his experiences as an English teacher in Japanese schools he encounters cultural differences that are at times charming, puzzling, and occasionally disturbing to typical American sensibilities. He provides us a unique window into a fascinating Japanese culture that we might not otherwise come to appreciate and experience. An utterly charming and engaging read!"
?The book is available on Amazon and Kindle.
長年にわたり、元ALT(外国語アシスタント教師)が日本の学校で教師経験について書いた本はすくなくとも１０冊は出版されてきた。もっとも最近出版されたALTの本でAmazon(5つ星で4.9)とGoodreads(5つ星で4.3)の両方で高い評価を得ている本は、マーシャル・ヒューズ著の『RURAL REFLECTIONS -日本での11年間が私に教えてくれた事』だ。元新聞記者のヒューズ氏は,1990年から2011年にかけての日本での冒険について記している。著作者であるエヴァン・パウエル氏は、『ヒューズ氏は私達をほとんどのアメリカ人が馴染みのない日本の田舎の文化へと連れて行ってくれる。日本の学校の英語教師として働く経験を通して、彼は時に魅力的で、特に不可解で、時に典型的なアメリカ人の感覚をゆさぶるような文化の違いに遭遇する。私達が理解したり経験したりできないかもしれないような魅力的な日本文化へのユニークな窓を彼は開いてくれる。実に魅力的で、心を奪われる読み物だ！」と書いている。
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Plain Talk
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD TNB Throwback DECEMBER 08. 2017Glow in the Dark: Winter Illumination by Jennifer Nakajima
After we had experienced the beauty of Autumn season every year and capturing its magnificent colours of fall leaves. Then, finally " Winter Season" here it comes. Woah! just to think of it, sooo cold and frozen..! I hope you dont feeling blue that way because even winter there are so much fun to do.
Illumination is one kind of event held every year warmly entertaining people during freezing winter holidays season. Every town and cities has decorating spectacular thousands and millions of LEDs to transform it to a magical fantasy land. Here are one of the best festive options for lighting up your day during Winter Holiday Season this year 2017:
1. Tokyo Skytree Dream Christmas: (from Nov 9 to Dec 25)
Its two observation decks are lights illuminating both sides and also the Top of the Tower. You will be curious about its two lighting styles " Iki ", the spirit of edo, and " Miyabi " , its aesthetics.
2. Caretta Shiodome Illumination: ( from Nov 16 to Feb 14)
You could enjoy its theme Disney's Beauty and the Beast with Ballroom Dance Scene set which has covered Caretta Shiodome park with thousands of LEDs lit up like a fantasy world.
3. Roppongi hills Artelligent Christmas: (from Nov 25 to Dec 25)
The popular city of Tokyo will be lit up about 1,200,000 LEDs with a wonderful theme of " Snow and Blue " to " Candle and Red."
4. Tokyo Dome City Winter Illumination: (from Nov 9 to Feb 18)
One of the Star of the Night and Top illumination event held from the rest in Tokyo. It has impressive illuminations beautifully decorated to experience and enjoy during Winter holidays that you can spend every night.
5. Omotesando Illumination: (from Nov 30 to Dec 25)
Tokyo's most popular street for illumination during the Christmas season.
Explore and admire the breathtaking illuminations of Tokyo by night. Towns and Cities are lit up emphasizing the magical atmosphere in the heart of Tokyo.
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!
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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 DECEMBER 26, 2025
COUNTDOWN JAPAN 2025/26
COUNTDOWN JAPAN is Japan’s largest and most celebrated year-end music festival, a quintessential experience for fans of rock, pop, hip-hop, idol, and alternative music. Since its debut in 2003, it has become a landmark event in the country’s music calendar, attracting huge crowds each December to Makuhari Messe in Chiba Prefecture, its annual venue. Over the years, the festival has expanded both in scale and ambition, establishing itself as a must-attend event for music lovers nationwide.
For 2025/26, the festival reaches its longest format yet, running five full days from December 27 to 31, spread across multiple halls at Makuhari Messe. This extended schedule reflects the enormous popularity of the event, with tickets consistently selling out fast and making COUNTDOWN JAPAN one of the most competitive festivals in Japan to secure passes for.
The lineup is a showcase of genre diversity and star power. Fans can expect iconic Japanese rock bands like Asian Kung-Fu Generation and Saucy Dog, pop sensations such as Kyary Pamyu Pamyu and Vaundy, alongside international acts and K-pop stars including LE SSERAFIM and TWS. This year features approximately 179 artists performing across multiple stages, ensuring non-stop music, vibrant energy, and unforgettable performances right up to midnight.
What makes COUNTDOWN JAPAN unique is its indoor, all-ages format, ideal for winter celebrations. Multiple stages, large LED screens, and a wide variety of music genres create an immersive experience where attendees can connect, dance, and enjoy live performances together. It’s not just a festival ― it’s a communal celebration of music, culture, and the New Year spirit.
Whether you’re there for your favorite artists, eager to discover new music, or simply looking to welcome the New Year with excitement, COUNTDOWN JAPAN offers an unforgettable experience and remains an essential part of Japan’s year-end festivities.
Date：Dec 27－Dec 31, 2025
@ Makuhari Messe (Kaihimmakuhari Sta. on the JR Keiyo Line)
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Have You Been To...
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD DECEMBER 26, 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.
Seagaia [Miyazaki, Miyazaki]
Phoenix Seagaia Resort is offering a variety of events to celebrate the start of 2024, including a countdown and New Year's fireworks display that can be viewed from all guest rooms at the Sheraton Grande Ocean Resort, a New Year's calligraphy ceremony, a toso (Japanese sake) toast, and a bus tour of good luck spots. Celebrate the start of 2024, including the countdown and New Year's fireworks.
Hakkeijima Sea Paradise [Yokohama, Kanagawa]
At the moment the New Year arrives, approximately 3,000 "New Year Fireworks Sinfonia" fireworks will be launched, and the fireworks will dance and shine to the music to celebrate the start of the New Year. There will also be many other events such as countdown live performances and comedy performances. In particular, the special dolphin show on New Year's Eve will be a must-see event.
Huis Ten Bosch [Sasebo, Nagasaki]
How about a special night to welcome the New Year in Huis Ten Bosch? On New Year's Eve, December 31st, a huge fireworks display will be launched at the moment of the countdown, and several special live performances will be given by a number of gorgeous guests. The countdown fireworks boast the largest number of fireworks in Japan, totaling approximately 8,000 shots.
Tokyo Voice Column
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD TNB Throwback: NOVEMBER 25. 2016
Gaijin Buys Socks For Party by John Gribble
The other day, in preparation for a wedding celebration, my wife Miwako and I went to a sock boutique in Kichijoji to buy navy blue dress socks to go with my navy blue marrying-and-burying suit.
As I completed the purchase a woman with a clipboard came up. She asked if we would allow ourselves to be interviewed for a TV spot on the store and the surrounding shopping district.
We agreed, and soon answered on camera
where I was from (California),
why we had come to this particular store (I needed socks),
were we happy with the shopping experience (Yes, indeed!),
were the socks comfortable (How the heck would I know? I hadn’t worn them yet!),
and would we come back (we certainly would).
Our interview ended with me dangling the socks like four dark dead fish, the day’s catch, in front of the camera for some future TV audience to enjoy. I love Japan.
先日、結婚式の準備のため、冠婚葬祭用のブルーのスーツにあう靴下を買おうと妻、ミワコと吉祥寺にある靴下専門店へ行った。
買い物を済ませると、クリップボードを持った女性が近寄って来た。彼女はこの店とこの界隈の店についてTV撮影しておりインタビューに応じてくれないか尋ねた。
僕たちは承知して、すぐにカメラに向かって返答した。
どこから来たか（カリフォルニア）
なぜこの店に買い物に来たか（靴下が買いたかった）
買い物をするのは楽しいか（もちろんだよ！）
履き心地のいい靴下か（どうやったらわかるんだ。まだ履いていない！）
また来店するか（もちろんまた来るよ）
インタビューは、黒っぽい死んだ魚のような靴下を４足ぶらぶら持った僕の映像で終わった。TVを見た人達はおかしかっただろう。僕は日本が大好きだ。
MUSEUM -What's Going on?-
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD DECEMBER 26. 2025
Roppongi Crossing 2025: What Passes Is Time. We Are Eternal.
Roppongi Crossingis a series of co-curated exhibitions staged every three years at the Mori Art Museum. The series was first launched in 2004 to provide a snapshot of Japan’s contemporary art scene at a particular moment in time. For this eighth edition, curators from the Mori Art Museum will be joined by two internationally active Asian guest curators to present total of twenty-one artists/artist groups under the theme of “time” - including those active in Japan regardless of nationality, as well as those based overseas with Japanese roots.
The exhibited works encompass not only painting, sculpture, and video, but also crafts, handicrafts, zines, and even community projects. A.A.Murakami’s immersive installations that transcend the domains of architecture and design, have won international acclaim. Kuwata Takuro’s colorful, large-scale ceramic works that exude an overwhelming beauty of form have also garnered much attention through his collaborations with overseas maisons. Hosoi Miyu, who has been creating works using her own voice and environmental sounds while also making theater works, will present a new sound piece. Oki Junko’s embroidery works resembling abstract paintings created through delicate handiwork have received recognition both domestically and internationally in recent years. These diverse and varied expressions, in total more than 100 pieces, come together in one space.
Wada Reijiro, MITTAG 2025 / Glass, brass, bronze, and brandy
238 x 212 x 79 cm / Installation view:Roppongi Crossing 2025:
What Passes Is Time. We Are Eternal., Mori Art Museum Tokyo, 2025-2026
Production support: SCAI THE BATHHOUSE, Tokyo Photo: Takehisa Naoki
The exhibition’s subtitleWhat Passes Is Time. We Are Eternal.indicates the preciousness and transience of time. Through the convergence of the unique, temporal experiences each work offers, this exhibition seeks to reexamine Japanese art from multiple perspectives.
Period: - 2026.3.29 [Sun]
Venue: Mori Art Museum (53F, Roppongi Hills Mori Tower)
Closed: Open every day
Hours: 10:00-22:00 / -17:00 on Tuesdays (22:00 on 12/30) & 12/8 (admission 30 minutes before closing)
Admission: Adults 2,200 yen / Students (University/Highschool) 1,500 yen / Children (Jr. High Students and under) Free
For more information, please visit
https://www.mori.art.museum/en
Learning from Design Maestros
21_21 DESIGN SIGHT will hold an exhibition "Learning from Design Maestros".
Human encounter provides avenues to think about the future of life and society. In this age of dramatically changing values, with its fast flows of mass information, we might wish to look back and consider masters who used design to articulate diverse viewpoints.
The exhibition introduces six towering figures under the label of Design Maestros. They are Bruno Munari (born Italy, 1907－1998), Max Bill (born Switzerland, 1908－1994), Achille Castiglioni (born Italy, 1918－2002), Otl Aicher (born Germany, 1922－1991), Enzo Mari (born Italy, 1932－2020), and Dieter Rams (born Germany, 1932－).
Some extended their work into teaching, assisting the development of future designers through education. But more importantly, all shared pioneering qualities, bringing new social insights. They opened up fresh eras by putting their hopes and beliefs into practice. This exhibition also includes the perspective of Shutaro Mukai (1932－2024) whose friendship with Max Bill and Otl Aicher laid the foundation for the Science of Design in Japan.
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Acts of design that entail thought, creativity and communication are inseparable from life itself. The exhibition uses documentary film to show the human dimensions of the six designers' endeavors, in their own words, and puts this alongside their representative masterworks. It provokes in visitors a sense of what these designers expected from their followers, and how we too should be independent and proactive.
The role of designing grows wider and deeper in contemporary society. Today we place greater importance on interrogating our creative standpoints. This exhibition helps visitors to look back on the unforgettable design activities of these six pioneers, and consider what kind of message they may offer to our society, as we search for the unknown. The visitors are invited to ponder the significance of these designers' achievements.
Period: - March 8 (Sun), 2026
Venue: 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT Gallery 1 & 2
Closed: Tuesdays, December 27 - January 3
Hours: 10:00 - 19:00 (Entrance until 18:30)
Admission: General ￥1,600 / University students ￥800 / High school students ￥500 / Junior high school students and under may enter for free
Strange but True
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD DECEMBER 26. 2025
Strange Signals
Scientists using the Antarctic Impulsive Transient Antenna (ANITA) have recently recorded baffling radio pulses coming from deep beneath Antarctica’s ice. ANITA, a balloon-borne detector originally designed to study cosmic neutrinos, detected signals arriving at unusually steep angles ― roughly 30° below the horizon ― suggesting they originated from the Earth rather than from space.This is puzzling because known particles, including neutrinos, should be absorbed long before traveling through such massive layers of ice and rock. Yet the pulses were strong enough to be detected, leaving physicists scratching their heads. Some researchers speculate these anomalies could point to previously unknown particle interactions, exotic matter, or even entirely new physics waiting to be discovered beneath the frozen continent. For now, these mysterious radio signals remain an enigma, silently echoing beneath Antarctica’s icy surface, challenging scientists to rethink what is possible in the natural world.
Glowing Moon
For centuries, astronomers have reported brief, unexplained flashes and glows on the Moon’s surface, phenomena collectively known as Transient Lunar Phenomena (TLPs). In 2025, these mysterious flashes continue to intrigue scientists and stargazers alike. Some appear to result from meteoroid impacts, a plausible explanation given the Moon’s lack of atmosphere to shield it from space debris.Other flashes remain unexplained. Recent research suggests they might be caused by sudden releases of gas from beneath the lunar surface or electrostatic dust disturbances, though these theories are still speculative. Each flash lasts just seconds, offering a fleeting glimpse into the Moon’s hidden and dynamic processes.These transient illuminations remind us that the Moon, often thought of as familiar, remains a place of wonder and unpredictability, sparking fascination and curiosity among astronomers and space enthusiasts worldwide.
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TOKYO NOTICE BOARD DECEMBER 26, 2025COUNTDOWN JAPAN 2025/26
COUNTDOWN JAPAN is Japan’s largest and most celebrated year-end music festival, a quintessential experience for fans of rock, pop, hip-hop, idol, and alternative music. Since its debut in 2003, it has become a landmark event in the country’s music calendar, attracting huge crowds each December to Makuhari Messe in Chiba Prefecture, its annual venue. Over the years, the festival has expanded both in scale and ambition, establishing itself as a must-attend event for music lovers nationwide.
For 2025/26, the festival reaches its longest format yet, running five full days from December 27 to 31, spread across multiple halls at Makuhari Messe. This extended schedule reflects the enormous popularity of the event, with tickets consistently selling out fast and making COUNTDOWN JAPAN one of the most competitive festivals in Japan to secure passes for.
The lineup is a showcase of genre diversity and star power. Fans can expect iconic Japanese rock bands like Asian Kung-Fu Generation and Saucy Dog, pop sensations such as Kyary Pamyu Pamyu and Vaundy, alongside international acts and K-pop stars including LE SSERAFIM and TWS. This year features approximately 179 artists performing across multiple stages, ensuring non-stop music, vibrant energy, and unforgettable performances right up to midnight.
What makes COUNTDOWN JAPAN unique is its indoor, all-ages format, ideal for winter celebrations. Multiple stages, large LED screens, and a wide variety of music genres create an immersive experience where attendees can connect, dance, and enjoy live performances together. It’s not just a festival ― it’s a communal celebration of music, culture, and the New Year spirit.
Whether you’re there for your favorite artists, eager to discover new music, or simply looking to welcome the New Year with excitement, COUNTDOWN JAPAN offers an unforgettable experience and remains an essential part of Japan’s year-end festivities.
Date：Dec 27－Dec 31, 2025
@ Makuhari Messe (Kaihimmakuhari Sta. on the JR Keiyo Line)
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Have You Been To...
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD DECEMBER 26, 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.
Seagaia [Miyazaki, Miyazaki]
Phoenix Seagaia Resort is offering a variety of events to celebrate the start of 2024, including a countdown and New Year's fireworks display that can be viewed from all guest rooms at the Sheraton Grande Ocean Resort, a New Year's calligraphy ceremony, a toso (Japanese sake) toast, and a bus tour of good luck spots. Celebrate the start of 2024, including the countdown and New Year's fireworks.
Hakkeijima Sea Paradise [Yokohama, Kanagawa]
At the moment the New Year arrives, approximately 3,000 "New Year Fireworks Sinfonia" fireworks will be launched, and the fireworks will dance and shine to the music to celebrate the start of the New Year. There will also be many other events such as countdown live performances and comedy performances. In particular, the special dolphin show on New Year's Eve will be a must-see event.
Huis Ten Bosch [Sasebo, Nagasaki]
How about a special night to welcome the New Year in Huis Ten Bosch? On New Year's Eve, December 31st, a huge fireworks display will be launched at the moment of the countdown, and several special live performances will be given by a number of gorgeous guests. The countdown fireworks boast the largest number of fireworks in Japan, totaling approximately 8,000 shots.
Tokyo Voice Column
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD TNB Throwback: NOVEMBER 25. 2016Gaijin Buys Socks For Party by John Gribble
The other day, in preparation for a wedding celebration, my wife Miwako and I went to a sock boutique in Kichijoji to buy navy blue dress socks to go with my navy blue marrying-and-burying suit.
As I completed the purchase a woman with a clipboard came up. She asked if we would allow ourselves to be interviewed for a TV spot on the store and the surrounding shopping district.
We agreed, and soon answered on camera
where I was from (California),
why we had come to this particular store (I needed socks),
were we happy with the shopping experience (Yes, indeed!),
were the socks comfortable (How the heck would I know? I hadn’t worn them yet!),
and would we come back (we certainly would).
Our interview ended with me dangling the socks like four dark dead fish, the day’s catch, in front of the camera for some future TV audience to enjoy. I love Japan.
先日、結婚式の準備のため、冠婚葬祭用のブルーのスーツにあう靴下を買おうと妻、ミワコと吉祥寺にある靴下専門店へ行った。
買い物を済ませると、クリップボードを持った女性が近寄って来た。彼女はこの店とこの界隈の店についてTV撮影しておりインタビューに応じてくれないか尋ねた。
僕たちは承知して、すぐにカメラに向かって返答した。
どこから来たか（カリフォルニア）
なぜこの店に買い物に来たか（靴下が買いたかった）
買い物をするのは楽しいか（もちろんだよ！）
履き心地のいい靴下か（どうやったらわかるんだ。まだ履いていない！）
また来店するか（もちろんまた来るよ）
インタビューは、黒っぽい死んだ魚のような靴下を４足ぶらぶら持った僕の映像で終わった。TVを見た人達はおかしかっただろう。僕は日本が大好きだ。
MUSEUM -What's Going on?-
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD DECEMBER 26. 2025Roppongi Crossing 2025: What Passes Is Time. We Are Eternal. Roppongi Crossingis a series of co-curated exhibitions staged every three years at the Mori Art Museum. The series was first launched in 2004 to provide a snapshot of Japan’s contemporary art scene at a particular moment in time. For this eighth edition, curators from the Mori Art Museum will be joined by two internationally active Asian guest curators to present total of twenty-one artists/artist groups under the theme of “time” - including those active in Japan regardless of nationality, as well as those based overseas with Japanese roots. |
Wada Reijiro, MITTAG 2025 / Glass, brass, bronze, and brandy |
The exhibition’s subtitleWhat Passes Is Time. We Are Eternal.indicates the preciousness and transience of time. Through the convergence of the unique, temporal experiences each work offers, this exhibition seeks to reexamine Japanese art from multiple perspectives. |
Period: - 2026.3.29 [Sun]
Venue: Mori Art Museum (53F, Roppongi Hills Mori Tower)
Closed: Open every day
Hours: 10:00-22:00 / -17:00 on Tuesdays (22:00 on 12/30) & 12/8 (admission 30 minutes before closing)
Admission: Adults 2,200 yen / Students (University/Highschool) 1,500 yen / Children (Jr. High Students and under) Free
For more information, please visit
https://www.mori.art.museum/en
Learning from Design Maestros 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT will hold an exhibition "Learning from Design Maestros". |
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Acts of design that entail thought, creativity and communication are inseparable from life itself. The exhibition uses documentary film to show the human dimensions of the six designers' endeavors, in their own words, and puts this alongside their representative masterworks. It provokes in visitors a sense of what these designers expected from their followers, and how we too should be independent and proactive. |
Period: - March 8 (Sun), 2026
Venue: 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT Gallery 1 & 2
Closed: Tuesdays, December 27 - January 3
Hours: 10:00 - 19:00 (Entrance until 18:30)
Admission: General ￥1,600 / University students ￥800 / High school students ￥500 / Junior high school students and under may enter for free
Strange but True
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD DECEMBER 26. 2025Strange Signals
Scientists using the Antarctic Impulsive Transient Antenna (ANITA) have recently recorded baffling radio pulses coming from deep beneath Antarctica’s ice. ANITA, a balloon-borne detector originally designed to study cosmic neutrinos, detected signals arriving at unusually steep angles ― roughly 30° below the horizon ― suggesting they originated from the Earth rather than from space.This is puzzling because known particles, including neutrinos, should be absorbed long before traveling through such massive layers of ice and rock. Yet the pulses were strong enough to be detected, leaving physicists scratching their heads. Some researchers speculate these anomalies could point to previously unknown particle interactions, exotic matter, or even entirely new physics waiting to be discovered beneath the frozen continent. For now, these mysterious radio signals remain an enigma, silently echoing beneath Antarctica’s icy surface, challenging scientists to rethink what is possible in the natural world.
Glowing Moon
For centuries, astronomers have reported brief, unexplained flashes and glows on the Moon’s surface, phenomena collectively known as Transient Lunar Phenomena (TLPs). In 2025, these mysterious flashes continue to intrigue scientists and stargazers alike. Some appear to result from meteoroid impacts, a plausible explanation given the Moon’s lack of atmosphere to shield it from space debris.Other flashes remain unexplained. Recent research suggests they might be caused by sudden releases of gas from beneath the lunar surface or electrostatic dust disturbances, though these theories are still speculative. Each flash lasts just seconds, offering a fleeting glimpse into the Moon’s hidden and dynamic processes.These transient illuminations remind us that the Moon, often thought of as familiar, remains a place of wonder and unpredictability, sparking fascination and curiosity among astronomers and space enthusiasts worldwide.
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50 Shades of Yikess
