Volume 04, Number 12
Features
Celebrate North America's National Days!
Weekender's rundown on the best ways to celebrate Canada Day and Independence Day.
By Danielle Tate-Stratton
As summer comes flying towards us, so too come holidays—for North Americans, the first and fourth of July are important holidays—Canada Day for those above the border, and Independence Day for those residing below the 49th parallel. Living abroad while the rest of your country is celebrating its nationhood can be tough, but luckily, here in Tokyo there is plenty to keep the most patriotic of expats occupied, while giving anyone interested in North America a chance to get in on the party! Our feature this issue is divided into two broad categories— parties put on by others, and ways for you to embrace that most American spirit of doing-it-yourself, and celebrate with friends and family.
Out and About
Canada Day
For the Little Ones
Head to the Canadian Embassy in Akasaka for Stories About Canada Day, a free reading for children ages three to twelve, taking place in the Embassy's E. H. Norman Library. The event will take place from 4:30pm–¬5:30pm on Tuesday, June 26, and is limited to fifty participants (children must be accompanied by an adult). In a nod to Canada's two official languages (English and French), the event will simultaneously occur in both French and English, making this a great way to perhaps introduce your children to a new language. Reservations are required (and will close when the maximum number of participants has been reached). In order to reserve, fax: 03-5412-6287 or email: tokyo.lib-bib@international.gc.ca.
Day-trip to Gotemba
For what promises to be one great party, pack up the family and head out to the Gotemba Kogen Resort, located just a couple of hours away from Tokyo by train. The event, run by the Tokyo Canadian Club (TCC), and Canadian Chamber of Commerce (CCCJ), is centered around a three-hour BBQ with all you can drink microbrew beer as well. The onsite microbrewery always has five types of beer on hand, and their brew process makes use of fresh water from nearby Mt. Fuji. Big Jim Lewis, who will be playing a variety of Eastern Seaboard-style folk tunes, will provide musical entertainment for the buffet.
Beyond this event, there is a lot to do at the resort, including shopping in the tezukuri-kobo or handmade store, visiting the pottery studio, playing on one of seven soccer fields, visiting the onsen, and more. For the shoppers in your family, plan a side trip to nearby Gotemba Premium Outlets (http://tinyurl.com/3acc2r), which has over 160 stores.
The Canada Day event is open to anyone with an interest in Canada, so you don't have to be Canadian to join, although members of either the TCC or the CCCJ receive ¥1,000 off the regular price of ¥5,000. For anyone interested, as long as you speak one of Canada's two official languages in some capacity, you are welcome to join the TCC, thereby making you eligible for the event's discount, and ensuring that you don't miss out on other Canada-themed events throughout the year. Should you be tempted to stay at the resort over night, there is accommodation available, ranging from shared two-bedroom condominiums perfect for groups to business-style hotels and two-bedroom cottages, all priced reasonably.
For more information about the resort or to reserve your family's space at the party, visit www.gotembakogenresort.jp, email Sales and Marketing Director Bennett Galloway at bennett@gkb.co.jp, or tel. 090-8475-4512.
Be sure to keep an eye on the TCC website, www.tokyocanadianclub.com, for information about up coming Canada-related events in and around Tokyo, including an informal get together around July 1.
Fourth of July
Community Independence Day Celebration at the US Embassy
America's Independence Day, celebrating the United State's declaration of independence from Britain in 1776, is traditionally cause for numerous BBQs, fireworks, and outdoor parties back in the States. The Embassy here in Tokyo is planning to celebrate the big day a little bit early, with a public party that will occur on Saturday, June 23 (rain or shine), from 11am–5:30pm. The event costs just ¥1,000, and is free for little ones five and under. Traditional BBQ foods such as hamburgers will be for sale, while drinks, popcorn, and snow cones are included in the entrance fee.
Other events include performances by the US Army Band, various rock bands, and taiko drumming, as well as a parade, magicians, carnival games, and even a dunk tank! Please note that anyone over 15 will need photo ID to enter the event, which is being held at the US Embassy Housing Compound in the Roppongi area of Minato-ku. For event details, phone the hotline at 03-3224-5501.
TY Harbor
For a slightly more formal way to celebrate, head to TY Harbor's annual outdoor BBQ and celebration. TY Harbor's location on Tennozu Island means that sitting out by the water you can feel as if you are out of the city, without having to travel too far at all. The BBQ will feature grilled chicken, steak, chiliburgers, salads and more, plus cool soft drinks and California wines to wash down the afternoon fare. Live entertainment will be provided by funk band The Conductors, and holiday fireworks will be set off by Captain Terrada just after dusk. The popular event takes no reservations, so come early to ensure you and your family find seats! The event is from 2pm–8pm on Sunday, July 1, and costs ¥4,500 for men, ¥3,500 for women, and ¥1,500 for children. The entrance cost includes all you can eat, three drinks, and all of the great entertainment. For more information about the restaurant, visit www.tyharborbrewing.co.jp.
Do It Yourself
Catered BBQ
Many of us have hosted backyard barbeques at home, but here in Tokyo, where many of us don't have backyards, it can be logistically difficult to have your friends around—there are only so many people you can put in your 1DK, and so many burgers that you can grill on a tiny apartment-sized Hibachi! Luckily, and perhaps unsurprisingly, the Japanese have come up with a great solution to this dilemma—public parks where you can go and rent a grill and in some cases, even purchase your food for the afternoon—host a party at a public park, and you don't have to worry about cleaning the house before your guests arrive!
For a great full-day event, head to Kasai Rinkai Park in Edogawa (near Disneyland), where you can rent a grill area for four hours (rental utensils are also available). This is one of the most convenient BBQ park areas around, as you can buy packages of ingredients for ¥2,500−¥3,000 per person. To make a reservation or for more information, tel. 03-5667-1631 (in Japanese). Once you've had your fill of BBQ food, make use of the other park facilities, which include the tallest ferris wheel in Japan (117m) and the Kasai Rinkai Aquarium, famous for its gigantic tunas, hammer head sharks, and collection of fishes from all seven seas. For more park information visit http://tinyurl.com/2cbdxs.
Fireworks
Japan is a nation of fireworks-lovers, especially during the summer. Compared to the US and Canada, it's much easier to buy fireworks for personal use, and you can pick them up at your local convenience store for under ¥500 each. However, if you're looking to put on a neighborhood-sized display, it would be worth your while to visit the fireworks district between Asakusabashi and Kuramae, where you can chose from 700 types of toy fireworks! The small hand-held size fireworks are legal to purchase here in Japan, and are known as ganguhanabi. For a map and store-guide for places to purchase fireworks in the area, visit http://japan-fireworks.com/tonya/storeguide.html.
Remember that although they are classified as toys here in Japan, fireworks can still be very dangerous if mishandled! The National Safety Council in America cautions families away from using home fireworks at all, but should you decide to do as the Tokyoites do, here are some of their suggestions for making sure you have a safe and colorful holiday. They suggest always lighting fireworks outdoors in a clear area away from onlookers, houses and flammable materials, lighting one device at a time, maintaining a safe distance after lighting the devices, and remind you to be sure to have a water bucket on hand to douse any 'dud' fireworks, or used sparklers, which can reach temperatures of up to 1,800 degrees. For more safety recommendations, visit http://tinyurl.com/yve5vg.
Between the official events and the parties you can throw yourself (and not have to shop for!) there are plenty of ways to celebrate Canada Day and the Fourth of July, or simply enjoy a great summer kick-off! Remember to party safely, and have fun!