Volume 39, Number 09
Things To Do
Saturday May 3
Hotel Okura’s World Gardening Fair, May 2–6, 10am–8pm, http://www.okura.com/tokyo/info/gardening/index2008.html.
Pet Expo 2008. Celebrate the furred and feathered friends in your family, featuring puppies, kittens and other small animals, as well as fashion shows, merchandising booths, etc. May 3-6, 10am–5pm, ¥800–¥1,200 at Makuhari Messe. Tel. 06-6352-7942, http://pethaku.com.
The 9th Annual Tokyo English Life Line (TELL) Charity Walk/Runathon around the Imperial Palace. Registration from 8:30am. ¥4,500 donation. Download registration forms from www.telljp.com or contact the TELL Business Office on 03-3498-0261 or admin@telljp.com.
Sunday May 4
Suki no Tamatebako. Exhibition to learn more about the elusive art of the Japanese tea ceremony by looking at tea ceremony tools, at the Mitsui Memorial Museum, through Jun. 29. Free–¥800, tel. 03-5777-8600, Tue–Sun 10am–5pm. www.mitsui-museum.jp
Georges Roualt Collection. Exhibition at the Shiodome Museum in Higashi Shinbashi. Through May 11, ¥300–¥700. Open Tue–Sun, 10am–6pm, www.mew.co.jp/corp/museum.
Yokohama International School Food Fair. Eat your way through the day, includes entertainment, a raffle, arcade, flea market, and, of course, food from across the globe. 10am–4pm, tel. 04-5622-0084. www.yis.ac.jp.
Monday May 5
Die Soldaten Opera. By Bernd Alois Zimmerman at the New National Theatre in Hatsudai, today through May 10. 7pm, ¥1,500–¥23,100, tel. 03-5352-9999.
Another Geography. Enjoy Kimihiko Okada’s installation at the Diesel Denim Gallery Aoyama, through May 11. Open daily from 1–8pm, tel. 03-6418-5323. www.diesel.com.
Mongolian Spring Festival. Celebrate spring, held in collaboration with the Mongolian Embassy and a group of international sudents in Hikarigaoka Park in Nerima. The festival runs May 4–5. Includes traditional music, fashion, food, and more. http://harumatsuri.net.
Tuesday May 6
21st Century Man. Exhibition directed by Issey Miyake at 21_21 Design Sight in Tokyo Midtown through Jul 6. Free–¥1,000. www.2121designsight.jp.
Italian Film Festival. Enjoy films such as Francesca Archibugi’s Lezioni di Volo and Ermanno Olmi’s Centochiodi, ending today (start May 1). Screenings in Italian with Japanese subtitles. At Yurakucho Asahi Hall, various times and various prices. www.asahi.com/event/it08
Artist File. Enjoy the last day of the exhibiton at the National Art Center Tokyo, in Roppongi. Featuring artists from around the world such as Australian photographer Polixeni Papapetrou. The exhibition highlights the rich diversity of art in today’s world. www.nact.jp.
Wednesday May 7
Karakami no Bi Karacho. Be enthralled by the paper art on display at the Toraya Gallery exhibition, daily through May 29. Free, in Tokyo Midtown. www.toraya-group.co.jp.
Art Award Tokyo. Enjoy works of various media at the Gyoko Chika Gallery through May 6, daily from 11am–8pm www.artawardtokyo.jp.
The Entrepreneur Association of Tokyo presents Takaaki Hata speaking on 'Venture Financing in Japan' at the FCCJ, from 7pm. Takaaki Hata leads the Retail and Services team at Globis Capital Partners (GCP). Fees vary between ¥3,500 and ¥ 6,000. See www.ea-tokyo.com for more information.
Thursday May 8
Soaring Voices: Contemporary Japanese Women Ceramic Artists. At the New Otani Art Museum, until May 11, free–¥700, www.newotani.co.jp/museum.
Canada/Japan: A Bridge Over the Pacific. Enjoy works by the four British Columbian artists and two Japanese artists included, at the Prince Takamado Gallery at the Canadian Embassy. The exhibition runs through May 15, weekdays 9am–5:30pm. (Wednesdays 9am–8pm).
Friday May 9
Two Banks of Four. Enjoy the music of the 'spiritual' jazz band at Daikanyama Unit, tonight at 7pm. ¥5,000, tel. 03-3444-6751.
Flowers and Dolls. See the museum collection at the Crafts Gallery of the Museum of Modern Art Tokyo before the exhibtion closes on May 11. Free–¥200, www.momat.go.jp.
Akasaka Odori. Enjoy traditional dances and performances by musical instrumentalists at noon and 3:30pm at the Akasaka Act Theater. ¥ 6,000–¥7,000, tel. 03-3585-1010.
Saturday May 10
Asako Toki. Have a romantic night out at the Cotton Club in Marunouchi listening to the Japanese jazz and pop singer tonight at 7pm and 9:30pm. ¥ 4,725, tel. 03-3215-1555.
A Tribute to Maurice Bejart. Performed by the Tokyo Ballet at Tokyo Bunka Kaikan this afternoon in Ueno at 3pm. ¥2,000-¥10,000, tel. 03-3791-8888.
Spring Arts Festival Shizuoka. Make a weekend of it as you head to Shizuoka for the opening weekend of the festival, which runs through May 31. For information (mostly in Japanese), visit www.spac.or.jp/08_spring/index.html.
Sunday May 11
EU-Japan Friendship Cup Golf Tournment. At Windsor Park Golf and Country Club all day today. Entries close May 2, so hurry to get yours in now! From 8:30am, tournament is 18 hole strokeplay using the New Peoria Handicap System. ¥19,000 includes green fees, lunch, and wrap-up party. For more information, http://www.wpgcc.com/event/eufriendship_080511.html or email: jim@wpgcc.com.
Roberto Gatto Quintet. Wrap up the weekend with an evening at the Blue Note in Minami Aoyama, with the Italian jazz group at 7pm and 9:30pm. ¥8,400, tel. 03-5485-0088.
Yasukuni Shrine Antique Market. Pick up something unique for your home here or abroad, sunrise–sunset, tel. 03-3261-8326, www.yasukuni.or.jp.
Monday May 12
German Month. Travel to Nihonbashi for part one of the exhibition at Gallery Sho, featuring A.R. Penck Since 1970s to the Present. Mon–Fri 11am–7pm, Sat 11am–5pm. www.g-sho.com
Alan Fletcher: The Father of British Graphic Design. View over 50 posters designed by UK graphic design legend, at the Ginza Graphic Gallery through May 31, part of UK-Japan 08. www.dnp.co.jp/gallery/ggg/index_e.html
Tuesday May 13
Muhtar Kent, Coca-Cola Company President and COO, speaking at a Professional Luncheon at the FCCJ, 11:30am–1:00pm. Sign up at www.fccj.or.jp or call 03-3211-3161.
BCCJ’s Quarterly Question Time ‘Trends in the Luxury Hotel Industry’ from noon until 2pm at the Hilton Tokyo 2F, Restaurant 21. See below for more information.
Box Seats with the ACCJ’s Special Events Committee at the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament, 10am–6pm. ACCJ members and their guests only. Email info@accj.or.jp or call 03-3433-7304.
Wednesday May 14
Sonny Rollins. World-famous tenor saxophonist performs at Tokyo International Forum in Yurakucho, tonight at 7pm. ¥6,500–¥8,000, tel. 03-3498-9999.
GA Gallery’s GA House Project 2008. Learn more about architecture, through May 25 in Sendagaya. Open Tue–Sun, noon–6:30pm. www.ga-ada.co.jp.
The ANZCCJ, in cooperation with the Japan Australia New Zealand Society (JANZ), present the Australian Ambassador’s Cup/JANZ Golf Day, at the Wakasu Golf Links, Tokyo Bay waterfront, 8:10am–5:30pm. Playing fee ¥13,745, participation fee (members) ¥5,000, participation fee (member guests) ¥6,000, lunch not included. See www.anzccj.jp for more details.
Thursday May 15
A Retrospective of Japanese Painting by Kaii Higashiyama. At the National Museum of Modern Art Tokyo through May 18. ¥400–¥1,300 (adults). www.momat.go.jp
Tsubaki-kai 2008: Trans-Figurative. Enjoy a mixed-media exhibition at the Shiseido Gallery in Ginza through Jun. 15. Free, open Tue–Sat 11am–7pm, Sun 11am–6pm, tel. 03-3572-3901, www.shiseido.co.jp/gallery.
The ANZCCJ invites members and guests to an evening with Ben Hills, author of Princess Masako: Prisoner of the Chrysanthemum Throne, at the ANA Intercontinental Hotel Luminous B1, 7pm–9pm. Members ¥8,600, guests ¥9,900. See www.anzccj.jp for more details.
Friday May 16
Tower of Power. Kick off the weekend with the unique sound; a ten-member soul band revolving around its horn section. May 16, 20, 21, 23, and 24, at 7pm and 9:30pm, as well as May 18 at 6:30pm and 9pm. At the Blue Note in Minami Aoyama, tel. 03-5485-0088, ¥10,500.
Doudou N’Diaye Rose Percussion Orchestra. Enjoy the beat of an African group led by a Senegalese drummer. Tonight at 7pm and tomorrow at pm at Kannai Hall in Yokohama. (Also May 20 at Tokyo International Forum at 7pm). ¥3,500–¥4,000, tel. 03-5720-9999.
TELL Charity Walk and Runathon
Support one of Tokyo’s best known support groups— the Tokyo English Life Line, better known as TELL, at their ninth annual walk and runathon around the Imperial Palace.
With something for everyone, the event features a 10km or 5km run for the competitive, or a 5km run for those more interested in a recreational day around the palace. As well as the run, participants can expect to enjoy refreshments and entertainment throughout the day, along with the chance to win some fabulous prizes courtesy of sponsors such as Global Dining, which is offering a dinner for ten (up to ¥60,000) at Gonpachi. Every runner is entered into the Super Lottery, which means everyone has an equal chance to win one of the great prizes, including luxury hotel stays and sporting goods.
Register on the day at 8:30am in preparation for the 5km walk starting at 9:50am, 5km run at 10am, and 10km run at 10:10am. Participants should meet at Chidorigafuchi Park (nearest station: Hanzomon, exit 3) in order to sign up. Entries cost ¥4,500 on the day. The first 800 participants there get a free T-shirt.
Proceeds from the event benefit TELL which provides an anonymous crisis line staffed by trained counselors daily from 9am to 11pm. TELL also provides face-to-face counseling in various languages, as well as several community outreach programs and events each year. For more on TELL see www.telljp.com.
Quarterly Question Time at the BCCJ
The BCCJ will again be hosting the next installment in their Quarterly Question Time series with the proposed theme for the forthcoming event to be ‘Trends in the Luxury Hotel Industry’.
As per previous installments, the discussion sees expert panelists take stage to offer opinions, share knowledge, and answer questions related to the theme, guided by a moderator who will M.C. the discussion.
For this discussion the three panelists are Gregor Andreewitch, General Manager of the Conrad Tokyo, Christian Baudat, General Manager of the Hilton Tokyo, and Roger Lienhard, General Manager of the Grand Hyatt Tokyo. All panelists have a wealth of experience in various hotels, and in the hospitality industry throughout the world, and now head three of the leading luxury hotels in Tokyo.
The moderator for the event is Graham Davis of the Economist Intelligence Unit, who has a career history in investment banking and who also participates in corporate network and economist conferences events and briefings with senior executives on current political and economic trends in Japan.
The event on May 13, as per previous Question Time events, promises to provide an interesting and informative discussion. The event will start at 12pm and finish at 2pm, and costs ¥7,000 for members, ¥8,000 for non-members. A cash bar will also be available.
For more information see www.bccjapan.com.