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2008/3/29 Korea! Cooks stir the soup in a gigantic pot of jigae, a spicy Korean specialty featuring tofu and various meats
"Onekorea" a term that usually refers to the hope that North and South Korea will one day be reunited. In Japan, it's moreover shortened from the Japanese pronunciation (wankoria) to the cute-sounding "Wankori" and used to refer to their biennial cultural festival, which this year will be held at Yoyogi Park this Sunday from 10 a.m. till 5 p.m. About 300,000 people are expected to turn out for this celebration of all things Korean, with an emphasis on culinary delights. Meat lovers are advised to skip breakfast. Actually, they might want to skip breakfast for the week, considering they will be able to gorge themselves with scrumptious skewered savories at stalls set up by not one, not two, not three, but 50 yakiniku barbecued meat restaurants. And then there's the jjigae, an often spicy form of soup with tofu and different types of meat. The Wankori version is made in a pot big enough to bathe in... it is 2 meters across, 80 cm deep, weighs 800 kg and holds enough to feed 2,000. Which means with 300,000 people to compete with, you have only a one-in-15 chance of getting some. Be quick! Once you've had your fill, head to the main stage where among the entertainment options are a fashion show, where 60 fashion students who will present their contemporary takes on the traditional Korean dress, including kimono. There will also be a series of miniconcerts, featuring artists with Korean roots: Pushim, Chozen Lee, KP and the Pak Poe band. Admission and all the food is free! Hilton Odawara Activities The Hilton Odawara Resort & Spa in Kanagawa Prefecture has put together a "Resort Activity" package for weekday use of seven of its most popular facilities. Just 60 minutes from Tokyo by train, the Hilton Odawara is one of the largest resorts in Japan. Set in 25 hectares and surrounded by a rich natural landscape, the hotel has 172 rooms and wonderful views of Sagami Bay. Its extensive leisure facilities, including spas, sauna, a natural hot-spring water swimming pool and natural hot-spring bath with rotenburo (outdoor bath), tennis courts, sports arena, fitness center, etc., make it an ideal resort for adults and children alike. With the weekday activity package, guests can enjoy bedrock bathing, aesthetic treatment, golf practice, pottery decoration lessons, yoga lessons, bowling and karaoke. The package tickets can be used by overnight guests and one-day visitors, shared by more than two people, such as friends and families, and are valid for three months. The package is ¥10,000 and is available from April 1 at the front desk of the hotel's main building or the Bade Zone (spa) building. The Hilton Odawara Resort & Spa is a 15-minute drive from Odawara Station. There is a weekday shuttle bus from the station and a daily shuttle bus service from Nebukawa Station, two stops from Odawara. http://www.hiltonworldresorts.com/Resorts/Odawara/index.html Breakfast Celebrity Australian chef introduces Japan to the pleasure of breakfast Japan Today March 29, 2008 http://www.japantoday.com/category/lifestyle/view/celebrity-australian-chef-introduces-japan-to-the-pleasure-of-breakfast TOKYO — The New York Times called Bill Granger “the egg master of Sydney,” and his signature scrambled eggs have wowed such Hollywood Japan Today celebrities as Nicole Kidman, Cameron Diaz and Leonardo DiCaprio. After enjoying a successful decade-long career as a chef, restaurateur and author in Australia, the Melbourne native made his international debut last week in Shichirigahama, a popular beach getaway about an hour south of Tokyo. Prior to the launch of Bills, Granger gave Tokyoites a taste of his cooking last fall at a cafe space in Daikanyama, which was open only for the month of October. In Japan, breakfast culture is a far cry from that in the States; going to a diner to grab a 24-hour morning meal is still a foreign concept. The situation in Australia was much the same before Granger opened his first restaurant, Bills, in 1993 in a suburb of Sydney. Acclaimed by celebrities and foodies alike, the eatery served as a launching pad for the chef, who has gone on to author bestselling cookbooks and host a popular TV show. After putting breakfast on the Australian culinary map, the 38-year-old Granger now looks to do the same in Japan. “As a chef, I’ve always been inspired by the simplicity of Japanese food. I actually eat it 4-5 times a week,” he said. It’s also not surprising that Granger chose Shonan over a more central location. “I’m hoping to blend the restaurant into the relaxed beach culture where people can be surrounded by nature and have a wonderful dining experience.” Unlike foreign chefs who change their formula to suit local tastes, Granger promises to keep his cooking true to form, including his signature scrambled eggs, ricotta pancakes and sweet corn fritters. “My dishes are soft, sensitive, simple and universal,” he says. Granger’s specialty may be Western-style breakfasts, but he pays respect to Japanese culinary culture. During trips to Japan, while his wife and three young daughters check out the sights and go shopping, the chef can be found in local restaurants enjoying yakitori, tonkatsu, ramen and other dishes. “My kids love Kiddy Land and my wife loves Isetan,” he says. “But the food is always the highlight for me. I’m constantly amazed by restaurant culture here. Tokyo is definitely the world’s top when it comes to food, and being part of it is very exciting.” So what makes a great breakfast? “A combination of freshness, comfort and relaxed attitude,” he says with a huge smile. In other words, a lot like his new restaurant in Shonan. Scrambled Eggs (1 serving) Ingredients: •2 free-range eggs •1/3 cup cream •A pinch of salt •10g butter 1. Place eggs, cream and salt in a bowl and whisk together. 2. Melt butter in a non-stick frying pan over high heat, taking care not to burn the butter. 3. Pour in egg mixture and cook for 20 seconds, or until gently set around the edge. Stir the eggs with a wooden spoon, gently bringing the egg mixture on the outside of the pan to the center. The idea is to fold the eggs rather than to scramble them. Leave to cook for 20 seconds longer and repeat the folding process. 4. When the eggs are just set, turn out onto a plate and serve with hot toast. Ricotta Pancakes (6-8 servings) Ingredients: •1 1/3 cups ricotta cheese •3/4 cup milk •4 free-range eggs, separated •1 cup plain flour •1 teaspoon baking powder •A pinch of salt •50g butter (for garnish) •Sliced banana •Powdered sugar 1. Put ricotta cheese, milk and egg yolks in a bowl and mix lightly. 2. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl and add the ricotta mix. 3. Place egg whites in a bowl and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites through batter in two batches, with a metal spoon. 4. Lightly grease a large non-stick frying pan with a small portion of the butter and drop 2 tablespoons of batter per cake into the pan (don’t cook more than 3 per batch). Cook over a low to medium heat for 2 minutes, or until cakes have golden undersides. Turn pancakes and cook on the other side. 5. Serve on a plate immediately with sliced banana. Dust with powdered sugar. Tips from Bill • Always use free-range eggs • Don’t stir the ingredients too much because that will make the pancake hard • Add a slice of honeycomb butter and a dash of maple syrup for an extra indulgence Best Western In The Wrong Part Of Town I never knew we had Best Western in Japan and now in Tokyo too mind you! I always thought of Best Western as a cheap place to crash kind of a hotel/motel but this one looks pretty extravagant, but then again mostly all the new budget hotels popping up all over Japan are a bit more luxurious than their kind elsewhere. Like I've been saying, another day, another new hotel in Tokyo is getting quite common but this one seems to be a bit out of place, or is it? Kabukicho's pink businesses complain new hotel brings up the tone 2008/3/26 Into SpringPaula Abdul Is Back! Yippee!!!!! I just watched the first results night of American Idol and was extraordinarily surprised, no amazed, to see that Paula Abdul has finally made a comeback! I couldn't believe it as you all know how much I always questioned when she was ever going to make a comeback because she is one of my most favorite music artists ever, I have all her albums in duplicates and always wondered why she didn't continue making albums. It was one of the biggest music mysteries in the world to me... and finally she has returned! Thank god! Don't you just love her!? I always did! She is and always has been a remarkable performer and an extremely versatile all around talent. The new song and video are just what I've been waiting for all these years, finally! She's the best! She's back!
Paula Abdul Plotting Comeback Album
Billboard
March 7, 2008
After re-launching her music career with an appearance on fellow "American Idol" judge Randy Jackson's new album, Paula Abdul is getting busy on her first new album since 1995's "Head Over Heels."
The as-yet-untitled project will include remixes of Abdul's best-known hits, plus a host of new songs. In addition, Abdul tells Billboard that Paul Oakenfold and Akon are preparing remixes of "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow," her contribution to Jackson's album. The artist has already chosen three new tracks to accompany the remixes. "I will always be grateful for Randy getting me back into even the idea of helping me do this," says Abdul. "I didn't realize how much I missed it." For the artist, whose last new single was 1995's "Crazy Cool," the collaboration with Jackson consummated several years of vague conversations about working together. But during "Idol" auditions last July in San Diego, "Randy kept saying to me, 'I've got the perfect song for you. It sounds like you, like now, it's like a nod to you and your past, but it's you now,' " Abdul says. "And he played it, and it was after the first two bars, I knew it was a hit. I knew it was a total smash." "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow" was produced by Jackson and the Danish duo known as Deekay. Oliver Leiber, who wrote and produced Abdul's "Forever Your Girl" and "(It's Just) The Way That You Love Me," did some additional vocal production. Abdul, who scored her biggest hits with Virgin, now finds herself a free agent amid a music business that has changed drastically since her glory days. "I'm already getting interesting phone calls," she says. "I want to have the ability to expand on my other talents. I want to be more of a partner." Abdul is hoping "to have another single out by the end of 'Idol.' I could have another single out, and another single after that, and then have an album out before Christmas. It's the best of all worlds." Also on the horizon: a return to live performance. Abdul says she's been offered the opportunity to make guest appearances during the annual "American Idol" summer tour, but she says she's aiming higher. "For me, I have to have the visuals and the staging. That's what people expect from me, and the 'Idol' tour doesn't allow for that," she observes. "I have a whole plan. I do things that are very different and I'm all about setting a new trend and exploring. I have a lot of cool ideas." 2008/3/24 Not Found A police officer puts up a new poster of Tatsuya Ichihashi, a suspect in last year's killing of Lindsay Hawker, a 22-year-old British woman, showing him as he would look disguised as a long-haired woman or with dyed blonde hair, in Chiba, near Tokyo March 14, 2008. "Please find this man. Please help us find this man," William Hawker, the dead woman's father, told a news conference as he held a poster of the murder suspect. "Someone somewhere must be hiding Ichihashi. How can he evade detection? Japan is a modern society." Company JTB is most popular company to work for among liberal arts students, while Toyota is among engineering students J-Cast Business News March 24, 2008 http://en.j-cast.com/2008/03/24018012.html The employment research company Mainichi Communications announced on March 13, 2008 the popularity ranking of business firms among university students who are to graduate in 2009 and seek employment. The top 100 companies are listed in order of popularity among the students as a whole, male students or co-eds of both liberal arts and engineering faculties. Occupying the top 10 places in the list of the companies popular among the students as a whole in the liberal arts faculty are the JTB group, followed in order by Shiseido, ANA, Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Bank, JAL, Mizuho Financial Group, Sumitomo Mitsui Bank, Toyota Motor, Benesse Corporation, and Oriental Land. The top 10 most popular companies among the students as a whole in the engineering faculty are Toyota Motor, followed in order by Shiseido, Sony, Kagome, Sharp, Hitachi Ltd., Suntory, Matsushita Electric Industrial, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and Honda Motor. Valid replies were submitted by 17,153 persons for the survey. 2008/3/22 No Lexus Lexus: Too Japanese for the Japanese Why Toyota's luxury lineup is getting little traction at home—while German brands remain an obsession Business Week March 31, 2008 When Toyota (TM) introduced its Lexus brand in Japan three years ago, the company was hoping drivers like Masayoshi Haku would swoon over the luxury lineup. The 46-year-old doctor is a car lover with a $110,000 BMW 750 sedan and a $60,000 Porsche Boxster, so he should have been a prime customer for Lexus. But Haku hasn't taken the bait. Why? Lexus is too Japanese for his tastes. "Lexus makes excellent cars. But if you ask me whether I'd buy one, the answer is no," says Haku. "Foreign brands have more individuality." Izekaya
Izakaya are far more than just drinking holes. Their food menus are often extensive, as at Shinsuke (above) in Tokyo's Yushima district. Slowly but surely word is getting out to the rest of the world: Japanese restaurants don't have to be formal, exquisite and jaw-droppingly pricey. Quite the opposite, in fact: Eating out in Tokyo can be casual, friendly, affordable and fun. At least it certainly is once you discover the plebeian pleasures of the neighborhood izakaya. Literally "a place to linger with sake," the word izakaya is a catchall term that can cover a multitude of styles, from brash and boisterous taverns to simple single-counter holes-in-the-wall. The common denominator is that they're all places where you go to relax. The food and the drink serve as lubricants, whether for booze-fueled socializing or just a quiet winding-down at the end of the day. Shinsuke, in Yushima, close to the southwest corner of the Ueno pond, belongs firmly in the latter category. One of Tokyo's heavyweight izakaya, it's as revered for its long existence and gravitas as for its excellent food. It has stood in the same spot below Yushima Tenjin Shrine since 1924. Four generations of the family have run the establishment, and before that there were seven generations of sake retailers. Though the welcome is warm and the clientele totally respectable, Shinsuke can seem daunting for a first-time visitor, whether from another country or just from across town. The exterior is inscrutable, the windows masked by wooden slats, the door marked by a sugidama (the sake brewers' totem, a ball of cryptomeria needles) and a simple noren curtain fashioned from strings of coarse rush-fiber. One person who feels no such hesitation is author Mark Robinson, whose recent book "Izakaya: the Japanese Pub Cookbook" (see below) includes a whole chapter on Shinsuke. He's been an izakaya aficionado for two decades. Last week we installed ourselves at Shinsuke's counter, a massive chunk of timber that runs almost the length of the premises, for a leisurely evening spent sipping sake and exploring the considerable food menu — all the while swapping stories about our favorite drinking holes. Over the course of his research for the book, Robinson got to know the people running each of the izakaya he features. He says the Yabe family who own Shinsuke exemplify the dedication and modesty of Tokyo's shitamachi (literally, "low-city") artisans. They are self-effacing to a fault but take great pride in their work and their family business. Until a few years back, Toshio Yabe was the master of the house. Even now that he has handed over the day-to-day running to his son, Naoharu, he still takes his place behind the counter, dressed in his happi coat and sake- brewer's apron and with a hachimaki cloth tightly wound around his brow. His primary duty is to dispense drinks. Shinsuke is not one of those places that stocks scores of premium brews from around the country. Your only choice is between hot, lukewarm or chilled sake — either sweet (amakuchi), dry (karakuchi) — or decanted from the casks behind the counter with its powerful fragrance of cedar resin (ask for taruzake). It all comes from the humble Ryozeki brewery in far-north Akita Prefecture, which has been supplying Shinsuke since before World War II. Unlike the sake list, the food menu has evolved over the years, blending basic izakaya staples with numerous touches of creative flair. The simple things are done perfectly — like our sashimi of saba mackerel; the maguro nuta (cubes of sashimi-grade tuna mixed with blanched negi leeks and a dressing of sweet white miso) or the superb yuba-uni (creamy layers of soft soymilk skin topped with a dab of sea urchin). A longtime specialty of the house is the deep-fried sardine "rocks" (iwashi no ganseki), fist-size chunky rissoles of finely ground fish formed into patties and deep-fried to a crisp golden-brown. A more recent innovation is the kitsune rakuretto — pouches of deep-fried tofu stuffed not with gooey natto beans but with Swiss raclette cheese. We loved them. Less is vastly more in all domains of Japanese cooking. At Shinsuke you're not so busy drinking and getting jolly that the quality of the food gets obscured. The vegetables are sourced from organic farms when possible; the seafood is brilliantly fresh, most of it caught from the wild, rather than fish-farmed (as is the case at many chain izakaya). Our braised yari-ika squid was beautifully moist and unchewy. And the madai kabuto-ni (simmered head of sea bream) came from a massive 3-kg specimen landed the previous day and shipped straight from Ehime Prefecture. After we had drunk our fill, we ordered ochazuke, a bowl of rice with savory dashi stock poured over it. The final flourish was a serving of sakura ice cream, flavored — as the name suggests — with flecks of salt-preserved cherry blossom. This seasonal accent was a reminder that Shinsuke is just a short stroll away from Tokyo's most popular blossom-viewing spot, Ueno Park. This is slow-food eating in its original Japanese manifestation. The pace is unhurried, the air filled with a buzz of chatter that never gets strident. It's easy to imagine this is the way Shinsuke has always been — and the way that Tokyo has always gone about the business of eating and drinking. Thanks to books like Robinson's, the izakaya ethos is becoming more accessible to outsiders. But as he points out, there must be a reason why it's taken such a long time for the rest of the world to catch on. Mainly it's because izakaya are part of popular working-class culture, so they have never been considered worthy of mention, let alone exporting. But maybe it's also due to a reluctance by Japanese people to let on to the wider world just how much enjoyment they are having at their local hostelries. Shinsuke 2008/3/21 Mariah Carey Again & AgainI predicted her album "The Emancipation of Mimi" would be a big hit before it was released several years ago when my friends said "no way" and wow, that was a prediction beyond predictions! Now her follow-up is coming and she "understands that people thinks she is a ditzy moron", in perfect form for another big hit I presume? Most definitely...
 Mariah Carey on her public image: 'I understand that people think I am a ditzy moron'
NEW YORK (AP) -- Mariah Carey knows her indisputable talent clashes with her sexed-up image as a "ditz." "It's a dichotomy, I understand," the 37-year-old Grammy winner tells Allure magazine. "I understand that people think I am a ditzy moron." The singer -- who was treated for exhaustion in 2001 after a public meltdown -- says she still struggles with her confidence. "I've always had really low self-esteem, and I still do," she says. "What's weird about that is being onstage, and the love that you get, and the adoration that you feel from your real fans. It's hard for a partner to compete -- just imagine." Carey and ex-husband Tommy Mottola, the former chairman and CEO of Sony Music Entertainment, divorced in 1997. She has described that relationship as controlling and says: "I had to make a decision: either lose myself completely or learn to stand up for myself. You have to be very courageous to do that." She says she would marry again -- preferably, to someone who knows where she is coming from. "That's a big deal for me: feeling like somebody else can't fully understand me because they're not in show business. It shouldn't matter, but it does, because the energy it takes to be 'on' is a lot," she says. Carey's latest album, EMC2, arrives April 15. Her previous album, "The Emancipation of Mimi," has sold 10 million copies. The April issue of Allure hits newsstands nationwide on March 25. 2008/3/19 Hyatt SpringSpring party hampers and Belgian beer cabaret
The Delicatessen at the Park Hyatt Tokyo has put together a "Spring Party" hamper set that is ideal for all alfresco dining occasions, whether beneath your favorite cherry tree, in your garden at home, or even out on the balcony of your apartment.
The basket includes a centerpiece, the Delicatessen's original sushi rolls, along with fresh hams, olives, dry tomatoes, cheese, seafood marinate, bread sticks, baguettes and a dessert of lemon-lime tart. The sets cost ¥2,500 per person, and a two-person minimum applies to all orders. They are available between March 17 and May 5, with reservations three days in advance. The Park Hyatt is a 12-minute walk from JR Shinjuku Station and an eight-minute walk from Tochomae Station on the Oedo Subway Line. There is a shuttle bus service from the Shinjuku L Tower building. For more information or reservations, call (03) 5323-3635 between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. h5 Hyatt Regency's party plans  March and April are months of farewell and welcome in Japan. And if you are planning a party for one of these occasions, you might want to look at what the restaurants at the Hyatt Regency Tokyo have to offer. The Jade Garden Chinese restaurant, which serves Beijing and Shanghai cuisine inspired by the rich culinary traditions of China's imperial court, has two party plans (¥10,000 or ¥12,000), with unlimited drinks, including Shaoxing rice wine. With eight private rooms, the Jade Garden can accommodate parties of six to 24 people. The Kakou and omborato Japanese restaurants each have party courses. The Kakou offers authentic kaiseki plans, priced between ¥11,000 and ¥17,000, in a tranquil, private tatami or Western-style room, while the omborato offers a more open setting in which to enjoy its casual party plan (¥6,000 per person; shown at right). With five private rooms, the Kakou can accommodate parties of eight to 24 people. The omborato plan can be reserved for two or more people. Both plans include unlimited drinks. The standard private-room charges have been waived for users of these party plans. The Hyatt Regency is a nine-minute walk from the West Exit of JR Shinjuku Station. For more information or reservations, call (03) 3348-1234. AmericanaRainbow Kitchen http://www.metropolis.co.jp/tokyo/recent/restaurants.asp It’s full beef ahead at this Shitamachi burger joint
It would be easy to walk past the dingy exterior of Rainbow Kitchen without giving it a second look. Doing so, however, would mean missing one of Tokyo’s best hamburgers.
The bacon cheeseburger (¥1,100) is my current heartthrob. Each hand-formed pure-beef patty weighs in around 115 grams. Briefly seared, it’s covered with a metal bell for concentrated frying. A row of five petite slices of bacon are laid out to sizzle. The halves of a sturdy, specially-baked bun are set to properly toast, front and back, on the griddle. Then Sakaguchi readies the accoutrements: a crisp bed of iceberg lettuce, a slice of ripe tomato, a dollop of mayo and another of her housemade special sauce, and finally, the touch that puts this burger into my hall of fame: a spoonful of slow-roasted caramelized onions.
Sakaguchi also turns out some 20 side dishes, each carefully prepared and presented. Under my belt so far are a small order of crisp, finger-lickin’ onion rings (¥400); a very fine cup of chili beans, savory with roasted onion and spicy notes of cumin (¥500); and a nicely crafted green salad with Caesar dressing (¥700). In the evening, Rainbow Kitchen slips into bar mode with an expanded menu, single malt whisky, beer, shochu, and a full range of cocktails. BuddhaThis undated photo supplied by Christie's auction house shows a sculpture of the seated figure of Dainichi Nyorai, or the supreme Buddha. It is attributed to Unkei, considered one of the two best sculptors of the early Kamakura period in the 1190s, when the most highly regarded Buddhist art was produced. The newly discovered wooden sculpture that had religious objects sealed in its torso for 800 years sold for $14.3 million at auction in New York on Tuesday, March 18, 2008, setting a world record for any Japanese work of art, Christie's auction house said. 2008/3/15 Narita In A Snap While I was wandering around Narita Airport this morning after returning from my business trip, I noticed a new train under construction that will whisk passengers from Narita Airport out in faraway Chiba, which is currently Tokyo's only International Airport and takes an average 1 hour out to Central Tokyo by train, will get a brand new rapid railway system that will link the airport with Central Tokyo in a lttle under 36 minutes! The Narita New Rapid Line will open in 2010!
The Narita New Rapid Line (成田新高速鉄道線 Narita Shin-Kōsoku Tetsudō-sen?) is a new rapid rail link under construction between Tokyo and Narita Airport. The whole line will be operated by Keisei Electric Railway, while some parts of the line are operated by other companies as well.
The project involves the refurbishment of 32.3 km of existing track on the Hokuso Line, as well as the construction of 19.1 km of new track to Narita Airport, partly using disused rights-of-way originally planned for the cancelled Narita Shinkansen project. The total cost, according to the Narita Rapid Rail Access website, is estimated to be ¥1.26 trillion, or about US$10.7 billion. When complete in 2010 (planned), trains will also utilize the Keisei Electric Railway's Main Line between Ueno and Keisei-Takasago. Trains are planned to run at a maximum speed of 160 km/h and could thus complete the run from Nippori to the airport in 36 minutes, 15 minutes faster than the current 51 minutes. There are also plans to build a spur from the Toei Asakusa Line to Tokyo Station, opening a (potentially) faster route from Tokyo Station to the airport through the Keisei Oshiage Line. 2008/3/8 Hokkaido Toyako G8 Summit 2008 Toyako - Scenic Site of G8 Summit ...
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Big In Japan Good looks of another kind are helping elite Tokyo retailers attract antsy shoppers. Above, Louis Vuitton’s Ginza stores,designed by Jun Aoki. Big in Japan: The new upscale retail National Post March 07, 2008 http://www.nationalpost.com/life/travel/story.html?id=360147 Luxury shopping in Japan takes place in glorious translucent buildings of glass, light and steel designed by star "retail" architects - the theory being that if you build it, and build it magnificently, they will come. Shopping is everywhere here. Even the central Japan rail station in Kyoto is within a shopping complex (or is it vice versa?), complete with rooftop amphitheatre topped by wing-like vaulted steel ribs. Shoppers access each floor of the upscale Isetan department store from entry points on the roof, high in the sky, connected by escalators, or take in a concert between purchases. Near Harajuku in the Omotesando area of Tokyo, developer Minoru Mori's Omotesando Hills complex, designed by Tadao Ando, has six floors underground and six above. Built where ramshackle old apartments once stood, it is now a buffed concrete building with a gentle stream that burbles along the outside walls and sidewalk through to the shops within. Its centrepiece is a descending spiral, reminiscent of the Guggenheim Museum. Visitors who start at the top will eventually pass every store. Tokyo - particularly its fabled Ginza area - is dense with luxury labels. For example, there are 46 Hermès outlets in Japan compared to two in Canada and 33 in the company's native France. Tiffany, Cartier, Gucci, Bottega Veneta and Christian Dior are responding with their own monoliths to consumption, offering not only shopping, but bars, restaurants and spas.  Bulgari and Armani opened in Ginza in November. The Bulgari tower is the luxury jeweller's largest store in the world. Its bridal salon sells diamond tiaras (for its opening, the shop brought in a 144-carat sapphire necklace valued at more than $6-million). Armani's $20-million tower is a 65,000-square-foot, 12-storey building designed by architects Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas with Armani himself. It is now the tallest structure in the district (until the next luxury brand breaks ground).
 Louis Vuitton has two mega-stores in Ginza, just a few blocks apart, for a total of 11 stores in Tokyo. The original Namiki Dori and Matsya stores are both designed by super-architect Jun Aoki. Concierge Morio Sugizaki shows me around the Namiki Dori store, the original Louis Vuitton store in the Ginza neighbourhood, which has more than 60 employees. It's not the biggest Louis Vuitton store, but it's more discreet than its sibling and very popular. The Monogram and Damier canvas bags and accessories, Sugizaki explains, are refreshed throughout the day because stock depletes quickly.
Mariko Yoshimura, PR manager of Chanel's fashion group in Tokyo, leads me through the gleaming 10-storey Chanel Ginza building that opened four years ago and is one of the largest Chanel boutiques in the world. It has three shopping floors, VIP suites that resemble the best hotel rooms (propped with coffee-table books and champagne for guests). The fourth floor is the Nexus Hall, a concert and gallery space equipped with a Steinway piano designed by Karl Lagerfeld. Above the shops are offices, and, on the top floor, Alain Ducasse's Beige restaurant, topped by a roof terrace, the Jardin de Tweed, which offers stellar views of Tokyo.
 But the most remarkable feature of the Chanel Ginza building is its facade. The front is a curtain wall made of Privalite glass and "quilted" layers of stainless steel, like the house's iconic bag (within, artwork is inspired by interlocking Cs, camellia flowers and chain motifs). Illuminated by more than 700,000 embedded LEDS, the wall is designed to be either semi-transparent or transparent, creating the effect of tweed.
Certainly, these towers are temples to Mammon, but a few also pride themselves on being cultural centres. Indeed, many of the fancy Japanese department store chains - Hankyu, Takashimaya, Isetan - house art galleries, private collections and world-class exhibits (while I was in Kyoto, the Isetan flagship had a major Picasso exhibit in its gallery, within earshot of the children's toy department). The most cultured of all is Maison Hermès. Designed by Renzo Piano and opened in 2001, the slim, glass block building rises 50 metres, steps from Ginza's famous Sony building. Above four floors of shop space, the complex encompasses a workshop, art gallery, roof garden, cinema studio, café and a mini-museum. The slender facade wraps the corner and is a flexible steel, reinforced concrete and glass structure designed to respond to the seismic concerns of Tokyo; under duress, it can flex four millimetres. At night, lit from within, it resembles a Japanese paper lantern.  Perched high atop the ultra-modern building is a traditional statue, of an artificer on horseback holding two Hermès flags aloft. The artist Tatzu Nishi built an art installation around it, creating an enclosed bedroom with the horseman as its lone inhabitant, out on the ledge. Last year the French house's annual theme was dance (and included free screenings of Les Demoiselles de Rochefort and The Acrobat - admission to screenings are free). Visits to the small fifth floor Album museum are also free, but by appointment. Guests are assigned white topcoats so the colour of their clothing doesn't reflect on the objets displayed in recessed glass blocks in the whitewashed space. The artefacts represent the history of saddle and harness craftsmanship, as well as pieces from the Hermès archives, such as a late 19th century Mexican spur, a 1960 Hublot bracelet, a 1935 pocket watch or pendulette. At Le Forum, the art gallery on the eight floor, Hermès commissions six installations a year - currently, Sarah Sze's installation of mass-produced objects made into sculpture. Next, my guide, Mari Segawa, leads me through the atelier, where nine leather and saddlery artisans (all speaking rapid-fire French) perform repairs, restoration and custom work on bags and leather goods. Once outside, I notice a petite but slick new Fruits & Passion store. Surprise, surprise: The Quebec-based bath and body company, dwarfed by the giants but nevertheless nestled among them, must be big in Japan. 2008/3/7 Hilton Tokyo Twenty One Chef's Party Chef's Party 'Salon Culinaire'
Chef Stephane Gaborieau, holder of the Meilleur Ouvrier de France, the highest honor in France for an artisan, will host a special Chef's Party "Salon Culinaire" on March 22 at the Hilton Tokyo's Twenty One French restaurant.
The party, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., is for just 30 guests (reservations only) and includes a course lunch, a glass of champagne, selected wines, afternoon tea and a cultural demonstration. Starting with a welcome glass of champagne, guests will learn about Gaborieau's recipe for sauteed foie gras and its terrine, as well as how to prepare fresh foie gras for cooking. Later, guests will savor the special intimate lunch course with Gaborieau. Guests can also experience a leisurely flower-arranging demonstration by U.Goto Florist in the Deluxe Suite room. The event costs ¥10,000 per person, including tax and service. During his visit from March 18 to 26, Gaborieau will present special French courses, starting from ¥9,817, at the restaurant. The Hilton Tokyo is a two-minute walk from Exit C8 of Nishi-Shinjuku Station (Marunouchi Line), or a 10-minute walk from the West Exit of Shinjuku Station. http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hotel/TYOHITW-Hilton-Tokyo-hotel/index.do Ritz-Carlton Tokyo Anniversary Plan To mark its first anniversary March 30, the Ritz-Carlton Tokyo is offering a "First Anniversary" accommodation plan from March 7 through April 30.
The plan includes a stay in a Club Deluxe Room on the hotel's 52nd and 53rd exclusive Club Floor, where guests can enjoy the Club Lounge and its complimentary snack, drink and concierge services. From April 1, guests can enjoy new services such as a butler service, seasonal welcome drink service and early morning drink station on the 52nd floor.
A bottle of the hotel's original wine will be delivered to the room with a commemorative wine opener on arrival. Prices range from ¥72,765 to ¥84,315 for a room for two. The hotel, located in the Tokyo Midtown complex, has a direct link from Exit 8 of Roppongi Station. |
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