march 2015 intouch

CHOP

March 2015

T O K Y O A M E R I C A N C L U B

Chef Scott Kihara fires up the grill at the Clubs newest home of steaks and wine

Club Committees

Compensation Mark MillerCulture, Community & Entertainment Dan Smith (Innocent Obi) Subcommittee

Culture & Community JoAnn Yoneyama Entertainment Matt Krcelic Frederick Harris Gallery Yumiko Sai Video Library

Abigail RadmilovichFinance Rodney Nussbaum (Hiroshi Miyamasu)Food & Beverage Michael Alfant(Jerry Rosenberg) Subcommittee Wine Stephen RomaineHouse Tomio Fukuda (Jesse Green) Subcommittee Facilities Management Group TBCHuman Resources Per Knudsen (Ginger Griggs)

Membership Alok Rakyan (Machi Nemoto)Nominating Steven GreenbergRecreation Samuel Rogan (Mark Miller) Subcommittee Bowling Crystal Goodfliesh Fitness Samuel Rogan Golf John Patrick Vaughan Library Alaine Lee Logan Room Christa Rutter Squash Pete Juds Swim Alexander Jampel Youth Activities TBC

Board of Governors

John Durkin (2016)Representative Governor, Mary Saphin (2016)First Vice President, Brenda Bohn (2016)Second Vice President, Jesse Green (2016)Secretary, Hiroshi Miyamasu (2015)Treasurer, Ginger Griggs (2015), Mark Miller (2015), Machi Nemoto (2016), Innocent Obi (2016), Betsy Rogers (2015), Jerry Rosenberg (2016), Kazuakira Nakajima (2016)Statutory Auditor

FEATUREThe CHOP ExperienceTo meet Certified Angus Beefs

10 brand requirements, cattle

must meet certain weight limits,

the marbling profile must be

just so and the size of cuts must

never waiver. This attention to

detail reflects the excellence of

CHOP Steakhouse, the Clubs

new home for top-quality steaks.

10 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTFamily Adventures on the Open RoadAuthor Charles Scott explains

why he decided to quit his

comfortable corporate job and

hit the road.

30 INSIDE JAPANA Taste of TraditionAfter weathering the nuclear crisis

of 2011, centuries-old Fukushima

sake brewery Daishichi continues

to prosper, even building an

overseas following.

18 RECREATION & FITNESSSea TrialsThe Sky Pools E3 Fit Swim

Program trains amateur

athletes and swim enthusiasts

to navigate turbulent ocean

waters and chaotic race starts.

24

Cover photo of CHOP Steakhouse chef de cuisine Scott Kihara by Benjamin Parks

contents 2 Contacts 4 Board of Governors 5 Management 6 Events 8 Wine & Dining 10 Arts & Entertainment 18 Recreation & Fitness 24 Feature 28 Talking Heads 30 Inside Japan 32 Out & About 34 Cultural Insight 36 Event Roundup 41 Club People 44 Back Words

Benjamin Parks

2 March 2015 iNTOUCH

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3from theeditor

What makes a great restaurant?

During a much-publicized, five-week stint in Tokyo recently, the worlds best restaurant endeavored to offer one perspective to those diners lucky enough to secure a seat (there were more than 60,000 names on the waiting list).

Voted the No. 1 eatery four years out of the last five by British magazine Restaurant, Noma temporarily shuttered its Copenhagen home and set up shop in Tokyos Mandarin Oriental Hotel in January.

The critics and fanatical foodies gushed over the 15-course meal, with its raw shrimp and ants and fermented mushrooms coated in chocolate with wild cinnamon sticks.

On March 3, to decidedly less international fanfare, the Club unveils its newest dining spot on the third floor. CHOP Steakhouse (the successor to Decanter) takes its inspiration from some of Americas leading steakhouses. And rather than evenings of wonderment and incongruously paired ingredients, CHOP promises a sense of familiarity and a menu of exceptional steak cuts and tried-and-true American classics that evoke memories of family barbecues and relaxed celebratory meals.

This months cover story, The CHOP Experience, offers an inside look at what makes the Certified Angus Beef steaks on the menu so special and how the CHOP team have examined every aspect of the restaurant to ensure a truly great dining experience.

If you have any comments about anything you read in iNTOUCH, please e-mail them to [email protected], putting Letter to the Editor in the subject title of

the mail.

Contributors

Originally from New York City, Alaine Lee has lived with her family in Asia for the past 20 years. Besides spells in Singapore and Hong Kong, she has enjoyed three stints in Tokyo and names Japan as her favorite place to live. As a nurse, she has worked in international schools for 11 years. Lee is currently the chair of the Clubs Library Committee and in this months iNTOUCH she explores the post-Hogwarts books of British writer JK Rowling.Alaine Lee

The Tokyo correspondent for technology newswire IDG News, Tim Hornyak has written for the likes of Wired News, Scientific American, the Far Eastern Economic Review and CBS Interactives popular CNET News website. The Canadian is the author of Loving the Machine: The Art and Science of Japanese Robots and has coauthored Lonely Planet guidebooks on Japan. Ahead of this months Daishichi Sake Dinner, he talks to the head of the storied sake maker about why he favors centuries-old brewing techniques.Tim Hornyak

To advertise in iNTOUCH,contact Rie Hibino:[email protected]

For membership information,contact Mari Hori:[email protected]

Tokyo American Club2-1-2 Azabudai, Minato-ku,Tokyo 106-8649

www.tokyoamericanclub.org

Editor Nick Jones [email protected]

Assistant Editor Nick Narigon

DesignersEnrique BalducciAnna Ishizuka

Production AssistantYuko Shiroki

ManagementAnthony L CalaGeneral Manager

Wayne Hunter, DirectorGMO & Membership

Business OperationsBrian Marcus, Asst GM Business Operations

Scott Yahiro, DirectorRecreation

Nori Yamazaki, DirectorFood & Beverage

Jonathan Allen, DirectorMember Services & Guest Studios

Hettige Don Suranga, DirectorRevenue Management

Business SupportLian Chang, Asst GM Business Support

Darryl Dudley, DirectorEngineering

Shuji Hirakawa, DirectorHuman Resources

Naoto Okutsu, DirectorFinance

Toby Lauer, DirectorInformation Technology

Shane Busato, DirectorCommunications


BOARD OF GOVERNORS

In my statement for last years Board election, I vowed to encourage all Members to use and enjoy our Club as much as I do. And theres no better time than spring to do just that.

This season of renewal is perfect for kick-starting that hobby youve been meaning to learn, getting in shape or just socializing at the Club more. Lucky for us, the Club is brimming with opportunities to do all those things.

The Clubs recreation facilities are the natural place to begin if you want to feel healthier. One of the Clubs personal trainers can offer professional guidance on how to get fit, and there are dozens of exercise and swim programs for Members looking for a physical and mental challenge.

To keep us looking healthy, The Spa has all the answersfor both women

and men. If you have never done so before, be sure to take advantage of the monthly treatment specials (this months offer can be found on page 20). The professional therapists can recommend treatments for particular aches or to just help you unwind.

and maybe even join the Library Book Group, which meets each month, for some lively discussion on the merits of a particular title. For some viewing entertainment, why not stop by the Video Library in the B1 Cellar? Conveniently, thats where the Clubs wine shop is housed as well.

We couldnt rejuvenate for spring without nourishing our bodies, and the options for that are many at the Club. You can enjoy ingredients from some of the best growers in Japan and beyond and cooked to perfection by the professionally trained chefs. If youre not sure which wine to choose, you can ask one of the knowledgeable sommeliers or attend one of the monthly wine events to start exploring the world of the grape (turn to pages 8 and 9 for details on this months events).

Our Club provides myriad opportunities for each of us to look after our physical and mental well-being while nourishing body and spirit. The Club is also a place where we form friendships, socialize and entertain colleagues and friends.

Since the lifeblood of any club is its membership, we are always looking for potential Members who would be suited to our vibrant, international environment. If you know of any ideal candidates, please talk to the Membership Office. o

Our Club provides myriad opportunities for each of us to look after our physical and mental well-being while nourishing body and spirit.

Season of Discovery

by Mary SaphinFirst Vice President

Naturally, our minds need stimulating, too. From Womens Group-organized enrichment programs on a host of fascinating subjects to speaker luncheons and author talks, there are numerous chances to learn and be entertained in a fun environment at the Club. Just check the packed schedule of upcoming events on the Clubs new website or on pages 6 and 7.

Book lovers will want to visit the Library, with its huge collection of English-language books and magazines,

5MANAGEMENT

any confusion when signing up for a class or event and you can just as easily sign up on behalf of a family member.

One of the most exciting features on the new website is the social network area, which allows the Club community to interact online. Once you have signed in, youll see that this feature is not too dissimilar from the popular social media service Facebook. In this case, though, youre only connecting with your fellow Members.

The social network, along with the online business directory, is controlled completely by each Member, who decides the amount of personal information to display and with whom to connect. The next time you want to start a conversation with other Members on a certain topic or look up Members in a particular profession who can possibly provide assistance, log on to the Club website.

The Internet has become an integrated part of our lives and Japans superior broadband network makes it easy to communicate with friends and family and enjoy a host of online services.

Keenly aware of this, the Club website (www.tokyoamericanclub.org) was recently transformed with the aim to enhance Members experience of the site while making it a more personalized one. On top of a modern, user-friendly design, the website is packed with new features, many of which were developed after Member feedback.

In the redeveloped site, each Member has their own account and a unique username. This simple change means each individual can set their own preferences to personalize their experience and the information delivered from the website. This also avoids

Based on Member feedback, the website also includes a full-fledged online shopping system that makes buying wine and other Club retail items simple and fast. Your monthly Member statements for the past six months are available online for easy retrieval and review as well.

With more services available online, we would like to remind all Members to keep passwords difficult to guess and to log off the website after using a shared computer. Of course, this is recommended for any website or online service.

With almost 40 percent of traffic to the Club website coming from smartphones and tablets, we also made sure the website caters to a range of screen sizes. The site automatically detects the type of device you are using (whether it has an item of fruit as its logo or not) and smartly adjusts the page to best suit the size of your screen, without the need to frequently pinch and zoom.

It is also more convenient than ever to provide feedback to the Club. The Tell TAC button is prominently displayed throughout the site. Once you have signed in, you can fill out the convenient online form.

We are excited with the transformed Club website and all its new features. Please explore the various pages, try out the services and tell us what you think. o

Exploring the Club Online

by Lian Chang Assistant General Manager,

Business Support

...the website is packed with new features, many of which were developed after Member feedback.


Whats on in March

Sunday22Roast Beef Grand BuffetSucculent roast beef takes center stage at this carnivorous feast. 11 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. New York Ballroom. Sign up online.

Thursday12Squash Social NightThe Clubs squash players enjoy an evening of casual play and a chance to put their skills to the test against former national champion Hitoshi Ushiogi. 6:15 p.m. Continues on March 31.

9Language Exchange CoffeeMingle with friends and new acquaintances while practicing your language skills in a welcoming environment. 10 a.m. CHOP Steakhouse. Free. Sign up at [email protected].

Monday

1Spring PamperingThe Spa welcomes the arrival of spring with a special rejuvenating treatment for the whole of March. Find out more on page 20.

1Teen Bowling BonanzaFor a chance to win fabulous prizes, grab your friends and hit the lanes. Contact the Bowling Center for details.

Sunday 18Try 3: Be an IronmanRun, swim and cycle your way to Club triathlon glory. Turn to page 20 for the lowdown on this ultimate fitness challenge.

Sunday

Sunday

Saturday28Spring Fun Craft DayAhead of Easter on April 5, kids create their own spring-themed crafts. 10:30 a.m. The full details are on page 20.

2Swim Program RegistrationSign-up kicks off for another session of private and group swim programs at the Sky Pool. 10 a.m. Sign up online or at the Sky Pool Office.

MondaySunday

Saturday28Early Pregnancy and Birth PlanningExpectant moms and dads prepare for the big day during this Womens Group class. 10 a.m.12 p.m. 6,700. Sign up at Member Services.

MondaySaturday 3028Coffee ConnectionsWhether youre new to Tokyo or you just want to meet new people, drop by this free Womens Group gathering. Contact the Womens Group Office to organize free childcare. 10:30 a.m.

Meet the Author: Charles ScottThe father, adventurer and motivational speaker talks about his intrepid cycle ride across Japan with his son. 2 p.m. Find out what inspired his journey on page 10.

(Prices exclude 8 percent consumption tax.)

3CHOP Steakhouse Grand OpeningThe Clubs newest home of steaks and fine wine opens its doors for evenings of specialty cuts and other classic favorites in a traditional US steakhouse setting. 6 p.m. Learn more on page 24.

Tuesday 4Toastmasters LuncheonStart losing your fear of public speaking and improve your leadership skills at this bi-monthly event. 12 p.m. Continues on March 18.

Wednesday Thursday Thursday5 5Alta Alella Wine Dinner with Mireia Pujol-BusquetsDiscover why Catalonias boutique wineries are booming and why the Alella area is fast gaining international recognition. 7 p.m. Learn more about the Alta Alella winery on page 8.

Toddler TimeA fun, 30-minute session of engaging stories and activities awaits preschoolers at the Childrens Library. 11:30 a.m. Free. Continues every Thursday.

Wednesday18Loire Valley Wine TastingSample an array of stunning wines the French are keeping for themselves at this months wine tasting. 7 p.m. The discovery begins on page 9.

Thursday19Kabuki ExperienceImmerse yourself in the time-honored Japanese theater tradition of Kabuki at Ginzas historic Kabukiza Theatre. 8:30 a.m.

Saturday21Youth BaseballBaseball training camp kicks off for the youngest budding players of the Clubs three-league, coed baseball program. For details, flip to page 20.

10Geisha Experience: Beyond the MythGeisha from the Tokyo district of Asakusa offer an exclusive insight into their lives in the rarefied floating world. 11:30 a.m. Manhattan III.

Tuesday 11Squash Team Challenge FinalsThe tournament of fast-paced action and strategy (and drinks) comes to a close. 7 p.m. 1,500 (includes post-game beer and drinks). Sign up at the Squash Courts.

Wednesday

7EVENTS

Friday6Mommy and Toddler TimeMeet fellow moms and toddlers while building your own support network at a fun, weekly get-together at the Childcare Center. 2 p.m. Free. Continues every Friday.

Coming up in April

Monday2Gallery Exhibition: Motoko ShiokawaThe calligraphy artist exhibits selected works of art in the Frederick Harris Gallery through March 22. Learn more about her works on page 15.

Friday27All-American Friday FeastHook up with friends at a Caf Med booth for an all-you-can-eat Tex-Mex spread of home favorites. 5 p.m.

8Winter Sprinter Swim MeetThe Mudsharks swim team hosts another meet of friendly competition for swimmers of all ages and skill level. 3 p.m. 1,500. Sign up online or at the Sky Pool Office.

Sunday

Saturday

Sunday1415Birth Preparation for CouplesExpectant parents prepare for the arrival of their bundles of joy during this Womens Group class. 10 a.m.4 p.m. 34,300. Sign up at Member Services.

1Toastmasters Luncheon

2Leonetti Cellar Wine Dinner with Chris Figgins

5Easter Bowling

Friday27Library Book GroupThe Clubs band of book lovers meets at Caf Med to discuss this months pick, A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki. 11:30 a.m. For details, contact the Library.

Friday13Daishichi Sake DinnerSample handcrafted sake from a centuries-old Tohoku brewery at a four-course dinner hosted by Daishichi Sake Brewerys Hideharu Ohta. 6:30 p.m. Learn about the brewerys commitment to its roots on page 30.

16Camp Discovery: Spring FunThese weeklong sessions for ages 3 through 7 feature spring-themed arts and crafts, music, dance and fun. Find the full details on page 20.

MondaySunday15St Patricks Day BowlingWear your best green outfit and head to the Bowling Center for fun, Guinness and prizes at this all-day event.

Monday

Tuesday23Tokyo: Here & NowNewcomers and not-so-new Tokyo residents alike learn essential information about life in Japan at this comprehensive two-day seminar. Sign up online or at Member Services.

Tuesday3Spring Class RegistrationFrom karate to dance, check out the range of recreation and fitness programs available at the Club. 8:30 a.m. Details on page 20.

Tuesday3Toddler Music and ArtEnrich your childs development at the Childcare Centers new creative workshop. 9 a.m. 5,000 per class. Ages 35. Sign up at the Childcare Center. Continues every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

Friday6First Friday: CHOP ExperienceDiscover what makes CHOP Steakhouse a standout dining experience in Tokyo during an evening of fine food, drinks and mingling. Learn more about the Clubs newest restaurant on page 24.

Saturday7New Member OrientationThe Clubs newest Members learn about the Club while forging new friendships. 10 a.m. Washington and Lincoln rooms. Contact the Membership Office to reserve your spot at least one week in advance. Continues on March 25.

Monday

Friday2327Intensive SAT and ACT Prep CourseStudents learn strategies to improve scores on college admission tests. 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Page 20 has more.

Monday23Gallery Reception: Yang XiaominThe Chinese artist shares his contemporary take on Japanese Nihonga art with a reception at the Frederick Harris Gallery. 6:30 p.m. Learn more about the painter and his works on page 16.

Monday30Brazilian JujitsuLearn self-defense and gain better awareness at the Clubs newest recreation class for ages 12 and above. 5:30 p.m. 22,000. Sign up at the Recreation Desk.

910Asian Home Furnishings Sale

12Childrens Library Fancy Nancy Event

13Language Exchange Coffee

1315Naoshima Art Island Tour

15California Wine Dinner

22Meet the Author: Professor Taggart Murphy

Cava has long been overlooked in the sparkling wine worldseen as a good midweek buy from the convenience store

and not much else. Now, a number of Spains bubbly producers are looking to reinvent the wines less-than-stellar image.

Alta Alella, a winery less than 20 kilometers from Barcelona, for example, is determined to educate the world on the evolution of Cava, from ubiquitous discount bin staple to sophisticated cuisine partner, which Club Members can discover for themselves this month.

Produced with the same traditional methods as those used to make Champagne, Cava boasts native and international varietals of grapes that are grown near the Mediterranean Sea to create a fresh, acidic product.

The best-selling point, with no doubt, is that nowadays you can find a top Cava with a long aging, with great structure and aromas, at the same level of a great Champagne, but [at] the price of a cheap Champagne, says Mireia Pujol-Busquets, the daughter of Alta Alella founder Josep Maria Pujol-Busquets and the winerys export manager. For the consumers, this is fantastic.

Sparkling wine drinkers, however, have been slow to embrace this notion. Cava has neither mainstream appeal nor a cult following, according to a 2013 Wall Street Journal article. People who

Alta Alella Wine Dinner with Mireia Pujol-BusquetsThursday, March 5710 p.m. New York Bridge, CHOP Steakhouse 10,000*Sign up online or at Member Services *Excludes 8 percent consumption tax.

by Wendi Onuki

would eagerly shell out $35 for a bottle of Champagne balk at the idea of spending that much on its Spanish counterpart, the article noted.

Now mostly produced in Spains Catalonia region, the first Cava was crafted in 1872 by winemaker Josep Ravents Fatjos, who applied Frances mthode traditionnelle to Spains local Xarel-lo grape, also known as Pansa Blanca, Cartoixa and a handful of other synonyms, depending on the Spanish region in which it is grown.

The method involves adding yeast and a sugar mixture to wine, which undergoes a second fermentation that creates the bubbles. The bottles are then aged a minimum of nine months before the dead yeast and sediment are removed, extra sugar is added to ramp up the sweetness, if needed, and the wine is recorked.

Part of Cavas troubled reputation stems, Pujol-Busquets, 39, says, from a lack of domestic wine culture and the looming marketing presence of beer

makers. In many parts of Spain, there is a lack of knowledge about the wine world, she says. Now it seems that its starting to change, but in Spain people should feel the wine as part of their culture, like in France, and its not like that.

That indifference may have opened the flood gates to mediocre, mass-produced Cava. To rectify the situation, quality-minded winemakers are seeking better ways to promote their goods and encourage wine-related tourism. I would love to have the answer, so then we can

manage to clear this image, says Pujol-Busquets, who will host this months dinner at the Club.

For now, she is settling for changing attitudes one eager drinker at a time. o

Onuki is a Michigan-based freelance journalist.

Effervescent Underdog

Mireia Pujol-Busquets


WINE & DINING

by Steve Romaine and Anna Tyack

W hile Bordeaux and its wines ooze commercialism, having been shaped by French Burghers and foreign merchants with an eye on Anglo-Saxon tastes, the wines of the Loire Valley speak with a more lilting, graceful Gallic diction.

This months Loire Valley tasting promises an opportunity to experience a new wine language through such regions as Muscadet and Vouvray, Pouilly-Fum and Cour-Cheverny, Saumur and Chinon and grapes like Romorantin, Cot, Pineau dAunis and Grolleau dAnjou, along with the more familiar Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir.

The Loire Valley represents winemaking at the margin of what is possible climate-wise and it is made feasible largely by the Loire RiverFrances longest riverand its tributaries, including the Loir and the Cher. The 19th-century American writer Henry James described the river as full, tranquil, powerful, bending in large slow curves, and sending back half the light of the sky The country is so rich, so living so intimately French a country of legends a soil into which a great deal of history had been trodden.

In the same 1884 book, A Little Tour in France, James, who was a fluent French speaker, rhapsodized about the homeland of Loire native and writer Honor de Balzac:

He is surrounded by fine old traditions, religious, social, architectural, culinary; and he may have the satisfaction of feeling that he is French to the core. No part of his admirable country is more characteristically national It is the land

A River Runs through It2010Cakebread Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

A leading producer of premium Napa Valley wines since 1974 and a Napa Green-certified winery since 2008, Cakebread Cellars focuses on quality and sustainability, and this wine reflects that care and attention.

With its dark berry, plum, spice and dark cocoa flavors, this Wine Spectator and Robert Parker 90-pointer boasts rich, integrated tannins and will continue to develop wonderfully in the bottle while pairing well with meat dishes.

Perfect partner: steak, lamb or teppanyaki.

Available at The Cellar (B1), opposite Member Services, for 8,380* a bottle.*Excludes 8 percent consumption tax.

CellarSelection

Sera Goto

Loire Valley Wine TastingWednesday, March 18710 p.m.Washington and Lincoln rooms11,500*Sign up online or at Member Services*Excludes 8 percent consumption tax.

of Rabelais, of Descartes, of Balzac, of good books and good company, as well as good dinners and good houses.

A remarkable feature of Loire wines is the multiplicity of styles: mousseux (sparkling), petillant (a little less sparkling), demi-sec, sec (dry) and various grades of sweetness. Frequently, these are fashioned from the same grapes (mainly Chenin Blanc and Melon de Bourgogne) by the same winemakers.

Like in so many of Frances wine regions, winemaking in the Loire has undergone a transition over the last 30 to 40 years. A younger generation of quality-conscious winemakers is now producing more wines of interest than ever before. Some techniques, such as biodynamics and sorting tables, may even have started here.

Like the potter admired by James in this age of prose, of machinery, of wholesale production, of coarse and hasty processes, todays Loire viticulturists attend to their vineyards and juice with a sense of less eager activity and a greater search for perfection.o

Romaine is chair of the Wine Committee and Tyack is the Clubs wine program director.

9

Family Adventureson the Open Road

Charles and Sho Scott at Cape Soya in Hokkaido

Ahead of his talk at the Club this month, author and adventurer Charles Scott explains how a life-changing decision led to his book, Rising Son: A Father and Sons Bike Adventure across Japan.

HOKKAIDO

HONSHUTokyo

Sapporo

SHIKOKU

KYUSHU

Kyoto

Japanese Alps

Hiroshima

Cape Sata

Cape Soya


ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

A s the parent of a 14-year-old son and an 8-year-old daughter, I often feel they are changing before my eyes, that time is passing too quickly and that their childhoods will end too soon. Six years ago, I decided to take my son, Sho, on a challenging summer adventure, hoping to slow down the passage of time and create some seriously awesome memories. We got a little carried away with the concept of a challenging adventure, but my son was too young to realize that most people thought we were crazy.

In the summer of 2009, I negotiated a two-month, unpaid leave of absence from my job at the multinational chip maker Intel to cycle the length of Japan with my then 8-year-old son on a trailer cycle connected to my bike. The trip was 2,500 miles (4,000 kilometers) and lasted 67 days. My daughter was 2 at the time and stayed behind with my wife in New York City.

My son and I carried about 75 pounds (34 kilograms) of gear on our bikes, slept in a tent, crossed eight mountain passes in the Japan Alps, met wild monkeys, took on sumo wrestlers, ate delicious food, explored Japans many cultural sites, made friends throughout the country and got in pretty good shape.

Meet the Author: Charles ScottSaturday, March 2823 p.m.Toko Shinoda ClassroomAdults: 1,500 (includes one drink)Children (19 and below): 1,000 (includes one drink)Sign up online or at the LibraryPrices exclude 8 percent consumption tax.

We used the trip to raise money for a tree-planting campaign and were named Climate Heroes by the United Nations. Japanese TV tracked our progress across the country and magazines and newspapers around the world featured articles about our ride. Some people we met were skeptical of letting an 8-year-old attempt such a feat, but Sho just told them, A kid can do a whole lot more than most adults think.

I often wrote in my journal while huddled at night inside our small tent, the sound of the ocean crashing a few hundred yards away as Sho slept beside me. My old corporate life felt far away and I relished the chance to reflect and to share so much time with my son.

Those journal musings became Rising Son: A Father and Sons Bike Adventure across Japan. A Japanese translation was published last year.

As Sho and I neared Cape Sata in Kagoshima Prefecture after traveling from Cape Soya in Hokkaido, Japans northernmost point, I began contemplating my return to work and realized that I wanted to create a new professional identity. I decided to challenge myself to grow in a new way. I hoped to spend more time with my children while they were young and show them what they were physically capable of achieving. I wanted to explore the world with them and teach them that they have a duty to care for our beautiful planet.

In 2011, after a lot of planning and many long conversations with my wife, I left my 14-year corporate career and started a new life as an adventurer, writer and public speaker. A week after leaving my job, I flew to Iceland and cycled for 46 days through the country with my then 10-year-old son on a trailer cycle and 4-year-old daughter behind him in a bike trailer. My wife, who works at the UN, joined for the final three weeks of that trip. We struggled against harsh winds but met many kind locals and marveled at Icelands raw beauty.

On another trip, we cycled through Germany, Switzerland, France and England, taking in the final day of the Tour de France in Paris and the Olympics in London. The following summer, my kids and I completed the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail in the western United States, cycling 1,700 miles (2,700 kilometers) of that expedition route. We crossed three mountain passes in the Rockiesno small feat for a 6-year-old girl. Last summer, we pedaled from our home in New York to Niagara Falls and back, following the Erie Canal. My son, who rode his own bicycle, carrying about 30 pounds (13 kilos) of gear, remarked at the end, That was easy: only 1,000 miles and no mountains.

In addition to the family bike trips, I began to guide blind athletes in marathons, triathlons and other endurance events. Last October, I guided the first blind runner across the Grand Canyon and back, nonstop. In my talks at schools and companies, I hope to inspire people to challenge their limits, craft a meaningful life and dive fearlessly into their own adventures, big or small.

When my son was born, I remember propping him up on my forearm, staring into his unfocused eyes and welcoming him to the world with silly songs and loving caresses. Before I knew it, I was doing the same with my daughter. I know how quickly their childhoods will pass, but before they grow up and leave home, we have a few more adventures to do. We may not be able to slow down the passage of time, but well do our best to make the most of it. o

Scott is a New York City-based writer, traveler and public speaker.

Rising Son: A Father and Sons Bike Adventure across Japan is available at the Library.

Charles Scott

11

Beyond Hogwarts

W hen JK Rowling finished her seventh and final novel in the Harry Potter fantasy series in 2007, fans around the world sighed and wondered collectively, whats next? What does an author do after shes written the biggest-selling book series in history? The unforgettable Harry Potter saga captured our hearts, our minds and, for 10 years, satisfied readers young and old with the amazing characters that inhabited the magical world of Hogwarts.

Five years later, Rowling published a contemporary adult novel, The Casual Vacancy. When a popular parish councilor in the fictional English town of Pagford dies unexpectedly, a seat on the council becomes vacant. The reader is introduced to all the villagers vying to secure the local seat while learning about their conflicts, alliances and secrets.

The Casual Vacancy is filled with the kind of richly drawn characters Rowling is so famous for creating. Exploring mature themes like small town politics, class, poverty and drug abuse, this novel is thought-provoking, complex and, as the author describes it, a comic tragedy.

by Alaine Lee

off theshelf

This well-received novel will be released later this year as a BBC television drama.

In 2013, writing under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith, Rowling released her first mystery, The Cuckoos Calling. The protagonist, private detective Cormoran Strike, is the illegitimate son of a notorious rock star, recently dumped and learning to live with war wounds

sustained in Afghanistan. Strikes sidekick and temporary secretary, Robin, is a recent arrival to London. When a famous supermodel falls from her apartment building in suspicious circumstances, Strike is asked to investigate the possible murder in this fast-paced novel.

In The Silkworm, the second installment in the series, the dynamic duo is called in to solve the murder of a famous author, following the release of a tell-all novel about the literary world. The Cormoran Strike mysteries provide truly enjoyable entertainment.

Whats next for Rowling now that shes entered the world of adult fiction? Shes a prolific writer and has insinuated that shes been working on two books for readers younger than the Harry Potter set. Whatever she publishes, its sure to accrue even more Rowling fans. o

Lee is chair of the Library Committee.

The Casual Vacancy (novel and audiobook), The Cuckoos Calling and The Silkworm are available at the Library.

JK Rowling



The Bridge Over the Neroch: And Other Works by Leonid Tsypkin

The Russian Jewish pathologist and writer Leonid Tsypkin rose to prominence with his first novel, Summer in Baden-Baden, which is considered a Russian classic. Though Tsypkin died in 1982, before he could see his work in print, Tsypkins remaining works live on in The Bridge over the Neroch (translated by Jamey Gambrell).

The title novella chronicles the life of a Russian Jewish family, while in Norartakir, a couple goes on vacation to Armenia, only to be thrown out and sent back to the Soviet Union. The other short stories paint the grim realities of Soviet urban life.

The stories here, which range from dreamlike to stark, chaotic to halcyon, reveal Tsypkins unique prose style.

Compiled by librarian Alison Kanegae.

buried treasure

Library & Childrens Library Daily: 9 a.m.8 p.m. Tel: 03-4588-0678 E-mail: [email protected]

newreads

Blood and Beauty: The Borgias by Sarah DunantEnter the court of Renaissance Italy in this historical

piece of fiction. Fifteenth-century Rome and the Borgia

family come alive in rich detail in this epic tale of the

power-hungry family. Filled with fascinating characters,

passion and political intrigue, its a real page-turner.

Parenting without Borders: Surprising Lessons Parents around the World Can Teach Us by Christine Gross-LohWhen Gross-Lohs young sons attended Japanese

school while living in Tokyo, it made her explore and

challenge her American-style parenting. Not a how-

to book, but an engaging exploration of cultural

differences in parenting and schooling throughout

the world.

Cant We Talk about Something More Pleasant? A Memoir by Roz ChastNew Yorker magazine cartoonist Chast chronicles her

relationship with her elderly parents as a graphic novel.

Told with tenderness and humor, Chast introduces

the topic of aging and dementia in an easy-to-read,

engaging format. .

Prince Lestat: The Vampire Chronicles by Anne RiceAfter a 10-year wait, the original queen of vampire

fiction has added one more novel to her Vampire

Chronicles collection. Prepare to be captivated and

mesmerized by Rices blood-sucking creatures in this

spooky tale of the undead.

Jamie Olivers Comfort Food: The Ultimate Weekend Cookbook by Jamie OliverBeautiful photographs, great recipes and a dose

of nostalgia make the British celebrity chefs latest

cookbook a winner. Sharing cuisines from around the

world, the variety of recipes will inspire you to cook

something satisfying for yourself and your family.

As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of the Princess Bride by Cary Elwes with Joe LaydenElwes fun, behind-the-scenes memoir recounts the

making of the 1987 cinematic classic. The photographs,

interviews and recollections in the book will make you

want to watch the movie again. The audiobook, which

is available at the Library, is read by the author.

Reviews compiled by Library Committee chair Alaine Lee.

13

Buried in the basement of the Club, the Video Library can be easy to miss. Find out more about the Clubs home of movies and TV shows: What Video Library membership is best for my family?If you want to check out DVDs often, especially new releases, our unlimited monthly membership would best suit your family. If you occasionally watch a movie, we offer la carte membership.

How do I find a movie? Check the online catalog of 16,000 titles on the Video Library page under Club Services. Or you can drop by The Cellar (B1) and ask our movie-loving staff for recommendations. We now carry an assortment of snacks and treats in the Video Library. Grab something to nibble on during your movie.

What if my movie needs to be returned but I still want to keep it?Call or e-mail the Video Library. We can renew it once for free if youre a monthly member or check it out again for you if youre an la carte member (new releases and TV shows, however, cant be renewed). You can also grab a return envelope and call to schedule a pickup time.

Can I watch Video Library movies on my DVD player at home?Since the Video Library carries region one movies, ordered directly from the United States, youll need a region-free DVD player (available in most Tokyo electronics stores). You can also view movies on your computer.

What is Blu-ray? Watched on a Blu-ray player, Blu-ray discs deliver dramatically superior picture and sound quality, along with a number of conveniences and interactive features. With up to six times better picture resolution than standard DVDs, Blu-ray discs create a high-definition experience, with richer colors, sharper detail and more lifelike action. The Video Library offers a large assortment of Blu-ray discs and orders new ones each month. o

Harris is a member if the Video Library Committee.

by Diane Harris

Home Entertainment Hub

flickpick

Video Library Daily: 9 a.m.8 p.m. Tel: 03-4588-0686 E-mail: [email protected] Reviews compiled by Nick Narigon.

WhiplashA young jazz drummer seeks the

respect of an intense, sometimes

abusive, teacher (JK Simmons) at a cut-

throat music conservatory.

The InterviewA TV host (James Franco) and his

producer (Seth Rogen) are recruited by

the CIA to assassinate their No. 1 fan:

North Korean leader Kim Jung-un.

The Theory of EverythingThe award-winning portrayal of the

touchingand tryingrelationship

between British physicist Stephen

Hawking (Eddie Redmayne) and his ex-

wife, Jane.

Big Hero 6Together with his inflatable robot,

Baymax, young prodigy Hiro Hamada

teams up with a band of high-tech

heroes to battle a masked villain.

The Better AngelsProduced by cinema legend Terrence

Malick, this gritty film portrays the story

of Abraham Lincolns childhood in the

rugged wilderness of Indiana.

Song of the SeaIn this animation based on a Celtic

legend, the mute Saoirse must find her

voice to bring to life the ancient stories

of the mythical selkies.

March Movie MadnessAll Video Library members receive 10 percent off any wine purchase from

The Cellar or online this month.

And if thats not enough, they can also enjoy two rentals for the price of

one, Mondays through Wednesdays.

new movies



by Nick Narigon

Artist Motoko Shiokawa learned the basics of calligraphy at the age of 6. Since then, her talent with a fude brush has taken her across Japan and to the likes of Australia, France and Denmark to exhibit her works.

In calligraphy, we express in the brush stroke, in the shades of sumi [ink], through the beauty of a whole composition and through the meaning of letters, says Shiokawa, a graduate of the prestigious Musashino Art University. I am attracted to this simplicity, which compels me to continue working.

Using a specially prepared sumi ink mixture, the Yokohama native creates each piece in one graceful motion. After endless practice and experimentation, Shiokawa, who uses the pseudonym Shiroki for her art, says her creative process is now instinctive rather than logical.

In her organic-style works, dubbed avant-garde calligraphy, the white space takes on just as much meaning as the black strokes. Each piece is marked with distinctive strands, which Shiokawa, who describes herself as outgoing and passionate, says represents her vitality and connection to the world.

Some of my audience tells me that the mark looks like a blood vessel, a muscle or even a tree root, she says. I cant repeat each artwork. I feel that it is like my own life, in which I live in distinct moments.

ExhibitionMarch 222

Frederick Harris Gallery | Motoko Shiokawa

All exhibits in the Frederick Harris Gallery are for sale and can be purchased by Membership card at the Member Services Desk. Sales of works begin at 6 p.m. on the first day of the exhibition.

15

On the morning of September 11, 2001, I was in a cab on the way to a 10 oclock meeting with a client on the 79th floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. I watched the tower implode while stuck in traffic about 1.5 miles from downtown Manhattan. I will never forget the image of the contorted building as it collapsed. It changed me forever.

Several years later, I met an artist named Yang Xiaomin. In his work, he somehow conveys the essence of the conflicting emotions I experienced that day. Yang was also struck by the events of 9/11. He produced a memorable set of screens that depict a writhing tangle of skyscrapers. His work communicates his earnest view of modern environments. Those twisted skyscrapers, rendered with a collection of natural materials, embody the tensions, fragility and complexity of modern society.

Born in 1960 in Quanzhou, China,

Melding Mother Nature and Modernity

by Jeffrey Bohn

Yang Xiaomin

Yang Xiaomins contemporary Nihonga works, which are on show at the Frederick Harris Gallery this month, represent a blend of old and new.

Yang has lived in Japan for more than 25 years and practices his own version of contemporary Japanese art, inspired by the Nihonga style of painting. Yang sensei (as his students and the admirers of his work refer to him) began studying Nihonga after escaping his native countrys suffocating cultural and political environment and arriving in Japan in the 1980s. His new home offered him the opportunity to pursue the art form, all without having to look over his shoulder or justify what he was doing to those in authority.

Nihonga is an art form that refuses to surrender to the convenience of modern society. Unlike most Western-style painting traditions, where artists have the luxury of driving to an art supply store to procure oil paints, acrylic paints, turpentine, brushes or other materials, Nihonga artists are trained to create their own paints and brushes and employ age-old manual processes.

For these nature-focused painters, the process of producing quality

materials is just as significant as the act of painting. Yang sensei is no exception. From collecting and charring wood in a neighborhood fire pit to handcrafting his brushes with animal hair to stretching and sizing his own canvases, including large panels for panoramic folding screens, he makes most of his materials.



Besides grinding minerals for paints, he relies on animal hide glue as an adhesive for precious metal foil. In the process of gluing the foil to the canvas stretched over handmade frames, he discovers the essence of each theme he wants to convey. By adding layers and cutting out shapes, he builds texture into his pieces.

Kayo Yamaw

aki ExhibitionMarch 23April 12Gallery ReceptionMonday, March 236:308 p.m.Frederick Harris Gallery (B1 Formal Lobby)FreeAdults onlyOpen to invitees and Members only

From his Machida studio, devoid of a heater or air conditioner, Yang sensei is preserving aspects of this centuries-old painting style while infusing a modern sensibility. His current themes, techniques of layering and experimentation with a wider range of materials differentiate his art from traditional Nihonga. By

combining the traditions of one culture (Japanese Nihonga) with another (his own) in our interconnected world, Yang sensei creates something that is at once old and new.

One recent work of his was inspired by the Tohoku triple disaster of March 11, 2011. The piece depicts an innocent pheasant flying across a rice field, the scenes golden hues punctuated by red lightning bolts of radiation. In this bucolic setting, contaminated by a catastrophe of the modern world, the flora and fauna represent a resilient nature.

The 9/11 and 3/11 pieces not only bookend a series of works that deal with the conflicts of modern society, but define an artist who has transversed multiple cultures. From a single rose and a yacht in a marina to a dog and a nondescript seaside town, Yang senseis artwork covers a wide range of themes and subjects that together represent the world of a foreigner who has absorbed numerous influences to become a vibrant part of his adopted culture. o

American Bohn is a Member of the Club.

17

by Rob GossPhotos by Alfie Goodrich

Winter sunlight gleams through the lattice roof of the Sky Pool, momentarily flickering across the rippling water, as a band of swimmers works through a set of backstroke drills. Its a little over halfway through the 90-minute session and even the most experienced triathletes among the group are beginning to tire.

launched E3 Fit Swim Program, which runs every Saturday afternoon until May 2. Club Member and experienced triathlon and ironman competitor Wayne Alexander explains that the sessions are designed to help swimmers with the grueling and technically challenging open-water swimming component of a triathlon.

The E3 classes began with five of us

Offering efficient, easy and effective swim training, the new E3 Fit Swim Program prepares competitive swimmers at the Club for the high seas.

Pushing the swimmers to their limit is instructor and former Japan open-water swim champion Lisa Miyasugi. The petite Kanagawa native darts energetically between swim lanes, checking the form of all seven class participants. Every so often, she pauses to offer a tip on technique. While the training is intense, the mood is light.

The swimmers are part of the newly

Sea Trials

Peter Knight


RECREATION & FITNESS

from the TAC Triathlon Club. We knew about Lisa and asked her to create a program for us to help improve our open-water swims. Open water is so different to swimming in a pool. There are no lines to follow and the stroke in open water is different. At the start, it is like pro wrestling, says Alexander, 60, who credits Miyasugis training methods with helping him to win his age category at last years Chiba Aquathlon.

Lisa doesnt just teach drills, she is also very technical with strokes and form. She also teaches you how to deal with the panic at the start of a swim, which is the most dangerous part of a triathlon, the American adds. The other thing Lisa teaches is dry-land conditioning, which you dont get on masters courses, but is important for building core strength.

Australian Peter Knight, 47, has completed five ironman events and recently took part in a polar bear swim in Enoshima on New Years Day. He says the programs focus on group swims and technique was a big draw.

With cycling and running, its 20 percent technique and 80 percent perseverance. With the open-water swim, its the opposite.

Good technique improves speed and efficiency, he says. You also have to get used to swimming in open water with other people and with the swells. You cant prepare yourself for that by swimming lengths alone in a pool.

As part of the program, Miyasugi, who took part in trials for Japans 2008 Beijing Olympic squad, takes the group for ocean training off Zushi in Kanagawa Prefecture. Swimming as part of a group is also part of the classes at the Sky Pool. At one point during the session, Miyasugi, 28, has the swimmers crowd into one lane to swim three abreast. Amid the thrashing of limbs and splashing of water, they have to retain focus and poise.

There is a higher level of death in the first five minutes of a triathlon swim because people panic in the crowded water. Group swims help them to prepare for that, Miyasugi says. I focus a lot on technique, but with open-water swimming you also have to be mentally prepared. Before a race, there are five things I want my students to check to help them acclimatize to the water. I want them to feel the sand underfoot, taste the water,

check the water temperature, feel the wave direction and check the water depth.

As for technique, Miyasugi uses dry-land conditioning, drills and technical guidance to improve swimmers proficiency in all the key strokes, particularly freestyle.

The program is designed for open-water swimming and will give open-water skills, but at the same time students need to also improve their basic skills, Miyasugi explains. Lots of intermediate swimmers dont kick properly and dont have correct glide positioning. Many triathletes cant do breaststroke, backstroke or butterfly, but we need to practice these to improve at freestyle.

Designed for intermediate- to advanced-level swimmers, the E3 Fit Swim Program is open to anyone who can swim 50 meters, according to Miyasugi. So you dont need a triathlon medal or a host of ironman bibs at home to join, but you might end up with both by the end of the program. o

Goss is a Tokyo-based freelance journalist.

For more details about the E3 Fit Swim Program, visit the Aquatics page of the Club website or the Sky Pool Office.

Wayne Alexander

19


Triathlon TestRun, swim and cycle your way to Club gloryand a bag of prizesover eight days in one contest category.

Sprint Ironman: 750m swim | 20km bike | 5km runHalf Ironman: 1.9km swim | 90km bike | 22km run Full Ironman: 3.8km swim | 180 km bike | 42.2km run

Try 3: Be an IronmanMarch 18Fitness Center and Sky Pool1,500Sign up at the Fitness Center

In with the New Spring is the perfect time to kick-start a new sport or hobby. Browse the array of adult and kids programs, from basketball and soccer to martial arts and ballet, on offer on the Club website.

Spring Class Registration Tuesday, March 38:30 a.m.Sign up online or at the Recreation Desk

YOUTH

Fields of DreamsAnother thrilling season of homeruns and no-hitters kicks off for the Clubs young baseball fans.

The program is divided into two coed leagues: Cadet League (grades K2), Junior League (grades 35) and Senior League (grades 68).

Youth BaseballTraining camp: March 21, 22, 28 and 29Regular season: April 5June 7 (Sundays)Cadets: 16,800 (non-Members: 20,160)Juniors/Seniors: 28,000 (non-Members: 33,600)Sign up online

Spring CampYoungsters stay busy while making new friends during exciting, one-week sessions of games, crafts, music, dance and more.

Camp Discovery: Spring Fun March 16April 3 9 a.m.3 p.m.40,000Ages 37Sign up online

Seasonal Arts and Crafts Ahead of Easter on April 5, kids create their own spring-themed crafts.

Spring Fun Craft DaySaturday, March 2810:30 a.m.12 p.m.Toko Shinoda Classroom3,500Ages 412 (children 6 and under must be accompanied by a parent)Sign up online

On Course for CollegeHigh school juniors and seniors receive test-taking tips and strategies for college entrance exams from the Clubs professional tutors.

SAT Intensive CourseMarch 2327 (five classes)9 a.m.12 p.m.

ACT Intensive CourseMarch 2327 (five classes)14 p.m.

80,000Jean Pearce ClassroomSign up online

Prices exclude 8 percent consumption tax.

YOUTHFITNESS

Spring Pampering

The Spa proudly uses products by

To book a treatment, contact The Spa at 03-4588-0714 or [email protected]: 10 a.m.8 p.m. | Sunday and national holidays: 10 a.m.6 p.m.

The Spa welcomes the arrival of spring with a special rejuvenating treatment for the whole of March.

90-minute Swedish Massage + Spine-Revitalizing Mask: 15,000 (original price: 17,500)

The effervescent seaweed mask, packed with marine nutrients and minerals, encourages the release of toxins while increasing blood circulation.

Prices exclude 8 percent consumption tax.


I n 1979, Reiko Saito moved with her family to the recently independent African country of Zambia, where her father was hoping to tap into the burgeoning oil business. It was the 7-year-olds first trip outside her native Japan.

Attending an international school, Saito found herself surrounded by classmates from India, China and many other parts of the world. Everyone spoke English.

I was exposed to a lot of things. I saw soldiers with guns. There were curfews and things, says Saito, now 43. There were two Japanese families about 100 kilometers away from our town. We drove for an hour to see them on the weekend. I took it pretty naturally. I didnt think it was too different. But I think it is affecting a lot of things I am doing right now.

A communications and language professional, Saito established the Womens Groups Language Coffee Exchange last November to promote conversation and intercultural exchange between Members from various backgrounds.

The free coffee klatch, which meets the second Monday of the month, also serves as a forum to introduce different Club events and organizations, which Members have the opportunity to join as either a participant or volunteer.

Enrique Balducci

Friendship Forum

by Nick Narigon Reiko Saito

One Womens Group member has set up a monthly mixer to help people break down language barriers.

First and foremost, I attended because it provides an opportunity for me to interact with non-English-speaking ladies, especially Japanese, says Balian. It is easy access to an organized casual event where I can broaden my experience of the Japanese language and culture.

At the February get-together, Saito divided the 13 women into two groups and asked them to describe their hometown in their language of choice. For future meetings, Saito says she plans to organize games and exercises like speed match. She also says she hopes to see non-Womens Group members attend.

We are still at the stage where we are exploring different ideas of what can we do, and I think there are a lot of opportunities, says Saito. Its about taking advantage of the diversity of the Club and bringing Members together where they can communicate in a relaxing atmosphere. o

Language Exchange CoffeeMonday, March 910 a.m.New York Bridge, CHOP SteakhouseFreeContact the Womens Group Office for details

We felt there was a need for Japanese Members to have primary lessons for communicating in English and grow their confidence in communicating in English, says Saito, who was a Member of the Club as a child. There is also a need for English-speaking Members to get to know Japanese people and to make friends. They stay here for three or four years, and they would love to exchange cultural things by getting to know someone in Japan, and some people even want to learn Japanese.

Womens Group member Anush Balian attended one of the first Language Coffee Exchange sessions to practice speaking Japanese and meet like-minded people.

Reiko Saito and her family in Zambia, 1979



The Club website project was long and quite complex in many ways, and we were very happy to see the new site go live. When you

consider that the old website was almost six years old, there was little doubt that it was time for a new online platform.

Since the project was long and web technologies keep speeding ahead, features like mobile device support became a necessary requirement. This meant a lot of late-stage adjustments to make the site responsive.

The age of the responsive siteResponsive web design is about creating websites that are viewable and usable across a wide range of devices, such as desktop computers, tablets and smartphones. The idea is that you need only create a single interface that works well on them all, rather than having one website user interface for PCs and another for smartphones.

Designing Sites that SellFollowing the launch of the new Club website earlier this year, Michael Rollins, the president of the digital agency that developed it, explains how websites and digital marketing are changing.

The responsive feature is the norm for new websites now, especially since the percentage of mobile website traffic on websites is growing quickly. However, the lack of screen real estate on smartphones can and does impose limits on how complex or feature-rich these interfaces can become.

Web design trendsIn terms of design, there is a marked shift to flat design and further to material designGoogles new guidelines for visual language. Flat design has become the de facto standard for device user interfaces, web applications and more. Flat design makes it much easier to create responsive layouts across multiple device types, and the user interfaces are lightweight and fast, resulting in less waiting for users and high marks from Google, which can help your website appear higher in search engine result pages.

We are also seeing a move to longer pages and scrolling instead of clicking and more use of large, high-quality images and backgrounds. Its fair to say that the days of the prominent cheesy stock photo have mercifully come to an end.

The future of digital marketingWhile certainly not a new trend, content marketing is still one that shows no signs of slowing down and that may be because it offers so many benefits. Publishing interesting and useful content on your website not only drives more traffic and business your way, it also helps with search engine rankings, which drives more traffic, boosts rankings and so on.

Marketing automation, meanwhile, is helping digital marketers produce excellent results. While once primarily e-mail-based, the scope of marketing automation has expanded to include inbound marketing and personalization. It has been slow in coming to Japan, but top marketing automation solution providers, such as Marketo, are now setting up shop here.

In another trend, websites and digital marketing are increasingly becoming data-driven. Armed with this data, companies are investing heavily in increasing website performance through activities like conversion rate optimization (CRO). With CRO, you collect and analyze website usage data and then adjust your content, layout or design to make improvements in your key metrics. While marketing automation works to drive people into the funnel, CRO is designed to make sure they get out the other end. Its all about the data. o

Rollins is founder and president of Tokyo-based digital creative agency Netwise.

Michael Rollins

23

by Nick Jones

After months of preparation and research, the Club unveils its newest home of steaks and wine on March 3.

TheCHOPExperience


TheCHOPExperience

FEATURE

Scott Kihara

Benjamin Parks

25

E mbracing its roots, the Clubs latest dining adventure is modeled after the quintessential American steakhouse. With a no-nonsense menu centered on the best of American beef, CHOP Steakhouse promises dining excellence, value at every turn and an experience that Members will seek out again and again.

Members like Matt Krcelic. One of the things I miss from home is just hanging out with good friends, going to a casual steak restaurant and having a nice meal, he says.

We grow up where sharing steak with

family is part of American culture

CHOP SteakhouseFrom March 3Dinner: MondayFriday (from 6 p.m.; CHOP bar from 5 p.m.)Available for private event bookings on weekendsReservations: 03-4588-0381 | [email protected]

great meal that you remember back in the United States and that you cant find anywhere else in Tokyo.

CHOP is the only steakhouse in Tokyo with a full lineup of American Certified Angus Beef and even CHOP-exclusive cuts. The various dry- and wet-aged and bone-in steaks can be enhanced with the one-of-a-kind C3 steak sauce, prepared daily, and

complemented with sides like IPA-battered onion rings and mac n cheese.

Beyond the generous portions of quality Midwest-raised beef, CHOP covers its cuisine bases with dishes like Iwate chicken, New Zealand lamb chop, spring pea and lemon risotto and seafood from Tsukiji fish market. Wine lovers, meanwhile, can feast on a wine list that includes more than 100 value-priced, premium labels.

Understanding that a good dining experience goes well beyond just great food, CHOPs manager, Antonio Villasmil, says that diners at CHOP Steakhouse can expect an intimate evening of superlative service in the very best tradition of a members club.

I think service is everything, says Club Member Alok Rakyan. From the

time you are welcomed to the restaurant, from the time he remembers where you need to be seated, from the time he brings you the menu. Those are aspects which set the tone for the evening.

In this evolution of third-floor dining at the Club, CHOP Steakhouse, complete with new staff attire, jazz and blues music and updated table settings, will offer the total package and the ultimate taste of home. o

CHOPs chef de cuisine and culinary mastermind, Scott Kihara, worked tirelessly with his team to create a menu of classic entres, sides and sweets that takes its cue from Americas leading steakhouses.

We grow up where sharing steak with family is part of American culture, he says. That is what we are trying to do at CHOP Steakhouse: present that atmosphere where its that neighborhood steakhouse and you can go and get that


FEATURE

CHOP Steakhouse chef de cuisine Scott Kihara scoured America for the perfect steak. He dined at the top steak restaurants in Los

Angeles, Las Vegas and New York, eating steak three meals a day.

He met with cattle ranchers in Kansas, Iowa and Ohio, riding in pickup trucks through the pastures, watching the heifers raise their young and graze on lush Midwest grass. In Seattle, he met the butchers who hand-cut CHOPs meat and inspected the packing plants and distribution facilities.

The exhaustive search resulted in CHOP Steakhouses signature 10-ounce, bone-in Certified Angus Beef tenderloin.

I would say that the 10-ounce tenderloin is the one that excites me the most. We have that exclusively cut for us, and you wont find it anywhere else in Tokyo, says American Kihara. The tenderloin is the softest and most tender piece of meat. On top of that, it is with the bone, and when presented on a plate looks fabulous.

The steaks served at CHOP Steakhouse, including the 28-day, dry-aged Certified Angus Beef porterhouse, are the highest-grade cuts of meat on the market. The only seasoning required is CHOPs specially prepared bone marrow butter, which is drizzled over each steak, and a housemade finishing salt.

What we are trying to do is use top-quality ingredients and present them very simply. The ingredients are going to speak for themselves, as what we have searched out are the best ingredients we can find, says Kihara. Certified Angus Beef is the No. 1 recognized brand in the United States for quality. They are the trusted brand and the one that people seek out.

Certified Angus Beef (CAB) is a nonprofit subsidiary of the American Angus Association, whose membership consists of 25,000 ranchers. The meat is ranked as high-end and prime grade and only one in four Angus cattle qualify for the Certified Angus Beef brand.

The Best of Beef by Nick Narigon

Marc Pritchard, president of MacDonald Meat in Seattle, the firm that supplies CHOP with its CAB and USDA Prime steaks, says his company has five quality control programs in place and a USDA inspector permanently on-site.

We source all of our beef from approved US Midwest beef suppliers, where the best cattle come from, says Pritchard. We find out our clients specifications for each item and we custom process and/or cut everything ourselves. This allows us to ensure our clients get exactly what they need and desire.

Besides a host of succulent cuts, the CHOP Steakhouse menu features classic American steakhouse favorites like steak frites, creamed spinach and corn crme brle.

I am excited to go back to the roots of what a steakhouse is, especially the classic New York-style steakhouse, says Kihara. Whether its once a week, twice a week or three times a week, you can come here and enjoy a meal with your friends and family or with your business partners. Its an approachable place where you are going to get quality service and also get the top-quality steaks that are available only here at CHOP Steakhouse. o

Tony Biggs, the organizations director of culinary arts and a former Club executive chef, describes Certified Angus Beef as just like a new BMW.

CAB strictly follows 10 science-based specifications that separate us from other brands. This guarantees exceptional quality every time, says Biggs. The marbling, tenderness and consistency in our product make for a fantastic eating experience.

I am excited to go back to the roots of what a steakhouse is, especially the

classic New York-style steakhouse

27

Catwalk Creations

with lavish, 10- to 15-minute runway shows costing millions of dollars. But, according to the report, the shows have become less about selling the latest collection and more about projecting the brands image to a world audience.

Organizers of this months Tokyo Fashion Week, which attracts around 140,000 fashionistas, are hoping to boost the citys position in the fashion world and entice more international designers, like Londons Henry Holland, while providing an incentive for Japans top designers to stay home.

Award-winning designer and Club Member Tae Ashida will unveil her 2015 fall and winter collection at the Grand Hyatt Hotel on March 20 during Tokyo Fashion Week. Last year she and her father, Club Member Jun Ashida, celebrated the 50th anniversary of Jun Ashida fashion house with an exhibition at Tokyos National Art Center, the first independent fashion house to exhibit at a national museum of art.

iNTOUCHs Nick Narigon visited Ashida at her Daikanyama headquarters to gain an insight into the ever-evolving world of fashion. Excerpts:

iNTOUCH: You produce two big fashion shows a year, drawing more than 1,600 attendees each time. Whats it like behind the scenes?

Ashida: There are almost 100 people working backstage. The show is less than 25 minutes and those people coordinate with each other to make one show. Models come out beautifully and they walk on the catwalk so elegantly, but as soon as they get backstage, they are running, they are taking off their clothes, no matter who is around, and the fitters try to put on new garments, and the hair and makeup people try to fix their hair and makeup, and two or three minutes later she is another person with a new garment. Its beautiful, but its also a panic.

iNTOUCH: Tokyo Fashion Week is known as a showcase for relatively unknown, up-and-coming and, mostly, Japanese designers. How can the event evolve in order to compete with Paris, Milan, New York and London?

In a forever-connected world, fashion doesnt take a breather, either. Designers post their latest creations on social media before they reach fashion magazines and catwalk shows are streamed on the Internet. Customers can now purchase a garment online before the model has even made it to the end of the runway.

According to The Economist, a recent survey of the $250 billion luxury fashion industry concluded that word of mouth, mainly through social media, overtook magazines last year as the biggest influence on consumers purchase decisions.

Still, fashion brands continue to spend big money on the biannual fashion weeks in New York, London, Paris and Milan,

Kayo Yamaw

aki

Tae Ashida


TALKING HEADS

interesting to see who is showing what. Of course, fashion editors try to talk about the seasons trends, about what is in and what is out, but if you see the next collection, you already know.

iNTOUCH: There is some criticism that h i g h f a s h i on h a s little connection with everyday fashions and style. Do you agree?

A s h i d a : I t h i n k garments are to be worn by people for real life. Thats my

philosophy. Some people think fashion should be something outrageous and different from everyday life, and thats another way of thinking. Peoples lives are all different. Some people need something outrageous for their life, and some people need very good clothes.

iNTOUCH: How do you imagine those who will buy your designs?

Ashida: I imagine real people wearing my clothes, so I dont want to make anything which cannot be worn by real people. Of course, at the same time, I dont want to make anything boring and not challenging. It is a balance between dream and reality. I think when people wear my dresses, they should be themselves. They shouldnt be me. They can change the look and impression of the dress by their personality. When I see this happening, it is what excites me as a designer.

iNTOUCH: Which designers excite you?

Ashida: Nowadays, there are less masters that [I] respect. All of the brands with history, like Christian Dior, Valentino or Yves Saint Laurent, have new designers. Back then, there were so many masters who were respected. They were technically amazing, they were so elegant. You just take a look at their work and say, Wow! Nowadays, there are not so many like that. It is more about what is happening on streets all over the world. o

Ashida: I think they really try to concentrate on the incubation of new fashion designers, but I think they put too much energy into it. I think it should have more [of a] balance of new designers and professionals. This may be one of the biggest differences between other collections and the Tokyo collection. Other fashion weeks show many young, new designers, but at the same time there are many professional people with long careers. New people are fresh, and they have many ideas, and maybe its more creative in a way. But professionals know what they should do and their creations are more sophisticated.

iNTOUCH: Foreigners tend to focus on Tokyos kawaii culture or the Harajuku street culture. Does this fairly reflect Japan fashion?

Ashida: Its a part of it, but it is not everything. I was asked by foreign editors if most of the people in Tokyo wear kawaii dresses, and I was so scared to hear that. I said I have never seen anyone dressed in that way around me, unless I go to Harajuku or Akihabara. I think Japan is one of the most properly dressed countries. On average, people are really aware of what they are wearing and they spend a lot of money on how they look. Of course, there are some people dressed in kawaii dresses, and its OK. It is part of it, but I think we should portray the image of the other side of Japan, too.

iNTOUCH: With Japans domestic market shrinking, how is it affecting your work or that of other designers?

Ashida: I think it is difficult for everyone. It is the same all over the world, I am sure, but people dont tend to buy so much anymore. Its not easy, but its never easy to sell things to people. I dont feel so much impact. We are lucky to have many loyal customers. We really appreciate that, but we can never stop. We have to make continual efforts to find new ways of selling and attracting new customers.

iNTOUCH: Is Japan a fashion leader?

Ashida: In a way, but you know nowadays, you cant really talk about fashion in one word. Its more international. You cant really compare Paris and Tokyo. You cant even talk about trends anymore. Before, if miniskirts [were] the trend, then you [had] to cut all of your skirts mini, otherwise you [were] out of the trend. It is not like that anymore. If you want to wear a long skirt, its OK. If you want to wear wide pants, if you want to wear skinny pants, there is a balance for it.

iNTOUCH: How has technology affected the fashion industry?

Ashida: [At any collection], you see right away what particular designers are showing on the Internet. You can watch the collection in real time. It is

29


Set to host a dinner at the Club this month, the head

of a centuries-old sake maker in Tohoku explains

why his brewery continues to stick to its roots.

by Tim Hornyak

A Taste of Tradition

31

INSIDE JAPAN

Daishichi turns out a range of premium sake, including its flagship Junmai Kimoto Classic and Minowamon, a junmai daiginjo named after one of the gates of Nihonmatsu Castle in northern Fukushima. Junmai daiginjo is a type of high-grade sake made with rice thats been highly polished, with at least 50 percent of its outer layer removed through milling. The minimum is 40 percent for ginjoshu sake.

Daishichis ginjos and daiginjos are not just elegant, with a fine fragrance, says Ohta, theyre also sakes with body, so they can be paired with stronger-tasting foods, such as those with herbs, cream and oil. The lactic acid in the kimoto sake can become a natural bridge for a sommelier to cheese, buttery dishes or creamy dishes. So, kimoto sake also goes well with Western food.

Of course, the proof is in the drinking, which those attending this months dinner at the Club will have plenty of chance to do. While Ohta is reluctant to reveal too many details, he does confirm that the event will feature a range of flavors, including a light sparkling sake, a traditional Junmai Kimoto and even a kimoto plum wine.

The evening is part of an overall effort to expose more people to Daishichis heritage and brand. The brewerys sake is available in the United States, Europe and other parts of Asia, such as the growing markets of Singapore and Thailand. For Ohta, the dinner is a chance to explain one of his sakes distinguishing points.

The taste is more complex, but at the same time very harmonious, and it has a lot of umami, says Ohta, referring to the savory taste often associated with soy sauce, cheese and monosodium glutamate. Its the fifth taste, but it doesnt have a flavor itself like sweet or sour, but it enhances the original taste of the ingredients in the food. It brings out the taste in the dishes and harmonizes them. That is the quality of umami. o

Hornyak is a Tokyo-based freelance journalist.

In the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear crisis in 2011, a venerable sake brewery in the prefecture could count itself lucky. Nearly 300 years ago, the founders of Daishichi had decided to source

their water from a deep well at the foot of Mount Adatara.

With an untainted water supply, filtered through the volcano, Daishichi could continue to produce top-quality sake, despite the catastrophe at Tokyo Electrics nuclear power plant less than 100 kilometers away.

Aside from water, another key ingredient in making sake is, naturally, rice. Fears of cesium contamination devastated rice farming in Fukushima, but in January this year, the local government announced that the entire 2014 crop had been given the all clear, following checks on almost 11 million bags of rice.

Even though Daishichi had already been sourcing its rice from producers across Japan, the brewery installed ventilation filters, air curtains and radiation detectors to ensure its sake remained as pure as ever.

We check everything: the rice when it comes in and the rice when it goes into the final product, and we are still continuing that, saying Hideharu Ohta, the 10th-generation head of Daishichi, during a visit to the Club in December. The water comes from very, very deep wells and it is not affected at all.

While Ohta had expected sales to drop in the wake of the crisis, the opposite happened. Since people throughout Japan wanted to help Fukushima by buying local products, Daishichi enjoyed a bump in sales. Ohta admits that sales were flat due to concerns about the 2011 rice crop, but he says shipments are growing again, and

hes now focused on unearthing more overseas markets.

Founded in 1752, the brewery is quick to advertise its age-old methods to differentiate it from the competition. Daishichi is one of the few sake breweries left that uses the kimoto method, one of the most orthodox ways of producing the fermented rice drink. The approach centers on making natural lactic acid at the brewery itself, instead of buying it from suppliers like milk factories.

Kimoto is a way to make very pure yeast simply, using human hands, says Ohta. Its a very complex process in which many types of microorganisms come out and they fight each other, as it were, for control of the tank where they live. In the end, you get a lactic acid environment that yields a very pure yeast.

Compared to more modern, efficient ways of brewing, kimoto takes two to three times longer. Meanwhile, the water used by the brewery has more mineral content compared to that of other makers and requires maturation. In this again process, it can take two years or more before the sake reaches its best.

Hideharu Ohta

Daishichi Sake Brewery

Kayo Yamaw

aki

Daishichi Sake DinnerFriday, March 136:309 p.m.Washington and Lincoln rooms6,500*Sign up online or at Member ServicesSponsored by the Culture, Community and Entertainment Committee*Excludes 8 percent consumption tax.

On a Beaten PathOnce a major artery into the heart of the city of Edo, the Tokaido roads remnants can still be found in and around present-day Tokyo. by Mark Schreiber

On the northwest side of Nihonbashi Bridge, close to Mitsukoshis f lagship dep ar t ment s tore , i s a restoration of the circular metal plate that marked the zero milestone from which travel distances in Japan were measured.

Just as all roads in Italy are said to lead to Rome, all roads in Japan once led to this point. In olden times, travelers on foot or horseback entered and departed Edo (present-day Tokyo) via five main routes, four of which began here. Probably the best known of these, the Tokaido (Eastern Sea Road), followed Japans Pacific coast before swinging inland and terminating at the Sanjo Bridge in Kyoto.

The original Tokaido is no longer contiguous, but sections of it, marked by signs reading Kyu Tokaido, still exist at various points and can be easily accessed. A leisurely walk along the old Tokaido will give you a hands-on lesson in Japanese history.

First, head to the Keihin Kyuko (Keikyu) train station at Shinagawa, which was the first shuku, or post station that offered overnight accommodations, leading west from Edo. Board a local train to Tachiaigawa Station, the

fifth stop. When you emerge from the station, turn left and youll see a large bronze statue of Sakamoto Ryoma, the reform-minded samurai from the domain of Tosa (now Kochi Prefecture in Shikoku), who was assassinated in 1867, a year before the Meiji Restoration.

The Tosa domain maintained a residence nearby, from which it defended the harbor with a battery of cannons. In 1853, the 19-year-old Sakamoto was present when four American naval vessels, commanded by Commodore Matthew Perry, sailed into Edo Bay to demand that Japan open up its ports to foreign vessels. Unfortunately, aside from a few rocks that once supported the guns, little else of the battery remains.

Next, turn right at the red and white MUFG bank sign and youll be walking on the old Tokaido. The first bridge over the canal was once referred to as Namidabashi or bridge of tears. According to tradition, this is the point where friends or family members bade farewell to a condemned person bound for the Suzugamori execution ground, which is about a 12-minute walk away.

Suzugamori today is a small triangular plot of greenery, sandwiched between National

Highway 15 and the old Tokaido. Its location astride the Tokaido was not coincidental. Travelers bound for the shoguns city were served grisly warnings that crime would be dealt with swiftly and severely.

Along with various monuments are two cubical stones. The one with the round hole was used for burning someone at the stake (hi aburi), which was the punishment for arson, while the one with the square hole was used for haritsuke, where a criminal was fastened to crossed beams and repeatedly stabbed with a spear. It was here, legend has it, that Edos most famous firebug, a 16-year-old girl known as Yaoya no Oshichi, is said to have met her tragic end.

Cross the pedestrian overpass at Suzugamori and walk beneath the elevated Keikyu tracks to Omori Kaigan Station. Take a local train for six stops to Rokugo Dote Station, walk across Highway 15 and then the Tama River to Kawasaki. On the Kawasaki side of the bridge, youll see markers commemorating Rokugo no Watashi, the ferry crossing last used in 1883. It was from here on the 23rd day of the ninth month in 1868 that the entourage of the 15-year-old

Hakone KyukaidoOld Tokaido Road


Tokaido Kawasaki Shuku Koryukan http://kawasakishuku.jp Kawasaki Isago-no-Sato Museum http://kawasaki-isagonosato.jimdo.com Hakone Checkpoint www.hakonesekisyo.jp

Nihonbashi www.nihonbashi-tokyo.jp Go Tokyo www.gotokyo.org Discover Kawasaki www.travelkawasaki.com Yokohama Visitors Guide www.yokohamajapan.com

Emperor Meiji, using a makeshift bridge of 23 boats lashed end-to-end, crossed the Tama River. Soon thereafter, with much celebration, Edo was proclaimed Japans eastern capital, or Tokyo.

Turn right on the road beneath the bridge and youll be following the old Tokaido through central Kawasaki. Look for the vertical stone markers or colored cloth banners on lampposts.

On the left side of the street about 10 minutes from the bridge is the Tokaido Kawasaki Shuku Koryukan, with a free museum that features a panel display of Hokusais famous series of woodblock prints, titled The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido (of which Kawasaki was the second from Edo). Almost directly across the street is the Kawasaki Isago no Sato Museum, which regularly displays old woodblock prints.

Following the road for a few more city blocks will bring you to Keikyu Kawasaki Station. From here, one option is to visit the huge Kawasaki Daishi Temple, which was founded in 1128. Take the spur line three stops to Kawasaki Daishi Station and walk about 10 minutes. Also near the station is the

Wakamiya Hachimangu, a shrine notorious for its raunchy phallic displays.

You might also think about traveling to Hatcho Nawate Station on the Keikyu Line to see a stone marker on the old Tokaido, where the famous 17th-century poet Basho composed a haiku, which in translation reads: I clutch the barley ears/To support myself/As we have to part.

From there, consider continuing on to Namamugi Station in Yokohamas Tsurumi Ward. This is known for the notorious Namamugi Incident. On September 14, 1862, Charles Lenox Richardson went for a horseback ride with three companions and ran afoul of a troop of samurai. Richardson received a fatal sword injury. His death led to armed conflict between the British Royal Navy and the Satsuma domain. A stone monument on Highway 15 marking the location of the incident has been moved to a temporary location pending construction.

Just off Highway 15 is Kirins huge Yokohama Brewery, where you can complete the day out with a guided tour of the plant (tours in Japanese only) and enjoy two complimentary drinks.

Those keen to continue their Tokaido exploration can head to Hakone and a fascinating reconstruction of the Hakone checkpoint, located alongside Lake Ashi. o

Schreiber is a Tokyo-based freelance journalist.

Nihonbashi Bridgepresent day

Nihonbashi Bridgeukiyo-e print

33

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