Japan Society 333 East 47th Street New York NY 10017

General Information (212) 832-1155

Education Department (212) 715-1254

Teens Guide to Japan in New Yorke n t e rta i n m e n t • f o o d • fa s h i o n • a rt • c u lt u r e

Contents

Preface 3

Introduction 4

Participants 5

Acknowledgments 6

Go East Without Leaving the West 7

Consulate General of Japan in New York 8

Language & Etiquette 9

Shinto & the Japanese Way of Life 10

Respect, Love & Obedience 12

Buddhism, NYC 13

Japanese Folk Dancing, Anyone? 14

Much Ado About Tea 15

Chado: The Way of Tea 17

Hands On: Togei Kyoshitsu of New York 18

Motto Koto 19

The Hello Kitty Factor 20

Quiz: Hello Kitty Ga Suki Desu Ka? 21

Glu & YU—More Than Just Missing Vowels 22

On the Runway 24

Kimono in New York 25

Bagging New York in Flying Colors 27

Explore the Unusual 29

The Sun Also Rises in the East Village 30

Ya, Let’s Visit Kyoto-Ya! 31

The Magic of Potter-Y! And Don’t Forget Interior-Y 32

One of a Kind Secondhand Bind, Only a New York Find, at Bookoff 33

Ooooo, Entertainment, Where? 34

A Glimpse of the Future 36

Fujisankei Communications International, Inc. (FCI) 37

Make Like a Microphone & Feedback—err. . . SING! 38

Soba-Ya? More Like Soba World 39

A Super Bowl for an Insuperable Price—Only at Yoshino-Ya 40

Koohi Grounds 41

Oh Look! CREAM PUFFS! 42

Tip Box: Chopsticks 43

Bars in New York—Noodle Bars, That Is 43

The Benihana Show 44

The Sushi Superhighway 45

Appendix 46

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Preface

I am pleased to present the Teens Guide to Japan in New York, a publication created by a group of enthusiastic teenage participants of last summer’s Discovering Japan in NewYork City workshop.

In this summer immersion workshop created by the Japan Society’s educationprogram, students had the unique opportunity to get a first-hand look behind-the-scenes of the Japanese community in New York City. They visited many sites, includ-ing the Consulate General of Japan in New York, the Kimono House in Soho, FujisankeiCommunications International, Inc. and the Benihana restaurant. The students wereexposed to many facets of the Japanese culture throughout Manhattan to improvetheir understanding and appreciation of the Japanese culture.

This is just one of the many programs we offer to thousands of students and educators in our mission to serve as a resource on Japan. We appreciate the coopera-tion of the organizations and businesses that worked with the students and theSociety on this project.

Please join me in celebrating this informational work created by a team of dedicated and talented young journalists.

Frank EllsworthPresident

April 2005

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4

Introduction

On Monday, August 16, 2004, 19 bright and eager teenagers from various New YorkCity high schools came to the Japan Society to participate in a summer immersionworkshop, “Discovering Japan in New York City.” Their task was to create a guidebook,from a teen’s point of view, of the Japanese organizations and businesses located inNew York City. Little did they know at the outset that in a mere nine days they wouldbecome mini-experts on the dynamic Japanese community flourishing in New York.

The Japanese organizations and businesses ranged from official governmentoffices to boutiques showcasing the latest designer fashions and restaurants servinginventive cuisine. Under the careful guidance of five adults, the teens were let loose,with memo pads, cameras and subway maps in hand, to discover the Japanese contri-butions to the fabric of life in the city. After several days of gathering information andinterviewing people, they regrouped at the Society and worked for another two and ahalf days to edit and refine their material.

The task was huge, but the students met the challenge and then some—not onlydid they learn some of the important skills that go into creating a piece of journalism,but they also improved their ability to interact with adults and with their peers. Duringtheir final days of preparation, when they were down to the wire, they admirably tookon more than they had been assigned and cooperated with one another fully. Mostimpressive was the fact that the students had no problem wearing all four of theassigned hats—writer, editor, researcher and photographer.

On the final day of the workshop, the students offered their completed project,Teens Guide to Japan in New York, to an audience of press, interviewees, family andfriends. We congratulate them on their work and offer it to the public as a noteworthy“insiders guide” to great places for visitors of all ages.

A special thanks goes to Barbara Aria, Editor of Time Out New York Kids and Lori D’Amico, an English teacher at Hunter College High School, who both lent theirconsiderable expertise and advice to a group of very intelligent and enthusiastic teen journalists.

Kazuko MinamotoActing Director, Education

Participants

Creators

Naia Bonet un internat ional school

Stanley Chang midwood hs

Zerlina Chiu new dorp hs

Sandy Cho brooklyn technical hs

Sally Feng laguardia hs

Ari Hadiks berkeley carroll school

Irene Hong archbishop molloy hs

Vanessa Jenkins bronx hs for v isual arts

Lauren Looft curt is hs

Winifred Mu stuyvesant hs

Uvarshanie Nandram brooklyn technical hs

Michelle Ng curt is hs

Maria Shieh stuyvesant hs

Jennifer Singh brooklyn technical hs

Lise Statelman curt is hs

Teresa Tu benjamin cardozo hs

Michelle Wu brooklyn technical hs

Vera Xie brooklyn technical hs

Howard Yee stuyvesant hs

Special Thanks to Our Teachers & Guides

Barbara Aria, Editor, Time Out New York Kids

Lori D’Amico, English Teacher, Hunter College High School

Suzanne de Vegh, Education Coordinator for Gallery Tours, the Japan Society

Darrilyn Di Nardo, Education Associate, the Japan Society

Sarah Geisler, Student Program Volunteer, the Japan Society

Kazuko Minamoto, Assistant Director of Education, the Japan Society

We would also like to thank the Japan Society for providing us with an opportunity to

learn about Japan in New York. It was a truly rewarding and interesting experience.

Education Department programs are made possible with generous funding from

The Freeman Foundation.

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Acknowledgments

The program participants would like to express their heartfelt thanks to all of the people at the organiza-

tions and businesses who helped make this program enjoyable and a great learning experience:

Kai Anderson, Tea Specialist, Ito En

Eiko Berkowitz, Owner, YU

Beau Berstein, Tea Specialist, Ito En

Heather Brady, Museum Educator, Noguchi Museum

Eric Campbell, Senior Researcher, Japan Information Center, Consulate General of Japan in New York

Yoo-sup Chang, Owner, Otakuden

Ray Chin, Owner, Oh! Raku—It’s Japanese! Off Fifth

Karen Flores, Store Manager, Sanrio

John Fuller, Manager, Kinokuniya Bookstores

Reiko Goto, Owner, Kyoto-Ya

Hisao Hanafusa, Owner, Miya Shoji

Zuishu Hanafusa, Store Manager, Miya Shoji

Hirokazu Horikoshi, Manager, Bookoff USA

Yoko Imai, Manager, Karaoke Duet

Reverend Mitsutaka Inui, International Shinto Foundation

Koji Ishida, former Manager, Sunrise Mart

Masayo Ishigure, Director, Sawai Koto Academy New York

Takuji Jimura, Manager, Beard Papa, Broadway store

Laura Joseph, SONY Program Manager, SONY Wonder Technology Lab

Chinatsu Kato, Owner, Glu Collective

Kaoriko Kuge, Anchor/Reporter, Fujisankei Communications International, Inc.

Hiro Kurashima, Founder, Taiko Masala

Lise Losas, Store Manager, Yohji Yamamoto

Junko Matsuno, Manager, Toy Tokyo

Reverend T. Kenjitsu Nakagaki, New York Buddhist Church

Yoshikatsu Nakagomi, Karaoke Village

Akira Nakamura, Manager, World Seido Karate Organization

Kaicho Tadashi Nakamura, Founder, World Seido Karate Organization

Kazuyo Nakano, Owner, Kazuyo Nakano Handbags

Takuma Ogihara, Assistant Manager, Beard Papa

Mutsumi Omatsu, Director/Supervisor, News Production, Fujisankei Communications International, Inc.

Esther Pierini, Public Relations Officer, Tribeca Issey Miyake

Rachel Riga, Event and Marketing Officer, Pokémon Center

Naoki Ruimura, Co-Owner and Store Manager, Sara Japanese Pottery

Kanae Sakakibara, Public Relations Coordinator, Consulate General of Japan in New York

Yumiko Sakuyama, Owner, The Kimono House, Inc.

Howard Sigman, Consular & Visa Department, Consulate General of Japan in New York

Yoko Shioya, Director, Performing Arts Program, the Japan Society

Momo Suzuki, Founder, The Japanese Folk Dance Institute of NY, Inc.

Miyo Takahashi, Manager, JAS Mart, 23rd and Madison store

Angie Tay, Manager, Oh! Raku—It’s Japanese! Off Fifth

Jesse Taylor, Public Relations Coordinator, Japan Information Center, Consulate General of Japan in New York

Akiko Uchida, Instructor, Togei Kyoshitsu of New York

John Wheeler, former Executive Vice President, the Japan Society

Hisashi Yamada, Executive Director, Urasenke Chanoyu Center

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It’s Japan in New York! What? Where?The Japan Society, located at 333 East47th Street between 1st and 2nd Ave., isa private, nonprofit institution dedicatedto bringing Japanese culture to us citydwellers. Since it was founded in 1907, it has been committed to promoting a better understanding between Japanand New York by offering programs inthe arts, business, education and public affairs.

You didn’t really think they flew awhole chain of islands to America, didyou? Surely not.

The Japan Society houses many dif-ferent departments to cater to all inter-ests. Are you fascinated by foreign films?Don’t mind black-and-white pictures?Great! The Japan Society Film Center fea-tures a variety of Japanese films, from oldclassics to purely experimental works.Tickets are $10, but if you’re a JapanSociety member, a senior or a student,you can get in for $5. A lecture some-times accompanies the film to help youbetter understand the context, so don’tworry if you’re scratching your head oversome parts. It’s foolproof. Go see!

Into dance and theater? The JapanSociety stages traditional and contempo-rary Japanese performing arts such asOkinawa Kumiodori, a unique theaterform from Okinawa, which reflects theancient legends and rich history ofOkinawa, with singing, dialogue, danceand live music all rolled into one vibrantand elegant package. Another event

from the Arts & Culture department wasPacific Crossing. The traditional and themodern intertwined in this unique con-cert. Intrigued? You should be.

Craving art? Luckily, The JapanSociety offers exhibitions in its Gallery to quench your thirst for Japanese art.Everything from pottery and hangingscrolls to pop art and photography.

Yum, education. I wish I could speakJapanese. . . Well, now you can! JapanSociety’s Toyota Language has 12 com-prehensive levels of Japanese, as well asspecialized courses and workshops.What do you have to lose? Grab a friendand sign up for the classes. Now you canconverse in Japanese and make the restof the non-Japanese-speaking worldgreen with envy. Haha!

In addition to language classes, theJapan Society has a summer program forhigh school students. So instead ofexposing yourself to incessant UV raysat the beach, go sign up for that too!

Got a research project on U.S.–Japanrelations, or just on Japan in general?The Japan Society’s C.V. Starr Libraryboasts roughly 14,000 volumes for youto flip through for information onJapanese art, history, culture, society,politics, religion and many other sub-jects. However, the library is open only toJapan Society members and ToyotaLanguage Center students—all the morereason for you to get involved.

More information is available at the JapanSociety website, www.japansociety.org.

Japan Society, Inc.

333 East 47th St. (near 1st Ave.)

New York, NY 10017

(212) 832-1155

www.japansociety.org

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Go East Without Leaving the West: Introducing Japanese Culture to theWestern World

by Zerlina Chiu

The Japan Society lobby

A Japanese man is stripping in the mid-dle of JFK Airport, completely obliviousto his surroundings. Another Japaneseman runs amok at Newark Airport carry-ing two fans under his arms, acting as ifhe is an airplane. Who will help theseforeign individuals who haven’t a friendin the country? Would you stop to help?Would you even know how to helpthem? The truth is, these incidents reallydid occur, and someone did provide helpby calling the Consulate General ofJapan in New York. The JapaneseConsulate gladly assists Japanese indi-viduals in distress. In fact, HowardSigman of the Visa Department said,“We rush out to help them. I have thebest job in the whole country: I take careof Japanese people in trouble. We’rehere to help when they are lost and don’tknow the language.”

You may be wondering right now,“What else does the Consulate Generalof Japan do?” The Consulate as anorganization takes care of the localneeds and issues of Japanese individu-als. It is different from the embassy,which deals strictly with internationalrelations, or just with the relationshipbetween two nations. There are 17Consulate General of Japan throughoutthe U.S., one of which is located in NewYork City and serves Delaware,Maryland, New Jersey, New York,Pennsylvania, West Virginia, FairfieldCounty in Connecticut, Puerto Rico andthe U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Consul General, the person whoin charge of the Consulate General of

Japan in New York, has the rank of anambassador. But only the Ambassador ofthe Embassy of Japan in Washington,D.C. can make official announcementsfrom the Japanese government thataffect international relations.

The Consulate General of Japan hasfive main departments: the Political andGeneral Affairs Division, the EconomicsDivision, the Consular and Visa Division,the Finance Sector and the JapanInformation Center. Of the five divisions,the Visa Division and the JapanInformation Center serve the most perti-nent functions to the public. “Japan isone of the hardest countries to visit,”said Mr. Sigman. “Ironically, so is theU.S.” Fortunately for Americans, whosesojourn in Japan is less than 90 days,they do not need to apply for a visa. TheVisa Department gets a lot of demandsfor visas, but it does more than simplydistribute them.

The purpose of the JapaneseInformation Center is mainly to helpeveryone learn more about Japanese cul-tural affairs. “We do that by providing awide range of services and educationalopportunities,” said Public RelationsCoordinator Jesse Taylor. TheInformation Center offers books,brochures, galleries, exhibits and videosto borrow. Its various educational oppor-tunities include government scholar-ships, the JET program, teacher work-shops and school caravans.

The four government scholarships—Japanese Studies Scholarship, ResearchStudent Scholarship, Vocational SchoolScholarship and Teachers’ In-serviceTraining Scholarship—are administeredby the Japanese Ministry of Education,Culture, Sport, Science and Technology.Last year, approximately 100,000 inter-national students from all over the worldreceived scholarships to study in Japan.

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Consulate General of Japan in New York: Who They Are & WhyYou Would Want to Know

by Michelle Wu

The JET Program offers college grad-uates an opportunity to teach English as a teaching assistant for a year in Japan.The program was initiated in 1987 andhas grown since then from fewer than500 participants to over 6,000 in 2003.When asked what kind of person isselected to participate, Eric Campbell,from the Japan Information Center, said,“We’re looking for a genki (Japaneseadjective meaning healthy and happy)and culturally savvy person.”

Local education programs offered bythe Japan Information Center are teacherworkshops and school caravans. Theteacher workshops, though specificallydesigned for teachers, are open to thegeneral public. A workshop offers 15seminars, each two hours long, on a mul-titude of topics in Japanese history, cul-ture, politics, education, art, dance,music and economics. The StudentCaravan Program brings speakers to ele-mentary, middle and high schools toeducate students about Japan andJapanese culture and traditions. It’s afree program conducted by a staff mem-ber and can be arranged by calling (212)

418-4462. During 2004, the CaravanProgram concentrated on celebrating the150th Anniversary of the signing of theTreaty of Peace and Amity betweenJapan and the U.S. in 1854.

Visit the Consulate’s website,www.ny.cgi.org, for the Japan Infonewsletter containing a list of Japaneseevents. The website also has a specialsection on the 150th Anniversary.

The Consulate General of Japan in New York

299 Park Ave. (between 48th & 49th St.)

New York, NY 10171

(212) 371-8222 (24 hours)

(212) 888-0889 (Visa/Consular Services

Information)

(212) 418-4462/4463 (Japan Information Center)

www.cgj.org

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Language & Etiquette

Helpful Expressions

The language barrier is an obvious difficulty when you’re visiting Japanese ven-

ues. Key phrases are extremely useful to visitors who would like to be polite and

express gratitude. The following are some practical and courteous expressions:

Good morning—Ohayo gozaimasu

Good afternoon—Konnichi wa

Good evening—Konban wa

Goodbye—Sayonara

Where is the bathroom?—Otearai wa doko desu ka?

Please—Onegai shimasu

Thank you—Domo arigato gozaimasu

Bowing

Every meeting begins and ends with a bow for the Japanese. This long-held tradition

is a symbol of respect and appreciation for others. So be prepared to always return a

bow (even in a fashion boutique)!

—Uvarshanie Nandram

What exactly is Shinto? That is the question the International ShintoFoundation strives to answer. Its purposeis to “promote the academic study anddeeper understanding of Shinto” and to show the importance of Shinto inJapanese life. The Foundation wants toencourage further study of Shintobecause it is sometimes misunderstood.Because Shinto is relatively unknown in the West, the International ShintoFoundation wants to educate everyoneabout it.

In order to do so, the InternationalShinto Foundation holds symposia aroundthe world and funds organizations tostudy Japanese religions. The Foundationsponsors a “Shinto Essay Competition”and gives scholarships to those who want

to study Shinto. Grants are also given to institutions conducting special studiesand rituals at shrines in Japan. To helpspread the knowledge of Shinto aroundthe world, the Foundation has forged arelationship with the UN and helped toconstruct a Japanese garden at the UNheadquarters.

Shinto is considered the indigenousfaith of the Japanese people and has been around since the beginning of Japan.There is no founder or sacred writings.Since it has been around for so long, it is deeply connected to daily life andJapanese traditions, making it more of a culture than a religion. Shinto deities are referred to as kami that take the formof things/concepts that are important tothe lives of Japanese people. These sacred spirits exist in wind, rain, moun-tains and trees. As Reverend MitsutakaInui said, “Japanese people respect natureand express gratitude to nature.” Themost important is the Sun Goddess(Amaterasu Omikami), because of herimportance to agriculture.

In Shinto, it’s accepted that no one is perfect, but that people are naturallygood. It is through rituals that peoplepurify themselves from evil and keeptheir good nature. Talismans are used for good health, finding a mate, successand achievement on exams. Performingwell on exams is very important to some Japanese youth, who can be seenpurchasing lucky charms (omamori) and visiting shrines before their exams.

Altars can be found in manyJapanese homes, and many familiesmake offerings to the kami every morning. Along with charms, there areceremonies, such as the ShichigosanMatsuri (7-5-3 Festival), which expressgratitude to the kami for the safety andgood health of girls (ages three andseven) and boys (ages three and five).

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Shinto & the Japanese Way of Life

by Jennifer Singh

International Shinto Foundation

When a person turns 20, there is a com-ing-of-age ritual called Seijin Shiki.

Those who truly believe in Shinto canbecome priests if they graduate from aShinto university. Shinto priests can bemale or female and are permitted to havefamilies, which illustrates that Shinto isrooted in daily life. There are about 25,000

priests, about 2,000 of whom are female.The priests receive assistance from youngunmarried women (miko), who are usuallydaughters of priests.

Shinto is practiced alongside other religions. About 84 percent of Japanesepeople practice both Shinto and Buddhism.Shinto focuses on tradition and family,nature, cleanliness and the worship ofkami. It calls for purity and is an optimisticfaith. Since the divine exists everywhere,people must respect nature. It is no wonder Shinto is so important to Japanesetraditions and way of life.

The International Shinto Foundation, Inc.

300 West 55th St. #20b

New York, NY 10019

Phone: (212) 686-9117

Fax: (212) 686-7111

www.shinto.org

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Love is the most overused and misunder-stood word in the English language. Whenwe love freely, we can give and share every-thing, and need to hold onto nothing.—Grandmaster Tadashi Nakamura

Seido Karate was founded on three fundamental principles: respect, love and obedience. Karate, appropriately,means “empty hand.” In addition to helping students achieve the highestlevel of physical skills, Seido aims todevelop individuals of the highest moralcharacter, individuals who can thenmake significant contributions to a better life in the family, the work placeand in society at large.

Grandmaster Tadashi Nakamura,founder and Chairman of the WorldSeido Karate Organization, holds a 9thDegree Black Belt in Karate, a Dan ranking in Kendo, and is a recognizedexpert in the use of Asian weapons. He has learned about the martial artsthroughout 45 years of study, practiceand teaching. Mr. Nakamura is also a multifaceted individual who holds university degrees in architecture andpsychology.

As a teacher, Mr. Nakamura is amazing. There is an overwhelmingamount of discipline, obedience andcooperation among his students. Thereis so much energy present in the class-room; energetic shouts of “kiai!” can beheard as the students practice theirmoves. Rigorous training is a big part of the class; push-ups are done onknuckles and the backs of hands.

At the World Seido Organization,you can take a variety of classes, includ-

ing Seido Karate, Pilates, Endurance andStretching. Classes are separated by ageand level: peewee, junior, youth andadult, and beginner and advanced class-es. The same class is held many times a week, so you are not tied down to spe-cific training days. You can come in themornings, at nights and on whicheverday you desire. You never have to tell the World Seido Karate Organizationin advance when you will be coming in.You can arrange your schedule accordingto your individual needs.

According to Mr. Nakamura, “Thereal competition is with yourself. Theonly requirement is that you give yourbest effort at all times.”

World Seido Karate Organization

61 West 23rd St. (between 5th & 6th Ave.)

New York, NY 10010

(212) 924-0511

www.seido.com

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Respect, Love & ObedienceDevelop Spiritually & Physically

by Maria Shieh

A Buddhist temple in New York City?That’s right, the New York BuddhistChurch, a Jodoshinshu temple, is situat-ed on a quaint Upper West Side street. A statue of Shinran Shonin, a Buddhistmonk who lived in the 13th century andwhose writings led to the founding ofthis sect of Buddhism, greets visitors asthey enter the temple. This particularstatue is very special—it survived theHiroshima atomic bomb. Inside the tem-ple, the mind, body and soul unwind andthen revel in the tranquil atmosphere. It’sa magnificent place to re-route back toreality and live for the present moment.

New York Buddhist Church

332 Riverside Dr. (between 105th & 106th St.)

New York, NY 10025

(212) 678-0305

www.newyorkbuddhistchurch.org

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Buddhism, NYC

by Uvarshanie Nandram

New York Buddhist Church

You have never witnessed dancing likethis before! The Japanese Folk DanceInstitute of NY, Inc. is a dance companythat recreates the traditional folk dancesfrom every one of Japan’s regions. “Thepurpose of the dance could be to reverea god, or spirit, celebrate a good harvest,pray for a good catch, or exorcise evilspirits,” says Momo Suzuki, founder ofthe company. The performers, dressed inkimono, enliven the story with the use ofprops, such as fans. Most noticeable arethe dancers’ small foot movements andbent knees, which are characteristics ofJapanese folk dancing. Ms. Suzuki travelsaround the world with her troop ofdancers. That’s a hint telling you to getup and catch sight of these amazingdances for yourself!

The Japanese Folk Dance Institute of NY, Inc.

109 West 27th St.

New York, NY 10002

(212) 982-6952

www.japanesefolkdance.org

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Japanese Folk Dancing, Anyone?

by Uvarshanie Nandram

The way of tea is an ancient and signifi-cant tradition that has etched itself deeplyinto the Japanese culture. There are many“ways” in Japan—the way of the sword,the way of flowers and the way of poet-ry. Chado, the way of tea, is a traditionthat dates back hundreds of years.Chanoyu (literally, hot water for tea) isthe Japanese word for what Americanscall “Japanese tea ceremony.” Chanoyuis practiced by all the social classes inJapan. The four building blocks of thisceremony are: harmony (wa), respect(kei), purity (sei) and tranquility (jaku).

Buddhist monks, who traveled fromChina to Japan, introduced tea to Japan

during the 8th century. Later, in the 12thcentury, tea became associated with ZenBuddhism and has been a major elementof Japanese culture and society eversince that time. However, the way of teadoes not necessarily involve religion.

Though the way of tea isn’t religious,it plays such a crucial role in theJapanese lifestyle, so it would only makesense that there would be places whereyou can go to learn chanoyu. As it sohappens, we have a chanoyu schoollocated right here in our charming cityon 153 E. 69th Street, nestled between2nd and 3rd avenues. Urasenke ChanoyuCenter doesn’t feel the need to adorn its entrance with vivid colors or hugeneon signs, so keep your eyes peeled!Urasenke Chanoyu Center, established in1967, serves as a school for the Urasenkestyle of tea ceremony. You are able toattend classes, workshops and cere-monies for students and teachers alike.Mr. Hisashi Yamada, Urasenke’sExecutive Director, gives lectures anddemonstrations. Not only can you visitthe Center, but someone from the Centercan visit schools and share the history of chanoyu.

Entering Urasenke is almost likewalking into another world. The breath-taking silence is a complete contrast tothe noisy streets of the Upper East Side.You immediately feel serene, peaceful.Even the air has its own unique feel to it.The entrance is a small, yet cozy roomthat immediately makes you feel calm,collected and welcomed. Perhaps it’s thedecor, or maybe the friendly staff, butthe atmosphere inside is one that youjust don’t want to leave. As in mostJapanese establishments, you are askedto remove your shoes and place all per-sonal belongings to the side. You won’tneed your walkman or cellular phoneduring a tea ceremony!

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Much Ado About TeaDiscover the Art of Tea

by Lauren Looft

Urasenke Chanoyu Center

Once all unnecessary items havebeen removed, you are led past the wait-ing room and tiny library, through a small passage of gardens. Walking alongthe garden path, you can appreciate thesimplicity, the silence and the beauty.Gather your thoughts and leave the outside world behind. A bamboo roomgreets you as you slide the screen door(shoji) to the side. As you sit on yourknees, the delicate yet intricate and precise tea ceremony is performedbefore your very eyes. To read a moredetailed description of the tea ceremony,you may visit Urasenke’s website atwww.urasenke.or.jp.

Urasenke is one of the largest teaschools in the world, and is highlyregarded. You may have to wait for several years in order to be accepted as a student. If you don’t wish to takelessons at Urasenke—that’s perfectlyalright. A tea lecture and demonstrationis offered monthly so people can cometo observe and learn about chado. Nowyou can pull yourself away from the TV and five tubs of ice cream and see a demonstration of the tea ceremony.Plus, tea is healthy for you.

Urasenke Chanoyu Center

153 East 69th St. (between 2nd & 3rd Ave.)

New York, NY 10021

(212) 988-6161

www.urasenke.org

16

Although Japanese culture has radicallychanged mentally, economically andphysically, the tea ceremony has with-stood the test of time. This vital aspectof life in Japan is an elaborate ceremonythat helps to remove its participantsfrom the hectic world. Tea is taken with-out milk or sugar to fully savor the natu-ral taste.

Ito En, probably the largest green teastore in the world specializing inJapanese teas, stocks a good variety ofteas and utensils that are moderatelypriced. Nearby is the Urasenke ChanoyuCenter, a marvelous place that doublesas a school for tea classes and for tradi-tional chanoyu demonstrations.

Ito En

822 Madison Ave. (at 69th St.)

New York, NY 10021

(212) 988-7111

www.itoen.com

17

Chado: The Way of the Tea

by Uvarshanie Nandram

Want to do something different and fun?Then you may want to try to visit theTogei Kyoshitsu of New York. The shopitself is easy to miss, but the wonders ithas inside are quite worth looking for.The actual shop sells fun, quirky, beauti-ful and unique ceramic objects. TogeiKyoshitsu offers pottery classes for the young and old who wish to learnbasic and advanced skills in pottery.Unfortunately, if you don’t knowJapanese, the classes may be a bit of a challenge because the teacher onlyteaches in Japanese.

Akiko Uchida, the only instructor at the pottery shop, has been teachingfor eight years, offering classes and work sessions for students and grown-ups who wish to make, show and selltheir pottery and ceramic creations tothe public. “I just like to teach them and make them happy,” said Ms. Uchida.Hand-built classes are $245 for fourclasses; wheel classes are $430 for sixclasses and each class usually has fourto six people. The ages of the studentsare usually 18 and above, and classes are

half an hour. Usually, if you want a classthat isn’t crowded, you should get oneduring the summer when everyone isaway. However, if you want to be in acrowded class, book a time in May, sincethat’s when everyone wants to makethings before they return home to Japanor go on vacation. Exhibits of the stu-dents’ work are shown in December andMay. Of course, practice always makesperfect, so if you want to learn how tomake pottery on the wheel well, be pre-pared to take a month or two to honeyour skills.

Togei Kyoshitsu’s store is anotheramazing aspect of the shop. Very beauti-ful handmade pottery pieces are sold foramazing prices (all below $100). Smalland simple plates and cups are sold foraround $2 to $10. The artwork is done by students and by Ms. Uchida herself.Some pottery is abstract and can beused any way that you wish. As foreverything else, there are vases, cups,plates, small bowls and many differentand cute trinkets.

The hands-on experiences of theclass easily make this a fun and enjoy-able place for work, and the beautifulceramics for sale will make you want tocome back to work or to purchase moreceramics. If you want to get your handson some amazing pottery, get a hands-on experience at Togei Kyoshitsu!

Togei Kyoshitsu of New York

5 West 30th St., #3 (between 5th & 6th Ave.)

New York, NY

(212) 268-1711

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Hands On: Togei Kyoshitsu of New York

by Ari Hadkis

Togei Kyoshitsu of New York

The koto, a harp-like instrument whichoriginated in China, was played only byaristocratic men in the 7th century. It isusually about six feet long and made ofpaulownia wood from the Japanese kiritree. A koto is supposed to resemble adragon, and even now, it is said that thekoto looks like a dragon’s back, tail andlegs. It also produces the purest musicaltones of all of the other Japanesestringed instruments.

Masayo Ishigure, who named SawaiKoto Academy New York after herteacher, Tadao Sawai, has been teachingsince 1998. Her students usually come to her twice or more a month to learnand practice playing the koto.

To play the koto, it is always neces-sary to know how to tune it yourself. The bridges, which hold up the strings in proper places, can move along the

surface of the koto into a certain posi-tion. There are two types of bridges thatcan be used—one is made of ivory, andone is made of plastic. Although theivory bridges help the music to come out softer, tuning with them frequentlymay scratch the wood. Thus, the plasticbridges are recommended to use forpractice. Plus, you have to be a master at being “non-tone-deaf” to hear the difference between an ivory bridge and a plastic bridge.

The koto, which takes many years tomaster, comes in a few different forms.The regular-sized koto has 13 strings. A base koto has 17 strings, and the wide(humongous, gigantic, large, huge orwhatever other words you can think of that are synonyms of “big”) koto has25 strings.

So, why play the koto? Well, first,you could experience what Japanesepeople traditionally did during theirleisure time. Second, instead of watchingthe same reruns of SpongebobSquarepants every day, why not try learn-ing the koto? And finally, since thestrings are placed on tightly and are hardto press down, you’ll acquire big musclesthat anyone would be proud of.

Sawai Koto Academy New York

421 West 43rd St., #3e (between 9th &

10th Ave.)

New York, NY 10036

(212) 481-4886

www.letsplaykoto.com

19

Motto Koto: That’s “More AboutKoto” to You!

by Michelle Ng

Sawai Koto Academy of New York

Fads are apparent throughout our lives;they can be games, bands, cartoons ortoys that everyone thinks are cool. Butthere is one small irresistibly cute whitekitty everyone just loves, even after 30

years. Her name is Hello Kitty.Sanrio was founded by Shintaro

Tsuji in 1960 with the purpose of sellingproducts perfect for gifts. But its popu-larity increased with the creation ofHello Kitty, and this year (2004) marksthe 30th anniversary of Sanrio’s charac-ter-brand, Hello Kitty. For 30 yearsSanrio has promoted the idea of fun andfriendship to the world with its cutewhite kitty and her friends. These littlecreatures are able to get Sanrio’s ideaout through four simple words: “SmallGift, Big Smile.” And it is true to its word.

In the beginning there were onlysmall gifts such as cards, key chains andminiatures. Then came the age of HelloKitty, which brought along with it not justa craze, but a new lifestyle based aroundthe philosophy of “Small Gift, Big Smile.”To Sanrio fans, this philosophy can berephrased as “the gift of giving.” And so,those who are into Hello Kitty are alwaysconsiderate of what their friends wouldlike; in other words, they retain a sort ofinnocence that makes them cute.

This philosophy worked so well thatHello Kitty and her friends are now partof our daily lives. There’s practicallyeverything for everyone. For little babies,there’s clothing; for kids, there’s pencils(which the kids love to sharpen downinto mini-pencils and collect. I know Idid) and other neat little trinkets; foradults, there’s clothing, dinnerware anddecor. There are even products that arepopular with college students, like CDplayers, toasters, breadmakers and waf-

fle irons. In fact, even stars are into HelloKitty and other Sanrio products.Celebrities like P. Diddy, Mariah Carey,Gwen Stefani, Mandy Moore, ChristinaAguilera, Lisa Loeb, Paula Abdul,Mackenzie Rosman, Sarah Jessica Parker,Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, SelmaBlair, Kristin Davis, Ashley Judd, ParisHilton and Michelle Kwan are all fans ofHello Kitty. If celebrities like her, mostdefinitely others will too.

Are you new to Hello Kitty? Don’tknow where to start? Sanrio on West42nd Street, Times Square, is the bestplace to do just that. It is Sanrio’s corpo-rate store, so you are guaranteed to beable to buy its latest product. Don’t getripped off by other stores that might sellimitations; go for the real products. Infact, this store sells a special line ofitems that are made solely for New York.It is also the first to receive products fornew character designs for test runs.

What’s awesome about this store isnot simply that it’s the only corporatestore in New York, but that it holds manyspecial events. It holds parties and raf-fles, which can be considered red carpetevents because of the significance ofsome of the attendees, such as design-ers and producers. Sanrio also held aHello Kitty Dream World contest, whereyou could design a dream world for HelloKitty. The winner was sent to New Yorkto meet Mackenzie Rosman (Ruthie from 7th Heaven)!

So if you’re looking for a cool placeto shop and meet cool people, then ithas to be Time Square’s Sanrio Store.Hey, you might even meet the designersof your favorite Sanrio character.

Sanrio

233 West 42nd St. (Times Square)

New York, NY 10017

(212) 840-6011

www.sanrio.com

20

The Hello Kitty Factor

by Howard Yee

Sanrio “Hello Kitty”

The Super-Fantastical-Amazing Quiz!Hello Kitty Ga Suki Desu Ka? (Do You Love Hello Kitty?)

1. What is Sanrio?a A game companyb A bandc A river d A gift shop

2. Goodbye Doggie or Hello Kitty?a Goodbye Doggie! b Um... Thumper the Bunny? c Hello Kitty! d I don’t like animals.

3. What is your favorite color?a Black. b Dark blue.c Pink. d Baby blue.

4. Do you have dolls?a They’re called action figures!b Yes, but only baby-like dolls.c I just love Barbie.d Dolls? Um, I’m not a girl.

5. Do you sleep with a Plush?a One plush? I can practically run myown Sanrio store.b Yes, with my teddy weddy bear.c No, I’m a big girl now!d I have one, but it’s sitting in my closet.

6. Do you like anime?a Yes! But only stuff like Digicharat,Pokémon, Chobits, Doraemon, TokyoMew-mew.b Yup, Hellsing, Rurouni Kenshin, Lain,Akira; you know, the gory stuff.c Yea! I love X-men and Superman.d Ani-what? Is that some topical ointment?

7. Do you like bows?a Yes, I like ‘em pink and fuzzy.b I love them; I want to be like Legolas.c I prefer ties.d Bows are for geeks.

8. If you had a pet, what would you name it?a Whiskers.b Chibi-chan.c Santa’s ‘lil Helper.d Buster.

How to score: Add up the points andrefer to the scale for results.

Answers1. a 2 pts b 1 pt c 0 pts d 3 pts2. a 1 pt b 2 pts c 3 pts d 0 pts3. a 0 pts b 1 pt c 2 pts d 2 pts4. a 0 pts b 3 pts c 2 pts d 0 pts5. a 3 pts b 2 pts c 0 pts d 1 pt6. a 3 pts b 2 pts c 1 pt d 0 pts7. a 3 pts b 1 pt c 0 pts d 0 pts8. a 2 pts b 3 pts c 1 pt d 0 pts

Results18–24 ptsYou love the Kitty so much you didn’teven need this quiz to find out if you do.

12–17 pts You like Hello Kitty, but you are not crazyabout her.

6–11 ptsThere might be a few Hello Kitty productslying around, but your excuse for them isthat your loved one gave them to you.

0–5 pts You hate Hello Kitty so much that youshouldn’t even have taken this quiz.

21

As you walk along 10th Street, between1st and 2nd Ave., a particular storefrontwindow catches your eye. On display are some of the most unique handbagsyou’ve ever seen. Your attention caught,you look closer and see a bamboo designon one of them. Another reminds you ofa golden kimono. You glance inside thestore and see t-shirts galore hanging onthe immaculate white walls. They’re dif-ferent from anything you’ve encounteredin Manhattan before. You look at theshop name. Glu.

Glu? That’s certainly out of the ordi-nary. But why Glu? Glu means “conspira-cy” in Japanese, a secret not well-known

to the general public. The English sound-alike is, of course, glue. The purpose ofglue is to hold things together, andtherefore, in christening the little con-cept-store “Glu,” the owners had hopedthat the customers and designers would“stick together.”

Glu is a collective that featuresclothing by Japanese designers such asYukiko Sato, Takelyn Hirolyn, Megu Muttand Toshie Otsuka. It’s located awayfrom the din of the city, and there are nopeople outside the store trying to handyou five million flyers at once. The stylesin the store are popular in Japan rightnow. Merchandise includes reversiblekimono handbags, tabi socks, incense,origami paper, Japanese paper fans, andother accessories and small trinkets. Thenewest line from Kyoto uses traditionalJapanese designs in modern fashion.Their bestselling brand is currently“Naïve.” Glu’s customers are usuallyfrom New York University, as well aspeople from a slightly older age group.

It’s a small place, but with the rightspace management, comfort isn’t anissue. But wait. No fitting room? Lookagain. If you want to try something on,there’s an ingenious contraption whereyou flip the wall—like a door—and slidea curtain across the space to ensure yourprivacy. Now you have your own littlecorner. How spiffy.

Another out-of-the-way place is YU,located at 151 Ludlow Street, betweenStanton and Rivington St. Since it openedeight years ago, YU has been featured inmany magazines, such as Time Out NewYork and Tokyo Super Brand. Its storefrontwindow always has a beautiful display,and the store carries clothing made byboth established and local designers:Issey Miyake, Comme des Garcons, YohjiYamamoto and Matsuda, to name a few.Since YU carries Japanese brands that

22

fa s h i o n

Glu & YU—More Than Just Missing Vowels: Japanese Fashionin New York City

by Zerlina Chiu

YU

are hard to find elsewhere, customersknow that this is an excellent source forboth vintage and contemporary styles.

In addition to clothing and bags, youcan get marvelous gifts, such as boxedsets of delicate homemade soaps (madefrom imported silk cocoons) and—forthe cat lover—cat goods fromNennekoya (located in Yanaka, Tokyo).And you mustn’t forget the hats! Theowner, Ms. Berkowitz, who owns about900 hats herself, spins her own yarn,which she uses to knit hats and scarves.It’s evident that she puts a great deal ofeffort into her work. Ms. Berkowitz, aftermoving to America from Japan, spentmany years studying craftsmanship; sheunderstands what it takes to producequality clothing. Her family has beeninvolved in design for many generations.Her great-grandmother was very into theVictorian/kimono style, which is aninteresting hybrid in itself.

YU is a narrow store, but even asyou’re surrounded on both sides by racksof clothing, it’s elegant and warm in itsown little way. The décor isn’t particular-ly fancy or ornate, but there seems to beno need for such extravagance. As Ms.Berkowitz so aptly stated, “Japanesethings are always simple, but it’s the lit-tle things that make it different.”

Glu

224 East 10th Street (between 1st & 2nd Ave.)

New York, NY 10003

(212) 477-9676

www.glucollective.com

YU

151 Ludlow St. (between Stanton &

Rivington St.)

New York, NY 10002

(212) 979-9370

www.yu-nyc.com

23

Whatever your personal style is,Japanese designers Issey Miyake andYohji Yamamoto have the edge to pull off the big city look. The two designershave incorporated a pleasant atmos-phere, unique collections and friendlysales associates into their studios.Though the items are not inexpensive,the two studios invite all viewers andwearers. Teenagers with an interest infashion design have an opportunity tostimulate their talents with a visit tothese places.

Issey Miyake’s first collection in NewYork was shown in 1971, but it wasn’tuntil 2001 that the worldwide flagshipstore containing all the lines—A-POC,HaaT, Pleats Please and Me—opened tovisitors. The designer is known to experi-ment with various fabrics, making thefinishing products more flowing, com-fortable and appealing. Computerized

looms are the innovative means of pro-ducing the A-POC line. Not only doesthe studio include clothing, but books,watches and fragrances as well. The ver-satile interior enables the studio to hostevents each year as a way to promotefashion trends.

Abstract hands-on designer YohjiYamamoto offers a more classic andfluid look. In 1987, the first and only studio in North America was opened tothe public in New York City. Yamamotoproduces clothing to embrace the femi-nine look in a respectful way. The lines,called “Y’s for men” and “Y’s forwoman,” show off Yamamoto’s aesthet-ics. If you are a frequent visitor, you maythink there are many repeats on the line,yet they are not exactly the same. Thosestyles serve to strengthen the favoritesof customers and of Yamamoto himself.What makes this designer so unique?One associate of the studio said, “Youjust like it, it’s special.”

Tribeca Issey Miyake

119 Hudson St. (between N. Moore &

Franklin St.)

New York, NY 10013

(212) 226-0100

www.tribecaisseymiyake.com

www.isseymiyake.com

Yohji Yamamoto

103 Grand St.(at Mercer St.)

New York, NY 10013

(212) 966-9066

www.yohjiyamamoto-usa.com

24

On the Runway: Miyake & Yamamoto

by Irene Hong

Issey Miyake

Kimono (defined)—a long, wide-sleevedJapanese robe worn with an obi andoften elaborately decorated, from kiru(to wear) and mono (object). When onethinks of a kimono, one often sees animage of a Japanese man or woman in along flowing robe with a tie around his orher waist. What one doesn’t realize ishow different these kimono really are.

In a quiet little area of SoHo/WestVillage, there is the Kimono House, astore specializing in—you guessed it—kimono. There are also other items forsale, such as trinkets, charms, potteryand other Japanese-related objects. Theowner is a friendly sweet woman namedYuriko Sakuyama, who showed us thekimono in this little shop. She has ownedthis store for about three and a halfyears, but she had her other store on theEast Side for about five years—so alto-gether she has been in the kimono busi-

ness eight and a half years. Thesekimono are beautiful, and there are hun-dreds of them, all imported from Japan.The kimono are of different “ages”: someare vintage, 30 to 40 years old, some areantique, 70+ years, and the “newer” ormore modern styles are made of softcotton. Ms. Sakuyama’s customers aremostly non-Japanese, but they are“diverse people who are interested inJapanese culture.”

A kimono costs anywhere from $100

and up, and an obi can cost upwards of$30. The obi sash is used to tie thekimono around the waist like a belt. Ms.Sakuyama can explain how to put on akimono, and how to tie the obi sash intoan intricately woven bow in a few easysteps. You can even call for classes onhow to wear a kimono properly; appoint-ments can be made anytime and costaround $30. According to Ms. Sakuyama,the most popular kimono are the onesthat men can wear around the house andthe short kimono that women can wearwith casual jeans. Also for sale are beau-tiful silk kimono that are used for walldecorations. Japanese culture is surelyinfiltrating our American culture throughanime, food and most recently, fashion.

Luckily for my group and me, Ms.Sakuyama was nice enough to let us tryon some of these beautiful kimono. Sheeven picked out colors for us. For me,she chose a red kimono with a green,modern, small obi decorated with redflowers, explaining that Japanese womendo not match their kimono and obiexactly, but by contrasting colors or byusing colors that accentuate each other.For Winnie, she chose a more traditionalflowing kimono with beautiful leaves onit and a pink obi. Next, for Michelle, Ms.Sakuyama chose an orange cottonkimono with bright yellow sunflowersand a traditional large obi. And finally, for

25

Kimono in New YorkLittle Pieces of Japan in the Kimono House

by Teresa Tu

The Kimono House

Ari, she chose a casual kimono thatcould be worn around the house. Thesekimono felt soft, exquisite and beautiful.

So come visit this store if you’re everin the neighborhood—it is definitelyworth the trip. But don’t take my wordfor it—go yourself and experience thisstore first-hand. You will leave it with anew sense of appreciation for theJapanese culture and a newfound knowl-edge of kimono that you could only getby being there yourself.

The Kimono House, Inc.

131 Thompson St. (between Houston &

Prince St.)

New York, NY 10012

(212) 505-0232

26

There’s a store on Crosby Street that willcertainly catch your eye. It has a silenceand mystique about it and is open tointerpretation. This banner depictsKazuyo Nakano, the Japanese designerfrom Kyoto, dressed in a full traditionalkimono and carrying a traditional hand-bag. This “visual reminder,” as Ms.Nakano calls it, helps people rememberher store. She knows that she doesn’thave a “brand name” like Gucci or Coach,but she does have her own distinct style.This style belongs only to her, as you cantell even before you enter the store,located right underneath the banner.

A first glance into the windowreveals dozens of handbags on display invarious colors and styles. When you pullopen the door and step into the store,funky pulsating music fills your head. Onone wall, there is a commercial beingprojected, and the other wall is coveredby a full-length mirror. There are littleraised platforms for the bags, all groupedtogether by style, and there are some

mannequins carrying Nakano’s classicModano bags. The owner and designersmiles and introduces herself. She letsyou look around the store a bit and thenanswers your questions.

First the basics: Ms. Nakano wasborn in Kyoto, Japan to a father whoowned a handbag making company. Shegrew up with fashion as a big part of herlife and has been making handbags sinceshe got out of high school. At herfather’s suggestion she started to workin his factory. Where does she get herinspiration? Her mind is always working.She is always thinking of the neweststyle, trying to figure out what thenewest trend will be. Everything she seesplays a role in deciding next season’stheme. She observes the people andplaces around her. Ms. Nakano is alwaysthinking about ways to incorporate fash-ion into her handbags. Marketing andlocation are also big roles in her deci-sions because most of her customers areprofessional women, whose ages rangefrom the 30s to 50s. She makes bagsthat cater perfectly to her customers’lives—practical, sturdy and reliable yetimpeccably stylish. This marketing is aresult of her location, right near SoHo,amidst many businesses, so she attractsmany businesswomen. She seems tohave an uncanny ability to cater to hercustomers needs (financial) and wants(style). Most of her bags are made ofleather, but there are some bags withfunky patterns and rhinestones and evensome made of a very shiny material. Theprices of the handbags may seem steep,but they last a long time. Even CameronDiaz has been there to pick up a famousNakano handbag. The most popular col-lection is the “Jane” collection, but Ms.Nakano’s personal favorite is “Carolina,”a beautiful winter collection. All her bagsare imported from Japan, and she uses

27

Bagging New York in Flying ColorsVibrant Greens, Mellow Yellows &Cool Hues—the Kazuyo Nakano Story

by Teresa Tu

Kazuyo Nakano Handbags

only the best leather from Japan and Italy.Kazuyo Nakano’s store represents an

important part of Japan in New York.Although her customers are mostly non-Asian, she is spreading her influence andname all over New York. Ms. Nakano isproud of her Japanese heritage, whichprompted her to create the logo for herstore, the traditional Japanese image yousee as her banner, when she opened upKazuyo Nakano Handbags. Although itwas easier to start off as a fashiondesigner in New York than in Japan,Japan will always have a special place inher heart. She told us, “I’m Japanese, Ifound my roots. . . I use my backgroundbehind my designs.” She is deeply rootedin her Japanese culture and, although herbags do not reflect the changing culturein Japan, they are sold there in theupscale department stores. She is alsogoing to open a new store in Japan soon.If you’re ever in New York, in the SoHoarea, come to visit this lovely little bou-tique, and even if you’re not planning tobuy anything, just come on in to take alook around and admire Ms. Nakano’shandiwork. You’ll be impressed, I promise.

Kazuyo Nakano Handbags

117 Crosby St. (between Houston & Prince St.)

New York, NY 10012

(212) 941 7093

www.kazuyonakano.com

28

“We encourage people to try differentthings that they never tried.” JAS Martworkers like Amy encourage everyone totry the many different items in theirJapanese convenience store. And therereally are many items that I would neverhave tried.

Don’t be afraid of all the Japanesewriting on the items because there is alabel in English on every food item. Youwill be able to figure out what everythingin the store is or ask the people whowork there—they are all very willing toexplain any item in the store. And they’reall fluent in both English and Japanese.

The items in the store range fromfood that is ready-to-eat, such as riceballs and sushi, to health care products.The most popular items in the store arerice balls and tofu. There is also a sec-tion in the back with Japanese rentaltapes, which include anime, movies,news and almost anything else you canimagine. The tapes can be either rentedor brought. However, they are only inJapanese, with no subtitles.

There’s so much to explore in thislittle store that it can be a real adventure.No wonder people as far away asConnecticut make a trip here just to pickup a few items. There are three storesconveniently located in New York City.

JAS Mart (multiple locations)

35 Saint Marks Place (between 2nd & 3rd Ave.)

New York, NY 10003

(212) 420-6370

2847 Broadway (between 110th & 111th St.)

New York, NY

(212) 866-4780

34 East 23rd St. (at Madison Ave.)

New York, NY

(212) 420-6370

29

s h o p p i n g

Explore the Unusual: Beauty & Food Straight from Japan

by Maria Shieh

“Irasshaimase!” chorus the smilingcashiers as customers enter. This is thegreeting you get when you walk intoSunrise Mart. Since 1992 it has servedits customers well. Stationed on top of abookstore, the store has an elevatorleading there. With Beyónce’s musicplaying in the background, the store cre-ates a cheery atmosphere for everyone.The cashiers are always friendly to theircustomers, so if you have any questionsor need help, you can always ask.

Strolling down the spacious aisles,you will be overwhelmed by the varietyof items that the store sells, which rangefrom Japanese imported food items torealistic sushi candles. Even thoughSunrise Mart might seem small for asupermarket but you will find they haveeverything you need!

There are even sections for teapots,video tape rentals of anime, soap operas,cosmetics, microwave meals and more!So if you are a student or businesspersonon the go, you can drop by and pick up a meal.

Sunrise Mart

4 Stuyvesant St., 2nd Floor (between 3rd &

9th St.)

New York, NY 10003

(212) 598-3040

30

The Sun Also Rises in the East Village

by Sally Feng

Located between two busy avenues, thetiny storefront of Kyoto-Ya attracts NewYorkers with a display of beautifullypainted fans in its front window. Thescent of incense in the air is calming, andthe strains of piano music playing on aboom box give the store a pleasantatmosphere. Kyoto-Ya carries kimono,tea, teapots and cups, and much more.Reiko Goto, owner of Kyoto-Ya, told usthat “having a store in Manhattan is mydream.” Ms. Goto, who is originally fromKyoto, allows customers to try onkimono in her store. She explained that,in traditional Japanese culture, the vin-tage obi is a wrapper for the waist whenwearing kimono, but it has now becomea wall decoration. If you’re looking for acool pair of chopsticks, or feel like buyingan obi, visit Kyoto-Ya.

Kyoto-Ya

23 West 19th St. (between 5th & 6th Ave.)

New York, NY 10011

(212) 414-0720

31

Ya, Let’s Visit Kyoto-Ya! A Chrming Shop for a Small Piece of Japanese Culture

by Sandy Cho

Pottery and interior design are importantparts of Japanese culture. Today, manysmall rural towns have their own distinctstyle of pottery.

Opened about 15 years ago, SaraJapanese Pottery is a cozy shop with a large variety of pottery. Store ManagerNaoki Ruimura personally prefers therustic “karatsu style” of pottery. Pricesrange from around $7 for a cloth coasterto about $280 for a tea set. SaraJapanese Pottery provides a selection of great gifts for anyone who has a taste for pottery.

Like pottery, interiors are also impor-tant to the Japanese way of life. Foldingscreens, or shoji, used for tea cere-monies, backgrounds for concerts ordances, or enclosures for Buddhist ceremonies in Japan, can create a senseof “mysterious space,” according to Miya Shoji Store Manager Zuishu

Hanafusa. For more than 50 years, MiyaShoji, located on 17th Street, has beenmaking custom-made folding screens,tatami platforms, and tables and chairsfor its international customers, right inthe store itself.

The woodwork technique, whichuses no nails, is very ingenious. MiyaShoji uses many different kinds of wood,some over hundreds of years old. Theprices for the fragile folding screens maybe steep but Mr. Hanafusa cleverlyreminds us, “They don’t break becausethe customers take care of them.” Ha!Try to dodge your way out of that!

Sara Japanese Pottery

952 Lexington Avenue (between 69th &

70th St.)

New York, NY 10021

(212) 772-3243

www.saranyc.com/info.html

Miya Shoji

109 West 17th St.

New York, NY 10011

(212) 243-6774

www.miyashoji.com

32

The Magic of Pottery-Y!And Don’t Forget Interior-Y

by Lise Statelman

Sara Japanese Pottery

Hidden within the hustle and bustle of anoisy city, the Japanese bookstoreBookoff USA Inc. offers its customers aquiet setting to sort through its purse-friendly book collections. Bookoff carriesonly secondhand books for extremely rea-sonable prices, and all are in nearly mintcondition. The store offers a wide collec-tion of Japanese paperbacks, children’sbooks, English novels, DVDs (in bothJapanese and English), CDs, videos, mag-azines and a most exceptional selection ofJapanese manga. It’s a definite hotspot forteens interested in Japanese anime, as thestore dedicates almost the entire firstfloor to manga, which cost only a dollareach. Even if you are a debt-ridden, desti-tute teen, you will no doubt find the priceof these manga very attractive.

The prices of magazines, videos,paperback/hardcover books vary from $1

to $3. And if you have any books, manga,etc. that you no longer wish to keep, youcan bring them to the store to sell them.The store is replenishing its merchandiseevery day.

Bookoff has a friendly and invitingatmosphere. Whenever anyone walksinto the store, the store clerks all yell,“Irasshaimase.” They are always ready toassist, and as Store Manager HirokazuHorikoshi put it, “we appreciate thestore, we say thank you very much.” It’snot easy to find such gratitude andwarmth in such a busy city.

Bookoff USA Inc.

14 East 41st St.

New York, NY 10017

(212) 685-1410

www.bookoff.co.jp

33

One of a Kind Secondhand Bind,Only a New York Find, at Bookoff

by Winifred Mu

If you were a Japanese person in NewYork, what are some places you’d like tovisit in the city? Places for recreation, funor just to pass the time?

The second floor location ofOtakuden in Noho has a large neon signand two large televisions in the frontwindow, playing popular DVDs andanime films. Inside, the store is illuminat-ed by hanging lamps and four televisionsplaying new releases are mounted in thecorners of the room. Appealing mainly toyoung males, Otakuden offers a selec-tion of Japanese and Chinese films, allwith English subtitles and popular anime,such as Dragon Ball Z, Astroboy and Sonicthe Hedgehog. The store also has a num-ber of collectable action figurines forsale. Mounted on a wall, a sign boldlypromises that, if you do not see the itemyou’d like to purchase, “we will order itfor you.” Prices are not very high, the col-lection is varied, and the staff is friendly!If you are in the neighborhood, or arejust looking for something interesting,Otakuden should definitely be your stop.Feel free to visit their website atwww.otakuden.com.

Karaoke Village, located in the EastVillage, appeals mainly to Japanese,Chinese and American adults in theirearly 20s. With 16 rooms in four differentsizes, Karaoke Village attracts residentsfrom nearby Chinatown with popfavorites in English, Japanese, Chineseand a few other languages. The privacyand simplicity of Karaoke Village makes

it a fun place to have a great time. Justpunch in the number of a song and waita few seconds for it to begin playing—nointerruptions and total privacy. The wait-ing area, with purple-wallpapered wallsand soft music, sets the mood as onewaits on the cushioned chairs and bench-es. Karaoke Village has no smoking rulesand does not sell alcohol. Whether it’sfor a birthday or just to gather and chill,Karaoke Village, with karaoke roomsstarting at $25 for three people, is theideal place. Call (212) 254-0066 or (212)

420-7859 to make a reservation. For those who would prefer more

peace and quiet, Kinokuniya Bookstoresin Rockefeller Center may be the choicefor you. A large chain store in Japan,Kinokuniya sells a variety of JapaneseDVDs, books and magazines, andEnglish books on Japan and Japaneseculture on the first floor, and a largeselection of stationery items, manga,origami and Japanese calligraphy writingmaterials on the second floor. Potted ivyplants trail from the second floor landing,and soft music tuned to a pop radio sta-tion helps to establish the relaxingatmosphere. The wide-open spacemakes one feel awed by the many bookson the lifestyle, culture and literature ofJapan. John Fuller, Manager of this NewYork Kinokuniya for the past 19 years,told us that their goal is to “Try to matchcustomers’ interests.” Though the prod-ucts are a bit pricey, it would be rare tofind another bookstore with quite aslarge and varied a collection asKinokuniya Bookstores. Find more infoon www.kinokuniya.com.

These three establishments illustrateoffer only a few of the many interestsenjoyed by the modern Japanese. Ofcourse, in a city as diverse as New YorkCity, these interests are shared by people other than the Japanese. So if

34

e n t e rta i n m e n t

Ooooo, Entertainment, Where?Great Places to Visit with Your Friends

by Sandy Cho

you’re looking for a great time, visitOtakuden, Karaoke Village andKinokuniya Bookstore.

Otakuden

732 Broadway, 2nd floor (at Waverly Place)

New York, NY 10003

(212) 777-4727

www.otakuden.com

Karaoke Village

27 Cooper Square (between 5th & 6th St.)

New York, NY 10003

(212) 254-0066

Kinokuniya Bookstores

10 West 49th St.t (at Rockefeller Plaza)

New York, NY 10017

(212) 765-7766

www.kinokuniya.com

35

Don’t have money but want to experi-ence something interesting and educa-tional? SONY Corporation has createdan interactive museum, SONY WonderTechnology Lab, that lets people of allages experience and learn about tech-nology in the most creative and uniqueway. Their FREE museum uses games,science, music and media to help youunderstand technology. All of theexhibits use the latest technology to letvisitors enter a different world. It beginswith a greeting from the popular B.B.Wonderbot, an interactive robot that cansay “hello” in any language, and that isonly the tip of the iceberg.

The tour begins with theCommunications Bridge, a timeline ofcommunication and media history. Itexplores the inventions of the radio,camera, television and computer. TheTechnology Workshop lets you add digi-tal sound effects to music clips. TheProfessional Studios allows you to con-trol a robot, look inside the human bodyand learn about ultrasounds. You canbroadcast your own show in theTelevision Production Studio—a verypopular part of the museum—using ateleprompter, green screen and videocamera. The High Definition Theaterallows you to see a short screening andhas surround sound. The theater is alsoused to show DVD movies (PG, PG-13)and is free. You can get tickets onsite ormake reservations at least one week inadvance. This is something to do withfriends who are looking for an inexpen-sive way to hang out in the city.

At the Wonder of Imagination exhib-it, you are given a history ofcomputer/video games and can playPlaystation 2 games. Gamebuilder allowsyou to create your own racing game. Youcan make music with Bow Wow in theWonder of Music. Moviemaker teachesyou about movie production and editingin order to help you create your owntrailer. At the end, you participate in a“multi-sensory interactive experience”that features “sand.” Your shadow reactsto the wall so that the “sand” falls onyour shadow, resulting in one of thestrangest but most fun experiences inthe museum. You will find people of allages jumping around and giggling.

SONY Wonder Technology Lab isvery concerned with education andworks with the Department of Educationto create special events during schoolbreaks. There are after-school seminarswith special speakers for teenagers. Low-cost workshops that focus on technologyand video are also available for kids 8 to14 years of age. And finally, the museumcan host birthday parties.

SONY Wonder Technology Lab isgreat because everything is hands-on.Being surrounded by computers, televi-sions and all sorts of other electronicsleads to a feeling of awe. There is never adull moment—everyone is able to learnand enjoy themselves.

SONY Wonder Technology Lab

550 Madison Ave. (at 56th St.)

New York, NY 10022

(212) 833-5414

www.sonywondertechlab.com

36

A Glimpse of the Future: Exploring TechnologicalAdvancements with Sony

by Jennifer Singh

SONY Wonder Technology Lab

Fujisankei CommunicationsInternational, Inc. (FCI), a subdivision ofFuji TV, provides news and entertain-ment to Japanese people living in theUnited States, and also updates Japan onwhat’s going on in the U.S. FCI is airednationwide, but those living in the tri-state area can view FCI on WMBC 63 oncable. FCI broadcasts popular entertain-ment programs, such as trendy dramas,music shows and the latest samurai pro-ductions from Japan. The New YorkMedia Research Survey, ConsensusBureau Statistics and the JapaneseForeign Ministry show that FCI is rankedthe “#1 Network among Japanese in theUS.” The news from the U.S. that isbroadcast to Japan is selected inresponse to the type of news Japaneseviewers in Japan have expressed interestin through e-mails.

FCI is the only station that broad-casts news live. The news program, NewsExpress FCI, airs between 7 and 8 am.Variety shows are aired between 10 and11 pm every night. FCI is currently tryingnew fall programs, such as music shows,in an effort to gain a wider audience.Even though the news and shows do nothave English subtitles, Mutsumi Omatsu,Director and Supervisor of NewsProduction, said, “It’s great to watch ifyou want to learn Japanese.”

Fuji Television (Fujisankei Communications

International, Inc.)

150 East 52nd St. (between Lexington &

3rd Ave.)

New York, NY 10022

(212) 753-8100

www.fujisankei.com

37

Fujisankei CommunicationsInternational, Inc.: The Curious Eye

by Michelle Wu

The manager of the ever-so-niftyKaraoke Duet, Yoko Imai, who prefers tobe called by her first name, welcomesdiverse customers to sing aloud to theirheart’s content.

Some people may think, “What?Karaoke? Ew.” There are many peoplewho find it a way of relieving stress andhaving fun, of course! $3 per person perhour? Wow. A much better way tospend your afternoon than bingeing on atub of ice cream, isn’t it? Of course it is.

There are a total of nine privaterooms which customers may rent by the hour. The smallest rooms are for twoto three people, while the larger roomscan fit up to 20 people. The party roomhas a 50-inch projection TV, with100Wx2 speakers, dancing space and alarge disco light. Hah, must be prettyentertaining.

“New songs are added at the end ofevery month,” said Yoko. There are songsavailable in seven languages: English,Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Filipino, Thaiand Spanish. Amazing, isn’t it? Alltogether, there must be over 50,000

songs that customers can choose from. There are nights it’s so busy that it

is necessary to turn away customers.Not wanting to disappoint anyone, thestaff take customers’ phone numbersand call them when there’s space avail-able. Guess no one wants to miss out on the fun.

Karaoke Duet

256 East 49th St. (between 2nd & 3rd Ave.)

New York, NY 10017

(212) 753-0035

www.karaokeduet.com

38

Make Like a Microphone &Feedback—Err... SING!Be an All-Time American Idol Evenif You Don’t Qualify to Be One!

by Michelle Ng

“Irasshaimase!” That’s the very first wordyou hear when you duck into Soba-Ya.Surrounded by endless reminders ofJapan, the sound of the cars outside isblocked out by the trickling water from awater fountain.

As you follow the waiters to yourtable, you pass a chef carefully makingsoba, buckwheat noodles, by hand. Alunch box, or bento, is definitely recom-mended, as it comes with enough foodto fill you for the week. It includes tem-pura, sushi, soba and dessert. And for adrink to match, ask for cold soba tea. No,it’s not the actual noodles seeped in hotwater, but buckwheat tea. The drink maybe a bit on the expensive side, but you’llbe asking for more when you see howrefreshing it is on a muggy day.

Pretty soon that cool sensation isgone and replaced with drooling over asteaming bowl of soba noodles and tem-pura. But if you ordered cold soba, youmight be a bit confused when the waiterbrings a pot of hot liquid to the table.Puzzled? Yes, I was too. Ask the waiterand he’ll be happy to show off his teach-ing skills. Turns out, when stirred in withthe soba broth, the mixture produces asort of health drink. “Very good to get ridof cholesterol,” pronounced the waiter,laughing along with the customers.

You may be stuffed, but it’s not overyet. A small bamboo cup is served, filledwith a milky gelatin for dessert. Cluelessonce again, we ask our teacher. It turnsout it’s a milk tofu and very very good,with a delicate, sweet taste.

For such a good meal, one might notexpect anything else, but beautifulJapanese décor is everywhere. The net-

suke (small figurines used to securepurses on a person’s belt) near the exitare a wonder to look at, intricatelycarved and portraying a variety ofscenes. And I must admit, even the bath-rooms show some Japanese influence.To distinguish between the men andwomen, miniature Japanese masks areplaced on each wooden door.

So if you like Japanese culture orlove Japanese food or both (which isoften the case), Soba-Ya is the place toeat your noodles.

Soba-Ya

229 East 9th St. (between 2nd & 3rd Ave.)

New York, NY 10003

(212) 533-6966

39

r e stau r a n t r e v i e ws

Soba-Ya? More Like Soba-World!

by Naia Bonet

Instead of crossing the street to enjoythat greasy, high-cholesterol-inducingdouble quarter-pounder with cheese anda super-sized order of french fries atMickey D’s on 42nd, you might want totry a healthier option at the Japanese-styled fast-food restaurant, Yoshino-Ya.This Asian fast-food chain, most popularin Japan, offers a variety of rice bowls,including its most famous beef bowl(beef over rice). Perhaps commercializedAsian food may not appeal to you atfirst, but take a chance and you will behappily surprised by how delicious thefood is. Moreover, the price is not likelyto be a source of concern, as each orderof the regular-sized bowls is under $4.

Although the food is inexpensive,the restaurant itself is modern and clean,with a funky, colorful atmosphere. Therestaurant is situated in a most conven-ient location, only a few stores awayfrom Coldstone Creamery and the Sanriostore (for your dessert and shoppingneeds). Go home satisfied; keep yourpockets full as well as your stomach.

Yoshino-Ya

255 West 42nd St. (between Broadway &

8th Ave.)

New York, NY 10036

(212) 703- 9940

40

A Super-Bowl for an InsuperablePrice—Only at Yoshino-Ya

by Winifred Mu

Yoshino-Ya

Did you know that Japan ranks third inthe worldwide coffee market? A visit toHiroko’s Place on Thompson St. willerase any doubts you might have aboutthis. This 21st-century kissaten’s (coffeeshop) coffee is top-notch. There are 13different blends of coffee, ranging fromthe common Decaf and Mocha brews tothe exotic Blue Mountain and HawaiiKona roasts. Tea can be made uponrequest: Chamomile, Peppermint, EnglishRoyal Milk, Ceylon, Earl Grey, Raspberry,Jasmine, Rooibos and the ever-popularGreen Tea. All of the store’s coffee andtea are made with a siphoning techniqueand filtered water. The entire processcan be viewed by the customer if he orshe chooses to sit at the counter. Otherdrinks include tasty fruit juices, lemonand lime crushes, sodas, coffee floats,soda floats, hot/cold chocolates andsmoothies. On top of lip-smackingdrinks, there is a variety of salads, appe-tizers, curries, spaghetti, sandwiches andgratins (casseroles), all Japanese-style.

While high-quality food and drinksare good enough reason to go, an invit-ing atmosphere is always a plus. Whenyou enter the dim yet intimate room,there are a couple of places where youcan settle down—the sofas, tables orcounter. There is a piano along one ofthe walls because every Saturday andSunday, from 3 to 6 pm, there is live jazz.This is the perfect place to hang out,relax and enjoy your food.

Hiroko’s Place

75 Thompson St. (at Spring St.)

New York, NY 10012

(212) 625-1303

41

Koohi Grounds

by Vera Xie

If you’re walking along Broadway,between 76th and 77th St., you may besurprised to see a small shop namedBeard Papa. Beard Papa? What anunusual yet catchy name! The model of aplump, bearded man greets you with awarm and cheery smile. He makes youfeel happy because he reminds you ofSanta Claus!

What exactly is Beard Papa? It justso happens that it is a store that sellshomemade, original cream puffs! Thesefresh, crisp and fluffy pastries are maderight before your eyes, and filled withyummy whipped custard while they’restill warm. The original and currentlymost popular cream puff filling is vanillaflavored. The shells of these sweet treatsare made with choux pastry and piedough, and you can choose among manydifferent flavored fillings.

Takuma Ogihara, Assistant Managerof the Broadway Beard Papa, claimedthat their creampuff recipe is “healthierthan doughnuts. We don’t add anypreservatives.” As a result, Beard Papacan cater to the needs and tastes of allits customers.

As you enter Beard Papa, the richaroma of freshly baked goods greetsyour awaiting senses. The front of thestore is where all the action takes place.Multitudes of puffs are created as youeagerly look on. The cafÈ area, located inthe back of the store, is decorated withunique wallpaper that describes thewarm and friendly atmosphere of thesmall shop with words like “relax,” “com-fortable” and “delicious.”

Beard Papa originated in Japan fiveyears ago and was a hit with the

Japanese. As of now, there are 250 BeardPapas worldwide. The one located at2167 Broadway on the Upper West sideopened in March 2004 and people find itirresistible. Mr. Ogihara said, “Peoplestand outside and are surprised to see aplace that they recognize from theirhomeland [Japan].”

So, if you’re craving a healthier alter-native to doughnuts, look no further thanBeard Papa. And watch for their newchain store opening at Astor Place andBroadway!

Beard Papa

2167 Broadway (between 76th & 77th St.)

New York, NY 10024

(212) 799-3770

www.muginohousa.com

42

Oh Look! CREAM PUFFS!Beard Papa—“Healthy & Delightful”

by Lauren Looft

Boasting of how healthy their buckwheatsoba noodles are, Soba Nippon is a greatplace for lunch and dinner. “Eaten yearround, hot or cold, these are the noodlesthat keep people slim and healthy,” saystheir website.

The soba dishes are set at moderateprices, ranging from $8 to $20. Alongwith their famous soba dishes, there area variety of sushi and meat platters.

Soba Nippon is a nice, relaxing placeto sit down and enjoy your meal. Alongthe walls is a fence of towering bamboo,arching towards the center of the room.Reservations are recommended for large groups.

If fancy restaurants aren’t what youare looking for, Rai Rai Ken is the placeto go. Specializing in ramen and delec-table pork-stuffed gyoza, the small menustill pleases many. All the dishes areunder $10.

The walls and ceiling are decoratedwith newspapers and pictures paintedred, with pieces of mirror here and there.Once you step through the door, you seeright down the room where 14 stools arenext to the noodle bar.

Soba Nippon

19 West 52nd St. (between 5th & 6th Ave.)

New York, NY 10019

(212) 489-2525

www.sobanippon.com

Rai Rai Ken

214 East 10th St. (between 1st & 2nd Ave.)

New York, NY 10003

(212) 477-7030

43

Bars in New York—Noodle Bars,That Is

by Stanley Chang

Tip Box: Chopsticks

Ah! The fork disappeared!

What am I supposed to do

with these two long sticks?

Chances are that almost

everyone has had an

encounter with chop-

sticks, the main utensils

used for Asian meals.

When dining in a

Japanese restaurant, you

will be greeted with chop-

sticks, but if youíre not

comfortable using them,

a polite request for a fork

is an alternative choice.

—Uvarshanie Nandram

Opened by Hiroaki Aoki and his brothersin 1964, Benihana is a fusion of theater anddelectable Japanese cuisine. The restau-rant is adorned with its namesake, thebenihana flower. Each chef intrigues guestswith his distinctive style of slicing anddicing. It’s a good place to escape fromthe hustle and bustle of the city. Headover to Benihana with an empty belly, sitback, relax and await the most entertain-ing dinner performance of your life.

Benihana

47 West 56th St. (between 5th & 6th Ave.)

New York, NY 10019

(212) 581-0930

www.benihana.com

44

The Benihana Show

by Uvarshanie Nandram

Craving sushi? Head over to Oh! Raku—It’s Japanese! Off Fifth, featuring “belt-way sushi,” located in the heart of mid-town Manhattan. Grab a stool with a fewfriends and watch several chefs preparea variety of dishes right in front of you.From California rolls to tofu with noodlesto chicken tempura over a bed of lettuce,the delicious dishes arrive on a rotatingconveyor belt. Depending on the color ofthe plate, each dish can cost anywherefrom $3 to $9. Want a more privateexperience? Head for one of the tablesand wait for one of the friendly serversto take your order. Oh! Raku is a coolplace to chat with friends, listen to hipmusic and enjoy good Japanese food.And visit its sister restaurant in theTheater District.

Oh! Raku—It’s Japanese! Off Fifth

9 East 46th St. (between Madison & 5th Ave.)

New York, NY 10017

(212) 983-5018

45

The Sushi Superhighway

by Uvarshanie Nandram

Oh! Raku—It’s Japanese! Off Fifth

Appendix

c u lt u r e

Isamu Noguchi Museum9-01 33rd Road (at Vernon Avenue)Long Island City, NY 11106

Phone: (718) 204-7088

www.noguchi.org

Ito En822 Madison Avenue (between 68th & 69th Street)New York, NY 10021

Phone: (212) 988-7111; (888) 697-8003

Fax: (212) 570-4500

www.itoen.com

Sanrio233 West 42nd Street(Times Square)New York, NY 10017-5701

Phone: (212) 840-6011

www.sanrio.com

Sawai Koto School421 West 43rd Street, #3E,(between 9th & 10th Avenue)New York, NY 10036

Phone: (212) 481-4886

www.letsplaykoto.com

Taiko Masala652 Vanderbilt StreetBrooklyn, NY 11218

Phone: (212) 851-8051

www.taiko-masala.com

Urasenke Chanoyu Center 153 East 69th Street(between 2nd & 3rd Avenue)New York, NY 10021

Phone: (212) 988-6161

Fax: (212) 517-7594

www.urasenke.org

e n t e rta i n m e n t

Fuji Television (FujisankeiCommunications International, Inc.)150 East 52nd Street(between Lexington & 3rd Avenue)New York, NY 10022-6017

Phone: (212) 753-8100

Fax: (212) 688-0392 or (212) 702-0420

www.fujisankei.com

Karaoke Duet 256 East 49th StreetNew York, NY 10017

Phone: (212) 753-0035

Otakuden732 Broadway, 2nd floor (at Waverly Place)New York, NY 10003-9584

Phone: (212) 777- 4727

Fax: (212) 777-4572

www.otakuden.com

SONY Wonder Technology Lab550 Madison Avenue (at 56th Street)New York, NY 10022

Phone: (212) 833-5414

www.sonywondertechlab.com

Village Karaoke27 Cooper Square(between 5th & 6th Avenue)New York, NY 10003

Phone: (212) 254-0066

fa s h i o n

Glu224 East 10th Street(between 1st & 2nd Avenue)New York, NY 10003-7749

Phone: (212) 477-9676

Fax: (212) 477-6162

www.glucollective.com

46

Kazuyo Nakano Handbags117 Crosby Street(between Houston & Prince Street)New York, NY 10012-3301

Phone: (212) 941-7093

Fax: (212) 941-7525

www.kazuyonakano.com

The Kimono House, Inc.131 Thompson StreetNew York, NY 10012

Phone: (212) 505-0232

Tribeca Issey Miyake119 Hudson Street(between N. Moore & Franklin Street)New York, NY 10013-2341

Phone: (212) 226-0100

www.isseymiyake.com

Yohji Yamamoto 103 Grand Street (at Mercer Street)New York, NY 10013

Phone: (212) 966-9066

www.yohjiyamamoto.co.jp

YU151 Ludlow Street(between Stanton & Irvington Street)New York, NY 10002-2206

Phone: (212) 979-9370

www.yu-nyc.com

o r g a n i z at i o n s

Consulate General of Japan299 Park Avenue(between 48th & 49th Street)New York, NY 10171

Phone: (212) 371-8222 (24 hours)(212) 888-0889 (Visa/Consular ServicesInformation)(212) 418-4462/4463 (Japan InformationCenter)Fax: (212) 319-6357 (General)(212) 755-2851 (Visa/Consular Services)www.cgj.org

Japan Society 333 East 47th Street(between 1st & 2nd Avenue)New York, NY 10017

Phone: (212) 832-1155

Fax: (212) 755-6752

www.japansociety.org

New York Buddhist ChurchJodoshinshu Temple331 Riverside Drive(between W. 105th & W. 106th Street)New York, NY 10025-3421

Phone: (212) 678-0305

Fax: (212) 662-4502

The International Shinto Foundation, Inc.300 West 55th Street, 20B

New York, NY 10019

Phone: (212) 686-9117

Fax: (212) 686-7111

www.shinto.org

World Seido Karate Organization61 West 23rd Street(between 5th & 6th Avenue)New York, NY 10010

Phone: (212) 924-0511

www.seido.com

The Japanese Folk Dance Institute of NY, Inc.109 West 27th StreetNew York, NY 10002

Phone: (212) 982-6952

www.japanesefolkdance.org

r e s au r a n t s

Beard Papa2167 Broadway(between 76th & 77th Street)New York, NY 10024

Phone: (212) 799-3770

www.muginohousa.com

47

Benihana47 West 56th Street(between 5th & 6th Avenue)New York, NY 10019-3902

Phone: (212) 581-0930

www.benihana.com

Café Zaiya 18 East 41st Street(between 5th & Madison Avenue)New York, NY 10017

Phone: (212) 779-0600

Hapon211 East 43rd Street(between 2nd & 3rd Avenue)New York, NY 10017-4707

Phone: (212) 986-1213/1214

Fax: (212) 297-0734

Hiroko’s Place75 Thompson Street (at Spring Street)New York, NY 10012

Phone: (212) 625-1303

Kodama Sushi301 West 45th Street(between 8th & 9th Avenue)New York, NY 10036

Phone: (212) 582-8065

Menchanko-Tei131 East 45th Street(between Lexington & 3rd Avenue)New York, NY 10017-3131

Phone: (212) 986-6805

Meriken Sushi189 7th Avenue (at 21st Street)New York, NY 10011-1805

Phone: (212) 620-9684

Oh! Raku—It’s Japanese! Off Fifth9 East 46th Street(between Madison & 5th Avenue)New York, NY 10017

Phone: (212) 983-5018 or (212) 983-5019

Fax: (212) 983-5057

OMS-B156 East 45th StreetNew York, NY 10017

Phone: (212) 922-9788

Ony 72

158 West 72nd Street(between Amsterdam & ColumbusAvenue)New York, NY 10023-3320

Phone: (212) 362-5531

Panya Bakery10 Stuyvesant StreetNew York, NY 10003

Phone: (212) 777-1930

Rai Rai Ken214 East 10th Street(between 1st & 2nd Avenue)New York, NY 10003-7706

Phone: (212) 477-7030

Shabu Shabu 70

314 East 70th Street(between 1st & 2nd Avenue)New York, NY 10021

Phone: (212) 861-5635

Soba Nippon19 West 52nd Street(between 5th & 6th Avenue)New York, NY 10019-6111

Phone: (212) 489-2525

Fax: (212) 489-0326

www.sobanippon.com

48

Soba-Ya229 East 9th Street(between 2nd & 3rd Avenue)New York, NY 10003-7536

Phone: (212) 533-6966

Yakitori East (East Japanese Restaurant)210 East 44th StreetNew York, NY 10017

Phone: (212) 687-5075

Fax: (212) 922-1679

Yoshino-Ya255 West 42nd Street(between Broadway & 8th Avenue)New York, NY 10036-7201

Phone: (212) 703-9940

s h o p p i n g

Air Market97 3rd AvenueNew York, NY 10003

Phone: (212) 995-5888

Bookoff USA Inc.12 East 41st StreetNew York, NY 10017

Phone: (212) 685-1410

JAS Mart35 East St. Marks Place(between 2nd & 3rd Avenue)New York, NY 10003

Phone: (212) 420-6370

Kinokuniya Bookstores10 West 49th StreetNew York, NY 10017

Phone: (212) 765-7766

Fax: (212) 541-9335

www.kinokuniya.com

Kyoto-Ya23 West 19th Street(between 5th & 6th Avenue)New York, NY 10011-4202

Phone: (212) 414-0720

M2M 55 3rd Avenue (between 10th & 11th Street)New York, NY 10003-5535

Phone: (212) -353-2698

Miya Shoji Interior109 West 17th StreetNew York, NY 10011

Phone: (212) 243-6774

Fax: (212) 243-6780

www.miyashoji.com

New York Togei Kyoshitu(Japanese Pottery School)5 West 30th Street, 3rd Floor(at 5th Avenue)New York, NY 10001

Phone: (212) 268-1711

Sara Japanese Pottery952 Lexington Avenue(between 69th & 70th Street)New York, NY 10021-5013

Phone: (212) 772-3243

Sunrise Mart4 Stuyvesant Street, 2nd Floor(near 3rd Avenue & 9th Street)New York, NY 10003

Phone: (212) 598-3040

Toy Tokyo121 2nd Avenue, 2nd Floor(between 7th & 8th Street)New York, NY 10003

Phone: (212) 253-8699

www.toytokyo.com

Yagura24 East 41st StreetNew York, NY 10017

Phone: (212) 679-3777

49