Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu!

New Year's Eve called for a visit to Tōbu Hyakkaten 東武百貨店 (Tōbu department store), conveniently situated under JR Funabashi station, which accommodates the Sobu Line and Tobu Noda Line and is only a short distance from Keisei Funabashi Station on the Keisei Main Line. Places like this can reach bursting point around this time. Though it shouldn't be missed if you enjoy the final shopping push of the year and the mad scramble for all the best shōgatsu (Japanese New Year) culinary delights.

Wandering around B1 of this place is not for the agoraphobic or claustrophobic among us; there's no end of pushing and barging, and this is accompanied by the implored wailing of the myriad of shop staff tempting you to try samples of the never ending lines of delicious looking food. But it does have the character and buzz of a thriving market and there is little in the way of antagonism between shoppers - people do maintain some etiquette despite the ample opportunity to do exactly the opposite.

There is always so much on offer, but the more traditional food for this time of year - toshikoshi soba (buckwheat noodles), ozoni (rice cake soup), osechi (a box filled with a variety of foods), and mochi (glutinous rice) - are a very tempting choice for the last meal of this year and the first meal of the next. Other choices include ebi chilli (fried shrimp in a sweet spicy sauce), fried chicken, Gyoza (Chinese dumplings), yakitori (skewered chicken), and a seemingly never-ending selection of sweets and cakes. There is also a choice of Italian, Chinese, and Indian cuisine - the list goes on.

Though the hustle and bustle can get a bit much, the atmosphere is quite special - a bit like last minute Xmas shopping in the West. Once you've made your choice, it's time to head for the exit, slightly battered and bruised, but loaded with enough food to last a week.

    

The choice of food this year was easy - fried chicken, soba noodles with large fried shrimp, mochi, and, of course, ebi chilli. All washed down with a nice bottle of sake and a few beers. Lovely.

Happy New Year!!!   

Bristol 23: Beer, Football, Music & Laughter - Tick!

A bar well worth visiting in the Ichikawa area is a small, foreigner owned establishment called Bristol 23. A couple of years ago, while living out of Tokyo up in cold but warmhearted Niigata City, I used to visit a bar whose sole proprietor was an expat from New Zealand. This soon became my favorite place to hang out, and particularly so because of the great relationship I had with the owner - just sitting at the bar chatting with him or with the regulars was a real pleasure. The closest I've come to experiencing the same is at Bristol 23. So, if what you're looking for is to feel welcomed within a warm and genial atmosphere, you should check this place out.

Established in 2008 by two Ghanaian expats, Ernie and Tim, the bar takes its name from two sources: firstly, both owners lived in the UK, with one of them living in Bristol. Secondly, the 23 represents high skill or success within the field of sport and is a number worn by such superstars as Michael Jordon and David Beckham. The love of sports and music is standout here, as is the sense of humour of the guys who run it - rarely do you find yourself chatting and laughing to this degree after arriving alone at a bar.

Though easy to find and an easy place to meet new people, the bar provides more than just a warm atmosphere at a convenient location from Motoyawata station. Ernie and Tim have created an atmosphere that offers an environment for newcomers to find their feet after arriving in Japan - perfect for someone who has yet to find their way around. It's not that you can't sit on your own and sup a pint, but it's certainly ideal for meeting the locals and a variety of professional people who have something interesting to say. One regular is a professor of Physics at a university in Tokyo, and chatting to him at the bar for an hour is an absolute pleasure. Others I've talked to include traders, social workers, salary men, and people from many walks of life. This isn't just a place where people come to practice English. People genuinely have something interesting they want to express about themselves.

Apart from the beer and good chat you can enjoy here, there is also a wide range of food on tap. I haven't eaten extensively from the menu, but I have sampled their very reasonably priced and tasty homemade pizza. Other delights include the tuna nachos, African kebab, and the quite unique dish for the Ichikawa area - homemade "Gumbo" (Louisiana soup). Drinks wise, there are a wide range of whiskeys for the connoisseur, a good selection of bottled ales, and the usual draft fair. They also serve cocktails, two of which, the Brain Buster and the Wild Wild West, are something to behold. But you don't find the need to get paralytic here. It really is enough just to soak up the ambiance and joviality of those who frequent the bar.

Another quirk is the music, which is available upon request. The bar has a large screen TV which is connected to the Internet, so you can request literally anything - my favourite burst of three last time I was there was One Direction (not my choice), followed by The Doors (mine :)), followed by Smokey Robinson. Even if these artists aren't your cup of tea, this just highlights the variety on offer. There is also live blues played from time to time which, in an small, intimate environment like this, is rather special.

A personal highlight for me is that fact that Ernie and Tim are both football fanatics, which means that they show the English Premier league most weekends. With Ernie being a Chelsea fan, Tim - Spurs, and me - Arsenal, you might think things could be a little frosty when it comes to football chat. This, however, couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, I have never been in a bar where I've felt so relaxed bantering about football. There is not an ounce of animosity between us, despite our allegiances. For that reason, I love this bar.
 

Bristol 23
3-6-17-#206 Minamiyawata
Ichikawa-shi 
Chiba-ken　
272-0023 
Phone: 047-376-3722

Menu: http://www1.icnet.ne.jp/as2tvyqj/d&f_e.html

Map: http://www1.icnet.ne.jp/as2tvyqj/access_e.html



The guys have just opened up Bristol 23's sister bar in Urayasu, so watch this space for some more info about that.

Crossing Borders - A Stroll in the Park

After a week of busy trains, traveling through interminable stretches of concrete, and standing shoulder to shoulder with the silent masses, you could do a lot worse that finding yourself wandering within Tokyo's Kasairinkai Park (葛西臨海公園 Kasai Rinkai Kōen).

Only a short ride across the border from Chiba, built on reclaimed land which was previously used as garbage lots, and officially opened in 1989, the park runs along one edge of Tokyo Bay and is a great place to visit if you want to sit and relax near water or you want to get lost in a bit of nature. Within the park there is an aquarium (Tokyo Sea Life Park), a bird sanctuary, and a large ferris wheel (the tallest in Tokyo) which was opened in 2001, on which you can view Tokyo Bay, Edogawa, Tokyo Disneyland, and Mount Fuji. So if you have kids, this is a great spot to bring them and a place where you will be able to get a decent afternoon's worth of entertainment.

I visited the park on Sunday which was, weather wise, one of those stunning autumn days you get in Japan. After coming out of Kasai Rinkai Koen station, you are greeted by a small fountain, gently puffing its water skywards. And behind this, set on the horizon, is the Diamond and Flower Ferris Wheel. As Tokyo Disneyland is the next stop down, you imagine that this may be conveniently arranged to help parents persuade their kids that they can have a nice day out, even if it doesn't involve shelling out ¥10000 to see Mickey Mouse and friends.

The aquarium is conveniently close to the station too, and walking across the square leading up to the Tokyo Bay coastline you often see street performances, who are commonly found at tourist attractions around Japan; sometimes you see a 'one-man-and-his-monkey-on-a-string' show at touristy spots (a bit of an uncomfortable watch, in my opinion), but this time there was a guy juggling and skillfully performing balancing tricks to the appreciatively enthusiastic crowd.

As you get near the bay area you come across a modern looking building, which is intended to be a viewing gallery/info spot. The Japanese usually do this quite well, and there is nothing particularly wrong with this architecturally pleasing building, but it is very sparse inside (information wise, TVs meant for public information looked like they were under maintenance), and someone had decided to flick the air-con switch to off. So, just a quick walk through here and then on to the the main part of the park.

As you follow the path which runs parallel to the bay, you soon come across the bird sanctuary, where you will find watching the 'birders' eagerly photographing their tweeting friends as interesting as the nature itself. Viewing is done from something that resembles an artificial cave, where you can look out of decently sized slots. There are two of these viewing caves placed conveniently on each side of the reserve. If you are patient enough, you can observe a variety of migrational species of birds. And by the quality of the photographic equipment you can see being used, there is no doubting how serious the people take bird and nature watching here. 

One of the great features about this area is the panoramic view across the bay. From the concrete building housed within part of the sanctuary, one guy had even set up a full-scale telescope, which lead me to think he was waiting for sundown to attempt a proper view of the cosmos. There are ¥100-a-go mini-telescopes at hand too that wouldn't be out of place on a coastline promenade in Britain and they are perfect for watching the myriad of vehicles within the bay, including the planes coming into land at Haneda airport.

Sometimes you may get the feeling that as you walk around 'natural' areas in Japan, it's all a bit manufactured. And indeed here it sometimes feels like you are walking around a Disneyland for adults. But there is no question that the work done to preserve the Bay's natural habitat through renovation and conservation has produced one of the best getaways you will find in the area.

Kasai-Rinkai Park: located is about a half an hour from JR Tokyo Station on the Keiyo Line (京葉線). .
Buses can be taken from Kasai Station and Nishi-Kasai Station to Kasai Rinkai Park on Tokyo Metro's Tousai Line.

 http://goo.gl/maps/61PDX

Shopping out of Tokyo

Japan is by far one of the most stylish countries in the world. The fashion you see here is replicated, often months or even years later, in Europe and North America. Tokyo’s Harajuku, Shibuya and Ginza districts are fashion capitals in their own right and designers and stylists such as Louis Vuitton’s Kim Jones and Patricia Fields (stylist for Sex and the City) often make trips to Tokyo for inspiration and design ideas.

Ichikawa and Funabashi, being satellite cities, don’t have the same sartorial choices you see in the capital but there are many places to buy affordable and stylish apparel. Ichikawa’s Colton Plaza deals more in family fashion and has a small roster of outlets such as cheaper chain stores like ABC Mart (sports shoes) and fast fashion king Uniqlo. Funabashi, however, has a much more impressive array of stores from high street chains to designer names. 

Funabashi’s Seibu department store (next to JR Funabashi) includes menswear brands such as Ralph Lauren, Brooks Brothers, Calvin Klein, Burberry and domestic labels such as Takeo Kikuchi. The womenswear is equally as impressive with well respected names such as Issey Miyake, Margaret Howell and more affordable local brands such as Human Woman. Towards the Tokyo Bay area of Funabashi, however, you’ll come across LaLaport which is one of Japan’s most famous and biggest shopping malls. In addition to restaurants and a Toho Cinema (which we’ll cover in a separate post) there is an amazing selection of shopping on offer including areas devoted to childrenswear, sportswear and contemporary fashion.

The list is endless but LaLaport includes Agnes B, Coach, Furla, Armani Exchange, Tommy Hilfiger, Stussy, Camper, Uniqlo, Forever 21, Mango, Banana Republic, Gap and the newly opened American Eagle Outfitters. The real gems, though, are the Japanese stores such as United Arrows, Beauty & Youth United Arrows, Fredy & Gloster, Nano Universe and my personal favorite Good Deal General Factory which has a compact yet very on-trend selection of menswear and womenswear. This select store, which is a Tribeca apartment transported (floors and all) to Japan, includes stock from John Bull, Trickers, Ralph Lauren and outdoor brands such as Duluth Pack and Danner. Props to the buyers for having such excellent and refined taste! 

The best thing to do, however, is to get your credit cards ready and spend a day walking around LaLaport. It’s a shopping paradise like no other and when you need a bit of respite there are a few Starbucks and numerous other cafes and restaurants to give you some well-deserved sustenance.

LaLaport Tokyo-Bay: 2-1-1 Hama-cho, Funabashi City, Chiba

http://tokyobay.lalaport.net/pc/

One for the Devoted Reader

When I first came to Japan, around 10 years ago, there was a fairly healthy English book scene. In Tokyo there used to be the famous Good Day Books in Ebisu, The Blue Parrot chain in Akihabara and Takadanobaba not to mention Japanese bookstores which sold English titles and magazines such as Kinokuniya in Shinjuku. 

Ichikawa City Chuo Library

Times have changed though and as the Japanese are, arguably, culturally looking inwards more than before, the opportunities to buy English books have become less and less. In Tokyo there is only one English book store – the newly located Good Day Books in Gotanda. Tower Records in Shibuya also hold a fairly good but small choice of English books and magazines as do the equally reliable and expensive Kinokuniya. 

 

As to be expected the Funabashi and Ichikawa areas have little or no opportunities to purchase English titles although the Maruzen in nearby Tsudanuma has a healthy selection of novels, children’s books, art and photography and fashion/culture magazines. Luckily, however, both Funabashi and Ichikawa have libraries which hold yousho洋書(foreign books). 

 

Funabashi municipal library, located on the main Honcho-dori, has a small pile of non-fiction and well-known Japanese novels translated into English on the shelves. You will find work by Natsume Soseki, Yasunari Kawabata, Natsuo Kirino and many others as well as biographies of world leaders such as Bill Clinton. If you’re looking for novels from foreign authors, though, you have to ask for the yousho list from the counter and the helpful staff will give you a very lightweight binder with a few pages detailing the books they have to offer including some Philip Roth, John Updike, Agatha Christie and Bret Easton Ellis. It’s far from comprehensive but if you want to read something it’s not too bad.

 

On the other hand Ichikawa library, next to Colton Plaza, has a great English books section. Rows and rows of new releases and classic titles including crime, mystery, beat fiction and more literary works in addition to a comprehensive section of non-fiction, philosophy and even a whole area devoted to Japanese study materials and Japanese novels translated into English. It’s a veritable goldmine compared to Funabashi library. If you live in Ichikawa you can lend five books at a time and if, like me, you live in Funabashi you can still join and lend three books at once.

So it’s not the most ideal place to be a bibliophile but Funabashi and Ichikawa do cater for all the devoted readers out there and if you look well enough you’ll be sure to find something to your taste. Let us know if you know of any other places which sell English titles and we’ll add them to the list. 

市川市中央図書館 (Ichikawa City Chuo Library)

1-1-4 Onitaka, Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture. 
Tel: 047-320-3333
 http://www.city.ichikawa.lg.jp/library/ (Japanese only)
 http://goo.gl/maps/nPf86 ‎ 

船橋市図書館 (Funabashi Central Library)

Honcho 4-38-28. 

Tel: 047-460-1311

http://tinyurl.com/9r9uuo8
http://goo.gl/maps/10VD3

The Unpredictability of Eating Out in Japan

Life in Japan can be fairly amusing and quite unpredictable at times and on odd occasions pretty banal events can turn into something enjoyably farcical. I have no evidence to prove it, but I'm guessing, percentage wise, events like the one I'm about to describe don't happen that much to Japanese people and are mainly reserved for the foreign community. 

I was looking for somewhere different to eat around my area, which is close to the Niike Colton Plaza mall. There are a variety of decent places at 'the Plaza' – but that's for another blog – but, no, I reckoned I could trust my instincts to find somewhere good, even if it was unfamiliar. I got on my bike and rode up to Route 283, where I found a restaurant serving Chinese Cuisine - Lui's Kitchen. The thing that attracted me to it was that the trees outside were decorated with flashing Christmas lights, which, admittedly, is not that rare here, but it definitely made the place stand out; I thought, “Hey, Christmas all year round, then”, though at that stage I didn't imagine I'd be leaving with a present.

I walked in and was greeted by the manager, who pretty much leapt forward at me, his hand outstretched. Now, this caught me out a bit as my mind had been wandering for a while and had only expected the usual courtesies. Anyway, he suddenly became very animated, coming at me with a barrage of questions and information: “Where you from? You American? How long you stay in Japan? I don't speak English. I speak Japanese, but no English. This is good chance, you come here. What you do? Where you work? What's your name? Did you see the Olympics? You have wife? You have baby?”

He continued:

“My name Jo-Shu. Call me Shu, like: shumatsu.” (weekend).

Anyway, this continued for a bit with Shu telling me that there are live music events at the restaurant on Saturdays, that he was from the south of Peking, that he used to be a pizza chef in Shimbashi, and that his hero was Bruce Lee, and that I was the first western foreigner to have visited his restaurant. Then he said, “You come next time I will give you muryō” (free stuff). “How old are you? Where you live? You like Japan? Why you come here?” All this is fine, and I really don't mind answering, but I thought I'd better order, as that was the main reason I was here. I ordered tan tan-men (spicy noodle dish) with chahan (egg fried rice), and a beer (why not?) and that was enough to give me a couple of moments to take in the surroundings.

Shu returned and continued: He then told me he was 29, that he was the manager, and that he wanted to study English - I kind of sensed where this might go (private lessons), but I told him what I did, where I worked etc. - that he played guitar, and that he used to spin pizzas when he worked at the Italian restaurant, which he demonstrated to me with a hand towel. I started, “Oh, I used to...”

Shu: “You want to stay Japan? You like music?”

Shu went away and then returned with guitar in hand. He said that he really loved to play and asked if I did. Then he started to serenade me as I ate, me complementing by bobbing my head as I slurped away at my noodles (not the easiest of motions). The strumming went on for a few minutes uninterrupted - there weren't any other customers, so I got the full complement of the performance.

 

As I was eating, Shu said: “O-Hashi ga jozu des ne?” (you are good at using chopsticks, aren't you?). I gave the standard answer that I'd been in Japan for 10 years so it was nothing special. Then Shu went off to get me some Italian pickles, which he said were free, and if I brought my wife next time there would be lots of muryō.

Then Shu asked to take my photo, which he did while I was eating, then got me up and got the chef to take a couple of snaps. To tell the truth, this was all so amusing, I wasn't bothered at all. Well, not much. When I choose to eat on my own, it tends to be a very quiet affair. This was certainly the opposite. Then a couple of other customers came in which changed the dynamic a bit. Shu went to turn up the TV, which was showing a really intense anime (Japanese animation) of the game igo (囲碁)  (ancient Chinese board game). And the background sound of this made the whole atmosphere very quirky.

I got the bill, which was a very reasonable ¥1300. Though when I asked for it, indicating I was leaving, Shu exclaimed: “Ahhh, samishi!” (I'm going to miss you). Seriously, no one loves a love-in more than me, but I really had to get on with things. When I got to the cash register, Shu handed me something. It was a small doll doing the hula. He said, “For you – muryō”. I said, “No, that's fine, honestly.” He said “No, OK, I have many here” and produced another couple from a bag behind the counter. So I duly accepted. 

What I set out for was an evening meal and what I got in return was serenaded, a new friend, compliments for my chopstick skills, treated like I was famous, and a hula doll thrown into the mix. When I got home, Tokyo TV was showing “Everything” performed by Misia with Christmas trees and snowflakes projected in the background and baubles swaying behind the teary-eyed studio guests. Am I missing something or has Christmas come early this year?

Misia: "Everything" -  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHIR33pOUv0

リューズキッチン (Liu's Kitchen)

３丁目-３２−１２ Onitaka Ichikawa,  Chiba Prefecture  272-0015 047-377-5035  http://goo.gl/maps/qL2iT