Ranmagazine Issue 1 Aug/sep 2009

RANMAGAZINE.COM August/September 2009 | ISSUE 1 |

art | music | LIFE

Nagoya Grows UP... Nagoya BOOGIE

Dancing in the Streets

Sento Time

Naked, hot and wet

Pillow Psych The Life of a Male Host

Sonic Land Peacemakers

Nagoya’s Next Wave

Multiculti LOVE PLUS: RAN Recommends

Departments

Features

August/September 2009 - ISSUE NO. 1

16 19 22 24 28

Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problems

A Japanese gigolo lets us know why it really isn’t as easy as it seems.

Dancing the Night Away

Street dancers spin on their heads and open up about their world of mirrors and music.

Getting into Hot Water

What’s it like to be naked and wet in front of strangers? Jason Gatewood has the 411.

Wall-Bombing in the Chukyo We paint the town with Nagoya’s 3SR Crew.

“Did You Say Jellyfish?”

Taking the sting out of the Obon mystery.

4 Foreword

A new voice has arrived on the scene in Nagoya...

12 Listen

Welcome to Sonic Land, where music sets you free.

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Deadly’s Tips

14 Create

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The Green Spot

15 Nagoya Fashion

Mixed relationships ain’t all fun and games, take it from Deadly. A few practical tips to help our environment, today.

I Stay 8 Should or Should I Go

Mixed feelings? Join the crowd.

10 Profiles

A Native Nagoyan makes a go and let’s us know.

Cooperative art from a local Brooklyn-Wakayama couple. Oxymoron? Maybe... Interesting? Definitely.

30 RAN Recommends 32 When In Rome

What to do and where to do it. How to adapt to life in Japan without losing yourself.

33 Let’s Japaning 34 Taste

For your shell-shocked sex life

PHOTO: MATT HELMINSKI

Looking for a good burger? Try C’s Ave Café.

Cover photo: Matt Helminski

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Foreword 初 め に

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Nagoya Grows UP...

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the latest in ‘green architecture,’ and housing educational facilities for three different disciplines, twisting into the air above like some giant shimmering glass-on-metal beanstalk. Shiny new buildings don’t necessarily mean a city has ‘arrived,’ so to speak, but Nagoya is surely ‘growing up,’ if up means up into the sky. The second meaning of the phrase is not as easily identified, not quite so quantifiable with numbers, stories, height... A city is essentially identified by it’s residents more than anything else. The character of any place is always a reflection of the minds and hearts of the people who walk the streets, take the subways, live in the homes, and drive the roads. Nagoya has always been known as a sort of humble manufacturing center located between Tokyo and Osaka on the Tokaido Shinkansen line. “Not much there to see or do,” has always been the idea lots of folks harbor about Nagoya. We aim to change that, and to show you that it’s just not true. There are lots of things going on here, lots of people making art, taking chances, making statements. Filmmakers, musicians, writers, painters, actors,

festivals, cafes, clubs, shows, interesting characters and lots of flavor. Interesting places to go and things to do and see, people with to talk to, Nagoya is much more than just miso, cars and fine china. It’s alive and growing, and we want to show it to you in a new way.

Publisher: TD Houchen Art Director: Matt Helminski Editor: Jason L. Gatewood Photographer/Writer: Achim Runnebaum

Send story ideas to: [email protected] Send photography and illustration to: [email protected] To advertise, contact: [email protected]

www.ranmagazine.com

PHOTOS: MATT HELMINSKI

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new voice has arrived on the scene in Nagoya, just in time to wake the sleeping giant that seems to be stirring here in Nagoya’s cultural and creative bosom. RAN. We hope to be a sounding board for whatever is on the minds of whomever we meet, whomever meets us, them, their friends, you, your friends, your friends friends..etc, we’re all in. Our coverline, “Nagoya Grows Up,” has a double implication. Over the course of the last decade or so, and more recently, in just the last two years, Nagoya’s architecture has taken a sudden leap skyward. Besides the towering JR Central Towers complex that rise into the air at Nagoya Station (completed in 1999), Toyota recently completed work on it’s 47-story, Midland Square project, home of cinemas, high-end luxury shops and the giant automaker itself. There’s also the majestic slope of Nagoya Lucent Tower sitting nearby, 40 stories high with it’s glowing rainbow of colours softly illuminating the ground below, and finally, the Mode Gakuen spiral tower corkscrews it’s 36-floor glass and metal frame 170 meters above the streets below, incorporating

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CAUTION! is not for children.

PHOTO: J.L. GATEWOOD; ILLUSTRATION: NANA UENO

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e want to expose  you to things that exist, even if they aren’t so P.C.. We’re not trying to be politically correct, we’re trying to be useful and informative, even entertaining. Life isn’t perfect, neither are we. Not everything is funny or cute, but some things are. We hope we can show you some of both. And, we want you to let us know what you like, what you think, how you feel and what’s on your mind. We hope RAN will be a truly multicultural piece of work. We hope it will be a “bulletin board” of ideas, events, opinions, expressions, thoughts from a wide variety of people. The racial boundaries of yesterday are dissolving before our eyes, but traditions die hard. RAN hopes to shed light in dark places. We want to connect people in order to build a society of people looking forward with hope and optimism— based on what we’ve learned, and are still learning—a true community of open-minded people. We’re into music, food, sports, fashion, politics, humor, culture, spirituality, relationships, shopping, travel, language, adventure, friendship, community, and more. We’re not into hate, but if you are a hater, send us your feelings and comments. We’ll talk about them. RAN is about healing and progress. Let the dead bury the dead. We’re into the future... It’s about the society we’re building, not the one that’s falling apart. But we’ve got to learn about what we’ve done wrong to be able to do it better. Society is at stake. It’s our “family” outside of our homes. Everything is connected. We want your comments and opinions.

What are you thinking/doing/feeling/ saying/wanting? Let us know.

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HEY!

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We’re ONLINE!

You can find us at www.ranmagazine.com. Our site has all the regular content of the magazine, plus bits and pieces of stuff you won’t find in our hardcopy... The Web is the portal into the entire world’s consciousness, and www.ranmagazine.com will be home to voices from around the globe, giving us a truly international presence! If you’re into Twitter, just follow @ranmagazine. You’ll also be able to link to us soon on Facebook and tune in to our RSS feed as well. We aim to be a true voice of the global community, so we’d like to hear from YOU!

Write much? Hit us at www.ranmagazine.com. Is everybody in?

The RAN Zoo.

Deadly’s Tips 恋 愛 関 係

Maintaining an

Inter cul tural Relationship:

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Part 1

By DEADLY D “Who was it that said

we learn by making mistakes? ” asks Deadly, “If that’s true, than I am a f----g Einstein, because I’ve made ‘em all…”

Deadly D is a dude who has lived in Asia for way too long, has survived countless break-ups with beautiful, but emotionally challenged, Asian women, and now he feels the time has come to open the lid on the Pandora’s Box of wisdom he has acquired from these relationships.

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hen you throw in vast differences of culturally implanted upbringing, totally divergent views on history, morality, social correctness, the expected roles of men and women in society, unspoken rules on who should reach orgasm first, you’ve got disaster just waiting to happen. So it is with great humility and hope for a better tomorrow for us all that I offer:

Enjoy the Passion; Get Out While It's Still Hot I cannot stress this one enough. Because people are totally incapable of thinking and simply will not listen when they are under the influence of the Exotic Love Drug. You’ve managed to connect with an enticing person from a culture full of mysteries. It’s

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the stuff of fantasies, and it isn’t very often we get to have our wildest fantasies fulfilled. I still remember the time my rich upper class Japanese girlfriend showed up at my house in full kimono and demonstrated that this beautiful traditional garb was designed for having sex without taking it off. My eyes still cloud over just from remembering... I was dumbfounded with love. I wanted to marry her and bear her children. This was of course just a few months before she left me for a guy that was into candle wax, whips and chains. But back to reality. If you and your loved one are having the wildest, scariest sex of all time, if your body and psyche are battered and bruised after each breathless encounter, if you can’t look at each other across the room without giggling and going all sticky wet, do not marry that person! What, you may ask is wrong with passion? Nothing, my dear, but if you are going

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Relevant quote:

“A woman looks for one man to fulfill all her needs, while a man looks for every woman to fulfill his one need.”

to build a long term relationship together, you’re going to have to take a rest sooner or later, to heal the chaffing if for no other reason. And what then? I strongly urge you, I abjure and plead with you to take this test: Pledge to each other to not wham-bam or even touch each other for a three-day period. No phone sex, no watching each other do things with fruits

and vegetables from across the room. Sit in a room alone together and try to have an intelligent conversation for three days straight. Simpering about all the nasty stuff you’re going to do to each other when the time period is up doesn’t count. The question is, can you stand each other’s company when you are

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Relevant quote:

“Don’t believe in enthusiasm or love. Both are temporary and easily sway.” —Bob Dylan

not either humping, drunk, high, or dancing to bangara? Do you, in the end, have anything substantial to even say to each other? Do you even like each other? If not, take it for what it is, a wild brief love affair and move on when the flame dies. A life together entails an awful lot of time when you are not beefing each other’s eyes out. I have lost count of how many unhappy couples I know who pledged eternal fidelity when under the influence of the Exotic Love Drug and have been suffering acute withdrawal ever since the passion died and they found out they have absolutely nothing in common. Enjoy it when the passion hits, but don’t make life plans when it’s raging through your veins. My advice: enter into romance with joy and abandon; approach marriage and commitment with trepidation and suspicion. Any comments, barbs, questions, vitriolic denials, free gifts of money are welcomed by Dirk and the editors of this magazine: [email protected]

The

G reen

SPOT

| By Achim Runnebaum |

環 境

REDUCE

your carbon footprint This is an ongoing look at the state of the environment both globally and locally. In every issue, we’ll take a look at some cold, hard facts, how people are affected by those facts, and what you can do to help the envir– onment. This is a collaborative effort and we need your help now!

PHOTO: MATT HELMINSKI

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aah, Nagoya: A.K.A. Miso, Nagoya-jo, and blue skies? Wait a minute, is that what most people think about our city? Many people refer to Nagoya as the white cloud, because in this area the industrial output is 4 times higher than Tokyo. What does that mean for us? Let’s just say that Nagoya isn’t exactly known for its air quality. Don’t believe me? Just go outside on a day when it’s sunny, but with a milky haze to the sky. That’s smog and happens quite often in our city. Fill your lungs with the air and you’ll know what I’m talking about. These days, the buzzwords are “being green,” or “going green.” It’s an easy concept and everybody seems to support it, but not many people are actually doing something

about it. They’re still living their comfortable, stable lives. In today’s world of smog, pollution, urban decay, demanding schedules, and ever-changing social values, we need to stop feeling comfortable and start taking action. Stop talking and start doing. I mean, wake up and smell the... double maple nut crunch with extra whipped cream served out of a styrofoam cup. The time to act is now. Yes, right now, which is why in every issue of this magazine we’ll take a look at current environmental concerns and what you can do to help. We’ll take a look at what you can do to reduce your impact on the planet. Some people like putting “Save the Earth” bumper stickers on their car. If the hypocrisy of that doesn’t smack you right in the head, go back to your ‘perfect life’ in your ‘perfect world,’ and pretend nothing is wrong with the world today. For the rest of us who want to make a significant change, keep reading this magazine for all kinds of good tips and tricks on how you can help out the planet in a practical way. In our next issue: RAN’s Top 10 Ways to Help the Environment Now!

A Few Things To Consider:

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You go into a community and they will vote 80 percent to 20 percent in favor of a tougher Clean Air Act, but if you ask them to devote 20 minutes a year to having their car emissions inspected, they will vote 80 to 20 against it. We are a long way from taking individual responsibility for the environmental problem. — ­ William D. Ruckelshaus (former EPA administrator) New York Times, 30 November 1988 The packaging for a microwavable “microwave” dinner is programmed for a shelf life of maybe six months, a cook time of two minutes and a landfill deadtime of centuries. —David Wann Buzzworm, November 1990 Why should man expect his prayer for mercy to be heard by what is above him when he shows no mercy to what is under him? —Pierre Troubetzkoy

TIP: Plant more trees. A single, mature tree absorbs 48 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.

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GET OFF

Profiles 生 き 方

The

live but it’s a lot of hard work and legwork walking around promoting yourself to the clubs and bars, selling tickets, there’s no one to do that for you, you’ve got to do it yourself, and that means it’s expensive, it’s hard…

POT

R: Do you think it’s possible for local acts working out of Nagoya to make it to a national or international level? S: Yes. But I think there needs to be more of an interest from Japanese about what’s going on musically here in Nagoya. At the moment, there really is no interest. I was lucky because my bass player and drummer were Japanese, but I was the biggest crowd puller as far as selling tickets was concerned... I think Japanese people are willing to see foreign music, it’s just getting

An Interview with

Steve Pottinger | By TD Houchen |

“

this shocking kind of character, mercurial, almost nasty.... R: Do you think Romeo and Juliet resonates with today’s generation? S: Completely. It’s the classic love story. It takes you to a world where love is a perfect ideal, no matter what is going on, love can control everything. It’s great. It resonates now, and if not, it’s great to leave reality behind and go somewhere else for a couple of hours. R: Do you think Nagoya is a romantic city? S: (long pause)… No. R: Why? What

s this a w o i t , rcu My Me aracter

h c f o d n ki g ty n i s a k n c t o s h s , almo ial mercur

the message across that “WE ARE HERE” that is difficult….

RAN: Caught you singing a tune here (Red Rock) a few nights ago, really nice…. Steve: Thanks. Thanks. R: So, tell me about your background.

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S: Sure. I was born in Kasugai, just outside Nagoya, I lived 17 years in England, in Winchester and York. Mum is Japanese, dad is English, that’s me…. R: Seems you’re a busy man, doing lots of interesting and creative things, what one thing pays the bills? S: I’m an elementary school teacher, still crackin’ at the AET thing, I do a lot of other things, but the teaching is the main roof holder right now. R: How do you find Nagoya? S: It’s good, but I sometimes go to Tokyo, when I was doing the band, we used to go to Tokyo quite a lot…. R: Tell me about the band. S: FishTank TV. It was a 3 piece rock band. We did originals. We released an album and a single and we played lots of live houses here and in Tokyo. It was hard rock, really good stuff, lots of jumping up and down, that stuff... fun. R: Is that band still going? S: We’re making a comeback around March—it’ll still be a 3 piece, but this time

we’ll have a keyboard player, we’re going to record all the drums in the studio with a rhythm track, so it’s gonna be a hybrid sound, still hard rock, but encapsulating a lot of funky grooves, orchestral sounds, other synth sounds to push it a bit more…. R: Do you plan to tour, try to get a label deal, videos? S: Well, we just want to get it right before we put it on stage. I had made some videos with my solo thing.... R: Tell me about that. S: Basically, it’s just acoustic guitar and vocals live-but in the studio, I do it as a full band with orchestration, you can see my videos on YouTube. R: What do you think of Nagoya’s music scene? S: (Long Pause) Ahhh, well, a lot of famous bands come through Nagoya, that’s good, as far as people like me trying to play music, there are a lot of variations. Lost of people, recently, it’s been easier for people to get known because there’s been a lot more people helping out with the organization of it. When I was doing it and bands like Sushi Cab[aret Club] was doing it, we had to do it all ourselves, and, it’s really fun to play

PHOTO: MAMI ITO

N

agoya isn’t quite as well known for producing artists and cultural mavens as it is for producing miso or cars or fine china, but if you’re looking for someone who represents Nagoya’s art scene in all its nascent glory, look no further than Steve Pottinger. Dude is a walking talking hyphen: actorsinger-songwriter-sound designer-filmmaker-cook, and more. How does this guy have time to cram so much into his life when most of us can barely find time to take a deep breath? Steve graced the stage of Maiden Nagoya’s stellar autumn production of Romeo and Juliet, playing Mercutio, Romeo’s devil-onhis-shoulder best friend. “Graced” may not quite capture Steve’s rendition of Mercutio though, after seeing the show, I’d say “slithered” is a better word, but I’ll let Steve tell it himself. We caught up with our resident polyglot at Red Rock’s in Toshincho and tongue wagged a bit, Read All Now.

R: Tell me about your acting, how did you hook up with Maiden Nagoya? S: I’m good friends with Michael Walker, and he was thinking of putting together a different group than Nagoya Players. The first play we did was Death and the Maiden. I wrote the soundscore and did the soundwork for that. In Romeo and Juliet, he wanted me to play Mercutio, and I said “yeah, fantastic,” and I loved doing it. R: Your take on Mercutio was spellbinding, dude had lots of movement, like dance.He was very sexy. Was that on purpose? S: Yeah. I didn’t want him to be like any other Mercutio I had seen before, different than the Zeffirelli version and different than the Baz Luhrman version in the movie…. R: Who played him in Baz Luhrman’s flick? S: I can’t remember his name, anyway, whomever played him in the movie was fantastic, but our play was set in the Meiji era, so I wanted Mercutio to be rooted in the Meiji era, but I also wanted him to have an English feel, so I used a lot of my own experiences about how people in England are open, as opposed to how they are closed here in Japan. I wanted him to have a sort of “foxy” appeal, so I came up with this sort of foxy, dancey kind of walk, which was completely filthy and which had a lot of sexual connotation to it. My Mercutio was

”

does Nagoya need to make it a more romantic place? S: When I think of romantic in Na-goya, I think of changing leaves in autumn, or Sakura parties in spring, or going to the temple at New Year, or sitting in a park in summer, but there is no one “thing” that says “this is Nagoya.” I think there could be a few more nice restaurants... alot of Japanese seem to think romance is a cheap restaurant, but that’s okay. R: Three words that describe Nagoya for you? S: Hmm… quiet, slow… and bright. R: Why “bright?” S: I think everywhere you go in Nagoya, it’s

“

films and movies, so if more people want to make small movies here, I want to make soundscores for them…[I’d like to] go to LA and have a crack at it, but what I’d really like to do is go someplace like Hakuba and have my own studio with an internet connection and work from there. R: Sounds exquisitely rustic man. I find that in today’s hyperconnected world, you don’t really have to “go” anywhere as long as you have an internet hook-up in your home, wherever that may be… S: Definitely. As internet becomes faster and more convenient, then you can definetly work from home. The only thing a place like LA has that Nagoya doesn’t have is the huge studios and the people to do the things they do-15 years ago-there was no way to have your own studio unless you put a whole lot of money out. But now, I’ve got a fully working studio in my house, I’ve got what I need to make it right. It used to be obscenely expensive, but not anymore. R: No doubt. Do you think it is, or ever will be, possible for a person to make his or her living in Nagoya doing only his or her art? S: Well, if it can happen in Osaka or Tokyo, then it can happen in Nagoya, yeah? Nagoya needs more events that are completely devoted to the artist, like Springfest, but I wish Springfest was in a more open and green space than Central Park. (we’re working on it Steve, but the city gives us a great deal on Central Park and the TV Tower is so easy for everyone to find, and Sakae has so much walking traffic, and… well, you get the picture, but we’re working on it, I swear). Walk-a-Thon is a great event, but it’s focus isn’t the music necessarily, it’s the fund raising, which is great. But Nagoya definitely needs more music events. I think there’s a lot of people doing really good things now, much more so than just a few years ago, and

Nago ya ne eds m are d ore ev edica ents th ted to at

bright and genki. It’s not full on in your face like Tokyo, but it’s definetly bright, and quiet, yes, because you can be on a really busy street in Nagoya, turn one corner, and it’s suddenly dead, I like that… R: You can definetly find someplace to just chill and be quiet in Nagoya… so, what’s your plan after Nagoya? Staying here for the long term, or…. S: Well, I like writing sound scores for

the ar tist

”

I think the level of talent and art is much higher than it used to be, people just need to support what’s going on. Well said, Mr. Pottinger.

Steve plays Red Rock and Misfits occasionally, and is currently working on reintroducing FishTank TV to the world. Catch it live!

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y a t S I d l u o h S or Should I Go? Mixed feelings about

ouchen |

| By TD H

“If I go there will be trouble An if I stay it will be double”

E

—The Clash

very six months or so, I get this almost sudden urge to break camp and boogie back ‘home.’ Frustrations reach a sudden peak, my adenoids swell up, one more person refuses to sit down on the train next to me, or my boss finds fault within my perfection. The next morning I’m calling the airlines for the first flight out. Living in a for-eign country is exotic, interesting, fun, exciting... and a giant pain in the ass. And sometimes I hate it. Any country, any where that isn’t ‘home’, is going to have something about it that pisses you off at some point. Can’t find bagels? Supermarkets don’t have your favourite mustard? No Hostess fruit pies? Trains stop running too early for you? Tired of being stared at/ignored/ ridiculed/ostracized/etc? Weird people everywhere you look? (Can’t be that YOU’RE the weird one, could it?) Eventually that one small thing could be enough to tip your boat over. It’s happened to me about half a dozen times since I’ve been here in Japan. Maybe

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twice that much, can’t quite remember, but one day I’m loving the challenge of adapting to a new culture and seeing and learning new and different things about myself and life and people, the next day my teeth are in permanent grit mode and everything about this new land is killing me. Get... me... OUT... of... here... FAST. But sometimes I love it. It’s intoxicating to meet people who are different in so many ways than I am. The pace is different and what people focus on and how they interact and live is enriching and sometimes bizarre. But I like bizarre. In fact, I am bizarre, at least it seems that way. Here, I’m the zoo animal, all eyes are on me and people find me instantly interesting just because I’m not from here. I can tell my stories and reinvent myself and act like a spaceman and no one knows the difference. It’s invigorating. There’s a freedom in being in a foreign land that you just can’t buy when you’re home. Fewer expectations, less dogma, less ideology that you feel you have to cater to. It’s like living on… another planet. Sometimes lonely, sometimes exciting, sometimes fantastic, sometimes dreadful. But rarely boring. And that’s the thing.

Do we all feel this ambivalence? Who wants to live out their lives split between going “home,” wherever you think home is, and staying here, where your actual home really is. What is home? It’s too easy to say wherever you were born is “home,” where you came from, where your family is, your country of origin. Easy. But where do you sleep at night? Where is your job? Where do you conduct the vast majority of your social life? Where do you shop? Where do you pay bills? Where are you right now? I’d say wherever you are, is pretty much your home, like it or not. Wherever you go, there you are. Challenges are forever. And life is short. I’ve got a lot going on here in this foreign land, but I miss my folks, miss my friends, (though I haven’t seen them in a while), and I’ve made a lot of new friends here. I also miss fat, juicy hamburgers, cherry pop tarts, 4 A.M. rides home on the subway, beachside sunsets. And I miss English. I miss the certain peculiar craziness that Americans seem to have in common, the nutty blind optimism we share, the spontaneity and casual friendliness that is absolutely priceless. Yeah, Americans are kinda obnoxious (kinda?)

PHOTO: MATT HELMINSKI

your adopted home? Join the crowd.

and maybe not the most cultured bunch, but we know how to have fun and we know how to make you have fun, too. But I also like my new digs. The challenge and variety has become addictive, and whenever I do go back “home,” there’s this creeping sense of feeling out of place, like this is not my country anymore. I left my “home” behind and I no longer quite fit in, in fact, many of us left home precisely because home didn’t feel quite like home anymore. My native America is sud– denly not “spicy” enough for me. It’s become quaint and nostalgic, like I suppose home is sup–posed to be, but it doesn’t really excite my senses, like a rerun of a TV show you’ve seen all too many times. It’s all so “normal” there. And loud. Since I’ve been in Japan, my ears have gotten used to not being able to understand what is being said, I’ve learned how to automatically tune out the conversations taking place within earshot. It’s actually a kind blissful silence, feels like my mind is floating in it’s own world most times. Japan is, by comparison, probably one of the most quiet countries on earth, maybe the most. People speak in hushed tones, nobody blows their car horns, things don’t

come crashing down from the buildings above, no one is yelling “HEY MAC, DO YOU MIND GETTING THE HELL OUTTA MY WAY?!” I can actually hear myself think and I can feel my emotions more clearly. Not much competition going on in my head for my own attention. My mind is my own, in some weird way. However the moment I arrive in America, I’m greeted by the sudden cacophony of a thousand conversations

“Look around.

member what brought you here in the first place. What were you escaping? Why did you come? What were you looking for? All of us who came here, or most of us at least, were looking for adventure, and sometimes the adventure can become an– noying, and bitterness can crawl into your life without you realizing it. It isn’t easy being so different from almost everyone else around you. But this can easily be turned around. Take stock of what’s good about your new environment and let the neg–atives fade into the background. You left your home most likely because something was wrong with where you came from. That’s what brought you here in the first place, that, and the need for discovery. Keep this in mind on those days when they won’t put cheese on your sandwich just because the menu doesn’t specify cheese, when they don’t have your size or when no one seems to “get” who you are or what you’re talking about. Home is where you are and your real ‘home’ isn’t going anywhere. You carry it with you.

Try to remember

what brought you here” I don’t really want to hear. My brain is overloaded with various voices, thoughts, opinions all around me, “… and then I broke up with him because…” “… so I quit and then tried to look around for a while and…” “… she never really understood what I meant…” “…I’ll call you tomorrow after work…” “… well I hate you too…” and so on. It’s slightly maddening and sorta brain nauseating. I’m eavesdropping without wanting to eavesdrop. Sensory overload. Turn it off. Take a moment. Look around. Try to re-

So, you’ve got mixed feelings, too? Send us your thoughts for a future column! [email protected]

Listen 聴 く

Make SONIC peace LAND. | By TD Houchen |

W

ho else do you know that is making SonicLand Peace music? Think about when was the last time you heard a band with a name as cool as this: SonicLand Peace Makers. I mean, come on, if these guys are half as good as their name, I want in. Luckily, SLPM make gloriously enchanting dance rock -that lifts you and carries you and caresses you and challenges you. You may not know what gloriously enchanting dance rock sounds like, but after hearing SLPM, you will know. Music has too many names and genres these days anyway, everything is a hybrid— why try to categorize it anyway? I know the record stores need to find a properly titled bin to put music, rock, reggae, funk, soul, classical. SLPM is, well, how about future darkcore progressive industrial tribal ambient electrofunk, can I call it that? With pretty colours and sounds that sound like waterfalls and space-ified synthesizers and angelic voices echoing and shimmering in the air? With tribal drums and flashing electric guitar and electrobeats that sort of force you to dance? Oh, and there’s Hiro’s mystical voice, which sounds like a cross between Tears For Fears Roland Orzabal and Depeche Mode’s Dave Gahan, soaring and majestic, dude can sing and play and rocks out completely.

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This disc is one of the most well-worth-thecost discs ever. The songs aren’t long enough. When the cd ends I’m exhausted and exhilarated and confused and ecstatic. I’ve been somewhere, music is supposed to do that. Lead guitar/vocalist Hiroyuki Miyazaki formed the idea for his band about 4 years ago in response to the post-rock scene happening in the states, while he was living in San Diego. He posted an ad and… we’ll let him tell it. Hiro and I sipped and slurped at the Kanayama Starbucks. Nice chat, brah. RAN: How long have you guys been together? Hiroyuki: We’ve been together about 4 years. R: How many band members? H: 3 members, Tak is our bass player, Nayuta is our keyboard player and he programs our beats. R: How did you guys get together? H: I was in San Diego for about seven years, I was into the post-rock scene, which was huge there, I played gigs, and when I came back to Japan, I posted an ad on the internet for band members, Tak responded to my ad and we started looking for band members, he had come back to Japan one month earlier than me, he was living in the states also,

living in Tennesee…we had similar experiences in the states, so we had similar ideas. R: Did you know what kind of band you wanted to put together when you posted the ad? H: Well, I wanted to do some electronica, something like what I was into in San Diego, I didn’t know we would end up being a club-rock band. R: Where did you get the name? H: We three wanted to think of a cool name, I don’t know, we just came up with it, we thought it was original, but long, but we think it’s unique… R: What influences are in your music? H: I’m into post-rock like I said, Radiohead, stuff like that, it’s not like hard rock, more mellow, but uses lots of effects, like shoe-gaze bands use lots of those same effects… I like Björk, Sigur Ros, Jeff Buckley, I’m also into blues and jazz, John Coltrane, Stevie Ray Vaughan... R: For those of us (like me) who don’t know, what is ‘shoe-gaze’? H: It’s not as heavy as heavy metal or hard rock, it’s simple really, sorta mellow, maybe kind folksy with effects, fuzz, that stuff, and the lead guitarist is usually looking

down at his shoes, so that’s why it’s called shoe-gaze. R: Is there a message in your music? H: Um, maybe we’re sarcastic? Like, anti-, well, we were all overseas for a while, so all of us express life from different attitudes than what is here. I try to write songs that have messages, we try to say all of what you see is not all that there is. R: What do you think are the best and worst things about Nagoya’s music scene? H: Well, people like to party, there’s a lot of potential in Nagoya, but you’ve got to be cool, then people will come to your events. It’s not as big here as Tokyo or Osaka, so there are more chances to be noticed, that’s a bright side. The bad side is that it’s very commercial here, not as artistic, there isn’t much diversity. I wish there were more ‘scenes’ here, like solid genres, so people can choose.

our event called ‘Fever’. Most events, people are just standing or talking or watching, but at Fever, people dance. It’s exciting to see people respond to what we put together.

R: Lots of people say the gaijin and Japanese music and art communities don’t mix so much here in Nagoya, thoughts? H: I think it’s true. Maybe. It’s the system. Venues here require bands to sell a certain number of pre-show tickets. If you don’t, then the band has to pay for them. The venues don’t help to promote shows or marketing, so it’s hard for foreigners to go into that scene and deal with that system. If I was a foreigner, I wouldn’t want to deal with that system. I’d rather go to bars where there’s enough space to perform and try to make my own events.

R: That’s the ideal mixture, how do you accomplish that? H: Because of Fever, and we ask foreigner DJs to play our events, so there will be gaijin customers who come to see gaijin DJs. And, we play club music, so people like the mixture that we give them.

R: Why don’t club owners and promoters try to help promote the scene? And the music? H: This system has been around a long time. All the bands that come into the scene wanting to play don’t know any other system, this system is all they know. The club owners and promoters take advantage of the newer bands coming in. R: What’s the solution? H: Event organizers need to talk to club and venue owners and negotiate a different agreement. They might agree to start from scratch to help promote the local music scene, I think that’s the only solution. R: Right on. Can you tell me what your favourite live experience has been here in Nagoya? H: We played Diamond Hall last summer. It was great. Diamond Hall is a respected and established live house. Many people came out, it was quite exciting. We were invited to an annual event called WAVE sponsored by a local band called Bone Idol. We’re good friends with them. Also, of course, there’s

R: How did you start Fever? H: We do it every other month at Plastic Factory in Imaike. We started it because we didn’t want to be a part of the pay-to-play system. We wanted to have our own format, lots of times if you book a show, you are booked with all types of genres of music, like J Pop, hard rock, etc. R: Why Plastic Factory? H: Rent is cheap, it has a good foreigner crowd, good size, reasonable sound system. R: What does the SLPM crowd look like? H: Half gaijin and half Japanese.

R: Tell me about this new disc, ‘Welcome To SonicLand’. H: We recorded it ourselves. It’s our first cd. We produced it also, mixed it, mastered it. Everything. The concept of our songs is club type beats, 10 minute songs to make people dance, it’s not like regular bands’ music. We want people to get into the music. So our songs are long, it makes us unique. Some of the songs are mellow, some are danceable. I use a lot of effects, synthesizers, etc, but the beats and programs are club-oriented. Tak’s bass is pretty aggressive. We call it electrorave rock. R: Does the local media cover what you guys are doing? H: We entered an independent music festival/contest thing, we were a finalist, we got on TV, and Radio I interviewed us… we mailed our album to a few radio stations, but Radio I was the only outlet that was supportive of what we are doing. A few people heard our interview on the radio, and came to our Fever event. That was quite nice for someone to hear our interview, do a web search, and come out to our live. It encouraged us to keep going. R: Do you think there is enough support in the media for local music here? H: I don’t think so. In the states, every ra-

dio station hosted an event at least every month for local music, it was quite big... but here, there’s no promoters or booking agents or stations that cover or host events that promote the local music scene. They say they do, but they don’t. Only the few big annual events, like SummerSonic and Fuji Rock... it’s a pretty hopeless situation for local music. Music has to be commercial to get enough crowds and support here, especially in Nagoya... I tried to find booking agents and music promoters and radio stations that promote local music when I came back here from the states, and there was nobody. Freaked me out. We still don’t really know how to market and promote to Japanese people. R: What is SLPM’s dream? H: We want to continue to do events, but we’d like to do an outdoor club-style event, like a rave…. R: Don’t you want to be huge rich and famous stars? H: We’d like to get signed by an indie label, put out a few more albums, that’ll be good…. R: What do you think is the future of Nagoya’s music scene? H: That depends on us, and people like you… Event organizers and promoters have to do something to promote independent music, otherwise it will stay the same. I hope there will be a few big events that promote the local music scene. R: Ever done a video? Plans? H: Not yet, hopefully for the next album. R: How would you describe Nagoya to someone who has never been here? H: It’s a wanna-be big city. People here like brand names to feel secure, they don’t have their own identity. People are a little insecure. It’s a big city, but the people have narrow minds here. R: What do you think it would take for Nagoya to establish it’s own identity? H: We need to stop trying to follow what Tokyo is doing. I explain to people, when I am asked where I’m from, that I’m from where Toyota is from. R: SLPM future plans? H: We hope to get more media exposure, we hope to hear from people, like the people who will read this article. People can contact us at http://slpm.jp, or http://fevermusic.jp.

|RAN| 13

Create 創 造

A Couple of

Artists

Brooklyn Meets Wakayama in Nagoya. | By TD Houchen |

Derrick “D’mojah” Wilson and Sawa met by chance in Wakayama, and the rest is, well, history as they say. Read all about it: RAN: D’mojah, how long have you lived in Japan? D’mojah: Three years, I lived in Toyohashi, Waka-yama, and now Nagoya. I’ve been in Nagoya for one and a half years. R: Where are you from, Sawa? S: I’m from Wakayama, south of Osaka.

R: Why do you draw? D: Well, I realized that I have been painting and drawing for as long as I can remember. When I was young, my mom used to leave notes with a little picture at the bottom. I guess that’s what started my drawing, I fed off my mom. S: I have always liked images, I have many images in my head that I want to explain and bring outside of me…. R: Sawa, what are your plans for the future? S: I am interested in Buddhism, street art and body art. So I want to mix all these together. Later, I plan to get into graphic art. R: Favorite food? D&S: Mexican hard tacos. R: Favorite place(s)? D&S: Brooklyn, New York. R: Favorite music artist(s)?

D: Well, it changes with my emotions, but my two favorites are Bob Marley and Miriam Makeba. S: India Arie R: What did you think you would be when you grew up? D: Well, I always thought I would be an entrepreneur and I am still working on becoming that now. It’s not a destination, it’s a journey. S: I wanted to travel around the world. R: What’s next for you both? D: Well, I’m taking it one day at a time, I enjoy where I am now, but I am always thinking about the future, I’m glad to be where I am now. S: Me, too… my life is good as long as I can make my art. Well said. Keep bringing light and color to Nagoya you guys, we appreciate it. Art lives in Nagoya.

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PHOTOS: ACHIM RUNNEBAUM

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hat do Brooklyn, New York and Wakayama, Japan have in common besides both being on planet Earth? Well, both locales spawned a pair of street artists who eventually met in Wakayama, and resettled in Nagoya to take their art styles into the world.

Nagoya Fashion 流 行

Fitting IN

A look at fashion in Nagoya.

F

PHOTOS: ACHIM RUNNEBAUM

rom hair so spiked that it requires at least four cans of hairspray, women wearing high heel boots with short skirts in the winter, to the long-toed boots on  guys, who  seemingly took their inspiration directly from the Ringling Brothers,  we’ll take a look at all the various fashion trends in Nagoya and throughout Japan. Think Nagoya’s fashion is just about wearing the latest designer clothes? Well, think again. Located at the intersection of conservative and ecclectic, The fashion here is quite varied with many different facets.  There’s the haute couture look of downtown Sakae, and just a short walk down the street (Otsu Dori), the style changes completely in Osu.  See, it’s not just about the Nagoya maki (those big, permed curls)... there are many interesting

| By Achim Runnebaum |

styles here with something for just about anybody.  In this column, we’ll explore various styles in and around the Nagoya area to get to the bottom of what is fashion in Nagoya and what sets us apart from other cities in Japan. I talked with some young people around the Sakae area to get their opinion on what they consider fashionable in Nagoya. It certainly isn’t easy to get people to talk to you when you have a big camera in one hand.... People here are actually kinda shy. But a true Nagoyan doesn’t give up so easily, so here’s what some of the young people in Sakae had to say about their fashion. Finish this sentence for me: “Nagoya Fashion is...” The responses varied greatly, ranging from conservative, to fashionable, to fresh, and even trendy was mentioned.  If I want to look “Nagoya chic,” what is one essential item I need? Here people really lit up with their responses. There were so many things mentioned, but some of the most important items seem to be: large boots (like

those clown-like boots you see on most guys around here), a dark suit with faded jeans, a large wallet with a chain attached, designer/ brand-name clothes, and the ubiquitous Luis Vuitton wallet. What sets Nagoya apart from other cities in Japan in terms of fashion? This question kinda threw people a bit, and there really was no consensus on the answers. Some people believe Nagoya’s fashion is conservative. Others mentioned that Nagoya’s fashion is kind of crazy. I pressed for a clearer answer and found out that others meant that there’s no single clear style other than Nagoya maki. On the other hand, a lot of people believe Nagoya’s fashion is trend setting. The Nagoya maki is popping up in other cities as well. So, if you want to look cool in Nagoya, you need to go out and get a designer wallet, preferably with a chain that attaches to your faded designer jeans.  But people here don’t just follow certain trends, they try to express who they are through their individual fashions. Nagoya is a lot more complex in this area than most people realize.  There are so many different factions that it’s impossible to just throw everything into one drawer.  One thing that really surprised me was that many people thought Nagoya’s fashion is conservative.  I’m from Europe, so not much will amaze me when it comes to outrageous fashion, but if they consider what young people wear around town conservative, I’d love to see what they consider avant garde.... Next month we’ll look at the alternative fashions of Osu and we’ll talk to some local artists and designers to get their take on this issue.

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Mo’ Money, s m e l b o Mo’ Pr The hustler’s life of a male host. 16 |RAN|

PHOTOS: ACHIM RUNNEBAUM

| By TD Houchen |

ork is hard and then you die, but some work has more perks than other work. Take the life of a Japanese host, for example. From the outside it may seem like the cushiest job on earth: “entertain” women during your days and nights. Dress sharp, look good, and get paid handsomely for it. Sounds easy, right? Imagine a bar or club where upscale women come and regularly drop thousands of yen, to hear how beautiful and classy they are, nothing much more than sweet talk. Sounds like some kind of adol-escent male fantasy, and here in Japan, there are thousands of these establishments where lonely or sad, sometimes rich and sexy women come to dole out hundreds of thousands of yen to dolled-up pretty boys with aerodynamic hair and tight conversational skills. Where do I sign up? Hosts and hostesses are therapists of the night and the gig ain’t nearly as easy as it sounds. Most customers of host clubs have personal issues with themselves, their jobs, or their relations. Some are high-class so– ciety women, some are in the sex industry themselves. In both cases a few lucky hosts are absolutely P-A-I-D for their “services,” which, in most cases, ain’t what you think it is… peep game, a real-life “Number One Host” chops it up on his life, his gig, his customers and his favourite thing in Nagoya with me, Achim, (our photographer), and my man, Jason.

R: What is a host’s job? T: My job is to make female customers happy.

RAN: How long have you been a host? Tsubasa: Five years. R: How did you become a host? T: My friend introduced me to the host business.

R: Why do you think the women who go to the clubs are sad and lonely? T: They work hard. They don’t have such good life. They have problems. Many of them are mentally sick I think, but we get

R: Do you like your job? T: I like women a lot, so, yes, I like my job. A lot. R: What’s the best thing about your job? T: I enjoy listening to different people’s stories about their lives. It helps me to grow. R: What do your tell your female guests? How do you entertain them? T: I talk to them. They want to talk a lot, and they want to listen also, so I talk about anything with them. R: Why do you think a woman comes to a host club? T: Number one reason is because they are sad and lonely. Second reason is because they are women and a woman needs a man. R: What type of woman comes to a host club? T: Basically, young women, many of them work in the kyabakura or “health clubs,” these women go to the first type of host club, it’s a “host pub,” but there is another kind of host club, that is a ‘host club’ and older, richer women go to those. Pubs have younger women who are in the sex business.

their sickness, too. R: What do you mean? T: They have many problems, emotional problems, problems with their family, their husband or they are too lonely... Many of them are really sick. R: How do you get a woman to start giving you money? T: Well, it isn’t really like this… not so simple… I have my own life and this is just my job. But, of course, I have to get money, or I can’t do anything, so... R: Hmm. So have any of your customers ever fallen in love with you? T: (Laughs) I don’t know. I don’t ask them, but they are giving me money and they come back again, so I think if they are coming often and giving me money, this is a signal of their feeling I think. If they didn’t “love” me, they couldn’t give me their money... deshou? R: Do you have sex with customers? T: No. Never. Not me. But there are others who do. They are called “makuro” or “pillow

|RAN| 17

R: How long do you plan to be a host? T: I’m 27 now. 27 is said to be old in the host club business. So I’m thinking about my future. I can’t quit now though, but I’m thinking if I quit, what will I do? Maybe I can have my own club, I don’t know. R: How long is the average host’s career? T: The best time for a host is between 2025. A host starts training around 18 or 19. Customers think I am a bit old, but since I’m 27, I have good experiences I can talk about, and I can give those experiences to my customers, so it’s good for me. R: Is there a lot of competition between hosts? T: Yes. In the clubs there are groups of hosts. Each group has a “Top Host.” The groups battle each other, and the groups each have young hosts, so the “Top Hosts” battle each other for the attention of the customers using their groups. They use their younger hosts. It’s serious. There is a lot of competition. R: Does the competition ever get violent? Or physical? T: No. We don’t do that. A host’s face is very

18 |RAN|

such a great job, so when my friend asked me to be a host, I wasn’t really into it, I couldn’t really say yes so soon….

R: What is your average day like? T: I finish my work at about 5 A.M. everyday. I get home around 7 A.M.. I take a shower and sleep until maybe 12. Then, if I have any appointments with customers, I go out with them and then I go to the club.

R: What is your favourite thing about Nagoya? T: There’s a special Nagoya spaghetti, it’s called “ankake spaghetti,” it’s like a Chinese soup with spaghetti. Oishi desu yo!

R: Do hosts ever marry their customers? T: Some do. But not many. If a host and customer want to get married, then the host will quit his host job so he can marry the customer. But this is very rare. This is a job so we don’t think about our customers so seriously. It’s just a job.

J: What does your family think of your job? T: My family at first was against it, but now, since I’m not a child, I do what I want to do. I don’t care what they say, and no one says anything to me.

R: Do you want to get married some day? T: Me? [laughs] Yes. I want babies! I love children. I feel old, so I want someplace I can relax. R: What’s your monthly budget for clothing and appearance? T: I buy most of my clothes here in Sakae. One month I can spend 500,000 yen on clothes and my appearance, but most times, I spend around 200,000, but mostly the women buy my clothes and what I need while I am dating them. R: You are pimping homey. When you were a child, did you see yourself one day becoming a host? T: No. When I was younger, like in elementary school and junior high school, I thought I would do something different, something that would require more of my brain and more studying, like a business. I don’t hate my job at all, but I [still] want to have my own business one day. Jason: What was your opinion of hosts when you were younger? T: I didn’t have such a good image of hosts, because I thought hosts had to play a game with women and I thought hosts had to do bad things to women. I didn’t think it was

R: Spaghetti… got it. What about Nagoya don’t you like? T: Nagoya is not sensitive for new things, it isn’t like Tokyo, Osaka, etc.. Those cities enjoy new things, people, ideas, music. Nagoya is closed and slow…

T: Can I ask a question? R: Sure, bro. T: What do gaijin think of hosts and the host business? Jason: When I first saw guys and girls being hosts and hostesses, I thought it was a really cool lifestyle, guys and girls getting paid to be somebody’s company. You’re like the ultimate psychiatrist… T: Hmm... R: I think the job isn’t that easy, because you have to make yourself special to get money from the women, and you have to keep yourself sharp and in shape and be at your best at all times to get the women and the money, I think that’s not easy, and then there’s the competition… T: Yeah, a host is kind of like an actor. R: Exactly. J: Yeah, if there are 10 hosts, you have to be the one to stand out. Can’t be easy… T: It’s a job, like any business, we have to work hard and train the younger hosts. People who come to host clubs are sick. My job is to find the sick people and make them happy. If I get their sickness, too, that’s life. There aren’t many foreign dudes in Nagoya lucky enough to work this kind of gig. In Tokyo, however, there are plenty of foreign hosts taking money from nice women kind enough to give it. Seems respectable and simple enough. I’ve got lots I think I could share with these lonely, wealthy, troubled female souls. So, where can a brother get an application? Do I have to be fluent in Japanese? Is there some kind of host union? Are there any hosts with dreadlocks? Why didn’t I ask him these questions?

PHOTO: ACHIM RUNNEBAUM

hosts,” but not me. This is my job, I don’t think of sex with my customers.

important for his business, so we can’t have physical fights.

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R: Yeah, it does seem like a great way to get some exercise and make new friends. How has the scene changed since you started here in Fushimi 8 years ago? N: At first breakdancing had kind of a bad reputation. People thought that only bad boys/girls did breakdancing. Now it has become more accepted in the mainstream media and anybody can try it. Recently there are more and more dance studios popping up all over town, so many young people are getting into it. R: If I wanted to start breakdancing, how long would it take me to get good? N: Well, it depends... but usually about 2 or 3 years to get comfortable with the moves. After that time you don’t have to think about every single

Why do they dance? What makes them come back night after night, week after week, month after month? The first night I set out to meet the dancers, it was around 9 PM, and they were already practicing their newest moves. While my friends and I set up our gear, we got some really curious looks from the dancers. People were speaking in hushed voices and probably wondered what we were doing there. They quickly warmed up, and soon weren’t bothered by the camera and lights at all anymore, while showing off some of their moves. A young girl named Yuko was the first to be interviewed. RAN: How long have you been dancing? Yuko: Since I was a child. I started with ballet dancing and have been doing this kind of dancing [street dance] for about 4 years. R: Interesting! That’s a big difference from ballet. How did you get into breakdancing? Y: I saw a show on TV and thought it was cool, I tried to emulate the moves at home. My parents hated me for always playing the music too loud and dancing around the home (laughs). Then I saw an ad for a dance school in a magazine and eventually I joined that dance studio to learn new moves. It was around that time that I started going to Fushimi at night time to practice and meet like-minded people. R: Why Fushimi? Y: There’s no place where we can practice that’s this big and is covered, so even on

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rainy or snowy days we can practice here. Also, I don’t feel very comfortable in Sakae because sometimes there’s some weird people and homeless people who come and try to talk to us there. R: Hmm, maybe they just want to join you (Yuko laughs). Did you have any problems fitting into the group at Fushimi? Y: No, no problems at all. Everybody was very accepting and friendly. R: So none of the “in-group,” “out-group” segregation that sometimes seems so apparent in Japanese society? Y: It was actually the opposite. Since we were all trying to learn new moves and had the same hobby, everybody is accepted right away. R: How has dancing changed your life? Y: Well... I’ve met many good friends that way (pauses, then puts on a big grin)...oh, and my husband. R: Very cool! When did you get married? Y: Six months ago. R: Congratulations! It was at this point that we noticed a young man really showing off his stuff. His name is Shinsaku and he has competed in two big dancing competitions and was now practicing for the next one. R: You’ve been dancing for a while now. How did you get started? Shinsaku: I saw a show on TV [Exile] and

thought it was cool. So I bought a breakdancing DVD and asked some friends to get together so we could teach each other. R: Why do you practice at Fushimi? S: Breakdancing is not as popular in Japan as it is in New York, so there aren’t so many studios yet. This is a great place to make friends and learn new moves. R: Yeah, it seems like a great atmosphere here in Fushimi. Is there a difference between the groups at Fushimi compared to Sakae or other places around town? S: No, not a big difference, but I think that the groups in Fushimi are a little smaller in size than the groups in Sakae. Also people here in Fushimi are friendlier since it’s a smaller group (laughs). One of my friends who volunteered to help out with this project then introduced me to Norima, a sort of “pro” in the scene. He’s been dancing for about 9 years and has been to many competitions. He’s also a choreographer and designer. R: How did you get started? Norima: I wanted to get some exercise, so I started dancing at a sports gym. R: Really? Wow, how did find your way here to Fushimi? N: I guess the same way everybody eventually does. I came for the extra practice, the atmosphere and the friendships.

move anymore and can just enjoy coming up with your own style. R: Well, I better get started then. Can you show me some basics? Norima performs some “easy” basics. I try to follow him as best as I can. However due to the giggling and whispering from the other dancers, I assume I need more practice. R: Have you ever had any problems with the police or other people?

Are there any “turf wars?” N: No, we never had any problems here. There are no “turf wars,” but sometimes friendly competitions, heheh. R: Ok, last question. Well, two actually. Who picks the music for the night, and are there ever any fights about who gets to pick it? Norima (laughs out loud): No, no fights, we’re all very peaceful here. I guess it changes from night to night. So one night one person picks it then another night someone else. There’s really no system. It’s usually decided by the group what music we practice to. R: Great talking to you. Thanks for your time! There you have it, folks.  Those people you see dancing in front of mirrors lead a surprisingly normal life during the daytime.  They are students, businessmen, office ladies, etc, but at night time they can relax by dancing with their friends, build new friendships, prepare for a competition, and even find love in front of the mirrored buildings in Nagoya.  Starting out, I was a bit hesitant to approach these groups at night time, but I quickly found many open minded people who were just as excited to show off their moves and tell their stories, as I was trying to get their voices heard by others.  It’s not just about the dancing, it’s about getting together with like-minded people who share the same passions, and want to break away from the traditional lifestyle in Japan. 

|RAN| 21

Getting into

HOT WATER hen I first arrived in Japan in the spring of 2001, I knew of onsen, but I was introduced to their urban cousins, the sento, in a rather roundabout way. By chance, I took up residence in an apartment in Osaka that, while very accessable to everything, had two annoyances: it was so close to a high school that I could strain my ears and hear teacher-student discussions fairly often. Not a real problem, since I was usually at work myself during school hours. The other issue couldn’t be overlooked: while my bathroom was spacious, I had a small, square bathtub. Folding my 6 foot (180cm) body into it was not a relaxing experience.   One day, my landlady asked me how I was adjusting to life in Japan and the apartment and I jokingly told her about my “bathtime misadventures” and she said, “You should go

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|RAN|

to the sento like everyone else that has that style tub.” Wait, there was a public bath in our neighborhood? I wasted no time—once directions were clear, I grabbed towels, fresh underwear, some soap, and ¥350 and ran toward the sento mark (♨)on a building that I hadn’t noticed before that day. The small place had a nice collection of pools to relax in. There was a regular hot tub and a cold tub that sat at 17°C. I noticed the old man I’d met before was currently relaxing in a pool that had the characters 電 気風呂 on the side. I had no idea what it all meant (I’d only been in Japan for about 3 weeks at this point) but I did know that the first two meant “electricity”. So I asked the old man in my broken Japanese at the time for an explanation. He simply asked me to put my hand in the tub. “Yeeeoooww!” I yelled, jerking my hand back. I knew im-

| By Jason L. Gatewood |

mediately that the sign had to mean “electric bathtub.” I also realized then that Japanese people sometimes take things too far. Who mixes electricity with water, on purpose anyway? I soaked in the first tub while talking to the older guy, and it became a regular event to meet at the sento then go grab a beer at the izakaya across the street afterwards.  I met a lot of people in my neighborhood in the sento, I wouldn’t have seen or talked to otherwise. Maybe it was because seeing a naked foreign guy in the same place was a slight shock and made people curious, but I’d like to think that it was because it was a purely Japanese thing to go to the public baths. Maybe it makes Japanese people feel at ease to see a gaijin take part in this activity. After all, when stripped to nothing but our birthday suits, there isn’t much else for us to hide... Here in Nagoya, I had a hard time trying to find a good sento.  A sure fire way to find one is to ask the older Japanese people in your area—they know everything!  An older lady in my neighborhood shed a little light on the subject: there used to be a few sentos in the area where I live but the last one closed about 4 years ago due to declining customers. “Sentos existed because most apartments and houses didn’t have their own bathtubs at one time, but that’s different nowadays,” she told me. Oh right, forgot about that. But I was in luck because she also told me about something called “super-sentos.” These are more like mini-spas and bring the best of an onsen visit to the middle of the city. And it just happens that I live quite close to one called Miya no Yu. It sports a massage room, saunas, a full service restaurant, and oh yeah, bathtubs and showers. It also sports a rotenburo (outdoor bath), so you can get the feeling of being in an onsen without leaving town. Like any good Japanese establishment, Miya no Yu has a gimmick: they import their water from different onsens throughout Japan. One time I went there the water was purple in a particular tub; they’d imported some onsen water that was high in minerals that made the water turn that color.   If these are the new faces of the sento industry here in Japan, then do yourself a favor and stop by one of these establishments. If you’re the shy type and don’t think you can stomach being around other naked folks, all in the name of trying to get clean, do your best to try to quell those feelings for one hour and just go. You’re in Japan because you’re different, so you might as well try something else new, right?  You just may make it a weekly habit like me—you wash away not only the dirt and grime of day-to-day living, but also your stress, fears, and inhibitions of living in this different culture.

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treet art and graffiti culture may be relatively new con– cepts in Japan, but they are exploding all over the country and the international art world is paying attention. Japanese graffiti writers have caught the attention of major companies like Nike, Airwalk, and even Disney. There are books and magazines dedicated to this exciting new world, and yet somehow it seems only the heads from Tokyo or

24 |RAN|

VIEW AN INTER WITH 3SR 3SRCrew Crew

3SR Crew

| Story & Photos by Adam Pasion |

Osaka get seen—Nagoya’s graffiti remains largely overlooked and under-appreciated. For those who take the time to notice, the spray-painted walls in neighborhoods like Osu, Yabacho and Chikusa are bursting with creative energy, perhaps even more than their Kansai or Kanto cousins. To get a better understanding of just what gives Nagoya that distinct style, RAN Magazine sat down with a local Nagoya-based graffiti crew called 3SR whose stickers, tags and pieces can be seen

in virtually every corner of the city. Talk about pounding the pavement.  Two of the writers took time out of their busy schedule to answer some questions for us.   RAN: First of all let’s get into names. Are there any meanings to the names NOBI, SPACEMONKEY or 3SR? NOBI: When I was a high school student, somebody told me I looked like Nobita-kun from Doraemon.  The girl who said it was a

total gyaru so at the time I really hated the nickname, but now I have sort of come to like it. R: So even in high school you were called NOBI? N: Yeah, but it has nothing to do with that girl. What was her name? “Matsu” something or other I think. SPACEMONKEY: SPACEMONKEY, of course, means a monkey who has gone to space, but that monkey is probably amazed at going to space. So when people see my graffiti, I want them to feel surprised just like that monkey. I want them to experience something they have never seen before. So SPACEMONKEY. R: and 3SR? S: 3SR is an acronym of the members names. Three of our names begin with an “S” and one begins with an “R.” R: So how many members are in the crew now? S: 4 members, at least 4 that write graffiti

R: I haven’t really seen any of the other writer’s graffiti anywhere. S: Yeah, you don’t see much of it around.  Only two of us are really out writing a lot.  We formed the crew when we were in high school, so all of us got together because we wanted to make graffiti.  But all of us still like graffiti. R: Is there a leader of the 3SR crew? S: The first person to say “Let’s go write graffiti” was NOBI. N: That’s not true, it was you. (laughing) S: Well anyway, all of us were studying art in high school, and somebody came out and said, “hey, there is this cool culture called ‘graffiti,” and after that we started seeing it all over and we said, “let’s try it.”  It was just sort of natural. R: So when did you first go out tagging? S: About three years ago. The two of us went out together. N: We did? S: Yeah, that’s how it was in the beginning. We went together I think. R:  Do you still remember it well, the first time? S:  I remember going, I don’t remember the specifics like time or day. It was sort of like, “Uh, I bought some spray paint, lets go!” R: Do you remember what you painted? S: A “throw-up” and some characters. R: And that was in Nagoya? S: It was in Nagoya, but we only bought one can of paint, so we couldn’t really paint at all. R:  That piece has already been erased. S:  Yeah its been “buffed.”

R: How does your crew get along with other “writers?” S:  How should I answer that. There used to be a graffiti shop called OSS that would host live events and we could go watch and talk to the other writers.  We used to get together like that. R:  So are you close with other Nagoya crews, for example Evil Dots Crew, or MCK? S:  We are really close with MCK. R: How about EDC? S: We don’t really associate much with EDC, they are our superiors in many ways.  I think they are much older than us in the first place R: You mean like ZECS and ESPY, or especially CASPER is very famous. S: yeah or SQEZ. Those guys are really writing a lot. When people from other prefectures talk about Nagoya writers, its always like “You mean EDC, right?” R:  On that note, how do you think Nagoya’s graffiti is different from other parts of Japan. S: Hmm... good question. Let me think... R: Do you think it is different? S: Its hard to say. I think more than hiphop, the designs are a lot harder like rock or metal mixed with a sort of pop style. At least individually speaking. The pieces are like that, I’m not sure about the tags. N: Or stickers. S: Yeah stickers, there aren’t any stickers! N: There are a lot of half-assed stickers out there. S: Haha, that’s what people say.  I think the status of stickers is seen as pretty low in the whole of graffiti. N:  It’s more interesting in other places.  There is nothing new coming out here.  If something new were to come-out I think it would become more interesting. Even when people think they see something new, its already been done in Tokyo or Osaka or somewhere else in Kansai.  I want this scene to really take-off on its own. S: Nagoya’s time just hasn’t come yet.  Slowly as more young people get into it will become a much more interesting scene.

|RAN| 25

Graffiti Terms Graffiti GraffitiTerms Terms

Tag - An artists signature done very fast, simple and usually in very visible areas to create a name.  Tags are usually done with markers or paint pens, but can also be done with spray paint or crayons. Throw-up - Also called “throwies,” throw-ups are slightly more elaborate than tags and usually much larger as well.  Throw-ups are also done in very public places where speed is essential.  Throw-ups are usually only one or two colors and lack detail. Piece - Short for “masterpiece,” pieces are characterized by very elaborate lettering, the use of many colors and an attention to detail.  These are often either legal commissioned works, or are done in less trafficked areas. Slash (Go-over) - To paint over another writer’s work, often putting one’s own name next to it. Buff - When graffiti is removed or painted over by the city or building owner.

NOT MENTIONED IN THE ARTICLE:

Getting-Up - The process of building one’s reputation in the graffiti community heaven Spots (Giraffiti) - Graffiti in dangerous and high locations such as billboards or freeway overpasses. Bomb - to cover a particular location heavily with tags and throw-ups from either one writer or one crew. Toy - a new or inexperienced writer with either no reputation or a bad one. King - a well respected and very prolific writer Beef - a grudge or rivalry between two writers Bite - to copy or imitate another writer’s style. Racking - stealing spray paint.  Traditionally the graffiti is not respectable or not ‘true’ graffiti unless the paint has been stolen. R: What happened to you? S: That time was just an abandoned car, so we got off with a warning. We were lucky. R: Were you ever caught again after that? S:  There was no second time. R: In the Nagoya graffiti scene, there isn’t much going over or slashing through people’s graffiti. Do you think Nagoya writers are more respectful? N: I don’t really like when people do that. I guess if there was a lot of graffiti out there it might be okay, but there just isn’t that much out there yet.  If you don’t allow the amount of graffiti to increase first then its just meaningless. Besides that its just boring. R: So you want the scene to grow? N: Yeah, I want it to grow. Even if it

R: Nagoya’s writers are sort of new to the scene, huh?  So why did you begin writing? S:  I was already drawing pictures at home, but the size of my drawings was really small.  When I saw pictures of graffiti I thought “wow, you can draw pictures that big?” It was a big shock, and they were so colorful.  Like I could feel the power.  It was sort of natural for me. I thought to myself how beautiful it would be to see that sort of scenery all over town, and I could paint anywhere I wanted.  I wanted that sort of freedom. I felt like I had to paint after that.

26 |RAN|

R:  If graffiti was made legal, do you think you would still want to do it? N: I don’t think I would do it anymore. S: I don’t think it would change anything for me.  I don’t think what’s legal and illegal has anything to do with what is good or bad. I started writing because I wanted to write. Maybe for normal people when they think about writing they think “oh but the law says...” But I don’t,  I just get right in front of that wall. R: But there are some people who love the thrill of it being a crime. Do you feel that

way? N: For me its a good feeling. Isn’t if for you? S:  When the wall is in front of me it doesn’t matter. R: Have you ever been caught, or been close to being caught? S: Yeah, just three days ago, it was a really close call. R: By the police? S: Yeah, the police. R: And you ran away? S: Yeah, but one time our whole crew got busted.

does grow, maybe I still don’t want slashing. S: Besides that, I think everyone started writing here by copying what they saw from other countries so they copied the form and shape like tagging, but they haven’t really caught the true meaning of expressing themselves.  The true—I don’t know if you can call it true—but the true way its done isn’t really understood, and they haven’t really adapted to the real style. R: So do you guys have any rivals? N: Rivals?  I have no idea. R: You don’t really care about other writers? N: Hard to say. R: Okay.  Well most graffiti until now has been based on lettering, but 3SR’s graffiti is a little different.  Is that intentional? S: Yeah, we don’t want to just imitate. Of course when we paint it’s sort of imitation. If we had never painted before and then saw graffiti and thought “I want to make that,” then of course it would be similar, but we started out with a love for drawing. So we just included graffiti into the mix and the style never really changed that much. I hope it creates a really good balance. R: So do you make any art besides graffiti? N: Yeah a few things. I make these sort of stuffed dolls and I’m into dyeing. R: And SPACEMONKEY, do you do any other sorts of art? S:  Not really, just a lot of 2D drawings. R: So what is 3SR’s plan for the future? S: For now, to be the best in Nagoya! Its just recently the Evil Dots Crew are doing a lot of tags and throw-ups I think, and if we can continue like that our stuff will be seen everywhere. I really want to express my own style. Lastly, I don’t want people so focused on just the illegal graffiti. I want everyone to join in on the stuff that is legal just as much, because I don’t think enough

people care about that. Recently NOBI wants to be the number one tagger. N: I want to be number one for stickers. Haha. R: What do you have to say to people who say that graffiti is not art, but just a crime? S: That’s hard. I mean the definition of graffiti really comes down to the individual. Every person has their own interpretation. Everyone has their own opinion about what is good too. You can’t just reject the people who are doing it illegally, but you can’t deny the people who are doing it legally either. Graffiti is about the battle, and its about expressing yourself. N: You can try to explain it again and again, but if the people don’t write themselves then they just don’t get it. I want people to know more about art than just the fine arts. S: It’s like if it isn’t in a museum then its not art, or if it’s illegal then it’s not art. Its art because it’s an expression of one person’s passion. So even if that person is out painting illegally, if there is no feeling there then it’s not art. The law is clearly defined—if you do this then you are a criminal. Art is more a question of feelings. But I guess it’s true, I don’t want to call people who never do the illegal stuff graffiti writers. I don’t think we should be so obsessed with that word “graffiti” and what it is and isn’t. A good artist is a good artist. R: Anything else you want to say? S: If you try it once and you like it, I think you can change the way this city looks. You can transform the values of society. I want all kinds of people to try it for themselves.

|RAN| 27

“Jellyfish? ” Did You Say

Obon traditions

decoded at last.

| By Emily Millar |

28

|RAN|

PHOTO: MATT HELMINSKI

I

wanted answers about Obon, which perhaps is the only extended vacation period in Japan with its existence tied to a concept also rooted in Western tradition. Beyond the obligatory shrine (or was it temple?) visits on January 1st and god-like status bestowed upon the jolly red bearded man at Christmas, Colonel Sanders, Japan seems like one of the few places in the world less preoccupied with their own religious and spiritual matters and more taken with worshipping mistaken icons borrowed from others. But jellyfish? “What exactly do jellyfish have to do with Obon?” I asked my boyfriend, who’s Japanese and therefore must be far better informed than I am regarding Japanese religious fodder. “Er, well, jellyfish come during Obon. That’s why you should go to the beach before Obon period starts. Most Japanese people do.” And all along I thought it was the spirits of the dead ancestors coming back for a family reunion party. “There’s that, too, of course that’s what

©ISTOCKPHOTO.COM / AHMAD FAIZAL YAHYA

”

Obon is about... Actually, maybe the jellyfish have nothing to do with it...” he offers sheepishly. But after a few minutes of cross cultural communication confusion, I finally understand the connection. “So, what you’re saying is that if you visit the beach after Obon and go swimming, not only is there a chance you’ll get stung by a giant jellyfish, but the spirits of your dead ancestors might grab you and drag you into the sea to your own death, right?” “Yes!” Jellyfish are scary, to be sure, and despite the remote chance of death by drowning at the hands of vengeful deceased zombies, it doesn’t seem to phase the thousands of people who go home over the Obon holiday period in summer.   For the non-Japanese among us, Obon can be an isolating holiday, with friends and workmates vacating the large cities and heading to the countryside to spend three days or so with their families.  While it appears to be a deeply religious custom held in honour of both recently and long deceased, Obon is much less a reflective somber period and more like three days of extensive eating, drinking and dancing that comes with catching up with long time, no see relatives and hometown friends. Though Obon isn’t officially recognised as a national holiday, most people take time off and most companies allow it. The time it’s celebrated depends on the region, but generally, Obon falls between the 13th and 16th of August.  Some parts of Japan still celebrate it according to the old lunar calendar system which has it falling in July. Obon is a time for families to remember their ancestors, and holds slightly more significance for families who have suffered a recent death. The apparent religious customs that take place are actually not as closely related to Buddhism as many people think they are, and though Obon appears to have been born from Buddhist beliefs and traditions, these days Obon is a ritual of its own accord with little religious overtone. A friend of mine whose grandmother recently died told me this. Probably more telling is that after a long Japanese explanation, he finished by saying “basically, I get a long vacation for Obon.” Again, the slim chance that Japan may actually celebrate a holiday that had a scrap of any religious meaning was shaved slimmer. Obon’s primary purpose is about bringing family members together, both those still present and those in another realm, with families hanging red lanterns in the home to guide their ancestors back, making trips to gravestones to offer food and gifts, and also within the home on the family altar (butsudan). This is where another bizarre custom takes place, elevating the ever-present role

About Gujo-Hachiman Bon Odori: If you are fancying cutting a late-night traditional rug with the of food in Japanese society locals of Gujo, then visit their official tourist website at www. to another level. In aid of gujohachiman.com/kanko/index_e.htm for information on the spirits’ safe and swift getting there and hanging out... And don’t worry, it’s in the cenjourney back to their famter of Gifu—hours away from the nearest jellyfish hangout... ily birthplace, an eggplant is placed on the altar, turned on its side and is also a loosely borrowed Buddhist tradistuck with 4 sticks to make legs. Hey pres- tion, alleged to have been started by a monk to—your own spiritual veggie vehicle with named Mokuren, who saw visions of his dewhich to return the dead souls to the home ceased mother suffering torment in The Hell with in the shape of a horse (which, natural- of Hungry Ghosts (warning: instant karma ly, the eggplant is meant to resemble). When will get you). He wanted to free his mother Obon is finished and the spirits are ready from her pain, and was instructed to offer to return to the other world, they are then food from land and sea to his fellow monks escorted by cows made of cucumber - the following a 90 day retreat. He did so, and was idea being that a cow offers protection with rewarded with the release of his mother and its slow and steady pace. Depending on the other relatives, and was so happy he rejoiced region, this practise may be reversed so that and performed a dance which has since the spirits arrive on the back of a bovine and turned into the Bon Odori. These days, its are returned with the speed of a trusty steed. become a favourite summer activity for JapaA rather more spectacular way of sending off nese and foreigners alike, and you don’t have the relatives once Obon is over is by float- to be an excellent dancer to participate— ing them down a river in a candle-lit paper friendly locals a good half-century older than you, are always happy to direct your lantern. Though foreigners may find it difficult to feet and hands to resemble something like find a way of participating in overtly familial a traditional dance move, and promptly put practises, Bon Odori (Bon festival dance) is you to shame with their own smooth turns. an easy entry into the Obon tradition. The The Gujo Hachiman tetsuya-odori (all-night most famous Bon Odori in Japan is held in dance)   lasts an incredible 3 days straight; Gifu’s Gujo Hachiman, and is a testament to it’s then a question of whether you can last the longevity and supreme ‘genkiness’ of the as long, too. It’s held at night because that’s predominantly older folk in the rural back- the time when Japanese people believe their waters of Japan. The Gujo Hachiman Bon relatives return home. Nighttime is also the Odori is like a rave for geriatrics: all night setting for the most famous (and most terdancing, hot sweaty bodies crammed to- rifying) Japanese ghost stories, too... While it may not hold on to its historical gether in a small space, and constantly droning hypnotic music. There may be drugs, meaning these days (sure, like we lament the too, but they’d be more likely of the variety loss of traditional meaning during holidays popped to ease the pain of a prosthetic hip like Easter and Christmas?), Obon still feels like the closest thing to a truly Japanese celthat’s beginning to burn a little. The most impressive aspect of the Bon ebration of life, death, family and happiness. Odori is the vast number of people from That being said, anyone heading to a beach all different age groups and ethnicities who after August 16th should hope they gave their come together in the tiny cobbled streets of relatives a damn good send off during Obon, Gujo to shuffle about in yukatas and geta or else angry ancestors may enlist an army of (and in some cases, flip flops). The dance jellyfish to express their displeasure...

|RAN| 29

| Compiled by RAN staff |

recommends flavour? What kinds of food do you dig? Where do you go for the absolute best mixed drink? What kind of music do you get your groove on to? Where do you go to ROCK OUT? Stiff back or... other body parts? massage anyone? Read much? …where can you get books and magazines in your language—for cheap? How about some tea? Catch any good movies lately? Where’d you buy that? JAZZ, man? ROOTS-ROCK? Reggae? What's your

RAN ’s staff and readers like these places. You might, too...

DJ BAR

PUB

You want a cool, low-key place with great music, delicious drinks, atmosphere, and comfort? SOUL GROUND is a relaxed getaway on the third floor of the CYPHER/UNDERGROUND/LUSH club complex in Toshincho. The live DJs play an assorted mix of rare grooves, soul classics and plush R‘n’B. The spot is small and cozy, all soft lights, candles and mellow, without being pretentious. The DJ is spinning Luther Vandross or Donnie Hathaway or Billie Holliday and the girl over there is smiling at you… Very cool spot to go for conversation and privacy, and, if you’re trying to romance someone, this place works. Cool spot, puts you in the know. www.underground.co.jp, 052-241-7336

English pubs are all the rage these days in Nagoya and THE HUB seems to be out front in terms of popularity and convenience. The city has three Hubs: one near Fushimi station, one in Sakae near the big ferris wheel, and now one just east of Nagoya station behind the Dai-Nagoya building. It’s already a hit with gaijin and Japanese alike, due to its convenitent location near Freebell and major businesses. The Sakae location is a bit older and more established, with a regular cast of folks dropping in for some decent chinwag, nice social scene happening there. Happy hour from 4 to 7, half-price drink specials and great appetizers, open ‘til 5 a.m. on weekends, plus music on the digital jukebox and sports on the tube. You can’t lose with The Hub. Hub it lately? www.pub-hub.com, 052-862-8682

RESTAURANT Two words: Brazilian food. ADEJO, located in the heart of Fushimi, serves up a delicious mix of meats and salad, pastas and rice, all with a Brazilian flair that is mouth watering—not to be missed. They’ve got a daily all-you-can-eat buffet and prices are decent. Their operating hours are 11:30-2:30 lunch, 6-10:30 dinner daily. 052-223-0303

CLUB Dancing is making a comeback in a big way, remember the lights? The music? The moves? MAVERICK bills itself as Nagoya’s “newest and biggest” nightclub, and with good reason. The space is truly magnificent, large sunken dance floor, VIP, two large bars and an extra room. Maverick turns up the volume until 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday nights, with an assortment of Nagoya’s best DJs. Electro/ house/hip hop/R’n’B, an amazing soundsystem and lightshow, plus the occasional live performance make Maverick a fun night out getting all hot and bothered. Boogie Nights indeed. Fushimi. www.club-maverick.com, 052-223-5200

30 |RAN|

ROCK There’s a recent surge of bands in Nagoya playing live rock ‘n’ roll, or some variation of it, acoustic, electric, folk, Irish, tribal, chances are you’ll see them pass through MISFITS at some point. Misfits, located near Exit. 5 in Imaike, is a live/house cum sports bar, billing itself as the “biggest little live house in Nagoya”. Always showing live premiership soccer on weekends, Misfits recently underwent a change in management and it shows - open 7pm-2am daily, no cover except for special events. You ain’t seen nothing until you’ve seen Nagoya drum band Baion Zoku rock the spot at Misfits, everyone’s welcome. www.misfitsnagoya.com, 052-733-7525

POTPOURRI What the hell is potpourri? Well, besides that plate of dead flowers above your toilet, potpourri is a blend, a mixture of sometimes disparate elements that make a greater whole. HARMONIUM PARLOR is just that. Held monthly at Plastic Factory, located in

Imaike, Harmonium Parlor bills itself as an “art space” what it really is is an open mic session hosted by local Nagoya band Semi-on. Whatever-is-clever is the theme of this eclectic monthly event held by and for performance artists of all types and genres. Bands, harmonica players, rappers, drummers, dancers, spoken word poets, etc, they’re all here, follow the yellow brick road…to the Plastic Factory. 500 yen cheap. Dates vary, usually held the last Sunday of every month. www.plasticfactory.jp, 090-3937-5672

JAZZ Sure, you could go to Blue Note and pay about a third your monthly salary to see some famous Jazz musician do his or her thing for an hour, but why do that? A good friend of ours is a respected jazz singer here in town, we asked her where she goes when she wants to be serenaded by the sweet sounds of scat, sax, or piano. She without hesitation said we should make our way to JAZZ INN LOVELY, located about a 5 minute walk away from the TV Tower, catacorner to the NHK building. Jazz Inn Lovely has almost nightly sessions, it’s cozy and warm and prices are just right. Something different than the norm for sure. Doors open at 6pm and stay open until 3am

daily, really nice for late night Jazz heads. Swing man. www.jazzinnlovely.com, 052-951-6085

CINEMA There seems to be no escaping the out-ofcontrol movie ticket prices in Japan, expect to pay upwards of 2000 yen anywhere you go. That said, there’s a small theatre located on a side street in Fushimi called MILLION THEATER, which also doubles as a sort of café/store. Besides popcorn, they’ve got fresh juices, coffee, muffins, cakes, postcards, cushions, keychains, all sorts of interesting stuff to look at. The place has huge glass windows and comfortable seating if you just want to relax, or, if you’re interested in the films, they show first run major releases starting at 10 a.m. daily. The theatre is run by Starcat, and this one is part of a chain of three, the others being in PARCO, and behind Nagoya Station. Off the beaten path but actually more accessible than Nagoya’s other theatres. Date spot fer sure. www.eigaya.com, 052-212-2437

COFFEE We know there’s a Starbucks for almost every person here in Nagoya, but why go

there? Coffee shops are almost by definition supposed to be quirky and have their own character, and YURI JAZZ and COFFEE fits the bill nicely. This little gem is across the street from the TV tower and serves up delicious coffees, while Jazz, Bossa Nova, or some other mellifluous sound fills up the air above. Lots of earthy wood and hushed conversation, and the owner’s smile is worth the trip itself. Really nice, light foods available also. Java anyone? 052-951-7800

FAST FOOD We hesitated to include this one, but since McDonalds and Taco Bell aren’t quite as conspicuous here as in our native lands, we figured we should clue you in to something fast, cheap, delicious, and somewhat nutritious. Ever heard of YUMMY? It’s a mashup of Hawaiian Barbecue and Korean spices. This place lives up to it’s name and beyond. Meats, fish, chicken, rice, soup, veggies, I could eat here every night, well, maybe… Prices are more than reasonable and it’s served up hot, fast, and delicious. 11 a.m.– 10 p.m.. It’s seriously yummy. Located in a couple places, Fushimi and PARCO. www.yummy-bbq.com, 052-222-0831

When in ROME 郷 に 入 れ ば

Where is

The Love?

“People acting like they AIN’T GOT NO MAMA”

Y

ou know the saying, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” Wherever you find yourself, you should act in the same manner as the locals. But what if the locals aren’t acting quite right? I’ve been in Japan over five years now, tried to assimilate myself as much as possible, learned some of the language, customs, laws and mannerisms all in the effort to “fit in.” But one thing I haven’t been able to accustom myself to is how Japanese treat themselves, each other and other people in public places. In a word, it’s cold. It’s a given that Japanese are an introverted people, not so open to things non-Japanese, people included. Sometimes, this cultural trait causes nothing more than frustration and bewilderment, other times, it is outright racism and discrimination, but I’ve noticed a strange thing since arriving. Many foreigners have taken to doing exactly what the “Romans” are doing, subtly and overtly discriminating against each other. Weird. Seems at least here in Nagoya, many foreigners seem to have caught the “I’m-acold-robot-person” disease, too. How many times have you been walking down the street, noticed another foreigner coming towards you, and purposely avoided making eye contact, or went out of your way to avoid them altogether? Why? What is the reason for this behavior? Afraid if you say hello or make eye contact the other person might think you are (egad!) polite? Or how about this one, you notice a foreigner on a

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train and you move as far away as you can, fearing being in the same location as another foreigner. Wow, two foreigners on the same train car. I better move or someone might notice us! I don’t get it. Or you see another foreigner on the train and you freeze up like an icicle, hoping somehow if you don’t move, maybe he won’t see you. Crrazy! What’s the deal? Afraid someone might notice that there are two of you on the same train? Or this one: You are on an elevator and another foreigner gets on and you both don’t say a word to each other as though neither one of you exists. Bizarre. Is this how you’d act in your native country? Of course not, so why act that way here? Isn’t the social atmosphere here already difficult enough without foreigners treating each other like foreigners? A close friend of mine owns a business. Recently, this friend told me he doesn’t like foreigners coming to his place. He says foreigners are somehow “bad” for business. So he actively discourages them from patronizing his biz. The fact that he himself is a foreigner seems to not factor into the equation. I suppose if I were to say he’s discriminating against him-self, that would be a stretch. Or would it? Of course, there are enclaves around town specifically catering to the foreign population, where we foreigners can be our outgoing, expressive, cheerful, talkative and friendly selves. But outside these few places,

we seem to be treating each other the same way the natives treat us, and sometimes, it ain’t nothing nice. Come on folks, does it hurt to smile? Is it so difficult to say “hello” to the person walking towards you? Forgot how to make eye contact? Let’s not even mention touch and affection, those things seem to have absolutely no place here…. The little pleasantries of everyday life are what help to take the edge off. We’ve all got issues, bills to pay, difficult bosses, unsatisfying jobs, health issues, no money, bad relationships, the list goes on, but every-one experiences them. We don’t always have to “do as the Romans do,” even in Rome. There are some things that make our daily existence a more pleasant and tolerable one and we don’t have to forfeit these just because the natives don’t have this culture of general “feel good” social lubricants. The basic manners and social etiquette that we are used to in our countries are a few things that make life better, even just for a moment. Next time you’re on the train, or in the street, or on an elevator, or if you own a business, show some love to your fellow foreigner, chances are he or she needs it and what goes around eventually comes back around, and who can’t use some extra love once in a while, especially in Japan? Disagree? Got advice about life in Nagoya? Send us your thoughts for a future column!

ILLUSTRATION: BRAD MUNNS

—Black-Eyed Peas

| By TD Houchen |

H

Taste 味 わ う

C’s Ave. Café | By Achim Runnebaum |

ger

r Fe bu

mal burger and classic cheeseburger, to the more exotic Hawaiian burger and the Santa Fe burger (for lovers of spice!). The portions are hearty, the burgers are delicious, and all come with crispy fries just like back home. The atmosphere is lively, yet comfortable… a 60’s style American burger joint crossed with a movie buff ’s wet dream. So what goes well with a burger? Beer, of course. It may not be the healthiest combination, but you’ve gotta admit it’s a match made in heaven. And if you head to C’s on

a Wednesday night, you can get your beer, or any other alcoholic beverage, for 50% off ‘til last call. So, if you’re looking for a break from Japanese cuisine and want a taste of home, head over to C’s Ave. Café The Burger to satisfy all your burger cravings.

The DETAILS: Location: 名古屋市千種区今池1丁目2-2 1-2-2 Imaike, Nagoya (near Chikusa station) Phone: 052-735-0158 Web: www.cs-family.co.jp

PHOTOS: ACHIM RUNNEBAUM

J

apanese food is considered some of the healthiest in the world. It’s satisfying and tastes great. But if you’re a foreigner in Japan, sometimes you just have a craving for something different, something meatier. Sometimes you just want that good ‘ol staple of the American diet: The Burger. If you really want a good burger on your plate, something that will put a satisfied smile on your face, head to C’s Avenue Café The Burger. This place is a true haven for burger lovers. They have everything from the nor-

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