On Thursday, September 15th, IKEA Kohoku in Tsuzuki-ku, Yokohama will celebrate its tenth anniversary. IKEA, the biggest home furnishing company in the world, opened the Kohoku store in 2006, making it their second in Japan at the time. IKEA Kohoku opened their doors with the vision statement, “To create a better everyday life for the many people.” Over the ten years the store has been in existence, it has become more and more popular with customers seeking that improvement in their daily lives. IKEA’s unparalleled design concepts keep customers coming back time and again. The company calls it “democratic design”—…
Author: Seasider
September always sees a couple of weeks of “zansho” (“late summer heat”), though typhoons and other storms blow that away leaving cool, clear days that are harbingers of autumn. Look for higanbana (red spider lily) to begin popping up in gardens and yards across the city with the moisture. Dragonflies take flight and will be surfing the air in greener parts, too. It’s also jazz season in Yokohama as the city hosts its annual Jazz Promenade. Yokohama is widely known as a city with strong jazz roots, but this multi-venue festival spread across town is when this really comes apparent.…
Sure, it’s a bit toasty out, but escape from the heat is never farther than the ocean or mountains, neither of which are far from downtown Yokohama. Previously, the month of August was devoid of official holidays, but this year the Japanese government has graced us with a new one: Yama no Hi, or Mountain Day. If heading to the coolness of higher elevations was in your plans, now you have another reason to do it and an extra day off, too! We aren’t encouraging you to leave the city completely behind for a month in the woods. For some,…
Ahhh, sake. What attracted us to Kanouya in the first place was their sign out front advertising a wealth of quality nihonshu (sake). With an attractive storefront in one of Noge’s newly remodeled buildings, we had to venture in to find out more. The new interior certainly makes it feel upscale. The sake list is about 20 deep and changes every few weeks, depending on availability and season (glass ¥320〜/180ml ¥640〜). The bar also has its own special, high-end junmai ginjo made by Hayashi Brewing of Gifu (glass ¥500/180ml ¥980). There may be some other items…
In unison with the World Railways Expo 2016 at Pacifico Yokohama running through Sept. 11th, the Hara Railway Museum will also focus on international displays. Hara will be running trains with international flair in the minute Z gauge through a special German village diorama. They will also be loaning some of their trains to the Expo that have never been on display, even at their museum. From his nearly 200 trips abroad, Hara Nobutaro collected a multitude of railroad paraphernalia and interesting antiques. Related to the theme of the event, they have been borrowed from the private gallery at his…
When the muggy monsoon weather lifts, most of Japan gets steamy hot. Yokohama is no exception, but at least the city is waterside and benefits from offshore breezes. If you have time for a day-trip or even an overnight stay, to the west of the city lie cooler, greener elevations that also offer respite from the heat. Many people, however, don’t mind the heat and flock to the beaches. Kanagawa thankfully has some great ones. In this issue, we offer a handful of suggestions for beachside entertainment. Firework festival season is also upon us, so check our calendar for those…
Toward the end of June, IKEA Kohoku donated furniture items (sofas, dining tables, TV stands and curtains) to the orphanage Seibo Aijien, located in Yokohama’s Naka-ku. Working from its vision of “creating a better daily life for more people,” IKEA endeavors to exert a positive influence on the environment and society. IKEA has thus embraced a sustainability strategy running through 2020 called “PEOPLE & PLANET POSITIVE”, which seeks to engage in a variety of altruistic activity. One key aspect of PEOPLE & PLANET POSITIVE is “providing a better way of life for people and the community.” One way of realizing…
With seats overlooking the beaches of Kamakura, Magokoro fuses good food, ecological and social consciousness, and a friendly down-to-earth atmosphere into a well rounded dining experience. Just a short walk away from Hase Station on the Enoden line, Magokoro focuses on healthy macrobiotic hemp dishes and sweets with a variety of vegan and non-vegan options. Their Vegan Meal (lunch ¥1380, dinner ¥1580) is a healthy and generously portioned mix of kuru-mafu (wheat gluten) cutlets, tempeh, salad, a daily deli dish, and hemp soup. Even if you find yourself full, you may want a second round! Also, for those with…
In last month’s issue, I talked about visiting kindred organizations so that we can launch photography workshops that act like sightseeing activities in Yokohama. To give a simple recap, Yokohama is a sightseeing city and also the birthplace of photography in Japan. That being the case, why not run photography workshops as a part of city tourism? And so my mission begins. Arts Commission Yokohama (ACY) is responsible for supporting the cultural arts in Yokohama. I have an old friend there by the name of Sugisaki, a sort of comrade in arms with whom I’ve struggled through a great many…
With June come the monsoon rains. We’ve never thought of this season as gloomy like some people do. Considered another way, the rain can be quieting and comforting. The world seems to slow down a little, creating an atmosphere conducive to personal reflection, especially over a warm cup of coffee or tea. June also marks the start of “France Month.” Each year at this time, the city hosts an array of French-themed cultural events. Check out our suggestions in this issue. If you’re interested in other entertainment options, please sign up for our digital newsletter. You can visit our homepage…