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Dinner at Tokyo Kaikan's Crystal Restaurant Kasumigaseki Bldg, 24th March 2008

On March 24th we gathered for the very first, and also, very last time at Tokyo Kaikan's Crystal Restaurant on the 35th floor of the Kasumigaseki Building. The restaurant was to close down very soon as the building is due to be redeveloped.
Tokyo Kaikan Dinner 2008Tokyo Kaikan Dinner 2008
Around 20 members attended making for rather a cosy atmosphere. The assembled party enjoyed a buffet dinner and took in spectacular night views along Sotobori-dori to the towers of Shiodome and the Tokyo Bay Bridge beyond. We welcomed one new member, Prof. Yamada, and also said goodbye to another, Pedro Da Costa who was returning to Portugal to take up a research post in Oporto. Doreen Simmons took the opportunity to point out to all those present the significance of the Kasumigaseki Building: when it was built in 1968, it had been the first building in Tokyo permitted to exceed 8 storeys. We may nowadays take for granted buildings of 30 and 40 storeys plus springing up all over the city but the Kasumigaseki Building was the pioneer. Simon Lloyd added that he had worked on the 32nd floor for many years and that, although in 1968 it was said that the building had been built to a standard that was 300% better than the required anti-earthquake safety measures of the time, experiencing an earthquake whilst on the 32nd floor was really a rather frightening experience.
Tokyo Kaikan Dinner 2008 -2Tokyo Kaikan Dinner 2008 -2
After another signature evening of fine cuisine and delightful and civilised conversation, tempered somewhat with an unspoken trepidation about the consequences of an earthquake occurring at any given moment, the party made its way home with a short detour by 7 members to the Dubliners Irish pub in Sotobori-dori nearby.
Julian Culliford
Girton Cambridge
Posted in | Submitted by huw.williams on Mon, 2008-03-24 09:30.
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