On Tuesday 23 April, 29 C&O members and guests (30 registrants, less one nefarious no-show) made the now-annual pilgrimage to the delightful Nambutei restaurant on the southern edge of Hibiya Park in central Tokyo.

Of those attending, no fewer than five were new members participating in their very first C&O event, as follows: Dr Yoshie Itani (St Hilda’s, Oxford, 2000~2006), Rev. Kevin Maddy (Selwyn, Cambridge, 1981~84), Dr Etsuo Morishita (Hughes Hall, Cambridge, 1980~82), Max Neuberger (Christ Church, Oxford, 2000~2003) and Sam Vardy (Jesus, Cambridge, 2001~2004).

The restaurant had laid on an excellent buffet dinner featuring a varied menu with a distinct continental theme. The food was accompanied by copious amounts of excellent wine, and the conversation flowed freely as members and guests congregated on the restaurant’s roofed patio.

After half an hour or so of convivial conversation and consumption, Terry Nakamura said a few words and introduced the new members. David Turner then gave the loyal toast, and Julian Culliford pointed out that, as well as being St George’s Day, it was also Shakespeare’s birthday (as well as the day that he died—possibly from a surfeit of birthday cake).

In any event, the food and wine would doubtless have given the Great Bard a new lease of life, and he would certainly have waxed lyrical about our choice of venue for the evening. The charm of this secluded restaurant is that you are liable to totally forget that you are still in the heart of the huge metropolis. The surrounding greenery and gentle ambiance dull the noise and stress of the city, and make for an extremely relaxing and convivial environment.
The evening drifted effortlessly on, as old friendships were renewed and new ones forged, and all too soon our time was nearly up.
There was just time for the cabaret entertainment, starring Alex Williams, before the assembled company said their goodbyes to one another and drifted out of the restaurant and into the warm spring night.

Phil Robertson (St John’s, Cambridge, 1981~85)