On Saturday 8th September the Society held the "Odaiba Day" events.
The first event was the visit to Oedo Onsen Monogatari, the urban onsen which some members had enjoyed on the occasion of the Society's 100th anniversary celebrations in 2005. This time 7 members and guests gathered to take the plunge and enjoy the somewhat confusing experience of old Edo in the ultra-modern surroundings of Odaiba.

The 7, fully revitalised and refreshed by their bathing, joined another
12 attendees at the Shiokaze no Koen barbecue area quite close to the waterside. As it turned out, the onsen had provided relaxation for muscles and sinews that would soon need to go straight into action assembling tables, chairs and barbecues themselves.

Odaiba Day - Group activities


Odaiba Day - Julian hard at work


The scene resembled something out of the Krypton Factor or an Army Officer Initiative Course as Cambridge and Oxford graduates of all ages and both sexes struggled to understand exactly how the subtle catches and sliding pieces slotted into place.

Odaiba Day - Ladies at work


In no time, though, babecueing on an almost industrial scale was well underway. Delicious yakiniku-style vegetables and meat, sausages and cuts of pork were consumed by all, washed down with copious amounts of wine, beer and soft drinks. It was commented upon that we were remarkably unmolested by mosquitoes which all seemed to have been blown away by the typhoon that passed through the day before.

Odaiba Day - Candle-lit chat


Odaiba Day - Washing up


Those remaining at the end clambered onto the Yurikamome and travelled to Ariake no Tenisu Mori station to round off the day's festivities at the skytop bar overlooking the illuminated Rainbow Bridge and Tokyo skyline beyond. Our thanks go to Phil and Ayaka Robertson for gaining access for us to this beautiful venue.

Julian Culliford
Girton Cambridge