Saturday, September 13th, 2008, 13:30 – 18:30

A visit to Odaiba Oedo Onsen Monogatari (www.ooedoonsen.jp/) formed part of the programme for the Centenary celebrations in 2005, and we made a repeat visit as part of ‘Odaiba Day’ last year. This year, the onsen visit will begin at 1.30 p.m. Oedo Onsen Monogatari houses a selection of different pools with various mineral compositions, as well as an outdoor pool. There are separate areas for ladies and gentlemen, and an amusing Edo-style theme restaurant area inside the complex adds to the fun. The Onsen visit will be followed by a catered barbecue in nearby Kaihin Park, which overlooks Rainbow Bridge. This part of the programme will begin at around 4.00 p.m. Details will be sent to those who apply to attend.

The charges, which are payable on the day, are ¥2,800 for admission to Oedo Onsen Monogatari, and ¥4,000 for the barbecue (covers both food and drinks). Please note that no-shows/late cancellers will be billed for any costs incurred on their behalf by the Society.

Members are welcome to invite guests. If you would like to attend, please contact Tim Minton (t.minton[at]camford[dot]org) by Monday, September 8th, making it clear whether you wish to attend both parts of the programme or only one.

11th July, 2008, 18:30 to 21:00
Mitsubishi Shoji Building (21st Floor), 2-3-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Mitsubishi Club is a private and very exclusive club which was founded in 1973 by the 29 Mitsubishi group companies to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of the group. In this context, only VIP members of the 29 Mitsubishi group companies can use this club. On this occasion, Buhei Okumura (Trinity, Cambridge 1954), one of our honorary secretaries, kindly arranged for C&O members and their guests to be given access to Mitsubishi Club for our Society’s main July event.

Mitsubishi Club 2008 Group Photo
Mitsubishi Club is located on the 21st floor (the top floor, about 100 metres above ground level) of the new Mitsubishi Shoji Building. Mitsubishi Shoji (Mitsubishi Corporation) is one of the leading members of the Mitsubishi Club. The new Mitsubishi Shoji Building was completed on 31st March, 2006, and is located just behind the Marunouchi Building (Maru Biru) near Tokyo Station. When we entered the party room, which was a self-contained area of the Club, we were astonished by the spectacular view of the Imperial Palace.
Mitsubishi Club 2008 Group Photo 2
After half an hour or so of sociable conversation and of enjoying the wonderful views, Bu Okumura gave a speech of welcome, in which he briefly talked about Mitsubishi Club. Actually, 37 people had signed up for the party, but three of them failed to show up. Among the 34 attendees, there were 7 guests, including a young undergraduate, Mr Yuki Kato (a guest of Julian Culliford), who had just finished his first academic year at Trinity College, Cambridge, and is spending his summer holiday at home. Also, a member of the Harvard Club of Japan, Mr. Paul Greenberg, attended our party as a guest of Giovanni Bianchi (Christ Church, Oxford 2000). The assembled party enjoyed animated conversation over a buffet dinner, wine and other drinks. At the end of the party, Terry Nakamura (Worcester, Oxford 1964), Honorary Secretary, introduced a new member, John Yamamoto-Wilson (Magdalene, Cambridge 1971), and then Huw Williams (Clare, Cambridge 1980) spoke of a BBQ party planned on Saturday, 13 September 2008 at Odaiba.

Mr Buhei Okumura has kindly arranged for C&O members and their guests to be given access to Mitsubishi Club on Friday, 11th June for our main July event. Mitsubishi Club’s new premises are on the 21st floor of the Mitsubishi Shoji Building in Marunouchi; detailed directions will be sent to those who sign up for this event.

Mitsubishi Shoji Building (21st Floor), 2-3-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Tel: 03-3216-5361

Attendance fee: 8,000 yen (Payment required in advance; account details will be sent to those who apply to attend. No-shows and cancellations after the closing date will not be refunded.)

If you would like to attend, please contact Tim Minton (t.minton[at]camford[dot]org) by Tuesday, 8th July.

C&O member Mr Yoshio Karita has kindly arranged for members to be given a guided tour of the Mori Art Museum’s exhibition History in the Making: A Retrospective of the Turner Prize. The tour will be followed by drinks in the Mado Lounge.

Mori Art Museum: 53rd floor, Roppongi Hills Mori Tower
Mado Lounge: 52nd floor

Information about the exhibition can be found at
http://www.mori.art.museum/english/contents/history/info/index.html

Entry to the museum is free of charge to those registered for this event (the normal admission fee is 1,500 yen); the Mado Lounge will operate a cash bar. The number of applications we can accept for this event is limited, so only one guest per member will be allowed.

Please note that the guided tour will begin at 6 p.m.

If you would like to take part in this event, please contact Tim Minton by June 29th (t.minton[at]camford[dot]org).

May Outing (guests and family members welcome):
Saturday, May 24th (12:00 – 19:00)

If you would like to join us on our annual excursion to Mount Takao and Ukai Toriyama, please contact Tim Minton (t.minton[at]camford[dot]org). There is no obligation to take part in both parts of the day's progamme, so please indicate if you would like to participate only in the hike or the dinner.

The cost of dinner at Ukai Toriyama is 6,000 yen, which includes tax, service and a limited supply of drinks.

Saturday, May 24th.
It was with the weather forecast threatening rain that we optimistically gathered outside Takao-sanguchi station for a (not so) bright and breezy midday start to our day of hiking and dining on May 24th. Some stragglers (namely Charlotte Lewis and myself) were somewhat late having been enthralled by the Trick Art Museum a couple of minutes away, warily suggested to us all by Tim Minton. We finally escaped its maze of rooms with hidden doors – tricky indeed - pausing for some quick shots in the mouth of a great painted gorilla on the way, to join the party and set off on the hike.
Mt Takao & Ukai Toriyama - stream
The first few drops of rain ominously started to fall, and those of us who were somewhat unprepared for inclement weather were relieved to hear that Phil’s backpack was full of assorted jumpers and provisions. Luckily the rain stopped soon after, and didn’t bother us for the rest of the walk. In fact the weather was perfect hiking weather, neither too hot nor too cold.
Some of our party broke off to climb the mountain in a cable car while the rest of us carried up and on by foot. Passing through the greenery and along mountain streams, the walk was very pleasant although increasingly strenuous as we neared the top.
As we walked we talked, changing conversational partners as we variously fell behind or caught up, muttering the odd greeting to those passing in the other direction. Occasionally we’d pass Chris Parry going in one direction and then the other as he put us all to shame by nimbly running up and down and along the mountain range all day.

We will have exclusive use of this popular French restaurant’s ground floor and leafy terrace.

Address: 1-2 Hibiya Park, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0012, Tel. 03-3591-1023

Website: http://www.nambu-tei.com/

Attendance fee: 7,000 yen
(Payment is required in advance; account details will be sent to those who apply to attend. There will be no refunds for cancellations after the closing date.)

There is no particular dress code for this event.

If you would like to attend, please contact Tim Minton (t.minton[at]camford[dot]org) by Friday, April 18.

Nambutei Buffet Dinner, 22 April 2008

On Tuesday 22 April, 34 C&O members and guests made the annual Society pilgrimage to the charming restaurant Nambutei, which stands on the southern edge of Tokyo’s Hibiya Park. Tucked away in the trees, out of sight of Kokkai-dori, the busy main road, Nambutei provides a welcome haven from the bustle of the frenetic metropolis.

Nambutei buffet dinner group photo 2008

In attendance at the buffet dinner were three new members, Dr Ken Shackleton (The Queen’s, Oxford, 1998–2002), James Thomas (St Anne’s, Oxford, 1997–2001) and Anthony Walker (Trinity, Cambridge, 1995–1999), and two visitors, Toshiyuki Yamanaka (St Edmund’s, Cambridge), the honorary secretary of the Kansai Chapter of C&O, and Clive Galliver (Trinity, Cambridge), who was on a visit to Japan.

As always, the restaurant laid on a magnificent buffet spread, which was devoured with alacrity by the assembled throng—the Pasta Bolognese disappearing at particularly impressive speed. The food was washed down with copious amounts of good wine, and the buzz of animated conversation drifting out from the restaurant patio into the night air made the venue that much easier for late-comers to find.

After an hour or so of conviviality, Terry Nakamura quieted the hubbub and introduced the new members and visitors. Tim Minton then made a few society announcements and conveyed the sad news that our much-loved current president, Sir Graham Fry, would soon be leaving Japan to return home to Britain—his tenure as ambassador at an end. (Happily, however, his diplomatic successor David Warren is due to take over the reins as Society president also.) Tim appealed to the assembled company for ideas for a parting gift for Sir Graham, noting that he is a keen bird-watcher. The more ribald suggestions being ignored, it was decided that the society would buy the ambassador a print depicting avian life in Japan.

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 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 -2

The restaurant is on the 35th Floor of the Kasumigaseki Building and commands a fine view of central Tokyo. Our event will be held in a private room that can accommodate up to 50 people.

Address: 3-2-5 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Tel. 03-3581-0420

Website: http://www.kaikan.co.jp/gnavi/kcrs.html

Attendance fee: 7,500 yen
(Payment is required in advance; account details will be sent to those who apply to attend. There will be no refunds for cancellations after the closing date.)

Dress Code: Jacket and tie

If you would like to attend, please contact Tim Minton (t.minton[at]camford[dot]org) by Thursday, March 20.