The Hunting Gun
Award-winning Japanese actress Miki Nakatani and the legendary Mikhail Baryshnikov perform in The Hunting Gun, a stage adaptation of Yarushi Inoue’s classic novel. Background image photo by Mark Seliger.
Now through Saturday, April 15
Baryshnikov Arts Center – 450 W. 37th Street (between 9th and 10th Avenues)
Admission: $35-$150
Three letters.
One tragedy.
Josuke Misugi receives three letters from different women: his wife, his mistress, and her daughter. The first is from young Shoko, who just discovered her mother’s affair through the reading of her diary. The second is from his wife, Midori, revealing she’s known about the infidelity from the start. And the third is a farewell from Saiko, his lover of thirteen years: “By the time you read this, I will no longer be among the living.”
Weaving these three viewpoints with consummate skill, Yarushi Inoue, one of Japan’s most celebrated authors, gives universal resonance to Misugi’s demise. He turns what could have been the mundane account of adultery into a compelling love story that is considered a classic of world literature.
This stage adaptation is a monologue for three voices, and a single actress embodies all three women, transforming before our eyes. At the end of her letter, Shoko drops her school uniform to reveal Midori’s exuberant outfit who, in turn, undresses to slip into Saiko’s funeral kimono.
Behind a scrim presenting fragments of letters, the increasingly tormented hunter Josuke Misugi cleans his gun. He seems to exist in a different time space. The simple action he performs, which would normally take only a few minutes, is stretched through the entire duration of the play: picking up his gun in ultra-slow motion, inspecting it, meticulously cleaning its barrels, and finally standing to aim at his wife’s back.
Borrowing from Japanese Zen aesthetics, the set’s floor is successively draped with three fundamental elements: water, stone, and wood. After Shoko wanders in a lily pond, the waters withdraw to reveal a terrain of smooth black stones. Then, at the climax of Midori’s rage, the stones magically vanish to expose a wooden deck on which Saiko recites her suicide letter.
Background image photo by Mark Seliger.
Remaining Performances
Tuesday, April 4 at 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 6 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, April 7 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 8 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 9 at 2:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 12 at 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 13 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, April 14 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 15 at 7:30 p.m.
The performance will be in Japanese with English supertitles. Run time is 105 with no intermission. To purchase tickets, please visit The Hunting Gun’s website.
Mikhail Baryshnikov in The Hunting Gun. Photo by Pasha Antonov.
About Mikhail Baryshnikov
Born in Riga, Latvia, and living in New York City, Mikhail Baryshnikov has distinguished himself as an extraordinary dancer and performer in theater, television, and film. In a career spanning more than 50 years, he has worked with George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, and many other illustrious choreographers and directors. From 1979 until 1989 he was artistic director of American Ballet Theater, where he introduced a new generation of dancers and choreographers. From 1990 until 2002, Baryshnikov was director and principal dancer of the White Oak Dance Project, co-founded with choreographer Mark Morris.
In 2005, he opened the Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC), a creative space designed to support multidisciplinary artists from around the globe. Baryshnikov’s many awards include the Kennedy Center Honors, the National Medal of Arts, the rank of Officer of the Legion of Honor of France, Japan’s prestigious Praemium Imperiale International Arts Award in Theatre/Film, and most recently the Royal Academy of Dance ‘s Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Award.
Miki Nakatani as Shoko in The Hunting Gun. Photo by Stephanie Berger.
About Miki Nakatani
Miki Nakatani was born in Tokyo in January 1976 and started her career in 1993. She has won six Japan Academy Prizes for her work: Best Supporting Actress for When the Last Sword Is Drawn (2003, directed by Yojiro Takita), Best Leading Actress for Memories of Matsuko (2006, directed by Tetsuya Nakajima), Best Leading Actress for Jigyaku No Uta (2007, directed by Yukihiko Tsutsumi), Best Supporting Actress for Zero Focus (2009, directed by Isshin Inudo), Best Actress Award for Hankyu Railway – A 15 Minute Miracle (2011, directed by Yoshishige Miyake), and Best Supporting Actress in a Leading Role for Ask This of Rikyu (2013, directed by Mitsutoshi Tanaka). Appearances in foreign productions include Silk (2007, directed by François Girard) and FOUJITA (2015, directed by Kohei Oguri).
In 2011, she made her debut as a stage actress in The Hunting Gun at USINEC, Montreal. In the same year, she staged a return performance in Japan, winning the Kinokuniya Theatre Award Actress of the Year and the Yomiuri Theatre Awards for Best Actress. The following year, she won the Yomiuri Theatre Award for Best Actress for her performance in Lost in Yonkers by Neil Simon.
Lo-Zilla’s Collectible Conference
The perfect evening for fans of collectibles!
Thursday, April 6 from 6:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m.
Pig Beach BBQ Queens – 35-37 36th Street, Astoria
Admission: Free with RSVP
Event planner Lo-Zilla LLC presents Lo-Zilla’s Collectibles Conference (“LZCC”) this Thursday at Pig Beach BBQ Queens in Astoria. It’ll be a night full of delicious food, trading cards, plushies, figures, pins, funko pops, and more! Pig Beach will serve $1 wings all night.
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Lo-Zilla’s Collectible Conference is free, but you must RSVP. Visit the event’s website for full details and to reserve your spot today!
Special Guests
Barrett Leddy
Award-winning voice actor Barrett Leddy's work in animation includes Yu-Gi-Oh! SEVENS, Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS, Pokémon Sun and Moon, Pokémon Master Journeys, Crunchyroll’s Bungo and Alchemist and Number24, Nick Jr.'s 44 Cats, Netflix’s Bread Barbershop, Om Nom Stories, Robin Hood: Mischief in Sherwood, My Sweet Monster, and more.
His video game work includes Genshin Impact, Earth Defense Force: World Brothers, Yu-Gi-Oh! Rush Duel: Dawn of the Battle Royale, and Duel Links. He co-stars with Russian Doll's Natasha Lyonne in Audible's original comedy Space: 1969, written by Bill Oakley (The Simpsons). To learn more about Leddy, check out his website.
Emily Cramer
Emily Cramer is a voice actor and singer whose work can be heard internationally in commercials, animated television shows, movies, video games, dark rides, and audio dramas. Her most notable titles are currently Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS, The Winx Club, Bread Barbershop, Battle Game In 5 Seconds, EDF World Brothers, many Yu-Gi-Oh! video games, and Genshin Impact.
Before falling in love with voiceover, Cramer performed for many years in Broadway and national touring productions of Shrek the Musical, Mary Poppins, Les Misérables, and School of Rock. For more information about Cramer, please visit her website.
GUITAR MASTERS SERIES: TSUTOMU NAKAI
Japanese jazz guitarist Tsutomu Nakai will perform with his quartet at Zinc
Monday, April 3 from 7:00 p.m. until 8:15 p.m.
Monday, April 3 from 8:30 p.m. until 9:45 p.m.
Zinc – 82 W. 3rd Street (between Thompson and Sullivan Streets)
Admission: $25 in advance | $30 at the door
Jazz Guitarist Tsutomu Nakai is one of the hottest and in-demand musicians in New York City right now. His exceptionally unique guitar work is beautiful and strong, yet versatile. His mastery of improvisation is evident while emphasizing the melody above all else. This is the essence of Nakai’s style.
Tsutomu Nakai at Zinc Bar NYC 2017
He brings his quartet to Zinc on Monday, April 3 for an evening of standards and original music. Pianist Lafayette Harris, bassist Lonnie Plaxico, and drummer Dwayne "Cook" Broadnax will perform with him.
For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit Zinc’s website.
RAM Concert
Saturday, April 1 at 8:00 p.m. (Doors open at 7:30 p.m.)
Scorca Hall at National Opera Center – 330 7th Ave 7th Floor
Admission: $25 | $10 Seniors and Students
This Random Access Music (RAM) concert features the world premiere of guest composer Margaret Brouwer’s “Sonata” for clarinet and piano; a world premiere by RAM composer Masatora Goya; and more music from RAM composers Seth Boustead, Gilbert Galindo, and Daniel Hass.
Payment by cash or credit will be accepted at the venue. To make reservations, please send an email to ram.nyc.info@gmail.com. For more information, please visit RAM’s website.
RAM Players
Thomas Piercy, clarinet
Sabina Torosjan, violin
Daniel Hass, cello
Marina Iwao, piano
Meet the composers at and after the concert!
Program
Guest composer Margaret Brouwer
“Sonata” for clarinet and piano (2022)
World Premiere of International Clarinet Association consortium commission
RAM composers
Seth Boustead
“Dissonance Still Talking” for clarinet, violin, cello, piano (2007)
Gilbert Galindo
"Currents" for violin, cello, and piano (2021) NY Premiere
Masatora Goya
“How We Became Stardust" for clarinet, violin, cello, and piano (2023) World Premiere
Daniel Hass
“The Lord of Toronto, His Pavin” for cello and piano (2022)
JAPAN Fes
Saturday, April 1 from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.
Upper West Side near Columbia University, on Broadway between 115th and 116th Streets
Admission: Free
After kicking off their 2023 street fair schedule on March 26, JAPAN Fes continues this Saturday, April 1.
The Japanese food festival loved by 250,000 people, JAPAN Fes will produce 20 events throughout New York City this year, their most ever. In total, JAPAN Fes will feature more than 750 vendors, including vendors from Japan as well as around the US.
This Saturday, along with popular Japanese street food such as crusty takoyaki, savory yakisoba, fluffy okonomiyaki, and juicy karaage, many JAPAN Fes vendors will feature cherry blossom-themed products. Celebrate the season with sakura-favored crepes and cherry blossom cheese toast!
To discover more about spring in Japan, JAPAN Fes will also have cherry blossom items such as beautiful kimono or stylish cherry blossom-designed hats. For more information, please visit JAPAN Fes’s website and Facebook page.
Remaining JAPAN Fes Schedule
April 15 in Chelsea
April 29 in Chelsea – Ramen Contest
April 30 in Astoria – Ramen Contest
May 20 in NoMad
May 21 in Park Slope
June 4 in Midtown West
June 17 in East Village
June 18 in Park Slope
July 2 in Astoria
July 15 in Chelsea
August 26 in East Village
August 27 in East Village
September 9 in Upper East Side
September 16 in Chelsea – Konamon Contest
September 17 in Chelsea – Konamon Contest
October 7 in East Village – Ramen Contest
October 8 in Upper West Side – Ramen Contest
October 28 in East Village
Night Market: Asian Food & Sakura Festival
Sakura-themed night market at MIKA Bushwick
Friday, March 31 from 4:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m.
MIKA – 25 Thames Street, Brooklyn
Admission: $12 in advance / $15 at the door
MIKA and Upstairs are turning all 8,700 square feet of MIKA’s space into a night market featuring a mouthwatering, traditional Asian menu and sakura-themed food, drinks, and products. There will be sakura accessories, Pokémon goods, crafts and more throughout MIKA’s indoor and outdoor patio spaces.
Wear your cherry blossom outfits and join the fun!
Food for Purchase ($10-$15)
Award-Winning Tonkotsu Ramen
Sakura Pescatarian Ramen
Takoyaki
Yakitori
Vegan Curry Rice
Onigiri
Tokyo Fried Chicken
Gyoza
Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken
Golden Fish Ball
Fried Mushroom
Sakura Jelly
Ube and Matcha Cheesecake
Super Omakase Strawberry
Sakura-, Ube- and Matcha-Mochi Filled Cookies
Beverages (for Free Drink Ticket Holders Only)
Chu-Hi (shochu cocktails) sponsored by Iichiko and Takara Sake
Beer by DUBCO
Yuzu-flavored Mocktails by Moshi
Beverages Available for Purchase
Special Sakura, Matcha, Yuzu, Lemon, Calpico, and Oolong Chu-H
Special Sake Flight Menu with Sakura Sake Cocktails by Kubota and Kato Sake Works
For a full list of vendors and to purchase tickets, please visit the Upstairs Night Market website.
Yumi Kurosawa Trio at Joe’s Pub
Yumi Kurosawa Trio: Metamorphosis CD Release at Joe’s Pub
Thursday, March 30 at 7:00 p.m. (Doors open at 6:00 p.m.)
Joe’s Pub – 425 Lafayette Street (at Astor Place)
Admission: $25 / $15 Students
Yumi Kurosawa is one of today's most exciting soloists on Japan's national instrument, the koto. Marking the debut of her new album Metamorphosis, Kurosawa creates a transformative listening experience through her new compositions.
The Yumi Kurosawa Trio blends the violin, percussion, and koto and draws upon many musical influences to reveal Kurosawa’s abundant curiosity and remarkable capacity. Latin percussion, shakuhachi, and alto saxophone add a variety of tonal colors. The idea of borderless music is reimagined to create something unique and special.
This album recording and the world premiere of several music pieces are commissioned by Chamber Music America’s Artistic Projects program funded through the generosity of Howard Gilman Foundation. Produced by Arturo O’Farrill and Kabir Sehgal. For more information about Yumi Kurosawa, please visit her website.
Photo by Gail Hadani
Performers
Yumi Kurosawa — 20-string koto
Naho Parrini — violin
Eric Phinney — percussion
Special Guests
Carlos Maldonado — Latin percussion
Zac Zinger — shakuhachi and alto saxophone
There is a minimum two-drink or one-food order per person. To purchase tickets, please visit Joe’s Pub’s website.
Photo by Gail Hadani
WHAT’S UP CONNECTION
A Hong Kong teenager wins a trip to Japan and unleashes a chaotic chain of events. Masashi Yamamoto's unhinged globalization mini-epic.
Wednesday, March 29 at 9:30 p.m.
Alamo Drafthouse Brooklyn – 445 Albee Square West, Brooklyn
Admission: $10
Film distributor Kani Releasing is hosting a one-night-only screening of What’s Up Connection, Japanese punk auteur Masashi Yamamoto’s zany road trip comedy in which one Hong Kong family takes on a Japanese conglomerate to save their fishing village, at Alamo Drafthouse Brooklyn. Yamamoto will join via Zoom for a post-screening Q&A moderated by film critic Kazu Watanabe.
About What’s Up Connection
When Hong Kong teenager Chi Gau Shin (Tse Wai Kit, School on Fire) wins a trip to Japan, he unleashes a chain of events that will soon bring him from the secluded fishing village of Po Toi O to Tokyo, by way of Kamagasaki—the so-called slums of Osaka. Upon returning home with a merry band of schemers, Gau Shin finds his family of resourceful counterfeiters on the verge of expropriation. A multinational conglomerate led by a ruthless Japanese developer has found the village and is determined to raze it to build the new center of world trade.
A rare bilingual Japan-Hong Kong co-production that unfolds as part unhinged globalization mini-epic, fringe documentary, and breathless, kaleidoscopic evocation of a specific pan-Asian cultural experience as the 1990s drew near, What’s Up Connection is bursting at the seams with possibility. It brings Yamamoto’s project—of capturing beauty and resilience in the margins of capital—to its maximalist apex.
To purchase tickets, please visit Alamo Drafthouse’s website.
In Cantonese and Japanese with English subtitles
About Masashi Yamamoto
Born in Ōita Prefecture, indie auteur Masashi Yamamoto attended Meiji University but left early to concentrate on making independent 8mm films. In the late ‘70s to early ‘80s, he produced music for the Japanese rock band JAGATARA and has since cast punk icons Akemi Edo, Kou Machida, and Sakevi Yokoyama in his films.
His Carnival in the Night (1983) was the first independent Japanese film to be officially invited to screen at both the Cannes International Film Festival's Critics' Week and the Berlin Film Festival's Young Forum. Robinson's Garden (1987) won the Zitty Award at Berlinale and earned Yamamoto the Directors Guild of Japan’s New Directors Award. Following the completion of Atlanta Boogie (1996), he lived in New York for a year as a research fellow for Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs, during which time he distributed his film Junk Food (1997) across the US.
In 2012, he created Cinema ☆ Impact, a filmmaking workshop that produced and released 15 films from up-and-coming directors, including Nobuhiro Yamashita (Linda Linda Linda), Ryosuke Hashiguchi (Like Grains of Sand, Hush!), and Ryūichi Hiroki (Ride or Die, Vibrator). The work born from Cinema ☆ Impact was screened at film festivals in the US, Hong Kong, Japan, and Berlin.
He has also acted in films such as A Forest with No Name (Shinji Aoyama) and March Comes in Like a Lion (Hitoshi Yazaki). His latest film, Wonderful Paradise (2020), screened at the Lausanne Underground Film & Music Festival, Fantasia International Film Festival, Nippon Connection, and JAPAN CUTS in New York.
SHOKO NAGAI’S TOKALA
Shoko Nagai’s TOKALA explores the sound of the ancient connection between Japan and the Middle East via the Silk Road
Wednesday, March 29 from 8:00 p.m. until 9:30 p.m.
Barbès – 376 9th Street, Brooklyn
Suggested Donation: $20
Shoko Nagai's TOKALA explores the sound of the ancient connection between Japan and the Middle East via the Silk Road. The cultural exchange that happened there left an imprint which became an integral part of Japanese culture. The music of TOKALA can raise awareness of the ancient connection between the Far East and the Islamic world of the Middle East.
Experience TOKALA tonight at Barbès, a bar and performance space in South Slope, Brooklyn. Click here to reserve your ticket.
Performers
Shoko Nagai — Accordion, electronics, voice
Satoshi Takeishi — Percussion
Frank London — Trumpet
About Shoko Nagai
Shoko Nagai is a versatile musical artist who improvises and performs on piano and accordion with world-renowned musicians and composes original scores for films and live performances. As a teenager in her native Japan, Nagai was trained on Yamaha’s electronic organ, the “Electone,” to perform popular music.
Since moving to the US from Japan and studying classical, jazz, and composition at Berklee College of Music, she has adapted her mastery of the keyboard to prepared piano, accordions, and other keyboard instruments, often inspired by the minimalist approach of composer Toru Takemitsu. Whether she is performing Klezmer, Balkan, or experimental music, Nagai is a charismatic presence onstage, hypnotizing audiences with her intense focus and virtuoso sound.
For more information, please visit Nagai’s website.
“We have seen the art works, instruments, and other artistic objects from the Persian empire preserved in Imperial storage in Nara, Japan. We can but only imagine what it was like for musicians of Japan to hear the sounds of Persian court music. We are sure that it has left strong imprints deep in the Japanese traditional culture.”
— Shoko Nagai
the zen of shopping with zenplus
This listing is made possible by ZenPlus.
The internet has made the world smaller. People connect globally through social media platforms. Accessing information about other countries and cultures is a breeze. Even ordering your favorite products from Japan is easier with ZenPlus.
ZenPlus is a Japanese online marketplace that offers more than three million authentic products by 1,400 companies in Japan to customers all over the world. Three million.
What Kind of Products?
You can find practically anything you want on ZenPlus. Anything. Clothing and accessories, health and beauty, home and office supplies, even food and drink are among the categories of items on the website. And within these categories are even more specific subcategories.
As New Yorkers, we’re lucky to have plenty of goods from Japan only a subway ride away. You can find anime, manga, and action figures in New York City, but there are hundreds that aren’t available here. As I browsed through the ZenPlus website, I found fascinating things that I didn’t realize I could buy online from Japan.
Hanging scrolls and a sleeping bag with sleeves? Check. Shogi board games and fishing reels? Check. All the Kit Kat flavors from Tokyo Banana to cheesecake can be yours, as well as a tambourine shaped like a koala. The possibilities are endless.
How Does It Work?
The Osaka-based company acts as a liaison between the customer and the companies they represent. ZenPlus understands that Japanese culture and products are revered around the world, so they make it easy for customers in hundreds of countries who need to communicate in languages other than Japanese.
Go to the ZenPlus website. Create a free account and shop online as you would with any e-commerce platform. Choose your shipping and payment methods, and you’re done. Shipping may take several days to several weeks depending on the method you choose, standard or express.
Explore ZenPlus and find the world of Japan at your fingertips. As ZenPlus says, “You don't need to be in Japan to shop like the Japanese.”
This listing is made possible by our generous sponsor, ZenPlus.To learn more about ZenPlus, please visit https://zenplus.jp/en/.
Blue Note Presents Hiromi: The Piano Quintet feat. PUBLIQuartet
Japanese jazz composer and pianist Hiromi returns to New York to perform four shows at Sony Hall (235 W. 46th Street), on November 29 and Wednesday, November 30 at 7:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. (presented by Blue Note). Hiromi will take the stage with the Grammy-nominated PUBLIQuartet, which is known for its imaginative approaches to contemporary classical, jazz, and world chamber music.
Tuesday, November 29 and Wednesday, November 30 at 7:00 p.m. (Doors at 5:30 p.m.) and 9:30 p.m. (Doors at 9:00 p.m.)
Sony Hall – 235 W. 46th Street (between 7th and 8th Avenues)
General Admission: $45 Advance | $50 Day of Show
VIP Reserved Seating: $65
Japanese jazz composer and pianist Hiromi returns to New York to perform four shows in two nights at Sony Hall, presented by Blue Note. Hiromi will take the stage with the Grammy-nominated PUBLIQuartet, which is known for its imaginative approaches to contemporary classical, jazz, and world chamber music.
Tickets
To purchase tickets, please visit Sony Hall’s website. General Admission seating is limited and available on a first come, first served basis. VIP reservations include guaranteed seating in a designated section. This all-ages show will have a full dinner menu available.
About Hiromi
Ever since the 2003 release of her debut, Another Mind, Hiromi has electrified audiences with a creative energy that encompasses and eclipses the boundaries of jazz, classical, and pop, taking improvisation and composition to new heights of complexity and sophistication. On her new album, Silver Lining Suite, Hiromi further exemplifies her virtuosic hybridity and emotional range, finding strength and hope amidst the turmoil of the pandemic.
Born in Hamamatsu, Japan in 1979, Hiromi’s first piano teacher, Noriko Hikida, exposed Hiromi to jazz and introduced her to the great pianists Erroll Garner and Oscar Peterson. She enrolled in the Yamaha School of Music and started writing music.
Hiromi moved to the United States in 1999 and studied at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Among her mentors was jazz bassist/arranger Richard Evans, who took Hiromi’s demo to his friend, the legendary pianist Ahmad Jamal. Evans and Jamal co-produced Another Mind.
Another Mind was a critical success in North America and Japan, where the album shipped gold and received the Recording Industry Association of Japan’s Jazz Album of the Year Award. Hiromi’s astonishing debut was but a forecast of the shape of jazz to come.
In 2009, she recorded with pianist Chick Corea on Duet, a live recording of their concert in Tokyo. She also appeared on bassist Stanley Clarke’s Grammy-winning release, Jazz in the Garden.
In the summer of 2021, Hiromi performed at the opening ceremonies of the Tokyo Olympics.
The Japanese-Themed Short Films of New York Japan CineFest
The New York Japan CineFest, a film festival that introduces Japanese-themed short films, is celebrating its eleventh year. The in-person screening tonight (November 14) at Scandinavia House features nine of the festival’s 21 films. Some guest directors are scheduled to appear on stage. To purchase tickets to the in-person screening, please visit NYJCF’s Eventbrite page.
The 11th New York Japan CineFest
In-person Screening on Monday, November 14 at 7:00 p.m.
Scandinavia House – 58 Park Avenue at 38th Street
In-person Tickets: $15 in advance; $18 at the door | Students: $12 in advance; $15 at the door
Online Screening from Tuesday, November 15 through Sunday, November 20
Online Screenings: $15 + suggested donation
New York Japan CineFest, a film festival that introduces Japanese-themed short films, is celebrating its eleventh year. The in-person screening tonight (November 14) at Scandinavia House features nine of the festival’s 21 films. Some guest directors are scheduled to appear on stage. To purchase tickets to the in-person screening, please visit NYJCF’s Eventbrite page.
Online screening will be available from Tuesday, November 15 through November 20 at New York Japan CineFest’s website. With the purchase of a Festival Pass, viewers in the US can watch all 21 short films in seven days. To register for the online screenings, please visit NYJCF’s website.
Mar Creation hosts the festival with partners CYBER New York, Japan Information and Culture Center (Embassy of Japan in Washington, D.C.), Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia, Sapporo International Short Film Festival, and Aichi International Women’s Film Festival.
Films
Veils
Dir. Erika Nakayama | 2021 | 17:57 | Drama | Japan
Ayumi Tani, an owner of a small bookstore, and Sayaka Murakami, a call center worker, are a lesbian couple living together. While They feel somewhat stifled by the fact that they are part of LGBTQ community, They are looking forward to having a wedding-style photoshoot to celebrate their anniversary.
Lost in Eden
Dir. Hakim Hayashi | 2021 | 14:31 | Drama | Japan
Rika, a young Japanese girl, lives with her new French husband, Isaac, in Paris. She finally manages to renew her residence permit after a long struggle with the chaotic French administration. Then a man from the Japanese Embassy brings a cruel reality to her: We have to deal with your parents’ situation. She faces a Cornelian dilemma.
Kurosawa’s Grave
Dir. Ben Lopez | 2021 | 13:47 | Documentary | United States
Viewed through the eyes of an expert cinephile, this pilgrimage to Japan and love letter to Akira Kurosawa will transport the audience to a moment where modernity meets nostalgia.
Kurosawa’s Grave
Dir. Ben Lopez | 2021 | 13:47 | Documentary | United States
Viewed through the eyes of an expert cinephile, this pilgrimage to Japan and love letter to Akira Kurosawa will transport the audience to a moment where modernity meets nostalgia.
Bigger Is Better
Dir. Larry Tung | 2021 | 24:57 | Documentary | Taiwan
Bigger Is Better is a documentary about the identity culture and body politics of the bear subculture within a larger gay male community in Asia. It takes the audience to Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and China to meet with stakeholders and examines the development of this unique subculture and its meaning and impact.
I Love Today’s Sky
Dir. Kazuma Yano | 2022 | 6:26 | Drama | Japan
Do you remember yesterday’s sky? The sky always extends beyond your upward gaze. I love today’s sky where clouds scatter leisurely. This film is based on “I Love Today’s Sky,” Shuntaro Tanikawa’s new poem that describes a bright future.
MaTcH
Dir. Masaki Katsuyama | 2022 | 20:00 | Drama | Japan
Haruko, an old Japanese mother, goes to Tokyo from Osaka to see her 30-year-old son, Shuji. The purpose of her visit is to set up matchmaking for him because he is still a single man. However, Shuji already uses a matching app to find his partner.
The Voice Actress
Dir. Anna J. Takayama | 2022 | 15:06 | Drama | Japan
Kingyo, a veteran voice actress working in Tokyo, possesses a unique ability to see the soul in all things, living and inanimate. The voice acting world is changing, and Kingyo must find a way to reconcile her way of living with the modern industry.
CASSETTE TAPE
Dir. Yurugu Matsumoto | 2020 | 23:25 | Drama | Japan
Young office worker Saki is looking forward to a birthday date with her boyfriend, whom she has been dating for three years. He surprises her the next day when he suddenly proposes marriage. However, Saki’s father is anything but enthusiastic and responsive to their wedding plans.
Submittan
Dir. Susumu Kimura | 2021 | 18:14 | Drama, Sci-Fi, Dystopian | United States
In the future city of Submittan, people over 80 years old are forced into “retirement” to a remote mountain area as the city deals with increased population. The burden falls on the shoulders of an immigrant artist, who is tasked with designing a propaganda poster to convince citizens of this new registration.
KAGEBOSHI
Dir. Ken Ochiai | 2020 | 5:02 | Drama, Horror | United States
In the 1930s, a Japanese American father and daughter must play a deadly game of shadow tag to escape from a demon child, Kageboshi.
Never Give Up: Akinori in Mooresville
Dir. Royce Akifumi Wilmot | 2022 | 13:12 | Documentary | United States
Twenty-four years after attending his first NASCAR race, Akinori Ogata chases his dream of one day racing in the Daytona 500. Moving his family halfway across the world in the process, he races locally in the lower series of NASCAR, working for his big break.
Above Water
Dir. Ken Honjo, Kentaro Yoshimura | 2022 | 26:00 | Documentary, Environmental | United States
On the remote island of Sarichef off the Northwest coast of Alaska, 20 miles below the Arctic Circle, there’s a small village called Shishmaref. Every year, it continues to get smaller as rising water levels erode its shores. In the summer of 2021, two artists were invited to the island to paint a mural, and they learned more about the culture and the impact of the melting permafrost.
Final Deathtination (In association with Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia)
Dir. Marika Tamura | 2021 | 2:05 | Animation | United States
A suicidal man encounters “Death,” who is a “travel agent,” to find the best place to die.
Living While Black in Japan (In association with Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia)
Dir. Shiho Fukada & Keith Bedford | 2021 | 15:13 | Documentary | Japan
African Americans in Japan discuss how racial issues in the U.S. affected their decision to live abroad.
MARE (In association with Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia)
Dir. Tamaki Ishida & Akito Kawabe | 2022 | 7:46 | Animation, Sci-Fi | Japan
In a world that became a wasteland of toxic gas, there’s a painter who lives in an isolated shelter. He draws paintings of oceans. Why does he make these paintings? What happened to the world? This is a story about our near future, with environmental pollution and sheltered lives.
Summer Ends (In association with Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia)
Dir. Yuka Doi | 2021 | 23:53 | Drama | Japan
Botan’s father is a sparkler maker. One day, she is frustrated because she is not allowed to make sparklers, and her father, Yanagi, has a falling out with her. Several years later, Botan, now an AD at a video production company, has no choice but to return to her estranged parents’ home for an interview.
just another summer day (In association with Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia)
Dir. Yoshika Matsuoka | 2021 | 25:00 | Drama | Japan
It was “just” a summer day spent with someone she didn’t know. Hizuki was drunk and lost her memory.
Pain of the Anonymous (In association with Sapporo International Short Film Festival)
Dir. Daichi Amano | 2021 | 27:00 | Drama | Japan
Struggling to find work and entrenched in a personal health crisis, a former middle school teacher accepts a position as an online content moderator. She is faced daily with death, violence, and abuse—and reminders of unspeakable past traumas.
Siblings (In association with Aichi International Women’s Film Festival)
Dir. Yoko Sato | 2021 | 39:55 | Drama | Japan
Nozomi has a younger sister, Kie, with mental disability but has yet to tell her boyfriend, Takashi, about her. One day, Nozomi finally informed him about Kie upon their engagement, causing confusion. From there, Nozomi faces a series of problems peculiar to a family with disabilities, and she starts to reconsider her life.
Mi
Dir. Masayoshi Nakamura & Zak Engel | 2022 | 4:23 | Animation | United States
This film is the journey of a father and son. The young son enters into this crazy and unknown world, and the father tries to guide him though as best as a father could. There are some things the father himself doesn’t fully understand, and he lets the son know that’s ok.
Ukujima
Dir. Tekko Nogami | 2021 | 4:02 | Drama, History | Japan
Today’s travelers follow the path of Iemori Taira, which has been passed down to Ukujima, an island in the Goto archipelago off the coast of Kyushu. Their path will eventually synchronize as they come into contact with the life and culture of the people on the island from the past, present, and future. It is a journey story that encounters a miracle that “people return to themselves.”
About New York Japan CineFest
NYJCF was founded by three Japanese producers based in New York in 2012: Yasu Suzuki (actor, dancer and filmmaker), Kosuke Furukawa (film director), and Hiroshi Kono (CEO of Mar Creation, Inc.) Since 2015, the film festival has screened its programs and films in multiple cities including Boston, Washington, D.C., Houston, Los Angeles, and San Francisco in the U.S. NYCF has also participated in film festivals in Japan such as the Aichi International Film Festival Sapporo International Short Film Festival and Market, Kadoma International Film Festival, and New Director Film Festival.
Documentary about Women in Taiko to Screen at DOC NYC
A drum master from Japan and a Korean adoptee from Minnesota boldly convene an all-female troupe to perform Taiko, the Japanese drumming art that has been off-limits to women for centuries. As the early menace of Covid rumbles in the background, the group faces down hurdles to prepare for a historic performance in snowy St. Paul. Buoyed by dynamic drum performances and do-or-die spirit, directors Dawn Mikkelson and Keri Pickett create an energizing and uplifting story of music, cultural expression and sisterhood. – Karen McMullen
Finding Her Beat
Wednesday, November 16 at 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, November 17 at noon
IFC Center – 323 6th Avenue (at W. 3rd Street)
Tickets: $19 General Admission | $17 Seniors and Children | $16 IFC Center Members
In-person Screenings before 5:00 p.m.: $12 General Admission | $10 IFC Center Members
Online Screenings: Thursday, November 17 through Sunday, November 27
Online Tickets: $12 General Admission | $9 IFC Center Members
DOC NYC, the largest documentary festival in the US, is currently celebrating its 13th anniversary with in-person and online screenings, including the New York premiere of Finding Her Beat.
About Finding Her Beat
A drum master from Japan and a Korean adoptee from Minnesota boldly convene an all-female troupe to perform Taiko, the Japanese drumming art that has been off-limits to women for centuries. As the early menace of Covid rumbles in the background, the group faces down hurdles to prepare for a historic performance in snowy St. Paul. Buoyed by dynamic drum performances and do-or-die spirit, directors Dawn Mikkelson and Keri Pickett create an energizing and uplifting story of music, cultural expression and sisterhood. – Karen McMullen
Check out the film’s trailer.
Q&A
Filmmakers Dawn Mikkelson and Keri Pickett, subjects/producers Jennifer Weir and Megan Chao Smith, and field producer/cinematographer Caroline Stucky will attend the 7pm show on Wednesday, November 16 at the IFC Center for a Q&A after the screening.
Discount for JCNYC Readers
DOC NYC is generously offering our community a discount of $3 off tickets for in-person and online screenings. Enter promo code DOCNYC_PTNR_22 at checkout for the discounted price. To purchase tickets, please visit DOC NYC’s website.
19 Japanese Restaurants in New York That Earned Michelin Stars in 2022
Michelin released its 2022 New York guide on October 6. Of the 73 restaurants on the list, 19 are Japanese, including six making their Michelin debut. Famed—and expensive—sushi restaurant Masa continues to sit atop the list with three stars, and the rest of the list earned one each. The majority of the entries are pricey sushi spots, while a few serve kaiseki fare. Tempura Matsui and Torien are the lone tempura and yakitori restaurants, respectively.
Michelin released its 2022 New York guide on October 6. Of the 73 restaurants on the list, 19 are Japanese, including six making their Michelin debut. Famed—and expensive—sushi restaurant Masa continues to sit atop the list with three stars, and the rest of the list earned one each. The majority of the entries are pricey sushi spots, while a few serve kaiseki fare. Tempura Matsui and Torien are the lone tempura and yakitori restaurants, respectively.
If you’re not into spending up to $600 on sushi, you’ll find the more practical Michelin Bib Gourmands at the bottom of this list.
Here are the 19 Japanese restaurants with Michelin stars for 2022.
Three Stars (“Exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey”)
Masa
Type of Cuisine: Sushi
10 Columbus Circle, Time Warner Center
Website: http://www.masanyc.com/
The most expensive restaurant in the country maintains its three stars.
One Star (“A very good restaurant in its category”)
Hirohisa
Type of cuisine: Kaiseki
73 Thompson Street
Website: https://www.hirohisa.nyc/
Chef Hirohisa Hayashi focuses on seasonal kaiseki.
ICCA (NEW)
Type of cuisine: Sushi
20 Warren Street
Website: https://icca.nyc/
Chef Kazushige Suzuki serves only fish from Japan for his omakase and tasting menu.
Kanoyama
Type of cuisine: Sushi
175 2nd Avenue
Website: https://kanoyama.com/
East Village sushi restaurant earns a star for the sixth consecutive year.
Kosaka
Type of cuisine: Sushi
220 W. 13th Street
Website: http://kosakanyc.com/
Executive Chef Yoshihiko Kousaka is the former Executive Chef of Jewel Bako, which earned several Michelin stars before closing in 2020.
l’Abeille (NEW)
Type of cuisine: French
412 Greenwich Street
Website: https://www.labeille.nyc/
This French spot may be new to New York’s Michelin scene, but Executive Chef Mitsunobu Nagae is a veteran of Michelin-starred restaurants, including Château Restaurant Joël Robuchon in Tokyo.
Noda
Type of cuisine: Sushi
6 W. 28th Street
Website: https://www.noda.nyc/
Chef Shigeyuki Tsunoda serves a 20-course omakase twice a night.
Noz 17 (NEW)
Type of cuisine: Sushi
458 W. 17th Street
Website: https://www.noz17.com/
The companion restaurant to Sushi Noz, Chef Junichi Matsuzaki, Chef Nozomu Abe’s protégé, serves a thirty-course, Edomae-style sushi tasting menu in this seven-seat space in Chelsea.
odo
Type of cuisine: Kaiseki
17 W. 20th Street
Website: https://www.odo.nyc/
Seasonal kaiseki for lunch and dinner
Shion 69 Leonard Street (NEW)
Type of cuisine: Edomae Sushi
60 Leonard Street
Website: https://www.69leonardstreet.com/
Formerly of Sushi Saito in Tokyo (three Michelin stars) creates an Edomae-style experience in an intimate setting.
Sushi Amane
Type of cuisine: Sushi
245 E. 44th Street
Website: https://www.sushi-amane.com/
Omakase sushi restaurant earns fifth consecutive Michelin star.
Sushi Ginza Onodera
Type of cuisine: Sushi
461 5th Avenue
Website: https://www.sushiginzaonoderanewyork.com/
Dropped from two stars to one
Sushi Nakazawa
Type of cuisine: Sushi
23 Commerce Street
Website: https://www.sushinakazawa.com/
Everyone’s favorite former Jiro apprentice continues to earn accolades of his own.
Sushi Noz
Type of cuisine: Sushi
181 E. 78th Street
Website: https://www.sushinoz.com/
Experience omakase at an eight-seat, 200-year-old hinoki counter run by Chef Nozomu Abe, who was inspired by the fish from his grandfather’s Hokkaido seafood company.
Sushi Yasuda
Type of cuisine: Sushi
204 E. 43rd Street
Website: https://www.sushiyasuda.com/
This Midtown East stalwart has been serving sushi in NYC for almost 25 years.
Tempura Matsui
Type of cuisine: Tempura
222 E. 39th Street
Website: https://www.tempuramatsui.com/
The late chef Masao Matsui, after whom Tempura Matsui is named, perfected the lightly coated technique that his staff carries on today, elevating tempura into fine dining.
Torien (NEW)
Type of cuisine: Yakitori
292 Elizabeth Street
Website: https://torien-nyc.com/
Chef Yoshiteru Ikegawa presents a 13-course yakitori experience devoted to all parts of the chicken.
Tsukimi
Type of cuisine: Kaiseki
228 E. 10th Street
Website: https://www.tsukimi.nyc/
With its name meaning “moon viewing,” Tsukimi’s modern kaiseki celebrates the harvest as well as Japanese hospitality.
Yoshino New York (NEW)
Type of cuisine: Sushi
342 Bowery
Website: https://www.yoshinonewyork.com/
This Michelin newcomer is named after the chef’s father’s hometown in Nara Prefecture.
Bib Gourmands (“Inspectors’ favorites for good value”)
Michelin now defines “good value” as spending $49 or less—excluding tax and gratuity—for two courses and a glass of wine or dessert. This is up from the previous limit of $40. The Guide considers these restaurants the highest quality affordable restaurants in the city.
DOMODOMO
Type of Cuisine: Temaki, Sushi
138 W. Houston Street
Website: https://www.domodomonyc.com/
Hanon
Type of Cuisine: Udon
436 Union Avenue, Brooklyn
Website: Hanon on Resy
Jin Ramen
Type of Cuisine: Ramen
3183 Broadway
Website: https://125.jinramen.com/jin-west-harlem/
Nami Nori
Type of Cuisine: Temaki
33 Carmine Street
Website: https://naminori.nyc/
Shalom Japan
Type of Cuisine: “Authentically inauthentic Jewish and Japanese food”
310 S. 4th Street, Brooklyn
Website: https://shalomjapannyc.com/
Soba-ya
Type of Cuisine: Soba Noodles
229 E. 9th Street
Website: https://sobaya.square.site/
Tonchin
Type of Cuisine: Ramen
13 W. 36th Street
Website: https://www.tonchinnewyork.com/
For a complete list of all the New York restaurants that earned stars—not just the Japanese ones—please visit Michelin’s website.
Thumbs Up Ramen Puts Bubbles in Your Broth
The Japanese word awa means “bubble” or “foam.” Sake fans are familiar with this term in reference to sparkling sake or sake that has champagne-like qualities, Hakkaisan’s AWA and Nanbu Bijin’s AWA Sparkling to name just two brands. Now ramen lovers can enjoy the same effect in their broth at Thumbs Up Ramen.
The Japanese word awa means “bubble” or “foam.” Sake fans are familiar with this term in reference to sparkling sake or sake that has champagne-like qualities, Hakkaisan’s AWA and Nanbu Bijin’s AWA Sparkling to name just two brands. Now ramen lovers can enjoy the same effect in their broth at Thumbs Up Ramen.
Thumbs Up Ramen is a new ramen shop that opened on June 1 in Fort Lee, New Jersey. Their signature style is Bubble (AWA) Ramen in which the broth is whisked to bring out the umami, creating a bubbly, creamy texture. According to the owners, it’s the only restaurant in the New York City/New Jersey area that serves this style of ramen.
Chef Naotaka Miyazawa of Thumbs Up Ramen
A Brief History of Thumbs Up Ramen
Chef Naotaka Miyazawa teamed up with restaurateur Teruaki Ishiyama to open Thumbs Up Ramen in Fort Lee. Chef Miyazawa has been working with the beloved Japanese comfort food for more than 30 years. Starting at a ramen shop in Tokyo during high school, Chef Miyazawa moved on to Tsujita, a ramen restaurant known for its artisanal tsukemen, a type of ramen where cold noodles are dipped into a broth that’s in a separate bowl. When Tsujita expanded to the US, Chef Miyazawa developed the menu for its first restaurant in Los Angeles and eventually six other locations on the West Coast.
Ishiyama opened and managed the US outposts of Tendon Kaneko Hannosuke Nihombashi Honten, a famous tempura restaurant in Tokyo. He later opened his own restaurants, including Tokyo Shokudo, Tendon Tempura Carlos Jr., and B-Bee Crepe & Boba, in California and Illinois. A New Jersey resident for the last five years, Ishiyama thought that Fort Lee, with its proximity to Manhattan, would be the perfect place to open a ramen restaurant.
Whisking the broth at Thumbs Up Ramen
“Bubble” Ramen
Chef Miyazawa didn’t invent Bubble (AWA) Ramen, but he developed his own recipe after being inspired by several ramen shops that serve it in Japan. His chicken paitan broth takes 20 hours to make, slowly boiling chicken bones and eight different vegetables. At the time a customer places an order, he whisks the broth in a bowl before adding the toppings.
The result is a bowl of ramen that appeals to the senses: beautiful, fragrant bubbles that have a creamy but light texture and effervescent mouthfeel and work in harmony with fresh noodles made in Sun Noodle’s New Jersey factory.
View of the kitchen at Thumbs Up Ramen
My First AWA Ramen Experience
I was a guest at Thumbs Up Ramen in early July. (Full disclosure: I received a free meal from Thumbs Up Ramen in exchange for an honest review.) The space is bright and sunny, with seating for 50. Its open kitchen allows customers seated at the bench the chance to peek in and watch the whisking.
Chicken Paitan Bubble (AWA) Ramen at Thumbs Up Ramen
I had their signature dish, the chicken paitan. Yes, seeing the bubbles was delightful, but tasting it was even better. The velvety broth is brimming with umami, and the red onions and scallions add an extra oomph of flavor. The sous-vide char siu is thinly sliced and easy to chew, with a look and flavor that are reminiscent of prosciutto. There’s also a generous piece of chicken char siu, which soaked up the flavor of the broth. My favorite ramen topping is the boiled egg, and Thumbs Up’s had a deep orange yolk that was slightly gooey, which is the way I prefer it. All of this blended perfectly with the noodles.
Char siu
Chicken char siu
Rich, orange boiled egg
Noodles by Sun Noodle
Menu Options
Thumbs Up’s menu includes eight types of ramen: the aforementioned chicken paitan, chicken paitan tsukemen, chicken paitan miso, chicken paitan miso tsukemen, tomato mabo-noodle, vegetable, classic shoyu, and ramen you can customize with 15 different toppings. Rice bowls and appetizers such as chicken karaage, takoyaki, gyoza, and pork buns are also available.
Spacious Thumbs Up Ramen
Worth the Trek to NJ?
I know what you’re thinking. If you live in New York City, where there is no shortage of exceptional ramen shops, why would you go to New Jersey for a bowl of ramen? Trust me, I thought the same thing. But it’s worth the trip, and not just for the bubbly broth. The entire bowl of ramen is tasty, and I’d love to go back to try Chef Miyazawa’s other styles. Plus, it’s not far from the Mitsuwa shopping complex in Edgewater. My recommendation is to enjoy a bowl of bubble ramen at Thumbs Up Ramen before a Mitsuwa/Daiso run.
How to Get There from NYC
Thumbs Up Ramen is located at 2024 Center Avenue, Suite G in Fort Lee, New Jersey. It’s open daily from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Take bus #158 from Port Authority Bus Terminal to Main Street at Center Avenue, which is about a 40-minute ride. Walk north for two or three minutes. Click here for the schedules.
Take bus #182 from the George Washington Bridge Terminal in Manhattan, going over the bridge into Fort Lee. Tell the driver you want to get off at Main Street at Center Avenue, which is the stop after Main Street at Bergen Boulevard. The bus ride takes only ten minutes! Click here for the schedules.
All Done!
For All Things Japanese in New York City, check out JapanCulture-NYC.com and follow @JapanCultureNYC on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook!
The Joy of Sake Returns to New York
After a three-year hiatus forced by the pandemic, the Joy of Sake returns to New York for its 17th celebration. There will be an astonishing 576 different labels from throughout Japan and the US available for tasting. Sake-themed appetizers from top New York restaurants add to the enjoyment, making the Joy of Sake the event of the year for the city’s sake enthusiasts.
The Joy of Sake New York
Thursday, August 4 from 6:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m.
Metropolitan Pavilion – 125 W. 18th Street (between 6th and 7th Avenues)
Admission: $120
After a three-year hiatus forced by the pandemic, the Joy of Sake returns to New York for its 17th celebration. There will be an astonishing 576 different labels from throughout Japan and the US available for tasting. Sake-themed appetizers from top New York restaurants add to the enjoyment, making the Joy of Sake the event of the year for the city’s sake enthusiasts.
For a great rundown of what to expect, check out food writer Nancy Matsumoto’s recent sake blog post. The co-author of Exploring the World of Japanese Craft Sake: Rice, Water, Earth, Matsumoto will have a table at the Joy of Sake, selling and signing copies of the gorgeous and informative book.
The admission fee includes unlimited samplings of sake and a dish from all participating restaurants. To purchase tickets, please visit the Joy of Sake’s Eventbrite page.
Participating Restaurants
BondST
En Japanese Brasserie
Insa
Juban
Katsuya
Kimika
Kissaki
Momoya
Rule of Thirds
Sakagura
Sarashina Horii
Sen Sakana
Towa
Yopparai
Zuma
For more details about the event, please visit the Joy of Sake’s website.
Manhattanites Now Have a Daiso of Their Own
July 15 was a banner day for Manhattan-based Daiso fans. The celebrated Japanese retailer known for its inexpensive, yet high-quality products opened its first Manhattan store.
July 15 was a banner day for Manhattan-based Daiso fans. The celebrated Japanese retailer known for its inexpensive, yet high-quality products opened its first Manhattan store.
The new location at 220 E. 57th Street (between 2nd and 3rd Avenues) marks the eighty-third Daiso storefront in the contiguous United States. There are now more than 3,300 stores in Japan and more than 5,500 worldwide. The Manhattan opening is particularly pleasing to city dwellers who until now have had to trek to Brooklyn or Queens to indulge in purchasing loads of stationery, craft supplies, and home goods at significantly low prices. Manhattanites showed their appreciation by waiting in a long line down E. 57th Street on the morning of the grand opening.
Check out our Instagram reel of the line outside the store on July 15, the morning of the grand opening.
Serendipitous Situation
“We never thought about opening in Manhattan before because of the price, but because of COVID the rent [lowered], and we thought maybe now is a good chance to open a store here,” says Shuhei Geshi, store operation manager for Daiso in the US. “We always get so many messages from customers on Instagram or Facebook that they want us to open a store in Manhattan, so this is like a destination for us, finally.”
It’s unusual to hear a favorable rent-related story during COVID, but in Daiso’s case, the pandemic actually helped. A real estate broker informed Daiso management about the availability of the Manhattan site in February 2021. The new store is Daiso’s largest in New York City, topping the square footage of the Flushing, Rego Park, and Japan Village locations.
Geshi says that all the stores have the same inventory, but the Manhattan location serves a different purpose for Manhattanites.
“Customers cannot come here by car, so I wanted to have this store so that customers can come back every day,” he says.
Shoppers can stop by Daiso Manhattan often for things that are easy to carry, rather than a once-a-month visit where they purchase items in bulk that they can put in the trunk of their cars.
Daiso’s US store operation manager Shuhei Geshi with brush pens, a popular item
Most Popular Items
You can find practically anything you’d want for your kitchen, your office, your latest craft project, and even your garden at Daiso. The shelves are filled with products you didn’t realize you needed.
Asked what Daiso’s best sellers are, Geshi first points to the store’s well-stocked stationery section.
“Staples closed so many stores, and our stationery items are increasing in sales a lot. Especially pens from Japan are really popular,” he says, referring to brush pens that are used in calligraphy.
Sanrio characters adorn a variety of items for sale at Daiso
Items featuring characters from such beloved lines as Sanrio and Disney are also high on the list.
Surprisingly, Daiso’s brand of makeup pads and cotton balls are hot ticket items for the store. There’s even an end cap dedicated to them. Geshi points out that a nearby drug store sells the same items, but for a higher price. A bag of 400 cotton balls costs Daiso customers $1.99, whereas a 200-count bag goes for $3.99 elsewhere. The drug store brand’s cotton balls are larger, however.
Shuhei Geshi says cotton makeup pads and cotton balls are favorites of customers at Daiso
Future Goals
If Geshi has his way, the first Daiso in Manhattan won’t be the last. His goal is to open more stores in the city, “near supermarkets or similar retail stores. Maybe customers will become interested in our products,” he says. Bronx and Staten Island locations are also on his wishlist.
Daiso price conversion chart
Pricing Structure
Almost every item in the store is $1.99. The packaging for items in that price point doesn’t have the symbol/character for yen—¥ or 円. Products that cost more than $1.99 will have the price in yen, including tax. Yen-to-US dollar conversion signs are found throughout the store, so customers will know exactly how much each item costs. A lot of shoppers—myself included—don’t pay attention to those signs. Instead, we choose to throw whatever we want into our baskets and analyze our receipts after purchasing, marveling at how we bought so many items for so little money.
Daiso can keep costs low because it purchases in high volume—in the millions for a single product. This bulk-buying practice allows the variety store to stick to its mission of helping consumers maintain a high standard of living without paying high prices.
You’re sure to find something that will make you happier or feel more efficient by strolling the aisles at Daiso.
Dishes at Daiso
Daiso: where you can get origami paper AND rubber chickens
Woven storage boxes for organizing your home
Daiso’s section of office supplies
Daiso Locations in New York City
Manhattan: 220 E. 57th Street, between 2nd and 3rd Avenues
Flushing, Queens: 40-24 College Point Boulevard
Rego Park, Queens: 61-35 Junction Boulevard
Brooklyn: 68 35th Street, 2nd Floor in Japan Village, Industry City
For more information, please visit Daiso’s website.
For All Things Japanese in New York City, check out JapanCulture-NYC.com and follow @JapanCultureNYC on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook!
Japanese Dessert Shop Reopens in New Home at Industry City
After a two-month hiatus Tadaima dessert shop has reopened in their gorgeous new space, just down the hall in Industry City’s The Makers Guild. The new shop’s facade looks like it was transported from Japan with signage in the form of a traditional Japanese andon lantern and intricate woodwork framing the windows.
You may recall Tadaima dessert shop from our 2021 Holiday Gift Guide. After a two-month hiatus they have now reopened in their gorgeous new space, just down the hall in Industry City’s The Makers Guild. The new shop’s facade looks like it was transported from Japan with signage in the form of a traditional Japanese andon lantern and intricate woodwork framing the windows.
Owner Ayaka Ando’s rotating seasonal menu of baked goods, sweets, and intricately crafted beverages has returned. Current offerings are sable cookies in matcha and black sesame; cakes such as a plant-based spiced carrot or yuzu lemon pound cake, both adorned with beautiful edible flowers; and black sesame, maple, and matcha madeleines.
As for beverages, the black sesame latte is back, as well as a matcha latte made with matcha from Nagasaki. Most beverages are served either hot or iced, and with both being equally delicious, it’s hard to choose! There is a new line of Tadaima tea which you can make at home, as well as a few flavors of homemade granola.
Some new menu items were added such as the umami grilled cheese, which looks amazing. With this new space, all baking is now done on the premises. The big window behind the counter allows you to see Ando working her magic, baking the tasty treats she has to offer.
Tadaima
Dessert Shop
Open Thursday through Sunday from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.
51 35th Street, 2nd floor, Brooklyn, NY 11232
Building 5, 2nd floor of Industry City
Ayaka Ando, owner of Tadaima
Hakata Amaou: Japan’s “King of Strawberry”
Fukuoka Prefecture, located on the island of Kyushu in the southwestern part of Japan, is not only known for Hakata ramen but something equally delicious: strawberries. Hakata Amaou is a special variety of strawberry that farmers in Fukuoka Prefecture developed in 2002.
What comes to mind when you think of Fukuoka? I usually think of Hakata ramen. I’m reminded of the yatai that line the streets along the river in Fukuoka City, selling deep, steaming bowls of the tonkotsu-style ramen with its rich, creamy broth made of pork bones.
Fukuoka Prefecture, located on the island of Kyushu in the southwestern part of Japan, is also known for something equally delicious: strawberries. Hakata Amaou is a special variety of strawberry that farmers in Fukuoka Prefecture developed in 2002.
What’s in a Name?
Here’s a handy way to explain the acronym that “Amaou” forms.
The ABCs of Amaou Strawberries
A for theあ of あかい (akai) = “red”
MA for the ま of まるい (marui) = “round”
O for the お ofおおきい (ookii) = “large”
U for the うof うまい (umai) = “tasty”
Farming Methods
Farmers cultivate Hakata Amaou in greenhouses, using bamboo sticks to hold up the leaves so that the strawberries are exposed to good sunlight. The space between the plants is wide to give the strawberries as much sunlight as possible, and bees cross-pollinate the strawberries. These methods produce large fruit with a gorgeous red color. Hakata Amaou strawberries are juicy and have a sweet, but not overbearing, flavor that is slightly acidic. They are perfect in sweets, especially strawberry shortcake. Adding them to yogurt and a glass of sparkling sake will add the perfect amount of sweetness and juiciness.
Not Just Delicious
In addition to its juicy sweetness, Amaou strawberries are also nutritious. They contain dietary fiber that absorbs and eliminates toxins and other harmful substances from the body. One Amaou strawberry has half as much vitamin C as one lemon, and it can help boost your immunity as well as increase collagen production. It also contains potassium, which is an anti-inflammatory.
A bowl of delicious Hakata Amaou strawberries
Fun Fact
In 2015 the Guinness Book of World Records certified that a Hakata Amaou strawberry that Koji Nakao grew in Fukuoka was the world’s heaviest strawberry. Weighing in at 8.82 ounces (250 grams), the strawberry broke a record that a man in England held for 32 years. (Chahi Ariel of Israel broke Nakao’s record in February 2021.)
Not-So-Fun Fact
Enjoying these strawberries come at a cost. ZEN-NOH Fukuren, the Fukuoka Prefecture headquarters of the National Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives, reported that sales reached 1,450 yen/kg (almost $12 per 2.2 pounds) for Hakata Amaou in 2018. At recent pop-ups at RESOBOX, a Japanese cultural center in Long Island City and the East Village, the strawberries sold for $40 a pack.
Hakata Amaou at The Market Line
Where to Find Them
Grown exclusively in Fukuoka, Hakata Amaou are enjoyed by people across Japan. There are more than 20 farms throughout Fukuoka Prefecture where the public can pick strawberries during the season, which runs from November to mid-March.
Japan exports the strawberries to Hong Kong and Taiwan. As for New York, we were lucky that RESOBOX facilitated pop-up markets, but their recent pop-up at The Market Line in Essex Market was the last of the year. We’ll have to wait until November to try the juicy sweetness of Hakata Amaou again!
Disclosure: This is a paid article for Hakata Amaou.
The First Annual Japanese Restaurant Cherry Blossom Week 2021 Is in Full Bloom
It’s been one year since the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in New York City, and we are still in the midst of the pandemic. Many Japanese restaurants have suffered due to restrictions and the difficult winter weather. After cold weather and a spike in COVID-19 cases, indoor dining was banned again in December of 2020, leaving restaurants with only outdoor seating options.
Now that indoor dining has been re-opened in time for spring, the New York Japanese Restaurant Association (NYJRA) established its First Annual Japanese Restaurant Cherry Blossom Week 2021. Taking place from March 8 to March 21, the initiative features 92 participating restaurants offering special menu items that focus on a sakura theme.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (emergency support project for the development of overseas sales channels for Japanese agricultural, forestry, and fishery products and foods) is subsidizing this event, and the Japan Food Restaurant Overseas Promotion Organization (JRO) is sponsoring as a collaborative project with the NYJRA.
Organizers and participants hope that Japanese Restaurant Cherry Blossom Week 2021 will provide an opportunity for these struggling restaurants to open their doors to the people of New York City to enjoy Japanese ingredients and cuisine.
Visit NYJRA’s website for details about each restaurant’s special for the First Annual Japanese Restaurant Sakura Week 2021. Contact the restaurants to see if they have indoor and outdoor dining, take reservations, or are take out/delivery only
Participating Restaurants
Manhattan
Aburiya Kinnosuke – 213 E. 45th Street
BAR GOTO – 245 Eldridge St. Ground Floor
Basta Pasta – 37 West 17th Street
and Bar B – 84 7th Avenue
Benemon – 10 E. 4th Street
BentOn – 156 East 45th Street
Blue Ribbon Columbus – 308 W. 58th Street
Blue Ribbon Izakaya – 87 Orchard Street
Blue Ribbon Sushi – 119 Sullivan Street
Blue Ribbon Sushi Brookfield – 225 Liberty Street
Cagen – 414 E. 9th Street
Cha-An BONBON – 238A E. 9th Street
Curry-Ya – 218 E. 10th Street
Decibel – 240 E. 9th Street
DokoDemo – 89 E. 4th Street
Donburiya – 253 W. 55th Street
Douska (formerly Douzo) – 63 Delancey Street
Dr. Clark – 104 Bayard Street
Gari Columbus – 370 Columbus Avenue
Go! Go! Curry! Chelsea – 144 W. 19th Street
Go! Go! Curry! Harlem – 567 W. 125th Street
Go! Go! Curry! Midtown East – 235 E. 53rd Street
Go! Go! Curry! Times Square – 273 W. 38th Street
Go! Go! Curry! Washington Square Park – 231 Thompson Street
Go! Go! Curry! World Trade Center – 12 John Street
Gorin Ramen – 351 E. 14th Street
Hasaki – 210 E. 9th Street
Hi-Collar – 231 E. 9th Street
Hide Chan Ramen Midtown East – 248 E. 52nd Street, 2nd Floor
Hirohisa – 73 Thompson Street
INASE – 1586 1st Avenue
J-Spec – 239 E. 5th Street
Katana Kitten – 531 Hudson Street
MakiMaki Sushi – 1369 6th Avenue
MakiMaki Sushi – 360 Lexington Avenue
Marezzata – 231 E. 50th Street
Marumi Restaurant – 546 LaGuardia Place
Minca – 536 E. 5th Street
Momokawa – 1466 1st Avenue
Ootoya Chelsea – 8 W. 18th Street
Ootoya Greenwich Village – 41 E. 11th Street
Ootoya Times Square – 141 W. 41st Street
Rai Rai Ken – 218 E. 10th Street
Rai Rai Ken Uptown – 1467 Amsterdam Avenue
Ramen Misoya – 129 2nd Avenue
RAMEN-YA – 181 W. 4th Street
Restaurant Nippon – 155 E. 52nd Street
Sakagura – 211 E. 43rd Street
Sake Bar Hagi 46 – 358 W. 46th Street
Sake Bar Shigure – 277 Church Street
Samurice – 261 Canal Street
Shabu Tatsu – 216 E. 10th Street
Soba Noodle Azuma – 251 W. 55th Street
Sobaya – 229 E. 9th Street
Sushi Ann – 38 E. 51st Street
Sushi Ikumi – 135 Sullivan Street
Sushi of Gari 46 – 347 W. 46th Street
Sushi of Gari TriBeCa – 130 West Broadway
Sushi of Gari Upper East Side – 402 E. 78th Street
Sushi Ryusei – 216 E. 39th Street
Sushi Tsushima – 210 E. 44th Street
Takahachi Bakery – 25 Murray Street
Takahachi Tribeca – 145 Duane Street
Tempura Matsui – 222 E. 39th Street
THE IZAKAYA NYC on 6th – 326 E. 6th Street
THE IZAKAYA NYC on 4th – 215 E. 4th Street
Tomi Jazz – 239 E. 53rd Street
Totto Ramen Hell’s Kitchen – 464 W. 51st Street
Totto Ramen Midtown East – 248 E. 52nd Street
Tsurutontan Midtown – 64 W. 48th Street
Tsurutontan Union Square – 21 E. 16th Street
Udon Izakaya West 46 – 150 E. 46th Street
WOKUNI – 327 Lexington Avenue
Yakiniku Futago – 37 W. 17th Street
Yakiniku Tohbay – 235 W. 55th Street, 2nd Floor
Yakiniku West – 218 E. 9th Street
Yakitori Torishin – 362 W. 53rd Street
Yakitori Totto – 251 W. 55th Street, 2nd Floor
Brooklyn
750 Myrtle Diner – 750 Myrtle Avenue
Andante – 255 Berry Street
BAR GOTO NIBAN – 474 Bergen Street
Bozu – 296 Grand Street
Japan Village – 934 3rd Avenue
Karazishi Botan – 255 Smith Street
Momo Sushi Shack – 43 Bogart Street
Samurai Mama – 205 Grand Street
Samurai Papa – 594 Lafayette Avenue
Sunrise Mart Brooklyn – 934 3rd Avenue
Wasan Brooklyn – 440 Bergen Street
Queens
Ariyoshi Japanese Restaurant – 41-13 Queens Boulevard, Sunnyside
BentOn Factory – 3739 Crescent Street, Long Island City
Hartsdale
FUJINOYA – 26 South Central Avenue
Kishuya – 163 South Central Avenue
Sharing is Caring
Spread the word by sharing the details of your meals on social media! Follow @nyjra_nyc on Instagram and use these suggested hashtags:
#NYJRA #NYJapaneseRestaurantCherryBlossomWeek #Cherryblossomfestival #Japanesefood #NYJapaneseRestaurant #sushi #sashimi #wagyu #bento #ramen #yakitori #udon #takoyaki #kaiseki #shabushabu #sukiyaki #onigiri and #tempura.
About the NYJRA
The purpose of the New York Japanese Restaurant Association is to heighten the status of and develop markets for Japanese food in America. NYJRA seeks to revitalize the prevalence of Japanese food and culture through organizational activities such as collaborating with Japanese restaurants to facilitate catering to offices; supporting education for restaurants on topics like the history of Japanese food, human resources tips, and culinary techniques; and assisting Japanese restaurants to address the major challenges they face today.