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| Newsletter
No.95 |
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April 2007
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London Visit
IKEHARA Toshiaki (ICU, Winner of ESUJ University Debating Competition 2006)
Having lived a year in London twelve years ago and made numerous trips in successive years, I thought this trip would be no different from any other vacation I have had before: sightseeing, looking up old friends, and doing a bit of shopping. The long queue at immigration and the morbid lighting in Heathrow Airport only reinforced more of the same. What I hadn't realized is how much London has changed as an international city.
As soon as the taxi got on the M4 highway leading back to London, I was amazed by what I saw: five exotic sports cars racing in the direction of Heathrow. Recently becoming a petrol head, I thought I was simply seeing what I have never paid any attention to. To my amazement, as I got to closer to the center of the city, there were more extremely huge expensive cars roaming around the narrow streets of London. Even I remembered that most of the cars in London a few years back were totally undramatic, with only the occasional Rolls-Royce for some high-class old couple to create any kind of "wow".
As I entered the hotel, it got even stranger. The doorman was East European, the concierge was French, and even the man on the front desk was actually speaking in an accent I wasn't familiar with. The only person in the hotel with an English accent was an annoyed businessman shouting into his phone. This was the same throughout London. The customers were mostly English, but waiters were all immigrants in origin. I even had a waiter that didn't understand tea customarily came with milk. A Saudi Arabian lady who had roamed the streets of Piccadilly for over 12 years gave me an insider's digest of London today: increase in immigrants, a flush of new money from Russia spent on buying Ferraris, and lots and lots of road restrictions that made any car owner properly miserable.
The cruise on the River Thames brought another surprise: the extremely modern design of some of the new apartment buildings and office complexes. And somehow it was actually matching with all the other modern development and even historical architecture (which dates back centuries) like the London Bridge and even the Tower of London. If Tokyo did the same thing, it would look like a very bad Sci-Fi film. Even the high-rise financial center was pebbled with glistening futuristic buildings that must be envied by any business unfortunate enough to work in all the other ones that look like briefcases. Even so, they still did not look out of place.
I was also fortunate to enjoy Paris this time. However it never gave me the excitement London gave me. Yes, there is some crime; food is terrible in some places; and there is some horrible real estate. But because it has such a clash of cultures, and yet still somehow seems so right together, I love the dynamic nature of London more than Paris, New York, or even Tokyo. I would like to give my sincere appreciation to ESUJ for giving me this precious opportunity.
Visit to the Japan Folk Crafts Museum
A visit to the Japan Folk Crafts Museum took place on March 10 (Sat). Thirty-three ESUJ members, including several non-Japanese members, visited the museum in Komaba, founded by aestheticist Soetsu Yanagi. Ms Kyoko Mimura of the Museum's international division gave an explanation in English of the spirit of the folk craft movement, its founder Soetsu Yanagi, and the history of folk crafts. Yanagi was also active in literature through the influence of William Morris' poetry, his exchanges with Bernard Leach and his participation in the Shirakaba group. He visited Korea more than 20 times and introduced Korai celadon and white celadon to the world. Yanagi's aesthetic philosophy was based on healthy everyday beauty; he did not wish the museum merely to be a place of display for the objects, but rather his total creation in and of itself. The special exhibition "Yanagi Soetsu & Old Tamba Pottery" celebrated the 70th Anniversary of the founding of the museum. Next, the group toured the Yanagi house. Ms. Mimura again took us to the interesting tour in the maid's room, library, and cupboards, etc. The library and the shelves fully packed with books seemed to have been left as it was when he was alive and told us everything about Soetsu Yanagi who devoted himself in pursuing the beauty of folk crafts.
English Club
English Club, a monthly activity, took place on March 20 (Tuesday) at the Japan National Press Club. Two-minute speeches were given by Hiroyuki Sato on "My Hobby: Walking" and Kenji Ando on "Global warming in my neighborhood".
This month's guest speaker was Wendy Hoshizaki, who is active as a Baptist missionary. Her life has taken her to New Jersey, Montana, Texas, Hawaii, Kobe, Toyota City, and, finally, Tokyo, where she is helping those who are suffering through the "Celebrate Recovery" program. Q&A covered the doctrine of Christianity and the Bible, with an exchange of frank questions and opinions and Wendy-san's direct responses.
Next English Club: April 17 (Tue) at the Japan National Press Club (18:30-20:30). Speaker: Mr. Mominuddin Chowdhury
Coming Events
Ambassador's Lecture Series : A View of Venezuela
Speaker: Mr. Seiko Luis Ishikawa Kobayashi
Apr. 24(Tue.) 18:30-20:00 at Japan National Press Club (9th floor)
May Evening Gala : again this year!
May 25 (Friday) 18:30-20:30 at Meiji Kinenkan, Wakatake Room
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For
further informaiton contact!
E-MAIL:esuj@esuj.gr.jp
Fujikage-Building
9th Floor, Motoakasaka 1-1-5
MInato-ku, Tokyo 107-0051
TEL: 03-3423-0970 FAX: 03-3423-0971
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