June, 2009:

Hometown: Kansas, USA
Born: 1954
Occupation: Owner of JB’s

JB’s in Kannai is a neighborhood bar. It’s the kind of place where you’ll probably see someone you know. If not, you’ll make new friends quickly. The best part about this bar, however, is the music. John Bart, himself a drummer, invites talented musicians to play on his small stage on regular occasion. Even better, every Sunday there is a jam session. Anyone with an instrument can come and play with other musicians at no charge. Good drinks, good food, good music—what else do you need? How about a good guy: John Bart.

■ Opened JB’s in October, 2008
■ Previously worked for two years as the general manager at the Yokohama Country and Athletic Club (and for two years before that as the food and beverage manager)
■ Favorite music: country rock and roll
■ If you could have anyone play on your stage, who would it be? “Eric Clapton in an acoustic session.”
■ Acts that have played: Jino, Honmoku Blues Express, Ozark Road (and we noticed on the blog of Omori Takashi, formerly of the Southern Allstars, that he has played there as well!)
■ What do like about Yokohama: “It’s a relaxed city. I lived in Tokyo for 8 years. Yokohama has the same amenities but a better lifestyle.”
■ What would you like this bar to become: “I want to provide live professional entertainment at least two times a week. On other days, amateur musicians can play. Bands can come and polish their act or guests can just come to drink and have a good time.”

JB’s
中区相生町2-42関内ビル２F
Naka-ku, Aoi-cho 2-42, Kannai AM Bldg 2F
045-226-3636
日ー木 18:00-2:00 (定休日： 火曜日)　金ー土 18:00-3:00
Sun – Thu: 18:00-2:00 (closed Tues), Fri – Sat: 18:00-3:00
www.jbs-diningandmusicbar-yokohama.com

Most people in Yokohama are probably familiar with this museum. Anyone who has exited Bashamichi Station on a clear day has definitely seen its gorgeous, imperious structure—itself a part of Yokohama’s rich history.

The building, with its iconic dome and Corinthian columns, is a perfect specimen of European-style classicist architecture from the Meiji Period. Originally built as the main branch of the Yokohama Specie Bank, it is one of the few buildings to have survived the Great Kanto Earthquake (1923). The architect, Tsumaki Yorinaka, also designed Yokohama’s Akarenga Soko and Tokyo’s Nihonbashi-bridge.

Historical accounts of Yokohama too often begin in the mid-nineteenth century when the city was catapulted to the world stage. This museum goes back much further with a fascinating collection of artifacts from ancient times. The eerie Jomon and Yayoi period sculptures are particularly interesting. Various exhibits also illuminate the development of Kamakura as a national center of power and the influence of Buddhism and other cultural imports from the Asian mainland. This isn’t just a collection of samurai armor and statues of warlords. The lives of everyday people and the bric-a-brac of daily life from the distant past to today are also presented.

The museum has a permanent exhibition concerning the arrival of the American Navy and the influence of the foreign settlement. From now until June 14th, they also have a special exhibition marking 150 years since the end of Japan’s isolation. This exhibition celebrates the anniversary while still acknowledging the problems that were associated with it, such as the Anglo-Satsuma War. On display are the texts of the treaties between the shogunate and various Western nations as well as some of Japan’s first newspapers. Highlights of this exhibit included the wealth of gorgeous ukiyo-e prints and the earliest maps of Yokohama city.

Overall, you can learn a lot from this museum, even if you think you know your local history. You’ll leave with a new appreciation for the history that made this city what it is today.

〒231-0006　神奈川県横浜市中区南仲通5-60
Naka-ku, Minami Naka-dori 5-60
TEL：045-201-0926
通常：午前9時30分〜午後5時
特別展のみ金曜日は午前9時30分〜午後8時

It’s summer and I want to look good. But I’ve been eating too much and drinking too much. I’ve gotten soft. I used to be a collegiate swimmer (butterfly), however, and I also have a black belt in karate (Ashihara), so when Aaron Hassell of the 2A.C.K-T personal training gym challenged me to his workout, which mixes in martial arts with aerobic and strength exercises, how could I refuse?

Within the first minute of warm-up he recognized two old injuries. Although I’ve healed fully, only a pro would notice the difference in my movement. I felt comfortable under his guidance. He emphasizes balance and proper form from the start. What’s the point in exercising if you are just going to injure yourself? We did several rounds of “tempo boxing” which uses footwork, core body movement and quick-tempo punching. Again, Aaron was a stickler for form and often corrected my movements. We then did some circuit-training exercises to finish up. The session was grueling, but extremely fun.

Don’t like high-intensity workouts? Makoto (Mac), the director, introduced Vincent to “Kaatsu Training.” It’s an innovative (and highly researched) approach that uses pressure bands around your limbs to restrict blood flow to your muscles. Through controlled kaatsu, it is possible to build muscle at low intensity. It is also great for circulatory health. Kaatsu is especially suited for the elderly, people with injuries or those who are getting back into shape.

2A.C.K-T’s programs cover all areas of fitness, from flexibility to weight training. While several of their clients include professional athletes, they adjust the training to your needs. A personal trainer is indeed more expensive than a gym. Think of it as an investment. With a trainer, you are less likely to give up. You may even save money since you won’t be wasting it on ineffective programs. And exercise is linked to boosted immunity, happiness, increased brain productivity—oh yeah, and a steamier sex life.

I felt fantastic the rest of the day. I realized I don’t just want to look good for summer; I want to stay healthy. 2A.C.K-T is a good starting point. (by Ry Beville)

Free Fitness Evaluation
Free 45 minute Tempo Boxing Personal Training Session
Free 2 week Fitness workout/exercises e-mailed directly to you
Must call by July 7th and make an appointment for your free Fitness Session.

2A.C.K-T (kaatsu training): 045-664-6446
Tempo Boxing (Aaron): 080-6801-8029

Talk about being hidden in plain sight! The first time you visit Action Gallery/Time Out Café, you may be surprised that you have passed by so many times without stumbling on this unique place.

This new (Nov. 2008) hotspot is located just a stone’s throw from Sakuragicho Station, on the second floor of an old Japanese-style warehouse (倉). After running the “Stone’s” music promotion company for several years, Saijou Ikuma (西城生馬) and Monden (門田) opened their office as a café. They of course play and sell the iconoclastic underground music that Stone’s promotes. They also sell art from Japan and abroad, including some interesting street art prints from the UK and Latin American crafts. Art exhibitions are held periodically. A wide variety of books and music in several languages, T-shirts and alternative medicine are available.

Ikuma, a self-confessed coffee fanatic, stops at nothing to bring you the perfect cup. He offers four original blends of organic and non-organic coffee, all sourced locally from Hayama, Kanagawa Prefecture. Each cup is individually hand dripped and made with fresh spring water. Wine, organic juice, chocolates, herbal teas and specialty beers from around the world are also on the menu. Most surprisingly, the prices for drinks and snacks are very reasonable.

Action attracts all kinds of people, not just fans of cutting edge punk rock and Zapatista connoisseurs. The cozy artist salon atmosphere and great location are sure to bring you back again.

ACTION Art Gallery + TIME OUT Café
中区花咲町２-６０
Naka-ku, Hanasaki-cho 2-60
Telephone: 045- 253-8371

Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 12:00 – 21:00, closed Mondays
■ 営業時間： 1２：00〜2１：00, 定休日： 月曜日

Elegant craft beers and heavy metal music might not be the most likely combination for a great bar, but somehow, it works. Thrash Zone, located in the busy Tsuruyacho nightlife district near the west exit of Yokohama station, is the perfect place for beer fanatics.

This little bar offers eleven micro-brews. Most of what’s on tap comes from California, including Speakeasy, Stone, Greenflash and Bear Republic. You may also find Shinano IPA from Nagano, Nagahama Ale from Shiga, Atsugi Beer from Kanagawa, and Minoh Espresso Stout and IPA from Osaka. And that isn’t counting what they have in bottles! The jewel of the crown, however, is Thrash Zone’s exclusive Crossover IPA. Crossover is brewed locally following an original recipe by Thrash Zone’s owner, Katsuki Koichi. This refreshing, hoppy IPA has a faint, but distinctive grapefruit-like taste, which is a characteristic of the hops used in making it.

Thrash Zone hosts beer release parties from time to time. Every Thursday night, you can also enjoy “Dirty English” lessons that will illuminate the fine nuances of English cussing.

One obvious foible with Thrash is that you will be listening to 80s heavy metal. Personally, I am not much into that kind of music, but the master mercifully keeps the volume low enough for people to enjoy themselves and speak to one another. And of course, there is some delicious beer to distract you. Katsuki admits “Maybe about 5% of the people who come in here really like this music. Most people come for the rare beers. This is just my taste. I like extreme beer and extreme music.”

beer house THRASH ZONE
横浜市神奈川区鶴屋町２-１９-８パセリビル２F
Kanagawa-ku, Tsuruyacho2-19-8 Paseri bldg 2F

Hours: Daily 16:00 – 26:00
Closed Sundays
■ 営業時間： 16：00〜26：00, 定休日： 日曜日

www.beerdrinkinginternational.com

The mission of YCC is to act as a place for the exchange and interaction of ideas. YCC supports art events throughout the city, educational endeavors that cultivate the creativity of children, community activities that mediate art, and endeavors that link people with art.

■ The Yokohama Art & Culture Education Platform: YCC is a point of contact for the promotion of educational programs in which artists appear at Yokohama City schools and conduct workshops with children. The foundation endeavors to coordinate artists and schools interested in implementing such programs and then broaden the scope of their partnership.
■ Yokohama Art Site Platform: YCC provides support for the hosting of citizen art festivals by making use of existing location resources in Yokohama, and further forms networks that connect various festivals.
■ Yokohama Creativecity International Conference 2009 Office: YCC has a planning office for an international conference (to be held Sept, 2009) that will debate the future prospects for, and current topics concerning, the kind of ‘creative city’ being advanced by Yokohama and other world metropolitan centers.
■ Creative Neighborhood Networking Liaison Group: YCC hosts a liaison group to form networks among artists, educational institutes, prefectural facilities and special “creative neighborhood hub facilities” in the heart of Yokohama.
■ East-Asia Interim Assistance Meetings: Extending from a conference of associated members held in Incheon, South Korea in November, 2008, YCC endeavors to become a hub of information dissemination for Japan.

Yokohama Creativecity Center
中区本町６−５０−１
045-22-1-0325
Naka-ku, Honmachi 6-50-1
www.yaf.or.jp/ycc

Check out:
YCC Café (11:00 – 19:00)
80％以上、80㎞圏内の食材を使った。
80% of ingredients come from within 80 km.

Some 2000 years ago, Cleopatra’s palace was located in the Egyptian city of Alexandria. The “Egypt Sunken Treasures Exhibition” is an international traveling exhibition that features archaeological treasures recovered from the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea. Unveiled for the first time in Japan, the 490-item display includes a 5-meter (15 foot) pharaoh statue, a stele (tombstone) with hieroglyphics carved on it, stone images of the sphinx and Egyptian goddesses, gold and other jeweled accessories, and coins engraved with the profile of their ruler. The exhibition spans some 1500 years of history, from about 700BC to 800AD; it runs from Egypt’s late period to the Ptolemaic dynasty, connecting with the Greek and Roman periods.

The exhibition showcases treasures recovered from three ancient city centers: Alexandria, Heracleion and Canopus. In ancient times, these three cities existed with distinct identities. Canopus was a city with divine healing powers. Heracleion was where pharaohs and gods came face to face. Alexandria was the city to which Cleopatra was endeared. The vanished faces of these cities are revealed again through an array of artifacts and images.

In addition, as an original segment to the Japanese exhibition, there is a special theater that recreates the atmosphere of the times through virtual reality. Feel as if you are excavating there on the ocean floor. Experience time slip into ancient Egypt. You are invited to an investigative tour of ancient Egypt that both children and adults can enjoy.

June 27th to Sept. 23rd, 9:30~18:00
Pacifico Yokohama
220-0012 Nishi-ku, Minatomirai 1-1-1
045-221-2155

Entrance fees (adv/day)
Adults: 2000/2300 yen
High School: 1100/1300 yen
Middle School & below: 700/800 yen

www.asahi.com/egypt

Yokohama has been celebrating “Yokohama French Month” every June since 2005. This event is held through the auspices of the city government and many local businesses, with the aim of promoting French cultural events and introducing French products.

This year marks the fifth French Month. It coincides with the 150th anniversary of the opening of the port of Yokohama and the 50th anniversary of the sister-city relationship between Yokohama and Lyon, France. This year, more than ever, local businesses, art galleries, and art spaces in the city are collaborating with the French-Japanese Institute of Yokohama to promote various cultural events including dance, expositions, concerts and film festivals.

The French-Japanese Institute of Yokohama, located in the Kannai district, is a cultural organization with direct ties to the French Embassy in Japan. It was established to facilitate French-Japanese cultural exchange and to teach the French language. In addition to French language classes, the Institute also hosts a cinema club, lectures, art exhibitions, wine and cheese seminars, and children’s workshops. It further cooperates with area organizations in staging other events related to French culture.

Below are some recommended events sponsored by the Institute that will take place during this year’s French Month.

Yokohama France Vidéo Collection
6/19 (Fri) – 6/28 (Sun) 11:00-19:00
Location: Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse Building One
Free

Four curators hailing from France, Canada, and South Korea have selected some 20 excellent examples of video art revolving around the theme of “Port/Water.” The entire event will take place in one building. Performance events from artists visiting Japan will also be held.

Festival du film d’animation français à Yokohama
French Animated Film Festival in Yokohama
6/20 (Sat)- 6/26 (Fri)
Location: Cinema Jack and Betty
Advance tickets ¥1000. ¥1200 at the door. For members, students, and senior citizens, ¥1000

Masterpieces recommended by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs will share the screen with newer works by ambitious young authors in this entertaining celebration of France’s uniquely fascinating animation. On June 20th, animator Ito Yuichi will also host a talk.

Yokohama France Dance Cross
6/28 (Sun) 15:00
Location: Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse Building One
Advance tickets ¥3000, ¥3500 at the door. ¥2800 for members and students.

Winner of the “French Embassy’s Young Choreographer’s Award” at the Yokohama Dance Collection 2008, KENTARO!! and the up-and-coming, internationally active French Choreographer Frank Micheletti will stage their first ever collaboration.

Musiques Festiv’ in Yokohama
Bordeaux Music Festival Yokohama
7/2 (Thu) – 7/7 (Tue)
Main Locations: Yamate Goethe Hall (7/2 19:00) and Minato Mirai Hall (7/3 19:00, 7/4 13:30). There are 6 venues and 7 shows in all; contact the Institute for more details.

This year marks the third annual Bordeaux Music Festival and the theme is “French Romanticism.” Ten internationally known French and Japanese musicians will host a sensitive and elegant performance of representative works by composers such as Saint-Saëns and Debussy. It will be an event for all ages to enjoy. Invited artists include instructors from the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris and the École Normale de Musique de Paris who are educating the next generation of musicians. These world-renowned educators will perform together with their master class.

To make a reservation for any of the events listed above, or for information, please contact the French-Japanese Institute of Yokohama at (045-201-1514).

上記イベントのご予約・お問合せ：
横浜日仏学院
〒231-0015横浜市中区尾上町5-76　
明治屋尾上町ビル7階
TEL 045-201-1514
FAX 045-201-7660
www.institut.jp