February, 2010:

I was apprehensive as I watched Special Others live for the first time. I had been listening to their CDs almost like an addiction for the nearly two years since discovering their video for “Star” late one night, and I was keen to see them transform their clean studio sound into an even better live performance. Several songs into their set at Fukuoka’s 2009 Sunset Live festival they finally hit their groove and the packed crowd began to undulate. Shooting from a corner of the stage, I looked to my side to find Furuya Kenji and other members of Dragon Ash, visibly impressed by the spectacle. From what I’ve heard, their respect for Special Others is generally shared in the Japanese rock community.

The jazz-rock quartet’s recent sold-out tour culminated with an extra show at Bay Hall, so they could finish in their hometown of Yokohama where it all started for them. The first set charged the house. The second set? That word again: supernova. A week later, after a session at their studio (also in Yokohama), Miyahara Ryota (drums), Matayoshi Yuya (bass), Yanagashita Takeshi (guitar) and Serizawa Yuma (keyboards) sat down to relate their remarkable journey from scrappy high school band to legend in the making. Success came after much struggle and sacrifice. All four reminisce about the long, hard years, when they had to keep their day jobs but play gigs at night, getting little, if any, sleep. Serizawa worked at a pizza shop, Miyahara worked at a soba shop, Yanagashita was a construction worker, and Matayoshi was a fisherman. As Serizawa relates, “Around 2000 we all started to take ourselves more seriously. It was never explicitly spoken among us, just felt in spirit—let’s give this a go!” But it wasn’t until 2005, with the release of their 2nd EP Uncle John, that they were able to concentrate entirely on their music.

Their sound is typically bright and fast-paced. When asked about their influences, Miyahara notes, “All the various CDs that we listen to while recording bear on our music and we listen widely.” When pressed, they give a shout out to African pops and Big Frog. They are also kindred spirits with the likes of Soulive, Galactic, maybe even Charlie Hunter—jazz-funk-rock acts with a head-bobbing groove. A friend once complained that they are like a repetitive wall of sound. Maybe. But I think the looping motifs sound like American minimalism (as in Philip Glass) gone electric and happy.

Special Others is currently focusing on the next tour and CD release. Serizawa confesses that overseas gigs would be financially risky, but that they would go if invited under the right conditions. For now, though, they are happy to be where they are. “We love Yokohama, we can’t explain why—we just do.”

This article is shared content with Koe Magazine, a partner publication. It was a part of a much larger feature about Japanese music. For more information, please see: www.koemagazine.com

2/13 Nagoya Club Quattro
3/4 Club Citta’ (Kawasaki)
www.specialothers.com

by Ry Beville

I love Japanese self-cooking restaurants: okonomiyaki, teppanyaki, shabu shabu, yakiniku… Now I’ve discovered a place where I can do my own yakitori: Jan de Huckle.

Located on Honmoku-dori near the turn-off for Sankeien, Jan de Huckle reminds me of a smoky cabin on the Alps with its high, beamed ceiling and gritty walls lightly darkened by charcoal smoke. The food is get-down-and-dirty style, delicious and fun! A narrow charcoal pit runs the length of the counter and when you order, owner Mita Tatsumi and his staff bring glowing coals over in a bucket along with a grill for your vegetables and meat skewers. After that, it’s all up to you.

Sure, you could have someone grill your skewers for you, but there is a kind of special satisfaction in doing it yourself. Even if you make some mistakes, it still somehow tastes better because it is your own cooking. Disasters are possible. I’m not a big fan of raw eggs, even if it means dipping your grilled beef in it. When a raw yolk arrived at my table, I tried to place it on top of a roasting slab of beef so the heat would fry it. Unfortunately, it rolled off onto the grill. We watched as it trembled there, holding our breaths, but it finally broke and fell on the coals, sending up plumes of smoke. We tried to pretend nothing was happening, but the master came over with a suppressed smile, asking, “Is everything OK?” Yeah, just fine. These kinds of cooking adventures are what make Jan De Huckle fun.

Karubi and tan are popular orders, though I am a fan of anything skewered and wrapped in bacon—like asparagus or mini tomatoes. Vegetables and original salads are also available, as well as some Chinese-style selections. Thirsty? You will be. Roughly 50 varieties of sake and shochu are stocked for your leisurely sipping on a cold winter night. Bring friends, your family, a date—you can’t go wrong. Jan de Huckle is, literally, what you make of it!

Jan de Huckle
Naka-ku, Honmoku-makado 1-7
045-624-5240
17:00 – 26:00
定休日 /Closed： 火曜日/Tues

by Vincent Trivett

The public house, the pub, is an integral part of British life. I have been charmed by British pub culture since I worked in a traditional bar in London that was nearly as old as my country. It’s a very different style from most bars in America or Japan. There is something deeply communal about it. The Tavern near Yokohama Station is a lively, somewhat spacious eating and drinking establishment that has everything that you would expect from a British pub, and then some. As anyone would assume there is a decent selection of world beers on tap. Here, you can fuel up with some harder-to-find imported ales and cider as well as more mainstream favorites and cocktails, all at decent prices. The clientele is decidedly international, though ages, backgrounds and occupations vary widely. It’s an appropriate place for friends, co-workers, dates and even people coming alone.

The Tavern has a robust daily food menu, but the real belt-loosening comes on Sunday afternoons. From noon to 16:30 there is an all-you-can-eat carvery where guests can help themselves to a hearty, delicious meal of roast beef and leg of lamb with gravy, veggies, and even Yorkshire pudding. At ¥1500, it’s quite a generous bang for your yen, and a great way to nurse that Sunday hangover.

The Tavern also hosts a DJ night every Saturday until 5am, and displays sporting events on wide screens. Nothing like some rugby and soccer with your pints. Darts and Wifi come for free, too.

横浜市西区南幸町２－１４
西口明和ビルＢ１（ダイエー前、マクドナルドのあるビルの地下）
Nishi-ku, Minamisaiwaicho 2-14
Nishi-guchi Meiwa Bldg. B1
０４５－３２２－９７２７
http://www.the-tavern.com

It’s that time of year again: Valentine’s Day, when Japanese women get all restless and bothered. We rush out to the stores to buy ingredients for homemade chocolate to give to Mr. Right, or to buy the obligatory chocolates for male coworkers and friends. With the confessions of love on Valentine’s Day come the bitter-chocolate mix of anticipation and unease, and memories of a slightly sweet, slightly sour taste.

So how are you planning to spend your Valentine’s Day? In the West, men and women, husbands and wives express their love for each other. Others give cards, presents and bouquets to family as a sign of gratitude. But in Japan, it’s basically assumed that it’s a day when women spring chocolates and confessions of love on the men of their affections.

Nowadays, it seems that Japan is importing new vocabulary along with genuine chocolates. Just as “confiture” and “jam” have been used as cooking sauces, in the world of chocolate, too, we now have the “chocolatier” whose profession it is to provide us with delicious chocolates to enjoy. Maybe making claims about the “real” taste of chocolate is pretentious, but in 2003 a brouhaha erupted over whether it would be appropriate to call British “milk chocolate” (low in cocoa, high in milk) simply “chocolate” in the EU.

This month, limited-edition specialty chocolates from all over the world go on sale in Yokohama. In terms of sheer numbers of brand, as well as quality, two mainstays of chocolate retail include the Sogo and Takashimaya department stores near Yokohama Station. For a more intimate date with chocolate in the neighborhood, try Leonidas in Motomachi.

This year, why not head out to discover the right chocolatier for you? When searching involves tasting, it’s hard to complain.

Sogo: “Yokohama Chocolate Paradise” until Feb. 15th.
Takashimaya: “Amour du Chocolat; I love chocolate!” until 2/14
Leonidas: year-round!

Leonidas (Motomachi)
住所 : 中区石川町 1-10- 5
Naka-ku Ishikawacho 1-10-5
TEL ： 045-641-7669
定休日 /Closed： 月曜日/Mon
http://www.leonidas-alex.jp/shop/motomachi.html

by Vincent Trivett

We wouldn’t normally introduce a shop in the “Inspiration” column, but Gallo the Living (Gallo is a way of spelling “art gallery” in Japanese) caught our eyes last month when we stopped by its parent store, Amazon Club, for our bar review. The space itself is decked out in the funky retro-living room style that one would expect from Amazon. Half of Gallo functions as an art gallery, hosting exhibitions of any media type, the other half is a store. It’s a good place to check out on your way to or from Amazon or to nearby BankART.

The shop has style, that’s for certain. Their policy is to exclusively sell hand-made items from smaller companies and designers around the world. If you aren’t into the mass-produced look, this is a great place to find eye-catching accessories and clothing, unique stationary, jewelry both precious and toy-like, fashion eyewear, leather goods, and messenger bags made from reused materials. If you are a craftsperson or hobbyist of such things, you may definitely find some inspiration here for your next creation. Gallo also has some indie music on sale, but its primary stock remains artsy material items.

Gallo is the perfect place to find one of a kind stuff for special gifts or to satisfy your own unique and unusual tastes. If your valentine this year is someone with such taste, do drop by.

Contact the staff for gallery information.

045-633-3508
info[@]gallotheliving.jp
www.gallotheliving.jp
横浜市中区海岸通３−９横浜ビルＢ１
Yokohama-shi, Naka-ku, Kaigandori 3-9
Yokohama Building B1
Mon-Fri (月ー金）15:00-21:00
Sat/Holidays (土・祝） 12:00-21:00, Closed Sunday

Last month, Dark Room International, a fully equipped, public photography lab in Noge, held the first Yokohama Photo Festival at the Akarenga Soko (Red-brick Warehouse). It was a huge success, drawing hundreds of visitors and showcasing photographers from both Japan and around the world.

The event included lectures, workshops, slide video presentations and a stunning open portfolio review and presentation by some 50 photographers. Notable guests included museum curators, world-famous Japanese photographers Herbie Yamaguchi and Hosoe Eikoh, as well as representatives from agencies like Magnum.

We are very pleased and proud to be partnering with Dark Room International again to present the following pages of photography in the magazine. They feature some of the works of photographers who participated in the portfolio review. In presenting these photographers, we are not suggesting that they were the best of the group; rather, it is a selection that demonstrates the range of styles and moods that were on display.

While the event was a success, it was actually just a warm-up for a much larger event that Dark Room International is planning for the future. There is still time to sharpen your photography skills and enrich your portfolio. And, if you are a beginner or just curious about photography, please drop into Dark Room International sometime. It is a friendly and helpful community of photographers.

Excluding these pages, all black and white photography in the Seasider was developed at DRI.

Dark Room International
中区花咲町１丁目４２－１-2F
Naka-ku, Hanasaki-cho 1-41-1-2F
Tel/Fax: 045-6185-7282
http://www.thedarkroom-int.com