Yokohama has a reputation as an open-minded, cosmopolitan city, welcoming newcomers from across Japan and around the world. The reality is sometimes less carefree, especially for those caught in cross-cultural conflicts. How would you resolve a dispute with your landlord? Labor relations can be fraught with complex problems. Even more troubling are family issues, such as divorce and inheritance. Situations such as these are hard enough for the ordinary Japanese without specialized legal or welfare knowledge. They can seem insuperable for foreigners who are less familiar with Japanese custom and law. Tomoya Yamada and Kei Sumikawa understand these obstacles and…
Author: Seasider
It’s with great pleasure that we greet the new year with a preview of our exciting activities planned for 2023. As of this writing, we have submitted our official application and look forward to establishing our NPO status early this winter. We plan to expand our featured series of articles including “Anaba: Hidden Spots”, “Pioneers of Art and Architecture”, “Yokohama: Past and Present” and, of course, our restaurant and cafe reviews. We toast the year of the rabbit–all of us at YSM wish you and your families health and happiness in the new year ahead.
As I mentioned in last month’s column, I want to talk about jibie for this issue. The term is borrowed from the French word referring to wild game. For most of Japan the official hunting season is a three-month period from 11/15 to 2/15. Back in the day, the French considered jibie a luxury generally only consumed by the upper class and aristocrats. Game was commonly eaten in Japan long ago, but meat consumption declined with the introduction of Buddhism. Meat regained popularity following the Meiji era, though it was mostly farm-raised meats. Game stayed predominantly in the shadows. As…
One might be surprised to find a restaurant under a railroad track, yet, the Koganecho Kitchen Studio is one unique location and one special place. Located about a three-minute walk from Koganecho Station on the Keikyu Main Line, Koganecho Studio is the collective name for the cultural and artistic facilities operated by the Koganecho Area Management Center. One corner of the studio is a shared kitchen, where the owners change daily. On Sundays, Donguri Kitchen, opened in May 2022, operates under chef and pâtissier Yuki Fukumoto, who owns Donguri Tart Shop, a reservation-only specialty shop in Noge. Donguri’s fare is…
Tsurumi-ku is a distinctive area of Yokohama with a cosmopolitan identity. There are as many foreign residents as in Naka-ku, from Brazil, Myanmar, and the Philippines, not to mention a long-established and vibrant Okinawan community. It has its own bus system and train line. The Tsurumi Line follows a complex route, trifurcating through the coastal industrial zones along Tōkyō Bay, with Umi-Shibaura Station mere inches from the water. Another station, Kokudō, is a favorite for urban photographers, with a mid-Shōwa retro atmosphere. The Tsurumi Line is now the scene of an ambitious project designed to free Japan from fossil fuel…
France and Japan have had a long history since the opening of the Yokohama’s port in the second half of the 19th century. In this month’s issue we celebrate France Month in Yokohama and introduce Simon Horrenberger, Director of the Institut français du Japon in Yokohama. Can you provide some background of the French cultural presence here in Japan? The French cultural presence in Japan, in its modern features, dates back to Paul Claudel who served as French Ambassador in Tokyo from 1921 through 1927. Although Claudel was a diplomat and laid the foundation of our cultural network in the…
This month’s Seasider steps back in time for glimpses of Yokohama’s heritage. We also expand our focus to Kawasaki: our northern neighbor boasts an idealistic lawyer working in tandem with a globally-minded Yokohama businessman. Together they offer solutions to 21st-century problems, contributing to a more cosmopolitan cityscape. Darkroom International’s Saitō reflects on fathers and daughters in a touching confession. On the lighter side, we haven’t forgotten food: juicy oysters and smoked venison are in season. Seasider’s transition to NPO status is progressing smoothly, providing new opportunities to begin a new year. You may notice that several of this month’s articles…
Mornings and evenings are chilly these days, but sunshine warms the crisp air by midday. The summer humidity is a distant memory. The year’s most colorful month is also France Month, celebrating all things French in our hometown. The French community and its contributions to Japan date back to the city’s birth in 1859. French influence can be seen in the development of cuisine, fashion, education, and the arts. Today French culture is still a vital part of life in Yokohama. Speaking of cuisine, this month we feature Donguri Kitchen in Koganecho, with natural, locally sourced ingredients–and the chance to…
King Pelican Fresh Malt Pub Tsurumi-ku Namamugi 1-11-12 Tel: 045-503-1950 Hours: 13:00~26:00 (Mon~Sat) web: kingpelican.jp Mugiya Tsurumi-ku Namamugi 3-2-27 Tel: 045-642-6323 Hours: 16:00~25:00 (Tue~Sun) web: facebook.com/mugiya2016 Steam Head Fries Tsurumi-ku Namamugi 3-15-24 Tel: 045-516-0310 Hours: 17:00~23:00 (Wed~Sun) Instagram: steamheadjapan The Namamugi neighborhood in Tsurumi-ku is at first glance unremarkable. Nestled between hills to the west and heavy industry on the reclaimed land to the east, it is pierced north to south by busy highways and rail lines. Paradoxically, it is notoriously difficult to reach by public transport, as express trains whiz past its local station without slowing down. It is…
What was your inspiration for establishing Bakumatsuya? A history buff, I have always been interested in Japan, especially the period at the end of seclusion (sakoku) and Perry’s arrival. I was lucky enough to pursue my passion and secured a one-year working holiday in Osaka during my early twenties. After returning to Sydney, I searched bookstores for Japan-related materials and came across an old book that looked like it was printed on cloth. It was actually a Japanese fairy tale in English that was woodblock printed on so-called “crepe paper”. This was the first book that inspired me to become…