TRAVELThe Nakasendo and an old post town

BUSINESSBrain Man: Turning the hiring and training world upside down

FAMILYEco Kids: Children from 33 countries share their visions for an eco-future

ENTERTAINMENTIdol Worship: The talent business is big business in Japan

OPINIONS12 Tips for raising a bilingual child in Japan / Japanese Universities in Crisis

HOTEL BEATInsight’s newest section explores three great hotels and features some of their seasonal offerings.

CHRISTMAS ILLUMINATIONSJapan gets into the festive season with spectacular illumination displays.

JAPANTODAY’S PREMIER ENGLISH DIGITAL MAGAZINEVOLUME 01 / NOV 30 2012

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From our next issue, you will be able to enjoy Japan Today Insight on a brand new Ipad App, available free on Itunes and deployed through the Newstand platform. Insight will expand utilizing great interactive features such as video, scrolling text and images, all automatically distributed to your device once you subscribe.

Also true to the cliche ‘Quality not Quantity’ we will be publishing insight monthly, with more in-depth articles as well as content expansion. New sections include our ‘Hotel Beat’ which you can find in this issue, and also our new entertainment section which will come in our next issue.

We would also like to appeal to you, the reader, to give us feedback and comments, content ideas and even articles which will help shape the future of Insight magazine, together moving forward into the next digital stage of our development. Thank you.

Insight team

DEAR READERS

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INSIGHT

Editor in ChiefChris Betros

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ContributorsVicki L. BeyerJohn AdamsAdam BeckYone Sugita

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Schools and Family NewsTokyo International School (TIS)Happy DaysGymboree Play & MusicSaint Maur International School and Ecole françaiseSuperSitters TokyoNishimachi International SchoolSummerhill International School

Health and BeautyTsuruki Mita Clinic

Hotels and Japanese InnsANA InterContinental TokyoHotel Okura TokyoOriental Hotel HiroshimaThe Peninsula TokyoThe Gate Hotel Kaminarimon

Outdoors and SportsTokyo Sail and Power Squadron (TSPS)Tsutsujigaoka Country Club

Restaurants and BarsBulldog BBQHei Fung TerraceKimono Wine and GrillPeterSuji’sThe Irish TimesWhat The Dickens!

Professional OrganisationsItalian Chamber of Commerce in JapanLanguage Teaching ProfessionalsThe British Chamber of Commerce in JapanO.G.A for Aid

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TRAVEL

All around the ground was covered with wild flowers, still damp with morning dew. Coming to a deserted hut on a cliff overlooking the falls, they stopped. [A] sign read ‘Meoto no Taki’. The reason for the name, “Male and Female Waterfalls,” was easy to understand, for the rocks split the falls into two sections, the larger one looking very virile, the other one small and gentle.

The Nakasendo, literally “road amid the mountains” was, for 2 1/2 centuries, one of two major roads for travelling between Kyoto and Tokyo, and one of the 5 major “highways” (“gokaido”) of the Tokugawa shogunate. Yoshikawa chose the Male and Female Waterfalls for this scene of his novel precisely because it is about the tension between Musashi’s latent sexual desire for Otsu and the need for him to maintain the discipline of his swordsmanship. Musashi winds up taking a cold shower in the falls and goes on to become a legendary swordsman.

This section of the historic Nakasendo, between the post towns of Tsumago and Magome in Nagano Prefecture, has been restored and can easily be walked as part of a weekend in the area (cold shower optional).

I recommend using Tsumago as your base for exploration. It offers a range of overnight accommodation, often in the traditional style and including dinner and breakfast. There is a helpful online reservation service at the Tsumago Tourist Association website: http://tumago.jp

Tsumago of the post town era is remarkably well preserved, and you almost feel as if you have stepped back in time. Apparently the reason for the state of preservation originates with the poverty of the local people, whose primary

THE NAKASENDO AND AN OLD POST TOWNBY VICKI L BEYERPHOTOS BY JOHN ADAMS

There is a scene in Eiichi Yoshikawa’s classic novel, “Musashi,” in which Musashi is travelling the Nakasendo with the young woman, Otsu, of whom he is enamored. They pause on the road:

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TRAVEL

industry was logging but who were prohibited to cut down trees for their own use. The town was also fortunate not to have suffered any major fires, unlike neighboring Magome, most of which has been rebuilt. Additionally, Tsumago was bypassed by the railroad, leaving it for many years as a forgotten backwater.

Since the 1970s, however, Tsumago has turned its isolation and inability to modernize to its advantage, capitalizing on its historic buildings for tourism. Yet it doesn’t feel “touristy.”

The main road of historical buildings, actually part of the Nakasendo, is less than two kilometers long, so it’s easy to explore. The historical look has been well preserved, with even power lines kept out of sight (an unusual feat in Japan!).

Beginning at the north end, the first thing to watch for is the notice board. During the Edo Period, every post town

had a notice board on which laws and governmental proclamations would be posted for all to see. Nearby, a moss-covered waterwheel is often spinning, operating a mill. As you stroll along examining the houses, you’ll soon come to the first of three buildings of particular interest. These three buildings charge admission. Separate tickets can be purchased for each, but the “kyotsu” ticket, giving you admission to all three for 700 yen, offers the best value.

The first is Wakihonjin-Okuya. This was the family home of a well-to-do transportation businessman and served as the overflow when the official inn, known as Tsumagojuku Honjin, was full. The building dates from 1877 and is open for tours, albeit conducted in Japanese only. The tour begins in the main reception room, with its magnificent timbers, high ceiling and central fireplace. During the tour, several of the fine features of the house are explained. When the Emperor

Meiji made his grand tour of Japan in the 1880s, he rested in this house. Several items associated with that visit are on display, including the toilet constructed especially for His Imperial Majesty’s use.

Practically next door is the Rekishi Shiryokan, or Historical Museum. The displays include maps, historical drawings, and an extensive display on the early logging industry (including photographs, tools, and even a diorama). Many of the labels include English translation. The local hinoki (Japanese cypress) wood—actually 5 species of hinoki—is an excellent timber and it is easy to understand why the Tokugawa government was so draconian in commandeering its use.

Across the road is the third building, the Tsumagojuku Honjin, or official inn. This building was reconstructed in the 1990s based on the plans of its early 19th century iteration. Every post town had an

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official inn, designated as the place where daimyo lords and their retinue would stay when travelling between Edo and their homes. Displays here explain the nature of their travels as well as the facilities made available when travelers stayed.

A little further on, to the left above and behind Tsumago’s helpful Tourist Information Center, atop a huge stone wall sits Kotokuji, a Zen temple more than 500 years old. The 18th century main temple building has Nightingale floors, similar to those found at Nijo Castle in Kyoto, an ancient system of intruder alert. The fortress-like situation of the temple can be attributed to its original construction during the Warring States period, when Tsumago was a castle town. The castle was demolished in the early 17th century, although its site, about a kilometer north of the town on the walking trail to Nagiso, is now a park. Also on display here is a wheeled palanquin designed and used by one of the senior priests of the temple in the late Edo Period.

The part of the town below the temple is called “terashita no machi-nami,” or row houses below the temple. These are now mostly shops and restaurants but were once the inns frequented by ordinary travelers. Some enterprising merchants offer demonstrations of traditional

crafts, such as washi paper-making. You might even get to try your hand at it!

When you have finished exploring Tsumago, to walk a bit more of the old Nakasendo, and to see the Male and Female Waterfalls, I have two suggestions.

If you’re up for a long hike, just keep going on the Nakasendo when you reach the edge of Tsumago. It’s about 8 kilometers to Magome, with a fairly steep ascent just before crossing at Magome Pass (elevation 801 meters).

For a shorter, less strenuous, alternative that brings you back to Tsumago at the end of your walk, catch a bus at the end of Tsumago heading in the direction of Magome. Get off at the Ichikoku bus stop, shortly before reaching the pass, and walk back to Tsumago on the old Nakasendo. The walk is less than 5 kilometers and should take about an hour and a half. As the road descends through the woods, you can appreciate why hinoki is so valued as a timber. You will see wild flowers and resting huts as described by Yoshikawa. You’ll also find the Male and

If you’re up for a long hike, just keep going on the Nakasendo when you reach the edge of Tsumago.

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TRAVEL

Female Waterfalls, stone mile markers, and, as you emerge from the forest, small old farmhouses and rice paddies, giving you ample opportunity to imagine yourself back in time, traveling alongside Musashi or even a great daimyo.

Getting thereFrom Tokyo:Take the JR Chuo Line Super Azusa (limited express) from Shinjuku to Shiojiri (2 1/2 hours) and then take the JR Chuo Line Shinano (limited express) from Shiojiri to Nagiso (1 hour). From Nagiso Station to Tsumago is 10 minutes by bus or one hour on foot.

From Nagoya: Take the JR Chuo Line Shinano (limited express) to Nagiso (1 hour) and then catch the bus or walk to Tsumago.

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BUSINESS

BRAIN MANWe have turned the hiring and training world upside down.When Charles Pribyl was an economics student at the University of Colorado, he wondered why people buy Ferraris instead of cheaper cars. In economic terms, it made no sense. All economic theories failed to explain why a $100,000 car sells, and without a discount. A psychology professor told him that when you buy a Ferrari, you’re paying for ego, and you can tell how big a person’s ego is by the price of their car. That’s when Pribyl decided to switch to psychology.

Today, Pribyl leads J-PMC and the PMI Consulting Group with a background in communibiology and psychology from the University of Colorado. He is a permanent board member of the Japan Society for the Research on Emotions, and was the 2010 Japan Representative for the International Applied Psychology Association. Before founding J-PMC in 2003, he was Managing Consultant at the Gallup Organization, specializing in HR and employee development. He received the highest client feedback scores of all consultants in Asia and was in ranked in the top 5% worldwide.

Pribyl led the first research team to ever map the brain of highly engaged consumers with an fMRI machine in a groundbreaking research project called “The Neuroanatomy of Brand Addiction.” He used the insights gained from that

research to develop a profiling system that can choose high performers based on Emotional Intelligence (EQ). Pribyl’s research has been featured on the front page of the New York Times, and in the bestselling book “Human Sigma: Managing the Employee-Customer Encounter.” He has written two books in Japanese and authored more than 25 published research papers in the areas of communication and psychology, including EQ, emotion and motivation, communication competence, email and sms communication strategies, and psychometric employee hiring system effectiveness.

J-PMC’s clients include Fortune 500 clients in the areas of finance/insurance, airlines, heavy machinery, high tech manufacturing, multinational communication firms, pharmaceuticals, call centers and the food and beverage industry.

When you mention “brain research” to people for the first time, what sort of reaction do you get?We don’t use that term a lot with clients, but in general, the first two questions I get are usually: “Are you going to look at my brain?” and “Can I see what my brain looks like?”

CHARLES PRIBYLCEO of J-PMC Consultingwww.j-pmc.com

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What are your main services?We help clients find the right place and right job for each employee. We take a look at the top performers and find out psychologically what they are doing and how they think. We talk to the top salespeople who are already there and we interview or do a test on the low performers to compare the differences.

We have worked with some of the biggest American, Japanese and worldwide conglomerates to develop custom hiring and training programs based on the results of our tests. So instead of forcing companies to use a pre-made training program (how to be more empathetic, for example), we use the results of each organization, determine the traits of success in that organization/division or team, and then use those traits to develop the structure and programs to recruit, develop and reward high potential employees.

Does any other company do this?Not in Japan. We are unique. We have turned the hiring and training world upside down. Instead of relying on guessing what makes a great employee (10 years experience, cooperation, outside-the-box thinking for example), we have a team of dedicated Ivy League statisticians to analyze what is the best combination of traits for each division for success.

In comparison to using a resume, interview and looking at experience which only predicts superior performance at 33%, our system can predict between 78% and 96% of the time. This makes our system a little bit scary for some, but companies who have used it rarely, if ever, quit using our systems. Our EQS is the only EQ test is the in the world to have been approved by an independent accrediting body. In our case, we applied and were approved by the Japanese Association of Psychological Testing.

Can you give us an example of how you rate applicants?Our EQ test is designed so that each item has two questions selected randomly for each item, and the applicant can choose only one of the two. For example, a traditional test might ask you to rate the sentence “I enjoy working with others” on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being “Strongly Disagree” and 5 being “Strongly Agree.” Now if you are applying for a job, you’re going to answer in

BUSINESS

the middle or at the high end. So the answer to this question will tell you -- the employer – nothing, and you’re going to have to try and dig out the candidate’s real attitude during the interview, which is basically wasting time.

We ask candidates to respond to statements like “Every day is a new day” and “Practice makes perfect.” Applicants can only choose one of the two and rate the strength they think that question applies to them, thus the results are high in predictive ability. Because we have already asked all the high performers how they think, we already know what answer is a high performer’s answer. Applicants don’t. This is useful because sometimes companies will have low productivity and they don’t know why. So we’ll find the high and low performers in each organization. For example, someone might be in accounting but that person might really be better in sales.

Why is EQ important to a company?EQ is your ability to feel, manage and read others’ emotions. Up to 96% of the time, we can predict your EQ from the results of the questionnaire. The reason why EQ is of critical importance in business is that when employees are faced with situations ranging from the basic to the complex, EQ is how employees make sense of situations. EQ as a basic emotional response system leads employees to respond in predictable ways. These “predictable” responses can be helpful to the situation if they are appropriate and improve the business, and detrimental if not.

How is the test actually administered?The test is an online test that can be taken on any computer with an Internet connection, and even works on an iPad tablet as well. Each client has a log-in page, so after an applicant takes the test, the client can log in and see the answers in real time. In comparison with other companies that take 2 to 3 days to return results on a candidate, we can provide results immediately, helping the client make faster decisions, and also helps candidates who don’t have to wait to find out if they will get the job.

Are top management receptive to your techniques?Yes they are. After all, they don’t want to get average performers who might quit

after six months. As companies hire fewer numbers, our service becomes more important because if they hire the wrong person, they’ll blow it. So they need to know which applicants will do better. But one thing we don’t do – and clients understand this -- is to recommend that anyone gets fired. That is not what we are about. Ours is a productive tool.

How do you market your services?I’ve never had to advertise. It’s mainly word of mouth. I’ve gotten calls from people who have heard what we have done, some from as far away as Malaysia.

Are you techniques successful in different cultures?I think so. We have used our methods with great success in South Korea and Singapore, for example. The key feelings and emotions don’t change among cultures. How a person displays them may be different.

Tell us about your teamWe are 16 in total worldwide. We have seven consultants in Japan and four in America. They all have PhDs in psychology. I use my own tests to hire people. When we were opening an office in Los Angeles, I tested 180 and three passed.

How do you keep up with the latest developments in your field?I belong to nine professional associations and subscribe to all their magazines and related books. I also attend conferences.

How do you spend your time?I am on site about 70% of my time, talking with CEOs or with the operations department. I work 7 days a week, but when I have spare time, I love to drive and travel. I used to practice Nihon-den Kenpo and earned a black belt. I started psychology as a hobby and then it became my profession. That’s why I enjoy my job so much.

CHRISTMAS ILLUM

INATIONS 2012

Japan really gets into the festive season each year with spectacular Christmas illumination displays.Some run from early November to December 25, while others sparkle until February.

Fortunately, most displays are eco-friendly, using LED lights, which is a good thing because some of them use millions of the bulbs. Two of the most beautiful and biggest spectacles can be seen at Nabana no Sato theme park in Mie Prefecture, with 7 million LEDs covering 26,400 square meters, and Kobe Illuminage, which is designed like a huge medieval European castle with plenty of space for children to run about and play in.

In Tokyo, check out Tokyo Midtown, Roppongi Hills, Odaiba, Caretta Shiodome, Shinjuku Terrace, Tokyo Dome City, Marunouchi, Ebisu Garden Place’s Baccarat Eternal Lights display, Akasaka Sacas and Omotesando Hills, among many colorful sights.

LIGHT

UP

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CHRISTMAS ILLUM

INATIONS 2012

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CARETTA AND TOKYO DOME, TOKYO

CHRISTMAS ILLUM

INATIONS 2012

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ILLUMINAGE, KOBE

TOKYO MIDTOWN, TOKYO

CHRISTMAS ILLUM

INATIONS 2012

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CHRISTMAS ILLUM

INATIONS 2012

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ROPPONGI HILLS, TOKYO

ODAIBA, TOKYO

CHRISTMAS ILLUM

INATIONS 2012

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CHRISTMAS ILLUM

INATIONS 2012

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NABANA NO SATO, MIE PREFECTURE

BACCARAT ETERNAL LIGHTS, EBISU GARDEN PLACE, TOKYO

CHRISTMAS ILLUM

INATIONS 2012

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FAMILY

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Children from 33 countries visited Japan earlier this month, sharing their vision of an eco-friendly future lifestyle.The children were winners of 33 Panasonic Corp’s Eco Picture Diary Global Contest held in conjunction with the 40th Anniversary of the World Heritage Convention. They were honored at an event at the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Nijo Castle in Kyoto. Many dignitaries attended the event, including Kyoto Mayor Daisaku Kadokawa, UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova and UNESCO Artist for Peace ambassador and world famous soprano singer Sarah Brightman. In her speech, Bokova said that the bright future lies in the hands of the children and encouraged them to spread eco activities among family and friends.

The Eco Picture Diary Global Contest is a program that gives children the opportunity to learn about environment issues while keeping track of their eco activities in a diary format. Approximately 300,000 children from 51 countries and regions participated in the contest.

At the Kyoto event, each of the children gave a presentation of their unique eco-activity in their respective countries. They visited Ryogaoka Elementary School in Kyoto to meet and interact with their Japanese counterparts. They enjoyed cultural exchange and challenged together to make a Japanese traditional “uchiwa,” a fan made of wood and paper. Also on the itinerary was a visit to Kiyomizu Temple, another UNESCO World Heritage site in the ancient capital of Japan, as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Eco Learning Program.

ECO-KIDS

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FAMILY

What the Dickens!British Pub and Live Music Venue

Live Music ScheduleNov 30: KK Overdrive (Rock)

Dec 01: The Conductors (Funk)

Dec 02: Pirates of Tokyo Bay! (Comedy)

Dec 04: Kinlay Jam Session

Dec 05: Cashell (Soul)

Dec 14: TELL Charity Party with the Watanabes

Dec 21: TK and the Bluesblasters

Dec 29: The Hitmen

Dec 31: Countdown Party with the Dirty T’s

Bacon Cheese Burger

Eggs Benedict

Blueberry Pancakes

The next best thing to Mom’s home cooking!

ThanksgivingDinner Nov 22!

Christmas 2012!

In this program, students can visit and participate in an interactive environment for learning about World Heritage conservation activities in cooperation with UNESCO and World Heritage Sites. Since its launch in 2011, the program has been held in 10 countries with approximately 4,000 children participated. During the Kiyomizu Temple tour, the children took part in a special light bulb changing event. Each of the children took turns changing the temple’s light bulbs to LED bulbs and learned how energy-efficient LED technology contributes to environmental protection.

A Panasonic spokesperson said that the company aims to provide its environmental education programs to 2 million children. The total number of participating students in Panasonic’s eco educational program since its inception in 2009 surpassed 1 million children.

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ENTERTAINMENT

They are everywhere – on TV variety programs, on billboards, endorsing products at press conferences and attending glittery events. No matter what TV channel you watch, which magazine you read or which product you buy, you’ll see a “talent” hawking it, whether it is Aya Ueto, SMAP, Becky, AKB48, Mari Yamaguchi, Ko Shibasaki, Moe Oshikiri, Yukie Nakama, Yu Yamada and countless more.

The talent business is big business in Japan – no product launch is complete without one. The production companies recruit hopefuls at a young age, train them and then supply them to the media, movie-makers and event organizers. When a new TV show or product endorsement is announced, the media receive invitations to the press conference which they dutifully attend, providing fodder for the pages of tabloids and TV variety programs.

Aya Ueto, 27, was Japan’s TV commercial queen for 2011, according to Video Research Co. The actress appeared in ads for more than 10 companies, most prominently for Softbank. AKB48 singers took the next three places. However, the business is very different from the West. In Japan, the stars are employees of the big agencies such as Hori Pro, Oscar Promotions and Johnny’s Jumusho, and as such, get paid a salary – the opposite of the U.S. where the celebrities get the lion’s share and pay a percentage to their agent.

The big agencies in Japan have tremendous power when it comes to how their talents are used and reported on – so much so that very few newspapers, magazines and TV stations dare carry negative stories. The agencies are money-making machines that work painstakingly to create an image that sells, but also work very hard to protect that image.

IDOL WORSHIP

But how talented are the talents or “tarento,” as they known in Japanese? Although many receive singing and dancing lessons, these skills are seldom developed. But it doesn’t matter; the freshness of greenhorns is appealing in Japan, whereas in the West, there is little patience for unpolished apples.

Once groomed, the budding celebrities are farmed out to variety shows (there is an A list, B list and C list). With TV dramas, the starlets usually do one

Aya Ueto is Japan’s TV commercial queen.

The talent business is big business in Japan – no product launch is complete without one.

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ENTERTAINMENT

12-episode series and then move on to the next series. In a year, a young actress may star as a flight attendant, a teacher and a detective in three different series, as well as being the image girl for half a dozen different products.

A star’s “shelf life” may depend on how scandal-free they remain. Agencies like Oscar Promotions teach their young talents to be careful how they act in public since they never know when a photographer is lurking. But sometimes a scandal erupts – such as when actress-singer Noriko Sakai was busted for drug possession.

Here, too, it is interesting to see the difference between Japan and the U.S. Japan has a culture of shame, so that when a star misbehaves in public, they have to practice “jishuku” (self-restraint), which starts with the public apology and continues with a break from public appearances. The U.S. practice is to deny, spin and when all else fails, try rehab, go to prison and then come out and get religious. Then they publish a tell-all book and reap the rewards of being a repented sinner. Japanese talents can’t do that – you get no points for finding Jesus here.

But if a talent is beyond salvage, it doesn’t matter. There is always a fresh new face. Much like a revolving sushi restaurant or a UFO Catcher at a game center, there is a never-ending selection to pick from.

Above RightModel Moe Oshikiri tries Samsung’s Galaxy Note II smartphone.

RightFormer Morning Musume singer Mari Yaguchi and her husband, actor Masaya Nakamura promote NESCAFE’s coffee cream powder brand Nestle Brite.

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LocationThe Peninsula Tokyo is located at the crossroads of Harumi Dori and Naka Dori, opposite the Imperial Palace and Hibiya Park. Directly connected to Hibiya subway station with four train lines, it is easily the most accessible luxury hotel in Tokyo. Close to the Otemachi financial and theatre districts, and Aoyama fashion district, business executives can rely on more time with clients and customers and less time commuting.

AccommodationAmong the most spacious in Tokyo, all guestrooms and suites are furnished to the very highest standards of luxury. Rooms are designed for business travellers’ maximum convenience, with separate work desk, multi-functional fax machine and multi-socket adaptor power sockets with complimentary wired and wireless broadband internet access. Standard amenities and services such as an espresso machine, local newspaper and a complimentary shoe shining service will make your room a home-away-from-home.

WellnessUnderstanding the effects of demanding routines on business executives, the hotel provides a sanctuary for deep relaxation or re-energizing your body and mind at The Peninsula Spa. To enhance the benefit of treatments, a luxurious range of heating and cooling experiences, such as crystal steam rooms, lifestyle showers, ice fountains, saunas, and relaxation rooms are available.

THE PENINSULA HOTEL

Address1-8-1 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan 100-0006

ContactTel: +81 03-6270-2888Fax: +81 03-6270-2000Email: ptk@peninsula.com

Webhttp://www.peninsula.com/tokyo

HOTEL BEAT

TOKYO

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Dining and EntertainingThe hotel’s five restaurants and bar will provide the most fitting setting for every business occasion. To impress your most important clients, Hei Fung Terrace offers traditional Cantonese cuisine with four private dining rooms, while Peter’s stunning views and French cuisine will ensure an nforgettable evening.

Kyoto Tsuruya offers a contemporary setting that serves Japanese kaiseki and tempura, while The Lobby and The Peninsula Boutique & Café are ideal places for casual dining or coffee meetings throughout the day.

Year End parties at The PeninsulaThere is no better way to show your appreciation to colleagues than to host your Christmas or end-of-year parties in one of our state-of-the art function facilities, private dining rooms or restaurants.

Family and friends will love the chance to experience the legendary Peninsula service when you let them organise your holiday gathering. Grand or intimate, relaxed or formal, festive banquets and special events for all occasions are their speciality.

New Year countdown party at Peter!Wine and dine into 2013 with Peter’s New year countdown party! Fantastic five course meal, free flowing Champagne with Moët & Chandon a live band to dance away 2012!

HOTEL BEAT

THE PENINSULA TOKYO

CHRISTMAS DINNER & NEW YEARS

RestaurantsPeterHei Fung TerraceThe LobbyThe Peninsula Boutique & CaféKyoto Tsuruya

ReservationsTel: +81 03-6270-2888http://www.peninsula.com/tokyodining

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Dining & EntertainmentOne of the most appealing features of the Hotel is the 13th floor restaurant with outdoor terrace all overlooking Asakusa symbol of traditional Japan Senso-ji temple and surrounding market streets as well as the newer but equally iconic Tokyo SkyTree. The breakfast buffet features a wide variety of western dishes such as Eggs Benedict, omelet station, salad and fruit bar, freshly baked bread and pastries.

The B Bar adjoining the restaurant (as well as outside terrace) offers an extensive variety of premium wines and whiskies as well as original and seasonal cocktails. Live music is regularly featured with intimate Jazz as well as terrace Bossa nova, perfectly complimenting the evening menu’s French inspired dishes and sublime skyline views. On the upper level a private residents bar offers an exclusive terrace with opulent surroundings and private bar to entertain and enjoy the views while enjoying an original cocktail.

LocationOnly a 15 minute walk from the world-famous Tokyo SkyTree ® THE GATE HOTEL KAMINARIMON by HULIC was designed and built to perfectly accommodate foreign visitors, allowing them to experience the new and the old Tokyo while enjoying the latest amenities and highest level of Japanese hospitality.

AccommodationThe Gate Hotel offers 137 guest rooms in a variety of sizes, spacious with tastefully warm and modern design. The largest of which is the 58 square meter suite simply entitled ‘The Gate’ which features classic William Morris wallpaper paired with contrasting modern and chic furnishings. The hotel exudes intimacy and relaxation, featuring the award winning Slumberland beds.

THE GATE HOTEL KAMINARIMON, TOKYO

Address2-16-11 Kaminarimon, Taito-ku, Tokyo, Japan

ContactTel: +81 3 5826-3877Fax: +81 3 5826-3871

Webhttp://www.gate-hotel.jp

HOTEL BEAT

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Nov 15th- Dec 25th 2012The Gate Hotel Kaminarimon is perfectly positioned to view the Tokyo SKYTREE’s Christmas illumination spectacular: ‘TOKYO SKYTREE ® Dream Christmas’. At just 1.2km from the Tokyo SKYTREE, the view is outstanding. For this special season there will be a limited promotion offer incorporating a stay in one of our King rooms which overlook the Tokyo SKYTREE, added to this the B Bar will be holding an original cocktail event on Friday evenings where you can enjoy a delicious original creations while ‘drinking in’ the light and magic display from the Tokyo SKYTREE.

Details of the plan:

“Christmas Stay in the ‘Classy King’ room overlooking the Tokyo SKYTREE.

+ Inclusive in the Christmas set: Breakfast selections, Champagne + orange peel chocolate for two.

￥29,148 (including tax and service charges)

※ Prices may vary depending on the day of your stay. Contact The Hotel for details.

※ Rooms feature a king size bed. (Classy twin rooms are not available).

※ Reservation- is strictly first-come-first-served basis, limited to 6 suites per day.

Booking:+81 3 5826-3877

HOTEL BEAT

The Gate Hotel KaminarimonA brand new Hotel on Kaminarimon Street in Asakusa, which connects the new Tokyo Sky Tree with the good old Edo Tokyo.

THE GATE HOTEL KAMINARIMON, TOKYO

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL & SKYTREE VIEWING

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LocationMurasakizuka Golf Club and resort is located in the picturesque area of sakura in Tochigi prefecture, not far from the famed forests and temples of Nikko. The resort can be reached via shinkansen (Utsunomiya station) in 1.5 hours or car in 2 hours.

Course informationEach hole, flat and flanked by magnificent forests aged over 38 years, together with skillfully arranged water hazards and sand traps makes for an exciting and beautiful challenge.

Designed by John Benzene and Bob Wolf (USA), this magnificent 27 hole championship course consists of three courses: Ujiie, Katsuragi and Saotome. Total yardage is 10,396 yards, par 108. The courses are laid out over rolling hills with a maximum of 10-meter height differential, with the fairways an average width of 70 meters.

Contrasting and Unique landscaping can be found throughout, with ponds and waterfalls making not only beautiful and relaxing scenery but also challenging obstacles. The driving range is also worthy of note, with a well equipped 17 bay 250 yards (all weather) training center.

MURASAKIZUKA GC HOTEL TOCHIGI

Address2068, Saotome, Sakura-shi, Tochigi-Ken 329-1414

ContactTel: 028-686-3011 (Japanese & English)Email: uchiyama@murasakigc.com

Webhttp://www.murasakigc.com

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Dining and EntertainingThis is a golf resort for the Golfer who likes to combine good food, relaxing and luxurious facilities with fantastic golf. Mind and body relax after a fun day on the course at the Hotel Green Hill, which boasts an outdoor swimming pool, volcanic rock hot springs as well as private villas. The restaurant “Creek” features Japanese and international cuisine. Also a ‘Tepanyaki’ style steak corner offers the finest Japanese beef.

Year end play and stayWinter Golf in Tochigi is without doubt one of the most enjoyable in japan, with the average mid day temperature in the mid teens.

From December through February Murasakizuka Golf Club & Resort are offering a fantastic overnight pack including: 18 holes of Golf, lunch, dinner, hotel, onsen and breakfast, all inclusive.

Special price Weekday: 11,340 (Includes tax)Weekend: 20,340 (Includes tax)

-Prices based on per person sharing- Minimum two person booking- Discounts available for groups- Return bus from Tokyo available for groups of 20+ golfers.

HOTEL BEAT

MURASAKIZUKA GOLF CLUB & RESORT HOTEL

CHRISTMAS PLAY AND STAY

Features27 Hole Championship courseHotel and PoolOnsenCreek RestaurantPrivate VillasPractice Facilities/RangeEnglish Speaking Service

Reservations http://www.murasakigc.com

12 more tips for raising a bilingual child in Japan

BY ADAM BECKAdam Beck is the blogger of Bilingual Monkeys, a site of “ideas and inspiration for raising bilingual kids (without going bananas).” A former teacher at Hiroshima International School, and now a writer for the Hiroshima Peace Media Center, Adam is the father of two bilingual children.

URL: bilingualmonkeys.com

Like my earlier article 16 Tips for Raising a Bilingual Child in Japan, these thoughts are suggestions for supporting the English side of a child at-tending a Japanese school—they’re not prescriptions. Be-cause every family’s make-up, and circumstances, are nat-urally different, what works for one family may not work as well for another. The strat-egies that have proven ef-fective for my family, and for other families I have known, might be useful for you, too—or not. The point is: What would be effective for you, for your unique situation, at this particular time? If raising a bilingual child with good English ability is im-portant to you, then this is the question that should remain uppermost in your mind throughout the journey.

1. Don’t leave it to chanceDon’t let the whims of cir-cumstance determine the outcome. You have to ac-tively shape the situation,

on an ongoing basis, so your child will receive suffi-cient English input to coun-terbalance the weight of Jap-anese exposure. Some take a more laissez-faire approach, saying that English can be picked up later, when the child is older. That may be true, of course, but this disregards the natural desire of many parents to interact with their children in their mother tongue throughout the childhood years. For me, it’s about both the present and the future.

2. Ignore the naysayersSome people, even those who are otherwise well-educated, may warn that your child will

become “confused” or suffer other hardships trying to learn two languages at once. Don’t let such comments deter you. At the same time, take peo-ple’s prescriptions with a grain of salt. There is no “one size fits all” when it comes to families raising bilingual children. In my case, I’m eager to hear about others’ suc-cessful experiences—because maybe I can adopt or adapt those strategies for my own family—but only I can really decide what’s appropriate for my particular situation.

3. Seize each dayA child’s bilingual devel-opment is a long-term process, but it’s a process that can only be advanced bit by bit, day by day, through regular habits and routines. Thus, the idea of “seizing each day”—taking action day in and day out—is at the very

heart of this challenge. Strive to be mindful of your long-range goal and commit to doing your honest best, each day, to move forward another few small steps. Remember that Japanese will continue its relentless progress, so you must be as consistent as you can, as persistent as pos-sible, when it comes to pro-viding English support.

4. Make it funThere’s no getting around the fact that raising a bilingual child is a lot of hard work for everyone involved, so it’s vital to make the experience en-joyable, too—to whatever degree you can. It’s an odd balance, but I think it’s im-portant to be both very se-rious and very playful at the same time: serious about the process and yet playful when

it comes to carrying that process out. Half of this is simply attitude, but the other half involves implementing activities (books, stories, riddles, games, etc.) that can nurture language devel-opment in a lighthearted way.

5. Clone yourselfWhen your children are small, and are especially in need of English exposure, it can be frustrating when you work long hours and are unable to spend as much time with them as you’d like. One way to ad-dress this lack of exposure to some degree—and, again, have fun in the process—is to create videos of yourself reading picture books, telling stories, singing songs, and talking to your children. I did this when my kids were younger and asked my wife to play these videos every day for about 30 minutes. The videos

captivated them (and amazed them when I happened to be in the same room!), while adding many hours of English exposure over those years.

6. Give books as giftsBy making a practice of giving English books as gifts for birthdays, Christmas, and other special occasions—and encouraging family and friends to do the same for your kids—you achieve three important things: 1) You help foster their love of books and literacy; 2) You convey the idea that books are special and valued by their loved ones (including Santa); and 3) You continue growing your home library, which should be an ongoing effort.

7. Turn to chapter booksAs soon as your children reach a suitable age and language level, I highly recommend reading aloud chapter books that come in a series to help get them hooked on books. Do this daily, for at least 15 minutes, and chapter books will quickly cast a spell and whet their appetite for lit-eracy. (And if reading regu-larly in person is difficult, try “cloning yourself” on video and have your spouse play a chapter or two each day.) You can find a list of some good series for young children in the post How to Get Your Child Hooked on Books at the Bilingual Monkeys blog.

8. Find a pen-palFor a child, there may be no better way to promote the written word than through a pen-pal relationship. My daughter has been ex-changing letters with a girl in the United States for almost three years. They write to each other (with some support from the parents) about every other month and send presents for birthdays and for Christmas. Hopefully, we can maintain this connection for

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“Make an effort to fuel your child’s passions via English resources and

opportunities.”

OPINIONS

some time to come, but even so, the experience has al-ready benefited her growing writing ability and her grasp of the value of English.

9. Fuel natural passionsMake an effort to fuel your child’s passions via English resources and opportunities. For example, my son cur-rently loves Lego and super heroes so I plan to give him books on these subjects for Christmas. In this way, his natural passions and his English ability are being nur-tured at the same time. As with books, you can probably find a good DVD on most any topic. If your child likes dino-saurs, for instance, the BBC has a marvelous series called “Walking with Dinosaurs,” in-cluding our personal favorite “Chased by Dinosaurs.” De-pending on where you live, you might also have access to opportunities in English—like classes, clubs, or other activities—that connect to a child’s special interests.

10. Write a story serialLast time I mentioned the idea of “captive reading,” in which suitable material for children with basic reading ability is posted in “captive locations,” particularly the bathroom, in order to promote reading practice. Toward this end, I’m now making use of “serial stories.” I write one page every other day or so (with a cliffhanger ending) for a running storyline that fea-tures us as the main char-acters. The roughly ten-part stories are very silly—I’m ba-sically just typing out what pops into my head—but my kids find them funny and are continually pestering me to produce the next installment.

11. Use “carrots” and “sticks”There are various views when it comes to giving re-wards, but I’ve found that a

reasonable use of “carrots” has provided an effective framework for nudging my children to read books and do daily homework. In our case, when they finish reading a book, they earn a little prize—something that genuinely ex-cites them. My son, for in-stance, likes plastic Pokemon characters and this small reward has heightened his enthusiasm for reading. As for daily homework, it may sound funny, but they’re quite content with a piece of (sug-arless) gum after their tasks are complete. And the only “stick” I seem to need (at least so far) is the reminder that they can watch no TV until all their work is finished.

12. Give time and attentionOur children will be little only once, and even then, for barely a blink. Whatever your circumstance, do all that you can to give time and at-tention to your kids while they’re small. Not only do they need the English ex-posure that you offer, they need, more than anything, your love. It isn’t always easy to stop in the middle of some-thing when your child inter-rupts, or answer yet another curious question without irri-tation, but it’s worth making the effort—every time—in order to promote your child’s English ability and deepen the bond between you as parent and child.

Japanese universities in crisisBY YONE SUGITAYone Sugita is associate professor of American history at Osaka University.

Are Japanese universities in-ternationalized? My short answer is NO. What do we need to do to rectify this sit-

uation? Three things are es-sential. First, foreign lan-guages are a means to advance and we should give incentives to students to learn foreign languages in-stead of forcing them to do so. Second, English must be a common working lan-guage. Third, foreign students and scholars should study and work together with Jap-anese students and scholars.

The University of Tokyo, the most prestigious university in Japan, has been trying to shift to a fall enrolment system from the current April en-rolment system so that it will be easier for Japanese stu-dents/scholars to study/work abroad and for foreign stu-dents/scholars to come and study/work at Japanese uni-versities. This is a won-derful idea, but it would re-quire tremendous changes to Japanese society: changing school enrolments at all levels from kindergarten to high schools, altering the ex-amination dates for public servants, physicians, lawyers, and many other professions.

Rather than trying to change the whole system, we can do many things within our own university to carry out interna-tionalization in a more prac-tical way. Recently, I had the opportunity to visit the Center for East and South-East Asian Studies at Lund University and the American Studies Section of the English and American Institute at Tech-nical University Dortmund (Germany). Both organiza-tions constitute excellent role models for Japanese univer-sities that aspire to become more internationalized.

The director of the Center at Lund University, Pro-fessor Roger Greatrex, has or-ganized the center in such a way as to foster internation-alization. Professor Greatrex

has made a bold decision NOT to employ the language re-quirement as most other de-partments and institutions where area studies are offered. At Lund, master-course stu-dents who study Chinese eco-nomics or Japanese politics do not have to learn the Chinese or Japanese languages. There may be pros and cons about eliminating the language re-quirement, but this certainly makes the center a unique entity. I have been teaching at the School of Foreign Studies at former Osaka University of Foreign Studies and currently Osaka University for over 20 years. This school currently offers 25 languages as majors. Because our students have to spend a substantial amount of time on acquiring lan-guage proficiency, they do not have enough time and energy to learn subject matter. They might read and speak Swedish without much knowledge of Swedish politics or history.

Often, students regard ac-quiring foreign language skills as their goal at uni-versity. They tend to forget that language is just a means to pursue something else. I would not advocate elim-inating the entire language requirement, but students should not be forced to learn foreign languages. Instead, give them incentives to learn foreign languages for them-selves. Learning about culture, society, politics, economics, history and other subjects with regard to specific coun-tries or regions would provide students with excellent in-centives to learn languages.

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The American Studies Section of the English and American Institute at Technical Uni-versity Dortmund led by Pro-fessor Walter Grünzweig, director of the Institute, pro-vides a wonderful model for Japanese university depart-ments that major in English-related subjects like the English Department of the School of Foreign Studies of Osaka University. I had the privilege of attending several undergraduate classes during my visit: Classes on Mark Twain, American movies, Pu-ritanism, street arts, mem-ories of the Holocaust, images of 2012 election, etc. Be-cause classes in the American Studies Section are taught in English, the undergraduate students learn the sub-jects and many aspects of American studies in English. Classes consist of people of various nationalities such as Poles, Hungarians, British, and Americans as well as Germans.

Not only students but also faculty members are heter-ogeneous. The center con-sists of faculty members, researchers, and long-term and short-term vis-iting scholars with many dif-ferent ethnic, cultural, and language backgrounds such as Austrian, American, Jap-anese and Turkish besides German. It offers such a cos-mopolitan atmosphere. It was inevitable that English had to be a common working lan-guage in this community. I also had a chance of at-tending a staff meeting held once a week that was con-ducted again solely in English.

Thinking about the aca-demic community back in the

English Department of Osaka University, the only classes taught in English are those taught by native speakers of English to improve students’ English language skills. We have one British, one Irish, and one American colleague in our department. We have had very few long-term and short-term non-Japanese vis-iting scholars/researchers, say a couple of times, in the last 20 years or so. However, these native English-speaking faculty members and visitors are considered to be tem-porary outsiders, and they are not invited to our staff meetings. Consequently, I have never experienced a staff meeting conducted in English. We just take it for granted that classes and meetings are conducted in Japanese only.

Students in the English De-partment spend a tremendous amount of time learning how to use English, but once they come to seminars and lectures that deal with America studies, they suddenly encounter classes conducted solely in Japanese. Most, if not all, of the students in classrooms are Japanese. All of them, in-cluding Japanese instructors, speak Japanese; they look alike, and think alike. This is a closed, isolated, solitary community. We wrongly be-lieve that we offer one of the best educations in Japan. We would say, “Don’t you know that the English Department is ranked first or second among foreign studies departments among Japanese univer-sities?” Ah, we are a BIG fish in a little barrel. It is high time to look outside, think globally, and do something at home.

I am particularly impressed with the high-standard of the course contents at Dortmund. Students there do many reading assignments in English, they conduct group work in English, make logical and informative presenta-tions in English, participate in heated class discussion in English, and American scholars teach not language skills but literature and cul-tural study in English. I felt like I was in a classroom in a major research university in the United States. Faculty members carry out extensive preparation to promote stu-dents’ interest in American studies for 90 minutes: em-ploying group work, stu-dents’ presentations, showing movies and slides, etc.

In one class, students have to watch American vampire movies before the class session and conduct lively class discussions based on these movies. In another un-dergraduate class, several in-structors besides the main instructor who was respon-sible for the class partici-pated in the class and had a lively class discussion on street arts and graffiti in English. Have you ever seen a class like this in Japan?

Japanese universities are far behind the international standard in terms of interna-tionalization. Can we change? Yes, we can …. I hope.

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OPINIONS

“Japanese universities are far behind the international standard in terms of internationalization.”

http://www.ecentral.jp

A Christmas to RememberTicket to the Annual Holiday Ball in Minamisanrikucho.

Presented by: O.G.A. FOR AID Registered charity No. 112572

Support the Christmas to Remember in Minamisanricucho by: Purchasing a raffle ticket!!

ORPurchase a package ticket for a sure thing!

Raffle Ticket: ¥3,000 Package Ticket: ¥50,000

December 16th 2012:The Ticket allows you the following journey:13:30 Shuttle bus from Sendai station15:30 arrives at Hotel Kanyo15:30-18:15 check in, onsen etc.18:00 Party doors open18:20- 21:00 holiday buffet + open bar18:30–21:15 live bands + performances + santa21:30 closing speech, presents and goodbyes

December 16th 2012:• 7:30-8:30 breakfast buffet• 8:30-9:30 bus tour of Shizugawa

復興クリスマス　パーテイー

http://www.ogaforaid.org

All proceeds go to sponsoring the event and any remaining funds will be put towards community rehabilitation efforts in Tohoku.