Ikebukuro Diary

Tanabata is coming soon☆

Tanabata (meaning "Evening of the seventh") is a Japanese star festival,
derived from the Chinese star festival.
It celebrates the meeting of Orihime (Vega) and Hikoboshi (Altair).
The Milky Way, a river made from stars that crosses the sky,
separates these lovers, and they are allowed to meet only once a year
on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the lunisolar calendar.
Since the stars come out at night, the celebration is held at night.
On the day of Tanabata, people write their wishes on the strips of paper(tanzaku) and hang them on bamboo branches....................

People just think and write their wishes.....and someone said people become
'pure heart' really like child.......yeah, I found peace of mind in this event :)

We wished for recovery of our staff, Ono san, last year and it came true :)
And this year....we can see many wishes here....marriage, health, happiness...
what is your wish....let's see.......

I can imagine whose wish....Mr.H...
Hope your wish come true☆

2010 World Cup is now only just over 7 days away.

Tonight, we will have a warm-up match, Japan vs. Republic of Cote d'Ivoire.
Don't miss it.

It seems the world's attention has been focused on China economically and politically.
Expo Shanghai 2010 is a good example for that.

Also, I felt the dynamism in Beijing International Auto Show that was held from April 25 to May 2.

I was jealous of Beijing Auto Show because Beijing Auto Show was much bigger and more glamorous than 2009 Tokyo Motor Show that was held last fall. When I went to the Tokyo Motor Show, honestly I was so disappointed with it. Most of European and American car companies did not come in the show while nearly 2100 companies from 16 countries and regions exhibited in the Beijing Auto Show.

Also, Tokyo Motor Show emphasized ecology, environment and earth too much. I am not against the concept and I respect the ecological movement, but I wanted to see more excitement and dream in the show. Symbolic icon in the motor show should be gorgeous, sexy, muscle and powerful sports car.

Tokyo Motor Show is held every two years and I look forward to drastic change in 2011 Tokyo Motor Show.

Sadly it seemed to me that most people paid attention to … booth girls rather than cars.

I was attracted to only one car because it reminded me of my old car
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　↓

Have you heard this song? An official anthem of FIFA World Cup Football 2010.
Waivin' Flag by K'Naan.
Very moving lyrics and PV. Check this out♪

K'NAAN "Waving Flag" -Celebration mix- Dir: NABIL from nabil elderkin on Vimeo.

Wow, many many people came to this party!!

Nice music, that was cool☆

It was great chance to meet lots of people here ;)

And...? let's get start the game!

Tomo&Tomo explaining about the game

300 bar staff☆

Hey, :D are you enjoying?

To everybody, thank you for coming this party, and thank you for watching
this party (it was broadcasted on internet! )
we definitely have this party again!!

Um....but I had to work during this party........no luck!

Get togather party girl and party boy!!

Hi everyone,

Now we are enjoying Sakura in Tokyo.
Last night Rumi & I went to “Yasukuni shrine” after “No workshop” at Jimbocho.

“Sakura Festival” is taking place there until this Sunday.
There are cherry trees in full bloom this weekend & a lot of stands:)

Sake!

Okonomi-yaki!

Tako-yaki!

Crape!

If you’re free on this weekend, please go there.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Sakura Festival @ Yasukuni Shrine
Until this Sunday (4th April)
http://www.yasukuni.or.jp/english/access.html
--------------------------------------------------------------------
People at stands are very friendly.

Bread is better than the songs of birds!!

Yum!!

xxx Yoshi

Hi everyone!

Have you heard or watched "Noh"?

Noh is a major form of classic Japanese musical drama (play) that has been performed since the 14th century. There are approximately 250 plays in the current repertoire, which can be divided according to a variety of schemes. The most common is according to content, but there are several other methods of organization.

We have "Noh Workshop" by Shuko Tuchiya (Noh performer) on this Friday.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Noh Workshop at Sakura Hotel Jimbocho
2nd April (Fri.) 18:30 at our hotel lobby FREE!!
The workshop consists of "Explaining Noh", "Noh Performance"
and "Noh Experience (Challenging the Noh voice and acting)".
access: http://www.sakura-hotel.co.jp/sakura-hotel_location.html
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Let's look at the previous event pictures!

Feel free to join this workshop and enjoy the Noh world!

See you on this friday :)

Last week, we had Sushi making party,
More than 30people join us, one of the stuff in our company Ms. Arai show us how to make rolling sushi.

Hope everybody enjoyed.
If you miss it, don't worry. We will have this kind of party again.

Sorry for late notice.
But we will have sushi party tomorrow night.
You can experience for rolling sushi.

More than 20people sign up already. It's gonna be fun party☆
Let's join!!

On March 1st, the closing ceremony of the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games was held after two weeks of competition.

It is not too much to say that women's figure skating attracts the most attention among all.
Kim Yu Na (South Korea) won the the gold medal and Mao Asada became the silver medalist.

'Kiss and cry' is a place where figure skaters and coaches are waiting for the scores after the performance. Happiness and sadness are crossover there.

I got a catch in the throat when Mao could barely speak and wiped her eyes in a TV interview.
I saw her feelings of frustration and despair in her face and at the same time I was moved by her intensity of will.

4 years ago … Mao could not participate in the Torino Olympics because of the age limit.
It seemed to me that Mao was in her prime when she was 15 years old.

Actually I was a witness who saw Mao became a champion in The Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final at National Yoyogi Stadium on December 17, 2005, that was 2 months before Torino Olympics.

12 years ago … World Figure Skating Championships was held at Target Center in Minneapolis, USA one month after 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics. That was my first experience to see ‘LIVE’ figure skating. Guess what happened to me? I waved 2 bunches of flowers by the rink when Irina Slutskaya (Russia) finished her performance and then as soon as Irina saw me, Irina rushed into me and kissed me twice. That was the happiest moment of my life. I was about to cry from the happiness.

4 years from now … I would like to see Mao with a big smile at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.

I went to see the concert of my favorite band ‘DEF LEPPANDA’ at CLUB PHASE in
Takadanobaba yesterday.

Lead singer is Nori Kondo who is the manager of Sakura Hotel Hatagaya.

His voice is amazing! His hair is stunning!
Nori is a rock star.

Sakura (Sakura Hotel Hatagaya staff) showed up as a special backup dancer

with Hiro (left, Sakura Hotel Hatagaya staff) and a rock star

After the show, Hiro and I went out to Karaoke and kept singing …

Happy New Year!
How did you spend this New Year?

My New Year always starts with watching the semifinals of the University
Rugby Football Championship at the National Stadium. It has been almost
30 years since my father took me for the first time when I was little.

At National Stadium on January 2, 2010.

During the New Year’s break, popular winter sports events, such as All-Japan
High School Soccer and Rugby tournaments, University Rugby Championship
and Tokyo-Hakone collegiate marathon relay race (Hakone ekiden) are held.

After the New Year’s party at Ebisu, I happened to get on a ‘Hakone ekiden’
colored train (Yamanote Line) at Ebisu Station.

Near Shinagawa Station on January 2, 2008.

It is cold outside, but it is exciting to watch sports while having white steam-breathing.

Happy new year, everybody!!

How do you spend your new year's day?
We, our hotel, celebrated new year with SAKE.

pour more pour more!

KANPAI!

This special SAKE available at our hotel by Jan 3rd (I hope...) If you are planing to come to our hotel or cafe, don't miss it.

We wish your happiness and peaceful world of this year!!

We had an event 'Kimono and work shop' on 20th December!

Many people enjoyed chooseing used Kimono and trying to make a hair accessory.
These are photos for work shop, you can see their faces are very very sirious ;)

I should inform...he making hair accessory not for himself, to his mother,
how gentle :D

I should say one more time.....that hair accessory might be suit you?

It's very nice isn't it ;)

I hope everybody enjoyed this opportunity!

........Ah! I forgot to check how it going for Sariko and Eun Jung :p
Hey? it taking long time and everybody already have gone...

Well, now they finished!
Kawaii (cute)?? :p

Well done well done!!

♪♪☆☆☆MERRY CHRISTMAS☆☆☆♪♪

How you spend this time in your country?
Tokyo city is decolated with beautiful lights....

Thank you for this beautiful photo Kikuchi san ;)

And at here, you can meet Santa sisters :p

Are you having big presents, Tomo Santa?

These snaks or sweets are present for you!

This is a present from our guest ;) Thank you!

☆Wishing you a wonderful Christmas☆

Good news for kimono lover!
We will sell the used kimono on next Sunday (Dec 20th).
If you are interested, you also can join to workshop for making hair accessory by Kimono Fabric.
Don't miss to sign up at reception.

On November 15th, our staff Riichi Shimizu will have exhibition at Design Festa Gallery in Harajuku.
Below is message from Riichi.
↓↓↓

bl nk minimalism - new styles of collaboration -

It is an exhibition of a team of 8 artists.

By setting "minimalism" as the theme, we will show a new style of
collaboration, where works of art don't stand alone, but rather effect
each other.

Real-time constructed motion art and music, which shifts from time to time.
Static glass sculpture, which continuously changes its appearance by
various modes of light.
A dynamic exhibition will be held mainly with these works of art.

Come and see the alter-ego of the staff which is far from the face he
normally shows!
And who knows! You may discover your own alter-ego!

**For more information, please visit website**
http://www.philosophy.vc/blnk/

Design festa galary.
15min walking from JR Harajuku station.
http://www.designfestagallery.com/index_en.html

I've been watching Adachi firework display yesterday!
That was soooo beautiful, I don't know what to say.....!!
Every single year, I've touching how wonderful....

I've tried but could not take a good photo....though.....friend of mine, Eun-jung, took a nice shot, 'smilely' ;)

Big smile in the sky ;)
Hey! smile together!

Happy Birthday!!
'Tanjyobi Omedetou!' in Japanese!

It was Sariko's birthday! and we got together and had a birthday cake with some guests :)

Birthday is very special and I wanted to have celebrate her birthday
with some people.
Then I thought it would be wonderful, if we could organize something like a surprise party !
This idea poped into my head.

So, we had not told about this 'petit party' before we just took her
to the kitchen after finish work, then, put the light off,
and..............................we brought the cake with candle lights.....!!

Happy surprize!!
It's nice isn't it ;)

It's so hot recently and I can't sleep well.........
We have hot and sticky summer every year in Japan.

The best thing in summer is that we will have a lots of festivals and fireworks!!
http://gojapan.about.com/od/japanesefestivals/tp/tokyofireworksfestivals.htm
I love planning to go to see them with friends, specially I do love to see the fireworks........
we bring some foods and beers and sit on the ground and wait that moment..........
and start to countdown ..................... !!That's totally exciting !!

Firstly, there is Fireworks at Sumida river, at 25th July.
This is most biggest firework display in Tokyo.
Then Sakura Hostel Asakusa will have a Hanabi &Sushi party!!
You should not to miss it ;)
Please ask about this at frontdesk ;)

Let's enjoy summer!!

Beautiful Hanabi(fireworks)...........I can't wait........ ;)

What is "Tanabata"?
Tanabata (meaning "Evening of the seventh") is a Japanese star festival, derived
from the Chinese star festival.
It celebrates the meeting of Orihime (Vega) and Hikoboshi (Altair).
The Milky Way, a river made from stars that crosses the sky,
separates these lovers, and they are allowed to meet only once a year
on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the lunisolar calendar.
Since the stars come out at night, the celebration is held at night.

We will see a lots of decorations in many places for this festival or we decorate
bamboo with colorful paper and also hung a 'tanzaku' (written one's wish)
on there.

Then, we will have a party......☆☆☆

[EVENT] Tanabata(Star festival) party
[FEE] 2,000 yen (Sakura Cafe & Restaurant will serve you new start menu
in buffet style and Wine, Cocktails and Japanese beer!)
[DATE] Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 [TIME] 19:00-21:00
[PLACE] Sakura Cafe & Restaurant in our sakura hotel Ikebukuro

Let's have a party and...................what you want to make a wish?

Have you tried 'Japanese tea ceremony' before?
We are going to organize 'Tea Ceremony' tomorrow and schedule is as below;

Date: June 13th ,Saturday
Time: (1) 4pm-5pm (2) 5pm-6pm
Place: Sakura Hotel Ikebukuro
Price: This time it's FREE in charge

It will be a great oppotunity for you to know some Japanese culture!

This is the picture we took previous time.

You can prepare the Japanese tea by yourself if you would like to.
Just try it ;)

We would like to thank you to people joined the sakura viewing picnic!
It was perfect weather and sakura(cherry blossom) also perfect!
Specially, we had woderful time with guests, and staffs working at sister company.

And...thank you for tryed to taste 'natto' which made of soy beans fermented!
It's Japanese traditional food and it has strong smell and sticky, some people don't like it.
But it's worth trying that taste :p

Thank you again and hope we can have this opportunity in the near future ;)

We are sorry for this short notice!
But please let us announce....we will have 'cherry blossom viewing picnic'
tomorrow!

We just have been planning picnic with some people,
but we realized if we share this oppotunity with guests, that would be wounderful!
So we know it's too short notice but we already ask to join us to some guests
and staffs working at cafe and people working at our sister hotel/hostel.

If you, anyone, could join us, please come over and meet at Sakura Hotel, 1pm ;)

We don't need heavy coat and feel very nice when go for a walk.
Specially Sakura(cherry blossom) blooming now!
Everybody love this flower and yes, Sakura is lovely and beautiful...make us smile a lots :)
and many people planning where to go to see them and when have viewing party♪
Of course we are planning it now ;)

We have been all excited about final match today!!
Japan team won the championship!!

At Sakura cafe, there is a screen and you can watch it with some other people by the way.
It would be much fun ;)

I went to cafe to see and check how the game goes (during work) :p

The cherry blossoms will be blooming soon.
It is most famous and loved flower in Japan.
Our sister hotel Sakura Hostel Asakusa http://www.sakura-hostel.co.jp/will have Ohanami Sushi party on March 28th. Our stuff Yoshihiro K.　(we will introduce him with this blog later) will cook sushi for everybody.
Let's join them to see some beautiful cherry blossoms and have some sushi.