The Japan Australia News / July 2013

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www.ticketek.com.au/goodfood

(Photo Courtesy of The Scene Team)

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Maggie Beer

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English-Japanese conversation exchange in the city WA

JET JETAA ( )

* WA is held from 5:30pm on Thursday every two weeks in the function room at 43 Below. A gold coin donation is encouraged to pay for food!

*Date : July 4 & 18 2013

Time: from 5:30pm(you don't have to be there on time!)Venue: 43 Below (corner of Hay & Barrack)

* Inquiries

Nick

Tel: 0408-083-131 / [email protected]+ only ; photo ID required

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KOKORO no

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Waltzing Matilda

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A.B.(Banjo) Paterson1864 1941

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1890

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Book of Australian Facts , Reader's Digest 1992

A Pictorial History of Australia , Summit 1963

swag

Comprehensive

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Margaret River

Swan Valley

Margaret River Busselton

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Leeuwin 1974

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Cabernet SauvignonMerlotShiraz

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by Wallaby You

Shio-kji has been flying off the shelves in Japan since around 2011, although in fact it is an ancient traditional Japanese seasoning, made from rice saccharifi ed with a fungus known as kji (Aspergilllus oryzae) and fermented in salt and water. Kji is also the basis for the manufacture of soy sauce, miso and sake, and has been called the national fungus of Japan.The enzymes produced by shio-kji work to break down the starches and proteins contained in food, drawing out the classical Japanese umami taste and sweetness. Using it is a marinade also tenderises meats. No wonder its known as the almighty seasoning! If you love Japanese food, you need to try shio-kji today.This month we feature a simple recipe using commercially available shio-kji. You might also want to try making your own shio-kji at home; all you need is dried kji.

Shio-kji-marinated roast pork loin (serves 4)Approx. 500g pork loin meat; 2 tbsp shio-kji; 2 bay leaves; 3 sprigs Italian parsley; black pepper; 1 tbsp olive oil1. Pierce the pork with a fork or a bamboo

2011

500

210 15 10

Shop 26, 180 Rokeby Rd, Subiaco WA 6008Tel. (08) 9380-6783$16.40/1kg

Shio-kji (salt-fermented rice)

skewer and then place in a freezer bag. Rub all over with shio-kji, add the bay leaf, parsley and pepper, expel the air from the bag and seal it. Refrigerate overnight.2. Heat oil in a pan and brown pork all over.3. Cook pork in a preheated oven at 210C for around 15 minutes, then remove and cover with foil to rest and continue cooking through with residual heat for around 10 minutes.4. Cut into bite-size portions. Serve with seasonal vegetables.

Shio-kji available from: Nippon Food SubiacoShop 26, 180 Rokeby Rd, Subiaco WA 6008Tel. (08) 9380-6783Price: $16.40/1kg

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2013 Australian International Design

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250

15,000

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300km

LED

200m

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Part 1

Design Award of the Year Blackmagic Cinema CameraBlackmagic Industrial Design Team

TRACTILE Pty Ltd

Design Award Best in CategoryDomestic AppliancesThe LotusGrill BBQZimba Designs LotusGrill

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On 1 July 2013 there will be a number of changes to superannuation. These changes will affect employers and superannuation fund members. This article examines the changes and how they affect you.

If you are an employer in most cases you have to contribute superannuation on behalf of your employees. For a number of years the amount contributed has been 9% of the employees wages. From 1 July 2013 the contribution rate increases to 9.25%. From 1 July 2014 the rate increases to 9.5% and then gradually increases each year until from 1 July 2019 the rate will be 12%. You will need to plan for the increase in superannuation contributions and decide whether the increase will be part of a wage increase or will be incorporated into the current salary package. If the latter applies this will result in a reduction in the salary component of the package and you will need to adjust the employees wages from 1 July 2013.

There is a cap on the amount that can be contributed into superannuation. For concessional contributions the cap is $25,000. Concessional contributions are those where a tax deduction is claimed and includes employer contributions and tax-deductible personal contributions. From 1 July 2013 it is proposed that this cap will increase to $35,000 for individuals aged 60 and over. This means that as people get closer to retirement they will

be able to make higher contributions. If you are aged 60 or over you may like to consider making additional contributions if you are able.

If you are retired and are drawing a superannuation pension you are required to at least draw a minimum amount each year. For a number of years the minimum rates have been reduced due to the effects of the GFC. From 1 July 2013 the minimum pension factors will revert back to their normal rates. For example, the rate to 30 June 2013 for a fund member aged under 65 is 3%. This will increase to 4% on 1 July 2013. This means that the amount of the pension paid will increase. If you have a self-managed superannuation fund you should ensure that you adjust the pension amounts to take into account these new rates.

If you would like to discuss how the superannuation changes may affect you or would like any advice on taxation or accounting matters please contact us.

2013 7 1

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CHANGES TO SUPERANNUATION

CHARTEREDAccountantandTAXAGENT

Glenn Burke B.Bus CA SFfinGlenn is a chartered accountant and financial planner with over 25 years tax and accounting experience. Glenn regularly presents lectures on accounting and finance.

Proactive Business AdviceSuite 5, Ground Floor, 345 Pacific Highway

LINDFIELD, NSW 2070Tel: 02 9880 8706

Email: [email protected]

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Squisher and SquasherThe Great Bug Hunt 13 10 OldMillTheatreMendsSt,SouthPerth10www.trybooking.com/50961

Winnie the Pooh & Friends 11 10 11 30 Leederv i l le TownHal l84Cambridge St ,Leederville A.A. 17.95Ticketmaster

Cats 11 20 RegalTheatre474HaySt,Subiaco20 T.S. 59 300Ticketek

Don Giovanni 16 27 30 23 30 HisMajesty'sTheatre825HaySt,Perth28 160Ticketek

Sesame Street Presents Elmo's World Tour 19 20 10 20 CrownTheatreGreatEasternHwy,Burswood 24.90 64.90Ticketek

Other Desert Cities20StateTheatreCentreofWesternAustralia174-176WilliamSt,Perth

29.5 69.50Ticketek

Ballet Revolucion 30 30 CrownTheatreGreatEasternHwy,Burswood79.90 186.50Ticketek

Swan Lake 31 11 HisMajesty'sTheatre825HaySt,Perth50 49 109Ticketek

WWE RAW 30 30 PerthArena700WellingtonSt,Perth WWE WWE50 350Ticketek

MoshtixTel:1300438849www.moshtix.com.au

TicketmasterTel:136100www.ticketmaster.com.au

TICKETEKTel132849www.ticketek.com.au

BOCS PerthConcertHall5St.George'sTerraceHisMajesty'sTheatre825HayStreet Ticketmaster CloistersNewsagency863HayStreet TICKETEK Pharmacity717HayStreetMall

Steve Vai 10 30 PerthConcertHall5StGeorgesTce,Perth99.90 116.89Ticketek

Jian Wang & Bernadette Harvey 11 30 PerthConcertHall5StGeorgesTce,Perth30 77Ticketek

Engelbert Humperdinck 13 CrownTheatreGreatEasternHwy,Burswood100.85 810.60Ticketek

Barefoot Fiddler 24 30 PerthConcertHall5StGeorgesTce,Perth46.30 96.20Ticketek

Alt-J 27 30 ChallengeStadium100StephensonAve,MtClaremont71.80Ticketmaster

Music on the Terrace 2013 Rising Stars 28 GovernmentHouseBallroomStGeorgesTce,Perth

UWA42Ticketmaster

Morriston Orpheus Choir 30 PerthConcertHall5StGeorgesTce,Perth1935 70 69 89Ticketek

Cory Band in Concert 30 PerthConcertHall5StGeorgesTce,Perth70 85Ticketek

WASO www.waso.com.auWASOBoxOffice Ticketek WASO Celebrates the West End 19 21 30PerthConcertHall5StGeorgesTce,PerthWASO45 90 Peter & the Wolf Live 28 PerthConcertHall5StGeorgesTce,Perth 14 20 Simone Young Conducts 30 PerthConcertHall5StGeorgesTce,Perth 100 10 18 85

G StateTheatreCentreofWesternAustralia174-176WilliamSt,PerthGLED 1115 80Ticketek

The Bugalugs Bum Thief 20 10 19 30 Spare Parts Puppet Theatre1 Short St ,Fremantle 496 1221.50www.sppt.asn.au (08)9335-5044

SBS 96.9FM

10 11

Photo: Robert Frith

Photo: Chris Herzfeld

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NORTHBRIDGE ENGINE FIT & AUTO SERVICE402 Newcastle St. NORTHBRIDGE, WA 6003 0422-237-728 (08) 9328-9198

JAS Migration ServicesSuite 1, Level 4, Carillon City Office Tower 207 Murray St Perth WATEL (08) 9322 6308 ( )[email protected] MARN:1173457

ALTITUDE real estate

Suite 6/8 Alvan St. SUBIACO, WA 6008

0417-273-739Email to: [email protected] ( )www.estatequest.com.au ( website)

BILLABONG Backpackers Resort381 Beaufort Street, HIGHGATE, 6003 (08) 9328-7720 Fax (08) 9328-77212007 2008 10 $25

REGENT CAKES10/45 Francis Street, NORTHBRIDGE, WA (08) 9227-8081

LOI'S (Lion Oriental Foods Co. (13 Fitzgerald Street, NORTHBRIDGE (08) 9228-9898 Fax (08) 9228-8669 $10 10

LOI'S Eastern Supermart125 Barrack St. PERTH / (08) 9221-1001

Satomi Hair on Wheels 0415-200-119 / (08) 9227-6629

LET'S RELAX MASSAGE in Perth125 Barrack St. PERTH, Loi's Supermart (08) 9221-1001 $40/30 $70/60

RYOKO for Hair 0423-937-192 / [email protected] $35 i-white http://ryoko4hair.client.jp/

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W.A. Visitor Centre 55 William St, Perth W.A. 6000 1300 361 351

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship 836 Wellington Street, West Perth 13 18 81

Australian Taxation Office 45 Francis St., Northbridge W.A. 6003 13 28 61

Embassy of Japan, Canberra (02) 6273 3244 www.au.emb-japan.go.jp

The Consulate-General of Japan in W.A. U22 / Level 2, 111 Colin St West Perth (08) 9480 1800 www.perth.au.emb-japan.go.jp

Japanese Association of W.A. (Inc.) Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Perth Inc. (08) 9285 1765 [email protected] www.wanihonjinkai.com

Japan Club of W.A. Inc. [email protected]

Australia - Japan Society (W.A.) Inc. (08) 9325 4441 www.ajswa.com.au

0403-530 928

Hyogo Prefectural Government Cultural Centre (08) 9385 9002

The Japanese School in Perth (08) 9285 1758 www.japaneseschool.wa.edu.au

JETRO Sydney (02) 9276 0100

Emergency Calls 000 Fire ( Police ( Ambulance (

Gas13 13 52

Water 13 13 75

Electricity 13 13 51

Directory Assistance 12 23 12 25

Telephone Faults 13 22 03 13 29 99 018 018 111 11 00 12 21 Taxis 13 13 30 13 10 08

Yellow Pages

The articles that the Japan Australia News prints are correct at the time of printing but please note that there is a possibility that information may change after printing. In regard to advertisements and articles written by contributors outside of the Japan Australia News, the opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Japan Australia News. Reproduction without permission of any article, photograph or illustration printed in the Japan Australia News is strictly prohibited. It is a condition of advertising in the Japan Australia News that the advertisement does not breach the Commonwealth Trade Practices Act (1974) or Copyright Act (1968), or the Western Australian Sale of Goods Act (1895) or Fair Trading Act (1987). However, please note that the Japan Australia News does not guarantee the absence of breaches or the reliability of advertisements, nor does it accept responsibility for such breaches.

1974 1987 1895 1987

Publisher TakayukiTAKAHASHI

Translator LeonieRaeSTICKLAND

NickJOHN

Published by

J-Forum Pty LtdPO Box 403 Osborne Park

WA 6017 AustraliaTEL :1300 551 246

FAX : (+61 8) 9207 [email protected]

JA NEWS 2013 31 ( )

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Mt LawleyCafe DowneyYUZU KAITEN SUSHI Murdoch Murdoch University (Japanese Department) Myaree CN MARTPerth KimchiYee Seng Oriental Supermarket Nedlands Kido RestaurantKongs Oriental StoreSunazuka Perth Holistic Acupuncture Northbridge ArigatayaCentral TAFELion Oriental FoodsMC BeautyRegent Cakes PerthBillabong Backpackers ResortBlue Tourist & Student Centrehair plus H.I.S.

Zen Restaurant Victoria ParkJapanese Cafe UlaraInter Continental Perth Burswood VinesThe Vines Resort & Country Club Welshpool Meijin Garage West PerthConsulate-General of Japan WinthropCity Travel CentreSakura Japanese Foods YokineAoi Japan

Jaws Mint RestaurantLoi'sMacs LinkMatsuri RestaurantMilner English CollegeNao Japanese RestaurantNichigo CentreNihongo Iryou CentrePan Pacific Hotel Rainbow LodgeRestaurant JunRoselle Hair LoungeTAKA'S KitchenWA Tourist CentreZensaki Restaurant RockinghamRegional Campus Community Library ShellyKahmon Restaurant SubiacoBrilliant HairGreen Tea HouseNippon Food SuppliesMoisteaneToraya Restaurant

AlbanyAlbany Public Library ApplecrossOhnamiya BassendeanSuisen BunburyKokoro Japanese Restaurant BeaconsfieldChallenger TAFE BentleyCurtin University (Japanese Department)Curtin University (ELICOS)POLYTECHNIC WEST City BeachHyogo Cultural CentreJapanese School in PerthThe Weekend Japanese School ClaremontMethodist Ladies CollegeSado Restaurant CrawleyUniversity of Western Australia (Asian Studies)

East PerthChanterelle at Jessica'sdoa AustraliaHyatt HotelPerth Ambassador Hotel East Victoria ParkSenoji Japanese RestaurantRestaurant Ninniku Jip Fremantle Fremantle LibraryFremantle Tourist InformationOceans RestaurantTaka's Kitchen InnalooInnaloo Oriental SupermarketSasuke Take Away Food KalamundaRYOKAN wabi sabi Leederville LUNA Cinema Mandurah Mandurah Library Morley Sushi - DonWa Gokoro

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Watch Japan NowWatch Japan NowIslands of Seto Inland Attract People with Nature and Art The Seto Inland Sea region between Shikoku and Honshu used to function as the core of trade, shipbuilding, and navy. It played an important role in Japanese history. It is also known as Japan's very first national park where more than 700 islands create beautiful scenery. However, the islands are now facing serious problems such as aging and depopulation and loss of vitality,

How to revitalize communities while keeping the unique values of the islands? We will report some remarkable examples from Kagawa prefecture and Ehime prefecture, which are working on new city-development planning taking advantage of the unique culture and land features of the Seto Inland Sea area.

"Reinstatement of the Sea The Setouchi Triennale kicked off on March 20, 2013 ( Kagawa prefecture)

The Setouchi Triennale is a contemporary art festival that takes place on multiple islands of the Seto Inland Sea. It was first held in 2010 and it attracted more than 900,000 visitors from Japan and overseas.In 2013, the festival "Seto Inland Sea Art and Island Journey Through the Season" will open for three seasons: spring (March 22-April 21), summer (July 20- Sptember 1) and fall (October 5-November 4); 75 artists from all over the world will participate in the festival, including world celebrities such as architect Tadao Ando and movie director Takeshi Kitano.

This year's concept is "Reinstatement of the Sea, said Furusawa Yasunori, the deputy director of the Art Setouchi Promotion Office. The Setouchi Triennale is not just an art festival, but it has a great role in showing the attractions of the islands to the world. At the same time, it creates opportunities for interaction between islanders and visitors. The local volunteer staff called Koebitai (Shrimp Team) have been in fact a big influence behind for the success of the event. They have been actively involved with artists in the production of art works, and now they are preparing the venues for the coming summer exhibition,

With the power of nature and art, the islands have been transformed into places where people gather and share good times as they used to do, or maybe even more.

Teshima Art Museum (Kagawa Prefecture)

Teshima is an island located in the Inland Sea of Japan, between Naoshima and Shdoshima islands. It has an area of 14.5 km2 and a population of about 1,000 people. Teshima used to be known for its negative history: more than 500 thousand tons of industrial waste were illegally dumped on the island for 13 years from 1978.

However, people in Teshima are currently making a positive approach to advertise the natural beauty of their island through art. Teshima art museum, designed by Ryue Nishizawa, who was awarded the Pritzker Prize together with Sejima Kazuyo in 2010, is popular for its distinctive design which harmonizes with the peaceful scenery of the Inland Sea. There was a group of young Thai tourists visiting the Museum in February 2013.

Clouds above the Hill, Ryotaro Shibas Saka-no-Ue-no-Kumo the First English Translation PublishedThe great novelist Ryotaro Shiba, 1923-96, the author of one of the most popular historical sagas, Saka-no-Ue-no-Kumo (Clouds above the Hill), is very well known in Japan, but is little known abroad. In January 2013, Volume I and Volume II of the first English version of this saga were published. All four volumes of Clouds above the Hill will be completed within this year. This is an epoch-making event that will facilitate overseas understanding of Japan.

Shimanami Cycling (Kagawa Prefecture)

Shimanami Kaido is not just an expressway; it includes Japans first cycle track that goes over 80 km across a strait. We can enjoy cycling while seeing stunning scenic views of the Inland Sea. Ehime and Hiroshima prefecture are working on a project to realize a Global cycling tournament on the Shimanami Kaido as the biggest event of the Setouchi shima Expo, which is scheduled to be held in May 2014. They are developing a cooperative relationship with the world's largest bicycle manufacturer, Giant in Taiwan, to make the Shimanami Kaido a "World-class Cycling Spot". Ehime prefecture will conduct a Pre-global cycling tournament on October 20, 2013 in which 3000 amateur cyclists from all over the world will participate.

Ehime Marriage Support Centerhttp://www.msc-ehime.jp/(in Japanese)

Japan is about to reach an unprecedented super-aging and low birthrate society. It is estimated that Japans total population, approximately 120 million, will decrease by 40 percent to around 80 million in 50 years.

Recently, Ehime prefecture has started a powerful action to activate the region by promoting the rate of marriage in the young generation. This marriage support business, called Konkatsu consists of mainly two services: Marriage support events which mean that the province hosts matchmaking events to provide meeting opportunities for single men and women living in Ehime. En-Musubi services are conducted in Omiai-style which assists in matching unmarried men and women if they request help. Ehime prefecture also provides other services such as communication seminars and invitation programs for people who want to move to Ehime from elsewhere. There are more than 200 couples who got married through these events and around 300 volunteer staff help with the Konkatsu events. Ehime prefecture actively offers their know-how of Konkatsu services to other regions which have similar problems.

People tend to join positively Konkatsu events directed by administration because they have more confidence in them. Ehimes Konkatsu services have succeeded with the strength of the administration and collaboration with the private sector, said Hirotake Iwamaru, the secretary-general who organizes the Konkatsu events. From now on, we should focus on developing a society where these couples can have children and raise them easily he continued.

Devoting an entire decade, Shiba vividly depicted in his narrative young military officers (Yoshifuru and Saneyuki Akiyama brothers), a poet (Shiki Masaoka), and others, who played active roles in the Meiji era when Japan was emerging onto the world stage. The title, Saka-no-Ue-no-Kumo, depicts Japan in the Meiji era, which had just opened up from the feudal era, as an aspiring nation desperately making efforts to become a modern state.

Since its first publication in 1969, Saka-no-Ue-no-Kumo has enjoyed a great deal of national popularity, selling more than 18 million copies in Japan. From the 1970s to the 1980s, in particular, when Japan was becoming a world economic power with constant economic growth, the saga was a spiritual backbone to support peoples energy for further progress. When the pre-war history was on the verge of being denied completely after Japan had lost the Pacific War, Saka-no-Ue-no-Kumo taught us that before the advent of the dismal Militarism era there had been an era when people were only thinking of going up the hill with cheerful and free spirits and when there were Japanese of great caliber.

The work was carried as a series from 1968 to 1972 in the Sankei Shimbun, one of Japans national daily newspapers, and was carried in the same paper again recently; it was broadcast on NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) as a prime-time serial drama from September 2009 to December 2011, gaining high popularity. Ryotaro Shiba wrote many other historical novels and travel writings, but as his idiosyncratic writing style has discouraged translations; consequently his works are little known overseas. Many people are therefore delighted with the publication in English of Saka-no-Ue-no-Kumo; it is expected that the saga will be read by many people in the world as a good means of understanding the particular way of Japanese thinking.

Mr. Sumio Saito, President of the The Japan Documents in Matsudo City of Chiba Prefecture, set out the project to publish Saka-no-Ue-no-Kumo in English. As he had been involved in importing foreign books to Japan for about 45 years, he established the publishing company upon his retirement in 2001, making up his mind, From now on, I will convey Japans publishing culture to the world.

Though there had previously been an attempt to publish Saka-no-Ue-no-Kumo in English, the vast length of the novel---eight volumes in the pocket size edition, Shibas idiosyncratic writing style, and other problems such as historical background and terms, had left the translation unfinished. If I dont do it now, it will never get done. This sense of mission urged Mr. Saito to start the project. Clouds above the Hill in four volumes will be completed with cooperation of Paul McCarthy, Professor of Surugadai University and Juliet Winters Carpenter, professor at Doshisha Women's College of Liberal Arts, seasoned translators well versed in Japan, and others.

*** Saka-no-Ue-no-Kumo Museum of Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture, that produced the three heroes in the saga ***

As the central facility of the Saka-no-ue Field Museum Scheme, which is to make the whole city of Matsuyama a roofless museum, the Museum opened in April 2007. The museum is planned in consideration of the history and culture surrounding Matsuyama Castle, and its appearance is in harmony with its natural surroundings.

The stairs leading from the entrance hall to the top floor give pedestrians the impression of walking up to the clouds above; it is said that Mr. Tadao Ando, the architect, has re-created an image of Saka-no-Ue-no-Kumo (Clouds above the Hill) in the museum. On the slope between the third and fourth floors are huge panels called the Wall of Newspapers, carrying all the 1,296 clippings of the installments of Saka-no-Ue-no-Kumo, Clouds above the Hill, which were carried in the evening editions of the Sankei Shimbun from April 1968 till August 1972.

Using various written materials and video clips, the museum also introduces some characteristics of the Meiji era when Japan started transforming into a modern state, centering on episodes of Shiki Masaoka, Yoshifuru Akiyama, Saneyuki Akiyama, who are protagonists in the novel. Besides them, the museum features special events on different themes every year, attracting many people in and out of the prefecture.(photo right: Deputy Curator Matsumoto holding Clouds above the Hill)

(Copyright 2013 Foreign Press Center/Japan)

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2005 JET CIR

Tegan's "Nandeyanen" in Perth Part94TeganChubb 94

With Perth now well and truly into the colder months of the year, getting to work is a bit of a struggle. Since I am working only about 8 kilometres away from home, I have been riding my bike to and from work. It takes around the same amount of time as the train, is good exercise and convenient. But it can be testing lately as there is frost on the grass when I leave home in the morning

When I lived in Osaka, I rode a bike in the style of a mama-chari (Mum-style bike). It is rare to own a car when you live in the middle of the city, and so transportation is generally a choice of bike or train. Being a very flat city compared to Perth (besides the bridges), I enjoyed riding there. Plus, I could get from one side of the city to the other in about an hour on my bike, and so there were plenty of places to get to within a short distance.

However, as there are designated areas to leave your bike, you have to be really careful when parking. Particularly on the streets around stations, which are generally no parking areas, sometimes bikes parked illegally were confiscated and taken away in a large truck in one clean swoop. This was much to the dismay of people who had intended on riding home on their bike

With the experience of using a bike for transportation in Osaka behind me, on returning to Perth I wanted to continue riding about as I pleased. This was a simple choice since I didnt have my drivers licence on my return, but I needed a little more willpower once I gained my licence and a car to get around in. Also, the bike-riding culture of Perth is substantially different to that of Japan. Riders in Osaka usually just head out to wherever it is they need to be wearing their normal clothing, using their bike as a standard form of transport. But here, the people you see getting about on bikes are dressed in their lycra suits, and look as though theyre in training for a race. Plus you must also wear a helmet to ride your bike in Perth, which looks pretty uncool (but of course is much safer and better). I can get some pretty strange looks when heading out and about very casually on my push bike!

That said, there are many things I like about commuting by bike.

To begin with, its great exercise. Rather than just sitting or standing there when using

the car or train to get around, riding for just a kilometer really gets my heart rate going and warms me up. Even on these brisk mornings, I can get pretty sweaty by the time I get to work. Since I sit around all day in front of a computer, its a perfect way to get moving in the mornings and evenings! Whichever way I get to work is going to take time, so I may as well use the time effectively by exercising!

Secondly, for people working in the city, driving to work can be a real hassle because of the heavy traffic, and the difficulty in fi nding a place to park. Since there are only limited carparks available, the spaces quickly fill up. Once all the spaces are taken, you have to drive around and around the streets looking for somewhere to park. Sometimes if you get stuck in a traffi c jam, you just sit there waiting. So especially for big events when I know there will be trouble with parking, I can choose to just cut through the traffi c on my bike and park it nice and close. Im really lucky!

Finally, paying for parking everyday can get really expensive in the city. A days parking can set you back about $20, so calculating that for 5 days a week can get pretty expensive! While obviously a lot cheaper, fares to catch the train can also start to add up Riding to work is quite literally a free ride!

But I also enjoy riding about just for the fun of it, not only to get to and from work. On the weekends its nice to get out and about, without anywhere in particular in mind. There are loads of pretty places to enjoy around Perth, and cycle paths make it easy. My favourites are the Bridges (looping around the Swan river between the Narrows and Causeway Bridges), the Maylands waterfront area and Burswood, and circling around Lake Joondalup. All of these routes have cafes along the way to stop at for a coffee break, which I love!

P e r t h h a s s o m e r e a l l y l o v e l y d a y s throughout the winter, so riding is a perfect way to get outside and warm up. Whos with me?

Im inviting comment from readers of JA NEWS to let me know directly what you think. You can contact me on [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you!

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a man who sacrificed the life of his own son for his master. I was shown a thorough example of haragei the art of wordlessly conveying emotion from its seat in the belly. In Sannin Kichisa tomoe no shiranami, Onoe Kikugors rendition of the famous line by the character of Oj Kichisa (a man raised as a woman, and dressed as one) about having unexpectedly come into possession of (that is, having stolen!) a considerable sum of money, was delivered with vivid diction, and rang throughout the auditorium. I was full of admiration at that volume and carriage from an actor past the age of 70.

From a seat way over the other side from me, someone gave a Kabuki-afi cionados yell of Otowaya! (the name of the actors stable), and it echoed in the high-ceilinged, wide space. Live theatre is wonderful, isnt it?

Kabuki actors names are passed down from generation to generation, and Kikugor used to be called Kikunosuke more than 40 years ago. At that time, the abovementioned Ichikawa Danjr XII was called Shinnosuke, and there was another young actor of the same age group called Onoe Tatsunosuke, who was given the nod of approval by experts. Much was made of this trio, dubbed the Three Sukes, as being the beautiful youngsters upon whose shoulders rested the future of the Kabuki realm.

Actually, my own mother, who loved plays, was a Tatsunosuke fan, and this led to me also seeing several plays in which Tatsunosuke performed. He was a competent actor whose future was eagerly anticipated, with his sex appeal and ability to handle both domestic dramas and rough stuff, but he became a heavy drinker and died a premature death at 40. There was also an abundance of spicy tales about his relationships with older women, including the actress Mizutani Yoshie.

There are fans who judge his artistic style to be overflowing with pathos, with distorted expressive power, and I heartily agree. His son, the present bearer of the name Tatsunosuke, is popular among those fans who are connoisseurs, perhaps due to the way he takes after his father.

As for Terakoya, to explain simply, it is the story of a man who offers his own son to be beheaded for the sake of his master, to save the masters childs life. The main character of Matsumaru is played by Matsumoto Kshir, known also as an actor in musicals such as The Man of La Mancha. It is a play in which the most famous of renowned actors give their all, and so the audience, too, is enthused.

Meals between acts are also something to look forward to. A maku-no-uchi bent boxed meal indeed would be nice, but there are three restaurants in the theatre, as well, including Tokyo Kitcho. Even people without a theatre ticket can also use an eatery called Kabuki Chaya (tea-house) in Kobiki-ch Hiroba, which serves Fukagawa-meshi (rice with clams) and noodle dishes, or Houou, a restaurant adjacent to the Shin-Kabukiza specialising in Japanese cuisine, which offers a limited number of kaiseki-style bent (with tiny, exquisite serves of many different dishes) for all to enjoy.

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Columnistand freelancewriterTeruGAMOhaspublished16booksinsuchvariedgenresaspolitics,comparativeculture,historyand travel.Hecurrentlycontributesacultureandcurrentaffairscolumn toadailynewspaper,ChibaNippo.

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Aregularfeatureby Teru GAMOEnglishadaptionbyLeonieStickland

About a month and a half after the curtain first rose on Tokyos rebuilt Shin-Kabukiza Theatre, I set out to watch the May Grand Kabuki, a special performance season to commemorate the opening.

The fi rst Kabukiza was opened in 1889, and its present incarnation is the fi fth in the series. Its magnificent external appearance, styled like a Buddhist temple or a castle, strongly evokes the mood of the fourth version. Inside, it has been designed for easy viewing: there are no pillars, they have lowered the stage and hanamichi (a raised walkway perpendicular to the stage which runs through the audience), and the rows of seating have been raked. Stage machinery such as the traps and the revolve have also been modernised, and, to make the theatre-going experience easier for Kabuki novices and audience members from overseas, high-tech textual display devices which show the dialogue and so on (with an English version, too) are available in addition to earphone-based audio guides.

A phenomenon has arisen that could be called a Kabuki boom, aided by huge media coverage at the time of the theatres initial opening, and the topicality of the deaths just preceding it of actors including Ichikawa Danjr XII, who was arguably the mainstay of the Kabuki world, and the popular Nakamura Kanzabur XVIII, who passed away at the somewhat premature age of 57.

The theatre is housed in a lofty 29-storey office building that includes the Kabukiza Gallery, and on the second level below ground, in the concourse which leads to a subway station, a plaza called Kobiki-ch Hiroba, consisting of shops selling Kabuki-related merchandise, eating places, cafes, convenience stores and the like, has been established and is bustling with activity as a new Tokyo landmark.

The programme which I saw was the fi rst session of the day, beginning at 11 oclock in the morning. It comprised three pieces: Tsurukame (Cranes and tortoises), which is a celebratory dance; one scene called Terakoya (Temple school) from one of Kabukis foremost plays, the 1746 Sugawara denju tenarai kagami, and a gorgeous drama piece that makes one want to cheer, called Sannin Kichisa tomoe no shiranami. Initially, I had thought to utilise what was a speciality of the old Kabukiza a one-act seat (a 4th-fl oor seat for watching only one act at a cheap price), but as I heard that these were super-popular and there was a queue of people waiting to get in, I desisted and obtained a 3rd-fl oor seat on the Internet for 6,000 yen. Retaining these one-act seats was a heroic decision by the operators, Shochiku, because they offer foreign tourists and locals who tend to avoid Kabuki a ready opportunity to watch.

For your information, the one-act seats are only sold on the day of performance, and cost around 2,000 yen, though this differs according to the programme.

This augurs well, starting from springtimeOn the day in question, I danced for joy

because a female-role player I particularly liked, Nakamura Matsue V, who had a short time previously changed from the name Kaishun, was going to perform in Terakoya. In the almost 20 years I had not watched Kabuki, younger actors had taken over the names of their seniors.

In Terakoya, Matsumoto Kshir VII gave an impassioned performance as Matsumaru,

A Bird's-Eye View of Japan

No. 86The sophistication and beauty of Kabuki drama

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News Photos from JAPAN

LAKE YAMANAKAUNESCO formally names Mt. Fuji as World Heritage sitePhoto shows swans oating on Lake Yamanaka in Yamanashi Prefecture and Mt. Fuji on the night of June 22, 2013. The World Heritage Committee of UNESCO decided the same day to inscribe Japan's iconic mountain on the U.N. agency's prestigious World Heritage List.

TOKYOUltracompact carFile photo shows an ultracompact car produced by Nissan Motor Co. Japan's transport ministry gave the green light on June 14, 2013, for the two-seat ultracompact electric vehicle to run on public roads on a trial basis in parts of Kanagawa Prefecture from July.

KYOTO'Make Way for Ducklings' in KyotoA duck leads 10 ducklings as the family marches toward the Kamo River from a pond near Yoboji temple in Kyoto's Sakyo Ward on June 7, 2013. According to local residents, eight years ago ducks started ying from the river to the temple pond in the spring to hatch ducklings, and return to the river about 500 meters away around June after the ducklings have grown. Policemen controlled traffi c the same day to assist the family's trip, which started around 6:20 p.m. and took about an hour.

OSAKAMotocross at castleA rider performs during a motocross competition near Osaka Castle in the city of Osaka on May 31, 2013.

Source : Kyodo News

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Source: Kyodo News

Japan quali es for 2014 World CupSAITAMA, Japan - Japan midfi elder Keisuke Honda scores an injury-time penalty in a World Cup soccer qualifier against Australia at Saitama Stadium in Saitama, north of Tokyo, on June 4, 2013. Japan drew 1-1 with Australia to qualify for the 2014 World Cup fi nals in Brazil.

The Japan Australia News / July 2013

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Transcript of The Japan Australia News / July 2013