INTERVIEWS

INTERVIEWS

I was almost crying at the thought of Tohoku people during the concert held there.

2016-03-09

Interviewed & written by Isao Tokuhashi Mail to: info@myeyestokyo.com   Rolando Encinas Quena player   A worldwide quena player whom all Latin music lovers must know – that’s today’s interviewee. We met him on referral from Luis Carlos Severich, Japan-based Bolivian guitarist whom we interviewed in 2007. We faced Roland Encinas, a Bolivian quena player, two days after we got a phone call from Luis Carlos. The interview was conducted right before his concert so we didn’t have enough time to go deep into his background. But he talked about his ties with Japan affectionately. However, he had an expression

INTERVIEWS

The sympathy with the aftermath of the earthquake almost doesn’t exist abroad. But there are still tons of problems to be solved in Tohoku.

2016-03-07

Interviewed & written by Isao Tokuhashi Mail to: info@myeyestokyo.com   Andrew Grimes Psychotherapist/Clinical Psychologist   One day, we received a mail from a gentleman. “I am very impressed by your website and the interviews there. If you would be interested in interviewing me, I would be grateful to you. We need to remind the rest of the country that there are still tens of thousands of people and children living in poor accommodation and with the fear of radiation”. He is Andrew Grimes, a UK-born psychologist/psychotherapist who has been working in Tokyo for about 30 years. He asked us to

INTERVIEWS

Wanting the world to experience the “Real Japan”

2016-02-06

Interviewed & written by Isao Tokuhashi Mail to: info@myeyestokyo.com   Alisa Sanada Chief Operating Officer of Nagomi Visit We interviewed a Japanese-American who runs Nagomi Visit, a nonprofit organization based in Tokyo. People all across the globe from around 60 countries use the program to visit local homes all across Japan. These “home visits” allow a traveler to visit a local home for two to three hours and experience the everyday life of locals in Japan by engaging with them over a meal. In comparison to a homestay where you stay overnight, there is less pressure on both sides. It

INTERVIEWS

Is Japanese politeness because of the family or the schools? – Tell me, Japanese people! Vol.3

2016-02-04

Produced by Isao Tokuhashi Edited by Daniel Penso Mail to: info@myeyestokyo.com   Japan Traditional Crafts Aoyama Square Japan Traditional Crafts Aoyama Square is the only gallery & shop where over a hundred kinds of selective traditional crafts from all over the country are exhibited and sold. It displays Japanese products such as ceramics, lacquered wares, woven textiles, Japanese washi paper and more. The artisans demonstrate their skills in front of guests here regularly. Supported by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. 日本語   Man from the US I’m a visiting professor at a Japanese university so I came here

INTERVIEWS

Rakugo is the dreamland in my life.

2016-01-28

Interviewed & written by Isao Tokuhashi Mail to: info@myeyestokyo.com   Chi-Fen Wu (Taiwan) Rakugo Performer   We’ve covered some people who are engaged in a Japanese traditional verbal entertainment called “Rakugo“, which is performed by a lone storyteller. Even though you have to know about Japanese culture, language and customs deeper in order to enjoy rakugo, it’s getting popular among foreigners. There are some non-Japanese rakugo performers who we’ve interviewed from the US, Turkey, UK and Sweden. Now let us introduce you to another performer from Taiwan named Chi-Fen Wu, a.k.a. “Giran-tei Shoronpo (宜蘭亭小籠包)”. We met her for the first

INTERVIEWS

Sake is an entry into a great experience in Japan.

2016-01-26

Interviewed & written by Isao Tokuhashi Mail to: info@myeyestokyo.com   Andre Bishop Sake Samurai/Owner of Japanese restaurants & bars   The 2nd Kyoto interview is with Andre Bishop, “Sake Samurai” from Australia. His attachment to Japanese food and sake developed into owning his own Japanese restaurants and bars in his country. He has much knowledge of sake, but he wanted to learn how to make sake. In March 2015, Andre met Maho Otsuka, a toji (杜氏, Chief Sake Brewer) who worked for “Japan Brand Public Diplomacy Program” as a sake expert, in Australia. She held a seminar on climate, culture

INTERVIEWS

Standing in the bustle of Tokyo, I realized that at the very core, we are not so different after all.

2016-01-25

Interviewed & written by Isao Tokuhashi Mail to: info@myeyestokyo.com   Bryan Sherman Global Human Resources consultant (In Japan this time since November 2007) We’ve interviewed people who came from “literally” all over the world. We did not have the intention of meeting people from around the world in order to convey the notion that “at the core, all people are essentially the same.” But, after many interviews, this is a point that I have heard echoed time and time again. Recently we met a man who espouses such ideas. Bryan Sherman, American born and raised, now calls Tokyo home. He

INTERVIEWS

I want to tell the depth of sake to the world.

2016-01-22

Interviewed & written by Isao Tokuhashi Mail to: info@myeyestokyo.com   Maho OtsukaToji (Chief Sake Brewer)   We’ll introduce you to 2 people who are involved in “sake”. One is a female toji (杜氏, Chief Sake Brewer), another is a “Sake Samurai” from Australia. First of all, let us share the stories of Maho Otsuka, a chief sake brewer of a 370 year-old brewery called “Shotoku Shuzo (招德酒造)”. Otsuka has been working at the brewery in Fushimi, a sake brewery town in Kyoto, as a toji since 2005. In March 2015, she worked for “Japan Brand Public Diplomacy Program” as a

INTERVIEWS

Japan is a place where innovation and consideration live together.

2016-01-17

Interviewed & written by Isao Tokuhashi Mail to: info@myeyestokyo.com   Chan Wing Kong (Hong Kong) TV Producer   A (Belated) Happy New Year 2016! We’ve interviewed people from many different countries for 10 years since My Eyes Tokyo launched. However we have not heard stories from people from this area… Hong Kong. Let us introduce you to a really gentle Hong Konger called Chan Wing Kong, a TV producer. We didn’t know how to read his name correctly because he told us his “Japanese” name when we met him for the first time. His Japanese name is Tsuyoshi, which derives

INTERVIEWS

I will create a culture which encourages both profit generation and contribution to society.

2015-12-16

Interviewed & written by Isao Tokuhashi Mail to: info@myeyestokyo.com   Kaoru Joho Entrepreneur One day we happened to find an interesting app on Facebook timeline. It enables you to give school meals to children in developing countries by booking seats at restaurants, bars, izakayas, etc. in Japan. The app is called “Table Cross”, which implies “Cross any boundary, connect with each other through food and make the world happier”. This app is not an interesting app, but it’s really helpful. You can make a difference in the world if you book seats at restaurants – maybe you’ve done it at