This Month on Maction Planet – December 2024

December rounds off an incredible record-breaking year for Maction Planet! We hosted more guests than ever – enjoying everything from an evening of whisky tasting to three-week Pan-Japan tours.

I want to begin this edition of This Month on Maction Planet by thanking each and every one of you who toured with us in 2024. The vast majority of our business now comes from word-of-mouth recommendations. That is the best present I could possibly have during this holiday season. We continue… and Kanpai!

Featured image: The Blue Cave illumination, known as ‘Ao no Dokutsu’ in Japanese, first debuted in 2014 along the Meguro River. In 2016, the event moved to Shibuya, where it has since become an annual winter attraction. The illumination stretches approximately 800 meters from Shibuya Koen Dori to Yoyogi Park, creating a mesmerizing tunnel of blue, which this year featured over 600,000 lights. The event, which this year ran from Friday, 6 December to Wednesday, 25 December, attracts millions of visitors annually, which this year included me and several of my guests!

A sign of how insanely busy 2024 has been… it’s been a long time since I hung out with Chris Hughes. We finally managed it, and appropriately, the catch-up took place at LOST, Chris Broad and Sharla’s new(ish) bar in Shibuya. Why is that appropriate? Because Chris came up with the (very impressive) sake menu for the bar.

Tokyo Comic Con 2024 took place from 6 to 8 December at Makuhari Messe in Chiba. This year’s guest lineup included big names like Benedict Cumberbatch, Jason Momoa, Jude Law, and Morena Baccarin. The event was packed with panels, merchandise, and cosplay, making it a must-see for any fan of comics, movies, and games. I attended Day 1 and for me the highlight was hanging out with my friend and former Maction Planet tour guest Andrew Lee Griffith, the legendary artist best known for his work on Transformers and G.I. Joe.

Partially clashing with Tokyo Comic Con was Whisky Festival 2024 in Tokyo, organized by Mamoru Tsuchiya and the Japan Whisky Research Centre. Taking place on across four sessions on 7-8 December at Bellesalle Takadanobaba, the event showcased over 100 exhibitors, offering tastings from domestic and international distilleries. A highlight of the event was hanging out with Jota Tanaka (pictured), the master blender of Kirin Whisky.

To get a sense of what this festival is like, check out this video I made about the 2022 itineration here.

The GODZILLA THE ART by PARCO vol.4 exhibition ran from 29 November to 16 December at PARCO MUSEUM TOKYO in Shibuya. Curated by art galley Nanzuka, this event celebrated Godzilla’s 70th anniversary by featuring diverse artistic interpretations of the iconic kaiju. The exhibition showcased works by artists including Roby Dwi Antono, Hiroki Tsukuda, Ryuichi Ohira, James Jarvis, and Tadanobu Asano. The highlight for me was a Godzilla suit statue from Godzilla: Final Wars, my favourite!

The Tokyo Station Gallery is currently hosting “Terence Conran: Making Modern Britain,” the first exhibition in Japan dedicated to the influential British designer, from 12 October, 2024, to 5 January, 2025. This comprehensive showcase explores Sir Terence Conran’s impact on British, and indeed global, lifestyle and culture through design. The exhibition features over 300 works and materials, including early products, tableware, textiles, and items from his shops and restaurants. Conran’s philosophy of “plain, simple, useful” underpins how he revolutionized the global design market. The exhibition also includes interviews with people influenced by Conran, offering visitors a deeper understanding of his significant contributions to modern design. Amongst all this, I discovered the Conran was a big fan of Bibendum AKA the Michelin Man! Catch it while you can.

I decided to include this image as an example of one of the many reasons I love Tokyo. This is STILLPARK, a cafe in Den-en-chofu. Great drinks, great desserts and a beautiful space all round. A tranquil retreat, blissfully absent from the digital spotlight – and saying that I’m aware of the irony of writing about it online. With all the chatter around Japan overtourism dominating headlines, it’s nice to be reminded that it the conversation needs to be more nuanced despite today’s connected world.

This may be the most beautiful whisky-related photo I’ve ever taken. Thank you to Shohei and his team for all their hospitality at the Fugaku Distillery.

In 2019 I start officially offering the 14-hour Premium tour option. I typically meet with my guests at 0730 and we finish around 2130. The feedback is that we see more in those 14 hours than they would have seen by themselves in 3 days! Those were the sentiments being shared as I said goodbye to Eduardo and Ana after sharing the first day of their epic Japan adventure with them.

This was the last photo I took with the Kriegers. We spent 48 hours together exploring the length and breadth of Tokyo over four days. We did a lot, and threw in a birthday 食べ飲み放題 and カラオケ for good measure.

I was honoured to have hosted them. This won’t be last the last you hear of our ‘collaboration’. We continue…

The Capitol Hotel Tokyu continues its tradition of showcasing Sogetsu Ikebana. The hotel’s main lobby features monthly changing exhibits, reflecting the seasons, aligning with the hotel’s concept of “continuity and change”. This was December’s effort, which greeted me each morning I picked up the Kriegers.

My　friends　at　Sakamichi　Brewing　have　been　busy.　If　they　aren’t　brewing　up　banagers　they　ar　　　　　　　　　　

This photo is from neither of those. This is from 10 December, when I became the first customer to consume this year’s batch (version 4) of Tama’s Chocolate Orange Porter. While being honoured to do things has become a trope – just check out LinkedIn – I was genuinely truly honoured to do this thing.

So, what’s the verdict! We are back to the greatness of v1! Can’t wait to head back to Tachikawa to consume more of it!

How better to celebrate Christmas with Rebecca, Todd and family than with a KFC! Thank you to them for choosing Maction Planet for their Happy Holidays!

Here’s my take on how the secret blend of 11 herbs and spices became Japan’s Christmas tradition as I reviewed KFC Christmas Pack A 2017.

I have met the Soy Milk mascots – Chosei Tonyu-kun (pasteurised) and Muschosei Tonyu-kun (unpasteurised) – but now there is just one Tonyu-kun and they live in Akihabara! I was extremely excited to bump into them on 23 December while guiding Rebecca and family. What a way to end my final tour of 2024!

NEW KANPAI PLANET VIDEO: In a gift to Kanpai Planet’s US fans, we presented (pun intended) a special video to help make the Holiday Season extra special for Japanese Whisky fans. In this video, I handpicked 5 incredible Japanese whiskies under $100 that make thoughtful and unique Christmas presents. However, this video works all year round. Soon, I will switch out the thumbnails and seamlessly turn this holiday special into a perennial gift guide. Whether you’re shopping for a seasoned whisky aficionado or a curious newcomer, these affordable options are sure to impress, any time of the year!

Maction Planet runs bespoke Private Tours and Experiences in Tokyo, and beyond. To book yours, or to purchase a gift card, contact us at info@mactionplanet.com

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