This Month on Maction Planet – November 2024

November has seen me guide in Tokyo, Kawagoe, Kamakura, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka and Kanazawa. Join in the adventures below!

Featured image: KAMU Kanazawa, a private modern art museum in Kanazawa, unveiled Leandro Erlich’s installation, “INFINITE STAIRCASE,” on 23 July 2023. This immersive installation features a spiral staircase laid horizontally, creating an optical illusion where viewers feel as though they are peering through an expansive vertical shaft. At 3.5 meters wide, 7 meters deep, and 3 meters high, the piece invites visitors to engage directly with its surreal manipulation of space and gravity, a hallmark of Erlich’s work.

Visitors entering the Main Gate to the Imperial Palace pass two bridges: the Stone Bridge and the Iron Bridge. Nijubashi (Double Bridge) specifically refers to the Iron Bridge, not the pair of bridges. During the Edo period (1603–1867), the Iron Bridge was a wooden structure reinforced with a second wooden support underneath, giving rise to its name. The palace buildings are hidden among trees to the right of Nijūbashi. The most iconic view of the Imperial Palace features the Stone Bridge in the foreground, the Iron Double Bridge behind it, and the Fushimi watchtower visible in the distance. This is what it looked like on 1 November 2024 at 14:49!

I love giraffes! So you can imagine my excitement when I saw this on the streets of Tokyo while guiding on 2 November!

Later on 2 November, whisky legends Stefan van Eycken and David Tsujimoto hosted a tasting at Aloha Whisky Bar to celebrate the launch of the 22nd bottle in the iconic Ghost Series. There was a blind tasting competition in which I scored full marks along with some other attendees, and then a lottery for the prize which I miraculously won!

It was an honour to spend three days with John, Robin, Kathy and Herb, showing them the delights of the World’s Greatest Metropolis. Everything from temples and shrines to denim… we covered it!

A trip years in the making, I hosted Penny and her gang from Australia for 3 days in Tokyo. Here we are at teamLab Borderless…

And here we are before we said goodbye to each other at Akihabara Station.

We had a drink at the Tokyo Skytree together, too! In case I hadn’t drummed the height of the Skytree into them, I solicited the help of this coffee!

They’re back! And this time Jaime, Renata and I did a few days trips out of Tokyo. First up, Kawagoe AKA Little Edo.

Next up, Kamakura! Here we are with the iconic Giant Buddha at Kotokuin!

I am always awed by the projection mapping at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. PAC-MAN eats TOKYO, which began on 28 September 2024. It involves the voracious eater chomping his way through everything in his path. The music produced by Haraguchi Sasuke is a key feature of this unique experience. It’s the perfect fusion of classic gaming nostalgia and modern cityscape!

I was honoured to spend five days guiding this incredible group from Holland on an Architecture tour around Japan! From Kansai to Kanto, adventures abound across religious sites, castles, art museums, embassies and architectural firms. I will truly never forget our time together. Thank you for the bottle of Japanese Whisky, which was a wonderful parting gift!

Chiharu Shiota was born in Osaka, so it entirely appropriate that her latest exhibition, I to EYE in on at the Nakanoshima Museum of Art in Osaka -the first large-scale solo exhibition in her hometown in 16 years. Based in Berlin and globally recognized, Shiota explores profound human themes such as “life and death” and continues to question the essence of existence and what it means to live. The exhibition delves into the concept of “connection,” a theme that resonates deeply in the wake of global health crises. This connection is explored through three symbolic “eyes”— “I,” “eye,” and “ai”— inviting visitors to engage in a dialogue with their own sense of interconnectedness. Featuring a variety of media, including installations, paintings, sculptures, and video works, the exhibition provides an intimate exploration of our collective bond with others.

On Monday, 25 November, I attended the Gakkogura reunion party! In the summer of 2021, I made Japanese sake on magical Sado Island, and in March 2022, I released a nine-part documentary about my experience, which you can watch on Kanpai Planet. It was great to catch up with Kuramoto Rumiko Obata and meet old and new sake friends as we sampled this year’s Gakkokura lineup!

I was honoured to host Jen, Bob, Casey, Jaime, Finn and Q for four days in Tokyo. This was the final photo we took together after a most satisfactory final meal. Curious, energetic and stimulating, I cannot wait to see them back in Tokyo and beyond!

AND FINALLY… it is time to bust 3 MORE Myths about Japanese Whisky. After the blockbuster success of the first ‘3 Myths’ video (3500 views!), I’m back on Kanpai Planet, putting some commonly held urban legends about Japanese Whisky to rest. Which myths am I taking on? Watch to find out. Bustin’ makes me feel good!

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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