Takeshi Dylan Sadachi
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Tokyo Weekender
2 hours ago
- Tokyo Weekender
Curry and Quests: Monster Hunter Wilds Teams Up with CoCo Ichibanya
This summer, curry-loving gamers are in for a treat. Capcom's Monster Hunter Wilds has joined forces with Japan's beloved curry chain, CoCo Ichibanya , for a nationwide campaign that brings the thrill of the hunt straight to your plate. Running until August 31, the 'CoCo Ichi Hunter' campaign invites diners across Japan to complete a series of three real-life 'quests,' unlocking exclusive prizes and limited-edition content along the way. The face of the limited-time campaign is 'NeCoichi,' a mischievous new curry-themed Palico character. List of Contents: A Three-Quest Feast for Fans Where to Play Related Posts Courtesy of Coco Ichibanya A Three-Quest Feast for Fans Just like in Monster Hunter , participants are encouraged to take on quests, but with a delicious twist. Quest 1: Eat Like a Hunter Dine in at a participating CoCo Ichibanya and spend ¥1,000 or more to receive an original Monster Hunter coaster. To claim your prize, show the dedicated reward screen on the campaign website or simply ask for a coaster. Designs are random, quantities are limited and certain locations may not offer the gift, so be sure to hunt wisely. Quest 2: Keep the Receipt Every receipt for a qualifying in-store or takeout purchase over ¥1,000 can be entered into a lottery for exclusive merchandise. While delivery and retail items are excluded, your everyday curry order might just turn into a rare find. Quest 3: Join the Hunt on X Follow CoCo Ichi's official X account and keep an eye out for the nine special campaign posts. If each reaches 10,000 reposts, everyone will unlock a set of Monster Hunter -themed SNS icons, headers and mobile wallpapers. And for those who help spread the word, there's a chance to win a ¥1,000 CoCo Ichi meal voucher. Where To Play The campaign is available at most CoCo Ichibanya locations nationwide, with a few exceptions including select stadium and event-based branches. A full list of participating stores is available on the official campaign site . Whether you're a seasoned hunter or just in it for the spice, CoCo Ichi Hunter offers a playful and flavorful way to celebrate two of Japan's favorite things: role-playing games and curry. Discover Tokyo, Every Week Get the city's best stories, under-the-radar spots and exclusive invites delivered straight to your inbox. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy . Related Posts FamilyMart Eeevee Collaboration Snack Review: Does It Live Up to the Hype? 5 Unique, Out-of-This World Shops to Visit at Shinsaibashi Parco Why India is Not the Birthplace of Japanese Curry
Asahi Shimbun
10 hours ago
- Asahi Shimbun
Yamada ‘played it by ear' as he conducted Berlin Philharmonic
Japanese conductor Kazuki Yamada's improvisational skills guided him through one of the most high-profile guest performances of his conducting career. 'I played it by ear, just as I always do,' he said. 'I was excited by the way the orchestra transfigured.' In June, Yamada appeared on stage with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra for the first time and drew applause from the audience. Yamada, 46, shared his impressions of the fulfilling time he spent with one of the leading classical music orchestras in the world. CONDUCTING IS ABOUT 'CARRYING' 'The orchestra organizes 100 top-notch soloists, who are performing in the way they each prefer,' Yamada said. 'A swell arises, however, when they unite. They become mutually linked, both in music and in appearance. The better that things work out, the more wildly, and incredibly, the swell begins to grow.' He added: 'I was thinking about how I could add air into the harmony. Nobody there, apparently, had ever experienced an approach like that. They were, like, 'Oh, this guy is going to try something novel with us. OK, why don't we take him on?' They likely decided to deal with me in that way.' The Berlin Philharmonic was founded in 1882 by young musicians as a self-governing body. It went on to be a time-honored, prestigious orchestra, where famed composers Johannes Brahms and Antonin Dvorak conducted their own pieces and Herbert von Karajan built a golden age. Yamada is the 15th Japanese to have wielded the baton on the illustrious stage, where every aspiring conductor fancies taking a turn. Yamada took the rostrum during the Berlin Philharmonic's regular concert held from June 12 through 14. He told about the experience in a casual manner, as opposed to the way that Yutaka Sado talked passionately, and excitedly, about how he conducted the Berlin Philharmonic in 2011. Yamada chose to perform, instead of pieces of the German school, works by an Italian composer (Ottorino Respighi's 'Fontane di Roma'), a Japanese (Toru Takemitsu's 'I Hear the Water Dreaming') and a French artist (Camille Saint-Saens' Symphony No. 3, 'Organ Symphony'). In selecting these pieces, Yamada sought advice from Daishin Kashimoto, a close friend, who has served as first concertmaster with the Berlin Philharmonic since 2010. 'He encouraged me by saying, 'Why don't you try a French piece?'' Yamada said. 'I found that reassuring. After all, he is the only person that fully knows both me and the orchestra.' For reasons of scheduling, Kashimoto was unable to appear on stage with Yamada, who, however, said he didn't mind. 'I think it worked out all right in the end,' Yamada said. 'I am afraid I would have been reliant on him if he had been there. And that could also have been counterproductive if that were to make the others believe that he and I, fellow Japanese, were helping each other. Well, to tell the truth, however, I would have wanted him to be in the audience.' Yamada said that while he was performing on stage, he recalled an episode he had been told about by the late Hiroyuki Iwaki (1932-2006), who also previously served as music director of the Philharmonic Chorus of Tokyo and conducted the Berlin Philharmonic himself. In Yamada's words, Iwaki quoted Karajan as often saying, when the native of Austria was artistic director with the Berlin Philharmonic, that conducting is not about 'driving,' but is about 'carrying.' Yamada said he understood for the first time what that description meant. 'I realized that I am not there to control,' he said. 'Perhaps, in a sense, an orchestra is not so much like a car as it is like a horse. The horse has a strong willpower itself. I have to respect that when I am astride it. I am there to show where we should be going, but I am not there to force it.' Yamada continued: 'We are on totally equal terms, so I am always face to face with all the 100. I realized that this sense, which says this orchestra would be all right even without the conductor's cues, represents, more than anything else, the tradition that Karajan nurtured.'
The Mainichi
17 hours ago
- The Mainichi
West Japan town's 'kappa' folklore creature to be replaced after years of scaring tourists
FUKUSAKI, Hyogo -- A popular statue of a "kappa" river creature from Japanese folklore in this western Japan town will be replaced after becoming worn out from years of "work" by popping out of a pond to surprise tourists. To fund the replacement of Gajiro the kappa, the Hyogo Prefecture town of Fukusaki has turned to a crowdfunding campaign based on Japan's "hometown tax" donation program. A town official said, "We hope this will be an opportunity for more people to learn about Gajiro's hard work." Donations will be accepted through Sept. 30. Gajiro was "captured" in February 2014 in the pond at Tsujikawayama Park, a site in Fukusaki that is known for its kappa legends. The creature was tasked by the town to rise above the surface of the pond every 15 minutes during the day, a job he has "faithfully" performed without a single day off. His appearance, so realistic that it makes some children cry, drew attention and helped Fukusaki promote itself as a "town of yokai," or Japanese folklore creatures. As a result, the number of tourists visiting roughly tripled. The statue is about 1 meter tall and made of fiber-reinforced plastic. A second version was created in 2016 and has been used after several repairs, but it is now approaching the end of its lifespan. Constant exposure to water has caused its body to deteriorate, the surface to peel, and its hair to turn green and frizzy, which is starting to fall out. The town decided to work on a third version as they "can't bear to keep showing him in this peeled skin condition." The Fukusaki Municipal Government set a fundraising goal of 1.7 million yen (about $11,600) and aims to complete the new statue by the end of the year. The campaign uses "Government Crowdfunding," which allows people to support local government projects, through the hometown tax website Furusato Choice, operated by Trustbank Inc. People who donate 2,000 yen (roughly $14) will receive a postcard handwritten by Gajiro expressing thanks. Like regular hometown tax donations, contributors can also receive local specialties as gifts in return. For more inquiries, contact the town's regional promotion division at 0790-22-0560 (in Japanese). (Japanese original by Nobuya Muramoto, Himeji Bureau)
