Japanese Cuisine

Karen found a superb restaurant for us to celebrate the success of the Lifestyle Weekend. One review describes it as "Japanese country-style dining raised to an artform." The robatayaki (grilled seafood and vegetables) restaurant in Roppongi was delicious and great fun with the waiters dressed in traditional costumes shouting out each order in unison.

New Zealand Paradise Week 2007

I loved having Aki, a friend from my uni days in Kyoto, pop by Roppongi Hills Arena while in Tokyo over the weekend! It was encouraging to have her appear amongst the crowd of 17,000 people to help me relax and enjoy the event :)

Roppongi Hills Arena

New Zealand Paradise Week 2007, the largest New Zealand promotional event yet to be staged in Japan, was predominantly funded by the Ministry of Culture and Heritage’s Cultural Diplomacy International Programme (CDIP). The festival was made up of three elements; the VIP Gala Dinner to launch New Zealand Paradise Week 2007 on 16 November, a two-day outdoor event at Roppongi Hills Arena over the weekend of 17-18 November, and a week of ancillary activities organized by NZ Inc agencies and businesses from 19-25 November.

The highlight of New Zealand Paradise Week 2007 was undoubtedly the two-day outdoor event held in the up-market area of Roppongi Hills Arena. The venue was transformed into a New Zealand themed environment with a forest, waterfall and suspension bridge via which visitors accessed the arena. Tourism Minister Damien O'Connor officially opened the weekend with New Zealand Ambassador to Japan Ian Kennedy, Japanese Ambassador to New Zealand Toshihiro Takahashi, and popular Japanese actor and singer Katsunori Takahashi. Takahashi’s appearance and talk show regarding his holidaying experiences to New Zealand insured good media coverage and an excellent turn out for the opening ceremony on Saturday morning. Throughout the weekend visitors were entertained by a line-up of cultural stage performances complemented by catwalk shows as they enjoyed New Zealand beef, lamb, cheese, honey, wine, beer and ice cream. The performers included Hayley Westenra, Strike, Hinewehi Mohi, Rangimarie, Rhombus, Nesian Mystik, Kat McDowell and Japan-based kapa haka Nga Hau E Wha.

The weekend broke Roppongi Hills Arena’s attendance record with 17,000 visitors, greatly exceeding expectations and the original target of 10,000 visitors. Attendance on Saturday alone exceeded 10,000 people setting a new record for numbers visiting the arena in one day. The response from the public was much more than many of the New Zealand companies had bargained for, such that food and beer ran out at various times. Nippon Beer reported to the New Zealand Embassy that "they had used up their entire stock of Tui and Montheiths beer for the whole of the Kanto region in just one weekend and had had to place a special order to get stock shipped up from the Kansai region to be able to stock the New Zealand Travel Café for the rest of Paradise Week."

For more photos of New Zealand Paradise Week 2007 please access http://www.flickr.com/. Click “sign in” on the top right hand corner of the screen. Then log in as Username: purenzjapan@yahoo.com with Password: nzparadise07

15 Years!

It is fifteen years since I first went to Japan on a sixth-form school trip and stayed with the Okamoto family for a week in Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture. They welcomed me into their home with my basic Japanese, communicating with photos, gesture and smiles. It was a turning point for my Japanese studies. During my home-stay experience a longing grew within me to truly communicate with Japanese people who have such an extremely different culture and upbringing to my own. My host-sisters Mamiko and Noriko met me for dinner in Ginza one night after work recently. We had a wonderful catch up and marvelled together at how long we've know each other. They have both visited me in NZ more than once and I'm sure they'll be back :)

Arossa

It was wonderful to catch up with my former boss and other TNZ staff members over dinner at Arossa in Ginza. We dined on exquisite New Zealand cuisine before wandering down the main boulevard lined with Christmas trees. (I couldn't help but feel all teary again as I remembered strolling arm in arm with Mum through Ginza a few years ago, and also as I missed my darling husband Wayne wishing he was there with me too!)

Hachiko

In front of the famous intersection at Shibuya shot on "Lost in Translation" and most other Japanese films, and with Kayo in front of Hachiko, the most popular meeting spot in Shibuya :)

Illumination

After Motoko and Hiroshi's wedding reception a group of us went to a local cafe for a night cap. Ebisu is just one of the areas around Tokyo that is now lit up for the Christmas season.

Beautiful Bride

It was incredible timing to be in Japan for Motoko and Hiroshi's stunning wedding reception! Their constant smiles brought tears to my eyes. The beautiful bride has been marvellous at keeping in touch with Tourism NZ staff who have moved on over the years, resulting in a mini reunion. Minako played the Bride and Groom's special request "You Lift Me Up" so elegantly on her flute :)

Darling Daniel

It was wonderful to finally meet Helen and Pali's son Daniel in the flesh having only chatted through SKYPE until now. He's a wee darling xx Amazing to see Daniel sorting through Japanese, English and Hungarian input! I joined the Ablonscy family at their church for awesome worship led by Pali on the guitar. It was a fleeting visit but such a special one. Helen will remain a dear friend who I speak of and cherish for life xx

Unique Palete

Mitchy took me for unique taste sensations at a vegetarian Chinese restaurant that serves food that looks as though it is meat or fish but in reality isn't. Having lived in different cities even when I was still in Japan it didn't seem strange at all that we hadn't seen each other for two years. We had a wonderful catch up and have seen each other again since at New Zealand Paradise Week 2007 in Roppongi Hills Arena over the weekend :)

Japan Bible Seminary

After arriving at Narita Airport I took the train directly to stay with Kayo at the Japan Bible Seminary (JBS). It took nearly three hours to get there and I couldn't believe how the city stretched so densely all the way to the other side of Tokyo! Kayo is looking so well and is thriving on her theological studies. It was a real blessing to be there when Kayo led the morning devotions and to hear JBS's annual worship concert.

Natsukashii na!

Facebook

Over the next few weeks I will not be able to access my gmail account. However, I am contactable through Facebook :)

To the Land of the Rising Sun

Dear loving friends and family,

I am about to embark on a wonderful journey to Japan, returning after two years! I'm extremely excited about seeing special friends still in Japan, and about immersing myself in the culture and language again.

I would greatly appreciate your prayers over the next few weeks. I've already felt quite emotional about stepping back into the lives of those who I spent 10 precious years alongside, and I also anticipate getting tired with work and social commitments!

Please pray
*that I will get enough rest - both physical, mental and spiritual
*that I can truly connect with friends despite a long interval of separation and limited time
*that my schedule will unfold smoothly and that time will be spent wisely
*that I can be of great value while involved with New Zealand Paradise Week 2007 and that the logistics around the Entertainers travelling to Japan will come together
*that the final few days when Wayne joins me in Kansai will be filled with love, clarity, wisdom, fun and adventure as we reunit and plan for 2008

Thank you for your support. So much love Carly xx

Romans 15:13 "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Crossings Hokianga

After the Dawn Ceremony some of us took the Crossings Hokianga tour around the Harbour and across to the awesome Hokianga sanddunes. It was so peaceful sitting on the dunes in the sun. Others further along where enjoying a lot more action dune-boarding!

Waka gifted at Dawn Ceremony

As part of New Zealand Paradise Week 2007, a promotional event which I have been helping coordinate that is to take place in Tokyo's upmarket Roppongi Hills from November 16-25, a double-hulled waka was gifted to Japan in a dawn ceremony in the Hokianga on Monday morning. Tourism Minister Damien O'Connor presented the waka on behalf of New Zealand to the Consul General of Japan in a moving blessing ceremony.

Japan is New Zealand's fourth largest market for overseas visitors but numbers have been dropping off due to a higher exchange rate and other holiday options closer to Japan including China. The baby-boomer generation will be a particular focus of the campaign. "They see themselves as being different. They're more active, they're more interested in lifestyle activities rather than just scenic viewing. They're interested in food, wine, spa, lodges, self drives. These are all different elements to the Japanese travel experience and we think that New Zealand has a very good offering in these areas." says Tourism New Zealand's CEO George Hickton. New Zealand Paradise Week 2007 will showcase New Zealand food, wine, fashion, music and the most up-to-date activities for tourists, to freshen New Zealand's image.

Footprints Waipoua

While in the Hokianga earlier this week I had the privilege of joining a twilight tour in the Waipoua Forest with Footprints Waipoua. We visited the oldest kauri tree in the world - Te Matua Ngahere thought to be 4,000 years old! I was totally moved at the thought that in comparision with the ancient pyramids which have stood for a similar length of time, this tree has been alive throughout four milleniums!!!

Northland

At Labour Weekend we headed north for a relaxing time at the bach with Mum and Dad and lovely friends. These shots are of us having a picnic lunch in the Puketi Forest surrounded by giant kauri trees :) We then stopped off at the Old Stone Stall in Kerikeri, and my favourite shop in Northland - KeriBlue, before a soak at Ngawha Hot Springs.