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 James Catchpole

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James Catchpole
James Catchpole is a Brooklyn, New York native, 15-year resident of Tokyo. Runs the website www.tokyojazzsite.com documenting the hidden jazz scene in Tokyo. Writes for The Japan Times and GaijinPot website.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Feb 26, 2019
Delving deep into the Kanto jazz bar scene
The tourist boom in Japan shows no sign of ending, with the number of visitors only set to increase in the lead up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Whether for bulk shopping, temple visiting or sushi-counter hopping, Tokyo and surrounding neighborhoods have endless adventures just waiting to be discovered....
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Nov 29, 2018
Farewell Mary Jane: Grieving for a lost jazz hideout
The late Donald Richie, a legendary chronicler of 20th century Japan, once said that to accept life in Tokyo, you must embrace constant change and not give in to nostalgia. In the 60 years he lived in this great city he saw multiple transformations — from the immediate post-World War II days to the...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Aug 21, 2014
Sukiyaki Meets the World ... and the world gets to meet Toyama
In June of 1963, Kyu Sakamoto's "Ue wo Muite Aruko" — better known as "Sukiyaki" overseas — became Japan's first, and only, No. 1 hit single in the United States.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Nov 15, 2012
Yume-Goto shows how Kagawa rocks (literally) on stage
Growing up in a village in Kagawa Prefecture on the island of Shikoku, Masashi Tomikawa never thought twice about the geology of his surroundings. The volcanic rocks that surrounded him, however, are now part of the drummer's arsenal of sound.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Aug 31, 2012
Tokyo Jazz Festival grabs Ornette Coleman for headlining spot
Note: A week after the publication of this article, Tokyo Jazz Festival organizers announced Ornette Coleman will not come to Japan due to poor health.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
May 24, 2012
Wi-Fi, Facebook and all that jazz
Fumito Fukuchi, owner and proprietor of Kissa Sakaiki jazz cafe in Tokyo's central Yotsuya neighborhood, grins as he puts the finishing touches to an online schedule.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jan 12, 2012
When it comes to technique, Ozone says, 'Go West'
In 1956, pianist and band leader Toshiko Akiyoshi made the brave decision to leave Japan and enter the Berklee College of Music in Boston. As a young Asian woman embarking on a career in jazz, she was a novelty back then. She persevered and subsequently spent the majority of her career in the United...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Aug 26, 2011
Tokyo Jazz Festival plays to a plethora of tastes
Jazz is always progressing. When the first jazz cafes began appearing in Yokohama around 100 years ago, nobody could have imagined the world they'd be a part of. Bebop and blues, tap dancers and turntables — the essential ingredients of the genre have evolved, and that is the main focus of the Tokyo...

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Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
A boom for business tourism in Japan?