A Forrest Full of Charm: A Review of the First Ever Stage Adaptation of Forrest Gump

           This is the first time that Forrest Gump was adapted for the stage and I was very fortunate to secure a ticket to see it with a good seat. Last June 8, 2014, I got to watch the matinee show of Forrest Gump at the Globe Theater. The play was topbilled by famous Johnny’s idol and KAT-TUN member Junnosuke Taguchi in the title role. This is Taguchi’s first ever starring role in a stage play. He was joined by other famous actors such as Aki Maeda (Jenny), Hitomi Takahashi (Forrest’s Mother) and Masahiro Takashima (played seven characters including Lietutenant Dan). It was produced and written by G2 who is known for other high-quality stage productions in Tokyo.

Photo from QLAP Magazine

Forrest Gump was originally a novel written by Winston Groom in 1986 and was turned into a movie in 1994 with Tom Hanks in the lead role.  The story revolves around the life of Forrest Gump who has a relatively low IQ as compared to other people. Out of such condition blossomed the naivite of a child and the purity of his heart that led him to great lengths – getting into college and playing for the rugby team, meeting two American presidents, joining the US Army, having a medal honor for saving his colleagues during the Vietnam War, and becoming an astronaut just to name a few.

 

Photos from QLAP Magazine

Highlights of the Play

It has very smooth transitions and props-change. For a play that has a very long and complicated timeline – starting from Forrest’s childhood up to the time that he becomes an adult – transitions are very difficult to pull off. The play also happens in different settings that require proper establishment of environment and milieu. The life of Forrest is told with a lot of historical events in the background starting from 1944 to 1986 such as the assassination of Kennedy, the Watergate Scandal, the Vietnam War, and the hippie counterculture. The stage props are not grand but enough to establish a particular setting. They’re simple, easy to move and very practical. The best part I have to say is when they staged the part where Forrest and Liuetant Dan are at sea, trying to catch some shrimps, when they encounter a strong storm that almost sinks their ship. The construction of the scene is quite simple. A blue cloth was put to cover the whole stage, and a small elevated platform was set in the middle to serve as the boat. At the four corners of the stage, there were people waving the blue cloth to create the image of waves. The lighting on stage, hitting the blue cloth created a beautiful imagery of ocean waves. It is not real but it gives you the right feel.

The live music adds a certain vibe to the show. All the music played within the whole show was actually played live. The musicians who played the keyboard, the violin and other instruments, also played supporting roles in the show. Sometimes they would play their instruments on the side, but on another time, they would leap on stage and throw some lines. This is a clever way of creating more people on stage. For a play like this, there are a lot of “extra people” needed to play as friends, classmates, rallyists, soldiers or other random people who do not have names but just need to be on stage to make a populated scene look more credible. Using actors as instrumentalists and vice versa is a clever idea to maximize the potential of the cast.

Photo from QLAP Magazine

Another strong point is Taguchi’s live playing of the harmonica. I was surprised at how well he could actually do it with just about four months of learning it. I am no music expert, but when I listen to it, sometimes, I feel like, some notes are wavering a little, but not so bad as to distract you from the beautiful music. For me, it is believable. He plays the harmonica like someone who does it as a hobby.

Though I like the live music so much, sometimes, I feel like it is not very consistent. There were some scenes that make give me the pseudo-musical feel, but then this feel was not sustained for the whole show. There was a scene showing Taguchi and his classmates singing and dancing in class, and a few ones with Jenny singing on stage with the new band that she had just joined. There is an incorporation of live music played on stage and off stage, which I like, but I would have preferred more on stage. I understand though that this play was written not as a musical so I can actually forgo this minor point. More so, the beautiful music of the violin and the harmonica overpowered my disappointment.             

            The imagery of the opening and the last scene created a perfect circle. I like how the play started and ended, basically because they happened in the same setting. The play opened with a scene with Forrest and his famous bench and it ended with him in the same place, but with Jenny and their little son. For me, the imagery created a full circle in the life of Forrest, from being a kid to growing up, losing Jenny and finding her again, from little Forrest to having Forrest Jr.

Best Scenes

            As I have mentioned earlier, the part when Forrest and Liutenant Dan are at sea is very good and heartwarming for me, not only because the scene is so beautiful with the blue cloth and the lighting on stage, but also because it is the part where Liutenant Dan finally realizes that he should be thankful to Forrest for saving his life in Vietnam.It is not too sentimental, not too dramatic, it has just the right emotions for me. But another good part is the ending. At the end of the play, the whole theater dimmed and small lights lighted up on stage like stars in the sky. Forrest delivered again the lines that he first said in the opening scene. The scene is so peaceful, seeing it as the last image of the whole play creates a light, heartwarming feel as you exit the theater. 

Photo from QLAP Magazine

Junnosuke Taguchi as Forrest Gump

            Taguchi is a very charming Forrest Gump – too charming, actually. This is a double standard though, it can either work for or against the production depending on what the audience is looking for. I am sure that there are other more experienced actors who can play Forrest better than Taguchi, but he put some of his own flavor in the character. His acting is sometimes theatrical, yet not contrived; very light and easy on the eyes; very smooth and amusing to see. Taguchi owned the role of Forrest. This is not the Forrest that I am expecting to see on stage when I entered the theater. I am expecting a different kind of Forrest, probably because I already have an image of another Forrest on my mind. But the thing is, Taguchi created his own version of Forrest Gump – the iriguchi-deguchi-taguchi-Gump if I may say. It is the overwhelmingly charming, lighthearted, beautiful Forrest. He may not be the best actor who can play the role, but he made a way to claim a particular version of Forrest as his own – enough to make me respect him more as an actor.

Note: Usually, when Taguchi introduces himself he says, "Iriguchi, Deguchi, Taguchi desu!" It literally means "Entrance, Exit, I'm Taguchi!" (^_^)

Niku Shokudou

Niku Shokudou is a small restaurant near the Takadanobaba Station that specializes in sizzling hamburger steaks. A set meal consists of rice, salad and a sizzling hamburger steak costs around Y800.  

What amazes me is how you cook the burger patty. There's a small round black metal on your plate where you can put a piece of the burger and wait until it cooks. Brilliant isn't it? Most of us are having trouble getting the correct texture of the meat we order: some like rare, medium-rare or well done. Having this small tool right on our plates solves the problem right away. We won't have the right to complain if we don't like the texture of the meat because we cooked it ourselves. ;) 

  

To get there, take the JR Yamanote Line and get off at Takadanobaba Station. Go to the Waseda Exit and find Becks Coffee (right beside the JR ticket office). From Becks Coffee, cross the street and walk straight ahead towards a long line of restaurants and cafes. Walk for a minute or two and you'll find the restaurant on your left side. Be careful though because the entrance to the restaurant easy to miss because it's so small and hardly noticeable. I posted the photo of the entrance above as your guide. The restaurant  is on the basement of this restaurant. It's quite small with only a few tables and chairs.

TIP:
For the hungry wolves though, this is not the place to go because preparing the order and cooking it might take a long time. But if you have time to spare for a good talk with a friend or a few laughs with the stranger on the next table, waiting will not be so bad.

Art Overdose: Art Fair Tokyo 2014

***originally published in the May Issue of Pinoy Gazette

Also published on Pinoy Gazette`s official blog: pinoygazetteofficial.blogspot.jp

Kuha ni Munetoshi Iwashita

Noong nakaraang buwan ay ginanap ang pinakamalaking art event sa Tokyo na pinakaaabangan hindi lamang ng art collectors at professional artists, kundi pati na rin ng mga nag-aasam gumuhit at mga gusto lamang makakita at mamangha sa iba't ibang klase ng malikhaing gawa. 

Ang Art Fair Tokyo 2014 na ginanap sa Tokyo International Forum ay nilahukan ng mahigit-kumulang 180 galleries, organizations at sponsors mula sa 28 siyudad sa Japan at iba pang bahagi ng mundo. Kabilang ang Embahada ng Pilipinas sa mga sumuporta sa event na ito. Sa nakaraang walong taon ng Art Fair, ito ang unang pagkakataon na mayroong lumahok na gallery mula sa Pilipinas. 

Dumalo ang ilang mahahalagang tao tulad ni Unang Ginang Akie Abe, maybahay ni Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, sa Kagami-biraki sake cask ceremony, na opisyal na nagbukas sa Art Fair. Sa loob ng apat na magkakasunod na araw ay itinampok sa Art Fair ang iba't ibang klase ng gawa, nasa linya man ng fine arts o applied arts kabilang dito ang Nihongo o Japanese-style painting, Yoga o Japanese oil painting, contemporary art, media art, pop art, mga litrato, at ilang antique at handicraft. Nagkaroon din ng mga panayam tungkol sa woodblock prints at media art. Nagsagawa rin ng guided tours para sa ilang mga bisita. 

Bukod sa indibidwal na mga gallery na nagpakita ng gawa ng kanilang mga sariling artists, ilan sa mga highlights ng Art Fair ay ang sumusunod:

Discovering Asia. Sa section na ito nakibahagi ang ilang mga gallery mula sa Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Indonesia at Pilipinas upang ipakita ang mga gawa mula sa kanilang mga bansa kabilang dito ang 1335 Mabini na mula sa Pilipinas. Sila ang kauna-unahang Filipino gallery na nakilahok sa Art Fair.

Artistic Practice. Ang section na ito ay may temang “Modernity, Created by Japan” na siyang kinabibilangan ng mga modern painting na nagpapakita ng pagbabago sa tema at technique sa pagguhit ng isang bagong henerasyon ng Japanese artists. Kabilang ang ilan sa mga gawa nina Kaoru Yamaguchi, Soutaro Yasui, at Ryuzaburo Umezawa sa ipinakita sa Art Fair.

Tokyo Unlimited. Sa bahaging ito ipinakita ang iba't ibang applied art tulad ng handicrafts, pottery, ceramics at alahas. Ilan sa mga gallery na nakibahagi ay ang Toyama Glass Studio, gallery deux poissons, O-Jewel at Kanazawa Utatsuyama Kogei Kubo.

Art, Media and I, Tokyo. Kapansin-pansin kamakailan ang pagiging popular ng media art kung saan gumagamit ang mga artists ng kanilang sariling sistema, device at medium ng paggawa ng painting na iba kaysa sa pangkaraniwang ginagamit. Ang section na ito ay may layuning ipakita kung paano ang mga media art na gawang Hapon ay higit na maipapakilala sa global art market. Tampok sa exhibit na ito ang mga gawa ng ShimuraBros at nina Yuko Mohri, at Lyota Yagi.

Total Recall - Works of Mitsutoshi Hanaga (1959-1999). Itinatampok sa bahaging ito ang mga larawang kinuhanan ni Mitsutoshi Hanaga mula 1959-1999 na nagtatampok ng mga aktibidades ng mga avante-gard Japanese artists tulad ng grupong Hi-Red Center at nina Tetsumi Kudo, Akaji Maro at kanji Ito.

Pap-Aki Cafe Project. Gamit sa munting cafe na ito ang mga upuan at lamesa na gawa sa makakapal na karton na ginuhitan ng matitingkad na larawan ni Aki Kondo. 

Dinaluhan ang Art Fair ng halos 50,000 bisita mula sa iba't ibang panig ng Japan at ng mundo. Umabot rin ng halos isang bilyong yen ang halaga ng mga art pieces na naibenta sa loob ng apat na araw ng Art Fair. Patunay lamang ang ika-siyam na taon ng Art Fair Tokyo sa patuloy na pagiging globally competitive ng bansa at higit na nagkakaroon ng mataas na value ang mga malikhaing gawa mula sa Asya.

The National Diet of Japan: An Architectural Masterpiece

***originally published in the April Issue of Pinoy Gazette

Also published on Pinoy Gazette`s official blog: pinoygazetteofficial.blogspot.jp

Kung mapapadaan ka sa Nagatacho District sa Chiyoda City, agaw pansin ang isang malaking gusali na may kakaibang arkitektura – hindi kasi ito tradisyonal na Hapon. Kapansin-pansin ang malaking impluwensiyang banyaga sa istilo ng pagkakagawa nito, may mataas na tower, makakapal at matitibay na bato na parang hindi kayang yanigin ng kahit anong lindol, napapaligiran ito ng malalaking puno at malalapad na daan, at may estatwa ni Ito Hirobumi, ang unang Prime Minister ng Japan, na bumabati sa harapan. Ito ang National Diet ng Japan – maituturing na pinakamakapangyarihang institusyong pang-gobyerno ng bansa.

Ang dalawang sangay ng National Diet

Sa Pilipinas, ang Congress ay binubuo ng mataas at mababang kapulungan. Ang Senate ay may 24 miyembro na may terminong anim at tatlong taon (depende sa taon ng pagkakahalal) at ang House of Representatives ay may 289 miyembro na may terminong tatlong taon. Ang Congress ay tumutukoy sa dalawang kapulungan, pero sa Pilipinas, mas karaniwang ginagamit ang salitang “congress” para tukuyin ang House of Representatives.

Ang National Diet ang katumbas ng Congress of the Philippines. Dito sa Japan, binubuo ito ng House of Councillors (katumbas ng Senate) na mayroong 242 miyembro na may terminong anim at tatlong taon at ang House of Representatives na may 480 miyembro na may terminong apat na taon. May kapangyarihan itong gumawa at magpasa ng batas, magtakda ng national budget, magpatibay ng mga kasunduan sa ibang bansa, pumili ng Prime Minister at mag-revise ng Saligang Batas.

Hindi lamang mahalaga ang gusaling ito sa Japan dahil sentro ito ng pagpapatakbo ng bansa. Itinuturing din ito na isang architectural masterpiece, isang work of art! Ginamit sa pagtatayo nito ang pinakamagaganda at pinakamatitibay na materyales. Halos lahat ng materyales dito ay mula sa Japan, tulad ng mga perlas mula sa Okinawa at marble mula sa Shizuoka. Ang tanging inangkat lamang mula sa ibang bansa ay ang mga ginamit na salamin dito.

Ang pagtatatag

Sinimulang gawin ang gusaling ito noong Enero 1920 at natapos lamang makalipas ang 17 taon. Dalawang taon bago nagsimula ang pagtatatag nito, nagkaroon ng isang malawakang kumpetisyon para sa magiging disensyo ng gusaling itatayo. Ang kanang bahagi nito ay inookupahan ng House of Councillors at ang kaliwang bahagi naman ay sa House of Representatives. Ang buong compound ay may sukat na 103,001 square meters samantalang ang building naman ay may floor area na 53,466 square meters.

Isang silip sa loob ng National Diet building

Dahil sa kakaibang arkitektura nito, isang magandang pasyalan din ang National Diet. Sa lobby ng House of Councillors, makikita ang iba’t ibang makasaysayang bagay na ginamit sa mga sesyon noon tulad ng lumang listahan ng mga dating miyembro at kopya ng imperial decree, mga apparatus na ginamit para sa pagboto, ang trono ng emperador na ginamit noong 1868-1912 at mga replica ng mga upuan ng mga miyembro ng kapulungan. Kung makakapamasyal sa loob ng gusali, ito  ang ilan sa mga magagandang makikita sa loob:

Central Entrance. Ang bronze na pinto sa central entrance ng gusali ay binubuksan lamang para sa emperador ng Japan kung siya ay dadalo sa opening ceremony ng Diet. Binubuksan din ito para sa mga mahahalagang bisita mula sa ibang bansa at para sa mga bagong halal na miyembro ng kapulungan sa unang araw ng sesyon. Sa may Member’s Entrance naman matatagpuan ang attendance board na siyang pinipindot ng mga miyembro para itala ang kanilang pagdalo sa sesyon. 

Central Hall. Sa gitna ng gusali matatagpuan ang Central Hall. Mayroon tatlong bronze statue na matatagpuan dito – sina Ito Hirobumi, Okuma Shigenobu at Itagaki Taisuke. Nagkaroon sila ng mahalagang kontribusyon sa pagtatatag ng parliamentary system ng Japan. Ang ikaapat na pedestal ay bakante bilang simbolo na mayroon pang mga mabubuting tagapaglingkod sa bayan ang darating sa hinaharap.

Chamber of the House of Councillors. Dito ginaganap ang mga plenary session ng House of Councillors. Sa gitna nito matatagpuan ang podium, sa taas nito ay ang upuan ng president ng House of Councillors na nakaharap sa 460 upuan ng mga miyembro na nakapwesto sa isang semi-circle. Sa likod nito nakapwesto ang trono ng eperador kung saan siya umuupo kapag dumadalo sa opening ceremony ng sesyon. Mayroong dalawang row ng upuan sa kaliwa at kanang bahagi nito. Ang unang row ay para sa mga Ministers of State at ang unang upuan ay nakalaan para sa Prime Minister. Ang pangalawang row naman ay para sa mga staff ng House of Councillors. Mayroon ding public gallery kung saan maaaring manood ang mga ordinaryong mamamayan kung gusto nilang live na masundan ang mga nagaganap sa loob ng plenary.

Emperor’s Room. Ito ang isa sa pinakamaganda at pinakaespesyal na kwarto sa loob ng gusali. Gawa ito sa pinakamahal at pinaka-grandiyosong materyal sa buong Japan – may perlas, ginto, carpet at silk. Mayroong kahoy na lamesa at isang pulang upuan sa gitna nito. Dito naghihintay ang emperador tuwing dadalo siya sa opening ceremony ng National Diet. Dito niya rin tinatanggap at kinakausap ang president at bise-presidente ng House of Councillors at ang speaker at vice-speaker ng House of Represetnatives.

             

Hindi lamang isang pang-gobyernong institusyon ang National Diet, mayaman din ito sa kasaysayan at pambihirang arkitektura. Sulit din ang pagpunta dito dahil hindi lang nakakamangha ang ganda ng lugar, marami pang mga bagong bagay ang matututunan.

Bukas sa mga bisita ang gusali mula Lunes hanggang Biyernes, alas-otso ng umaga hanggang alas-singko ng hapon. Maaari ring sumali sa libreng guided tour sa loob ng gusali. Mayroon ding nabibiling mga souvenir tulad ng mga notebooks, keychains, folders, calendars at espesyal na biskwit na may mukha ni Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Cafe La Boheme in Yokohama

Cafe La Boheme is a restaurant chain in Japan that offers Italian food - pasta, pizza and good wine. This branch of Cafe La Boheme is situated right outside the exit of the Motomachi-Chukugai station in the Minato Mirai Line. 

Even upon entering the restaurant, the ambiance is quite cozy. The setting appears pretty upscale at first look - brick walls, hanging chandeliers and dim lights. There's even a playlist of soothing music playing in the background. However, despite the very regal interior, the prices of the food are very affordable. A plate of pasta costs around Y700-1200 yen, while a platter of pizza costs Y1200 yen. The serving of the pasta is good enough for one person but the pizza is quite small. The four slices of pizza are only good for two people. Four people can share the pizza, like what we did, but each person can only taste a very small portion of it.

The staff are also very friendly. This chef even gave me a peace sign when he saw me taking a picture of the kitchen (too bad I didn't get to catch that adorable peace sign that he made). Some of the dining staff are also foreigners so they can speak fluent English that makes ordering very convenient. The only hassle that we encountered is the extremely long waiting time. We had to wait for around twenty to thirty minutes (or maybe more) before our food is served!

There is also a very good selection of wine that you can choose from if you want a soothing beverage to pair with what you ordered.

I ordered a plate of Genovese worth Y800 yen (i think). The pasta, though very oily, tastes very good. The taste of the herbs are so strong in your palette.

The serving of the roasted chicken is so big that it can be shared by two people.


We also ordered a plate of fruity desserts, which might have taken a century before it arrived, but it was worth the wait.

Because of Cafe La Boheme's relaxing ambiance, it is a good place for people who want to talk and catch-up. It is quiet with just a soft music in the background, the food is good but very affordable and the staff are nice, though the service is a little slow. It's a good place that is worth the money you pay for.

Poltical Memorabilia at the National Diet of Japan

 

            The National Diet of Japan is not only a building that houses Japan’s prime organ of state power. It is also a building that is rich in art and history. The National Diet is open for visitors from Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm. There is also a free guided tour around the building that is worth joining. Visitors can enter the Visitors Gate at the Annex of the House of Councillors.

            Before the tour, the visitors will first be asked to wait at the House of Coucillors Visitors Lobby where several important memorabilia are on display. This is the only place in the whole building where visitors are allowed to take pictures. Once the visitors enter the main building, taking pictures is then prohibited.

            Some of the interesting items on display are the following (explanation are based on the flyer distributed to visitors of the National Diet):

            Imperial Decree for the first Imperial Diet Opening Ceremony. The first Imperial Diet convened in November 25, 1980 and the Opening Ceremony was held on the 29^th. The document displayed in the Visitors’ Lobby is only a reproduction of the original decree which, was issued to the members by Emperor Meiji.

            Register of Members of the House of Peers. The House of Peers was then composed of members of the Imperial family, men from notable families and important people especially appointed by the Emperor. This document is a list of these important people who are noted for their distinguished service to the nation.

        Apparatus for deciding group membership by lot. When the session of the House of Peers began, it was necessary to determine the group to which each member belonged. Group membership was decided by lot and the election of members of several standing committees and the allocation of members’ lobbies were based here.

            The apparatus was used from 1904 to 1936. To use the apparatus, balls with the name of each member are placed inside. When the central rod is removed, the balls fall into nine partitions, thereby determining the group to which each member belong.

            Apparatus for anonymous voting. To vote, each member places a ball in one of the two designated slots. White balls signify a positive response and a black one indicate a negative on. When all members finish putting the balls, the apparatus is opened and the scales inside indicate the numbers of votes cast.

            Ballot box and devices for counting the results of the open ballots. Ballot slips with the member’s name is distributed before the voting takes place. There ballots are dropped in a ballot box on the podium. After all the members finish voting, the ballots are divided and placed side by side in the apparatus. The sales marking the inside of the box, it is possible to calculate the number of votes in a quicker manner.

Models of the Diet Building and the Chamber of the House of Councillors. There are models that are prepared for the visually impaired so visitors are free to touch them.

The Throne of his Majesty the Emperor. The throne made of gold was in the chamber of the House of Peers from 1868-1912. It was used by the Emperor during the opening ceremonies of the Diet.

            
Replica of Members’ Seats. Visitors can sit on this replica press the push-button voting device.

 Replica of the gavel. This is a replica of the gavel used by the president of the House of Councillors to call for order at the opening of the plenary session.

            For people who want to explore more about Japan beyond the Cherry Blossoms and the Shinto Shrines, the National Diet is a good place to start.

A Peek Inside Japan’s Center of Power: The National Diet Building

The facade of the National Diet Building

            Who would have thought that this Greco-Roman-inspired cream-colored building in Chiyoda City, Tokyo is Japan’s highest organ of state power? The Japanese, despite their faithful adherence to their traditional culture and strong claim to homogeneity, have embraced the influences of the West during the Meiji Period (1968-1912). This piece of architecture, which was designed in 1918 but was finally finished in 1927 is a reflection of this change. The compound occupies 103,001 square meters of land while the building has a total floor area of 53,466 square meters.

The Two Houses

            This building houses the Upper House and the Lower House of the National Diet. The House of Councillors has 242 members, 96 of whom are elected by proportional representation system and 146 from 47 prefectural constituencies, who have a term of office of six and three years. In contrast, the House of Representatives is composed of 480 members, 180 of whom are elected under the proportional representation system and 300 from single-seat constituencies, who have a term of office of four years.

Functions of the National Diet

            The National Diet, according to the Constitution of Japan, which was enacted in 1947, shall be “the sole law-making organ of the State” (Article 41). It can draft and pass laws, decide on the national budget, approve treaties made with other countries, choose a Prime Minister and amend the constitution. It can also conduct investigation regarding matters of significance for the country.     

The National Diet Building

            The materials used to build the Diet building mostly come from Japan like the pearls from Okinawa and the marble from Shizuoka. The only important material are the glass used in the ceilings and the windows which came from abroad. Inside the building are several interesting spots that are worthy of seeing because of their capacity to instigate awe from their spectators. The following information came from the official pamphlet handed to visitors of the building.

            Central Entrance. The Bronze doors of the Central Entrance are opened only for His Majesty the Emperor on the day of the Opening Ceremony, for State Guests on official visits, and for newly-elected members of the Diet on the first day of the Diet session following their election.

            Members’ Entrance and Attendance Board. At the Members’ Entrance stood a board where the members press their name-buttons to indicate they are present.

Central Hall. This lies directly under the central tower. The ceiling and windows are made of stained glass and the marble floor is accented with a beautiful mosaic. Three bronze statues of notable men who contributed to the founding of the parliamentary system in Japan are placed in the three corners of the hall. These three men are Ito Hirobumi, Okuma Shigenobu and Itagaki Taisuke. It can be observed that the fourth pedestal on one corner is vacant. It is left that way to remind the people that Japan will give birth to more notable statesmen in the future. The floor area of the hall is 267.65 square meters and the ceiling is 32.62 meters high.

Chamber of the House of Councillors. This is one of the most important rooms in the whole building because this serves as the venue for the plenary sessions. At the center of room stand the podium and the seat of the president of the House of Coucillors that face the 460 seats of members arranged in a semi-circle. Above this seat is the throne of His Majesty the Emperor, which he uses whenever he attends the Opening Ceremony of the Diet.

There are also two rows on both sides of the president’s seat. The first row is allotted for the Ministers of State, the first seat is for the Prime Minister, and the second row is for the secretariat of the House of Councillors. The ceiling is adorned by Arabesque-patterned stained glass. The chamber is 32 meters long and 23 meters wide, while the ceiling is 13 meters high. There is also a public gallery for citizens and press people to observe the plenary sessions.

Emperor’s Room. One of the most beautiful rooms in the building. This room is made with the best materials – most expensive, most beautiful and with the highest quality. This is the holding room of his Majesty the Emperor whenever he attends the Opening Ceremony. This is also where he receives the President and Vice President of the House of Councillors and the Speaker and Vice-Speaker of the House of Representatives. There is also a grand staircase that leads to the Emperor’s Room in the third floor from the Central Hall. This Central Staircase is only used by His Majesty the Emperor.

There are also other rooms in the building such as the Office and Reception Room of the President of the House of Councillors, and several Committee Rooms for various committee hearings.

            The National Diet is open for visitors from Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm. There is also a free guided tour around the building that is worth joining. Visitors can enter the Visitors Gate at the Annex of the House of Councillors. To view the displays at the House of Councillors Vistors' Lobby, please see this post Political Memorabilia at the National Diet.

            There are also interesting souvenirs that you can purchase at the stall at the exit of the Diet. There are keychains, notebooks, folders, calendars, fans, pens, ID laces and a special biscuit with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's face.