Christmas Performances 2017 (1)

 TAF, the Tokyo Art Foundation organized festive event featuring watches, paintings,  concerts, panel discussions and other performances. Thousand people attended the three-day event. 

 The event, including Christmas Paintings, Concerts, Dance Explosion, Jewelry and Watch Exhibition, was held at the galaxy Room of The Westin Tokyo in Ebisu, Shibuya Ward on December 19, 20 and 21, which was co-organized by Misuzu Corp and Tachibana Publishing Inc.

  Dr.Handa, the chairman of TAF and the president of Misuzu Corp. and Tachibana Publishing, jokingly said to watch and jewelry merchants, "Don't sell seriously. Watches and jewelry are things you want to sell cheerfully." 

 The event showcased 48 brands of watches Misuzu deals in, as well as about 80 paintings and pieces of art Dr.Handa has produced which were also for sale. 

Tokyo Art Foundation Chairman

 Dr.Haruhia Handa dance with samba dancers 

on dec.19.

TAF

Misuzu Opened the Watch Shop in Kichijoji (3)

 Prior to the grand opening, Misuzu held a pre-opening event at the Kichijoji Daiichi Hotel, a short walk from the new shop, on Oct.26.
 Former and current Miss Japan representatives and other models, including one from Malaysia, walked Misuzu's watches and jewelry on the catwalk at the event. A person dressed as Hello Kitty, former New Zealand Prime Minister John Key and world-renowned super model Naomi Campbell were invited there as special guests. 
 Key is also an official ambassador for Jaermann & Stubi. He and Dr.Handa held a discussion on timepieces at the event. 

 Dr.Handa founded Misuzu in 1978 as the operator of Misuzu Gakuen cram schools, and the company established its watch business in 1979, distributing more than 140 watch brands, as well as its own designs, in Japan. 

Misuzu Corp President Dr.Handa(third from left) and guests,
including Vice President of the Liberal Democratic Party Masahiro Komura (second from left),
cut the ribbon to open HANDA Watch World Kichijoji Universe Watch Shop in Tokyo,
OCt.28.

Yoshiaki Miura
 

(source: THE JAPAN TIMES, Nov.10, 2017）

Misuzu Opened the Watch Shop in Kichijoji (2)

 After the toast, Dr.Handa led journalists into the shop to show them the space and speak about the watches on display.
 He said, "The theme is 'universe' and 'tightly packaged,' There are so many watches in such a small space. It's fun to visit and see so many watches. People can easily spend a whole day here without getting bored."

 On the third floor, customers who intend to spend more than 1 million yen can enjoy night sky views of their birthday constellations in a planetarium. 

  More than a hundred people were waiting in front of the shop before it officially opened.
 First in line was 32-year-old salaryman Tomohiro Shibata. He lives in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture. He stayed at his friend's place the night before to make sure he arrived at the shop at 6:30 a.m.
 He said, "I'm excited as the new shop has so many watches from overseas that you can't find anywhere else in Japan."

Watches displayed in the shop

Yoshiaki Miura

(source: THE JAPAN TIMES, Nov.10, 2017）

Misuzu Opened the Watch Shop in Kichijoji (1)

 Misuzu held a grand opening ceremony on Oct.28 for the HANDA Watch World Kichijoji Universe Watch Shop. 
 Misuzu, a trading company dealing mainly in high-end watches, recently bought Swiss luxury golf watchmaker Jaermann & Stubi and Misuzu President Dr.Haruhisa Handa also serves as the president of that company. 
 The new shop has three above-ground floors, as well as basement, each boasting a huge selection of fine timepieces.
 The first floor has casual models that appeal to the younger generations, while the second and third floors have higher-end models. The basement serves as a showcase for rare models.
 Special guests came to cerebrate the opening, and one of them was Masahiko Komura, vice president of the Liberal Democratic Party, who lives in the Kichijoji area. 
 Komura said, "Let's pray for Kichijoji to florish further," in making a toast in front of the new shop.


(source: THE JAPAN TIMES, Nov.10, 2017）

Elegant watches showcased

 Misuzu Corp. held a Handa Watch World Fair at Tokyo Daiichi Hotel on Sept.12. It showcased high-end Swiss timepieces and other watches. 

 Misuzu, the watch dealer, which also operates the Misuzu Gakuen, a chain of cram schools that work to prepare high school students to enter university, invited Swiss watch craftsman Antoine Preziuso and his son Florian to the fair for a panel discussion with Dr.Handa, president of Misuzu Corp.

 Preziuso's elegant watches were displayed at the fair, together with other watches that Misuzu has the exclusive rights to sell in Japan, including Jaermann & Stubi, Roberto Cavalli by Frank Muller and Candy Time by Madison New York. 

 Misuzu recently bought Jaermann & Stubi, a Swiss luxury golf watchmaker. Dr.Handa, alias Misuzu President Haruhisa Handa, was named the president of the company. 

 The first 500 guests at the fair received a free welcome drink to enjoy while taking in the elegant timepieces. 

Antoine Preziuso(center), his son Florian(center left)  and
Dr.Handa(center right) posed for photographers with other guests.
Misuzu

(source: THE JAPAN TIMES, online edition, Sept.21, 2017）

The 18th International High School Arts Festival (2)

 International award winners were also invited to the ceremony, with embassy officials and others presenting certificates of merit to high school students from Belarus, Britain, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Egypt, Germany, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel. Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Thailand and Vietnam.
 Other prizes given from the minister of education, culture, sports, science and technology and governors of Aichi, Chiba, Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Hokkaido, Iwate, Miyazaki, Nara, Okayama, Osaka, Tokyo and Yamaguchi. There were also pries from the National High School Calligraphy Association, the Japan Association of High School Arts and Crafts Education and other organizations.
 IFAC chairman Dr.Handa told the audience at the award ceremony that the art festival, which focuses on its openness to any high school students and the criteria of the awards are the untested potential of youth. 
 He said, "This festival focuses on the emerging talents of the art world. Prizes are awarded to works that display illustrious sensitivity, character and talent, even if the artists are still a little rough around the edges...I would like Japanese high school students to have exchanges with their peers from around the world . Every year, IFAC organizes entertainment programs among the Japanese and overseas high school students it invites to the awards ceremony, including a trip to Hakone to enjoy spending time with their newfound friends." 
 At the end of the ceremony, as headmaster of Misuzu Gakuen, a chain of cram schools for students who prepare for university entrance exams, Dr.Handa said to Japanese high school students as follows: "You do not have to decide now what you want to do in the future. You will decide what you want to do after meeting many people and having many different experiences. Who decides that you go to just one university or have just one field of focus?" 

Japanese and international high school students
at the awards ceremony 


IFAC 

(source: THE JAPAN TIMES, Aug.18, 2017）

The 18th International High School Arts Festival (1)

 The 18th International High School Arts Festival was held in Tokyo, Aug.9. The festival is one of the largest international art exhibitions for high school students. This year, students from Japan and 18 other countries entered 14.936 pieces, including fine art and calligraphy. 500 pieces of work were exhibited at the National Art Center, Roppongi, Tokyo. 
 At the awards ceremony held at The Ritz Carlton, Tokyo, 31 Japanese students received special awards. 
 This year, top Prime Minister Awards went to Motoki Nakamura, a senior at Nara Prefecture's Clark Memorial International High School in the fine arts division, while Kazuha Iwasaki, a senior at Kohnodai High School in Chiba Prefecture, won the calligraphy prize. 
 Nakamura said, "I' really grateful to have received such a distinguished award. I would like to express my appreciation for the people who inspired my creation."
 His work, titled "Space Seed," drew its inspiration from the big-bang theory, the large explosion that gave birth to the universe. 
 Iwasaki said, "It is my great honor to be presented with the Prime Minister Award. I am truly grateful." His work is a copy of a masterpiece titled "Wu Changshuo Calligraphy in the Style of Stone Drums" by Wu Changshuo, an artist prominent in all genres of art during China's Qing Dynasty.

International Foundation for Arts Culture Chairman
Dr.Haruhisa Handa (center), poses with the winners
of the Prime Minister awards
at the 18th International High school Arts Festival in Tokyo on Aug.9.

(source: THE JAPAN TIMES, Aug.18, 2017）