• Life top
• Daily Life
• Applying for LINE stickers
• Exhibition of Matsumoto-sensei
• Hana - Shiba-Inu
• Elec. handicraft & Akihabara
• Supermarkets in the area
• Takaido Civic Center
• Building a house
• Horrible dentists
• Judo therapy
• In an elderly care home
• Parties
• Cosplay bonenkai 2010
• Gainax cosplay bonenkai
• Friends from Gainax
• Friends from schooldays
• Party at Bar Espion
• Home party with cheese
• Music Life
• TARO Quartet
• Maeda-san - violin maker
• Chigusa Kindergarten
• Seniors playing music
• My viola debut
• Torakyo regular concert
• Toranomon Orchestra
• Four seasons
• Shrine visit of the New Year
• New Year´s postcard
• Snowfall in Tokyo
• Hina-matsuri and hina-dolls
• Sakura - cherry-blossom
• Sakura - what I missed most
• Fireworks Festival
• People
• Itakura - his adventurous life
• Naoto - his country life

Farewell and welcome party at Bar Espion

It is usual in Japan to organize a farewell or welcome party for departing or new colleagues of the office. For such an occasion organizers are chosen from among the young colleagues of the office and they cooperate hard to find a good place and make other preparations. However hard they may make efforts, the possibility of finding a good place depends on the personal experience and network of the organizers. Therefore, in most cases we have to compromise with ordinary Japanese style izakaya or Chinese restaurant, because theses types of restaurants are suitable for group dinners and the ordinary choice does not incur unnecessary complaints.

Espion is a bar, opened on June 15, near the wedding facility "Le hall TOGO" and has a quiet and chic atmosphere. It looks to fit the needs of rich urban adults who look for a secret haven for private occasions. Le hall TOGO is a brand new palace for wedding party and banquet, owned by Togo Jinja. Wedding ceremonies and parties are good business chances for Japanese Shinto shrines. Togo Jinja enshrines Admiral Togo, the commander at the victorious naval Battle of Tsushima against Russia in 1905. Even such a militaristic shrine cannot remain aloft from earthly business. "Le hall TOGO" was designed by one of the well known architects Kuma Kengo. Matsushima Keisuke, chef in French cuisine and owner of a restaurant in Nice with a Michelin star, is managing its banquet hall. This Mr. Matsushima opened "Restaurant I" on June 6 in the same building as Le hall TOGO and maybe - I am not sure - has a say to the management of Bar Espion in the neighborhood.

Espion is such a place and it is rather ridiculous to use it for a farewell and welcome party of an ordinary office.

Samples of Japanese cheese

If we were working in the media or fashion, this place might be highly suitable for a party. Anyhow, we have a female colleague who is fond of food and beverage and has special human network in Tokyo. She got to know this new place through her personal connection and made a special arrangement.

So, this is a very special occasion. When you visit Espion on the ordinary days, you would certainly not see such people as are on the photos of this page, but nicely dressed ladies and gentlemen enjoying their temporary meeting in a dim light.