Author: Hersey Shiga

PEOPLE A SAD FAREWELL I lost another wonderful friend, Nejat Shanino, a young refugee from Eritrea who had settled here in Tokyo….

PEOPLE THE MERICS RETURN TO TURKEY  After three and a half years in Japan, Turkish Ambassador Ahmet  Bulent Meric and his Japanese…

PEOPLE MIN-ON SPONSORS SOUTH AFRICAN BOYS CHOIR  Over the years, Soka Gakkai, through its music subsidiary the Min-On Concert Association, has given…

PEOPLE   WARNER BROTHERS PRESS CONFERENCE FOR CHRISTOPHER NOLAN  The big Academy Hills room on the 49th floor of the Mori Tower was wall-to-wall with enthusiastic…

PEOPLE ROTARY CLUB MEMORIAL CONCERT  FOR GRACE SAITO  I enjoyed a superb Japanese lunch at the Peninsula recently with Saitama business tycoon…

PAKISTAN’S NATIONAL DAY AND AMBASSADOR AMIL’S SAYONARA  The National Day event was at the Okura Hotel and his sayonara was at his sixth…

PEOPLE RIP, WAYNE GRACZYK  Our condolences to the friends and family of Wayne Graczyk,  a long-time member of the Tokyo Weekender family,…

THE ESCALAS SAY SAYONARA There was a long line waiting outside the Peruvian embassy to say sayonara to the popular Peruvian Ambassador…

The multi-talented — and super nice — Steven Hayes will release his latest CD, titled High Heels, on May 24. The music’s…

PEOPLE I’m a good customer of the Natural Lawson Store in Tomigaya. During my stay at the Saiseikai Hospital a few years ago, Takeshi…

PEOPLE 2016 was a tough year with the loss of a lot of people I had the privilege of knowing. These included superstars…

PEOPLE CHRISTMAS TREE CHARITY Some of the highlights of my end-of-year activities included working with the Weekender, Hilton Tokyo, Coca Cola, Mercedes…

PEOPLE       REST IN PEACE MY FRIENDS Thailand’s highly respected, much loved King, H. M. Bhumibol Adulyadej passed away. The very special man…

PEOPLE STEVE HAYNES & PAULA JOHNSONS SANNO  BRUNCH It was a very special group of very special people at Steve and Paula’s…

PEOPLE HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NORMAN  Still putting on the ritz, but this time high in the sky, while noted art dealer Norman Tolman‘s…

PEOPLE Showbiz luminaries Harvey Fierstein, Jerry Mitchell, and Cyndi Lauper, along with the international cast of the award-winning musical “Kinky Boots” will be…

PEOPLE My thanks to Lilo Maruyama who picked me and Kyoko Spector up at the Grand Hyatt and had her driver take…

PEOPLE Seijoro Udo and his staff at Udo Artists are celebrating the company’s 50th year of bringing top international music to Japan,…

PEOPLE I really felt down over the loss of superstar Prince. I had the pleasure and privilege of meeting him every time Udo…

PEOPLE  Oscar-winner Leonardo DiCaprio was in town for three clays to promote the award-winning film “The Revenant” for 20th Century Fox. Talked with…

PEOPLE I heard a dear friend, Guy Laliberté sold his big and beautiful business the world-famous Cirque du Soleil. He’s done a lot…