Chopsticks NY features articles about Japanese culture and cuisine, but more important is the guide and listings it provides for stuff around the city in the back portions of the magazine.
Category: Otaku NYC
Otaku NYC: Yoshinoya
UPDATE: NOW CLOSED :(
When you start watching anime you are often exposed to a world of food you may have never seen before. I remember watching Urusei Yatsura and learning about the world of Japanese fast food outside of WacDonalds as Ataru in the gang would cut classes to pig out at various junk food shops in Tomobiki. I found out that ramen was more than those Maruchan instant noodle packs and that there was a dish called gyudon, otherwise knows as beef bowl. When I found out there was a Japanese beef bowl restaurant chain in Manhattan I had to check it out. Yoshinoya is in the heart of tourist central at 253 W 42nd St between 7th Ave & 8th Ave so it is usually quite busy. As I understand it is even a bit of destination spot for Japanese tourists. In 2001 the mad cow scare hurt Beef Bowl sales and in 2003 Japan banned the import American beef. Since then the ban has been lifted but various politics have made American beef nowhere near as plentiful. So many Japanese tourists will stop into the New York Yoshinoya for a familiar brand with the guarantee of American beef in their gyudon.
Otaku NYC: Japan Society
The Japan Society is a permanent facility with an ever change variety of events. They provide everything from language classes to film screenings, from art exhibits to sake tastings, from lectures to concerts.
The building is a beautiful piece of architecture on the far east side of Manhattan with a quiet park across the street. The interior is the clean and simple lines known throughout Japanese homes and it even has a reflecting pool and gardens flowing through the space. There is a screening room, library, and many other gathering places throughout the building. On a really random note, the bathrooms are high-tech so be sure to check those out as well!
We’ve discussed their anime and manga exhibit before and they often provide films for the New York Asian Film Festival. So what is going on really just depends on the time of year you come. And since their facilities are indoor there is always something to do not matter the weather. Be sure to keep an eye on their calendar when you are planning to come!
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