News
Connections Supports Local Children's Home
Connections helped furnish the Salvation Army's newest children’s home in Tokyo.
Opened in May, Acacia House is a group home that provides a comfortable setting for six children between the ages of 3 and 18.
Connections’ donation of ¥1 million was used to purchase furniture and appliances for the home, the second such facility to receive assistance from the group.
The Salvation Army's Colonel Stephen Morris says the aim of the home is to provide a stable environment for the children in their care.
“It is important to help them enjoy their childhood, all the while preparing them for adulthood,” he says. “Clearly this is not an easy task, but generous gifts like the one from Connections helps us provide the home-style environment that is integral to normalizing their childhood.”
Photo: (l–r) Ken Hanasaki of the Salvation Army, Connections’ Gabriele Kirschner and Marie Briganti, Colonel Stephen Morris, Colonel Wendy Morris and Connections’ Lina Raffone
Club to Release Exclusively Produced Whiskey
The Club will release its first-ever, exclusively produced American single malt whiskey on May 1.
Made by Westland Distillery in Seattle, Washington, the whiskey is the latest in a line of Club-branded beverages, which includes California wine, Niigata sake and a Shizuoka-crafted beer.
Members can sample and purchase the whiskey, which was matured for seven years in American oak and Madeira wine casks, at a tasting at The Cellar on May 1.
The whiskey is available for ¥14,000 a bottle at The Cellar and by the glass at selected Club restaurants.
Fitness Center Set for Upgrade
The Fitness Center will bolster its lineup of exercise machines in May.
On May 9, the third-floor workout hub will be closed for the installation of 12 brand-new machines from leading fitness equipment manufacturer Matrix.
The mix of four cardio and eight strength-training machines includes an S-Force Performance Trainer, designed for high-intensity interval training, a glute trainer and a fully enclosed Magnum Power Rack for safe and efficient lifting.
Writing in the May issue of INTOUCH magazine, Shinji Yamasaki, chair of the Recreation Committee, says the new equipment will help meet changing demands in the Fitness Center.
"After analyzing the center’s usage data, the Recreation Committee discovered that the weight machines are used the most (around 55 percent), followed by the cardio machines (30 percent) and the stretch area (15 percent). In fact, usage of the strength-training equipment has doubled over the last five years," he writes.
Members will be able to try out the new machines from 5:45am on May 10.
Seasonal Wines Selected
Four wine regions emerged triumphant at the recent Seasonal Wine Taste-Off.
Nearly 100 wine lovers sampled eight red wines and eight white wines before choosing their four favorites at the biannual event on April 12.
Villiera's 2020 Jasmine white blend from Stellenbosch in South Africa and a 2015 Harlow Ridge Petite Sirah from Lodi in California were selected as the two seasonal wines for May to July this year.
Meanwhile, the seasonal white and red for August to October are a 2022 Sauvignon Blanc from The Better Half in New Zealand's Marlborough region and De Bortili's 2018 Deen Master Blend from New South Wales in Australia, respectively.
The winning wines will be available in all Club restaurants.
Nihonbashi Club Reaches Milestone
Ahead of its second anniversary on March 31, Tokyo American Club Nihonbashi has surpassed 200 Members.
Geoff Bowman, chair of the Nihonbashi Committee, says that the Club saw more Members join the downtown hub as pandemic-related restrictions eased and people returned to the office.
"A lot of new Members are coming via referrals from existing Members, reflecting the high satisfaction rate of our Nihonbashi Members," he says. "We look forward to continuing the momentum and hitting our next target of 300 Members soon!"
In an effort to reach that goal, the Nihonbashi Club launches a membership drive in April.
When a Member introduces somebody who joins the Nihonbashi Club between April 1 and June 30, 2023, they'll earn a ¥20,000 Club voucher and the new Member will receive dinner for two at the American Room.
To learn more about this offer, contact the Membership Office at 03-4588-0687 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
