Japantown’s hidden gem not so hidden anymore

Ken Matsumoto’s Art Object Gallery, which has long been one of the hidden gems of San Jose’s Japantown, will be a little less hidden from now on.

Matsumoto has expanded the gallery to include the storefront at 592 N. Fifth St. In the past, visitors needed to wind their way along a driveway and through the courtyard past chairs, plants, tables and piles of stone to find the entrance.

“Visitors to the gallery generally fall into two groups: those that knew of the gallery and its location and the other group who were drawn by curiosity down the same path,” Matsumoto said. “I believe it was the contrast between the exterior with its industrial warehouse grittiness to the clean, whitewalled, track-lit art gallery interior that surprised the new visitors.”

There are still hints of the industrial grittiness, Matsumoto says, but with the storefront windows, the sense of discovery has changed.

“Now the discovery most visitors express to me is, ‘I didn’t know there was a gallery in Japantown,’ ” he said. And there’s still an air of mystery about the place, as it lacks a proper sign.

You can check out the new look at a Mid-Summer Night’s Reception on Friday night from 7 to 10 p.m.

‘ODYSSEO’ ON THE WAY: A 12-story white big top will again rise in North San Jose this fall for “Odysseo,” the equestrian show by Cavalia. The $30 million show, which was a smash in San Francisco last year, is nearly double the size of the original “Cavalia” show that had a sold-out run in San Jose in 2012. “Odysseo” will begin its San Jose run Sept. 14.

So how big is big? Well, the tent is the largest touring tent on the planet and required approval from the FAA because of its proximity to Mineta San Jose International Airport. Inside, there will be a threestory mountain, a lake and three giant screens — each larger than an IMAX screen — for the projected backgrounds. It takes 120 semi-tractor trailers to move the show around from place to place, a bigger fleet than those used by the biggest musical tours (and I’m watching “Roadies,” so I know all about that stuff now).

That’s not even mentioning the 65 horses who are the real stars of the show.

Tickets, which are on sale now at www.cavalia. net, range from $29.50 to $154.50, though there are more pricey “Rendez-Vous” VIP packages available with perks including a preshow buffet, an open bar and a visit to the stables after the show. NEWLOOK FOR MORTON’S: Morton’s may be about oldschool steaks and drinks, but the steakhouse chain’s downtown San Jose location unveiled a new look on Wednesday night.

The interior makeover, which took about six months to complete, has been in place for a couple of weeks.

The updated decor is sleeker and darker, providing a more modern look than before (the wall of photos featuring local regulars survived the redo, thankfully). General Manager Adam Cook says diners have responded favorably to the new decor and more open layout.

And while it’s definitely an improvement on the past, at least a couple of diners I talked to thought the “new look” was already outdated. But that’s Silicon Valley for you. We’re always living five years in the future.