Hokkaido - IBUKI Magazine

Japanese Inspired Food and Lifestyle Magazine
Saké
Discovering
Saké 101
Food-pairing suggestions
Recipes for your saké party
Sake-pairing event
Japan on the Big Screen
Japanese movie reviews
雅-MIYAVI
Exclusive artist interview!
Travel: Hokkaido
May & June 2010 Vol. 05 Seattle / Bellevue / Portland
FREE
IBUKI magazine presents
Venue
Issian Japanese Stonegrill
1618 N 45th St
Seattle, WA 98103
Saké & Food
Pairing Event
JAPANESE STONEGRILL
ISSIAN
Saturday July 10th, 2-4pm
$32 per person
limited seating, by reservation only
To register, visit
www.ibukimagazine.com/event
or call 425-440-9939
Event Content
Lectures
• Saké 101: how to chose and enjoy saké
• Saké with non-Japanese cuisine
Food pairing
• Sashimi
• Vegetarian dish
• Yakitori (skewed teriyaki chicken)
• Setsuko’s desserts (rare cheese cake and daifuku)
Guest Speaker
Brian Clark, saké specialist of Uwajimaya Inc.
Brian Clark lived in Kobe, Japan, where he discovered the
essence of saké. At Bellevue Uwajimaya, he educates customers
and helps them select the right saké for any meal or occasion.
Special guest
Setsuko Agata, owner of Setsuko pastry
All attendees will receive
Uwajimaya 10% discount
coupon and a saké-carrying bag
Your Quest for Saké begins here
CONTENTS
FEATURE
4
Discovering Saké
24 Japan on the Big Screen
The Next Big Thing from Japan just might be
saké. As more restaurants serve it and pair different
brands with their cuisine, foodies are discovering
the complexities and pleasures of saké.
Movies reviews from Japan. Everything from ninja
romances to slapstick comedies.
EAT & DRINK
12 Recipes - for your saké party
16
19
Restaurant Directory
Dine Out
Teriyaki chicken
Manila clam steamed with saké
Cucumber with miso dip
Saké pound cake
24
Where can you wet your whistle with a little saké or shochu? We’ll show you the best spots in town to enjoy a kanpai with your friends.
LIFESTYLE
15 20
22
i fart rainbow
Store & School Directory
28 Music: MIYAVI (exclusive interview!)
30 Local News and Events
NuCulinary
Travel — Hokkaido
Japan’s northernmost island is the perfect island for a road trip..
Car: Itasha
Drink: Morimoto Soba Ale
Place: Fuurrin-Oka
28
IBUKI Magazine Vol.05 May & June 2010
Publisher
Misa Murohashi
English Cartier
Editor-in-Chief
Bruce Rutledge
Editor and Translator
Yuko Enomoto
Assistant Designer
Maria Brown
Contributing Writers & Artists
Enfu (Ken Taya)
Steve Corless
Julian Waters
Jessica Sattell
Special Thanks
Chin Music Press
Published by
Axia Media Group, Inc.
Bellevue, WA 98005
Comments and general inquiries
[email protected]
Advertising Info
[email protected]
www.ibukimagazine.com 3
息吹 IBUKI_FEATURE ARTICLE:
Sake and more
Discovering Saké
By Bruce Rutledge
E
very few decades since the early Meiji
Era, Americans have embraced some
aspect of Japanese culture. Around
the turn of the century, architect Frank Lloyd
Wright and others fell in love with Japan’s
woodblock prints. After World War II, Zen
dazzled the American intelligentsia ( Japan
scholar Donald Keene relates that a children’s
ABC book in the 50s ended with “Z is for
zen”). In the 1990s, anime and manga grabbed
the fascination of American youth because of
its unique look and complex storylines. Today,
in the 2010s, there are signs that the next big
thing from Japan is saké, a complex brew that
has begun to fascinate American gourmands.
The rise in popularity of saké has been steady
over the past decade or so, largely thanks
to pioneers such as John Gauntner, a saké
evangelist who has trained a new breed of saké
sommeliers and connoisseurs, and Seattle’s
own Johnnie and Taiko Stroud, who opened
one of the country’s only saké shops and
tasting bars in Pioneer Square, Saké Nomi,
several years ago.
A sign in the stylish Saké Nomi gives a hint of
how far saké has come in the US. It says, “Saké
4 息吹 ibuki • may / june 2010
is not another name for rocket fuel.” Brian Clark
of Uwajimaya’s Bellevue branch used the same
phrase — “rocket fuel” — to describe what he
thought of saké before he moved to Kobe and
started drinking some of the good stuff. Now he
gives advice to foodies and oenophiles looking
to get into saké. “It’s the next big thing,” he says.
In fact, he says he has to remind people not to
vilify warm saké. “There’s literally a saké for
everyone and every budget.”
Today, some of the best saké in the world
is finding its way onto American menus.
Gourmands know the difference between a
daiginjo and a junmai (see the opposite page
for an explanation). Adventurous chefs and
sommeliers are beginning to pair sakés with
non-Japanese fare, including cheese, chocolate
and grilled salmon.
“Saké is, in truth, incredibly versatile,” Gauntner
writes in an email from Japan. “Once you take
out the obvious mismatches like excessively
spicy, rich or heavy food, there is a plethora of
great pairings possible with Western food.”
The dedication taken to brew good saké is
the stuff of lore. Kiyoaki Kojima of Orcas
Distibuting Ltd. recalls visiting a 73-year-old
brewer in Japan who was sleeping next to his
brew, waking every two hours to tend to it as it
fermented. When Kojima asked him if he used
an alarm clock, he replied, “When you’ve been
doing this as long as I have, you hear it calling
you.”
Gauntner points out how complex the brewing
process is: “Wine-making is chemically a
simple fermentation, as there is sugar in the
grape juice that the yeast converts to alcohol
and carbon dioxide. Saké is brewed like a beer,
which means the starch must first be converted
to sugar. In saké brewing, that is done using koji
mold (aspergillus oryzae) and saké is the only
beverage in the world where starch-to-sugar and
sugar-to-alcohol take place at the same time in
the same tank.This makes it massively complex
and a balancing act.”
Toshi Kojima, Kiyoaki’s brother, says his
company sees great promise for saké in
Seattle.”The sales volume is not as big as New
York or California, but at the same time the
Seattle market is very international and very
curious ... There’s a culture of trying something
new, making something better, being more
open-minded and experimental.”
Sake 101
How Saké is Made
John Gauntner writes on his website, sake-world.com, that “five
crucial elements are involved in brewing saké — water, rice, technical skill, yeast and land/weather. More than anything else, saké
is a result of a brewing process that uses rice and lots of water. In
fact, water comprises as much as 80% of the final product, so fine
water and fine rice are natural prerequisites if one hopes to brew
great saké. But beyond that, the technical skill needed to pull this
all off lies with the toji (head brewers), the type of yeast they use
and the limitations entailed by local land and weather conditions.”
The Main Grades of Premium Saké
The various grades or classifications of saké are related to the ricepolishing ratio, or seimaibuai (pronounced “say-my-boo-eye”).
Saké is graded according to how much the rice used in brewing
has been milled or polished. Brewers mill saké rice to remove
fats and proteins from the outer portion of the grain. These fats
and proteins cause “off ” flavors and inhibit fermentation. The seimaibuai is expressed as the percentage of the original rice grain
remaining after milling has been completed. Premium saké uses
rice that has been milled to 70% or less of its original size. In general, the more the rice is polished, the lighter and more refined
the saké’s flavor profile is. (Quoted from “Your Guide to Premium
Saké” by Johnnie Stroud from Saké Nomi in Ibuki’s first issue.)
How to Store It
To prevent spoilage, it is best to keep saké refrigerated in a cool or
dark room. Th refrigerator is the best place to store saké at home.
Once a bottle is opened, it is best consumed in a few hours to enjoy the flavor. If finishing a bottle in one sitting is too much, try to
consume it in about a week at most.
Sake tempreture
There are many terms to explain the temperature of the saké being
served. In summer, chilled saké, called reishu, may be preferred.
Many saké experts think hitohada (body temperature) is the best
way to enjoy the fine flavor of premium saké. On a cold winter
day, try drinking gently warmed saké, or nurukan. To warm saké,
pour it in a flask, or tokkuri, and sit it in hot water. Whatever you
do, don’t overheat!
Premium
Rice Milled
Some added
Alcohol
No added
Alcohol
50% or less
Daiginjyo
Junmai Diginjyo
60% or less
Ginjyo
Junmai Ginjyo
70% or less
Honjozo
Junmai
The term junmai denotes that no “brewer’s alcohol” has been added during
the brewing process. As much as 88% of all saké produced contains distilled
brewer’s alcohol, and saké containing brewer’s alcohol is still considered “premium” grade if its rice has been milled to the levels outlined above.
Where to Buy It
The Uwajimaya supermarket chain
in Washington and Oregon offers extensive saké selections at each of its
stores. If you’re in Bellevue, ask for
Brian Clark, the saké guide, who can
figure out which saké will match your
taste or your menu. Clark has been
stocking more small bottles (300ml)
in the Bellevue store because, he says,
“saké-tasting parties are an up-andcoming thing.” He’ll help you set up a tasting party to go with everything from
sushi to ham sandwiches.
In Seattle, just a short ride from the Uwajimaya store in the International
District is the ultimate saké stop, Johnnie and Taiko Stroud’s Saké Nomi,
one of the few saké shops and tasting bars in the country, let alone the Pacific
Northwest. Here you can sample saké before you buy and get advice from the
Strouds. Taiko comes from a saké-brewing family in Japan and Johnnie is one
of the most knowledgeable saké aficionados in the country.
www.ibukimagazine.com 5
Saké & Sushi
Saké naturally goes with sushi, but what type of saké? Just like
with wine, there are an overwhelming array of choices for the
newcomer to choose from. Here’s a simple guide to some common brands that go well with sushi and other similar fare. Most
of the saké on this page have a light, crisp taste. Brian Clark of the
Bellevue Uwajimaya says he often starts newcomers with sakés of
this sort. However, he adds, if you’re a scotch drinker who wants
to try saké, turn to the next page.
Yoizuru - Dancing Crane
Tsukinowa - Moon Ring
Delivers a solid, fullbodied flavor with distinct moromi (fermenting mash) aroma; mild
dryness with a hint of
spicy sweetness in the
background. Pairs well
with the variety of flavors present in sushi.
Made with the delicate touch
of a woman toji, or saké master,
which is very rare, this tokubetsu junmai is made from rice
milled down to the ginjo grade.
This saké has a body meant to
be paired with food. The initial
sweetness from the rice mash
spreads across your palate and
elegantly rests there to complement the perfect bite of sushi.
It is very smooth and refreshing.
Brewery: Ishioka
Type: Junmai
Brewery: Tsukinowa
Type: Junmai
Karatanba - Dry Wave
Brewery: Ozeki
Type: Honjozo
HORIN - Phoenix and Pegasus
Brewery: Gekkeikan
Type: Junmai Daiginjo
Horin is a top-grade saké made by one of Japan’s leading breweries,
Gekkeikan. Horin has won the prestigious grand gold medal in the
spirits and liqueurs division of the Monde Selection from 2006 to 2011
(held in 2010) in Belgium. The name “horin” refers to the phoenix (ho)
and Pegasus (rin) of Asian mythology. Gekkeikan uses this name for its
top-ranked saké — the name has been used since the Meiji Era (18681912) for the highest-grade saké sent from Kyoto (Gekkeikan’s home
base) to Tokyo. Using select rice polished to 50% of its original size,
this ultrapremium junmai daiginjo saké is slowly fermented at low temperatures to give it a refreshing fruitlike aroma and mild flavor. It makes
a good starter saké for those who’ve never tried the drink. It often surprises tasters who expect saké to be very dry. Light and crisp and ideal
for sushi or picnics.
6 息吹 ibuki • may / june 2010
This dry saké is produced in
the Tamba region, surrounded
by mountains and clean mountain air. The brewer uses rice
grown in this area. Tamba is
well known for some of Japan’s
best saké brewers, who take to
saké brewing in the winter. The
unique-looking bottles used by
these brewers are designed in the
Tachikui-yaki style of pottery
the region is known for A light,
dry and crisp saké, Karatanba is
robust while still being easy to
drink. A nice sake to pair with
sushi for those who like drier libations.
Yumeakari
-Dream and Light
Brewery: Asabiraki
Type: Junmai Ginjyo
The name means “dream” and
“light,” which is a nice way
to describe this smooth saké.
Brewed by an award-winning
brewery in Iwate Prefecture,
which uses a local high-grade
rice called hitomebore. Floral and
hinting of melon and citrus, it
complements many of the flavors in sushi. This saké has received Monde Selection’s gold
medal for six straight years.
Kanpai with a
Beer
Sushi regulars will be familiar
with Japanese beer brands such
as Sapporo, Asahi and Kirin.
The lighter, smooth brews go
well with sushi. Some who prefer a simple, clean flavor to their
beer like Japanese beers with
all sorts of cuisine because they
don’t overpower the food. Japanese beer is brewed with the idea
that the drink will be paired with
food. Watch a beer commercial
in Japan, and there’s always food
present. Not so in American beer
commercials.
SAPPORO BEER
# 1 Japanese Beer in the USA
Making Friends since 1876
PLEASE SHARE SAPPORO RESPONSIBLY.
©2010 SAPPORO USA, NEW YORK, NY.
WWW.SAPPOROBEER.COM
www.ibukimagazine.com 7
Saké & Teriyaki
Perhaps because of its color, saké is often paired with foods
that also go with white wine. But many sakés are perfect to
pair with grilled meats, teriyaki dishes and even patés. These
are the sakés that appeal to fans of scoth and IPA microbrews.
They tend to have more bite and are able to stand up to stronger tasting food. Here are a few recommendations to get you
started.
Hyorei - Ice and Cold
Brewery: Ozeki
Type: Junmai
This rich and smooth saké from
Hyogo Prefecture has a spicy aroma
and bold flavor that stands up to teriyaki dishes, enhancing the meal. The
saké, brewed by leading saké maker
Ozeki, uses pure rice, meaning no
water is added prior to bottling. The
alcohol content is a bit higher than
most, and the saké is rich and flavorful.
Suijin - God of Water
Brewery: Asabiraki
Type: Junmai
A hint of sweetness followed by a rich,
complex aftertaste. This saké has depth
and reminds one of a freshly steamed
bowl of rice. It pairs nicely with grilled
meats and teriyaki dishes. Suijin has
proven popular with saké connoisseurs in New York (70% of Manhattan
businesspeople eat sushi at least once a
week, according to one survey). The allure of this saké may come from the fact
that the rice is polished as much as 70%,
producing a drink with a richer rice flavor that pairs well with food. Try it with
grilled local salmon, rockfish or cod.
8 息吹 ibuki • may / june 2010
Toryu - Rising Dragon
Brewery: Hakuyou
Type: Junmai
Toryu means “rising dragon.” This saké
gives off an immediate scent of wild and
flourishing sweet mash with a hint of dryness. Soft and mild initial taste is followed
by a flare of spicy sweetness taking over
the palate. This saké has a bit higher alcohol content than most. The full-bodied
richness pairs well with teriyaki and other
meat dishes.
Rokumaru Junmai
- Six Circles
Brewery: Nakagawa
Type: Junmai
This junmai saké uses a unique strain of
saké rice, gouriki (enormous strength),
grown in Tottori Prefecture and only used
by two local breweries. True to the name
of the rice used and the influence of the
harsh weather off the Japan Sea, this saké
gives off an immediate aroma of earthiness. The twistiness of the flavor settles
nicely in your mouth, leaving a long lingering aftertaste. A perfect pairing for a flavorful dish like teriyaki.
a b r i d g e f ro m we st to e a st
Wine For Sushi
The first California wines
blended specifically to
compliment sushi and
bold Asian flavors.
Ask for it at your favorite sushi
restaurant or Asian market.
Distributed in Washington by
Distributed in Oregon by Hashi Wines
Learn more about Hashi at hashiwines.com
or call Greg at 503.756.8988 or email [email protected]
The 3 Elements of Ozeki Sake.
The Essence of Great Taste.
WATER
from the Sierra Nevada, harmonious balance of
essential mineral and mellow taste
RICE
selected short grain rice, nurtured and grown exclusively for
Ozeki in the rice Sacramento Valley
TRADITION
Wines Made for
centuries of sake brewing, a lifelong commitment to
1excellence and the harmony of tradition and technology
Japanese Cuisine
Sitting in a Japanese restaurant one day, two friends started
a conversation about whether a wine could be made to pair
with the distinct flavors and highlights of Japanese cuisine.
That discussion led to the creation of Hashi Wines, a line of
reds and whites made to go with sushi, sashimi, yakitori and
other Japanese dishes. Hashi Wines President Greg Kuhns explains that the company allied itself with California wine producers to come up with a crisp white wine just right for the
ocean flavors of sushi and a supple red that could complement
a tonkatsu dinner or some skewers of grilled meat. The wines
are being served in Japanese restaurants across the country.
Just as saké is finding new pairings with grilled salmon and
oysters, Hashi Wines is proving that Japanese cuisine pairs
perfectly with a white or a red wine as long as the vineyard
has the distinct flavors and balance of that cuisine in mind.
www.ozekisake.com
www.ibukimagazine.com 9
Saké Pairings Break out of the Box
Cheese
Northwest Cuisine
How about a saké to go with gorgonzola? Try Housui Yamahai
Tokubetsu Junmai from Tokushima Prefecture. Its full rich flavor
starts with a taste of the sour mash and ends with a hint of sweetness, making it perfect to pair with cheeses. Or Kura Daiginjo
from Nagano Prefecture, which has a smokiness to it that complements cheese and peppered deli meats.
More restaurants in the Pacific Northwest are pairing saké with local cuisine. At Canliss, which looks out toward the Cascades from
its perch on Queen Anne hill in Seattle, the wine list is as big as a
phonebook, but it includes several premium sakés. “The Canliss
family believes its list should include every sort of ‘wine,’” says an
employee.
Another local delicacy that goes well with saké is oysters. The popular Japanese manga Oishinbo wrote that the sake Horin paired
better with oysters than a nice Chablis (see page 4 for more on
Horin).
Aperitifs and Digestives
Saketinis have made their way onto many a bar menu because of
their complex flavors and lower alcoholic and caloric content than
their gin and vermouth counterparts. Mix an ounce of lime, an
ounce or two of coconut syrup, a dash of milk or half-and-half ,
two ounces of saké, shake it up, and you have yourself one of many
varieties of saketini.
Another good way to enjoy saké is to try the cloudy nigori saké,
which tends to be sweet and have a fruity nose and mild flavor. It
is great as a digestive or dessert wine and can complement spicy
food. Nigori saké is unfiltered, which gives it its cloudiness. Finally,
try a sparkling saké like ZIPANG and Hana-awaka, smooth-drinking naturally carbonated sakés that make an exotic substitute for
champagne.
10 息吹 ibuki • may / june 2010
Sake
Made in America
SakeOne, an American saké brewery in Forest Grove, Oregon, set up in the Pacific Northwest for one main reason: the
water. The only American-owned and operated saké brewery
needed the finest water source it could find, and Forest Grove
had it. The brewery has ridden the wave of enthusiasm in the
US for high-grade saké while also fighting the naysayers who
argue that good saké can’t be brewed here. “We are like the
early people who planted pinot noir in the Willamette Valley,”
says Dewey Weddington of SakeOne. Just like the pinot pioneers, he explains, SakeOne is often left out of the conversation because the conversation about saké centers on Japanese
brands. But as chefs and restaurateurs begin to experiment
with saké and Northwest cuisine, Weddington sees opportunity ahead for American-made saké. SakeOne has a strong
working relationship with Momokawa Brewing of Aomori
Prefecture, Japan, assuring that the only American-owned
and made saké brewery is steeped in the centuries-old brewing traditions of Japan.
Dessert
Saké and dessert? That’s right. The combination can work quite
well, say some adventurous pastry chefs and saké enthusiasts.
“Surprisingly, cheesecake goes really good with most saké,” says
Seattle area Patisserie Chef Sestuko Agata. “Chocolate cake goes
as good with sake as most libations too.”
In collaboration with Setsuko and Orcas Distributing, IBUKI
will introduce two fantastic saké and dessert pairings at our food
pairing event on July 10th at Issian. Come try the novel and delicious pairings with us!
Mochikko is a good
saké to pair with desserts — it is made
with 100% mochi rice,
something that only
five breweries in Japan have attempted
because it is such hard
work. The saké has a subtle sweetness that
matches well with Setsuko’s daifuku, a small
round ball of mochi stuffed with sweet bean
paste.
Another saké that can
pair with a dessert is Yoinotsuki Daiginjo from
Tsukinowa brewery. It is
smooth and rich with a
hint of sweet melon —
just the sort of elegant
saké that pairs well with
Setsuko’s delicate cheesecake.
IBUKI magazine presents
Saké & Food
Pairing Event
Saturday July 10th, 2-4pm
at Issian, Wallingford
$32 per person
limited seating, by reservation only
To register, visit
www.ibukimagazine.com/event
or call 425-440-9939
Come and taste the saké
featured in this article
www.ibukimagazine.com 11
Quick and easy dishes for your saké party
Teriyaki Chicken
Here is a simple, traditional recipe for teriyaki chicken. You do not need to marinate chicken or use teriyaki sauce. Enjoy the
sweet and rich teriyaki flavor at home.
Ingredients (4 servings)
Chicken thigh ...........................................................1.5 lb
Saké............................................................................ 3 tbs
Soy sauce..................................................................... 3 tbs
Rice vinegar................................................................. 3 tbs
Sugar........................................................................... 3 tbs
Directions
1. Cut chicken thigh into bite-size pieces. In a small bowl, add
saké, soy sauce, rice vinegar and sugar, and mix well.
2. Heat saucepan, place chicken in pan and cook both sides
until golden grown.
3. Wipe off excess oil with a paper towel.
4. Add sugar, rice vinegar, saké and soy sauce. Cook until
liquid is mostly gone.
5. Remove chicken from saucepan and place on plate.
6. Cook the sauce in the saucepan for a few more minutes
until it thickens. Coat chicken with sauce.
Cucumber with Miso Dip
Cucumber with miso dip is typical izakaya bar food in Japan. It is a healthy snack that goes well with saké.
Ingredients (4 servings)
Cucumbers (sliced)............................................................1
Saké............................................................................ 1 tbs
Miso............................................................................ 3 tbs
Rice vinegar................................................................. 1 tbs
Sugar........................................................................... 1 tbs
Directions
1. In a small bowl, mix saké, miso, rice vinegar and sugar to
make miso dip.
2. Serve sliced cucumber with miso dip.
12 息吹 ibuki • may / june 2010
RECIPE
Manila Clams Steamed with Saké
This quick recipe makes a fantastic appetizer that goes great with chilled saké. Make sure you don't overcook it so that you can enjoy
the soft and flavorful Pacific Northwest clams. Scooping and sipping the saké sauce with the clam shell is a secret joy of this dish.
Ingredients (2 servings)
Manila clams .............................................................1.5 lb
Green onion........................................................... 1 bunch
Garlic (minced).................................................................1
Saké............................................................................ 3 tbs
Soy sauce..................................................................... 1 tsp
Oil........................................................................... 1/4 tbs
Directions
1. In midsize pan, heat 1/4 tablespoon oil and add minced
garlic. Add Manila clams and saké.
2. Close lid and steam until all clams are opened.
3. Add soy sauce just before serving. Top with green onion.

Check out more recipes online
www.ibukimagazine.com
Saké for cooking?
As you can imagine, you do not have to use expensive premium saké for cooking. If you tour Uwajimaya, you will find several
types of table sak´ priced a very reasonable $10 or so for a large size. They are good for cooking as well as drinking. Saké is
used often when cooking Japanese dishes. Now grab your favorite table saké and get started cooking Japanese food!
Finest Green Tea
www.MyGreenTea.com
(425) 260-7899
www.ibukimagazine.com 13
Special Recipe by Setsko Pastry
Saké Pound Cake
Local Japanese pâtissier Setsuko created this unique recipe for IBUKI magazine’s special saké issue. Setsuko specializes in custommade cakes using her own recipes with a Japanese twist. Creating desserts using saké is one of her recent ventures. Enjoy this
moist pound cake with rich saké fragrance and flavor.
Ingredients (Makes two 6x3 inch loaves)
Egg .................................................. 2 (room temperature)
All-purpose flour........................................................ 1 cup
Sugar . ....................................................................1/2 cup
Baking powder............................................................ 1 tsp
Saké..................................................................1 tbs +1 tsp
Unsalted butter......................................... 1/2 cup (1 stick)
(For syrup)
Sugar........................................................................... 2 tbs
Water.......................................................................... 3 tbs
Saké........................................................................1/2 cup
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sit eggs aside so they warm
to room temperature. Melt butter. Sift the baking soda
and flour together.
2. In a bowl, beat eggs and add sugar. Mix them with
electronic mixer for about 10 minutes.
Professional's Tip !
Setsuko Pastry
Setsuko’s creations are all made from scratch with a low sugar
content, no artificial flavors and no preservatives. Setsuko
specializes in custom orders and creates recipes for vegan, low
sugar, flour-free, egg-less and other special diets. Her cakes
are also available at Issian Stone Grill (1618 North 45th St,
Seattle), Kozue Japanese Restaurant (1608 N45th St, Seattle), Root Table Restaurant (2213 NW Market St, Seattle) ,
Shun Restaurant (5105 25th Avenue NE, #11, Seattle) and
Panama Tea House (607 S Main Street, Seattle). Check out
her monthly special cakes on her blog.
Setsuko Pastry (206) 816- 0348 / www.setsukopastry.com
While mixing beaten eggs and sugar, warm them to body
temperature by using double boiler. That way, eggs become
frothier and make the cake soft and fluffy.
3. Add saké to the bowl and mix for a minute.
4. Gradually add the dry ingredients (shifted flour and
baking powder) and mix until blended.
5. Add melted butter and gently mix together.
6. Pour into a greased and floured cake pan and bake for 30
to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of
the cake comes out clean.
7. Remove the pan from the oven.
Professional's Tip!
Drop the cake out of the pan into a plate from about
5 inches high. This will prevent cake from shrinking
unevenly.
Green tea rolls
14 息吹 ibuki • May / June 2010
Strawberry mousse
8. In a small pan, add sugar and water and heat until sugar
is melted. Remove the pan from heat and add saké. Stir
into syrup. Brush the cake with the sake syrup.
www.ibukimagazine.com 15
Restaurant Directory
SEATTLE
Greater Seattle
Mashiko Japanese Restaurant
(206) 935-4339
4725 California Ave SW,
Seattle
Check out sushiwhore.com
You’ll like it.
Kushibar
(206) 448-2488
2319 2nd Ave, Seattle
www.kushibar.com
Shiro’s Sushi Restaurant
(206) 443-9844
2401 2nd Ave, Seattle
www.shiros.com
Boom Noodle, Capitol Hill
(206) 701-9130
1121 E Pike St, Seattle
www.boomnoodle.com
Maekawa Bar
(206) 622-0634
601 S King St # 206,Seattle
Fort St. George
(206) 382-0662
601 S King St # 202, Seattle
Aoki Japanese Grill & Sushi Bar
(206) 324-3633
621 Broadway E, Seattle
Blue C Sushi - University Village
(206) 525-4601
4601 26th Ave NE, Seattle
Blue C Sushi - Fremont
(206) 633-3411
3411 Fremont Ave N, Seattle
Blue C Sushi - 7th avenue
(206) 467-4022
1510 7th Ave, Seattle
Bush Garden Restaurant
(206)682-6830
614 Maynard Avenue S., Seattle
Cutting Board
(206) 767-8075
5503 Airport Way S, Seattle
Fuji Sushi
(206) 624-1201
520 S Main St, Seattle
Genki Sushi
(206) 453-3881
500 Mercer St. Unit C-2, 2B, Seattle
Hana Restaurant
(206) 328-1187
219 Broadway E, Seattle
Hiroshi’s Restaurant
(206) 726-4966
2501 Eastlake Ave E, Seattle
Ichiban Restaurant
206-623-8868
601 S Main St, Seattle
I Love Sushi - Lake Union
206-625-9604
1001 Fairview Ave N, Seattle
Imo Asian Bistro
(206) 264-9570
704 1st Ave, Seattle
Issian
(206) 632-7010
1618 N 45th St, Seattle
J Sushi
(206) 287-9000
674 S Weller St, Seattle
Kaname Izakaya Shochu Bar
(206) 682-1828
610 S Jackson St, Seattle
Kisaku
(206) 545-9050
2101 N. 55th St. #100, Seattle
Kozue Japanese Restaurant
(206) 547-2008
1608 N 45th St, Seattle
Maneki
(206) 622-2631
304 6th Ave S, Seattle
Marinepolis Sushi Land -Queen Anne Hill
(206) 267-7621
803 5th Ave N, Seattle
Moshi Moshi Sushi
(206) 971-7424
5324 Ballard Avenue, Seattle
Nishino
(206) 322-5800
3130 E Madison St # 106, Seattle
Nijo
(206) 340-8880
89 Spring St, Seattle
Ototo Sushi
(206) 691-3838
7 Boston St, Seattle
Red Fin Sushi Restaurant
(206) 441-4340
612 Stewart St, Seattle
Samurai Noodle -International District
(206) 624-9321
606 5th Ave St, Seattle
Samurai Noodle - University District
(206) 547-1774
4138 University Way NE, Seattle
Shiki Japanese Restaurant
(206) 281-1352
4W Roy St, Seattle
Shun Japanese Cuisine
(206) 522-2200
5101 NE 25th Ave #11, Seattle
Tsukushinbo
(206) 467-4004
515 S Main St, Seattle
1618 N. 45th street, Seattle
Wallingford (206) 632-7010
www.issian-seattle.com
Dinner Mon-Thu 4:30-10:00pm
Fri & Sat 4:30-11:30pm
Sun 4:30-9:00pm
16 息吹 ibuki • May / June 2010
Lunch
Sat & Sun 12-2:30pm
Happy Hour
Everyday 4:30-6:30pm
IZAKAYA 居酒屋 IZAKAYA 居酒屋 IZAKAYA 居酒屋
IZAKAYA
Toyoda Sushi
(206) 367-7972
12543 Lake City Way, Seattle
Wabi-Sabi Sushi Bar & Restaurant
(206) 721-0212
4909 Rainier Ave S, Seattle
Wasabi Bistro
(206) 441-6044
2311 2nd Ave, Seattle
Wann Japanese Izakaya
(206) 441-5637
2020 2nd Ave, Seattle
North End
Cafe Soleil
(425) 493-1847
9999 Harbour Place # 105, Mukilteo
Bluefin Sushi & Seafood Buffet
(206) 367-0115
401 NE Northgate Way # 463, Seattle
Blue C Sushi - the Village at Alderwood Mall
(425) 329-3596
3000 184th St SW, Lynnwood
Cherry Blossom Sushi Bar & Grill
(425) 315-8022
10809 Mukilteo Speedway, Mukilteo
Edina Sushi
(425) 776-8068
19720 44th Ave W, Lynnwood
Marinepolis Sushi Land -Lynnwood
(425) 275-9022
18500 33rd Ave NW, Lynnwood
Matsu Sushi
(425) 771-3368
19505 44th Ave W #K, Lynnwood
Sakuma Japanese Restaurant
(425) 347-3063
10924 Mukilteo Speedway # G, Mukilteo
Setsuna Japanese Restaurant and Bar
(206) 417-3175
11204 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle
Taka Sushi
(425) 778-1689
18904 Hwy 99 Suite A, Lynnwood
Warabi Japanese Restaurant & Bar
(206) 361-2620
13754 Aurora Ave N, Seattle
South End
Miyabi Restaurant
(206) 575-6815
16820 Southcenter Parkway, Tukwila
Blue C Sushi - Westfield Southcenter
(206) 277-8744
468 Southcenter Mall, Tukwila
Blossom Asian Bistro
(425) 430-1610
305 Burnett Avenue South, Renton
Genki Sushi -Renton
(425) 277-1050
365 S. Grady Way Ste. B & C, Renton
Marinepolis Sushi Land -Southcenter Mall
(206) 816-3280
100 Andover Park West 160, Tukwila
New Zen Japanese Restaurant
(425) 254-1599
10720 SE Carr Rd, Renton
Bistro Satsuma
(253) 858-5151
5315 Point Fosdick Dr NW #A, Gig Harbor
Eastside
Blue C Sushi, Bellevue Square
(425) 454-8288
503 Bellevue Square, Bellevue
Blue Ginger Korean Grill & Sushi
(425) 746-1222
14045 NE 20th St, Bellevue
Dozo Cafe
(425) 644-8899
3720 Factoria Blvd SE
Try authentic Ramen. No
MSG.
Sushi Joa
(206) 230-4120
2717 78th Ave SE, Mercer Island
www. sushijoa.com
Boom Noodle, Bellevue Square
(425) 453-6094
504 Bellevue Square, Bellevue
www.boomnoodle.com
Flo Japanese Sushi Restaurant
(425) 453-4005
1188 106th Ave NE, Bellevue
Ginza Japanese Restaurant
(425) 709-7072
103 102nd Ave SE, Bellevue
I Love Sushi -One Lake Bellevue
(425) 455-9090
23 Lake Bellevue Dr, Bellevue
I Love Sushi -Bellevue Main
(425) 454-5706
11818 NE 8th St, Bellevue
Izakaya Sushi - at The Landing
(425) 228-2800
829 N 10th St. Suite G, Renton
Izumi Japanese Restaurant with Sushi-Bar
(425) 821-1959
12539 116th Ave N.E., Kirkland
Kobe Wellbeing Tonkatsu & Tao Sushi Bar
(425) 451-3888
850 110th Ave NE, Bellevue
Kikuya Restaurant
(425) 881-8771
8105 161st Ave NE, Redmond
www.ibukimagazine.com 17
Restaurant Directory
Kiku Sushi
(425) 644-2358
15555 NE 24th St, Bellevue
Rikki Rikki Authentic Japanese Restaurant
(425) 828-0707
442 Parkplace Center, Kirkland
Marinepolis Sushi Land -Bellevue
(425) 455-2793
138 107th Ave. NE, Bellevue
Marinepolis Sushi Land -Redmond
(425) 284-2587
8910 161st Ave NE, Redmond
Sushi Maru
(425) 453-0100
205 105th Ave, Bellevue
Sushi Me
(425) 644-9800
1299 156th Ave NE #145, Bellevue
Momoya Restaurant
(425) 889-9020
12100 NE 85th St, Kirkland
Tokyo Japanese Restaurent
(425) 641-5691
3500 Factoria Blvd SE, Bellevue
Zen Asian Bistro, Japanese & Thai
(425) 453-2999
989 112th Ave NE #105, Bellevue
2AM
(425) 643-1888
14603 NE 20th St #4, Bellevue
PORTLAND
Portland
Bamboo Sushi
(503) 232-5255
310 SE 28th Ave, Portland
Biwa Restaurant
(503) 239-8830
215 SE 9th Avenue, Portland
18 息吹 ibuki • May / June 2010
Blue Fin Sushi
(503) 274-7922
1988 SW Broadway, Portland
Bush Garden
(503) 226-7181
900 SW Morrison St, Portland
Crescendo noodle house & bar
(503) 226-7181
16055 SW Regatta Lane, Beaverton
Hiroshi Restaurant
(503) 619-0559
926 NW 10th Ave, Portland
Koji Osakaya -Downtown Portland
(503) 294-1169
606 SW Broadway, Portland
Koji Osakaya - Lloyd Place
(503) 280-0992
1502 NE Weidler, Portland
Marinepolis Sushi Land -Lloyd
(503) 280-0300
1409 NE Weidler St, Portland
Marinepolis Sushi Land -Pearl
(503) 546-9933
138 NW 10th Ave, Portland
Mika Sushi
(503) 222-0699
1425 SW 2nd Avenue, Portland
Saburo’s Sushi House Restaurant
(503) 236-4237
1667 SE Bybee Blvd, Portland
Yuki Sushi & Sake Bar
(503) 525-8807
930 NW 23rd Ave, Portland
Beaverton / Hillsboro
Hakatamon
(503) 641-4613
10500 SW Bvtn-Hillsdale Hwy, Beaverton
Hanabi’s Izakaya Bistro & Bar
(503) 646-1986
10053 SW Nimbus Ave, Beaverton
Ikenohana
(503) 646-1267
14308 SW Allen Blvd, Beaverton
Izakaya Kaiten Sushi
(503) 643-2578
14605 SW Millikan Way, Beaverton
I love Sushi
(503) 644-5252
3486 SW Cedar Hills Blvd, Beaverton
Koji Osakaya -Hillsboro
(503) 629-1815
2215 NW Allie Ave, Hillsboro
Marinepolis Sushi Land -Beaverton
(503) 520-0257
4021 SW 117th Ave, Beaverton
Syun Izakaya
(503) 640-3131
209 NE Lincoln St, Hillsboro
Sambi Japanese Restaurant
(503) 296-0045
9230 SW Bvtn-Hillsdale Hwy, Beaverton
Sushi & Maki
(503) 648-4366
2401 NE Cornell Rd No. X, Hillsboro
Yuzu Japanese Restaurant
(503) 350-1801
4130 SW 117th Avenue #H, Beaverton
Yuki Sushi & Sake Bar
(503) 430-5275
1335 NE Orenco Station Pkwy, Hillsboro
Vancouver WA
Marinepolis Sushi Land -Vancouver
(360) 883-3881
1401 SE 164th Ave, Vancouver
DINE OUT
Restaurant Roundup: Where to Find Sake, Shochu
By Bruce Rutledge
Japanese libations are following Japanese cuisine into the mainstream of American food
culture. More restaurants are stocking impressive collections of sake and offering advice to
curious customers. Here’s a quick guide to
some fine greater Seattle establishments with
some impressive sake and shochu lists.
Umi Saké House (2230 1st Ave. Seattle) has
one of the most impressive saké collections
of any restaurant in the US. Proprietor Cody
Burns says the restaurant stocks 60 to 65 types
of saké at any time. He created a detailed saké
menu for guests and is eager to offer advice on
pairings with sushi or other dishes. Burns says
the goal of Umi Saké House is to get people
to at least try the drink. If you want to sample
several over a meal, head here.
Just around the corner from Umi Saké House
is Kushibar (2319 2nd Ave.), a restaurant
dedicated to Japanese street food on skewers.
In keeping with that theme, Kushibar stocks
an extensive collection of shochu, a distilled
beverage similar to vodka although with fewer
calories and a lower alcohol content. Kushibar
typically carries 10 kinds of shochu, including some made from sweet potato, barley and
rice. The drink, which is about 50 proof, is
often served mixed with juice or soda like a
cocktail (called a chuhai) or with a dash of hot
water. It is meant to be paired with food.
In West Seattle, Mashiko (4725 California
Ave. SW) serves 35 different brands of saké to
go with its extensive menu of sustainable sushi (the restaurant doesn’t serve anything that
is being overfished or is in danger of extinc-
tion). Chef Hajime Sato and his staff are happy to offer suggestions for sake to pair with the
more unusual, creative dishes they serve.
Miyabi (16820 Southcenter Pkwy., Tukwila)
makes a point of having hard-to-find saké to
match each season. Chef Masa was born in
Tokushima Prefecture, so the restaurant has a
soft spot for Tokushima saké such as Housui, a
saké Edo Era warlords drank as they sat along
the river and wrote haiku. Another find is Tsukuba tokubetsu junmai from Ibaraki Prefecture. This saké gives off a flowery, candylike
aroma accompanied by a sweet mash dryness.
Miyabi also has an extensive selection of shochu made from potato, rice, barley and soba
buckwheat.
In the heart of the International District,
Maekawa Bar (601 S. King St.) serves up
about 10 kinds of sake and 11 types of shochu. Rub elbows with the many young Japanese who frequent Maekawa. Their drink of
choice? Chuhai cocktails mixing shochu with
everything from fruit-flavored sodas to oolong
tea.
Shiro Kashiba, the grandaddy of Seattle sushi
(he opened the city’s first sushi bar in 1966),
says the sake he’s been recommending to diners this spring is Hatsumago, or “First Grandchild.” It goes with the flavorful spring delicacies of the Pacific Northwest such as ocean
smelt, halibut and sweet shrimp.
For those who want to try sake but are on a
budget, try Sushi Joa (2717 78th Ave. SE,
Mercer Island) when they feature half-price
sake days on Monday and Tuesday.
In Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood, Issian
Umi Saké House’s wall of saké labels.
(1618 N. 45th St.) offers inexpensive deals at
happy hour, such as half-price bottle sake. The
stone grill has a list of about 10 types of sake
to sample.
Nishino (3130 E. Madison St, Seattle) offers
sake and food pairing events every month.
Sake Specialist Yuichi Saito presents a sake
and the chef Tatsu Nishino cooks a full-course
dinner to go with it. The event is up to 8
guests at $100 each. The next events are on
May 26 and June 21. Both events run from
6:30 to 8:30.
Now more than ever, the Pacific Northwest is
a great place to learn about and taste a wide
range of sake. If you find a favorite restaurant
with an interesting collection of sake or shochu, be sure to let us know about it so we can
spread the word.
Come Experience Japanese street food
kushibar
www.kushibar.com
2319 2nd Ave, Seattle, WA 98121 | (202) 448-2488 | Hours: Weekdays 11:30 am – 1am, Weekends 4 pm – 1am
www.ibukimagazine.com 19
Business Directory
Art & Furniture
Kobo
Kobo at Higo
(206) 381-3000
604 S Jackson St, Seattle
Kobo Capitol Hill
(206) 726-0704
814 E Roy, Seattle
Shop & gallery featuring art, craft and design
from Japan and the Northwest
koboseattle.com
Ming’s Asian Gallery
Seattle
(206) 748-7889
519 6th Ave S, Seattle
Bellevue
(425) 462-4008
10217 Main St, Bellevue
Fine antique and contemporary Asian furniture mingsgallery.com
Azuma Gallery
(206) 622-5599
530 1st Ave S, Seattle
Takumi Company
(206) 622-2804
JapaneseCarpentry.com
Carolyn Staley Fine Prints
(206) 621-1888
2003 Western Ave #107, Seattle
Chidori Asian Antiques
(206) 343-7736
108 So.Jackson St, Seattle
Glenn Richards - Asian Furnishings & Antiques
(206) 287-1877
964 Denny Way, Seattle
Kagedo
(206) 467-9077
520 1st Ave S, Seattle
The Cullom Gallery
(206) 919-8278
313 Occidental Ave S, Seattle
Shogun’s Gallery
(503) 224-0328
1111 NW 23rd Ave, Portland
Kinokuniya Book Store - Beaverton
(503) 641-6240
10500 SW Bvtn-Hillsdale Hwy, Beaverton
Pink Gorilla - International District
(206) 264-2434
601 S King St, Seattle
Pink Gorilla - University District
(206) 547-5790
4341 University Ave NE, Seattle
Tokyo Lifestyle
(206) 241-0219
633 Westfield, Southcenter Mall, Tukwila
Bakery and Cafe
Anzen Hiroshi’s
(503) 233-5111
736 NE MLK Blvd, Portland
Daiso Alderwood Mall
(425) 673-1825
3000 184th St SW, # 398, Lynnwood
Daiso West Lake Center
(206) 625-0076
400 Pine St. #1005, Seattle
Daiso International District
76 S Washington St, Seattle
Setsuko Pastry
(206) 816 0348
1618 N 45th St, Seattle
A Healthy Alternative pastry with a Japanese spin
www.setsukopastry.com
Fuji Bakery
(425) 641-4050
1502 145the PL SE, Bellevue
Fumie’s Gold
(425) 223-5893
10045 Northeast 1st Street, Bellevue
Hiroki Desserts
(206) 547-4128
2224 N 56th St, Seattle
Panama Hotel Tea & Coffee House
(206) 515-4000
607 S Main St, Seattle
Unicorn Crepes
(206) 652-0637
421 6th Avenue South, Seattle
Books, Games & Anime
Anime Asylum
(503) 284-6626
1009 Lloyd Center, Portland, OR
Anime Raku
(425) 454-0112
10627 NE 8th St, Bellevue
Kinokuniya Book Store - Seattle
(206) 587-2477
525 S Weller St, Seattle
20 息吹 ibuki • may / june 2010
Fashion
Momo
(206) 329-4736
600 S Jackson St, Seattle
Totokaelo
(206) 623.3582
913 Western Ave, Seattle
General Store
Health and Beauty
Hen Sen Herbs
(206) 328-2828
13256 NE 20th St. Suite 3A, Bellevue
Acupuncture Associates -Eastgate
(425) 289-0188
15100 SE 38th St #305B, Bellevue
Acupuncture Associates -Redmond
(425) 882-0112
16761 NE 79th, Redmond
Central Chiropractic Clinic
(206) 362-3520
15027 Aurora Ave N, Shoreline
WellnessOne of Eastgate
(425) 289-0092
15100 SE 38th St., Ste. 305B, Bellevue
Japanese Confectionery
Blue Camellia
(425) 889-2735
Tokara Confectionery
(206) 784-0226
Sake
Saké Nomi
(206) 467-7253
76 S Washington St, Seattle
Schools
Music
School of Taiko
(425) 785-8316
www.Japantaiko.com
Cooking
Blue Camellia - a Japanese Confectionery
(425) 889-2735
11229 NE 106th Pl, Kirkland, WA
Hiroko Sugiyama Culinary Atelier
(425) 836-4635
22207 NE 31st St, Sammamish
NuCulinary
(206) 932-3855
6523 California Ave SW, Seattle
Satsuma Cooking School
(206) 244-5151
17105 Ambaum Blvd S, Seattle
Japanese Calligraphy
Akashi USA Co - Redmond
(425) 869-0994
6611 147th Ct NE, Redmond
Japanese Floral Design
Ikebana by Megumi
(425) 744-9751
www.ikebanabymegumi.com
Ikenobo Lake Washington Chapter
(425) 803-3268
11832 NE 73rd St, Kirkland
The Little Flower Station
(425) 770-5888
www.thelittleflowerstation.com
Yushoryu Ikenobo
(206) 723-4994
5548 Beason Ave. S.,Seattle
Language
Seattle Japanese Language School
(206) 323-0250
1414 S Weller St, Seattle
Washington Academy of Languages
(206) 682-4463
2 Nickerson St, # 201, Seattle
Martial Arts
Aikido Eastside
(425) 802-3125
13410 SE 32nd St, Bellevue
Seattle Kendo Kai
(206) 721-1416
1610 S King St, Seattle
Seattle Judo Dojo
(206) 324-7080
1510 S Washington St, Seattle
Seattle School of Aikido
(206) 525-1955
3422 NE 55th St, Seattle
Koei-Kan Karate-Do Bellevue
(425) 747-9411
1910 132nd Ave NE, #11, Bellevue
Obukan Kendo Club
(503) 443-2281
4130 SW 117th Ave. Suite 246, Beaverton
Portland Aikikai
(503) 274-2606
1623 NW Marshall, Portland
Tea Ceremony
Urasenke Foundation Seattle Branch
(206) 324-1483
2360 43rd Ave East, #113, Seattle
Other
Japanese Abacus Math School
(503) 520-1063
15188 NW Central Drive #219, Portland
Bring global diversity into your everyday cooking
H
ave you ever gotten lost at Uwajimaya wondering what to buy, staring at unfamiliar seasonings and funny shaped vegetables? For those people who want to begin cooking Asian
dishes but don’t know how to get started, NuCulinary offers great practical cooking classes at
the Bellevue and Renton Uwajimaya stores and NVC Memorial Hall. NuCulinary President
Naomi Kakiuchi was born and grew up in Seattle with her big Asian family. After graduating
Washington State University with a degree in nutrition and dietetics, she worked in the food sales
business where she realized that she wanted to teach others the joys of cooking. “I feel that by
building understanding of other peoples through culinary experiences, we contribute to the tolerance of others and hopefully a more peaceful world,” Naomi said. “Food is a bridge to peace.”
NuCulinary has two more main instructors: Toby Kim and Hajime Sato. Toby is sous chef with
Jerry Traunfeld at both Poppy on Seattle’s Capitol Hill and The Herbfarm. Hajime is owner/chef
of Mashiko Japanese Restaurant in West Seattle, where he serves sustainable sushi. NuCulinary’s
current focus is Asian cuisine such as Indian, Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean and Japanese.
However, Naomi wants to expand to Africa and South/Central America in the future.
Their classes are very practical. Most classes at Uwajimaya include a chef ’s tour of the store so
that students can find and understand the ingredients. Their Everyday Asian Series classes at
Renton Uwajimaya provide a one-pot dinner from a specific cuisine (i.e. Japanese, Chinese,
Hawaiian) and a bag of pantry staples for students to take home. Each student receives a 10%
discount coupon for purchases at any of three Uwajimaya stores. So why not try their classes and
bring global diversity into your everyday cooking?
NuCulinary | (206) 932-3855 6523 | www.nuculinary.com
Many of the students love to
eat Asian dishes and want to
learn to make them at home.
www.ibukimagazine.com 21
TRAVEL
Hokkaido by Steve Corless
© Furano /© JNTO
J
apan is well known as a relatively small and very densely populated
country. This is true; most of the 127 million people live in the
coastal regions in an area roughly the size of California. About 75%
of the country is forested and mountainous, limiting the land available for residential and other uses. But the archipelago stretches some
1,800 miles from Hokkaido in the
north to the southernmost subtropical
islands. A visit to Hokkaido reminds
one of the geographical and historic diversity of the country.
I like to describe Hokkaido as Japan’s
Alaska. It has only been recently settled, boasts wide-open spaces and has
plentiful seafood resources. Also, the
people are hearty and embrace the
weather and the outdoor activities the
region offers. And yes, you can see Russia from Hokkaido — the Russian occupied (and claimed by Japan) Kuril Islands are visible from the eastern town
of Nemuro.
First-time visitors to Hokkaido are
struck by the landscape and differences
in scale compared to the rest of Japan.
Sapporo Snow festival Small rice fields are rare in Hokkaido
— traveling from the airport to SapPhoto ©Yasufumi Nishi/© JNTO
poro, you will spot large farms and
pastures, American-sized farm machinery and perhaps even a grain
silo reminiscent of the American Midwest. Upon arrival in Sapporo,
Hokkaido’s largest city, something else seems different — streets and
22 息吹 ibuki • may / june 2010
city blocks are laid out in a pattern similar to American towns. These
similarities are not coincidental — Japan hired a number of Americans
to assist with the agricultural and technical development of Hokkaido
in the 19th Century, and the influences can still be seen. In fact, here
you will find what is probably Japan’s only statue honoring an American
— William Smith Clark. Clark established what would become Hokkaido University in the 1870s. Today his visage overlooks Sapporo from
several locations
Sapporo is Hokkaido’s capital
and largest city. It is a new city,
settled and developed following
the Meiji Restoration of 1868.
Almost a polar opposite to a
city such as Kyoto, Sapporo is
young and its history is recent.
It is known as the host of the
1972 Winter Olympics and the
annual Snow Festival, which attracts 2 million visitors a year.
Parks and open space in the city King Clab
are plentiful, and in the winter
the skiing is just minutes away.
The cool climate is good for the
appetite, and Sapporo is a great
place to eat. Restaurants specializing in fresh crab from the cold
northern waters are ubiquitous
in Sapporo’s Susukino restaurant and entertainment district.
This is where miso ramen was Sapporo Ramen
born, and ramen fans from
around the country visit just
to slurp the noodles at the
Ramen Yokocho, a collection
of ramen stands claiming to
have the town’s most authentic Sapporo ramen. But my
favorite Sapporo food experience is the “Genghis Khan”
lamb barbeque at the 1,000seat Sapporo Brewery beerhall. Forty dollars buys you
100 minutes of all the grill-ityourself lamb and fresh beer
you can handle.
The historic port town of Otaru, a short drive or train ride
from Sapporo, is an excellent
day trip out of the city. Otaru
Sapporo Beer Garden
is an old fishing and trading
Photo ©Hokkaido Tourism Organization/© JNTO village with well preserved architecture and the picturesque
canals and restored brick warehouses used by seafood traders during
Otaru’s herring fishing boom years. Otaru is well known as having
some of the freshest sushi in the country, a reputation that is well
deserved.
Prior to the settlement of Hokkaido by ethnic Japanese from the main
islands, Hokkaido and parts of northern Honshu were populated by
the Ainu people, a culturally and racially distinct indigenous ethnic
group. Although today the Ainu
population is small, there are
places in Hokkaido where one
can visit to learn more about the
history, culture and art of the
Ainu. The Shiraoi Ainu Museum
near Noboribetsu south of Sapporo has an excellent museum
that includes a reproduction of a
traditional Ainu village.
As in the rest of Japan, the train
system in Hokkaido is excellent.
But Hokkaido is best seen by car
— the expressways and roads are
the best in the country thanks
to government-funded publicworks programs and a relatively
small population compared to
the rest of Japan. Before you go,
pick up an international driver’s
license, and once you get behind
the wheel, just remember to drive
on the wrong side of the road.
Photo ©Hokkaido Tourism Organization/© JNTO
Monkeys enjoy the hot springs
in Hakodate Tropical Garden.
Steve Corless is an independent travel consultant
based in Seattle. Steve spent 15 years in Japan working
in sales and marketing and as a US foreign service officer
in Tokyo and Osaka. He lives in Lynnwood with his wife
and daughter.
© Kanazawa City / JNTO
www.ibukimagazine.com 23
Japan on the Big Screen
By Jessica Sattell
hen you think of Japanese cinema,
what kind of films spring to mind?
Dramatic samurai stories and cuttingedge animation are embedded in the
American popular consciousness, but recent
releases show that movie-making in Japan can
still be a bold, genre-busting experience. If a
sci-fi action thriller or a dark romantic comedy
sounds like something to get your inner movie
W
buff glued to the screen, these films are for you.
It used to be a real challenge to find great Japanese flicks. These days, however, you don’t have
to trek to a niche import video store to find
great new films from Japan. Thanks to film distributors such as Viz Pictures, FUNimation and
Shochiku Films, a wide variety of entertaining
and award-winning movies from Japan are now
widely available and winning vast numbers of
English-speaking fans. The Seattle International
Film Festival (SIFF), which runs from late May
through mid June, is featuring several films from
Japan in its 2010 lineup.
We picked the best of the best in the recent Japanese films that have been released in the US.
There’s something for everyone in these eight
films, from heartwarming hula dancers to stone
cold scientific thrills and everything in between.
Sci-fi action
20th Century Boys I: Beginning of the End
© 1999, 2006, Naoki Urasawa, Studio Nuts / Shogakukan © 2008 “20th Century Boys” Film Partners
In an alternate reality of late 20th Century Japan, a group of elementary-school friends meet
at a reunion and reminisce about their boyhood summers spent building forts and creating their own secret society. Eerily, the details
of their memories of a prophetic picture book
they wrote seem unnaturally close to recent
world events and the workings of a suspicious
religious cult led by a figure known as “Friend.”
Kenji (Toshiaki Karasawa) suspects that there’s
a connection between his childhood games,
his missing older sister’s work as a scientist and
the alarming news that Friend is currying favor
with the Japanese government. He sets out with
friends Otcho (Etsushi Toyokawa) and Yukiji
(Takako Tokiwa) to seek answers, but what they
find goes deeper than any kind of childhood
game.
20th Century Boys stays very faithful to its origins as a blockbuster manga in its dramatic camera angles and aggressive aesthetics. True to
its name, the film weaves in characteristics of
20th Century Japanese cultural history, including drastic political shifts, bubble consumerism
and the destruction of nuclear war. This psychological thriller will stay with you days after you
watch the finishing credits.
20th Century Boys II: The Last Hope
In 2015, 15 years after the conclusion of the
first part of 20th Century Boys, Friend is still at
large and more dangerously influential than
ever. Kenji’s niece, Kanna (Airi Taira), is determined to continue her beloved uncle’s revolution against the cult leader’s brainwashing of
the masses. Spunky teenage Kanna refuses to
accept that the allies of Friend are unrelated to
the increasingly gruesome string of murders in
her own neighborhood and enlists the help of a
© 1999, 2006, Naoki Urasawa, Studio Nuts/Shogakukan © 2009 “20th Century Boys” Film Partners
24 息吹 ibuki • may
/ june
Winter
20092010
skeptical cop and her friends in the Tokyo underworld to bring justice to the victims of a corrupt government. Otcho (Etsushi Toyokawa)
and Yukiji (Takako Tokiwa) reappear to lend a
hand.
This middle chapter of the three-part 20th Century Boys series gives the viewer even more essential clues to this puzzle of a narrative. The surprising conclusion to this heart-pounding series
is set to arrive on US shores soon!
Lighthearted drama
Hula Girls
Nineteen sixty-five. A time of transition, revolution and change. The elders of a sleepy mining town in northern Japan see no other way of life
than toiling in the coal mines, the main source of prosperity for their
sleepy lives. The younger generation is itching for what’s beyond the
dirt and dust, especially with the news of massive layoffs at the mines.
The only hope to save the town is to attract tourists through a gimmicky
upstart Hawaiian cultural center and resort, despite the overwhelming
skepticism toward the idea of building a tropical paradise in the middle
of snowy mountains. Tensions ensue as the traditionalist miners are convinced that a tourist center would steal jobs, not create them.
Enter Madoka Hirayama (Yasuko Matsuyuki), a down-and-out big city
dancer with a penchant for hula, who reluctantly accepts the task of training the daughters of the local miners as the center’s main attraction. High
school students Kimiko (Yu Aoi) and Sanae (Eri Tokunaga) energetically
volunteer and quickly excel in the art of hula despite the fact that they
must keep their dancing a secret from their strict, mine-supporting parents. As the amateur hula troupe attracts more members and the two
strong-willed girls excel, will they be able to save the town and the livelihoods of those they love?
Hula Girls is based on the true story of the Joban Coal Mine community
and the birth of the Joban Hawaiian Center (now known as Spa Resort
Hawaiians). This heartwarming, engaging story is a great family flick. It’s
no wonder this movie won the Japan Film Award (the Japanese equivalent
of the Academy Awards) for Best Picture!
© Cine Qua Non 2006, in association with HAPPINET and S·D·P Music courtesy of Sony Music Publishing
Maiko Haaaan!!!
Kimihiko Onizuka (Sadao Abe) is your typical, albeit eccentric, office drone.
The one thing that sets him apart is his all-consuming obsession with geisha
and maiko (geisha apprentices). His girlfriend, Fujiko (Kou Shibasaki), is
madly in love with him, but her affection is one-sided; as soon as Kimihiko
accepts a transfer to a dream job in Kyoto, he mercilessly dumps her and sets
his sights on a glamorous new life spent relaxing with saké while viewing geisha
performances.
Kimihiko’s eager plans to cavort with those of the floating world come to a
screeching halt because he has no one to formally introduce him to the geisha
community, as per custom. His last hope, in true salaryman samurai style, is to
desperately prove his worth to his company in order to convince the geisha-pro
CEO to let him come along on his teahouse visits. Meanwhile, the heartbroken
Fujiko stumbles her way to Kyoto and enrolls in a geisha training school in an
angry attempt to win Kimihiko back. As she soon debuts as the hottest maiko
on the scene, she finds that she may have some competition among her fellow
geisha as her former beau is causing many hearts to flutter.
This zany, colorful movie will keep you in hysterics between Abe’s Jerry Lewisesque character acting and Shibasaki’s exaggerated physical comedy. The beautiful cinematography adds a dimension of reality to a Japanese subculture that
few understand and even fewer see.
© 2007 Maiko Haaaan!!! Film Partners
Slapstick comedy
www.ibukimagazine.com 25
Adventure romance
Ichi
Ichi is an updated retelling of the classic Japanese
tale Zatoichi The Blind Samurai with the protagonist cast as a beautiful young woman. Ichi
(Haruka Ayase), a blind shamisen player, roams
the rolling countryside in search of a certain
someone. In her travels, she is often threatened
but never harmed as she is enchantingly swift
with her sword. After saving the life of bumbling
samurai Toma Fujihira (Takao Osawa), Ichi
finds herself caught in the middle of a turf war
between the keepers of a sleepy inn town and a
group of outlaw thugs. Toma grows increasingly
enthralled with Ichi’s mysterious talent and
dedication to her mission, but backs away as she
learns that the thug leader may have the secret
she has been searching for.
Beauty is found at every turn in this bewitching
tale. The sword work is wonderfully choreographed and gracefully executed so that even
though this is a work of fantasy in storyline, it is
quite realistic in action. Ayase steals the screen
in her graceful take on a classic Japanese role.
© 2008 ICHI Film Partners. Licensed by FUNimation® Productions, Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Shinobi: Heart under Blade
Star-crossed lovers from rival ninja clans are
pitted against each other as Tokugawa Ieyasu
decides it’s better to have these magical fighters
at each other’s throats than his. But the love of
Gennosuke ( Joe Odagiri) and Oboro (Yukie
Nakama) is not as easy to manipulate as Romeo
and Juliet’s. While the Bard chose a dramatic
double-suicide to make his point, Shinobi director Ten Shimoyama opts to have his lovers kick
butt and take names. As Gennosuke and Oboro
dispatch their enemies one after the other in
colorful, well-choreographed displays of martial
arts mixed with magical powers, we sense that
the two lovers will face off at some point and
have to decide whether their love or the fate of
their communities will sway their hearts. The
ending has some twists that would make the
Bard proud. It’s a fantastic story fused with classical tragic elements.
26 息吹 ibuki • may / june 2010
© 2008 Shinobi: Heart under Blade Film Partners. Licensed by FUNimation® Productions, Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Dark romantic comedy
Happily Ever After
© 2007 HAPPILY EVER AFTER Film Partners.Film Partners
What does it mean to have a happy life? Oftentimes, one’s happiness is another’s distress. Sachie’s (Miki Nakatani) life is fairly unremarkable.
Her mother abandoned her shortly after she was
born and her father was arrested for fraud when
she was a teenager. Now an adult, her one small
source of happiness is her boyfriend Isao (Hiroshi Abe). Much to the chagrin of her friends,
Isao gambles away Sachie’s meager savings and
trashes her shoddy apartment at the slightest
provocation. He seems like the lover from hell,
but for some reason Sachie continues to shower
him with homemade meals and her undying affection.
After Isao betrays her trust for the seemingly
millionth time, Sachie eventually hits a breaking point as he continues his reckless behavior. She gives him an ultimatum: straighten
up or their relationship is over. But before Isao
can prove himself, Sachie is put in danger. The
couple’s history is relayed against the backdrop
of Isao’s panic, and Sachie’s friends finally begin
to realize that perhaps he really is good enough
for her.
This story, based on a best-selling comic loved
throughout Japan, tackles the questions of why
we love and what we will do for it.
ENTER TO WIN
Answer a short 10 question survey and be entered
to win Japanese film DVDs!
Visit: http://www.ibukimagazine.com/surveys
A. “Ichi” x 1
B. “Hula Girl” x 2
C. “Maiko Haaaan!!!” x 2
*One entry per household/name/email. To be qualified to enter you must include your name, address and telephone number for winner notification purposes. A name will be drawn at random and will be notified via email. The prizes will be shipped to the winner in July. Please visit
our website for detailed information: http://www.ibukimagazine.com/surveys
www.ibukimagazine.com 27
Lifestyle
MOVIES FASHION PLACES & MORE
By Julian Waters
CAR Itasha — Japan’s Otaku Car Fetish
When obsessed manga and anime lovers blend with auto enthusiasts, itasha
is the result. Itasha (痛車), which literally translates to “pain-mobile,” is the
term coined when Japanese auto enthusiasts cover their cars with images, most
often characters from anime, manga and video games. Why the name “painmobile?” Itasha fans know this kind of car does not attract girls, but they can
not resist the temptation anyway — painful! The trend began a few years ago
and is showing no sign of slowing down. The cars are sometimes painted,
but most often are covered with high-resolution vinyl decals. A high-quality
weatherproof vinyl decal
that’s 500 sq. millimeters
typically costs $1,2001,500 in Japan. Obayashi Factory of Tokyo,
which customizes autos,
told us that the trend
is steadily growing and
has expanded to motorcycles and bicycles. The
industry has grown to
the point where “mooks”
(magazine/books)
are
being printed showcasing extensively customized vehicles. Some car
owners will actually hire
professional artists to
recreate their favorite
character. It seems the
itasha fanatics have endless imaginations when
© Obayashi Factory
it comes to tricking out
DRINK Morimoto Soba Ale
Soba is Japanese buckwheat that is usually eaten in noodle form. Rogue Ale, a microbrewery
in Ashland, Oregon, produces and distributes
an ale brewed from soba: Morimoto Soba Ale.
When Masaharu Morimoto of Iron Chef fame
approached Rogue Ales with the idea of making
a beer with buckwheat, or soba, Rogue jumped
at the chance. While the initial brew released in
2003 was meant for the Japan market, several
years ago, the brewery began distributing it in
the US. The soba ale won a gold medal in the
2005 World Beer Championships. The folks at
Rogue point out that soba is not a grain, but a © Rogue
member of the rhubarb family, which means it’s
practically fat free. For more information about this unique
beer, visit www.rogue.com/beers/morimoto-soba-ale.php
MUSIC Japan Nite
Japan Nite is the name of
the US tour of Japanese indie bands that is held every
spring. In 2010, five bands
joined the tour and performed in NY, Cambridge,
Chicago, San Fransisco, LA
©Japan Nite
and Seattle. The Seattle show
was performed at the High Drive in Fremont. Missed this year’s
concerts? Keep your eyes on their myspace page for next year’s
schedule: www.myspace.com/japannite
PLACE Fuurin-Oka, A touch of Japanese Serenity on Bainbridge Island
Founded in 1999, Fuurin-Oka is a Japanese
guesthouse built on beautiful Bainbridge Island. The decor and furnishings complete with
shoji screens, tatami mats and traditional Japanese soaking tub offer a peaceful atmosphere.
Fuurin-Oka was originally built by Bainbridge
Island Architect Ron Konzak, who passed away
last year, and his wife Mickey Molnaire. Ron
and Mickey had a fondness for Japan and decided to build a ryokan guesthouse in their backyard. Current owner Ann Borwick purchased
the house in 2004 and after a few modifications,
has been running the guesthouse since. Visitors
in the summer and fall months can wander
around the small orchard and help themselves
to quince, figs, pears and champagne grapes.
Due to the fragile decor and furnishing, Fuurin28 息吹 ibuki • may / june 2010
© Furin-Oka
© Fuurin-Oka
Oka is an adult only guesthouse. The cost is $185, which includes an American-style organic
breakfast and all taxes and fees. More information can be found on their website:
www.futonandbreakfast.com/Fuurin-Oka/Welcome.html
MUSIC Tokyo Unleashes Miyavi
Exploding on the American scene via Tokyo, Miyavi is the hottest
Japanese rock artist to tour the US this year. Looking like an anime
character brought to life, Miyavi is as exciting to see as he is to listen
to, and that is saying a lot. He is an artist who has an incredible presence both on stage and behind the camera. There is no denying that
Miyavi is a phenomenal guitarist, while often displaying the sickest
rhythm guitar slapping ever seen. His hit single “Survive” is climbing
the Japanese charts and features solid riffs and a tight tempo that yields
an amazing track. Filled with raw talent, his unique style and adventurous approach to music make him a must-see in concert, a view
which is being echoed repeatedly as his tour sells out all over the world.
Miyavi spent a few minutes with IBUKI magazine for an exclusive interview! Interviewed by English Cartier.
IBUKI: Where do you call home now?
Miyavi
TOKYO the static city of Japan.
IBUKI: When did you realize that making music was your destiny? was there a point in your life when you knew that
“this is it”?
Miyavi
The moment I touched the guitar for the first time.
IBUKI: When did you buy your first guitar and do you remember
the feeling you had at that moment?
Miyavi
Yeah, I was like... wow! I can see myself on stage with the
spotlight shining on me in front of a huge crowd.
IBUKI: Fans have seen your videos on YouTube such as Selfish
Love and others where you slap your guitar like a drummer without missing a beat. Do you play the drums or
other instruments?
Miyavi
Sometimes I play the drum. but NOT professional. I used
to play the SHAMISEN (Japanese traditional guitar) just
a lil bit.
IBUKI: I read that your NEO TOKYO SAMURAI BLACK
WORLD TOUR is a huge success and the fans are really
feeling you. I am sure you will have the same reception
here in Seattle and Portland. Are you at all surprised with
the love and outstanding support that fans outside of Japan are giving you on your tour?
Miyavi
Definitely, its completely amazing indeed you know.
When I first started receiving all these responses, I couldn’t
even believe that there were already so many fan bases all
over the world. and now I feel more responsible as an artist from Japan.
IBUKI: Is this your longest tour so far, in terms of the number
of cities you will have played and what will be the count
when you are done?
Miyavi
Yup, but, sorry I don’t know the exact number. Anyway
there is only one thing i can say “I ROCK OUT EVERY
CITY!”
IBUKI: You have a very cool style, hair, clothes, makeup — It is
something American fans seem to instantly be hooked
on even before they hear you tear into your guitar. Having such visual charisma on stage, you would seem to be
a natural to acting. I know you have starred in the movie
Oresama. Can fans look for you on the big screen any
time in the near future?
Miyavi
Of course. if there is a big sponsor (kiddin), an opportunity.
IBUKI: If you could name one Japanese artist and one American
artist who you think you would enjoy working with in
the future, who would that be?
Miyavi
YOSHIDA brothers & Fieldy (KORN)
IBUKI: Thank you so much for taking the time to talk with us!
Miyavi
You are totally welcome, looking forward to letting you
feel my music out there!
MIYAVI: NEO TOKYO SAMURAI BLACK WORLD TOUR 2010
Seattle, WA Event Date: Friday, June 18, 2010 at 8:00 pm
Facility: Showbox at the Market
Portland, OR
Event Date: Saturday, June 19, 2010 at 8:00 pm
Facility: Roseland Theater
www.ibukimagazine.com 29
Local News and Events
EVENTS
Saké-Food Pairing Event Presented by IBUKI
Fleeting Beauty: Japanese Woodblock Prints
Your quest for saké begins here
On display at Seattle Asian Art Museum (SAAM)
When: July 10th 2010, 2-4pm
Where: Issian Japanese Stonegrill, 1618 N 45th St, Seattle, WA
Admission: $32 Includes saké tasting, food and lecture.
Call 206-575-6815 or Email [email protected] to reserve
your seats. (Do not contact the restaurant.)
When: Through July 4th 2010
Where: Seattle Asian Art Museum (SAAM) in Volunteer Park
IBUKI presents its Saké-Food Pairing Event at the Japanese izakaya restaurant Issian. Learn the basics of saké with Brian Clark, saké
specialist of Uwajimaya, and try up to 15 types of saké paired with
Issian’s authentic izakaya dishes. For this event, we will also invite
Japanese pâtissier Setsuko. Try her yummy desserts with premium
saké. Learn more about saké and experience the wide array of food
that saké can be enjoyed with. All attendees will be seated. For more
information visit,
http://ibukimagazine.com/event
MIYAVI — NEO TOKYO SAMURAI BLACK
WORLD TOUR 2010
Japanese rock star performs in Seattle and Portland
When: June 18th 8pm (Seattle)
June 19th 8pm (Portland)
Where Showbox at the Market (Seattle) Roseland Theater (Portland)
Great news for Visual-kei and J-rock lovers:
World famous rock star Miyavi will be performing in Seattle and Portland in June. Don’t miss
your chance to see one of Japan’s most popular
artists!
NEWS
The 4th International MANGA Award
SAAM is now exhibiting an exceptional
collection of prints from Japan’s most
renowned artists of ukiyo-e, or “pictures
of the floating world.” “Fleeting Beauty:
Japanese Woodblock Prints” includes
evocative works by the artists Harunobu,
Utamaro, Hokusai, Hiroshige and more.
More than sixty works from the Mary
and Allan Kollar collection — many of
which are promised gifts to the museum
— represent the pulsating urban culture
of Edo (Tokyo), Japan. Images of alluring women, dramatic kabuki actors and
jewellike landscapes spotlight the stylish, lyrical and, at times, sensational swagger of Edo-period culture.
Business Luncheon with Jim Foster,
Director of Corporate Affairs, Microsoft Japan
Japan relations in the “cloud”: a new partnership in building the
Internet economy?
When: May 14th, 12pm
Where : Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, 201 3rd Ave #2200, Seattle.
Admission: $25 for JAS Members, $35 for Non-Members (includes
Japanese obento lunch, tea, coffee and water)
Join this business luncheon with Jim Foster, director for corporate
affairs for Microsoft in Tokyo, Japan, and a vice president of the
American Chamber of Commerce in Japan. He recently led a coalition of 20 of the top global ICT companies in developing a white
paper offering recommendations on steps Japan should take to realize
the full potential of the emerging global Internet economy and calling
for an Internet economy dialogue between the US and Japan.
Accepting entries until May 31st, 2010
The International MANGA Award was established to share Japanese pop culture and to help
promote understanding of Japan. It was created
to honor manga artists who have contributed to
the promotion of manga overseas. The Golden
Prize of the 4th International MANGA Award
will be given to the best manga from all the entries, and three distinguished works will receive the Silver Prize. In addition, the Japan
30 息吹 ibuki • may / june 2010
Foundation will invite the prize winners to Japan to attend the award
ceremony. They will also meet with Japanese manga artists and visit
publishing companies in Japan. For more information, visit http://
manga-award.jp/. Applications need to be sent to your local consulate
office. In the Seattle and Portland areas, mail them to:
Consulate-General of Japan in Seattle
Culture and Information Section
601 Union Street, Suite #500, Seattle, WA 98101
NEWLY
OPENED
Samurai Noodle — University District
Popular ramen shop Samurai Noodle, located inside of Uwajimaya
Village, has expanded to the University District. The new shop has
most menu items from the original shop including their famous
tonkotsu ramen. Their new location is much larger and serves cold
Sapporo draft beer! Located at 4138 University Way NE, Seattle Tel:
(206) 547-1774
Get IBUKI Magazine
mailed to your home or office
$24/year (6 issues)
Because so many IBUKI readers have requested
subscriptions to IBUKI Magazine, subscriptions are
now available for $18 per year. Subscribe now and
the next issue will be mailed to your home or office.
For more information on how to subscribe visit:
http://ibukimagazine.com/subscribe
Tan-tan men with spicy sesame oil flavor
Dozo Café — Factoria, Bellevue
New ramen restaurant near
Factoria in Bellevue! Ramen,
the Japanese style Chinese noodle
that is very popular in Japan, has
come to Factoria. Dozo Café is a
collaboration of Japanese owner
chef Taka and Chinese chef Lin,
and together they serve authentic
Japanese-style ramen. They make
Soy-sauce Ramen is the most
their homemade soup broth from
typical Japanese style Ramen
scratch using vegetables, meat,
bones and spices — spending half a day to prepare. This labor results
in clean yet flavorful soup. No MSG is used in their dishes. They
have variety of ramen. A good dish to start with is their soy-sauce
ramen, topped with homemade sliced barbecue pork, soy-sauceflavored egg, Japanese fish cake, spinach, marinated bamboo shoots
and sprouts. This is the most common style of Japanese ramen. They
also have miso ramen and tonkotsu ramen, which are also orthodox
Japanese dishes. If you are in the mood for a spicy dish, give tan-tan
men (担担麺) a try. The combination of sesame-oil-flavored soup
and the pork topping is quite addictive. Chef Taka says tan-tan men
is the most popular among his American patrons. Dozo Café is a
must-try place for an Eastsider who wants to explore a mainstay of
Japanese cuisine.
Located at 3720 Factoria Blvd SE, Bellevue | Tel: (425) 644-8899
SHOCHU AOYAMA ANIME TOKYO TOFU SHABU-SHABU TENPURA SUKIYAKI
SUSHI SAKURA OISHII UMAMI TAIKO KYOTO SAKE SASHIMI SYOYU KAISEKI
Coming
March 10th
Coming
July 10th
NEXT ISSUE
ISSUE
Look for ourNEXT
March/April issue
distributed at Sakura-Con
andLook
the Japan
Cultural
Festivalissue
as well
as most fine
for our
July / August
distributed
Japanese
restaurants,
stores stores
and schools.
at most
fine Japanese
restaurants,
and schools.
SHOCHU
AOYAMA
ANIME
TOKYO
TOFU
SHABU-SHABU
TENPURA
SUKIYAKI
SUS
NABE
OTAKU
UMESHU
GINZA
MAIKO
IZAKAYA
RAMEN PONZU
DASHI
MANGA
www.ibukimagazine.com 31
32 息吹 ibuki • may / june 2010