A Poet Breathes Life into Duralumin Hanayo
Transcription
A Poet Breathes Life into Duralumin Hanayo
9 2011 SEPTEMBER vol. 05 FREE QR Quality Review Shock-resistant Smartphone “G’zOne IS11CA” 匠 TAKUMI Vol. 4 QUALITY REVIEW SPECIAL The evolution of bags created by Aero Concept A Poet Breathes Life into Duralumin Dualizing the water source is an effective anti-disaster measure Technology to Purify Groundwater Interview Hanayo [FEATURE] A Delightful Cooling Food Ideal for Summer Shaved Ice, Japanese Style eng.jqrmag.com C O N T E N T S September 2011(distributed 8.8, 2011) NEW OPENING 05 Japanese Restaurant Seizan JQR REPORT Photograph (Spread)/Susumu Nagao 07 Following 3/11 The Great East Japan Earthquake: a volunteer’s Disaster Reconstruction Report A Delightful Cooling Food Ideal for Summer Shaved Ice, Japanese Style 09 Inter view 16 Hanayo TAKUMI From the Workshops 匠 of Monozukuri Manufacturers Vol.4 28 Dualizing the water source is an effective anti-disaster measure Technology to Purify Groundwater ● Wellthy Corporation We asked smartly dressed passersby how they are feeling right now. 32 STREET SNAP 34 Continuing serial[Essay] 37 In Praise of Fine Sake Japan and Me: The Modern is in the Traditional Francoise Morechand, Essayist QUALITY REVIEW Shock-resistant Smartphone 20 “G’zOne IS11CA” QUALITY REVIEW SPECIAL Junmai Ginjo Kakurei 22 Shozo Izuishi Selection Gohyakumangoku The evolution of bags created by Aero Concept A Poet Breathes Life into Duralumin 02 2 011 September Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Jun Shinozuka Syozou Izuishi [Fashion Critic] JQR editorial department Editors Jun Nakaki Editorial Committee Tanehide Egami [Executive Producer, Ecole De Cuisine Egami] Kyoko Ohtsu Shinichi Hanawa [Joint Representative Director Ramsar Network Japan] 2-1-14 Sarugakucho, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo 101-0064 03-3518-2270 Maki Taguchi Ryuichiro Matsubara [Economist, Professor at the University of Tokyo] Yoko Yagi Humio Maruyama [High-Tech Industry Innovation Agency] Hikaru Nozawa Yumi Yamaguchi [Travel Writer] Dai Furusawa Additional Editing High-Tech Industry Innovation Agency Fashion Director Souta Yamaguchi Planning Integral Corp. Web Director Tokuhisa Maruyama Editing Digital Lights Inc. Designer Wakako Kawasaki Translation Manabiya Inc. JQR advertising department 2-1-14 Sarugakucho, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo 101-0064 03-3518-4488 eng.jqrmag.com 2 011 September 03 This Month’s New Opening Seizan Photography/ Susumu Nagao Text/ Hayato Nakatsuki MENU URL http://seizan-mita.com/ 東京ドームシティ 小石川橋 後楽園 東京ドーム ホテル MENU a-Dori 壱岐坂上 駅 道橋 線水 三田 都営 壱岐坂下 MAP 本郷二 新壱岐 坂 Keio University A1出口 秋葉 原→ 庭のホテル 東京 d ra ku Sa i or a-D Tamachi Station West Exit SEIZAN Tamachi Station 通り 白山 Eight minutes on foot from JR Tamachi Station, Mita Exit; five minutes from Exit A3 at Mita Station on the Toei Mita Line; eight minutes from Exit 2, Shirokane-takanawa Station on the Tokyo Metro Nanboku Line. Seizan is located on the first basement floor of a building on the street running from Mita 4-chome to Sannnohashi. Up-and-Coming Chef Offers Youthful Promise The Japanese restaurant Seizan opened this April in Mita, Tokyo. Proprietor Haruhiko Yamamoto may be young at just thirty-one, but commands a range of skills acquired from twelve years of training at Gifu's renowned Takada Hassho kaiseki restaurant. When it came to opening his own establishment, Yamamoto was keen to emphasize the performance element of food preparation. This led him to install his grill facing the front entrance, and place chopping boards just over the counter. All in aid, he says, of allowing customers to view the chef at work before enjoying the results: a challenge made tougher by the day-to-day difference in ingredients, and the task of constantly maintaining at every step 04 2 011 September 定山源泉 公園 Mita 3-chome 湯の滝 中山峠 神田川 三崎町 Mita 2-chome Japanese restaurant 外堀通り 東口 長寿と健康の 足つぼの湯 Mita Keio University Main Gate Mita 4-chome 水道橋 ←新宿 Hibiyad 東京ドーム Seizan has seating for eight at the counter, and twelve at tables. A semi-private room is available for parties of six or more (minimum of 15,000 yen food order per person). Diners can choose from three twelve-dish set menus, priced at 7,000, 10,000 and 15,000 yen. A la carte options will be available from August. 岩戸観音堂 鴨 ↑巣 小石川 後楽園 The soup in the photo contains a dumpling of pen shell (tairagi) and green soybeans (edamame). The base components of clear, richlyflavored stock and dumpling are complemented by tiger prawn and wild chervil (mitsuba), ginger and Kaga cucumber, a combination that allows diners to savor the flavor of each individual, irresistible ingredient. 定山渓観光協会 Because Seizan sources only the finest seasonal foodstuffs, menus are not compiled until the restaurant has taken delivery of the day's ingredients. The photo here shows abalone udon, comprised of udon ※ noodles entwined with abalone liver and accompanied by steamed abalone and sea urchin. The abalone is from Okinoshima, and was landed at the Tottori seaport of Sakaiminato. —from ingredient handling to final plating up—the kind of suspense that will impress customers and keep them coming back for more. For the customer, however, watching the chef's various postures and gestures, the skillful way he wields his knives, and the seasonal fish cooking fragrantly over charcoal all help to make a visit to Seizan entertaining as well as a taste revelation. Yamamoto decides the offerings for the day according to the ingredients delivered: thus the absence of a menu. Picking the ingredients personally, he prepares them using the method that will draw out their flavors to optimum effect. “Nothing gladdens a chef's heart more than to have a customer make their next booking as they leave,” notes Yamamoto. And it would seem that this keen young chef's cooking is already enticing many to do just that. Seizan Grande Mita Bldg. B1F, 2-17-29 Mita, Minato-ku Tokyo TEL: 03-3451-8320 12:00-13:30 (last order) 17:30-21:30 (last order) Open most days. 2 011 September 05 from ISHINOMAKI The Great East Japan Earthquake: a volunteer’s Disaster Reconstruction Report Following 3/11 Photography and Text/Julian Ross [NO.2] The tsunami has reduced people’s lives to rubble. Their struggle to remove piles of debris and rebuilt their lives continues. This was my third weekend as a volunteer. We drove We collect tools from the warehouse – spades, up on a Friday evening and set up tent in the early wheelbarrow, crowbars, scrapers, and 200 rubbish hours of Saturday morning on the athletics field of bags, and we will fill most of them. We find the Senshu University, from where the main volunteer house, with the 75-year-old lady looking forlornly at relief operation for Ishinomaki, population 150,000 the destruction. She has walked from an evacuation before March 11, is being run. center to meet us this morning. We use crowbars to prise open swollen wooden cabinets and drawers. The campsite is home to a fascinating collection of Seawater bursts out onto the floor, revealing volunteers. They are not your ordinary salarymen. beautifully wrapped kimono, now worthless. Sodden Ponytails, earrings, brightly colored clothes, photo albums, children’s stuffed toys, memorabilia individualism. Students, freeters, unemployed, self- from her youth. “Out. I won’t use it now anyway. employed, and others who have dropped everything Throw it away.” Within the space of one morning, we to come here and help. do just that. Throw this woman’s life out onto the street, where it joins towering piles of other people’s As the weeks go by, the campsite becomes lives. It is utterly heartbreaking. increasingly international. There is a large team from Sri Lanka, who witnessed the effects of the Sumatra By three months after the disaster, the nature of the tsunami in 2004. In stark contrast, there is Bill from volunteer work has changed. Those houses that have Hawaii, who has come alone and is living under a not been ripped in their entirety from the foundations primitive plastic shelter for three months. Peace Boat now have signs – “scrap me” or “keep me” – for the has a highly organized contingent of 100 volunteers, wrecking machines are stalking the area, tearing on a weekly rotation. And the Church of Scientology down houses that cannot be salvaged. The hotels has sent a dozen volunteers; whatever some might that have reopened are filled with construction think of their “Church”, these young people are on workers from across Japan. And therein lies the ground, providing valuable support to the contention. Some people complain that these outside evacuees. workers take paid jobs away from the local firms that remain. Meanwhile, hundreds of volunteers are now Most of the organizers are young. They are not cleaning mud from roadside drains, which is the job professionals, but these young people have matured of the city office. far beyond their age in a matter of weeks. After registration at 8:30, the organizers shout out for There is no correct answer. The scale and cost of volunteer teams, anywhere from 5 to 20. We get the disaster are unprecedented, and the more hands given an address, a simple map, and an outline of that help, the sooner evacuees can move out of the situation. “75-year-old lady, single, all furniture, school gymnasiums and start rebuilding their lives. clothing, 40 tatami mats, debris, mud.” These Tohoku people are tough, and rebuild they will. Julian Ross 06 2 011 September Julian Ross has lived in Japan since 1990 and works as a freelance technical editor. (When not working, he can usually be found hiking in the mountains with his dog, also from the UK.) 2 011 September 07 A Delightful Cooling Food Ideal for Summer Shaved Ice, Japanese Style ge from n a r s r to Flavo en tea e r g a h matc fresh d n a e m plu ts. Som i u r f l a season made from n are eve e. l ic natura Shaved ice (kaki-gori) is a quick remedy for the overheated body. Though deceptively simple in terms of ingredients – the basic ingredients are shaved ice with some syrup poured on top – kaki-gori delivers a surprising depth of flavor. This article will give you a glimpse into Japan’s unique and varied kaki-gori culture, which is underscored by painstaking efforts towards excellence by traditional confectionary shops and sweet parlors. S H A V E D A L A J A P A N E 08 2 011 September I C E S E 2 011 September 09 S h a v e d Kaki-gori A millennium-old dessert, which even Sei Shonagon and Murasaki Shikibu fell in love with Kaki-gori melts away even as it is served. It is surprising to discover that this ephemeral gem was invented long before the age of iceboxes and refrigerators. Records show that a dish of shaved ice with syrup poured over it made its debut as early as the Heian Period (circa 792-1190 A.D.). Sei Shonagon also described it in her Pillow Book. Here’s a brief history of kaki-gori, along with some tips on making superb kaki-gori. Text: Hikaru Nozawa; Drawings: Itaru Mizoguchi Spin the crank with the right hand while adjusting the blade angle with the left hand In the olden days, ice shavings were produced by placing an ice block on a kanna plane and sliding the ice back and forth repeatedly. This time-consuming method is ill-suited for ice shaving as the ice melts as it is being shaved. In the Meiji period, an ice merchant named Hanzaburo Sake on the Rocks, circa 500 A.D. Murakami invented the very first ice-shaving machine. Equipped with a rotating blade, this Murakami ice shaver spread across Japan. It was the prototype of the ice shaving machines used today. Shaved ice enjoyed by Sei Shonagon about 1000 years ago Make sure that the “grain” of the ice – nearly invisible lines that are vulnerable to pressures from outside – is facing sideways hot summer day. Around 1000 years ago during the Heian Period, season, and was given a framework by the invention of the ice-shaving machine. That is why the Japanese have developed the custom of apart from ice cream or sorbet. The evolution of Japan’s kaki-gori is a path far more lengthy than we imagined. Her kaki-gori is the oldest recorded kaki-gori in Japan, and it was stocking ice in mountainous regions in winter and offering ice to the emperor and the imperial court as a summertime luxury. The Chronicles of Japan, one of the oldest books on the history of Drawing by Bigot depicting everyday life in Tokyo, circa 1890s Geisha Shavings are put in a glass container and scoped up…with a spoon! Pour syrup over ice carefully and slowly with a swirling motion so as not to disfigure the shape of the kaki-gori below. at the point when the customers ask for shaved ice. was a luxury enjoyed only by the nobility – something that Twirl the bowl under the machine while spinning the crank to create a beautiful mound of paper-thin shavings commoners could only dream of. correctly and reflected in the shaving techniques to fit the day: coarser shavings on humid days and fluffy ones on cooler days, and so on. Beneath the veneer of the almost identical appearance of different shaved ices, you’ll be amazed at the wide range of flavors and taste sensations kaki-gori offers, thanks to the ingenuity of each shop the Chinese character for ice in the painting is the same summer 2 011 September keeps going up as it is shaved. For this reason, ice-shaving pros typically where varied weather and temperature elements need to be addressed Manual ice-shaving machine popular in the Taisho-Showa periods The shape of the machine has hardly changed!! Geisha tasting kaki-gori. The cotton sign prominently displaying 10 Despite the painstaking preparation efforts, the temperature of the ice tweak the blade angle in a very subtle way. Ice shaving is an art in itself, Fast forward to 1862, when a shrewd businessman named Kahei icon that we still see today. simply leave ice at room temperatures until the surface becomes sweaty, order shaved ice to ensure that the ice is in its best condition precisely young people to help them cool off in hot weather. Natural ice Bigot, a French artist living in Japan in the 1890s, painted a bit prior to shaving after bringing them out of the refrigerator. They away progressively. Pros need to figure out when customers are likely to The Tale of Genji also depicts a scene in which ice was served to common people to enjoy ice for the first time. Georges Ferdinand one secret they all share: They all prime ice discs by “warming” them a which makes for perfect ice shavings. Timing is crucial as the ice melts moon” – the very first mention of a “on the rocks” serving in Japan. the brand name of Hakodate Ice. Nakagawa’s venture allowed the Each shaved-ice pro has their own method for shaving ice, but there is of ice has climbed to between minus 5 and minus 3 degrees centigrade, in a cup containing Sake and savoring it under a midsummer Hokkaido to Tokyo and launched mass-marketing of his ice under The secret behind perfect kaki-gori: Warming the ice discs before shaving! indicating a certain degree of melting has occurred and the temperature Japan, mentions “immersing the ice transported from the ice cave Nakagawa started shipping natural ice produced in Goryokaku in increasingly equipped with home refrigerators, which in turn made ice natural ice – a product of the temperature variance from season to one of her favorite “elegant things.” About 1600 years ago the Imperial Court set up a system of as melon, strawberry and lemon, gained popularity as households were Thus, Japan’s kaki-gori culture was cultivated by its people’s longing for Metal bowl Book, listing “shaved ice with syrup presented in a silver bowl” as the imperial court during summer. It was flavored with liana syrup. post-war period, shaved ice flavored with a wide variety of syrups, such savoring and appreciating the quality of the ice itself, setting kaki-gori Sei Shonagon wrote about shaved ice in her diary, the Pillow in the mountains during winter and transported to Kyoto to serve ice sprinkled with sugar or topped off with sweet red beans. In the time. Natural ice brought in from a himuro ice cave Everyone craves something cool to help cope with the heat on a Until the early Showa Period, the common practice was serving shaved production a simple task. Today’s colorful kaki-gori took hold around that Syrup made from liana Japanese love affair with ice spans over 1600 years made by shaving precious ice stored in a himuro imperial ice cave i c e Daruma (potbelly) Yama (or mountain) style formed by ladling created by twirling ice shavings into the bowl a bowl proprietor. 2 011 September 11 Instant Body Freezers are Served Here… Have you had a chance to try kaki-gori this summer? If not, consider the following places. S h a v e d i c e Looking for traditional kaki-gori? Interested in exploring the diverse food-texture universe available by savoring different ice shavings and syrups made from real fruits? Seeking the ultimate in the harmony produced by integrating sweet and chilly sensations? We compiled this list for you by running around Tokyo on hot, humid days. Photos: Susumu Nagao; Text: Hikaru Nozawa 12 IMOJIN DARUMAYA FUNAHASHIYA KOYOMI The luxury of natural ice topped off with quality matcha green teapowder A harmony produced by ice and pulpy fruits bursting with juice Refreshing encounter between milk and lemon Roasted aromas of the ingredients underscored by rich sweet taste Tokusen Ujikintoki special green tea/red bean paste ¥1,180 Natsu-mikan (a citrus fruit unique to Japan) ¥750 Kori Gyunu (Ice Milk) ¥450 Kori Wazanmai (Ice with three delicacies)650, Shiratama topping (+¥50) Darumaya serves kaki-gori year-round using natural ice shipped from himuro ice caves tucked away in the mountains. Their unsweetened matcha topping is prepared individually after an order is placed by making koicha thick tea with a chasen bamboo whisk in a chawan bowl. Azuki red beans are ladled on to finish. The sweetness and umami inherent in matcha spread in your mouth as the ice melts and comes into contact with your taste buds. You'll experience very little bitterness because Darumaya’s high-quality matcha is naturally and subtly sweet. Extra toppings include syrup made from wasanbon sugar (+¥200). *Purified ice is used if natural ice supply is depleted. Funahashiya Koyomi is a relaxing café surrounded by treasured antique furniture. Its natsu-mikan citrus shaved ice comes with specially prepared syrup made by combining sweet syrup and natsumikan preserve. The slightly bitter undertone of the syrup may bring back bittersweet memories of the past. You will love the combination of citrus vesicles bursting in your mouth with flavor and the extremely fine ice shavings. Also popular are Ichigo Miruku (strawberry milk) shaved ice featuring strawberry puree (with miniscule seeds intact for extra diversity in texture) (¥750) and Ujikintoki (green tea/red bean paste kaki-gori) (¥750). The items are available for takeout as well (¥450). Kori Gyunyu features milk mixed with homemade lemon syrup for added sweetness and tanginess, and is the choice of connoisseurs at this old establishment. The father of the current proprietor came up with this unusual lemon/milk combination for children who didn’t like the taste of milk. You scoop ice and drench it in the yellowish milk before carrying the spoon to your mouth. The moderately tangy flavor of lemon will travel through your nostrils. Imojin was founded in 1912. They still stick to the old recipes of the early Showa period for many offerings including Aisu Monaka (ice cream wrapped in wafer) ¥ ( 110), whose wafer is still made from glutinous rice with no eggs added. This shaved ice boasts a triple feature of homemade syrup made from roasted soybean powder, sesame ice cream and Ogura red beans. The roasted aroma of the ingredients spread all over your mouth. The Dainagon variety of red beans is shipped from Hokkaido and cooked al dente to the point where you can still feel the firmness of the skin. The taste of the beans themselves is also conspicuous. The silky smooth ice shavings are made from purified natural water. “As long as we put up this signboard that says Kanmidokoro (sweet parlor), everything that ought to be sweet is very sweet here,” says the shop manager. Their richly flavored kaki-gori demonstrates their proud commitment to and love for sweetness. For an extra charge, you can top your kaki-gori with pillow-soft Shiratama rice-flour dumplings. Darumaya Funahashiya Koyomi IMOJIN 1- 3-6 Jujo Nakahara, Kita-ku, Tokyo 11:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Closed on Tuesdays (except for August when special schedule is in effect) Tel: 03-3908-6644 5-17-1 Hiroo, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 11:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (last order) Open seven days a week Tel: 03-5449-2784 2-30-4 Nezu, Bukyo-ku, Tokyo 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.Closed on Mondays Tel: 03-3821-5530 2 011 September MITSUBACHI Mitsubachi (main store) 1st Floor, Honey Bldg., 3-38-10 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku 10:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Open seven days a week Tel: 03-3831-3083 2 011 September 13 S h a v e d ori HIGASHIYA TORAYA KARYO CAFÉ DINING BAR ANGELUS The refreshingly tangy flavor melts away the heat Uji syrup made from wasanbon – the syrup of regal magnificence Attempts to unleash natural fruit flavors to the fullest Original syrup made from stewed green plums Umemitsu (shaved ice with plum syrup): ¥950 Ujikintoki (green tea/red bean paste kaki-gori) ¥1260 Himitsu no Ichigo Miruku (Himitsu’s shaved ice with strawberries and milk) ¥500 Ume (Plum) (front) and Mocha (back) ¥500 each The shaved ice with homemade plum syrup appeals to ice lovers who seriously need to cool down with potent acid flavor. They shave the ice in front of your eyes – an added treat. Many customers are lured into ordering kaki-gori by the “swooshing” sounds of the machine. Another favorite, Ujikintoki (green tea/red bean paste kaki-gori) (¥950) allows you to experience the bitterness derived from unsweetened matcha green tea juxtaposed with the extreme sweetness of condensed milk. The same menu is also offered at HIGASHIYA GINZA. Founded in Kyoto during the Muromachi Period more than 480 years ago, Toraya serves Ujikintoki shaved ice featuring matcha green tea syrup that combines wasanbon sugar, (the same wasanbon sugar supplied to the Imperial Family) and the Kyo-noShirabe matcha green tea. The thick green matcha syrup is gracefully absorbed by the ice shavings, creating impressively elegant and yet refreshing aftertastes. Hidden beneath the ice is Shirazarato crystal sugar of extreme purity and whiteness, a regular ingredient in Toraya’s Wagashi confectionary, and Ogura red bean paste prepared specifically as an accompaniment to kaki-gori. Other recommended kaki-gori are Ujimizore served with white azuki bean paste (¥1,260) and Kori Anzu (stewed apricot), which is available only at this Akasaka flagship shop (¥1,155). At Himitsu-do, a new venue that opened its doors in May this year, a manual ice-shaving machine is still used. Its Himitsu no Ichigo Miruku comes with light-pink strawberry syrup that contains a generous supply of the Beni-Hoppe variety of strawberries produced in Shizuoka. The strawberries are flash frozen after harvesting, and Himitsu-do uses a low flame to stew the strawberries for an extended time so as not to destroy the vitamin content. This process also allows the sauce to thicken nicely to a pulpy consistency packed with strawberry flavor. The proprietor is eager to extend his menu. You may be pleasantly surprised by new sauces featuring seasonal fruits each time you visit. Angelus sources its ice from an ice cave in Nikko. Ume shaved ice aficionados swear by Angelus’ original syrup, which is made by stewing green plums, whose delicate tartness and gentle sweetness go extremely well with the texture of the soft-melting natural ice shavings. Angelus serves the type of kaki-gori that only a café would come up with. Its mocha shaved ice, for instance, is doused with rich espresso coffee (¥500). They are planning to roll out a new variation in August, featuring a sweet, preserve-like fruity tomato sauce with seeds left intact for an added texture variation. ori HIGASHIYA 1st Floor, le bain, 3-16-28 Nishi Azabu Minato-ku, Tokyo 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Closed on Mondays Tel: 03-5786-0024 Toraya Karyo Tea Room, Akasaka Shop 14 HIMITSU- DO i c e 2 011 September 4-9-22 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (last order) on weekdays 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (last order) on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays Open seven days a week Tel: 03-3408-4121 Himitsu-Do Café Dining Bar Angelus 3-11-18 Yanaka, Taito-ku, Tokyo 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Closed on Mondays Tel: 03-3824-4132 New seasonal items are subject to availability. 1st Floor, Nishikokurega East Tower, 3-35-1 Izumicho, Kokubunji-shi, Tokyo 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Open seven days a week Tel: 042-312-2403 2 011 September 15 Interviewing today’s Japanese to watch Hanayo is a multi-faceted expressive activist in a variety of fields – from geisha trainee to artist, photographer, and musician – active around the world. In this issue of JQR we take a peek at her life and her future plans. Photography & Interview/Maki Taguchi, Hair & Make-up Artist/Akane Yamazaki Hanayo Ha n a y o Although she has the delicacy of a would be seeking her out. Hanayo kimono. I said to Kuramata, ‘I honestly young girl, Hanayo has the sensuality expressed herself openly and had my sights set on becoming a of an adult. She expresses this discovered the joy of being active. She geisha, but that world doesn’t exist in personality through her work and has performed in a band, photographed contemporary Japan.’ He replied, ‘It captured the attention of the Japanese objects and scenery with a camera most certainly does!’ Later, after and international art scene. that had been handed down to her finishing my studies abroad I returned from her father, and appeared in to life at a Japanese university. But I school, I was the sort of kid who would movies. After graduation, she attended felt something was different. Around go to Plastics concerts [Ed: techno an art university where she studied that time, I happened to walk into a pop] and classical recitals while sculpture. But as an active youth, she cinema showing Nihonbashi and everyone else was listening to Seiko soon became restless and bored with Okuman choja, directed by Kon Matsuda and the Tanokin Trio [Ed: her lessons, so she went to Paris to Ichikawa. I remembered Kuramata’s pop idols]. Come high school, I left my further her studies. words on seeing the geisha appear on “When I was still at elementary good friends behind and went off to age were working to put themselves down and lights went on, I went over 80s. Ikebukuro was a bustling place; a through university, and there was even to Mukojima.” subculture and underground culture one student who had defected from a Mukojima, the area of Tokyo famous mecca. I would visit its mysterious neighboring country. This sort of for geisha. It was after 9:00 p.m.at the record shops, live music venues, and lifestyle did not exist in Japan in my close of the year. when Hanayo went movie theatres on my way home from day.” to Mukojima to take in the sights. school. I made new friends there and Concealing her astonishment, she “The streets at that time of night were my world gradually expanded.” began attending a dance school in usually pitch black, but this was at the Fanzines and other small-circulation Paris instead of the art academy. She close of the year, so everything was magazines were popular when Hanayo danced with youths born into circus all lit up. The geisha were just seeing was in her first year at high school. families and felt the desire to do off their customers. From the eaves She suddenly began attracting something typically Japanese. She among the hanging lanterns, I watched attention though Joshiko Nama then encountered a Japanese man, the geisha with faces painted white, Tsushin (High school girl live report), Shiro Kuramata, known the world over dressed in beautiful kimonos. All I which she published together with her as an interior-space designer. could think was, ‘I can not believe my by people whom she never dreamed 2 011 September the screen. After the curtains came school in Ikebukuro. That was the late friends, and was soon being contacted 16 “I was shocked to find other kids my “From an early age, I have always loved Japanese traditional arts and the eyes. This world really does still exist!’ Five minutes later, the street was pitch 2 011 September 17 black again, as though nothing had and no deadlines. Now, that is a 10,000 years. During these millennia, happened. I was even more surprised luxury.” people have walked through the than when I traveled overseas. Just Hanayo captured her daughter and life region, and their paths became roads. then, I saw a help-wanted poster in Berlin in photographs, published And the Tokyo of today is built upon looking for dishwashers. On applying, photo books, and held solo exhibitions. that base. In this, I feel something like the okamisan – proprietress of the She also expanded her musical the primitiveness of nature. When I geisha house – said without asking my activities performing live in numerous feel history, I feel affection and beauty. name, “You are a cute one. Come countries. Last autumn, she moved her I think that everyone should stop and back here tomorrow at three.” base back to Japan after 15 years think about what Japan is and what it The very next day, Hanayo began her abroad. means to be Japanese. Japan has weathered the ages as an island training as a geisha in the karyukai “Japanese nature is beautiful. The – the flower and willow world of the classical, refined sense of beauty is nation, but a lot has changed over the geisha. She took great pleasure in her splendid, too. I am drawn to the last hundred years. Then the Great training, fascinated by the kimono and performances of the [geisha] oneesan, East Japan Earthquake struck. I think makeup of her oneesan (elder sisters), and the fact that these traditions have we should make the most of these the traditional performing arts – survived and remain even today. I also experiences while re-examining everything. All the while, Hanayo feel beauty in the passage of time, Japanese culture, such as delicate continued to remain active as a itself. Even when Japanese dancers handiwork. Actually, I have a feeling musician and a photographer. But the and masters of dance have grown old that I really do not know Japan, turning point in her life came four and can no longer dance, they still because I was raised in Tokyo, entered years later when she married her retain their feminine beauty. Come to the karyukai in my late teens, then German boyfriend and moved to Berlin, think of it, I have loved kimono, dance, moved to Berlin. That is why I want to leaving the karyukai behind. and other Japanese traditional things travel around the country and learn since I was a child. After my return to more about the real Japan.” gave birth to my daughter, Tomoko. Tokyo, an architect friend said, From a young age, Hanayo has always Tokyo is not a city where you create ‘European cities are planned, and seen herself as a Japanese. Active in opportunities but mostly receive them. buildings that ruin the cityscape Japan and around the world, she has In contrast, Berlin has wide open cannot be constructed randomly. The had various experiences as an spaces, everyone has time but no cityscape is beautiful in its expressionist. Who knows where she money,” she laughs. “Even so, I liked consistency.’ But, the topography here wind up next. We can only wait and the idea of starting from nothing. There – the hills and the rivers – has see. was no one in particular to work for probably remained unchanged for over “I went to a life of no training. Then I Hanayo Artist, photographer and musician. Born 1970. On quitting university, Hanayo began as an apprentice geisha at Mukojima. At that time, she adorned the front cover of London’s The Face. She also modeled for Jean-Paul Gautier. Her first photo book, Hanayome, was published in 1996. Hanayo moved to Berlin after marrying and developed her career as a performer and photographer in Tokyo, Berlin, London, Paris, Moscow, Hong Kong, New York, Beijing and other cities around the world. She returned to Japan last year. Her photo books include Hanayome (Shinchosha), Doremumumumu…Bukku/Dreammmm Book (Little More), Hanayo Artist Book, (Kawade Shobō Shinsha), Magma (Akaka Publishing), Colpoesen (Utrecht). http://www.hanayo.com/ 18 2 011 September ● http://www.hanayo.com/ 2 011 September 19 QR 1 Equipped with a high-brightness back light, and twin speakers that make incoming calls easy to hear. Back surface features anti-slip embossing. Quality Review In three colors: Red, khaki, and black. CMOS camera offers 8.08 megapixels. Uses the AndroidTM 2.3 platform. 450 minutes continuous talk time. Open pricing. Gn' ze O e l onoep I S 1 1 C A CASIO G'zOne IS11CA Shock-resistant Smartphone G’zOne IS11CA Photography/Hiroyuki Kiseki, Reporting/Text/Hikaru Nozawa standard employed by the U.S. even feel free to hop on your bicycle A water, dust, and shock Department of Defense. The phone will with the phone in your back pocket. resistant smartphone continue to function properly when To prevent dust from entering, the that carries on the G-SHOCK dropped from as high as four feet, phone features rubber gaskets around tradition of durability regardless of the angle. It is also points of entry like the earphone jack water-resistant, and can be submerged and battery cover. The microphone, Remember G-SHOCK watches? Hugely for up to 30 minutes to a depth of five earpiece, and high-volume twin popular in America in the 1990s, they feet (at room temperature) without speakers also use polymer filters, were shock-resistant enough to survive water penetrating the inner workings which are more airtight and provide a drop from 30 feet. Casio’s G’zOne —no need to worry about using your louder volume. series, featuring superior shock, water, phone outside on a rainy day. You can More advanced = less robust. This and dust resistance, brings that take it into the bath, and if you drop it can make buying a new phone a expertise to the mobile phone. in the mud, all you have to do is rinse it tough decision. But now there’s a According to a survey by Macromill, off with water. tough phone that’s up to the task, nearly 40% of mobile phone owners The larger displays found on perfect for people who lead hard- report they’ve gone through the painful smartphones raise concerns about their charging lives. experience of damaged LCD screens fragility, but the G’zOne IS11CA display and data loss due to immersion in utilizes Gorilla® Glass, a tough glass water. The G’zOne IS11CA is the first surface with a high compressive stress smartphone in the G’zOne series that layer. This display is surrounded by a can stand up to these kinds of everyday magnesium frame, which is then mishaps. encased in a plastic bumper, providing First, the design passed a drop test a dual layer of protection from shocks using the MIL standard, a procurement from top, bottom, left or right. You can Buttons on the side designed to provide a solid grip for the thumb. Includes a convenient “Active Key” with shortcuts for calling up frequently-used functions. ● au Mobile Phone Inquiries: 0077-7-111 20 2 011 September 2 011 September 21 QR SPECIAL Selection The Shozo Izushi Selection No. 6 The evolution of bags created by Aero Concept A Poet Breathes Life into Duralumin Photography/Satoru Naito Japan has the custom of 1,000 speedy recovery of their positive and spiritual effect on the cranes. Not the actual bird, but acquaintance, whose face appears ailing person. origami cranes – red, yellow, green in their mind. This is repeated at The crane is just one example of and other colors of paper folded into how the Japanese have fashioned the shape of cranes. Of course, not all manner of living and innate everyone is adept at folding the objects with origami – literally, cranes. Nothing is more marvelous folded paper. Origami is a fun than a highly skilled person folding activity for children but also a paper a tiny piece of paper into a crane work-of-art. While the origins of that appears to be alive. origami are unknown, it enjoys a This tradition of 1,000 cranes is long history. alive and well in the 21st century, Origami was written in days of old and are used as presents for with the kanji character for “shapes,” convalescing friends or family. The instead of the character for “paper,” person folding the cranes prays for and it was etiquette to wrap gifts their acquaintance’s quick recovery. using origami. The art is known to have been practiced in the Heian The person receiving them contemplates the thousand cranes every day, hoping they recover as soon as possible. 22 The regularly punched rivets on the mirror surface are beautiful Period (794–1185), so its history spans at least 1,000 years. Being an important part of etiquette, Belief in 1,000 cranes is probably least 1,000 times. The thousand various schools of origami exist, just superstition, but who knows? As cranes represent their prayers, and such as the famous Ogasawara, Ise, the givers make each crane, they an invisible power is hidden within and Kira schools. say a prayer with every fold for the them. That power no doubt has a The original tradition of folding 2 011 September No two guitar cases are alike, because the size and interior are made to fit the guitar itself. Sample 2 011 September 23 A duralumin briefcase with leather accents. Sample Shoulder cases that excite when slung over the shoulder. Sample 24 2 011 September shapes became the game of folding paper. craftsman in Tokyo, Sugano was paper, but origami also had the Duralumin is the aluminum alloy engaged in manufacturing aircraft meaning of a “certificate of developed and patented by Alfred components when, over 20 years appreciation.” For example, when Wilm in 1903 in the small town of ago, he faced bankruptcy after the specialists appraised antiques or Duren in Western Germany. The volume of work from his prime curios, they would attach a composition of 94% aluminum and contractor plunged. Sugano says he, certificate, according to custom, 4% copper with a little magnesium at one point, contemplated suicide. folded in a splendid shape (origami) produces a light material with a However, Sugano was then inspired to certify the object was truly spectacular hardness. to “create one product that would superior. Even today, an object with Nothing is stronger. No metal is remain as proof to the world that he “origami attached” signifies a lighter. Many people probably know once lived.” The product was an special, first-class article. duralumin is used in aircraft. Sugano attaché case for his personal use, Aero Concept’s Keiichi Sugano is is one of many people who fell in and he no intention of selling it. famous for working with duralumin love with duralumin’s special Since the case was for him, creating as if it were paper. When Sugano’s qualities through his work on it became his hobby. His choice of hand touches a piece of difficult aircraft. duralumin as the main material was duralumin, it becomes tender, like A third-generation sheet-metal a natural one, because he was 2 011 September 25 The latest product is a futuristic shopping basket (top). Sample/A supple tote bag made of metal (bottom right). Sample/A flask-like shoulder case (bottom left). Sample A light, beautiful travel bag that leaves a durable impression. Sample accustomed to working with it. on the left. He searches for the on a table, unlock it with both Sugano has two methods for point – the moment – of precise, hands, lift the lid, take out the making duralumin lighter and more horizontal equilibrium. That documents you need, and close the like paper. The first is to make the perfectly kept momentary balance lid. The moment it shuts, the lock duralumin sheet as thin as possible. is what makes Aero Concept bags mechanism sings with a snap. The other is to make holes in the beautiful. Snap! Sugano says he made it duralumin. However, paper-thin Aero Concept bags are pleasant to sound like the shutter on a duralumin does not hold a shape, touch and caress to their smallest Barnack-model Leica IIIF camera. so it must be folded over. This is detail. Even a knob will talk to your It's no surprise that Fender, makers undoubtedly duralumin origami. fingers. This can only be called the of world famous guitars, would Sugano’s skill is evident in the fine aesthetics of touch. order cases like these for their balance between lightness and Even an Aero Concept bag’s sound instruments. Sugano is the only strength – like a seesaw with is beautiful. For example, poet in the world who breathes weight on the right and sturdiness horizontally place the attaché case fresh life into duralumin. Shozo Izuishi Born 1944, Izuishi has forged a career as a fashion designer, consultant, and critic. Author of numerous books including Bruu Jiinzu no Bunkashi (“Blue Jeans: a Cultural History”) (NTT Shuppan). His recent work Suutsu no Hyakka Jiten (“An Encyclopedia of Suits”) (Banraisha) lecturing males on how to wear a suit properly has attracted favorable reviews. ● Enquiries: Aero Concept (http://www.aeroconcept.co.jp) 26 2 011 September 2 011 September 27 技 TAK U M I T A K U M I 匠 From the Workshops of Monozukuri Manufacturers V o l 4 JQR Selection of Japanese Skills Dualizing the water source is an effective anti-disaster measure Technology to Purify Groundwater ← Cross section of the membrane, the nucleus of the membrane-filtration system. Each membrane is like a straw. The 0.01-wide pores on the surface of the membrane fiber filter the water that passes through. Photography/Susumu Nagao, Interview & Text/Kyoko Ohtsu Shoichi Fukuda, president of Wellthy Corporation, has a gentle demeanor, but has boldly led the company with carefully planned strategies. Installation has multiple merits The fact that water will pour from a use safe water, as usual. They could tap when twisted is no longer a also supply water to nearby given. Japanese were reminded of residents and the families of their this reality on March 11. One employees. This system has many other corporation considered cases in When the lifelines of electricity, advantages, such as cost reduction. which the public water supply could water, gas, telephones and other Compared to using only the public not be used, for whatever reason, utilities are severed, electricity and water supply, companies can budget and has worked to promote the telephones are usually restored for a significant reduction in costs spread of a system that dualizes the comparatively quickly, but water and per year, even when including water source. Wellthy Corporation sewerage are the slowest to be installation and maintenance costs. is the pioneer of the groundwater restored. From the viewpoint of When working with local membrane filtration system. public hygiene, such as hand communities and neighborhood washing and bathing, more associations, drinking water can be The groundwater membrane filtration importance should be placed on supplied to neighboring residents in system changes groundwater into everyone having their own water times of disaster. By ensuring the drinkable water using an advanced supply to maintain their lifestyle. availability of safe water at all membrane-filtration technology and “After the latest earthquake, I am times, companies contribute to the provides a stable water supply. The convinced that we have been region and also improve their image. system, which ensures quality water working in the right direction,” Fukuda dived into the water as stipulated in article 50 of the President Shoichi Fukuda proudly business 15 years ago. Before that, Water Supply Act, is maintained said. That’s only natural because his company was doing well once a month and monitored all year there was little data, until now, to manufacturing and selling round. The Wellthy system support the theory that groundwater electricity-saving equipment. One effectively functioned when the is immune to earthquakes. The 1995 day, a client commented while water supply was cut off over a wide Great Hanshin Awaji Earthquake signing the contract on the area immediately after the Great struck soon after Wellthy’s system completion of fitting work, “With East Japan Earthquake. Hospitals was developed, so this is the first this, we are saving electricity. Is and food companies that had time the theory was substantiated. there any way to save gas and installed the system continued to → This one-meterlong device – the membrane – can process 1–2 tons of water per hour. An example of a membrane filtration system (Aso General Hospital) water?” Within days, Fukuda heard J Q R 28 2 011 September S e l e ct i o n o f J a p a n e s e S k i l l s 2 011 September 29 Groundwater Membrane Filter System Flowchart Primary filter Water receiving tank Membrane filter Railway stations & facilities 3% Factories 4% Food factories 5% Schools Others 7% 3% Processed water tank Chemical-feeding tank Conventional process Water quality monitoring system Example (when being heated) Supermarkets 17% Department stores 7% Ultra-microfiltration (UMF) membrane, advanced processing 匠 The Well Thermal Heat Pump combines ground heat and a heat pump, focusing on utilizing the stable underground temperature, and exchanges energy more efficiently than conventional heat pumps. The pump has a wide variety of uses, such as heating and cooling conventional homes, gyms and agricultural facilities. (The diagram illustrates agricultural use.) From the Workshops of Monozukuri Manufacturers Plastic greenhouse Gyms 6% Deep well Source water T A K U M I ● Well Thermal Heat Pump Hospitals & nursing homes Accommodation 8% Raw water tank Other Business Developments Ratio of New Installations 24-hour, 365-day monitoring Groundwater pumped from a deep well is filtered through sand and activated charcoal and then filtered using the advanced ultrafiltration (UF)-membrane process. The membrane also completely removes bacteria and parasites. The safety equipment monitors the process 24 hours a day, all year round. Ground-heat heat pump As at April 2011 Most of the corporations installing the system are facilities that use large volumes of water daily and must be prepared for emergencies, such as hospitals, department stores and hotels. These facilities must ensure a safe water supply to protect the lives of their patients and customers. Water Cost Reduction Before installation After installation Amount reduced 2,880,000 yen/year Water utility cost 12,000,000 yen/year (30,000m3 x 400 yen) Equipment lease fee/year 4,320,000 yen/year Full maintenance cost 2,400,000 yen/year the same comment from other Water utility cost 2,400,000 yen/year customers, so he searched the library to see if it was possible. He Paid to the lease company involved in supplying water with no competition. “The field of electrics in which I was involved was highly competitive. Technology was evolving fast and constantly being honed. But one The amount of heavy oil used by a boiler can be significantly reduced when using the ground-heat heat pump, reducing both energy consumption and cost. Paid to Wellthy Paid to the Water Department The introduction of a system leased for nine years for 30 million yen realized an annual cost reduction of 2.88 million yen (public water supply unit 400 yen/ton, annual use 30,000 tons). * The cost of the system differs depending on negotiations and conditions. found that only the government was Heat exchange equipment book mentioned that water technology had not advanced for 30 ● Seoale ← Seoale can be carried by hand, pulled, or carried on the back. ↓ [Accessories] Purifier set (primary processing screen, quartz sand filter, activated charcoal filter, UF membrane), replacement paper filters, replacement cartridges (activated charcoal, UF membrane), plastic gloves Seoale is a compact water-purifying device which is highly effective at purifying river or lake water into emergency drinking water in four stages. The purifier is easily operated using a manual pump, so no electric power is required. Weight: 13kg, external dimensions: H550mm x W380mm x D390mm, purifying capacity: 60l/h. to 50 years due to a lack of competitors.” Fukuda said. discovered that its quality was not members wanted the research nearly good enough to meet the stopped, and they threatened to Water Supply Act requirements. resign. It was a trying time,” Fukuda Before long, the company saw that it Unlike river water, groundwater explained. The team leader was a viable business and decided contains more heavy metals than eventually resigned, and Fukuda to begin research and development one might expect, making it difficult himself continued the research and into groundwater purification. But to process. Even if the bacteria and development as team leader. purifying groundwater for drinking heavy metals were removed, The complex system, developed was nearly impossible. repeated processing was necessary after many twists and turns, ended Water of a high enough quality to to make it stable enough to supply up following Fukuda’s own original supply to people had to clear 48 over prolonged periods. design. From electricity to water criteria as stipulated in the Water 30 “We headhunted water-processing “It was actually rather difficult. Supply Act at the time. The well technicians from other companies Groundwater processing is water the Japanese had used and created a research team. But challenging, even today. The fact through the centuries was the research came to a standstill our company overcame these essentially used by everyone at their when the research team was greeted obstacles may be the very reason own risk. But when Wellthy actually with hostility from the electricity- we are still in business,” Fukuda inspected this well water, they saving equipment team. Team said. 2 011 September Faster progress through practical technology recycling system. Apart from making groundwater water safe for drinking, but water drinkable, Wellthy also has the technology to process water into various qualities depending on its end use. Bountiful rainwater stored in a tank, for example, can be processed into water for watering or washing cars by controlling the water quality. The water, in this case, does not need to be processed to a drinkable quality. Also, factories that discharge large volumes of wastewater can effectively use the water, and cut water and sewerage costs by installing a wastewater Fukuda declared, “The day is coming soon when people will not only want that suits their tastes and needs, e.g. soft water for the elderly, or water with a high mineral content. We are preparing for the day when each household can create the water they want.” Technology plunges into unexplored worlds and is always advancing. Wellthy Corporation (Head office) Kojimachi Crystal City East Bldg., 11F 4-8-1 Kojimachi, Chiyodaku,Tokyo,102-0083 Japan Tel: 03-3262-2431 Fax: 03-3262-2455 http://www.wellthy.co.jp/ 2 011 September 31 This Month’s Questions We asked smartly dressed passersby how they are feeling right now. Street Snap [Kageyama’s Answers] Q1 Hayao Miyazaki Q2 Air conditioners Q3 Save electricity □ Name: Anna □ Occupation: Technical college student □ Age: 20 [Marijera’s Answers] Q1 Who do you think epitomizes Japanese quality? Q2 What do you think is a waste of electricity? Q3 What was the biggest change within you after the recent earthquake? Q1 Shu Uemura, Rei Kawakubo Q2 Pachinko parlors Q3 We don’t know if we will die tomorrow, or now, so I want to live life to its fullest, every day. □ Name: Nao □ Occupation: Retail □ Age: 22 Shirt: H&M Inner shirt: H&M Shorts: American Apparel Shoes: NADIA Sunglasses: American Apparel Bag: CHICAGO □ Name: Kageyama □ Name: Marijera □ Occupation: Student □ Age: 21 □ Occupation: Housewife and Fashion blogger □ Age: 26 Outer shirt: matohu Inner t-shirt: ohta Shorts: FACETASM Shoes: Bought at a vintage shop Rings: TABOO 32 Blouse: snidel Skirt: snidel Necklace: poupee Bracelets: poupee, Tiny Bag: yoshiko Barette: Michel Negrin 2 011 September [Anna’s Answers] Ai Tominaga Q1 Pachinko parlors and video arcades Q2 Q3 I’m more careful about saving electricity. Dress: G-STAR RAW Shoes: United Nude Accessories: FENDI Bag: Lancel [Nao’s Answers] ? Q1 ? Q2 I Q3 now save electricity. 2 011 September 33 Japan and Me -The Modern is in the Traditional- VOI. 3 Francoise Morechand, Essayist Dare to be Japanese! While I know I'll never be completely Japanese, after so many years in Japan I have adopted, after my own fashion, certain aspects of how people here live and think. The ultimate example must be the humility I've acquired when discussing my nearest and dearest. Take this instance. Yesterday while lunching in Paris with some French acquaintances, I was asked what I do in Japan, and so gave a brief explanation. I mentioned in passing that it is my Japanese husband Tatsuji Nagataki who translates my articles and books from French into Japanese. And to pay him a slightly understated compliment, I added that while no genius, the old chap does have something of a way with words. My compatriots around the table were horrified. “What a thing to say!” they protested. I felt a need to vindicate myself by explaining further. To wit, in Japan, where I've lived now for almost fifty Françoise Moréchand years, people place great store on the attitude known as kenson: modesty or humility. For example, a man might refer to his better half as his gusai, literally “foolish wife”, and his child as a “piglet”, even if he believes them to not be the slightest bit stupid or porcine. Having brought up this subject, the discussion turned to the oft-covered territory of honne (what a person is thinking) and tatemae (what they actually say). Now this is a subject big enough to write a book about, and not a few have done just that. Here though I prefer to consider the concept of “wabisabi”, which is underpinned by a sense of impermanence, the notion that everything, living or otherwise, has its time and will pass. Because this too is related to the idea of being humble. Things that are wabisabi Things that are not wabisabi Intuitive Logical Relative Absolute Handmade Mass-produced Valuing the here and now Future-oriented Adapting to nature Adapting to technology Organic (soft forms) Geometric (forms without ambiguity) Extolling the virtues of nature Extolling the virtues of technology Natural materials (wood, stone...) Unnatural materials (plastic...) Becoming more attractive with age Deteriorating with age (concrete...) The obviously unfinished (a crooked matcha tea bowl...) The obviously sleek and smooth (a porcelain teacup...) Calm acceptance of ambiguity and contradictory elements Abhorrence of ambiguity and contradictory elements Warm Cold A love of shadow Overly-bright lighting Utility not always a priority Utility as no.1 priority Non-material things ranking highest Materiality is the ideal Tolerance for natural wear and tear and the passing of Faith in things that don't wear 私と日本 The following are just personal thoughts, but in my view, right now--when the mind-boggling impact of the tsunami has made a people overly proud of their technological sophistication realize that they are just as powerless before the wrath of nature as their ancestors--is the perfect opportunity to take another look at the Japanese idea of wabisabi. And not just in Japan, but all over the planet. Why? Because an emphasis on wabisabi is precisely what we now need in a world that smugly believed everything was controllable. The sensation of wabisabi is hard to explain. Even for the Japanese, who are skilled at picking up unspoken nuances, describing wabisabi is a tall order. So to help you construct a clearer picture in your mind, I'll start by providing a list of what is wabisabi, and what is not. Allow me to give a very specific example of wabisabi in everyday living. A few years ago, I was invited to a tea party at the home of former prime minister Morihiro Hosokawa, a man for whom I have the utmost admiration. He currently lives in a house in Izu that his maternal grandmother (of the Konoe family) used as a holiday villa. A bookcase occupies one whole wall of the living room, and supporting its shelves are tree branches. While straight enough to serve as vertical pillars, they still have their bark, are gnarled and knotted, and are obviously just tree branches, pure and simple. The kind of wabisabi expressible solely by nature can be breathtakingly elegant. My conclusion is simple. Now that Japan has experienced a nuclear accident; now that the world is beginning to turn to slow food and sustainable energy, this must surely be the moment for Japan to start promoting the wabisabi lifestyle largely forgotten since the Meiji Period, when Japan copied not only the best things about Western civilization, but the worst as well. By doing so Japan can bring a more modest approach to the world: an attitude the world could do with plenty of in a century that has started with so many challenges. the seasons 34 2 011 September 2 011 September 35 Sake to Drink From a Wineglass Aoki Brewery In Praise of Fine Sake Vol. 5 Junmai Ginjo Kakurei Address: Shiozawa 1214, Minamiuonuma, Niigata Telephone: 025-782-0023 http://www.kakurei.co.jp ● ● ● ● ● Alcohol content: 17~18% ● Seimaibuai (rice milling percentage) 50% Nihonshu-do (Sake Meter Value + dry, -sweet) +2.0 Amino acidity: 0.8 ● Acidity: 1.5 Rice: Gohyakumangoku (with koji and kake-mai) Volume: 720ml ● Price: 1,575 yen (tax inclusive) Gohyakumangoku Text/ Kaori Haishi (sake sommelier) Photography/ Susumu Nagao The Sake that Completely Changed My Image of Echigo Sake sweetness and umami shoring up the another good match. With seasoning sides. The extremely gentle aroma that’s slightly on the strong side, it cries would never interfere with the flavor of out for a chaser. Eat the salmon roe food. In short, this is a sake with a straight, or put just a tad on scallop I still can’t forget the shock of my first beautiful and dignified expression. You sashimi to add sweetness to a encounter with Kakurei. Niigata sake is can sense in it the robustness of a consummate balance of flavors. Then predominantly a crisp, dry, light style of woman from the bitterly cold snow luxuriate in the sumptuous spread of sake that flows like water over the country region. flavors across the palate. Instead of flowing like water, a rice-rich It has a long reach that goes with any Kakurei completely changed the image I umami flavor superbly blended with a food, but I would suggest trying oysters had of Echigo sake. I’m sure it will refined acidity left an intense impression and roe. The faint sweetness of Kakurei continue to go out into the world as a on the palate. Ever since then Kakurei surrounds the distinctive pungency of steadfast sake for the times, and not has become a familiar face and regular these, while its sourness resets the betray the expectations of sake lovers. sight at the table in our house. palate. Chablis is often said to be a Numerous fans wait eagerly for good accompaniment to raw oysters, but Takafumi Aoki, president of Aoki The Junmai Ginjo Kakurei once you’ve tried this pairing there is no Brewery, to stir up a revolution in the Gohyakumangoku is one of my favorites going back. I can also strongly sake world. Takamori Saigo, the in the line-up of Kakurei sakes. It has a recommend this combination from the historical Meiji restoration figure the refined acidity that is lovelier than viewpoint of becoming familiar with the president takes after, also began a anything, reminiscent of Muscat of latent potential of Kakurei. If you’re revolution, and was known as the last Alexandria, the queen of grapes. This eating fish roe, then Niigata Kashimaya true samurai. forms the core of its taste, with rice, salmon roe steeped in soy sauce is palate. But Kakurei was different. 36 2 011 September 2 011 September 37