Japanese Culture | Hot Spots | Products | Food
Nov. 2015
No.09 FREE www.bentoboxmag.ca DELECTABLE DINING
Katsura’s elegantly authentic cuisine FALL TRAVELS
Embrace the season in Kyoto to MUJI SQUARE ONE
Even more to love at the new location
n m u t u A A
See Page
04
f o e t s a T t e e w S
&
te i s b e Win W ld e 5 r u Cou Se 4 Ou s t i o e s Y i iz V ge Pa
Pr
02
NOVEMBER 2015
www.bentoboxmag.ca
Contents
November 2015 No. 9
Food
Featured
04 A sweet taste of autumn
10 365 Joyful Days
These delightful, delicious confectioneries are a truly Japanese way to celebrate the season—with a hint of Western inspiration.
08 Delectable fine dining For the seafood lover seeking an authentic experience reminiscent of Tokyo’s high-end restaurants, it’s got to be Katsura.
Need some gift ideas? Try one of these eight great items from MUJI’s collection.
08
12 MUJI’s new Square One location The beloved Japanese brand is coming to “Sauga”—with more space and new products.
Culture
14 Interview with a dynamic duo 16 Everyone’s favourite nut Rich in flavour and versatile in nature, Japanese chestnuts have long held a special place in their countrymen’s hearts.
26 Only in Japan
We sat down with Naomi Kawase and Kirin Kiki to discuss their new film, An, and their experiences in the industry.
Discover the graceful social dance that is the traditional Japanese tea ceremony.
34 Hit the books
32 Local events 18 A craftsman’s sake This expertly hand-crafted drink is so good that it makes the gods dance.
Celebrate Japanese culture in your own backyard.
Forty years of national speculation couldn’t crack this murder mystery—but two men intend to solve it.
38 Beauty 44 Serenity in the city Nohohon Tea Room is the perfect spot to nourish your body and mind.
36 Film focus
Add these Japanese beauty secrets to your routine for your best face yet!
Master director Hirokazu Kore-eda adapts Akimi Yoshida’s manga of four sisters creating a new family in the wake of a father’s passing. The resulting film is one of his finest to date.
Travel 20 Featured destination: Kyoto
42 Memoir Politeness takes precedence in Japanese society, so remember to mind your manners—please!
In Kyoto, viewing the autumn colours gets taken to a whole new level.
28 One-of-a-kind dining
04
45 Kyara-ben
Jump on your magic carpet and end up here!
Indulgent and luxurious, pastries are the perfect fall treat
Warm yourself up with fresh and elegant Japanese cuisine
Ready to jazz up your meal in the most adorable way?
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter
EDITOR’S NOTE
Nina Hoeschele
facebook.com/bentoboxmag
WE’VE FALLEN FOR AUTUMN
twitter.com/bentoboxmag
There’s a lot of excitement around the fall season, and it’s hard not to see why. As the weather gets crisp, we start to slow down and indulge in some of our favourite comforts—like warm blankets, some good tea (page 44) and delicious seasonal treats. To celebrate, for this issue’s feature (page 04), we found Japanese bakeries around the city that offer indulgent pastries featuring your favourite autumn flavours.
Editors Nina Hoeschele, Amanda Plyley, Yumi Nishio Editorial coordinator Nina Hoeschele Writers Amanda Taylor, Ariel Litteljohn, Brent Borgundvaag, James Heron, Jenny
With evenings getting chilly, fall nights are also a prime time to cuddle up in front of a good film (page 36). And in this issue, we’ve got a special treat for film buffs: an interview with Naomi Kawase and Kirin Kiki (page 14), who visited Toronto for the premiere of their film, An, at TIFF in September.
McKechnie, Junko Mita, M Crowson, Sarah Dickson, Sheena Kirkbride, Shelley Suzuki,
So get yourself a stiff drink (page 18), throw some chestnuts on the fire (page 16) and enjoy the season … before you have to start thinking about presents. (Unless you already have … in which case you can head to page 10.) Happy fall!
Photographers Kazu Maruyama, Mari Otsuka
Stephen Choi, Rondie Li, Yumi Nishio Designers Chiyako Mukai, Reiko Ema Web designer Hiroyuki Azuma
Production assistants Michelle Trichilo, Takeaki Suzuki, Noa Nomura, Risa Homma, Chihiro Segawa, Natsuki Okabe, Kaori Enomoto Publisher Kazu Maruyama
Bento Box Communication Inc.
ISSN 2368-9153
|
600 Bay St. Suite 410, Toronto ON M5G 1M6
|
Phone: 416-847-6799
|
www.bentoboxmag.ca
|
Email: info@bentoboxmag.ca
www.bentoboxmag.ca
NOVEMBER 2015
03
e r u t a Fe By Rondie Li
A sweet taste of
Autumn
These delightful, delicious confectioneries are a truly Japanese way to celebrate the season—with a hint of Western inspiration.
Mont Blanc Created with a more mature palate in mind, this pastry features a subtly sweet chestnut purée laced with a hint of rum.
Although Halloween is over, the harvest season is still at its peak. Ripe local apples, root vegetables and squash provide a bounty of autumn deliciousness. As temperatures drop, it’s no surprise that your sweet tooth may change with the season too, and warm, comforting spices, flavours and textures swiftly become appealing. Indulgent, luxurious, but still light and delicate, pastries are the perfect treat for fall. Since Japan has distinct seasons a lot like ours, the Japanese clearly understand the appeal as well. To make this season more cheerful and enjoyable, try yougashi, the Western-style pastry that has become widely popular in Japan. 04
NOVEMBER 2015
www.bentoboxmag.ca
Yougashi (洋菓子) literally means confectionery that was influenced by Western culture. Opposite to wagashi (和菓子) (Japanese sweets like mochi, for example), yougashi look very much like any regular pastry seen at any patisserie. However, their recipes usually stray away from the traditional in some way, often incorporating Japanese elements together with European ones, and they are noticeably less sweet. But don’t dismiss this as a passing trend—yougashi have been enjoyed in Japan for over a century. Pastries have their own special role in Japanese culture, and as with any other popular culinary tradition, yougashi have trickled down to Toronto, too.
While some are tucked away and others are much more prominent, look around and you’ll discover that Toronto (luckily!) has its fair share of Japanese pastry shops. Each one brings its own unique artistry to these baked goods, with pastries as distinct as each bakery’s culinary vision. Whether you are seeking the perfect buttery tart or the lightest and flakiest danish, be prepared to experience a little something different at these delectable shops. And pumpkin spice lovers, take note: these treats are so good, you’ll never look at your latte the same way again.
Savour the flavours of the season The art of dessert
mon K patisserie A variety of innovative sweets can be found at this East York spot.
mon K patisserie www.monkpatisserie.ca 1040 Coxwell Ave., Toronto | 416-696-8181 "* \Ê/Õiq/ ÕÊ Ê> q{\ÎäÊ« ÊUÊ À q->ÌÊ Ê> qxÊ« Ê -Õ q ÊV Ãi`
Apple Tart Honey butter elevates this intricately decorated apple tart and is the perfect complement to the naturally sweet flavour of the golden delicious apples.
Fig Tart Pumpkin Tart
This elegant tart is a study in contrasting textures and flavours. A smooth and creamy custard is studded with ripe figs and crunchy pecans.
The perfect snack to accompany your favourite cup of tea, this pumpkin tart is a milder way to enjoy pumpkin flavour and spice.
www.bentoboxmag.ca
NOVEMBER 2015
05
Pumpkin is a quintessential fall ingredient
Creative confections
Patisserie 27 This charming west-end shop takes pride in its artistic creations.
Patisserie 27 www.patisserie27.com 401 Jane St., Toronto | 416-762-2103 "* \Ê7i`q À ÊÇÊ> qÇÊ« ÊUÊ->ÌÊÇÊ> qÈÊ« Ê -Õ ÊÇÊ> q{Ê« ÊUÊ q/ÕiÊV Ãi`
Apple Pumpkin Pie pastry base, luscious pumpkin filling, delicately A puff pa caramelized apples and a crunchy streusel topsliced car ping make this pie one of a kind. $18 for four servings
Kabocha A smooth and creamy kabocha a (Japane (Japanese pumpkin) mousse blended with rich wh white chocolate is sandwiched betwe between two sslices of slightly crunchy flourless al almond sponge cake. $4.95
Pear Walnut Danish Sweet and crunchy caramelized walnuts are the perfect contrast to the flaky, buttery puff pastry and crisp ripe pears in this danish. $2.50
Mille-feuille To keep p the Mille-feuille’s pastry crisp and fla flaky, a cream is not added until after th the h order has been placed. $4.95 06 6
NOVEMBER N O OVEMBEER R2 201 2015 015
www.bentoboxmag.ca www bentoboxmag ca
For the love of pumpkin
Bakery Nakamura This J-Town bakery serves up traditional treats with some whimsy.
Pumpkin Pie
Bakery Nakamura bakerynakamura.com | 3160 Steeles Ave. E., #9, Markham | 905-477-3555 "* \Ê/Õiq->ÌÊ£äÊ> qÇÊ« ÊUÊ-Õ Ê££Ê> qÈÊ« Ê Mon closed
This traditional pie has a buttery butte crust and creamy filli filling, plus l an extra t d dose of indulgence with its whipped cream topping. $3.50 per piece / $24 whole
Pumpkin C Crème Brûlée
Pumpkin P umpkin p Crème C rème Bun
Yo standard crème brûlée Your gets a seasonal upgrade— ge featuring a sweet and smooth fe pumpkin custard under the pu crispy caramelized sugar cr crust. $4.50 cr
These cute treats are as sweet as they look. Take a bite to reveal a pumpkin filling and enjoy a light snack. $2
Green tea heaven
U Uncle Tetsu’s Matcha Cafe M Matcha Cheesecake Uncle Tetsu’s signature soft and pillowy cheesecake gets an extra dose of colour and flavour thanks to their use of two different premium matcha powders. $8.85
Matcha cha M Madeleine adeleine These matcha madeleines (available plain or filled with red bean paste) are light and fluffy, similar to an extra-moist cupcake. $2.65 each / $7.95 for four
The popular international franchise has finally landed in Toronto.
Uncle Tetsu’s Japanese Matcha Cafe uncletetsu-ca.com 596 Bay St., Toronto OPEN: Daily 10 am–9 pm
www.bentoboxmag.ca
NOVEMBER 2015
07
Best of Toronto
By Amanda Taylor Restaurant
Unsurpassed freshness Kats Katsura’s sashimi is made of the highest hig quality fish, imported from fro Japan (including Tokyo and Fukuoka), Europe and America.
Delectable fine dining For the seafood lover seeking an authentic experience reminiscent of Tokyo’s high-end restaurants, it’s got to be Katsura at the Westin Prince Toronto.
Autumn menu Black cod is marinated in white saikyo miso and elegantly presented with edible leaves to highlight the beauty of autumn. 08
NOVEMBER 2015 SEPTEMBER
www.bentoboxmag.ca
Itadakimasu! Let’s eat!
At Katsura, chef Tanahashi’s mandate, like his fare, is straightforward: to surpass all other Japanese restaurants in terms of authenticity and quality. This means using only the freshest fish in season, including importing fish from Tokyo’s famous Tsukiji Market. You won’t find much fusion cuisine here; instead, Tanahashi says, customers should be able to close their eyes and imagine they’re having dinner in Tokyo’s upscale Ginza neighbourhood. The menu at Katsura manages to be diverse while sticking to the Japanese tradition of dining by season. As the weather cools, Katsura’s menu features warming classics like their udonsuki hot pot, a mix of flaky crab and crispy vegetables in a light fish broth. Tanahashi names ayu, or freshwater trout, as his favourite fish to prepare and a great example of how attuned Japanese cuisine is to the
Winter warmup Udonsuki with fresh seafood and vegetables in a light fish-based broth is guaranteed to keep you warm.
changing temperature. Throughout the year the flavour of ayu changes—for example in August the fish is fattier, and in September the fish have eggs. And throughout the dishes on the menu, the restaurant’s commitment to quality is evident: Katsura’s sashimi has a sprightly texture and depth of flavour you won’t find elsewhere. Located in Toronto’s Westin Prince Hotel, Katsura features beautiful private tatami rooms, a teppanyaki bar and an elegant dining area. According to Tanahashi, it’s the oldest Japanese restaurant in the city, so they’ve got a reputation to maintain. Expect a calm environment paired with exceptional service. With fresh ingredients imported from Japan and elegantly presented in flavourful combinations, Katsura offers Torontonians an opportunity to experience traditional Japanese dining at its best.
Regional delicacies Japanese sudachi, a lime-like fruit, adds a light, refreshing hint of citrus to this traditional matsutake cuisine.
Chefs Tanahashi and Onishi
Dessert is served Delicate champagne sorbet with an assortment of fruit is the perfect complement to a meal of light yet flavourful seafood.
Katsura’s executive chef Tanahashi and sous chef Onishi both hail from Japan, and both were trained in the art of Kaiseki (traditional fine dining) before coming to Canada. At Katsura, they work as a team to bring a Japanese spirit to the kitchen. The result is an authenticity to their dishes that sets Katsura apart.
Katsura Japanese Restaurant at the Westin Prince Toronto www.katsurarestaurant.com TEL: 416-444-2511, 647-259-3230 900 York Mills Rd., Toronto OPEN HOURS: Lunch: Tues–Fri 12 pm–2:30 pm Dinner: Sun–Mon 5:30 pm–9 pmÊUÊTues–Sat 5:30 pm–10 pm
www.bentoboxmag.ca
NOVEMBER 2015
09
:WLJPHS SPMLZ[`SL MLH[\YL
365 Joyful Days Eight great gift ideas for winter
5V]LTILY PZ OLYL HUK [OL OVSPKH`Z HYL Q\Z[ HYV\UK [OL JVYULY >P[O [OL ^LH[OLY JVVSPUN KV^U IL Z\YL [V ^YHW `V\YZLSM \W PU [OL MLZ[P]L ZWPYP[ [V RLLW ^HYT 0M `V\»YL SVVRPUN MVY \UPX\L [OV\NO[M\S NPM[Z [V NP]L [V `V\Y MHTPS` MYPLUKZ VY [OH[ ZWLJPHS ZVTLVUL `V\»SS ÄUK 4<10»Z L_JS\ZP]L JVSSLJ[PVU OHZ L]LY`[OPUN `V\ ULLK HUK TVYL [V ZOV^ ZVTL SV]L [OPZ OVSPKH` ZLHZVU
1
2
10
<S[YHZVUPJ (YVTH +PɈ\ZLY!
Breathe in peace, breathe out relaxation.
NOVEMBER 2015
This smartly designed diffuser disperses essential oils into the air with an extremely fine mist, discreetly adding a peaceful aroma to the room. Feeling stressed by work or school? Relax on the couch or meditate in a quiet space with the help of this diffuser. Its simple esthetic suits any room in the house. Small $69.50 | Large $109.50 Essential Oil $16.50 each www.bentoboxmag.ca
3
*\JRVV *SVJR!
Fill your home with sweet, modern chimes. This charming cuckoo greets you every half hour with a warm, comforting call. Modern upgrades include a light sensor that automatically shuts off the sound feature as soon as the room becomes dark, so you can sleep without interruption. Choose from white, brick red and brown to complement your home. Small $89.00 | Large $109.00
>HSS 4V\U[LK *+ 7SH`LY!
Turn up the volume and cut a rug. Compact, stylish and easy to use, MUJI’s wall-mounted player is perfect for music buffs with large CD collections. Listen to soft jazz while cooking dinner or put on a love song and turn your living space into a romantic ballroom. Simply pull the string to start up the player and enjoy your favourite tunes. $169.00
4
Wool Mix Good Fit Right Angle Nep Socks & Ribbed Knit Watch Cap:
Stay fashion-friendly through the freeze.
5
Cotton Flannel Blanket & Cushion Slippers: Warm up to winter this year.
The snow and cold may be upon us but this is no time to hibernate! These socks and caps will keep you toasty and trendy all winter long. The socks are made at a deliberate 90-degree angle to fit comfortably and sensibly on your feet. The cap is made from fine wool fibres and features a beautiful ribbed finish. Wool Mix Good Fit Right Angle Nep ep Socks $9.50 Ribbed Knit Watch Cap $19.00 Grab a mug g of tea and a good goo od o d book and create a comfy, cosy sy space with these super soft, snuggly items. Bundle up in your own personal cocoon with the downy blanket and give your feet the comfort they’ve been craving with soft, cushioned slippers. You might find winter isn’t so bad d after all! Cotton Flannel Blanket (Red check) $39.00 d check/Green h k/G h k) $39 00 Cotton Flannel Cushion Slippers (Green check) $39.00
6
Large Cashmere Stole: e: Add a touch of luxury to L]LY`KH` V\[Ä[Z MUJI’s 100 per cent cashmere stoles are must-haves for the wintry months ahead. Soft and delicate additions to any wardrobe, they can be draped over your everyday garments to help keep you warm, comfortable and fashionable all through the chilly season. $79.00
8
Sharp Pencil with Low Centre of Gravity & Aluminum Hexagonal Ballpoint Pen: Indulge in winter writing.
MUJI’s sharp pencil and aluminum hexagonal ballpoint pen are the perfect gifts for the artists and writers in your life. The pencil’s low centre of gravity helps keep the artist’s hand steady, and the hexagonal ballpoint pen promotes a sturdy and comfortable grip for writers with much to say. Sharp Pencil with Low Centre of Gravity $7.00 Aluminum Hexagonal Ballpoint Pen $7.00
7
Touch Panel Gloves:
Text and call withoutt hesitation. Tempted to text but wary of frozen fingers? Regular gloves aren’t compatible with phone and tablet touchscreens but these gloves let you text, type, swipe and scroll as if you were using your bare hands. Say goodbye to freezing your fingertips in the winter! $25.00
Stamps Wrap with love and give with pride. Design your own personal gift wrap this year with stamps and coloured ink from MUJI’s vast and diverse stamp collection. Imagine giving gifts as unique and creative on the outside as they are on the inside—this small gesture goes a long way with friends and loved ones!
For more information
I at MUJ Create
www.muji.com/ca
MUJI Atrium Atrium, 20 Dundas St. W., C-03, Toronto | Tel. 416-591-2233
MUJI Square One Square One Shopping Centre,100 City Centre Dr., Mississauga
www.bentoboxmag.ca
NOVEMBER 2015
11
Good-quality products at reasonable prices Yes! MUJI is opening its second Canadian location in the heart of Mississauga. The Square One store is larger than its ÄYZ[ SVJH[PVU HUK P[ ^PSS VɈLY UL^ WYVK\J[Z and children’s apparel that are not available at the Toronto store.
MUJI Sq
Well-Fitted Beads Sofa One of MUJI’s bestselling pieces of furniture, the Beads Sofa hugs your body no matter what position you’re sitting in.
opens on
Body $150.00 | Cover $45.00
The beloved Japanese
This super-cute, limitededition coral version of the sofa is for sale to celebrate the opening of MUJI’s second store.
Ash Bed Frame Made with durable ash wood, this beautiful bed frame is capable of supporting your weight without warping.
Cuckoo Clock This little birdie and his clock house will suit any room in your home. Add some creative flair to your wall!
Small $89.00 Large $109.00
Queen $690.00
New N
Food Items Everyone is asking the same question: where is the MUJI food? The answer: Square One! With the grand opening of the Square One store, both stores will start offering nine items from the MUJI food collection.
Candy Yuzu & Kinkan $2.00 | Japanese Lolly with Plum $3.50 | Taiwanese Tea Dong Ding Oolong $5.00
Celebrate the eco-friendly way Get it free Square One My Bag Be one of the first thousand customers and you’ll get the Square One My Bag with any purchase of 10 dollars or more.
12
NOVEMBER 2015
www.bentoboxmag.ca
My Bag Limited Edition
Organic Cotton Flannel Shirt
Maple leaves and the love of hockey. The Canadian spirit is strong in these limited-edition eco-bags—with six designs to discover. $5.00 each
Be fashionable in cold weather. This shirt is soft, warm and pre-washed for the maximum comfort. $39.95
Much-anticipated second store opens
uare One November 7
Special Canadian edition
Fashionably limited! There are only 500 of each print, so get them while you can.
brand is coming to “Sauga.” Hexagonal Water-Based Twin Pen Easy to grip and write with, these pens will make your handwriting look so much neater!
$1.00 each
Ultrasonic (YVTH +PɈ\ZLY Using ultrasonic waves, this diffuser disperses a soft fragrance of your choice to enhance the mood of any room.
$69.50
New Kids Printed T-shirts These Canada-inspired T-shirts, available in four designs, are only at the Square One store. Sizes range from toddler (80 cm) to youth (150 cm). $19.00 each
Less Itchiness Plain Knitted Turtleneck Timeless wardrobe staple with a twist. Cotton-poly blend material is used for the neck to minimize itchiness. $49.00 each
Large Cashmere Stole MUJI never compromises on style and functionality. Wrap this snuggly stole around your neck to beat the cold wind.
$79.00
Learn more about MUJI
MUJI Exhibitions
Friday, October 16th—Sunday, November 15th Square One Shopping Centre (100 City Centre Dr., Mississauga)
Touch Panel Gloves Stay connected with the world and keep tweeting throughout the cold-weather months. $25.00
Two exhibitions, MUJI AWARD 04 in CHINA and MUJI Poster Archive, are currently on display at the event space next to MUJI’s Square One store. Don’t forget to check them out!
Free admission
www.bentoboxmag.ca
NOVEMBER 2015
13
Talking Japan in Toronto
By James Heron Interview
Kirin Kiki in An (Courtesy of TIFF)
Director Naomi Kawase
Kirin Kiki & Naomi Kawase Actor
Director
7KH VWRU\ RI D WLQ\ SDVWU\ VKRS An DVNV ELJ TXHVWLRQV DERXW RXU UHODWLRQVKLS ZLWK WKH QDWXUDO ZRUOG DQG RQH DQRWKHU
14
NOVEMBER 2015
www.bentoboxmag.ca
We sat down with Kawase-san and Kiki-san at the JCCC during their TIFF visit. The two clearly enjoy each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s company and share a keen mutual respect. On the current situation for women in the Japanese ďŹ lm industry: Kawase: There are many roles for women but directors are still rare. I think that is changing, though. The Japanese ďŹ lm world is tight these days no matter your gender. Backers are very riskaverse so if you are a young ďŹ lmmaker, male or female, you need to score a hit or you probably
An (Courtesy of TIFF)
'LUHFWRU 1DRPL .DZDVH¡V QHZ Ă&#x20AC;OP An had its North American premiere at 6HSWHPEHU¡V 7RURQWR ,QWHUQDWLRQDO )LOP )HVWLYDO ,W WHOOV WKH VWRU\ RI 6HQWDUR WKH RZQHU RI D WLQ\ dorayaki VKRS DQG KLV IULHQGVKLS ZLWK HOGHUO\ 7RNXH D ORFDO VDQDWRULXP UHVLGHQW ZKRVH GHOLFLRXV anko EHDQ SDVWH WUDQVIRUPV 6HQWDUR¡V VKRS DQG KLV OLIH $QFKRUHG E\ OHJHQGDU\ DFWRU .LULQ .LNL¡V DVWRQLVKLQJ SHUIRUPDQFH An is Kawaseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most VXFFHVVIXO Ă&#x20AC;OP WR GDWH
Dynamic duo Kawase and Kiki discuss new masterpiece
them. The main characters in An live isolated lives outside the normal world, but within that little dorayaki shop they ďŹ nd one another andâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; even though they are not familyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;they ďŹ nd that kind of happiness. On the experience of working with Kawase:
wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get a second chance. Films adapted from TV shows or manga are a much safer bet if you want a hit. If you have an original screenplay, it is going to be a challenge. Kiki: (laughing) Yes, there are many roles for women but no one wants the ones for old women so it seems like I am taking all of those. On the filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s theme of the nature of happiness: Kawase: Happiness is something that comes from within; a sense of comfort and satisfaction with the self. Others might see a nice car, good clothes or a comfortable lifestyle but such superďŹ cial things are meaningless if one lacks that internal happiness. We cannot know what painful thoughts those people carry within
Kiki: Kawase-san is very unique. She is self-driven and because she is very talented she makes ďŹ lms like this one that brings us to TIFF. I was completely reliant on herâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;I put myself in her hands. It was a good experience that other actors should experience, too. The male directors I work with, like [Hirokazu] Kore-eda or [Masato] Harada, are pretty kind and they cut me a lot of slack, but Kawase-san wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like that. She was exactingâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; she knew what she wanted from her actors. I am not sure I have the strength to work with such a powerful director again. (they both laugh) Kawase: Kiki-san was the obvious choice for the Tokue role. Durian Sukegawa who wrote the novel said he wrote it with her in mind. Kiki: It wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the role but the chance to work with Kawase-san that drew me to the ďŹ lm.
am pleased with the comment. Japanese people do not directly express their feelings but there is a wordless understanding and I had my characters behave that way; they do not explain their feelings or actions but there is an understanding there. I think that is what gives the ďŹ lm its real Japanese sensibility. On future projects: Kawase: Because An was a hit in Japan, many are wondering what I will do next. I have actually made two ďŹ lms in the past two years, this one and Still the Waterâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;so I intend to take my time and see what emerges from inside me. I have to think rationally. Kiki: Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not a problem. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stubborn! (both laughing)
On why Kawaseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ďŹ lms attract so much attention at Cannes and other foreign festivals: Kawase: I focus on my personal vision of our connections to the natural world so my ďŹ lms end up being very â&#x20AC;&#x153;Japanese.â&#x20AC;? Maybe for that reason they have very mysterious â&#x20AC;&#x153;orientalâ&#x20AC;? ďŹ&#x201A;avour that appeals to foreign audiences. I also think they elicit a sense of nostalgia among Parisians for life in the country. As with Tokyo, many people have come to the city from the countryside so my ďŹ lm inspires that longing for nature. Kiki: (laughing) Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the fashion! I think she loves to go to Cannes for the beautiful clothes! On the suggestion that this is Kawaseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most â&#x20AC;&#x153;Japaneseâ&#x20AC;? ďŹ lm: Kawase: It is not something I did purposefully. In fact I do not watch many Japanese ďŹ lms â&#x20AC;Ś but I
Kirin Kiki Kirin Kiki is one of Japanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s busiest and most popular actors. A winner of multiple acting awards, her Ă&#x20AC;OPV LQFOXGH Still Walking, Chronicle of My Mother and Like Father, Like Son.
Naomi Kawase Naomi Kawase is a director and writer, known for Still the Water and Hanezu. A particular favourite DW &DQQHV KHU DZDUG ZLQQLQJ Ă&#x20AC;OPV DUH IHVWLYDO staples around the world.
www.bentoboxmag.ca
NOVEMBER 2015
15
Flavour of the month
By Sheena Kirkbride Ingredient
豊作や勝利を祈願する縁起物として食され、 日本の食文化に寄り添う栗。
Crazy
for
kuri The secret to this nut’s popularity isn’t tough to crack. Delicious yet practical, kuri has stood the test of time.
Kuri 栗
Durable, easy to handle and strong, chestnut wood was widely used during the Jͻmon period, including in the construction of several UNESCO World Heritage Sites that still stand today, such as the homes of the traditional Shirakawa Village.
【くり】
Everyone’s favourite nut Rich in flavour and versatile in nature, Japanese chestnuts have long held a special place in their countrymen’s hearts. Fall is finally coming, but the turning of leaves is not the first indicator of this season in Japan—it’s the appearance of kuri everywhere you go. As the well-known Japanese phrase shokuyoku no aki (“autumn is the season for eating”) attests, there is no other season that can compete with the myriad of delicious foods that fall has to offer. Among them, the Japanese chestnut or kuri is one of the most beloved and symbolic of the season, and it can be found almost everywhere in all shapes and forms. In fact, much like the seasonal pumpkin spice craze in Canada, the Japanese are so crazy about kuri that you’ll find it as a part of seasonal menus across Japan. Convenience stores offer boiled and peeled kuri as a healthy and energy-boosting snack, and there are even Japan-exclusive items from international food companies, such as chestnut pie at McDonald’s and kuri-flavoured ice cream from Häagen-Dazs. The Japanese chestnut (Castanea crenata) is a species that originated in Japan and South Korea and has slightly different characteristics than the varieties we typically find in Canada. During the Jͻmon period, between 14000–300 BC, the cultivation of kuri began in northern Japan. A few hundred years later, southern regions also 16
NOVEMBER 2015
www.bentoboxmag.ca
began to cultivate the nut, which gradually grew in popularity across the rest of the country. Chestnut trees were worshipped with divine respect in certain regions and chestnuts were eaten for luck at festivals.
Warlords used to provide their samurai with dried kuri as a sweet treat that not only preserved well but also offered excellent nourishment for the fighters with its abundance of vitamins and minerals. Kuri picking is a common field trip activity in Japan. Equipped with gloves and sacks, students excitedly scavenge the forest floor for fallen nuts to roast and enjoy.
Because of its mild and sweet flavour, kuri is the perfect ingredient for Japanese confectioneries or wagashi. In the fall, confectionery shops offer a spectacular lineup of sweets made with kuri, such as kuri manju (sweet bean paste and chopped kuri wrapped in flaky dough) and kuri kinton (Japanese sweet potatoes pureed with candied chestnuts). Bakeries also showcase a variety of seasonal desserts, such as chestnut cream cakes. Kuri can typically be found in Asian grocery stores in Canada starting in early fall. When shopping for them, be sure to choose ones that feel heavy and have glossy shells. Older chestnuts tend to lose their moisture content and begin to feel lighter, and in turn lose their sweetness. After you buy them, try to consume them quickly before they start to lose their flavour. They store best and can even grow sweeter if you place them in a Ziploc bag and leave them in a crisper in your fridge for a couple of days. Roasting them the traditional way is always an option, but you can also try making
kuri gohan (chestnut rice) by simply cooking rice with peeled chestnuts, sake and salt. In terms of nutrition, kuri trumps most other nuts with its high potassium, fibre, vitamin C and vitamin B1 content. And with nearly four times the vitamin C as an apple, it’ll help keep you healthy and energized through the autumn months.
www.bentoboxmag.ca
NOVEMBER 2015
17
Drink up!
By Sheena Kirkbride Sake
米の旨味にこだわった熟練の蔵人が 丹念に醸した純米酒。
Tengumai
Location, location, location Ishikawa Prefecture ੴݝ
50 Junmai Daiginjo
天狗舞 純米大吟醸 A craftsman’s sake
-
A drink so good that it makes the gods dance. Ishikawa: Japan’s “food treasury” prefecture
ocated along the west coast in one of Japan’s most sophisticated food cultures, Ishikawa Prefecture, Shata Shuzo Brewery crafts incredibly delicate and refined sakes that sake aficionados go crazy for. Among its lineup of fantastic sake, the award-winning Tengumai 50 Junmai Daiginjo is handmade from some of the finest ingredients— and with the skill and technique that goes into it, this sake is truly the work of craftsmen.
L
Legendary inspiration The tengu is a feared creature in Japanese folklore that resembles a monstrous bird in human form and acts as a guardian to forests. Back in the Edo period, Shata Shuzo was surrounded by dense forests where you might find the creature. The name Tengumai (dancing tengu) was born out of the image of the usually stoic tengu dancing with joy after a taste of this sake.
Carefully hand-crafted Founded in 1823, Shata Shuzo’s family-run brewery is currently operating under the eighth generation, and they take their sake-making seriously. Every step of the process is monitored by humans and is done with painstaking diligence. The finest sake rice in the world from Hyogo Prefecture (Yamadanishiki Gohyakumangoku) is brought to the brewery, where it 18
NOVEMBER 2015
www.bentoboxmag.ca
goes through a careful polishing and washing process that takes weeks and is overseen without pause by expert eyes and hands.
The secret is in the koji Shata Shuzo operates under the philosophy that koji (or rice malt) is one of the most important elements in good sake, and they undertake a very involved process to make their own koji and introduce it to the polished rice grains. Well-trained sake masters study the unique characteristics of the season’s harvested rice to find the optimal time, temperature and strength for mixing the two elements together. The intuition and skills practiced by these masters cannot be imitated by even the most sophisticated machines and are the secret behind this exemplary sake. Well-suited for the food-centric culture of the region, the Tengumai 50 Junmai Daiginjo is an elegant but complex sake that pairs splendidly with any meal: it has an almost magical ability to transform nearly every food into a delicacy. It pairs especially well with elegant flavours, such as silken tofu, sushi and lightly sauced foods, and is most delicious at room temperature. The Tengumai 50 Junmai Daiginjo was declared the winner in the Junmai Daiginjo category at the Sake Institute of Ontario’s Sake Day 2015.
Ishikawa is perfectly situated to take advantage of the best food that the sea and mountains have to offer. Its varied geography and climate have given rise to a distinctive food culture that has had ancient and modern foodies from all over the country flocking to get a taste. Delicious foods need to be accompanied by delicious sake, of course, and luckily the clean rivers and groundwater in the area make it ideal for sake production. A new bullet train makes it easier than ever to visit this culinary heaven.
www.bentoboxmag.ca
NOVEMBER 2015
19
Featured destination
By Brent Borgundvaag Travel
歴史と伝統が色濃く残る街、 秋の京都を歩く
Kyoto
Getting the most from a visit
It’s not just a about bout seeing the sights. It’s abou about immersing yourself in a world that can leave you with a better understanding of what it means to be Japanese.
Perhaps the only structure that can literally outshine anything in Kyoto, this iconic temple is even more spectacular to behold when it reflects the surrounding season.
©Shutterstock.com
20
NOVEMBER 2015
www.bentoboxmag.ca
©Brent Borgundvaag
Embracing contradictions is the secret of Kyoto’s success
Kyoto 【京都】
©S hu tt sto er .c ck
om
A
Photos: left to right ©Chihiro Segawa
lighting from the shinkansen at Kyoto Station, you are unwittingly and immediately immersed in the first of many contradictions that, for me, give Kyoto its particular charm. The sophisticated and ultramodern architectural surprise that is Kyoto Station stands in stark contrast to a seemingly endless number of temples, shrines and historic places, each with thousands of years of history, that all quietly compete to serve as tangible definitions of Kyoto, and perhaps even Japan. The soul of Kyoto represents yet another paradox: that this modern metropolis of 1.5 million people is firmly anchored in nature and, more importantly, in the quintessential Japanese sense of season. So while many claim to visit to see Kyoto’s historic temples, gardens and shrines, it is the season that they really come to see, and it is the season that essentially defines Kyoto. Autumn is of particular significance. Not just because of the spectacular show of nature that turns Kyoto’s gardens, parks and the surrounding hillsides into fiery red and yellow tapestries that symbolize the season, but also because of
the many autumnonly experiences that await travellers seeking new insights into Japan. Viewing autumn colours is a popular pastime around the world, but the show typically ends at sunset. Not in Japan, and certainly not in Kyoto. Two places that should not be missed include Arashiyama Park and the area surrounding Kiyomizu Temple. Here the view is stunning enough in the daylight, but after sunset, special light-up “illuminations” take viewing the autumn colours to a whole new level. This is when the natural scenery becomes surreal, the colours are intensified, and the whole thing can only be seen to be believed. Maybe less dramatic, but perhaps just as memorable, the Sagano Torokko is a small-scale romantic sightseeing train that is a unique and fun way to experience the autumn colours in daylight—from a slightly different perspective. With charming semi-enclosed carriages, the Sagano Torokko travels at a slow pace alongside the Hozu
izu m o Kiy ple Tem
R River between Arashiyama and Kameoka. Everyone gets great autumn views and lots of photo opportunities along the 7.3kilometre route that takes approximately 25 minutes to travel. Kyoto Imperial Palace Autumn Open Days are reason enough for many to visit Kyoto. These are five very special days when you can visit the Kyoto Imperial Palace free of charge, enjoying extraordinary freedom to immerse yourself in a sense of place that was, until 1869, an important symbol of Imperial Japan. Non-Japanese citizens can book guided one-hour tours anytime, but there are just two very special annual chances to explore this stunning palace essentially unsupervised. Held once in spring and once again in autumn, on Open Days the gates are thrown open to the public—and you can experience the palace and surrounding gardens at your own pace, guided only by your curiosity. Geisha, perhaps the only living symbols of both Kyoto and the country of Japan, personify a modern-day enigma that today has gained a sense of seasonality and rarity. Gion Odori in early www.bentoboxmag.ca
NOVEMBER 2015
21
Explore how modern intersects with historic
Maiko 【舞妓】 Nothing beats the thrill of seeing these stunning living symbols of Japan in person as they make their way through the geisha districts of Kyoto.
November is a once-a-year chance to see both geisha and maiko in all their spectacular glory when they perform in the Gion Kaikan theatre. It’s also when you might experience a higher than usual number of geisha and maiko sightings in the narrow streets of Gion and Ponto-cho as they make their way to and from their performances. For anyone who seeks a deeper connection to the seasons, and to Japan itself, Kyoto is an ideal destination. It is a place where culture and nature come together and provide endless opportunity for discovery. Discovering Kyoto, its history and its many contradictions, is an experiential souvenir of a life well travelled. Continues on page 24
古都京都
ko k o r o T Sagano
©Reiko Ema
Follow your curiosity
This restored “old Kyoto”-style pedestrian-only route will lead you up to historic Kiyomizu-dera. Here you can take in the autumn colours of Kyoto perched high above the city.
22
NOVEMBER 2015
www.bentoboxmag.ca
A star in its own right, crossing Togetsukyo Bridge in upscale Arashiyama with the autumn colours as your backdrop can make you feel like a glamorous movie star!
Looking more like it landed than was built, Kyoto Station is a vital transportation hub that boasts excellent shopping and, more importantly, a firstrate tourist information centre.
www.bentoboxmag.ca
NOVEMBER 2015
23
Kyoto’s eats and treats
Matcha
Drink it, eat it, love it!
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur.
京料理 Eating E ti well ll iin K Kyoto t
Kyoto cuisine follows two key principles: the season and simplicity. Kyo-kaiseki—a series of small, elegantly presented dishes whose flavours, colours and presentation embody the season in edible form— strives at its highest level to be as simple as possible. Yu dofu (or simmered tofu) epitomizes simplicity in both presentation and flavour. Not surprisingly, both stake claims to Kyoto’s culinary heritage.
お抹茶
Kyoto is home to the Japanese tea ceremony, so it follows that matcha is a part of everyday life. Forget lattes—Kyotoites prefer bowls of thick, foamy and flavourful matcha elegantly balanced with something sweet. Wagashi are traditional, highly seasonal and almost too beautiful to eat sweets designed to elevate the matcha drinking experience, not simply accompany it. In contrast, matcha-flavoured sweets are modern and creative inventions that can be found in many different forms, including rare, limited edition matcha-flavoured chocolate bars. ©Chiyako Mukai
©Chihiro Segawa
おみやげ ©Chiyako Mukai
Picking the perfect memento to commemorate your trip to Kyoto is a challenge with a dual nature. Shopping for the definitive omiyage (souvenir) can help you better explore and unravel the contradictions and seasonality of this amazing city, and will leave you with something to cherish long after the autumn leaves have fallen. Even if your criteria is that the souvenir must be unique to Kyoto, the choices are endless, limited only by the space available in your luggage, your budget and your imagination.
©Chihiro Segawa
Souvenirs
Kyoto yuzen craft
Tsukemono
Yuzen craft is the art of applying colourful dyes to fabric and using stencils to create intricate designs and patterns. Try your hand at it in one of several hands-on yuzen workshops found around Kyoto.
The ultimate omiyage from Kyoto, Japanese pickles are delicious served in a bowl of rice with tea as ochazuke. But beware of the double meaning: in Kyoto, a host offering ochazuke is code for “you’ve overstayed your welcome!” All photos courtesy of JNTO unless otherwise noted
24
NOVEMBER 2015
www.bentoboxmag.ca
THE BEST IN ASIAN NOVEMBER 5–15, 20
CINEMA
15
www.bentoboxmag.ca
NOVEMBER 2015
25
Cultural curiosity
By M Crowson Only in Japan
Find the traditional way of tea Discover the graceful social dance that is the traditional Japanese tea ceremony. 茶道はおもてなしの心。一杯のお茶から侘び寂びの精神を学ぶ。 Any Japanese culture enthusiast must try the art of the tea ceremony at least once—if not in Japan then with a tea master in Canada. Tea ceremony is called sadͻ in Japanese, meaning “the way of tea,” or chanoyu, which simply means “hot water for tea.” But sadͻ is about much more than simply drinking tea. From start to finish, the entire process is about putting one’s heart into preparing a bowl of tea and sharing a spiritually and esthetically refined ritual with your guests.
I’M REACHING INNER PEACE...
The history of tea ceremony stretches back over a thousand years to when tea seeds were first brought to Japan from China. Sadͻ was perfected in the 16th century by the famous tea master Sen no Rikyu. He popularized the wabicha style of tea ceremony, which prizes rustic simplicity and directness. Even today, each ceremony is performed with careful attention to harmony, from the tea tools, to those who drink the tea, to the changing seasons. Depending on the season, each ceremony is performed differently, using different tools and even different room decorations. Tea practitioners divide the year into two main seasons: the “sunken heart” season, which
26
NOVEMBER 2015
www.bentoboxmag.ca
starts in November and lasts until April, and the warmer “brazier” season, which begins in May and ends in October. As the beginning of the tea year, November is a special time for sadͻ practitioners, marked by the kuchikiri no chaji, a ceremony to celebrate breaking the seal on a new jar of tea. Tea ceremony normally takes place in a chashitsu, a small “tea room” where the host invites a modest gathering, usually about four or five guests. The guests are given a ranking: Shokyaku, the first guest, or the guest of honour, is followed by Jikyaku, then Sankyaku, and so on down the line.
The last guest must know all the rules of sadͻ and plays a special facilitating role. Each guest enters respectfully and takes a designated seat, and everyone performs a task during the ceremony, depending on their ranking. Traditional seating involves sitting seiza, or sitting on the tatami floor with your legs folded under you and your butt resting on your heels. Sitting seiza is a key way of expressing respect through the body. Your host, the Teishu, will probably provide a small plate of wagashi (Japanese sweets), which should be put aside until the Teishu has warmed the chawan (tea bowl). No one should before the Shokyaku, who always goes first. Once everyone has eaten the sweets the Teishu will add matcha, a finely ground green tea powder, to the chawan, then mix it with a wooden whisk until it has a rich, creamy consistency. When it is your time to drink, first admire the bowl and rotate it in your hands. After you drink, wipe the rim of the cup, then pass it to the next guest. Each graceful gesture is part of the larger social experience of mindfulness, sincerity and attention to others.
Tea ceremony DOs and DON’Ts
FOLLOWING SADͺ to a T Certified tea masters train for a decade to perfect this art, but don’t let that intimidate you. There are plenty of resources to teach yourself sadȬ etiquette:
DO walk slowly on the tatami mat.
DO hold your teacup with both hands.
Tatami floors can be slippery … not to mention that it’s bad form to rush to your seat.
It is bad manners to use one hand—and definitely don’t put your finger in the cup!
DON’T be a slouch.
The chashitsu is not your living room, so don’t sprawl like a couch potato. Sit properly in seiza.
Illustrations by Chieko Watanabe
www.bentoboxmag.ca
NOVEMBER 2015
27
One-of-a-kind dining
By Jenny McKechnie Restaurant in Tokyo
東京で、エキゾチックな神秘的な千一夜物語の世界に浸る。
Take a trip from
Makbeelly yourance! d
the heart of Tokyo Jump on your magic carpet and end up here! If you have had dreams of travelling to the Middle East, being surrounded by amazing music, stunning architecture and décor, and a variety of foods—but instead find yourself standing in the Shinjuku district of Tokyo, look no further … Arabian Rock is likely just steps away. Although it will in no way fulfil any sense of actually travelling to the Middle East, it’s definitely on the list of must-see, absolutely eccentric theme dining experiences. So, no, you won’t be surrounded by culture and authentic cuisine, but, oh yes, you will quickly start to feel like Aladdin’s magic carpet took you way off course. On street level, Arabian Rock is hard to miss. In contrast to Shinjuku’s busy and functional architecture, Arabian Rock looks like a cheesy movie set that’s been left behind long after the 28
NOVEMBER 2015
www.bentoboxmag.ca
crew packed up and left. But, hey, in the world of theme restaurants, ‘cheesy’ comes with high praise. Enter into the restaurant and you will be guided to the magic, golden lamp. Rub it, and no genie will arise (darn!). However, a secret door will open and you’ll be granted permission to enter into a maze of rooms adorned with a rich texture of colourful fabrics and tiles. Once inside, expect to be seated comfortably, surrounded by Persian carpets and decorative e hookah pipes and lanterns. Enjoy a night out ut with friends, or keep it an intimate experience ce for two in one of the cute booths—which offer fer some privacy with the pull of a curtain! The serverving staff is friendly and attentive, making each ach customer feel welcome—and they really play into the theme by dressing in belly-dancer costumes. mes.
This restaurant grants your dining wishes
Arabian Nights Impress your friends with these facts
A feast fit for a sultan
A flight from Tokyo to Dubai runs between $750 and $1,000 A flight from Canada to Tokyo to Dubai would cost even more. Surprising, isn’t it? Persia first began the custom of colouring eggs to celebrate spring thousands of years ago Sinbad was the hero from a series of legends. He was also a sailor. Hence, Sinbad the Sailor
For the English-speaking traveller, you may have to get by with a bit of pointing, as the e menu is in Japanese. But playing food roulette te with the menu only adds to the experience! No let’s get down to business. If you aren’t Now, so much there for the atmosphere, but you u are there for the food (I get it … I am a foodie), th odie), Arabian Rock offers up something for everyone. A yone. Rather than strictly authentic Middle Eastern t cuisine, the restaurant offers Arabian-inspired Japanese fusion. Salads, pizza and kebabs are popular choices—certainly all of which have a Japanese twist. Desserts are, naturally, done up to be quite cute, and you can expect to see dishes that include creams, fruits, chocolate and ice cream (yum!). If you are more of a fine cocktail connoisseur, you’ll have fun taste-testing choices from the themed cocktail menu. A fun tradition at Arabian Rock involves each table receiving an appetizer of golden eggs—
celebrating the famous tale of the “Goose a and the Golden Eggs.” Sad these are just runSadly, of-the of-the-mill chicken eggs of questi questionable value (do eggs decre decrease in value when paint painted?). But, either way, defin it definitely adds to the charm th experience! off the In terms of price, as with most theme restaurants, costs run a bit higher than your average dining establishment—but remember, you’re paying for the experience. And at this magical place, where anniversaries are celebrated with cake shaped like a pyramid (!), that experience is guaranteed to be unique and unforgettable. So, pull on your flowing skirt (or pants!), gyrate those hips and make some room in your day for Arabian Rock. It will leave you with some interesting stories to tell!
Before animation came along, Aladdin was a folk tale stemming from the collection of tales compiled in Arabian Nights
Arabian Rock
Although there are locations in other parts of Japan, Tokyo’s Shinjuku location is easily accessed: it’s just a short walk from the eastern exit of the Shinjuku Station. www.arabianrock.jp TEL: 03-5292-5512 2F/3F Square Bldg, Yasukuni Dori, 1-16-3 Kabuki-Cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo OPEN HOURS Daily 5 pm–5 am
www.bentoboxmag.ca
NOVEMBER 2015
29
o t o g s ’ t e L
Ghibli Museum, Mitaka! ∼ 三鷹の森 ジブリ美術館 ∼
©Museo d’Arte Ghibli
Searching for a place where childhood fantasies like a library of treasures, a magical cat-bus and beautiful mosaics surround you, just as if you’ve been embraced by magic? If this sounds like your ideal place to be, make your next destination the Ghibli Museum, Mitaka!
Ghibli Museum, Mitaka, opened in 2001, was designed by famed Japanese animation director Hayao Miyazaki and is a dreamlike gathering place for his far-reaching fans. Just stepping inside will transport you to wonderland! The museum is like a beautiful maze, adorned with handcrafted stained glass that depicts Ghibli characters and colourful scenes. If you’re looking for animated film gold, you’ll find it here. Big or small, this museum offers something for everyone. Animation fans can check out exclusive behind-the-scenes material. Or try exploring the building’s stunning architecture, dynamic film exhibits, life-sized ‘cat-bus’ and robot-topped terrace. Just make sure to refuel at the café, and take a peek in the one-of-a-kind Ghibli shop!
How to buy tickets outside Japan A popular spot inside the Ghibli Museum
Museum Shop:
MAMMA AIUTO! You will find many treasures here! “MAMMA AIUTO!” (meaning “Mama, help me” in Italian) was named after the well-known “sky pirate” characters in the Studio Ghibli movie Porco Rosso. At this museum shop, you will find your favourite Ghibli Museum original gift items. The shop and its window displays are filled with unexpected, delightful and truly extraordinary gems. Spend some time, look around— you are likely to find something special for yourself!
30
NOVEMBER 2015
www.bentoboxmag.ca
Entrance to the Ghibli Museum, Mitaka is strictly by advance purchase of a reserved ticket which specifies the appointed date of the reservation. You can get reserved tickets at designated local travel agency counters in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, North America, Europe and Australia. Method of purchase In addition to purchasing tickets at JTB International (Canada) Ltd., reservations can be made by telephone or email. *For details, please contact JTB International (Canada) Ltd. www.jtb.ca Type of ticket Reservation ticket (admission voucher) with designated admission date. *Reservation ticket will be issued by JTB.
Ticket prices (tax included) Adult (Age 19 and over) CAD $13.00 Youth (Age 13–18) CAD $ 9.50 Child (Age 7–12) CAD $ 5.00 Child (Age 4–6) CAD $ 1.50 *Children under 4 are admitted free of charge. *Transaction fee of CAD $5.00 + tax per ticket will be charged. Information Ghibli Museum, Mitaka Address: 1-1-83 Simorenjaku, Mitaka-shi, Tokyo, 181-0013 Website: www.ghibli-museum.jp How to get there? Take the JR Chuo Line to Mitaka Station. Approx. 20 min. from Shinjuku Station. From the Mitaka South Exit, approx. 15 min. walk along the Tamagawa Josui “Waterworks” to the museum. A community bus can be taken from Mitaka Station to the museum.
www.bentoboxmag.ca
NOVEMBER 2015
31
What’s happening?
November 2015 Events to use the techniques appropriate to each, goods have been created that combine ease of use with beauty. This exhibition introduces hand-crafted objects made from traditional materials with traditional techniques from all over Japan. Representative objects designated as “Traditional Craft Objects” under the Japanese government’s Traditional Manufactured Goods Law form the core of the exhibition, supplemented by works of craft artists.
Film Reel Asian Film Festival
Fuyu Matsuri—Winter Festival The Winter Family Festival will be back again on Sunday, December 13, with a brand new name: “Fuyu Matsuri”—Winter Festival! Sit on Santa’s lap and tell him what presents you want.
Thursday, November 5–Sunday, November 15 Various location across Toronto and Richmond Hill Galas and Centrepiece Presentation $15–20, Regular screenings $12 (Promo code available, see p.25) | More info: reelasian.com > The Reel Asian Film Festival, Canada’s largest Asian film festival that showcases contemporary Asian cinema from all over the world, is returning this November for its 19th year. These ten exciting days of galas, screenings, forums, workshops and parties are aimed at fuelling the growing appreciation of Asian cinema in Canada. This year’s festival will be held in Toronto and Richmond Hill and is set to include numerous Japanese films. Director Randall Okita is this year’s Canadian Spotlight Artist and his five celebrated films will be screened together for the first time. The official programming schedule is now available on the festival’s website, so make sure you check it out and plan to see your favourites!
Web comedy series “Yukata Cowboy” Thursday, November 12 More info: yukatacowboy.com
Exhibitions Camera Atomica Until Sunday, November 15 | $19.50 Adult, $16 Senior, $11 Youth/student, Free under five years old Art Gallery of Ontario (317 Dundas St. W., Toronto) More info: www.ago.net/camera-atomica > Photographs have played a crucial role in shaping perceptions of nuclear weapons and nuclear energy. The Art Gallery of Ontario is presenting Camera Atomica—guest-curated by writer, curator and art historian John O’Brian—which is the first substantial exhibition of nuclear photography to encompass the entire postwar period from the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 to the triple meltdown at Fukushima Daiichi in 2011. 32
NOVEMBER 2015
www.bentoboxmag.ca
Photo by Phil Hughes © Globetrot Productions 2015
Sunday, December 13, 11 am–4 pm | Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre (6 Garamond Ct., Toronto) $5 General, Free for children three and under | More info: jccc.on.ca
Handcrafted Form: Tradition and Techniques Until Tuesday, January 12, 2016 | The Japan Foundation (2 Bloor St. E., Hudson’s Bay Centre 3F, Toronto) More info: jftor.org/events/handcrafted-form > People in Japan are surrounded by utilitarian craft objects that have been brought into being and nurtured within their daily lives. By making the most of the raw materials of each craft—ceramics, textiles, metal work, la lacquerware, wood and bamboo work, paper, etc.—and contriving
>
The cross-cultural sketch comedy series “Yukata Cowboy,” about the Most Mistaken Man in the World, will launch online this fall. The series is inspired by the true fish-out-of-water mishaps of Japanese-American filmmaker Atsushi Ogata. With a cowboy hat, Japanese “yukata” (casual summer garment) and rapid-fire tongue, Yukata Cowboy drifts across the U.S., Japan and Europe. In each country, he tries to fit in, but the more he fits in, the more he is mistaken for someone else. He struggles to find his own voice. Each epi-
Where Canadians can go to celebrate Japanese culture
sode focuses on an aspect of the everyday from the perspective of a cross-cultural traveller, such as travelling by bike and by train, riding elevators and making friends. Ogata employs impromptu costumes, makeshift wigs, animated tchotchkes and anything else he can get his hands on to reenact his many adventures. The tone is witty and light-hearted, suitable for multicultural, educated, family audiences.
Performances Banana Boys Tuesday, November 3–Sunday, November 22 $35 | Factory Theatre (125 Bathurst St., Toronto) More info: www.factorytheatre.ca > What exactly is a banana boy? To a group of Asian men in their twenties, it’s a peculiar predicament; “growing up yellow on the outside, and white on the inside.” Drawn together by the death of their friend and unofficial leader, five young Asian men must confront unrealized potential, devastating loss and time travel … all while trying not to punch too many white boys in the face. This wickedly funny play, adapted from the celebrated book, is a call to everyone who has felt out of place in the world.
Kiyoko Suizenji Enka Concert Saturday, November 7, 2 pm, 6 pm | $50 Floor seats and stadium rows A-G, $40 Stadium rows H-R | Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre (6 Garamond Ct., Toronto) | More info: jccc.on.ca > Kiyoko Suizenji, one of the leading Enka singers in Japan, is coming to Toronto! Her career spans over 50 years and her joyful songs have cheered everybody’s hearts and minds. Her most popular song called “The March of 365 Steps” has encouraged many people with its positive lyrics and melody. Among many of her hit songs, “One Plus One” has been danced to at many festivals and is particularly famous among Japanese Canadians. She will be having a concert at the JCCC this November so come and enjoy this legendary voice.
DIR EN GREY Tour Friday, November 13, 7 pm | $28 The Opera House (735 Queen St. E., Toronto) More info: theoperahousetoronto.com > DIR EN GREY’s North American Tour “Never Free from the Awakening” will include Toronto as its final destination. DIR EN GREY have gained notoriety throughout Asia and, in more recent years, Europe and America due in part to their hardhitting sound, controversial lyrical content and Kyo’s diverse vocal range. While DIR EN GREY’s musical direction is rock at its core, since their formation in 1997, the band has experimented with a myriad of genres which makes them increasingly complicated to define.
Lives and Trials of the Kamloops Kid Wednesday, November 18, 1 pm, 7 pm | $20 Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre (6 Garamond Ct., Toronto) | More info: 416-441-2345 > After the successful world premiere of Interrogation: Lives and Trials of the Kamloops Kid at this year’s Toronto Fringe Festival (July 1–12, 2015), Karri Yano and Evan Mackay (co-writer and director) are delighted to present two encore performances of the production at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre. A brother and sister divided by war: he on trial for treason in Japan; she classified “enemy alien” in Canada. Told through letters and images from opposite sides of WWII, this intimate look at how loyalty and national identity are shaped, chosen or forced upon us is inspired by the true story of “Canada’s war criminal” Kanao Inouye.
Nagata Shachu Saturday, November 28, 8 pm; Sunday, November 29, 2 pm | Regular $37/$32/$27, Student/Senior $20 | Fleck Dance Theatre (207 Queens Quay W., Toronto) | More info: nagatashachu.com > Experience Nagata Shachu as you never have before, when eleven past, present and future members unite onstage to create this once-ina-lifetime performance. This event will feature
new and rearranged works for a large ensemble on Japanese drums, bamboo flutes and voice. This concert marks Nagata Shachu’s 17th annual concert and season opener in an evening of infectious rhythms, song and movement.
Other Cosme Proud Beauty Seminar Saturday, November 7, 11 am for Japanese, 3 pm for English | J-town (3160 Steeles Ave. E., Markham) | More info: 905-943-9248 (Japan Beauty Images Inc.) > Are you washing your face properly? This seminar will teach you the core of every skin care routine with Cosme Proud’s luxury soap created by Japanese soap specialists. Space is limited to 15 participants per session.
ROM Daytime: A Transnational History of Japanese Prints Thursday, December 10, 11 am | Free with museum admission | The Eaton Theatre, Royal Ontario Museum, Level B1, Hilary and Galen Weston Wing (100 Queen’s Park, Toronto) More info: rom.on.ca > ROM Daytime brings experts in the fields of archaeology, natural history, biodiversity, world art and contemporary culture to share new discoveries, amazing artifacts and cutting-edge science in a fascinating series of daytime lectures. On December 10, the ROM’s Asato Ikeda talks about the history of Japanese prints as a lecture titled “A Transnational History of Japanese Prints: The Inuit-Japan Exchange of the 1950s.” Based on the true story of Canadian artist James Houston, Ikeda takes you on an intercontinental journey between Canada’s Far North and Japan. Explore the artistic exchange between Inuit and Japanese printmakers in the mid-20th century, and its impact on the history of Japanese woodblock prints.
www.bentoboxmag.ca
NOVEMBER 2015
33
Hit the books
By M Crowson Books
Get ready to play a brutal game
More spine-tinglers from
Pushkin Vertigo:
The Tokyo Zodiac Murders by Soji
Vertigo by Boileau-Narcejac
Shimada
Forty years of national speculation couldn’t crack this murder mystery—but two men intend to solve it.
Author info
Soji Shimada (島田 荘司) has written over 100 novels, including several critically acclaimed series. He received the Japan Mystery Literature Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2009. Ross and Shika Mackenzie have translated work as part of the Japanese Literature Publishing Project. Their translation of Shimada’s The Tokyo Zodiac Murders first appeared in 2004.
On February 26, 1939, on a snowy night in Tokyo, an anti-social artist is murdered inside his studio, which is locked from the inside. His body is found the next day, along with evidence of his meticulous plot to butcher six young women—his daughters and nieces who live in the neighbouring house. His plan: slice them up and create Azoth, the perfect woman, an astrologyand alchemy-inspired masterwork he would enthrone at the centre of Japan. In a seemingly unrelated incident, a female family member is murdered days later—but when the six women go missing, and their dismembered bodies turn up in the months after his death, the nation is swept into a decades-long fixation on what comes to be known as the “Tokyo Zodiac Murders.” The case is stone cold in 1979, when two men decide to solve the impossible. This debut novel, which was shortlisted for the Edogawa Rampo Award, is part of the honkaku (authentic) subgenre of murder mysteries. Unlike psychological thrillers, honkaku novels draw the reader directly into the game with intricate plots and carefully laid clues. Shimada’s novel is all in on the gambit. Multiple charts and illustrations are included for the reader to analyze, and the book is compiled as if it were a non-fiction work. 34
NOVEMBER 2015
www.bentoboxmag.ca
The protagonists—two amateur detectives living in Tokyo—form a classic Holmes and Watson pairing, and their sometimes competitive, sometimes gentle relationship forms the novel’s secondary narrative thread. The so-called compiler of the case file is freelance illustrator and mystery novellover Kazumi Ishioka. Ishioka is an enthusiastic but somewhat clueless sidekick to his best friend Kiyoshi Mitarai, a brilliant, eccentric astrologer with a sarcastic streak. Mitarai’s reputation brings the pair information that the public would kill for, but it’s a clue with the potential for collateral damage, so they must proceed with caution. The novel is organized like a play, with acts, scenes and a list of dramatis personae, and the reader is also an active character the story. In fact, at two crucial points, Shimada breaks the third wall and speaks directly to the reader. He admits that all the necessary clues have been provided “for the sake of fairness of the game.” But the question is, are you, the reader, up to solving it? Or will you too be “sacrificed at the altar of this mystery”? Your first clue is the Prologue, which is the last will and testament of Heikichi Umezawa, the first victim and would-be killer. Umezawa’s occult obsessions paint a violent picture that may be too twisted for some, but for crime novel junkies, it’s
A tale of obsession and deceit unfolds in World War II Paris. This co-authored novel was the inspiration behind Alfred Hitchcock’s classic film of the same name.
I Was Jack Mortimer
by Alexander Lernet-Holenia In this well-paced, atmospheric mystery, a cabbie in 1930s Vienna takes the identity of a murdered client—and is drawn into the intriguing web of the man’s life.
a perfectly evil hook. Act One introduces the two would-be detectives and establishes all the clues available to the public. Because it’s a 40-year retrospective, the first act is exposition-heavy and lacks the tension of mysteries that follow a fresh killer on the loose, but it does establish a sparring sense of friendship between Ishioka and Mitarai, and it provides important keys to unlocking the mystery at hand. Things pick up again in the first Entr’acte, an “intermission” which introduces the reader to sensitive new details. Once the facts have been established the action kicks into high gear in Act Three: the reader is propelled along with the two sleuths as they scramble to solve the case before their secret clue is exposed to the world. Shimada’s novel is one of the first titles from Pushkin Vertigo, a brand new crime imprint that features mysteries written between the 1920s and the 1970s by international masters of the genre. During its September debut the imprint’s bold cover art—designed by Jamie Keenan— became a source of Twitter controversy: some called the art too hard to read, while others loved the visual mystery. The question is, what do you think, dear reader?
www.dentelle.ca Tel: 416-847-5311 Email: info@dentelle.ca
@ dentellepatisserie
www.bentoboxmag.ca
NOVEMBER 2015
35
Film focus
By James Heron Movie
Four sisters, one beautiful film Courtesy of TIFF
Master director Hirokazu Kore-eda adapts Akimi Yoshida’s manga of four sisters creating a new family in the wake of a father’s passing. The resulting film is one of his finest to date.
MOVIE INFO Our Little Sister (2015) Directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda Starring Haruka Ayase, Masami Nagasawa and Kaho Screenplay by Hirokazu Kore-eda, based on the manga by Akimi Yoshida
When their father—absent for the last 15 years—dies, three sisters travel to his funeral and meet their shy teenage half-sister. Bonding quickly with the orphaned Suzu, they invite her to live with them. Suzu eagerly agrees, and a new life of joyful discovery begins for the four siblings....
T
he Toronto International Film Festival presented another great lineup of Japanese films this year, among them the latest by festival favourites Takashi Miike, Sion Sono, Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Naomi Kawase and Mamoru Hosoda. Hirokazu Kore-eda is probably the festival’s most beloved Japanese director—every film in his career since 1996 has had its place in the TIFF lineup. He is back this year with his adaptation of Akimi Yoshida’s bestselling serial manga Umimachi Diary, titled Our Little Sister in English. In one of the film’s closing scenes at the beach, the sisters agree that a key component to happiness is the ability to see and appreciate beauty. That too is the key to enjoying this film, whether searching Haruka Ayase’s perfect porcelain beauty for ripples of submerged regret and guilt, gazing at Kore-eda’s lovely watercolour photography or appreciating the delicately balanced screenplay that shows us very little yet tells us so much. The film has been embraced by the Japanese film public and rightfully so. Our Little Sister is about the three twenty-something Kͻda sisters who live in Kamakura in a rambling 36
NOVEMBER 2015
www.bentoboxmag.ca
wooden house owned by their great-aunt Fumiyo (Kirin Kiki). Sachi (Haruka Ayase), the eldest sister and de facto head of the family, works as a terminal care nurse; the middle child, Yoshino (Masami Nagasawa), has a successful career at a bank; the youngest, Chika (Kaho), is a fun-loving free spirit. Learning of their estranged father’s death—he left 15 years earlier to marry another woman in Yamagata—the sisters travel to the funeral and encounter his widow and his daughter: their 14-year-old half-sister, Suzu (Suzu Hirose). Suzu’s mother is clearly not a competent parent and the sisters, identifying with shy Suzu’s loss, impulsively invite their half-sister to live with them. She accepts and soon joins their household. The film explores the gentle shifts and evolving alliances within this emerging family, probing the theme of family dynamics, particularly those in fragmented or composite families. As in films like Nobody Knows and Still Walking, it is the absent characters—those separated by death or circumstance—who are of major significance; here too they are very much present. Kore-eda cleverly shows them to us as reflections within the living characters: stern but sensitive Sachi is the shadow of her grandmother, Yoshino is their
Kore-eda works his customary magic, drawing out nuanced performances and unforced chemistry from his actors.
romantically confused mother and in Chika we see the free spirit of her father. The film also benefits from an unforced chemistry between the sisters, often seen laughing or bickering over a meal. Kore-eda has said that this byplay is genuine as the four leads spent almost a year together making the film and had ample time to get to know one another as well as their characters. Kore-eda has been called the world’s finest director of children, wrapping stories around their unscripted and natural behaviour. It’s clear he has done the same here, capturing unguarded moments from the adult cast. The film’s pace is slow and it should be: this sumptuous banquet of subtle flavours and rich variety is something to savour. It takes it time and it is certainly worth yours. Our Little Sister has been picked up for Canadian distribution, so expect to see it in cinemas, and at the JCCC, soon.
www.bentoboxmag.ca
NOVEMBER 2015
37
Styling tips
By Sarah Dickson Beauty
Put your best face forward Add these Japanese beauty secrets to your routine for your best face yet!
When it comes to beauty, Japanese women know how it’s done. Beauty Star in Pacific Mall offers some of the best in Japanese products to revitalize your skin.
No.1r Selle
Canmake
Kate
Canmake make
Marshmallow Finish Powder
Eyebrow brow Powder
Cream Cheek Blush
Concealing powder with SPF 26 hides imperfections and evens out skin tone for a face that looks as soft and supple as marshmallow.
Available in two shades. Comes with a dualended brush to ensure that your contouring and blending is always on point.
Tofu no Moritaya
Kanebo o
Soy Milk Yogurt Mask
Suisai Beauty Clear Powder
This dreamy soy-based yogurt mask brightens and softens the skin, leaving you with a luminous glow.
38
NOVEMBER 2015
www.bentoboxmag.ca
Contains essential enzymes to unclog pores and remove dead skin cells, leaving nothing behind but bright, firm, beautiful skin.
The gel texture feels silky soft to the touch for easy application, then dries to a perfect finish.
Beauty Star TEL: 905-258-0353 Pacific Mall, 4300 Steeles Ave. E., Markham OPEN: Sun–Thu 11:30 am–8 pm Fri–Sat 11:30 am–9 pm
www.bentoboxmag.ca
NOVEMBER 2015
39
] [PR
ro a t Kin
a ay k Iza
Dig into delicious, down-home Japanese eats With wooden seats, bright paper lanterns and the savoury scent of meat grilling in the air, Kintaro Izakaya seamlessly recreates Japanese izakaya culture in the heart of Toronto. Kintaro Izakaya, located near the busy intersection of Church and Wellesley, brings the cosy, lively atmosphere of Japan’s izakaya restaurants to downtown Toronto. Half bar, half tapas restaurant, Kintaro serves up the best of both worlds. Here diners can relax among the comforting murmur of fellow patrons without the need for a shouting match with the people sitting across the table. And the wide variety of dishes on
offer—both traditional and fusion-inspired— promises a delicious meal for any palate. Though the menu includes ubiquitous Japanese fare like sushi and ramen, Kintaro’s claim to fame is their broad selection of yakitori— juicy skewers of charcoal-grilled meat that are a staple for any respectable izakaya in Japan. Kintaro offers classic Japanese favourites such as momo negi (chicken thigh and green onion) and hatsu (chicken heart) as well as culinary curveballs like bacon-wrapped pineapple. Their enoki bacon (bacon-wrapped enoki mushroom) is a crowd favourite. One order consists of two skewers, perfect for sampling a range of combinations. At Kintaro you’ll find healthy grills and greens, a refreshing change from the usual deep-fried bar food. Try pairing their skewers with fresh, scrumptious sides like the salmon and avocado salad. Feeling the autumn chill these days? Step inside and warm up with a hot bowl of oden—fish cakes and vegetables in a light soup of fish broth. It’s a comfort-food classic in Japan.
However, ask anyone in Japan and they’ll tell you that nothing pairs with savoury grilled skewers quite like an ice-cold drink, and Kintaro’s newly revamped cocktail menu goes toe to toe with their assortment of tapas. Choose from a slew of Japanese mixes blending traditional ingredients like sake, shochu, ginger and yuzu, which infuses cocktails with a fragrant hit of sweet citrus. Kintaro’s wabi-sabi Caesar is a Japanese twist on a classic, blending sake, vodka, Clamato juice and secret spices. An oasis of warm comfort in the city, Kintaro Izakaya’s homey ambience invites diners to relax into a unique brand of bar culture normally found only in Japan.
Kintaro Izakaya kintaroizakaya.com TEL: 647-560-5335 459 Church St., Toronto "* \Ê-Õ q/ ÕÊxÊ« q£Ê> ÊUÊ À q->ÌÊxÊ« qÓÊ>
Welcom Canad e to a
G O Let's
llearn earn
N I H O N G O
easy JJapanese apanese Intermediate
My name is_.
Thank a professional acquaintance, or an associate of higher rank, for doing something specific for you by using “action verb te (て) form + くださ ってありがとうございます/ございました (kudasatte arigatou gozaimasu/gozaimashita.)
_to mȬshimasu.
Thank you for coming today.
Pair your sophisticated introduction with a bow for the best way to make a good first impression with someone you’re meeting for the first time.
Your company CEO is visiting from the headquarters in Japan and you want to make a good impression, but what do you say? Use honorifics, or keigo (敬語), to be courteous to your guest. Here are some polite Japanese phrases you can use to impress.
I appreciate your continued support and encouragement. ご指導ご佃撻のほど、 よろしくお願いいたします。
_と申します。
Beginner
Being polite in Japanese!
本日は、 お越しくださって ありがとうございます。 Honjitsu wa okoshikudasatte arigatou gozaimasu.
Goshido gobentatsu no hodo, yoroshiku onegai itashimasu.
Advanced Bentatsu (佃撻) means to whip someone in order to drive them, but the word is commonly used by subordinates in business conversations to refer to the act of encouraging someone.
Compiled by Nina Lee and Kozumi Miya-Woolford. Brought to you by the Toronto Japanese Language School | www.tjls.ca | @tjlsca | principal@tjls.ca
www.bentoboxmag.ca
Illustration by Reiko Ema
NOVEMBER 2015
41
Memoir ࡔ ࡕ ࠕ
By Shelley Suzuki the first kampai (cheers) before taking a swig of beer. And, of course, stand patiently in line in an orderly fashion no matter what! These are just a few of the manners and polite gestures one must follow in order to fit into Japanese society.
Illustration by Chieko Watanabe
Keeping the peace
Politeness takes precedence in Japanese society, so remember to mind your manners—please! I can still remember the moment it hit me: after a few months in Japan, I was observing two colleagues engaged in calm, quiet conversation and I took a slow breath as a feeling of peace washed over me. I couldn’t remember the last time I had seen a confrontation or been on the receiving end of rude behaviour. Don’t get me wrong—conflict and rudeness exist in Japan. However, being highly discouraged, they aren’t often apparent in everyday life. As a pacifist, I’ve always disliked confrontation and sought to resolve conflicts whenever they cropped up in my personal life. Now, finding myself in a country where politeness, courtesy and
42
NOVEMBER 2015
www.bentoboxmag.ca
formality prevail, I was hooked! Bowing is a prime example of a Japanese custom used to show respect—one that foreigners tend to find easy to pick up and difficult to lose. Months after returning to Canada, I was still bowing. The lower you bow, the higher the rank of the other person, or the more respect you aim to show. Still today, I occasionally catch myself bowing to people as I go about my daily errands. It can be tricky to keep track of all the customs and formalities at first. Take your shoes off before you enter someone’s home or a department store change room. Always remember to bring your friends, family and colleagues a souvenir from your travels. Shower thoroughly before you enter a public bath. In a group setting, wait until after
In fact, the very way you speak is an important form of showing respect. I was coached ceaselessly by my Japanese tutor on the various levels of politeness when speaking to someone and how to use the most polite Japanese. In Japan’s impeccable service industry, using polite Japanese is a must. How you speak to someone is the key to avoiding conflict and keeping the peace, and this I valued immensely. I miss it very much, particularly when I go to a store and am rung in by a teenager snapping gum, talking on a cell phone and rolling his or her eyes while tossing my change to me across the counter. Politeness and formality are at the heart of the Japanese language. Yoroshiku onegai shimasu are words spoken when meeting someone for the first time but also when asking someone for a favour, or when you expect something of them. It subtly implies that you are imposing on the other person in some way and that you are sorry for it. This phrase highlights the very essence of Japanese culture—a keen awareness of other people, the effect that actions have on other people and the importance of upholding the status quo. For me, Japan was like a safe, comfortable cocoon— a place where I could feel secure in the formality and predictability of politeness.
SHELLEY SUZUKI is a long-time teacher of English as a Second Language in Canada and Japan. She currently runs an English school via Skype and is pursuing a teaching career, or whatever other interesting opportunities may come her way. She appeared on the Japanese TV show Okusama wa Gaikokujin (My Wife is a Foreigner). She hopes to become a children’s book writer and illustrator when she grows up.
[PR] Ryoji Ramen & Izakaya
Vol.9
All the deliciousness of ramen, dipping style! Take a dip into this upside-down side-down en. way of enjoying ramen. Here’s some good news: Ryoji’s Tsukee Soba, originally introduced as a summer special, ecial, is now here to stay. For those of you who’vee never tried Tsuke Soba (also called tsukemen) n) before, think of it as ramen where the soup and the noodles are separated. The point is to dip the noodles into the soup one chop-stickful at a time. The experience is quite different from your typical bowl of ramen, and it allows you to better enjoy the texture of the noodles and toppings, since they are kept from getting soggy in the soup.
Yuzu Koshō Add some yuzu pepper for a refreshing flavour.
Ryoji offers two types of Tsuke Soba: Bonito Tonkotsu-Shoyu and Spicy Black Sesame Miso Tonkotsu. The bonito soupp is a tonkotsu- and shoyu-based broth with th fish powder that gives it a savoury robustustness. This option comes with a yuzu pepper epper paste that you can put into the soup for a refreshing change of flavour. The black sesame soup is a tonkotsu-based broth with black sesame me and spicy miso, adding a flavourful kick thatt is satisfying even when the noodles are dipped d lightly. Both soups are served hot and you have a choice of either cold or hot noodles. The noodles dles for Ryoji’s Tsuke Soba are not the conventional soba made with buckwheat but rather Okinawa Soba, which is made with flour. Both options are topped with soft-boiled eggs, bamboo shoots, arugula and seaweed, and chopped chashu (pork) comes inside the soup. Since the soup is thicker than the conventional ramen you can ask for wari soup at the end of the meal, which means the restaurant will add shio broth to the soup so you can drink it.
It is a culinary experience that needs to be tried to be fully appreciated—and one that’s definitely too delicious to pass up! If you need any more reasons to visit Ryoji, they have introduced a larger lunch menu and will be offering nabe (Japanese hot pot) for the winter (only available with a reservation). They are also holding their popular Okinawa Night on November 20, so be sure to mark your calendars.
Bonito Tonkotsu-Shoyu Or you can pick Spicy Black Sesame Miso Tonkotsu
Ryoji Ramen & Izakaya 690 College St., Toronto | TEL . 416-533-8083
www.ryojitoronto.com
Open Hours: Mon–Thurs 11:30 am–12 am )ULŊ6DW DPŊ DP Ř 6XQ DPŊ SP
www.bentoboxmag.ca
NOVEMBER 2015
43
licious and ately de The deiclic yo Fog tea. ok T ve ti add
Owner N in hear nealeko Mizutan i ment!
StaffAriel Littel
Serenity in the city Nohohon Tea Room is the perfect spot to nourish your body and mind.
N
ohohon in Japanese means “a pleasant state of mind; calm; tranquil.” So it’s fitting that Nohohon Tea Room is a place to unwind and breathe in the bustle of our city, a place where tension can be released. Owner Nanako Mizutani has created a cosy space where customers can sample a little taste of Japan and nourish their souls with healthful tea. Nanako came to Canada from Yokohama City eight years ago, determined to have a career of her own. After opening a franchised tea shop in Toronto, where she observed first-hand what goes into the mass production of most imported bubble teas, Nanako made the decision to open up a Japanese tea shop that benefits both the
44
NOVEMBER 2015
www.bentoboxmag.ca
body and the soul. Now, at just 27 years old, she’s made that vision into a reality. At Nohohon, Nanako uses matcha imported from Japan and all-natural, “real food” ingredients in her beverages. As well as the popular bubble tea (so named for those addictive, chewy tapioca balls, which Nanako makes with sugarcane syrup and a hint of vanilla rather than refined sugar), Nohohon specializes in matcha teas. Matcha is a finely ground powder made from specially grown green tea leaves, and it is believed to have more health benefits than steeped tea. Matcha contains less caffeine than coffee, is rich in antioxidants, contains vitamins and minerals, and is thought to give your metabolism a boost.
john
Ariel is often on the hun A t for tasty bites, whe w ther it be a flavourful tomato found at a local farmer’s mar ket, peppered pomfret at a restaurant in Mumbai or takoyaki devoured on a small street in Osa O ka. Her accompanim ents of choice are a her husband, David, ar and their young dau d ughters, Freya and Lum en.
In addition to tapioca, lychee jelly, grass jelly and red bean are options that can be added to any of the beverages at Nohohon. Customers also have the option of a sugar-free sweetener, soy milk or almond milk. The Tokyo Fog tea, made with 2 per cent milk, matcha, vanilla and agave syrup, is the most popular beverage at Nohohon. The taste is subtle and delicate, and the tea is a perfect balance of flavours. After the first sip, I wished that I had ordered the larger size! I also tried the taro smoothie with lychee jelly. The use of real taro gave the drink a natural peachy colouring, rather than the almostfluorescent purple I’m used to with taro bubble tea. This one was a hit with my three-year-old as well, and I felt good knowing that she was consuming something that was both delicious and healthy for her.
Nohohon Tea Room 467 Queen St. W., Toronto | 416-603-2366 ÜÜÜ° °V>ÊNÊ"«i \Ê-Õ q/ ÕÀÃÊ££\ÎäÊ> q Ê« ÊUÊ Fri–Sat 11:30 am–10 pm
n e b a r a Ky 今月のキャラ弁
losed C e s a C
Ready to jazz up your meal in the most adorable way? Put some fun in your lunch box with your own kyara-ben.
Known as the “character bento,” the kyara-ben is a great way to get artistic with lunch—not to mention the secret weapon of many creative parents with fussy kids
to feed. With shapes ranging from cute, simple faces to incredible likenesses of popular characters, there’s no end to the possibilities!
Potato croquettes, broccoli and Japanese rolled omelette.
Sweet and salty stewed konjac root.
Today’sa shtip eet of wax or
stration on nori and Trace your illu er a sheet of r, place it ov pe original pa t e th en e parchm c cutter. Us ing a graphi ing pieces of ac pl cut it out us n he w a guideline . Since your illustration as ce of cheese tout on a sli re from the stu oi your nori cu the m ound. ften due to so ht ig m st ri e fir time ar no it correctly th e ac pl to try cheese,
Place your nori cutout (see “today’s tip”) on a slice of cheese, then place another sheet of nori on the back to prevent the cheese from curling up. Serve the slice over rice.
Rie Kamiyama Mother of two sons, aged 9 and 14 years old. Started making Kyara-ben six years ago when her son came back home without finishing the lunch she made him.
www.bentoboxmag.ca
NOVEMBER 2015
45
Hakata Ramen
Sho Ryu Ken Come in a group of 3 or more and get a
10% Discount *Please present this coupon upon ordering.
At Sho Ryu Ken, ramen is made in the traditional way it’s done in Hakata—the dish’s birthplace. And with a special pork-bone broth that takes over 12 hours to prepare, you know you’re getting the real deal here. In addition to the signature ramen, diners can treat themselves to delicious homemade gyoza, tender pork and more!
Don’t just read about great Japanese food and culture ... enjoy them yourself! Try these coupons for deals near you.
Ryoji Ramen & Izakaya
Expires November 30, 2015
5321 Yonge St., North York | 416-733-3725 www.hakatashoryuken.com | Open: Tues–Sun £ÓÊ« qÎÊ« ]ÊxÊ« q£ä\ÎäÊ« ÊUÊ ÊV Ãi`
Don Don Izakaya
Free Topping 10 % Discount *Please present this coupon upon ordering.
Expires November 30, 2015
Ryoji Ramen is an Okinawan-style izakaya in Toronto. They serve a vegetable ramen, so vegetarians can enjoy their delicious ramen too! You can also experience their unique side dishes. They have an Okinawa night, an event with a full evening of Okinawa culture, once a month. 690 College St., Toronto | 416-533-8083 ryojitoronto.com | Open: Mon–Thu ££\ÎäÊ> q£ÓÊ> ÊUÊ À q->ÌÊ££\ÎäÊ> qÓÊ> Sun 11:30 am–10:30 pm
Japanese Seafood Restaurant
Crab Harbour
10% Discount *Please present this coupon upon ordering.
Expires November 30, 2015
Crab Harbour, Richmond Hill’s new high-end Japanese-style crab eatery. Look for the giant crustacean that denotes the entrance. Patrons can choose to indulge in the prix fixe menu or opt for items à la carte. The former is a nine-course ode to all things crab.
NOVEMBER 2015
The sounds of drums and the typical welcome cheer of “Irasshaimase!” are the first things you are sure to hear as you visit our highenergy setting at Don Don’s. “Don Don,” which signifies the sounds of Japanese drums, also means a place of ”more” ... a place of more drinks, more food and definitely more fun!
130 Dundas St. W., Toronto | 416-492-5292 www.dondonizakaya.com | Lunch: Mon–Fri ££\ÎäÊ> q{Ê« Ê >ÃÌÊV> ÊÎ\ÎäÊ« ® UÊ iÀ\Ê -Õ q Thu 5 pm–12 am (last call 11~11:30 pm) Fri & Sat: 5 pm–1 am (last call 12~12:30 am)
Tokyo Acupuncture and Shiatsu Clinic
$10 off
with regular session(55min)
*First time visit only. *Cannot be used with any other discount coupons. *Mention this coupon when you schedule your massage session.
Since 1991, Tokyo Acupuncture and Shiatsu Clinic has provided various types of treatments and advice to alleviate symptoms and improve natural healing abilities including Japanese-style Shiatsu, Japanesestyle Acupuncture, Swedish Massage, Reflexology and Moxibustion. We are here to help you maximize your own body’s ability to maintain and improve your health. 280 West Beaver Creek Rd, Unit 38, Richmond Hill | 905-731-5570 | www.crabharbour.ca Open: Mon–Sun 11:30 am –11 pm
46
*Only dinner time. Cash payment only. *No alcohol included. *Please present this coupon upon ordering.
www.bentoboxmag.ca
2350 Yonge St., 2nd Fl., Toronto | 416-488-8414 tokyoshiatsu.com | Open: Mon– Fri 10 am– 8 pm ->ÌÊ£äÊ> qÈÊ« Ê UÊ-Õ Ê££Ê> qxÊ«