Bentobox Magazine 46

Japanese Culture | Hot Spots | Products

| Food TM

Dec. 2018

No. 46 FREE www.bentoboxmag.ca

Traditional Japanese -style inns

a gli m ps e i nto Japanese culture , cui si n e and hospitality

Contents December D b 2018 201 018 8 5 5V 4 46 6

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This innocentlooking fruit packs a seriously sour punch

04

Feature: Ryokan are a taste of Japanese hospitality

10

:[HɈ 7PJR! Koishi serves up ice cream and home-baked goods

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0UNYLKPLU[! Okinawa’s powerfully sour shiikwaasa

16

Travel: Have a cosy mountain getaway in Ginzan Onsen

24

)VVR! A weird apocalypse

26

6US` PU 1HWHU! Ringing the New Year’s Eve bells

29

Events: Tokyo event highlights: Food and art

EDITOR’S NOTE /V^ [V L_WLYPLUJL 1HWHU PU [YHKP[PVUHS JVTMVY[ There are many, many ways to discover Japan. But for anyone hoping to experience some traditional Japanese hospitality, there’s no better place than a ryokan, or Japanese-style inn. In this month’s feature we take you through everything you can expect during your stay, including etiquette tips to make your visit go smoothly. And if you need a little inspiration, our travel feature visits Ginzan Onsen, a beautifully picturesque mountain village where you can cosy up for the ryokan stay of your dreams.

Happy travels!

Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter facebook.com/bentoboxmag

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,KP[VYZ Nina Hoeschele, Amanda Plyley, Yumi Nishio ,KP[VYPHS JVVYKPUH[VYZ Nina Hoeschele, Yumi Nishio >YP[LYZ Amanda Plyley, Amanda Taylor, Ariel Litteljohn, M Crowson, Nina Hoeschele, Nina Lee, Sarah Dickson +LZPNULYZ Chieko Watanabe, Midori Yamamoto (K]LY[PZLTLU[ THYRL[PUN Kazu Maruyama 7\ISPZOLY Kazu Maruyama

)LU[V )V_ *VTT\UPJH[PVU 0UJ | 3003 Danforth Ave. PO Box 93628, Toronto M4C 5R4 Phone: 416-964-0981 | www.bentoboxmag.ca | Email: info@bentoboxmag.ca

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Traditional Japanese -style inns 04

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Ryo kan offer an auth enti c experience and a gli mpse i nto Japanese c ulture , cui s ine and hospitality.

By A r i e l L i tt e lj o h n

F E AT U R E

Kinosaki Onsen Nishimuraya Honkan Kinosaki Onsen, Hyogo Prefecture Rated as the “Best Onsen Town” by Lonely Planet, Kinosaki Onsen is one of the best places to experience a traditional and classic Japanese onsen. Many of the rooms look over private gardens and there are two main onsen areas (indoor and outdoor) for guests to enjoy as well as a private gallery of Japanese art, photographs and historical artifacts. www.nishimuraya.ne.jp/global Images: ©Nishimuraya Kinosaki Onsen (www.flickr.com)

A ryokan is a traditional Japanese-style inn, and is the place to experience what Japan OHZ [V VɈLY 9`VRHU YHUNL MYVT ZTHSS family-run inns featuring only a handful of rooms to large, hotel-like establishments with hundreds of rooms. They are popular with both Japanese and international tourists, and ZVTL Y`VRHU VɈLY [OL JOVPJL VM 1HWHULZL style or Western-style rooms. Prices for a ryokan stay are per person, per night, include

dinner and breakfast, and range from ¥3,000 (about $35 CDN) for no-frills budget options to over ¥40,000 (approximately $465 CDN) for luxury choices. Average rates are ¥15,000 to ¥25,000 ($175 CDN to $290 CDN) per person, per night. While some ryokan can be found in busy urban centres, the majority of ryokan are located in more scenic rural landscapes.

Ryokan are commonly found in areas where there are hot springs.

Japanese-style guest rooms feature tatami ÅVVYZ ZSPKPUN KVVYZ HUK ZVTL[PTLZ H ZTHSS porch or balcony for guests to enjoy. Most rooms accommodate between two and four people, and some ryokan do not accept guests travelling solo, especially during high season. >OLU `V\ ÄYZ[ HYYP]L [OLYL ^PSS VM[LU IL SVJHS treats or wagashi (Japanese sweets) and tea waiting for you in your room, on a small table.

You might be surprised to see that there is

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F E AT U R E

UV ILK VU [OL [H[HTP ÅVVY +VU»[ ^VYY`·`V\Y attendant will come into your room before bedtime and lay out a futon for you to sleep on (futons are rolled up and stored away during [OL KH` [V VɈLY `V\ TVYL ZWHJL 4VZ[ Y`VRHU follow a similar layout, with guests arriving at a recessed (lowered) entrance hall with a common area containing chairs, couches and sometimes televisions. This entrance, or genkan PZ H ZWLJPHS HYLH HZ P[ PZ [OL ÄYZ[ impression a guest will have. Shoes are to be left here and slippers are provided for guests to use during their stay. Some rooms will have a sink, private bathroom, fridge and safe, though be prepared for communal washroom areas at some ryokan.

Bathing areas at most ryokan are segregated by gender, though there are some mixedgender onsen (hot springs). Baths often rotate gender so that everybody can enjoy the various baths, so pay special attention to [OL ZPNUZ·TLU»Z IH[OPUN HYLHZ HYL THYRLK ^P[O H IS\L ZPNU ^VTLU»Z HYLHZ ^P[O H YLK sign. Higher-end establishments sometimes VɈLY WYP]H[L IH[OZ ^OPJO HYL WLYMLJ[ MVY couples and families who would like to bathe together. Yukata are Japanese-style robes that are provided in rooms for guests to wear as they relax in the ryokan. Check-in time is usually any time after 3 pm, and dinner is often taken between 6 pm and 7 pm. Guests typically use the onsen before or after dinner or in the morning, before breakfast. Many guests use the baths more than once a day.

Reservations for most ryokan can be made online, either through large reservation sites such as Booking.com, Japaneseguesthouses. com or Japanican.com, or directly through [OL Y`VRHU»Z ^LIWHNL @V\ JHU HSZV THRL reservations through a travel agent or by calling the ryokan. It is rare to get same-day reservations, so plan your visit in advance as THU` Y`VRHU HYL PU YLTV[L HYLHZ HUK ÄSS \W quickly.

Images: ©Nishimuraya Kinosaki Onsen (www.flickr.com)

There is a lot of etiquette to follow when you are staying at a ryokan that may seem intimidating to the first-time visitor.

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No shoes in the ryokan and no slippers on the tatami

Feel free to enjoy complimentary tea and refreshments

No bed?

No worries!

All guests should remove their shoes at the recessed entrance and put on the provided slippers to wear around the ryokan. Slippers should be removed for any room with tatami floors.

Tea and light snacks, often showcasing local specialities or artisanal confectionery, will be provided upon arrival, either in your room or in the common guest area.

4HU` ÄYZ[ [PTL ]PZP[VYZ HYL JVUM\ZLK ^OLU they enter their room and see no bed. Not to worry, Japanese futons that are rolled up to provide more space in your room ^PSS IL SHPK V\[ VU [OL ÅVVY ILMVYL ILK[PTL

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F E AT U R E

Part of an authentic ryokan experience is staying overnight and enjoying a kaiseki dinner and a traditional Japanese break fast.

Ryokan are more than just places to stay. Enjoying traditional Japanese meals, as pictured ÂĽ1,000 per guest is an appropriate OLYL 5PZOPT\YH`HÂťZ IYLHRMHZ[ amount to tip your attendant. at bottom, kaiseki dinner from Make sure to wrap your bills in paper or use an envelope!

Nishimuraya on top), is an integral part of the ryokan experience and should not be missed. Most Y`VRHU VɈLY N\LZ[Z IV[O KPUULY Tips are given at the beginning of your stay as a and breakfast that are included [OHUR `V\ [V `V\Y H[[LUKHU[ MVY [OL JHYL HUK NVVK attention you are about to receive. Generally, one in the price of the stay. Kaiseki attendant will be responsible for looking after you for dinners are multi-course meals the duration of your stay. The attendant’s duties that showcase local and seasonal include greeting you when you arrive, taking care of specialities and treat guests your shoes, preparing your futon (and rolling it away the to a taste of Japanese high next day), and bringing you your meals and snacks. cuisine. While some ryokan have a common dining area where guests can enjoy their meals, it is more common for overnight ŠNishimuraya Kinosaki Onsen guests to take their meals in (www.flickr.com) [OLPY YVVT 4HU` Y`VRHU VɈLY Western-style meals as well for guests who prefer to have that option.

Do not put your luggage on the tokonoma!

The tokonoma is a decorative display area in your guest room, often featuring delicate artwork. This area is purely for display and should be kept clear of belongings at all times.

Yukata are provided in your room for you to wear during your stay. Here’s how to get comf y in your yukata:

1 Put your arms through

the yukata’s sleeves (keep your underwear on, but feel free to wear nothing else).

2 First, bring the right side

1

2

of the yukata over your body, and then pull the left side over the right side. Make sure to not do the opposite as that refers to burial clothes in Japan.

3 Wrap the sash around

your body and tie at the front. The sash should be over the hipbone for men and around the waist for women. Make sure your yukata is not too loose.

4 For added warmth, you

have the option to wear a chabaori—similar to a cardigan—on top of your yukata.

F E AT U R E

©Akita Prefecture /©JNTO

©U dou (www.flickr.com)

Escape the busy cities and head out into the picturesque Japanese countryside for some of the most peaceful ryokan.

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Tsurunoyu

Nyuto Onsen, Akita Prefecture A three-hour trip north from Tokyo on the bullet train plus a bus ride and either a long walk or a short KYP]L I` WYP]H[L JHY VUL JHU ÄUK [OL Tsurunoyu Onsen, set among the majestic mountains of the Japanese countryside, near the base of Mt. Nyutou. At one point in history, this onsen was frequented by samurai and local nobility of the Akita region. www.tsurunoyu.com/english.html

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© U dou (www.flickr.com)

F E AT U R E

Mikawaya Ryokan Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture

Nestled in the hillside of Hakone 4V\U[HPU SVJH[LK HU OV\Y»Z KYP]L ZV\[O VM ;VR`V HUK VɈLYPUN Z[\UUPUN ]PL^Z VM the Myojingatake, Daimonji and Sengen Mountains, the 124-year-old Mikawaya 9`VRHU VɈLYZ N\LZ[Z [OL VW[PVU VM PUKVVY and outdoor hot-spring baths as well as Japanese or Western accommodations.

Another reason to visit: the Mikawaya gardens are spectacular year-round. www.hakone-mikawaya.com/ language/09en.htm

Images: ©JNTO

Takaragawa Onsen Osenkaku

Takaragawa Onsen, Gunma Prefecture The large open-air bath Takaragawa Onsen is situated along the Takaragawa (meaning “river acquiring treasure”) stream, where melting snow from the mountains meets a raging river. This ryokan is ideal for a family stay, fairly LHZ` [V NL[ [V MYVT ;VR`V HUK VɈLYZ H peaceful visit in a beautiful location with a traditional and rustic feel. www.takaragawa.com/english.html

©JTA / ©JNTO

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Staff S Pick | Koishi s i

By Nina L Lee e

Delicious and decadent delights at Koishi <UPX\L PJL JYLHT ÅH]V\YZ WHPY U P JY T V\ WH YLK ^P[O OVTLTHKL IHRLK [YLH[Z [ OV L HR K YLH

ff a t S Nina Lee Nina is a writer and fundraiser working with artists, arts organizations and publications across Canada.

In her free time, she enjoys travel, food, supporting local artists, and running with her dog, Dash.

▲ MELON PAN ICE CREAM SANDWICH Served on a sweet bun, which Koishi bakes fresh every day.

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Itadakimasu! Let’s eat!

t may seem counterintuitive, but I’ve always thought winter is the ideal time to enjoy ice cream. The dessert doesn’t melt and it’s a sweet, indulgent treat that evokes memories of hot summer days on a cold, grey afternoon.

I

efforts—the sakura jam is made in-house at Koishi with pickled sakura from Nagano Prefecture, while KO Ice Cream uses its magic to blend it with cheesecake and cream until it becomes a deliciously decadent dessert.

Since opening in Toronto’s Kensington Market earlier this year, Koishi Ice Cream and Bakery has been conjuring summer memories and intriguing tastebuds with its innovative flavours and kawaii cat-themed décor. With ice creams provided by Arthur Pezzelli of KO Ice Cream (and creator of Bang Bang Ice Cream), Koishi offers unique flavours like Matcha Oreo and Ichigo (strawberry) White Chocolate Miso, and partners them with baked goods made in-house.

Koishi is more than a one-trick pony: it also serves its dairy delights on crunchy senbei (rice crackers) and in creampuff pastry with a cookie topping that the restaurant calls “crackle puffs.” Customers can choose from a rotating selection of sweet garnishes— from homemade sugar cookies to delicate chocolate wafers. Koishi also plans to serve some warm, sweet delights during the winter, but as of publication, its special winter menu remains a surprise, so you’ll have to drop in to find out more.

Whenever I bring a neophyte to the shop for their first visit (and they always come back for more), I start their experience with an ice cream sandwich—usually sakura cheesecake smushed between a homemade melon pan.

Greater than the sum of its parts, this Japanese-style milk bun is baked with a drier texture that absorbs the melted ice cream and melts in your mouth, while the sugar cookie crumb topping provides a satisfying crunch.

Like the ice cream sandwich, the sakura cheesecake ice cream is a collaboration of

The team behind Koishi also runs Little Pebbles, a Japanese café located next door, and those that understand Japanese will notice that the two shops share the same name. Dada Ahn, who co-owns the shop with Chang Baek, explains that Koishi pays homage to their beloved late cat, who is featured prominently in the shop’s logo and its overall design. The tiny space is smartly designed, filled with cat-themed artwork by artist @bongsu_comics and includes overstuffed felines and posters,

pins and stationery of cute cats.

More than ice cream and buns, Koishi sells summertime, all the time.

Koishi Ice Cream and Bakery 160 Baldwin St., Store #4, Toronto 416-792-0404 | www.facebook.com/koishiTO @KoishiTO OPEN: Daily 1 pm–7 pm

1

2 1. SENBEI SANDWICH Rice crackers are a healthy (and gluten-free!) sandwich alternative, topped here with Matcha Oreo ice cream.

2. CRACKLE PUFF SANDWICH This creampuff-like bun with a cookie topping is the perfect way to take your ice cream sandwich up a notch. www.bentoboxmag.ca

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Ingredient | SHIIKWAASA

By Sarah Dickson

SHIIKWAASA

【シークヮーサー】

But what is a shiikwaasa? It’s green or yellow on the outside, yellow on the inside, and shaped like its orange-coloured citrus family relative, the tangerine. Despite the colour similarities with the lemons or limes that most of us are familiar with, shiikwaasa is much smaller and more sour than the lemons or limes that you would typically find in the grocery store. In fact, the name in Okinawan dialect literally translates to “sour food.”

沖縄で古くから 親しまれてきたビタミン一杯の果実。

“Citrus depressa” is anything but!

This multi-named fruit packs a nutritional punch as powerful as its sour taste.

“Citrus depressa” may sound like a tropical storm that is about to hit Florida, but this term actually refers to something much tastier. It’s one of several names for a small yet potent citrus fruit that can be found in Okinawa and the Ryukyu Islands of Japan.

Known as hirami lemon in Japanese, or shiikwaasa in Okinawan dialect, or sometimes Taiwan tangerine, this fruit packs an intensely sour yet nutritious punch no matter what you call it.

Though grown in the southernmost islands of Japan, the popularity of shiikwaasa through-

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out the rest of Japan seems to have come from the fruit being featured on a television show nearly 20 years ago. The show focused on the numerous nutritious aspects of the fruit, likely leading many Japanese to start adding it to their diets. Like other citrus fruit, shiikwaasa is known to be full of vitamins such as vitamin C and B1, making it helpful in fighting off a cold. Research has also shown this fruit to help fight stomach cancer and even to lower blood pressure. And like many other foods that are part of the Okinawan diet, this fruit is also believed to contribute to a long and healthy life.

When shopping for shiikwaasa, the colour can sometimes make finding this fruit a bit confusing. Young, unripe shiikwaasa are green like a lime, with a coarse skin. This is when the fruit is at its most sour, and it reaches this level of maturity between July and October. More mature shiikwaasa take on the yellow colour of lemons, and are slightly sweeter than the less ripe green version. Yellow shiikwaasa are in season between November and January. Both ripe and unripe versions of the fruit are harvested and enjoyed.

Because of the sour taste, shiikwaasa is often used to make things that would typically be sweetened like jams or juices, and its juice is often blended with other fruit juices or diluted with water to mitigate the intensely sour taste. Shiikwaasa juice can also be used to enhance the taste of grilled fish, or in salad dressing. If you’re looking to mix it up, try using shiikwaasa instead of the usual lemon or lime for a stronger punch. The fruit itself is not very juicy, but because it is so sour, just a drop or two will do!

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Drink up! | Tamanohikari Black Label Sake

By Amanda Taylor

THE BEST OF THE BEST

Tamanohikari Black Label Sake

玉乃光黒ラベル 【たまのひかりくろらべる】 創業1673年。 京 都・伏 見の玉 乃光酒造が醸す 最 高 傑 作の純 米 大 吟醸酒。

This holiday season, enjoy premium brewed sake in a class all its own. wn.

S

ake brewery Tamanohikari goes above and beyond to ensure its sake is regarded as one of the top-tier brands on the market, and its Junmai Daiginjo Black Label Sake perfectly reflects the brewery’s passionate commitment to excellence.

h of the core as possible. Though it’s a much staking process that takes anywhere fr rom painstaking from 30 to 48 hours, h it’s it’ allll partt off Tamanohikari’s T hik i’ steadfast philosophy that premium sake is worth the effort.

Tamanohikari brews only Junmai sake—sake made with only rice, water and koji (fermented rice). During World War II, many sake breweries began cutting their sake with other alcohol due to rice rationing, and this practice remains among many companies today. However, in the 1960s Tamanohikari revived the practice of brewing pure Junmai sake, and the company has remained loyal to it ever since.

Junmai Daiginjo Sake aficionados will recognize that Daiginjo refers to a very high grade of sake, where the rice has been polished down at least 50%.

The seimaibuai, or milling rate, is based on how much the rice is polished, as polishing the rice removes fat and protein, revealing the starchy core of the rice grain. This leads to a less harsh, more smooth and refined sake flavour. The Junmai Daiginjo Black Label Sake boasts rice grains that have been polished down to an impressive 35%.

Tamanohikari takes great care in polishing its rice using the henpeiseimai or “flat milling” technique. Normally, polishing rice makes it round, but flat milling preserves as

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th rice the rii ce is i s planted pla l nte te d and harvested according to strict str ict standards. stand st andard ardss . The T he water used in this sake comes from f a famous f source in i Momoyama M Hills, Kyoto, which is designated by Japan’s Ministry of Environment as one of the top 100 finest water sources in the country.

No compromise on quality Dedicated to producing only premium products, Tamanohikari has a rigorous vetting process for the rice used in its sake. It’s made with only the highest-regarded variety of grains—only 5% of sake on the market today uses rice of a similar grade. And the brewery goes so far as to visit the fields to make sure

An obsessive commitment to quality and decades of brewing experience make Junmai Daiginjo Black Label Sake an unforgettably refined sake blend.

Junmai Daiginjo Black Label Sake can be purchased at licensed liquor purveyors throughout Canada, including at the LCBO for $188.75. www.lcbo.com

Exclusive Agent:

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Travel | Ginzan Onsen

By Amanda Plyley

GINZAN ONSEN 大正ロマン溢れる ノスタルジックな湯けむりの里。 Come on in, the water’s warm!

Watch your worries evaporate like the steam of a hot spring at this charming mountain destination.

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Get cosy in the mountains

W

hen was the last time you truly relaxed? The last time you let go of your day-to-day worries and responsibilities, cleared your mind completely and felt a much-needed sense of relief wash over you? Perhaps it was sometime last week on the couch, last weekend in Savasana or even last night in the bathtub—but no matter where it was, I’d wager a guess that it wasn’t quite as scenic as this: one of Japan’s most breathtaking onsen.

Nestled in the picturesque mountains surrounding Obanazawa, Yamagata Prefecture, Ginzan Onsen is a sight to behold. Literally “silver mountain hot spring,” this postcard-perfect onsen village is situated on land originally built up around a silver mine—hence the name. Featuring a river lined with traditional wooden ryokan (Japanese-style inns) and quaint, pedestrian-only streets at its centre, Ginzan Onsen beckons visitors from near and far

to come and slip into a bygone place and time—and to put their feet up for a while.

Escaping to hot springs to relax and rejuvenate has long been a favourite pastime in Japan. The first recorded onsen in Japanese history dates back over a thousand years—back to a time when the hot water from natural springs was considered to be a sacred gift from the gods. Popularity continued to pick up in the 12th century with the Buddhist understanding that onsen water had the power to cleanse and purify the body and mind. And nowadays? Well, you’d certainly be hard-pressed to find many Japanese—singles, couples, families young and old—who haven’t experienced (or don’t long for) an onsen weekend away.

Continues on page 19

GINZAN ONSEN 【銀山温泉】 This quaint town is located in Yamagata Prefecture. To get there from Tokyo, take a 200-minute bullet train ride to Oishida Station, then hop on a local bus.

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Travel | Ginzan Onsen

By Nina Lee

So, in today’s fast-paced, high-tech cultural climate—particularly in megacities like Tokyo and Osaka—it’s easy to see why locals and foreigners alike are enticed by a place like Ginzan Onsen. Picture it for yourself: it’s December and snow is lightly falling.

Taking a high-speed train and then a short bus ride, you arrive at the sleepy village after dusk. The wooden roofs are sprinkled with snow and gas lanterns softly light the walking bridges that cross the central river.

White-capped mountains in the distance are framed by a twilight sky. You’re greeted with a smile at your ryokan and equipped to settle in for a cosy night’s rest on traditional futon beds laid out on tatami floors. All is quiet until morning, when it’s time to explore this endearing little town.

The village centre has three public onsen (Shirogane, Kajikayu and Omokageyu) available for a small fee, and many ryokan also open up their indoor baths to non-guests during the day. For those too shy to strip down, there are several foot baths around town that can be enjoyed for free. Visitors can hot-spring hop to their hearts’ content but should be mindful of the rules set out at each onsen or bath—from thoroughly rinsing off before bathing (entering the water dirty or still wearing soap from the showers is frowned upon) to respecting the peaceful, meditative atmosphere of many baths.

Quiet conversation is acceptable, and some excitement from children is to be expected, but most guests will be looking to immerse themselves—physically into the water and figuratively into total relaxation.

After a good soak—or if the springs just aren’t your thing—there’s plenty to do around town. A short walk will take you Continues on page 20

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There’s more than hot springs to this charming town

to the base of Shirogane Falls, a beautiful 22-metre waterfall, and a nature trail through a valley that’s perfect for hiking (but may be closed if there’s too much snow).

Not far from the waterfall, visitors can check out the historic entrance to the silver mine that dates back over 500 years and was the lifeline of Obanazawa during the Edo period.

Tip your head and enter the tunnel to get a sense of what the area’s miners experienced hundreds of years ago.

There’s no shortage of onsen to explore across Japan, but Ginzan Onsen stands out among the rest. It’s no surprise the area has been featured in a multitude of television dramas and movies for its esthetic appeal.

Oozing with warmth and traditional simplicity, “Japan’s most charming winter village” (as CNN Travel coined it) is the perfect escape from the bright lights of big cities. Visit at this time of year (Christmas getaway, anyone? A romantic New Year’s Eve, perhaps?) to get the full effect—the snowy surroundings will make the water feel that much warmer.

So go on and dip your toe.

Sink in.

Relax.

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New Location (as of Dec.27, 2017) 5775 Yonge Street, Suite 600, Toronto

1-Day Snow Monkey Tour With National Government Licensed English Guide Interpreter

Round-trip from Tokyo via Hokuriku Shinkansen

1 From Tokyo, a one-way trip to Nagano takes about 100-105 minutes aboard the Hokuriku Shinkansen (Asama or Hakutaka train). Transportation is convenient with a reserved seat on the shinkansen. Enjoy the beautiful views seen from the shinkansen windows.

2 After arriving at Nagano Station, customers will be accompanied by a National Government Licensed English Guide Interpreter from the station platform. On this 1-day tour, visit the National Treasure Zenko-ji Temple as well as Jigokudani Monkey Park, which is a famous place where Japanese macaques soak in hot springs during the cold season.

3 Sought after by many visitors from all over the world, the Jigokudani Monkey Park is where the behaviour of Japanese macaques can be seen up close. Enjoy seeing the monkeys’ charming expressions while they spend time relaxing in hot springs, the only hot springs in the world exclusively used by wild monkeys.

4 Visit the Zenko-ji Temple, a designated National Treasure built roughly 1,400 years ago. Along with the Todai-ji Temple’s Great Buddha Hall, it is one of Japan’s most remarkable wooden structures.

5

For lunch, slurp some warm soba noodles, a Nagano specialty.

TOUR BASIC INFORMATION Departure city: Tokyo ¦ Visits: Nagano Tour: November 26, 2018 – March 29, 2019 (Monday, Wednesday and Friday ) Duration: Approx. 13 hours Includes: Round-trip shinkansen fare between Tokyo and Nagano, lunch, other admission fees included in the itinerary

PRICE

CAD $

370

All photos ©JNTO

HOW TO PURCHASE

Reservations can be made by either telephone or email. Please contact JTB International (Canada) Ltd. at Phone: 416-367-5824 | Toll-free:1-800-268-5942 | Email: jtbtoronto@jtbi.com | Website: www.jtb.ca

*Price is valid for month of December 2018. *Price may fluctuate monthly due to change in exchange rate.

ITINERARY Travel from Tokyo Station (or Ueno Station) to Zenko-ji Daimon 06:50- Travel from Tokyo Station (or Ueno Station) 07:40 to Nagano Station (120 min) Board a shinkansen on your own from Tokyo Station.

08:30- Arrive at Nagano Station 09:20 Meet with the National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter on the platform after arriving at Nagano Station.

09:40

11:00

The lunch includes soba (buckwheat) noodles, a Nagano specialty.

As traces of buckwheat flour may be present in the entire shop, those with buckwheat allergies should not enter.

11:40

40

min

Depart from Zenkoji Station

40

min

Depart from Nagano Station to Zenko-ji Daimon

14:10 12:30

10:10

Japanese-style Lunch

Visit Zenko-ji Temple

40

min

Visit Zenko-ji Temple, which boasts 1,400 years of rich history. Its main hall is a designated national treasure.

Walk to Jigokudani Monkey Park

This is a hard walking tour covering about 40 minutes of walking each way between the Roman Museum parking lot and Jigokudani Monkey Park.

13:20

Jigokudani Monkey Park

Depart from 50 Jigokudani Monkey Park min

Travel from Roman Museum Parking Lot to Tokyo Station 50

15:00

Leave for Nagano Station

min

Visit the Jigokudani Monkey Park, a world-famous park where Japanese macaques can be seen up close as they freely soak in hot springs.

This is the only place in the world where wild Japanese macaques can be seen bathing in their own designated hot spring. Enjoy seeing the amusing expressions of the monkeys up close as they warm themselves in a relaxing hot spring bath.

16:20- Depart from Nagano Station 17:15 Head to Tokyo Station via shinkansen.

18:00- Arrive at Tokyo Station 19:00 Tour ends at Tokyo Station.

*Please note that special accommodations for those with trouble walking cannot be provided. Small children will not be allowed to participate in the tour. The walking path may be frozen and slippery if there is snow. Please wear winter boots or other non-slip footwear. The temperature in the area in winter averages about -1°C. Please dress accordingly. **The behaviour of wild monkeys is unpredictable. The park might be closed to visitors in case the monkeys do not come down to the park from the mountains. The tour may be cancelled on the day before tour departure in such cases. A full refund will be issued if the tour is cancelled.

For more information, please contact JTB International at 1-800-268-5942 (toll-free) or email at jtbtoronto@jtbi.com www.bentoboxmag.ca

DECEMBER 2018

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By M Crowson

Hit the books | The Emissary

WEIRD APOCALYPSE More by the author Memoirs of a Polar Bear

The Emissary

by Yoko Tawada Translated by Margaret Mitsutani Yoko Tawada takes readers through a dystopian vision of Japan’s not-toodistant future in her slim new novel.

Author info

Yoko Tawada writes in both Japanese and German. Her work has been acclaimed as “strange, exquisite,” “surreal and beguiling.” The Emissary PZ H ÄUHSPZ[ MVY the National Book Award.

Margaret Mitsutani has lived in Japan since the 1970s and has translated work by, among others, Kenzaburo Oe, Mitsuyo Kakuta and Kyoko Hayashi.

How does a globalized society recover from the combined forces of nuclear disaster, political corruption and severe population crisis in a world where countries have shut their borders to each other? Yoko Tawada explores these questions in her latest novel, The Emissary. The novel opens after Japan has suffered a massive, irreparable disaster, and the country cuts itself off from the world, as do other countries, deciding to withdraw from the “global rat race.” Life in Japan shrinks in scale, and concepts of health, work and education are all totally transformed.

Environmental degradation decimates animal populations and severely restricts food production. The disaster also impacts human biology, as men begin to have menopause and sexes can sometimes change spontaneously. These changes also result in an aging population of people who are unable to die, and are doomed to grow stronger as they watch a new generation of children born so feeble they can barely walk or eat.

Mumei is one of those feeble children, causing much heartache for his great-grandfather, Yoshiro, who is over 100 years old, yet starts each morning with a run along the riverbank with a companion rented from the nearby Rent-A-Dog store. Yoshiro and Mumei are the only members of their family still in Tokyo, as everyone else has either died or migrated to 24

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other parts of the country, so these two keep each other company through the mundane acts of everyday life. Yoshiro was once a writer, but the government’s unpredictable censorship rules have effectively killed his career. First his work is rejected for being critical of the government, then Yoshiro begins to self-censor. In the midst of writing a historical novel called Ken-to-Shi, Emissary to China, Yoshiro realizes it includes the names of far too many foreign countries, so, in order to protect himself, he buries it in the Thingamabob Cemetery, a public graveyard where anyone can pay respects to something they want to part with. These days, he only writes postcards to his daughter, Amana, who’s harvesting fruit down in Okinawa. She writes back with her own cryptic postcards written in invisible ink made from the juice of lemons—a luxury in Tokyo, where fruit is scarce—describing in great detail the latest pineapple, but rarely giving any details about her new life.

While Yoshiro is obsessed with the losses of the past and future, Mumei approaches the world with a deep sense of contemplative curiosity, and lives a rich and imaginative existence that is sometimes charming and hilarious, sometimes darkly ominous. He doesn’t pity himself or his fellow weaklings; he shouts, “Paradise!” every time he’s emotionally overcome, jumping into the air in a rare show

;OPZ UV]LS MVSSV^Z three generations (grandmother, mother, ZVU VM WVSHY ILHYZ ^OV HYL MHTV\Z HZ IV[O JPYJ\Z WLYMVYTers and writers in East Germany.

The Bridegroom Was a Dog A schoolteacher tells her students a MHISL HIV\[ H KVN who appears to her in YLHS SPML HZ H KVN SPRL man.

Where Europe Begins In eight stories, readers encounter [OL NOVZ[ VM H I\YULK woman, a traveller on the Trans-Siberian railroad, a mechanical doll, a tongue, and a monk who leaps into OPZ V^U YLMSLJ[PVU

of energy. He is puzzled by his own body, wonders if he’s an octopus when he can’t get his pyjama pants off, and flaps his arms madly like a bird when he is explaining cartography to his classmates.

There seems to be a select group of children with strange gifts like Mumei, and their ability to see the world with calmness and creativity makes them ideal candidates for a secretive mission called the “Emissary Association,” a privately funded group that sends promising young children abroad in order to study Japanese children’s health, and possibly the health of the nation.

Tawada’s novel is a lot like its whimsical cover—the cartoon image of a young boy in patent leather shoes teetering on top of a giant, cheerfully round orange in an otherwise empty space. The story is sharp and bright as a lemon, which Mumei says “is so sour it makes you see blue.” Margaret Mitsutani translates Tawada’s playful language and striking images with tremendous wit and grace.

www.bentoboxmag.ca

DECEMBER 2018

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Only in Japan | New Year’s Eve bells

By M Crowson

RING IN THE NEW YEAR

Explore a spiritual way to say farewell to the old year and hello to the new with the Buddhist tradition of joya no kane. 荘厳な音に行く年を振り返り、来る年を新たな気持ちで迎えよう。 the 108th ring, struck precisely at midnight, completes the process of purification.

The temples’ bells are large, beautiful instruments that can weigh over 80 tons, are suspended from the ceiling and are rung from the outside, either by hand with a mallet, or by a large beam that is suspended beside the bell using an intricate system of ropes. Three of the biggest bells are at Houkou-ji and Chion, in Kyoto, and at Todai-ji, in Nara. The bells are usually rung by robed monks who chant sutras as they put the full force of their bodies into ringing the bells. The three-metre-tall bell at Chion is so big, in fact, that it takes 17 monks to ring it!

Illustration by Chieko Watanabe

New Year’s Eve is a special night marked by big-time celebrations and personal goal-setting. In the West, it’s a good opportunity to think about how the year went, and how we want to improve ourselves in the year to come. In Japan, the personal act of self-reflection and the shared experience of (literally) ringing in the new year happens all at once, in a Buddhist tradition called joya no kane, which means “New Year’s Eve bells.” A practice originally adapted from China, joya no kane has been performed for many cen-

turies, and is a well-loved part of a traditional Japanese New Year. The timeline varies depending on location, but generally the tolling begins by 11 pm on December 31, as temples across Japan each ring a large bell 107 times, with one final strike ringing out at midnight, bringing the total to 108.

The number represents the worldly desires that people experience throughout their lives, allowing us to consider the past year with a calm, quiet heart, and start the new year afresh. Each ring that echoes before midnight dispels one of those desires, and

You can visit many famous temples as a spectator and observe this unique event, but be sure to bundle up and arrive early, as it gets chilly and can also become crowded. Some temples even allow visitors to participate in the ceremony, in some cases for a small fee. Depending on the temple, you may be able to ring out one of the 108 worldly desires all by yourself, or you may get to participate in a larger group of up to 10 people. The experience often comes with little extras, such as rice cakes, amazake (sweet rice wine) or an arrow-shaped hamaya good-luck charm to take home with you. Even if you are not up to braving the crowds, you can sit outside in many cities big and small and listen to the low, soothing echoes as you refresh your soul and set goals to be your best self for 2019.

Ring your cares away Would you like to participate in this memorable spiritual practice? Not to worry, there are lots of ways to do it, whether or not you’re in Japan.

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DO

DO NOT

DO

your research.

procrastinate.

go local.

Some Japanese temples offer participant tickets before the 31st, and some are first-come-first-serve on the same day.

Temples can get crowded, so don’t wait until the last minute if you want a good view.

Check out the joya no kane at the Toronto Buddhist Church in North York!

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By Nina Hoeschele

Event | Food and art in Tokyo

TOKYO EVENT HIGHLIGHTS Food and art These two special events will have you delving into Japanese art in two very different ways.

Tokyo is a city full of sights and attractions, with plenty of draws for art lovers from around the world.

This winter, the city is hosting two events that are sure to enchant anyone with an interest in art, design and the history of Japanese cuisine.

Girls’ Stationery Fair 2018: A World of Kawaii Whether it’s a handy notepad for planning out your day or colourful cards for sending out a thoughtful message, there’s nothing like cute patterned stationery to make you feel extra organized or make your loved ones feel extra appreciated. It’s with this love of pen and paper in mind that the Girls’ Stationery Fair was born.

With a host of vendors selling eye-catching and adorable stationery goods—and plenty of festival exclusives on offer—plus workshops that show you how to make everything from your own book covers to paper flowers and more, this is the destination for anyone who gets that giddy feeling from walking into a stationery store. And despite the name, this is not a “girls only” event— stationery lovers of all genders are welcome to join in and browse the selection.

Girls’ Stationery Fair 2018 Tokyo Ryutsu Center, Second Exhibition Hall, Halls E & F, Tokyo bungujoshi.com (Japanese language only) OPEN: Friday, December 14, and Saturday, December 15, 10 am–5 pm (last entry 4 pm) Sunday, December 16, 10 pm–4 pm (last entry 3 pm) www.bentoboxmag.ca

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The Delicious Art of Hokusai Best known for his iconic ukiyo-e print, The Great Wave, Katsushika Hokusai is one of the most famed artists in Japanese history.

But there is more to Hokusaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s repertoire than this instantly recognizable image: he depicted a vast variety of subjects over his life, including lively renditions of the food culture in the Edo period.

Washoku, the traditional dietary culture of Japan, in fact has its roots during this time when Hokusai was active. Back in the Edo period, an extended peace meant agriculture and fishing made great strides, and a gourmet cuisine focusing on respecting fine ingredients and showcasing seasonal flavours was born. Through this special exhibition of the Hokusai Museum, visitors can trace the origins of Washoku food culture through the art of one of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greatest masters and the work of his contemporaries. And, in collaboration with some participating cafĂŠs near the museum,

visitors can even sample some authentic Edo-style cuisine. A true feast for the eyes and the stomach!

Hokusai and the Gourmet Greats of Edo Sumida Hokusai Museum, Tokyo hokusai-museum.jp/modules/Exhibition OPEN: Tuesdayâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;Sunday until January 20, 2019, 9:30 amâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;5:30 pm (last entry 5 pm) SPECIAL HOURS: Open Monday on +LJLTILY HUK 1HU\HY` Â&#x2039; *SVZLK December 25, December 29â&#x20AC;&#x201C;January 1, and January 15

â&#x2013;˛ Katsushika Hokusai, Monkfish â&#x2013;ź Utagawa Kunisada, The Pine Trees at Atake, from the series Women in Plaid as Benkei. Collection: Ajinomoto Foundation for Dietary Culture

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