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Japanese Culture | Hot Spots | Products

| Food TM

Jun. 2018

No. 40 FREE www.bentoboxmag.ca

FEATURE

I N N O VAT I V E SAN DW I C H E S TO SA M P L E A R O U N D TO R O NTO — O R FO LLOW OU R R E C I P E TO T R Y T H I S AT H O M E

Contents June 2018 J 201 018 5 5V 40 0

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Have a night out at this hot spot

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Feature: Japanese sandwiches

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Restaurant: Skippa

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Ingredient: Warabi

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Sake: Yuzu + Lime

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Travel: Narita

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Event: Tokyo BEFORE/AFTER

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Only in Japan: Teru teru bozu dolls

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Book: Japan’s supernatural cats

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Movie: Toronto Japanese Film Festival

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:[HɈ 7PJR! Sukoshi Mart

EDITOR’S NOTE

Nina Hoeschele

;OL NYLH[LZ[ [OPUN ZPUJL ZSPJLK IYLHK When it comes to handy meals, it’s hard to beat the good old sandwich: portable, delicious and endlessly customizable. But though you may think you know the sandwich, we’re about to level up your appreciation—because the Japanese sandwich takes this classic menu item to a whole new level. From noodles in a bun to burgers served on rice patties to delicate fruit and cream sandwiches, your lunch break will never be the same again.

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

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Editors Nina Hoeschele, Amanda Plyley, Yumi Nishio ,KP[VYPHS JVVYKPUH[VYZ Nina Hoeschele, Yumi Nishio Writers Amanda Plyley, Ariel Litteljohn, James Heron, M Crowson, Nina Lee, Sarah Dickson, Walter Muschenheim Designers Chieko Watanabe, Midori Yamamoto 7OV[VNYHWOLY Kazu Maruyama Advertisement & marketing 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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JUNE 2018

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F E AT U R E

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J a pa n e s e F U S I O N s a n d w i c h e s

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F E AT U R E

J a pa n e s e F U S I O N s a n d w i c h e s

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Hot Spot | Skippa

By Nina Lee

Sunomono Acidic and fresh, this asparagus sunomono comes with a lemon and egg yolk dressing and is [VWWLK ^P[O ZOPZV ÅV^LYZ ($12)

Nigiri

GET READY FOR A TYPHOON OF FLAVOUR Skippa is taking Toronto by storm with its creative, upscale Japanese cuisine.

Skippa’s sushi menu changes daily with seasonal SPUL JH\NO[ ^PSK ÄZO such as these sayori, aji and madai nigiri. ($5–6/piece)

Hungry for more? Let’s dig in!

W Maitake Salada Grilled to smoky perfection, this salad is full of local delicacies—black maitake mushrooms, crisp radishes and leafy greens. ($13)

ith its nondescript storefront, it’s easy to miss one of the hottest restaurants in Toronto. Serving southern Kyushu-style cuisine, Skippa fits the niche between kaiseki-ryori (a multi-course traditional Japanese meal) and sushi bar. Skippa’s popularity stems from Chef Ian Robinson’s masterful fare made with local, seasonal dishes at accessible prices, and from the intimate atmosphere in the 30-seat restaurant. Skippa was

recently named one of Toronto’s best new restaurants by both Toronto Life and Now Magazine, and it has received rave reviews from The Toronto Star, Post City Toronto and BlogTO. None of this should come as a surprise given Robinson’s pedigree—he trained with some of the most creative and technical chefs in the business, like Mitsuhiro Kaji of the renowned Sushi Kaji Restaurant, and Ian McGrenaghan and Colin Tooke of Parkdale’s Grand Electric.

Robinson’s signature dish, the Maitake Salada, is made with rare black maitake mushrooms grown in Ontario and grilled on a traditional Japanese charcoal grill to enhance their rustic earthy flavours, while the accompanying locally grown leafy greens and radishes provide crisp contrast. Another seasonal dish, the Sunomono, evokes the bright colours and flavours of spring. W ith a lemony egg yolk dressing drizzled over lightly simmered Dutch white asparagus, then decorated with layers of egg yolk strands

and vibrant shiso flowers, this is one beautiful and refreshing dish.

Staying true to his training as an itamae,* Robinson presents a trio of unique nigiri sushi rarely available in typical Canadian sushi restaurants—but prized in Japan: wild, line-caught sayori (Japanese halfbeak) from Nagasaki with a topping of T`ͻNH ginger and kumquat, aji (Japanese horse mackerel) served with handmade miso fermented for nine months and topped with locally grown chives, and silvery madai (Japanese seabream, or tai) served with house-made preserved lemon.

While the wait for table reservations (available via the restaurant’s website) may stretch into the summer, Skippa has opened up its patio to guests without reservations, serving seasonal shareable plates to hungry crowds. Reservation or not, Skippa is a foodie adventure worth exploring. *Itamae: Japanese term for a chef, often a sushi chef. It literally means “in front of the board.”

Niwa no Uguisu Delectable nigiri sushi pairs perfectly with a premium Junmai Ginjo sake like Niwa no Uguisu from Fukuoka. W ith a crisp, dry finish, this sake is smooth with a light acidity. ($21/4oz or $120/720ml bottle)

Skippa 379 Harbord St., Toronto www.skippa.ca OPEN: Thurs–Mon 5:30 pm–11:30 pm Tues–Wed closed

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Ingredient | Warabi

WARABI

By Sarah Dickson

improve the flavour by removing some of the bitter taste, it also removes toxins that some believe are contained in the plant.

蕨【わらび】

そばに添えられる山菜、 わらびは夏の風物詩。 独特の口当たりを楽しんで。

Summer of warabi

Beat the heat with this seasonal treat!

With the summer weather just around the corner, many Japanese will be turning to favourite summertime treats to beat the heat.

This doesn’t necessarily mean cold treats, but lightly flavoured edibles that leave behind a cool, airy feeling. Among the more popular of these warm-weather treats is warabi mochi, made from warabi starch.

Warabi, commonly known as bracken fern in English, can be found growing on the hillsides of Japan. It is used for a number of different things depending on the part of

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the plant that is being used. Warabi mochi, a variation of the popular treat mochi, is made from starch derived from the warabi root. The stem or shoot of warabi is similar to the North American variety of fiddlehead, or ostrich fern, familiar to most of us from its annual appearance in supermarkets in spring.

Warabi shoots, once roasted or sautéed, can be used as a side dish or in salads, with a flavour that has similarities to okra or asparagus. When preparing warabi, it is absolutely necessary to give them an overnight soak and then blanch them first. Not only does this

Warabi mochi involves cooking warabi starch with water and sugar, then coating the result in kinako, or toasted soybean flour, giving these gummy treats a familiar toasted-beige powdery exterior. Like other types of mochi, warabi starch doesn’t have much flavour on its own, so any number of flavours can be added to it. Often no flavour is added at all, leaving just the light flavour of kinako or sometimes kuromitsu, a sweet syrup made with brown sugar. It is actually quite similar to other Japanese treats in its subtle sweetness, unlike the gummies and jujubes that line the sweets aisle at Western supermarkets.

This type of mochi differs slightly in texture from the typical Japanese mochi. While ricebased glutinous mochi has a texture that can be described as chewy but firm, and even dense, warabi mochi might seem a bit weirder for the uninitiated. The end result is akin to a very soft gummy bear, or perhaps firm Jell-o.

While true warabi mochi is made from warabi starch, this ingredient has become very expensive due to the extensive procedure of harvesting and processing the warabi root to create the starch. These days it is more common to find warabi mochi made with substitutes like potato starch with just a small amount of warabi starch, while maintaining the same texture of true warabi mochi.

While the warm weather will make warabi mochi more common in the weeks to come, warabi shoots are easy to prepare if you’re craving something more savoury. For a delicious bowl of warabi gohan, try adding blanched warabi shoots to a rice cooker with dashi, soy sauce and mirin as well as your favourite cooked, flaked white fish for an easy and delicious meal.

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Drink up! | Izumi Yuzu + Lime Sake Collins

By Nina Hoeschele

ゆずの香りが爽やかな、 夏らしいカクテル。 瑞々しい酸味と心地よいほろ苦さ。

Izumi Yuzu + Lime Sake Collins This zesty sake cocktail is the ideal beverage for the summer.

W

hat’s nicer than a refreshing drink while sitting under the summer sun? For those days when it’s hot outside, a cool drink with a zing of citrus is a tested formula to help you kick back and chill out. And if you’re looking for a more adult alternative to your usual glass of lemonade, the latest creation from the Ontario Spring Water Sake Company is sure to please your palate.

Meet the Izumi Yuzu + Lime Sake Collins.

Like a Japanese twist on your classic Tom Collins, this beverage is a citrusy cocktail made from fresh Izumi draft sake, Japanese yuzu juice and lime juice. The drink’s use of yuzu—a tart citrus fruit whose taste has been described as somewhere between a lemon, a mandarin

orange and a grapefruit—takes the “cool citrus drink” formula in an intriguing new direction.

The result is a tangy, refreshing beverage that will delight anyone who enjoys sipping delicious cocktails in hot summer weather.

Try it on the rocks—and for an extra zip, garnish your glass with a slice of lime to enhance the flavours.

This brand-new beverage debuted just this month at the Kampai Toronto sake festival.

It’s now available for purchase from the Ontario Spring Water Sake Company, with plans to introduce it to the lineup at your local LCBO sometime in late summer or early autumn this year.

Take a sake journey this summer Want to start your summer sake experience in style? Looking to learn more about the world of sake? Or do you just want to sample Yuzu + Lime Sake Collins before you purchase an entire bottle? Adventurous tasters can head down to the Ontario Spring Water Sake brewery in Toronto’s Distillery Historic District. Take a tour of

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the facility, then pull up a seat at the brewery’s tasting bar, where guests are offered a guided tasting of several different varieties of the brewery’s locally made sake—including nama-zake, or unpasteurized sake, which offers a sharper, more refreshing taste than its pasteurized counterparts.

Brewery tours with guided tastings are offered on the weekends for $15 per person, or private tours can be arranged during the week for groups of five people or more. Get in touch with the brewery and book your spot at 416-365-7253 or info@ontariosake.com. ontariosake.com

Exclusive Agent:

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Travel | Narita

By Nina Lee

NARITA 日本の空の玄関、 国際空港を抱える成田市は 不動明王が見守る門前町。

Though it’s best known as home to one of the world’s busiest airports, visitors to Japan may be surprised to learn about Narita’s rich history and exciting attractions.

When arriving in Japan, there is a good chance that you’ll land at Narita International Airport. Since 1978, the airport has welcomed the world to Japan. But most visitors hop on the speedy JR Narita Express and race past ancient temples, picturesque neighbourhoods and kitschy nightclubs. The best way to begin a visit to Japan is at one of the airport observation decks, where you can relax for a moment while watching the planes take off and land. It’s a hidden gem buried among the shops and restaurants in the busy airport mall. If you choose to spend a weekend in Narita, the train into town also departs from the airport and takes just 20 minutes..

One of the first things visitors may notice are the scads of air crew leaving the express train to the tourists, instead taking the local train to the central Narita Station. Narita is a popular place for foreign flight crew to stay, and they often enjoy partaking in the city’s fun and

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frivolous nightlife. Many of the karaoke bars and dance clubs don names with cheeky references to the city’s famous transportation hub. You’ll also find those in the know soaking their aching muscles at Yamato no Yu, an onsen (hot spring) public bath. With soothing indoor and outdoor wood-lined baths and saunas, as well as private rooms with attached baths and a restaurant onsite, the Yamato no Yu is a haven for the weary frequent traveller.

For 300 years, Narita has been home to the famous Narita Gion Festival. This three-day festival is typically held in early July, and features floats and enormous shrines followed by children in ornate kimono as well as dancers moving to rhythmic chants parading through the streets. Annually, over 450,000 revellers attend the festivities, which spill over into the surrounding neighbourhoods and shopping districts.

Much more than an airport

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By Amanda Plyley

Event | Tokyo BEFORE/AFTER

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Tokyo BEFORE/AF TER PH O T O G R A P H Y E X H I B I T I O N

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1. ©Shinya Arimoto 2. ©SATO Shintaro 3. ©Natsumi Hayashi 4. ©Kenta Cobayashi 5. ©mika ninagawa 6. ©Nobuyoshi Araki / Courtesy of Taka Ishii Gallery

hey say a picture is worth a thousand words, but “Tokyo” is a word that arguably conjures up just as m a n y i m a g e s . A n d i f y o u ’ re i n t r i g u e d b y t h i s v i b r a n t u r b a n c e n t re w i t h i t s r i c h history and ever-evolving nature, you’re going to want to visit the Tokyo BEFORE/ AFTER photography exhibition.

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Hosted in Toronto by the Japan Foundation, this touring exhibition features 80 pieces of photography arranged into two distinct groups: before and after. The changing face of Japan’s eclectic capital city is on display, contrasting historic work from photographers of the 1930s and 1940s with contemporary postwar pieces of the 20th century.

Tokyo in the years leading up to World War II is shown through the eye of the lens as a growing metropolis, buzzing with activity and development. Old and new a r c h i t e c t u r e e x i s t e d s i d e b y s i d e a n d traditional and modern styles clashed 18

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beautifully. Photographs from visionaries of the time—Yasuzo Nojima, Ihei Kimura, Yo t s u o K o n o a n d K i n e o K u w a b a r a , t o n a m e a f e w — will swiftly transport you back in time to a complicated but fascinating era.

On the flip side, vibrant colours and modern esthetics steal the show in the second set of photographs, featuring work from 2010 onward. As Tokyo continues to transform itself and hold its place as an artistic, cultural and digital leader on the world stage, photographers like Nobuyoshi Araki, Mika Ninagawa, Natsumi Hayashi and Daido Moriyama attempt to capture its fluid socio-economic nature and showcase it for us to enjoy in Toronto.

Tokyo BEFORE/AFTER is a free exhibit running from April 11 to July 11. Visit the Japan Foundation at jftor.org for more information.

Tokyo BEFORE/ $)7(5 ÀOP VFUHHQLQJV Riding Metro (2006) A Tokyo salesman steps off the subway and travels back in time to confront various family members, realizing his own destiny in the process.

Saturday, July 7, 3 pm–5:15 pm, and Monday, July 9, 6:30 pm–8:45 pm Admission: FREE Reservations required jftor.org/event/riding-metro

Tokyo Biyori (1997) An affectionate couple explores Tokyo on foot and the sunny, urban backdrop takes on a character of its own.

Friday, June 29, 6:30 pm–8:45 pm, and Thursday, July 5, 6:30 pm–8:45 pm Admission: FREE Reservations required jftor.org/event/tokyo-biyori

Only in Japan | Teru teru bozu

By M Crowson

Head into sunshine

Invite sunlight into your life with the folksy tradition of hanging teru teru bozu dolls outside your abode. てるてる坊主てる坊主∼♪ 晴れたら可愛いお顔を書いてあげるよ。 after his work is done. Teru teru bozu-making is a hallmark of Japanese childhood, and kids usually chant a folk song to the doll as they craft, promising that if the monk brings on the light s/he will “give you a golden bell,” but if the sky cries the child will “snap off your head.”

Illustration by Chieko Watanabe

June is the start of Japan’s tsuyu, the hot, sticky rainy season that hangs on through July, a two-month stretch when ominous clouds can dump sheets of rain at a moment’s notice. Luckily, there’s a folk remedy for all that wet, grey weather: teru teru bozu (てるてる坊主) dolls. Literally “shiny-shiny, bald-headed monk,” the teru teru bozu is a simple doll that looks just like the ghosts Western kids make during Halloween season. But these little guys are rumoured to possess the power to summon good weather (or ward off bad) with their smooth, round heads.

First popularized during the Edo period, this delicate dude is made of two sheets of tissue paper or square cloth wrapped around a small ball of stuffing about the size of your palm. The wrapped stuffing becomes the monk’s head, which you hang under the eaves of your house or at a window, inviting the sun to make the monk’s head “shiny-shiny.” Traditionally, the doll is hung without drawing a face.

The next day, if the sun comes out, celebrate by drawing his eyes and a happy little mouth, or douse his shining head with ceremonial sake and send him downstream

While that might sound a bit gruesome, it’s pretty standard for the typically morbid genre of nursery rhymes. It also gives a hint of one of the many myths surrounding teru teru bozu’s origin. One story is that, long ago, during a long period of bad weather, a monk promised his feudal lord that he could bring about sunshine—but when he couldn’t deliver, the lord had the monk beheaded, wrapped his head in a cloth and hung it up outside the castle.

Another (happier) story is that the little ghosts are effigies of Hiyoribo (日和坊), the “Good Weather Monk,” a ghostly figure who lives in the mountains and is invisible to the human eye on rainy days.

There is some debate over the gender of this weather-wielding origin story, though.

Some believe that he is a she, an adaptation of a Chinese myth of the beautiful “Fine Weather-Sweeping Girl,” who was sent out into a vicious storm with nothing but a broom in hand, a sacrifice to appease the heavens and save her entire city from drowning.

Let in the light Teru teru bozu are part of a long Japanese tradition. Want to get in on the fun? Here’s how ...

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DO

DO

DO NOT

try this at home.

make it rain.

just weather the storm.

Teru teru bozu are easy to make, so feel free to get crafty even if you’re just a kid at heart.

Feeling overheated or sunburned? Just hang your doll upside down to summon showers instead of catching rays.

Kids also make these dolls to bring luck for important days, like school festivals and sports days.

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

Kyoto Maiko Dinner 1 Enjoy the traditional dances of the maiko (apprentice geisha). Take a commemorative photo with the maiko and share it with your friends!

2 The maiko will play traditional Japanese style games with a few participants as part of the show.

3 Enjoy a Kyoto-style kaiseki cuisine meal prepared with seasonal ingredients.

TOUR BASIC INFORMATION

Departure city: Kyoto Visits: Kyoto Duration: approx. 3 hours Includes: English-speaking guide, lunch, other admission fees and transportation costs included in the tour Drinks are excluded Date: June 1 – November 9, 2018 (Monday, Wednesday and Friday only)

PRICE

CAD $

180

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

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

ITINERARY 17:30 - 18:00

Hotels in Kyoto Go to Kyoto Handicraft Center by taxi.

18:30

Kyoto Handicraft Center

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may not be fulfilled. The dashi (stock) cannot be changed for vegetarian diners. Please note that gluten-free meals and vegan meals are not available.

- The dance will be performed by 1 maiko using recorded music.

- The maiko will play traditional Japanese-style games with a few participants as part of the show.

min

Take a peek into traditional Japanese culture and watch a maiko performance, traditional Japanese-style party games, and even take pictures with the maiko. Senjafuda (a maiko’s business card) will be given to each participant.

A Kyoto-style kaiseki cuisine meal will be served for dinner.

- Participants who would like a vegetarian meal must make a request at least 5 business days before the tour date. Requests made late

20:00 - 20:30

Hotels in Kyoto Participants will be taken back to their hotels by taxi.

[Remarks] 1. Planning Company: JTB Corp. Address: 2-3-11 Higashi Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo. Japan Tourism Agency Registered Travel Agent (No. 64) 2. If the minimum number of participants (2) is not met by 4 days before the scheduled date, the tour on that date may be cancelled. 3. Casual clothing is permitted. 4. Vegetarian meals are available and must be requested at least 5 business days before the tour departure date. Requests made any later may not be fulfilled. The dashi (stock) cannot be changed for vegetarian diners. Please note that gluten-free meals and vegan meals are not available. 5. Connections from Kyoto Afternoon Tour and Kyoto 1-Day Tour are available. In such cases please make the connection at Kyoto Handicraft Center. 6. Connections from Nara Afternoon Tour and 1-Day Kyoto & Nara Tour cannot be made to this tour. 7. The dance will be performed by 1 maiko using recorded music. 8. The maiko will play traditional Japanese-style games with a few participants as part of the show.

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

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All photos ©JNTO

June 2018

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By M Crowson

Hit the books | Kaibyo

BE A SMART SCAREDY -CAT More shiver-inducing books by the author Yurei: The Japanese Ghost

Kaibyo

Let Davisson take you on a deadly tour of historical documents and modern J-horror movies.

I` AHJR +H]PZZVU Explore the wondrously creepy and informative world of 2HPI`Ȭ! ;OL :\WLYUH[\YHS *H[Z VM 1HWHU

Author info

Yokai Stories

Zack Davisson is an award-winning translator, writer, lecturer and scholar of manga, Japanese folklore and ghosts. He maintains the popular HYAKUMONOGATARI.COM. He currently resides in Seattle, Washington, with his wife Miyuki, their dog Mochi, cats Bagheera and Sheer Khan—and several ghosts.

What pops into your mind when you hear the words cat and Japan in the same sentence? Is it Hello Kitty, the big-eyed British schoolgirl who is not, in fact, a cat? That’s right, there’s no kitty in Hello Kitty, though there are plenty of real cats and cat-like creatures in contemporary Japanese pop culture. If you love the cat bus from My Neighbor Totoro, Jiji from Kiki’s Delivery Service or Luna from Sailor Moon, but yearn to know more about Japan’s magical, mystical cat folklore, pick up a copy of Zack Davisson’s 2HPI`ͻ! ;OL Supernatural Cats of Japan.

flies and blood spills, you won’t have to imagine any of it, because the book includes full-colour images of all kinds of mystical mischief, mostly reproductions of books and woodblock prints from the Edo period (1600–1868), the heyday of the Japanese yurei. Think Hokusai’s Great Wa v e p r i n t , b u t r e p l a c e t h e w a v e w i t h a giant, toothy kitty, and put terrified, intricately attired samurai in those little boats. Or picture a cat courtesan strumming a shamisen, that elegant traditional instrument that—spoiler alert—is best made with a perfectly tanned feline hide.

Let me start by saying: this book is a visual feast. Davisson is an established translator and a specialist in the world of yurei (幽霊), “mysterious phenomena” that include a wide, weird range of things, from ghosts and goblins to river spirits and awe-inspiring deities—and, yes, cats. This book highlights them all: sexy cats, shape-changing cats, vampire cats, faithful fighter cats and hellfire-wearing, corpse-eating cats. And when the fur

While the book is a joy for anyone into traditional Japanese art, there are also plenty of authentic anecdotes about the various supernatural cats of bygone days, so don’t overlook this tome if you or someone you know is a crazy cat lady.

The animal emphasis here is real, and the stories included are a mix of reprinted English hearsay from the big boys of the 1900s, like Lafcadio Hearn—complete with quirky spelling and cultural biases—

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Get the kids in on the otherworldly fun with this illustrated retelling of classic Japanese ghost stories.

and texts from feudal Japan, translated

by Davisson with an eye to contemporary tastes. These loosely linked cat anecdotes make the book easy to read in small bites.

Dip your whiskers in one or two stories, then walk away for a couple days, and when you return the book still holds its magical appeal.

2HPI`ͻ is also great for budding Japanese learners, because the stories are interspersed with sidebars that break down the kanji for each of the key words. The sidebars are unobtrusive for anyone uninterested in the finer points of the Japanese language, so if you’re content focused, you can easily read about the history of the Maneki Neko— that cute white cat that waves at you from shop windows and cash registers—and tell your friends about it at next week’s happy hour. But if you want to know what maneki neko means, and how it’s written, well, Davisson’s got you covered.

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▲ Chihayafuru Part 3 © Tatsuhiko Yamagami, Mikio Igarashi / Kodansha (C)2018 映画 「ちはやふる」製作委員会 (C)末次由紀／講談社

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Film focus | Toronto Japanese Film Festival

BIGGEST SHOWCASE OF JAPANESE FILMS IS BACK!

The Scythian Lamb and A Beautiful Star ▲ Daihachi Yoshida

Sekigahara ▼ © 2017 TOHO CO., LTD. / Asmik Ace, Inc. / SUMITOMO CORPORATION / DENTSU INC. / East Japan Marketing & Communications, Inc. / KINOSHITA GROUP / J Storm Inc. / The Asahi Shimbun Company / THE MAINICHI NEWSPAPERS / JIJI PRESS, LTD. / WOWOW INC. / HANKYU TRAVEL INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD. / Tokyu Agency Inc. / Nihon Eiga Broadcasting Corporation / GYAO Corporation / NIPPON SHUPPAN HANBAI INC. / THE CHUNICHI SHIMBUN / KOEI TECMO GAMES CO., LTD.

JUNE 7-28

at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre The annual Toronto Japanese Film Festival FVMRKW XST WXEVW ½PQQEOIVW ERH TVIQMIVIW to Toronto for its seventh year. ▲ Sekigahara Director Masato Harada

◀ Color Me True © 2018 “COLOR ME TRUE” Film Partners

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unning from June 7 to 28, the Toronto Japanese Film Festival is now North America’s largest showcase of Japanese cinema with films that have been recognized for excellence by Japanese audiences and critics, international film festival audiences an d th e Japanese Film A c a de m y. The festival’s program includes popular ge n re s su ch as historical (samurai) jidaigeki, contemporary dramas, c om e di e s a n d acti on, lit erary adapt a t i on s, c h i l dre n ’s, art-house and anime films. All films shown are international, North American, C anadian o r To ront o pre m i e re s.

Screenings are accompanied by musical performances, sake tastings, martial arts demonstrations, art exhibitions and, of course, lots of sushi.

The fest o pens wit h t h e Canadian premiere of Takashi Yamazaki’s Destiny – The Tale of Kamakura and the North American premiere of The Last Recipe, directed by Yojiro Takita (who is also known for directing Departures).

This year’s special guests Superstar actor and filmmaker Takumi Saitoh visits for the Canadian premiere of his acclaimed feature directorial debut blank 13. The film received the Asian New Talent Award for Best Director at the Shanghai International Film Festival.

One of Japan’s most talented and indemand young actresses, Mayu Matsuoka, j oi n s the fest ival for t w o fi l m s: h e r Tokyo International Film Festival Audience Award-winning Tremble All You Want and Chihayafuru – Musubi.

Masato Harada’s samurai battle epic Sekigahara makes its Canadian premiere with director Harada in attendance.

Director Daihachi Yoshida brings the North American premiere of his new thriller The Scythian Lamb as well as the Toronto premiere of A Beautiful Star.

Hiroshima survivor and 2017 Nobel Peace Prize recipient Setsuko Thurlow will host a screening of a restored version o f Hideo S eki ga wa’s 1 95 3 classic Hiroshima.

◀ blank13 Director/Actor Takumi Saitoh ŠSHINJI OKAWA

“For our 2018 festival, we have worked hard to find a wide range of films that represent the broad spectrum of great cinema created in Japan,� say programmers Aki Takabatake and James Heron. “We have an exciting lineup this year; we invite you to be a part of this stunning festival and enjoy some of the best that Japanese film has to offer.�

Some highlights of the 2018 Toronto Japanese Film Festival Color Me True (North American premiere) Hideki Takeuchi’s (Thermae Romae) funny, heart-warming love letter to the movie stars Haruka Ayase and Kentaro Sakaguchi.

It is the 1960s and aspiring young director Kenji dreams of making films while spending his days at his favourite theatre, the Romance Gekijo, watching old black-and-white films.

He’s particularly infatuated with Princess Miyuki, a character from a forgotten film. One night, lightning strikes the theatre and the princess miraculously steps off the screen and into Kenji’s world—still in black and white. Kenji takes her out to introduce her to the beauty of colour.

Yocho – Foreboding (North American premiere) Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s follow-up to Before We Vanish again deals with aliens travelling to Earth on a reconnaissance mission in preparation for mass invasion. Etsuko learns that the head doctor at a local psychiatric hospital is an alien who has taken over a human host, leaving his victims stripped of their humanity—or dead. Etsuko must fight back against the invasion. A scary and thoughtful suspense film from one of Japan’s finest directors. Starring Kaho, Shota Sometani and Masahiro Higashide.

ping-pong club to train for the National Championships in the mixed double category.

Can they win?

Will Tamako defeat Ejima and Airi and find the man of her dreams? Find out in this hilarious, lighter-than-air box-office smash. Starring Yui Aragaki, Eita, Koji Seto and Mei Nagano.

Other films include Sion Sono’s Tokyo Vampire Hotel, Katsuyuki Motohiro’s Laughing Under the Clouds, W ishing Chong’s Yakiniku Dragon, Yukihiro Morigaki’s Goodbye Grandpa!, Su-Yeon Gu’s Miko Girl, Masaharu Take’s We Make Antiques, Junji Sakamoto’s Ernesto, two films by R yuichi Hiroki: Miracles of the Namiya General Store and Side Job, Takeshi Kitano’s Outrage – Coda, Nobuhiko Obayashi’s Hanagatami, Masaaki Yuasa’s anime masterpiece The Night Is Short, Walk On Girl, and Yoji Yamada’s What a Wonderful Family 2. TIFF encore screenings include Kazuya Shiraishi’s Birds Without Names and Hirokazu Kore-eda’s The Third Murder.

Toronto Japanese Film Festival Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre, 6 Garamond Ct., North York c QJJJ VU JH [QŃœ

M ix ed D ou b l e s ( Nort h A m e r ic a n p re m ie re ) In J u n i c h i I s h ik a w a ’s t a le o f la u g h t e r, l ove a n d p in g - p o n g w e m e e t Ta m a k o .

She is 28 and a member of the corporate pi n g-pong t e a m . When her handsome teammate and boyf r ie n d Ejima dumps her for beautiful Airi she returns to her shabby hometown Yocho – Foreboding â–˛ Š 2017 “Yochoâ€? Project Partners â—€ Mixed Doubles Š 2017 “MIXED DOUBLESâ€? Film Partners

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dorable and Taiyaki afiresh-ashaped cakes delicious ade in-house. m

Staff

Sukosh super fri’es homemade m o sh, light and flucfhi is fy.

Walter Muschenheim

Walter is a Toronto-bas W ed translator and writer. A real globetrotter , he has lived in France, Germany and the United States and explored Euro pe and Japan.

On O his adventures, he loves to learn about languages and food: the two co erstones of culture! corn

A little bit different

Sukoshi brings a new take on the convenience store to Kensington Market.

hen people ask me what I ate when I was travelling in Japan, depending on how honest I feel, I sometimes answer, “A lot of 7-Eleven.”

The reaction is usually horrified silence: I went to a country with world-renowned cuisine and ate in convenience stores?

But what people who haven’t been there don’t realize is that convenience stores in Japan are a whole different beast. In fact, they provide high-quality, fresh meals at surprisingly low prices.

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It’s one of those charming and unique things about the country: the Japanese obsession with quality and attention to detail extends into all facets of everyday life.

“A lot of people who have been to Japan definitely do have a nostalgia when they see [everyday] things like this and that’s one of the main things that inspired me

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to open the convenience store,” explains Linda Dang, who co-owns Sukoshi Mart with business partner Nancy Young.

Sukoshi, which means “a little bit” in Japanese, aims to recreate this quintessentially Japanese experience here in Toronto.

In order to show what a convenience store has the potential to be, the team behind Sukoshi had to do things a little differently.

They chose Kensington Market for its burgeoning food scene, which includes a growing number of Japanese shops, like dessert café Little Pebbles. Squeezed into a tiny space that keeps costs low without giving up its prime location, Sukoshi can offer authentic, fresh bento boxes and treats at super-convenient prices.

In addition to fresh lunches and homemade snacks like onigiri, mochi, taiyaki and puddings, the shop has a rotating

selection of imported snacks, drinks and household Asian beauty brands, not to mention great collectibles like a whole shelf of Studio Ghibli merch.

One of my personal favourites is the fridge full of Japanese cold coffees. Japan has been doing coffee in a can since long before your local indie café started offering cold brew—and, in my opinion, drinks like Boss Coffee, sold in vending machines all over Japan, are better (and cheaper).

By recreating one of the most common experiences of a Japanese city here in Toronto, Sukoshi reminds us that you can always find a little bit of magic in the everyday.

Sukoshi Mart 160 Baldwin St., Unit #7B | 647-358-4040 www.sukoshimart.com OPEN: Daily 10 am–9 pm

TO THE WORLD CONTEMPORARY JAPANESE PUB www.kinka.com

PATIO OPEN!

UPSCALE JAPANESE BISTRO www.jabistro.com

MODERN RAMEN BAR www.kintonramen.com

SUMMER SPECIAL RAMEN

CHILLED TSUKEMEN & HIYASHI-CHUKA COLD RAMEN

CAFE & BAKERY www.neocoffeebar.com

KINKA FAMILY gift cards are a great gift for any occasion.

Ask about our gift cards!